Kota Yang Bercahaya
1 hour ago
hungary
Yeay, alhamdulillah, this one will be the final part of my WEMW travelogue. :)
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| The best part of road trip... stamps on the passport! |
We left Istanbul, still with no idea how the highways in Turkey work (I mean how to pay the toll). Although we had few challenges entering Turkey, alhamdulillah the return journey was okay. Custom officers let us go without any inspections. Well, they already have all data in the systems, why should they stop us at the border... we were leaving anyway.
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| Resting at the R&R, have I told you that most petrol stations provide free WiFi? |
Just, the funny part of entering Bulgaria at this border point (Turkey-Bulgaria) was when we need to get our car disinfected. I was not sure for what reason but after returning home, I found out it was for Food & Mouth Disease (FMD). Hmm, but still... why to the car?
It was not for free though. -_-'
Entering Romania again, via Giurgiu-Rousse Friendship Bridge.
Romania was very beautiful, especially at the countryside. Unfortunately, we always driving through this country when it was approaching night time. Mountains along the way, lakes as well (we could just see reflections of moon on the water). Just, there were not much of highways, so, expect to drive on one lane road for each direction.
Keep patience when there will be lots of lorries in front of the car and you will be scared to cross them. T_T
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| Countryside of Romania. |
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| Sunset in Romania. |
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| Beautiful view! |
We were on the road for the whole night, taking turns to drive. But, somewhere we felt something wrong with the car. T_T
Flat tire.
We know the theory of changing flat tire but... haha we did not want to risk our life doing so in the middle of the night out of nowhere. So, we decided to stop at the next petrol station and requested the worker there to help. He was nice to change for free :)
The bad part was, the extra tire was in the boot... with all our stuffs ON TOP OF IT. Imagine the situation when we need to unload our stuffs to take the extra tire and all equipment needed. I still remember it was very cold!
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| Buda Castle, I think. |
Crossing the border of Romania-Hungary was another funny experience. (I hope I remember correctly haha)
The car queue at the customs was quite long, so the driver (I am not sure was it me or Azila) tried her best to keep awake. Suddenly someone honked at us. It woke everyone up to see there was no more queue there!
Our car was in the middle of the road in front of customs and everyone was asleep!
-_-' heeee
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| The funicular. |
Arrived Budapest early morning, I think just before sunrise. If you are wondering where did we pray along the journey... sometimes we took turn to pray outside at the petrol stations, but when it was really cold we prayed in the car.
We parked the car somewhere close to the funicular and walked around the city. I will not share much about Budapest in this post, as I have been there before... in 2012.
If maybe you want to read more about this classical city, refer these link. :)
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - PART 1
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| View of Chain Bridge from the funicular. |
We had our lunch at a seafood restaurant in Pest.
Important things to remember when you want to park your car in Europe:
- Make sure it is NOT parking area for residents. For most buildings in Europe, there are flats on the first floor upwards so some people already pay for their own parking spots (just avoid the spots with plate numbers).
- Make sure you pay the parking fee (if it is stated there)
- Make sure your valuable items are stored safely, even it is just the GPS.
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| Our #4000kmroadtrip |
This map marks the end of my road trip travelogue with my amazing friends. Really, if we want to get to know someone, travel together. We will see how we react through thick and thin of the trip.
Yes, I have LOTSSS of weaknesses / bad habits / annoying attitudes that I only realized after travelling with other people.
Consider travelling as a way to get to know ourselves as well. :)
Self-reflection, yea?
HK, Czech
170503
[Roadtrip] Where East Meets West - Part 1
January 8, 2015
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We started our journey quite late which was nearly 12am of Tuesday. Before driving out of the town, we checked our stuffs all over again, especially the car. We made sure we had spare tire, the wipers are functioning, the car temperature is good, the mirrors are adjusted, the lamps are working good. Well, the journey was estimated to be more than 4000km; a very far and long journey!
GPS; another important thing! We realised it was not charging when connected to normal car charger! Ouch, how can we drive without charged GPS. My friend tried to call the owner of the car, but seems he already sleep; it was 12 am though. :p After some time exploring the dashboard, we found another power source; the USB. Alhamdulillah, using the USB for camera, we can charge the GPS! First problem solved!
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| Shake it off T_T |
It was my friend's turn to drive the car. And the destination was to Budapest, Hungary (via Bratislava, Slovakia). It was approximately 480km with the estimated duration of 5 hours 30 minutes. It sounds crazy right? T_T But no worries, we stopped somewhere to rest ourselves and the car itself after hundreds kilometers; just to make sure the car was not overheating.
By the way, to go to Hungary, it was like crossing 2 countries - Slovakia and Hungary.
Just to let you know, we need to buy Vignette (it is like road tax) and is currently used throughout Central Europe. It was not that expensive and easy to buy. Before crossing the border, just stop at any petrol stations to buy. For some countries, you can still buy it within few kilometers after crossing the border :)
Vignette for Slovakia = 10 Euro for 10 days
Vignette for Hungary = 2 975 HUF (~ 9.5 Euro) for 10 days
Like highways in Malaysia, we need to pay the toll every time we use highways. It is different with Vignette. Pay once, then use it within the period of time throughout the country. :)
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| Vignettes - Credit; Google |
Aha, by the way, RnR here don't really have stalls to sell food (not so many). So, don't expect to see people selling fruits - ciku, papayas, guavas all that. But, the best part of stopping by RnR with petrol stations was that most of petrol stations; they provide free WiFi! The toilets are inside the shop; very clean. And you can buy coffee or some hot drinks as there are also cafes in the petrol station's shop.
And they don't ask you to leave if you park there without buying the petrol :)
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| OMV - one of the common petrol stations here :) |
The journey was smooth at this time; except that we are not used to stay in car in cold weather. Aha, I forgot to mention, it was snowing that morning T_T I was so nervous because it could affect the road. But, alhamdulillah, so far everything was still good :)
Make sure to bring some pillows and 'comforters'. So that you will not be frozen in the car and you have 'comfortable' place to sleep. At that time, we tried to divide the four of us into 2 shifts; each with a driver and a co-driver (to make sure the drivers not to be sleepy - by giving food, water and have conversations). So, while one of the shifts take over the car, the other one need to take the opportunity to sleep. That's the reason why we managed to be continuously on road for 2+2 days!
We arrived Budapest nearly 7am.
But, what made this part of the trip interesting was that; we had the opportunity to watch the sunrise! And read al-Mathurat together in the car :)
That's lovely enough for me. Weee.
I'm sorry if Part 1 sounds boring; I guess it was more to technical stuffs; as this was our first long roadtrip. But maybe it can be helpful if you want to travel in Europe by car :)
Heee. Will share more interesting stories soon ;)
v Khaulah,
140108
[Roadtrip] Where East Meets West
January 5, 2015
Alhamdulillah :)
Finally, after about a week of travelling by car, we safely arrived home! Yeah, it was a road trip, and literally we were in car most of times. ;) The car itself was like our house; it was the kitchen to prepare food and eat; it was the bedroom to sleep. Not to forget, our favorite pit-stops; the petrol stations T_T
Guess where we went?
It is the place where the east meets the west! :D
You are correct!
Istanbul, Turkey.
It was kind of a sudden plan for the winter break; despite of going by plane with expensive tickets, we tried to look for alternative way to travel. So, here we go; by car.
Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
Bratislava, Slovakia
Budapest, Hungary
Bucharest, Romania
Sofia, Bulgaria
Istanbul, Turkey.
Overall, the journey was safe and we encountered so many new experiences. Will share about it soon, insyAllah.
Say, [O Muhammad], "Travel through the land and observe how He began creation. Then Allah will produce the final creation. Indeed Allah , over all things, is competent." Al-Ankabut 29;20
Observe and think :)
Assalamualaikum.
v Khaulah,
150105
Budapest, Hungary - Part 3 (Last)
February 18, 2012
Kak Fara dah nak balik Hradec Kralove sbb ada hal and kena prepare jugak untuk exam dia. Tak dapat nak ikut kitorang continue jelajah Budapest :( Pagi tu, hantar Kak Fara kat metro dekat stesen bas, then saya pun patah balik ke hostel, sambung berehat heee.
Makanan kat sini kitorang okay aja, syukur Allah ingatkan kitorang bawak roti, mentega, chocolate spread, macam-macam lagi. At least, makan jugak laaa :) Mini market pun ada, boleh nak beli sandwich tuna/telur.
Dalam pukul 10, kitorang check out hostel then terus naik metro M1 ke H?s?k tere (Heroes' Square).
ni meliputi Millennium Memorial (statues ketua-ketua yang asaskan Hungary masa abad ke 9) kat tengah-tengah dan diapit dengan 2 museums - Museum of Fine Arts kat belah kiri & Art Gallery kat belah kanan .
Art Gallery. Dari nama bangunan pun dah boleh tahu apa yg ada kat dalam kan? Pameran modern art oleh orang-orang Hungary & international artists. :)
Yang ni pulak Museum of Fine Arts. Tak sure ada apa kat dalam dia, tapi rasa macam lebih kurang Kunsthistorisches Museum yg kat Vienna tu.
Jalan lagi then boleh jumpa Circus, Zoopark & Botanical Park, depan lagi ada Amusement Park (ala-ala funfair)
Masa on the way tu, kitorang lalu satu bangunan ni. Looks like a masjid kan? Not sure betul ke tak. Teringin nak masuk tapi tak jumpa langsung pintu nak masuk tu. :(
Szechenyi Medicinal Bath.
Museum lagi. T___T Museum of Hungarian Agriculture
Open air ice rink. Open masa winter je. Menarik jugak la tengok-tengok orang dari semua lingkungan umur skate sama-sama. Yang budak2 kecik ada kawasan diorang, siap ada jurulatih. Yang dah hebat tu, memang macam-macam gaya dah kitorang tengok. Kitorang ni takde rezeki lagi nak main. Insya-Allah satu hari nanti.
Habis travel area City Park ni, kitorang ke Vorosmarty balik. Kat sini yang paling banyak kedai souvenirs yang kitorang jumpa. Harganya emm snowglobe Euro 12, kiralahhh :p Beli la satu, asal adaaa. Gambar-gambar pun dah banyak. Okay la tu kan :)
Then terus ke Nepliget, rehat kat waiting room bas OrangeWays untuk ke Bratislava, Slovakia pulak. Sambung nanti okayyyyy!
Tidakkah mereka memerhati dan memikirkan berapa banyak umat-umat yang telah Kami binasakan sebelum mereka, padahal (umat-umat itu) telah Kami teguhkan kedudukan mereka di muka bumi (dengan kekuasaan dan kemewahan) yang tidak Kami berikan kepada kamu, dan Kami turunkan hujan atas mereka dengan lebatnya, dan Kami jadikan sungai-sungai mengalir di bawah mereka, kemudian Kami binasakan mereka dengan sebab dosa mereka mereka, dan Kami ciptakan sesudah mereka, umat yang lain? -Al-'An`ām:6
Assalamualaikum.
Edited, 160810
SS, Perak, Malaysia
Budapest, Hungary - Part 2
February 17, 2012
Alhamdulillah, masuk Part 2 jugak :) Ingatkan tak berkesempatan nak sambung travelog.
Okayy, dari Fisherman's Bastion tu, boleh jalan ke Buda Castle. (rasanya tak naik bas masa tu hehe). Masa dalam perjalanan tu korang boleh lalu depan pejabat Presiden Hungary. Simple aja pejabat dia, guard yang kitorang nampak ada la dalam 4 orang aje. :)
Best jugak masa nak mengacau pakcik-pakcik ni. Nampak anak mata je bergerak tengok gelagat kitorang. Pegang senapang memang straight habis la :P Hebat!
So, ini lah dia Buda Castle. Boleh masuk free rasanya kalau nak jalan-jalan sekitar luar castle tu. Tapi masa ni salji tgh mencair then tangga-tangga sangat licin, tak berani nak ambik risiko. T__T
Sekeliling castle ni pulak ada macam-macam bangunan lain - Hungarian National Gallery, History Museum, National Széchényi Library & Matthias Fountain.
Pelancong memang ramai yang akan datang melawat castle, so, diorang ada sediakan siklo untuk turun dari sini. Emmm lupa nak cakap, most of sites kat area Buda ni on top of hills. Kalau datang masa winter, boleh aje nak mendaki. Just be careful sambil menikmati keindahan ciptaan Allah. Langit yg biru, sungai yg mengalir. Indahnyaaa :)
Budavari Siklo. Siklo ni maksudnya funicular. Em, dia macam kereta api yang kat Bukit Bendera, Penang tu.
Ni dia :)
Tapi, tiket dia agak mahal la one way - 900HUF then tak berbaloi sebab tak lama sangat pun. Heee. tapi bila lagi nak naik funicular kat Hungary kan? Alang-alang boleh juga tengok cantiknya pemandangan menuruni bukit.
Then, kitorang pun berjalan ke bahagian Pest pulak. Insya-Allah dah habis cover bahagian Buda ni. Kali ni kitorang seberang guna Chain Bridge. Masa ni saya terkesima tgk ais-ais yang tengah retak-retak kat atas sungai tu, so takde gambar penuh Chain Bridge. Hehe. Saya ngan Kak Fara pergi tenung ais tu lama-lama, dah rasa macam kitorang pulak atas kapal yang bergerak menentang arus sungai. :p
Satu ibrah yang saya dapat masa ni. Kita kena jadikan diri kita tiang asas jambatan tu. Sambil menanggung tanggungjawab yang berat (jambatan orang lalu lalang), sambil mengharungi cabaran-cabaran yang datang (air sungai yg deras). But it still stand teguh je kan. :) I hope we can be like that.
Satu ibrah yang saya dapat masa ni. Kita kena jadikan diri kita tiang asas jambatan tu. Sambil menanggung tanggungjawab yang berat (jambatan orang lalu lalang), sambil mengharungi cabaran-cabaran yang datang (air sungai yg deras). But it still stand teguh je kan. :) I hope we can be like that.
Pest.
St. Stephen's Basilica.
Nak tahu pasal perbezaan basilica, cathedral, church gi google la eh.
Tadaaa, Chain Bridge waktu malam. Cantikkk :) Saya macam wonder jugak kenapa Chain Bridge ni famous padahal banyak lagi bridge lain yang boleh lalu untuk seberang Danube River. Chain Bridge ni jambatan yg first kekal kat sini dan dikira paling moden masa zaman dia.
House of Parliament dari bahagian belakang.
Ethnographic Museum. aka National Museum. Haih banyak jugak museum kat Budapest ni :p
Jangan malu bertanya nanti sesat jalan bazir masa :P
Konklusi yang saya dapat buat. Serius, kalau nak berjalan tapi tak tahu jalan, sila tanya orang tempatan. :) Siap dapat suggestion lagi tempat makan kat mana, nak beli souvenirs kat mana. Don't worry, setakat ni kat Vienna & Budapest, diorang sangat lahhhh friendly and English-spoken, siap diorang offer nak tolong n tunjuk arah bila nampak kita blur tengok maps. HEEE.
Kasut dah lembap sangat . Perut pun dah berkeroncong lapar. Misi mencari makanan yang boleh dimakan di V?r?smarty Square bermula!
K bye
AssalamualaikumSesungguhnya telah berlaku sebelum kamu (contoh kejadian-kejadian berdasarkan) peraturan-peraturan Allah yang tetap; oleh itu mengembaralah kamu di muka bumi, kemudian perhatikanlah bagaimana akibat orang-orang yang mendustakan (Rasul-rasul). -Ali-'Imran : 137
K bye
Edited, 160810
SS, Perak, Malaysia
Budapest, Hungary - Part 1
February 15, 2012
Kata sepakat yang kitorang buat at that time ......
Hihi
120208
Budapest, Hungary.
1015
Alhamdulillah, bas Euroliners yang kitorang naik selamat sampai Nepliget Bus Station. Hungary is still a European country walaupun dia ada currency sendiri, Forint (HUF). Euro hanya digunakan kat some places kat sini.
Ni kat Citadella & Gellert Hill. Kat atas ni ada church. Kalau ikut kisah yang aku baca, dulu-dulu ada seorang ni nama St. Gellert datang kat Hungary untuk kristiankan orang-orang situ. Tapi, orang pagan yang taknak terima, gulingkan St. Gellert tu down the hill. Jadi, hill tu dinamakan camtu. Err.
Parliament dari atas :) Masa malam lagi cantikkkkk.
Okayy, nanti sambung lagi.
Byeee, anyeonggg
Assalamualaikum.
Budapest lagi cantik dari Vienna.
Hihi
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| Pemandangan dari hostel. |
Budapest, Hungary.
1015
Alhamdulillah, bas Euroliners yang kitorang naik selamat sampai Nepliget Bus Station. Hungary is still a European country walaupun dia ada currency sendiri, Forint (HUF). Euro hanya digunakan kat some places kat sini.
Syukur sangat kat stesen bas tu ada money changer. Survey dulu harga tiket metro berapa, then baru tukar duit yang cukup-cukup untuk bayar tu je dulu. Stesen bas punya currency masa tu rendah sangat 1€ = 250 HUF. Biasanya around 280-290 HUF.
Aha, tiket metro tu better beli by group 2-5 orang, 24hours = 3100 HUF. Then, naiklah apa-apa pun. Dari Nepliget, kitorang naik Metro 3 ke Ferenciek Tere, hostel kitorang kat sini :)
Alhamdulillah, hostel kali ni pun okay and recommended untuk korang. :)
Lepas settle check in, google apa-apa yang patut, then kitorang keluar terus. Destinasi - Buda. Oh ye, Budapest ni terbahagi pada 2, Buda & Pest dan one of the famous bridge yang hubungkan dua-dua ni ialah Chain Bridge. Nanti kita tengok gambar ea.
Ni kat Citadella & Gellert Hill. Kat atas ni ada church. Kalau ikut kisah yang aku baca, dulu-dulu ada seorang ni nama St. Gellert datang kat Hungary untuk kristiankan orang-orang situ. Tapi, orang pagan yang taknak terima, gulingkan St. Gellert tu down the hill. Jadi, hill tu dinamakan camtu. Err.
Citadella ni pulak macam fortress built by orang-orang Habsburgs. Dari atas, memang boleh nampak both Buda & Pest. So, I guess memang sangat strategik untuk diorang show control over Budapest.
Liberation Monument - Symbol of peace katanya.
Rudas Medicinal Bath
Yang ni kitorang lalu je. Hehe.
Kitorang sebenarnya nak ke Szell Kalman ter (bas & metro station?), as kat situ ada bas untuk ke next destination. Tapi tak jumpa tram stop heee. Ambikk, terpaksa jalan kaki dari satu bridge ke satu bridge lain. Jauh.
Fisherman's Bastion. Emm, kat situ jugak ada Matthias Church. Penat dah asyik jumpa church. :(
Parliament dari atas :) Masa malam lagi cantikkkkk.
"Maka Kami jadikan (yang demikian) itu peringatan bagi orang-orang pada masa itu dan bagi mereka yang datang kemudian, serta menjadi pelajaran bagi orang-orang yang bertakwa." Al-Baqarah:66
Okayy, nanti sambung lagi.
Byeee, anyeonggg
Assalamualaikum.
Edited, 160810
SS, Perak, Malaysia
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