VACATIONS - PART 3 --------------> ITALY!!!!!!

Saturday, June 23rd 2012, 04:00 am

My host family and I had already packed our things, because we were going for a week to Italy by car. We would stay at the area of Camaiore in Toscany, pretty close to the beach. The roadtrip lasted almost 12 hours. We started from Paris and crossed the southern part of France, passed through the Mont-Blanc, and then the north-western part of Italy (Milan, Livorno). During the trip, I didn't see anything else, but lands of grass, woodlands on the mountains , waterfalls... The scenery was MAGIC!!!!!

Monday, June 25th 2012

After spending the whole morning and noon on the beach (sandy beach with shallow waters!), in the afternoon, it was the first time to visit a sightseeing: the " Leaning Tower of Pisa" or "Campanile". But let me tell you few words... Pisa is the town (a medieval town) and the tower is located at La Piazza del Duomo (The Cathedral Square) surrounded by walls. At the square there are four remarkable monuments. 1. "Santa Maria Assunta" (the Cathedral/Duomo) : dedicated to the Assumption gf the Virgin Mary - founded in 1063 by Brusketo and Rainaldo and completed in 1118. 2. Campanile: or the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" - its foundations were laid on August 1173 by Gulielmo and Bonnano Pisano Why is it leaning?? When construction work had almost reached the top of the third order, land subsidence caused the trunk of the tower to lean over. Down the centuries, the nature of the land which caused the first dramatic subsidence together with the enormous weight of the building increased the inclination of the tower. Therefore, nonone can reach the top of it, but he or she can climb up the 293 steps to the summit. It's about a spiral staircase.. 3. The "San Giovanni Baptistery": by Diotislavi on August 15th 1152 4. Camposanto Vecchio (Old Cemetery): by Giovanni di Simone in 1272 The purpose of the four monuments' construction was to fully and intimately combine a fervent religious faith with a civic pride. La Piazza del Duomo is beautiful with all these sightseeings. To be honest, I wasn't so excited to see the Tower. However, I was speechless when I saw it. The funny part was that many people were taking photos with the same pose such as holding/pushing the tower with both hands or with one finger or relying on it, meanwhile other persons were climbing up the stairs of the tower!!! Anyway, another one experience came to an end!!! Ciao!!!!:P

Tuesday, June 26th 2012

FIRENZE! Oh yes, we went to Florence!!!! Going there, I loved the scenery!! it was so beautiful!!! AAAhhhhh Toscany!!! Anyway, we entered in Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo by doing a tour across La Via di Belvedere. The whole city was underneath. The view was like a famous painting... :P Afterwards, we reached Lungarno Torigianni, the road besides the Arno river. We crossed Le Ponte A.Vespucci, and the adventure just started! We walked till Le Ponte Vecchio (The Old Bridge) where we separated and I had the chance to explore the city by mmyself! So, I crossed Le Ponte Vecchio with the little, but expensive stores on it, and I admired the view of the river. Then, I went back to find the Duomo ----> "Santa Maria del Fiore". Finding the Cathedral, I stood for a while at La Piazza della Signoria where there are the Palazzo Vecchio (Old Palace) with the tower of Arnolfo di Cambio on the top and the Loggia dei Lanzi (a late gothic structure by Benci di Cione and Simone Talenti) with the statues. Then, I took La Via di Proconsolo and admired the magnifisence of Santa Maria del Fiore. It's huge!!! I wanted to go inside, but I didn't, because there was a long queue and I had 3 hours at my disposal to explore the town. So, I decided to take a walk around. What I saw: 1. Piazza della Signoria 2. Santa Maria del Fiore 3. Palazzo Strozzi (exhibition) 4. Bibliotheque Nazionale

Friday, June 29th 2012

It's the last day before going back to Paris, and we decided to visit the "small version" of Florence, Lucca!!! It's really beautiful city surrounded by walls, just like all the old cities. Inside, apart from the picturesque residences, churches and stores, there is a canal as well..! WHAT MORE??? Lucca it's the hometown of Giacomo Puccini where there is his home.

VACATIONS - PART2 Thursday, June 21st 2012 Today,the day was rainy. Therefore, I decided to explore the neighbourhood Opéra as there are many stores and there was no way to get wet... Anyhow, this time, I started from the Av.Champs Élysées and I arrived at La Place de la Concorde. From there, I turned left on Rue Royale, where La Madeleine is located. It is about a Roman - Catholic church; it looks like a greek ancient temple.(L' église Sainte-Marie-Madeleine) Then, I walked on the Booulevard Haussmann where there are many malls and the popular "Galerie de la Fayette". Inside the store you can find anything you have imagined, BUT you have to be sure that you know what you are going to do!!! It's very expensive because it is the home for all THE brands. At the end, I admired the building of Opéra with the sculptures and La place de la Bastille in front of the entrance de l' Academie de la Musiqe..! :P

Prologue Sunday,June 17th 2012 I am going to Europe with my host family for vacations. Our first stop is Paris, and then is Italy!!! So let's get started!!!! VACATIONS - PART 1 Wednesday, June 20th 2012 -------> My first walk in Paris, today, so I tried to explore it as much as I could by starting at "La place de Victor Hugo"(which is close to "Le Bois de Boulogne") and walking on Avenue Raymond Poincaré. At the end of the street, there is the "Palais de Chaillot", which, now, functions as home of many museums such as "Le Musée de la Marine" and "Le Musée de l' Homme". There are two entrances above of which are some words engraved. Choses rares ou choses belles ici savamment assemblées instruisent l 'oeil à regarder comme jamais encore vues toutes choses qui sont au monde. Dans ces murs voués aux merveilleux j' accueille et carde les ouvrages de la main prodigieuse de l' artiste égale et rivale de sa pensée l' une n' est rien sans l' autre. The new Palais de Chaillot: As I was walking furtherdown, I saw la Seine (the river!?!?!?!!!!) and the Tour Eiffel [of course you can see it from faraway, but as anyone approaches it, it is more magnificent!) Crossing down the tower, I saw the "Champs de Mars", a beautiful land of grass with trees-cutten-in-the-shape-of-square on the sides.Following the "monument to the Peace", which was constructed in 2000 and made by glass,and where the word PEACE is written in all languages. (Yes, I found it in greek as well). Across the street, it is L' école de Militaire. From there, I walked on the street of La Place Joffre, I made a left turn on Av.de Tourville, and then a left turn on Bd de la Tour Maulbourg from where I could see "Le Musée de l' Armée". Afterwards, I reached at "La Place des Invalides" and kept walking on Av. du Maréchal Gallieni. I reached again La Seine(where I was witness of a photo-shooting for a fashion editorial :P )and I crossed the bridge "Le Pond d' Alexandre III. This bridge is so impressing because of many reasons. First, at the entrance, there are four golden angel-statues. In the middle of it, on both sides from outside there are golden sculptures as well. Furthermore, after crossing the bridge, it is the "Grand Palais" and the "Petit Palais" (golden touches and sculptures on each part of the roof again!) I continued walking across the river through a tree-path in order to see "La Place de la Concorde", a big open space with a fountain in the middle and the "Obelisk" (a tall monument). From this point, anyone can see the "Dome des Invalides",the "Assemblée Nationale Palais-Bourton" and the entrance of "Le Jardin des Tuileries". Le Jardin des Tuileries is a beautiful garden with fountains and ponds. Many people were relaxing on the grass or sitting on chairs around the ponds. Leaving the garden, I decided to go back home. So I walked on Av. Champs Élysées where there are many stores, restaurants and cafés. And, somewhere here, (Finally!!!) I got home!!!! :P