Ponte Vecchio ... The Place for Golds
The Ponte Vecchio is a famous medieval bridge over the Arno in Florence and it is noted for having shops (mainly jewellers) built along it. It is Europe's oldest segmental arch bridge according to the facts.
Believed to have been first built in Roman times and it was originally made of wood. After being destroyed by a floodin 1333 it was rebuilt in 1345, this time in stone. Most of the design is attributed to Taddeo Gaddi. The bridge consists of three segmental arches, the main arch has a span of 30 m, the two side arches each span 27 meters. The rise of the arches is between 3.5 and 4.4 meters, and the rise-to-span ratio approximately 1:5.
It has always hosted shops and merchants (legend says this was originally due to a tax exemption), which displayed their goods on tables after authorisation of the Bargello (a sort of a lord mayor, a magistrate and a police authority).
It is said that the economic concept of bankruptcy originated here: when a merchant could not pay his debts, the table on which he sold his wares (the "banco") was physically broken ("rotto") by soldiers, and this practice was called "bancorotto" (broken table; possibly it can come from "banca rotta" which means "broken bank"). Not having a table anymore, the merchant was not able to sell anything
Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, Florence
In order to connect the Palazzp Vecchio (Florence's town hall) with the Plazzo Dei Pitti, in 1565 they had built the famous "Vasari corridor" above it. To enforce the prestige of the bridge, in 1593. he prohibited butchers from selling there; their place was immediately taken by gold merchants. The corporative association of butchers had monopolised the shops on the bridge since 1442.
The statue of Cellini on the Ponte Vecchio
The shop is selling pure gold with high quality
The gold shop along the street on the bridge
High quality of golds
Solid Gold 18kt...any comment?
Giardino Di Boboli...A Beautiful Garden
Today, i went to Giardino Di Boboli, the most beautiful garden in Florence. The day was not really on my side. It was raining from early morning till 5pm. So the pictures are not very clear as previous.
Piazzo Dei Pitti
The plan layout of Piazza dei Pitti and Giardino Diboboli ( Di Boboli Garden)
The metal statue ( The original was destroyed)
The ladder to the top
The garden infront of Museo Delle Parcellane
The entrance to Pizza Dei Pitti
The beautiful lanscape....
Nice view...
The wonderful everning
The entrance to Giardino Di Boboli
The Piazza Dei Pitti
The statue inside the garden
The entrance to Ford Belvedere
The statue on the top of the hill
Ampheatheater
Nice view
Hi there...that's me!
Meow...!
The Museo Delle Porcellane
Walla....!..perlu ker?
Nice garden...
Another naked statue..nice right?...
Amazing...
Fuyoo...the statues are at every corner...you can find it everywhere inside the garden
This is the most beautiful view,, I like it so much
Open garden
Inside the Piazza Dei Pitti
Perlu ker?
Some information to visit Piazza Dei PittiVisiting hoursDaily:
8.15 – 16.30 (November February)
8.15 – 17.30 (March)
8.15 – 18.30 (April, May, September and October)
8.15 – 17.30 (in the month of October when Daylight Saving Time ends)8
.15 – 19.30 (June August)
Entry is permitted up to an hour before closing time.
Closed on the 1st and the last Monday of each month, New Year's Day, May 1st and Christmas Day.
The Grotta Buontalenti is open for accompanied visits, depending on the opening hours of the Gardens:
11.00,
13.00,
15.00 all year round;
11.00,
13.00,
15.00,
16.00
from March to September;11.00, 13.00, 15.00, 16.00, 17.00 from April to September.
Tickets
Full price:
€ 8,00
Reduced: € 4,00
Free admission Combined tickets For the
Neo Japaneseque exhibition, the ticket prices will be € 8 (full price) and € (reduce price).
Il biglietto consente l'ingresso anche al
Museo delle Porcellane, al
Giardino di Boboli, al
Museo del Costume, al Giardino Bardini e alla Mostra
"Arte e Manifattura di corte a Firenze. Dal tramonto dei Medici all'Impero (1732- 1815)"Information and Booking
Contact Firenze Musei, Tel: +39 055294883Booking charge : € 3,00 per person.
Disabled persons
Disabled visitors may enter the gardens through the archway at the left end of the palace façade or from the Annalena entrance in via Romana, no.39. Because of the steepness of the paths parts of the gardens are not easily accessible to persons in wheelchairs.
Schools
Admission is free of charge.Booking is compulsory and free of charge. Firenze Musei – Tel: +39 055290112The list of visiting students and teachers on the institution’s letterhead stationery must be presented at the ticket office.Educational assistance for Italian school visits can be arranged with Firenze Musei at the time of booking.Cost: € 3.00 per student
Labels: Vacation
Window Shopping at Piazza Santa Croce
Piazza Santa Croce so called the museum of the "Opera di Santa Croce" is a famous destination in Florence . The huge rectangular space of Piazza Santa Croce, created in front of the Franciscan Basilica,can still be clearly seen in many of the buildings surrounding its perimeter. However the two most famous palaces in the square actually date from a later period: Palazzo Cocchi-Serristori, which is an original adaptation of a 14th century house carried out by Baccio towards the end of the 15th century (opposite the church), and Palazzo dell'Antella, which previously belonged to the Cerchi family (civic number 21-23), the leaders of the "White" Guelph party ( Source: A Short Walk in Florence by Gloria Chiarini).
This empty space is a place for enterpreaneur to sell the surveniors, shirts, jackets, chocolates, etc when there is no events scheduled at this space. So today, we spent the whole morning shopped at this wonderful space. The first word out from my mouth was " This is like pasar malam". Well, people are selling the foods, cheese everwhere on the street. So, this panorama is exactly like " Pasar Malam".
The wines are available everywhere
The breed of tulips, roses, lavandes, etc are sold at this market
I almost buy this flower. Euro 6.00 per pot.
Of Course, they sell euro 3.oo per pot. Is it cheap?
Women is everywhere....me?.Join them as well.
The original stone.
Infront of Franciscan Basilica
Ciao!. Una di caffe, per favore!
Chocolate!...
Kids always like this!
Chicken King?. Definitely not....the aroma is wallaaa..! Anyway I'm fasting today
Wafel with Chocolate or wafel con choccoloto.. Euro 1.50 per piece
Ermm..Yummy!
Anthony Callea - New Album ( New Chapter)
Channel V Artist of the Year 2005
Pop Republic Male Artist of the Year 2005
2005 ARIA Award - Highest Selling Single Of The Year (The Prayer)
Number 1 Single of 2005 - Australian End Of Year Chart
Three ARIA Number 1 Awards for 2005(The Prayer/Rain/Bridge Over Troubled Water/Anthony Callea - the album)
Australian Performer of the Year
MO Award nominationExtensive 2005 national tour of Australia Hand-picked to sing for Pavarotti at a private function on his Australian concert tour
Currently writing for second album!- New Chapter with the 1st Single - Live for Love
Anthony Callea is just 22 years of age, but he is already a national phenomenon. His debut single, that extraordinary version of Andrea Bocelli’s “The Prayer”, not only held the No. 1 position in lockdown for five consecutive weeks, it has set the record books reeling: Anthony Callea’s 'The Prayer' is officially the fastest selling Australian single of all time, it is also the highest selling Australian single ever!
These are astounding figures for any artist, but especially for one whose career has only just begun. They hint at Anthony’s rare, cross-generational appeal, but they’re not what make him special. To understand that, you have to cast your mind all the way back to the 10th August, 2004, the morning after the then 21 year old singing teacher from Melbourne was voted out of the first round of Australian Idol. It had been a tough blow to a performer who’d been working towards this moment since he was three years old. But that day, like every other day, he got over it and did what he did best. He sang. Because for Anthony Callea, there was nothing else he could do. “Music is my life. It’s my reason for being”, he says. “And anyway”, he laughs, “I’m crap at everything else”.
From his early days of talent schools through to 13 years of private singing lessons - which culminated in Anthony topping the state for Music Solo Performance in Victoria’s (HSC equivalent) Certificate of Education (with a perfect score, no less!) - Anthony has been utterly committed to his craft. By age 15, Anthony was already performing at The Odeon theatre in Melbourne’s Crown Casino, where he met up with producer Ashley Cadell, and spent the next few years writing, recording and honing his skills. By age 17, he was earning his living as a professional singer, continuing to perform at the Crown Casino as well as doing corporate gigs and shows as a member of vocal trio, Say Yeah.
Then a small show called Australian Idol came along. Anthony made it through to the Final 30 before being voted off. The elimination was a surprise, and it hurt. When Anthony received the wildcard that saw him re-enter the show, he wasn’t overwhelmed. He wasn’t nervous. He was ready.
While Casey Donovan became the Australian Idol, but it is Anthony Callea who will be remembered for providing the show’s defining moment: a performance of The Prayer so jaw droppingly accomplished, so emotionally loaded, that it produced a standing ovation from both the judges and the audience. From that moment, Anthony Callea was on his way. Anthony's debut album, simply titled ANTHONY CALLEA, is stunning testament to his promise and his undeniable talent. Recorded over two months, ANTHONY CALLEA comprises 12 contemporary pop songs that explore the textured dynamics of his tenor’s range.
It is an album remarkable for both the diversity and the consistency of its material. Produced and written by the world’s premier pop personnel – whose collective credits include George Michael, Delta Goodrem, Britney Spears, Ronan Keating and the Backstreet Boys, to name but a stellar few – and featuring a track which Anthony wrote while working with producer Ashley Cadell all those years back back (“I Want You”), ANTHONY CALLEA seamlessly melds all the diverse facets of Anthony’s musical taste: there’s the operatic (“The Prayer”, naturally); the symphonic (“Per Sempre [For Always]); polished pop-rock (“Rain”, “Hurt So Bad”, “Take It To The Heart”); carefree summer anthems (“Lost in Summer”); brooding, up-tempo dance (“Into Your Heart”); big, dramatic ballads (“When I Get There”); moody ballads (“I Want You”, “When You Were My Girl”); even timeless classics (Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water”). It’s an album for all seasons by an artist whose voice is as versatile as it is convincing.
Anthony is immensely proud of his debut long player, and rightly so. It is a record with enormous appeal. But naturally – and especially given that he’s already reached such heady heights so early into his career – Anthony is still a little nervous about how the album will be received. “It’s weird”, he says. “It’s like a part of me that I’m putting out there and I’m just hoping people will like it. I’m extremely happy with it, and I’ve been overwhelmed by all the support I’ve received from the public, so I hope they like it as well. But at the end of the day I gave it all I’ve got, and if it doesn’t work out, at least I can say that I gave it no less than one hundred per cent”.
Ponte Vecchio over the Arno, Florence
The shop is selling pure gold with high quality
The gold shop along the street on the bridge
High quality of golds
Solid Gold 18kt...any comment?
