September 01, 2009

When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie...

Italy.

Everyone talks about the beauty, the food, the art, the vibe, the people... but you cannot capture this country in a story, or a photograph, or even a video. You must be there, you must be surrounded by it, you must immerse yourself in the balmy breeze, warmed with chianti, buzzing with laughter and agape at the thousands of years of history which surround you.

In twelve days that felt like a happy eternity, but went by oh so quickly, I danced til dawn in Milan, drank wine on a gondola in Venice, dove off a sailboat into the waters of Capri, ate pizza with prosciutto in Sorrento, gazed at the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel until my neck was sore, threw three coins into the Fontana di Trevi in Rome, and sunned myself on the rocky shores of the Cinque Terre. It was a dream come true.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but the photos below still don't do Italy justice. I took 904 photographs while actively practicing restraint... that's how much I saw and how beautiful this country is. But if you haven't been, please go the first chance you get. I am completely enamoured with Italia and am already thinking about when I will go back.

Basilica San Marco, Venezia


Even the polizia are cute.


View from the roof of Castel Sant'Angelo, Roma


Sunset behind Basilica San Pietro, Roma


Gondoliers... sexy.


View from our gondola, leaving the Canal Grande.


Italian men, always posing, always aiming to please.


View from our boat, crusing Lago di Garda.


Duomo, Milano... Over 3,000 statues in/on one church.


The houses of Portovenere.


Pisa... just slightly underrated.


Ponte Vecchio, Firenze... the jewelry shops on the bridge? I die.


Santa Croce, Firenze... three colors of marble for faith, hope and charity.


Il Palagio - castle and vineyard, Chanti region, Tuscany.


Sunset behind Sorrento.


Cute boys on Vespas, Sorrento.


Sorrento from up top... paradiso.


A temple in Pompeii.


Sunset over Palatine Hill, Roma.

7 comments:

Red Lipstick said...

These photos are breath-taking. Just incredible. I so want to take a trip to Italy next year.

Lauren said...

Thanks for sharing...your pictures are incredible!! Italy is next on my list of places to see.

Unknown said...

you covered a lot of ground in Italy for only 12 days. I struggle to do half of that. How did you travel? With structured tour? friends?

Boom pow said...

Thanks for the compliments!

I went with a tour group. The itinerary was planned for us, and it was definitely go-go-go. But I felt like I saw the whole country.

- Hayley

The Blushing Hostess said...

I worked there for a long time and I agree, one needs to go themselves.

Siegfried said...

Thanks for visiting this country and for your nice judgments about it...

Boom pow said...

Siegfried - I am ready to move to Sorrento! Or Firenze, haven't decided yet. Viva Italia!

- H