Jazz Festival Fun!

From May 27 to May 29, the ladies of Brussels got the opportunity to participate in Brussel's amazing Annual Jazz Festival. Filling the city with music, a multitude of jazz bands played at a variety of venues throughout the city including squares, parks, and restaurants. However, the festival's main attraction was the giant concert hall that had been created in Grand Place.  Here talented bands provided free entertainment while the audience enjoyed food such as au gratin potatoes and beer until 11pm. Needless to say, a good time was had by all!

Amber and I in Grand Place in front of the concert hall:

The concert hall they built in Grand Place:

Street performers:

Museo Galileo aka The Science Museum

So on May 10, Amber and I visited the Museo Galileo. This was the first site in Italy where we didn't have a tour guide and to be honest I was a little nervous if it was going to be worth the time and money. However, I am happy to report that I was pleasantly surprised. The museo consisted of two floors and the artifacts within were amazing. Most of the artifacts on display didn't have a lot of information posted. However, we purchased audio tours for 5 euros after walking around on our own. IT WAS WELL WORTH THE MONEY! There was a lot of history behind the items, and the audio guide informed us on every detail. Unfortunately, the museum closes early on Tuesdays so we didn't get a chance to view the second floor. In addition, due to rules and regulations no photography was allowed. Hence, I don't have any pictures to post and share. However, the next time I am  in Florence, I will definitely be visiting again!

To view more information about the Museo Galileo click the link below:
http://www.museogalileo.it/assets/files/miniguide/depliant_eng.pdf

Bad hotel

The hotel rooms are soooo bad. The carpet is dirty, and we have to sleep almost on the floor (the white and red thing is the bed). The blanket looks so old with those fuzz balls! And people at the hotel are not helpful. The only good thing about the hotel is the good location.

Vatican Surprises!

Did you know that if the average visitor were to spend 3 seconds in front of every piece of art within the Vatican that it would take them 4 years to see everything!

Truth be told, I wasn't really excited about seeing the Vatican. However, after listening to our tour guide and viewing the magnificence of the pieces themselves I happy to say that I was not only pleasantly surprised but now I can't wait to go back! For those of you who like myself were hesitant or skeptical about viewing the Vatican I am here to tell you that it is without a doubt a MUST SEE! The various pieces of art are very impressive and thought provoking. In addition, there is a ton of variety in terms of artists and styles of art. No picture within a text book can do any of the pieces of art justice. In addition, our tour guide (via Presto Tours) was very knowledgeable, especially since she is pursuing her PH.D. in art. Thus, the background and insights she provided on the various artists was vast in terms of both breadth and depth. According to her, if a visitor were to spend 3 seconds in front of every painting, sculpture, and architectural wonder within the Vatican they would need to be there for a total of 4 years! Hence, what we saw today was just the tip of the iceberg and honestly I can't wait to go back.

Below are some of my favorite pictures from our trip to the Vatican:

Want to see more? Click on the link below to view the rest of the photos:http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100179089485154.2599751.12312611&l=b254d084c9