冬天·旅行

初冬，雨。

今年的伦敦，进入冬天很久了，却还没有下雪。是有一点奇怪。

但是，天气依然寒冷。

学期已经结束了三天，等待的是冬季的旅行。一直以来，都很喜欢旅行，虽然很累，你却能看到很多网上，书上都描写不到的景色，心情，和思绪。

就好比，夏季时的布拉格(Prague)，那下过雨后，凌晨五点早上的日出；春季的挪威(Norway)，在400米高的山上，眺望着整个Bergen市镇(Travel in Norway)。

还有，夏季的罗马，在竞技场(Colosseum)里感受着2000年前，Gladiator的呐喊。

这一次的旅行，又会是怎么样的呢？

幸福童话

你相信童话吗？

今天，竟然，在现实里，看见童话。

一个飞上枝头变凤凰，不爱江山爱美人的圆满绝局，得到了全世界的祝福与爱戴。

原以为，在家里看看网上直播就好。没想到，在现场看，那感觉，就像花儿飘落，浪漫情怀涌心头。满城洋溢着幸福的气氛。

目睹了太多的市侩，太多的真实，太多的虚伪，心灵，似乎偷望到，那最后一丝的相信。

当你看见Kate Middleton 坐在马车上，微笑着挥手时，好像遇到一个妙龄少女，因为没有怀疑过《灰姑娘》，而最终坐上了南瓜车，穿上了玻璃鞋。

当你看见Prince William坐在马车上，偶尔害羞，偶尔大方地招一招手，又似乎遇到了一个少了份王族骄纵的大男孩，因为相信爱情里的童话，而最终夺得美人归。

一个再也普通不过的星期五早晨，今天，变得特别不一样。

望见，一大群的百姓，挤破头也要去见证这场世纪大婚礼，好像看到，大家心中，散发出那仍然相信美好和奇迹的童真。

我们是否记起了那份纯真？

我们是否记起了那个真挚？

我们是否记起了那场感动？

很多时候，每隔一段时间，我们都需要这些童话式的故事上演。不是逃避现实，而是还现实，一份犹存的信仰。

那躲在心坎处，一个依旧爱上美丽，爱上幸福，爱上童话的信仰。

离开白金汉宫(Buckingham Palace)的那一刻，若隐若现中，看到了米奇老鼠和唐老鸭(Mickey Mouse and Donald's Duck) 手舞足蹈地欢呼。

一个迪斯尼式的童话，造就了一段郎才女貌的佳话。

梦幻的结局，亦是甜蜜的开始。

现在的你，相信童话了吗？

挪威之旅-感想篇

询众要求，就撰写一下，一篇华文的挪威感想录。=p

一个北欧国家，人烟稀少，却隐藏着诸多宝藏。这一次的背包旅行，不仅开了眼界，也拓了胸怀。

原以为，长达7小时的火车，和8小时的巴士，会浪费许多时间，而无法走遍挪威。可是，往往有时候，意想不到的事情会发生。

在来回30个小时的行程里，我看见了挪威最美的一面。有急流，有小溪，有杉树，也有雪山。梦幻似的景色，尽收眼底。

所以说，塞翁失马，焉知非福。这句话，恰恰应了这一次的旅行。

外国人有一句，“The best thing in life is free”。那些山水画，那些文化，和那里的历史，就像漫画里的神话，慢慢的平静你的心，同时却也让你感到惊心动魄。

一个人的行走，免不了多了丝孤寂。夜色降临，只剩下街上那橙色的灯，照着那落寞的背影。但，却也有机会遇到很多你没想过会遇到的旅者。

有些，为了梦想，不惜千山万水，走到这里；有些，为了完成自己的学业；有些则，为了履行对家人的承诺。

大家，在背包旅者宿舍里，就好比小小的泡泡，碰撞间，分享了你我的心路旅程，然后隔天早上，大家又继续赶路了。短暂了些，却也灿烂。

这一次的背包旅行，不仅开了眼界，也拓了胸怀。

谈到梦想，看见人家活出自己，心里满是羡慕。

深沉的想一想，打个比喻，为什么我们需要足够的睡眠？那是因为，我们需要足够的发梦时间，来抒发一天的烦恼。

在现实里的我们，没有梦想，摘周星驰的一句话，就和一条咸鱼没有分别。有了梦想，才不会被现实里的市侩和虚伪所吞噬。

有如图画里的美景，有时候，要远眺，风景才会美丽。太多的眼前和短期的利益，会造成近视。

爱上挪威，不仅仅是那景色，也是因为她给予的视野，才发现，我是一个爱说故事的旅者。

摄于@Bergen, Norway

Re-define breathtaking

This time, it all started with a bus journey.

The 8-hour bus trip was very bored and tiring, and i took back my words when I witnessed the beauty of the fjords, the valleys and the rapids. I passed by two fjords, on the way to the youth hostel, which is located at the world most beautiful fjord, (at least recognized by the UNESCO World Heritage Site la).

The Geiranger Fjord.

Sognefjord, the longest and deepest in Norway, is such an amazing gift crafted by the Almighty. I have to take a 20minutes ferry, passing by some of the small villages around. Plus as I moved up north, I arrived at the Nordfjord as well. Nord-it means North in Norwegian language. Stunningly beautiful!

Photographed @Nordfjord, Norway.

As I was getting closer to the Geiranger Fjord, it seemed like I was entering the world of Narnia. The quiet town, with only at most 5 cottages around; the pine trees and of course the gigantic mountain ranges.

At last, I arrived at Hellesylt, the small town with no more than 620 people, surrounded by icy and snowy mountains, as well as the scary waterfalls. I was rather disappointed as I got to know that the ferry service to the heart of the Geiranger fjord will only be starting on the 1st of May.

However, unexpected things occurred. The hostel owner, who is a German, decided to bring me to a spot where I can see the Geiranger from afar. On the way, we shared our stories, like how I came over to London all the way from Malaysia, and he told me about him being a chef in Bangalore, India, as well as a data processing clerk in Germany.

Finally, we reached the nicest spot. And, I was like a 5-year-old kid, jumping and yipee-yeye-yipee-yipee-ye-ing around. I couldn't believe the great and magnificent view displayed in front of me. I was totally in awe of it.

I couldn't thank him enough for driving me towards that place. It wasn't his duty anyway. But, he just said one thing.

I was there once. I was young before.

He then closed his palms and wished me Namestei, a Nepalese greeting which means "I appreciate the God in you". A great Samaritan indeed.

Then the next morning, at the youth hostel, I met up with a pair of couples from Belgium. Both of them are avid photographers. They even use the camera from the 50s and 60s, which needs to use a black cloth to cover and wash the negatives in the dark room. The girl drove all the way up from Brussels, to Copenhagen and then to Stockholm. From there she took a ferry to Norway and drove all the way to Geiranger.

I was so impressed with the passions they have. But they said that,

One nice picture is the greatest reward for our trip.

Wise words indeed.

I also met up with a German girl with her family. She is under the Erasmus exchange programme, from a university in Germany to Norway. We also shared some of our stories as well. Not forgetting about the Dutch high school leaver, who knows 6 languages, on a backpacking trip to travel in Norway, because she is going to work in one of the hotels in Norway soon. She told me about the psychology disorder-Oedipus Complex.

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As the trip was coming to an end, I did some self-reflections. When we see people who actually take some timeouts in their life to pursue their passions, we get inspired. But why are we still doing the same mundane jobs and keep complaining, yet we don't dare to take a step out from the vicious cycle.

To live your life, is the easiest, yet the hardest thing to do at the same time.

When we are going for a better self, don't forget about the true self that resides in your soul and mind.

Photographed @Geiranger Fjord, Norway.

Memento of Norway 2

It all started in the train.

The Oslo-Bergen railway is arguably the most beautiful train journey in the world. It passes through different altitudes of the mountain ranges. It even reaches about 1222m above sea level, the highest point of the railway system, Finse. The gradual changes of the scenery outside the window gives an inexplicable satisfaction and amazement, to a city guy like me.

The lakes, the cottages, the fjords and the snow. Oh, and the rapids. They are like the most wonderful receptionists of Norway, welcoming the tourists to the unpolluted and untouched nature.

A 7 hours train journey photographed those nature sites into an eternal memory.

And, to a person who loves to try out local delicacies, it's quite surprising that the youth hostel actually serves herrings and salmons, with 4 types of dressings for you to choose. Mustard, Tomato Salsa, Sour Juice and Caviar.(Caviar, peeps!)

Not forgetting also the self-made yoghurt, tasted like a light strawberry milkshake; and the scrumptious brown cheese+ strawberry jam. Suffice to say all these made a good start for my first morning in the town of Bergen.

The tour around Bergen gives you a sense of venturing into the hidden countryside town. I just couldn't find the right vocabulary to describe the quaint and unique houses on the hillside, as well as the small and quiet lanes around. They are just, so different from what I have seen before in my life. And, the unbelievably weird structures of Bryggen, actually makes me wonder how can such building be ever built?

Plus, looking at the magnificent view of the Bergen town from the top of Mt. Floyen just feel like you have just conquered the small town. At the peak of 322m, I met a father and a son from Denmark, and it was quite a shock that he knew about the Petronas Twin Tower and Malaysia.

We had a great time sharing some of our stories.

He is a seaman. It is now during the Easter weekend, so he brings his son, Alexander to visit Norway, by taking a ferry from Denmark for about 18hours.

Isn't this is like some of the English stories we read when we were young? A sailor who travels to many parts of the world, tells his son about the stunning things that he has been through. I was glad to meet up with him, and we promised that if we ever meet again, we will have Danish pastry and hot chocolate together.

Never knew it was so random and interesting. Before he left, he told me that there are many places in the world which are worth a visit. Remember, if you want something more, you gotta spend more time on it. Such a simple sentence, but with a deep meaning. A wise man indeed.

An instinctive decision to take the cable car up the hill has brought me to such a brief conversation. Life is all about taking calculated risk, and no turning back.

Photographed @Late Evening at Bergen

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And now, we are heading to the Fjords! :)

Memento of Norway 1

"Unexpected things do happen in life. Deal with them and you will see them manifest in a miraculously beautiful way"

I have never tried to go on a solo trip, and this time i was so attracted by the amazing view of the fjords in Norway on the internet, and thus made a spontaneous decision to go up north. It turns out to be an unforgettably exciting trip.

There aren't many people around, as the population is quite scattered. The first person I talked to is a Norwegian old man in the train, asking him about the terminal and direction. And as we chatted, he said to me in a joking manner.

"Boy, you come at the wrong season. The snow has just melted, and the grass hasn't grown yet. So, you will only see the ugly brown lands around. "

He told me he worked for 10 years plus in Australia, as well as in South Africa, and now he is coming back to visit his family in Norway. And soon as we arrived at the terminal, we parted. He wished me good luck in exploring the beauty of Norway, and hoped that i will have a memorable trip.

Sometimes, it's this kind of random chat gives you the strength and warmth to keep your journey going.

Oslo is the capital of Norway, so the city lifestyle is pretty much the same, except that the Aker Brigge harbour is quite pretty, with the boats and cruises around, accompanied by the flock of seagulls, glowing in a soft golden colour during the twilight.

Touring around Oslo without paying a visit to The Scream is like you go to Penang, but not eating the char kuay teow. Edvard Munch painted 4 different versions in his lifetime, and I only got the chance to visit one. The Scream, portrays the deepest fear and dissatisfaction in his body, due to his sad and traumatic childhood and a rather pitiful time when he was old. He even got admitted into a mental hospital before.

Life is about give and take. It's the unbearably painful experience which contributes to his exceptional talents in painting and poems-writing. There's no easy way out to be successful. As I was writing this, the deafening scream seems to transcend across the time and space, to release the heart-wrenching moments in his life.

Photographed @Aker Brigge Harbour

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That's pretty much about Oslo. And, now i will take u guys to the next destination, Bergen.

Of Colosseum and Blue Cave

It's astonishingly majestic. Standing amidst the crowd, you feel like being transported back into the glory past, where you will hear the roars of the beasts, the cries of the gladiators and the shouts of the crowds.

The amphitheatre converges your sights, but diverges your fears. The spirits, courage and thirst for victory seem to transcend time and space, amplifying the unbelievable architecture and history which have survived over the centuries.

So fascinating and impressive!

When the blue reflection and the traditional Capri song meet up, it's like a pair of couple made in heaven, marking the beginning of a mythical story- to be weaved with your magical imagination.

I saw, I gasped, and I kept quiet. A beauty which only nature can provide is definitely a miracle your eyes couldnt miss.

I admired it with my heart, and I got the best picture my mind could think of.

When I was about to leave the cave, I saw the glowing blue, that was when the sun shone into the sea. I silently made a wish-

"How I wish you were here.."

Short Note

Just completed the 20th IYLC in Prague. An exciting ride over the week, and feels great to have met up with so many students from different countries and cultures.

This is a lifetime experience which has certainly transformed me into someone who is more willing to be patient and to be able to appreciate the diversity of culture in humans.

I know a friend, who brought so many Puerto Rico candies.

I know a friend, who gave us the Lucky Chain of Guatemala.

I know a friend, who exposed me to the different English slangs in Wales, Scotland and Manchester.

I know a friend, who taught me about a new word "jancing".

I know a friend, who 'forced' me to learn "Waka-waka".

I know a friend, who knows how to dance Brazilian Samba.

I know a friend, who told me about bogan, white trash/red-neck.

I know a friend, due to her accent, pronounced bundt cake, as 'butt-cake'.

A joyous, memorable and unforgettable week, which will etched in my mind, and be remembered in my heart for eternity.

Stay tuned for more updates on the event.

Updates from Prague

Been here for 4 days. Pretty much settled down and began to mix around with the people.

Havent had much chance to tour around Prague, due to the hectic schedule of the conference. However, I sneaked out occasionally right after the session ended to snap some pictures.

The coolest part is to meet up with students from 37 countries, and you wont even expect to make friends with people from Palestine, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Lebanon and so on.

So far, have been taking part in 3 simulations, namely UN Security Council, International Criminal Court(ICC), and European Parliament. At first I thought those will be easier than science, and now I would say, thanks God that I didnt choose law or similar courses back then.

I just felt sleepy when I was required to read up those directives, proposals and cases. ==

Went for some inspirational talks and met up with the Czech Republic Skoda Auto External Affairs Officer.

Some cool quotes to be shared.

I like stars, I like flowers;

I like rivers, I like anything to do with nature.

I like gentleness, I like courage;

I like acts which show beauty in humans.- Tim Mccartney

Why feedbacks are important?

Our eyes cant see ourselves, our own deeds. We can only see the reflections of what we have on done on others.

It's not wrong. It's just not the coat that suits me.

The strongest of man has the most vulnerable gentleness in him.

Met up with some ambassadors and diplomats. The most interesting part is when the ambassador of Israel and Palestine both see each other in a same occasion.

Went out to try some Czech beers. Tried the Pilsner Urquil. Well, quite bitter, besides that and everything is quite ok.

So far so good. And probably will provide more updates in days to come. =)

花语

爱上花朵, 不是因为她美丽, 而是因为, 花朵能够给予想念的味道; 了解到等待是痛心的美好。

手写意大利－维尼斯篇

答应过要写关于意大利的，是时候了，否则，再拖下去，就没那心情写了。

走进这座城市，有点儿像不小心掉进了时空隧道，在现在与历史之间，徘徊着，而不幸困惑了。

每一座桥，每一条小巷，甚至是每一条河道，都暗地里装载着几百年，几千年的沧桑，等待着人们去发掘。

生活步伐也特别缓慢，似乎是为了配合这里的浪漫情怀，而改变的。不知名的野花，从来都不与其他花朵争艳，却静静地，躺在小巷里展现自己的独特之处。

失去了的轻松和平静，皆能在这里寻找回来。胆敢说一句，＂这里是压力的坟墓＂。

走着走着，走到了一座教堂。带着随意之心，踏了进去。令人惊讶的是，一个个小提琴被展示着。

眼睛被锁着，再也没东张西望。心，却不在焉。思绪飞往一个脑袋不确定，但内心确定的目的地。

我低头。无语。

搭着水上德士到Murano岛，沿着周围的岛屿像守护神般，尽责地看护这海域。冷飕飕的海风，带着雨水，亲吻着我们那憔悴的脸。

哦差点忘了那皇宫！不走进去则已，一走进去，脸庞就只剩那凝固的表情，而把惊叹留下了，不断赞叹着古时候的艺术和智慧。

一幅幅画，都隐藏着那鲜为人知的过去。能够明白的，也想当然屈指可数。

霏霏细雨间，骑上了著名的Gondola。有点儿像龙舟的船，穿插着一些比较小的河道，载着我们去触摸历史的最原始。那船夫，娓娓道出这里的故事－原来维尼斯是建造在水上的城市。

每一个游客，都像从另外一个海域的鱼仔，游进了这一个世外桃源，而不禁忘记现代的世界。

我想，规划维尼斯的人，必定是个浪漫的人，又或者是维纳斯(Venus)女神所派遣的天使。

这里，会让你不自觉地忘记时间的流动。一切，皆是那么完美。

在St. Mark's Square里，让我看见什么是浪漫。在一个不知名的咖啡厅，微微细雨下，手上拿着浓厚的热巧克力，听着钢琴与小提琴的完美合奏。就这样，不慎地被幸福融化了。

当我坐上火车出发到下一站，内心深处，与维尼斯下了个约定。

永远不说再见，只因爱上了她的美丽与浪漫。

The night is Wicked!

Spell-binding! Magically awesome! Amazing plot!

-Peter Phang

Just watched this musical tonight. It's just simply beautifully wicked!

Never expected that The Wizard of Oz is her father. That was a great twist. Similar twist from the book Digital Fortress by Dan Brown. A dad who has forsaken the daughter and fate unites them in a cruel way.

I wont describe much on my blog, so that my readers will have the chance to see for themselves, how amazing the musical could be.

2 weeks in London, and they have been the Weeks of Wicked Phantom. My first musical experience wasn't that good, after watching Avenue Q. Thanks god that I have watched these 2 with proper storyline and stage effect.

Now that I have fallen in love with musicals.

Some nice lines which I still managed to recall after the show,

- Beautifully tragic and Tragically beautiful

- "You dont have what it takes, hope that you will prove me wrong. I doubt you will"

- "You are beautiful." "Don't lie." "I didn't. It's just the different way of seeing things."

- " Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

- Truth is not what behind logics and reasoning. It is something we all agree upon.

A nicely written play which managed to earn standing ovations from the whole crowd. And, honestly, I think that Wicked truly deserved it.

Folks, just go and watch and you will know what am I trying to say.

Some nice songs to share:

Dancing through Life

For Good

I'm Not That Girl

Enjoy! =)

When London Blossoms

Flowers are purely magical. They cast the beauty in your eyes and bring out the happiness in your hearts.

They speak no words, yet you feel the graceful whispers beside your ears. They tell you how romantic is it when the world is full of flowers.

Oh, and the gentle voices are painters! They sketch the scenes in your heads and paint it with the colours of hope and desire.

Flowers are angels in disguise, spreading their wings as petals and guarding the world with the fragrance from heaven.

People once said, "Do listen to the flowers' words, for they lead you to the happiness you have been longing for."

Snow in London

This is a significant event. The first day of snowing. =)

Though tomorrow is my programming test, I still plan to take a break to write this down. It doesnt always happen, anyway. haha.

Christmas break is approaching. I am going to Bath, Birmingham and Manchester for a short vacation. Perhaps, it's time to take a short break, after the treacherous autumn.

So, back to study! Guys and gals, do continue to support my blog. =)

3rd week~~

Time flies. Before I realised, I am now in the 3rd week of my Imperial life. Lectures are still tough, and getting more difficult.

Basically, my daily activities are rushing to uni, study, then rush back to Wilson House and rest. Therefore, there are nothing interesting to be blogged about. LOL

Anyway, there are several updates I would like to post up here.

1. Next week, 31st of Oct, I am going to Nottingham for the Nott Games, while as a spectator or a player, I think it will be known pretty soon.

2. I got an extra 1hour per week math lesson, which I hope it can compensate some of the wasted hours spent on the actual Math lecturer.

3. Today, I went to the Science Museum with a bunch of Malaysians. It's so big and exhilarating to see those scientific experiments and have a glance on those cool and rare pictures. (Much more better than PetroSains in KLCC. And the most important thing is, the admission is FOC! =)

4. First time to practice Lion Dance for the ICUMS. The stunts are not so tough, just that need lots more of practices and patience.

Stay tuned for more updates, people! thanks for supporting my blog~~~=)

*Alert*

Hey people, I am pretty much settled down in Wilson House, which is my hall, located at Sussex Gardens. It is not very far from Imperial, comparing to the journey and distance I have to travelled everyday. To be exact, I need around 27mins to walk across Hyde Park to reach my department.


Well, as what I have read on ZW's blog, I would like to blog about this too. Yesterday night (Monday) was the first ever successful shared dinner ever prepared. The Malaysians (Shari, ZW, me, Shi Yunn, Jialin, Tai...) went to Saintsbury to get the raw materials and sauces, and we decided to cook together.

Here are the menu:

Spicy fried rice: Shi Yunn
Salmon Fish: ZW + Chee Leong
Minced Meat with Egg+ Fried Prawn: me
Vegetables: ZW+ Shari+ Chee leong
Pork Steak: PQ
Salad: Ken

and some pastas and rice...(will upload the pic later on, once i get hold of it)^^

So, though is a very tiring day (have to take tube from Gloucester road back to Wilson), it's really fun to meet all the Malaysians to cook together!

p/s: rushing for uni, ppl, till then =)

Random Pics from London

These are some of the pictures I took in London for the past 2 days. Enjoy=)

London Dreams

IF I were to have the chance to go to London, (it's not wrong to wonder about those nice places, right? lol) these are the 'most-wanted-to-visit' places.

Let's go for the lucky number one!


Trafalgar Square

And, no.2 goes to...


Thames River

Here comes no.3...


Hyde Park


Editor note: These 3 are the most recent dreamed places. Hopefully, they are the recurrent dreams which will turn into reality some days. This post will be edited from time to time. Stay tune for more.

©Luminodreamer

Date with Italy

Well, some times ago, some of my friends have complained that I have not been posting some photos in my blog. My blog seems so dull and bored, as most of my posts are literary articles, political commentaries or philosophical essays.

Therefore, now it's time for me to brighten up my blog. Haha.

I went for ASEAN/Nanyang Scholarship on last Sunday, at JW Marriott KL. So, after the short interview session (about 20-30mins), I went to Pavillion KL to shop. Lol.

At first, I planned to have a Japanese lunch, at Sakae Sushi, however, thinking that I have tried at Sakae Sushi for numerous time, be it at Subang Parade or KLCC, I decided to try something different.

What come into my mind were authentic Mexican or Mediterranean food, but I was afraid that I might not be able to adapt the cooking style, plus Mexico is currently having swine flu..so, in the end, after much consideration, I finally made a decision. An Italian lunch date.

So, basically these are some of the photos I took.


The restaurant- Michelangelo's

Some photos on this restaurant, including the interior part.


Front view


View 1


View 2


View 3


Ok, after indulging yourself in the realm of architectural beauty, it's now time for gastronomic delight!

The Appetizer

Creamy Pumpkin Soup.
With a tiny amount of additional black pepper as spices, and the four little cute garlic bread slices as decoration. An enjoyable moment for the taste buds, indeed!

The Main Course

"Pollo Alla Cacciatiore"-Roasted Whole Leg Chicken with Spaghetti.
The drumstick is roasted with some herbs and somehow overcooked a little, but still delicious and yummy. While for the spaghetti, when combined with the pasta, it's the best food companionship I have ever tasted in an Italian meal.


The Dessert.

Tiramisu with Coffee
Two little slices of strawberry, as beautiful toppings on the creamy white cake, bring out the tastiness of the cake and the chocolate powder. The coffee, serves as the final touch-up for today meal.


And guess what, the whole meal, with service charge and government tax included, not to mention the peaceful environment and some melodius jazz songs, costs you only *RM 34.40!!

So people, if u have the time and leisure, just pay a visit to this restaurant.

I will blog about the interview later on another post. =)

*It's a promotion price. Not too sure if u may get such price on later date.

Today's Travel: Prague, Czech Republic- Where history and culture meet

Dobrý den( "Good day" or "hello" in Czech)

Welcome back to Today's Travel, my friends. Today, I will bring you guys to Prague.

A historical city which was under the "iron curtain" of Soviet Union for the past decades, now has transformed herself to be one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. A terminal for the history and the culture to meet. Have some cool pics to share over here...enjoy..^^


Vltava river


Charles Bridge


Prague Castle at night


St.Vitus Cathedral


The Astronomical Clock


Milunić and Gehry's Dancing House


Wenceslas Square and National Museum at night.