2011-08-14

My 13-day Trip to Eastern Europe

Slovenia - Ljubjana



Austria - Salzburg


I HAVE CONFIDENCE IN ME!!!

I am SIXTY going on SEVENTY

Doe, a deer, a female deer. Ray, a drop of golden sun.

Me, a name I call myself. Far, a long, long way to run. 

Do Re Mi Fa So La Ti Do So Do http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edZZr3JtfQA

Czech Republic - Cesky Krumlov


Czech Republic - Prague


Austria - Villach

Croatia - Plitvice Lakes National Park


Slovenia - Lake Bled

Hungary - Budapest


Germany - Berlin

Poland - Warsaw


Places I Have Visited:

Hungary - Budapest
Croatia - Zagreb + Plitvice Lakes National
Park
Slovenia - Ljubljana + Postojna Cave + Lake Bled
Austria - Villach + Salzburg
Czech Republic - Cesky Krumlov + Prague
Germany - Swiss Saxony + Berlin
Poland - Warsaw

Feelings:

France has been a center of cultural creation for centuries. Many French artists have been among the most renowned
of their time, and France is still recognized in the world for its rich cultural tradition. Speaking of natural wonders, Switzerland and Norway are beyond compare. How about Eastern Europe? What lingers in my mind after the trip?


I was deeply saddened by its horrible history. First, Croatia was ravaged by civil war from 1991 to 1995. Bullet holes could
be seen on the walls, but the government had no money to demolish the worn-out buildings, especially those in the suburbs. Second, a lot of rebuilding took place in Poland in the aftermath of the Second World War. Of all the countries
involved in the war, Poland lost the highest percentage of its citizens: over 6 million perished - nearly one-fifth of Poland's population - half of them Polish Jews. Only in the 1970s did Poland again approach its prewar population level. Third, the Berlin Wall was built in 1961 to stop East Germans from escaping to West Germany. Family members were separated and many people died when they tried to cross the wall to pursue freedom.

Moreover, the formerly communist small countries were shrouded in an aroma of mystery and serenity. For example, Cesky Krumlov, which was in the UNESCO World Heritage List, mesmerized me. While wandering around the stony streets, I felt as if I were exploring a fairyland. I also loved the tranquility of Ljubljana and Villach. As for natural beauty, I was impressed by Plitvice Lakes National Park, Postojna Cave, Lake Bled and Swiss Saxony. Furthermore, The Sound of Music was shot in Salzburg. The beautiful city reminded me of the scenes in the movie. By the way, musical performances could be seen here and there. 

It was a pity that a drizzly rain continued for a week and it was hard to take good photos on gloomy days. Worse still, I was accidentally stung on the elbow by a yellowjacket. Anyway, travelling is one of my favorite hobbies since I can release my pent-up emotions. It can also broaden my horizons and reinvigorate me. Next summer, my target is to visit Southern Italy or Greece. Please wish me good luck.

More Photos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4yLi_9UpXE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nda1TjpL0II


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猿人爭霸戰:猩凶革命 Rise of the Planet of the Apes --- 3.8 / 5
麥迪遜之橋 The Bridges of Madison County (1995) --- 4.2 / 5
美國隊長:復仇者先鋒 Captain America --- 3 / 5
約翰連儂:不羈前傳 Nowhere Boy --- 4 / 5
邊個波士唔抵死? Horrible Bosses --- 3.6 / 5
功夫熊貓 2 Kung Fu Panda 2 --- 3.4 / 5
作死不離3兄弟 3 Idiots - 3.8 / 5
一日人生 Life in a Day --- 4 / 5
竊聽風雲 2 Overheard  2 --- 3.7 / 5
竊聽風雲 Overheard --- 4 / 5
兒凶 insidious --- 3.6 / 5簡‧愛 Jane Eyre --- 3.3 / 5
世紀戰疫 Contagion --- 3.2 / 5
追逐繁星的孩子 Children who Chase Lost Voices From Deep Below --- 3 / 5
情迷午夜巴黎 Midnight in Paris --- 4.2 / 5
最爆伴娘團 Bridesmaids --- 4.2 / 5
寫出友共鳴 The Help --- 3.7 / 5



43 則留言:

  1. 去到16湖都唔落埋去Dubrovnik? 13日都算去好多地方喎~
    [版主回覆08/15/2011 18:19:00]I joined a guided tour as I did not have time to plan my trip. Still, lots of places can be visited in a short period of time and money can be saved. Quite good indeed.

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  2. 剪左頭髮喎
    你有冇睇Smurfs?
    [版主回覆08/16/2011 00:00:00]Is it good? Most of my friends do not like it. Neither do I, but I feel comfortable haha. Smurfs? Not my cup of tea...

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  3. Which city you like for the trip? I like Prague :-)
    [版主回覆08/16/2011 00:01:00]So do I! I also like Warsaw and Ljubljana.

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  4. 景色好靚好迷人﹗尤其建築物好像一幅幅的畫﹗另外,你呢張相充滿活力,拍得非常好﹗祝願你帶著這份的喜悅與動力好好迎接新學年的工作 。
    [版主回覆08/16/2011 00:12:00]Thanks a lot. But I am sixty, going on seventy...

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  5. 嘩.....d景超靚....d相都影得好靚呀!!!你買左新相機呀!!!!
     
    [版主回覆08/16/2011 00:36:00]Thanks a lot. The same one! I wish there had been more sunny days.

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  6. MR CKK 你肥左好多-.- 我睇左猩凶革命喇!好睇^_^有點感慨
    [版主回覆08/16/2011 00:35:00]I have gained some weight, but I have been keeping fit these days and when I return to the school, I will be much thinner haha. I will watch it tomorrow.

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  7. Mr. CKK 你圓了...見到相都想去...新學年加油了... Cheers, MingChun Kevin Lee =]
    [版主回覆08/16/2011 01:22:00]HI Kevin. Thanks for leaving a message and reminding me I am fatter. Time to work hard! Will be very busy soon.

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  8. i like croatia very very much~~~~
    [版主回覆08/17/2011 11:53:00]I somehow think the people there are not very friendly. The tourist guide attributed this to civil war.

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  9. 看到你的相也想去歐洲旅行 ^_^
    [版主回覆08/18/2011 00:20:00]A beautiful place rich in culture, history and art. Go Go Go!!! I highly recommend Northern Europe and France.

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  10. 你係咪玩緊攝影呀? 照片拍得好靚啊... 好喜歡呢一張... 還有下列兩張...
    [版主回覆08/19/2011 00:34:00]Not professional indeed. I just love taking pictures and I use an ordinary digital camera. Thank you anyway!

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  11. 嬌俏的Kenji兄,猩凶革命我很喜歡這套電影......很多感動位
    [版主回覆08/19/2011 21:40:00]This is the first time someone has used 嬌俏 to describe me. It's cooooooool hahaha. 猩凶革命 is entertaining and the characters are well developed. A good film indeed. The business feels unfinished in the ending though.

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  12. 好鍾意歐洲嗰啲紅磚綠瓦建築,像在童話世界中 。Kenji有冇住古堡酒店呀?
    [版主回覆08/19/2011 21:42:00]古堡酒店 - two years ago in France, yes. BUT it was a disappointment because it did not look like a castle. It looked like a FARM and there were many flies inside. Disgusting indeed... hahaha. Why are you interested? Any experience?

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  13. 你那是不是克羅地亞的十六湖國家公園?真美得有點出塵呢。
     
    請問華沙的尖頂建築是甚麼? art-deco 風格很少加上那麼多精細雕刻的,真獨特。
    [版主回覆08/19/2011 22:01:00]EXACTLY!!! It is huge and beautiful. Fish and birds can be seen everywhere. A good question! The Palace of Culture and Science, a gift from the Soviet Union to the people of Poland, is the tallest building in Warsaw, with 42 floors only though. 

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  14. Wow, so many beautiful places you have visited in Eastern Europe.  You look mature, energetic and handsome and all the pictures taken are very good.  Thx for sharing, Kenneth. ^_^
    [版主回覆08/19/2011 22:04:00]Welcome! By the way, I think I look more mature these two years, probably because of the overwhelming workload. My busy days will come soon... sigh... I hope my white hair won't be seen in the pictures next year haha.

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  15. 忘了跟你講, 你的新髮型好好睇... 相比以前 現在的你看上去後生了又精神了... 
    [版主回覆08/19/2011 22:40:00]Thank you. Many people dislike it indeed, but I don't care haha. Um... I personally think I look more mature these two years.

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  16. 我幾年前都有去過這些地方!好想多去一遍布拉格呀。
    噫,Overheard 2 比 Overheard 低分?聞說第二集也不錯喎。
    新平台用得慣唔慣呀?
    [版主回覆08/21/2011 20:41:34]It is said that a beautiful sunset can be seen in Prague. It was a pity that it rained when I was there... what a pity.

    Overheard 2 is a gripping and well acted thriller with a subtle sense of humor. The cast is superb and I love Kong Ngai the most. He steals the thunder indeed. However, compared with episode 1, it is less affecting emotionally and one may not understand everything if one is not familiar with the share holding system. I prefer No.1.

    新平台 - Still transferring information... I just hope that more and more blog-mates will use the new platform.

    Hey it seems that you have been missing for a few days. Are you ok? HAHA!!!

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  17. 咦~你用左新版啦?? 好用嗎?

    D相太靚啦!!! 係咪全部都係自由行呀? 難唔難架? 交通方便嗎?
    [版主回覆08/22/2011 22:16:58]Still dunno. The data is STILL being transferred to the new platform but it has been a whole day. I dunno when it will stop. PUZZLED!!!

    I joined a tour organized by Kuoni. Frankly I did not have time to prepare for it.

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  18. 歡迎你16歲遊學回來呀 XD
    睇相你玩得真係超開心喎,不過睇景好似上年瑞士靚好多
    既然16歲咁有童真,去睇 smurfs 啦,好好睇架唔騙你~~~~
    [版主回覆08/22/2011 22:30:15]Sixty ar hahaha... I hope you are amused by the photos. I really like the movie The Sound of Music.

    You have really good eyes. I also think Switzerland is more beautiful, but Eastern Europe gives me another feeling.

    Smurfs? What? Surely not my cup of tea lar...

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  19. Beautiful cities! Glad to see you on the new platform.......
    [版主回覆08/27/2011 12:00:31]I have just fixed some of the stuffs in the blog and it looks better. However, I can only see 5 messages on one page... Anyway, I believe Yahoo Blog will improve and I will have my fingers crossed. You are right. I want to share and I will keep writing. Thanks!
    [BK回覆08/27/2011 11:50:59]New school year is going to start very soon.......It can tell you are very busy~@@~, but it is a good way to release the daily tension by writing what you see & feel.....right?? Hope you will hang in there~^_^~
    [版主回覆08/26/2011 21:05:33]But extremely busy these days... and the platform does not look nice... I begin to lose interest in it... Should I stop writing?

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  20. 好開心呀!... 尤其是前面幾張相片!!
    [版主回覆08/26/2011 23:19:29]I'm glad that I had watched The Sound of Music before I went there. It was really fun.

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  21. 我轉左新平台啦....快D上我BLOG啦~
    如果唔係篇篇網誌累積瀏覽都係0.... =.="
    [版主回覆08/29/2011 01:33:38]I should have upgraded my blog later... Now I have lost most of my blog mates and the layout sucks.

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  22. 你就好喇,去咁多地方玩!
    [版主回覆08/29/2011 01:32:33]Once a year only and I can only go in July, which costs me lots of money indeed. Of course, I'm glad that I have the time, money and companions.

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  23. good sharing
    [版主回覆08/31/2011 10:57:26]Thanks. How do you feel about the new platform? I personally find it just OK. The original one is better. Plus I will be very busy soon, so I will stop sharing for one or two months...

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  24. 愛电影艺ポ創作的人到歐洲是一趟朝聖之旅
    [版主回覆08/31/2011 14:43:20]Yes, 13 days are not enough haha!

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  25. 明天開學,祝工作一切順利﹗
    [版主回覆09/02/2011 23:17:50]Thanks a lot. You too!!! VERY busy these days as I have been given more administrative duties. I think I will stop blogging for a while.

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  26. Hi Kenji, nice to meet you here! saw your blog today regarding this East Europe trip, amazing pictures! did you go by yourself? me and my fd is planning to go there in Oct, still struggling at finding information. wondering how did you travel from one country to another? did you take bus or train? where did you find all this information? any useful websites? My initial plan is: Prague - Slovkia - Hungary - Croatia - Slovenia, which airline did you take? sorry about all these questions and thanks in advance!!................Jac
    [版主回覆09/05/2011 21:14:16]Thanks for leaving a message. I joined a tour and so I did not need to do much to prepare for the trip. From Berlin to Warsaw, I took a train.

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  27. thanks for your reply! I am going there in Oct, hehe!
    [版主回覆09/10/2011 00:53:50]Welcome and try to share some photos in your blog if you are free. I wish you a great experience.

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  28. hi Kenji,

    剪左頭髮完全唔同Size 喔~~~有新鮮感~
    中秋節快樂呀~~^O^~!
    [版主回覆09/11/2011 21:20:17]haha...I'm thinner now because of the heavy workload. 中秋節快樂!!!

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  29. 中秋快樂!
    [版主回覆09/16/2011 18:58:57]THANKS!!! You too!!!

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  30. KENJI 中秋節快樂! 我也喜歡PRAGUE, 因為每座建築物的外牆都是畫, 好美!
    [版主回覆09/16/2011 18:59:11]So romantic indeed. ^^

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  31. You do look very happy in your photo except the one in Budapest when you look a bit pensive. East Europe is so beautiful and so full of history. Should be on the "must visit" list. Thanks for your photos and introductions.
    [版主回覆09/16/2011 19:00:22]I persoanlly prefer Northern Europe. I love the natural scenery.

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  32. 我也搬來了!~俏Kenji兄....^^
    [版主回覆09/17/2011 22:56:44]Great... but it seems that there is no "list of blogmates". Dunno what to do... AND the new platform is less appealing to me indeed. What's more, I am VERY busy these days, so I am afraid I will stop blogging for a while. By the way, I highly recommend MIDNIGHT IN PARIS and BRIDESMAIDS to you. Both are great movies. ^^

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  33. 【最爆伴娘團】果然不俗,不過故事其實都頗悲呢。
    [版主回覆09/23/2011 21:52:25]I was very tired when I watched Midnight in Paris. What a pity! I fell asleep for a few minutes in the middle of the film. Still, I like the dark humor. I would have enjoyed the movie more fully if I had known more about the great writers in the past. Anyway, the ending is uplifting and the film is enchanting.
    [chestnut girl回覆09/22/2011 08:05:15]第一句極對。我喜歡劇本中,那份對女性的關懷,很動人。找了Hold On來聽,忍不住落淚。//Midnight in Paris令我最驚喜的,是Shakespeare and Company 那個鏡頭。當然,Owen Wilson 初見F. Scott Fitzgerald 夫婦的一幕,也令人印象難忘 ^O^
    [版主回覆09/21/2011 21:30:37]A unique mixture of sadness and fun. The middle-aged crisis really hit me. I cried several times during the movie. It also scores very high in Rottentomatoes (90% Fresh). I believe it will get the best film (comedy and musical section) at Golden Globe.

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  34. 看了Midnight in Paris,輕輕鬆鬆都不錯!~
    [版主回覆09/21/2011 21:25:29]Let's live life to the full and there will be no regrets. Some people tend to be obsessed with the past, but perhaps it is more important to focus on the present, treasure what you have and enjoy life. I am blown away by the movie's images, music and nostalgia. I highly recommend it to those who love Woody Allen, France, nostalgic music and literature.

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  35. Still very busy these days?
    Have a nice weekend! =)
    [版主回覆09/24/2011 11:56:03]Yes, still very busy and will be busier sigh... but I know I will survive it haha. 2011-2012 is a double cohort year and every teacher is preparing their students for the HKDSE exam and there are many NEW stuffs concerning careers guidance. I have a lot of things to share, but I dunno when I can write again here. Sigh...

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  36. u looked soo happy! and gorgeous photos too....i really longed for a long vacation...
    [版主回覆09/26/2011 18:02:39]Thanks so much. Any plans?

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  37. Kenji: 會否考慮另開一篇,專放電影的評分?這樣比較容易知道何時有更新 :)
    [chestnut girl回覆10/01/2011 15:37:15]Of course you will. 等待你回歸的一天!
    [版主回覆10/01/2011 14:41:35]Thanks a lot for your support. Really want to share, but just too tired to do so. I have been assigned much more administrative duties this year and I am now the Junior Head of the English Department and the Deputy Teacher in Charge of the Careers Guidance Team. Because of the new academic system, I often attend talks and have to organize different activities. Stressed, I still insist on relaxing myself by watching movies whenever possible. I will be back one day.
    [chestnut girl回覆10/01/2011 09:11:48]根據我的經驗,不會一直忙下去的,總會有時間可以抖一抖,到時才看電影也不遲嘛!加油,好好保重呀!
    [版主回覆09/30/2011 21:48:17]That's a good idea, but I'm so busy that I may stop watching movies for a while. I would like to share my high tea experience at the Intercontinental hotel and my lunch at Harlan's (during my summer holidays haha), but I just don't have the time... sigh...

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  38. But I gave "3 Idiots" 5/5 marks r! This really the best pic in 2011!
    will watch "The Help" next Tue!
    ordinary, want to watch "Bridesmaids" but no time as my courses are so tight and give this up! But after knowing u gave 4/5, may consider nai!
    [版主回覆10/01/2011 01:39:32]The reviews of Bridesmaids are very positive. Go watch it!!!

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  39. 美麗時刻,好開心喔
    [版主回覆10/02/2011 11:14:14]THX! Wanna create more happy moments for myself and the people around me.

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  40. Pandora 香傭講法文2011年10月9日 下午11:00

    Plitvice Lakes d水色好靚呀^^
    [版主回覆10/10/2011 20:31:43]It can be seen through and there are lots of fish. I believe the water can be drunk haha.
    [版主回覆10/10/2011 20:31:14]It can be seen through and there are lots of fish. I believe the water can be drunk haha.

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  41. Cesky Krumlov個古城幾靚
    [版主回覆10/15/2011 19:01:19]It would have been more beautiful if it had been a sunny day.

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  42. 嘩!我一直到好多去東歐,d湖景真係好靚好似世外桃源!多謝分享!睇完仲想去!哈哈
    [版主回覆11/20/2011 14:50:32]Welcome. The places there are a bit sad though because of the civil war and WW2.

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  43. 原來 Kenji Sir 都好玩得喎,d 相好真情流露呢,看來是很愉快的一次旅程,I love Eastern Europe!
    [版主回覆12/22/2011 18:23:11]YES!!! We have to enjoy our lives to the full. I hope you fun the Sound of Music photos fun haha. My postures are very similar to the main character's in the movie.

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