SPOTTED!

Something big is about to happen. {Elephant street art by Bonom, spotted in Brussels}


Invasion of the Rubber Duckies. {Spotted at the Fountain of Neptune, Madrid}


Thought clouds. {Spotted in Brussels}


A hot dog keeping cool. {Spotted in Brussels}


McClean, a fancy name for the WC @ a railway station. NOT a subsidiary of McDonald's. {Spotted in Lucerne}

Travel Inspiration

Hola! Look who I bumped into on the streets of Madrid this past weekend...



I’m sure you might have heard or read stories about exceptional individuals who stand out because they have the courage to defy their own disabilities or odds to achieve remarkable feats. Well I met one such person yesterday.

His name is Vladimir A. Yarets - a plucky 70 year old man from Belarus who followed his heart and embarked on his dream to travel round the world on his bike. Oh, and by the way, Vladimir is deaf.

Vladimir started his journey since the year 2000 and has come a long way since. (He's also been to my Motherland, Singapore!) I hope his courage and determination will lead him to fulfil his dream and perhaps earn him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Check out his website to read his story and follow his progress!

Here's to travels!!!

Bragança, Portugal

After exploring the city of Zamora, my original plan was to check out Lago de Sanabria - a lake located within a natural park northwest of the Zamora province. However due to bad weather, we decided to skip that and headed across the border into Portugal to a town called Bragança.

Bragança appears to be an ancient and somewhat remote town with a 12th century castle still standing. Its history apparently dates back to the Iron Age, when Celtic tribes were commonly known to hew sculptures of boars out of granite (purpose unknown). Some of these sculptures still exist in the town.

As the bad weather persisted (plus there really isn’t a lot to see here), I left Bragança after taking a few shots. Here’s some of what I took. I just love the little picturesque lanes lined with houses on each side!

Above: A charming street leading up to the Castle.

Above: Architectural details on a building.

Above: The Castle of Bragança.

Here's one more of those quaint little lanes...

Zamora, Castilla y León

During the recent May Day holidays, I made a roadtrip to Zamora in the Autonomous Community of Castilla y León, not too far from Madrid.

Famous for its Holy Week or Semana Santa festivities, the city of Zamora is rather compact and can be explored on foot within a few hours. The Duero river that runs alongside the city lends a picturesque setting to Zamora's backdrop of medieval Romanesque architecture.

Apart from the old city walls & the old stone bridge, the many Palacios & Plazas, the Cathedral & the Castle, my personal favourite highlights of the city include the very charming street "Calle de Balborraz" and the quaint looking set of watermills "Aceñas de Olivares".


Above: A view of Zamora from across the Duero River.


Above: A sea of red flowers in an abandoned field.



Above: Images of Zamora.


Above: 'Aceñas de Olivares' watermills.


Above: Calle de Balborraz


Above: The Romanesque Church of San Juan at Plaza Mayor.


Above: Another example of Romanesque architecture - The Cathedral of Zamora.


Above: Housed within the restored medieval Castle of Zamora is the city's contemporary art center, displaying the works of local sculptor, Baltasar Lobo.

Not the type of Spanish city that is crowded with tourists, Zamora is a fairly quiet and pleasant place to spend the weekend or from which to venture across the border to Portugal, which I did.

Next up, a short post on Bragança, Portugal!

The Old World Charm of Budapest

After a 7 hour long train ride from Prague, I finally arrived at Budapest, the capital city of Hungary.

Budapest was originally two cities (Buda & Pest) separated by the Danube River. Linked by the very grand looking Chain Bridge, both sides united as one since 1873. Apart from the many elegant historical buildings that speak of the rich past of the city, Budapest also boasts a chic shopping boulevard at Andrássy Avenue and hip (albeit touristy) restaurants at List Ferenc tér, just like many other major European cities.

Its unique attractions however, lie in the beauty of its riverbank views, its thermal spring baths scattered all over the city, its Castle hill, as well as its Millennium Underground Railway – all of which are recognised as World Heritage Sites.

Budapest may not immediately appeal to everyone in that ‘love at first sight’ kind of way. But scratch beneath the surface and you'll soon realise it does have a certain je ne sais quoi quality, a mix of Eastern and Western European charm. Perhaps still a diamond in the rough that is not (yet) as sparkly as its neighbouring capital cities like Vienna or Prague, it nonetheless in my opinion, qualifies to be among the most beautiful cities in Europe.


Above: Andrássy Avenue, the place to go in Budapest for some high end shopping.


Above: Heroes' Square with the Millennium Memorial Monument.




Above: The Széchenyi Bath - the largest Thermal Spring Bath in Budapest - is undoubtedly one of the ‘must visit’ places in Budapest, whether or not you’re planning on using its facilities.



Above: The Vajdahunyad Castle, which is built within the City Park, isn't really a castle. It was initially built for exhibition purposes and it currently houses the Agriculture Museum.


Above: To relive the by-gone era, get underground to check out Budapest’s historic Metro stations and trains (Metro Line 1).


Above: The interior of Menza Restaurant at Liszt Ferenc tér. I love the wallpaper and the restaurant’s chic, retro elegance.


Above: St. Stephen's Basilica. Here at Budapest's largest church, you can take a look at the Saint's mummified right hand, or enjoy a panoramic view of the city from the top.


Above: Hungary’s largest building – the Parliament House - looking splendid on the 'Pest' bank of the Danube.


Above: The monumental Chain Bridge, the 1st one that was built to connect both sides of the city.


Above: The Buda Castle as seen from the Chain Bridge.


Above: View from the Buda Castle.


Above: A street on the Buda side.


Above: Matthias Church, located further up from Buda Castle on the left bank.


Above: The sandcastle-like Fishermen's Bastion, whose terrace offers superb views of the 'Pest' side of the city across the Danube.

And hey, guess what? Budapest is also where Katy Perry shot her ‘Firework’ music video. Go take a look if you’re not already sick of hearing it on the airwaves.

For more of my pics of Budapest, check out my Flickr set here.