K M Cheng-Travel Journal: August 2021

Map of Central & Eastern Europe

August 31 2021 - today is Malaysia's National Day ! Wishing You (my fellow Malaysians) A Very Happy Independence Day ! Malaya (now Malaysia) gained her independence from the British on August 31 1957 - 64 years ago (I am older than the age of my home country by 7 magnificent years) ! British rule in Malaya from 1826>1957 - a total of close to 131 years ! The 2021 National Day celebration was held under the "New Normal" at Dataran Pahlawan Negara, Putrajaya. A meaningful & beautiful Day !

Merdeka (Independence & Free) ! The birth of a New Nation.
Malaysia achieved her independence on August 31 1957

Malaysia National Day Aug 31 2021. Malaysia's 64th Birthday

It is interesting to note that besides Malaysia (National Day falls on Aug 31), 3 other ASEAN countries ie Singapore, Indonesia & Vietnam too were celebrating their National Day during this period of the year ie Singapore on August 9, Indonesia on Aug 17 & Vietnam on Sept 2. Both Indonesia & Vietnam achieved their independence in 1945 ! A symbol of pride ! Happy National Day to all the 3 ASEAN countries !

Singapore National Day - August 9 2021. Singapore's 56th Birthday

Indonesia National Day August 17 2021. Indonesia's 76th Birthday

Vietnam Declaration of Independence on Sept 2 1945. Vietnam's 76th Birthday

More than 14.9 million fully jabbed or 64% of Malaysia's adult population have completed 2 doses of the Covid-19 vaccination (as at August 31 2021) but the Delta variant virus spread is a real concern .... up & down trending of Covid cases in each state ? Next is moving on to Phase 2 of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) ie reopening of all the sectors of Malaysian economy, are we ready ? Lifting of inter-district & state travels in coming weeks when herd immunity target has been achieved ? Oct 2021 inter-state opening ?

Tuesday Aug 31 2021 (07.00>07.30) - My leisure "love my neighbourhood" morning walk on this National Day - after an early morning rain, a cloudy sky, the air was fresh & cool, alleys & roads were quiet as many of the residents were still in deep slumber ! A New Day ! A New Hope ! Happy Merdeka (Independence) Day !

Tuesday Aug 31 2021 (11.45>12.30) - grocery & bakery shopping in Empire Shopping Gallery & Subang Parade Mall, a 5 minute walk from my home place in SS17, Subang Jaya. Dine-in is now allowed in eatery stalls & restaurants but limits to only 2 in a table under the current SOP !

Subang Parade, SS14, Subang Jaya - generally quiet & devoid of people ! Most Fast Food restaurants provide takeaways, customers queuing to buy Baskin Robbins ice cream offering a discount of 31% in conjunction with the 64th National Day which falls on August 31 ! An ice cream treat for your loved ones on this special occasion - Happy Eating !

Moving on from the current home country's scenario to My Good Old Days overseas travelling in Austria & Czech Republic prior to the Covid-19 pandemic .... indeed those were my Good Old Days ! Though I missed the opportunity in my Good Young Days to visit Europe but I was able to make it up after my retirement (May 2006) at the age of 56 & travelled / wandered freely to nearly 40 of the European countries (2009>2019) ! Russia, Moldova, Montenegro, Albania, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Monaco, San Marino, Lichtenstein, Northern Ireland ..... these countries were in my dream & not in my dream once upon a time but now I had been there & done that !

Here are some of the pictures - short & sweet, taking me back to the Good Old Days ! Pleasant ? Memorable ? Awesome Moments ? Bitter Experiences ? Nightmares .... LIFE is only travel once, today's moments become tomorrow's memories. Enjoy every moment, good or bad, because the gift of LIFE is LIFE itself !

1) Best Places to Visit in Austria, Europe

" Austria, officially the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked East Alpine country in the southern part of Central Europe. It is composed of 9 federated states, one of which is Vienna, Austria's capital & largest city "

"Ostarrichi or Eastern Empire", Roman Catholic, German speaking country, birth of Mozart (a famous Austrian composer) in Salzburg (1756>1791), Austrian Empire in 1804, Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1867, assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo in 1914, 1st Austrian republic in 1918, Adolf Hitler speaking at Heldenplatz, Vienna in 1938, annexed to the Third Reich in March 1938, 2nd Austrian Republic in 1945, Winter Olympics in Innsbruck (1964 & 1976), background mountain scenery of the Sound of Music film shot in Salzburg (1965), joined European Union in 1995, Vienna the European capital of classical music, Arnold Schwarzenegger a well known Austrian & American actor, The Vienna's Boy Choir, Baroque architecture, historic, castles & palaces, 12 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Prague is 5th most visited city in Europe, Alpine skiing & ski jumping ...

The 10 Best Places to Visit in Austria as highlighted in utopia travel video are (I had so far done 2 free & easy visits & 1 package tour to Austria mainly to cities of Vienna, Salzburg & Innsbruck & other nearby European countries in May 2010 & 2011, June 2017):

Vienna
Salzburg
Salzkammergut (yet to visit)
Innsbruck
Zell an See (yet to visit)
Wachau (yet to visit)
Grossglockner Alpine Road (yet to visit)
Graz (yet to visit)
Worthersee (yet to visit)
Bad Gastein (yet to visit)

Enjoy your LIFE, these are the Good Old Days you're going to miss in the years ahead

Map of Austria in Europe

" Austria is known for its contribution to music. The Sound of Music is very much alive in Austria - behind every travel, pictures of my Good Old Days free & easy visits & package tour to Austria "

1) Vienna, Austria (May 2010, May 2011 & June 2017)

2) Salzburg, Austria (June 2017)

3) Innsbruck, Austria (June 2017)

Best Places Yet to Visit in Austria - KM, are you still chasing your Europe Dream even though you had already made 5 free & easy visits & 2 package tours to Europe (between 2009 & 2019) ? A big bonus for me if I show up in Europe one more time ! For a retiree traveller in his twilight years, all that is required for every future travel (post Covid-19), one has to plan well, live well & end well !

1) Salzkammergut, Austria

2) Zell am See, Austria

3) Wachau, Austria

4) Grossglockner Alpine Road, Austria

5) Graz, Austria

6) Worthersee, Austria

7) Bad Gastein, Austria

2) Best Places to Visit in Czech Republic, Europe

" The Czech Republic, also known by its short term name, Czechia, formerly known as Bohemia, is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Austria to the south, Germany to the west, Poland to the northeast & Slovakia to the east "

Dutchy of Bohemia in late 9th century, Imperial State of the Holy Roman Empire in 1002, Kingdom of Bohemia in 1198, Czechoslovakia in 1918, occupied by Germany during the 2nd World War (1939>1945), became an Eastern Bloc communist state (1948>1989), Czech Republic in 1993 (divided into 13 regions), joined European Union in 2004, 4 National Parks (Krkonose, Sumava, Podvji & Bohemian Switzerland), 14 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Olympic ice hockey, hiking, Pilsner style beer originated in Plzen ....

The 25 Best Places to Visit in Czech Republic as highlighted in a YouTube travel video are (I had so far done one free & easy visit & one package tour to Czech Republic & visited Cesky Krumlov, Prague & Cesky Budejovice in May 2009 & June 2017) :