Ciao~ Discovery of Rome, Italy - Episode 1

15th July 2011
Arrived Ciampino Airport at 4pm by flying with Ryanair which made us headache with their flight services though I know it is a budget flights. I rather pay more next time if possible!!! We took a bus to the center of Rome followed by Metro to search for our hotel... We drag our exhausted body to search for the way to the Hotel St. Paul and finally we get to take our rest earlier for charging our energy to prepare for the next day trip! GO Rome~

16th July 2011
The breakfast in Hotel St. Paul was totally worth a penny especially those cold cuts Parma Ham which are my love!!! Then we get up to the signature of Rome, the Colosseum also known as "Coliseum" which is the biggest and most imposing in the Roman world, and also the greatest works of Rome's Architecture. You couldn't miss out this amazing UNESCO world heritage even if it has to cost you 12euro per person.. You will be attracted by this absolute impressive thing!! I'm serious~

Beside the Colosseum, you may also see The Arch of Constantine which this triumphal arch was erected to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312. There is also a hill that call Palatine or "Palatino" situated just beside the Colosseum and the Arch. Even if you think there has nothing to see inside the Palatino but just some destroyed stones, I still recommend you walk around to experience it...It may not that impressive as the Colosseum does, but it is still part of the Roman's history... You should feel the heritage of Rome there~ 

The Rome's view from the hill of Palatino.

When the day is still bright with clear blue sky, visiting the Trevi Fountain will be a good choice but it will be even better if there isn't too crowded with too many tourists.. It's summer holiday tho! However, the fountain is a true wonder, a jewel of water and stone that is nestled between the palaces of the historic centre of the city. With the exception of those annoying crowd, this fantastic work of arts made you felt like it is the scene of heaven with the ever-mutating and incredible power of falling water that could ever took your breath away! While enjoying this breath-taking art work, don't forget to make a wish by throwing a coin into the water... It is said that if you throw a coin over your shoulder into the water, you will be sure to return to Rome. However I prefer the Roman's art work can make my dream come true instead of the returning~ XD

I've still made a wish for myself even if it's believed to have a return to Rome...

We also grabbed the Italian's ice cream which I can truly say the italian's ice cream is always the best ice cream ever with natural fruit favour! Eating the best ice cream in the world while walking around the Rome's streets will be a great experience... I'm sure you won't be regret even if the ice cream cost you a litter more!! After a few walks, we step into the Palazzo del Quirinale where is the home of the President of Italy and that's why you will see some soldiers marching inside and standing quietly at every single entrance...yea~ that's cool indeed! Besides, the most eyes catching thing in this place will be the Dioscuri Fountain that features 5.5-meter-tall (18ft) sculptures of Castor and Pollux as horse tamers and another 14-meter-tall (46ft) central obelisk once held a place of honor at the entrance to the mausoleum of Augustus.. 

As you can see, I'm still enjoying my ice cream under the Dioscuri Fountain.

If you have some free time, you should walk nearby the Trevi Fontana to see the building of Rome with a lot of interesting work of art like Medusa on the entrance door, the figures of the four fountains that represent the River Tiber and etc. Due to the day of summer is longer than night in Europe, we had no enough energy to wait until the dark night to see the night view of Trevi Fountain. It should be very nice with the light on. Since a whole day walking was really tiring, we supposed to have enough rest for the next day~ 

stay tuned for my next post of the Rome discovery......

You only live once for this graduation day!

13th July 2011 --
It was a day when I would meet my beloved family and boyfie after a year! I went to pick him up at London Heathrow Airport while my parents and aunt were enjoying their tour in the London center. I was waiting for him for at least an hour after his arrival time, it was totally making me so anxious when I couldn't even get through him at all! What a terrible waiting moment, just like I was waiting him without any plans endlessly until I received an unknown number called from him to request my hostel's address.

Finally, my waiting worth for a warmest hug! Then, his first conversation to me was:" dear, my checked-in luggage is still in Malaysia!" OMG~ what?! That's why I said, it was a terrible waiting moment!!
No matter how, the only way was to wait for the airport services to send his luggage to my hostel on the next day. Fine, it was truly a terrible arrival and my family keep rushing me to meet them up at China Town!

We quickly took the underground and met my family for dinner there.
Phew~ Everything went smoothly after all. At night,we had our free walking tour nearby our hotel, to discover the romantic view of the London Eye and Big Ben...

______________________________________________________________________________
14th July 2011--

My congregation ceremony will be started at 1pm but I had to get everything done at 11am...
Despite all those rushing for preparation, the ceremony didn't take too much time yet indeed, it was too boring to wait one by one to receive our certificate.. That giving out session was really long-waited~

Finally, it's my turn!

The ceremony finished at 3pm and we were served with some refreshments after that. Of course, everyone were excitedly taking some photos of this exquisite moment with friends and family!

Despite of this, how could you not taking a photo like below when you are graduated?! wink~*

This unforgettable moment would pass without knowing it, and it's time to walk around the city of Newcastle Upon Tyne to explore what I had been experiencing for this past year. Surprisingly, we have got the chance to see the Millenium Bridge which also referred to "Blinking eye bridge" tilted so that it could allow the small ships and boats to pass through underneath it... I'd never seen this scene before although I've been living here for almost a year! Thanks to my family that bring this luck to me! great one~

"This day, it might sound like an ordinary graduation like anyone did, but this would be a day that prove for myself, I have one step closer to touch my dream~"