Category: Mousey’s Travel

My first ever…

On By mouseytongIn Malaysia, Misc...Leave a comment

It is my first time being home for the Malaysian General Elections 2013 after leaving the country 16 years ago. Also the first time for me where the elections actually have any meaning to me.

Previously when I left, I was too young to vote. I was also not bothered with politics and I didn’t understand it. As I get older, I can understand better what politics is all about.

With all the recent posts on different online social platforms, it all looks so interesting and it is very nail bitingly exciting waiting for the results.
Continue reading “My first ever…” →

Hotel Sagittario Padua

On By mouseytongIn Accomodations, Italy, Mousey's TravelLeave a comment

I realised while looking through my photos, that I have been staying in a lot of hotels. A job hazard. But we do find some gems now and then. Last year, about a week to 10 days after my stay at VIE Hotel, we were again in Padua for the Antique Motor show. This time, we chose to stay at Hotel Sagittario which basically means Sagittarius Hotel. Though quite an adventure to get to it but with a proper navigation tool you shouldn’t have any problems. It might not seem right as you drive but do not be disheartened. It is located off the beaten path.

It has ample breakfast selection. By ample I mean not just continental breakfast. This time because it is for work, I woke up early to partake in the most important meal of the day. 🙂 Besides their breakfast, there is a little restaurant in the same compound. Though not part of the hotel, there is a special collaboration that the hotel has with the restaurant. Book via the hotel and they will give you a card to pass on to the restaurant. With that, we not only have a special rate but also the option to sign the bill to the room and pay when we check out. Though we didn’t use this option but I am sure, it will be appreciated by others. And the restaurant had great food and exceptional service.

The room was very comfortable and it had everything. Didn’t use their wifi or LAN internet service as we were in Italy and I had my own internet connection via my telephone service provider, so I can’t provide you with that info. But click on their site link and you questions will be answered. I booked this hotel via booking.com another favourite site of mine. The rates for this hotel was reasonable for 6 days 5 nights.

The room was clean, cosy and chic. I like the little touches that though simple, made the room feel adequately designer chic for me. The service was excellent and the front desk staff remembered our names and greeted us each time. This alone makes it stand out from the rest! 🙂 Definitely recommended. IMG_1966

love the sink. Though space is lacking to put anything
love the sink. Though space is lacking to put anything
simple and functional
simple and functional

IMG_1969 IMG_1970

our cupboard and fridge
our cupboard and fridge
the sofa in the cupboard
the sofa in the cupboard

VIE Hotel Bangkok

On By mouseytongIn Accomodations, Mousey's Travel, Thailand2 Comments

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The new media gallery system for WordPress is mystifying me for the moment. But if I continue trying to figure it out, I will get too tired to write this and will give up altogether on writing this post. So, lets start.

Last October, wow, how time flies….back to the point, I was in Bangkok for a short trip of work and pleasure. I just joined the Accor groups as a member, so I thought why not try one of their hotels out for this short 4 day trip. Trawling through theirs site, I decided on VIE Hotel. It is MGallery’s new boutique hotel. It was convieniently located near Ratchatewi BTS station. Which was only 1 or 2 stops from the famous MBK, Siam Paragon and Central World. It looked really good online.

When I arrived, it was even better in real life!! I absolutely loved it!! They even have a free tuk-tuk service to the shopping complexes I quoted above. So, there was no need to even catch the BTS or even a taxi. Only when coming back if you can’t catch them when they are dropping off other guests or I think, if you called the hotel, they would probably send someone to get you. Though I never tried.

What I loved most of the room besides their heavenly beds, is their toilet! I love that they have it all separated. Not too sprawlingly big but big enough and proportionate to the room. You will be able to see what I mean in the photos below. The amenities are all Aigner! Again, here I don’t use them. Being a frequent traveller and also caring for my own hair (which is more often than not, wrecked from all the traveling, change of weather and water), I bring my own amenities and shampoo and conditioners.  I don’t usually get breakfast with the room unless I am there for an exhibition or with M. Cause I am never awake in time before breakfast finishes. I schedule all my meetings after 10am if I can. 😛 So, I can’t tell you about their breakfast selection but I am sure it would have been amazing. 😛IMG_1942

the other view of the room.IMG_1943

The toilet.IMG_1944

the ample bath.IMG_1945IMG_1950 IMG_1949

IMG_1946 

the amazing toilet area.  IMG_1951

Ok, I shall end this post. Trying to caption each photo worked well till I was half way through. Then it started to have a mind of its own. Anyway, I am sure you have a good idea on the hotel. I definitely recommend a stay at VIE Hotel Bangkok anytime!

Life n Photos – Day 34

On By mouseytongIn Germany, Life in Photos, Mousey's Travel1 Comment

image

Thanks to my friend I found out what this building was. Well, more like just the facade left. It used to be the second Anhalter Banhof. This are its remains which I appreciate greatly that Berlin has kept it. These little gems make Berlin such a beautiful city. Too bad I didn’t have time to explore.

Though yesterday, a kind soul helped me to change some money when all the banks were already closed. The shops did not accept my big note. We ended up chatting and he regaled me with the history and architecture of Berlin. Meeting someone who works in a museum is so much fun! Knowing the stories behind some of the buildings we saw makes me love Berlin even more! 🙂

I want to come back for another visit soon. This time for the city and not for work.

Toodeloos people! Off to Stuttgart in a while.

Life in Photos – Day 32

On By mouseytongIn Italy, Life in Photos, Mousey's Travel2 Comments
Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta
Basilica di Santa Maria Assunta

So, late last year some time in end of November, a friend came to visit as he was based in Europe for a few months and wants to make the most of his tenure here in Europe. I became his tour guide. It was short days but he was not adverse to walking so we walked the historic centre. Took him on a bit of a mini gastronomic adventure. The to die for fresh whipped cream cones and with coffee, the chickpea delicacy known as farinata, and fried seafood at a historical hole in the wall place. Didn’t take him to eat the best (according to me) foccacia in town but I think we got him some foccacia formaggio which is a Ligurian speciality. More specifically a Recco speciality. Anyway, enough about food. While we were walking around town, I took him up another way, past a bridge that I myself have never walked before. Past it but never crossed it. I could have in my early days here but not since then as I don’t remember it at all! As we crossed the bridge I saw this in front of me. Besides the St. Lawrence Church in the historic centre, this is another important church.

I was told that this was one of the highest point in Genoa in ancient times besides the lighthouse. The sailors would look out for dome of this church and the lighthouse to tell them that they are now in Genoa. There are of course other higher 20th century buildings that surround it now but from a higher vantage point from the back of Genoa you can see how in those days it was one of the most easily recognisable building in town. You can read more about this church from wikipedia here in English and in Italian. Though I think the Italian site has more information. While researching for links for this photo I found also a Wikipedia page on the area of Carignano, (it is only in Italian) where this church is situated. I found out that it was built to link the city to Sarzano in the 1700s. It was later fitted with grilled fencing as it was a popular suicide point. I found this point amusing. I mean it must have been quite sensational news back then for the Wikipedia author to mention it. 😛

I have never been inside his church but someday I will. maybe when I am tour guide again for my friends. 🙂

Snow!

On By mouseytongIn Italy, Misc..., Mousey's Travel, MusingsLeave a comment

Supposedly the worst snow we have had in the last 30 years. It was announced just yesterday that it will snow really hard today. It is predicted to be so bad, schools are actually closed today. It was just mild throughout the night and this morning but now at around 4pm earlier it started to come down hard. Everyone is now trying to make their way home now. Genoa is a hilly and curvy city. We are part of the Riviera so technically we enjoy temperate weather. It snows maybe max 1 week altogether in any given year. Sometimes even less. This winter I think we saw about by now 4 days? or is it 3? If you follow me on Instagram you would have seen my horrible attempt at a mini snow angel for my sis which ended up looking more like a bell than an angel. 😛

Please excuse the shaky video and not so good commentary. I heard from the cousin as she was leaving the office that it is sowing heavily and that she is leaving now to get home. I jumped up, got my camera and started filming. Didn’t know what I was going to do about it. I just thought that this might be a good post. See, how hardworking…. >_< Can’t blame the cousin for getting off early. She lives a little further away and to get to her place, the roads are curvier and a lot more steep and narrower than mine. Those who have been to my place will know, that is quite bad. At any one time, only a car can be going either up or down. The other has to find a hole to squeeze in and let the other pass. Worst when there is a bus.

M just went to get the quad bike for tonight. Guess what is our mode of transport today? The little big kid is having fun whenever it snows. 😀 Can’t use our vespas as they are a tad unstable in all this snow and steep curvy roads. Especially with slush and ice. On flat roads, it is fine if we go slow but here in Genoa…..well, dangerous. Where my inlaws stay it is worse. Snow is fine but when it melts and becomes ice there is no way you can get home. My BIL innovative way of getting home is a cardboard box sliding down the road and then on all fours crawl his way back a few metres up to the door. Welcome to Genoa!

So far I am enjoying the snow from the comfort of my office, in front of my desk at work. Ok, technically not working now as I am sneaking in a blog post. This is how I am braving the snow. Now back to work.

Was going to post about CNY but maybe the next post.

Viva Barcelona!

On By mouseytongIn Italy, Misc..., Mousey's Travel, SpainLeave a comment

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Presently cruising over the clouds and in 15 mins we will be either making our descent into Barcelona or we will be landing. No worries, I am only writing this on my Note while it is on flight mode so no danger there. Will post once we land or when I get internet access.

Everytime I see beautiful clouds, I think of my sister. Today while cruising I saw this.

This is my last leg of the journey. Took me 7 hours just to get here. Couldn’t get a direct flight from Genoa so I flew via Rome. Cheapest was Alitalia. No choice. I chose instead to have a loooong transit so that my luggage will arrive. Never had much luck with neither Alitalia nor Rome airport. @_@

Lets see if my luggage arrives. *fingers crossed*

Update:
This post was written yesterday and I couldn’t finish writing it then as you can read from above, we were landing soon. Then it was waiting for my luggage, getting a taxi and going to hotel. Checking in. Straight for dinner with my client and back to unpack, shower and get ready for today.

Also, I finally got a local line with some internet access. I am trying to finish this entry but it is not working out too well. I am on site for work. Consistently distracted. 😦

I will try again tonight.

Ciao!