nateniale's travels

{ 366 } 14.02.2012 . home-cooked dinner

2012-02-14T22:51:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 13.02.2012 . chocolate

2012-02-14T00:21:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 12.02.2012 . the leaping dog

2012-02-12T20:09:00.004+08:00

Ponte Vecchio and the river Arno

2012-02-12T14:25:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

With shops seemingly overflowing and suspended on the bridge above the river, and a passageway built above the haphazard shops, Ponte Vecchio looked like no other bridges in the world. And, if it looked charming from afar, you have got to walk along the bridge early in the morning when the shops are just opening, or late evening when they are closing. Each of the shops are like giant treasure chests that opened up to reveal one jewelry shop after another.

The Grand Duke of Florence ordered a corrider to be built in 1564, so that he would be able to move freely from his residence in Palazzo Pitti to the government palace in Palazzo Vecchio. Part of the Vasari Corridor was built above the bridge and the shops. When the corridor was built, butchers were prohibited from selling there due to the smell and the mess. Hence, several jewelry shops took over, where they remained until today.

Ponte Vecchio, which means the "Old Bridge", crossed the Arno river. One of the most important river in Central Italy, many bridges were built to bring pedestrians and traffic across it. Walking along the river, you would be able to see many locals and tourists spending time around the area, along with people engaging in water activities like kayaking.

During our trip, we crossed the river a few times, and each time, we were awarded with different views.

Ponte Vecchio

Arno River and it's people

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 11.02.2012 . roti canai

2012-02-11T19:30:00.000+08:00

{ 366 } 10.02.2012 . view from the office

2012-02-10T23:23:00.000+08:00

{ 366 } 09.02.2012 . happy dragon year

2012-02-09T23:04:00.000+08:00

it's never too late to wish everyone...

happy dragon year!

{ 366 } 08.02.2012 . hello moon

2012-02-08T22:37:00.000+08:00

full moon!

a few days after the 15th day of the lunar new year,

the moon is still round and bright.

and i can do bokeh on my iphone!

how cool is that?

no layers, no adjustments - directly from the phone

People of Florence

2012-02-08T21:34:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

The heart of the city of Florence is arguably Piazza del Duomo. It is where the Duomo is, and where, I am pretty sure, one of the most visited places in Italy. So, like many of the piazzas in Italy, it is a great place to people watch.

With locals trying to make a living from the tourists that flocked the piazza, ...

and locals going about their daily routines, trying to ignore the crowd.

To tourists trying to capture a piece of the beautiful Florence as keepsakes that will last a lifetime,

and those that just needed a break from a long day of sight-seeing.

And, of course, the police of Florence, in their stylish uniform with white leather belt, holster and bags, making sure that everyone is safe and sound.

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 07.02.2012 . tiramisu

2012-02-07T22:21:00.003+08:00

{ 366 } 06.02.2012 . sashimi salad

2012-02-06T22:44:00.002+08:00

sashimi salad for dinner on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar,

or, in my local dialect hokkien, chap goh meh,

which can be literally translated as the fifteenth night.

this is the last night of the chinese new year celebration!

so, happy chap goh meh, everyone!

{ 366 } 05.02.2012 . the monkeys

2012-02-05T23:15:00.001+08:00

speak no evil

hear no evil

see no evil

The Duomo : from the inside

2012-02-05T16:01:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

Staying just steps away from the Duomo in Florence on our three days there, means that we were never far away from the beautiful cathedral. It was the landmark that guided us when we first reached Florence, and ended up watching a sbandieratori right in front of the cathedral. We walked past it everyday when we started our days in Florence and had breakfasts (espresso and croissant, of course!) in the nearby cafes. The big brick dome also helped us to orientate ourselves when seeing Florence from afar.

We woke up early one day to climb the dome. The climb up the dome, or cupola in Italian, provided a close up view of the breathtaking frescoes. I would not even attempt to describe it as my level of vocabulary would not be able to give it enough credit. I mean, look at it! I fully expected one of the Roman gods (or were they mere mortals?) to jump down from the roof!

Continuing the upward climb up brought us right outside the Dome. We could walk around the Dome along a narrow corridor, together with the many tourists from all around the world that found their way up there. With the strong and cold wind, but sunny blue skies, it provided a great vantage point of the city of Florence. Of course, being right on the Dome means we could not see the Dome that is the most recognisable landmark of Florence.

Back on the ground, the cathedral is free to visit for all those who queued to get in. The high and white ceiling contrasted with the colourful marble floor. There were many work of arts, decorations and mosaics. Like most of the churches that I have been to in Italy, the number of masterpieces did not fail to amaze me.

The Duomo is definitely a must-go for any trip to Florence. Somehow, it still managed to be different from the churches that I had been in Italy. And boy, had I been to many churches in Italy.

::: Footnotes :::

{ Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore } Better known as the Duomo, the cathedral is free to visit, and is opened from 10am to 5pm on most days of the week. The Dome, on the other hand, costs €8 to climb and is worth it, just to get a closer look of the amazing frescoes above the cathedral. Of course, you would also get the view of Florence from above. The Dome is open for visits from 8.30am on Mondays to Saturdays, closing at 7pm except at 5.40pm on Saturdays. Check the website www.operaduomo.firenze.it for detailed opening hours before going!

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 04.02.2012 . lights in the dark

2012-02-05T01:27:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 03.02.2012 . end of the work week

2012-02-03T23:12:00.000+08:00

end of the work week,

and looking forward to a great weekend!

have a good one, everyone!

{ 366 } 02.02.2012 . books

2012-02-02T22:29:00.001+08:00

what's on your bookshelf?

and what's inside the books?

i am the kind of person that likes to grab something nearby as a bookmark.

most of my books have a piece of paper -

a movie stub, a flight ticket, a receipt, or even a clothes' label.

once a while, i would find a flight ticket that reminded me of a journey

i took years ago, or a movie i've watched.

so, when i stumbled upon the website forgotten bookmarks,

it provided me with hours of entertainment.

it has photos of all the weird and funny

things that a used bookseller finds in his books.

what can you find between the pages of your books?

The Duomo : from the outside

2012-02-01T23:44:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

The most prominent landmark in Florence must be the Duomo, or the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore. One of the largest church in Italy, with the largest brick dome every constructed, the Duomo is an astounding structure no matter how you see it - from the outside and the inside. Even the view from the dome is pretty amazing, providing a great view of Florence.

Here are some photos taken from the outside of Duomo. So, even if you do not have time to climb the dome, or to go inside the church, do make sure that you spend some time admiring the architecture, the colour, and all the details that went into the building of the church. You may just spot something that would take your breath away.

The Dome

Even after the church had been under construction for a 100 years, the Dome was still missing. So, you can imagine the amazing architectural and engineering feat when the Dome was finally completed. The brick dome is definitely a prominent sight in Florence. I could only fully appreciate the size of the dome, when I saw it from Piazzale Michelangelo, amongst all the buildings in Florence.

The Façade

Green, pink and white are not colours that I would have chosen for my walls. However, the colours suit the Duomo, and provided a soothing colour amidst the elaborate design of the facade. The details that went into each section of the walls, windows and doors are amazing.

If you are right outside the baptistery and noted a crowd gathering on the bronze door, don't be surprise. They are not waiting for the doors to be opened, but admiring the doors itself. Known as the "Gates of Paradise", the figures literally popped out from the panels. And guess what, the door on the baptistery is just a copy of the original, as the original is kept safe and dry in Museo dell'Opera del Duomo.

Admiring the exterior of the Duomo, I could not help but wonder - if so much effort has been put into the exterior, I could not even begin to imagine how the interior would be like.

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 01.02.2012 . morning light

2012-02-01T22:51:00.001+08:00

morning sun with crumply clouds

can't believe it is already the start of the 2nd month of 2012!

{ 366 } 31.01.2012 . the tiny tasty chewy sweets

2012-01-31T23:21:00.000+08:00

i don't usually snack, but love this tiny tasty chewy sweets!

{ 366 } 30.01.2012 . the lions

2012-01-30T21:59:00.000+08:00

the lions visited the office

happy chinese new year, everyone!

{ 366 } 29.01.2012 . 7 veg rice

2012-01-29T21:41:00.002+08:00

seven vegetables' rice on the seventh day of chinese new year

{ 366 } 28.01.2012 . nian gao

2012-01-28T18:48:00.000+08:00

年糕 nian gao
made from glutinous rice, and traditionally eaten during chinese new year

{ 366 } 27.01.2012 . home sweet home

2012-01-27T18:42:00.000+08:00

Postcard from... the Duomo

2012-01-26T20:16:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

The official name is the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore or Basilica of Saint Mary of the Flower in English. However, it is simply known as the Duomo. The facade of the cathedral in green, pink and white is beautiful, elaborate and yet soothing in its simplicity of colour.

The dome is a masterpiece, and the gothic interior is vast and simple, yet filled with elaborate frescoes. This cathedral in Florence, Italy is in a class of its own.

{ Click here for more postcard from... posts and other travel tales from Italy }

{ 366 } 26.01.2012 . happy buddha

2012-01-26T18:40:00.000+08:00

dinner at chong tian hotel, penang

{ 366 } 25.01.2012 . sunset

2012-01-25T18:34:00.000+08:00

sun setting behind penang island

{ 366 } 24.01.2012 . cactus

2012-01-24T18:29:00.000+08:00

cactus in cameron highlands

{ 366 } 23.01.2012 . happy dragon year

2012-01-23T18:22:00.000+08:00

happy dragon year!

Off to Cameron Highlands

2012-01-23T11:28:00.000+08:00

image by harriotc

Off to Cameron Highlands for Chinese New Year!

This is probably the first time that my family has planned a trip away from home on Chinese New Year. Could this be a start of a new travel ritual?

Wishing everyone a prosperous year of the Dragon!

Happy Chinese New Year!

This is a scheduled post. Cut off from the virtual world for a week!

{ 366 } 22.01.2012 . let the games begin!

2012-01-22T18:55:00.001+08:00

what's chinese new year without some mahjong games?

{ 366 } 21.02.2012 . see you, singapore!

2012-01-21T10:48:00.001+08:00

going home for the chinese new year

The signs of artistic Florence

2012-01-20T23:09:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

Florence is the birthplace of Renaissance. From Renaissance masters Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo da Vinci*, to fashion designers Roberto Cavalli and Guccio Gucci, many artists had once called Florence home. So, with all the marvelous art that surrounds the Fiorentini, it would not come as a surprise that they are an artistic and creative group. There is just an artistic air in Florence. You just have to see the road signs all around city.

Of course, not all graffitis are encouraged.

And this I love, just because I think the car is cute! There are a lot of small tiny cars on the Italian roads, one smaller than the next, to manoeuvre around the narrow streets.

Even the city's coat of arms looked cooler than the rest.

The artistic Florence was mellower than all the other cities that we went to in Italy. It has such rich history with countless masterpieces, and yet the people are friendly and generally relaxed and easy-going. If there is a city that I would choose to live in, Florence would be it.

* Trivia for the day - Michaelangelo, Donatello, Raphael, Leonardo are the names of the four ninja turtles from the cartoon Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 20.01.2012 . mandala

2012-01-20T22:35:00.000+08:00

this colourful circle, called mandala, is a sacred buddhism art made by sand

tour of the jade buddha for universal peace in ngee ann city, singapore

{ 366 } 19.01.2012 . leaving work late

2012-01-19T23:00:00.001+08:00

again!

{ 365 } 18.01.2012 . travel souvenirs

2012-01-18T22:01:00.001+08:00

Statues of naked men

2012-01-18T00:08:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

I have seen more statues and painting of naked men and women during the trip to Italy, than I have ever seen, and will probably ever see. You just need to scroll through all the photos I have posted under Italy to see some of the many that I have seen. And Florence, the birth place of Renaissance, probably has more statues and paintings of naked men and women, not to mention, of Gods, Goddesses and their children, then any other cities in Italy.

David

If there is one masterpiece of Renaissance sculpture, it has got to be David by Michaelangelo. The 17-feet marble statue of a standing male nude, is definitely an exceptional piece of sculpture. It could probably be due to the position in Galleria dell'Academia that houses the sculpture, or just the tall white polished marble. But I stood right in front of it, and walked around it, a couple of times, awestruck by the imposing and yet relax statue. Muscular and yet gentle.

Photos were not allowed in the gallery, but there was a replica where the original David once stood, in Piazza della Signoria. After seeing the real sculpture, the replica was somehow not as impressive.

Piazza della Signoria

In this artistic city, many of its piazzas are filled with sculptures, and even fountains with sculptures. Even if you are not one to spend lots of time in galleries, you should take a walk in Piazza della Signoria. The piazza has many marble statues of, unsurprisingly, naked men. Apart from a replica of David, Loggia dei Lanzi at one of its corner, is an open-air gallery with many art masterpieces that can be enjoyed for free.

Here are just some of the many sculptures in the piazza.

The Fountain of Neptune by Bartolomeo Ammannati (left)

Rape of the Sabine Women by Giambologna (right)

Perseus with the Head of Medusa by Benvenuto Cellini

Hercules beating the Centaur by Giambologna

::: Footnotes :::

{ Galleria dell'Academia } The official name is Accademia di Belle Arti (or the Academy of Fine Arts), or better known as Galleria dell'Academia. The main reason to visit the gallery is to admire the marvelous naked statue of David. The gallery is open on Tuesdays to Sundays, from 8.15 am to 6.50 pm. The queue to the gallery may be quite long, and if, like me, you are not willing to queue up when you are on holiday, do make a reservation online with a booking fee of €4.00 above the €6.50 admission ticket.

{ Piazza della Signoria } An open L-shaped square right in front of Palazzo Vecchio, it houses many statues, one more impressive than the next. If you do not wish to spend money to see David in the gallery, you can see its replica here. However, be warned that the replica was not as impressive as the original! There are also many sculptures at Loggia dei Lanzi, an open-air sculpture gallery.

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 17.01.2012 . my new bookshelf

2012-01-17T21:59:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 16.01.2012 . blogging

2012-01-16T22:28:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 15.01.2012 . passion fruit

2012-01-15T22:49:00.001+08:00

passion fruit is such a weird looking fruit!

but it does taste good...

Sbandieratori in Florence, Italy

2012-01-15T14:07:00.000+08:00

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy }

Where Rome was massive, Florence was compact. Where Rome has its ancient treasures, Florence has countless Renaissance arts. If Rome is the political centre, then Florence is the artistic city. If Rome is the pulse and heart of Italy, then Florence is the soul.

Walking from the train station towards Piazza del Duomo, we caught a glimpse of the green and white facade of the Duomo from a distance. The basilica looked so different from all the ones we have seen in our travels in Italy thus far, that I knew that Florence was going to give us something new.

And, the best part was that there was an event happening right on the piazza. Sbandieratori, it's called. The art of flag-throwing was from the medieval times, and we were lucky enough to be right there when they started performance, with luggage in tow. Still not sure what the point of the whole thing was, but this I know - two groups of Italian men in tights, waving and throwing flags towards each other. What's not to like?

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 365 } 14.01.2011 . cupid . eros . amor

2012-01-15T00:26:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 13.01.2011 . it's beginning to feel like chinese new year

2012-01-13T22:31:00.001+08:00

spotted in chinatown, singapore

{ 366 } 12.01.2012 . no shaking of butt

2012-01-12T23:17:00.001+08:00

always wondered what the sign actually mean -

no shaking of butt on the escalator?

{ 366 } 11.01.2012 . durian dessert

2012-01-11T22:16:00.001+08:00

finale to a scrumptious dinner

{ 366 } 10.01.2012 . wickedly good

2012-01-11T00:03:00.001+08:00

wicked, the musical, that is.

while, i could not finish the book, the musical was light-hearted,

with just enough violence and evil to keep it in check.

the music was beautiful, and catchy enough,

that a couple of songs kept replaying in my head after the show.

the set was impressive,

the cast (from Australia) amazing.

wicked was wickedly good

{ 366 } 09.01.2011 . cool dude

2012-01-09T23:01:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 08.01.2012 . which door to sherlock holmes?

2012-01-08T22:09:00.001+08:00

a movie with robert downey jr and jude law should not go wrong

it was funny, but i wasn't sure if sherlock holmes was a man of action?

Spending a day with the gentle giants

2012-01-07T21:39:00.001+08:00

{ Chiang Mai, Thailand - Feb 2011 }

I didn't expect to fall in love with them. They are huge - I am probably just the size of their leg. They are strong and have always played an important part in the logging business. However, I went with an open mind, but thinking that I'll probably be keeping my distance.

While still at the deck receiving an introduction of the park and safety instructions, a mischievous young one destroyed the fence, and used his trunk to steal some fruits on the deck. Now, I don't usually endorse bad behavior, but it was so endearing that I could not help but smile.

Some form of activities with the elephants are on the list of almost every visitors to the northern city of Thailand, Chiang Mai - be it a ride on the elephant, a show where the mahout showcased the elephants agility by playing football and painting or just admire them behind the fences. After searching the many parks in Chiang Mai, I decided that I would do something different - to go to a park where all they want to do is to provide a sanctuary to the broken, injured and traumatised. Where visitors help the mahout to bath and feed the elephants, not ride them. And so, the visit to the Elephant Nature Park was booked.

The visit started with a walk around the vast area that made up the park. We were introduced to some of the elephants that had found a haven in the park, all thanks to a lady called Lek, who may be small in size, but big in her heart. We had the chance to see her around the park, caring and tending to the elephants.

Most of the elephants have very sad stories, which the mahout shared with us. After the use of the Asian elephants were banned in Thailand, many of the owners found themselves stuck with a huge animal with insatiable diet and no means of earning money from them. Some elephants found themselves right in the heart of cities like Bangkok doing small tricks for some treats. Others were bullied, injured and left to tend for themselves.

We then helped to carry some fruits and vegetables out for the elephants. The store room had so much food to feed the 35 elephants they have in the park. It was then time to feed the elephants! I basically just took half the watermelon which was bigger than the size of my hand, stretched out my arm and the elephant would use his trunk to take the fruits into his mouth, and immediately wanted another one! They all ate so quickly that I did not even have time to rest. It was really an amazing experience to be so near them. We fed the elephants a few more times throughout the visit, and each was better than the previous as I became more accustomed (and less afraid) of their size.

It was then time to bathe the elephants. Off they went into the river and we were given buckets to splash water on the elephants. Well, it would be better if I get to scrub them. Then again, it would have been a waste of time, as right after the elephants got out from the water, they started spraying sand and covering themselves with mud!

It was also quite funny seeing one of the elephant scratching his butt!

We then spent some time roaming around the elevated area (where we could see the elephants from a safe place) and enjoyed some quiet time enjoying the beautiful area. We were also shown a documentary on the park, on some of the elephants that they had rescued.

All in all, I loved my day spent in the Elephant Nature Park. It was an amazing experience being with the elephants up-close, without the fences and gates in the zoo. Now, I should plan more trips where I get to be near the animals in their natural surrounding - maybe a trip to Sandakan for the Orang Utan is next!

::: Footnotes :::

{ Elephant Nature Park } Visit their website http://www.elephantnaturepark.org/ for more information on the amazing work that they do, the story of each of the elephants they have in the park and the details if you wish to visit the park.

{ Click here for other posts on Chiang Mai and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 07.01.2012 . home-cooked arrabbiata

2012-01-07T20:31:00.001+08:00

{ 366 } 06.01.2012 . sushi, anyone?

2012-01-06T23:06:00.001+08:00