Italy 2004: Florence - Cradle of the Renaissance...

"In books I have travelled, not only to other worlds, but into my own..." - Anna Quindlen

(The Statue of David by Michelangelo)

A visit to Florence or Firenze is a must for any art lover. UNESCO estimates that 60% of the world’s most important artworks are in Italy, with over half of them located in Florence. Situated in the northwest of Italy, surrounded by the wine-growing hills of Chianti, the city attracts rapture and frustration in equal proportions. Few can dismiss the image of Brunelleschi’s cathedral dome bursting through the morning mist – a terracotta balloon hovering above the medieval rooftops.

(A day trip to Florence)

(A view of the city)

(The panoramic viewpoint)

(Terracotta-tiled Dome Cathedral)

Often called the cradle of the Renaissance, Florence owes much of her wealth to the Middle Ages. Banking became big business on the back of the city’s profitable wool trade and, in 1235, Florence minted the florin, the first gold coin to become standard currency across Europe. In their turn, these bankers commissioned some of the finest art and architecture in the city. The names Strozzi, Rucellai and Pitti can be found all over Florence but it was the Medici family – who led the city for over 300 years, off and on – that nurtured the greatest flowering of Renaissance art.

(Florence Cathedral)

(Masterpiece of the Renaissance)

(Intricate architeture)

(Many tourists visiting the cathedral)

(Santa Croce of Florence)

Then, as now, most of the action in Florence took place between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria, the city’s civic heart. Here, in the historic centre, Dante – forefather of the Italian language – first glimpsed his muse, Beatrice. Here, the Florentine Republic rose and fell. And here, Savonarola’s Bonfire of the Vanities blazed. Florence, for all her timeless charm, is no stranger to destruction. In 1944, all her bridges, save the Ponte Vecchio, were bombed by the Nazis, in an attempt to stall the advance of the allies. In 1966, the banks of the River Arno burst, flooding the city with her muddied waters and devastating homes and artwork.

(Lunch at a local restaurant)

(One of the many historical statues)

(Early morning rain in Florence)

(Opportunity for shopping)

(An apron for souvenir)

👈 2004: Singapore

 2004: Isle of Capri, Italy 👉

Italy 2004: Isle of Capri - Spirit of a sweet life...

"Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us, or we find it not..." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Boarding a ferry to the Isle of Capri)

A day tour around the isle of Capri, Campania, Italy. Home of the famous Blue Grotto and Mount Solaro. Visit many museums and archaeological sites on this beautiful island.Only 5 Km of sea separate the Capri Island from the Punta Campanella on the tip of Sorrento Peninsula.

(The island viewed from the ferry)

The simple road network runs along the main axis between Capri and Anacapri with few side roads and can only be traveled by local residents; the island has just been declared a pedestrian zone, especially as a means of protecting the countryside. On the other hand, the narrow streets that thread their way through the island's towns are hardly suitable for traffic. The automobiles of non-residents are only allowed on the island off-season.

(Cable car ride on the island)

Charming local towns, extraordinary hospitality as well as excellent, well laid-out tourist facilities open the islands beautiful to its many visitors from all over the world. Capri's popularity with international tourist is due in good part to its rediscovery by some of the world's most famous writers.

(Waiting for the transport at the hotel lobby)

In addiction to its historic, literary and scenic wonders, Capri can be boast of excellent beaches, making it one of the world's leading swimming and climatic resorts.Getting around in this very beautiful island is mainly done on bike of walking, which in the end it works out cheaper on transport.

(The boats in the Marina)

Song of the Sea

Timeless sea breezes,

sea-wind of the night:

you come for no one;

if someone should wake,

he must be prepared

how to survive you.

Timeless sea breezes,

that for aeons have

blown ancient rocks,

you are purest space

coming from afar...

Oh, how a fruit-bearing

fig tree feels your coming

high up in the moonlight.

👈 2004: Florence, Italy

2004: Pompeii, Italy 👉

Italy 2004: Pompeii - A forgotten city...

"Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world..." - Gustave Flaubert

(An archaeological finding)

A city slipped through time due to the violence of Mount Vesuvius smothering the buildings and its people in molten lava. A visit both amazing and disturbing in equal measure.In AD79, Vesuvius erupted and covered Pompeii with volcanic ash to a depth of about 10 m. Just when it looked as though things couldn't get any worse, Vesuvius exploded and sent a 100 mph avalanche of rock and hot gases hurtling towards Pompeii and other nearby towns. All those who had remained in Pompeii died. The event was recorded by Pliny the Younger, who saw the avalanche from his ship in the Bay of Naples.

(Temple of Apollo)

(Ancient Roman Temple)

Until Mount St. Helens erupted in 1981, everyone thought Pliny's account was fanciful, but his description of a black cloud hurtling towards Pompeii is now regarded as the first attempt to describe pyroclastic flow conditions. Most of Pompeii still remains hidden beneath the now farmed volcanic ash but those parts which have been excavated have revealed important information about Roman road building.

(A bronze statue in Pompeii)

Pompeii.

0 sad Pompeii! 

0 dead Pompeii! 

Silent are thy streets; 

Heavy is thy winding sheet of ashes. 

In the old time the sky was blue above thee.

👈 2004: Isle of Capri, Italy

2004: Naples, Italy 👉

Italy 2004: Naples - Neapolitan way of life ...

"To travel is worth any cost or sacrifice..." - Elizabeth Gilbert

(The majestic Mount Vesuvius)

From the Neapolis founded by Greek settlers in 470 B.C. to the city of today, Naples has retained the imprint of the successive cultures that emerged in Europe and the Mediterranean basin. This makes it a unique site, with a wealth of outstanding monuments such as the Church of Santa Chiara and the Castel Nuovo.

(Naples with Mt Vesuvius in the background)

As one of Europe’s most densely populated areas, Naples is a real working city, with the sight of ramshackle pastel houses with washing strung over the narrow roads more common than impressive palaces or monuments. However, Naples and its surrounding areas offer some amazing highlights for visitors. Pompeii or Herculaneum, former Roman resorts buried by Vesuvius in 79AD offer a unique insight into Roman life. Plus Naples is also the starting point for one of the most amazing coast lines in Europe. The journey South to Amalfi, along hair-pin bend twisting roads offers beautiful, if not hair-raising views, with imperial mountains dominated by Mount Vesuvius leading down to cliff side villages perilously perching over an azure sea dotted with brightly coloured pleasure boats and fishing vessels.

(Twisting hair-pin roads serving the city)

Naples may not have the wealth and splendour of more Northern cities, but its people make up for it with a wealth of high spirits, and the streets are always filled with their passionate voices - until the silent hours between midday and 2 pm when the whole town seems to take a much needed 40 winks out of the sunshine. Naples is the home of wafer thin pizzas with the classic Neapolitan topping of locally produced mozzarella, tomatoes, anchovies, garlic and basil. Southern Italians have one of the world’s most healthy diets, with locally harvested seafood, olive oil, wine and fresh green vegetables on every menu.

(A city tour hop-on hop-off bus)

Dejection near Naples
'
The sun is warm, the sky is clear,
The waves are dancing fast and bright,
Blue isles and snowy mountains wear
The purple noon's transparent might,
The breath of the moist air is light,
Around its unexpanded buds;
Like many a voice of one delight,
The winds', the birds', the ocean floods',
The City's voice itself, is soft like Solitude's.

(P B Shelley)

👈 2004: Pompeii, Italy

2004: Rome, Italy 👉

Italy 2004: Rome - Tales of Romulus and Ramus...

"The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts..."

(Romulus and Ramus)

I was in Rome with a few other participants from Bank Negara Malaysia and MCM to attend 'The Currency Conference'. I was accompanied by hubby and after the conference we spent a week holiday in Rome, Naples, Isle of Capri and Florence.

Situated on the River Tiber, between the Apennine Mountains and the Tyrrhenian Sea, the ‘Eternal City’ of Rome was once the administrative centre of the mighty Roman Empire, governing a vast region that stretched from Britain to Mesopotamia. It remains the seat of the Italian government and home to numerous ministerial offices but is superseded by Milan, in the industrial north, for business and finance.

(One of the Ancient Wonders of the world)

(UNESCO World Heritage Sites)

Ruins dating from Rome’s glory days lie within an area known as Roma Antica (Ancient Rome) and include the monumental Colosseum and the Foro Romano (Roman Forum) – a crumbling legacy of pagan temples, broken marble and triumphal arches. Buildings from the Renaissance period are concentrated within the centro storico (historic centre), situated between Via del Corso and the Tevere (River Tiber). Here, a labyrinth of narrow, winding, cobbled side streets opens out onto magnificent piazzas presided over by Baroque churches, regal palaces and exquisite fountains.

(At the Colosseum)

(A street entertainer)

The romantic Piazza Navona with Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers, Piazza di Spagna and the sweeping Spanish Steps, and the Trevi Fountain immortalised by Fellini’s La Dolce Vita (1959), all lie within walking distance of each other. Modern life continues amid this theatre of breathtaking monuments, as thousands of years of history are animated by more recent innovations – sophisticated boutiques, rowdy pizzerias and a merry-go-round of cars, buses and mopeds. Across the river, to the west, lies the Vatican State – home to the Pope and spiritual centre of the Roman Catholic Church. South of the Vatican, one finds the bohemian quarter of Trastevere, packed with trattorie and small wine bars. Further south still is the Testaccio district, renowned for nightclubs and live music.

(A poster at the Museum)

(A painting at the Museum)

I was in Rome in January 2003 and visited Venice, too...

👈 2004: Naples, Italy

2004: Suzhou, China 👉

China 2003: Suzhou - Venice of the East...

"Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him..." - James Allen

(Canals, bridges and classical gardens)

Suzhou, an ancient cultural city built 2,500 years ago, is known as ‘the Venice of the East’. The old town is built around a network of canal streets, criss-crossed by 300 bridges. Many private gardens built by scholars, poets and cultured Mandarins since the Song Dynasty make the city known for classical gardens. The Humble Administrator’s Garden built during 1506 and 1512 in the Ming Dynasty, it covers an area of 4.8 hectares, three quarters of which are water. It is regarded as one of the four major gardens in China along with the Summer Palace in Beijing, the Mountain Summer Resort in Chengde and The Garden Linger in Suzhou.

(Historic garden with water pavilion)

The ancient Grand Canal is a wonder of the ancient Chinese civilisation, with a history of 2,400 years. At 1,700 km in length, the canal starts from Beijing and ends at Hangzhou. The Garden to Linger In is well arranged and elegant. It was built during the reign of Emperor Jia Qing of the Ming Dynasty.

(A rock pagoda)

So little do I now expect,
So little hope or fear,
I draw a circle round myself
And find my pleasure there.

Alone I read, I dream, I like
My music loud, I wait
For something that will never come,
I fault my faultless fate.

👈 2004: Rome, Italy 

2003: Shanghai, China 👉

China 2003: Shanghai - Paradise for adventurers...

"When we can't piece together the puzzle of our own lives, remember the best view is from above. Let him help put you together..."

(Full moon from the water front)

(07 - 13 October 2003)

I was in Shanghai for a Banknote and Security Printing Seminar with another officer from Bank Negara. After the seminar dear hubby flew in from KL and we had a few days exploring Shanghai and Suzhou.

Shanghai, with a population of more than 13 million, is the largest city in China. It is often likened to a dazzling pearl in the centre of the east coast, where the golden channel of the the Yangtze River flows to the sea.Shanghai has long and colorful history, dating as far back as the third century B.C. Shanghai grew in a lop-sided way but over nearly half a century since the founding of the People's Republic the Chinese government has made great effort to rebuild Shanghai into a metropolis city.

(The Hilton, Shanghai)

Shanghai is well known for its shops stocked with goods of every kind, of excellent quality and serviced with expertise and courtesy. Nanjing Road, Huaihai Road and the old Chenghuangmiao shopping market are ideal shopping areas.To wonder through the crowded alleys and lanes in the market is to experience the very heartbeat of Shanghai - the dynamism of commerce. '

(Dinner and cultural show)

When you look back on your life
Wondering why you chose
not to cross the bridge,
Will you also wonder
what would happen if you did?

👈 2003: Suzhou, China

2003: Salzburg, Austria 👉

Austria 2003: Salzburg - The Sound of Music…

"Do not pray for an easy life; pray for the strength to endure a difficult one..."

(The street buskers)

(Colourful flowers in the garden)

Salzburg, the city of Mozart, is the most enchanting town. Its streets are long and narrow, and its pedestrian walkways are lined with shops resembling a confusing warren of tunnels. A massive fort tops a hill high above the town, and cathedrals are everywhere. Salzburg, or literally "Salt Mountain," became rich off its salty resources. Now it is a tourist haven where pretzels and ice cream are sold at every corner and classical musicians line the streets. Even the pretzels themselves are amazing. Some weigh in at over a kilogram while others are smothered in chocolate or resemble knotted apfelstrudel. Clouds of bees and wasps are attracted to the sweet pretzels.

(The home of Mozart)

(The composer birthplace and home museum)

I would tear apart this constricting veil
That holds my mind and cleats me to this soil
I would try, and try again, and gladly fail,
And consider it worthy of my toil
If only I could find in me some change,
If only I could find that other me -
If only I could venture down the strange
That is my normal and there set me free...

👈 2003: Shanghai, China

2003: Vienna, Austria 👉

Austria 2003: Vienna - The beautiful Blue Danube…

"Character is how you treat those who can do nothing for you..."

(An elegant house by the Danube)

(A sight-seeing bus tour)

There is so much more to Vienna than the Blue Danube waltz. Home of Strauss, the Vienna Boys' Choir and magnificent opera, Vienna is a city with music in the air. Enjoy a horse-drawn carriage tour past the Hofburg Palace, Spanish Riding School and magnificent, new Museum Quarter.

(St. Stephen's Cathedral)

(A musical group entertaining the crowd)

Auguries of Innocence

To see a World in a Grain of Sand,

And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,

Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,

And Eternity in an hour

'

(William Blake)

(An evening stroll along the Stephanplatz)

I was in Vienna again in May 2006.

👈 2003: Salzburg, Australia

2003: Prague, Czek Republic 👉

Czeck Republic 2003: Prague - The City of a Hundred Spires...

"Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others..." - Booker T Washington

'

(Cruise on the Vitava River)

(Colourful baroque building on both river banks)

The City of One Hundred Towers and Spires, 'Golden Prague' - names that evoke the many aspects of this fascinating city. Its rich architectural heritage largely results from centuries of escaping the worst ravages of war, if anything, it has been too successful. Maintenance, especially of the painted stucco exteriors, is a constant process, even in the last century, travellers complained about scaffolding erected at many locations. Under the Communists, Prague was the showplace of the Warsaw Pact although in a muted fashion. Since the 1989 Velvet Revolution, the city has thrown off decades of oppression and is now returning to its former glory. '

(Souvenir shopping)

(9th Century Castle)

I think I know

but I'm not sure why

In the lives we live we never try

To sing a song of our dreams to be

Or say prayer for you, not me
Don't cry for crimes when you're not sure

What day might lie behind that door

If you take your clock, remove the chime

Then in life you'll find we have the time.'

(Ivy McKnight)

👈 2003: Vienna, Austria

2003: Reinghau Valley, Germany 👉

Germany 2003: Rheingau Valley - Narrow gorges, twisted river...

"I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enogh to know that life is a complex matter..." - Walt Disney

Motorised tour through the wine-growing region of Rheingau and its districts of Kiedrich, Rüdesheim, Assmannshausen and St. Goarshausen, including the legendary Loreley Cliffs. Visits of the Niederwald Memorial and the medieval Eberbach Monastery, which gained fame as the shooting location for the film "Name of the Rose".

(An old castle along the river)

This stretch of the Rhine is the picturesque narrow gorge through which the river twists and turns past ruined castles and the Loreley rocks. Fine Riesling vineyards on steep terraces line the right bank, punctuated by quaint villages. Rüdesheim is beautiful, if sometimes overrun with tourists, while Bingen boasts an 11th-century bridge, Germany's oldest.

(Small boutique towns along the route)

The picturesque Rhine gorge hosts a special recreational cycling day which opens up 70km of highway on both sides of the river for the use of cyclists. Far from an event for hobbyists only, the Sunday on the river draws participants of all ages for leisurely rides in one of Europe's most stunning landscapes.

(Vibrant coloured sun-flowers)

,

I asked the Earth to show me all,

It took my hand, said start with small.

found a worm who dug the earth,

Told me, know the value of your worth.

A blade of grass, one of many,

Taught, be thankful of those around you child,

in case you have not any.

👈2003: Prague, Czek Republic

2003: Frankfurt, Germany 👉

Germany 2003: Frankfurt - Main-Hattan of Europe...

"Thank God for your life tonight. For health, your family, or your home. Many people don't have these things..."

(A road procession in progress)

(Unique buildings around town)

"Wherever I am, I always feel have to contradict when I hear that rumour about Frankfurt: the nightmarish saga about it being a Mini-Chicago with a slight taste of Apfelwein, sour. Stubborn, slightly puffy mules like to call this city the 'Main metropolis'. Oh, such clichés, how they obstinately persevere down through the decades..." - (Horst Krüger, 1978)

(The European Central Bank)

SEA GULL

Confined to these four walls,
I called home
Limit my mind and wondering soul,
I wished a bird I was borne to,
and tru' the sky I fly,
never resting. Why?

(A few gallons of whisky)

👈 2003: Reingau Valley, Germany

 2003: Venice, Italy 👉

Italy 2003: Venice - The gateway to the Orient...

"Money is the wealthy man's curtain which hides all his defects from the world..."

(A city in a lagoon in Adriatic Sea)

Venice, the enchanting and romantic lagoons, is one of the few cities in the world that can be truly described as unique. Over an extraordinarily long period, the city was embellished with monuments of rare splendour that today make it a tourist attraction like none other in the entire world. It’s easy to get lost and tired walking around Venice. The water buses offer an easy and inexpensive way to discover all the islands and the host of interesting treasures they withhold!

(A romantic canal cruise on a gondola)

While we were in Venice we arranged for a day tour to the island of Murano. It is famous for its long tradition of glass-making. Ferry-loads of visitors come to explore the Museo del Vetro, which tells the story of glass through the centuries, and to shop for locally crafted souvenirs. We bought some Murano glasses to bring home as momentos.

Dreamland'

Sometimes when I'm dreaming
in a place I've never been

I feel the strangest feelings

and see things I 've never seen.

I see the clouds they float around

up in the coloured sky

and little beings down below

pass each other by...

👈 2003: Frankfurt, Germany

2003: Rome. Italy 👉