Where did the Romans go to the bathroom when they were on their fortified walls? Probably wherever they wanted. But where do you take little girls when they announce an impending disaster while walking along said wall seventeen hundred years later?
We toured the ancient walled city of Lugo in northwest Spain with our family. We sat in a cafe and looked at the old town. We wandered up through the narrow streets, poking our heads into tiny shops and smelling the aroma of panaderías where they sold fresh bread and chocolate filled croissants. We went through the town square, played on the statues, and then visited the cathedral. All of this while it was raining. And we didn’t have enough umbrellas.
Finally we found ourselves atop the the Roman wall. Built during the third and fourth centuries, it was still standing. And it was strong enough and wide enough for us to walk along, trying to keep our unruly tourist children from falling over the edge.
And that is when we were notified of the imminent attack. No, the Gauls were not attempting a breach of the wall. The Celts were not interested in hurling stones. A bathroom was needed or two of our party would be wet for other reasons than the rain, and the long car ride home would not be enjoyable for anyone.
Looking back it was a good thing there was rain. No one bothered us, but let us go about our business. However, the whole escapade left me wondering, where did the Romans go?
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