Jackson just turned one! Oh. My. Goodness!
Don’t you love the outfits and props that mommy brought along? I sure do! So, when it’s your turn for another session, bring something that is special to you and I promise it will make the images even better!
On Wednesday (3rd day in Rome) we left our bed and breakfast around 6:30 a.m. to go to Saint Peter’s Basilica. It was so quiet and peaceful. We walked right in (during the day there is always a long line) and were one of about 20 people inside. Wow!
We took the elevator to the top of the inside of the dome (previous picture shows the inside of the dome from below).
Then we began our climb of 320 steps to the very top of the cupola.
This is not for the faint of heart, knees or lungs. And it is definitely NOT for those who have a tendency to feel claustrophobic. (Confession: I seriously had to focus on keeping my breathing steady because I had never been in a situation like this. I was rather close to panicking because it started to feel like it was never going to end and I felt trapped. Cade helped me through it but I later passed on climbing the inside of the Duomo in Florence. Didn’t know I was so claustrophobic.)
What a view!!! There were only 2 people on the top of St. Peter’s with us! (Those are all buildings in the Vatican Museum to the lower right. The one on the far bottom is the Sistine Chapel.)
Inside the Vatican Museum… School of Athens by Raphael.
As you exit the Vatican Museum you walk down this really cool, spiral ramp.
Where’s Waldo, I mean “Where’s Cade”? =)
This is the plaza directly across from the Pantheon. At Night and Day (Piazza della Rotonda 14) you will get the best cappuccino in Rome! So delicious!
My other favorite place in Rome was La Fontana di Trevi. Whether during the day, or at night, it is a fascinating place to be.
We ended every evening we were in Rome with at least 20 minutes of relaxing in front of the fountain. And it’s true, the gelato is amazing!
I absolutely LOVE cobblestone streets with restaurants! Can you tell it is a very pedestrian friendly city?
And on a very random note: I find it fascinating to see how painters and sculptures depicted feet, specifically toes, during the Renaissance. I don’t know if this was just an average European body characteristic, or if it was something that they considered to be desirable at the time, but these marble toes look just like mine and Cade’s! Long live long toes. =)
As most of you know, Cade and I just got back from a fabulous trip to Italy. We had been talking about and planning this trip for 5 years and I still can’t believe we actually did it! I feel so blessed and thankful for the opportunity to explore such a lovely country with my favorite person in the whole world!
I was very intentional about enjoying our trip not only as a photographer but as a human, with my naked eye. I didn’t want to look at everything through a view finder! But of course, we did take lots of pictures! It has been rather overwhelming to sort through them and try to pick a few to share.
We began our 2 week trip in Rome.
Steps so old and worn that the edges literally slope downwards.
Cade and I love to eat! Yes, we do! Therefore, a big part of our trip was just about enjoying the food. I took pictures of almost everything we ate.
Fountain at the bottom of the Spanish Steps. There is always a crowd of people hanging out on the steps and standing in the plaza.
The view standing on the Spanish Steps. Want to do some shopping? Just walk right down that street… it’s all there!
I wasn’t expecting to see scaffolding on almost EVERY historic monument, building and church we visited but we did. (Old = needing restoration.) Half of the front of the Pantheon was covered, so here’s the side that wasn’t.
The inside is amazing. Pictures really don’t do it justice!
One of my favorite places in Rome: Piazza Navona. Lots of paintings, caricature artists, live statues, delicious food… you name it! It’s a fun place.
Finger puppeteer… so cute! (The dates on his table cover read 1809-2009. Wow!)
Of course we also took lots of the cheesy, “I was here” photographs!
Vatican City & St. Peter’s Basilica.
Rome (Part Two) is in the queue. Then we’ll get to Venice, Florence and Sorrento. I guess I have a lot of “work” to do this weekend! =)