Showing posts with label Berlin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Berlin. Show all posts

04 November 2007

Whirlwind Europe

Europe 4-13 Nov 2007



This was a working trip across four countries in 10 days. I worked damn hard to get this going! And when we were there, I was too tired with tying up loose ends, organising people and writing filenotes to go out much. Not that it was very possible given that I had ambitiously arranged back-to-back meetings every day, including lunch and dinner meetings!

Well, it could be worse. Like 10 countries in 10 days! And anyway, we did have some fun along the way..

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Dublin

We arrived on a Sunday so some of my colleagues went to the Dublin Castle. I must have slept for a while cos it was dark when I headed out for dinner *.*

London

We were late for the first meeting due to the traffic and a driver losing his way! It was dark by the end of the meeting so I went to Harrods :p

At one point, a group of us split from the team to meet some chaps outside London. Anu and I smiled for the camera on the way to Fareham :)


And while waiting for the train back, I bought a packet of Walkers! Used to have it so often back in Oxford :)


We were supposed to meet up with the rest at this other meeting place but we had time so we walked a little and took some pictures along the Thames..


We even walked to Downing St but of course we couldn't go into the street. Well, still fun!

Paris

We spent the most time in Paris because of the weekend. On Saturday morning, a number of us went to a flea market where a man selling lingerie took a look at me - with my coat on - and told me my size! *.* I bought a pair of faux leather boots, which fell apart from disuse in Sg...

I didn't want to shop the usual so while the rest headed for the shopping belts, I hung out with my two bosses *.* But it turned out quite fun! LH studied in Paris so she brought us to this very good Vietnamese eatery. The queues were long but we got seats pretty soon, just that they were outdoors in November.. But the soup soon warmed us up :) Then we went look-see at some interesting shops, somewhat like Barang Barang.

We walked quite a bit, and along the way, I suddenly realised the charm of Paris. I mean, I liked it when I was first there back in 1999 because, you know, it was Paris! The second time in 2001 was a different experience but perhaps I was too young to fully appreciate my good fortune. This Saturday really opened my eyes to Paris.

When evening came by, we gathered for a dinner meeting that was pretty informal. So I took a picture of my dinner - beef tartar!


NEVER going to have it again. Not that it was bad - I finished everything - but because it was a bit scary hoho!

Berlin

I was very happy here. Because the end of the (hard)working trip was near!

And Rubber Duckie in the hotel bathroom cheered me up :)

21 July 2003

Central Europe with criss-crossing friends

Germany and Switzerland, 21 July 2003 for some days...


I had no time to sort through my photos after the trip. So the photos have no captions. I have no idea where I'd been! My notes were scanty. Thankful for Google which helped me identify some places.

Click here for some rough notes; no full itinerary...

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Monday, 21 July

I met WX in Berlin. We later took a sleeper train to Munich and stayed with her friend. I remember seeing a group photo there in which a girl looked exactly like me!

Anyway, we took a walking tour of Berlin. It was a very long and informative walk. But of course I don't remember a thing now 🤷‍♀️ 

We befriended two Korean girls and took a picture in front a section of the Berlin Wall


Crazy guide and mf in front of the Berlin TV tower



Tuesday, 22 July

More city tour of Berlin - Berlin State Library (maybe), Red Town Hall, Neptune Fountain.

I had a hard time searching for where we went! Especially the bridge below. I had to search for all the bridges near the Reichstag Building (coz the dome was obvious) and looked at each bridge in turn *.*

Marshall Bridge; flag on Reichstag Building 


Neptune Fountain


Statue at Odyssee Globetrotter Hostel


That was probably our hostel. Back in the day, we used to find student / youth hostels when we visited the more expensive European countries coz poor students. But I think it was only in Scandinavia that we had to bring our own bedsheets... Anyway, only hotels and AirBnB for me now!


Wednesday, 23 July

And we were in Munich!

Took a day trip to the Dachau Concentration Camp. Probably a short trip as we still had time for the Hofgarten.


Thursday, 24 July

Photos tell me I was then in Hohenschwangau, almost two hours away from Munich. Probably took a day trip to the Hohenschwangau Castle?

真的很会跑…… I'm so lazy now (2026)...


Friday, 25 July

Went around Munich - Karlsplatz for the Karlstor (gate) and fountain, Marienplatz and the Asam Church.

Fountain at Karlsplatz - check out the Lonely Planet in my hand!


Travelled to Lucerne later in the day. My photo of the Lion Monument was a bit dark... By this time, I had split with WX.

Chapel Bridge, Lucerne



Saturday, 26 July

Went to the Glacier Garden. I have a vague impression of this place - either coz it was odd to see a glacier at this part of the continent or it was just underwhelming... But I must have had fun in the mirror maze coz I had a number of (bad) photos there!!

Carrying my backpack on the Reuss Bridge in front of (maybe) Balthsar House


Many bridges this trip...


Sunday, 27 July

I reached the top of Europe!

Reading online now, I think I must have made shitloads of transfers to get there. Yes, really 很会跑 when I was younger... I was also excited now (2026) to think that I might have passed by Grindelwald then - that's too much Harry Potter :p

So, yes, Jungfraujoch!

I was so underdressed!


Thankfully it was summer and it wasn't too cold despite the snow. But it was so cloudy that I couldn't see a thing...

I don't know what's behind me but it looks cool to be that near a peak, haha!


Ice palace - I think this was rather cold...


On the way down, saw people hiking in the snow in the distance!

Ok, getting warm


Probably transferred train at the Kleine Scheidegg Railway Station at that point coz still in the mountains... Must have spent some time there while waiting for my train - walked around quite a bit to take in the views, saw Little Billy Goat Gruff (yes, it's got a bell!) and chatted with a German family. The teenage boy was learning Mandarin and was excited to speak with me!


Monday, 28 July

I arrived at Montreux and went to the Chillon Castle. Probably passing by the city actually...


Tuesday, 29 July

And I arrived at Geneva. This had to be my destination after Junfraujoch as I wanted to go to CERN - I was (maybe still is) very nerdy. But I now realise that I have no photos at CERN!!!

I'm very sad... I already feel sad sometimes when I think of that trip and I was steps away from crossing the border into France but I just returned a wave to the guards from far off and walked away. 

Hmm... Is any of my kids interested in visiting a nerdy place like this?? :p


31 July or earlier back in Oxford

I have no photos on 30 July so that could be travelling day? I don't know. Maybe one day I may dig out my old passport to have a look at the immigration stamps.

Worthy of mention is that my keys also took a trip. I met WX, passed her my keys. She passed them to YX when they met in Prague (which I went to two years before) where YX was doing his summer school. Then YX arrived at Oxford before I returned from my trip, stayed at my place and I came back like the day before he left?! 

Of course I didn't remember the full story - met YX and Kel in last month (March 2026) and YX reminded me that he had earlier came to my place to store some of his stuff before continuing his Europe trip! Yup, those were the days :)

Here's us enjoying a drink in my room