Berlin 2015

This post was a long time coming but I finally got down to blogging about it and here it is! 
In September, I spent 4 days in Berlin and it was wonderful. My sister and I mapped out places to visit, booked a hostel and a couple of days later, we (Mum, sister, s’ husband) boarded a bus from Copenhagen central station to Berlin. For the duration of our trip, we stayed at Acama Hostel in Kreuzberg, which was a short walk away from Möckernbrücke station. Since most of the places we were visiting were located in Mitte, it made commuting there easy.

Day 1

The Brandenburg Gate: Is only surviving Berlin city gate and a potent symbol of the city. The gate was designed in 1791 to resemble the Acropolis in Athens. The Brandenburg Gate symbolizes reunification (after dividing East and West Berlin for decades).

Bebelplatz: Nazi Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels made Bebelplatz infamous on May 1933, when he used the square across from Humboldt University to burn 20k books by "immoral" authors of whom the Nazis did not approve. This was however, just the start. The Bebelplatz was later used to burn people. Look out for the underground monument! (Having walked through the entire square, I still missed this)

Tränenpalast (Palace of Tears): It was a former border crossing at Berlin Friedrichstraße station, where East Germans said goodbye to visitors going back to West Germany. Here, you’ll see historical videos, testimonials, photographs, listening and exhibits of the Germans. Entry is free and I’d recommend taking the free audio guide/tour of the museum.

The Reichstag (The Federal German Parliament Building): You have to register at the service centre or book a slot in advance to enter the dome! You’ll also have to register and provide some form of identification prior to visiting. We queued for a slot in the afternoon and got an 8 pm slot the same evening. The dome has a 360-degree view of the city and the night view was breathtaking.

Day 2

Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp (By Insider Tour Berlin, 12 € if you’re under 26 and 15 € if you’re over): This was by far my favourite place to visit in Berlin, even though it was deeply upsetting to learn about and see firsthand, what the prisoners experienced during their time there. As a former history student, I could only imagine the horrors of what was the prisoner’s life but being there and seeing what it was, was a whole other experience. We met up with our guide (Pip) at Zoologischer Garten Train Station (you don’t have to pre-book) and travelled there. The tour of the concentration camp lasted 6 hours even though it felt short while we were there. It’s open all year round, and I definitely recommend giving this place a visit if you’re ever in Berlin.

Holocaust Memorial: Needs no introduction. It is a memorial to the 6 million murdered Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It’s definitely a must-see.

Day 3

The Berlin Wall Memorial: Located at the small section of the huge wall that kept the eastern and western part of Berlin separated from 1961 to 1989. 

Underground Tour M (Guided tour by Berliner Unterwelten  E.V): We learnt about the escape stories of people who tunneled to freedom, the outcomes, Stasi (German secret police), tunnels dug during the division of East and West Berlin. The tour costs 11€ and lasts for about 2 hours. The stories were heartwarming and we had a lovely guide which made it all the more fun, definitely recommend this one too. 

Day 4

Topography of Terror: We spend most of our last day at the topography of terror where we learnt about Berlin from 1933 – 1945, Hitler and Germany as a whole. It was insightful, informative and a must visit. It’s Germany's main documentary centre about the crimes of the institutions of the Nazi state - based upon the former Gestapo headquarters, documenting the actions of the German propaganda machine and its crimes.

Checkpoint Charlie: The most famous of the border crossings between East and West Berlin, while the city was divided from 1945 to 1990. It lay on Friedrichstrasse on the border between the Soviet and the American sector. It is today an iconic marker of territorial boundary and political division. Until the fall of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989, it signified the border between West and East, Capitalism and Communism, freedom and confinement.

I had the best time in Berlin, it was everything i dreamed of and more. If you ever find yourself taking a trip there, plan your own itinerary, book your own tours, explore and travel everywhere. Berlin has given me plenty more reasons to visit Germany again and I can't wait for my next trip there!

Greece Snapshots

I've recently had the chance to visit Greece and I've had such a lovely time there. Greece is such a beautiful and scenic place, I wish I could've stayed longer. We spent our time there soaking up the scenic views, eating mediterranean food, exploring markets and enjoying the winter landscape. 

All taken on my iPhone 5s. 

November Favourites

(1. Casio Gold Stainless Steel Strap Watch, 2. Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick in Pink Quartz, 3. Coconut Scented Candle from Thailand, 4. Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, 5. Bobbi Brown BB Cream SPF 35, 6. Miranda Kerr's Treasure Yourself, 7. Rimmel Polish in Rain Rain Go Away, 8. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer)


Some of my favourite products of November include this Casio Gold Watch. I've been looking for a gold watch for forever, I love Casio watches and this was about 40 pounds on ASOS, and it wasn't too expensive. Staple. The Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick is lovely highlighter and adds a nice shimmery texture to your cheeks. I've also really been loving this Coconut Scented Candle. It smells like a really good pudding, don't be tempted.

I've also loved using this Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Daily Cleanser, which I picked up on a whim in the airport whilst awaiting my flight back home. The Bobbi brown BB Cream SPF 35 is a really great high street bb cream, it does exactly what it says on the tube. In terms of reading material, I've been reaching for Treasure Yourself by Miranda Kerr, where Miranda writes about her life experiences, empowerment and positivity. It's really a good read if you're into affirmations and positive quotes.

I'm definitely a fan of Rimmel's 60 seconds polish, it's affordable, dries quickly and lasts for ages. Love. Undeniably the worst kept secret in the beauty world, the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer does what everyone praises it for. Excellent for hiding tired looking eyes and blemishes.

I don't need your validation

I remember age 9 feeling my blue PE tee shirt cling to my skin and I felt inadequate. I would pull and tug at my shirt, it didn't fit right. That was the first time I remember feeling fat.

I was 10 when a boy told me to run laps around the block, saying I was too fat to compete for a race. In that same year, a female friend told me that I was out of shape and pointed out that I didn't have a waist.

I was 11 when male friend told me, if you lost a bit of weight, you would be 'alright'.

I was age 15 when a male teacher commented that I was fat, leaving me questioning why all my friends had washboard abs, perfect jawlines and were thin.

I was 17 when my sister's boyfriend told me I was too fat because I'd pick a side of chips over having Chinese.

I'd tell myself I was too fat for anyone to want to be around me, that people looked at me differently. And to this day, I believe that. 

I could talk about how I have been told time and time again, that 'fat' was the the worst thing you could possibly be. I could talk about all the times I was made to feel ashamed of my body and how I brushed it off. I could talk about these things, but I rarely do.

Since I was ten years old, I have been told that my body is not my own, that my feelings of discomfort are not my own, that my voice shouldn't be heard, that I might as well get used to it. I have taught myself to suppress my gut instinct upon meeting people who were rude. I have been taught to be polite, to suck it up if I felt mad. When I did complain, I have been told that I was oversensitive and irrational.

The underlying message is, how dare I try and assert any kind of control over the way I feel about my own body?

I write this now from a place where I've struggled with every diet, and I urge you now to find strength in your being. You don't have to try to be someone else because people have told you that you're not good enough. You don't have to binge, purge and starve yourself skinny to please the people who cannot value you for who you are. You don't have to be obsessed with the idea of perfection, that's so often warped and unattainable by society's standards. Being happy, healthy and intelligent lands far closer to perfection than looking thin.

I refuse to apologize for the way I feel, I refuse to be shamed for my body or spend a whole day anxious about if anyone's going to notice that I forgot to shave a patch of leg hair. I wasn't put on this earth to spend my time apologising for my existence and I refuse to let anyone make me feel like I have to. You can’t shame me for something I’m not ashamed for. I don't need your validation to be my own person.

September Favourites

(1. Maiden Make Up Bag, 2. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream, 3. Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser, 4. Sheer Beauty by Calvin Klein, 5. Clinique Cheek Pop in Peach Pop, 6. Benefit Gimme Brow, 7. Essie Polish in Truth or Flare, 8. The Righteous Butter by Soap and Glory)

This month's favourites include Laura Mercier's Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser, after spotting it in a certain Miss Vivianna's vid - which I have been using religiously and makes for a lovely dewy texture. I've also been using Benefit's Gimme Brow - and it really has changed my 'brow game. On top of that, I've been reaching for this stunning cheek pop from Clinique (perfect for bronzed complexions) - which I know everyone loves; rightly so! In terms of skin care, I've been in love with this Kiehl's facial cream - which is wonderfully gentle and hydrating.

Sheer beauty has been my go to fragrance this month and smells absolutely divine. Speaking of tasty scents - The Righteous Butter by Soap and Glory is super nourishing (perfect for use after warm showers) and leaves your skins soft and smooth. Last but not least, this lovely aztec print make up bag which I purchased in Thailand, to hold all my beauty bits in. Staple. 

The Liebster Award

I was nominated for this award by the lovely Jessica of Sweetness and Solitude, so I thought I'd give it a go. 

Here's what you have to do:
1. Post 11 facts about you
2. Answer 11 questions set by the blogger that nominated you
3. Nominate other blogs with under 200 followers
4. Create 11 questions for your nominees to answer
5. Link your nominees to your post

1. I could eat breakfast foods for every meal of the day and you will not question it.

2. I've been listening to Lily Lane's EP Nothin' But Trouble and it is now, easily one my favourite songs.

3. On that note, some of my favourite bands include Coldplay, Bastille, London Grammar and Daughter.

4. I am a very sentimental person.

5. If I could meet anyone dead or alive, it'd be Sylvia Plath.

6. My most fond memory is travelling to Bali in 2012.

7. The next two places I want to travel to is New York and London.

8. Some of my favourite films include Her, About Time, Grand Budapest Hotel and Forrest Gump.

9. How I Met Your Mother and Grey's Anatomy are my favourite television series.
10. Aquariums are my happy place. There's nothing like sitting in front of a 100 ft tank and realizing that in the grand scheme of things, everything is going to work out just fine.
11. I love spoken word poetry and Shane Koyczan is my favourite spoken word poet.

1. Who inspires you creatively?
Sylvia Plath and Charly Cox from Style the Natives
2. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you choose?
London
3. What does your basic daily makeup routine usually consist of?
Tinted moisturiser, concealer, pressed powder, bronzer, blush, and mascara.
4. What is your favorite smell?
Vanilla or sandalwood
5. What's an embarrassing moment of yours that you can laugh about now?
Probably of when I was thirteen and fell in love with this boy 
6. What's your biggest pet peeve?
People who have a superiority complex
7. How old were you when you had your first kiss?
Still waiting, still waiting
8. What is your dream career?
I want to travel, write professionally and be published or work for a magazine 
9. What's something about yourself that usually surprises others?
My willingness to go the extra mile for a friend or stranger
10. If you could go back in time and witness any historical moment, which would you choose and why?
I'd go back to August 1963, to witness Martin Luther King's 'I Have A Dream' speech. It was one of the turning points in the struggle for equality and to have been there would have been incredible.

11. If you could assign a season to yourself, which season would you be and why?
Autumn, it's my favourite season that I unfortunately, don't often get to experience.

1. What's on your bucket list?

2. Who is your inspiration and why?

3. What's your favourite film?

4. Where are you from?

5. What's your favourite season?

6. If you could travel back in time, what would you tell your younger self?

7. What are you passionate about?

8. What's your morning routine?

9. Where would you like to travel to next?

10. What are you most proud of?

11. What are your hopes for the future?

I nominate anyone who hasn't been nominated for the award yet, (YES THAT'S YOU). Be sure to comment and let me know if you've answered these questions. I look forward to reading your answers and getting to know you a little better. 

September Inspiration

{Photograph credits: Tumblr}