Really Italy...

It was indeed another fun trip in Italy...this time the cities in nothern and middle part of Italy namely Arona & Lake Maggiore, Pisa, Florence and Bologna

                                                       A view in Arona at Lake Maggiore

Rendezvous with my Cousin

I must say...Italy was once a country that only reachable by imagination - a place famous for pasta and pizza ( it's pronounced as 'pit-za' not 'pi-za' ) and no doubt of her histories and arts ~ where the Renaissance was evoked - has now even became a meeting place with my cousin! Oh...how ironic things can be.

Spent a good 3 days of catching up with each other's life after 2 years from the last meeting, savouring good food and wine and enjoying some holiday's mood in a beautiful place call Arona...so pristine and calm...a city by the great Lake Maggiore, overlooking the Alps from the Swiss' border...a mesmerising weekend indeed.

Bidding adieu to him...I went on solo to visit the city famed by mens' art blended into nature's will ~ voila...Pisa (now this is pronounced as 'pi-za' ) and her leaning tower - the onced was one of the 7th wonders of the world.

Me...the Leaning Tower of Pisa...and...the lady with style

Who say Pisa is boring as the only thing worth to visit Pisa is to see the tower? Well, I can't deny that fully but you have to have some local to help you in diving Pisa more...not literally...I mean for real. So I went down the beach of Pisa for some sunbathing, "eye"-bathing and a swim on this hidden Italian coast with my kind CS host.

                                    

                                                             Down at the Pisa beach

Done with Pisa, headed on to the city of Renaissance ~ Florence. The city of Leonardo Da Vinci, Michangelo, Galileo Galilei, the Medici family and the least ancient, Florence Nightingale is no doubt a charming one. I could just sit by the side of the square and be fascinated away by the intricate façade of the Duomo.

The 'il Duomo'

And not to be missed is also to check out those market that sells leather goods...aah..felt as if back in KL's Petaling Street...

Florence's Petaling Street

~ psst...don't forget to bargain...it's all the same technique in Europe & Asia ~

We are almost done here. Last leg- Bologna. This medieval city is grand...I mean the architecture. Never come across a city with huge rows of shop-building and covered walk ways- over 45km of roofed "kaki lima".

                                                     

                                                             The Walkway all the way...            

Iconic Two Towers

                                  *the shorter one is actually more lean than the tower in Pisa

As to close the story about my trip...let's check this out ~ Bologna hidden mystery

                                  Notice the what's more on the up that the down doesn't have?

Of couse no, you....ish ish...it's the same statue! ~ the famous Neptune Statue in Bologna, it's just the hand and it's finger from different perspectives. It has a history and interesting story behind...so I leave it for you to check it out yourself! Ciao!