Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Budget Amsterdam Trip Itinerary - 5 Days 4 Nights - Spring season

Amsterdam as a beautiful place with many canals, bridges, waterways and thousands of 17th century mansions which is build side by side. The place is very tourist friendly with paved bicycle track, boat trip in the canals and multi-cultural community. The place also famous for its delicacy such as herring, stroopwafels and cheese. If you go further, you can find traditional windmill and tulips garden which is iconic to Netherlands. Amsterdam is an open city which tolerates sex clubs and dope smoking. Do come here if you have chance to savour the beauty of this Dutch capital.




Beautiful tulips in Keukenhof. Come here from Mar-May each year if you don't want to miss viewing this tulip garden.

Wondering if you know what type of chocolate is this in Albert Cuyp market. Just look don't touch!

Amsterdam hype about marijuana. From marijuana drinks, cakes and cookies.

Do sample their cheese, its delicious.

Windmill at Zaanse Schans.

Day Morning Afternoon Evening Night
Day 1 (Tue) 1. Travel from Paris to Amsterdam via Thalys fast train.

2. Check in at Trianon Hotel @ Museumplein

3. Walking around Dam Square and scenic selfie at Amsterdam canals.

1. Purchased some grocery at Albert Heijn store. You can get quite a good deal from Albert Heijn and can get Dutch delicacies such as Stroopwafels here.

1. Traditional Dutch meal dinner at Haesje Claes
Day 2 (Wed) 1. Breakfast at Trianon Hotel.

2. Visiting Keukenhof the largest flower garden in the world. The garden is located at Lisse. You may purchase the combo ticket online (bus + adult entrance ticket).

1. Continuation of Keukenhof visit.

1. Visited the Roman Catholic church of De Krijtberg Kerk.
1. Traditional Dutch dinner at Oud Holland located opposite Dam Square.
Day 3 (Thur) 1. Breakfast at Trianon Hotel

2. Following SANDEMANs NEW Europe Amsterdam Free walking tour. This is a tip based 3 hours walking tour which will covers Dam Square surrounding.
1. Visiting windmill in Zaanse Schans

1. Following SANDERMANs NEW Europe Red Light District Amsterdam tour. This is a two hours walking tour around red light district of Amsterdam.
1. Steak dinner at Cocina Argentina (Mas Y Mas) near Amsterdam Chinatown
Day 4 (Fri) 1. Visit flora Holland flower market. This is the world largest flower auction centre located in Aalsmeer. Come early to watch the flower auction process.
1. Visiting Albert Cuyp Market. This is Amsterdam largest open air market. Do try a variety of cheese samples and delicious herring.

2. Having Kroketten at Cafe Hoppe
1. Orange Day parade
1. Dinner at Asian Kitchen
Day 5 (Sat) 1. Van Gogh museum 1. Amsterdam river cruise 1. Dutch snack bitterballen at Het Gasthuys 1. Flight going back home Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur on KLM - Royal Dutch Airlines

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Budget Washington DC Trip Itinerary - 4 Days 4 Nights - Autumn season

Washington DC being the capital of United States offers many tourist attractions and historical places which is interesting to visit. Some of these places being features in the box office Hollywood movies and having Pentagon in spy related movies. The main attractions to Washington DC is the National Mall. The National Mall area comprises the area from US Capitol to Washington Monument. The best thing about National Mall is that most of the museums are free of charge. And at the National Mall, you can view most of the national monuments here such as Washington Monument, US Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial and White House which is the official residence for the president of United States.


US Capitol Building.

White House at night.

Beautiful main hall of Library of Congress.

Learn the meaning of freedom from Thomas Jefferson Memorial.












Day Morning Afternoon Evening Night
Day 1 (Thur) 1. Arrival 6.00am at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) via Virgin America flight from Los Angeles, USA

2. Taking Metrobus 5A from Washington Dulles Airport to Rosslyn Metro station. From Rosslyn Metro Station you have direct access to Washington DC. I took the metro train to Braddock Road Station in Alexandria, Virginia. Do take note that Washington DC is located nearby state of Virginia and Maryland.

3. Check in at Home Stay via Airbnb. Great the host allowed me to put my luggage.

1. Lunch. Hard Times cafe

2. Visit Old Town of Alexandria, Virginia. View photos of Alexandria here.

1. Washington Monument

2. Lincoln Memorial

3. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

4. US Capitol outside view.
1. Dinner. Chinatown Express having chicken noodles.

2. White House at night outside view.
Day 2 (Fri) 1. US Capitol Visitor Centre

1. Lunch at US Capitol Cafeteria.

2. Library Of Congress. This is the world largest library. Beautiful interior.
1. National Gallery of Art

1. Dinner. Panda Express.
Day 3 (Sat) 1. Breakfast at King Street Cafe

2. Arlington National Cemetery

1. Lunch. Ben's Chili Bowl.

1. Georgetown, Washington DC.

1. Dinner. Little Viet Garden Restaurant for Vietnamese food.

Day 4 (Sun) 1. Breakfast. Cereal at home stay.

2. Thomas Jefferson Memorial.
1. Martin Luther King Memorial

1. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

2. Shopping in Pentagon City Mall.
1. Dinner. J Paul's Georgetown having baby back rib.