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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The Best of Budapest

There are a lot of beautiful and interesting cities to visit in Europe. Each city is unique in its own way.  Budapest itself has its own uniqueness. It can offer a lot of things to every guest and tourist. Besides this city is not so expensive compared to Paris, London or Zurich.

There are a lot of means to get in to Budapest. You can find cheap international flights to this city especially if you book it ahead of time. It is also reachable by train, buses or by boat depending on your point of departure.

Don't miss these famous attractions and sights when visiting Budapest, Hungary.

Buda Castle is considered to be one of the tops sights in Hungary's capital. It is located on the Pest side of Budapest. From there you can have an amazing view of the city. Take a walk in the castle district and be sure to visit the Matthias Church, the Fishermen's Bastion and the Holy Trinity Square.

The Parliament Building from the Fishermen's Bastion.

The Parliament is another interesting structure of the city. It is the most grandiose building on the Pest embankment. It is the second largest parliament building in Europe after the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania.

The only way to go inside the Parliament is through guided tours which is said to be free for inhabitants of European Union.

St. Stephen's Cathedral is the tallest building in Budapest. It has the same height as the Parliament building. The mummified right hand of the founding king of Hungary, Saint Stephen since the 11th century is found inside this Basilica.

The Heroes' Square, called as Hosok tere in Hungarian is also worth to visit. You can find the Millennium Monument in this famous square of Budapest.

The Heroes' Square during my second visit last June 4-5, 2012.

The Citadel on the Gellert Hill and the Statue of Liberty are worth a short hike. You can also take the bus no. 27 to go there.

Other top sights in the city are the City Park, Danube Promenade, Margaret Island and a walk to the Andrassy Avenue are all worth to experience.

If you are coming from France, Germany, Switzerland and Great Britain, cheap carriers like Easyjet, Ryanair and German Wings are servicing flights to Budapest.

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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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Canal Cruise in Amsterdam

It was not really a bad idea cruising on the Canals of Amsterdam. This is one of the best way to see the largest and capital city of Netherlands. That is also the reason why we did it and it was truly great. We also had fun.

Due to its more than one hundred kilometers of canals, about 90 islands and 1,500 bridges, Amsterdam has been called the "Venice of the North". I can see the similarity of Amsterdam and Venice because I was also in Venice thrice.

 A boat  cruising the canals of Amsterdam. I took this image during our cruise there last August 2010.

boats on the side of the canals.

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. The 17th-century canal ring area, including the Prinsengracht, Keizersgracht, Herengracht and Jordaan, were placed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2010.

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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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Top Cities To Visit in YOur 2012 Travel To Europe

Planning to take a 2012 holiday in Europe? Why not? There are a lot of beautiful cities to visit in this continent. Here are some interesting cities I would like to recommend in Europe.

LONDON- This year is the perfect time to visit London. The capital and largest city of England and United Kingdom will be hosting the Summer Olympic Games of 2012 which will be officially held on July 27 to August 12. Not only that, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebration will also be held in London in June 2012.

The London Eye during my visit last November 2008.

London has everything to offer to all tourists and visitors from great landmark and sights to shopping, dining, culture and more. This city is truly one of the best travel destinations in Europe.

PARIS- Visiting the so-called "Capital of Fashion" and the "City of Lights" will be a great experience for everyone. France's capital city has numerous iconic landmarks to see and to experience. Don't miss to visit its famous sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum and many more.

These are only some of the reasons why Paris has been a magnet and became one of the most popular cities to visit not only in Europe but in the whole world as well.

Seine River in Paris and the famous Eiffel Tower during my second visit last August 2010.

MADRID- I love this city and I had some wonderful experiences during my recent visit there. Spain's capital has the liveliest nightlife in the world. Madrid is also best known for its great cultural and artistic heritage.

The beautiful El Retiro Park in Madrid. I was there last March 2012.

Don't miss to visit Plaza Mayor, Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Villa, Palacio Real, Plaza de España, Plaza de Cibeles, Plaza de Castilla and other interesting sights in this city. If you have more time, go for a walk in its beautiful El Retiro Park.

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Trip To Budapest-Sights Not To Miss

I am reminded about Budapest because I saw a 4-day trip going there for 249.00 Euros. This is quite a good deal because you will be flying in one of those international flights from Germany to Hungary's capital. Included in the trip are also a 3-star hotel accommodation with breakfast for three nights and a sightseeing tour in the city. I really find this trip very cheap but this is not my priority now because I had been to Budapest last summer 2011. I still want to visit this city in the future and would like to stay longer to experience more of its sights. I might probably be flying there with one of the discount airlines from Germany like Easyjet, Ryanair or Germanwings.

Panoramic view of Budapest from the Citadel. You can see the Chain bridge that crosses Danube River and the Parliament building on this photo.

If you are planning to visit Hungary's capital city, these are some of the sights not to miss when you are there.

The Castle Hill and the Castle District- This area is a must when you are in Budapest. The main sights you can see there are the Royal Palace (the main attraction in the castle hill), the Fisherman's Bastion (to have an impressive views across the Danube to Pest), the Matthias Church and the National Gallery. There are still other museums to see there. Among the few are The Historical Museum of Budapest, Marzipan Museum, The Music Museum and some other more.

The Matthias Church on the Castle Hill.

The Parliament Building- This is considered to be one of the most popular tourist destination not only in Budapest but in whole of Hungary as well. It is a notable landmark of Hungary and one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings. Its construction was started in 1885 and it has a Gothic revival style. One of the famous parts of the building is the hexadecagonal
( means sixteen-sided) central hall.

You can have a nice view of the whole Hungarian Parliament Building when you are on the Castle Hill especially on the Fisherman's Bastion.

St. Stephen's Basilica- I did not have the chance to go inside the Basilica because our bus did not find a parking lot nearby. I just saw it from outside. St. Stephen's Basilica is a Roman Catholic Church which was named after Stephen, the first king of Hungary. It is one of the two tallest buildings in Budapest equal with the Parliament Building with 96 meters height. The architectural style is Neo-Classical.

The Heroes´ Square- I also love this part of Budapest. It is one of the major squares in this city. The Millennium Memorial, its iconic statue complex was completed in 1900, the same year where the square was also named. Hosok tere, its Hungarian name, is surrounded by two important buildings, Museum of Fine Arts on the left and Hall of Art on the right.

The Millennium Memorial in the Heroes' Square during our trip last August 2011.

I was so happy after having some personal snapshots from this square. This is one of the sights where we stayed for around thirty minutes because our tour guide was explaining about it.

Like other capital cities in Europe, there are still a lot of sights to see and to experience in Budapest. If you have more time when visiting this city, you can also see and experience more its sights, its people and its culture.

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Top Europe Summer Destinations

I was talking with some friends this week about travelling in Europe. Some are asking me what top cities I can recommend to visit here this coming summer season. I told them that there are a lot of wonderful places and cities to visit and to explore in this continent. One friend was even asking me to help them find some cheap flights to any Europe destination because some of her friends from the United States will be visiting her from May to June this year. I gave her some links of the airlines where I usually book my flights when I go travelling in Europe.

For those who have not decided yet which cities to visit, here are some that I can recommend to you.

Paris- This is only one thing I can say to you. If you are spending a holiday in Europe, put Paris in your number one list. Don't you know that Paris is the number one tourist destination in the world with over 45 millions of visitors every year? Feel free to include yourself in one of these millions.

Never miss to visit the most famous landmarks of Paris such as the Eiffel Tower, Arch of Triumph, Notre Dame Cathedral, Louvre Museum,Moulin Rouge and many more. These are only some of the most iconic landmarks that made Paris always the top must-see city in Europe and in the world world.

The Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and the Seine River. I was happy to visit Paris for the second time last summer 2010.

Paris being the "Capital of Fashion" is the favourite shopping destination of many. It is home to the world's finest and most luxurious fashion designers and cosmetics. To name a few are Yves Saint-Laurent, Guerlain, Lancôme, L'Oréal, Clarins, Chanel, Christian Dior, etc. If you love shopping, Paris is the perfect place for you to go!

Madrid- I don't know why I fall in love with this city. I just admired its own charm and beauty. This is also the reason why I am visiting it again this month. This time I will be staying in Spain's capital for 6 long weeks. For sure I can explore more of the city and its surrounding towns and cities.

I had the chance to visit Madrid last December 2011. We only had a day-sightseeing there. Although we saw and experienced a lot, I still feel that some things are missing. I want to go inside its the famous Prado Museum and the Reina Sofía National Museum and Art Center. I want to lit a candle in Catedral de la Almudena, explore Palacio Real and its gardens, I want to take pictures of Plaza de Cibeles during the night and many more.

The Plaza Mayor in Madrid, Spain during our visit last December 2011.

Don't miss to go to Puerta del Sol, Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel, Plaza de la Villa, Plaza de España because you will see and experience a lot in these areas. The El Retiro Park, Parque del Capricho, Templo de Debod, La Casa de Campo, Royal Botanical Garden are only of the most beautiful parks to visit in Madrid.

London- Some friends are asking me if I can help them find cheap flights to London especially this coming 2012 Olympic Games which will be held in this city. I told them that they should book it earlier to have it cheaper. Due to this event, London will be flocked with visitors and tourists worldwide and most had already their trips booked a year ago. If you are lucky enough, you might still be able to find cheap flights and accommodation to London or nearby places during this time.

The London Eye, Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Westminster Abbey, the Palace of Westminster, Piccadilly Circus and St Paul's Cathedral are only some of the famous sights not to miss when visiting the capital city of both England and United Kingdom.

the famous neon signage at The Piccadilly Circus in London. I love this place, taken last October 2008.

Rome- The so-called "Eternal City" is also very worthy to visit. I find all the historical architectures in this city very amazing! Rome is one of Europe's most visited city. It is also one of the most influential and beautiful capitals of this continent.

St. Peter's Square and the St. Peter's Basilica with its dome on the left side. I was there last August 2010.

Among its famous sights are the Vatican City with its famous St. Peter's Basilica at St. Peter's Square, The Colosseum, the Castel Sant'Angelo, the Trevi Fountain, Monument to Vittorio Emanuele II, the Spanish Steps, Piazza della Republica, Piazza Navona and many many more.

Other cities worth to experience when you are in Europe are Brussels, Prague, Budapest, Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Barcelona, Zurich, Venice, Milan and many others.

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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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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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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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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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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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The Heroes' Square in Budapest, Hungary

I remembered one of the tourists who was with us during our trip to Budapest last August. She said that she was fascinated about this part of Budapest which is the Heroes' Square. Hősök tere, as it is called in Hungarian is one of the major squares of Budapest, Hungary, rich with historic and political connotations. It lies at the end of Andrássy Avenue (with which it comprises part of an extensive World Heritage site), next to City Park.

the Millennium Monument, in front of it is a large stone cenotaph surrounded by an ornamental iron chain.

taken during our visit last August.

Hősök tere is surrounded by two important buildings, Museum of Fine Arts on the left and Palace of Art (or more accurately Hall of Art) on the right. On the other side it faces Andrassy Avenue which has two buildings looking at the square — one is residential and the other one is the embassy of Serbia (former Yugoslavian embassy where Imre Nagy secured sanctuary in 1956).

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The Fisherman's Bastion in Castle Hill in Budapest, Hungary

I am trying to remember again the trip we had in Budapest, Hungary. It was quite a short trip but it is very nice and interesting. One of the sights we visited and experienced is the Castle Hill. It is located in Buda on the western side of the Danube River in Budapest, Hungary. Some hours of stay in this sight is not enough but at least I was there and I truly enjoyed our sightseeing.

The Fisherman's Bastion, called in Hungarian as Halászbástya, is a perfect site to have a good view of the Hungarian Parliament. It is a large white tower and lookout terrace complex you see hanging over the side of Castle Hill beneath the Mátyás Church. It was built between 1890-1905, and is named after both the medieval fishmarket once nearby and the Guild of Fishermen who defended this section of the wall during past wars.

It was hot in Budapest during our visit. Good that there are kiosks that sells ice cream in there. It was perfect during that hot summer season. Below is an image during our visit last August 2011.

The Fisherman's Bastion in Castle Hill in Budapest

The mounted statue between the bastion and the church is King Stephan (Istvan in Hungarian) the first king of Hungary (crowned about 1000.) He was declared a saint for his efforts in bringing Christianity to Hungary. He carries the apostolic cross with two crossbars – a symbol granted him by the Pope.

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The Arch of Constantine in Rome, Italy

It's been almost a year now since my first visit in Rome, Italy. It was one of the most interesting trip I had in Europe. Rome, the capital city of Italy has a lot to offer to its guests and visitors like me. A three-day visit is not enough to see everything there but I am very happy and contented that I was in Rome once in my life.

One of the sights we visited was the Arch of Constantine, known in Italian as Arco di Costantino. Like the Arch of Triumph in Paris, France or the Siegestor in Munich, Germany, the Arch of Constantine is also a triumphal arch in Rome. It is located between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill.

taken last August 2010 during my visit together with Nonna, a friend from the U.S.

It was erected to commemorate Constantine I's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge on October 28, 312. Dedicated in 315, it is the latest of the existing triumphal arches in Rome, from which it differs by spolia, the extensive re-use of parts of earlier buildings.

The arch is 21 m high, 25.9 m wide and 7.4 m deep. It has three archways, the central one being 11.5 m high and 6.5 m wide, the lateral archways 7.4 m by 3.4 m each. The top (called attic) is brickwork reveted with marble. A staircase formed in the thickness of the arch is entered from a door at some height from the ground, in the end towards the Palatine Hill. wikipedia

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Rainy Summer Days in Paris, France

It was summer season last year, when we visited Paris, the capital and largest city in France. My shoes were wet as we walked down to some of the main sights in this global city. Paris known as the "The City of Lights" is truly one of the must to see when visiting Europe.

I was glad again to visit one of the world's leading business and cultural centres. Paris is always an interesting city for me.

The Eiffel Tower, the famous and most iconic symbol of Paris. You see how gray the sky was during our visit last August 2010. My first visit in this city was last March 2009.

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The Colosseum in Rome

Let's go back in time and history by visiting the iconic symbol of Imperial Rome. Colosseum or Coliseum is considered to be one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering. I can't imagine how the workers and builders built this magnificent architecture during those times when there were still no modern tools and machines like what we have now. The Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles during the Roman times. It is considered to be one of the most popular tourists attractions in Rome.

It was truly a wonderful and stunning trip we had in Rome last year especially seeing its historical ruins and architecture.

The Colosseum was built in ca. 70–80 AD. taken during our visit last August 2010.

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The Moldau River in Prague, Czech Republic

This river is called Moldau in German language. It is called Vltava in Czech. It is so far the longest river in Czech Republic. It is 430 km long, running north from its source in Šumava through Český Krumlov, České Budějovice, and Prague (Praha), merging with the Elbe (Labe) at Mělník.

I had a sight to this river during our trip to Prague last September 2008. Just like other major cities in Europe, Prague is also a very interesting city to visit and explore.

taken during our visit last September 2008. I wish to visit Prague again in the future.

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