Las Ventas Bullring in Madrid, Spain

Christmas parties are over but we have to bear in mind that Christmas happens everyday. No matter how it is. I just home that everyone had a wonderful one especially during Christmas Eve.

I guess it is time to share another travel experience. I am starting with Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas, commonly known as Las Ventas. Its is a famous bullring in Madrid, Spain. This is one of the sights we visited during our Spain trip recently. Our bus had a short stop here. I guess a 15- minutes stop. It is better than nothing. At least I have some images of it.

According to our tour guide Las Ventas can occupy 25,000 people. It is located in the Guindalera quarter of the district of Salamanca. It was inaugurated on June 17, 1931.

Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas in Madrid, Spain during our visit last Dec. 10, 2011. This bullring was designed by the architect José Espeliú in the Neo-Mudéjar (Moorish) style with ceramic incrustations.

Read More

Sightseeing in Andalusia, Spain

Vacation is over for this year. The last one I had was in Spain particularly in the region of Andalusia. It is a stunning region truly worth to visit in Spain. It is located in the south of the Iberian peninsula.

We had an all-inclusive holiday package during that vacation and it was really cheap. Included in that holiday package were the flights, hotels, tourist guides, hotel transfers, breakfast and dinner, trips to the different places in Andalusia and the entrance to some museums and churches. Until now, I can't really get those places we visited out of my head. It was truly a wonderful and memorable vacation for me. So far, the best travel I had this year.

Here are some of the interesting places we visited in Andalusia, Spain.

Seville- known as Sevilla in Spanish, it is not only the capital but also the regent queen of the region of Andalusia. It is also the cultural and financial center of Southern Spain. Our sigthseeing tour in Seville took only around a half day. Not so much time to see and to experience everything but at least we visited some noted sights in this city.

Among the few sights we visited were the Cathedral of Seville, La Giralda, The Jewish Quarter or Barrio Santa Cruz, Plaza de España, the Alcazar (but only outside) and some other more.

the entrance to the Cathedral of Seville. This is a very amazing architecture in Sevilla.

Cordoba- This is a beautiful city. Cordoba was once the capital of of a Roman province, the capital of an Arab State (Al-Andalus) and a Caliphate. I cannot forget the beauty of architecture of Mezquita, the biggest attraction in Cordoba and a truly must-see building. We did had a tour inside this building and I was truly amazed by its history and beauty. The Mezquita is a massive former mosque-turned-cathedral famed for its "forest" of columns topped with Islamic-style red and white striped arches. Another best known facet of the city is its Roman bridge.

the interior of Mezquita, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba, during our visit last December 6, 2011. such a lovely architecture!

Other Roman remains include the Roman Temple, the Theatre, Mausoleum, the Colonial Forum, the Forum Adiectum, an amphitheater and the remains of the Palace of the Emperor Maximian in the Archaeological site of Cercadilla, among others.

The historic center of Cordoba is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Granada- I can never forget Granada especially after our visit to Alhambra, a palace and fortress occupying the top of the hill of the Assabica on the southeastern border of the city. This place is truly a must to see when visiting Granada. The Alhambra is an Arabic word which literally means "the red one". It is also called as "The Red Fortress."

The view of the Alhambra from the Generalife. I love this place!

There are a lot of things I experienced in Granada. The visit to the different sights like the Plaza Isabel la Catolica, the Cathedral of Granada, the Generalife,the Alcaiceria, the Puerta and other sights in this city simply added excitements to our sightseeing.

We also had the chance to visit Albayzín by night and was able to witness a flamenco dance in this area. It was quite interesting. The highlight of our holiday was the visit to Spain's capital, Madrid and a day trip to Toledo city.

After that 8-days trip we had this month, I am planning to visit Spain again in the future. I was even browsing for cheap airlines going to Barcelona, Malaga or any destination in Spain. I actually found some affordable Easyjet flights to various airports for January 2012. I am thinking of booking it this week or before the end of the month.

Read More

Christmas in Europe 2011

It's been eight long years now since I am celebrating Christmas in Europe. It is always great and I am thankful for everything. I am also very thankful to all my family and friends who are always around celebrating with us. Thank you so much for your love and goodness. I truly appreciate everything. There are just a lot of things to be thankful this year. I hope that the year 2012 will bring us more success, love, peace, happiness and good health too!

Lastly, I would like to greet a Happy Birthday to my BFF Jesus! Once again Merry Christmas and and a Happy New Year to one and all!

A Baby is born on the manger and mankind was save!
Happy Holidays to one and all!

Read More

Visit to Ephesus, Turkey

The dream of visiting Turkey especially in the ancient Greek city of Ephesus finally came true. It was last September this year when we had a 10-days vacation in this country.

Ephesus is a very interesting ruins located near Selcuk in Izmir, Turkey. It was amazing how they did those architecture during those ancient times.

The image you see here are the latrines in Ephesus and you can still see it today. These are actually public toilets of the city and our tour guide said that there was an entrance fee to use them during those times. There were still no hydraulic hose or pumps during those times but the people of Ephesus still had a good source of water to supply to the people living in this ancient city. The latrines were part of the Scholastica Baths and built in the 1C AD. There was a drainage system under the toilets.

Ephesus is truly a must when visiting Turkey. Such a fascinating historic place to see!

Read More

Christmas Greetings To Everyone

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks

Have a Very Merry Christmas
and a Happy New Year 2012!

Keep your Christmas-heart open all the year round.
~Jessica Archmint

Read More

Shopping in Neumarkt

I guess some of you might still be busy for a last minute Christmas shopping. Not for me! I am finally done today after a little shopping in Neumarkt. I did not really find what I want but I bought almost the same stuff that I have been looking for. For my last minute New Year's shopping, I wanted a yoga block next week. I already have a yoga mat, a CD for training and even a yoga book. I am good to go for a real diet starting 2012. I believed I can do it this time. I just need to get rid of those excess pounds that I gained since living here in Europe.

The shopping I had in Neumarkt today was quite good. Besides getting some discounts I also had fun shopping under the snowy rainy day. Once the snow hits the ground, it melts immediately. Have a very Merry Christmas everyone!

Read More

Sigthseeing in Cordova, Spain

In so many places and countries I visited in Europe and other parts of the world, I would say, Spain is different and simply unique for me. I really can’t get that place out of my head! It’s really stunning!

One of the places we visited there is Cordoba. It is a city in the Andalusian region of southern Spain. Since our hotel was located in Granada that time, we need to ride a bus in going to Cordoba. If I am not mistaken, it is around 200 km away from Granada.

The Gate located near the historic Roman bridge in Cordoba City. I was happy and contented to visit a UNESCO World Heritage site like Cordoba. We were there last Dec. 6, 2011.

The highlight of our visit to this city was the tour we had inside the Mezquita, the Cathedral and former Great Mosque of Córdoba. A day of visit in a lovely city like Cordoba is not enough to see everything. At least, I had the chance to visit and experience it. Who knows I will be there again someday.

walking along the shopping street of Cordoba looking for souvenirs.

It has been estimated that in the 10th century and beginning of the 11th century, Córdoba was the most populous city in the world, and during these centuries became the intellectual center of Europe. Today it is a moderately-sized modern city; its population in 2008 was 325,453.

Read More

Christmas Market in Regensburg, Germany

Now is the time for Christmas markets in Germany and in some other places in the world. I have been to some Christmas markets in Europe and I always love it. This year, I visited some of these markets in Germany and yes in Madrid, Spain also.

It was my second time to visit the Christmas market in Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany last Dec. 20, 2011. It is not so big compared to the one in Nuremberg but it is fine. Visiting have fun visiting it to. As usual you can find a lot of Christmas decors and ornaments, handmade items, toys, books, nutcrackers, variety of German foods and many others in any Christmas markets in Europe.

It is always good to see and to experience the custom and tradition of a certain place or country.

the Christmas Market in Regensburg, Germany during our visit last Dec. 20, 2011. You can see the towers of St. Peter's Cathedral in the background.

Christmas decors in one of the stalls in Regensburg.

Read More

Shopping in Madrid, Spain

Visiting Madrid without shopping can be a boring experience especially for women. I hope you agree with me ladies. As we were still in Granada, we were already asking if there is an El Corte Ingles (The English Cut) department store nearby.

Finally during our visit to Madrid on our 6th day of trip to Spain, we finally had the chance to go inside El Corte Ingles. I was looking for puma coupons before we left to Madrid but I was not able to find one. My friend was also searching for Burberry bags but the El Corte Ingles where we went to in Madrid don't have it. The saleslady told us that they have it in their main department store. We were not able to go there due to shortage of time. I just bought a winter cap in this famous department store in Spain. Of course, I did bought some souvenirs from postcards to magnet, Spain travel guide, shot glass and some shirts.

I love Spain's capital city and I wish to go back there sometime in the future. The image here is one of the department stores of El Corte Ingles in Madrid.

Read More

Trajan's Forum in Rome, Italy

A friend of mine was asking me last time to mention to her if I can find a cheap trip to Rome, Italy. I found one but at the time I called the travel agency, it was already fully booked. Around two weeks ago she told me that she finally booked a trip to Rome. I am very glad for her because she can finally visit the so-called "Eternal City".

I had been to Rome last August 2010. It was only a 4-days visit including the flights and the sightseeing and I still find it too short to see everything. At least, I finally visited and experience the capital city of Italy.

One of the sights we visited was the Trajan's Forum, called in Italian as Foro di Traiano. It is an ancient structure in Rome, Italy and known as the last of the Imperial fora. It was constructed by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus.

Trajan's Column on the far left of the photo..I took it during our visit last Aug. 2010.

This forum was constructed on the order of Emperor Trajan with the spoils of war from the conquest of Dacia, which ended in 106. The Fasti Ostienses states that the Forum was inaugurated in 112, while Trajan's Column was erected and then inaugurated in 113.

To build this monumental complex, extensive excavations were required: workers eliminated the sides of the Quirinal and Capitoline (Campidoglio) Hills, which closed the valley occupied by the Imperial forums toward the Campus Martius.

the plan of Trajan's Forum.

Read More

Delightful Christmas Markets I Visited in Europe

December is finally here! This means that the holiday season is also starting. It is one of the best seasons of the year to visit Europe and experience the beautiful Christmas markets. If you are planning to visit the most interesting Christmas markets in this continent, you better start finding for cheap flights to any Europe cities that host Christmas markets. There are always affordable offers you can find online.

Christmas markets has been a tradition in Germany, Austria and the Alsace region where it was first mentioned and said to have been originated. It is now held and celebrated in the different parts of the world.

Here are a few of the most interesting Christmas markets I visited in Europe.

Leeds, England

I did not expected that the Christmas market in Leeds started so early that time. I was there on the second week of November last 2008 and their market was already opened. It is a German Christmas market and there you will find traditional German delicacies. On offer include gluhwein, snitzels, soups and goulash, stollen, gingerbread, bratwurst sausages, roasted nuts and many others.

This year's ‘Christkindelmarkt’ is held in Millennium Square from November 11 to December 18, 2011. I had a great time in Leeds during my trip. I booked a very cheap flight during my England holiday last 2008.

I am happy to be in Leeds last 2008.

Strasbourg, France

Since living in Europe, I was dreaming to visit Strasbourg. Finally that dream came true after our visit last December 2010. It was again another perfect time to experience one of the oldest Christmas markets in history.

Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik is held around its cathedral since 1570. Over the years, the cities’ reputation has grown throughout Europe. It attracts a large number of tourists not only from Europe but from other corners of the planet as well. The market takes place annually. This year's market started last November 26 until December 31.

I had a wonderful time in Strasbourg last year. I had only a short sightseeing there but I truly enjoyed it. Don't also miss to visit the markets in Place Kléber, Place Broglie and Place du Marché aux cochons de lait.

a market stall in front of Strasbourg Cathedral. I love this place.

Zurich, Switzerland

I had the chance to visit Switzerland's largest city last December 2010. It was a perfect time to witness the biggest indoor Christmas market in Europe. It is located inside the main train station of Zurich. There are over 160 decorated stalls in that covered Christmas market. You can also find inside a majestic Christmas tree which is decorated with over 5,000 crystals.

During our walk in the Old Town, stalls can also be found. Along the river Limmat, some stalls were also standing. They are selling goods of various kinds.

That visit in Zurich's Christmas markets was a delightful experience. This year's event will take place on December 3-21, 2011.

the imposing Zwarovski Christmas tree in the main station of Zurich. I was there!

Nuremberg, Germany

One of the world's most famous Christmas market is finally opened. This year's celebration started last November 25 and will last until the 24th of December. The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg is held every year in the Hauptmarkt or main square. It is located just in front of Frauenkirche or Church of Our Lady.

As usual you will find various goods on over 180 wooden booths in Nuremberg, Germany's "Number One Christmas City". Traditional Christmas goods such as spicy gingerbread, mulled wine, roast sausages, Zwetschgenmännle (little prune people), toys, Christmas decorations and arts and crafts are found there. Don't miss to taste the famous Nuremberg bratwurst.

One of Nuremberg's stalls that sells the famous Nuremberg bratwurst, a kind of sausage.
An image I took last 2008.

There are still other Christmas markets I visited in Europe especially in Germany. I was also in Salzburg, Gut Aiderbichl, Regensburg, Birmingham, Neumarkt i.d. Oberpfalz and a lot more. If you are planning to catch up with these special events in Europe, be sure to read first the airline reviews online. Sometimes you can also find related articles about Christmas markets in Europe.

Read More

Visit to Strasbourg, France

I was thinking if Strasbourg once belong to Germany. The name doesn't sound like French but German instead. I need to research about this in the future. It's been almost year now since we visited this city. It is located near the border of German and is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France. It is also the official seat of the European Parliament.

We only had some hours sightseeing in this city which is not enough to see everything there. At least we were able to see some of its sights. Among the few of its interesting sights include;

-Its sandstone Gothic Cathedral with its astronomical clock.
-The Château de Pourtalès
-The Barrage Vauban
-Place du Marché aux Cochons de Lait.
-Place Kléber
-Parks like the Parc de l'Orangerie
-Museums like The Musée des Beaux-Arts, The Musée de l'Œuvre Notre-Dame

Etymology of Strasbourg:

The city's Gallicized name is of Germanic origin and means "Town (at the crossing) of roads". The modern Stras- is cognate to the German Straße / Strasse which itself is derived from Latin strata ("street"), while -bourg (French for "village") is cognate to the German -burg ("fortress, town, citadel") and English borough. So the whole name would be roughly translated into English as "Fortress on the Street."
wikipedia.org

the famous Gothic Cathedral in Strasbourg.

the Christmas market in front of the Cathedral square. You can also see the interesting and historical houses in this city.

These images were taken during our visit last December 6, 2010.

Read More

Open Air Museum in Neusath-Perschen, Germany

The Open Air Museum, known in German as Oberpfälzer Freilandmuseum Neusath-Perschen in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria is a museum that offers an insight into a country and farming life of earlier days in Germany.

Visiting this museum requires around 2-3 hours walk depending on how you do your sightseeing. Just like me who loves to take a lot of pictures, it surely took me around three hours. You can find 50 re-erected buildings in the compound. There you can find how people lived, worked and built according to their region and social standing. During your tour, you will be passing “Stiftland Village” through “Waldler Village” to “Millvalley” and on to “Jura Village”,
– from the “four-side-farm” (yard in square-form) via the herdsmen’s cottage to the squire’s estate, from the chapel to the inn.

It was so far a very interesting sightseeing we had in this museum. Here are images I took during our visit last May 2009.

The group of the buildings in the “Naabvalley Village” representing Central Upper Palatinate, where agricultural handcrafts and farm trading are demonstrated, completes the walk
around. Here is also located a Raiffeisenware-house and a blacksmith forge.

in one of the houses at the Open Air Museum in Neusath-Perschen.

I guess this is a sort of a horse-carriage during those times.

The houses were originally occupied by farmers, smallholders, peasants, day labourers, weavers, herdsmen, millers, huntsmen and nobles. The buildings, which could no longer
be kept on their original sites, have been erected in the museum as cultural and historic evidence.

Read More

My Europe Travel 2011

I am very happy and contented with the travels and trips I experienced this year. I was able to visit again a lot of interesting cities and countries in Europe. It was so far, the most-travelled year I have. Before year 2011 ends, I want to make a roll-call of the wonderful places I visited in Europe this year.

Monte Carlo, Monaco

I thought it was only a dream. That dream of visiting one of the world's famous cities finally came true. When you talk about Monte Carlo, you will also mean its widely known casino and its prominence.

the world's famous Monte Carlo casino in Monaco. Taken during our trip last April 2011.

I also had the chance to see some of the famous sites in Monaco. Among the few are the St. Nicholas Cathedral, Monaco Ville and the Prince Palace (not enough time to go inside), the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium (from outside), La Condamine, the Formula 1 Grand Prix and a lot more.

The nearest airport is the Nice Côte-d'Azur International which is around 40 kilometers away from the city-centre in neighboring France. There are always cheap flights to Nice depending on the time of your visit and how early you book it.

Côte d'Azur, France

This is so far one of the beautiful coastlines I visited in Europe. Côte d'Azur, commonly known in English as the French Riviera is truly a fantastic place for me. Among the places we passed-by and visited here last spring were Nice, Cannes, Antibes and the nearby city Menton. I love especially Nice, the capital of the Alpes-Maritimes département. The French Riviera coastline is 560 miles long and consists of both sand and shingle beaches.

I still wish to go back to Côte d'Azur someday.

the Promenade in Nice, France from our trip last spring 2011.

Berlin, Germany

Germany's capital is truly one of the best and most interesting cities to visit in Europe. Since I had already visited London and Paris, I can say that Berlin is comparable to these world cities. Among the few sights I experienced in Berlin are the Brandenburger Tor, Siegessäule (Berlin's Victory Column), Berliner Fernsehturm (TV Tower), the Gendarmenmarkt with the German and French Cathedrals, the Reichstag or Parliament building, Potsdamer Platz, Kurfürstendamm, Rotes Rathaus (City Hall) and many more.

Berlin has two operational airports, the Tegel International Airport and the Schönefeld airport. The latter is the base for most low-cost airlines. Another airport, the new Berlin Brandenburg Airport is expected to open on June 2012, the third airport in this city.

the most famous landmark not only in Berlin but in whole of Germany as well, the Brandenburg Gate. I was there last winter of February 2011. No more snow that time but it was very very cold.

Budapest, Hungary

It was so far one of the most enjoyable trip I had in Europe. My summer trip to Hungary with a friend named Jean was truly awesome. We did not only see some of the sights in Budapest but also visited other places in Hungary. Among the few are Szentendre, Gyor, Visegrad, Esztergom, Herend, Lake Balaton and Siofok.

One of the best experience I had was the cruise from Esztergom to Visegrad.

the Hungarian Parliament in Budapest on the bank of Danube River. This is one of the European cities I visited last August 2011.

My Europe travel experience for 2011 will be continued soon! I am thankful for this very wonderful and blissful year despite of some trials in my life. I am also hoping for more travels in 2012. In God's will!

Read More

Velburg's 600th Foundation Anniversary

It was an awesome festival we witnessed last 2010 in Velburg. That time the town had its 600th foundation anniversary. The festival was not so big but they had group of participants which were very interesting especially on how they performed street dancing. I am happy to witnessed that event which I believed would only happen once in a lifetime.

This town is located in Neumarkt district in Bavaria, Germany. Here are some images I took last June 2010.

some of the participants of the festival parade.

the beautiful Town Hall of Velburg with its clock.

Read More

Stopping-by in Salzburg Designer Outlet

It was a cold July morning when we stopped at Salzburg Designer Outlet. You might be thinking we went shopping there. Not really! After a long three hours drive from Bavaria, Germany to Salzburg, Austria, we really need to stop. Perfect timing that we saw a Mc Donald restaurant adjacent to this outlet. You know where to go first when nature is calling you. That was my first destination inside Mc Donald. If we had more time to go inside this Designer Outlet, for sure I will also have an empty shopping cart. I also know for sure, this outlet don't also have medical carts. Probably in our next trip to Salzburg, we can stop-by there again.

After taking our breakfast and personal needs in Mcdo, we drove to the city center of Salzburg for some hours sightseeing. And yes, we did saw and experienced a lot. It was so far a nice trip with friends.

Read More

The Town Hall of Győr, Hungary

It was a very memorable trip we had in Hungary last summer of this year. We did not only visited a lot of places but we did also experience a lot of things which are always worth remembering. Probably, that is one treasure that we can keep after seeing or visiting a certain place, the fun, experiences and most of all the memories.

Győr, called in German as Raab is located halfway between Budapest and Vienna. This is where our hotel is located during our five days trip to Hungary. Gyor is also one of the old towns in this country.

I have below a photograph of the Town Hall of Győr.

The Városháza or Town Hall at night. One of the images I took as we had a night stroll in Gyor last August 2011.

The Town Hall called as Városháza in Hungarian, has a Neo-Baroque architecture. It boasts a 190 ft or 58 meter- high tower. It has a U-shaped form and was built in 1896-98. Concerts and other programs are often performed in its magnificent festival hall.

Read More

Thanksgiving is Almost Coming

The celebration of the Thanksgiving for the Americans is almost coming. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Some American friends told me that there will be a lot of sales and promotions in almost all of the stores especially in the U.S. I heard from a friend that computers, Televisions, External hard disk drives and other electronics and gadgets will be also on sale. In fact a lot of products and goods will be on sale especially during Black Friday shopping. I want to ask if they are selling this so-called Maxtor. I just need one for hubby's pc.

The Thanksgiving is the equivalent to the Erntedankfest or Harvest festival in Germany. It is usually celebrated every month of October. Other countries in the world are also celebrating its own harvest festival depending on the time where they are having their main harvest.

It is always nice to be thankful for all the blessings and good things we received. I hope that we will also not forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Read More

Autumn in Hohenfels, Germany

I am quite very sleepy now. Before I sight-off tonight, let me share to you first this very beautiful view of Hohenfels, a town in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria. What a lovely autumn sunny day we had today!

Have a wonderful week to all!

You can see in the background the St. Ulrich Church in Hohenfels, Bavaria. This is just a little town but it is peaceful and beautiful.

Read More

Overnight in Hilton Zurich

What can you say about autumn season? Typical weather in our place is cold, very cold and sometimes freezing cold. Any complain about that. It is also getting dark at around 5:00pm. We have to accept this fact especially if we are living in a land where this weather is typical. No matter what we are still here to savour and enjoy life!

That is one of the reason why I am sharing a bit about our trip to Zurich, Switzerland last year. It was almost a year now since we had a trip to this city. It was a great one because for less money we stayed in one of the good hotels there. I cannot complain because that trip cost only around 159.00 Euros including a room in Hilton Zurich, bus trip (back and forth from Regensburg, Germany) and sightseeing in Strasbourg and Zurich as well. Breakfast in Hilton hotel was also included.

We were able to visit two cities in two European countries, that was amazing.

our room in Hilton Zurich. not really that big but enough for an overnight sleep. somebody's smiling out there! lol!

the entrance to the hotel..This was taken during our trip last December 2010.

Read More

8 Years Anniversary in Europe

This year marks my 8 years of living as a Pinay expat in Europe. I can't imagine that time is really passing-by very quickly. Last month was also the celebration of our 8th years wedding anniversary. So far life has been good to us. I can't thank enough for having a simple but good life in Europe. Sometimes there are trials coming our way but we always find solutions to it.

I did not ask anything for our 8th wedding anniversary. I have everything what I need in life. I know some of you are giving gift baskets for your anniversary. Why not besides it is also a wonderful present. Probably in our 10th anniversary, I will already demand something from hubby. Just kidding folks. Have a lovely Monday!


For those couples who are celebrating their wedding anniversaries around the globe this month, have a blessed and wonderful one! Here are some tulips fro you.

Read More

Europe Travel in San Remo, Italy

Almost seven months had past since I stepped on this city. It is located on the Mediterranean coast of western Liguria in north-western Italy. San Remo is indeed a famous tourist destination in Italian Riviera considering its location and for hosting numerous cultural events.

Our sightseeing in this city is not too long. I guess around three hours only. One thing I cannot forgot here was our lunch in one of the local Italian restaurants. I love the seafoods that I ordered in that restaurant. I am trying to find if I took some photos from the foods that I ordered. All the drinks were also included plus two bottles of wine. If you want you can drink all the 2 bottles but I know for sure if you are not a hard drinker, you will surely get tipsy like what happened to my friend. If I am not mistaken we paid 15.00 Euros each. It was worth the price because the foods were very delicious. I can't remember the name of that restaurant.

Our tour guide showed us some of the main sights in San Remo including the Villa Nobel. It is the house of Alfred Nobel where he lived the last year of his life. The building can be visited with a guided tour but since we don't have much time to go there, we just passed-by along the house.

After our short sightseeing in San Remo, we proceeded to Menton and spent the rest of the afternoon there. More updates to come soon!

the shopping center in San Remo during our visit last April 2011.

You can always see clothesline on the windows..This is how they are drying their clothes. Why not, in fact it is one way of taking care of Mother Nature instead of using a dryer.

a bakery and cafeteria in San Remo, a lovely place along the Mediterranean coast.

Read More

Visit To Warwick Castle in England

It was exactly three years ago when I had the chance to visit Warwick Castle in Warwickshire, England. This is a medieval castle located on a bend on the River Avon. This is where I spent the All Saints Day last Nov. 1, 2008. Thanks to my friend Loloy from UK for touring me here.

The castle was built by William the Conqueror in 1068 within or adjacent to the Anglo-Saxon burh of Warwick. It was used as a fortification until the early 17th century, when Sir Fulke Greville converted it to a country house. It was owned by the Greville family, who became earls of Warwick in 1759, until 1978.

a black and white photo I took when we visited it last Nov. 1, 2008.

while on our way to the main entrance of the castle..you can see a lot of pumpkins laying everywhere inside the castle compound.

Read More

Halloween in Frankenstein Castle

It was quite a long drive but it was worth it. It was my first time visiting and spending Halloween in Frankenstein Castle. Thanks to good friends for taking me there. I did not expected too much people visiting the castle. You cannot really go directly to the castle. You have to go instead to Pfungstadt in the district of Darmstadt-Dieburg in the state of Hesse. At the back of Toom Baumarkt, you can take the shuttel bus for around 15 minutes ride going on top of the hill where castle is located.

In the castle compound, you can see some kiosks selling Halloween stuffs. There is also a small beer tent and a restaurant inside. I am imagining how interesting it is to have one of this Restaurant Cook Jobs. Would you believe that the restaurant was so busy this afternoon. I guess there are thousands of visitors who visit the castle for the whole duration of the Halloween celebration.

taken inside the castle compound this afternoon (Oct. 30, 2011).

Frankenstein Castle is a hilltop castle about 5 km south of Darmstadt in Germany. Modern claims of the castle having an influence on the work of Mary Shelley remain controversial.

Read More

A Visit to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey

I can't imagine how many tourists were at the Grand Bazaar during our visit last time. Would you believe that this bazaar is visited by thousands of people including locals and tourists each day. It is said that it attracts between 250,000 and half a million visitors daily.

As I entered this place last time, all that I said was a huge WOW! I can't believe that this bazaar is so large that a day-visit is not enough. You can find everything in this place.

Don't you know that The Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey is one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world? It has more than 58 covered streets and over 4,000 shops.

Below are some of the images I took during our visit last September 2011. such a very interesting place!..and yes, especially for those who love shopping.

The grand bazaar began construction in 1455 and opened in 1461. It is well known for its jewellery, pottery, spice, and carpet shops.

Many of the stalls in the bazaar are grouped by the type of goods, with special areas for leather coats, gold jewelry and the like.

Read More

Walking in Hohenfels, Germany

It is always nice to go walking around in Hohenfels. This is especially true if the weather is nice. I sometimes carry my jansport backpack especially during summer season. I put inside my camera, a bottle of water, cellphone and other personal belongings.

This municipality belongs to the district of Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate part of Bavaria. Hohenfels became a training area for the United States in 1951. In December 2005 it was officially named the Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC).

This is one of the beautiful images I have in this beautiful place. You can see the tower of St. Ulrich Church and the hill where the Hohenfels castle ruins are found. Now, only the castle tower is visible.

Read More

Cruising in Amsterdam Canals

It seems like yesterday when we visited Amsterdam. It is the largest city and the capital of Netherlands. It is one of the historical cities in Europe and has one of the largest historic centers registering about 7,000 historic buildings.

During our visit last summer 2010, we took a cruise which started near Heineken Experience, a famous brewery in Amsterdam. The cruise was very interesting. It is one of the best thing to see most of the city especially in seeing its historical canals. Due to its over one hundred kilometers of canals, Amsterdam is named as the "Venice of the North."

I and my friend Nonna, had the chance to cruise the Amsterdam canals last August 2010.

The three main canals, Herengracht, Prinsengracht, and Keizersgracht, dug in the 17th century during the Dutch Golden Age, form concentric belts around the city, known as the grachtengordel. Alongside the main canals are 1550 monumental buildings. The 17th-century canal ring area, including the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, are put on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Read More

I want to book a holiday to the Caribbean

If I still have the chance and the finances to travel before the end of 2011, I will for sure do it. And you know where it is? I want to book a holiday to the Caribbean. There are lot of beautiful places to spend a holiday in the Caribbean region. With the all year round good weather in this part of the world, this has been a famous getaway for many tourists from around the globe.

Here are the top places I would love to visit and experience in this region,

Barbados

This is one of the best bet to spend a holiday especially during winter season in Europe. Barbados is known for its beautiful beaches and numerous deluxe resorts. It has also a lot of historical sites to visit. This so-called "Little Britain of the Caribbean" uses English as its official language. This simply means that travelling to Barbados is easy and convenient due to the fact that English is widely spoken here.

Don't miss the Atlantic Submarine and Segways Tours in Barbados. Surfing and diving are also some of the famous watersports in this area. If you want to enjoy the nightlife, you can go nightclubbing at the beach bars.

palm trees, water and blue sky... a perfect place to spend a vacation during cold winter days.

Antigua

I am looking to go to Antigua in my next vacation. Why not? I was dreaming to go to Turkey, Hungary, England, France, Austria, Italy, Poland, Czech Republic and some other countries and it did slowly come true. Coupled with hardwork and determination, I was able to visit different places in these countries.

Many tourists enjoyed their vacation in Antigua. It is considered to be a beautiful vacation getaway not only because of its peaceful surroundings but also because of its nice beaches and interesting island culture. Feel free to include scuba diving and sailing in your itinerary. Don't miss to visit Nelson's Dockyard as well.

a beautiful church in Antigua.

Cuba

I had received a lot of travel packages to Cuba. I cannot book it this year because I already booked other places to visit. I wish to include it in my 2012 travel itinerary.

a lovely beach in Cuba.

Cuba is the largest and most populous island in the Carribean. With its tropical climate, Cuba has been a major tourist destination in this region. Clubbing, going to the beach, a tour in the countryside, are only some of the activities you can do there. Expect to hear a lot of Carlos Santana music everywhere. If you have the chance, go visit Tropicana. Also taste the different fresh juices in the markets.

One of these days, I know I will step on the beautiful places in the Caribbean.

Read More