Tuesday 26 February 2019

TRAVEL - Sara Shantelle Lim goes to SPAIN on Singapore Airlines Business Class (Part 4) - Bull Fighting Ring, Trekking at Donana Nature Spain.

TRAVEL - SPAIN (Part 4)
Sara Shantelle Lim goes to Spain on Singapore Airlines Business Class 1 Month Trip

Bull Fighting Ring & Trekking at Donana Nature Spain

BullFighting in Spain

https://www.servitoro.com/en/bullfighting-calendar

We always see a man with a red cloth on television with a bull. Little did I know that this tradition and show still exist till today. I do find it very cruel, hence, I only went to this place to visit the museum, but not watch the bullfighting show itself.

Every year, approximately 250,000 bulls are killed in bullfights. The animals are stabbed multiple times before suffering slow, agonizing deaths in front of an audience, including children. Animal cruelty is not entertainment. You can help by not attending bullfights.

The conclusion of a Spanish bullfight is almost always the same: The matador plunges his or her sword between the bull's shoulders, puncturing the animal's heart and killing it. Next, a team of mules or horses drags the dead animal out of the ring.

Bullfighting is a traditional Latin American spectacle in which bulls bred to fight are tortured by armed men on horseback, then killed by a matador. Starved, beaten, isolated, and drugged before the “fight,” the bull is so debilitated that he cannot defend himself.

If estocada is not successful, the matador must then perform a descabello and cut the bull's spinal cord with a second sword called verdugo, to kill it instantly and spare the animal pain. Although the matador's final blow is usually fatal, it may take the bull some time to die.

Trekking at Donana Nature Spain

http://www.andalucia.org/en/natural-spaces/national-parks/donana/

Okay, if you like nature and animals, I think its better that we go for a trekking session, instead of watching a bull fight. This way, we can maintain peace in this world.

Doñana National Park is in southern Spain. It’s known for its wetlands, migratory birds, pine forests and shifting coastal dunes. In the park, Palacio del Acebron is a 20th-century palace, home to the national park visitor center. Nearby, El Rocío Hermitage is a religious sanctuary dating from the 13th century. On the coast, Playa de Matalascañas has a seafront promenade lined with bars and eateries.

Doñana National Park is a natural reserve in Andalusia, southern Spain, in the provinces of Huelva (most of its territory), Cádiz and Seville. It covers 543 km2 (209.65 sq mi), of which 135 km2 (52.12 sq mi) are a protected area.

The park is an area of marshes, shallow streams, and sand dunes in Las Marismas, the delta where the Guadalquivir River flows into the Atlantic Ocean. It was established as a nature reserve in 1969 when the World Wildlife Fund joined with the Spanish government and purchased a section of marshes to protect it.

The eco-system has been under constant threat by the draining of the marshes, the use of river water to boost agricultural production by irrigating land along the coast, water pollution by upriver mining, and the expansion of tourist facilities. It is named after Doña Ana de Silva y Mendoza wife of the seventh Duke of Medina-Sidonia.

Read more about SPAIN PART 1 - PART 4 - HERE.

Some info and pictures are taken from Wikipedia

Read about my First Class Singapore Airlines Travel to New York: CLICK HERE.

Read about my First Class Singapore Airlines Travel to San Francisco: CLICK HERE.

Read about my First Class Singapore Airlines Travel to Hong Kong: CLICK HERE.

Read about my First Class Singapore Airlines Travel to Sydney: CLICK HERE.

Read about my Business Class Singapore Airlines Travel to Bali: CLICK HERE.

Read about my Business Class Singapore Airlines Travel to Sydney: CLICK HERE.

Read about my Business Class Singapore Airlines Travel to London: CLICK HERE.

Read about my Business Class Singapore Airlines Travel to Spain: CLICK HERE.

Friday 9 November 2018

TRAVEL - Sara Shantelle Lim goes to London on Singapore Airlines Business Class (Part 3) - Crown Jewels of London, Tower of London, Cafe Concerto, Ridley's Believe it or Not, Books of Mormon Musical. (London Part 3)

TRAVEL - Sara Shantelle Lim goes to London
on Singapore Airlines Business Class

Crown Jewels of London, Tower of London,

Books of Mormon Musical, Cafe Concerto, Ridley's Believe it or Not

(London Part 3)

London is one of my favourite countries. I can go to London once a year and I'm never tired of it. There's always so much to do there. Things that I would never miss out in London - Fish & Chips, Musicals & Texas Holdem Poker.

Crown Jewels of London at The Tower of London

The Tower of London, officially Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle located on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the square mile of the City of London by the open space known as Tower Hill. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. It is famous for being the home of The Crown Jewels.

The Crown Jewels

The Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom, originally the Crown Jewels of England, are 140 royal ceremonial objects kept in the Tower of London, which include the regalia and vestments worn by British kings and queens at their coronations.

Symbols of 800 years of monarchy, the coronation regalia are the only working set in Europe other present-day monarchies have abandoned coronations in favour of secular ceremonies and the collection is the most historically complete of any regalia in the world.

The White Tower

The White Tower, which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078 and was a resented symbol of oppression, inflicted upon London by the new ruling elite. The White Tower is a keep (also known as a donjon), which was often the strongest structure in a medieval castle, and contained lodgings suitable for the lord – in this case, the king or his representative. According to military historian Allen Brown, "The great tower was also, by virtue of its strength, majesty and lordly accommodation, the donjon par excellence". As one of the largest keeps in the Christian world, the White Tower has been described as "the most complete eleventh-century palace in Europe".

The castle was used as a prison from 1100 (Ranulf Flambard) until 1952 (Kray twins), although that was not its primary purpose. A grand palace early in its history, it served as a royal residence. As a whole, the Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat. There were several phases of expansion, mainly under Kings Richard I, Henry III, and Edward I in the 12th and 13th centuries. The general layout established by the late 13th century remains despite later activity on the site.

The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history. It was besieged several times, and controlling it has been important to controlling the country. The Tower has served variously as an armoury, a treasury, a menagerie, the home of the Royal Mint, a public record office, and the home of the Crown Jewels of England. From the early 14th century until the reign of Charles II, a procession would be led from the Tower to Westminster Abbey on the coronation of a monarch.

Buy your tickets online at 22.70 Euros - > https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/visit/tickets-and-prices/#gs.BljKLbG7

Walking around London Streets

Taking a picture with the London Phone Booth is a MUST!

Cafe Concerto Piccadilly

29-31 Piccadilly, Mayfair, London W1J 0LF, UK

caffeconcerto.co.uk

Its always awesome to have friends around the world. I met my friends Anthony for a hearty breakfast at Cafe Concerto. They have a wide range of desserts. Their hot chocolate and expresso is a must try.

Ridley's Believe it or Not

http://ripleyslondon.com/

https://www.ripleys.com/attractions/

Of course, when you visit London, don't forget to visit their Ridley's Believe it or Not attraction. 2 hours at this attraction is more than enough. But beware, you would be dumbfounded and shocked by some of their findings.

Books of Mormons The Musical

Whenever I fly to London, I would make it a point to watch at least 2-3 Musicals each trip. Books of Mormons is rumored to be one of the best selling musical, it is constantly SOLD OUT everyday. But it is a little vulgar, hence I would say that it is probably rated RA standard, due to a lot of vulgarities. If you are going to young children, please watch Charlie and The Chocolate Factory or Matilda instead. This musical is more suited for the mature and open minded crowd.

The website that I use to get the best deals for Musicals Tickets - > https://www.lastminute.com/theatre/

As you can see, the tickets can start from even just 18 Euros only!

Happy visiting London!

Read More about London Part 1 & Part 2 - HERE.

Some info and pictures are taken from Wikipedia