Roma, la Cittą Eterna !!"

For almost a thousand years Rome was the most political, richest, and largest city in the Western World.

 

 

 

 

 

 Trevi Fountain is the most famous and arguably the most beautiful fountain in all of Rome. The fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, an aqueduct constructed in 19 BCE.

 

 The back streets of Rome after sunset

 

 

The police in Rome are some of the friendliest we encountered in Europe or the U.S

 

 

The Coliseum remained in use for nearly 500 years

 

 where lions once roamed
(and  snacked).

 

 

Dedicated by the Senate in AD 315,The Arch of Constantine commemorates the victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312 for sole control of the Roman empire in the west.

 

The inscription reads:

"To the Emperor Constantine from the Senate and the Roman People. Since through divine inspiration and great wisdom he has delivered the state and the tyrant and his party by his army and noble arms, [we] dedicate this arch, decorated with triumphal insignia"
 

Constantine claimed that the day before his battle against Maxentius at the  Tiber River, he and his entire army saw a flaming cross against the sun and the words "conquer with this."   

 

 

 

 

The Pantheon, " Temple of all the Gods" was  built in 127 C.E. as a temple to the seven deities of the seven planets in the state religion of Ancient Rome . It has been in continuous use throughout its history. Since the 7th century the Pantheon has been a Christian church.

We liked this building a lot, nice energy here,,

 

 

 

 

 

The Spanish Steps

  In May each year the steps are decorated with pink azaleas. We didn't see any azaleas but there were a few drunks and other forms of low life tourists.

 

 

 

 

  

Fountain of Triton, one of the many many fountains of Rome and one of Bernini's finest.

According to legend  any visitor who throws a coin into the water will have guaranteed their return to Rome. I think you'll have better luck throwing a few coins at the airline ticket seller.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you imagine this in a dept store window in the U.S.?

 

 

 

 

 

 We spent 4 nights on a family working farm/vineyard.
4 nights of a "rustic" lifestyle was enough, can we get back to the city? 

 

 

 

 

waiting for the harvest !!

 

 

 

 

 Why is this sign in English?

 

 

 

 

 

 

ASSISI home of
 SAINT FRANCIS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tuscany is home to some of the most stunning small towns and medieval walled cities, Volterra and Siena are two that I remember..

 

 
Keep in mind  the first settlers in most of these hill cities were the Etruscans dating back to 900-400 BCE.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can drive in circles for hours...

Give me the 405 !!

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Doumo in Siena, a walled city of 60,000 people in Tuscany with awesome gelato.

 

 

After returning the rental car it's a train ride back to Rome.

I have no idea who those people are

 

  

 

Lion Fountain at Piazza Del Poppolo,

 

 

This definitely isn't Kansas Toto!!

 

 

Queued up to enter the Vatican Museum. Note the wall which surrounds Vatican City.
This line extended a good kilometer from the entrance. 
Highly recommend
advanced booking.




 

 

 Vatican grounds with the dome of
St Peter's Basilica behind the tree,
best I could do, I was denied entrance , must have been my Wicca Tattoo. 

 

 

 

 
 

One section of the
Vatican Museum

 

 

A bridge in Florence

Click the blue paw to track back to the wall.