Travel Tips

Some of my favorite places to re-visit are: Japan, Kongsberg, Dramen, Hokksund, Stavanger, Bodo and Tromso. *
I fell in love with Japan the moment I arrived in that country. Their exotic culture was once complicated but exciting to learn. I love everything in it...the people, the food and the way of life...but most especially, THE FOOD! yum! The simplicity of ingredients and the way they prepare meals are a wonder to come up with such delicious, exotic taste!
A lot of places in Norway are worth visiting. It may seem so superlatively expensive, but it is not commercialized, and that's the beauty of it. Landscapes after landscapes will steal your heart away; not to mention the sincerity and the genuine hospitality of the locals.

Travelling on our own for the first time, Luxembourg * became our second home. We would get up at three in the morning, just pack up our luggages, into the car and go straight to Luxembourg. We still do it now, but not as often as before anymore. We take our breakfast at the AC Restaurant in Wanlin (Belgium) and go straight to Remich or Grevenmacher, * where we would either visit the wine caves or take a boat ride that takes us around the Mosselle river. * Then, we would drive to Wasserbilig (Luxembourg), * park our car at the train station (Free) and take a twenty minute train ride to Trier (Germany) * to do some window shopping. Then, go back to Wasserbilig, take the road to Vianden and take our rest in one of its hotels.
We love the curvy, winding, street of cobblestones of Vianden. * The river at the heart of the city eases our minds from the stress of daily life. We would visit the castle on foot or by cable car, and at dusk, I would take a sip of a good sparkling Luxembourg wine served with a cheese plate at the terrace of the Berg and Dal hotel. A good way to end the day. The day after, we would still go and visit other beautiful places in Luxembourg such as the cosy Echternach and Diekirch, Mullertall (The Little Switzerland), Luxembourg city, * and all the other towns that are on our way home.

Perhaps it wasn't just my son who wanted to enjoy his childhood. Perhaps it was the child in me who wanted to go out.
We visited Disneyland Paris *a few times a year. Not that we haven't been to Disneyland yet (We visited Disney-Anaheim and Tokyo Disney some time ago) but we thought that it was one easy destination to go to. Just a three-hour drive from home and we were there! We visited the place so much that we became familiar to some hotel and park staff. Disneyland is a land, where there is no age limit, no country denomination and no language barrier. There is only one thing to do here: BE A KID! * And it was not that difficult. Just loosen up and enjoy the day. I love hopping from one Disney hotel to the other. It is culture boggling...from the United States of Disney (Disneyland HOtel), to Hotel New YOrk, where the decors and the surrounding area are a scene of a typical New York neighborhood, to the calming lake of the Hotel New Port Bay Club. Then, there's the exciting woody and country interior and exterior of the Sequoia Lodge and the western adventure of the cowboy hotel, Cheyenne. Finally, you get to taste the authentic Tex-Mex meals at the La Cantina Restaurante of the HOtel Sta. Fe, a typical Mexican pueblo. Everything in Disneyland is a fantasy, and I need that!

Austria * was never in my wish list of place to go to. Never. Although we have already been to its neighboring Switzerland many times before, Austria never really spoke to me, so, when I told my son on the day itself, a few kilometers just past Basel (Switzerland) * to panic-find our way in the map to get to Austria, he really went hysterical. "Why didn't you say so earlier?" I had no answer. I thought, we were just joyriding anyway, so, we'll settle in our destination once we get there. I didn't know where to go to, really, so I just relied on the kiddie Belgian song "Sankt Anton in Tirol" * and just looked for it in the map. Gladly, we found this beautiful hotel called Hotel Adler, who gave us our first taste of Austrian hospitality. We settled in Sankt Anton for a few days, pinching ourselves every moment if the whole experience was just a dream or a reality. The mountains were so quiet, the streams were loud and clear. Of course, no holiday will be complete without visiting a nearby mall in Dornbirn. * It was a shocker. The prices were really reasonable as compared to the other countries that we passed by in going there.

The 10th year Anniversary of Thalys (speed train) gave us the opportunity to re-visit Paris. They offered a €10 per traject from Brussels to Paris, so, we grabbed the chance.
Our first visit to a place always leave us feeling incomplete so, we always need a second visit, maximum of third to have a feeling of "we've done it all". Paris never cease to amaze us. From its intricately architectured buildings, to its elegant and rich culture. Paris is not Paris without the Eifel. The Champs Elysées Boulevard houses an array of elegant boutiques of distinct names. The Place Vendôme is extra-ordinarily chic. The statues of the Place du Concorde glisten even in cold dreary weather. The colorful tubes of Centre Pompidou leave me with puzzled eyes and most of all, the greatest mall of all, The Galleries Lafayette...its elegance and beauty only motivates me to spend more than what I can afford.
Oui, c'est Paris!

The very first time that I brought my son to Norway in 2002 was to meet our new-found relatives. Seeing Oslo for the first time, my son fell in love with the place right away and hoped that we could one day go back again and explore the area. It took a while (5 years!) before we impulsively did a second trip, but it was well-worth it. Within a few days, we were able to see and enjoy what Oslo has to offer to Norway-fans like us. Norway is beautiful in all seasons; but for us, Norway isn't Norway without the snow! So, what better season to go but winter! It wasn't yet the coldest winter in Norway or the whole of Europe that year, but we were able to see Oslo bloom even in the coldest months of winter.
Are we going back again?
Oh yeah!

...happy faces
...warm heart
...genuine hospitality
...genuine friendship
...beautiful people
...delicious FOODS!
...sunny beaches
...cosmopolitan places
...good friends
...loving family
Gosh! I am feeling homesick