The early morning train ride to Seville was a very pleasant and restful one and Jerry boy recuperated from the intense sightseeing activities yesterday. Checked into this spanking new hostel near the city centre and surprisingly, this is one of the best rooms I have stayed in so far in Spain! Makes me wonder why I have been paying triple the price for the hotel rooms...
Some personal admin and research later, was at the Seville Cathedral & Giralda. Again, this is an instance of the destructive streak of the Spanish - the old mosque was demolished after Seville fell to the Christians and in its place, a gargantuan Gothic & Baroque cathedral was built in its place. Talk about the loss of Spain´s ancient heritage...The country was bequeathed so bountifully and yet lost so much...The church did make up for it with lavish interiors and a great view of the city from the top of Giralda.
However, those were not the main attractions and what transpired in the evening was even better.
The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza aka the bullfighting ring was fantastic. Although the bullfighting season was just over in October, the sheer immensity of the ring and the informative guided tour by a very knowledgable and helpful Spanish guide was an experience. It is possible to imagine what a visual feast it must be from the kaleidoscope of colours from the matodors´costumes. Coupled with the danger of the matador being gored to death in a bullfight (child prodigy & national sensation Manolete was killed in 1947) plus the virtual certainty of the bull´s demise, the elevation of mindless slaughter into a virtuosic art-form must be as entertaining as the gladiators´mortal combat in ancient Rome´s Colosseum.
Not far off from the bull ring is a tablao or a taverna which showcases flamenco dances with dinner included. The entire venue was packed with tourists; not a single local in sight. Somehow, I felt that this was going to be another ¨made for tourists¨shows and in a way, I felt I am right. The performance was quite entertaining - the moves were precise, the singing and Spanish guitar accompaniment were very good; but somehow, some of the dancers just lacked the spirit of the dance. Without getting into the melancholic soul embodied in the music, it is impossible to do a good flamenco piece IMHO. Let me repeat: Flamenco is all about SOUL.
Then again, this is my virgin flamenco experience so perhaps I should reserve my judgment. Am going to try for another one tomorrow night and hopefully, I will have better luck...Meanwhile, Jerry boy is thinking of when he is able to come to Seville during bull-fighting season and perhaps stay for a month, catch a few fights and pick up Spanish along the way...Pipe dreams!!
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Picturesque Granada
A good nite´s rest later, Jerry emerged from his nest an early bird. An espresso and cake at the cafeteria across the road didn´t hurt and then Jerry was on his way to the Alhambra & Generalife! For those of you who do not know what this place is, it is a Muslim palace-castle-garden complex stretching across the top of the hill; with imposing views across the whole of Granada City.
Thought that I will be the one of the first few to reach the complex but it seems that the rest of the world conspired against me and this time, there was the usual horde of Japanese tour groups and independent Spanish travellers. Anyway, it was fortuitous that I was forewarned by the hostel reception yesterday that I can simply waltzed through the long queue at the ticket office by using the automated ticket vending machines for credit card payments. Haha, worked beautifully and it was satisfying seeing those waiting tourists wasting their time. Suckers!!
Entry to the complex is a little tricky as the tickets have fixed entry times (morning or afternoon visit). Moreover, there is a stipulated entry time to Palacio Nazaries (the Muslim palace). If one were to miss this entry time, then you might be seriously in trouble since you will have to wait till the afternoon before you can enter. Imagine screwing up your schedule for the whole day, especially if you are on a tight schedule like I am...
So the main entrance is not the only entrance but there are several smaller ones at each of the individual attractions within the complex and the walk there is quite long. Getting mesmerized by the trek through the beautiful gardens while taking pictures is not an option as you can seriously panick as you get nearer to the stipulated entry time and realise you haven´t reached yet!
Soon, I was at the Palacio Nazaries and my gosh, it had one of the most beautiful interiors I have seen - intricate stuccos, beautiful tiling, finely carved wooden ceilings and elaborate honeycomb/stalactite vaulting. In the courtyards, beautifully sculptured stone lions adorn the fountain.
Next was the fortress with various turrets offering great vantage points overlooking the whole city. Great views but otherwise ok. The Generalife gardens were pretty and one can slowly enjoy the sunshine while taking a languid stroll through it, admiring the colourful, symmetrically arranged flora.
Overall, a satisfying experience and the rest of the day was spent walking through the Albayzin across from the Alhambra with colourful, delightful tourist traps selling everything from glass with Arabic inscriptions to scented Arabian tea and various jewelry, Shisha...
Enough of Granada for now. Looking forward to my Seville trip tomorrow - flamenco!!!
Thought that I will be the one of the first few to reach the complex but it seems that the rest of the world conspired against me and this time, there was the usual horde of Japanese tour groups and independent Spanish travellers. Anyway, it was fortuitous that I was forewarned by the hostel reception yesterday that I can simply waltzed through the long queue at the ticket office by using the automated ticket vending machines for credit card payments. Haha, worked beautifully and it was satisfying seeing those waiting tourists wasting their time. Suckers!!
Entry to the complex is a little tricky as the tickets have fixed entry times (morning or afternoon visit). Moreover, there is a stipulated entry time to Palacio Nazaries (the Muslim palace). If one were to miss this entry time, then you might be seriously in trouble since you will have to wait till the afternoon before you can enter. Imagine screwing up your schedule for the whole day, especially if you are on a tight schedule like I am...
So the main entrance is not the only entrance but there are several smaller ones at each of the individual attractions within the complex and the walk there is quite long. Getting mesmerized by the trek through the beautiful gardens while taking pictures is not an option as you can seriously panick as you get nearer to the stipulated entry time and realise you haven´t reached yet!
Soon, I was at the Palacio Nazaries and my gosh, it had one of the most beautiful interiors I have seen - intricate stuccos, beautiful tiling, finely carved wooden ceilings and elaborate honeycomb/stalactite vaulting. In the courtyards, beautifully sculptured stone lions adorn the fountain.
Next was the fortress with various turrets offering great vantage points overlooking the whole city. Great views but otherwise ok. The Generalife gardens were pretty and one can slowly enjoy the sunshine while taking a languid stroll through it, admiring the colourful, symmetrically arranged flora.
Overall, a satisfying experience and the rest of the day was spent walking through the Albayzin across from the Alhambra with colourful, delightful tourist traps selling everything from glass with Arabic inscriptions to scented Arabian tea and various jewelry, Shisha...
Enough of Granada for now. Looking forward to my Seville trip tomorrow - flamenco!!!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Cordoba is full of character
More of the same today with another early morning train to Cordoba, the ancient heartland of Andalucia and the regional capital. Thank God I made it for the train as I did not realise that the Madrid metro starts at 6am and with only 30min headroom, it was a miracle I manage to get a ticket and catch the train.
Had a bit of hiccup in getting tickets as the ticket office I bought my Toledo ticket yesterday was not open yet and when I went to another ticket office that was open, the unfriendly staff just muttered something in Spanish and brushed me off in another direction to get my Cordoba ticket.
Was in a mild panic as it was 10min to departure time and I almost resigned myself to the idea of just hitting Granada directly and skip Cordoba. Made a last ditch effort and quickly walked through the train station to where I recalled seeing some ticket offices when I first came to Madrid and true enough, I manage to get my ticket there. Quickly ran to board the train and was the last passenger on board and the train took off just 2min later. Phew!!! Nothing beats having to run for a train to get your adrenalin pumping in the morning and wake you up from your somnambulistic stupor.
Less than 2hr later and I was in Cordoba. Immediately hit the trail to the Mezquita -the cathedral - mosque. This seems like an oxymoron but it is true and I think this can only be found in Spain due to the fluid nature of Christian-Muslim wars, depending on who is winning at a particular point in time, the building is either a mosque or a cathedral and either structure will borrow materials and craftsmen from the other. From my time in Barcelona when I saw Gaudi´s Modernist Temple de La Sagrada Familia to Toledo´s Gothic Catedral de Toledo, this elegant Muslim-Christian creation must surely be the best. The forest of columns and arches, the intricate motifs and Islamic inscriptions...they were simply beautiful!
Next on my list was the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos - a palace-fortress complex with beautiful palm trees and well-maintained gardens. But beneath the idyllic exterior belies a more sinister past. From 1490 to 1821, this was the site of the Spanish Inquisition. God knows how many innocent people were condemned to their fates here.
Am happy catching the 2 main attractions I have targeted here and now getting ready to hit Granda tonight. Need to go catch some zzz, the physical activity is getting too much...
Had a bit of hiccup in getting tickets as the ticket office I bought my Toledo ticket yesterday was not open yet and when I went to another ticket office that was open, the unfriendly staff just muttered something in Spanish and brushed me off in another direction to get my Cordoba ticket.
Was in a mild panic as it was 10min to departure time and I almost resigned myself to the idea of just hitting Granada directly and skip Cordoba. Made a last ditch effort and quickly walked through the train station to where I recalled seeing some ticket offices when I first came to Madrid and true enough, I manage to get my ticket there. Quickly ran to board the train and was the last passenger on board and the train took off just 2min later. Phew!!! Nothing beats having to run for a train to get your adrenalin pumping in the morning and wake you up from your somnambulistic stupor.
Less than 2hr later and I was in Cordoba. Immediately hit the trail to the Mezquita -the cathedral - mosque. This seems like an oxymoron but it is true and I think this can only be found in Spain due to the fluid nature of Christian-Muslim wars, depending on who is winning at a particular point in time, the building is either a mosque or a cathedral and either structure will borrow materials and craftsmen from the other. From my time in Barcelona when I saw Gaudi´s Modernist Temple de La Sagrada Familia to Toledo´s Gothic Catedral de Toledo, this elegant Muslim-Christian creation must surely be the best. The forest of columns and arches, the intricate motifs and Islamic inscriptions...they were simply beautiful!
Next on my list was the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos - a palace-fortress complex with beautiful palm trees and well-maintained gardens. But beneath the idyllic exterior belies a more sinister past. From 1490 to 1821, this was the site of the Spanish Inquisition. God knows how many innocent people were condemned to their fates here.
Am happy catching the 2 main attractions I have targeted here and now getting ready to hit Granda tonight. Need to go catch some zzz, the physical activity is getting too much...
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Towering Toledo
Woke up really early this morning to catch the 30min morning commute to Toledo via the high-speed AVE train. Really a struggle to get out of bed since I have been sleeping few hours the past few nights commuting between various cities since Amsterdam to Spain last week. The cold chill of the morn didn´t help and it was tempting to continue curling up between the sheets.
But Toledo beckoned and I did not want to miss out the magnificent experience, having read all about it in the guidebooks. Got my ride and was greeted by the morning cold of 2 degrees Celsius. Damn, didn´t know it will be this cold. Thought Toledo being further south of Madrid should do better in terms of weather but it was colder in fact!
Got out of the train station and it was totally a ¨wasteland¨ where I disembarked. There were no taxis at the train station. No tourist office to give useful travel advice to the clueless traveller like moi. No clear signage as to where I was on the locality map and how to get to the main tourist sights. This is one of those times I did not know how to get to where I wanted to go so just gave it a wild shot and walked in the direction of Alcazar which is my numero uno attraction to see. FYI, this was a fortress built in the 10th century by a Muslim ruler but was largely destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.
After a short trek, finally could take it no longer and stopped by a roadside cafe and got my coffee and dough fritters (yes, it tastes very much like the ÿou tiao we have in Singapore). What serendipity too, when Jerry discovered that the tourist information office was right next door and after a useful map from a very helpful staff, Jerry was very much on track.
Toledo is by far the most interesting of all the cities I have visited in mainland Spain thus far. Being one of the first to reach Toledo in the morning, I had the luxury of soaking in the historic atmosphere of its surroundings without any noise disturbance. The magnificent gothic cathedral, the imposing city walls, the Alcazar fortress were magical.
Really wonder why Franco did not make Toledo the capital city of Spain. The depth of its historic roots would have been an obvious choice but guessed the power of the Catholic Church there (it was the seat of Catholic authority in Spain) might have been a threat to his absolute hold of power. In a way, I am glad that Toledo is not the capital which probably enabled to retain its charms.
Finally arrived at the Cathedral de Toledo and I was immediately taken by the opulence of its interior and the various catholic relics - cloaks worn by the bishops, the cups for communion, etc. This is way different from the Temple de La Familia de Sagrada but still it is beautiful. Glad to have finally enjoyed the premise in relative peace and quiet; just as I was about to leave, was suddenly besieged by the massive crowds of Korean and Chinese package tourists. Adios you poor souls who do not have the pleasure of exploring the spirit of the city!
Tracked down the El Greco trail since this is a ¨must-do¨ suggested by LP. El Greco was this famous Greek painter who did a few impressive pieces and who rose to posterity after his death, penniless (what´s new?) Also checked out an old synagogue in the Jewish Quarter but the relics were ok - could have appreciated much more if there had been more explaination in English at the museum.
Generally, will recommend Toledo to anyone who wants to have a taste of what historical Spain is really like. You won´t be disappointed. Just walking around the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage City will make you exhilarated.
Great, this is my first real enjoyable city in Spain. Hope to see more in Andalucia!
But Toledo beckoned and I did not want to miss out the magnificent experience, having read all about it in the guidebooks. Got my ride and was greeted by the morning cold of 2 degrees Celsius. Damn, didn´t know it will be this cold. Thought Toledo being further south of Madrid should do better in terms of weather but it was colder in fact!
Got out of the train station and it was totally a ¨wasteland¨ where I disembarked. There were no taxis at the train station. No tourist office to give useful travel advice to the clueless traveller like moi. No clear signage as to where I was on the locality map and how to get to the main tourist sights. This is one of those times I did not know how to get to where I wanted to go so just gave it a wild shot and walked in the direction of Alcazar which is my numero uno attraction to see. FYI, this was a fortress built in the 10th century by a Muslim ruler but was largely destroyed during the Spanish Civil War.
After a short trek, finally could take it no longer and stopped by a roadside cafe and got my coffee and dough fritters (yes, it tastes very much like the ÿou tiao we have in Singapore). What serendipity too, when Jerry discovered that the tourist information office was right next door and after a useful map from a very helpful staff, Jerry was very much on track.
Toledo is by far the most interesting of all the cities I have visited in mainland Spain thus far. Being one of the first to reach Toledo in the morning, I had the luxury of soaking in the historic atmosphere of its surroundings without any noise disturbance. The magnificent gothic cathedral, the imposing city walls, the Alcazar fortress were magical.
Really wonder why Franco did not make Toledo the capital city of Spain. The depth of its historic roots would have been an obvious choice but guessed the power of the Catholic Church there (it was the seat of Catholic authority in Spain) might have been a threat to his absolute hold of power. In a way, I am glad that Toledo is not the capital which probably enabled to retain its charms.
Finally arrived at the Cathedral de Toledo and I was immediately taken by the opulence of its interior and the various catholic relics - cloaks worn by the bishops, the cups for communion, etc. This is way different from the Temple de La Familia de Sagrada but still it is beautiful. Glad to have finally enjoyed the premise in relative peace and quiet; just as I was about to leave, was suddenly besieged by the massive crowds of Korean and Chinese package tourists. Adios you poor souls who do not have the pleasure of exploring the spirit of the city!
Tracked down the El Greco trail since this is a ¨must-do¨ suggested by LP. El Greco was this famous Greek painter who did a few impressive pieces and who rose to posterity after his death, penniless (what´s new?) Also checked out an old synagogue in the Jewish Quarter but the relics were ok - could have appreciated much more if there had been more explaination in English at the museum.
Generally, will recommend Toledo to anyone who wants to have a taste of what historical Spain is really like. You won´t be disappointed. Just walking around the streets of this UNESCO World Heritage City will make you exhilarated.
Great, this is my first real enjoyable city in Spain. Hope to see more in Andalucia!
Mixed feelings about Madrid
After Zaragoza, it was an uneventful journey down south to Madrid. Like Barcelona, Madrid is constantly humming with activity, with throngs of people rushing through the streets to where they want to go. Kinda reminds me of Hong Kong except that here, there is infinitely more space.
Started my journey through the city at a leisurely paceto Puerta del Sol - the centre of Madrid and a main artery of the city. Here, it was a pleasant ecletic mix of Spanish who never seem to be tired of shopping, tourists gawking at buskers made up of quartets performing popular tunes, cafe owners doing a roaring business selling over-priced coffee and snacks to the beleaguered weary tourists seeking a respite from exploring the city.
Eventually made my way to just outside Palacio Real - the Italian Baroque colossus built by Felipe V. Unfortunately, the palace was closed to outside visitors due to some official state functions and I missed the chance to visit its sumptous interiors.
Nevertheless, all is not lost. Jerry managed to catch the changing of the palace guard in a simple ceremony. All the soldiers in their smart uniforms are a sight unto themselves; especially when they did not manage to march in lockstep with each other. But well, the uniforms and cute berets made up for it. Also, enjoyed the surroundings when he caught La Vie En Rose being played by a busker with an accordion while another busker nearby posed as a silver fairy floating around in an ethereal fashion in accompaniment.
As Lonely Planet suggested, the Prado Musuem was also not to be missed so I went there too the next day. While the sights are rather attractive, with Goya and El Greco amongst many others; I was lost after a while. It was simply a matter of too much art in too short a time and then all the paintings and sculptures seem to morph into something similar to each other. Really reminds me of the Louvre Museum in Paris though the building does not have the same kind of grandeur in architecture.
Rounded off the night with authentic Spanish cuisine of Castilian soup and Madrid-style cod fish. Rather scrumptious overall though the experience could have been enhanced if the waiter was a little more friendly (too matter of fact IMHO) and more careful (spilt my Perrier on the table). One piece of cod fish was also not cooked fully. But then again, who cares? The ambience is great, everyone is having a good time in town and so Jerry ignores all these to have his own fun too!
Good food is always a sure way to round off a day of sightseeing for that perfect travel experience!
Started my journey through the city at a leisurely paceto Puerta del Sol - the centre of Madrid and a main artery of the city. Here, it was a pleasant ecletic mix of Spanish who never seem to be tired of shopping, tourists gawking at buskers made up of quartets performing popular tunes, cafe owners doing a roaring business selling over-priced coffee and snacks to the beleaguered weary tourists seeking a respite from exploring the city.
Eventually made my way to just outside Palacio Real - the Italian Baroque colossus built by Felipe V. Unfortunately, the palace was closed to outside visitors due to some official state functions and I missed the chance to visit its sumptous interiors.
Nevertheless, all is not lost. Jerry managed to catch the changing of the palace guard in a simple ceremony. All the soldiers in their smart uniforms are a sight unto themselves; especially when they did not manage to march in lockstep with each other. But well, the uniforms and cute berets made up for it. Also, enjoyed the surroundings when he caught La Vie En Rose being played by a busker with an accordion while another busker nearby posed as a silver fairy floating around in an ethereal fashion in accompaniment.
As Lonely Planet suggested, the Prado Musuem was also not to be missed so I went there too the next day. While the sights are rather attractive, with Goya and El Greco amongst many others; I was lost after a while. It was simply a matter of too much art in too short a time and then all the paintings and sculptures seem to morph into something similar to each other. Really reminds me of the Louvre Museum in Paris though the building does not have the same kind of grandeur in architecture.
Rounded off the night with authentic Spanish cuisine of Castilian soup and Madrid-style cod fish. Rather scrumptious overall though the experience could have been enhanced if the waiter was a little more friendly (too matter of fact IMHO) and more careful (spilt my Perrier on the table). One piece of cod fish was also not cooked fully. But then again, who cares? The ambience is great, everyone is having a good time in town and so Jerry ignores all these to have his own fun too!
Good food is always a sure way to round off a day of sightseeing for that perfect travel experience!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Zzz...Zaragoza
After Barcelona, stopped by Zaragoza - the 5th-largest city in Spain and the capital of the state of Aragon. Remembered this place as my Spanish teacher Ana told me she was from that state. As it turned out, the journey there is more interesting than the city itself. Sorry, Ana! (I know you are reading this blog).
Must say that it was quite an experience taking the train from Barcelona to Zaragoza. The Spanish transport system really leaves much to be desired, especially after what I have experienced at Barcelona airport previously. The train was no different. For some reason, the train could not leave from the Barcelona train station and I did not even know it until about 30min before the train was supposed to leave. It was then that I asked a Renfe (Spanish rail staff) lady about my train. She gave me a horrified look and quickly ushered me to another line of passengers obediently queueing up behind another Renfe staff holding a placard of our train number. Imagine the consequences had I continued to wait at the waiting area for my train to arrive. Am going to be really screwed if I miss my train.
Seriously, I did not know what I was waiting for. Despite the friendly reassuring smile from a Spanish lady next to me who was trying to be helpful, seeing me with my luggage and all, the language barrier was real and I thought I was going to be screwed this time. (Damn, wish I had been more industrious with my Spanish lessons...Am inspired by my travel difficulties to hit the books again...RITE!)
Finally made our way to a bus outside the train terminus where we were unceremoniously ushered into a bus and then driven off. At first, the silly me thought that I was going to be driven to Zaragoza. But after considering the distance involved, this didn´t make sense. Wanted to desperately ask my fellow passengers what was going on, but knew that it will simply be a pursuit of futility.
Just when I resigned myself to the possibility of being lost in some weird Spanish city, the bus stopped us off at Tarragona - somewhere south of Barcelona; and we then embarked on our train ride. Phew! Never knew that this could be possible. In Spain, it seems that when your ticket tells you that you are to embark on a train from a certain station, it might not be the case. When in doubt, always ask! No shame in doing that (especially for you guys out there, take note)
Anyway, not much to say about Zaragoza other than this one main attraction which I really like - the Aljaferia. This is Spain´s finest Muslim-era edifice outside Andalucia, though not in the league of Granada´s Alhambra or Cordoba´s Mezquita (Lonely Planet). Not sure about this but have already gotten a pretty good idea of what I am about to see in Granada and Seville when I am there; the Muslim architecture is simply beautiful! All these little intricate motifs in the carvings, the beautifully landscaped gardens, nicely contoured ceilings, etc, conveys a certain elegance but yet not opulent.
Most of my time in Zaragoza was spent in taking long strolls through the main square where the most beautiful church was - the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar. Had quite a bit of church fatigue so did not spend too much time admiring the church but just wanted to chill out in general. Quite a nice feeling actually, since it was not crowded.
Think the fatigue must have gotten to me and would have enjoyed this place more had I had more sleep - too much running around in Barcelona catching the sights and the early morning train. Anyway, hope I do better for the rest of the trip!
Must say that it was quite an experience taking the train from Barcelona to Zaragoza. The Spanish transport system really leaves much to be desired, especially after what I have experienced at Barcelona airport previously. The train was no different. For some reason, the train could not leave from the Barcelona train station and I did not even know it until about 30min before the train was supposed to leave. It was then that I asked a Renfe (Spanish rail staff) lady about my train. She gave me a horrified look and quickly ushered me to another line of passengers obediently queueing up behind another Renfe staff holding a placard of our train number. Imagine the consequences had I continued to wait at the waiting area for my train to arrive. Am going to be really screwed if I miss my train.
Seriously, I did not know what I was waiting for. Despite the friendly reassuring smile from a Spanish lady next to me who was trying to be helpful, seeing me with my luggage and all, the language barrier was real and I thought I was going to be screwed this time. (Damn, wish I had been more industrious with my Spanish lessons...Am inspired by my travel difficulties to hit the books again...RITE!)
Finally made our way to a bus outside the train terminus where we were unceremoniously ushered into a bus and then driven off. At first, the silly me thought that I was going to be driven to Zaragoza. But after considering the distance involved, this didn´t make sense. Wanted to desperately ask my fellow passengers what was going on, but knew that it will simply be a pursuit of futility.
Just when I resigned myself to the possibility of being lost in some weird Spanish city, the bus stopped us off at Tarragona - somewhere south of Barcelona; and we then embarked on our train ride. Phew! Never knew that this could be possible. In Spain, it seems that when your ticket tells you that you are to embark on a train from a certain station, it might not be the case. When in doubt, always ask! No shame in doing that (especially for you guys out there, take note)
Anyway, not much to say about Zaragoza other than this one main attraction which I really like - the Aljaferia. This is Spain´s finest Muslim-era edifice outside Andalucia, though not in the league of Granada´s Alhambra or Cordoba´s Mezquita (Lonely Planet). Not sure about this but have already gotten a pretty good idea of what I am about to see in Granada and Seville when I am there; the Muslim architecture is simply beautiful! All these little intricate motifs in the carvings, the beautifully landscaped gardens, nicely contoured ceilings, etc, conveys a certain elegance but yet not opulent.
Most of my time in Zaragoza was spent in taking long strolls through the main square where the most beautiful church was - the Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar. Had quite a bit of church fatigue so did not spend too much time admiring the church but just wanted to chill out in general. Quite a nice feeling actually, since it was not crowded.
Think the fatigue must have gotten to me and would have enjoyed this place more had I had more sleep - too much running around in Barcelona catching the sights and the early morning train. Anyway, hope I do better for the rest of the trip!
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Funky Gaudi
Was well-rested after sleeping 9hr last night! Wow, never knew I was that bushed...
Anyway, quickly made my way out of my pad asap to make up for lost time yesterday and immediately got to Casa Batllo - a UNESCO World Heritage building designed by Antoni Gaudi, the father of Modernisme architecture in Spain (more specifially, Barcelona). You simply cannot escape this guy wherever you travel within Barcelona, it is Gaudi this, Gaudi that. By the way, he also built Temple De La Sagrada Familia. We´ll come to that later.
Casa Batllo is cool as the construction of the whole house was predicated on nature. The undulating shapes, irregular sizes and colour interplay are suggestive of the internal structure of a whale while other parts resemble corals and shelf fish. Really interesting as the conceptualization of the building is so original that no other building in the world comes close to it.
As for Temple De La Sagrada Familia, it was the same story. Although the theme is not marine life but Christian works (check out the various stories of the Bible in the sculptures), Gaudi´s touch was absolutely manifest from the design of the pillars, the naves to the arches, etc. I had previously thought that I had enough of Europe´s churches with the typical Gothic arches or other more recent neo-classical ones but after seeing Gaudi´s creation, I am amazed. Though half-completed, it is truly a stunning display of genius. Were it not for his early demise in the mid 1920s and the Spanish Civil War, the construction of this church might have progressed further. Without the personal direction of Gaudi and given the behemoth nature of this undetaking, I figure this will take another 50 years to complete (building started in 1893).
Anyway, that´s all for now folks, it is dinner time for Jerry the intrepid traveller. Needs some more chow to get further inspiration to regale you with more exciting tales of my travels (hopefully).
Anyway, quickly made my way out of my pad asap to make up for lost time yesterday and immediately got to Casa Batllo - a UNESCO World Heritage building designed by Antoni Gaudi, the father of Modernisme architecture in Spain (more specifially, Barcelona). You simply cannot escape this guy wherever you travel within Barcelona, it is Gaudi this, Gaudi that. By the way, he also built Temple De La Sagrada Familia. We´ll come to that later.
Casa Batllo is cool as the construction of the whole house was predicated on nature. The undulating shapes, irregular sizes and colour interplay are suggestive of the internal structure of a whale while other parts resemble corals and shelf fish. Really interesting as the conceptualization of the building is so original that no other building in the world comes close to it.
As for Temple De La Sagrada Familia, it was the same story. Although the theme is not marine life but Christian works (check out the various stories of the Bible in the sculptures), Gaudi´s touch was absolutely manifest from the design of the pillars, the naves to the arches, etc. I had previously thought that I had enough of Europe´s churches with the typical Gothic arches or other more recent neo-classical ones but after seeing Gaudi´s creation, I am amazed. Though half-completed, it is truly a stunning display of genius. Were it not for his early demise in the mid 1920s and the Spanish Civil War, the construction of this church might have progressed further. Without the personal direction of Gaudi and given the behemoth nature of this undetaking, I figure this will take another 50 years to complete (building started in 1893).
Anyway, that´s all for now folks, it is dinner time for Jerry the intrepid traveller. Needs some more chow to get further inspiration to regale you with more exciting tales of my travels (hopefully).
Hola Barcelona!!
Hi all!
It´s me again! Have not blogged for a long time for my travels so finally am glad to put my experiences down here online.
Am currently in Spain, Barcelona to be exact, after a 3 day course in Amsterdam. Well, what can I say? Given that there will not be much of a Dutch bank left after the RBS-AA merger, thought I will go hone my skills in Amsterdam while taking a much-needed breather after everything that has transpired in 2007. So much ups and downs but then again, that is another story. =)
Anyway, touched down in Barcelona yesterday and there were a few hiccups in the beginning with my luggage delays (my backpack was placed in the wrong conveyor belt despite what the baggage information screen said), the airport metro was not working (had to take a bus to another part of town which I was not familiar with). Oh well, this wasn´t pretty as I had to contend with these logistics which wasted unnecessary time which could have been used to cover more sights. Add to that severe lack of sleep (woke up at 4.30am in the morning so that I can leave at 5.30am for Schipol Airport to catch my flight). This contributed to a slightly miffed dude - combination of cold and rain in Amsterdam (5 degrees C), hunger (no breakfast) and fatigue is a lethal one indeed!
But in any case, made the most of it and after leaving my luggage at Residencia Campus del Mar - a university hostel cum hotel near the beach and the port with lots of swanky restaurants, casino and the like; hit town via the metro.
First stop was Merquat de la Boqueria - the biggest market in Barcelona. Saw this on Discovery Travel & Living and told myself I had to visit this place. Went around to snoop around the stalls selling all sorts of fresh produce like fruits (of all shapes, sizes and colours), chocolates (simply scrumptious!) and of course seafood!
But these were nothing compared to what came next - settling down at a small shop in the market whereby customers get to sit down at the bar counter, check out what they want to eat (made from fresh produce from the same market, and getting to enjoy soothing cold cerveza (beer)! Had some sardines and San Miguel and was so satisfied I could almost forgive Barcelona´s earlier sins. Haha!!
Anyway, paid up after that and immediately immersed myself in the sights and sounds of La Rambla - the main thoroughfare of downtown Barcelona. Here, you get to see buskers, stalls selling fresh flowers and birds in the middle; while on either side of it are branded shops selling various fashion. Yes, you guessed it Zara, Desigual, Massimo Dutti...
Hit this museum called Museu D´Historia De La Ciutat. Quite an interesting one as this museum was actually built on an archaelogical site containing the remains of its Roman and Visigothic past. But more interesting than all these is the fact that a nearby busker beside the museum was playing his Spanish guitar, so imagine, enjoying the sights to the accompaniment of guitar music simply raises the romantic quotient several notches! Guys: take note!
The day was long and it ended with a nice dinner of Spanish tapas near my hostel by the Olimpia Harbour and Port Vell. A slow stroll down the beachfront after dinner amidst the cool breeze and Jerry retired gastronomically satisfied for the night.
It´s me again! Have not blogged for a long time for my travels so finally am glad to put my experiences down here online.
Am currently in Spain, Barcelona to be exact, after a 3 day course in Amsterdam. Well, what can I say? Given that there will not be much of a Dutch bank left after the RBS-AA merger, thought I will go hone my skills in Amsterdam while taking a much-needed breather after everything that has transpired in 2007. So much ups and downs but then again, that is another story. =)
Anyway, touched down in Barcelona yesterday and there were a few hiccups in the beginning with my luggage delays (my backpack was placed in the wrong conveyor belt despite what the baggage information screen said), the airport metro was not working (had to take a bus to another part of town which I was not familiar with). Oh well, this wasn´t pretty as I had to contend with these logistics which wasted unnecessary time which could have been used to cover more sights. Add to that severe lack of sleep (woke up at 4.30am in the morning so that I can leave at 5.30am for Schipol Airport to catch my flight). This contributed to a slightly miffed dude - combination of cold and rain in Amsterdam (5 degrees C), hunger (no breakfast) and fatigue is a lethal one indeed!
But in any case, made the most of it and after leaving my luggage at Residencia Campus del Mar - a university hostel cum hotel near the beach and the port with lots of swanky restaurants, casino and the like; hit town via the metro.
First stop was Merquat de la Boqueria - the biggest market in Barcelona. Saw this on Discovery Travel & Living and told myself I had to visit this place. Went around to snoop around the stalls selling all sorts of fresh produce like fruits (of all shapes, sizes and colours), chocolates (simply scrumptious!) and of course seafood!
But these were nothing compared to what came next - settling down at a small shop in the market whereby customers get to sit down at the bar counter, check out what they want to eat (made from fresh produce from the same market, and getting to enjoy soothing cold cerveza (beer)! Had some sardines and San Miguel and was so satisfied I could almost forgive Barcelona´s earlier sins. Haha!!
Anyway, paid up after that and immediately immersed myself in the sights and sounds of La Rambla - the main thoroughfare of downtown Barcelona. Here, you get to see buskers, stalls selling fresh flowers and birds in the middle; while on either side of it are branded shops selling various fashion. Yes, you guessed it Zara, Desigual, Massimo Dutti...
Hit this museum called Museu D´Historia De La Ciutat. Quite an interesting one as this museum was actually built on an archaelogical site containing the remains of its Roman and Visigothic past. But more interesting than all these is the fact that a nearby busker beside the museum was playing his Spanish guitar, so imagine, enjoying the sights to the accompaniment of guitar music simply raises the romantic quotient several notches! Guys: take note!
The day was long and it ended with a nice dinner of Spanish tapas near my hostel by the Olimpia Harbour and Port Vell. A slow stroll down the beachfront after dinner amidst the cool breeze and Jerry retired gastronomically satisfied for the night.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Smashing time in Palma Mallorca! - 25/06/06
Buenas tardes, amigos! ¿Como estas?
Greetings from Palma Mallorca in Spain, the playground of the rich and famous in Europe. =) This is another one of my travellogues after my recent one about Santorini, Greece. Hope you guys like it and maybe someone can recommend me to Lonely Planet, 6 Degrees??? Haha!
Anyway, was here for a 3 day weekend getaway after my recent 2 week work stint in London. In theory, I´ve worked really hard during my time there, with all the ´late hours´ etc (it´s World Cup season, who´ll believe it?). Hence, the need for a break in the sunny Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. Actually, the travel bug just bit me real bad and I decided I just have to make it up to myself by diving in Mallorca since I had to terminate my Greece hols due to the London trip. Yadayadayada...
I am sure Palma Mallorca is familiar to my European friends but to all of you out there who are not familiar with it, it is the one single place that many Germans and the English (plus the Spanish of course) come every year to escape the cold weather back home, to retire with all their trappings of material wealth (check out the huge yachts!) or simply to hang out and enjoy the underwater adventures (this is really a great place for diving!)
The weather is absolutely perfect, sunny everyday with not a single drop of rain. People are generally friendly, helping the distressed traveller whenever they are approached. And great cathedrals and historic architecture; not forgetting the impromptu dancing to the accompaniment of live music at some festival in Palma (the historic centre), cuatro fun!
For the divers out there, this place is great. Went to a marine reserve yesterday and this place called El Toro aka Bull in Spanish. There were lotsa marine life, with large octopuses, schools of barracudas and even moray eels everywhere I turn to. Waters are reasonable at 22 deg and a 5mm wetsuit will do just fine!
Of course, given the touristy nature of this island, you can imagine the sheer variety of shops peddling their wares to visitors - from high-end Massimo Dutti to cheaper stuff like Zara/Mango. To say the least, I had to seriously control my spending habits after throwing caution to the wind and blowing quite a bit on my first day here.
On a lighter note, one of the ´highlights´ of my trip was to be accosted by a half naked middle-aged Spanish drunk clad in swimming trunks when I was savouring my Italian gelato yesterday. Of course my Spanish ain´t that great with just two elementary classes (sorry, Ana!) but the blabbering guy in his drunken stupor didn´t help either. =)
Anywayz, this guy was trying to be ´friendly´ by offering me his beer, which I was absolutely not interested in and so moved away. He then approached a couple of local teens who were messing around with a soccer ball. This guy was so ¨shameless¨and just went up and slammed the ball sky high each time he touched it with absolutely zero ball control when all that the boys wanted to do was dribble. It was sheer wonder that he did not smash the windscreens of the cars parked nearby with his silly antics.
Oh yeah, did I mention he came with his wife in tow? While her husband was fooling around with the kids, she had to pick up his slippers which he conveniently tosses aside and keep a watchful eye over the half finished bottle of beer. And all the time, she was sitting there so patiently and looking on... Talk about female subservience, hah! (Hope I dun get too much flak for this).
Anyway, I am off to London tonight before catching a return flight to Singapore. It has been a most wonderful trip in Europe for the past month or so and you guys and gals should come here and enjoy the nice romantic views of the Baleric Sea and the sights before the hordes of Chinese/Japanese tourists come! (only saw 3 Chinese when I was here). Till my next travel episode...
Adios amigos!
Greetings from Palma Mallorca in Spain, the playground of the rich and famous in Europe. =) This is another one of my travellogues after my recent one about Santorini, Greece. Hope you guys like it and maybe someone can recommend me to Lonely Planet, 6 Degrees??? Haha!
Anyway, was here for a 3 day weekend getaway after my recent 2 week work stint in London. In theory, I´ve worked really hard during my time there, with all the ´late hours´ etc (it´s World Cup season, who´ll believe it?). Hence, the need for a break in the sunny Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. Actually, the travel bug just bit me real bad and I decided I just have to make it up to myself by diving in Mallorca since I had to terminate my Greece hols due to the London trip. Yadayadayada...
I am sure Palma Mallorca is familiar to my European friends but to all of you out there who are not familiar with it, it is the one single place that many Germans and the English (plus the Spanish of course) come every year to escape the cold weather back home, to retire with all their trappings of material wealth (check out the huge yachts!) or simply to hang out and enjoy the underwater adventures (this is really a great place for diving!)
The weather is absolutely perfect, sunny everyday with not a single drop of rain. People are generally friendly, helping the distressed traveller whenever they are approached. And great cathedrals and historic architecture; not forgetting the impromptu dancing to the accompaniment of live music at some festival in Palma (the historic centre), cuatro fun!
For the divers out there, this place is great. Went to a marine reserve yesterday and this place called El Toro aka Bull in Spanish. There were lotsa marine life, with large octopuses, schools of barracudas and even moray eels everywhere I turn to. Waters are reasonable at 22 deg and a 5mm wetsuit will do just fine!
Of course, given the touristy nature of this island, you can imagine the sheer variety of shops peddling their wares to visitors - from high-end Massimo Dutti to cheaper stuff like Zara/Mango. To say the least, I had to seriously control my spending habits after throwing caution to the wind and blowing quite a bit on my first day here.
On a lighter note, one of the ´highlights´ of my trip was to be accosted by a half naked middle-aged Spanish drunk clad in swimming trunks when I was savouring my Italian gelato yesterday. Of course my Spanish ain´t that great with just two elementary classes (sorry, Ana!) but the blabbering guy in his drunken stupor didn´t help either. =)
Anywayz, this guy was trying to be ´friendly´ by offering me his beer, which I was absolutely not interested in and so moved away. He then approached a couple of local teens who were messing around with a soccer ball. This guy was so ¨shameless¨and just went up and slammed the ball sky high each time he touched it with absolutely zero ball control when all that the boys wanted to do was dribble. It was sheer wonder that he did not smash the windscreens of the cars parked nearby with his silly antics.
Oh yeah, did I mention he came with his wife in tow? While her husband was fooling around with the kids, she had to pick up his slippers which he conveniently tosses aside and keep a watchful eye over the half finished bottle of beer. And all the time, she was sitting there so patiently and looking on... Talk about female subservience, hah! (Hope I dun get too much flak for this).
Anyway, I am off to London tonight before catching a return flight to Singapore. It has been a most wonderful trip in Europe for the past month or so and you guys and gals should come here and enjoy the nice romantic views of the Baleric Sea and the sights before the hordes of Chinese/Japanese tourists come! (only saw 3 Chinese when I was here). Till my next travel episode...
Adios amigos!
Santorini - 03/06/06
Hi all,
Greetings from Santorini! It's a beautiful day here but alas, I have to leave for Athens in less than two hours and tomorrow, I will catch a flight back to Singapore where I will face the drudgery of work!
Anyway, the past two days have been great. I was revisiting some of the old places which I came to two years ago and amazingly, the same people are there in the restaurants and the same shops are still around! (Maybe it is not so much of a surprise since the volume of tourist traffic would have ensured they remain money spinners).
I was at this restaurant in Perissa (southern part of Santorini) with black beach sand. This Greek couple who were the owners was so pleased to see me as they recognised me from two year ago that they just cooked the house specialty for me and even gave me a main course for free on the subsequent nite. Talk about Greek hospitality!
The highlight of the trip is actually diving here. I went to this Mediterranean Diving Centre here and the boat brought us out to do two boat dives - one of the reef (which was really quite beautiful in terms of size and the sculpture), quite deep actually; and the other was a cave dive. This cave dive was actually quite scary for me as it was totally dark (I could not even see my buddy who was right beside me at times) and the air pocket within it is really small (certainly not for the claustrophobic). Here, there is no room for error as a panic situation may be hard to rectify in view of the confined space and lack of visibility. That said, it was my introduction to cave diving and I think I will do more of that in future as I think it is real fun!
Yesterday afternoon was great as I got a great view of the volcanic calderas as I was sipping an overpriced coffee at Fira (the main town in the middle of the island). It was a time for reflection and despite the hustle and bustle of tourist foot traffic just nearby, it was an oasis of serenity which really allowed one to feel that it is just between you and God. Certainly good for destressing!
Anyway, I have to run now. Apologise for this short excerpt but if I do see something interesting in Athens tonight, you all will hear from me.
Greetings from Santorini! It's a beautiful day here but alas, I have to leave for Athens in less than two hours and tomorrow, I will catch a flight back to Singapore where I will face the drudgery of work!
Anyway, the past two days have been great. I was revisiting some of the old places which I came to two years ago and amazingly, the same people are there in the restaurants and the same shops are still around! (Maybe it is not so much of a surprise since the volume of tourist traffic would have ensured they remain money spinners).
I was at this restaurant in Perissa (southern part of Santorini) with black beach sand. This Greek couple who were the owners was so pleased to see me as they recognised me from two year ago that they just cooked the house specialty for me and even gave me a main course for free on the subsequent nite. Talk about Greek hospitality!
The highlight of the trip is actually diving here. I went to this Mediterranean Diving Centre here and the boat brought us out to do two boat dives - one of the reef (which was really quite beautiful in terms of size and the sculpture), quite deep actually; and the other was a cave dive. This cave dive was actually quite scary for me as it was totally dark (I could not even see my buddy who was right beside me at times) and the air pocket within it is really small (certainly not for the claustrophobic). Here, there is no room for error as a panic situation may be hard to rectify in view of the confined space and lack of visibility. That said, it was my introduction to cave diving and I think I will do more of that in future as I think it is real fun!
Yesterday afternoon was great as I got a great view of the volcanic calderas as I was sipping an overpriced coffee at Fira (the main town in the middle of the island). It was a time for reflection and despite the hustle and bustle of tourist foot traffic just nearby, it was an oasis of serenity which really allowed one to feel that it is just between you and God. Certainly good for destressing!
Anyway, I have to run now. Apologise for this short excerpt but if I do see something interesting in Athens tonight, you all will hear from me.
Great Fun in Crete! - 01/06/06
Hi all,
Sorry for the long hiatus between this and the previous segment of my travellogue. Have been so busy diving everyday and the nearest Internet cafe is rather inaccessible by foot so have to do this after having just arrived in Santorini. =)
My experience of Crete this time is vastly different from what I saw in Iraklio (capital of Crete) and Hania (nice quaint little town with a Venetian lighthouse and Ottoman mosque) two years ago. I was staying in this sleepy town called Anissaras where the Coral Diving Centre is. Instead of just being another place where people go there to dive and then go off afterwards to do their own thing, this place is really friendly wtih everyone sitting down for a beer or frappe (ice coffee) after each dive and chat about everything and anything. Problem is that everyone here speaks German. All the season workers, be they German, Austrian, Greek or Italian speak German. And poor me feels so handicapped sometimes since I am not clued into their insider jokes and I feel sorry for them when they have to accomodate me sometimes when they speak in English. I am quite convinced that German is one of those languages I have to pick up at a basic level at least, if only to facilitate my travel in Europe!
It was great fun every nite as the only thing I look forward to after a long hard day of diving is to enjoy the great food in Crete! Everywhere along the coast is a potential chillout spot, with great Greek music playing in the background, the setting sun behind the mountains providing the perfect backdrop to serenading your significant other, should you wish to do so. =)
Of course, I was there with a bunch of friends from different countries (kinda like UN) - Belgian, Senegal, Austrian, Italian and me. You just cannot imagine the kind of ruckus that we kicked up when we eat and drink cos it is just so fun to have that international interaction and understanding the peculiarities of each other's culture. There was this one nite in Iraklio where we went to a little quiet Greek taverna and we started toasting each other in Chinese ("Kan Bei"). Everyone was so tickled by this as they pronounce it as ("Can't Pay"). So now quite a few Greeks in the local pubs and certainly the entire diving centre always toast in Chinese. =) And we were making all these silly jokes about the English and American tourists and there was this English family who looked on at our motley bunch and just wondered how we can be so loud and "rude" by making these remarks. (And to think that we were only drinking coke, no alcohol!)
There was also this one nite when a French diver just completed his Open Water Course and he got the entire diving centre to come together for a BBQ in the evening. The music blaring from the laptop speakers, against the gentle waves of the Cretan sea, the free flow of rakis, vodkas and Mythos (greek beer) certainly created quite a boisterous mood. It is simply too eventful to describe the feeling in its entirety.
The few towns towards the eastern part of Crete (Anissaras, Hersonisos, Stalis, Malia, etc) are dominated by all the European tourists (mainly German, English, Dutch). I seem to be the only Chinese here (except for those guys working at the Chinese restaurtants). You guys might want to consider coming here and just hangout before these few towns are invaded by the Chinese and Japanese package holiday tourists (who tend to cluster in Iraklio and Hania).
Anyways, that is all for now. I am going to have my lunch and explore the volcanic calderas in Santorini and regale you with more interesting tales (hopefully!).
Laterz!
Sorry for the long hiatus between this and the previous segment of my travellogue. Have been so busy diving everyday and the nearest Internet cafe is rather inaccessible by foot so have to do this after having just arrived in Santorini. =)
My experience of Crete this time is vastly different from what I saw in Iraklio (capital of Crete) and Hania (nice quaint little town with a Venetian lighthouse and Ottoman mosque) two years ago. I was staying in this sleepy town called Anissaras where the Coral Diving Centre is. Instead of just being another place where people go there to dive and then go off afterwards to do their own thing, this place is really friendly wtih everyone sitting down for a beer or frappe (ice coffee) after each dive and chat about everything and anything. Problem is that everyone here speaks German. All the season workers, be they German, Austrian, Greek or Italian speak German. And poor me feels so handicapped sometimes since I am not clued into their insider jokes and I feel sorry for them when they have to accomodate me sometimes when they speak in English. I am quite convinced that German is one of those languages I have to pick up at a basic level at least, if only to facilitate my travel in Europe!
It was great fun every nite as the only thing I look forward to after a long hard day of diving is to enjoy the great food in Crete! Everywhere along the coast is a potential chillout spot, with great Greek music playing in the background, the setting sun behind the mountains providing the perfect backdrop to serenading your significant other, should you wish to do so. =)
Of course, I was there with a bunch of friends from different countries (kinda like UN) - Belgian, Senegal, Austrian, Italian and me. You just cannot imagine the kind of ruckus that we kicked up when we eat and drink cos it is just so fun to have that international interaction and understanding the peculiarities of each other's culture. There was this one nite in Iraklio where we went to a little quiet Greek taverna and we started toasting each other in Chinese ("Kan Bei"). Everyone was so tickled by this as they pronounce it as ("Can't Pay"). So now quite a few Greeks in the local pubs and certainly the entire diving centre always toast in Chinese. =) And we were making all these silly jokes about the English and American tourists and there was this English family who looked on at our motley bunch and just wondered how we can be so loud and "rude" by making these remarks. (And to think that we were only drinking coke, no alcohol!)
There was also this one nite when a French diver just completed his Open Water Course and he got the entire diving centre to come together for a BBQ in the evening. The music blaring from the laptop speakers, against the gentle waves of the Cretan sea, the free flow of rakis, vodkas and Mythos (greek beer) certainly created quite a boisterous mood. It is simply too eventful to describe the feeling in its entirety.
The few towns towards the eastern part of Crete (Anissaras, Hersonisos, Stalis, Malia, etc) are dominated by all the European tourists (mainly German, English, Dutch). I seem to be the only Chinese here (except for those guys working at the Chinese restaurtants). You guys might want to consider coming here and just hangout before these few towns are invaded by the Chinese and Japanese package holiday tourists (who tend to cluster in Iraklio and Hania).
Anyways, that is all for now. I am going to have my lunch and explore the volcanic calderas in Santorini and regale you with more interesting tales (hopefully!).
Laterz!
Back to Greece - 24/05/06
Yasas amigos!
Here is the beginning of my series of travellogues again. It has been a long time since I wrote something on Vietnam back in 2004 but I am back! And for those of you who are new additions to my travellogue list, this is just a way for me to stay in touch with you guys and girls and perhaps, whet your appetite to come to Greece yourself and partake in my experiences here! Feel free to drop me a mail and give your feedback!
Was last here on my birthday in October 2004 when I was in the midst of a job change from UBS to ABN AMRO and today, history seems to repeat itself since I will be having a role change within ABN and moving to HK for work (for those of you who do not know yet). So, this time, in addition to catching up with some friends whom I met in Greece, I will also be meeting up with my dive friend from Phuket and take an Advanced Open Water Diving Course in Crete! Hopefully, my colleagues in Singapore can afford me the leeway from all the madness that is going on there so that I can go to Corfu to dive as well (my Greek friend said that this is one of the best dive spots in Greece with great visibility).
This will also be a great time for personal reflection since the secluded breathtaking scenery of the volcanic calderas in Santorini and the gentle lapping of the waves of the pristine blue Corfu waters just brings forth that inner serenity and one just feels that the whole world comes to a total standstill and all there is, is just you and God...
Anyway, today has been an uneventful day and it was quite a rough trip here to Athens for me since I had to take a 5.30am flight from Singapore. As usual, my promises to myself to sleep early came to naught when I stayed out for a late dinner with some friends and later came home to do some last minute research before my plane took off.
The plane ride was not all that great since there were so many Middle Eastern passengers on the same flight (I was flying Gulf Air) and they were really quite boisterous, with all the kids wailing, middle-aged women talking loudly, a ME man beside me intruding into my pesonal space with his arms across my arm rest, etc. Considering that I was severely sleep-deprived for the past month or so, you can imagine how I felt. That said, I tried my best to ignore all these and thank God, I was able to sleep more or less soundly throughout the entire flight.
Mission No.1 after landing at Athens was to take a bus to Piraeus port (the main port in Athens linked to the rest of the Aegean) so that I can catch a ferry to Crete. It was a slight struggle to get up the crowded bus as many fellow travellers had already staked their turf with their trolley luggages (the package holiday Brits and Aussies!). Yours truly was heavily laden and just as I spotted a corner to drop my duffel bag, this middle-aged Greek lady came up to me and fired off a volley of Greek gibberish which I totally could not comprehend. The hapless-looking me then looked to another younger Greek girl whom I thought could translate what the other woman said and I learnt that she actually meant that I could not put my stuff there as she was to sit in the seat next to it. So much for Greek hospitality! Luckily I have had good experiences with other Greeks or I would have attributed this to racism (well, I had a long flight and the temp was a scorching 35 deg).
Anyway, I am to take a ferry real soon and perhaps, I will update you with more interesting experiences in the week ahead. Till then, andio! (goodbye)
Here is the beginning of my series of travellogues again. It has been a long time since I wrote something on Vietnam back in 2004 but I am back! And for those of you who are new additions to my travellogue list, this is just a way for me to stay in touch with you guys and girls and perhaps, whet your appetite to come to Greece yourself and partake in my experiences here! Feel free to drop me a mail and give your feedback!
Was last here on my birthday in October 2004 when I was in the midst of a job change from UBS to ABN AMRO and today, history seems to repeat itself since I will be having a role change within ABN and moving to HK for work (for those of you who do not know yet). So, this time, in addition to catching up with some friends whom I met in Greece, I will also be meeting up with my dive friend from Phuket and take an Advanced Open Water Diving Course in Crete! Hopefully, my colleagues in Singapore can afford me the leeway from all the madness that is going on there so that I can go to Corfu to dive as well (my Greek friend said that this is one of the best dive spots in Greece with great visibility).
This will also be a great time for personal reflection since the secluded breathtaking scenery of the volcanic calderas in Santorini and the gentle lapping of the waves of the pristine blue Corfu waters just brings forth that inner serenity and one just feels that the whole world comes to a total standstill and all there is, is just you and God...
Anyway, today has been an uneventful day and it was quite a rough trip here to Athens for me since I had to take a 5.30am flight from Singapore. As usual, my promises to myself to sleep early came to naught when I stayed out for a late dinner with some friends and later came home to do some last minute research before my plane took off.
The plane ride was not all that great since there were so many Middle Eastern passengers on the same flight (I was flying Gulf Air) and they were really quite boisterous, with all the kids wailing, middle-aged women talking loudly, a ME man beside me intruding into my pesonal space with his arms across my arm rest, etc. Considering that I was severely sleep-deprived for the past month or so, you can imagine how I felt. That said, I tried my best to ignore all these and thank God, I was able to sleep more or less soundly throughout the entire flight.
Mission No.1 after landing at Athens was to take a bus to Piraeus port (the main port in Athens linked to the rest of the Aegean) so that I can catch a ferry to Crete. It was a slight struggle to get up the crowded bus as many fellow travellers had already staked their turf with their trolley luggages (the package holiday Brits and Aussies!). Yours truly was heavily laden and just as I spotted a corner to drop my duffel bag, this middle-aged Greek lady came up to me and fired off a volley of Greek gibberish which I totally could not comprehend. The hapless-looking me then looked to another younger Greek girl whom I thought could translate what the other woman said and I learnt that she actually meant that I could not put my stuff there as she was to sit in the seat next to it. So much for Greek hospitality! Luckily I have had good experiences with other Greeks or I would have attributed this to racism (well, I had a long flight and the temp was a scorching 35 deg).
Anyway, I am to take a ferry real soon and perhaps, I will update you with more interesting experiences in the week ahead. Till then, andio! (goodbye)
A Great Time in Vietnam - 04/11/04
Greetings from Vietnam! Yeah, for all those of you who have been receiving copies of my online travellogue, hope you guys are 'cool' hearing from me from Romania/Greece/Vietnam within the last 4 months. Some of you have already remarked that I am flying too often and not working as hard as you all are at home. Ok, I shall try to desist from my globe trotting adventures to the best of my ability.
Anyway, since this is a quick weekend getaway cos of the holidays in Singapore, will just have one email for the most memorable experience I have had during this trip. Yesterday, went for this 1/2 day tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh (i.e. the tunnel networks which the Viet Cong used to devastating effect against the American G.I.s) and met Liz (this girl from the U.S. who was on the same tour as well). Since both of us were travelling independently, we decided to do the tour together so that we can snap pictures of each other and have some company to distract us from the scotching tropical heat. Did the crawl through the tunnels together and it was simply a great experience to have. Imagine duckwalking through the dark, narrow tunnels with a moderately heavy daypack and trying to manovre yourself on the damp soil with a limited supply of air inside with a whole bunch of people right on your tail. Since ventilation is so poor, it was really quite a 'sauna' and certainly not something meant for the physically unfit or the claustrophobic. Anyway, quite a shame to say that I lost the battle to a member of the fairer sex and she did the crawl pretty easily while I have panted pretty hard after the whole thing. Must be getting old, I think. =)
Though this was certainly interesting, it did not beat the highlight of the day - the dispute Liz had with the shop which tailored her dress. She was supposed to tailor a nice evening gown for US$100 which she intended to use for her annual medical gala dinner. Though the tailor said that the whole job could be done in 4 days (instead of the usual 7 days), the quality of the dress turned out to be a little slipshod. The length was two inches too short, the width was two inches too tight and the right hem was higher than the left by about an inch. Though my friend twice sent it back for altering, the necessary rectifications were not thoroughly carried out. In the end, she had a dress which was fitting at the bust (but with the sequins missing along the edge of the zip due to the alteration), dress was still too short and unequally long on both sides.
Despite us having left instructions that the remaining 50% of the payment will be made by credit card after all the alterations have been done, the shop sent a delivery boy with a shoddily made dress and demanded that the payment be made in cash. When my friend asked to speak to the manager, the delivery boy blatantly lied and said he had no way of getting in touch with her; wherein my friend then gave an ultimatum: to return the dress to the shop for a full refund or to keep the dress for the US$50 which she already paid and make no further payment. At this point, Liz was pretty pissed (while I was amused by the whole incident cos I was with her during the initial fitting of the dress and the whole fiasco subsequently) as we have not had our dinner by 10pm and the promises which the shop made to her was not kept. Miraculously, 5 min later, the delivery boy said he managed to get hold of the manager and that she will call back soon. When another 5 min wait for the call turned fruitless, we just went for a scrumptious dinner and ignored the poor guy (who by now had a very black face cos not only was he not able to get hold of the money, but was also forced to stay there for another 2/3 hours of the dispute).
After dinner, both of us decided to drop in and check on her hapless Vietnamese friends (who had been the translators of the discourse between Liz and the delivery boy) to make sure they were ok and that the delivery boy did not do anything 'funny'. All this while, they were quite stressed as they were trying to be nice to the delivery boy but had tto express the tough wishes of their American friend. Surprise, surprise, the manager was here this time round when we returned to the hotel reception. The manager seemed gentle and reasonable; being soft spoken and receptive. After hearing Liz's complaints, she offered to sell the dress for US$80 but Liz stuck to her stand of US$50 or nothing. The vexed look on her face, the no-nonsense tone of her voice showed me first hand the "American attitude" (Sorry Liz, just have to poke fun at you). In the end, the hapless manager asked for another $5 for the dress cos of the amount of labour put in blah blah blah and Liz relented (women can be so soft-hearted sometimes though they sound so tough).
Basically, what I have learnt from the entire episode is this: 1) Do not believe entirely all the promises that the people here make you (they can easily take you for a ride. Had it not been for Liz's tough stand, they would have taken yet another seemingly rich tourist for a ride and make another US$50 for substandard workmanship); 2) Be firm and yet, not rude (think Liz was pretty cool as her gown was really quite screwed up but yet, she did not just blow up at the people from the shop but just calmly gave them two alternatives to choose from) and 3) Be more open when travelling and make friends and you never know how your new-found friends' experiences can add so much colour in embellishing your own online travellogue such as this!
Anyway, that's all for now, folks. Am going to rest soon after all the long day at the Mekong Delta today. Flying back to Singapore tomorrow. Do give me your feedback if you think my travellogue is interesting.
Anyway, since this is a quick weekend getaway cos of the holidays in Singapore, will just have one email for the most memorable experience I have had during this trip. Yesterday, went for this 1/2 day tour of the Cu Chi Tunnels near Ho Chi Minh (i.e. the tunnel networks which the Viet Cong used to devastating effect against the American G.I.s) and met Liz (this girl from the U.S. who was on the same tour as well). Since both of us were travelling independently, we decided to do the tour together so that we can snap pictures of each other and have some company to distract us from the scotching tropical heat. Did the crawl through the tunnels together and it was simply a great experience to have. Imagine duckwalking through the dark, narrow tunnels with a moderately heavy daypack and trying to manovre yourself on the damp soil with a limited supply of air inside with a whole bunch of people right on your tail. Since ventilation is so poor, it was really quite a 'sauna' and certainly not something meant for the physically unfit or the claustrophobic. Anyway, quite a shame to say that I lost the battle to a member of the fairer sex and she did the crawl pretty easily while I have panted pretty hard after the whole thing. Must be getting old, I think. =)
Though this was certainly interesting, it did not beat the highlight of the day - the dispute Liz had with the shop which tailored her dress. She was supposed to tailor a nice evening gown for US$100 which she intended to use for her annual medical gala dinner. Though the tailor said that the whole job could be done in 4 days (instead of the usual 7 days), the quality of the dress turned out to be a little slipshod. The length was two inches too short, the width was two inches too tight and the right hem was higher than the left by about an inch. Though my friend twice sent it back for altering, the necessary rectifications were not thoroughly carried out. In the end, she had a dress which was fitting at the bust (but with the sequins missing along the edge of the zip due to the alteration), dress was still too short and unequally long on both sides.
Despite us having left instructions that the remaining 50% of the payment will be made by credit card after all the alterations have been done, the shop sent a delivery boy with a shoddily made dress and demanded that the payment be made in cash. When my friend asked to speak to the manager, the delivery boy blatantly lied and said he had no way of getting in touch with her; wherein my friend then gave an ultimatum: to return the dress to the shop for a full refund or to keep the dress for the US$50 which she already paid and make no further payment. At this point, Liz was pretty pissed (while I was amused by the whole incident cos I was with her during the initial fitting of the dress and the whole fiasco subsequently) as we have not had our dinner by 10pm and the promises which the shop made to her was not kept. Miraculously, 5 min later, the delivery boy said he managed to get hold of the manager and that she will call back soon. When another 5 min wait for the call turned fruitless, we just went for a scrumptious dinner and ignored the poor guy (who by now had a very black face cos not only was he not able to get hold of the money, but was also forced to stay there for another 2/3 hours of the dispute).
After dinner, both of us decided to drop in and check on her hapless Vietnamese friends (who had been the translators of the discourse between Liz and the delivery boy) to make sure they were ok and that the delivery boy did not do anything 'funny'. All this while, they were quite stressed as they were trying to be nice to the delivery boy but had tto express the tough wishes of their American friend. Surprise, surprise, the manager was here this time round when we returned to the hotel reception. The manager seemed gentle and reasonable; being soft spoken and receptive. After hearing Liz's complaints, she offered to sell the dress for US$80 but Liz stuck to her stand of US$50 or nothing. The vexed look on her face, the no-nonsense tone of her voice showed me first hand the "American attitude" (Sorry Liz, just have to poke fun at you). In the end, the hapless manager asked for another $5 for the dress cos of the amount of labour put in blah blah blah and Liz relented (women can be so soft-hearted sometimes though they sound so tough).
Basically, what I have learnt from the entire episode is this: 1) Do not believe entirely all the promises that the people here make you (they can easily take you for a ride. Had it not been for Liz's tough stand, they would have taken yet another seemingly rich tourist for a ride and make another US$50 for substandard workmanship); 2) Be firm and yet, not rude (think Liz was pretty cool as her gown was really quite screwed up but yet, she did not just blow up at the people from the shop but just calmly gave them two alternatives to choose from) and 3) Be more open when travelling and make friends and you never know how your new-found friends' experiences can add so much colour in embellishing your own online travellogue such as this!
Anyway, that's all for now, folks. Am going to rest soon after all the long day at the Mekong Delta today. Flying back to Singapore tomorrow. Do give me your feedback if you think my travellogue is interesting.
Santorini and Mykonos - 28/10/04
Greetings from Mykonos - the party island of Greece in the Cyclades! Well actually, it has not been much of a party here as it is off season now and the party is pretty dead though there is still some older tourists here and a few restaurants and shops open. That said, today has been a really great day as it is a national holiday in Greece - "Ohi Day"; otherwise known as "No Day" in Greek. Apparently, this day is very significant to the Greeks as this was the day when the country said no to Hitler's eastward advance during WWII and fought the German army for a period of 3 months 22 days; much longer than all the other Western, Central and Eastern European countries, save for UK.
The town was absolutely boisterous, with primary school kids decked out in traditional Mykonian costumes and carrying the Greek flag - They were so so adorable! The senior year of the high school teenagers also looked really gorgeous in their traditional costumes, not to mention the rest of the Greek soldiers who were also on parade in their military garb, looking very impressive. Well, words cannot really describe what I have seen here so for those of you who are lucky enough to meet up with me when I am back, will show you all the video clips I have taken then.
And also, I must once again urge you all to go to Santorini. It is simply the most charming place which I have seen. Despite being off-season now for tourists, it is still very lovely. In fact, it is the dearth of people which makes it more attractive in my view, as you get to walk the streets at a leisurely pace, without the cacopahny from throngs of tourists arriving in summer on the convoys of tour coaches. Whether it be the day or night time, the views from the summit of the volcanic caldera is simply breathtaking, with views of whitewashed houses and bright blue rooftops, all along the slopes of the mountain. Against the backdrop of crystal clear blue waters in the surrounding seas and the nice temperature of about 25 - 28 degrees, minus the humidity, it is simply the best time for getting that great tan. The friendly reception of the locals is really great. For me, I stayed at this town called Perissa which is right on Perissa beach, the best beach in Santorini and relatively near to Fira which is the heart of Santorini Island. Here, I was able to escape the number of tourists in Fira but yet be near enough to access the best views and restaurants and the rest of the attractions by bus which is convenient enough. Alternatively, one can easily rent a quad which is one of those ATVs to explore the island; which I think is really better since it not only gives you the flexibility but also, saves you money when you have to run to the minimart to get groceries or to some deserted nook of the island which the bus does not serve or which will cost you if you were to take a cab. Reception at Perissa at the pension which I was staying in - Stelio's Place was good and for a double. only costs 10 euros per person per night, with a swimming pool right in the middle of the place. 3 min walk and I get right onto the beach. Restaurants are like only 5 min aways on foot and all so convenient. Prices are really reasonable so this is the place to be during off season. October is a good time since the weather is really quite good, prices are low and there is not much of a crowd. But for those looking to have a good time and meeting people to party, then July and August is the time to be here though I must caution you that prices are likely to be 2 - 2.5x higher...
That's all for now folks, am going back to Athens by yet another ferry ride tomorrow and do some last minute shopping before I head back to Singapore. Catch you all later!
The town was absolutely boisterous, with primary school kids decked out in traditional Mykonian costumes and carrying the Greek flag - They were so so adorable! The senior year of the high school teenagers also looked really gorgeous in their traditional costumes, not to mention the rest of the Greek soldiers who were also on parade in their military garb, looking very impressive. Well, words cannot really describe what I have seen here so for those of you who are lucky enough to meet up with me when I am back, will show you all the video clips I have taken then.
And also, I must once again urge you all to go to Santorini. It is simply the most charming place which I have seen. Despite being off-season now for tourists, it is still very lovely. In fact, it is the dearth of people which makes it more attractive in my view, as you get to walk the streets at a leisurely pace, without the cacopahny from throngs of tourists arriving in summer on the convoys of tour coaches. Whether it be the day or night time, the views from the summit of the volcanic caldera is simply breathtaking, with views of whitewashed houses and bright blue rooftops, all along the slopes of the mountain. Against the backdrop of crystal clear blue waters in the surrounding seas and the nice temperature of about 25 - 28 degrees, minus the humidity, it is simply the best time for getting that great tan. The friendly reception of the locals is really great. For me, I stayed at this town called Perissa which is right on Perissa beach, the best beach in Santorini and relatively near to Fira which is the heart of Santorini Island. Here, I was able to escape the number of tourists in Fira but yet be near enough to access the best views and restaurants and the rest of the attractions by bus which is convenient enough. Alternatively, one can easily rent a quad which is one of those ATVs to explore the island; which I think is really better since it not only gives you the flexibility but also, saves you money when you have to run to the minimart to get groceries or to some deserted nook of the island which the bus does not serve or which will cost you if you were to take a cab. Reception at Perissa at the pension which I was staying in - Stelio's Place was good and for a double. only costs 10 euros per person per night, with a swimming pool right in the middle of the place. 3 min walk and I get right onto the beach. Restaurants are like only 5 min aways on foot and all so convenient. Prices are really reasonable so this is the place to be during off season. October is a good time since the weather is really quite good, prices are low and there is not much of a crowd. But for those looking to have a good time and meeting people to party, then July and August is the time to be here though I must caution you that prices are likely to be 2 - 2.5x higher...
That's all for now folks, am going back to Athens by yet another ferry ride tomorrow and do some last minute shopping before I head back to Singapore. Catch you all later!
Crete and Santorini - 24/10/04
After Corfu, travelled for 24 hours with a 10hr bus ride to Athens, followed by a connecting metro ride to Piraeus Harbour off Athens, then another 10hour ferry ride to Crete Island. It was simply amazing as the summer heat, the space constraint on the bus, the fatigue of travelling and the lack of conducive conditions for sleeping on the ferry (bright lights, cigarette smoke from Greeks, noise) really wore me out easily. Well, could have decided to book a cabin on the ferry but did not as didn't think that it was really necessary. May do that next time but anyway, it was pretty cool and it was the first time I slept on the floor at a more deserted corner of the ferry (followed the example of 2 Greek gals who had their sleeping bags sprawled on the floor and slept pretty soundly).
Well the journey was not the most interesting part but rather, it is when me and my Brazillian travel companion (whom I met in Corfu) tried to get ferry tickets to Santorini from Crete, that the 'true' colours of the person becomes apparent. According to the travel agent, the next outbound ferry for Santorini was on Tuesday night (whereas we intended to leave by Sunday night or Monday morning so that we have sufficient time to catch both Santorini and Mykonos which are these two gorgeous islands in the Cyclade Island Chain).
The screwup occurrred as I was fed the wrong information by the Greek National Tourist Information office in Athens. Was told that there was a daily ferry from Crete to Santorini but this was not so. So in order to get to Santorini by Monday, I have to take a ferry all the way back to Athens on Sunday night (after having spent less than 48 hours in Crete) and then try to catch a connecting ferry to Santorini (which is another 7.5hour journey) though a direct journey from Crete to Santorini would have been 3hr 45min. Well, have always anticipated screwups as part of my travels but my Brazillian fren got hysterical as he thought he would not be able to catch both islands which had always been his childhood dream. Started whining and showing black face and saying "I should have done this, should not have done that", etc; instead of trying to solve the problem. It was at 8am in the morning, no doubt but this sort of behaviour should not have been the case. I didn't feel good about the mistake too but sometimes, just have to do the best we can under the circumstances.
So finally decided to backtrack to Athens and bought a ferry ticket but he was still whining and whining which really bore my patience thin. The summer heat definitely did not help. And this was not just it. Even simple things like museum entrances or choosing places to eat became an issue and he is trying to travel bum whereas I wanted to savour the experience after having flown all the way here. Thank God he was feeling a little sick and tired from the boozing in Corfu and the long journey to Crete. I managed to enjoy a nice dinner by myself at a nice Cretan restaurant with nice salmon steak, great white wine to the accompaniment of live music. Simply an experience to behold.
Shall be more careful next time when I decide whether to allow someone to travel with me. Dun want to have the same experience again of having to babysit someone. Essentially, planning everything for this leg of the trip with zero input from him is ok, even if no thanks are said. However, to incessantly complain about something instead of tackling the issue at hand is not a burden I want to have when I am supposed to be enjoying myself. Something like this can really spoil your day...
Am thinking of going to another island now so that we can travel on different days and part our ways. See if he is going to take my gambit. Dun want to hear anything more from anyone. Peace and quiet is good...
Well the journey was not the most interesting part but rather, it is when me and my Brazillian travel companion (whom I met in Corfu) tried to get ferry tickets to Santorini from Crete, that the 'true' colours of the person becomes apparent. According to the travel agent, the next outbound ferry for Santorini was on Tuesday night (whereas we intended to leave by Sunday night or Monday morning so that we have sufficient time to catch both Santorini and Mykonos which are these two gorgeous islands in the Cyclade Island Chain).
The screwup occurrred as I was fed the wrong information by the Greek National Tourist Information office in Athens. Was told that there was a daily ferry from Crete to Santorini but this was not so. So in order to get to Santorini by Monday, I have to take a ferry all the way back to Athens on Sunday night (after having spent less than 48 hours in Crete) and then try to catch a connecting ferry to Santorini (which is another 7.5hour journey) though a direct journey from Crete to Santorini would have been 3hr 45min. Well, have always anticipated screwups as part of my travels but my Brazillian fren got hysterical as he thought he would not be able to catch both islands which had always been his childhood dream. Started whining and showing black face and saying "I should have done this, should not have done that", etc; instead of trying to solve the problem. It was at 8am in the morning, no doubt but this sort of behaviour should not have been the case. I didn't feel good about the mistake too but sometimes, just have to do the best we can under the circumstances.
So finally decided to backtrack to Athens and bought a ferry ticket but he was still whining and whining which really bore my patience thin. The summer heat definitely did not help. And this was not just it. Even simple things like museum entrances or choosing places to eat became an issue and he is trying to travel bum whereas I wanted to savour the experience after having flown all the way here. Thank God he was feeling a little sick and tired from the boozing in Corfu and the long journey to Crete. I managed to enjoy a nice dinner by myself at a nice Cretan restaurant with nice salmon steak, great white wine to the accompaniment of live music. Simply an experience to behold.
Shall be more careful next time when I decide whether to allow someone to travel with me. Dun want to have the same experience again of having to babysit someone. Essentially, planning everything for this leg of the trip with zero input from him is ok, even if no thanks are said. However, to incessantly complain about something instead of tackling the issue at hand is not a burden I want to have when I am supposed to be enjoying myself. Something like this can really spoil your day...
Am thinking of going to another island now so that we can travel on different days and part our ways. See if he is going to take my gambit. Dun want to hear anything more from anyone. Peace and quiet is good...
Idyllic Corfu - 24/10/04
Hi all,
Managed to get hold of another Internet terminal here on Crete Island so decided to continue the next part of my travellogue. Well, much has happened since I left Athens. Till now, I simply cannot believe how much I have travelled overland and by sea just to see the best places that Greece has to offer.
Made a 10 hour bus cum ferry journey from Athens to Corfu on Monday night and reached there in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Was supposed to go to this really fun hostel called Pink Palace. For all the uninitiated out there, you all simply have to go to this place. It is THE place to go to in Corfu. There, you will not only be able to meet up with people from all over the world but you will also get to go on boat cruises and quad-safari trips (i.e. those dirt-track ATVs which you use to ride on rough terrain). Imagine traversing at high speeds on these dirt tracks and exploring those hard to reach hilltop monasteries - It is really a once in a lifetime experience. Also, on one of those boat cruises, did really crazy things like cliff-jumping. I still cannot believe that I scaled one of those 25 - 30m high rocky outcrops without any form of safety equipment and jumping into the deep blue sea with abandon. Seems scary now when I think about it but will do it again.
Other than the outdoor activities, I decided to rest a little on my last day in Corfu by 'nuahing' at this street called the Liston; modelled after the Parisian Rue de Rivoli. Venetian influence abounds whether it be the fortress structures or other town buildings. After coffee, the sunny weather beckons and off I went to the beach with the other people at the Pink Palace and just basked in the sun till my complexion became a light 'golden brown'.
Will suggest this place to you all anytime as a place to propose to your gfs or to simply serenade your wives while on a honeymoon. The great weather, seas, scenery and the myriad activities available can easily preoccupy you for a week. To all the gals out there, you all know where to get your bfs to bring you on a holiday next time yeah?
Managed to get hold of another Internet terminal here on Crete Island so decided to continue the next part of my travellogue. Well, much has happened since I left Athens. Till now, I simply cannot believe how much I have travelled overland and by sea just to see the best places that Greece has to offer.
Made a 10 hour bus cum ferry journey from Athens to Corfu on Monday night and reached there in the wee hours of Tuesday morning. Was supposed to go to this really fun hostel called Pink Palace. For all the uninitiated out there, you all simply have to go to this place. It is THE place to go to in Corfu. There, you will not only be able to meet up with people from all over the world but you will also get to go on boat cruises and quad-safari trips (i.e. those dirt-track ATVs which you use to ride on rough terrain). Imagine traversing at high speeds on these dirt tracks and exploring those hard to reach hilltop monasteries - It is really a once in a lifetime experience. Also, on one of those boat cruises, did really crazy things like cliff-jumping. I still cannot believe that I scaled one of those 25 - 30m high rocky outcrops without any form of safety equipment and jumping into the deep blue sea with abandon. Seems scary now when I think about it but will do it again.
Other than the outdoor activities, I decided to rest a little on my last day in Corfu by 'nuahing' at this street called the Liston; modelled after the Parisian Rue de Rivoli. Venetian influence abounds whether it be the fortress structures or other town buildings. After coffee, the sunny weather beckons and off I went to the beach with the other people at the Pink Palace and just basked in the sun till my complexion became a light 'golden brown'.
Will suggest this place to you all anytime as a place to propose to your gfs or to simply serenade your wives while on a honeymoon. The great weather, seas, scenery and the myriad activities available can easily preoccupy you for a week. To all the gals out there, you all know where to get your bfs to bring you on a holiday next time yeah?
Enchanting Greece - 20/10/04
Hi all,
Greetings from Athens! This is going to be the beginning of another one of my online travellogues like the one I did for Romania 2 months back, for those of you who were on my mailing list. Anyway, my apologies to those who have messaged me to wish me a happy birthday. Was not able to reply as I was either on the flight or too bushed from the long journey - Singapore - Dubai - Cyprus - Athens.
Despite the arduous journey, I must say that the time and effort expended in getting here is really well worth it. For those of you who are die-hard romantics about greek history and culture, this is really the place to be. As for those who are into tales of war, Athens is all this and more, from the early Minoan and Myceanean times to the Peloponesian wars between Athens and Sparta, the Trojan War, Alexander the Great's conquest to Roman rule, the warlike nature of the Greeks is inextricably intertwined with its history.
But history and culture is not all there is to it, this is a also a place with breathtaking scenery, especially from the Acropolis. Imagine trekking up the hills amongst throngs of people to see the colossal Parthenon of Doric architecture, the Ionian Erechthion with its famous Caryatids (supporting columns made shaped in the form of women from a particular village in Greece) and awesome Propylaia as you enter the main part of the acropolis. And at the apex where all these structures reside, one can have an unimpeded view of the Saronic Gulf, the foothills of the Ancient Agora and the whole of Athens right underneath your feet. Simply amazing.
For all those of you guys out there who want to impress gals, this is simply the place to be. Imagine coming up here at night to view the floodlit Acropolis with the glittering lights of the city down below, it is simply a romantic sight to behold. With the cool breeze coming from the seas and the twinkling stars up above in the sky, it is hard to believe the the 'gods' are not conspiring to aid you in your romantic endeavours.
The many cafes and restaurants here are really great, with the great food, nice music and excellent ambience a very good place to nuah. I would seriously recommend all of you to come here when you can. My descriptions simply cannot do any justice to the beauty of this place.
Anyway, there's all for now, folks. Internet usage here is expensive. Will drop you a note soon when I reach Corfu the day after.
Cheers,
Jerry
Greetings from Athens! This is going to be the beginning of another one of my online travellogues like the one I did for Romania 2 months back, for those of you who were on my mailing list. Anyway, my apologies to those who have messaged me to wish me a happy birthday. Was not able to reply as I was either on the flight or too bushed from the long journey - Singapore - Dubai - Cyprus - Athens.
Despite the arduous journey, I must say that the time and effort expended in getting here is really well worth it. For those of you who are die-hard romantics about greek history and culture, this is really the place to be. As for those who are into tales of war, Athens is all this and more, from the early Minoan and Myceanean times to the Peloponesian wars between Athens and Sparta, the Trojan War, Alexander the Great's conquest to Roman rule, the warlike nature of the Greeks is inextricably intertwined with its history.
But history and culture is not all there is to it, this is a also a place with breathtaking scenery, especially from the Acropolis. Imagine trekking up the hills amongst throngs of people to see the colossal Parthenon of Doric architecture, the Ionian Erechthion with its famous Caryatids (supporting columns made shaped in the form of women from a particular village in Greece) and awesome Propylaia as you enter the main part of the acropolis. And at the apex where all these structures reside, one can have an unimpeded view of the Saronic Gulf, the foothills of the Ancient Agora and the whole of Athens right underneath your feet. Simply amazing.
For all those of you guys out there who want to impress gals, this is simply the place to be. Imagine coming up here at night to view the floodlit Acropolis with the glittering lights of the city down below, it is simply a romantic sight to behold. With the cool breeze coming from the seas and the twinkling stars up above in the sky, it is hard to believe the the 'gods' are not conspiring to aid you in your romantic endeavours.
The many cafes and restaurants here are really great, with the great food, nice music and excellent ambience a very good place to nuah. I would seriously recommend all of you to come here when you can. My descriptions simply cannot do any justice to the beauty of this place.
Anyway, there's all for now, folks. Internet usage here is expensive. Will drop you a note soon when I reach Corfu the day after.
Cheers,
Jerry
The spectacular end to my Romanian odyssey - 13/08/04
Hi all,
This should be the last part of my e-travelogue. Have not really been able to write much as I have been rushing from place to place and internet is not readily available when I feel like penning my thoughts down.
Well, after Sibiu, I was up at the northern part of the country checking out the painted monasteries in this area called Southern Bucovina. The monasteries are really cool with depiction of scenes from the Bible and religious life back then; with each one painted in a different primary colour: be they red, blue, yellow or green. The function of these monasteries were to keep the illiterate peasant soldiers occupied as they await marching orders for war against the turks. Besides the fantastic architecture, the tranquil surroundings of rural life, lush green flat plains, grazing horses by the streams, really makes one feel detached from the hustle of city life.
After all the running around, I finally went to the Black Sea Coast to this city called Constanta, the second largest city in Romania. This used to be a Roman city and as the turks had conquered this area before, there were lots of Roman remains and turkish influences like mosques, kebaps, etc. It was also at this city that I encountered what life must be like without water. Supposed to stay at this decent hotel but for some reason, there was no water when I was showering halfway one morning. Imagine having soaped yourself and then the taps simply don't work no matter how hard you turn them. How pathetic is that? In the end, the ever ingenious Jerry Gwee had to use sparkling mineral water which he bought the day before to wash himself. So, the moral of the story is to always have a handy supply of mineral water for contingencies such as these. Another tip for Lonely Planet travellers.
But the greatest fun to me was not so much the history not the architecture but this small little fishing village called Vama Veche which was 6km away from the Bulgarian border. This is really a very bohemian place with "sunworshippers" from various parts of Europe. People pretty much did what they wanted to here, and sunbathed in whichever manner they liked, be they young/old, fat/thin, male/female, etc. And as far as the eye can see, the Black Sea extends to the horizons which makes for a real relaxing atmosphere when one languishes on a deck chair basking under the bright summer sun amidst the cool sea breeze and great music from the mp3 player.
However, the fun is not just the sun, sand and the sea. Again, it was my interaction with the Romanians and the hospitality which they extended to me. Spoke to this guy who is pretty well travelled and had his own business and got a glimpse of how life was under the communists and how they tried to enrich themselves through various ingenious scams despite the supposed aversion to wealth under the regime. Also, the mentality of trying to beat the system to make ends meet also explains why many Romanians do not work as hard as they should now even when foreign companies offer them higher pay. If pilferage or profiting at the employer's expense will make them richer, you can almost always count on them doing it.
Language difficulties had made life a little tougher. Wanted to extend my stay one more night in Vama Veche and gave the rent to the landlord's wife which she thought was for my first night. In the end, my room was given to another couple. Taking pity on a poor backpacker like me, they actually offered their caravan to me for free though I paid a token sum of 100,000 lei (S$5) in the end. Truly, these Latin people can be quite nice to you when they want to, though poverty has conditioned them to be more focused on money at times. Other than that, these people are really a decent bunch.
Thought I would end my trip with a bang but today, took the wrong train and reached Bucharest on a very slow train. Train ride was terrible, with the heat simply quite unbearable within the stuffy confines of the train. Tried to do some last minute shopping and then catch my flight but in the end, reached about 20min before the flight take-off and they refused to let me on the plane. Counter staff at the airport for Turkish Airlines were really quite unfriendly with one even talking to me with a very accusing tone, attributing the 15min flight delay to my last minute showup at the airport. Really tired, hungry and angry. Had to do some last minute booking of hostel accomodation cos the hotel near the airport was simply too expensive (Eur120). Booking a cab also proved to be a tough exercise, with either no cabs or the operator taking some time understanding my English and me trying to understand their pidgin version as well. Then imagine the cab driver trying to shortchange me when I paid my fare upon reaching the hostel (common in Bucharest), rushing to find the nearest outlet for dinner (which just consisted of a tart and cream puff) and using the Internet to source for flight schedules for the next earliest flight home. Well, that's all for now with regards to my adventures in Romania, folks. Just remember, always be prepared for the unprepared though I guess it must really sound cliche by now...
Ciaos!
Jerry
This should be the last part of my e-travelogue. Have not really been able to write much as I have been rushing from place to place and internet is not readily available when I feel like penning my thoughts down.
Well, after Sibiu, I was up at the northern part of the country checking out the painted monasteries in this area called Southern Bucovina. The monasteries are really cool with depiction of scenes from the Bible and religious life back then; with each one painted in a different primary colour: be they red, blue, yellow or green. The function of these monasteries were to keep the illiterate peasant soldiers occupied as they await marching orders for war against the turks. Besides the fantastic architecture, the tranquil surroundings of rural life, lush green flat plains, grazing horses by the streams, really makes one feel detached from the hustle of city life.
After all the running around, I finally went to the Black Sea Coast to this city called Constanta, the second largest city in Romania. This used to be a Roman city and as the turks had conquered this area before, there were lots of Roman remains and turkish influences like mosques, kebaps, etc. It was also at this city that I encountered what life must be like without water. Supposed to stay at this decent hotel but for some reason, there was no water when I was showering halfway one morning. Imagine having soaped yourself and then the taps simply don't work no matter how hard you turn them. How pathetic is that? In the end, the ever ingenious Jerry Gwee had to use sparkling mineral water which he bought the day before to wash himself. So, the moral of the story is to always have a handy supply of mineral water for contingencies such as these. Another tip for Lonely Planet travellers.
But the greatest fun to me was not so much the history not the architecture but this small little fishing village called Vama Veche which was 6km away from the Bulgarian border. This is really a very bohemian place with "sunworshippers" from various parts of Europe. People pretty much did what they wanted to here, and sunbathed in whichever manner they liked, be they young/old, fat/thin, male/female, etc. And as far as the eye can see, the Black Sea extends to the horizons which makes for a real relaxing atmosphere when one languishes on a deck chair basking under the bright summer sun amidst the cool sea breeze and great music from the mp3 player.
However, the fun is not just the sun, sand and the sea. Again, it was my interaction with the Romanians and the hospitality which they extended to me. Spoke to this guy who is pretty well travelled and had his own business and got a glimpse of how life was under the communists and how they tried to enrich themselves through various ingenious scams despite the supposed aversion to wealth under the regime. Also, the mentality of trying to beat the system to make ends meet also explains why many Romanians do not work as hard as they should now even when foreign companies offer them higher pay. If pilferage or profiting at the employer's expense will make them richer, you can almost always count on them doing it.
Language difficulties had made life a little tougher. Wanted to extend my stay one more night in Vama Veche and gave the rent to the landlord's wife which she thought was for my first night. In the end, my room was given to another couple. Taking pity on a poor backpacker like me, they actually offered their caravan to me for free though I paid a token sum of 100,000 lei (S$5) in the end. Truly, these Latin people can be quite nice to you when they want to, though poverty has conditioned them to be more focused on money at times. Other than that, these people are really a decent bunch.
Thought I would end my trip with a bang but today, took the wrong train and reached Bucharest on a very slow train. Train ride was terrible, with the heat simply quite unbearable within the stuffy confines of the train. Tried to do some last minute shopping and then catch my flight but in the end, reached about 20min before the flight take-off and they refused to let me on the plane. Counter staff at the airport for Turkish Airlines were really quite unfriendly with one even talking to me with a very accusing tone, attributing the 15min flight delay to my last minute showup at the airport. Really tired, hungry and angry. Had to do some last minute booking of hostel accomodation cos the hotel near the airport was simply too expensive (Eur120). Booking a cab also proved to be a tough exercise, with either no cabs or the operator taking some time understanding my English and me trying to understand their pidgin version as well. Then imagine the cab driver trying to shortchange me when I paid my fare upon reaching the hostel (common in Bucharest), rushing to find the nearest outlet for dinner (which just consisted of a tart and cream puff) and using the Internet to source for flight schedules for the next earliest flight home. Well, that's all for now with regards to my adventures in Romania, folks. Just remember, always be prepared for the unprepared though I guess it must really sound cliche by now...
Ciaos!
Jerry
Sinaia, Sighisoara and Sibiu - 06/08/04
Hi all,
It's been a long time since the last time I mailed you guys. Was running around a lot trying to catch all the sights and trains at the same time and did not manage to have a chance to get to an internet cafe till now.
It has been very interesting thus far for the past 4 days. Went to Bran castle from Brasov the other day, the castle which served as the backdrop for Bram Stoker's novel: Dracula. Apparently, Dracula was based on this Romanian Wallachian prince called Vlad Tepes who was supposed to be a bloodsucker. Was expecting to see something interesting with all the hype about it but really, it was just a very simple fortress and nothing really grand save for its function as a military garrison against the turks. And of course, the Dracula bit was just a work of fiction and a good means for Romanians to capitalise to earn tourist dollars.
After Brasov, went to another town called Sinaia (so named after a Romanian nobleman went to Mount Sinai in Israel on a pilgrimage). This place is really pretty, with the famed Peles Castle sitting atop the hill, serving as a summer residence for Romania's first king. The decor is really fantastic, with the design of each room made according to a certain theme, whether it be Turkisk, Renaissance, etc. The materials used were the very best and imported from various parts of Europe as well as the far east like handwoven rugs from Iraq, Turkish carpets, incense burner from China, porcelain vase from Japan and he like. The collection of firearms, weapons and armor from medieval times is also amazing, with intricate Turkish curved swords, German muskets and pistols being one of the few remaining pieces in the world. I would say that this is comparable to the grand magnificent palaces found in Vienna except for the fact that this is on a much smaller scale and hence, gives one a more cosy, homely feeling.
Other than the castle, I made my own little 'pilgrimage' to the top of Mount Sinaia, 2000m high. The feeling there is simply great, with a superb view of the mountains on one side and vast rolling plains on the other. It was also great seeing how the Jewish shepherd tended to the sheep up there. And being alone at a quiet deserted end of the mountain top, with the cold winds driving the clouds to fog up the surrounding areas, it seemed like nothing in this world matters and it was just me and God up there.
Left Sinaia and went along about a 100km away to Sighisoara. This is a pretty little town with many nice medieval Saxon churches which were fortified against Turkish attacks. Overall, it has been a great experience travelling alone, contrary to perceptions otherwise. Along the way, I have managed to speak to so many Romanian people, whether it be on the train or when I bought some wares which they were peddling to tourists like us. Life is really tough here with the average income of a shop assistant about S$190. Most of them can barely support themselves, much less travel around within the country and can only dream of getting out of Romania to see the rest of the world. Another teenage gal has got to come from another far away town to sell handmade tablecloths, painstakingly made by her grandma, mum and her so as to supplement the family income. This has really made me see the human side of this country beyond its attractions and the realisation that we are indeed very fortunate. Also, my daily interactions with fellow backpackers from various countries from Slovenia, England, Holland, etc as I move from one town to the next has also added much spice to my travel. Imagine enjoying good wine over dinner, exchanging experiences about life back home as well as in Romania, travelling together to catch certain sights. This is really great! For the inhibited bunch out there, I will certainly encourage you all to join me in this journey.
Anyway, that's all for now, folks. Till my next travel update. Ciaos!
Jerry
It's been a long time since the last time I mailed you guys. Was running around a lot trying to catch all the sights and trains at the same time and did not manage to have a chance to get to an internet cafe till now.
It has been very interesting thus far for the past 4 days. Went to Bran castle from Brasov the other day, the castle which served as the backdrop for Bram Stoker's novel: Dracula. Apparently, Dracula was based on this Romanian Wallachian prince called Vlad Tepes who was supposed to be a bloodsucker. Was expecting to see something interesting with all the hype about it but really, it was just a very simple fortress and nothing really grand save for its function as a military garrison against the turks. And of course, the Dracula bit was just a work of fiction and a good means for Romanians to capitalise to earn tourist dollars.
After Brasov, went to another town called Sinaia (so named after a Romanian nobleman went to Mount Sinai in Israel on a pilgrimage). This place is really pretty, with the famed Peles Castle sitting atop the hill, serving as a summer residence for Romania's first king. The decor is really fantastic, with the design of each room made according to a certain theme, whether it be Turkisk, Renaissance, etc. The materials used were the very best and imported from various parts of Europe as well as the far east like handwoven rugs from Iraq, Turkish carpets, incense burner from China, porcelain vase from Japan and he like. The collection of firearms, weapons and armor from medieval times is also amazing, with intricate Turkish curved swords, German muskets and pistols being one of the few remaining pieces in the world. I would say that this is comparable to the grand magnificent palaces found in Vienna except for the fact that this is on a much smaller scale and hence, gives one a more cosy, homely feeling.
Other than the castle, I made my own little 'pilgrimage' to the top of Mount Sinaia, 2000m high. The feeling there is simply great, with a superb view of the mountains on one side and vast rolling plains on the other. It was also great seeing how the Jewish shepherd tended to the sheep up there. And being alone at a quiet deserted end of the mountain top, with the cold winds driving the clouds to fog up the surrounding areas, it seemed like nothing in this world matters and it was just me and God up there.
Left Sinaia and went along about a 100km away to Sighisoara. This is a pretty little town with many nice medieval Saxon churches which were fortified against Turkish attacks. Overall, it has been a great experience travelling alone, contrary to perceptions otherwise. Along the way, I have managed to speak to so many Romanian people, whether it be on the train or when I bought some wares which they were peddling to tourists like us. Life is really tough here with the average income of a shop assistant about S$190. Most of them can barely support themselves, much less travel around within the country and can only dream of getting out of Romania to see the rest of the world. Another teenage gal has got to come from another far away town to sell handmade tablecloths, painstakingly made by her grandma, mum and her so as to supplement the family income. This has really made me see the human side of this country beyond its attractions and the realisation that we are indeed very fortunate. Also, my daily interactions with fellow backpackers from various countries from Slovenia, England, Holland, etc as I move from one town to the next has also added much spice to my travel. Imagine enjoying good wine over dinner, exchanging experiences about life back home as well as in Romania, travelling together to catch certain sights. This is really great! For the inhibited bunch out there, I will certainly encourage you all to join me in this journey.
Anyway, that's all for now, folks. Till my next travel update. Ciaos!
Jerry
My initial experience of Romania - 02/08/04
Hi all,
This shall be the second entry in my mail to you guys as well as part of my online travellogue. As it turned out, Bucharest is not exactly a very interesting place, in my opinion. Buildings are generally quite dreary and run down. You can really see that people are generally not very well to do. Given that people here are generally not as well to do, many resort to trickery to make a fast buck out of you. On my first day there, I have encountered two cases of men masquerading as policemen and flash fake IDs, demanding that I show them my passport. Well, instinct told me they were just a bunch of fakes and I brushed them off physically and looked like I was ready for a fight.
On the less shady side of things, taxi drivers who own private cabs fix their metres so that they can charge you exorbitant prices. When you reach your destination, they will conveniently 'forget' to give you change till you ask them. Today, encountered a new scam. Was off to the train station to buy a train ticket with this Belgian gal from the hostel. Met this guy who demanded to see our train tickets. I showed him mine but the Belgian gal did not have any ticket as she had to go withdraw cash from the ATM first. At this juncture, the man with the fake train station inspector ID then asked that she pay him 4,000 lei (S$0.20) as a platform fee. The poor gal looked quite harassed and I just dragged her along with me and ignored the guy. Off we went and things were ok. So the rule of thumb when travelling in this country is: Ignore anyone who has a sob story and disbelieve everyone whom you see who claims to be someone in authority. That way, you will save yourself a heartache and tears with cash and passport still intact.
Having said that, I did meet a few honest, decent Romanians here. Was trying to rush to get a train ticket somewhere in town yesterday but was off at the village museum which was quite far off. Could not get a cab at all and being in a rush for time, asked a Romanian gal for directions. Being helpful, she was trying to do what she can but she pissed her dad off when she took longer than usual to meet him at a pre-arranged spot as he was picking her up with his car. When she finally went off with her mum to meet him, I was still lost not knowing where to go and no cab in sight. And just when I thought I had to trek the rest of the way back to the city, she came crying and told me that her dad was offering me a ride and that she had just quarrelled with him. Felt bad but at the same time, was very blessed. Didn't think anyone here would 'rescue' a hapless Chinese at all.
Today, met another Romanian gal who spoke English on the train to Brasov. Actually fished out a lot of details as to the nice places to go to in the country and the times to go. And she offered to bring me around the town. So there are decent folks in this country, but really have to be discerning. There are people here who hold two jobs and want to make an honest living to support their family and at the same time, try to finish their engineering degree, with the hope of a good job and a good life. On the other side of the spectrum are those bums who just want to steal, beg and cheat. Unfortunately, most of us tourists will only get to see the bad side it seems.
Anyway, this is getting too long. That's all for now. Till next time...
Jerry
This shall be the second entry in my mail to you guys as well as part of my online travellogue. As it turned out, Bucharest is not exactly a very interesting place, in my opinion. Buildings are generally quite dreary and run down. You can really see that people are generally not very well to do. Given that people here are generally not as well to do, many resort to trickery to make a fast buck out of you. On my first day there, I have encountered two cases of men masquerading as policemen and flash fake IDs, demanding that I show them my passport. Well, instinct told me they were just a bunch of fakes and I brushed them off physically and looked like I was ready for a fight.
On the less shady side of things, taxi drivers who own private cabs fix their metres so that they can charge you exorbitant prices. When you reach your destination, they will conveniently 'forget' to give you change till you ask them. Today, encountered a new scam. Was off to the train station to buy a train ticket with this Belgian gal from the hostel. Met this guy who demanded to see our train tickets. I showed him mine but the Belgian gal did not have any ticket as she had to go withdraw cash from the ATM first. At this juncture, the man with the fake train station inspector ID then asked that she pay him 4,000 lei (S$0.20) as a platform fee. The poor gal looked quite harassed and I just dragged her along with me and ignored the guy. Off we went and things were ok. So the rule of thumb when travelling in this country is: Ignore anyone who has a sob story and disbelieve everyone whom you see who claims to be someone in authority. That way, you will save yourself a heartache and tears with cash and passport still intact.
Having said that, I did meet a few honest, decent Romanians here. Was trying to rush to get a train ticket somewhere in town yesterday but was off at the village museum which was quite far off. Could not get a cab at all and being in a rush for time, asked a Romanian gal for directions. Being helpful, she was trying to do what she can but she pissed her dad off when she took longer than usual to meet him at a pre-arranged spot as he was picking her up with his car. When she finally went off with her mum to meet him, I was still lost not knowing where to go and no cab in sight. And just when I thought I had to trek the rest of the way back to the city, she came crying and told me that her dad was offering me a ride and that she had just quarrelled with him. Felt bad but at the same time, was very blessed. Didn't think anyone here would 'rescue' a hapless Chinese at all.
Today, met another Romanian gal who spoke English on the train to Brasov. Actually fished out a lot of details as to the nice places to go to in the country and the times to go. And she offered to bring me around the town. So there are decent folks in this country, but really have to be discerning. There are people here who hold two jobs and want to make an honest living to support their family and at the same time, try to finish their engineering degree, with the hope of a good job and a good life. On the other side of the spectrum are those bums who just want to steal, beg and cheat. Unfortunately, most of us tourists will only get to see the bad side it seems.
Anyway, this is getting too long. That's all for now. Till next time...
Jerry
My First Day in Bucharest - 31/07/04
Hi,
I am at an internet cafe rite now and am going to have dinner soon. Things are ok here though I have yet to see another Chinese in this place. Saw one Asian though. This place really looks like a third world communist country. Buildings quite drab. People here are quite disparate. There is the middle class who dress up quite a bit and there are the dirt poor people out on the streets. Cars being driven are so old and to see a clean car is a rare thing. A mercedes benz is like a gem. Contrast that with Singapore...
Anyway, the hotel I am staying in is a little grotty. Am going to move the youth hostel tomorrow which I believe is going to be much better. At least will have some interaction with fellow travellers. Am staying here for one more night before moving off to Brasov and see some castles and do some hiking. Heard that the view is going to be fantastic. Hold me in your prayers and ask God to grant me safety as I go off the beaten track. Also, please pray for good weather as I will be at the mercy of the elements when I go hiking. Thanks!!
Catch you all again the next time I get to another Internet cafe....
Cheerios!
Jerry
I am at an internet cafe rite now and am going to have dinner soon. Things are ok here though I have yet to see another Chinese in this place. Saw one Asian though. This place really looks like a third world communist country. Buildings quite drab. People here are quite disparate. There is the middle class who dress up quite a bit and there are the dirt poor people out on the streets. Cars being driven are so old and to see a clean car is a rare thing. A mercedes benz is like a gem. Contrast that with Singapore...
Anyway, the hotel I am staying in is a little grotty. Am going to move the youth hostel tomorrow which I believe is going to be much better. At least will have some interaction with fellow travellers. Am staying here for one more night before moving off to Brasov and see some castles and do some hiking. Heard that the view is going to be fantastic. Hold me in your prayers and ask God to grant me safety as I go off the beaten track. Also, please pray for good weather as I will be at the mercy of the elements when I go hiking. Thanks!!
Catch you all again the next time I get to another Internet cafe....
Cheerios!
Jerry
More travellogues!
Hi all,
This is a little belated but I am posting all the travellogues that I have been writing in each of my previous trips in Europe and Asia since 2004. Have fun reading and meanwhile, do check in this blog regularly cos I will be adding more of my "inane ramblings"...
Jerry
This is a little belated but I am posting all the travellogues that I have been writing in each of my previous trips in Europe and Asia since 2004. Have fun reading and meanwhile, do check in this blog regularly cos I will be adding more of my "inane ramblings"...
Jerry
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