Land Trip - Europe (Day 44-45: Madrid, Spain)

13 Sept 2011 (Day 44)

Took the train early in the morning from Barcelona and headed to the Capital of Spain - Madrid.

I felt a lot safer in Madrid because I heard a lot of horror stories about Barcelona. Be careful if you want to go to Barcelona. It is known as Europe's pickpocketing capital!

Anyway, I love Madrid! Compared to many other European cities, Madrid do not have many so-called "Famous Tourist Attractions". But I like the culture, lifestyle, people, and FOOD here! Only thing I didn't like: the weather!! It was super hot! Almost like Singapore, just that it wasn't humid.

Despite the heat, Madrid is definitely one of my favorite cities.

After I checked in, it was already 1pm.

Walked around to explore the Spanish Capital.

(Opera House)

 (In front of the Royal Palace)

Oh, I like their street signs! (See below)

It is so cute, don't you think? It all comes with illustrations as the background.

(A street in Madrid)

Then I found a SUPER Good place for FOOD!!! The place is called Mercado de San Miguel and is one of the oldest covered market in Madrid. Almost 100 years old! 

There are 33 stalls inside and you can just go walk around to buy food from different stalls and sit at bar stool to eat. If there isn't any place, you stand and eat! I really like the atmosphere there.

(Mercado de San Miguel)

I was looking around and I was certainly spoilt for choice. So many varieties of meat, seafood, cheese, vegetables, fruits, and drinks. Spain is known for its cured meat (preserved meat). And it is eaten raw. I went to the stall and the queue was long. I even had to take a queue number to wait for my turn to order!

It was definitely worth the wait because the meat was simply yummy!!! Quite salty though. But of course, salt is the major preservative used.

(Eating cured meat)

While I was eating cured meat, the aroma from the next stall was overwhelming and I just had to check it out. They were cooking beef steaks and beef patty. The beef burger was the cheapest item on the menu so I ordered that. And it was yummy too! Very juicy!

(Eating beef burger)

Mercado de San Miguel is a place that I would want to go again. I think I can spend a few hours there just trying all the food and chilling out. You should visit this place if you ever go to Madrid.

(Plaza Mayor)

As if I have not eaten enough, I went to a restaurant near Sol Metro Station to have lunch! It was recommended by the hostel staff. The food here is definitely one of my top 5 favorites during this trip! The waiter was really friendly and the food was really good! With good service and good food, what more can you ask for? (I know, more food.)

Even before I started ordering, I was already given a free plate of chicken wings & drumsticks! Not bad huh? 

(Lunch at Alhambra Restaurant)

Spanish food tastes quite similar to Asian food, so maybe that was the reason why I loved it so much.

Went to CaixaForum to see the Vertical Garden designed by Patrick Blanc.

(Vertical Garden)

Nice?

(Gran Via - "Broadway". The main street in Madrid)

I went back to the hostel and watched a Football match between FC Barcelona and AC Milan. The match was at Nou Camp, and I was there the previous day! Quite funny to watch a Barcelona match in Madrid. They are arch rivals just in case you don't know.

14 Sept 2011 (Day 45)

I thought about where I wanted to go today and couldn't find a place that I really must go. So I decided to go to the Santiago Bernabeu - home of Real Madrid C.F. 

As I was walking into the stadium, I saw a familiar face. Yes, it was unmistakable. It was.....it was.....Christiano Ronaldo! I waved at the most expensive player in the world and said "Hi". Christiano Ronaldo then winked at me! I could totally melt in that instant!

Then I realised that I was melting because of the blazing hot sun!!! And I got out of my hallucination! Hey, don't blame me. The sun was so hot that I think my brains was scorched. In circumstances like this, hallucinations are normal ok?

 (See, I told you I saw Christiano Ronaldo!)

 (Can you see? "Jesus in first place")

 (I was doing my job as a Manager)

 (I was focusing on the match. See my Assistant Manager beside me?)

 (Then I had to do a post match press conference. Not easy being a Manager you know!)

After all my duties with Real Madrid CF, I was feeling hungry. I liked the food so much at Alhambra Restaurant that I had to go back there again. This is one of the very few restaurants that I went back a second time during this whole trip to Europe.

 

This time, I ordered Paella, a typical Spanish Cuisine that originated from Valencia. It is the yellow rice dish in the middle of the above photo. It looks like Nasi Briyani and tastes like Nasi Briyani. They are similar yet different. And the difference is subtle. 

Spain is also known for one other thing -- Bull fighting. I took the Metro and went to Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. This is a famous bullring in Madrid and is regarded as the home to Bull fighting in Spain.

Unfortunately for me, the bull fighting season is during the month of May. So I could only see the exterior of the bull fighting arena. 

(Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas)

I went back to the hostel to pack my stuff and caught my train at 7pm. Took an overnight train to Paris, France! 

After experiencing the culture, lifestyle, people, and FOOD in Madrid, MY LIFE WAS NEVER, EEEEEEEEEEEE.................................EEEE.............................EEVER, THE SAME, AGAIN!!!

Email to share

Hi everyone!

I know that I've travelled for 64 days but I've only blogged up to Day 43 and uploaded video up to Day 16!

I am excited to share with you the rest of my Land Trip in Europe so give me some time to update as I settle back down in Singapore (and eat all the local food I can to gain back the 5kg I've lost!). 

For now, I would like to share with you an email that I received from one of my students whom I met in 2009. He is now taking "A" Levels. I received his email on the 14th of August, when I was still in the Asia leg of my Land Trip to Europe. 

I felt encouraged after reading his email and thought of sharing with you. Here it goes:

Good evening Peter,

You must be wondering who am I :)  I was one of your student back in 2009, the 3days Dr Ernest Wong's study camp in Fu Hua Sec.

I have been reading your land-trip journal since you have started writing it. What an interesting experience to have in life. Just by reading the words and flipping the photos, i feel like i am doing it too. I must say GOOD JOB to you and i'm into this idea as well. I may go for a trip like yours after my "A" levels. Hope you can share some tips with me by the time comes.

Waiting for your next post, while struggling through this 3 months for my 'A's. I believe i can! With all my hard work put in. That's what i learn from you :) Never lose faith!

and life will never..... eeee....ver be the same. 

Thank you!

Best regards,

Song Rui

I'm glad that I've inspired him. And hoped that I've inspired you, too.

After reading his email, MY LIFE WAS NEVER, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE.....................EEEEE................EEVER, THE SAME, AGAIN!!!

Land Trip - Europe (Day 43: Barcelona, Spain)

12 Sep 2011 (Day 43)

Went to the home ground of the Spanish & European Champion - F.C. Barcelona!

9:40am. Arrived at Nou Camp but it wasn't open until 10am. Walked around the huge stadium and took lots of cheesy photos to kill time.

10am. The gates opened and thousands and thousands of fans rushed into the stadium to get tickets! No. There wasn't. I joined around 20 people in the queue to buy entrance tickets. 

Went in and the first place that all visitors will enter is the Museum and Trophy Room.

(Nou Camp)

The Nou Camp is the largest stadium in Europe with a seating capacity of 99,354. However, when I was there, it didn't feel that big to me. Not sure why.

I am not a Barcelona fan so I wasn't particularly excited to be there. I was just glad that I was there. After all, it is one of the most famous stadiums in the world!

Barcelona was going to have a Champions League match the next day with AC Milan. So a lot of preparation works were going on and some areas were closed to visitors. Players dressing rooms included. What a waste! Otherwise, I could have gone into the place where Lionel Messi changed and showered. Ok, that sounded wrong. But hey, he is a former FIFA World Player of the Year (2009) and arguably the best player in the world today. So it will be nice to go to the place where he was before and after his match right?

Barcelona is one of the most interesting cities in the world. It is vibrant, full of life and has remarkable architecture throughout the city. The architecture really makes it interesting. More specifically, Barcelona is well known for Gaudi architecture. Antoni Gaudi was a renowned Spanish Catalan Architect and most of his works are situated in Barcelona.

So I went to Parc Guell, a garden complex with architectural elements designed by Gaudi. It is situated at the top of a hill and it was a long walk up. The good thing was that there were escalators at the side of the hill to help you ascend! Of course, I still had to walk up a good portion of the hill and it was really steep.

(Parc Guell)

Then I went to the most famous work of Gaudi - Sagrada Familia. The irony is that his most famous work is still uncompleted. Construction of the church began in 1882 and Gaudi took over the project in 1883. When he passed away in 1926, the project was still less than 25% complete! Now, after more than 100 years, it is still not finished!

 (Sagrada Familia)

Construction works are still going on and the estimated year of completion will be in 2026 or 2028. This must be the longest church construction ever!

The busiest and most lively street in Barcelona is La Rambla. This is a famous tree-lined pedestrian street that is mostly occupied by tourists. I heard that there many pickpockets in that area so I walked down that street pretty quick.

(La Rambla)

Took a stroll along Passeig de Colom, which is a wide avenue lined with palm trees near the port. It was a scenic stroll.

(Passeig de Colom)

Then I had Spanish food at Euskal Etxea, a stylish Tapas bar in the heart of old town Barcelona. I ate Pinchos, which composed mainly of hams, cheeses, other meats or seafood served on a slice of bread held together by a toothpick. This is a typical snack of the Basque Country. It was good! Considering that Pinchos are usually eaten as an appetizer, it was filling for me and was like a main course! 

(Eating Pinchos at Euskal Etxea)

Then walked along the beachfront boardwalk. It was a beautiful long walk.

I heard that there is a Magic Fountain in Barcelona that has a stunning light, water and music display. However the "performance" only happens on Thursday to Sunday. I was there on a Monday. So I saw the fountain without the Magic.

(Magic Fountain)

As you can see, the sky is getting dark. Took the metro to my hostel. Cooked some eggs for dinner and rested for another night in Barcelona.

I have no idea how long I walked in Barcelona that day. But I knew that I was walking 90% of the day! The only times I wasn't walking were: when I was eating and when I was taking photos. Tired...

Need to rest before catching a train to Madrid the next morning!

After experiencing Barcelona, MY LIFE WAS NEVER, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE...........................EEEE...................................EEVER, THE SAME, AGAIN!!!

Land Trip - Europe (Day 42: Cannes-Avignon-Barcelona)

11 Sept 2011 (Day 42)

Spent the whole day traveling from Cannes to Barcelona.

Train ride after train ride after train ride. There were a couple of transits too. 

One of the transits was at Avignon, France. Well, I did not know about the place much but since I have an hour, I decided to take a walk outside the train station.

Wow! I didn't know that there were so much to see there. Apparently, Avignon is famous because it is the city that the Popes fled to during the corruption of Rome in the 14th century. The palace they built, "Le Palais des Papes", or the palace of popes, is the world's largest Gothic edifice. 

(Notre Dame des Doms)

 (Le Palais des Papes)

At that time, I just walked and walked and took photos. I didn't know what I was seeing but the place seemed touristy. I was rushing because I didn't have much time. It is an interesting place because of the buildings, structures and architecture there. The city is surrounded by walls (ramparts) that are still there today. A very fortified city indeed.

Ran back to the train station after a short excursion in Avignon and continued the journey to Barcelona.

Arrived in Barcelona, Spain late at night. Walked for 10-15mins and found my hostel. ZZzzzzzz.....

After stumbling upon the impressive city of Avignon, MY LIFE WAS NEVER, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE........................................EEEE.................................EEVER, THE SAME AGAIN!!!

Land Trip - Europe (Day 41: Cannes - Nice - Monte Carlo)

10 Sept 2001 (Day 41)
3 cities in a day!

Cannes, France

So after sleeping at 7am, I woke up at about 10am.

Went back to the train station to go to Nice.  

Nice, France

Arrived in Nice in less than 30mins.

Nice is not nice. I mean, Nice is very nice. But it is pronounced as "Niece".

Nice is really nice. It is famous for its pebble-stoned beach. The whole stretch of beach is covered with pebble stones instead of sand.

The beach in Nice is popular for sunbathing. And many ladies were sunbathing topless! It was my first time at a "topless sunbathing beach"! Since this is a PG-rated blog, I can't show you pictures that are not supposed to be shown.

The view is really nice! I mean the beach and the Mediterranean Coast, of course.

Walked along the beautiful beach some more and I went back to the train station. Now, off to Monte Carlo.

Monte Carlo, Monaco

The train ride from Nice took less than 30mins. And I arrived at the home of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix! 

Monaco is the second smallest independent state in the world and is the land of the rich and famous. Of course, Monte Carlo is known for its casinos and its beautiful coastline.

 (See my yacht over there?)

 (A section of the F1 Monaco Grand Prix circuit - In the tunnel)

 (Monte Carlo Beach)

I walked a around Monte Carlo for a few hours. And the place is like nothing I've seen before. The pictures and videos that I've seen do not do justice to the city. You have to go there to see it!

The city is beautiful. Even the cars are!!! Everywhere I went, I saw super luxury cars. It is no big deal there. It is common! Very common. I think Monte Carlo has the highest concentration of luxury cars in the world.

Went to Monte Carlo Casino, which is the most famous and the main Casino in Monte Carlo. This was also the location of a few James Bond movies. I wanted to go in to have a look (not to gamble!) but there was a entrance fee. I didn't want to pay for that. However, just by walking to the ticketing booth inside the building, I could see its splendor. It is very grand. Just like a palace.

Monte Carlo is a glitzy place. But there are certain places that are relaxing and quiet. I like that! A lot. 

For those of you who are car-racing game junkies, Monte Carlo is often featured as a location in the video game series, Gran Turismo.

Took my Ferrari (I mean the train) and went back to Cannes.

Cannes, France

It was about 7pm when I arrived back in Cannes.

Cannes is not Cannes without the Cannes Film Festival. It is the most prestigious film festival in the world and it takes place in May every year. After going to the Venice Film Festival, I'm just excited to be in Cannes.

I went to Palais des Festivals, where celebrities and stars gather and watch films screened during the film festival.

(Palais des Festivals. I'm standing on "the red carpet"!)

 There are 22 steps leading up to the entrance.

(See the moon at the background?)

Walked along the world's famous street - La Croisette. It is just beside the sea and is known for its luxury hotels and boutique shops.

(La Crosisette)

There was a World Yacht event going on.

Beautiful huh?

After exploring Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo in one day, MY LIFE WAS NEVER, EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE......................................EEEE.......................EEVER, THE SAME, AGAIN!!!