One Saturday (uh, a few weeks ago), we made last minute plans to venture to Capua with another family to see the "broken city" as their almost five year old has coined them.  We heard that the amphitheater is better preserved than the Coliseum in Rome and you can actually walk every where there isn't a chain due to somewhat treacherous grounds.  We were able to venture into the passages underneath where they kept the animals and stage machinery (so says this website) and in my opinion it was more impressive than the surface, just see for yourself...

I could have sat down here for a long time...completed in 138AD? That's amazing.

A brief history lesson:  (taken from various websites) Capua was founded by the Etruscans around 600BC.  The amphitheater is the second largest in Italy, second to...you know which one.  Spartacus was the most famous gladiator who trained and fought at this facility which at one time boasted as being the best gladiator training center in the empire.  There were three rings to the amphitheater with the third inner ring being the most preserved still which just shows the strength of the Roman technique of brick and concrete.  The outer two rings were almost completely demolished.  The rest of the city of Capua is underground which is astonishing to me.      

I think Emma may have missed the day at orientation where they tell us to try to fit in and not look like a tourist...LOL!

Amphitheater floor

So, a little more about our adventure.  We drove up and it was just there.  We had to walk down a path, through a building to get our tickets, then down another path to be totally in front of it to take in its intensity, so about 200 yards from the street.  Once we got out of the car, I noticed a large group of men standing around at a court...I turned to Sean and said, "I think they're playing bocce."  Some of you may not know that bocce is big in my family.  I grew up playing yard bocce at every party, killing time during the long days of summer playing bocce, and every time I go back to Ashtabula in the summer I try to time it up so I can at least go to see or play on my sisters, aunt and mom's bocce team.  I have vivid memories of playing bocce throughout my childhood, adolescence and adulthood.  It's our thing.  So, with Sean's encouragement, I mustered my courage and went over to watch and asked that question I have worked hard to memorize:  "Posso fare una foto?"  "May I take a photo?"  They obliged..well at least I think they did...I heard the word "Si" and that was enough for me.  I did my best to tell them about my family tradition, but I'm pretty sure it was lost in the translation.  They went about their game, broke out their tape measures, gestured wildly with their hands, argued about who was closer...all I could do was smile from ear to ear, feel the tears well up in my eyes and think about my family.

It's a wonderful little trip, somewhat easy to get to and close.  There was no one there, so we just kind of broke up and wandered around yelling for each other whenever we needed each other or wanted to show each other something.  Emma was a little freaked out being underneath when I told her to climb into one of the enclosed portions, or what I think were cages, she adamantly said, "NOOOOOO!"  Sean told me that Adin said to him, "This is SO cool."  

The best remains of the outermost ring.

What a great day with some great friends followed by a lovely dinner.  Definitely an easy site to see...not as famous, but equally as amazing.

Arrivederci amiche!!

Mackenzie