Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Unique Gifts

This is quite a personal post and not some sort of my travels in Europe. It seems that somebody will be celebrating a special day this coming weekend. I am still thinking of a present. I am also thinking of some unique personalized grandma gifts for my mother's birthday next month. She's is already a grandma of six grandchildren. She's is also expecting a grandchild from me but until now, it is still zero. I guess it is not too late for me to have one. I already have some unique gift ideas for her and I hope that she will like it. Thanks dear Mother for bringing me in this world. You truly deserve a special present. Wish I am there in your special day! Wish you always the best and good health too!

The Grand Place in Brussels, Belgium

Let' go travel Europe again! This time we are visiting Brussels, the capital city of Belgium. I am featuring the central square of Brussels called the Grand Place or Grote Markt in French language. This square is the most famous sight in this city and considered to be the most memorable landmark. Together with the Atomium and Manneken Pis, these are all included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site.

These are some of the snapshots I took during our visit last summer 2010.

The Brussels Town Hall stands 96 metres (315 ft) tall and is capped by a 3 metre (12 ft) statue of Saint Michael slaying a demon.

the guildhalls in Grand Place.

The Grand Place is surrounded by guildhalls, the city's Town Hall, and the Breadhouse (French: Maison du Roi, Dutch: Broodhuis).

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Shopping in Rothenburg of der Tauber

This is a continuation of my previous post on Rothenburg ob der Tauber. Actually, it was a shopping experience. There was already a winter sale going on during our visit last January. We visited one of the shoe and sneaker stores in this town. One of my friends found a very cheap winter boots for a very cheap price. She had almost 90% discount for that. That truly a very nice shopping experience. Imagine saving more than a hundred Euros for that shoes? That was really a great deal. I guess someone wants to go shopping this week.

Enjoy the rest of the month of March!

A Winter Visit to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the beautiful town to visit on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany. It is known for its well-preserved medieval Altstadt or Old Town.

This is one of the gates to the Old City. If I am not mistaken, this is the Markusturm (Marcus Tower). These were taken during my second visit last January 2011.

The Market Square (Marktplatz) is the center of urban life in Rothenburg o.d.T. The Square is framed on the west by the Town Hall (Rathaus), on the north by the City Councillors' Tavern (Ratstrinkstube) with its Tourist Information center, on the east by shops and cafes, and on the south by St. George's Fountain.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Car Insurance in Europe

Driving a car in Europe without an insurance is a mortal sin. It is always required by law to have an insurance for your car. As we bought a new car last January, one of the requirements to get the registration is a confirmation that you bought first an insurance for it. What we did was, we went to the bank and asked a certification that we will be buying our car insurance from them. The insurance agent from the bank gave us a certain Code and we proceeded with the registration.

Nowadays, you can already browse for cheap insurances online. The insurance from our other car was bought online and it is cheaper compared to an agent. Insurance sites like estatecarinsure.com are offering the same services. We decided that after a year contract with our car insurance we will buy it online so that it is cheaper. I asked before our insurance agent why buying insurances online is cheaper compared to buying from them. He told me, it is because of their personal service. Now I know!

Friday, March 25, 2011

Sightseeing in Kallmünz, Bavaria, Germany

Kallmünz is a municipality in the district of Regensburg in the state of Bavaria, Germany. It is a beautiful small medieval town situated at the Naab river. It is situated around 15 kilometers from Hohenfels, where the JMRC training of the U.S. Army is located.

The image below was taken as we were on our way to the castle ruins in Kallmünz. You can also see the tower of St. Michael's Church on the right side. River Naab is also visible on the background. The ruins of the Kallmünz Castle is the main attraction in this area.

this image was taken during our visit last May 2010.

Poland Sightseeing

Poland, called as Polska in Polish is a country located in Central Europe. Due to its location Poland is accessible by plane in most of Europe's major airlines, by train especially from its neighboring countries like Germany,Czech Republic, by car, bus, yacht and boat.

Poland is a historical country and the first Polish settlement in Biskupin dates even further back to the 7th century BC. It is the 9th largest country in Europe and the 69th largest in the world. It is also a member of the European Union and the Schengen agreement. Until now, it still did not adopt the Euro currency.

Since Poland joined the EU countries, it has become a major part of global tourism market. Its visitors are increasing every year, thus contributing to Poland's economy. You have to remember, there are always affordable Poland holidays that will fit your budget.

Here are some of the most attractive destinations for tourists in Poland.

Warsaw

It is the largest and capital city of Poland. Warsaw is also known as "the phoenix city", after the Polish people had rebuilt and recovered the extensive damage of the World War II.

A city break or trip in Warsaw can be a fabulous experience. There are a lot of major attractions and sights to see and to experience. The view of the cityscape with its varied architectural styles tells the history of the city and the country as a whole. Don't miss to visit Śródmieście, meaning Inner City, the central district of Warsaw where you can see a lot of sights. The Royal Road is also a must to visit.

Being the capital city, Warsaw is home to several professional musical and play companies including the Polish National Opera and the National Philharmonic. It also celebrates various festivals such as the Warsaw Film Festival, Warsaw Autumn, Garden Theaters Contest and some other more. Warsaw is simply a must to visit when making a trip to Poland.

Krakow

This is another interesting city to visit in Poland. Krakow is the second largest city and one of the oldest cities in Poland. There are a lot of things to do and see in this city. The most popular tourist attractions are mostly located in the Old Town with its Main Market Square, 14th-century buildings of the Jagiellonian University, dozens of old churches and museums and Kazimierz. Other beautiful and historical sights to visit are the Wawel Hill, home to Wawel Castle and Wawel Cathedral, where many Polish kings are buried.

For those who love nightlife, dining, shopping, Warsaw is also a city to provide such activities to its visitors and tourists. Beware with bar scam, hotel scam and taxi scam in this city.

The Cloth Hall (Sukiennice) in Main Market Square in Krakow, Poland. credit

Lublin

It is the capital of Lublin Voivodeship. Lublin is a candidate for the title of European Capital of Culture in 2016. Main sights to see include The Castle of Lublin and Chapel of the Holy Trinity, St. Stanislas Dominican Basilica and Monastery, the Old Town Square, Lublin Cathedral and Trinity Tower, Cracow Gate and many more. Some religious buildings and museums are also worthy to see. You might also want to take a walk on its park like the Saxonian Garden and the UMCS Botanic Garden.

Wroclaw

I had known this city by its German name, Breslau. Wroclaw is also a historic capital of Silesia. It is famous for German tourists and for Polish people as well. The Rynek with its Town Hall, the Centennial Hall, Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, St. Elizabeth's Church, Salt Square are only some of its beautiful sights. If you want to experience a romantic evening, walking through the mystery brick stoned streets in Ostrow Tumski is very much recommended. It is complete with hand-lit oil lamps lit nightly

There are still a lot of beautiful cities in Poland that maybe added to your travel portfolios. You might want to consider Poznan, Katowice,Szczecin, Auschwitz and other destinations that might be of interest to you.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Czech Republic

Let's go travel again in Europe. I am trying to remember our trip to Prague, Czech Republic last three years ago. It was a very short trip but at least we were able to see a lot in this city. Prague is the capital and largest city of Czech Republic.

One of the sights we visited was the Cathedral of St. Vitus. It is a Roman Roman Catholic cathedral and has an excellent example of Gothic architecture. It is located within Prague castle. Its full name is St. Vitus, St. Wenceslas and St. Adalbert Cathedral. The present day Gothic Cathedral was founded on 21st of November, 1344, when the Prague bishopric was raised to an archbishopric.

St. Vitus Cathedral is situated entirely within the Prague Castle complex.
This was taken during our trip last September 2008.

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Things Inside My Backpack When I Travel

My travel bag or backpack is very important for me when I travel. I am not a traveler who will just bring a small purse and walk with high heels. Sorry but not my type. I would say, I am always a girl scout when I travel. Are you familiar with the Girl Scout motto? Be prepared, that is it! That is the reason why I always pack important things in my backpack. I always have with me my medicines for fever, headache, dizziness, LBM (loss bowel movement), vomiting and other personal needs. It is difficult to get rid of pimples when you travel because sometimes it is very dusty. Another reason why I also pack with me my acne cream. My backpack also contain a cellphone, extra handy camera aside from my lens camera, paper and pen, address book, a small bottle of water, a collapsible umbrella especially during rainy season, extra SD cards and camera batteries, coin purse and some other things I need.

I guess that's all for tonight guys! More updates in my other blogs.

Friday, March 18, 2011

The Branderburg Gate in Berlin, Germany

The Brandenburger Tor, commonly known in English as Brandenburg Gate is an iconic symbol not only in Berlin but in Germany as a whole. It is a former city located west of the city center at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstrasse. It is also located near the Reichstag building.

I finally visited this capital city of Germany last month. It was another dream came true. I was fascinated with this city and wishes to visit it again in the future.


According to wikipedia, the Branderburg Gate was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia as a sign of peace and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791.

The Brandenburg Gate taken during my recent visit last February 2011.

Beautiful Cities To Visit in the Baltic Region

When you are talking about Baltic regions, these might refer to the following;

*Its Baltic states like Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania
*The countries that have shorelines along the Baltic Sea like Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Poland, Russia and the first three ones I mentioned above.

There are still a lot of places and countries to consider when talking about the Baltic Region. There are also a lot of interesting cities to see and to experience in this part of Europe. Whether you will spend a family vacation, a cruise in the Baltic islands, coach tours or a train journey, taking a trip to this beautiful region will be an enjoyable one.

Here are some of the beautiful cities on my travel wish-list in the Baltic region.

Copenhagen

I have a friend who made a trip to Copenhagen around two years ago. She told me that this city is one of the most beautiful cities she visited in Europe. She was truly impressed during their family trip in Denmark's capital. That is the reason why she recommended this city to be included in my travel wishlist.

Copenhagen is well-known for its historical architecture, its many parks, interesting museums, richness in water resources and the bicycle paths that line its streets. A must-see to visit include the Marble Church, Amalienborg Palace, Christiansborg Palace, the City Hall, the former Church of St. Nikolaj and so many more. The museums in Copenhagen can compete internationally. Worthy to visit are the National museum, the National Gallery, The Danish Museum of Art & Design and another important one is the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek.

Amalienborg, the royal couple's winter residence, is a major architectural work and probably the most outstanding piece of Rococo architecture in Denmark.credit

I would love to especially experience the Copenhagen carnival, the Copenhagen Fashion Week and the Copenhagen cooking. Any more suggestions?

Stockholm

This is the capital and largest city of Sweden. Stockholm is a cosmopolitan and global city. It is also a lively and lovely city with its modern Scandinavian architecture, a lot of green areas and fairytale towers. It is the home of the national Swedish government.

I can't imagine that city is made up of 14 islands. I believed visiting it for a day or two is not enough. The sites to visit include the City Hall, the Royal Palace, Gamla stan (the Old Town), the Stockholm Cathedral, the German Church,Stockholm Olympic Stadium and so many historical and modern architecture. Copenhagen has a lot of interesting museums to visit also. Since it is a green city, walking around its parks can be a relaxing and calming trip.

Helsinki

I always wanted to visit Finland especially its capital city, Helsinki. It is one of northern Europe's major cities. It is also the major political, cultural, financial, educational and research center of Finland.
The Helsinki Cathedral is considered to be one of the most prominent buildings and an iconic symbol of the city.credit

Interesting sight to visit is the Senate Square where you can find the Government Palace, University Building and the Helsinki Cathedral. Other sights include the South harbour of Helsinki, The Senaatintori square, Helsinki market square, its Olympic Stadium , The Esplanadi Park and a lot of museums like the The National Museum of Finland.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Gadgets I Bring With Me When I Travel

Aside from the personal things I bring with me when I travel, I always make it sure that I also packed my important travel gadgets. Without these stuffs, I don't find my trip complete and memorable. These are only some of the travel tips I want to share today. Of course, you can find a lot of travel guides online and in travel books as well.

Digital Camera

This is one of the gadgets that I always have with me when I go out of the house. How much more when I travel to a new place. I always want to have some documents and evidences that I visited a certain city or country. Taking travel photographs and images is one of them. Besides, it is always nice to look back to these places we visited through the pictures we took during our travel.

a street in Strasbourg, France and the Strasbourg Cathedral in the background. Taken during our Christmas Holiday last 2010.

Cellphone

Anywhere I go this gadget is always in my shoulder bag. I even bring with me two cellphones sometimes. The other one is with camera and the other is just a normal cellphone. We never know when emergencies happen. It is always an advantage when we can call our friends or members of the family about the said emergency.

Pens and A Notebook

I once remember a friend who asked me if I am still a student. She found some highlighters, a marker, ballpoint pens and a small notebook inside my bag. I also have an address book with emergency phone numbers in my shoulder bag.

Netbook or Laptop

Most hotels are having wireless internet connection now. In some hotels, it is even free of use. You can obtain the Username and password at the hotel reception. I can also check my emails and update my travel blogs while I am on a trip because I always bring with me my netbook. I can also watch on a bigger screen the snapshots that I took during my trip. I love this gadget!

Lastly, don't forget to bring cash and your debit and credit cards. There are these so-called FX Currency cards where you can withdraw money anywhere around the globe and in any currency. Don't also forget to pack your battery charger, cellphone charger, electrical converter and adapter plugs. Lake a list if possible so that you won't forget any important travel gadgets.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Europe Trip to Zurich, Switzerland

I am happy to visit one of Europe's interesting cities. Zurich is the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is also the largest city of Switzerland. The airport and the railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

When traveling a certain city or country, we must need to know the emergency assistance numbers. Zurich's Police emergency telephone number is 117, Fire department is 118 and Ambulance is 144. Anywhere in Europe, the SOS number is 112. This can be dialled to reach emergency services - medical, fire and police - from anywhere in Europe. This Pan-European emergency number 112 can be called from any telephone (landline, pay phone or mobile cellular phone). Calls are free.

Here is one of the images I took during our visit last December 2010 in Zurich.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France

The Pyramide du Louvre, as it is called in French language, commonly known as the Louvre pyramid is a large glass and metal pyramid in the main courtyard of the Louvre Palace. It is also surrounded by three smaller pyramids. This structure has become one of the famous iconic symbol of the city of Paris.

The Louvre pyramid was said to be featured in the 2006 film, The Da Vinci Code.
These are images I took during my first visit in Paris last 2009. I was there again last summer 2010.

The Louvre pyramid and the Louvre buildings on the background. It serves as the main entrance to the Louvre Museum. It was commissioned by the President of France François Mitterrand in 1984 and was designed by the architect I. M. Pei.

The downward-pointing or the inverted pyramid, called in French as La Pyramide Inversée. It functions as a skylight in an underground mall in front of the museum.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Best Hostels in Europe in HostelBookers Awards for Excellence 2011

HostelBookers has revealed the winning European properties in its "Awards for Excellence" 2011, which is now in its second year.

To be eligible for an award, properties needed to receive the highest customer rating for a category. The only exception was the “Most Popular” category, which was based on the total number of bookings made in 2010.

131 properties have been recognized for their outstanding contribution to the budget accommodation industry within 11 categories, including: Top Three properties in each continent, Best Atmosphere, Best Value, Best Location, Cleanliness, Best New Hostel, Most Improved, Best Hostel with Wheelchair Access, Group Recognition, Most Popular and Best Eco-Friendly.

‘Top Three Properties in Europe’ include hostels in Riga, Rome and Lisbon.

Backpacking in Eastern Europe has become a rite of passage for budget travellers so tourists will be glad to find an award-winning hostel in Latvia. In the heart of Riga’s old town centre the Naughty Squirrel Backpackers (97.3%) is stag-party free and staff organise plenty of hostel activities.
The Squirrel Backpackers Playroom Area

With a rating of 97.1% La Controra Hostel is housed in an 18th century building and offers travellers a stylish place to stay in Rome. It is located a few minutes from the metro and Termini station is also just a short walk from the hostel which makes it very convenient for exploring the rest of the city.
La Controra Hostel Rome, Bathroom

Lisboa Central Hostel (98.2%) is a family-run property and is located close to Avenida da Liberdade, all the main sights and some great Lisbon nightlife. Offering both dorm and private en-suite rooms this hostel is the perfect place for any type of traveller including students, backpackers, families or couples.
Lisboa Central Hostel Twin Room

The Damrak Inn

Winners of the ‘Most Improved’ award had seen the greatest improvement in their customer ratings from 2009 to 2010 and include Amsterdam hostel The Damrak Inn. Meanwhile Plus Berlin won the ‘Best New Hostel’ award.
Plus Berlin

David Smith, COO at HostelBookers, states: “Once again we are incredibly proud to have launched the Awards for Excellence 2011. It showcases the quality of the budget accommodation industry and gives recognition to the exceptional properties out there. Guest feedback and ratings offer travellers an invaluable insight into our properties and also helped us to establish the winners”.

Full details of the winning properties are available on http://www.hostelbookers.com/2011-top-hostels/

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Places to Visit for an Adventure Trip

There are a lot of interesting places to visit around the world. Whether you want to spend your vacation in any way such as in a cruise ship, relaxing at the beach, enjoying a night life in the city, sightseeing with a tour guide or simply going for an adventure trip , for sure it is always a wonderful experience.

Here are some of the places I can recommend for an adventure trip.

The Himalayas

This is one of the world's most favourite destination especially for adventurers, mountain climbers, trekkers and nature lovers. The Himalayan mountains is the planet's highest. The world's highest peaks, Mount Everest and K2 mountains are located here. No wonder, this place is always included in the list of an adventurer.

Some people might be expecting that no luxury can be experienced in Himalayas. Thanks to the travel experts from Shakti Himalaya for sharing a lot of travel tips and information about this region.

Cape Town

I was asking before where can I find Kapstadt because I always see it in German travel catalouges. I am happy to know that it is actually Cape Town in English. This city is located in South Africa and it is also its second most populous city. No wonder, it is considered to be one of the multicultural cities in the world.

Visiting Cape Town will never be boring. There are a lot of adventure tours and activities to do here. The travel professionals from Cape Portfolios will assist and help you in all your adventure tours and activities in Cape Town. Whether you want to experience paragliding, whale watching, shark cage diving, sailing, surfing, kayaking and most every adventure and activities you want, you are always welcome to ask for their services.

Oslo, Norway

There are a lot of fine cities and towns to see in Norway. It is a mountainous country which is perfect for adventurers. Of course, there are also flat lands here like Toten, Ørland and Jæren. I am especially mentioning Oslo, its capital and largest city. Some adventure trips to the mountains like hiking, cycling or simply a walk on the mountain top is already a great experience of seeing the beauty of nature around.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Dietfurt's Chinese Fasching 2011

I had witnessed again for the third time, the Chinese Carnival in Dietfurt, a town in Bavaria, Germany. Together with my friends, we experienced the Dietfurt Chinesenfasching (as it is called in German. It was truly a spectacular event. My friends were happy watching it and I believed they will have again another story to tell to their friends when they will go back to the United States.

The Dietfurter Chinese Fasching or Carnival is held annually and it is always celebrated during Thursday. There a name for this day but I can't remember it now. The Chinese Carnival in Dietfurt is a unique carnival because of their Chinese theme. There is a story about this and hope to share it in my Travel and Explore Germany site.

It is time for me to have a short break. I have to browse more about Outer Banks beach rentals when I come back online later. Before I do that, let me share some images taken from the Chinese Carnival in Dietfurt yesterday, March 3, 2011. The highlight of the carnival was the interesting parade they had yesterday.


these little children dressed with Chinese costumes are so cute. I love watching them yesterday.

some floats with colourful decorations also joined the said carnival parade and the one you see here is one from them.

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