Caesar has cool boots

Julius Caesar gets to wear very cool shoes, I want boots like his.

Today is my last day in Rome and tomorrow I fly to Paris via London. Yes, I know, that makes no sense, neither does it that BA charges $250 for this flight and Air France from Rome to Paris would have been 10x that price. So, I go via London and get to check out the new Terminal 5!

But, today belongs to Rome. The weather was fantastic and I got an early start. The bright sunshine means that reflections abound - here are some I captured:



I am becoming a conniseur of which cars give the best reflections, love the way this one curves around and I promise, that paper was there already, I didn't put it there:



I struggled to find any meaningful way to photograph the Colosseo and the Arco di Constantino. It was frustrating to think I'd come home with the same photos that everyone else had. And then I stepped in this really big puddle of water - hmmmm, puddles, water, reflections - got it! These are the two shots that made my day:





I walked past this church and didn't even notice it - from the ground it looked like any other building. But, as I was checking out reflections, I caught sight of its tower and bells - I would have missed it otherwise. Double glazing in the windows has added character to these cool reflections:





Gotta love this guy, Piazza Navona is full of tourists in casual gear, cameras going everywhere and tons of noise and music and this guy is sitting, very dapper in his tie, drinking caffe and water and working - on a Sunday!



Ok, so this angel might look innocent enough but he is holding a mamoth sword in one hand - angels with swords? It's Rome!



Remember your history lessons? Pop Quiz: a) ionic b) doric c) corinthian?



This is how they fix a horse that split his seams, statue detail, Piazza del Quirinale:



Very old number plate on a very old car:



Today was a little light on grafitti but this one caught my eye:



Statue detail from Piazza del Quirinale:



Finally, the sun sets over Rome's Fiume Tevere:

Falling in love with Rome

I have been surprised at how easy Rome is to walk. On the map it looks so much bigger than it really is. You need to walk it too or you miss so much of the tiny details that, together, go to make the city.

As you look at these photos, insert backing sounds of church bells ringing, traffic and the sirens of the local carbineri and politzia as they whizz around this wonderful city.

Here are some images from the themes I've been shooting. One is roof tops and the wonderful chimney pots and layers in the roofs of the city:







Close ups from statues, churches and fountains is another of my themes. The first is detail from the Trevi fountain and the second is from one of the three fountains in the Piazza Navona:



OMG, there's a pigeon on my nose!





From a church in Orvieto:



Same church, here are the colours of Italy in the door detail:



Another theme is windows, here is one through which you can see to the building behind. It is from the Forum area in Rome:



This window harbours a reflection of a nearby building:









Mirror, Mirror on the wall...



I find that domes are much more interesting in the context of their surrounds, like this one:



Another of my themes this trip is light fittings. I have a huge collection of wonderful street lights and shop lights. This is a set from near the Colosseo in Rome:



As luck would have it, United Colors of Beneton is right opposite the Trevi Fountain. So, with your back to the fountain you can see it reflected in the shop window. Here's the result:







Another morning, I found a map and paper shop with a street light in front. This photo is more reminiscent of a multi shot taken using film and has a collage feel to it - gotta love reflections:



Everywhere throughout Italy you can find religious icons above houses and at nearly every street corner. I have a grab bag of photos of them, this is one of the more elaborate I've found:



Finally, who can resist a market such as the one at the Campo de Fiori, and the wonderful variety of fruit on display:



Or this streetside tie display:



And what is a day without some wonderful graffiti?