#random_thoughts........Avignon and the lavender adventures

Lavenders in Roussillon...

• Why was Avignon chosen to be the home of the Popes?

Avignon city...

• Why are there so many art displays placed inside Palais des Papes?

Sculptures in Palais des Papes

• I wondered who was the genius who came up with the idea of lavender ice-cream, would love to thank him/her for creating this favorite snack of mine! *yums*

Lavender flowers!!

• Considering the fact that our visit was during the peak of the lavender season, a mere day away from the Avignon Festival, coupled with the fact that many parts of Avignon were listed as UNESCO world heritage sites, we were pleasantly surprised that Avignon was not as crowded as we had expected it to be!

A pleasant view of the walled Avignon city on a bright and cheery day!

• Do people really make it a point to dance on the Saint-Bénézet bridge?

Let us dance on Saint-Bénézet bridge!!

• I have always find it fascinating that Nature has its own store of natural color pigments (as what we had seen in Roussillon)!

The ochre cliffs in Roussillon

• What exactly is it about the Provence region that makes it so suitable to grow lavender flowers?

One of the many lavender fields that we visited!

• There is just so much to see in the Provence region, a weekend trip is certainly not enough!! We will be back!!

There were abundance of sunflower as well!

Just let me chill and stay here in Avignon!!

#random_thoughts........Morocco

Mohammed V Square

• Being the largest city and business centre of Morocco, I bet many have mistaken Casablanca to be the capital of Morocco...

The busy streets of Casablanca..

• The landscape of Morocco can change quite drastically from one region to another, ranging from land with lush vegetation to desert barren land to snow capped peaks of the Altas mountains and not forgetting the sandy beaches along the coast...

• Why do the men in morocco wear a robe with a hood?

• Who cares for the cats on the streets of Morocco?

What? You mean I have to earn my own keep? T_T

• Was the Todgha Gorge really carved out by river that once flowed through it?

• If each visitor to the Sahara Desert were to bring some of the fine sand out as keepsake, would the sand in the desert eventually run out?

The magnificient Sahara Desert!

• There is a certain charm to the elaborately decorated doors in Morocco...

• Why are the walls in Chefchaouen painted blue? Why blue and not other colours?

-------------------------------------------------------

Related Post:

Dear Diary.....Casablanca (Morocco)

Dear Diary.....Marrakesh (Morocco)

Dear Diary.....Ouarzazate (Morocco)

Dear Diary.....Todgha Gorge and Sahara Desert (Morocco)
Dear Diary.....Ziz valley, Kasbah Asmaa hotel and Ifrane (Morocco)
Dear Diary.....Fes and Chefchaouen (Morocco)
Dear Diary.....Rabat (Morocco)

#random_thoughts........Malta

• Malta is beautiful in summer, but I will probably revisit this place in spring or autumn - the summer heat is really unbearable!

Quaint little cafe on the charming streets of Valletta :)

• If only there is a metro train system connecting the different parts of Malta....

Colorful doors!

• Why is it so difficult for us to buy bottled water in Valletta???

My water ration...

• Five days is probably too short a duration to cover all the interesting places in Malta..

Love the uniqueness of the buildings here...

• There is a certain charm to the narrow alleys in Valletta!

Charming little alley...

• There were hardly any trees to provide us with the shade that we desperately needed on these hot summer days...*sweat*

All I can see is land...

• The locals are actually a very warm and friendly group of people, though they may look very stern at first glance ;P

Just strolling...

• I have had the best KFC in Malta!

Yums!

---------------------------------------------------------

Related posts:

Dear Diary.....Marsaxlokk (Malta)

Dear Diary.....Hagar Qim and Mnajdra Archaeological Park + Blue Wall and Grotto viewpoint (Malta)

Dear Diary.....Comino Island

#random_thoughts........Lisbon + Sintra

 

• The food in Lisbon is nice but generally quite salty....

• Totally loving the street arts in Lisbon, especially those by Bordalo II (creator of the “Big Trash Animals”) - it was like a treasure hunt searching for his art pieces around Lisbon city!

Street art in Lisbon

One of the many art pieces by Bordalo II that we saw in Lisbon

• Lisbon is a good place to escape the cold winter, although we did ended up getting a bit of sunburn ;P

• The Pastéis de Belém (portuguese egg tarts) are to die-for! Yums!!

• There is just something about the color, design and structure of the quaint yellow trams travelling within the city that adds to the charm of Lisbon!

• A day trip to Sintra is a must, though you will probably need more than a day to explore all the wonderful places there...

Sintra town centre

Castle of the Moors as seen from afar...

• Walking around in the hilly Lisbon is do-able but can be challenging at times especially when there is a need to climb up a steep slope :S

• You really have to be wary of pickpockets in crowded areas (we were attacked by a group of gypsies who tried to open my bag when walking around the Lisbon city center :( )

------------------------------------------------

Related post:

Dear Diary.....Lisbon + Sintra

#random_thoughts....... Dublin

 

· The Irish people really know how to work hard and party hard! :)

· Why do people like to grope the Molly Malone statue?...oh gosh...just leave the poor girl alone :(

· I have always wondered what inspired the construction of the Spire (the tall and sharp structure located along O’Connell street).....

· ...and also the Samuel Beckett Bridge, which looks like a harp...an interesting structure I would say :)

· People in Dublin are just nice!

· The street arts in Dublin are gorgeous!

· There is Guinness everywhere!

-----------------------------------------------

Related post:

Dear Diary.....Dublin

#random_thoughts....... Istanbul

• We had only allocated 4 days to explore Istanbul and we felt that a much longer duration is required to explore all that Istanbul has to offer....

• Whenever we walk past the group of people fishing on the Galata bridge, we will wonder if the numerous fishing lines ever get entangled...

• Istanbul is a photographer's haven, where a mix of the many charismatic historic images with the subtle signs of its evolution to a modern metropolis brings about a refreshing new outlook to this fascinating city!

• We have never seen such majestic mosques before!

• The Grand Bazaar is a shopper's paradise and a shopper's husband's worst nightmare ;P

• It is interesting to observe how the locals in the sales or food&beverage businesses usually reach out to customers with the same standard question "Hello, where are you from?" - I find it a great way to show their sincerity in wanting to know more about their customers and a great method of creating opportunities for small talks :)

• My husband and I felt very much at peace while touring Istanbul and we have always wondered if the daily five times call to prayer (ezan) has anything to do with it :D

• The Turkish tea usually given after a meal taste so refreshing and I am slowly converting from a coffee-lover to a Turkish tea lover :D

Feel free to add on to this list in the comment section below :)

------------------------------------------------------

Related posts:

Dear Diary.....Istanbul

Dear Diary.....Istanbul II