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Category Archives: Europe
A Random Day in Frankfurt With Fujifilm X100S.
Frankfurt, Germany
Jessica, Me, Chloe & Cindy
This is my 4th time to Frankfurt. I would love to explore out of Frankfurt but the weather was such a bitch. The temperate was still below zero degree celsius even though it was mid of March. I visited Frankfurt in March last year and it was a pleasant weather to venture out to Heidelberg. Oh mannnn…Will spring ever come??
Jessica, Stella, Chloe & Cindy
We are the GENERATION-Y kids a.k.a the 90s strawberries (Strawberry Generation). The “Old School” Generation might have prejudices against us that we “bruise easily” like strawberries. Hey, we may look fragile or SYT (Sweet Young Things) but we are strong and independent. Alright…I am #justcomplaining
It was snowing heavily. I like to look at snow from my room’s window but I can’t tolerate the cold weather when I am outside.
We had a fun snowball fight and another reason that I love snow is we can build snowman! This must be the weirdest looking snowman I have ever built. It is a little out-of-shape but it still looks cute right? :p
The city of Frankfurt does not have many attractions (Please correct me if I am wrong) and so I visited the same places again. We went to Frankfurt Cathedral and Roemer Square.
Along the way to Roemer Square, we stopped by this toy shop and I had fun exploring my new love. Focusing is great and the camera takes nice close up shots. And…The best part is the Fujifilm X100S is user-friendly and easy to use for clueless DSLR users like me. I have frustrations with my Nikon D5100 because most of the photos I took are usually out of focus and the images are not very sharp. I know it is not the camera issue but problems with the user. Haha!
This is my favorite photo in the album. I like the bokeh effect. 
Can you believe that this is a matchbox and they fit in all these small models into such a tiny box.
Our next stop was Eiserner Steg. There is many famous love lock bridges in the world and we should start this trend in Singapore too! The idea is for lovers to attach their padlocks to the bridge and throw the keys into the river to symbolize everlasting love.
We have our late lunch at this Italian restaurant which is beside our usual joint Mario & Lino. I like Mario & Lino but the food serve here are as good!
I attempted B&W photography and they were so nice to let me shoot them at work.
Flying dough.. Haha..
Anyone feeling hungry already? Hehe..
Guest Post: Midst
This guest post is contributed by Pamela.
Midst
Lake of nowhere,
See the beauty and taste the goodness,
Let’s feel and breathe the fresh air.
Lake of nowhere,
The beauty in the middle of the mountains,
One of the God’s wonderful creation.
Amazing Istanbul
Istanbul, Turkey
“Istanbul Timeless City” Tourism Commercial
This is the commercial ad for Turkey tourism. Those living in Yishun might find this ad familiar because this commercial has been playing on the big TV screen in Northpoint for more than a year. A tourism commercial shows how the tourism board wants to portray the country to the visitors. I find this commercial ad fascinating because it shows the city of Istanbul has a unique blend of ancient cultures and modern era. An interesting fact about Turkey is that the country is split between Europe and Asia and it is linked by the Bosphorus Bridge which connects the two continents.
Shoo Ling, Me, Gloria, Carol, Sabasthiyan & Hilmi
My company for this trip is just as interesting as the history of Turkey. All of us comes from different background.. Different nationality (Singaporean, Malaysian & Taiwanese).. Different races (Chinese, Indian, Malay).. and we are here to sightsee and have fun together.
Turkish Coffee
We had our lunch at one of the local turkish cafe and I tried the Turkish coffee. Turkish coffee is like espresso, strong in taste and served in small cups but it is made in different complicated way and much thicker. Turkish coffee is taken at hot temperature and is served with a glass of water to freshen the mouth to taste the coffee better. I am definitely not a coffee-lover and coffee is the last drink I will order from the menu unless when I am very tired but I really love this Turkish coffee. It is not like the usual coffee that is weak and watery. I wouldn’t mind having it every morning to kickstart my day!
Sultan Ahmad Mosque
Our first stop was Sultan Ahmad Mosque, also known as the Blue Mosque for its famous blue tiles in its interiors.
Blue Mosque was built from 1609 to 1616 during the rule of Sultan Ahmed I. Beside being a popular tourist attraction, it is still used as a mosque and it is closed to non worshippers for half an hour during the five daily prayers.
Me @ Blue Mosque
During my internship days, we did a mini project on some of the must-see attractions in the world and Blue Mosque was one of them. Seeing the real thing is different from seeing it from photos. It is like WOW… Such an impressive and beautiful architecture!
There is no charge to enter the Blue Mosque, however, visitors have to be appropriately dressed and remove their shoes and put in plastic bags provided at the entrance before stepping into the Mosque. Women also have to wear headgear to hide their hair.
I was awed at the beauty and serenity of the Mosque. There was a peaceful and calming aura even though there were many visitors.
Worshippers
Hagia Sohpia
Our second stop was Hagia Sophia, which is just a 5 minutes walk across the courtyard from Blue Mosque.
The ticket price is 25 TL (approximately 17 SGD/14 USD).
Hagia Sohpia (meaning Holy Wisdom) has a very rich and interesting history. The Hagia Sophia was originally built as a church in the 6th century Byzantine Empire, converted to a Mosque by Sultan Mehmed II in 1453 and now it has become a Museum.
Lights shining in
Hagia Sophia is a great architectural beauty and the interior is vast and splendorous. I wish I had a ultra wide angle lens to shoot and show you how beautiful this place is.
There were some restoration works going on and without all these construction, the whole place will look even stunning.
One of the windows was opened and I managed to take a sneak shot of the Blue Mosque before the security guard closed it.
Marble Jar
The Marble Jar is brought here during the Pergamon period during the reign of Murat III (1574-1595). It was carved from a single block of marble.
It was said that if you put your thumb into this pillar’s hole and move your hands to make a complete circle, you will get good luck. I managed to make a complete circle and I really hope it will bring a lot of good luck for me. Heehee..
Some nice and beautiful Byzantine Murals…
Virgin Mary and Jesus, as Isis and Horus
That was how we spent our day in Istanbul… Even though it was a short one day stay, I am definitely dazzled and mesmerized by the beauty of Turkey.
Istanbul, I am so charmed by you… Please let me come back soon…
Weekend at Camden Market!
London, United Kingdom
I just came back from London few days ago and I spent my weekend at Camden Market. Camden Market is one of London’s most famous street markets, offering vintage stuff, street fashion, accessories, arts and crafts, etc. I have been to Portobello Market on my previous trip but I prefer Camden Market because it is so much more vibrant with many funky shops to see.
Me @ Camden Market
Spanish Paella
There are many food stalls at Camden Market and you should come with an empty stomach! I was feeling a little regret for having such a heavy lunch before coming here.
Fish & Chips
Many have told me to try the local fish & chips but I have not found a really good one.
I think Camden Market is good place to visit for newly married couples to find paintings and home accessories to decorate their new place.
Horse Tunnel Market
Donald & Jeannie
I tag along with Donald and Jeannie the whole day. They are very nice and lovely couple and Jeannie even offered me her daily lenses when I dropped mine in the hotel’s room. I felt like a “big light bulb” but I had a good time with their company.
I was trying to take a photo of this “House rule” but instead took a candid shot of Donald.
I like vintage camera and I own a Diana F+ but I dunno how to use it. Lol!
It was a lovely weekend spent at Camden Market. I will visit the other markets soon…
Snowy Moscow!
Moscow, Russia
I visited Moscow for the first time last month and the coldest months in Moscow are January and February. Winters can be extremely harsh in Russia and the temperate averages about -10ºC when I was there.
Sharon, Me, Wendy, Eileen, Ferdy & Clarissa
Carrie, Sharon, Wendy, Eileen, Ferdy & Clarissa
The 7 of us braved the insanely cold weather to see Red Square and Saint Basil’s Cathedral.
Red Square
The Red Square is one of the most famous public squares in the world and is a must-see in Moscow.
Saint Basil’s Cathedral
Another must-see is the Saint Basil’s Cathedral, one of the most famous works of architectural in Moscow. The cathedral is famous worldwide for its bright and colorful, onion-shaped domes and it is recognized as one of the country’s symbols.
Matryoshka Doll
One of the famous souvenirs to buy is the Matryoshka doll (Russian nested doll). There is a doll inside a doll inside another doll and so on.
With the abundance of snow available, I built this big snowman outside the hotel with some help. It was tiring to roll the snow to build the snowman and right after we built it, we realized that snowman should have three portions and not two. Oops!
I was too greedy to make such a big snowman that I had backache the next day. But… the fun and joy of building snowman made it all worthwhile.
My December Paris Trip…
Paris, France
It is a love hate affair with Paris. I fly to Paris more often than I take a train to Pasir Ris in one year. Lol! 7 times, yes, I have flown to Paris for 7 times and counting. I have been to most of the top 10 tourist attractions such as Eiffel Tower, The Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Arc De Triomphe, Seine River, Sacre-Coeur and of course the shopping districts. I used to learn french in school but I have forgotten everything. What a waste of effort… Sighs…
I have been to the Louvre many times but this is my first time going into the museum. Thankfully I have my batch boy Desmond to accompany me and it also means I can entrust him to plan out the routes and find the directions. *Heehee…*
The entrance ticket costs 15 euros and please note that the museum is closed on every Tuesday to avoid any disappointment. It is best to go to the Louvre early and you will need at least half a day to explore the entire place. This museum is huge!
The painter is trying to replicate the art piece..
Mona Lisa
And of course, the only reason why I want to visit the Louvre is to see the MONA LISA painting. *Been that, Done that* and it is finally cleared off from my to-do list.
Everyone wanna take a snapshot of the mona lisa painting
Front of the painting
Back of the painting
Many many enormous paintings in the Louvre…
Gabrielle d’Estrees and one of her sisters in the bath
I couldn’t resist taking a kinky photo with this painting. I find this painting pretty interesting and amusing. Why is she pinching her nipples? Lol! Okie…. According to the website,
An oddly affectionate gesture
The models have been identified as Gabrielle d’Estrées (1571-99), the favorite of Henry IV (1553-1610), and one of her sisters: the Duchess de Villars or Madame de Balagny. The oddly affectionate way in which the sister is pinching Gabrielle d’Estrées’ right breast has often been taken as symbolizing the latter’s pregnancy with the illegitimate child of Henry IV. This interpretation would seem to be confirmed by the scene of the young woman sewing – perhaps preparing a layette for the coming child – in the background. The picture was acquired by the Louvre in 1937.
The Louvre: Egyptian Section
The louvre during medieval period
Christmas Market at La defense
It was christmas season and how can we miss going to christmas market to immerse in the festive moods.
Many food stalls
Nice chilled beer to have in such cold weather…
Oh…Paris…Till then again………
Venice Revisited.
Venice, Italy
This is my second time to Venice and you can view the post on my first trip here. This is a place where you will want to come with your partner and of cos, I wish my boy was with me. Venice is one of the places that I want to bring my boy to visit one day.
Gondola ride
Magnets
I have a hobby of collecting fridge magnets and I have collected many different types of magnets from around the world. My collection is still expanding…
Rialto Bridge
My batch girl Wei Li
We settled our dinner at one of the restaurants by the water. Lovely ambience!
Our main course
Tiramisu
This is one of the best tiramisu I have tried so far. The tiramisu was soft and melts in my mouth and it goes well with the chocolate sauce. Yums!
This strawberry dessert was surprisingly delicious!
Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square)
Venice at night is absolutely stunning and romantic. I just wish my boy was with me, holding hands and walking around aimlessly in this land of romance.
There are lots of restaurants on the square playing live classical music.
Villa Delle Palme
We stayed one night at Villa Delle Palme which is a B&B in Lido. It costs 100 euros for two for the one night stay. There was a strike and it shuts down much of the public transport network. It was also a real hassle to get to this island from the main island which takes about 30 minutes ferry ride. The hotel concierge recommended this B&B saying it was good and affordable but with the time and effort spent, we would rather pay more to stay in the main island.
We took the ferry back to the main island on the next day.
This cruise ship looks so nice!
Me & Wei Li
Venice – The holy shrine for lovers. I love you Venice… Will definitely be back for you again…
The Rhine Falls
Rheinfall, Switzerland
Windy & Me
I did my trip to Rheinfall two months ago with my batch girl Windy. The concierge gave us the wrong information and so we alighted at the wrong train station. We had to walk about 20 minutes to Rheinfall but along the way, we enjoyed the serenity and picturesque views of the lake.
Oh man… I loved the beautiful houses that are lined up along the lake. I wish I can own a lake house one day too.
The water is so clear that we can see fishes swimming about in the lake.
It was a nice sunny weather which is perfect for a picnic outing.
Playing with the water
Digging out toes in the cool and clear water
Railway bridge in Rheinfall
Rheinfall
And alas, we finally reached Rheinfall!
RAINBOW!!! So pretty!
We took the boat ride to the huge rock in the center of Rheinfall.
That is the view from the top of the rock.
Roaring waters
Me @ Rheinfall
Want some german sausage? Gosh… I had eaten so much german sausage during this trip. So good! Yums..
Windsor Castle, Roman Baths and Stonehenge!
London, United Kingdom
This is my 5th time to London and I finally have company to visit Stonehenge and Bath with me. We bought the tour package from Golden Tours and it costs 79 pounds (around SGD160) per person.
Our first stop was Windsor Castle. I have been to Windsor Castle before and you can see the post here.
This is our tour guide for the trip. We spent more than 5 hours traveling around on the bus and his monotone voice made me slept throughout the whole bus journey.
This is my first time seeing changing of the guard and I was pretty lucky to see it cos it is held only on every Monday at 11am.
Children pretending that they are changing of the guards. Cute!
Our second stop was Bath. Bath is designated as the World Heritage Site and is famous for its hot springs.
Bath is a very beautiful city but unfortunately we only had 90 minutes to explore this city with our tight schedule.
One of the must-see attractions is the Roman Baths.
The Great Bath
Luna from pediment
Spring overflow
Here surplus water from the Spring pours into a Roman drain and flows on to the river.
The whole pool is covered by coins!
The Romans believe that throwing coins into spring was said to be good luck and Sulis Minerva, the Goddess of Springs, Bath and healing would grant wishes to those who honored here.
Spring water from the Roman Baths contains some 43 minerals and is believed to promote wellness. The spring water taste really awful and has an unusual taste. I suggest taking small sip if not you might throw up your lunch!
Our final stop was Stonehenge! We have traveled for so long but I am glad to say that I have FINALLY SEEN THESE STONES! Been that, done that and will never come back again.
One of the main reasons why you must come to Stonehenge is because it is one of the 7 wonders of the world. Alright, you must be be thinking like me why this circle of stones can be considered as one of the wonders in the world.
There is no records of its creation exist and there is no evidence that ancient man could do it. Today’s scientists and historians are still unable to come to a solid theory of when, why, by whom, and how the intriguing rock structure was built.
Jumpshot failed with my face covered.
Stonehenge, England – 7 Wonders of the World CONQUERED! 
