Bali Bali Bali...

If you have watched the Eay Pray Love movie and wondered if the places Julia Roberts visits are real, I can tell Bali was pictured very well!

The movie did show the peaceful side of Bali which is something very beautiful, peaceful and full of serenity. As I've written before on my Cambodia blog, there's something 'in the air' in Bali. It's the people, weather, sunsets, food, smell of incents...it's everything!

There is the other side; noisy and chaotic traffic, poor people begging, desperate people trying to sell products and dirty stray dogs and cats running around the streets. This is in the main tourist area called Kuta Beach...which I only recommend to pass through...quickly! And concentrate on other parts of the beautiful island.

Once you've visited Bali, you want to go back over and over again. Watching the movie and seeing the scenery of Ubud's lush tropical jungle made my heart feeling so warm and peaceful. One day I'll go back there!

Here are some memorable photos I took in Bali 2 years ago:

Cruising around the Caribbean...dreaming.

Ten night Southern Caribbean cruise...Starting point San Juan, Puerto Rico...Visiting the small islands in the beautiful and charmy Caribbean: British Virgin Islands, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Barbados, Gredada, Aruba, Curacao...mmmm, just thinking of all this makes me wanna wear linen clothes, white sun hat, big sunnies and listen rythms of the sunny and smiley islands. 

(luxurybeachfrontvillas.com)

Celebrity Cruises does these cruises (and so does many other cruise companies), but if you want some luxury while being on the cruise, choose Celebrity Cruises! As they write on the website: "Celebrity Millennium is more than a ship; she is a special memory waiting to be had." World class restaurants and broadway-style shows and luxury beauty and spa ameneties are calling!

One of my very good friends is working on this ship and I've got an invite to go on the cruise...should I...? But I have already Dubai and Dominican Rebuplic trips booked and planned...I wanna go go go!


Back from daydreaming to the snowy and cold Finland...spring is almost here, I'm hoping.

Beautiful Lapland of Finland

It's the home of Santa Claus and Rudolph the red nose reindeer, with the darkest days in winter and the brightest days in summer...to give an example; In northern part of Lapland the sunrise is at 11:58am and sunrise at 12:19pm (yes, 21min later!) in winter time and in summer it's the other way around. So basically in winter it's dark all the time for 3 months and bright all the time for 3 months...crazy, uh?

Here are some beautiful photos of the winter wonderland of Lapland, enjoy!



All photos from http://www.levi.fi/fi/kuvapankki.html

There are the main 6 airports in Lapland to fly to; Rovaniemi, Kittilä, Kuusamo, Ivalo, Enontekiö and Kemi-Tornio. There are the main ski resorts with all the activities close at: Levi, Ylläs, Pyhä, Ruka, Luosto, Suomu, Salla, Saariselkä, Olos-Pallas...

I highly recommend Lapland to families, couples, singles and seniors...there are plenty of things to see in the magical area of Finland. It's easy to reach from all over the world by flying on airBaltic, Finnair, Blue1 or FinnComm Airlines. Just check their website and you are already 1/3 booked to see the beautiful part of world.   :)

Love letter to Bondi Beach...

Dear Bondi Beach,

I just wanted to let you know that I miss you SO much! I've been thinking of you heaps lately as it's been snowing and snowing the last 3 weeks in Finland. I just miss your warmness and happiness all year round! Of course you have bad and rainy days once in a while but you still 'shine' in your beautiness no matter what.

You made me feel special every day. I feel something is missing when I'm without you...

I got some exciting news this week that I might be there sooner I thought, have to tell you about it later. But I'm looking forward to seeing you sooner or later. And that time it'll be for a long time again, I promise.

Take care and say hello to all my friends who you are still treating well, I heard.

Love always xxx ooo

*Girl from Curlewis St who loved sunbathing in South-Bondi and loved watching sunsets in North-Bondi*

Perfect day with you!

Remember you smiling when I took photo from the plane? :)

You are SO beautiful, no matter from which ankle I look at you...

You are always there listening my thoughts...

Nothing is better than You on sunset!

Alternatives for hotel stays

When you are planning your trip to a certain city, do you just look for a web-travel agency recommendations for hotels?? I don't. There are so many other options to choose from, and most of all, saving some money!

There are lots of apartments to choose from, from private, vacation rentals, use to 'hotel-a-like' apartments. Here is one of my favourite:

http://www.airbnb.com/

This portal offers different kind of accomodation in 168 cities around the world. It offers normal aparments to extreme accommodations in the jungle, like below...

Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio $400/night

There are cheaper and 'normal' places to stay in Costa Rica...

Costa Rica, Casita with Hot Springs, Aguas Zargas $49/night

Then there are the beautiful city apartments, lofts as well:

Lisbon, Portugal $82/night

Paris, France $119/night

Hong Kong $150/night

New York, USA $165/night

So where ever you travel you can feel "home away home". :)

Something to look forward to...

Today I won't write much...When it's cold outside and I have a bit of a cough, I thought to cheer myself up with photos of something which is coming up...Holidays and Weddings in 2011!!

After I had my blog about destination weddings I started to get invites to all of them...(just kidding!). Two of my very close friends are getting married in two exotic destinations: Dubai and Dominican Republic. There's 3 months to the first one and exactly one year to the second wedding, can't wait!!

One of the main sights of Dubai: Burj Al Arab, Photo viajardubai.com

Ritz Carlton Dubai, the wedding reception venue. Can't wait!

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic; there's no better paradise pic from this!

This is the hotel resort beach...NICE!

I guess I just have to wait for these fabulous trips ahead, I wish I was going already!

Do you have any plans ahead?

Still some time to visit Christmas Markets around Europe...

To be very efficient on Christmas time, or now when it's still 33 days to go to Christmas, I should have ordered the Christmas cards, purchased almost all Christmas presents which have to be sent overseas by 30th on November and have something different and personal touch on the presents. I've ordered the Christmas card (something very unusual for me to do!) and put warning notes in my calendar AND phone for the 30th of November coming closer and closer...But how do I get something personal bought...?





I would love to do something myself but seriously I don't have much time left...Solution: Do a daytrip to one of the Christmas markets and get the handmade Christmas presents for someone special!! Here are some of the ones I've visited and I'm planning visiting...one day...

Vienna Christmas Markets (13 Nov to 24 Dec 2010)

Probably the oldest Christmas Markets known and definitely the most traditional markets! Vienna Markets have been in excistence for over 700 years. All traditionally setup in front of Vienna's Town Hall (Rathausplatz) with hundreds of stalls where you can buy local handicrafts, taste cotton candies, glazed fruits and baked apples. Don't miss the carols on the advent weekends!




(Photo christkindlmarkt.at)




Stuttgart Christmas Markets (24 Nov to 23 Dec 2010)

Germany's biggest Christmas markets are in beautiful city of Stuttgart with over 250 stalls selling wooden toys, glass baubles, nutcrackers, big gingerbread hearts and the German specialty Hutzelbrot (fruitcake). Don't forget to taste the traditional Glühpunsch wine scented with cinnamon and vanilla!



(Photo Stuttgart-tourist.de)



Bath Christmas Market (25 Nov 10 to 12 Dec 2010)

British people have their own Christmas traditions with their Christmas puddings and decoratings, and all this and some more can be found at the Bath Christmas Market by the Abbey. Each year there are 123 wooden chalets selling local farmers' food, jewellery, crafts and children's toys. The views around the markets are beautiful with the Georgian feeling with the cathedral on the side.




(Photo christmasmarkets.com)




Tivoli Christmas Market, Copenhagen (20 Nov to 30 Dec 2010)

At the Copenhagen's old and traditional amusement park turns itself into a Christmas wonderworld with traditional markets. There are more than 70 stalls selling handicrafts, decoratings and local delicates such as gløgg (mulled wine), æbleskiver (apple donuts) and roasted almonds. There are almost 2000 fairylights lighting up the The Tivoli Lake, all this designed the Tiffany's head designer John Loring.



(Photo visitcopenhagen.com)



Old Town Christmas Fair, Riga (27 Nov 2010 to 09 Jan 2011)

At the Riga's most famous landmark Dome Square with 500 years old Christmas Tree lighten up will bring the Christmas feeling to everybody's mind. There are mulled wine, gingerbread, roasted almonds, Christmas tea and coffee, as well as delicious smoked meats and meat products to taste. There are plenty of handicrafts to choose from, but I would go with patterned woolen mittens, socks and hats, and handmade soaps and candles. The medieval atmosphere in old town of Riga brings more excitement to the fair.





(Photo iStockphoto)





Helsinki Christmas Markets, Helsinki (7 - 20 Dec 2010)

I bet I end up going to the local markets which would be the Helsinki Christmas markets...though I have to get a solution for the overseas package before these markets will start. From these markets you can find beautiful Finnish handicrafts from soaps to honey, from wooden toys to silver jewellery from 120 different stalls. The most interesting stuff are felt boots and hats, colourful or just in gray colour. These ones keeps you the warmest in the coldest weather. A cup of glögi at the Kappeli restaurant and eat Christmas pies.

So there's still time to book flights to any of the cities for a little shopping spree, don't you agree?! Or just to the local shopping centre, they have the Christmas feeling there too! :)