Europe Trip Part 4

Sunday 31 August 2008

This is the last part of the europe trip photos. The last 2 days of the trip. Not really many nice photos, as i was so knackered by then. Oh, the hotel was quite nice too, it has warmed toilet floors! Even the mirror is heated so that it won't fog. lol.



We took a river cruise (not sure if that's a river actually) around the city
One of the numerous bridges. It is quite rare for them to be take up like this to allow ships to pass through.

So many of these bridges!

Notice the small door down there. It's for the servants to enter in the olden days lol. Most of the houses have a sort of... err hook? to lift stuff up into the houses because the stairs are too narrow. I dont' have a nice picture of it.. I ought to go over my dad's photos.. maybe I might post them next time, but that's unlikely. haha

A building disguised as a ship. I think it's a museum of some sorts
A floating restaurant! We had a sumptuous meal there, but I think the food there (mix of chinese and indonesian) isn't that nice. Oh, I saw this restaurant in a movie not long ago! lol

We then visited a diamond..er.. cutting ..factory? lol.

The next day, we headed back home to London, right after visiting that diamond...factory ( I really have no idea what to call it, and I forgot it's name). Back to old Blighty!

The English Channel

I know this entry is rather dull, but I think I have a few nicely taken photos on the other 3 day trips which I shall post next time. Till then!

Mist!

Good morning everyone! I woke up a bit early today morning and this is what I saw! Mist! So thick you can't see beyond 20 metres! I doubt this is a normal occurance.. since I doubt Reading is elevated above sea level. Nonetheless, I am enjoying this! I read on the news that there will be very heavy rain today, I truly look forward to that thunderstorm! Perhaps it's the low pressure that's creating all these mist. I am tempted to go out now and snap a few photos, though I doubt I can get good pictures.. nevermind, we'll see about that.

Mist
Mist!

Yeap it's the view from my window.

Edit: According to the newsreader/newscaster, it's fog. I went out to take more photos of the fog but when I almost reached my destination, it started raining heavily T__T. Thus, no more photos here. Anyways, there seems to be yet another hurricane heading towards New Orleans and the it's citizens are being evacuated in preperation for the incoming onslaught of the storm. Looking at the video clips of those being evacuated, I think I would pretty like being there myself haha! Yea you might say I'm crazy, but I think it's rather exciting running for your life, or experiencing a Category Five hurricane =P.

Perhaps my thoughts would change when I'm really there (or own a house in the city), but for now, let me indulge in some fanciful daydreaming. By the way, it's not like I don't sympathize with the their predicament at all, just that... I like bein in an apocalyptical scene. Ok I think I'm contradicting myself.

Anyways, the rain a moment ago has cleared up the fog, and now it's dull grey skies as usual.

Europe Trip Part 3

Wednesday 27 August 2008

Hello everyone! Part three... and nearing the end (finally!), although there's the York, Sheffield, London and and Chatsworth photos yet to be published here. I think I will only pick the best photographs just to show off my photography skills (or rather, the lack of) or else.. there'll be too many posts and I'm sure you would all be quite bored by then. Anyways, continuing from the previous part, we continued our journey across the Black Forest, names so after the darkness of the forest due to the pine trees growing so close to each other. Nonetheless, it is very beautiful!

Isn't it picturesque!? It's like straight out of the story books into real life. We had a stop in the black forest to visit a store selling cuckoo clock (they originate from this region) and have lunch. I remember it was the first truly fillng meal since the trip begun!

Fries! Sausage!

The Original Black Forest Cake. I don't really like it because there's a very strong alcohol smell. My mum loved it though.

After that, we continued our journey and arrived at Heidelberg. There's a quite a famous university here, though i didnt get a chance to have a look. (my dad had a few photos though). Instead, I went up to the err ruined castle overlooking the city.

The streets of Heidelberg
Halfway up the climb to the castle
The castle was really big. There's even space for this courtyard within the castle walls (maybe it wasn't there when the castle was still in use). It reminds me of Minas Tirith where the White Tree was planted ^^

Humoungous ruins. I think it was one of France's Kings who came and destroyed this fastness. I really wonder how they managed to do it, since it was so strategic and well built (in my humble opinion). Without cannons, it must have been inpenetrable, save by deceit. (or perhaps I read one too many fiction books)
Isn't it huge? Compare it to the size of the gentleman in blue shirt at the bottom of the picture.
A view of the city
We spent the night at the Ramada Micador hotel, and I really like the rooms there!
The next day, we took a river cruise along the Rhine. These are typical German houses along the river bank.

Enjoying a warm drink in the cold weather.
Couldn't get a good picture of the flag flying proudly. Anyways, by this part of the journey, the bad weather has caught up with us and there was little sunshine.

The view along the river wasn't that nice after all. Maybe it would be during autumn, when all the leaves turn to golden brown and red. In this picture, I tried to capture the movement of the boat and the train in the background. Seemed to fail T__T

Dark clouds chasing up to us
I look so weird here. Really, the bulky P80 is not very suitable for camwhoring at all. LOL.
A group picture of everyone from the tour

A beautiful fountain. Looks better enlarged, I think.

Onwards! We continued our journey to Amsterdam. Sadly, there are fewer and fewer old windmills to be found in the Netherlands. I think they're gradually being replaced by modern wind turbines. ( I saw many of those in Belgium) Fortunately, I managed to snap a photo of one on the way there.


Beautiful boat, isn't it?

Anyways, I shall leave my final leg of my journey for next time.

Exciting times

Tuesday 26 August 2008

I just found out not long ago that my landlord gave me the wrong post code for my address. Tommorow, I'm gonna have to go to the Town Centre to change my address with banks, and more importantly, my Post study work application! They have my Passport!!!! Argh.... Thankfully, there's a library nearby, with which I can get a membership quite easily (I hope) and then use their computer facilities to print out the change of circumstances form to update them on my address. I hope everything goes well (fingers crossed).


Hmmm.. so .. stay tuned for more of my adventures!!!

Reading!

Monday 25 August 2008

Hello everyone! As most of you all know, I have just recently moved to Reading. More about that later. Right before I moved, me and James made a trip to have a look at Halifax Hall, where we stayed in the first year to see if there's any changes.

Well, with the exception of Jonas Court and the library, the rest of the buildings were demolished and new buildings were already constructed. I think in a month's time, new students will be able to move in there. Anyways, here are some photos I took:


I didn't remember this pond lol!


The new buildings

Sorby Hall was demolished as well... loads of new buildings going up

Right. I moved all my stuff to Reading with the hired service of a man with van.

All my stuff lined up waiting to get into the house lol!

Nice front door eh?
View from my house
Mah bed!

View from window

I've asked the landlord for a small desk and chair to put my comp and set up my speakers. Can't wait for that

I've got lots of drawers.. so much space there!
Mah house! Reminds me of those houses in Monopoly sets..

Besides that, i get to store stuff under my bed, and there's these two little doors which lead to right below the roof where I can store unused stuff (well it's quite dirty and untidy there.. so I am not too eager putting my stuff there.. though I think I'll probably leave my notes in there!)

Anyways, I quite like my room. It's bigger than I thought it was (clearly, viewing too many houses in a short period ain't a good idea). The area seems pretty safe as well. And, it's so new it isn't on most address database (which was quite worrying when I changed my bank billing addresses). Oh, there aren't many shops nearby ( I have to explore more.. perhaps there are), especially for takeaway and chinese grocery stuff.

What else, oh yea, I forgot to transport the TV from Sheffield, as well as my rice cooker's power cable T__T. Anyways, no rush for that as my housemate has a rice cooker and the house has a huge TV which is just perfect for gaming ^^.


Anyways, I'll post the part 3 of my europe trip tonight or tommorow morning. Toodles!

Europe Trip Part 2

Thursday 21 August 2008

Hello Everyone! Sorry, I was moving to Reading and didn't had the time to complete the description for the photos. Anyways, more about moving to Reading later.

Continue with the trip!
Ok.. now it should be day 3 of the trip. We travelled South East towards Lucerne, Switzerland. Yeap, the land of beauty, neutrality, and finance (lol), and also where my mum really wanted to go. Can't remember how long the journey took, about... 5 hours maybe?


Switzerland! Lots of tunnels cutting through hills/mountains. This is just one of them. Occasionally, right after the exits from one of these tunnels, one side/lane of the road will be covered, like the picture, and the other side left open. Dunno why.
Our cozy room in Lucerne. Accommodation is very expensive there.. so, it's not really a hotel, but I still like it very much!
The view from our room! Nice leh! We could already see the mountains
Another view from our room. Nice moon eh?

Cute dog standing at attention. I didn't dare to go too near it because it's quite fierce.

A little stream. Fresh water from the mountains!

The moon

A typical Swiss farmhouse.

Oh, I took some pictures of the included meal, but it wasn't anything special so it wasn't included here. Anyways, the next morning, we all went up to Mount Strassenhorn (hope I got that right). I think it was 6000 feet high. We went up by some ancient train, followed by cable car. Anyways, here are the view from up there:
Observation post. From here, you can see some mountains which have snow all year round. Cool eh. We didn't get the chance to ski there unfortunately =P
I think these cute little critters are called marmot. Arent' they cute! Oh, they run and hide in burrows when they hear someone whistle. I guess that's their warning call. They are quite big, like some fat giant overfed hamsters. Ugh, nonetheless, still very cute
Little hut in the mountains
A small wisp of cloud clinging onto the mountain
I think that's a daisy. I couldn't get a clear shot of it because it was beyond the edge of a somewhat steep side of the hill. Too risky for me, and there wasn't enough time.
River feeding the lake Lucerne. Again, fresh water from melted snow!!! Notice the horizon at the distance...... I'd imagine how the view when you're blasting off to space would look like....




Wouldn't you like to live somewhere here?

Flowers of summer

Yours truly

Me again. Suprisingly, it wasn't cold at all, maybe it's due to the strong sunshine

On the way down the hill.
Some people actually trek all the way up the hill (in these zig zag routes). Can you spot the two persons in this picture?
The driver of the "train". Very friendly guy.

After that, we went on a boat tour around the lake. The proper name is not actually Lucerne, but it's something-I-really-can't-remember-now. It was the border of a few Cantons, and Lucerne is one of them I think. Anyways, this area used to be quite wealthy from tradings done here. Nowadays, the some of the rich and famous live here, or own property around this area.
View from the Lake
Island?
City of Lucerne. That queer building is the church. In the olden days, battles were fought in the name of religion between the Cantons (err I think it's like.. district?) of Switzerland (between Protestants and Catholics). Not sure which side Lucerne was on. Swift river flows through the city. Due to the amount of water flowing from the mountains, even the streams coming out of the lake are vigorous indeed. Oftentimes you could see swans swimming furiously against the current only to move at snail's pace.
I managed to capture the bird eating something
Part of the ancient walls of the city.
View from inside the church (hmm maybe it's a cathedral. I can't remember). Isn't it grand?? I was like WOW! when I went in. Very different from those churches and cathedrals in England. I have always imagined churches in Spain to look like this, for some reasons. I hope I could capture the size of the church in this picture. I think it would look better when enlarged.
The organ in the church. Notice the small human head at the bottom of the picture. That's how big it is!
The Falls of Rauros. lol just kidding. It's the mighty Rhine Falls. I think it's the biggest waterfall in Europe.
This brave boat went so near the fall. It was bringing people up the little rock in the middle of the waterfall, where there's a place to observe the Rhine Falls. I would love to go up there. Unfortunately, again, insufficient time.

Yum yum! We spent the remaining Swiss Franc on these goodies (completely forgetting that I wanted to keep those coins as souveniers). I think we took Almond cookie.. it was fantastic!
Woops, picutres from my dad's camera probably.
Look at those white peaks!

Nice place to sit and relax and have a cup of tea.

 
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