Back from Vienna

Hi, people! Had a great time in Vienna and then when we got back, I had to work 2 days straight, so haven't had time to do anything much. I didn't use the internet at all during our trip to Vienna, so when I got back my mailbox was flooded ha ha ha...

Anyway, the weather in Vienna was around 14-20'C during the day while we were there, but it could still drop down to 8-13'C during the night. One day it rained for hours (light rain), but on other days it didn't rain. The last full day we spent there was the hottest ever. There were almost no clouds in the sky and it got up to perhaps 20'C. We got some tan after spending hours in the sun. One of the highlights of the trip was that I could meet my Hungarian friend who was in Sodankylä for a year as a volunteer worker. The last time we met was probably 3 years ago at least he he...R2 knows her, too, so it was fun having lunch with our acquaintance. Plus she got to tell us some places and shopping street that she frequented. :-D

We stayed in Adagio Wien Zentrum and we found that it was a really nice hotel/apartment with a small kitchenette, a fridge, a microwave, coffee maker, etc. etc. etc. As per someone's recommendation in tripadvisor, I requested a room on a higher floor, facing the river and they manage to get us just that even though the management couldn't really promise us that when I sent my email (we stayed on the 8th floor).

We got a bit confused when we were in the lift, though...here's what the panel looked like:

So we went in and tried to press on 8, but couldn't find it, so had to read the panel first before we realized that D = 8 HA HA HA...and when we tried getting back down to the lobby, we also had the same problem 'coz we tried to find 0 in the panel, but turned out we had to press E.

Here are some pics of the room and the shower:

Here are the views from our room windows (I could open the windows and sit on the ledge to take pics HA HA HA HA HA...).

I aimed my camera to the right side of the window, then the left side, then the middle part. The white building with a dome on top is an observatory.

Notice the lit up rooms in the observatory pic above? In the evenings they held some kind of dancing lessons or exercise lessons there 'coz I've seen dancing women as well as some women doing stretches on mats. :-D

Here's a view of the hotel lobby (photo taken while we waited for our cab to drive us back to the airport):

One bad thing about staying in Vienna is that we couldn't watch any movies or TV series 'coz everything was dubbed in German, except some BBC channels and some news channels. Doh!!!

Here's a pic of me with flowers right outside the hotel. I was SO SO SO happy to be able to see so many blooming flowers around me ha ha ha ha ha...

Our conclusion after Vienna trip, though, is that we still LOVE Budapest more than Vienna. We feel that Budapest is a nicer place - plus cheaper, too!!!!(click on Budapest to read about our trip there last year) Plus we could still watch movies or TV series at night after we got back from roaming around the city ha ha ha ha...but anyway, we're THANKFUL to be able to go on this holiday and we've made many more travel memories together. I'm gonna share more photos later in several posts.

Budapest Video Clips: Gellert Hill Area

As promised, here are three video clips that I took around Gellert Hill area. The first one shows the Freedom Bridge, the Central Market Hall, and Gellert Hill before we cross the Freedom Bridge and climb the hill. Here it is:



The second video clip was taken when we had reached the top of Gellert Hill. Pardon R2's weird mimic in the beginning. He thought I was taking a pic of him instead of a video ha ha ha ha...



Third one was taken from another side of Gellert Hill (after we walked past the huge statue of the lady holding a leaf) and the sun had already started to set by then.



OK, hope you enjoy the videos. If for some reasons you can't open the links, here they are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuFbo2T-s3g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x272JQPNof4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrfdNeu1xiE

Budapest Trip: Gellert Hill

OK, now let's continue with my travelogue, shall we? We went to Gellert Hill after going to the spa, which was a HUGE mistake ha ha ha...but then again there was no other time to go there. The view from up there was just BREATHTAKING. Just be prepared to walk up so many stairs to get there, though ha ha...

As you can see from this pic below, we have to get to the top of the hill on the left side of the picture where there's a statue of a lady (click the pic to view a bigger version):



We were ready to cross the Freedom Bridge to get to Gellert Hill. Here's a pic of R2 with the bridge:


Now we started climbing up the stairs...


'
After about 10 minutes, we were finally up there!!! I've taken some video clips, but I'll upload them in a separate post, OK? Here are some views from the top.



Back there on my left side there's a resto, but we didn't go there 'coz it was a bit on the expensive side. Besides, I was craving for some Chinese food hi hi...





We wanted to wait until it got dark but it was so windy up there and it got cooler and cooler plus I got hungry already, so we decided to walk back down. When we got down, we took some pics from the bridge:




Hope you enjoyed the pics, people!!! And HAPPY EASTERRRRRRRRRRRR to you who celebrate it! :-D

Two More Highlights in Budapest

Before I continue showing you more pics, I forgot to add these two highlights in Budapest:

1. ISIS Day Spa.

We're both VERY satisfied with the spa experience. We chose a couple's package for two people (1.5 hours - Cleopatra bath plus 60 minute massage). After walking around EVERYWHERE for a few days, our feet were in need for some relaxation he he...

From the front, the place looked small, but it was very cosy inside (and VERY clean too!!!). In the beginning we had to fill in a form first (allergies, etc.) 'coz it was our first visit there. And we also had to choose which one of us wanted a masseur - I chose a masseuse, whereas R2 chose the masseur. The Cleopatra hot bath was very relaxing and we got to choose our own drinks (R2 chose wine) ha ha...

The massage was similar to our spa experience in Bali, though (unfortunately) the BEST massage experience (not spa experience 'coz the massage wasn't done in a real spa) we ever had was in Singapore. Remember the "triple price" lady??? (click on the link to read it if you haven't read it yet)

Anyway, we felt so relaxed and our bodies felt (plus our feet) MUCH lighter after the bath and massage. It was just SPLENDID. The only thing I thought the place could do better is cover up the window of our massage room to make it darker. We were there at around 1 pm, so the sun was shining so brightly inside and I felt that I'd feel more relaxed if the place was "darker" (like the spa in Bali or in Bandung where they closed the blinds and turn on some candles).

But all in all I'd recommend this spa. Definitely. :-D

Our probably worst massage experience was in Rhodes 'coz their massage wasn't that good, though the spa was the loveliest ever and the price included rain shower and steam bath and sauna, but I prefer getting better massages than being in fancy spas that don't provide too satisfying massages.

glitter-graphics.com

2. Treehugger Dan's Bookstore and Cafe.

In the hotel we stayed in, they had this magazine filled with different lists of restaurants, bookstores, etc. and I noticed this used English bookstore (click on the link above). We went to the one in Csengery Street. There were SO many books there and I would have bought more than two, but we still wanted to look around other places and I didn't want to burden R2's back with more weight (he was the one who carried a backpack) 'coz he also bought one book. And as you know, books aren't exactly that light to carry, esp. if they're thick ones.

I bought two English novels. Each one cost 900 HUF (around €3.3). Many of the used books are still in very good shape, so I really enjoy browsing there. If I ever go back to Budapest (I think we may just go back there again someday), I'll make sure I go back to that store, as well ha ha ha ha ha ha...

OK that's all for now. I'm pretty tired now so I'm gonna rest and relax. Take care, people!!!

Budapest Trip: Labyrinth

FIL update: He's doing better now, but the doctor has told MIL to apply for a place in the old people's home 'coz he said that MIL couldn't possibly take care of FIL all alone in their apartment anymore. After all, now there needs to be at least two people to help him change position or things like that. So it doesn't seem like he can go back home again. :-((( Keep on praying for them to be able to get the peace beyond understanding to accept the things they can't change, please...

*******************************************

OK, now let's continue with our Budapest trip. As promised, in this post I'll talk about Labyrinth, an underground maze located in Castle Hill area. Our tour guide told us that it'd be more thrilling to go there after 6 pm 'coz then we had to take a lantern to walk through the maze, so we stayed in that area until 6 pm before we went there. The ticket price is 2000 HUF (around €7.5) per person, but we felt that it was REALLY worth it. We were there for an hour he he he...However, don't take the labyrinth too seriously 'coz some objects are really like for jokes only he he...

After paying our tickets, the only bad thing was that the receptionist didn't tell us to take some lanterns (the lanterns were on the other side of the receptionist's desk) so we entered without taking any. Not long after that we realized it was REALLY pitch dark there in some parts 'coz there were no lights at all, so we had to go back to get a lantern (we didn't take two 'coz one of us wanted to take pics, so it was more practical that way). I have to tell you, though, that it was really thrilling 'coz they put some sound effects there that made the whole experience felt so eerie hi hi hi hi...I wouldn't have gone there alone, but it was SO MUCH FUN going there with R2.

In some parts there were dead ends and maps. I let R2 guide the way and pick the way 'coz I'm not that good at reading maps ha ha ha ha ha...OK, before boring you all with the details, let me share some pics...


Goofing around in the dark...



In the pic below, R2 was posing with the backside of the same statue that I posed with in the above pic.



See how dark it can be? The photo below was taken without flash. In some parts it was almost impossible to see the details of the statues without coming close to them with your lantern.


This one is a VERY HUGE half-sunk head he he he...It was VERY dark in this part, so when I put the lantern closer to it, we were stunned to see this HUGE head hi hi...

Actually we missed one small, dark passage after passing through this huge head (we thought it was a dead end) so we went back to the place where there was a map and we went back here. A couple of women also experienced the same thing - they were confused. The dark passage that we missed was located in such a corner that if we didn't come VERY close to it with our lantern, it would be invisible to the eye. Crazy R2 told me that he thought it'd be more thrilling if nobody could bring a lantern along he he he he he...



Here's a little comparison (not the best comparison, but you get the idea):




The pic below was taken with night mode (no flash). Looks so eerie, eh? ;-D


R2 wanted to pose like that just for fun HA HA HA HA HA...I managed to cut off the lady's "paws" 'coz it was a narrow aisle and I couldn't really see well. I took another (better) pic, but R2's facial expression had changed, so this one is funnier he he...


This one below is supposedly some kind of forever running wine, but we weren't supposed to taste it. I didn't want to taste it, anyway ha ha ha...


OK, that's a wrap for todayyyyy...hope you've all been doing well there. Next week I'll be busier with work, so we'll see when I can continue with my travelogue. Take care, people!

Castle Hill Area

Before I continue with my travelogue, just in case some people are wondering about FIL: he's still in hospital. They still haven't found out what's wrong with him. His inflammation gets better one day and then two days later it goes bad again. The same goes with his blood count. Tomorrow I'll hear more from MIL so we shall see. It doesn't seem that he's going to be back home soon, though.

OK...now let me share some pics of Castle Hill area. It's such a vast area with many places of interest, so we didn't get to visit all of them. We were still tagging along with the Free Budapest Walking Tour, remember? Here we were, crossing one of the bridges connecting Pest and Buda (Pest is a flat area, whereas Buda is hilly), following our tour guide.


View from the side of the bridge that we passed by:



Beautiful sunny day, eh? ;-D In the below pic, we've already crossed the bridge and we were going to cross the street to go up to Castle Hill area (on the right side of the tunnel there are steps going up there, toward the point where the bird statue is).


Here's a zoomed-in pic of the bird statue:


Ta-daaaa...we were finally up. It's nothing compared to going up Gellert Hill, though (which I'll write about in another post). The view from the top: you can see in the middle of this below pic some railings for funicular, but we didn't go up using that 'coz going up the steps wasn't too hard anyway. Besides, they say it's expensive to go up using funicular.


Another view from the top:


A pic of us with Danube River as the background:


Zooming in on the Parliament House:


Then the tour continued and in this pic you can see the tour guide assistant demonstrating something. Yep, he was rubbing the horse statue's balls. Unfortunately none of my pics show the balls clearly, but they're VERY VERY shiny. It's believed that if you want to get "extra abilities in bed", you have to rub the balls with BOTH hands. Only one guy in our group did it after the demonstration hi hi hi...


Here's another side of the statue:


Here's a pic of Matthias Church in Castle Hill area. Too bad it was being renovated, so we couldn't get in:


Then ended the tour in front of this beautiful castle, Buda Palace:




Here's a pic of me near the castle. We spent quite some time up there enjoying the view. I have taken many more pics but I'll share them later on before the post gets too long ha ha...


Before we ended the tour, 'coz it was lunch time already, the tour guide and assistant asked if we wanted to go have lunch with them in a local canteen, so half of us went with them. We wouldn't have known the place if we hadn't gone along with them 'coz it was located in a secluded second floor of a building.

The menu didn't have any English translation, so the tour guide and assistant helped us. I had rice, grilled chicken, beet, and a glass of Coke and it cost 1490 HUF (around 5.6 Euros). Sorry no photo 'coz we were STARVING (the tour went longer than 2.5 hours and 'coz we walked everywhere, we deserved a BIG lunch hi hi...R2 had pasta, curry chicken, and a glass of Coke and it cost almost the same. They're both VERY spicy and delicious. Oh, and they offered also chili sauce, so it was really GREAT hi hi hi...

I'll end this now and next I'll write about Labyrinth (an underground cave with dark tunnels). Stay tuned!!! ;-D