Austria last day: Tue 24/5/11: Vienna

Last day in the beautiful Wien. On this day, I only need to visit Schonbrunn Palace so I took my time to eat my breakfast and pack my rucksack.


I totally underestimated the time needed to spend in this UNESCO world cultural heritage.  This massive ensemble of palace, park and a zoo was the summer residence for the Habsburg rulers. The admission fee is quite steep but despite that, it is a crowd magnet. There was quite a queue by the time I reached the ticketing counter. Photography not allowed inside the palace. I paid for the grand tour where one gets to see 40 rooms. Excellent audio guide gives a background history of the rooms, royal family and Habsburg rulers like Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth (Sisi) and Emperor Franz Stephan and Empress Maria Theresa. Really tired at the end of the tour. Next, is visiting the magnificent park. Looking back, I should have paid for Imperial Tour (lesser rooms) and skip the visit to interior of Gloriette, Crown Prince (Privy) garden and Maze. One can visit the area outside the Gloriette for free. It is located high up on the brow of a hill with great view of Wien and Schonbrunn palace. The Privy Garden is gorgeous but so are the many gardens at the main park (free admission) with glorious fountains like Neptune fountain, Obelisk fountain and Roman Ruins. In the Maze, there are some hedges designed as labyrinths. I tried one of it and ended up taking at least 10 minutes to exit...
After the park, I visited the Marionettes museum before boarding a tube to return to the hostel.


Back in the hostel, I collected my rucksack and used the wifi to gather information about Prague. Wien is a great city for opera and classical music. Just to have a taste of an operette, I bought a ticket for the night show. I bought a standing post because I assumed I may need to leave halfway. Surprisingly, the standing location has quite a good view of the stage and the operette has English subtitles. I actually enjoy the whole performance of Stehplatz Parterre. Lead soprano singers have great powerful vocals After the show, I took a tube to Praterstern train station.


Spent the night in the station because the train to Prague was at early morning...Thankfully there is nice waiting room with chairs at the platform which is protective against the cold.

Schonbrunn palace and Privy garden

Austria Day 5: Mon 23/5/11: Vienna

Vienna, alas! I had been waiting for ages to visit this captivating city... ever since I fell in love with the Blue Danube when I watched the Strauss Family miniseries during primary school. Vienna or Wien is an important cultural and musical hub even from the era of Mozart, Beethoven, Strauss, Haydn and Schubert. I did not buy the Wien Card because it only gives small discounts for admission fees...no free admissions like Salzburg Card! I was actually begin to feel tired of museums....hence only planned to visit very few places.


On this day, I started with the Museums Quartier. Here, there is a cluster of top museums. I bought a combo ticket of MUMOK (Museum Moderner Kunst) and Leopold Museum. I had really good time in the latter, gazing at the works of talented Egon Schiele and Gustav Klimt. Leopold Museum has the largest Schielle collection in the world.


After good few hours, I took a break from museum and explored the rest of the city on foot.  Just across the road are two more gigantic mirror image buildings of Natural History museum and Kunsthistorisches. They are of good reputations but I could not stomach another museum hence continued straight on across the Maria Theresa Platz to enter the Heldenplatz via Palace Gate. Here lies the impressive Neue Burg that houses the National Library. Nearby is the Spanish Riding School and Sisi Museum, both I skipped because I am not particularly interested in horses nor personal belongings of Empress Elizabeth. Instead, I walked along Kohlmarkt to reach Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral). This famous Austrian emblem with beautiful tiled roof and high north tower named Alter Steffl (Old Steve) was first built in 1147. Mozart's wedding and funeral was carried out in this majestic cathedral. To see the cathedral in details, visitors have to join the guided tour with euro 4.50 fee. There is barrier that does not permit entrance to the tomb of Emperor Frederick III, altar and pulpit without a ticket...At Stephansplatz, there is a ticketing office that sell tickets to opera, operette and musical performances. I bought a ticket for operette only for euro 3.50 but no seat of course (standing post).



Retraced my steps back to the Museum Quartier to visit the MUMOK, which regrettably not as good as I expect. I guess I just do not derive joy from indulging in extreme art form of actionism where the artists use nude body, blood splash, animal carcasses, self cut and other disturbing acts. All portrayed as series of photos left me feeling uneasy and traumatized. And I am not the only one who feels so because later at night when I chatted with a fellow dorm mate, a French guy, he felt the same too. The video work of Maks Cieslak especially In Cloud Nine adds a cheery air to the somber mood of the museum. I actually laughed watching the video as the script is really witty and original.


Next is exploring the Ringstrasse with clusters of public building with grandiose and neo classical designs. The Parliament is gorgeous and reminded me of Palazzo Venezia in Rome. One can join the guided tour of the Parliament with a fee but it is only at certain hours of the day. Further north is the Rathaus but repair work was ongoing. The Volksgarten nearby is a delightful place for evening walk. Lastly was a short visit to Burggarten with Mozart statue. As I walked along the long street of Mariahilfer Street towards my hostel, I found a Japanese-Chinese buffet at euro 8 and ate to my heart content. Happiness!!!

Neue Burg

Austria Day 4: Sun 22/5/11: Eisriesenwelt, Werfen and Melk, Danube Valley

I did a last minute change of mind. Initially I planned to join River Danube cruise and explore Danube valley villages like Melk and Krems an der Donau. But I had to see Eisriesenwelt (1641m), the largest ice cave in the world! So, after a wholesome breakfast buffet in Jufa hostel, I took a train to Werfen. I left my rucksack in the train station staff office and walked 8 minutes to a nearby bus stop to get a bus to Eisriesenwelt. Burg Hohenwerfen, a 16th century fortress can be seen on top of a hill. The bus journey to the cave is very scenic (return for euro 5.80). The fortress can be seen upclose with the background of Tennenbirge range. The admission fee (include guided tour ,euro 8.50) and cable car fees (return euro10.50) are at a higher side. One can choose to hike up the mountain but the ascent is a tough 4 hours climb...After buying tickets from the counter, there is  20minutes of steep walk before reaching the cable car station. The scenery along the way is awesome. I had to wait for nearly half hour because I just missed the cable car. Then, another 20minutes walk uphill to the cave after exiting the cable car. At the entrance to the cave, I donned on my winter clothing and wasted good minutes waiting for the guide to start the tour. The temperature of the cave was subzero ! And just when we entered the mouth of the cave, a chilling gust of wind hit us straight on....really freezing cold! No words can really describe the wonder that await us inside the cave. The cave spreads as deep as 42 km but visitors can only see the tip of the iceberg by going up and down series of staircases. Layers of ice formed thousands of years ago forming interestingly shaped natural sculptures like Odin, the elephant and Frigga, the polar bear and the Ice Palace (42m high) that looks like Santa Claus' hut :) There is Posselt Tower, a large staglamite and Great Ice Embankment that rises steeply at the height of 25m. The ice glitters like diamond under the lamp. The whole experience was out of this world! It is like visiting the White Witch's palace. Sadly, no photography allowed inside the cave. The tour lasted about 1 hour plus. At the bus stop near the ticketing office, chatted with a group of Indian guys while waiting for bus. They are engineers working in Germany. 

An unexpected mistake happened. I left my winter coat (with handphone in the pocket) at the Werfen station!!! It was hot outside the cave and I just hand carried it around and put it aside when I was purchasing train tickets. I did not realize it until the train conductor woke me up and asked whether I lost something. Thank God, guardian angels are watching over me even when I was asleep...By that time, I was already on my way to Salzburg. So, the very kind train conductor liaised with Werfen super efficient officer to have my coat passed to the next train to Salzburg. The kindness of the Austrians did not stop there. Just when I arrived at the platform in Salzburg station, the train conductor directed me to a small office and handed me to another equally marvelously helpful officer. And so I waited with him for the next train to arrive. He even helped me to plan my next journey to Melk in Donau (Danube) and offered to accompany me to the platform to retrieve my jacket. Right on time, the train arrived and my jacket plus phone arrived safely. I could not thank them enough. The whole escapade cost me an hour late.

Reached Melk past 5pm hence was not able to enter the famous Benedictine Monastery ( Stift Melk) which was used to be the palace of King Leopold I. This massive monastery can be seen on top of the hill the moment I exited the train station. I just wandered around the village and River Danube before taking a train to Wien. Arrived Wien after nightfall...tired.

Austria Day 3: Sat 21/5/11: Salzburg

It was another crazy day of squeezing all the city sightseeing in a day. To maximize time, I visited Mirabell Garten first since I do not have to wait till 9 for admission. This popular garden was already swarmed with Japanese and Chinese tourists by the time I arrived. Tourists were drawn to the spot where The Sound of Music was filmed. The Pegasus fountain with a background of Salzburg fortress (Festung) gives an impressive view. Schloss Mirabell was first built in 1606 as a gift of love from Prince Archbishop Wolf Dietrich von Raitenau for Salome Alt. The palace's Marble Hall is reputed to be one of the most beautiful wedding hall in the world. The Baroque or Angel staircase in the palace is a MUST see! Coincidentally, there was a wedding going on and I nosily followed the guests to see their traditional Austrian costumes.

Nearby is Mozart Wohnhaus (Mozart Residence) where Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart lived for 7 years here(1773-1780). Inside is collection of his musical instruments including pianoforte, music manuscripts and letters. No photography is allowed. After that, I crossed the River Salzach via Staatsbrucke to the Rathaus and Mozart Gebursthaus (Mozart Birthplace) where he lived in the first 17 years of his life. He spent 3 years of his life travelling around Europe in a carriage. Here, there is more information about his family history, his career, his happy marriage and children and his death at the young age of 35. Mozart's lock of hair and his mini violin are also being displayed. 

Since it was a Saturday, there was huge crowd everywhere and the streets were congested. I walked along the busy Getreidegasse to reach Monchsberglift that will go all the way up to Museum der Moderne Monschberg ( Museum Modern Art). It is not a large museum but I particularly like the sculptures by Tony Cragg and Alberto Giacometti. Outside the museum is a viewing terrace with superb view of Salzburg. Walking towards Festung, I stumbled across the busy Green Market just in front of Collegiate Church. I did not stop due to lack of time :( 

Reached Domplatz. Dom zu Salzburg or Salzburg Cathedral is dedicated to St Rupert and St Virgil and it was first built in 774. At the entrance to the cathedral is inscription of year 774, 1628 (consecration of new building that was built to replace the old minster that was demolished after a fire) and 1959 (reopening of cathedral after rebuilding during post war period).

After the cathedral is the highlight of the day, Salzburg Fortress (Festung Hohensalzburg). It was first built in 1077 as a wooden bailey under Archbishop Gebhard von Helfenstein. Over the years, it expanded under the reign of different rulers. Archbishop Leonhard von Keutschach is one of the influential ruler that contributed to major changes of this fortress. He added State Rooms with the Golden chamber. To save time, I took Festungbahn to top of Festungsberg (free with Salzburg Card). There is free guided tour to the Gallery, Torture Chamber, Observation Tower (360 degree view of Salzburg), Battlement and Salzburg Bull (huge aerophon of more than 200 pipes, now used to signal the start and end of carillon during October). There are few museums inside Festung namely Rainer museum, fortress museum, Marionette Museum (the most interesting). One of the oldest building is a Romanesque Fortress Chapel that is mainly ruins now. The State rooms are in the same building as the museums.


Next is Salzburg Museum with many religious relics and Residenz Palace which was the royal residence of the Archbishops. I did not have the chance to visit the palace as it was closed so I visited the art gallery instead. The Residenzplatz with its magnificent fountain is a great place to relax and watch the carriage horses. Just before 5pm, I visited the Panorama Museum where I get to see a restored panorama painting of Salzburg by Johann Michael Sattler in 1829.


Since the Salzach River cruise is free with Salzburg card, I  boarded the last boat of the day. It was very crowded and I did not get a good seat (need to add small fees for deck seats). I was so tired that I dozed off for good part of the journey :( Anyway, cruise really is not my thing...


Shopped in a surprisingly cheap grocery shop opposite the jetty and found the yummiest potato crisps I have ever eaten: wasabi flavoured crisps!!! I still think of it from time to time :p Had dinner in one of the restaurant at Getreidegasse before returning to hostel.

Residenz Fountain

Austria Day 2: Fri 20/5/11: Salzburg: Untersberg, Hellbrunn, Volkskundemuseum, Salburger Tiergarten Hellbrunn

Salzburg has definitely captured my heart. This grand city is not just all about  Mozart or the Sound of Music.There is so much to see within the city and around Salburg that one need at least 4 days. I only have 2 days hence missing out on the gems of Salzkammergut area :( To make things easier, I bought the Salzburg card ( euro 34 for 48 hr due to peak season) that include free admissions to many museums and free public transport.

I explored the area outside the city first. Weather forecast predicted rain in the evening so I decided to go to the mountain early in the morning. Hopped into a bus to Untersberg, a mountain that is part of Berchtesgaden Alps that lies at the border between Germany and Austria. Its highest peak is Berchtesgadener Hochthron (1972 m). There are few myths about the mountain. One myth is about Emperor Frederick Barbarossa asleep with his beards growing around a round table and the world would come to an end if his beards circle three times. In reality, it is a mountain that has to be taken seriously. There are reminders that hiking are only for the experienced and well equipped. I did not do enough reading beforehand and totally underestimated the level of difficulty of climbing this mountain. In fact, just few days prior to this day, someone fell to his death and there was a helicopter circling the mountain for surveillance. 

With Salzburg card, the cable car to the Geiereck peak is free. The view from the top is spectacular. There are many choices of hiking trails. I saw a poster of the Schellenberger Eishohle (largest ice cave in Germany) at the cable car station and was smitten. Totally oblivious of the danger that lies ahead, I started off on a gruelling hiking adventure that lasted 5 hours. Initially, the trail was easy. There were lovely Alpine blooms like bell flowers, crowfoot, gentian,lousewort and hawkweed scattered along the path and the wonderful view was encouraging. However, soon the rocky path became treacherous, steep and slippery. Without the hiking poles, map and compass, it can be very tough. Worse, I was wearing a normal running shoes instead of sturdy hiking boots with good ankle support. Frequently, I lost my footing because the rocks just slipped underneath. I was lucky because there were many hikers and I just tail behind them and reached the famous big cross at Salzburger Hochtron. Then, I followed a nice couple till a junction where I had to continue on my own. It was scary for someone so inexperienced like me. There are no more hikers nor sign boards. There are painted arrows on the rocks (if you can find them!). I even clambered on four at some part.  Reached the Toni Lenz hut and I continued to hike up the rocky slope in hope of finding the cave but after half an hour I realized I missed the entrance to Schellen berger Eishohle...Usually visitors follow tour to the ice cave, maybe I should have...Feeling tired, sad and discouraged I did not know how to proceed. One option is to go back the same way I came from but being directional challenged I have no confidence that I can find the same path again OR continue downwards towards a nearby restaurant which appeared to be closed. I prayed to God for a sign. Almost immediately I heard the sound of people talking nearby. I looked up and saw few mountaineers climbing the steep cliffs and when I looked down I saw few people at the restaurant. I rushed to the restaurant to ask for direction. There, I met a kind Austrian couple who invited me to join them in their descent. I dreaded the path that I came from and happily agreed. However the fast steep descent of 2 hours killed my knees. The steep rocky path caused a lot of impact on the knees and by the time I reached the parking lot, I could hardly walk straight :( 

The nice Austrian couple offered to drop me off at Hellbrunn. Though my legs were stiff like wooden stilts, I still had to continue. Thankfully, it is just the right place to bring cheer and made me forget about my sore legs...well, at least temporarily. Archbishop Markus Sittikus, the founder of Hellbrunn got the idea for the palace and grounds from Italy. The palace and its gardens with wasselspiele (trick fountains) provided entertainment for guests as early as 17th century. There is guided tour (included in ticket, free admission with Salzburg card) in English and it was really fun. The first thing I heard was people screaming...I was shocked because I only expect screaming in amusement park. Soon...I discovered the reason for the scream :) The tour guide will lead the tourists through the fountains and grotto. Once in a while, he would turn on the trick fountain to spray water on unsuspecting visitors. The Royal Table at the Roman theatre is one of the most wicked trick! Admirable fountains are the Altemps fountain (Perseus and the Four Season statues), Neptune grotto, Venus grotto and Capricorn grotto. In the Neptune grotto, there is the mocking Germaul that will stick out its tongue periodically. Listen to the 10 birdcalls in Birdsong grotto, generated by the water driven mechanism. Another impressive feature is the  mechanical theater (year 1750) with 200 hand carved wooden figures and an organ driven by hydraulic power. After the tour finished, I visited the palace. The Archbishop was a collector of rare plants, fishes and birds hence the zoo nearby. Inside the palace are many paintings of rare species of birds and fishes that used to be kept in Hellbrunn. The Festival Hall and Octagon are the most beautiful rooms in the palace. With time to spare, I strolled around the garden and climbed a steep path to visit the Volkskundesmuseum (Folklore museum) which is housed in Schloss Waldems on top of Hellbrunner berg. Though small, it is a delightful museum that gave an insight of traditional Austrian culture including board games, furniture, wedding dowry/ gifts,traditional costumes, religious paintings, Kampus mask (St Nicholas festival in December) and the various Perchten head gears used in Perchten procession. Nearby is the Steintheater (Stone theatre) which was built on old quarry. As I came down from the museum, I passed by the Tiergarten Hellbrunn (Salzburg Zoo) and decided to pay a short visit since it closes at 6pm. I thought I have seen enough zoo but this visit proved me wrong. I saw animals like alpaka, pygmy marmoset and bolivian squirrel monkey and collared peccary for the first time in my life...

By 6pm, my internal battery was totally flat and I took a bus back to hostel instead of going to city centre. Ate dinner buffet in Jufa hostel at a reasonable price. Before putting on my night cap, I watched The Sound of Music played in the common room of the hostel...I watched this movies for countless time but at different age...yet some scenes still managed to wet my eyes. The songs like Favourite Things and Sixteen going on Seventeen really brought back sweet memories of high school :)

Untersberg

Alpaka, love the cool hairstyle!

Austria Day 1: Thu 19/5/11: Innsbruck

Woke up near 5 am by some drunk youths who were shouting and fooling around. Surprisingly, I had good few hours sleep and was feeling quite fresh. Left my rucksack in the station with a euro2 locker.

By 6am, I set out to explore Innsbruck. It is very easy to fall in love with Innsbruck. This Tyrol capital was once a ducal seat for the Tyrolean Habsburg rulers. It is framed by Austrian Alps and so photogenic that at almost every corner you can see the glorious mountain range as a backdrop. From the hauptbahnhof, I walked along Museum street to reach the Hofburg and Hofgarten. I did not visit the palace but strolled in the garden instead. Hofgarten is a small quiet garden...so peaceful that I fell asleep sitting on the bench there :p The Dom St Jakob is just around the corner of Hofburg. Then I walked along Pfarrgasse to see the famous glittering Goldenes Dachl with 2657 gilded copper tiles on the roof. Emperor Maximillian used the 2nd floor balcony of this building to watch the street performers. Opposite Goldenes Dachl is Herzog- Friedrich street that is lined with beautiful baroque buildings with the Heblinghaus at the corner, being the most attractive of all. River Inn is the main river than runs across the city. I went to tourist office to gather information about Danube cruises and was looking at the sparkling Swarovski crystals at display while waiting for the office to open. Swarovski crystals are produced in Watten, a town 20 minutes from Innsbruck. One needs to pay euro 8 to enter the Swarovski factory hence I gave up on the idea of going there. Left the tourist office without any valuable information and walked southwards along Marie-Theresien street, passing by Annasaule and Triumphpforte.

Further down south is Grassmayr Glockenmuseum.  The museum is named after Grassmayr family who has 400 yeas of bell making tradition. I was curious hence paid euro6 to visit this museum. I must say euro 6 is tad too expensive for such a small museum...euro 3.50 would be an appropriate fee. Well, at least I was educated about the early history of origin of bells, its function and the process of making a bell beside playing with bells of different tones. The bells were first used by the Chinese in 3000 B.C. Initially the Christians disapproved the usage of bells due to close association with pagan cultures but by 2nd century, bells were used as symbol of preaching and call to assemble. It is interesting to note how the bell making evolved throughout the centuries especially the design and ornamentation. The biggest bell is in Moscow weighing 214 tonnes! Bells went through series of bad times during wars. Bells usage was forbidden during French Revolution. In World War I and II, many bells were melted to build war materials. As a strategy against the church during German Reich, bells became victims as well. 

Near the museum is Berginsel, a modern state-of-the-art building that is used to watch athletes training on the field. I did not go there though and walked back to the hauptbahnhof to catch a tram to Schloss Ambras (entrance fee euro10). I would not recommend taking a tram because it is another 20-30 minutes of uphill hike to the castle which is located at the top of the hill. Taking a bus would be a wiser choice because it stops right outside the main entrance. However, as I hiked the countryside to reach hill road, I had a great view of Austrian Alps...

Archduke  Ferdinand II (1529-1595) converted the medieval Schloss Ambras to present Renaissance castle for his untitled wife Phillipine Welser (1527-1580) of lower social rank, and his two sons. Here, his massive collections armours, weapons and portraits are displayed. I am not really interested in the armoury or royal portraits but I did enjoy the vast collection of weird, bizarre and unique treasures in the Chamber of arts and curiosities. The beautiful Spanish Hall and the frescoes paintings on the Inner Courtyard of the Upper Castle made the visit worthwhile. Outside the castle is a lovely well look after garden and Bacchus grotto. In the past, guests were chained in this grotto and in order to gain freedom, they had to drink from a vessel filled with wine. By 3pm, I took a bus to train station to catch a train to Salzburg. Had late lunch of snitzelschammel :)

Reached Salzburg by 7pm but it started raining heavily. Took a bus to my hostel, Jufa Salzburg.

Goldenes Dachl

Austrian Alps

Swiss travel Day 5: Wed 18/5/11: Bernina route: Poschiavo and St Moritz & Schaffhausen:Rheinfall

It was my last day in Heidiland. Got into an early train to experience the Bernina Express route. It is much shorter than Glacier Express but this UNESCO world heritage has nonetheless 55 tunnels and 196 bridges with stunning view of Alp Grum, Mount Palu, Bernina peak and Morteratsch Glacier. I actually prefer this route than Glacier Express. The scenery around Alp Grum is particularly gorgeous.


I stopped at Poschiavo, a small Italian speaking town with lovely piazza and colourful buildings. I did not intend to stop initially but since I am not willing to pay extra to secure a seat in the Bernina Express, I had to wait nearly an hour for the normal train to arrive. It is really a small town with River Poschiavino running through it. There are Old Town Hall and few churches and museums.


Left Poschiavo via normal train to St Moritz, a well known resort for the rich. Lake St Moritz is quite impressive in size. I wandered around the posh street of St Moritz that is dotted with designer label shops. I did not have much time for sightseeing as I could not afford to miss the train to Zurich. Once reached Zurich, I changed train to go to Schaffhausen where I got into bus 1 to Rheinfall,  the largest waterfall in Europe. There is boat ride to the center of Rheinfall but I arrived too late and missed the last boat. On top of the waterfall is Schloss Laufen. I walked around the waterfall then along Rhine River to get to Neuhausen station. My train to Innsbruck from Zurich was near 10pm and I reached Innsbruck past midnight. Slept at Innsbruck train station that night and I managed to get some sleep on the chair before woken up by some drunk youths.

Rheinfall

Swiss travel Day 3: Mon 16/5/11: Bernise Oberland (Grindelwald,Jungfraujoch, Wengen, Lauterbrunnen, Murren, Interlaken)

Good weather alas!!! Just when I needed it most :) Extremely full day draining both my energy and my pocket. I started very early to catch the first train to Grindelwald but missed it due to some confusion. Thankfully, managed to get into the next train without too much delay.


Upon arrival at the Grindelwald station, there was already a huge crowd waiting to board mountain railway train to Kleine Schneidegg. I was tempted to join the crowd but went ahead with my initial plan instead. I wanted to see Oberer Gletscher which Grindelwald is famous for. The bus station is conveniently located next to the train station and the timing is such that train passengers have enough time to get onto the bus. The view along the bus journey to the glacier was amazing. The bus trip is free with Swiss Pass only until the glacier. Beyond that, tourists have to play discounted fee for the cable car to Pfingstegg and First. The bus stopped in front of the Hotel restaurant Wetterhorn facing the three famous mountains: Eiger(3970m), Monch(4107m) and Jungfrau (4158m) (The Ogre, Monk and Virgin). From there, I hiked for 15minutes before reaching the entrance to 890 steps log staircase that lead to viewing terrace of Oberer Glacier. One has to pay to climb the stairs but it was closed at that hour. Due to curiosity, I ignored the no entry sign and climbed the stairs. It was not an easy task. The staircase is steep at certain stretch and when reach midway, there was frost on the steps making the ascent dangerous. I went halfway up and was rewarded with wonderful view although it was a shame I did not reach the top to view Oberer upper glacier. I did not proceed further due to time and safety issue. Halfway through during the descent, a lady came up and scolded me for ignoring the no entry sign…well, serve me right. Hike back to the bus stop to catch the bus (hourly on schedule) back to train station. 


Boarded a train to Kleine Scheidegg, situated at Eiger mountain. It is a famous base for interchange to Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe) or to Grindelwald,  Wengen and Lauterbrunnen. Although it was Monday, the station was chock-a-block with tourists. I hopped into a cogwheel train to reach Jungfraujoch (fee 126 CHF after discount with Swiss pass...bleeding). There are viewing stops at Eigerwald and Eismeer along the way. The train weaved through Monch and Eiger mountain via tunnels with spectacular view along the way. But one really need a good pair sunglasses to appreciate the view without being blinded by the reflecting light from the glittering snow under the sun. Though wallet drilling and highly commercialized, it is nonetheless a MUST go place at least once in a lifetime.


Jungfraujoch (3454m) has a lot to offer but beware of altitude sickness. Due to the high altitude, tourists are advised to ascend slowly. One can become nauseous, dizzy or even breathless. I was fine but I saw some tourists becoming unwell. At Jungfraujoch there are Ice Palace, the Plateau, Ice Gateway (glacier between the Plateau and Ice Palace), Spinx Observation Terrace (with highest weather station in Europe), Ski and Snowboard Park, Aletsch Glacier and many restaurants. It is a popular destination for the Indians thanks to the Bollywood movies that were filmed here. There is even Bollywood restaurant here...yes, I am not kidding! The temperature was about -14*C or less. I did not mind the coldness but the wind was very harsh. I braved through the frozen coldness and lashing wind to take photos from the Plateau. It was also very slippery and my running shoes are not cut for snow walking for sure. I held on to the side rope to prevent fall. The view from the Sphinx was great too. Ice Palace has ice sculptures exhibits with slightly similar concept as Glacier Cave on Titlis mountain. The exit to Aletsch glacier was closed due to strong wind.


Left Jungfraujoch after an hour or so and returned to Kleine Scheidegg. While waiting for train to Wengen (car free resort), I was seduced by the smell of hot food in the restaurant. Bought fried potatoes for CHF 8...most expensive potatoes fries I ever had but what can I expect in such tourist hotspot...


It was still early in the season hence the cable car from Wengen to Mannlichen, a famous hiking ground  was closed. So I wandered aimlessly around Wengen while waiting for next train to Lauterbrunnen, a town with many waterfalls. As the train was approaching Lauterbrunnen, I could see many waterfalls from far , namely Staubbach, Spissbach and Buchenbach. I took a bus to Trummelbach falls (fee CHF11) with 10 tiers waterfalls. The thundering falls of Trummelbach (20000 litre per second!) are fed by glaciers of Monch, Eiger and Jungfrau. One can choose to go to the top with a lift or staircase. Sadly, I did not have time to visit the famous Staubbach and went to Murren instead. When Lonely Planet described Murren as Heidi heaven, I was intrigued. So although tired and it was already late evening, I persisted...and gladly so because the scenery was awesome. From Lauterbrunnen, I took a funicular to Grutschalp then changed to a train to Murren.


Took a train back to Interlaken and met a Malaysian couple from KL that I bumped into in the morning as well. I was officially broke (no more Swiss francs) and could not find a money changer that was still open at late hours. Thank God I was sensible enough to always store up some food while travel. So bread and cheese for dinner...as usual :( I swore I would eat like a pig once cross over to Austria ...he he he. Explored the lovely Interlaken town before walking back to my hostel. 

View at The Plateau, Jungfraujoch

View from Murren

Swiss travel Day 4: Tue 17/5/11: Zermatt, Gornegrat and Matterhorn

Caught an early train to Zermatt, a lovely village at the foothill of Matterhorn. The scenery en route from Interlaken to Zermatt is worth staying awake for. The view of Thunersee near Spiez is particularly amazing. I had one hour to explore the town before boarding a cogwheel train to Gornegrat  (fees CHF 39, after discount with Swiss pass). No car is allowed in Zermatt hence there are cute small taxis running around the village. The most poignant memory of Zermatt perhaps was the visit to the Mountaineer's Cemetery near the Anglican church of St Peter's. Here, one can read the epitaphs of lives lost from climbing the Matterhorn and Mount Rosa. Another interesting part of Zermatt is the Hinter Dorf area with wooden traditional Valais homes. There is even a 17th century storage barn with stone discs to keep out mice. Before boarding the train up to Gornegrat (highest cogwheel train station in Europe), I could not resist buying some chocolates from Laderach, a swiss chocolatier shop. The truffles with champagne filling and strawberry yoghurt chocolate tasted heavenly and shot me up to the sky even higher than Matterhorn ...he he he.

The view en route to Gornegrat (3090m) with a cogwheel train was spectacular (sit on the right side for best view). At the top, there is a weather station and panaroma terrace where one can get 360* view of the mountain range including Matterhorn (4478m), the highest mountain in Switzerland. There was quite a huge crowd mainly Japanese tourists. As I waited for the next train down, I signed on the graffiti wall near the gift shops.

Gornegrat weather station with Matterhorn at the background

Eye treat from Glacier Express Route

Back in Zermatt, I wasted no time and boarded a train to Chur. I could have taken the cable car up to Klein Matterhorn, the highest cable car station in Europe (3820m) but I wanted to travel the famous Glacier Express route with 91 tunnels and 291 bridges before sunset. Furthermore, I was broke after the trip to Jungfraujoch and decided to refrain from spending too much on the train or cable cars...


The Glacier Express Route is a long journey that lasted about 7.5 hours. I was struggling to stay awake...almost need to pry my eyelids open with toothpick...he he he. The most beautiful leg of the journey is between Andermatt and Oberalpass. Arrived at Chur near 8pm. Chur is a charming town with medieval buildings in the gated old town. I did not really explore the town as it was started to drizzle and I needed to do last minute planning for trip to Austria. I was lucky because in the hostel, I met a Japanese guy and Indian guy who gave me valuable information about Salzburg and Vienna. Slept at 3am...

Swiss travel Day2: Sun 15/5/11 Lucerne, Mount Titlis, Mount Pilatus, Golden Pass road

Weather was a major problem today. It started out fine but soon started raining in the evening. Quite depressing really.


The hostel that I stayed in is not very near the bahnhof and to make things worse, it does not have 24hr reception. Though I woke up early to go to Titlis, I could not check out and put my luggage in the train station as planned the night before. I started the day by exploring Lucerne. It is a charming medieval city and deifinitely more interesting than Zurich in my opinion. The main attraction is of course Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstattersee) and Kapellbrucke (Chapel Bridge).As I walked along the bridge, my attention was drawn to the triangular painted roof panels along the ceiling that were painted in 1614 by Heinrich Wagman. Some of the paintings were damaged in fire hence the missing gaps.

Lucern

Sadly, I did not have much time to explore this lovely city as I have to board train to Engelberg to visit Mount Titlis. In the hind sight, I should have just stayed in the city and visit museums. Weather forecast already warned that weather would be bad. Instead, the stubborn me wasted all my money on the mountain railways...One painful lesson to learn indeed: always check the weather online before buying tickets, in fact the ticket counter staff can check for you but only if you ask and the staff is nice. There is a website with webcam photos of ongoing weather at the mountain: www.swisspanorama.com. But I only learnt about this after descent from Mt Titlis...


The train ride to Engleberg is of course scenic, as expected. I cannot imagine anywhere not scenic in Switzerland. Once reached the station, I bought the ticket (CHF 43 with Swiss pass) and was directed to walk to the gondola station (about 7 minutes walk). The path is well signposted and the walk itself is refreshing and pleasant. Green rolling field strewn with wild flowers in full bloom and snow capped mountains as backdrop and not to forget, crystalline river...phew..what can I say! Joy! The gondola goes all the way up to Trubsee (1800metres). I got out from the station to walk to the lake. Boy, it was tough. I was wearing normal running shoes since I already sold my waterproof hiking shoes. In no time, my shoes and socks got wet. The snow on the ground was more than 10cm thick but I am glad I went ahead stubbornly. The Trubsee Lake is mesmerizing. It reminded me of my experience in Glendalough. Nobody was around, it was just me and the lake. Perfect! It was the right timing because when I descended the same route, it was snowing heavily and the view of the lake was obscured.

Trusbsee

Once got back into the gondola, it continued until Stand station where I changed to board the Titlis Rotair, first rotating cable car in Europe. Sadly, after all the hype, it was an anticlimax due to bad weather. All I could see was WHITEness due to fog and snowfall. Bleeding, keep on bleeding...money into the drain...Once reached Titlis Mountain station at 3020m, I explored the Glacier Cave. It was okay but I enjoyed it more because my favourite Beethoven piece was playing at the background :) Despite the lousy weather, there was a huge crowd of tourists, mainly Indians. After that, I braved myself to venture out in the Glacier Park. It was cold! Temperature was -10*C. With 6 layers of clothes, gloves and hat, I survived :) Thankfully, there was no wind. I wandered around to look for Ice Flyer but could not seem to find it. Later, a Titlis staff laughed as she pointed straight ahead "Just walk into the fog". What? I could not see anything within 5 metre away. Well, what did I have to lose. So, the stubborn me stumbled my way forward and like a magic, the Ice Flyer sign board appeared. It was still very poor visibility but I found my way to the the station alas. Although I cannot see much, the open air chairlift ride was exhilarating especially when I was the only one person there (besides staffs). Very few people found the station that day...not surprisingly. With feet dangling few thousand feet above ground, the chairlift flew like a magic carpet to the lower part of Glacier Park where the Snow toys are. I tried the snow slide but ended up quite badly. Not only the snow kept on flying off to my face and mouth, I kept on tripping onto the thick snow as I made my way to the fun lift to reach the higher ground. 


Left Titlis to return to Lucerne. Unfortunately, I missed the train (scheduled hourly) and had to wait for the next available train. Chatted with a Singaporean family while waiting. Back in Luzerne, I walked back to the hostel to get my luggage. I did not know what got into me. Maybe because the weather in Lucerne was quite sunny, I was optimistic. So, I boarded the boat cruise (free with Swiss pass) from Luzerne gate 2 pier to Alpnachstad, gateway to Pilatus Mountain. The Lucerne lake is beautiful but as the 2 hour boat journey nearing the end, the weather got worse and it started raining :( Still, I did not learn my lesson, I hopped into the last cogwheel train up to Pilatus Kulm (CHF 33 with Swiss Pass).  According to myth, the crevices are haunt of dragon and spirits and the restless ghost of Pontius Pilate roamed around Lake Pilatus.To justify my stupidity/ impulsiveness, I told myself that I wanted to experience the ride on the world's steepest cogwheel train. But, it is money down the drain really. Not all lost as on the way up, there is panaromic view of Alpnachcher See (Lake Alpnachcher) and alpine flowers in full bloom. To my dismay, there was heavy snowfall hence poor visibility. The train weaved through 5 tunnels before reaching Pilatus Kulm (2132 m) that is famous with few trails that lead up to the top with 360 degree panorama view of Alpine range (Eiger, Monch, Jungfrau), Black Forest and Santis. But I guess it is just not for me to see :( I tried to walk to Echoloch but I had to back off as the path was getting too wet and slippery. There was no point of going to Esel (2148m) as well because with heavy snowfall, I cannot imagine what is there to see. Boarded the last cable car down. One can choose to go down by the cogwheel train or cable car. I recommend going down by cable cars because of fantastic view of Vierwalstattersee (a.k.a Lake Lucerne). The cable car decended to Frakmuntegg before continuing to Krienseregg. Once reached the Kriens town, I had to walk for 5 minutes to the bus stop to take bus no 1 to the Luzern bahnhof. I was tired hence skipping any more sightseeing for the day and boarded train to Interlaken instead.


The train ride to Interlaken was really worthwhile. It went through the Golden Pass road that is famous with view of several lakes and Brunig Pass. It passed by Alpnachersee, Sarnersee and Lungernsee before I changed to another train at Meiringen. After Meiringen, there is scenic Lake Brienz before reaching Interlaken OST.

Swiss travel Day 1: Sat 14/5/11: Zurich

I felt exceptionally tired on this day. Feeling very listless and apathetic, I slept through the flight and despite that, I still feel groggy. My thought process was slow and I felt I was tad stupid...must be brain cells 20% dead from chronic sleep deprivation. I was having problem deciphering the tube and tram network...usually I pick up the system very fast. Besides that,  I learnt some painful lessons today (as in bleeding from pocket)


1) Switzerland is a very expensive country and definitely need to prepare few months ahead to save travelling expenses. Should have bought Swiss pass online : much cheaper. I should have ordered via stc.co.uk , a swiss travel agency in UK...The price at the Swiss counter costs about 20 pound more. Bleeding, keep on bleeding. This Switzerland trip goes very well with Leona Lewis's song.


2) If want to go sightseeing with Scenic train like Glacier Express and Bernina Express, need to book at least 3 months ahead. It is already fully booked hence despite having Swiss pass, still have to go by normal regional train. But sometimes can try your luck and ask on the day itself. But need to pay for booking on spot for a seat for Bernina Express.


3) If bought ticketsaver for train journey, stick to the time. I bought a discounted ticket Zurich-Luzern online (www.sbb.ch) but arrived at bahnhof early. So the stupid me boarded the train earlier than I should. On board, I was forced to pay the full price of a new ticket. Bleeding bleeding keep on bleeding...*chorus*.


The weather was crappy. Synonymously with my bleeding pocket, the sky was raining cats and dogs. Left my luggage in the Zurich central train station at the cost of CHF5 (bigger storage costs CHF8). Boarded train S10 to Uetliberg. It is the highest point of Zurich and at the top where Uto Kulm panaroma terrace is, one gets to see the bird eye view of Zurich and Lake Zurich. There is also Planetenweg (Planetary Path) that leads to Uto Kulm but is not really impressive. After that, there is a choice to hike for 1.5 hour to Felsenegg and take cable car down from there. I skipped the hiking to return to Zurich.


As I said, I was utterly confused with the tram system for unknown reason..I think I am just plain stupid or my brain just had a mental trip. Roamed around River Limmat aimlessly and reached the shopping street, Bahnhofstrasse. I wanted to go to Kunsthaus but boarded a  wrong tram. Coincidentally, the tram leads to Museum Rietberg. This museum is unexpectedly a delight. It consists of a cluster of villas with a green park surrounding it. I really enjoy the permanent collection (free entrance with Zurich Card) that consists of large collection of antiquities from China, Japan, Africa, Papua New Guinea, Mali, Peru, Mexico, etc. I especially like the collection of masks and wooden statues from different countries. It started to drizzle by the time I exited the museum but the rain got heavier after I entered Kunsthaus (free for permanent exhibit with Zurich Card). This art gallery has good collection of Monet (the famous Water Lily painting is here), Picasso and Van Gogh. The free audio guide is really good. There is also a large corner dedicated to Joseph Beuys. Museums are always a good place to go if it is raining outside :)


I was wet and cold by the time I reach Paradeplatz. I wandered around to see Fraumunster and Grossmunster upclose but the rain got worse. I was not sure where to get a tram so ended up walking back to the bahnhof. Since I reached the station early, I boarded an earlier train to Lucerne, a mistake that really drill a big hole in the pocket. I have paid for the ticket saver online but had to buy a new ticket inside the train again. The train officer is like a Gestapo agent who is strict and unyielding. He could have overlook my mistake because I am a blur tourist but like a little Napolean, he was unforgiving :(


In Luzerne, heavy rain again. Very cold...Walked quite a distance before reaching my hostel. Not a cheap night stay but considerably cheaper than Zurich hostels. The price is really crazy in Switzerland. Even a simple currywurst in the bahnhof is triple the price of a currywurst in Germany...Thank God, I brought a lot of food from UK ( I only realize the "No food from outside EU" rule in the airport). In the hostel, there were a lot of Korean youths...I wonder whether it is spring break for them.

Zurich

Iceland Day3: Wed 4/5/11: Whale watching and Golden Circle tour

Today is a 2 in 1 tour with whale watching in the morning and golden circle tour in the afternoon. By 8am, I was picked up at my hostel and dropped off at the main office before being sent to the Old Harbour. It was colder but the sea was calmer than the day before. I forgot to pack my gloves and I felt that my fingers would drop off anytime. My hands were freezing and painful at the same time.


Despite the cold, I was excited. First, the boat sailed to Puffin Island to see puffins, also known as Penguin of the North or Sea Clown because they have small wings that make them appear clumsy during take off. It is interesting to watch how the birds take off, fluttering their wings ever so quickly that they leave trail of ripple in the water.  Next, it sailed to Faxafloi Bay to look for whales. There were a lot of porpoises (smallest whale species) and three Minke whales. But, I failed to get very close up shot of the whales due to limitation of my camera. It would be great if I have a binoculars.


After 3 hours of whale watching, I was back at the harbour. There is a small exhibition on whales inside the ship moored at the harbour. I grabbed light lunch before boarding the bus at 1pm for afternoon golden circle tour. Met Merita again in the same tour! She went to Blue Lagoon in the morning. The tour guide this time did not manage to capture my attention. Like a lullaby, every time he speaks, I dozed off within minutes. Sadly, I did not manage to absorp much information. I was reminded of the sleep inducing history lesson in school as he gave a summary of background history of Iceland. It is interesting to note that Iceland is a relatively "young" island, only 20million years old, formed by volcanic eruptions. Iceland was under Norwegian and Danish rule before attaining independence in 1944. One of the Icelanders' pride is the Icelandic Saga book which was one of the earliest book written in the world.

The first stop is Thingvellir national Park, site of the old parliament Alpingi (930AD) and the best place to view the Midatlantic fissure, the no man land , the European and North American tectonate plates. The lanscape is truly out of this world. The Alþingi is stated to be the world's oldest existing parliament. The assembly was held in the plain hence no buildings whatsoever. Later, the bus drove us to Gullfoss, a truly remarkable waterfall located in the canyon of Hvita river. Due to light lunch, I felt slightly hungry and bought skier (Iceland yoghurt) to eat. It is probably the most expensive yoghurt I ever tasted...(overpriced at 300 ISK, usual price is 185 ISK in other shops). Nearby are the famous hotsprings of Geysir and Strokkur. The Strokkur, a very unusual fountain geyser, erupts every 4-8 minutes as high as 25metre like a programmed musical fountain. When we first arrived, Strokkur erupted three times in succesion in a span of a minute which is very unusual. Truly fascinating. The temperature of the water is about 2-3 times boiling point! Visitors have to endure the rotten egg smell of sulphurs though...a small sacrifice to witness one of the nature's wonder. Lastly, we stopped at Hverageroi geothermal powered greenhouse before heading home to Reykjavik.

Thingvellir National Park with Alpingi (Old Parliament)

Gulfoss

Strokkur

At Reykjavik, I alighted at Hilton instead of KEX hostel to walk to the Reykjavik Botanical Garden. I was very curios to see whether Iceland can have full blooming flowers. The botanical garden is lovely but has mainly Icelandic plants, moss, lichen and low plants. Do not expect daffodils and tulips like in UK...the climate and earth in Iceland is really different and not easy to grow anything...To my delight, the garden is quite green. It took me another near 45 minutes to walk back to the hostel for check out. The hostel owner advised me to dine in Fish and Chips near the harbour but as expected, I could not find it being directionally handicapped. I wandered around the city centre looking for best deal. The cheap restaurants either out of fish and chips or kitchen closed. Frustrated, I just walked into Sjavargrillid restaurant on Skolavordustigur road. It is expensive but well worth it. I ordered fresh grill of the day (cost about £17) and I must say I have not tasted finer grilled cat fish than that. It was served with salmon sauce, sweet potatoes and asparagus. I can definitely feel the passion of the chef in preparing the dish. I was also served a free appetizer consist of pickled celery with cream cheese and bread with salted butter (on the house). I asked the waitress about the chef and was not suprised when she said the chef won best chef award last year. Wow! And I found the restaurant by chance...Thank you God!

After the meal, I walked to BSI bus terminal for my airport transfer via Flybus. It is slightly more expensive than Airport Express but is the only bus that goes to the airport at 11pm. I slept in the airport that night. Initially I planned to stay awake whole night to write my blog but since I was sleep deprived for days, I soon fell into deep slumber by 130 am. There is only metal bench in the airport but I managed to sleep quite well in a single seat cushioned sofa. Checked in by 630am and slept again at the boarding gate. With sometime to spare, I shopped for a pair of sunglasses for my upcoming trip to Switzerland :)

Iceland Day 2: Tue 3/5/11: Southcoast and Jokulsarlon day tour

I am usually against joining tour but due to short stay and the self guided tour with Grayline bus only starts in June, I had no choice. This 14 hour day tour by Iceland Excursion cost more than 120 pound because of long distance drive. Surprisingly, I really enjoyed myself. I met Merita, a bubbly girl from Latvia who is so friendly that I would have thought that I have known her for a long time. The tour guide is very informative and speaks clear English. He rattled on history of volcanic eruptions and general knowledge of Iceland including population, animals like Viking horses, polar fox and raindeer, green house and geothermal plants. I am surprised I was able to stay awake most time listening to his fascinating accounts of volcano eruptions.  Iceland is mainly treeless with sparse land covered with volcano lava. Midatlantic fissure runs across Iceland and it separates the Eurasian Plate and North American Plate. It moves 2cm apart every year generating seismic and volcanic activities.



By 730am, I waited outside the hostel for free pickup to join the tour. From Reykjavik, the bus passed by Hveragerdi geothermal green house, Selfoss, Iceland's largest dairy plan with glacial river flowing from Langjokull and famous Hekla volcano which has erupted 28 times in the past. Hekla sits on 25km volcanic fissure and erupts in 10 years cycle, last in 2000. 


The first stop is Skogafoss waterfall which is located near Eyjafjallajökull, the famous subglacial volcano that erupted last year causing major disruption in air travel in Europe. Next, there is Myrdalsjokull glacier, Iceland's 4th largest glacier with Katla volcano beneath it.  In between Myrdalsjokull  and Vatnajokull is Lakagigar (Laki Craters) that caused the deadliest volcano eruption in history. In 1783, a fissure with 130 craters opened leading to 8 months eruptions that wiped out 50% of Iceland livestocks besides causing crop failure in Europe and worldwide. Today, there is largest lava field of Eldhraun spanning 500km area as a reminder of the disaster.

Skogafoss

After short break for lunch, we stopped shortly to view Skaftafelljokul glacier and Svinnajokul glacier. Then, we passed by Oraefojokull, the highest volcanic crater with 5km diameter and full of ice. Along the crater is the highest peak in Iceland, Hvannadalshnukur.  Alas, we reached Vatnajokull, Iceland's largest glacier. The view from far of the ice cap and glacier lagoon, Jokulsarlon is spectacular. I think most tourists in the bus held their breath. At Jokulsarlon, there is boat ride at the lagoon for half an hour which is amazing. Here, I get to see floating icebergs of all shapes and sizes.

Jokulsarlon

On the way back to Reykjavik, there was very brief stop at Skaftafell National Park which was quite a waste because this national park has 25 glaciers originating from Vatnajokull with lots to do and see. We had dinner at Vik Village. Merita and me wandered along the beach before dining. Last attraction was Seljalanasfoss waterfall where one can walk behind the waterfall. I was half wet by the time I finished circling the waterfall. It was great! We reached Reykjavik very late, almost near 11pm. Tired...

Iceland Day 1: Mon 2/5/11 : Blue Lagoon and Reykjavik

Iceland is reputed to be Europe’s Best Kept Secret. No kidding. It has amazing landscape and is a great place to witness the raw power of Mother Nature. It is here that human spirit is constantly tested. The long standing history of volcanoes eruption and earthquakes do not stop people from inhabiting this extraordinary country. It has 30 active volcanoes and the central highlands are not live able. With a low population 320 000 people, it continues to exist, brimming with geothermal energy and Viking spirit. Over centuries, the Icelanders have mastered the survival skills living in the “zitland”. Instead of living in fear of the next volcano eruption, they learn how to predict disaster and do fast emergency evacuation, redirect lava flow  and use geothermal energy for energy supply and green house farming. If the volcano eruption does not generate too much ash, it can even promote tourism and draw in crowd.

I read somewhere quoting that Iceland is a country that every visitor would vow to return..I only have 2 and a half day in Iceland. With such short timing, I merely had a glimpse enough to whet my appetite for future return. Iceland is truly an expensive country to travel in. From UK, one can fly by Icelandair or Iceland Express. I chose the latter because of departure from Gatwick. If travel in two, Icelandair has hotel plus flight package that is quite worth it. There are decent priced hostels but most will charge few euros for bed linen. There are many day tours from the capital, Reykjavik which although expensive, is worth trying if staying for short days like me. Day tours are offered by companies like Iceland Excursion and Reykajvik Excursion. In June, Grayline offers self-guided tour where tourists can hop on hop off as they travel to the south coast.

I wanted to travel in style this time since is a short trip and Iceland Express allows one baggage check in. But because I was engrossed with Korean dramas, I only have 40minutes to do packing. I decided to travel light and not to check in. It was the right decision because the flight was delayed by almost an hour. Although I arrived at the airport an hour early, there was computer problem at the check in counter. I had to run to the boarding gate as I only have 20minutes before  the flight take off. And inside the plane, there was second delay as three passengers who had their baggage checked in did not board the plane. After all this delay, I arrived at Keflavik airport 15min before departure time to Blue Lagoon. I would have missed the bus had I checked in my bag. The Blue Lagoon closes at 8pm hence if I take a later bus there would be lesser time in the lagoon. I did not even have time to change money to Icelandic Krona. Thank God Iceland is plastic card friendly even for small purchases!

I am really glad that I went to Blue Lagoon. Initially I was contemplating not going due to time factor and the fact that one has to shower naked in common bathroom. Return journey plus admission fee cost 6300 ISK by Reykjavik Excursion. On the way to the lagoon, the bus passed by barren land of volcanic lava covered with moss and lichen. As we approached the Blue Lagoon, I could smell the rotten egg smell of sulphur. The Blue Lagoon is a famous thermal spring near Reykjavik . Visitors have to shower before don on swimsuits for hygiene reason. I avoided looking straight on as I entered the bathing area. A lot of naked women of all ages...There are lockers here to put small bag, clothes and shoes. At the lagoon, the air is very cold so I hurriedly jump into the water. The hot spa water is both refreshing and rejuvenating. A lot of visitors have reported positive result of the water. Rich with minerals, I could feel myself more buoyant in the water than usual. I tried the silica mask which is provided free at the lagoon. Of all the services, I love the super hot steam bath and the hydraulic massage by thunderous waterfall the most. After near two hours, I left the lagoon. The Reykajvik Excursion bus dropped me at the KEX hostel. My hostel is very new and while some rooms are quite ready for rent, there is still ongoing renovation work. Decently priced, it is located near the center of attractions and my room is has the seaview of North Atlantic Ocean. After check in, I explored the capital on foot. Sunset is at 10pm hence I had plenty of time. Shopped for water and food in nearby 24 hour shop. Oh my, everything is so expensive. I bought a 50g packet of dried haddock crackers without checking the price and how shocked I am when I found out that it is near 4 pound...

Reykjavik is probably one of the most quiet capital I have ever been to. There is only 180000 people living in Reykjavik. The streets are almost empty and not many cars on road either. It is easy to find my way around as each street is well signposted. I searched for the towering Hallgrimskirkja. It is actually a church with unique architecture. The sweeping columns on both sides represent volcanic basalt and it is only completed after 34 years of construction. It closes by 5pm hence I did not manage to enter the tower. In front of the church is the statue of Viking Leifer Eiriksson, the first European that discovered America. Next, I walked to Lake Tjornin before heading back to my hostel. Watched Korean drama still fell asleep...

Blue Lagoon

Hallgrimskirkja