Eurotrip :: Greece . Part I

Leaving Rome was bitter sweet.  We didn't spend nearly enough time in Italy and we didn't even get to venture out to all the places I wanted to see, especially Florence and Tuscany.  There were still so much to see and so many gelatos to be had.  But then came our time for the next country so we bid a bitter farewell, or Ciao, to Rome and looked forward to our stay in Greece... where I was just a day away from seeing my brother, sis-in-law and our beloved, Trysten. 

The city of Athens was a lot different than what I had pictured in my head.  I envisioned it to be exactly like Santorini... everywhere.  But I quickly snapped out of those images as soon as we were dropped off at Omonoia Square, which we later found out was an area known for drug dealers and prostitutes during the evening hours. Downtown Athens had the same feel as any major urban city I've been to.  But the difference was that I was in Greece!

Dena and I arrived a day earlier than my family so we decided to lie low and save our energy for the next few days of sightseeing.  So for now, here are some photos from our first day.

Downtown Athens was littered with graffiti but below are some of the more artistic ones we came across.

We were able to catch the ceremonial changing of the guards in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Parliament building.  I find it so interesting how these tall, massive men (in tights, nonetheless) march in impeccably coordinated movements and in such a stylized manner.  From the way they lifted their legs (and it seemed like they wiggled their foot whenever it was raised) to the swoosh of their clogs and their forceful strike on the ground with each foot.  At the end of the ceremony, the new guards then stood in place underneath their post, which looked entirely to small for them. Catch the rest of the photo sequence in the album...

... and more over here.

friday find :: BOOJI Sneakers

Taking a quick break from sorting through my European photo collection to share a fashion-related find.

For one of my Business college courses, one of our projects were to come up with a product and build a whole marketing and product launch behind it.  I came up with an idea, drew design specs and targeted it towards the female demographic.  Needless to say, I got an A on the project but unfortunately, I never took it to the next level and sadly enough, I don't remember why. 10 years forward, I come across this article and basically see my idea come to life.

The only difference with my shoe was the ankle pouch was a little slimmer and had an additional side pocket stitched in the inner part with a zipper. There was another product I had included in that project.  Maybe it's time I take that packet out of storage and see if there's any potential to that...

BOOJI Sneakers available online @ colette.

:via Freshness :

People Watching : Rome

Aside from the abundance of sightseeing and attractions Rome had to offer, I also indulged in a little bit of people watching.  Well alright, a little might be an understatement.  I almost actually felt stalkerish but I couldn't help but admire European men and women; their fashion sense and their seemingly effortless way to look so chic and stylish.  The women had a certain panache - a "je ne sais quoi" - that exudes such an aura of confidence.  It's their attitude and the way in which they carry themselves that capitalizes so much on femininity and elegance.  I also admired the men simply for the fact that they looked so put together, no matter what sense of style they had.  Whether it be casual street wear with a jean and jacket or a classic pin-striped suit and a slim tie.  Now I could just be looking at it through different (American) eyes but whatever the case may be, it was definitely something I appreciated and admired.

The sets of photos below were taken at Piazza della Minerva, just outside of the Pantheon, where Dena and I had lunch and grabbed perfects seats for people watching.

 Her natural beauty captivated me... so much so that I took about 20 pictures of her.  

Yes, I admit; I had lady-crush on her.

This Italian woman stood there and posed for me the whole time just so I can take pictures of her.  

Loved her scarf, jacket and just overall demeanor.

I want her top, scarf and purse.

She was rockin' John Varvatos Chucks so well with that skirt and coat.

Notice the woman's coat in the middle... this print was everywhere in Europe.  

From Rome, to Greece, to Paris and Germany.

The red belt and the scarf.  All about the details.

This man was adorable.  From the way he walked to his ensemble.

I want to go to there...

Adidas and Chucks were a staple for men's footwear.

No picture's complete without the V.  They're everywhere!

This cute little boy was trying to catch my attention by playing his harmonica.  And every time I looked at him, he would hide between his father's legs.  We kept going back and forth as I tried to steal candid shots of him.  What a little flirt...

Another father-son session.  Click on the photo to enlarge.  

I'm all about the man-purse.

Along Via dei Condotti

One common theme that Dena and I noticed in all 4 countries we visited:  The men in uniform were all strikingly handsome, as if it was a prerequisite in their application.  Now it could just be our fascination for men in uniform but seriously, no matter the age or country, they all looked so suave and sharp.

More to come....

Eurotrip :: Rome . Part IV: Vatican City

It's kind of funny how my image of Rome consists of scenes from movies like Gladiator and Da Vinci Code.  As soon as I stepped foot inside St. Peter's Square, flashbacks of Angels & Demons immediately came to mind.  And all throughout our tour of the Vatican City, we would spout out reference points from the movie and would try to locate and identify them. 

We saved our tour of the Vatican City on Wednesday, our last day in Rome, which is when the Pope usually holds mass at St. Peter's Square.  We were told it was quite an interesting experience to be a part of the papal audience.  Unfortunately for us, the Pope was supposedly sick and wasn't able to make an appearance.  That explains why the square wasn't filled with a mass amount of people when we arrived.

I was completely overwhelmed with everything that we saw here: larger than life statues, iconic frescos, symbolic images, impressive architecture, detailed embellishments; the Roman Catholic's legacy in all its glory.  I stood before Michelangelo's infamous paintings in the Sistine Chapel, The Last Judgment and the iconic image of the Creation of Adam on the ceiling.  The massive proportions of his paintings as well as his work in St. Peter's Basilica were indescribable.  And never have I seen as grand a church as St. Peter's Basilica.  The enormity of the interior's size is incomprehensibly huge that you feel somewhat insignificant standing even next to a Holy Water basin. I could spend days in here and still not fully absorb the significance and historical associations of each statue, painting and scripture.  Really, there are no words that can describe this unforgettable experience and the photos I took can't do it justice either.  I'll end this post on that note and share with you what I tried to capture in pictures.

: Panoramic view of St. Peter's Square :  

 : Arnaldo Pomodoro's Sphere Within a Sphere :

 

 

 

 

 

 

: Belvedere Torso :

 

: Ceiling inside the Gallery of Maps :

 

: Michelangelo's Last Judgment inside the Sistine Chapel, seconds before I got yelled at by a guard. "NO FOTOS!" :

 

: The altar with Bernini's baldacchino :

 

 

 ... and a hundred some more over here...