The Travelling Mushroom: Italy

Piazza dei Miracoli

When we went to Italy to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, we found that Pisa tower is standing in a broad garden with the two other buildings . Actually, we went there in purpose to visit the Leaning Tower however I also took some picture of its surroundings including these building. Yesterday, I turned on my laptop and try to find out what building that I captured at that moment.

I found that this place that I capture called as Piazza dei Miracoli or also known as Piazza del Duomo. Piazza del Duomo means Cathedral square as indeed this place is a place where is dominated by four great sacred edifices: the Pisa Cathedral, the Pisa Baptistry, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, and the Camposanto Monumentale (Monumental Cemetery) is standing until today. The Piazza dei Miracoli is recognized as an important center of European medieval art and one of the finest architectural complexes in the world. Unfortunately, I don't know that fact at that moment and didn't come to see what's inside. So as you can see in the photo below, the enormous building is the Pisa Cathedral and The round Romanesque building is known as the Pisa Baptistry.

Piazza dei Miracoli, Pisa, Italy

Leaning Tower of Pisa

This Tower has become one of the Italy's travel icons. This tower is very famous therefore every people in this world gonna directly recognize this leaning tower. But, there are some information that the people don't know.

Maybe you only recognize this leaning building. But actually this building is only a bell tower which is divided into seven floors located near the third oldest building in Pisa's cathedral square which known as Piazza del Duomo. But what makes it famous is its unintended. It unintended tilt to one side and it is very rare to find. Normally, a sloping building gonna collapse easily. But different thing happen to this building. It was built in 1319 and still standing still until today. Its tilt condition was caused by an inadequate foundation on ground too soft on one side to properly support the structure's weight.

So, would this building gonna be fall in several years ? hundred years? or even thousand years ? We didn't know what gonna happen. Or maybe it won't be collapse ? We totally can't predict it as it has stand for a long time and didn't experiencing any serious problems.
Therefore, I recommend you to visit this leaning tower because this tower is very famous around the world. It's kind of an achievement if you had visited this tower. Secondly, If we look at this tower structure, no one knows when this structure gonna be vanish as I had told you before.

Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa, Italy

Leaning Tower at Night, Pisa, Italy

Bridge of Sighs

This article is still related with Casanova.
As you can see the Bridge of Sighs is a normal bridge. But it has a deep, interesting history behind it.
It is located in Venice, right where Casanova lived and was built in 1602. It passes over the Rio di Palazzo and connects the New Prison to the interrogation rooms in the Doge's Palace. And some people believe that Casanova had ever passed this bridge and was jailed in the New Prison.

The bridge of sighs was named by Lord Byron in the 19th century. Its named as the bridge of sighs because the prisoners whoever come to this prison would sigh at their final view of beautiful Venice through the window before being taken down to their cells.

If you had a chance to go to Venice as a couple, there is a local legends that says that lovers will be granted eternal love and bliss if they kiss on gondola at sunset under the bridge of sighs.

Bridge of Sighs, Venice, Italy

Rating :

Good

This is a must-seen view if you come to Venice. You should see when the gondolas move under this bridge. Because the gondola is Venice's icon and this bridge is very famous around the world especially for the local people in Venice.

Inner Part of Duomo di Milano

One of my reader asked me to write about the interior of the Duomo di Milano. Actually, I was planning to did it before he asked me to. But to make him curious, I delayed this post for several months. Hahaha
So, this is it, the interior part of the Duomo di Milano, Italy. As I had told you before, that we couldn't take picture inside this cathedral. However, when I was coming in, I saw many tourists were taking photos inside this building. As I was not the only man who eager to take this cathedral picture, I encouraged myself to take some pictures with the risk of being reprimanded by the cathedral staff or even worse, the bunch of armies that guard this building.

When I came in this building, my first word is "wow". This building is awesome. Maybe for you guys who live around Europe, this building isn't special as I told you. But for me, a person who come from Asian. This building is very hard to find. Even if I could find one, it is not as wonderful as I saw at that time. So, what I saw inside?

This Cathedral isn't as busy as the one in Vatican. But this cathedral still exist in my top ten busiest church that I had ever visit before. As I rarely visit church when I travelling. Hahaha. Yet, seriously this church is quite busy and crowded even though it isn't Sunday. Many people come to the left side of this Church, turn on a candle and pray. I don't know what does it means as I am a Christian and and not a Catholic. And at the center of the building there are rows of chairs that I guess a place where people come and pray. I also prayed to Jesus at that time inside that cathedral. I told HIM that I am grateful to be blessed and got a chance to visit Europe that I had never imagine before. And it feels awesome. Then, moving to the right part of this building there is several rooms made of wood. My friend told me that it is a place where you could confess sins that you had done.

Duomo di Milano, Milan, Italy

For those who want to visit this Cathedral and want to take some pictures inside. I suggest you to respect the others who are worshiping. Do not using flash as it will disturb them. I know that the picture gonna be quite dark as you couldn't use your flash. But I had tried to edit it and it looks like picture above.

Rating :

Good

If you love photography as the same as me. This place gonna be a good spot to take some photos. But if you are going to take some photos please read my post first before you took some. Happy travelling !

Story of Casanova

In our West European trip, we visited to many cities that famous for its romanticism. Paris,Rome is several examples of them. But we almost forgot something.

Moving from Rome with a speed boat, our boat pulled to a crowded city. I found that this city is surrounded by water and shaded by the sun. When I got down from the boat, I wore my sunglasses as the sun shined so strong that day. As soon as I could see clearly I saw a lady that wore a mask offered the people to take a photo with her. It is very usual in Europe that there are some people who try to earn some money by wearing some costumes that related to that area and offer the people to take a photo with themselves and asking for some tips after the people took some photos with them.

The Casanova Lady, Venice, Italy

But I remembered something! Yea, it is Casanova ! This is Venice!

The mighty guy who are good at seducing. He has became a legend in this city.
So, who was Casanova ?
I believe He was a man who have a high intelligence. Why I said it so ? Because he had entered the university by his age was twelve! What a man. hahahaha
Unfortunately he can't use his intelligence wisely so that he was entangled by many legal issues. Some reasons that caused him jailed was because of his debts and he was accused for his many sexual and romantic exploits in 18th-century Europe because of his romanticism stories with several girls. As a result, he had got through the bridge of sighs and got thrown into the jail several times but he also fled away for several times. But at the end of his life he was seized by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1797 and died on that year. He was 73 years old when he died on that year.

The Colloseum

Colloseum is an amphitheater in the city center of Rome, Italy. Colloseum has been considered as the greatest works of Roman engineering and architecture which is the largest in the world and has become one of the UNESCO World Heritage site. Unfortunately it recently damaged by a major earthquake.

We all know that the colloseum was used by the gladiator to fight. But there's also other activies which was held in the colloseum such as mock sea battles, animal hunts, executions, re-enactments of famous battles, and dramas based on Classical mythology. As the main purpose why this amphitheater was built because the government wanted to entertain their citizens. They hope to be chosen for the next election because they have give happiness to their citizens. But I really don't have any idea why they gave their own citizens with this kind of entertainment which is contain violence.

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy

Nowadays even the television program is divide into several maturity levels. There are some programs which is aren't inappropriate for children which is under 17 years old. And there are also some programs which need parental guide. And it's considered as very very important thing by many person whether the goverment even the citizens. But why in the past the goverment didn't think about it. There is a big question mark in my head. How were the youngsters mental condition because as we know they were grown up in a condition which full of violences within their surroundings.

Duomo di Milano

Milan Cathedral is one of several place we visited on our trip to Milan, Italia. In Italian language they call it Duomo di Milano. In ancient times it was built in a very long time. It takes nearly six centuries to complete this building.But this building has been named as the fifth biggest cathedral in the world which is the biggest cathedral in Italy.

Duomo di Milano

If you're planning to go to this cathedral you mustn't wear shorts, tank tops, and of course everything that looks inappropriate in the church . There are several soldiers that will watch the visitors outfit and belongings. Because base on the cathedral rules you aren't allowed to wear cap, don't eat and drink inside the cathedral, don't be to noisy, etc. When I went to this church I am too busy taking some photos in the church so that I forgot to bring my cap with me. I just remembered about my cap after I went out of the church. I can't took it back because we didn't have time anymore to take a line just for taking my cap. So I leave it and continue my trip. So sad. So here is some tips when you visit the church. Do not too eager to take picture, pay attention to your belongings. I hope what happened to me won't happen to you.

To look the inside part of this Cathedral, click here