German Food

One of my connecting flights was through Munich, Germany. Germany in its native language is called Deutschland. A couple typical and iconic foods that are eaten in Germany are sausages and pretzels. The mean came with two different sauces, mustard and another kind with which I was unfamiliar.

Murano Glass

Murano is the name of an island in Venice. This island specialize in the production of different glass products. There are many different glass products like sculptures, necklaces, bracelets, paper weights, and even chandeliers. There are many different techniques used to create the different colors and shapes of the glass. The artisans of Murano have been honing their skills for centuries.

Transportation in Venice

The city of Venice is built on a lagoon and is made up of 118 islands. The islands are divided by canals and connected by bridges. The layout of the city can be quite confusing at times and there are only certain places where you can cross the canals. The Grand Canal is the main water way in the city and here the city's three main types of transportation can be utilized. There are water buses, water taxis, and gondolas. The water buses, like normal buses, have a route and certain stops. The water taxis are smaller motor boats that will take you exactly where you want to go. And the gondolas are probably the most expensive means of transportation, however they offer a charming are relaxing ride around the canals.

some gondolas on a minor canal

the Grand Canal and a water bus

a close up of two gondolas and their operators in their iconic striped shirt and hat

another smaller canal

the Grand Canal again with all multiple means of transport visible

Milan

Milan is Italy's second most populated city and has some of the tallest skyscrapers in the country. The city is very historic and has the second largest cathedral in the country. Also in Milan is the church where Da Vinci's The Last Supper was painted. Unfortunately I was unable to see it. The church was not open today and even if it was I would have had to book a reservation at least a week in advance. Due to the type of paint Da Vinci used, the mural has not lasted very well so the authorities limit the amount of people that can be in the room at once. Perhaps even more notably in Milan though is the fashion. The city is one of the world's best fashion cities and this is the leading part of the city's economy. It was a shopper's paradise, all of the world's top clothing brands had stores there.

the cathedral in Milan

the floor in the cathedral

a series of stain glass windows depicting various Biblical scenes

a window display at one of the many clothing stores (apologies for the glare)

a Prada store, one of the world's most famous brands

the church that houses The Last Supper

Cinque Terra

The Cinque Terra is Italy's smallest national park, but it has some of the best scenery in the country. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and for very good reasons. There a five (cinque is five in Italian) little villages right on the coast (terra means land in Italian) built basically on the mountainside. The names of the towns are Riomaggiore, Manarola, Corniglia, Vernazza, and Monteresso. There are great hiking trails connecting the towns or you can take a boat or train. The place is extremely scenic and is a popular vacation spot. Every town has a small beach where you can take a swim in the Mediterranean Sea.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa

The Leaning Tower of Pisa leans because part of the soil on which it is built is softer than the other side. Because of this, the Tower has gradually started to slant more and more. Many renovations have been done in order to preserve the Tower. For a while no one was allowed to climb it. Now people are, however the rule is no more than fifteen people per half hour. The tower is a freestanding bell tower for the nearby cathedral. It is from the top of this tower that Galileo performed his most famous experiment in which he dropped two objects of different weights and found that they hit the ground at the exact same time. This demonstrated that gravity accelerates everything at the exact same rate. g=9.8m/s2.

Figs

I got to try a new kind of fruit the other day. I had fresh figs. Home in the States, I have only ever had figs in the form of Fig Newtons. Figs for the most part only grow in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern climates. They are an odd looking fruit and they are very messy to eat.