Rome ( Roma).....When in Rome, Do As The Romans Do

   I am not fond of cities but we have a few 'must see cities' in the world and Rome is one of them. There are no fewer than 60 historic buildings or monuments that span this hospitable metropolis; this is why the streets are filled with tourists, some standing on a corner with the tourist map opened. There seemed to be little pestering of the tourists as I saw in places like Cairo so that makes for a relaxing atmosphere. You might want to be cautious of your hotel choice; many times the quite alley behind the hotel transitions into a late night eatery with wine and music.
 
  I got into Rome from the airport late and most hotels I checked were full so I had a lot of walking with my backpack until I found an available room. In the morning I headed out for a day of extraordinary site seeing, I was in my glory. My first stop was at the Basilica Di S.Maria Degli Angeli E Martiri, it was incredible. From the outside the structure looked dilapidated but once inside the wall and ceiling paintings, along with the sculptures made for a photo frenzy. I moved on to the Fontana Di Trevi (fountain) and then to the Piazza Campidogio which led to A Vittorio Emanuele Monument. From the monument, which was magnificent, I could see a panoramic view of Rome. I finished my day at the Colosseo ( Roman Colliseam ), for 11 Euros the admission was so worth it  This experience was so memorable that I still feel excitement when I read my journal.
 
   Rome is easy to navigate, there are still photo signs with numbers that signify important sites and corresponding maps that make the Italian lettering easy to understand. It is nice to stay in historic buildings that house the hotels, they really have character.

  The next day I headed to the Vatican. At 6:00 am there were only a couple of people outside the structure so I got excellent photo's with no crowd. Once the doors opened I climbed the stairs to the tower that looks down on the Saint Pietro Basilica and the whole compound THAT IS the Vatican (there are many offices there that run the global Catholic affairs and other churches besides the St Pietro Basilica ). Inside the Basilica, which is about 500 years old, was the most amazing sight I had ever seen, words may not be able to describe this place; even for a non-denominational person. There are about 40 places to pray where a priest and alter boy stand by; so many statues adorn the grand halls that are covered in paintings from floor to ceiling, one hall had ancient carpets, another had ancient drapes and yet another had geographical paintings. The Sistine Chapel and museum were incredible. All religion and politics aside, the Vatican is an AMAZING place, just incredible. I took a couple of shots of the Switz Guards that watch over some of the entrances and then moved on....so much to see.

   The next day I walked and walked, perhaps about 20-25 kms/per day. The weather was muggy with temperatures hovering around 30 degrees. There are many nice bridges in Rome, they make for nice photo's; especially bridges like the Sublicio. I visited the most important French Church in Rome, St, Lois, it was very beautiful. The Pantheon, or Basilica Di Santa Maria Ad Martyres was another amazing place; it is not only beautiful but this 2,000 year old sphere it only a couple of centimetres out when measured by experts. How they could have been that precise so many years ago is what makes this the #1 stop for structural engineers. I ended up to cover most all of the sites on the map, too numerous to list, some 400 plus photo's were taken. Some notable mentions include: Villa Medici, San Carlo Quatro Fontane, Castel Sant Angelo, Palatino, and Domus Aurea; just to name a few. I was so tired....but very satisfied.

  After I was "Romed Out" I headed for a lido (beach) on an old graffiti covered train. The beach was packed but I found shade which helped me to escape the heat. For me personally the Rome experience was great. The world cup was on so there was a lot of excitement in the streets, especially if Italy won a game. The people of the city were hospitable and often very helpful. The open sexuality is a bit hard to get used to; topless beaches are one thing but some people almost "get it on" at the bus stop. They do say "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", I think I will pass on that one.