"Open Daily" Or: Rome on New Year's Day

The Coloseum, and also the Forum, supposedly open daily, were NOT open. We did not get to go inside this magnificent sites today. And I just can't give up the Sistine Chapel and The Vatican Museum, scheduled for tomorrow.

Ruins surround the area of the Coloseum.

I now forget where this was taken (last night)

Ancient ruins accessible in a public park, Villa Aldobrandi. There were tropical trees planted here, and Steve picked an orange for me. We suspect it is not ripe, tho, so are just enjoying its scent. We saw several homeless people here, taking shelter from the rain.

This is the building where the fountain is located. It is called "Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II", monument to victory by a certain emperor. Much of ancient Rome was destroyed to build this structure at the turn of the 20th century. It was built from 1890 to about 1912, in ancient styles in honor of the history of this country. This building was commemorated in 1912 to celebrate a unified Italy.

This fountain is to the left side of the building Victory Monument. I am pretty sure this is reference to Neptune, God of the Sea (Ariel's dad...)