IN FRATERNAM MEAM

IN FRATERNAM MEAM

Wednesday, December 24, 2003

ARRIVEDERCI ROMA....BIENVENUE A PARIS
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our last day at the eternal city is so fast and we have to speed up all the places that we have to visit. for some obvious reason---my two boys always wanted to visit PIAZZA DE VENEZIA. my wife and i left the two boys at the piazza seating on a restaurant and we went on our way to see the ST AGNES IN AGONY near the CORSO VICTOR EMMANUELLE. we have to meet some of the SVD priest and from there we went to the SVD General House at PYRAMIDE. i have to pay respect to the present SUPERIOR GENERAL who is the First Pinoy from Bohol---FR. TONY PERNIA. the place is in one of the hills of Rome.the entire area of the PYRAMIDE including the train station was owned by the SVD fathers before---but during the war---Benito Mussolini asked them to donate it to Italy cuz the place has a train station and it was said that the train station is where Adolf Hitler will be using when he visits the IL DUCE of Italy. he did not pay the SVD fathers--but instead he gave the area and the street to be named after the society's name. DEI VERBO. SVD stands for SOCIES VERBI DIVINI---or SOCIETY OF THE DIVINE WORD.after a short courtesy call--my wife and i went back to pick the two boys enjoying the site at PIAZZA VENETIA. i told the boys that we will have to eat dinner out since this is our last day. so we went to VIA CONSILAZIONE and pick up a nice restaurant. it was nice but bvery expensive.

CHURCHES THAT WE HAVE VISITED:

1. DUOMO DE FIRENZE/ FLORENCE
2. SANTA MARIA DE URVIETO/ URVIETO
3. SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA /PADUA
4. SANTA SIENNA/ SIENNA
5. SAN DAMASO/SULMONA
6. SAN FELIPE/ UMBRIA
7. SANTA PIETRO/ CITTA DEL VATICANO
8. SAGRADA FAMILIA/ SPANISH STEPS
9. SANTO PAULO/ROME
10.SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE/ROME
11.SANTA MARIA DEL POPOLO/ROME
12.SANTA MARIA DELLA VITTORIA/ROME
13.JESU BAMBINO/ROME
14.SANTA CECILIA/ROME
15.SANTA AGNES/ROME

on our last nite in ROME, my wife asked that we visit PONTE VECCHIO. even if we will not be buying jewelries of diamond and gold--it was so nice to see all these stores and the expensive jewelries on sale. from here we went to the UFFICI. this is the place where the movie HANNIBAL was filmed. the statues are still there. i stared at the same balcony in one of the scene at HANNIBAL when he hang and disemboweled the chief of police.

then we headed for CHARLES DE GAULLE airport the next day 19 Dec. to Paris. LEONARDO DA VINCI airport is so small and looks so ugly. ALITALIA's food is alright, even for a short trip. the arrival in Paris is so messy. it was raining--cloudy and not much of an excitement. the Pinays who work at the airport are still there. we gave them some american chocolates and told them that we will see them on the way out on the 22nd dec but we cut it short to 21 instead cuz of the travel advisory for the americans.

we stayed at L'OPERA district. it was just across from the opera house and the shopping area and grocery where my wife always buy her shopping. i almost got pickpocketed by these Gypsies while crossing the street infront of the opera house. these are three young gilrs and its good my wife saw them. one of the girls hand is already inside my small sling bag. nothing was taken but if my wife did not see them---the camera was gone.

i love all the sweets and pastries but i cannot eat them. i am watching my sugar. i am contented eating a piece of the Baguette and some cold meats and CORNICHON and Pate' de Foie. our apartment is at the attic. this is like a family room with a bedroom and two beds in the foyer. not bad. my two boys are watching the french nite movies on television and they are not censoring anything here.

the nex day we went to the LOUVRE. my boys explored on their own. i love sitting inside the great hall to see all the masterpieces and all the frescoes. i took my wife again to the grand staircase where the marble sculpture of MICHAEL THE ARCHANGEL was standing. i told my wife we might be walking on the samesteps where Marie Antoinette and Louise walked when they were still staying at this grand palace.

of course--trip to Paris is not enough if my wife will not visit Rue De Rivoli and see the expensive shops there. we just looked around and we headed to the Latin Quarters then LES INVALIDES to see again the tomb of NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. i dont want to see the Eiffel Tower anymore. too much Gypsies and so crowded. we met the boys at the BOUNLANGERIE near our hotel for dinner.

next day we parted ways with the two boys and let them explore on their own. we went to LE MADELENE'. this is an old church that was patterned after the Parthenon. then we walked towards the PLACE' VENDOME. i love the obelisk here. this is an obelisk made of melted cannon that was confiscated by Napoleon Bonaparte and it tells the story of all of his campaings in the Napoleonic wars. of course if you come to this place you have to see the RITZ CARLTON HOTEL of the Fayeds. this is the famous scene on the last day of Princess Diana. we also went and see the showcase of the jewelry store where Dodi Fayed ordered the ring of Princess Diana.

wew stayed many hours inside NOTRE DAME. i love the stained glass. i sit inside the church and just stare at the high altar and the stained glass. the statue of CARLOMAGNO( CHARLEMANGE) was still there but now clean. and the ancient roman city that was dug infront of NOTRE DAME was still there and all the vendors along the river Sienne are still there.

the christmas decors on all the stores in Paris is so beautiful. we went to see the place where the movie BOURNE IDENTITY was filmed . two short days in Paris---but we were able to visit the many nice places that we wanted to see everytime we come to Paris .

JE'TAME PARIS. AVEC AVOIE

posted by infraternam meam @ 4:30 AM

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