Downing Street in London, England

I might not be able to see the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and the Chancellor of the Exchequer but I did had the chance to see the building where live. Yes, I was in Downing Street in London, England. It is not so far from the Houses of Parliament and you can just walk from there.

Here are some of the snapshots I took during my three weeks trip in England last 2008.

Downing street was built in the 1680s by Sir George Downing (1632–1689) on the site of a mansion called Hampden House.

The Prime Minister's official residence is 10 Downing Street; the Chancellor's official residence is next door at Number 11.

Thanks to a dear friend from England named Rolly or Loloy, who accompanied me for some days sightseeing in England. Thanks for everything Loy.

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Sidetrips To Do While in Madrid

I am quite busy during the past weeks looking for cheap international flights not only in Europe but also to other destinations including the United States of America and Canada. The first one I booked some weeks ago is my flight to Spain next month. Yes, I finally had my ticket confirmation. It will be a long stay in Spain and I will be staying most of the time in Madrid. Due to this, I am currently planning some sidetrips when I am in Spain's capital city. I can't imagine myself staying for 6 long weeks in Spain.

These are some of the places I would love to include in my sidetrip itinerary.

Avila- This city is very famous for great and beautifully preserved medieval city walls. It also has numerous churches with romanesque and gothic architecture. Its stunning Gothic Cathedral with its unusual military air is also one of the city's famous monuments. Avila is located in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon in Spain.

I am planning to take a cheap train from Madrid-Chamartin station going to Avila.

Toledo- For me, this is a very beautiful city. I was there twice last year and I will try my best to visit it again when I will be in Madrid next month. This city which is located above Tagus River is truly a must-to-see when you are in Spain especially when you are in Madrid. Due to its monumental and cultural heritage, Toledo is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 1986.

the beautiful setting of Toledo above the Tagus River. This was taken during our trip there last Dec. 2011.

Some of the reasons why I want to go back there again is to go inside its museums and to taste again its delicious Mazapan. I love the mazapan at Confiteria Santo Tome. It is quite expensive but its worth the price. There are just a lot to see and to experience in this city especially its historical architecture and monuments.

From Madrid, there are buses available for transportation. Taking the renfe trains is also possible.

Segovia-Another splendid and lovely city perched up on a rock in the autonomous community of Castile and Leon. Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Segovia is famous for its aqueduct. It is located within the Iberian Peninsula, near Valladolid and Madrid. I would to see there the Alcazar, the Aqueduct, Segovia's Cathedral, the Casa de los Picos and other interesting sights in this city.

San Lorenzo de El Escorial- This is not so far from Madrid and I can surely make a day trip there. Its main attraction is the the world famous Monastery of San Lorenzo de El Escorial. It is one of the main Spanish Renaissance monuments and also listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.

I am also planning to visit Barcelona and Lisbon in Portugal. When I was browsing the internet today, I found some cheap flights in Easyjet from Madrid to Lisbon. I am actually thinking of booking it anytime soon. I need to finalize all my trips before the end of this month and I hope to have a wonderful time again in Spain.

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Decision day for second Greek bailout despite financing gaps

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Euro zone finance ministers are expected to approve a second bailout for Greece on Monday to try to draw a line under months of uncertainty that has shaken the currency bloc, although work remains to be done to make the numbers add up.

Diplomats and economists say they do not expect the package to resolve Greece's economic problems. That could take a decade or more, a bleak prospect that brought thousands of Greeks onto the streets to protest against austerity measures on Sunday. continue reading here

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Shopping for Souvenirs in Seville, Spain

The memory of Sevilla, kown in English as Seville, is still on my mind. This beautiful capital of Andalusia which is situated on the plain of the River Guadalquivir is truly a must-to-visit when visiting Spain. We had fun walking around and shopping for souvenirs in this city. Sad to say that I cannot find a store that sells contemporary upholstery fabric. We went to a lot of stores but mostly the ones selling souvenirs especially near the Cathedral of Seville. I am happy to get some postcards, fridge magnets, a mosaic plate with a couple dancing flamengo, shot glass and a fan. We did not really go to their main shopping street due to luck of time. At least that one day trip to this wonderful city was truly a memorable one.

I love Seville! I love Spain and can't wait to visit it again next month. This time I will be staying there for over a month.

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Visiting Shakespeare in Stratford-Upon-Avon, England

I might not be able to meet William Shakespeare in person but it was an honor for me to visit his birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon. I believed you are very familiar about this famous English playwright and poet who was considered as a the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

Stratford-upon-Avon is a historic town located in the English county of Warwickshire. We had a day sightseeing in this town and it was truly a great one. We had a walk around the old town. Some of the sights we visited are the birth house of William Shakespeare, the Holy Trinity Church where the rest of Shakespeare was buried and the old town itself.

The Welcome sign in Stratford-upn-Avon during our visit last October 2008.The house or location of Shakespeare's birth, and definitely the home of his early years. It was a pleasure seeing the birthplace of one of the most important people in the poetry world.

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FC Nuernburg Won Against FC Cologne

Time is running fast now. We are now in the third weekend of February and someone is quite excited already. I am quite busy with a lot of things and need to do it before I go somewhere again. I have three weeks left to do and to finish my backlog and other jobs both online and offline.

Sometimes I have to take a break with my busyness. That is the reason why I watched the play between FC Nuernberg and FC Cologne this afternoon. I believed you are familiar with German football which they called Fussball. FC Cologne lost against FC Nuernberg with a score of 2:1. I don't know whose team is leading the game now but I know for sure that whoever will win over-all in this game will garner some sport trophies and other prizes. Don't you know that millions of Germans are football fanatics? It is already a part of their culture and being a citizen of this country now, I am also becoming a football fan. And my team is FC Barcelona! I guess I am unfair but I love Lionel Messi! More Europe sports update in the future.

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Visit to Strasbourg Cathedral, France

I chose randomly again the place that I will be featuring in this Europe travel blog. This time I want to introduce Strasbourg, the capital of the Alsace region of France. Some hours sightseeing is not enough to see everything in this city but I am glad that I was there and was able to experience some of its sights. One of it is the famous Strasbourg Cathedral.

Also known as the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg and called in French as Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Strasbourg, in German as Liebfrauenmünster zu Straßburg, is a Roman Catholic Cathedral in this city. It is considered to be one of the finest example of late Gothic architecture. Some of its parts are in Romanesque architecture. It's construction started in 1015 and was completed in 1439.

Don't miss to go inside once you are there and take a look of its 18-metre astronomical clock, one of the largest in the world.

The Strasbourg Cathedral during our visit last December 2010.

the interior of the Cathedral.

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Travel Accessories

If you are a frequent traveller, I am very sure you always have some travel gadget and accessories with you. Yes I do! I always pack with me my cameras, mobile phones, pen and paper and other important things that I need everytime I travel. Last year, my friend asked me about an suv bike rack and a car top luggage box. She told me that they need such accessories especially the last one because they are expecting for some visitors from the United States. In short, they need more room for their luggage when they will be driving to some places in Europe.

People out there especially for those who love to travel, don't forget to bring your travel gadgets and accessories with you. I believed you always know what you need most.

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Greeks strike against IMF/EU austerity before crucial

ATHENS (Reuters) - Striking Greek workers denounced a new wave austerity on Friday as a demand too far by the IMF and EU, but Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos told the nation it had to decide within days whether to take the pain and stay in the euro or not.

Police fired teargas as black-masked protesters threw petrol bombs, stones and bottles in central Athens. The biggest police trade union said it would issue arrest warrants for Greece's international lenders for subverting democracy, and refused to "fight against our brothers."
continue reading in yahoo news.

ReutersBy Karolina Tagaris and Harry Papachristou | Reuters –

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I'm Going Back to Spain!

I did not expect that I can go back to Spain soon. Yes, I already had a confirmation of my plane ticket. Thanks to a friend's connection who gave me the chance to be there. I did not believed that within a span of three months I can go back there again. My first trip to Spain was last December 2011 and next month I will be there again. This time it will be a work and travel adventure. With my one and a half months stay there, I wish to explore more of Spain. I am very happy when my friend told me that my trip was confirmed already. I am quite excited about it. I am more excited because I will be staying in Spain's capital city of Madrid. Imagine that? God always finds a way in making all my dreams and wishes slowly coming true. Thank you dear Lord for all your goodness to me. Thank you so much for everything!

the Almudena Cathedral during our visit last December 10, 2011.

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Show Your Support for Walgreens

This post brought to you by Walgreens. All opinions are 100% mine.

Getting sick is not really good. Sometimes the medications we need are very expensive. We always have to consider our budget when buying it. Don't you know that there are some ways on how to get special discounts when buying your medications?

It is time to spread the news and show your support to Walgreens. To all my American friends especially to those who are currently living in the United States, this is a good news for you. If you are a member of Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens ,you will surely get special discounts from their store. For only $35.00 annually, you and your immediate family, including your spouse, dependents 22 and younger and pets are already covered in this family membership.

You can also enjoy of the other benefits they offer once you are a member.

-You can save on more than 8,000 brand-name and all generic medications
-You will be given discounts on flu shots, pet prescriptions, nebulizers and diabetic supplies
-If you purchase Walgreens brand products and photofinishing services, bonuses will also be given to you.

Please show your support by following Walgreens on Twitter. Stay updated by liking Walgreens on Facebook. I forgot to mention that individuals can also avail of such special discounts. For an amount of only $20.00 a year, you are already covered. Join now and receive discount prices on your prescriptions.

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The Fisherman's Bastion in Budapest, Hungary

The Halászbástya or Fisherman's Bastion takes its name from the guild of fishermen that was responsible for defending this stretch of the city walls in the Middle Ages. It is a viewing terrace, with many stairs and walking paths in Budapest, Hungary.

Below is the snapshot I took during our visit last August 2011.

he Halászbástya or Fisherman's Bastion is a terrace in neo-Gothic and neo-Romanesque style situated on the Buda bank of the Danube, on the Castle hill in Budapest, around Matthias Church. It was designed and built between 1895 and 1902 on the plans of Frigyes Schulek.

From the towers and the terrace a panoramic view exists of Danube, Margaret Island, Pest to the east and the Gellért Hill. Its seven towers represent the seven Magyar tribes that settled in the Carpathian Basin in 896.

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Cheapest Airlines In The World

As a budget traveller one thing I always try to consider when booking a flight is the price. This is a very important factor in order for me to save money. When possible, I always try to find the cheapest airline tickets to any destination I am planning to visit. Thanks to eDreams Airline Study which gives me the overview of the top 50 cheapest airlines in the world. This kind of study will help me identify which airlines are giving the most affordable flights to any destination anywhere in the globe.

According to eDreams press released last January 31, 2012, among the top airlines that offer the cheapest flights around the world are;
-Vietnamese Jetstar Pacific (BL) is the world’s cheapest airline per mile at €8.55 per 100 miles.
-Second on the list is UK's Monarch at €9.62 per 100 miles.
- Romanian Blue Air (0B) is third on the rank at €10.43 per 100 miles.
-UAE's Air Arabia at €10.71 per 100 miles ranked 4th on the study.
-Czech Airlines ranked the 50th at €19.00 per 100 miles.

How did eDreams arrived on these results? They took pricing data from all their flight bookings in 2011. They summed up the miles flown by their customers on a given airline, before adding up all the individual prices paid for these flights. The money was then divided by the distance to get a price per 100 miles.

If you are a traveller like me, for sure you will always take a look in your pocket and budget everytime you travel. With the inflation that is going on around the globe right now, I believed that you will really consider on trying to find for the cheapest and more affordable airlines and hotels that best fit your budget. You are not alone because I totally agree with you.

You might one to check out one of the leading online travel agencies in Europe. eDreams have a wide selections of hotels, flights and other products and services that are available to its clients through booking engines that integrate the latest price and search technologies. It is a travel company that offers its services in Spain, Italy, France, Portugal, Germany, UK, and 13 other countries including the global market in English.

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