Roma

We've been in Rome for a few days and have survived jam-packed days exploring the city and its history. We visited all of the major sites such as the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Pantheon.  We climbed the Spanish Steps and tossed a coin in Trevi Fountain.  We explored Castel Sant'Angelo, walked along the Tiber River, and meandered through narrow streets and alleys.  We enjoyed great food, great wine, and made several stops for gelato. 

A brief pictorial summary of our time in Rome:

We hired a guide to tour the Colosseum -- Tomasso -- and he did a fantastic job explaining its history, architecture, and importance.  He teaches archaeology at one of the local universities and was a wealth of knowledge.  He also took us through the Roman Forum and gave us great insight to what we were seeing and how it looked 2,000 years ago.

Colosseum interior

Mona and I have been to Italy once before, but on the previous trip the Trevi Fountain was under renovation and behind scaffolding.  It now looks almost new.  We did what many tourists do, we tossed a coin over our shoulder into the fountain to guarantee our return to Rome.

Trevi Fountain

Pantheon

The Pantheon was constructed under Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century A.D.  The top of the dome is open -- a roughly 30 foot diameter oculus -- that is the only source of light.  It acts a a sort of sundial as the light changes throughout the day.  That also means water gets in when it rains, but the floor is slightly convex with drain holes to carry the water away.  Genius engineering from two millennia ago.

The oculus at the pinnacle of the dome

Drain holes in the marble floor

At the Spanish Steps

We walked a lot of miles, yet this only scratched the surface.   Even though it was very crowded in Rome while we were here, it did not disappoint.