{ 366 } 30.04.2012 . balloon world

{ 366 } 29.04.2012 . press until shiok

{ 366 } 28.04.2012 . no fat birds allowed

{ 366 } 27.04.2012 . T.G.I.F.

{ 366 } 26.04.2012 . kidney mee suah @ seng kee

{ 366 } 25.04.2012 . hello manic

{ 366 } 24.04.2012 . love is a four letter word

this is what's playing on my phone

and i'll be going for his 'tour is a four letter word' tour!

{ 366 } 23.04.2012 . reed diffuser

View of Florence from Piazza Michaelangelo

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy } 

Piazzale Michaelangelo located on a hill just off the city centre of Florence has a lot of steps to conquer from reaching the top, and when we reached there, we realised it was just a big round parking lot. However, walking to the edge of the piazzale, the majestic panoramic view of Florence laid out before us.

Built in 1869 and dedicated to the famous Renaissance sculptor and painter Michaelangelo, a replica of a large bronze David (who has now turned green) stood in the middle of square.

  

As of all the squares in Italy, I love to people watch! From the locals to the tourists, and the artists and buskers, the piazza was a great place to relax, have some gelato and enjoy the amazing view of that beautiful and wonderful city called Florence.

  

::: Footnotes :::

{ Piazzale Michaelangelo } The square can be reached on foot, by car or by bus. However, be forewarned - walking up the hill means climbing up (and down) lots of stairs! 

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 22.04.2012 . water lily

water lily pond outside the artscience museum, marina bay sands, singapore.

was there to catch the titanic and andy warhol exhibitions.

{ 366 } 21.04.2012 . happy buddha

happy buddha spotted in joo chiat, singapore

Shopping in Florentine Markets

{ May 2011 - Florence, Italy } 

I love markets, and Florence has so many of them that you will be spoilt for choice! From the famous leather goods, to olive oils and cheeses, you can easily spent lots of time (and money) in the Florentine markets! I only managed to go to three of them during our trip, and I found them to be very different.

Mercado Centrale 

An amazing indoor food market, Mercado Centrale on via dell'Ariento, would be a market that I would love to have near my home. We managed to buy cheese, olive oils and even Porcini mushrooms.

  

Mercato Nuovo

Also known as Loggia del Porcellino (Porcellino means piglet), the market sells leather goods, hand embroidery and souvenirs. The most memorable part was the not-so-little piglet in the front of the loggia. Called the Fontana del Porcellino (fountain of the piglet), the bronze wild boar's nose was rubbed by visitors to bring fortune. Not sure about the fortune, but the piglet's nose was definitely shiny.

  

San Lorenzo Market

Another must-go market is the San Lorenzo Market around the Basilica di San Lorenzo. Did not manage to capture a nice photo because we were too busy shopping and bargaining to buy leather goods. Oops!

So, have fun shopping in Florence!

{ Click here for other travel tales from Italy and a list of my travelogues }

{ 366 } 20.04.2012 . hatote

{ 366 } 19.04.2012 . painting from bali

{ 366 } 18.04.2012 . bicycle

{ 366 } 17.04.2012 . bright yellow flowers

{ 366 } 16.04.2012 . dragon fruit

{ 366 } 15.04.2012 . penang char koay teow

dropped by penang road cafe to satisfy my cravings 

for penang hokkien mee and char koay teow

{ 366 } 14.04.2012 . homemade tagliatelle carbonara

homemade tagliatelle carbonara 

made from ingredients from paris

Europe 2012 by numbers

16 days

3 countries

France, Belgium, Netherlands

12 cities

Paris, Versailles, Rouen, Mont St. Michel, Chartres, Giverny, Brussels, Brugge, Ghent, Amsterdam, Zaanse Schans, Keukenhoff 

6 museums

Rodin Paris, Van Gogh Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum, Musee de l'Orangerie, Musee d'Orsay, Lourve

8 churches

Notre Dame Paris, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame Rouen, Mont St Michel, Chartres, Holy Blood Brugge, St Nicholas Ghent, St Bavo Ghent

1 cemetery

Pere Lachaise 

1 car driven

Paris - Rouen - Mont St Michel - Chartres - Paris

5000+ photos taken 

{ 366 } 13.04.2012 . chinese calligraphy

chinese calligraphy in the singapore's chinatown mrt station

{ 366 } 12.04.2012 . bread vending machine

the first time that i have seen a vending machine for bread!

{ 366 } 11.04.2012 . jigsaw puzzle

jigsaw puzzles from the van gogh museum in amsterdam. 

with all the shades of yellow, brown and green, it is going to take awhile.

{ 366 } 10.04.2012 . mini eiffel towers

{ 366 } 09.04.2012 . good morning singapore

{ 366 } 08.04.2012 . petit dejeuner

petit dejeuner = breakfast

breakfast in paris usually comprises of coffee with croissant and buns with jams

{ 366 } 07.04.2012 . mona lisa

the experience of having so many people around me looking at leonardo da vinci's masterpeice mona lisa was amusing and entertaining - the rest of the museum was relatively quiet compared to that room. which begs the question - do all the people that queue around the pyramid at the lourve just walks straight to the mona lisa and leave? 

{ 366 } 06.04.2012 . jardin de monet

{ 366 } 05.04.2012 . musée d'orsay

definitely one of my favourite art museum, and best of all, 

the building housing the brilliant art pieces is a masterpiece itself.

{ 366 } 04.04.2012 . tulips

{ 366 } 03.04.2012 . windmills

{ 366 } 02.04.2012 . amsterdam