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Czech Republic-Prague (Part 1)

Prague...another dream come true. I wanted to visit Prague when I was studying the piano cause it has a rich music history behind this awesome city.

Gotten my ticket to Prague...WEEEEE
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The train ride took about 6 hours....pretty long compared to just over an hour flight journey and I arrived in Prague at around late afternoon.

Can't wait and took my camera out to snap some photos :)
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Prague...HERE I COME!!!
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Inside the train station...
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Got lost and went to ask for directions but wasn't greeted with a friendly smile or tone at the tourist information counter in the train station. Anyway gotten the direction and left for the hostel :)


Czech National Gallery that was overlooking the whole city centre
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Checked into your hostel...booked a twin bed but was given a double bed...
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Hostel service wasn't that fantastic so I shall not name the hostel...was feeling hungry and went to a nearby restaurant for dinner for authentic Czech food.
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Interior decorations
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Ordered beer which is less then SGD $2
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Our Main dish...Pork Knuckle....rated 4.5/5


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Now you don't....
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Dinner was awesome and when back to the hostel for an early night before heading out the next day...on the way back was approached by guys asking if I wanted to go into a strip club or a soccer pub... I just told them " Sorry I don't speak English" in mandarin...



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Austria-Vienna (Final Part)


On my last day in Vienna aka Wien, I went to the famous Schloss Schönbrunn and it is the ultimate palace experience in Vienna. It is comparable in grandeur to Versailles and is definitely a must-see in Vienna. Its gardens and zoo (the oldest in the world, built for Maria Theresa’s husband in 1752) alone are worth a lengthy visit. 

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The entrance of Schloss Schönbrunn
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Stepping into the Schloss Schönbrunn
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Myself with Schloss Schönbrunn
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Map of Schloss Schönbrunn
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Based on the map itself, you can see that Schloss Schönbrunn is indeed very big. I didn't really enter Schloss Schönbrunn as the main attractions are beyond the buildings and I was unfortunate not to have enough time to indulge in this wonderful place.

FYI: The pictures above are only within the white square where the red dot is.

Afterwhich, I went to nachmarkt to have my last meal there before leaving for Prague.

I landed on a chinese restuarant cause I was in need of some Asian food.

The food I ordered.
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After having a satisfying meal, when to a nearby store grab some instant noodles so I can munch on the train *running low on cash* and off I went to the train station towards my next destination. PRAGUE!!!!
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Austria-Salzberg (Part 3)

I finished sight-seeing Vienna in 2 days and Xiaoman recommended me to visit Salzberg or Bratislava. In the end, I went for the more expensive Salzberg and I never regret spending near 100 euros on the train ride alone. 


QBB Train ticket
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Some fact about Salzberg that I read up was that it is a world famous baroque architecture and has one of the best-preserved city centres north of the Alps, and was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. It was also the birthplace of 18th-century composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. In the mid-20th century, the city was the setting for parts of the musical and film The Sound of Music, which also features famous landmarks in Austria.


Reached the Salzberg Train Station
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First stop: Mirabell Palace
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There was a performance when I was there
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Continued my journey and saw the Mozart University which is near the Mirabell Palace
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A nearby Church 
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Continue my journey and found Mozart's Residence
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The river that divides the old city from the new
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To the left (new city) and the right (old city)
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The streets of the old city
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People here are really crazy about Mozart...first they have a cafe with his name...
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and they have a shop selling chocolates also with his name???
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So since everyone is crazy about Mozart, I shall go on a Mozart quest and landed myself on the birthplace of Mozart
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Saw the Franziskanerchurch 
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Then to the main square of the old city
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With the Salzberg Cathedral just around the corner
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The side view of the Cathedral
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The "Residenz" Palace which is beside the Cathedral and I assume the Cathedral is build for the Imperial family.
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Some stuff inside the "Residenz" Palace
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Bought a ticket for a harpsichord recital for the later part of the day


Saw this amazing way to play chess...
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Headed over to St. Peter cemetery
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Went into a small cave-like structure and it was cool compared to the hot sun outside
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Left the place and headed over to the Hohensalzburg Castle on a hill dominating the old town is one of the largest castles in Europe, with views over Salzburg. I didn't take the funicular up and chose to walk up the flight of stairs instead.


The never ending steps...
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The first foothold for the castle
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Finally at the base of the castle
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Got my ticket and off I went into the castle
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Look how steep the way up
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The blacksmith area which is near the entrance of the castle main gates
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Well inside the castle
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Went for the tour and took this shot overseeing the whole of Salzberg
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The guard post
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This is for the bell that serves as an alarm for the citizen to wake up and go to bed
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The tour ended at the main square of the castle
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Chapel of the castle...now in ruins
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Museum of the soldiers
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After exploring the castle, I headed to the Nonnberg Abbey
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After exploring I head back to the old city and head over to Mozart Square to take a look before the recital
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Statue of Mozart
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Headed to "Residenz" for the recital that last for about an hour
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Headed to St. Sebastian Cemetery to see the Mozarts who were buried there
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There!!! my day trip to Salzberg just ended...4 hours back to Vienna to spent my last night in Austria...