Italy 意大利

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Good morning everyone.
It's Day 12 and after a heavy breakfast, we are leaving our hotel in Venice.

When we just step out, there was a hotel staff asking us where are we going and what transportation we are using to get there.

Then he open up his newspaper and check.
He says ok, no strike today, safe to go.

Wow seh.
Workers on strike must schedule ahead and report in newspaper? I asked.

He says aper-then?
Imagine everyone wanted to go to work and then found out that train worker is on strike and there is no train?

Ok Ok - I acknowledged.

I dragged my luggage into the train.
Well, we are going to Bergamo for our tonight stop.
However, now, we are going to Verona to see the famous Juliet and Romeo's balcony.  

As we settled down on our train seats, a tall and elegant lady walked into our cabin.  She sat opposite me and looking out into the window.

I glanced at her, erh her fur coats, there seems to be an animal slung on her shoulder. I can not keep looking at her, so I look out of the window too. 

Wow, the heavy snow started again. 

The weather at Verona is good and boy the first thing we saw is a Colosseum.

So, now you know that Colosseum is not unique to Roma?



Ok, we reached the Romeo and Juliet Balcony.
Below the balcony has a bronze status.
Not sure you get to see.
But this is what we saw, any idea why the color looks so wired?









When we reached Bergamo, first thing we do is search for phone booth at the train station.  
We had yet booked our hotel at Bergamo.  

I put in one Euro but no dial tone.
I crackle but my one Euro did not come out.

Sian, walk away and will pop into the hotel directly and try our luck.

Then, I saw a few gypsy woman walk passed me.

My instinct kick in and I watch them walk toward the phone booth.

Ai yo, they did and pull out my one Euro.   

No wonder it won't works.

Anyway, let it be.

Bergamo city center is actually on the hill. So, we need to take a funicular up. Btw, city center is Citta Alta (upper town).


On top is a huge Duomo and big parade squares.









Well, amazing ancient city... 4BC and it's a UNESCO World heritage site.

Thank you for reading.
Gratitude.

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I am the most lucky person in the whole wide world.


Without a hotel room confirmed, I'm not really in the sight seeing mode.

Based on Lonely planet recommendation, we approached our first try, which is just few steps away from the plaza.

Well, it looks like a Restaurant, dark wood, aged and certainly looks classical.

We step up to the counter and was greeted by a receptionist.
Being a romantic coming from Venice, I requested for a quiet room.

The receptionist lead the way and we walked on a long passage inside the building, walk and walk and walk, until the last room.  I estimated the walk for at least 100m. 

It's a corner room with a large window open out to a garden.
Not a garden, more like a farm land.
Initially, I thought it was a garden because of the green plants and flowers or this could be a garden but someone just kept the farming equipment - cart, shovel etc here. 

Who cares?

Life is great! I tell myself.

Another fantastic day started.
I bring my toothbrush and open up the large window.
Holy...
I am in outer space.
The entire garden was white...covered by a thick layer of white snow.
All the greenery, all the farm equipment are gone.
Just like that.

I stare at the blank and brushed my teeth.
I don't even feel the cool weather outside.

Life is beautiful! I tell myself.

As we walk along the narrow cobble streets filled with shops on both side, we spotted a pastry shops. 
Mmm... nice treat.


Then, in the middle of a road, a truck/lorry, on top a ladder and on top a man was changing the light bulks.

Oh, I remembered, Christmas decoration.
My heart warmed.

Further on, we saw someone house, with a little garden.
Guess what, same as our garden.
It's pure white! purely thick white snow.

Our destination today is to go to the top of the hill so that we could get a panorama view of the old town. 

Another Funicolare S. Vigilio


On top the panorama view of the white town is fantastic.
In fact, we did not come to Bergamo because of Rick Steve's recommendation, it was from Lonely Planet.  

While looking down at the white town, we build a small snowman at the ledge of the cliff.

More memorable moments outside the Fort.

[Image: IMG00086-20120219-1025.jpg]

A fantastic day in Bergamo.
Make sure you make it too.

Thanks for reading.
Gratitude.

[¯|_(ツ)_/¯]

Day 14
We are checking out of Bergamo and train to Milan.
We had been to Milan a few times and I preferred to sleep near the train station as it's easy to go to town (by Metro) and also to Airport (by Bus).

Most of our valuebuddies spending our time everyday looking for something special.

In Milan, there is something special too.
Only by chance and by luck that you had a chance of your lifetime to visit
... Da Vinci's the last supper.

Along with Mona Lisa, this would be Da Vinci's most recognisable art works.

It's a mixture of art and spirituality.

It was painted between 1494 and 1498. Da Vinci experiment using oil and tempera paint on top of a dry foundation achieved a brilliant lustre, but it soon began flaking and showing signs of damp.

Hence, there is a control to see the wall painting, limited to 12 person take turns every 15 minutes.


Hope that you're one of the lucky one. 





Home sweet home.

Thank you for reading.
Gratitude!

[¯|_(ツ)_/¯]

Good morning valuebuddies.
In a self-driving itinerary (link), we had drove about 2,000km from Munich, Berlin, U-turn back thru the Alps and now in Milan.

I hope you had enjoy a good driving experience with your Audi. It's has a modern and innovative features which makes the journey a nice one.   

I had an incident in McDonald in Galleria Vittorio Emanuele - next to the Milan Duomo. 



Ok, this one is not McDonald.
This is the signboard for Metro (MRT/Subway). 

McDonald was inside the Galleria many years ago. However, it's store location had been taken over by 2nd Prada.


I was there before the takeover and that place was packed with tourist.
As I sitting casually, sipping my coffee, I couldn't help to notice a syndicate in operation.

At the entrance, there is a lady sitting at a corner with small round table.  I couldn't help but noticed that Asian/Chinese looking people, randomly approaching her, chit chat a little bit and then they walked away.  

I focus my attention and beginning to trace a pattern.
These people came to her after visiting those branded fashion stores.  Well, well, well....  I let your imagination run wild. Can you see what happen?

However, in my current visit (self drive tour), McDonald is shifted out of the Galleria into another building.

There, I had taken my food and was looking for a empty seat.
As usual, McDonald is always crowded.
When I settled down, I noticed 2 young man was sitting diagonally.
What heightened my alert, is both take turn to glance at my table.

I don't know what to do as I am pretty sure they are sizing up their target (me law who else?).

Then, there was a commotion, a small parade was squeezing thru the tables inside McDonald.  

My chance came and I deliberately showoff my iphone and pointing the camera at their directions.

They took a good glanced at me and I noticed that they left shortly.

I remained heighten alert for the next few hours and well, nothing bad happened - luckily.   



Gratitude!

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Day 11 Driving from Milan to Venice 

It's a 300km drive from Milan to Venice. Remember to stop after 1 or 2 hrs drive and take a toilet break or just eat something.

The weather is nice and everywhere is so lovely in Italy.

There is a huge multi-storey carpark at the head of the "fish".
at the "V"



After you parked your car, make sure you grab your luggage as we are going to check in to Hilton which is at the belly of the "fish" - the hotel is on another island.  

We will took a monorail from the carpark to Venezia. Then depends on your mood, we could drag our luggage across Venice to the Green Dot (at the fish belly) or we could took a ferry.  

If you asked me, I will drag and see all the shops in those twist and turn cobbled streets. 

Once at the green dot, took a hotel free shuttle to Hilton.
While waiting for the shuttle (ferry), look towards the west.

Amazing sunset, isn't it?


Lovely, isn't it?




Gratitude!

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Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Good morning everyone.
What a wonderful day beginning in Venice.



Looking back at my iphone, the date was 1st Dec 2016.
I wake up early and couldn't wait to go for my breakfast.

It's really early.

After asking for the direction to the breakfast room, I walked passed a well lit room with computers - desktop computers.

I was thinking to start my morning with a quick visit to vb.com that I decided to use the hotel lobby computer to register a new account.

When I click on register, there was a error message says restriction on registration.

I chat with admin and was told that it's intentional.

I post on 8:18 and gotten a reply on 8:27.

Unknowing to me, this could be one of the spike that encourage me to write more in vb.com.

Our vb logo is "investment is most prudent when it's most business-like".
For me, it's "investment is serious fun."
https://www.valuebuddies.com/thread-3961...#pid159600

Especially true in current C19 situation. Fun is very important part of sustainability.

I recalled that the sub-forum was created by previous admin and I truely appreciate his effort.

Enjoy while we still could.  



Executive Lounge


Fond memory of dinning experience


Gratitude.
Fond memories - made possible by vb.com

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Day 13 Driving from Venice to Salzburg - 450KM or about 5 hours drive.

Feel like visiting a factory outlet?

Although Europe's factory outlet is not as value-for-money as USA, it's still worth consider visit one of these factory outlet for a experience, right?

If you're game enough, then there is one which is on the route from Venice to Salzburg:
Palmanova village






https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_R...iulia.html

It's about one hour drive from Venice and you could plan to go either exiting or entering Venice, too.

Gratitude!

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Good morning Valuebuddies.
Hope that everyone had a good week and looking forward to a better one next week.

After brought some branded goods, let's continue our journey to Salzburg, Austria. 

Chill and relax, everyone.

Gratitude.