Wien or Vienna?

Epilogue

¨My mommy always worried, when I am going to walk. But the fact is I am taking my own sweet time so that I can walk perfectly. She´s worried too much¨.
Zara Humaira´


Maira is walking!! Daddy, look!! Come on baby, come here, 1...2....3....4....5....6....7.....8.....9....10...11! Yeah 11 steps!
[Applause]


**********

Once upon a time, I was confused. My sister just came back from Austria and she told me that the capital of Austria is Wien. Not Vienna? Now I know, Vienna is in English but in German it is Wien. (Is it German?, not sure either). Like Slovakia, there is nothing much I know about Austria. But I do know Sound of Music was filmed in Salzburg, Austria. In 2008 Austria ,co hosted Euro Cup with Switzerland. There is a town called Innsbruck and the latest is about the monster of Amstetten.

Vienna is beyond my expectation. Beside being a beautiful city by the Danube river, it is a city of style, grace, luxury and elegance. It is the place of Strauss and Mozart. The home of waltz. I love the architecture even tough I have no idea. The only word that register in my mind is gothic style. The truth? No idea. With so many buildings, I try to remember every single one, but my mind was bewitched by the view. What I can recall are a few such as Sisi Museum, St Michael´s church, Stephenplaz and many other platz (err platz is plaza), Volks Theatre, Museum Quartier, House of Mozart, that cathedral, this cathedral...I lost count.

I do remember that this is the entrance of University of Vienna.

And this is the Parliament building where my hubby was pretending to make a jump with(out) a skateboard..but the photographer failed to capture the moment (hehehe that is me, so beginner)

Lovey lovey time..

¨Comot¨ time

¨Konon ayu¨time

I think this is Volks Theatre

In front of St Michael

Stephenplatz

Regardless how excited we were in exploring the city, we still put aside time for Zara Humaira´to have her park time. We do not want to be the so called selfish parents. At least looking at the bright side, we also need time to strech our legs after the long walk and heavy lifting. Yeah, sometimes she wanted to be carried in her hiking bag instead of seating in her stroller.

So called retired fireman felt like to be in action again, but there is no fire engine, no real fire, so pumping water at children´s park will do at the moment...

And Zara said, ¨How come they can play at the water pump with daddy? He is my daddy!¨

We also spent some time at the theme park..It is big park but we could not explore everything as the cloud started to darken...or else we were risking ourselves to be caught up in rain (yes it is true, just as we arrrived at the hotel, heavy rain poured down)

I love his smile...

There are so much that I have seen in Wien but still I want to come back. I want to watch Strauss and Mozart concert which held every year between July and September, composing not only live orchestra music but also ballet and opera, just like what these girls promised me.

For time being, I need to move. So get ready baby, lets go!

Bratislava? Ahoj!

There is nothing much that I know about Slovakia. By fact, Bratislava and Vienna are the nearest capital cities in Europe, about 57km. When we were planning our trip there, I told my husband that there are only two places that I wanted to go, first `the head' and Hrad Castle.

Once we arrived there, we were set back. The train station, for me, is more or less like Stesen Keretapi Kluang plus an electronic timetable to display arrival and departure of trains. What a disappointment, but still I haven´t do some homework regarding Bratislava, so serve me right! But when we entered the city, OMG! It is totally different world.

When we were there, we did visit 'the head´, and whose able to touch it will have a good luck charm. So we did touch it.

And for Hard Castle, we were unlucky, as the huge castle is still in renovation to better house National Museum of Slovaks. So, we had to satisfy ourselves by enjoying the view. This was the only thing that we can do after a difficult climbing to the top of the hill just to see the castle. Pff! Yet, the view was remarkable!

And the tram system, WOW!

A sculpture

One of the residency

Bratislava is stylish, little Vienna I would say. I was so undertaken by the style people wear, soo elegance, even when they just wanted to had coffee at the sidewalk cafe down the building. I felt so nobody, nothing. Pity me.

A church

One of balcony cafes

National Opera Theatre

A statue towards freedom against communism

Another opera theatre

We could not watch the ballet but we did pose along with the banner

One of the street, with a lot of cafes, not just cafe but stylish cafe

Michael´s Gate

Pharmaceutical museum

Bratislava is one of 3 cities situated at the Danube riverside besides Budapest and Vienna. At first we plan to travel to Vienna by boat. But as the boat either leaves too early or too late, train is the only option that we had. So, at 10:52, we departed to Wesbanhof, Vienna, for €11 per person for return ticket. (If you buy single ticket it cost you €15). So Vienna, here we come!

Budapest? BudaBessstttt...

I have a friend who was once before studying in Budapest. His story is always started with, " ...there are 2 sides of Budapest, Buda and Pest, separated with a river...". That is more than enough to drag me to Budapest to see with my own two eyes, Buda and Pest. So Asif, wish you are able to read this.

On arrival, we were greeted by thunderstorm. In fact our flight was delayed. We were still lucky compared to those who were flying to Bratislava as they had to land in Budapest because of the bad weather. But the bad start did not stop us from enjoying our vacation.

Budapest is beautiful, with a lot of tram lines criss-crossing the 2 towns (remember Buda and Pest) with a lot of trees. It is really really green. There are many places to visit, from museums, monument, churches, plaza and all will take years to finish.


People in Budapest are friendly, some can speak English and some don´t. However, don worry trouble appears, there always Samaritans who will help translating, reminding or guiding. On the first morning, we met two Danish guys, tourist like us, telling almost everything we need to know about transportation. So we save some transportation allowance by using family tickets. However, telling this to the local ticket counter officer was not easy, because once the ticket is sold, you cannot change it. But, there are always people who were there to help. And we were just lucky.

Transportation in Budapest is reasonably price. One strange thing is when buying long distance ticket. Just imagine, by train, a single trip to Bratislava cost 15000 Forint, but if you buy return tickets it only cost you 8800 Forint. And the ticket officer won´t cheat you, they automatically give you a return ticket even if you ask for single. They understood travellers always look for the cheaper one.

Food in Budapest is not so difficult. We found a lot of halal food but mostly kebab or the local called gyros (gi-ros). Most of these places are operated by Muslim from Turks, no surprise as once Hungary was invaded by Turks. We enjoyed eating so much. And they serve tea in big mug too! (Okay, I am tea lover, in Barca they serve tea in coffee cup, which is far too small for a tea bag, so the taste is bitter).

And of course we took tons of picture, visiting places like museums, squares, monument, castle etc. And my darling, he spent the moment by taking various pictures of Hungarian Parliament from across the river to get the best production. For him, "Budapest? BudaBesssttt".

Parliament building during daylight

Parliament building at sunset

Hungarian flag with a hole to mark the Hungarian Revolution in 1956

I know somebody who took picture with this statue, but in different pose..Then hopefully this will add to the variety, En Rezal...

Buda Castle during daylight

and also at night, viewed from Danube River

St Anne´s church

Funicular ride up to Fishermen´s Bastion, just like the way the shot it in Amazing Race.

In the shadow of Stalin´s boot (and my pump shoes, hehehe)

Momento Park

The great historical Chain Bridge, built in 14 century during daylight

Chain Bridge at night

A close up of Chain Bridge

St Stephen´s Basilica

A beautiful building on sale right in the heart of Pest, anybody??

Jewish Museum

Family portrait with Voldemort at Hungarian National Museum´s garden (Harry Porter fever)

One of the museums

Another museum ( there are too many museums, I could not recall them)

Heroic action at Heroes Square

At Contemporary Art Museum

Keleti Train Station