Summer trip Day 9, in Rome

Day 9, Sep-5-2010

St. Pietro Cathedral. It was the most beautiful church I'd ever seen. We were lucky enough to get in Sunday morning service they had, but unlucky enough they closed the museum on Sunday. So we missed the world famous painting on ceiling. My daughters were excited to know the fact Vatican is not in Italy, it is another country. They can add one more country they have ever visited.



Fountain of Trevi. We threw coins from our back hoping we can visit Rome again someday. Cross the fingers!!

Summer trip Day 8, in Rome

Day 8, Sep-04-2010

Colosseum. A big ruin. We had to face human cruelty at there. Sadly I'm sure I'd be one of them who got wildly excited by the show if I were there back then....

Then we strolled around Faro Romano which used to be a big city in 2000 years ago. It was amazing to know that back then they had most of all life we have now, such as court or marketing system.

After that, we went to Bocca della Verita, the Mouth of Truth. Of course we put our hands in the mouth. Since there was a long line, my husband was not able to fool around to pretend his hand got bitten by the mouth as he planned to surprise our kids like Gregory Peck.

Summer trip Day 7, in Rome

Day 7, Sep-3-2010

We visited St. Angel Castle. A lot of angel statues had been waiting for us.


Spanish stairs. Audry ate gelato on there in Roma Holiday. Of course we also ate gelato at the shop, my favorite was pistachio, my daughters' were strawberry and Nutella.

Summer trip Day 6, Florence to Rome

Day 6, Sep-2-2010



Finally we had a chance to see Florence.



We walked around the city, visited beautiful Duomo, rubbed the famous bronze hog's nose that is said you can come back Florence if you'd do that, joined the crowd on Ponte Vecchio bridge, climbed all the way to Piazzale Michelangelo and saw fake statue of David in there.


I know we missed to see the real David and many master pieces at Uffizi museum, but we were happy to see the rest of Firenze. I'm hoping rubbing the hog's nose legend would work someday.


We arrived Rome after sunset.

Summer trip Day 5, Venice

Day 5, Sep-1-2010

The gondolier skillfully handled the oar to make our way through the canal which was spanned like a maze in Venice.

We encountered main stream once and enjoyed to see other gondolas, on the boat markets and sea breeze but then he got our gondola into a chink of ancient stone buildings. When we looked up, washed clothes were swinging on our head.

Venice was really one of a kind place. I'd never seen the place like this before. All the time we were strolling the city, I felt like I was in the special setting of a theater play. I could picture a masked mysterious clown sneaked out from a masquerade every corner of stone paved path.

Summer trip Day 4, Pisa

Day 4, Aug-31-2010

We went to Pisa.

It took an hour by train, and also took 50 euro from us. We didn't know we had to activate our Eurail Pass by writing down the day on tiny little space they showed otherwise they require 50 euro as penalty. We paid "tourist tax" and learned the lesson "never fail to read the rules".

The leaning tower was leaning. My husband and kids climbed up on marble dangerously slanting stairs of the tower. Since I wore flip-flops, I didn't even try it.

We took a tons of silly pictures like many tourists. As you imagine, we posed as if we were supporting the tower. That was fun!

Summer trip Day 3, Interlaken to Florence

Day 3, Aug-30-2010

Even though we didn't want to leave from beautiful Switzerland, we headed to Italy as we planned.

We took the route from Interlaken via Spiez via Milano to Florence. It took almost 5 hours. We had lunch on the train and played cards.

It was so interesting to see the scenery changed as we went to south.

The lakes were cool frosty blue in Swiss, but in Italy they looked more cobalt or navy. The depth of green was getting faded and it was more like yellowish in Italy, and I found that matches the building orangy tone. I could see dust everywhere it seemed the blazing sun light dried moist from air.

When we got off the train at Milano, it was totally different country, smell of cigarette, the bustle of big city, high-heeled fashionable girls, and families like gypsies.

We arrived Florence around 6pm. Hungry. As soon as we dropped our backpacks and duffel bags at the hotel, we were off to get pasta and pizza!! Yummy!!

Summer trip Day 2, Jungfraujoch

Day 2, Aug-29-2010

This is not a post card. I took this picture of very tip of Jungfraujoch, 13642 ft, Top of Europe. That was abusolutely breath taking.

I didn't know the Swiss railroad was that accessible to the mountain. We climbed (or I should say went?) this mountain with our tennis shoes and Converse and light fleece.

I couldn't help thinking all the toil they made for digging the tunnel in this frozen rocky mountain 100 years ago. I guarantee you can be amazed by nature beauty and human power at the same time here.

On the way back to Interlaken, we had hiking at Grindelwald. That was a pretty village. We overlooked glacier of Eiger from there.

Summer trip Day 1, JFK to Zurich

Day 1, Aug-28-2010

We arrived at Zurich around noon, then activated Eurail Pass and headed to Interlaken.

Unfortunately it was cloudy and drizzly, but the scenery seen from a train window was the view I'd expected in Swiss. A mountain range, green grass, cows' grazing, brown cute wooden houses which decorated pretty flowers...

After checked in Mattenhof Resort, we strolled around Interlaken and for supper we had Cheese Fondu.

It's time.

I've finally decided it's time. We are getting a dog. What kind? Where? Boy or girl? There are many decisions we have to make. My kids have been feeling they won the lottery, and believe or not , I'm so excited the fact. Yes, we ARE getting a DOG!!

the first day of school

Today was the 4th of the first day of school for my daughters in US. Was it only 3 years ago when they went school in first time here? I saw them fighting back their tears at that time. They barely knew ABC back then.

Language brought a life to them. The more they are able to speak English, their worlds are expanded more.

I'm so grateful and can't thank more their public school which has many international students and great ESL program. And of course, great friends and teachers around us.