rome, day 2: fontana di trevi

For the first time, I decided to lug a big tripod on this trip. I knew that Rome would be a great place to do some nighttime photography, and I had this in mind when I returned to the hotel early in the afternoon to take a nap. As you all know, I've never been a nighttime kind of guy, so I needed some extra rest. Anyway, I went out around 7pm and caught the metro a few stops away so that I could visit the Fontana di Trevi, or Trevi Fountain. This was one of my favorite stops when Becca and I were here a few years ago, and I was looking forward to seeing it at night. I was definitely not disappointed. While there were tons of people there (predictable), I didn't have any trouble getting my tripod to the places I wanted it, and ended up getting some great photos.

Side view that you see just as you walk down from the street:


















The impressiveness of the Fontana di Trevi cannot be overstated. It's an incredibly beautiful scene, a true masterpiece of art/sculpture. Not surprisingly, it also happens to be a favorite spot for romantic types. There was a fair number of couples making out around the scene.

I found a small cafe near the fountain and decided to have some pizza for dinner. As is the case at many restaurants in Italy, they had several types of half-cooked pizza that you could choose from (they cut off pieces and sell them to you based on weight, then finish cooking them in an oven), so I got a few types and had myself a feast. It turned out to be a bit too much, but it was good. Cheese and prosciutto was my favorite of the three types.



I also decided to have some gelato, having been in the country for over 24 hours and not having any. I got a cone with coconut and lemon scoops, and it was excellent, if a bit messy. After that, I went back outside to do some people photography. With all the couples, tourists and people making weird faces for other cameras, it was a great place to wander around and do my thing.









The evening exceeded my expectations. I'm really glad I decided to bring the tripod, too. I had been regretting it before, as I never used it in the UK and could have used the extra space for more clothes (laundry is never cheap in hotels).