Château de Versailles

It’s the longest weekend I’ll ever have in a long while so here’s the last post from exchange……. that ended nearly three months ago.

No trip to Paris is complete without making a 45-minute train journey to the Palace of Versailles. The crown jewel of all châteaux in France, the palace was a symbol of grandeur and decadence of the French monarchy. The palace also houses Marie Antoinette’s vast country estate as well as a garden that covers over 800 hectares of land.

In typical French architectural splendour, chandeliers dangle precariously from ceilings lined with exquisite oil paintings; busts and statues greet you along the corridors; bedroom walls are adorned with the finest tapestries and, well, you are also likely to be blinded by the amount of gold paint present at every possible inch of the palace. C’est magnifique!

A word of advice (mostly to my friends who are/will be going to Europe for exchange this semester): Please do yourself a favour and purchase your tickets online! The queue is INSANE especially with tour buses swarming around. Visit the other parts of the palace first (e.g. Les Jardines, Le Petit/Grand Trianon Palace, Marie Antoinette’s Estate) and enter the main palace (State Apartments) only in the late afternoon. By then the morning crowd would have dissipated, leaving you with more room to enter the apartments. There will still be some ~jostling~ but it should be manageable.

All righttt this thus concludes my exchange in Europe! Can’t wait for this semester to end (don’t we all) and for December!!!!!! 🙂

First impressions: Brighton

Most whiny entry ahead:

London II

Last trip before I head back to Singapore 😥

First impressions: Dublin

From dancing along to traditional Irish music to witnessing a tourist information centre being shoplifted, Dublin is a not a city for the faint-hearted.

Belfast

Murals are aplenty in Belfast.

One such mural depicts the Liverpudlian gift of friendship.

Terraces near our Airbnb.

The Causeway Coast, located northeast of Northern Ireland.

The interlocking basalt columns.

At the tip of the coastline.

The Rope Bridge, which I had no guts to cross.

Out of all the capital cities in the UK, I feel that Belfast seemed to be a lot more industrialised and thus lacked the “global city” appeal unlike its Welsh, Scottish and English counterparts. It is as though the country is still rebuilding itself from the political, social and religious turmoil of the 1960s, as seen by its numerous murals around the city.

Untainted by the mid-20th century bloodshed is the Giant’s Causeway, located northeast of the country. These basalt columns – mostly hexagonal – were formed millions of years ago as a result of intense volcanic activity. Legend has it that a giant named Fionn was challenged to a fight by another giant called Benandonner. Fionn then built these columns as a path so the two of them could meet. Then Fionn defeated Benandonner. The end.

I digress.

Even with strong winds beating against the unfit body (AKA me), I spent a meaningful day appreciating such picturesque views painted on Nature’s canvas.

Lastly, did I mention I am absolutely dreadful at deciphering Irish-accented English?

Edinburgh

Ah, Edinburgh. So many emotions felt in this city alone: Frustration, exhilaration, gloom, ecstasy. My mood moved in tandem with the weather.

Lake District, UK

(No captions because I have forgotten the exact locations of where these photos were taken.)

Located in the northwest of England, Lake District is the most-visited national park in the UK, with its stunning array of lakes, valleys and hills (they call it fells).

Gone are the glitz and glamour of London. Here in Lake District, you are more likely to be greeted by curious stares from sheep, ducks or geese, depending on where you are. There are walking trails available to suit all fitness levels, but given the unpredictable weather at the start of Spring (hailstones, anyone?), a bus-cum-walking tour may be a better option.

It was a delightful trip, to say the least. If London is all about the hustle and bustle, then Lake District is the balm to soothe the frayed nerves of stressful urban living. Scale the fells, hike in the forested areas, skip stones at the lakes, ditch material comforts and inhale the unpolluted air of the peaks and valleys. What a perfect weekend getaway.

Shame we couldn’t spend more time here but sometimes, good things are meant to be enjoyed in small quantities.

First impressions: Cardiff

Having only lingered in Cardiff for less than a day, I think it would be more fitting to pen down my first impressions of the capital of Wales, rather than write a passionate essay proclaiming the greatness of this city.

Harry Potter

Picture-heavy post!

London

I think it should be no secret that I love London.