[Photo/The New York Times]

ROME, MARCH 7, 2011

I'd never been to Rome, so when a friend suggested that we meet there, I jumped at the idea. I was overwhelmed by the sight of the Colosseum, despite having seen pictures and reading about competitions between gladiators there over the years. I listened to the audio guide and spent hours conjuring up images of the past. The experience far exceeded my expectations.