Well, it may have mean 3 months since my return from the trip, but I am still excited to share details about it. After all, I don't think both Chris & I could ever have another luxury of time to spend 1 month away for vocation! :)

I will just start posting some pictures & highlights of the trip as & when I am free!As a start, pictures in Italy, covering Rome-Florence-Pisa-Venice-Milan.

Favourite spot:
a) Vatican City - Simply Impressive

b) Florence
- Nice food (I had the best ever carbonara in a nice restaurant opposite my hotel)
- easy accessibility, safe to roam around even at night- lots of things to explore
- Warm host at hotel :)

Dislike spot: Milan
- marvellous Duomo & fantastic shopping choices, but the people is really quite "cold", & the city seems very unsafe at night, with very expensive & limited choices of eatery places

Scary Experience:
- run into a group of female pickpockets in a quiet street at Pisa after visiting Leaning Tower.

Point to note:
avoid shortcuts, choose to walk along the main road, usually the longer, but busier & much safer shopping district route to all place of interests/destinations

Not to be missed in Italy:
- Gelato, we had it once everyday in Italy throughout the 10 days!
- Pasta! Pasta! Pasta!
- Cheap & good wine- Shopping for designer goods! Need I say more? This is the birth land of famous designer brands, latest trend, wider range & lower price than Singapore
- Furla is 50% cheaper than in Singapore, the rest around 20-30% (before tax rebate)
- Factory outlets :) Gucci & Prada is impressively good bargain here (ave 50% less than retail for past seasons' collection)
- Watching at model-looking hunks & babes along the shopping streets
- architecture building & interior, both galleries & boutiques
- art & music
- some lazy time to just stroll, sit & watch :)

Though I had received feedback from friends that Italy is not very safe at night & people are not friendly towards Asian, our general encounter was good. We had met quite a lot of very warm & helpful locals along our way (in fact we met more here than in any other countries of our remaining Europe trip), except 1 arrogant sales woman in a watch boutique, whom I think she is by nature mean to anyone :P

Conclusion:
A country with rich cultural history & great architectural constructions, but not as friendly as advertised. Should visit once during lifetime, but we will consider returning only because we are nearby again & really missed the shopping & pasta & gelato!

Lastly, Happy New Year 2008!

My Europe Holidays in Oct 2007 - Part 1

Since young, I had always look forward to visiting Europe for a romantic trip with my loved one... and after few years of waiting & months of planning earlier this year, Chris & myself had finally completed the trip last month! I had made notes on the process of my data searching as well as on old style pen & paper diary during the trip, & will start to recap & share these details bit by bit in my following updates. Meantime, I am still going through my photos & touching up where necessary to upload some onto the blog.

Do keep a lookout soon!

Ciao!