Italy (20 Dec 06 - 28 Dec 06) Italy.. My last Europe country before my exchange program ends. We first travel to Rome then to Venice, Florence, Pisa, Siena and back to Rome. Seem like this period of time alot of exchange student went to Italy. Meet quite a few of them. So happy to meet friends whom I did not expect to meet. Its like a concluding trip where I met friends which I got to know when I was travelling. One regret is not being able to eat in this resturant in Rome.. Went there the first time we were too early and since we were too hungry we settle for something else.. the second time, it was fully booked! Each of the city in Italy has different thing to see.. For Rome, its more of the ruins.. then Venice, the beautiful water city, has a good sun set view and river side view. Florence has more statue then Pisa has the leaning tower while Siena is just a small town with a square and dumo (church). Rome: Colessum

Trevi Fountain

Spanish square.. connecting a shopping street(people queuing to enter Gucci, LV shop...)

So qiao to meet my friends..

St Peter's Square.. Look at the number of people queuing to enter the St Peter's Basilica Vatican City.. Forbidden grounds.. Visitor are not allow..

Venice.. The water city:

What a beautiful sun set.. too bad its too short..

Pisa:

Siena:

Florence: Soon.. I will be back to Singapore.. The last trip before going back will be to Kiruna. Its up north of Sweden into the artic circle. Hope to see the northern light there! Think it be very beautiful.

Christmas Market in Skansen (17 Dec 06) Skansen is a open air museum in Sweden. However during winter time there is nothing much there except the christmas market. Went there to get a feel of the christmas and to try some of the typical christmas food. There is this center stage in the market where people singing and dancing. We all join in and dance togather with the people. So interesting and fun. haha.

Entrance to Skansen

Fire to keep warm..

Christmas Market..

BBQ fish.. some typical Sweden food..

Dancing round the christmas tree..

Sweden Wooden horse..

Satisfying my Manjong itch ( 14 Dec 06) Finally.. I can play some manjong here. haha.. Went over to have dinner with my HongKong friends and realise they got manjong tiles.. then after dinner.. Manjong.. haha. The way of playing is almost the same except that they are playing with 144 tiles while Singapore play with 148 tiles (we got 4 more "animals"). The other main differences is the counting of tai. Dinner with my hk friends..

Manjong.. haha

Hmm.. play big play small? haha..

Budapest & Prague (9 Dec 06 - 14 Dec 06) Hmm.. Let me start talking about Prague, Czech Republic. It is a very beautiful and romatic place. Full of tourist also. Lucky for us, the weather was good, clear blue sky. This makes the whole scenery very beautiful. We spend 2 days in Prague, one day in Kutna Hora (small town in Czech) and another day in Budapest, Hungary. Kutna Hora is famous for its Ossuary chapel which has its interior filled by 400,000 human bones. Budapest.. Hmm.. maybe its due to the foggy and cold weather, I don't think it is as beautiful as Prague. Should have tried the thermal bath there but did not really have the time. Chain bridge at Budapest was quite nice too. "One should view Charles bridge on Charles bridge but should not view Chain bridge on Chain bridge." (If u get what I mean)

Prague- Old Town Square

Charles Bridge

Prague Castle

Ossuary Chapel, real human bones..

Budapest:

Heros' Square..

Thermal spring..

Chain Bridge

Cold..

Fisherman Basilica.. (Should get a good view of sunset here.. too bad weather quite foggy)

Sleeping over at Airport..

Lastly, some lesson learnt.. Always check your change and the price of the stuff you are buying.. Firstly I was given the wrong change.. then I realised that I had paid ard 10Sgd for a bottle of mineral water.. Kaoz.. kanna cheated!