Refreshing our Roman memories

Rob went for a run early in the morning and took some photos at the end when it was light. Rome is particularly beautiful at dawn when it is very quiet.

The Spanish Steps

View from road up to the Pincio

Another from the road to the Pincio

Piazza del Poppolo from the Pincio

 Later on we just walked around looking at favourite places

The first glimpse of the Pantheon is always special

Before the tourist hordes descend -the souvenir sellers are already there

The Roman Forum from behind the Campidoglio

Another tourist took this for us -at leat we stopped to look at the Forum -there were heaps of people who had a photo taken and rushed off to the next place

More photos at dawn, eating, shopping and a flash mob in Piazza del Popolo

Jules and I started out early yesterday to take photos from the Pincio of the rooftops of Rome and in particular, Piazza del Popolo. I took these photos but Jules will have way better ones as he has a great camera.

St Peters Basilica and the Vatican in the background, Piazza del Popolo in the foreground

The Pincio was deserted except for a few runners and other photographers

It's hard to get a clear view as there are so many trees near the edge of the Pincio

Unfortunately it was overcast this morning and we didn't really get the sun breaking cleanly through.  It is supposed to be warm later in the week so we should have better luck then.

Piazza di Spagna was also deserted but the streets were full of delivery trucks -the only time that there is any room on the road.

Via della Croce

It was a good opportunity to have a good look at Piazza del Poppolo without people everywhere.

In the afternoon a 'Gangnam style flashmob' turned up in the piazza.

 We just happened to be there and were trying to work out why there were so many people milling around -there were thousands, the piazza was packed.  Rob & I left after a while but Jules hung around photographing the crowd (which grew to fill Piazza del Popolo) and eventually filmed the dancing. I've read in a few places that there were 30,000 people but others say that there were 15,000. Whatever the number, there were heaps.

Flash mob gangnam style