This is me just finished breakfast at a cafe that had a view the Colosseum.
Actually, I visited the same cafe on my last day in Roma.
It is now my favorite cafe of all times.
http://www.geocities.com/gorlik/Gallery.html
just found this cool link on the ruins of Rome.

The Italian guide telling of the bloodthirsty tales of the fights at the Colosseum.
He was very passionate and funny. This tour cost 10euro which was a bargain. It was only 20 mins before that I was saying to a couple of Canadians that I wont be drawn into a guided tour like every one else. As you know it here I was doing just that. I'm glad I did as the tour covered the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum and was very informative. Not only that when going into the Colosseum you don't get caught up with the crowds queuing.

Ruin on Palatine Hill.

The Colosseum from Palatine Hill.

The Temple of Saturn, Forum.
Underneath this temple held Romes treasury.
Here's another informative link about the forum.
http://www.roman-empire.net/tours/rome/forum-romanum.html

Capitoline Wolf suckles the infant twins Romulus and Remus.
For those who don't know Romulus and Remus where brothers who founded Roma.
Romulus kill Remus over territorial control of the city.
Which was then sited on Palatine Hill.
More of the story can be found in the links provided.

Wow!! The Pantheon. What a massive building.
This was also my lunch stop.
A bottle of Peroni and cannelloni.

Trajan's Column through Basilica Ulpia

August Statue alone the Via dei Fori Imperiali.

Santissimo Nome di Maria ceiling. Near Trajan Column.

Victor Emmanuel II Monument
(Il Vittoriano)

Night time Colosseum.

As I sat hear reflecting on my first day in Rome. It had become apparent that I have had dreamed of this since studying art and architecture at Art School.
Finally a dream come true.

Well. Day 2 Roma I got up fairly early to head to the Vatican. During the last Sunday of every month the Vatican is open to the public for free. Yippy! what timing for me. Not only that it was a weekend for European Heritage, which most places I visited where free. Something to remember if you are heading to Rome. These images from the top is the crowd behind me and bottom the crowd in front of me while queuing to get in the Vatican Museum.
Would have hated to be the dude at the back.

One of the ceilings while heading to the Sistine Chapel.

Sistine Chapel.
Tried 3 times before getting told off.

Sculpture at the Vatican Museum.

Castel Sant Angelo this is close by the Vatican.

Basilica S. Pietro.

View from Castel Sant Angelo

Now I'm not sure where this was?

Bulls at the National Museum or Rome, Baths of Diocletian,
is dedicated to sculpture and archaeological remains.
This was sited around the corner from the
hostel Two Ducks which is close to the Termini
(main Bus and train station)

The Pyramid of Cestius.

Me attempting to kill a Roman.

All else fails chop of his head.

Hey not there Roman dude.
You see many of these guys wondering around this one tried to charge me 10euro but managed to get down to 5euro. Pays to bargain with these chaps.

Headless statues at the Villa Aldobrandini.

View from the Villa Aldobrandini.

Inside the Santa Maria Magglore.

Well that was a little bit of Rome. I will soon post more images on my mikeldurel.com. I had taken near 300 photos while in Rome and thoroughly enjoyed every little part of it. Oh I will come back some day as I did throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain.