After our morning at the Vatican, we decided to do some sightseeing in Rome. The Fontana di Trevi or Trevi Fountain is at the ending part of the Aqua Virgo, an aquaduct constructed in 19 BC.
At a little over 20 km, this aquaduct supplies water to all the fountains in the historic center of Rome. This fountain was commissioned in 1732 and completed in 1762. It was designed by Bernini.
The fountain has many statues, two notable ones are Neptune and Agrippa (he was the emperor who comissioned the aquaduct in the first place)! Hey Michele--ooops...we totally messed up--legend says that anyone who throws a coin in (over their shoulder, with their back to the fountain) will return to Rome. Guess we better go back so we can do it right! ;) To be honest, I was a bit intimidated by all the police people and didn't see anyone throwing coins in. I wonder if that legend is a bit like Rick Steves' claim that a water taxi costs the same as an ice cream cone?
Scalinata della Trinita dei Monti aka The Spanish Steps. Europes widest and longest staircase. Connects the Piazza di Spagna (I remember that name) with the Piazza di Trinita dei Monti (home to a really big church--not to be confused with all of Romes other really big churches). While Roman law forbids picnicing on the steps, crowds of people hang out here and I am sure I saw a lot of them eating. ;) The lower Piazza (di Spagna) is in the Baroque style and has a fountain in it that was built in 1627-29-its design is credited to Pietro Bernini (the father of the famous artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. BTW Michele, I found the lowdown on the whole Keats and Shelley museum at the lower right of the steps. That spot where the museum is now is the place where Keats lived and died in 1821 (funny too--I had just watched a movie about his life called "Bright Star").
This picture is when we got the idea to play Where's Waldo all over Europe. Europeans goes on holiday for the month of August. When we realized how huge the crowds were going to be everywhere we went, we decided to have some fun with it and place one of us in the huge crowd for a fun "Where's Waldo" Kim and Michele style. I am in the above 2 pictures. See if you can find me!
5 comments:
you are making me want to go to italy, although it's not warm in the winter, so probably won't until retirement.
Even with all our careful and diligent research, how could we have not known about Keats and the coin toss?? That's it--we're suing Rick Steves, and using the money to go BACK to Rome and do it right!!
I like your attitude friend! I like it a lot!
This is my first chance to look at your wonderful pictures. I am so happy that you and Michele got to go to Italy. I have to say the pictures are truly amazing! It's all most like being there. I also loved all the history of each picture. Its funny to look at them and know that were actually there when I have seen them in movies. Very Awesome!!!!
We weren't able to throw the coin at the Trevi fountain :( The police were having issues with a lady stealing money so we didn't get close enough, boo! If you go back you should throw one in for me too! Also, totally random but did you check out the closest bathroom to that? It was some random building we went into and had to pay like 5 euros I think, but when we walked out a lady was giving away silk scarves. AMAZING. I still have mine
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