Snowing in Italy.
Very happy to see the now floating slowly down.
It is magical.
Took an 6am train out of Venice to Florence. I was alone in the whole train cabin (no wonder there is fiscal deficit in Italy). And during the train ride, I love to observe what people are doing. I saw a few guys doing work (what a stark contrast from what I saw in Greece). People are still relatively hardworking.
Stuck in Transit. Connecting train was delayed.
The train system is not very efficient.
I got fined on the train.
As a tourist, I wasn't familiar with how the train ticketing system works. There is no gantry or gate in the train station, and passenger was supposed to validate the ticket at a validation machine before boarding the train.
I bought the tickets 5 mins before the departure and rushed to the train without validation (I wasn't aware of it initially). There was random check by the train inspector, and I was shocked when she told me that she was going to fine me more than 100 Euro!!! I tried to explain to her, and showed that my train ticket was issued 5 mins before departure. In the end, she only fined me 5 Euro. What a relief!
Another lesson learnt.
Canal in Pisa City
Riding a bicycle on a cobbled street in Italy is cool.
First sight of the leaning tower
No entrance fees! I was so surprised.
"The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa) or simply the Tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa) is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa, known worldwide for its unintended tilt to one side. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Cathedral Square (Piazza del Duomo) after the Cathedral and the Baptistry. The tower's tilt began during construction, caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight. The tilt increased in the decades before the structure was completed, and gradually increased until the structure was stabilized (and the tilt partially corrected) by efforts in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
The height of the tower is 55.86 metres (183.27 feet) from the ground on the low side and 56.67 metres (185.93 feet) on the high side. The width of the walls at the base is 2.44 m (8 ft 0.06 in). Its weight is estimated at 14,500 metric tons(16,000 short tons).[1] The tower has 296 or 294 steps; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase. Prior to restoration work performed between 1990 and 2001, the tower leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees,[2][3][4] but the tower now leans at about 3.99 degrees.[5] This means that the top of the tower is displaced horizontally 3.9 metres (12 ft 10 in) from where it would be if the structure were perfectly vertical."
Defy gravity
Just gotta do this!
Imagine if it falls
Beautiful piece of Art
After Pisa, I took the train to Lucca City.
"Lucca (Italian pronunciation: [ˈlukka] (
listen)) is a city and comune in Tuscany, Central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the province of Lucca. It is famous among other things for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.
listen)) is a city and comune in Tuscany, Central Italy, situated on the river Serchio in a fertile plain near the Tyrrhenian Sea. It is the capital city of the province of Lucca. It is famous among other things for its intact Renaissance-era city walls.
Lucca was founded by the Etruscans (there are traces of a pre-existing Ligurian settlement) and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. The rectangular grid of its historical centre preserves the Roman street plan, and the Piazza San Michele occupies the site of the ancient forum. Traces of the amphitheatre can still be seen in the Piazza dell'Anfiteatro.
At the Lucca Conference, in 56 BC, Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Crassus reaffirmed their political alliance known as the First Triumvirate.[4]
The walls around the old town remained intact as the city expanded and modernized, unusual for cities in the region. As the walls lost their military importance, they became a pedestrian promenade which encircled the old town, although they were used for a number of years in the 20th century for racing cars. They are still fully intact today; each of the four principal sides is lined with a different tree species."
Street of Lucca
I enjoyed walking on any random street in any old cities in Italy. It is just so beautiful and enjoyable.
Piazza in Lucca
Lucca was less touristy and the pace of life is slower. I enjoyed the atmosphere of this old city and surprisingly I enjoyed shopping here too!
Rolling green hills
Evening Stroll along the medieval wall.
Very enjoyable. =)
Nice Pastry! =)
I was enjoying my pastry while waiting for my train in the station. There was this middle-aged homeless man sitting on the same bench. I decided to offer him some pastry, and he asked me money which I declined, so he took my pastry offer. We had a short conversation - about the situation in Italy & Singapore. He started asking if I am a Christian, which I told him I am not. He was surprised to know that Singapore has many races and religions, and we live harmoniously. He started to warn me of the Muslims, which I felt is very unnecessary. He was so biased against Islam and Muslims.
It is a worrying sign. Even a homeless person could be so opinionated and biased against the Islam faith. This division between the Christians and Muslims would continue to be a source of conflict/violence/discrimination/alienation in this world.
My view is simple.
Any person who instigate violence (even on the ground of religion or any righteousness) is a supporter of violence and evil. There is no sensible justification for violence.
A blind folk at the edge of the railway.
I was appalled when I saw this. Unfortunately, I was 2 platforms away, otherwise, I would help this blind person. When the train arrived, many people alighted and walked past this blind person without offering help. He was left alone on the platform - lost and helpless. My impression of Italians dropped significantly. What a "first world" country!!
Saw this photo booth and it reminded me of the french movie - Amelie.
So i decided to take some photos as souvenir.
End the day with a very nice Italian dessert.
=)
No comments:
Post a Comment