[7/1 -- 7/4 Barcelona]
[7/5 -- 7/6 Norwegian EPIC]
[7/7 Naples/Pompeii, 7/8 Rome] [7/9
Pisa/Florence, 7/10 Cannes/Monaco, 7/11 Palma]
July 9 Pisa / Florence ...
- Pisa
The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italian: Torre pendente di Pisa) or
simply the Tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa) is one of the most remarkable
architectural structures from medieval Europe. The Leaning Tower of
Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the
Italian city of Pisa, known worldwide for its unintended tilt. It is
situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's
Cathedral Square after the Cathedral and the Baptistery.
The construction
of the Tower of Pisa began on August 9, 1173. Originally designed to be a
bell tower, the tower actually stood upright for over 5 years, but just
after the completion of the third floor (1178) it began to lean due to a
mere three-metre foundation, set in weak, unstable subsoil, a design that
was flawed from the beginning. In 1272 construction resumed. In an
effort to compensate for the tilt, the engineers built upper floors with one
side taller than the other. Construction was halted again in 1284
because of the Battle of Meloria. In 1319 the 7th floor was finished.
The bell-chamber was added in 1372, and then the tower was left alone until
the 19th century. On January 7, 1990, after over two decades of
stabilization studies, the tower was closed to the public. After a
decade of corrective reconstruction and stabilization efforts, the tower was
reopened to the public on December 15, 2001, and was declared stable for at
least another 300 years.
- Florence
On any Western Mediterranean itinerary, Florence is an
absolute highlight -- the gem of the early Italian Renaissance. In the 15th
century, when great artists like Giotto, Ghiberti, Brunelleschi and
Michelangelo worked there, they created magnificent examples of painting and
sculpture that today still fill Florentine churches, civic buildings, grand
palazzi and world-class museums.
The Ponte Vecchio is the oldest bridge in Florence. It is
believed that a bridge already existed here during the Roman times. Its current
appearance dates back to 1345 when it was built to replace a bridge which was
destroyed by a flood. Houses were built on the bridge, a common practice in
large European cities during the Middle Ages. The Ponte Vecchio was the only
bridge in Florence that survived the Second World War unscathed.
The Duomo di Firenze, the cathedral of Florence, was
built between 1296 and 1436. The cathedral is one of the largest in the
world. Its imposing dome, attributed to the Florentine architect Filippo
Brunelleschi, still dominates the city. I originally planned to climb
the dome, but Linus suggested we climbed the clock tower instead because of
a long queue for the dome. It turned out to be a good choice that we
could have a better view of the Duomo (and less steps to climb).
The Basilica di Santa Croce (Church of the Holy Cross)
was built in the late thirteenth century in the Florentine Gothic style.
Our tour guide highly recommended us to spend some time at the Santa Croce
because it is known as the 'Pantheon of Florence' as it contains the tombs of
many illustrious Italians. Among these tombs, we recognized these famous
Italians: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Galileo Galilei, Gioacchino Rossini, Enrico
Fermi, etc.
- Happy Birthday ...
We ordered a special birthday package that the
crew decorated our cabin when we were on shore. It was a nice surprise
for Woanyu when we got back to our room.
July 10 Cannes / Monaco / Monte Carlo ...
- Monaco
Monaco, officially the Principality of Monaco, is a
sovereign city-state and microstate, located on the French Riviera in
Western Europe. Monaco has an area of 2.02 km^2 and a population of
36371 (in 2001); it is the second smallest (only larger than Vatican City)
and the most densely populated country in the world. Monaco boasts
the world's highest GDP nominal per capita at US$153,177 (in 2010). One of
Monaco's main sources of income is tourism. Each year many foreigners are
attracted to its casino (where citizens are denied entry) and pleasant
climate. It has also become a major banking center, holding over €100
billion worth of funds.
We went to the legendary Monte Carlo casino after
lunch. It opens at 2PM with €10 entrance fee and minimum age 18. Since
we did not want to pay the entrance and also Iris was not old enough yet, we
found a nearby McDonald's to enjoy its free wifi and cool air conditioning.
- Cannes
We took a short walk to the beach after we were back to
Cannes from Monaco. We were too tired to play around so we headed back to
the port after just taking a few pictures.
July 11 Palma ...
- Palma
Palma, in full Palma de Mallorca, is the capital and largest
city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain.
According to legend, when Jaime I of Aragon was caught in a storm on his
way to conquer Mallorca in 1229, he vowed that he would build a great
church if God led him to safety. On New Year's Day 1230, the foundation
stone was symbolically laid on the site of the city's main mosque. Work
continued for 400 years - and had to resume in 1851 when an earthquake
destroyed the west front. More touches were added in 1900's by the Catalan
architect, Antoni Gaudi.
After visiting the cathedral, we had some free time to
explore around Palma old town. Iris was drawn to a horse carriage and we
decided to spend €50 for a half hour ride in the narrow streets of old Palma.
July 12 Going Home ...
 |
We were back to Barcelona in the early morning. Linus
and Iris had to take a different flight back because they had their
tickets booked through the ECYS tour. And though they were scheduled to
leave earlier for the first leg of the flight to London, Woanyu and I
arrived back in San Francisco earlier than them. Thus, we were reunited
half a day later at the airport, concluding yet another international
trip, and quite possibly the last one for some time, since Linus will be
off to college soon. [note: the previous sentence was written by
Linus...] |
[7/1 -- 7/4 Barcelona]
[7/5 -- 7/6 Norwegian EPIC]
[7/7 Naples/Pompeii, 7/8 Rome]
[7/9
Pisa/Florence, 7/10 Cannes/Monaco, 7/11 Palma]
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