There's No Other Place Like It:

Granted I haven't been to every place on earth but I've been to quite a few. More than the average person. New Zealand, Spain, The United Kingdom, Chile, Vietnam and France to name a few. I've loved every one of them. They each had something unique to offer. They all gave me new experiences that I will forever remember.

None of them are quite like Rome.

It wasn't built in a day. Ha! Come on with the cheesy lines. The fact is, as cliche as it might be, that's the truth. This city has stood the test of time. Every corner is plastered with history. Every building has a story. The architecture and the life and the culture of this metropolis is truly awe inspiring. And that's what happens. I get inspired and I go to work.

My preference is to take pictures when no one else is around. I don't know why but I want to see the thing or the place without a million people buzzing around. It's just kind of my thing. So there's a lot of humans in Rome and this makes it a bit difficult. Especially during tourist season. I mean the place is flooded with people. And to be honest this doesn't really bother me other than I don't want anyone in my photo. The beauty of the city outweighs the hoards of people you have to crawl through to get around. Still, I have to make adjustments. I want that shot. Empty.

So I get up early. Like really early. I go to bed at 8:00PM and set my alarm for 3:00AM. When it goes off I jump up, grab my camera, grab my tripod and head out for the morning. I enjoy night crawling and taking my time. I look for the perfect shot. I experiment and try to find the high spot or get the sunrise. I'll do a time-lapse or I'll fly the drone. I can set the tripod down and mess with long exposures. I'm on my own with no one to bother me and I find the utmost pleasure in it.

So that's what Rome does for me. It inspires me. I'll find my spot to watch the sunrise. My camera will be snapping away. And I sit there thinking about how this city has been around for thousands of years. Modern civilization has its roots in this very place. The buildings and structures have survived wars and weather and earthquakes and every imaginable element. Yet it lives on through time and we just pass through it.

Maybe there's a lesson in there somewhere.