Prague – What A Beautiful City!
By · CommentsThe date recorded by WordPress above does not reflect the date that I had travelled anymore. It has now taken me quite a while to update this blog. I have been having too much fun 
In fact, only a couple of days ago, I had completely lost track of time….there was one point where I didn’t even know the day or the date
I understand that I have a duty to do and that is to update this blog for my lovely friends and you. So here goes…
Note: To make matters straight, the date for today was Wednesday 7th February 2007. I have now travelled away from London for exactly a week now.
The blog continues…
I did the usual thing and that was to have breakfast. The breakfast here at this hotel was nice. Well prepared and they offered a number of mouth watering selections. I supposed the one thing that still impresses me was the interior. It’s so me Love this place.
I went straight to the lobby and asked one of the guys at the reception about the best way to get to the castle. He directed me to get the No 22 tram and get off at the far end of the castle where I could just walk conveniently and visit all the historical touristy places.
The No 22 tram stop was just around the corner and the fare that I paid was 20 Chezk (very reasonable). The next problem that I had when I got on the tram was finding the stop to get off at There wasn’t any clear sign of the destination for each stop and although they inform you of the place at each stop but the spelling did not seem to match pronunciation. Bugger!
I used my intuition in deciding the right stop. Finally, I got off and voila…it was indeed the right stop. Yippeee.
The roads in Prague are very winding and it can be quite daunting to some people. I suppose my sense of direction is not so bad. Finding the castle was just a breeze and on the way, I was surrounded by some seriously beautiful buildings.
My Prague Video Intro:
Prague Castle is a place that everyone must experience. It sits at the top of a hill and views overlooking the city is unmatched!!. I did take several video images of the castle but for some unknown reason it wouldn’t convert to wmv. Hence, no upload on Youtube. Darn. Not happy 
Anyway, you do need to pay the entrance fee to get in but I couldn’t remember the price I paid for the ticket. I just pay when people wants money off me Absolutely no records of it for my accountant back at home..Hehehehehe
Don’t fret though, ticket wasn’t that expensive at all.
The first thing you see when you enter the castle is the infamous St. Vitus Cathedral. Here are some the pics (Again, sorry no videos – it has gone buggered):
Just opposite the cathedral, there’s the St George’s Basilica. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to snap pics inside. Lots of tombstones though….
Another interesting place here at Prague Castle is Golden Lane. Its just a small lane with tiny cute homes. However, they sell lots of souvenirs here and oh, they’ve got a rather surprising museum on the upper floors as well. Here’s the video.
A picture of Golden Lane,
and another picture of a view of Prague from Prague Castle:
There were a number of museums in the castle itself and I went to all of them. Unfortunately, I have issues with going to museums on my own particularly when i am left alone in an exhibition room. I don’t know why. It never fails to give me the creeps. So no pictures. I just walked and quickly glanced through all the exhibition stuff and dashed straight to the exit
I did witness the change of the guards but again I have completely forgotten to get the camera from my bag and by the time I remembered, they were nowhere to be seen…Oh well, I guess you just have to come here yourself to witness it
After the castle, I walked up towards Strahov Monastery. Again, it sits on another hill and that was a bit of a trek. Blimey, I have to stop moaning
Anyway, I’ve been told that this monastery is one of the oldest monasteries of the Premonstratensian Order in the world. I saw a nun in there and she smiled at me. Yeah!
Watch the short monastery video:
I did have a quick sneek peek at an Amber shop to see if there was any stones that I could purchase. This shop is located just around the corner of the monastery that leads towards Loreta – another beautiful church in Prague.
I have always wanted to buy an Amber but I’ve never found the stone interesting to look at. Maybe, someday when I see the ‘stone’ that I fancy then I’d probably buy it. This time around…well more like most times… I didn’t purchase anything .
As I was heading towards Loreta, it was beginning to snow again. I didn’t mind…it wasnt that heavy anyway.
Here’s the video of Loreta (with cute baby statues and the bells)…
I then had lunch in a very unique yet quite interesting restaurant. This place wasn’t that far from the monastery and nicely tucked away from plain view. If you look carefully, you’ll see a sign for the restaurant…follow the sign and you’ll get there…:)
The restaurant was in a home but as you enter, you will find a small pathway that leads you to a staircase down to the cellar where you will then be greeted by the lovely waiter. Beautiful feeling to it.
I had ‘Beef Ghoulash’ and it was delicious. My good friend – Iveta have always been yapping about me getting some ghoulash and experience the yummy taste. Well, I now must admit that it was divine. I will definitely come back to this restaurant. Who wouldn’t?….It was amazingly cheap for its quality
After my well deserved lunch and rest , I then headed up to another hill towards Petrin Tower – a small copycat version of Eiffel Tower .
I almost ‘died’ walking up the steps to the tower but I supposed it was worth the trek once I there. The views of Prague was gorgeous but the Tower was a bit of a dissapointment. It was way too small
Anyway, I didn’t spend too much time here because I was already feeling extremely tired and in desperate need of my bed. I quickly headed towards my hotel and this journey took me about 20 minutes or so. During my stroll, I took several pics for your viewing pleasure
Goodbye Berlin and Hello Prague :)
By · CommentsI woke up bright and early at 8 AM . I got myself ready and went straight for breakfast. I decided not to do any touristy stuff today as I believed that I have seen most of Berlin anyway.
I did most of my work that was way overdue in the morning and I checked out at 12.30PM. I got the cab to the train station. The train fare was very reasonable. 1st class 1 way ticket cost just 80 odd Euro.
The train station in Berlin was very impressive. It looks more like an airport than a train station with many levels. Kings Cross is definitely nothing compared to this one. Hahahahahaha.
My train was due to arrive at 2.30 PM so I had plenty of time to kill. I had a quick stroll around the shopping area and got myself fish and chips for lunch.
The train arrived about 10 minutes late but I wasn’t fussed. Views en-route to Prague was okay. I didn’t see much as it was getting dark anyway. However, I did see loads of ‘Wind Farms’ along the way.
The journey took 4 hours. It was quite an effort to take my baggage out of the train as most of it was oversized . Anyway, I went to straight to the money exchange counter and got my Chezk money.
Unfortunately, I was duped by the taxi man. He charged me a fortune for just a 3 minutes cab ride to the hotel. A bit of warning to anyone out there who may be planning to come for a visit – Be Wary With Taxi Drivers In Prague! Some of them can be quiet dodgy.
The hotel I stayed in was great. It’s called Eurostars Thalia. It’s a five star hotel that is close to the main square and located just opposite the National Theater. The room was fab. Extra large bed with ‘Kelly Hoppenish’ design. That was enough to make me happy after the taxi incident
As usual, I was already knackered. I went to have dinner and immediately came back to the hotel and slept.
Berlin…Berlin…Berlin…
By · CommentsI woke up to a bright new day in Berlin. I went straight to the hotel reception and got myself a Berlin map with loads of tourist attractions on it, then went straight for breakfast. Divine….
30 minutes later, I was well prepared to start on my Berlin adventure. I walked out from the hotel and Voila…it was the main shopping street! There were Gucci, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo and all sorts and probably because of that simple reason, my face was smiling from ear to ear. A good kick start for the morning. No need for a latte for me…Hehehehehe
The high street was nice and I resisted my temptations not to buy any more stuff I didn’t need and I walked straight out from it towards the park. Danger..danger… (if you know what I mean) Anyway, here’s some of the pictures I took on my way there.
I continued my stroll towards the park via the zoo. I didn’t see the point of going to the zoo so I gave it a miss. The park was gorgeous.
Here’s my video intro of Berlin.
More pictures below:
I found this beautiful building in Berlin while I was on my way to the Haupbahnhof train station to buy my Prague train ticket. I asked one of the German tourists here and they told me that it was Reichstags (Parliament Building). The dome at the top was designed by Norman Foster, the world renowned British architect guy who designed the Gherkin building in London. Also, he’s the guy who designed one of the flats that I am planning to buy in Kuala Lumpur. I will report later when I am there in a couple of weeks.
Click below to see the video of Reichstags and its dome.
Can someone translate this for me?
I reached the infamous Brandenburger Tor. Berlin Wall was erected next to this place and during the war, people who was found walking close to it was shot. I cheekily went to one of the tour guide who was speaking in English for one of the tourists group and listened intently about the history. I must tell you it wasn’t pleasant. It was way too morbid for my liking. I scanned around and left. I just didn’t feel comfortable staying there for long.
Just around the corner I saw this rather interesting looking memorial place. It’s next to British Embassy. Apparently, it’s a memorial for children who died during the war. Creepy.
Below are more pictures taken in the historical area of Berlin. I am sorry that I didn’t include the names of these buildings. I simply didn’t make any notes of it but those who’ve been here and knows it, can you please let me know in the comments section. I’ve included pictures of the Berlin tower as well.
I got lost for about 2 hours in the road maze of Berlin before I reached the place that I had been looking for – The Berlin Wall. Although I knew I could’ve easily taken the cab but I resisted against the idea.
Here are more Berlin Wall videos and pictures.
Just around the corner of Berlin Wall is a place called the Checkpoint Charlie. It was the border between the American and Communist sections.
I didn’t realise that the Czezk tourism office was just across the road from Checkpoint Charlie and I conveniently went in and planned my next trip to Prague. I got my maps and other tourist info and walked back to the hotel.
I reached the hotel at around 7PM and I was seriously knackered. 7 hours of continuous walking could seriously affect your stamina. Hence, the bed. No dinner. Too tired
PS: I did wake up feeling hungry at around 11PM. Went to McDonalds and grabbed myself some food then went to bed again
Leaving The Arctic Circle…
By · CommentsToday the 4th Feb was the last day for us in Tromso. We packed our bags and went down and had our breakfast at the hotel lobby.
The taxi came on time and I went out to put my bags in the boot and while I was heading towards the taxi, I slipped real hard on the snow. The taxi man was concerned because I banged my head against the hard iced snow. Luckily, I didnt hurt myself and but most importantly I was glad that Janet didn’t see it because she would laugh real hard…hahahahahaha
It took about ten minutes to reach the airport and we immediately checked in. This was Janet’s final message:
I will definitely come back to Tromso next year. Here’s why…
Janet and I went our separate ways. I was on my way to Berlin and she was on her way back to London. Here’s our final video message together:
I hate saying goodbyes as it’s very disheartening. Janet walked with me to my departure gate. We hugged yet again and that was the last I saw her. ‘Nuff said. Hopefully, she’ll come and see me in the Far East this summer.
The flight to Frankfurt was ok. I immediately changed my connecting flight to Berlin and the flight took 50 minutes.
I got at Berlin airport around 5.15pm and I was already knackered big time. I got my bags on the carousel and walked straight to arrival area. The distance from the airport to the city centre wasn’t that far but unfortunately I didn’t have a euro to my name so I had to look for a money exchange.
I made the biggest mistake of my life for not having euros on me because it took me 20 minutes to find a money exchange counter and when I had finally found it, it was closed.! Darn.
In the end, I walked to the next cash point and withdrew some money. I reall couldn’t moan as it was all my fault anyway. I should have brought my cash well in advance.
Anyway, the taxi didn’t cost that much. I paid 14 euro to get to my hotel which was right in the heart of the Berlin shopping district….( my favourite, of course )
I checked in and went straight to bed. Just couldn’t be asked to do anything else. Too tired.
Heavy Snow In London…
By · CommentsI know that I am slightly deviating here but I have just received a call from a good friend of mine in London telling me that it was snowing. This happened on the 8th February.
I sort of knew that it would snow in London but I didn’t expect it to be so heavy. This sort of thing would make London go into a total standstill – which it already did HAHAHAHAHAHAHA…
Glad I’m not there and on holiday enjoying my slightly less stressful day….
Below are some of the pictures of the snow in London taken by my lovely friend Iveta.
Arctic Circle Adventure begins….
By · CommentsThe next morning, we had a stroll around the town and booked our cross country skiing and dog sledding tour at the local tourist office. The tourist office wasn’t that far from our hotel.
I bought my much needed pair of gloves at the local store and Janet bought her new matching red hat and gloves at the souvenir shop J. You can watch her taking my video at the link below. (WARNING: Videos are for adults only. Loads of bleeps )
Later, we walked to the aquarium where we watched seals being fed. I’ve been told that this is the only aquarium in the world that’d let you watch seals in captivity. Again, you can watch it all at the link below.
More pictures for your viewing pleasure. These pictures were taken whilst we were on our way to the aquarium / sea centre.
It was already 2PM when we finally completed our brief trip at the sea life centre. We were quite famished and we had just an hour left before our cross country skiing so we went back to the high street and I had a quick bite at the local KEBAB shop (I know… they are quite ubiquitous J Janet did not eat anything. Told me she’s on a strict diet…Yeah right J
We were picked up at the Radisson Hotel by our ski guide. Here are the videos taken during the journey.
At exactly 3PM, we were driven to another island in Tromso called the Whale island and if you have seen the video above, you should then know a little more about the island as told by the tour guide.
The last time that I skied was probably in Italy about 4 years ago. Naturally, I got a bit nervous putting the ski shoes on and all the gadgets. Wasn’t sure weather I could hack it again.
I felt even more nervous for Janet because she never skied before and as normal she was yapping away her worries. LOL. Watch her
I gained my confidence back after about 5 minutes on the slope. Janet, on the other hand, fell down to her knees numerous times and I know she’s not going to be happy about this; but I did laugh senseless every time she fells. J
The view from the island was absolutely gorgeous particularly the sunset that was completely breathtaking. You must get here yourself to experience it.
We finished off with our adventure on Whale Island by snow walking up the mountain tops. We had to put on our ski shoes (that looked like tennis racquets J) so we can get up there easily.
For obvious reasons, Janet did not quite manage to get herself up to the top. Being at a vantage point, I had the perfect target view for my snowball throwing session. And yes, the only target was Janet. J Bless her.
Well she did try to return the snow ball back at me but failed miserably. Well Janet, if you are reading this, then you’d probably have to try again next year J.
We were sent back to the hotel around 6PM and we had about 15 minutes to relax in the hotel room to soothe our sore and cold feet.
The meeting point for our next trip was still at the same place as our first tour and we were there bang on time. We thought we were early but our guide was already there and she escorted us to a big van with other like minded tourists
It took about 30 minutes to reach our dog sledding destination and we immediately heard the huskies barking the minute we were there. There were probably hundreds of them. Amazing!!
I can’t remember the exact location for our dog sledding adventure but it was V something. I know it’s not helpful but I seriously couldn’t remember. Those who had been here before and are reading this bit of my blog, please comment for the sake of our readers out there
The husky ride was seriously an experience that I’ll never forget. You know what I mean when you watch this next video
and more here…..
We had traditional Sami dinner in their tent (eskimo version) with a big fire in the middle. Smashing.
We got back to the hotel close to midnight and went straight to bed. ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
2nd Day In Oslo and 1st Day in Tromso.
By · CommentsI spent most of my day walking around Oslo with my good friend, Melissa. We walked from the hotel to the Central Station then to the high street, the castle, park and the harbour.
I am still very impressed with Oslo. The city is so clean and people are so friendly. The only thing that bugs me is the price. It is way too expensive for my liking.
The snow was still there in the morning. It was so surreal. Loved it to bits.
Oslo is such a small place where everything is so easily accessible. If you are used to the hustle and bustle of London then Oslo can be considered like walking around
Mayfair. It’s really an easy place to walk around.
If walking is not what you’re into, then the tubes are practically everywhere and it’s fairly easy to get to where you want to go.
Melissa and I had lunch at McDonalds (I know…) that overlooked the beautiful Oslo harbour and we later walked back to my hotel and took the cab to the train station for the airport.
We said our goodbyes at around 2PM and I continued my journey to meet my travelling buddy – Janet Johnson who was already waiting for me at the airport gate. Our onward journey was Tromso – above the Arctic Circle and only about 1,000 odd miles to the North Pole.
Janet was with me for just the weekend and she would then fly back to London.
Our flight departed from Oslo at around 4PM and the flight took around 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach Tromso.
It was already dark and raining when we arrived. However, snow was everywhere and some of it were much higher that me. Blimey J Imagine that!!
We waited for the taxi outside the airport and unfortunately, the taxi stand had no heater installed in it and there weren’t any doors that’d stop the snow from coming in.
It took about an hour before the taxi arrived and my feet were already freezing. I didn’t prepare myself for the Arctic weather and I had brought my sneakers and my office shoes. Janet lectured me all the way…I know she loves me. Bless her!J
The soles of my sneakers were quite thin and the bitter cold went straight in like there’s no tomorrow and I immediately felt the icy cold snow biting my feet. If we had to wait for more than one hour longer, Janet would probably had to send me off to the hospital and get my feet chopped off or something J
Also, I didn’t bring my gloves with me so I had double lecture from Janet J
It took about 10 minutes for us to reach the hotel. We stayed at Rica Ishavshotel. It’s a nice hotel and it overlooks the bridge and the snowy mountains. I’d definitely recommend this hotel to anyone who plans to visit Tromso.
We had our dinner that night in a posh restaurant. Apparently, it was the oldest restaurant in town. Food was delicious and we had reindeer and deer cuisine. Service was fine and attentive. Absolutely smashing!!
I can’t remember the name of the restaurant but I’ll update you later on.
