Happenings on "Madison Ave": Walking Tour of Rome

First day on the tour we took a walking tour through the town. Wow it is hard to try to take fine art pictures at a tour pace, most of the people were shooting quick shots (if any) and didnt want to linger longer anywhere. Reece and I had a system that he would keep track of the tour while I lingered to shoot longer behind the group. Most of the trip was a mental workout trying to compose and expose shots at a record pace while trying to keep track of where I was and where my group was going.

All along the streets next to our hotel there were beautiful oleander bushes trained to be trees in full blossom.

Our hotel was right next to the Borghese Gallery and Gardens:

(ceiling of a garden building)

In the morning we visited the museum and saw classical masterpieces such as "Daphne and Applo" ,"Persephone and Pluto", and "David" by Bernini and paintings by Titain and Rubens. Reece was so excited to see Bernini's David, it was his favorite statue that he had ever studied. It truly is so life like and dynamic. I loved how detailed and intricate the statue of "Daphne and Apollo" was. (did you know that I named my guinea pig Daphne when I was a kid?) The Story of Daphne goes like this....Cupid wanted to get back at Apollo during a conflict so he shot Apollo with the strongest love arrow that he had and then shot Daphne with the strongest anti-love arrow. So when Apollo fell madly in love with Daphne she was completely repulsed by him. She ran from him for so long that she got so weary and yelled to her father a river god to save her... so the river god turned her into a laurel tree. Apollo, devastated that he would never have Daphne took the leaves of the tree and made a crown. The crown of laurel leaves then became Apollo's symbol and is given to greatly esteemed individuals... Like all those laurel crowns we've seen the athletes wearing during the ceremonies in the Olympics.

And we also saw this man in the gift shop...For you CSI:NY fans Detective Flack. Bonus. (picture of flack off the internet....I was to shy to shoot a paparazzi shot of the guy)

We then visited the Spanish steps.....to bad that there has to be scaffolding on one or more monuments the summers I visit the European sites. Oh well. Maybe next time.

Trevi Fountain:

All the fountains in Rome are flowing with fresh and very cold water. Reece loved to get as wet as possible as it was so dang hot.

Gotta throw a coin over my shoulder to ensure my return to Rome! Legend has it that one coin ensures your return to Rome....two coins ensure that you return with your spouse..... and three coins ensures you and your spouse return without your mother in law. Funny cause I am dying to take my mother in law with us when we come again. She would love it here. So I just threw in one, cause Im pretty sure Reece would be down to come again with me, whenever that will be.