TRAVEL - SPAIN (Part 3)
Sara Shantelle Lim goes to Spain on Singapore Airlines Business Class
1 Month Trip
Plaza de Espana Seville
Plaza de Espana Seville is by far one of the most beautiful places I have visited in the world. Considering that I used to worked in Singapore Airlines, and I've traveled to quite a number of places, but I have never seen a place as magical and mystical as this place. It is like Disneyland but it is completely real. It is not a fantasy world. It is reality.
Plaza de Espana "Spain Square" is a plaza built in the Parque de Maria Luisa (Maria Luisa Park). It was built in 1928 and it is a landmark example of Regionalism Architecture of the Renaissance Revival and Moorish Revival styles of Spanish Architecture (Architect - Anibal Gonzalez).
Wedding Photo Shoot - EPIC Location
For romantic couples who want to look for a place to propose to your beautiful girlfriend, or a place to take wedding photos, or a place for a honeymoon, this surreal place beats a lot of countries and cities, hands down. It is the most romantic place I've seen. For my friends who plan to do their wedding shoots in Bali, or Santorini, or Paris, it is way too cliche. I would say, go to a location that not many Singaporeans would go, or have even heard of or seen. Your wedding photos would be EPIC!
My photos are just taken with an Apple Iphone camera, imagine taking photos and videos of this place with a professional camera. It would be out of this world.
The Plaza de Espana is so majestic that it was a filming location for quite a number of movies. Few examples was Star Wars movie series Star Wars: Espisode 2 - Attack of the Clones (2002), whereby they featured the exterior shots of the City of Theed on the Planet Naboo. It was also featured in one of my favourite funny movie - The Dictator. It was even used for music videos, Simply Red's song - Something Got Me Started.
Today, Plaza de Espana, is used mainly for government stuff. The end of the park, where the grandest mansions are situated, have been turned into museums. Some of which contains the city's archaeology collections. The main exhibits are the Roman mosaics ad artifacts from the nearby Italica.
Pictures from Wiki
Truly, these pictures doesn't do this magical place any justice. Hire a professional photographer and fly down there to take really nice wedding photos. You won't regret!
This place is a must visit.
Some photos and information is extracted from Wikipedia & Tripadvisor.
Read more about my 1 Month Spain Trip - CLICK HERE
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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 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.
Address: SP 4 Galliera n. 319, 40050 Funo di Argelato
Opening hours : Tuesday to Saturday 10am - 5:30pm
Sunday 2:30-4:30pm only with special reservation
Ticket prices: EUR$15 (reservations recommended)
Contact: Fabio Lamborghini at (+39) 347 5329320
Email: reservation@museolamborghini.com
A fascinating journey back through time to learn more about the personal life of Ferruccio Lamborghini...
Tonino Lamborghini - the son of Founder - Ferruccio Lamborghini
FERRUCCIO LAMBORGHINI FAMILY MUSEUM - For any true Lamborghini fan or simply a car lover, a visit to the Ferruccio Lamborghini Family Museum cannot be missed when visiting Italy. Located in Funo, this family museum was started by Tonino Lamborghini who is the son of founder - Ferruccio Lamborghini in remembrance and honor of his father and currently managed by Fabio Lamborghini who is his nephew. Inside this museum, visitors are able to experience and learn more about the personal life of Ferruccio Lamborghini. With more than 1000 photographs, newspaper articles and biography materials displayed on the wall depicting the history of his life and family, the brilliant founder of Lamborghini - Ferruccio Lamborghini's remarkable legacy is revealed in a very intimate manner. This museum is definitely a celebration of Ferruccio Lamborghini's magnificent works and how he impacted the car industry, leaving an imprint that lasts forever. It is also a reflection of Tonino Lamborghini and Fabio Lamborghini's commitment to keep the memories of Ferruccio Lamborghini alive and close to their hearts.
Ferruccio Lamborghini specially designed and built a Lamborghini TOY car for his son!
LAMBORGHINI "BULL" LOGO - Founding father of Lamborghini - Ferruccio Lamborghini was born under the astrological sign of the bull and often associated physically with this animal as the bull is stout and possesses great fighting spirit. He often likened himself to a bull by saying "I am brawny like a bull!" and believed that "you either get trampled by a bull or you get out of its way!". Ferruccio Lamborghini was definitely a gifted man full of interesting ideas, energy, life and character!
The first Lamborghini prototype made by Ferruccio Lamborghini not commercially sold
FABIO LAMBORGHINI - I was very honored to meet Fabio Lamborghini in person who welcomed us with open arms when we arrived at the museum. He was friendly, warm and full of enthusiasm in showing us around the museum. He was the key man in charge of the museum who gave us a guided tour around the spacious museum, explaining everything to us with such passion and pride. As we were led around the museum by Fabio, we learned so much more about the history of Ferruccio Lamborghini and the Lamborghini brand. It was definitely an eye-opener as though we were taking a spectacular walk through history!
Fabio Lamborghini and the Lamborghini Miura SV which belonged to Ferruccio Lamborghini
LAMBORGHINI CARS & OTHER DISPLAY - Inside the museum, there was a massive display of tractors, air conditioners, Vespas, bicycles, engines, a helicopter, motor boats, many Lamborghini iconic cars and earlier days prototypes. We were shown the bright red Lamborghini Miura SV, the only one in the world with "eyelashes" which once belonged to Ferruccio Lamborghini himself. We were very surprised to learn that Ferruccio Lamborghini started out building tractors. then moving on to building air-conditioners, motor boats and even a helicopter! As the Italian government had a monopoly on building helicopters during that time, he was not allowed to continue building it. On a personal level, I was deeply impressed to learn that Ferruccio Lamborghini came from a humble background and started as a farmer. His exponential growth and talent that eventually led to the establishment of the Lamborghini brand is one to be admired. He can build almost anything and everything! Ferruccio Lamborghini is truly a legendary icon and a man I have deep admiration and respect for! A man with great foresight, creativity and innovation.
The mythical Lamborghini Miura SV which once belonged to Ferruccio Lamborghini
Ferruccio Lamborghini even built a helicopter himself!
Lora Christelle Lim dressed like a "Farmer"
Large display of tractors with Lamborghini engines in them
Fabio Lamborghini and Lora Christelle Lim in a lovely pink golf cart
Lora Christelle Lim inside the iconic Lamborghini Miura
Lamborghini Golf Cart with bullet-proof glass made for Pope John Paul II in the Vatican City
ABOUT FERRUCCIO LAMBORGHINI - Born on 28 April 1916 in Renazzo on a family farm, Ferruccio Lamborghini was a man gifted with the talent of building and mechanics. His parents sent him out to work in the fields as a farmer but his true passion and interest was in farming machinery instead of its lifestyle and work. In 1948, he started a company - Lamborghini Trattori which dealt with Agricultural equipment and primarily focused on the tractor manufacturing business. His company grew quickly after World War II and became one of the most important agricultural manufacturer in the midst of Italy's post war reform. After having accumulated significant wealth, Ferruccio Lamborghini started an expensive collection of cars which include Alfa Romeos and Lancias in the early 1950s, a Mercedes-Benz 300SL, 2 Maserati 3500 GTs - a two seater coupe, a Jaguar E type coupe etc. In 1958, he went to Maranello to purchase a Ferrari 250GT, a Scaglietti designed 250 SWB Berlinetta and a 250GT 2+2 four seater. He thought that Ferrari cars were fast and good but requires some improvement to be proper comfortable cars. Furthermore, he discovered that Ferrari cars were made with inferior clutches which resulted in his continuous and several journeys back to Maranello to fix the problem with his cars. He brought his dissatisfaction to Enzo Ferrari's attention but was dismissed. After successfully modifying his own Ferrari 250GT to outperform the original stock models, Ferruccio Lamborghini decided to venture into the automobile manufacturing industry with the dream and aim of creating his own super car which no-one could deliver to him. That is how the Lamborghini dream was born!
Below are more photos taken in this futuristic and avant-garde museum!
VIDEO - Fabio Lamborghini explains about "The Bull" at Ferruccio Lamborghini Family Museum
Private Lunch with Fabio Lamborghini
After completing the museum visit, Fabio Lamborghini took us out for a private lunch with him where we indulged in authentic Italian cuisine in alfresco dining style by the beautiful gardens. I also got him to sign his name on all the Lamborghini Family merchandise I bought for myself and friends from the Lamborghini Club of Australia NSW Members club. Thank you Fabio Lamborghini for the wonderful and warm hospitality! You made our visit to the Ferruccio Lamborghini Family Museum a truly memorable and splendid experience indeed!
VIDEO - Lora Christelle Lim getting driven by
Fabio Lamborghini to Lunch!
Click here to read about my visit to the official Lamborghini Factory & Museum in Bologna!
Address: Via Modena, 12, I-40019 Sant'Agata Bolognese, BO, Italia
Opening hours : Monday to Friday 10am - 5pm
Ticket prices: EUR$13 for museum only
EUR$40 for museum and factory (reservations necessary!)
Europe Trip 2015 - Bologna - Official Lamborghini Factory and Lamborghini Museum - One of the highlight of this Europe trip was to visit the official Lamborghini Factory to see how the magnificent Lamborghini cars are actually made and also to meet the various important people who helped build the Lamborghini brand, history and legacy. I have arranged to meet legendary former chief test driver of Lamborghini - Mr Valentino Balboni who had the best job in the world, working for Lamborghini for 40 years. He had to retire in October 2008 due to Italian government regulations. Valentino Balboni is the only Lamborghini employee who has a car model named after him. Customers are able to order limited edition of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Valentino Balboni.
Valentino Balboni sent me a selfie he took of himself and his beautiful Gallardo! #SELFIE
Traveling from Milan to Bologna by train - In order to get from Milan to Bologna, we took the Frecciarossa high speed train which travels up to 300km/h, allowing us to reach in approximately 1 hours' time. Train tickets can be easily purchased from the Trenitalia website and you can click on English on the top right corner for easy comprehension. Each train ticket costs around EUR$40 for Economy, EUR$60 for Business and EUR$90 for Executive First Class.
Official Lamborghini Factory & Museum - Upon arriving at Bologna Central train station, we rented a Mercedes-Benz car and sped towards the Lamborghini Factory and museum as we did not want to be late. Upon arrival, a kind lady name Cristina welcomed us at the entrance and after paying the entrance fees of EUR$40 per person, we began our official Lamborghini Factory guided tour.
The SG Sisters at the official Lamborghini Factory and Museum in Bologna, Italy
Entering the Lamborghini Factory - Inside the factory, no photography was allowed. Visitors were told to keep all belongings including cameras into lockers before entering. Once we stepped through the door, all of us were in awe as right in front of us, there were so many beautiful brand new Lamborghini Aventadors, Huracans etc. parked and proudly displayed in a myriad of colours at the carpark. It was a spectacular sight as all of them were freshly produced from the factory and were gleaming in all their glory. The paint on the cars were shining in perfection and I wished I could take a photo of this amazing sight. Some employees were also busy testing the sound of the engines of these freshly produced cars and the sound was deafening. However, being petrol heads and Lamborghini fans, we enjoyed watching how they were revving the engines of the beautiful Lamborghinis. At that point in time, all of us wished we could be one of the Lamborghini's test drivers. It will be like a dream come true!
Sara and Cristina with the red 1964 Lamborghini 350 GT - the 1st Lamborghini ever made!
Inside the Lamborghini Factory - After gazing in awe for quite some time, our tour guide then ushered us into the factory to take a close look at how each Lamborghini was made and I must say we were all very impressed at the neat, organized and precision of the Lamborghini Factory Line. They had a huge digital clock which acts as a timer for all factory workers to work within a certain time frame so each Lamborghini car moves down the Factory Line. An interesting fact about the factory is that each and every employee is trained in house. All of them are also encouraged to master the skills of fixing various parts of different models of Lamborghini cars for example: an employee who is assembling the doors of a Lamborghini Aventador could be fitting the engine of a Lamborghini Huracan in 6 months' time. This prevents boredom or stagnant growth of all factory assembly line workers. The most impressive thing about Lamborghini is that despite the advancements in technology, they are still extremely hands on. Most parts of the car are assembled by hands with the aid of tools instead of using high-tech machines. From start to finish, a V10 Huracan takes 40 minutes at 23 stations while an V12 Aventador 90 minutes at 12 stations to be completed on seperate assembly line. An assembly line worker is able to be promoted to become a test driver once he or she has mastered the Lamborghini inside out. Once a Lamborghini is completed, each car has to go through 3 rounds of testing before it is delivered to its new owner to ensure safety and precision.
Inside the Lamborghini Factory - photos taken from Lamborghini's official website
Lamborghini Veneno Roadster - At the end of the Factory tour, we spotted a jaw-dropping silver Lamborghini Veneno Roadster also known as Lamborghini's "jewel" which costs around EUR$5-7 million which sped past us but it was just too bad that we did not have a camera with us to snap a photo. There are only 9 Veneno Roadsters in this World and Lamborghini no longer manufacture it. We were extremely lucky to see one right before our very own eyes. Lucky us! It was definitely a defining moment in our lives.
LAMBORGHINI MUSEUM
A Lamborghini Avendator roadster "nailed to the wall" like a piece of art for all to admire!
Lamborghini Museum - Inaugurated in 2001, the museum tracks and showcases the important milestones of Lamborghini by allowing visitors to go on an enchanting journey into the past to understand the rich history of the company and brand. The museum spans across 2 levels and upon entering the museum, your eyes would be captivated by a stunning red 1964 Lamborghini 350 GT which started it all. It was the first Lamborghini car which Ferrucio Lamborghini built himself and showcased in the Turin Auto Show in October 1963. After receiving a good enough response from the show, Ferrucio Lamborghini bought a big plot of land and started production of his own Lamborghini supercars. An iconic feature in the museum is how a Lamborghini Aventador roadster is displayed as though it was "nailed to the wall" defying gravity. Also, there is a unique Lamborghini Police Car on display and apparently, Lamborghini actually gave the Italian State police a few Lamborghini cars to use! It was only later during our private lunch with Valentino Balboni where we found out some interesting stories of how people would ignore this Police car thinking that it was not a real police car or how some people would actually joked how they could get arrested so they can enjoy a ride in the Lamborghini police car. Overall, it was an interesting visit as we got to see all the different Lamborghini models which include the Miura S and its iconic “eyelashes”, the 350 GT, the Countach S, the Jalpa, the Espada, the Sesto Elemento, the Reventón and the other exclusive supercars etc.
VIDEO: Sara Shantelle Lim explores the second level of the Lamborghini Museum which showcases the Concept cars, the Sesto Elemento and the Huracan police car!
VIDEO: Sara Shantelle Lim explores the first level of the Lamborghini Museum which showcases the red 1964 Lamborghini 350 GT - the first Lamborghini ever made by Ferrucio Lamborghini! Other cars include the Miura S, Countach S, Diablo etc.
Lora Christelle Lim at Museo Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
Different Lamborghini models can be found inside The Lamborghini Museum
Lamborghini Sesto Elemento - chassis, drive shaft, body panels are made of carbon fiber
The menacing looking Lamborghini Sesto Elemento
Lora Christelle Lim standing beside the Lamborghini Miura Concept!
22 May, 2014 - Lamborghini donated a new 'Huracán LP 610-4 Polizia' to the Italian State Police in Sant'Agata to replace the Gallardo they had in the service for over 6 years!
Lamborghini racing cars
Shopping for merchandise from The Lamborghini store to give away as souvenirs and gifts
The SG Sisters together with Valentino Balboni - former chief test driver for Lamborghini
Lora Christelle Lim and Valentino Balboni at the entrance of Lamborghini Museum
PRIVATE LUNCH WITH VALENTINO BALBONI
Private Lunch with Valentino Balboni - As it was my sister Sara Shantelle Lim's actual birthday, we had a mini birthday celebration lunch together with Valentino Balboni. It was such a great honour to meet Valentino Balboni in person as he waited for us at the Lamborghini museum so he can take us out for a nice Italian lunch at a nearby restaurant which featured many Lamborghini memorabilia. Sara gets to sit beside Valentino Balboni in the same car as he drove her to the restaurant. What a memorable birthday treat for Sara! Last year, Sara had a fully sponsored birthday bash in Singapore costing more than SGD40,000 which was the most talked about Birthday bash ever!
STORY OF VALENTINO BALBONI dubbed as having the "Best Job In the World!" - During our lunch with Valentino Balboni, we found him to be such a warm, friendly and kind gentleman who was neither snobbish nor arrogant despite his huge lifetime achievement. He was definitely a very charismatic man who was refined and amazingly good looking despite his age. We had a wonderful time getting to know him over a huge feast of authentic Italian cuisine which included hearty pasta and drinks. Valentino Balboni also revealed how he started working for Lamborghini and it was such a touching story which brought tears to his eyes. We could sense Valentino's great sense of gratefulness as he explained how he was offered a job simply out of pure luck and good fortune. It was one fateful day where Valentino was traveling with a friend from his small country village to the city in search for a job as he had finished school. As his car passed the Lamborghini factory, he saw a worker struggling to unload beautiful Miura bodies which arrived from Bertone alone from the truck and was kind enough to stop to help. In return for taking the initiative to help and for demonstrating his positive attitude, he was offered a job after filling up an application form! What an inspiring and incredible story! Valentino Balboni started working for Lamborghini from the bottom and quickly rose to the top to become the chief test driver as he was extremely hardworking and had the right positive attitude. He believed in "doing" more than just "talking". We also had the privilege of getting Valentino Balboni to sign on all the Lamborghini merchandise we bought. I also gave him an Australia aboriginal mug as a souvenir as well as a Lamborghini Club of Australia cap to keep. The Lamborghini Club of Australia NSW Members club is planning to invite both Cristina and Valentino Balboni to Australia for a visit in the near future. I can't wait to meet both of them again as they have made my visit to the Lamborghini Factory and Museum a very memorable one!
VIDEO: Sara Shantelle Lim getting driven by Valentino Balboni - ex chief test driver of Lamborghini for 40 years in the same car on her actual birthday! What a memorable birthday!
Valentino Balboni drives Sara Shantelle Lim in the same car to lunch
Sara Shantelle Lim and Valentino Balboni
Sara Shantelle Lim blowing her birthday candles and cake with Valentino Balboni
The SG Sisters having a private lunch with Valentino Balboni
STAY TUNE TO OUR NEXT POST ON VISITING
THE FERRUCIO LAMBORGHINI FAMILY MUSEUM!
Click here to read about my SNOW SKI Trip to PERISHER with my Lamborghini :)
