Just when I thought these things only happen in the movies - nah...its reality dished out on a nice platter for us.
We ran for buses, trains and even our airplanes.
We slept past our first train at 9.30am, and couldn't get on the next train to Madrid at 11.30am because seats were full. Drats.
So here I am, chillin' the weekend away in Jayne's house and finally uploading 'em photos. Forgive the obvious lack of photography skills, because half my photos are never level with the ground (ie. tilted).
At random...
I loved Switzerland for its beautiful post-card pictures, its clean air, its laid-back lifestyle and its friendly people.
Italy amazed me through its rich and colourful history, expressive Italianos (and their crazy funky drivers) and their fashion.
Paris was beautiful. They had...wonderful..and I mean, WONDERFUL food.
Now in Spain just chillin' away, and I really don't want to go back to Singapore. But Singapore has its perks, definitely. Great food, tropical weather (which I miss alot) and the comforts of my own home...but nothing beats a brand new experience each time I step into a new country.
Oh, and there are updates to Flickr!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiaopei
Thursday, September 27, 2007We ran for buses, trains and even our airplanes.
We slept past our first train at 9.30am, and couldn't get on the next train to Madrid at 11.30am because seats were full. Drats.
So here I am, chillin' the weekend away in Jayne's house and finally uploading 'em photos. Forgive the obvious lack of photography skills, because half my photos are never level with the ground (ie. tilted).
At random...
I loved Switzerland for its beautiful post-card pictures, its clean air, its laid-back lifestyle and its friendly people.
Italy amazed me through its rich and colourful history, expressive Italianos (and their crazy funky drivers) and their fashion.
Paris was beautiful. They had...wonderful..and I mean, WONDERFUL food.
Now in Spain just chillin' away, and I really don't want to go back to Singapore. But Singapore has its perks, definitely. Great food, tropical weather (which I miss alot) and the comforts of my own home...but nothing beats a brand new experience each time I step into a new country.
Oh, and there are updates to Flickr!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xiaopei
As many a thousand words that pictures can tell, I am too lazy to post up any. That is, if I survive through the night and decide to upload photos from the camera to the computer, then from the computer to the camera.
Every country in Europe unveils its own treasures to me as I stroll through their streets, cultures and buildings. When one decides to conclude that all buildings in Europe look alike, and all churches look as grand as they always do, and every white-skinned man eats pasta, we are all wrong. Beneath that generalization, Spain revealed its talents from Gaudi, together with a reunion with familiar faces and new friends when I finally met up with Jayne. The Spanish are amazingly nice - given that we finally had drivers stopping for us at every zebra crossing. Food was cheap (with tapaz costing 1.50Euro each - although I had ENOUGH of bread) and streets were clean and wide.
Travelling is tiring. Fatigue brings about frustrations which unleashes emotional outrage, which probably explains the sombre tone in the previous post. And yes Astri, I'm here on part assignment, part holiday (given that I'm still churning out articles, hehe). Lucky me, I suppose. Seeing Europe has definitely changed my perception of everything else - in a good way, I agree with Miranda. As bad as I am still at reading maps, at least finding one's way around gets easier. Learning 'em languages gets a little crazy though. Just when I mastered enough Italiano to utter a few words to be able to get around, I find myself on a high-speed train to France, and ciao changes to bonjour! in just a few hours. And from bonjour I have to hola! my way around in Spain - at least the culture of kissing when we meet a friend still stays, haha - and so you get it.
'Twas a pity I did no have time to explore the rest of Europe all in this trip - Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Prague etc etc - that would have to wait till...I don't know when. Shopping in Europe makes me wish Singapore's weather allows autumn wear - jackets, turtlenecks, boots yadda yadda...dream on, girl.
Saturday, September 22, 2007Every country in Europe unveils its own treasures to me as I stroll through their streets, cultures and buildings. When one decides to conclude that all buildings in Europe look alike, and all churches look as grand as they always do, and every white-skinned man eats pasta, we are all wrong. Beneath that generalization, Spain revealed its talents from Gaudi, together with a reunion with familiar faces and new friends when I finally met up with Jayne. The Spanish are amazingly nice - given that we finally had drivers stopping for us at every zebra crossing. Food was cheap (with tapaz costing 1.50Euro each - although I had ENOUGH of bread) and streets were clean and wide.
Travelling is tiring. Fatigue brings about frustrations which unleashes emotional outrage, which probably explains the sombre tone in the previous post. And yes Astri, I'm here on part assignment, part holiday (given that I'm still churning out articles, hehe). Lucky me, I suppose. Seeing Europe has definitely changed my perception of everything else - in a good way, I agree with Miranda. As bad as I am still at reading maps, at least finding one's way around gets easier. Learning 'em languages gets a little crazy though. Just when I mastered enough Italiano to utter a few words to be able to get around, I find myself on a high-speed train to France, and ciao changes to bonjour! in just a few hours. And from bonjour I have to hola! my way around in Spain - at least the culture of kissing when we meet a friend still stays, haha - and so you get it.
'Twas a pity I did no have time to explore the rest of Europe all in this trip - Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Prague etc etc - that would have to wait till...I don't know when. Shopping in Europe makes me wish Singapore's weather allows autumn wear - jackets, turtlenecks, boots yadda yadda...dream on, girl.
Life is a little overwhelming right now.
Climbing up the Swiss Alps, barging through the ruins of Rome like 'em Romans do, frolicking up the countryside of Florence and trading my purse for a journey through Venice...
Strutting down the high fashion streets of Milan and Paris, I find myself in silence along the boulevards of Paris. The falling autumn leaves rustle while pigeons that flock the sidewalks shiver with each passing wind; it was cold enough for a trench-coat and a pair of boots - such perfect weather. (except for waking up in the morning, its a bitch)
Switzerland had about the same weather as well, cold and windy thanks to its location mid-way up the mountains. The Swiss loved their cheese, their folks and their life. The Romans were a little crazy though, with bus-drivers who envision themselves to be in a permanent F1 circuit route, and where honking seems to be the norm - to say hello, to scold, to warn, for fun...anything. Florence and Venice...ah, beautiful. These areas were more independent - they had their own culture, tradition and tourist revenues, with the Venetians singing with their gondoles (or gondolas). Finally, Paris and its many "chateaux" were magnificent to admire, most of them Gothic-inspired.
At the same time, I opened my eyes to the discriminatory glances from the different coloured skins. Not that I blamed them much, for being an Asian immediately means Japan or China. More unfavourably, China, for those weird habits of 'em "ching-chong Chinamen" seem to stick out more than ever like a large sore thumb.
Europe threw me off my comfort zone - I lost my own "self" in the blurry midst of trying to find my way in a foreign country, looking out for crooks and most of all, trying to fit in. Nothing I did, nor any decision I made seemed to work out for the best.
I'm still spinning around. I don't know what to expect of myself anymore. I don't know who I am anymore. Hello Europe.
Climbing up the Swiss Alps, barging through the ruins of Rome like 'em Romans do, frolicking up the countryside of Florence and trading my purse for a journey through Venice...
Strutting down the high fashion streets of Milan and Paris, I find myself in silence along the boulevards of Paris. The falling autumn leaves rustle while pigeons that flock the sidewalks shiver with each passing wind; it was cold enough for a trench-coat and a pair of boots - such perfect weather. (except for waking up in the morning, its a bitch)
Switzerland had about the same weather as well, cold and windy thanks to its location mid-way up the mountains. The Swiss loved their cheese, their folks and their life. The Romans were a little crazy though, with bus-drivers who envision themselves to be in a permanent F1 circuit route, and where honking seems to be the norm - to say hello, to scold, to warn, for fun...anything. Florence and Venice...ah, beautiful. These areas were more independent - they had their own culture, tradition and tourist revenues, with the Venetians singing with their gondoles (or gondolas). Finally, Paris and its many "chateaux" were magnificent to admire, most of them Gothic-inspired.
At the same time, I opened my eyes to the discriminatory glances from the different coloured skins. Not that I blamed them much, for being an Asian immediately means Japan or China. More unfavourably, China, for those weird habits of 'em "ching-chong Chinamen" seem to stick out more than ever like a large sore thumb.
Europe threw me off my comfort zone - I lost my own "self" in the blurry midst of trying to find my way in a foreign country, looking out for crooks and most of all, trying to fit in. Nothing I did, nor any decision I made seemed to work out for the best.
I'm still spinning around. I don't know what to expect of myself anymore. I don't know who I am anymore. Hello Europe.