Rome photos ....

Located near the Spanish Steps, this column, standing nearly 60 ft high, celebrates a saint.

The Spanish Steps which are not Spanish at all. They were designed by a Spaniard and built out of marble. Three levels supposed to represent the Holy Trinity. Under repair when we were there.

The "boat" fountain located at the foot of the Spanish Steps. A favourite meeting place for people meeting their Tour Guides. The water is drinkable and many people did so.

In the foreground is the boat fountain and this scene looks down the most expensive real estate in Rome. Literally thousands of people in it. One of the few places where cars and scooters do not venture!! In this area, every possible fashion label that every existed has a shop. And priced to boot!

One of the many sculptures designed by Berlini. This one would have to be about 40 meters wide and 25 meters high. The fountain depicts ancient Roman gods and the ocean. Quite spectacular.

Talk about crowds everywhere! This was a snapshot of some of the people looking at that sculpture.

Located in a smallish square and the crowd was massive!

One of the 30 odd columns that Roman Emperors removed from Egypt and bought to Rome. Why make them yourself when you can just take someone else's!

Close up of the column. All covered in drawings spiralling upwards telling stories.

If one looks closely, one can see Kerrie. The Pinocchio Shop!

Another column. This time outside a minor church!

Couple of close ups of the column base.

Colosseum from across the road.

Inside the Colosseum's "foyer" looking out a window.

One of the many entrances to the centre of the Colosseum. Wonder how many gladiators walked down here wondering if they'd live or die!

Inside the Colosseum.

Only marble seats left. The rest is all brick. Once the entire building was covered in marble.

Hard to imagine how would have looked then.

The floor of the Colosseum on which the gladiators fought has been removed. The level of the floor is shown by the flat section towards the top of the picture where you can see a few people standing. What we see here are some of the cells animals and prisoners were kept in awaiting their fate.

An old temple above and a market place below.

On top of one of the seven hills Rome was originally built on and around. This is looking down at what is left of the area reserved for wealthy and elite to be together.

From the same hill, looking down at the area known as "The Form".

Many ruins and half built stuff. Few buildings left in much condition when Rome was eventually sacked as well as a couple of severe earthquakes over the centuries. Mind you, Nero's little fire didn't help either!

More of the Forum. The building on the left of centre is the ancient Senate building. Julius Caeser was murdered close to here, but not on the steps of the Senate which a popular film depicted.

Another temple to yet one of the myriads of gods the Romans had. Not allowed inside this building due to instability. Used to clad in marble. Not much left now.

Not sure why this was taken, but ... here it is!

A snack at Harry's Bar. Very popular spot over the years with all sorts of film stars and would bes if they could bes like us!! lol!

Looking out over a part of Rome with St Peter's Basilica on the horizon.

Another of Belini's masterpieces

Inside the Pantheon. An amazing building and not just because architects and engineers still have no idea of how this built or why it stays up. The ceiling is open to the weather and water etc drains away via drains in the floor.

A couple of snaps of the inside of the Pantheon.

The floor of the Pantheon - all marble!

Queues waiting to get into the Pantheon. This is a very small queue!

This and the next two taken from high on a hill above the Spanish Steps overlooking Rome.

In this area, many gardens and wealthy summer homes built to assist in escaping from the summer heat. Apparently gets extraordinarily hot in summer.

The Mouth of Truth. Legend has it that if one is a liar and puts her hand into the mouth, the mouth will bite it off. Made famous by one of the big actors in a 1950's film I think ... ???? These days is in a foyer behind wire and one pays to get inside to have a photo taken of you with your hand in the mouth. Again about 80 - 100 people in this queue!

Inside the minor church where the Mouth of Truth is kept these days.

Harry's Bar.

One of the Pope's gardens.

One of the Pope's many statutes. Looks like a Pineapple. The building is part of the Vatican Museum.

No idea what this is. Couldn't read the Italian nor understand the Guide. But it is in the middle of one of the Pope's gardens. It is on a large concrete plinth and is about 5 meters in diameter. Has all sorts of workings inside. Can't imagine what it is!

Ahh yes, Arnaldo Pomodoro. Need to google him to find out what he got up to to deserve this plaque!

This and the next lot of pictures where all taken in the Vatican Museum. There is much stuff here, all of it magnificent and worth an absolute fortune. It is impossible to portray what it looks like or the degree of sheer opulence on display. But here are some photos anyway.

Tapestry some 13 meters long and 5 -6 meters high.

The next few are of St Peter's Basilica.  This massive church is just a glittering display of ostentatiousness, wealth and is huge. No one is allowed to take photos of the Sistine Chapel, but you can pay to get blessed by a local Priest inside the Chapel. So see below for some of the Church. If I sound a bit cynical, it is because I am. I am also torn between the idea of what the Church's wealth could accomplish and knowing that without that wealth, all of this antiquity would not be available for us to look at in all its splendour.