We backpacked around Europe in May 2003 for about a month. It was Spring, nice weather, less touristy, better rates and longer opening hours for sightseeing. We visited France, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Czech Republic and Italy. We flew with Qantas, from Singapore to Paris. The air ticket was really a good bargain in 2003 –…
Archives for February 2008
Romantic Paris
After about 13 hours of direct flight from Singapore, we finally touched down at Charles de Gaulle Airport. We were a bit disorientated at first, and there were so many people at the airport. We went through the immigration custom very smoothly without any problem linked to the SARS issue from our country. However, we…
Notre-Dame & Hôtel de Ville
Notre-Dame de Paris, a Catholic cathedral located on the Cité island surrounded by the Seine river. It is one of the masterpieces of Gothic art in Western Europe dated back in the 13th century, with stunning stained glasses and a huge interior. The Walt Disney movie “The Hunchback of Notre-Dame” has given it quite a…
Louvre Museum, the World Famous
We were early birds queuing up at the entrance to Louvre Museum on Sunday morning, the first Sunday of the month and it was free admission to all! Louvre holds some of the world’s most famous works of art. It is so big and fascinating! It houses antiques, paintings, sculptures and royal treasures from all…
Montmarte & the Red Light District
After we left Louvre, we adjourned to Montmartre, a hill known for the white-domed Basilica of the Sacré Cœur (“Basilica of the Sacred Heart”) and a nightclub district. It was not all exhausting but somehow enjoyable walks uphill on cobblestones and steep staircases connecting one street to another, with old houses and little parks that…
Arche de la Défense, Sainte Chapelle & Latin Quarter
What a different scene of old Paris at Arche de la Défense (La Grande Arche)! Where are the romantic pathways?! Here is in the major business district of La Défense in Paris. This district constitutes high-rise buildings and though it’s not far from the old city, it seems completely out of place in the city…
Arc De Triomphe, Champs Elysées & Eiffel Tower
The most dangerous shot – we were risking our lives to take this photo!! The Arc De Triomphe stands 49m high, 45m wide and 22m deep. It honours those who fought for France during the Napoleonic Wars and is also the tomb of unknown soldiers. It is an arch of triumph commissioned by Napoléon at…
Château de Versailles, the magnificent palace
Around 3plus, we took a 30-min train ride to Château de Versailles, which is located in the suburb of Paris. It is a very grand palace, with a very big garden. KAPPA??? The last night in Paris. After a few days of having meagre meals on prudent spending, it was time for us to try…
The “Amazing Race” to Geneva
We were in “Amazing Race”. We were confused with the direction to Paris Orly Airport for the morning flight and we were still at the train station waiting for the train to arrive, just 45-min before the flight took off! We were very worried that we might miss the flight to Geneva and we left…
Interlaken Sweet Heaven
We took a train to Interlaken where we were be staying for the next three days. Interlaken is located between two beautiful lakes – Lake Brienz and Lake Thun. Our hostel – Balmer’s Herberge was actually a 15-min walk from the train station to the hostel, but we could not find our way there. Fortunately,…
