My girlfriend Jun just returned from Paris with a beautiful LV Trevi (including dust bag) for sale at S$2,000.
She has too many bags to go around, so if you’re keen to give this bag a new home, do drop me an email at regina.chow@gmail.com! – SOLD-
My girlfriend Jun just returned from Paris with a beautiful LV Trevi (including dust bag) for sale at S$2,000.
Innsbruck, a city in the western part of Austria, is a popular location for the Winter Olympics. This city is the least commercialized among the 3 that I visited (the other two are Vienna and Salzburg) and its untainted scenery is its greatest charm.
We were there bright and early on a weekday morning, before the crowds started streaming in via the Nordkette cable railway. And there we were, on top of the Seegrube and Hafeleka Mountains, enjoying the magnificent view of the alps with a cuppa hot chocolate.
If only I could do this everyday! This is heaven on earth!
In Salzburg, the hills are alive….with the sound of music!
I was looking forward to The Sound of Music tour, having watched the movie several times when I was a child. The tour includes visits to the main filming locations for the 1965 Hollywood blockbuster.
Based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers, The Sound of Music remains one of the most popular movie musicals to date. Beauty lies in simplicity, and in this case, it was the witty and fascinating romance of Maria and Captain von Trapp (not forgetting the gorgeous views of the Austrian landscape) that touched the hearts of millions, including that of yours truly.
Based on the true story of the Trapp Family Singers, The Sound of Music remains one of the most popular movie musicals to date. Beauty lies in simplicity, and in this case, it was the witty and fascinating romance of Maria and Captain von Trapp (not forgetting the gorgeous views of the Austrian landscape) that touched the hearts of millions, including that of yours truly.
Interestingly, the Austrians were totally oblivious to the existence and popularity of The Sound of Music as it was never screened in the country till recently. Hardly anyone in Austria (besides the tour guides) is familiar with the movie!
If you were to ask me for my honest opinion about the tour, I would say that save for the nuggets of historical information dished out by my humorous tour guide and the absolutely jaw dropping scenery, the tour was rather mundane because most of the attractions were out of bounds to visitors.
Much to my dismay, the famous gazebo where Liesl sang “Sixteen going on Seventeen” was locked and the majestic mansion where the Trapp family apparently lived could only be viewed from across a lake. I was even more disappointed to find out that the interior of the mansion in the movie was actually not authentic. The tour guide told us that Hollywood modelled it after the real mansion in Austria.
That moment of realization crushed me. I felt like a kid who just found out that Santa Claus never existed.
Nevertheless, the scenery was worth every bit of my time. Without this tour, I wouldn’t have ventured into the outskirts and stumbled upon the beautiful Mondsee Lake. Here are some of my favourite photos:
Gorgeous isn’t it? 🙂
One of the key highlights of Salzburg is its Old Town. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this is also where you’ll find Mozart’s birthplace alongside rows of modern shops housed in preserved baroque buildings.
Motor vehicles are prohibited in the Old Town, so I was free to roam about as I pleased, admiring the town’s old-world charm while darting in and out of the shops at lightning speed.
On the way from our hotel to the Old Town, we passed by the Salzach River, lined with greenery and architecture from days of yore.
I do a lot of walking when I am in Europe because this is the best way to take in the beautiful sights with the icy cool breeze caressing my face (even in summer!). The picturesque scenery has an innate ability to calm the mind.
Balm for the soul.
I was excited about visiting the Old Town because Mozart’s birthplace, otherwise known as Mozart’s Geburtshaus, lies right in the heart of the town. The yellow visage makes it almost impossible to miss.
Mozart’s musical talent was first discovered by his father, Leopold, who started grooming him when he was only 3 years of age, and this humble abode at Getreidegasse 9 was where Mozart spent most of his childhood with his family. The numerous artifacts displayed here also reflect the way of life in the 18th century. However, I much prefer Mozarthaus in Vienna as the information provided here relates more to the Mozart family rather than the composer himself.
Nevertheless,there is a rather obscure but quaint and well-decorated cafe on the second floor of Mozart’s Geburtshaus that I really like.
The food in Austria is generally tasty yet very affordable as compared to most European countries. My main course usually sets me back by about S$15 or at most S$20. I can’t remember what main course I had here, but it was probably pork with pasta. Doesn’t sound or look appetizing I know, but I swear it was good! The thing about meat dishes in Austria is that like the Chinese, the meat is always well-marinated, albeit with herbs and spices.
The meal at the cafe marked the end of my tour at Mozart Geburtshaus.
The Mozart family later shifted to a larger residence situated at Marketplatz in Salzburg and that has since been converted into a museum as well. But alas, I’ll be saving that for my next visit to Austria. 😉
As a shopping queen who has to juggle between work, family and friends, my shopping escapades inevitably revolve around online shopping sites and blog shops. One of the issues I face is that the clothes found on blogshops are typically not appropriate for work due to the length (usually way too short for me!), size or quality. As a result, I could hardly rely on blog shops for work wear, at least not until Eldaffe came into the picture.
Recently, I received two work dresses in my mailbox, thanks to Eldaffe, a new blog shop with their own label. Eldaffe manufactures their own designs in various sizes and they have just launched their first collection with two classic designs.
I love the modest length (I’m 1.6m tall) and excellent quality of the dresses. The little lace details and floral embellishments also add a touch of femininity without compromising on professionalism. Absolutely perfect for work!
Most importantly, these classic designs are evergreen so you’ll never go out of style!
Check them out at http://eldaffe.livejournal.com!
JW introduced me to The Prata Place a couple of months ago and it is now my favourite prata place! Pun unintended. 😛 Unlike other shops, the servings here are huge and the pratas are not greasy at all.
I usually go for the egg prata. It is fragrant and exceptionally crispy, even when it has been left on the table for a while. The best part is, it only costs S$1.50! Very economical indeed.
We brought my family there recently and they loved it as much as we did. I am so looking forward to my next meal there! 😉
After the tour of Eagle’s Nest, we stopped over at Berchtesgaden, a charming little town nestled in the German Bavarian Alps. Berchtesgaden is a stone’s throw from Eagle’s Nest. It is also closely located to Mount Watzmann, the third highest mountain in Germany, which is very popular among mountaineers. The town is very rich in salt deposits and most of its wealth comes from salt mines that have since become tourist attractions as well.
In the city centre, you will find rows of cafes, quaint art shops and galleries. Although throngs of tourists come and go everyday, the neighborhood is quiet and peaceful after the tour groups have dispersed.
It was during those quiet moments that I came across a rose garden with beautiful blooms tucked away in a corner of the town. Just look at the close-up photo of the rose…the petals are so perfectly shaped and flawless, it is hard to believe that the rose is indeed real.
Sometimes, gems appear when you least expect it. 🙂
Eagle’s Nest, otherwise known as Kehlsteinhaus, was built by the Nazis on the Kelstein mountain above Berchtesgaden (located at the German Bavarian Alps) in celebration of Hitler’s 50th birthday. It was meant to be a holiday home and Hitler even had his own private route leading up from the city to the mountains.
We were very excited about visiting Eagle’s Nest and this was one of the highlights of our Salzburg leg. Although Eagle’s Nest is not located within Salzburg itself, there are many tours departing from Salzburg City on a daily basis.
The journey up the mountains was already a feast for our eyes. We were treated to breathtaking views of the alps, accompanied by the confluence of white fluffy clouds and the early morning mist which lay atop the city like a blanket of velvety wool.
The view from the top of the mountain was even more spectacular, as you will see later on in this post.
The entrance to Eagle’s Nest is located at the foot of the last mountain. You would first have to walk through a dark and dreary tunnel which leads you to an elevator that takes you right up to Eagle’s Nest.
While the visage of Hitler’s holiday retreat is well-preserved, the interior has since been converted into a restaurant.
Nonetheless, the main attraction of Eagle’s Nest lies in its beautiful scenery. Visitors can choose to take a short climb up the mountains for a bird’s eye view of the holiday home against the backdrop of its glorious surroundings.
We had a good start to our day as we were blessed with excellent weather. Just look at the azure blue skies and dreamy white clouds. I can certainly wake up to a view like that everyday.
Hofburg Palace, on the other hand, served as the winter residence of the Habsburgs and is today the official residence of the President of Austria.
The most interesting and colourful character in the Habsburg family would have to be Empress Elizabeth, otherwise known as Empress Sisi. Over at the Sisi Museum, you can catch a glimpse into the life of the often misunderstood yet exceptionally beautiful Empress Sisi through her personal artefacts (there are more than 300 of them on display!) and her ostentatiously designed rooms.
I was very attracted to the Sisi Museum as I could relate to the Empress in many ways. In spite of her wilful ways, I could empathize with her plight and her constant desire to break free from social norms and conventional court rituals. This caused her to suffer from wanderlust and she was always travelling around Europe under a pseudonym.
The price of being crowned an Empress was freedom, which she yearned for ceaselessly. She even had her very own luxury carriage!
Her relentless pursuit for freedom eventually cost her her life at age 60. An unfortunate twist of fate led to her tragic end while she was on holiday in Geneva. Her assassin was hoping to kill a prince from the House of Orleans, but turned his attention to Empress Sisi instead after her cover was blown in the local newspapers. She was stabbed in the heart.
Besides her penchant for freedom, Empress Sisi was also known for her beauty, fashion sense and her draconian diet and exercise regimen. She was extremely vain, as evidenced by her tireless efforts to preserve her beauty.
Vain as I am, I can never imagine taking half a day to wash my hair and spending another 3-4 hours just to style it. Well, but that was exactly what Empress Sisi did!
Incredible isn’t it?
She also stuck to a very strict regime to maintain her 20 inch waist. With Royce chocolates, Awfully Chocolate dark chocolate ice-cream and Best Fries Forever (YUMMY!!!) all within my reach, I can never imagine myself going on a diet.
Empress Sisi was also romanticized in many Hollywood films and musicals, the most famous being Sissi – Forever my Love. She was portrayed as a public figure in these films, but in reality, the Empress was anthrophobic and often went around town with a scarf shielding her face.
Here’s a short clip on Empress Sisi in the movie Sissi-Forever my Love. The song, I belong to me, is from the Empress Sissi musical.
Have a great weekend everyone!
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