Central Europe 2018

EUROPE TOUR 2018

EK355 08Dec SINDXB 2100 0100 09Dec

EK007 09Dec DXBLHR 0310 0710

EK150 16Dec AMSDXB 2200 0745 17Dec

EK352 19Dec DXBSIN  2115 0825 20Dec

Finally back to London after 23 years. The last time I arrive was via tour coach from San Sebastian, Spain. Under near similar situation, the whole of Paris was on standstill back then but the Yellow vest protest decided to strike only on weekends. Sieving through old photos taken back then by my trusted old film camera, I did my homework and aim to take photo from the very spot that I took 23 years ago. 

http://articles.latimes.com/1995-12-16/news/mn-14600_1_railway-workers



Day 1 (SINGAPORE - DUBAI - LONDON)

BUCKINGHAM PALACE

Buckingham Palace is the London residence and administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It has been a focal point for the British people at times of national rejoicing and mourning.

Gates of Buckingham Palace. I am back. The grandeur is very different now with thousands of tourists crowd this very same gate and many more lined the streets. I came back with my own winter jacket this time around, its more affordable in recent time.

BIG BEN

Big Ben is undergoing a series of renovation since August 2017. I did not manage to go to the same spot to snap a photo as we traveled as a group this time and we were only given 10 minutes at the Parliament Square Garden.

WESTMINISTERS ABBEY

The road seems to have changed since the day I took this photo 23 years ago. Build you stood the same dating back to 1065. So happy that they finally recognized you as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.

CHANGE OF GUARDS

I manage to catch the changing of guards this time around. 

TOWER BRIDGE

We didn't manage to take the River Thames cruise this time. We were also given 10 minutes on the left side of the bridge so I failed to go to the original spot to recapture the moments. But it was a pleasant surprise to see rows of stalls selling local food and wares. 

St PAUL's CATHEDRAL

Built in 1675, Princess Diana held her wedding here in 1981, we have to go back 480 years to find the last Royal wedding. 

LONDON CHINATOWN

Located in the heart of City of Westminister, it was originally in the East End during the 18th Century. Today’s Chinatown’s story begins with the Great Fire of London. In the panic to rebuild, attention turned to a military training ground on farmland. The area’s owner, Lord Gerrard gave permission for houses to be built. Gerrard Street was completed in 1685, then later a market hall and slaughterhouse. Voila, Soho was born. Within a century it was one of London’s hotspots.

HYDE PARK WINTER WONDERLAND

We were given some time to perform some shopping along Oxford Street before we stroll over to Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. Hyde Park is a Grade I-listed major park in Central London. It is the largest of four Royal Parks that form a chain from the entrance of Kensington Palace through Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, via Hyde Park Corner and Green Park past the main entrance to Buckingham Palace.

Day 2 (LONDON)

We started out early at 0530 in the morning to Lacock Village. 

LACOCK VILLAGE

Lacock village is near the town of Chippenham (3 miles) in North Wiltshire. The traditional English village, which dates from the 13th century and has many limewashed half-timbered and stone houses, was used as a location in several TV and film productions, such as the recent Harry Potter films.

STONEHENGE

How many blue skies can you find them in UK? How many can you find them in the winter? We are extremely lucky to arrive in one clear morning at 0930. With no other tourist other than ourselves, we obtained tranquility and exclusive photos to one of the wonders of the world's and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe, The Stonehenge.

WINDSOR CASTLE

The Queen was in the Castle when we arrived. Windsor Castle is a royal residence at Windsor in the English county of Berkshire. It is notable for its long association with the English and later British Royal family and for its architecture.

The original castle was built in the 11th century after the Norman invasion of England by William the Conqueror. Since the time of Henry I, it has been used by the reigning monarch and is the longest-occupied palace in Europe.Inside the castle walls is the 15th-century St George's Chapel, considered to be "one of the supreme achievements of English Perpendicular Gothic" design.

BOROUGH MARKET

Borough Market is a wholesale and retail food market in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest and oldest food markets in London,with a market on the site dating back to at least the 12th century. The present buildings were built in the 1850s, and today the market mainly sells specialty foods to the general public.

We took the tube from Borough Market to Bond Street station, and we walk to Primark. We then stroll along Oxford street to soak up the festive mood on our way to FlatIron@Beak Street.

OXFORD STREET

Day 3 (LONDON - PARIS)

We took the Eurostar trains at 0924 from London's St Pancras train station and expect to arrive Paris' Gare du Nord station at 1247. 

GALERIES LAFAYETTE

Our first stop was at Galeries Lafayette but we decided to feed our hungry tummies with Vietnamese Fur for lunch before we experience the glasswalk 16metres above the ground to admire the 120 years of history, elegance of the 'French art de vivre'.

PARIS OPERA HOUSE

The Palais Garnier is a 1,979-seat opera house, which was built from 1861 to 1875 for the Paris Opera. It was called the Salle des Capucines, because of its location on the Boulevard des Capucines in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, but soon became known as the Palais Garnier, in recognition of its opulence. 
The Palais Garnier has been called "probably the most famous opera house in the world.

SEINE RIVER CRUISE

One hour of open top sightseeing cruise along the Seine River. We came face to face with Paris's splendid monuments up close with commentary.  

CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE-DAME

We had Escargo for dinner in front of Notre-Dame. Notre-Dame de Paris, also known as Notre-Dame Cathedral or simply Notre-Dame, is a medieval Catholic cathedral on the Île de la Cité in the fourth arrondissement of Paris, France. The cathedral is widely considered to be one of the finest examples of French Gothic architecture. The cathedral was begun in 1160 and largely completed by 1260, though it was modified frequently in the following centuries.

MONTPARNESSE OBSERVATION DECK

Tour Maine-Montparnasse, also commonly named Tour Montparnasse, is a 210-metre office skyscraper located in the Montparnasse area of Paris, France. Constructed from 1969 to 1973, it was the tallest skyscraper in France until 2011.


Day 4 (PARIS)

OUTLET MALL - LA VALLEE VILLAGE

We enjoy designer outlet shopping from home to 110 boutiques of fashion and homeware brands with at least 30% to 50% off retail prices. Tax refund was painful and we found cash refund is the easiest and best amount refunded.

LOURVE MUSEUM

The Louvre or the Louvre Museum, is the world's largest art museum and a historic monument in Paris, France. Approximately 38,000 objects from prehistory to the 21st century are exhibited over an area of 72,735 square metres (782,910 square feet).

CHAMPS-ÉLYSÉES

We cruised along the 2 kilometres stretch of The Avenue des Champs-Élysées, 70 metres wide. We actually ran to the middle of the road to take a picture with the Arc de Triomphe!  It is known for its theatres, cafés, and luxury shops, for the annual Bastille Day military parade, and as the finish of the Tour de France cycle race.

ARC DE TRIOMPHE

EIFFEL TOWER

We went to the Palais de Chaillot to catch the most magnificent pictures of Eiffel Tower. The Palais de Chaillot is a building at the top of the Chaillot Hill in the Trocadero area. For the Exposition Internationale of 1937, the old Palais du Trocadero was demolished and replaced by the Palais de Chaillot which now tops the hill.

SACRED HEART OF HOMART

The view was great but it was too cold for the group to venture uphill so they decided to take a group picture and grab some souvenirs lined up along the street. 

Day 5 (PARIS - BRUSSELS)

We left early at 7am and arrived at the Atomium for a 'Pit Stop' for our driver to take a break after a 4 hour plus drive.

ATOMIUM

In 1958 the Atomium was built for the Brussels World’s Fair and never intended to be a permanent part of the Brussels landscape, but like the Eiffel tower for the French, once the fair was over the Belgians wanted to keep the giant structure. Nearby the Atomium is Mini-Europe, a theme park featuring miniature replicas of European monuments.

ROYAL PALACE

We then stop by for a quick photo with the Royal Palace of Brussels. The Royal Palace of Brussels is the official palace of the King and Queen of the Belgians in the centre of the nation's capital Brussels. However it is not used as a royal residence, as the king and his family live in the Royal Palace of Laeken on the outskirts of Brussels.

We cut across the Place de l'Agora bruxxeles, a public square

 Had a marvellous Mussels lunch

GALARIE DE LA REINE

We walk through the Saint-Hubert Royal Galleries (Galarie De La Reine), it is an ensemble of glazed shopping arcades in Brussels, Belgium. Designed and built by architect Jean-Pierre Cluysenaer between 1846 and 1847, they precede other famous 19th-century shopping arcades such as the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan and The Passage in St Petersburg. Like them, they have twin regular facades with distant origins in Vasari's long narrow street-like courtyard of the Uffizi in Florence, with glazed arched shopfronts separated by pilasters and two upper floors, all in an Italianate Cinquecentostyle, under an arched glass-paned roof with a delicate cast-iron framework.

THE GRAND PLACE

We then arrived at the opulent The Grand Place "Grand Square", also known as Grote Markt "Grand Market", is the central square of Brussels. It is surrounded by guildhalls and two larger edifices, the city's Town Hall, and the King's House or Breadhouse building containing the Museum of the City of Brussels. The square measures 68 by 110 metres.

The square is the most important tourist destination and most memorable landmark in Brussels. It is also considered as one of the most beautiful squares in Europe, and has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.

MANNEKEN PIS

Just off from The Grand Place, we arrived at the Manneken Pis. It is a landmark small bronze sculpture in the centre of Brussels, depicting a naked little boy urinating into a fountain's basin. It was designed by Hiëronymus Duquesnoy the Elder and put in place in 1618 or 1619. The current statue is a copy which dates from 1965.

BELFRY OF BRUGES

Alighted at a carpark along Bargeweg 

Katelijnestraat Street

Canal along Mariastraat Street

BELFRY OF BRUGES (MARKET SQUARE)

The Market Square (since 958), in the shadow of the majestic belfry tower, was the scene of medieval festivals, fairs, tournaments, uprisings and executions. A place full of history! UNESCO World Heritage site since 1999. Today, the square serves as the meeting place for the locals and millions of visitors who flock to the town every year. The most striking building is without any doubt the Belfry.

The Statue of Obelix

http://visit-bruges.be/see/parks-squares/market-square-markt

Its near Christmas so the festive mood was great at the market place. There were lots of food, drinks, stalls selling souvenirs and local items at the square. There was a skating ring too! The weather was too cold so that kids stayed inside Burger King along the shop house. 

We took the same route back to the coach, head back to the hotel and call it a day. 

Day 6 (BRUSSELS - AMSTERDAM)

ZAANSE SCHANS

Zaanse Schans is a neighborhood in the Dutch town of Zaandam, near Amsterdam. Historic windmills and distinctive green wooden houses were relocated here to recreate the look of an 18th/19th-century village. The Zaans Museum has regional costumes, model windmills and interactive exhibits on chocolate making. Artisan workshops demonstrate rare handicrafts such as wooden clog carving, barrel making and pewter casting.

MUSEUMPLEIN MARKET

The Fried Fish is very good! The Museum Market offers fashion, accessories, textiles, homewares, jewellery, stationery, skating and much more, all by local designers and presented in the beautiful surroundings of Amsterdam’s Museumplein, with the Rijksmuseum, the Stedelijk, the Van Gogh Museum and the Royal Concertgebouw as backdrop. Supplementary entertainment such as live music and a variety of food stalls make sure visitors can make a day of it.

CANAL CRUISE

Built during the Golden Age of the 17th century, Amsterdam’s Canal Ring, known locally as the Grachtengordel, is comprised of a network of intersecting waterways. Since 1999, the city’s distinctive canal landscape has officially been protected, and in 2010 the Amsterdam Canal Ring was added to UNESCO's World Heritage List. In 2013, the Canal Ring also celebrated its 400th birthday.

After the cruise, we head towards the oldest part of Amsterdam, and they are known for the red neon windows that display barely-dressed prostitutes advertising their services; it's all perfectly acceptable as long as it stays inside this designated area of the city.

Day 7 (AMSTERDAM)

We started the day heading to Volendam. 

VOLENDAM 

A fantastic trip back into ‘Old Holland’, a picturesque town on the shores of the IJsselmeer, just 20 km north of Amsterdam. A visit to Volendam typically begins with a stroll down De Dijk, the main harbour strip, which remains a lively shopping and residential street. On one side you have the working trawlers and fishing boats, which remain the lifeblood for so many in the area. On the other you can see the traditional wooden buildings and homes. 

De Dijk Volendam

Entering the harbour village

Volendam Harbour Village

Main harbour strip

Beautiful place to visit but the piercing wind was too strong in combination with the freezing 1 degC weather, numbing weather.  We had to 'defrost' from shops to shops. The colourful wooden houses were simply too inviting for pictures. A studio hung photos of celebrities who took photos there, such as Lin Ching-hsia, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Abdurrahman Wahid, etc. It was a great idea to arrive 9.30am in the morning. We had the whole street to ourselves for beautiful shots of memories. By the time we leave the place around noon, streams of tourist started to fill the place.

We went to Dam Square for shipping after Volendam.

Day 8 (AMSTERDAM - DUBAI)

FREE & EASY DAY

We took GRAB to Albert Cuypmarkt but they are close on Sundays. So we head to (A) Heineken Experience. We then decide to visit (B) Rijks Museum. After the Museum, we went to (C) for lunch.

(A) Heineken Experience

(B) Rijksmuseum

(C) Lunch area

We walked along the famous Leidsestraat shopping street before arriving at (D) Bloemenmarkt (flower market).

Leidsestraat Street

Bloemenmarkt (flower market)

The Bloemenmarkt was the world's only floating flower market founded in 1862. We ended at (E) The Munttoren ("Mint Tower") or Munt.

Munttoren (Mint Tower) built in 1480

We then went shopping along the main Kalverstraat shopping street (F) where we bought many track shoes before heading to the Centraal Station, took a train to Schipol Airport Station. Took airport bus to Ibis Hotel.

Kalverstraat Street

Amsterdam Centraal Station

Day 9 (DUBAI)

DUBAI CREEK CRUISE

Dubai Creek is a saltwater creek located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). Previously it extended to Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary but as part of the new Dubai canal it extends through to the Persian Gulf. Some sources say that the creek extended as far inland as Al Ain, and that the Ancient Greeks called it River Zara.

OLD SOUK DUBAI

Lavish gold jewellery, hand-woven fabrics, traditional oud fragrances and cheap knickknacks – you'll find it all at Dubai’s exciting souks. While the city has a reputation as a thriving modern metropolis, traditional Arabian markets are still a crucial part of daily life and trade. A wander through one of Dubai's bustling souks is an essential experience for both visitors and locals.

BURJ AL ARAB

Caught The Burj Al Arab, most luxurious hotel and 5th tallest hotel in the world stands on a artificial lsland on Jumeira Beach. It is a white sand beach that is located and named after the Jumerirah district of Dubai, on the coast of the Persian Gulf. It stretches along the coast south of the city's historic district to the junction with The Palm Jumeirah and terminates between the southern end of the Jumeirah Beach Residence.

The BURJ KHALIFA

The Burj Khalifa, known as the Burj Dubai is the tallest skyscraper and building in the world with a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft) and a roof height of 828 m (2,717 ft). The Dubai Mall - the world’s largest destination for shopping, entertainment and leisure is located next to the world's tallest building. 

Day 10 (DUBAI)

We took the opportunity to head to OldSouk in the morning to fill up our luggages. 

DESERT SAFARI

There's a reason why they call Dubai the desert city. We glide through the serene sandy landscape with a range of thrilling curves and drops that raised our adrenaline to the max! We took some time on quad-biking (ATV) before we relaxed under the stars on a luxury overnight escape of belly dances and fire eating acts.

Day 11 (DUBAI - SINGAPORE)

CONVENTION CENTRE

We were lucky that a Branded sale occurred next to our hotel! How can we ignore a sale when the sale landed on our doorstep?

With an afternoon to kill, we decided to cover more mileage in the largest mall in the world. We tried to experience the Metro back and chanced upon one of the longest bridgewalk we've ever come across! My google map showed 1.6km and it took us about 20 minutess to reach the metro even though we were on a travellator!

The ride back was pretty affordable at 6AED per person (3 station) although it cost us 14AED for a taxi ride to the mall from our hotel.

Beautiful weather throughout the whole Europe trip, grand snow send off on the last day. Flipped ATV with no injuries but only challenging tax refunds at the airport. Just when we were counting our blessings on the plane, someone decided to have a panic attack. The Captain yielded, dumped fuel and turn towards Chennai airport 45 minutes away to drop him off first. 

What a fruitful trip we had, we clocked London, Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, Dubai and Chennai this year end trip. An experience of a lifetime.