Marc's Public Blog - Trips to other locations


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This is a collection of my blog entries related to short or long trips I went on.
I have some master pages for some specific locations/trips:

paris over many years | UK over many years | Belgium over many years | Holland over many years | Vegas over many years | Australia over many years | Canada over many years | Japan over multiple trips | Italy in 2011 | France in 2013 | Indonesia in 2013 | Japan in 2013 | Japan in 2014 | Taiwan in 2014 | Indonesia in 2014 | New Zealand in 2015 | Japan in 2015 | Costa Rica in 2015 | Singapore in 2016 | South Korea in 2016 | Japan in 2016 | Germany in 2016 | Tasmania 2017 | Japan in winter 2017 | Great Britain in 2017 | Australia Flying Safari 2017 | Philippines 2018 | Spain in 2018 | Alaska in 2019 | England in 2021 | UAE in 2021 | Poland in 2023 | Portugal in 2023 | Thailand in 2023 | Japan Snow 2024 |

Table of Content for trips:

More pages: December 2023 June 2023 April 2023 December 2022 December 2021 February 2021 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 June 2018 May 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 October 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 October 2012 September 2012 June 2012 April 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 June 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 September 2010 August 2010 May 2010 January 2010 September 2009 August 2009 June 2009 January 2009 December 2008 August 2008 February 2008 January 2008 October 2007 July 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 August 2006 July 2006 April 2006 March 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 April 2005 December 2004 October 2004 July 2004 June 2004 January 2004 January 2003 January 2001 August 1997



2019/10/17 A few hours in Den Haag
π 2019-10-17 01:01 in Holland, Ntrips, Trips

It is about 1H away from Amsterdam, and has nice museums. I took a day train there, which allows bikes:



It had nice fall colors when I arrived:






While there, over 2 different days, I only had enough time to see one museum each day:

  • Escher (on its own page)

  • The amazingly diverse Louwman Car Museum (on its own page too)

  • On the 2nd day, I was also able to see my cousin Frank and his family who lived nearby. It had been 13 years since I last went to their house right after they moved in, so it was nice to go back and see them there:




    After that, I biked back to the nearest train station back to Amsterdam:


    See more images for A few hours in Den Haag
    2019/10/16 A Little Sightseeing in Amsterdam During ADE
    π 2019-10-16 01:01 in Holland, Ntrips, Trips



    I was in Amsterdam for 5 days for Amsterdam Dance Event, which had parties every night, late into the early mornings. This is what I saw:

  • http://marc.merlins.org/perso/clubbing/post_2019-10-16_ADE-2019-Day-_1_-Orjan-Nilsen-12-DJs-at-Club-Mystique.html
  • http://marc.merlins.org/perso/clubbing/post_2019-10-17_ADE-2019-Day-_2_-John-OO-Flemming_-Alex-M_O_R_P_H_-Paul-Van-Dyk-at-Shine_-Panama_-Amsterdam.html
  • http://marc.merlins.org/perso/clubbing/post_2019-10-17_ADE-2019-Day-_2_-ASOT-936_-8H-ADE-Special-in-the-Armada-Studio.html
  • http://marc.merlins.org/perso/clubbing/post_2019-10-18_ADE-2019-Day-_3_-Solarstone-_-DJ-Orkidea_-Pure-Trance-Boat-Party.html
  • http://marc.merlins.org/perso/clubbing/post_2019-10-19_ADE-2019-Day-_4_-Luminosity_s-This-Is-Trance-at-Panama_-Amsterdam.html
  • http://marc.merlins.org/perso/clubbing/post_2019-10-20_ADE-2019-Day-_5_-Trance-Orient-Express.html
  • they had stores selling everything you needed for partying :)
    they had stores selling everything you needed for partying :)

    As a result, I didn't have much time for sightseeing, but I still did a bit during the afternoon.
    Close to my crap but well located hotel, was the body worlds exhibition, which was worth the visit:







    Saw a church that was closed the last times I went:




    The next 2 days, I went to Den Hagg for a few hours, including:

  • Escher Museum
  • Louwman Car Museum
  • There is a lot more to see there, so I'll have to go back.

    While it was not super convenient, I was able to get my museum kaart sent to my hotel before I arrived, it gave me free entrance to a few museums:


    The last day, I had time in Amsterdam, and went to the Royal Palace that was closed during my last visit:







    then, I went back to the new church, which had a different exposition than a few months ago:







    A few other random pictures:



    And that was it for Amsterdam, not a huge lot given that most of the time was spent partying at night and sleeping to recover :)

    2019/10/15 Kutna Hora Silver Mines and Sedlec Ossuary
    π 2019-10-15 01:01 in Ntrips, Trips

    While in Prague, I took 2/3rd of a day to go to Kutna Hora and its famous Sedlec Ossuary.

    I got up a bit too late for the direct train, so I took a cab directly to the Bohemian Museum of Silver that has an underground tour you have to sign up for (early, as it books out): [rigo img:1024:104*]

    I got a private english tour in the mine
    I got a private english tour in the mine


    pump that was getting things out
    pump that was getting things out








    it was tight in places
    it was tight in places







    Then, I went to St Barbara cathedral:










    Nearby was the Stone House, Museum of Silver, which ended up being very skippable, but I found a nice little cat on the way that adopted me for a little bit :)


    the stone house required a guided tour with a guide who didn't speak english and gave me a pamphlet to read
    the stone house required a guided tour with a guide who didn't speak english and gave me a pamphlet to read




    I then took single uber in town to get to Sedlec Ossuary, which was farther than I wanted to walk. It's a very interesting church where they displayed the bones and skelettons of people buried there, making interesting displays:














    I then had just 10mn or so to look town before going to the train station for a train back to town:





    The direct train back to Prague is 1H if you catch it at the right time (it's not every hour):



    2019/10/10 3 Hours in Frankfurt
    π 2019-10-10 01:01 in Ntrips, Trips
    I had a 6H layover in Frankfurt and instead of staying put in the airport (which I should have considered, given how terrible the airport, was, including the security check that I went through after exiting and re-entering the airport (very thorough genital checks, all my stuff was taken apart due to how terrible their Xray and/or training is), I figured I'd go in town to have a quick look at downtown and visit the local google office.

    Frankfurt is honestly not a city that is anywhere close to the top of of German cities to visit, but the downtown is worth a few hours, and if you have more time, I'm assuming some of the museums are worth seeing. In my case, I had a bit less than 3H, so I just went for the easy sights:



    I went to the financial district to visit the google office that was there. Nice views from there:








    the cathedral had a small museum attached to it
    the cathedral had a small museum attached to it



    I then went in the Römer Square area to see Old St Nicholas and frankfurt cathedral (that were severely impacted by the allied bombings during WWII, while the rest of the city was mostly leveled):



    Römer Square was clearly built for tourists, and it is picturesque:




    I then went to the bridge that has a nice view:

    some electric autonomous bus prototype
    some electric autonomous bus prototype

    of course, put locks on the bridge
    of course, put locks on the bridge

    Then, back to town to burn a bit more time:










    Then it was time to go back to the airport for the terrible security line and treatment that was way worse than I was ready for, and onto my next flight to Prague. Frankfurt is of course worth more than 3H if you have the time to see museums, but it felt like it was more than enough for a visit:


    See more images for 3 Hours in Frankfurt
    2019/10/10 5 Partial Days in Prague
    π 2019-10-10 01:01 in Ntrips, Trips

    Day 1

    On the first day, I went to the powder tower for a guided walking tour of old town:

    the trams are cheap, frequent, and go most places you need
    the trams are cheap, frequent, and go most places you need








    jewish quarter
    jewish quarter


    the controvertial TV tower
    the controvertial TV tower





    figurines that rotate on the outside of the astronomical clock
    figurines that rotate on the outside of the astronomical clock

    underground the old city tower
    underground the old city tower

    After the first tour, I went to the 2nd city tour towards new town and the castle:





    stores sell all kinds of things :)
    stores sell all kinds of things :)


    castle gate
    castle gate





    the town also has a good subway
    the town also has a good subway

    Day 2

    The 2nd day, I got up pretty late due to partying and went to the transportation museum, which isn't a don't miss, but interesting nonetheless:





    And not too far away is the local science museum: Narodni Technicke Museum (on its own page):


    After the 2 museums, I went to a viewing tower by Charle's bridge for sunset pictures:








    Day 3

    Day #3, as soon as I managed to get up after the previous night's partying, I went to the Military Aviation Museum (on its own page)


    Wen I got back, I had enough time to go to the Museum of Communism which describes how communism was not a net win for the country:




    Next in the museums that close late, I went to the Prague Apple Museum, which may have the best collection of Apple hardware outside of California, where there isn't a public museum:









    Last for that evening, was the sex machines museum, which had a decent collection:



    Day 4

    Day #4, I went to Prague Castle, bright and early when it opened, and ended up spending 5H+ by doing all its museums (3 different tickets, which is a big confusing):


    one of the tickets was to be able to take pictures, but for $2, that was fine enough for me
    one of the tickets was to be able to take pictures, but for $2, that was fine enough for me











    Nice view from the top of the church:




    new church, close to the castle
    new church, close to the castle


    The castle also had nice gardens:


    After the castle, I did a quick visit to the local Google Office


    From there, I did a quick visit of Petrin Tower, a bit rushed but better than nothing. Nice views from the top of course:







    After the invisible museum I went to visit on a guided tour in english, which you visit in complete darkness with a blind guide, I went to a couple of optical illusion museums:









    As well as the lego museum:



    nice to see the car my dad bought when we were kids
    nice to see the car my dad bought when we were kids




    Day 5

    For the 5th day, I got up as early as I could and went to Kutna Hora and Sedlec Ossuary, a bit over 1h away. Because there are only so many direct trains, I ended up taking a taxi there, which wasn't horribly expensive. Click on the link for page on that town, but here is a picture of Sedlec Ossuary:


    Got back to the main train station and finished the science museum I wasn't able to finish on my first visit, and went to spend a bit mor time in town:




    Day 6

    On my last day, before going to the airport, I quickly climbed the new town hall for another view of the city and then went back to the powder tower I hadn't climbed yet for my last views of town before going to the airport:






    And that was it for Prague. Great city, got to see most of it, although not all since I was getting up past noon due to the night parties. would be fun to go back.

    See more images for 5 Partial Days in Prague

    More pages: December 2023 June 2023 April 2023 December 2022 December 2021 February 2021 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 June 2018 May 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 October 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 September 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 October 2012 September 2012 June 2012 April 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 June 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 September 2010 August 2010 May 2010 January 2010 September 2009 August 2009 June 2009 January 2009 December 2008 August 2008 February 2008 January 2008 October 2007 July 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 August 2006 July 2006 April 2006 March 2006 January 2006 December 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 April 2005 December 2004 October 2004 July 2004 June 2004 January 2004 January 2003 January 2001 August 1997

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