Italy Photos > Rome sights (54)
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The Pope's pad
Our first night in Rome, Whit stayed at the
awfulhotel for some ZZZ's while John went into Vatican City for a sneak preview. This is the Pope's apartment, right off St. Peter's Square -
Swiss Guard
And, of course, John made friends with a Swiss Guard who had just ended his shift. John snapped his photo in their tiny office along the Vatican wall
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We begin Thursday morning with a tour of the Vatican museum.... each sight was more oppulent than the next
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John & Raphael
John and one of the many murals by Raphael
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The Thinkers
John and a mini-version of Auguste Rodin's Thinker
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The Vatican from the viewpoint of a small window outside the Sistine
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The Sistine Chapel
Finally, the Sistine Chapel ...although you're not supposed to take photos photos....
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...Johnny Rule-Breaker is at it again!
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Innocent Bystander
I'm an innocent bystander of this rule-breaking man in the turtleneck sweater!
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Whit on the stairs
The stairs leading out of the Vatican's museum are gorgeous!
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St. Peter's Square
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At Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
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Piazza Navona
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At Piazza Navona, there are an annoying amount of carnival booths set up to win stupid things like this oversized Pink Panther. And then you have to carry it around with you the rest of your day in Rome.
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Four Rivers Fountain
The Four Rivers fountain was under renovation....
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But we got this great shot, despite the scaffolding
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One of the many adorable alleyways we used to cross the Piazza Nuova and the Pantheon.
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THe Pantheon was built as a Greek Temple
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Raphael's tomb
Raphael's tomb is in the Pantheon. On it is inscribed: "Here lies Raphael by whom Nature feared to be outdone while he lived, and when he died, feared herself to die."
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Liar
Pinocchio was Italian
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The Trevi Fountain
This amazing Baroque sculpture has water rushing around it at amazing speed. The sound of the water is powerful.
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Coins in the Fountain
A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Approximately 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy. However, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain, including some using a magnetized pole.
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Street repair
A cobblestone street repair site shows that Rome is built on sandy soil
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The mighty Coliseum! When we were walking toward it, we joked that it was a mirage, becuase you can see it from so far away on the streets, and the walk to it took a while
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The Beattys Overseas at The Coliseum
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Inside the Coliseum, the arena floor is reflected with rows of cages and pens underneath where animals were kept before gladiator fights
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We were lucky to be there on a very uncrowded day.
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A cool shot of the grass that growns on the Coliseum floor, inbetween the rows of pens & caubicles where the animals were kept, then brought up to the arena floor by trap door
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It's easier for us to take this photo and let you read it, than for us to reiterate it on blog. hahaha
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John had met a pair of Rome cops the night before this who were rude and unfriendly. However, these guys outside the Coliseum were thrilled to pose for a shot
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Christmas card
Our Christmas card!
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At the Irish pub in Rome... with the Ireland flag waving!
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Chatting with fellow multi-national travellers
