Trip to 3 European Countries is Over

How's everyone doing? I hope you are all doing great! It seems that I was away here for some weeks. I am  back because my recent trip is finally over! That was so far another wonderful trip in Europe.  We visited three countries including France, Andorra  and  Spain.

A street in Andorra la Vella, the capital city of Andorra. taken last July 7, 2013.

I still feel until now I am still having a so-called buslag (not jetlag since we did not take the plane for that trip). It was a bus trip and so far was truly a memorable one. We visited  many places in these  3 countries. I gathered again so many experiences, met nice persons, learned about the  countries'  people, culture, traditions and historical facts.

The Shrine in Lourdes during my recent travel last July 8, 2013.

Lourdes is a small market town lying in the foothills of the Pyrenees, famous for the Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Lourdes said to have occurred in 1858 to Bernadette Soubirous. At that time, the most prominent feature of the town was the fortified castle that rises up from a rocky escarpment at its centre.

I have so many things to share but sometimes time is just not enough. Besides with the many offline jobs that are also waiting to be done
, my time is just not enough to go more often online.

I wish to share some of many of my experiences from my recent trip in Andorra, Spain and France. These are so far wonderful countries to visit in Europe with many things to offer to its guests and visitors.

Just enjoy watching the  snapshots I took from this travel. Have a nice day!

Souvenirs from Toledo, Spain

Toledo, a historical town and the capital of the province of Toledo in Castile-La Mancha, Spain  is one of my favorite places  when we visited Spain in 2011. I fall in love with this place even the  first time I saw it. I simply love  its setting.

During our visit last winter 2011, I bought some souvenirs from Toledo. I got some postcards, fridge magnet, timballs, shot glasses and some ceramic decors. I am happy with the stuffs I bought from this town. I am also letting you know that Toledo is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. More updates to come about this beautiful town in  Spain.

Souvenirs from Toledo, Spain.

Remembering Madrid, Spain's Capital City

I had a quick exchange of messages from a friend  in Madrid this afternoon. She was asking me when I am going back to Madrid. I replied when I have a budget, I will immediately go back there.  I love Madrid and so far visiting Spain's capital city is history for me. You know why? this is the only capital city in Europe where I stayed for  three weeks and where I explored most of its corners. It was a long story why it happened.

Here are some images I took during my trip to Madrid almost a year ago. I believed one day, I will be visiting it again.

View of Alcala Street and Gran Via Street. This is where I walk many times in going around the city.

Street sign in Gran Via Street. I was there!

A Day Trip in Montserrat, Spain

It was so far a nice trip seeing of the famous sighs in Spain. I was invited by some friends to go with a group  trip  going to Spain. It was  bus trip and was quite  tiresome due to the very long travel time. Since I was soy eager to visit Barcelona last summer 2012, I  ended up saying yes to friends.

It was already my third visit in this country but my first time in Barcelona. That 4-day trip was fun and terrific. One of the sidetrips we made was visiting Montserrat. From our hotel in Callela, it took us over one hour to reach Montserrat.

This multi-peaked mountain located near Barcelona, Spain is truly a must to see when you are in this city. It is well known as the site of the Benedictine abbey, Santa Maria de Montserrat, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary and which is identified by some  with the location of the Holy Grail in Arthurian myth.

We also had the chance to go inside the Basilica.

The Abbey of Montserrat during our visit last July 2012.

Let's go back to Madrid, Spain

I had a conversation with a friend today about traveling in Europe. She was asking me if I want to go back to Madrid..I simply answered, yes of course but it is not my priority at the moment because I already visited  that city twice. I stayed three weeks there  during  my second visit.

I still want to go back to Madrid and experience it again. Only time could tell when?  I met some good friends in this city and I want to see them again. It was such wonderful and enjoyable moments I spent with these lovely people. I am saying hello  and also sending my warm regards to them.

Of all the cities I visited in Europe,  it is only in Madrid that I  explored most. What  can you do when you stayed there for three weeks but to keep on exploring it everyday. I also had some sidetrips to the nearby cities like Avila, Guadalajara, Alcala de Henares, El Escorial, Aranjuez and Segovia.  I simply love Madrid and Spain as a whole!

Puerta del Sol during my  second visit last March 2012. You can see the Bear and the Madroño Tree, heraldic symbol of Madrid on the left side of this photo.

The Seville Cathedral in Seville, Andalusia

One of the cities we visited in the region of Andalusia in Spain was Seville. I love this city although we did not really explored all of the sights there. A day sightseeing is not enough to see everything especially when visiting a big city like Seville. This city is the lovely capital of Andalusia region.

One of the sights we visited was the Seville Cathedral. Our tour inside was already included in our 7-day trip to Spain. It is known as the Cathedral of St. Mary of the See or Catedral de Santa María de la Sede in Spanish. It claimed to be the third largest church in the world and the largest Gothic Cathedral as well.

It was a great feeling for me seeing wondrous and historical architecture like this. I was truly amazed by this building.

The interior of the Seville Cathedral in Andalusia, Spain. It was truly a great experience visiting this city especially going inside this magnificent building. Truly amazing!

The Door of the Prince.

These images were taken during our 7-day trip to Spain last December 2011.

The Beautiful Park Güell in Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona!! One of the cities that I longed to visit in Spain. I was finally there! There are a lot of wonderful sights in this city and Park Güell is one of it.It is one of the beautiful parks I visited in Europe. After our first stop which is the Sagrada Familia, we proceeded to this lovely park of Barcelona.

Park Güell is a garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of El Carmel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It is now listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. It was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and was built from 1900 to 1914.

The so-called Terrace at Park Güell. From there you can  have a  nice view of the city.

view of Barcelona from the terrace of Park Güell. You can  also see the  two buildings at the entrance of this park. These photos were taken during our recent visit last July 14, 2012.

The large cross at the Park's high-point offers the most complete view of Barcelona and the bay. It is possible to view the main city in panorama, with the Sagrada Família and the Montjuïc area visible at a distance.

The park supports a wide variety of wildlife, notably several of the non-native species of parrot found in the Barcelona area. Other birds can be seen from the park, with records including Short-toed eagle. The park also supports a population of Hummingbird hawk moths.

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.

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.

Things to Do and See in Cordova, Spain

Planning to visit Cordova in the future? It was over six month now since we visited this lovely city of Andalusia in Spain. Called as Cordoba in Spanish, this city has a lot of things to offer to all its guests and visitors.

Sad to say, it has no airport to serve for passengers who wish to fly there.  If you are especially coming  from  England  and wish to visit Cordova, you can check the airports near it.  You can either fly to Seville, Malaga or Madrid.  Easyjet  for example  are offering cheap fares  from London Stansted to Malaga airport. Depending on your point of departure from the UK, you can also check British Airways flights to any destination in Spain.

Here are some of the things to do and see when in Cordova.

Visit the Mezquita

This is the most famous attraction in Cordoba and really a must-see. I was amazed by its architecture especially its interior parts. This was a mosque turned into a Catholic Cathedral. This building is full of history and beauty.You will marvel its arts and architecture once you visit it.

The interior of Mezquita.

Walk On The Roman Bridge

Called as Puente Romano in Spanish, this bridge crosses the Guadalquivir River. it was once the main crossing over the river. It was built in the early 1st century BC during the period of the Roman rule in Cordova. This is a very interesting work of engineering during those times.

The Roman Bridge in Cordova during our trip last Dec. 2011.

See the Calle de las Flores

Translated as "Street of the Flowers" in English, this narrow street with its beautiful tiny square is always full of flowers. From there, you can have a nice view of the tower of Mezquita.

The tower of Mezquita  from the Calle de las Flores.

A Quick Peep at the Synagogue

This is not really a big building. Let's say, it is small but beautiful. It is said to be one of the three remaining synagogue in Spain. It was built in 1315. You can find lovely Mudejar decorative plaster on the walls inside this small square room with high ceilings.

Witness some of its famous events like the Semana Santa, Carnaval, Cruces de Mayo and many events that are taking place every year.

Religious structures such as the historical churches of San Miguel, San Agustin, San Andres, San Lorenzo, San Pablo and many more are also worth to visit.

View From Our Hotel in Layos, Spain

We spent three nights in a hotel in Layos, Spain during our trip last December 2011. It was so far a very memorable trip and I am missing all the time. From our hotel window, you can see a lot of olive trees. I guess thousands and thousands of it.

From Layos, we had some trips  going to Madrid and Toledo that time.

Layos is a municipality in the province of Toledo, Castile-La Mancha, Spain.

the beautiful view from our hotel window. I love watching the olive trees.

Plaza de Cibeles in Madrid, Spain

I am trying to think how many times did I passed-by in this beautiful square in Madrid. The City Hall of Madrid, located in Plaza de Cibeles is a famous square in the city of Madrid, Spain. It is a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol in Spain's capital city.

There is a fountain located in this square, the fountain of Cibeles. It was named after Cybele (or Ceres), Roman goddess of fertility and is seen as one of Madrid's most important symbols. The Cibeles fountain depicts the goddess, sitting on a chariot pulled by two lions.  If you have good eyes, you can see the fountain at the left side of my image below.

The Cibeles Palace or City Hall of Madrid during my 3 weeks trip to this city last March 2012.

Family Holiday Deals to Majorca

Majorca is a great value holiday destination that’s perfect for families on a budget this year. Fantastic all inclusive packages and some cheap last minute holiday deals mean that it’s easy to find your ideal family holiday for 2012 without blowing the budget.

You can find all inclusive Majorca holidays to all of the island’s main resorts, with some really special hotels to choose from, including:

Bouganvilla Park, Sa Coma

The Bouganvilla Park hotel in laid-back Sa Coma is a great choice for those who love to spend lots of time having fun in, or relaxing around, the pool on holiday.

With five outdoor swimming pools, every member of the family is sure to find a favourite place to enjoy a splash or a swim.

While the kids enjoy the pool complex, or the fun Kidsworld facilities, Mum and Dad can enjoy some quiet time relaxing on the sun terrace.

This hotel is also special because it offers a range of accommodation to suit all families. You can choose from a studio, one bedroom or two bedroom apartment, with up to six people accommodated comfortably.

A Beach in Majorca, Spain

Mimosa Park, Palma Nova

This lively hotel in vibrant Palma Nova is perfectly located just 500 metres from the beach, making it ideal for families who like to be in the heart of the action.

When you choose to stay at the Mimosa Park hotel you can enjoy the three stunning Palma Nova beaches, the marina and the seafront promenade as a family, before returning to your nearby hotels to enjoy the pool, your meals, snacks and drinks, sports facilities and a wide entertainment programme.

There are many family friendly hotels to choose from in Majorca, offering great value all inclusive packages and fantastic prices on late deals, so that you can have an amazing family break, without breaking the bank.

Snack Time at Museo del Jamon in Madrid

It was quite a tiring day that time after a very long walk. I accompanied a friend who was looking for a Traductor, the Spanish word for translator in Madrid. She needed a legal translator for her paper works and documents which she needed for Canada. After that long day, we proceeded to Museo del Jamon in Madrid. I had seen around three of these in this city and I have been to two of its shops. In fact there are five Museo del Jamon (Ham Museum) in Spain's capital city.

The one we went to was in Alcala. You can have variety of sandwiches there depending on your taste and budget. For as low as 1.00 Euro on their sandwich and a cup of coffee for another euros, you are already full because their servings are really huge considering their cheap prices.

That long day walk we had was compensated after we had a snack in this museum..lol!

The Museo del Jamon in Alcala Street, Madrid. I and my friend Peachy was there last March 27, 2012.

Watching Flamenco Dance in Albayzin, Spain

It was a wonderful night..not a so-cold winter weather during December. We had a night sightseeing on the narrow winding streets of this previously Medieval Moorish place. El Albayzin, also known as El Albaicín, it is a district in Granada in the region of Andalusia, Spain.

You can have a very nice view of Alhambra from the viewing point by the church of San Nicolas. It was truly spectacular! After that sightseeing, we proceeded to watch a flamenco show in this area.

Flamenco which is a famous dance in Andalusia, Spain is noted for its energetic, staccato style..and I did witnessed it during that night show. We did enjoyed it much. We had a glass of wine while watching it which made me more classy. I guess that Flamenco Show in Tablao Flamenco Albayzín was the highlight of our trip that night.

A dancer performing Flamenco in Albayzin. We watched it during our Andalusia trip last December 2011. I miss that region of Spain.

On November 16, 2010, UNESCO declared Flamenco one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

Shopping in El Corte Ingles, Madrid

I am quite sure, most ladies would love to go to El Corte Ingles when visiting Spain. Don't you know that this department store ranks fourth worldwide. It is also the biggest department store group in Europe. I went for an emergency shopping for winter jacket here during my second week of stay in Madrid. The weather two weeks ago was very cold that I decided to buy one because if not, I cannot really go out due to cold weather.

Spain's only remaining department store chain carries the most comprehensive collection of designers of any large store in Spain. They have everything you need from designer boutiques to grocery items, electronics and gadgets, gold and silver jewelry, sportswear, shoes, perfumes, etcetera.

Don't miss visiting any of its store when you are in Spain. Have a lovely day to all. I am getting ready for another sightseeing walk in Madrid.

The Telefonica Building in Madrid, Spain

I always see this skycraper especially when I am on the terrace of the apartment I am staying in Sol, Madrid, Spain. It looks great during the night especially when it is lighted. The Telefonica building is located in Gran Via 28 and it was was designed by Ignacio de Cárdenas. It became the first skyscraper in Europe.

The Telefonica building in Madrid, Spain. I am loving my stay in Madrid.

Finally in Madrid Again

Thanks God for my safe trip to Madrid, Spain. I just arrived last Sunday afternoon. My friend met me at Barajas International airport. It was a sunny Sunday. This is one thing I love in Spain, its friendly weather even on winter time. When I left Germany, it was raining on our way to the airport, the opposite weather here in Spain.

After putting my baggage in my friend's house, we just made a quick relax and headed to the main city center in Sol. There we go a bit walking and met other friends. During the night we strolled the streets of Madrid and passed at Plaza de Cibeles.

Here is an image taken in the famous square of Madrid last Sunday night.

The Plaza de Cibeles at night.

The Plaza de Cibeles is a square with a neo-classical complex of marble sculptures with fountains that has become an iconic symbol for the city of Madrid.

Where is My Madrid Travel Guide Book?

I was searching for this book for some weeks now. I know I have it somewhere in the house but never had an idea where I put it. I was looking for my Madrid Travel Guide Book which I bought during our trip in Spain last December 2011. I searched for it in our bedroom where I also have some travel books beside my bed. I also searched for it in my little library but still can't find it. I also did dot find it in our living room, kitchen and bathroom.

Where did I put that book? Sometimes I just keep on forgetting things. I badly needed it because I will be flying in less than two weeks to Spain again and will be staying most of the time in Madrid. I want to explore more the city when time permits. I believed I have more time when I will be there. We only had a day sightseeing when we were in Madrid last time.

a snapshot of the Cibeles Palace (City Hall) while we were inside the bus going around in Madrid. Taken last December 2011.

This afternoon when I had a glance of the new bookshelf at my back while sitting in front of my laptop, I saw a red-covered book. I guess, it is what I have been looking for since 3 weeks ago. I grabbed it and I am happy to know that it was my Madrid Travel Guide Book!! yohoo! I finally found it. See I was not searching for it today but I found it. This is cool.

See you later folks. Time to prepare for dinner!

The Giralda of Seville Cathedral in Spain

I miss this place. I had so much fun and enjoyment with my friend while walking around in this city. Seville is truly a must-see when visiting Andalusia, one of the regions in Spain.

The tower you see below is called the Giralda. It is a is a former minaret that was converted to a bell tower for the Cathedral of Seville in Seville. The tower is 104.5 m (343 ft) in height and it was one of the most important symbols in the medieval city.

When visiting Seville, don't miss to go inside its Cathedral. You will be amazed by its arts and architecture. Spain still hunts me and wish to visit it again next year!

The Giralda, a famous tower in Seville's Cathedral. I am happy to be there last December 7, 2011.

The tower was begun under the architect Ahmad Ben Baso in 1184. After Ben Baso's death, other architects continued work on the tower. An architect named Jabir (or Geber) is also often credited with the tower's design. The tower was completed March 10, 1198 with the installation of copper spheres on the tower's top.