Summer trip 2005

Day 12, 13 & 14: Linköping

2006-03-11T21:58:00.000+08:00

Ho hum! Back to Linköping! That was a great chance for my parents to see how boring the town is.

The whole corridor seemed deserted when I returned. Well, it's the end of the spring semster so I'm ain't suprised. A rule of thumb though: Always remember to clear your fridge before you leave for the summer. Apparently, someone didn't.

Anyone fancy a black banana?

Day 10 & 11: Stockholm

2006-03-11T21:56:00.000+08:00

Being my 5th time in Stockholm, I shan't elaborate on the places that we visited. However, I've decided to post some random pictures of the Swedish capital.

In addition, I'll like to share with everyone the hostel that we lived in. It looks cool on the outside... a disused ship that was retrofitted into a hostel.

First impression was great and we looked forward to a unique experience. However...

Surprise! The small room consisted of 4 bunk beds with 1 basin. End of story. It's kinda funny. All the people whom we had encountered had exactly the same reaction. Open door --> jaw drop. I guessed nobody expected it to be so claustrophobic. It's barely enough for one person to manoeuvre around comfortably. Fit in another person --> welcome to concentration camp Stockholm!

Ah well! We had only 2 nights in Stockholm anyway.

Curious how Stockholm looks like at 11.30pm?

Weird? Welcome to Scandinavia!

Day 9: Berlin

2006-03-11T21:55:00.001+08:00

My final day in Germany...

The Victory Column was built to commemorate the war victories that Prussia had won over the foreign invaders. The structure used to occupy a site opposite the Reichstag building but it was re-located to accomodate Hitler's monumental plan which comprised of re-designing Berlin into Welthauptstadt Germania. His dream was never realised when Germany entered WWII.

The Reichstag building is the seat of the German parliament. During Hitler's reign, no parliamentary sessions were held but were instead utilised for propaganda and military purposes.

The Brandenburg Gate once formed the impenetrable boundary between East and West Berlin. Many a times, it has been used as a backdrop to stage rallies and processions.

Checkpoint Charlie used to be the former exchange point between East and West Berlin, which was manned by the Americans. It's amazing how one small little guard house can be so much photographed by the tourists.

Sections of the Berlin Wall still remained intact, although much of it had been torn down. I'm skeptical of some souvenir shops selling chunks of the wall. If they were ever the real fragments of the wall, then the amount available will be enough to build a wall longer and mightier than the Great Wall of China.

Berlin offers many jewels despite its utter destruction in the war. Some were beautifully restored and new ones arised from the ashes. I'm lazy to write about the last few pictures as they don't hold much historical values. However, the last picture featured the TV Tower in Alexanderplatz, which is the tallest vintage point in the city.

Day 8: Berlin

2006-03-11T21:55:00.000+08:00

Berlin, with a history of around 800 years, has undergone numerous turbulences and revolutions, with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989 as the most recent event. One needs to understand its rich history in order to be captivated by the German capital.

Sachenhausen was the model concentraion camp in Germany. Located north of Berlin, those deemed politically undesired, Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals and anti-socials by the Nazis were interned here before WWII. During the war, thousands from the occupied countries were deported here as well. Sachenhausen became the administrative headquarters of all concentration camps in Germany. Tens of thousands died here due to disease, starvation, forced labour, execution and death marches. After the fall of Berlin in WWII, the Soviets used part of the camp for their political prisoners.

All barracks for the prisoners were destroyed after the war, leaving the guard towers and some other structures intact. A few of them were reconstructed to re-enact the actual conditions. Reading the accounts of the survivors from the concentration camp, prisoners were treated with inhumane brutality and living conditions were atrocious. One couldn't help but pity the victims of the concentration camp system imposed by the Reich.

The entire camp grounds is enormous. To gain a full comprehension, you can easily spend up to one full day. Due to time constraint and our growling stomachs, we decided to head back to Berlin despite missing out large sections of the camp.

Schloss Charlottenburg was begun as a summer palace in 1695. The gardens are extensive and were influenced by English design.

Kaiser-Wilhelm-GedÃ¤chtniskirche is a poignant reminder of the devastation wrought upon Berlin during WWII. It was bombed by the British in late 1943 during an air raid, leaving the west tower standing. It hasn't been rebuilt nor restored ever since.

Day 7: Berlin

2006-03-11T21:51:00.000+08:00

Nothing particularly interesting happened on this day as we took a 6hr train ride from Prague to Berlin, except for the 2.50 euros that my parents each paid for the coffee which tasted horribly bland.

However, something deplorable stained my day. Seemingly lost upon arrival in Berlin, I approached their train station to ask for directions. I asked, "Good afternoon! Do you speak English?"

She shook her head.

No choice. I proceeded to a nearby hotel and inquired, "May I know where Storkower Strasse is?"

"Sorry I don't know." I was really infuriated that he wasn't being helpful at all. I don't believe that hotels don't have street directories.

Ah well. I called the hostel. I was given an immediate answer without any fuss. But the problem was, I don't know how much it'll cost to get us to the location. So I returned to the train station. Ah ha! The same person who claimed she couldn't speak English was entertaining two Americans, in flawless English. Anyhow I waited patiently for my turn and asked her for help regarding the costs of the tickets. In the end, I guessed she had no choice but to help us.

Both incidents really gave me a bad impression about Germans. I hope they were the only black sheep around.

And guess what? Later in the evening we wasted 10 euros to spend 5hrs doing our laundry. In the end, we only managed to sleep at 2am.

Day 6: Prague

2006-03-11T21:50:00.000+08:00

Charles Bridge connects the Old Town and Mal� Strana. Construction commenced in 1357 with one tower on the Old Town end and another tower on the Mal� Strana end. Flanked by baroque statues on both sides of the bridge, it's perpetually crowded with people. Legend has it that the bridge was built with egg yolks reinforced into the structure. Musicians, artists and souvenir vendors lined the bridge, enticing tourists with their creative works.

One can easily spend the whole day at the Prague Castle. Established in the 9th century, the imposing St Vitus Cathedral had been the most prominent landmark, dominating the city's skyline with its gothic farcade. One of the most interesting feature of the castle grounds is the Golden Lane. With its colourful and cartoon-like character, it used to be inhabited by the castle servants. Notice how small the houses are (last picture).

Today, Prague Castle is the seat of the President of the Czech Republic, and serves as the historical and political centre of both city and state.

We ended our day by taking a stroll along river Vltava to appreciate the picturesque buildings which line the bank. The National Theater, bulit in neo-renaissance style, was founded in 1881. Residential houses along the river bank offered awesome views of Charles Bridge with Prague Castle in the background.

Check out this unique structure, dubbed the Dancing Building.

Day 5: Prague

2006-03-11T21:49:00.000+08:00

A cloudy day beckoned early in the morning, which is something I loathe since my shoes aren't water-proof. Try walking around in a pair of soaked shoes and the constant squishing of water in the socks. Trust me, it's gonna ruin half your morale. This happened to me when I was in Venice last Christmas. Rain coincided with flood seeped through into my shoes, making my train journey to Vienna miserable.

It started to drizzle and continued throughout the whole day. Thanks for my umbrella which I've not used in Linköping before, I remained dry.

Wenceslas Square is the modern day commercial hub of Prague. In 1989, it was here that the Velvet Revolution took place in which Czech Republic transited from a communist state to a democratic nation. More recently, Tom Cruise booked a hotel here whilst filming Mission Impossible. Hmm... really? I shall watch the movie one more time.

The Municipal House Concert Hall & Exhibition Centre is Prague's most prominent Art Nouveau building. It was the scene for the proclamation of the independent state of Czechoslovakia in 1918.

The Old Town Square has to be the most beautiful spot in Prague, not forgetting to mention the huge numbers of Japanese tourists that crowded the place. I've not seen so many Japanese tourists in my life before. The Astronomical Clock at the Old Town Hall is the most photographed spot in the Old Town Square. Every hour, the clock will strike and some ang gong gia will move around. This is again as anti-climax as the clock in Munich.

The Jewish Quarter forms part of Prague's Old Town. Prague's Jewish population had lived in this area for centuries and was nearly wiped out during World War II. The Old-New Synagogue is the oldest working synagogue in Europe.

Gazing across the river Vltava offers great views of Prague Castle. Situated atop on a hill, it is the jewel in the crown of the city which mirrored Czech's history.

Day 4: Prague

2006-03-11T21:48:00.000+08:00

This has got to be the most horrible day of my trip. The train left Munich for Prague and embarked on a 9hr journey. Initially, when I booked this overnight train online, I thought that it would be a couchette since I couldn't see one available online. So I presumed it to be one. Horrors of horrors! It wasn't! Imagine sleeping while sitting upright for 9hrs straight. In the end, ang gun seng + ka cheng seng + ka seng = buay sai koon (in hokkien). What a great combo. By the time we reached Prague at around 8.30am, we were more exhausted than an exhaust pipe.

I've only got a vague idea where our hostel is. After an initial enquiry at the Tourist Information, we ended up walking around in circles. A tiring, low morale search, lasted for almost 2hrs when we finally reached our hostel. And guess what? The hostel lost our reservation. *bish*

In the end we were transferred to another hotel nearby for one night but we had to pay 300 czech crowns more. We were driven to the hotel, luckily, and reached our new temporary hotel at 11am. But check-in time was 2am. *faintz*

No choice. After depositing our backpacks at the hotel, we dragged our feet in search for lunch. A Chinese restaurant was our first choice and we paid 700 czech crowns to dine in a restaurant with no air-con. I've not dined in a restaurant where I paid so much to sweat while eating.

Coupled with warm temperatures, we trudged back to the hotel and we were thankfully checked-in. We slept the rest of the afternoon away.

So essentially, it was one wasted day in Prague doing nothing but constantly being frustrated by the numerous obstacles that threatened to ruin our day. Ah well, they ruined my day.

Day 3: Munich

2006-03-11T21:45:00.000+08:00

München, the capital of Bavaria. We were lucky that our hostel is located near the city centre. Walking around the city sufficed since most attractions are centered close to one another.

First stop Karlsplatz. This is where the entrance to the Old Town begins. The 14th century Karl's Gate guarded the gateway to the city centre. Actually there are a few gates located around but this is one of the few gates which offered access into the city during the medieval times.

Neuhauser Strasse, along with Kaufinger Strasse, make up the shopping belt. This is a really good concept as cars have restricted entry. Comprising of an entire stretch of pedestrian mall, it makes the whole place looks and feels very spacious. This idea is echoed throughout numerous cities around Europe. Have you noticed how narrow the pavements along Orchard Road can be? Especially during weekends and the festive seasons, the pavements are literally choked with scores of people. Somehow I applauded the idea if Orchard Road is closed to traffic since it's huge enough to handle the mass human traffic flow.

Frauenkirche, built in 1488 (or completed construction in 1488), is a prominent landmark with its twin onion-shaped towers. No buildings in Munich is allowed to tower above the 99m high structure.

Located in Marienplatz, the New Town Hall (1909), with its neo-gothic farcade, is where the heart of the city beats. There is a consistent large congregation of people where tourists dine in the al fresco cafes that line the square. At 11am and 12noon (as well as 5pm during the summer), the figures will move around in the bell tower of the New Town Hall. Hence, the square is especially crowded during that time when hordes of people, mainly tourists, gathered to catch a glimpse. Frankly speaking, considering the constant craning of our necks, the whole affair was an anti-climax.

Located near the New Town Hall is the Old Town. To me, the New Town Hall looked much more older than its newer cousin. Initially I was confused but that's what the brochures stated so.

While Singaporeans forge for mua ji and tutu in the pasar malam, the locals go to Viktualienmarkt for their foodstuffs. Some shops sell exotic stuff which I've never seen before. As much as an ang gu kua looked alien to an ang moh, some of the food appeared unusual to me. Other shops sell the usual stuff that you'll find in a flea market such as flowers.

At Odeonsplatz, Feldherrnhalle (1844), with its 3 arches, looked uncompleted to me. The neighbouring church, the serene baroque Theatinerkirche (1675) in Italian style, is perhaps more impressive.

Tucked away in Hofgarten is the State Museum of Egyptian Art. Hofgarten's tranquility is an ideal spot for people to get away from the bustling city life.

Hopping over to the English Gardens, we stopped over for a late lunch. This place is hardly frequented by tourists but a magnet for the locals. At the Chinese Tower (which looks more Japanese than Chinese), typical German meals are served with its famous German sausages.

The Hofbr�uhaus, the supposedly most famous pub in the world, made me flabbergasted as I've not seen and heard of the place before. You'll be the judge.

Say, feeling hungry? This dish must be very salty huh?

Day 2: Füssen

2006-03-11T21:41:00.000+08:00

It's not exactly Füssen that we visited but both Bavarian castles are near the town. It's about a 2hr train ride away from Munich. On the way, we met a group of rowdy secondary school students on a school field trip. Although I can't understand German, I could easily pick up the constant Scheisse (Scheiße) that peppered their conversation.

Total entrance fees to both castles for the 3 of us costs 49 euros. When I asked for student price, the woman over the counter asked me, "Under 18 or over 18?"

Somehow I replied, "Under 18."

When she nodded her head and proceeded to dispense the tickets, I instinctively corrected myself, "Sorry, over 18." Shit! I could have saved a few euros!

Anyway, entrance to the castles required you to follow a queue number to handle the large number of tourists. Hence, it's crucial to arrive at the castles on time. Despite the fact that it's perhaps a 45mins trek to Neuschwanstein castle and a mere 10mins hike to Hohenschwangau castle, we were given ample time to reach our destinations. Failure to do so would require us to purchase new tickets.

A brief introduction. Castle Hohenschwangau was more of a summer getaway for King Ludwig II. He was an eccentric king who ordered the construction of the Castle Neuschwanstein. It was built between 1869 and 1886. Unfortunately, the project was halted when the king died under mysterious circumstances at the age of 41. In fact up til today, Castle Neuschwanstein is only 1/3 complete.

Photos are forbidden inside Castle Hohenschwangau. Decorations and paintings inside the castle are moderate. Our guide, who worked for the Duke of Bavaria (who is a descendant of the former Bavarian monarchy as so claimed by the guide), offered great insights as to what life was like to live like a king.

King Ludwig II loved the mountains and hence this palaces, including this castle is built near the Bavarian Alps and poor people like me had to trek up a 45min slope to get there. As usual photos are prohibited due to copyright reasons (as so they claimed). As if we are going to build a Singapore castle up in Bukit Timah Hill.

Inside the castle, decorations and paintings are lavish, in fact, too lavish. A bit too much over the line and exaggerated. You'll think that it only happens in fairy-tale. The craftsmanship is too astonishing to be true and we were awed by its richness. Despite only having 15 rooms, every fine details from the murals to the wood cravings were done with great professionalism. The bedroom alone took 14 carpenters 4.5 years to complete.

Day 1: Nürnberg (Nuremberg)

2006-03-11T21:37:00.000+08:00

Officially this should be day number two of my summer trip but since I didn't do much on the day I arrived in Munich, I've decided otherwise. After travelling for 13hrs which included taxi, buses, plane and train, I'm too tired to do any sight-seeing in Munich on my day of arrival.

Nuremberg was an impromptu decision. I've always thought that this medieval city is too far away from Munich to visit. However, after enquiring, it turned out that it's only 2hrs away. We bought the train tickets which cost a ridiculous €234 return. I was pretty pissed as I was forced to pay to travel on the ICE (their premier high speed train) when I've the option to travel on the cheaper but slower train.

Arrived at our destination at 11am and following my tourist's instincts, I began peeling my eyes for the "Tourist Information" sign board. The personnel behind the counter doesn't really speak good English as she was struggling to introduce some of the places of interest to me. Since all the touristy spots are clearly marked on the map already, it striked me that I could perhaps just rely on my trusty instincts to negotiate around. Read a map? Piece of cake.

This tower is clearly visible when we entered the old part of the city. It housed a courtyard where several small interesting shops are located. The shops sell stuff which are 好看不好吃.

Walking along König Strasse is really interesting with its numerous al fresco cafes lining the narrow road and its beautifully preserved buildings. This street opened up into a small square where the St. Lawrence Church penetrated the sky with its twin spire. Crossing the river Pegnitz, the building which houses the Hospital of the Holy Spirit and the Bible Discovery House, caught our attention with its partial construction over the river.

Nothing interesting at the Hauptmarkt to speak about, except for the Church of Our Lady lining the square. This square is home to a flea market which again sells stuff which are 好看不好吃. Nothing unique.

The highlight of the city is its medieval castle. The fortress served to protect its inner residents during the olden times, obviously. It's enthralling to explore its labyrinth of lanes in the castle as each turn and corner brings the visitor into a new realm. However, I still prefer Edinburgh Castle in, duh, Edinburgh. This German castle pales in comparison with the rich history of its Scottish counterpart.

Strolling along the river Pegnitz offers an interesting insight as to how and where people use to live in the olden times. Perhaps due to its close proximity to Switzerland, its architecture is pretty much Swiss-like, especially the roof.