3 November 2017
26 October 2017
A weekend in cottage country
Usually at the end of September, the autumn leaves are out in full force and people flock to Algonquin to see them in their glory. On the second-last weekend of September, we headed north for the weekend, where the promise of 90-100% colour change was promised; only to find mostly green.
It was still a lovely weekend! The cottage was facing the lake and there were canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats available, and many BBQs to be had.
It was still a lovely weekend! The cottage was facing the lake and there were canoes, kayaks, and paddle boats available, and many BBQs to be had.
29 September 2017
Den v Praze
Day 15
We hopped on the train to Praha hlavní nádraží. Here is where the first word of caution comes - either convert your money before you come, or do it at trusted places recommended by locals. The one at the train station overcharges, and there is even a sign beside it saying to do it at 'trustworthy' places that makes you think they would be one.
We hopped on the train to Praha hlavní nádraží. Here is where the first word of caution comes - either convert your money before you come, or do it at trusted places recommended by locals. The one at the train station overcharges, and there is even a sign beside it saying to do it at 'trustworthy' places that makes you think they would be one.
25 September 2017
Hallo Deutschland: Berlin
Day 13 & 14
I have been wanting to go to Germany for years. I even began learning German on my phone via Duolingo and once the ticket was booked, I promptly stopped...
The first order of business was lunch at House of Small Wonder - read more about it here.
Brandenburg Gate was the first stop, where I finally had to swap memory cards. Sadly, the nearby Reichstag roof was fully booked during our time here, but I highly recommend going. Just remember to book in advance!
I have been wanting to go to Germany for years. I even began learning German on my phone via Duolingo and once the ticket was booked, I promptly stopped...
The first order of business was lunch at House of Small Wonder - read more about it here.
Brandenburg Gate was the first stop, where I finally had to swap memory cards. Sadly, the nearby Reichstag roof was fully booked during our time here, but I highly recommend going. Just remember to book in advance!
24 September 2017
Koningsdag
Day 12
April 27th marked Koningsdag, or King's Day. The monarch's birthday is a national holiday in the Netherlands, and changes with the head of state.
I went to the nearby Jumbo in the morning in hopes that there might be orange tompouce to be found. Sadly, there was not - as we already tried the original, I went for the lime and apple one. It was sadly not as good as the original.
We started our day late and just wandered around the streets of Amsterdam.
We got more frites at a street market - Joppie and Oorlog!
April 27th marked Koningsdag, or King's Day. The monarch's birthday is a national holiday in the Netherlands, and changes with the head of state.
I went to the nearby Jumbo in the morning in hopes that there might be orange tompouce to be found. Sadly, there was not - as we already tried the original, I went for the lime and apple one. It was sadly not as good as the original.
We started our day late and just wandered around the streets of Amsterdam.
We got more frites at a street market - Joppie and Oorlog!
23 September 2017
22 September 2017
Museum day
Day 11
This post will be light on photos as we spent the majority of the day at museums, and two of the three did not allow photography.
We first went to the Anne Frank House. I have always loved reading about the Great Wars, and it felt haunting to see the effects on civilian lifestyle in person.
The next museum on the list was the Van Gogh Museum. It was satisfying to see so many of his paintings in one place, and especially seeing him find his style - many of his first paintings were markedly different.
Sadly, some of his most famous paintings are on display elsewhere; The Starry Night is at the MoMA, while Cafe Terrace at Night was in Otterlo.
This post will be light on photos as we spent the majority of the day at museums, and two of the three did not allow photography.
We first went to the Anne Frank House. I have always loved reading about the Great Wars, and it felt haunting to see the effects on civilian lifestyle in person.
The next museum on the list was the Van Gogh Museum. It was satisfying to see so many of his paintings in one place, and especially seeing him find his style - many of his first paintings were markedly different.
Sadly, some of his most famous paintings are on display elsewhere; The Starry Night is at the MoMA, while Cafe Terrace at Night was in Otterlo.
21 September 2017
Den Haag
Day 10
We started off the morning by heading my sister's place for breakfast. It called for a solo grocery visit where I managed to buy the correct type of butter. Success!
Tea, stroopwafels, and eggs Florentine.
After resting for way too long, we hopped on the train and headed to the Hague.
The weather began off quite sunny, but after walking around for awhile, the clouds took over. At this moment, we saw a cute cafe and decided to head inside. Talk about good timing; the minute we stepped in, the rain started pouring down.
We started off the morning by heading my sister's place for breakfast. It called for a solo grocery visit where I managed to buy the correct type of butter. Success!
Tea, stroopwafels, and eggs Florentine.
After resting for way too long, we hopped on the train and headed to the Hague.
The weather began off quite sunny, but after walking around for awhile, the clouds took over. At this moment, we saw a cute cafe and decided to head inside. Talk about good timing; the minute we stepped in, the rain started pouring down.
20 September 2017
Keukenhof
Day 9
I awoke after a couple hours of slumber, said my goodbyes to Jenn, and dragged myself to the bus stop. Manchester Airport was a disorganized mess and I was so tired after getting through security that I passed out in the waiting area while gripping my luggage.
The flight to Amsterdam went smoothly and I found myself back at a now-familiar Schiphol. I put my luggage in the storage lockers and met up with my family, who had arrived the day previous. We set off for Lisse.
It had been raining in the morning, but thankfully the rain stopped before we arrived. I presumed the crowds were somewhat lessened due to the weather.
I awoke after a couple hours of slumber, said my goodbyes to Jenn, and dragged myself to the bus stop. Manchester Airport was a disorganized mess and I was so tired after getting through security that I passed out in the waiting area while gripping my luggage.
The flight to Amsterdam went smoothly and I found myself back at a now-familiar Schiphol. I put my luggage in the storage lockers and met up with my family, who had arrived the day previous. We set off for Lisse.
It had been raining in the morning, but thankfully the rain stopped before we arrived. I presumed the crowds were somewhat lessened due to the weather.
19 September 2017
Edinburrrrah
Day 8
The original plan was to get up at the crack of dawn and hike up Arthur's Seat; however, we slept late, and when the alarm rang at 4:30am, I was not having it and we decided to sleep til breakfast time.
I elevated my ankle on the edge of my bed, without leg support, and my knee felt like death in the morning. We started out at Edinburgh Castle and found a post office box to drop my postcards. These cards would proceed to get lost around the world; the first one took a month to get to the Netherlands, and the one to Canada took two months after being rerouted from Hungary, while the one to the United States arrived two months after travelling to the Philippines.
The original plan was to get up at the crack of dawn and hike up Arthur's Seat; however, we slept late, and when the alarm rang at 4:30am, I was not having it and we decided to sleep til breakfast time.
I elevated my ankle on the edge of my bed, without leg support, and my knee felt like death in the morning. We started out at Edinburgh Castle and found a post office box to drop my postcards. These cards would proceed to get lost around the world; the first one took a month to get to the Netherlands, and the one to Canada took two months after being rerouted from Hungary, while the one to the United States arrived two months after travelling to the Philippines.
18 September 2017
4 nights on a train
The month of July was spent travelling around Canada with Dan aboard VIA Rail. We were among the lucky 4000 youths who snagged a pass, albeit with some panic and 3AM madness. I'm sure this will be one of the stories we tell young'uns when we're seventy, on our rockers and sipping a cup of tea.
As it was the first day of travel available for those with the pass, there were celebrations aplenty awaiting us at Union Station. They were squeezing every last bit of the marketing they could get from the crowds of youth lining up for hours atop their luggage. We were showered with free candy and sandwiches to keep up our spirits.
We spent 4 days and 4 nights on a train. No beds, no showers, and minimal food available. Misery loves company, and we had a lot of it. It just so happened that our nearby seatmates were travelling solo, and we made friends with them.
Our days consisted of sunrises, sunsets, prepackaged foods, silly games, naps, reading, journaling, and awaiting the next stop so we could stretch our legs and get some fresh air.
As it was the first day of travel available for those with the pass, there were celebrations aplenty awaiting us at Union Station. They were squeezing every last bit of the marketing they could get from the crowds of youth lining up for hours atop their luggage. We were showered with free candy and sandwiches to keep up our spirits.
We spent 4 days and 4 nights on a train. No beds, no showers, and minimal food available. Misery loves company, and we had a lot of it. It just so happened that our nearby seatmates were travelling solo, and we made friends with them.
Our days consisted of sunrises, sunsets, prepackaged foods, silly games, naps, reading, journaling, and awaiting the next stop so we could stretch our legs and get some fresh air.
17 September 2017
Glasgow, made by people
Day 7
It was another early morning as we had a 7am train to catch to Glasgow. Lunch at Bread Meats Bread where a random parade came by as we were awaiting our food.
We then ventured into the city and then spent a lot of time browsing through the Lighthouse. They had an environmental section which took us both back to our undergrad days.
It was another early morning as we had a 7am train to catch to Glasgow. Lunch at Bread Meats Bread where a random parade came by as we were awaiting our food.
We then ventured into the city and then spent a lot of time browsing through the Lighthouse. They had an environmental section which took us both back to our undergrad days.
28 August 2017
Boxed
I hate boxing myself in, I never liked the categories forced upon things.
But at the same time, I realized I kept reaching for the labels I shunned.
But at the same time, I realized I kept reaching for the labels I shunned.
Winding down the summer
Headphones. I have wanted proper headphones for awhile. When I saw this pair, I just got the overwhelming need of fulfilling that goal immediately. It has been bringing me great comfort.
Book. I had finished my first Murakami book about two months ago, and then powered through 3 more between my travels. I cannot recall the last time a book has brought me into its world with such totality. I've been currently repeating the mistake of beginning these books in the evening and finishing them as the first trains begin running.
Nostalgic music. The music of my preteen years were given to me through CDs - and the recent drive through California reignited the love for that music. The task proved harder than expected as the music was not readily available online, and so this undeniable urge made me dig through storage to find my CDs and Walkman.
A great pen. Writing seems to be coming easier to me lately, and I blame this extremely smooth pen for making me constantly crave writing just so I can use it.
25 August 2017
Emptiness
When people ask me if I'm okay, I used to default to saying yes because I didn't want to bring down the mood, bother with explaining myself, or even admit that I wasn't happy. Recently, I've stopped doing that because I realize that I'm really not okay, and pretending to be all the time was just pushing the problem away for another day.
24 August 2017
Tea time in Manchester
Day 6
I decided to take it easy this morning; I had a BritRail pass, so I could take any train I liked and service to Manchester was every hour from London. I woke up and decided to grab some food from the nearby Pret.
The ride to Manchester was leisurely and full of beautiful views. I finally understood the term 'rolling hills' when viewing the English countryside.
I decided to take it easy this morning; I had a BritRail pass, so I could take any train I liked and service to Manchester was every hour from London. I woke up and decided to grab some food from the nearby Pret.
The ride to Manchester was leisurely and full of beautiful views. I finally understood the term 'rolling hills' when viewing the English countryside.
9 August 2017
Gloomy London
Day 5
My first trip to Europe happened in the summer of 2007; now ten years later, I was back again. However, the only place I stopped at again was London; therefore it inevitably made me draw comparisons.
I headed out to the station an hour early; the smug feeling lasted all about two minutes before I realized that going to the UK meant leaving the Schengen area, and therefore, Passport Control.
When we arrived, I realized why people called London gloomy - even during rainy days in most other places, the sun shines through in spots and there are moments of brightness. In London, the skies were depressingly grey and drab, and it made its surroundings appear grey as well.
The first stop was to grab an ankle brace from the nearby Boots. Lights change extremely quickly in the U.K., and coupled with my lame ankle and not being used to the cars being on the 'wrong side', I got beeped at a few times while making my way across.
My first trip to Europe happened in the summer of 2007; now ten years later, I was back again. However, the only place I stopped at again was London; therefore it inevitably made me draw comparisons.
I headed out to the station an hour early; the smug feeling lasted all about two minutes before I realized that going to the UK meant leaving the Schengen area, and therefore, Passport Control.
When we arrived, I realized why people called London gloomy - even during rainy days in most other places, the sun shines through in spots and there are moments of brightness. In London, the skies were depressingly grey and drab, and it made its surroundings appear grey as well.
The first stop was to grab an ankle brace from the nearby Boots. Lights change extremely quickly in the U.K., and coupled with my lame ankle and not being used to the cars being on the 'wrong side', I got beeped at a few times while making my way across.
3 August 2017
Bruxelles, par moi-même
Day 4
This day marked the first of my solo adventures. I have never travelled alone before; the most I've done was take a flight by myself.
I had a 6am train from Amsterdam Centraal to Bruxelles Midi aboard the Thalys. I sleepily lugged myself to the ferry and hopped over to the station. It was too early for me to feel hungry, but I did notice that my ankle, which had felt sore the evening before, had not improved with rest.
The first thing I noticed in Brussels was the security - there were soldiers with armed rifles patrolling the station, and it definitely changed the vibe of the area.
I made my way to my hostel and dropped off my luggage and had a quick catch-up chat. Then I was off to explore!
This day marked the first of my solo adventures. I have never travelled alone before; the most I've done was take a flight by myself.
I had a 6am train from Amsterdam Centraal to Bruxelles Midi aboard the Thalys. I sleepily lugged myself to the ferry and hopped over to the station. It was too early for me to feel hungry, but I did notice that my ankle, which had felt sore the evening before, had not improved with rest.
The first thing I noticed in Brussels was the security - there were soldiers with armed rifles patrolling the station, and it definitely changed the vibe of the area.
I made my way to my hostel and dropped off my luggage and had a quick catch-up chat. Then I was off to explore!
2 August 2017
Living like a local
Day 3
My favourite type of trip is actually going somewhere I've already been before; the feeling of being somewhere different yet familiar.
I often find that the first time I travel somewhere, there is an urgency to see all the sights, eat all the food, and power through a jam-packed day. The second visit is when the urgency disappears, and I can settle in and see all the spots that didn't make the cut the first time around, as well as revisit my favourite spots. I can sit down at a cafe to relax and not feel guilty that I'm wasting time, and I usually end up enjoying myself more.
Another one of my favourite things to do is check out the local supermarket. I find it endlessly intriguing to see what they sell, how they're set up, and trying interesting items.
That being said, I spent a very slow and relaxing day before gearing up for some solo travel around new cities.
We headed to the market area on our bicycles. For a relatively new learner, I actually love bicycling when there are separated lanes, and in Amsterdam, bicycles rule over cars, and even pedestrians. Nothing really beats Dutch cycling infrastructure.
I also discovered a few Dutch foods that I love; tompouce, which is like a mille-feuille but without those pesky other layers of pastry, and Heks Nkaas. This spread from the grocery store, paired with fresh bread from aforementioned store, made for the most delicious meal. Nothing beats just tearing apart a baguette and dipping it in Heks Nkaas... Words fail to describe how delicious this was.
After walking to the ferry to make sure I could navigate the path at 5am in the morning, we made our way home. A bottle of wine was awaiting us at the door; a thank you from the management for the noise from the filming happening next door.
We were pretty full so we ended up having a very late meal; Florence made her own version of Stamppot!
My favourite type of trip is actually going somewhere I've already been before; the feeling of being somewhere different yet familiar.
I often find that the first time I travel somewhere, there is an urgency to see all the sights, eat all the food, and power through a jam-packed day. The second visit is when the urgency disappears, and I can settle in and see all the spots that didn't make the cut the first time around, as well as revisit my favourite spots. I can sit down at a cafe to relax and not feel guilty that I'm wasting time, and I usually end up enjoying myself more.
Another one of my favourite things to do is check out the local supermarket. I find it endlessly intriguing to see what they sell, how they're set up, and trying interesting items.
That being said, I spent a very slow and relaxing day before gearing up for some solo travel around new cities.
We headed to the market area on our bicycles. For a relatively new learner, I actually love bicycling when there are separated lanes, and in Amsterdam, bicycles rule over cars, and even pedestrians. Nothing really beats Dutch cycling infrastructure.
I also discovered a few Dutch foods that I love; tompouce, which is like a mille-feuille but without those pesky other layers of pastry, and Heks Nkaas. This spread from the grocery store, paired with fresh bread from aforementioned store, made for the most delicious meal. Nothing beats just tearing apart a baguette and dipping it in Heks Nkaas... Words fail to describe how delicious this was.
After walking to the ferry to make sure I could navigate the path at 5am in the morning, we made our way home. A bottle of wine was awaiting us at the door; a thank you from the management for the noise from the filming happening next door.
We were pretty full so we ended up having a very late meal; Florence made her own version of Stamppot!
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