Who: Me myself and I, jumping as always

Where: Beautiful Castell son Claret in Mallorca, Spain...sigh...this place literally stole my heart

Why: Keeping my sunny memories of this past weekend up close  ahead of a rainy week

Hope you had a great weekend. Wishing you an even greater week ahead

cheers,


till next time

S

My Vietnam (*)
Vietnam is a country I had dreamed to visit for the longest time. Earlier this March I got 10 extra days in between my move from London  to Geneva so after a friend mentioned Vietnam randomly in a conversation I "knew" I just had to go.

Now in 10 days (9 excluding the flights) I could not quite do a proper North to South trip (*). In the end I decided to focus on the North side and Hanoi due to its closeness to Halong Bay, a Unesco World Natural Heritage site I wanted to see.

Below a few excerpts of my trip - travelling solo - if you would like to see. I  apologize in advance for the lack of pictures. I left without a camera and manage to take the below with an old blackberry! Luckily I still have my eyes and memory for the recall.

Hanoi
I started my trip with 2 days in Hanoi, the second largest city after HochiMinh (Saigon). This city was really intriguing to say the least partly thanks to the non stop honking of motorbikes and cars at any time of the day and night.

Sleep: I stayed in the old quarter so I could easily enjoy the various attractions the city has to offer  but there are countless accommodations in Hanoi ranging from very budget friendly and relatively good quality to more luxurious experiences like the gorgeous Sofitel Legend Metropole.

Activities:
Sadly the weather was not great during my stay but that did not stop me from walking around the city at times lost in translation, but always smiling and waving back to the hands saying "hello" to me.

Day 1
Strolling in the Old quarter also helped me feel the heartbeat of Hanoi as the city is definitely alive in those  narrow yet busy streets. There you can find many souvenir shops, clothing, sneakers at low prices as well as street foods and other delicacies everywhere.

Lake Hoan Kiem: there are many other ponds around the city but Hoan Kiem lake was the closest to  the old quarter and one I enjoyed most as it lights up at night offering a magical and beautiful sight.

Day 2:
There are way too many nice buildings, temples and pagodas scattered around the city. I managed to stop by the temple of Literature, the Hanoi Opera House, One Pillar Pagoda and further north the Tran Quoc Pagoda.

I also somehow managed to fit in  a brief stop by the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum for a sight of the historic leader. His body rests inside a nice coffin and occasionally "visits" other cities.


Halong Bay
Days 4 - 5
Next and by far the most anticipated highlight of my trip was a 2-day cruise along Halong Bay.
Once on the boat I met with lovely people and finally experienced the magical fogginess of Halong bay. Somehow going to this place felt like a mini meditation retreat which left me with a wonderful memory and upbeat feeling afterwards.


Hoi An
Days 6 -8
Back in Hanoi town for a transfer to the airport and after a short 30mn flight I arrived in sunny Hoi An. Though Hoi An is not as famous as Nha-trang (more south) for its beautiful beaches, it is a tiny cute village south of Hanoi and outside of Da-nang and is quite famous for its tailor shops. There I enjoyed cycling around the small town with its picturesque Venice feel, rice fields, temples and old houses. I also did get a few things tailored(***)

Day 9
On my last full day I booked a half day trip to My Son sanctuary. Though smaller than Angkor Wat and heavily impacted by the Vietnam war, the remains are still beautiful and give a sense of the ancient civilization who lived there.

I finished off the day with a quick trip on top of the Giant Buddha and Marble mountain to appreciate the view over the town.



Day 10- Flight back home

Now I can't wait to go back to Vietnam and explore more of the beautiful South and possibly a cruise along the Mekong river all the way Cambodia...




That's it for now!

Many many thanks for reading and don't hesitate to comment below :)

till next time

-S


(*) or rather a tiny bit of it. I weighed heavily in between the North (best to visit from September to December with Hanoi as entry point) and the South (best to visit from December to April with Ho chin Minh as entry point). Oh and I just LOVE Vietnamese cuisine


(**) I kind of picked a random tour operator and loved it! To be fair most operators have same packages which you can inquire at hotel desks. the 2-day/1  night is the most common cruise though some people do stay longer

(***) I ended up at Bebe shop after a few hours comparing online reviews. All in all quite fun to do but in hindsight I would do just one suit if you have time and need one, otherwise you end up with fairly expensive things you will hardly wear

Who: Me myself and I

Where: Yvoire, somewhere between France and Switzerland


What: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. 


Why: After moving from London, UK to Geneva Switzerland (!!!), I am still adjusting to my new life (and new job) one day at a time.
Just like entering a new book chapter, I do turn back sometimes to reread some old pages that brought me lots of joy  and that helps me get back into the story flow again, like a sweet reminder of where I'm heading next.  
I know it's only a matter of a "few pages" until I shall find my new balance again.
Meanwhile I  enjoy the journey, that is every second spent with the one that makes my heart sing "Happy"....

till next time

-S

ps: I previously posted this picture 2 years ago whilst I was still living in London. Time surely flies 

or the unlikely picture of a girl who loves to travel but doesn't like to take photos (blame it on my  not so photogenic face) Story of my life...


till next time

S

Simply magic...
Just as magical crazy is how time has flown. January felt like yesterday yet 2015 is only a mere 3 months away....
ok. Let me stop.

till next time

-S

Fresh dose of United colours of Cheerfulness.
Have a great weekend y'all!

Photo by BGPhotography

till next time

-S

ps: I'm third from left in case you wonder :-)

Trying to find shade under a blazing sun in Orleans, a lovely city an hour south of Paris, France.
The cathedral was well worth a stop during this mini friends' wedding weekend.

till next time

-S

who: yours truly

where: Sunny Paris....stay tuned for my 24-hour city guide

why: Paris is always a good idea....

why bis: Perfect day to wear my recent closet faves Zara jacket, jeans and boots, COS scarf, Dior scarf worn as headband, Hermes Kelly bag

what: "Paris " by friendly fires. this video is so beautiful, pretty much Paris in 8mn

what bis: " I know" by Irma, or when talent meets beauty meets brain...


till next time

-S

Who: Me, myself and I

Where: Mauritius

What: Grown woman by Beyonce

Why: I can do whatever I want

Why bis: Those big thighs won't lie...and if B likes them, Imma like 'em too...


til next time,

-S

Bonzurrrr!!

So many things to say yet not enough words to describe how much I fell in love with Mauritius island.

Everything, I mean errithang...just make me want to hop on the next flight back there.

From the funny village names: from Chamarel to Flacq, via Curepipe or Pointe du Diable; the warmth of the people, the beautiful temples, churches, mosques and synagogues side by side, the blue lagoon with its beautiful corals and playful dolphins, the welcoming weather AND the amazing food, it definitely felt like heaven on earth.

2014 could not have had a better start. Let's keep that way! the Mauritian way that is...Relaxed and Happy!

till next time

-S

Who: Yours Truly

Where: Delicious Mauritius

What: "Summer in the city" by Joe Cocker

Why: "Despite the heat, it'll be allright", sigh....

Have a great weekend y'all

till next time

-S

Paris will always hold a special place in my heart....well... that is under the short stay category*...
Off for another one in the beautiful city of lights. Wishing  you all a great weekend ahead.

till next time

-S

*At the moment my heart isn't able to bear the ongoing political and economical environment in France for more than a few days at a time. I just can't... 
(c) Photos by me, BG photography

When in Paris, sometimes the best view is upward. The restaurant Train Bleu at the train station Gare de Lyon in Paris is worth a sight and a gourmand break...

till next time

-S
(c) photo by me

Who: Yours truly aka Samster  

Where: Somewhere near Gare de Lyon in Paris, France

Why: Personally feeling like home in this Paris meets Portobello road- lookalike street
Why bis: Gotta practice some MJ moves.

What: "Personally" by Nigerian duo P-Square. I just can't get enough of these guys for they are seriously-internationally-amazingly-brotherly-dramatically too fresh for word.  Oh and in case of doubt, just watch the video!!!


MJ lives on...

Have a great weekend y'all

till next time

-S

Photo by me at the amazing and best-kept secret Hotel de Las Letras in Madrid

till next time

-S

Who: Me myself and I
Where: Yvoire, somewhere between France and Switzerland
What: "Happy" by Pharrell Williams. this got to be my fave summer jam EVER.
Why: Happiness is the truth... and it's here to stay...
Why bis: There is no such road to happiness. Happiness is the journey.
Let's enjoy Life while it lasts...

till next time

-S

 
 



Between storm and sunshine...
Golf fields and fishermen dreams
Yummy food, haunted castles
Countless loches pouring into waterfalls  
Mix of green, yellow and red patches of land.
That was Scotland!

till next time,

-S