Rome Part II

More Forum

Looking up at the Church above the Capitol Courtyard designed by Michelangelo.
We found a Gospel group singing in here.

View from the Michelangelo Steps

Barberini "Bees"-his trademark-he was a past Pope(when this church was built perhaps..)

Hand of "Colossus"

Romulus-the original I believe-thousands of years old-by the way, the Rome Police wear Romulus arm patches.

Not sure what the frame of cherubs means

Roman road through the Forum

All the Palatine was stripped from the exterior for new palaces being built. What's left are the holes.

Strange stuff going on outside-people in gladiator costumes shaking down tourists

This shows how the Colosseum was laid out with trap doors and a large wooden deck covered with sand.

View from the Colosseum

Down below the stage-must have been a really scary place in its day

Ancient idol.

It's magic!

Selling postcards

Justice Building at the Forum

Rome Part I

Rome on a sunny day in December. Warm, 60's. Way too much to see
but somehow we got most of it in. Vatican, Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon,
some interesting restaurants and lots of churches and little side streets. There
were quite a few folks out for the tour so at times it was Grand Central Station
at rush hour-especially the Vatican Museum. I read that it's free the last
Sunday of each month-I can't imagine what it must be like.
What I'm going to do with this posting is mix it up between the art, the streets,
the views and the churches. It's going to be mostly visual since I didn't
keep precise records of which of the 20 odd churches a particular photo
was taken. It's obviously a very photogenic place as you will see. Enjoy.

The Capitol-not too old-about 1910AD-but very grand.

The Forum

Saint Peter's off in the distance

Part of the Vatican-where the Pope can go for safety through an underground tunnel.
Formerly a mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian

Add to the scooter collection-an original  Lambretta

Bridge over the Tiber-leading to the Vatican.

The chains that held St. Peter

Looks like old Roman road to me

Ringo caught in the act-photo hanging in Alfredo's

Home of Fettuccine  Alfredo-nice place for lunch too.

From the top of the Spanish Steps.

What can I say...these things are really cool.

More Forum - end of part I-part II up next.