The secret of the woods

Just south of Raglan New Zealand, off of Kawhia Road, and unassuming little parking lot is the gateway for an easy and beautiful trail that leads through a lush native podocarp forest to a picturesque waterfall, known as Bridal Veil falls.

The mostly level trail leads through a forest of tall trees, covered in a variety of epiphyts. The ground is a collage of fern, moss, and mouldering logs. The trail loosely follows a muddy brook to the edge of the fall's rim. A neatly fenced overlook lets you peer at the falls from the sideA short spur leads to the left for a closer look at the top of the falls. The main trail leads to the right, through a small cut in the earth, and then down again through the forest to the base of the falls.

Bridal Veil Falls itself is a picture perfect beauty. The water falls in a high and narrow stream, into a small basin below. The walls around the falls are basalt, blackened with water. Well worth the short hike for both the plant life and the falls.

San Clemente: the church that runs deep

The Basilica San Clemente is a very good place to get a grip on just how deep Rome's roots run. Today stands a church built during the 12Th century. Marble and gold, this church gleams with the care it has been given. But travel into it's basement, and the change is immediate.

Beneath the present day church lies its former and grander self. Originally built during the 4Th century, this was once graced with colorful frescoes. Today, it is mostly bare, but many decorations are still detectable in a ruinous form. Destroyed by the Normans at the close of the 11Th century, it was filled in, and the new church built above it. Rediscovered in the 1800's, it has been excavated though not really restored.

But the roots here are deeper still, for both of these churches rest upon the ruins of still older roman constructions. Here, there once stood the house of a early Christian convert, who held prayer in secret when Christians were still persecuted in Rome, also excavated are an alleyway, and another building, that served as a mithraeum. Here, at the deepest level, the smell of earth and water pervade the dark atmosphere. The sound of water too, penetrates, as there is an underground water flow even further down, beyond a grate. Through the grate can even be seen bricks which may have been foundations of homes that burned with the rest of Rome, earlier still.

Both eerie and fascinating, San Clemente only serves as one example of many sites where ruins lie beneath. This city has been occupied for thousands of years, and over time, dirt has settled between Rome's seven hills and built up the ground. Eventually, the oldest of buildings, or what remains of them, have been covered over, and the city grew above them. The Eternal City has weathered the storms of time with such roots. What biblical depiction does the Basilica San Clemente bear in its apse? Christ on the Cross, and beneath him, the tree of life , spreading its branches into vines. The inscription beneath, in Latin reads:

"We have likened the Church of Christ to this vine; the Law made it wither but the Cross made it bloom"

Having deep roots certainly helps.

Il Colosseo

Not far from Circus Maximus is the Roman Coliseum, or Il Colosseo. Originally the name of a large statue that once stood in front, it now applies to the iconic largest of all Roman Amphitheatres. Designed much as modern sports arenas, the amphitheater had a wide outer wall, now mostly gone, which encircled inner hallways and stairways, which led to various levels of seating, all the way up to the long gone wooden nose bleed section.

What remains today, while still impressive in its own right, is but a ruinous shadow of the former structure. The marble, which once encased the structure was removed over the nearly 1500 years since it went into disuse. Earthquakes have reduced its height, and its outer wall.

The remaining structure is mostly the brick core. While the hypogeum below the Colosseum is not accessible, the upper levels can be explored. The original seating has been heavily eroded, and many areas are capped with concrete to prevent further damage. The white marble of the senators seating is still clearly visible among the red brick. They seemed to be reconstructing the arena floor during our visit, or possibly constructing a temporary stage.

This arena once saw not only gladiatorial fights, but plays, mock battles, and animal hunts. Like any public entertainment venue today, there were vendor stalls and public restrooms. It even had a retractable awning to protect the crowds from rain and bright sun.

Visible from the Colosseum's windows is the Arch of Constantine.

In conjunction with our visit was an exhibit of Eros and Venus related sculpture and artwork. Amongst the work were several Grecian style black and tan urns that depicted explicit acts, which were surprising and interesting to see. But the statues were the really beautiful things, the others were just odd and interesting.