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Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Discover, Explore, Fashion, Food, Nature, Religion, Sightseeing, Travel
Indulge in Turkish Delight
It was a freezing December when I set foot in Turkey. Istanbul is the country’s largest city, the financial, cultural, and historical centre. It is the only city in the world located between two continents: Asia and Europe. Istanbul is a fascinating city that houses various compelling attractions. Luckily, most of the sites are in close proximity to the hotel where I stayed. Many well-known sites such as the Grand Bazaar, Topkapi Palace, Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmet Mosque, which is popularly known as the Blue Mosque, are amongst the most visited. One of the activities not to be missed when in Istanbul is a boat ride and I…
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A visit to Vienna Austria
Is it true that there are no kangaroos in Austria? One night when I was walking in one of the busy shopping streets called Kärntner Straße in Vienna, I was a bit surprised to see the signs ‘No kangaroos in Austria’. This phrase caught my attention. For a while I was confused why these signs are everywhere especially in the souvenir shops. Then I realized and I remember what our tour guide said that this is to remind the tourists that they are actually in Central Europe, in a landlocked country called Austria, and not in Australia. I had a wonderful time during my visit to this land of the…
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Sightseeing day in Brussels
During my first odyssey to Europe, I chose Belgium as one of the countries to visit. I stayed in the country’s capital city – Brussels. Although it is relatively small when it comes to land area, it is of great power and significance in world affairs. Brussels is a cosmopolitan city that hosts several of the EU’s official seats and is the headquarters of many major international organizations such as NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) and WCO (World Customs Organization), among others. Plus, it is also the birthplace of one of my personal favourite actresses, Audrey Hepburn, who starred in films such as Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady, and Breakfast…
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Travel with me
Travelling has been one of my immense dreams. After visiting to more than thirty countries it has inclined me to write this book in a plain, simple way I wish to share the feeling, smell, sights, and sound that I personally encountered, as well as the weird and wonderful things I experienced during my travels that apparently according to IBN Battuta, a Moroccan Muslim traveller and scholar who said that ‘Travelling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.’ For a period, I hesitated to push through writing my texts, thinking who would believe me in the first place other than myself and perhaps some of my…
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A tribute to Jane Austen on her birthday
Remembering Ate Betty
Veni, Vidi, Venice!
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Stunning Peles Castle in Sinaia Romania
After more than 2 hours’ drive from the capital city Bucharest, we arrived in a picturesque Carpathian Mountains to visit Peles Castle. This magnificent Castle which was once the summer residence of the Romanian Kings is now one of the most important museums in the country. It is considered as one of the most stunning castles in Europe. Its foundation was laid on 22 August 1873, as commissioned by King Carol 1 of Romania. According to our tour guide, Peles was the first European Castle entirely lit by electrical current and having central heating, as well as a vacuuming system that is still working even to this day. When visiting…
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Wonderful Prague!
Prague/Praha is the capital and the largest city of Czech Republic or Czechia which is a landlocked country situated in Central Europe. It is one of Europe’s best-preserved cities and is nicknamed “The Golden City of a Hundred Spires”. There’s a saying which goes, “All cities are jealous of Paris but Paris is jealous of Prague.“ The major attractions are all within walking distance of each other such as Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the Astronomical Clock, The Jewish Quarter, Old-New Synagogue, Petrin Hill, Prague Castle and even to what is called the modern Prague area – the Wenceslas Square, to name just a few of the mesmerizing sights.…
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Budapest Hungary
If I am being honest, Budapest is one of the cities that I was not very familiar with compared to Paris, Rome, London, etc… Probably my knowledge about its country was only acquired mostly from the movies that I have seen recently which featured some parts of Hungary such as: I Spy, Transporter 3, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, to name a few. In the end, I was glad I joined the one-day trip to this beautiful city from Vienna, since we had an engaging day with our enthusiastic tour guide who educated us about Hungary’s rich history and culture. It included a visit to an authentic…
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Meeting with the “Cumil” in Bratislava, Slovakia
While walking along the busy streets of Bratislava, one of the things that caught my attention was this statue they called “Cumil” or “the watcher”. It’s a bronze sculpture of a man peeping out of the manhole. Apparently, this is one of the most popular statues. Since 1997, when it was first embedded in the ground, it has become one of the symbols of the Old Town and the most photographed statue of Bratislava. It is said that there are several possible explanations for this statue. First, he is a sewer worker resting. Second, he is heading down to clean up the mess. Others said, he is there looking under…
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Immense Peterhof Palace in Saint Petersburg
Peterhof Palace, also called the “Russian Versailles” is famous for its series of palaces, beautiful gardens, fountains and museums. Laid out on the orders of Tsar Peter the Great, it was officially opened on August 14, 1723. The palace-ensemble along with the city center is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Peterhof is a Dutch/German word meaning “Peter’s Court”. Peterhof Palace is a product of one man’s fascination with beauty and an obsession with greatness and grandeur apparently intensified after visiting and getting inspired by Versailles in France on 1717. More exquisite statues and fountains are along the axis from the palace to the pier. The truly imposing view of…
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Experiencing the excitement of being at the “Top of Europe” – Jungfraujoch Switzerland
One of the highlights of visiting the Swiss Alps was to be able to reach the top of the Jungfrau mountain which is called the ” Top of Europe”. Standing on the Jungfraujoch 3,454 metres above sea level. I remember after suffering from a lack of breath at such a high altitude I had to rush to the covered area to breath normally again. Aside from that, my outfit that day wasn’t appropriate enough for such extreme cold weather. Next time, I will make sure that I will be fully geared up with proper winter clothing to fully enjoy the experience.
