MOSCOW: Known to the locals as Москва́, this is the capital city of the Russian Federation. I planned and planned this trip, I mean I had the visa readied before I left Perth which seemed like an eon ago and had a Russian friend recommend me places to stay and places to visit... but yet nothing else seemed to be finalised till a few days beforehand. All the places that were probably better for my bank budget looked like they were a little further away from the city centre, so I decided to splurge (as a birthday treat to myself) and stayed in a small boutique hotel smack bang in the heart of the city. I'm so grateful I made that choice because with most of the touristy spots in the city centre, my inability to speak any Russian except for 'thank-you', 'yes' and 'no', plus my tendency to just get lost, well let's just say staying downtown was a very good thing. I was lucky to have seen the city as it started to snow, and boy did it look pretty!
Loved:
At the Kremlin, on top of the Ivan tower as it starts to snow.
The amazing collection of gems and other baubles at the Diamond Fund.
The metro stations... each one is different and they all look like ballrooms with some serious soviet designs on them.
BERLIN: The capital of Germany has gone through so much in the past century and the history of just the last 60 years is enough to make your head spin. The city is full of life and has got tonnes of very creative building designs. There was so much to see and so little time... well gotta make sure I still have things to see for my next visit.
Loved:
Catching up with my friends who I met in Munich.
The East Berlin pedestrian traffic lights.
The locals call the tall TV tower the 'disco ball asparagus'
Christmas markets opened!!!
Finally managed to upload pics from Munich: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=568812&id=859840586&l=f202b6c437
And here are the pics from Moscow & Berlin:
Moscow: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=572265&id=859840586&l=01aaded216
Berlin: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=572294&id=859840586&l=b7f333cf2f
Monday, November 22, 2010
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
europe - part three (münchen & brücklas)
After the short trip to Pisa, I made it back to München (Munich) and spent another five days in the city...
My München highlights:
- Attending Michaela's graduation & getting to meet her lovely German relatives. Michaela's graduation pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=564706&id=859840586&l=c070f1b14d
- Neuschwanstein (aka fairy tale castle)... the castle is truly magnificent. The brilliant weather also helped made the trip unforgettable
- Auto Bahn... Germany's the only country in the world that has unlimited speed limits on their freeways... Dave drove at 210kmh (and could have gone even faster had it not been for the other cars in front)
- Spotted Oliver Kahn (famous German football goalkeeper) at Nyphemburg Castle walking his dog
- Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site... the most intense and reflective birthday I have ever had
- Spending my birthday in München with my friends Michaela and Dave.
I spent a day in Brücklas, a little village in Bayern close to the border of the Czech Republic, with Rain and Alex. Rain is a friend from my HK days and it was really fantastic being able to spend time with her and see the area she has been living in for the past year and a half. I got to check out the Schnapps Museum and the county's huge minerals collection. I knew we were definitely very far away from the big city because the house was heated by woodfire, and there were piles and piles of chopped wood along the side of the house, and the next door neighbour had horses, and you could smell pigs and cows too. It felt like I was in a totally different part of the world and it was marvelous.
NB: I haven't been able to upload the rest of my European photos... hopefully will be able to do so soon.
My München highlights:
- Attending Michaela's graduation & getting to meet her lovely German relatives. Michaela's graduation pics: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=564706&id=859840586&l=c070f1b14d
- Neuschwanstein (aka fairy tale castle)... the castle is truly magnificent. The brilliant weather also helped made the trip unforgettable
- Auto Bahn... Germany's the only country in the world that has unlimited speed limits on their freeways... Dave drove at 210kmh (and could have gone even faster had it not been for the other cars in front)
- Spotted Oliver Kahn (famous German football goalkeeper) at Nyphemburg Castle walking his dog
- Dachau Concentration Camp Memorial Site... the most intense and reflective birthday I have ever had
- Spending my birthday in München with my friends Michaela and Dave.
I spent a day in Brücklas, a little village in Bayern close to the border of the Czech Republic, with Rain and Alex. Rain is a friend from my HK days and it was really fantastic being able to spend time with her and see the area she has been living in for the past year and a half. I got to check out the Schnapps Museum and the county's huge minerals collection. I knew we were definitely very far away from the big city because the house was heated by woodfire, and there were piles and piles of chopped wood along the side of the house, and the next door neighbour had horses, and you could smell pigs and cows too. It felt like I was in a totally different part of the world and it was marvelous.
NB: I haven't been able to upload the rest of my European photos... hopefully will be able to do so soon.
europe - part three (pisa)
When I was preparing for this world trip, I knew that I would be catching up with my friend Michaela who lives in Munich. In fact the original plan was to travel through Europe together for some time. Anyhow in the end, that plan wasn’t hatchable, so we had to scrap it. Instead, the two of us decided that we would take a side trip from Munich for a couple of days. The destination of choice (and budget) was Pisa, Italy. So I travelled over to Munich from Amsterdam, and Michaela from her holidays in the US, we repacked our backpacks and headed to the airport early the next morning.
I had a preconception that Pisa was a big place with the Leaning Tower (Torre Pendente) and all… but as it turns out, it’s actually a pretty small town, and everyone recommended us to check out the sights of other nearby towns.
On the bus heading to the train station Michaela mentioned that the Leaning Tower should be nearby, I spotted a group of tourists clumped around a corner of a building and thought it looked a little odd and made a comment to Michaela about how funny looking this looked… I was mesmerized by the expressions on the tourists’ faces… two seconds later Michaela busted out laughing and pointed in the other direction and low and behold the Leaning Tower was right there. And comments like this went throughout the trip, the two of us were constantly saying to each other, ‘Where’s …? It should be here somewhere.’ And the minute we made the comment, we would either discover that what we were looking for was right there, or we had walked right past it and needed to back track. The absurdity of the situation left us in hysterics.
After checking-in to our hotel, we swiftly headed to the train station and jumped on the train to Florence (Firenze). When we arrived, the weather was pretty miserable so we decided to hop on a bus tour and take in the sights of the city before heading back to Pisa for the night. We got to see quite a bit of the city at dusk and the highlights for me was meeting David at Piazzo Michelangelo (a statue larger than I had originally thought) and Ponte Vecchio (a bridge with houses on it). I will be back in Florence at end of the month so will update more later.
Early the next morning, we set off for Cinque Terre, five ancient but still functioning fishing villages built right next to the Mediterranean coast. I had heard lots of stories about how amazing the place was and that it was a place that might no longer be intact in thirty years time. Due to the rain from previous days, we discovered upon arriving at our first town that some of the connecting paths to the villages were closed, so we ended up hiking up a viewpoint and took in the breathtaking landscape. The weather turned out to be sunny and it made the day magical. In the end, we visited four of the five villages and discovered just how beautiful they really were for ourselves. Cinque Terre is definitely a place I would recommend everyone to visit at least once (if you don’t know where it is… google it!)
In Pisa, we did see the Leaning Tower up close and personal, and got to try out the local Tuscan foods (I even tried rabbit) and wines. The short trip was definitely very memorable. Thank you Michaela for organizing the trip!
Quirks I discovered about travelling to Pisa:
- Wear a Stanford t-shirt, and you will have people staring at you and even start up a conversation with you (example: Michaela… and no that wasn’t her alma mater)
- Talk about the book Eat, Pray, Love and there’s bound to be somebody who has read it and happy to have a book club style discussion with you
- Pisa has an American naval base near the city
Pics from trip:
Pisa - part one: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=564698&id=859840586&l=9043f823fc (from my camera... hopefully will be able to upload part two soon as it was on another camera)
I had a preconception that Pisa was a big place with the Leaning Tower (Torre Pendente) and all… but as it turns out, it’s actually a pretty small town, and everyone recommended us to check out the sights of other nearby towns.
On the bus heading to the train station Michaela mentioned that the Leaning Tower should be nearby, I spotted a group of tourists clumped around a corner of a building and thought it looked a little odd and made a comment to Michaela about how funny looking this looked… I was mesmerized by the expressions on the tourists’ faces… two seconds later Michaela busted out laughing and pointed in the other direction and low and behold the Leaning Tower was right there. And comments like this went throughout the trip, the two of us were constantly saying to each other, ‘Where’s …? It should be here somewhere.’ And the minute we made the comment, we would either discover that what we were looking for was right there, or we had walked right past it and needed to back track. The absurdity of the situation left us in hysterics.
After checking-in to our hotel, we swiftly headed to the train station and jumped on the train to Florence (Firenze). When we arrived, the weather was pretty miserable so we decided to hop on a bus tour and take in the sights of the city before heading back to Pisa for the night. We got to see quite a bit of the city at dusk and the highlights for me was meeting David at Piazzo Michelangelo (a statue larger than I had originally thought) and Ponte Vecchio (a bridge with houses on it). I will be back in Florence at end of the month so will update more later.
Early the next morning, we set off for Cinque Terre, five ancient but still functioning fishing villages built right next to the Mediterranean coast. I had heard lots of stories about how amazing the place was and that it was a place that might no longer be intact in thirty years time. Due to the rain from previous days, we discovered upon arriving at our first town that some of the connecting paths to the villages were closed, so we ended up hiking up a viewpoint and took in the breathtaking landscape. The weather turned out to be sunny and it made the day magical. In the end, we visited four of the five villages and discovered just how beautiful they really were for ourselves. Cinque Terre is definitely a place I would recommend everyone to visit at least once (if you don’t know where it is… google it!)
In Pisa, we did see the Leaning Tower up close and personal, and got to try out the local Tuscan foods (I even tried rabbit) and wines. The short trip was definitely very memorable. Thank you Michaela for organizing the trip!
Quirks I discovered about travelling to Pisa:
- Wear a Stanford t-shirt, and you will have people staring at you and even start up a conversation with you (example: Michaela… and no that wasn’t her alma mater)
- Talk about the book Eat, Pray, Love and there’s bound to be somebody who has read it and happy to have a book club style discussion with you
- Pisa has an American naval base near the city
Pics from trip:
Pisa - part one: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=564698&id=859840586&l=9043f823fc (from my camera... hopefully will be able to upload part two soon as it was on another camera)
Monday, November 08, 2010
europe - part two (amsterdam)
I've discovered that without internet I am feeling rather helpless when travelling especially here in Europe. I use the net to help me find out about air fares, train timetables, city guides, check emails, facebook, and upload my pics into online albums. I'm currently in Amsterdam, sitting in a food hall using a friend's mini computer and sucking the life out of the WiFi connection here.
Amsterdam is a small yet historically and culturally rich city. I made a new friend on the flight over and the next day we embarked on a walking tour and familiarised ourselves with the fascinating city. It has been great catching up with my friend Fiona from Perth who just moved over to play a season of professional hockey (the originaly field hockey not the ice variety). The Dutch really love their hockey! I was treated to watching a game on the weekend and it was terrific seeing everyone get involved, from the young children to the seniors.
Fiona and I managed to join Museum Nacht (Museum Night), an annual event where all the museums in Amsterdam stay open on the first Saturday night of November from 7pm to 2am, and has lots of live performances and drinks etc. We went all out and were out and about visiting museums from just after 7pm until almost 2am we visited seven museums! It was such a fun and memorable experience... there were opportunities to be involved with interactive art ie creating stop motion film strip, measuring your height and labelling it with your name and date on a wall amongst everyone else's name and date (the effect is a massive black strip across the entire wall).
Two most memorable museums I visited:
- Anne Frank Huis, a intense and moving museum showcasing the life of a young girl who lived in hiding during the Nazis movement in WWII.
- FOAM, a photography museum that exhibited thought provoking images advocating social justice and life as a migrant.
Foods I have tried:
- Broodje kroket (croquette sandwich)... the croquette here is the Dutch answer to an Aussie meat pie, it is a crispy, crusty potato-based gravy ball full of gooey yummy gravy, and maybe meat
- Fried mussels... deliciously fried fresh from the seafood stall accompanied by mayonnaise (the seafood here is really fresh and good... so jealous)
- Chips with mayo (served in a paper cone)... that's how the Dutch eat their chips... I was slightly addicted
- Broodje haring (sandwich of raw herring with chopped onions and dill pickles)... not as strong tasting as I had anticipated and was pleasantly surprised
- as well as their pancakes (pannekoeken), olliebollen (a type of doughnut), and cheese tasting at the street markets...
Endnote: I really love the variety of food here and I love the city, the buildings and canals are amazing (fact: Amsterdam has more canals than Venice)... tomorrow I head over to Munich...
Amsterdam is a small yet historically and culturally rich city. I made a new friend on the flight over and the next day we embarked on a walking tour and familiarised ourselves with the fascinating city. It has been great catching up with my friend Fiona from Perth who just moved over to play a season of professional hockey (the originaly field hockey not the ice variety). The Dutch really love their hockey! I was treated to watching a game on the weekend and it was terrific seeing everyone get involved, from the young children to the seniors.
Fiona and I managed to join Museum Nacht (Museum Night), an annual event where all the museums in Amsterdam stay open on the first Saturday night of November from 7pm to 2am, and has lots of live performances and drinks etc. We went all out and were out and about visiting museums from just after 7pm until almost 2am we visited seven museums! It was such a fun and memorable experience... there were opportunities to be involved with interactive art ie creating stop motion film strip, measuring your height and labelling it with your name and date on a wall amongst everyone else's name and date (the effect is a massive black strip across the entire wall).
Two most memorable museums I visited:
- Anne Frank Huis, a intense and moving museum showcasing the life of a young girl who lived in hiding during the Nazis movement in WWII.
- FOAM, a photography museum that exhibited thought provoking images advocating social justice and life as a migrant.
Foods I have tried:
- Broodje kroket (croquette sandwich)... the croquette here is the Dutch answer to an Aussie meat pie, it is a crispy, crusty potato-based gravy ball full of gooey yummy gravy, and maybe meat
- Fried mussels... deliciously fried fresh from the seafood stall accompanied by mayonnaise (the seafood here is really fresh and good... so jealous)
- Chips with mayo (served in a paper cone)... that's how the Dutch eat their chips... I was slightly addicted
- Broodje haring (sandwich of raw herring with chopped onions and dill pickles)... not as strong tasting as I had anticipated and was pleasantly surprised
- as well as their pancakes (pannekoeken), olliebollen (a type of doughnut), and cheese tasting at the street markets...
Endnote: I really love the variety of food here and I love the city, the buildings and canals are amazing (fact: Amsterdam has more canals than Venice)... tomorrow I head over to Munich...
Saturday, November 06, 2010
europe - part one
I arrived safe and sound in London after my flight from Dallas was delayed almost five hours. This is my third time in the city and the first time to have a week to enjoy it. Over the week, I have caught up with many of my friends from high school (I can not believe how many of them are living in London these days!) I have also visited many museums and touristy places. I will be back in the English capital after my month around parts of Europe. But so far my top 3 things to do in London apart from catching up with friends are:
- Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace
- The Monument... Go up to the top of this historical site for a fabulous view of the city
- Victoria & Albert Museum... A brilliant collection of art both new and old... And the building itself is beautiful
Anyway, the rest of my European tour is as follows:
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Munich, Germany
Pisa, Italy
Munich, Germany
Marktredwitz, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Moscow, Russia
Berlin, Germany
Prague, Czech Republic
Vienna, Austria
Venice, Italy
Florence, Italy
Barcelona, Spain
Dublin, Ireland
Then a couple more days in London before heading to Hong Kong.
- Changing of the guards at Buckingham Palace
- The Monument... Go up to the top of this historical site for a fabulous view of the city
- Victoria & Albert Museum... A brilliant collection of art both new and old... And the building itself is beautiful
Anyway, the rest of my European tour is as follows:
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Munich, Germany
Pisa, Italy
Munich, Germany
Marktredwitz, Germany
Berlin, Germany
Moscow, Russia
Berlin, Germany
Prague, Czech Republic
Vienna, Austria
Venice, Italy
Florence, Italy
Barcelona, Spain
Dublin, Ireland
Then a couple more days in London before heading to Hong Kong.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
mexico - part three (the pics)
Here are the links to the pics from my Mexico trip.
Mexico 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=529151&id=859840586&l=25af94f656
Mexico 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=547666&id=859840586&l=5722a3567d
Mexico 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=547679&id=859840586&l=7f5dc117bd
Mexico City: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=547675&id=859840586&l=f4b270483d
Mexico 1: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=529151&id=859840586&l=25af94f656
Mexico 2: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=547666&id=859840586&l=5722a3567d
Mexico 3: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=547679&id=859840586&l=7f5dc117bd
Mexico City: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=547675&id=859840586&l=f4b270483d
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
monterrey - part two
I can't believe that my three weeks of Monterrey has come to an end. Unfortunately my Spanish is still rather pathetic. But I have to thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I was told before I came over that there wasn't any thing to do in Monterrey... I managed to find plenty of places to visit and tonnes of new foods for me to taste.
Places I visited that I recommend checking out:
- Macroplaza in the city centre
- Museo del Noreste (MUNE)
- Museo de Desierto, Saltillo
- Las Grutas de Garcia... grotto full of stalactites and stalagmites
- Cola del Caballo
- a Lucha Libre fight
Things to eat:
- taco mañaneros... breakfast tacos
- mole... chicken in mole sauce (which has got fruits, nuts and chocolate in it)
- limonada... the limeade is simply divine
- everything covered in chillies
I also managed to head down to Mexico City (the locals call it Mexico DF) for a couple days with some friends. I was able to squeeze in a trip to check out the Teotihuacan pyramids, meander through the city centre, went to the Plaza Garibaldi which is where the mariachi bands all hang out, and Six Flags. We stayed at a poxy hotel where the first night I got no sleep due to the music blasting across the street (the next night we insisted on moving to another room). All in all, I got a taste of life in Mexican and I really loved it. The country is full of rich culture, each region has it's own distinct personality, it's fascinating history, the variety of food (I reckon I have gained quite a few kilos on this trip). I can't believe how quickly the time has passed by. Thank you Mexico for sharing your beautiful country with me.
Places I visited that I recommend checking out:
- Macroplaza in the city centre
- Museo del Noreste (MUNE)
- Museo de Desierto, Saltillo
- Las Grutas de Garcia... grotto full of stalactites and stalagmites
- Cola del Caballo
- a Lucha Libre fight
Things to eat:
- taco mañaneros... breakfast tacos
- mole... chicken in mole sauce (which has got fruits, nuts and chocolate in it)
- limonada... the limeade is simply divine
- everything covered in chillies
I also managed to head down to Mexico City (the locals call it Mexico DF) for a couple days with some friends. I was able to squeeze in a trip to check out the Teotihuacan pyramids, meander through the city centre, went to the Plaza Garibaldi which is where the mariachi bands all hang out, and Six Flags. We stayed at a poxy hotel where the first night I got no sleep due to the music blasting across the street (the next night we insisted on moving to another room). All in all, I got a taste of life in Mexican and I really loved it. The country is full of rich culture, each region has it's own distinct personality, it's fascinating history, the variety of food (I reckon I have gained quite a few kilos on this trip). I can't believe how quickly the time has passed by. Thank you Mexico for sharing your beautiful country with me.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
monterrey - part one
It has been eleven years since I have been in a fully Spanish speaking community. My Spanish skills (or the little that I had once had) has pretty much gone to shreds. I entered Monterrey, Mexico, with hardly any ability to communicate with my host family. The poor family spent the first couple of days lamenting over the face that I had forgotten my Spanish, and that I once was able to speak with them well. (In fact, I know it was a miracle that I was able to communicate with them when I was in Argentina because the next semester when I was back at university I wondered how on earth I managed to get away with so little Spanish) Anyway, a few days later, I am now using my maimed Spanish and feeling a little more confident talking to people.
A little bit of background about Monterrey... it is the capital city of Nueva Leon, the north eastern state of Mexico. The city is famous for its natural resources... it is rich is iron, steel, cement, etc. It is a city surrounded by mountains (hence the name). And the climate is very desert like... it's supposed to be autumn now, but the weather still is in it's high 20s up to the mid 30s.
Things I have been discovering about Mexico:
- the Mexicans love their chillies
- the Mexicans do not like being associated with the US, but they have tonnes of borrowed words from the English language...
- apart from borrowed words, they also have lots of different words from the Spanish spoken in Argentina and the Spanish I have learnt at uni
A little bit of background about Monterrey... it is the capital city of Nueva Leon, the north eastern state of Mexico. The city is famous for its natural resources... it is rich is iron, steel, cement, etc. It is a city surrounded by mountains (hence the name). And the climate is very desert like... it's supposed to be autumn now, but the weather still is in it's high 20s up to the mid 30s.
Things I have been discovering about Mexico:
- the Mexicans love their chillies
- the Mexicans do not like being associated with the US, but they have tonnes of borrowed words from the English language...
- apart from borrowed words, they also have lots of different words from the Spanish spoken in Argentina and the Spanish I have learnt at uni
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
new york
This city really never sleeps! I've been here for a week and there is always new things to check out for museums, exhibitions, shopping, broadway productions, food, markets etc. There are tonnes of shops open till midnight or even 24 hours!
I have been very blessed with accommodation this trip, and have been staying at a friend's apartment overlooking the Hudson River and the New Jersey shoreline. It's really fascinating watching the different types of transportation that crosses the river... there are speedboats, cruise ships, container boats, ferries, kayaks etc.
Before I arrived in New York (NYC) I had heard people that live on Manhattan Island do not like to leave the island. I didn't think much of it until I got into NYC and discovered it for myself. I guess even though Manhattan may be an island, it is very self-sufficient and comprehensive so many of its residents do not feel the need to travel out of it. I did manage to venture out to Williamsburg, Brooklyn (an area very much like Fitzroy in Melbourne) to catch up with an old primary school friend from my HK days. I even took a train up to Connecticut for a day to go sailing with some friends and had a feast of a dinner at their house.
I somehow was able to cram an enormous amount of touristy things into this trip, and I admit I'm a little museumed out... the museums I have visited:
- Solomon Guggenheim Museum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- American Museum of Natural History... even made a video postcard haha American Museum of Natural History - Video Mail
- MoMA
More places of interest I visited...
Food: M&Ms World, Hershey's, Pop-Tarts World, Magnolia Bakery, Momofuku Milk Bar (and even The Australian pub... yes I met up with a bunch of Aussies)
Shops: Tiffany & Co, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Sephora, Origins, Patricia Field
Other spots to note: Central Park, Circle Line sightseeing cruise around the lower half of Manhattan, Empire State Building, NBC Studios tour, St Patrick's Cathedral, Times Square, Tribute WTC Visitor Centre...
Plus many more...
jeff koons at wtc + sailing in connecticut
lady liberty + a glimpse of sightseeing
Links to pics:
NYC - part one: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=513491&id=859840586&l=22f12cfb80
NYC - part two: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=513495&id=859840586&l=e1e99d346d
Next stop, Monterrey, Mexico! I'm exciting and slightly freaking out cuz my Spanish is not up to scratch at all! Oh well... I'm sure I'll have fun regardless!
I have been very blessed with accommodation this trip, and have been staying at a friend's apartment overlooking the Hudson River and the New Jersey shoreline. It's really fascinating watching the different types of transportation that crosses the river... there are speedboats, cruise ships, container boats, ferries, kayaks etc.
Before I arrived in New York (NYC) I had heard people that live on Manhattan Island do not like to leave the island. I didn't think much of it until I got into NYC and discovered it for myself. I guess even though Manhattan may be an island, it is very self-sufficient and comprehensive so many of its residents do not feel the need to travel out of it. I did manage to venture out to Williamsburg, Brooklyn (an area very much like Fitzroy in Melbourne) to catch up with an old primary school friend from my HK days. I even took a train up to Connecticut for a day to go sailing with some friends and had a feast of a dinner at their house.
I somehow was able to cram an enormous amount of touristy things into this trip, and I admit I'm a little museumed out... the museums I have visited:
- Solomon Guggenheim Museum
- Metropolitan Museum of Art
- American Museum of Natural History... even made a video postcard haha American Museum of Natural History - Video Mail
- MoMA
More places of interest I visited...
Food: M&Ms World, Hershey's, Pop-Tarts World, Magnolia Bakery, Momofuku Milk Bar (and even The Australian pub... yes I met up with a bunch of Aussies)
Shops: Tiffany & Co, Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy's, Sephora, Origins, Patricia Field
Other spots to note: Central Park, Circle Line sightseeing cruise around the lower half of Manhattan, Empire State Building, NBC Studios tour, St Patrick's Cathedral, Times Square, Tribute WTC Visitor Centre...
Plus many more...
jeff koons at wtc + sailing in connecticut
lady liberty + a glimpse of sightseeing
Links to pics:
NYC - part one: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=513491&id=859840586&l=22f12cfb80
NYC - part two: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=513495&id=859840586&l=e1e99d346d
Next stop, Monterrey, Mexico! I'm exciting and slightly freaking out cuz my Spanish is not up to scratch at all! Oh well... I'm sure I'll have fun regardless!
Thursday, September 23, 2010
toronto - part three
Kelly reckons I am now ready to move over to Toronto as I have experience quite a lot of things that only local Torontonians would have experienced.
- I celebrated the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in the northern hemisphere for the first time in seven years which was complete with the traditional mooncake eating, moon observing, and a delicious hotpot dinner at home. I even managed to score a free paper lantern from a lady at a Chinese supermarket in Chinatown!
- I went to IKEA and had its $2CAD breakfast (supposingly many nannas and pops can be spotted enjoying the breakfast there)
- Lisa and Kelly talked repeatedly about going to the Bass Pro Shop and that I wouldn't understand what it was until I got there... so I was very excited about checking what all the hype was about. This shop is a huge Canadian camping/hunting/fishing store full of Canadian outdoor paraphernalia... it's creepy, kitsch and hilarious at the same time. The girls and I had tonnes of fun there giggling over some of the crazy products on sale.
- Kelly's mom came over to visit from HK, and we all went over to visit Kelly's popo (grandmother) who lives in a Chinese 55+ lifestyle apartment complex, which is very like a hotel, complete with sticky-beak old ladies...
- We got pulled over by the police due to an expired rego sticker on Kelly's car, so I ended up checking out the local licensing centre to renew the rego sticker.
I also attended Chris and Nikki's wedding. Chris and Nikki are Canadians I became friends with from my dip ed course, and they have stayed in Perth ever since. They decided to have their wedding back in their homeland so they could celebrate with their families. It was great being able to catch up with my Canadian dip ed classmates, and be a part of the handful of Australians who were able to celebrate with the newlyweds. Oh, how I love my Canadian Aussies!
All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed my three and a half weeks in Toronto. I am so glad that I was able to catch up with many friends (even bumped into one at a local church). I also appreciated the amazing hospitality shown me by my Torontonian hosts Kelly and Pat... thank you so much! I love you guys!
Currently loving:
- This video is a must-see for all the poutine lovers: Danse La Poutine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz89dO1F7fs
- my amazingly hospitable hosts Kelly and Pat
- Bass Pro Shop
- Kensington Market
- Maple sugars... crazy sweet but simply delicious
- everything about the autumn season in the northern hemisphere... there is just so much more ambience and atmosphere
outside the AGO + mid autumn festival hotpot
the beloved canadian moose + map of kensington market
Links to more pics:
Toronto - part three: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=511406&id=859840586&l=451d4f5443
Toronto - part four: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=511416&id=859840586&l=2e32fe47c2
Chris and Nikki's wedding: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=509539&id=859840586&l=c2d740ae94
- I celebrated the Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival in the northern hemisphere for the first time in seven years which was complete with the traditional mooncake eating, moon observing, and a delicious hotpot dinner at home. I even managed to score a free paper lantern from a lady at a Chinese supermarket in Chinatown!
- I went to IKEA and had its $2CAD breakfast (supposingly many nannas and pops can be spotted enjoying the breakfast there)
- Lisa and Kelly talked repeatedly about going to the Bass Pro Shop and that I wouldn't understand what it was until I got there... so I was very excited about checking what all the hype was about. This shop is a huge Canadian camping/hunting/fishing store full of Canadian outdoor paraphernalia... it's creepy, kitsch and hilarious at the same time. The girls and I had tonnes of fun there giggling over some of the crazy products on sale.
- Kelly's mom came over to visit from HK, and we all went over to visit Kelly's popo (grandmother) who lives in a Chinese 55+ lifestyle apartment complex, which is very like a hotel, complete with sticky-beak old ladies...
- We got pulled over by the police due to an expired rego sticker on Kelly's car, so I ended up checking out the local licensing centre to renew the rego sticker.
I also attended Chris and Nikki's wedding. Chris and Nikki are Canadians I became friends with from my dip ed course, and they have stayed in Perth ever since. They decided to have their wedding back in their homeland so they could celebrate with their families. It was great being able to catch up with my Canadian dip ed classmates, and be a part of the handful of Australians who were able to celebrate with the newlyweds. Oh, how I love my Canadian Aussies!
All in all, I have thoroughly enjoyed my three and a half weeks in Toronto. I am so glad that I was able to catch up with many friends (even bumped into one at a local church). I also appreciated the amazing hospitality shown me by my Torontonian hosts Kelly and Pat... thank you so much! I love you guys!
Currently loving:
- This video is a must-see for all the poutine lovers: Danse La Poutine - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz89dO1F7fs
- my amazingly hospitable hosts Kelly and Pat
- Bass Pro Shop
- Kensington Market
- Maple sugars... crazy sweet but simply delicious
- everything about the autumn season in the northern hemisphere... there is just so much more ambience and atmosphere
outside the AGO + mid autumn festival hotpot
the beloved canadian moose + map of kensington market
Links to more pics:
Toronto - part three: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=511406&id=859840586&l=451d4f5443
Toronto - part four: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=511416&id=859840586&l=2e32fe47c2
Chris and Nikki's wedding: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=509539&id=859840586&l=c2d740ae94
Monday, September 20, 2010
toronto - part two
I am loving being able to be a tourist, roaming around and exploring a different city. There is so much to see and discover in Toronto... the past week I got to check out the CN Tower, Casa Loma, Bata Shoe Museum, Osgoode Law library, etc. I also got to check out the gigantic T&T supermarket (a Chinese supermarket) and a Korean supermarket... they were so much fun.
I am also enjoying catching up with friends in a different city... I even got to meet up with my friend Alex who was my childhood neighbour in HK and went to primary and high school together but lost touch with and hadn't seen in 15 years!
Kel tried explaining to me what all the rage was about the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) when I was still in Perth and to be honest I didn't quite understand... but being here in Toronto when the festival was happening, I was able to blend in with the locals and soaked in the festival atmosphere and watched 'Black Swan' (which I really enjoyed), 'Bunraku', and 'The Butcher, The Chef and the Swordsman'. It was truly amazing seeing the whole city get revved up about movies, and people were willing to wait in line for hours to get tickets and also to queue up to get a seat in the theatres.
I have heard about Kel and Pat's annual Niagara on the Lake (NOTL) trips for years, so when I discovered that I was going to be in Toronto around the same time as the NOTL trip I immediately signed myself up. Kel organised everything for us, from the accommodation, food to even the wine tour bus! There were twelve of us who spent the long weekend together... half the group came up from the US. On the Saturday, we managed to visit six wineries (Fielding, Flat Rock, Coyote's Run, Icehouse, Konzelman and Stonechurch) and there were a lot of purchases made that day. I am particularly partial to the region's Vidal icewines... it's like drinking iced honey! Mike Cheung was so keen about this trip that he even pre-ordered some wines from Fielding before coming up to Niagara. There was plenty of food too... the Americans pretty much attacked the Coffee Crisp chocolate bars and Lay's Ketchup Chips as these items are not available in the US. It was Kwun-Ye's birthday on Saturday so we celebrated it with tonnes of dessert! All in all, the trip was amazing and it was so brilliant being able to meet up with old friends and make new ones and hang out with them for the entire weekend. Loved it and loved all the hard work Kel put into making this trip so fantastic. Wish I was able to make it every year...
More things I have discovered about Toronto:
- people here often agree with things by responding with a slurred 'oh yeah' [/aw-yiah/]
- I really like the street signs... certain districts in the city have the district name/distinction above the street sign... and there are other quirky street signs which I found amusing and fascinating
- the most Canadian cup of coffee is a Tim Horton's double double (aka percolated coffee with 2 creams and 2 sugars)
- the subway system (TTC) can be a quite temperamental at times
- images of iconic Canadian animals are use everywhere... beaver, moose, geese, bear, squirrel
Currently loving:
- pineapple chunks.. it's 'crack' according to Kelly
- cherry pretzel pie
- ketchup chips
- poutine
- icewine
osgoode law library + bata shoe museum
niagara on the lake + shenanigans at the tiff midnight madness
Links to my pic:
Toronto - part one http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=503851&id=859840586&l=e5de3873e3
Toronto - part two http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=504251&id=859840586&l=eb5d6ddfd3
Niagara on the Lake weekend http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=503191&id=859840586&l=7c7720e4f5
I am also enjoying catching up with friends in a different city... I even got to meet up with my friend Alex who was my childhood neighbour in HK and went to primary and high school together but lost touch with and hadn't seen in 15 years!
Kel tried explaining to me what all the rage was about the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) when I was still in Perth and to be honest I didn't quite understand... but being here in Toronto when the festival was happening, I was able to blend in with the locals and soaked in the festival atmosphere and watched 'Black Swan' (which I really enjoyed), 'Bunraku', and 'The Butcher, The Chef and the Swordsman'. It was truly amazing seeing the whole city get revved up about movies, and people were willing to wait in line for hours to get tickets and also to queue up to get a seat in the theatres.
I have heard about Kel and Pat's annual Niagara on the Lake (NOTL) trips for years, so when I discovered that I was going to be in Toronto around the same time as the NOTL trip I immediately signed myself up. Kel organised everything for us, from the accommodation, food to even the wine tour bus! There were twelve of us who spent the long weekend together... half the group came up from the US. On the Saturday, we managed to visit six wineries (Fielding, Flat Rock, Coyote's Run, Icehouse, Konzelman and Stonechurch) and there were a lot of purchases made that day. I am particularly partial to the region's Vidal icewines... it's like drinking iced honey! Mike Cheung was so keen about this trip that he even pre-ordered some wines from Fielding before coming up to Niagara. There was plenty of food too... the Americans pretty much attacked the Coffee Crisp chocolate bars and Lay's Ketchup Chips as these items are not available in the US. It was Kwun-Ye's birthday on Saturday so we celebrated it with tonnes of dessert! All in all, the trip was amazing and it was so brilliant being able to meet up with old friends and make new ones and hang out with them for the entire weekend. Loved it and loved all the hard work Kel put into making this trip so fantastic. Wish I was able to make it every year...
More things I have discovered about Toronto:
- people here often agree with things by responding with a slurred 'oh yeah' [/aw-yiah/]
- I really like the street signs... certain districts in the city have the district name/distinction above the street sign... and there are other quirky street signs which I found amusing and fascinating
- the most Canadian cup of coffee is a Tim Horton's double double (aka percolated coffee with 2 creams and 2 sugars)
- the subway system (TTC) can be a quite temperamental at times
- images of iconic Canadian animals are use everywhere... beaver, moose, geese, bear, squirrel
Currently loving:
- pineapple chunks.. it's 'crack' according to Kelly
- cherry pretzel pie
- ketchup chips
- poutine
- icewine
osgoode law library + bata shoe museum
niagara on the lake + shenanigans at the tiff midnight madness
Links to my pic:
Toronto - part one http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=503851&id=859840586&l=e5de3873e3
Toronto - part two http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=504251&id=859840586&l=eb5d6ddfd3
Niagara on the Lake weekend http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=503191&id=859840586&l=7c7720e4f5
Monday, September 13, 2010
toronto - part one
I've been in Toronto for one week and already I have eaten so much food!!!! From the moment I landed into Toronto after my hideously long day of travel from Wellington (almost 24 hours long) I have been pretty much eating non-stop. I can not get over how much cheaper food is over here than in Perth. Our currencies are currently almost one-to-one with each other so the contrast is very evident.
Apart from eating tonnes I have been trying to do as much sightseeing as possible... as well as catching up with friends.
On Wednesday (8th Sept), I tagged along with Kel to the Rogers TV studio, one of TO's local cable channels for a taping of a live show. Kel's friend Sam was invited on the show to talk about the clothes she designs and have models display her collection as well as Kel's jewellery. One of the models pulled out last minute and Sam needed someone to help fill in the position asap so I was asked to help model! haha I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, how I looked, etc... but I ended up on the local tv show twice in a short span of 5 mins! haha my short moments of fame and bad modelling! It was definitely an experience I will never forget.
I attended my friends Dan and Veronica's wedding over the weekend in Orangeville (an hour west of Toronto), at an old mill. Kel and I had no idea what we had got ourselves in when Kel signed us up to help with the setting up and "wire flowers to trees"... the task we soon discovered on arriving to help set up that morning was much different than expected... nevertheless we somehow, though we still aren't quite sure how it happened, managed to create an exceptionally professional-looking floral centerpiece for the reception. The wedding turned out beautifully... there were handmade and homemade touches throughout the entire wedding giving it a very warm and personal feel... the weather was lovely for the outdoor ceremony... the food at the reception was deliciously cooked by Ezra Title and his team.. the rain kicked in and we all went indoors where we were treated to a dessert buffet, followed by more food and plenty of drinks and dancing. What a great night. The celebrations was completed by a post-wedding brunch at a nearby bakery. What a fantastic way to spend a weekend.!
Some of the things I'm loving about Toronto:
- street signs
- shops are open till much later (something Perth desperately needs to improve on)
- so many places to explore
- Toronto International Film Festival... there's a buzz of celebrities in town for this famous film festival
- variety of food... products and restaurants
- Distillery District
Things I've discovered about this city:
- Toronto used to be called York... hence that is why there are districts/ suburbs with York associations such as York Mills, North York, Yorkville, Yorkdale, York Quay, etc.
- They love their hockey... so much so they even made it into a musical on film!
- Maple syrup goes on everything...
- Their universities have orientation day parades which are quite a big deal, even the police and ambos get involved... I managed to see the Ryerson Orientation Parade block up Yonge and Dundas.
This week I will be attending a few of the TIFF films... looking forward to them very much. Thank you Kel and Kevin for lining up at 4:30am to get these tickets!
alison, liz and i + at the rogers tv studio
shelves of maple syrup at st lawrence market + the designers kelly and sam
poster of the hockey musical + our floral centerpiece
Pics from Dan and Veronica's wedding: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=500244&id=859840586&l=7e0371fdb1
Apart from eating tonnes I have been trying to do as much sightseeing as possible... as well as catching up with friends.
On Wednesday (8th Sept), I tagged along with Kel to the Rogers TV studio, one of TO's local cable channels for a taping of a live show. Kel's friend Sam was invited on the show to talk about the clothes she designs and have models display her collection as well as Kel's jewellery. One of the models pulled out last minute and Sam needed someone to help fill in the position asap so I was asked to help model! haha I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing, how I looked, etc... but I ended up on the local tv show twice in a short span of 5 mins! haha my short moments of fame and bad modelling! It was definitely an experience I will never forget.
I attended my friends Dan and Veronica's wedding over the weekend in Orangeville (an hour west of Toronto), at an old mill. Kel and I had no idea what we had got ourselves in when Kel signed us up to help with the setting up and "wire flowers to trees"... the task we soon discovered on arriving to help set up that morning was much different than expected... nevertheless we somehow, though we still aren't quite sure how it happened, managed to create an exceptionally professional-looking floral centerpiece for the reception. The wedding turned out beautifully... there were handmade and homemade touches throughout the entire wedding giving it a very warm and personal feel... the weather was lovely for the outdoor ceremony... the food at the reception was deliciously cooked by Ezra Title and his team.. the rain kicked in and we all went indoors where we were treated to a dessert buffet, followed by more food and plenty of drinks and dancing. What a great night. The celebrations was completed by a post-wedding brunch at a nearby bakery. What a fantastic way to spend a weekend.!
Some of the things I'm loving about Toronto:
- street signs
- shops are open till much later (something Perth desperately needs to improve on)
- so many places to explore
- Toronto International Film Festival... there's a buzz of celebrities in town for this famous film festival
- variety of food... products and restaurants
- Distillery District
Things I've discovered about this city:
- Toronto used to be called York... hence that is why there are districts/ suburbs with York associations such as York Mills, North York, Yorkville, Yorkdale, York Quay, etc.
- They love their hockey... so much so they even made it into a musical on film!
- Maple syrup goes on everything...
- Their universities have orientation day parades which are quite a big deal, even the police and ambos get involved... I managed to see the Ryerson Orientation Parade block up Yonge and Dundas.
This week I will be attending a few of the TIFF films... looking forward to them very much. Thank you Kel and Kevin for lining up at 4:30am to get these tickets!
alison, liz and i + at the rogers tv studio
shelves of maple syrup at st lawrence market + the designers kelly and sam
poster of the hockey musical + our floral centerpiece
Pics from Dan and Veronica's wedding: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=500244&id=859840586&l=7e0371fdb1
Monday, September 06, 2010
wellington
I was warned before I left Perth that the weather in Wellington was bitterly cold, so I braced myself for the worst. Alice reckons I got the best of Wellington this trip, I arrived in Wellington to be welcomed by sun and blue skies. I only copped one day of rain, but the rest of the 4 days were rather pleasant. I really like Wellington, it is a very compact capital city, and it is very beautiful, flying into the city was simply stunning!
Highlights:
Museum of Wellington City & Sea
Wellington Cable Car
Botanic Gardens
The Beehive (parliament)
Te Papa Museum
Movies Tour (Lord of the Rings film locations & Weta Cave)
Green Parrot (the oldest restaurant in Wellington) for amazing steak
NZ music I was introduced to:
- Tahuna Breaks
- Fat Freddy's Drop
- Kora
Btw I loved celebrity spotting in NZ! I saw Peter Jackson (director) driving out of the Weta Studios & half of the All Blacks team at Auckland International Airport (yes Richie McCaw but no Dan Carter)
More pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=482018&id=859840586&l=ed88ba93c7
Highlights:
Museum of Wellington City & Sea
Wellington Cable Car
Botanic Gardens
The Beehive (parliament)
Te Papa Museum
Movies Tour (Lord of the Rings film locations & Weta Cave)
Green Parrot (the oldest restaurant in Wellington) for amazing steak
NZ music I was introduced to:
- Tahuna Breaks
- Fat Freddy's Drop
- Kora
Btw I loved celebrity spotting in NZ! I saw Peter Jackson (director) driving out of the Weta Studios & half of the All Blacks team at Auckland International Airport (yes Richie McCaw but no Dan Carter)
More pics here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=482018&id=859840586&l=ed88ba93c7
Monday, August 30, 2010
travelling 2010
Originally year 2010 was going to be my year of purchasing a house, but with the short term-ness of the work contracts I'd been given this year it totally was not possible. Sigh! I already knew that I was going to be in Toronto in September for a couple weeks, so in the beginning of August I made the firm decision that I was not going to extend and work yet another short term contract but instead go travelling around the world until Christmas.
The destinations (as currently purchased on my round world ticket):
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Toronto, Canada
- New York City, USA
- Monterrey, Mexico
- London, UK (will be travelling around Europe)
- Hong Kong
The destinations (as currently purchased on my round world ticket):
- Wellington, New Zealand
- Toronto, Canada
- New York City, USA
- Monterrey, Mexico
- London, UK (will be travelling around Europe)
- Hong Kong
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