Paris - the city of romance?

Well this is our last European stop - the so-called city of romance or love but is that really so?
I guess you can be the judge by looking through the photos. However, I must admit that probably either there's too high of an unrealistic expectation of Paris or some infrastructure does need a bit more TLC. And oh, we almost got scammed by the "deaf and mute". Won't elaborate more but you can google them.
Apart from that, Paris does has it beautiful side so here we go...

The famous Lourve museum - didn't even have to queue as baby gets "express" lane. Go BIM!

Some majestic looking ceiling art

Brazil? No, Belgium.

Brazil 2014 Worldcup - Wait, I thought Brazil is not in Europe but what's this? Well apparently we were in Belgium but we bumped into a giant Manneken-Pis drapped in Belgium colored flag with a Brazilian soccer flag while holding the famous Belgium waffle and his erhm .. thing :) But those are cool sunnies by the way..

Look mummy soccer ball! Soccer fever in Brussels

But I must say the replica is much cooler than the real thing. The real Manneken-Pis sculpture is really small but it attracts a huge crowd trying to take its picture.

The original Manneken-Pis. Disappointingly small

In contrast, the royal palace of Brussels is huge...

Royal Palace of Brussels

BIM in Europe - Cologne, Germany

Cologne, makes me think of perfume, or more aptly, the Eau de Cologne.
The most famous is the 4711. But to be honest, it doesn't smell that great either. Mummy says that my baby smell smells better than that. :)
But, that, is beside the point as we were in Germany!
And of course, you have to visit the Cologne Cathedral and many other places which I will tour with you below...

Hi everyone, I'm giving you a BIMmy wave from Cologne, Germany.

Love locks on the Hohenzollern Bridge

BIM in Europe - Amsterdam & Heineken Experience

Back in Amsterdam, we wondered around, visited a few places and ended up beer drinking, not me of course :) That was the highlight for daddy, the Heineken experience.. Read till the end if you want to know more.

Let's start with Anne Frank..

Born on June 12, 1929, in Frankfurt, Germany, Anne Frank lived in Amsterdam with her family during World War II. Fleeing Nazi persecution of Jews, the family went into hiding for two years; during this time, Frank wrote about her experiences and wishes. She was 15 when the family was found and sent to the camps, where she died. Her work, The Diary of Anne Frank, has gone on to be read by millions.

Unfortunately, the queue to her house sooooo loooooong that we decided to go elsewhere instead.

BIM in Europe - Keukenhof - Tulips!

When you think about Holland, you will think about tulips. But do you know that it's actually imported from the middle east, more specifically, Turkey or back in those days, the Ottomon Empire in the 16th century. Well, we decided to check out Keukenhof, world second largest flower garden.

7 million bulbs are planted annually, what mind boggling stats

Walking through the tulips...

In the mid-17th century, tulips were so popular that they created the first economic bubble, known as "Tulip Mania" (tulipomania). 

BIM in Europe - The Netherlands - Marken, Volendum & Zaanse Schans

Question: How do you cross the English Channel?

Answer: Ferry trip! Stena Line from Harwich to Hook of Holland to be precise. It's pretty good considering that we can sleep on the cruise for the night and arrive in Holland the next day. Maybe the motion rocks me to sleep. :)

On the deck of Stena Line

It's more like a cruise than a ferry.

We then follow a tour from Tours and Tickets to Marken, Volendum & Zaanse Schans.
First stop - Marken. It's literally like an island surrounded by water and used to flood regularly till dikes were constructed.

Marken - a picturesque little fisherman village

BIM in Europe - London part 2

Continued...

We woke up earlier the next day and ventured around once again...

Big Ben - I was asleep once again! It's hard being a bub...

Trafalgar Square - finally it is more than a piece of monopoly piece =) 

In reality, Trafalgar square was built with an initial budget of £11,000 in the early 19th century after the Battle of Trafalgar. £240 is a BARGAIN. Probably in the millions now.