My Italy & Vatican City

Buon giorno, Hello!
We were supposed to go to Japan, but getting the visas was a hassle then, so we diverted to Italia (Italy), no visas required! This turn of events was sheer good luck, because we loved Italy! And we got to experience two countries in the same period of travel because Vatican City, the smallest sovereign state in the world, is in Italy after all. We started our travel in Roma (Rome), visited Vatican City, and by train went to Firenze (Florence), Pisa and Venezia (Venice), before going back to Rome for our flight home.

Very early breakfast at the Fiumicino Airport (CNB 2006)

We reached Rome in the very early hours of a late November 2006 morning, so had to wait a bit before the eateries at the Fiumicino Airport opened and we could have our cappucinos with breakfast. Coffee in Italy is supposed to be better than anywhere else in the world! We fully concur.

The Vatican Museum (CNB 2006)

First stop after checking in at our Rome Hotel was the Vatican City. The Musei Vaticani (Vatican Museums) has tons of treasures and there were lots to see in the enormous museums: art, sculpture, artifacts, and other historical parapenalia. We did cover most of it and also got to see the 'no photography allowed' Sistine Chapel, or rather Michelangelo's frescoes on its barrel vaulted ceiling, painted 1512 and 'The Last Judgement' (1541). We remembered the Guard there shushing the crowd, but making the most racket himself!

In the grounds of the enormous Vatican Museums (CNB 2006)

Laocoon: a Trojan priest of Appolo and his two
sons in a mortal struggle with two sea serpents
(CNB 2006)

The richly decorated ceiling in one of the museums
(CNB 2006)

On the iconic spiral staircacase of the Vatican Museums
(AB 2006)

The Piazza San Pietro designed by Bernini was a most impressive public space. The Doric columns of the two semicircular collonades inspire much photography. So also the St Peter's Basilica. Inside, we noted Michelangelo's masterpiece dome and also the worn down right foot of the bronze statue of St Peter.

At the Piazza San Pietro (BB 2006)

Statued balcony behind B and me (AB 2006)

The bronze statue of St Peter (CNB 2006)

Marble angels at SPB (BB 2006)

A in black, in stark contrast to the colourful Swiss Guards
(CNB 2006)

If you look closely, the duck looks like its spewing gold droplets!
(CNB 2006)

In front of St Peter's Basilica (AB 2006)

B in Vatican City sunshine (CNB 2006)

At the famous Trevi Fountain (AB 2006)

Back in Rome, we took the open-top hop on-hop off bus for a tour of the city. We had good views of the many piazzas and fountains of Rome. Then our last stop was the very famous Trevi Fountain. And of course you have to throw 1 coin into the fountain to return to Rome and 3 coins for good luck (to return to Rome?). Note: Did you know that $3500 are collected daily from the fountain to subsidise a supermarket for Rome's poor?

A throwing her coins in the Trevi Fountain
(CNB 2006)

When in Italy, you eat pasta, pizza or risotto (BB 2006)

We have always loved Italian food, even the not so authentic ones we get in Malaysian fast food outlets and restaurants or the ones we cook ourselves. So in Italy, we really did enjoy our pastas, pizzas, risottos and gelati (ice creams)!









From Rome we took the slow train to Firenze/Florence, having missed the fast one. Just as well, because we could enjoy the beautiful Italian countryside, albeit in winter. We spotted orange looking fruits on some leafless/bare trees and wondered what they were. We reached Firenze, checked into our hotel, and made our way back to the railway station to go to Pisa. It was almost dark when we got to Pisa although it was late afternoon (the downside of winter vacations - the days are so short). So we did not get the best view of The Leaning Tower of Pisa, but it felt surreal, even just being near, looking at it. For dinner we went to the Pizzeria/Trattoria La Buca, in the nearby Via G. Tassi. I did not finish my risotto (too salty), much to the displeasure of the chef!

At the leaning Tower of Pisa (AB 2006)

Sister-sister goofing around, tower in the background
(CNB 2006)

Back at Firenze, the next day we walked around the city, many cobblestone streets pedestrianised. The beautiful Duomo (Cathedral) afforded many photo opportunities. But the Duomo is only one of so many beautiful sights in Firenze. In fact the whole city is like a museum and art gallery rolled into one.

The beautiful Duomo of Firenze (AB 2006)

We could gawk in Firenze all day, but we also wanted to experience Tuscany. So we joined a small group on one of the 'Walking tours of Florence', guided by an American lady. The countryside walk afforded 'superb views of Tuscany and distant Florence'. There was delicious Tuscan lunch 'on the estate of an exclusive private Renaissance Villa with lovely Italian gardens, and sublime views over the Tuscan countryside'. This grand Villa di Maiano in Fiesole featured in two famous films, Franco Zeffirelli's 'A Room with a View' and James Ivory's 'Tea with Mussolini'. It was here also at the Fattoria di Maiano that we solved the mystery of the orange looking fruits on bare trees - ripe, delicious persimmons! The Fattoria is an organic agricultural estate with over 20,000 olive trees. We were able to see the olives gathered (usually in November-December) and pressed in the estate mill.

Mystery orange fruits up close: Persimmons (CNB 2006)

B and I enjoying some persimmons (AB 2006)

Under the olive tree (AB 2006)

The Fattoria di Maiano, Fiesole (AB 2006)

The Villa di Maiano (BB 2006)

A beautiful Murano chandelier at the
Villa di Maiano (CNB 2006)

We spotted this cute slug on our walk in the Tuscan
countryside (CNB 2006)

Back in Firenze, we went to the Galleria dell Accademia, famed for the statue of David. There were no queues, contrary to the very long ones in Summer. One can only be in awe of the very fantastic piece of sculpture. No photography allowed, so I can only put up a photo from a postcard. After David, we walked around admiring the Christmas lights (25 days to go before Xmas), did some shopping (for leather boots) and ate pizzas and gelati.

In front of the Galleria dell Accademia (BB 2006)

Gleefully showing off the gelato (CNB 2006)

The rainbow colours of gelati (CNB 2006)

The earth tones of more gelati (CNB 2006)

The Christmas lights in Firenze (AB 2006)

From Firenze we took another train to Venezia. Venice is breathtakingly beautiful. Despite some fading facades, the parade of buildings along the canals were magnificent. But beautiful Venice is sinking and now only about 61,000 Venetians live here.

And of course, for the tourist, the quintessence of an Italian rendezvous is riding on the gondola, with the gondolier singing love songs. Despite the skyhigh price for a gondola ride, its worth it because you have not been to Venice if you have not ridden in a gondola!

The Grand Canal (CNB 2006)

Me, Ita and Italia (BB 2006)

Amazingly quiet and crowdless Venetian street (CNB 2006)

At one of the  gondola stazi/stops (AB 2006)

Of course A & B are smiling. After all the gondolier
is singing some love songs! (CNB 2006)

Ok, I'm smiling too. 'O solo mio...' (BB 2006)

Amadeus Mozart used to live in this palazzo (CNB 2006)

Awaiting the sunset on the Grand Canal (BB 2006)

Sunset on the Grand Canal (CNB 2006)

Feeding the pigeons at the Piazza di San Marco  (CNB 2006)

Lounging around at the Hotel Plaza, Venezia-Mestre (AB 2006)

The fast train back to Rome from Venice (BB 2006)

Back in Rome we were greeted with a crowd of street demonstrators, over some trade union dispute, somebody told us. He also said it was a very usual occurance, so not to worry. Indeed we did not, and walked around the Roman city, stopping under the moonlight shining on the Colosseum. There were bridal couples taking wedding photos there on the nearby grounds, the brides looking ghostly in their white gowns. The Colosseum was closed, but the "Roman soldiers" were working, so for kicks we had a 'combat' with them, and captured the Roman ripoff on photos. Heheh! We also did some shopping (I got a 'man-cow' handbag) near the Spanish Steps, before calling it a day, our last day in fact.

The pockmarked Colosseum walls/columns (CNB 2006)

Goofing around with some Roman soldiers (BB 2006)

On the Spanish Steps (AB 2006)

Smiles before leaving with many happy memories of Italia (2006)

We say arrivederci to the Colosseum (and the Roman soldiers)
on our way to the Airport (CNB 2006)

Arrivederci Roma, Venezia, Firenze, Pisa, Italia. We will return. After all, we did toss our three coins in the Trevi Fountain!

November/December 2006