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Not the New Kid on the Block

  • Mamaaaaaaa, oooohhhh. I don’t want to die, sometime I wish I’d never been born at all…. Carry on, carry on…
  • Love of my life, you’ve hurt me… you’ve broken my heart and now you leave me… love of my life, can’t you see? bring it back, bring it back…
  • All we hear is radio gaga, radio goo goo, radio ga ga… Radio what’s new? Someone still loves you

I am talking about none others, the legend Freddie Mercury! We got an optional tour to go to Montreux, hell yeah hello Queen Mercury!

There were another group before us, consequently, it took some time until the statue was empty. Once it does, we didn’t waste a bit 🙂 Group photoooo, in order to do a selfie, Joe need to come forward put his arm on the lake area, as you can see I was very ‘merinding disko’.

Still in the memory of the legend, went to the Queen-Studio Experience.

Look at how serene Montrex is, no wonder Freddie spent some time here to recharge from his busy life, it is 有山有水.

Then we visited Bern to beautiful Aare River again, the very unfortunate event side for all Indonesian citizen. In this side is the late son of Bandung’s governor got swept out by the current #Rest in Peace

As usual, city center area, however we didn’t visit any churches, rather Swiss bank #Fulus 😉 We tried the allegedly famous chocolate shop, some says its the best blablabla for me its just normal.

Guess what? we went to Germany too! what an experience of passing the custom via bus. Jo tell a very weird legend about Titisee, a kid being transported by Burung Bangao ~ like in Dumbo movie. Out of nowhere, came water to which it became a lake. I heard it like Hä? what kind of a story were you telling me???

We went to Schwarzwald not for hiking, sort of to buy a Kuckucksuhr. We were explained about the history, how to make it by an Indonesian seller. Right after the explanation, mother wants to have not only the Kuckucksuhr, but also the Magnet for her collection. Pass auf, she took out the magnet from the display and walked through the Kasse, only for a lady on a mask to snap it out of her, unpolite saying in English “You need to talk to my colleague about it” walk away, put the magnet back to the display.

I was behind my mother ofc I can understand her but there was no time to react. I can read the room, she will take the new one from the storage. After some time, she didn’t come back, I asked the other guy to get the magnet for us. He came back quicker than her. All 3 of us were in the Cashier. Like the way she appears was out of the blue, so does the way she reapperas, spoke to him in Chinese asking “Oh you already take it for her? then I don’t need to take it”

Leute, it was my time to shine, I was for sure having metamorphosis process, articulate my loud and clear opinion in Chinese “you didn’t tell you will get us that, besides we wait for you for a long time, you should have inform me at least and not just go away without telling anything” to her defense “but I did tell” I cut her sentence “No you didn’t, you only told my mother ‘she should have speak to your colleague’, none about whether you will grab it for us” Oh Lady, you think I am the new kid on the block who’s afraid to talk back? watch out, I was 7 years in your homeland! #Feel proud of myself.

Right after mother got what she wants, we went to eat. A piece of black forest cake is a must! as this is her favorite cakes. Same thing, according to her it’s very good, to me it’s only mehhh… She even had another one to take it away.

I genuinely quiet confused when I got it because the black forest cake is not….black?….hmmm…

As if all previous 水 not enough, here is the final 水 ~ Schaffhausen. Back to Switzerlandia.

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Crush Landing on You

Yep, this title is an adaptation from Netflix Korean Series Crash Landing on You and the crush I landed on the beauty of Village Iseltwald! #Drooling.

Left Lucerne, took a Panoramic Train, not the real name btw 🙂 Our tour leader ~ Jo said “I know you are still on Jetlag but please don’t sleep, see the very beautiful view” it’s a bit hard to take picture inside the train due to reflection which I noticed later what Om Johaness did, he placed his phone directly on the window to avoid reflection #Too late for this time. We had the view of nature for the whole 2 hours ride 有山有水.

Arrived around lunch time, Jo informed about Thai restaurant nearby, of course there we go! After refuel, mother wants to go as usual to souvenir shop, Dela wants to buy some chocolate, hence me and father strolling around. What can we see here 有山没水 haha

See the church behind me? We intended to go there then went back. However, we didn’t check the WA group, didn’t know Jo gave us 30 minutes extra time.

While on the way back, we met Dela who also just knew about it. Father decided to sit around whereas me and Dela went back to Church. There is an “entrance” which give me a Blank Space vibe in a mini version hihi

Our bus located in the parking lot in front of Aare-River, the magnificent 288 km length of Aare River, of course we had to pay a visit. Other than this Aare is indeed a “tourist spot”, Indonesian has their own memory of it, unfortunately its rather a tragically sad memory, the son of Bandung’s Governor went missing and drown from Aare’s Bern side #Rest in peace

Aha! for the Crash Landing on You mania, you will really landed a crush in Iseltwald. This village reminds me of Shirakawago in Japan minus Lake Brienz. Perhaps this is what Shirakawago looks like in Summer. My father remember the Piano scene in the Pier.

It is actually only that, was very peaceful #Meditation. Oh why I didn’t take photo in the Pier? thanks to the famous of the Crash Landing on You, they charged for an entrance ticket, you need to pay… I forget 5 or 10 CHF? we can see it anyway, good enough for us, remember we are still #Asian better use that money to eat haha 😉

Our hotel located in Grindelwald, yes it’s another Wald. The same beautiful village, another 有山没水. We stayed 2 days, the bliss of knowing you don’t have to bring your Koffer the next morning after breakfast is indescribable! My arms got restttt.

Left my heart in both Iselt and Grindelwald! They both complementing each other, the 有山有水 Yin Yang. Wished we had more time there <3

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The Amazing Race

As promised, here are the groups! It’s not legitimate without the epic flag 😉

Despite their jetlag, we are ready to explore first city, Zug! #Not train. Find the church meaning you are in the middle of the Oldtown 🙂

Up from this day, we will always “Back to Nature” mode. We have free time to enjoy Zug’s beautiful lake. Sat on the bench while eating mother’s ransum 🙂 These whole Western food except ice cream are not interesting to me haha

Off to Lucerne, this city is beautiful! A combination from “Back to Nature, read: water and some city vibe. We walked inside the Wooden Chapel Bridge where they have story painted on the top of their Dach, jep don’t even bother to understand. Oh what do we do? another group photo in front of the Lion Monument! Take out the Flaggieeeeee.

Here is the paradise for my mother due to they have a 3 floor souvenir shop, she can use all of her time there. Since I won’t buy anything~ thanks God I have Dela~ we went to explore the surroundings together.

Do we have any sense of directions? none at all, just followed whatever looks good. Oh that big house above looks like a castle, let’s try to come closer. On the way up, we bumped into another group of white people, seems like walking tour per se so we know we were on the right location #It must leads to somewhere. That hike didn’t go to waste, we found some path to a nice view….. plus cat

Satisfied with the view, continue with the pathway ~albeit our cluelessness~ which surprisingly lead to the Tower Clock. Its pretty cool hey! We look from the top there is a kind of fort or wall thingy to walked on too. We were thinking on which exit to take, only to find this is the only way out. Fun fact! this bridge connect the full chain of towers.

Out from this Tower, “on” to the next one, except we took the wrong exit which leads us to their backyard. What did we entdeckt? There is a lift up to somewhere near a building called Gütsch, what is that? Me want to check it! We decided not to go to the second tower as the view might be more or less the same, only the other tower got closer to the river view or so. However, we were not sure what time we should be back, Dela called her mom, okay we have around 50 minutes. Let’s move!

Increase the speed!!! half ruuuunnnnnnnn. Crossed the bridge, red light, intersection without traffic light. I don’t want to get fined in Switzerland so I asked some guys who were waiting for the lift about where did he get the tickets. He showed me the ticket machine, I have no idea which to click, ask some lady for help. I know the ticket says Bus drive since there is no options for lift nor I know the name of the Stations we want to go…. lets just take that one. Tadam…. we arrived at another top!

The Gütsch is a Hotel, wow! why don’t we sleep here? maybe our tour doesn’t have budget, besides we have 1000000 Koffer + only one lift functioning haha this will takes ages. I wanted to get into the frame of Lucerne, not sure if its only for guest #I’m thinking…. we went this far, lets get in, worse thing they will just ask us to leave the property. Dela wants to read the announcement on the door, told her “don’t read, none of the hotel guest will do so, we have to pretend we are one of them” 😉

Succeed! Get off, hop on to any bus!

Not sure where to stop, looked at Google map, two stations from now there will be a church we can visit, hop off there! Walked to the first church, followed by the second church where they have a sermon only to know we are back to the Chapel bridge again. #Pro runner!

Arrived on time to the meeting point where both of my parents already sit down outside, tired, ready for Abendessen. Ofc Dela was gebrieft, we don’t want to make our parents feels left out~ we were everywhere whilst they weren’t…. so, we need to have the same story. Just in case we got asked where did we go? Standard answer, visited churches at the end of the road and saw some view 😉 Keep it simple!

What a nice race with you!!!

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Glowing

Check out from my Capsule Hotel, parents are arriving Zürich Airport! Mother had a lot of Ransum of Indonesian food! Father took a selfie with the background that shows the same as if we are in Karawang -_- I had to ask Mother for Kerupuk in the bus #Haphap

We are in total 19 people (including me) + 1 Guide. First destination is St. Gallen. Walked around the city center, visited churches, had our “red carpet” moment haha. That whole Raiffeisenplatz was covered by red carpet, including the allegedly Porsche Car.

While some people are having Italian food for lunch, we were having rice at Mr. Rice! it can’t get more rice than that 🙂

We went to another country too, Liechtenstein! Yeay, my list of countries visited is growing. To be exact we were at the capital-Vaduz.

Ride the Odong-Odong Car for 30 minutes surrounding Vaduz, which all it takes, this city is very not complicated. Some children’s are waving their hands to us. Very cute, I’m sure no Asian kids will do it, we don’t get raised like that. They have castle to which we can’t visit as the real Prince of Liechtenstein is there.

After we saw the grobe of Vaduz, me, mother and Aunty Lielie went to the end of the road to visit the church while father chose to sit down somewhere. The weather was very hot, Eka said I’m Glowing a.k.a Sweating haha yeap! wrong clothing!

Day 1 survived, didn’t have any group picture, owing to the glow we all are 😉 on the next days you will see the participants of this Mono Swiss group #Wink

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$$witzerland

$$ is the perfect emoji to describe my experience in der Schweiz. Expensive is what I expected, how much expensive, that’s beyond my imagination O.O

I thought on where to stay as the reason I’m coming to die Schweiz is to meet my parents who book a tour from Indonesia with Golden Rama. Their or should I say our ~ yes I’m coming with them too hihihi ~ program called Mono Swiss, they will arrive early in the morning on Saturday. I have no Bock to go early to the airport, therefore I decided to sleep in a Capsule Hotel located inside Zürich Airport.

It is super clean + modern, every door need to be opened with your phone. The size of the capsule hotel is big enough for me, it’s bigger than every “capsule” hotel I tried in Japan, I had a claustrophobic moment there like I was inside a coffin #I’m not a celebrity get me out of here! Oh how much does it cost? 75 CHF per night haha, read the Plakat “Welcome to Zürich” 😉

I contacted Eric, the guy I met in Madrid, he was willing to show me the city where he grew up. Let’s reveal it one by one 😉

We went to allegedly high point in Zürich, Uetliburg where you can see Zürich from top, of course it’s not the top of Fernsehturm, but it’s high enough. I can see the lake, Alpen mountains, a very typical Schweiz.

This area is quiet big with many stops, yet we chose only 1 stop, we still have other program, moving on to Zürich City Center, destinations: Lindenhof, Zürich Lake, Rathaus, Churches. Everything are in the more compact size, I’d say 🙂 We had lunch in a very typical Schweizer, the restaurant used to be an ex-weapon storage.

What I have to unbedingt visit is the FIFA Museum! The locker to put our stuff are named with famous football player, I chose Cristiano Ronaldo, I didn’t find Lionel Messi #Hmmmm. Dont attack me CR7 fans, I like them both!

They had the replica of the world cup, of course, the real one is at Messi’s home. World Cup 2022 was really special, what a race, Argentina deserves to win. Since that moment, I fell in love with Messi, he has won in life!

I have to close today’s program by completed bestie’s Freitag’s bag order. I asked her to not sleep yet! The Freitag shop is really eccentric, if she was there, for sure she wants to buy everything, she would take a credit for it because… it’s… again… $$$$.

This day is finished, get some sleep to pick up my parents! Thanks Eric for showing me your city 🙂

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On Duty

Still on Nilesh Episodes in Dortmund, this time I took him to the most proud place for every Dortmunder, our Signal Iduna Park a.k.a Dortmund Stadion! Who doesn’t want to feel FOMO about it? Andreas! he is a big BVB Fans. To our advantage, on that afternoon, he became our stadium guide 🙂

I went to see some match before, however to see it from inside while it’s empty, grasp how magnificent it is, getting input from Andreas, such a WOW Experience. For sure I’ll repeat it when my parents are here sometime soon.

There is a foot steps printed on the floor for us to follow, none of us paid attention to it as Andreas showed us everything.

We went to changing room of BVB where I met my long time boyfriend, Mats Hummels! Ogh! he looks so manly on the picture! We also met Emma, yeay! Held our Press session 🙂 Behind the press Bühne, there is stairs with different steps, 13 for other Team while 12 for BVB in the hope that BVB avoid the so called unlucky numbers to win each game.

Then we came into a tunnel where the real player will come out to the field. There was another group with real stadium guide, they put the songs out, all of us other than Andreas don’t know what is it so we looked inside the tunnel just to be hush out by the guide “please step away” pfffff biatch we also paid the entrance!

Welcome to 81.365 Capacity Stadium! We sat in the seat Home Base complete with heater and Heimat Liebe while on the guest base not haha froze those ass!

We also visited the “jail”, saw some graffiti, full of stickers on the man’s toilet.

We still have the Borusseum ticket 🙂 here is where you can find out about the history of BVB club. We did it rather too quick as we spent so much time in the stadion #Not complaining.

Nilesh really can’t walk anymore, thanks God Abhi brought his E-Scooter so he can ride on it while we walked to my place. Why walked? Same reason, bus&bahn strike. I did the same room tour for Abhi, he also commented like those two guys. Abhi did some fortune teller by reading my palm, my future is bright! I’ll became a rich woman, be married, on top of that, doesn’t have a controlling behavior. Jackpot to whoever my husband is! Because of that, he earned the badge into the Secret Sessions 😉

I have no idea why I thought all Asian are able to eat with Chopsticks #Maybe very rasisct of me, of course I brought them to the newest ramen noodle, Takumi Dortmund. Only to find out that was the biggest Error so far. None of them know how to eat with Chopsticks, Nilesh adapt well while Abhi lost ~ his finger got cramped haha. Next day on Nilesh last day in Dortmund, we ate without Chopsticks.

Wait, so how long is Nilesh in Dortmund? That week was the worst week. It’s more or less one week strike, imagine all of these Asian suppliers are flying with Lufthansa etc yet they can’t go back home, including him. He kept prolong his stays, he still positives to believes he can fly whilst I’m a realist, I kept reminding him about one single fact that he’s not Taylor Swift, no airplane gonna fly for the sake of his necessity to go home. He should have listen to me 😉

Did Nilesh only see an empty Stadion? No no no, of course we have another guy who is a football fans too, he’s none other than our boss, Stefan who is a Leverkusen fans. We got the ticket to sit in the fan block. It is very very very Krass, the Ultra said “Handy weg” while looked + pointed on me. I was like Dude, I have nothing, later on I realized it wasn’t to me rather to Nilesh who stand behind me. Seeing the Ultras coming in with drum rolls, shouting etc, also a WOW Experience.

I found it always nice to be on duty while some guest are here, inform them what is going on. Imo, we did the best we can in the short time Nilesh’s here 🙂

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The Good Samaritan – Part 3

What is the core activity I do in every place I travelled to? joined the Walking Tour! Sadly mine was cancelled on last minute where I was already on the way to our meeting point. I still could get some chance of changing it to the next day, although it will only be for less than 1 hour as I have to go to the Airport in the afternoon.

Marlyn, you are not a beginner travelers, take yourself to explore Madrid! Search, ah Templo de Debod! let’s do this. Since we are visiting an old temple, let’s go back to ancient time, queueing for at least a good 1 hour long, good news: it’s free 😉 The descriptions match the engraved wall, although it wasn’t so clear like emboss effect, you could still see the patterns.

The outside appearance still hold its majestic, what makes it more magical are the gates still there! The location of the temple itself is also magnificent, kind of on the top of the hill.

There is also a look out area on the far end:

Mahlzeit eh? I’ve already eaten delicious Spanish food except…. Churros! Andreas and Irina told me the best churros ever: San Gines! I have to checked that, one portion of Churros for myself with chocolate please 🙂

Now I’m ready for…. Plaza Mayor! there is a fence due to some parts still under constructions where I met…. Sunny! she has a very good Handy with 0.5x camera ability! Girl!!! I gotta stay with you hahaha she was so nice! she let me borrow her phone, from Plaza Mayor we wanted to go to the Parliament House, passing a beautiful church. I went inside while she’s catching the sunset from the Parliament House.

The Sunset was very pretty, she got a spot on the edge, we take turns on taking pictures literally don’t give our place away haha don’t make the same mistake twice! she gave up her spot while looking for me, therefore when we found each other, nothing gonna part us from our edge!

We separated after that, I went strolling with no specific destination like Chueca, stopped when people are taking angle wings picture, want to have it too! #FOMO. Back to Cibeles Fountain and Banco de Espana. I’ve only witness the beauty in the daytime, now on nighttime it was beautiful too! As it says, lo que es bonito es bonito.

I got hungry heyyy! Irina wrote me some dishes I can try, most of them I tried it all with JP & Co, except one: it’s the stew meat. I already know I wouldn’t like it as much as I like the others yet I still give it benefit of a doubt. Was I correct? Yep! Should’ve had the Jamon with Patatas instead 😉

What did I do in the end? I texted Eric I might give it to the homeless people. He replied “if it doesn’t taste good for you, do you think you do a favor by giving it to the homeless?” Well….. he is a Spanish perhaps he will like it haha

Oh who is Eric? Very funny I met him while asking for picture with my La Casa De Papel Mask in front of Bank of Spain, turns out he’s from Switzerland so we speak Deutsch! Finally it starting to make sense of learning the language 🙂

My last day is here… didn’t get much from the less than 1 hour walking tour. While Paris has Eiffel Tower, Madrid has Puerta del Sol. It’s a bear eating Madroño ~ similar to lychee, fermented with alcohol. The bear will take a siesta after eating it then got thirsty once she wakes up haha

In some governmental building it will have 3 flags: EU + Spain + Madrid. There are 7 stars in Madrid’s flag who represent the seven stars in the Starry Plough constellation closest to the Ursa Major (Great Female Bear) Constellation.

Like every statue, people can’t keep their hands to themselves. It says if you touch the feet of the bear you will get luck, for his ass you will get love. Everyone is able to do it by themselves, except one 😉

Joy helped me to reach it! Maybe this is why I haven’t find one, I just need some help from the good samaritan along the way. Lady, if I found both of them after the trip, rest assured you get the VIP Treatment! #we shall see.

Despite it wasn’t designed for me, I determined to touch it! didn’t reduce my spirit!

Thank you for the warm weather Madrid! Made me wanting to go to another city in Spain already 🙂

Also gracias to all Good Samaritans I met, wouldn’t have all these wonderful pictures without you 😀

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On and Offline

Did I just decided one day to have a weekend in Spain? No no no, like always there was a story behind 🙂 back to my birthday in September, JP inform me that he and Moni will be in Europe travelling for one month. Naturally I will do my best to catch their schedule. First attempt was to go to Brussels end of October, hat es aber nicht geklappt. The last option was on their last weekend before flew back to Mexico, November 10-12th, search for flights, if I come back on 13th, the price would be cheaper, which one I choose? Obviously the second #duh

Remember Moni had cousin called Ale who I visited in Koblenz few years back? Well, it would be great if she could join too, we texted the whole time planning this as she wasn’t so sure if everything will works with her own schedule. Therefore I bought my ticket, plan my own Agenda without waiting for her confirmation. In the end, she was able to join, yippiii! We only let JP know because we wanted to surprised Moni.

Our flight was at 07:25 AM, to be on the safe side, we stayed one night in a&o hostel, thanks to my Christmas Gift from Claudia & Julius we can stay for freeeee! thank you Freundin!!!!

We are a firm believer of arriving in airports 2 hours before departure time, Ale woke up at 4AM, I’m around 04:30 haha my colleague will laugh if I told him by 5AM I was already out and about #Only happen when you are on your way to Urlaub 😉

Catch the plane, goooooo! Madrid here we are! I am so happy as this is my first time in todos Espana. Apart from my own Agenda of visiting La Casa De Papel scene to which I nailed it! #proud, we were just gonna tag along JP & Moni, they are the one who travelled to Europe, por supuesto they have one.

We still have about 4 hours before they arrived. What do we do? planned to had lunch at 12 failed due to the kitchen only opens after 13:00, for this time they only offer some sweets, croissant, coffee etc.

Ale showed me some places around, El Retiro Park where at first she was quiet confused “Amigos, this is not the Park I want to show you” after some time doch! it is! haha on the way, there was an exhibition about Indonesia somehow yeaaaayyyy

We checked in to our Air BnB, where is the Wifi’s info? She texted our Landlord to which she replied the router’s location, time to get connected. My oh my, in comparison to 2 credit cards number, it’s longer! Ale read whilst I typed it on my phone, in the middle I can’t stop laughing, she’s still not done, it’s just super long! Ale said “it’s halfway, don’t type it wrongly or else we need to repeat it again” FYI, I got it correctly. Now is her turn, she chose to do it by herself, didn’t work. I volunteer to read it to her, I lost it right there and then once I saw it. The Password was not straight, you need to tilt your head to read it #LOL

We thought our surprise was spoiled 20 minutes before their arrival time -_- glad to know it was only Moni messing up with Ale “are you surprising me” Ale pulled out the better lie 🙂 she bought it #wink!

Ale hide in the bathroom, Moni went there, her reaction was rather scared like “aahh, ahh…who are you?” until she realized it was her <3

Mischief Managed

No jokes, I gotta eat yo! this is the first revelation: Spaniard eat so damn late! my Deutsche Magen won’t get used to it, it was already after 15:30 What do we have? Paella + Sangria checked!

Moni has to work for a while, we went to do some sightseeing passing Prado Museum (broke tips: it was free 2 hours before it closed, a lady from walking tour told me, not sure if they have it only on specific day, check the website) + Cibeles Fountain + The under constructions Puerta de Alcala.

We tried many many times to take pictures in front of Cibeles with less car until Ale found a trick on her Iphone. Mind you, it’s called a trick, with a particular catch… I can’t move an inch, need to stand fucking still, I even scared to breath haha it’s something with long exposure. We were so begeistered when we know it works!

Moni finished work, back to her, chill a bit then get ready to eat again haha the restaurant hasn’t open yet, went to the opposite place to have a Vermouth de grifo…. let’s say…. it’s not really my cup of tea…#hmmm

After the Vermouth, we met with their friends’ Lalis. We ate a very delicious food! She really know what to order, the raw Tuna? Tuna right? I think it was it, was fucking amazing! better than the vac 😀

I had too much alcohol on that day, started itchy all over my body, can’t go on anymore whereas they continued partying. Vane just arrived that evening when JP sent me back to the Air BnB I really need hot shower + drink my Pill which makes me drowsy so sleep is really needed. Have fun guys!!! I notice at some hour they came back yet I couldn’t be bothered to wake up hahaha

Next day, continue with me doing my personal Agenda while they were still hungover. They had to endure with no water, fiuhhhh didn’t have to experience it. We met at Gran Via to have Jamon sandwich at Bar Postas although the famous one is the Calamari #whatever, continue our day to a bar inside Retiro Park. It’s a really cool place, reminds me of Yong Kang Lu Shanghai. Look how the waiter took all the drinks using 3 fingers whoaaa

We stayed in the Bar quite some time until our dinner time, which starts late…. Our reservation was at 21:00 haha by the time we were eating it was after 21:30. Casa de Fieras, let me tell you, the food there was better than the day before! very very very good! Their Tuna is really to die for! Lalis successfully became a total game changer in terms of Spanish food!

That was it! Next day they flew back home while me and Ale continued our stay one more day, doing our thing separately.

Here is our comparison back then when we were still planning via online video call vs offline version. Ops we are back in Shanghai, 我们到上海了！ #where it all began.

Thank you Guys! was very nice to catch up with you two who in the end became three with Ale to a sudden additional four, well….let’s make it five featuring Lalis and Vane. You really made friends in every corner 🙂

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Bella Ciao

Una mattina mi sono alzato… I was on the shooting location of the greatest TV Series ever exist! O bella ciao, bella ciao, bella ciao, ciao, ciao! My heart can’t contain the joy in me, I was smiling from ear to ear!

Needless to say, research has been done as in where the shooting takes place? Found this very useful blog for another fanatico fans 🙂

https://www.klook.com/en-IN/blog/money-heist-film-locations/

I can visit 3 shooting places in city center of Madrid: Plaza del Callao, Banco de Espana, Casa De La Moneda. We will go through all three of them. Are you ready for it??

First Stop: Plaza del Callao

Was Wonderstruck! spinning myself around on that square. I have the so-called “not even near death experience” haha named it myself, they said when you near death you experience 7 minutes where all your memories flash back? yep had that too, only about the memories of La Casa De Papel episodes.

Professor threw money from Zeppelin or when he made announcement about Lisaboa & Rio. Brain rush to the fullest! I have never been to NY Time Square, undeniably it’s more WOW than this but for me, being present in the shooting location of my fav TV Series was another level!

Second Stop: Casa De La Moneda + Spanish National Research Council

Let’s go to the real Royal Mint which actually a Museum, at first I was arriving to their side entrance hmmm is quiet weird….. Okay, enough, wanted to take the Bus until I look up….. what?!?! this is the real entrance! re-do the pictures por favor!!!! 😉

How about the Royal Mint in the series? unfortunately I can’t get in, that is the research building. There was also a gate so you can’t really see it clear yet it’s enough for me, I was gasping in awe :O

Third Stop: Banco de Espana + Nuevos Ministerios

Went to the Nuevos Ministerios first, it was on a Saturday 11.11 yes it’s close, the guard stopped me with a very limited English while me…. no hablo Espanol at all at all. Though he managed to say if I just want to see, go around this building. Yes Sir! I don’t have any importante to be let in into the Ministry building.

Where is the entrance, where is it, where where where? the feeling that you can’t just wait for it! My excitement level is high! coming close…..soon…

This is it!!! their “Banco de Espana” I knew this building so perfectly damn well! invested 1000000 times watching the Series! The “Ai-ki-do” scene, Denver waving white flag, Professor entering the Bank und und und, beyond words! Dude….. are you for real?!?!?!

Perhaps you wanna know, how does the real Banco de Espana looks like? Very Bella too! Didn’t went inside simply because… por que? it’s a Bank, what do I’m gonna do there? become a Profesora, rob a Bank with my mask? haha

How Bella isn’t it? Obviously they can’t shoot in the real building, look how narrow the space on the real places are, it goes direct to the main street. Here is the surroundings video:

I rewatch the last episode with Feli (fact: she hasn’t watch the last one, pfffff how dare she?!?!) until it suddenly struck me, I think I was there, Plaza Mayor…. look at it how similar the red background is.

Then I rewatch it by myself in ruhe, came out with a conclusion, yep it is! it’s written Madrid, no doubt it’s on Plaza Mayor, must be it! I was there too!!! See! the same right? Hey! I discover a new shooting place 😀

Oh Madrid, you are so Bella 🙂

Gracias por todo! <3

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The Credits

What else did I miss from Estocolmo???

Of course Arlanda Express, as stated on the name, it’s an express train from Airport to City, as fast as 17 Minutes with very luxurious seats! Oh my ass was so happy 😀 DB Bahn, can’t you do something like this bitteeeeee? They also have some kind of “arts-installation” thingy on their T-Bahn or U-Bahn or Metro or Subway or Underground #Don’t know what to called this mode of transport anymore.

The water area, I re-confirm something about me. If there is a city with water, it will take me some time to understand where I am. It happened in Hamburg before, now in Stockholm. I managed it in the end and turns into loving it!

So loved it until I want to see water from various points of view 🙂 We visited the City Hall Tower! it’s only open until 1st of October, we went exactly on the last day. Nope, we didn’t put it on hold, we tried to go the day before but it was all sold out. So Erin went even before the shop opened at 08:30 to buy the ticket for 13:00 that’s the only reason why we can go up there #Thanks Erin!

We arrived 5 minutes earlier yet wasn’t allowed to get in, have to be on time yo. The “guide” suggested we to give the elevator to the one who needed. Oh yes! it’s me, first because I just turn to a new age few days ago, I need to maintain all my bones structure. Second, I paid for this haha top that 😉

Didn’t guess they will display some kind of statues before we reached the top.

See Stockholm from above, isn’t it prettty? The weather was perfect, we only have 20-30 minutes on the tower. Here are the water view from the top points:

Want to see it in motion? here is the video 😉

We went home to take Ginger with us then met Rima on the other side of the water 🙂 to see another water! See the brick building behind me? we were just there. Both sides are very pretty hey!

The food! how it is easier to get variety of foods here than in Dortmund. Asian food, a new Doritos flavor, basically any other food either staple food like Fika things or not 😉 the fact that tap water is free!! to which Germany doesn’t even offer even after all the tax we paid pfffff what would it cost you hey?!?!

Bunch of activitiessss like on a Sunday morning, Erin and I went to the gym! haha! Never been to any in Dortmund, I have to fly to Stockholm to do it #High maintenance. Then visited churches, watch Barbie!!! Yais!! Glad she hasn’t watched it too! It’s really good movie, recommended!

Adventure in Stockholm has to end, I didn’t want it so much so until my luggage also doesn’t want it to end. I received an SMS right after my belt conveyor in Düsseldorf Airport stopped working. Great!

I had another Ramen dinner with Anu however with this issue, she has to wait in hunger. Had my luggage finished his adventure, we were just on time for late lunch meaning at 15:00. With airplane delayed + reporting luggage delayed + on the way from Airport to Takumi = the place has closed for their rest time.

We still have to eat, Anu almost ditch me -_- to my luck, now she doesn’t have any option other than wait haha. She arrived before Takumi opens to wait in line. Once I met her, she was still in line, few minutes later Takumi officially re-open at 17:00. Anu said “We need to wait until you land, the shop to close and re open again only for us to eat”. Yes girl! Our level of hungriness is really high at that time. See! it was 2 hours eating delay from where I supposed to land.

During dinner I asked her if I should wait for another flight from Amsterdam to arrive Düsseldorf, she said the next schedule from KLM has been delayed too besides “it only take 30 minutes to fly and this flight hasn’t even boarded” just don’t bother to wait, let them deliver it to Dortmund. I did what she suggested.

And I’m glad I did as when I was about to night night at 23:00 ish I got an SMS saying my luggage is landed with those plane (not the one I showed her which was supposed to land at 19:30)

Wow! Credits to a complete 11 days in Stockholm 🙂 Big shoutout to Erin and Ginger who hosted me, Syuke who make the time even after he just landed from Shanghai, Anu who hold her hunger plus managed not became hangry, Lisa who I met during the tour then explore the city together a bit, Rima who unfortunately we didn’t have photo together but I’ll remember your story about your baby Chanel bag vs your 200 kr bag 🙂

Estocolmo, what a city you are <3