Random Roma

After leaving Castel Sant'Angelo, Braden and I walked over to Piazza Navona. It was not right on any main streets, so it took me a while to find it, but it was very cool.  We had lunch in front of one of the fountains!

After that little excursion we decided to find the Pantheon.  This is the largest free standing cement structure in the world.  Architects today have no idea how or why this is still standing after thousands of years, but it is!  It also is now a church.  It has the tombs of Raphael and Vittorio Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy.

This was a really cool place, but we had had a very full day!  We were ready to just relax back at the B&B and write some blogs and catch up with some people.

The next day was a day of lots of walking around and seeing the sites.  I could go into a lengthy explanation of what they all are and what they mean and why they are famous and who made them...but that'd be a bit much I think.  Instead, if you are interested in something in particular you can do some research, that is what Google is for anyway.

So, in the morning, Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore.  Officially a part of the Vatican City.  Very pretty (not a candle to St. Peter's). Tomb of Bernini.

While in the Basilica, we decided to change our plans a little and see all of the sites that day and go to Pompeii and Naples the next day.  So, our next stop was going to be the Trevi Fountain.

 I had to throw some money it to ensure that I come back to Rome (I guess they make like 3,000 Euro a day)

That was really pretty.  This was also the day that Rome was bombarded by tons of Welsh people.  They were honestly everywhere we went in their rugby jerseys with Welsh flags for kilts.  I took a picture, I am not kidding...everywhere.

Anyway, after the wonderful fountain we went to the Spanish Steps and walked up those.  It was rough.  I have never in my life done so many steps consecutively.  Every day it's like 1,000 or more...ugh.  I think this is one of those places that is prettier in the summer.  It was just a bunch of stairs...

We then walked through the "expensive" area of Rome that included some more Armani and co.  After that we found Piazza del Popolo and had a sandwich there.

We walked up to the park area then and had another great view of the city (Rome has many).

We went back to the hotel for a nap and then went back out into the excitement of the city at night for some different views of our favorite places.  Our first stop was, of course, The Vatican.

We got back onto the metro and made our way back to Fontana d'Trevi.

That was an end to our random adventure throughout Rome.  All we had left to do now was ancient Rome which we did right after Pompeii, which will be my next post!