Lassie on Whose line! >< so cute

Goodbyes in Prague 1

Before heading for Budapest, the capital of Hungary, we will be spending three days in Prague. In these three days, we will totally immerse ourselves in the city that we've called home for the past few months... and as we go along with our daily lives, we bid her goodbye a little at a time...

The most exciting plan for the day was to catch a midday classical concert in the Prague Castle at the Lobkowicz Palace. The performance by the Prague Castle Consort begin at 1 p.m. Some of the pieces included works by A. Vivaldi, W/A. Mozart, A.Dvořák and B. Smetana.

I was just brimming with anticipation the moment the musicians took their place in front of us. I wondered to myself if I was going to be bored or enthralled? After all, it was my very first classical concert. The ticket had cost us around 300 korunas... It was a little expensive... and so I had high hopes!

And then they started playing...

I must confess, I fell in love immediately!

I'm not one who listens to classical music but for some reason, the live playing left me breathless! It was beautiful and painful at the same time knowing that I'll never be able to listen to the exact performance again...

Bravo!

It was like being whisked into another world entirely!

I know I'm being silly but it really felt like a scene from Nodame Cantabile (for those of you who watch the anime, you'll know what I mean)!


After the concert, we had a quick lunch at KFC in Anděl. And then we were off to Petřín Hill on a beautiful sunny afternoon.

There it was, the Petřín lookout Tower!

We decided to climb it for a small fee :))
After much huffing and puffing, we climbed half the tower...

Isn't the view wonderful?

And then we took to the steps again! Ouch more steps = firmer butt (haha :P)


I did it! I semi-overcame my fear of heights! I climbed all the way to the top!!! But I was quivering inside from fear ><

But the view was worth every drop of sweat... not that there were many, because it was as windy as it was sunny!

And then I found this souvenir coin machine in a little corner that my sister Kellie is very obsessed with :)) nope, sorry but I still think its a waste of money to indulge in something like this!

I've heard of a dog eat dog world but its my first time seeing a cuddly hippo chow down on a croco! Holy shit!

Haha... don't be too shocked... I didn't head into some unknown wilderness. It was just some photos that I took at the bottom of the observation tower where there was a photo exhibition.

Isn't he cute? Reminds me of Foxy!

You have to take the funicular to get down the hill... or its a long and sweaty hike downhill...


Ice-cream looks mighty tempting on a warm summer's day doesn't it?

View from the inside of the funicular.

We left Petřín...

And went to see the Metronome, a giant functional metronome, overlooking the Vlatava, in the city center. The 23m high piece was erected in 1991 in the exact spot left vacant by the destruction of a monument of the Soviet leader, Josef Stalin. All around the metronome, young people, and plenty of skaters hung out to bask in the summer sun :))

The was a cord linking the metronome to something that I cannot remember... oops... but the funny thing was that the locals had a "tradition" of knoting their shoes, flinging them up on the cord, and leaving them there to rot for all eternity... I wonder what it means? Maybe it was just a little bit of mischief?
The metronome that I was talking about.

I climbed on the the rail and took my first panoramic shot ever! It was only then that I realised that my phone had that kind of function >< baka!

I found an acorn quietly observing the whole of Prague. Was it lonely being up there all alone? I hoped it didn't mind my intrusion on its silent contemplation...


We bid the metronome a fond goodbye.

And headed for the Jewish Quarter, Josefov in Prague. The first thing I saw there was the Old New Synagogue.

"Most of the quarter was demolished between 1893 and 1913 as part of an initiative to model the city on Paris. What was left were only six synagogues, the old cemetery, and the Old Jewish Town Hall (now all part of the Jewish Museum in Prague and described below).

With only six synagogues, the old cemetery, and the Old Jewish Town Hall the Nazi German occupation could have been expected to complete the demolition of the old ghetto. However the area was preserved in order to provide a site for a planned "exotic museum of an extinct race". This meant that the Nazis gathered Jewish artifacts from all over central Europe for display in Josefov."

Who's Line is it anyway? OMG I love this!

So funny! :)) Thanks to Uma for introducing me to this hilarious stand-up comedy group! Love you girl!

Sweden

We waited for XinYi in the Skavsta airport in Sweden... I was studying French to kill time! JY was folding origami paper boxes! Omg... people were staring at the mess we were creating. Paiseh! JC was doing whatever he was doing. Haha... stoning and looking very bored if I remember correctly!

Meet XinYi the nicest girl ever! She took us to tour her school (KTH) ground and library. She's such a wonderful person!

Such strange looking ice-cream they had in Sweden! We had the Daim flavored ones that my sister told me about! Yummy, super loved it!
We had a delicious and unforgettable barbecue in the cold, cold evening.

Can you guess where we were eating? Just look a little closer!

"Zi pai" hahaha just because I had nothing better to do! Don't you think that JingYi's getting prettier and prettier? Don't need any "Fann-Wong Project" lah!
Oi, oi! Wake up! You're in Sweden! Why look so emo! Enjoy the air, the sunshine, and the company!

The most important metro stop... By the way the metro is called something that sounds uncannily like "tuna-bananna" in Swedish!

And that was an important metro stop because it took us to IKEA!


OMG, we wanted nothing more but to gorge ourselves on meatballs! But the cafe was closed by the time we were there! OMG shops in Sweden close so early! H&M was closed at 6p.m. Can you believe it? By the way I bought a cute dress in Sweden's H&M :))

Our dinner.
"Hey-door" is how you're supposed to say goodbye in Swedish. It's the only other word I can remember. "Hej Hej" is hello by the way xp

By the way we missed our cruise to Finland because we were underaged! Can you imagine?! They told us that we had to be 23 YO and above... damn... haha but the good thing is that we got to spend more time in Sweden

Barcelona? What? Where?

Heh heh to all you people who are wondering where my Barcelona post went to... here's my answer: I was too lazy. >< Ahahaha...

Ok so here's a summary of what I have to say about Barcelona:

1. It was beautiful
2. The locals were friendly
3. Architecture was out of this world
4. I learned about Antonio Gaudi, the genius
5. I had a very salty sea-food dinner
6. It was a my favorite trip so far
   

Dinner and Going Solo

This morning, JC got bitten by the "solo" bug. He was just itching to travel and he did, alone, to Vyšehrad. He spent the entire morning exploring the place taking pictures, and taking in the view, I think (for I was not there with him... haha how could I have known what else he did?). I wish he asked us along, I would have liked to go... but it's okay, I guess everyone needs sometime alone on their own.

So I spend my morning learning French, listening to music (Blue's album) and watching Nodame Cantabile. Jingyi and I had lunch together without JC because he said that he didn't want any. It was a little strange because it was the first time that we were eating without JC who came back at around 2 in the afternoon.

I took a quick nap. I was awakened by the sound of JC and JY discussing something: it was his pictures from his solo adventures. Ah... so that was where he went, Vysehrad! I didn't ask him where he went because it seems like he wasn't in the mood for talking :p Then after that we watched an episode of "house" together! The show is really getting addictive! A very "medical" drama!

After the show, I washed up, dressed and left the house. JC started baking while I was preparing to leave, and JY helped out. Then I was off to Karlovo Namesti to meet XY for dinner! It was my very own "solo" adventure! Haha... okay I was only solo for about 30 minutes. I took the tram, and then the train to Karlovo Namesti. I got there before XY, so I got out of the station and walked to the "Dancing House". It was quite refreshing (and scary) to be out and about in Prague on my own, I really don't mind doing this more often. The freedom and independence can be quite liberating!

Then I walked back to the station where XY and I located each other through a phone call that went:

me: hello, I'm here :)) where are u?
XY: I'm here but I don't see you, did you exit from the wrong side?
me: eh... no... ah I see you!
both: "hangs up"

After that, we went to get some groceries before heading to his apartment. It was a very nice and clean room. It was tidy although the table was cluttered with textbooks (hey it was exam time, who could blame the future doctor in the making?). I was very fascinated by the bookcase that housed the many souvenirs that XY collected.

We cooked dinner together! It was great fun! I learned to peel potatoes using my left hand today... haha... because the peeler was made for left-handers only! LOL... And today, the biggest shock is that I cooked!!! And the food was actually edible!!! My mom would be proud!

After dinner, we chatted over coke and chips ><>

At ten, I was starting to doze off a little, so XY offered to send me home. :)) First time I've had someone escort me right to my doorstep! Thank you for your chivalry :))

You're really too nice to girls. Maybe that's why all those "mei-mei" misunderstand... :p

Okay... that's all for today's happy post! Glad to have found a like-minded soul in Prague. Lets stay in touch even when I'm back in Singapore...

Good night, I'm reaaaallly sleepy... but happy

Just "grin and Bear with it" ;))

P.S.: I dressed up as a doctor today, and my first patient was a teddy bear :3

And good news! I lost a little bit of the weight I gained! At last!!!