Roma

Rome's Skyline

There are columns EVERYWHERE

Where St. Peter and St. Paul were held prisoner

Brickwork in the Colosseum

The arena

The real name for the Colosseum, and the one Romans would have used, is the Amphitheatrum Flavium

The Arch of Constantine from the Colosseum

Us!

Tile that the Caesars had in their houses and would have walked on  (!!!!)

On Palatine Hill 

The ruins of the emperors' houses

Inside the Arch of Titus, showing the Roman soldiers carrying away the candelabra from the Temple in Jerusalem

The gardens where the Vestal Virgins lived

Us with our tour guide, Martia

Romulus and Remus

The roof of the Pantheon

The Pantheon

The crowds at the Trevi Fountain

Lounging on the Spanish Steps

Even all these photos don't show everything we saw or did on our first two days in Rome.  They were jam-packed with sightseeing and walking but we never regretted for a second those long days.  I remember sitting down for supper and just feeling my feet ache from the miles we must have walked.  It was hot, and we all got sunburned.  But now, one year later, it's not really any of these things that I remember.  I remember the first time I saw the Colosseum, and just staring at it unable to believe that it was actually there right in front of me.  I remember our tour guide Martia's accent and cadence.  I remember eating Pizza Margherita and Gelato every day (sometimes multiple times a day).  I remember walking on the tiles on Palatine hill and being struck by the fact that these very same tiles were once walked over by Caesars.  I remember the umbrella trees, and the water fountains, and the Latin and the rows and rows of busts in the museums.  We only spent three days in Rome, but even one day was sufficient for the Eternal City to steal my heart.