Mezquita, Cordoba

Declared a World Heritage Site, The Mezquita is a fusion of Caliphate art and Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque styles found in the Christian Cathedral, built inside the Mosque.

Archaeological remains of the ancient Visigoth basilica of San Vicente which the Mezquita was built on.

Alternating brick and stone(red and biege) arches

Together with more than 850 granite, jasper and marble columns

Create a dazzling visual effect

Mihrab (prayer niche) with its worn flagstones where pilgrims circled a gilt copy of the Koran seven times on their knees.

Skylight above the Mihrab.

Chapel of Villaviciosa has stunning multi-lobed arches.

Choir vault.

Churrigueresque stalls

Italianate dome of the Cathedral.

Sculptures at the main altar

Patio de los Naranjos where orange trees grow in the courtyard.

Cloister

Torre del Alminar (bell tower) is built on the site of the original minaret.

The magnificent Mezquita viewed from Puente Romano over the Rio Guadalquivir.  The bridge still rests on its original Roman foundations.

Love Chains

Have you ever dreamt of a romantic date in Paris?

A love that makes you so weak in the knees that you would have to struggle just to walk.

But love has to be in time not forgetting on time.

So wait no longer girls, slip into those stilettos and run to love!

The back of the watch locket.

Like a tiny seed that blooms into the most beautiful flower, so must we grow our love with tender loving care cos the rose belongs to us and none other.

Let us not forget that whatever happens only love remains the same.

So remember your loved ones by putting a picture of them in this antiqued bronze heart locket and wear it close to your heart.

Make it all about love this Valentine’s Day, two hearts beating as one…

Hope you have enjoyed my little love tribute – from me to you!

Happy Valentines’s Day

Alhambra – Part II

The Generalife was constructed to be the recreation area of the Kings of Granada.  It includes the lower gardens, the Palace of the Generalife and the upper gardens.

The lower gardens.

Patio de la Acequia (Court of the Water Channel).

The cypress tree at Patio de la Sultana (Court of the Sultana).

Patio de la Sultana (Court of the Sultana) was a secret meeting place for the wife of the Sultan and her lover.

Palacio de Carlos V

The circular interior.

Other buildings in the Alhambra compound are the Church of Santa Maria and the baths of the Mosque.

Church of Santa Maria

Star-shaped skylights in the Mosque’s baths.

Alhambra – Part I

The Alhambra complex includes the Nasrid Palaces, the 13th century Alcazaba, Partal, Generalife and the Palacio Carlos V.

It was built when the Nasrid dynasty ruled Granada using modest materials of tiles, plaster and timber but with superb workmanship.

Tickets can be bought online and preferably so as there is a limited number on sale per day.  Ticket cost euro14.30 and can be collected at any La Caixa terminal(there is one opposite the Catedral along Gran Via) once you arrived in Granada.  Entrance is only allowed at 8.15am which is just enough time for a walk to the Nasrid palaces which opens at 8.30am.

The Nasrid Palaces is a construction of three palaces built in different periods – Mexuar Palace, Comares Palace and Palace of the Lions.

Mexuar-Oratory

Little archway leading out to the patio of the Comares Palace

Facade of the Comares Palace

Patio de Arrayanes (Court of Myrtle) where the hedges are lined with myrtles and a pond which captures the reflection of the palaces beautifully.

Honeycomb dome of the Sala de dos Hermanas (Hall of the Two Sisters)

Intricate carvings on the walls in the Sala Dos Hermanas.

Looking out at the Patio de los Leones (Court of the Lions).

Patio de los Leones.

Slender marble columns at Patio of the Leones.

Exterior of Sala de Abencerrajes (Hall of the Abencerrages) which is currently closed for upgrading works.

Palacio del Partal, the Alhambra’s oldest palace.

Five-arched portico of the Partal.

Alcazaba is one of the oldest parts in the Alhambra and the military area of the complex.

Plaza de las Armas.

Torre de la Vela (The Watch-Tower)

Hotel Santa Isabel la Real

A charming little restored house from the XVI century tucked away on the narrow cobbled streets of the Albaicin neighborhood, Santa Isabel welcomes travelers in quaint Andalusian style with helpful staff to boot.

The hotel entrance which is cut into the wall with just enough feet room for you to hop-on to make way for oncoming cars.  Yes, that’s how narrow the streets are!

Sign on the other side of the door warning the same.  No kidding!

Hotel Santa Isabel

Convento de Santa Isabel.

This is where the buses stop(where the white car is parked).  Get off here and walk back up the street.  The hotel is right next it though like us, you would probably miss it the first time due to its unassuming front. From the city centre you can take the red minibus line 31 along the Gran Via-Catedral to get here.  The red minibus 32 to Alhambra(takes about 20 minutes) stops here as well making it super convenient.

Check -in is at the small room right behind the pillar on the left.

Patio

Quaint lounge decors

On the upper level.

Super cosy and romantic room ambience.

Comes with a lounge.

Also a dining area.

Unique toiletries.

Buffet breakfast is included in the room rates.  Though the selection is not very wide their croissants are absolutely delicious – soft and fragrant.

I just love their croissants(the reason why there’s only one left on the tray!).

It is just ten minutes walking distance to the city centre(assuming you don’t get lost along the way!  Trust me, every street will look the same if you don’t pay attention) and about five minutes to Mirador San Nicolas.  Along the way you will see neighborhoods with white houses called Carmenes.

Some even with beautiful flower arrangements outside their windows.

Stunning sunset view of the Alhambra from Mirador San Nicolas.

So book early to avoid disappointment as it only has 11 rooms in total.  You will love it as we did.

Note: Inter-city bus tickets can be bought in the bus itself and comes in a booklet of 7 tickets for euro7 whereby euro2 is refundable when the card is returned at the end of your stay.

Tea Room by Bel Jee

The TeaRoom is located at Ground Floor, Wisma Volkswagen, Lorong Maarof.  It closes quite early though at 6.30pm on weekdays and 2pm on Saturdays.  No business on Sundays and public holidays.  I believed this establishment is set up mainly to cater to the working lunch crowd and individual personalized cake orders.

I was piqued by their many interesting cupcake themes.

The Angry Bird phenomenon now in cupcakes!

36 pieces mini cupcakes budget version(RM65)with one red bird and garden theme.

Mind having some tea?

Mars bar cheesecake which is quite good actually.

The same goes for their Brownies

Latte anyone?

Upcoming Raya Themed

Verdict: Be prepared that the cupcakes are only basic butter cakes and nothing spectacular or out of this world.  What they are selling here is mostly the concept and not the cakes itself.  They sit very nicely in a room though and are a sure-fire attention grabber if you are holding a birthday party or a themed event.

Levain Boulangerie-Patisserie

Stone Oven & The Crowd

A colonial-style bungalow lot converted into a French-inspired bakery and cafe appealing mostly to the uber chic crowd.  Bread and pastries are baked using natural yeast, in a traditional stone oven which supposedly imparts a unique flavour and texture.

The quaint cafe  commands a steady stream of patrons at all hours throughout the day and all days throughout the week!

At the cashier

Airy interior with high ceilings and an insatiable crowd.

Bartlett Strawberry Tart (RM4.90).  Just the look of it will make you order two instead of one!  That’s what happened to us.

Caramel Nut Danish (RM4.20).  Crispy pastry topped with a generous amount of macadamia, walnut and cashew nuts.

Our absolute favourite – Mushroom Cream Pasta.   At RM9.90 it’s really a steal and well worth every cent of it.  If you have to choose only one item from Levain this is the one.

Macaroons supposedly are their best selling item but we didn’t try any cos we are not fans of the little sandwich wafer.  They looked very colorful for the camera though.

Some help on how to order cakes and macaroons.

Levain cakes are a bit on the pricey side given their minutiae sizes.

Criollo Arabica(RM9.00).  Layer of sponge soaked in espresso ganache and coffee buttercream.

Chocolate Tiramisu which sadly doesn’t come in slices.

More cakes to feast your eyes on.

The bread table

Soft and fragrant walnut bread(RM3.00)

Do also try the maple syrup bread which sold out before we managed to get our hands on it!

Verdict: If you are into breads, The Loaf bakes much more fragrant breads.  If however, you are a cake person, for the same price tag or slightly more you can get better cakes elsewhere.

A Stroll in Coloane

After the busy and thriving Macau mainland, a visit to the quiet little village of Coloane is most welcoming.  You’ll hardly see any villagers walking around this town contributing thus to a dead town feel.  You can do your jumping pose or lie down in the middle of the streets and not be worried about getting mowed down by cars and trucks!

Quiant village

 

Laidback waterfront

Houses on stilts

Dried salted fish in a row

Head down to the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier located at the Church Square facing the seaside promenade. Built in 1928, the classic Portuguese baroque-style chapel enshrines some of the most sacred relics of Christian in Asia.

The popular Korean TV drama “The Princess Hours” was shot here.

The monument in front of the chapel was erected to commemorate the victory over the pirates in Coloane in 1910.

But the best thing of all – Lord Stow’s bakery is found here!  Looks slightly rundown but selling the best of the best egg tarts which costs MOP8 a piece.  Personally,  I prefer Lord Stow’s egg tarts as the caramelized top is done more fragrantly than Margaret’s.

The signature Portuguese egg tarts have caramelized sugar on top that gives the slightly burnt, golden brown colour. The warm, crispy and fluffy puff pastry containing the not-so-sweet eggy, creamy filling satiate your tastebuds to the max.

p/s:  Lord Stow’s can also be found inside the Venetian.

House Of Dancing Water

Macau’s most expensive HK$2 billion theatrical  “The House Of  Dancing Water” opened late last year at the City of Dreams lets you marvel at their superbly crafted water stunts and high-wire acrobatics guaranteed to capture your senses.

Dancing waters.  Photo taken by my sister as I realised later on that I’ve mostly taken snapshots of the cast but none of the water itself!  Haha

The talented cast.

Happy ending!  Riding off to the moon……

p/s. Try not to get tickets to the first three rows of the theatre as the possibility of water raining on you and your equipment(if you are an avid photographer)is extremely high unless you are thinking of bringing your brolly along.

The Venetian Macao Resort Hotel

After hearing some friends gushed about this establishment we were all decided on this hotel.

Outside facade of the luxurious hotel

The opulent interior – lobby and colonnade

Our booking of one Royale Suite with one king bed was upgraded to a Bella Suite with two queen beds upon check-in.  In case you are wondering how a Bella Suite looks like – it’s a split unit level room.  Simply awesome!

The room is so spacious and comfortable that I would have willingly spend the whole day in the room doing nothing if we weren’t that tight with our programs and schedules.  Haven’t slept in such a super soft and comfy bed before.  You just don’t want to get out of that bed!

And let’s not even start on the bathroom.  It’s definitely bigger than my room!

Shower room, make-up room, separate toilet cubicle all roll into one big room ala a walk-in bathroom.

Venetian surrounding grounds.

The shopping mall within the Venetian with canals, gondolas and man-made blue blue skies

Beautiful balconies

Not forgetting St Mark’s Square.  We are in Venice after all!

And St Mark’s clocktower.