31 dec 2007, venice

on the opposite side of Grand Canal, standing outside Santa Maria church

the Grand Canal

99m campanile (bell tower) - built in the 10th century. it suddenly collapsed in 1902 and had to be rebuilt

Basilica di San Marco (St Mark's Basilica)

Piazza San Marco (St Mark's Square)

the 3 chinese students on my left were from china. they were studying in a university in turin and were here for a few days holiday. we chatted and walked together to

St Mark's square

Santa Maria church in a distance

see the small shop across? the fruit seller was not very happy with me when i asked to purchase one kilo of apples (i thought sk and i should at least eat some fruits to hydrate ourselves after spending several nights on trains and buses and not eating well).

this fruit seller appeared that he didnt like me from the start and the fact that i did not speak any italian actually gave him some chance to mumble a few words at me with some kind of unpleasant look on his face. not wanting to be rude, i just continued smiling and paid for the apples that i had asked for. i hope he wasn't trying to be racist...

it is easy to get lost in venice. why? because it is built on 117 islands with 150 odd canals and 400 bridges!

so what did we do? just follow the road names, remember landmarks and ask the locals who frowned at us when giving directions. perhaps we look like 2 pathetic blockheads... :p

arrived venice at dawn. we had only about 6 hours to spare here cos our flight to liverpool leaves at 4.30pm.

took a 8hrs night train from croatia. didnt sleep well cos the leg room of the seats were too small. there was not enough room for leg extension and furthermore, the lights on the train were on all night, heat radiator gave out cold instead of hot air and 3 customs checks on board as the train passed through slovenia into italy... *yawn*

14 to 16 dec 2007, rome

Santa Maria de gli Angeli chruch

Quirinale (Parliament House)

Fontane di Trevi - the custom is to throw a coin into the fountain (over your shoulder while facing away) to ensure your return to Rome; a second coin grants you a wish

Pantheon

this street artiste was standing still but he looked like he's walking.

Piazza Navona

St Peter's Basilica

see what i mean?

this is the marked centre plate to stand

Vatican City - Piazza di San Pietro is bound by 2 semicircular colonnades, each comprising 4 rows of Doric columns. if you stand at the marked centre plate, you will see that each column of 2 pillars align into 1

outside Vatican City, there were some street artiste performing a short play for the public

Colosseum - completed in 80AD, it was a place for about 50,000 spectators to watch gladiators fight panthers, hippotami and crocodiles

the Roman Forum

i like the blue sky

piazza spagna

i was dead tired when i arrived in rome at 8am cos for the past 2 nights, i had only a few hours of sleep (1 night spent in the airport and 1 night spent on the train). we met 2 middle-age chinese man on the train and had a great time chatting with them in our seat cabin. they were on their way to naples. both are working in different factories. one had been working there for 4 years to support his wife and daughter (a uni student) at home and might be returning to tianjin after his daughter graduate from uni. the other has been working in italy for 1 year odd. both earns an average of 1000 euros a month and works about 12hrs a day everyday (meals included).