Munich, Germany

When visiting Munich, my German friend said to me 'I want you to see Munich as a large village, not as a small city', and he was right. Munich, although being Germany's third largest city, it lacks the skyscrapers and city feel that you would expect. Instead, Munich offers a more cosy yet medieval atmosphere with its gothic churches and weekly markets. To reflect this, it has been nicknamed 'Toy town' by the English, because of its safety and quality of life, and 'Millionendorf' by the Germans, meaning 'village of a million people'.

 I found the people of Munich to be friendly and outgoing, and also noted the large amount that spoke English, making it easier to get by there. As well as the people, I also found the scenery itself to be rather charming; whether it was stroll through the Olympic Park, or a wander around the city, there were plenty of landmarks to catch your eye. It also worth noting that, although it may not look so, Munich is a very modern city with host of museums, restaurants, shops and bars, as well as many other things to see and do.

 Due to its location, it is quite possible to go skiing in the Alps, or even hiking along the many mountains near by. The Bavarian capital is also quite close to Dachau, home of the infamous concentration camp, and hohenschwangau, a small Bavarian village which boasts Neuschwanstein Castle (Cinderella's Castle), as well as many, many tourists!!

 Munich is definitely a place to visit if you want a quaint village atmosphere with all the perks of a city, world class museums as well as the chance to do some hiking, and grand Gothic architecture wiv a slight Bavarian twist.

Chinesischer Turm, Englischer Garten, Munich.

Chinesischer Turm (Chinese Tower) is a 5 storey, 25m high tower in Englischer Garten, Munich, built in 1790. It was built to resemble The Pagoda, a similar tower in London. It was burnt down in 1944 after heavy bombing, but rebuilt in 1952. It is a must see if you venture into the Englischer Garten. Here, you can sample typical Bavarian cuisine and, of course, beer!!

City Hall, London, England.

City Hall, the home of London's government (Mayor of London and the London Assembly) since 2002. It is located in Southwark, on the bank of the River Thames, near Tower Bridge.

Chinatown Gateway, Liverpool.

This is the largest multi-span arch located outside of China (44ft tall) and can be found in Liverpool, which is home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe.
The arch contains 200 hand carved dragons, 12 which are pregnant, symbolising good fortune between Liverpool and Shanghai, Liverpool’s twin city.

Transport in Amsterdam

Cycling is a very popular mode of transport in Amsterdam, which is why the city is covered with cycling lanes. You should always take caution when crossing roads as cyclists can come out of nowhere!! You can hire bikes from around 8 Euros per day if you choose to cycle around. 

Trams are a popular way of getting around. You can buy 24 and 48 hour tram passes (longer if needed) for a reasonable price, however I did find the trams to be quite confusing as tram conductors would often tell you the wrong tram to take.

London 2012 Olympic Games - Olympic Park

Olympic Park & The Orbit

The Orbit

 Gardens in the Olympic Park

London 2012 Paralympic Games - ExCel Arena

Here are some pictures from when I went to see the Paralympic Games in London. I had an ExCel Arena pass so got to see sitting volleyball, wheelchair fencing, boccia and powerlifting. Enjoy!!