Tales of 4 Cities - Brussels

The last leg. We basically just explored the places near our hotel. The best form of exploring is usually by foot so pictures would do?

What did I remember from this trip? We ate a lot of chocolates, visited Tintin (my childhood hero), witnessing the Brussels Marathon...




It was a lazy weekend for us.

Tales of 4 Cities - Amsterdam

Oh Amsterdam! A beautiful place and one which amazed me not just with her scenery but also the infamous red light district.

Marj who is a Dutch gave me some notes before we set off and well, we tried to achieve as much as possible!

A few things to remember:

- If you go out at night the trams stop running at about midnight. Most people cycle between places. I’d suggest renting bicycles.

- Shops close early (5-6pm) except on Thursday evening they stay open until 9pm. The shopping street is called Kalverstraat.

- A Coffee Shop sells weed, hash, hallucinogenic mushrooms, space cake, etc and sometimes also coffee.

- A Café sells coffee, cookies, cakes, etc.

- Almost everyone in Amsterdam speaks English

Things to do in Amsterdam:

- Anne Frank house

- The Wax Museum (in Dam Square)

- Have a picnic / walk around Vondel Park (although it might be cold in September)

- The NEMO. The architecture is quite cool and the view from the top is nice.

- There are seven or so Red Light districts (de Wallen (the walls) in Dutch). They’re very safe and an interesting place to walk through at night. The big annoyance is drunk tourists acting stupid – which can also be entertaining to watch. I would suggest visiting the main red light district near the Oude Kerk (the Old Church). There is also a Prostitution Information Center (PIC) set up by a former sex worker to inform the public about the facts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostitution_Information_Center

- For more tips visit this site - http://www.iamsterdam.com/.

- There’s a big “I AMSTERDAM” statue in one of the parks that they set up. It’s a good place to take souvenir pictures.

- Van Gogh Museum

To eat:

- Pancakes! The places that sell them are called Pancake Houses. Holland uses a special kind of syrup on pancakes that I’m pretty sure you don’t find in other countries.

- Haaring (herring). It’s raw and usually you put onions on top. They sell this in little stands on the side of the street.

- Patat (French fries). You’ll have to ask people when you’re there, but there’s a Patat stand that has been around for a hundred years or so and you can get all different types of sauces to put on top

- Kebab – this is more of a food you eat after a long night out. Yum yum.

- Poffertjes (small poofy pancakes with butter and powdered sugar).

- Sit at a café and drink coffee with spekulaas (dutch ginger cookies). The Dutch are crazy about philosophizing and talking about politics over coffee.

That's all, folks!

Tales of 4 Cities - Paris

Paris. The second leg. We spent a relaxed week in the romantic city.

Getting around: Metro tickets can be bought in batches of 10.

Accommodation: We booked a room at Boissiere (53, rue Jean Jaurès, Levallois Perret) for a few days before walking a few metres down the road and checked into another hotel - My Hotel in France . It was a really good deal as breakfast was provided and each day, you are entitled to a brown bag of sandwich, bottled water and cut fruits. =) Oh yes, there's free wifi. =))

Some of the places that we visited:

1. Musee du Louvre (the very famous Mona Lisa painting is a draw! There are some eateries in the museum so no worries. You can take pictures of the paintings unless otherwise told. Closed on Tuesdays and public hols; free 1st Sun of the month. I find the audio guide helpful)

2. Eiffel Tower. We did not go all the way up but just lingered at the bottom. It's good enough. (Exit Champ-de-Mars)

3. Notre-Dame. Then go and search for Berthillon ice-cream located on the smaller island (Ile St-Louis) next to Notre-Dame. Recommended by a colleague and it's really yummy!

4. Sacre- Coeur. Nice and of course the cafes and sidewalk in Montmartre. Moulin Rouge is located there but nothing fantastic about the show. Email them to make reservation; pay on the spot.

5. Arc de Triomphe. Located at the top of the Champs-Elysees (where the shopping area is).

6. Pantheon. We didn't go in (not really worth it).

7. There is a group who organised FREE Paris walk for tourists. They meet at the fountain of the Metro exit, St-Michel. Good English speaking guides. We went with them to Versailles and they explained well the history too. Nice big gardens at Versailles and great history lessons!

8. La Vallee Village. Big brand names at discounted prices. Take RER A and exit at Val d'Europe.

9. Parks & Gardens: Have some sandwiches and a book and bum there. Jardin du Luxembourg & Jardin des Tuileries are beautiful, esp the former.

Things to do:
- Have at least one nice French meal.
- Be like the Parisians. Take your time to sip your expresso @ cafes/bars, watching people pass by you.
- Always start any conversation with Bonjour!
- Walk down La Seine with your loved one(s). It's really a romantic thing to do!

A tale of 4 cities (London)

Honeymoon. London --> Paris --> Amsterdam --> Brussels --> London

Sept - Oct 2009.

Before setting off for the trip, we had booked some of our accommodation via hostel.com or booking.com. Needless to say, accommodation in western Europe is expensive and basically the cost is the major consideration, followed by the location and whether the room had attached bathroom. A good proportion of our accommodation was in the range of 60 Euro for a twin ensuite per day. (London cost more!)



For travellers who do not really have the time to explore a place in great detail, I find these guidebooks friendly. They recommended the top 10 places and well, you won't get wrong. Of course, there are not as many recommendations as LonelyPlanet or Fodors.

So here goes, some of my own recommendations!








London

Accommodation is the main wallet-drainer. In Britain, you can pay a lot and still get a shoebox, so go as basic as possible. Also, aim for rates that include breakfast as that will save you a small sum.

Places where I have visited and enjoyed.

1. Westminster Abbey and Parliament Square

2. Buckingham Palace

3. National Gallery

4. Tate Modern

5. Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens (go for English tea at one of the cafes there).

6. Visit Harrods!

7. Soho and the West End - Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly circus, Leicester Square (could buy cut-price theatre tickets), Chinatown...

7. Shopping area - Oxford Street, Porttobello Road, Harrods (do dress well if you intend to go in!)

The city of London is easily explorable on foot. You see more things too! Of course, when you arrive at Heathrow Airport, get a top-up card called Oyster Card (aka our Ezlink card) to travel on the tube. We put in 25 pounds. It should be sufficient but we also walked A LOT!

Check this out! http://www.londontown.com/London_for_Backpackers.pdf

Eating in London can be expensive, so grab a sandwich for a leisurely picnic at several parks in the heart of the city such as Hyde Park, Green Park and Regent's Park. I like those at Pret A Manger (wide range and healthy!) and EAT. If cost is still the issue, you will always have the supermarket! Camden market has cheap food there, though a bit far from the city centre. Must eat - duck @ Four Seasons at Bayswater!

London. Paris. Nov 2008

A working trip but what great pleasure.
Shall not try to include too much details about work at this platform.

16 Nov 2008

After 13 hours of flight where movement was strictly limited, we arrived at Heathrow airport. What a relief. It took a while before we finally cleared the custom and collected our baggage. On the bus to our hotel, Park International, the participants were all so quiet. Perhaps it was due to tiredness, exhaustion from the long haul flight.
Checked in our luggage, we decided to roam around the area. We had a long discussion on the type of passes that we wanted – 7-day pass for £24.20 (unlimited rides) or an Oyster pass (top up-£3 and £20 for top up). In the end, we decided for the latter.
Decided to go for areas around Westminster and the Southbank area. Alighted from Westminster (tube), we soon got out and were marveled at the London Eye, Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, St Margaret Church. As we walked on further, we ventured into Trafalgar Square and then decided to go for Tate Museum and it took us quite a while before we could reach the place. Popped by Camden Town and it was quite a vibrant place. The market was somewhat like our Pasar Malam. Had our lunch cum dinner there. It was an offer of £7.48 for price of 2 dishes. Good deal.
By the time we hit the hotel, it was dark and well, very exhausted. Had our briefing before we turned in for the night.

17 Nov 2008
0800 British council; Overview of the UK Education system
1030 Gallery Museum; What an impressive collection of paintings from the different era.
1200 Lunch (£4)
1400 Department for Children, Schools and Families
1700 Work appointment ended
1730 Dinner @ Lorenzo’s La Pergola Restaurant (£8)
138 – 138a Cromwell Road London SW7 4HA

The debriefing session with the teachers was excellent. I finally had the opportunity to hear from them their expectations and what their insights were thus far. It had been enriching just by listening to them. Many of them were enlightened by the sharing by the different representatives from the various departments and wanted to test if those measures were able to be implemented on the ground in Singapore context. Many were passionate in what they were doing and I was encouraged and impressed by them.

18 Nov 2008
It was a full day at Citizenship Foundation where Don, Tony and Chris shared with us on citizenship education in UK.
The load of information was really too much to digest. At the end of the day when the group decided to watch a musical – The Lion King – majority of the members dozed off. This IS the effect of information overload.

Musicals galore

19 Nov & 20 Nov 2008
It was a full day at Sir William Burrough School. We were impressed by the open and friendly culture in the school. The headmaster set the tone for the teachers and the pupils. There was a philosophy of “You can do it” in the school and belief that each individual could achieve what he/she sets out to do. The element of trust was implicitly brought across to pupils and praise was lavishly used.
What was special about the programme of this school was that there isn’t a citizenship education programme in the school. Rather, it is infused in the curriculum and that it is ‘part of life’ as Dave rightly put it. It is much better to role model than teach them how to be a good citizen and by asking good questions which leads pupils to think critically, it enables them to think about their responsibility as a citizen and its rights.
In assembly, pupils were called out to the front and being commended for their good work. Teachers supported their presence by how well they have performed for a certain task. They were able to do it perhaps because their school cohort is small. However, what could be done as a parallel in our Singapore schools is to have assembly according to levels. In this way, the assembly will be more relevant to the pupils and more focused. During assembly, teachers came to share to the pupils about some things that happened to them. This really brought the teachers closer to the pupils and well, in a way, could teach citizenship.
Another thing that impressed me was the partnership with business partners. Bankers came during lunch time to have chess session with the pupils and to teach them the game. Another businessman read stories to the pupils. How nice if we could partner with companies as well. This would take a lot of effort, I suppose.
I was also impressed by the fact that Avril gave out books for those pupils who have improved in their reading level. Such is the motivation of the pupils.
During one of the conversations with Avril, I queried her about the learning community in the school and its operations. As she shared, a teacher was nearby and then added that the fact that the teachers were so happy there was the fact that they concentrated on teaching and all other businesses like dealing with parents and very naughty pupils were dealt with by Avril. Each teacher was also given half a day off to concentrate on lesson planning. Such is the communication by the head teacher that the emphasis or main job of the teacher is to teach. NO wonder the teachers are all very happy working there.

21 Nov 2008
It’s amazing how one could feel the culture of a school just by spending a few hours touring, conversations with principal and teachers and observing lessons.

22 Nov 2008
Windsor castle; Stonehenge; Bath

23 Nov 2008
Oxford; Straford Upon Avon; Warwick Castle

24 Nov 2008
Visit to the Houses of Parliament. Impressive!
In the evening, we decided to go for afternoon tea and went to Orangery near Kensington Palace, Hyde Park. The place was rather posh. We order 2 sets to share among the 5 of us since we just had our lunch. Well, of course not all of us had the complete set of cutlery. I was already pissed by the attitude of the waiter and was all the more angered when our cream tea did not come all at one go but rather very very very slowly. The waiter came, after minutes and asked," Are you ladies fine?"

Yours truly was really agitated and replied in my most immaculate English, "No, we are not fine. You see, we have a situation here. We are in a hurry and would very much prefer to have our tea served all at once. And could we have more sets of cutlery please?

D told me that after I blurted out my first line, the waiter turned white in the face. Oh well, at least we got what we wanted. Who cares?

25 Nov 2008
Croyden College

We had the most wonderful English lunch cooked and served by the students of this college. Totally delectable. Words won't do justice to them and well, forgot to take a good photo of the food ;p

26 Nov 2008
Departure of group

27 Nov 2008
Entry @ 5.15pm, des Gobelins, Paris

As I sat here, in a cafe in des Gobelins, watching the people go by, I allowed my heart to be at ease. It was a brilliant end to the London trip, with the powerful songs in Les Miserables during the last night. I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I've seen it back in Singapore. It was held in Kallang Theatre then and in comparison, the stage was bigger and the acoustics better than London. Nonetheless, it was just pure bliss to be able to watch this musical in the West End @ a special rate bought at a booth in Covent Garden. I had a wonderful group who was eager to share their knowledge and learn from one another. Dealing with adults was not easy at all, their demands far exceeded those of the kiddos. Where safety is more of an issue with the young ones, making sure that the adults are well-served is the issue now. How tiring. But I'm glad that it's over and with a superb dinner at the burger place with D, it signalled the end of the first leg for me.

Checked into the hostel opposite the hotel which, for the past 10 nights had been my shelter, I left my luggage at the hotel and popped over to a world of vast difference. Sleep was on a dorm bed and bathroom was shared now. When I went in, a bed was already occupied and it left me wondering who the guest was. I'm fine just as long as he/she does not bother me. I don't need to talk; I need to sleep.

3 Am. The door finally opened. This Irish guy was apologetic about waking me up. "It's all right." I thought I could just catch one more hour of sleep. However, he introduced himself and rambled on about zodiac signs, relationships and the recent issue about Baby P. A very eloquent person. In fact, I found myself engaging in the conversation. However, at the end, I sensed bitterness from him and gave him a piece of my mind. It was a good conversation though. He, being able to share his thoughts, his philosophy of life and history and I, being able to counter his argument and gave him some advice. And finally at 5AM, we parted with a handshake. He much wanted a cuddle and a hug but no thanks, stranger, I'm from a conservative culture (what a great excuse!) and I very much appreciate that things were left this way. Goodbye, stranger. And so, I left to take the tube to St Pancras Int to take the Eurostar to Paris.

It was a 2 1/2 hour ride and by the time I reached, it was already 10.45am. Studied the map after getting off from the train. Apprehension turned into confidence as I allowed my intuition to guide me. I was rather pleased and soon found myself in Museum d' Orsay. Reckoned that I'd not have sufficient time to explore the whole museum, I went straight to level 5. I was impressed!

Went to Boulevard St Germain. As I walked on, the load seemed to get heavier and it seemed that I was like an old lady with all the unnecessary load. Reprimmanding myself, I was angry that I had brought more than I've required. It seemed that all the years of travelling had not trained me to travel light. As one grew older, insecurity set in and the amount of facial products was just too overwhelming! With a heavy heart, I made quite a few mistakes which disgusted me. How could I? Had chosen the wrong backpack to carry as well. It was so small and bulky and looking at the reflection, I saw a penguin walking around. Enraged, I went into Kipling, bought a decent sling bag and ditched the backpack.

Oops HOtel (50 Ave des Gobelins, 30 Euro for a dorm bed) was new and good. I do recommend this accommodation. Near to the Metro as well. It was 4.30pm that I checked in. Before that, I was wondering how I should spend the night. The cold really deterred me from going out and so I thought I could jolly-well watch a movie. Alas, at the counter, it was a duck and a hen talking and in the end, communication broke down and it was a lose-lose situation. And so here I am @ 6pm, translating my pent-up feeling into words. With a cup of white coffee in a cafe run by an Asian, I thought it would be better that I spent the night planning for tomorrow (later, the Asian waiter chatted me up. I felt so at home speaking chinese and cantonese with him!). I couldn't wait to go home (I think I've grown too comfortable in the safety zone of Singaopre. Not a good sign).

The heart wandered
To places far and out
Yet when the feet trod
Across the globe
It was home
That always came to mind

28 Nov 2008

7.30AM. Finally peeled myself out of bed. It was a fitful night. I think I am not capable of bunking in dormitory. I would wait till everyone is back before turning in. And so, one of them came back at around midnight while another, an hour later. I probably would have panda eyes later.

Breakfast was a plain and simple croissant and baguette with butter and jam. Moved off to Jardin du Lexembourg. It was descrived as a beautiful garden but fell short of my expectations. That's really nothing to hold me back and felt it better that I moved on to The Pantheon. Too early and checked into MacDonalds for a yogurt and people watch.

10AM. Proceeded to The Pantheon - a resting place for the city's great citizens. The paintings depicted the birth of Sainte Genevieve and others. Impressive. Next, walked to Notre Dame. Then thinking I could have time before Montmartre, I popped over to HOtel des Invalides where wounded soldiers were housed in the late 17th century. Definitely worth going. One could learn so much about the history of the war and its large collection of militaria in Musee de I'Armee. 2 1/2 hours in it and the feet protested for rest.


To Montmartre and checked into Le Regent Montmartre Hotel Rochechouart, 42 Euro) and was given a room meant for doubles (I booked a single). Woohoo! What a good room to rest and attached bathroom as well! Went exploring the place. Perhaps I have set my expectations a tad too high and was disappointed that it was 'just-like-that'. As I got up the Sacre-Coeur, a man followed me around, asked me where I was from. Feeling suspicious, I declined his offer to help me take a picture. Place du Tertre is a strategic place to take a picturesque view of Paris city.

5PM. Having Indian meal. Should I go for Moulin Rogue?

29 Nov 2008


I didn't plan it this way but I had the most wonderful time in Paris today which coincidentally marked the last day before departure.

Reached Musee du Louvre @ 9.15am and started the tour. It was so amazing! The collection is just so admirable and the Greek sculptures even better than the ones I've seen in Athens. What an irony! Spent 3 hours at the 1st storey and another 2 hours at the 2nd storey until my feet couldn't take it anymore.

Walking towards Avenue des Champs Elysees, the body felt weak and the mind decided to have a meal at a cafe in Jardin des Tuileries and yea, Al Fresco. SOunds crazy to dine in the cold but fortunately, I was kept warm by the jacket. Proceeded and felt the spirit of Christmas along the streets.

Finally the shopping scene appeared before my eyes. As I browsed through the malls, I wondered where LV was. And there, across the street was 'Musee du LV'! I termed it as a musuem because I spent as much time in it as in a museum. In the end, I burnt a hole in the pocket with bags for mom and I. I seriously hope she'll like my purchase!

Checked into Boissiere (53, rue Jean Jaures Levallois Perret, 38 Euro) which was away from the city centre. I loved my room! So compact and my style! I decided that I should use the remaining night and spend at Effiel Tower. I was 'wowed' by it. Pictures taken but decided that I should not be in it. It is too much of a romantic icon to have just a single soul in the picture. I felt Paris, for the very first time here.

“Wowed” in Paris
The Louvre, LV and Effiel Tower

Blue lights lit up the darkness
Warming the heart in the wintry cold
A pact was made
That one day I may return

In the picture will I be
Having French kiss under it

With none other but my beloved

In this City of Romance

30 Nov - 1 Dec 2008

My last day in Paris and London. Had my brekky at the nearby MacDonalds and then went to the train station to catch the ride back to London. Back in London, got my luggage and bought a few more books before I hopped into a cab to Heathrow. Met a girl who had just completed her MBA in Glasgow at the airport and made a friend out of her.

The trip ended. The heart at peace. Learnt more about myself. Promised I won't make the same mistakes again. Really had a good taste of carrying my back/sling bag around when exploring the places. What a burden. Need to learn to pack light and to let go of stuff. Much to learn.


NB: All accommodation booked through www.hostelbookers.com and Eurostar ticket bought online.

London & Paris Nov 08

This time, it's not for leisure. But most definitely, I would pack in some sightseeing and 'must-dos'!

Received advice from colleagues and friends, with guidebooks and articles from the newspaper, this trip should be more more worthwhile apart from work!

Chronicles of Turkey and Greece [11 - 28 Oct 2008]

Moi, SH & KM

This trip started off very innocently with the thought of ending my SEA/Asia tour after a decade of travelling to these places. The sights are mostly the same, with not a lot of varied cultures and cuisine. I'm not sure why Turkey came to my mind. I just know that I need to explore exotic places.

Told KM about it and he was excited. I, on the other hand, was not too keen to explore places with just a guy and send an MSN message to my friends. One of them responded favourably - Shirley (SH) - and as most say, "The rest is history."

Roles:

I initiated the trip and KM went ahead to plan the itinerary, of course, in consultation with yours truly. SH, in the end, volunteered to help to confirm accommodation. I was given the task of the treasurer and food I/C. What a bad move. To set the records straight, I am not a foodie but am a street food enthusiast. However, not many could stomach such food. Hence, to be a food I/C is really not a good portfolio for me =( Being a treasurer is worse. You need to keep track of the expenses and then ask for funds to be top up. Being cost-conscious, I will have to be the baddie to suggest to cut down on expenses for food and lodging. If I had my way, I would consume street food and stay in dormitary. Alas, this was not to be.

Exchange rate:
S$2.022 = 1 euro
S$1 = about 1 lira (YTL)
Total damage: approx S$3,500

The trip itinerary:
Istanbul>>Nevsehir/ Goreme (Cappadocia)>>Denizli, Pamukkale>> Selcuk (Ephesus)>>Kusadasi>>Samos>>Patmos>>Athens>>Thessaloniki>>Istanbul

Day 0 /11 Oct
The Time Has Come!
Finally! The day that I had been waiting for had arrived! Before leaving for the airport, Bud came and lent me his lens (so touched!). Mel and family came to see us off too. Our adventures began!

Day 1 /12 Oct
Weaving In and Out Part I @ Istanbul
After 11 hours of flight and a transit at Dubai, the bum was sore and crying to get out. Upon reaching, we sourced for the Metro (which was just next to the airport) and paid 1.40 YTL to get to the tram. Each trip, be it via metro or tram will cost 1.40 YTL. We alighted at the wrong stop and took about 3 hours to locate our guesthouse which is situated at Sultanahmet. Tired!

Not wanting to waste time, we deposited our backpacks and out to the streets we went. Bought our overnight bus ride tickets to Goreme and had our lunch at one of those Hazir yemek (ready-made food) restaurants and got a shock when we saw the bill. 58YTL!!! The treasurer was utterly speechless!

Day 2 /13 Oct
Weaving In and Out Part II @ Istanbul

Had a full 8-hour sleep in god-knows-when years! Caught sunrise when KM and I climbed up to the top floor of the hostel. Breakfast (kahvalti)@ 9am consists of fresh-from-the-oven white ekmek (white bread), jam or honey, black olives, slices of cucmber and tomatoes, a hard-boiled egg, a block of white cheese, and black cay (tea). It felt great not having to think about work on a Monday. Overlooking the sea and having a healthy life couldn't be better.

Our eager feet soon brought us to the different sights (Blue Mosque, Spice and Grand Bazaar, Aya Sofya), great local food and some truly Turkish-flavoured (??) streets. I love Istanbul! One could really experience the culture of the Turkish and I was intrigued the whole day. PERFECT!

Night: Bracing myself for the 11 hour overnight bus ride to Goreme.

Day 3 /14 Oct
It's Another World @ Nevsehir/ Goreme
Could hardly catch a wink on the bus. The TV was played with such a blast that it was impossible to fall asleep without drugs (for me). @ 8am, the blazing sun greeted us as we alighted at our destination. Bought our bus ride to Pamukkali (40YTL/pax) from Otogar (bus station). Proceeded to our accommodation (Peri Cave) and had discussion with fellow travellers on the hikes and sights around the area. Took a short trail around the area and it was simply breathtaking. Imagine hiking in the valleys and viewing the grandeur of the area. The night ended off with the dervishes whirling before us (and of course, belly dancing!) in an atmospheric caravanserai (50YTL/pax).

Day 4 /15 Oct
Cappadocian Adventures Admist Warm Turkish Hospitality
The owner of Peri's seemed to be able to forecast the weather and suggested that we take the tour tomorrow. Sensing it was wise to trust the locals, we decided to alter the plan and visited Goreme Air Museum (15 YTL/pax) instead. KM, being KS (hehehhehe) urged us to hurry in fear of the crowd. As busloads of tourists passed by us, he got all the more edgy. We immensed ourselves in the museum, soaking up the histories and stories told to us.

Lunch was pottery kebah and some side dishes @ 58 YTL. The treasurer raised the concern of spending too much on food (sweat!) and the travelmates agreed with her suggestion to cut cost (ha!). Decided to rent bikes (10 YTL - 4hrs) to tour around the area and our target was Rose Valley, a place recommended by the traveller we met in Peri Cave. It poured soon after but it was great fun! It was pure joy having to ride in the cold weather and having laughs with your travelmates. As the rain got heavier, we took shelter in a small house, only to be discovered by the owner, an old lady, when her dog growled at us. But, the twist of unfortunate events turned to our favour when she invited us in and offered us cay and towels to dry ourselves and...well, cover my legs (I was wearing shorts. Ha!)

We departed from the warm hospitality and rode on. Time was not on our side. As the terrain got more challenging, we had to push our bikes up. There were scribbled arrows on the rock formation guiding us the way and...we found it! Awesome! Simply breathtaking! It's like discovering treasures!

Day 5 /16 Oct
Cappadocian Adventures. Oh What a Day!
Day tour began at 8.30am. The weather was a tad better than yesterday's though it was dull and misty in the morning.

The trio were awed by the scenery of Red Valley and as we roamed around the area, we got so excited that we were running along the trail and taking photos at the same time. It sure is easier to run in the cool weather! Oh well, we visited a lot of other sights which I have forgotten the names. Ha!

Going for Magnum for dinner. I had too much of similar local food for days. I miss my Lor Mee!Taking another overnight bus ride to Pamukkale.

Day 6 / 17 Oct
Magnificent Aphrodisias
Could hardly catch a wink during the overnight bus ride. There were 3 babies on board and one of them was WAILING! It seemed that the mother was doing nothing to solve the situation! It was indeed a painful night.

Reached Denizli at 6am before being transferred to Pamukkale. Had to wait at the bus company and they took the chance to get us to buy the tickets to Kusadasi (20YTL). Checked into Venus Hotel early and was given breakfast (in the end, we realised that this was not part of the deal and we had to fork out 5YTL each!). Took the Aphrodisias tour and it was a 2hr ride (130km) from our hotel (25YTL).
The day ended well with a short walk to the Cotton Fortress and dinner overlooking the landscape.

Day 7 / 18 Oct
Spirits Revived
Cotton Fortress and Hieropolis (20YTL). We started off in the morning and was having a good time immersing our feet in the water. The Cotton Fortress was indeed pure white and it seemed like a wintry place. After the sight-seeing, we decided to exit from the south gate which was a 3km walk. It would be a piece of cake except for the fact that we had walked for hours and the legs were tired. Fortunately, along the way, a Turkish family stopped by and offered to send us to the foot and even recommended a local restaurant to us. What kindness!

We soon departed for Kusadasi on a 3-hour bus ride. Once there, our spirits were lifted. We saw BK, pubs and nightlife! Checked into our guesthouse and upgraded to a bigger room with a mini kitchen. Denis (one of the owners of the guesthouse) recommended us to a local restaurant - Avlu. The food is excellent with decent prices.

I must say the nightlife was good! =)

Day 8 / 19 Oct
Journey to the Past

Uncle of Denis offered us a deal to drive us to Ephesus. It was as if we were going through a live history lesson. We walked along the same streets as the Romans did and it was really a pity that what's left are just mere ruins, all thanks to the earthquake.

Outside St John's Church, we managed to meet some children and the machine managed to capture their smiles. They were so innocent. If only life is as pure and free as they see it. Sometimes I wonder if it is us, adults who see life with much cynicism and harbour ill ambitions that cause life to be so complicated. Life is beautiful. We are meant to enjoy and live life to the fullest, isn't it?

Back at the guesthouse, Denis prepared for us a scrumptious meal - Imam bayildi. It was DELICIOUS! I am still craving for it!

Day 9 / 20 Oct
Ma Ma Mia!
We're finally going to take the ferry to Samos! For a moment, I missed home or rather work! *_* Wanting to go back and take a peek at the numerous amount of email messages. At the custom, our groceries had to be confiscated. We didn't know we were not supposed to bring food in. However, the officers allowed us to bring our sandwiches across. =)

12pm. @ Samos now. Relaxing in front of the coastline. What a beautiful scenery! I've not, in a long while, relaxed in such a manner. Simply wonderful. Suzuki Vitaras were everywhere! I love it!

3pm. Took the ferry to Patmos. It was a 3-hour ride. Once we reached (6.30pm) the harbour, some Greeks came up and asked us if we need lodging. We accepted an offer for 35 Euro for a triple room facing the sea (low season for them). It was a steal considering the fact that we had initially wanted to settle for Skala @ 78 Euro/night. The owner was a nice lady and hers was a family business. Having sufficient time, we searched for a supermarket to buy some groceries for dinner. Spent 8.05 Euro, the lowest-priced dinner thus far.

KM cooked pasta for us. We were famished!
Sensed instantly that the Greeks were less friendly than the Turkish. Everything is in Euro now. Expensive!

Day 10 / 21 Oct
What a Life, Oh, St John!
The view before me was that of small white houses facing the sea. It was about 7am as I woke up. Had breakfast and realised it was not part of the deal. We had to pay 5 Euro each (S$10 for such a breakfast????) As we decided to use the room till our departure for Athens at 2am, we paid an extra 20 Euro, making the lodging cost to be 70 Euro.

Visited the Cave of Apocalyse via the Donkey's trail (easily recognisable) and the Monastery of St John. The apostle was exiled to this island and I must say it was quite an unexciting one. As I entered the monastery, I was once again amazed by the interior design. Such grandeur in a very archaic way. The monks really could devote themselves to the studying of the Word in such an environment. As I allowed myself to be quiet before the Lord, I felt distant from Him. =(

Dinner was once again self-prepared, This time, the dinner was better (11.17 Euro).
2.30am - Made our way to the harbour to take the ferry (31.50 Euro) to Athens.

Day 11 / 22 Oct
Lost in Translation
Reached Athens @ 12.30pm finally. The ferry ride was unbearable when a group of ladies came together and chatted...or should I say, shouted? Anyway, there was peace when we reached. Once at the harbour, we were quite lost and asked for direction. Not very friendly reply with one telling us to "Get a cab!" Anyway, we figured that there was a shuttle bus to the metro and took it. At the metro, the person at the ticket booth was none at all friendly too. I formed my initial impression immediately. Loathe is the word. This place was made more confusing by the written symbol. Don't even make any sense to me. Finally reached our hotel and the same reaction surfaced. Absolutely abhor it! This sentence came out from my tongue, "Aristoletes Hotel sucks! A. sucks!" SH had to cool me down. That's how bad it is!

Day 12 / 23 Oct
Awesome Greek History and Monuments
Breakfast, for the first time, included cornflakes and self-made coffee. Different region, different kinds of brekky. After purchasing the train tickets to Thessaloniki (48 Euro/pax), off we went to visit the sites around Acropolis. I managed to use my student card to get access at half price (6 Euro). Was awestruck by the monuments and of course, if there were more time to read the history of them, it would be fantastic!

Had Greek food @ Plaska area. I had pasta with veal (9.20 Euro) while SH had Mousaka set meal (11 Euro). KM was obsessed with the Pita and got his @ 1.80 Euro (to go).

Thots: The whole morning at Athens, I couldn't help but be thankful that I stay in Singapore, that it's my homeland. No doubt it's a tad boring but how warm are the people compared to the locals here! It's almost as if I were the cause of the economic downturn and everyone was looking so glum and cross! There's little graffiti compared to Athens and we are so much more polite than them. Food in Singapore is relatively cheaper compared to theirs and full of variety. ONe can find absolutely any kind of cuisine in the small nation. I'm thankful that I'm a Singaporean. =) (Pls commend me for my patriotism. Thank you).

Day 13 / 24 Oct
Bye bye, Athens, Hello Thessaloniki!
Facebook msg: Lynn is awestruck by the Greek monuments and history but is more eager to be leaving for Thessaloniki =)

Yipee! We were leaving! While going to the train station, we passed by the metro and the notice read: Due to strike, the metro is not in operation (lynn's interpretation). So yesterday's strike was about this. Soo desne!

Thots @ train ride to Thessaloniki:
"It's really a great disadvantage not having a laptop with me. The guy next to me had his ibook switched on and how I wish I had my machine with me. I could organise my photos, write my journal and what not. Seriously considering a net PC. Still very much reliant on technology but isn't this a technologically advanced world (some parts)? Should I get a Masters in that discipline? And about my passion in travelling, besides exploring, a traveller would very much be involved in the cuisine of that country which brings me to continue to pursue cooking. Sigh! I've too many interests!"
Upon alighting from the train, realised that the group seated near to me was a NY musical band (Brooklyn Funck Essentials) who had performed at the Esplanade during the Mosaic Festival in March this year. One of the guys made a remark at me and I queried what he's trying to mumble and that's how we started the conversation!

We proceeded to purchase the tickets back to Istanbul but the bad news was that the train ride was full. We had no choice but to ask for the availability of overnight buses (22 hours). However, it was full as well. Having no choice, we found a cafe nearby and for the first time, the owners could speak decent English . I've got my ice-coffee and I'm pretty much happy. Went around to scout for accommodation and eventually settle for Hotel Olympic @ 55 Euro after asking for discount. Kekekeke. Got our tickets to Istanbul for tomorrow evening though and this was after queuing for 2 hours. We had to give way to those who were taking a train ride which would be leaving soon. Being gracious and understanding Singaporeans, we allowed them to jump queue of course! =)

Day 14 / 25 Oct
Much Ado About Nothing
Thots @ shower-room in hotel
"If we had caught the train to Istanbul yesterday evening, we would have been in that colourful land by now. The travelmates had requested to sleep in as there's basically nothing much to do anyway. My mind was totally aligned with theirs but my body clock, not. So here I am, sitting in the shower room, reading magazine and writing my thoughts. Another 12 more hours to go. Sigh!"

We went out only in time to have our lunch. Take it slowly and roamed the streets. It was SAturday and we could see many families coming together in cafes. We were so tired of walking around that we checked into Starbucks to try their cheesecake and coffee. According to KM, their cheesecakes are better than back home. Perhaps it's the cheese used there? Anyone, can you verify this claim? Most shops were closed by 3pm. Yawn!

Thots on train ride to Istanbul @ 8.33pm
"Finally am on the way back to Istanbul and it also signifies the end of the trip. I mentioned earlier to my travelmates that i'm looking forward to going back, to work. But now, being on the way, there's a sudden fear of going back to the monotony of Singaporean lifestyle. It's a scary thought but something that we have to go through.

But why the monotony? Looking at the Greeks and the Turks, my life is perhaps more interesting than theirs. It's all perception, isn't it?

Day 15/ 26 Oct
Gray Atmosphere in Chilly Istanbul
It rained. It poured. On our way back to Big Apple, some of the roads were sealed and the tram not in service. There was a marathon going on which brought to my mind, a marathon which I had to run in December. I wanted to give up my place because there seemed to be not a very possible way that I could improve my timing. If I could complete it and not DNF, it would be good already. But the sights before me seemed to tell me not to give up, but to complete what I have begun. Yea, Lynn. Go for it. Complete it.
We had our favourable dishes back home (Istanbul) and I know we are all gonna miss it.

Day 16/ 27 Oct
Hoscakal
We had to leave for the airport at 10.30am and so we rushed down to Spice Bazaar so that we could purchase some Turkish Delights, tea powder and spices for our family and friends. When has travelling become so stressful?

In the end, I got to eat my BBQ corn and chestnuts. I'm happy.
Hoscakal, Istanbul. You've been great, if not, purrfect (there's a lot of cats in Istanbul). ;p

Miscellaneous
Food

Thanksgiving
For each trip, many came along my path to make the trip a reality, a success.
Bud, who lent me his wide lens. It helps in capturing good pics!
Mel & family who came to see us off!
Maya, who lent me her guidebooks on Turkey and Greece.
ZM, who lent me her winter clothings when she learnt that I need them. I wouldn't be able to survive the cycling trip without the raincoat cum windbreaker.
Colleagues, who helped to cover my duties.
Sha, who lent me her first-aid kit and other stuff and who responded to my blog and made me feel so at home. Hahahahha.