United Kingdom 2001: 10 London, England - The gloomy smokey City...

"Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you really love..." - Rumi

(On a hop-on Hop-off bus)

01 January 2001

(Madrid - London - KL)

From Madrid we transited Heathrow and with the kids took the train to London town and get a tour of London at night.

(Baker Street station)

Picture taken in the sub-way while waiting for the train to take us back to Heathrow Airport.

(Sara, Iwan and Ja - feeling cool)

We were too late for Madam Tussod's tour but still had time to take pictures around the area...

(Airport duty-free shops)

Last minute shopping at the airport before we boarded the plane back to Malaysia...

👈 2001: Barcelona, Spain

2001: Salamanca, Spain 👉

Spain 2001: 09 Salamanca - A European Cultural Capital...

"The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes..." - Benjamin Disraeli

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(A rest on a bench at Plaza Mayor)

(04 January 2001)

Home to 180,000 inhabitants, this culturally rich city that is located in the mid west of Spain (Castilla y Leon region). Within a central location, you can discover many of Salamanca's cultural and historical sites, from Plaza Mayor, the 16th century Convento de San Esteban, the Renaissance palace Palacio Anaya, Casa de las Conchas, Iglesia de la Purisima church and the Renaissance court, Monasterio de los Irlandeses.
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(A walking tour in Salamanca)

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Salamanca has been declared the 'City of Mankind's Heritage' by UNESCO and named the 'European Cultural Capital'. In this city, Castilian Spanish (pure Spanish) is widely spoken, and over 30 percent of its population are Spanish students, making it an ideal location for studying Spanish.

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(UNESCO Heritage Site)

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This 'university town' has the oldest university in Spain and one of the oldest universities in the world. Immerse in Salamanca's Spanish culture, literature and history within the surroundings of cathedrals, plazas, convents, palaces, and churches.

👈 2001: London, UK 

2001: Coimbra, Portugal 👉

Portugal 2001: 08 Coimbra - The Oldest University in Europe...

"Many of life's failure are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up..." - Thomas Edison

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(A visit to the oldest University)

(03 January 2001)

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The historic city of Coimbra is located in central Portugal, 195 km north of Lisbon. It is set by the Mondego River, about 40 km east of Figueira da Foz, a neighbour coastal city with several beaches, summer and seaport facilities on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. Just outside the municipality, there are also several picturesque mountain towns, spa towns and villages.
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(Heavy rain at the University)

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It served as the country's capital during the 12th Century and remains home to the University of Coimbra, the oldest academic institution in the Portuguese-speaking world and one of the oldest in Europe.

👈 2001: Salamanca, Spain

2001: Fatima, Portugal 👉

Portugal 2001: 07 Fatima - The Lady of the Rossary...

'"In the end, we only regret the chances we didn't take..."

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(A visit to a winery)

(03 January 2001)

Fatima is a city in Portugal famous for the religious visions that took place there in 1917. The town is located in the municipality of Ourém, in the Centro Region and sub region of Medio Tejo.
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(A very wet day at the Basilica)

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Fátima's claim to fame is the shrine called the Basilica, built to commemorate the events of 1917 when three peasant children claimed to have seen the "Virgin of the Rosary", The Lady of Fátima. When the children asked for her name, she said "I am The Lady of The Rosary". The children experienced the purported Marian apparitions in a pasture called the Cova da Iria.

👈 2001: Coimbra, Portugal

2001: Lisbon, Portugal 👉

Portugal 2001: 06 Lisbon - Portugal's capital city...

"Surround yourself with those who see greatness in you, even when you don't see it in yourself..."

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(Monument to the Discoveries)

(02 January 2001)

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Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal. Lisbon was under Roman rule from 205 BC, when it was already a 1000 year old town. Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia, adding to the name Olissipo. Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century, it was captured by Moors in the 8th century. In 1147, the Crusaders reconquered the city for the Christians and since then it has been a major political, economic and cultural center of Portugal.
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(By the Tagus River)

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Unlike most capital cities, Lisbon's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially – by statute or in written form. Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention, making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal.
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(The Belem Tower)

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The capital of Portugal sits at the point where the River Tagus feeds into the Atlantic, just about as far west as you can go without getting your feet wet. Being built on seven hills, it has plenty of vantage points from which to contemplate the distant horizons that called the Portuguese explorers in the country’s golden age during the 16th century, when it was the hub of commerce with the far east and gold poured into Lisbon’s coffers from the new west.
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(A family photo at Belem Tower)

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Spread across steep hillsides that overlook the Rio Tejo, Lisbon offers all the delights you’d expect of Portugal’s star attraction, yet with half the fuss of other European capitals. Gothic cathedrals, majestic monasteries and quaint museums are all part of the colourful cityscape, but the real delights of discovery lie in wandering the narrow lanes of Lisbon’s lovely backstreets...

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(Exploring Lisbon)

👈 2001: Fatima, Portugal

2001: Cabo Da Roca 👉

Portugal 2001: 05 Cabo da Roca - The Westernmost point of Europe...

"The secret of happiness is to count your blessings while others are adding up their troubles..."

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(The Atlantic Ocean in the background)

(01 January 2001)

Cabo da Roca is a cape which forms the westernmost point of both mainland Europe and mainland Portugal. The cape is in the Portuguese municipality of Sintra, west of Lisbon district, and also forms the westernmost extent of the Serra de Sintra 40 km west of the city of Lisbon. The cliff rises out of the Atlantic Ocean to approximately 140 m above sea level.

(The lighthouse at the cape)

(The westernmost point of Europe)

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Cabo da Roca was known to the Romans as Promontorium Magnum and during the Age of Sail as the Rock of Lisbon. A 16th century Portuguese poet described Cabo da Roca as the place "where the land ends and the sea begins”.

The cape's lighthouse and a tourist shop sit on top of the cliff. Construction of the lighthouse was completed in 1772, and the structure rises 144 meters in height above the cape. The cape is a popular tourist attraction, and the site features a monument with a crucifix bearing an inscription in Portuguese…

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(Cool windy day at the cape)

(The strong waves among the rocks)

👈 2001: Lisbon, Portugal

2001: Seville, Spain 👉