Travel Tips

To avoid the blistering heat of the day, we arrived at the Colosseum in the early evening. The late afternoon sun was still shining bright, revealing the splendor of the Colosseum. Unfortunately we just missed the closing to get into the Colosseum to have a look at the inside. But it did not matter. We were happy to have experienced the Colosseum with our naked eyes.

Here is another shot near the Colosseum...

Here is another shot as we started walking northwest toward Piazza Venezia. Along the way we saw the Roman Forum, which was an eye opener. The scene takes you back to the ancient days of Rome.

This is Piazza Venezia as the sun was starting to set. The building looks very impressive from the outside. The giant Italian flag flies in front of the building. Note the two Italian guards standing there 24 hours a day.

Day 2, early in the morning, we arrived in front of St Peter's Basilica, the greatest church in the world. The church was totally magnificient. Inside the cathedral, I saw Michelangelo's Pieta. Then we climbed all the way up to the top of the dome, using narrow and steep stairways.

What a great view of Rome from the top of St.Peter's! The tiring climb was worth it. This was probably the only place in Rome to get a bird's eye view of the city.

Next to St.Peter's is the Vatican Museum, where I saw for the first time Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. I have learned about the Sistine Chapel in my art class in high school, but that was only learning through textbook and lecture. I spent a good 30 minutes in the chapel, studying all parts of the work. My neck hurted badly from looking up after we exited. I feel so sorry for Michelangelo; his neck must have been severely injured.

Rome was a fantastic experience. It is truly one of the greatest cities in the world!