Rome was something of a mixed bag for us. Mostly it's a big, loud, dirty city with a bunch of old stuff scattered about. The unfortunate thing is that all the ruins have been really well picked over during their 2,000 year history. The old Roman Forum looks a little like a salvage yard; certainly interesting, but a little sad in its own way. Here are a few pictures
Above: The structure is leaning, not me.
Below: This statue defenitely not in ruins :-)
Lest I give too negative an impression, I should say that Rome had one of the most spectacular ruins I have ever seen anywhere (and I have seen a lot of ruins). The Colosseum was nothing less than amazing:
Of course the Communist Party rally right outside added a certain je ne sais quoi....
Another interesting bit of work was Trajan's Column, 100 feet tall, covered with carvings detailing the Dacian war. Erected in 113 AD, here's a sample detail:
