Beautiful Italy

I am currently away from home, on my 3-week holidays to London, Paris and Edinburgh. Please do enjoy reading my old posts on Italy if you haven't come across them.

Here are the links:

• CK Goes to Italy – Rome (Roma)
• CK Goes to Italy – Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Florence (Firenze)
• CK Goes to Italy – Fiesole
• CK Goes to Italy – Pisa
• CK Goes to Italy – Siena
• CK Goes to Italy – Milan (Milano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Verona
• CK Goes to Italy – Genoa (Genova)
• CK Goes to Italy – Cremona
• CK Goes to Italy – Como (Lago di Como)
• CK Goes to Italy – Venice (Venezia)
• CK Goes to Italy – Naples (Napoli)
• CK Goes to Italy – Pompeii (Pompei)
• CK Goes to Italy – Sorrento
• CK Goes to Italy – Capri
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana)
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi
• The Return of CK from Italy

Angels & Demons 1/2

Watching the 'Angels & Demons' movie yesterday brought back many memories of my time in Rome and Vatican City.

The movie is very true to the original work of Dan Brown and most of the symbols and signs used are real relics found around the churches in Rome and Vatican City.

Pantheon was the first place that Robert Langdon had mistakenly identified, and I also helped him found the Raphael's tomb there.

It was such a pity that it's supposed to be the church designed by Raphael that was to be found, not where Raphael's tomb is today.

So, I quickly rushed to Piazza del Popolo to look for Chiesa di Santa Maria del Popolo with Robert Langdon. This was where the Altar of Science for the basic element of "Earth" is located. It was already too late as on of the kidnapped Cardinals had been murdered and dumped inside the Demon's hole.

The next clue was given by the pointing finger of the angel of this sculpture by Bernini at Cappella Chigi.

That is exactly in the direction of Basilica di San Pietro!

However, it was already too late that another Cardinal was murdered again due to his lung being punctured and died due to another basic element of science, "Air".

I was too tired following Robert Langdon around at this point of time and I left him alone to solve the rest of the mystery. If you want to follow through, go watch the movie!

摄影の旅程

离开家去“流浪”了许多次，印象最深刻的一次还要算是意大利之旅。那时，左脚膝盖的旧伤在我启程的三天前忽然间复发，但是我却没有因此而放弃，带了在中国买的草药油和套上膝盖护垫，忍着痛也咬紧牙根背上沉重的背包上路。幸好，启程的那一天，也只是隐隐作痛。

还记得在攀爬上梵蒂冈圣彼得大教堂的圆顶的时候，我也是忍着痛一步一步慢慢的走上梯阶的。

有时候，意志力往往可以盖过身体上的痛楚，去完成自己的心愿。当我在圆顶上往下望向圣彼得广场时，手握着相机，完全忘记了膝盖上的痛楚！但是从圆顶上下来的时候，痛的感觉又回来了。回到旅店，擦了药油，隔天就没什么大碍了。

到了佛罗伦萨，登上那大教堂圆顶的三百六十三级楼梯，也没难倒我！膝盖上的那伤痛，我还是忍得住的。

看到了那一望无际的赤色屋瓦，那一点伤痛完全是值得的。当我的手上再次握着相机，痛楚又不翼而飞了！

登上教堂圆顶那两次的痛楚还不算什么。当我到达比萨的时候，我简直是一拖一拐的从火车站走去比萨广场的！

到了那里，我在怎能甘心不登上比萨斜塔呢？所以又忍着痛楚，扶着围墙，踩着那上百级的阶梯，慢慢地走上去。虽然错过了参观其他楼层的时间，但总算也给我登上了顶楼！

为了拍好照片，我时常都会非常的忘我，忘确自己身上的痛楚。这也是我喜欢摄影的其中一个原因。至少对我来说，拍到了这些照片，一切都是值得的！

除了攝影，我對很多事情都抱著這一份执着。但是，这样的执着，属好属坏，我自己也没有答案!

CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi

After about an hour of swivelling around on the bus ride from Sorrento to Amalfi along the Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana), my final destination of this joy ride was finally visible from the narrow ribbon of asphalt.

The lovely coastal town under constant sea breeze was getting nearer by the minutes.

The very first thing I did after alighting from the bus was walking to the very end of the jetty.

And, of course, not forgetting a self-portrait. :-D Was that 'ang moh' lady at my back picking her nose?

There's a church up the hill with this interesting bell tower of colourful facade.

The view of the waterfront is just breathtaking!

And the shore protection rocks formed a very interesting subject for photography too.

There are a lot of seagulls here. I saw three of a kind perching and posing for me on the shore rocks.

Oh uh! A seagull shouted at me, "Hey, you paparazzi there, don't take my photo! Back off!" Another one just couldn't be bothered.

However, there were more and more of them wanting their portraits taken by me, as I'm wearing the sign "Bird Portrait Photographer."

As I walked towards the beach, the sun was getting stronger to lure all these bikini gals to show off their curves on the sand.

Some of the buildings here are painted with colourful patterns and scenes on the walls.

As I walked to the other side of the beach, I could see some hunks, and children having their great day with the sun, sand, wind and water.

I explored Amalfi town further along the cliff, admiring all the beautifully decorated buildings.

And I was rewarded with this scene at just a turn around the cliff.

If you would like to read my other posts on Italy, these are the links:

• CK Goes to Italy – Rome (Roma)
• CK Goes to Italy – Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Florence (Firenze)
• CK Goes to Italy – Fiesole
• CK Goes to Italy – Pisa
• CK Goes to Italy – Siena
• CK Goes to Italy – Milan (Milano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Verona
• CK Goes to Italy – Genoa (Genova)
• CK Goes to Italy – Cremona
• CK Goes to Italy – Como (Lago di Como)
• CK Goes to Italy – Venice (Venezia)
• CK Goes to Italy – Naples (Napoli)
• CK Goes to Italy – Pompeii (Pompei)
• CK Goes to Italy – Sorrento
• CK Goes to Italy – Capri
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana)
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi
• The Return of CK from Italy

CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana)

The Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana) consists of a 50-km coastline stretching from Sorrento to Salerno via Positano and Amalfi. I always have a passion for the mountains and the seas, not to mention this coastline with steep cliffs dropping down to the deep blue sea! How could I miss it, right? So, I boarded the Circumvesuviana from Naples to Sorrento again on 9^th of June, 2006. Upon arrival at Sorrento, I headed straight to the SITA bus station to take the bus for a joy ride along the narrow ribbon of asphalts winding along the cliffs.

The first stop of the express bus I took was Positano. I didn't have the chance to take decent photos for the ride from Sorrento to Positano, because I was on the side of the bus facing the cliffs instead of the sea! When the bus arrived at Positano with most of the passengers alighted from the bus, I quickly grabbed a seat by the side of the bus facing the sea, and this is the first decent shot I could take showing the buildings built on cliffs at Positano.

From then on, I could happily click my shutter away for more decent shots along this long and winding, ribbon-like asphalt covered motorway. The construction of this motorway is an engineering feat by itself, as spectacular as the view of the steep cliffs dropping down into the deep blue Mediterranean Sea.

The view of the mountain ranges soaring up from the deep blue water is just so astonishing!

As the bus swivelled through the bends, I could see a wider view of the mountain ranges.

There were small surprises along the way, with a view of a small church overlooking the sea.

And there are some interesting rock formations along the way too.

I wish that I owned this peninsula and I could build a castle, so that I could play with the blue water at the tip of the peninsula everyday.

Peeping through a valley in between the steep cliffs is a common scene here, but where else on earth could we find a breathtaking coastline like this?

I wonder how many man-hours were spent on blasting the rocks to build the road clinging on the cliffs.

These are the people enjoying life to the extreme! They live by the cliff and swim in pools dug out of the cliff!

Eventually, there are many people who know how to make use of their lives to the fullest. They can have the view everyday but it was the once-in-a-lifetime thingy for me.

Well, there is an end to whatever beautiful things on earth, so lets enjoy it while it lasts! :)

If you would like to read my other posts on Italy, these are the links:

• CK Goes to Italy – Rome (Roma)
• CK Goes to Italy – Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Florence (Firenze)
• CK Goes to Italy – Fiesole
• CK Goes to Italy – Pisa
• CK Goes to Italy – Siena
• CK Goes to Italy – Milan (Milano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Verona
• CK Goes to Italy – Genoa (Genova)
• CK Goes to Italy – Cremona
• CK Goes to Italy – Como (Lago di Como)
• CK Goes to Italy – Venice (Venezia)
• CK Goes to Italy – Naples (Napoli)
• CK Goes to Italy – Pompeii (Pompei)
• CK Goes to Italy – Sorrento
• CK Goes to Italy – Capri
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana)
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi
• The Return of CK from Italy

CK Goes to Italy – Capri

I took the Caremar ferry from Marina Piccola of Sorrento to go to Capri. When this resort island off the coast of Naples and Sorrento has become nearer and nearer, my adrenalin level has risen as well.

The first thing I did upon arrival was jumping onto another motorboat to visit one of the sea caves.

This is where I entered one of the most prominent sea caves, Grotto Azzurra (Blue Grotto). From the motorboat, I had to be transferred to another small rowing boat to get inside the sea cave, as the opening is too small for the motorboat. It was really a challenge to me transferring myself between boats on the sea. We had to be seated low in the rowing boat with our legs wide open to accommodate the other people in front of one and another, which was really awkward, especially when a lady was in front of me!

This is what Grotto Azzurra is famous for, the turquoise blue water from the reflection of sunlight.

After that, I headed back to the Marina Grande at Capri town to explore the main island.

I sat down at a café and ordered an iced cappuccino to quench my thirst before I took the Funicolare (funicular train) up the hill.

The funicular train came to a stop at one corner of Piazza Umberto I in the centre of Capri.

And it was already late in the afternoon. I gotta catch up with time to explore this fantastically beautiful island.

So, I quickly took a glance at the Chiesa di Santo Stefano at one corner of Piazza Umberto I.

Then I zoomed in closer to look at the details of the interesting dome of the church.

After that, I wandered through the narrow lanes heading south to Giardini di Augusto (Gardens of Augustus).

Along the way was this astonishing Certosa di San Giacomo.

I couldn't take my eyes off Certosa di San Giacomo, so I tried to shoot this monastery at a different angle.

This long and winding path would have brought me from Giardini di Augusto to the southern coastline of Capri below.

The view of the southern coastline from Giardini di Augusto is really fantastic!

And there are these rock stacks called Isole Faraglioni along the southern coast, as viewed from Giardini di Augusto.

I took a detailed look at Isole Faraglioni again.

And then I walked back to Piazza Umberto I, took the funicular train downhill and boarded the last scheduled boat leaving Capri for Naples, the SNAV Jet.

If you would like to read my other posts on Italy, these are the links:

• CK Goes to Italy – Rome (Roma)
• CK Goes to Italy – Vatican City (Citta del Vaticano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Florence (Firenze)
• CK Goes to Italy – Fiesole
• CK Goes to Italy – Pisa
• CK Goes to Italy – Siena
• CK Goes to Italy – Milan (Milano)
• CK Goes to Italy – Verona
• CK Goes to Italy – Genoa (Genova)
• CK Goes to Italy – Cremona
• CK Goes to Italy – Como (Lago di Como)
• CK Goes to Italy – Venice (Venezia)
• CK Goes to Italy – Naples (Napoli)
• CK Goes to Italy – Pompeii (Pompei)
• CK Goes to Italy – Sorrento
• CK Goes to Italy – Capri
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi Coast (Costiera Amalfitana)
• CK Goes to Italy – Amalfi
• The Return of CK from Italy