Category > Europe

Jul 11, 2012
Croatia
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Cliffs

Dubrovnik, Croatia

Dubrovnik is the one city that’s been on my bucket list for awhile, ever since I saw it featured on the Amazing Race about five years ago.  It’s clearly the big kahuna of Dalmatia, possibly all of Croatia – its old town is a giant fortress set on azure waters.  It’s the most touristy of the lot and full of giant-cruise-ship passengers, but still incredible to walk around.

Also, incredibly hot at this time of year.

And there was some cafe just through a hole in the city wall where people were jumping off a 10-12 metre cliff into that beautiful water… Continue reading →

Jul 8, 2012
Croatia
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Cruising

Hvar and Korčula, Croatia

Croatia has been a lot more expensive than I thought it would be.  It certainly doesn’t help that I’m going to some very touristy places at the peak of high season.  In fact, this has been the most difficult country for me in the last 6 months in terms of finding accommodation.  Dorm rooms are scarce, and often far out of town, though apartments can be found.  It’s just not really meant for solo budget travellers, since it’s a bit of a rich person’s paradise here!

But with such a beautiful place, I can’t just give up because it costs a few euros more.  Croatia is one of the few countries on my itinerary solely because I want to go see it, not because I have friends there.  The country’s large and I only have ten days though, so it’ll just be the Dalmatian coast for now. Continue reading →

Jul 4, 2012
Austria
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Surreal

Vienna, Austria

In Vienna, I met up with Bernhard.  Surreal enough that I’m seeing another NUS friend outside of Singapore.  But it turns out that wasn’t the only familiar face around!

A couple days prior, I caught up online with Anthony, a high school friend in Vancouver.  Pretty much a day later, he showed up in Vienna, ready to embark on a Europe trip of his own.  And who did he meet in his hostel?  Percy, another high school friend of ours who happened to be travelling Europe.  Hadn’t seen him in years! Continue reading →

Jun 30, 2012
Austria
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Real

Salzburg and Hallstatt, Austria

After three consecutive countries that I’ve been to before, it’s time for a new one – Austria!  With two days before meeting Bernhard in Vienna, I made a snap decision to spend a night in Salzburg first.

Aaaand pretty much the moment I stepped into the old town, things started looking a wee bit familiar – an obvious fact that I had completely forgotten about.  A certain movie from the 60s, maybe?

Well, the city certainly doesn’t seem shy about its movie past.  Special “movie-set” tours are available and advertised everywhere.  (Surprisingly though, Bernhard tells me that the movie isn’t famous in Austria.)  And even if they don’t advertise… Continue reading →

Jun 29, 2012
Germany
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Prost!

Karlsruhe, Cologne, Stuttgart, and Munich, Germany

Given the sheer number of friends I happen to have in Germany (all from our time in Singapore a year and a half ago!), I dedicated a lot of time here, and left planning to the wind.  (Well, sort of – none of the plans I made in advance came to fruition.)  To be honest, I didn’t expect too much other than hanging out, but I’ve had such a lovely time that it almost hasn’t felt like I’ve been travelling.  (And the same feeling was for Paris and Switzerland, but I’ve spent almost two weeks in Germany now!)

After taking a mitfahrgelegenheit (a paid carpool of sorts, interesting cause you’re stuck in a car with strangers and end up having pleasant conversations) from near Zurich, I headed to Karlsruhe to meet up with Sabine.  My first night in Germany?  Heading to a public viewing set up for the Germany/Denmark football match.  Also, I had my first beer ever!  Yeah, I know that’s pretty hard to believe, but I had never had a beer before coming to Germany this trip.  Sabine introduced me to a radler which was pleasant…but since it was my first, I couldn’t quite tell if I liked it yet.  Didn’t dislike it though!  But this really set the tone for the rest of my stay in Germany – watch football matches (usually in public with a flag-waving crowd), drink beer. Continue reading →

Jun 15, 2012
Switzerland
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Not fair

Thun, Switzerland

The scenery here is incredible.  And the fact that I’m here – mainly who I’m with here – is surreal: Marlies and Flo, whom I met in South America!  It’s hard to believe that over two months have passed since we said goodbye in Lima.  With Marlies at work on weekdays, Flo drove me around various cities and villages around the region, all thanks to recommendations from Marlies’ mother.

Can Vancouver just cede the title of most beautiful city already?  Vancouver’s awesome, but we just can’t compete!  I mean, come on, Thun has two castles.  Two!  One by a lake!

Yes, there are the stereotypes: potatoes, cheese, and cows.  Rösti, raclette, and chocolate.  Delicious, delicious stereotypes.  Oh, and cowbells, but you can’t eat those.

But the endless hiking, uncountable mountains, crystal clear lakes and rivers to dip your feet into, giant fields to frolic in, beautiful public fountains that are nearly all drinkable, pretty buildings, stunning valleys, houses perched precariously and in solitary, all just within a stones’ throw…it’s not fair.
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Jun 12, 2012
France
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Indifference

Paris, France

Paris is the arguably the world’s most touristed city.  You don’t need me to introduce you to it, or to write about the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre or the Catacombs or whatever.  All you need to know about my stay is that I had a wonderful time with reuniting with my friends Manon and Damien (non-Parisien, as they are always eager to point out), two people I met from my time in Singapore, and that I ate a ton of pastries and French food (and particularly lost my marbles over a simple, normal, yet memorably amazing baguette).  Mmm! Continue reading →

May 27, 2012
Spain
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Stay another day

Cádiz, Spain

It’s only an hour and a half away from Sevilla, but Cádiz feels like a different world away from Andalucía (which it’s still part of). It’s the old city in the whole of Western Europe as well! Situated on a peninsula that used to be an island, it used to be the gateway to the New World, and Christopher Columbus has sailed from here before (as he had also in Sevilla).

Yeah, so all this Spanish history rush finally comes during my very last city. A pity, I know. But not being so into history in the first place, I missed out on a lot in my other cities. I decided to join a walking tour here with my hostel, and learned quite a lot. Continue reading →

May 25, 2012
Spain
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Alhambra

Granada, Spain

Moving from Córdoba to Granada marks the gradual appearance of the Sierra Nevada, a mountain range that spans southwestern Spain. And despite the fact that it was 35ºC…the name says it all: sierra nevada means snowy range. There’s still snow on the nearby mountains!

But yes, the heat. Before we get to that… Continue reading →

May 22, 2012
Spain
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Feria

Córdoba, Spain

From Sevilla, I headed to Córdoba. The main sight to see is the Mesquita/Catedral – a space once used as a mosque, then converted to a cathedral. Now, I’ve become sick of seeing cathedrals in general and have resolved not to bother entering anymore if I have to pay, but the Mesquita is the one sight you must see in Córdoba.

And when I entered, I understood why. My jaw pretty much dropped. The ambience is unlike any other cathedral I’ve been in, let alone the architecture. Red peppermint-striped arches and pillars line the empty space – indeed, this part is like a mosque. In the center section, the altar and pews. The Mesquita was a lot darker than any of the other cathedrals I went into either, but with quite a bit of natural light as well. I spent some time walking around the edge, taking in the mix of Islamic tiling work and Christian religious paintings. They coexist as if the contrast isn’t even there. I ended up spending over an hour in the Mesquita! Continue reading →