The Winter Explorer, part 9

After historic Italy, we traveled to Switzerland. The whole day of December 30 was for travel. It's interesting pa rin cause we're going back to seeing snow-capped mountains, and frozen waterfall. We also passed an 18km tunnel. Imagine, parang dalawang Philcoa-Sandigan Bayan na tunnel. Ang tagal namin sa ilalim, kakatakot nga e.

Lake Lucerne

Our next stop is Lucerne, Switzerland. We there by boat, cruising Lake Lucerne. We got to see beautiful views of the lake and of Mt. Pilatus where we'll be going up the next day. Ang ganda ng lake, malamig sa taas! May mga mountains, and may mga magagandang bahay near the lake na may mga sarili pang winery. We were also able to see Richard Wagner's old house which is now a museum.

Lion's Monument

Just before going to the hotel, we visited the Lion's Monument. It's a very moving sculpture of a lion close to dying. It reperesents the soliers who fought to dead during a certain war, sorry nakalimutan ko na.

Because of the very long ride, we just took a rest and ate McDonald’s for dinner.


The next day, December 31, we're set to visit Mt. Pilatus. We dressed in so many layers to be able to handle the cold. First, sumakay kami ng gondola, cable car na 4 lang ang kasya. We got so so so great views going up the mountain. Meron nga mga bahay natatanw na parang di mo na alam kung pano sila nakaka-uwi kasi parang walang road.


After the small gondola ride, we rode another cable car na 40 pax ang kasya. Ang saya kasi pagsakay namin as in wala, zero visibility na! Tapos sabi ni Sharon, meron daw dip. E since di namin makita ang nasa labas, there’s no way of telling kung kailan yung dip. Tapos surprise na, nagdip na! Ang astig pag nagkaka-break sa fog, nakikita namin na super steep pala yung terrain.


When we got to the top, everything was white. As in ang lamig! So, sandali lang kami sa labas, pumasok na kami agad after pictures. Medyo nagkaron ako ng stressful moment dito kasi akala ko nawala ko yung phone ko. Akala ko nahulog ko dun sa gondola. Sabi ko pa sa sarili ko, “Wow, sa Swiss Alps ko pa nawala ng phone ko!”

Our ride going down was more pleasant because the sun was up and the fog cleared a bit. So, the view was much nicer. And I found my phone in the bus!

After Mt. Pilatus, we had lunch at a traditional Swiss restaurant that showcases traditional Swiss music. We had cheese fondue, and bavarian sausage with potatoes. And our dessert is ice cream with the swiss flag pa.


Na-try pa namin yung Alp horn and yodelling. Maganda yung music kasi super folk music tala. Tapos ang dami nilang instruments, merong saw, merong coin sa bowl, ek ek. Siguro walang magawa sa mountains ang mga swiss noon.

After lunch, we walked around Lucerne, did some shopping. Not much cause since it’s New Year’s Eve, the shops closed at 4pm, and not to mention napakamahal! We also passed the historcial Chapel Bridge, na 300 years old na yata. Ang saya kasi there were swans and nice birds swimming, ang sarap mag-picture. We even saw some crazy groups who jumped in the icy river.

We just relaxed for the rest of the afternoon and got ready for our New Year's Eve dinner.

Next entry: Paris

The Winter Explorer, part 8

Florence

The last stop for our tour of Italy is Florence. Its local name is Firenze kaya naaalala ko tuloy yung centaur sa Harry Potter.

Before going to the city proper, we stopped at a viewing area to get a group photo of all the participants of the tour. We also got to take panaramic shots of Florence. Belissima!

I find Florence so homey. It's really really nice. It's the birthplace of the Rennaisance and home to three of the best artists of that period--Michaelangelo, Raphael and Leonardo da Vinci. Pero ang pinakabida sa kanilang paningin ay si Michaelangelo. Di nila type si Leonardo kasi mas nagstay si Leonardo sa France at medyo war sila ni Michaelangelo. According to Michaelangelo, sculpture is the highest form of art. Sabi naman ni Leonardo, it's painting. So, ayan... rivals sila!

The highlight of our visit to Florence is a tour of The Accademia Gallery. Bawal na naman magphoto--but it really worked out well cause we had a very good local guide--so feel na feel mo na naman ang history.

We saw works like The Rape of a Sabine Woman by Gambologna. This piece is specifically made by the sculptor not for his interest with the topic but simply to compete with Michaelangelo.

Next we saw the works of Michaelangelo. He only sculpts Carara marble. The first set we saw are called "slaves" because they look like they're trapped with their limbs still unsculpted. Ang nangyari daw dito, ki-nomission ng isang Pope si Michaelangelo to do a really big piece. So ito naman si Michaelangelo nagplan mag sculpt ng mga around 20+ pieces na mga higanteng tao, mga apostles yata plus other characters. E nagbago ang isip ng Pope, nafrustrate ngayon si Michaelangelo! Syempre, di na nya tinapos!

Nandon din ang 2nd Pieta na ginagawa nya at di natapos. Isa pa 'to sa mga frustrations ni Michaelangelo kaya one night e nagalit sya sinira nya! Nabiyak biyak ang leg ni Jesus Christ. Critics also say na may gumalaw ng sculpture na to kasi may mga imperfections.

All the while na dini-discuss ng guide namin ang mga unfinished works ni Michaelangelo, we can see from the far distance the magnificent David. We had to concentrate really hard from turning our heads to see David.

Grabe, the sculpture is so magnificent. As in magkaka-crush ka talaga kay David. He's so handsome and his body is in perfect symmetry and form. Michaelangelo chose to sculpt David right before he throws the stone to Goliat--a contrast to convention of sculptures showing David already defeating Goliat.

The details of the sculpture are really superb. Pati yung mga veins sa kamay nya kitang-kita, the abs, mga curls sa buhok, yung kuko, and the intense stare of pure concentration. Dahil sobrang tangkad at ganda, nakanganga lang kami talaga lahat.

Sa sobrang bigat ni David, nagsa-struggle na ang ankles nya.

Dapat daw sa church sya ilalagay pero when Michaelangelo unveiled the sculpture, nashock ang simbahan because Michaelangelo chose to focus on the human part, the anatomy and the heroic side of David. He did not portray David as a follower of Christ. Kaya ayun sa labas na lang sya.

St. Mary of the Flower

After the Accademia, we went to see St. Mary of the Flower Cathedral. It's really a beautiful church. Its primary colors are pink, green and white. Just like a the rest of the churches we've seen throughout this trip, it's also full of details and sculptures.

Lakad lakad lang kami around, at super dami talagang arts stuff--sculptures, fountains, etc. We proceeded to Piazza de Sta. Croce and that's where we met our tour director. Malapit na nila kaming pakawalan to shop! Hahaha! Ang mga primary goods kasi sa Florence ay leather and something else na di ko na matandaan! Our whole group went to Peruzzi--the premiere leather good store the whole of Italy. We saw a demonstration of gold casting on leather. From Peruzzi, I bought a leather jacket, my mom bought one too; my dad, shoes and my sister a briefcase. Investment ko na yun kasi panghabambuhay naman ang leather. Ooooh! It's so soft!

After shopping, we just rested at the piazza. It's nice to watch the people just walking around. There were fellow tourists who were taking photos of the church while the sun was setting. There were also a group of young boys playing soccer/football.

At dahil sa nadistract na kami sa pagsho-shop nakalimutan namin pumasok dun sa small museum sa tabi ng Sta. Croce. Nandun pa naman ang tombs ni Michaelangelo and Dante. Oh well.

Our dinner that night did not include any singers--thank you very much! It was still your traditional Italian dinner na super tagal at super dami, but we were glad to use this time to bond with our fellow tour participants. It's really nice to talk with them, learning about their countries and sharing things about the Philippines too.

Ciao ciao ciao Italia! We're off to Switzerland!

The Winter Explorer, part 7

After the visit to St. Peter's Basilica, we went to a gift shop where we bought lots of rosaries, books on Rome and The Vatican, etc. I bought a rosary for myself and Momon. They had it blessed inside, then they delivered it to the hotel.

It's already around 1130 and we rushed off to see the Trevi Fountain. It's the famous fountain where you throw coins and make a wish. Ganito raw: you hold the coin in your right hand, then throw it over your left shoulder. Pag gusto mong mag-asawa, 2 coins. Pag naman gusto mong makipaghiwalay, 1 coin. Nagjo-joke yung mga kasama namin na mga single na limang coins daw ang ihahagis nila! Hahaha.

Trevi Fountain

After some pictures, we had a good lunch of pizza and gelati. Sarap!

We walked a good distance again to see The Pantheon. It's a huge temple with really tall columns, and ancient writings. It's lucky to have survived any disaster, war destruction, etc. It's a dome with only one whole on top--the only light source for the whole structure. The light from the hole, cast into the dome walls, moves around everyday. It is precisely in the same spot as the hole every August 15. Dito yata binase and Julian Calendar. Also, Rafael's tomb is inside the Pantheon. O di ba! Sosyal!

The Pantheon

The Pantheon

After The Pantheon, we went to see Piazza Navonna. Sayang kasi nire-reconstruct and main fountain kaya may harang na tarps and scaffoldings. Mabilis lang kami dito kasi wala naman masyadong nangyayari.

We rode the bus again for our final destination--The Colosseum!
O wow! It's really a dominating structure! Imagine, to build something like that in those days! With all the videos about the Colosseum--Gladiator, Rome of HBO--it's like living in a movie! Feel na feel mo ang history!

The Colosseum

Yun palang word na arena is derived from the word "rena" meaning sand. Kasi once nagpatayan na yung mga tao and animals doon, they needed something to cover and absorb the blood immediately. They didn't have time to wash it, at super baho. So, they used sand! And yun na ang naging pangalan--arena!

Yung arena mismo, wala na yung flat surface. Nakikita na yung mga compartments sa ilalim where they house the animals and the gladiators. Our guide said that it took so much money holding games--with all the exotic animals they had to import from different countries, etc!

Hay.. Roma! I guess that's really the feeling you get in Rome--everything is ancient. You can't help imagining the people of those times roaming around, walking the same streets, building the structures--standing in the exact places where you're currently standing. I kept on touching the stones, the walls, para I get a feeling of history that I can take with me.

For dinner, we went out again to a restaurant where there's a soprano and a tenor to serenade us. Maypagka-Tito-Vic-and-Joey lang ang pair na ito. Mas focused sila sa pagpapatawa kaysa sa pangkanta. Meron pa silang style na kunwari aakitin nung girl yung mga lalaki tapos papagalitan sya ng guy, tapos hahabulin sya ng kawali--all while singing in their operatic voices! Meron ding mga musical instruments na pinapa-play sa mga visitors, nakakatawa pero chaos talaga. Hahaha! AND! At the last moment---nagbenta sila ng CD! Arruy!

Arrivederci Roma!

The Winter Explorer, part 6

The drive from Venice to Rome is a long one. We left Venice at around 815am, drove back up north passing the Tuscan region, and arrived at Rome at 4pm. After a short rest, we went out for dinner and a tour of Rome to see its illuminations.

The tour started at the Campadoglio. We walked for a while and saw the ruins of the Forum, the old apartments, first shopping malls, “wedding cake”, and other buildings. We had our dinner at a restaurant right across the Colosseum.

The Colosseum , by night

We had a duet serenade us for the night. They sang traditional Italian songs—those that we usually hear in Italian movies. Nakakatawa lang kasi after the performance nagbenta sila ng CD—16 euros per CD! Kumusta naman yon?! There was also this super pretty waitress, her name is Estefania. Ganon sya kaganda, natandaan ko talaga. Sayang lang e hindi ko napicturan.

After dinner, we made one more stop—the St. Peter’s Basilica. It’s so nice to finally see the basilica after seeing it so many times on TV. From where we’re standing, our tour director pointed the Pope’s Balcony and his Dormitory. There was also a very tall Christmas Tree in the square, which made everything look so festive.

St. Peter's Basilica, by night

We went back to the hotel a bit late cause the dinner took so long. We were told to take a good rest and prepare to take a long walk the next day.

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Today is HISTORY OVERLOAD!
For our tour of Rome, we had a local guide named is Ziggy. She's good, but not so great. Masyado kasing madaming details and it’s so hard to listen to the earphones while walking on a busy street. Nonetheless, I think she made the most of all the chaos.

Our experience in Rome is a little different from all the other cities we’ve visited so far. Kasi sa Rome, it’s a big city, a big tourist spot all year round. Our bus can’t just drive up to where we want to go and we'll hop off, then wait for us—no, it’s not like that. We had to go down one spot and walk, almost the whole day, to see all the sights.

At 7am, we leave the hotel and head for the Vatican City. The Vatican City Museum does not open until 8am, but our tour director was so particular that we leave very early so we can be the first ones in line. Mas may advantage nga talaga pag naka-package tour ka kasi groups have their own line. The people who “walk-in” are let in at 10am pa, pero nakapila na sila as early as 630am. Wawa naman. So kami, we waited in line for about 45minutes. Malamig, of course nagdusa na naman kami. Hehe.

Once inside the Vatican, sabi agad ni Ziggy, “Remember, you are no longer in Italy!” How dramatic! Haha!

We visited the Gallery of the Sculptures, Gallery of the Tapestries and Gallery of the Maps. These are really long halls with hundreds of displays.

Sculptures are status symbols of the ancient times. Pag may sculplture ka sa bahay, winner ka. Mahal kasi ang marble, and mahal din magcommission ng artist. Kaya sa kamahalan nya, minsan chino-chop chop sya para ibenta. Kaya maraming mga lumang sculpture na putol putol. Interesting din pala is pag male, nakahubad, pero pag female, dapat may takip.

Ang tapestries naman, usually ay dine-design muna ng isang painter. Marami sa mga tapestries na nakita namin ay design ni Raphael. So, once na design na, ise-send sya sa mga tapestry artists tapos sila ang gagawa, mga 5 tao sa isang tapestry. Interesting ang tapestries kasi para silang movies. Nung time na yun na wala pang books, they used the tapestries to tell a story. So, often, the tapestry is divided into three scenes, then the teachers or parents use these tapestries to pass on the stories to younger generations.



Sa maps naman, amazing kasi even at that time, the maps were very accurate. Sabi pa ni Ziggy, sa sobrang galing ng pagkakagawa, the maps can still be used today.

After the galleries… eto na… brace your self… SISTINE CHAPEL.
Hay… nakakakaba… I’m trying to wrap my brain on how I’ll explain the whole Sistine Chapel experience. Grabe, nakanganga lang ako the whole time. As in! It’s so surreal! Di ko madescribe. (Pero ita-try ko pa rin!)

Super bawal magphoto sa Sistine Chapel. Pero sa palagay ko, kahit pwedeng mag-shoot, my lens wouldn’t have given justice to what I saw with my own eyes. It’s all what the books described and more. Talagang masterpiece sya, one that can really immortalized a great painter. Pag nandun ka nga, it’s so weird kasi di ba, it’s a chapel so dapat ang sinasamba dun ay si God. Pero when you get there, you just marvel so much on the skills of Michaelangelo that you forget it’s a church. You keep on imagining him standing on scaffoldings, painting the ceiling. You remember how he vowed not to take a bath until he was finished with the work.

Every nook and cranny of the chapel was covered in paintings. The walls are painted to look like it’s covered with curtains. The ceiling is of course is “The Creation” and so many big people na di ko alam kung sino sila. The huge and tall wall behind the altar is “The Last Judgement”.

Because of the magnificent paintings, if you’re not Catholic, you might even forget that it’s where the cardinals hold the conclave to elect the pope; that cardinals have stood in the exact place where you’re standing to choose a pope; or even more that actual popes have stood there to hold mass. Because the discussion of the tour guide centers on the meaning of the paintings, you only get to imagine the conclave later on.

Hay… even just recalling it now, I still feel the magnificence of the Sistine Chapel.

Out last stop in the Vatican is the St. Peter's Basilica. This time talagang pumasok na kami sa loob. Ay grabe, IT's HUGE!!! The whole structure is so wide and so long. Aside from the main church na nasa gitna, the sides have smaller chapels, each having different functions--wedding, adoration, etc. Meron din mga tomb ng mga pope na ngayon ay saints na.

Of course, nothing can beat the altar na talaga namang super taas. It's also where the remains of St. Peter lies at ang pwede lang daw magmisa dito ay ang mga "descendants" ni St. Peter--meaning the Pope.

Sobrang laki ng lahat ng structures. These angels below, ito yung lalagyan ng holy water. The one na pagpasok mo sa isang church e di ba magdi-dip ka ng hand mo sa holy water. Di lang obvious sa pic, pero imagine yung kamay ng angel sa right na may hawak sa yellow bowl e chest height ko na.


The Pieta by Michaelangelo is also there. It's the only signed piece by Michaelangelo. May glass covering sya kasi daw dati may nagvandalize. It's really so well done. ang galing ng pagkakadrape ng cloth sa body ni Mother Mary, and the whole symmetry is magnificent.

It's almost lunch time when we finished the tour of The Vatican. For the afternoon, we'll be going to The Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, and other places.

The Winter Explorer, part 5

Today, I woke up early to walk the streets of Venice and see it in the early morning light. It was a bit chilly but I enjoyed the solitary experience. Wala rin masyadong tao cause everyone is still asleep.

After breakfast, went to see Venice. We rode a boat to go to Piazza San Marco or St. Mark’s Square. Dun yung madaming pigeons.

Murano Glass-Making

First agenda was to see a demonstration of Murano glass making. Venice kasi is known for its glass industry and totoo nga, ang galing galing! Within two minutes, the maestro was able to form a vase. Nagpa-picture pa kami sa maestro ng glassmaking. Ang mahal ng mga products dun pero ang ga-ganda talaga.

After the demonstration, we went to join a tour inside the St. Mark’s Basilica and the Palace of the Doges. This one is a great historical experience. We had a local tour guide, ang name nya is Daniella. She’s so dramatic and so friendly. It all added to the feel of histrical Venice.

Entrance to St. Marks Basilica

First, we went inside the church. The church had it’s ceiling entirely covered with mosaics of GOLD, as in 24 K gold! Tapos yung mosaics are not malalaking mga squares, maliliit talaga. Sa sahig naman, mga tesselation na made of marble na maliliit lang. The floor was also paalo-alon, kasi yung foundation nya is nasa dagat nga di ba? Kaya bawal magstay ng matagal kasi nase-stress daw ang foundations. Bawal din gano magsalita kasi simbahan nga. At bawal magphoto. Sad. The basilica also had solid marble columns that do not support anything, for decoration lang. Tapos yung mga walls, covered in marble din na super intricate ang mga veins.

After the visit to St. Mark’s we went to see the Palace of the Doges. Ito na talaga ang history.

The Palace of the Doges is the seat of the rulers of Venice. If that government existed in these days, we would call it a superpower. Kasi Venice was, at that time, was the only access to the sea and everthing in Europe from Asia passes through Venice, and vice versa.

So, eto na naman, sa super yaman nila, ang palace nila was covered in 24 K gold. The ceilings are covered in paintings and trimmings na gold talaga. The floor was also mosaic sort ofmarble called terrazzo na walang break. Imagine, isang hall na kasing laki ng main lib sa UP, walang break yung sahig. Tapos meron yung super laki na room na walang columns because the ceiling was suspended, held from the second ceiling above it.

Super advance din ang political system nila. Yung doges, wala silang power but they are elected for life. Yung judges naman elected for 1 year, and very powerful. Kasi sabi nila people get corrupt when you give them both time and power. Kaya, ayan inayos nila na walang magiging corrupt. Basta 11 centuries yung republic nila, walang kahit isang revolution. Kasi mahal ng mga tao ang government nila.

We also saw the courts, the place for the senate and some other halls--all of them with high ceilings and huge paintings. Sa court, there is this small opening. Dun mo ilalagay yung papel na nakasulat yung demanda mo. The paper that contains the accussation has to be signed by 4 people. 1 by the accuser and 3 by other witnesses. Tapos they put it in a slot that is like a lion’s mouth—the emblem of Venice. So if they were accusing na mali, they will be punished because its as if they are swearing in the name of the state.

The Bridge of Sighs

Beside the palace is the prison connected by a famous bridge called the Bridge of Sighs. Doon dumadaan yung mga prisoners between court hearings and being in prison. It's called the Bridge of Sighs kasi malungkot ang mga dumadaan dun. Meron pang maliit na window para magkaron sila ng last look sa pinakamamahal nilang Venice.

After that, we rushed to Accademia Bridge, Rialto Bridge and back to St. Mark’s Square. Barely making it in time for the cruise to take us to Burano Island. We were SOOOOO hungry and tired na by this time. Good that we had a 20-minte boat ride to Burano Island.

Rialto Bridge

Burano is a fishing island, home to the fishermen of Venice. Of course, we had a super sarap seafood lunch. It's again the traditional way of Italians na napakahaba at napaka daming food! Seafood lasagna, seafood risotto, calamares, and fried shrimp. Tapos yung last is cookies, cake and coffee.

After the very heavy lunch, we went to see Burano. It's really so nice with its colorful houses. According to history, noong araw daw when the fishermen would go home from their daybreak fishing, they can't recognize kung ano yung bahay nila. So, with only 11 families then, they painted their houses with different colors. The style stuck on even now that there are so many houses.

Ang local trade nila dun is lace. Kasi yung mga women, nasanay na sa pagrepair ng mga net ng mga fishermen. Meron pa nga ako nakita na lola na nagbu-burda.

Next entry: Venice-Rome

The Winter Explorer, part 4

It's Christmas Day!

It's getting harder and harder to keep a diary. Super dami na kasing nangyayari na feel ko matagal na kaming nagba-byahe. Hmm… how should I start? Today we leave Innsbruck for Venice.

Wilten Basilica, exterior

Wilten Basilica, interior

Before hitting the highway, we passed quickly at the Wilten Basilica. It is a traditional church built in the time of Maria Theresa-an Austrian ruler who was very traditional in her Catholic beliefs. The basilica, has the signature onion-shaped dome. Kapareho sa Sound of Music. Meron din dyang maliit na cemetery sa gilid na magaganda yung tombstones.

If you look sa skyward towards the Alps, dun yung ski jump ng mga Winter Olympic events. Tapos dati daw ang nangyayari is before magski jump nakikita ng mga skiers ang cemetery. Kaya nung olympics, tinakpan ng black cloth and cemetery. Hehehe.

Juliet's House

Tapos pumunta kami sa Verona. Nakita namin yng mga SUPPOSED houses ni Juliet at Romeo. Dun sa bahay ni Juliet, daming graffitti na nagpo-profess ng love to a point na kadiri na kasi dinidiit nila yung mga papel with gum. Pero fake lang yun kasi fictional characters lang naman yung dalawa. Kanino kayang mga bahay talaga yun?

On the way to Venice, nadaan namin yung Padua, which is locally called PADOVA.

Tapos, just before Venice… we saw the industrial and behind the scenes side of Venice. Kasi, masyadong mahal tumira sa Venice so yung mga workers dun, nakatira sa mainland Italy, some town na malapit, tapos nagco-cross na lang sila ng canal to get to Venice talaga.

Venezia

Yung Venice… talagang it’s as we see it on paintings, movies, etc. Its so romantic and so old. Hindi nila gano ni-rerestore, it’s really rustic. We had a 15 minute wallk to our hotel. Nakakatuwa yung hotel, kahit medyo modern na, parang old pa rin. Tapos medyo maze yung loob nya. Ang daming liko liko sa loob. Right after checking in, lumabas kami ulit to take photos and look around. Daming products, maganda at mahal lahat.

At around 5pm we went to join a Gondola ride. SUPER ASTIG!!!

Gondola Ride

Ang ganda ng mga gondola, pero di naman naka-costume yng mga nagda-drive. 6 na gondolas kami with 6 pax bawat gondola. Pero sa gondola namin 4 lang kami at kasama namin yung 2 musicians. Merong nagpe-play ng accordion at merong kumakanta. Panay Italian songs na romantic. Tapos pag pumupunta kami sa mga “streets” na makipot, mas maganda ang songs kasi nage-echo ang voice. Basta maganda talaga.

For dinner, we had spaghetti, pork, and gelati. Traditional Italian dinner na super bagal at super dami. At super sarap talaga.To end the meal, we had coffee. Ang sarap ng coffee kasi ang sarap ng gatas. We were so sleepy na when we finished.

Next entry: Venice Sightseeing

The Winter Explorer, part 3

The tour gets better everyday. It's now December 24, Christmas Eve.

We had a good breakfast again. Na-addict na rin ako sa freshly squeezed orange juice.

We're so lucky with the bus seating rotation, kami na sa FRONT NA FRONT!!! Sabi ng Tour Director, prime seat daw kami. And true enough it's the best drive of all the days in the tour. Everything is covered with ice, frozen yung mga trees, para talagang fairytale.

Our first stop for the day is the Neuschwanstein Castle. This is the castle built by Louis II of Bavaria. May mga nagsasabi na baliw daw itong si Louis II kasi he went under debt just to build the castle. Pero in the end, mahal na mahal pa rin daw sya ng mga constituents nya.

The castle is really grand. Although we didn't get to actually visit, we can see na romantic ang design and pang fairytale talaga. The castle is actually the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's Castle in Disney World.

Dito na kami nagwala sa Neuschwanstein. It's as if everybody was dying to hop off the bus. Grabe, nagtatakbo takbo na kami sa snow, nag batuhan ng snow, namangha sa lake, everything! Di na namin nadama ang lamig kasi our senses were really high, takbo kami nang takbo. At ang ganda ng village at ng castle, just look at the photos!

Dinaanan din namin yung Romantic Road! Ay grabe, frosted lahat ng mga puno.

Then off to Oberammagau where they hold the passion play every 10 years. The tradition of holding the passion play started in the 17th Century yata. It was during a massive German plague when the people prayed to be spared from the plague. Their prayer was granted, and so they vowed to hold the passion play every decade. People from all over the world visit Oberammargau just to watch the passion play.

After Neuswanstein and Oberammagau we passed a country road where there is the mountain and the lake all snowed in! As in pang postcard! No one in the coach was sleeping during this ride.

Then we headed for Innsbruck, Austria. Inssbruck is a valley surrounded by Austrian Alps! Ang Alps super taas talaga. Para syang wall na nasalahat ng sides. It's so dominating, so overpowering. Everywhere you look, you see the snow-covered slopes.

We also saw the Golden Roof, the center of the governance sa Innsbruck. It's a balcony kung saan dumudungaw ang leader to see the happenings down below. Sayang nga di kami punta sa Salzburg para sana nakita ko yung mga pinuntahan ni MARIA and the VONN TRAPP FAMILY Singers ng Sound of Music! Anyway, after a quick picture taking moment, we headed for the hotel to get ready for our excursion sa gabi.

For Christmas Eve, we rode a SLEIGH!!! It was a full moon, umakyat kami sa foot ng Alps roding this carriage na hinihila ng mga super laking kabayo. Tapos meron pa sialng mga bells na nagji-jingle. Super lamig na may mga blanket kami to keep us warm. Pati yung mga kabayo, pagnagsa-stop kinukumutan din sila.

May mga part din na we had to go through a small forest, na wala na talaga kaming nakikita from any side.

In the middle of the Sleigh ride, tumigil kami to see a 600 year old farmhouse. Tapos uminom kami ng Schnapps, which is parang gin. Onti lang sakin, kasi di ko kakayanin. Tapos after another short ride we stopped to get Glu Wine and some coffee at Hotel Geisler. Afterwhich we rode the sleigh again for another 20 minutes in the freezing cold to get back to the coach.

We had our Christmas Eve dinner at the hotel. We had the famous Apple Strudel, which is the national dessert of Austria.

Next entry: Innsbruck-Venice

The Winter Explorer, part 2

Day 2: Amterdam-Heidelberg

It's December 23 when we left early from Amsterdam to go to Heidelberg, Germany.

Out hotel in Amsterdam is ultra-modern. With heated bathroom tiles, so there's no problem with cold showers in the wee hours of the morning. Hehe. Because of jetlag, di pa rin tuloy-tuloy ang tulog ko. In between naps, I took some photos from the hotel window.

First stop for tha day is the Cologne Cathedral. Maganda ang architecture pero madumi ang mga bato kasi grime talaga yun na mahirap tanggalin. Di daw kakayanin ng tubig. May mga stained glass din sa loob. Super saya for me kasi ang daming pwedeng kunan. Kahit nanigas na ko sa lamig, e ok pa rin. Imagine, 10am, e 0 degrees yata.

Cologne Cathedral, facade

Cologne Cathedral, sculptures

Cologne Cathedral, stained glass windows

There was also a Christmas Market sa gilid ng Cathedral. Super ganda ng mga products, pero super mahal din! Ang gaganda ng mga Christmas ornaments na handcrafted, mga maliit na bahay na may snow sa taas. Kawawa naman ako, kasi merong mga turtle na 30 euros each, pinicturan ko na lang.

Christmas Market

Meron din mga tao na nagpe-pretend na statwa, tapos pag binigyan mo ng coin, gumagalaw sila. Imagine, ang lamig tapos nagpapaka-statwa sila don! E wala kaming euro, kaya binigay namin PISO! Hindi naman nya nakita, so gumalaw pa rin sya.

From Colgone, next stop is a cruise along the Rhine River. It was reaally chilly! Mga -2 degrees siguro when you go up to the open viewing deck. We had sausage and potato soup for lunch. We also saw 3 fortresses/castles. Pero syempre medyo hazy because of the fog.

German sausage! Yummy!

Fortresses along the Rhine River

We also saw the Loreley Rock. It's the narrowest part of the Rhine River where a lot of accidents happen. The legend says that Loreley is a young maiden who sits atop the rock, singing a beautiful tune that lures fishermen to the big rocks. Kaya madaming namamatay.

After the cruise we took a long drive, and finally arrived at Heidelberg around 5PM. Meron ulit isa pang castle na maganada dun, at pati yung mga bridges maganada din. Pati Christmas Market, meron din pero onting onti lang ang mga paninda.

Christmas Market at Heidelberg

Brrr... it was so chilly!

Next entry: Heidelberg to Innsbruck... CHRISTMAS EVE!

The Winter Explorer, part 1

The next series of entries will chronicle my European tour last December 21-January 4.

Trip Day: Manila - London

My family and I joined the Insight Vacations Winter Explorer tour last from December 21 to January 4. After months of planning, securing visas, gathering winter clothes and shoes, we were finally ready for our trip. We took KLM flights Manila-Amsterdam and Amsterdam-London to join the the tour.

Super ok ang flight namin papuntang Amsterdam. 14 hours sya pero di masyadong nadama kasi ang ganda ng services ng KLM. Every so often nago-offer sila ng refreshments. Not just your ordinary refreshments na kasabay ng meals, ito every 1 hour siguro nakakainom ako ng fresh orange juice. E sinisipon pa ko kaya I was glad to take lots of vitamin c.

Each seat is also equipped with it's own in-seat video. Akala ko nung una meron lang mga around 7 movies, ganon. Kasi that's how it is with Singapore Airlines before. Other airlines still don't have in-seat video--even Northwest. But with KLM, hindi. As in kumpletong kumpleto! May movies, around 120 siguro, both new and old movies. Nanood ako ng Hairspray, License to Wed and Ocean's Thirteen. Tapos may TV part din. So nanood din ako ng 2 Grey's Anatomy episodes. Meron din House, Heroes, Ugly Betty, mga ganon. Tapos may games din, music, other features, blah blah blah. Ang saya. Kaya di naman masyado nadama ang 14 hours na flight. So, I would say... hands down the best airline I've ever taken in terms of entertainment.

Ang negative lang is yung pagkain.The first meal, ang ganda ng packaging. Pero yung dinner namin is soup and salad lang. Syempre, ako naman gutom kasi ayoko yung salad. :( Oks lang. May cup noodle naman sa dulo.

Tapos... pagdating namin sa Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, super lameeg! Delayed ang flight namin ng around 3 hours kasi sa super kapal ng fog, di maka-alis mga eroplano. Tapos nakakatawa pa kasi madaming mga announcement sa PA system na ganito, "Attention Mr. ____, you are delaying the flight!" Hahaha! Tapos even if we were already in the plane ang tagal tagal nagta-taxi. I think kasi super laki ng airport grounds at yun nga, ma-fog.

Pagdating namin sa Heathrow, London airport at around 1 am... wala na kaming transfer from the airport to the hotel dahil nagsara na. Di na namin naabutan. Kaya ayun, pumila kami sa labas na super lamig! Mga isang oras yun para makakuha ng tax. Ang taxi nila mukhang rustic sa labas pero pag pasok mo sa loob, super high tech.

Day 1: London - Amsterdam

So, pagdating namin sa hotel, mga 230 am na yun. Kumbaga 3 hours na lang aalis na ulit kami. We had to wake up at 415 am and take breakfast at 445 am. Tapos assemble at the lobby by 530 am. Wala nang tulugan 'to! So lumabas na naman kami sa super lamig na umaga at sumakay coach.

We rode the tour bus for 2 hours, passing the London Eye, the Big Ben, House of Parliament, etc. Walang kwenta kasi madilim. Hahaha!

Tapos... after the long ride, we arrived at the Port of Dover. Here, we will cross the English Channel to Calais, France. This is where we finally start the tour kasi nasa Europe continent na talaga. Anyway, sa Dover, they have the white cliffs na maypagka-majestic. So, ayan, picture picture.

White cliffs of Dover

Sa ship na kami nag lunch. Nagdusa kami sa pagkain ng sandwich na malamig. Kasi yun lang talaga ang available na makakain na masasabing pang-lunch. Sa Calais, sumakay na kami ng actual bus na gagamitin namin for the duration of the trip. Mas maluwag at ok na ok. Di ko nga abot ang footrest sa sobrang haba ng legroom.

We drove around 2.5 hours passing Belgium--home of Justine Henin, Tintin and Captain Haddock! Panay countryside lang nakita namin. Tapos Netherlands countryside na puro patag, dried trees dahil sa winter nga, mga onting baka, panay grass na may patche-patcheng snow. We also got to see the hundred year old traditional windmills.

We arrived at the city around 5pm, madilim na. Biking pala ang style dito. With all the LAMIG! We passed the Royal Palace and the Mint Tower.

We finally got down from the bus to see the famous RED LIGHT DISTRICT of Amsterdam! Kakaiba. As in may mga windows, tapos nakabikini ang mga girl, nakapose, tinatawag ang mga customers. Isa syang buong strip na ganon. May mga sex shops, na as in pornographic ang mga display sa windows. Bawal lang magpicture sayang.

Sunod, sumakay kami ng cruise of the Amsterdam canals. Ang ganda. Parang museum yung mga canals. Yung mga attractions is yung architecture, mga famous houses, bridges, etc. Nakita namin yung bahay ni Anne Frank and Vincent Van Gogh. :)

We were lucky to be staying in a very nice hotel with heated tiles in the bathroom. Antok na antok talaga kami after the long flight and all the delays. The next day, Germany naman.

Next Entry: Amsterdam-Heidelberg

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Due to some crazy circumstances, Ate Yas, Tita Nancy and I had tickets to go to Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam! Fully paid by the company, with allowance pa. Shopping money na lang ang kulang!

Delicious Vietnamese Pho

Vietnamese coffee with Sweet Milk

Splurging at a Vietnamese store

For a change, we had no meetings and workshops to supervise. We busied ourselves with shopping! Ang term namin, "Nagwala kami!" We gave our arms an exercise with the big bags we had to carry around. We also developed an expertise talking to Veitnamese vendors.

New words/pronunciations in our shopping vocabulary:
XL - Ek Ewl; XXL - Ek Ek Ewl
Size - Zay
Tape Measure - Met
Box - Bok
Bill - Biw

Ros: Give us discount!
Vendor: Can not!
Ros: Can!

St. Catherine Cathedral

Dinner with Ate Judith and family

We will go back on March for the actual IOM Closing Workshop. For sure, babalik din kami sa mga shops!
I'll chronicle my purchases in my next entry.