From Mougins to Rome (Dec 2008)

Venice (Dec 27-28, 2008)

WE arrive at Venice – Venezia Santa Lucia Station - around 2.00 pm. While waiting at the station lobby, we were approached by an old man who introduced himself as Bruno and offers us a hotel room. We took two rooms - double for Zul and Ju and triple for my family and me. Bruno charges us 25 Euro per night per person. Not a bad deal…although the room didn’t have attached bathroom and toilet, it was just a few minutes walk from station. We took our luggage and walk to the Manerva Hotel to check-in.
Venice is known for its confusing address system but we found our hotel easily enough. Due to the fact that Venice is built on a series of islands, there are virtually no streets that run parallel to each other. Nothing in Venice resembles a grid. Instead, the thin alleys and tall buildings make you feel like you are in a labyrinth. We found ourselves sometimes having to go left and even backwards to get right. And a few times running in to canals and having to back track to find bridges. It was a textbook perfect day.
We left our bags at the hotel and began wandering. We walk through a busy and narrow street. Along the canal you can see the water bus and gondolas. Because there are no motor vehicles allowed in Venice, all transport happens by boat. Buses, taxies, curriers, gondolas and personal boats weave through the canals with amazing skill. This little maritime element in this city made me smile constantly.
At last we arrive at St. Mark's Square… where you can see St Mark's Basilica, the most famous of the many churches of Venice and one of the best examples of Byzantine architecture in the world. The basilica was consecrated in 1094, the same year the body of Saint Mark was supposedly rediscovered in a pillar by Vitale Falier, doge of Venice at the time. The crypt then housed the relics until 1811. The building also incorporates a low tower, believed by some to have been part of the original Doge's Palace.
Here, we also found what we are looking for - branded shops and everybody look very excited. Ju end up buying Louis Vuitton handbags, Mama with black Selvatore Ferragamo, while me with Bruno Magli shoes. Iqa…as usual she got her GG&L purse – that cost me 60 Euro – from Coin, departmental store just like Parkson in Malaysia.
Once we finish shopping, it’s already dark so we decided grudgingly to cancel a gondola ride, Iqa was disappointed but we agreed that 80 Euros for a night boat ride was not worth it. Oh well, that leaves us something to do when we return. And I do think that we will return to Venice. It is by far Iqa’s favorite Italian city and I think probably Ju's too because she got her first original LV there. It was a nice contrast to the rest of the large city experiences we had around Italy.
On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at a cute little shop and bought some authentic, handmade Venetian carnival masks. They were surprisingly inexpensive. For 35 Euro, we got two hand-painted masks. Iqa got a lady face and I got a Casanova mask.


Rome (Dec 28-30, 2008)

After breakfast, we took the subway to the Vatican City. We purchased Roma Passes (20 Euro each) so we got free metro travel and entry to certain museums included in the price. First, we got to queue before we can enter the Vatican area. At the time we went, it was wrapped from the museum entrance around two corners and almost into St. Peters Square. Once inside the building, we were shock because it’s a pope burial site…from the first pope until Pope John Paul. Because of misunderstanding, we miss Sistine Chapel – where you can see Michelangelo's work like "The Final Judgment" - I was a little disappointed. After seeing the church and pope burial site, we walked into St. Peter's square and concluded the tour.

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From Vatican, we took the Metro to Colosseum. This seven wonders was quite amazing to see. It was built in just 8 years and could seat 70,000 people. Allowing the lower classes to attend games was actually a political tactic by the emperor. He figured if the lower classes worked all day and then went directly to stand in line for tickets and then saw the games. They wouldn´t have any time to plan an overthrow of the empire. And he was right, for the most part.
After the Christians banned the games in the 6th century, the Colosseum fell into disrepair and all the marble and iron was removed to build other palaces and churches in the area. We spend around 2 hours there, but because of very limited time we miss the Palatine hill – just across the street - where Romulus and Remus supposedly lived. History´s tale of two leaders never ends well and this one is no different. Romulus kills Remus and names Rome after himself.
After that we walked down to the Trevi Fountain. It was absolutely packed with people and I couldn't really understand why so many people were around. I guess it was in a really famous Italian movie, so that could be part of it. Then, we walk to the "downtown" of ancient Rome. There were shops, baths, banks, offices, basically everything that you would find in our modern-day downtown. We stop at Galleria and Mama bought Burberry watch and two latest Guess handbags there, Ju bought Gucci watch, while Zul bought CK jeans and I with CK wallet. Iqa got Tebe bag...quite nice and cheap.
Dejected by our bad luck and tired of everything Italian, we went to the Hard Rock Café to buy souvenir – Hard Rock t-shirts etc. Ju and Zul really spend their money there. I also bought a few t-shirt.