Magical Venice - Part 1

Last December 2014, I had the chance to travel to Italy and France with three of my classmates for a total of nine days. It was my first time to travel outside the UK and I was pumped up to see the sights, taste the delicious food, and experience the culture.

Our first stop was Venice from December 14 to December 16. We booked a Monarch flight that cost about GBP40 each. The flight took 2.5 hours from Manchester Airport to Marco Polo Venice International Airport.  Our accommodation, Ca' dei Fuseri, a B&B that was booked through Hostelworld.com, provided directions on how to get there.

We arrived in the evening and the first time I set my eyes on the heart of Venice, I was in love (cheesy as it may sound). Everything just felt so magical. I read a novel once that was set in Venice, and the way the author described the place made a mark on me. Nevertheless, reality truly trumps fantasy as I walked along its cobbled streets. But first, my friends and I needed to find our accommodation so that we could leave our luggage and explore the city to our heart's content.

Rialto Bridge

 

Australian Adventure (Day 4 of 21) - Christmas in Sydney

Can you spot what's different with our tree?

         Out of all the holidays in a year, my most favorite to celebrate is the Christmas season.  It's the time for parties, joyful reunions, gift-giving, and of course, celebrating the birth of Jesus.  As mentioned in one of my previous posts, as early as September, you can already hear Christmas carols being played over the radio and Christmas lanterns being sold along the streets in the Philippines.  We also have these dawn masses or more commonly known as "Misa de Gallo" or "Simbang Gabi" in Filipino. These masses are normally celebrated around 4-4:30 in the early morning, and start at the 16th of December and ends at the 24th.  Some say that if you complete the nine masses and make a wish, that wish would come true.  As for me, I still haven't been able to complete a "Simbang Gabi" as I have a tendency to sleep-in especially with the colder weather during December.  Filipino delicacies such as "puto-bungbong" and "bibingka" are also usually sold near the churches.  Christmas trees adorned with multi-colored Christmas lights could also be found not only in homes but also in office buildings, shopping malls, and city halls.  Calendars are also easily filled as Christmas parties and annual reunions are held once the month of December kicks in.  Fortunately for me, I was still able to attend the Christmas parties and reunions with officemates and friends before I had to leave for my trip to Australia.  However, one thing I did miss was celebrating "Noche Buena", which is a traditional Christmas feast held every Christmas Eve with one's family.