Scandinavia

The term Scandinavia always includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden as well as Finland and Iceland. During my trip to Iceland, we spent two nights in Oslo and two nights in Stockholm before and after going to Iceland. In both cities  we only had one full day of sight seeing with a tour guide. 

Oslo is a small city yet has some interesting building with unique archicture. We had a leisure walk to explore the city on the first day after lunch and prayer as well as the next at the end of our guided tour. 

As for the guided tour we visited Norsk Folkemuseum, a Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. Its an open air museum with more than 150 historic buildings and artifacts mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries but some goes all the way back to the 13th century, gathered from around the country, rebuilt and organised accordingly.  

We then went to Holmenkollen where Holmenkollbakken, a large ski jumping hill is located. It has hosted the Holmenkollen Ski festival since 1892, the FIS Ski Jumping World Championship since 1980 and has also hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics. Truth be told, we were not really impressed  with the ski slope as none of us could ski but what thrilled us was the snow! And on top of that it was snowing lightly when we were up there. It was a beautiful sight for us who come from a country with no snow at all. We spent too much time taking photos and having fun that we took longer than scheduled much to the annoyance of our guide. Hee....

We then had enough time to explore the city again and shopped before calling it a night. A good night rest was the order of the day as the next was the much awaited trip to Iceland. 

After an adventurous trip to Iceland, we spent our last two nights in Stockholm the capital city of Sweden. The tour guide insisted though that its the capital city of Scandinavia! Stockholm is a bigger city compared to Oslo and with a larger population too. The guided tour took us first to the City Hall. It may not look much from the outside but the interior is rather impressive.

We then proceeded to visit Vasa Museum. Now this is something that I am impressed with. The museum displays the only almost fully intact 17th century ship that has ever been salvaged! The 64-gun warship Vasa sank on her maiden voyage in 1628. Just imagine, the technology and skill during the early 19th century were not as advanced as today which made salvaging work even more inspiring! 

After lunch and prayer we opted to go on a cruise. Its chilly and some parts of the water was even frozen but we still enjoyed the view and the experience. 

Finally, it's time to fly back home. We woke up to a city covered in fresh snow and it was still snowing by the time we were departing. To me it was like a beautiful  sent off to a wonderful holiday. 

Oh yes. I have also made new friends during the trip. That the beauty of a group tour and even more so when travelling solo. When travelling with friends or family more often than not we tend to cluster in our own small circle. I am guilty of that too.

But then again you may find me wandering on my own half of the time to find a good shot. Afterall, photography is still my hobby even with a compact camera. There were many instances that I miss my DSLR but then again my ageing body and aching bones just could not manage the weight of the camera any more. I am saving all my energy for more trips to come! 

Where will I be going next you may ask? Just wait and see in the next post!

Travel date: 28 Feb - 2 Mar 2017 (Oslo) and 5-7 Mar 2017 ( Stockholm)

Iceland

Iceland has been one of my dream destinations ever since I watched a show on TV about Iceland. The aurora is one thing to look forward to but then that can be expereinced in some other countries nearby too. Its the ice and glacier that I wanted to see with my own eyes. Since I am not braved enough to travel on my own, I booked a trip with a tour group. Hence I am able to enjoy the trip without having to worry about reservation and logistics. 

We flew to Oslo and stayed a couple of nights before flying to Iceland. And upon arrival we made our way straight to  the Blue Lagoon. A man made thermal bath which was supposed to be good for the skin and general health. Its not the bath that got me excited though, its the sight all the way from the airport to the destination. We were told that it snowed the night before and with the sun shining on that day the view from the bus was very much foreign yet fascinating to my eyes. 

The next couple of days were spent sight seeing. We went to see a couple of famous waterfall namely Seljalandsfoss and Skogafoss as well as Reynisfjara Beach also known as the black sand beach. Yes, that's  right.  They are the famous locations used in a popular Bollywood movie. 

Later in the day we had just enough time before nightfall to visit Jokulsalon Glacial Lagoon. This is the place that I have been so looking forward to. And Subhanallah, it was immensely spectacular. My heart felt like it was going to burst. It is even more amazingly fascinating when we learnt the scientific explanations on how nature runs its course and made such a beautiful place. One cannot help but feel close to nature and even closer to Allah, the Creator of heaven and earth. 

I wish that I could just stay there a little longer to absorb the sight and use the time to reflect but we had to rush to the beach to see the end of the journey of the melting glacier and ice. It's  an unbelievable sight. Blocks of ice of different shapes and sizes were scattered all over the beach and the sea. Its something that one has to see with ones own eyes to really appreciate how beautiful and awesome it is.  Everyone was simply awestruck with the experience. 

We had a 3 hour bus ride back the hotel and we were hoping that we would get lucky with an aurora sighting on the way. But alas it was to no avail. Upon checking in at the hotel we were informed that the reception would call our room if there is a high chance of the aurora appearing. And that he did! We were just about to get ready for bed when we got the call, and we quickly put our jumpers and coat on and rushed outside. It was very faint initially and our eyes were not trained to identify the light immediately. On top of that the surrounding area of the hotel were brightly lit which did not help to highlight the aurora in its  true form. Unfortunately I only managed to get a couple of shots before giving in to the freezing weather. The next morning when I checked my camera, I wished that I had stayed longer and take more shots.  What I should have done was put on more jumpers and got back out. Oh well, this would give me the excuse to check out the northern light in Finland some other time. 😉

The schedule for next day was a little more adventurous. It included a steep climb on a large truck with huge tyres all the way up one glacial mountain and we were also given the option to try the snow mobile. Which I declined politely. Hee.... Instead I spent the time absorbing the beautiful ambiance of the sun and snow. It another out-of-the-world experience for me. Its eerily quiet and you only see endless field of white snow right to the end of the horizon. It really can humble you to nothingness. If you know what I mean. Honestly, the photos below does not do justice to the real thing. So I suggest that you go there and see it for yourself! 😁

On our way down we stopped at Langjokull Geysir and Gullfoss Golden Waterfall. 

And after lunch we made our way to  Keflavik, a little town in southwest of Iceland near the airport. Before going to bed we wondered if we would get lucky a second time with the northen light but I guess it was not meant to be.

We left Iceland the next morning with a heavy heart but with plenty of fond memories and new experience. I even sat by the window on the plane for a change to catch the last sight of Iceland.

Thank you Allah for making another of my wish come true. 

Alhamdulillah. 

Travel date: 2-5 March 2017

 

 

Ireland - Dublin

I am about to embark in another journey and yet I have yet to complete my posting from last year. Indeed 2016 was my travel adventure year made possible with a travel buddy towards the second half the year. This year I have to fly solo again. 

Anyways, after 2 nights in Killaloe, we booked a place in Dublin. A comfy apartment above a restaurant. Strategically located albeit a little busy on a friday night with the weekend merry makers.

And immediately upon checking in we head out straight away to Trinity College to visit the famous library and the Book of Kells. We had just enough time before it closed.

By the time we were done it was already dark and we head back to the apartment ready for bed and recharge for our adventure in the following day. 

It was still dark when we walked to the pick up point but we were looking forward to it despite the freezing temperature at that early morning. Its a whole day tour to Belfast and North Ireland. 

The first stop was the Titatic Experience center. The place where the titatic ship was built. Somehow the film keep playing in my mind while walking about the center. I was half expecting Kate Winslet and whatshisname to jump out any moment.

Next we stopped by at Carrick-a-Read Rope Bridge near Ballintroy. The bridge links the mainland to the tiny island of Carrickaread. By now the grey sky has turned blue but the wind from the sea was still chilly but then the long walk kept us warm and we were blessed with an amazing view.

The final stop for the day was the Giant Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its located in the County Antrim on the northen coast of Northern Ireland. Basically its a large area of rock formation as a result of an ancient volcanic eruption. 

I don't really know if there are any other place with such a site but I was just amazed by this natural wonder of God's creation. The interlocking basalt columns come in various shades and shape. The top of the columns form stepping stones that lead from the cliff foot and disappear under the sea. And of course the locals has an amusing folklore on how it happened. The driver with his strong Irish accent had us in stitches with his version of the story.

The walk back to the bus seemed longer as we had the hill to climb but the view we get to enjoy made every step worth the while. It was a tiring day but it was also a happy one for us. Nothing beats beauty and nature.

We had to catch the flight back to Birmingham the next day but we managed to make a quick visit to Dublin Castle before making our way to the airport. All in all we had a marvelous time for our first experience in Ireland. There are many other interesting site to visit so we promised ourselves that we will be back again, insya-Allah. 

Travel date : 19-21 November 2016

Korea Winter Holiday

It's not my first vacation in Korea but then again it was in a different season. Different season means different things to do and different view to see. At least thats my perspective. 

And this time we decided to go with a tour group that would take us to places further away from Seoul. And I particularly wish to visit Jeju Island.

On the day that we arrived, we had time to kill before the flight to Jeju hence our guide took us to visit Gyeongbok Palace. Its a beautiful royal palace of the Joseon Dynasty. It has been painstakingly recontructed and it also house a museum within the compound for the tourists as the National Palace Museum of Korea. The palace was the largest and the main royal palace during its time and is now regarded as the most most beautiful and grandest of the five palaces in Seoul.  I simply love the ambiance of the palace surrounding area. 

We then took off to Jeju where we stayed for 2 nights. Upon arrival we visited a couple of indoor attractions. Teseum Safari and Grevin. As it was wet and cold we were glad of the warmth in the premise. There sure were plenty of photo opportunity in there!

And the next day we spent the whole day outdoor. We went to Jeju Folk Village named Seongeup Folk Village, a traditional village but still lived in until today. 

Thereafter we went to Seongsan Ilchulbong, a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. We climb hundreds of stairs to reach the peak of the tuff cone which was formed by a volvanic eruption some 5,000 years ago. I took longer than others to reach the top but it was worth the while! The view was amazing! 

On the way back to the hotel we stopped for photo shots at a tangerine farm and granola field.

We then flew back to the mainland and visited Nami Island, a place that is never missed by tourists. But in my opinion winter is not the best time to visit as the island is more beautiful in brighter and warmer weather. 

Thereafter we head out north to spent the night at a ski resort for the next day was the day for a ski lesson. Not me though! I was there to record the historic moment. He he. 

After half a day of ski lesson and fun in the snow we left and made our way to Mount Seorak National Park. If we had been here earlier we could have taken a cable car ride and view the mountain from above. Nevertheless we were fortunate to at least have the full view from our balcony of our apartment. Its really an awesome view to wake up to.

We moved on the next day to spend a whole day being tourists in Korea. Kimchi making, hanbok wearing, adventure in Everland and last but not least souvenir shopping.

Oh. We must not forget the food. I thoroughly enjoyed the food prepared for us. And best of all, I got to taste the famous Jeju seafood and korean specialities like chicken ginseng broth. 

Alhamdulillah. My wish to go to Jeju and eat their seafood has been full-filled. I would like to come back again in spring or late summer to explore every corner of Jeju in leisure. Anyone wants to join me? 

Travel date: 21-28 December 2016