15 Jun 13 – Day 9 (Fatima)

Today we left Lisbon to go to Fatima to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima. Read about it before the trip and was kind of looking forward to the visit. Before we actually went to the Shrine, we made a stop at the main souvenir center where one can get things like magnets, small bottles of holy water, rosaries, and figurines of Virgin Mary and so on. We were each given a slip of paper when we alighted from the coach. Turned out that it entitled us to a free mini figurine of the Virgin Mary each. 

Left the center and got to the Shrine. There were a lot of people when we got there. Nancee told us that we should try to go and see The Chapel of Apparitions because that is the place where Virgin Mary was said to appear before the three children, the Blessed Francisco Marto, Blessed Jacinta Marto and Sister Lúcia. The exact location of the apparitions is marked by a marble pillar which holds a statue of the Virgin Mary. Tried to get a photo of that but I couldn't get near enough. Walked towards the Basilica of Our Lady of the Rosary and took photos along the way. Kim and I went into the Basilica but subsequently we walked separate ways because I took a long time to admire the surroundings and followed the queue to see main altar and the tombs of the three children.

We then went to look for the section of the Berlin wall which Nancee was telling us about. Finally found it, took a picture of it and walked on to the Church of the Santíssima Trindade also known as the Church of the Most Holy Trinity in English. Outside of the church was a tall cross by Robert Schad of Germany, Statue of Pope John Paul II by Czesław Dźwigaj of Poland and few other artworks. Didn't go into the church to see and just walked around to snap photos of the exterior of the Basilica and the surroundings while Kim walked her way. Saw some pilgrims approaching the shrine along the designated path on their knees and one of them was carrying a baby in her arms.

Then it was time to gather so I hurried to the meeting point, worrying that I was late. Fortunately, I was not the last one to arrive. The restaurant for our lunch was just behind the Church of the Most Holy Trinity. While walking there, I saw many other structures and monuments. We were told lunch was Bacalhau, salted codfish, a Portuguese specialty. I had that while I was in Macau a few years ago and I remembered that it was really salty that KC, SWT and I left that dish untouched after tasting it. So I thought this time round it was going to be that one whole salted fish again.

We were served soup first which was tasty. Then came the main course, to my surprise, the way they prepared it was to cook the shredded bacalhau with mashed potato. This greatly reduced the saltiness of the bacalhau and hence I actually asked for second helping of it. We ended the lunch with a piece of cake each before continuing our journey back into Spain, Salamanca to be specific. During one of the rest stop, Nancee bought a big box of cherries which was in season to share with the members. I took a few while Kim turned down the offer politely because she only eats strawberries. 

Got into Salamanca and we headed for our Chinese dinner. Compared to the last two rounds of Chinese dinner, this had got to be the best. At the end of the dinner, we had cherries again and since most at the table were not into cherries. Nancee suggested that I packed them back to eat in my room. Great idea! Finally we reached our hotel. Nancee told us that there was a Carrefour nearby and so went over to get water as well as some Spanish chocolate as souvenirs. Returned to the hotel to settle for the night and after my shower, I sat down to relax and eat my cherries.

Thoughts: Finally got to visit the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima, which so many people told me about. A pity I didn't get to explore the place thoroughly due to time constrain again. Will I go back again? I hope to if it is along the way if I do go back to visit parts of Spain and/or Portugal. I am not a Catholic, I am a free thinker. But I studied in a catholic school before and so I like singing hymns but not attending mass. 

I like the way the bacalhau was prepared but too bad I can’t find bacalhau in Singapore, otherwise, I would probably try to re-create the dish on my own.

14 Jun 13 – Day 8 (Lisbon)

As usual, I messaged little big sis while waiting for my turn to wash up. Got down for breakfast and Kim said that we should check with the reception counter how to get back to the hotel from Rossio Square in case there were not enough people to form the optional tour. So after eating, we collected our stuff from the room and proceeded to the lobby. The lift took very long to reach our level and so we decided to take the stairs where we saw this interesting phrase “The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” when we reached the lobby. Approached the reception counter and the friendly receptionist gave us the maps and explained to us which station to board and alight as well as the direction to walk back to the hotel.

This morning we went on the city tour and our tour guide spoke very good English. She explained to us that the Portuguese speak pretty good English because of its geographic location. Portugal is located at the end of the Europe continent, is nearer to the United Kingdom and so has good relationship with the UK. Spain, on the other hand, is nearer to France and so is influenced by the French which explains why the Spanish tends to use more of their own language rather than converse in English even with tourists.

Along the way, we passed by The Column of Pedro IV and saw the 25 de Abril Bridge with Cristo-Rei on one end. Finally, we got to the Belem Tower or the Tower of St Vincent where we also saw the Monument to the First South Atlantic Aerial Crossing. From there, we could see the 25 de Abil Bridge again. Took many photos of the bridge, the Belem Tower and the surroundings. Walked around the place and saw a street artist selling his paintings. The Sim family stood around him and finally bought a small artwork from him.

Near to the designated meeting place, there were some souvenir shops where I bought a couple of magnets made of porcelain and cork as well as two postcards made of cork. I was sure that M will appreciate those. We boarded the coach to the next stop which was actually not very far. It was the Padrão dos Descobrimentos also known as Monument to the Discoveries in English. Near the monument was the Compass Rose Square with the world map on the floor. From there, we could see the Jerónimos Monastery which was our next stop. The local guide told us that next to the monastery was a shop that came out with the first original Portuguese egg tart recipe. From then on, many other shops try to imitate the recipe and thus resulting in so many shops selling Portuguese egg tarts.

Boarded the bus again to go to the monastery and it took quite a while to get there even though it was actually just across the streets. Along the way, passed by the Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, a place where researches for cure to cancers take place. Got to the monastery and the local guide gave explanations while we walked through the place. Didn't catch a lot of the details because I was taking photos. Only remembered the place for the confession. Unlike the others where confession takes place in a box-like room, the priest sits inside a room with a door with a few holes arranged in the shape of a cross, the confessor then knee outside the room and gave his confession. Kim and I were puzzled; won’t the other people see the confessor and hear the confession?

After the tour inside the monastery, we were given time to explore the 2-storey claustro as well as to grab lunch before gathering again to go for the optional tour. Kim and I spent a long time at the claustro taking photos, trying to get the best view and eventually left with only just enough time to get lunch. We walked along the street which the local guide pointed out earlier where we could find food. Couldn't decide what to eat and then a waitress called out to us and explained the menu. Food looked good and since she spoke good English and explained the dishes in details, we decided to eat lunch at the shop. We were seated outside under the big umbrella and I ordered the Codfish in cream and cheese while Kim ordered the Calamari with fries and rice. Then we saw Mr and Mrs Chia eating in the next restaurant.

Our food took a long time to serve and when they were finally served, we took photos and the nice waitress helped us took photos with our food. Gobbled our lunch quickly and asked for the bill. Kim offered to settle the bill first while I went to the loo in the shop. Quickly got back to Kim and walked back to the meeting place. Along the way, took more photos with the pretty flowers and park.

Boarded the coach to continue with the optional tour and Nancee said the whole group opted for the tour and so the local guide was able to follow us through. It was also decided that after the optional tour, we would be dismissed at the Baxia for the free evening. On the way, we traveled along the Alantic Ocean and saw the beaches. The local guide explained to us about the different colored flags with regard to the condition of the sea for that day.

Started the optional tour with the Cascais and we passed through centre of Cascais to reach the fishing pier. Beside the fishing pier was the Fisherman’s beach called Praia dos Pescadores. Walked pass the fishing pier and we saw the Cascais Citadel which consists of Fort of Nossa Senhora da Luz and Torre de Santo António Cascais. Nearby was the Statue of Dom Carlos, King of Portugal in 1826. We were given some time to walk around and take photos before continuing on. While on the coach, the local guide told us about the rooster that was commonly found on magnets. It turned out that legend has it that a pilgrim was on his way to pay pilgrimage and a young girl took a fancy on him but he paid no attention to her. The girl became furious and decided to steal the money from the church and hid it beneath the pilgrim’s bed to frame him. He was caught and brought to the mayor who was having roasted rooster for dinner. The pilgrim said that he was innocent and just then; the rooster came back alive with feathers and all and started roosting. The girl was then caught but the pilgrim forgave her. So the rooster is now a symbol to ward off people who envy the others. 

Traveled along the Atlantic Ocean again and we were given a photo stop. Before we alighted, the local guide told us that it was going to be extremely windy and chilly so she advised us to wear a light jacket and hold on tightly to our stuff. Got down and sure enough, it was extremely windy and I was almost blown off my feet. My first thought was that small Lynda would probably be blown off if she was there. Took photos while trying to hold on to my bag and my hair. At the end of it, all of us looked like mad men and women with all our wind-blown hair.

We continued on to the westernmost of the Europe continent and the local guide told us that we could get a nice certificate for an amount of Euros from the tourist information center to certify that we were at the westernmost of the Europe continent. Reached Cabo da Roca, Kim and I quickly took photos with the monument that declares Cabo da Roca as the westernmost extent of continental Europe before the group came crowding. We also saw the Cabo da Roca Lighthouse from afar and the local guide told us that we were not allowed to go up to the lighthouse. Walked around the surroundings, took photos before going back to the designated meeting place to board the coach to go to the Baxia. The local guide told us that because Portugal is near the sea, their cuisine is mainly seafood and they don’t do frying, mainly baking and grilling. Salted codfish is their specialty and it was said that Portuguese cook codfish in different styles 365 days. Also sardines happened to be in season and the way they eat is by grilling without removing the insides. 

Got to the Baxia, Kim and I wandered around, taking photos of the street performers, the Santa Justa Lift and did some shopping. We were done with shopping about 8+pm and went to look for dinner. Kim wanted to finish up her cup noodle and said she will only get some snacks from MacDonald’s. So I had to get my own dinner. Didn’t want to eat fast food and so suggested that I would get egg tarts from the café Nichola and shared the snacks from MacDonald’s. Bought nuggets and Chicken MacBites before heading to café Nichola. I ordered an egg tart and a custard tart while Kim ordered another egg tart.

Went to Rossio station and tried to buy tickets from the machine. There were English instructions and we followed through. We indicated and paid for two tickets but only one came out. We figured that perhaps the “two” refers to round trip and so Kim agreed to take that while I get the correct ticket. Went to the platform and waited. There were some passengers on the platform but they were standing towards the other end of the platform. The train came but it only had a few carriages and we had to run to the other end of the platform to board. Unfortunately, the door closed when we reached the last carriage. So had to wait for the next train and this time we stayed put at that end of the platform. Boarded the train and it only took about 15-20 minutes to get back to the station near our hotel. Alighted, figured out the correct exit but had a bit of a problem navigating back to the hotel. While reading the map, we saw the father and son of the Sim family and we asked them for directions. 

Thoughts: Cannot complain too much about today since I got the best of both, the optional tour and going back to the Baxia, and also got to do some shopping. 

13 Jun 13 – Day 7 (Lisbon)

Left Seville behind and we entered into Lisbon of Portugal. The journey took up the whole morning and part of the afternoon and we got to the Baixa which is the Lisbon Downtown in the late afternoon. Along the way, we passed by a couple of monuments such as the Monument to the 1st Marquess of Pombal and the Monument to the Restorers.

The coach then drove through a stretch of road which Nancee said is the place for branded goods. Then it continued down another stretch which is for the more average goods. Finally we were let off at Rossio Square for the free evening and were to report back promptly at the stated time because coaches were not allowed to park at Rossio Square.

There were many small streets leading away from Rossio Square so Kim and I decided to take one of them and thought at the end of the street we could turn right and it would lead us to the next street in a systematic order so that we could cover most if not all of the Baxia. While walking to that small street, we took photo of the Statue of King João I in Figueira Square.

That small street we chose seem rather deserted except for the traffic and it was a rather long street with up slope. Decided to make a right turn to get to the next street and we seem to be lost. Wandered around the different streets and most of the shops were closed. So Kim and I assumed that they were closed for siesta.  Then we saw many people opposite of the street we were at and thought maybe there was a bazaar there so we crossed over to check things out.

There were lots and lots of people crowding both sides of that street and they were holding flowers and candles in their hands. They looked like they were expecting something to happen. We walked further up the street and it got more and more difficult to get through. It was then we saw the Santo António Church, the place where Saint Anthony was born and very close to it is the Lisbon Cathedral. It was then we realized that there could be some religious things going on.

Squeezed our way back to where we came from and along the way saw some stalls selling candles, flowers and figurines of Saint Anthony. Took a quick snap and hurried along. Bumped into Nancee at one point in time and she was telling us that a café called Nichola, which is near the Rossio Square, sells very good Portuguese egg tarts. Finally got to a wider street with more shops and eating places but still most shops were closed. Saw a café called Sao Nicholau and remembered what Nancee said. So popped into the café and happily bought two mini egg tarts each. While taking photos with egg tarts and the café, we saw the old couple, Mr and Mrs Goh. They were sitting outside that café and Mrs Goh was eating a big box of fruits, commenting how cheap it was.

We ate our egg tarts as we walked and went into those shops that were opened. Went into Mango and a couple of other shops and Kim managed to get an item or two while I got nothing. I think the problem with me was that the style didn't suit me. Popped into another shop and we walked separately again. Went to try on a couple of clothing and after I came out, I couldn't find Kim. I walked around the shop a few times and still no sight of her. So instead of waiting around in the shop, I decided to just go ahead and ventured around Baxia on my own. Saw an elevator structure called the Santa Justa Lift in the middle of Baxia and took photos of it. It was interesting to see that in the Downtown of Lisbon. Due to time constrain, I didn't go nearer to check it out. Walked a little bit more and tried to find my way back to Rossio Square. Along the way, saw a café called Nichola, I then realized that perhaps that was the one that Nancee was talking about because she said it is near Rossio Square. 

Crossed the street to Rossio Square and took photos of the fountains and the surroundings which include Theater D. Maria II. Then Kim called out to me and I explained to her that I couldn’t find her in the shop that was why I left, thinking that maybe she went off on her own. She said that she was actually in the fitting room and told me that next time if we went off separately, we would get back to the designated meeting place at the stated time. Agreed. When the rest of the group gathered back, Mrs Chia complained that she wasted time walking over to the stretch of branded shops because most if not all were closed. Some other members were also complaining that a lot of shops were closed. Nancee came along and then explained to us that she only found out that today was a religious holiday. That explained why many shops were closed and traffic was light because many people took leave to get long holiday given that last Monday was their National Day. The coach came; we boarded the coach and went for our Chinese dinner. Compared to the other Chinese dinner we had, this was by far the best. There was a playground outside the restaurant and the group members occupied themselves with it while waiting for the coach. What an interesting sight.

Returned to the hotel and did the usual routine. Asked Kim if she wants to join the optional tour or go back to Baxia on our own and her answer was to join the optional tour because going back to Baxia means we have to figure out how to get back to the hotel on our own. I hesitated to agree with her but she has a point so reluctantly I set aside the sum of money for the optional tour.

Thoughts: From maps, I know Spain and Portugal are next to each other, little did I know that traveling from Seville to Lisbon would take so long. Lisbon Baxia was another lively place to be with many shops and eating places. It was just so unfortunate that today was their religious holiday and we didn't get to shop a lot. Nevertheless, I still enjoyed myself immersed in the sight and sound of the Baxia.

12 Jun 13 – Day 6 (Seville)

Today we left Granada to travel to the south of Spain to Seville. Had one rest stop where I bought a small bottle of Malaga wine and another glass bottle of olive oil for €3.50 since this was a slightly bigger bottle at the same price as what I had paid for in Montserrat. We got to Seville in the afternoon, checked in to Novotel before going out for lunch. We were told that there was a shopping mall at the corner of the hotel and so Kim and I walked over to look for food. The shopping mall is called Nervión Plaza with two levels and shaped like a “U”. Entered the mall in one corner and there were mostly shops selling clothes. Got to the other side and that was where the restaurants are. We couldn't decide what to eat and I didn't want any Asian food.

So we popped into one of the Spanish restaurants that sell tapas. Fortunately the boss knew how to speak a little English and he started recommending the food. I was a white meat person and so went for the fish dish that he recommended thinking it was a main course from a menu. Kim was more of a red meat person and ordered from the tapas menu. We both knew that tapas means small dishes and so we had the impression that the small dish would be the similar portion as those presented in Korean meals. The boss was afraid that we couldn't understand him and he brought us to the front of the counter to show us the food. In the end, Kim ordered one with chicken, one with pork and one with potatoes.

Waited for our food and soon they came. It turned out that our food came in the same size portion and they were not exactly small dishes nor big as main course. We took photos of our yummy food before digging in. The fish tapas that I was recommended was pretty good with the fish having quite a good texture. After I was done with mine, took some of Kim’s food to taste. The potato dish was good because the sauce was made using salmon. While we were eating, we saw the Sim family of four sitting outside the restaurant trying to place their order with one of the non-English speaking staff. It seems that it took them quite long to finally place their orders. Paid the bill and then we went to shop around Nervion Plaza.

Returned to the hotel to meet up with the rest to leave for our city tour. Our local guide is called Ms America, ironic. Our first stop was to the Plaza de Espana. It was a very big place with many tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain. It also has a nice fountain named the Vicente Traver fountain and many other impressive buildings. Over there, we saw some street vendors paddling their ware such as the wooden clappers and hand fans used in the Flamenco Dance. We spent some time in the Plaza de Espana taking photos before going on to visit the Barrio de Santa Cruz, a former Jewish quarter. There were a lot of small alleys with interesting shops and cafes and I think it would be really nice to hang around or laze in one of the café to enjoy the lazy afternoon. Unfortunately, we didn't have the time and I think I would probably get lost in the quarter. Then we were given some time for toilet break in one of the small square in Santa Cruz, so I bought a small hand fan and a magnet from one of the souvenir shops. Kim was tempted to get the Flamenco shawl which comes in different sizes. Given the price and workmanship, actually it was worth considering. I was tempted myself, however, the rational side got the better of me and I abandoned the idea.

From one of the many small alleys, we came out to Plaza del Triunfo, where we saw more buildings such as Casa de la Provincia, the Giralda, the General Archive of the Indies and others. There were also horse carriages to bring tourists around. From the Plaza, we headed on to the Seville Cathedral, which is largest Gothic cathedral in the world and has 80 chapels. We were shown only a few main ones, the big boxlike choir loft as well as the Tomb of Columbus. The tomb somewhat reminds me of Lord of the Ring, maybe because it was carried by the four kings of Castile, Leon, Aragon and Navarre. The Giralda is just beside the Cathedral but it was under maintenance so we were not able to climb and we didn't get a good photo of it because it was partially covered. Coming out from the Cathedral, we saw some drain-like things on the ground and Ms America explained that because the Cathedral was actually built on a Muslim mosque structure. In the past, Muslims had to wash their hands and feet before entering the mosque hence those drains.

Ended the city tour and it was time to proceed on to the venue for the Flamenco Dance show. As we could only go inside the theater at 6:30pm, we were told to walk around the neighborhood to kill time. But the weather was really unbearable at about 41 degree Celsius, so most if not all of us, went into the nearby supermarket to kill time instead. We only left the supermarket when we saw Nancee making payment at the cashier. While waiting for Nancee at the entrance of the theater, another group of tourists entered the theater so they managed to get the two front rows with tables and good view while we had to settle for the rows at the back. There was another section that is nearer to the stage with no tables and really good views but we were not allocated those because ours include dinner.

The staff from the theater went around taking photos for the guests on each table and I knew that they were likely to sell those back to the guests at a cost. Soon starter came and it was prawn salad. Shortly after the show started and I was busy trying to film some video clips knowing that my camera would have problem capturing moving objects in dark settings. The position that I was at was not ideal because I was either constantly blocked by the big guy on the front row or by moving waitresses. Then main course came and it was roast chicken. Fortunately the chicken was very tender and I was able to tear the meat from the bones easily with fork and knife. I gobbled up my food quickly so that I had more time to do the filming. The dancers were really good and some were really impressive with their footwork. The ladies performed in colorful Flamenco dresses with props such as wooden clappers, hand fans, shawls, walking sticks and so on. Then dessert came and I also gobbled that down. Towards the end of the show, I tried to take some photos and out of the many, only a handful was viewable while the rest were just a blur mess.

Video Clip on Flamenco Dance

After the show ended, we were herded off to the outside of the theater and onto the waiting coach. Along the way, I actually saw a table displaying merchandises such as hand fans; shawls and photos taken earlier before the show. It was really a pity that we had to hurry back to the coach because the driver couldn’t do OT. I was hoping to browse through the merchandises and maybe make a purchase.

Thoughts: Seville was a very lively place and I liked the hotel that we stayed in because it was near to shops and restaurants. Finally I got to eat tapas and I got to say, that was the best meal I had so far other than those at the rest stops. 

Amongst the places we visited today, I like the cathedral the best because it was big and has a lot of chapels. Unfortunately, we didn't get to see all of them and also we didn't get to see much of those introduced in details. Flamenco Dance show was good but would have been better if we were given good seats. Kim and I agreed that we could have done away with the dinner and be seated in the front rows with good views. My impression of the Flamenco Dance was just female dancers dancing with wooden clappers and shawls; I didn't know that there were hand fans and walking sticks too.

Hopefully I can go back to Seville for visit again.

11 Jun 13 – Day 5 (Granada)

Woke up at 6+am and as usual messaged little big sis. Had breakfast at 7:30am and we left for Granada at 8:30am. Nancee told us the journey would take up the whole morning and that we would have two rest stops where the last one would be for lunch. Most of the time I was either dozing off or looking at the scenery while on the coach. At the first rest stop, I bought some Turron candy which is said to be a Spanish specialty. I was already on the lookout for the candy since I got to Spain. Those in the supermarket that I went came in big blocks uncut and knowing that I might not get many chances to visit supermarket, I better buy some when I see fit. Also saw a lot of bowls, plates, dishes and so on in colorful paintings and was so tempted to buy but again, transporting them back to Singapore is going to be a big problem because I didn't bring bubble wraps.

Continued the journey and soon it was for the second rest stop where we also had lunch. Kim zoomed into chicken dish while I opted for the Hake dish which came with potato wedges and mixed vegetables. It was really yummy. The best meal I had on my own by far. Walked around the shop and found the Rabitos, chocolate covered figs. Read in TripAdvisor that it is another Spanish specialty so bought a box of nine to share with M. Besides olive and olive oil, Spain is also big on fig so I guess that’s why Rabitos is a specialty.

Finally we reached Granada and checked into the Sercotel Gran Luna about 2+pm. Messaged little big sis for a bit and we were out again at 3:20pm to meet the local guide to visit the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens. The sun was very glaring and it was really hot. There were already many groups of tourists in the Alhambra Palace and I saw a Chinese guy who looked very familiar yet I couldn't recall where I had seen him before. Anyway, after we got in, we were handed the audio guide. We went through the Gardens; saw many beautiful flowers yet taking nice photos of them were not very possible because of the traffic flow and the need to keep up with the local guide. Then walked through the higher Alhambra and we were brought to a small shop where the people there replicate the furniture in the Palace as well as make boxes with Moorish designs. The local guide did some explanations of how the designs were made but I couldn't catch a lot of details. I thought we would be given some time to browse through the stuff but we were hurried to the main section of the Alhambra Palace because apparently there was a given time slot for the tour.

Before the tour began, we were given loo break but Kim and I didn’t need to go. Saw the Palace of Charles V and immediately the design reminded me of chocolate bars so both of us took photos. When the rest of the group was ready, we proceeded to start the tour. Big haversacks had to be carried in front because they were afraid that the big bags might knock on to the intricate columns and stuff. As we walked, the local guide gave brief explanations of each room and their designs. Most of the time I couldn't catch anything partly because the local guide was mumbling and also partly because I was busy taking photos to pay any attention. There were many rooms and now I couldn't remember which was which, just that they were all very beautiful. We were at the Patio of the Lions trying to take photos with The Fountain of the Lions, Kim took a photo for me but because I was carrying my haversack in front and it was an eyesore, she suggested holding it for me while I went to pose.

Took more photos along the way as we made our way back to the place where we came from and along the way saw some people doing photo-shoots in the Palace. We were brought to a souvenir shop to browse. I was a little disappointed because I think that was not the official souvenir shop of the Alhambra Palace. In any case, I didn't get anything there because the main things were boxes of difference sizes featuring the Moorish designs. Then our coach came to fetch us back to the hotel where we had dinner in the hotel restaurant at 7pm. It was buffet style and the food was not bad. However, as usual, I skipped most of the main course and just went for starters and desserts. As Kim and I finished up fast, we left the table, leaving Mr and Mrs Chia, Madeline and Alan to continue with the dinner after paying for the bottle of water for the table, to go to the nearby Hipercor supermarket.

There was also a El Corte Ingles and we remembered Nancee telling us that El Corte Ingles is like a departmental store selling clothes and consumer goods while the Hipercor is something like our Giant. Walked the El Corte Ingles and bumped into Alan and Madeline. Headed to the bag section and I saw a bag similar to the one mum bought for me when I just started working. I held it for a long time, trying to decide if I should buy. Asked the salesperson if there was a new one but we had problem communicating. After a while, I managed to get it that the one I was holding was actually the last piece. Flipped and turned the bag in all directions and finally put it back on the rack. The condition of the bag wasn't tip-top and also the material was quite stiff compared to the one I owned previously. Went to the supermarket and I bought a 2.5 liter of water and a box of five sachets of seafood paella seasoning.

Thoughts: It was a pity that we didn't get to see much of Granada other than the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens so my impression of Granada is only on the Moorish designs of the buildings. Hopefully I will get to visit the place again.

10 Jun 13 – Day 4 (Valencia)

Today we had to leave Barcelona to go to Valencia, hence we had to wake up early, eat breakfast early and leave the hotel early. So woke up at 5+pm and messaged little big sis while waiting for Kim to be done. Had breakfast at 7am and this time round dare not eat too much like the first day. Left Barcelona at 8am and my last message to little big sis didn't get send. The journey to Valencia took up the whole morning with one rest stop where I saw the paella pack that consist the pan, the seasoning, the rice and olive oil that cost €15.30. I was really tempted to buy but didn't, thinking that perhaps I might get a chance later in the trip. So just took a photo of it and then left to continue our journey into Valencia.

We got to Valencia and to the restaurant about 1:30pm. The staffs in the restaurant were still having their lunch and hence we were told to return at about 1:45pm instead. So all of us went separate ways to wander around the neighborhood to kill time. Kim and I popped into a toy shop to browse and on the way back we saw two very obedient dogs. They were waiting quietly outside the restaurant for their owners and they really sat very still. Kim and I were very impressed and even though we stood quite close to take photos, they still didn’t budge. Returned to our restaurant and we were served lunch.

Valencia is the place where the Spanish rice dish, paella, originated. So our lunch for the day was seafood paella. We were given hard bread and noodle soup first. Then the big pan of paella was brought out for us to take photos before the kitchen distributed them to us by individual portion. It tasted rather good and I was hoping that I could have second helping. The lunch ended with a piece of chocolate cake which tasted good too. Then we left the restaurant to go to the Towers of Serranos & Quart for photo stop as well as to meet up with the local guide who boarded the coach and gave us information such as history and culture of Valencia and buildings in Valencia as the coach cruised through the city. 

After that, we went on walking tour where the guide brought us to the Mercado Central, a public market in Valencia, 15 minutes before they closed for the day. As the market is big and has many exits, the local guide brought us to the middle where the central dome is and told us to meet back there in 15 minutes. So we went separate ways to explore but most of the stalls were either closed or closing. The market is something similar to the one we saw in Barcelona with many stalls selling different kind of stuff such as fruit cum juice stalls, seafood stalls, meat stalls, snack stalls and even stalls that sell food and people just sit at the bar counter to eat. Near the meeting point, there was a snack stall selling preserved fruits and nuts. Some of the group members actually went to that stall to try some of the snacks and then bought some. 

After the visit to the Mercado Central, we walked over to see the La Lonja de la Seda (The Silk Exchange) which was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. Saw gargoyles on top of the buildings and were told that they are used for draining purposes. Then we saw San Juan del Mercado which was nearby before being led through the small alleys passing through small restaurants, shops and so on. We were then given sometime at the Town Hall Square called Plaza de la Virgen to take photos. Over there we saw the Basilica of the Virgin of the Helpless, the Valencia Cathedral, the Little Michael Tower and the Turia Fountain. After that we were led through some small alleys again to reach another place where we saw the narrowest house in Europe before passing by Plaza Redonda. Saw some shops selling interesting stuff but we didn't have the time to look around.

Continued on, the local guide then brought us to the place where she recommended a shop for ice cream drinks and so on and told us that we could use the shop’s toilet if we patronize. Then for those of us who are energetic, the local guide recommended us to climb the Little Michael Tower. Nancee also encouraged us to climb because ASA had already paid for the admission fees. So Kim and I as well as a couple of others climb the Tower which has 200+ steps. We got to the top and were rewarded with view of the Valencia City and cool breeze. Took photos here and there before going back down where we took another few quick shots of the interior of the Valencia Cathedral. While walking back to the meeting place, we detoured to a nearby park for a few shots and saw many orange trees. Valencia is famous for its oranges and so orange trees were aplenty. 

The coach came and brought us to Alicante where we spent the night in Holiday Inn. While the coach was leaving Valencia, we managed to catch a glimpse of the Plaza de Toros de Valencia. Reached the hotel, got connected and realized that the message that was not sent out in the morning got sent and it then dawn on me that it was 1am in Singapore. Oops. Nancee told us that there is a supermarket near the hotel and closes at 9:15pm. Dinner was provided in the hotel but the dinner time was 8:15pm. We were served hard bread with salty scrambled egg, two pieces of pork with sauce and ended with chocolate fudge crepes. I only managed to take photos of the starter and dessert. The photo on the main course was too blurry. By the time we finished dinner, it was already the time when the supermarket closes so we didn't get to go. Fortunately, I had the sense to bring my big bottle of water to the hotel room.

Thoughts: Compared to Barcelona, can feel that Valencia is slightly smaller and I find that there are more interesting things that attracted me than those in Barcelona. I like walking in the old Quarter but I think I will get lost if I were to walk alone. Too many small alleys and they look so similar. Saw the paella pans of many different sizes and was again tempted to buy but again no time. Dinner was not fantastic because I was struggling with the two pieces of pork which were very tough.

9 Jun 13 – Day 3 (Barcelona City Tour and Montserrat)

Woke up at 6+am and messaged little big sis while waiting for Kim to be done with the toilet. After she came out, it was my turn to prepare for the day. We went for breakfast at 7am and then left the hotel with the group at 8am for the half day city tour around Barcelona. We met the local guide who boarded the coach and gave us information such as history and culture of Barcelona and buildings in Barcelona as the coach cruised through the city. We had a few photo stops and the first was somewhere near the Las Arenas Shopping Mall which used to be a bullring. According to the local guide, bull fighting is banned in Barcelona although some other cities still have it and bull fighting only occurs in certain months such as July.

Then we boarded the coach again to go up to Montjuïc Hill and along the way, made another photo stop at the Olympic Stadium. Continued to the top of Montjuïc Hill and from the top we could see the Port of Barcelona which consists of Port Vell and the Industrial Port. Saw a sculpture depicting the Sardana dance also known as the Barcelona Catalan Dance while on the way up so Kim and I quickly went over to take photos before the rest of the members came crowding.

We left the Montjuïc Hill to continue with the city tour briefly before going to see the La Sagrada Familia, a Roman Catholic Church, designed by Antoni Gaudi. Along the way, the local guide provided more information which I could not remember much now coz it was really information overloaded. We passed by Casa Batlló, Casa Milà (La Pedrera), The Arc de Triomf and so on but I couldn’t take any photos coz they weren’t on my side, so I depended on Kim to take them. La Sagrada Familia is a church with a very unique design and very interesting to see sculptures of fruits as part of the design.

We were told that different parts of the exterior design represent different things and mainly to tell the story of God, Mary and Jesus. The ceilings and columns inside the church mirror trees and branches. Local guide continued to explain while we moved around the church but again I couldn’t remember most of the details now. Tried to take photos but most didn’t turn out well coz the shutter speed was slow and I had to keep up with the group. Finally we were done with La Sagrada Familia and we proceeded to Barcelona Cathedral where we were only there for photo stop. While we were there, we saw church goers dancing the Sardana dance after their Sunday service. Managed to take a few shots and filmed short video clips of the dance before moving off to have our lunch.

Video Clip on People doing The Sardana (Barcelona Catalan Dance) after Sunday service (P1)

Video Clip on People doing The Sardana (Barcelona Catalan Dance) after Sunday service (P2)

Arrived at Port Olímpic and we were shown the beach, the golden fish sculpture named Peix, the twin tower – Hotel Arts and Torre Mapfre before heading to a restaurant for our seafood lunch. We were told that it consists of seafood salad, main course of prawns and mussels follow by coffee or tea. Kim and I sat with the couple Madeline and Alan. There were bottles of red wine on each table but we didn’t drink. The salad came followed by dishes of seafood such as fish, squid and so on and we shared amongst ourselves. The portions were big and at the end of it, we thought we were already done with lunch until they came out with the prawns and mussels. We thought it was going to be shared but turned out that it was each person a plate. Many of us were already quite full at the end of the seafood salad and so we tried our best to at least finish the prawns. Had espresso at the end of it before leaving the place to go to Montserrat, the optional tour.

We were told that the Montserrat is a multi-peak mountain and located on the mountain is an abbey called Santa Maria de Montserrat which houses the Virgin of Montserrat also known as the Black Madonna. Many people from Catalonia will hike overnight or cycle up to go to the Abbey for Sunday Service or stay there for a few days to experience life living in a monastery. We were also told that the Virgin of Montserrat didn’t use to be black but because of the years of smoke from the candles, it turns black. Many people are willing to queue for a long, long time just to walk pass and pray to the Black Madonna. As the place we were going is of high altitude so Nancee and the local guide told us that we might want to prepare a light jacket. I was glad that I threw the red flannel shirt that I got from Korea last year into the luggage at the last minute so I used that as my light jacket.

Reached the place, got off the coach and it was indeed chilly. We passed by a lot of stalls selling their local products such as cheese, honey, olive oil and some snacks. I was tempted to get the snacks to try but they didn’t come in small packaging.There was a tram station called Funicular de la Santa Cova and we saw a tram bringing people up to the upper part of Montserrat. The Abbey was some distance upslope and most of the members went to the toilet so Kim and I walked ahead to take some photos.

After everyone gathered together, Nancee and the local guide told us that we could have F&E time and those who are the more religious ones might consider queuing to see the Black Madonna. The local guide warned us that at times it could take up to 45 minutes to an hour just to see the Black Madonna and we were only giving a couple of hours of free time. So Kim and I decided to just explore on our own. We went into the Basilica and there were a group of people singing near the altar. So we went to sit on one of the benches to listen and also to look around the Basilica, taking photos and recording the singing. Then a few from the group started dancing to the song. It was quite enjoyable watching them sing and dance.

Video Clip on Singing in the Montserrat Monastery Basilica

Video Clip on Singing and Dancing in the Montserrat Monastery Basilica

After some time, we left the Basilica and explored other parts of the monastery. Browsed the souvenir shop and I bought a small bottle of olive oil in glass bottle. Came out of the shop and I saw a footpath leading to higher ground which the local guide said people actually hike up to the upper part of the mountain. We wandered around, snapping photos here and there.

Soon it was about time to go so Kim and I took a slow walk back down to the car park and along the way; we stop by another shop where I bought a small rosary. We gathered back at the coach and returned to our hotel. Dinner was not provided and it was only 6+pm when we reached the hotel. According to Nancee, most eating places would only be opened about 7+pm or 8pm onwards. Our coach drive, Pehpeh, was very nice. He showed us the direction where we could find some food places still open. So Kim and I headed out to hunt for dinner without going back to our hotel room. Managed to find two or three shops and we finally settled on one of them. As the menu was in Spanish and neither of us knew how to read, we had to resort to guessing, especially when the staff could not converse in English.

So in the end, we chose the safest food and that was pizza. I saw people eating churros dipped in thick chocolate and I ordered that thinking that the chocolate came with the churros by default. We had to wait half an hour for our order to be ready so we sat in the shop and fiddled with our mobile phone. Finally, food was ready and during payment, Kim added a doughnut and I realized that the staff didn’t give me the thick chocolate. So I assumed that take-away churros don’t come with thick chocolate. We brought our food back to our hotel room and we ate. While eating, a thought struck and that was perhaps, I should have specified that I want the churros with thick chocolate and not just churros alone. Fortunately, the churros tasted good on its own, a pity I was too full to be able to finish all of them.

Thoughts: One thing I realized in Barcelona, similar to the few other European countries that I have visited, there are proper cycling tracks for cyclists. Also there is this bicycle rental services such that anyone who resides in Barcelona with a valid bank account can get a monthly card to use the bicycle rental service. The person can just obtain a bicycle at one of the many designated kiosks which is essentially a row of rental bicycles and then return it at a nearby kiosk that is close to his/her destination. How cool is that!

As for the city tourI find the design of La Sagrada Familia very interesting and it would have been good if we were given more time to admire the structures and take good photos of it.

Montserrat… Might have been really good place to explore; unfortunately we didn’t have the time. I could have queue to see the Black Madonna, wandered around the Basilica to take nice photos, sat inside to enjoy the singing and dancing, walked around the surrounding and maybe even hike a little just to get a good view of the rest of the lower ground.

7 & 8 Jun 13 – Day 1 & 2 (Barcelona)

7 & 8 Jun 13 – Day 1 & 2 (Barcelona)

Reached Changi Airport Terminal 3 slightly after 6pm, saw the tour leader, Nancee, who told us to wait at the designated place after checking in our luggage. Saw some other group members at the designated place and then Nancee briefed us about the slight change of plans for the first two days of the tour as well as told us what to take note of during the flight transit.

After the briefing, we went off to look for dinner and finally settled for Japanese food at Itachio Sushi. After that, we took a slow walk to the designated gate and waited. Boarded the plane at 9:20pm, but the plane only took off at 10:10pm. We were given food shortly after the take-off and I watched “Jack the Giant Slayer” while eating. The show wasn’t great. Snoozed most of the time coz was simply too tired and managed to slip to the toilet while the Caucasian on my right was away. We reached Doha after 7 hours. There was no bridge to connect the plane to the terminal and we had to climb down the steps to take the shuttle bus to the terminal. The journey was quite long.

Unlike the airport in Dubai, Doha airport was much smaller and very crowded. After checking the time and gate for the connecting flight, Kim and I went to the toilet and then proceeded to sit near the gate to wait. Finally it was time to board and after the check-in, we had to take the shuttle bus to board the plane which took another 20+minutes. The plane was the older model with 2-3-2 sitting arrangements. We were allocated the left side of the plane with 2-seaters and Kim took the aisle seat as usual. The plane took off about 2:05am and this time round, I didn’t watch movie, I simply tried to sleep as much as I could and didn’t eat much. When it was close to the morning, the cabin crew started serving breakfast and I ate hungrily.

Finally the plane touched down in Barcelona around 8:10am after another 7 hours journey. By the time we cleared the custom and collected our luggage, it was already 9am. Nancee went to look for the local contact to bring us to the coach and by the time we left the airport, it was 9:30am. The temperature was cool like autumn in Seoul but I felt cold coz I had not adjusted to the change in temperature. As informed previously, our first stop was to La Roca Village, the chic factory outlet in Barcelona. Along the way, the sky wasn’t looking great, it was heavily overcast. Nancee reminded us that we might want to bring our umbrellas along. 

We reached La Roca Village after about 45 minutes or so and it was rather quiet. Nancee briefly showed us around before giving us about 2+hours of free time to roam on our own. Wanted to take out my camera to snap some pictures but felt kind of weird, especially when Kim wasn’t doing it. Popped into a few shops but nothing interest me. It started to drizzle about 11+am. Kim didn’t bring her umbrella and so I lent her mine while I wore the light parka. Unfortunately, the drizzle turned into heavy downpour and we had no choice but to seek refuge in the Starbucks café in the village. I ordered a cup of hot Mocha and a slice of carrot cake. While I was waiting for my order, there were three tall China Chinese boys who were also waiting for their orders. They were eating while they waited near the counter and I could see the staff looking at them with disdain. After Kim came back with her cup of hot latte and a vanilla muffin, we chatted and whatsapped our sisters on and off over our food. Kim’s sister asked her to check out the prices of two designer bags from Loewe, a high-end Spanish leather brand.

The rain stopped about 12+pm and the bright sun came out. We left Starbucks to continue our walk and the village started to get crowded with people. Popped into more shops and along the way took some photos using the mobile phone coz I wanted to at least have some memories of this place that I had visited. Towards the end of the F&E time, Kim and I bought nothing whereas we saw some of our group members came back with bags of stuff. While we were waiting for the coach along the bench, three China Chinese boys were seated there as well. I didn’t take a good look at them to see if they were the same group as in the Starbucks. They spoke in mandarin and were discussing if we were Japanese or Korean. They said “Konichiwa” but drew no response from me, and then they tried “Annyeonghaseyo” and still drew no response. By then, I was already laughing secretly and told Kim in English what those boys were trying to do.

Finally the coach came and we left La Roca Village at 2pm to go to La Rambla, the downtown of Barcelona. The streets of La Rambla were bustling with activities and people. Nancee wanted to show us La Boqueria, the public market, which is one of the city's foremost tourist landmarks before she gave us F&E time. So we followed her quickly to the market and we were so amazed by the variety of stalls and the way they display their goods and decorate their stalls. There were many fruit cum juice stalls, seafood stalls, meat stalls, chocolate stalls, snack stalls, etc. So many things to see and buy, yet Kim and I didn’t get any. I didn’t get any because I didn’t want to snack too much or hold the food while shopping around downtown. Nevertheless, we enjoyed ourselves by taking lots of pictures in the market.

After that, we walked the main streets and I had to carry my haversack on the side and keep my hand on it all the time. Didn’t really go into many shops and we walked towards Port Vell, passing by the Columbus Monument and saw a lot of living statues. Took photos of the Columbus Monument, some parts near Port Vell and browsed through some stalls nearby that were selling vintage stuff like old coins, notes, glassware, pottery and some handicrafts. Then we traced back our steps back to the main area of La Rambla and headed to Carrefour to get water and then popped over to El Corte Ingles to check out the supermarket. We didn’t check-out the departmental store coz we were short of time. Did a quick browse and bought some mini bottles of olive oil as souvenirs since Spain is the biggest exporter of olive oil. Then we rushed over to the nearby Burger King to get dinner before gathering at the meeting point to wait for the coach to take us to our hotel for that night.

We reached the hotel about 6+pm and as usual; I took shower first while Kim ate dinner. After I came out, ate dinner, did some packing for the next day, charged my camera batteries, mobile phone while using the Wi-Fi connection to access Twitter, Facebook and emails. Discussed with Kim if we should go for the optional tour the next day since Nancee said that most shops closed on Sunday. So in the end, we decided to go for the optional tour and prepared the money for it. Finally went to sleep at 9+pm but not without checking the weather forecast for the next day first.

Thoughts: I expected Nancee to give us some basic information about the history, culture and stuff before we visited the places but she didn’t.

We had 19 group members which consisted a Sim family of four who always keep to themselves, a Tan family of three with the little boy, a mother and daughter named Angie and Hui Min, an older couple named Madeline and Alan who is a SMU professor, a young couple named Yonglin and Pearlyn who is a secondary school teacher, another older couple called Mr and Mrs Goh where the wife is a China Chinese, overly friendly and simply likes to snap photos, another couple maybe about early 40+ called Mr and Mrs Chia who is a graphic designing lecturer (I think) and then there were Kim and myself.

It would have been good if we were given more time to explore the area but I guess that is always going to be a problem with package tour. Also because Spain has this culture of siesta, meaning taking afternoon naps, and so some shops was closed and were only opening when we had to head to our hotel.

12 May 13 (Sun) - Cinnamon Flavour Rice Balls & Orange Flavour Rice Balls in Longan Red Date Ginger Soup

Have been eating oranges since a few weeks back and have been processing the peels into ant-repellents. Accumulated too much of those and began to think what else I can do with the peels. Searched the Internet and got a few ideas, one of which is to grate the zest and use them in cooking. So I have processed a couple more oranges for their zest and store them in the freezer.

Decided to do experimental cooking today using the orange zest and to play it safe, I made rice balls. The thought of rice balls in sugar water seemed a bit plain, therefore, searched the Internet on recipe to make ginger soup. Saw a basic one and some slightly more complicated ones so decided to adapt all and come up one on my own. Saw a bottle of ground cinnamon in the pantry and thought, "Oh, why not?" and came up with the cinnamon flavour rice balls.

After adding the orange zest to the glutinous rice flour and mixing them up, the orange zest were almost invisible but they showed up after adding the blue solution. Similarly for the ground cinnamon, the colour only showed up after adding the water.

Nice colours

After assembling the rice balls and ginger soup                        The ginger soup with other ingredients

Cinnamon Flavour Rice Balls & Orange Flavour Rice Balls (Make 12)

Ingredients:
25g glutinous rice flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 tsp sugar
hot water
1-2 drops of blue food coloring

Method:
1.  Mix glutinous rice flour with sugar
2.  Divide the mixture into two portions
3.  Add ground cinnamon to one portion and mix well
4.  Add orange zest to the other portion and mix well
5.  Add hot water little by little to the cinnamon portion and knead the dough with hands
6.  Tear out some dough and roll it between the palms to make rice balls
7.  Add blue food coloring to the hot water to make a blue solution
8.  Repeat step 5 and step 6 with the orange zest portion
9.  Bring some water to a boil and add in the rice balls
10.  Turn off the heat when the rice balls floats and set aside

Longan Red Date Ginger Soup (with Lotus Seeds and White Fungus)

Ingredients:
500ml water
10 dried longan
6 red dates, seeds removed
40g ginger, cut thick slices
10 lotus seeds, core removed
1 bowl of white fungus (after soaked)
rock sugar cubes to taste

Method:
1.  Use a fork to poke the ginger slices
2.  Place all the ingredients except rock sugar cubes into a pot and bring to boil
3.  Lower the heat, add rock sugar cubes to taste and let it simmer for 5 minutes or until sugar cubes dissolve
4.  Turn off the heat and remove the ginger slices

To assemble, scoop some rice balls into a serving bowl and fill it up with the ginger soup.


The two flavours turned out quite well, there were hints of cinnamon and orange in the rice balls without getting too overpowering and the ginger soup complimented the rice balls. And if I may add, the orange flavour ones tasted rather refreshing when biting into the zest. The ginger soup can be eaten hot or cold as a dessert on its own with the other ingredients.

Bought three avocado few weeks ago and ate one as part of a salad combo. It wasn't very ripe and so I let the other two stand for another few weeks. One of them turned out to be very soft while the other one was not as soft. Anyway, since they were not as hard as the first one I ate the other time, decided to just go ahead and used them. Made avocado milkshake and instead of the usual gula melaka, I used honey instead.

Avocado Milkshake (Make 2 cups)

Ingredients:
2 ripe avocados
1 cup milk
1 tbsp honey

Method:
1.  Cut avocados into halves, remove the seeds and set aside
2.  Scoop out the flesh and cut into small pieces
3.  Add all ingredients into a blender and blitz
4.  Put the seeds* into one cup each before pouring the milkshake

*The seeds are to prevent discolouration

Recipe for Cinnamon Flavour Rice Balls & Orange Flavour Rice Balls in Longan Red Date Ginger Soup submitted to Munch Ministry

A Review: Sophie Bakery

Read an article about Telok Ayer Street and McCallum Street in MyPapers couple of weeks ago and the shop "Sophie Bakery" caught my eyes. Searched the Internet about the shop and learnt that it was already opened back in end-January this year. But due to some matters, it re-opened again on 8 April. The shop was relatively easy to find, with the green shopfront and many tables outside the shop. Even before I stepped into the shop, I could feel the Parisian vibe.

The shop space was not big and lined with lots of different kinds of bread and buns. There were a lot of people inside the shop while I was there. Took two butter croissants and queued up for payment. While I was queuing, took a few quick snaps of the shop and checked out the pastries in the display and they all looked yummy. Ordered two chocolate eclairs and grabbed a small pot of honey which was placed together with other small pots of jam at the cashier counter.

The croissant cost $2 each, the eclair cost $3 each and the small pot of honey cost $1.50. Found it a bit expensive until I started eating them. The eclair was quite solid and heavy with chocolate cream compared to those that we normally eat which can be rather hollow. At $2, the butter croissant was reasonably big and rather filling after eating one. Personally, I will give their butter croissant the thumbs up.

I will probably go back to try their fruit tarts and coffee the next round. For now, I will recommend this shop to anyone who love their bread, Parisian-style.

Name: Sophie Bakery
Address: 167-169 Telok Ayer Street
Opening Hours: 08:00-19:00 (weekdays) and 10:00-16:00 (weekends)
Tel: 6221 6269
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SophieBakery
Wesbite: http://www.sophiebakery.sg/
Products: Bread, Pastries and Coffee
Prices: Butter croissant ($2); Chocolate croissant ($2.50); Eclair ($3); Fruit tart ($4.50); Macaron ($2); Sandwich ($5.50); Jam ($1); Honey ($1.50)

UPDATE: THE SHOP HAS CLOSED.