And the photos are up! Click here to see some of my photos of Vienna.
The city is magnificently beautiful. Really breathtaking. I’ll make a point to go back someday. Someday. 
Archive for the 'travel' Category
I’ve been to Shanghai countless times and for the many times I’ve been there, I’ve always stayed opposite People’s Square. Having said that, I didn’t know that every day, there is an interesting activity that goes on at the People’s Square park. Maybe interesting is not the right word. Maybe I should say it’s funny. Nah… it’s… it’s CHINA. The things that happen here, in China.
So get this. Picture your parents, or better yet, your grandparents writing up a profile of you, which includes your height, weight, salary, personality, and other relevant information, stick it to the back of an umbrella or a paper bag and showcase that profile of yours in the public park. Purpose? To find you a partner.
Yes. Parents and especially grandparents get so worried about their single children (or grandchildren) not being able to find a partner to get married to. Some of the single people that are showcased here are not young young (maybe in their early 30s), but most of them are around my sister’s age. I mean, mid 20s is still young! No?
The children are nowhere to be seen. Only the parents and the grandparents gather here at the park to do all the work. Some would sent their agents to this activity. There are people who would be showcasing the profiles while others would come by to take notes! There are quite a lot of discussions going on between the parents to get more information about these single people. What I got to understand from my colleagues is that the children usually don’t know that their parents are doing this. I think I would go absolutely crazy if I got to know my parents doing something like that behind my back!
It is a massive activity. Just look at the crowd! How can I not know about something this huge? 
Half the time, we were cracking up over the things we saw at the park. There’s the normal section, there’s a section for the singles that are abroad in other countries, there’s a section where the request is for girls that have never been pregnant before, there’s a whole section for the older crowd etc. It is super funny.
Ahh… the things you see in China.
p/s: 5 more days. I’m getting there.
I learned of the existence of Vienna, Austria when I was about 10, reading about the life of the composers to these songs that I’m playing from the Music Dictionary. I don’t exactly know the location on the map back then, but I’ve always wanted to go to Vienna. Just for the music. Just to go to this place where Mozart, Johann Strauss, Schubert, Haydn, Liszt, Beethoven and this whole lot of composers that I’ve been hearing and playing their songs were once at.
I did some research on the hostels available (coz hotel cost way too much) and found this awesome place on the hihostel website – Palace Hostel Schlossherberge. I told myself that this is the place I should stay the moment I saw the photos online. And I was right. Not only was the environment of the hostel awesome, the people who worked there had been most helpful in every way possible. The beautiful music of Mozart was even playing at the reception counter when I arrived.
Lovely.
Ahhh… Amazing don’t you think? An absolutely breathtaking view. Cost per night with breakfast = €23.20.
On the way to the hotel, I saw the amazing Schönbrunn Palace, a place to visit if one is ever in Vienna. It’s listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with its history dating back to the 16th century. That was the first place I went to after checking in.
First thought that came into my mind upon entering the palace gate – HUGE. Second thought once I got into the palace – Why on earth do these people need to have so many different kinds of room? Do they not get confuse? I bet I would. Third thought as I was going through each room – Empress Sisi sure is one tough lady. And she sure diets a lot! Fourth thought as I walked into the garden – My oh my, this garden is amazingly huge. And amazingly beautiful.
This palace is indeed impressive. So much drama has happened in the past. It was kind of surreal for me to be able to stand on those grounds. Glad that I was there. Oh, and I’m happy I successfully walked through a garden maze and saw how Apfelstrudel (Apple Strudel) was made. It taste absolutely delicious.
One of the biggest thing in Vienna has got to be Mozart. Mozart is practically everywhere. In a park, in a concert hall, in the grounds of Hofburg, at the Schönbrunn Palace once when he was at the age of 6, playing for Maria Theresia and her family. Mozart was even on a chocolate. Yes, a chocolate; the Mozartkugeln chocolate.
But I must say, this treble clef on the ground is pretty cool. I loike.
Anyway, the one thing I know I had to do if I ever go to Vienna is to go to a Mozart concert. I got to know that there’s this one concert where everyone in the orchestra is dressed up in classical clothing. With the white wig and tights. But there were so many of these concerts I really don’t know which to choose. The guy at the hostel helped us out, picking this group he thinks is deemed one of the best in Vienna and place a booking for us. And we were in luck, coz they will be playing at the Musikverein that very Saturday night. It’s like some really super fancy dancy place!
The music of Mozart has never sound more amazing. It was as though Mozart was there himself. Every note that flowed out of every instrument on that very night was breathtaking. There’s really no one word to describe it. You’ve just got to experience it yourself. It’s superb. It’s… Well, it’s just it. I love it. Every moment of it. Worth every penny of my €42.
Since Vienna is all about Mozart, I thought it would be great to go see the Mozarthaus. In search of that place, we got a little lost. I asked one of a passerby and the first thing he said to me was “I can tell you that the Mozarthaus is not here in Vienna”. I was a little confused, coz according to my Lonely Planet book, there is a Mozarthaus in Vienna! He then continued and say, “The real Mozarthaus is in Salzburg. I know coz I’m from Salzburg.”. That part is true. Mozart was born in Salzburg and came to Vienna after he grew up. “But Mozart IS everywhere”, he said as he helped me figure out where the place is.
Not only did I find the Mozarthaus, but I also found the location where the photo on the front page of my ‘Vienna Encounter (by Lonely Planet)’ book was taken.
It’s actually slightly above the door to the Mozarthaus!
Another amazing sight of Vienna has got to be the St. Stephen’s Cathedral. I think my jaw probably drop as I was staring at the architecture of the cathedral. It is so so beautiful. I was most awed by it. There’s some restoration work going on at the cathedral, but that does not stop it from looking majestically lovely. The inside of the cathedral was equally amazing. There was a praying session going on as it was a Sunday morning when I was there. Somehow, there was an overwhelming aura of peace and calmness floating around the inside of the cathedral that morning. Lovely.
Among some of the other places that I visited include the MuseumsQuartier, the Danube River and Stadt Park.
Stadt Park’s pretty awesome. I love the garden clock. It’s so cool. And the park is filled with a lot of different figurines of famous people. Standing with his violin in the pic below would be Johann Strauss. I think Schubert’s in the park as well. Sitting.
Aside from the Mozartkugeln and the Apfelstrudel, another dessert that was mentioned in the Lonely Planet book as well as most websites is the Sachertorte by Hotel Sacher. It was a dessert that was made famous by some emperor simply because it was his favorite dessert or something. And now, Hotel Sacher is said to make one of the best Sachertorte in Vienna. A place that every tourist should go, sit and eat that cake.
Oh, what is Sachertorte you ask? Sachertorte is actually a 2-layer chocolate cake with a thin layer of apricot jam spread in the middle and dark chocolate icing on the top and sides.
So yea, I insisted that I go to Hotel Sacher, sit under the sun at a temperature of 11C and be one of those tourist that comes to Vienna and had to try the Sachertorte. The ORIGINAL Sachertorte. Or so they say. With a glass of hot chocolate.
It wasn’t super duper awesome. Not like a to-die-for-dessert. Not to me at least. But it’s nice. Maybe it’s the environment. The dark chocolate was actually really good. The combination of the chocolate cake with the apricot jam was great as well. Maybe it’s coz I kinda think that the cake is not moist enough. It’s nice. Just not to-die-for. I’m happy I tried it.
Getting around Vienna was super easy. With the buses, trams and subway, it made everything super convenient. People are not generally friendly, but some are helpful enough when you’re kinda lost in between those old buildings.
Would I want to go back to Vienna again? I would, in a heartbeat. No doubt about it. Not just Vienna, but Salzburg as well. I mean, I have to go on that Sound of Music Tour. Really. I just have to. I need to run up those hills like how Julie Andrews did in the movie and start singing in my best possible voice, ‘The hills are alive, with the sound of musicccc…‘.
Okie. I’ll stop singing.
It has been an awesome 4 days. I would love to do this again. To go to Austria.
With you.
Vienna has been awesome. Very awesome. Super duper awesome. It’s a bummer I only had 4 days. I think I’ll want to come back to Austria some day. Not just to visit Vienna, but also to go to Salzburg, just so I can run up the hills and sing “the hills are aliveeeeee with the sound of music…”. And to see the real Mozarthaus.
I’ll blog about my experience in Vienna in a bit. For now, I’ll like to lay back on my little bunk bed and say good night to Vienna for the very last time. Till I come back again.
Nite. 
It is now Wednesday and I’m calling it quits with the meat. Especially after the ribs I had yesterday night! Don’t get me wrong people. I’ve always love meat and poultry. I still love them. The dishes I’ve had here so far taste absolutely delicious, no doubt about it. But 3 days in a row of nothing buy meat for every meal, with potatoes or some boiled vege on the side, I don’t think I’m up for it anymore.
But, the food is YUMS.
Buildings here are generally old, including this old looking restaurant. But the interior was super cool. Nothing but antique stuff being displayed. I know someone who would love this. From old school radios, to camera bags, to old bottles, to clocks. Speaking of clocks, I notice that all the clocks in the restaurant is timed at 11.55. None of them is working, but they are all adjusted to the same time. I learned that in Belgium, the bars are asked to close by midnight and because they didn’t want to close to early, hence all of their clocks are turned to 11.55pm. When the authority comes by, they say, it’s not time yet, it’s only 11.55pm. Interesting eh?
Well, time has been passing by really slow.
*sigh*
I really do wanna go home.
I hate to be on the plane. The pressure plus the smell of the food is nowhere near good. Half the time when I’m on the plane, I’m trying to battle with myself NOT to throw up. Anything more than 2 hours will do me no good. Picture me on a 13-hour flight.
*sigh*
Having said that, I believe the travel sickness pill did do me some good yesterday. At least I didn’t throw up. Not even once. I still wouldn’t eat in fear of throwing up the second I put food in me.
So, 16 hours later, I’m here at the airport, waiting on for the other 2 to arrive before I sit in the car for another 3 hours. I’m chewing on some pickled stuff from home, craving for burgers (please don’t ask me why), thinking how good it must feel when my body touches the bed, can’t wait to smell nice again and basically do nothing until tomorrow. Oh, and go on a cyber date with someone back home.
10.32am CET time. 1 1/2 more hours! COME ON!!
p/s: Honestly, I don’t think I can do this sort of traveling anymore. Too much for me to handle.
I think I’m still tired from the whole US trip. Maybe it’s coz I haven’t been able to fully recover from the throwing up marathon I had to experience the whole time I’m on the plane. 14 hours sure is long. Too long for me to handle.
In spite of all the dramas and the wearing-me-out situations on the plane, I’m happy I went on this trip. I’m happy to be able to just get myself out there, get to know people better (the good and the bad), and basically gaining experiences along the way. Ever since I got home, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about people in general and my career. This, I’ll talk about in my next post. Maybe.
Aside from work, I’ve got the opportunity to do a mini tour around a small part in California. Fun much? Yes. It wasn’t all that bad. The weather could have been better but overall, I can’t complain. It was nice just being there. There, at that moment. So yea.
I’ve uploaded some photos on flickr. Didn’t take a lot, but enough I suppose.
p/s: Next trip in under a week. This one – I don’t know if I can handle it as well. 3 weeks – a month? *sigh* not looking forward.
I’ve always been an Apple fan. Not as crazy as those fanboys, but enough to say that I love Apple. The experience I had today just put my love for Apple up a notch. I think they even made me wanna buy something out of the store!!
The battery of my MacBook has swollen to a state where it is not usable anymore. I was even afraid that it may explode one day! Hence, I had to use my MacBook like a normal PC, without my battery. I went to the local Apple resellers in Penang to ask if a replacement is possible. The answer is no, simply because the warranty period is over and there’s really nothing that I can do about it except to purchase a new battery, which by the way cost a whopping RM560 (or something like that).
I didn’t want to spend that much money on the battery since my MacBook is going into its 4th year. What’s the point right?
When I came to the US, I brought my MacBook along, with the swollen battery. I went to the Apple Store at Washington Square hoping to get the battery at a cheaper rate. As I entered, there were tons of staffs around, assisting the overwhelming amount of customers in the store. One of the staff came up to me and say, “How may I assist you today?”. I showed him that my battery is all swell up and ask if it was going to explode. He said “Oh! It might just explode. Let me get you to the Genius Bar and have someone assist you with this problem.”. This other guy then took my name and asked me to wait for 5 mins and someone will attend to my problem.
True enough, in approximately 5 mins, a guy name Brad from the Genius Bar came up to me and asked me to go to the counter to talk about my problem. I showed him my swollen battery and in just 5 mins, he replaced the battery for me with a brand new one. I asked him how much did it cost, and he told me that it was a replacement at no cost. You hear me, NO COST. FREE. He didn’t even asked me any questions at all. I was so dumbfounded, I couldn’t move and stood at the Genius Bar and said WOW a couple of times before I left. And I couldn’t stop smiling. I was so happy.
The experience at the Apple Store was absolutely amazing. It was total awesomeness. It was an experience that cannot be expressed fully in words. Apple made me feel happy making a purchase of their product. Apple made me feel my purchase with them is an absolute right and worthwhile purchase. And most importantly, Apple made me want to go back and continue buying their products after mine can no longer function. Best after sales service EVER EXPERIENCED.
It was awesome. Awesome. AWESOME. Totally.
I love you Apple, more than before.
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