Cliff(y) Goes Travelling

Brussels, Belgium We've come to the last post of 2018! Brussels has been the de facto capital of the European Union (EU) since the early 1960s. Its modern-looking European Quarter is contained within an approximate triangle of formed by Cinquantenaire Park , Brussels Park and Leopold Park.

Rue des Bouchers /  Beenhouwersstraat , Brussels, Belgium Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert (French) or Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen (Dutch) is an enclosed shopping arcade designed by Jean-Pierre Cluysenaar, a Belgian architect who was involved in more than 200 projects during his lifetime. The construction of the 213 m passage began in May 1846, lasting for 18 months.

Old Town, Brussels, Belgium La Grand-Place (French) or Grote Markt (Dutch) is the central square in the old town district. Considered to be one of the most beautiful squares in Europe with its surrounding opulent buildings, it has been listed under the UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1998. 

Place Sainte-Gudule / Sinter-Goedeleplein, Brussels, Belgium Mon-Fri: 7.00am - 6.00pm Sat: 8.00am - 5.00pm Sun: 1.00pm - 6.00pm Yet another place of worship that my BFF and I visited is a Roman Catholic church that was elevated to a cathedral in 1962. It took approximately 300 years for the Gothic style building to be completed, eventually ready before the reign of Charles V commenced in 1519.

Elizabeth Park, Brussels, Belgium Daily: 8.00am - 5.00pm (winter) or 6.00pm (summer) Pikachu and Melon are back! Let's continue from where we left off. Basilica of the Sacred Heart in the capital city of Belgium is a Roman Catholic Minor Basilica. Its construction began in 1905, but it was fully completed only in 1970 as it was halted by the two World Wars.

Rue au Beurre / Boterstraat, Brussels, Belgium Daily: 9.00am - 4.00pm Église Saint-Nicolas (French) or Sint-Niklaaskerk (Dutch) is one of the first four churches in the city of Brussels. It was built in 1125, though much of the original structure didn't live to see this day as it suffered from heavy damages due to the French bombardment of the city in 1695.

European Quarter, Brussels, Belgium Parc du Cinquantenaire (French for 'Park of the 50th Anniversary') or Jubelpark (Dutch for 'Jubilee Park') is a 30-hectare public park built in 1880 during the reign of King Leopold II to commemorate fifty years of the country's independence. It's located at the easternmost part of the European Quarter of the city.

Rue de la Fourche / Greepstraat 17-19, Brussels, Belgium Smacked in the middle of the old town area of the capital city of Belgium is Floris Arlequin Grand Place Hotel (3*), where my BFF and I stayed at for two nights. It's located 150 m away from Grand Place. For bigger groups, the hotel offers triple and quadruple rooms.

[AF209] SXM-CDG (8h 20m) Airbus 330-200 ETD: 3.45pm  (GMT - 4) ETA: 6.05am  (GMT + 2) It's been two years since I last flew with Air France when it decided to end its fifth freedom service between Singapore and Jakarta, Indonesia. The last time I had its long-haul flight, however, was six years ago. Last June, there was only one flight per week from Sint Maarten to Paris, France and vice versa.

Airport Road, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten Princess Juliana International Airport is the bigger of the two airports of the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, which is located in the southern half belonging to the Netherlands. It's named after Queen Juliana of the Netherlands who landed there in 1944, four years before her coronation.

Along Beacon Hill Road, Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten Maho Beach is well-known for its location being adjacent to Princess Juliana International Airport, where you can have the experience of having aircraft flying just a short distance above your head. At the same time, you can have a feel of jet blast, which is the rapid air movement produced by aircraft jet engines.

[BW484] GEO-POS (1h 10m) Boeing 737-800 ETD: 5.35am ( GMT - 4 )  ETA: 6.45 am (GMT - 4) It was about time for my BFF and me to leave South America. We were going to fly out of Georgetown, Guyana to Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago for a short layover with Caribbean Airlines, the flag carrier of the latter. The airline used to be called BWIA West Indies Airways prior to 2007.

Timehri, Guyana Formerly called Timehri International Airport, Cheddi Jagan International Airport is situated roughly 41 km south of Georgetown, the capital city of Guyana. It's named after the fourth president of the country, who is regarded by many as the "Father of the Nation".

Georgetown, Guyana Just like what we did in Paramaribo, Suriname, my BFF and I went on a side quest to venture to some neighbourhoods in the capital city of Guyana. Prior to arriving at the country, little did I know that there's a sports hall that goes by the same name as mine, which isn't that far from Guyana Botanical Gardens .

Georgetown, Guyana Georgetown is the capital city of Guyana, which is situated at the mouth of Demerara River. 'Garden City of the Caribbean' used to be the nickname of the country's largest urban centre, most likely during the British occupation. BTW, Guyana is the only country in South America that uses English as its official language.

Vlissigen Road, Georgetown, Guyana After a rather memorable experience at  Guyana Zoo , my BFF and I explored the vast Guyana Botanical Gardens. It's said that the government of the UK set aside US$72,000 (~S$98,992.80) for the establishment of the park in 1877. An English gardener called John Frederick Waby spent 35 years landscaping the park.

Vlissigen Road, Georgetown, Guyana Daily: 9.30am - 5.30pm It's no secret that I love animals. Whenever it's convenient, I enjoy going to a zoo. Guyana Zoo may be small and not so well-kept compared to many others around the world, but it's an interesting place to visit nonetheless. Having been in operation since 1952, It's located inside Guyana Botanical Gardens.

89-90 Pike Street, Georgetown, Guyana My BFF and I stayed at a rather homely hotel called Brandsville Hotel (3*) in Georgetown, Guyana, which offers a total of 34 guests. Its location may not be prime and the furniture has shown signs of ageing, but we enjoyed our stay there, thanks to the very friendly and helpful staff.

PBM-GEO (45m) Boeing 737-700 ETD: 10.30am (GMT - 3)  ETA: 10.15 am (GMT - 4) My BFF and I were thankful that Surinam Airways' scheduled flight from Paramaribo, Suriname to Miami, the USA via Georgetown, Guyana proceeded as scheduled. Frankly speaking, both of us were afraid that the airline would cancel the flight again after experiencing such an issue earlier during our trip.

Luchthavenlaan 1, Zanderij, Suriname Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport is located approximately 45 km south of Paramaribo, the capital city of Suriname. Serving as the hub for Surinam airways, it's the bigger of the two international airports in the country, the other being Zorg en Hoop Airport.

Johan & Margaretha, Suriname As mentioned in the previous post , one of the activities that my BFF and I experienced during the boat trip organised by Orange Travel was exploring a small, peaceful coastal village. It's home to a few hundreds of citizens, most of whom are of Javanese and East Indian origin.

Paramaribo, Suriname Orange Travel is a highly reliable tour and travel company based in Paramaribo. Prior to our arrival, my BFF and I'd engaged them to book a spot for a popular 3-hour trip that'd bring us across Suriname River and Commewijne River in the northern part of the capital city.

Paramaribo, Suriname I shall begin with a confession that I'd been scratching my head trying to think of an appropriate title for this post. On one of the days in Paramaribo, my BFF and I embarked on a side quest to walk a long distance through the residential areas northeast of the centre of the capital city in order to reach a particular street.

Paramaribo, Suriname Today's post focuses on the historic inner city of Paramaribo, which has been included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2002. The name of the capital city comes from two Tupian words put together: para (lit. large river) and maribo (lit. inhabitants).

Waterside Straat, Paramaribo, Suriname The riverside promenade in the capital city of Suriname may not offer much compared to others I've been elsewhere, but it's still worth passing by nonetheless. In addition to offering a view of Suriname River, it has got a few monuments erected there.

Waterside Straat, Paramaribo, Suriname Tue-Fri: 9.00am - 2.00pm Sun: 10.00am - 2.00pm Located on the bank of Suriname River, the pentagonal fort of Paramaribo was originally built by the French in 1640 as a wooden structure. It was overtaken by the British who called it Fort Willoughby in 1650 before the Dutch conquered Paramaribo in 1667, subsequently renaming it to Fort Zeelandia.

Henck Arron Straat 22-24, Paramaribo, Suriname Mon-Fri: 6.00am - 1.30pm Sat: 8.00am - 1.00pm Sun: 8.30am - 12 noon St. Peter and Paul Cathedral is one of the most recognisable landmarks of the capital city of Suriname, being the largest wooden structure in the Western Hemisphere. Construction of the cathedral began in 1882. It was consecrated three years later, but the towers weren't completed until 1901.

Cornelis Jongbaw Straat 16, Paramaribo, Suriname Owned by Torarica Group of Hotels, Eco Resort Inn (3*) was formerly a townhouse that has been transformed into an accommodation that allows everyone to "have a taste of nature". With a total of 122 guest rooms, it's within a short walk from the historic centre of Paramaribo.

CUR-PBM (2h 50m) Fokker 70 ETD: 4.30pm (GMT - 4)  ETA: 8.20 pm (GMT - 3) Fly Allways is a young Surinamese airline that has been in operation since 2016. I'd never heard of the name until Surinam Airways decided to cancel my flight from Willemstad, Curaçao to Paramaribo, Suriname via Oranjestad, Aruba. Faced with the situation, I had to find another way to fly to the capital city of Suriname.

Plasa Margaret Abraham, Curaçao Hato International Airport is located on the north coast of Curaçao, roughly about 12 km from Willemstad. The name is taken from that of a nearby town. Serving as the main base for Insel Air and Divi Divi Air, it has got the third longest commercial runway in the Caribbean.

Bapor Kibra, Curaçao Daily: 8.00am - 5.00pm The vision of a marine scientist that goes by the name Adriaan Schrier led to the opening of Curaçao Sea Aquarium in 1984. Located next to the sea, it employs the use of a simple, yet friendly technology to continuously pump fresh seawater into all its tanks and lagoons.

Bapor Kibra, Curaçao After a morning of fun at Curaçao Ostrich Farm and getting our stomachs filled there, my BFF and I were heading to Curaçao Sea Aquarium that's in the vicinity of Mambo Beach. Possibly the most famous beach in the island, Mambo Beach is definitely a nice place to bask in the warmth of the sun.

Road to Groot St. Joris, Curaçao Daily: 9.00am - 4.30pm Have you seen ostriches in real life? My BFF and I finally had the chance to at Curaçao Ostrich Farm, which is known to be one of the biggest outside Africa. The farm, which first opened its doors to the public in 1995, is located near St. Joris Bay in the far eastern part of the island.

Willemstad, Curaçao From Otrobanda , my BFF and I crossed Queen Emma Bridge to go to Punda. The vibrantly-coloured colonial shophouses lining Punda's waterfront are really something to marvel at while crossing the pontoon bridge. Behind the charm, however, lies the hard truth that slave trade was the primary business happening in the island in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Marshe Nobo, Willemstad, Curaçao Daily: 9.00am - 6.00pm Literally meaning 'New Market', Ronde Markt is a traditional indoor market located in Punda, which is the downtown area of the capital city of Curaçao. The circular building houses not only vendors selling fresh produce, household items and souvenirs, but also food stalls serving local and regional cuisine.

Willemstad, Curaçao The capital city of Curaçao is classified into two main quarters: Punda (lit. city) and Otrobanda (lit. the other side). The two of them are geographically separated by Sint Anna Bay channel, but connected with two bridges. The development of the latter began in the 18th century when Punda became overpopulated.

Gouverneur van Slobbeweg, Willemstad, Curaçao Daily: 9.00am - 11.00pm Situated at the mouth of Sint Anna Bay channel is Rif Fort, a fortification built under the order of King William I of the Netherlands in 1828. When it was serving its military purpose, it was equipped with a total of 56 cannons. At present, it functions as an open-air shopping area.

Langestraat 13, Willemstad, Curaçao Curaçao Suites Hotel (3*) is located in Otrobanda, one of the quarters of Willemstad that's separated from the downtown area by a channel called Sint Anna Bay. It's a cosy hotel comprising only 17 suites at affordable prices, not to mention that buffet breakfast is always included in the room rates.

AMS-CUR (9h 35m) Boeing 747-400 ETD: 9.15am (GMT + 2)  ETA: 12 .50pm (GMT - 4) My BFF and I could've flown straight to Paramaribo, Suriname from Amsterdam, the Netherlands by Suriname Airways. However, we decided to have a stopover at Willemstad, Curaçao in the Caribbean before flying to South America. That was my very first long-haul daytime flight, which turned out to be the worst flight ever.

Evert van de Beekstraat 202, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Situated 9 km southwest of Amsterdam, Schiphol Airport isn't only the main international airport of the Netherlands, but also the third busiest airport in Europe in terms of passenger volume. Started operating as a military airbase in 1916, it was destroyed at the end of World War II, but the airfield was quickly restored with the new terminal building completed in 1949.

Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands Daily: 9.30am - 4.30pm De Kat is the world's only remaining windmill that makes paints using traditional methods. Built in 1646, it originally functioned as an oil mill. The octagonal mill sitting on top of the storehouse was that of the former paint mill known as De Duinjager that was torn down in 1960.

Zaanse Schans, Zaandam, the Netherlands Daily: 8.00am - 5.00pm (winter) or 6.00pm (summer) The preservation of the well-known Dutch craft of wooden clog-making was initiated by Jaap and Ineke Kooijman on 1 April 1974. One such workshop-cum-museum was thus set up in Zaanse Schans , an area of Dutch industrial heritage, to introduce the art to locals and foreigners alike.

Zaandam, the Netherlands A trip to the Netherlands isn't complete without getting up close and personal with its windmills. Historic windmills and distinctive wooden houses have been relocated to the recreational area reminiscent of an 18th century village. Due to its proximity to Amsterdam, many people choose to go to Zaanse Schans on a day trip.

Amsterdam, the Netherlands The capital city of the Netherlands has always been one of my favourite places in the world. Originating as a small fishing village in the past, Amsterdam literally means a dam in Amstel River. It's colloquially known as the 'Venice of the North' due to the numerous canals that contribute to the wonderful landscape of the old town area.

Siloso Beach, Sentosa Island, Singapore Daily: 10.00am - 9.00pm Let's take a quick break from the European adventure by looking at something held locally. 'Sentosa Sandsation' is the biggest sand sculpting festival in Southeast Asia. Even if you're not a fan of Marvel superheroes, it's worth visiting the free exhibition that's held at Siloso Beach from 1 to 16 September 2018.

Dam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Dam Square is a bustling town square in the capital city of the Netherlands. There's always something going on there regardless of the season. Originally a dam on Amstel River built in 1270, it formed the first connection between the various settlements on either side of the river.

Singel, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Mon-Sat: 9.00am - 5.30pm Sun: 11.00am - 5.30pm Founded in 1862, Bloemenmarkt (lit. Flower Market) used to be the world's only floating flower market. While most of the stalls are now perched on piles, the market is still a popular to buy real tulips when in season and bulbs all year round. It goes without saying that the market is one of the major suppliers of flowers in Amsterdam.

Albert Cuypstraat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Mon-Sat: 9.00am - 5.00pm Named after Aelbert Jacobsz Cuyp, a leading Dutch landscape painter of the 17th century, Albert Cuyp Market has been around since 1905. It used to be operating once a week, only on Saturday to be specific. It's the largest day market in not only the Netherlands, but also the entire Europe with more than 300 stalls.

Prinsengracht 279, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Mon-Fri: 10.00am - 3.00pm Sat: 10.00am - 3.00pm (1 April to 1 November only) Sun: 10.30am - 12 noon (service only) Westerkerk is the largest Protestant church in the Netherlands, which is situated in the westernmost part of the Grachtengordel neighborhood in Amsterdam. Designed by a renowned sculptor and architect named Hendrick de Keyser, it has also got the highest church tower in the capital city.

Prinsengracht 112, Amsterdam, the Netherlands Daily: 9.00am - 7.00pm It's a museum, but I dare say many people don't really bother to take a look at the exhibition. Perhaps it's more appropriate to call it a cheese specialty shop, which showcases quite an impressive range of products, with a small museum below to satisfy those curious souls on the history of cheese making.