TravelStream™ news feed for member cristinaw on TravelPod's free travel blogs service http://www.travelpod.com/syndication/rss/cristinaw en-us Copyright ©2009 TravelPod.com Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:13:10 -0400 http://www.travelpod.com http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1171098360/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1171098360/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1171098360/tpod.html Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:13:10 -0400 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan

<i>(back to Sapporo, The Snow Festival Entry) OTARU <i>(second day of the trip) Around 9 pm, we caught a rapid train to Otaru. The travel time between Sapporo and Otaru it takes about 30 minutes (¥620.00 per person; for a single trip). Otaru is a port town in western Hokkaido located on the northern tip of the Shiribeshi district. The town was formerly called Otarunai (it means "River of Sands" in Ainu) and was later renamed to Otaru (it means "small barrel" in Japanese). One of the most popular tourist site in the town is Otaru Canal, which is the symbol of this small city. The gaslights and stone warehouses along the canal producing a beautiful nightscape popular with couples. There are many cafes, museums, glass workshops, restaurants and shops as well as the brewery restaurant belonging to Otaru Beer in this area. Moreover, if you like music boxes, Otaru is a place would definitely satisfy you. If you walk along the town, you will find many music boxes workshops, where hundreds of models are on display, both large and small, including early 19th century antique examples for sale. Also, you can make your own music box according to your preferences! (You can even paint or draw images on the box as well as to choose your favorite music.) This is the funniest part of making a music box! There were hundreds of "ice candle lights" along the canal side making the canal really beautiful. KIRORO SNOW WORLD&nbsp; <i>(third day of the trip) The next morning we walked to the central bus station and caught the Kiroro bus to the Kiroro Snow World. There are mountains for ski (beginners to professionals) and a snow park in Kiroro Snow World. The entrance fee of the Snow Park it cost ¥500.00 per person. In a huge snow field, there weren't other people around, only me and Mr. K. Inside the snow park, there are snow maze, snow boat, snowmobile, etc. That day it seemed longer than usual. We got back to the Otaru Canal after the fun time in the Kiroro Snow World. The Otaru Canal is always beautiful. I saw many workers were busy to place the candle along the canalside and were busy to "make snow", the snow statue and the sculpture there were started to melt, so they had to put more snow back to the sculpture. The temperature that day was -1C, not so cold, and I did a stupid thing by placing my hand on the snow with hand gloves off to test how cold it was, within a second, I felt dumb and a horrible pain on my hand. MOUNT MOIWA <i>(last day of the trip) Mount Moiwa is one of several forested, small mountains surrounding the city of Sapporo. There is an observation platform and restaurant on its summit with spectacular day and night time views of the city. This morning, we got up very early and went to Mount Moiwa before going to the airport. From Susukino, we took Sapporo's streetcar line to "Ropeway Iriguchi" station (about 20 minutes). From there, we got to the lower station of the Mount Moiwa Ropeway within a 5 minutes walk. The ropeway ride is followed by a short ride on a chair lift to the summit. A round trip costs ¥1200.00. To view more photos taken in Hokkaido (Sapporo and Otaru), please follow the link below: http://flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157602956963742/Here is a video about Hokkaido I edited with Imovie and Garage Band @v@http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlUtLucfug8
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1170925560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1170925560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1170925560/tpod.html Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:07:04 -0400 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan

SAPPORO Every year, the Snow Festival attracts many visitors from Japan and other countries to gather at the Odori Park, about two million people come to Sapporo to see the beautiful snow statues and ice sculptures which line Odori Park and the main street in Susukino. In these seven days in February of every year, these statues and sculptures (both large and small) turn Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow. The Snow Festival began in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park.Later, the Self-Defense Force joined in and built the very first massive snow sculpture, for which the Snow Festival has become famous for now. The Festival has grown from these humble beginnings to become one of the biggest and most well known of Hokkaido's winter events. In the afternoon, we arrived in Sapporo. The first place we had been to was the Hokkaido University. Trees covered by snow. Everywhere was white! Very beautiful! Along the way, we met a friendly Japanese girl (Luly is her name) who led us to the destination. Part of the amazing thing of traveling is meeting different kind of people, local people or other travelers, who will make the journey special. In this photo you'll see the girl we met, she led us the way to the Palm Tree Site, Hokkaido University. After visiting the University, we walked to the Odori Park. There were hundreds of snow statues and snow sculptures along the Park. They were not as huge as I expected. Most of them were medium size, like the picture below. To jump to: Otaru - The Music Box Paradise Entry To view more photos taken in Hokkaido (Sapporo and Otaru), please follow the link below: http://flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157602956963742/Recently I just edited a video, please check it out if you feel interested :)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlUtLucfug8
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1232686800/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1232686800/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1232686800/tpod.html Sat, 13 Jun 2009 09:07:28 -0400 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Tromsø, Troms, Norway

It has always been my dream to see the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, and I have been listed it as one of my life list goal.This magical phenomenon has attracted me for years. The multi color display of light in the sky is like a mystical dance performance of the Great Universe. It just makes me to wonder how wonderful it is simply to be part of the Universe. At the first moment I saw the Northern Lights on TV, I was totally amazed by its beauty and I wished I could travel north someday to see it in person. But at the same time I worried about the extremely cold weather I might experience as well. I've never been to any place that far north. I thought that to experience what I saw on TV, it seemed to be only a dream...By the year 2009, thanks for the encouragement I've received from friends and family, what I first considered as only a dream, eventually became a reality. I went to Tromsø, Norway, to see the Northern Lights... 23 January 2009, Friday10:30 AM (GMT +8) - Leaving from Macau Maritime Ferry Terminal.11:15 AM (GMT +8) - Arrived at Hong Kong International Airport.&nbsp;Flight check-in (Virgin Atlantic Airways, Flight VS239).13:35 PM (GMT +8) - Boarding Time.14:15 PM (GMT +8) - Take-off.19:20 PM (GMT 0) - (Approx. 13 hours) arrived in London Heathrow International Airport.&nbsp;Right after we went through Immigration and got our luggages we neededto rush to the central bus station to catch a coach to Stansted Airport.21:45 PM (GMT 0) - Service 797, National Express Coach departed from Heathrow Airport.23:15 PM (GMT 0) - (Approx. 90 minutes) arrived in Stansted Airport.23:25 PM (GMT 0) - Radisson SAS Hotel London Stansted Airport. Stayed overnight (room no. 2140)....24 January 2009, Saturday04:45 AM (GMT 0) - Got up.05:59 AM (GMT 0) - Breakfast at Ponti's Landside Concourse Stansted Airport. 06:25 AM (GMT 0) - Flight check-in (Norwegian Airlines, Flight DY5329).07:55 AM (GMT 0) - Boarding Time.08:25 AM (GMT 0) - Take-off....~ TROMSO - AN UNIQUE CITY OF THE ARCTIC ~Tromsø is renown for being one of the best places on Earth to see the Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights. I chose Tromsø as my destination because I thought it was the most convenience and easiest (for me) to get around, comparing with other polar region. At 12:45 PM (GMT +1) we landed at Tromsø Airport Langnes. Just few steps from the air bridge we arrived to the arrival area and the immigration desk was just located right at the entrance. There was a little misunderstanding when we went through the immigration. The officers said that one of us had a problem to enter to the country because didn't apply for a visa. According to information we found before leaving home, it showed that none of us need to apply for a visato entrance Norway. That's why we didn't apply for it. They didn't let us pass until after about ten minutes they confirmed everything was okay. . .The airport was smaller than we had expected, but it still nice and comfortable. First thing we looked for at the airport it was a money exchange desk. We looked around, walked around and all we found it was a 7 Eleven store at the corner next to the arrivals hall; some car rental service desks at the opposite, minibank automated teller machines (ATM) next to them, a tourist information desk and some unknown service desks located at the back. We bewildered if the money exchange desk was not open yet. We walked to the tourist information but were told there wasn't any money exchange service at the airport, and money exchange service was only available at the banks in the city and some major hotels, and unfortunately, the banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays, so the only solution was to use our credit card to withdraw money from the minibank automated teller machines (ATM) or to wait until Monday to exchange the money at the banks. What a bummer! We didn't even have 1 øre with us!!!! I asked if we can use euros to pay the taxi driver to get to the city, but were told: "Sorry, euros are not accepted." <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15"> Awwwwwwwwwwww We only brought euros with us. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15"> <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15"> <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15">So, we got to the ATM to withdraw money. We thought it was the worst day we have had in life... a credit card was rejected...then we tried another one, pin code error, then another one, pin code error as well. What's the worst thing that could happen? I was worried. How do we get to the city without the money? Many bad thoughts were running in my mind. In this situation I thought to walk to the city but it seemed impossible. I thought to ask the information desk lady for help and I thought ... All in a sudden, Mr. K. remembered that he still had another credit card with him but it was very closed to its expiry date. We were just wondering if that worked. We tried and...it worked!!! :D So what were the problems with others cards??? We took the money and went outside to wait for the bus to the city center. Outside, there were many bus stops and there were few taxis at the corner. While I was taking the piece of paper which was written down the hotel address from my backpack, a man walked up to us and asked us where we wanted to go. I handed the paper to that man and told him that we wanted to go to Clarion Hotel Bryggen. He handed back the paper to me and said something which I really didn't understand. He told us to follow him to the van and he said he was going to take us to the hotel. Before I got in the van I asked him how much we pay for the drive. Heonly smiled at me and said softly: "Please take a seat!" About 15 minutes we arrived at the hotel. The trip was free. The driver didn't ask us to pay for the trip. Awwww how nice it was! <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15"> The hotel we stayed is nearby the port. He showed us the way to the port and told us if we want to take a cruise ride the Northern Light Cruise would be a good choice. After we laid our luggage in the room, we walked in the city to find a place for dinner. It was really cold outside. I wore a pair of leather snowmobile gloves but my fingers were still icy and numb. And for Mr. K., he experienced an intensely painful earache after he had exposed his ears to cold weather. He didn't even wear a hat. I told him to put on his ear flap winter hat before leaving the hotel. He didn't listen to me and we had to get back to the hotel to take the hat andthe ears cover. That night, we only walked for a while. We had dinner in Peppes Pizza. The service was excellent, the staffs were nice and friendly and the food was yummi!!! ^_______________^&nbsp;...~ TROMSO 25/26 January ~We got up at 7:00 AM. The sky was still dark. At 8:00 AM, we got downstairs to the hotel restaurant to have breakfast. The breakfast was included and it was excellent with everything from fruit, bread, pastries, yogurt, cereal, cheese and ham to eggs, bacon, beans, friedpotatoes, salmon etc. We sat next to the big windows and from there we could look at the harbor area, the water, the Tromsø Bridge, the mountain and the Arctic Cathedral on the other side of the land. We had a plan to get to the hill before dawn to take some picture of the early morning color and visit the Arctic Cathedral and Polaria at that day. Before leaving the hotel, we went to the reception and asked the staff where we could find a bus stop to get to the Arctic Cathedral. Wewere told that we could walk to the Arctic Cathedral instead of taking a bus. Learning that the place we wanted to visit is not far from the city center and everywhere are within walking distance, we were relaxed and happy to leave the hotel to start exploring Tromsø City. We then walked to the Tromsø Bridge expecting to visit the Arctic Cathedral on the other side. I was so exciting because I had never thought that I could walk across the bridge! The view provided from the top of the bridge was brilliant. The layering of the houses from the bottom to the top of the hill, the harbor and the pink and bluish color of the sky had created a sense of dreamlike state that one would feel like if it was inside a masterpiece of painting.The outside temperature was so cold. I began to feel pain in my fingers, as well as to notice stiffness and numbness in my face. I was scared as the pain and stiffness were increasingly worsened. I did wear a pair of hand gloves but I took them off every time I use my camera. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15">Thanks God that I had noticed a convenience store down the road. We got in the store and bought a hot drink to warm up my hands. It was a relief to me as I began feeling relief from my pain and stiffness. After we finished the drink, we left the store and we noticed a place where we could have a broad view of the bridge and the other side. We walked down the pavement, crossed the road and came to a place where we took the following pictures.After that, we followed the same route to the bridge and got back to the other side. Suddenly, I received a phone call from my mom. She asked me if we had enough cash to spend (last time when I had a conversation with her on the phone I told her about the incident we encountered at the first day we arrived at the airport in which there wasn’t any money exchange service, and finally we had to use credit card to withdraw money from the ATM). I told her that we were fine and the cash we had could make it through until the following day in which the banks will be opened.We then walked to Polaria. It is an aquarium displays local marine life and the main attraction of the aquarium is the bearded seals. Moreover, the design of its architecture resembles a partly collapsed series of books, which is very creative and impressive. We spent nearly an hour and a half in the building. The things I most enjoyed to do in the aquarium were to watch the bearded seals swimming around in the pool and to watch film in the Panoramic Cinema.The time we left Polaria was around around 3:30 PM, and the sky was almost totally dark.We had a plan, that night, to stay out late to see if we can view the Northern Lights. The time when the Northern Lights tend to appear in the sky above Tromsø in Winter (that year) is between 6:00 PM and 2:00 AM. So, we both decided to have dinner earlier, then we could be back to the hotel for some rest, and then go out again when the night falls.On the way back to the main street Storgata we had found a Thai Restaurant and some takeout places. All of sudden I remembered that there was a Chinese Restaurant located near the Tromsø bridge, the “Shanghai Wok”. We got in the restaurant. A female came to greeted us and took us to a table. I was wondering if she was the owner of the restaurant. She has got long straight blond hair with a pair of beautiful big eyes. (green or blue). She was wearing a grey color V-neck sweater and jeans.She lit up a candle on our table and brought us the menu. She gave off a really nice and friendly vibe. We ordered a plate of fried rice, a fried chicken, two side orders of potatoes and two side ordersof vegetables. It was a big meal to me and I ended up having a bulging stomach making me look so fat! &gt;_&gt; We asked the lady how often people can view the Northern Lights, and we were told that theNorthern Lights will usually occur in every three or four days but it really depends on the weather. She asked us how long we stayed in Tromsø. We stayed there for only a week. She said that that night may a have chance to see them as the sky appeared to be clear. She brought the newspaper to us and showed us the weather forecast. It showed that the weather would be fine on Sunday (that day) and Tuesday and we might have chance to view the Northern Lights on that night. She mentioned that we might need to stay out very late and they normally appear after ten or eleven o'clock, and it would be very cold. We paid the bill and left the restaurant, satisfied. We walked back to the main street and went to the harbor to try to get some light houses and bridge pictures with the starry sky before going back to the hotel.Those are experimental photos in which we jumped in the frame in the middle of a long exposure. After that, we got back to the hotel around 6:00 PM to take some rest and then got outside again at 8:00 PM to wait for the Northern Lights. We went to the Main Square to wait for the Northern Lights. It was a nice place to stay for hours and it seemed to be a place with less street lights.It was very cold outside. My fingers began to feel numb.I kept walking around and around the square to keep my feet from freezing, and Mr. K. kept doing exercise to keep warm.Two hours later, a guy walked up to us and asked: “Are you guys waiting for theNorthern Lights?” I replied him: “Yes, we are, and we’ve been waiting here for more than two hours...” <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15"> Then he continued: “…You have to stay away from the city because thestreet lights are too bright here. If they are weak you can’t see them here. You can go straight (he pointed at Polaria direction) and within 10 minutes of walking distance you’ll come to a place where there are less street lights.” We listened to him and followed the direction he gave us. After a couple of minutes of walking, I felt hungry and very cold. I wanted to get in some place for a hot drink. The street was very quiet and most of the cafes and restaurants were closed. We found a Pizza Bar somewhere near Fredik Langes gate and Kalgata. We got in and ordered two cups of coffee. I looked at theclock and it was about 11 o’clock. I asked the female staff about what time they will close. They close at midnight. I found the staff not to be friendly and I felt being ignored. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15"> It made us want to leave as soon as we finish our drinks.We left the Pizza Bar around 11:15 PM, then, we continued to walk and follow the direction that the guy told us to. We came to a place where there is a statue (the Statue of Roald Amundsen). Here looked darker than the Main Square. It was very windy. We stood at the bus stop "Prostneset" and wait. After a while, we walked to the statue and stood there. Mr. K. kept doing exercise to keep warm and I kept looking up into the sky. All of a sudden, I saw a shade of white color in a curve shape similar to a rainbow above my head. I was thinking to myself: “What’s that?” I asked Mr. K. if they were clouds. Mr. K. looked up and said astonishingly: “不是呵！是北極光呵！嘩！你睇下！” He said they were the Northern Lights! I forgot what I’ve said at that moment. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15"> <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15"> <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15">I was very happy. Both of us were really happy. We hugged each other, shed tears and laughed at the same time. All the effort we put into this trip were rewarded. We had been planning this trip for a year and we made every effort to maximize the chance to view this amazing phenomenon, and finally, we saw them with our own eyes! <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15">That moment was absolutely magical and no words can really describe it in all its magnificence. We almost forgot all about the coldness. We set up the tripod and set the camera to manual mode with aperture f3.5 or f4 and shutter speed 30 seconds.Initially, they moved very slowly across the sky. They were mostly green. Some moment pale green and some moment bright green. Then they suddenly snapped at one end and moved like spirits dancing in the sky. We were amazed by the wonder of seeing them dancing across the sky. The display was spectacular and it lasted about two hours. (from around 11:40 PM till 01:45 AM)While I was taking pictures at the auroras, Mr. K. noticed a comet or a meteor moving slowly in the sky behind my back. I turned around and saw it! <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15"> It moved very slowly and we had time to capture it in the picture. Moments later, the auroras above my head suddenly became drastic. They waved very quickly like a curtain. They were green, red and pink and they were very bright. Their motion varied dramatically. I guessed that was the maximum activity at that night. It was a pity that we did not have the time to capture this magnificent moment because it only lasted for seconds ... When we were back to the hotel I felt a terrible pain in my both legs from my waist to my toes. The coldness was killing me. &gt;_&gt; I was very tired and it took me several hours to fallasleep. That night I only slept for only one hour then have to wake up.&nbsp;...~ TROMSO 26/27 January ~We had breakfast in the hotel restaurant. After that we went to SpareBank to exchange money. There were many people in the bank. While I was standing in front of the ticket machine thinking of which ticket I need (there were two types of tickets but all written in Norwegian and I could not understand), a woman walked up to me and helped us shorten the waiting time. She gave me a ticket with the number 401. Then she took another ticket from the machine and walked away.After that, we walked around Storgata to look for a new pair of warm hand gloves for me to use in the rest of the trip because the hand gloves I had did not keep my fingers warm. We found a shop named G-Sport then got inside. The sales staff was very friendly andhelpful. He asked me to show him my hand gloves. He checked the label and he said it was strange that the pair of hand gloves I had did not keep my hands warm. Finally, I got a pair of mittens that he had recommended.At 6:30 PM we met Mr. Kjetil Skogli at Radisson SAS to join the Northern Lights Tour. The tour was booked in advanced. We travelled in a group of 8 people, including Mr. Kjetil, and the other people on the tour were a couple, two ladies and a young girl.That night Mr. Kjetil drove us to three different locations, but unfortunately, none of the locations can view the Northern Lights. I was disappointed, of course. I expected to see them. I saw them at the night before that night so I thought it was natural to see them again at the following night. I wondered if others who joined other groups saw the lights at that night.After nearly 7 hours of waiting from one place to another, Mr. Kjetil drove us back to the city around 2:00 AM. Although I did not see the auroras at that night but the experience itself was memorable. The waiting, hoping, freezing like a fridge, the people and the stars I saw in the sky were all special to me. Anyway, Mr. Kjetil was a nice guide and I would still recommend his tour to anyone who is going to visit Tromsø for chasing the Northern Lights. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_sad.gif" alt=":(" height="15" width="15"> However, I would also recommend to join more other tours and to stay out late every night to get the maximum chance to view the magnificent display of the auroras. ...~ TROMSO 27/28 January ~That day we didn’t have any solid plans for the trip. We wandered around the town, visited the gift shops and shopping centers. Since everything is expensive in Norway, I only bought very limited number of souvenirs. I bought some postcards and prints to my friends and a glasscandle holder to my mom and dad. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15">After that, we went to look for the Tourist Information Center, hoping to get some informations about the places where we could take some beautiful landscape pictures. On the way to the Tourist Information Center, we met an old man. He told us sixty years ago he was a soldier and the Germans battleship had arrived the harbor and had killed many people, including one of his friend. It was a sad story and I felt so sorry to hear that. He said he comes to the harbor almost every day in the morning to commemorate his old friend. The candle you see on the photo on the right was placed by the old man.We went inside the Tourist Information Center and looked for places that we could take some pictures of natural scenery. The attendant was very friendly, nice and helpful. He showed us twoplaces on the map where they have beautiful views of natural settings and both of them are easily access by bus. One is Oldervik and another one is Larseng. Besides that, he also told us a site where we could take a panoramic view of the city. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15"> He was not only nice and helpful but also very thoughtful. He provided excellent service to every traveler with every detail taken care of, which I was very impressed and I would love to say thank you to him for being so nice and helpful and for making our trip memorable. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15">We hop on bus number 450, and within an hour we arrived at Oldervik. It is a small fishing village with beautiful natural surroundings. We took some pictures of the natural beauty of the area, then right away followed Mr. bus driver to get back to Tromsø by the same bus that had brought us there.Back to Tromsø. We had dinner. Then, at around 8 P.M. we spotted the Northern Lights above the sky while we were walking around the city square. That was awesome! We had chance to see them again! We chased them from the city center to the old dock. Then, we walked across the bridge hoping that we could find a darker place to take some great shots.It was a great night. I love it!...~ TROMSO 28 January ~That day we took a bus and went to Larseng and Hella. We walked around after got off the bus. It seemed that we got lost. Not sure where was the village and the place we were looking for. After walking for more than half an hour, a woman drove near to us and pulled over her car. She asked us where we wanted to go. I showed her the map and told her we were going to Hella.She said it was extremely cold out there and it wasn't good to stay outside for long hours. She offered us to get in the car and she drove us to our destination. She was so nice and it was so great to have met her! Before leaving her car, she gave us her contact number in case weget in trouble. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15">I've never seen such a magnificent scenery in my life! &gt;_&gt; It's really freaking awesome and breathtaking!!!!!&nbsp; We spent there taking pictures for about 2 hours. After that we walkedback to the bus station and wait for the bus to get back to Tromsø.Do you know who we met at the bus station? ^__________^ I just couldn't believe that. We met that girl/lady who was working at the Restaurant Shanghai where we had dinner on Sunday night. What a small world!!!!! I regret that I didn't take a picture with her!!! Awwwwwww &gt;_&gt; When we were waiting for the bus she told me about a story of how the children were being taken by the Northern Lights. . ....~ TROMSO 29/30 January ~We had spent the final two days of the trip in window shopping, shopping, eating, taking photos everywhere and everything we saw along the way, staying out lately at night hoping to have one more chance to see the Norhtern Lights, going up to the hill again to look for a spot where we could see a panoramic view of the whole city (i wish the cable car was available as well in Winter, but it was not!).Well, my story of "The Dance Of The Spirits" - The Magical Aurora Borealis (The Northern Lights) in Tromsø, an eleven days of journey to the Arctic Region ends here. <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15"> Thanks to read my journal and I wish you could see the Northern Lights in person in your trip to Tromsø or in anywhere on earth where you expect to see it! <img class="img yui-img" src="http://www.travellerspoint.com/Emoticons/icon_smile.gif" alt=":)" height="15" width="15">...To view more photos of the trip, please visit my photo set on Flickr:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157613277509003/Useful Link:1. Northern Lights: http://wikitravel.org/en/Northern_Lights2. Aurora Forecast: http://www.gedds.alaska.edu/AuroraForecast/3. Aurora Hunter in Norway: http://foto.kskogli.no/
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119522120/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119522120/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119522120/tpod.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:05:33 -0500 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Athens, Attica, Greece

The last two days I had been to the capital of Greece, Athens. It is the center for arts, myths, legends, learning and philosophy, home of Plato's Academy and Aristotle's Lyceum, also, it was the birthplace of Socrates, Pericles, Sophocles and many other prominent philosophers, writers and politicians of the ancient world. Athens is such a great city with unique wonders where nowhere else on earth i can find a place so beautiful and enchanting like this. I am so happy that I had been to such a wonderful place, Greece, with my parents and my friend Phillis, in an early summer vacation. The images I saw along the journey and the people I met from the trip (especially James, I'm so glad that we became friends and now still are) had painted me with joy, beauty and great pleasure. Those memories are precious and irreplaceable which could last a lifetime. I'm so grateful that "I have been chosen" to be there since I started to ponder what if in life we don't really choose for what we want but life choose us to be who we should be! We think that we choose because we are ilusionated with multiple choices that make us believe that we have the choice to make in any situation... but in fact, that is part of the plan that we don't know until some time later... when we know that no matter how we choose we will end up having the same effect! So, at the end, we will all figure out that life has chosen us and not we choose life! A big smile to you, my reader! Thanks for reading my journal. I really appreciate that! Thank you! ^ - ^ To view more photos of this trip, please visit my Greece Photo Album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157600344003012/
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119358560/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119358560/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119358560/tpod.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:04:39 -0500 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Fira, Cyclades, Greece

Mmmm... on the 4th and 5th day of the tour, I was taken to the beautiful island Santorini. :] This island gives a very good impression on visitors from afar, as the ship approaches the port. The white color of the houses comes into view through the steep rocks and the red interchanges with black and grey color. The view is so stunning and magical which can make almost everyone to believe that he has been to the most beautiful place on earth!!! The capital of this beautiful island is Fira, and it is one of the busiest towns in Santorini. The town is uniquely built on steep rocks, at the top of the western part of the island, it is an ideal place to view the ocean and the sunset! This is one of the best places in the world in which to have the enchanting sensation of nature. A brief but magical moment of the sunset has attracted many visitors to come to Fira everyday in summer. I personally like very much watching sunset. As the warmth of the sunlight dances on my skin I feel refreshed, nourished and the wonder of being embraced by nature! Jump to: Greece Part III - Athens To view more photos of this trip, please visit my Greece Photo Album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157600344003012/
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119183240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119183240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1119183240/tpod.html Wed, 26 Nov 2008 07:03:08 -0500 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Mykonos Town, Cyclades, Greece

Greece has always been a dream destination of mine. The white stucco windmills,the white houses with blue doors and windows,the sunset,the lazy cats and the Mediterranean Ocean,those are very unique beauties where only can be found in this wonderful country. The colors of blue and white are everywhere in Greece. On one hand,blue represents the sea and it symbolizes protection (as in the blue-eye amulets used to ward off evil), while white symbolizes purity and the clouds in the sky. In this 8 days tour I had been to Bahrain, Mykonos Island, Santorini and Athens. In the first night I stayed in Bahrain, which it was my first time to be in the Middle East!To me, my impression of Bahrain is ... very special. I like the style of the buildings, the music I heard in the plane and the warm and friendly people I've met along the trip. Also, I am totally obsessed with the beauty and style of the Islamic architecture which is so unique and special that makes me think of being brought into a fantasy world!!! I haven't been to any place like this before. It somehow reminds me of a favorite animated film I watched when I was small - Aladdin. Bahrain and the Middle East are awesome places and they look like very much a "fantasy" world to me. The following day, the tour took me to Mykonos Island. Mykonos is considered one of Greece's most popular tourist destinations. Its whitewashed houses, a sample of Cycladic architecture, its picturesque cobblestone paths, its nearly four hundred churches and its wonderful breaches all constitute the island's trademark. &nbsp; Jump to: Greece Part II - Santorini To view more photos of this trip, please visit my Greece Photo Album: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157600344003012/
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1210857240/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1210857240/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1210857240/tpod.html Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:01:15 -0400 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Xi an, China

Xi'an has been the capital of China (under another name - Chang'an, literally means "Perpetual Peace") of 13 dynasties, including the Zhou, Qin, Han, the Sui Dynasty and the Tang, so it is recognized as one of the four great ancient capitals of China. It is also renowned for being the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and for the location of the Terracotta Army (made during the Qin Dynasty).12/05/2008 Monday Places Visited: Hanyangling, Tomb of Princess Yongtai, Qian Ling and Famen Temple Hanyangling - Mausoleum of Western Han Emperor Liu QiThe Mausoleum of the Western Han Emperor, Liu Qi, is located at Zhangjiawan Village, about 20 kilometers (12 miles) north of Xian City, Shaanxi Province. It is a joint tomb of Liu Qi, a notable emperor of the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-220AD), and his empress, Empress Wang. It was built in the year 153 AD and covers an area of 20 square kilometers (4,942 acres). It is a magnificent and abundant cultural relic, comprising the emperor's tomb, empress' tomb, the south and north burial pits, ceremonial site, human sacrifice graveyard and criminals' cemetery. The mausoleum is neatly arranged, centered with the emperor's tomb, revealing the strict hierarchical social structure. The Outside Pits Exhibition Hall was opened in 2006 and is the first underground museum in China.Tomb of Princess YongtaiLi Xianhui, the Princess Yongtai was the seventh daughter of Emperor Zhong Zong and grand daughter of Gao Zong and the Empress Wu Zetian. This maiden was considered so beautiful that it was said that even the plum blossom lost its brilliance in her presence. Adored by her imperial father for her beauty and wisdom she was married to Wu Yanji in 700 AD. Her newly wed husband's father was a nephew of the Empress but her family ties gave her no protection from her grandmother. A year after her marriage and only seventeen years of age the princess was put to death in the same fashion as her brother Li Chongrun, the Crown Prince Yide. The young, ill-fated bride was recognized posthumously as Princess Yongtai in 706. Qian Mausoleum (Qian Ling) The site covered an area of 2.3 square meters and within this area stood around three hundreds or more buildings that included the Sacrifice Hall, a Pavilion, a Hall of Ministers and numerous corridors. Unfortunately, the above ground structures have not survived unlike the stone sculptures that still delight visitors. :' [ Famen Temple Famen Temple is renowned for storing the veritable Finger Bone of the Sakyamuni Buddha. It was established in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220), for carrying forward Buddhism. The most representative structures in the temple are the Famen Temple Pagoda and Famen Temple Museum.After dinner, we enjoyed the Tang Dynasty Music and Dance Show at the city center.12-05-2008 - Earthquake in Si Chuan (magnituded 7.9)<i>A powerful earthquake in southwestern China killed at least 50,000 people and trapping more than 1000 students beneath a collapsed high school.We felt the tremor on the way to the Famen Temple. Some tourist sites in Xi'an were closed because of the quake. 13/05/2008 Tuesday Places Visited: Great Mosque, Moslem Street, Huaqing Hot Springs and the famous Terra Cotta Warriors and HorsesThat day we've also been to many places, including the peaceful Great Mosque and the famous Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses. Great Mosque Five minutes walk from the Drum Tower, in the Muslim residential area, there stands a famous Islamic mosque in China - Xian Great Mosque. Unlike other Arabic mosques which have splendid domes, minarets reaching into the clouds, and colorful engraved sketches with dazzling patterns, the mosque is built in a Chinese traditional style with the grounds taken up by platforms, pavilions and halls. When I entered the first courtyard I saw a magnificient wooden arch with 9 meters high. On both sides of the arch there is old furniture of the Ming and Qing dynasties on display.Huaqing Hot Springs It is a famous historical site with romantic love story of Emperor Xuanzong (685-762) and his concubine Yang Guifei in Tang Dynasty (618-907). Located 30 km west of Xian, the hot springs have allured many kings and emperors over the past 3,000 years. Destroyed and rebuilt several times, the existing Huaqing Palace was reconstructed in 1959, covering an area of 85,560 sq meters. Museum of Qin Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses The Terra Cotta Warriors and Horses are the most significant archeological excavations of the 20th century. Work is ongoing at this site, which is around 1.5 kilometers east of Emperor Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum, Lintong County, Shaanxi Province. It is a sight not to be missed by any visitor to China.Terra Cotta Pit No. 1: 14,260 square meters.At a depth of five meters, it is cavern-like and constructed from earth and wood. Five slopping entrances reach down to it from the east and west. Ten partitioning walls separate the underground army into different columns. The walls are reinforced by stout beams, which are covered by reeds and earth. The floor is paved with black bricks. There are more than 6,000 terracotta warriors and horses in Pit No. 1, marshaled into battle line formation. Three columns facing out on the east act as vanguard. Each squad is 70 strong, making it 210 troopers altogether. They flank out left and right on the south and the north. The rear guard is on the west. They are armed with crossbows.Terra Cotta Pit No. 2: It is 6,000 square meters subdivided into L-Shaped foursquare sections, where archeologists unearthed 1,000 warriors, 500 horses, and 89 wooden chariots. The horses are both for pulling chariots and for carrying riders. It reflects a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere.Terra Cotta Pit No. 3: We reached Pit No. 3 by walking 25 meters north from Pit No. 1. It was discovered within a month after the archeologists had found Pit No. 2. It is a concave structure of 520 square meters. There are 68 warriors, four horses and one chariot. No battle formation. The terracotta warriors are posted on guard duties. There are animal bones and deer horns strewn about, probably sacrifices offered on the eve of a battle. You could find the terracotta warriors with painted faces and wearing painted armor. Archeology experts attribute to this group the command center or headquarters group for those in the other two pits.14/05/2008 WednesdayPlaces Visited: Mountain Huashan and Xian City Wall Mountain Huashan Mt. Huashan is known as 'The Number One Precipitous Mountain under Heaven'. It is one of the five sacred mountains in China. The other four mountains are Mountain Taishan in Shandong, Mountain Hengshan in Hunan, Mountain Hengshan in Shanxi, and Mountain Songshan in Henan.In ancient times, Mt. Huashan was called Mt. Taihuashan. From a distance the five peaks seem to form the shape of a 'flower' (hua in Chinese), hence the name 'Huashan'. It is famous for its natural vistas of steep and narrow paths, precipitous crags, and a high mountain range. It is home to several influential Taoist temples where emperors of past dynasties made pilgrimages, making Mt. Huashan the holy land of Taoism.The cable car took us directly to the North Peak of Mountain Huashan. The whole ropeway is more than 1,500 meters (about 4,921 feet) long and it takes seven or eight minutes to reach to the top.I climbed up the stairs assisted by the iron chains along the way. It was easy to climb up but it was difficult to climb down. Xian City Wall Xian City Wall is renowned as the most complete city wall that has survived in China, as well being one of the largest ancient military defensive systems in the world.15/05/2008 ThursdayPlaces Visited: Da Yan PagodaDa Yan Pagoda This pagoda was constructed for the storage of the translations of Buddhist sutras obtained from India by the monk Xuan Zang. Time passes so fast, five days of visit isn't really enough to explore the great Xi'an. There are many things and places I haven't seen and been yet. I wish I could stay there longer to feel its peaceful atmosphere. Moreover, people in Xi'an are friendly and polite and they are very different from those who you encounter in the south of China. I'll come back, if one day I decide to visit the Silk Road! To view more photos of China, please follow the link below:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157605117319502/
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Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan, Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR ~ A PAST LIFE REGRESSION EXPERIENCE ~FIRST PART: TRAVEL THROUGH TIME08.08.2008 (Fri)I've always wanted to know if there is past life and life beyond death. From the papers and books I read, I learn that people whether or not believe in past life experience and in life beyond death, they claim that they recall the details of previous lives, under hypnosis, and it makes me wonder if I also had past lives. In this trip to Malaysia I had a chance to go through a past life regression, which I've always wanted to experience. This is what I witnessed under hypnosis:My First Experience of a Past-Life RegressionMaid...100, 99, 98, 97, 96...88...82......I see myself walking down the stairs. When I reach to the bottom of the stairs, there is a door (it is opened and it is so bright) just in front of me. In my left arm, I'm holding a light brown color teddy bear with a heart shape on its stomach. I look at my foot and I see I am wearing a pairs of black leather shoes and a pairs of white socks. Then I look at my body I am wearing a brown colored dress with flower pattern and with lace at the bottom, and a white pinafore over my dress. Then, I use a third-person perspective looking at myself and I see I have got long curly brown hair with a red ribbon on my hair, round cheeks and I have got so many freckles on my face. I'm just a little girl aged 7 or 8 and my skin color is white. I slowly walk through the door and on the far left side, I see people (2, 3 or 4 female) preparing food or serving meal on one of the rectangular shape table (there are two wood tables parallel to each other) in a backyard of a big house. Right now I'm just standing here on the ground and scared to make any movement. The ground is covered with green grass; no flowers in the backyard. When I am encouraged by the hypnotherapist to walk around, I walk closer to the ladies and now they are standing here in front of me and looking at me (shift to first-person perspective). The one on the left is a fat old woman who is wearing a black colored dress with a white full-length apron and a white hat. The image I see is so clear and vivid. She has freckles on her cheeks, many wrinkles on her forehead and on her face as well. She looks very unfriendly and she is talking (to me?). I can't hear anything at all except the warm voice of Dr. Teoh (the hypnotherapist). The other one on the right looks a lot younger, taller and nicer than the first woman, and she is wearing a brown colored dress also with a white full-length apron and a white hat. She also has freckles on her face. Both of them are maids, and all of a sudden, I think that I am also a maid because I dress like them... A Black Classic CarI walk to the entrance gate. It is a pair of black wrought iron gates, round at the top border. The gates open when I walk through them. Now, I'm standing outside the gates and in a glimpse, I see a black classic car passing by. It is a fully-closed body car with windows, four wheels, round and short at the rear. There is a man aged around 40 or 50 who is driving the car. Through the car window I can see that the steering wheel of the car is on the right, and the man has moustache, which is narrow and it is in the area between the nose and the upper lip. Moreover, he is wearing a black suit and a black hat. I don't know who he is. I guess he is just someone who passes by. Before the car is driven away from me, I see numbers at the rear of the car, which are 1, 5, 0 and others two numbers I can't see. After that, I walk closer to the fountain which is located at the one o'clock position of the iron gates. A Newspaper Delivery Boy (Paperboy)At the fountain, I meet a boy (same age as me, 7 or 8). He is wearing a brown colored blouse and a waistcoat (also brown color) over the blouse. In his head, he is wearing a brown colored checkered pattern tweed flat cap. He looks very pretty and friendly. He has freckles on his cheeks and his skin color is white. He is standing in front of me. After a while, he is playing with me at the fountain. I don't know who he is. I look at his foot then I see a pair of black leather shoes he is wearing is worn out. He has got many newspapers in his arm. He is a newspaper delivery boy...He has to leave. He turns around and is walking in the direction to the city. Behind him, there is a short hair black and white dog of medium size following him on the road. The dog stares at me with a pair of red eyes, which makes me very scary. I decide to follow the boy to see where he is going. The boy doesn't know that he is being followed but the dog knows that I'm following them. I come to a grey flat paved road or a bridge (for both pedestrian and automobile). When I look down to the right side, I see that underneath the paved road (or the bridge) it is a one-way traffic lane (5 to 8 lane traffic) with many cars traveling from one destination to another. As I continue to walk, I see a woman in a long black dress walking in my opposite direction. She is holding a white (ivory) colored parasol with lace and a long handle. I don't know who she is. She passes me by... I keep stalking the boy at a far distance. I walk pass the paved road (or the bridge) and now I come to a store with green small grids and small glasses. I stop stalking the boy because in front of me it is an old man with white hair sitting in front of the store. He is a shoe repairman.A Shoe Repairman (An Old Man)All of a sudden, I recognize this old man!! "Oh my God! It's him!" I cry emotionally at the moment I know who he is. He is the shoe repairman, who had helped me when I was lost near the pharmacy in my current life (this was happening in my current life, when I was 4 or 6 years old). He sent me back to my parents when I was lost. I get so emotional and I can't stop crying. I can't believe that he is the same shoe repairman who I've met both in my previous and current life. Although he looks so different but I know that is him! He is an old man and has got white hair and a pairs of big round eyes (previous life), and he was a middle-aged man with black hair in my current life (when I was at the age of 4 or 6)...When I stop crying (with the help of Dr. Teoh) I learn that the old man is very lonely and sad because he has separated from his family. When I know more about him, I start to know a little bit about myself. I have got no parents and being left to somebody else in the big house. I am so alone and feeling abandoned! The old man has got children, but his children left him as they grow up. He is also sad and feeling alone. I am his friend. Every time I come to buy goods in the city I would stop by and would spend some time talking with him. He likes people to listen to him, and I am a good listener. I say thank you to the old man for helping me (in my current life as Cristina) when I was lost. I send him love and gratitude. I am so grateful to him for being in my lives... (I can hardly express all my feeling in words. All I can say it is that the feeling is so magical and spiritual.)A Woman Who Claims That She Is My MotherI want to go back to the big house. I send love to the old man, and say goodbye to him. I know that I will see him tomorrow. Now, I am in the bedroom of the big house. I am sitting on a chair in front of the window. From the small window I can only see clouds moving in the sky because the window is located above my eye level. I am just sitting here and doing nothing. I don't like to work and I like to stay in the bedroom an entire day to avoid working. Once I step out of my bedroom I need to work. (I have a feeling that I work in the kitchen). No one in the house talks to me. I feel so alone and abandoned...I'm with my teddy bear, lying on my bed, relaxing... (long pause)I get out of my bedroom and walk down the stairs. I come to a big open kitchen where I see many maids are working hard. They are preparing food and cooking. I see one of the maids is wearing a dark green dress with a full-length apron over the dress. Next to the kitchen, there is a dining table where it is seated a bald man with big eyes. He looks so angry. I have no idea who he is... I am back to my bedroom lying on my bed again... I see a woman standing next to my bed watching me. I don't know who she is. She is wearing the same thing as the maids. So, I guess she is a maid. She is telling me that she is my mother. I don't believe her and she can't be my mother! I have no mother and father! I don't know why I'm here and why I'm being left here. In this moment, I know what my name is - it is Lucy... The woman keeps telling me that she is my mother but I don't believe her... Everyone in the house is a liar! I trust no one...except the old man ... and the boy...All of a sudden, the door opens, and the boy (the paperboy) brings a man in a man suit to my bedroom... Now, they are all standing next to my bed watching over me... ...I bring a woman in a black dress (she looks like the woman with a parasol who I saw on the paved road) to the old man (the shoe repairman). As we are in front of the old man, the woman disappeared. The old man gives me some coins for me to buy food I like. I am so happy to receive the coins... I walk away from him... I am in my bedroom again. I am Cristina (current life) at the moment, facing opposite to Lucy (my previous life). I shift to first-person perspective as Cristina. At the suggestion of Dr. Teoh, I approach the little girl Lucy to send her love and help. Lucy refuses to accept any help from me. She pushes me away and she doesn't want anyone to help her. She thinks that her life is a misery. For this reason, she wants Cristina, her future self, to be misery as well... She says she doesn't know me at all and wants me to go away.With the help of Dr. Teoh, Lucy feels that she is protected by white light. Now, I shift back to first-person perspective as Lucy, and Cristina is not here anymore. When I'm within the light, I suddenly receive information about Einstein. Everybody is talking about Einstein at that moment. He is famous and his photograph has been published on the newspapers... After awhile, I concentrate on Lucy again... I feel so safe in the light... I start to become mindly opened ... and free of mistrusting people from the house... Now, many people are right in front of me, including the woman who claims that she is my mother...The maids tell me that she (the woman) is my mother! I get so emotional ... and tears begin to flow unstoppably out of my eyes... Yes! ... That's right! She is my mother! I know it all now! She was weak and she was dead after giving birth to me. That is why I'm being left here in this big house. It wasn't her choice to leave me and it wasn't her fault!I can't stop crying... I know that she loved me so much! ... Moreover ... I recognize that she is my mother in my current life!The maids knew everything... They knew why I was here and who my parents were. They just didn't want to tell me because they were afraid that I could get hurt... They are not liar as I thought they were ... They just wanted to protect me... All the maids, my mother and I are now all in the backyard. I visualize my mother goes into the light with joy and love... She is protected by light and I'm protected by white light as well... Everyone is watching her floating up to the sky, leaving us. My mother loves me so much. As she floats higher and higher, I pass my teddy bear to her to express that I love her... The City (The War Is Coming Soon)After that, I have a desire to go out to the city. It is full of curiosity out there. However, maids are not allowed to go out of the house, unless to buy goods in the city... I walk pass the entrance gate of the house...to the paved road (the bridge)...and then I arrive to the city. It is hazy and everywhere looks so blue and grey. I witness a group of military units. Oh my God! The country is preparing for war! I feel unsecured at that moment. I turn around and want to go back to the house immediately. The war is coming soon and I need to tell the old man... I come to the old man and tell him that the war is coming. The old man says that he already knows it. I ask him why this is happening, and he doesn't know the answer. In a sudden, on my left, I see military jeeps passing by. There is a flag put at the rear of the jeeps. It is a flag with a red circle in the middle on a white background with red rays extending outward from the red circle. Then I look at the sky, I see sort of hot air balloon (observation balloon) with people inside a basket. There is a number printed on the balloon but I can't see it clearly... I'm so scared! ... It is the Second World War!The EndThe time has been moved forward. Now, the war is over. Everywhere is destroyed and there are dead bodies on the street. I'm not sure whether I'm still alive or not...I am now in spirit form. I come to the front of the shop where the old man used to be here. He isn't here! Then, I sit on the ground watching the movement of the clouds in the sky. I ask myself why all this happen and why there is a war. I don't know the answers...In spirit form, I found the old man! ... (I shift to third-person perspective)The old man comes to take me to go into the light with him. (I don't want to leave the physical world now, I linger around and after a few seconds I come closer to the old man). He holds my hand and takes me into the light. We are surrounded by clouds. The old man looks joyful. He wears a clean and smart looking striped man suit. As we are moving forward I see myself (Lucy, the little girl) is gradually changing from long brown curly hair into black straight hair. I become an Asian little girl. The session ends when we arrive at the gate. Gratitude:*I'd like to say thank you to Dr. Teoh for the wonderful experience and for his love and kindness that have guided me through the session. It is an amazing experience that I won't forget. Thank you!* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *SECOND PART: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA07.08.200 (Thu) ~ 10.08.2008 (Sun) This is the hotel where I stayed. I arrived in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 19:40. Then, I got to the city via Express Rail Link (ERL), which directly transported me to the KL Sentral Station within 28 minutes. It is very convenience and easy! I recommend it to people who would like to save time. The Rail Link is located at the 1st level of the airport and the fee cost $35 Malaysian Ringgit (RM) per person for a single trip.In this little journey, I've been to only a few places in Kuala Lumpur, such as the Petronas Twin Towers, Bukit Bintang, Deer Park, Central Market and Chinatown, in which the Twin Towers is my favorite visiting site! Moreover, the thing I like most in Malaysia is the FOOD!! So, forget about diets when you are in Kuala Lumpur! When I arrived to Petaling Street, China Town and Bukit Bintang, I found many kinds of restaurants almost everywhere in the streets. There is such a great variety of Malay Food, Chinese Food, exotic cuisine from North and South India, as well as Nyonya and Portuguese Food, that I can not resist!These are photos of my breakfast in Petaling Jaya: Kuala Lumpur Deer Park is an attraction within the Lake Garden, the park features several local species of deer. It is interesting to see hinds, does and fawns, representing some of the smaller species, roaming freely in the sprawling valley. At the edge of the park near the stream you may catch sight of the mouse deer, the world's smallest hoofed animal. Much to the delight of visitors, these friendly deer will usually come close to be fed as you watch them. Moreover, the admission is free!! This is Central Market, it serves as a cultural center for tourists and locals alike, showcasing and uniting the wonderful diversity found within Malaysia. To view more photos in this trip, please follow the link below:http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157606827008789/&nbsp;
]]> http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1149692160/tpod.html http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1149692160/tpod.html#comments Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-entries/cristinaw/1/1149692160/tpod.html Sun, 28 Sep 2008 01:52:16 -0400 Travel Diary ~ I could not imagine what my life would be like without traveling.

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Wiltshire, England, United Kingdom

The day after visiting London City, we joined a tour to visit Stonehenge and the Roman Bath. Stonehenge is one of my favorite sacred site on earth. The main reason we chose London as our travel destination was because we wanted to visit the mysterious place - Stonehenge. One thing which was very disappointed is that we couldn't touch the stone anymore! I wish I could touch it and try to sense its energy through the touching of my hand! I was wondering since when did the Stonehenge not allowed people to get close? If I could jumped in the circle area, that would be great and fantastic... Also, if I could viewed the site from the helicopter THAT would be so much fun and the experience would be much more unforgettable! After that, the tour took us to the Great Roman Bath. This site was totally beyond my expectation! It is a place full of ancient atmosphere, magic, love and history! I just loved it! It is the best preserved Roman religious spa from the ancient world! If you would like to view more pictures of the trip in England, please follow the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157600276981922/
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Lisbon, Estremadura, Portugal

Portugal had for centuries been the world's leaders of greatest explorers and adventurers during the Middle Ages. Located in the south-westernmost region of Europe, Portugal benefits by having a very long shoreline with many harbors and rivers flowing to the ocean and had been a great environment to raise generations of adventurous seamen. One of the Great Portuguese Explorer in that age -- "The Age of Discoveries", probably was Vasco da Gama. In 1497-1498, Vasco da Gama made a voyage that forever changed the balance of trade around the world. He was the first to sail from Europe (Lisbon) to Asia (India) around the Cape of Good Hope on the southern trip of Africa. Later, he returned to Lisbon in 1499 with a cargo of spices that pad for his expedition's coast sixty time over, and upon his return, he was treated as a hero and was rewarded by the King (King Manuel I). This is the Discoveries Monument which was built in 1960 in the honour of the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, who helped many Portuguese explorers in the 16th century. It has statues of the great Portuguese Explorers, including Vasco de Gama, and it has a map of Portugal's empire building around the world. I love Portugal very much. For me, Portugal is not only a place to relax, revitalize and to have fun but it is also a place for people to discover the world's greatest history of the Age of Exploration. If you are interesting in Portuguese history, The Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiros dos Jeronimos) is really a place can not be missed.The Jerónimos Monastery is situated in the Belém district of Lisbon. It was built by King Manuel "I" to celebrate Vasco da Gama's return from India. It says that it took 50 years to complete the construction of the monastery!! It is considered as a tribute to the ocean and it is now one of the most prominent monuments in Lisbon. Inside the monastery there are stone tombs of Vasco da Gama and Luís de Camões (poet and recorder of the discoveries).&nbsp; I was impressed by the stunning architecture and the atmosphere of the monastery! Although I need to pay to see the cloisters of the monastery, but it is all worth it. Within walking distance, I came to another monument - - The Belém Tower (Torre de Belem).The Belém Tower is the most popular attraction of Lisbon. It is located on the banks of the river 'Tagus'. It was built in 1521 as a monument to the Portuguese discoveries and looks like a miniature castle. It is an example of Manueline architecture influenced by the periods of Gothic and Renaissance.The Belém Tower is divided into two parts, the bastion and the five-story tower itself, which is located on the north side of the bastion. The whole ensemble looks like the bow of a caravel!! It is an interesting place to visit but I think it could be a lot more interesting if the staircase between each level was wider. I didn't like it when I climbed up the tower, because it was too tired and difficult for me to reach to each level of the tower through the narrow spiral staircase. (but........maybe the problem it wasn't the staircase, it was me who was too weak!!) In Lisbon, you can get around easily by metro (which is quick and efficient), bus and taxi (which is easy and with the cost of $10 to $15 euro it will take you to many places in the city). Also, there is a Hop-on Hop-off City Bus Tour for tourists to explore Lisbon's main attractions. It is the most convenient way to get around in Lisbon. It takes you to more than ten tourist attractions, where people can hop on and off as many times as they want to throughout the day, including the city's most interesting and attractive sights, which are The Jerónimos Monastery, The Belém Tower and the Monument of the Discoveries. Moreover, there is a guided commentary provided along the route, which makes the journey more interesting and helps to discover Lisbon's remarkable history as touring the sights. Behind me it is Commerce Square (Praça do Comércio). This magnificent plaza, facing the river, is known as the beginning of Lisbon's downtown and was once the main maritime entrance to Lisbon. From here, you can access to many tourist attractions by taking the sightseeing tram and bus which operate from Baixa district starting at Commerce Square. Lisbon has three major neighborhoods: the Cidade Baixa (low district), the Bairro Alto (high district) and the Alfama (the oldest district). The Commerce Square sits in downtown Lisbon, the Cidade Baixa, a grid of small streets in the valley. Walk through the arch, it is "Rua de Augusta", the main Avenue in the Cidade Baixa. CIDADE BAIXA (Low District)Walk through the Triumphal Arch, I came to "Rua de Augusta", a lively pedestrian street with mosaic pavements, outdoor cafes, shops, and the street artist and peddler. I was attracted by the architecture, items, souvenirs, paintings, flowers, t-shirts, and anything else I saw on the street. I was told that this part of the city is still intact, many of the buildings are exactly the same as they originally were!! I love this street!! At the end of Rua de Augusta, it is Rossio, also known as Praça Dom Pedro IV, and it is the Lisbon's main square. The statue at the back in the picture is a statue of Dom Pedro IV, and the four female figures at the foot of the statue represent Justice, Wisdom, Strength and Moderation, qualities attributed to Dom Pedro himself. In Rossio, the most important building is the National Theater (the building at the back in the picture). At its right sits the former site of the Palace of the Inquisition. This whole neighborhood, Cidade Baixa, was almost completely destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, however, it was rebuilt by Marquês do Pombal after the earthquake. I was amazed that many of the buildings I saw were intact, they are the same as they originally were!!ALFAMA (The Oldest District)Alfama is the oldest district of Lisbon, spreading on the slope between the Castle of Lisbon and the Tejo river. Its name comes from the Arabic Al-hamma, meaning fountains or baths. It contains many important historical attractions, with many bars and restaurants.In this fantastic old neighborhood of Alfama, there is St. Jorge's Castle. Located up the hill, with a great view over the city and the river. I got there by walking from downtown, going through the slopes of Alfama. The Castle of Saint George (Castelo de São Jorge) was constructed over the Roman ruins in 1147 and was the royal residence from the 14th to the late 15th century. The castle was declared as a National Monument in 1910, with rebuilding work starting in 1940. Today the castle offers spectacular views of Lisbon and the sea. The Oceanarium is the largest aquarium in Europe and one of the largest in the world! It is an excellent place to observe marine life, it contains more than 25,000 species from all over the world, it has different tanks that show specific ocean habitats, including the Antarctic Coast, North Atlantic, Pacific and the Indian Ocean, and there is also rotating exhibits of varying interests!! I'm sure I will visit it again if I go to Lisbon!!From the Oceanarium, we took a cable car to the futuristic Vasco da Gama Tower. The Tower is named after one of Portugal's greatest explorers and was opened in 1998, on the 500th anniversary of his voyage to India. Its shape evokes a nautical sail, and standing at 145m high, it is Lisbon's tallest building.At the top of the tower there is a viewing platform that offers a beautiful view over Lisbon, the river, and Vasco da Gama Bridge. The Statue of Cristo Rei is located across the River Tagus from Lisbon. It was built by citizens of Lisbon in 1959 as a thanks to God, because Portugal did not join the fight in World War II. The statue portrays Jesus Christ inviting all of mankind to come to him through love. Overall, the monument represents the love and acceptance of Christ by the Portuguese, and the four arches supporting the statue symbolize the four points of the compass to remind the people of the universal sovereignty of Christ. Although the Statue of Cristo Rei in Lisbon looks very similar to the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (but smaller), however I think each statue has its own uniqueness and beauty which can not be compared with each other. This is the Ponte 25 de Abril which can be view from the Statue of Cristo Rei. It was designed by the same architect of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. After a few days exploring Lisbon by ourselves, we (I and my parents) joined a Day Tour to Sintra. The tour took us to the westernmost point of both mainland Europe and Portugal, Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca), Serra de Sintra, Peninha Chapel and Cascais.This is the geographical coordinates of the Cabo da Roca:Latitude - 38' 47' NorthLongitude - 9' 30' WestAltitude - 140 m above sea level Fátima Sanctuary is one of the most important shrines of the world dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This sanctuary attracts millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world each year. This place is famous because of the successive apparitions of Virgin Mary (Our Lady of the Rosary) to three shepherd children, Lúcia and her cousins, Francisco and Jacinta, in 1917. The last apparition, on October 13th 1917, more than 70,000 people (included believers and non believers) confirmed to have witnessed Virgin Mary in the Cova, Iria, that day. 1st Apparition: May 13th 19172nd Apparition: June 13th 19173rd Apparition: July 13th 19174th Apparition: August 19th 19175th Apparition: September 13th 19176th Apparition: October 13th 1917 Aljustrel is&nbsp;a small village where the three little shepherds (Lúcia, Jacinta and Francisco) were born and raised. Lisbon Zoo (Jardim Zoologico de Lisboa) aims to have one of the best collections of animals in the world, including reptiles (alligators, crocodiles, Komodo dragons and snakes), birds (hornbills, toucans, turacoes, macaws, pheasants, pigeons and birds of prey, among others), giraffes, chimpanzees, hippos, tigers, polar bears, both Asian and African elephants, as well as other less familiar little creatures. In the zoo, there are regular shows featuring dolphins and sea lions, which is really a nice place to visit! Thanks for reading my post. I wish you to have a great time in Portugal! This westernmost region of Europe is simply the perfect holiday choice! To view more photos of Portugal, please visit the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ristinw/sets/72157600243908792/
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