جامعة النجاح الوطنية
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We visit cities and think that it is the buildings that attract us, or nature is the one that captures us, or its inhabitants who fascinate us, yet only to discover with time that everything within the city captures us. Words compete in my mind to describe the charm of Italy and its cities. The beginning is not easy to describe and the end is not shortened by words.


By: Tala Jammal

I remember the day we traveled very well. We planned for that day for a long time with effort and hard work. It was on Wednesday, August 30, 2017, a day where its events were happening so fast, faster than you could imagine. The road was almost empty, so we started our procedures from Jericho all the way until it ended a few hours later in the Jordanian city of Madaba. Although there was not enough time to get to know Madaba and its ancient architectural churches, our enthusiasm of encouraged us to walk for a few hours in its squares and streets.

The clock is ticking, announcing that it is 1:00 am, telling us that our journey has started. We all went to the Queen Alia International Airport by bus and waited for our plane to land in Athens Airport. Then. We left to our destination, Italy. 

Rome was the first destination we visited. I do not exaggerate if I say it is a great large museum as in every corner, we could read its history. Three days of fascination with the Roman civilization, the Roman Coliseum, the Roman baths, the Pantheon temple, the Trevi Fountain and many other monuments that are testimonies to a civilization that was dominated and then faded. Rome is a complete art palette, in which you find what fascinates you with the greatness of its history and the beauty of its nature. The Tiber River will be your righteous friend who you will never feel bored of. My memories of it are engraved in my heart and mind. We spent our last night near the River in a pure Arab atmosphere. 

Our visit to Vatican City was certainly unforgettable. We have met a city that attracts millions of visitors every year, either to worship or to study the history of the ancient world which is conveyed through unique paintings by famous painters and artists such as Leonardo DA Vinci and Raphael. Also, we had the chance to see some preparations for the Divine Liturgies. 

Our next stop was Naples, a city far from Rome and its history. What distinguishes it simply, is the hospitality of its inhabitants, its tasty food and its distinctive blue sea. In this city, we did not need a tour guide. The University of Oriental, with its teaching staff and students were ready to help us out. They arranged visits to the famous landmarks such as the Royal Palace of Naples, Castel dell'Ovo, the National Museum, the Museum of Natural Sciences and others. 

In a scene where reality is blended with imagination, present with the past, you see an old town with huge stones and abandoned houses almost uttering the horror and splendor of the disaster. The ancient city of Pompeii was one of the most important stations that caught my attention. As you enter the city, you will be facing Mount Vesuvius, the angry mountain. According to some stories, Vesuvius has rebelled against its inhabitants, and they have become ashes that you will inevitably feel when you walk through the city. Vesuvius lava did not exclude anyone. 

In the seventh day, we went to the beautiful city of Florence. It is truly unique. When you walk in the streets of the city, you will enjoy the elegance of its inhabitants, their great architecture, even its river is different from what I saw in Rome. If I tried to choose a place that suits my personality and spirit, I would certainly choose Florence. 

Then we went to Venice. It was the city of romance and love, a city everyone wishes to visit. The city where you’ll hear the most beautiful stories about love. One of these stories belongs to an Italian man and a Brazilian woman. We looked at them from afar with wonder. They dressed as 19th century people, like the ones we saw in the films of that century. We tried from afar to predict whether they were true lovers or were just two people wearing clothes to draw attention. When they noticed us, they welcomed us and wanted to talk to us. We went to them and talked for a long time to know how it was like when they first met. I still remember the way they looked at each other, their looks were like lovers looking at each other for the first time. Our last stop was Milan. What attracted me most, was the beauty of the Alps in the distant horizon covered with white snow, and in that scene, I said my goodbyes to Italy, hoping to come again. 


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