When the moon hits your eye...

Tonight.  Oh, tonight!  Tonight was bliss.

My family and I made a late afternoon/evening trip to the city, and oh how pleasant it was!  The weather was cool and breezy, which is unusual during a Roman summer.

First stop: The Colosseum!

We hopped on the metro and it took us straight there.  As soon as you step out of the subway building, you practically run into this:

I was just so stricken by this place.  Just imagining how old it is and how many people have been here... it blows me away.  All the Christian martyrs who died here... and we are now standing on their shoulders.  It was nothing short of amazing.

Right next to the Colosseum is the Arch of Constantine.  It's not incredibly huge, but it's just so intricate and beautiful!

Now, on the right side of the arch is the Forum! ;)

The Forum

After walking around for a while, we hopped on another train to a stop near the Trevi Fountain.  We walked a good distance to the American Embassy, so we would know how to get to it again, and then walked up and down a bunch of gorgeous streets.  And let me tell you, it's just like the movies! I only snapped a couple good pictures, but these two are my favorite.  

I love these little triangle buildings!

This was the most precious bridal shop I've ever seen in my life.  

     After walking quite a way, we found ourselves at the top of the Spanish steps.  There's a beautiful church up there, and the view was lovely because the sun was a'settin.  :)

The church on top of the Spanish Steps.

This isn't a great picture (and it was only cloudy for about two minutes) but it was getting dark and the view was truly lovely.

We then found a cute restaurant to eat supper.  I had spaghetti noodles with clams (it was good except most of the clams were closed), Mama had some good-lookin ravioli, and Dad had lamb ragu.  The best part of the meal was the music! The restaurant right next door was playing all the stereotypical Italian songs (That's Amore.... Funiculi, Funicula...) and it was so pleasant.  But I have to tell you, I miss my brother so much!  Having an empty seat at a table for four is so sad.  I love you, Willie!  

By this time, it was dark.  We took a stroll through the lit up streets to the Trevi Fountain.  It was gorgeous, all lit up!  But, it was crowded.  CROWDED.  For some reason, practically all the German teenagers on the planet were in Rome today, and they felt it necessary to sing their songs... loudly.  (They were even on our crowded metro home.  Singing. Loudly.)  At first it was ok; they were just having fun.  But sooner or later it became me wanting to run far away to find some sanctuary.  They were everywhere and that's not an exaggeration.  After getting some gelato (I got ciocolatto e caffe)  we went and stood a ways away and just watched.  I did manage a video close up of the fountain though...

 

At the end of our trip... can you tell I was having fun?  (Yes, that is a partially licked gelato.  I always shape it into a neat little sphere before I really dig in, or else it'll drip everywhere.)

So, that was my evening.  It is now midnight, and I'm still not tired.  Well, scratch that.  My MIND isn't tired, but my feet and various leg muscles would beg to differ.  These little piggies were happy to come home.  :)

Buona sera!