　おいしい！

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Rome- the historical city of love. The beautiful Foro Romano (Roman Forum), the breathtaking coloseum, the Pantheon, the vibrant and colourful piazzas all around the city, each with their magnificent fountains and beautiful sculptures. Three words to describe this voyage - Roma, Ti Amo.

Flying over the Mont Blanc

The mediterranean coast

The super friendly pilot couldn't stop explaining the sights and sounds that we saw along the way and how it was a lovely day to fly. I was wedged in the middle between an Italian guy who was dozing next to the window (What a waste!) and Kiba and thus asked very nicely if I could change seats with the Italian. He agreed and ho and behold! I had all the wondrous sights under my eyes!

Approaching Italy. Reminiscent of the French countryside

Once we touched down at the Fiumicino airport (Aeroporto Leonardo Da Vinci), we got ourselves the ROMA PASS, which includes free transportation regardless of the metro or buses in Rome itself and 2 free entries and other subsidized entries to a list of mainly museums and a few places of interest). Since Roman transportation is quite cheap - 1€ for the buses and MRTs per trip, it was a bit steep to pay 20 euros for a ROMA Pass per person.However, since it was our first time there, it's better to get this pass for easy access around the city rather than be troubled to pay tickets each time. However, since Rome is actually very walkable, I'll advise you guys to forgo the Roman pass and just get around like the locals.After all, do like the Romans do.

Roma Trastevere! Our first station in Rome. We need to do a transfer to take another suburban line to our destination. Since all the hotels in downtown Rome were fully booked, we had to find a hotel in the suburbs.

Initially, the scenery along the way was quite depressing. Along the way from the airport to the suburbs, Italy is actually very underdeveloped with unruly forests and the like.It reminded me of the villages of Indonesia or the under developed parts of Bangkok. I had no impression that I was in Rome at all.

Just look at the houses in the background, doesn't look very Roman eh?

Yay! Finally reached the hotel! It looks better than expected!

We had reached the hotel at 1.15pm and had to wait till 2pm to get our rooms. Sigh. We left our house at 7am that particular morning and our flight was scheduled at 8.50am. Since I had miss my fight in Amsterdam, Kiba no longer had any faith in me and insisted that we woke up earlier. The traffic jam in Paris is totally not surprising even though it was a Saturday. If only les embouteillages stop forever and ever. We decided to answer nature's call since it was a longgg morning without any washrooms.

Guess what does this signify?

Wrong! It doesn't mean women's washroom! Haha! It should be a conference room or multipurpose room by the name of nana. Since sala could be salle in french, meaning room. Haha, it'd be very salah to think otherwise! Heehee

My Kiba loves to pose by stairways. Oozing charm eh?

Can't resist taking a picture with the xmas tree =)

Les amoureux

Pasar pagi looks the same everywhere. Not a lot of interesting stuff though

The metro station Cornelia- the nearest to our hotel, about 2km away

The metro in Rome. Doesn't it remind you of the NEL in Singapore? This is one of the new trains though. Very clean. At least cleaner than the metros in Paris

Ok!*Clapping of hands together!* Are you all ready?

Presenting to you.....

Kiba and the coloseum!

Lovers in Roma

Latin inscriptions that I can't read

Look at the scenery! Gorgeous! I wanna live in Roma! I will start to call Rome by its Italian name Roma, cuz it's definitely more romantic

Me doing n'importe quoi! haha

L'arc de triomph displaced?

Heehee

I like this picture, it has a very gothic feel to it

Roman knights gossiping! Heehee, they must be so bored

Maintenance work done at site

Look at the wall erected to support the structure

The glory of the old. Makes us feel so insignificant indeed

Simply happy to be walking the streets of Roma

Egytian Mummy in Roma? We gave him a coin cuz that's what lovers do in Rome. Delirious with love

Say cheese! =)

Heehee, we are cold and Kiba is hungry

Yay! I'm happy to be here

Guess what's a bibite?

Kiba posing by the ruins

The ruins are unrestored and it adds to the charm of the city whereas others might find it a bit messy, I like it!

Dusk is falling

Thou light shinest bright

A horse carriage in the ancient city. Tempted to go on a ride around the city but I deemed it too touristy.heh. However you guys do give it a try ok as it's so incredibly romantic. Romantism à ROMA!

Oops, a fallen column

Miscellaneous ruins

Oops, got to go for lunch, shall come back and update some more! Bye!

12:02 pm　うまい！Y

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

Happy New Year pull your ear! haha, bet you must have missed my funny posts. Don't lie! Admit it!

I bet this year will be a blast! Although I'll be turning a quarter of a century old. Sob sob! So far, life has indeed been good to me and I'd like to start off 2008 by thanking my family and my hubby. Without my family, I won't be here. Without my hubby, I won't be here either! Haha! Ok, I'm talking nonsense but this is what a Wednesday does to u! I hate Wednesdays! The weekend has just been left behind and the next weekend is so far away. Come hither le vendredi, thou art le best! But to be serious, I'd like to thank kiba for his patience and his love. He's one of the most patient guys on Earth and only god (or not even) knows how much poopoo he has to put up with /gets from me. Haha.

Towards the end of 2007, I suddenly started to roam out a bit! Went Amsterdam to visit sam on the 14-16 of Dec and Rome from 29-31. Those were incredible trips and indeed enriching indeed. Truly appreciate the meaning of da kai yan jie! I will try to sit down and blog out my trips properly. Don't worry, it won't be a liu2 shui3 zhang4 like the London post. =)

I can't really feel the impact of a new year yet as being a traditionalist, I need to celebrate Chinese New Year to truly feel that a new year has started. Looking forward to my homecoming on the 6th Feb and it will be one month of sweet vacation! =) Hongkong is in the itinery as well! Yoohoo!

I'm reading a novel called "Misfortune" set in the 19th century by Wesley Stace which is incredibly sad and thought provoking.A baby boy was found among a heap of rubbish and brought up as a girl due to the adoptive dad's obsession with his sister's death when she fell off a tree at the age of 5. The adoptive mum who was an avid librarian and fan of Mary Day -the lunatic female poet, wanted to test the theory of nature vs nurture as both the mother and Day believes that human beings are born both masculine and feminine. Of course, this leads up to a climax of disaster and sadness as things took an abrupt change during the kid's adolescent years. I'm still in the midst of the book but will update with regards to the ending.

Will go and do some proper work for now and stop slacking. Till we meet again.

Labels: season greetings

4:27 pm　うまい！Y