TRAVEL AND LIFESTYLE DIARIES -

Brrr! With freezing –7C temperature outside, I’m writing this entry in our warm living room while enjoying the soothing Twin Peaks sound track in the background ;-) We just came home from Den Haag visiting Madurodam and watching a 3-D film in Omniversum. I hate to be the bringer of bad news but I have a very unenthusiastic review about Madurodam which will come later, while I got inspired to listen to Twin Peaks tonight. They were playing them as lounge music in Omniversum while we wait for the film to start. The first Christmas market in Dusseldorf we visited in glittering silvery white decors and lights... really nice. I like the elegant simplicity. And because the holiday season will soon be over, I thought it best to first write about my Dusseldorf Christmas Market review before I plunge into my memorable Prague experiences (actually I have not finished uploading the Prague fotos). I picked Dusseldorf this year because it’s quite near to the Netherlands; about 2 hours drive fr...

Tonight is Christmas Eve and I have totally lost touch that the 24th of December is the biggest event and the most important evening commemorated across the Christian world. I got used to the low key Christmas celebration in the Netherlands and it doesn’t help either that I am an agnostic. I will be posting my Prague and Dusseldorf entries in the coming days. I need time to upload the fotos and work on the posts but quite happy now as I am free beginning tonight until the weekend! 4 glorious days of enjoying the holidays, hopefully not overeating as I don’t want to gain the kilos I have lost, and looking forward to some activities lined up. At any rate, I was watching the Christmas edition of Nigella Lawson on BBC a few nights ago and I totally admired the woman for what she has achieved – bestselling cookbooks, a TV show, a reputation, and insert some GBPounds here too. She has a big following of Nigella wannabes but what I quite find annoying while watching her, I must admit appealin...

Amsterdam to Prague is just over an hour’s flight. When the KLM pilot informed the cabin crew to take their seats for landing, I right away looked out the window but helaas I only see a blanket of white. It is supposed to be snowing in Prague so I can understand that visibility from the window is almost zero. Then, as the plane slowly glided down losing more altitude, I saw landscape formation, in immaculate expanse. The fields, trees, and houses covered in white snow slowly emerged from our sight as our plane meets the runway. Wow, this has got to be the most magical landing I have had so far. My favourite building on the old town square. After collecting my luggage I boarded a cab to the centre. It is snowing in Prague and taking the train and bus would be the last thing in my agenda. I took a shared taxi service and paid 480 CZ one-way. The roads in Prague are narrow and not well maintained compared to the Netherlands. It is something that will right away strike you upon arriv...

Yup, I was in Prague last weekend and I have so many stories to tell about my visit. True to its fame, Prague is indeed a fairy tale city. I could imagine kings and queens, prince and princesses, knights, magicians, personalities from the old world prancing about in this place. It’s a magical place and no wonder there are so many visitors here. Because its December ergo the Christmas season, there was a Christmas Market in the Old Town Square or Staromestske Namesti. I love Christmas Markets so it was a delight to see the stalls, and of course the food! Of course, it’s just apt to start my Prague entries with the Christmas Market as Christmas is fast approaching. Out of curiousity I sampled a piece of ‘Trdelnik’ or ‘Trdlo’, a cinnamon coated delicacy. It was okay I thought. I am not really fond of sweet pastry stuff but it was something I vowed to try as it was local and popular. I have read that this pastry ring is a new invention mainly targeted for tourists (trap?) . They ar...