Kelana Convoy: Day 7

So today we had a chance to visit Florence. Oh wait, did I mention about some foreigner selling fake handbags and glasses around Italy? It is just the same with Malaysia where we can get the fake stuff everywhere. But beware, never ever dare to ask the price from them, you'll not get away easily. They'll keep asking and asking, and even follow you as you walk.

I love you!

We spend about two hours around Florence, which I would say it was not enough. We arrive at the next campsite a bit early that day, so it would be best if we could stay a bit longer!

To enter Florence, we had to pay the visitor tax. It was 300 Euro for a bus! In Florence, there we handmade handbags and other leather stuff that as good as the designers. You can also shop for gold in Florence. It was at Pento Vecchio, where all the shop along the brigde was a gold shop.

Ponte Vecchio

There were also Ulfidzi museum and forgot-the-name cathedral.Many Michelangelo arts was here. I didn't read the history about Florence, so yeah.  By the way, enjoy the picturesss!

I found BATA in Italy...

The Duomo...

Did I tell you there are many naked sculpture in Italy?
Here's one of it...

See you tomorrow for more naked sculpture!!

Kelana Convoy: Day 6

Yesterday, after setting up tent at Camping Fusina campsite, we had a chance to play soccer with some men at the campsite. It was ]a great time as I haven't play soccer for quite some time. I also get to know other people better too that time.

Venice!

The destination for today was Venice! We got a chance to watch The Tourist on our way to Italy yesterday. The view of Venice from the movie was nice indeed. However, the crew tell us don't put high expectation on Venice. So we did.

Piattzza St Marco 

In Venice, we visited the Lace factory, a traditional handmade craft. The craft takes forever to finish. The handmade craft was nice but expensive!

This tablecloth take 8 month to complete by 7 lady!
It cost 1000 Euro!!!

Next, we had a chance ride the Gondola. A must-do-thing in Venice! It was quite nice. By the way, our boatman was not so friendly. I've heard other boatman told the passenger about the history and others. Anyway, thanks to the boatman, we had a chance to be around the Venice!

Our gondola!

Thanks Gondola-man!

Venice was not as nice as being picture in the movie. The route was too crowded and you can get lost in there. The maps given was useless when you arrive in the city itself. The interesting thing is, if I got this right, there were no land transports in Venice including bike.

After coming back from Venice to the campsite, I had a chance to snap the sunset view. Subhanallah it was a nice view.

 Ok next stop! Florence!

Kelana Convoy: Day 5

So now, it was day 5. Last night it was rain heavily, even the cooking tent almost being flew away. At that night, in the cooking tent, I along with the guys that joined the trip held the tent to its position and also open cafe for drinks. I started to know the guys better that night! It was a wonderful night indeed. The nasi lemak also was delicious!

During the day, we went to Innsbruck. It was quite a small town in Austria yet it is the capital city for the state of Tyrol. In Innsbruck, we get a chance to see the Golden Roof. The roof was not actually made by gold, but the copper plate and gold coating. It is a symbol of greatness for the King at that time.

The golden roof and a silver women! 

The invisible. 

Another monument in innsbruck!

We also had a chance to buy Swarovski product here. It was quite cheap compare to the other places. If I'm not mistaken, the Crystal World exhibit was closed due to renovation, so it was quite a dissapointment for us. Anyway, many of the people in my trip get Swarovski product here, or at least a Swarovski Keychain for 12 euro. Not me! XD P/s: too bad no swarovski picture was taken.

We also visited Bergisel, the ramp for ski jump for Winter Olympic 2012 I think. The architect for the ramp was Malaysian.

Bergisel jump!

 These were the pictures around Innsbruck!

Team USA

The scenery in Austria is very stunning. There quite a lot of mountain along the road. I just love it.

Nice one!

After Austria, we were on our way to Italy! Tomorrow would be nice with Venice as our destination!
Sorry for the late post! See you again tomorrow!

Kelana Convoy: Day 4

Today journey starts with 3 hours drive to Neuschweinstein Castle. The journey took about 5 hours (if I remembered it right) from the castle.
The castle was originally a homage from King Ludwig II to Richard Wagner. The Walt Disney castle also was inspired by this castle. Okay enough with the story! Let's the picture do the talk.

The castle from below!

Neuschweinstein Castle!

The scenery was so beautifull!

The castle at the bottom of the hill. Can't remembered the name.

 After the castle, we were heading to Austria! We make one stop along the way to take picture. The scenery that was stunning! Subhanallah!

Subhanallah!

Love the piccas!

See you again tomorrow!

Kelana Convoy: Day 3

We had to pack up our camp in the morning. The process started to get fast as everybody get used to pack up their tent and people started to helping each other out. The destination of the day was Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Frankfurt is among the biggest and busiest city in Germany. 

Conquest of Europe
18 June to 2 July 2011

First we stopped at the big Euro sign at the European Central bank. This was the place where they (Kelana convoy trip) usually took a group picture. We had one too! Then, we had 2 hours to walk around Frankfurt. 

I like thisone..

Frankly speaking, there were nothing much to see. We had a chance to go to the top of one shopping mall to view the Frankfurt from above. From there, we can see clearly the old and new Frankfurt. I forgot what Mr Khairul explanation, but I'm pretty sure that they both were separated by the Main River. 

The new Frankfurt

The old Frankfurt

Two hours was enough to stay at Frankfurt I guess, unless you want to do some real shopping! There was sale in 2 3 places too. Later of the day, we went to the camp site somewhere along the road between Frankfurt and Nauchweinstein Castle. 

Frankfurt from above

Niqab

 I always have curiosity when I see women in niqab. Although I might have the intention to see how the face looks like, but there were something that hold back the thought. And she indirectly gained my respect. It might be the beauty of Niqab, for me at least. The reward for such a great deeds that the women with niqab did.

Yesterday I meet a women with niqab during a meeting and turned out she was my junior back in high school. The curiosity risen even more as I might have seen the face before. Despite the curiosity, I respect her for taken a great step in search of Allah blessing. 

By the way, I want to clarify that I don't have any bad intention to her or any other women with niqab yet the curiosity risen make me realize that Allah had make us to be the best of all mankind. It also make me realize how bad my level of submission to Allah. 

Let's change for the better and the best! 

May Allah bless you, Sister.  

Kelana Convoy: Day 2

The day started with bad news. Maybe some drunken people had sabotage the bus. The emergency door had been open and it can’t be closed. So we can’t get to the places as planned. We ended up using one bus back and forth to pick up people. The destinations for the day were Volendam and Amsterdam!

The clog collections

The first stop was the Clog and Cheese factory. The clog is a wooden shoe, a traditional shoe for the Holland people. It seems practical to use the shoe, but it was quite hard for people nowadays. I heard that the clog was about to extinct. The cheese was good. The taste of the cheese was difference on what I usually had back in US. The fact that cheese could be as hard as rock was quite surprising anyway!

The collection of cheeses

Then, we stopped at one of the traditional windmill for several pictures.

The Windmill

After that, we were heading to Volendam. There was a diamond presentation and also Holland traditional clothes photo session. I could not get a chance to go for the photo session as there are too many people at that time. The view in Volendam was nice, the lake and many boat add up some points to the beautiful scenery.

Donar Kebab!

I got the chance to taste the Donar Kebab, the one that Boss, Najmi and Erin had been talking about. I am not sure if it was the one, but the name was Donar Kebab and it was awesome!

The Smallest house, 1m wide..

In the evening, we went to Amsterdam. First, we went for sightseeing by river cruise. It was a disappointment. Kelana Convoy should not ever recommend that I think.  Btw, we got a chance to see the smallest house, 1m wide. The tax for house was based on the wide of the house, so the people who live inside pay the "cukai pintu" the least tax ever! 

As we got only 4 hours to spend in Amsterdam, and the river cruise took about 1 hour to finish, I would not recommend the river cruise at all. By the way, I was able to go to the I amsterdam statue and the red light district even spend just a little time in both places.

I amsterdam

Holland is popular with its regulation that allows drug and prostitution if I am not mistaken. The red light district, as the name suggest, had many room or door with a red light at the top of it. The red light indicates that there are prostitute inside the room. I had seen someone negotiate with the prostitute. Well, I forgot to take the picture of how the red light rooms look like.