Drew's Travel FoodPrints

Notes from the Road: ITALIA!

07/15/2012

Trip in A Nutshell

Italy

LENGTH OF STAY: 7 days
CITIES VISITED: Venice --> Rome --> Pisa --> Florence --> Milan
LANGUAGE: Italian DUH
LIKE:
1. Getting lost and ditching the map for the first time while navigating among Venice canals;
2. Ancient ruins and historical ambiance of Rome;
3. Walkability of Florence city (Everything is within walking distance!);
4. Spectacular Vittorio Emmanuelle shopping Arcade in Milan
DISLIKE:
1. Pricey tourist traps in major attractions near Venice;
2. Lousy accommodation in Florence (personally);
3. People bugging you for money in Milan;
4. Communication barrier (no offence) >.<

Top Attractions - Venice

Grand Canal: Take the Slow Vaporetto 1 down the main canal & enjoy the scenery along the canal :)

Alternatively, you could take a gondola! but of course it would be more expensive :)

No cars, just boats! :)

Rialto Bridge

Bridge of Sigh

How could you miss these masks, it is almost like a symbol of Venice, thanks to the International Masks Festival! :D

Near Campo Salute, overlooking the other side of the canal! :)

View from San Marco! :)

Pay a visit to nearby Islands if you have time, Murano; Lido; San Michele (a cemetery island, yes, cemetery!)

Isola di San Michele (The cemetery Island). Actually it is quite peaceful and beautiful! :)

The Lido Beach at Lido island! :)

Sunset at Lido Island :D SPECTACULAR! :D

Top Attractions - Rome (Roma) aka the Capital City

Outside the Colossuem: 50,000-seater arena. Rome has so much to offer and so much things to be explored. And indeed Rome is not made in one day! In fact, three days are not enough! :D

Inside the Colloseum! :D

Rome - Palatino Hill & Roman Forum: Roman ruins

The Ruins

Rome - Trevi Fountain: Custom is to throw a coin into the fountain, ensuring your return to Rome

Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (Il Vittoriano) is a monument built to honour Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. Soldiers stood like a stone here haha!

Fountain of the Four Rivers at Piazza Navona! A busy piazza decorated with a colourful crowd of street artists, locals, tourists and pigeons.

The Pantheon. Yes, very much like a Greek Pantheon, this is a 2000-year-old temple!

Afar is Spanish Steps, a romantic hangout place for couples and flirting adolescents.

Vatican City - Vatican Musuem Climax of the visit would be to the ultimate Sistine Chapel; cant help but to indulge yourself over the art works of famous artists like Michelangelo & Raphael

This musuem is huge!!! And spectacular!

Vatican City - St Peter’s Basilica: Italy’s biggest; richest & most spectacular church!

Inside St Peters Basilica. Awe-inspiring isnt it!?

Top Attractions - Pisa

Of course, how could you miss this Leaning tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa). Inclined at 4 degree! Express your creativity! :)

They are a few buildings near the Pisa tower that are equally stunning - Cathedral :)

Top Attractions - Florence (Firenze)

Florence - Ponte Vecchio Butcher shops turned into jewelries shop!

On Ponte Vecchio, a whole strip of jewelleries shops that would make any woman goes crazy and any man cries.

Duomo: One of the world’s largest cathedrals; enormous cupola

Florence - Piazza Michelangelo offer fantastic view of the city

Galleria Degli Uffizi, perhaps one of the most famous galleries in Europe :) Yesh, florence is artsy! :)

Palazzo Vecchio - Town Hall of Florence :)

Top Attractions - Milan (Milano)

Duomo: World’s largest Gothic cathedral; third largest church in Europe

Inside the Duomo! :D

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II - simply elegant!

Must Try Local Food

Pizza: Quanto Basta at Venice; for just 12 euros?!

Any pasta that you could grab!!! Carbonara: an authentic Italian pasta dish based on eggs, , bacon (guanciale or pancetta), and black pepper; but not cream!

Gelato: Popular flavours – Fragola (Strawberry); Nocciola (Hazelnut); Stracciatella (Milk with chocolate shavings)

Tiramisu!!!

Some Jewish cuisine at Venice? :)

Or fancy a LV's cupcake instead? haha.

Costs (How much I Spent):

FOOD: 196 euros
ACCOMMODATION: 111 euros
TRANSPORTATION/LUGGAGE STORAGE: 55.45 euros
TOTAL: 362.45 euros

Next Stop: Switzerland!!!!

Previous Footsteps

1) Notes from the Road: LONDON
2) Notes from the Road: PARIS
3) Notes from the Road: BRUGES & BRUSSELS
4) Notes from the Road: AMSTERDAM
5) Beers from the Road: BERLIN & MUNICH
6) Notes from the Road: PRAGUE
7) Schnitzel from the Road: VIENNA
8) Notes from the Road: BUDAPEST

Spare a Like Spread the Love

Need a more detailed breakdown of the itinerary or costs? Shoot me an email at drews.travelfoodprints@gmail.com and let's go out for a brunch or coffee! :)

1 Comment

Notes from the Road: Budapest, Hungary

06/30/2012

0 Comments

Trip in A Nutshell

Hungary

LENGTH OF STAY: 2.5 days
CITY VISITED: Budapest
LANGUAGE: Hungarian
LIKE: Fisherman Bastion! The architecture is simply awe-inspiring! :D
DISLIKE: The Open Air Spa is not open during Winter!!! D:

Top Attractions

Fisherman Bastion!!!

Fanciful gothic arcades! Simply spectacular! :D

SPA!

How could you miss the Spa if you are in Budapest!?

Royal Palace, Buda Castle!

Szechenyi Chain bridge

The most famous bridge in Budapest! :D

Must Try Local Food

Goulash (Gulyas)

A soup/setw of meat, noodles and vegetable (potato), seasoned with paprika and other spices. Surprisingly not spicy!!! :D AND I LOVE HUNGARIAN GOULASH ever since :)

Galuska

Gnocchi-like dumplings/egg noodle soaked in sauce. NOM NOM NOM

Langos

Fried dough topped with cheese and sour cream. If you are health concious, you might want to avoid this. Haha.

Palinka

Strong brandy distilled from fruits, famous brands include Tokaji. This is way too strong and pungent even for me :O

Budapest's Itinerary (5 Jan THU)

NIGHT: Arrive at Budapest Keleti train station from Vienna (3 hours via train) & Check in Hostel Budapst Center. Dinner at Lado Cafe!!!

This great traditional Hungarian restaurant serves great goulash! and great atmosphere too! with Latin dance perfomance! :D

Galuska!!! Drool!!!

Give traditional Hungarian Somloi sponge cake a try! :D

Budapest's Itinerary (6 Jan FRI)

Morning: SPA time for a refreshing start!!! :D

Gellert Bath and Spa, one of the most famous spa in Budapest! :D

Upon entering Gellert Bath and Spa :)

Da swimming pool! :)

It was an enjoyable experience. And you will see a lot of seniors (in fact most of the patrons are seniors) !! But it is understandable given the therapeutic effect of spa :D

Afternoon: Off to Great Market Hall Vásárcsarnok to snack on food!!

Great Market Hall Vásárcsarnok. It is insanely spacious and clean!! :D

EGGS FTW!

Some Hungarian dishes?? :D

Stuffed Cabbage!!! Sweet and sour!! :D

Dont miss out Langos, the fried bread dough! :D

LATE AFTERNOON: Off to Buda Castle district!! :D and a stroll along Danube Promenade at night! :D

At the heart of the Buda Castle District is this Matthias Church, or officially named Church of Our Lady! :D

Fisherman Bastion!!!! :D

View of Hungary's parliament from Fisherman Bastion! One of my most favourite photos in Europe! :)

National Széchényi Library! :D

The Széchenyi Chain Bridge (Hungarian: Lánchíd) - a suspension bridge that spans the River Danube between Buda and Pest. It was the first permanent bridge across the Danube in Budapest!!!

Royal Palace/Castle - the historical castle and palace complex of the Hungarian kings in Budapest.

TRY TO TRY: Hungarian Parliament. Just across the Danube River from the Royal Palace, the parliament looks spectacular (and foreboding) at night time! :D

Budapest's Itinerary (7 Jan SAT)

Great / Central Synagogue (Nagy Zsinagoga) !

The area near Váci utca (Váci street), one of the main pedestrian thoroughfares and perhaps the most famous street of central Budapest, Hungary, lined with restaurants and shops! :D

GERBEAUD!!! Their desserts are beyond spectacular!!! SOMLOI - Traditional Hungarian sponge dessert, with Valrhona chocolate sauce, whipped cream and crispy walnut linzer sprinkles

Costs (How much I spent)

SPA: 1,900.00 Hungarian Forints
FOOD: 13,666.50 Hungarian Forints
TRANSPORTATIONS (2-day tickets): 3,850.00 Hungarian Forints
TOTAL: 19,416.50 Hungarian Forints (approximately $85 AUD)
**Currency Converter 1 AUD = 230 Hungarian Forints

Next Stop: Italy!!! (July 15's update)

Venice, Rome, Vatican City, Florence, Pisa, Milan covered!! :)

Previous Footsteps :)

Spare a Like Spread the Love :)

Add Comment

Schnitzel from the Road: Vienna, Austria

06/02/2012

0 Comments

Trip in A Nutshell

Austria

LENGTH OF STAY: 2 days
CITY VISITED: Vienna (Wien)
LANGUAGE: German
LIKE: The Elegance of the attractions (with palaces everywhere!); The Desserts Culture!!! (with CoffeeHouse everywhere!)
DISLIKE: I Lost my photos!! :(

Top Sights

1) St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom)
Simply spectacular!!

2) Schloss Schonbrunn
This palace is insanely huge!!!

3) Hofburg Palace
Housed some of the most powerful people in Austrian history. Now the official residence of the President of Austria

Must Try Local Food

1) Wiener Schnitzel!
It is HUMUNGOUS!!!!

2) Tafelspitz
Boiled beef with horseradish sauce

3) Cake (try Sacher Torte) & Coffee at Koffeehaus!!!

Vienna's Itinerary (3 Jan TUE)

630pm Arrive at Vienna (Mieldling) station
700pm Vienna (Mielding) --> Vienna (Westbf) --> Check in Wombats City Hostel Vienna - The Lounge
Night Dinner at Figlmuller! (Biggest and best schnitzel in town!!!)

Thin & Big Schnitzel! :D

The queue is insane but it is worth it!!! :D

A walk into St Stephen’s Cathedral (Stephansdom), simply spectacular light display!! One of the best cathedral in Europe definitely!! :D

Vienna's Itinerary (4 Jan WED)

Morning: Exploring MusuemQuantier area!

MusuemQuartier: Basically a whole area of musuemsssss. Most famous musuems include large art museums like the Leopold Museum and the MUMOK (Museum of Modern Art Ludwig Foundation Vienna), the black building :)

Lunch at one of the Coffee House - Cafe Sperl!!! :D

Sache Torte!!! The Infamous Viennese Chocolate Cake! :D The cake consists of two layers of dense, not overly sweet chocolate cake (traditionally a sponge cake) with a thin layer of apricot jam in the middle and dark chocolate icing on the top and sides.

A different apple strudel!!! :D

AFTERNOON: To More musuems!!!

Kunsthistorisches Musuem - Museum of Art History. On the way to the infamous Hofbug!

You know you have arrived at Hofbug Palace when you spot the green dome. Housed some of the most powerful people in Austrian history. Now the official residence of the President of Austria

TIPS: Purchase a Sisi ticket, cost 23.50 euros, allowing you access to Hofbug Palace AND Schonbrunn Palace! :)

Inside Hofburg Palace :)

Sisi - an affectionate nickname given to the adorable Empress Elizabeth! :) She has an entire museum dedicated to her! :)

Outside Albertina Arts Gallery!! :)

TIPS: Snack on awesome sausage stands at Bitzinger Wurstelstand am Albertinaplatz, just outside Albertine Arts Gallery!! :D

Dropping by Schloss Belvedere in the evening! It has a Upper and Lower part and it is insanely huge!!! :D

Dinner at yet another coffee house - Cafe Central!!!

One of the most beautiful cafes/restaurants we have tried in Europe!! :D

Vienna's Itinerary (5 Jan THU)

Morning: An escape to Schloss Schonbrunn (Schonbrunn Palace!) via train
TIPS: Take the 50 minutes guided tour (Grand Tour)

Costs (How Much I Spent):

Food: 64.90 euros
Accommodation: 27 euros
Transportation (48 hours train ticket): 10 euros

TOTAL: 101.90 euros

Next Stop (Budapest, Hungary - July 1)

Previous Footsteps

Add Comment

Notes from the Road: Prague, Czech Republic

04/29/2012

0 Comments

Trip in A Nutshell

Czech Republic

LENGTH OF STAY: 2.5 days
CITY VISITED: Prague (Praha)
LANGUAGE: Czech
LIKE: Castles! And how the Gothic buildings and cobbled roads :)
DISLIKE: Everything is too big /too far to fit nicely into photos!!!!

TOP SIGHTS

Prague Castle
The BIGGEST Castle in the world!!!!

Old Town Square
Surround yourself with awesome buildings :)

Charles Bridge
The Bridge that connects Old Town Square to Prague Castle :)

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD

1) Potato Dumpling (Bramboracky) & MEAT

Czechs like meaty treat! Like in here we have 1/4 roast duck, Moravian Sparrows (pieces of roast pork), smoked meat, smoked beer sausage, white and red cabbage, three kinds of dumplings (bread, fat and potato)/

Personally. not a big fan of the dumpling. The texture is a bit funny and soft for my liking but definitely worth a try to find out about your preference! :)

2) Beef Goulash with potato dumplings

I just love their Goulash. Can drink this for the whole day :)

3) Trdelník
Traditional cake and sweet pastry

4) Czech BEEERRRRRR
Try out Czech Brands such as Pilsner Urquell.

Did I forget to mention Czech is the heaviest beer drinker of the entire world
population? :)

5) Kofola (Cola + Cough Medicine)
LOL What?! They can sell this? Haha.

I don't like the flavours but worth a try :)

Czech's Itinerary (1 Jan 2012) SUN

1048AM: Berlin --> Prague
0328PM: Arrive at Prague
                       Go to Ye Ling's house. Thanks Ye Ling & her housemates for their kind hospitality :D
NIGHT: Go to Old Town (Stare Mesto) for dinner and to walk around!

Chrám Svatého Mikuláše, part of the ancient buildings at Old Town Square :)

Church of Our Lady before Týn (from Old Town Square) :)

Settled down for a dinner at Celnice :)

Try out their Potato Dumpling (Bramboracky) !!!

Old Town Hall and Astronomical Clock (Staromestska Radnice). This is almost the same with the situation at Munich, massive crowd gathered below the clock for a view of the clock animation, every hour :)

Head to the nearby Jewish Quarter (Josefov). It is pretty quiet and eerie at night :O Could pay a visit to their Old-New sunagogue & Old Jewish Cemetery

Prague Castle is right across the Vltava River! :D

Czech's Itinerary (2 Jan 2012) MON

MORNING: Off we go to PRAGUE CASTLE! (Prazsky hrad). The largest Castle Complex in the world!! :)

TRY TO TRY: Try to make it to Prague Castle's Change of Guard on the hours! :)

View of Prague from Prague Castle :) "Bohemian Baroque" architecture is everywhere :)

The Infamous St Vitus Cathedral, among all the other architectures in the palace complex :)

Inside St Vitus Cathedral, a Gothic landmark of the city, has 21 chapels; and its most famous archway, the Golden Portal entrance , containing a mosaic of The last Judgement dating back to 1370.

The Golden Lane in the complex :)

TRY TO TRY: Lobkowicz Palace
Lobkowicz Palace displays exhibits drawn from the extensive Lobkowicz family collections. Entry to Lobkowicz is of a separate ticket to the Palace itself. And this place is ranked #02 on the Top Attractions on Trip Advisor. So worth a visit maybe?

AFTERNOON: Take a stroll down from the castle to its surrounding Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana)

Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana)

Snack on Trdelník Czech's traditional cake and sweet pastry. You can find stalls that sell this everywhere! :D

The Church of Saint Nicholas (Kostel svatého Mikuláše) in the distant. There is two St Nicholas churches @.@ one at Mala Strana another at the Old Town Square :O

On Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) looking at the Prague Castle from afar :D

EVENING: Head down to The New Town (Nové Město), where you find more modern buildings, departmental stores, shops :D

First up, Dinner at Ferdinand. A cosy Czech restaurant/pub at Nove Mesto :)

Some Galuska? :DDD

Statue of St Wencesles. Shrine to the victims of communism.

And dont forget to drop by This funny looking building - Dancing House (Tančící dům) :D

Czech's Itinerary (3 Jan 2012)

MORNING: Go to Vysehrad Park for a morning stroll and a view of the city :D

A short walk uphill to a peaceful and quiet scenery from top :)

142pm Depart from Prague (Hlavni)--> Vienna (Mieldling)

TRY TO TRY: Petrin Hill

If you have got the time, go up to Petrin Hill and take an overview of the city :D

Costs $$$ (I Spent):

Unit of Currency is Czech Koruna (or Czech Crown)
1 euro is approximately 25 Kč

FOOD: 540 Kč
TRANSPORTATION: 160 Kč
ACCOMMODATIONS: N/A (We stayed at friend's house :D)
TOTAL: 700 Kč (around 30 euros)

A special thanks to our Prague friends (Ye Ling, Evon, Ye Ling's housemates for their kind and warm hospitality for these few days :)

Maps for the Organized Minds

1. Prague Tourist Map

To Be Continued: Vienna, Austria [1 June]

Vienna, time for a humungous SCHNITZEL. Anyone? :)

Add Comment

The Ultimate Europe Experience :)

03/29/2012

2 Comments

31 days;
12 countries; 22 cities;
2 curious teenagers; 2 backpacks;
AUD$5000; 1 Lonely Planet Guidebook;1 self-planned itinerary

We made it!!! To a land I dreamt of since childhood!!! :)

Route Map

Schedule

Highlights

1) United Kingdom

LENGTH OF STAY: 1.5 days (beginning) + 1 day (end)
CITY VISITED: London
LANGUAGE: English DUH
LIKE:
1. Efficient & frequent London Tube System;
2. Easy navigation around the city (Map stands all over the place!)
DISLIKE: n/a

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

The infamous Big Ben Clock Tower & Parliament!
With the red bus :D

Tower Bridge:
Roadway is raised to allow ships to pass through!

Trafalgar Square:
venue for various rallies; marches; festivals!

Buckingham Palace:
where the Queen lives?

2) France

LENGTH OF STAY: 2 days
CITY VISITED: Paris
LANGUAGE: French
LIKE:
1) Eiffel Tower!
2) Laduree & Pierre Hermes Macarons!
3) Frequent train services.
DISLIKE:
1) Heaps (yes heaps!) of people selling souvenirs around Eiffel Tower;
2) People bugging/tricking you for money

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

Eiffel Tower:
324m; romantic icon across the globe

Louvre Musuem:
hosts infamous Mona Lisa's painting. Entrance at Pyramide du Louvre.

Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph):
to commemorate Napoleon’s victory

Notre Dame Cathedral:
most visited site in Paris!

MUST TRY FOOD:

Escargot:
snails ewww!

Macarons:
Fluffy French treat :)

3) Belgium

LENGTH OF STAY: 1 day
CITY VISITED: Brugge, Brussels
LANGUAGE: Dutch, French, German
LIKE: The peacefulness & Serendipity with tonnes of Gothic buildings!!! AND CHOCOLATE of course!
DISLIKE: Yet to be discovered :)

MARKT (Bruges):
Bruges' nerve center, a large open square :)

BURG square (Bruges): Town Hall - Stadhuis

Canals (Bruges)

Grand Place (Brussels):
Amazing Gothic-style city hall in the city center

Manneken Pis (Brussels):
The pee-ing little boy is really famous!

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Fancy some Belgian Beers!?

Belgian Waffle & Belgian Chocolate!!!

Mosselen/moules:
Mussels in a pot (They are everywhere!) :) A steaming cauldrons of mussels!!! :) with fries or they call it "frites"

4) The Netherlands

LENGTH OF STAY: 1.5 days
CITY VISITED: Amsterdam
LANGUAGE: Dutch
LIKE: The lively atmosphere with pubs & bars everywhere!!! Eye Opener at Red Light District!
DISLIKE: Too many choices of bars; restaurants & pubs!!!

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

Canals at the Lowest country in the world!

Red Light District aka De Wallen
Spread across 6500 square meters with 300 cabins! And as its name implies, just look for the Red Lights at night!

Anne Frank House: the home of the famous writer Anne Frank.

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Gouda Cheese!
ie the iconic wheel-shaped cheese! :)

Oliebollen aka Oil Balls:
Or simply Dutch Doughnuts :))) nom nom nom. usually with powdered sugar

Poffertjes:
a Dutch batter treat! Like Pancake! :)

Kroketten aka Croquettes ie fried dough balls with various fillings! Usually consumed with Milk (or Melk in Dutch!)

Erwtensoep!
ie pea soup with onion, carrots, sausage & bacon. Tummy warmer :)

5) Germany

Length of stay: 4.5 days (Munich 2 days; Berlin 2.5 days)
Cities Visited: Munich; Berlin
Language: German
LIKE: The lively BEERHALLS; Massive glasses of beers; And Sausages!!!
DISLIKE: I LOST MY MUNICH PHOTOS DUE TO HARD DISK FAILURE :(

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

Munich Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady):
Building with The Two Green Domes

Munich Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall):
the gray building in the front :)

The Infamous Berlin Wall,
where people has been climbing over it for decades & get shot D:

Berlin's Holocaust Memorial
aka Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe; 2711 concrete columns for the murdered :O

Berlin's Brandenburg Gate:
Infamous East-West crossing point :D

Berlin's Reichstag Parliament
NYE Countdown Party!

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Schweinshaxe
Braised pork leg with a crunchy brown crust with Sauerkraut (pickled shredded cabbage)

Beer (Bier)!!
Brands like Augustiner and Hofbrauhaus IN BIG GLASSES YAY!

Sausages (Wurst!) with Mustard (Senf)

Trust me, their sausages are incredibly tasty! I'm not a sausage lover but I instantly fell in love with their sausages!

Currywurst: (Hot pork sausage served either with curry ketchup or a tomato paste with curry powder. )

Weisswurst (White Sausage): for breakfast before 12pm ONLY!

6) Czech Republic

LENGTH OF STAY: 2.5 days
CITY VISITED: Prague (Praha)
LANGUAGE: Czech
LIKE: Castles!
DISLIKE: Everything is too big /too far to fit nicely into photos!!!!

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

Prague Castle
The BIGGEST Castle in the world!!!!

Old Town Square

Charles Bridge
Connects Old Town Square & Prague Castle :)

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Potato Dumpling (Bramboracky) & MEAT

1/4 roast duck, Moravian Sparrows (pieces of roast pork), smoked meat, smoked beer sausage, white and red cabbage, three kinds of dumplings (bread, fat and potato)

Beef Goulash with potato dumplings

Trdelník
traditional cake and sweet pastry

Czech BEEERRRRRR
Brands such as Pilsner Urquell

Kofola (Cola + Cough Medicine)
What in the world!? Personally I dont fancy this LOL

7) Austria

LENGTH OF STAY: 2 days
CITY VISITED: Vienna (Wien)
LANGUAGE: German
LIKE: The Elegance of the attractions (with palaces everywhere!); The Desserts Culture!!! (with CoffeeHouse everywhere!)
DISLIKE: I Lost my photos!! :(

St. Stephen's Cathedral (Stephansdom)
Simply spectacular!!

Schloss Schonbrunn
This palace is insanely huge!!!

Hofburg Palace
Housed some of the most powerful people in Austrian history. Now the official residence of the President of Austria

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Wiener Schnitzel!
It is HUMUNGOUS!!!!

Tafelspitz
Boiled beef with horseradish sauce

Cake (try Sacher Torte) & Coffee at Koffeehaus!!!

8) Hungary

LENGTH OF STAY: 2.5 days
CITY VISITED: Budapest
LANGUAGE: Hungarian
LIKE: Fisherman Bastion's architecture!
DISLIKE: The Open Air Spa is not open during Winter!!! D:

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

Fisherman Bastion:
fanciful gothic arcades

SPA!!!!!!!!

Royal Palace, Buda Castle

Széchenyi Chain Bridge

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Goulash (Gulyas):
a soup or stew of meat, noodles and vegetables (especially potato), seasoned with paprika and other spices

Galuska:
Gnocchi-like dumplings/egg noodle soaked in sauce

Hungarian Somlói sponge cake

Langos:
Fried dough topped with cheese & Sour cream

Palinka:
Strong brandy distilled from fruits, Famous brands include Tokaji

9/10) Italy & Vatican City

LENGTH OF STAY: 7 days
CITIES VISITED: Venice; Rome; Pisa; Florence; Milan
LANGUAGE: Italian DUH
LIKE:
1. Getting lost and ditched the map among Venice canals;
2. Ancient ruins and historic feels of Rome;
3. Walkability of Florence city (Everything within walking distance!);
4. Spectacular Vittorio Emmanuelle shopping Arcade in Milan
DISLIKE:
1. Tourist traps in major attractions near Venice;
2. Lousy accommodation in Florence (personal);
3. People bugging you for money in Milan;
4. Communication (no offence) >.< Italians speak little English :O

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

Venice - Grand Canal:
Take the Slow Vaporetto 1 down the main canal & enjoy the scenery along the canal :)

Venice - Bridge of Sigh

Venice - Rialto Bridge

Venice - Piazza San Marco:
Busiest square, adorned by Basilica di San Marco

Rome - Colossuem:
50,000-seater arena

Rome - Palatino Hill & Roman Forum: Roman ruins

Rome - Trevi Fountain:
Custom is to throw a coin into the fountain, ensuring your return to Rome

Vatican City - Vatican Musuem
Climax of the visit would be to the ultimate Sistine Chapel; cant help but to indulge yourself over the art works of famous artists like Michelangelo & Raphael

Vatican City - St Peter’s Basilica:
Italy’s biggest; richest & most spectacular church!

Pisa - Leaning tower of Pisa (Torre di Pisa)
4 degree!

Florence - Ponte Vecchio
Butcher shops turned into jewelries shop!

Florence - Duomo
One of the world’s largest cathedrals; enormous cupola

Florence - Piazza Michelangelo
offer fantastic view of the city

Milan - Duomo
World’s largest Gothic cathedral; third largest church in Europe

Milan - Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II
simply elegant!

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Pizza:
Quanto Basta at Venice; for just 12 euros?!

Any pasta that you could grab!!!
Carbonara: an authentic Italian pasta dish based on eggs, , bacon (guanciale or pancetta), and black pepper; but not cream!

Gelato:
Popular flavours – Fragola (Strawberry); Nocciola (Hazelnut); Stracciatella (Milk with chocolate shavings)

Tiramisu!!!

11) Switzerland

LENGTH OF STAY: 3 days
CITIES VISITED: Zurich; Lucerne; Interlaken (stopover); Bern; Lausanne; Geneva
LANGUAGE: German (mostly); French (in Lausanne) ; Italian; Romansch. OMG they speak everything!
LIKE: The cleanliness!!! The peacefulness & serendipity!!! The people(they are kind, welcoming and multilingual!)!!! My favourite country so far!!!
DISLIKE: HIGH costs of living!!! Accommodation is the most expensive!

Zurich - St Peterkirche’s Clock Face:
Europe’s largest clock face 8.7m in diameter

Zurich - Fraumunster Cathedral

Enjoy the peacefulness of Lucerne!

Scenic Train Ride from Lucerne --> Interlaken

Bern - Parliament House @ Bundesplatz

Bern - Zytglogge Clock Tower:
revolving figures just before the hours

Scenic train ride from Interlaken --> Lausanne :)

Lausanne - Ouchy

Geneva - Jet d’Eau:
140m high at 200km/h

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

Cheese Fondue:
melted cheese (with white wine) in a pot and eaten with bread cubes :)

Rosti
Fried shredded potatoes.; Best thing ever!!!

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Boneless chicken breast pounded and rolled around a pork meat and a soft cheese and then either fried.

Spätzle
Egg noodle!!! YUM!!!

12) Spain

LENGTH OF STAY: 2 days
CITY VISITED: Barcelona
LANGUAGE: Spanish
LIKE: CHEAP prices! (for food); Tapas; Excellent transportation with excellent signs!; Nice & Friendly people! Favourite City!!!
DISLIKE: n/a

TOP ATTRACTIONS:

La Sagrada Familia
Gaudi's Church of the Holy Family
Under construction still !!!!

Gaudi's Casa Batlló

Infamous La Rambla St & St Lorenzo Market

Port Vell
Waterfront Harbour at the end of La Rambla St

Torre Agbar
38-storey skyscraper marks the gateway to the new technological district of Barcelona

Another architecture of Gaudi - Park Guell

Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya
They have magic fountain show!!!

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD:

TAPAS!!!!

A cup of fresh fruit juices from St Lorenzo Market!

Anything with Squid-ink ROFL

Costs Breakdown

By Type of Expenses:

AIR TICKETS (Melbourne --> London --> KL)                                            AUD 1907.49
TRAIN (Eurail Monthly Pass + Reservations Fee)                      AUD 1001.67
TRANSPORTATION within country                                              AUD   312.42
ACCOMMODATIONS                                                                       AUD   649.42
FOOD                                                                                                    AUD    967.97
ADMISSIONS to Musuem; Spa etc                                                   AUD 93.04
MISC (Souvenirs; Luggage Storage; Internet)           AUD    208.89

TOTAL                                                                                     AUD 5140.89

By Country:

United Kingdom (1.5+1 days)                          £152.60
France (2 days)                                                 €113.10
Belgium (1 day)                                                   € 71.65
The Netherlands (1.5 days)                              € 44.13
Germany (4.5 days)                                           €216.98
Czech Republic (2.5 days)                             700 krowns
Austria (2 days)                                                   €101.90
Hungary (2.5 days)                                        €13 + 19416.50 Ft
Italy & Vatican City (7 days)                               €360.50
Switzerland (3 days)                                    285.75 Swiss Francs
Spain (2 days)                                                       €101.65

Useful Planning Tools

1.       Eurail website
2.       Lonely Planet’s Europe on a Shoestring Guide
3.       Friends that have visited Europe before//Friends that live there!

For more detailed itinerary...

1) Notes from the Road: LONDON
2) Notes from the Road: PARIS
3) Notes from the Road: BRUGES & BRUSSELS
4) Notes from the Road: AMSTERDAM
5) Beers from the Road: BERLIN & MUNICH

Like this??? Spare a Like to my Facebook Page:

Travel FOODprints

Share the post & who knows next time it's your turn to tell me your story :)

2 Comments

Beer from the Road: Munich & Berlin, GERMANY

03/14/2012

2 Comments

Trip in a Nutshell

GERMANY

Length of stay: 4.5 days (Munich 2 days; Berlin 2.5 days)
Language: German

LIKE: The lively BEERHALLS; Massive glasses of beers; And Sausages!!!
DISLIKE: I LOST MY MUNICH PHOTOS DUE TO HARD DISK FAILURE :(

TOP SIGHTS

Munich (Munchen):
1) New Town Hall (Neues Rathaus);
2) Beer halls & beer gardens!!!!

Berlin:
1) Brandenburg Gate: infamous east-west crossing point!
2) Holocaust Memorial: Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe

Find out how they look like below :D

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD!

1. Sausages (Wurst!) with Mustard (Senf)

Trust me, their sausages are incredibly tasty! I'm not a sausage lover but I instantly fell in love with their sausages!

Currywurst: (Hot pork sausage served either with curry ketchup or a tomato paste with curry powder. )

Weisswurst (White Sausage): for breakfast before 12pm ONLY!

2. Beer (Bier)!!
Brand: Augustiner; Hofbrauhaus;

IN BIG GLASSES YAY!

3. Schweinshaxe
Braised pork leg with a crunchy brown crust with Sauerkraut (pickled shredded cabbage)

Munich Itinerary: 27 Dec 2011 (Tue)

Night (830pm): Arrive at Munich from Amsterdam. 7.5 hours of train ride!!! Dinner!!! German style!

Augustiner Braustuben :D One of the famous beerhouse near Munchen HBF train station :D

Once inside, order Beerrrrrr and Schweinshaxe (Braised pork leg with a crunchy brown crust) and indulge yourself in the lively atmosphere of the beerhouse, where everyone is happily chatting and drinking :D

Munich Itinerary: 28 Dec 2011 (Wed)

Morning (9am): Head into the main part of the city & start exploring!

TOP SIGHTS include: Frauenkirche (Cathedral of Our Dear Lady): Building with The Two Green Domes ; and the Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall): the gray building in the front :)

Neues Rathaus (New Town Hall) overlooking Marienplatz Square, where everyone gathers under the Glockenspiel clock to watch it springing to life at 11am :)

New Town Hall at night! :)

Early Afternoon (11am): Join the Free Tour!!! Check them out at here.
The tour will last for 3 hours :D

Too bad i lost most of my Munich photos :( Here is some of the places that we visited but I dont have a photo for :(

1. Munich Residenz Palace :)

Residence of Bavaria lagestn monarch & largest city palace in Germany!! :)

2. Munich's Viktualienmarkt

Food market that you could scout for beers; sausagesssssss; flowers; cheese; food etc etc!

They have a BEERGARDEN too but unfortunately it was closed during Winter :(

3. Old Town Hall (Altes Rathaus)

A few steps away from the New Town Hall is this Old Town Hall (refurbished and it looks newer than the New Town Hall, how ironic HAHA!)

4) Hofgarten (Court Garden)

This is not covered in the tour but we nevertheless went there :) A few steps away lies Englisher Garten :)

Night: Dinner at the infamous Beer House - Hofbrauhaus!!!! :)

Hofbrauhaus' exterior :)

1 L beer :) Im a happy guy :))

Munich/Berlin Itinerary: 29 Dec 2011 (Thu)

Morning: Walk to St Peter's Church!

Pay 1 euro and climb the stairs to get this amazing view of Munich from St Peter Church :D

Before 12pm!: Brunch @ yet another beerhouse - Weisses Brauhaus, because white sausages are served before 12pm!!!

A mix of everything :) Ham Cheese Cured Meat :D

TRY TO TRY in Munich:

1) Schloss Nymphenburg (Nymphenburg Palace)

M ain summer residence of the rulers of Bavaria

2) B&W Plant

Afternoon (115pm): Munich --> Berlin [6 hours]
Night (615pm): Arrive at Berlin. Check In 2A Hostel! Best Hostel EVER! :)

It is Cheap! Brand New & Clean; Friendly staff; Free Wireless enough to last for your stay :D

Berlin Itinerary: 30 Dec 2011 (Fri)

Morning: Berlin Wall Memorial Visitor Center! Where you teach yourself the gloomy history of East & West Germany :)

OMG First Snowing Experience :D (one-and-only throughout the trip >.<). It is different from what you experience on a skiing field :D The snow is so light :D

The Infamous Berlin Wall, where people has been climbing over it for decades & get shot D:

A moment of silence

Afternoon: Head off to Türkischer Markt for snacks & lunch :D

Gotcha!

Turkish Sigara Borek: a smaller, cylindrical variety is often filled with feta cheese, potato, parsley and sometimes with minced meat or sausage.

OMG German eats fish like this!!!???

Doner!!!! Kebab with almost everything LOL

How do you eat this oversized bread!?

Evening: Venture into Hohenschoenhausen Prison (Stasi Perison)

Prison D:

Gloomy eh?

Night: Stumble upon this Gendarmenmarkt Christmas Market!!!!

Berlin Itinerary: 30 Dec 2011 (Fri)

Morning:Pay a visit to Fernsehturm (TV Tower) near Alexanderplatz

Fernsehturm (TV Tower), tallest structure in Germany :D

Late Morning: Walk towards Musuem Island (Yes, an islands with musuemssss on it)

The Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) :D

In Front of Alte Nationalgalerie

Pergamon Museum, one of the many musuems on the islands :D

As it says, Bode Musuem :D

Back to Berliner Dom, the other side :D

Altes Musuem. Gosh how many musuems are there!?

Late Evening: Dinner Gerichtslaube Restaurant for some German Food :DD

Berliner Klops (escalope with potatoes and vegetables) AND Beef roulade homemade with traditional filling accompanied by red cabbage with apple, along with potato dumplings.

Baked pear stuffed with blue cheese, rolled in almond and breaded, served in a cranberry sauce YUMMMMMMMMMMM

Berlin Itinerary: 31 Dec 2011 (Sat)

Morning: SLEEEEEEEEEP for the Countdown :D
Evening: Out & About Brandenburg Gate area :D

Holocaust Memorial aka Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe: 2711 concrete columns for the murdered :O Best to go before nightfall, cause there is no lights!!!

Brandenburg Gate: Infamous East-West crossing point :D

Reichstag Parliament, HAHA excellent for photos :P

NYE Firework @ Berlin, view from Reichstag Parliament, blocked somehow D: not as spectacular as I wanted them to be but oh well a brand new year!!! :D

Berlin Itinerary: 1 Jan 2012 (Sun)

Morning 11am: Prague, Czech Republics Baby!!!

Costs $$$ (I Spent):

Munich:
FOOD: 49 euros
ACCOMMODATION: 30 euros

Berlin:
FOOD: 53.2 euros
TRANSPORTATION: 17.6 euros
ACCOMMODATION: 51.3 euros

TOTAL: 201.1 euros

Maps for the Organized Minded:

1) Munich City Map with attractions :D
2) Berlin City Map with attractions :D
3) Berlin's S-Bahn & U-Bahn train map

To Be Continued! (An Overview Post of the Whole Trip!!!) 1 Apr

Notes from the Road: Amsterdam

02/29/2012

1 Comment

Trip in a Nutshell

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Length of stay: 1.5 day
Language: Dutch

LIKE: The lively atmosphere with pubs & bars everywhere!!! Eye Opener at Red Light District!
DISLIKE: Too many choices!!!

Artsy & Lively eh? :)

TOP SIGHTS:
1) Getting lost @ Canals; canals and more canals!!
2) Red Light District at nightfall! (more about this later :P)

This picture sums Amsterdam up? Bike & Canal :)

MUST TRY FOOD:

1) Gouda Cheese! ie the iconic wheel-shaped cheese! :)

2) Erwtensoep! ie pea soup with onion, carrots, sausage & bacon. Tummy warmer :)

3) Kroketten aka Croquettes! @ Van Dobben ie fried dough balls with various fillings! Usually consumed with Milk (or Melk in Dutch!)

4) Poffertjes, a Dutch batter treat! Like Pancake! :)

5) Oliebollen aka Oil Balls, Or simply Dutch Doughnuts :))) nom nom nom. usually with powdered sugar

Itinerary: 26 Dec 2011 (Mon)

Morning 618am: Brussels --> Amsterdam Central train station

Morning 914am: Arrived at Amsterdam Central, Check In Accommodation - Durty Nellys Inn.

Morning 10am: Explore Around Amsterdam on foot! No particularly systematic route!!!! :P

- Dam Square!

Start off from the center of the city - Dam Square, where National Monument stands

Browsing through the numerous barssss & pubssss in town. And this pub claims itself to be the smallest pub in town :D

CANALSSS :)

Dutch thongs ROFL :)

TRY TO TRY: Waterlooplein Flea Market. Miss that!!! :(

- Remembrandt Square, one of the night party area!

Xmas Market @ Remembrandt Square. With the making of Poffertjes :)

Sausages overload :O

- Flower Market

Dutch windows??? :OOO

Tulips... Fake tulips >.< apparently it is winter.

- Anna Frank Huis

One of top attractions in Amsterdam, the home of the famous writer Anne Frank. Go early in the morning to avoid queue, according to our hostel manager :)

- Jordaan Area, across the canal

West of the city, with adorable houses squashed in a grid of tiny lanes

- Snacking on frites!!! Fries! It tasted awesome!!!

- Red Light District aka De Wallen
Spread across 6500 square meters with 300 cabins! And as its name implies, just look for the Red Lights at night!

No photography is allowed :( But to give you a feel, here is what I found from Google. Judge yourself?

LOOK OUT FOR:

1) Waterlooplein Flea Market! Missed this :(

2) Skinny Bridge!!!

3) Begijnhof

Itinerary: 27 Dec 2011 (Tue)

Morning: Walk to Albert Cuyp Market, Amsterdam's largest & busiest market!!! Why not have a bowl of warm pea soup?

- Walk to Vondelpark & Concertgelow

Concertgelow :) Concert Hall? :)

A Stroll along Vondelpark? :)

Morning: If you fancy museums & arts, probably these are worth trying!

VAn Goh Museum :)

The famous I Amsterdam near the museums area :)

EARLY AFTERNOON: Brunch @ Pankcakes!

Gosh Dutch Pancakes are huge!!!!

Costs $$$ (I spent):

FOOD: 28.13 euros
TRANSPORTATION: All attractions is within walking distance if you are not too tired :) OR you could bike!!
ACCOMMODATION: 20 euros

Total: 48.13 euros

Maps for the Organized Minds

To Be Continued: BEEEEEEEEER @ Munich&Berlin, Germany (15 MAR)

1 Comment

Notes from the Road: Belgium

02/11/2012

0 Comments

Trip in a Nutshell

Bruges & Brussels, Belgium

Length of stay: 1 day
Language: Dutch; French; German

LIKE: The peacefulness & Serendipity with tonnes of gothic buildings!!! AND CHOCOLATE of course!
DISLIKE: Yet to be discovered :)

TOP SIGHTS: Grand Place (Brussels)
MUST TRY FOOD:
1) Mussels in a pot (They are everywhere!);
2) Belgian Chocolates!
3) Belgian Waffle nom nom nom**

Itinerary: 25 Dec 2011 (Sun)

First Stop: Bruges!

Morning 800am: Paris du Nord station --> Belgium (Bruges)

TIPS: Paris to Belgium's Capital City Brussels train reservation could be expensive; so instead, why not catch a regional train to Bruges (a beautiful suburb) and from there take a train to Brussels?

Morning 1030am: Arrive at Brugges. Store luggage & Explore canalside scenes on foot! :) Target: To Bruges' Central - Markt back and forth!

Beautiful canalside scene right! :))

Cobblestone pathway; Horse-drawn carts; Winter trees; Great buildings and horse pee smell completes the picture :)

Inside the "Begjinhof" - a group of houses around a little garden covered with large poplar trees :)

Cute shops; Chocolate shops hopping! On your way to Markt, there is plenty to see plenty to explore!! :)))

Great art & craft! :)

It makes a good paintings on the wall?? :))

BURG square: Bruges Town Hall - Stadhuis.

Belgian Hot Chocolate & Waffle at MARKT Xmas Market :)

Bruges' nerve center - MARKT :) a large open square :)

TRY TO TRY: Mokafe Waffle. Best waffle in town?

Second Stop: Brussels!

Late Afternoon 2pm: Train back to Brussels Midi (1 hour journey)
- Check in Accommodation Hotel Van Belle (Spacious & Cosy! :))

4pm: Off exploring Brussels!

First Stop: St Michel & Gudule Cathedral; No kidding, this cathedral is HUMUNGOUUUUUSSSSS :O

On the way to Musuemssss from Cathedral. Monts des arts, beautiful garden & lights! :)

Archives Générales du Royaume - One of the MANYYYYYYYYY MUSUEMSSSSSSSSSSSSSS in Brussels. If you have got the time, worth paying a visit inside? Or can just appreciate them from outside, like we did haha.

Church of Saint Jacques-sur-Coudenberg. We have no ideas what this building is then hahaha.

Of course, pay a visit to Belgium's Royal Palace!!!! everything is within walking distance :)

Notre Dame du Sablon :) Just realised how many spectacular buildings are in Brussels :)

AND JENG JENG JENG! The Top Attraction at Brussel: The Grand Place!!

Spectacular Light Shows!!! :))

Stars :)

DINNERRRRRRRRRRRRRR: Belgian Beers RAWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR - [Primus; Blanche; Tongerlo Brune; Tongerlo blonde; Kriek! :))))]

JENG JENG JENG, you will see this dish being served EVERYWHERE in Belgium!!!! It is called Mosselen/moules :) A steaming cauldrons of mussels!!! :) with fries or they call it "frites"

And a last visit to the peeing kid - Manneken Pis statue :)

TRY TO TRY: Atonium - the infamous nine gigantic iron balls 5km north of the city :)
TRY TO TRY: Nearby suburbs like Antwerps & Ghent; which many people say are very scenic :)

Costs $$$ (I SPENT:)

FOOD: 28.25 euros
TRANSPORTATION: 4.50 euros
ACCOMMODATION: 26 euros
MISC (Locker/Washroom): 2.50 euros
SOUVENIRS: 13 euros

Total: 74.25 euros

Maps for the Organized minds

1) Bruges City Maps with Attractions drawn : although a map is not really needed
2) Brussels' USE IT maps: brilliant insights & tips from locals; although could get a lil overwhelmed by the amount of information

To Be Continued: Amsterdam, Netherlands [1 Mar]

Clogs; Tulips; Canals and the renowned Red Light District!

Add Comment

Notes from the Road: Paris BONJOUR!

01/31/2012

1 Comment

Trip in A Nutshell

Paris, France

Length of stay: 2 days
LIKE:
1) Eiffel Tower!
2) Laduree & Pierre Hermes Macarons!
3) Frequent train services.
DISLIKE:
1) Heaps (yes heaps!) of people selling souvenirs around Eiffel Tower;
2) People bugging/tricking you for money (using various method like colourful strings and donation note, read more below)
TOP SIGHTS:
1) Eiffel Tower;
2) Louvre Musuem (Mona Lisa);
3) Arc de Triomphe (Arch of Triumph)
MUST TRY FOOD:
1) Macarons
2) Escargot (snails ewww)!

Itinerary: 23 Dec 2011 (Fri)

Early morning (630am): Arriving at Paris Gallieni Station via Eurolines Bus
- from London Victoria Coach Station 1030pm the previous day
- Not really a comfortable ride. But at least I have been on a ferry to cross the sea to Paris :)
TIPS: Book Eurostar Train earlier!!! (only takes 2+ hours from London to Paris!) Last-minute ticket price is expensive :( [100+ pounds one way, compared to 45 pounds for bus]

Morning: Paris Gallieni --> Paris Garu du L’est Station via Metro

- Leave luggage at Hotel Le Terrage. Friendly owners, although room smells a bit.
TIPS: Paris Visitte allows unlimited travel on Paris public transport :)
INTERESTING: Train doors open before the train comes to a halt! I find it both dangerous and amusing!

Morning: Take train to Anvers station for Sacre Coeur at Montmarte

Showcasing the white dome of this basilica

Great overview of Paris city :) involves some climbing of stairs but not too strenuous

CAUTION: People with colourful strings dangling from pocket. They are trying to ask for your money. They will tie the string around your finger, and since the knot is hard to be disentangled, they will demand you for money! --According to Rick Steve-

Morning: Take train to Galleries Lafayette (shopping shopping shopping)

Dome of Galleries Lafayette! If you are a shopaholic, you will adore this place. People did line up for Paris brand like Longchamp :O

Late morning: Lunch @ Lafayette Restaurant

Self-service buffet style meal. Quite a variety of selection :) food not of top-notch but quite filling :)

Followed by Desserts @ Pierre Hermes Macarons :)

No photos is allowed at macarons shop (both Pierre Hermes &Laduree). But see what have I got? :P

Afternoon: Walk to Opera; then walk along Avenue De L’Opera to Louvre Musuem

Opera: more than welcomed to pay and visit the interior but we chose not to but just to appreciate it from outside haha.

TRY TO TRY: Royal Palais (miss this awww, it is along the way to Louvre)

TOP ATTRACTIONS: Louvre Musuem!

- if you have read Dan Brown’s, you should have known this place :)
- This museum is HUGE. No jokes! Separated into 3 divisions. It is better to explore divisions by divisions than floor by floor.

The 21m high Pyramide du Louvre serves as an entrance to Louvre

#Mona Lisa# Slightly disappointed. It is smaller than I thought. 70cmx50cm maybe? And people crowded in front of the photo preventing a decent photo with Mona Lisa D:

Ok we are too bored so we came back at night for a photo in front of Louvre. And it is surprisingly EMPTY & gorgeous! And thanks to the uncle that played sax alone in the corridor! :)

TRY TO TRY: Hugo Restaurant - Dinner place recommendations? :P Highly recommended on TripAdvisor :O

Night: Slept like a dead pig. Or should I say black out.

Itinerary: 24 Dec 2011 (Sat)

Morning: Marche Couvert Sainte Quentin market near Gare de l’Est station

Grab funky food as breakfast!

Morning: Take train to Tuleries: morning stroll along Jardin de Tuleries.

Trees during winter :O(Jardin means Garden in French :)

TRY TO TRY: Jardin du Luxembourg, another highly recommended garden, if you have the time.

Late Morning: Walk to La Concorde

Big Fountain right before reaching La Concorde :)

Afternoon: Walk along Champs Elysees Etoile main street

We were lucky! There is a xmas market at the beginning of the street!! <3

They are actually MARSHMALLOWS NOM NOM NOM!

Shopping Street - LV; Channel; Gucci; Prada you name it.

- A taste of Laduree Macarons

Laduree's exterior :O

Crust is good. But Pierre's filling is better :D

TOP ATTRACTIONS: Walk to Arc De Triomphe

Arch of Triumph - an arch commissioned by Napolean to commemorate his victories

Early evening: Train to Trocadero; offer fantastic view of Eiffel Tower from far :)

Xmas Market near Trocadero! <3 Xmas Market!

Shy**

TOP ATTRACTIONS:Evening- Walk to the infamous 324m Eiffel Tower

Eiffel :) Finally :)

Eiffel @ Night :))

Snap snapsnap photos from every angle possible thought of, like everyone else haha.

TRY TO TRY: Musee d Orsay, another renowned musuem :)

Night:
- Walk to Rue Cler – commercial street market!!
- Take train to Cite for Notre Dame Cathedral

Most visited site in Paris according to Lonely Planet. REALLY!? What about Eiffel!?? But this cathedral is beautiful just by its exterior.

- Walk to Sainte Chapelle (Gothic Chapel)

- Dinner around Cathedral

Forgot THE NAME OF THE PLACE!! >.< ESCARGOTS!!!! Jeng Jeng Jeng! Tasted great!

Costs $$$ (I SPENT:)

FOOD & MACARONS & ESCARGOTS etc nom nom nom: 50.30 euros (2-day)
TRANSPORTATION: 15.60 euros (2-day Paris Visitte unlimited travel) + Eurolines (London à Paris) 45 pounds
ACCOMMODATION: 45 euros (2 days)

TOTAL: 110.90 euros +45 pounds

Maps for the Organized minds

1) L'Open Tour Map - Map with Paris top attractions. A great overview of Paris city!
2) Paris Interactive Metro Map - Everywhere is accessible via Metro! :) Fast & convenient!

To Be Continued: Belgium :) Land of Chocolates :)

Come back on 15 Feb 2012!! :))

1 Comment

Notes from the Road: London

01/14/2012

5 Comments

Trip in a Nutshell

London, United Kingdom

Length of Stay: 1.5 days
LIKE: Efficient & frequent London Tube System; Easy navigation around the city (Map stands all over the place!)
DISLIKE: Yet to be discovered

Itinerary: 21 Dec 2011 (Wed)

1210am: Melbourne Tullamarine Airport -> Abu Dhabi [14 hours + 2 hours transit] -> London Heathrow [8 hours]

- Etihad Airway officially my favourite airline to date: warm food (good menu & not your normal plane meal, FOC); entertainment system E-Box (latest movie, music, games to keep you entertained)

TIPS: I prefer Aisle seat (easy access to lavatory; no need to alert passenger sitting besides you), and you couldnt really see the aerial view from the window seat anyway

1225pm: Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 -> City

TIPS: Cheapest option to city is via its Tube System (equivalent to Metro); located underground of the airport (Piccadilly Line); took around 45 minutes; contrast that to Heathrow Connect/Heathrow Express (faster but more expensive)

2pm: Arrive at King Cross Station
- Check In Accommodation Clink 261, a less than 10 minutes walk from King Cross.
- A 4 bed mixed dorm. Space in the room is a little bit smaller than I thought and no WIFI =(

Evening & Night: Allow some rest & explore the city.

-- Leicester Square [pronounced as LESS-ter square =_=]: Trafalgar Square

Trafalgar Square

-- Leicester Square [pronounced as LESS-ter square =_=]: National Gallery

National Gallery

- Piccadilly Circus area: pretty happening at night; shopping; restaurants; area buzzed with life
- Chinatown area (Gerrard Street)

Chinatown area (Gerrard Street): teamed with Chinese Restaurants :]

- Covent Garden: Market with Food; Souvenirs; Clothing; street performance!

Covent Garden: Covent Garden train station is INSANELY CROWDED zomg! The entrance to station is narrow with few ticket tolls and the staircases; a gaping 193 stairs, equivalent to 10-storey building. (so the only feasible option is to take the lift)

TRY TO TRY: OPERA SHOWS at Night (mostly around 730pm)!! Phantom of the Opera show? (3 hours)

- HEAPS, yes I meant it, HEAPS of theatre in London
- Gear yourself up for some research for some good shows
- Phantom is too expensive for me (around 40 pounds), so I gave it a pass :P

Itinerary: 22 Dec 2011 (Thu)

TRY TO TRY: Breakfast at Lantana Restaurant (around Goodge Street)
- We have breakfast at accommodation instead, to save cost :p

Morning: Wander around the King Cross Station area

King Cross Station

- Check out the Harry Portter 9/3/4 platform (It is just a small building next to the main train station (Platform 0); a bit disappointing, thought it would be grand)

- Explore around University College London (UCL), ranked 17th on Times Higher Education University Ranking 2011-2012

UCL. (Take tubes to Russel Square and walked to Euston Square from there); No offfence but I still prefer University of Melbourne <3

- From Euston to Marble Arch/Speaker Corner(not really a lot of things to see)

Marble Arch

- Walk ACROSS Hyde Park; It is freaking humungous, no jokes!

Hyde Park: Walk around the lake; a good morning stroll.

- Imperial College: pretty small; fusion of modern and ancient building.

Imperial College: There is a few musuems near the area as well. And, yaya, I’m obsessed with other universities.

TRY TO TRY: Harrolds (luxury shopping center)
- Miss this due to packed schedule :O

Afternoon:
- Buckingham Palace (Check out the Change of Guard; alternate days during winter and so unfortunately we were there during the no-show day :[ )

Buckingham Palace: The gate was closed and heaps of tourists taking photos in front of the gates >.< [Accessible from Victoria metro station]

- Take a stroll along St James Park to Embassy Area & Downing Street

Embassy Area & Downing Street, okay my hair looks terrible

- Off to Big Ben Clock Tower & Parliament (a must see of course)!!!

The infamous Big Ben :)

- Explore the nearby Westminster Abbey (to be distinguished from Westminster Cathedral)!

Westminster Abbey (well, part of it)

CAUTION: Watch out for VICIOUS old ladies whom put flowers randomly into the pocket of your shirt pocket and demand you to pay them paper notes (YES, they do not accept coin); and they claimed that the flowers were made by children and it is for a good cause and will bring you good luck. Say NO and return the flower adamantly.

LOOK FOR: London infamous double deckers =)

- From there you could walk to (or just sightseeing, like we did) London Eyes and Tower Bridge from far =)

Early Evening:

- Took train to London Bridge (Bank/Monument); to be distinguished from Tower Bridge (the famous bridge which could open up to let ships pass through)

LOOK FOR: Borough Market near London Bridge (worth a go!); FOOD; lots of them!! Dinner!? Snack before dinner)

Borough Market; near London Bridge.

- Train to Tower Hill, check out Tower Bridge & Tower of London

Tower of London (looks more like a castle than Tower)

Tower Bridge London

TRY TO GO: St Paul Cathedral. We missed it :(

Night: Dinner at Great Queen Street Restaurant

Great Queen St: - British food; recommended by Lonely Planet; packed with people, lucky enough to get a seat near the bar area - Tried pigeon meat; and Foie gras

Costs $$$ (We spent...)

FOOD: 25 pounds (allow for 20 pounds per day would be more realistic as I arrived late on the first day)
TRANSPORTATION: 25 pounds
ACCOMMODATION: 19 pounds

TOTAL: 69 pounds

P.S Sorry about the quality of the photos. Learning curve for the first part of the trip is pretty steep :O

Maps for the Organized

1. Tourist Attractions Map

2. London Tube Map

3. London Tourist Bus Map with Attractions

To Be Continued...

Paris, France

5 Comments

<< Previous

Trip in A Nutshell

Italy

Top Attractions - Venice

Top Attractions - Rome (Roma) aka the Capital City

Top Attractions - Pisa

Top Attractions - Florence (Firenze)

Top Attractions - Milan (Milano)

Must Try Local Food

Costs (How much I Spent):

Next Stop: Switzerland!!!!

Previous Footsteps

Spare a Like Spread the Love

Trip in A Nutshell

Hungary

Top Attractions

Must Try Local Food

Budapest's Itinerary (5 Jan THU)

Budapest's Itinerary (6 Jan FRI)

Budapest's Itinerary (7 Jan SAT)

Costs (How much I spent)

Next Stop: Italy!!! (July 15's update)

Previous Footsteps :)

Spare a Like Spread the Love :)

Trip in A Nutshell

Austria

Top Sights

Must Try Local Food

Vienna's Itinerary (3 Jan TUE)

Vienna's Itinerary (4 Jan WED)

Vienna's Itinerary (5 Jan THU)

Costs (How Much I Spent):

Next Stop (Budapest, Hungary - July 1)

Previous Footsteps

Trip in A Nutshell

Czech Republic

TOP SIGHTS

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD

Czech's Itinerary (1 Jan 2012) SUN

Czech's Itinerary (2 Jan 2012) MON

Czech's Itinerary (3 Jan 2012)

Costs $$$ (I Spent):

Maps for the Organized Minds

To Be Continued: Vienna, Austria [1 June]

Route Map

Schedule

Highlights

1) United Kingdom

2) France

3) Belgium

4) The Netherlands

5) Germany

6) Czech Republic

7) Austria

8) Hungary

9/10) Italy & Vatican City

11) Switzerland

12) Spain

Costs Breakdown

Useful Planning Tools

For more detailed itinerary...

Trip in a Nutshell

GERMANY

TOP SIGHTS

MUST TRY LOCAL FOOD!

Munich Itinerary: 27 Dec 2011 (Tue)

Munich Itinerary: 28 Dec 2011 (Wed)

Munich/Berlin Itinerary: 29 Dec 2011 (Thu)

Berlin Itinerary: 30 Dec 2011 (Fri)

Berlin Itinerary: 30 Dec 2011 (Fri)

Berlin Itinerary: 31 Dec 2011 (Sat)

Berlin Itinerary: 1 Jan 2012 (Sun)

Costs $$$ (I Spent):

Maps for the Organized Minded:

To Be Continued! (An Overview Post of the Whole Trip!!!) 1 Apr

Read more...

Trip in a Nutshell

Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Itinerary: 26 Dec 2011 (Mon)

Itinerary: 27 Dec 2011 (Tue)

Costs $$$ (I spent):