prez[dot]pencils.it: Holidays

Review 3 - Barcelona, Spain

Our last stop of the week long trip in Europe, which is Barcelona, Spain.

We address them as the Catalans. Famous for its football (Yeah, the beat us in the Final). Anyways, we started of by hunting for our hostel, which located along Passeig de Gracia.

Along Passeig de Gracia, there's where the high street shopping is. Naming from the famous local brand Zara to our very own Jimmy Choo. We come back to that later on.

We begin with the Nou Camp.

Inside the Nou Camp.

Seats in the ground.

Press room.

Sponsors.

I hate you, Barca!

The trophy cabinet? Ah, can't match United's.

You thought Megatron has landed in Barcelona?

I-don't-know-what I-am-doing pose.

Olden day foos-ball table.

8-9-10

Hristo Stoichkov.

We will own you one day!

Moving on to the next thing in the city. The Gaudi architecture.

The call it - Sargrada Familia.

Look what's behind it.

Sargrada Familia is built since 1882 by Antoni Gaudi. What is amazing about it, it is not fully constructed yet! Expected to be ready by 2026. Interesting isn't it?

The bottom of the structure.

After that, we wandered around Barcelona like a headless chicken. The pictures below are randomly taken.

Along La Ramblas.

Look what I found! Kuala Lumpur!!

Guess what, the world is REALLY small!

and Obama!

Barcelona is a must go-again city! I would take my time out to travel to Barcelona again with more cash in pocket to spend.

In a nutshell, nothing is perfect but the experience during the whole journey from Rome to Barcelona was a great one and not to be forgotten for many many years! Great travelling mates i.e. Gavin, Ming, Sebastian, Vivian and Vi-Lyn. Thank you for the patience and I wish that it could have been better. Adios!

Review 2 - Madrid, Spain

Some say Madrid is BORING. Hmm.. I can't do any assumption before visiting the place. What I am going to do here is to show you 'part' of Madrid where I had managed to visit.

Before going into the pictures taken, Let me tell you a little history of the Spanish capital.

Madrid is well-known because of its bull-fighting. But for some of us, "Did you go to Santiago Bernebeu?" A roadside auntie and Ah Pek say, "Eh, Madrid ah. Got see Beckham there ah? He play football there one leh. Lah-ul also leh!! (Raul too)."

Yeah yeah, Real Madrid. The Galaticos. Anyways, bull-fighting is well-knowned there. World famous bull fighters come from Mexico, Portugal and locally too, fight in the famous arena, the Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas.

Too bad we can't see any bull on that day. We missed the bull fight by one day! Argh!

The Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas. Picture from Wikipedia.

The bull ring.

In Las Ventas.

The Royal Box. The seat is only vacated by the Royal family e.g. the King of Spain.

In the middle of the ring.

Hiding from the sun?

The bulls are coming!

Look at the marks on the 'wooden' wall.

A glimpse of Las Ventas outside. *Ignore both of them*

Madrid wasn't as perfect as we thought. Next, Barcelona!

Review 1 - Rome, Italy

We started of with Rome. The Vatican City. Wondering if you have not brought your passport along to Vatican, and oh SH*T!! It is another COUNTRY in ITALY! Wait a minute! It cannot be. But where the hell are the Border Officers (Immigration)? A little history of the Vatican City. Vatican City is the smallest country in the world by both area and population. The ruler is the Pope. Yeah! The Pope is the King, Prime Minister, President and bla bla.. whatever you want to call him.

That's one of the building in St. Peter's Square. And I am not the Pope!

You would not want to believe that the Swiss Guards there are well photographed.

Inside the building.

You can roughly see what the Pope sees during masses.

Here we are in the St. Peter's Square.

Amazing, isn't it?

So from the Square, we are off to else where, err... I am not sure where to but I am clearly aware we are going away from the Square.

Time off before heading 'somewhere'

In front of the 'National' Museum.

The Pantheon.

Pinocchio?

His nose ain't growing any longer.

The carpenter's workshop.

The Trevi Fountain.

The wishing fountain, where you can make one that one day, it would probably come true.

Quoted from Wikipedia.

"A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Among those who are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different individuals, a reported current interpretation is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce. A reported current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain."