Prague, Czech Republic

Prague is way too touristy for its good...but but, i must say that its skyline is awesome and Charles bridge at night is a MUST SEE. We did not change much money, thinking that things would be much more affordable given that it is an Eastern european country...but we were wrong. It was a real challenge to look for cheap food!

Clockwise from top left:

1. St. Nicholas Church- Can you spot St. Peter holding the key?

2. Just one of the many lovely alleys

3. Street buskers at night- they were playing Johann Pachelbel's Canon in D minor...very touching.

4. Me having a sip of Bingkai's Black beer

Actually Prague is known for its goulash- a beef stew with bread dumplings... I tried it...nothing out of this world but nice nonetheless...didn't take a picture!

The weather was really bad on the day we went for the free Prague walking tour...raining raining raining grr. Nerudova is a street in memory of Jan Nepomuk Neruda- a Czech journalist, writer and poet, from whom Pablo Neruda derived his pen name!

Kava Kava is the most famous coffee house and according to the hostelworld guide: "Thanks to delightfully friendly staff, and mugs of tea/coffee big enough to (nearly) swim in, there is no better place to start the day than in here."

The mugs were huge indeed! I ordered a mug of hot chocolate...just look how big it is!!!

Charles Bridge. This bridge is the most famous of all the bridges which cross the River Vltava. I think its much nicer at night and I'm sure all those who have been to Prague would agree with me without hesitation. Unfortunately...I don't have a good shot of it at night...

In the middle photo...was our guide for the free tour (the girl on the left); In the 3rd photo, I was holding on to a painting which i bought of the Charles Bridge. (Just trying to explain my look...although i admit i have a knack for appearing aunty-ish haha)

Ok now i have to talk about the 14 hour bus trip back to St gallen from Prague (it was supposed to take 9h). Barely half an hour into the journey, one of the bus' tyres went flat and we stopped on the highway...We were actually stationary at the same spot for 5 full hours!!! GOODNESS!!! The driver and his assistant went down to check it out and attempted to change it i think...and when they realised they couldnt ..they sat outside and smoked while contemplating their next course of action...after which they finally decided that they should get help. Man I can't describe the shittiness sitting in the bus..those long night hours spent curled in the seat with pins and needles up our legs and butt!

Moonlighters at Langgasse 37

Seriously I'm doing this at risk of being boycotted big time...but i don't care! haha.

Just wanted to show you guys what we do at home...beginning with the toilet picture, one can see Mac (who has OCD) cleaning the toilet happily. I was watching him clean the toilet for a while..that was when i told him that in 60 years time if we both were still single we should get married. Quite sweet of me right...i mean...Mac can clean...he can also...clean......and....clean....wunderbar! To which he snorted and really nearly fell into the bathtub...cos he lost his grip on the slimy sides...ok Whatever Man Mac!!!

Our next contestant is Bingky! Cannot blame him for hunching and looking very serious and stressed. It is indeed a stressful thing booking flights...and taking charge of all the logistics. Very grateful for him...after hearing stories about other people having to stay overnight one more day somewhere else because they missed the last train or sthg. Btw, the desk he is using is the one we all have and its terribly small and irritating. You should see me at my desk. i look even worse..like my whole head is sucked into the square where the laptop is...and my peripheral vision is blocked by the wooden sides...sometimes i only realise that someone else is in my room after they make some noise!

The last picture of the kitchen (without me of course) represents what i moonlight as-Maria! haha...nice kitchen we have over here huh! ;) ok maria go sleep now...tomorrow wake up 6am to make breakfirst for sir maccann and sir bingkai, or else no off day, cannot go orchard mrt to meet my friends and picnic!

Vienna, Austria (edited)

Vienna was really enjoyable. Its like this huge lollipop with many different flavours- history, culture, food, nightlife, shopping, scenery, people- there was so much to experience! Speaking to friends who had been there before and could tell me exactly where to go was definitely helpful, and of course having the company of Phuong & Elizabeth while we were there made it nothing less than fun! Having said that, Vienna is indeed a place where one needs to sit down and bask in the atmosphere...instead of running around doing stuff.

So these are some of the things I did when I was there...

- Explored the first district (Innere stadt)

- Stephansplatz (the city square) & St. Stephan's Cathedral

- Walked the main shopping street- Mariahilferstrasse

- Visited the Schonbrunn Palace

- Hofburg (Imperial Palace)

- Ate at some of the old school cafes

- Had our hair blown all over at the Steinhof

Many of the cathedrals and famous sights were under restoration though...so I don't have many photos of those...here are some...

St. Stephan's Cathedral (above) defines the city centre and has been the heart of Vienna for centuries. It is one of the most famous Viennese sights and was built in 1147 AD. (Honestly it looks a bit shabby from the photo...but its different in reality..haha)

My top favourite is below>>>This is but one section of the Schonnbrunn Palace, which is one of the UNESCO's world cultural heritage sites. The view from the top of the hill is breathtaking- its one of those times when you feel on top of the world yet very insignificant as compared to the surroundings...you know what i mean?

Elizabeth with 3 of us...

Aha...Aida Cafe. Alvin told me to go to this cafe...I did and I took their menu as a souvenir. They serve delectable cakes and good cocoa! yum...can you spot the waitress in pink? In case you think this is just some old school cafe...read on...

Aida is a chain of 26 espresso bar and pastry shops (Café-Konditorei) in Vienna, Austria. They have a devoted clientele, for whom Aida has achieved near-cult status. Business hours are from early in the morning until the early evening; the shops are open every day of the year with the exception of Christmas Day.

Ten Aida shops had been established before the Second World War, but they were all destroyed during the air raids on Vienna. After the war, Felix Prousek (1918-2003) took over the management and started rebuilding and expanding. His innovative approach to coffeehouse culture resulted in an alternative to the sheer Gemütlichkeit of the traditional Viennese café. Prousek was also one of the first to introduce Italian-style espresso machines in Austria.

However, for decades now, Aida has been resistant to change of any kind. This is first and foremost true of their interior design, very similar for all shops and reminiscent of the 1950s-1970s. Their trademark colours are pink and dark brown. Most of the furniture is made of plastic, and there is mostly seating without upholstery.- wikipedia

Moving on to the next point of interest...Centimeter! This place rocks my socks and floats my boat! It seems like i get much more passionate when i start talking about food...i cant help it la...haha! If YOU are heading to Vienna, please please go to this place for a meal. The food is good, reasonable prices, atmosphere is cool and the portions are huge! If you order this set meal thingey for 4 or 6, they serve you the food in wheelbarrows! We went there twice- the first time we ordered 2 mains to share among the 3 of us (BK, mac and I) and we were SO stuffed. The second time, we went with Qihan, Phuong and Liz so we ordered the wheelbarrow as well as a 2m long wurst (sausage)! The beers are rather cheap as well...and you could try the spritzer too (Its white wine with mineral water or apple juice).

http://www.centimeter.at/

Austria is also the birthplace of many famous musicians such as Mozart and Johann Strauss...shops selling Mozart souvenirs are all over...Mozart chocolates, stationery, wine, books...you name it, they have it!

Vienna was relatively uneventful as compared to Prague...an update on that will be coming soon!

Neither an orange nor a grapefruit!

The blood orange is a variety of orange (Citrus sinensis) with crimson, blood-colored flesh. The fruit is smaller than an average orange; its skin is usually pitted, but can be smooth. The juice is sweet but somewhat bitter and less acidic than that of regular table oranges.The distinctive dark flesh color is due to the presence of anthocyanin, a pigment common to many flowers and fruit, but uncommon in citrus fruits. Sometimes there is dark coloring on the exterior of the rind as well, depending on the variety of blood orange. The degree of coloration depends on light, temperature and variety.The blood orange is a hybrid of ancient origin, possibly between the pomelo and the tangerine. It probably originated in Sicily. - wikipedia.org

-7 degrees

Check out my dead potted plants! They are so crispy...I'm going to dump them today.

Warren Buffett says US economy in recession

Even if it wasn't, it will now be simply because he said so...well other than the fact that we feel a sharp pain every time we withdraw cash from the atms...everybody here in general seems rather happy- the swiss still consume 12kg of chocolate per year per person on average...yuppy doo...

This is actually my view from my room's window: cool right?

This place called Metzingen in Germany

As described at www.metzingen.de :
Note: Text highlighted in red = applicable

***

"A bargain hunter’s paradise" – “Capital of the stingy” – “No distance is too far for the hunter” – “The Japanese take over Metzingen” – “When a city turns outlet center…” – “Factory outlet boom in Metzingen” – “Outlets with new storefronts“. These are only some of the comments made by the media in describing the character of the shopping city Metzingen.

But how does the city itself comment on this issue? Factory outlet stores have developed along with the history of Metzingen with a very own special ambiance. There are significant differences in comparison with giant factory outlet centers. Our outlets stores are located in the attractive and lively inner city, which has a lot to offer – and they are absolutely top when it comes to price, value, and quality!

Germany has the “bargain fever“. When you go shopping, you compare prices. That is why we place great emphasis on what already is commonplace in America, France, and England: Factory sales. Factory outlet stores will tempt you with large discounts on high quality brand name articles. Metzingen, the capitol of German factory outlet stores (“we are very proud of this title“), is located in the beautiful, scenic Erms Valley about 30 km south of Stuttgart.

***This place is every girl's paradise..even mine! I say 'even mine' because I am not an 'every girl' haha..see those who know me well would know that i don't like shopping. I am a targeted shopper- i hit the shops when i need something and i go straight and get it. I don't like to shop aimlessly and i don't like crowds.

The bona fide goods were irresistable- although i wouldnt say they were cheap, they were definitely cheaper than retail prices and very worth it for their quality, design and brand! I bought a dress from Hugo Boss, 2 shirts from Polo Ralph Lauren & some bags for the lovely ladies at home. -Rubs hands together and smiles gleefully- The price of the Hugo Boss dress for example, was slashed from 299 euros to 64 euros!!! Don't forget we can get the tax returns as well! [Mummy don't worry! Finances still under control! haha]

The plan was originally to shop from 11am to 8pm, but by 5pm we had made all our purchases and to prevent collateral damage to our pockets, we decided to leave for Stuttgart (30km away, might as well go and see see)-it was fantastic. So far, all the places within Germany that we've been to have all been really happening...

Presenting the 'I'm craving chinese food like nobody's business' side of me...

the picture of all the sushi on the poster won me over...i think the 'eat all you can' & 'buffet' words won Bk and Mac over? Not very sure...hehe

This was not some half-past-six pseudo restaurant trying to serve up oriental dishes ok. Its the real stuff. Just like the goods we bought from Metzingen. Can you see the black fungus, steamed fish with ginger slices, tofu, lotus roots, prawns, sotongs, spare ribs, liver, ma2 la4 huo3 guo1 tang1, red dates swimming in the soup...??!!

The dimsum really got me. The guys immediately called me over to where these precious oily beings were sitting in this tray waiting to be picked up..by me of course. It was indeed an.....emotional sighting. I nearly concussed when i tasted the chilli...like...it wasn't sweet for once!!! haha!

I think the owners were really annoyed by us- think we brought down their profit margin by quite a bit that night...I faintly remember seeing the ears of the lady owner suddenly twitch when the restaurant's otherwise peaceful atmosphere was pierced by some hokkien: "mai4 tu2 liao4" (from Bk to Mac), which literally means "don't dilly dally anymore". Do you know that when this lady staff was clearing our plates when we were done, she actually said "gou4 le3 mei2 you3?" which means "HAVE YOU HAD ENOUGH?" (yes with capslock).

Bk reckons that the standard of Chinese service is the same everywhere...and since we paid 15 euros for the chinese food...it wouldn't be complete without such service...you know...its part of the whole Chinese experience we're talking about here right...haha

Ok so now I should talk about our main mode of transport to Metzingen and back. Bk's 2 friends in Zurich- Li Hao & Lydia rented a car so the 5 of us shared the cost to drive to Germany. It was much cheaper than taking public transport! The Autobahn (expressway) in Germany has no speed limit. Really! The 'recommended' speed is 130 kph! And contrary to popular belief, its not a picture of speed anarchy when you are on the autobahn because the roads are well maintained and the signage is clear...everybody's just living their lives on the fast lane...literally..