Random bits of Rome

This marks my last post on Rome (sniffles) for now. Key phrase: for now. I’d love to go back and visit the places we didn’t get a chance to see (Venice, Florence, etc.). One day. :)

But for now, I’m going to wrap this up by sharing some photos of “everyday” Rome. Despite the not-so-warm people of Rome and dealing with the constant fear of getting ripped off by local vendors/services, Rome really is a beautiful city. I hope you enjoyed looking through the photos from our trip and got a taste of how lovely it was.

A view of a bridge over the Tiber River. The walk along the river is lined with trees.

Above, at left, an inviting bookstore in Trastevere.

Food! One of our favorite places to eat was Pizzeria da Baffetto. They had the tastiest, crispiest pizzas (pictured above in bottom left photo) and the best antipasto caprese dish (top left). Even though the customer service was never great (impatient servers), the food never disappointed.

Yummy gelato!! We had gelato twice while in Rome; both times delicious. Our other favorite restaurant in Rome was Parione. Order recommendation: the pasta with sausage in a cream sauce.

Kate and I witnessed a natural phenomenon during one of our walks along the Tiber. Apparently the European starling, a type of small bird, migrate to Rome in the winter and roost atop trees. We watched thousands of these birds fill the sky flying in crazy formations. We just stood there amazed, until we realized that thousands of birds flying = bird droppings galore. We ran for cover, but neither of us escaped without getting hit…

Rooftop gardens. What more can I say?

We dedicated a day to touring Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum and Colosseum. (Trip tip: Buy your tour pass, which is good for all three sites, at Palatine Hill and you can skip the long lines at the Colosseum.)

Above, top right, is the Stadium of Domitian at Palatine Hill. Palatine Hill is what used to be a huge imperial palace in ancient times. And as legend has it, it’s where Romulus killed his twin Remus and founded Rome in 753 BC.

Unfortunately, and this is common with a lot of the ruins, the palace grounds were abandoned and fell into disrepair, and is still undergoing excavation work.

One of the many great views Palatine Hill offered.

Above at top right, Jay holds some olives. Olive trees were abundant in the area. Bottom right, a view of the Roman Forum.

The Roman Forum, another site that required some imagination.

The Colosseum, a 50,000-seat arena home to the gladiator games.

Inside the Colosseum. Note the underground chambers beneath the floor. Animals were kept in cages here and could be hoisted to the arena floor by a system of pulleys. Nine thousand gladiators and 10,000 animals were involved during Trajan’s 117-day gladiator games.

A view of the Arch of Constantine, or Arco di Constantino, from inside the Colosseum. The arch was built in 312 to commemorate Constantine’s victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Ponte Milvio.

The Arch of Constantine in the evening.

The Colosseum and Roman Forum in the evening.

Goodnight and goodbye, Rome!