Well, it may have mean 3 months since my return from the trip, but I am still excited to share details about it. After all, I don't think both Chris & I could ever have another luxury of time to spend 1 month away for vocation! :)
I will just start posting some pictures & highlights of the trip as & when I am free!
As a start, pictures in Italy, covering Rome-Florence-Pisa-Venice-Milan.
Favourite spot:
a) Vatican City
- Simply Impressive
b) Florence
- Nice food (I had the best ever carbonara in a nice restaurant opposite my hotel)
- easy accessibility, safe to roam around even at night
- lots of things to explore
- Warm host at hotel :)
Dislike spot: Milan
- marvellous Duomo & fantastic shopping choices, but the people is really quite "cold", & the city seems very unsafe at night, with very expensive & limited choices of eatery places
Scary Experience:
- run into a group of female pickpockets in a quiet street at Pisa after visiting Leaning Tower.
Point to note: avoid shortcuts, choose to walk along the main road, usually the longer, but busier & much safer shopping district route to all place of interests/destinations
Not to be missed in Italy:
- Gelato, we had it once everyday in Italy throughout the 10 days!
- Pasta! Pasta! Pasta!
- Cheap & good wine
- Shopping for designer goods! Need I say more? This is the birth land of famous designer brands, latest trend, wider range & lower price than Singapore - Furla is 50% cheaper than in Singapore, the rest around 20-30% (before tax rebate)
- Factory outlets :) Gucci & Prada is impressively good bargain here (ave 50% less than retail for past seasons' collection)
- Watching at model-looking hunks & babes along the shopping streets
- architecture building & interior, both galleries & boutiques
- art & music
- some lazy time to just stroll, sit & watch :)
Though I had received feedback from friends that Italy is not very safe at night & people are not friendly towards Asian, our general encounter was good. We had met quite a lot of very warm & helpful locals along our way (in fact we met more here than in any other countries of our remaining Europe trip), except 1 arrogant sales woman in a watch boutique, whom I think she is by nature mean to anyone :P
Conclusion:
A country with rich cultural history & great architectural constructions, but not as friendly as advertised. Should visit once during lifetime, but we will consider returning only because we are nearby again & really missed the shopping & pasta & gelato!
Happy New Year 2008!
