My European treat

Hello, fellow bloggers/internet-savvy people/bored citizen!

I've been busy reconnecting with the holiday spirits that I totally ignored blogging for awhile.

I guess that's what people do in order to have more stuffs to write about. On second thoughts, maybe it's just me?

Anyway, my London-Euro trip was so much better than expected - covered 4 countries in less than 3 weeks! Our first stop was London which I'm thankful for cause I've managed to make it in time for Boxing Day - Selfridges and Harrods were (especially) crazy and everyone was literally boxing their way through every possible item that they can get their hands (or feet) on.No wonder it's called Boxing Day!

We then flew to Paris via Gatwick and well, Paris is Paris. A city of love indeed, you could tell by its people (or the many thousand tourists that flocked in). Everyone suddenly became so in love in Paris and there was this air of sophistication which I believe comes from the rich culture, the inexplicably beautiful and historic buildings and a very well-planned system from its metroline to its city planning. We spent 5 days there, 2 of which were completely devoted to sightseeing and I'm happy to say that we've covered Notre Dame, Pantheon, Eiffel Tour, Louvre Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Champs d' Elysee, and of course, the LV house ; ) I've never been in a city where everything is so... nice and proper. Too fairytale-ish for me but I like it noneheless. Everything's so proper that it's even hard to find a fat person in France (they are, after all, well-known for their slim figures) Even their McDonald's serve ONLY coke zero and all the burgers are relatively smaller in size. These Frenchies, they eat in small portions and it shows. The fashion is as proper and high-end as it gets that just by looking at the shops are itself an art - it's all about quality, style and precision. All in all, I had a really good time apart from getting chickenpox on my last day there before flying off to Berlin. Not joking y'all! I guess the chickenpox did agitate me a bit but I'm glad I had gotten it overseas because as my mom said,the cold weather was of big help and it's true. It was bearable and I'm lucky I didn't have fever, flu or anything else.

Anyway, back to Berlin! OMG, I absolutely loved Berlin! And I find it weird cause the shopping was pale in comparison to London and even the buildings were not as grand as Paris, but there's something utterly serene and beautiful about Berlin that I can't possibly put in words. There's just something about the Germans that give you a sense of discipline - something I imagine would derive from their history and hardships and you could tell by it. It was so cool to see Checkpoint Charlie, the Berlin wall, the flea markets and restaurants, but my ultimate highlight would have to be the trip to Potsdam - an hour drive from the city of Berlin. It was said that Brangelina had stayed there for a few months while they settled in Berlin and I could see why they chose Potsdam. Imagine woody scent and naked brown alpine-like trees, clear blue flowing rivers, thick white snow but with the a sunny backdrop that gives the most amazing natural lighting, cross-architectural influences of the Dutch, Russians and Germans. No traffics, no huge shopping malls - just real people in an amazing place.

I still don't know what is it about Berlin that I really like, but I think it's the dark history behind it that although already eradicated, has given the Germans a sense of realness and genuineness that's so hard to find elsewhere.

On our 3rd day in Berlin, we took a train to Prague or better known as "Praha" by the locals (capital city of Czech Republic). Believe it or not, we survived a -22C morning while waiting at the train station in Berlin and Prague was about -10C at night. Prague's such a small city with big wonders. It's one of the few European countries that still maintains their own currency (although Euro's used everywhere). The main tourist attraction is at the heart of the city and it's easy to move about as you could just walk seeing how small it is. Let's just say that it's picturesque - a perfect definition of a fairy tale land you thought only existed in fairy tale stories. It truly is a wonder, especially at night and especially at Charlie bridge which has the best view of Prague and the Vltava river. As if custom-made to be a tourist place, Prague is a tourist's haven and anyone with a knack for antiques/chandeliers/decor/puppets/paintings would fall in love with this place. I sure did! A word of advice, it's enough to stay in Prague for 2 or 3 days max, you'll probably cover almost everything. We stayed there for 2 days, 1 night and it was fun! : ) After Prague, we went back to Berlin also via train and I must say that for those of you planning for a holiday in Europe, traveling by train is a must-do cause you get firsthand experience just like the locals and first-class views that no aircraft could compensate for. After staying in Berlin for a few more days, we jetted back to London again to meet up with my cousins who live there and had the best time ever with more shopping done before heading back to KL ; )

Overall, it's been a very humbling journey right from the start to the end. It's impossible to tell it in words as no justice would be done. There's so much to absorb in that little time I was there but I loved every minute of it. Now I'm so pumped up to travel all over the world and see everything that life has to offer. I'm sure most of you have new years resolution - I don't have any but I do wish for better things to come insyaAllah. And I surely hope that I get to travel more, which means that I'll save up for my Aussie trip 09'! But for now, thanks mum and paps! : )

Happy holidays, everyone!