Tokyo For 5 Consecutive Years

"Once You've Been To Japan, You Will Feel Like Going Back Every Year" - I never thought this applies to me. 

#1: Back to my favourite country - Japan

For the past 4 years, I've been visiting Tokyo every year since 2015 to 2018. Just when I thought this year I might not be going back, something came unexpectedly and here I am again back to Tokyo for the 6th time. Probably it's a sign I need to go Tokyo every year. 

My Previous Posts on Tokyo:

2015 Tokyo

2016 Tokyo

2017 Tokyo

2018 Tokyo

It was indeed another impromptu trip where I was informed about my trip to Tokyo a day before I was about to leave to Maldives. Everything was done and booked at the very last minute; from airticket to hotels. And for the first time ever, I have no well-prepared itinerary on hand since I've been to Tokyo several times before. It sounds like I'm so confident, right?

Here's a quick recap of my recent trip to Tokyo:


#2: If I was given option, of course I prefer to fly directly from Kota Kinabalu to Tokyo but as I need to fly with my guest, so I need to fly to Kuala Lumpur first before flying to Tokyo.


#3: Coincidentally, my handphone casing match this trip


#4: Tot it's last minute but luckily I managed to find a hotel within the budget given. Plus, the location is smack right in the middle of Shinjuku - hotspot area.
In total, I experienced staying in 1 Japanese inn, 1 capsule, 1 hostel, 1 AirBnB and 5 different hotels out from my 6 trips to Tokyo.


#5: Godzilla in Shinjuku area - Finally I spotted you


#6: My trip to Japan is incomplete without savouring their scrumptious ramen


#7: At last I got to see the Great Buddha in Kamakura, less than an hour south of Tokyo. Another wishlist ticked off


#8: Mount Takao, less than an hour from Shinjuku is an easily hikeable 599m mountain - but we cheat, by taking cable car.


#9: Onsen with a stunning view. Just that Mount Fuji seems to be shy shy when we're in Kawaguchiko.

Oh boy! I really wish I have more time to catch up and blog all my backlogs especially for my Japan travelogues, cause my upcoming trip is coming soon. Very soon! 

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La Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's Unfinished Masterpiece

Like they said, a trip to Barcelona is definitely incomplete without visit any of Gaudi's masterpiece of architecture. So we went and visit Gaudi's awe-inspiring park, Park Guell on the second day, how about on the third day? 

Luckily on the third in Barcelona, we don't have to wake up pretty early like we did on the day before cause one of the Spain's landmark monuments that we intend to visit will open to public at 9am onwards. And the one I mentioned is none other than the impressive enormous unfinished Roman Catholic church, La Sagrada Familia. 

#1

Do you know that La Sagrada Familia has been under construction for more than 130 years and yet, it's still on-going project even today? It's expected to be completed in 2026 marks the 100 year centenary of the death of Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi in 1926. When the church is finished, it will be 144 years after the first stone was laid. 

#2: The main entrance of Sagrada Familia 

Since Sagrada Familia is the most visited tourist attraction and there are about thousand of visitors queue up to enter this church everyday, hence it's advisable to book Sagrada Familia tickets in advance online. I got my tickets from here where I got to choose my preferred day and time. I picked to access the church at 9am - that's the earliest time and by 8.30am, we were in the line with the rest of the visitors getting ready to enter. But before we admit inside, there's a security control like where we need to scan our bags, personal belongings and including ourselves which similar to those in airports. 

#3: Exquisitely stained glass windows

We bought the ticket without any audio guide and guided tour which we explore and enjoy at our pace and admire the exquisitely stained glass windows as well as the unique vaulted ceiling and pillars of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. There's a ticket where you access up to the Passion facade tower but since we didn't include in our tickets, we can only marvel the grounds. 

#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9: One last shot before kissing goodbye 

Tips and Notes Before Heading to La Sagrada Familia:

1) The best time to visit would be in the early morning which between 9am to 10am as the crowd is at its least. 

2) In the case you unable to make in the early morning, try to avoid going between 12pm to 3pm cause these times tend to be the most crowded hours especially with the big tourist groups which coming during these hours. Hence, avoid these 3 hours at all costs.
3) Since it's a religious monument, be respectful by dress appropriately.

HOW TO GET TO LA SAGRADA FAMILIA

The best way to reach here by taking metro. The metro station right across the stree from Basilica has stops for Line 2 (Purple) and Line 5 (Blue) metro lines.

La Sagrada Familia opens at 9am everyday but the closing time differ throughout the year. During the winter time, it will close earlier than during the summer, and you should check for it in advance.

Previous Posts on My UK & Europe Trip - October 2018

• Autumn in UK & Europe (Sneak Peek)
• A Repeat Trip To London With Oman Air
• 2 Days in Porto, Portugal
• Keep Safe & Stay Vigilant When Visiting Lisbon, Portugal
• Pena Palace of Sintra, Portugal
• Adeus Porto and Hola Barcelona!
• Park Guell - Gaudi's Iconic Park in Barcelona

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Park Güell - Gaudi's Iconic Park in Barcelona

4.30 in the morning - that's where my alarm rang.

Normally, I'm not a morning person but for the sake of travelling, I can get up early than my usual working hours. That shows how powerful travelling is. I prefer to arrive those popular tourist attractions as early as I can in order to beat the crowd. 

So, what's the agenda on the second day in Barcelona that causing me to wake up so early? None other than Park Guell, one of the top rated tourist attractions of Barcelona. It's remarkably popular among the visitors and to be wise, it's best to get there earlier. 

HOW TO GET TO PARK GUELL

To reach here, the nearest metro is either Lesseps or Vallcarca Station under the Green Line (L3). However, both stations require 20 minutes walk to the park. In case you are lazy to walk so far away, you can continue by taking bus 116, 24 or H6 from any of the two stations mentioned earlier. 

#1: Park Guell before the sun rise

Just when we thought we were the earliest one to arrive, we're completely wrong. Eventhough the sun hadn't risen yet, there were few group of people who arrived earlier than us. Looks like everyone want to get one perfect shot without being photobombed by strangers. Slowly, more and more group of people arrived here by taking taxi or Uber. 5 minutes right before the opening hour, we're allowed to access into the park. So without waiting any longer, let's explore and discover Park Guell. 

#2: The Dragon Stairway

Designed by the world-renowned Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, originally it was an luxury residential complex but the project was abandoned cause no one seems to be interested in buying it. Gradually it converted into a public park and from there, it caught many public attentions for Gaudi's quirky and distinct architecture elements. 

#3: Park Guell's colourful, mosaic-embedded Salamander or Dragon Fountain

Not far from the main entrance, the first thing caught our attention is the dragon stairway which leads us to the colourful, mosaic-embedded salamander (some said it's a dragon) fountain. Whether it's salamander or dragon, this is the most famous spot that every visitor wouldn't miss out to take a photo with it. You know the sign of indicates "I've been here" that kind. 

#4

As soon as the crowd is filling in, immediately we moved on to the next area. We walked to The Laundry Room Portico first, before heading up for The Serpentine Benches which claimed to be the world's longest undulating bench in the world and not forgetting, the Nature Square or Greek Theater for a panoramic views of Barcelona. 

#5: The Laundry Room Portico


#7: Nature Square or Greek Theater and its Serpentine Benches

Before we kiss goodbye to Park Guell, we took the opportunity to visit and enter Casa del Guarda (The Guard's House) since we had bought the ticket earlier. It was one long queue to enter but lucky us, we managed to get it before the rain pour down. Initially it was a guard house but nowadays it converted into a museum offering background information of the Park Guell. 

#8: Shot from Casa del Guarda (The Guard's House) 


#9: Porters Lodge Pavilions

ADMISSION TICKET OF PARK GUELL

Entry to Park Guell is free of charge. It is the only Park Guell's monumental zone, which form 5% of the park, that is access controlled because most of Antoni Gaudi's artworks are in this part of the park, and this is where the tourists are paying to see. I would recommend to purchase the ticket online cause first, you can an online ticket cheaper by 1 Euro. Secondly, you can pick your own preferred time cause entry to Park Guell is restricted to only 400 visitors every half an hour. 

You can book your tickets to Park Guell three months ahead of your visit from this official website (here). 

A leisurely tour around Park Guell takes approximately 2 hours, where most of the times we stop for taking picture, including sitting on the bench of the terrace for a stunning views of Barcelona. Our verdict? It's really worth to spend our time and money on visiting Park Guell cause almost all of Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece is only concentrated in Barcelona, which means you can't see any of his artwork elsewhere including other cities of Spain. 

#10: Don't forget to dropby for some memento

Previous Posts on My UK & Europe Trip - October 2018

• Autumn in UK & Europe (Sneak Peek)
• A Repeat Trip To London With Oman Air
• 2 Days in Porto, Portugal
• Keep Safe & Stay Vigilant When Visiting Lisbon, Portugal
• Pena Palace of Sintra, Portugal
• Adeus Porto and Hola Barcelona!

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Adeus Porto and Hola Barcelona!

Continue from here...

After spending two nights in Lisbon including a day trip to Pena Palace of Sintra, it's time to bid goodbye to Portugal and proceed to third country for this leg of our trip - Spain! 

FROM LISBON CITY CENTER TO LISBON AIRPORT 

Generally for a budget-conscious traveller, it's always better to use public transport - buses or the metro system. You can take metro from any place in Lisbon city center directly to Aeroporto Station (Lisbon Airport) for just €2.00 (including €0.50 for the reusable card). But because you know, we had quite number of luggage with us plus they were heavy too, we opted for Uber. There is no issue in getting an Uber cause it is available throughout the city. From where we stayed in Lisbon straight to the airport, the Uber fare was €6.45 - it's relatively affordable cause we don't have to go through the hassle of changing station. 

FLYING TO BARCELONA WITH TAP PORTUGAL

#1: Barcelona, wait for me!

To date, there are three airlines serve direct flight from Lisbon to Barcelona; Vueling, TAP Portugal and Iberia. I have yet to experience any of these three airlines before but after taking into consideration, I chosen to fly with TAP Portugal cause I found its flight schedule suits my preferred time. Initially the basic fare was €90.91 but after include 40kg additional baggage, the average airfare per passanger was about €100.57 (approx. to RM498.58). I have to admit it wasn't cheap but that's the one and only option available. 

#2: Light meals were served during the flight including the Portuguese egg tart.

TO CITY CENTER FROM BARCELONA AIRPORT

We took Aerobus A1 (a shuttle bus service) from airport to the area we're staying in Barcelona. A single trip costs €5.90 whereas a return ticket costs 10.20 which must use within 15 days. We bought the ticket from the kiosk and it accepts both cash and credit card. From Barcelona Airport, the Aerobus A1 makes a total of 4 stops - Plaça Espanya, Gran Via - Urgell, Plaça Universitat, and finally Plaça de Catalunya. But because Plaça Espanya (this is where we stayed) doesn't seem to be the popular and common stop, the bus driver didn't have the intention to stop and we missed our stop. By the time I realised it, immediately I pressed the bell and the bus stopped at third bus stop from our original stop. Ended up we need to walk for more than 20 minutes instead of less than 10 minutes. I think it's wise to let the bus driver know where you intend to stop cause majority of the visitors prefer to stop at Plaça de Catalunya only.

#3: Aerobus A1 from Barcelona Airport to downtown

STAYING IN BARCELONA

For the first-timer to Barcelona, it makes sense to be located as close to the downtown. The major sites such as the Old City areas like Las Ramblas give immediate access to the city's transportation hub and plenty of places to visit on foot. But similar to Lisbon, the closest to city center, the hefty its price tag to be. Therefore I chosen to book and stay in Plaza Espana area. 

#4: Hostal LK Barcelona nearby Plaza Espana area

Although Hostel LK Barcelona might sounds like a hostel, but they do have a room attached with a private bathroom. Another plus point why I tend to choose this cause there is an elevator within the building. Another best feature of this accommodation is Espanya, Hostafrancs and Tarragona Metro Stations are within 5 minutes’ walk. When I check-in at the reception, I was served by a friendly Korean guy. The only downside - there's a small kitchen with fridge, microwave and kettle on the top floor but then, the guests unable to cook. So if you plan to cook, then this hostel might not suitable for you. 

Hostal LK Barcelona
Date Stayed: 13 October to 16 October 2018 (3 night)

Room Rate: €80.50 (approx. to RM400.50) per night for a room with three single bed attached with private bathroom (Booked via Agoda)

In case you notice my recent style of blogging where I would like to compile each city or even a single country I visited into a single blog post, but for this Barcelona I think it deserves a single post for each of its unique and magnificent top rated tourist attractions I witness with my own naked eye. Hence for this post, I will blog shortly and briefly regarding the surroundings of where I stayed first. 

PLAZA ESPANA & SURROUNDING

Though Plaza Espana (Plaça d'Espanya) is one of the most important squares and iconic image of Barcelona and yet, I don't find it as crowded as other major areas of Barcelona. The area is relatively quiet and peaceful and I'm absolutely no regrets for choosing to book at this area. There are two-three mini supermarkets, a laundry, a local market, a handful of numerious restaurants and cafe and not forgetting to mention a huge mall which only footsteps away from where we stayed. 

#5: Plaza Espana (Plaça d'Espanya)

If you are interested to visit Plaza Espana, I would recommend to come here before sunset cause there is fantastic display of water, light and music at night. However, this free music and light show will only performs on certain evenings. For more info, do check out here. 

#6: Las Arenas de Barcelona - a shopping complex with 360 degrees rooftop view of the city on the top


#7: Anyone are huge fans of FC Barcelona?


#8: A local supermarket where my mom and I got our breakfast here


#9: The most satisfying dinner - Asia food is life!

How To Get To Plaza Espana (Plaça d'Espanya)

Metro: España (Red Line - L1 or Green Line - L3)

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For the next post, get ready for Gaudi's extraordinary masterpiece


Previous Posts on My UK & Europe Trip - October 2018

• Autumn in UK & Europe (Sneak Peek)
• A Repeat Trip To London With Oman Air
• 2 Days in Porto, Portugal
• Keep Safe & Stay Vigilant When Visiting Lisbon, Portugal
• Pena Palace of Sintra, Portugal

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Pena Palace of Sintra, Portugal

"To beat the crowds is by getting there early - the rule of thumb for visitors."

On our second day in Lisbon, we woke up pretty early in the hope of catching the earliest train to Sintra. Our main highlight of the day is to visit Pena Palace (Palacio Nacional da Pena), one of the finest tourist attractions in Portugal and exemplifies the 19th century Romanticism style of architecture. Definitely must-go when in Portugal. 

HOW TO GET TO PENA PALACE FROM LISBON 

Pena Palace is doable as a day trip, although the journey from Lisbon to Sintra might be slightly long. Hence, it's advisable to start your day trip as early as possible. In Lisbon, we head to Rossio Railway Station. You can reach Rossio Railway Station by taking metro under blue/green line and align at Rossio Metro Station. To pay for the journey from Lisbon to Sintra, you can use Viva Viagem card and a single fare costs €2.25. The train runs every 30 minutes and it takes approximately 40 minutes to reach Sintra. 

Reaching Sintra Railway Station, turn right after getting out from the station and there is a bus stop 100 meters down the road. Catch the 434 tourist bus heading to Pena National Palace, the National Palace and the Moorish Palace, which operates on a hop-on and hop-off system. The bus ticket can be bought on board. You can opt for a single trip of €6.90 or daily tourist ticket of €15. Align at second stop for Pena Palace (the first stop is for the Moorish Palace). 

From the park entrance where the bus drop the passenger, one need to hike up to the Pena Palace and I found it quite challenging especially for my mom. Hence, we decided to queue up for shuttle bus and it's not free. A return trip costs €3 for each of us and the ticket can only buy from the ticket office. 

Here's the summary of the total cost for return trip from Lisbon to Pena Palace of Sintra:

Destinations	€
Intendente ® Rossio Metro Station	2.90
Rossio ® Sintra Railway Station	4.50
Tourist Bus 434	6.90
Park entrance ® Pena Palace via shuttle bus	3.00
	17.30

Now, let's us start to discover and explore Pena Palace, shall we?

The exterior of the Pena Palace is utterly stunning and colourful - the terraces are vividly painted with mixture of yellow and red colour and decorative blue tiles in the middle. And seeing each and every details throughout the palace, now I know why this palace deserves to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of Portugal. 

Being one of the most magnificent palaces in the world, no surprises Pena Palace draws millions of visitors flock to Sintra solely just to witness this with their own eyes. Due to this, expect it to be incredibly busy especially in the peak season. So, either arrive early as possible or 2-3 hours before the closing time cause in between 10am to 12pm, there's the time where couch tours arrive. Don't believe? Browse the two photos as below. The crowd was madly insane when we're there. 

Despite the cloudy weather (cause photos eventually would look nicer with a clear blue sky), I still found Pena Palace is absolutely impressive and fascinating. Out of so many palaces I ever visited, I can claim that Pena Palace is to be one of my most favourite besides the Peles Castle in Romania. 

Because the food options at the palace is expensive and very limited, therefore we opt to dine-in at Sintra town center. We hopped back to the tourist bus 434 using the ticket we bought earlier and drop of at Sintra town center. 

ENTRANCE FEE FOR PENA PALACE
There are two types of entrance fee for Pena Palace:
1) Palace and Park Ticket - €14.
This allows entry to the Parque de Pena grounds, the terraces surrounding the palace and the staterooms. We bought this initially but because of the freaking long queue, we miss out from visiting the staterooms. What a waste!

2) Park - €7.50
The Park ticket provides entry to the Parque de Pena and the terraces. Majority of the visitors choose to buy this ticket because the main highlight are the colourful terraces and decorative battlements.

You can even buy from their official website (here) to beat the long queue. 

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