This post will be like a live report on my Eastern Europe Trip December 2019.
I will once again be wearing my cheap but super technological advance Limited Edition Casio G-Shock Red Heritage G-Shock GMW-B5600HR-1. I have 1 Casio Edifice and 4 Casio G-Shock, all solar powered and with Bluetooth; but the Red Heritage, which is also the cheapest, is my favorite. Below is the G-Shock Red Heritage with me at the Coliseum back in July 2019.
This super cheap watch not only tell me 5 world time but allows me to record my location anywhere on earth with a press of a button. However, I did not record down my movement during my last trip to Europe last July. This time I will try to remember to do so during this trip to Eastern Europe.
I tell you, I prefer to wear my cheap but super advance G-Shock than my useless Rolex Pepsi GMT Master I and Rolex Pepsi GMT MAster II where both only tells the time in 2 or 3 countries and nothing else, hahaha.
And of course I will be using my anti-theft and anti-RFID Travelon Sling Bag. I tell you guys, you better be kiasu and get one too for your travels because you will regret big time when shit happens.
And don’t be penny wise pound foolish. Always purchase Travel Insurance when you are traveling overseas. Click here to read my Guest Columnist Mr Lam’s article on Travel Insurance. If you think you have travel insurance just because you paid your air ticket with your credit card, you better go read the terms and conditions. Just buy a comprehensive travel insurance with a third party (it is really cheap compared to the total cost that you will be paying for the holiday) that cover you for medicahl expenses, emergency evacuation and most importantly – Loss of Deposit or Cancellation!
I will be updating this post as I travel between the different countries in Eastern Europe.
Day 1 – Kuala Lumpur
At KLIA
Emirates Lounge
They serve Hennessy VSOP and MOET at the Emirates Lounge at KLIA! MAS on the other hand serves the lousy Prince Polinac at their main lounge in KL!!!
Day 2 – KL to Dubai to Warsaw
Dubai
Dubai to Warsaw
Above Business Class seats but I am flying Economy Class. They do serve Hennessy but VS.
Warsaw
Lunch
City Tour
Christmas Market
Double Tree by Hilton
Day 3 – Warsaw to Krakow
Breakfast at Double Tree
Krakow Salt Mine
Lunch here
Largest underground Church
Everything inside this church is made from Salt
Dinner at Michellin Recommended Restaurant in Krakow
Day 4 – Still in Krakow
Auschwitz – 1.1m people where murdered here.
Auschwitz 1
People were sent all over Europe to Auschwitz by the Nazi…where old, children and whomever that can’t work were sent straight to the gas chamber upon arrival.
More than 1K people were forced to stay in one block of building
Auschwitz 2 – The prisoners were forced to stay in horse stables on triple bunk beds where up to 10 sleep on each level.
Krakow City Centre and Wawel Castle
Wawel Castle
The oldest church in Krakow on the right and newer church on the left
Krakow Square
It was only 4.30pm but because it was winter, by 4pm it was dark. Dinner was scheduled at 6.30pm. So we went for happy hour 🙂 I ordered Irish Coffee whereas my friends had local Poland beer.
Dinner with Polish folk dance show.
Day 5 – Poland (Krakow) to Slovakia to Hungary (Budapest)
Stayed at Double Tree again at Krokow. Had breakfast and then headed to Budapest.
Slovakia
Skiing Slope
Lunch at Bystrica Slovakia
Budapest Hungary – arrived at 6pm and had dinner. It is a beautiful city. More photos tomorrow.
Open air skating rink
Once again entertainment provided specially for our group. Below photo of yours truly with violinist.
The beautiful Hungarian girl at the restaurant reception.
Day 6 – Budapest
My smoking partner and me at Hero Square
Lunch at Chinese Restaurant
Danube River Cruise – All u can eat and drink on a beautiful relaxing scenery boat Ride.
Beautiful staff on board Armada Cruize Boat
Fishermen Bastion & Hilton
Yours truly enjoying Champagne and a smoke during the river cruise
Day 7 – Hungary and Austria
Hilton Budapest
Breakfast at Budapest before departing for Vienna.
Early morning greeted by a beautiful girl and they serve Champagne for breakfast!!!
On the way to Vienna, I opened the Grande Champagne VSOP I bought at Dubai to celebrate midway of my Eastern Europe Trip 2019 and it was pretty good.
It was raining early in the morning and foggy.
We dropped by Pandoft Outlet Mall which is about 2 hours from Budapest and less than an hour away from Vienna.
We reached Vienna at about 3pm. And it was still drizzling.
We went to 3 Rolex outlets and I was even served Remy Martin XO by a beautiful young lady in one of them! Saw a Rolex half gold Sky Dweller on display but before I even had the chance to ask to see it someone immediately bought it! However they did have a SS Yacht Master II but it was not to my liking. Anyway, I am more than happy to get to drink a glass of XO for FREE 🙂
Eventhough I am wearing my cheap Casio G-Shock, I was still served like a VIP, haha
By the time we left the Rolex outlet, it was dark and snowing!
Wifey bought this Longchamp special Vienna edition.
By 5pm it was snowing in Vienna:
For dinner we had chicken and the famous Austrian Apple Strudel (Perth’s still the best). The restaurant ambience was really nice.
Day 8 – Vienna and Salzburg
Still in Vienna for half a day. Stayed at Raddison Blue.
Imperial Summer Palace
Reached Salzburg at around 6.30pm and had a local dinner.
Day 9 – Salzburg – Hallstatt – Salzburg
We left Salzburg early in the morning and headed to Hallstatt which is an UNESCO Heritage Village overlooking a huge lake and surrounded by snowy mountains.
It was snowing when we reached Hallstatt
It was freaking cold and therefore we entered a cafe to have hot coffee and cakes. The coffee mug we get to keep 🙂
Took a boat ride around the huge lake.
Yours truly on the boat
We had lunch at Hallstatt town square.
After lunch we headed back to Salzburg for a city tour.
Mirabell Garden – one of the locations featured in the Sound of Music.
The steps in the background was also featured in the Sound of Music
Salzburg old town
Salzburg is the birth place of Mozart, he lived on the 3rd Floor of this building in his early years before his family moved to another building.
We had Chinese food for dinner and it was pretty good.
Day 10 – Salzburg – Cesky Krumlow – Prague
We stayed at Sheraton Grand in Salzburg. This stupid 4.5 Star hotel does not provide complimentary coffee and tea in the room BUT you can get a cup for free at the lobby. However I must say the bed is super comfortable.
Below is what I had for breakfast:
The moon was so clear in the morning
Cesky Krumlov – UNESCO World Heritage Village
Lunch at Cesky Krumlow Square
Prague – we reach Prague at about 6.30pm and immediately had dinner at a Chinese Restaurant.
I bought this bottle of Frapin Cognac Grande Champagne at Salzburg and open it in Prague to try it and it was good.
Day 10 – Prague
The Prague Castle is the largest in Europe in terms compound.
Confession Booths
Lighthing effects due to sunlight shinning through the stain glass
20 tons of silver!
After the Prague Castle Tour, we headed to Ginger & Fred located at the 7th Floor of the Dancing House.
Dancing House Prague
The view from the Dancing House hotel was fabulous and service excellent.
The food was pretty good too.
After lunch we headed to Charles Bridge and Prague Main Square.
We had dinner in a 12th Century Cellar at Prague Main Square:
FYI, the Rolex Yacht Master II in Stainless Steel was also available in Prague and selling for the same price in Vienna. I guess this SS model is easily available in Prague and Vienna becaise there is no great demand for it and therefore not a good investment.
Day 10 – Prague
While in Prague, we stayed at Corinthia Hotel.
Young pretty shy receptionist from Turkestan
Prague Airport
Reached airport at around 11.30am and the tax refund was not crowded
If you are an iqos smoker, next time you are in Europe try out the Yellow Label
There is a MasterCard Lounge in Prague Airport and the joke is 2 of my World MasterCard cannot grant me entry BUT my FREE FOR LIFE CIMB Platinum Enrich MasterCard can enter for FREE!
Great tip to save money – buy yourself a few roll of cling wraps and wrap your own luggage 🙂
Dubai Airport
25% Sale for all liquor and cosmetic on top of any special promos!!! The cashier told me every Dec 18 to 20 they have this Anniversary Sale!
I bought 2 bottles of Frapin XO 1L, after 25% discount only USD51 per bottle!!!
My wife on the other hand bought USD700 worth of SKII before 25% discount.
Wifey bought USD700 worth of SKII and recieved 5 free gifts.in the see thru bag on the right.
Emirates Lounge – it is freaking huge and there are smoking rooms in the lounges.
Smoking Room in Emirates Business Class Lounge:
Emirates Economy Pros and Cons
I get 20MB Free Internet with Emirates even though I am flying Economy Class only. I am currently posting this while in the air.
The plus site of Emirates:
1) a wide selection of movies.
2) the food and drinks are pretty good.
3) FREE Internet.
4) the stewardess are young and mostly quite pretty.
5) get to shop at Dubai Airport, e.g. different liquor not sold In KL.
6) upon entering the plane, the stewardess smiles
…. giving you the impression they are happy to see you. MAS can learn from this instead of muka masam especially the older stewardess.
The down side of flying with Emirates:
1) we need waste time transiting in Dubai. So a 13 hours journey from KL to Europe can stretch to 16 to 20 hours.
2) becuase the journey is broken into 2 sectors, I can’t get to sleep for 6 to 8 hours straight with Emirates unlike flying with MAS or Singapore Airlines to Europe.
The service and friendliness of the stewardess varries. When flying out from Eastern Europe, I found the stewardess in the Economy Class are not “flexible” and as if they are the boss and doing us a big favour. But Dubai to KL, the stewardess were more friendly and beautiful too, hahaha.
CONCLUSION
For this Eastern Europe Trip, I earned a total of 7,600 Emirates Skwards Miles:
It was my first time flying with Emirates and I must say the Emirates planes were pretty good. However, if I have a choice, I would rather fly direct to Europe (e.g. with Malaysia Airlines to London or Singapore Airlines to several destinations in Europe) because then I do not need to waste time in Dubai and more importantly is that I get to enjoy 6 to 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.
This Eastern Europe Trip 2019 was good as it reminded me just how lucky we are today. Millions of innocent people died during the past wars and many did not live pass their 40s in the previous centuries where they did not have clean water and good health care.
I must also say that Hello 1010 Sim Card (click here to read more) worked flawlessness during my entire trip where I had no issues with data roaming despite traveling to few countries. I strongly recommend Hello 1010 to all of you as it is must cheaper than using DiGi or Maxis or Celcom roaming. I have 3 Dual Sim phone and one of them had an empty slot which was just nice for the Hello 1010 Sim Card. Therefore, I used HotSpot and all my 3 phones and my wife smartphone had mobile data access during the entire trip.
As for my cheap Solar Powered G-Shock with Bluetooth, it was so easy to adjust the time and record down the places I have visited. I tell you, keep your Rolex or IWC or AP watches in the drawer and get yourself a cheap G-Shock with Bluetooth for your travel needs.
Most of the photos posted were taken with my 2 years old “obsolete” Samsung Note FE (Fan Edition).
Last but not least, I was with a tour group which makes it very convenient as I did not need to worry about transport, carrying my bags and where to eat 🙂
I thank you all for reading GenX’s Eastern Europe Trip 2019.
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