Kisah Spring Seasons

OK, everything was super duper buzi after the mid term break. What not, it was T - 60 days to finals. As I had been damn buzi on the first part of semester, with Mnite especially, this is the time to redeem back the time for books, lecture notes and extra reading. Dengan harapan untuk lulus atas pagar with a little excellency lah kan. 

But yet, as a student, weekend must be occupied with activities berfaedah dan mencambahkan minda. Thus, I'd been travelling/visiting/hanging around (just in Ireland lah) for a sweet short escapade. Manakan bisa studi tanpa henti aite. Even a machine needs a break, inikan manusia.

1. Belfast

With the ambitions of competing in Bowling Tournament of Belfast Games terkubur due to miscommunication, so alang-alang already in Belfast, I did a quick strolled and visited to some must go place here. Basically, this was my second time here.

Queens University, Belfast.

Belfast City Hall.

The popular Titanic Museum. Entrance fee adalah too expensive =(.

2. Piknik

A simple picnic, just me and Fareez for breakfast at St Stephen Green. The weather on that day wasn't so beautiful but we managed to eat the delicious and scrumptious Mee Goreng Mamak prep by Fareez. Thanks for the delish fried noodles. Following the breakfast, we both went to RCSI and played squash for about an hour. Amazing experience indeed.

Spring bloomz.

The sinfully good Mee Goreng Mamak.

Partner in crime. Guilty as charged!!!

 3. Med Gala

Photo of the night.

Dengan semangat ingin merasa, I paid 20euro something to attend this event. The food wasn't that bad thou and love the finger food that circling around all night long. Might not cover the entire cost but totally worth the "pengalaman" thou. 

The event - mehh sahaja.

4. Killiney Hills and Beach

Located just an hour from UCD, this place is indeed so beautiful. Thankfully sempat discovered before heading back to Malaysia. LOL.

Cherry blossoms.

So, as planned, me and Abbas headed off at around 11 after me finish kemas rumah a little (which mean takde pun kemas, harapan ajer). Hot-hot chicken poops ajer.

After kemas. Naturally, my house memang kemas

Before we went to the hills and beach, we singgah sebentar at the food festival held by UCD graduates, grabbing all the free stuffs ie breads, berries, finger food etc. Fuel-ed up before head to the beach aite.

UCD food festival.

With the thought that we can swim in the beach, we totally got dissapointed. Sememangnye tidak mampu as the water is almost freezing cold and the wave as well wasn't so inviting. Worse, nobody was swimming there atm.

So, as already there, main acah-acah manje ajelah with the water and bad news; my shoes got soaked with the salt water. Menchix.

Bad moves; alert -alert. 

Menyesal.

Then we went up the hill and the view was just - Allahu.

Killiney Beach.

Spring had sprung.

One more, with ME in it. Btw, spot the Sugarloaf Mountain at the back.

 5. Teh Tarik Evening

As a newly elected event officer, I managed to organised this super intense yet well paid event I'll say. Proud of myself indeed. Who don't love food aite.

With les committee.

 In all, this semester had been amazing with the forever blooming flower.

Pretti.

Santorini - Seputih Kapas, Sebiru Nila

We leaved Athens early in the morning, 6.30am on that day. Boarding a 9hrs ferry to Santorini. The feeling was like excited-really excited-bored-so so bored-WTH-bile nak sampai nie-die die die. But overall, the ferry fare is cheaper than the flight. So apakan daya diri ini isn't born with that kind of luxurious. Oh, one more thing making the journey more bored, it was gloomy all the way.

Gloomy day on ferry.

This is at Mykonos. Matahari shy shy cat.

We arrived at the Santorini at around 4.30pm and it will get dark at around 6.30pm atm. So, we boarded a shuttle bus heading to our accommodation to settle down for the day after a long yet "fun" ferry ride. LOL. 

Yes, we rented a car here in Santorini which make our journey and travelling so much easier. The rented car was very cheap thou; euro20 per day divided by 3. So cheap aite? Then after a long-hot shower we drove down to the Fira Town for dinner. So, as we are in Greece, I ordered a Greek Salad for sure.

A plateful of Salad at an outstanding price. Belahak kekenyangan.

Photo-ing at Fira Old Port. The breeze is sejukkk.

After about wasting half-an-hour strolling around the old port, we board a wooden ship off to Nae Kameni - an active volcano located 20minutes away from Santorini by ship.

This island is formed due to the eruption of the volcano. The island is still inhabitant atm. There was a sooty smell upon arriving the island and the smell is getting stronger and stronger as I approaching the main "kawah". Indeed this is my second time experiencing life volcano after Tangkuban Parahu back in Indonesia.

Stunning aite! Will never get tired of this view.

Porting in Nae Kameni for 45minutes.

It took around 25minutes to walk across the island - from one end to the other. There is also a hot spring here in the island and is directly flowing into the cold ocean. But due to my clumziness I'll say, forgetting the shorts causing me to unable to jump into the ocean, bermandi manda. What a bad luck aite?

Simply amazing view aite.

Main aci kejar, fefeeling kanak-kanak riang.

Bollywood style when the wind blows.

Typical view in Santorini - Fira Town.

We headed back to the port and instead of taking the 1232 stairs up to the town, we decided to ride the donkey up. Riding a donkey (tick), riding a horse pun dah ticked last time in Iceland, so after this gajah and harimau pulak. LOL.

Riding like a cowboy.

We then drove further up to the so popular small town in Oia. This place is so glamour and popular with it's white-blue building and it's sunsetting sun. I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to observe this grand and amazing view with my very own naked eyes. The sky might be a little cloudy on the day, still it is beautiful.

That is ME.

Goldenity at it best.

On the very next day, the trip getting more hectic as we drove down the entire south. Making few obligatory stops and few un-intentional stops, just because the view is too beautiful.

Here are the photo from the stops I made;

Red Beach.

Black Beach.

Coastal pathway.

Taken from the highest point in Santorini.

ATV-ing otw back to hostel.

 After a quick nap and shower, we then returned the car and then walked to Fira (20minutes walk) just to enjoy the sunset one more time. The weather is much better than the previous day making the sun setting seem more glorious.

Then, we walked the entire Fira Town, rambling thru all the small alleys, jumping from one shops to the next, looking for cheapest souvenir.

After two hours wandering, we went to the end of Fira town to enjoy the sunset. Totally amazing.

Sun set in Fira.

Can you see part of the sun BALL.

The sunset mark the end of my mid-term break as we then walked back to hostel, slept and fly back to Dublin the very next morning at 0900.

Lemme summed the post with the cliche photo of Santorini that I can't still get over with. It is just too beautiful. A very nice place to live at old age.

Along the cliff.

Panoramic aite.

Athens - The City of Gods

LOL, this is going back few months, back in March (mid-term break). Before the crisis happening storm Greece, I had the opportunity to paid Athens and Santorini (in the following post iA) a short yet meaningful visit. I just stayed for 2 nights in Athens and the rest of the week in the Santorini, paradise on earth I'll say.

Athens' aerial view.

For the history lovers, all the history teachers, Athens will bring the histories to live. All the things that I read and force-ly remembered during high school was just in front of my very own eyes. All the history of greek god, their ancient building etc are still erect till these day. What an opportunity aite? Thanks Allah.

And on the second day strolling around Athens "en pied" - yerlah perjalanan ekonomi, we bumped with our korean-canadian mate. Yeah, this time, me jalan-jalan with two gugurls. Liar - roar2x.

Bumped into Paul at Parthenon.

On top of Athens.

The so popular architecture; Acropolis of Athena.

Short walk to Temple of Pantheon

Thankfully, the historical monuments in Athens isn't scatter around far far from one another. So, en pied kind-a travelling totally OK - bit tired lah. LOL. One more thing, as a student (I think just EU student), you can claim entry to all these historical monument for free. Yes, free people except the Olympic Stadium, you got to pay to enter, thus am not.

And according to my understanding and some reading, the Olympic held by Greece few years back is one of the causes of Greece today's crisis. They didn't manage to obtain untung from the even thus causing deficit in money and leading to bankruptcy that is happening at the moment. What a sad thing aite? Hope Greece will survive.

Huge rocky stadium.

Skirty guard that is everywhere in Europe.

One the very last evening in Athens, I spend to entire evening sitting and observing people and culture here. Athens is indeed beautiful and full of mixed culture from Middle East and Europe. The food here is cheap or affordable I'd say. Plus, here in Athens you can always bargain. love that challenge. LOL

Main square

Shops.

Let's keep praying for the best for Greece. You guys can beat it for sure =).