蘇梅在我眼中不算很美, 可能是遊過關島之故罷, 但蘇梅絕對是一個適合悠悠閒閒去渡假的地方, 遠離塵囂, 落得清淨。

行101大樓，唔知食乜好，就美食廣場解決啦。唔知點解好想食
叻沙，就黎呢間試下啦。

雞肉叻沙:個湯底都唔算太濃，不過都算幾多料既。有豆腐卜、大大
塊既雞肉。而雞肉都算幾新鮮，米粉既份量算幾多，真係食到好飽
呀。

唔知仲有無下次啦。

除左食叻沙之外，都有食其他野既。順便食埋個牛肉麵，不過
我覺得個味道唔太好食。始終個麵都唔夠淋，同牛肉唔夠新
鮮。真係唔算太好食呀。

呢間本來想第一日入去食，點知佢地話要六點等到八點。無法啦，就唯有第
二日先黎啦。不過就要五點黎到，可見呢間火鍋店既人氣。

呢間火鍋點可以任選三種極品牛肉、半肉。仲有好多好多既自助配料，湯底
就有兩個選擇。我地要左麻辣湯同膠原蛋白鍋，麻辣鍋就唔錯既，香得黎又
唔會剩係得個辣字。好正，而膠原蛋白鍋就無乜特別既。而牛肉就好新鮮，
味道當然唔錯啦。

最吸引我既都係Haagen-Dazs同Movenpick雪糕任食。每隻牌子有八種
口味。可能打邊爐唔係食得太多野，我居然一次過食到十六隻味既雪糕，真
係好神奇。

呢間實有下次，因為太好食同太抵食。香港都唔知邊度搵到。

上完101之後，有小小肚餓就黎呢度食下午茶。呢間個環境都唔錯既
，感覺好舒服。

千層雪糕蛋糕:味道都唔錯，好大舊架。而且好香草莓味，而舊雪糕
都算幾好食既。我覺得個雲呢拿味重左小小，不過好我口味。

行過呢頭，唔知點解比呢間野吸引左。呢間又係食炸雞，呢個時刻又唔
算太多人等既。

炸雞:都算唔錯既，肉質鮮嫩，相當juicy。

到台北點都會去呢度，呢度除左好多野食之外。仲有好多商舖比你行
，真係行足一日都唔完呀。最好睇既係上89層既觀光台，真係好正，
可以睇哂整個台北既景致。

Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, is famous for many things. Perhaps the most well-known would be the assassination of the Austrian Archduke, the immediate cause to the First World War. Some of you may remember the siege of the city a decade ago by the Bosnian Serbs. If nothing else those into the Cantonese pop culture may remember the song from quite some years ago called 'The Romeo and Juliet of Sarajevo', which was loosely based on a true story.

You may have noticed that 'Sarajevo' is named as the attraction. This is because the system doesn't allow me to name any cities after the country. But perhaps this isn't too far off the mark - the city as a whole, rather than any particular sights, is what really worth visiting.

To highlight but a few, the Tunnel Museum is a must-see. Situated near the airport (slightly out of town), it was the lifeline for the besieged city, and the exhibits serve as a stark reminder of the brutality suffered by the city. Right at the entrance was what was left by a bomb that failed to explode properly: see picture 1. In the city itself you may notice something similar on the road, but painted red: dubbed Sarajevo's Rose, it is painted to serve as a reminder that the bomb exploded there has taken the life of a citizen.

To visit the attraction, it is best to join a guided tour with the unofficial, lesser-known Tourism office in the city. It's either this, or take a taxi. Of course you can join the main Tourism Office's tour, but that's gonna cost you 14 Euros and not including the price of the entrance fee (last time I checked). The book is not with me at the moment, but the alternative tourism office is mentioned in Lonely Planet. If the book's not to your taste, just ask at your hotel, though you may have better luck asking a hostel owner. The guide/owner, Sid, is a really knowledgeable person who did a degree in History in Vienna. We paid 25 Euros per person for a half-day tour of the city. Throughout the tour he will point out everything worth noting, be it historical or quirky. I am sure he can explain the sights much better than I do.

What about safety? It is actually a really safe place to visit, provided that you do not go out of your way to get yourself into trouble. Also stay within the touristy parts of the city after dark. Guys should remember NEVER to stare at anyone, because in Sarajevo that means you want a fight, apparently. And yes outside of the capital men do fight to death in knife duels on specific dates, so it's not the best idea to provoke them.

Also perhaps it is best to stay in Sarajevo proper, instead of the Bosnian Serb dominated (New) Sarajevo (see Picture 2) after dark. Unfortunately the younger generation could be quite violent (in both Sarajevos, actually), perhaps the product of a cocktail of socio-economical problems. 

But is it all bad? No. Cliche, but where there is wanton destruction, there is also hope. Right after being swore at, and was told by some locals how hopeless the younger generation is, we bumped into this group of teens (Picture 3). Contrary to what we were told, they are good kids who work reasonably hard at school, speaks some English, and are not filled to the brim with hate because of the city's sufferings. Rather they're fun-loving kids with a positive outlook. I'm relieved - perhaps the country will have a chance to heal itself?

Before you ask, I'm not asking you to visit a war-ravaged slum. Contrary to the picture I have been painting so far, parts of the old town has a decidedly Austro-Hungarian flair, and it is certainly a nice place to stroll (see, Picture 4). Nor is the people unfriendly - the friendliest hostel owner I have EVER met was in Mostar, another city of the country. You may find most people's English wanting though.

To get into the country, the easiest way would be to take a bus from Croatia. I took the bus from Split, Croatia (served by www.easyjet.com from numerous destinations, e.g. London, Bristol), stayed a night in Mostar, and continued towards Sarajevo. Just buy tickets at the local bus station the day before to be safe.

So what to try for food? Ask for the borek/burek/boereg (Picture 5), which is some kind of baked pastry. Its usually filled with meat, spinach, or cheese. At about a few Euros each (it's so cheap I can't remember how much!) you'll be surprised how tasty and filling it is. It's better than any touristy restaurant because heck, this is what the locals eat. If you want a touristy restaurant (which actually was quite nice) ask for the 'Inaj Kuca' (House of Spite), just across the bridge from the National Library. They've got some nice authentic looking dishes, some of them taste good. The Bosnian stew (Picture 6) is one of them.

Sarajevo has always been a city of contradictions. Once the city that divided the West and the East Roman Empire, its people are still struggling with their identity. Having 3 presidents serving on rotation that represents the three, risking over-simplification, sub-ethnic groups is but the tip of the iceberg of the problem the nation faces. This is what makes the city such a fascinating place to visit - grand buildings standing next to cheap housing that used to be sniper nests of the enemy, mosques standing side by side with synagogue and Catholic AND Orthodox Churches (and did I mention that 70%+ of the population are not religious?), uber modern skyscrapers next to sealed off, mined areas from the war, exemplary hospitality in stark contrast with juvenile delinquency. 

For me travelling is perhaps less about individual attractions than the overall experience. If you're done with the standard '歐遊' fare and are not impressed, this certainly will.

To be very honest Sarajevo, with all that history, can be quite overwhelming. But the country is not just about the capital. When in Sarajevo we took a day trip with Green Visions (www.greenvisions.ba) to the countryside and the Rakitnica Canyon is simply breathtaking (Picture 1).

I've also mentioned Mostar a few times in the Sarajevo review. As I've said it's an essential stop between Sarajevo and Split / Dubrovnik (unless you don't mind a 6/7 hour coach ride at one go). But it's more than a place to stretch your legs - it's an attraction in its own right! With an elegant old bridge (described as the 'petrified moon') that is the symbol of the town since time immemorial (see, Picture 2), a lovely cobblestoned old town (see Picture 3), not to mention loads of quirky stuff, you can easily stay a day or two. According to the hostel owner some random guy stayed three weeks here (not recommended, though).

Where to stay: Hostel Majdas, Franje Milicevica 39, Mostar. Reserve a value-for-money room at www.hostelbookers.com. The owner Majdas is a lady who loves playing host to travellers from around the globe. Try not to ask for too many things because she will try VERY HARD to exceed your expectations. When we ask for information on Sarajevo she actually gave us a book to keep. Needless to say cheap taxi, etc. will be arranged for your departure. And make sure you let her know when are you arriving for she is more than happy to arrange for FREE pickup at the bus station (wow). Also to my pleasant surprise we were received with apple tea and homemade cakes, while being introduced to the city and its sights. She will also tell you where to go for a meal and please heed her advice as it's quite a nice place with a really quaint view of the old town (Picture 4).. and I can't remember the name of the establishment.

Tip for your Itinerary: the same hostel offers a day trip to the beautiful Bosnian countryside, with panoramic views and a breathtaking waterfall. There will be opportunities to swim and I think kayak as well. I would recommend staying a night en route to Sarajevo and check out the old town, then stay another night when you're done with Sarajevo and is heading back to Croatia so that you can do this trip as well. The coach will be stopping in Mostar on your way back anyway, and I assure you a trip to Bosnia will not be complete without visiting it's countryside, known for its beauty as well as the place for cheap outdoor activities / extreme sports.

Where to drink: ALI BABA (Picture 5). On the Eastern Side of the old town, it's a well-established lounge/club situated inside a cave, no less. Try not to let the dripping water spoil your drink, but perhaps some may say that's part of the experience. One piece of advice: the prices of the drinks are printed next to the entrance. Pick one and remember the price because some of the staff may try to rip you off.

For history buffs: walk the front line of the battle between the Croats and the Bosniaks (Picture 6). I think they sort of preserved it, or maybe it's just that they have yet to acquire the funds needed for reconstruction. It's real sad seeing all those grand buildings (some with facades and stuff) in ruins. Do resist the temptation to venture inside one though as the buildings could be mined and unexploded ordinances could mean you will have to sacrifice a leg (literally) for your curiosity.

I shall end this note with a disclaimer: the bridge was rebuilt. But that doesn't mean it's not the real thing - after the war they dug up every block that comprised of the bridge and rebuilt the whole thing with the original stuff. See the Bridge Museum right by the Eastern entrance of the bridge (it's free) for the footage of how a Croatian shell has shattered the town's symbol, and how after the war different factions of the belligerents put aside their differences to reconstruct it. With the country's politics still in turmoil, perhaps the extremists/separatists can do with a history lesson, encapsulated in but two words, as carved in stone (Picture 7): don't forget. 

I know, I know. Most of the time when we go travelling we seek not to be enlightened / impressed / intellectually challenged. In fact we would prefer to let the mind wander and simply enjoy life. This is precisely why before and after our trip to Bosnia & Herzegovina we were in Croatia. And goodness I am sure for some of us heaven on earth can't be better than this.

Dubrovnik (Picture 1) was only recently named as such. It used to be Ragusa, a name that reminds us of its Italian heritage (Dalmatia used to be part of Italy. Let's not go into the details), and you'll still see the name everywhere. In fact, the reason of my ending up in Croatia is that I was told the country has 'everything you expect from Italy, with a much lower price tag'.

Where to Stay: if you're rich, stay in Hilton (www.hilton.co.uk/dubrovnik), which is just outside the old town. If you're not, stay in Hostel Marker (www.hostelworld.com), which is more or less across the road from Hilton. And believe me you'll love it. We stayed in this really nice 4-star apartment and Mr. Marker (forgot his first name, sorry mate), the host, is well-travelled (studied in Germany) and cares more about you having an enjoyable stay than your money. We actually got a discount because I'm short of Croatian Kuna (the currency) as it's my last day in the country. Please don't try to cheat him. You can also hire motorboats / kayaks / taxis through him for a discounted price.

Where to Eat: anywhere, really. It can't go very wrong. But if you must know, I liked 'Poklisar'. I can't quite remember what food I've had, but the atmosphere is superb, with this guy (see, Picture 2) doing his jazz (music), not to mention having a nice view of the harbour. Just walk all the way to the harbourside of the old town and you'll find it. The other restaurants along the harbour are quite good too, and while some locals told me the price was like 40% higher than before already, it is still really affordable as the locals form a sizeable per cent of the custom as well, and quoting the exact words to avoid offending people 'most of us are not exactly rich'.

For pasta, try 'Toni's'. On the main thoroughfare, it's the 3rd right. I think. I'm not sure, but as you will see they have a nice little canvas on which the restaurants along that particular side street will be listed. So look for it.

Where to Drink: If you have money to spare do try Gil's (see, Picture 3). The menu didn't strike my fancy (English cuisine, of all things) so I passed, but having a drink would surely be a romantic way to end the night.

My personal favourite is this 'hole in the wall' (see, Picture 4). Ask the locals for directions because there isn't even a sign at the entrance, which is literally a hole in the wall. It did say 'NO TOPLESS, NO NUDIST' though. It's not the first time I had a drink there and it will certainly not be my last. And I'll spare you from needless theatrics - the picture says it all.

What to Do: Getting lost in the winding alleyways is fun. You'll also get loads of decent photo opportunities. Just be as lazy as a cat (to learn how, see Picture 5) and you can't go far wrong. But if you must know, visiting the city's walls is easiest the highlight of the visit. I'm not the first one to say this - I just followed Lonely Planet's advice and I came back a happy man. There's actually a cafe up on the walls so take your time. The city beach is good too, way better than the city beach in Split. Before you ask, Lokrum Island isn't worth it, unless you're a nudist who can't wait a long ferry ride to get tanned. You're better off taking the ferry to, say, Hvar (more about it later). 

Sounds good? Course it does. Look no further. Take a seat, grab a drink, and do some people watching in one of the quieter little squares (see, Picture 7). Those who are bored of Dubrovnik are bored of life.

About 2/3 hours by ferry from Split / Dubrovnik, Hvar Island is the ideal getaway, the island paradise that attracts even royalty. With decent hotels and lovely restaurants and bars its not very hard to soak up the atmosphere, enjoy life, and simply not want to leave. Photos tell you nothing about the feel of the place but I guess that's the next best thing (see, Picture 1).  

Where to eat: if you want cosy sofas, with views of the endless ocean to go with your food, try the B.B. club (see, Picture 2), a hotel restaurant. It's just down the road (see, Picture 3) towards where the land ends and the sea begins.

What to do: apparently you'll get nice views if you hike up to the Hvar Castle, which would take the best part of an hour according to the locals. But as we went in summer we opted instead to hire a motorboat - no licence of any sort is required, and the boat is yours for the day for but 350 kunas. You can hire it for 1 hour (120 kunas) or 2 hours (240 kunas) of course but I strongly recommend you to hire it for the day with you friends - it can easily take 5/6 so it's not expensive at all, less than 10 pounds per person.

Do that and your day is definitely going to get better (unless it's gonna rain - do check before hiring a boat!). Head out to outlying islands for a truly magical experience. Scarcely a soul is around and you can simply pick an empty / next-to-empty beach for yourselves (see, Picture 4). You can also do island hopping as the farthest island you can go is actually a few hours away. Be careful, though, as all you're gonna have is a map on a card and I have found it quite hard to know where we are, except by asking people by the shore. Also try not to end up on a FKK beach unless you're planning to go topless - it's usually a good indicator that a beach is FKK if you actually see people topless. That's how I tell..

There is actually a seafood restaurant amongst the islands - it's one of the islands nearer to Hvar Town, by the Milne Beach. There are also a few bars scattered around. Ask the people you hire the boat from for details. Incidentally there are a few of them right by the harbour, you can't miss them. As you head back to Hvar Town in the evening try not to forget taking a few shots of the town itself - it certainly doesn't take a pro to do a decent photo (see, Picture 5).

Personally I'd prefer Hvar and Dubrovnik over Split, but if you're travelling around the Balkans you'll end up here at some point, so I figured I should take the time to give you the yays and nays.

Where to eat: try 'Posejdon' (Picture 1), within the Diocletian Palace grounds. Good place for seafood and gelato.

Where NOT to eat: if you have a copy of Lonely Planet you'll notice that they're recommending a place where the host 'displays her own brand of hospitality' and is a gathering place for 'misfits'. For me overall it wasn't a very pleasant experience so perhaps its best to not trust LP this time.

What to do: check out the view from the promenade (see, Picture 2), especially at sunset (see, Picture 3). It is also where people go at night (see, Picture 4) and if you're lucky you'll catch a cheesy band show (see, Picture 5).

What NOT to do: unless you're real desparate for a dip, do not visit the beach on the eastern end of the city. The sand's alright but there's an awful lot of people, and the water is not very clean. Take the ferry and head to the outlying islands (say Hvar), or head down to Dubrovnik. I was told that the beaches on the west side of the beaches are better, but as I wasn't there I can't verify the claim.

But if you're travelling from Slovenia to Split or Dubrovnik you're bound to make a stop here. If you're staying the night, please don't stay in Hostel Lika unless you're real short, or if you don't mind curling up in a bed a size smaller than you really are. Also the management is certainly not the friendliest I've seen. As if that's not bad enough on your way there there will be huge dogs barking at you. Yes they're safely locked up but I jumped everytime.

The one thing I liked about Zagreb is the fact that it happened to be a university town. Students are real nice and one happened to recommend this budget restaurant 'Capuciner', just across the street from the city's cathedral (see, Picture 1). We tried, among others, the risotto (see, Picture 2) and the blue cheese spaghetti (see, Picture 3). We loved it and so will you.

2009年的元旦夜是我們展開自由行的第一天，在巴薩隆拿最旺的嘉泰隆尼亞廣場附近找了一家精品酒店住下。就開始拿著Lonely Planet到處逛。西班牙人享受人生，所以作息時間和全世界都不太一樣。他們上午九點到一點上班，午飯時間是下午一點到四點，期間也可以來個午睡。然後再上班到七點，七點後一般都會泡酒館，享受Tapas小吃。九點后才會正式吃晚飯。

要將就"四隻貓"餐廳九點半才營業，所以我們只好回酒店，睡了一覺，才在九點半出發。走進了廣場附近的步行街，隨意閒逛，逛著逛著，才發現那些舊城小街縱橫交錯，名字又差不多，我們迷路了。拿著地圖在昏暗的燈下尋找，要問路人，卻發現他們都不懂英文。有點探險的感覺 - 擔心卻刺激。突然聽到遠處的吉他聲，就隨著音樂往前走。

在大教堂的門口，聽到了最令人感動的表演。也令我們從新找到了方向。“四隻貓”就在附近的小巷裡。隨著音樂在漆黑小巷里逛，那個感覺實在很特別，所以拍了短片好讓你們也來夜遊巴薩隆拿。效果雖然很暗，收音效果卻不錯，整個感覺有點王家衛。西班牙的古城里都有很多的小巷，往往有很多音樂家冒著嚴寒在小巷裡表演，是他們令這個國家充滿藝術品味，浪漫洋溢。

十點半的"四隻貓"人山人海，但侍應們倒是悠閒得像是在那兒打墩的藝術家。等了半小時才有人來招呼我們落單。

餐廳的情調的卻無話可說，到處掛滿了名家之畫，大堂里還有小提琴鋼琴二重奏。

最難忘的還是那裡的甜品燉蛋，不甜不膩、清香可口！

喝著咖啡，想著畢加索他們該是在這兒談著他們的理想和藝術風格，說著抽象派該怎樣把傳統畫風改朝換代。

去到台北，都想食呢間。呢間野都算幾多人，可能係星期六既關係啦，而我地三個就
叫左兩個餐同一個小食。

炸雞沙律:呢個就無乜特別既，只係炸雞好香脆可口，多汁又juicy。而沙律都幾新鮮
架。
泰式雞扒蛋包飯:個汁好好味，酸酸地幾好食。而雞扒都唔錯，好juicy。而蛋包飯既
蛋就好滑好好味。
漢堡扒鐵板餐:漢堡扒好有牛味，juicy可口。而伴菜既薯條雖然無乜特別，但新鮮炸
起，好辣口呀。而個芝士通粉又幾正，有幾粒小蝦同芝士味好濃。
綠茶latte:；完全唔似飲latte，好似只係飲緊綠茶鮮奶。
緣茶紅豆新地:無乜特別既。都幾好食，紅豆夠淋同個新地幾好食。

好想有下次，服務唔錯。野食又幾好食。想彈既係，上菜速度太快，都唔知食得邊樣
好。

由 Circus Circus 到 Fashion Show Mall 的一段路較 The Strip 南部靜許多，因為馬路兩旁都不是一些最新落成的賭場酒店，而且酒店之間的距離較遠。過了 Encore 和 Wynn，就會看見 Treasure Island、Palazzo 和 Venetian，由於 Treasure Island 有免費表演秀，所以晚上常聚集了大批遊客，真正的拉斯維加斯就在眼前。

我來到 Treasure Island 時已過了每晚第一節的表演時間，所以我先去參觀男朋友住宿的酒店－ Palazzo。Palazzo 在 2007 年年尾開幕，它是 Venetian 的新翼，開幕後令 Venetian 成為全球最大的酒店，Venetian 和 Palazzo 合共有超過七千間房間。

Palazzo 的酒店登記大堂就在入口附近，大堂的裝飾華麗，經過一條寬闊的走廊便會進入賭場區域。由於 Palazzo 只運作了約一年，無論裝潢和陳設還很新淨。

Treasure Island 的人工湖上有一道橋，每晚都會擠滿遊客欣賞 Sirens of TI 的表演，表演時間為 7:00 PM，8:30 PM 和 10:00 PM，一場約 30 分鐘。離開 Palazzo 時只是約 8:15 PM，但橋上已開始有遊客在等待著，所以我都提早一點進入觀賞區域。

我覺得在拉斯維加斯看免費秀，最重要是投入現場環境，表演是否精彩還是其次。我看到遊客們拿著啤酒和朋友在談天，悠閒地等待表演開始，這才是理想的拉斯維加斯假期啊 !

表演完畢我便走到隔壁的 Mirage。Mirage 酒店前有一個人工湖，中間有假山和瀑布，可惜那時正在維修，無緣看到賭城著名的火山爆發。根據旅遊書的資料，Mirage 的火山每晚 8 時起相隔 15 分鐘便會爆發一次，爆發時烈焰沖天，更會出發出隆隆巨響。

接著要去的是香港旅行團必到景點之一－Caesars Palace。Caesars Palace 的範圍很大，整個區域都是以希臘神畫為主題，單是拍照就花了我不少時間。我在室外逛了一會兒才經購物大道去酒店大堂，據聞那個大堂就是旅遊點。

Caesars Palace 的大堂果然是名不虛傳，地方寬敞又華麗，大堂中間的水池、牆上裝飾、地氈花紋和天花都是一致的，難怪這兒會成為景點。

在 Caesars Palace 購物大道盡頭處有一個圓形廣場，每小時都會有神話故事表演，內容敘述眾神為私利而勾心鬥角，且殃及無辜，以致遭天遣，讓亞特蘭提斯城湮滅海中。因為我之前用了太多時間拍照，所以決定不觀看這個表演秀。

多本旅遊書都有介紹
係個個city centre噴水池附近
食ge係傳統Bosnia菜

好多grill野...
我叫咗個steak (其實係pork steak)
好有肉汁 同埋好有彈性
佢grill到有d煙燻味
熱辣辣再撈熟d生洋葱
整到d洋葱香晒
同d肉一齊食無咁濟

仲叫咗煙肉雜豆湯
個湯好有肉味
d煙肉唔係平時食嗰d
有d似烟三文的金華火腿

上湯個陣比咗兩大塊凍包
上肉個陣又送兩大塊熱包
勁飽!!!

仲叫咗果邊好紅 ge Cappy橙汁!!

小小偏離市中心,但酒店每小時有免費接駁車輛,令你享受渡假的樂趣。