Thursday, December 27
Ola
Updates from your stranded friend!
I am now alone
sigh in Madrid waiting for time to pass for me to take the flight back Amsterdam and then back to Kuala Lumpur. These pass few days has been a trying one for me. I have to confess that I am not a very strong person, I dunno how I appear to most of you. I could not take it all and was prone to occasional crying along the way. Maybe some of you may think that I can face this issue in a more calm manner but that is hardly the case for me. I absolutely despise being alone and to face my greatest fears, in a country surrounded by people who don't speak English (yes, not even the police), even for a few days is emotionally and mentally tiring. It's like Ching sitting in a cable car for 3 days.
But on the other hand, I also gained perspective about my ownself as well as the people around me. I can distinctly tell who are my true friends and who isn't. I am reminded that I have people that worry alot about me and would hurry around just to help me settle the things I need. I have come to realise how little money (price) can matter at certain instances and at the same time also how important it is. My mom has just proudly told me that she has learnt how to use the computer and internet in this few days, complete with email and MSN.
Well peeps, see you all in a few days (those of you in Malaysia nearby)
Labels: conflict, everyday, travel
Sunday, December 23
fucking asshole
I got mugged in the metro station in barcelona. fucking asshole. he took with him 20 euros and my passport!!!!!!!!!! i could die. and there was someone who saw it. she came to me 5 minutes later telling me ´i think that person took your bag´ -_- so stupid. argh... my passport.. oh he also took poofie >< i still have most of my money with me (thank goodness for small mercies) but yea... troublesome! my passport! the most precious thing for a traveller... what the heck.. feel like crying at certain moments.. i need a hug. fucking asshole
(small update)
Just making a checklist of what was taken away
-PASSPORT! (wargh..embassy only works on weekdays)
-driving licence (easily replaceable)
-malaysian IC (aih, dunno how many times lost liao, fine getting bigger)
-digi sim card (also easily replaceable)
-CIMB atm card (not sure, maybe its at home)
-poofie (and other sentimental value items, sigh)
-20 stinking euros, hehe (see i can still joke :P)
While I was in bed last night I kept replaying the whole thing in my head. And I feel so regretable. Amusingly, everytime I replay it, it will end with me giving a super duper POW sidekick to that idiotic fler into the metro rail and a metro comes zooming past, crushing him into pulp. nyahahaha...
Labels: bitching, travel
Thursday, December 20
Dov'e? Dov'e???
Hello from Italy! Keyboard also different and with some new letters... Yeap, that is my most used phrase for now. Always asking for directions. (Dov'e means where, full sentence would be Dov'e e il -?) Not because I'm lost, but I somehow don't recognise the place (no photo). Few times I asked the policeman nearby and he will just point right in front, hehe...
Was hoping to escape from the cold in Netherlands but here is almost just as cold... 3°C. Dunno if that is much difference from -1°C ;_; Regardless of the temperature, I ate gelato anyway! Muahahaha... fingers all numb but still wana eat it. Yummm... definitely the top food in Italy, after pizzas. There is Italian fast food called panzeroti, real good too mm.. I noticed the pizzas they make are more simpler, as in they throw the ingredients very hap-hazardly. Went into the restaurant and the first and only thing you would smell is the cheese! And the menu is like a freaking book. They always have berbillion courses in their meals.
I'm quite upset they wouldn't let me go up the Duomo, keep telling me, "Come back at 11...1...no its closed" supposedly there is ice so its not safe? Dunno.. Alba my Milanese friend was joking that its so high up they dont want ppl to fall over. Apart from that I saw what I wanted to see for today already. I didn't wanna pay to see "The Last Supper". Don't think I would appreciate it much, and its a freaking 6.5EUR to get in! Oh, and I learnt my lesson not to talk to strangers :P these African men walking around trying to get money from people, I kena once, scared liao!!!!! X(
Tomoro is another day, another itenary jeje... Pictures unavailable due to obvious reasons ;)
Labels: travel
Monday, December 17
I went to a sand box!
It is said the Netherlands is generally a small country. A quick comparison here: Malaysia is 329,733 sq km while the Netherlands is 41,528 sq km. Meaning that from the furthest end to the other by train in Netherlands would take you only 4 hours. Having said that, I decided to see the north side of this country; a city called Groningen.
Groningen Centraal StationThe weekend was organized by the LC in Groningen. I was informed the AIESEC in that Netherlands have membership criteria of at least one Reception Weekend per year. So this is what they came up with!
BeholdI must say that the indoor 'beach' turned out to be more accurately, an indoor beach volley court. It was smaller than the average futsal courts we have around Subang Jaya and the sand was freaking cold and wet. So much for summer feeling. And they told us to wear summer clothes! Impossible! Every time I got out of the 'beach' my feet are numb! So we played beach volley and tug-o-war. Very simple affair, all conducted in Dutch. Quite disappointing really especially when a reception weekend is technically an event for trainees i.e. foreigners.
After that, we went to a bar called Cafe Dreams. I like that name. I didn't drink so basically just lingered around with some people and talked for hours above the loud music; sore throat abit after that. They played some really unusual drinking games; involving throwing dices. Hard to explain in words here :) It took them pretty long before they started dancing tho; about 4 hours, so that is the measure of how much beer Dutch people can take XD
To end this entry, a couple of random photos...
Ferris Wheel located at the city center
Christmas tree! and the city hall
A typical view of the Netherlands; water everywhere~
And of course; bicycles!!! yea I'm eating Lays paprika flavored :P
Makes you wonder how they relocate their parking spot. Mind you, this photo is just showing 1/8 of the 'parking' lotLabels: travel
Thursday, December 13
w00t!
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/reuters/071212/tecnology/net_usa_language_dcIt's the word of the year! Say it out loud~
It has been a busy week as the Christmas break is just around the corner. I am really getting used to the cold around here now, to the point I actually feel warm indoors sometimes (even without my jacket).
I have finally gotten a proper plan for my holiday! So happy; of course look at the amount of money I spend is not too happifying but I'm an opportunist :D
This is it! This is it!
15-17: Groningen, Netherlands
18-20: Milan, Italy
21-22: Venice, Italy
22-27: Barcelona, Spain
27-01: Brussels, Belgium
*woot!*
Labels: links, travel
Wednesday, December 5
So proud of you!
... that's what my sissy wrote to me.
*nice warm feeling inside*
Labels: happiness
Monday, December 3
Sharing
I mentioned chocolates didn't I?
.
.
.
.
.
But those who I wanna share it with are not here :<
It's fresh sumoreBtw, updated a lot of blog links; didn't know got so many other people linking me... that's nice~ and I hope Ching Ching gets better soon too!
Labels: everyday
Sunday, December 2
Mussels in Brussels
Yea, what the heck happened to brussel sprouts eh? One of my favourite vegetables..... Brussels! City of Belgium! And almost as difficult to navigate on foot as it is to drive in KL (+.+) Especially since I pride in my own map reading skills. The lanes, name of the streets are just.. confusing!
Yaaa...sightseeing indeed!So what do we have in Belgium eh? We all know Belgian waffles and Belgian CHOCOLATES! I went to see the basic attractions in the central area; never went out the Petit Ring which surrounds the center area. The most impressive would be the Grand Place (yes, aptly named indeed). The town square I would say. We spent most of the time at the Sablon area which is generously sprinkled with antique shops. If you wanna find antiques.. this would definitely be the place to start your search.
Grand Place see I managed to catch the birds flying! *proud*Once again I just feel proud to be
Malaysian Asian when it comes to our culture. Much richer! Not to let down the whole country I just visited. When you google Brussels; one of the main thing about Brussels would be the Manneken Pis; the eternally pissing boy. Cute in the sense they dress it up differently, changing clothes 4 times a year, following the season but it's basically nothing more than a fountain (don't let Belgians hear me say this!) But yea, really cute
Manneken PissingBrussels is also the home to Tintin, the comic character reporter that goes everywhere around the world. So you have lovely murals around unexpected corners around Brussels. I only managed to spot two of them; the rest I guess are just too off course :)
I found one!Architecture in Brussels is cool. They had bold structures using metal, stone and mosaic tiles. Something that was new in the late 1800's. So you see a lot of curving designs around the buildings. Most indoor places has those winding staircases; absolutely charming. I've always liked winding staircases ^^ Oh, it was so darn annoying that most of the monumental buildings which were considered tourist attractions were mostly under construction (rehab); with the cranes and stuff all over the place; UGLY :< so many of my pictures are like; crap...
Palace of JusticeYeap; mussels in Brussels
Labels: travel
