Hustle Brussels, Distress Damsel?

Day 6 (15 November 2006). Wonder who's the damsel here? Hehehee....

As usual, the KIASU-ness in Anna & me “queened” over (we tried to fight with our "might" [yeah right!] but to no avail [drama LILY!]).... how can we be in Europe and only cover 1 or 2 country right... OFCOS CAN NOT!!!!! Our Kiasu-highness won't allow it *cheshire cat smile*. Even though our annual leaves were approved for 2 weeks (yeah silly Malaysia - we only have 15 days leave per year excluding festive season holidays - THERE GOES MY LEAVES), we simply must fully utilise our dollars & time spend in Europe, else RUGI LAR... K.I.A.S.U.

HENCE, hehehhe *cheeky laugh*.... our so called smart plan (am abit vainglorious on my beauty & brain I know! Macam real.... Memang dasar perasan max), we paid for Thalys Train €100 p/way (Am not sure whether you call this Bullet or Speed Train, since it looked slightly different from those in Japan). This super duper fast train takes ONLY 3 hours to reach Amsterdam from Paris, ANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNND the best thing this is that, it does a transit in Brussels OF WHICH you can get out and visit the city AND hop back the next train to Amsterdam at NO COST. I beginning to think that GOD love me at this point of time, I mean... it's like, everything in Europe conspire to make my trip a worthy one (perasan!!!!!!).... MUAHAHHAHAHHAH *Mumra Laugh - you know right? the ThunderCats villain (our absolutely favourite laughter in the office)*.

After what we thought is a great plan conspired by the whole universe (proud moment here!), we went to Paris Nord (or Gare du Nord ie "North Station") Station. We learnt that this station has services operated by SNCF, Eurostar and Thalys that handles trains to Northern France, as well as to various international destinations such as Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. Very the changgih indeed.

Psst! Shhhhh... Apparently, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Ultimatum, Ocean's Twelve was shot here.... you know what it means right? I walked the same ground where Matt Damon walked or.. or.. or.. or Brat Pitt... GOSH! This is as good as touching them! *gibberish! :P*

OK! Since we didn't have 24 hours in Brussels (6 hours more like it or perhaps even shorter; luckily the train journey was 1 HOUR ONLY - phewww), we dump our stuff at this luggage compartment that was smartly invented for travelers (conspiracy all the way to Brussels just for moi! Sigh... felt sooo loved) - just use your credit card and TAH DAH.... your beloved luggage is safe. HEY! Malaysia should have this at KL Sentral, KLIA & LCCT - seriously guys!!!

We decided to walk (by walk I mean, slow & long PLUS asking a few direction and went to few wrong streets laar. HEY! I didn't say I was smart and by the way GPS wasn't cheap & easily accessible then either!) to Grand Palace Grote Markt. But ofcos, its Anna & me.... where got walk without any pic taking right.... anything in sight we will stop and pose. After what we felt like milesssss....our nose pick-up this chocolaty smell.... You guessed it! We practically FLOAT to Grand Palace Grote Markt.... along the street was full of chocolate shops... and the smell..... HIGH....DREAMY...(some people says it's better then sex...hahahah... am not telling who).

This is the how-many-ieth UNESCO site I visited in a single trip... the buildings? Exquisite! Let me remind you my pic skill was awful back then - traveling without purpose as I said (aside from hitting all the UNESCO & Wonders of The World spot). Nope! Not complaining.

I remembered clearly, Anna peeping at the Godiva Shop ogling away.... I'll get you a piece on your "bird day" ok! Kesian lar pulak.

Arrghh..... we almost miss the evening train to Amsterdam.... shucks! Rush like mad cow to the station, hop on the train to Amsterdam.

NOOOO!!!!! I know life can not be so nice, good and easy! Guess what happen when we reached Amsterdam???

..... Let me fill you with the backgrounder laar.... England versus The Netherland Friendly Football Match... thus yes.... EVERY accommodation in town let it be cheap or expensive, near or far, decent looking or eerr... were basically running FULL HOUSE. ANNNNND ofcos by virtue of Murphy's Law, we didn't book in advance (let's not start with the story on why did we not do that, it can be an entry on it's own). I was ever ready to sleep at the train station (REALLY!), Anna was grumbling, needed bathroom, shower, bed etc etc etc.... the whole 9 yard lar...

Strangely (an angel must have watched over us), we saw this flyers or was it a signage (!??!) promoting tour & accommodation package, their counter is located across the Central Station. We thought we should give it a try...

YES!!!! They manage to find us a room!!!! Near the Central Station which is kinda in the centre and accessible everywhere and only cost us €50 per night, just that..... it's on a BOAT! You read it correctly, we gonna live for 2 nights in a BOAT. And to get to "our" boat hotel/motel/backpacker/etc, we need to take a passenger ferry to the other side. Hemm....



CURIOUS?

Hyperlink credits : Amsterdam.info, Wikipedia, Trabel.com, Parisbytrain, SNCF, Eurostar, Thalys

ALONE in Paris

Day 2 (11 November 2006). That's a sad thing to be all ALONE in Paris, sob sob sob....



How bad was it? I took only 46 photos the whole day. WAIT! You must be wondering why am I alone in Paris right? NOOO! Anna didn’t leave me stranded, ofcos NOT! She wouldn't dare! Hehhehee...... Yeah! Remembered I said she is attending the conference for 2 days (or was it 3 days? Hemmm....), well... our Day 2 in Paris was her 1st Conference Day. BORING her, ALONE me! I wonder who is better off? Or worst off? Hemmm....Anywaysss.....

Woke up VERY VERY VERY late, wasn't sure of what to do, figure I should take a walk in Paris again ie following the same route the day before, AND probably walk a little but slower this time since no one to wait for NOR anyone waiting for me. Hehhee....... this will be the 3rd time me walking the street - Champs-Élysées and not shopping - sigh... freaking expensive with Malaysia exchange rate.

Oh well! Decided! Took a train from Disney Resort Station called Gare de Marne-la-Vallée – Chessy (by the way, did I tell you the conference “forced” us to stay in Paris Disneyland Resort? Woo Hoo! Hehehee.... will blog about it in next entry).

The map looked complicated but pretty sure am smart enough to comprehend this, I figure if I can do this alone in foreign land and foreign language - other part of the world wouldn’t be that hard. I purchased the Metro daily pass so that I can take train everywhere & anywhere, I think I paid €12 for it. My first stop was Galleria La Fayette and decided to start on foot from there, the first time I was there, I remembered my cousin bringing me here to shop of cause back then I don’t have much cash since I just started work.

France was still using their own currency (before Euro came on board). Ahh.....The good old days for currency collectors. I should have kept some! Darn!

Back on Galleria La Fayette, ever since my first trip I always thought that La Fayette was the classiest, fashionable and most stylish mall and since this time around I seems to have more spare time on my own, I thought I should just drop by to take some pics. YUP! It didn’t fail me… fantastic as usual. LOVE IT!

I surely didn’t plan to travel anywhere that year obviously sooo I did not save enough dollars nor brought enough $ for any purpose. Arghhh…..!!!! Hence, till todate I still did not manage to take the cruise on River Seine. Sigh….. Oh well!… At least I get to go to Paris for the 2nd time and both times were FREE! MUAHHAHAHHAAA….. *evil laugh*

I basically took a stroll and took some building pics of which and what - I am so clueless, tangkap jek gambar. Back in those days I was travelholic with no purpose, hahahaaa….. even I feel my stories & pics not THAT exciting.

I remembered on 2nd day I was there I saw this small lane near Notre Dame Cathedral which I plan to revisit, apparently this tiny lane lead me to a Greek area (still not sure of the lane name till now, perhaps I should revisit Paris? Hemm….) and all the food there smelled SOOOOOOOOOOO FRAGRANT and YUMMILICIOUS. I saw some souvenir shops and accidentally bump into this stall (no regrets here!) ie SALAD BAR (vegetarian - not that I fancy veggies that much) - MAOZ. The food was yummy! (I went and look for it again in Amsterdam & Barcelona.... yup! That YUMMY!)

As it was getting dark and I’ve eaten my yummy food thus I head back to Disney Resort (what a boring ending to write, couldn't even find a way to spice this up... apa lar).

My plan for tomorrow?

Paris Disneyland!!!!

Hyperlnik credits : Wikipedia