Romantic getaway in Kuala Lumpur might be tricky. To be honest, Kuala Lumpur is not a romantic city. Well, not in my eyes, at least. There are some spots that I liked, but nothing that I would think about and want to come back to. And yet, Ian managed to find a contrast in this concrete jungle and took me out on a date that was all about flowers.

He knows that flowers have a special power over me and the minute I’m surrounded by nature, I feel better. The park in Kuala Lumpur was nothing less than what I would call a shelter, and when we reached the orchid garden, I quickly forgot all about the rest of the city. It was incredible to see so many different orchids out in the open, with so few visitors around.

In Search of Nature

From there, our date got even more private, as we were the only visitors in the hibiscus garden. They have a big selection of hibiscus plants and few of them had such big blooms that I just couldn’t believe my eyes. With so many plants everywhere, it’s easy to spot a few squirrels and lizards.

It was absolutely beautiful to be in the park and enjoy the silence and fresh air – yes, Ian hit the nail right on the head and really did pick the right place to cheer me up. When he saw that I have no intention of leaving and a “let’s go” didn’t do the trick, he told me that a whole room of orchids was waiting for us: that why we moved on to enjoy the final part of our date.

For a flower lover like me, a room full of orchids is a reason to get me going. Luckily, at the Orchid Observatory of the Majestic Hotel, no one rushed me out. This room is completely filled with blooming orchids. Here you can enjoy an amazing high tea. The glasshouse is just perfect with the sun shining in and the most charming tea sets on the tables. I must admit, Ian got me feeling pretty special when we were sipping hot tea from these cups. I so adore this English tradition, I wouldn’t mind repeating it every single day.

Thean Hou Temple

Ian got me another surprise! When it got dark he took me to the Thean Hou Temple. He knows well how I like religious places. Especially old ones, where architecture and antiques are outstanding. However, this temple is known for its shiny appearance. Thousands of lights are making it special and after all interesting also for Ian. His camera was out before we even reached the temple. Who would blame him? This temple is instagramable more than ice cream in your hand (stupid photo anyway).

Romantic Getaway in Kuala Lumpur Overview

Rare things are special because we don’t get used to them – just like our romantic getaways during our travels. I believe it’s important for every couple to have a special time together, where all the worries are put on hold for a little while, even if it’s only for one evening. To me, the small things matter because when my mind is distracted, I don’t get to notice the things I like.

And when Ian took me to the park, it meant the world to me, because it shows that he hears me even when I don’t hear myself. After seeing so many beautiful blooms, my mood changed completely. That day, he was constantly repeating the saying: “Happy wife, happy life!”, and he even made a little song out of it. I even asked him: “Darling, was I that annoying?” You can only just imagine his answer ;).

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I did a little research and found one of the things he likes best, which is raw street art. All the beauty of an art gallery without any of the stuffiness. But before we started, I had to get him out of the amazing E&O Hotel. In a place like this, it’s much easier to have a coffee by the pool and relax the day away, but relaxing wasn’t my plan. I wanted to win the unspoken challenge! Thankfully, I was able to take him to a place called Dan which is simply photogenic. It’s the perfect place to take someone who loves using a camera. After great coffee and scrumptious sweets we had there, we headed on this art walk.

Street Art Walk Penang

At first, Ian was taking his camera out of his bag every few minutes, but after two streets he decided he would rather have it in his hands all the time. The street art here is insane and there is so much of it. I must admit, I don’t know much about the street art scene, but what we saw was outstanding and could be appreciated on any level. It’s not simple graffiti on the wall, which looks like «tagging« or signatures, but more like true art.

Food Again

The street art represents life here in this city and each piece has a story behind it. We were walking for almost two hours and our stomachs started calling us away from the art. Luckily we were in the Little India district, where you can easily find good food. I know Ian likes Tandori chicken and we happened upon the restaurant with the best Tandoori in town. When we tried it at the famous Restoran Kapitan we were disappointed. We didn’t understand why so many people go there.  The chicken at Kassim Mustafa Restoranwas was just heavenly. Nicely seasoned, crunchy on the outside and amazingly soft and moist inside. This dish was amazing. Ian thought this was the end of our date, but he was so wrong. It was a Sunday and this was the day when a popup art market happens in Penang.

Hin Bus Sunday Pop Up Market

I was happy to lead him to this market and let him think about the art we saw along the way was the best part of the day. But we had so much more in store for us! The pop-up market at Hin Bus Depot 31A  was stunning and there were plenty of crafts, art pieces, and decent bites and drinks at the market. Every stand was decorated and selling unique items, not just standard souvenirs. The cherry on top was that there happened to be live music. I pretended not to be surprised at this, but truthfully, I didn’t know either! We spent nearly two hours there easily. To finish off our date, we sat down for a healthy kefir drink.

As we sipped on our fizzy drinks Ian said he was satisfied with this romantic getaway and gave me an excellent rating for my plan. »You know me so well«, he said. Now you can decide. Hopefully, you enjoyed this tale as much as we enjoyed living through it. And I highly recommend the pop-up market for a shopping excursion! Here is one update we have. Arteastiq high tea is our first post with a review card scale at the end.

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Peranakan is Her Thing

Actually, she likes more than just the cuisine, she finds the Peranakan culture in general to be pretty interesting. So I did some research and I believe I found one of the best experience of Nyonya cuisine. There is a guy who has, not such a conventional restaurant but more like a home kitchen with a kind of museum experience. Yes, you read it that right.

This place is actually an old house, where his grandfather lived with his three wives. The story itself is incredible and we weren’t surprised about spending a whopping five hours there! We got the house tour, a rich historical description of his grandfather’s life, a lot of information about Peranakan culture, a cooking class and, of course, an amazing lunch. Vivi was as happy as a clam. She was also involved in the cooking class, where she prepared the Nyonya rice salad and, I must admit, it was delicious. And it wasn’t an easy task.

There should be 100 thin cuts of 5 cm long herbs leaf rolls. Well, she didn’t get 100 slices out, but she was amazingly good with 93 slices. Even our host was amazed, he also gave her a prize for this task. In the kitchen they prepared 11 dishes for us which were all amazing and here is my review of this restaurant.

Peranakan Museum

And this outstanding dining experience wasn’t the only surprise I got for Vivi: the date started in the morning when we headed off to the Peranakan Museum – Pinang Peranakan Mansion. We were able to observe an amazing old house with many well-preserved objects from the Peranakan golden era. We could see how they lived and what the traditions of these interesting people were. It is kind of funny how they tried to live like westerners, while still preserving some of their old habits. Their life was certainly rich and glamorous and their greatest legacy is without a doubt the Nyonya cuisine.

Vivi liked how decorated their houses were and how nice they were dressed in that time. Women wore a colorful long blouse known as baju panjang with matching beaded slippers called kasot manek. Those shoes are modern even nowadays and I won’t be surprised if I saw them in the new D&G collection. This museum satisfied Vivi’s curiosity about the Peranakan’s house and how people really lived back in those days. If you will ever have an opportunity to visit this museum, I highly recommend it. If you like photography of this place, here you can check our gallery.

Hidden Bar For the End

It was early evening and I saw Vivi was still full of energy. This girl just doesn’t get tired when she is excited! So I decided to add a special ending to our romantic getaway. I took her to a place with curtains and a statue: she was standing there and had no clue what it was about. Her guess was that we came to an art exhibition that only had one exhibit. Well Vivi, look closer.

Behind the curtains, there were hidden doors which lead to the Manchurian styled hidden bar. There we enjoyed a neat cocktail and enjoyed the theatric atmosphere. Sadly, that day there was no live performance, which I had been hoping to for. Usually, they have opera live performance, which would have been spot on for Vivi. Nevertheless, both of us enjoyed our time there anyway. Vivi’s Romantic getaway in Penang got to the end and she was enjoying it all the time.

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Singapore is one of the most romantic cities here in South East Asia. Romantic getaway in Singapore can be prepared on many different ways. You can stay in a romantic hotel like Raffles and reserve a nice dinner in one of many haute cuisine restaurants, for example. This would be exactly our way if there wouldn’t be a complication with Raffles, which was under renovation at that time. And after all, we weren’t long enough here in Singapore for our first visit.

Colors for lovers. Actually, this is an Old Hill Street Police Station.

Nature it is

Anyway, I know what Vivi likes, so I prepared a perfect romantic getaway in Singapore. It’s not hard to please her in the city such as this one when there is a lot of greenery and some of the finest parks. Enjoying in nature in the middle of the hectic city can be super romantic. As a matter of fact, It’s not a secret she wants to see Gardens by the Bay and both domes.

Singapore has a lot of greenery. Perfect for Vivi.

As I know she was watching a documentary and since then I’m listening about this infrastructural achievement. Well, to be honest, this date is perfect even for me. Imagine all the photos you can make in such an amazing place. I chose the best day and the hour, so it wasn’t so crowded. The first thing was a surprise coffee in the place which I had found on the Web.

I totally understand her, why she would like to see Cloud Forest Dome.

Friends bar

This place is somehow connected with her favorite TV show – Friends. Well, it’s an official Warner Bros coffee bar, themed of Friends. She was so happy there. They have some cool stuff, like a huge dog statue of Joey and that terrifying picture of Phoebe. There is also Rachel’s wedding dress and so much more.

Is Monica home?

The place is mimicking the Central Café from the series. Some details are quite right, but still so far from the same replica. If I was making something like this, I would make totally the same place, with apartments and a coffee bar. Anyway, the coffee was good, and they were playing Friends series all day long. With this in mind, it was great to chill a bit.

Coffee here is quite nice, but I think this place is more for Friends fans.

Cloud Forest Dome

The first main destination was the Cloud Forest Dome. This place is a nice refreshment in this hot city. Under the dome, the temperature is controlled 23 -25 degrees Celsius and 80 – 90 percent humidity the whole time. This is in order to mimic the conditions of the cloud forests in nature –2000 m above the sea level. This dome lies on 0.8 hectares with a 35-meter tall mountain.

Cloud Forest dome is truly amazing. This dome lies on 0.8 hectares with a 35-meter tall mountain.

Mountain is covered in lush vegetation shrouding the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. The place truly is majestic, and our heads were turning around like a fire brigade light. I made some good photos and Vivi was enjoying her nature time. She read almost every info table and observed every plant.

Flowers for Vivi and my camera.

Flower Dome

We were refreshed and charged with the energy for the second more colorful dome – The Flower Dome. This dome is even bigger. With its 1.2 hectares, it is impressive. Here, you can find not only flowers but also trees, shrubs, cactuses, and everything that grows. There is also a 300-years-old olive tree, which was imported from the Mediterranean area.

Even bigger Flower Dome. Here is also a 300-years-old olive tree, imported from the Mediterranean area.

I took some great macro photos of beautiful flowers, while Vivi was running all over the place and taking her InstaStory. In this place, you can spend hours and hours. We were there about 2 hours before we got hungry. It was a great day and a super date. I think Vivi enjoyed a Romantic getaway in Singapore more than I did. After all, her long-term wish was finally completed. She finally saw this amazing place called Gardens by The Bay.

Succulents are extremely photogenic plants. Just take a look these beauties.

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Electric brain indeed! Electricity is part of our body, but the most active is in our brain. Well, not with everyone…

Preparing a romantic date in Singapore

What means a lot to me is that he is willing to make an effort. The way he listens to my silly complaints can reflect on the date he takes me. Here, I must confess that sometimes I feel like I’m talking to a wall, but so far I’ve been always wrong. Lucky me, I know. Sometimes I ask myself what I did in my past to deserve such a great guy as he is. The romantic getaway is the time I want to show him how much he means to me. Sure, not every time he sees that, but I try.

My interpretation of Maurizio Nannucci neon message: Even the most innovative ideas that would benefit all have to go through the society’s criteria and wait for other times.

Parkview Square building is breathtaking

In Singapore is a building named The Parkview Square, which I can’t wait to show to Ian. Inside this building, there is an amazing bar. When you spot The Parkview Square from the distance you instantly know that it was made to impress. As a matter of fact, the building is often referred to as the “Gotham building” and I know Ian would love it.

The Parkview Square building is an Art Deco building for sure. We simply love it!

I remember his hype about The Great Gatsby, and this object is like a memorial to that book. Even though it took just three years to build it, it’s a real masterpiece. In addition, I love that there is a lot of art and Feng Shui influence. From the North Bridge road, there is an entrance to the exhibition of the statues and not the way to the main entrance.

The 12-meter high gin tower was $ 10Million investment. This is how they collect your order. Check our review with many amazing photos here.

The open-air garden has a unique atmosphere. There, you can sit in the shade and gaze at silent fountains as we did. It’s relaxing to watch streams running through the feet of bronze statues of the great people that had a huge influence on our world’s past.

My interpretation Maurizio Nannucci’s neon message: We are all focused on the future that we don’t act for better one right now.

A lot of Feng Shiu

The main entrance is located on the backside, with the fountain that has reverse water flow. Feng shui influence isn’t abided only by the switched entrance, but also in the color of the building which represents the Earth. Not to mention the earthy yellow color was chosen for its representation of steadiness so the building acts as a steady mountain which absorbs the negative energy. I believe that this is the perfect place to take the artistic soul to.

My interpretation: People care only about that what they see. Sadly majority is incredibly close-minded and no one looks back at the mess left behind.

At the ground floor, there are a lobby and a bar. When we entered it took our breath away. The ambiance is truly spectacular. At first, I didn’t know where to look, and it took me a while to notice Ian. He was mesmerized and he didn’t even reach the bar. His eyes were so shiny that he could lead the way in the dark like Rudolf with his nose. All that excitement and he didn’t even enter the bar to check their offer. Well, not yet.

Is the purpose of the art exhibitions that they inspire you to be more creative? I think so.

Great drinks

After the kind staff welcomed us inside they handed Ian a proper reading material. The number of the gins they have in stock is outstanding and it doesn’t end with that. Ian tried one, while I had some great Coffee Tonic Water mocktail. They have a vast selection of champagnes and wines as well. He was looking at the menu so long that I would be bored if I didn’t sit in such an interesting place.

It’s not what it looks like!

I swear my neck started to hurt with all that looking up and around. The showstopper, the 12-meter high wine tower that cost 10$ million to build! The theme of art in the building is present everywhere you look. So it isn’t surprising that the gallery is just a short elevator drive away. After the drinks, we continued to search the inspiration at the Parkview Museum Singapore.

Mmmm that is interesting

Exhibition for our Singapore date

The exhibition featured 34 contemporary artists from various countries and across different generations. The Artists Voice exhibition had some intense artworks. Works were expressing the revelations about life, truth, ethics, and history. The gap between Art Deco style of the building and contemporary art exhibition awoke another aspect of us humans in us. How creative and at the same time crazy stupid we are.

I love that the original architecture of the courtrooms is part of the National Library. It is a masterpiece!

This staircase is completely influenced by the English colonial style.

Judging by Ian’s cheerfulness that bar blows his mind. In addition to their vast selection of gins, he decided that the next time he visits Atlas bar, he’ll bring along one of the Slovenian gins. It looks like we have a pattern. We see something great and want to return, but who could blame us. Take a good look at the photos before you judge! But wait!

For one evening this building was full of peacock feathers.

This is not the end. I had one another surprise for Ian. It was the visit of National Gallery Singapore where they have an outstanding exhibition, as well. For a bonus, we caught light show which was just perfect for Ian’s joy – photography.

Raden Saleh’s Ship in distress

Oil paintings at Singapore national Gallery.

Gallery

However, if you like photos, please check our gallery where you can find many other photographies from this our romantic date in Singapore.

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Believe it or not, St. Valentine’s Day is not something we passionately celebrate every year. Our idea is to have the appreciation for each other all year round and not just on a “special” day when all the flower shops raise their prices for red roses. It’s funny when you see the advertisement – St. Valentine’s menu. Come, you love birds, and eat as the lady and a tramp. Share your meatballs! And after the 14^th of February no more special offers. Go away, lovers! Don’t share your food. Order your own food and don’t you dare to kiss at the table. However, in our restaurant, there will be a menu for lovers! Sharing the degustation menu all year long.

Romantic Getaway

Anyway, this year we decided to have our date also on the 14^th of February so that we can be socially acceptable. Oh, and by the way, the previous date was only two days before and it was even more awesome :). Our St. Valentine’s date was a result of a drawing game. We wrote ten ideas down on the paper and the first two ideas we had in common were a date plan.

The other two ideas were individual. I chose something for Vivi and she chose something for me. I hoped Vivi’s list would include a bar crawl but it didn’t. Our common idea was on my fifth place – “Eat a cake for four persons!” Well, O.K., she had only: “Eat a cake”, which is close enough.

Thai Massage

As an individual, I chose a Thai massage for her. I chose that because she was complaining about muscle pain. And, nope, my special massage didn’t help. So, it was time for professionals! She chose a cocktail night that would include a new cocktail with my beloved Hendrick’s Gin. Well, it is not a bar crawl, but, hey, it’s close enough and I like it. The first stop was at the massage salon, full of Thai ladies. Vivi was “lucky” and she got a strong one. I was almost crying only looking at her in hands of this Thai ex-wrestler.

There was nothing to worry about as the massage actually helped her and the muscle pain was almost gone. After the session, she felt much better and as she said it wasn’t that painful. However, I believe she kept her cool, looking like a tough lady. I must admit, that masseur will never see me on her shift. Anyway, Vivi liked it somehow but it was a far cry from our Panpuri massage we got in Penang.

Let’s add a cake for St. Valentine’s Day

Our second stop was the best pastry shop with the worst name in Melaka. This is the Italy Bakery. Don’t ask me why Italy. However, the pastry there was really good. We tried there some tarts, Japanese cheesecake, donuts, sweet cheese sticks, and a few more… Don’t judge us. This was the only sweets shop that had a diverse offer around there. That and each time, it was surprisingly good. Maybe Japanese have a secret gene that allows them to succeed at whatever they focus their mind on.

The next thing on our date list was the cake time. And, yes, it was a cake for four persons, so my prediction was true. Actually, it was a St. Valentine’s strawberry cake. Creamy, delicious, and full. As a matter of fact, I can say with a clear conscience – this place is the best! They know their business. After our cake, we headed for my cocktail.

I got Valentine’s Day Cocktail

Vivi prepared a special cocktail according to her new recipe. The name is also cool – the Unicorn. Sure, why not. Well, this special pinky mixture was good. So, we wrote a recipe for you at the bottom! It’s refreshing, a bit flowery and earthy. You will get a spicy kick and sour at the end. After a few cocktails, we headed to our love nest. I even got a bonus for our St. Valentine’s Day. It was a massage by her. And no! It wasn’t a Thai massage, thank god!

Unicorn Cocktail

1 ¹⁄₂ oz cold butterfly pea tea

Generous 1 ¹⁄₂ oz Hendrick’s Gin

¹⁄₄ oz Gula Melaka (if you don’t have it use simple syrup)

¹⁄₄ oz Lime juice

 same ¹⁄₄ oz Orange juice

Ice

Slice of chili

Slice of cucumber

How to make Unicorn cocktail

In a high ball glass first, pour butterfly pea tea and add ice.

In a shaker, lightly muddle a slice of red chili.

Add the Gula Melaka, lime juice, orange juice and gin, and fill with ice.

Shake well and pour (unstrained) into a highball glass.

Garnish with lime, cucumber and chili

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The lake is quite small, and it was fun to watch ducks bathing when we passed them by. I just love to see how water runs down from the feathers in a second they pop up on the surface. This is especially convenient when the warm sun hides behind the clouds.

Autumn Has Its Charm

 There is something special about every season. Every season you can have a different date. Romantic getaway in Bled this time was in autumn. It’s just that autumn incorporates a temporary regret as my favorite part of the year is parting. In a way, it’s similar to a goodbye from a dear friend, when you know you will see each other but there is no fun in leaving. When warm evenings turn out cold, the discomfort is my frequent companion. Though in autumn quite a few delightful changes take place, one of them is the cycle of ever-changing yellow-red-brown shades, and when the sun lights up those colors we both like it the most.

Bled is a Well-known Tourist Attraction

Bled enchanted me due to the small island in the middle of the lake and the forest around it. However, it didn’t meet our expectations. We were aware that Bled is a big touristic attraction, so we were hoping to be able to walk through the neatly organized park, which borders the wilderness. In a tiny proportion that was realized. We also got familiar with some interesting villas that were built a long time ago. If there were more of these luxury villas, which were built at the end of the 19^th century in the Art Nuevo style, everything would be nicer. However, socialistic buildings left us apathetic.

Bled’s Famous Cream Cake

How else can be a romantic getaway in Bled successful, if not with some sweet addition? Otherwise, Bled is famous for the creamy dessert you find everywhere in Slovenia. However, the best one is supposed to be from here, where it originates. We tried a few cream cakes, but the best we tried was from Gostilna Jakse “Blejska kremna rezina” or Bled Cream Cake enchanted the coffee time and gave us a kick to go up the nearby hill to get some outdoorsy feel. Views from up there improved the first impression, but we still weren’t pleased.

Romantic Getaway in Bled with a Bonus – Vintgar Gorge

As has been noted, that day was simply too beautiful to visit only Bled.  That is why we started researching for hidden jewels that are still conveniently close by. We were very pleased to find out that only three miles away there is Vintgar gorge. And this is how our romantic getaway in Bled got a special bonus – Vintgar gorge. What impressed us the most was the fact, that the gorge is transient only on the secured wooden path. As you walk along with it, you can safely observe rapids and pools and when we reached the end of the platform we were rewarded with a waterfall. To soak in all the beauty of the gorge took us about an hour or so.

The image of Vintgar is dramatically changing thanks to the steep depths and vertical walls for every turn where the river carved its way over the years. It’s amazing that you can see the power of nature in a divided forest, which hugs the Vintgar gorge on each side.

Restaurant Vila Podvin

We celebrated the splendid romantic getaway in Bled with lunch at Vila Podvin and the miles we walked through also took their toll. Talking about the wonderful Vintgar gorge, we found a comparison with Villa Podvin. At Vintgar, water brought the energy that was needed to create something beautiful. In Vila Podvin, the energy is provided by the charismatic chef Uros Stefelin.

He’s committed to exploring the local tradition and he’s like a river that carves its way into the community which he is an important part of. Genuineness can be found even in his dishes, which are modern versions of the meals that forefathers once ate. How can you better finish your romantic getaway in Bled, than with an authentic Slovenian cuisine!

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As a high school student, I attended lessons in classical singing and that was the hobby I really liked. Therefore, I didn’t mind waiting for it after school. During warm days I loved to walk through the parks and locate hidden corners of the city. Yet, during the cold days, the situation changed. In that case, I usually went to the library and read various luxury traveling magazines and food reviews.

Vienna National Library as a Romantic Getaway?

 Maybe this is not the best appropriate behavior for a place like a library, but anyway… Without a doubt, that was a great time for socializing or cuddling with Ian. A gentleman as he still is, he used to accompany me, and in his company time flew by. I remember times when we were looking for hidden corners, where we could cozy up and have at least some intimacy. Perhaps, this is also one of the reasons why I’m still fond of libraries. In addition, there is a lot of wisdom stored in them.

Library It Is

When we went to Vienna and walked among mighty buildings, I was quite impressed by the abundance of fine-looking and remarkably preserved buildings. Among them, I could easily picture panjandrums who once walked along the same path. I know for one particularly old and majestic building here…

This is the Austrian National Library, where I decided to took Ian on our romantic getaway in Vienna. I know that Ian loves antiques and this place is perfect for it. In a word, the Austrian National Library is amazingly beautiful and all the old books take you to another time. At that time, they didn’t have all the shortcuts available as we do today and only the real talents created works of art that have remained on the walls of the buildings until this day.

Great Cultural Value

The idea of evoking our library days was adequate enough. Until the last moment, I kept secret the fact that we’re going to see the most beautiful baroque library in the world, which is 650 years old. In a country that has such a rich history, it’s not surprising that the collection in this library has a priceless value, as it goes back to the 14^th century. In fact, it also represents a living bridge between the rich heritage and the future-oriented demands of a modern information society.

I couldn’t wait to see his face when we would enter the library. On the beautiful stairs that lead to the State Hall, he still wasn’t excited. However, when we entered the State Hall, it was clear that he didn’t expect anything like that. The tall wooden bookshelves filled with antique books are worth paying close attention to.

The stairs in front of them make it easy to picture how once that library functioned. And just like that, a link to the past is created. All over the place, there are frescoes, sculptures, and even two giant vintage globes. One of them represents the earth and the other represents the sky.

Freemasons Exhibition

I was lucky also with an ongoing exhibition, which was about the 300-years-old society of Freemasons. After a long time, we once again spent more time in the library than we initially intended, and the exhibition itself was the main topic for the next few hours. I reckon I did a good job! The only huge downside was mobile stairs for reaching books on the upper shelves. Those stairs are made of metal and not wood like they used to be. Anyway, that’s only one cosmetic flaw in such a breathtaking place, which is definitely worth visiting.

Butterfly House Vienna

My romantic getaway in Vienna had one more stop, but Ian also had a surprise for me. He took me to the Vienna butterfly house, which is near the national library. To visit the butterfly house in winter is a great idea because you can warm yourself in that pleasant environment.

Not to mention all those butterflies that fly all over the glasshouse. Glasshouse is not too big, but it’s comfortable enough to refresh yourself with that greenery. Ian took some great photos, and I hope you will like them at least half as I do. One picture is actually sad. It presents a butterfly, who is sadly looking through a window. Oh, poor thing, if you would know how freakishly cold is on the other side that glass, you would rather enjoy your little sanctuary in the middle of Vienna.

Sweet Finish

My next plan for our romantic date in Vienna was a more sweet nature. We stopped in a neat candy shop, with handmade candies. Looks like I really know my man, because he was craving for some sweet treat. Ian simply described it :”l’exaucement du désir” or the fulfillment of desire. It truly was, especially after this sweet stop, which was only an entree.

The true sweet surprise was a cake in a legendary Cafe Central. where are used to serve well known famous people. We had some great desserts with a cup of real Viennese coffee. Mine was raspberry symphony – cheese cake with raspberry dressing and Ian had Sisi’s favorite – rum pastry with apricot jam. Cafe Central Vienna is spectacular so are the desserts. The only downside is the popularity of this place. The long queue isn’t really encouraging thing, but when you are in Vienna and you would like to try Sisi’s favorite…

Conclusion

Is Vienna a romantic city? Absolutely yes! Vienna for couples can be compared to Disneyland for kids I guess. Here is a lot of things to do in Vienna, just make sure you do a quick stop with your beloved one in one of the most romantic cafes – Sacher Cafe. Sachertorte at café Sacher will make sure you will never forget your romantic getaway in Vienna.

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Romantic Getaway in Ljubljana

We felt very safe because Ljubljana is a small city but big in hospitality. It is a picturesque place with numerous sights that you can spot throughout the year. However, our attention caught something else. We like to follow our noses and in autumn the smell of chestnuts is a must. Ian knows that I like to get my hands dirty. A smell of baked chestnut takes me back to my childhood when we gathered at my uncle’s and ate them till we were full. There is something special in pealing them and eating with your hands.

Someone told us that the vision of Ljubljana’s mayor is a public swimming area by the river. The river needs some cleaning. However, they can manage this. A country that is so rich in water and has even drinkable tap water should provide residents of the capital a free of charge place to chill during hot summer. With that thought in mind, we walked along the river and reached terraces in the shadow of the willow trees. That was a perfect spot to have a cup of coffee.

Castle on the Top is Worth to Visit

If you want to have a nice walk from the city center to the viewpoint on the top of the hill, where the ancient castle stands, you are lucky because in Ljubljana it is an easy 10-minute-uphill stroll. And while you get higher and higher you can watch little houses below. The path is between the old tall trees, which provide neat cold shade. A nice walk through nature always sparks the romance and if you are headed for such a lovely late lunch like we were, life is good.

Restaurant Strelec

Romantic getaway in Ljubljana got a climax with this amazing lunch. Elegant restaurant awaited us in a historic castle, all ready to spoil our taste buds. Very nice staff accompanied us to our table next to the window. From that window, we could have watched excited crows at play. They were full of energy. However, we were hungry. Therefore, they lost our attention very soon. After amuse-bouche we noticed beautiful old wall paintings.

Later, I learned that paintings on the wall were made with a technique called sgraffito. However, shooters tower was recently renovated and it kept the medieval touch on the classical base. Here, you definitely feel and eat like a king. Our feast was a seven-course tasting menu and we loved every bite. It deserves a proper description and here you can read about Restaurant Strelec.

Time flew away, as it always does when you have a good time. Soon the sunset occurred and we climbed the castle’s highest spot from where we could see the disappearing sun and changing colors that it brings. Thank you, my darling, I have really enjoyed this romantic getaway in Ljubljana, and don’t worry I already have a plan for you.

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Photo: Kaja božič – Nasprot’sonca

So why not show some interest in each other. We are aware that we don’t know what the future holds, but we want to have some good stories to share when we are old.

Small things matters

Well, this is also a good test of how good we know each other. To prepare a perfect day for your beloved person can be sometimes a hard task. Especially when you are in a place, where you don’t feel very well. As an example, I can point out our romantic getaway in Kuala Lumpur. I didn’t enjoy that city at all, but Ian somehow showed me differently. Every place has its own charm, we only need someone to show us.

I can be very easy to please from time to time.

Everybody has time to spend. It’s up to us, however, how we use it and live through the moments. Again and again, we forget about ourselves due to everyday commitments which fill our thoughts. Only when an extremely stressful situation strikes us we really understand that our body isn’t eternal and only then we actually begin to appreciate the time that is available to us.

I am thinking about next romantic getaway for Ian

We both see eye to eye with Rita Mae Brown who said: “I finally figured out the only reason to be alive is to enjoy it.”

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