I never really thought of visiting zoos as a children’s activity; I’ve always enjoyed meandering in zoos as an adult whenever I travelled. Now that I have a toddler who is thoroughly fascinated with making monkey and lion sounds all day, now I see the appeal of taking along your kids to see living, breathing, amazing animals.
Continue reading It’s Wild in Pairi DaizaTag Archives: europe
Spotlight on Dresden
In terms of tourism, Germany is much like its treasured National Mannschaft — you can’t pinpoint just one star football player, exactly because the greatness lies instead on each individually high-functioning member (or cities, in this case). Berlin has its Film Festival, Munich its Oktoberfest, Hamburg its Elbphilharmonie, and so on.
Dresden is probably one of the most-underrated European cities. I would boldly say its the prettiest German city I’ve ever seen so far. During my maiden visit to the East, Dresden’s elaborately-decked palace grounds, wistful Altstadt (Old Town) and ever-graceful Elbe did not fail to make the cross-country drive oh-so-worth it. Continue reading Spotlight on Dresden
A Fairy Tale Land Named Kotor
Once upon a time, there was a young maiden who had very itchy feet (she suspects it’s a gift from a wise and adventurous fairy-godmother). She had trouble staying still, often daydreamed about far away places, and ogled longingly at maps. One day, she asked her prince, “Can we go away, to a place we’ve never been before?” The young man knew it was futile to discourage her. Luckily, he had easy access to an enchanting and very useful tool people called “Google Maps”.
“Hmm,” he pondered, “since we’re near anyway, do you want to go to — Montenegro? There’s a small city here called, hmm, Kotor. Maybe it’ll be nice. What do you think?” The young maiden had no idea what they would find there, but she could hardly keep her heart from bursting with excitement. Continue reading A Fairy Tale Land Named Kotor
Lavender Fields Forever
It takes a lot of adulting to prepare for a trip, from planning to booking, from packing to repacking. Once I’m out there on the road though, the big kid in me suddenly wakes up and takes over, gasping aloud at every marvel I come come across, and giddily rushing to see what’s in store on the next corner.
And certainly, the big kid in me broke free, frolicked and lost her mind in the vast purple playgrounds during lavender season in Provence. Continue reading Lavender Fields Forever
Photo Walk: Porto
A Dutch Treat on Wheels
Have you always wanted to explore Amsterdam on a bike, but feel that you’re not ready for hustling it with the breakneck-speed-riding locals? Fret not, I got your back.
Continue reading A Dutch Treat on Wheels
Incomparable Iceland: The Video
It’s going to be hard to top this adventure. What I do know is that a journey as epic as this one deserves a sequel. I’ll see you again soon, Iceland!
Song: Shooting Star by Dexter Britain
Iceland: Water, Water, Everywhere
Thanks to Eyjafjallajökull, it is now common knowledge that Iceland is laden with volcanoes. The second thing that in abundance is less obvious: water. The country is an island after all. Given its combination of unique geographical gifts (perched on a hotspot, on top of the American and Eurasian continental plates, way way up in the North), Iceland can be quite a hotbed of earth-porn, so to speak.
Solid
For a girl who grew up tropically-oriented, to be lost in a Land of Ice is nothing short of magical.
Continue reading Iceland: Water, Water, Everywhere
Rocking the Golden Circle with GeoIceland
If you want to emerge a whole lot smarter after a tour in Iceland, here’s a good recipe:
1.) Grab a geologist (or better yet, a glaciologist!).
2.) Make him show you around.
Luckily, we stumbled onto GeoIceland Tours, ran by the very witty Javier — a glaciologist-turned-land-surveyor, who eventually found himself creating his own tour-guide business. From the moment we set off from Reykjavik until he dropped us back home, he rattled on facts one after the other — not just about geology, but also about history, folklore and everyday Icelandic life. There was no lull nor dull moment, I kid you not.
Swept Away by the Amalfi Blue: The Vid
Mountains and beaches, forest trails and seaside drives, luminescent grottos… I don’t think I’ll ever run out of reasons to fall head over heels for Amalfi. This has been my second visit to Italy, and I still think that the Land of La Dolce Vita might be my happy place. 🙂
Sharing the clips I’ve compiled while meandering along the glorious coastal towns. If you want to read the stories behind the videos, just saunter over to the links below. Ciao and enjoy!
– At Amalfi Town: Swept Away by the Amalfi Blue
– At Capri: Capri for One
Capri for One
As we lay down together, legs intertwined, I can’t stop chuckling as I think to myself, “Ish, what crazy thing have you got yourself into now?!”
It may be easy to think that Capri is solely about the ultimate seduction, a haven for indulgence, opulence, and above all, romance. However, being my stubborn self, I sought to find out if it could also have a space for cheapskate solo backpackers like moi. After leaving my beloved Atrani, I hopped on the earliest ferry to Capri.
During the boat ride, I looked at the seats in front of me. Couple. Beside me? Couple. Behind me? Yup, couples on a double date. When we docked, couples shuffled out one after the other. Maybe this was going to be more challenging than I thought. Continue reading Capri for One
Swept Away by the Amalfi Blue
There it is!… Is it real?
Of course!
Nah, it can’t be… are you sure?
Yes, silly, you bought the ticket yourself!
I know that, but… wow, is this really happening?
This was the weird conversation going on inside my head as the bus was making its way to Amalfi Town. A few more seconds, and everything sunk in. This is it. This is the realization of a life-long whimsy. I am being whisked away on a drive along the Amalfi Coast. You know when people say they had to pinch themselves? Yes, I had to do that too.
The sharp cliff drops along the narrow highway are actually more bewitching than terrifying. (Then again, that might just be because of the years of training I’ve had with the suicidal bus drivers from my home country.) As our bus zigzagged through every corner, a new scenery unfolded. Hillside houses and hanging gardens revealed themselves, and the long glistening coast seemed to never end. It was hard not to gawk. Continue reading Swept Away by the Amalfi Blue
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