Writer’s List of Visited Countries
Writer’s List of Visited Countries:

(Click on the name of a country or city below and read about the writer’s tour in the country or city.)
Australia Travel:
Part I: Melbourne/Mornington Peninsula/Phillip Island),
China Travel:
i. Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde Travel:
Part II: Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde
ii. China Relatives & Ancestral Places(Fujian Province)
Part I: Parents’ China Relatives
Part II: Hanjiang, Meizhou Island
iii. Hong Kong Travel
iv. Macau Travel
v. Shanghai Travel
Part I: Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing
Part II: Nanjing Bridge, Shanghai City, Shanghai Expo, Hangzhou
vi. Shenzhou, Hezhou, Quilin, Zhaoqing Travel
Part II: Quilin, Yangshuo, Zhaoqing, Shenzhen
vii. Taiwan Travel
Part II: Checheng, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Sanyi, Yehliu, Jioufen
viii. Yunnan Travel
Part I: Kunming, Jiu Xiang, Shilin, Dali
ix. Zhangjiajie Travel:
Part I: Tianmen, Zhangjia jie, Wulingyuan, Tianzi, Yuangjiajie
Part II: Dragon King Cave, Shaoshan, Changsha, Macau
x. China Expedition 2013:
Egypt Travel
Part I :Salah el Din Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Tahrir Square and Egyptian Museum
Part II :Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Part III :Hot Air Balloons and Karnak Temple Complex
Part IV :Papyrus Paper-Making, Luxor Temple and Esna Lock
Part V :Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple and Galabia Party
Part VI :Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Part VII :Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
Part VIII:Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr), and St. Catherine
Part IX :Mount Sinai, Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Part XI :Cairo Food, Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex and Memphis
Part XII :Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
Europe Travel:
i. Eastern Europe Travel
Part VI: Prague(Czech Republic)
ii. Western Europe Travel
Part I: Germany, Switzerland, France
Part II: France, Belgium, Holland, England
Indonesia Travel:
i. Bali Travel
Italy Travel:
Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
Japan Travel:
Part I: Osaka, Kyoto, Hamamatsu
Part II: Owakudani Valley, Mt. Fuji, Tokyo
Myanmar Travel:
Part I: Yangon, Bagan, Mount Popa
New Zealand Travel:
Portugal Travel:
Singapore Heritage Trail Discovery:
Part I: Chinatown, Little India
Part II: Malay Heritage, Civic District
11. South Africa Travel:
Part I: Air Flight from KLIA to Cape Town, Cape Town Shantytowns
Part II: Table Mountain, Malay Quarter, Castle of Good Hope. A & V Waterfront
Part III: Hermanus, Cheetah Outreach, Stellenbosch, Jewel Africa
Part IV: Duiker Island of Seals, Cape Point, Boulders
Part V: Cape Town to Johannesburg, Pilanesberg National Park(Game Drives)
Part VI: Sun City, Union Buildings, Vootrekker Monument
Part VII: Kruger Museum, Church Square, Melrose Museum, Carnivore Restaurant
Final Part: Gold Reef City: Gold Mine Museum
South Korea Travel:
Part II: Sokcho, Everland, Dongdaemum, DMZ, Seoul
Spain Travel:
Thailand Travel:
i. Bangkok, Ayuthaya Travel:
ii. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle Travel:
Part I: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle
iii. Phuket Travel:
iv. Part I: Thailand (from China Expedition 2013)
Turkey Travel:
Trojan Horse/Ancient Troy Cities
Hierapolis/Pamukkale Travertine
Uchisar Valley/Kaymakli Underground City
Gerome Valley/Turkish Night Show
Hot Air Balloon/Lake Golu/Anitkabir
Hagia Sophia/Topkapi Palace/Blue Mosque
U.S.A & Canada Travel:
i. East Coast of U.S.A. & Canada
Part I: Philadeiphia, Washington D.C.
Part II: Niagara Falls, Toronto
Part III: Colborne, 1000 Islands, Ottawa
Part VII: Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
ii. West Coast of U.S.A.
Part II: San Francisco, Monterey Bay, Las Vegas
Part V: Premium Outlets(S. California)
Part VII: Hollywood Walk of Fame(Los Angeles)
Part VIII: Universal Studios Hollywood
Part IX: Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park
15. Vietnam Travel:
Hanoi:
Part II: Hoa Lo, Tam Coc, Hanoi
END
Writer’s List of Foreign Countries Visited
Writer’s list of foreign countries that he has visited
The map below shows the foreign countries I, Choo Chaw(a Malaysian), have visited from 2003 until 2017.
Click on a country below to read about my travel there:
1. AFRICA
a. Egypt Travel
Egypt Travel Part I :Salah el Din Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Tahrir Square and Egyptian Museum
Egypt Travel Part II :Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Egypt Travel Part III :Hot Air Balloons and Karnak Temple Complex
Egypt Travel Part IV :Papyrus Paper-Making, Luxor Temple and Esna Lock
Egypt Travel Part V :Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple and Galabia Party
Egypt Travel Part VI :Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Egypt Travel Part VII :Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
Egypt Travel Part VIII:Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr), and St. Catherine
Egypt Travel Part IX :Mount Sinai, Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part X :Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part XI :Cairo Food, Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex and Memphis
Egypt Travel Part XII :Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
South Africa Travel Part I: Air Flight from KLIA to Cape Town, Cape Town Shantytowns
South Africa Travel Part II: Table Mountain, Malay Quarter, Castle of Good Hope. A & V Waterfront
South Africa Travel Part III: Hermanus, Cheetah Outreach, Stellenbosch, Jewel Africa
South Africa Travel Part IV: Duiker Island of Seals, Cape Point, Boulders
South Africa Travel Part V: Cape Town to Johannesburg, Pilanesberg National Park(Game Drives)
South Africa Travel Part VI: Sun City, Union Buildings, Vootrekker Monument
South Africa Travel Part VII: Kruger Museum, Church Square, Melrose Museum, Carnivore Restaurant
South Africa Travel Final Part: Gold Reef City: Gold Mine Museum
2. AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND
Part I: Melbourne/Mornington Peninsula/Phillip Island),
3. ASIA
a. China Travels
i. Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde Travel
Part II: Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde
ii. China Relatives & Ancestral Places(Fujian Province)
Part I: Parents’ China Relatives
Part II: Hanjiang, Meizhou Island
iii. Hong Kong Travel
iv. Macau Travel
Part I: Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing
Part II: Nanjing Bridge, Shanghai City, Shanghai Expo, Hangzhou
vi. Shenzhou, Hezhou, Quilin, Zhaoqing Travel
Part II: Quilin, Yangshuo, Zhaoqing, Shenzhen
vii. Taiwan Travel
Part II: Checheng, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Sanyi, Yehliu, Jioufen
viii. Yunnan Travel
Part I: Kunming, Jiu Xiang, Shilin, Dali
Part I: Tianmen, Zhangjia jie, Wulingyuan, Tianzi, Yuangjiajie
Part II: Dragon King Cave, Shaoshan, Changsha, Macau
b. Indonesia Travels
i. Bali Travel
c. Japan Travel
Part I: Osaka, Kyoto, Hamamatsu
Part II: Owakudani Valley, Mt. Fuji, Tokyo
Part I: Yangon, Bagan, Mount Popa
Part I: Chinatown, Little India
Part II: Malay Heritage, Civic District
Part II: Sokcho, Everland, Dongdaemum, DMZ, Seoul
g. Thailand Travel:
ii. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle Travel
Part I: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle
iii. Phuket Travel
iv. Part I: Thailand (from China Ezpedition 2013)
h. Vietnam
Part II: Hoa Lo, Tam Coc, Hanoi
4. Europe:
Part I: Germany, Switzerland, France
Part II: France, Belgium, Holland, England
Part VI: Prague(Czech Republic)
c. Italy Travel
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
d. Spain & Portugal
Spain Travel Part III: Salamanca
Portugal Travel Part IV: Porto
Portugal Travel Part V: Lisbon
Spain Travel Part VII: Cordoba
Spain Travel Part VIII: Granada
Spain Travel Part IX: Valencia
Spain Travel Part X(Final): Barcelona
5. U.S.A. & Canada
Part I: Philadeiphia, Washington D.C.
Part II: Niagara Falls, Toronto
Part III: Colborne, 1000 Islands, Ottawa
Part VII: Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
Part II: San Francisco, Monterey Bay, Las Vegas
Part V: Premium Outlets(S. California)
Part VII: Hollywood Walk of Fame(Los Angeles)
Part VIII: Universal Studios Hollywood
Part IX: Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park
THE END (Home)
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Filed under: Uncategorized
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy is a popular tourists’ destination that is rich in history and culture. She has many interesting cities where old, monumental buildings built in Gothic, Classical, Medieval, Baroque and Neoclassical architectural styles still exist.
Italy Tour of 7 Cities
Tour-Group and Tour-Manager
My wife and I joined a group of 20 Malaysians under a Golden Destinations(Malaysia) tour manager, Jenny, and travelled to Italy for a five-day land tour of 7 cities, namely Rome, Vatican City, Pisa, Verona, Florence, Venice and Milan.
Map of Italy showing Cities to be Visited
Writer and Wife
Tour-Manager, Jenny
Day 1 Thursday, 2 November 2017
Air Flight to Italy
On the first day we left KLIA(Malaysia), travelled to Hong Kong and then to Rome in Italy. The air-flight was long taking about 15 hours.
Day 2 Friday, 3 November 2917
Visiting Rome and Vatican City on Day 2
Rome Tour Guide, Christina
When we arrived in Rome, Italy, on the 2nd. day, a Polish coach-driver, Bart, brought us to some historical places in Rome and later to other cities in northern Italy for a total of 5 days.
Bart, the Coach-Driver
Map of Italy showing the location of Rome and Vatican City
Jenny, our tour-manager, led us to the historical places in Rome and they were as follows:
Monument of Victor Emmanuel II
The first place we visited was one in the centre of Rome City where we saw the massive Monument of Victor Emmanuel II(1820-1878). It was built in honour of Emmanuell II for unifying Italy in 1861 and becoming her first king. It was built by several well-known sculptors in the 1885-1925 period.
Pantheon
Then we walked to Venezia Square where a Roman temple was built in 113-125 A.D periodk. Now it is a Catholic church dedicated to “St. Mary and Martyrs”. The front of the church is supported by 12 Cornithian columns and a rotunda with a dome is behind them.
Tombs of Kings
Tombs of two Italian kings, Victor Emmanuel II(1820-1878) and Umberto I(1844-1900), are displayed in the building. The tomb of Umberto I’s wife, Margerit(1851-1926), is inside, too.
Piazza della Rotunda
Outside Pantheon is a square known as Piazza della Rotunda which has an obelisk and fountain.
Colosseum in Rome
From Pantheon we walked to a historical site where Italy’s iconic Roman amphitheatre was built. Known as Colosseum, it was built in the 72-80 A.D. period by two Roman Emperors, first Vespasian and later, Titus. Built for gladiators’ contests and public spectacles, it could accommodate 65 000 spectators.
Christina, the Colosseum Tour-Guide
At the Colosseum we met our local tour-guide, Christina, who showed us around the amphitheatre.
Fall of the Western Roman Empire
The Colosseum ceased to be used for gladiators’ contests and public spectacles in the early Medieval Period or Middle Ages(5-15th. Century) after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. Then it was used for such purposes as a cemetery, workshops and for housing.
Earthquake
In 1349, a strong earthquake damaged the southern part of the Colosseum and it was repaired later.
Colosseum in Ruin
Owing to weathering, erosion and neglect for over a 1000 years, the Colosseum is in ruin, but millions of visitors continue going to Rome to see the legacy of the Roman Empire every year.
Colosseum Decorations Were Stolen
Since the Colosseum was not used after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 4th. Century, marble statues and stucco decorations were all stolen; leaving the amphitheatre bare with ugly holes in the walls.
Colosseum’s Wooden Floor of Arena
The wooden floor of the Arena of the Colosseum soon rotted and was removed, exposing the underground rooms and passageways.
Arch of Constantine
Next to the Colosseum stands a triumphal arch known as Arch of Constantine. It was built in 315 A.D. to commemorate Constantine I(272-337)’s victory in the Battle of Milvian in 312 A.D.
(Arch of Triumph in Paris built in the 1806=1836 period, looks similar to this smaller Roman triumphal arch in Rome. The former was erected in honour of those who fought and died for their country in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars.)

Arch of Constantine built in commemoration of Constantine I’s victory in the Battle of Milvian in 312 A.D.
Visiting Vatican City
Later, we moved on to the world’s smallest country, Vatican City, that is surrounded by the city of Rome. It has a population of about 840 and a small area of 44 hectares which is equivalent to 82 football fields.
She has the largest Catholic church in the world known as St. Peter’s Basilica that was built in the 1506-1626 period.
The church is dedicated to St. Peter(one of Jesus Christ’s apostles and the first pope) and the burial site of St. Peter. It is a popular place for pilgrimage and liturgical functions.
Rain and Long Queue
When we arrived at the church, St. Peter ‘s Basilica, it was drizzling and we had to join a long queue to enter the church. According to our tour manager, Jenny, we were lucky that we queued for about an hour before we entered the church. She had to queue for three hours the last time she brought a tour group there!
“Pieta”
When we entered the church, the first thing that caught my eyes on the right was a marble sculpture known as “Pieta”.
“Pieta” is a masterpiece created by a famous Italian sculptor, Michelangelo Buonorroti(1475-1564), from 1498 until 1499. It depicts Virgin Mary holding her dead son, Jesus Christ, on her lap after his crucifixion.
More sculptures, monuments, paintings and statues of previous popes, founders of religious orders, etc. can be seen in the church.
Other Basilicas
On the floor of the nave are markers showing the comparative sizes of other basilicas in other places.
The Holy Door
There is a special door known as “The Holy Door” made of bronze in the northernmost entrance of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. It depicts the life of Jesus Christ.
The door is cemented shut and only opened for Jubilee Years of the church. The Catholics believe that if they go through the door during the Jubilee Years, they may be granted the plenary indulgences.
Change of Guards at St. Peter’s Basilica
Coming out of the church at 5 p.m. I was fortunate to watch the change of the Swiss guards at the entrance adjacent to the church. The ceremony lasted for 5 minutes.
The guards are Swiss citizens. Their duty is to protect the pope and the church. They wear a colourful uniform which has vertical blue, red, orange and yellow stripes.
Victoria Terma Hotel
In the evening we left the church, went for dinner and retired to our rooms at Victoria Terma Hotel that is a few kilometres from Rome City.
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
Italy Travel Part II: Rome
Italy Travel Part II: Rome(continued)
Day 3 Saturday, 4 November 2017
Map Showing the Location of Rome
Visiting Rome(continued)
In the morning we left Victoria Terma Hotel and went to visit two more places in Rome City before we left for Pisa and Florence in the north.
Trevi Fountain, Rome
The first iconic landmark we visited in the morning was a well-known Baroque fountain, Trevi Fountain. It was built in the 1752-1762 period by several sculptors with the facade of Poli Palace as its backdrop.
Coins in Fountain-Pool
Visitors believe that if they throw coins into the fountain-pool after making one, two or three wishes their wish or wishes may be granted. Everyday many visitors throw about 30oo euro worth of coins into the water. The money collected is for subsidizing a supermarket for the poor.
Spanish Steps
Having spent a short time at Trevi Fountain, we left and took a long walk to another place of interest known as Spanish Steps.
The Spanish Steps has 135 steps from the Spanish Square below to a Roman Catholic church, Trinita dei Monti, on top of Pincia Hill. The steps were built to link the Bourbon Spanish Embassy below with the church on the hill.
Spanish Square
In the Spanish Square there is a small fountain known as “Fountain of Ugly Boat”.
At about 11 a.m. we were lucky to hear a band on the Spanish Steps playing Italian music.
Trinita dei Monti Church
The Roman Catholic church located on Pincia Hill is known as Trnita dei Monti Church. It was built to replace the old one that was constructed by King Louis XII in 1502 to celebrate his victory in the Battle of Naples. This church was consecrated in 1585.
Roman Obelisk
In front of the church is a Roman obelisk that was moved there in 1789.
Journey to Florence
Soon we left Rome for Florence in the north. On the way we stopped at two places. The first place was a shop, Autogrill Service Area in Val di Chiana, where we stopped to buy Italian food products for our loved ones back home(Malaysia).
Shopping at Autogrill, Val di Chiana
At 3.30 p.m. we arrived at the shop, Autogrill. It was a pleasure to shop at this well-stocked place and the tour members were spoiled for choice. Besides, the shop-assistants were friendly and helpful.
After spending an hour at the shop, we moved on.
Pierotucci Leather Factory
In the evening we arrived at a leather factory known as Pierotucci Leather Factory near Florence City.
Established in 1972, it produces genuine leather bags, jackets and accessories. Besides producing its own designs, it also produces those of others such as Dunhill, Valentino, Bally, Fratelli Rossetti, Cole-Haan and Hugo Boss.
Leather Craftsmen
When we arrived at the factory, we were led into a workshop where expert craftsmen worked. As the workers had left the factory, a lady explained how a craftsman made a handbag. Then we were led to a showroom where many kinds of leather goods were displayed for sale.
“Authentic Florentine Steak”
A few of us bought some items and then left for dinner at a L’ema restaurant nearby to savour the “Authentic Florentine Steak”. Unfortunately, I could not finish the meat as it was too “rubbery”.
Photo Session
At the restaurant I took the opportunity to take photos of the happy tour members and myself for remembrance.
Hotel President, Prato
After the dinner we left and went to stay at a hotel, Hotel President, in Prato that is near Florence. We would be going to Pisa to see Leaning Tower of Pisa the following day.
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Day 4: Sunday, 5 November 2017
Visiting Leaning Tower of Pisa, Pisa
Rain in Pisa
In the morning we left our hotel. Hotel President near Florence and went west to Pisa. On arrival at Pisa, we walked in the rain from the coach parking area to Cathedral Square which was a few hundred metres away.
Pickpockets
On the way we came across some foreigners selling umbrellas and ponchos. They forewarned us that there were several pickpockets around, trying to steal tourists’ money. As we were walking to the square, we looked out for one another. Luckily, none of us fell prey to the pickpockets.
Three Monumental Buildings
When we were in the square we saw three prominent monumental buildings, namely Baptistery of St. John, Cathedral of Pisa and a world’s famous leaning tower known as “Leaning Tower of Pisa”.
Baptistery of St. John
Baptistery of St. John is a Roman Catholic church that was built in Romanesque and Gothic architectural styles in the 1152-1363 period.
Cathedral of Pisa
Cathedral of Pisa is in between Baptistery of St. John and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. It was built in Romanesque architectural style from 1063 until 1092 and dedicated to the Assumption of Virgin Mary. Now it is the seat of Archbishop of Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa
The well-known tower, Leaning Tower of Pisa, which is about 56 metres high was built in Romanesque architectural style. The builders took almost 200 years(1173-1372) to complete the construction. Unfortunately, the tower tilted slowly to as much as 5.5 degrees while they were building it. It was due to weak foundation on one side of the ground.
Tower Tilting 5.5 Degrees
Later, frantic efforts were carried out to make the tower stand upright. But they could only reduce the leaning angle to about 3 degrees as we are seeing it now. I think it is because of its tilting nature that attracts the attention of millions of tourists every year.
Visiting Florence
Michelangelo Square
In the afternoon we left Pisa and travelled east to Florence City. Before we entered the city, we went to Michelangelo Square on a small hill in the south. Standing at the square in the rain, we saw the beautiful city of Florence.
Bronze Statue of David
In the square we saw a bronze statue of David which is a replica of Michelangelo’s marble statue of David.
Florence Square
When we entered the city centre, the first place we visited was a square known as Florence Square where we met a local guide, Virginia.
Florence Tour Guide, Virginia
In the square, Virginia brought us round and told us about the monumental buildings. some of which are shown below
Cathedral of St. Mary of the Flower
This huge cathedral with a red dome was built in 1296-1436 in Gothic architectural style. It is the largest one in Florence.
Giotto’s Bell Tower
Close to the cathedral and built in Gothic architectural style from 1334 until 1359 is a tall tower, Giotto’s Bell Tower, that is about 85 metres tall. Visitors can climb up 414 steps to the top to see the whole city of Florence.
Baptistery of St. John
Another building near the cathedral is Baptistery of St. John in Romanesque architectural style. It was built in the 1059-1128 period in octagonal shape and has three bronze doors with relief sculptures. One of them was dubbed as “Door of Paradise” by Michelangelo.
Signora Square
Then we walked a short distance to another place known as Signora Square. This square was the political focus of Florence for many years. On one side of the square an equestrian monument of Cosimo I(1519-1574) was erected in 1594.
Cosimo I Monument
Cosimo I was the 2nd. Duke of Florence from 1537 until 1569. The Fountain of Neptune near the monument was under repair.
Palazzo Vecchio
In the square there is a building, Palazzo Vecchio, which houses the town hall and a museum, too. It was built in the 13th. Century to show the importance of Florence and protect the magistrates of the city in times of turbulence.
Statue of David
At the entrance of the building there is a statue of David which is a replica of Michelangelo(1475-1564)’s David statue on one side and statues of Hercules and Cacus by Baccio Bandinelli(1493-1560) on the other side.
Loggia dei Lanzi
Loggia dei Lanzi built in the 15th. Century is an open-air gallery of Renaissance sculptures.
This building at Signora Square displays several beautiful sculptures. The photos below show some of them.

“Hercules beating the Centaur Nessus” by Giovanni Bologna(1529-1608), a Flemish sculptor living in Italy
Uffizi Gallery
Uffizi Gallery is behind Loggia dei Lanzi. It is a famous large museum that has 101 rooms displaying artworks, particularly, from the Italian Renaissance period. It attracts many visitors every year. About 2 million people entered the museum in 2016.
Uffizi Gallery has niches in exterior columns that contain statues of important historical figures, such as Michelangelo Buonarroti, Leonardo da Vinci, Galileo Galilei, and Dante to name a few.
Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564)
Michelangelo was born in Florence, He was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. His famous sculptures include “David” and “Pieta”.

Michelangelo Buonarroti(1475-1564) was born in Florence. He was a sculptor, painter, architect and poet. His famous sculptures include “David” and “Pieta”.
Leonardo was an Italian polymath who had many areas of interest such as sculpture, painting, invention and astronomy. His famous paintings include “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”.

Leonardo da Vinci(1452-1519) was an Italian polymath who had many areas of interest. His famous paintings include “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper”.
Galileo Galilei(1564-1642)
Galileo was also an Italian polymath who was interested in astronomy, physics, engineering, natural philosophy and Mathematics.

Galileo Galilei(1564-1642) was an Italian polymath interested in astronomy, physics, engineering, natural philosophy and Mathematics.
Dante Alighieri(1265-1321)

Dante Alighieri(1265-1321) was an Italian statesman, poet, language theorist and political theorist.
Ponte Vecchio(Old Bridge)
Ponte Vecchio is a 30 metre-long stone-bridge that spans River Arno. The first bridge was built in the Roman times. It had been destroyed by flood a few times and then reconstructed.
Shops have been built on the bridge selling jewellery and souvenirs to tourists.
Basilica Santo Croce
In the evening we left the old bridge, Ponte Vecchio, and walked for several minutes to a restaurant for dinner. On the way we came across a white cathedral, Basilica Santa Croce(Basilica of the Holy Cross), that housed the tombs of many influential Italians, including those of Michelangelo and Galileo. So it is also known as the Temple of the Italian Glories.
Built in the 1294-1385 period. it is the main principal Franciscan church and a minor basilica of the Roman Catholic church.
Hotel President, Prato, Florence
After dinner we went back to our hotel, Hotel President in Prato, to rest.
The following day, we left Florence for Venice.
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Florence and Milan
Italy Travel Part IV: Venice
Italy Travel Part IV: Venice
Day 5: Monday, 6 November 2017
Journey from Florence to Venice
We left the Florence hotel, Hotel President, in the morning and travelled to Venice in the northeast of Italy.
Map of Italy showing the location of Venice
Venice
Venice is built on more than 100 islands in a lagoon. The islands are separated by canals, straddled by over 400 bridges. A causeway, Bridge of Liberty(Ponte della Liberta), connects the mainland to a small island of Venice.
Causeway
In the afternoon we arrived at the island of Venice after crossing the causeway from the mainland. Then we boarded a boat that took us to another but larger island, San Marco Island(St. Mark Island).
Spectacular Views
While sailing to San Marco Island we saw a few large cruise ships and spectacular views of old medieval buildings, hotels and churches on some islands.
Photographing
While sailing to the island, we took the opportunity to take some photos of ourselves in the boat for remembrance. Below are a few of them.
San Marco Island of Venice
After a 20 minute boat-ride, we sighted San Marco Island with a prominent bell tower known as St. Mark’s Bell Tower. The view was stunning.
Soon we arrived and disembarked at the jetty of San Marco Island.
Waterfront of San Marco Island
The waterfront is wide and about 1 metre above sea-level. Hence, it is prone to flooding whenever the tide is high. But tables kept on the waterfront are ready to be used by visitors if it is flooded.
Tables were used earlier by visitors queuing up to enter St. Mark Cathedral in San Marco Square.

Visitors standing on tables to prevent their feet from getting wet in flooded San Marco Square, Venice
Flood in Venice
A flood occurred in Venice on the following day after our visit.
Venetian Buildings
On the waterfront there are several rows of old Venetian buildings. Among them are Doge’s Palace(Palazzo Ducale) and a prison separated by a narrow canal.
Doges of Venice
Doges of Venice were chief magistrates and leaders with supreme authority of the former Republic of Venice. They were elected for life. Venice was under their rule from 697 until 1797 when France under Napoleon Bonaparte(1769-1821) captured it.
Doge’s Palace(Palazzo Ducale)
Doge’s Palace built in Gothic architectural style and established in 1340 was the residence of the Doge of Venice until 1797 when France took over Venice. Later, the palace was taken over by Austria when Venice was ruled by Austria. In 1866 Venice became part of Italy.
Since 1923 it has become an art museum.
Bridge of Sighs
A bridge was built from Doge’s Palace to the prison next to it in 1614. Known as the Bridge of Sighs, it was built for criminals who were sentenced to jail. They had to walk across the bridge from Doge’s Palace where the court was situated to the prison.
While crossing the bridge, the criminals had a last look outside through the two windows, sighed and entered the prison to serve their sentences.
Over 400 Bridges in Venice
There are over 400 bridges in Venice. Most of them are short, straddling narrow canals and different from each other in design.
San Giorgio Maggiore Church
Standing on the waterfront I looked across a waterway, the Grand Canal, and saw a large church on Dorsoduro Island. It is called San Giorgio Maggiore, a 16 th. Century Benedictine church built in Classical Renaissance architectural style in the 1566-1610 period.
Venetian Ladies
On the waterfront we saw two ladies walking on stilts. They were dressed in traditional Venetian costumes and wearing masks. They were inviting visitors to take photos with them.
Venetian Masks
There were some souvenir stalls on the waterfront. The most common things they were selling were the Venetian masks.
Venetian masks are usually worn during the Carnival of Venice which is an annual festival in Venice. They may wear full-face masks or eye masks to hide their identity and social status.
Black Spaghetti for Lunch
When it was lunchtime, we went to a restaurant, Taverna dei Dogi, in an alley near St. Mark’s Square. We had black spaghetti or squid ink spaghetti, simple salad, fried squid rings and ice-cream for lunch.
Glass-Blowing Demonstration
After lunch, we walked to a glass-shop in Castello District which was nearby. At the shop we watched a glass-blower, Parlo, making a glass-object by traditional method. After the glass-blowing demonstration, we went to the glass showroom where many kinds of glass-objects were for sale, such as chandeliers, drinking glasses, glass figures, etc. But none of us bought any of them as it was troublesome to bring them home, 10 000 km away from Venice.
St. Mark Square(Piazza San Marco)
Later, we went to the most important place in Venice. It is the centre for social, political and religious activities of the city. It is known as St. Mark’s Square(Piazza dei San Marco).
St. Mark’s Bell Tower
In the centre of the square stands a tall tower, St. Mark’s Bell Tower. It is 98.6 metres tall and built in 1912 replacing the old one that collapsed in 1902. The first one was built in the 12th. Century as a watch-tower or lighthouse.

St. Mark’s Bell Tower built in 1912 to replace the old one that collapsed in 1902 is 98.6 metres high.
St. Mark’s Cathedral(Basilica dei San Marco)
On its western side is a large church, Basilica dei San Marco(St. Mark Cathedral). It was built in 978-1092 with five domes and five arches in front. It has a mixture of Italian, Byzantine and Gothic architectural styles.
It was built as a private chapel for the Doges until 1807 when the local bishop, Patriarch of Venice, took over in 1807.

St. Mark’s Cathedral(Basilica San Marco) built in 978-1092 houses St. Mark’s Treasure in St. Mark’s Square,
The Church houses St. Mark’s Treasure consisting of 293 items in gold, silver, glass and other precious materials from various sources like from Constatinople, Western art, of Islamic origin and others.
Gondola Ride
Finally, we went to a pond or small lake, Bacino Orseolo, near St. Mark’s Square to ride gondolas.
A gondola is Venetian iconic boat that looks like a canoe. Painted black, it is 11 metres long with comfortable seats and ornately decorated.
10 000 Gondolas
About 200 years ago, there were approximately 10 000 gondolas, but now there are about 500 left. Those boats were the chief means of transportation in Venice in the olden days. Today most of them are used for carrying tourists who want to enjoy the ride.
Bacino Orseolo
A tourist gondola can carry 6 persons and is rowed by a gondolier. My wife and I together with 4 members of the Tye family sat in a gondola at Bacino Orseolo, a small lake. Our seating in the gondola was decided by the gondolier as he did not want his boat to be tilted to one side
Slow Gondola Ride
Shortly afterwards, we were moving away from the lake. The boat was moving slowly along narrow canals and part of the large canal known as Grand Canal, passing under low bridges.
Marco, the Gondolier
Our gondolier was Marco. We asked him to sing for us while he was rowing, but there was no response from him. Anyway, we enjoyed the sights and sounds of Venice as we were moving along the canals and under low bridges. The ride which lasted for about 20 minutes is a memorable one.
Rialto Bridge(Ponte de Rialto)
While riding in a gondola on Grand Canal, we saw an iconic bridge of Venice known as Rialto Bridge. Constructed in 1591, it spans Grand Canal and connects San Marco Island and San Palo Island.
Departure for Venice Mainland
Soon we left Venice’s San Marco Island and returned to the mainland of Venice. Then we headed west to a hotel, Hotel Da Porto, along Viale del Sole to stay overnight before going to Verona and Milan in the north the following day.
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part IV: Venice
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
Writer’s List of Memorable Travels
Writer’s List of Travels
1. Africa
South Africa
South Africa Travel Part I: Air Flight from KLIA to Cape Town, Cape Town Shantytowns
South Africa Travel Part II: Table Mountain, Malay Quarter, Castle of Good Hope. A & V Waterfront
South Africa Travel Part III: Hermanus, Cheetah Outreach, Stellenbosch, Jewel Africa
South Africa Travel Part IV: Duiker Island of Seals, Cape Point, Boulders
South Africa Travel Part V: Cape Town to Johannesburg, Pilanesberg National Park(Game Drives)
South Africa Travel Part VI: Sun City, Union Buildings, Vootrekker Monument
South Africa Travel Part VII: Kruger Museum, Church Square, Melrose Museum, Carnivore Restaurant
South Africa Travel Final Part: Gold Reef City: Gold Mine Museum
2. Australia:
Part I: Melbourne/Mornington Peninsula/Phillip Island),
3. China:
i. Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde Travel:
Part II: Beijing, Tianjin, Chengde
ii. China Relatives & Ancestral Places(Fujian Province)
Part I: Parents’ China Relatives
Part II: Hanjiang, Meizhou Island
iii. Hong Kong Travel
iv. Macau Travel
v. Shanghai Travel
Part I: Hangzhou, Suzhou, Wuxi, Nanjing
Part II: Nanjing Bridge, Shanghai City, Shanghai Expo, Hangzhou
vi. Shenzhou, Hezhou, Quilin, Zhaoqing Travel
Part II: Quilin, Yangshuo, Zhaoqing, Shenzhen
vii. Taiwan Travel
Part II: Checheng, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Sanyi, Yehliu, Jioufen
viii. Yunnan Travel
Part I: Kunming, Jiu Xiang, Shilin, Dali
ix. Zhangjiajie Travel
Part I: Tianmen, Zhangjia jie, Wulingyuan, Tianzi, Yuangjiajie
Part II: Dragon King Cave, Shaoshan, Changsha, Macau
x. China Expedition 2013
3. Egypt Travel
Egypt Travel Part I :Salah el Din Citadel, Muhammad Ali Mosque, Tahrir Square and Egyptian Museum
Egypt Travel Part II :Valley of the Kings, Hatshepsut Temple and Colossi of Memnon
Egypt Travel Part III :Hot Air Balloons and Karnak Temple Complex
Egypt Travel Part IV :Papyrus Paper-Making, Luxor Temple and Esna Lock
Egypt Travel Part V :Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo Temple and Galabia Party
Egypt Travel Part VI :Abu Simbel Temples and Nubian Village(Elephantine Island)
Egypt Travel Part VII :Unfinished Obelisk, Aswan High Dam and Philae Temple
Egypt Travel Part VIII:Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel, Moon Beach(Ras Sudr), and St. Catherine
Egypt Travel Part IX :Mount Sinai, Catherine’s Monastery and Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part X :Sharm el Sheikh
Egypt Travel Part XI :Cairo Food, Saqqara Step Pyramid Complex and Memphis
Egypt Travel Part XII :Great Giza Pyramid Complex and Khan el Khalil Bazaar
4. Europe:
i. Western Europe Travel
Part I: Germany, Switzerland, France
Part II: France, Belgium, Holland, England
ii. Eastern Europe Travel
Part VI: Prague(Czech Republic)
5. Indonesia:
i. Bali Travel
6. Italy:
Italy Travel Part I: Rome and Vatican City
Italy Travel Part II : Rome(continued)
Italy Travel Part III: Pisa and Florence
Italy Travel Part V(Final): Verona and Milan
7. Japan:
Part I: Osaka, Kyoto, Hamamatsu
Part II: Owakudani Valley, Mt. Fuji, Tokyo
8. Myanmar:
Part I: Yangon, Bagan, Mount Popa
9. New Zealand:
10. South Korea
Part II: Sokcho, Everland, Dongdaemum, DMZ, Seoul
11. Singapore:
Singapore Heritage Trail
Part I: Chinatown, Little India
Part II: Malay Heritage, Civic District
12. Thailand:
i. Bangkok, Ayuthaya Travel
ii. Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle Travel
Part I: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, The Golden Triangle
iv. Part I: Thailand (from China Ezpedition 2013)
13. U.S.A & Canada
i. East Coast
Part I: Philadeiphia, Washington D.C.
Part II: Niagara Falls, Toronto
Part III: Colborne, 1000 Islands, Ottawa
Part VII: Woodbury Common Premium Outlets
ii. West Coast
Part II: San Francisco, Monterey Bay, Las Vegas
Part V: Premium Outlets(S. California)
Part VII: Hollywood Walk of Fame(Los Angeles)
Part VIII: Universal Studios Hollywood
Part IX: Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park
14. Vietnam
Hanoi Travel
Part II: Hoa Lo, Tam Coc, Hanoi
END
South Africa Travel Part VII: Kruger Museum, Church Square, Melrose House, Carnivore Restaurant
South Africa Travel Part VII: Kruger Museum, Church Square, Melrose House, Carnivore Restaurant
(Continue from South Africa Part VI)
Day 6 Thursday, 1 Dec 2016
Kruger Museum
After a visit to Voortrekker Monument where we learned about the history of Voortrekker(Dutch-speaking pioneers), we went to the city of Pretoria and stopped in front of a house which was already closed in the evening. That single-storeyed, wooden, Victorian-styled house was built in 1884 as a private residence for Paul Kruger and his family. It was located along Nkomo Street.

Kruger Museum, a former residence of Paul Kruger, the 3rd. President of South African Republic(1883-1900)
Paul Kruger
Paul Kruger(1825-1904) was a Boer leader and former President of South African Republic(Transvaal) from 1883 until 1900. During the Second Boer War(1899-1902) between the British Empire and Kruger’s men(Boers) in South Africa he went into exile in Europe where he died in Switzerland in 1904. The British won the war in 1902.
The house was restored in its original form and in 1934 it was opened to public as a museum, Kruger Museum. In the museum, visitors can see many things belonging to Paul Kruger and his wife.
Statues of White Lions
As it was already closed when we arrived at the museum, we spent several minutes looking at its front. There were two statues of white lions in front of the entrance that attracted our attention. They were birthday gifts given on 10 Oct 1896 by a mining magnate, Barney Barnato, to Paul Kruger who was the President of South African Republic(Transvaal) then.

Two statues in front of Kruger Museum given as birthday gifts for Paul Kruger in 1896 by a mining magnate, Barney Barnato
Kruger Church
Looking across the road from the museum, I saw a church where Paul Kruger attended church services, frequently. It was officially opened by Paul Kruger in 1897. Originally, the church was known as The Dopper Church, and later Reformed Church Pretoria. But now it is known as Kruger Church.

Kruger Church, a place opposite Kruger Museum where Paul Kruger attended church services, frequently
Church Square
Then we went to another place in the old town of Pretoria. It was a market place in the olden days. Later, a succession of three churches were built and demolished in the centre of the area. The first church was built in 1857 and the last one was demolished in 1905. As three churches had been built there, the people of Pretoria called it Church Square.
Statue of Paul Kruger
In the centre of the square stands a statue of a former President of South African Republic(1883-1900) on a high plinth, Paul Kruger(1825-1904). It was erected there in memory of Paul Kruger, a Boer leader who fought against the British Empire for the independence of Transvaal and former President of Transvaal or South African Republic(1883-1900).

Statue of Paul Kruger holding a walking-stick and wearing a hat on a high plinth in the centre of Church Square
Old Buildings
There are many old but historically and architecturally significant buildings sited around the square. They were built around the year 1900, such as Palace of Justice(1902, Tudor Chambers(1904), Old Council Chamber(1891), Old Nederlandsche Bank(1897), and General Post Office(1910).

Palace of Justice, is a high court where Nelson Mandela was put on Rivonial trial for treason in 1963-4
Melrose House
After a short stay at Church Square, we went to Burgers Park in the centre of Pretoria City to see an elegant mansion built in 1886.
Known as Melrose House, it was owned by a wealthy businessman, George Jesse Heys. He and his family stayed there until it was taken over by the British forces that used it as military headquarters in 1900 during the Second Boer War(1899-1902). The war was fought between the Boers and the British soldiers. Boers were descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers in South Africa. The war ended when the Treaty of Veereniging was signed on 31 May 1902 in the mansion which later became well-known.

Melrose House was built in 1886 as a private residence for Heys and is now a museum that exhibits the belongings of the Heys’ family and a room where the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in 1902.
Melrose Museum
This beautiful house is now a museum that has many exhibits belonging to the Heys family, such as paintings by British artists, exquisite carpets, ornate ceilings and fireplaces, original furniture, stained glass-windows, and many more.. Besides, the museum has a room and table on which the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed in 1902. Annual antique markets are held on its premises.
When we arrived at the museum in the evening it was closed to public. So, all we could do was to look at it from outside its fence for a few minutes before we went off for dinner.
Carnivore Restaurant
For dinner, we travelled to a restaurant known as Carnivore Restaurant in Muldersdrift, Gauteng, Johannesburg, which was 50 km south-west of Church Square in Pretoria. It served exotic meat, i.e. meat of game or wild animals, such as zebra, crocodile, impala, and kudu.
The restaurant had a large dining hall. While walking along a passage-way to the hall, we saw on both sides some wooden, life-sized statues of South African tribal chiefs and a politician, such as the following:
a. King Shaka(1787-1828) was an influential king of the Zulu Kingd0m. He was assassinated by his half-brothers, Dingane and Mhlangana, in 1828.
b. King Mzilikazi(1790-1868) was the king of Matabele Kingdom which he founded. He was considered as one of the greatest African military leaders.

King Mzilikazi(1790-1868) was king of Matabele Kingdom he founded. He was considered as,one of the greatest African military leaders.
c. King Kgosi Mogale Mogale(1795-1869) was the king of Ba Po Ba Mogale Kingdom. His people remembered him for his bravery, diplomacy and leadership.

King Kgosi Mogale Mogale(1795-1869) was king of Ba Po Ba Mogale Kingdom. His people remembered him for his bravery, diplomacy and leadership.
d. King Moshoeshoe(1787-1879) was the first king of Basotholand(now Lesotho).
e. King Khama III(1837-1923) was the king of Ba Mangwato people of Bechuanaland(now Botswana).
f. Mokope Modjadji(1936-2001) was the 5th. Rain Queen of the Balobeda tribe in Limpopo Province of South Africa from 1981 until 2001. Rain Queen was believed by her people to have special powers, like the ability to control clouds and rainfall.

Mokope Modjadji(1936-2001) was the 5th. Rain Queen of the Balobedu tribe on the Limpopo Province of South Africa from 1981 until 2001. Rain Queen was believed by her people to have special powers, like the ability to control clouds and rainfall.
g. Nelson Mandela(1918-2013) was an anti-apartheid activist, political prisoner for 27 years, politician, philanthropist and the first elected President of South Africa(1994-1999).

Nelson Mandela(1918-2013) was an anti-apartheid activist, political prisoner for 27 years, politician, philanthropist and first elected President of South Africa(1994-1999)
Dining Hall
In the dining hall of Carnivore Restaurant, we sat at the tables reserved for us. The hall was crowded with many diners from far and wide.
First Serving
A bowl of green-coloured soup and plate of bread and salad were first served to us. Then one waiter after another with different grilled exotic meat on long, large skewers came to our tables and cut a large piece of the meat for each of us.
Exotic Meat for Dinner
The kinds of meat we were given for the dinner were zebra, impala, kudu, venison(deer) and crocodile. Domestic animals’ meat was served, too, namely chicken, lamb and beef. Most of us did not enjoy eating the exotic meat as some were tasteless, rubbery and tough.
The meat I liked was the crocodile meat which was soft and tender, and venison sausage and balls, too. Anyway, we, Malaysians, enjoyed the fellowship atmosphere while having dinner together at the restaurant.

A hot-plate of exotic meat of zebra, impala and kudu, and domestic animals’ meat of chicken and lamb, together with some vegetables

A piece of crocodile tasted better than other exotic meat as it was tender and soft, and tasted like chicken-meat.
Large Open-Air Stove
During dinner, I walked to a large open-air, circular stove in the centre of the dining hall. Large junks of meat of zebra, impala, kudu and crocodile on large skewers were roasted over the hot stove. Besides, domestic meat of chicken, beef and lamb were grilled over it.

Large junks of exotic meat were roasted over a large open-air, circular stove at Carnivore Restaurant

Large junks of exotic meat were roasted over a large open-air, circular stove at Carnivore Restaurant
A Picture of Game-Animals
There was a picture of four game-animals, zebra, kudu, impala and crocodile, near the stove, implying that the meat of those game-animals was for the dinner.

Meat of four game-animals, viz. zebra, kudu, impala and crocodile, was for the dinner at Carnivore Restaurant
Happy Mood Before Dinner
As our fellow-Malaysians were in happy mood before the dinner started at Carnivore Restaurant, I went round taking photos of them. See them in the photos below.

Fellow-Malaysians at another table were in happy mood before dinner of exotic meat at Carnivore Restaurant.

Fellow-Malaysians at the last table were in happy mood before the dinner of exotic meat at Carnivore Restaurant
Peermont Mondior Hotel
After dinner at Carnivore Restaurant, we left for a hotel, Peermont Mondior Hotel, which was 50 km south-east of the restaurant, but near Johannesburg International Airport or O.R. Tambo International Airport. We stayed there for a night and would leave for a gold mine museum in the morning.

Hotel Peermont Mondior where Malaysians stayed overnight near Johannesburg International Airport
(continue in South Africa Travel Final Part)
Written by Choo Chaw
South Africa Travel Part I: Air Flight from KLIA to Cape Town, Cape Town Shantytowns
South Africa Travel Part II: Table Mountain, Malay Quarter, Castle of Good Hope. A & V Waterfront
South Africa Travel Part III: Hermanus, Cheetah Outreach, Stellenbosch, Jewel Africa
South Africa Travel Part V: Pilanesberg National Park(Game Drives/Safaris)
South Africa Travel Part VI: Sun City Resort, Union Buildings, Vootrekker Monument
South Africa Travel Part VII Kruger Museum, Church Square, Melrose House, Carnivore Restaurant
South Africa Travel Final Part Gold Reef City, Gold Mine Museum
U.S.A. and Canada East Coast Travel Part VI(New York)
Filed under: U.S.A. and Canada East Coast Travel Part VI(New York), Uncategorized
U.S.A. and Canada East Coast Travel Part VI(New York)
Day 10 Sunday, 21 June 2015
At 8.30 in the morning we left our hotel, Reanaissance Woodbridge Hotel at Iselin in New Jersey and went 31 km north-east to Pier 15 on New York Harbour in Lower Manhattan to see the Statue of Liberty on a tiny island called Liberty Island.
Hornblower Boat Cruise
When we arrived at Pier 15, the sky was cloudy and we were worried that it might rain. After queuing up for half an hour together with other tourists, we boarded a Hornblower boat. When it was going to the Liberty Island we were glad that the sky became bright and the Statue of Liberty could be seen in the distance, clearly.
Bridges and Skyscrapers of New York City
As the boat was moving, slowly, towards the statue, we saw bridges, Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan Bridge, connecting New York City and Brooklyn on Long Island, and skyscrapers of New York City moving away from us.
Then, half an hour later, the boat stopped for awhile near the Statue of Liberty, and we and others on the boat were excited and began to snap photos of the huge apple-green statue.
Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island
Created in the image of a Roman goddess, Libertas, in 1886, the Statue of Liberty on Liberty Island was a gift to the U.S.A. from France as a gesture of friendship. Standing at a height of 34 metres on a 27 metre-pedestal, the goddess holds a torch high in her right hand and a tablet in her left hand with the inscribed date of the American Declaration of Independence: “July 4, 1776”. Besides, there is a broken chain lying at her feet symbolising freedom from bondage.
In 1984, the icon of freedom was designated as a UNESCO heritage site. In the UNESCO’s “Statement of Significance”, it declares that the statue is a symbol of “liberty, peace, human rights, abolition of slavery, democracy and opportunity”.
Ellis Island
Near the statue is another island known as Ellis Island. It was the first stop and gateway for 12 million migrants who were mostly Europeans to places all over the United States from 1892 until 1954. Since 1990 the main building on the island is made a museum of immigration.
Soon we went back to Pier 15. After disembarking the board at the pier, we walked to South Street, crossed the road, and walked to Wall Street.
Wall Street, New York City
Wall street stretches from South Street to Broadway, a length of 1.1 km. It is narrow with multi-storey buildings on both its sides. Located in the New York Financial District, Wall Street has become a metonym for financial and corporate sector. It attracts lots of tourists from all over the world.

Choo Chaw and wife on Wall Street that joins Broadway in the background in New York Financial District
1 Wall Street Court
As I was walking along the street an unusual building of 15 storeys high and in a triangular shape caught my eyes. Located at the intersection of Wall Street, Pearl Street and Beaver Street, it was completed in 1904 and first occupied by Munson Steamship Co. and later by many other companies. Known as 1 Wall Street Court, it now becomes a residential building since 2006.
New York Stock Exchange
Soon we came to the world’s largest stock exchange by market capitalisation that is located at 11, Wall Street. Known as New York Stock Exchange(NYSE) and built in 1903, it provides a means for buyers and sellers to trade shares of stock in companies registered for public trading. It has an index, NYSE Composite Index, to measure the overall market performance over time. It has other indices too, like Dow Jones Industrial Average(DJIA), Nasdaq Composite and S & P 500.
American Stock Exchange Building
There is another building nearby. It is at 86, Trinity Place which was built in 1921. It was used as a stock market for equities trading by the New York Curb Exchange which was renamed the American Stock Exchange in 1953. The building then known as American Stock Exchange was closed on 1 December 2008 and all its equities trading activities were moved to New York Stock Exchange at 11, Wall Street.

American Stock Exchange closed in 2008 after over 89 years of equities trading in New York Financial District, New York, U.S.A.
Federal Hall National Memorial
There is an old building known as Federal Hall National Memorial across Wall Street from the NYSE Building. It was built in 1842 to replace the old one which was built in 1700 as New York’s City Hall that was later demolished in 1812.

Federal Hall National Memorial built in 1842 to replace the one as New York’s City Hall, New York City
When the new Federal Hall was built in 1842 it first served as the U.S. Custom House, later Sub-Treasury Building and now a national memorial that commemorates the historic events that had happened there. Among the events are: the former hall at the same site was made the first Capitol Building of the U.S., and used as the place where George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the U.S. on 30 April 1789 and the U.S. Bill of Rights was introduced in the First Congress.

Statue of George Washington outside Federal Hall National Memorial in New York Financial District, New York

A plaque of George Washington on his knees and praying outside Federal Hall National Memorial, New York City

A picture showing George Washington being inaugurated as the first President of U.S.A. on 30 April 1789 outside Federal Hall National Memorial, New York City
Trinity Church
Trinity Church can be seen from Wall Street. It is at the end of Wall Street and on Broadway. Built in Gothic Revival architectural style in 1839-1846, it is a parish church in the Episcopal Diocese of New York. This is the third church being built at the same spot to replace two old ones.
The first one was built in 1698 and destroyed in the Great New York City Fire of 1776. Then the second one was built in 1788-1790 and torn down later due to severe snow that weakened it during the winter of 1838-1839.
Zuccotti Park
After touring Wall Street, we walked to Zuccotti Park where trees were grown. At this park two sculptures can be seen. One known as “Joy of Life” is a 70-foot-tall sculpture consisting of bright red beams that look like three “X”s joining together in the middle. and the other sculpture known as “Double Check” is a bronze businessman with an open bag on his lap sitting on a bench. Out of curiosity, I looked at the things he had in the bag. There were pencils, papers, pen, stapler, stamp-pad and a communication-machine in it.
This park is a tourists’ favourite place as they can see One World Trade Center towering high across the intersection of Liberty Street and Trinity Place.
One World Trade Center
One World Trade Center, the main building of the World Trade Center Complex, is 1776 feet(541,3 m) high consisting of 104 storeys. The figure “1776” is intended to symbolize the year 1776 when the U.S. Declaration of Independence was signed.
This modern building at 285, Fulton Street, Manhattan, New York, is the 4th. tallest in the world. It was built in 2013 and opened on 3 November 2014. It is built to replace the Twin Towers which were destroyed by the al-Qaeda terrorists in 2001.

One World Trade Center, the tallest building in New York City as seen from a Hornblower boat on East River
Twin Towers
The Twin Towers of the World Trade Center at the same site as One World Trade Center were destroyed by terrorists’ attacks on 11 September 2001 and about 3 000 people were killed. They were built in 1970s each over 1350 feet(410 m) high,

Twin Towers of the World Trade Center built in 1970s and destroyed by terrorists’ attacks on 11 September 2001

One World Trade Center has 104 storeys and is 1776 feet(541.3 m) high. The other building is under costruction.
Terrorists’ Attacks on World Trade Center on 9/11
In the morning of 11 September 2001 five al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked an American Airlines Flight 11 and crashed it into the North Tower. Several minutes later, another group of al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked a United Airlines Flight 175 and crashed it into the South Tower. The South Tower was burning for an hour before it collapsed, while the North Tower was burning for two hours before it too collapsed.
Since those terrorists’ attacks or 9/11 attack, airport security is tightened worldwide. Passengers have to take off their shoes and belts, and go through full-body scanners at airport check-points. Besides, liquids more than 100 ml, knives, box-cutters, cigarette lighters and other objects that may be used for threatening life are not allowed to be carried by passengers into airplanes. These strict checks cause long queues at airports.
Charging Bull
Later, we left Zuccotti Park and walked to Bowling Green. At this place there is one large sculpture of a bull. It looks muscular and fierce. It is leaning back on its haunches, lowering its head, curving its tail like a lash and getting ready to charge.
But it looks so adorable that tourists like to gather round it and hope to get a chance to take a photo with it. Besides, they like to touch its head, nose and horns believing that it will bring them good fortune, and its testicles believing that it will give them fertility or virility power.
The sculpture is known as “Charging Bull”, “Wall Street Bull” or “Bowling Green Bull”. Created by a sculptor, Arturo Di Modica and installed at the present site on Dec 21, 1989, it is made of bronze weighing 3 200 kg, standing 3.4 metres tall and having a length of 4.9 metres. It symbolizes aggresive financial optimism and prosperity. It is now New York City’s icon.
Having seen the Charging Bull, we walked to our tour-coach on Battery Place where Roanne, our patient and friendly driver, was waiting for us. When all of were on the bus, Roanne drove us to another tourists’ place of interest called “Times Square”.
Times Square
Times Square is in Manhattan, New York City, and it is one of the most popular tourists’ destinations in the world. Over 300, 000 tourists visit the place, daily.
In 1904, a 25-storey building was built for a local newspaper company, The New York Times. Hence, the open space in front of it was and still is called “Times Square”. This building is now known as “One Times Square”. It has a large ball atop and will illuminate a kaleidoscope of LED coloured lights when it is lowered on every New Year’s eve ushering in a new year. Hundreds of thousands of revellers will be there to watch it. It is a site for other important events, too.
Adjacent to Times Square is a small area known as Duffy Square that was dedicated in 1937 to Chaplain Francis P. Duffy(1871-1932) who was a member of the New York City’s U.S. 69th. Infantry Regiment. A statue of him is erected in the square in memory of him. In the same square, there is another statue. It is of George M. Cohan(1878-1942) erected in 1959 to commemorate his invaluable contribution to the entertainment industry.
Times Square is a place surrounded by over 40 Broadway theatres that offer live, large-scale performances, like musicals, plays and magic shows. Buildings at this bustling place are adorned with large billboards advertising foods, goods and Broadway shows or musicals like “The Lion King”, “Aladdin”, “Chicago”, “Mama Mia!” and “The Phantom of the Opera”. Over 13 million people watched performances in these theatres last year(2014).

Multi-storey buildings in Times Square adorned with large bill-boards advertising Broadway musicals and shows

Multi-storey buildings in Times Square adorned with large bill-boards advertising Broadway musicals and shows
International Day of Yoga
We were in Times Square on 21 June 2015 and, coincidentally, it was International Day of Yoga. It was declared on 11 December 2014 by the United Nations General Assembly. So, in Times Square, there were hundreds of people doing yoga at the same time to celebrate the occasion.
Later, three young, pretty ladies from the “Chicago” musical group appeared in Duffy Square and performed a short dance for the visitors. From a flier I received, the dancers together with others would be performing at Ambassador Theatre nearby.
After spending several hours at the vibrant, crowded Times Square, we walked to Rockefeller Center which was a few hundred metres away.
30 Rockefeller Center
Rockefeller Center consists of several buildings between 48th. and 51st. streets in New York City. But we visited one of them which is known as 30 Rockefeller Center.
Built in 1931-1939, 30 Rockefeller Center has 70 floors and 850 feet(260 m) high. It has an observation deck on its top that offers 360-degree panoramic view of New York City. The deck is popularly known as “”Top of the Rock”.

Choo Chaw and wife on “Top of the Rock”, an observation deck atop 30 Rockefeller Center, New York City
It was a sunny day when my wife and I went up to the “Top of the Rock”. Standing on the observation deck, we were mesmerized by the spectacular view of the whole city of New York, a city of hundreds of skyscrapers, seemingly, competing for heights.
At 4 in the afternoon we ended our New York City tour and went back to our hotel, Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel, at Iselin in Woodbridge Township. It is 31 km south-west 0f New York City.
U.S.A & Canada East Coast Travel
Part I Philadelphia & Washington D.C.
Part II Niagara Falls & Toronto City
Part III Colborne, 1000 Islands & Ottawa City
Part IV Montreal & Quebec City
Part VII Woodbury, JFK Airport & Home
U.S.A. and Canada East Coast Travel Part I(Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.)
U.S.A. East Coast Travel Part I(Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.)
(Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.)
Day 1 Friday, 12 June 2015
Air-Flight from Singapore to Philadelphia, U.S.A. Via Qatar
On 12 June 2015(Singapore date), my wife and I joined a group of Singaporeans headed by Andy Yuan, a tour-manager of EU Holidays Pte. Ltd.(Singapore), at Terminal 3, Changi International Airport in Singapore to experience a 10-day U.S.A.-Canada land tour. At 9.50 p.m. we flew off on a a Qatar plane and arrived at 4.50 a.m. at Doha Airport in Qatar on 13 June 2015(Singapore local time and date).
At the airport we immediately changed to another Qatar plane which departed at 5.a.m.(Singapore local time) for U.S.A.. At 8.45 a.m. on 13 June 2015(U.S. local time and date) we arrived at Philadelphia International Airport in U.S.A.. The total time we spent on the air-flight from Singapore to U.S.A. was about 16 hours!
Philadelphia, U.S.A.
On arrival at Philadelphia International Airport in the morning on 13 June 2015(U.S. local time and date), we went through a stringent security check, like taking off our belts(for men), socks and shoes, and emptying our pockets. After a long immigration clearance, we entered the arrival hall where a large U.S.A. national flag hanging down from the middle of the ceiling greeted us.
U.S.A. National Flag
The U.S.A. national flag has 50 stars that represent 50 states and 13 stripes that represent the 13 British colonies that declared independence from Britain in 1776. It was adopted on 4 July 1960.
Independence National Historical Park
Coming out of the airport, we boarded a coach driven by a middle-aged, friendly and courteous American lady, Roanne. She brought us straight to a well-known historical place in Philadelphia City. It is known as Independence National Historical Park which was established in 1948 due to the effort of Judge Edwin O. Lewis.
Independence Hall
In this famous area, there is a very important, well-preserved building, Independence Hall, which was built in 1732 and completed in 1753. It was in this building three very important documents were debated, drafted and signed leading to the birth of a new nation, the United States of America, in 1776. The documents were Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the Constitution of USA. These documents are displayed in the building. A statue of George Washington(the first President of U.S.A.) can be seen in front of the Hall.
Old “White House” Site
A site located over 100 metres from Independence Hall is marked as the location of the old residence(“White House”) of the first two Presidents, George Washington(1789-1797) and John Adams(1797-1801).
Liberty Bell
Besides, there is an old, large bronze bell which has a crack, Liberty Bell, displayed at the Liberty Bell Centre. It carries a biblical quotation: “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants”. Created in Britain in 1752, it was used to summon lawmakers to legislative sessions and alert citizens to the public meetings and proclamations in Philadelphia. As the queue was long we did not get inside to see it. But we saw it through a glass-window outside.

Liberty Bell as seen through a window-glass from outside the Liberty Bell Center at the Historical Park in Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Freedom Bell
There is another bell in front of Independence Hall. It is smaller and shiny known as “Freedom Bell”. It is put up by the U.S. Army in honour of their armed forces of the past, present and future.

“The Freedom Bell” set up by the U.S. Army in honour of their armed forces of the past, present and future at the Historical Park, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Independence Visitor Center
This centre provides information on the Independence National Historical Park. Besides, visitors can listen to talks on American history in “Once Upon a Nation” corner, buy souvenirs at a gift-stall , listen to American traditional musics or snap a photo with Rocky who was a heavyweight boxer in a movie made in 1976. Sylvestor Stallone acted as Rocky in the movie that earned three Oscars. Later, Stallone became the major star as Rocky in another four movies: Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV and Rocky V.

An American in a traditional costume playing a stringed instrument at Visitor Center at the historical park, Philadelphia, U.S.A.

Tourists listening to a lady talking about American history at Visitor Center at the historical Park, Philadelphia
Hotel Gaithersburg
At 2.30 p.m. we left Philadelphia for Gaithersburg in Maryland. At 5 p.m. we arrived at the place and checked in at Hotel Marriott where we spent a night, comfortably.

An old American horse-drawn carriage carrying tourists for sightseeing around Philadelphia Old Town, U.S.A.
Day 2 Saturday, 14 June 2015
After breakfast at 8 a.m. at Hotel Marriott, we went to National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washingto, D.C..
National Mall and Memorial Park, Washington D.C.
Established in 1965, National Mall and Memorial Parks have some national monuments and memorials erected to honour, respect and remember Americans who had made invaluable contributions and sacrifices to their nation. It is also a place for visitors to reflect and be inspired by them.

Andy Yuan, our tour-manager, talking to us about the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

Tour-members and Choo Chaw entering the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
On the National Mall and Memorial Parks, we visited the following places:
a. Vietnam Women’s Memorial
Created in 1993, the memorial honours the civilian and military American women who rendered their services in the Vietnam War(1955-1975). This memorial shows a statue of three American military nurses taking care of a wounded soldier.
b. Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Completed in 1982, the memorial honours American soldiers who fought in the Vietnam War(1955-1975). It shows a statue of three American soldiers looking at the Wall with over 58 000 of their unfortunate comrades’ names in the distance.
The Vietnam War was a long, costly war fought between the communist North Vietnam and the democratic South Vietnam. The principal allies of the North were China and Soviet Union whereas the South was the United States.
Owing to strong protest at home, the United States ended the war in 1973. Two years later, the two regions were unified under Communist control. The twenty year-war resulted in more than 3 million people killed, including 58 000 Americans.

The Wall in the distance containing 58 000 names of missing or deceased American soldiers in the Vietnam War(1955-1975)

A statue of three American soldiers looking at The Wall in the distance at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
c. Lincoln Memorial
Built in 1914 and completed in 1922, the memorial honours Abraham Lincoln, the 16th. President of U.S.A.(1861-1865). It houses a large statue of Lincoln sitting alone on a chair. His two famous speeches, “The Gettysburg Address” and “Second Inaugural Address” are engraved on a wall on his left.
d. Washington Monument
Constructed in 1848 and opened to public in 1885, Washington Monument, a 169 metre-high obelisk, honours U.S.A.’s first President, George Washington(1732-1799) who was in office from 1789 till 1797.
I saw it in the distance, clearly, from the Lincoln Memorial and its reflection in a pool of water known as Reflecting Pool. I saw it again while I was at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Washington Monument in memory of the first President of U.S.A., George Washington, as seen from Lincoln Memorial

Korean War Veterans Memorial in memorial of the U.S.A. and U.N. soldiers involved in Korean War(1950-1955)
e. Korean Veterans Memorial
Korean Veterans Memorial was added to the National Mall and Memorial Parks in 1995 to dedicate to the American men and women who were involved in the Korean War(1950-1953). Casualty statistics of the soldiers who fought in the war are engraved in four black granite blocks at the memorial, viz. Dead(US 54 245 UN 628 833), Wounded(US 103 284 UN 1 064 453), Captured(US 7 140 UN 92 970) and Missing(8 177 UN 470267).
The Korean War(1950-1953) was fought between the communist North Korea and democratic South Korea. The U.N. and U.S.A. soldiers fought for the South, while China and Soviet Union fought for the North. It ended on 27 July 1953, when an armistice was signed creating a 250km-long Demilitarized Zone at 38th. parallel north that separated and continues to separate North and South Korea. Occasional clashes happen between the two sides.
At the memorial, there are 19 stainless steel statues of American soldiers, seemingly, “on patrol in a rugged terrain and a harsher weather in Korea” during the Korean War(1950-1953). They were created by a WWII veteran, Frank Gaylord. On a 50 metre-long, black, granite wall, over 2 500 photographic images of unidentified American soldiers involved in the war can be seen. They were sandblasted into the wall by Louis Nelson, a graphic designer.

Images of unidentified soldiers involved in Korean War(1950-1955) on a 50 metre-long black granite wall at Korean War Veterans Memorial
f. Thomas Jefferson Memorial
This memorial was built in dedication to Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826) who was the third President of U.S.A.(1801-1809). He was involved in drafting and signing the “Declaration of Independence” in 1776 and a strong supporter of democracy and human rights.
In the memorial building, a tall statue of Jefferson was erected and surrounded by some of his speeches engraved on the walls. The speeches are his expressions of democracy, liberty, freedom, human rights, etc.
g. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
In 2011 Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on Memorial Mall was created to dedicate to King.
King was a well-known civil rights activist seeking equality for the marginalised African Americans and helping to bring about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights of 1965.
On 23 August 1963, King made a famous public speech, “I Have a Dream”, from Lincoln steps in front of over 250 000 civil rights supporters on Memorial Mall in Washington, D.C., U.S.A.
In 1964 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. On 4 April 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee, he was assassinated at the age of 39. Third Monday of January every year since 1986 is a federal holiday in U.S.A. in honour of the King.

A huge statue of Martin Luther King, Jr., an American civil rights activist(1929-1968), at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
h. The United States Capitol
The United States Capitol sitting on top of Capitol Hill is the seat of the United States Congress consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Opened in 1899, it is built in neoclassical architectural style. It holds major events, like presidential inaugurations, Independence Day celebrations, National Memorial Day and public paying their last respect to important persons lying in state.
Its dome is now under restoration and scheduled to be done in 2017.

Choo Chaw and wife and the White House, the residence and workplace of U.S.A. presdidents since 1800, in the distance
i. White House
Located at 1600 Pennsylvania in Washington, D.C., White House is the place where United States Presidents live and conduct the government of the nation. John Adams was the first president to occupy the House in 1800.
It has become a symbol of Presidency and stands for the power and statesmanship of the Chief Executive.
Fashion Centre or Pentagon City Mall, Arlington
After the visit to the National Mall and Memorial Parks in Washington, D.C., we went to Arlington to have lunch at the largest enclosed shopping mall there, Fashion Centre or Pentagon City Mall. It houses 170 retailers and restaurants. After lunch at 2 p.m., we left the mall for Harrisburg.
Hershey’s Chocolate World
On the way to Harrisburg, we stopped at a famous chocolate shop, Hershey’s Chocolate World, where we learnt about chocolate making and bought a few kinds of chocolate. It has a few attractions, like Great Chocolate Mystery in 4D, Trolley Works and Wrap Happiness.
Hotel Radisson in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.
Then we continued our journey and arrived at Harrisburg in Pennsylvania at 8 p.m. where we stayed for a night at Hotel Radisson.
U.S.A & Canada East Coast Travel
Part I Philadelphia & Washington D.C.
Part II Niagara Falls & Toronto City
Part III Colborne, 1000 Islands & Ottawa City
Part IV Montreal & Quebec City