tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-301317502024-02-22T04:24:38.956+11:00Things that close to heartcrystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.comBlogger181125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-6067888303129445802011-02-06T01:41:00.001+11:002011-02-06T01:47:31.529+11:00Accommodation review # 3 Soi 18 (near the ASOK station)I dragged my only luggage along the Sukhumvit Road (I can almost pronounced it now…). I said goodbye to N during the skytrain trip. I passed the Emporium and the queen’s park.  Memories came up like old movies only this time I’m here alone physically and mentally as well. photo from Baan Sukhumvit Soi 18 website I should have got off the skytrain one stop earlier as I found Soi 18 is onlycrystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-37162642535072455982011-01-28T19:53:00.000+11:002011-01-28T20:09:45.450+11:00Accommodation review #2 Dhevan Dara Resort And Spa 華欣住宿My friend, Jr, the expert of Thailand, suggests the place and I really appreciate his idea! It is about 13K away from the city centre of Hua Hin but the trip worth it! Hua Hin is a place where the Thai Royal family enjoy their retreat from the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. N is my travelling companion for the 5-hr journey by train from Bangkok. We met at the central station (the local doesn’t crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-4830740453015311782011-01-27T02:49:00.012+11:002011-01-27T14:30:54.275+11:00Home away from home_my review over the accomodation in ThailandI met this cheerful Brit couple over the breakfast table at Be my guest B&B. They asked me how I learned this place among all the various places in different styles and scales for travelers. I told them I did my research via tripadviser. Apparently, they got their resources from the same website, too. Then there came another newly-wed couple to join our breakfast chat. They, too, did their crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-7454196560744462222010-11-28T12:27:00.003+11:002010-11-28T12:48:13.152+11:00Disappointed, but I still believe in CHANGEDad was pretty positive about the outcome before the election day but I've never optimistic about the election. Still, was a bit disappointed about the outcome.The people's choice does not necessary means everyone's choice.However I'm very proud that at least one side of the party practice the value of democracy. Be they the winner or the loser, they honor the democratic value. They accept the crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-17749096058353103902010-04-04T17:36:00.000+10:002010-04-04T17:40:38.805+10:00希望台灣也有一個Hallmark-online shopping at 全日照文創在這個只寫email的世界裏,收到卡片的機會真是越來越少了.住在鄉下想挑個有點質感的卡片更是不容易.好幾次在拍賣上找尋專門賣卡片的商家,不是構圖太幼稚,要不就是太制式. 總不要為了買張卡片跑到台北去吧?! 找到了全日照文創,買卡片就輕鬆多了!!而且我喜歡他們的題材選擇,不是大山大海(當然那也沒什麼不好),而是巷弄中的街景,或是很有台灣風味的植物寫真,若能再多開發一些具備台灣特色的題材文具,那就更棒了 我這次訂了他們的199 package,收到包裹時有些驚喜呢!! 很質樸的手感加上認真的筆畫,很喜歡:-)  打開以後也是很精緻的包裝. 我買了這些卡片   唯一讓我不是很滿意的一張是這一張 總覺得那一行斜斜的中文怎麼看就怎麼破壞版面… 這一張真的不是很讓我喜歡…:-(crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-84040188213063999002010-02-16T21:49:00.000+11:002010-02-16T21:52:08.434+11:00Romantic memory from PrahaIt has been a year since my last trip to Praha. I love the streets, the people(most of them) and some of the most interesting shops there. A happy Valentine’s day for couples married or not.   crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-17699268392216672522010-02-13T14:00:00.001+11:002010-02-13T14:00:30.155+11:00Travelers 'must –a world clock Love this little app. It’s a handy way to get the time right when you are on-the-go, that is if you have easy access to the internet. Gosh how much I miss traveling…   crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-66872764196389969902010-02-12T04:16:00.001+11:002010-02-12T04:16:09.793+11:00FACEBOOK讓單身者難過啊….別再加我了!!大家都在瘋FACEBOOK,我其實覺得有點無聊 剛開始都是現在同事們加來加去,偶而互推和教學有關的NETWORK, 直到寒假開始,我的FACEBOOK才開始有點動作. 首先是斷線好幾年的J在FACEBOOK上加了我.接著無意中發現tag J的一大票過去的同學. 然後住隔壁巷的T居然沒被我在巷子裏遇到,卻在FACEBOOK裏被她發現到了… 然後是S再來是發現以前相當受不了的A也在裏頭. 偶而來個斷線好幾年的朋友建議我加X…. 我的天啊…. 我一點都不想看到那些已有著笑嘻嘻小學年紀大的小孩的家庭照.我對同學們的記憶還停留在…那個相當久遠的日子.有幾回我觀察了許久才稍稍記起過去的這些同學們的長相與談吐… FACEBOOK對單身者太刺激了嘛!!難怪我的某位朋友說他才不想上FACEBOOK被加來加去.. 突然因此想到那年在澳洲時被討論了很久的新聞: 若那些加了我的朋友們crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-5178559971454865772010-01-02T01:05:00.001+11:002010-01-02T01:06:08.482+11:00This is still an active blog….Hello, 2010!!So it has been almost 5 months since my last post!! What have I been doing? I get 16 sessions per week this semester but I’m still busy as a bee!! While everyone was celebrating the end of 2009 I was staring at my laptop working on my final test design. Those days of staying up for parties, celebrating new year with friends and millions of strangers in front of Taipei City Hall seems soooo farcrystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-15507889351094985422009-08-14T21:56:00.001+10:002009-08-14T21:58:51.118+10:00Get to and from Changi airportThough I stayed in Singapore for one day only, I still managed to spend most of my money before going home. The things is I actually have to open my wallet, carefully count the coins and 2 dollar notes one by one to make sure I have enough money for shuttle bus fare. Then I realized that taking MRT is a much sensible choice of traveling. Singapore MRT website is pretty user friendly.  crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-3119263925241663702009-08-14T02:09:00.000+10:002009-08-14T02:10:54.805+10:00How do you define good service? My stay in the Matraa backpacker hostel, SingaporeI booked the airport shuttle bus service on arrival to Singapore in late hours. It has been 10 years since my last visit to Singapore and I wonder if things have changed a lot. Airport shuttle bus service is in fair price(9 SGD P/P) and easily accessible in the airport lobby. The city-country is still as sparkling as ever in the evening yet I can't help feeling lonely. I think this would be my crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-29743619203989399292009-08-14T01:41:00.000+10:002009-08-15T01:41:56.627+10:00Cute postal service car and tax refund退稅這件事我一向懶得辦,不過這次在新加坡忍不住手癢意外的買了幾件衫.想想不如去試試退稅一下,退下來的零錢去買些文具也不錯!! 在新加坡只要購買100元新幣就可以請商家開退稅單.然後在離境前於機場辦理退稅. 由於退稅時有可能會被要求出具購買商品,因此在打包行李時要記得把購得的商品放在好取得的地方.我就看到一個大男生手忙腳亂的翻找行李箱內,實在有點窘迫啊!! 整個退稅流程不超過8分鐘,算是很簡便. 你可以選擇將退稅金額退至信用卡或以現金退稅,不過對只退15元的我,還是拿現金好用吧?!拿著15元新幣走到轉角就花掉了,15元剛好可以買一本早就想買的Stieg Larsson小說第二集:-)在新加坡買比澳洲便宜吔? 真奇怪.   在大廳裏發現這個可愛的郵政車,很有新加坡的感覺,什麼都亮晶晶的!這個郵政車有賣明信片(可惜選擇只有6種),郵票,車頭前還有個郵筒可以crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-17387553861558525132009-07-24T14:56:00.001+10:002009-07-24T14:56:33.940+10:00Formosa betrayed被出賣的台灣....會有機會在台灣看到嗎?偶然之間在雲的痕跡發現Formosa Betrayed新的預告片.實在很想看這部片子,但我是很懷疑這部片子.會/能.進到台灣.這不合當權者的調吧?!   Technorati 的標籤:Formosa betrayed,被出賣的台灣,電影,228事件 crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-47021659109497164572009-07-04T17:57:00.000+10:002009-07-04T18:01:42.679+10:00The quiet side of Praha- VysehradThis is a journal late for 6 months. I thought I'll never forget my days in Praha but apparently memory subsides with or without your consent. So I'd better start writing down things I still remember. Leaving the hustle and bustle Praha city behind, I found my way to where everything started in Praha, Vysehrad. It took me a while to find the right direction. Police were everywhere on that daycrystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-81133100887964655132009-05-26T00:12:00.004+10:002009-05-26T00:51:56.115+10:00fighting against the depressionThis is the third week.I'm healthy, was recognized in some small way, usually optimistic, and my life have been going pretty smoothly. Just cleared up my debt from study abroad and managed to travel to exotic places by myself. I was confident, happy, resourceful and yet here I am struggling to pull myself together for nearly 3 weeks so far.It started with that damn workshop. I was wrong not to crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-13686475053167088572009-03-29T16:54:00.001+11:002009-03-29T16:54:42.882+11:00Free walk in Praha Joining a free walk group is a great way to start your day in Prague. It helps to learn the city in 2 hours plus you get the chance to ask insider's idea of where to eat and hangout. Then you get to develop your own itenery in the following days. Free is indeed fasinating for most budget travellers but expect to tip the guide at the end of the excusion, depends on how good he or she is. For crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-30387977520746150222009-03-08T02:37:00.000+11:002009-03-08T02:38:30.734+11:00Bone church 2 人骨教堂人骨教堂的由來多起源與13世紀的十字軍東征時,有一位修士自聖地巴帶回來一把泥土並灑在教堂四周.教堂立刻成為當時的貴族與富人熱衷的埋藏地點.直到17世紀時的30年戰爭開始有大量湧入導致教堂墓地供不應求.據估記目前教堂至少容納約4萬具屍骨. 那麼小的教堂腹地,你絶對無法想像是怎麼消化4萬具人骨的. 於是傳說指出負責看管教堂的半盲修士開始將人骨排列成幾何形狀,有些人聲稱那位修士瀕臨瘋狂狀態.但是人骨教堂能發展出像現今的規模還是要到1870年受Schwarzenberg 家族委託的雕刻師父František Rint,他受命以人骨裝飾教堂來提醒生命的終曲與人人皆難逃這樣的結局. 教堂的寧靜與明亮,對映成堆的人骨,近在眼前的頭骨,我卻感到相當平靜. 我想著不知道這些或是因病因戰亂還是幸福終老的人們, 最後殊途同歸一起在這個偏僻的小鎮教堂裏.若真有after life,他們不知道crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-37535904221479757282009-03-07T01:05:00.000+11:002009-03-07T01:07:54.478+11:00她的腦袋怎麼了?低能加可惡-王鹷嬌管誰搬家搬去那兒?我真的太久沒看新聞,一看新聞就倒胃口...還是不要太常看... 在F. VARGA那裏看到這則由國民黨高雄市議員王鹷嬌發起的抗議陳玫中搬到高雄簽名活動. 我簡直不敢相信居然會有這種請願活動...而且還真的有人會去簽名?? 台灣是個自由的國家,不管是誰要搬家都不須要任何人的同意.不管是你,是我,是姓連的還是和扁有關的,連那些溜到中國及其他世界名地的經濟通輯犯,或趁好時機溜回台灣的劉家昌先生,都不須要遷移住所前取得任何人的同意.為什麼陳致中搬家會須要任何人的同意? 民意代表除了管某人搬家搬去那之外沒有更重要的事要做了嗎? 又,不讓陳致中搬到高雄會讓誰得利? 他搬去那裏或不搬去那裏跟一般大眾到底有啥關係啊?! 這個遇扁必反的神經錯亂倒底是是怎麼種在這些人的心裏的? 連搬家這種雞毛蕀皮的事都要民代來管?而那些去簽名的人連人民有遷徒居住的自由都不知道? 就讓法律評斷處理有罪的人吧,哦crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-25168768892926240912009-03-05T01:39:00.000+11:002009-03-05T01:41:44.427+11:00The bone church人骨教堂最近幾天心情和人造雨一樣很彆扭.不如繼續寫寫布拉格遊記,重溫一下. 每個人對死亡的感受都不同,也許有些人因為生活經驗而熟悉,有些人雖未經歷過但也多能想像出那回事. 我對死亡這回事,是屬於後者. 但是我怕看恐怖片,連異形都可以把我嚇得面部表情扭曲至極,鬼片更不會在我家出現. 因此要說去bone church的原因是什麼,連我自己都有些說不清楚.   從Prague到Kutna Hura大約是一個小時的車程,我到Florance轉車到Kutna Hura.售票亭小姐照例是張死魚臉,但是我當時已經挺習慣這樣的臉色了.反正不管什麼臉色,該做的事就要做.該問的就得問. 還好司機挺和善,我指指旅遊書上的地名再次確認目的地.他點點頭. 下車的地方有些荒涼,附近有個Billa超市建築物,走到超市附近的馬路邊就有標誌指向市中心. 這是捷克的"月台",長crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-59216187256909882732009-03-01T14:16:00.000+11:002009-03-01T14:17:07.516+11:00蕭泰然的1947_記2009的228和平音樂會 我不是個愛上街抗議的人,搖旗吶喊也不是我的強項.我絶不是政治冷感的人,但是對於群眾運動,我的確冷感. 但是近幾個月來,這已經是我第3次上街了.(換了政權後,原本不愛上街的宅男宅女們開始動了起來,這其中的意義也頗諷刺吧!)只不過這次是和朋友Mia一起去聽228和平音樂會 我的朋友中很少是偏綠營的,我知道的也只有2個.用顏色來界定一個人實在是很奇怪的事,但是似乎在這裏顏色基本上就說明了一些事情.我不愛和朋友談政治,除非對方主動提及,否則在朋友間談政治實在容易傷感情.而綠營的人們也通常保持一貫的低調,不似某些人大喇喇的公開談論,所以也許我身邊有許多是和我一樣的朋友,卻從未彼此相認. 我和Mia是在一次對話中不小心發現原來彼此都站在同一色塊上.當詢問這敏感問題時,相信我和她都有些屏住呼吸的緊張起來.等到確認彼此的理念一致時,不禁又開心了起來. Mia顯然是個野餐高手,雖然高得像月亮crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-43409477785931375982009-03-01T13:36:00.000+11:002009-03-01T13:37:39.463+11:00The many WOWs I have in Prague離開布拉格已快1個月了,我仍然時常想到那個城市,那個國家,那些只能對著自己說wow的時刻.在那個時候,獨自旅行的我,開始懷念身邊有個伴的感覺. 到達布拉格的第一晚,從 starromaska地鐵站出來, 問了2位捷克女士怎麼走到old town square, 沿著不怎麼寬敞的石子路,吃力的拉著行李,終於走到廣場時,我站著呆立了好幾秒.. wow....I wish you can see this. 視線所及不再是兩旁林立的建築物,而是豁然開朗的廣場.打著燈光的Tyn Cathedral是最佳的地標.我住的Hostel Tyn就在附近.雖然號稱是歐洲最冷的冬季,當晚卻不怎麼冷.街頭上賣藝的2個提琴手,被三三兩兩的觀光客包圍著.雖說是淡季,仍然有相當多來自歐洲的觀光客三兩成群的出來夜遊. 後來我也能深切體會到冬遊捷克的樂趣,簡而言之,就是相對於置身龐大的歷史資產所須付出的crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-37873943754149766882009-02-14T01:24:00.000+11:002009-02-14T01:28:41.524+11:00熱情與哀傷的捷克人 也許是因為獨自旅行,這一路上陸續遇見幾位捷克男士主動幫忙.這應該是例外,應該是不尋常,但是都讓身為旅人的我感嘆人性的複雜,一個國家或是民族的形象,是不能也不宜以一兩句話來概括形容的.Stereotypes實在是人類文化中的黑洞啊! 我碰到的第一個捷克好男人是在到達庫倫洛夫的第一個晚上. 我知道冬季的布拉格4點就開始入夜了,所以本來就打算做早晨11點的巴士到庫倫洛夫,這樣到達目的地時還不會太黑.沒想到當初在台灣沒有先網購student agency的票是錯誤的,我前一晚要訂時已客滿,只好改搭下一班車.那天晚上走在荒涼又下著大雪的夜裏,先是有個英文很好心腸也好的捷克女孩幫我問路並陪我一邊走到靠近市區的交叉口才離開.接著就是一路領教捷克人指引方向的本事. 提著重得要命的行李箱獨自上下樓梯,在看來無止境的石板路上拖著越來越沉重的行李箱,實在不是愉快的事.等到我終於找到hostel crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-8816553702433656612009-02-07T06:24:00.001+11:002009-02-07T06:24:44.645+11:00The good, the bad and the uncategorizable experiences in Prague/Krumlov-ITraveling doesn't always bring good memories, but those bad ones illuminate the good ones. I dragged my luggage on the cobble road from Tyn Cathedral to Mustek metro station. It is an agonizing trip. I haven't slept much and didn't have much appetite these days. Let me think, what have I eatten for the last three days? I had a baggute, a honey pie and latte, a bagal and latte this morning. crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-47919285326360677742009-02-06T04:24:00.000+11:002009-02-06T04:24:02.963+11:00在布拉格的最後幾個小時終於要回家了!2天前我恨不得馬上就離開這裏,但是今天下午漫步在新城區的石子路上,卻開始有些捨不得這個假期的結束. 人就是永遠不知滿足啊! 由於再度確認自己的方向感不行,加上自己搬行李真的很吃力.所以我很早就開始出發至機場.check in時為了行李到底要不要跟著我在韓國下機掙扎了一番.這幾天獨自和15公斤的行李加上背包奮戰,我的雙臂實在疼死了.這時候就開始懷念和w一起旅行了.有個人在旁邊一起努力真好.(布拉格大步份的metro出入口都沒有escalater,我住的hostel與pension也沒有,所以一路上都氣喘噓噓的搬著行李上下樓...一邊搬一邊唸...我怎麼這麼勇啊 我事先查了Prague RUZYNE INTL airport可以使用priority pass的地方.最後選crystal lounge. 這裏提供寬敝的座位並附插座,並有簡單的飲料,小點心等.終於有個地方讓我crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30131750.post-34600992792752516052009-02-02T03:26:00.001+11:002009-02-02T03:26:36.573+11:00A few facts I learned from my first night in Prague在布拉格的第1晚1. 我的台灣銀行提款卡確定可以使用! 2. 公車站就在機場出站過馬路就到了.要先在售票機買票,但是顯然不接受紙鈔,只好又折回機場買了一瓶39kc的水換零錢 3. 到transfer的站下車後,轉搭捷運.和台北捷運的標示不同,所以到底該在那一側搭車才能往舊城方向啊? 實在讓我有點疑惑.只好捉個看來年輕可愛的OL問一下.可愛的捷克女郎的英文很棒,又很熱情.她說明怎麼看要在那一側搭車的. 例如,若你的目的地是在出發地的右邊,那就搭右側月台的車,若目的地是在出發地的左邊,就搭左側月台的車. 原來如此.... 4. Hostel Tyn很難找!至少對我這個路痴而言.問了n個人但一直在同一區轉來轉去.終於找到旅館時我已是在流汗狀態. 5. 並不冷啊? 有點後悔沒帶牛仔褲和短袖來.在室內實在熱得很. 6. Hostel Tyn房間內並無wifi,所以要到廚房才能上網.已用skype 和crystalanniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07246083661973125234noreply@blogger.com0