Madurodam, Hague

This is where you will find all the famous sites in The Netherlands! Hang on! In miniatures sizes, all scaled to 1:25 =). I have for a very looooooong time been dreaming of the day i'll be here myself.
.2 decades ago.
I was flippin' through my aunt's photo album. They've just returned from the UK for my cousin's graduation and had then took a trip to this miniature city. Those pictures 20 years ago took me on a fantasy ride, just like any other child's disney dream. I thought to myself, "I want to go there someday."

Here's my someday, with a very special person ;)

For roughly 12euro, you get to see models of Netherland's windmills, ferries, drawbridges, trains, dam square, dom tower, gouda cheese market, cathedrals, castles dutch quarters, street scenes. The windmills are turning, trains are running to and from stations, boats are sailing the canals, I bet this place is quite a wonder at night.

Den Haag

It's nearly 3 months since i last blogged. It's insane how time slips by me. In the last 3 months, I've been caught up in work, and taking care of some naggin' health problems. Now that i can breathe and feel like a 'normal' human being again, i'm errrr.. looking forward to another fantastical holiday?

Catching up on our Europe stint, here's a lil' something from Den Haag.

I can still remember the night we arrived in Den Haag Centraal Station. We were rather confused by the tram ticketing system, and my soles were crushed and bruised from all the walking in Amsterdam. 20mins later, we were dropped off at a bus stop next to the Shell headquarters, in Rijswijk. We dragged our luggages up and down the street in the harsh wind and icy rain... we couldnt find our hotel. I was in the verge of tears because every single step hurts like hell.. I wanted to punch Boon in the stomach. Then a kind soul offered to drive us to our hotel.

While Boon was attending his 3-day course at the headquarters, I was booking flights, trains, and hotels. In the midst of it, i managed to tip-toe and limped my way around Den Haag for food and sights.

Although Den Haag is not the capital of The Netherlands, it is home to all foreign embassies and government ministries. And quite the contrary to the sex and pot hub that Amsterdam is known for, the Hague is known as the world's epicentre for international law. It is home to the International Court of Justice, the United Nation's official judicial arm, the International Criminal Court and Europol - the EU's international police force. It does sound like a boring place, doesnt it. People seemed more reserved and laid-back. The city centre is quiet. I particularly hate the cobblestones, it didnt make things better for me. Infact when walking alone, i found myself feeling the seokness only when i saw i) Mcdees, ii) found a supermarket hidden in the basement, and iii) having a stick in the freezing cold while waiting for my tram back to Rijswijk.