Catching Up

I am behind several days.

More time spent looking and snapping than blogging.

Breakfast was finishing up last nights wonderful clam pasta supper.

The fountain at the base of the steps designed by Bernini. John Keats lived in the house in the background. It is raining again.

The widest steps in Europe. Decorated with flowers for the tourist photographers.

Looking back at the fountain and the city.

The view of the backside made me chuckle.

How you keep your baby dry.

Onto another day and place.

Starting at the bookstore I recognize Ken Josephson's image in the photo book section.

I do not read Italian but the books are not to be found in the US.

Boys kissing in front of the Pantheon

Almost 2,000 years old. Rebuilt in 127A.D. The largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. It is majestic, and crowded. The color and ambience is subtle.

Being helped to learn to photograph.

Onto the Piazza Navona

 A table walking up the street.

A side entrance to the Italian Senate. The only time I have seen machine guns at the ready.

A detail of the Neptune fountain at the northern end of Piazza Navona

A serious artist was painstakingly drawing it.

The piazza is full of Caricature artists.

$13

I made a movie of this one.

A portrait being made. The main fountain, The Four Rivers is in the distance.

Checking out the results.

Another living statue. The young girls are entranced with an American Cowboy.

Making a donation.

 The Four Rivers Fountain - 1647

 A detail

Always Piegeons

On the way home I worked on my Reflections Series

Ta Leme

Vatican Museum, St Peters - A brief introduction

We arrived in Rome on Sunday and I got tired from all the walking while sightseeing and shooting. Monday it rained consistently and the Spanish Steps was all that I did.

I got cold, and wet. I went back to the apartment and did the blog for Capitoline Hill.

Tuesday was the Vatican Museum and the St Peters Basillica

When I downloaded the pictures to my database there were 465.

I will do this brief blog in order to not get behind and then go out again this afternoon.

 

I stood in line for about an hour and a half. Had to make images while it rained.

 

I spent about four hours in the museum. As you can imagine, not enough time.

What does one say?

Why the museum is unique. One of the halls of tapestries.

One of the Raphael Rooms

Matisse

On to St Peters

Overwhelming

I did not record his name.

An eight year old Russian girl who was Very Professional in her shooting.

Thousands upon thousands of cellphone pictures must be made here everyday.

For now, Ta Leme

First Sightseeing

Before I begin the sequential images I want to share a keeper.

"The Grand Tour" still lives.

 

We leave for shooting and seeing

Gas stations at the curb seem such a sensible solution to urban life.

If you don't want to loose your car in the crowd

We are approaching the Colosseum

While I snapshoot Antonis answers his phone

There will always be street artists

And their work

And the massive ruins lie before me.

Interrupted by "attractions"

Notice that the staff holding up the man does NOT go to the ground. The man is just holding his partner up in space. Some will know the answer to this defiance of physics.

Rennisance built on ancient, built on pre BC.

I passed this by. Antonius said, with a smile, "That is a human being".

 I made a movie. You see him moving his fingers slowly, on purpose.

Going up to the famous view you look back at the Piazza Venenzia
Past the famous suckling wolf that is the myth of Rome's founding.

 To the Michelangleo designed "Piazza del Campidoglio"

Then the image which became a postcard

The Roman Forum looking to the Colosseum in the far distance. Past ALL the history.

On to the Pantheon. We were to late and it was closed. The doors show the scale of what they achieved in their time. Seeing is coming to believe

Then to the Trevi Fountain. Don't even think about getting close to throw a coin.

Being "documented"

La Dolce Vita

Get your portrait with a living statute

Enough,  Ta Leme