Jamie

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Lovely Town of Porvoo, Finland :)

Recommended by my Finnish friend who grew up in this quaint medieval town..

Porvoo is just an hour away by public bus from Helsinki, Finland..

We spent half a day in this very lovely town, and I am glad we listened to Maria :)

It was 6 am when our flight arrived in Helsinki, and our hotel rooms were not ready yet..

So we dressed up at the lobby, left our luggages with the concierge.. and off to Porvoo!

It was the first time for some of us to touch snow.. and that was serious happiness! :)

We didn't really research on where to go.. so we just walked and walked and walked..

The old buildings were so cute and colourful.. and that wedding truck was driving in..

To the compound of the 14th century Porvoo Cathedral.. where a traditional wedding was going on..

Though I am not sure if this is really considered their traditional wedding car ;)

I assume these are houses.. or maybe barns?!

Well, anyway.. they are red and yellow, and pretty! That's all that matters! Haha :)

Red Houses and a Street in Porvoo, Finland

And there was something about this street.. I think it was the most photographed? in the town?

Oh gosh.. forgive my memory.. but there was a painting of this street right on the wall with some information on it..

Exactly a year ago.. Winter in February..

Isn't this such a beauty?!

The Holm House and its yard.. where they host seasonal exhibitions of how a wealthy Porvoo merchant family lived in the 18th century..

Old cobblestone streets..

Lovely, lovely shopping areas..

Eye candy shop windows.. :)

And Brunberg Chocolates! Where you can eat all the chocolates samples that you can!

Ahhh yes, I tried all the flavours, and ate more of my favorites.. to the point of almost getting a sore throat :P

A must in Porvoo.. and the cause of my heavy luggage!

Just another cute little cafe.. with a name.. maybe they should change ;)

Or maybe they really knew what it meant!

More pretty old town shopping districts..

And a Mentos candy!

Just kidding.. that's the old Town Hall :)

Somebody's backyard I wanted to steal ;)

Winter Fishing at the Porvoo River, Finland

Men.. Ice.. Fishing..

At the frozen Porvoo River..

Red Shore Houses on the Porvoo River, Finland

And the symbol of the medieval town.. Buildings used to store imported exotic delicacies and merchandise..

The very lovely red shore houses by the Porvoo River..

So please.. go and get lost in Porvoo.. and you'll be as happy as these! ;)

Related Stories: Northern Lights Over Lake Inari, Husky Dog Sledding, Reindeer Sleigh Ride, First Glimpse of the Arctic Circle, and Medieval Old Town of Tallinn. Enjoy! :)

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References:

Full Trip Itinerary and Budget - Finland and Estonia - Northern Lights Itinerary

Sunday, February 8, 2015

Cruising in Malta

"Where's Malta? Why Malta?"

These questions.. ;)

"I stare at the world map, look for an unfamiliar name, and check Google images."

That's what I love to do. And this is Malta!

Colourful Fishing Boats, St. Julian's Bay, Malta

One of the smallest countries in the wold..

Off the southern coast of Italy.. A European archipelago in the Mediterranean Sea..

Where charming towns like St. Julian's are sprinkled with colourful fishing boats ..

And public Maltese buses make you want to ride.. just for a ride ;)

On the rooftop of a hop-on hop-off tour bus.. is the laziest way to see..

This fascinating backdrop of a country..

With a walled medieval old town on a hill.. the "silent city" of Mdina..

And the 9th largest church dome in the world.. the Rotunda of Mosta..

On the deck of a Catamaran.. is the daydreamiest place to be..

On a gorgeous autumn afternoon in October..

Where the caves of Comino wait..

For a courtesy call from these.. who paid some extra Euros for a little boat ride..

To peek into rock formations and caverns.. where healthier boats cannot go through ;)

Heavens do come down in turquoise coloured days..

Swimming in the Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta

Of cold and splashing.. the Blue Lagoon on my face..

Sailing at the Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta

Where yachts float with the waves..

Catamaran Cruise, Blue Lagoon, Comino, Malta

Wait for these beaming soaked folks..

Cruise through this marvel of an ancient beauty..

And dock when it's time to shift..

At St. Julian's Bay to hang those bikinis..

Dress up for wine and cheers..

Surprises still linger..

Rolex Middle Sea Race, Westin Dragonara Resort, St. Julian's, Malta

At Westin Dragonara Resort.. Balcony, and what is this?! :)

The Rolex Middle Sea Race comes to chase..

From this paradise.. to bid goodbye and embrace..

I really love this place.. Malta :)

Related Stories: Mailboat Cruise in Picton, New Zealand

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References:

3 Days - Hotel - Westin Dragonara Resort

As of Feb 2015, per pax and booked through the hotel concierge:

Catamaran Cruise - Eur 65

Hop-On Hop-Off Tour - Eur 17

Saturday, January 31, 2015

Flamingos and Llamas

Forgive me if I have been lagging in my blog updates as I am currently working on a travel magazine article..

For now.. And by now, you would have already noticed how much I love animals.. :)

Here are my favourite animal moments from the Uyuni Tour in Bolivia!

Pink and White Flamingos at Laguna Hedionda, Uyuni Tour, Bolivia

Watching the pink and white Flamingos at the Laguna Hedionda (in English, Stinking Lake).. and loving the fact that they are Wild and in their natural habitat..

Wishing I walked faster to see this herd.. that Llama just gave birth a few seconds before I arrived at this spot.. and look closely, that's the baby Llama beside its mama :)

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And click here for a baby Alpaca ;)

Monday, January 19, 2015

Greece - Athens, Crete, and Santorini Itinerary

A lot of friends have been asking me where to go for their honeymoon..

And although we had a perfect one in Maldives.. My answer would be Greece.. Santorini to be exact! :)

I could stare at the caldera from our balcony in Imerovigli the whole day, everyday.. And those were just the most peaceful and beautiful moments..

Ruins in Athens. Shopping in Crete. Because in Santorini, the same things we bought from Crete were at least 3 times more expensive!

We spent 3 days in Santorini, and though it was enough to see everything.. it was not enough for me. And if you are wondering why we stayed in 2 accommodations, it was because I wanted to experience the difference between Imerovigli and Oia.

Oia is lovelier with all the blue domes and pretty shops, but Imerovigli has the panoramic view of the caldera. People say that the sunset in Oia is the most beautiful in the world. But I loved the sunset from our balcony in Imerovigli better ;)