Italy, French Riviera

Italy, French Riviera, Amsterdam, Paris, Switzerland
A Travel Journal By K.A. Lim


The trip was made up of two parts of traveling. The 1st part involved joining a guided tour organized by a travel agency touring Italy and the French Riviera from 19th April to 28th April 2007. The 2nd part of traveling consisted of our own tours through Amsterdam, Paris and Switzerland from 28th April to 18th May 2007.

PART 1
19th April 07
Day 1: Traveling
We assembled at KLIA for a flight to Rome via Bangkok on Thai Airways. The plane took off from KLIA at 08:15 and arrived at Bangkok’s new Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 10:00. We walked around the duty free shops in the airport and after clearing Immigration, we waited at the boarding lounge until 00:06 before flying out of Bangkok Airport. Two meals were served on board and in-flight movies were screened.

20th April 07
Day 2: Rome
We arrived in Rome at 06:20. The plane touched down smoothly onto the runway and the passengers onboard were so pleased that they applauded the pilot’s skillfulness. After clearing Immigration checks, which were very slack, we were ushered onto a bus right away and taken to our first tour destination; the Vatican City.










Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world with an area of 110 acres. It is ruled by the Pope and serves as the world headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the most famous artists and architects of the Italian Renaissance were commissioned by popes to work on the Vatican’s buildings. The most important edifice is Saint Peter’s Basilica 圣彼得大教堂, a cavernous structure topped by a large ribbed dome. Built largely between the 15th and 17th centuries, and designed by artists such as Bramante, Michelangelo and Gianlorenzo Bernini, it is the world center of Roman Catholic worship. The basilica can hold up to 60,000 worshippers. In front of the basilica is Saint Peter’s Square. Considered a masterpiece of design, the immense keyhole shaped plaza is rimmed by two massive semi-circular colonnades. At the center of the plaza is an obelisk from ancient Egypt brought to Rome in the 1st century ad by Roman emperor Caligula. Adjacent to the basilica and square is the Palace of the Vatican, also known as the Papal Palace. It is a complex of buildings that contains more than 1,000 rooms and houses the papal apartments, the government offices of the Roman Catholic Church, several chapels and museums, and the Vatican Library. The Vatican has its own army, the Swiss Guard, numbering about 100 soldiers. They had been hired by the first pope, and due to their loyalty, their services continued until present times. Pope Benedict XVI was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican City in 2005 after the death of Pope John Paul II.

There were long queues outside St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world. Immediately upon entering the Basilica, on the right entrance is the famous work of Michelangelo, “The Pieta”. This famous marble sculpture depicts the body of Jesus in the arms of Mary after the Crucifixion, and is housed in a bullet-proof acrylic glass panel. The statue was carved by Michelangelo when he was 23 years old.










The next stop was the Rome Coliseum 古罗马竞技场.
This huge amphitheater, an iconic symbol of Rome, was built in 75 A.D. and was opened in 80 A.D., an opening celebrated with a full day of bloody games. This was a gruesome leisure activity for the ancient Romans: prisoners condemned to death were torn to pieces by ferocious beasts, animals were killed by archers and there were fights to the death between “professional” gladiators. The surface area of the Coliseum, which totals about 19,000 square meters, was arranged into four sections, each of which could hold up to 70,000 spectators. The Emperor’s box was placed in the center from where he could decide the gladiators’ fate with a simple hand gesture. The underground area of the Coliseum was used to organize and create the settings for the games, such as ways to make the ferocious beasts appear unexpectedly in the arena, bringing them up to the main area with an elevator hoist hidden in the sand. In 438 A.D., the games were prohibited and the Coliseum was gradually abandoned.










We took many photos of the Coliseum and the nearby Arch of Constantine. Back on our tour bus, the bus took us past the Forum, the Fountain of Moses, St Angelo’s Castle and Vittiriano Monument. We then stopped at Navona Square, an open space with many artists busy painting portraits and selling paintings of famous sceneries of Rome. There were fountains at both ends of the square and a main one lied in the center of the square. The four giants sculpted around the base of the fountain represent four rivers: the Ganges, the Danube, the Nile and the Rio della Plata.





We then walked to the Pantheon.
This is one of the best preserved buildings from ancient Rome. Dating back to 27 B.C., it was partly destroyed and later rebuilt between 118 and 125 A.D. It later became a Christian place of worship where the tombs of Raffaello, Vittorio Emanuele II, Umberto I are still kept. The huge dome and fine marble decorations inside the Pantheon are noteworthy.

We continued on foot through a side alley and reached the famous Trevi Fountain 许愿泉 . We took part in the obligatory ritual of every decent tourist by throwing a coin into the fountain.

We then walked to the Spanish Steps. The Square’s name originates from the fact that the Spanish Embassy has stood in the square since the 17th century. The square is full of tourists on the terraces and around a boat-shaped fountain.

Today’s itinerary was a tough one as we were whisked away on the tour immediately after arrival and only managed to check into Hotel Cristoforo Colombo for the night at 9 pm.

21st April 07
Day 3: Rome to Asissi, San Marino, Remini
Bonjono (Good morning in Italian), morning call at 6 am, breakfast at 7 am and moved out by 8am. The 3 ½ hour drive took us to Asissi. Our first stop was the famous St. Francisco Church at the top of a mountain over-looking the plains. The Basilica of St. Francis is composed of two churches with one built over the other: the lower one has a crypt that holds the Saint’s tomb. We also visited the Temple of Minerva at Piazz del Comune and the nearby Church of St. Clare.

We headed next to San Marino, another independent state, and a grand prix location. At the old village on top of a mountain, we walked the narrow alleys, filled with cafes and shops selling souvenirs. There was a cable car at the top and a sculpture at the square. We bought two bottles of LemonCillo (a locally produced beverage). Our tour bus then traveled to Remini, a beachfront resort area, where we stayed for the night.

22nd April 07
Day 4: Remini to Venice
We left for Venice, arrived at noon and had lunch at a Chinese restaurant. The bus parked at a checking area and we rode the boat to the famous St. Mark’s Square of Venice. While walking to the square, we saw the “Bridge of Sighs”.

The "Bridge of Sighs" was so named because it connected the inquisition room in the Doge’s Palace with the Doge’s prison. Crossing over the bridge to their confinement, the prisoners would give out one last yearning sigh as they looked out at beautiful Venice before they went to meet their fate.

The tour was really rushed – our tour manager was quick on her feet and at every turn down every narrow alley, she was in danger of losing the tour group, as the alleys were crowded with tourists. We then reached the famous Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal and took some time to photograph the area. Rialto Bridge is probably the most stunning famous bridge in Venice. We walked back and visited a glass making factory at one of the alleys behind the square. We witnessed a glass-blower demonstrating the ancient art of Murano glassmaking. We then proceeded to a gondola ride in a boat shared by six. The gondolier steered skillfully through narrow canals and onto the open waterways with a view of the Rialto Bridge on the Grand Canal. We spent the rest of our time at the St. Mark Square and the St. Mark Cathedral before assembling at the boat docking bay for a boat ride back to our bus. The bus drove some 45 minutes away from Venice and we checked into Hotel Jolly for the night.




23rd April 07
Day 5: Venice to Florence
We traveled today to Florence. Upon reaching Florence, the bus stopped on a hilltop for us to alight and have a panoramic view of the old city below. At this top spot, is the famous statue of Michelangelo’s David in bronze. The bus then dropped us off at the old town and we walked through the streets, passing by University Square . We had lunch at a Chinese restaurant. Next, we walked to the famous Duomo. In front of the Duomo, we saw the golden door - the "gate of Paradise". We continued to the Signora Square. It is an open museum of sculpture. Our tour manager was very knowledgeable about the history of Italy and enlightened to us the history of the buildings and places we have visited. We were too engrossed taking photos on the white marble of King Naptune and the famous sculpture of David, we missed walking to one of Florence’s most famous landmarks – the “Ponte Vecchio Bridge”. We returned to the bus and travel to Pisa. The bus parked outside the town and we took a local bus to enter. We saw the renowned Leaning Tower of Pisa 比萨斜塔 and church building all situated at the Miracle Square. We then did the traditional “I’m holding up the tower” photo. The bus drove some distant away from Pisa and we checked into Tuscany Inn for the night.

24th April 07
Day 6: Monaco, Cannes, Nice and Eze
Today we traveled from the east of Italy to the west. We visited a perfume making factory at the village of Eze. We were received by the staff of Fragonard and were briefed on the making of perfumes. Interesting to note is that, one of the flowers collected and imported to make the essence is from Malaysia – the Patchouli flower. After the touring the plant, the group were led to the merchandise department where the ladies had a busy time buying various merchandise such as perfumes, anti-wrinkle creams, hand creams, body creams, olive soap etc. We continued the journey to Nice, passing the Massena Square, the famous Promenade des Angalais, a long beautiful beach and stopped at Nice Rail station nearby to have Thai food for dinner. We checked into Hotel Comfort, some distance from Nice for the night.

25th April 07
Day 7: Cannes, St Paul De Vences
After breakfast, we traveled to Cannes. It is famous for its annual film festival just like the one in Hollywood where artistes receive their awards of achievement. We saw many handprints of celebrities embedded in the flagstones outside the building. I spotted the handprint of Micheal Douglas and Julie Andrew; a few of my favourite actors. Next to the film festival convention center is a wide area of yacht docking bay. The sight was beautiful with a view of a castle on a hill top in the background. We then went to St. Paul De Vences. It was on a mountain top where famous painters and poets used to visit to gain inspiration from the beautiful scenery. We walked a small narrow alley inside the walled village. The bus then drove us back to Nice and we were given two hours of free time. Some went shopping for LV (Louis Vuitton) leather goods while we went walking on our own to the Massena Square, Galleries LaFayette store and later towards the Promenade des Anglais for a scenic view of the seafront, and saw many sun bathing, roller blading, jogging and other activities. We bought a drink at McDonalds as we wanted to use the WC. We were given the WC door code, which was printed on the receipt, so that we were able to use it for free. (Note: it is not easy to find a public toilet in Europe, most charge an entry fee between €0.30 - €1)




26th April 07
Day 8: Monaco, Monte Carlo, Milan
After breakfast, at the request of the group, we returned to Eze village to buy more perfumes and lotions. We then went to Monaco, the second-smallest state in Europe. The bus parked at a parking lot located below the Oceanographic Museum. The first place of visit was the private garden belonging to Prince Albert, Princess Grace’s son, which is now open to the public. We then walked to Saint Nicholas Cathedral where Prince Rainier and Princess Grace Kelly were buried. A short distance away, we reached an open space and saw the Royal Palace with palace guards stationed at the entrance. Towards the right of the Palace, we looked down below and saw the famous Grand Prix race track of Monte Carlo being prepared for the next race to be held in the coming month of May. The tour manager requested for the bus driver to drive along the streets where the Grand Prix will take place. We were dropped off in front of the Monte Carlo Casino, the playground of the rich and famous. We then went back to Ventimilo for a pasta and seafood meal for lunch before we continued to Milan. We arrived after some 5 hours on the road for a dinner at an Italian restaurant, and had spaghetti and a large slice of pizza. We traveled to the outskirts and checked into Hotel Comtur at Binasco.

27th April 07
Day 9: Milan – Lugarno – Milan
Today we traveled across the Italian border into the scenic lake town of Lugarno in Switzerland. The tour manager took us for a walk and brought us to a Rolex Center where we received a souvenir of an engraved spoon from the shop. We then walked along the scenic lake side and ended our visit to Lugarno with lunch at an Italian restaurant. We had pasta and a tasty fish, some potato meal, followed by coffee and ice-cream. We went back to Milan and stopped >at the fountain in front of the Sforzesco Castle. Next, we walked to the world’s largest Gothic Cathedral (Duomo). Next to the Piazza (Square) in front of the Cathedral is the four-storey, glass-domed arcade – Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and at the end of the building is the world-renowned Scala Theatre. We went back to Hotel Comtur for rest and after dinner we gathered outside the yard for a farewell gathering with wine and happy stories amongst new friends and happy memories of the holidays.


28th April 07
Day 10: End of the tour
Today, after breakfast, we said goodbye to friends on the tour and took a taxi to Milan Centraal Station to begin the second part of our journey on our own while the rest of the group prepared to travel home through Milan Malpensa airport via Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur.

Part 2 of my travel journey to continue next. Stay tuned for our travel adventures to Amsterdam, Paris and Switzerland.