Having "Me" Time

Here's a light story to start off the week and welcome March!  February is just saying farewell after a mere 28 days.  Don't you love it?  For those who look forward to getting their salary, this is a great month :) It comes early :)  The story I want to tell today is a true story that you should all take note when you visit Vienna or any other German speaking country.  It's about two very simple yet very important words:  Herren, Damen . I remember this like it was yesterday.  I was sitting at Central cafe with a group of friends I had just taken for a walk around the Stephansdom and the Hofburg.  We were tired and what better place to rest than at Central cafe.  We ordered hot chocolate, coffee, and apple strudel. While waiting one of my friends had to go for natured called.  I waved her towards the bathroom and didn't think much about it.  It was just behind the painting and easy to find.  The rest of us sat...

I love food, I love markets, I love going grocery shopping.  The variety of produces that now abound in our supermarkets (as a result of trade) is heaven.  There is everything you could possibly want but nothing beats going to an open air market.  Europe has a culture of these markets and if you love markets, in Vienna you must surely go to the Naschmarkt.  Naschmarkt is one of the most popular market and stretches out roughly 1.5km along the Wienzeile.  It's a long walk, but you won't feel a thing being absorbed with all the produces that buildings that surround the area.  If you are an art nouveau fan like I am, you can combine the trip to the market with a visit to the Secession Building and the Wagner Apartments .  The Secession building was designed in the "Jugendstil style" and has a motto on the facade which translated says "To every Age its Art, to Art its Freedom." I am drawn to this windowless whi...

There's a church in Vienna that is often not on the list of sights to visit for tourists who have limited time in the capital, but one I'm glad I visited.  Karlskirche .  I passed by it often on the way here and there around Vienna and one day I said, I must go.  It looks like a place worth visiting and it was. This church dates from the time of the bubonic plague that devasted most of europe.  It's name Karlskirche because Emperor Karl VI vowed he would build a church to St. Charles Borromeo (who is apparently patron saint of the plague) when the plague ended.   The architect, Johann Bernhard Fischer von Erlach won the design competition and the church was built in a rich Baroque architecture.  Its no wonder.  He was also the architect of Schoenbrunn and that too was Baroque. Going offtrack for a moment, I love the fact that the Austrians had design competitions hundreds of years ago.  The result...

If you want to see a palace that looks like those in fairy tales where princesses and princes roam about in beautiful buildings and halls, then walk around in their fancy dress in a majestically beautiful garden, I say go to Schonbrunn Palace.  This is one of my favorite sites in Vienna.  Schonbrunn was the summer residence of the imperial family and dates back to 1695.  The palace itself was commissioned since then, but it wasn't completed until 1730.  It has lived through wars and seen deaths.  It was Napoleon's headquarters from 1805 to 1809 and it was here that Emperor Franz Josef died.  It was also here that Emperor Karl I abdicated from the throne in 1918. History came and passed by here.  In the olden days, this must have been considered far for the Viennese and outside of the city.  I imagine carriage trips through fields and hills, but now the city has grown and it is easily accessible by bus and underground.  A su...

Imperial Vienna is a city that is rich, very rich in both history and culture.  Just visit the Hofburg or the Imperial Palace and you will understand what I mean.  The palace is a complex comprising 10 or more buildings and is reflective of the six centuries of Austrian rule.  Now, most of it has been converted into museums whilst part of it has been turned into the President's office.  Lucky him to be working in such a beautiful building. I don't know where to start, there's the Albertina Museum which houses one end of the complex and is home to one of the world's finest collections of watercolours, prints and drawings.  There, I saw breathtaking peices by Durer, Rubens, and Michelangelo to name a few.  I was also lucky enough to be there during the Munch exhibition an got to see some of the most famous works, "The Scream."  If you are bored of the prints or they aren't really your taste, you can also walk around some of the newly renovat...

We leave Vienna for a day.  While unpacking boxes (yes I'm still not done) I came across a couple of old poems I wrote while in highschool.  Tonight I want to share with you one called "Time."  Let me know what you think!  Thank you and have a great end to Sunday :) TIME Time. What is it really? No one knows. An invention, an idea, A practical tool To communicate, To name a part of history. It seems endless But yet, There must be an end. There must also be a beginning. When did it all start? No one knows. We are all followers. Followers of time. We live by it, We work by it, That is our life. Our life, governed By an idea, A concept Called Time.

Amidst the boxes I'm happy I finally found my box of photo CDs.  I'm delighted the DVD reader reads them well and the photographs are still there after almost a decade.  I shall have to back them up.  With digital cameras, I take more pictures but print less and then end up losing some when my harddisk crashes. Technology.  Looking through my Vienna photos, I am reminded of the coffee culture there.  There are cafes or "Kaffeehaus"  on almost every road.  Each with their own atmosphere and their own unique style.  Stories abound as to how it all started.  Some say when the Turks were defeated in 1683 they left bags of coffee,  hence started the coffee culture in Vienna.  Fascinating.  Now coffee is known worldwide. I have two favorites in Vienna.  Cafe Demel and Cafe Central .  Demel is wonderfully beautiful and dates from 1786.  The Hofburg towers above the small road from Demel at Karntnerstra...

It's the weekend and we all must dine.  I love long weekends where I have the time to meet friends, hang out and just enjoy eating good food.  Life is great at this point.  When we travel, we also must eat good food.  For me, travel and good food go hand in hand.  To experience a culture fully, you must eat the food they eat and enjoy the entire experience.  One of my favorite restaurants in Vienna which is frequented by both locals and visitors is the "Figlmueller." Opened since 1905, at Figlmueller you can have one of the most famous "Schnitzel" in Vienna.  I drool just thinking about it.  What is this weird sounding food called "schnitzel"?  It is basically pork tenderloin which has been pounded until very thin.  It is then put into a batter and topped with breadcrumbs before being fried.  It's served with salad and potatoes. You can have schnitzel almost everywhere in Vienna, but what makes Figlmueller so...

If you've been to the Stephansdom, you've been to Vienna.  It's located at the centre of city and is a landmark you cannot and shouldn't miss. Not ever.  Some liken it to the "soul" of Vienna and I must say I agree.  It is to Vienna like what the Eiffel Tower is Paris.  It is a symbol that once you see it, you know that you have arrived in Vienna. My first impression of this awe-inspiring Cathedral is implanted firmly in my mind as if I had first seen it yesterday.  (Actually, its been a good couple of years).  As in any european city, the tourist spot is almost always at the old town square.  The ones in France and Belgium had their own characteristics with buildings around a square as did the ones in Italy.  Vienna was different. The State Opera House was my start and from there I walked down Karntner Strasse.  It was a beautiful wide cobbled stone road.  Cars are forbidden in this pedestrian area and large beautiful...

My virtual trip to Vienna is starting, and I have to admit that I too am excited about it.  It makes my heart beat faster and my face smile.  Like every trip, its the anticipation that gives us the most joy.  The first area one must visit while in Austria is definitely the old town.  Most of the action happens here and almost everything worth noting is around the this district number 1 (Vienna has 23 districts).  The old town is the centre of Vienna and everything else revolves around it.  I spent a good few months wandering around the area, taking buses, trams and doing a walking tour of the place.  Only by foot can you really learn about a city.  Learn its streets and see its culture.  My recommendation for everyone's first visit is to head towards the Ringstrasse before walking through the Old Town.  It gives you an idea and orients you about the city.  What is it?  The Ringstrasse is a circular bouleva...

What better month to start my virtual trip to Austria than in the month of love?  Amongst the number of european cities I've visited, for me Vienna, Austria was by far the most romantic city of all.  Even more romantic than Paris.  You could wonder if it perhaps depended on whom I went on the trip with? My answer is no.  These were cities I went around exploring on my own and cities I grew in love with.  Don't get me wrong, I love Paris, but somehow I love Vienna more.  It's one of those things you just don't know why, but you do. To understand a city, one must first know a little of its history so here's a brief primer.  Originating as a Celtic settlement before turning into a major trading center under the Babenberg dynasty, the city became the Imperial city of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  The empire ruled from the 13th century to the 18th century and spread from modern day Italy to Russia and even encompassed Bosnia.  Thr...

Tonight is my third and last post on Valentine's for the year.  No more for 2011.  What else can I write about when the day we have been looking forward to (or dreading) has finally arrived?  I think overall it was a good day, or perhaps I am a little biased and always towards the positive side.  I somehow felt that today was filled with more "positive" energy than on other days.  On facebook since early morning, people were wishing each other "Happy Valentine's Day," sending out words of love.   On the streets and in my office, there were people receiving bouquets of flowers and looks of happiness filled the air.  People were smiling everywhere. On my way home, I unintentionally spied two guys staring each other in the face while a girl stood by.  I think there was something going on there, but then it was going on for love.  There'll probably be lessons being learnt tonight about love and relationships, but then that's all part of li...

It's that time of year again when couples walk hand in hand and everywhere you go there are red roses and heart shaped goods for sale.  Everything is in "chocolate."  Chocolate hearts, chocolate bears, chocolate drinks, and chocolate flowers.  Tomorrow, flowers will be everywhere and looks of happiness from those who give and those who receive.  Those without, might just choose to escape somewhere far away from all this heart wrenching mess. Yes, its a huge marketing fiasco out there every Valentine's and sometimes it gets a bit too much, but I have to say that there is some merit to it. For many who dare not mention words of "love" on other days, Valentine's sounds like a good opportunity.  It gives one an excuse to reach out to those who matter to us.  It basically gives one a good opportunity to overcome our "fears" and just go do it. What da heck, everyone is doing it!  Although it could be said to apply mostly to youngsters a...

This morning as I awoke I noticed something different in the air.  It wasn't bright and sunny and the air wasn't heavy.  Before I could look out the window, I heard the sound of rain pouring down on Bangkok.  How wonderful it is.  After days of humidity where the air was so heavy I had trouble breathing, I'm glad the rain has come.  It feels like a whole new day and what a wonderful way to start off Sunday. Sunday is my favorite day of the week.  It's always the day when things seem to go on at a slower pace after the hectic weekday and the busy errand filled Saturday.  Some shops are closed on Sundays and it reminds me of my childhood days in Europe.  There Sunday is church day and most of the shops do close.   It's family day and time to just have quality time with those you love.  Bangkok is trying to make Sunday family day too.  Therefore being the Sunday before Valentines' Day, remember that it's not only a day of love...

Tonight I decided to study my map of Bangkok.  I know it sounds funny since I've lived in this city for years, but I have to confess that I usually only go to the areas I am used to.  I know how to get to places and what directions to go, but there are certain areas in Old Bangkok and across the river that still are a mystery to me.  It becomes like another world.  A criss cross of roads that run in random directions.  They are not all thoughtfully planned out in blocks like in the US.  Old towns have their uniqueness. I learn more than I thought I would from my study of the map.  I learn that the oldest road in Bangkok "Charoen Krung" actually runs adjacent to the river and curves along with it.   I also learn that the wholesale markets of Sampeng and Paohurat (Little India) which exists actually have canals probably dating from ancient days running straight from the main Chaophraya river uptowards the wholesale market area. ...

The weather has turned and it is no longer cool and breezy in Bangkok.  The cool wintry air has just vanished just like that.  Instead its hot and humid.  I don't like this weather and will probably never do.  I wonder if anyone actually likes this weather or that they one day simply get "accustomed" to it like the way one can get "accustomed" to noise. Anyways, whilst walking to lunch and thinking to myself how awfully hot it is in Bangkok and how I wish I could be somewhere cooler, I walked past a beautiful tree that was full of pink blossoms.  The blossoms fell around me as I walked and in that brief moment I forgot about my complaints and the hot weather. The flowers were beautiful.  Pink and blossoming.  The wind brought them down and they floated down through the air and onto your hair.  They silently fell onto your path softly sprinkling it in baby pink as if it were icing on a cupcake.  Its hard to miss this path of pink. T...

I like libraries.  Ever since I was young, it would be somewhere we went to each weekend, and thus started my love of books.  At home we have so many books, we could start our own library.  However, nowadays I seem to read a lot fewer books compared to my younger days.  My reading is usually done on the internet or on my iPhone.  I should really go back to books... Anyways, if you read a lot of books and don't want to have to buy them all, in Bangkok we have the Neilson Hays Library which has been around since 1869. Wow. 142 years. 142 years is a long time to have a building still standing in Bangkok.  As most of our houses were built of wood, many buildings have been lost to fire and flooding.  Neilson Hays Library , built of brick, still remains. I've driven past this library on Surawong road more times than I can remember, and every time I tell myself I have to go in and check it out.  I finally did.  Now I can cross it off my ...

In a city of roughly ten million people, there are people almost everywhere you go.   Crowds of people move here and there and the din of noises ring in your ears. Bangkok is a bustling urban city.  It's easy to just get lost in the crowd.  However, in Old Town Bangkok, time seems to stay a little more still.  If you want to escape to somewhere quiet (other than your own home) where you can spend a good couple hours, sipping tea and reading a good book,  I say go to the Bangkokian Museum Tea Salon . In my previous post, I wrote about the Bangkokian Museum which is housed in a 1930's house, but I have yet to tell you about the Tea Salon.  Now don't expect something fancy with air-conditioning and wi-fi and a range of snacks.  This tea salon simply occupies a corner of one of the wooden houses.  There are a couple of tables for you to sit and a few chairs.  What I do love about it though is that you c...

Sometimes you stumble upon unexpected things that really are very pleasant.  I guess this is what you call "Serendity."  It reminds me of the movie by that name... Anyways,  as it happens upon our "walk" around Old Town Bangkok, we passed by an unconspicuous house with a sign above saying "Bangkokian Museum."  We had never heard of this place and never intended to visit it, but since we were already passing by we thought, "why not?"  We weren't in a rush to go anywhere, so lets just explore it. And so we went in.  To our surprise, this house comprised of a fairly large compound comprising of three houses and a row of shop houses on the side.  Two of the houses and the row of shop houses had been turned into a museum by the owner (72years old) who is now residing in one of the houses.  It was like we went back in time.  The garden was green with an old wooden gate. The houses were built of wood and in a style that reflected...

Happy Chinese New Year!!! :)  Gosh another year has passed and gone before you know it :)  Today is the third day of the festivities and the Chinese say today is the day of "travel" and of having fun, so I thought I'd share with you some more of my travels and wanderings around Old Town Bangkok.  Before that though, I thought it'd be fun for us to go car free every once in awhile.  Just for fun.  Just to explore. It's amazing how going car-free on somedays can really open up your world.  The other day, walking around the Charoen krung road with Alex, we realized (well he did actually)  that the reason we were able to go around like we did was really due to the fact that we left our cars at home.   How so?  Leaving our cars behind gave us the opportunity to walk around anywhere we want without having to worry about parking. Most importantly, we also didn't have to go back to get the car.  We just walked wherever we s...

We are creatures of habit.  I'm a creature of habit and once you're accustomed to something, changes affect you whether you realize it or not.   Moving house this time I realized for the first time how one could get accustomed to living with 'noise' in centre city.   I lived at my condo for a decade, next to the skytrain and a busy main road.  Though the walls were thick and not a sound could be heard from neighbours, sound waves travelled up almost 20 stories to my window.  Sitting my room, I'd hear sounds of the skytrain rolling by until late at night.  Sounds of motorcycles and cars zooming by seem to somehow travel upwards and straight to my window.  During New Years, if the office building opposite me had a party, I could hear the karaoke and the announcements.  Sounds of construction across the road penetrated my wall of glass. They all became background noise that I didn't care about. At this new place, I'v...