(no subject)
I'll start off with Venice and follow up on later entries, since one
entry alone will be quite lengthy. In addition, I've already posted
most of my favorite shots on my updated
website, just in case you missed those Ü
Italy - an overview
Italian
Roma
Napoli
Pompei
Sorrento
Capri
Venezia
Firenze
Orvieto
Common
Rome
Naples
Pompeii
Sorrento
Capri
Venice
Florence
Orvieto
Logistics, geography
Our family crammed plenty of major cities in 9 days, listed on the table shown. We had our share of catching early trains, kids getting sick, not being complete due to these sicknesses, embarrassing family mannerisms on all fronts, but ... we made it quite all right Ü. Initially, I had wanted to visit the Phils vs going to Italy, but without much hesitance, I'm definitely glad I chose the latter. The locations we picked ran central, north, and south of each other, so we spent plenty of time in trains. Blah. We stayed on the western side of Italy, so at least factoring in east (missed Sicily) or west wasn't another headache.
I miss the place, yeah. Plenty of ground left to cover when I visit again (I hope!) one day Ü
Food and drink
Common to Italy was the bar (of no particular name), a small corner shop to stand and eat a panini, calzone, and yes, pizza. These bars were the fast-food type eateries available, typically located on the ground floor of residential buildings. Italy's local versions of McDonald's or Pizza Hut, if you will. Pizza, strangely, was available with corn kernels or potato cubes for toppings. The sauce and cheese seemed a bit fresher, but maybe I was just hyping up the fact that it was Italian. Coffee, er, cappuccino, was common too, and the cashier would roll the word 'cappuccino' off his/her tongue Italian style, stressing the third syllable with such grace. "Grazie" (sp?) ... Thank you. Small cup, delightful sips. A bar was typically for standing, the countertop approximately a bit below one's chest. Sit-down tables were seldom available, and in some cases, you'd have to pay extra to sit. Odd.
Sit-down diners offered an array of pasta, as anyone would expect. Salads were a bit simpler, compared to the boatload of available toppings here in the US. Since I'm not much of a food connoisseur (I'll eat anything) though, I couldn't really distinguish if the food tasted any better. Or worse. It was great, overall - from my perspective though, replicated quite well in the US or elsewhere. Rigatoni, tortellini, pesto sauces ... I could go on =Þ. My sister recommends buying parmesan or romano there, as well as extra virgin olive oil - less expensive and of better quality, than say, the typical Kraft or Fillipo Berio at home.
Like the bar or pizzeria, gelaterias were nearly as common. Unlike simple bars however, the gelaterias were a bit more jazzed up, with clear glass cases displaying decadent flavors - the ultimate treat for tourists. With gelato emphasizing egg yolks over cream, the taste was quite richer, more filling. "Less air" as most would describe it. Splendid, but definitely not the daily treat for me. For I already had a decent sized gut from scarfing down a few paninis in a single day Ü
I observed later also that Italy isn't known for beer - the only local ale is Peroni (pls correct me if it's a porter, lager, etc); they mostly import Tuborg and Heineken. On the other hand, varieties of wine were easily available, and rather inexpensive - mostly Chianti as well as Pinot. US soda was expensive though - the typical 12 oz Sprite or Coke at 50 cents from some vending machine here (that's already marked up!) typically cost 1.80 Euro everywhere. Ouch. The exchange rate was around $0.85 to 1 Euro.
The crowd
Fashionwise, plenty of women wore whore-looking boots - glossy vs matte, with sharp toefronts (?) that would have most guys fearing a kick where it counts. The thin, narrow-yet-tall heels matched the sharp fronts, which will have any guy wondering how the hell they manage to walk. Too much. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with boots - the more subtle type, knee high of course. Hehe. Matched with black leather gloves and rather short skirt, the look's quite fascinating on the opposite sex. Hmn, more than fascinating - we're talking Fetish for me. OK, I'm drifting =Þ. Didn't observe any men, sorry.
City atmosphere
Buildings in general were old and historic, but no surprise really - this is Europe. Reminded me a bit of Kobenhavn (Copenhagen). Plenty of stores and businesses, similar to bars. Spiced up with noticeable renovation and poised to lure tourists. Darker wood accents on the signs and crown moldings, like cherry or mahogany - unlike in the US where birch and maple themes are popping up everywhere. Cobblestone streets, some narrow. Bumpy too. Really small vehicles, scooters. From time to time, a Ferrari or a Porsche. No skyscrapers, no malls, no Targets or Wal Marts. Although we did see an IKEA.
Each location had its own unique offering - its own characteristic work of art (sculptures, building facades, paintings) or coastal front associated with it. Knowing this held true of Italy, we approached it in cram mode - get a taste of everything rather than focus thoroughly on fewer spots. It worked, I'd say. Tough to manage on such a short schedule, but what the hell ... a good time. Time periods of famous works and structures ranged from the age of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, so there was a TON of history and culture to be absorbed.
Maybe another time ...
I'd go again in an instant, since we missed a lot - Milan, Sicily, Pisa, and in-depth tours of each city Ü. Eat a boatload of paninis, lick away at gelato ... ugh - food again =Þ Loved the paintings and sculptures, by the way. Though I admire Impressionism (Renoir, Monet) a bit more, Italian art is brilliant, well-executed, and methodically structured. A science, almost. Will have to observe more works sometime :)
Venezia
Ahhh Venezia. The ride through the canals was unique, but all in all, nothing spectacular - we rode on a small ferry/boat that chugged along speedily, and the motor was a bit noisy. A simple gondola ride would've been more ideal (romantic, for couples out there), but as always, we were pressed for time. Some buildings, hundreds of years old, looked quite dismal and in dire need of renovation. Still, a pleasant experience. The Grand Canal, the main route through Venice, took us to Piazza San Marco, probably the most famous landmark in inland Venice. This. Was different.
A vast square, filled with birds, people surrounding the basilica, and quaint shops and restaurants. Piazza. The beginning of The Italian Job was filmed here, I noticed. Wonderful place to go - for a relaxed stroll, an excellent dinner, and a God-given opportunity to feed birds. I wouldn't mind playing frisbee here too =Þ.
The intricacy of the basilica's exterior was unbelievable. A civil engineer's dream come true, I would imagine, based on the domes' architecture (one could possible use calculus here, for a change). The facade was quite elaborate - multi-layered rounded arches, detailed paintings, and a score of miniature pillars. The interior was dim and rather solemn, but a visual delight overall.
Pidgeons were also everywhere. Almost a divine intervention, I tell ya. Gathering in multitudes, they approached humans in carefree manner, pecking on cracker crumbs that were offered. Splendid. After small bites, they quickly hurried to other spots, their appetites dictating their frantic actions. Then once airborne again, their wings almost scraped your ear, the sounds of their flapping echoing vibrant signs of life. Due to the open space being surrounded by architecture, the sounds seemed to bounce off building facades and centralize within the square. Captivating. I grinned, for in those few moments, shivering in the cold, I had experienced simple bliss.
I stumbled onto something totally unexpected - inland Venice. Books and generalizations can only do so much. Being there - was radically different.
Italy - an overview
Italian
Roma
Napoli
Pompei
Sorrento
Capri
Venezia
Firenze
Orvieto
Common
Rome
Naples
Pompeii
Sorrento
Capri
Venice
Florence
Orvieto
Logistics, geography
Our family crammed plenty of major cities in 9 days, listed on the table shown. We had our share of catching early trains, kids getting sick, not being complete due to these sicknesses, embarrassing family mannerisms on all fronts, but ... we made it quite all right Ü. Initially, I had wanted to visit the Phils vs going to Italy, but without much hesitance, I'm definitely glad I chose the latter. The locations we picked ran central, north, and south of each other, so we spent plenty of time in trains. Blah. We stayed on the western side of Italy, so at least factoring in east (missed Sicily) or west wasn't another headache.
I miss the place, yeah. Plenty of ground left to cover when I visit again (I hope!) one day Ü
Food and drink
Common to Italy was the bar (of no particular name), a small corner shop to stand and eat a panini, calzone, and yes, pizza. These bars were the fast-food type eateries available, typically located on the ground floor of residential buildings. Italy's local versions of McDonald's or Pizza Hut, if you will. Pizza, strangely, was available with corn kernels or potato cubes for toppings. The sauce and cheese seemed a bit fresher, but maybe I was just hyping up the fact that it was Italian. Coffee, er, cappuccino, was common too, and the cashier would roll the word 'cappuccino' off his/her tongue Italian style, stressing the third syllable with such grace. "Grazie" (sp?) ... Thank you. Small cup, delightful sips. A bar was typically for standing, the countertop approximately a bit below one's chest. Sit-down tables were seldom available, and in some cases, you'd have to pay extra to sit. Odd.
Sit-down diners offered an array of pasta, as anyone would expect. Salads were a bit simpler, compared to the boatload of available toppings here in the US. Since I'm not much of a food connoisseur (I'll eat anything) though, I couldn't really distinguish if the food tasted any better. Or worse. It was great, overall - from my perspective though, replicated quite well in the US or elsewhere. Rigatoni, tortellini, pesto sauces ... I could go on =Þ. My sister recommends buying parmesan or romano there, as well as extra virgin olive oil - less expensive and of better quality, than say, the typical Kraft or Fillipo Berio at home.
Like the bar or pizzeria, gelaterias were nearly as common. Unlike simple bars however, the gelaterias were a bit more jazzed up, with clear glass cases displaying decadent flavors - the ultimate treat for tourists. With gelato emphasizing egg yolks over cream, the taste was quite richer, more filling. "Less air" as most would describe it. Splendid, but definitely not the daily treat for me. For I already had a decent sized gut from scarfing down a few paninis in a single day Ü
I observed later also that Italy isn't known for beer - the only local ale is Peroni (pls correct me if it's a porter, lager, etc); they mostly import Tuborg and Heineken. On the other hand, varieties of wine were easily available, and rather inexpensive - mostly Chianti as well as Pinot. US soda was expensive though - the typical 12 oz Sprite or Coke at 50 cents from some vending machine here (that's already marked up!) typically cost 1.80 Euro everywhere. Ouch. The exchange rate was around $0.85 to 1 Euro.
The crowd
Fashionwise, plenty of women wore whore-looking boots - glossy vs matte, with sharp toefronts (?) that would have most guys fearing a kick where it counts. The thin, narrow-yet-tall heels matched the sharp fronts, which will have any guy wondering how the hell they manage to walk. Too much. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with boots - the more subtle type, knee high of course. Hehe. Matched with black leather gloves and rather short skirt, the look's quite fascinating on the opposite sex. Hmn, more than fascinating - we're talking Fetish for me. OK, I'm drifting =Þ. Didn't observe any men, sorry.
City atmosphere
Buildings in general were old and historic, but no surprise really - this is Europe. Reminded me a bit of Kobenhavn (Copenhagen). Plenty of stores and businesses, similar to bars. Spiced up with noticeable renovation and poised to lure tourists. Darker wood accents on the signs and crown moldings, like cherry or mahogany - unlike in the US where birch and maple themes are popping up everywhere. Cobblestone streets, some narrow. Bumpy too. Really small vehicles, scooters. From time to time, a Ferrari or a Porsche. No skyscrapers, no malls, no Targets or Wal Marts. Although we did see an IKEA.
Each location had its own unique offering - its own characteristic work of art (sculptures, building facades, paintings) or coastal front associated with it. Knowing this held true of Italy, we approached it in cram mode - get a taste of everything rather than focus thoroughly on fewer spots. It worked, I'd say. Tough to manage on such a short schedule, but what the hell ... a good time. Time periods of famous works and structures ranged from the age of the Roman Empire to the Renaissance, so there was a TON of history and culture to be absorbed.
Maybe another time ...
I'd go again in an instant, since we missed a lot - Milan, Sicily, Pisa, and in-depth tours of each city Ü. Eat a boatload of paninis, lick away at gelato ... ugh - food again =Þ Loved the paintings and sculptures, by the way. Though I admire Impressionism (Renoir, Monet) a bit more, Italian art is brilliant, well-executed, and methodically structured. A science, almost. Will have to observe more works sometime :)
Venezia
Ahhh Venezia. The ride through the canals was unique, but all in all, nothing spectacular - we rode on a small ferry/boat that chugged along speedily, and the motor was a bit noisy. A simple gondola ride would've been more ideal (romantic, for couples out there), but as always, we were pressed for time. Some buildings, hundreds of years old, looked quite dismal and in dire need of renovation. Still, a pleasant experience. The Grand Canal, the main route through Venice, took us to Piazza San Marco, probably the most famous landmark in inland Venice. This. Was different.
A vast square, filled with birds, people surrounding the basilica, and quaint shops and restaurants. Piazza. The beginning of The Italian Job was filmed here, I noticed. Wonderful place to go - for a relaxed stroll, an excellent dinner, and a God-given opportunity to feed birds. I wouldn't mind playing frisbee here too =Þ.
The intricacy of the basilica's exterior was unbelievable. A civil engineer's dream come true, I would imagine, based on the domes' architecture (one could possible use calculus here, for a change). The facade was quite elaborate - multi-layered rounded arches, detailed paintings, and a score of miniature pillars. The interior was dim and rather solemn, but a visual delight overall.
Pidgeons were also everywhere. Almost a divine intervention, I tell ya. Gathering in multitudes, they approached humans in carefree manner, pecking on cracker crumbs that were offered. Splendid. After small bites, they quickly hurried to other spots, their appetites dictating their frantic actions. Then once airborne again, their wings almost scraped your ear, the sounds of their flapping echoing vibrant signs of life. Due to the open space being surrounded by architecture, the sounds seemed to bounce off building facades and centralize within the square. Captivating. I grinned, for in those few moments, shivering in the cold, I had experienced simple bliss.
I stumbled onto something totally unexpected - inland Venice. Books and generalizations can only do so much. Being there - was radically different.