Domenica a Roma (Originally Posted on 3/28/09)

Remember last year when I asked everyone how many pictures one could take of Stonehenge without getting tired of it? I present you with the same question about the Coliseum. It was like I couldn't snap enough pictures...and I already have some from my first trip to Rome!!

This time I went ahead and took the tour inside and didn't walk around the Roman Forum. I'm the geek that orders the "audioguide" at every tourist attraction. I can't help it. Anyway, it was a good Sunday in Rome.

First Weekend in Rome (Originally Posted on 3/28/09)

This is me in front of the Pantheon. Last time JoAnn and I went to Rome, we didn't make it to a few places so I tried to make sure I hit those places this time if I could.

My first Sunday in Rome, I did the big triangle from the Spanish Steps to the Pantheon then to Trevi Fountain. One of the things I noticed this time was that even though there were crowds, there were nowhere near as many tourists as there were the last time I was here (which was June 2004) so I'm inclined to think I got here a great time of the year.

The weather was fabulous, cool but warm in the sunshine and cooler at night. Right outside of the Pantheon, there was a coffee place called Taza do Oro (which translates to Cup of Gold) which is supposed to serve the best cup of coffee in Rome, if not the world. I'm not an espresso drinker but I downed one for JoAnn cuz she got hooked on that stuff when we were here last time.

Speaking of coffee...I'm gonna miss the stuff. Try walking into your local Starbucks and ordering a cappucino (which you don't do in Rome after noon or people look at you like your a "crazy Americano" cuz only Americans drink cappucinos after noon...of course, yours truly didn't care and ordered them anyway) and a pastry and paying less that $1.75 for both items. Hell, try ordering an espresso shot at Starbuck's and give them 85 cents for it and see what they tell you!

Heaven is an Italian coffee bar.