Rome Photo Diary, Pt. 1

Some of you might know that I recently visited Rome for three whole weeks.
I had never been to Rome before, or even Italy for that matter, despite the fact that I have seen my fair share of airports and planes. I was so excited about this trip because (a) Rome has been on my bucket list since I discovered what a bucket list was and (b) my significant other, Nik, lives in Rome (and when your lives consist of Skype dates and WhatsApp messages, three weeks together sound absolutely wonderful).

I took a few pictures (278 on my camera, not including the 400 or so that have clocked up on my phone......) Don't worry; I'm not going to inflict that many photos on you, but I will share a few here, and I will probably follow up with a part 2 post.

On the first few days, Nik brought me around the different parts of the city on foot. I got to suss everything out those days - we had loads of time left after that for the proper touring.

 Piazza del Popolo was such a great square - there was always a good atmosphere, and so much open space (for a relaxed stroll, or for street performers!); we saw a Michael Jackson impersonator whose moves were like the man himself.

 The Spanish Steps are a good place to stop for a little rest. I would recommend hanging out for a little while at dusk. What a beautiful time of the day. The fountain at the bottom of the steps was having a little restoration work done during my time there. Boo!

Unfortunately, the Trevi fountain was also having none of it during my stay. I will have to go on a strictly-fountain tour the next time I'm in Rome.

 St. Peter's basilica in all of its glory.

 Thanks to the ancient Romans and their water system, I didn't get too dehydrated.

Walking around Rome was like nothing else, and I especially appreciated the amount of time that I was lucky enough to spend there. It meant that I wasn't running around for a few days, frantically trying to see everything in the time allowed (you already know how I feel about that). Thankfully, I had a lot of time to relax and really take in the atmosphere of the city. It also helped to be with a local; I saw Rome with different eyes. I also got to skip the expensive tourist traps and go to a few good spots, that I probably wouldn't have known about had I gone alone.

To be continued...