Early start with a visit to one of the city's finest small art exhibits, Galleria Borghese. The collection includes a wide sampling of paintings and another floor dedicated to sculpture. Bernini's were the norm. To visit one requires reservations, which we made in February when they became available online. No pictures allowed, but we did get to see works such as Canova's Pauline Bonaparte, Rubens Deposition and Bernini's Apollo and Daphne which are highlighted on the website. Jane knew the story behind Apollo and Daphne, and the chaste nymph Daphne being turned into a laurel tree, pursued in vain by Apollo god of light. Great visit!!!

As well, the gallery was surrounded by Rome's largest public park, Villa Borghese. Pathways and dog-walkers amid statues and fountains. While we were there runners of the Rome Marathon blew through, and we were quietly amused at the volunteers herding the athletes like cats through the winding paths of the park. We visited Piazza del Popolo afterward. Coincidentally, this was the location for the finish line of the marathon. Once again, another broad piazza with a tall obelisk, statues and fountains. A Canadian couple who we met at Borghese had told us they had become entangled in a demonstration in the same piazza the day before.

We made our way through the piazza, through the shop lined streets and along the Tiber to Castel Sant'Angelo, created as a mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian. Inside is a spiral walkway that carries visitors around to the top level for a great view of the surrounding area. Lots of camera shots here, and through the help of a sign we picked out the Colosseum and Pantheon on the Roman skyline. Castel Sant'Angelo was cool... just like in Angels and Demons!!! We also took in the sculptures on Ponte Sant'Angelo and did some people watching on our way out. Of interest, we watched a street seller scramble to pack up his wares as a vehicle with Guardia di Finanza written on the doors pulled in. Turns out that these folks, among other things, handle fraud, copyright and smuggling among other financially based crime.

Being a tad ahead of schedule, we strolled over to St. Peters Basilica, to scope the site out for our Monday visit to the Vatican. As we stumbled into the crowd in St Peter's square we could see the pope giving a papal blessing from his window. Poor planning on my part.... if we had been there half an hour prior we might have gotten the whole blessing!!! Some were visibly emotional and we did get a translation as Jane approached onlookers for what was being said. Big crowd... too cool.

Alright... almost every guide book & Rome website/forum I visited suggested that for real taste of Roman culture you need to attend a football game. I had located online game times, and a Lazio vs Bari match fit very nicely into my early planning. I watched and gathered info in regards to times, prices, seating and "do's and dont's" when making such a visit. In the week prior to our arrival Jane finally managed to reserve tickets for the match. On Sunday afternoon, we took our first Roman bus ride, and were off to Stadio Olympico to see SS Lazio vs Bari.

It was education at it's finest!!! Crowds in light blue, carrying scarves, flags and banners began to congregate out front. We were left shaking our heads as to where to pick up the tickets, but eventually found an employee that directed us to a low, white building, with no signage or line-up, where we produced passports and were handed tickets. Can't miss it the gent on the telephone said to Jane!!! The rest was just eye candy.

Through the singing and roars of the crowd we held our ground, cheering and booing with the home team fans that surrounded us in all directions. The Bari fans were isolated to one section of the stadium, with no seats sold in the sections to the right and left of that area. As the game's momentum took shape we watched the antics and listened to the roars of tries taken and missed. It turned out to be a rough game for Lazio. They lost 2 - nil and although spirited on the pitch, they were no match for the away team. To show their displeasure the home team fans started fires in at least three sections leaving a haze over Stadio Olympico and the distinct odor of burned plastic! Wow...

Upon leaving we ventured into the Foro Italico (once Foro Mussolini) just outside the stadium. Foro Italico is a sports complex built between 1928 and 1938 inspired by the Roman Forums of the Imperial age. To be sure, the statue lined track has really got the feel of Ancient Greece and the Olympics!!!

The post football plan was to see some of Rome after dark. Jane brought a camera for lowlight shots, something we missed on our journey to Paris. On this night we decided we would take the subway to the Colosseo metro stop and the Colosseum. It is as though you come from a small hole in the earth to the sensitively lit building. It was too cool. An amazing building... Truly awesome, to be standing within so much history. We planned to tour the inside on Tuesday. For now, we took photos of the building and nearby arch, then headed for our digs.

To cap off the evening we grabbed a couple of bottles of vino and had an evening snack in our open window overlooking Via Vicenza. With a great forecast and no big issues with advance tickets, our first couple of days were in the locker!