Rome. What can I say about Rome after romantic Venice and historic Florence? Rome is on its own, and I don't think it can be compared to any other city.

Flood-lit Roman Night

I took a taxi ride through the city center. It was a bumpy ride, thanks to tiled road. I must say the Romans are quite fashionable. I haven't seen so many men and women with fur coats and knee high boots anywhere else - not even in London or New York City.

People Watching

Having grown up in tough L.A. neighborhood, I am not used to standing around and watching people pass by. If you do this too often in L.A., you either get run over or shot. I didn't have to worry about that in Rome.

Tiveri fountain is a great place for people watching. Both young & old hang out late at night. There is music, cafes, and sometimes annoying vendors trying to sell you cheap souvenirs. A gelato place across the street from Tiveri fountain is a great spot just to stand and absorb the whole scene.

You can't miss Spanish Steps if you watched "The Roman Holiday". This is another place where young and old hang out. Just sit on a step. No one will ask or wonder what you're doing. You'll just blend right in. If you look closely, you'll find yours truly sitting amongst the crowd :-)

In Rome, you don't need to go to museum to see sculptures. You'll find them everywhere in streets (although they're replicas of what's inside the museum). I was always impressed with real representation of human muscles on the sculptures. I didn't realize until I observed one closely that there are also veins. They seem so real that it almost looks like a real human being covered in flour and frozen in time. They're amazing to look at... just as fun as watching people.

The Vatican & St. Peters

This place was grand. Just take a look at the size of the people (what seems like rows of ant) and the building. It was awe inspiring to walk into St. Peters thinking that Peter's bones are buried somewhere underneath. The architecture and design is of course indescribable. It's best to see in person.

I was disappointed with Sistine Chapel, however. I guess all that hype over the painting on its ceiling got my expectations too high. The chapel was much smaller (and the painting too) than I had thought. It was the same disappoint that I felt when I saw Mona Lisa at the Louvre (much smaller & plain than I had imagined).

Roman Forum

The highlight of my trip to Rome is the Roman Forum. It's just ruins with tons and tons of rocks and pillars. But it's mesmerizing to stand in the center of ruins as you try to comprehend what it used to be like hundreds years ago. To avoid crowd and enjoy the expansive view of the forum in quiet moment, walk into Capitol Hill Museum. For a few euro, it's worth the visit.

What's commonly known as the Colosseum is really "Flavian Amphitheatre". It's a mouthful, isn't it? Probably that's why Colosseum is a better name. It's built to accommodate 50,000 men yet not a single men's room (so says the tour guide). Hmm...