Transport in Venice

The city of Venice is built on a lagoon and is made up of 118 islands. The Grand Canal is the main water way in the city. There three main types of transportation on Venice, water buses, water taxis, and gondolas. The water buses have a route. The water taxis are smaller motor boats. And the gondolas are rowed by someone.

gondolas

the Grand Canal and a water bus

more gondolas

a smaller canal

the Grand Canal again

Milan

Milan is Italy's second most populated city. The city has the second largest cathedral in the country. Also in Milan is the church where Da Vinci's The Last Supper was painted. Due to the type of paint Da Vinci used, the mural has not lasted very well through the centuries.  Milan is also famous for fashion. The city is one of the world's top fashion cities. The city was a shopper's paradise.

the cathedral in Milan

the floor in the cathedral

a stain glass window in the cathedral 

a window display at a clothing store (sorry for the glare)

a Prada store

the church that houses The Last Supper

Cinque Terra

The Cinque Terra is Italy's smallest national park. Cinque is five in Italian and terra means land. "The Five Lands." There are five little villages right on the coast. Great hiking trails connecting the towns. It is a popular vacation spot. Every town has a nice beach.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa slants because of the type of soil it was built on. Many renovations have been done so the tower doesn't fall. The tower is a bell tower for the nearby church. Galileo performed an experiment where he dropped two objects of different weights and found that they fell at the exact same speed.

Figs

I got to try a new kind of fruit the other day. I had fresh figs. Home in the States, I have only ever had figs in the form of Fig Newtons. Figs for the most part only grow in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern climates. They are an odd looking fruit and they are very messy to eat.

Italian Scientists

There is a church in Florence called Santa Croce. Within the church are memorials for Italian scientists. Galileo, Fermi, and Marconi are buried here. Galileo is known for his work involving telescopes. Fermi worked with nuclear physics. Marconi invented the radio.

the front of Santa Croce

Galileo's tomb

a plaque dedicated to Fermi

Marconi's plaque

Ponte Vecchio

This bridge is called Ponte Vecchio. It crosses the Arno River in Florence, Italy. It was built during Medieval times and is famous because it still has shops along the side of it.  This is how most bridges were during the middle ages. When walking along it, it felt like just another street.

School in Rome

Today I visited a school in Rome. It is an international school. Only about 1/3 of the students are native Italians, the rest are from all over the world. In Rome there is a United Nations office. People who work there send their children to this school. There are also sons and daughters of people who work at embassies. The countries that the different students are from are represented by flags that are hanging in the center of the building.

a class I visited

the flags representing the student body

Largo di Torre Argentina

The Largo di Torre Argentina is made of the ruins of four temples and a place called Pompey's Theatre. Pompey the Great was a member for the first Triumvirate, along with Julius Caesar and Marcus Crassus. This place is significant because it is believed that Caesar was stabbed and killed in one of these rooms.

you can see the ancient ruins right next to the modern buildings in the background

 

The Vatican

Vatican City is the world's smallest independent state. The Vatican is home to the Pope, the head of the world's Catholics.  Inside the Vatican are St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the Vatican Museums. These places have some of the world's most famous paintings and sculptures.

the world's largest church

the dome of St. Peter's 

Michaelangelo's Pieta

A Swiss guard

paintings on the ceiling of St. Peter's. The most impressive are in the Sistine Chapel, this website has a virtual tour of the chapel, http://www.vatican.va/various/cappelle/sistina_vr/index.html

Gelato

Gelato is a very popular dessert in Italy. There are places to buy it on every corner. It is similar to ice cream, but the way it is made is slightly different. There are also some different flavors that I have never seen in the United States.

Roman Forum

The Roman Forum is the very center of Rome. This area is full of ancient ruins from the Roman Empire. Many important government buildings and temples can be seen here. The Forum is located near the Palatine and Capitoline hills.

different types of bricks that were used

this was a temple

some sort of government building

Artena

Artena is a small town located 45 minutes from Rome. This village is on top of a large hill. Many homes are right along the edge of the cliff. Cars are not allowed there because there is not any room for them. Most of the streets are very narrow and have steps. Sometimes when people have to use a donkey to carry larger goods.

World War Cemeteries

Since a lot of fighting in the World Wars occurred in France, there are many cemeteries in the country. Yesterday I visited the Suresnes American Cemetery and Memorial. I went here because my great great uncle was buried there. He fought during WWI. Walking around here gave me a good idea of how many people died in these conflicts.

Outdoor Cafes

A very popular food in France are crepes. These are like really thin pancakes. The ones I got had Nutella in them. Also, coffee is very popular here. Outdoor seating areas are very popular as well.

nutella crepes and a cappuccino

omelette with fries and a salad

Sacré-Cœur

Sacré-Cœur is Roman Catholic church finished in 1919. It is on top of a hill named Montmarte. The area around Montmarte was home to many great artists like, Van Gogh and Picasso. The hill itself is where people go to picnic. But look out for pickpockets!

Arc de Triomphe

The Arc de Triomphe is another one of Paris' famous landmarks. It was completed in 1836. The monument honors the men that died in the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars. It is about  164 feet tall.

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower is one of the world's most famous buildings. The structure itself was designed by the architect Gustav Eiffel. The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 and at the time it was the world's tallest building. The Eiffel Tower was the tallest until 1930 when it was surpassed by the Chrysler Building in New York City. 

Trip #2

I leave for my second trip in exactly one week. This time I will be going to France and Italy. Some famous cities I will visit are Paris, Rome, Florence, Pisa, Venice, and Milan.

France's Flag

Italy's Flag