Venice

Venice...universally agreed to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world. This city of canals..indeed..is really beautiful and it became one of my favourite cities in the world.

After Florence, we started our journey to Venice at about 10 plus in the morning.

Later, we stopped for our lunch at the Ristop shop. Hubby took 3 types of pure cheese and he simply ate it..like it was the best cheese in the world. I'm not a cheese lover so i just looked at it. One interesting fact..it was the 1st time that i tasted the frizzy mineral water. I've been told by the tour guide that people in europe..they prefer to drink this rather than the normal mineral water. Then, while heading back to the bus, i saw the italian version of twisties.

At about 1pm, we started the journey to venezia again.

20 minutes later..i was so excited..to see the venezia buildings..'Warghh..kat venice dah'.

We have to park the bus somewhere nearby and later we waited for our turn to be in the venice famous public transport..the water bus. This was to avoid for any 'sinking venice' situation.

Inside the bus, i enjoyed the view so much.

At 2pm..we landed ourselves in this floating city. There were so many bridges to connect from one place to another. And, i managed to see the gondola..everywhere.

The city itself..is a beautiful and a romantic city. Art is everywhere..from Piazza San Marco to Saint Mark's Basilica and the Astronomical Clock. Over here, the tour guide told us that we could choose to experience the gondola ride .which cost 90 euro per gondola (ada 6 seats..so 15 euro per person) or we could just continue to browse the city. To some of them, it was quite pricey so they made the decision with the latter. But, to me & hubby..this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience..so why not.

While waiting for the gondola ride at 3.30pm, we had a nice walk in venice..just the two of us. We did some shopping (..of course la kan). I bought a new hat and a new mafla along with some cute fridge magnets for our friends and family. We also found Louis Vuitton, Ferrari, Ferragamo, Fendi, Prada and etc. but it never came across my mind to buy a designer stuff here. So..we just looked.

Then, at 3.30pm..we started our gondola experience together with our tour friends. I had a magical and surreal feeling inside me..(..uihh..macam tak percaya je).

A few minutes later, we reached the Grand Canal and i saw the famous Rialto Bridge.

Half an hour later, we finished that amazing experience (..seronok nyer).

Then, the tour guide brought us to see the Venetian glass. It was a type of glass object made primarily on the island of Murano. It is world-renowned for being colorful, elaborate, and skillfully made.

After that, we have another hour before we ended this venice tour. So, the tour guide said that we could have our final shopping. Mmm..so..after i did some serious economic & fiscal analysis (..haha)..i made a decision to buy one designer handbag (..sebagai kenangan..handbag yg di beli di italy a.k.a venice. Plus, murah kat sini n leh claim VAT).

So, we went back to the LV shop..but then i told to my hubby '..eh, jom gi tengok channel kat sebelah..murah skit kot'. But, when i looked at just 1 of the prices of a channel handbag..i told hubby '..jom la gi LV balik). After that, we proceed back to LV (..rege channel..mahe bebeno).

At last..i was really happy with this venice galore experience plus i have a new handbag..:-)

Florence

Florence..i've never heard of this city before this trip. But, i did search on the interesting places of this city. Apparently, there were lots of it.

It took us almost 4 hours to reach here from Pisa and it was already dark at that time. So, when the tour guide brought us to the Michelangelo Park..i was so eager to explore the panoramic view of Ponte Vecchio and Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore from afar. It was amazing..what a breathtaking beauty.

Before we're on the move again, i took a picture with the Statue of David by Michelangelo (awww...malu..nudity giteww).

Then, the bus stopped somewhere that i couldn't remember the place..so we have to walk. I love this WALK..really, i always look at this WALK only in a movie..n now, i'm doing it..hehe.

About 15 minutes later, we reached at Piazza della Signoria and Palazzo Vecchio. Another breathtaking moment of the golden vision of this place. There were lots of statues here and there.

Spooky..that was what i thought when we stepped at Loggia dei Lanzi. Now, thinking of it..the statues of this place reminds me of Clash of the Titans-the movie.

Well, there was the statue of Perseus with the Head of Medusa at Loggia dei Lanzi

..and the Fountain of Neptune

At the end of the day, we went to Piazza Santa Croce before we stopped for our dinner (btw, the seafood olio tasted really good).

Pisa

Pisa..a city..known worldwide for its Leaning Tower that had started its construction in 1173 (Uihhhh...ancient nyer).

Another excitement came into me to go to this place. Yes, i was really excited.

So, nothing that you should worry about if you're on an arrange tour by the tour guide. You just need to be there on time..that's it..no thrill heh..

So, we started our journey to Pisa at about 8am plus in the morning. It was really a nice and therapeutic bus trip to Pisa with a very rare scenery on your left and right side. It was really a new experience for me.

Then, we stopped at Italy's famous RnR named 'AutoGrill'. I got to taste my first italiano cappuccino at this place and walaaaa..it was DA BEST. If you want to taste the real cappuccino in the world..it has to be here..in Italy. The taste was really really good. Hubby took a vege pizza..to be safe..after the tour guide made an assurance that it was totally vege.

I took the opportunity to take a picture with the owner and they were thrilled to know that we came from Malaysia. She asked for a Malaysian coin..for her to keep which luckily i have it with me (Proud gak dapat bagi coin kita kat dia ye).

Later, we had another lunch stop along the way..so, another vege menu and a nice cappuccino.

After 2 stops and 4 hours bus ride from Rome to Pisa..we reached there. It was raining and we didn't bring any umbrella with us. So, there was some people outside the bus..waiting for us with few umbrellas. In the end, it cost me 5 euro for an umbrella (ok la kot).

We have to walk from the parking to the Leaning Tower of Pisa and it took us almost 15 minutes to reach there. Then, i saw it...the Piazza del Duomo or else known as Piazza dei Miracoli along with the Leaning Tower. Wow..what i can say..if you want to experience the true vision of pure white..this is the place. It was really beautiful.

Then..before we're headed to Florence, i started it at this place..my souvenir shopping (rambang mate wehhh & tak sempat tangkap gambo holding the tower coz hujan lebat leh tahan gak).

What a thrill experience to be here.

Rome

Rome..such a beautiful city. It was in my wildest dream to be here and looking around..i was super excited. Being a super huge fan of Gladiator-the movie, HBO's Rome, Cleopatra and all movies that portraying Rome as a historic city background, it was indeed..a meaningful moment for me to be in Rome.

I enjoyed the bus tour around the city..admiring the view. You would see the 'gladiator aura' building structure..everywhere. Then..a few moments later..i saw this..and i was really..really..really..major super duper excited.

'Warghhh...nak sampai Colosseum dah..uihhh..tak sangka nyer..'

Later, the bus stopped nearby the Colosseum and we have to walk our way to the Arch of Constantine.

After 2-3 shots with the Arch..then, it was really in front of me..the Colosseum.

'Macam tak percaya jer..besar nyer...cantik nyer..tak sangka nyer'.

We made a leisure walk around this place and it was closed on that day so nothing much we could do...except for joining this 2 funny guys with their gladiator act. Please noted that when they dressed you up like a gladiator..it wasn't for free okay..you have to pay for it and i couldn't remember how much.

After that, we took some pictures with this beautiful place.

Next stop..Trevi Fountain.

Did i throw some coins?...nahhhh. But, i enjoyed the view. There was so many people around..enjoying their 'coin throwing' moment.

'Cantik nyer..'. That was what i thought. It was really a huge fountain.

Next, we had a 15-minutes walk to the Spanish Steps. I was really excited to reach here because i have googled some image of this place and it was beautiful. Then, i was there..looking at the Steps..'Ohh...ni ker..the famous Spanish Steps..mmm...wokehhh' ..meaning..it was just like a normal and typical set of steps that you might have seen somewhere. But..it was still beautiful and classic.

So, that was my Rome experience. I love the city..it was beautiful.

Vatican City

I was really excited to start my first ever experience to europe. We traveled to Italy by Emirates and there would be a stopover in Dubai. It was a 6-hours flight journey to Dubai and i loved my Emirates experience. The inflight entertainment was the best and later i read somewhere that Emirates has won the award for best in-flight-entertainment from Skytrax every year since 2003. Mmm..no wonder.

After waiting for 4 hours in Dubai, we experienced again another 6 hours journey to Rome.

Then..at almost 2pm..we reached Rome International Airport. Wow..i was really excited. Warghhh...'I'm in Rome now...tak sangka'.

After we settled ourselves in the bus..the tour guide told us that we're heading to Vatican City..the smallest state in the world. 'Oh..ye ke'.

Once we reached Saint Peter's Square..i was still in awe..with the fact that '..uihhh..sampai kat italy dah..'

Then, the time came when the tour guide told us that we would join the long queue to be inside the St. Peter's Basilica. 'Alamak..nak masuk ke? Seumur hidup tak penah masuk church ni.' Hubby replied 'Masuk je..bukan nyer ada niat lain'. So, my intention to be inside there was more towards admiring the St. Peter's Basilica's art.

It was huge and really big inside this place and we were inside there for almost half an hour. The entrance...fiyuhhh..n inside there..mmm...

After a while, i noticed the balcony where the pope will stand to wave to everybody..i guess. Later, at almost 4pm..we're on the move to Rome.

So, it was just a short visit to this smallest state in the world..Vatican City.