Travelogue - Mui Ne, Vietnam

Mui Ne has been on the back of my mind since a friend told me about it a few months ago. Something about the endless sand dunes and mystical fairy springs stayed with me. 

A few weeks ago, I flew to HCM and hopped onto a sleeper bus straight from the airport to head to this lovely fishing village. 

SG Escapades - Kampong Lorong Buangkok

On a self-imposed travel ban because I should be saving money to go to Europe - but I've since looked at air tickets twice in the past 2 weeks. In an attempt to fight the itch to travel, I decided to embark on a journey to explore places in Singapore that I've never been to.

First up on the list, Singapore's last kampung at Lorong Buangkok!

Istanbul Crossroads

The crossroads of Europe and Asia. My stay in Turkey was a definite eye-opener. Istanbul is a melting pot. I have such lovely memories associated with this country. When I read of the latest news about Turkey banning Youtube and Twitter, it makes me sad because Turkey has the potential to charm the world - with its history, people and unassuming charm.

Edinburgh; Scottish Charm

It dawned upon me that I've yet to write about Edinburgh. 

A city where every cobbled turn takes you to yet another precious sight. Edinburgh was a spur of the moment decision. I love everything that has to do with the UK. But Edinburgh, opened up a whole new dimension of awe and appreciation in me. 

Edinburgh is by far one of the most charming cities I've set foot in. The vibe, the history, the Scottish brogues and the friendly locals. Even the weather was beyond beautiful.  

Travelogue - La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

Before I went to Spain, I had never even heard of Gaudi. I must admit that I did not have much exposure to the world of art. Sure, I knew who all the famous people where, and I'd heard of all the famous paintings. But I just didn't get it. And it did take effort and a lot of understanding on my part, before I was able to appreciate the beauty behind an art piece. Sometimes I still struggle, but I'm slowly learning. 

If you venture into the city of Barcelona, his structures are everywhere. Buildings have been designed to reflect nature. When I first saw Sagrada Familia, I was in awe. I stopped in my tracks, the admire the size and grandeur of it. 

Travelogue - Nou Camp, Barcelona

Now, if you are an avid football fan, no visit to Spain is complete without visiting Nou Camp. The largest football stadium in Europe. Imagine playing before a home crowd. If you are the opposing team, I'd say that it provides a pretty daunting experience. The stadium is well over 60 years old and Barcelona being Barca, has well, a rich history. 

Travelogue - Seville, Spain

Laid back lazy days were spent mulling around in Seville. I have a love hate relationship with Spain. I adore the pace of life there. You feel as though you're just floating through. Late breakfasts and even later dinners. And the food. 

Seville is a city with narrow paths (sometimes so small that it leaves me in awe of how drivers manage to navigate through them). At night, the river lights up with cafes, music and dance. 

Travelogue - Granada, Spain

To be honest, prior to my trip to Granada, I had never even heard of this city. To date, its one of the cities in Spain that I look back upon with fond memories. Now, while I was on exchange, I was some sort of a lazy traveller - at the beginning at least. Planning is one important skill that I learnt on exchange - it's so important to always be prepared for a new city. But I digress. 

Although the city is small, it is beyond charming. I especially loved the alley ways where you could stroll down and look at stores displaying their wares - this resulted in a myriad of vibrant colours everywhere I looked. 

Travelogue - Madrid, Spain

I first started this blog as a way to slowly pen down on my exchange memories and for it to serve as a platform for me to look back on photos. I have too many on Facebook. Its much easier to look through a few that represent what the city is to me. While I'm struggling to find time to continuously pen down my thoughts because of my increasing work load, when I do find time to do so, its like taking a little trip down memory lane. It instils a yearning so strong. Day after day, I wished that I had the resources or the opportunities to simply book an air ticket to see more of the world. But till that day comes (if ever) I shall settle for my sporadic trips down memory lane.

My first stop in Spain was to the capital city of Madrid. I must say that I was expecting more from Madrid. Shopping wise, its lovely. But I'm not much of a shopper. 

Maybe we didn't plan our stay in Madrid properly, or maybe the city was not for me. Nonetheless, there were places that had their appeal. Photo below was taken while randomly strolling around the city.

Travelogue - Bali, Indonesia

Bali is only a two and a half hour flight away from Singapore and yet, this was the first time that I'd been there. I was really excited about going to Bali as prior to the trip, I had seen many beautiful pictures of the island, and read about all the good food there. 

Travelogue - Kutná Hora, Czech Republic

While in Prague, we took a day trip out to the town of Kutná Hora. It was a simple train ride away! 

A little background information. Kutná Hora was previously a mining town. The city has now been declared a UNESCO World Heritage site because of several buildings there. 

And here are some of the places I visited. 

First up was Sedlec Ossuary. I unfortunately can't find the photos I took of the interior! (Do a google search!) But its a Roman Catholic church that contains up to 70,000 skeletons. While a little daunting to be inside, it's definitely worth a visit. 

However, I did manage to find a picture I took of the cemetery behind the church. 

Travelogue - Prague, Czech Republic

How do I even begin to describe Prague. 

The buildings here give off a historical vibe. It feels as though you've travelled a few years back in time. To a time where you could imagine white knights roaming around the streets, the fresh smell of baking bread wafting through the air. Although Prague is full of tourists, it does not feel that way. Yeah, the shopping here is pretty decent too. ;)

Travelogue - Lyon, France

Viva la France! Lyon was my second stop stop in France. And I love this city! The pace of life is so slow and relaxing. You can literally spend the whole Sunday strolling along the riverside. 

We were in Lyon while France celebrated Bastille Day. While most shops were unfortunately closed because of that, we got to experience the charms of Lyon by simply walking along the river, going to flea markets, and roaming around the vibrant city with no aim in mind. 

Travelogue - Paris, France

Oh, Paris. The City of Lights and City of Love. Also fondly remembered by me as, the city with lots of rain. I visited Paris in July last year, and was not prepared for the amount of rain I got when I was there. It rained almost every afternoon. But even the rain, was not enough to make Paris lose its allure. 

Travelogue - Krakow, Poland

As I write this, I'm sitting in the kitchen, keeping a watching eye over my first attempt at making Paella. Krakow is a city full of history, and yet exquisitely charming.

Alleyways and little corners are filled with charming cafes. The cobbled streets bring you back to the past. But once you turn into the old Jewish ghettoes of the past, you get a sense that this city, has a story to tell. 

Travelogue - Auschwitz

The past we inherit, the present we create. 

One of the cities I visited whilst on exchange was Krakow. My friends really wanted to go to Auschwitz to see how it was like. Prior to going on exchange, I had zero interest in history. But after actually seeing the places you read about in books, and see in movies, it strikes you just how poignant history is. These places not only serve as reminders, so that those horrible episodes will not be forgotten. But they also teach. They teach the present generation to be thankful for what we have. When you're staring at a room full of shoes that used to belong to someone else from the past, someone who had their life ripped away from them, it strikes you deep inside. 

I found myself reading more about history after that, learning about the second world war, the cold war and recounts of those who by sheer strength and courage, survived. 

And this, is my journey to Auschwitz. 

Travelogue - Taiwan, Day 11 (Taichung)

On the second day in Taichung, we set out to explore the Tung Hai University and the city centre. The highlight was the Luce Memorial Chapel - which was unique because of its architecture. The journey to the university didn't take long, and we got to enjoy some sights along the way. Traveling in Taichung is really easy, because the buses provide the stop names in both English and Chinese. We had a data plan which also came in useful at times. 

Travelogue - Taiwan, Day 8 (Sun Moon Lake)

One of the highlights of my Taiwan trip was our visit to Sun Moon Lake. I had done some research, and been wowed by the lovely pictures online. As a scenery lover, I could not wait to soak in the beauty of this lake. To my dismay, it was raining the day we went to Sun Moon Lake. The lake was shrouded in fog, and the weather, wet and cold.

Travelogue - Taiwan Day 6, Kaohsiung

Second day of my travels in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. We found ourselves waking up to a bright, sunny day. Kaohsiung is much more humid as compared to Taipei! We decided to spend the day exploring Lotus Lake, and boy was the lake huge. 

Travelogue - Taiwan Day 3 - Beitou, Taipei

Day 3 of Taiwan! We headed up to Beitou to try out the hot springs. Beitou is supposedly the uprising place where many expats stay. Its easy to get into central Taipei via the trains, and yet quiet enough if you're looking for some peace and quiet. 

We decided to explore a little of Beitou before heading to the hot springs. And I must say, it's a quaint little town. I particularly love the library there! It was designed by a Japanese architect, and has a very zen feel to it. So relaxing!