I had such a great time in Italy. I kept a journal while I was travelling and I'm glad I did as there are so many good memories attached to the photos I've taken I need the entries to keep them clear!
Here's some of the shots I took while in crowded Roma!
The first is affectionately dubbed the Wedding Cake! Can you see why?
The Trevi Fountain - it's situated in a small piazza and the place was packed with people. A little disappointing with the huge crowd as you found yourself doing more pushing through bodies than actually seeing the marvellous carvings in the fountain.
The Vatican - and I here I thought the crowd at the Trevi was big. Yes, this is the line waiting to buy tickets to go into the Vatican. It curves in front and then off screen and through those columns I call "the cattleyards" and through the pillars you can see. You had a 3-4 hour wait to buy tickets and then another couple to get audio-guides (if you wanted to understand what you saw when you got inside).
The Forum - situated on the Palantine hill, the first of seven that Rome is built on. The legendary hill where Romulus and Remus established Rome.
The Spanish Steps - again the crowds tended to kill the awe you felt being at such a famous site but I did traverse them (the steps and the people) from top to bottom and checked out the incredible artists who had their work on display on the footpaths.
Another Aussie author I found on a bookstand - this time it was HMB medical author Marion Lennox!
The Colosseum - this was the place I've always wanted to see since studying the Roman Empire in Ancient History in high school. It's huge and could fit 75 000 people inside!
Here I am at the Colosseum!
The sheer size of the place is intimidating. Standing on the second tier, I wondered how the gladiators and others felt being on the sandy floor looking up at a screaming-for-blood crowd back in the days of the games.
A common sight around Italy - older men sitting on benches watching the world go by, talking about who knows what.
Another Aussie author I found on a bookstand - this time it was HMB medical author Marion Lennox! 
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Looks like you had a fabulous time Kylie. I loved Italy though the manic drivers did make it interesting... So very European to see old men sat on benches debating anything and everything.
ReplyDeleteThe colosseum was one of my 'must sees' as well and I reckoned I could hear the voices of its ghosts. If you ever get to Tunisia, there is a more complete colosseum there. It's the one they used in Gladiator and there were no crowds at all. I was one of about six people standing on the top row. Amazing!!
Kylie,
ReplyDeleteI'm so envious of you standing at the Colosseum and being at the Trevi fountain.
All so gorgeous,
Lucky you,
Suzi
Hi Helene,
ReplyDeleteHey, it was the Vesper and motorcyclists that amazed me the most in the traffic! Having been to a few bad accidents involving motorcyclists with SES watching them weaving in and out of the manic traffic in Italy/Rome made me cringe and swear more than once.
Hi Suzi - the Colosseum was fantastic, the Trevi Fountain was a little spoiled by the crowd and the fact you had to have both hands on your bumbag/purse and anything else valuable as you were so aware of how easy the crowds made it for pickpockets!
But all this sure made the trip exciting! :-)
Fantastic, Kylie. I'm loving these pics!
ReplyDeleteSimply stunning photos Kylie and I'm walking down memory lane. Did you see the fountain at night? Just stunning
ReplyDeleteWelcome home. Looking at the pictures certainly arouses the travel bug. You do take good photos.
ReplyDeleteLove the photos, Kylie. I so want to visit Rome one day!
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