http://fizieee.fotopages.com/ Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:35:28 GMT Sun, 06 Jul 2008 09:35:28 GMT http://www.fotopages.com/images/rss_logo.gif http://shw.fotopages.com/ 40 60 event :: 1st anniversary honeymoon - Vienna aka Wien [ entry 4 of 5 ] date :: 9th - 23rd may 2008. honeymoon destination :: eastern europe. location :: Vienna aka Wien country :: Austria theme :: pink + black. Q1 :: Please do tell some interesting facts about Vienna? Tell us!! Tell us!! A1 :: Quite a few really!! - Vienna is the last great capital of the Nineteenth Century! - It has the 3rd highest quality of living in European Union! - The city center in Vienna is a World Heritage Site. - The Museumsquartier, one of the largest cultural complexes in the world, opened to great fanfare in 2001. - The major language spoken in Vienna is German, and major religion of the people is Christianity. - In 2005, the Ice Hockey World Championships final was played in Vienna. - Vienna will host the final match of Euro Football World Cup 2008!!! What we're trying to say is that Vienna is such an impressive city! Our few days visit is definitely NOT enough to unravel the magic!! (wished we had more time..sigh..) - Oh btw, Mary Antoinette is an Austrian! (we discover this fact after watching the movie, starring Kirsten Dunst.. hoho) Q2 :: What are special events in Vienna in June? A2 :: Without a doubt, we were REALLY LUCKY! and this I say, in the truest meaning of the word! - The afternoon we arrived in Vienna, there was a 1-day event named Life Ball (a celebration of Love & Live). The hostel owner said that some popular Europe celebrities was there (honestly, I wouldn't know any single European celebrity, even if one happens to try flirting with me on the streets, dream on!! :P kenapalah Hugh Jackman Australian!!) - We hostel owner also told us that we can catch performance at the Royal Opera House at unbelievable cheap rate, with great view with just between €2 to €3.50 (the only minus point is you have to stand...but its no big deal, by the time the show was over, i was so excited, i was jumping up & down! :P) - We met lovely Ms Rena Korber, Viennese flesh&blood, who's back for 2 weeks break from her current impressive post as advisor to the Governor of Achech, Indonesia [ she can speak fluently in malay too.. the whole conversation we had with her is 100% in bahasa.. huhu sungguh kagum :obey: ]. And she also bought the €3.50 ticket, standing next to us enjoying the opera show, and she gave us a personal tour of the Opera House! it was superb, going through every interesting corner, from the VIP/most expensive ticket area costing some hundreds of €, to within reach of the stage & orchestra musicians, & many others (note to readers: do not attempt to pursue this on ur own, or you will definitely get lost especially if u the lack of knowledge of German syllables & a good detailed map of the opera house design. we know we will!!) - Rena also suggested some other must-go attractions, which we manage to squeeze in our limited time in Vienna, thank goodness!! (thanks so much Rena!! we owe you big time! if u happen to be in KL, pls do ring so we can at least try to repay you. if u don't need a tour guide, at least a treat of Nasi Lemak? Nobody can say no to that!) ;) Q3 :: What would you say to another visit in Vienna? A3 :: A DEFINITE YES YES YES!! Some pix that we wish to share 1. Hofburg Palace. This immense palace was the imperial residence until 1918. What began as a medieval castle, was expanded, redecorated and redone as the Habsburgs' power increased. The Imperial Palace itself now houses the offices of the Austrian President, a convention center, the Spanish Riding School, as well as several museums. 2. Hofburg Palace.The contents of each separate building contain so many treasures that the time spent moving from one to another is like opening box after box of fabulous jewels – it's difficult to know when to stop :P 3. Karlskirche (St. Charles Cathedral). One of the most outstanding baroque church structures north of the Alps and boasts a dome in the form of an elongated ellipsoid. 4. UNO city - where the United Nation building is. We are more interested in this cute UFO/alien sculpture though :P 5. Wiener Staatsoper (Opera House) Fizee-san & Rena An ballet concept from Czech - the show titled "Onegin" about a triangle love between 2 men, and 2 sisters. Royal opera show is a MUST-GO if u're in Vienna. For those who didn't.. tsk tsk shame on you. 6. The Athena Fountain (Pallas-Athene-Brunnen) in front of the Parliament was erected between 1893 and 1902. The four lying figures at the foot of Athena are allegorical representations of the four most important rivers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. 7. Pestsäule Statue at Graben Graben is one of the most famous streets in Vienna's first district, the city centre. The Graben now serves as a marketplace and festival site. The Pestsäule sculpture/fountain was constructed by Emperor Leopold I following the Great Plague of Vienna. 8. The Belvedere Palace. The Belvedere is a baroque palace complex built by Prince Eugene of Savoy in the 3rd district of Vienna, south-east of the city centre. The Belvedere palace is so popular and famous, that it was the main motive one is the most famous gold euro coins. 9. Prater (Park) - giant faeries wheel (Riesenrad) The ferris wheel was built in 1896-1897 by an English engineering firm (Walter Basset). Other ferris wheel built of same era/time, i.e. in Chicago, London, Paris, etc, has long since been torn down. The Riesenrad become well-known symbol of Vienna, featured in many movies, the most recent is "Before Sunrise", Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy's Eurolove-drama. 10. Opera House - view inside opera building. The Opera House is probably the most-beloved symbol of Viennese arts, and one of the first buildings to be rebuilt in the postwar era. Though now as well-loved as any member of the family, the architecture of the Opera was barely tolerated by the picky Viennese when it opened. Van der Nüll did not take these criticisms of his work lightly and committed suicide. 11. KunstHausWien (Vienna House of Arts Museum) and Hundertwasserhaus (apartment & office complex) Such an interesting piece of architecture! 2-storey buildings potraying modern art in and out (seriouly, even the toilet, stairs, wall, ceiling, benches/tables, are all colourful modern art!). The architecture shows a bastion against the dictatorship of straight line, ruler, square, or any geometry for that sense. Going instead to potray chaos of the absurd. It's a Disneyland for grownups! 12. Stephansdom (St Stephen's Cathedral). This is where the Pummerin, a huge bell cast from melted-down Turkish cannons, hangs. A glory of St. Stephen's Cathedral is its ornately patterned, richly coloured roof, 111 meters (361 ft) long, and covered by 230,000 glazed tiles. In 1945, fire caused by World War II damage to nearby buildings leapt to the north tower of the cathedral and went on to destroy the wooden framework of the roof. Replicating the original bracing for so large a roof (it rises 38 meters above the floor) would have required an entire square kilometre of forest, so over 600 metric tons of steel bracing were used instead. 13. Anchor Clock (Ankeruhr) The Anchor Clock was built between 1911 and 1917, situated on the oldest square of Vienna 'Hoher Markt' and represents a typical Art Nouveau design. The clock forms a bridge between two parts of the Anker Insurance Company's building. In the course of 12 hours, twelve historical figures or pairs of figures move across the bridge among them Joseph Haydn, medieval lyricist Walther von der Vogelweide, Empress Maria Theresa and Prince Eugen of Savoya. Every day at noon, all figures parade accompanied by music from the various eras. This tourist spectacle is a special kind of Viennese High Noon. 14. Rathaus (Old Town Hall) - life ball One of the building in the heart and historical city of Vienna, the Innere Stadt. The Rathaus accommodates the offices of the mayor and the state government (Landesregierung). The city is administered by a multitude of departments (Magistratsabteilungen). 15. euro 2008! 16. The Austrian Parliament. The main construction lasted from 1874 to 1883. One of the building's most famous features is the statue of Athena and the fountain, a notable Viennese tourist attraction. Despite heavy damages and destruction during World War II, most of the interior has been restored to its original appearance. The parliament building covers over 13,500 square meters, making it one of the largest structures on the Ringstraße. 17. Schloss Schonbrunn. Schönbrunn Palace together with its ancillary buildings and extensive park is by virtue of its long and colourful history one of the most important cultural monuments in Austria. Scheduled as a listed monument, the whole ensemble, including the palace, the park with its numerous architectural features, fountains and statues and not least the zoo – the oldest of its kind in the world – was placed on the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage List in 1996. more Vienna pix in our http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26865&l=47c81&id=773644138(facebook public album) coming up :: our final destination ;) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1596452 Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: 1st anniversary honeymoon - Bratislava [ entry 3 of 5 ] date :: 9th - 23rd may 2008. honeymoon destination :: eastern europe. location :: Bratislava. country :: Slovakia. theme :: maroon. Q1 :: Dobrý den! (Hello!) Kde je Bratislava? (Where's Bratislava?) A1 :: Bratislava is the capital city of Slovakia. Bordering Austria and Hungary, it is the only national capital that borders 2 countries. Bratislava and Vienna are also 2 of Europe's closest national capitals, at less than 60 kilometres apart i.e. about 1 hour by train. Current Slovakia & Czech Republic was actually under 1 country, Czechoslovakia but they split in 1939. Q2 :: Why Bratislava? A2 :: Well, our mission in this trip is ground-cover. So since it's just an hour away by train, we decided to give it a shot. Truthfully, the old town where most attractions are. Q3 :: How do you rate the city? A3 :: Hmm.. on the rate of 10, maybe 5.. Kire OKlah for a small city, if only to snap pictures of the cute/interesting/quirky statues of not much historical value tho! haha.. The few photos that made through our stringent selection ;) 1. Hlavne Namesti/Main Square. The city centre surrounded by attractions such as the Old Town Hall, palaces and Slovak National Theatre 2. Bratislava Castle. One of the most prominent structures in the city, on a plateau 85 metres (279 ft) above the Danube river. Constructed in the 10th century, as part of the Kingdom of Hungary. Under Queen Maria Theresa of Austria, the castle became a prestigious royal seat 3. Along the Danube, Bratislava riverfront 4. Old Town Hall/Altes Rathaus. Built in 15th century, with the joining together of a number of houses i.e. a complex of 3 buildings erected in the 14th–15th centuries and now hosts the Bratislava City Museum. It has gone a number of reconstructions over the centuries. 5. Job description: Weefee=THE challenging-brain-craking map reader, hubbee=easy-peasy photo taker :P background shows the St Micheal's Gate, the only gate that has been preserved from the medieval fortifications, and it ranks among the oldest of the town's buildings 6. Guard on watch - Quirky statues of Bratislava 7. Schoener Naci (Beautiful Ignaz). An elegant symbol of the city life of the early 20th century, is greeting people walking down Rybarska brana street. The legend says he had lost his mind because of an unrequited love. Although he was very poor, he was walking the streets in Bratislava always well dressed for almost 40 years. The townies used you give him some food and he was, in return, giving flowers to the ladies passing by. 8. French army on duty. Looking like Napoleon himself, leaning on a bench right on the historical Main Square (Hlavne namestie). Napoleon’s armies attacked Bratislava twice and Napoleon himself has visited the city in 1809. The legend says, that a wounded French soldier called Hubert fell in love with a nurse from Bratislava, decided to live here and started to produce a sparkling wine based on the French tradition. Hubert is now the name of the most famous Sparkling wine in Slovakia. 9. Cumel (The Watcher). Where else in the world could you possibly find a man inconspicuously peeping from a street manhole? No Bratislava visitor can leave without taking a picture of this world rarity. Can easily be found on the corner of Panska and Rybarska brana streets. As Cumil has almost lost his head twice because of the careless drivers, he has even got his own traffic sign - "Man at Work". 10. Paparazzi. 2 paparazzis sneaking a photo of a famous model :P ,at the entrance of famous "Paparazzi" restaurant. 11. No thanks.. we're managing well without you, signboard ;) 12. Grassalkovich Palace/Presidential Palace. Summer residence of Count Grassalkovich, built in 18th century. It was even graced a visit from Maria Theresa. Now the official residence of President of Slovak Republic since 1996. 13. St Elizabeth's Church aka Blue Church. A unique example of Art Nouveay sacred architecture. 14. Slovak National Theatre. Music in Bratislava flourished in the 18th century and was closely linked to Viennese musical life. Mozart visited the town at the age of 6. 15. Train station, Hlavna Stanica 16. As Zaf said, gambar wajib is gambar tido kepenatan after a day's hard work eh makan angin :D more Bratislava pix in our http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=26034&l=f48d5&id=773644138(facebook public album) next :: the 4th country we visited ;) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1585478 Thu, 19 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: 1st anniversary honeymoon - Budapest [ entry 2 of 5 ] date :: 9th - 23rd may 2008. honeymoon destination :: eastern europe. location :: Budapest. country :: Hungary. theme :: Purple + yellow. Q1 :: what's the cheapest way to get to Budapest from Prague? A1 :: took us 6 hrs to get here by studentagency.cz bus [nope, it's not a school bus, just the company name.. after all the names in the world - weird huh]. Really nice view along the highway (saw some windmills, we didn't know those things are that huge!! jakun2 :P ) on the way [ think when we step in to Hungary border ], the bus suddenly stop in the middle of nowhere and there's 2 Immigration officers asked everyone to take out our passports. And there's 1 pity lady was ordered to leave the bus right on the spot! - ok that sounds exaggerating, maybe the officers will send her back to her country. [ although EU had an open borderless policy - make sure u have ur passports ready ]. Q2 :: why budapest? A2 :: Again, the Amazing Race Season 2 factor ;) We agree with the Singaporean winners, the Parliament Building is simply amazing! (From Mr Wiki - Widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, with a few World Heritage Sites. Budapest attracts over 20 million visitors a year. The city ranks 74th on Mercer Consulting's 'World's Top 100 Most Livable Cities' list.) Q3 :: And what are the must-see attractions? A3 :: Let's see..the Parliament, Buda Castle, Fisherman's Bastion & Matthias Church, view from Citadel/Gelllert Hill, St Istvan Basilica, and the whole stretch of Andrassy Avenue (underneath it, the 1st on the European continent, Millennium Underground railway runs). But be warned guys that Budapest is quite a big city, some 500+ sq km. We wished we had more time to cover all the attractions (Albeit the multiple-blister-feet, we're glad that we managed to cover as much as we did). Some pics below. We're sure you'd agree with us >> 1. Buda Castle. The first, Gothic style palace was built from the middle of the 14th century until the end of the 15th. It became a royal residence of European rank, with its Gothic and Renaissance elements. Buda was occupied by the Turks in 1541, and it was only retaken during the Christian siege of Buda in 1686. 2. Nyugati Palyaudvar [ Nguyati Station ]. Nyugati Railway Station is the first railway line of Hungary was built in 1846 between the city of Vác in the North and Budapest. The Budapest terminal used to stand where the building of Nyugati stands today, which was only completed in 1877. The large iron structure was built by the Paris-based Eiffel Company, which became world famous following the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. 3. The Budapest view from the Citadell & Gellert Hill. Gellért Hill is Budapest’s most centrally located hill, the favourite of visitors, due to the glorious view of the city from the hilltop. It is named after Bishop Gellért, who was killed by rebellious Hungarians in 1046 who opposed Christianity. His statue, facing Elizabeth Bridge, was erected in 1904. 4. The Beautiful Budapest riverfront. 5. Buda Castle @ night. In WWII, the palace and the Castle District were the last refuge of the Germany Army, which fell under heavy siege from the invading Soviet Army. The palace was again damaged; reconstruction started in the 1950-s. 6. Szechenzyi Baths. The Széchenyi is one of the biggest bathing complexes anywhere in Europe. The hottest and deepest natural thermal bath – was discovered in 1879. The neo-baroque building containing the thermal baths dates from 1913 and the adjacent swimming pool opened in 1927. 7. Hungarian Parliament building. The Hungarian Parliament is the seat of the National Assembly, one of the most beautiful and ancient legislative buildings of Europe and the third largest Parliament building in the world. The National Assembly has decided on its construction in the year 1880, nearly a decade and a half after the Compromise with the Habsburg rulers. The winning plan was submitted by Imre Steindl, a professor of the Technical University in Budapest, and construction started in 1885. 8. St Istvan Basilica aka St. Stephen’s Basilica is Budapest’s largest church; it can hold 8,500 worshippers simultaneously, The construction started in 1851, but for various reasons, such as the death of the original architect and the collapse of the dome, it was fully completed only in 1905. The church was severely damaged during World War II; the reconstruction took 20 years, between 1983 and 2003. 9. The Fishermen's Bastian was built simultaneously with the last major renovation of the Matthias Church, between 1890 and 1905. The Bastion has seven turrets, each symbolizing a Hungarian tribal leader. Its foundation is a part of the former medieval fortified defensive wall. 10. Millennium Underground Railway (M1). The first Metro line of continental Europe is underneath Andrássy Avenue. The National Assembly of Hungary has given its blessings to the plan as early as 1870, but construction started only in 1894 - and the works were finished as early as 1896. 11. The Hungarian Parliament - riverfront view. Over a thousand people have worked on the construction, and they used 40 million bricks, over half a million pieces of specially carved limestone and 40 kilograms of 22-23 carat cold. During the Communist dictatorship, a large pentagonal red star occupied the top of the steeple on the dome of the Parliament, which was lit up at night. It was removed in 1990 after the change of the regime. 12. Inside St. Istvan's Cathedral. The church commemorates the first Christian king of Hungary, who founded the Hungarian state in the year 1000 AD. His mummified right arm is on display inside the church huhu. [ Honey-chan wouldn't dare to look at the hand hoho ] The church has Hungary's largest and heaviest bell, weighing 9 tons. 13. the Heroes Square. Heroes' Square, is the biggest and most impressive square of Budapest. In the middle stands the Millenium Monument, with Archangel Gabriel on top, holding the double cross of Christianity and the Holy Hungarian Crown. It was constructed to mark the 1000th anniversary of the arrival of the Magyar tribes. The pedestal below is occupied by the ornate horseback statues of the seven Hungarian leaders who led the Hungarian nation into the Carpathian Basin in 896 AD. 14. Museum of Applied Arts. The buildinf is one of the most characteristic and most representative forms of Lechner's Hungarian architectural style, first of all appearing in the Hungarian folk ceramics, including Zsolnay pottery and majolica, also showing Islamic and Hindu motifs 15. the famous Chain Bridge. The Széchenyi Chain Bridge is the first permanent bridge over the Danube between Buda and Pest. Built in 1849, it played a major role in the unification of Pest, Buda and Óbuda later in 1873. Its construction was triggered by the fact that Count István Széchenyi had to wait a full week before being able to successfully cross the river to get to his father's funeral. The thought that the city needed a permanent river crossing point was conceived at this time. Its length is just 202 metres and there is a pedestrian part, running parallel to the motorway. The bridge was destroyed in 1945, to be rebuilt in 1949. 16. Shoe statues @ Riverfront. This world-famous composition, which comprises 60 pairs of metal shoes set in concrete on the Danube embankment, was set up in the year 2005. It commemorates the Hungarian Jewish victims of the killings committed by the Arrow Cross militiamen, the pro-German, anti-Semitic, national socialist party members of Hungary in 1944-1945. The killings usually took place en masse - the victims were lined up at the embankment, and shot into the Danube, execution-style. more Budapest pix in our http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=25219&l=a9aca&id=773644138(facebook public album) coming soon :: next country we visited ;) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1573915 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: 1st anniversary honeymoon - Prague [ entry 1 of 5 ] date :: 9th - 23rd may 2008. honeymoon destination :: eastern europe. location :: Prague aka Praha. country :: Czech Republic. theme :: Stripes + yellow. Q1 :: another honeymoon? what's the occassion this time? A1 :: our 1st anniversary honeymoon lalalalala.. :cloud9: Q2 :: err.. but isn't in 0707? but July is a month from now. Are u trying to pull my leg? A2 :: yup, but we realize that July would be too hot. So we decided to celebrate it earlier :flowers: [and of course there's few other reasons as well - but irrelevant to spill it out here ] Q3 :: ah! Prague! nice. any interesting ocassion/events when u're there? A3 :: yup, quite a few actually. a. We manage to watch the Changing Guard ceremony at the Prague Castle. And we even got a good spot. We've uploaded the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daxvc5CIxFA(here) b. we're quite lucky - on our 1st day in Prague; the Prague International Marathon is currently held! The event is highly regarded by marathoners world-wide for offering one of the most visually stunning courses. In addition, PIM has been ranked internationally as the seventh fastest course in the world. c. We visited Wallenstein Garden. It's a parliament royal garden but they open it for public. In the 1st time our my life, we saw a live peacock showing off his plumage within our very own eyes! Clip uploaded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x9o1pdp0cCY(here). And we also saw a white peacock! We always thought that peacock is either blue/green or brownish blue [ female ]. Apparently we were wrong :oh_god: d. Climb the St Vitus's The Big Southern Tower Obvervatory tower. With 287 steps - we can see a nice view of Prague from the tip point of the Prague Castle [ Prague Castle is located on a hill, exquisitely breathtaking view I must say ]. Since we already climb up this tower FOC, we saved 120CZk from paying to climb the Petrin Tower hoho. e. The Astronomical Clock is superduper kewl! on the hour, every hour, a small trap door opens and Christ marches out ahead of his disciples, while the skeleton of death tolls the bell to a defiant statue of a Turk. Kinda remind us of Jusco's giant clock hoho. A must see 8-) Q4 :: did u plan this trip all by urselves? A4 :: no no no. We would like to express our larger than life thanx to these people for all the great great input while planning trip to make an unforgettable honeymoon trip lalallalallaa :horay: a. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=731283878(Igor Zeiger) b. Paula Burke. c. Sinead Noonan. d. Micheal Canniffe. e. Dr Renate Korber [ hey let us know if u're in KL! ]. f. http://www.flickr.com/photos/duncanporter/(Duncan Porter) g. and not to forget mr google, tripadvisor, wikitravel and virtualtourist :satisfied_nod: enuff said, some pix here >> 1. Wallenstein Garden stage. The Wallenstein Garden, part of Wallenstein Palace complex, is Italian style baroque garden of Albrecht of Wallenstein. 2. The Old Town Square. On the late 12th century, the Old Town Square started life as the central marketplace for Prague. Over the next few centuries, many buildings of Romanesque, Baroque and Gothic styles were erected around the market, each bringing with them stories of wealthy merchants and intrigue. 3. Gun Powder Gate & the Municipal House. Originally known as the New Tower, its name was changed to the Powder Gate in the 17th century when it was used to store gunpowder. the Municipal House is home to the Czech National Symphony Orchestra and at its heart is the biggest concert hall in Prague, the Smetana. 4. The Charles Bridge [ yup, the one shown in the Amazing Race Asia season 2 ] :P Charles Bridge is a stone Gothic bridge that connects the Old Town and Malá Strana [ where the Prague Castle is ]. It was actually called the Stone Bridge (Kamenný most) during the first several centuries. 5. Prague Castle. The largest medieval castle complex in Europe and the ancient seat of Czech kings throughout the ages. 6. Jubilee Synagogue. The synagogue is designed in Art Nouveau and moorish styles. It was lately renovated and still serves religious purposes. 7. The tomb of John of Nepomuk inside the St Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle. Saint Vitus's Cathedral is the cathedral of Prague, Czech Republic, and the seat of the Archbishop of Prague. The full name of the cathedral is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral. Located within Prague Castle and containing the tombs of many Bohemian kings, this cathedral is an excellent example of Gothic architecture and is the biggest and most important church in the country. 8. the Astronomical Clock Prague Orloj. Composed of three main components: the astronomical dial, representing the position of the Sun and Moon in the sky and displaying various astronomical details. A clockwork hourly show of figures of the Apostles and other moving sculptures; and a calendar dial with medallions representing the months. 9. the pretty Prague :) 10. the Dancing House. Built between 1992-1996, strikingly modern contrast to Prague's historic attractions. 11. Charles bridge @ night. 12. Jindrisska Tower (Jindrisska Vez) in Prague dates from the late gothic era. It was constructed in 1472–1476, although has had several rebuilds and alterations since. Unique because a new tower was built inside the shell of the old one a few years ago. If you step inside, you will find yourself in a tower within a tower. 13. Old Town Square @ night. 14. Prague International Marathon becomes more and more prestigious and popular and was ranked in the Top Ten Marathons in the book ‘Great Marathon Races Throughout History’. Among marathoners world-wide it is known for the track offering one of the most beautiful views – it leads through the historical centre of Prague. Athletes and fans will be supported along the running track by music band of various genres as a support to the runners. cool huh ;) 15. tired @ Prague Castle :P more Prague pix http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee95/1skandarbaik/awan_biru-prague_2008/?start=all(here) coming up; our next destination :) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1563230 Sun, 01 Jun 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: fazila's farewell lunch. date :: 29th april 2008. day :: tuesday. venue :: kenny rogers roasters restaurant, kl central, malaysia. time :: 12.01pm - 13.30ppm http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1552827 Thu, 22 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: Visit Terengganu 2008 8-) date :: 7th - 10th February 2008 day :: Thursday - Sunday. venue :: Terengganu, Malaysia. Visit Terengganu 2008 Syahbandar Square The famous Batu Bersurat statue Istana Maziah Garden Terengganu's Coat of Arm Batu Buruk Beach. Tamadun Islam Park Cystal Mosque Terengganu State Museum The floating Tengku Tengah Zaharah mosque the brand new Pasar Payang Noor Arfa batik centre more Terengganu pix http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee95/1skandarbaik/awan_biru-terengganu/?start=all(here) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1530243 Sun, 04 May 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: Our 3rd honeymoon. date :: 4th - 8th April 2008 day :: Friday - Tuesday. venue :: Sabah Malaysia. theme :: Outdoor DAY 3 :: MAMUTIK ISLAND, KOTA KINABALU, SABAH PARK. DAY 4 :: TANJUNG SIMPANG MENGAYAU, NORTH SABAH. KK itinerary 4th april :: Flight to KK @ 21:15 [ overnight @ Kinabalu Park ]. 5th april :: Climb Mount Kinabalu huhu [ overnight @ Gunting Lagadan hut ]. 6th april :: Descend from Mount Kinabalu [ overnight @ Ruby's In hotel ]. 7th april :: Snorkelling + Parasailing @ Mamutik Island [ overnight at Suhaimi's house ] >>. 8th april :: Sightseeing @ Tanjung Simpang Mengayau [ Fly back home @ 21:15pm ] We classified this honeymoon as TYPE A = adventurous :P as most of the activities are rather outdoor-type. even on the last day to tanjung simpang mengayau took us 6 hours driving on bumpy road + a lot [ i mean HECK A LOT ] of meneuver on a D-Max pickup hoho.. a definite momorable experience huh. Walaupun bila balek adalah hitam [ sunburn ] dan tempang [ knee pain ] akan tetapi adalah happy awan biru lallalaa. Proudly Malaysian; we think Sabah rocks!! u guys should visit all these places and experience this all - super highly recommended. now who says attractions in our superkewl Malaysia are more-or-less the same huh? :coin: on the way to Mamutik Island. Jetty Boardwalk, Jesselton Point [ this is where u buy a boat ride to the island ] KK waterfront The famous Filipino craft-market Mamutik Island - picnic before snorkelling ngap-ngap-ngap :P highlight of the 3rd day :: parasailing lalalalalala.. awan biru lalalala. excited! "u both buleh pileh nak masuk dalam air ke tak nak masa tgh parasailing nanti?" "NAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!" highlight of the 4th day :: the tip of borneo :) subhanallah suhaimi + family suhaimi + zafrin more Sabah pix http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee95/1skandarbaik/awan_biru-sabah/?start=all(here) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1515157 Sun, 20 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: Our 3rd honeymoon. date :: 4th - 8th April 2008 day :: Friday - Tuesday. venue :: Sabah Malaysia. theme :: Outdoor DAY 1 + DAY 2 :: MOUNT KINABALU EXPEDITION Q&A Q :: Don't you think climbing one of the highest mountain in south east asia is too physical for a "honeymoon"? A :: we've actually planned this even waayyy wayyyy before our engagement! [ yup - semasa zaman2 muda remaja perchentaan lalalaala :cloud9: ]. considering the effort to plan and the preparation we took for this trip, and we're thinking this trip definitely worth a "honeymoon" title 8-). besides, mount-hiking is not the one and only activity in this trip [ although i have to admit this is the main highlight ]. Q :: What are the highlights during the expedition? A :: hmmm.. quite a few actually.. 1. This is actually my 3rd time climbing this mountain, but this time is indeed very special - coz I brought my better half with me and my very 1st hiking as a married man hoho ]. 2. On the way up, I was panting heavily and walking super-duper-slow but honey-chan steadily said "come on honey, just a little bit more and u're there!" huhu.. 3. Previously I climbed this mountain with my outdoor-club kakis and most of us reach the peak when the sky is bright, outstandingly with honey-chan [ this is her 1st hiking ] and we manage to reach the peak before sunrise! moral :: don't u ever underestimate the underdog mountaineer. 4. I think this is the only place in Malaysia where u can wear ur full winter clothing suit [ yup, that includes the muflers, ear cover, lip gloss etc etc ] :sick_toothache: At last we get to wear ours after been hanging in our closet for years 8-) 5. Take a look at the back of ur RM1 note, ehhem, we've been there - done that :satisfied_nod: Q :: Any tips for other climbers? A :: I'm no expert - so this is just my 2 cents worth :: 1. Training! Training! Training! Frankly u don't have to be super strong or extremely fit to climb this mountain, but u need some stamina so u could continue keep on walking without taking too long break at each checkpoint. We had 4 months training and alhamdulillah, it worth every sweat. 2. Walking stick helps a lot especially when descend down. 3. Check the http://www.met.gov.my/home_e.html(weather forecast), normally early March until end of April normally the driest months - for normal/beginner climber, u might wanna climb at this time of year. 4. Water proof gloves and head lamp is a must. 5. And MP3 player - is definitely handy to keep u going :satisfied_nod: 6. Read other climbers blogs and experiences. 7. And while making ur reservation, remember to book the accomodation 1st before u book your flight. Q :: Did u plan this all yourself? A :: Hell no, we would like to express our larger-than-life kudos to :: 1. http://www.flickr.com/photos/drchamb/(Md Suhaimee Ahmad Sapiee) and his family for the supremely great hospitality when we're in KK. 2. Madam Wong Har Chow for the perfect arrangement at the mountain. 3. Security Comission folks. U guys are awesome! It's an honour to be part of your hiking team. 4. The last but not least to Mohd Faizal Abdullah, http://picasaweb.google.com/thenghui(Vynce Chong Theng Hui), http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=677678443(Shahrizan Ahmad), http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=647391442&ref=nf(Sugeeta Bhanoo), http://apis585.fotopages.com/(Norafiza Apis585 Sahlan) and http://www.friendster.com/306143(Liza Rahman) :: for all tips and guidance. warming up phew! we're halfway thru :) before dinner 9 celcius at 3.30pm huhu.. sunset [ subhanallah ] tinggi nyer huhu alhamdulillah; 6th april 2008, on the highest point in borneo lalalalallallaa.. descend down nice trees huh ;) ehem ehem :) our teammates. yup; been there, done that :) Coming up next :: DAY 3 & DAY 4 http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1503118 Wed, 09 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT event :: nor wahida + ahmad hafifi engagement ceremony. date :: 9th february 2008. day :: saturday. venue :: taman permin jaya, chendering, kuala terengganu. time :: 11.00am theme :: brown 1. Took us nearly 2 months to have this event pictures ready for printing & publishing (more like Gic-san working tirelessly in sylo, due to lack of talent of my part, thank goodness! ) :horay: 2. To our lil' sister/SIL (sis-in-law) & future BIL (bro-in-law), many many congratulations on your engagement. :flowers: 3. You both look divine ;) This is definitely a matchmade in heaven. :cloud9: 4. So happy & thrilled for you both!! :bounce_m: 5. Will try as much as we can, to help out wherever possible on the wedding prep. Don't worry, I have your back. :angel_fly: 6. Unlike me, with your super-organized ways, I'm sure everything will go great! 7. Bandung, here we come!! I love to shop, shop, shop!! :devil_wagging: With love, Dikno & Gic-san more pix http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee95/1skandarbaik/awan_biru-wahida_fifikun_engagement/?start=all(here) http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1486487 Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT 1. happy 8th monniversary honey! muuuuaahhhss :cloud9: 2. to all malaysian :: happy voting! :weee: http://fizieee.fotopages.com/?entry=1462876 Tue, 04 Mar 2008 00:00:00 GMT