To Rome with Love.

 

It was our last day in Europe.

 

We passed the walls of the enclaved city of Vatican to get to St Peter's Basilica. We made our approach via the St. Peter's Square, passing through the magnificent colonnades, ancient Egyptian obelisk and the granite fountain.

 

 

Entering the basilica, a crowd had gathered to the right of the entrance to view Michelangelo's Pieta. Placed behind cordon and bulletproof glass, we had to rely on zooming to get a decent snap of the sculpture of Jesus in the arms of Mary.

 

 

The cruciform-shaped basilica is laid out in marble and adorned with numerous wall sculptures.

 

 

Making our way towards the centre, a grand pavilion structure (baldachino) reaches up to the dome.

 

 

After Vatican, we went to the Colosseum, the famous Roman amphitheatre built out of concrete and stone. Today the surviving interior walls form most of the exterior characterised by repeating arches. Numerous holes exist in the walls due to damage from earthquakes and more damning, stone thieves.

 

Along certain stretches, the refurbished wall sticks out sorely.

 

 

The Colosseum could accommodate around 50 000 people who would gather to watch gladiators fight for glory and prestige. In the three-storey amphitheatre, the lower levels were reserved for royalties and senators while the higher levels for commoners.

 

Resigned to a life of commoner, we ascended the steep steps to the upper levels which offered a view of the arena and the exposed hypogeum which is a network of underground caverns and cages where gladiators and animals were housed before the shows.

 

 

Our last stop was the beautiful Trevi Fountain. It was a sight of elegance where water cascades the slabs of marble into the aqua dyed pool guarded by an ensemble of mythical sculptures.

 

Legend has it that if you toss a coin over using your right hand over the left shoulder, you will be guaranteed a return to Rome.

 

And we did. So may the fountain work its magic!