Rome day 3

Early start today.  We decided to get up before the sun came up and get to the Trevi Fountain before the crowds.  That was a great idea.  We arrived and there were 7 people there.  Three blokes cleaning out the coins in the fountain for Red Cross and 4 Police watching them.  Had a really good look at it before we could get punished by the crowds. 

Mobile pool cleaner to suck up all the coins.

It is a beautiful fountain.

Making a wish - I'll be back!!

Threw a stack in - not sure which one was going to work??

You'd be sorry if we didn't get a selfy.

The crowds later when we walked past at about 10 o'clock.

Slipped around the corner for breakfast then off to the Spanish Steps – they are a little confusing – they were paid for by the French, designed by the Italians, the building of them was supervised  by the Vatican, named after the Spanish and, today, climbed by the Australians (Pam and Vernon).  They are the widest stairs in Europe and are so open and clean, difficult to get decent photos of them from walking level, perhaps if we rent an apartment opposite next time I’ll get one?

Another couple of hundred steps to go.

From the top balcony.

View of Rome from the top.

Foutain at the bottow of the steps - right in the middle of the street just to give the drivers something to aim at.

From there we walked to the Pantheon – a huge round church housing tombs of Popes and other luminaries.  There is a hole in the roof where the rain can come in, the marble floor is cleverly sloped to drain away the water.  Thank goodness the weather was fine today; the marble would be very slippery when wet.

Front of the Pantheon.

Vernon waving.

The altar.

Marble floor showing the drainage holes.

The ceiling - the hole in the roof.

Tomb of Victorio Emmanuel.

Tomb of Raphael.

Miraculously found a shopping centre – five levels of exclusive everything – Pam wasn’t interested.

Five levels - where to start?

This years fashion including fur boots.

Parking in Rome - or maybe it's the main street - it always looks like this.

Next stop – the Victorio Emmanuel Monument.  A huge building made of white marble (and cruelly nicknamed by some ‘the typewriter’).  There is an extensive military museum in there now. Emmanuel was the first King of Unified Italy (late 1800s’) and he had a huge influence on the culture and progress of Italy.  On advice from Liz we decided to have a lunch break at the café to look over Rome.  Lucky for us they have since built a lift from the café level and the public can now get onto the roof.  What a view – we have photos.   Had a late lunch and slowly made our way home at about 3.30 for a siesta to have the energy to prowl the streets tonight.

The Monument.

Statue of the King.  There was a picture in the museum inside of the cast for this sculpture.  There were 10 of the workers having a meal inside the cast.  The statue is HUGE.

On the roof

On the roof looking the other way.

The round-about in front - bit like Paris.  Not too much money wasted on lane lines.

One view from the top.

From the cafe level - couldn't resist a photo of the Coloseum....

So much to look at from here.

That looks like the Coloseum again?

So - the plan, have a siesta, wait till about 7 o'clock, sun has set, beautiful evening for a walk.  Yep all in order.  We decided to walk to the Trevi Fountain, should be dark by then, walk back past the Victorio Emmanuel Monument, past the Coloseum and home to bed.  What a good plan.  Half way to the monument the Police had blocked off an entire 8 lane road - it had turned into a pedestrian mall.  They are good guys!!!
We didn't realise until we got to the Monument there was a protest in place, easy, walk past, no-one will notice.  Next minute the riot police walk around the corner with shields displayed.  We made an exit left.  Then the protestors walked up the street with banners and flares and were shouting slogans (all in Italian so it was lost on us).  They got past us, then the explosions rang out.  Pams reaction - 'How are we going to get home'; 'I've heard of innocent people getting caught up in things like this'; 'Lets run.'

All's well that ends well.  We made it to the Trevi Fountain a little early so had drinks and tea at a nearby overpriced restaurant.  Got photos of the fountain, the Monument, and lucky for everyone, photos of the Coloseum on the way home.  No-one got shot or arrested.

The whole street to ourselves.

Peaceful evening - dusk, trees, jetstreams...aaahhhhhh

Riot police, protestors, media, flares, explosions....lets run!!!!

Peace at the fountain at night.

Victorio Emmanuel Monument at night.

You guessed it - couldn't resist!!!