The Great Singapore Sale
The Great Singapore Sale is officially on! And I can't wait to take out my sneaks and go hunting for the best bargains.Yesterday, I finally bought what I'd been salivating for, for 1.5 years now, my new iPOD!!! I got the 30gig photo pod with colored screen at 15% off, which is the best thing if you ask me. Yey yey, I'm so excited I've been playing around with it the whole morning, which is saying a lot since I usually sleep till noon on Sundays.Hm. I noticed today that my bank account has stayed at relatively the same balance for about 5 months now. I think that's a sign I'm spending too much...
Thud thud thud
The sound you just heard was me hitting reality after a free fall. I know there's never a good time to take a vacation, but this is bordering on the ridiculous.I went straight from the Charles de Gaulle airport to a week of work in Manila - maybe the most tiring stretch I've ever done, with the 42degree heat and certain pests (!) compounding the situation. I would be in the office till 10 or 11 in the evening for meeting after meeting, then joining my boss and other friends for drinks till 4am. So I guess I am partly to blame. :-)But still, this is my blog so I want to whine. I must have had only 20 hours of sleep over the 5 weekday period... and I'm not even jet-lagged!Now I'm back in Singapore and haven't had much sleep again prepping for the biggest presentation I'll make this year. That just got done so you'd think I'd finally have some rest... but I leave for Beijing tomorrow.Argh. I need another vacation.P.S. I finally uploaded the pictures from my trip. Just scroll down.
Brussels Day 11 & 12
I realized after being to so many, that I like small cities where the center is easy to get to and everything is walk-able. Brussels, like Florence, falls into that description. I didn't even have a map but it was hard to get lost when every couple of blocks, you wound up on the same street.
This is an old picture of Stephane (obviously the guy in the picture) taken when he was in Manila for work and I, Melissa (far right) and Raina (far left) took him out.
He returned the favor and took me around Brussels (Day 10) and Bruges (Day 11) and, considering he's not Belgian but French, was surprisingly very knowledgeable about everything! Or he had a theory about what he didn't know. Or he was completely making it up and I couldn't tell. :) But it was so much fun - I'd missed having a real, smart, funny conversation, plus I got to ride in his new Audi (I was getting a literal pain in the ass after all those scooters).I think I saw all the major sights of Brussels in about 3 hours, excluding a side trip to the office (ugh). I still don't get the attraction of the cheeky peeing boy (Mannekin-Pis) though he's cute and really funny to look at, especially in his black-and-white pool player get-up complete with cue stick, that made him look a bit like Efren Bata.The next day, we drove to Bruges - it was a nice 40-minute ride passing by real cows (vs. the fake cardboard cut-outs we have here in Singapore!). The cows weren't the real attraction obviously; the small city hasn't changed much since the Middle Ages (at least that's what I was told :). Bruges is called the "Venice of the North" because of the canal of water running through it. They have 2 nice churches, 1 with Michelangelo's 'Madonna and Child' statue and the other purportedly with the actual blood of Christ (!).For a country that has 400 different types of beer, I only pitifully tried 1, ok maybe 2. I had a bit of Leffe but it was horrible. Cherry beer tastes well, like cherry juice, except I couldn't stand straight after 1 bottle.Every night I slept like the dead because Stephane would order wine with dinner (which was always amazing). Last night's wine was something I couldn't pronounce, much less spell, but it tasted like lychees and I chugged it down till I was really really happy... so happy that I almost missed the train back to Paris where I caught the flight to Singapore.I can't believe I'm back.
Rome Day 10
I probably shouldn't say this and sound like an ingrate, but I'm looking forward to leaving Rome. I know, I know... who wants to leave Rome?It's not the city's fault I don't think. Rome was and is, as usual, totally disarming. It wasn't too hot today so you could walk around without fear of contracting the Roman sunburn (red in spots not covered by your t-shirt). And for some reason, not many tourists today so you could, for example, re-explore the Roman Forum without hordes of people.The last time I was here, the Galleria Borghese was still under restoration (it took them 20 years!) and not open to the public. I'm glad they've finally opened. The mandatory advance reservation system is annoying, the queue for the audio guide (ok but better with the museum tour) was long and, the map pointing out the train stop was misleading (it should be Spagna). I had to walk across the whooooole complex, which took me 30 minutes at a brisk walk. Argh argh.It's definitely worth seeing though, as much for the museum itself as for its collection. It may be 1 of the smallest in the world (you're done in 1.5 hours) but it houses 4 Bernini masterpieces (already worth the price of entry) and a host of Carravagio's (fast becoming my favorite), Titian's and even a Raphael.The Musei Capitolini at the Piazza del Campidoglio designed by Michelangelo, is also worth going to. It's at the very end of the 'Sacred Way' so you can easily make your way up after seeing the Colosseum and Forum. Audio guides aren't worth it since there are English signs everywhere.I only truly wandered the right building, Palazzo dei Conservatori, which has works by Guercini, Veronese, Titian, di Cortono and you guessed it, Caravaggio. The left, Palazzo di Nuovo, was downright boring except maybe for the Dying Gladiator.Right now, I'm sitting on a 2000 year old rock of Ancient Rome and thinking that after 10 days of traveling alone, I'm glad it's almost over. It's been a hugely wonderful experience (which I recommend everyone to do at least 1x in their life), but I'm going craaaaazy.
Pretty soon, I think i'll start talking to myself. I've already started talking to strangers - just about anyone who can speak English or even FIlipino. I do it while waiting in line, at bus stops, with my room mates and even in museums. I actually like it when I'm asked for directions, just to hear the sound of my voice. I haven't had a decent conversation in weeks... and my brain is ready to vomit everything I've seen and experienced to anyone willing to listen.I'm also craving for human contact - not the push-you-in-the-Metro or come-on-baby-give-me-a-hug type, but real honest-to-goodness touching. I miss being hugged or held, an arm around my shoulder or even a simple handshake. I miss being with people I know - who like me for me and not for whatever else they think I am.So even if the next stop is ultra-small, don't-remember-anything-worthwhile-visiting-there Brussels :), I'm still excited to go because I'll finally hang out with a familiar face.But for tonight, I have Rome for company at dinner 1 last time. At 8pm, the sun is still lazily taking its time going down, giving Rome a faint orange glow. I can hear the accordion in the distance as I sit outside the Taverna Capranica at the piazza of the same name, gorging on tonnarelli with clams and beef fillet, watching the people go by. Since this is an enotica, it specializes in wine so I'm having that too, though not all at the same time.I must remember to save room for dessert at the best Gelateria in town, Giolotti. I hope I won't wake up with pimples again tomorrow.
Ancient Rome Day 9
Have finally updated my blog to cover the last 3 days I missed. I've also made some creative licensing on the dates. :)Ancient Rome was completely overshadowed today by my wallet getting stolen. Of course I'm disappointed and annoyed - I lost €25 for no good reason, a couple of pictures and my license. But it could have been worse. Good thing I had the sense to put my other money and credit cards in my bag's inner pocket (Mama's trick).I have to admire the thief - he manouvered his way through and over the heavy coat placed on top of my bag. And once inside, under the guidebook, bottled water, digital camera, hair brush and various other knick-knacks to get my wallet (which even I have a hard time finding sometimes).I didn't even notice, since it all happened in the space of 10 or 15 minutes as I walked from the Museo Nazionale to the Termini Metro just across the street. This station is notorious so I was even more alert... So I can't help but have a sense of grudging admiration - that really was some incredible pickpocketing.I guess now I have the full Roman experience - major sights, Buccatini pasta and theft.Rome is still lovely, and much more so, Ancient Rome. It's nice to see it during the day and at a leisurely pace for a change - the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Pantheon, Trevi, Campidoglio and of course, Bernini's Fountain of 4 Rivers opposite Borromini's Church of St. Agnes at Piazza Navona. 
Some weird things I've noticed here:1) There are Koreans (?) / Mainlanders (?) selling grass crickets or your name written in Chinese. Why why why would anyone want that as a souvenir of ITALY???2) Italians seem to be pretty bad drivers and not just because I felt like I would die on a Vespa. To parallel park, they would always bump the car behind them. They go very veeeery slowly and wouldn't it just be ridiculous if it were on purpose? And yes, even the men do it.3) This is common to Europe. Everyone walks at hyper speed (and that's saying a lot since I live in Singapore). Every single time I ask for directions, I'm told 10 minutes by step and it always always always takes me double that.
Vatican Day 8
I am determined not to get tourist fatigue in Rome. There are too many things to see - my guidebook calls it a 'sightseeing decathlon,' and I've already accepted that it's impossible to finish everything in the 3.5 days I have here. I'll just have to throw coins into the Trevi Fountain to come back.So I've decided to do just 1 new thing a day - 1 new thing that I've forgotten I did or missed doing the last time I was here.Today was Vatican Day - 6 hours in the Musei Vaticani and San Pietro, and I still didn't get to see San Pietro's tomb. I did get to re-visit Raphaello's 'School of Athens' (forgotten), the Pinacoteca (if you take a guided tour, they skip this part usually - which is a shame if you like paintings. Raphael's masterpiece, 'The Transfiguration', is here), and of course the Sistine Chapel (neither forgotten nor missed but definitely worth seeing again).The last hour was 5pm mass at the Basilica. I didn't understand a single word of the Italian service but it was still porto porto bono (very very good). And I must have spent half an hour staring at the Pieta, still my favorite piece after everything I've seen.Am having dinner now at one of trattorias near Piazza Navona. Food in Italy is incredible - anything on the menu, sometimes even off the menu, is so good!! And this from a neutral pasta person.The thing about traveling alone is the lonely dinners... I get mistaken for a writer all the time because I just keep writing, so I don't look pitiful eating alone (to which the waiters always have to scream "Une!!").But other than single dinners and zero pictures, traveling alone does have its perks. Besides going where you want and eating when you want, you get to meet so many different people and immerse yourself in their lives for a brief moment.Like the kids I met yesterday whose lives seem to be an endless round of smoking, beer and trying to impress their friends (Thank God I'm out of that age).My favorite person so far is Chiara whom I met in Siena. She also has alopecia but of a more severe nature - no body hair at all including eyelashes and eyebrows. When I told her she was bella, she kissed me on both cheeks. We had an interesting conversation on Dante and Boccaccio (her major) while waiting for the bus. 
And there's Dennis (?) who "rescued" me from his vulgar, crass, crude, completely uneducated friends. I met Mario on the train to Rome. He is the 2nd editor of the Politics section of the biggest newspaper in Italy based in Milan. He taught me a couple of Italian words that while pretty important ('I have a boyfriend'), are too complicated to remember.Tomorrow I explore Ancient Rome, and wonder how I can possibly be standing beside / across / over / on something that's been around for 2000 years.
Rome Day 7
I just left Florence and already I miss it. It's so small that last night, I could point out directions to Mike, a new arrival from Tampa. He was surprised to learn that I'd only been in Florence for 3 days but I already know my way around so well (it's not that difficult with a map :).Being in Rome now, which is such a big city comparatively, is a little intimidating. Knowing the in's and out's of a city helps make me feel less lonely, less lost, in a sometimes maddening maze of crowds, sights and foreign languages. Having to learn a new city is giving me a huge bout of loneliness right about now.Especially since walking around in Florence this morning was a quiet experience - the holiday + Sunday meant even fewer cars in the centro historico and much much less tourists (all sights were closed). This is in direct contrast to the gaiety that was Florence after dark on a Saturday night.At night, musicians come out in full force at their own little spot - a violinist (playing the theme from 'The Godfather' no less) at Piazza della Repubblica, a cellist at via Ponte Rossi a few blocks away, and a guitarist for the younger set at Ponte Vecchio further down (that's where I was).
The party spills out to the street parallel to the Arno as the night wears on. But even in the midst of all the chaos, there's always a feeling of space, where the music and the singing seem to fade as you stare out into the river, beautifully lit by floodlights at night.
No such thing in Rome. Even taking the Metro, you'll hear sudden shouts for no apparent reason. There is always someone staring, saying 'Ciao Bella' or trying to hug you.Today, all roads led to San Giovanni for the biggest annual outdoor Labor Day concerto. The energy was incredible - there must have been a couple of thousand people, some of them there since the morning (it's a full day concert of the biggest Italian bands).
Perini, Heineken and even wine in plastic bottles flowed freely. People were in various states of undress. Whatever little tops the women had on were tied or folded under their breasts to show off their stomachs. The men were mostly bare-chested with their pants down to their ass, exposing designer intimo. I even got flashed by one of them!!That was still, if you can believe me, relatively tame. As it started to get dark, even more clothes started to come off, the dancing became more lewd and... I learned how to roll hash. I left soon after - a high Italian mob is not exactly my idea of a good time.I went to Via Marghutto, haven of artists and bohemians, and stumbled into a cafe that was in the middle of a poetry reading. After a shot of espresso (they only serve cappuccino till noon, after that it's espresso all the way), I was more than a little awake listening to the beautiful cadences and rhythm of the Italian language.The 2 poets, Antonello and Mario, had just each published their anthology of poems. Mario, who is primarily a painter, was also having an exhibition of his works at Piazza di Pietra and at a private gallery (which I got to see). Amazing for someone only a year older than me.He kindly offered to take me through Rome on his Vespa (where I truly feared for my life) and the 1st stop was the amazing view at Avelino. The rest of Rome was pretty much at high speed (view from a Vespa below) though we stopped for gelato at Trastevere and the Jewish Ghetto. 
Rome is the only place where a modern building can be found right beside a 2000 year old edifice. Amazing. Rome is truly bella bella bella.
Florence Day 6
Slight change of plans today. Tomorrow is a National Holiday in Italy, and I guess everywhere else in the world. So the museums will all be closed for the next 2 days.I was supposed to go to see the walled city of Lucca but I had to postpone it to tomorrow so I could see the Bargello (best sculptures), the Uffizi (best paintings), the Accademia (David) and the Duomo / Battistero and Campanile di Giotto, before I leave for Rome.Walking through the Bargello, aside from appreciating the different styles of the masters such as Donatello and Michelangelo, I couldn't help but notice that most of the nudes they sculpted are of the male body. And that the 1st piece that gets chipped off, damaged or that falls off is not the outstretched hand or the extended leg. It's always the penis.You could have a perfectly good sculpture in all respects, except for the empty scarred space between the legs. Not that I kept looking. I wonder if that's by chance, nature or the product of the prudish puritanical age that followed the Renaissance. Did people go around chopping off penises from statues? They've been known to do stranger things.I guess the fig leaves on some of the sculptures served a dual purpose of covering and protecting privates. Ok, enough about that.The Duomo, Battistero and Campanile are just right beside each other and was the next stop before the Uffizi. I won't bore you with stuff from guidebooks but Brunelleschi's dome is the highlight - the huge red structure was THE architectural engineering wonder of its age, and it's still astounding today. The commissioning of it signaled the start of the Renaissance - that's how good it is.
The inside of the actual Duomo or Sta Maria del Fiore is just ok - most of the important works are in the museum across the street, so good thing the Church entrance was free. The museum is worth going to for the original Ghiberti Battistero doors (the ones outside are just replicas) and Michelangelo's unfinished Pieta - one of his last works that was meant for his own tomb. It's unfinished because for some reason, he attacked it in a fit of rage with his own hammer and chisel, cutting off Christ's left leg and Mary's arm.I skipped climbing the cupola and the campanile - my legs still haven't recovered from yesterday and I feared a mutiny with still a week to go to my trip.Here's a tip for anyone coming to Florence - RESERVE tickets a few days in advance for the Uffizi. Since I don't have an itinerary, I didn't do that and the waiting time to get in can take up to 5 hours!! I met Dana and her husband at 2pm and they were in line since 10. Of course, her husband did most of the waiting while she went shopping. How I came to be at the front of the line is another story. But traveling alone and being shameless have more than a little something to do with it.The wait is worth it (though avoid it like the plague). The Uffizi has the single biggest collection of Renaissance art, amassed by the Medici family over a couple of centuries and 19 villas. It houses the only painting of Michelangelo that we know (not counting his frescoes in the Sistine Chapel), Botticelli's 2 masterpieces, works by Raphaello, Veronese, Titian, Tintoretto... There's even Rubens and Rembrandt and 16th century Caravaggio. The audio guide is worth paying for but much better to go with a local guide - they know all the juicy stuff.I wasn't planning on seeing David but I had time so I made my way to the Accademia. The lines here can get pretty long also so if they do, come back about an hour before closing. There's hardly anyone and besides, there's really only about 5 things worth seeing inside though the entrance fee is the most expensive!To make the entrance ticket pay for itself, I stared at David for an hour, willing him to come alive. I think my new friend, Tim, had the same idea. He's an exchange student from Milwaukee to Ireland. I felt like his mother / tour guide. It became a little exhausting so I left - plus my stomach was hankering for more of my new discovery... cornetto della nutella. The Pen's chocolate croissant has nothing against this one - croissant filled all over inside with nutella. Drool drool.I enjoyed mine at the Piazza della Republicca as musicians played the violin, and the sun was setting behind me, casting a warm glow all over the Arno. Sigh... 
