When in Rome...

Veni, Vidi, Vici! I came, I saw, I conquered! Yesterday, Imax and I got to Rome and after hanging out and getting to know the lady who owns the B&B we're staying at, went out to the Colesium and the Forum for a little sunset tour. Unfortunately, they close an hour before sunset and we were, wait for it, 10 minutes late. Whoops.
Here is Ian hanging onto the bars at the Colesium gates, looking pretty pitiful. But when you look in you get to see the inside, and that was OK by him, especially since we got to see the outside, which, in and of itself is pretty powerful.

We were going to go back today and try again (and see a wicked 3d movie about the site!!) buuuuut got pretty lazy after today's hectic schedule. See below.

Next, we headed to the Spanish Steps, where we were innocently sitting when a really great tour group came and sat next to us. We listened in, and learned that the Spanish steps are actually the French steps...and that the French are pretty peeved about it.
After the Spanish (French) steps, we headed over to the Trevi Fountain, which is pretty gorgeous at night when it's all lit up. There were a lot of people there, yes, but it wasn't too crowded, the weather was nice, and we hung out there for awhile just soaking it all in.

Also, we wanted to secure our next visit to Rome, so we did what any tourist would do- we threw a euro over our backs into the fountain! Looks like we're coming back!

Today, we hit the Vatican, which is why we're so exhausted tonight. Because the Pope held an audience in St Peter's Square today, they were clearing it out and we weren't allowed in for awhile, so we took what I think is a pretty rare picture of St Peter's Basilica/square practically empty. So gorgeous.
The tourguide that we met last night at the Spanish steps was having a Vatican tour today, and we were so taken with him that we decided to take his tour, which was only 10 euro more than the tickets themselves, and completely, totally worth it. His name is Jason and as soon as I get his website in an e-mail I'll post it. And did I mention pretty hot, too? mhm. But he knew everything, and he didn't waste precious hours harping on art we weren't interested in: it was a great highlight tour, and he was so animated and knowledgeable that it would have been foolish, and we would have been cheating ourselves out of the Vatican experience, had we not taken him up on his tour.

I am pretty much all about taking pictures when I reallllly shouldn't. But the guards said we could, so I did. This is the sistine chapel. I don't really know why I'm posting this picture because it doesn't do a single bit of justice to this amazing work of art. You'll just have to go see it for yourself!! After we sat on the edge of the chapel and stared for about an hour, we had had our fill and left the chapel. We filled up our water bottles at one of the Vatican's many public water fountains that really look like works of art, and headed into the Papal crypts, then onto the Basilica, where I was, and still am, completely awestruck by the beauty of this church.

And just for kicks, here are 2 members of the very great Swiss Guard, who take care of the Pope. It is said that Michelangelo designed these uniforms, but I shall call them costumes because they look so silly. I'm sure they are very effective, though. At the end of the day, we had an Italian dinner (read:very, very long and relaxed), got some Gelato (duh?), and headed back to our fab B&B.

Venice tomorrow!!