Lims in Europe - Paris (Day 1)

So early in the morning
we carried out our plan to leave in batches
so no one will noticed how we smuggled ourselves 
in my sister hotel room
and made it to the airport
to roll around before our train to paris

Maybe because it was Saturday

the train was full

My seat was away from them as i bought my ticket later

and i was glad to have the 3hours alone

because their cabin was really noisy and full of kids!

I suspect its a plan of the train

to keep families in the same cabin

Anyway, we finally arrived Paris!

I felt really good to be back to my homeground!

Husband came to fetch us at the metro station

And all of us helped to carry the luggages up 3level to our apartment

Then, we went to the supermarket

and lunch was fried rice and soup

The kids looks like i saved their lives

haha

After a short rest,

We went to the Eiffel Tower

As the family were not keen to go up

we took the usual touristy photos!

During my last walk with Joyce and William

I remembered to be amazed by the 100 years old menage

So i really wanted to bring everyone there

and the kids were so entertained by the ride

where they were given a stick to loop rings during the ride.

After some time at the crowded playground

we left for notre dame!

Sometimes i feel more parisian than husband

when i know things that he doesnt

such as the menage and the public toilets

haha

Anyway it was drizzling when we arrived at Saint Michel

so we just went into a restaurant for dinner

and head to Notre dame

This time, we went in before touristy photos

Haha

Thereafter, we just rot at home

while the kids shown husband some kids songs on youtube

where we watch like 100x while they were here

and everyone was well entertained by kids movies

before the day ends...

  

Lims in Europe - Geneve (Day 3)

Our last day in Geneve was supposed to be easy
go to a garden in the morning
and rot our day at an indoor playground
But we realised the night before
that the playground was closed on Fridays
ehhhh

So last minute, we decided to go to the Bois de la batie
which was a forest with a farm that seems out of the way.
Anyway sister left early again for work
and I woke up with Isaac asking me
'Mummy, where is Ah Yee?'
Apparently, he was half awake and thought im my sister
haha

The weather was gloomy and raining a little
seems like a bad choice to go to the forest
but we armed ourselves with raincoats and umbrella
and head towards our adventure!

It was an adventure because
first, we missed our bus stop and end up in an industrial area
lucky the bus continues after a 5min stop at the terminal
and the driver was nice to let us know the correct stop
Next, we were to walk 15mins to the forest and we lost our way again
There was a point where i made the kids sat at the steps of a company
to eat some bread (it was already lunchtime)
when we finally arrived like 30mins later
I was feeling proud that we arrived to a non-touristy place without wifi
maybe it was a tourists place 
but nobody was around
since it was Friday and raining
We spent some time at the forest and farm
as it was to wet to play at the playground
and left when Isaac complained that he was tired

During the bus back,
we had lesser of 'Are we there yet?' 
haha

We grabbed a simple sandwich for late lunch
and head back to the hotel. 
As my sister was off early,
we return to the town for dinner
and we had a good the best fast food 'Holy Cow'
We were planning to shop a little
but shops were closed and it was only 730pm
Well, welcome to Europe!

We decided to head back to hotel for packing and early rest
to catch our 6am train to Paris!
Wheee.. I was really looking forward to return to homeground
where we have more fun things planned to do!

PS although geneve speaks french etc
It was great that most people spoke English
that i didnt used my lousy french
except for desparate times
and i was glad they understood me!

Lims in Europe - Geneve (Day 2)

As my sister had to left early for work
and bro in law went back to airport to settle the police report
I had the 2 kids with me in the room
Is quite funny to listen to Shauna to explain to Isaac
that they all poor now because a bad guy stole their bag
and isaac telling me that Europe has 10,000 bad guys
haha

Although they visited the old town the day before
We decided to went to the old town and some sightseeing
So we went to the famous landmark, Jet d'eau and Jardin Anglais
We took the bus and Isaac was really doing well in asking
'are we there yet?' evey 5 seconds
I guess kids are not really excited to see landmarks
but we achieved our tourist photo

Thereafter, we took the tourist mini-train
for a geneve city tour
and again, Isaac was great in asking
'Are we there yet?'
While im just amazed that the road was on the normal road
along with all the cars, buses etcs 

We had lunch at a restuarant and i was shocked at how expensive the food was

a tomato spaghetti was CHF17!

We ordered a spaghetti and pizza to share

and the portion was huge!!

That we cant finished them

We went to the toy store

and the husband bought presents for the kids

well, i claimed the husband paid

without asking him, haha

The kids were tired so we returned to the hotel

and brother in law went back to the airport again

for the police report

Thats how mafan it was!

In the evening we settled at a nearby restaurant 

Not really near, about 10min walk
bypass a cemetry and a quiet road
that i was a little worried as we walked back after dinner
Im getting paranoid after the stolen bad incident

Oh we got blur and ordered seafood risotto for 2$
when we saw on the menu taht it was CHF30 (minimun 2)
when the bill arrived, we realised it was CHF30/pax!
Expensive, at least rice craving was settled.
Im starting to feel geneve is a boring and expensive city...

Lims in Europe - Geneve (Day 1)

I was really looking forward to see my family
after being away for about 6 months
and definitely the bag of goodies from Singapore!

As my sister was to go geneve for her company event
my bro in law and the kids tagged along!
Thankfully my classes dont start in September
I get to spend more time with my sister and family..

As i was working on Tuesdays
I chose to take the earliest train from Paris on Wednesday morning
partly to save money, as it was the cheapest fare.
I had to walk 10mins alone to the station at 5am
to catch the metro to the train station
the husband 'very kindly' offered to speak to me on phone 
while i walk
instead of accompanying me for the walk...
anyway, it was my first solo walk in the wee hours
and im glad i made it safe and sound.
I was surprised at the number of people in the metro
since it was the first metro
and i finally took my first intercity train from paris!

I arrived at the geneve airport at 10am
and was so happy to see everyone
thereafter, we caught the train to montreux!

Since it was my sister's off-day and plan,
I didnt reserach much about the place
and she didnt too! bleah..
lucky there were signboards around 
and we headed to the Chateau de Chillion!
I dont know how my sister brainwashed us to walk instead of bus
and the 45mins walk seems to drag forever
but it is definitely a scenic walk with wallpaper worthy sights!

Finally, we arrived to the 800+ years old chateau

kids were probably expecting to see disney-style castle

but managed to entertain ourselves with the exploration of the chateau

We spent about 2 hours exploring 

and my shoulders were breaking from carrying my bag for the trip

Thereafter, we settles down in a small stony beach area

We were supposed to catch a the train back at 6.20pm at montreux

but everyone was too tired to walk

so i explored around for some ways to get to our train

a bus stop was near but we dont have the bus tickets

The train station was confusing that we decided to take the train to montreux

and change to our train to geneve

it was a little mad rush when we decided the plan at 5.15pm

and the train was due to arrive at 5.26pm

luckily we made it

Sadly, their bag was stolen on our train back

and it was really difficult to get police report etcs 

when we dont speak the language

and the police station at airport closed at 7pm!

We did all we could and at least everyone is safe.

After the saga, i suggested for us to tabao stuff from supermarket for dinner

and we went back to my sister's hotel

which is 5min shuttle from the airport

As my sister didnt inform the hotel about the kids and my stay

the rest of the trip were sneaking around

and i had a beloved sleeping bag to sleep in..

Despite bad sleeping,

it was all worth it to be with my family

immersed in catching up,

Singlish and singaporean jokes...

Belgium (16 Aug) - Brussels

On our last day,
we visited the Magritte exhibition
and had lunch in my fave arab seafood resturant
plus a good arab mint tea

before it was time to leave brussels
husband has to try the outdoor urinals, haha
then it was time to board our bus

unlike our arrival
the bus didnt stop midway for toilet break
and the journey took 1hr more because the driver lost his way!
End up we were circling the area of the station
and got stuck in the wrong carpark

due to my need to pee,
i had to reject husband's curiousity of the bus saga
and left the bus to walk to the metro station

its great that we planned to return on saturday night
that we had time to rest a day
before the work week starts again... 

Belgium (15 Aug) - Brussels

The train ride back to Brussels was supposed to be 1.5hrs
but we got on to a wrong train
and it took 2.5hrs instead!
As we were meeting my sis in law in brussels
we panicked when husband phone was low batt
it was only 5mins away from our stop
that we realized there were electrical socket in train
argghh

Anyway managed to meet sis in law
went for a quick lunch
and join the many tourists to see the flower carpet
definitely was 3x more crowded than our first day!

The flower carpet was great
just a little sad that we cant get a good view 
because of the number of people

Thereafter, we went back to husband fave bar
and had beer with sis in law
is nice to meet someone familiar while travelling

After sister in law left,
we had a simple dinner, 
the street became cold and quiet,
and we rest for the night..

Belgium (14 Aug) - Bruges

After breakfast we took the train to bruges!
Since bruges is know as the Venice of the North
we were really excited about going there.

Sadly, all i remember about bruges was that it was really crowded
you pick up a stone and throw
you definitely hit a tourist
and it was the summer festival,
so more tourists!!!

The small city was nice
but overcrowded
that we didnt even tried to enter the famous buildings
lucky, the night was quiet
that we enjoyed the stroll around the city
However, it was raining quite often
and too cold for summer.

We ended the night early
The morning we went to the famous nun area
is supposed to be quiet and serenity
but end up full of noisy tourists
so, we prepared for another day back to brussels....

PS a funny story happened
i was excited to try the food truck
and we got a few snacks for lunch
we decided to sit at a small flower fountain to eat
since there were people sitting and eating
but the moment we sat
a bee came buzzing around our food
being scare of bees and with our hands full
i decided to change place
but more bees came and followed us!
we ran to an alley and wanted to eat
but bees came again!
we begun to walk in hope the bees wont follow us
we must look crazy running away and trying to munch
finally, we found a safe place and sat down
completed our meal without bees
and realised we sat at the rubbish trucks area!
haha, so much for scenic vew