Summer Trip in Insel Mainau in Lake Constance

Do you love plants and flowers like me?  One of the perfect place for you to visit in Germany is Insel Mainau. This beautiful island of Mainau (Insel  means island in English word) is a paradise for me.  During  my first visit last  August 2012, I feel in love with this island. This park and garden  is  truly a great  place  for me  to visit since I really love  flowers.

Mainau is a garden island in Lake Constance, known in German as Bodensee. It is one of the major  tourists attraction in this area. It belong to the Lennart Bernadotte-Stiftung (English: the Lennart Bernadotte Foundation), created by  Prince Lennart, formerly Prince of Sweden and Duke o Smaland.

During our visit, we  had a walk around the island, seeing various  plants and flowers of all kinds including exotic ones. I was truly amazed by the beauty of nature in this island. We also went inside the butterfly garden in the island. There, you can find varieties of butterflies and  information on  the stages of their life development.

The palace in Insel Mainau. There is a church located on the right side of  the palace.

Some of the flowers in the gardens  of  Mainau.
I took all these images during our trip last summer this year.

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

Rothenburg od der Tauber, A Medieval Old Town in Bavaria, Germany

I always hear this from a friend who always mentions that her brother's favorite town in Germany and in whole of Europe during his holiday lately was Rothenburg od der Tauber. I believed he felt in love with this beautiful medieval old town in Bavaria, Germany. This so-called Altstadt (old City) was not damaged during second world war bombing. In fact when you visit it, you can still see the intact wall that surrounds this lovely city.

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is not only famous for its beauty but it is also known as the Christmas city in Germany. You can find there Christmas decors and ornaments all year round. There is also Weihnachtsmuseum or Christmas Museum worth to see in this town.

Among the interesting sights you can see are; Town wall, Plönlein, Spital bastion
St. Wolfgang's Church by the Klingentor gate (fortified church, Altes Brauhaus,Old Smithy, Old Town Hall, Christmas Museum, the Criminal Museum and many more.

The Siebersturm or Sieber Tower gate in Rothenburg ob der Tauber. This was taken during my fourth visit in this town.

historical houses you can see around the area. This was taken as we were up on one of the towers in Rothenburg of der Tuaber.

The name "Rothenburg ob der Tauber" means, in German, "Red fortress above the Tauber". This is so because the town is located on a plateau overlooking the Tauber River.

Open Air Museum in Neusath-Perschen, Germany

The Open Air Museum, known in German as Oberpfälzer Freilandmuseum Neusath-Perschen in Upper Palatinate, Bavaria is a museum that offers an insight into a country and farming life of earlier days in Germany.

Visiting this museum requires around 2-3 hours walk depending on how you do your sightseeing. Just like me who loves to take a lot of pictures, it surely took me around three hours. You can find 50 re-erected buildings in the compound. There you can find how people lived, worked and built according to their region and social standing. During your tour, you will be passing “Stiftland Village” through “Waldler Village” to “Millvalley” and on to “Jura Village”,
– from the “four-side-farm” (yard in square-form) via the herdsmen’s cottage to the squire’s estate, from the chapel to the inn.

It was so far a very interesting sightseeing we had in this museum. Here are images I took during our visit last May 2009.

The group of the buildings in the “Naabvalley Village” representing Central Upper Palatinate, where agricultural handcrafts and farm trading are demonstrated, completes the walk
around. Here is also located a Raiffeisenware-house and a blacksmith forge.

in one of the houses at the Open Air Museum in Neusath-Perschen.

I guess this is a sort of a horse-carriage during those times.

The houses were originally occupied by farmers, smallholders, peasants, day labourers, weavers, herdsmen, millers, huntsmen and nobles. The buildings, which could no longer
be kept on their original sites, have been erected in the museum as cultural and historic evidence.

Velburg's 600th Foundation Anniversary

It was an awesome festival we witnessed last 2010 in Velburg. That time the town had its 600th foundation anniversary. The festival was not so big but they had group of participants which were very interesting especially on how they performed street dancing. I am happy to witnessed that event which I believed would only happen once in a lifetime.

This town is located in Neumarkt district in Bavaria, Germany. Here are some images I took last June 2010.

some of the participants of the festival parade.

the beautiful Town Hall of Velburg with its clock.

The Regensburg Cathedral in Bavaria, Germany

The Regensburger Dom or Regensburg Cathedral is a prime example of Gothic architecture in southern Germany. It is dedicated to St. Peter and considered to be the famous landmark of the city Regensburg in the state of Bavaria, Germany.

view of Regensburg Cathedral in the foreground the Donau or Danube River. taken during our visit last August 2010.

The Cathedral is also the burial place of important bishops, including Johann Michael von Sailer (1829-1832, memorial built by Konrad Eberhard in the south chancel), Georg Michael Wittmann (1832-1833, memorial also by Konrad Eberhard in the north chancel), and Archbishop Michael Buchberger (1927-1961, likewise in the north chancel). In the western part of the central nave stands a bronze memorial for the Prince-Bishop Cardinal Philipp Wilhelm (d. 1598), the brother of Duke Maximilian I of Bavaria. wikipedia

A Winter Visit to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, Germany

Rothenburg ob der Tauber is one of the beautiful town to visit on the Romantic Road in Bavaria, Germany. It is known for its well-preserved medieval Altstadt or Old Town.

This is one of the gates to the Old City. If I am not mistaken, this is the Markusturm (Marcus Tower). These were taken during my second visit last January 2011.

The Market Square (Marktplatz) is the center of urban life in Rothenburg o.d.T. The Square is framed on the west by the Town Hall (Rathaus), on the north by the City Councillors' Tavern (Ratstrinkstube) with its Tourist Information center, on the east by shops and cafes, and on the south by St. George's Fountain.

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.

The Branderburg Gate in Berlin, Germany

The Brandenburger Tor, commonly known in English as Brandenburg Gate is an iconic symbol not only in Berlin but in Germany as a whole. It is a former city located west of the city center at the junction of Unter den Linden and Ebertstrasse. It is also located near the Reichstag building.

I finally visited this capital city of Germany last month. It was another dream came true. I was fascinated with this city and wishes to visit it again in the future.


According to wikipedia, the Branderburg Gate was commissioned by King Frederick William II of Prussia as a sign of peace and built by Carl Gotthard Langhans from 1788 to 1791.

The Brandenburg Gate taken during my recent visit last February 2011.

The Reichstag Building in Berlin, Germany

It is good to see other parts of Germany especially its capital city. Berlin is another interesting city to visit in Europe. It is a city full of things to offer to its guests and visitors from historical architectures to renowned universities, museums, orchestras, nightlife, famous personalities, just named it and Berlin has everything!

I am especially sharing one of the famous sites in this city. The Reichstag building is one of the historical sites in Berlin, Germany. It is a home of the Reichstag, the German Parliament. It is said that the construction of the building began after 1871 and it was opened in 1894.

I had seen some of Berlin but a three-day visit is not enough to see everything from going to the museums, churches and cathedrals and other historical sites and architectures. More images and travel experiences to come about Berlin in my Travel and Explore Germany site.

taken during my three-day visit in Berlin from February 18-20, 2011. The Reichstag building taken from the west side.

My Euro Travel in Bamberg, Germany

Bamberg is a city located in Upper Franconia, Bavaria, Germany. This city was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage last 1993. It is a historical city and was not destroyed by World War II. Bamberg also called a City of Creches, the Rome of Franconia and International Cultural Treasure. Another unique name given to Bamberg is Little Venice due to its location on the river Regnitz close to its confluence with the river Main.

Here are some images taken during our visit last October 2010.

the river Regnitz in Bamberg, Bavaria

The bridges connecting to the Old Town Hall. The building in front is the Rottmeisterhäuschen and at the back of this is the Old Town Hall.

The Old Town Hall, also known as the Island Town Hall, since it is located between the spans of two bridges...see that second image here.

Some of the main sights are:

* Cathedral (1237), with the tombs of emperor Henry II and Pope Clement II
* Alte Hofhaltung, residence of the bishops in the 16th and 17th centuries
* Neue Residenz, residence of the bishops after the 17th century
* Old Town Hall (1386), built in the middle of the Regnitz River, accessible by two bridges
* Klein-Venedig ("Little Venice"), a colony of picturesque fishermen's houses from the 19th century along one side of the river Regnitz.
* Michaelsberg Abbey, built in the 12th century on one of Bamberg's "Seven Hills"
* Altenburg, castle, former residence of the bishops

Meeting Friends in Frankfurt, Germany

I am finally home! The five days trip to Frankfurt and nearby cities is finally done. I was able to see and met once again some friends from my home country. They already left very early this morning to catch their flight back to the Philippines. I remember last Monday night when Roselle was asking if the hotel we stayed-in in Frankfurt has some scales to weight his father's luggage. Sad to say, the hotel don't have one. The one in charge in the reception told us that one customer borrowed it some weeks ago and forgot to return it. As we were already at the airport last Tuesday to accompany my friend's father who need to go home earlier to take care of some official function, we are happy to know that the baggage did not even reach the weight limit. He is a congressman in North Cotabato, Philippines and must go home immediately to attend a certain European Union meeting held in Manila yesterday.

That was a great opportunity spending some time with them and showing them some nice places in Germany. More updates and images to come soon!

taken last Monday in Frankfurt, Germany when I met some friends from my home country.
This is the Roemerberg (Römerberg in German) in the old city of Frankfurt.

St. Mary's Chapel in Würzburg, Germany

St. Mary's Chapel, called in German as Marienkapelle is a Gothic architecture in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. It is located in the Market Square in this city. It was built between 1377 and 1440. You can find the grave of Balthasar Neumann (1687-1753), a famous Baroque architect in the church.

taken during my second visit in Würzburg last August 2010.

The New Castle in Stuttgart, Germany

Let's go and visit Germany this time! I am featuring today the New Castle, known in German as das Neues Schloss. It is located in Schlossplatz (castle square) which is also the central square in Stuttgart, Germany. This historical building has a late Baroque style and served as residence of the kings of Württemberg from 1746 to 1797 and from 1805 to 1807.

The New Castle is also located near the Old Castle which is now used as a museum.

It is some hundred meters from the main train station of Stuttgart. Here is an image we took during our visit last October 2, 2010.
Today the New Castle is used by the State Ministries of Finance and Education.

My Euro Travel in Stuttgart, Germany

Let's go travel in Europe again. This time, I am bringing you to one of Germany's interesting cities to visit. It has been a long time since I wanted to visit Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg's capital city. Finally, I was there! Stuttgart is the sixth largest city in Germany. Like Munich, Frankfurt and Düsseldorf, it is on the top-ranked list considering both economic and social standing.

During our visit, I am wondering again if Stuttgart has its own dialect. I was hearing other language. And yes, they are! If you can speak Hochdeutsch or High German, there is no problem for you to visit this city. English is also of great help to communicate with some people. Stuttgart's nicknam is called Schwabenmetropole (Swabian metropolis), a reference to the Swabian dialect spoken by the locals. In that dialect, the city's name is pronounced Schturget or Schtuagerd.

Visiting this city for a day is not enough to see all its sights and historical architectures. I am wishing to visit it again one of these days and might probably stay for some days to explore it more. Here are some images hubby took of me during our visit last weekend.

taken at the Schossplatz or Castle Square. It is one of the main sights in this city. You can see in the background the Neues Schloss or the New Castle. Schossplatz is the biggest square in the city center of Stuttgart.
You can see the Stuttgart Hauptbahnhof in my background. It is called in English as Stuttgart Central Station and is written in a short form, Stuttgart Hbf. It is the largest regional and long-distance railway station in Stuttgart, the main node of the Stuttgart S-Bahn network, and, together with the halt at Charlottenplatz, the main node of the Stuttgart Stadtbahn.

Danube River by Regensburg, Germany

It seems that the sky is so cloudy in my image here. The river that you see in the photo below is called Danube, also known as Donau in German. It is considered to be the longest river that flows the European Union countries and the second longest in the whole of Europe next to Volga. Danube River also flows in many of Germany's cities and towns. Some of which include Regensburg, Passau, Kelheim, Donauwörth, Deggendorf , Neuburg an der Donau, Ehingen, Tuttlingen, Munderkingen, Straubing and some other more.

The image I took below is the Danube river that flows in Regensburg, a city in Bavaria, Germany. You can also see the towers of the famous landmark of Regensburg which is the Cathedral of St. Peter. The historical bridge on the right side of the image is considered to be a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Danube River that flows along Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany

Old Main Bridge in Wuerzburg, Bavaria, Germany

Let's go travel and visit Europe again. This time I am showing you a historical architecture in Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany. The Alte Mainbrücke or Würzburg's Old Main Bridge was built 1473–1543 to replace the destroyed Romanesque bridge from 1133. It was adorned from 1730 on in two phases with well-known statues of saints and famous persons.

I had the chance to visit this city with a friend for the second time last week. Here is an image of the Old Main Bridge which I took personally.

a very old but historical architecture in Würzburg, also written as Wuerzburg in English.

Middle Age Spectacle in Velburg, Bavaria, Germany

That was a spectacular day last Sunday June 27, 2010 as we witnessed the Mittelalter Spektakel, German words for Middle Age Spectacle in Velburg, a municipality in Neumarkt Upper Palatinate in Bavaria, Germany. It is a three days program commemorating the 600th foundation anniversary of Velburg. The highlight of the program was the parade held last Sunday at 2:00PM. I will share more about this in my Travel and Explore Germany site hopefully this week. Here are some of the images I took during the festival.

One of the church model from Velburg.

Participants of the parade were wearing Middle Age Costumes. It was truly a successful event. Horses adorned with ornaments and carriages are also present during the parade.

The colourful Middle Age costumes are the highlights of the said Festzug or parade.

Goliath-Haus in Regensburg, Germany

I can't find a lot of information about Goliath-Haus. I will just give my own description about it. David against Goliath is a painting found in the Altstadt or Old City of Regensburg in Bavaria, Germany. According to the shield below, it was built around in the middle of 13 century and was under the possession of Thundorfer Family. Here are some images I took during our visit last month.

the painting of David against Goliath in the Old City of Regensburg, Bavaria, Germany.
taken during our visit last month.

Nuremberg Castle in Bavaria, Germany

Nürnberger Burg or the Nuremberg castle is considered to be one of the main sights in Nuremberg, a city in Bavaria, Germany. This castle comprises three parts: the Emperor's buildings ("Kaiserburg"), the mostly built buildings of the rulers of Nuremberg ("Burggrafenburg"), and the buildings on the eastern side ("städtische Burganlage"). This castle is full of history. We already visited it twice. The last time we visited it was last month, April 2010. Even I see this castle for some time, I still wish to visit it once again in the future.

photo I took during our visit last April 2010.