Rome anecdotes

As you can imagine, I constantly reminisce about my trip to Rome in May 2012, and since I took so many photos, I would like to share a few more in this blog. Today I have two anecdotes that I experienced through photos. The first one shows a scene in Piazza Venezia, where the monument to Vittorio Emmauele II is located, affectionately known as the "Wedding Cake", and which the Italians call "l'Altare della Patria" (The Altar of Patriotism.) Close by there are two domed churches, which you can see in the background. But since this is Rome, one expects to see many priests, including what may have been a group of seminarians or students enjoying a little lunch break. Yes, domes and priests are a very common sight in the Eternal City.

Then I encountered a Roman soldier, obviously just for show. When I tried to take his photo, he came quickly towards me and demanded money. I quickly concluded that he was there for business, and kept an eye on me for a while, until I finally got him distracted and took his photo from behind. I realized afterwards that he was probably more interested in checking out the sun-bathing girls on the steps of the fountain, instead of worrying about this annoying photographer.