#Travel: Paris is Just Paris

I have to say the only things I love about French-related are their tempting pâtisserie and The Little Prince, a poetic tale written by the French, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I had never been to neither Paris or France until I decided to go there last week. 

Yes, I have been living in Europe for 2,5 years now yet I was more interested to visit Scandinavia or Eastern Europe during my spare time. I have heard some girls who dreamed of kissing her partner under the Eiffel Tower. It sounds cute but I just don't understand why. In short, I just don't understand what makes Paris the most romantic city in the world.

Back in April, I got accepted to attend a conference in Paris but thanks to my chaotic master's thesis submission, I failed to meet the deadline of completing the documents needed to officially become a participant. So, I canceled all my plans and forgot it for a while. But then, when I was planning for the late-spring holiday to Spain, I said, why not give Paris a try? 

So we made a detour to Paris.

We started the romance of wandering down artsy streets where the fashion boutiques and cafés pile up. With just a quick look to those touristy attractions like Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, and Champs-Élysées, we continued to walk to Notre-Dame. The medieval cathedral was unquestionably beautiful, but right in the shadow of the cathedral, there sits a quirky English-bookshop which any bookworms will be almost certain to spend time turning the pages. It was more than happy for us to spend some time under those crooked bookshelves and take some of the books home. We continued to walk down the streets, after. Eiffel and Montmartre were our next destinations.

I enjoyed every single attraction in Paris, even the most touristy ones. But for me, the most beautiful thing I treasured was the moment to walk down slowly, to sit somewhere nice, and to have that deep conversation with the right one.

and I think what makes Paris is Paris itself.

Insincere smile.

#Travel: Catalonia, Barcelona, and Everything in Between

Just few minutes before landing on El Prat International Airport, we flew over the coastline of Barcelona and immediately I said, "Now I know how love at the first sight feels like."

I'm in love with Barcelona, with Catalonia, with Spain.
I'm in love with their warmth and breeze.
I'm in love with the the people I love, with the ones who stay.
I guess, I'm just in love all over again. 

Partnachklamm (Garmisch - Partenkirchen)

My last trip to Partnachklamm. Should I put some life quotes here? Or any instagram-worthy phrases maybe?

Wanderlust

Back to the time when I was still in Indonesia, traveling was more like just-a-vacation stuff which you may probably choose when you have spare money out of the saving and bored with those mall-hopping-weekend-getaways. Traveling was restricted to only getting more sunburned under the massive sunshine over the beach, posting a pic, wearing summer dress. Nothing wrong here, well I believe there's no rule in having fun, what used to be wrong might be right for some others, vice versa.

I had a pretty demanding job which allowed me to fly a lot, dropped me in the middle of unconnected area somewhere in Borneo, making the line between traveling and real life even more blurry than I could think of. I remember the feeling of waking up at 3 in the morning, running for the first flight. I remember the day when I was talking to my brother before my departure to Borneo, which later I knew, it was the last time I talked to him. I remember the feeling of getting back to work again while half of me has gone.

and the first time I stepped my feet on the ground, after a tiring 18-hours flight from Jakarta to Munich, it was the time to redefining what traveling is. 

I couldn't stop my wanderlust for going wild here. I made it to Norway, I survived a bitterly cold winter in Sweden, I slept at the airport in Switzerland just because I couldn't afford a room, soaked in the crowd of festival in Venice, strolled around the city of Alps, and so on. Those things, somehow, have strengthened my lust to go more miles. Obviously, it has nothing to do with just having fun and spending euros, nor taking enviable pics. 

Let me redefine what traveling is,

Traveling is a media, not a purpose. Traveling is a way, not the objective.

because once you make traveling as a purpose, you will eventually stop doing it someday.

Love,

Me

Few days before traveling again

Trip To Fjord

A boat trip along Lysefjord, on the way to Preikestolen, Stavanger, Norway. 

Zurich

Living in the southern part of Germany might be the best reason why it is more convenient for us to travel to the eastern and southern Europe (and way cheaper). I live in Munich, the capital of Bavaria, which is just 2 hours away from Austria, 3 hours from Switzerland, and just less than 6 hours away from eastern part of Europe such as Vienna and Prague. 

We took the bus from Hackerbrücke (Munich Cental Bus Station) to Zurich very early in the morning. The bus between these two large cities runs everyday (even some of them run 3-4 times a day). With a very affordable price ( I got only € 30 return), traveling to Switzerland may be the right option to get a little escape. 

Zurich, known as one of the most expensive cities in the world is the major destination for business as well as tourism in Switzerland. And as the German-speaking city, I didn't feel any difference as people talk Deutsch everywhere. I purchased the Zurich Day Card to stroll around the city more conveniently as I had only one and half day in Zurich. With 24 CHF (Swiss-Franc), travelers can use unlimited public transportation and free entry to some museums and galleries within 24 hours. Great deal.

Statue near the jetty of Zurich Lake

You don't want to visit Zurich without enjoying the breeze by the lake. Bring your lunchbox when it is sunny and find a good spot. I took the tram to Burkliplatz to reach the lakeside. 

After visiting some museums (for free!), I spent the rest of the day by just strolling around the Altstadt (old town). Be careful for the price, it's Zurich anyway. We went to Starbucks near the city center just to check the tumbler's price (because my friend collects them) and got surprised!. A typical Sbux tumbler costs about 20 CHF (€ 17 more or less) while in Munich, you can get them for only € 9. Yeah, it's Zurich anyway.

Riverside

If you are pretty rich (yeah!), then go to Bahnhofstrasse for luxurious shopping experience. Bahnhofstrasse in German means the station street, which describes that the place is located just across the Zurich Central Station. Lucky me, I got a free wine tasting at one of those shops (just keep your eyes and all your senses open to spot the free things!).

Fancy Journey?

I ended up the day with sleeping at the airport, just because I don't want to waste some euros just to sleep (only) for 5 hours at the hostel (geez, I'm saving for my next trip). But if you like, there are 2 famous youth hostels in town which cost about 33 CHF per night per person. It's up to you. And also because I had to catch the bus very early on the following day, sleeping at the airport might be the good option. 

So, here's the tips:

1. Don't forget to bring the Swiss-Franc with you. Avoid to take the cash from the machine (for me, never! except for the emergency)

2. Don't worry, everyone speaks English, although their official language is German. It's not Germany where people are too lazy to speak English :p

3. Bring the map, you can get them at the Tourist Information (Bahnhof) for free. Ask the officers for a help.

4. Try local delicacy. It is the one and only.....Swiss Chocolate!

5. Always bring your passport. Even though you have the EU Residence Permit, the passport controlling at the border between Austria and Switzerland can be tough.

Venice

I never thought Venice would be the first city in Italy that I visited. Just a short time before my last exam, I booked the bus tickets from Munich to Venice in early March. Why? Early March is the time for many carnivals in some cities in Europe. The biggest 3 carnivals I know are those in Maastricht (Netherlands), Cologne (Germany), and Venice.

I was thinking about Cologne when suddenly something popped out in my mind: Why not Venice? I've been to Cologne and it's still in Germany and please take me out from Germany haha. So we decided to go to Carnevale di Venezia in Venice (check this out) by bus. And believe me, that was one of the best decisions I've ever made as the scenic view along the way to Northern Italy was really worth every minute.

and it was sunny!

Venice with its charm and beauty has been a dream for many people (including those hopeless-romantic dudes :p) who have faith in love (and gondola rides). Like Paris, I know some people have been dreaming of those places to visit with their beloved. To be honest, Venice is never been top on my list. But why not give it a try?

We strolled around the aisle, spotted some beautiful angles to capture the moment. And it was the time when I realized that those pictures of canals, waterways, and gondolas I've seen on magazines and television are becoming real. 

The view from the main bridge: Ponte di Rialto

Feeling romantic, already?

Love padlocks

Wanna give it a try? :)

Italy means foods to me. So it was absolutely a chance to eat the real deal. Pizza, pasta, tiramisu, and coffees were on the list. I ordered a big portion of pizza and tiramisu and we ended up the night by having coffees and hot choc. Well, I don't know how Italian hot choc looks like but I got an ultra thick and creamy chocolate (?). But overall, the bar was the cherry-on-top of our trip as we talked to some nice strangers (including the two Irish men, my favorite!). 

Tiramisu, a real deal!

Here's the tips:

- Bring the map! Seriously you need the map unless you're God. You can use your GPS on your gadget but it needs a proper signal. Mine was not working as I have German's provider and it costs extra charge so I turned it off.

- Check the local weather. Venice can be tough during the rainy day (it will be flooded). You don't want to end up having a wet trip, do ya?

- Bring the cash. Especially if you want to take the canal rides. Finding an ATM in Venice can be confusing. And also be ready for the extra charge!

- Try local delicacies! No caption needed. Hey it's Italy!

- Keep your feet unstressed :p

Si diverta!