30.7.09

BULGARI “Between eternity and history” 1884-2009


After 125 years, Bulgari inaugurated its first ever retrospective in the prestigious Exposition Palace of Rome attended by world’s glitterati. Entitled, BULGARI “Between eternity and history” 1884-2009, tells the story of the Italian jeweler in the past 125 years by touching on the most significant phases in the history and evolution of Bulgari design, from the opening of the first store on Via Sistina in 1884 to the present day.

enjoy the pictures after the jump!

29.7.09

Roman Forum

The Roman Forum, is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

What a ruin! I need a better understanding of these ruin, I just love civilization --it put a line between human and monkey, haha... enough with the sarcasm. So I managed to purchase this book, a past and present "Ancient Rome"
 I hope you guys enjoy it too ;)

28.7.09

Rome, I am in love!

Can you guys spot me?

Today is the day spent to discover the Colosseum for the first time! Excited! The Colosseum is situated just east of the Roman Forum. Can you imagine that it could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 spectators. The Colosseum's original Latin name was Amphitheatrum Flavium, often anglicized as Flavian Amphitheater. 

27.7.09

Fontana di Trevi, Rome

The Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi) is a fountain in the Trevi district in Rome, Italy, designed by Italian architect Nicola Salvi and completed by Pietro Bracci. Standing 26.3 metres (86 ft) high and 49.15 metres (161.3 ft) wide, it is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.
Legend holds that in 19 BC thirsty Roman soldiers were guided by a young girl to a source of pure water thirteen kilometers from the city of Rome. The discovery of the source led Augustus to commission the construction of a twenty-two kilometer aqueduct leading into the city, which was named Aqua Virgo /Virgin Waters.


26.7.09

Vienna oh Vienna

had to put this in the diary, got so many compliments on my gladiator sandals.
i actually bought the same sandals twice because the first one worn out...





Belvedere, Vienna



The Belvedere is a historic building complex, consisting of two baroque palaces (the Upper and Lower Belvedere), the Orangery, and the Palace Stables. The buildings are set in a Baroque park landscape in the third district of the city, on the south-eastern edge of its centre. It houses the Belvedere museum. The grounds are set on a gentle gradient and include decorative tiered fountains and cascades, Baroque sculptures, and majestic wrought iron gates. The Baroque palace complex was built as a summer residence for Prince Eugene of Savoy.

The Belvedere was built during a period of extensive construction in Vienna, which at the time was both the imperial capitaland home to the ruling Habsburg dynasty. This period of prosperity followed on from the commander-in-chief Prince Eugene of Savoy's successful conclusion of a series of wars against the Ottoman Empire.





25.7.09

Marionette & Schönbrunn Palace, Vienna

We are here particularly to see the Marionette!
Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the imperial family, is one of Europe's most impressive Baroque palace complexes. The land had been in the possession of the Habsburgs since 1569, when the wife of Emperor Ferdinand II. had a summer residence built there in 1642, which she called "Schönbrunn". The palace and garden complex built here from 1696, after the Turkish occupation, was redesigned from the ground up by Maria Theresia after 1743. For most of the year, the Habsburgs resided in the countless chambers that a large imperial family needed in addition to the formal state rooms.

Albertina & Museums Quartier, Vienna

The Albertina not only has the largest and most valuable graphical collections in the world, with works such as Dürer’s “Hare” and Klimt's studies of women. Its latest exhibition collection presents masterpieces of the Modern, spanning Monet to Picasso and Baselitz. As the largest Hapsburg residential palace, the Albertina dominates the southern tip of the Imperial Palace on one of the last remaining fortress walls in Vienna. No photos were allowed inside Albertina, after all it is now an expensive apartment space...

24.7.09

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom) Vienna

When we plan our Europe trip, we know that we must visit all the Gothics architecture, and a visit to St. Stephen's Cathedral is a must for every visitor to Vienna!
In addition to valuable altars and side chapels, the impressive cathedral treasure can also be seen, including relics decorated with gold and precious stones, monstrances, liturgical texts and books as well as vestments. Numerous important people were also given their final resting place in St. Stephen's Cathedral: Emperor Friedrich III. was buried in an impressive marble sarcophagus. The tomb’s cover slab alone weighs eight tonnes. Prince Eugene of Savoy has his final resting place in a private chapel. And famous names buried in the catacombs of St. Stephen's Cathedral include the Habsburg duke Rudolph IV. “the founder", who laid the foundation stone for the Gothic reconstruction of the cathedral in 1359. In addition, the graves of Vienna’s cardinals and archbishops can be found in the catacombs.

21.7.09

Baroque architectures, Prague

Prague is what we expected and soooo much more..., maybe because it's our first time, but for sure it's beautiful. You know when you see a place and than you think how beautiful the places are in the old days before all the new modern tall building arrive. Well... it was a combination between that and a lot of romantic feelings.

And so the travel to Prague was for 4 days. We were going to the Garden of Petrin, Palace Garden (Urbovska) and St.Vitus Cathedral day one.




The Baroque Vrtba Garden is mentioned in every Prague Guide as one of the most beautiful in Prague - and it is very true! It is situated in the Lesser Quarter at the Petřín Hill foothill. The garden was created around 1725 on three terraces of Petřín Hill by František M. Kaňka, the statues in the garden were made by Matthias Braun and W. L. Reiner. The garden is named after its founder, the owner of the adjacent Vrtba Palace and vineyards, Jan Josef from Vrtba.

The Vrtba Garden comprises three terraces, in the lower part there is a sala terrena with mythological paintings by W.L.Reiner and statues by M. Braun. The middle part has a rich double staircase from the upper part there is wonderful viewing terrace decorated with figures of ancient gods.










We stayed in Hotel Golf, nice hotel and easy to take the tram that happens to be in front of the hotel, we can go to Mala Strana or any place where the tourist sites are, how romantic is that?

20.7.09

Zaanse Schans

Zaanse Schans is a small village on the banks of the Zaan river, complete with tidy green houses, real working windmills, and small topical museums such as the Clock Museum and the first Albert Heijn store.

In the 17th and 18th century there were thousands of windmills along the dykes; sawmills, dye mills, oil mills etc that powered the Dutch economy. The Zaanse Schans village gives you a picture of what it must have been like. Not all the windmills and buildings started out in Zaanse Schans, many of them were moved here from the region as they came under threat from urban development across North Holland.

18.7.09

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

spot us?




they don't have my suitcase... it still is somewhere... argh....

Soan Galuh beach

Soan Galuh beach is my source of inspiration. When I feel like I need inspirations in my clay work, I would just get my motorbike and drive ...