Bella Roma!

After five beautiful days, we got back from Italy today. For me at least, the culture shock of coming back to America, hearing mostly everyone speak English and being able to read the street signs was quite the difference from what is the norm over in the Eternal City. Being in Rome was incredible and as with any great destination, three days is never enough. Despite the limited time, we still got to see a lot of amazing stuff. Here's just a few of them:


In one of the many wings of the Musei Vaticani, this is the ancient map room, with huge detailed portions of Italy. Though sometimes the ceilings are done better than the walls.


The Spanish Steps were packed on Friday and the stores were closed. Later on we learned that the city shuts down for liberation day, celebrating when the Americans liberated them from Hitler and Mussolini 63 years ago.


It may not be much now, but this is a slightly decomposed view of what a Roman would have seen as he walked into the Colosseum to watch Gladiators and animals torn to bits.


Across the way on Palatine Hill, the archaeological ruins hold many treasures from the Roman Empire, but these frescoes inside Augustus Octavian Caesar's (the first Caesar) house dating from 23 A.D. had to have taken the cake.


Despite the fact that much of the ancient city was pulled apart by Renaissance-era builders to erect such things as the Vatican and numerous churches around the city, Roman-esque buildings are still with us today and looking better than ever.