Day 11 & 12 - Paris and Back Malaysia (7th & 8th May, 2012)

Basically the last day in Paris is our shopping day. Heading to Lafayette to shop for branded stuff, but most of it has been finish by some tourist as we arrive there in the afternoon.

Queuing for an hour to enter LV, but the sales girl was well train and she is very nice. Queuing to LongChamp for half an hour, and each person is limit to buy 10 pcs, and same model maximum can only buy 2 pcs.

If you wish to have smooth tax refund procedure, it is advisable to use credit card, so you will be less headache when you at airport. But, unfortunately, i was using cash to buy one bag, due to the Lafayette sales person tell us that we can do the refund in Lafayette down stair. We was so happy about it (since it is more convenient), but actually the meaning of the sales person is, down stair has counter to help you fill up the form for the tax refund (which you don't need to fill up yourselves), but you still have to do the tax refund at the airport.

After shopping, then we walk from Bastille metro station to Notre Dame, the scene was very nice, and it is actually took us around 20 minute walk.

Reach Love Lock Bridge near Notre Dame.

After this, we are going to Eiffel Tower again, because i want to see it in the night. We are so lucky that when we reach that time is 9.45p.m, and it is sparkling for every one hour. It looks very beautiful.

Initial we plan to back to hotel at 10.30p.m, but the crowd at queuing was reduce to 15 persons, so we decided to use staircase to go up the tower.

It was not that hard, it took us 10 minute to reach the first floor, and it took us 20 minute to reach to the second floor. The night scene was beautiful.

Our flight is 12noon next day, we decided to reach airport 4 hours before the departure time in order to do the tax refund. Eventually, 4 hours was not enough to do so, if you plan to have cash refund, that the queuing there was terrible, and there's only one counter open for the processing. If you refund on the credit card, then it was easy, you just need to quep at the stamp counter, get the stamp, fill up the information on the slip, and post back at the airport. But if you refund for cash, then you have to quep for the stamp, and quep for the cash refund counter again.

The scenario will become worse, when there is a group of tourist from the same company. One person queuing there was actually representing the whole bus tourists. And most importantly, must make sure you are on the right Queu, else you will have to quep over again.

Day 10 - London (6th May, 2012)

Early morning we are going to Brick Lane. A street which sell many type of foods and accessories. It is very worth to go, as you can see many art works there, and the people are selling their handicraft there.

The fruits are selling £1-2.50 per bucket. It is fresh and yummy worth to buy.

A stall selling "La Mian", on the spot making the mee.

My friend say there is one movie taking in this street, but i already forget the name of the movie.

Long quep to buy this bread, but it is worth to wait, very very nice, as the beef is soft, like it melt inside your mouth.

My friend bring us to visit his working place, Bloomberg. How i wish i can work in this kind of environment inside, thumb up.

Then we are going to Oxford Street for shopping, It is Europe's busiest street, must beware of their working hour, which there are open from 9a.m-6.30p.m only on Sunday, so we are quite rush when shopping there. Ater shopping then we are heading to Buckingham Palace.

 

Buckingham Palace.

Chelsea Club

I have to leave London on the next day morning, else it is very worth to visit their Museum, especially Victoria & Albert Museum. Promise myself that i must be re-visit this country again, although i can't sure when will it be.

Going for dinner, and it was very surprise me that, this restaurant is selling Mussels, and the portion below is actually for one person. !!!!! I was not fancy for Mussel, but it was actually taste nice.



It has taken me more than 2 hours to tidy up all my stuffs, which i really bought a lot of things in London. 

Day 9 - London (5th May, 2012)

Wake up in the early morning 6.30a.m, and prepare to go to our first destination today, StoneHedge. It was 8 degree in the morning, and it was so cold with the strong wind at StoneHedge area.

This was the scene around on the way to StoneHedge. Forget about the actual distance, but it took my friend driving more than 2 hours.

We didn't buy the entry ticket, there are many people queuing, so we decided to take some picture outside and move to the next destination.

Bicester Village, another branded stuff shopping heaven. From StoneHedge to Bicester, it took us another one and half hour to reach. I guess it also have the shuttle bus service to reach to this area, for more information can check on the bicestervillage.com.

A simple and tasty lunch at Bicester Village.

There are brands like All Saints, Armani, Burberry, CK, Celine, Coast, D&G, Diesel, Dior, DKNY, Dunhill, Fat Face, Max Mara, French Connection, Paul Smith, Prada, Versace, Raulp Lauren, Furla, Jimmy Choo, Tod's, Lalique, Pandora, Tag Heuer, L'occitane, Mulberry etc. Opening time is 10a.m-8p.m Monday to Friday; 9a.m-8p.m Saturday and 10a.m-7p.m Sunday.

 We heading to China Town after shopping.

The trade mark in London.

I forget about the square name, but it is a very famous shopping place near the China Town.

London Eye.

James Bond Office, wondering how secret it is where everybody know it is a secret agency?

Our dinner is steamboat, buying all the vegetables and food at China Town. It was so enjoyable especially in this weather condition.

Day 8 - London (4th May, 2012)

This is the first time we sleep till we naturally wake up during these 8th days. Our flight to London is 4.05p.m, so we have sufficient time for us to pack our luggage and going to Fiumicino Airport.

You can take the train to the Fiumicino airport which is the fastest way, it only takes about 20-30 minutes, but it cost €14 per ticket (unless you purchase it earlier, you may be able to get €9 promo ticket). So i decided to look for the bus, actually the bus to the airport is just in front of the Termini railway station, the ticket is €6 per person, and you can actually buy the ticket at the book store, and any other counter or kiosk at the roadside who are selling newspaper or souvenirs. Bus takes us an hour to arrive at airport.

This is the first time we enclose the delay, which easy jet is delay 2 hours from our departure time, so we only arrive at London at 7.40p.m. My friend picks us at the airport and we go for the fish and chips dinner.

I can't remember the name of this vegetable, it is quite bitter taste when normally they mix in the salad, but this is taste nice when it has mix with a type of cheese. It has change my perceptions about this vege.

Day 7 - Rome (3th May, 2012)

Today we are going to the Colosseo area. Purchase the Metro ticket with €4 per person for 12 hours unlimited ride, or you can buy €1 for the ticket duration 60 or 90 minutes.

We are having our breakfast at a place with this view. Wow.

The ticket entry is €12 per person, with the ticket you can enter to the Colosseo, Foro and Palatino. You can buy the ticket at the Foro, because normally the tourist bus will go to the Colosseo first, so you can avoid the long quep.

Today is the ever hot weather we experience during these 7 days in Europe, although it is just about 17 degree, but it is still very hot, so we go back about 6p.m and have a proper rest after the dinner.

Day 6 - Florence & Rome (2th May, 2012)

We are going to Barberino Designer Outlet today at morning 10a.m, the bus stop is just in front the BATA store opposite S.M.Novella Railway Station. You can get the return bus ticket with €15 with the bus driver.

I like the sky color on the way to the outlet.

We arrived the outlet on 10.40a.m.

Finish shopping.

The Brands cover there are Adidas, Bric's Store, CK, D&G, Levi's, Massimo, Marlboro, Puma, Prada, Guess, Timberland, Store House, Sunglass Time etc.

We have to depart from the outlet with the 1.30p.m bus and arrive at Florence 2.10p.m, due to catching the train to Rome with 3.08p.m train.

We has arrived Rome at 4.40p.m, we plan to take a minor walk after check in the hotel, but eventually you can cover most of the place with walking distance.

Santa Maria Maggiore

Republica

Fontana di Trevi 许愿池

Very beautiful artwork

Monumento a Vittorio Emanuele II

It is very tired after the walk, especially when we walking back to the hotel, didn't really aware we have walk that far.

The small and cute lift in the hotel.

The hotel key like the those typical type of Treasure key.