October 6 was a day to visit some new sites and to revisit some highlights to take some pictures. We got up early to visit the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish steps, hopefully without crazy crowds. It was a glorious morning to meander down the narrow streets and through the Piazzo Navona.
The Trevi Fountain, which was busy but manageable. There was a large military and police presence, warning tourists not to put their bags down or to climb on the wall. Yes there was an "influencer" having pictures taken on top of a very high wall. Plus, we saw a bride and groom from Asia with their photographer.
We walked to the Spanish Steps and found a lovely coffee shop to have breakfast. The prices were the most expensive we had seen so far and the croissant that I had was good but definitely not the best. Greg decided he wanted hot chocolate and what a surprise he got. He literally got a mug of melted dark chocolate! Not the swamp water style chocolate we serve in Canada. He dipped his croissant in the chocolate and ate the rest with a provided spoon. He was in heaven!
After climbing the Spanish Steps, we walked home for lunch and an afternoon nap. We had scheduled a photography tour with a local photographer to show us the best spots to do some blue hour and night photography. We had done this in Prague and Dublin in the past and they were excellent experiences. The tour looked promising, with correspondences asking what we were hoping to photograph and what our experience was. I made it clear that Greg had never done night photography but that I had. We settled on sunset at a bridge looking at the Vatican and blue hour at the Colosseum. We arrived at the bridge and the instructor, let's call him Em, started firing instructions at Greg that I knew he wouldn't be able to follow. I tried to help but I could see Greg getting very frustrated. He then sent Greg to a different location along the river and stayed with me. I finally got mad and told him to help Greg. He was the beginner. Next we made a mad dash to the Colosseum to catch blue hour. But Em wanted to now shoot blue hour at the ugly/foreboding Pantheon, then at the Piazzo Navona because we could shoot the moon...except the buildings blocked out the moon, which would have been too bright in the sky for blue hour any way, then he suggested that I should set up a million miles away from the Colosseum, looking down a street toward some brightly lit construction in front of the Colosseum. Even Greg recognized what a bad shot this would have been. I ignored him and kept walking. We arrived at the Colosseum too late for blue hour but he did show us some amazing places to take some night photos. And he actually started helping Greg. My anger and frustration finally abated and I was able to enjoy the rest of the evening. Except for the annoying vendors selling little toy helicopters with lights on them that kept leaving blue and green streaks in my photos. Sigh.
And how about these "ghosts"!! Can you see them? I swear no one walked by ;)
Creepy...
Check out the gallery for more pic...taken by me and Greg.
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