Friday, June 29, 2012

Snapshots of Italy

It's been days since we returned from our trip.  Everything was a daze, running to catch the train or bus, the scorching heat in Italy, scrumptous food not to mention my favorite nioccola gelato (Yum!! the best anywhere you get them around Italy), the romantic gondola ride along the Grand Canal, nightime walk along St Mark's Square with soothing music to entertain tourists at the cast of dawn, the Gothic styled Cathedral of Santa Maria de Fiore (Florence's famous Doumo) and the beauty of the Mediterrean Sea along the beaches of Capri (what a beautiful  sight).  These pretty much sums up the week and a half we spent in Italy (from Rome to Venice to Florence and Pisa and back to Rome and ending it with a Day Trip to the beautiful Island of Capri).


The highlight of the trip for me was visiting St Peter's Cathedral, a long dream of mine since I was a little girl.  I was in awe of the huge basilica and there is a certain peace I felt once I was inside.  It was interesting to learn all the facts about the Vatican and history of Rome during our walking day tour.

Here are some pictures:

The Grand Altar inside St Peter's Basilica, under this is the tomb of St Peter.  Another interesting fact is only the Pope can officiate mass at this very altar

National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II.  Also known as the Altare della Patria Another fact we learned from our tour guide is Italians call this the wedding cake or typewrite as it resembles these from afar.  This is where Mussolini gathered his army during the war.

One of the Piazzas we passed by In Trastevere



Walking along the streets of Rome, along the Spagna area
Florence boasting of it's famous Gothic designed Duomo

What's left of the Roman Colosseum

View above The Famous Rialto Bridge.  Read somewhere that a lot of guys propose to their ladies on this famous bridge.  This is the very same view that the Venetian Las Vegas was trying to capture
Sighing on front of the Bridge of Sighs, also known as Ponte Dei Sospiri. A local legend says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on a gondola at sunset under the Bridge Of Sighs.[

Lastly, the view on top of Capri proper