Sunday, April 24, 2011

London Trip 25 Mar - 2 Apr - Part 2

Day 4 - Edinburgh, Scotland

After the overnight train, we reach Edinburgh, Scotland early in the morning. And it was FREEZING! So cold that we shiver all the way to our last min booked hostel.
We got this hotel booked only a day before we left london as we only manage to get the train tickets when we reach london..
Thank god it was just situated across the train station less than 2 mins walk! We were too early to check in so we need to leave our baggage at the locker which charges according to hours. And we were entitled to the free simple breakfast with only cereal, toast and coffee tea available. We were so happy to be able to connect to internet as there's free wifi at the hostel! St Christopher Hostel is highly recommended!


Our room at Level 5, lucky there's lift! Haha.. Its v small but clean with water boiler and hair dryer available which i was surprised.. Yeah.. then we can eat our cup noodles! Ha...



We walk our way towards the back of the hostel to join a free walking tour.. our tour guide is a young & cute scottish.. many youngsters joined the tour, we follow him walk around almost whole of edinburgh city! He is a great story teller, told us many believes and stories about edinburgh.. Had a great 3 hours tour... its not free afterall, haha.. but if your face is thick skinned enough, it can be free. The free tour is fully base on tipping. We paid total of 20 pounds for the tour... The guide indeed did a good job..


We saw Bobby the dog statue. Greyfriars Bobby was a skye terrier who became known in 19th-century Edinburgh after reportedly spending 14 years guarding the grave of his owner, John Gray, until he died himself on 14 January 1872. Also passed by the cafe which Harry Potter's author JK Rowling wrote the book there daily!
http://www.elephanthouse.biz/


St Giles Cathedral



School of Divinity


Edinburgh old town, Royal Mile


Edinburgh new town, Princes Street where all the shopping is!


Dinner for the nite... baked potatoes! Yummy!


Day 5 - Edinburgh, Scotland

Had the same breakfast the next day at the breakfast area where at night it is converted into a pub..


Went to Cath Kidston early in the morning!


Bought a eco bag and some shower gels, body lotion mini tubes and a brolly!



Lunch along the park.. so relaxing..


Scott monument is the landmark of Princes Street, this victorian gothic monument is to author Sir Walter Scott.


Visited the National Gallery of Scotland. The interior is equally breath-taking as V&A in london but too bad cant take any photos..


Chicken Selects from Mcdonalds and Oreo Krush from KFC for Tea break!




Edinburgh Castle at the top of the hill



Huge seagulls? Not sure are they seagulls, but they are everywhere...


Took a pix with uncle who plays the scottish bagpipe along the streets


Dinner is fast food again... :( KFC Godfather Meal! Haha..


I love H&M! But i've got no strength to bring them all back! So must control hard! Bought a few tops only...:(
Bought a checks shawl for mum.. but think its too thick to be worn now.. its the thinnest i could find there!


Bought Whisky flavoured tea and a smallest whiskey for souvenier...


Whiskey is from Scotland, i dont drink whiskey but bought whisky fudge to try! Haha..


Day 6 - Bruges, Belgium

Took the overnight train back to London and transfer to eurostar to Bruges, Belgium.


Eurostar is not as new as what i imagine.. its very old.. totally different from the movie, The Tourist! Haha.. maybe their one is 1st class cabin...
We need to transfer train from Brussels station to inorder to reach Bruges. The station is huge and messy, we totally had no idea where to board the train to Bruges.. after asking a few unfriendly & rude ppl, finally a kind soul gave us a good direction where to take the train.. And here we are at Bruges!


Took a cab from the train station which cost us 15 euro! Its only less than 10 mins ride! Gosh..
Hotel Ter Reien is a nice and cosy hotel.. its quite conveniently located..

Hotel doesnt have any flask.. end up we paid 5 euro for this set of tea & coffee maker! My god.. we need the flask for our instant noodle... now our noodle cost us 5 euro man!


Very nice scenery just next to our hotel....


Got swans some more!


MTV time! Haha...



Belfry at Markt


Pets were allowed anywhere! Including fast food outlets! Yeah... i had fast food again.. Oh this round the fries was damn good! Belgium is famous of Fries, who say Fries is from France?!


Cute orange scooters for rental


Bicycle is everywhere at Bruges.. ppl travel around using bikes as Bruges is a small town.. i find that there's lotsa students there... maybe there's a college there...


FREE FREE FREE! GRAB GRAB GRAB!
Haha.. Free Vitamin water give away.. grab!
We seriously need a map of Bruges, went to the tourist information centre and found tat its cost 50cents euro for a map?! What the ..., thot maps is free? BUT...we manage to take a free map as they thought we were youngsters students!! The nice lady told us, the map is for youngsters like us! Yeah.. free but cos take la!


White pair is from Topshop 12 pounds and red toms is 36 pounds both from Edinburgh.. Bought the grey one from Bruges.. Its super soft great for my tofu feet!



Longchamp is a must buy from Europe! 54 euro! How can i not buy?! Its half price man! Bought it for mum.. haha share share la...


They are chocolates k!


More chocolates...


Day 7 - Bruges, Belgium

Nice breakfast at Hotel.. crossaint was good!


Walk down to the windmill but too bad is was raining!



This is the most photographed spot of Bruges.. too bad the tree has yet turn green! Look so dull and cold...


Lunch at a restaurant.. we feel that the pasta was instant kind which doesnt taste great at all and the meal cost us about 14 euro per pax.. sigh...


Famous Lace is everywhere


Another thing which is everywhere is... CHOCOLATE shops!!!! Every window is so pretty and cute as easter is coming...


Visited Basilica of the Holy Blood, this chapel contains a phial that reputedly contains Christ's blood brought back from the Crusades. And yes we saw the tube contains the blood... It was only exhibited at certain timing daily...


Cute ducks!!!


FRIES!!!

Dinner at a restaurant, set meal with soup, main & dessert cost 16 euro.. cheapest we could find..
Looks good meal but it taste awful! Gosh... the onion soup is so salty to swallow, the chicken is so tough to chew.. well.. the only good stuff is... the beer!


The fruity beer is really good! And of cos the fries... haha...


Nite scene of Bruges at 9pm.... sky is like 7 plus...



Day 8 - London

Took a bus to train station this round as cab was way to ex..
Alright taking train always has hiccups as the problem is we dont understand their language. A train came earlier than expected to our platform, some PA announcement but we could not understand and we actually carried our bags and wanted to board it. A kind man came over and told us dont board it, the one we should take is the next one!! Really thank the man as we might end up dunno where if we took it!



Afraid that we might be late for our eurostar, we skip breakfast at hotel and had it at Brussels train station instead. Went Quick their fast food outlet for a simple one..



We reach London in the noon.. look, they are counting down Olympics 2012 at London


Lunch at EAT.. Tom Yum Soup! It taste so yummy also its not tat yummy... haha.. cos long craving for spicy stuffs!



As we didnt manage to eat waffles in Bruges end up we had it in london! Haha...


We are at Primark once again! Haha.. bought cheap socks back at 1 pounds each!


Selfridge & Co is massive!! Huge with all the labels u want! Bought a MBMJ iphone case.


Royal Academy of Arts



Nite view of Oxford Circus.. We went Topshop flagship store! Haha.. SUPER BIG! OMG its like a dept store..


My fourth pair from the trip!



Day 9 - London

Breakfast at Starbucks - a muffin and my fave, caramel macchiato!



Tower bridge! Finally right infront of our eyes


Ok, tower bridge and london bridge is 2 different bridges! And i only gotta know when i'm there! OMG... haha..


Military Museum on the naval ship before the tower bridge...


So this is the London Bridge!


Next, we went St Paul Cathedral where Princess Diana's wedding was held years back.. Upcoming wedding of Prince William will be there too..


Too bad it was quite expensive to enter and yet no photography is allowed, so didnt go in...


Vintage bus when on the way to brick lane


Rent a bike, self service


Lunch at Wagamama Jap restaurant


Bricklane is so different.. i wish i had came earlier...


Vintage shops and agnes b were there...


There's lomo shop!

We went to collect our luggage at tube station as we already carried them out early morning so that we dun have to travel all the way back to celia's house...


Priority Area for luggage at tube! Cool...
Bye London!


While waiting at the airport.. sooooo crowded!


Free magazines before boarding..


Haha.. curry again for dinner...


Nice banana cake from emirates


Another meal from Dubai to Singapore flight...
Had a hard time taking long flights! Argh... well, definately a good experience!

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