Passing By in Dürnstein During A Cruise in Danube River

Danube River, called in German as Donau Fluss is the second longest river  in Europe after  Volga. I already  experienced a lot of short cruises on this  river. One of the it was the cruise we had in Austria which started in Spitz. One of the towns we passed-by was Dürnstein.  This beautiful town is located in the Krems-Land district in the state of Lower Austria. It is considered to be one of the most visited town in the region of Wachau.

The town has a medieval castle  on the top of a hill. Dürnstein is a historical town which was first mentioned in 1192.

I took some snapshots during our cruise in this area last summer 2011. It was a wonderful one seeing the nature  that surrounds Danube.

View of the town from the Danube, with the castle seen on top of the hill.

The tower of a Church in Dürnstein. We really  did not had enough time to go inside because we just passed by in this area.

Some people went out from the boat to have some sightseeing. Our group  stayed.

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Euro Travel in Vernazza, Italy

I was asked many times by friends who went with me  during our spring trip to Italy,  if there will be a trip like what we had there  last year. One of the places we visited was Vernazza in Italy. First time to hear about this place? It is actually one of the 5 villages of Cinque Terre. It is the fourth town heading north...It has no car  traffic and you can go there with a train or by foot.

Vernazza is located in the province of La Spezia in Liguria, Italy. It is a famous fishing village.

With regards to my first sentence here, I told my friends that I will let them know once  I can find the same trip like what we had last year. I also want to experience the same trip again.

I took some images from  Vernazza as  proofs that I was there. Here they are!

It is very interesting to know that some house owners made their home a store. That is quite a good idea.

The Cinque Terre  signed in Vernazza, Italy.

This little village along with the other 4 Cinque Terre villages are very famous for tourists and visitors. The windows of the houses where they  hang and dry their clothes looks interesting.

All these images was taken during our visit last April 2011.

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The Würzburg Residence

So far, this is one of the most beautiful palaces I visited in Germany. The Residence in Wüzburg is truly a work of art. I have been there for a lot of times but it was only during my recent visit last  July 2, 2012 when I had the chance to go inside the palace. Sad to say, taking photographs  is not allowed inside the building.


Interiors include the grand staircase, the chapel, and the grand salon. The building was dubbed the "nicest parsonage in Europe" by Napoleon. It was heavily damaged during World War II, and restoration has been in progress since 1945.

I was actually touring  relatives of  friends who came to visit Europe for some days.  One of the cities I showed them was Würzburg. It was so far a  wonderful time I had with them.

Here are some of  the snaphots I took during our recent visit last week.

Garden façade of the Residenz. This looks more beautiful when all the roses in the  garden are blooming.

Court  of the Residenz in Würzburg, Germany.

 

The front  of the Residenz and the Cour d'Honneur

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Watching The Sunset in Sarimrakli, Turkey

It was a nice afternoon as arrived in our hotel in Sarimsakli, Turkey. The weather was friendly with a temperature of around 27 degrees Celsius. We stayed in Berk hotel and resorts which is some meters away from the beach. We took the chance to go a bit walking on the beach while watching the beauty of the sunset. It was so far a wonderful afternoon.

The sun setting in Sarimsakli. The beach in Sarimsakli, Turkey.

The beach in Sarimsakli, Turkey while watching the beauty of nature, the sunset.

Sarimsakli is a town in the Ayvalik District of Balikesir Province in Western Turkey, Turkey. The town's name means "land of garlic" in reference to the region's considerable production of the Alliaceae plant.

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The South Gate of the Agora in Ephesus, Turkey

If you are planning to visit Turkey, you might want to include the ancient Greek city of Ephesus in your itinerary. This is one of the very interesting and historical sights in Turkey. The ruins of Ephesus are a favorite international and local tourist attraction. I had never seen such ruins as big as Ephesus.

One of the impressing historical sights there is the south gate of the Agora which is also known as the gate of Mazeus and Mythridates. They were the ones who erected this gate for their emperor, Augustus, who gave them their freedom. It is located near the Library of Celsus.

Today's archaeological site lies 3 kilometers southwest of the town of Selçuk, in the Selçuk district of İzmir Province, Turkey.

taken during our 10-days vacation in Turkey last September 2011.

At the right side of this gate, you can find the information that says below,

"The richly ornamented gate was financed by the imperial freedmen Mazaeus and Mithridates in 2 B.C. The refined articulation of the southern facade with alternating projecting and re-entrant elements, as well as the use of arches and beams, was repeated in the original side wings of the building. Statues of the imperial family stood on the inscribed attic zone. The unadorned northern side was connected to the Agora Hall. The re-erection of the gate (1982-1988) was made possible by Anton Kallinger-Prskawetz."

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Visit to Strasbourg, France

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

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

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

Etymology of Strasbourg:

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

the famous Gothic Cathedral in Strasbourg.

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

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

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Overnight in Hilton Zurich

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

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

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

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

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

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View of Budapest from the Citadel

Citadel is a fortress located on the top of the strategic Gellért Hill in Budapest, Hungary. From there you can see a very good panoramic view of the whole city of Budapest, its eight bridges and the famous Danube river.

taken during our visit last August 2011.

The fortress was built in 1851 by Julius Jacob von Haynau, a commander of the Habsburg Monarchy, and designed by Emánuel Zita and Ferenc Kasselik, after the Hungarian Revolution of 1848. It occupies almost the entire 235 metres high plateau. The fortress is a U-shaped structure built about a central courtyard, being 220 metres long, 60 metres wide, and 4 metres tall. It had a complement of sixty cannons.

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The Parliament Building in Budapest, Hungary

Let's go travel again some cities in Europe again. This time I am sharing a bit about Budapest. And yes, I am happy to see Budapest last weekend. It is the capital of Hungary and considered to be one of Europe's most delightful and enjoyable cities.



The snapshot you see below is the Parliament Building in Budapest, also known as The Hungarian Parliament Building. It is called in Hungarian as Országház which literally means "country house". It is currently the largest building in Hungary. It is the seat of the National Assembly of Hungary and one of Europe's oldest legislative buildings. It is a popular tourist destination of Budapest being a notable landmark of Hungary.

This image was taken as we were in Castle Hill, located just across the building.

The Castle Hill - District I of Buda, the oldest part of the city containing the eponymous Castle and many of Budapest's best-known attractions (Fishermen’s Bastion, Labyrinth and Mathias Church).

The Parliament Building (Országház) is a neogothic jewel, beautifully situated overlooking the Danube. One day visit in Budapest is not enough to see everything. I wish to visit this city again to go inside the Parliament building.

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Foro di Traiano, Trajan's Forum in Rome, Italy

I want to go back to Rome again! I will do that by simply looking at the images I took during my visit last August 2010. That to the help of digital camera and photography where we can always travel back in time.



I believed I have not shared yet about Forum Traiani (Latin name), called in English as Trajan's Forum or Foro di Traiano in Italian. This ancient structure in Rome, Italy was said to be constructed by the architect Apollodorus of Damascus.



It is quite interesting seeing these historical remains in Rome. No wonder, it is called "The Grandeur of Rome". What a truly amazing city!





The Basilica Ulpia lies at the north end of the piazza, which was cobbled with rectangular blocks of white marble and decorated by a large equestrian statue of Trajan. You can also see the Trajan's Column on the left side of the image here.

historical ruins of the Trajan's Forum in Rome, Italy. taken during my visit with a friend named Nonna last August 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.

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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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Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, Germany

If you want to watch the annual International Film Festival in Berlin, also known as Berlinale, the nearest train station to go is the Potsdamer Platz. Also known as Potsdam Square, this is one of the most important public square in Berlin. The building of the Sony Center is also located near this square.

I remember waiting for a friend here. He and her wife picked me up in one of the intersections in this square. After that, we spend the night in a coffee shop chatting with each other. It was quite a good evening!

The traffic light tower with watch in the background. taken during my visit last February 2011.

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The Albertina Museum in Vienna, Austria

When I visited Brussels in August 2010, we happened to pass-by a large building with a sign Albertina. I remembered that time that I also happened to see Albertina in Vienna, Austria. In fact, I have an image below where my friend took a pose of me with Albertina on my background.

Don't you know that Albertina is a museum that houses one of the largest and most important print rooms in the world with approximately 65,000 drawings and approximately 1 million old master prints, as well as more modern graphic works, photographs and architectural drawings. Thanks to wikipedia for this information.

The next time, I visit Vienna, I surely want to go inside of this museum.

Its me striking a pose with Albertina museum on my background.

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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.

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My Euro Travel in Amsterdam, Netherlands

I am only sharing some travel snapshots from Amsterdam, Netherlands. I already shared some before, if not here, for sure in my other sites.

one of the narrow streets in Amsterdam city. I am not sure now if I took this image in the red light district of Amsterdam.

The Dam is a town square in Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands. Its notable buildings and frequent events make it one of the most well-known and important locations in the city.

that blue colored house is one of the boat houses in Amsterdam. I took this image during our cruise on its canals.

Amsterdam is part of the province of North-Holland and is located in the west of the Netherlands next to the provinces of Utrecht and Flevoland. The river Amstel terminates in the city centre and connects to a large number of canals that eventually terminate in the IJ. Amsterdam is situated 2 metres above sea level.

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Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Italy

This is one of the favorite squares I love in Rome, Italy. Piazza del Popolo commonly known in English as People's Square is one of the largest square in Rome. Historically, it derives from the poplars (populus in Latin, pioppo in Italian) after which the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, in the northeast corner of the piazza, takes its name.

I did remember we had a dinner in one of the cafe restaurants in this square. I ordered a coke that time. After around 15 minutes, the coke still did not arrived. I was done eating and felt very thirsty already. I was quite disappointed with the customer service of that restaurant besides being unfriendly.

I hope to find an image of that restaurant and want to share it here.

the monument from afar are the steps lead from the Piazza del Popolo to the Pincio to the east.

An Egyptian obelisk of Ramesses II from Heliopolis stands in the centre of the Piazza.

The Piazza lies inside the northern gate in the Aurelian Walls, once the Porta Flaminia of ancient Rome, and now called Porta del Popolo. This was the starting point of the Via Flaminia, the road to Ariminum (modern Rimini) and the most important route to the north. At the same time, before the age of railroads, it was the traveller's first view of Rome upon arrival. For centuries, the Piazza del Popolo was a place for public executions, the last of which took place in 1826. wikipedia

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Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate, Germany

It is almost midnight again. I have to slowly sign-off now because I have to wake-up early tomorrow. We will be driving to Neumarkt to to pick-up important papers. After that, we will probably go shopping for winter shoes and kitchen faucet. There is also a Weinachsmarkt or Christmas market being held at the moment in this city. Going around the kiosks and stalls that sells different products might be worth seeing. I was there with some friends last Saturday but we did not stayed so long. I hopoe this time, we have more time for shopping.

The image here is the so-called Rathaus or City Hall of Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany. Goodnight folks!

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Remembering Panglao Island Trip

I guess this is a special post for tonight. I just remember that it is almost a year now since I had my last vacation in my home country. One of the places we visited was Panglao Island in the Philippines. I love the cabin furniture in Panglao Beach Resort and yes, the beaches here are also amazing. The water is crystal clear and the sands are so fine. It is one of the beautiful beaches I had visited in the Philippines.

It was already my second visit here and if given the chance in the future, I will still come back here. Here is one of the native but lovely kiosks in this beach resort. I simply love this place.!
the beautiful white beach in Panglao Island, Philippines. This was taken during our visit last February 2010. I had an almost three months vacation in my home country and it was so far the longest vacation I ever spent there.

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The Trevi Fountain in Rome, Italy

Let's go travel in Europe again! How would you love to visit Rome and see one of the famous fountains in the world? The Trevi Fountain, called in Italian as Fontana de Trevi was created by Bernini in 1641 and was continued by architect Salvi in 1735 under Pope Clement XII.

There is a legend about this fountain that says, whoever drinks its water or throws a coin in it will surely return to Rome. That is also the reason why I threw a coin during our visit last August 11-14, 2010. The Trevi Fountain is also known for its excellent water. It is also the largest baroque fountain in Rome.

Here are some images I took during our visit last August 2010.

a detail of the Fountain.

The Trevi Fountain is said to measure 25.9 meters (85 feet) high and 19.8 meters (65 feet) wide.

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Sightseeing in Dinant, Belgium

Dinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.

Origins to the 10th century

The Dinant area was already populated in Neolithic, Celtic, and Roman times. The first mention of Dinant as a settlement dates from the 7th century, a time at which Saint Perpete, bishop of Tongeren (with see now at Maastricht), took Dinant as his residence and founded the church of Saint Vincent. In 870, Charles the Bald gave part of Dinant to be administered by the Count of Namur, the other part by the bishop of Tongeren, then Liège.

In the 11th century, the emperor Henry IV granted several rights over Dinant to the Prince-Bishop of Liège, including market and justice rights. From that time on, the city became one of the 23 ‘‘bonnes villes’’ (or principal cities) of the Bishopric of Liège. The first stone bridge on the Meuse and major repair to the castle, which had been built earlier, also date from the end of the 11th century. Throughout this period, and until the end of the 18th century, Dinant shared its history with its overlord Liège, sometimes rising in revolt against it, sometimes partaking in its victories and defeats, mostly against the neighbouring County of Namur.
more here

The Walls of the citadel in Dinant, Belgium. You can see the tower of Notre Dame Cathedral below and also the city of Dinant.

This was taken during our bus trip to Luxembourg last August 2010. We spent around two hours for sightseeing here.

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