Visit to the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

We are finally backed from our trip in Spain. It was a long and tiring trip we had but it was all worth-it. It was again another dream came true when I visited Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia region. This city is also the second largest in Spain after Madrid. This is another interesting city I visited in Europe. A day trip in this city is not enough to see everything. This is also the reason why I would love to visit it again in the future.

One of the sights we visited was the Sagrada Familia. This famous architecture  commissioned by Antonio Gaudi is now listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site since November 2010. This architecture is truly amazing. Called as Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family or Basílica y Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia in Spanish, this is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona.

I am still quite tired from our Spain trip. For now, I would just like to share some images taken from Barcelona. More travel stories and updates to come in my other travel blogs below;

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View of the Nativity façade during our day trip to Barcelona last July 14, 2012.

a detail of the  Nativity part of Sagrada Familia. 

The style of la Sagrada Familia is variously likened to Spanish Late Gothic, Catalan Modernism and to Art Nouveau or Catalan Noucentisme. While the Sagrada Família falls within the Art Nouveau period, Nikolaus Pevsner points out that, along with Charles Rennie Macintosh in Glasgow, Gaudí carried the Art Nouveau style far beyond its usual application as a surface decoration. wikipedia.

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My Second Visit in Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic

Fourth of July 2012, I know that day was a very memorable one for our American friends. It was the same with me because during that day, I also visited for the second time Karlovy Vary. I was actually invited by some friends to go with them and I am so thankful about it. We had a wonderful time in this city and I was happy because I saw them enjoying the place. They love this city.

Karlovy Vary, also known as Carlsbad in English or Karlsbad in German is a city in Bohemia, Czech Republic. It is very famous for its spa and hot springs. Its whimsical architecture also made this city very well-known. Some famous people like Emperor Franz Josef I, Beethoven, Wagner, Tsar Peter the Great Tolstoy, and Marx visited this city for these reasons.

Karlovy Vary which also means Charles Bad was named after Charles IV, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor, who founded the city in 1370. Some famous people

There were quite a lot of people during our visit because  the Karlovy Vary  International Film Festival  is still going on. It started last June 29 and will last until July 7, 2012.  I guess it is the  highlight of our visit  there.

The Mill Colonnade. There were a lot of activities going on that day. Live bands, street performers and other  outdoor activities for children and persons  with disabilities  also took place.

Some colorful and nice buildings  in Karlovy Vary and the Tepla River that runs in this city.

We did not really saw everything in this city but at least  I am happy that I visited it again. Some of our time was spent shopping for Bohemian crystal. Our friends from the United States of America who were with us that day, also the reason why we went there, were so  happy about their experience in Karlovy Vary.

I believed, I will be visiting the city again in the future.

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The Temple of Debod in Madrid, Spain

After around two kilometers of walking from Puerta del Sol to Paseo del Pintor Rosales, I finally reached my destination, the Temple of Debod. Thanks to the map that was given by our tour guide named Lothar during our tour in Madrid last December 2011.

We did not had the chance to visit this temple during that first trip. During my three weeks trip in Spain's capital last March 2012, I really put it in my list of sights that I will be visiting in Madrid. I am happy to be there despite the unfriendly weather that afternoon.

The Templo de Debod or Temple of Debod is an ancient Egyptian temple which was rebuilt in Madrid, Spain. The temple was built originally 15 km south of Aswan  in southern Egypt very close to the first cataract of the Nile and to the great religious center dedicated to the goddess Isis, in Philae.

The fountain at the back of the temple. You can see the  Torre de Madrid (Tower of Madrid at the center) and the Edificio España (on the right)  buildings at the background.

Address:

Temple of Debod

Paseo del Pintor Rosales, 2

28008 Madrid, Spain

The Templo de Debod  or the Temple of Debod during my sightseeing last March 2012.

The temple was rebuilt in one of Madrid's parks, the Parque del Oeste, near the Royal Palace of Madrid, and opened to the public in 1972.

In 1960, due to the construction of the Great Dam of Aswan and the consequent threat posed to several monuments and archeological sites, UNESCO made an international call to save this rich historical legacy. As a sign of gratitude for the help provided by Spain in saving the temples of Abu Simbel, the Egyptian state donated the temple of Debod to Spain in 1968.

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St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest, Hungary

It was already my second visit to Budapest, the capital city of Hungary. The first time I visit this city was in summer 2011. During my second visit lately, I was with friends who are touring Europe. It was a lot of fun and I believed a very memorable trip for all of us.

One of the sights we visited was St. Stephen's Basilica.It is a Roman Catholic basilica in honour of Stephen, the first King of Hungary (c 975–1038), whose mummified fist is housed in the reliquary.

St. Stephen's Basilica is one of the most important tourist spots in Hungary. It is also the third highest building in Hungary.

After taking some photos of this  building, we proceeded our walk to Buda castle.

 The rear view of the Basilica taken during our trip last June 3, 2012.

St. Stephen's Basilica has a width of 55 metres (180 ft), and length of 87.4 metres (287 ft). It was completed in 1905 after 54 years of construction, according to the plans of Miklós Ybl, and was completed by József Kauser.

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My Adventure in Guadalaja, Spain

I decided to travel alone to Guadalajara, not in Mexico but in Spain.  Now I forgot if I took the train from Atocha train station or Chamartin  in Madrid.   Opps, I got it. I did took the Cercania train from Chamartin train station in Madrid going to Guadalajara. Depending on the time you are leaving from the station, usually it will only take up to 40 minutes going to this city.

It was quite an adventure for me when I visited this city in the region of Castile-La Mancha in Spain. It was my first time to visit there and I don't even know anyone. When the train arrived at the station in Guadalajara, I just followed the exit and tried to find the bus going to the city. I don't really know what bus should I take. Thanks to this friendly Spanish lady who told me what bus  should I take. I am lucky because she speaks English. My travel Angel truly helped me during my adventure to this city.

Without further adieu, I strolled around Guadalajara city  and found the sights that I wanted to see.

Ayuntamiento (city hall) of Guadalajara during my visit last March 2012.

San Nicolás El Real Church in Guadalajara, Spain.

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The European Parliament Building in Brussels, Belgium

It has been almost two years now since we visited Brussels, the capital city of Belgium. That time my friend from the U.S. spent her  first vacation in Europe. One of the cities we visited was Brussels.

From this city, one of the sights we visited was the European Parliament building. This is not actually the seat of the European Union but a legislative chamber. EU's official home is actually in Strasbourg, France, where I also visited last December 2010.

It is estimated that around 15,000 people visit the complex everyday. I believed I am lucky to pay  a visit there last  summer 2010. Our self-guided tour did not really last long because we only have a day-sightseeing in this city and yes, there are a lot to see and to experience  in Belgium's lovely capital.

This was taken during my visit with friend last August 2010.

One of the many buildings of the European Parliament  in Brussels, Belgium. We had a short tour around the  complex.

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Barajas International Airport, Madrid

I still did not want to say goodbye to Spain  last March 31, 2012  but I have  too. Some friends accompanied me to Barajas International Airport, Madrid. I am truly thankful for their help and thoughtfulness.  In fact, I  had a great time with them  during my three weeks stay in Madrid. Even I had a long stay in Spain's capital city but I forgot to look for incredisocks. I have been to many stores there  but the power of forgetfulness  to find this stuff  always  attacked me.

While sitting down at the waiting area for  my final boarding, I had a conversation  with these German couple. They said that they had a vacation in Morocco that time and had their connecting flight in Barajas.  Since I already heard them talking German, I was also conversing with them in German. They  couple said that I can talk perfect German. Not really, but I would say I can already  talk  basic  German and of course understand and read as well . I still have difficulty with German grammar sometimes. What is important, I can already communicate in this language.  The couple were really friendly. I am always happy when I met good people everytime I travel. I met as well good friends during my three weeks stay in Madrid.

If you happen  to visit Madrid  and did  not fly there,  I suggest you  visit Barajas  International Airport. Its architecture is worth to see. It is so far the biggest and busiest airport in Spain.

Barajas Terminal 4  when I  departed Madrid last March 31, 2012. This was actually my second arrival and departure in this airport. Madrid has a lot of travel memories that are still haunting me..lol!

my flight number last march 31, 2012.

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Galerie de la Reine Koninginne in Brussels, Belgium

I am trying to think what to share here today. I just browsed and browsed my photo albums in my external hard drive and found this interesting building in Brussels, Belgium. You can see the name of this building because I also took an image of it. This is the Galerie de la Reine Koninginne, also known in French as The Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert and in Dutch, it is called Koninklijke Sint-Hubertusgalerijen.

We just happened to pass-by here while looking for the travel agency where we booked our bus tour to Amsterdam, Netherlands. This building is actually a glazed shopping arcade in Brussels. I guess the shops were still not open during the time we were there. It was still so early for such shopping arcade to open at 7:00 a.m.

I guess I have to stop now because the tour guide for our bus trip to Amsterdam is already coming. Just kidding folks. We really don't have have the chance to explore the interior of this building. I would love to do it in my next visit there.

Goodnight folks and I am hoping for more travels this year. In God's will!

The Royal Galeries of Saint-Hubert during our visit last August 2010.

The gallery consists of two major sections, each more than 100 meters in length (respectively called Galerie du Roi / Koningsgalerij, meaning King's Gallery, and Galerie de la Reine / Koninginnegalerij, meaning Queen's Gallery), and a smaller side gallery (Galerie des Princes / Prinsengalerij, meaning Gallery of the Princes). The main sections (King and Queen's Gallery) are separated by a colonnade at the point where the Rue des Bouchers / Beenhouwersstraat crosses the gallery complex. wikipedia.

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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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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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My Europe Travel in Madrid, Spain

This is one of the most beautiful and liveliest city in Europe and also in the whole world. Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is also the third largest city in Europe after London and Berlin. It is famous for its great cultural and artistic heritage in which the El Prado museum is a very good example.

There are just a lot of things to see and experience in this city. A day of visit in this lovely city is not enough to see everything. At least I had the chance to visit it once in my lifetime and one of these days, I will surely come back there again.

Some of the sights we saw during our trip last December 2011 were the Royal Palace, Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel, Catedral de la Almudena,Plaza de Cibeles, Puerta de Alcala and many more.

the Plaza Mayor in Madrid Spain taken last December 10, 2011.

the famous Almudena Cathedral, Catedral de la Almudena, located just in front of the Royal palace of Madrid.

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The Town Hall of Birmingham, England

Thanks to the invention of digital camera where we can always easily retrieve and share photos online. I am also happy to share some travel photos with you through this blog. It been over three years now since I visited England. One of the cities where my friend showed me was Birmingham. This city is considered to the populous city in England.

What I have below is an image of Birmingham Town Hall. You might be wondering why it is lighted. It is because Christmas is almost approaching during my visit there last 2008. In fact they also a Christmas market located very near to this building.

The Town Hall is located near Victoria Square. Aside from being use as a concert hall, it is also now used as the venue for Graduation Ceremonies of Aston University every year.

The lighted Birmingham Town Hall during our visit last November 2008. You can see the embedded date in my image here.

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Walking on the Narrow Alleys of Toledo, Spain

I remember some words from an acquaintance I met in Las Vegas during my visit last 2008. He said that there are a lot of narrow streets in Europe. That is very true but we have to understand that there are a lot of historical places in Europe and these narrow streets and alleys especially in the old city centers were already made during the medieval period or even older times.

This is also true in Toledo, Spain. In its historical city center you can find labyrinths of narrow alleys. I find it very interesting as we walked on those alleys during our sightseeing tour. Toledo is a very nice place especially its old city center. Its setting on a mountaintop surrounded on three sides by a bend in the Tagus River made it very romantic. I thought I can only see it on books or in the internet but I was really there. That trip in Toledo was really a memorable one for me.

Don't miss to visit its famous sights such as the Cathedral of Toledo, the Alcazar and the Zocodover. You have to know that the Historic City of Toledo belongs to the list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

an alley near the Zocodover, a central market place in Toledo. This was taken during our trip last December 2011.

another alley in its historic center. This is one of the alleys we walked through during our sightseeing tour. I love Toledo!

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Remembering Alhambra in Granada, Spain

I was trying to select randomly the pictures to be posted here. And yes, I was able to browse the files from my recent Spain trip last December 2011. I am trying to remember Alhambra again. Now I understand how did Washington Irving felt as he left Alhambra....a melancholic goodbye as he was leaving this place. I just received yesterday the book that I I ordered online. It was written by Washington Irving. It is entitled "Tales of the Alhambra". According to our knowledgeable tour guide named Lothar, Alhambra had inspired Irving to write this book. Irving actually lived in the palace while writing the book and was instrumental in reintroducing the site to Western audiences. This is a collection of essays, verbal sketches, and stories. I just started reading some pages and it was truly very interesting.

I also felt a bit melancholic after leaving Spain after our 8-days trip from Dec. 5-12, 2011. My heart was captured by the beauty of this country. I am just thankful that once in my life I was there and I hope to come back and visit other places in Spain.

The Alhambra (literally means "the red one") is a palace and fortress complex located in the Granada, Andalusia, Spain. It was constructed during the mid 14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada in al-Andalus, occupying the top of the hill of the Assabica on the southeastern border of the city of Granada.

The Court of la Acequia.

Fountains and flowing water are a common feature around the Alhambra, they are particularly prevalent in the Palacio de Generalife.

taken during our tour in Alhambra last Dec. 8, 2011.

The Palacio de Generalife ( literally, "Architect's Garden") was the summer palace and country estate of the Nasrid Emirs (Kings) of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus, now beside the city of Granada in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Sights Not to Miss When Visiting Rome, Italy

There are a lot to see in this capital city of Italy. Rome known as "Eternal City", is the largest city in Italy. It is the famed city of the Roman Empire. It has been the centre of one of the globe's greatest civilizations ever. It has been the millenium-long centre of power, culture and religion that influence the world with its around 2,500 years of existence.

Rome has been one of the most visited cities in Europe. It has two international airports, the Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino International Airport and the Ciampino International Airport. The first one is the modern and large main airport of Rome and is well connected to the center of the city by public transportation. The latter is the city's low-cost airline airport usually serving discount airlines in Europe. This is one advantage if you are from Europe because you can always find cheap flights from any European cities to Rome.

There are a lot of sights to see in Rome. Here are a few ones which should be included in your list.

Vatican City

I guess I don't need to elaborate too much about Vatican City. My sister once asked me , if she has the chance to visit Rome, she wants to see and hear the mass presided by the Pope in St. Peter's Basilica. Sad to say, I was not able to hear the mass there and did not have the chance to see the Pope. Maybe in my next visit.

This is the so-called city within the city and known as the world's smallest state. The State of the City of Vatican is located within the city of Rome. The St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Gardens, St. Peter's Piazza, Vatican Museum, are among the main sites you need to see and experience in this city. We don't have a lot of time going to Castel Sant'Angelo which is very near this area.

Don't miss to climb up to the cupola of St. Peter's.. From there , you can have a good view of the city.

the obelisk in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. One of my travel wishlist was fulfilled after our visit there last August 2010.

The Colosseum

This is also one of the must-see in ancient Rome which is considered to be the most famous of the Roman landmarks . It is also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre which can hold up to 50,000 spectators during those times. Gladiatorial combats and animal fights were ones held in this amphitheatre.

There is entrance when going inside the Colosseo.

I am happy to be there once in my life. I would love to visit this sight again in the future.

The Colosseum when completed measured 48 m high, 188 m in length, and 156 m in width. The wooden arena floor was 86 m by 54 m, and covered by sand.

The Roman Forum

This is one of the reasons why I still want to go back to Rome. Me and my friend Nonna were not able to go inside the Roman Forum, its name in Italian because of limited time. We only had a glance of it from outside.

The Foro Romano, as it is called in Italian, with its hallowed ruins were the most powerful seat of government in the world. It is normally a very interesting historical site. It is also not so crowded than the Colosseum. It is the best way of imagining the splendour and glory of ancient Rome.

The Trevi Fountain

This is considered to be one of the most fountains in the world. The Trevi fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome. It is located near the Spanish Steps, also a famous sight in this city.

During my visit last year, me and my friend threw coins in the fountain. I only threw a euro coin believing that I will be able to visit Rome again in the future. At that time I still did not know about the legend of the "three coins". A current interpretation is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce. Another reported version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain.

The famous and beautiful Trevi fountain during our visit last August 2010.

The Pantheon

This was once a temple of the gods. Now it is a Catholic Church in Rome. Almost two thousand years after it was built, the Pantheon's dome is still the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.

The Pantheon was under repair during our visit last summer 2010.

The building is circular with a portico of three ranks of huge granite Corinthian columns (eight in the first rank and two groups of four behind) under a pediment. A rectangular vestibule links the porch to the rotunda, which is under a coffered, concrete dome, with a central opening (oculus) to the sky.

There are still a myriad of sights to see in Rome. The ones I shared here are just a few among the most interesting ones.

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Autumn in Buckingham Palace, London, England

It's almost three years now since my three weeks trip in England. One of the sights that my friend showed me is Buckingham Palace. At this time, the palace is closed to public visitors. Another friend also mentioned that it is good to visit Buckingham Palace in August because you can go inside it.

Buckingham Palace is located in the city of Westminster and the London home and primary residence of the British monarch.

taken during our visit last October 29, 2008.

Originally known as Buckingham House, the building which forms the core of today's palace was a large townhouse built for the Duke of Buckingham in 1705 on a site which had been in private ownership for at least 150 years. It was subsequently acquired by George III in 1761 as a private residence for Queen Charlotte, and known as "The Queen's House". During the 19th century it was enlarged, principally by architects John Nash and Edward Blore, forming three wings around a central courtyard. Buckingham Palace finally became the official royal palace of the British monarch on the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837.

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