Belgium - Ghent

From Paris, we flew to Brussels, then to Ghent for work. Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. In a unique way, the beautiful Ghent has managed to preserve its medieval power while keeping up with the times.

Ghent has a string of superb Gothic buildings and a bevy of delightful, intimate streetscapes, where antique brick houses are woven around a skein of narrow canals.

The hotel (Harmony Hotel) where we stayed is situated in the heart of Ghent,  in a neighbourhood called 't Patershol, the oldest neighbourhood of Ghent. It has the perfect view of the canal. There are boat rides to see Ghent which I'm sure is a relaxing way to take in Ghent's beauty. Unfortunately, I did not have the time to do so :(

Castle of the Counts

Not far from the Graslei arises the Castle of the Counts, once the medieval fortress of the Count of Flanders.

Castle of the Count was built by Count Philip of Alsace at the point when he found himself at war with Picardy in northern France. It was built based on the ideas of the castles he had seen of his fellow crusaders.

St. Bavo's Cathedral

St. Bavo’s Cathedral houses an impressive number of art treasures: the baroque high altar in white, black and red flamed marble, the rococo pulpit in oak, gilded wood and marble, a major work by Rubens, the ‘Calvary Triptych’, attributed to Joos van Wassenhove, alias Justus van Gent, tombs of the Ghent bishops, and much more. However, one work stands out head and shoulders above the rest: the world-famous Adoration of the Mystic Lamb painted by Hubert and Jan van Eyck around 1432.

Saint Nicholas' Chruch, The Belfry
 & St. Bavo's Cathedral

The Belfry is the proudest symbol of the city’s independence. In a euphoric Brabant Gothic style, this monument glorifies the industry to which the city owes so much. At the corner of the Cloth Hall is an old jailer’s lodge.

The Belfry is the middle of the famous three-tower row, together with the Saint Bavo’s Cathedral and the Saint Nicholas’ Church.

The visit to Ghent is for work and did not really have the time to do the tourist thingy. Only had the opportunity to see these attractions from the outside, late in the evening. Am really glad, the visit was in summer when it's still very bright past 9pm. I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to visit Ghent again and have more time to be a "tourist" :)

France - Paris

Work took me (my first trip) to Paris, France. Should I say unfortunately or fortunately, not much work was done in Paris and ended with some time for sightseeing.

Paris, the cosmopolitan capital of France has the reputation of being the most beautiful and romantic of all cities. Dubbed the City of Light (la Ville Lumière) and Capital of Fashion, it is home to the world's finest and most luxurious fashion designers and cosmetics.

My trip to City of Light, started at Saint Denis which is 10km north of centre Paris. Could not get any reasonably priced hotel downtown as there was an air show and music event during our visit.

St-Denis Basilica

Saint Denis is home to The Basilica of Saint Denis, notable for its Gothic architecture and the burial site of the French monarchs, making it comparable to Westminster Abbey in London. The Gothic structure that stands today, begun in 1136 by Abbot Suger and was not completed until the end of the 13th century. The church is an architectural landmark, part of which is considered to be the first major structure built in the Gothic style.

Continuing my exploration on Avenue Des Champs Eylsees...first stop, Arc De Triomphe (Arc de Triomphe de l'Étoile), one of the most famous monuments in Paris.

Arc De Triomphe

Arc De Triomphe honours those who fought and died for France in the French Revolutionary and the Napoleonic Wars. Inscribed on its inner and outer surfaces are the names of all the French victories and generals.  Beneath its vault lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers from World War I.

From the Avenue Des Champs Eylsees,  we took the hop-on-hop-off sightseeing tour of Paris with Les Cars Rouges, costing 26 euros. The round tour lasted about 2 hours 15 minutes but we took longer as we took the stop at the famous Eiffel Tower. Our tour started at Arc De Triomphe to:

Grand Palais

The Grand Palais des Champs-Elysées is commonly known as the Grand Palais (Great Palace). It is a large historic site, exhibition hall and museum complex which includes the Palais d'Antin, home to the Palais de la Découverte science museum, and the Galeries nationales, with its art collections managed by the Réunion des musées Nationaux.

The Trocadero

Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower (nickname La dame de fer, the iron lady) is a
puddle iron lattice tower located on the Champ de Mars. Built in 1889, it has become both a global icon of France and one of the most recognizable structures in the world. It is the tallest building in Paris  and the most-visited paid monument in the world.

Stop at The Trocadero for the ultimate view of the Eiffel Tower.

Musee de L'armee

Musée de L'armee was originally built as a hospital and home for disabled soldiers by Louis XIV. It now houses the Tomb of Napoleon and the museum of the Army of France. The museum's collections cover the time period from antiquity until the 20th century.

Musée d'Orsay

Musée d'Orsay situated on the Left Bank of the Seine River in Paris' 7th arrondissement, is a fabulous turn-of-the-century building. It is formerly a railroad station which was converted into a spacious venue dedicated to art.

The Musée du Louvre, the Louvre Museum or simply the Louvre is one of the world's largest museums, the most visited art museum in the world and a historic monument. Did not managed to get a good picture of Musée du Louvre :(

Notre Dame Cathedral

Notre Dame de Paris (also known as Notre Dame Cathedral), is a Gothic Catholic cathedral. It is widely considered one of the finest examples of French Gothic archiyrcture in France and Europe. Begun in 1163 and mostly completed by 1250, Notre Dame is an important example of French Gothic architecture, sculpture and stained glass. It is also an active Catholic church, a place of pilgrimage, and the focal point for Catholicism in France.

Paris, France

Luxor, Egypt

Had the chance to see the twin obelisk of Luxor Temple.

This trip is just an overview of Paris. Will make another trip to be a real tourist :) Did have a great time in Paris and did some shopping too. No, did not buy any LV bag as there are too many people carrying LV these days...bought a Furla instead "wink wink".