A Day in Rome (Part 1-Vatican City)

Ciao! Bonjourno..Come stai? Haha, these are some of the very basic italian that i knew..my other two friends, Yusuf and Hui Xuan speaks much better italian than I do..really admire them for their effort to learn and practice them..haha..

Oh ya, so for last weekend, went to Rome for a day trip..Took a train ride, cheapest one which cost 32.20 euro for both ways..Departed from Florence at 645am and reached Rome Termini at 11am..There aren't many cities in world like Roma. No matter which way you turn you set your eyes on imposing monuments, dramatic statues or lavish fountains..hehe..

When we reached there, we grabbed a bus to Piazza San Pietro..Piazza San Pietro is the middle and the centre of Vatican City..Let me bring you a tour of Vatican City..


Before entering St.Peter's, the first thing that strickes you is the square and the number of detailed statues which overlook in the square.

The front view is the Piazza San Pietro..pic taken in front of St.Peter's Basilica..

In front of a fountain..Reminds me of the show angels and demons..hehe

Here I am, with the background of St.Peter's Basilica..

St.Peter's Basilica.

The swiss guards..really serious..

Before entering the church..

And when you come in, can see the mosaics all around..Amazed...

The list of Pope's...

So, ya, this is Vatican City..wasn't able to visit the Museum and Sistine Chapel..admission is 13 euro tho..hehe, and we were in hurry to catch our next destination..Piazza Venezia, Colossuem, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon..Check out and follow the blog ya..

Ciao! Grazie..Arrivederci

Florence

Hey!!! How are you all doing there??Just reply me through the comments..hehe..want to know how are you all doing, or mail/chat wit me also can.

Anyway, want to share with you some of the pics of Florence which I went around during my past weekends..Actually, last Sun(1/11), I went to Siena, but didnt have time to transfer the pics yet, but anyhow, these pics were taken on 25th Oct..Went for lunch first, then walked up to Piazzale Michelangelo, and I am sure you all know who is he right? At least you all have seen him before somewhere..hahaha

Piazzale Michelangelo was built in 1869 to plans by Giuseppe Poggi; it offers a splendid panorama of the city. But before that, while we were walking, took some random shots which I would like to share as well..

Myself at Piazza Della Repubblica..Piazza is a square, a big and huge place where people walk, gather..You will see a lot of Piazza in Italy..

My colleague frm Msia, Thileg, giving some donation, because he wants to take pic with him..haha

And while u were walkin on the streets, u will see these drawings around..some are realli 3D..but its awesome art isnt it?

This is what you call "Gelato"...yum yum..melt at your tongue..

Horse carriage..

And here we are, 5 of us, walking pass Ponte Vecchio..how can u not take photo if u pass this place..haha

Myself, and the Ponte Vecchio (bridge)

This picture is nice, but the cranes spoilt the view..

On the way up to Piazzale Michelangelo..rest a while first..hehe

The way...


The climb is tough, but the view is great (adapated from Hanna Montana)...

Myself on the hill top..hehehe

Hui xuan, Yusuf, Thileg and Rizal..huhu..can u see the difference? All with glasses but 2 with normal specs, 2 with shades..

The Ricasoli people...hehe..Ricasoli is where we stay..LOL

Am sure, you all know him..hehe

Another one, taken at Piazza Della Signoria, another replication of Michelangelo..

See the number of people at downtown..crazy huh..I took this pic at Duomo, the big dome..the church

Weekend!! Shopping!

Weekend! So where did i go?? For last weekend, didnt go anywhere far, spend our time in Florence..But on Saturday, we took an hour bus ride to an outlet, called The Mall..Okie, so what outlets you have in the Mall.Its the place where you are tempted, wallets might be empty after a few hours, eyes and mouths open wide when see the price, and you wish you could have it all..hahaha..GUCCI, Salavatore Feragamo, Armani Jeans, Giorgio Armani, TOD and other Italian brands...let the pics tell u..hehe

The Mall..Its all outlet, not like the normal big complexes like KLCC, or Jusco..

To me, it looks more like a campus than a factory outlet..Dont be misled..haha

Beside me, are all the branded outlets..can see, my hands are still empty, didnt buy anything..yet??

Hui Xuan, Yusuf and both colleagues from Malaysia (Thileg and Rizal), all smiling happily :)

I like the location of The Mall..because it is located on a country side place, peaceful, where you will see green, hills, winding roads along the way..peaceful..

That's the Mall..my Saturday weekend..Hehe..Its expensive, please dont come here so many times..the wallet can have holes..

"nice to see, nice to hold, once see the price, u leave and go" :)

Then, we went for our dinner..Wanted to get something different, and u know what? We found out this Chinese Shop, relli with their China style, the way they talk, serve and the way they count and charge their tax..sigh..anyway, good stuffs especially after 3 weeks not seeing rice, or pork..

so happy, chinese food!!

Fried rice with shrimp

Pork ribs..

Lemon chicken

And definitely, Malaysia still serve the best chinese food to me..Haha, maybe the tongue is tuned to the taste already..Malaysia Boleh!!

And when you are full with main course, what do you hunt for?Haha..Definitely, cakes, or desert rite..Here we are, in an italian restaurant called La Lampara..Tiramisu cake..yum yum

Tiramisu

I dont wanna describe the taste much, surely u all will whack me..But then, it just taste "toooooo gooood (like how Russell Peters will say")..FANTASTIC!!

Venice 2!!

Pronto! Ya, as said, I will be continuing my post on Venice..we did not only go to Murano (from 1st post), but we also went to San Marco..San Marco is one of the very main attractions in Venice..a must go place recommended to those who plan to go there..Hehe, remember to ajak me again ya, if u go..LOL

Hey guys!! We gonna reach San Marco..get ready!

Here I am...

Looks the same a??

This is their road..only water..and how they travel??Gondola..

"So sir, how much is the ride?? 80 euro for 6 persons" You must be joking..Hahaha..

We are at Piazza San Marco. Once serving as the official residence of the doge – the city’s governing council - it also was a place to show off the art and architecture of the time. As well as this it housed offices, courts and the city’s infamous prison cells.



I like this place, especially at night as well..Piazza means square..Its a big square, restaurants and bars all around..They have classic and romantic musics being played, by orchestra instruments like violin and cello..I even saw a couple havin their own sweet dance in the middle of the square..hehe

In front of Chiesa S.Marco..church

Guess what's these??? Its CHOCOLATES..WOW!

As you walk in Venice, you will see a lot of these small canals..

Then came by to famous shops..everyone knows them..Mum can i enter??Plss....Btw, you know what, I even saw dogs entering, I oso dun have chance..sigh

Last pic for this post, it speaks...

Guess gonna post another one next week, bout Rialto bridge..This weekend, go where leh? Hmmm, I think its time to explore Florence well, because since we came, our weekends were off to sumwhere else, so now its time to stay here in Florence, to know it and enjoy it before we go to Milan, Rome, bla bla bla....switzerland..

Venezia

Venice!!

Ya, so last weekend (17th Oct), was in Venice..hehe.We were there together with Pui, Carmen, Lukman and 2 girls..Friends from France and Germany, took leaves and use it to enjoy themselves to the fullest around Italy..sorry ppl for not being able to bring u all around, instead of us guiding u all to Venice, instead, u ppl r the ones bringing us in Italy around in Venice..haha.But anyway, special thanks to Pui, Carmen and Lukman for planning and preparing the details includin the hostel in Venice..

So, am gonna divide this topic to few posts..LOL, too much to write and show I think..hehe.Well anyway, you all know Venice rite? Built on over 115 islands that are divided into two main sections by the aptly named Grand Canal..Venice is one of the most photographed, filmed and famous cities in the world. You won't find any traffic jams here (at least not on land) as cars and motor vehicles are banned from the city centre.

So here we are, at Venice, a pic taken in front of the beautiful bridge near the port..

This is the pic of boats and the water at the port, where ppl can take the boar along the Canal Grande to diff places on the island..

The macho guys not afraid of water..haha

One of the ponte (Bridge) taken on the boat..

Along the Canal Grande

This is how the port looks like..ppl waiting to board the boat..

Btw, we are going to Murano..its a separate island..famous for its glass making..my friends, the girls especially, were so into the glass necklace, deco that every shop that sells glass souvenirs, they stopped..haha

Pic taken on the way to glass factory in Murano Island.. :)



Pui asked me to take his pic, guess he likes glass too! You will be fascinated of how they make glass, if you wan to know, i think can google it out..but anyway, from sand and minerals, burn at high temperature, shape it when its hot and let it cold..i think..lol

Glass souvenirs..

While the girls were choosing and lookin at souvenirs, Pui and I went and take pics around n thanks to him for the ice cream.



So stay tuned for nxt post bout San Marco in Venice..hehe

Weekend updates..Praise God!

So, for the last weekend, we went to Venice..and it was awesome, great place to go..a good suggestion for those who planning for their honeymoon..this time, not only 3 of us, but Pui (frm France), Carmen, Lukman and ther 2 friends from Germany joined us as well..So it was quite a big group, 8 of us going together, enjoying and having fun during the weekend..Sorry, have not transferred the pics, therefore will upload another post bout venice soon..

Ya, we bump in and stayed a night at the camping site, a budget hostel because it was too late for us to catch the train back..Reached Florence on Sunday evening around 4pm..When came back to room, started to unpack, bath and wash clothes..then the clock shows 6pm..reminded me of church, since I got the address, and had never visit before this, due to travelling..So, i got my bible, put into the backpack, get the Florence map and slowly head to Florence Gospel Fellowship International, Via de' Benci n° 9..Didn't been to this church before, just had a rough info from the website..thought of just going there to check whether is the church there based on website and blog

Ya, so, reached church around 615pm, thought it had already started, it would be a bit disturbing if i enter late, but then when i reached there, the door was closed.It's like those european style, huge and tall doors..I didn't dare to push it, worried it interrupts, and then came a woman (pastor's wife) greeted and welcomed me..I was pretty encouraged and felt so welcomed to the church..not that many people, but mostly are students..around 20 of us..students from UK, US, Zimbabwe...so was cool for me, for being able to join them in church and fellowship..

Anyway, I want to praise God for leading me, guiding me to this church, to this body of Christ where I have found here in Florence..when I knew I was coming to Florence, not only my friends but I asked myself whether or not, I will be able to find Christian fellowship here..and thank God, now have found one..He found me! He is so BIG, so good, that he is everywhere..You will feel home, because you belong to Him :) In the church, we had praise and worship (the songs are familiar to me and in english), testimonial sharings from bro n sis, and encouraging msg from Pastor's wife..Pastor led the praise and worship session..then, after service which ends around 830pm, we head up to a room for fellowship, chatting and some light food n tea..was awesome, it made my day fulfilled because of His presence here with me :) Praise God!

Weather today..special

Hey, today's weather is extreme strange..It's already 7degrees celcius in Florence, Italy although its only October..My colleagues were saying, this temperature only occurs when winter comes..Today is different, colder than normal, hands were stiff, like numb..if you take it out from your pockets, you can feel it..When we talk, there is vapor/steam (i dont know what we call that)..but for me is so cool!Haha, for the first time..like those in korean movies..LOL

Anyway,

Florence, Italy

Temperature:

7 °C

Current:

Fair

Humidity:

66 %