Buon giorno!
I just arrived back from our day trip to Ostia and my fingers feel like icicles! We had to take both a bus and a train in order to make it to this ancient town, but it was definitely worth the trek. Natalia excitedly told us about how important bathing was in ancient Rome, and especially on such a cold day, it made me a bit envious of the Romans who would spend up to 2 hours a day performing their heated bathing routine.
Ostia was an ancient town a little ways outside of Rome, and it is amazing how much of the town is still left standing. There are many beautiful mosaics still intact, a huge amphitheater, as well as homes and shop fronts, and most importantly the bathing quarters. When the Roman’s would bathe, they would go through a series of hot rooms, and then finally one with a large pool where they could rinse off and scrub down. The baths were a huge gathering place, people of all ages, economic statuses, and backgrounds would come, and there were even vendors who sold food and drinks inside of the rooms.
Lisa told us we could either go and explore or just head home. I chose the latter option because I was so chilled, and I was ready to thaw out. It is now the beginning of our weekend and I am so excited to chill out and relax after the busy week. Next week, Sijia and Nick will be writing about all of our adventures, including a trips to the Pantheon and to the catacombs, and beginning our study of Florence to prepare for our trip during week 5.
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