I wanna go on a road trip someday, alone or with someone I love, I wanna getaway, explore places, sleep in the car. Stop a lot just to admire the view. Visit museums and try out coffee shops. Listen to my favorite albums while exploring. Have a polaroid camera, take pretty pictures of sunrise. Take picture of myself. Run through a forest. Chase fog. Chase the sun. Feel the breeze around my face. Buy souvenirs. Meet new people. Take time to observe. I wanna make memories. I wanna feel alive...

I wanna take you to the hills, introduce you to locals and mingle up with harmony, I wanna take you to the mountain, build a tent in front of the lake and stay there for a whole night, staring at the stars, enjoying the breeze, and sleep in peace. Or, I wanna take you to Albayzin, adoring sunset with a view of Alhambra, drinking Moroccan delight tea. and you will definitely love the city! or love someone who already loves this city...

You know how it feels, when you catch up the sunset and run through the forest, it is like every burden on your shoulders lifts up, every thought on your mind relieve, every breath you can inhale deeply, and you will find yourself peacefully. 

I started to travel due to my absence of mind, due to my heart was fighting to my head, due to my curiosity about what is happening outside there. At that time, I felt so stressed, low, in trouble, and incomplete. I stopped everything for a while, I said to someone, I need a break. and I travel.

"For the compassionate heart within the mind, the light within the body, the enlightenment of the soul, travel, and find a peace"

Hey, you know what makes me happy? just give me a flight ticket to old Petra hut and let's get lost in a  desert! OR a ticket rent of campervan to have a road trip, in a mountainous snowy place and enjoy the cold! HAHA so much dreaming, but why not! as long as it's free! Dream high! and you will see yourself at the age you have dreamed of :) If you gave me a list of things to write about the rest of my life, and I could only choose one, I would choose Travel. Whether through poetry or writing a blog, travel is what inspires me the most. 

The feeling when you get out of the plane and your breath smells a different world, your mind will fly away, breathing deep, feeling everything surrounds you, a feeling of a change, an excitement, fear, nervous, and happy inside, and of course the feeling of proud to make your dream come true, to notice how big step you chose to make your life better, the feeling to smile to the stranger and say hi, it just so relaxing and peaceful, I wanna travel again and again and spread kindness everywhere. Maybe going to Africa and giving donations there, is a great idea! -another random thought 😉

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A Christmas Market in City Center

I started the trip from The Netherlands to Dusseldorf by NS International train about 28 Euros, which for tips to get a lower price, get it in the early morning instead of in busy hours. The trip was about 3 hours 07.30-10.30 from Delft station, Denhaag Centraal station, Eindhoven central station and Dusseldorf Hbf. Helena, was waiting for me at Dusseldorf Hbf central station. Where did I know her? I met her when I had a yoga class in Lombok, we talked a lot, and we explored beaches in Lombok, then who can guess, I could meet her here, in another part of the world. After the train, then we continued by the tram, which needs to walk a bit and cross the street toward her house.

Talking about Dusseldorf, you can have an evening stroll to the city center, go to Christmas market, the location was near Schlossturm in Burgplatz, then you continue heading to the clock on the Rhine embankment and see the tower of the city, The Rheinturm Tower, Dusseldorf. From there, you go straight to meet three typical buildings. And Here we go, staring at this Giant Gehry's Building :D

Neuer Zollhof is a modern building designed by Frank Gehry, a postmodern-architect influencer who has another dimension of language, a curvy building, which is so brave. Well, I actually didn't know these arts are here, but Helena told me about these buildings, and why not visit!

Neuer Zollhof - Frank Gehry

Vegan Restaurant Sattgrun

with Helena's Family

We made Sushi together 😍 The story of Christmas dinner will take in another part. And after being satisfied to stroll the city, Helena's mom, Helena's boyfriend, and She brought me to the train station, I was going to Paris by car, about 4 hours, I met the driver from the station, so she made sure that I depart safely from there, she is so nice! thank you so much for you and your warm family, I really appreciate it  :D hope I can see you again this summer! 25 December 2021 Paris "I trained my eyes not to look at them, as it passed accidentally but my mind was, as a wild animal who has escaped all the leashes, your beauty still long last remained, the morning comes, the wind asks u to get up, let us alive, breathe before it's gone..."   Went to Paris on Saturday, I have 2 days to go up to Monday, my main destinations were only about Architecture, I wanna see Villa Savoye, I wanna see Le Corbusier's best creature about "Less is More", I wanna touch, I wanna feel the walls. Then goes to Center Pompidou, I wanna see in the night, with the red light blends to the sky, make a glimpse, I wanna feel those vibes. I wanna see the beautiful La Mesquita de Paris, which I heard from an Islamic traveler about the old Moorish Architecture. But then guess what, Villa Savoye Museum was closed HAHA not my fortune tho let's go!

Where to go?

Saturday

So, the first destinations are Arc de Triomphe and Notre Dame because it was the closest place to my hostel. Well, I found this monument was a bit crowded, but I can enjoy it for a while, as it's better to get a feel of exposure by crossing the street to see the monument clear enough.

Arc de Triomphe

haha I really forget what the name of this building is

Buildings in Paris are mostly influenced by Reinassance before Gothic happened, you can easily find Gothic Architecture in Barcelona though. But Paris architectural history remains 4 styles combination between Medieval, Reinassance, Roman, and Classical.

Paris Architecture around the street around blue hours

I walked without any purpose 😂 and I found this Carousel

Night walking Tour 1

Night walking Tour 2

Notre Dame Church (underconstruction)

Center Pompidou - by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers

Sunday

De Poissy, I went on Sunday, which is on the 26 of January to see Villa Savoye, the legend architecture, However, it was closed, :( WAS SO SADDDD due to Christmas break, but life must go on, haha, so continue to explore Poissy and guess what, there are a lot of local architectures in there, which was huge! Then go back to Arc de Triomphe, and Eiffel Tower, then ending to La Mesquita, Well, to be honest, was so tired a bit to be such ambitious for the whole day! And I got my feet injury in Paris too, because my ankle doesn't feel good, then here, I learn to slow down everything.  

Poissy 💕

Mini Notre Dame

Another Poissy Street

Villa Savoye

Gate was Closed :((

I only could see you from the fence oh Villa :(

:( I couldn't reach you Oh Villa :(

Le Corbusier Museum

Well taking a selfie in front of Eiffel is never bad idea

So, an interesting story was, there was someone who asked me to help to take her some pictures, then I saw from her phone that the picture was not really good, blurry, then I said to her, I will take a picture with my phone, and I will send to yours. Then, after taking some, my phone was died HAHA, what things happened. I said to her, I dunno how to get back, I said, can I see your google map, I just wanna make sure which train I need to take and how many stops. She, oh hamida. I will bring you back to your hostel, don't worry 😍😍 Masyaallah sister, I hope Allah will bless you always :)

Monday

My feet really felt so painful, maybe I was too much walking, but still I couldn't help myself to explore Paris for the rest, even with my broken feet, but finally I brave enough to walk 😂 it's time to move, to Valencia, Monday is the time to relax, as again my feet were not well enough to walk

What to eat?

well, I am not a kinda foody person, better myself to spend my money on the train, I know I learn about sustainability, but I think I am not sustainable enough which I produced more carbon emissions for train, at least mostly using trains and busses, not a plane 😂

So, in Paris, I looked for halal food, and my rule is always 2 days eat cheap foods then you deserve 1-night of good food in the restaurant 😂 well, but if you can afford it, go on! I am budgeting always, to balance my funds for other goals. 

So, I only ate out in a restaurant behind La Mesquita, SO I RECOMMENDED! if you are Muslim and you visit Paris, don't miss out on this place for sure! and it was only breakfast, but you must try, the architecture was really good to explore too :) you can have a look of Architecture in the mosque through this link.

27 December 2021

Valencia

Booked a ticket flight from Paris with Ryan Air, my experience was ^^ HAHA well my flight was delayed (4 hours) :) couldn't complain! because was so cheap! only 84 Euros one way with luggage. Do you need to book a return ticket, for me better yes, to get a good price, but if you are worried and in the middle wanted to change the destination, better not, at least 2 or 3 days before booking.

it's easy to get into the city center after arriving at the airport, buy a day past about 15 Euros, but well I didn't recommend you to buy this, because Valencia is really a small city, you can just walk! 😂

A renaissance architecture

Where to go?

WHY VALENCIA? I came to Valencia only wanna see Santiago Callatrava's buildings "Hemisphere" and "Muse de Science" that are interesting to learn. though, it is also near to the main destination Granada and Cordoba, even 8 hrs, arrived Valencia and dunno where to go? le's explore! xD

My mind was heading to the city center because it was just nearby with the hostel, walk around 10 minutes and you will see another color of the city, windows with beautiful flowers hanging, colorful houses with small balconies. Indeed so beautiful, so much different with Paris. Spanish people talking louder and faster but still humble, you can experience by yourself if you find them xD lovely. You will see narrow streets with the old-stone pavements framing your walks. Orange trees on streets, beautiful renaissance architecture, churches, and high dwellings on front. You will adore this city a lot! 

Selfie in front of the city hall

The vast majority of people here are Christian so there are a lot of churches

But they are so beautiful, good to take some photographs

Another church

Dense Population in Valencia

Valencia Cathedral 1

Valencia Cathedral 1

The Legendary Fish Market

Always failed if I ask someone to take me a pictures 😂

Palau De Las Arts

I met a stranger who followed me, He said he was Muslim and asked me if I was married or not 😁😂   Well Bapack! Mending fotoin aku aja, thanks to take me a pict tho HAHA

Nah this building I haven't visited inside

I enjoyed the sun there tho

The Hemisphere 😍

The Structure inside

Look at the Structure

Details

The sun reflection

Exterior

My plan was to have a night trip to go to Granada and sleep on the bus, But again! a bit ambitious to explore the city only for one day, with the injured legs? For sure, I gave up! HAHA again yeah I need to slow down! I decided to take a morning bus instead of night.Then guess what I've found during the bus trip, beautiful landscape of (likely) desert and green savanna. 

What to eat?

Paella is a must-try food to enjoy in Valencia, you can have it for 14 Euros for one plate. I didn't try it in Valencia, because was sooo crowded and I was so scary Lol, so I tried seafood.

so raw and with bread 😐

This is Paella, but believe me, this is not authentic, a bit plain, well yeah I bought in Granada, but I think in Valencia is much better 

I will continue for Part 2 in some weeks 😃😃

"Why are you out wandering the streets in the middle of the night?"

"Sir,"

"If I knew the answer to that question, I would have been home hours ago!"

-Rumi-"

Thanks for reading :)

Hamida