KLIA Airport where we transit from Singapore to Rome.
Our Rome apartment that is literally steps away from the Pantheon. The stone floor is cold in winter!
Our bedroom that opens out to a courtyard that is on a level higher than room itself.
Our courtyard is handy for checking out the weather of the day
Our kitchen. Doesn't have an electric kettle and mixed hot water outlet. The microwave oven door opens towards the wall and you need to be an acrobat to take food out from the oven by crouching under the cabinet.
The street where we stayed
Pantheon, Hadrian's handiwork. We visit it often, day or night, since it is just in front of the apartment.
Piazza Rotunda, in front of the Pantheon.
Pantheon, as seen from the gelateria.
Back of the Pantheon.
Largo Torre Argentina, the ruins of Pompey's theatre. The place where Brutus assasinated Julius Cesar.
One of the many side walk fountain, with free potable water, that is everywhere in Rome.
Our lunch place near Via 4 Novembre. Expensive and grouchy service. Worst of all, no toilet was available for its patrons.
Trajan's column
Piazza Republicca near Termini. Notice the rainbow.
Rome's train station where we bought our Eurostar ticket to Florence. When in doubt, just join any queue for the tickets. Staff are English speaking and pretty efficient.
Along Via Cavour
A roadside gelato stall in the midst of winter in Rome. 2 pretty girls play hide and seek with a third ( not in picture )
Tourists in front of Colosseum
Colosseum on a Sunday. The crowd is on the street because Via Fiori Imperiali is closed to traffic on Sundays.
Moon comes out early in winter in Rome
A typical bus stop near the Colosseum
Trajan's Market, opposite Roman Forum
Monument of Emanuele Vittoriano. Closes at 4.30pm in winter.
Statue at the steps of Monument of Emanuele Vittoriani
Piazza Venezia, from the steps of monument of Emanuele Vittoriano
Our dinner drink. Chianti is one of the most common wine consumed here.
Dinner in the apartment: Some greens from the supermarket.
Pasta cooked entirely in microwave oven, simply because I didn't know how to use the gas stove
Four Rivers Fountain at Piazza Navona at night.
Night bazaar at the Piazza Navona. It is famous for selling Christmas things. We got our rope-climbing Santa here
South end of Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona
100g of giant chestnut for €5. It was a ripoff that many of us subjected ourselves to.
Partially cooked chestnuts. More fun to see than eat. This cone cost €5
Pretty lantern stall at P. Navona
Church of Sant Eustachio
Inside of Church of Sant Eustachio
A light for a loved one, electronically. Less of a fire hazard this way.
Our morning coffee place. Patronized by busloads of tourists everyday, we only managed to get our cuppa in the quiet of the morning
Santa Maria sopra Minerva, off Piazza Rotunda.
Bernini's elephant in front of Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
Inside the Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
Santa Maria s Minerva. It is built over the temple for goddess Minerva
Inside Santa Maria s Minerva
Children outside Santa Maria s Minerva spreads Christmas cheer on the day of Immaculate conception ( 8 Dec 2008 )
Hadrian's temple is a stock exchange inside. Nice place to work in
St Ignazio di Loyola
A false dome in St Ignazio di Loyola. An artistic marvel
Inside St Ignazio di Loyola
Column of Marcus Aurelius. He made it because the Trajan Column down the road was so popular. Depicts the victories over Gaul.
Rows of souvenir stalls on the way to Trevi Fountain.
Our first gelato experience. Pistachio gelato here is different from everywhere else mentioned in guide books. yumm.
Coffee gelato. We had one, then two, then three cups at San Crispino door steps.
Parking of another kind.
Gladiator suit on sale at a souvenir shop
Rome is big on being green. Drivers are not so big on the idea though
08 Dec marks the Immaculate Conception for Roman Catholics. The Pope will present flowers at this statue of Mary near the Spanish Steps.
Virgin Mary at the top of the obelisk
The crowd begins to gather 5 hours before the Pope arrives.
Bernini's first few projects under the sharp eye of his father.
Spagna heats up for the Pope
From the top of Spanish steps
Spanish steps
Place we picked up our lunch while waiting for the Pope
Piazza Popola. We rested our feet in front of one of the 13 obelisks in Rome. We lunched and waited for the Pope there, away from the crowd.
Twin churches at P. Popolo. Closed at lunch time, we did not manage to have a peek inside.
A common sight in Rome.
Back at Spagna, crowds cheer "Viva Papa!"
Finally, the Pope at the Spagna.
Church of Saint Ambrose and Charles
Inside the Church of Saint Ambrose and Charles
Ceiling of the Church of Saint Ambrose and Charles
Passion of Christ - Inside Church of Saint Ambrose and Charles
Along Via D Condotti
Swarms of starling over circling Via Fontanella
Our dinner place at the junction of Via Torre Argentina and Corso Vittorio Emanuele. Great service, so-so food.
Suppli is more salty and less creamy than I expected
Ponte Sant Angelo on a winter morning at 9.30am
St Peter's Basilica from Via D Conciliazone
Piazza S Petro at about 9.45am
Garden in the Vatican museum grounds, Cortile della Pigna
A recent artistic contribution in the Vatican museum garden, Cortile della Pigna
Vatican museum : Greek busts along Pio-Clementine Museum
Vatican museum: Simonette staircase. It leads to the Etruscan Museum which we missed.
Goddess of Fertility - tutti-frutti?
Ceiling of Gallery of Candelabra
From the Gallery of Tapesteries
Vatican Museum : Gallery of Maps
Gallery of Maps
Raphael's Room
Modern sculpture
Sistine Chapel. I am surprised that (flash) photography is allowed in here.
Sistine Chapel (Side wall): Jesus gives Peter the key
Sistine Chapel (Side wall): Last supper?
Sistine Chapel (Ceiling): Covering the nakedness of Noah
Sistine Chapel (Ceiling): Michelangelo's Creation
Sistine Chapel (Front wall): The Last Judgement
St Peter's Basilica : Michelangelo's Pieta
St Peter's Basilica: Main sanctuary
St Peter's Basilica: The main altar
St Peter's Basilica: The dome
St Peter Basilica: One of the many chapels there. Usually, the remains of a pope are kept under the altar.
St Peter's Basilica: One of the many sculptures there.
Piazza S Pietro - from the cuppola of St Peter's Basilica
Vatican city and beyond - from the cuppola of St Peter's Basilica
Beyond the Vatican city walls
Post box outside St Peter's Basilica
Piazza S Petro preparing for Sunday Mass
Lunch place at Piazza del Risorgimento
Tiber River and St Peter's Basilica 5.30pm in December.
Ponte Sant Angelo looking on Castel Sant Angelo. Taken at about 6pm.
Colosseum in Rome - back view
Colosseum in Rome - front view
Colosseum in Rome - labyrinth at the bottom of the arena.
Colosseum in Rome - Reflections
Colosseum in Rome - Remembering the sacrifices of the early Christians.
Colosseum in Rome - Melancholy
Colosseum in Rome - The history
Outside the Colosseum in Rome
Colosseum in Rome - Taken around 1 pm December.
Triump Arch of Constantine and beyond.
Cobbled way to Palatine Hill
Arch of Titus
At the base of Arch of Titus
From the Palatine Hill at about 2pm. After the rain, comes the rainbow
Overview of the Roman Forum
Temple of Antonio and Faustina
Ruins of Basilica Ivlia
Temple of Saturn
Arch of Severus
Our lunch place opposite Il Gesu. €5.90 fixed menu and pretty good service
Chiesa del Gesu. The world's largest piece of lapis lazuli is found at the tomb of St Ignatius
Interior of Chiesa Il Gesu. Remains of St Francis Xavier hand and St Ignatius are here
Ceiling of Chiesa il Gesu.
Dome of Chiesa il Gesu
Chiesa il Gesu : St Francis Xaviar's arm
Cured meats galore at Despar Supermercato
Haunting image of Pantheon at night
Pantheon by night
In the Pantheon
Dinner back home. Short day but tired legs means going back early to rest.
Spinach, pecorino and olive oil everyday and no one gets bored
This chianti costs less than €5
Eurostar Italia to Florence. Prebooked seats only
Train terminal at Florence.
Florence's mercato centro
Markets leave poulty head intact so you know what you pay for
Florence Duomo - front
Florence Duomo - side
Palazzo Vecchio
Uffizi in Florence. Entire floor of masterpieces.
Ponte Vecchio , the oldest bridge in Italy
Our hotel. Not too bad but I dislike the hawkers selling fake bags in front of the hotel. Entrance is at the right of a quiet corner.
From the roof garden of Hermitage Hotel
Our lunch place across the Arno and Hermitage. Grouchy service, awful food.
Only electric buses allowed in Florence downtown
Ponte Vecchio
Doesn't look like much but the best dinner place in my 2 weeks in Italy. Cheerful service helps.
Gothic church in Prato. Beppe was our driver for this trip
Italians complaining about their government in Prato
Lucca central. Ice Rink
Church in Lucca. Round arches on the buildings are younger than those with pointed arches
Lucca market. Notice the rainwater drainage system.
Cobbled street of Lucca
Lucca's amphitheater
Lunch place at Lucca amphitheater. The biscuit pizza is worth dying for
Field of Miracles and the Leaning Tower
Pisa's ambassador
Common behaviour that you will see in front of the Pisa's tower
To fall or not
Field of Miracles
Leaning Tower - the scaffoldings mar its beauty.
In Via Parione. My favorite eatery in Rome. Good price, great food.
Pasta Vongole at Via Parione. Heavenly...
Hopey's ravioli. She always makes the best choice in the shop
Famous Prato biscotti
Prato biscotti. 1/2 kg at €6.50 consumed in 3 days
Pantheon by day. We live behind this famous structure and visit it often.
Nativity scene in Pantheon. However, notice the cross carried by the nun on the right. Something is not right...
Raphael's tomb in Pantheon
The story about Raphael's tomb.
Hadrian's work. The oculus allows the sun and rain to play within the temple
Emanuele Vittorio's tomb in the Pantheon
Metro station near St Paul outside the wall
Main sanctuary in the St Paul outside the wall
Paul's chain when he was incarcerated in Rome.
Paul's tomb under the main altar.
The main altar.
Pictures of Paul's conversion after the experience at Damascus.
A group of pilgrims came here for some rituals.
Priest conducting a rite before St Paul's tomb.
St Paul outside the wall : Main door
St Paul outside the wall facade
Pizza place near Via Tritone. Horrible service and thickest pizza in town
Trevi fountain.
Trevi fountain. Everyone tosses a coin so that they can return to Rome.
Trevi fountain is always crowded. The gladiators are also there.
Obelisk at the Piazza Di Montecitorio
Home-cooked dinner for good health, minus the sausage which is chunky and salty
Campo di Fiori: I buy all my pasta here. Nice selection
I buy my sundried tomatoes here in Campo di Fiori
Campo di Fiori on a Sunday. Not many stalls selling flowers though.
Campo di Fiori: dried goods stall
Along the Tiber River
There has been some heavy rain during last few days and the Tiber's flood water has yet to subside.
Tiber's water has taken at least one tourist's life
The area where mills used to operate because of the high water velocity
Tiber. Note trash caught in branches, indicating how high the water has reached.
Tiber almost overflowed its banks on Dec 11th 2008.
Trestevere, near Tiber.
Trestevere snack bar. Nice food and friendly people. But too touristy
S Maria in Trestevere on a Sunday noon
S Maria in Trestevere on Sunday
This guy managed to get us in for lunch in Trestevere
Parking woes in Rome
St Paul through the keyhole at Piazza Cavaliari di Malta
Tourists at keyhole at Piazza Cavaliari di Malta
View from Parco di Alessio
Viale Nino Manfredi
Road down Parco d Alessio
Road down Parco Alessio ( beyond the wall )
S Maria in Cosmedin
Isola Tiberina
Stranded barge on the Tiber
Flood waters hit Isola Tiberina
ZaZa Pizza is pretty good
Ponte Sant Angelo and barge lodged under it on the Tiber
We visit the Vatican again. Queue condition at Piazza Petro despite the rain.
The bill came with extra €2 for pane (bread) that were not served. Tut-tut
Contorno of vegetable. Quite salty and expensive €5
Unremarkable ravioli near Viale Vaticano
So-so canneloni
Market at Via Cola Renzo
Via Cola Renzo market
Capitoline Museum.
Capitoline Museum
First thing you see at the Capitoline museum
She wolf nursing Remus and Romolus
Iron man?
Smiling beauty in Capitoline
Top of Capitoline Museum. Outside the cafe
Capitoline cafe within
Museum coffee taste pretty good
Museum food tastes surprisingly good
In Capitoline museum
Description of the Roman Forum viewed from the Capitoline Museum
Roman Forum as seen from the Capitoline Museum
Eureka!
Huge bust
Teatro Marcello
Marmatine Prison where Paul and Peter were said to be imprisoned
In Marmatine Prison : Altar for the saints. Note inverted cross ( St Peter )
The barge is still stuck after 5 days
Operation Shingle by the Allied forces started here
Anzio train station and notice board. Artists with no better place to showcase their skills
Anzio beachhead museum that opens Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday but we visited it on a Wednesday. The caretaker was very kind and let us in for a brief visit.
Anzio beachhead museum that documents Operation Shingle
Small museum but very good. Highly recommended to understand the war and its end in Italy
Memorial at Anzio
Marina at Anzio
Marina at Anzio at noon
Off Anzio town center. Noon.
Pebble beach at Anzio
Anzio
Light house at Anzio
Our lunch place at Anzio. Nice place and food.
Fried zucchini flower stuffed with mozarella
Cabonara, the Italian way. Delicious!
Anzio's sunset is stunning in December
Anzio. Lest we forget
Anzio fisherman selling the day's catch
Church of St Teresa behind which lies the cemetery for the British servicemen who perished during Operation Shingle.
Claudian Aquaduct. The pipeline that brought water to ancient Rome.
The Aquaduct stretches on and on...
Aquaduct. This portion is 1 km southwest of Subaugusta Metro station
Old Roman Aquaduct
Aquaduct, stretching northwards to Rome
Remains of Aquaducts. Sadly, most of it had been damaged.
Broken ruins of the aquaduct
Aquaduct - an ancient past.
Part of the old aquaduct has been refurbished for present use.
Our lunch place near the aquaduct park. Though they only spoke Italian, they were very helpful and friendly.
Our lunch near Via Lemonia and Aquaduct park. Cheap! Only €13.50 for 3 of us!
Apia Antica Park off Metro station Colbi Albani
Wild parakeet at the park.
The park seems rather desolated.
A farm house at the park.
The flooding also happens here. Observe the debris along the creek.
Rome's famous gelateria has generous servings of gelato
Home-cooked pasta with pesto sauce just like those of the trattorias
Never knew radicchio salad with olive oil can taste so nice
Italian sausage has a special taste that is hard to replicate out of Italy
Ricotta cheese cake - not so nice after all.
Besides Chianti, this Italian red wine is quite good.
Via Cestari ecclesiastical lane - where everything that a priest (even the Pope) needs can be found here.
Bring freedom to the children - at Spagna
Trinita Dei Monti, behind Spagna
Within Trinita Dei Monti
A service in Triniti dei Monti
Obelisk at the front of Trinita Dei Monti
So many of such busts along Viale di Villa Medici
Piazza Popola from the vantage point near Piazzale Napoleone I
Police at the Piazza Popolo
Christmas fair at the Piazza
Christmas fair at the P Popolo
Not exact twins - Santa Maria dei Miracoli is on the left with its circular plan and octagonal dome; the other church, Santa Maria di Montesanto, has an elliptical plan with a 12 sided dome.
Christmas fair at P Popolo
Da Baffetto - high on senses, low on price. Come early or risk queuing in the cold
Da Baffetto's zucchini flower pizza
Da Baffetto's ham pizza
Da Baffetto : Baffeto special pizza
