Journey Around the World: February 2009

“… So I made up my mind I was going to find someone who would love me unconditionally three hundred and sixty-five days a year. I was still in elementary school at that time — fifth or sixth grade — but I made up my mind once and for all.”

“Wow,” I said. “And did your search pay off?”

“That’s the hard part,” said Midori. She watched the rising smoke for a while, thinking. “I guess I’ve been waiting so long I’m looking for perfection. That makes it tough.”

“Waiting for the perfect love?”

“No, even I know better than that. I’m looking for selfishness. Perfect selfishness. Like, say I tell you I want to eat strawberry shortcake. And you stop everything you’re doing and run out and buy it for me. And you come back out of breath and get down on your knees and hold this strawberry shortcake out to me. And I say I don’t want it anymore and throw it out the window. That’s what I’m looking for.”

“I’m not sure that has anything to do with love,” I said with some amazement.

“It does,” she said. “You just don’t know it. There are times in a girl’s life when things like that are incredibly important.”

“Things like throwing strawberry shortcake out the window?”

“Exactly. And when I do it, I want the man to apologize to me. ‘Now I see, Midori. What a fool I’ve been! I should have known that you would lose your desire for strawberry shortcake. I have all the intelligence and sensitivity of a piece of donkey shit. To make it up to you, I’ll go out and buy you something else. What would you like? Chocolate mousse? Cheesecake?”

“So then what”

“So then I’d give him all the love he deserves for what he’s done.”

“Sounds crazy to me.”

“Well, to me, that’s what love is. Not that anyone can understand me, though.” Midori gave her head a little shake against my shoulder. “For a certain kind of person, love begins from something tiny or silly. From something like that or it doesn’t begin at all.”

Adapted from Nicolas Welzl

My first Panorama of Vaticant City,Rome, Italy. Thanks nic for helping me stitch =) It would have been better if i new how to use the manual function of the camera rather than the auto function. But the gradual change in colours add an interesting tinge to the photo.

The trip to Italy started on Thurs evening and ended on Mon Evening-4 full days. The itinery of the trip was to visit Rome, Florence and Pisa. The weather was not fantastic on the first 3days due to occasional drizzles, but these were nothing compared to the rain in Singapore. I went to Italy with Joanne and it was good fun and company. This was the first trip that she did alone. Family trips were more common for her. I had the honor of bringing her on her ‘virgin’ trip=)

The trip was interesting and refreshing because of the nice conversations we had and the many many people that I met along the way-in hostels and also purely by chance when our paths crossed=)I like the uncertainties, surprises and freedom of travelling.

Random Info:
1)Apple cores contain Arsenic(in extremely small quantities) which is poisonous. But you will probably need to eat tones and tones of apple cores to die from it! Alert to all out there who eat apple cores!

2)Jo said, ‘Jackie, you transformed me. I love traveling now. I used to wish for running equipments (like shoes etc) for bithdays, but now, I am gonna wish for a proper camera and a backpack for traveling. I love staying in hostels(It was her first time in Italy). No more hotels for me. I wished I did not stay in a hotel when I was in Pisa ’

–It’s my pleasure Jo. I am glad that I managed to help you discovered ya new found interest. Travelling is more meaningful for me when I meet other people. Covering ALL the tourist sight is secondary and it doesn’t really bother me if I don’t.

3)Jo is teaching me English slang. New learnt stuff that I remember include:

Brollie-Umbrella
Plonker- Someone who does silly stuff

ROME
Rome was HUGE! Walk until leg almost break. We had a great hostel in Rome. Paid 10 euros for breakfast, dinner and accommodation. Spoke to interesting Jap, Koreans, Taiwanese and Brazilians. The Taiwanese friends complimented my command of language-Chinese and English. Apparently they have a lot more problems understanding their friends from Singapore who are exchanging in Austria =) yeah! I lost Shienya’s Email add! Shit… Hope he drops me an Email soon!

Spanish steps

Cathedral at the top

A square on the way to Vatican City

Nice pillars surrounding Vatican

Castel Sant' Angelo (with signs of civilisation)

Vatican from afar

Pantheon: It is a building in Rome which was originally built as a temple to all the gods of Ancient Rome. There are holes on the roof (allowing water to enter) and on the ground (to allow drainage). It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings. Also buried there are two kings of Italy: Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I, as well as Umberto's Queen, Margherita. The Pantheon is still used as a church. Masses are celebrated there, particularly on important Catholic days of obligation, and weddings.

Cool Roof

Fountain de Trevi: It is largest Baroque fountain in the city. A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different individuals, a reported current interpretation is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain. I did not throw any coin. I have seen people picking the coins up at other fountains and din really like the idea=)

Love locks. Muschie but Sweet. Hope Jo and Adam's lock will be found in Rome! Go for it! Fight for what you want and dont miss the chance =)

The chapel opposite Trevi Fountain.

A Basilica which looked run-down

The interior was amazing marblelly pillars with a serene mood. There are so many basilicas in Italy. They are peaceful and they sweep me off my feet.

The Colosseum: It is one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. As well as the gladiatorial games, other public spectacles were held there, such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. The building ceased to be used for entertainment in the early medieval era.

A peek of what the Colosseum looks like on the inside.

Roman Forum:It is the central area around which the ancient Roman civilization developed. The oldest and most important structures of the ancient city are located in the forum, including its ancient former royal residency the Regia and the surrounding complex of the Vestal virgins. The Old Republic had its formal Comitium there where the senate, as well as Republican government began. The forum served as a city square and central hub where the people of Rome gathered for justice, and faith. The forum was also the economic hub of the city and considered to be the center of the Republic and Empire.

One of the random breath-taking basisilicas with a run down outer facade.

FLORENCE
Florence was nice and old. It has heaps of churches where I seeked shelter in to hide from the rain, saying a prayer or two every now and then. Walking on the stoned narrow pavements was nice. Roaming around without an agenda was freedom. Chanced upon some really good buys=) Thought of meimei when I was shopping! Miss you! Shopping will be so much more fun with you!

I was in Florence alone and I met this guy who appeared suspicious and dangerous. Stuff he said made me increase my guard against him by 9999999999%.

I was reading my lonely planet when this man, around his late 30s, came up to me, introduced himself and said that his date got cancelled. We talked, he praised Singapore A LOT and offered to show me around Florence. *shocked* Weird things he said:

‘You are young and full of potential. Come stay in Florence and I will get you a job, which wont get you rich, but you will be able to get by.’ – It is alright, I need to continue my studies.

‘I am single, not married and have no kids.’

‘I am a photographer, economist and the government elected me to oragnise social events.’

‘I am gonna take some photographs (on this hill nearby). Would you like to come along? Wait for me for 5 minutes while I get my car.’

‘Can you cook? I would like to invite you to my place for dinner and I would cook for you.’

‘Would you like to go to a wholesale factory outlet tomorrow? I can bring you there.’

‘You have a nice smile and nice cap. Take off ya cap so that I can see ya face. I am a photographer you know.’

OMG. Yupz.. and I met him for the second time on my way home after a few hours. Florence is SO small.. Creepy! I learnt that under such circumstances, I should not be afraid to say ‘NO’, be firm and should not feel bad about embarrassing others.

I got a hotel room for the price of a hostel in Florence due to problems with my hostel booking.

The Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore is the cathedral church (Duomo) of Florence, Italy, begun in 1296 in the Gothic style to the design of Arnolfo di Cambio and completed structurally in 1436 with the dome engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi. The exterior of the basilica is faced with polychrome marble panels in various shades of green and pink bordered by white and has an elaborate 19th century Gothic Revival facade by Emilio De Fabris.

Fountain of Neptune: At the entrance of the Palazzo Vecchio, a copy of David. The original by Michelangelo is being kept at the Gallery of the Academy of Fine Arts.
The Neptune figure, whose face resembles that of Cosimo I de' Medici, was meant to be an allusion to the dominion of the Florentines over the sea. The figure stands on a high pedestal in the middle of an octagonal fountain. The pedestal in the middle is decorated with the mythical chained figures of Scylla and Charybdis. The statue of Neptune is a copy made in the nineteenth century, while the original is in the National Museum. The other sculptures below each have stories relating to historz, myths etc..

The Ponte Vecchio (which means old bridge in Italian) is the oldest bridge in Florence. The bridge was destroyed in 1333 and it took them 12 years to rebuild the bridge. In the past, butchery shops laid the bridge. But now jewelery shops selling gold is a common sight.

The shops on the bridge

Fancy ice-creams well decorated to tantalise people!

What a cute van!

The interior of this basilica was awesome!Lovely! Serene! Peaceful! I said a prayer.

Who does this punk reminds me ok? "Wurst brother" I thought to myself. He was a tiny winy bit fatter. Apart from that, he was identical to Wurst.

A view of the river lined by colourful houses.

Posh shopping area. This huge entrance reminds me of Milan. They have one of these too!

I get really excited when i see shirt! I am excited to buy guys shirts. My husband next time should like my taste of shirts and he must look good in the shirts i buy!

PISA
Pisa was small-Leaning Tower and Basilica. Thanks Jeff for the good company! 有一见如故的感觉!

Santa Maria della Spina: Some random small "church" that sat along the river banks, looking out of place. It had a nice architecture but it was closed. It looked deserted.

Spot the tiny church on the right along the river bank =)

Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Duomo in Pisa shared the same grounds in Pisa. They sat on a piece of lush green field. The weather was fabulous with sunshine like Singapore at noon but with more wind and less humid! It was interesting looking at how everyone did the typical "Leaning Tower" photo pose while others eagerly ascended the tilted tower.

I met Jeff by chance in Pisa when we were slacking around in the sun in front of the Leaning Tower. He is from USA and was traveling around for about 2months and he covered some really crazy destinations in Israel, someplace where the Gaza bombing took place, Jordon, Egypt etc. He said that I speak English with an Australian accent. Don’t know, I speak English in a way which English is to me. We had a comfortable conversation with good company for about 2 odd hours. It was nice. Thanks for the good company and it was nice meeting you. He is coming to Frankfurt on his way home to USA. He will be putting up in Estella’s room. Laura is overwhelmed that I invited a stranger to our hostel. To me, this should be the spirit of travelling and backpacking. Thanks gal for allowing my friends and family to seek refuge in ya room! Hugz! Gonna miss ya!

The Duomo in Pisa that I did not pay to enter.

Lush green field with the Baptistery on the right.

The trip to Italy was certainly a memorable one for all the people i met. The trip was also a turning point in Jo's journey of self-discovery.