Ostia Antica is great

I had a great time today at the ruins of Ostia Antica (yes more Ancient Monument moments), on the outskirts of Rome, and they captivated me. I roamed the ruins, poking into passageways draped with amazing ivy, lonely rooms and clambered over multiple fallen columns.

Ostia Antica was the ancient port of Rome and has hundreds of two thousand year-old buildings spread over hundreds of hectares and I loved it to bits. Here I could fantasise about the Roman army and the legions, the Roman life and the grapes and chaises longues. I met an American from Seattle who even claims that this place tops Pompeii, you know, that city frozen in time by the volcanic ash Vesuvius blast around 79 A.D. He rexkons it gets too crowded and this is the one to visit for a bit of peace and I wholeheartedly agree although I have never been to Pompeii so should not really comment, as my Mother would have said, but she is dead and so cannot stick her oar in and I am making my life interesting as a result even though I would still say I miss her and her curly mop top.

It only took half and hour to get out of Rome on a train form Porto San Paolo station to Ostia Antica (it is only 16 miles south west of Rome) and when I got there I immediately fell in love with the place – oooooh heh I though get a load of that.

I ambled and shuffled (with my hip flask of Sambuca) along the one mile Decumanus Maximus, the city's main road. There are apparently paving stones which still bear the grooves worn by ancient carts but I was meandering in my mind at the time and looking at some pretty girls near a bare-chested statue. I also did a bit of veering off into side streets lined with the brick remains of houses, warehouses, shops and the temple forum.

What I liked was this is the normal Roman world, yes I grandly thought about big Roman armies and centurions, but this place is a bit more like a Roman Barking. Go if you getthe chance, but if you are never going to visit Rome and you know that in your heart of hearts then forget it .

All that touristy stuff got me thirsty and when back in Rome I hit a bar and drank 16 beers. I had an argument with someone who looked like a Don and only got worried afterwards. I could not find my way home so slept on a park bench which was rough but sobering until 11.00 and then got a cab back. Bliss – nice bubble bath and bed. Sleep.
More info on Osyia Antica here: http://www.ostia-antica.org