The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 3)

Oh yes, these pictures are quite valuable. So much so that customs agents sometimes check for them.

US customs agents have the authority to go through your computer, PDA, cell phone, and camera without suspicion of a crime. Don’t believe their “we are looking for explosive data” cover story. They don’t actually care if you divide by zero. Instead, there is “a chance” that customs is searching your digital information to make sure you have fully experienced Rome. That’s right, these pictures are indeed that important.

4 - A Food Shot

Creative Commons picture by Romereis 2008.

Roman cuisine is an exercise in simplicity. Simplicity and Tastiness. Roman dishes are often incredibly deliciouses, well rounded, meals made from just a few ingredients. The chefs are experts in clarifying the lamb taste of lamb. Roman dishes can exhibit a wonderful purity of being.

Good food is it’s own reward. For this sight we don’t have to go beyond its very nature to find it’s value. This food its truly itself, and we can enjoy it for just that. Does life always have to be so deep and complicated? Ooops. I guess the “life’s value doesn’t have to be complicated” lesson just kind of snook in there.

5 - A Fountain

Creative Commons picture by Hisham Besheer.

Rome has some incredible fountains. Probably the most famous is the 85 foot tall baroque Trevi fountain. An incredibly complex and detailed monument to water.

Though the water of a fountain such as the Trevi is highly controlled, it has not forgotten it’s wild instincts. The streams of water dance and change. They never seem to follow the same path twice, yet they also don’t stray too far from their required course. They exhibit a depth of freedom within even tight restrictions. So much freedom that all the people who have watched this fountain in the hundreds of years since it’s construction have probably never seen it do quite what it is doing right now.

Here are the other articles in this series:

• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 1)
• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 2)
• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 3)
• The Six Pictures of Rome You Should Definitely Take (Part 4, The Final Photo)