Wednesday, May 31, 2006

Back From Italy





Ciao !


 I've just come back from a 9-day-trip to Italy.


Italy is really a very beautiful country with a long history , deep culture and full of surprises .You can also indulge in the pleasures of la dolce vita here : good food, good wine and improving your wardrobe.


Beautiful weather almost thoughout the Trip (it was raining on the day I came to Venice -__- , but let's look into the bright side : not everyone has a chance to watch a Rainbow in Venice)


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There are something that you can only find in Italy , this kind of sign for example


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One thing that troubled me a lot during this adventure was the poorly English skill of the Italian.90% of the answers you get in Italy are in Italian, even at the Airport , Tourist Informazioni or International Railway Station.I wonder if they were ever taught English at the High School.


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(Murano , Venice)


The second problem is the untimeliness of the Buses and Trams here.Once I had to wait for almost one hour for a bus.The time table said that it would come in 5 mins.I waited for 15 mins and nothing came.45 mins went by and still came.It was already late so I decided to take the Taxi.The Taxi driver asked me 30 Euros to take me home.I said 20 Euros would be okie cos it's only 9-bus-stop long.The driver said okie :O right away.Omfg I should said 15 or even lower -__- and by the way I did not know that Its possible to negotiate the price in a Taxi -_- . The meter clock did not mean anything.This schycho driver drove at 80km/h right in the central of Rome while talking on the cellphone.How lucky I was to get home safely....


One day later , I had to wait for the bus again.It was at the Central Bus Station of Rome, where every buses must stop by.I had to wait for Bus 38.It was like the day before.5mins - 15 mins - 30 mins.... Bus 39 37 36 82 93 80 87 133 ...... all passed by for several times each but not a single 38.I started to lose my patience and was going to take a Taxi again but then this happened : 3 Buses 38 came at once...


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(Wating for the Bus 38 )


Like I said , Italy can offer you surprises.Once again , I had to wait for Bus 38 and a Bus 38 just went by right before I came.I thought It would take 1 hour for me to wait for another one.But then I saw a Bus 93 coming.When it came to me , the number on the electric sigh of the bus changed to 38....Do you believe in Miracle ? Do you believe in Magic ? I dont but well .... what would you call this ? Well Miracle happens , at least at bus stops in Italy..


I visited 5 cities in Italy and they are so different.Each City has its own uniqueness to offer.


Roma : the seat of the Roman Empire


Traveling to Roma is like traveling to the Past.


The streets in Roma are quite small and narrowly.Rome somehow reminded me of Hanoi.Scooters are all around.Italy is the Country of Piaggio right ? But half of the Scooters I saw here were .... SH

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Colosseo






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The nearly-2000-year-old temple : Pantheon






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Fontana di Travi






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Vaticano : TheHolySee






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Milano : heaven for Fashion Victims




or maybe hell -__- cos everything here are extremely expensive.




You can find the boutiques and showrooms of  any brandname here




In Via Montenapoleone you can find tthe showrooms of : Gucci , Versace , Luis Vuitton , Prada , Salvatore Ferragamo , Fratelli Rossetti , Valentino, Cartier ...


In Via Sant'Andrea : Chanel , Fendi , Armani , Moschino , Kenzo .....


In Via della Spiga : D&G , Gianfranco Ferre , Bulgari....


Duomo : The most famous gothic Cathedral






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San Siro






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Venezia  : The City of Love






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Firenze : The City of  Michelangelo






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And Pisa






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Sicily was in my plan as well but I did not have enough time.Well ,

maybe next time then.