Sunday, April 23, 2006
` Sunday, April 23, 2006
One of my colleagues who was Irish herself had strongly recommended visit to the Guinness Storehouse on my weekend visit to Dublin. So off I went, post-brekkie (which strangely consisted of the usual suspects at the London hotel, excluding waffles) hopping onto one of those open-air tourist buses in the city centre, it being an exceptionally beautiful morning where the sun made its long-awaited presence felt in the first possible rites of summer. Bless the weather whenever I had a spot of sightseeing to do, it really did help to brighten up the pictures and my day.
The city itself is a somewhat low-lying version of London (but of course, the very friendly natives will beg to differ). There were the pristine cathedrals, buildings with ancient facades, cobblestone streets and the river (although the Liffey is way tinier than the Thames but you get the idea). One of the best things is that similar to Prague, almost every spot of attraction is within walkable distance as long as one had good soles and an average energy level.
An rather interesting running commentary spiked with political jokes and innuendos from the driver came with the 14euros sightseeing bus ticket (valid for 24 hours but the buses apparently do not operate after 7.00PM) and my first drop-off was at the St James's Gate brewery. For a fee of 12euros after discount, one would embark on a self-guided 7-storey tour and detailed visual lesson on how the national beverage of choice was painstakingly made based on the well-kept tradition and 'secret yeast'. The highlight for most of the visitors would be to end the visit with a complimentary pint (or half-pint in my case) of Guinness brew at the top-storey Gravity bar, which also captured a bird's eye view of the city and made for a good scenic pitstop. I surrendered after 2 attempts at consuming the dark malty liquid, succumbing to the bitter end-taste which was not really my glass of stout (pun intended).
I suppose the real highlight for me out of the different phases of information provided was how they had marketed the drink in the earlier days, using a caricature that somewhat resembled detective Hercule Poirot in the Agatha Christie mysteries. What was also interesting was the light-hearted yet mass-appeal tone of the advertisements, as compared to the latter-day commercials represented by voluptuous women or alpha-males. According to the producers, Guinness is "good for you". A little nugget that was revealed about Arthur Guinness having 20 and more children probably more than help proved the point of the sales pitch. So that was the secret substitute to the little blue pill!
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Tuesday, April 18, 2006
` Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Oops. I realised how tiny the pictures showed up on the collage in the earlier post (still an amateur, bear with me). Here are some of the nicer pictures. Happy to share the photos via email upon request.
Easter Market
Grand Cafe Orient interior
View of Prague Palace before Charles Bridge
Kampa Park, Mala Strana
A typical Prague street
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` Tuesday, April 18, 2006
Having had enough of cold sandwiches and pasta for the past work week (and 4 more weeks to go), I surrendered to a sumptuous plate of ...... roast duck with rice on a Sunday afternoon. At a mere GBP4.50, it was one of the best meals I've tucked into to date. This was a little gem found at South Kensington (I did get a wee bit lost attempting to navigate the subway to High Street Kensington aka second Oxford Street), in a tiny little shop with high stools and stark interiors (read: very basic). With my stomach rumbling at 3pm after a long lie-in from the close-to-midnight return from Prague (that itself warranted a GBP18 taxi ride, double ouch), it was a welcome relief from the starchy mishmash of meat and chips et al I've been consuming. A somewhat failed takeaway attempt at Wagamama for dinner last week had made my craving for anything authentically Asian (this being Chinese or Thai) much stronger.
I've always been a eat-to-live person, abiding by my very own 'purist' food inclinations. Give me plain rice or bread uncluttered with complex garnishes and what-nots and I'm a happy camper. I grew up contented with MacDonald's but I don't do buffets very well (eating 'air' is my speciality). The idea of fusion cuisine and anything related to chicken breastmeat is often rather unpalatable.
Which brings me back to the need to feel Chinese once in awhile, at least in the consumption sense. It was a running family joke amongst us about my dad, when he would drag the entire family to search high and low for places that remotely served Chinese food (more specifically in the search for roast duck!), while on a 10-day tour of western Europe several years back. I finally understood why: the need to feel familiar and to be able to tuck into food that reminded you of what you have always been used to struck a chord in me. You can only be a tourist that number of times, and you can only indulge in other people's culture for that much before you realise that you're just an outsider looking in.
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` Tuesday, April 18, 2006
The weekend spent in Prague was a super-duper-mega tiring one. Those familiar with my non-existent fitness level will be surprised to know that there are occasions where I do happen to make full use of my legs for some extreme brisk walking. Shopping is of course, one of the privileged activities. More on that later.
I've heard so much raving about this European city even from my colleagues, that forking out personal funds of GBP211 (ouch) for a return flight on EasyJet didn't deter my intention to visit during the Easter holiday season. I figured since the company was already kind enough to fund a 5-week London business trip, the add-on travel costs would be rather minimal. Or so I had hoped.
A couple of tips for those interested in the budget carriers departing from the various London airports for trans-Europe jaunts. Most locals I've spoken with prefer the Gatwick airport over the others, for reasons associated with accessibility, cost and comfort. Before you start happily booking your cheapo 8AM airfare, always bear in mind the costs of ground transfers, which include 30-40 minute one-way train rides from either London Victoria or London Bridge stations (budget around GBP20-25 return). Additionally, you will have to be at the check-in counter at least 2 hours before the flight to smooth out the ticketing, customs and what-nots. A potential logistical nightmare if you didn't plan things in advance and a lesson learnt for my subsequent trips.
The EasyJet flights were an extremely pleasant experience, with the exception of rather late check-in, boarding gate announcements and non-allocated seating. Nevertheless, the aircrew were extremely polite and efficient and flight arrivals were always earlier or on-the-dot. A budget carrier that is definitely worth recommending.
Upon arrival, there are several options to get from the airport to the city area. The most comfortable straight-to-hotel drop is offered by Cedaz but is a costly 480crowns (or EUR20) per way. Feeling slightly burnt at the pockets, I opted for the public subway and bus return. Trust me when I say this is an extremely viable option for those with light luggage. Simply take the subway (which reminds me of the one in London, right down to the escalators) to the end of the 'A' line and take bus number 119 which drops in front of the airport terminal. The journey takes approximately 20-25 minutes. All for a low, low price of 20crowns!
The main tourist attractions are all situated within walking distance from the Prague 1 precinct. I was fortunate enough to be placed in a hotel right in the heart of St. Wenceslas Square, after some technical glitches were announced at the brand new one I had originally booked. The Ramada Grand Symphony is literally gob-smacked in the middle of the action, 5 minutes walk from Na Prikope (shopping street), 7 minutes to the Astronomical Clock and 10-15 minutes to Charles Bridge towards the Prague Castle. I had loads of difficulty getting out of the very comfortable bed and nicely warm room, although breakfast was rather standard. It does appear that no matter where one stays for the night (even in Prague 2 or 3), no public transport (although there are ample tram, train and bus services) is really ever required, if one is up for a fair bit of walking and taking in the sights and sounds of a very compact city. Did I mention my limbs are still aching really badly up till today?
My first impression of the city was (this definitely being a personal opinion) a slightly more historical and grittier version of Zurich, albeit flooded with souvenir shops at all corners. Of course, the architecture and colours of the buildings are a sight to behold. It was especially fun navigating the area before Charles Bridge, all narrow streets and cobbled walkways. Weather-wise, it was very similar to London, as I encountered frequent light drizzle, grey skies and strong winds 2 out of the 3 days there. These were the days where you wished you listened to your mum about taking the umbrella. Saturday was uncharacteristically bright and sunny and the strolls along the parks and attractions definitely made my day.
Beer fans, take heart that one can take swigloads of Czech Pilsner with no real regret$. I got mine at every lunchtime for a mere EUR0.90 a pint at cafes and restaurants, way cheaper than Coke! Food is rather meat-and-potatoes-centric, but I recommend trying the tasty soups, which are a real comfort in the cold weather. There were several unusual Easter-related snacks sold at the bazaar near the Tyn Church and one of my favourites was 'Grandma's pancake', a very simple pita-based bread filled with Nutella. Yum. Two places to recommend for food and drinks, namely the Grand Cafe Orient for great ambience and coffee and Bohemia Bagel for a funky NYC-type vibe and good food. Prices are overall very reasonable for a city that is known to be rather expensive, with a 3-course meal starting from EUR10 including a tip, but don't expect great-tasting stuff in particularly the tourist-enroached areas.
Now on to my favourite indulgence mentioned earlier. It is somewhat disappointing for people like myself prone to visiting the same-label suspects in every new city, to find that there is only 1 accessible outlet for each brand. These shops can be found on the Na Prikope stretch. Yet, bearing in mind the high expenses chalked on the accommodation and other incidentals, this was one rare occasion that I was reining myself in on the purchases (still, there were 2 items).
Overall, a great weekend well-spent. It is a lovely city, filled with enough historical monuments to satisfy the culturally-inclined and also off-the-track surrounds that allow for quiet reflection. Next stop: Dublin! 
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Tuesday, April 04, 2006
` Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Okay, so I've relented on posting about my Cairns trip, thanks to Vieee and her recommendation to download the very idiot-proof Picasa softrware. Good fun indeed!
Here are some of the shots from that February trip. Good memories indeed of driving and walking solo for awhile. Although I'll never forget the infamous 25-minute wind-about on the Gillies Highway. So not recommended for lone rangers with no passenger to talk to and those with poor spatial capabilities (like yours truly).
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` Tuesday, April 04, 2006
I'm a self-proclaimed major spa aficionado. I've succumbed to numerous types of massages and scrubs, but after endless trials and discounted offers, my favourite is still the ol' comfy Swedish.
I wonder which deranged person would want to writhe in pain for a price in the first place. You go to a nice ambient spa, expecting to be pampered and given a soothing rub to end the day. Then you encounter the worst experience of your life, feeling like you just paid good money to enter a torture chamber.
Therein lied the unforgettably horrendous incident at a spa more well-known for its hunky owner than possibly its services. Last week, a hard-to-resist voucher came in the mail from a credit card promotion, trumpeting an hour-long Swedish massage going at an undisputable rate of $30 (usual price $98). The eager beaver in me responded as fast as lightning in making an appointment, especially straight after yet another red-eye return flight from my 'adopted' city. I was literally aching for a nice rub-down so that I could slump right into bed and have a good lie-in after the treatment (not that I had any trouble doing that in the first place though).
Upon arrival, the initial impression of the surrounds was it being tucked in a shopping arcade that time (and people) had probably forgotten. However, there were definitely attempts to dress the seating area in the style of a boudoir. Some brownie points for that. The counter was staffed with young, nubile girls probably counting down the time to a night out in town (given that it was a Saturday). Cordial, non-intimidating service (you know that feeling you get at some places where the hair stylist / masseuse / customer service person breathes down your neck about some "unbeatable one-time only promotion").
Good start to the experience, I reckoned, as I proceeded to complete a questionnaire that prompted for my "massage preferences" and body areas "requiring more attention". Ah, of course, the neck, shoulders and back were my favourite hotspots for a good rumble-and-roll. One of the counter girls then came over (did I mention that she was wearing a rather eye-popping top which would probably invoke a reaction in the non-female species?) to clarify on the 'exact firm-ness' of the massage to follow. Possibly unaware of my own pain threshold, I insisted that 'firm but gentle' was the way to go. Oh, and that's where the 'additionals' come into place, when she suggested that the massage oil be substituted by a superior "4 elements" one. At this point in time, I had somewhat anticipated the extra charges to appear on top of the so-called list price and recklessly relented.
I was greeted by a rather fierce-looking lady therapist, and from her heavily accented Mandarin, I gathered she was from the mainland. No issues with that. Lying face-down, she started slow and gentle, and I was temporarily gathering sleepy thoughts. Until she started elbowing my back with long, hard strokes. The half-an-hour 'workout' on the back that followed was one of the most teeth-grittingly painful I've ever experienced. I had to struggle fighting back tears as she pressed, kneaded and grinded her fingers and fists deep into the muscles, bone and skin (or what was left of my pitiful self). Although there were meek pleading requests to ease the intensity, these were defiantly ignored, as she was thoroughly convinced that my back muscles have stiffened so badly that they needed to be 'pulled apart'. Literally.
How I survived that was a miracle. I have never been kept so awake while lying down. I couldn't recall the last bits of the session, only recalling that my back felt like it was emitting heat. Needless to say, the next 2 days (up till today) were spent with a sore, aching back, the skin so tender that a slight tap would've made me cull the culprit. Post-session while making the payment, I was told that the therapist had used a combination of Western and tui na techniques to address my problem areas. I was convinced that I would never want to take up a package there, despite them insisting that the pain was 'good for me' and a brief period of not-so-subtle promotional hard-sell. I would still pay for feeling relaxed or rejuvenated, but at this point in time, I'd seriously think twice about trying a new offer. Especially tui na and shiatsu which I have now grown to fear rather than embrace for the sake of my physical well-being.
I was just relaying this experience with Vieee in the afternoon and we both concurred that the best therapists to date were the ones at the Aspara (Amara Hotel branch). No doubt, one always feels good after a session with them. So there, I've learnt my lesson the hard way.
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