Roman Lightning

I took this from our hotel balcony. This was the payoff for 90+ degree heat and 90+ degree humidity. Note the star in the upper-right quadrant.


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Us in Rome

Pictures of us in Rome.

Are you looking at me? No, are you looking at me?

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Evening on our hotel balcony.

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St. Peter's Basilica

St. Peter's Basilica is huge. Unfortunately it's very low light and they don't allow flashes or tripods. I did try to get a picture of Michelangelo's Pietà because of its greatness (see below). We paid to climb to the top of the basilica, that's where the rest of the pictures come from.

Michelangelo's Pietà

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St. Peter's square from the top of the Dome.

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The Pope's garden.

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On top the Dome (pseudo-HDR)

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Vatican Museum - The long halls

The Vatican Museum is amazing. One could spend an entire day there. Most of the photo opportunities are in very low light, so I didn't even try to take a picture. For example, we spent a long time in the Sistine Chapel, but I didn't even take the lens cap off the camera. If you want to see pictures of the Sistine Chapel, googlie it!

Pseudo-HDR of one of the long, crowded hallways.

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Another very long hallway.

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The Spanish Steps

Our first day in Rome we arrived late in the afternoon. We decided to take in a couple of the big tourist traps, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We had seen these previously, so I only took my point-n-click camera to do some people watching. Even in low tourist season, they were crowded.

The crowd on the Spanish Steps. There for no other reason than being on the Spanish Steps.

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Spanish Cracks.


These guys were selling bubble dispensers. Some other guys were selling free roses. Yet others were selling other toys.

The bubble guys.

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Bubble guy demonstrates his wares.

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Trevi Fountain

Our first day in Rome we arrived late in the afternoon. We decided to take in a couple of the big tourist traps, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps. We had seen these previously, so I only took my point-n-click camera to do some people watching. Even in low tourist season, they were crowded.

Getting the right angle is everything. That's Carol behind him.

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Legend is that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Everyone gets their picture taken doing it, by their friends and by me!

The couple on the left is getting ready to toss their coins; love their contrasting pant/shirt outfits. The guy in the middle is in mid-toss.

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This couple was good looking. They have old-school European class. I guessing they're Nordic. That was the story I concocted in my head, anyway. I wonder if they realized I was taking their picture.

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Oceanus from below.

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The girls eating gelato in the crowd at the Trevi Fountain. As you might imagine, Carol and I also ate gelato sitting at the Trevi Fountain.

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The crowds at the Trevi Fountain.

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More crowds at the Trevi Fountain.

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More detail of the Fountain. If you look at the people in the background, that's where Carol and I ate gelato.

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Roman Forum - Wrapup

Here are some other pictures from the area of the Roman Forum.

The Temple of Vesta (number 9 on the interactive map.

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In the foreground, the Column of Phocas. In the background, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, Temple of Castor and Pollux, Temple of Vesta, way in the back ground the Coliseum, and a bunch of other old stuff.

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From the top of the Palatine Hill.

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These are at the base of the Palatine Hill. We both seem to recall that they were housing for gladiators.

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