Rome is filled with water, and I don't just mean the river encircling the city. There are fountains and otehr reminders of water at almost every turn. In looking at the artistry one forgets the reason for their being, moving water.
Some fountains have particular cunning in designing how the water enters and drains. Bernini had the water rushing down this sea creature's throat!
If you look closely at the sides of some old buildings you will see markers that indicate the high water mark from years when the Tiber flooded the city. There are quite a few of these which makes you wonder what it must have been like being at the mercy of the river until embankments were built.
The thing that really surprised me was that the water gushing from all of Rome's fountains is completely drinkable. People fill their water bottles and drink straight from the tap as it were. Mind you I might think twice about filling my throat with water that had recently been used to cool off someone's road weary heels!
And then there's just enjoying the rather over the top celebrations of water. Can there be a more celebrated fountain than Trevi? There's never no one there throwing in a coin to ensure a return visit to Rome, myself included!
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