Here's the first of my Rome Photo posts. This post covers only some of the 400 photos I took - I've divided them into rough categories to make things easier. This category deals with the "holiday" aspects of the week - things I found curious or amusing, photos of the hotel room, photos of me and Sharon, etc. Nothing "weighty" in this thread (in later threads I'll get all historical-lectury and bore you to death).
Future threads: Ancient Rome, The Vatican, Parks & Zoos, Fountains & Monuments, Piazas, etc.
The first photo shows our hotel room. Nice bed, lots of mirrors...
For some reason Sharon's running away. She's like The Flash - so fast that when she runs, she blurs.
SPQR is an initialism from a Latin phrase, Senatus Populus Quorum Romanus ("The Senate and the Roman People"), referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official signature of the government. I'm not entirely sure why it appears on modern day manhole covers.
Poseur!
I really annoyed Sharon all week because I kept taking pictures of her. She thinks they're all terrible. I think they're OK - much vetter than the ones of me at least. Do we worry about this
too much?
God, the scooters. Hundreds of them. Thousands. They ride around in packs, usually two to a scooter - businesswomen, lawyers, students.. everyone. Until you've seen it you just can't comprehend how many of the bloody things there are! But then, when you've sene the narrow, windy streets and just how crowded they are (I've been to the five big cities of the world - London, Paris, Tokyo, New York and Rome - none of the others hold a candle to Rome in terms of crowds.)
Top of a Roman fire truck. Wooden ladders - is that a good idea?
Throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain guarantees you'll return to Rome. Sharon did; I didn't. Ooops. I'm sure she'll enjoy it...
Oh, "Irish" pubs abroad. They never fail to amuse me. Note: putting a shamrock or a leprechaun on it does not make it "Irish".
On the second day we decided to seek out the real Circvs maximvs. This sign helped!
This, ladies and gents, Is CIRCVS MAXIMVS! The real deal. Well, what's left, which is an oval field. Live8 was held there, apparently.
One end of Circvus Maximvs, where the VIP box would have been. Some remains there.
Sharon in Circvs Maximvs. It rained that day.
Circvs Maximvs from another angle...
And yet another...
Oh, "English" places aroad. They never fail to amuse me. Note: in England, a cup of tea and a slice of cake does not cost £35.
Expensive shopping street - all the big Italian designer labels and stuff. Things in windows with no prices; shops with bouncers on the doors to make sure you look rich enough to come in.
We're sideways!
View from hotel roof garden.
Sharon + wine = weird face!
The Shazbot in the roof garden.
Me caught unawares... outside the Pantheon.
Nice view.
She's a cutey...
Roman graffiti. No idea what it says!
We just had to send postcards postmarked The Vatican. We're so sad we even sent one to ourselves! It's on the fridge now.
I think we were outside the Sistine Chapel for this one.
They name their bridges after biscuits. Weirdos.
The Mouth of Truth. Stick your hand in there, and if you lie it gets bitten off! Priests used to help the process along with scorpions. Nice.
Narrow streets. There are a lot of these... most of which the maps don't deign to mention. Cue intense irritability on the part of Russ.
Why's Sharon looking at a map? Mental note: Sharon cannot navigate. At all.
Nice hat!
That's one cool lookin' dude! Wish I was like him!
Me looking kinda... odd...
The Shazbot looking kinda... odd...
Awww... cute... saw this creature at the zoo.
For those who were in doubt, proof that male lions have bollocks.
What's the plural noun for tortoises?
Lookin' grumpy!
So glamourous!
Less glamourous!
Gazing into the middle distance.
There's a beermat stick to the bottom of my glass!
A beautiful Roman sunset.
Yes. I know, I should stop taking pictures of her. But it annoys her. And being annoying is something I'm really, really good at. We all need a talent.
Future threads: Ancient Rome, The Vatican, Parks & Zoos, Fountains & Monuments, Piazas, etc.
The first photo shows our hotel room. Nice bed, lots of mirrors...
For some reason Sharon's running away. She's like The Flash - so fast that when she runs, she blurs.
SPQR is an initialism from a Latin phrase, Senatus Populus Quorum Romanus ("The Senate and the Roman People"), referring to the government of the ancient Roman Republic, and used as an official signature of the government. I'm not entirely sure why it appears on modern day manhole covers.
Poseur!
I really annoyed Sharon all week because I kept taking pictures of her. She thinks they're all terrible. I think they're OK - much vetter than the ones of me at least. Do we worry about this
too much?God, the scooters. Hundreds of them. Thousands. They ride around in packs, usually two to a scooter - businesswomen, lawyers, students.. everyone. Until you've seen it you just can't comprehend how many of the bloody things there are! But then, when you've sene the narrow, windy streets and just how crowded they are (I've been to the five big cities of the world - London, Paris, Tokyo, New York and Rome - none of the others hold a candle to Rome in terms of crowds.)
Top of a Roman fire truck. Wooden ladders - is that a good idea?
Throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain guarantees you'll return to Rome. Sharon did; I didn't. Ooops. I'm sure she'll enjoy it...
Oh, "Irish" pubs abroad. They never fail to amuse me. Note: putting a shamrock or a leprechaun on it does not make it "Irish".
On the second day we decided to seek out the real Circvs maximvs. This sign helped!
This, ladies and gents, Is CIRCVS MAXIMVS! The real deal. Well, what's left, which is an oval field. Live8 was held there, apparently.
One end of Circvus Maximvs, where the VIP box would have been. Some remains there.
Sharon in Circvs Maximvs. It rained that day.
Circvs Maximvs from another angle...
And yet another...
Oh, "English" places aroad. They never fail to amuse me. Note: in England, a cup of tea and a slice of cake does not cost £35.
Expensive shopping street - all the big Italian designer labels and stuff. Things in windows with no prices; shops with bouncers on the doors to make sure you look rich enough to come in.
We're sideways!
View from hotel roof garden.
Sharon + wine = weird face!
The Shazbot in the roof garden.
Me caught unawares... outside the Pantheon.
Nice view.
She's a cutey...
Roman graffiti. No idea what it says!
We just had to send postcards postmarked The Vatican. We're so sad we even sent one to ourselves! It's on the fridge now.
I think we were outside the Sistine Chapel for this one.
They name their bridges after biscuits. Weirdos.
The Mouth of Truth. Stick your hand in there, and if you lie it gets bitten off! Priests used to help the process along with scorpions. Nice.
Narrow streets. There are a lot of these... most of which the maps don't deign to mention. Cue intense irritability on the part of Russ.
Why's Sharon looking at a map? Mental note: Sharon cannot navigate. At all.
Nice hat!
That's one cool lookin' dude! Wish I was like him!
Me looking kinda... odd...
The Shazbot looking kinda... odd...
Awww... cute... saw this creature at the zoo.
For those who were in doubt, proof that male lions have bollocks.
What's the plural noun for tortoises?
Lookin' grumpy!
So glamourous!
Less glamourous!
Gazing into the middle distance.
There's a beermat stick to the bottom of my glass!
A beautiful Roman sunset.
Yes. I know, I should stop taking pictures of her. But it annoys her. And being annoying is something I'm really, really good at. We all need a talent.
