Hello blog and hello world! I have been noticeably absent as of late, but I have good reason. Well, reason enough for one week. I just returned from Rome! You know, the ancient city in Italy? My Stronger Half and I took a vacation across the Atlantic along with my DSLR. I have many photos to share, but have decided to split them up into different blog posts. First up? An element inter-weaved throughout the city: water.

Almost every major piazza was adorned with a water-based centerpiece complete with sculptures of ancient Romans. With the crowds of people around, I decided to focus some of my shots up close.

This is the same shot with a slower shutter speed to mimic the movement of the water.

Fountain de Pantheon. Okay, that’s not really what it’s called, but that IS the Pantheon in the background. Despite the crowds, I wanted to show you how larger the fountains in Rome are. Many shoot up high into the sky, making it almost impossible to shoot the entire thing with my 18-55mm lens.

This is My Stronger Half standing in front of one of the many fountains at St. Peter’s Basilica.

One of our favorite things about Rome was the public drinking fountains. All throughout the city were fountains with fresh spring water running through them. This photo shows one of the more ornate fountains just a few blocks from our apartment. The water was cold and tasted better than any water I have ever had! (That’s saying a lot given that I live in Colorado with the fresh mountain water).

We took an underground tour of the Colosseum (an absolute must if you travel to Rome anytime soon). Our tour guide told us that the Romans used to flood the Colosseum to re-enact battles that happened on the sea. The picture above shows a stream flowing underground the massive structure. Can you imagine pumping a modern-day stadium full of water…by hand?

The Tiber River acted as an important landmark during our time in Rome, as our apartment was just one street over from the river. This picture was taken on our first night in Rome on the bridge closest to our place. You can see St. Peter’s Basilica in the background.

Last, but not least, one of my favorite shots from Rome. The Tiber River running under one of the bridges to Vatican City. I took this shot in the early evening.

Many more photos of Rome to come, so be sure to check back! Which of the above is your favorite?