Roma . Giorno Due

How can your day NOT be fabulous, when you wake up to this view?!

Well, except when you wake up with a gnarly migraine and can only manage to barely eat breakfast before going back to bed for three hours. Ugh. Fortunately the nap cured me and we ventured out for lunch in the Campo di Fiori. 

In addition to the seagulls, I'm entirely surprised by the commonality of graffiti that covers the doors and building facades. It's very sad to see how people's need to temporarily "make a name for themselves" outweighs their desire to cherish their city's rich history and gorgeous architecture.

The church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, where Galileo was found guilty of heresy for claiming the universe revolved around the Sun (instead of the Earth), thus spending the rest of his life under house arrest.

Rouge street art. The sign is typically just the circle with the white line, but some artist found it humorous to add the figure...

De Ritis - for all your clerical robe needs.

Our main stop for today, the Pantheon. Originally built in 27 BC by Marcus Agrippa as a temple "to many gods," as it's name indicates. But it was ultimately used as a Catholic church and is the resting place of Rome's first and second Kings, as well as the Renaissance artist Raphael. 

Can you see me?! (I'm the tiny one leaning against the right pillar)

The Pantheon's ceiling is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome and the oculus (opening in the top) is the only source of light within the building.

On our walk back from the Pantheon, we stopped by the Torre di Argentina. This is where the Theatre of Pompey had been, where Julius Caesar met his murderous end.