Italian Architecture

I promised that when I got back from my Europe trip I would share how it went.  Well, there are really no words to describe what an experience we had, but it was fabulous!  I'll share some photos over the next few days so that you can visit with me!  Here are some selected photos from Rome:



Basalt paver stones at the Roman Forum.  Julias Ceasar walked on these stones...so cool that they are still there after all the years!



Architectural ruins from the Roman Forum.  I LOVE architectural pieces!



Some more stone carvings.  Love the simple, but elegant feel to the flourishes and flowers.



The Colosseum.  I find it fascinating that at one point, they would put up sail cloths to shade the spectators.  I wonder how long that took them?



Metal stars on a square in Rome.  I wish all places in the US were planned with this much thought to the details!



Gelato!  Yes, it was delicious!  Once I get moved, I'm going to work on finding the best, most authentic gelato recipe I can find.  I'll share, I promise!  (Did you know that gelato is more healthy than ice cream?  Well, as healthy as a frozen dessert can get!)



The pantheon.  Beautiful building.  Unfortunately they were doing some renovations on the exterior so my only pictures are of the inside.  The large bronze doors leading into the space were about 12" thick.  Needless to say, they were huge!



Some stairs in the Vatican.  The Vatican was amazing!

Tomorrow I'll show you some of Florence, Venice, and the Italian countryside!  (Probably my favorite part, other than the Alps, and maybe Paris...)