Vienna: Day 4

On our last day in Vienna, Trish and I went to Belvedere Palace, the former summer residence of an Austrian prince, which has been turned into a gallery house with a remarkable collection of Austrian art. There was hardly any people in the palace unlike in the Schönbrunn, nevertheless it was beautiful.

After strolling around the Belvedere, Trish and I struggled to find our way back to the city center. An old man came to us and gave us some very helpful instructions. At the same time, he offered us to have coffee at his restaurant just across the street. We later found out that he is a Greek and that he owns this really nice Greek restaurant.

Since it was already noon, we decided to eat lunch there. We shared a plate of moussaka, which is now officially my favorite Greek food. The old man was kind enough to offer us some wine and dessert after our meal. On the house! Yey! When we got our bill, we were surprised to find out that the coffee we initially drank was no longer for free. Haha! Only the wine and yummy dessert were for free! Nevertheless, we were so grateful for the old man's hospitality!

After lunch, we walked back to the city center and made our way to H&M (for the nth time). We were frantically shopping at the last minute since we were set to leave in a few hours! We headed back to our hostel around 2:00pm to get our luggage, only to find out that our bus would be leaving thirty minutes later than we thought. So guess what we did??? We went back to H&M with our luggage in tow! That's how far girls would go for shopping! Haha! 

Vienna: Day 3

Trish and I woke up early on our third day in Vienna because we were determined to make up for our not-so-good second day. We met a Canadian girl named Christina, who lives in the same hostel as ours. She was traveling alone so we invited her to hang out with us.

Our first stop was Schönbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the royal family. It is a huge palace complex filled with so many tourists. I even heard somebody speaking Tagalog from the crowd. Behind the palace is the Gloriette standing on top of a hill. The entrance to the Gloriette and its gardens were free of charge. Natuwa ang mga kuripot! Haha! I love the neatly landscaped gardens all over the palace grounds.

We wanted to capture the beauty of the entire garden so we went up a flight of stairs just behind the main palace building. A Japanese tourist took this photo of us.

After staying in the palace for two hours, we headed to the most famous outdoor market in Vienna, the Naschmarkt. Trish and I have not eaten an authentic Austrian meal since our first day so we decided it was THE day. I ordered the delicious, albeit pricey, Wiener Schnitzel. Totally worth it!

After lunch, we strolled along the picturesque Kartner Ring. We likewise did some shopping along the way. Before we bade Christina goodbye, we finally had the chance to try out the famous Sacher Torte.  

Vienna: Day 2

Trish and I didn't wake up in the morning to do some sightseeing around Vienna because we stayed up so late the night before. The weather was also horrible that day. It was raining cats and dogs. So after we took our free breakfast in the hostel, we decided to go back to sleep. We eventually woke up around 4:00pm. Haha! Could you believe that?! We left the hostel just after sunset together with Michaela, one of the girls in our hostel room, who is incidentally Czech. She is in town for Erasmus. I was so surprised that she could speak perfectly good English unlike most of the Czechs I know. 

That night, we walked around the Kartner Ring to marvel at the beautiful structures such as the Parliament Building, the Burgtheater and the Rathaus. We were quite lucky that the rain had stopped. Thank God!

Since Michaela had to go to her Erasmus Party that night, Trish and I were left to wander around the city. We ate at this small Chinese restaurant in Karlsplatz. When you're in a budget, Chinese food is the way to go! 

After dinner, we walked some more to see if there are cafes open that serve the famous Austrian chocolate cake, the Sacher Torte. But sadly, most shops were closed since it was a Sunday. In Europe, they take Sundays seriously. Talagang no work for most people!

When it started to rain again, we decided to go back to our hostel. It was quite frustrating to walk under the rain with our umbrellas almost getting blown away by the strong winds. We promised ourselves that we would catch up on our sightseeing the next day!

Vienna: Love at First Sight

The Czechs celebrate St. Wenceslas Day every September 28.  Lucky for employees like me, the government always declares it a public non-working holiday. Since it falls on a Tuesday, my sweet director also gave me Monday off. Trish and I decided to travel together to Vienna, Austria to make use of our four-day holiday from September 25 to 28. After work on Friday, I took the Student Agency bus to Brno where I spent the night with Trish in her flat and then early Saturday morning, we took the bus once again to Vienna. 

After dropping off our things in the hostel, we first went to St. Stephen's Cathedral. It is smack in the middle of Stephansplatz and is very visible even from afar because of its towering height and incredibly beautiful Gothic exteriors. I especially loved the glazed tiles on the roof. 

We met up with other interns from Brno and decided to take a walk around the city center. We stopped for coffee along the way. We also walked past rows and rows of fancy shops and saw this adorable column at the middle of the pedestrian.

When we reached the Hofburg Palace grounds, there were lots of festivities. The palace was no longer visible because a huge stage was set up in front of it. There were so many kids playing pingpong, ice skating and many more.

We crossed towards the area of the Museums Quartier and saw these very interesting and colorful seats outside. It was so cute to see people just chilling. I wish we have these seats in the Philippines.

Vienna is a haven for museum-lovers. Since we didn't have enough time to go to all of them, Trish, me and Antonio (a Brazilian intern) decided to check out MUMOK. What does MUMOK stand for? MUseum MOderner Kunst. The entrance was free for students. Good thing Trish and I brought with us our old Ateneo IDs.

That night, Trish and I had drinks with her high school friend Poch in a pub and went home around 3 in the morning. From Day 1 alone, I already fell in love with Vienna!

Sneak Peek: Vienna

Gloriette.

Tesco

I love TESCO. A few days ago, I went to this shopping mall called Futurum. I found lots of shops, but what caught my eye was the big hypermarket, Tesco. It has everything--from vegetables, clothes, appliances, art supplies, home products--I mean EVERYTHING!

It reminded me of SM or Makro in the Philippines because most of the things in Tesco are really affordable! Like SM's in-house brand Bonus, Tesco likewise has its own in-house brand called Tesco Value wherein goods are cheaper than most of its counterpart brands. For instance, I bought this 1.5L Tesco Value dishwashing liquid for only 8 CZK or around 20 PHP. How about this: a 1.5L Tesco Value neperliva water for only 3 CZK or around 8 PHP. Shocking!

Master Chef Trish

Last week, I stayed in Trish's flat in Brno after our out-of-town trip to Mikulov for the wine festival. Apart from letting me sleep in her place, she likewise offered to cook lunch for me. So sweet of her! I was very happy since I haven't eaten a decent meal since I've arrived here in Czech Republic. I don't know how to cook unlike her. That day, she cooked chicken adobo, a famous Filipino cuisine. I was very excited because I don't usually eat adobo at home. As she was busy preparing lunch, I was likewise busy taking photos of her. Halfway through her cooking, the tempting smell of the adobo was already all over the kitchen and dining area. It smelled so good that my empty stomach growled in zest.

Wanna see the final product? Here you go! Feast your eyes everyone! I know you're drooling!

Ikea Meatballs

When I was in Singapore last March for my internship, my sister introduced me to one of the greatest and yummiest food in the whole wide world...the Ikea Meatballs! This is not an exaggeration! It is really a must-try! I can devour 10 meatballs in a single sitting!

Fast forward seven months later. I am now in the Czech Republic eating nothing but vegetables and bread. Imagine my excitement when I went to Ostrava's biggest mall, the Avion Shopping Park, and found out that there is a gigantic Ikea in my city! I also found out that Ikea is selling commercially its meatballs! The frozen meatballs are sold in packages weighing 2.5 lbs each! They likewise sell the lingonberry jam and gravy that is usually served with it. 

When I went home, I excitedly opened the pack of meatballs and made my first attempt to cook it. Wish me luck.

Meeting The Gang

Last night, I got the opportunity to hang out with the rest of the AIESEC interns in Vista, an apartment building in Zabreh where most interns reside. I have met them a week before in Stodolni Street, but we only hung out for a short while. This time around, I was invited by Justine, the other Filipino intern, for her farewell party. After her stint in the Czech Republic for the past nine months, she was finally set to go home. She was kind enough to introduce me to the other girls since she knows that I don't have too many friends just yet.

That night I ate pizza and drank wine together with Justine from Philippines, Karly from Colombia, Nico from Greece, Mona from Egypt, Tatev from Armenia and Habi, Vlada and Bea from Czech Republic. It was fun to get to know the people I would be spending time with for the next 10 months! Finally, I've met the gang!

Mikulov: Palava Wine Harvest

A day after our medieval dinner in Brno, Trish and I headed to the South Moravian town of Mikulov to take part in the ancient town's Palava Vine Harvest. Mikulov has been celebrating this wine festival for more than 40 years. When we arrived, there were already tons of people lining up to get to the town center. The entrance fee was 200 CZK or around 450 PHP. 

After we got passed the guards at the makeshift entrance, we were immediately welcomed by the wide array of food, wine and pastries. I could not help but try out a couple of tiny chocolate-coated pastries. Another thing I noticed along the way was that almost every stall in the open market sold the same thing: The Burčák, which is the Czech term for young fermented wine. We tried it out and actually loved its sweet taste. Nearly everyone in the festival was bringing around a liter of Burčák with them.

A while later, we finally made it to the town's Historic Square. On the center stage, a couple of locals were playing traditional Czech songs and showing traditional Czech dances. It was apparent that the audience was having a blast because most of them were singing and dancing along.

Several minutes later, the ceremonial procession began. Trish had to climb up a bench just to take decent photos. The main attractions in the mini parade were Bacchus and King Wencenlas IV, who was a former prisoner in Mikulov Castle.

Later, we met up with some of Trish's fellow interns and decided to walk around the center. There were tons of festivities in every corner. We were able to witness a reenactment of a particular historical event, which I'm not aware of. But still, I enjoyed watching the guys in costumes unleashing their acting prowess while we were all seated on the grass. 

After sunset, Trish and I walked up the hill towards the Ampitheatre to witness a concert. My first in Czech Republic! That day, a singer named David Koller took the spotlight and entertained hundreds of people with his incredible voice. Almost everybody in the crowd were Czechs so they totally understood the lyrics of his song.

Sneak Peek: Mikulov

Church of St. Václav.

Medieval Restaurant Experience

After my day tour around the major sights in Brno, I met a bunch of new friends from all over the world: Chris from England, AJ from the US, Helena from Czech Republic, Ray from Nigeria, Angie from Sweden, Antonio from Brazil and Daria from Russia. We had dinner at Stredoveka Krcma, a medieval restaurant near the Freedom Square. Earlier that day, I have seen a guy standing on the street in a medieval costume while holding a placard with Czech words. I never thought that he was the walking advertisement for this particular medieval restaurant. The entrance to the restaurant was a bit creepy. It was a bit dark. We were led down a flight of stairs by the hostess who was also in medieval garb. 

We first had wine while we figure out what to order for our main course. I'm not really a wine drinker so it took me a long time to finish what I ordered. The other guys had ordered their second drinks while I was still halfway through finishing my first drink! I liked how their drinks were served in classic medieval mugs. It made me feel like I time-traveled centuries ago!

Since I didn't understand most of the food written on the menu, I ended up ordering grilled chicken just to be safe. It wasn't cheap though, it cost me 140 CZK or around 345 PHP. Thirty minutes after we made our orders, our food finally arrived. 

As we were eating, two tall, well-chiseled men in medieval costumes were roaming around the restaurant to warm up for their "battle". A while later, they were already punching each other, rolling on the ground and doing all sorts of silly things just to entertain the customers.

They likewise got some customers to join their "battle". First they got Ray to act as a slave and Angie to do the whipping on him. It was really funny to see them participate in the whole medieval "battle" experience. Later on, one of the guys pulled me from my seat and told me to whip another guy. I was so embarrassed! Haha!

McDonald's Czech Republic

While I was in Brno last weekend, I found a McDonald's outlet near the city center. Since I have never been to any McDonald's outlet in the Czech Republic, I decided to check it out. I love the zen-like ambiance inside complete with bamboo poles. The walls, floors and lights were all sleek and modern.

That day, I ordered the Grilled Chicken McWrap and my favorite McFlurry topped with Oreos.  As I was paying at the counter, I noticed that they also served McDonuts and Muffins. Interesting! In the Philippines, they don't serve pastries at McDonald's.

Brno: My First Euro Adventure

When I got to Brno last Friday, I immediately started to look for the Information Center in order to get some maps and tourist brochures. I found a street map near Brno's AN Hotel Grand Station, where the Student Agency bus parked. I found the big bright green letter "I" on the map that meant the Information Center. When I got there, a young lady gave me a copy of the Brno City Guide complete with suggested itineraries. After skimming through the pages, I was already set to begin my first European adventure!

My first stop was the Old Town Hall, which is just walking distance from the Information Center. It is said to be one of the most well preserved secular buildings in Brno.

A few steps away from the Old Town Hall is the Vegetable Market. Smack at the middle of the market is the very elaborate Baroque Parnas Fountain designed with allegoric statues.

Afterwards, I walked down a hill towards the Capuchin Crypt. The actual crypt is situated under the monastery.

Visible from the crypt is the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul on top of Petrov Hill. I walked up the steep Petrska Street to take a look at the Neo-Gothic Cathedral. I was lucky to witness a Czech couple get married while I was there. 

Later on, I walked towards Brno's central square, the Freedom Square, which is filled with colorful historical buildings. A dominant figure in the square is the Baroque Plague Column lavishly decorated with statues of saints. 

There were lots of squares just walking distance from the main square. One is the Moravian Square where I found the Church of St. Thomas and the Moravian Gallery. 

Another square I discovered within the vicinity was the Comenius Square. I saw the Neo-Gothic-Evangelic Cathedral, the Red Church and other buildings of various institutions like the Rector's Office of Masaryk University. 

Although St. James Square was under construction at the time of my visit, I still opted to check it out since it was just walking distance. Its needle-shaped spire was quite visible even from a distance. 

Before I ended my day, I went to the famous Spilberk Castle, a former royal castle and Baroque fortress.

Student Agency

Last weekend, I took the Student Agency bus to Brno. I checked their online site and booked myself a ticket two days before my trip for only 6.50 EUR or around 390 PHP. My bus was scheduled to leave at 5:00am, so I had to leave my flat as early as 4:15am. I did not have a hard time searching for the bus at the station because the big, bright yellow bus was very visible even from afar.

The bus promptly left the station at the scheduled time. I loved how everything inside the bus resembled that of airplanes--the legroom, luggage compartment, tray tables, and even the toilet. I got so amazed because most of the buses in the Philippines are not even half as attractive and comfortable as this!

Minutes after our departure, the hostess started to give out earphones for those who want to watch a movie. There were about 5 to 6 screens in the bus so it was not difficult for most passengers to look at the screen, even for those who were seated at the back. Later on, the hostess began to give out newspapers and magazines as well. I was impressed that there were quite a lot of options--from fashion to gadget magazines. Aside from all that I have mentioned, they also served hot drinks to passengers. We had four choices: Capuccino, Coffee, Hot Chocolate or Tea. There were some cold drinks, chocolates and croissants on board as well, but they were no longer for free. Personally, the service that I liked the most from the Student Agency bus was the free WI-FI. Yes you heard it right, FREE WI-FI inside the bus! During the trip, I was able to use Skype and talk to my parents online.

Spontaneous Day in Karvina

Today, I woke up thinking that it is gonna be my first day of work. Hence I made the effort to wake up early, dress up nice, and put on some make up since I wanted to make a good first impression. Michal, an AIESECer, brought me to my workplace and introduced me to my would-be colleagues. I met my Director and he told me that I have one week off before my actual work would start. Lucky me! 

After the meeting, Michal randomly asked me if I wanted to go to Karvina since he was going there anyway. Since I did not have any plans for that day, I did not hesitate to go with him. Karvina is a town located 18km east of Ostrava and near the Beskydy Mountains. Upon our arrival, we first visited the AIESEC Office in Slezska Univerzita, his alma mater. I met a bubbly blonde lady named Martina, who I later found out is the Local Committee President of AIESEC in that area.

Today is a normal school day for most Czechs so they had a hard time figuring out who could bring me around town. I assured them over and over again that I was okay and that I could manage myself. But still, they insisted that someone should go with me. So they called up another AIESEC Trainee who might be free at that moment. 

Around an hour later, a Polish girl named Makata showed up at the AIESEC office. The first thing I noticed was her dark brown hair with red highlights as well as her resemblance to Ashlee Simpson. She has been in the city for several days so she offered to show me around. I knew right then and there that we would hit it off!

We proceeded to walk to the city center, which is just 15 minutes away from the university. It was a beautiful sunny day, so Makata and I made the most out of it by taking a lot of photos just like tourists. It is good that Czech people understand Polish words, hence she was able to ask some people to take photos of us together. There were lots of pretty townhouses in the square, which the Czech people call as Burgher Houses.

We passed by Empire Fryštát, an ordinary castle but with an interesting history linked to its founders and especially to its last owner, Count Larisch-Mönnichs, who is related to Empress Elisabeth or "Sissi", according to this site. Beside the said castle is the Holy Cross Exaltation Church, which looked more like a castle than the real one beside it because of its huge spire. 

Beside the Church is the state-owned Česká Pošta or post office. Later on, we walked to the park behind the castle. The park which was founded in 1804 is called Bozena Nemcova. It is an immensely huge park covering a total area of 36 hectares. Makata and I talked a lot while strolling around and a while later, we were both famished.

We went back to the center to grab some lunch. We chose this small cafe that served Italian and Czech food. Makata ordered Banana and Chocolate Crepes With Vanilla Ice Cream while I got the Baked Penne Pasta topped with Cheese and Tomatoes.

It was a perfect meal for a perfect day. After our hefty lunch, we walked around some more to burn some of the calories from the food we ate. Haha! 

After all the walking, we went back to Makata's dormitory, Cosmos, to get some rest and to chat some more. Today was truly a lovely day! A friendship was born and tons of memories were made!