Berlin

Berlin, with a population of just 3.5 million, is not a big city in international terms. Despite this relatively 'small' population the city has witnessed (as well as played a tremendous part in) contemporary world history. My guide told me that more than 90% of the city was destroyed at the end of WWII. Reconstruction was halted or diverted by the division between E & W Germany (and thus E & W Berlin). The two halves of the city have/had thus taken on vastly different characteristics. For most of my time in Berlin I stayed within the East, crossing over to the West (luckily no longer life-risking) on less than a hand-full of occasions, including my 'airlift' out of Tegel.

Here are the points for Berlin:

1 point goes to Gendermenmarkt. Regarded as Berlin's most beautiful markt/square, the East Berlin Concert Hall sits in the middle of the square. This was guarded on both sides by 2 identical churches - one French and one German. Unfortunately I failed to see the greatness of this markt/square. I was even there at twilight.

2 points go to Hitler's bunker. It was only recently (late 80s or early 90s) confirmed as THE bunker that Hitler hid during his final weeks and ultimately committed suicide, it is now just an insignificant carpark. My guide told me that the concrete walls and ceilings of the bunker was so well-built that it could have survived a direct nuclear bomb hit. So needless to say both the Soviets and then the Germans failed to destroy and remove the bunker in order to reclaim the land. Former site of Himmler's bunker, however, is now part of the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe (see points).

3 points go to Checkpoint Charlie. It is actually a recreation of what the Checkpoint used to look like at the very beginning of the East/West division. The photos of the American & Russian soldiers are even the real pictures that were featured. My guide told me that it was just some recent art project. Anywho, the museum nearby show the evolvement of the Checkpoint and the Berlin Wall. It is well worth a look.

4 points go to the Reichstag. Only reopened as the German Parliament House and open for public's visit in recent years, the newer glass dome actually fits the old building very well. The spiral inside the dome is a must visit attration for most tourists. Unfortunately it was closed for the whole of October for some refurbishment so I couldn't get in.

5 points go to the Humboldt University. Once a highly regarded university in the world, Albert Einstein taught here prior to WWII. It was also the first modern university in the world that introduced the "teaching as well as research" mode for academics. Thanks a lot!

6 points go to the New Synagogue. Not really new anymore and it doesn't actually work as a synagogue either, the New Syngogue however retains its golden exterior. This is a reflection of its former glory pre-WWII. Right now, its facade was restored post-reunification as a memorial to the Holocaust and Kristallnacht, the night when this beautiful former synagogue was burnt to the ground for the Jewish pogrom.

7 points go to the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) and the adjoining Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden). It is a beautiful looking Cathedral and garden. This Dom, however, is built on the site of a former church that stood on the same grounds until it was pulled down some decades ago. Remnants of this old church can be seen within the grounds of the Dom. It is also across the road form the former site of the Palast der Republik (Palace of the Republic), which served as the Parliament House during the times of East Germany.

8 points go to the Neue Wache (new guard house). It has gone through several re-dedications but it was never far from being a memorial to war. Since the reunification it is a meorial to the victims of war and tyranny. The hole above the statue exposes it to all natural elements.

9 points go to Alexanderplatz. It is filled with stalls selling würst and souvenirs. It is also surrounded with shopping centres and within walking distance to the Fernsehturm.

10 points go to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. Often mistaken as a memorial to the Holocaust, it is actually just one of Berlin's several memorials to the Holocaust. The memorial to the homosexual victims, for example, is just across the the road, while the memorial to the gypsies are still to be completed. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe also has a museum below ground which you can look through the atrocities the Jewish people went through.

And finally,12 points go to the Ampelmann. During the times of East Germany, East Berlin had its own set of traffic lights. Since reunifications, the residents had fought ceaselessly to keep these little things. Right now, they are the symbol of Berlin.

That's all folks! Next I head back to the familiar cities of Oslo & HK so I probably won't blog again until I get home. Catch you later!

Hamburg

Hamburg, the second busiest port in Europe. All in all, it looked unravished by the World Wars. The continued success of its port, however, has given the people of Hamburg the second highest average pay in Europe. Being a port city you're also not short of water views, especially with the Alster lakes that they'd dug inland.

Here are the points for Hamburg:

1 point goes to St Nicholaikirche (St Nicholas' Church). It was meant to be a church with a rather beautiful exterior but it is currently undergoing refurbishment so it was all scaffolded up. The unscaffolded bits, however, looked very old-style European (read: dark & grimy looking). There is apparently a lift that you can take up to the tip bits of its bell tower for a good look of town though.

2 points go to the Kramerentswonhungen (I'm not sure if I'm spelling this right). These were former Almshaus built to house widows. They are now cafes and museums.

3 points go to the Chilehaus. It is meant to be a great example of Expressionist architecture. Maybe it is my failed appreciation of the Expressionist style to garner it this low score. It is, however, rather large. There were also similar Expressionist buildings adjacent to the Chilehaus.

4 points go to the Flughafen (airport). It is a reasonably dated airport. There is also no rail access to city centre, but given its proximity that wasn't really a big issue. You can catch the Airport Express bus instead for 5 euros (8 euros return).

5 points go to the Hauptbahnhof. It is centrally located (well, my hotel was right next to it so it was VERY centrally located for me) with easy access to the local shopping strip and the Kunsthalle (Art Hall). You can also catch an array of regional trains and local S- and U-bahn at the 1 station.

6 points go to the Rathaus (Town Hall). It is in one of those impressive (neo-gothic?) styles. There is also a large square in front of it was ample seating for you to ponder where to head next (as I did). It is also within walking distance to Hamburg's high streets, one being Gänsemarkt (see 7 points).

7 points go the Gänsemarkt. One of Hamburg's high streets with Guccis and LVs and whatnot shops literally littering the street & its surrounding neighbours, there are also a few lovely canals that run through the area.

8 points go to Landungsbrücken. Right on the embankment of the Elbe river, you can witness the second busiest European port first hand. There are a few 'attractions' like the 2 ships Rikmer Rikmers and Cape San Diego which the guide books pick out but me not being fans of watching ships I gave them a miss. Guide books also recommend taking the No.62 ferry to Finkenwerder for a cheap tour of the Elbe River and look at Hamburg's architecture. It was late & gloomy looking when we got there so we gave that a miss too. This area is also within walking distance to the old warehouse district of Nicolaifleet and HafenCity (see 10 points).

9 points go to Jergfernstieg. A shopping & restaurent district of Hamburg, you're bound to find something you fancy in this area. Probably for the younger crowd than the retirement crowd although there is an entire store of Nivea...

10 points go to HafenCity. The odl warehouse district of Hamburg, this area is filled with amazing old buildings, many of which have been or are in the process of being converted for modern day uses. There was, for example, this cafe situated inside a working roastery where they also offer tours. Towards the southern side of the area new office blocks and apartment buildings are also being built. Wendy told me that they plan to house 1/4 of the city's population in this area in the future.

And finally, 12 points go to the night view of Binnenalster. This is the smaller section of Hamburg's inland lakes. We took this photo while walking back to Hauptbahnhof after dinner.

I'm ending my Germany week by bus-ing over to history-filled Berlin for 3 days. See you there.

Bremen

Bremen, a small-ish regional 'city' in northwestern Germany. Just an hour by train from Hamburg it seemed the perfect spot for a day trip. So that's exactly what I did once I finally managed to meet up with Wendy after arriving in Hamburg.

Here are the points for Bremen:

1 point goes to Martinianleger (St Martin's quay). It was listed on the free map that I got from the Tourist Information centre as one of Bremen's attractions. On the embankment of the river Weser just to the south of the main part of town, it was sadly unremarkable. Both Wendy & I thought we were looking at the wrong spot but no. There was no hustle & bustle of tourists as the thing described.

2 points go to Hoetger's glockenspiel. It was actually only a few rows of small bells on top of the building. I failed the see the significance or attractions of this 'tourist attraction'. It is meant to go off at 12noon, 3pm and 6pm daily. We didn't stick around for the 6pm 'show'.

3 points go to the Bremen Rathaus (Town Hall). It didn't look anywhere as glorified as in the tourist brochure. It just looked like a boring very of a retro town hall.

4 points go to the statue of Roland. For a highlight of the town/city, it was remarkably small. The surrounding buildings also didn't serve as a good background for any photo-taking.

5 points go to the Beck Brauerei. It sits just to the other side of the river Weser at the western end of Bremen. You can take tours of the brewery and sample. It was, however, closed on the day we visited (Monday) so no luck.

6 points go to its proximity to Hamburg. I originally thought Bremen would be a good short-distance location for a day trip from Hamburg, so sadly its 'full list' (bar the Becks brauerei) of attractions only lasted us TWO hours. It was good thing that it was so close to Hamburg that, after a quick gelato stop, we trained back to Hamburg for dinner in its hip area.

7 points go to the western side of the Rathaus Platz (Town Hall Square). It is nowhere near as beautiful as the town hall squares of many other European cities, but due to the city's relative lack of attractions this still made the list at 7 points.

8 points go to Hoetger's 'Bringer of Light'. This is a golden artwork by Hoetger and located at the entrance gate to Böttcherstraβe just south of Rathaus Platz. It depicts the archangel Michael fighting and killing a three-headed serpent. What a peaceful religion.

9 points go to Schnoor. Schnoor is Bremen's oldest district, and you can most certainly tell with the narrow & winding streets that weren't designed for car use. There are, however, plenty of quirky little shops and cafes. The winding streets though would make the tourist guide's recommendation of 'sit and watch the world go by' a tad difficult.

10 points go to the Bremer Stadtmusikanten (Bremen Town Musicians). It is only a small statue but very touchable. It is also the best-known landmark of Bremen, dating from 1951. A local told us that for good luck you should grab both of the donkey's front ankles.

And finally, 12 points go to Mühle am Wall (Windmill). Not only was it beautiful to look at, it was also functional. It spun about a bit when we were walking closer to it. Better still, it is very easy to get to. Only a short walk from the Bahnhof.

Back to Hamburg next. See you at the second busiest port in Europe.

München

München, also named Munich in English. Aside from being the beer capital of the world, it also saw some of the very key moments in world history. At the same time, it is also only a small city in the south of Germany & very accessible on foot if you know where to 'live'.

Here are the points for München:

1 point goes to the Misukoshi (三越). It was tiny (3 levels of 1/2 floors) & very well hidden (on Platzl 2). My main reason for finding it was that the 1 in HK had closed, but when I finally found it I was grossly disappointed.

2 points go to the Ostbahnhof. It was small & unremarkable. Not a very good first impression of München after I travelled from the picturesque Salzburg. The Haputbahnhof was also a bit disorganised, contrary to the stereotypical German precisions. Maybe everyone was still recovering from Oktoberfest which finished the weekend prior.

3 points go to the tourist information centre at Marienplatz. The first time I went there (Saturday lunch-time-ish, then again a couple of hours later) there were at least 30 people queuing outside its doors. By the time I finally got in (I went back the following morning for the Free Tour, incidentally NOT offered nor advertised by the tourist information) there was hardly any good information to be taken from them. Mostly flyers of local exhibitions, with no free map in sight.

4 points go to the weißwürste (white sausage). As many people would know by now, I'm a fan of the sausage. I've bought many different types of sausages at home, as well as had others (thanks Nat!) bought special, German sausages for me from The Shire. Unfortunately, the weißwürste that I had in München was only ordinary. The sweet mustard that accompanied the würste, however, was excellent!

5 points go to the Hofbraühaus. Yes, this might sound very un-Australian dissing a drinking pithole, and such an important one too. But when I was in there (mid-afternoon, not even 4) it was choc-filled with people/drinkers. I tried to escape the people (and with European translation: smoke) filled room to go out to the back courtyard it was even smokier!! I ended up drinking in another biergarten. No Hofbraü, but still a local beer (Paulaner. I thought it said Paul Anker for some reasons, and that was BEFORE I started drinking).

6 points go to the Viktualienmarkt. One of München's many drinking holes, it was also interspersed with fresh food stalls and sellers of other small things like fresh flowers & souvenirs. This was where I ended up consuming my weißwürste and Paul Anker, though I found out from my tour guide later that the markt do charge about twice as much as other places (read: tourist trap). In reality, it was a little pricier than other cafes and stuff but nowhere near twice as much as far as the food goes. At least you can get everything in the one place.

7 points go to Hofgarten and the Bayerische Staatskanzlei (State Chancellory). The Hofgarten was picturesque little garden just to the north of city centre and right at the end of it was the very high-tech looking State Chancellory. In the Hofgarten you could also find a memorial to the victims of WWII as well as one of München's several memorials to the weiße rose.

8 points go to Dallmayer delicatessen. Some of the guide books would direct you to this delicatessen on Dienerstraße off Marienplatz. It is one of the up-scale delicatessen in town but it is very large and sells pretty much anything edible - from fresh fruit, baked goods, jams & confectionary, to chocolate, coffee beans, tea, smoked meat... ... There are of course other things like the Dallmayer teddy (at 45 euros a pop for 1 the size of my palm) and a cafe/bistro up on level 1.

9 points go to Marienplatz, but especially the glockenspiele on the Neue Rathaus (New Town Hall). After seeing the rather unremarkable one in Praha, this was most certainly a breath of fresh air. The show goes on ar approximately 11am, 12noon and 5pm everyday. I say approximately because my guide told me that it is not an automated show buy someone is actually paid to climb up the stairs at 11, 12 and 5 everyday to press the button which starts the show. One day last year there were no shows because the guy was sick! So much for German punctuality. The show itself, however, is fairly long. Music plays for about 5 minutes before the movable parts start moving. That goes on for another 5 minutes before the show is ended with yet another 5 minutes of bell dingings. Pick a good spot & sit tight I'd say.

10 points go to the Ludwig-Maximillian Universitat. This university's significance lies mostly in the role it played in the Resistance to the Third Reich during WWII. This resistance movement, known as the weiße rose, is now proudly remembered in the form of 2 indoor memorials (one of all the weiße rose members (left forground) while the other was of Sophie Scholl (right background), one on the front entrance that resembled the anti-Nazi pamphlets that the weiße rose members distributed and eventually executed for, as well as a room dedicated to the weiße rose movement (open, however, only during weekdays). There is also a separate memorial in the Hofgarten while the grave sites of Sophie, Hans Scholl and Christophe Prosbt are also noted in the Perlach-am-Friedhof a little outside of main town.

And finally, 12 points go to the new europe Free Tour. Well, ok, it's not really free. There are no sign up fees or ticket prices, true, but you are 'reminded' to tip appropriately at the end of the walking tour as the guide only works freelance. Anything from coins to small notes would suffice. Their guides, however, are very entertaining & energetic but most of all informative. They can pretty much answer anything, most of which are native English speakers (or Spanish if you want to take the Spanish tour) now living in München. My guide, for example, was a small Scotsman (not a leprechaun, those are Irish) with a Münchener fiance. The tour lasts for about 3 hours and take you to all the major (and some minor or lesser known) sites of München. The guides would also be able to tell you lesser known facts of the area/building/whatever you happen to be seeing.

Travelling north to the regional town of Bremen next.

Salzburg

Salzburg, a small city in the western end of Austria, famous for its very musical former residents. For fans of the classical, you can go past mentioning Salzburg being the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. For those with more of a contemporary (some, particularly the locals, say cheesy), folksy palette, it was also where the Von Trapp family singers, whose lives the musical theatre and movie The Sound Of Music were based, originated. The four of us made this the final destination of our 2-week sojourn by catching a 3-hour train west from the capital Wien.

Here are the points for Salzburg:

1 point goes to the Hauptbahnhof (Main Railway Station). This main station was reasonably old looking and in need of some repair work. It is only a small station, however, so it is difficult to get lost. You can catch international, intercity and suburban (S-bahn) trains from here. There is also a tourist information on one of the platforms where you can get free maps and other information of Salzburg.

2 points go to Mozartplatz. You can find a statue of Mozart here. This is also the start of Judengasse which leads directly to Getreidegasse (see 8 points) where you would see other Mozart-related museums and shops. To its south is the Dom Kirche where Mozart was baptised.

3 points go to the catacombs of St Peter Cathedral. Easily accessed through Kapitelpltaz, there is a waterwheel just outside St Peter’s. Its adjoining cemetery features many old tombs, some I saw dated from the 18th century. The most interesting part of this cemetery is its catacombs, which inspired Robert Wise to reproduce as a set for the scene where the Von Trapps hid behind tombstones while trying to escapes the Nazis in The Sound Of Music.

4 points go to Stift Nonnberg (Nonnberg Abbey). Located directly to the east of Festung Hohensalzburg (see 5 points), this was the actual abbey where Mario Augusta Kutschera resided before being sent to the Von Trapps as a governess and becoming the Captain’s second wife. The abbey itself is not very large and respect is requested when entering. You can, however, get a great south view of suburban Salzburg from just outside the abbey. It is also here where fans of The Sound Of Music would recognise the location for the final car chase scenes of the movie.

5 points go to Festung Hohensalzburg (High Salzburg Fortress). This is one of the largest fortress in Europe and sits atop the hill just to the south of the altstadt (old town). It features a mix of gothic carvings and torture implements. There is also an exhibition of the golden stube. Under ‘normal’ circumstances its north view apparently is to die for. Unfortunately when we were up there it was rather foggy so we couldn’t actually see that far, but we still got a pretty decent view of the altstadt. Though at 542m high, you can reach the festung by hoofing up flights of stairs that you can find on all sides of the hill. Alternatively you can pay €3-return and ride the festungbahn (fortress furnicular) from Hasengrabenbastei, though the ride literally only lasts for 30 seconds each way.

6 points go to Schloß Leopoldskron. This is one of a few filing locations for The Sound Of Music. Fans would no doubt recognise the huge man-made lake to the back of the house as well as the small pier and backyard of the house. It is, as it was during filming, a private property owned by Salzburg Global Seminar where entry is by invitation. The area surrounding the man-made lake is very pleasant for a leisurely stroll.

7 points go to Hellbrunn. This park and castle complex is a little outside of the city centre but is a stop for the Hop On Hop Off bus tour (see 10 points). Fans of TThe Sound Of Music would be directed to the glass gazebo where Ralf and Liesl sang ‘Sixteen going on seventeen’ and the Captain and Maria sang ‘Something good’. The gazebo was relocated here from Schloß Leopoldskron (see 6 points) when tourist numbers became too much.The rest of the park is also interesting, though the trick fountain requires an entry fee. There is also a zoo nearby.

8 points go to Getreidegasse. This is a very famous shopping street of Salzburg, situated in the altstadt part of the city. You can find all sorts of souvenir shops, antique shops, boutiques and eateries, with wrought-iron guild signs made to convey a sense of yester-era. You can also find the Mozarts Geburtshaus (Mozart’s birthplace) at #9.

9 points go to Schloß Mirabell (Mirabell Palace). Pretty much the only tourist attraction north of the River Salzach, it is a small-ish palace with an amazing garden attached. This is also where they shot several key scenes for The Sound Of Music, including the steps scene during Do-Re-Mi. Across the street you can find the stalls for the Panorama Tour and Salzburg Sightseeing Tour, both of with offer ‘Sound of Music’ packages. You can also find the Mozartuem and Marionettentheater (they provided the marionette for the ‘Lonely goatherd’ scenes of The Sound Of Music) to the south of the garden.

10 points go to the Hop On, Hop Off bus tour. There are many bus tours that do the tourist attractions of and around Salzburg, such as the 4-hour Sound of Music tours by Panorama as well as Salzburg Sightseeing. Most of these are guided tour that run around town in huge 50-seat buses and cost upwards from €40. The Hop On, Hop Off bus tour, though still go to the same attractions, allow you to literally hop on and hop off at your own leisure (at the designated stops of course). Each bus departs Mirabellplatz hourly and there are 11 stops all up, including out-of-towners like Schloß Leopoldskron where its backyard and the man-made lake featured prominently in The Sound Of Music (see 6 points). There is also an audio guide on board with 7 different languages to choose from so you wouldn’t miss a beat. For a 24-hour pass, it only cost us €20! (The cheapest was the 2-hour pass at €15, but that only equates to 1 stop) Every time you hop off, however, you’d have to wait an hour before the next one comes, though generally there is enough to see at each stop that an hour might not even seem enough at times.

And finally, 12 points go to Villa Trapp. No link to the movie The Sound Of Music whatsoever, this was the actual house where the real Von Trapp lived and grew up! Since fleeing OS during WWII, this house had undergone a few different uses, including as a regional Nazi headquarter. Post-WWII though, it was used by a missionary service and only until recently it was sold, renovated and opened as a boutique hotel. There are some original furniture and fittings like the staircase, but most had been given away during the post-war period. The owners of the hotel, however, are more than happy to give you a tour of the house, telling you stories about the Von Trapps and each room. One of our rooms, for example, was the bedroom of son #2, Werner. The hotel is a bit out of the way (in the suburb of Aigen, 5 S-bahn stops from Hauptbahnhof) but the local area is picturesque for short strolls or even a hike up the Alps!

Salzburg is a nice little boutique city where there are actually loads to see for a weekend trip. Next, I continue my post-submission escapade by venturing further into the Germanic sphere - in the beer capital of the world and the land of the sausage - München, Germany.

Bratislava

Bratislava, together with Wien, are the two closest national capitals (in terms of proximity) in the world at just 57km apart. For this very reason we hopped on a train from Wien and came over for a quick (& bargain. The return ticket on cost €14 each and included all public transport in Bratislava!) day trip. It became the capital of the Slovak Republic after it divorced from the Czech Republic (together they made the former Czechoslovakia). On the exterior, Bratislava looks like a poor cousin of the cultural power houses of Praha & Wien. This is true to the extent that a large part of the city is reasonably run-down or undergoing extensive refurbishment, but who knows what would happen with the introduction of the Euro in 2009.

Here are the points for Bratislava:

1 point goes to the Bratislava Hlavná stanica (Main Railway Station). This is a very run-down main railway station with only a handful (literally) of platforms. Signage is also not very clear, with the tourist information centre (see 4 points) well hidden to the side of the building. To get to the main tourist attractions, you need to catch tram #18 all the way down to the Dunaj (see 3 points).

2 points go to the Redoutengebäude (Reduta). This neo-baroque building from the early 20th century continue to host balls and concerts. It also serves as the home of the Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra. Sadly the exterior is not what it is cracked up to be in the guide books…

3 points go to the Dunaj (Danube). Ah, the blue Danube. Blue it was, that is true. But whether it was just that section of the river or if it was where we were standing (just outside of the hrad), the river stank of sewerage. The view on the other/southern side of the river was also not very attractive.

4 points go to the tourist information centre at Hlavná stanica. It is a little bit well hidden. First of all, signage was not great at the station. This was compounded by the fact that the tourist information centre was a small window-office to the side of the left corridor. But the attendant there was very helpful and she gave us a bunch of useful maps & brochures. You can find the same maps & brochures on this website.

5 points go to the Novy most (New Bridge). Listed as one of the main attractions of the city, this new bridge, completed in 1972, is just a simple suspension bridge with a dish-like observation deck. You’d probably get a better view of Staré Mésto from the hrad, however.

6 points go to the Bratislavský hrad (Bratislava Castle). Still undergoing refurbishment, only a small part of the hrad has been re-opened for public access. While we were there, it was playing host to a contemporary art exhibition. The main hrad building itself was covered by large piece of cloth, with side banners reminding the introduction of the Euro to the Slovak Republic in January 2009. This main building has 3 gates (Sigimund in the SE, Vienna in the SW and Nicolas in the NE) & 1 bastion (Lugiland, near Nicholas’ Gate). There should also be a Treasure Chamber displaying the Venus of Moravany, a small statue made of mammoth ivory from 22,800 BC but we couldn’t find the Chamber.

7 points go to the Kostol svätej Alžbety (Church of St. Elisabeth). Also known as Modrý kostolík (the Blue Church) because of its blue, art nouveau exterior, this church sits east of the main city centre of Bratislava. It is only a very small church and you can’t go beyond the main entrance unless you are worshippers. Its look, however, is vastly different to anything in this city (or most other parts of Europe too) so it is worth that little bit of exercise eastwards.

8 points go to Dom U dobrého pastiera (the House of “The Good Shepherd”). This tiny yellow house sits right next to the busy street of Staromestská and you would pass by it as you make your way up to the hrad from the Old Town. Built in the Rococo style, it is now the Museum of Clocks, exhibiting clocks mostly by local clockmakers from the 17th to late 19th century.

9 points go to Michaliská Brána (Michael’s Gate). The only medieval fortification left in the entire city, the tall white tower of this gate is highly visible from most part of the Staré Mésto. There is the Museum of Weapons and observation deck within (for a small $$ of course). The most interesting thing about this gate was situated smack bang in the middle of it – a brass ring with directions & distances to other major cities of the world. Who knew home/Sydney was only a ‘short’ km away? Bratislava’s narrowest house, at just 1.8m wide, is also right next to this Gate.

10 points go to Hlavné námestie (Main Square). Some very interesting buildings surround this main square in the middle of Old Town, including Stará radnica (Old TownHall), various embassies, as well as Rolandova fontána (the Roland Fountain). Guidebook that you get from the tourist information centre would tell you the interesting things that are left on the exterior of the Stará radnica like the measuring stick & picture of the ghost. You can also find a couple of Bratislava’s famous street art/statues in this square (see 12 points).

And finally, 12 points go to the street arts the Bratislava. For a small city, there are loads of street art dotted throughout for tourists and locals alike to enjoy and have fun with. The more notable ones are the peeper/rubberneck, the Frenchman/Napolean’s soldier, the photographer, and the taunter. There are also loads of others inserted into the ground as part of the pavement surrounding the Rococo Mirbach Palast (Mirbach Palace). You can find a full list of these street arts and their locations by getting a guide from the tourist information centre (see 4 points) or download beforehand from this website.

Next, we head back to Austria and across to the west of the country where the hills are alive in Salzburg!

Wien

Wien, the capital of Austria and the former capital of the Austro-Hungarian & Habsburg Empires, is only a short train ride from the Velvet capital of Praha (well, 3 hours). It is a city decorated with glitz & gild as well as serving as a regional transport hub. We spent 3 days in Wien soaking in (& trying to scrap off so gild) culture & glitz.

Here are the points for Wien:

1 points goes to Freyung. Known as one of Wien’s shopping area, it only had a handful of high-end shops & boutiques. The daily market that my guide books directed me to also did not exist. At least it is very close to the main shopping streets of Graben and Kohlmarkt (see 5 points).

2 points go to Schönbrunn. Let me explain this low scoring for Schönbrunn. Tauted as a graceful palace with a beautiful garden, we actually didn’t visit Schönbrunn even though it is only a short u-bahn ride on U4. The reason for this was that one of us had already been to Wien before and didn’t think that Schönbrunn was worth a second visit. This low score only reflects the lack of interest by said friend & our non-visit.

3 points go to the Sigmund Freud Museum. A little further away from the main tourist attraction sites, this was the actual clinic of Sigmund Freud. We did not have time for a visit, but from the travel shows that I had seen this museum is quite well disguised amongst other residential buildings. The closest u-bahn stations (Schottentor or Rossaur Lände) are also 10-15 minutes walk away.

4 points go to Schwarzenbergerplatz. This is a reasonably attractive square with a water fountain that puts on a light show at night. Its closest u-bahn station, however, is Karlsplatz 10 minutes walk away, and the naschmarkt (see 6 points) that guide books directed me to did not exist. The Unteres Belvedere (see 10 points) is just a short walk down Rennweg then Prinz Eugen Straße.

5 points go to Graben & Kohlmarkt. Known for their antique shops and galleries (particularly Kohlmarkt), these 2 streets in the middle of the city are also now filled with a mix of high-end shops (like Louis Vuitton), souvenir shops and eateries. You can also find the Pestsäule (Memorial to the Plague) towards the southern end. At the end of Graben you can find the Stepheansdom cathedral (see 7 points).

6 points go to the Naschmarkt (food market). Most guide books would direct you to the naschmarkts of Wien. My searches listed 3 – Schottengaße 1, Mariahilfer Straße 85 and Schwarzenbergerpltaz. Unfortunately we couldn’t find the ones at Schottengaße or Shcwarzenbergerplatz. Half of the stalls at Mariahilfer Straße were also closed. There were quite a few seafood restaurants that looked to be rather popular, but we ended up picking a fusion place & had some very nice wraps. The organic beer was, however, like all other organic beer that I have had – not even a buzz after ½L.

7 points go to Stephansdom. Currently undergoing a facelift (the grime of its exterior is being blasted off), this Catholic cathedral is located in the middle of the city, right above its very own u-bahn station (Stephansplatz). Entry into the cathedral is free, where the interior is extremely dark. You are also stopped by steel gates at the end of the seating rows so that only worshippers are allowed further. To the side there is a shop selling everything from rosary beads to books about the cathedral.

8 points go to Hohermarkt. This is a short street hidden in the middle of the Jewish quarter. There is an interesting white marble & gold plated statue on the central divider but what is more interesting is the glöckenspiel that is just to its north. This glockenspiel is featured on both sides of the short footbridge that connects the 2 buildings. There is also a stone carving of a lion on the bottom of the bridge. Wien’s Jewish quarter, however, is not as beautiful as the one in Praha.

9 points go to the Secession. The Secession was a rebel art movement that broke away from the main Austrian art scene at the end of the 19th century. Major artists included Gustav Klimt, Koloman Moser & a whole bunch of others. A special building was also built for this breakaway art movement, and you can find it at Friedrichstraße 12 within walking distance from the Naschmarkt (see 6 points). The main hall houses the Beethovenfries (Beethoven Frieze) by Klimt. The gilded dome is also well worth a sighting. The Museum-quartier is also close by.

10 points go to the Belvedere. It takes a little effort to get to (we took the u-bahn then walked for 15-20 minutes before getting there), the Belvedere comprises of 4 museums and a spectacular garden. The Oberes Belvedere (Upper Belvedere) houses permanent exhibitions, normally including the world famous Der Kuss by Gustav Klimt, while the Unteres Belvedere (Lower Belvedere) houses special exhibitions. You can purchase separate tickets (€9.50) or a combined ticket (€12.50). The combined ticket or single ticket for the Unteres Belvedere also gives you access to the Orangerie to the side of the Unteres Belvedere. It was exhibiting some punk and contemporary art projects at the time of our visit.

And finally, 12 points go to Hofburg palace. The Hofburg is a large palatial complex smack bang in the middle of the city. Many of its former palatial buildings now serve as government departments, including the current Austrian Parliament. The main section of the Hofburg, however, houses some museums, the more famous are the Sisi museum, Kaiserappartements (Royal apartments) and the Silberkammer (Silver room). It is interesting how most of the stuff in the Silberkammer were gold!?! For a small entry fee (well, by European standards €9 per person is relatively ‘small’) you can end up spending hours, like we did, in just these 3 museums alone. The ticket price also includes an audio guide which you can carry along & punch in the corresponding numbers as you reach the locations. Outside these museum buildings, you can also find the open Heldonplatz (Heroes’ Plaza) where locals & tourists alike sit & enjoy the day/lunch.

Next, we head across the border and visit the closest capital city to Wien – Bratislava in Slovakia!

Praha

Praha, for so long a cultural centre of Europe, it had since bore the front of the Holocaust, witnessed communism, as well as becoming the very place where the Velvet Revolution took place. Through all of these, it remains a city full of beautiful architecture and a very strong cultural sense with daily concerts happening in all parts of the city. The four of us were there for a glorious weekend.

Here are the points for Praha:

1 point goes to the Praha-hlavní nádraží (Prague Main Train Station). This main station was only very close to you accommodation, but whether it was because it is currently undergoing extensive refurbishment or if it is just plain old, it simply didn’t look very safe to us. The fact that strange young men were loitering (yes, loitering) around the stairs that connect the ground (being refurbished) floor with the lower, main floor also didn’t help. All it lacked were Gypsy beggars and muggers to complete the picture of destitute.

2 points go to Vaclavské nám (Wencelas Square). For a Square dedicated to the ‘Good King’, this strip has become a hanging ground for teenagers, thanks no less to the numerous fast food joints, restaurants, pubs and clubs that line both sides of the square. Needless to say litter, noise & cigarette smoke are the main issues here. But then again, when is cigarette smoke not an issue through Europe?

3 points go to Town Hall Astronomical Clock. Most guide books would direct you to the hourly show that happens around Town Hall Square, and undoubtedly you would find hoards of tourists gathering in front of the clock from around 10, 15 minutes to the hour. Sadly the ‘show’ is a bit of a disappointment, with less than a handful of the clock’s figures actually move, the bell-ringing skeleton being 1. The whole ‘show’ is also over in just a couple of minutes. You can, however, see all the different star signs towards the bottom of the clock. For a different view, you can climb up the Town Hall’s town and look back down at all the tourists as they wait for the show.

4 points go to Kampa Island. Tauted as an artistic district of Praha, the architecture in this district was supposed to be reasonably different (more nouveau & pastelly) to the rest of the city (Gothic, Renaissance, Neo-renaissance, Kubist, etc), but with the rest of the city so beautiful this district just paled (only a bit though) in comparison.

5 points go to Karlúv most (Charles Bridge). A famous bridge in Praha, it is decorated with loads of stone statues on both sides of the bridge. Sadly it is currently undergoing refurbishment so we couldn’t see it in full glory/effect. It, however, still has a pretty good view of the Vltava, Staré Město, the district of Kampa, and back up to the hrad.

6 points go to Staromeské nám (Old Town Hall Square). This is a beautiful square surrounded by historical and/or religious buildings. Týn Church to the west, for example, has a gold-plated Virgin Mary high up its front façade, with the view of the square and the fountain is also great from in front of this church. There are loads of souvenir shops, glassware shops & eateries around and in the nearby Týnská.

7 points go to the Jewish quarter. Easily the most beautiful residential area of the whole of Praha, it is amazing how it managed to survive through/been painstakingly restored since WWII. There are several museums and synagogues within this district, such as the ‘Museum of an extinct race’ which display Nazi artefacts from Bohemia and Moravia. All of these cost $$ to enter. You can buy tickets from pretty much any of the synagogues or Jewish community centres in the area. You can also find the statue of Kafka in the Jewish quarter.

8 points go to Havelský Market. This daily market is situated on Havelská west of the Vltava and very close to the tourist attractions of the Staréměsto nám and St Nicolas’ Church. Stalls sell a whole array of things, from touristy souvenirs like beautifully crafted wooden Christmas decorations, to food and fresh fruits, to some vintage gear like this old Russian soldier’s hat that I got. Things are also cheap and you can easily spend hours just gawking and awing at stuff.

9 points go to the Pražský hrad (Praha Castle). Sitting high on a hill east of the Vltava, the Pražský hrad is quite a large complex that now incorporates a bunch of museums (most of which require entry fees). You can buy different ticket options at the information centres. Guide books would direct you to the Golden Lane, south gardens (Garden of Ramparts) and Bohemian crown jewels. Apparently ticket option B covers all of these attractions. For non-payers, however, there are still plenty to see, such as the medieval armour dress-up, the cathedral, as well as the hourly changing of the guards.

10 points go to the Wallenstein Palace & Garden. Though opened on weekends only and cost €3 entry, it offers a great short cut up from the banks of the Vltava up to the Pražský hrad. We were there in the midst of autumn and there were still plenty in flower. You can easily spend more than ½ hour in the gardens just wondering every nook & cranny, taking action shots at the windows, ledges, & of Staré Město. Guide books would also direct you to the statue of Hercules.

And finally, 12 points go to cheap foods. Praha easily offered to best and cheapest meals we have had so far on the trip. Our sit-down meals for 4 generally only went for around CZK750, which is a tremendous bargain by European standards (OK, it is Eastern Europe, but still it’s cheap!). The quality was also very excellent, that includes the local brew (we only sampled in-house brew or beer brewed locally within Praha), ‘dumpling’, fried cheese, pork knuckles, guláš & all.

Praha is simply a beautiful city with so much to see. It is yet another city that I can keep going back time and time again and not tire of. Next, we train down south to the Austrian capital of Wien.

Riga

Hello from Riga, the Paris of the north. It is also meant to be the most beautiful capital of the Baltic states, filled with Art Nouveau architectures that guide book after guide book advise walking around with a travel pillow permanently attached to your neck. We're only here for 1 ½ days so the itinerary is very compact. But given the small size of the Vecrīga (Old Town) you should have no trouble fitting in most of the attractions in a very short time.

Here are the points from Riga:

1 point goes to the cobblestone streets. Though very pretty to look at, they are a pain to walk on & drag your luggage around. I guess that's the same with most European cities?

2 points go to Rigas Pils (Riga Castle). The exterior looked very good from Pilslaukums but that's pretty much it. You're not allowed to enter and the exterior from the river side is also only so so. My friends passed it without paying too much notice. It, however, houses the Museum of Latvian History & the Museum of Foreign Arts for the culture-vulture types.

3 points go to the Three Brothers (Mazā Pils 17, 19 & 21). Essentially the Riga-equivalent of the Tallinn Three Sisters, they're just a trio of old houses.

4 points go to the Laima Clock. Most guide books will lead you to the Laima Clock situated to the southwest of the Freedom Monument (see points), especially when it is illuminated at night. We, however, managed to pass it ½ dozen times without even noticing its existence. For those wanting to sight this clock must keep their eyes wide open.

5 points go to the Zviedru varti (Swedish Gate). If you're expecting a drandious structure like a Chinese pailau you'd be bitterly disappointed. It literally is just a passageway by the side of Torna iela. If it wasn't for my keen observant eyes I'd passed it without notice.

6 points go to the Centrāltirgus (Central Market). It's a 5-hall market selling everything from fresh meat, fresh cheese, fresh produce, fresh baked goods (catch the drift?), some souvenirs, daily goods (manchester) & a couple of bargain supermarkets. The foods in there are incredibly cheap (especially having just came down south from Scandinavia, see 10 points) but like most market halls the security can be a bit of an issue. Keep you wallets & valuables close.

7 points go to the Freedom Monument. It is quite an impressive monument, especially set to a clear blue sky. You can practically see it from forever away along Kalku iela.

8 points go to Sv. John & Sv. Pētera luterānu baznica (St John & St Peter Basilicas). The exterior of St Peter is quite stunning, though if you don't pay attention it can be easily mistaken for the Doma luterānu baznica down the street. You can also catch the statue of Roland outside St Peter.

9 points go to the Cat House (Mneistaru iela 19). It's a famous landmark here in Riga and you can see the cat on the roof but the yellow building itself is actually quite spectacular. Managing to photograph it all in one go can, however, be quite a challenge.

10 points go to Riga's cheap eats. Food is such a bargain here. These palmieres form the Central market, for example, were only 0.16, 0.17, 0.18 Lats each. We managed to get a full set of breakfast (4 palmieres, a cake & a danish) for less than 1 Lat.

And finally, 12 points go to the whole Old Town itself. The buildings are truly spectacular and you'll never be short of a photo-op. Literally every corner that you take you'd find a new, spectacular building to gaze up & photograph. The Kronvalda park is also very spectacular.

Next stop is Praha so I'll 'Czech' you later, ha ha :D

Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi – a town of 10,000 in northern Finland, most famous for its proximity to the Arctic Circle and the home of St Nick himself. Degree of rurality – 2 Chinese restaurants.

Here are the points:

1 point goes to the temperature. Well, I guess this goes down to timing more than anything. We're here in early October & the daily high for the 1st day was 2'C and 2nd day an incredibly tepid 5'c!! Needless to say there were sub-zero mornings.

2 points go to the Alvar Aalto buildings. Practically very guide book/website you come across talking about Rovaniemi popints out the greatworks of Alvar Aalto, the local examples being the City Hall, Provincial library, and the Lappin House. Unfortunately I (along with the rest of my trip mates) failed to appreciate the greatness of such architecture.

3 points go to the lack of attractions. For those who know me you'd have witnessed my stacks of A3 printed street maps of places that I'm travelling too. The lack of general information on Rovaniemi is best summed in my inability to find a digital copy of a street map online or from any guide books. I had to resort to stitching together 4 maps that I screen-grabbed from Google Maps. Further still, this map only had 7 things highlighted – the 3 abovesaid Alvar Aalto buildings, the railway station, bus terminal, the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge with its eternal flame, Artikum (the Arctic Centre), the world's most northern McDonald's, and, off the map, Santa Claus Village. It is definitley more than en0uogh to cover all these within a 24-hour period. We had 36.

4 points o to Artikum, the Arctic Centre. For those who are not fortunate enough to catch the real Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) this Centre is probably the next best thing. With a 12Euro entry fee you're free to roam around all 2 floors of exhibitions. There are plenty to see – traditional life of the Sami people, traditional costumes, and of course, a (fake) Northern Light show that goes on a loop every 5 minutes or so. It looks pretty real (but what do I know, I've never seen the real thing) apart from the fox-like creature running around and the Sami people kicking the Lights around.

5 points go to Santa Claus Village. Ok, so it takes a bit of travelling to (the hourly No.8 bus takes you right to the door of the Village. Return ticket: 6.4Euros. Journey time: approx. ½ hour) and it is mostly devoid of people/visitors (we were there for about 5 hours and there were only about a dozen visitors or so) and it's pretty kitchy in terms of the stuff on offer and the photo-op with Santa is a big cash cow, all in all it is still pretty cool. Entry to the Village is free though most of the buildings there were souvenir shops. Santa was nice (as you'd expect) and the prices of the postcards (.80euro each big or small, plus another .80Euro per stamp) and official photos were not exorbitant (the 4 of us are splitting a set of 5 4R with cards for 25Euros). The food situation, however, was a bit dire. The cafes on site were pretty empty (ie food was probably not fresh) so we ventured across the highway and ate at the petrol station instead (see 9 points).

6 points go to the long train rides. For our Helsinki-Rovaniemie return trips we took 2 overnight trains. The 1st train up was in absolute luxury. Not only we had our own ensuite cabins, the toilet-shower conversion was so much fun that we even made our own amatuer instruction video for it (sorry, no nude shots). So they were a bit long (roughly 12 hours each way) but with some sleep and the prospect of Aurora Borealis the time simply flies. I guess playing Uno also helped a great deal.

7 points go to the world's northern most McDonald's. I'm not sure if it's a Finland-wide thing or if it was just that particular McD (I'm guessing the former) but they had some different burgers (on special promo I think. My Finnish is not quite up to scratch). The most special thing was of course the “I've visited the northest McDonald's in the world” postcard that I managed to from behind the counter and posters of the same effects that literally littered the place. Not that I eat Meccas much these days but still it was a pretty cool highlight. The shopping centre across the road also lights up to the effects of the Aurora Borealis at night.

8 points go to seeing the Aurora Borealis, or more acurately, the prospect of seeing it. I've read somewhere that on average the northern part of Scandinavia have around 200 lights shows of the Aurora Borealis every year, with March, April, Spetmber & October being the peak seasons (why do you think we're here at this time of the year?). Even in the middle of town in Rovaniemi it averages a light show every other day. Unfortunately we didn't experience any on our only night there but catching a simulation (see 4 points) was pretty close. Here's hoping we manage to catch some on our train trip back down (yes, I typed this while on the train trip back down to Helsinki).

9 points go to the lunch we had at the petrol station across the highway from Santa Claus Village. Aside from the fact that we were cold and hungry, the food was actually rather good. We had our regular Kanacaesarsalaati, followed up with Pasta Bolognese and the local dish of poron (yes, we ate Rudolf). The poron on mash potatoes were absolutely delicious – it encaptured tenderness and juciness all in one. Oh my God, I'm drooling again...

Unfortauntely the points only go up to 9 for Rovaniemi. There simply isn't any more to blog about/award points for. We'll see you in Art Nouveau-central - Riga, Latvia - next.