Going On a Road Trip

 "Sponsored post. All opinions are mine."

Good morning in this part of the globe! Not really a good weather when I woke-up. I   looked outside of the window this morning and looks like it is a gray weather. It is quite stormy outside and the heaven is crying until now. I still wish for a s summer weather but hey, this is nature and we can't do anything about it.

Well, it is a perfect time to slowly pack my luggage and finish some offline and online tasks. I am really very busy the past days and weeks and I will be very happy if I will be hitting the road again. Yes, one more week to go and I am ready for a road trip again. It is less than a month since I came back from vacation in Romania and that was really nice.

One of these days, I will be rolling the road often if I already have the perfect car for a road trip. I am driving a regular car right now which is just perfect for going to work and doing errands like grocery shopping, driving to doctor's appointment, visiting friends and other  personal errands.

The Nyhavn or New Harbour in Copenhagen, Denmark

It was a dream came true when I visited all the Scandinavian capitals last 2013. Thanks to the wonderful cruise trips I experienced last year, it did finally happened seeing those lovely capital cities in Scandinavia. One of the cities we visited was Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark.

One of the sights I experienced there was the  Nyhavn, literally known as New Harbour. I could still remember,  I and my friend had a lunch in one of the restaurants and cafes in this area.

lovely colourful  historic houses in Nyhavn or New Harbour. Taken during our visit in April 2013.

 Nyhavn is literally known as New Harbour.  It is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district in Copenhagen. Here you can find a lot of  brightly coloured 17th and early 18th century townhouses and bars, cafes and restaurants.  The New Harbour  stretches from Kongens Nytorv to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse.

It was spring season when we visited the Copenhagen. The weather was still a bit cold that time but the sun was shining so brightly. You can see it at the image I took from our visit. If you just want to relax while sipping a cup of coffee, Nyhavn is indeed a place  to go. You can sit in one of  its cafes and restaurants and also enjoy the scenery.

The Nyhavn is also  known as "heritage harbour",  where you can find many historical wooden ships at the canal.

Wish to Watch an Opera in Verona

Verona Arena during our visit in July 2011.

I am trying to find some photos in my albums from Verona. I was there in summer 2011 and had the chance to see some of its sights. I traveled with my friends and we also visited other places in Italy that time.

Since our visit was limited that day, we were not able to experience an opera show. The other week, I received a travel catalog that offers trip to Verona. Included in that trip is to watch an opera in Verona Arena. Sad to say, during travel dates, we will also be in other country. If I have extra money, I rather buy an art usb phono plus to listen to songs and maybe some opera music.

I will go back to Italy again  starting next week but Verona is not included in the places to visit. Next time, I hope to watch a live opera in Verona Arena.

Excited for my First Travel this Year in Europe

Hello March! I am finally back here! I am always a busy body and I hope I have more time to give you some updates. I would love too but sometimes, my time would just not allow. The third month of the year 2014 is greeting me with a smile on its face. I am doing the same  inspite not knowing what March would bring for me.

My escapades will actually start soon. The other day, I received my travel confirmation. This is will be my first travel for this year. It was a quite a very cheap trip considering all what is included in this holiday package.  This was booked last year in November. If you book it earlier, you will have a 200 Euros discount. Imagine that! Transportation, accommodation, trips to different places and foods are included in this package. I am indeed a happy traveler when I avail of  cheap trips.

The Zeus Statue in Plaza or Piazza Sangoria in Florence, Italy. I visited this lovely city last year.

Here is the itinerary of this travel;

First Day: Bus trip from Regensburg Germany to Rimini, Italy.

Second Day:  Trip to San Marino and Santaarcangelo di Romagna.

Third Day: Trip to the Lagoon City of  Venice. My fifth visit here but still I haven't have enough of Venice. I simply love this beautiful  city.

Fourth Day: Free or rest day. Planning to go to Ravenna.

Fifth Day: Visit to the historic cities of Assisi and Perugia.

Sixth Day: Trip to the Rennaisance City of Florence. This will be my second visit in this city.

Seventh Day: Free or Rest Day. Planning to Visit Ancona or Bologna.

Eight Day: Back to Germany. Home sweet home!

I am already starting to research especially the famous sights  and  things to do when  visiting these places.  I am happy to travel again this year! Hoping for more travels to come soon!

It was Raining in Paris!

Although I already visited Paris twice, I still want to visit again the so-called "City of Lights".  The other day, I received again travel flyers send every now and then by travel  agencies where I booked my previous trips in many places and countries in Europe. I  saw some quite affordable trips including  Paris. I was saddened because there was a bit  conflict with my  trip to Toskana or Tuscany  in September this year. I hope they will send me again  new flyers  offering more trips  to the French capital.

The Eiffel Tower. It was raining in Paris during my second visit last summer 2010.

My first visit in Paris was last winter 2009. I could still remember the cold month of March when I visited Paris. My friend from Ramstein-Miesenbach  in the  region of in Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany,  invited us to visit there place.   Since she mentioned that there will be a day-trip from Ramstein to Paris during those days, she said that we can also sign-up for the trip. We decided to drive from Bavaria to their area in  Rhineland-Palatinate to visit them and also to go with that day trip to Paris. In  short, it was my first visit in this city , during a cold winter time!

A statue  on the bridge near the Eiffel Tower.

Last  winter  2010, a friend from Des Moine, Iowa, USA told me that she is planning to visit Europe in summer 2010. She asked me if I can travel with her to some cities in Europe. I did not hesitated to say no to her  because that time, I already saved some money for my 2010 summer travels.   I suggested to her the itinerary  for our Europe tour and one of the capital cities we visited was Paris. We also visited that time Rome, Luxembourg, Brussels, Amsterdam, Folmova in Czech Republic and some cities in Germany including Cologne,  Munich, Passau, Nürnberg and more.

a bridge over  the Seine River in Paris.

It was raining during my second visit in Paris.  The plane where we boarded from Rome  landed safely  in Charles de Gaulle International Airport in Paris.  From the aiport, we took the train going to our hotel which is located just near Gare Du Nord, a train station in Paris.

I did not expected  the rainy days  during that  high-summer season in Europe. It was August anyway! 
Now I know that you cannot really trust the weather when visiting any cities in Europe. Always bring with your umbrella and rain coats especially if you check  the weather forecast during your visit to a certain city.

Since it was  already my second visit in  Paris, I already have an idea where to tour my friend. We visited most of the famous sights including Eiffel Tower, Arch of Triumph, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris, Louvre Museum,  Les  Invalides and more.

Even though I already visited Paris twice, there are still many things I wish to do and experience there. I know for sure, I will come back to Paris again in the future. Rain or shine, snow or cold, I will surely go back there!

I am glad that I was able to tour my friend in Europe. We shared many fun and laughters  during our tour last 2010. It was truly memorable!

Visited Three Countries in 5 Days

Hello everyone! Too many  things  in my mind to share but sometimes my busy schedules  both online and offline are just limited! Sometimes facebooking also steals my time..haha! Anyway,  I  am always glad to get  updates from  my family, relatives  and friends worldwide thru facebook. That is fine though!

I am finally back  here! I hope everyone had a  wonderful  celebration  of Easter. I am glad to have a  nice one, spending some time with family and love ones. Even thought  I really miss  home so badly, I am hoping to have a vacation to my home country soon!

So what happened last month?  I can say the month of March was a blast for me. I visited four countries that time including Ireland, Switzerland, Italy and Liechtenstein.

Let me  give you a brief summary of my travels but only to these 3 countries  in 5 days which means I am excluding Ireland and will share a separate post for it.

March 7, 2013, Day 1-   It was a bus trip and the picked-up places was in Regensburg, Germany. From there, we drove to our first stop in Vaduz, Liechtenstein. We had a two hour sightseeing in the capital city of the principality of Liechtenstein.

The Horse Statue in front of Vaduz' City Hall.  You can also see the Castle in Vaduz on top of the hill. © http://myeurotravelandadventures.blogspot.com

March 8, 2013, Day 2-  From our hotel in Baveno, Italy, our next destinations were in Stresa and Lake Orta, visíting  Orta San Giulio. These are small towns in Italy  but  they are also worth to see,  considering its historical significance.

March 9, 2013, Day 3- For me, this is so far  the highlight of  this 5-day trip. We visited Milan, Italy and this was also the reason why I booked this trip, to see and experience  the fashion capital of Italy and maybe of the whole of Europe. That  day trip in Milan was not enough to see everything but I am happy to meet once again my schoolmate whom I did not see for over 20 years.

Piazza Grande in Locarno. It is the heart of the city center and also the major shopping area. 

March 10, 2013, Day 4-   We headed to Switzerland this day and visited Ascona and Locarno, both are located along Lake Maggiore. It is the second largest lake in Italy and largest lake of the canton of Ticino, Switzerland. Lake Maggiore is the most westerly of the three great prealpine lakes of Italy, it extends for about 70 km between Locarno and Arona.

The beautiful Cathedral  of St. Gallen, Switzerland. © http://myeurotravelandadventures.blogspot.com

March 11, 2013, Day 5- The trip is almost over. On our way back home to Germany, we had a short stop-over in Sankt  Gallen or St. Gall.  It is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century.  It is a nice city  and I am glad to experience it despite the very short 2-hour visit.

Visit to the Hill of Crosses Near Siauliai, Lithuania

Our tour guide instructed us that breakfast will be served at 6:30 am. We had our hotel that time  in the vicinity of  Klaipeda, a city in Lithuania which is situated at the mouth of Dane River, the river that flows to the Baltic Sea. Our bus will be leaving at around   7:45 am going to Riga, the capital city of Latvia.

On our way to Riga, we had a short sightseeing in this famous sight of Lithuania, the so called  Berg der Kreuze as called by  Germans or the Hill of  Crosses.  It is not actually a hill but I guess became a hill of crosses because you can see thousands of crosses, giant crucifixes,  statues of Virgin Mary and thousands of rosaries and tiny effigies  brought by Catholic pilgrims.

I can't understand my feelings as I walked to that  Hill of Crosses.  It is a site of pilgrimage located around 12 km  north of the city of Siauliai in northern Lithuania.

There was a story that  our tour guide had shared to us while we were on our way to the Hill of Crosses. I want to share it in my incoming post. Watch it out. For now, just marvel your eyes with these images I took from Hill of Crosses. It was truly worth a trip.

The Hill of Crosses near Siauliai, Lithuania.  If I am not mistakenly heard our tour guide, there are about a million crosses now in this area. Amazing!

I really marveled the numbers of the crosses, crucifixes, rosaries and other religious Catholic symbols in the Hill of Crosses.

I Miss This Night Walk in Albayzin, Spain

It was quite a chilly evening but it was a lovely one. This little town of Albayzin which is located near Granada in Andalusia, Spain is truly a worth to see place.We had a night sigthseeing there and our tour guide was quite a good one.

That night, we passed thru the narrow winding streets of this Medieval Moorish town. If you are near the church of San Nicolas, you can have a spectacular view of the famous Alhambra.

Albayzin which is also known as El Albaicin is listed in the World Heritage Site since 1984 along with Alhambra.

We witnessed the Flamenco show in Albayzin that night. It was quite interesting.

A  historical Moorish Bath in Albayzin.

View of the lighted Alhambra from the  Church of San Nicolas in Albayzin..I love especially this view.

.These images were taken during our trip last December 2011.

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.

Partying on the Tyne: Hen Do Ideas for Newcastle

It’s the summer. Well, the English equivalent of the summer anyway. Good weather or not, it is wedding season and what comes before a wedding besides all the planning? A good hen party, of course.
Whatever you’re after, city breaks probably have it; and as far as city breaks go, Newcastle-upon-Tyne is up there with the best of them.

If pure partying is what you’re after, you could don your Union Jack glitter hat and dance to top 90s tunes at Babylon. Or for the more retro night, try Flares – where disco is still top of the charts. Take a trip to Bigg Market for Pop World, pop over to Quayside for the smart-yet-retro Flynn’s Retro Bar or try one of Newcastle’s newest and liveliest venues – Cosy Joes. Why not finish the night off with The Riverside – one of the best clubs in Newcastle that offers great drink offers, all night. When you’re all partied out, check out some of the hotels in Newcastle city centre for a place to slumber.

For an altogether different option, pampering sessions are also available. Who doesn’t like to be treated to a good massage or some treatments – especially if you’re the bride-to-be. A few miles out of the city, you can find Slaley Hall, offering top notch spa treatments for that added bit of luxury. Or, if you prefer to stay local to the city, there are so many other options to choose from.

For the more adventurous, why not try your hand at paintballing... disclaimer: it could hurt, but it’s definitely memorable! Delta Force offer paintballing packages within reasonable distance from the city. There are so many other options to consider; dance classes, a cocktail masterclass at Revolution or the trusty stripper/naked butler to make your hen do simply unforgettable.

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.

Interesting Places I Visited in Italy

Italy is one of the most interesting countries to visit in Europe. It is not only considered as the birthplace of Western culture but also home to the most numbered UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world. I love this country and I wish to have more Italy tours in the future. I just want to explore more of its historic towns and cities especially in the Tuscany region.

Here are some of the beautiful cities I visited in Italy;

Rome- I believed many tourists from around the world include the "Eternal City" in their travel wishlist. I am one of those lucky ones who was given the chance to go there. That 3-day trip we had last summer 2010 was not enough to see and explore all corners of Rome but we did experienced its famous sites including the Colosseum, Vatican City with its St. Peter's Basilica, the Pantheon, Piazza del Popolo, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona and many others.

The Spanish Steps during our visit last summer 2010.

Venice- Considered by many as one of the most beautiful and lovely places in the world including me. These are only some of the reasons why I kept on coming back to this city. I was there thrice and still want to come back when given the chance. Cruising on its narrow canals with the gondola, strolling on its historic streets or just gallivanting on St. Mark's square, I still don't have enough from this city and I wish to visit it again and again. Venice is truly interesting!

One of the narrow canals in Venice which we explored with a gondola ride last July 2011.

Cinque Terre- The famous "Five Villages" in the coastal region of Liguria, all of these villages are included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. I remember our walk along the lovely beach of Monterosso. From there we took a cruise passing other villages such a Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and we ended up sightseeing in Riomaggiore. It was truly a wonderful and memorable trip we had last year.

The beautiful beach of Monterosso during our visit last April 2011. I love this place!

Other places I have been to in Italy were Verona, San Remo, Pietra Liguria and Vicenza. We also passed-by other towns and cities during the previous we had there. I hope in my next trip to Italy, I can already visit the Tuscany region. So far, my Italy dream holiday is slowly happening and coming to reality. I wish to explore more of this country in the future. I just love it there!

The Atocha Railway Station in Madrid, Spain

It was quite a long drive from Granada to Madrid. After 5 days of sightseeing in the Andalusian region of Spain, we headed near Madrid. It is around 400 km and it took us around five hours driving with the bus including the stops we took in between. Actually our hotel was in Layos, a municipality located in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain.

During our 6th day in Spain, we drove again with the bus to Madrid. Our first stop was in Atocha Railway Station to fulfill the calling of nature. I guess you know what I meant with this.

The Madrid Atocha Railway Station is the largest railway station in Madrid. If I am not mistaken, this is the only railway station I had been to in Europe with an interior garden or plant show inside. That is quite interesting because I enjoyed watching it while we were inside.

It was so far a wonderful trip we had in Madrid. I know I will come back to this city next time. Here are some snapshots I took during our short stop-over in Atocha.

the turtles in Atocha's garden during our visit last December 10, 2011.

the interior of Atocha railway station in Madrid. You can find some shops, restaurants and coffee bars inside.

the garden inside the Atocha Railway station.

The Atocha Railway station is the primary station serving commuter trains (Cercanías), intercity and regional trains from the south, and the AVE high speed trains from Barcelona (Catalonia), Saragosse (Aragon), Seville (Andalusia) and Valencia (Levante Region). These train services are run by the Spanish national rail company, Renfe. wikipedia.

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.

Sightseeing in Andalusia, Spain

Vacation is over for this year. The last one I had was in Spain particularly in the region of Andalusia. It is a stunning region truly worth to visit in Spain. It is located in the south of the Iberian peninsula.

We had an all-inclusive holiday package during that vacation and it was really cheap. Included in that holiday package were the flights, hotels, tourist guides, hotel transfers, breakfast and dinner, trips to the different places in Andalusia and the entrance to some museums and churches. Until now, I can't really get those places we visited out of my head. It was truly a wonderful and memorable vacation for me. So far, the best travel I had this year.

Here are some of the interesting places we visited in Andalusia, Spain.

Seville- known as Sevilla in Spanish, it is not only the capital but also the regent queen of the region of Andalusia. It is also the cultural and financial center of Southern Spain. Our sigthseeing tour in Seville took only around a half day. Not so much time to see and to experience everything but at least we visited some noted sights in this city.

Among the few sights we visited were the Cathedral of Seville, La Giralda, The Jewish Quarter or Barrio Santa Cruz, Plaza de España, the Alcazar (but only outside) and some other more.

the entrance to the Cathedral of Seville. This is a very amazing architecture in Sevilla.

Cordoba- This is a beautiful city. Cordoba was once the capital of of a Roman province, the capital of an Arab State (Al-Andalus) and a Caliphate. I cannot forget the beauty of architecture of Mezquita, the biggest attraction in Cordoba and a truly must-see building. We did had a tour inside this building and I was truly amazed by its history and beauty. The Mezquita is a massive former mosque-turned-cathedral famed for its "forest" of columns topped with Islamic-style red and white striped arches. Another best known facet of the city is its Roman bridge.

the interior of Mezquita, also known as the Great Mosque of Córdoba, during our visit last December 6, 2011. such a lovely architecture!

Other Roman remains include the Roman Temple, the Theatre, Mausoleum, the Colonial Forum, the Forum Adiectum, an amphitheater and the remains of the Palace of the Emperor Maximian in the Archaeological site of Cercadilla, among others.

The historic center of Cordoba is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage site.

Granada- I can never forget Granada especially after our visit to Alhambra, a palace and fortress occupying the top of the hill of the Assabica on the southeastern border of the city. This place is truly a must to see when visiting Granada. The Alhambra is an Arabic word which literally means "the red one". It is also called as "The Red Fortress."

The view of the Alhambra from the Generalife. I love this place!

There are a lot of things I experienced in Granada. The visit to the different sights like the Plaza Isabel la Catolica, the Cathedral of Granada, the Generalife,the Alcaiceria, the Puerta and other sights in this city simply added excitements to our sightseeing.

We also had the chance to visit Albayzín by night and was able to witness a flamenco dance in this area. It was quite interesting. The highlight of our holiday was the visit to Spain's capital, Madrid and a day trip to Toledo city.

After that 8-days trip we had this month, I am planning to visit Spain again in the future. I was even browsing for cheap airlines going to Barcelona, Malaga or any destination in Spain. I actually found some affordable Easyjet flights to various airports for January 2012. I am thinking of booking it this week or before the end of the month.

Delightful Christmas Markets I Visited in Europe

December is finally here! This means that the holiday season is also starting. It is one of the best seasons of the year to visit Europe and experience the beautiful Christmas markets. If you are planning to visit the most interesting Christmas markets in this continent, you better start finding for cheap flights to any Europe cities that host Christmas markets. There are always affordable offers you can find online.

Christmas markets has been a tradition in Germany, Austria and the Alsace region where it was first mentioned and said to have been originated. It is now held and celebrated in the different parts of the world.

Here are a few of the most interesting Christmas markets I visited in Europe.

Leeds, England

I did not expected that the Christmas market in Leeds started so early that time. I was there on the second week of November last 2008 and their market was already opened. It is a German Christmas market and there you will find traditional German delicacies. On offer include gluhwein, snitzels, soups and goulash, stollen, gingerbread, bratwurst sausages, roasted nuts and many others.

This year's ‘Christkindelmarkt’ is held in Millennium Square from November 11 to December 18, 2011. I had a great time in Leeds during my trip. I booked a very cheap flight during my England holiday last 2008.

I am happy to be in Leeds last 2008.

Strasbourg, France

Since living in Europe, I was dreaming to visit Strasbourg. Finally that dream came true after our visit last December 2010. It was again another perfect time to experience one of the oldest Christmas markets in history.

Strasbourg's Christkindelsmärik is held around its cathedral since 1570. Over the years, the cities’ reputation has grown throughout Europe. It attracts a large number of tourists not only from Europe but from other corners of the planet as well. The market takes place annually. This year's market started last November 26 until December 31.

I had a wonderful time in Strasbourg last year. I had only a short sightseeing there but I truly enjoyed it. Don't also miss to visit the markets in Place Kléber, Place Broglie and Place du Marché aux cochons de lait.

a market stall in front of Strasbourg Cathedral. I love this place.

Zurich, Switzerland

I had the chance to visit Switzerland's largest city last December 2010. It was a perfect time to witness the biggest indoor Christmas market in Europe. It is located inside the main train station of Zurich. There are over 160 decorated stalls in that covered Christmas market. You can also find inside a majestic Christmas tree which is decorated with over 5,000 crystals.

During our walk in the Old Town, stalls can also be found. Along the river Limmat, some stalls were also standing. They are selling goods of various kinds.

That visit in Zurich's Christmas markets was a delightful experience. This year's event will take place on December 3-21, 2011.

the imposing Zwarovski Christmas tree in the main station of Zurich. I was there!

Nuremberg, Germany

One of the world's most famous Christmas market is finally opened. This year's celebration started last November 25 and will last until the 24th of December. The Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremberg is held every year in the Hauptmarkt or main square. It is located just in front of Frauenkirche or Church of Our Lady.

As usual you will find various goods on over 180 wooden booths in Nuremberg, Germany's "Number One Christmas City". Traditional Christmas goods such as spicy gingerbread, mulled wine, roast sausages, Zwetschgenmännle (little prune people), toys, Christmas decorations and arts and crafts are found there. Don't miss to taste the famous Nuremberg bratwurst.

One of Nuremberg's stalls that sells the famous Nuremberg bratwurst, a kind of sausage.
An image I took last 2008.

There are still other Christmas markets I visited in Europe especially in Germany. I was also in Salzburg, Gut Aiderbichl, Regensburg, Birmingham, Neumarkt i.d. Oberpfalz and a lot more. If you are planning to catch up with these special events in Europe, be sure to read first the airline reviews online. Sometimes you can also find related articles about Christmas markets in Europe.

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.

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.

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.

Wonderful Trip to Ephesus, Turkey

Hubby was asking tonight if Ephesus was once a Greek city. He said that he read somewhere that it is. He finally found the travel flyer that says, Ephesus was once an ancient Greek city.

It was truly a wonderful and interesting trip we had in Ephesus. It is on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province in Turkey. No wonder an online friend told me that there are more ruins in Ephesus as in Greek today. The ruins in Ephesus are truly amazing. The architecture during those times are truly a work of engineering considering that they still don't have the modern machinery and equipments like what we are using now.

the library of Celsus in Ephesus..We visited this historical site last September 23, 2011.

There were a lot of international and local tourists at the time we visited Ephesus last September 2011. Partly owing to its easy access from Adnan Menderes Airport and via the port of Kuşadasi, this archaeological site is now a favorite destination of both local and international tourists.

striking a pose in Ephesus. In my background is the Theater of Ephesus. It was like taking a journey back in the past..a must-visit place when visiting Turkey.

Ephesus was one of the seven churches of Asia that are cited in the Book of Revelation. The Gospel of John may have been written here. The city was the site of several 5th century Christian Councils, see Council of Ephesus. It is also the site of a large gladiators' graveyard.