Paris may belong to Parisian, but Paris in summer belongs to the tourists. This chic, cosmopolitan, lively but a little pompous city were thronged with tourists during the summer, so if you want to get the best spot, you have to get up very-very early to beat the others.

First destination - Eiffel Tower.

Normally, we don't have problem walking five kilometre straight from our hotel at the Spanish Quarters just to reach a tourist spot, but it was a hot day and we had just reached the city early morning.

We made a mistake by following our hotel's front office suggestion that we walk to the Eiffel Tower because it was a lovely day! instead of taking the subway. He suggested we take the walkway along the river and enjoy the people and the weather.

Along the river, there were many stalls selling souvenirs such as Eiffel Tower key chains, postcards, posters, paintings and second hand books. But since we were still tired from our long journey we were almost kaput half-way and really had to sit down a few times.

There were also many traders selling ice-cold mineral water and carbonated drinks in bucket of ice for Fr5-Fr10 a bottle.

We stopped to admire many bridges or ponts along the way and one of them was Le Pont Alexandre III which was classed as a Monument history. It was built between 1897 and 1900 and inaugurated as the Universal Expositions of 1900 opened. The bridge was completely renovated in 1991.

We reached the tower one hour later and I was quite surprised to see the long queue of tourists waiting to go up the tower at all its four pillars- North, South, East and West. Two pillars were serviced by elevators, while another two have steps to the observation deck.

The 324metre high tower was designed by Stephen Sauvestre and built by famous French civil engineer in iron construction Gustave Alexandre Eiffel and completed on March 31, 1889.

The lower section consists of four immense arched legs that curve inward until they unite in a single tapered tower set on masonry piers. There are observation decks at three levels - the first is also the restaurant.

We were a bit disappointed to see many tourists at the Eiffel Tower so we decided to enjoy the view of this massive wrought-iron tower from below. Satisfied, that we have finally reached one of the most popular tourist spot, we headed back tour hotel. It was another long walk back along the river.


Second destination - Notra-Dame Cathedral.

The next day, by 9am, we were already standing in front of Notre-Dame Cathedral- a Gothic masterpiece.

I have been longing to see this cathedral since the day I knew how to pronounced it properly- thanks to watching the Hunchback of Notra-Dame cartoon movie on television during my adolescent years.

The construction of this cathedral began in 1160 and was completed in 1345. History said that the Parisian hated the cathedral during the construction period of this grand cathedral.

In 1972 King Louis IX was canonised as St Louise and in 1304, Philip the Fair celebrated his military victory by riding his horse up and down the aisles in the Notre-Dame. It was also said the view of the city from aisles is spectacular but we did not have the chance to do so due to the sea of tourists.

On the pavement near the Notre-Dame west door is a spot known as kilometre zero. This is where all of the main road distances in France are calculated.

From Notre-Dame we walked towards the Haussmann's police Headquarters and straight to the flower market nearby. It is similar to Amsterdam's flower market, and you can get all types of flowers, seeds and other decorative at very reasonable price.

Our expedition took us straight to the Louvre, biggest museum in Paris. You can spend the whole day here but still cannot cover the whole place.

A two hour journey by train from Atocha Station in Madrid brought us to Cordoba, one of the former historical Islamic cities located in Andalusia province at the south of Spain.

We intended to visit the famous La Mezquita-Catedral (Mosque-Cathedral) that was built at the banks of Guadalquivir by the Caliphs during the Arab domination in year 711 to 1263.

Cordoba was the centre of the Al-Andalus empayar and the capital of the western Caliphate. It was also the artistic and cultural centre as well.

From the train station, we took the No 3 bus to Plaza Tendillas and from there walked along the Jesus Maria street to the Mosque-Cathedral.

The building stood next to the former Omeya fortress that flanked by three Moorish baths, one of which the Santa Maria bath is still partially standing.

The Mezquita de Cordoba was begun in 784 by Caliph Abdul Rahman I, over the old Christian basilica of San Vicente. In the 10th century, after several extensions, it became one of the largest mosque in the world.

The Mezquita boasted combined architectural from Roman, Gothic, Byzantine, Syrian and Persian elements. It was the starting point of all Arabian-Hispanic architecture for centuries until the province was reconquered by the Christians.

This Mosque is considered the most important Islamic monument in the western world and the combination of columns and arches were so impressive that some authors called it the eight Wonder of the world.

Stepping into the courtyard, visitors were greeted by the Patio de Los Naranjos (The Orange Tress courtyard), a work entrusted by Bishop Martin Fernandez de Angulo to local architect Hernan Ruiz I in the 16th Century. The courtyard was the original work by Abdul Rahman III and Almansur, two caliphs responsible in expanding the mosque.

The palm trees in this courtyard are known to have been growing in the 13th Century and was replaced by orange trees in the 15th Century and in the 18th Century, olive trees and cypresses were planted.

To enter the Mezquita main building, visitor has to buy ticket for 1,000 pts. At one end of the courtyard is the Mezquita's bell tower where the top portion covering the Islamic Minaret was built in 16th century.

The main building which was constructed over the Christian basilica by Abdul Rahman I (756-788) used mostly its original materials which took seven years to complete. It presented the splendour of the Hellenic civilization.

The most outstanding features of the section are the variety of its columns, an example of the Graeco-Roman, Egyptian and Visigothic styles. It was the starting point of all Arabian-Hispanic architecture for centuries until the province was reconquered by the Christians.

The long construction work had resulted in mix of Roman Gothic style is combined with Baroque and Renaissance elements. A number of chapels were also constructed in the temple, the most famous is the Purisima Concepcion (17th century).

Just to double-check the qiblat in the mosque, we use our Kaabah compass that we brought along and follow the direction until we found the mihrab in the mosque.

The mihrab is a beautiful art work depicting floral design and caligraphic of verses from Quran. Once you are in front of the mihrab you can see red and white columns decorated with floral emblems and Quran verses while ceiling is covered with beautiful Moorish coffering.

There is also a small museum or Cathedral Treasury near the mihrab where you can find processional monstrance used during Corpus Christi made by a German goldsmith Heinrich von Arfe in the 1500s as commissioned by the Bishop Angulo.

You can also find relics of San Bartolome and Santa Ursula and silver aspersorium engraved with episcopal coats of arms and inscription dating from 1561 and 1562.

Not far from the Cardinal's Chapel is a small spot allocated to display remains of the Caliph lineage and Quran verses. But what was more touching experience to us, was when we found the foundation stone with surah (we believed Surah Qursi) emblemed on it.

Meanwhile outside the Mezquita walls, the streets are filled with shops selling souvenirs. The whitewash walls and balconies of the houses along the street were adorned with flowers pots mostly Geraniums - the most popular flowers in Andalusia.

Cordoba is a very lively town with the best Andalusian tradition, a town of Flamenco and bullfighting, and certainly one of the most attractive destinations in southern Spain.

By 2pm we were already at the Cordoba train station to go back to Atocha Station and get ready for our journey to Paris from Madrid Chamartin train station.

Gondola is an ancient rowing craft which are most popular and widely used in the canals of Venice, Italy.

This tapered 10 metre flat bottomed boat were designed to fit the inner canals of the city which are very narrow.

Due to its 177 canals and limited space for street in Venice, the usage of gondola which can carry up to six passengers are most popular.

Gondolier standing on the stern cover at the end of the boat only uses one oar to enable boats to pass each other along the narrow canals with ease. Some gondolas have removable cabin cover to give passengers shelter and some privacy.

This form of transportation were very popular in the 17th century that it was said there were about 10,000 gondolas during that time.

The first gondola racing was also introduced during this period where both men and women competed in the race.

In 1562, all gondolas in Venice were painted black after the sumptuary law was passed, so as not to encourage the glorification of wealth.

Only special gondolas for dignitaries and foreign diplomats could be highly decorative. Now, gondolas are very costly, and their very specialised construction is a dying industry as the not many younger

.Originally the ferri (plural for ferro) were the same size at both ends of the boat and were made of iron which weighed about 45 pounds. Currently it is made from aluminium and are a little lighter. Besides as decoration it serve as counterbalancing the weight of the gondolier and the passengers. It is quite technical to explain how a gondola was built but this unique slim boat is one of the main attractions in Venice. arny Abu Khair

Beware of pickpockets in Barcelona, Spain. And if you reached there by train, remember that the Estacio Barcelona-Sants station did not operate 24-hours and closes at midnight.

It was too late when we discovered about the station's operating hour. A security guard shooed us out at 11.45pm. Other travellers who were also in the station at that time also stunned when the guards with single English vocab “Out” made their rounds.

So for four-and-a-half hour, the three of us spent our night at a bus stop outside the station. As we reached Barcelona at 7pm and only want to spend a day in the city, we had decided not to check into any hotels and just spent the night at the station.

We had stored our bags in the coin-feed bag compartments and only have our small backpack with us. Luckily we took our jackets along with us that night. We were warned to take extra care of our belongings in Rome instead we encountered many petty thieves here in Barcelona.

They normally work in a group and their targets were international tourists who were stranded and forced to spend the night at the train station.

Since the tourists had to spend our night outside, many tried to get comfortable by using card board boxes as their makeshift beds. However, the three of us did not dare to sleep as we were very worried of our passports and cash money.

Although Barcelona is a very nice city with buildings with unique architecture such as the Sagrada Familia and the Mila House or popularly known as La Pedrera by famous architect Antoni Gaudi, two incidents that night at the station had dampened our enthusiasm to explore the city.

Marina's sling bag containing her passport and our train tickets was almost carted away when Juli made a mistake by putting the bag between her and me when we were sitting at the bench inside the station earlier. Like a flash a youth from behind snatched the bag.

Luckily I saw his action and immediately turn to confront him. Without a word, the youth gave the bag back.

A local told us (in broken English) that these youth loiter at the train station and targetted on tourists who were careless of their belongings. He said the thieves would have no choice but to give back the bag once confronted as the police would bash them up half-dead if they catch him. He said we were lucky to act immediately and got back the bag.

The second incident we witnessed was outside the train station around 2.30am where the police patrol cars had stopped their rounds and everyone was already felt sleepy.

A group of six youth started their modus operandi by walking up and down the five foot ways looking for their victim. We named them “Enam Jahanam”.

This time, it was an elderly man who was deep in his sleep and separated from the other groups. At first one of them tried to slowly pull out the man's fat wallet but failed. Then his friend handed him a pocket knife and he slowly cut the man's pocket.

We tried to make some noise by laughing and clearing our throat loudly but the man did not wake up. (I guess he was too tired from his long journey.) In the end, the youth walked away with their loot to be shared among them.

The victim only realised about his misfortune until when the station re-opened at 4.30am, but it was too late for him.

Once back in the station, these petty thieves started eyeing for their next victims. So, we decided to take turns sleeping. But by 7am the guards made their wake up call rounds waking up those who were sleeping on the benches.

After freshen up and had our breakfast, we took a cab and headed towards La Rambala where shops selling all types of goods from designer brands to tourists souvenirs are available here.

La Rambala also known as Rambla de Catalunya and nearby street Passeig de Gracia are lined with fashionable boutiques, jewellery shops and pavement cafes. There are also outstanding modern buildings including Farmacia J de Bolos, and Serra House, an early 20th century work by the architect Josep Puigi i Cadafalch.

There are other attractions located nearby such as the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Arts and Centre de Cultura Contemporania de Barcelona at the Casa de la Caritat. These tourists attractions are also easily connected with the underground trains or Metro.

There are many Metro stations nearby namely Catalunya, Urquinaona and Jaume I. Tourists just have to know which train they take and can get down at any of these stations.

The attractions such as the Cathederal and many museums such as Museu Frederic Mares, Museu d'Histori de la Ciutat and Museu Barbier-Mueller d'Art Precolombi are just nearby.

Although there are many vehicles on the roads in the city, its impressive traffic management system had ensured that they flow smoothly especially during peak hours.

The roads here are wider with four to five lanes and mostly are one way. Nevertheless there are many traffic lights to enable pedestrian to cross the road safely.

Its many roundabouts that have beautiful statues or monuments such as the Columbus monument near Maremagnum leisure centre add more architectural beauty to the city.

However, since our time at Barcelona was limited, we did not spent so much time at the city and had to head back to train station as we had booked a 2.30pm train tickets to Madrid.

Looking for good Italian-made leather jackets, handbags and shoes?

Instead of buying them off the shelves at designer boutiques lining at Piazza di Spagna, why not head to Marceto di Via Sannio.

The market is very accessible as it is ver near to the S. Giovanni underground train station. We bought the intergrated day ticket for lire6,000. This ticket is useable for any trains, trams and buses.

The transportation system is very user-friendly. Although the officers seldom check the ticket but once you are caught without a valid ticket or a ticket at all, the penalty is very high.

Taking no risk, we bought our routine day ticket at the vending machine and took the red-line underground train to Via Sannio. The market opens early and very famous among the locals.

Due to its popularity, tourists had also flocked the market to get good bargains on leather goods.

Here you can get half-the-price off the normal designer leather goods. A leather handbag will cost you between lire35,000 and lire65,000 due to its popularity among the tourists, some stalls do accept credit cards!

We found the exact same handbags sold at lire160,000 at a leather bag shop at the termini only at lire65,000 at the market minus the label of course.

The stalls were set up along the road and the prices are very competative. So it will definitely help a lot if your Italian Vocab proceed beyond grazie and parla Inglese?

Here you can also get other goods such as silk scarf, accessories, dresses, table cloths and decorative items. The trick is to know how to bargain with the traders.

ends

The remaking of the majestic amphitheatre in the movie Gladiator made me the more excited to see the real Roman Colosseum at Via di San Giovanni in Laterano in Rome.

The construction of the Colosseum also known as Flavian Amphitheater, was started by the Emperor Vespasian between 70 and 76 AD, and completed by his son Titus in 80 AD. It is located between the Esquiline and Caelian Hills and was the first amphitheatre to be built and one of the great architectural monuments by the ancient Romans.

The amphitheatre was built near the former spot where Nero had erected a colossus or huge bronze statue of himself that depicted him as the God of Sun. The 30-metre high statue was moved away later by 24 elephants!

At one time, this massive building can accommodate 50,000 spectators around a central elliptical arena. It had approximately eighty entrances so crowds could be dispersed easily.

Below the wooden arena floor, there was a complex set of rooms and passageways for wild beasts and other provisions for staging the spectacles.

This ancient amphitheatre drew thousands of tourists all year round and the queue at the entrance are normally long.

Rome in spring is quite hot, and mobile stalls selling ice-cold water and ice cream are definitely a temptation and hard to resist but the price here are doubled than the price at normal stalls.

We bought tickets for lire 30,000 and spent half-and-hour inside the amphitheatre admiring the ancient architecture imagining the crowd cheering at gladiators who were fighting their lives against beasts. At first there were fights to the death between wild animals: bear against buffalo, buffalo against elephant, and elephant against rhinoceros.

Sometimes there would even be fights between men and tame beasts. These fights were called venationes. Finally, this gory gladiatorial fights were banned in 404 AD and animal fights in 523 AD.

To bring back memories why not take picture with one of the gladiators roaming around the amphitheatre in complete suit. Well, they may look nothing like Russel Crowe, but these gladiators are expensive. A picture with them may cost you lire5,000-10,000.

For romantic at heart, you can take a horse ride along the ancient town but it may spoil your mood a little with the traffic jams in the city.

Nearly 3,000 years of glorious history have made Rome, the capital of Italy, a chaotic city that leaves urban planners shaking their heads.

Today, the city authorities have already started sandblasting monuments, buying new city buses, expanding the underground train system, rerouting traffic and landscaping parks for the convenience of the tourists.

From Colosseum we visited the triple arch of Constantine, which was built in year 315 after Constantine defeated Maxentius at Ponte Milvio. After a few snaps, we were on our way to Piazza Navona.

Along the Via de Fori Imperiali, you can see many stalls selling t-shirts, souvenirs and paintings. What is more interesting, that most of the hawkers selling these souvenirs are immigrants from India and Bangladesh who have been living in Rome for years.

We stopped at Foro Romano to admire one of the biggest Roman ruins collection in the world.

These ruins were the remains of famous buildings during the time of Julius Cesar, Augustus, Traian and Nerva such as the Curia, or Senate House - the oldest buildings in the area. The Comitium (assembly place), The Temple of Saturn, The Temple of Castor and Polux which celebrates the Roman rebellion against the Etruscan King and the House of Vestal Virgins.

It was a long walk from Foro Romano to Piazza Navona but it was worth it. We were warned to be careful of our belongings in this cosmopolitan city as petty thieves and pickpockets would eye tourists who were careless of their wallets and cash. But now it is quite safe for tourists to walk in any back alley and can enjoy the sight seeing without worrying too much of petty thieves as policemen were stationed at every corner of the road.

The Italian Government effort to make the city safe for tourists is lauded as tourism is one of the main income for the country.

The long walk finally brought us to Piazza Navona - a plaza that was built over the ruins of Domitian's stadium. In the centre, stands the fountain of the Four Rivers (Danube, Ganges, Nile and Rio de la Plata) created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini for Pope Innocent X.

This is one of the famous piazzas in Rome. There were many cafes surrounding the piazza where all the chairs facing the magnificent monuments.

Another famous piazza is Piazza di Spagna. One of the meeting places especially for the local youth. The “Spanish Square steps” is the famous spot here. It also the place to sit and watch people pass by.

Like the other piazzas, another attraction is the fountain and here, you can dip your sore feet at cool water of the Barcaccia fountain - a masterpiece of Baroque art by Bernini.

ends

It was 5pm when we finally got to watch the eagerly awaited “dance show.”
When the clock struck five, my friends and I were dumbstruck by the cacophony of bells ringing from almost all the towers around us. Nevertheless our attention was stuck to the Glockenspiel and for solid five minutes none of us took our eyes off the tower.
We were so fascinated with the figurine of jokers, knights on horses jerkily waving their jousts followed by another carousel of twirling dancers of the barrel makers in front of their king and queen
Marianplatz is also where the Mariansau is located. It is the point from which all the distances in Bavaria are measured.
Munich is the capital of Bavaria, Germany and with the river Isar passes through the centre of the city, it has much to offer the international visitor. The Deutsch name is Mnchen or Muenchen and the motto is “The world city with a heart”.

I was never into dolls. In fact I was a little afraid of dolls even figurines. But when I was in Munich, Germany last year, a special toy museum at the famous Marianplatz had ticked my curiousity.

A place that I had never regretted visiting and had changed my perspective that dolls are just for little girls. The museum is called Spielzeigmuseum or Toy Museum is situated at the Altes Rathaus (old town house tower) and has more than 100 toy collection since the late 1800.

The main attraction at the museum is Barbie – A normal female doll which had become girls best friends around the world. Barbie dolls has generated many fans and some are priceless that they have become collectors item.

At the Spielzegmuseum, ardent fans of Barbie and of course her lifetime partner, Mr Ken can trace the doll’s history. The fourth and the fifth of the tower levels were dedicated for the exhibition of Barbie dolls from as early as 1940s.

Barbie doll epitomized fashion in the era they were made. So, there are Barbie dolls displaying fashion of the 40s to the disco era and the 80s. There were also figurines of supermodel Naomi Campbell and Claudia Schiffer; superstars Michael Jackson, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and Elvis Presley.

There were also other dolls and toys displayed at the museum besides Barbie and friends. There are Pinocchio and even the famous Marklin train sets – which are more easier for me to relate. Trucks and cars, exotic animals on Noah Ark and carnival which were also on displayed. Exclusively for boys, there were also toy soldiers from World War 1 and II.

Some of these toys were more than 150 years old and were made of wood and tin.
The museum is easily to locate as it is near the famous Glockenspiel and have a mechanical cymbals clanking at every 10 seconds. It is opened to public from 10am to 5.30pm. The admission for adult is DM5 (about RM10).

The trip to Zeltweg was not in our initial itinerary but Juli got an invitation to visit the Red Bull Sauber-Petronas F1 entourage at Zeltweg Military Airport.

To reach Zeltweg, we took early morning train from Amsterdam to Koeln station and took another train to Linz. From there, the journey brought us up hill to Selzthal and St. Michael before reaching the Zeltweg station at 8.55pm.

The temperature was around 17C when we stepped out the station. Zeltweg is just a small town surrounded by the Styrian Mountains in the Mur Valley but is well known for the Military Airport and the famous Austrian A1 ring.

We stayed at bed and breakfast inn very near to the Military Airport for US100 (RM380) a night. Since it was the second accommodation we took after Amsterdam, we were quite taken aback when the proprietor mentioned the price.

We had just spent 14-hours in the trains so we were very tired and really in need of shower. Our room was on the second floor and there is no lift, so we had to lug the bags ourselves up the stairs.

We requested a three-bed room and were very much happy with the one given. Once we had our shower and performed the Maghrib and Isya' jama' prayers, we were dead to the world while Juli still had the energy to watch football match and cheering her favourite team Real Madrid against Bayern Munchen.

The next morning, we had our breakfast together with many race team technicians who were there for the race. After breakfast we took a taxi back to the train station to store our bags and later headed back to the Military Airport at 9.50am.

Juli had set an appointment with Red Bull Sauber-Petronas team spokesperson Agnes Carlier to meet us at the airport entrance at 10am. Not a F1 fans, we let Juli have a fun meeting the Red Bull Sauber Petronas boss Peter Sauber, driver Kimi Raikkonen and his girlfriend Hanna Raivisto.

It was a sunny morning and perfect for the plane ride organised for Raikkonen and F3000 Red Bull Junior team driver Patrick Freisacher with renowed stunt pilot an aerobatic world champion Peter Bessenyei.

After the visit there, Juli and Carlier spent time at the A1 Ring while we decided
to explore the town. Although Zeltweg is a quite town, (with only one Mc Donald fast food restaurant), there are many good ammenities.

Zeltweg seldom receive international tourists except during the race day so it is quite most of the days. But thanks for the race track, businesses such as pubs, restaurants and hotels are thriving in Zeltweg and this small town slowly demanding international recognition especially among the F1 race fans.

The town centred on its train tracks as it is still the main mode of transportation for the residents. But the mountains surrounding the valley, gave a picturesque view of the sleepy town make us felt like we were in the Sound of Music land.

White flowers “Edelweiss” were scattered everywhere looking like small dots amidst the lush green fields and some of the houses still retained their traditional architecture.

Communication was still a problem as none of us speak French or German and the locals don't speak English. So its sign language time!

Edelweiss, edelweiss
Every morning you greet me
Small and white
Clean and bright
You look happy to meet me

Blossom of snow
May you bloom and grow
Bloom and grow forever
Edelweiss edelweiss
Bless my homeland forever

Armed with a city map that I bought from the VVV Tourist Centre at the Schiphol Airport, we decided to explore Amsterdam on foot.

Our first destination was Waterlooplein market where second hands items from army jackets and shoes, old music box, household items and books can be found here.
There are even African masks, Indonesian batiks, RAF jackets sold at rock bottom prices.

Unlike in Malaysia where most stalls are opened on a dot at 10am, the people here are more relax. It was easy to locate the Waterlooplein flea market- just head towards the Amsterdam's town hall. The market is just behind the building.
When we reached the market around 10.15am, the traders had just beginning to open their stalls. There are about 30 stalls there. There are also many stalls selling leather jackets, products from African countries, second hand household items and knick-knacks.

If you really know how to haggle with the traders, you can walk away with half the price they put on the price tags. Being a typical tourists, we bought a few t-shirts, fridge magnets and key chains as souvenirs. Besides the normal tulips and windmill souvenirs, you can also get all types of good quality leather and suade jackets for around RM200-RM400.

As my budget was tight, but very in need of a good jacket to ward off the cold wind, I bought a second hand jacket for only GN30 (RM45).

I was quite fascinated with the antique items such as the music box but thinking that we still have a few countries to go, I had to content myself with a pair of socks,
a t-shirt and a few postcards.

As we were the only Malay females at the market that day, many traders mistaken us for Indonesian. We met a second hand army uniform trader Harry who spoke fluent Malay with an Indonesianslang.

Like many Dutch who had relatives in Indonesia, Harry said he spent his first 17 years in Lombok. He said while he was in Lombok, he mixed with Muslim community there and he failed to see why people with different religions did not make an efforts and failed to co-exist.

However, he said there are about 300 mosques actively operating in Neatherlands and mostly are in Amsterdam. Harry who practiced Christianity said the original traders at Waterlooplein are mostly Jewish.

Waterlooplein means Waterloo Square when the city filled in two canals- the Leprozengracht and the Houtgracht forming the new square.
The original market started at Jodenbreestraat by the Jewish traders, but in the late 1800, the Government forced these traders and those at the surrounding streets to
move to Waterlooplein.

At that time, the market operating six days a week and only close on Saturday for the Jewish Sabbath. However nowaday due to the flock of tourists, it is only close on Monday. Nevertheless there are still some stalls owners proudly displayed the zionist flags.

From Waterlooplein, we headed towards the famous flower located on the Singel (between the top of the Leidsestraat and the Munt Tower) not far from Damrak area.
Instead of seeing buckets of fresh tulips, we were greeted by kaleidescope of colours from all sorts of flowers such as roses, daisies and even ferns. Nevertheless there are many types of tulips bulbs for sale that are ready to be brought home and planted in late September. Here, tourists can also buy the souvenirs such as fridge magnets, key chains, tulip flowers made of wood, windmill toys and the klompen or Dutch clogs.

By late afternoon we made our way to Leidseplein and book a ticket for canal tour boat along the Singelgracht. As we have two hours to kill before our boat ride, we decided to take a rest at Vondalpark - one of many parks in Amsterdam. Vondelpark is famous among the youth as the International Youth Hostel also located here.
Due to its popularity, it is almost impossible to book a stay there and bookings had to be made months earlier.

Nothing much can be said about the park but it is famous among the city folks who go there to unwind, take a dog out for a walk or jogging. As a tin or a bottle of Heinekan is cheaper than mineral water, you can see empty bottles and tin strewn everywhere in the park. Oh, and be careful where you walk in the park as you may accidently step on dog pooh.

The local authority should be more active in promoting cleanliness in the city especially its many parks.

After 12 hours confined in the economy seats we were eagered and ready to bulldoze our way out of the the KLM Boeing 747 once it reached the Schiphol International Airport in Amsterdam. Most flights int o Holland arrived during the day, so our first day of travelling Europe began at the Airport.

We reached this modern airport at 5.25pm (local time) and like our Kuala Lumpur International Airport, the Schiphol is also easy to navigate with ample signages written both in Dutch and English. Believe it or not, the airport is 3.6 metre below sea level.

The name Schiphol comes from a ship hole because the area was formerly a lake where many ships had sunk. Once we had our passports stamped and retrieved our bags at the carousel, we headed to the train tickets counters located in the airport itself.

The transportation link in Schiphol airport is really impressive. Tourists can have their own choice of travelling to the city. A taxi fare to the city cost NG60-70 (RM90-105) and the journey took around 15 minutes.

However, those who have limited budget (like us) should take a train to the main station as the ticket would only cost GN6 (RM9). All the trains from the international airport headed to the Centraal Station and the journey took about 20 minutes.
Although the system is good, the double-decker trains are not very user-friendly, especially to travellers who carry big bags.

There are a few steps to nevigate to go to both upper and lower decks. The aisle is also narrow and I found the glass doors saparating each compartments troublesome where it is quite difficult to push the door and lug the bags at the same time. Nevertheless, the scenery along the tracks instantly cured our tiredness.

We passed a few canals where the water is very clean, cute modern houses with tulips on the windowsill and a few commercial buildings. Upon reaching the Centraal Station, we tasted our first Amsterdam windy climate.

It instantly reminded us of one funny scene in the movie Cool Runnings where the four rastamen had their first taste of snow. Although it was not dramatic as in the movie, 17C is just too much for us, especially with our slim jacket it was just not warm enough.

From the Centraal, we took another underground train- metro- to Newmarkt, where our hostel is located. We have booked beds at the Shelter City Christian Youth Hostel at Barndesteeg 21, in Newmarkt.

Thanks to the hostel booking manager, Martijn Rutgers, it was quite easy to find the place especially with the landmark De Waag (Weigh House) that was smacked right in the centre of the square.

It is very near to the tourists attractions namely Dam Square, Madame Tussaud's, Rembrandt's House and not forgetting the Red Light District. The Shelter City has a total of 168 beds in 7 single-sex dormitories (there is no single or double rooms) and is well equipped with cafetaria, showers, bed linen and a locker.

A bed cost GN25 (RM37.50) during the low season (October-March) and GN28 (RM42) in high season (April-Sept) per night. It is open from 7.30am to midnight from Sunday till Thursday. However on Frid ay and Saturday the curfew is at 1am.

As it was in spring season, the day is longer than the night. At 8pm after freshen up, we decided to explore the Newmarkt. Our exploration brought us to Zeedijk where many restaurants offering Indonesian Italianand dutch cuisines.

We found a Malaysian restaurant called Wau Restaurant but decided to try the food at a nearby Indonesian Bunga Mawar restaurant. After we had our dinner, we accidently stumbled the famous Red Light District where tax-paying women offering their wares inside glass windows.

It was nearing 10pm and the district is bustling with activities. Under the red lights and accompanied with songs blasting from speakers, the girls behind the glass windows danced seductively to invite male tourists for their services.

Although prostutition is the core business, the area is safe for tourists, it is still not advisable especially female to venture into the district at night. We headed back to the hostel by 11.30pm.

For further information on the hostel :
The Shelter City
Barndesteeg 21, 1012 BV Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Phone: + 31 (0) 20 6253230
Fax: + 31 (0) 20 6232282
Web site: www. shelter.nl

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