The Monument of Diego Velazquez in front of Prado Museum in Madrid

It is a nice experience visiting one of the finest museums in the world. During my three weeks stay in Madrid, Spain last March 2012, I had the chance to go inside its famous museum, the Prado Museum.

The statue of Spain's famous painter, Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázque is found in front of the Prado Museum. He was a Spanish painter who was the leading artist in the court of King Philip IV. He was an individualistic artist of the contemporary Baroque period, important as a portrait artist.

A closer shot of Velazquez during our visit to the Prado museum last March 2012. I finally had the chance to go inside the museum. Sad to say  taking pictures inside is forbidden.

Birth name:  Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez
Born:  June 6, 1599
Seville, Spain
Died:  August 6, 1660 (aged 61)
Madrid, Spain
Nationality:  Spanish
Field:  Painting
Movement:  Baroque
Works:  Las Meninas, 1656
Rokeby Venus, 1644–1648
The Surrender of Breda, 1634–1635

The Monument of  Diego Velazquez in front of Prado Museum.

Supporting England at the 2012 Olympics: Football

Whether you’re a football fan or not, you’re going to have heard of Old Trafford. One of the most memorable stadiums on English soil and home to Manchester United, it doesn’t just host their home team’s games.

This summer, it’s also playing host to some of the 2012 London Olympics football matches, along with Wembley Stadium, the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and several other sites all over the UK. As with every Olympic venue, it’s of upmost importance to plan your journey wisely if you’re hoping to catch an Olympic football match at Old Trafford; making sure you have your tickets booked, finding a hotel near Old Trafford (why travel long distances when you don’t have to?) and researching the area for quality food and drink that doesn’t have to break the bank.

Europe Football  Championship  2012.

Luckily, the ground isn’t too far from Manchester city centre, which opens up several options that you wouldn’t ordinarily have, meaning you don’t have to opt for a takeaway if you don’t want to. The Old Trafford metrolink tram stop is less than 10 minutes walk from the stadium which means you have access to hundreds of excellent multinational eateries all over the city.

The University of Manchester  during  my visit last 2008.

Why not try your hand at Japanese cuisine at Sapporo Teppanyaki in Castlefield – there, you can sample sushi, sashimi or one of many flavoursome noodle dishes. For European tastebuds, an Italian restaurant such as Stresa or the Mediterranean fusion restaurant, Twisted Med might be right up your street. For a taste of home, try the Lowry Restaurant – only 15 minutes walk from the ground and offering the chance to catch a theatre production whilst you’re there. Or, for the less adventurous, a good ol’ pub lunch could be more in order. Trusty, wholesome pub grub will never be too far away and even if it is, take a walk up Sir Matt Busby Way for battered fish and chips.

Planning for Holiday Season

Two more months and the Ber months are  coming soon.   I know this is quite too early to plan  for holiday  season but sometimes planning earlier will surely save us  time and money.  I am actually talking about Christmas decors here since I saw some brown wire christmas lights online.  I guess it is perfect for our patio and I find unique. I am just quite excited how our patio looks during Christmas. For sure, it will be filled with decorations.

There are still a lot of plans on the line but we are trying to put first the most important ones. I can't also wait till the holiday seasons come. Have a lovely Sunday to everyone! Be safe!

Photo of the Day-Puerta del Sol, Madrid

I can't exactly remember how many times I was in Puerta del Sol in Madrid. This is where we usually ride the Metro train and the Cercanias wherever we go. I noticed that the "Gate of the Sun" is the most busiest square in Madrid, Spain's capital city. You can find there musicians, street artists and performers, live shows and of course many tourists and locals.

Here is a snapshot   taken in Puerta del Sol, Madrid.

Puerta del Sol Madrid  during my second visit in Spain's capital. The statue of Charles III in front of the House of the Post Office.

Wonderful Places To Visit in Your Next Holiday

This is truly  a beautiful world!  Yes, it is! Our world contains some truly amazing places to visit! For a vacation that will create memories that will truly last a lifetime,  I want to check one  or even all of these  places in the future.


TOKYO (JAPAN)
Exotic beauty abounds in this effervescent, thriving jewel of the Far East. Many believe the history of Tokyo actually goes all the way back to the 7th century, BC. This gives the city a rather unique history. While in Tokyo be sure to check out the Kabukiza Theatre to see traditional Japanese Kubuki performances, a once-in-a-lifetime experience. At nightfall, make it a point to see if Tokyo really is the most haunted city in the world by seeking out one of the haunted Tokyo tours.

PARIS (FRANCE)
World class cuisine, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame Cathedral are the main attractions that most people think of when they think of "Paris". But this city has so much more to offer! Consider a trip though the ancient Parisian catacombs for an unforgettable adventure. As far as nightlife is concerned, why not take a trip through the red light district and check out the Moulin Rouge? While there you can see the home of Pablo Picasso.

The only city that I visited twice among the  list here. I always love Paris!

View of the Eiffel Tower from the Place de la Concorde in Paris, France. This was taken during my second visit in Paris last August 2010.

NEW YORK CITY (UNITED STATES)
From strolling through Central Park to visiting the Statue of Liberty to just taking in the incredible sites and sounds on Times Square, this city truly has it all! New York City has a nightlife that is beyond compare. From taking in a show on Broadway to visiting one of the city's famous nightclubs, there is something for everyone.


SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA)
Where else in the world can you experience both ancient, unique mountains and incredible beaches? Sydney's mountains are rich in eucalyptus filled valleys and are part of the second oldest national park in the world. The beaches of Sydney and New South Wales are known the world over as a mecca for incredible surfing.


CAPE TOWN (SOUTH AFRICA)
In terms of uniqueness, Cape Town is high up on the list. The beauty of Table Mountain and the stunning Western Cape meet a buzzing, melting pot of cultures, alongside awe inspiring wine lands. On the southern tip of Africa, Cape Town offers a night life to rival major capital cities but has a warm climate, amazing flora and fauna, beaches and countryside. With a low cost of living, plentiful Cape Town holiday villas to rent and friendly residents, visitors find themselves astounded with all that Cape Town has to offer.

We live in a world full of incredibly beautiful places. Whether you are touring Europe, visiting Asian countries, the Americas, there are always beautiful and interesting places around. Be sure to take some time out from the busy lives we all seem to lead these days and appreciate it.

There are a lot of  places and cities that I wish to visit in the future. If time and money are available, I will start to find cheap international flights and affordable accommodations  to these places I mentioned above.  For  reference, I already have a list of discount airlines that offers cheap flights to any destinations around the world including Easyjet, German wings, Ryanair, Air Berlin, Tuifly and many more.

The Fernsehturm in Berlin

Have you been to Germany's capital city? Have you seen its Fernsehturm? Yes, I did! It was during my trip to Berlin last year when I saw this very tall architecture. Fernsehturm is a German word which means Television tower in English. It is 368 meters high and said to be the tallest building in Germany.

As of now, there are still a lot of constructions in Germany's capital. The  latest one is  the new airport which is called the Berlin Brandenburg Airport. It looks like a huge steel span building when I saw some pictures of it during the start of the construction. I should be opened last June 3, 2012. Due to technical difficulties—primarily dealing with fire safety and smoke exhaust systems—the opening has been delayed till 17 March 2013.

Berlin has a lot of interesting structures and architecture and one of it is the   Fernsehturm located near Alexanderplatz. Here is a snapshot I took during my visit last February 2011.

This Cool Classic Oldtimer Car in Neumarkt

I wish to drive this cool classic Oldtimer car but sorry, it is only good for your eyes! It was a very interesting event seeing a lot of classic cars during the Oldtimertreffen in Neumarkt in Upper Palatinate part of Bavaria, Germany. That was already the third time that I witnessed such event.

Here  is one of the cars that I love during that gathering of Oldtimers.

The 1910 Buick Model 10 Runabout  at the Oldtimertreffen in Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, Bavaria last June 24, 2012.