Travelling around the world

A tourist guide to Cyprus : the island of Aphrodite

2010-09-02T09:22:00.001Z

Cyprus, also called the island of Aphrodite, is the largest island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea and covers an area of 9,251 sq km. This romantic island, divided into Greek and Turkish-Cypriotic sections, is an attractive travel destination for the foreign visitor. The beauty of its landscape, the sunny climate, the variety of attractions, and the excellent cuisine makes Cyprus a fascinating country for the foreign visitor.

Cyprus is divided into 6 provinces (Nicosia, Limassol, Larnaca, Paphos, Famagusta, Kyrenia) and has a population of more than 700,000 inhabitants. The crystal clear blue water, the beautiful beaches, the hilly region around Troodos, the fauna and flora, the interesting archeological sites are the main reason to visit this beautiful island of Aphrodite.

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A visitor's guide to the Japanese garden in Hasselt, Belgium

2010-07-12T15:55:00.001+01:00

The Japanese Garden of Hasselt is the largest one of its kind in Europe. This beautiful garden has a surface of 2,5 ha (2.500 m²) and is the result of the bounds of friendship between the cities Itami in Japan and Hasselt in Belgium etablished in 1985. Hasselt presented the city of Itami in Japan with a belfry carillon in 1991 and in return they helped with the construction of the Japanese Garden which reflects the Japanese landscape. This garden has been built according to a model of the 17th century Japanese tea gardens.

The Japanese Garden of Hasselt forms an extension of the Kapermolen Park and forms a 115 ha green area from the town center to the city border of Diepenbeek. A walk in the Japanese Garden gives visitors the impression of the Japanese culture and visitors feel they are in Japan instead of Belgium.

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A tourist guide to Puglia: the heel of Italy's boot

2010-06-15T16:50:00.002+01:00

Puglia is a region in the southern part of Italy and also called “the heel of Italy’s boot. The popularity of this beautiful region of Italy has increased rapidly by tourists during the last years. More than eighty hundred kilometers of coast surround this wonderful region of Italy from the border of the Adriatic Sea in the east to the Ionic Sea in the south east.

Many travelers discover the variety of tourist attractions which this charming region offers : the trulli, castles, cathedrals, baroque towns, olive trees, grottoes, the Sanctuary of Padre Pio, beautiful beaches, an excellent climate with plenty of sunshine and one of the most popular cuisines of the world.

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A Tourist Guide to the Grossglockner and the Grossglockner Alpine road, Austria

2010-05-03T16:57:00.003+01:00

The Grossglockner is the highest mountain in Austria and can be considered as “a must see” if you travel to Tyrol or Carinthia. You can view this mountain in as well Tyrol as Carinthia and is with its height of 3798 meters (12461 feet) the highest mountain of the Glockner group in the Hohe Tauern Range and even entire Austria.

It is often said “if you didn’t visit the Grossglockner, you haven’t seen Austria. This beautiful country in Europe has so many beautiful places to visit but if you once saw this beautiful mountain in the eastern Alps, you will never forget it and even hope to return back.

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Traveling to Salzburg: Places to See, Landscape, Shopping Tips and Best Time to Visit

2010-03-26T10:28:00.004Z

Salzburg is one of these places in Austria which you surely have to visit if you travel in this beautiful country of Europe. It is located in western Austria in a charming landscape between the Kapuzinerberg and Mönschberg and lies on the Salzach River. Salzburg is surrounded through the Lake districts and also popular for many scenes of the popular musical movie “The Sound of Music”.

Alexander von Humboldt once wrote to a friend “The surroundings of Salzburg, Naples and Constantinople are one of the most beautiful places in the world”. Every traveler who visited Salzburg will share his written words and is amazed through the proud of its small city center.

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A visit to the City Park (Stadspark) of Antwerp : the green heart of Antwerp, Belgium

2010-03-18T12:13:00.028Z

The City Park of Antwerp (Antwerps stadspark) can be considered as the green heart of Antwerp. However, most parks can be found outside the center of Antwerp; you may never forget this beautiful park which is located on a short distance of the Central Station in the Jewish area of Antwerp.

The City Park of Antwerp is a triangular park and can be found between the Quinten Matyslei, the Rubenslei and the Van Eycklei. From origin, it was a domain of the fortifications which were built around Antwerp. The Antwerp and city council member E. Van Cuyck constructed this park in an English style from a design of the German architect Eduard Keilig.

This 14 hectare (35 acres) large park features a playground, a large WWI monument, many statues (also one of Queen Astrid) and you may discover a variety of trees and plants, for example American linden trees, cypresses, Japanese walnut and many others. You can walk over the white painted pedistrian bridge and view the pond where many ducks are swimming. In summer, you will also see some rabbits in this City Park of Antwerp.

It is also a favorite place for joggers, walkers and people who want to spend some time in the beautiful park. It is always open but you can best visit this park as long the sun is shining or before darkness.

People who want to stay in Antwerp for a few days can stay in one of the best hotels you can find in the environment of Antwerp, for example Antwerp Diamond Hotel, Britselei 37, Leopold Antwerp Hotel, Plazza Hotel, Radisson Blu Park Lane Hotel and many others.

The City Park of Antwerp is the perfect place to start discovering one of the most beautiful cities of Belgium : Antwerp. It is also the second largest one of Belgium and offers attractions for every tourists.

A visit to the Antwerp Zoo in Antwerp, Belgium

2010-03-07T14:55:00.018Z

The Antwerp Zoo is a monument of national proud for people who are searching for harmony and relaxation. It is the green heart of the town Antwerp and located near the Central Station, Koningin Astridplein 26 and gets more than 1million visitors each year. It is the oldest and most famous animal zoo of Belgium and founded in 1843.

You can make a wonderful tour in this zoo and admire almost 5000 animals with 769 different species. However, moneys are often most beloved animals for children, they will certainly animals like elephants, flamingos, penguins, deer, giraffes, tigers, owl, birds of prey, bongos, camels, phoques and many others.

Previous year 2009, baby elephant Kai Mook, an elephant which got many visitors was born. Her weight was 80 kg when she was born and she gets heavier every day.

The Antwerp Zoo is fun for everyone. You can walk around and eat a snack or enjoy of a glass of beer or any other drink. The opening hour is always 10.00 a.m. but the closing hours vary from season to season (7 p.m during the summer months) and the entrance is free for children below 3 years and €19.50 for people above 12 years.

Top ten places to visit in Belgium and why

2010-02-26T12:19:00.001Z

Belgium is a small and beautiful country in northwestern Europe and offers many places of interest for every tourist. There are many interesting architectural buildings, monuments, museums to visit and nature lovers can enjoy their time in the beautiful parks, on the beach or even in the hilly Ardennes.

The top ten places to visit in this lovely country of Europe depend on the interest of every traveler and will vary from person to person. Most everyone will surely pick some of these places in their top ten of places to visit in Belgium:

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Travel guide to the Calabria region of Italy

2010-01-29T12:44:00.012Z

Calabria is a region in southern Italy and located in the toe of this wonderful country’s boot. Its unique position between the Tyrrhenian, Ionian and Mediterranean coast makes Calabria the Pearl of the Mediterranean. It is often said Calabria has the most beautiful beaches of Italy. With the crystal blue water and the blue, you can enjoy of every day in this Italian peninsula which many tourists still have to discover.

However, Calabria is well known for its coasts and beaches; the landscape is dominated through mountains and you will find a variety of plants. It is amazing how many cactus plants you find in different places of this beautiful peninsula. Citrus fruit orchards, olive trees, chestnut trees and even oak, pine and fir trees dominate the landscape of Calabria.

The Cattolica di Stila

The Assunta Cathedral in Gerace

The Church of Our Lady of the Annunciation in Tropea

Capa Colonna

Tartuffo, a delicious dessert in Calabria

The Lake of Miracles in Serra San Bruno

The Duomo in Reggio di Calabria

Sunset in Calabria

A visit to the Middelheim Open Air Museum in Berchem, Antwerp - Belgium

2010-01-13T16:51:00.010Z

The Middelheim Open Air Museum of Sculpture is located in Berchem, (Middelheimlaan 61) near Antwerp. Middelheim is the name of the castle which you find in this park. This castle served as a place for receptions, wedding parties and other celebrations until oktober 2007. Nowadays it is the place for the Administration and you can go there for a drink on the terraces during the summer.

The castle is property of the city Antwerp from 1910. This castle served as summer residence for many habitants of Antwerp from the 16th century until 1910. The city Antwerp organized in 1950 an international exhibition of sculpture in the Middelheim Park. The success of this event is the reason that the statues are permanent in this beautiful park. Nowadays you can admire 330 sculptures in this 24 hectare park. It is a collection of work from Auguste Rodin, Jean Arp, Pablo Gargallo and many others.

This park is open from 10h-17h, April-September until 19h, May and August until 20h, June and July until 21h and closed during the holidays. You can visit this park for free.

The Navity Play on Lea's Neerhof in Mol, Belgium

2009-12-31T14:19:00.013Z

Lea’s Neerhof is always in the Christmas spirit in the month December. People can visit the crib and it is wonderful to see some animals in the Christmas crib, for example a donkey. Lea’s Neerfhof is situated along the Molse Nethe and an enjoyable place for a snack and a drink. The nature is really beautiful and you can see ducks swimming in the water.

It is tradition to organize a “kerstspel” (The Nativity Play) around Christmas. Through weather circumstances, this Nativity play was delayed with one week and took place on 27th of December 2009. It is the story of Joseph and Maria who come to Bethlehem with Christmas and don’t find a place to sleep. They arrive at a stable and they choose a crib for the birth of their son Jesus. Shepherds come to visit them and we also see some angles. Suddenly three wise men (king Caspar, Melchior and king Balthasar) came to visit Jesus.

It was wonderful to see how these people played this Nativity play and three women sung a few songs related to the Nativity story. Most snow we got previous week was gone but we can still remember 2009 as the first year of a White Christmas in Belgium since 1986. I can only recommend people who weren’t there this year to visit this place surely next year and to enjoy the Nativity Play.

Will we have a White Christmas in Belgium?

2009-12-24T15:01:00.014Z

It is almost Christmas and we all hope for a White Christmas. It happens either rarely that we have a White Christmas in Belgium. The last week many people could enjoy watching the beautiful landscape. The shops were open on Sunday and people could do their last Christmas shopping.

We noticed a beautiful snow carpet in every city of Belgium. I made a walk in the environment of the Nethe in Mol and the winter landscape was really beautiful. Ducks were swimming on the water and it was really wonderful to see also a Christmas tree covered with snow.
Chances are smaller now that we can still have this snow on Christmas but hopefully not all the snow will be gone.

Let us hope for a White Christmas in Belgium; it is still possible.

The Christmas market of Ghent 2009, Belgium

2009-12-15T14:37:00.013Z

December is traditionally the month when you can find a Christmas market in every city of Belgium. These are likely not so popular as these in Germany but everyone can enjoy these markets. It is a wonderful tradition and most of them were previous weekend (11 and 12 December). Cities like Antwerp, Ghent, Bruges, Brussels and some others have Christmas markets which you can visit almost the entire month of December.

I visited this year the one of Ghent which started the 11th of December and will end on the end of December. It is already the 15th edition of the Christmas market of Ghent. The attractive historical center of this beautiful city is attractive decorated and enlightened and you can easily reach the Christmas market if you take a bus or the metro from the station to the Gravensteen.

The Christmas market of Ghent is one of the Belgian Christmas markets which enjoy great fame abroad and is located close to the St Baafscathedral, the Belfrey and the Gravensteen. The reason of its popularity is likely the strong rules for traders who want to participate. They may only sell typical Christmas or holiday products.

You can find stands with gift articles, artisan products, fantasy jewels, candles, food supplies, beverages and stands for a snack or the typical “Gluhwein”. The Christmas market of Ghent has also a skating rink for people who want to skate. It is wonderful to see how people and even children enjoy this sportive activity. After such sportive event, they will likely enjoy a mug of hot chocolate milk or a glass of Gluhwein.

There were also some musical events and people may enjoy shopping in the shopping streets (Veldstraat-Lange Munt, Mageleinestraat and Koestraat). It is also a good occasion to visit some of the famous historical buildings, for example the Gravensteen, St.Baafskathedral, the Belfrey and some museums.

Ghent is a wonderful city to visit in winter and the Christmas market of Ghent is surely one of the most beautiful ones in Belgium.

Day of the horse 2009 on The Zilvermeer- Mol in Belgium

2009-12-05T09:28:00.017Z

The day of the horse is an annual event organized in the month Oktober on “Het Zilvermeer (the Silverlake) in Mol. The Lions Geel-Mol are the organizers of this show and they care for a variety of different acts during this day. You might think it is only a show of horse acts but you could see also birds and two acts with dogs. The profit of the day of the horse goes to charity “Mens in Nood, Den Brand and De Schakel”.

There were also some events for children. Some people painted their faces and they had fun with such colorful faces. Everyone had the possibility to eat a snack or to drink something. Regrettable the weather was not real good but there was only a short time of rain and most people stayed most of the time to enjoy the show.

The show started with a musical act (hunting horn blowers) and followed through a horse dressage act while music was playing. There was also a presentation of different horse breeds of different kinds of the world. It was the first time I saw the Lippizano horse in reality but also the other horse breeds were worthwhile to see. Parelli natural riding was also a beautiful act and shows the difficulty of riding.

I liked the doggy dancing and also the comic act of Ivan Peters with a horse. The triple B hunt with horses and dogs was really amazing and you could see how fast these dogs were running. The show ended like usual with the hunting horn blowers, the same ones who opened the show.

Everyone enjoyed the show and we will see them probably next year again.

Pictures of the Olmense Zoo, Olmen-Balen in Belgium

2009-12-01T17:02:00.007Z

A visit to the Olmense Zoo in Belgium

2009-11-30T17:16:00.024Z

The Olmense Zoo is likely the smallest animal park in Belgium and situated in the city Olmen, near Balen. It is surely one which can be considered as “a must see” zoo in Belgium and offers local visitors and tourists a nice day in a beautiful environment.

The bear wood, the big walking aviary with exotic birds, the African savanna are highlights for nature lovers. The Olmse Zoo is also popular for a collection catlike animals, for example the rarely white lion and white tiger. Of course, you will find also many kinds of monkeys (for example chimpanzee, saimiris) which are still the beloved animals for many visitors, especially children.

You will find every year some newborn animals and it is a wonderful experience if you can visit these animals. It is a perfect occasion to take some beautiful pictures. The Olmense Zoo has also every year during special holidays, for example Easter, Halloween, Christmas etc. some interesting activities which will vary every year.

The Olmense Zoo can be considered as a family zoo. I visited this zoo twice and every time I discovered some new animals. Children will also enjoy the goat farm where they can play with the goats and some other little animals. There is also a playground for the children where they can trampolining or enjoy some other activities for children.

The opening hours of the Olmense Zoo are:

From april until November : every day between 10.00 and 18.00
From November until April : only Saturday and Sunday between 10.00h and 17.00h.

The tariffs for entree are : €14.00 in summer and €8.00 in winter for adults; €10.00 for children in summer and €8.00 in winter. For children below 3 years, the entrée is for free.

I really enjoyed the bear wood and I think it is the only zoo in Belgium where you can find this. You can make some wonderful pictures there. There are almost 70 different animals and I can recommend everyone to visit this zoo. You will enjoy a nice day and there is also a restaurant where you can eat a delicious meal.

A visitor's guide to Puglia (Apulia)

2009-11-24T17:10:00.009Z

Puglia is a beautiful region in southeastern Italy and also called the boot heel of this wonderful country in Europe. It borders the Adriatic Sea in the east and the Ionic Sea in the south east and is the only region in Italy which has so much sea and surrounded by eighty hundred kilometers of coast. The splendid coast line and the presence of art towns and beautiful monuments are so astonishing that every tourist will certainly admire the different places in Puglia.

The clear blue sea in Puglia is breathtaking and you will be amazed to see the bright colors and the reflecting sun in the sea during a sunset. People have different reasons to visit Puglia and the diversification of attractions for different kinds of interests which this beautiful region in Italy has to offer is maybe the reason why nobody knows the real reason which makes Puglia unique for most everyone.

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Brindisi: a busy fishing and ferry port in Apulia

2009-07-14T17:56:00.006+01:00

The city is set on a promontory along the Adriatic coast and its fortunes have always been tied to its natural port with its characteristic branched form, which was already active in the seventh century BC. From 266 BC, the year it was conquered by the Romans, ancient Brundisium developed rapidly and thanks also to its direct link with Rome by means of the Appian way, it soon asserted itself as a leading commercial port for trade with Greece and the Orient.

In addition, it was a military port from which the Roman armies could reach overseas territories to be vanquished. In this golden age, the city was embellished with splendid buildings and monuments, but few traces have survived. Brindisi was conquered by various invaders, and in 868 it was devastated by the troops of Ludovic II.

With the Norman Conquest (1071) and the early cruscades, it regained its important role as a trade and military port. The Swabians, Angevins and Aragonese in turn added impressive structures, parts of which were later lost during the devastating earthquake that hit the city in 1456.

Like Taranto, Brindisi has little in terms of extant traces of the Roman era: there are few relics and the only exceptions are near the harbor station on the inner side of the port, a column and part of another column, dating back to the first or second century AD and perhaps indicating the point where the Appian Way ended. On the other hand, the provincial archaeological museum has plenty of findings from this period, with precious collections of sculptures, pottery, terracotta statuettes and other ancient items.

However, the artistic and architectural heritage left by the Norman-Swabian period is far more substantial, including the mighty castle erected in 1227 by Frederick II and later enlarged. Lovely examples of the Romanesque period can be seen in the circular church of San Giovanni al Sepolcro (eleventh century), the church of Santa Lucia with a splendid Basilian crypt decorated with frescoes, and the Cristo church with its elegant, pointed façade decorated with a magnificent rose window.

Other examples are the Cathedral, which was founded at the end of the eleventh century but rebuilt in the mid-eighteenth century with the prized traces of an exceptional mosaic floor from 1178 illustrating “La Chanson de Roland”, and above all, the charming church of Santa Maria del Casale, built at the end of the thirteenth century whose interior is decorated with splendid fourteenth-century frescoes.

Other monuments worthy of note are the elegant Renaissance cloister in the church of San Benedetto, founded in 1080 but rebuilt in the sixteenth century, the original Palazzo Montenegro, which is a harmonious blend of a Renaissance-style façade with the lavish Baroque used in the courtyard, and the elegant seventeenth-century church of Santa Maria degli Angeli, whose ceiling is covered entirely in precious frescoes.

Today Brindisi is a large, busy, fishing and ferry port with many industrial activity.

When I was in Brindisi I couldn’t visit all the important buildings because Pope Benedictus should arrive in the evening and it was impossible to enter the main buildings. Lucky we could see a parade which was organized for the arrival of the Pope.

Parade

Otranto: a city on the Adriatic coast in Apulia

2009-07-13T12:05:00.014+01:00

The town lies in an inlet on the western coast of the Otranto Channel. Ancient Hydruntum was founded by the Greeks and through-out antiquity it was a busy trading town, thanks to its position and its port. During the Middle Ages Otranto became even more important as a mercantile port, but the mid-fifteenth century marked the beginning of a long period of decline, to which the repeated, violent Turkish incursions also contributed, and its golden age drew to close.

The cathedral, founded towards the end of the eleventh century and completed halfway through the following century and completed halfway through the following century, has a majestic interior decorated with an exceptional twelfth-century mosaic floor, precious historic works including the Splendid Tree of Life, various Romanesque frescoes ad the magnificent crypt.

The Matari chapel commemorates the massacre perpetrated in 1480 by Turks, who occupied the town and shortly thereafter decapitated its bishop, the priests and many of its residents right in the church, while 800 other citizens were beheaded on the neighboring Minerva Hill. Its castle was built in a dominant position by the Arogonese over the site of an existing Swabian fortification, and it has three massive round corner towers.

Lecce: an architectural jewel in Apulia

2009-07-12T10:26:00.010+01:00

This historic city is truly rich in artistic and cultural traditions. Known as the “Florence of the South”, it is located about ten kilometers from the Adriatic coast. It is of Messapian origins and became extremely important as early as the Imperial Age because of its busy port (San Cataldo).

However, it rose to glory chiefly after the Norman conquest, when it became the major town on the Salanto peninsula, and then during the Spanish reign, when the elegant Baroque monuments – for which even now it is rightly famous- were built. The Lecce Baroque style is extremely original and it flourished between the sixteenth and the eighteenth centuries. It is unique in its use of local limestone, which is unusual because it turns to a lovely golden hue with the passage of time.

Traces of the Imperial Age are visible in the Roman theatre and amphitheatre built in the early second century AD. A splendid combination of Romanesque and Baroque art, the church devoted to Saints Nicholas and Cataldus, erected at the end of the twelfth century and later remodeled, is Lecce’s chief Norman monument.

The elegant Palazzo and the church of Santa Maria della Grazie, which look out onto Piazza Sant’Oronzo were built in the sixteenth century, as were the nearby castle, built over the site of the previous Norman fortification, and the lovely churches of Sant’Irene and Gesu. The Santa Croce basilica, built at the turn of the seventeenth century, presages the triumph of the Lecce Baroque. The same style was used for adjacent Palazzo del Governo, which for many years housed an interesting provincial archaeological museum, which has now been moved to the Viale Gallipoli.
The city’s most precious architectural gem is Piazza Duomo, with the Assunta cathedral and its charming bell tower, the bishop’s palace and the Palazzo del Seminario, which are the finest examples of the Lecce Baroque.

Polignano A Mare: a picturesque small town in Apulia

2009-07-11T12:14:00.005+01:00

This picturesque little town, with its Romanesque mother church, is set high above the sea, protected by tall stone walls. Its splendid panoramic position overlooks a stretch of coast that is rich in marine grottoes, which the surf has carved from the calcareous rock over thousands of years.

Almost all of these vast, magical grottoes may be visited from the sea and in several cases, like the Piazzese grotto formed by two adjoining caves, they have even brought to light priceless material documenting the presence of human settlements in the area as earl as prehistoric times.

Poligana a Mare is also a romantic place through the beauty of the sea and many couples who are just married come to there for romantic wedding pictures. Polignano is really wonderful if you want to relax and you can even enjoy of an ice-cream in the many gelato’s which you can find there. You have a beautiful view over the coast with many boats and it is amazing to see the magnificent fluorescent blue color of the water.

Poligana is really a city which I can recommend to visit.

Trani: an immense historical architectonic patrimony in Apulia

2009-07-08T15:37:00.006+01:00

Trani was established in the third-fourth century AD and quickly became an important seagoing and trading town, reaching its peak under Frederick II. The cathedral, one of Apulia’s most perfect examples of the Romanesque style, was founded in 1097 over an existing church and finished in the thirteenth century.

Other noteworthy monuments include the Ognissanti church, also Romanesque, and the Swabian castle (1233). Nearby, on Capo Colonna, there is the interesting abbey of Santa Maria della Colonna, built toward the end of the eleventh century.

Barletta: the port of Canosa during the Roman era in Apulia

2009-07-06T17:05:00.008+01:00

Barletto is a city in Apulia which is located on the Adriatic coast (the Southern part of the Manfredonia Gulf). This city was already flourishing in Norman and Swabian times, and it rose to its greatest splendor under the reign of the Angevins, when its coastal position enabled it to develop wealthy trade and an important fleet.

It was the birthplace of Ettore Fieramosca, the leading figure in the famous “Disfida di Barletta (Challenge of Barletta) on 13 February 1503. Its churches, which have a wealth of valuable works of art, include the basilica of San Sepolcro, restructured in the Gothic style in the thirteenth century, and the cathedral (twelfth-fourteenth century).

Worth visiting are the Swabian Castele, the “Colosso”, a fourth-century statue depicting a Roman emperor, and the museum didictated to Giuseppi De Nittis, the great painter born in Barletta in 1846

Vieste: a popular holiday resort on the most eastern end of the Gargano peninsila in Apulia

2009-06-18T11:21:00.006+01:00

Vieste is a well known and extremely popular holiday resort that offers visitors not only a splendid seascape and a marvelous natural backdrop, but also precious evidence of its past, set in the suggestive atmosphere of the medieval town.

This ancient town was also an Episcopal see, and at the end of the tenth century it was repeatedly attacked by the Saracen Turks who, in 1554, led by the pirate Dragut, devastated the town and decapitated many of the townsfolk on the Chianca amara (bitter rock). It was next to his stone that the splendid Romanesque cathedral was built in the eleventh century, and it now houses valuable sixteenth century works.

The castle, set in a dominant position, was built by Frederick II in 1240 but was subsequently remodeled extensively on several occasions. In addition to the long beach and lovely bays, the famous Pizzomunno monolith and the equally famous architiello (little arch), the innumerable grottoes found nearby, including the large Campana, are also worth visiting.

A trip to Disney World in Florida

2009-05-25T14:47:00.020Z

Disney World markets itself as being magical, and there is an element of truth in this. A trip to the Magic Kingdom truly is wondrous, especially if it is your first time. There is much to see and do in Disney and if you’re planning a trip, you may want to have a good idea of the things you want to experience.

For some events, such as sharing a meal with characters, or eating at specific restaurants, you’ll need to make reservations in advance. Other events, such as the parades, fireworks and of course, the rides, you can do on the spur of the moment, although you might want to arrive early in order to get a good spot.

These photos were taken when Leigh Goessl and her family visited in the spring of 2004. The Castle Show, “Cinderella’s Surprise Celebration” was professionally done and a whole lot of fun to watch, for all ages. (For a glimpse of this particular show, check out this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaDhyxel_-Q&feature=related ). The fireworks are magnificent and the parade, amazing.

There are plenty of rides, all Disney themed of course. You can ride the famous Space Mountain, explore Tomorrowland, wander through the many neighborhoods, get spooked at Haunted Mansion, enjoy water fun on Splash Mountain or relish in the character dancing and parades on Main Street USA. Fantasyland. Don’t forget Mickey's Toontown Fair, Adventureland, Frontierland, and Liberty Square.

A trip to Disney is indeed a trip to remember.

Cinderella's Castle

Show Cinderella's surprise

Firework

Daytime parade

Parade in the Main street USA

Parade of Lights

San Francisco, California : a beautiful and warm-welcoming gateway to the Pacific Ocean

2009-05-14T08:57:00.020Z

Article written by Leigh Goessl

San Francisco is a beautiful and warm-welcoming gateway to the Pacific Ocean. A trip to San Francisco will be a treasured memory to last a lifetime. There is much to see and do in this wonderful city.

A great way to kick off your trip is to take a narrated tour. If you hop on a trolley and tour the city with one of the many companies which offer this service, you'll receive a terrific sight-seeing tour with great commentary from a local tourist guide.

Pier 39 : a top tourist attraction

Inside Pampanito submarine Pier 4

Outside Pampanito submarine Pier 45

Buildings

Beautiful view on the Marine

Lombard Street

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge park

View near Golden Gate Bridge Park

Exploratorium

Pacific Ocean

Japantown

Musee Mecanique

The sanctuary of Padre Pio, San Giovanni Rotondo in Apulia

2009-05-03T09:21:00.015Z

Indissolubly linked to the name of Padre Pio of Pietralcina, the monk with the Stigmata who has recently canonized, this lively agricultural town attracts millions of pilgrims every year, who come from all over the world to venerate the remains of the saint at the Capuchin convent.

At the time of Frederick II, this settlement, which according to recent archaeological finding was probably established before the fourth century BC, had mighty fortified walls, but only two of its original fifteen towers remain.

There are many churches, but that of San Giovanni, also known as the Rotonda, should be mentioned, as the town was named after this ancient baptistery. San Giovanni Rotondo is famous for its magnificent hospital complex, known as Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, which was Padre Pio’s deepest desire and was built in the late 1940s. In the near future it will be flanked by a monumental church designed by the world-famous architect, Renzo Piano, and it will accommodate 10,000 worshippers.

Padre Pio was born on May 25, 1887 in Pietrelcino, Italy and died in 1968. He arrived in San Giovanni Rotondo in 1916 where he stayed for 52 years. He had certain supernatural abilities and was responsible for certain miraculous events, for example reading the souls, prophecy, bilocation (being at two places at the same moment), miraculous healings and his most spiritual gift is the stigmata which he received in 1918 when he was praying before a crucifix. It happened on the second of May 1999 that Pope John Paul II declared Pater Pio as "blessed".

The shrine centers around the tomb of Padre Pio which you can find in the Church of our Lady of Grace (Santa Maria delle Grazie).There is also a modern way of Cross where many processions take place. On the base of this Way of the cross you will see a statue of Padre Pio and on the second level the lovely statue of the Madonna.

Paining of Padre Pio

Base of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross), with statue of Padre Pio

Second level of the Via Crucis (Way of the Cross with Statue of theMadonna

No matter if you are relegious of not; it is worthwhile to visit this place in Apulia.

Bari: a port and university city in Apulia

2009-04-26T08:51:00.006Z

Bari is the second largest city in Southern Italy and well known as a port and university city and the city of Saint Nicholas.

The pleasant position of the area where Bari is built, with fertile countryside rolling inland and an extremely busy port in a strategic, central position on the Apulia stretch of the Adriatic coastline, makes it the region’s chief city. It compromises two nuclei, the old city, which is the keeper of Bari’s ancient art and history traditions and the modern city, which is hemmed in by the splendid shoreline.

Bari was founded in an area that was inhabited in prehistory and was already flourishing when the Romans arrived. In the Middle Ages, and in particular after the Norman Conquest (1071), the city reached its peak. This period was marked not only by its affirmation as an important seafaring and trade settlement, but also by the superb basilica built to house the remains of St. Nicholas, who had come to Bari in 1087.

Frederick II of Swabia deprived the city of part of its autonomy and with the arrival of the Angevins, it suffered a period of decline that endured substantially until the time of Aragonese and Spanish dominion. It was not until the early nineteenth century, when the new city was founded by Gioacchino Murat, that Bari resumed its expansion and started the architectural, social and economic development that can still be seen today.

The enchanting impressive castle built by Frederick II acts as a link between the historic old city and the modern district. The building was commissioned by the Swabian ruler in the early thirteenth century and was absorbed into its trapezoidal layout with four tall towers, part of the existing fortifications dating back to eleventh-twelfth century. Its current appearance is the result of work done in the sixteenth century, during the period of Isabella d’Aragona Sforza.

The nearby cathedral of San Sabino, built in the mid-eleventh century, is extremely interesting and is one of the most successful creations of Romanesque architecture in Apulia. However, the city’s most precious monument is undoubtedly the basilica of Saint Nicola, a real Romanesque masterpiece whose austerely sober lines blend admirably with its overall magnificence.

The solemn interior has a nave and tow aisles, and it houses priceless works that include the splendid ciborium and the precious bishop's chair from the twelfth century, as well as paintings and sculpted ornaments of refined beauty.

The southern area of Bari can be called the heart of the city and features a promenade on the sea. It is also popular for its shopping district.

Castella Del Monte: a masterpiece of medieval architecture in Andria, Apulia

2009-04-16T15:57:00.009Z

This astonishing castle is located in the commune of Andria,

province Barletta, on one of the region’s most magical and spectacular sites. It is a monument of extraordinary universal value because of the perfection of its shapes, the harmony and fusion of cultural elements coming from Northern Europe, the Muslim world and classical antiquity.

It is a unique masterpiece of medieval architecture which mirrors the humans of its founder Frederick II of Swabia. The building is an octagonal structure with eight towers, which in turn are also octagonal.

Characteristic shape and great visibility also make the castle an extraordinary example of art combined to political power. Bought in 1876 by the Italian State, the castle has undergone complex restoration works. Castella Del Monte is characterized by the frequent presence of symbolic elements (the obsessive recurrence of the number “eight” and its octagonal shape).

Around an octagonal courtyard there are eight trapeze-shaped rooms on each floor, which form an octagon. On the edges of the octagon there rise eight towers of the same shape. The castle’s curtain walls display single-lancet round arch windows on the ground floor while the upper floor is decorated with seven Gothic mullioned windows and only one mullioned window with three lights facing Andria, the beloved town of Frederick II.

The castle shows a harmonious combination of different cultural elements: the Romanesque style, as in the lions projecting from the main portal; the Gothic style in the ogival portals, vaults, crochet capitals, telamons, consoles and keystones.

On the other hand, the classical influence appears in the friezes of the courtyard French windows and in the main portal; the fragment of mosaic shows the influence of the Arabian area as well as the bathrooms and the cisterns.

Boscobel House and Gardens, Garrison, NY

2009-04-03T09:19:00.015Z

Article written by Leigh Goessl

Boscobel is a beautiful piece of American history which is tucked snugly above the banks of the Hudson River. Built just after the turn of the 19th century, the home's original location was actually several miles south of where it sits today.

The historic home was moved for preservation in the 1950s from its original location in Montrose, NY to its current location in Garrison, NY after being slated by the government for demolition for a mere $35.

The fountain in the center of the rose gardens

An overview of the Hudson River from the Boscobel property

The main House

Rose garden

The Boscobel grounds, you can see the Hudson River in the background.

Gunston Hall Plantation : the home of George Mason, Northern Virginia

2009-03-02T10:44:00.037Z

Article written by Leigh Goessl

Gunston Hall is the home of George Mason and located in the northern region of Virginia, just south of Washington DC. Mason was instrumental in helping nurture the seeds of early American government. His writing of the Virginia Declaration of Rights was a pivotal document.

When you arrive at Gunston Hall there is plenty to see and do during your visit. You can tour the mansion, the grounds, external buildings and there is also a terrific visitor's center to explore.

Gunston Hall Bust of George Mason

Gunston Hall Fountain

Gunston Hall Gazebo

Gunston Hall Grounds

Gunston Hall Kitchen building

Gunston Hall Large tree

Gunston Hall plant in tree

Gunston Hall Laundry

Gunston Hall Lined Trail

Gunston Hall Main House

Gunston Hall School House

Gunston Hall Smokehouse

Gunston Hall Cemetery

How to decide when to travel

2009-02-14T10:32:00.000Z

People travel for various reasons and planning a trip requires time and research. Some may choose for a vacation on the beach, others will go skiing, walking or prefer a city trip, touring in a certain country or any other kind of vacation. The best time to take your vacation depends on many factors and research is necessary to decide when to travel.

Here are some reasons which may help you how to decide when to travel:

READ MORE

Christmas in Belgium : the Christmas Market of Geel

2008-12-18T09:05:00.011Z

Christmas is a holiday which is celebrated worldwide and takes place on the 25th of December. Decorations and celebrations start already in the beginning of December and in shops we notice already all kinds of Christmas gifts months before the event.

Christmas markets are popular in Belgium and I visited previous week the one in Geel, a city in the province Antwerp. They organized a Victorian Christmas market with a Christmas street musical. More than 150 actors, actresses and even children were dressed in original Christmas Claus and of also Santa Claus was there. The subject of the musical was “A Christmas Carol of Charles Dickens, based on the book and movie which is popular worldwide. It is one of the best Christmas markets I visited during the last years.

All the shops were open on Sunday and people enjoyed walking along the Christmas markets and eating some snacks and drinking some typical Christmas drinks.

The archaeological museum of Taranto

2008-10-30T14:36:00.008Z

The capital of Magna Grecia recovers its most important showcase. After seven years of work and with the investment of twenty million euros, the national and archaeological museum of Taranto has revived to new life, offering to tourists and visitors seventeen rooms, which cover a period lasting from the 4th century up to the Byzantine Age, a chronological course beginning from the hypogeum of the Cariatidi di Vaste and which reaches its height with the famous Hellenistic-Age Jewels.

That one of Taranto is a museum that runs through the history of the capital of Magna Grecia and that will be completely reopened by the second half of 2009, offering in this way to its public a container of extraordinary importance, able to embrace the history of Taranto from the Prehistory, from the Early Neolithic.

Going through the rooms of the museum, what strikes much more is the integration between the quantity of the finds and the technology used in order to get them accessible to the big public. Plasma and touch screens illustrate the history and the features of the flourishing Spartan colony of Taranto, the whole through an exposition based not on the kind of materials but following an interesting and complete chronological way.

On the really modern screens reconstructions of the contexts and architecture alternate from the town founded by Taras. Obviously, the Jewels remain the icons of MarTa. The “schiaccianocciole” (hazelnutcrackers), symbol of Taranto and of its spirit, and the other Jewels that adorned the women of Taranto in the Hellenistic Age are regained in full possession of the lovers of the genre after being- before the closing of the museum- the ambassadors of the town in the world, managing to be exposed even in Japan and to inspire a Trussardi designer’s collection.

The archaeological museum of Taranto was founded in 1887 and takes up, since the beginning, the former friary of the Alcantarini friars, built a short time after the half of the 18th century, but of which nothing remains but the outline which was built around the four arcades of the cloister. After a first precarious arrangement of all the finds, carried out by Luigi Violi at the end of the 19th century, Nevio Degrassi took care of the last preparation which was inaugurated in 1963.

The necessity of an exceptional maintenance of the architectural complex, together with the exigency to arrange the collections in more modern way, implied a first reduction of the expositive area in 198, and then the completing closing of the museum from 2000 to 2007; while the offices of the superintendence has been temporarily transferred in the former St. Domenico’s friary, in the old city.

At the ground flour the restructured museum houses, together with the offices and laboratories, the “Meetings’room, the rooms for the temporary exhibition and those for the visitors welcome; while the permanent exhibition instead, develops on the two upper floors and on a new mezzanine floor, proposing a downhill way.

A lot of finds, which have never been exposed before, are present in Marta like other most famous ones which, for the occasion, are submitted to new restorations or
presented with fantastic but rigorous proposal of reconstruction, like the Taranto’s Jewels.

Taranto : a coastal city in Apulia

2008-10-16T18:51:00.005Z

The ancient city of Taranto looks out over the waters of the Ionian Sea in the area of the broad gulf named after the city. Its extraordinary position and natural port made Taranto one of the great cities of Magna Graecia and even now, it continues to be a leading industrial complex as well as the chief naval base in Southern Italy.

The city’s golden age was in the fourth century BC, when it was governed by Archita, and its wealth and splendour allowed it to dominate all the other colonies of Magna Graecia. In 281 BC, following a dispute with Rome, the city turned to Pyrrhus, King of Epirus, to help defeat its enemy. Ten years later the city fell under Rome’s sphere of influence.

It experienced a period of intense economic and cultural development culminating with the construction of countless monuments, but most of them were torn down as a result of the city’s subsequent, chaotic urban expansion.

However, the city’s necropolis, where thousands of tombs have been discovered, offers plenty of documentation for reconstructing what must have been a very wealthy and culturally lively city. Many of these relics are housed now in the National Museum, one of Italy’s most prestigious institutions, which boasts of archaeological collections with artefacts discovered both in Taranto and in other locations in Apulia : clay statuettes, sculptures (that include a precious head of Aphrodite from the fourth century BC), architectural fragments, pottery, cups, sarcophagi, funeral furnishings, and exquisite and refined gold and silver.

After crossing Piazza del Municipio, where an impressive column and capital forming the lost temple of Poseidon can be seen, a street named after the temple leads to the cathedral dedicated to St. Cataldus. The cathedral was built in about 1070 by adapting a church dating from the tenth-eleventh century, whose splendid elements were maintained.

From the cathedral, visitors can continue toward the merchant port to reach the ancient church of San Domenico Maggiore, founded at the end of the eleventh century. The church still has a magnificent ogival portal on the façade, all that remains of the original structure, which was rebuilt early in the fourteenth century and was later modified extensively.

Ostuni, a city a the tip of the Murge, in Apulia

2008-09-19T11:23:00.004Z

Ostuni, a small city in the province Brindisi lies in a panoramic position across the three hills at the tip of the Murge. It was founded by the Messapians but did not really develop until the Middle Ages. Thus, the picturesque old centre is mediaeval, built on one of the three hills and distinguished by the charming contrast between the pure white houses and the town’s darker monuments and older buildings.

The fifteenth-century cathedral rising on its hilltop is an elegant, late Gothic building, noteworthy chiefly for its original tripartite façade, with the central part crowned by a tympanum formed by two ogee arches and decorated with an elaborate rose window in the centre.

The interior, a nave and two aisles cadenced by columns, was remodelled in the Baroque style during the eighteenth century.

From the cathedral, past the bishop’s palace along the narrow street of the same name, there are a few traces of a Norman castle that was demolished in the sixteenth century. The path along the ancient Arogonese walls is spectacular, offering a splendid view of the Murge and the coast.

Alberobella : the capital of the trulli in Apulia

2008-08-18T09:55:00.018+01:00

When people travel to Apulia they will never forget visiting Alberobello. This city is famous because one of Apulia’s most popular tourist spots: the trulli.

Alberobello owes its fame to the complex of about 1400 trulli and recognized by Unesco as part of humanity’s historic and artistic heritage – found in the districts of Monti and Ala Piccola.

It is impossible to find a similar place in the world and that is why Unesco recognized in 1996 included the capital of trulli among the goods representing the inheritance of mankind.

The two monumental quarters in Alberobello can be reached through the Valley of Itria : many kilometres among hills, dry-stone walls, vines, almond-trees, cherry- orchards,
thickets, strips of land taken from the rock through an action lasting for many million years.

The trullo is an extremely ancient, traditional building, made completely from stone and
compromises a cylinder capped by a cone-shaped roof, the latter crowned by an ornamental
pinnacle formed by three overlaid rocks.

In some cases the “roof” bears marks made with whitewash that, linked to pagan and Christian rites, seem to have magic propitiatory significance.

The interior, with a main chamber leading off to service rooms is traditionally whitewashed
several times a year.

The most famous building include the Siamese trulli, an ancient and unique double
construction, and the Sovrano trullo, a unique example built on two floors with a
dual vault.

It was due to the local peasants who built with the local “chiancarella” (calcareous
stone ashlars which are about seven centimetres thick), these comfortable and Spartan
buildings, cool in summer, warm in winter; the habit of building has always take the thermic variations into consideration.

The base of the trullo, be it quadrangular or be it circular, once in dry stone, is today a masonry and from a certain height onwards, from 1.50 to 2 metres, without any mortar, the “chiancherelle” jut out inside for about 2 meters, reaching the apex of the cone closed by a small round slab or a high decorative pinnacle which can take the form of a disk, star, a sphere sometimes supported by a cross.

We do not know their origin; however, contribute to the Apulian Eastern art. In the valley of Itria we find other characteristic villages which are worthwhile to visit.

The trulli is “a must see” for every traveller to Apulia. It is amazing and wonderful for everyone. Alberobello is the magic world of the trulli.

Read also : A tourist guide to Puglia

Apulia : The Grottes de Castellana

2008-08-05T12:40:00.011+01:00

The grottes of Castellano are located 40 km from Bari and close to Alberobello. The small town is located in a karst area famous above all for its grottoes. The complex is Italy’s biggest and most monumental, extending underground for over 2 kilometres and most of it is open to visitors.

The entrance is at the spectacular Grave porthole, which is as much as 60 metres deep and has a floor area measuring approximately 100 x 50 metres, with marvellous stalagmites rising from it. A corridor starts here and leads to the various enormous grottoes, interconnected by natural passageways or walkways installed artificially.

The grottoes have been given evocative names (including the Monumenti cavern, the Precipizio, the Albaster Cascade, the Presepe, the Duomo of Milan, the White grotto), and they display an entire magical spectacle of stalagmites and stalactites in fantastic forms and colours that vary from ochre to reddish to pure white.

The White grotto is the most famous one but regrettable it was not allowed to take pictures of this one. We could only take picture before making the real tour in these grottes.

Apulia, the heel of Italy

2008-07-28T15:38:00.004+01:00

Apulia is the most southern region of Italy and called “the heel of Italy”. Maybe this place is not well known by many tourists but I am sure this will change in the future. So if you are searching for a less crowded place and offering you many beauties concerning as well architecture as nature; I can recommend you travelling to Apulia in Italy.

There is one attraction you have to see if you are in Apulia, and that are the trullis. You can find these in many cities of Apulia but Alberobello is “the place to be” for visiting these trullis. These pitturesque buildings have a likeness to mushrooms and are made of limestone and no cement is used to make these buildings. In Alberobello, these trullis form a town and are protected under the Unesco world heritage law.

Apulia is also beautiful because of its beautiful coasts bordering the Adriatic Sea, the Ionean Sea and the Gulf of Taranto. Italy has plenty of olive trees and it is no different in Apulia. No matter where you go in Italy, they will always tell you they have the best olive oil. It is not different in Apulia and claim you can find the best one in this region of Italy. We visited an olive plantation and could taste some differences in their products.

The cave-cities of Matera are worthwhile to visit and so we did. Long time ago people lived in this caves and we could see these caves served as places to live. A bed, furniture and all the necessary things they need for living could we see in these caves. It is really unbelievable that people lived there long time ago. There was even a church made on the same way.

The Castellano Grotte is also an important attraction in Apulia and stands 290 meters above sea-level in Bari. The total complex is one of Italy’s most monumental underground attractions and you can walk through these grottoes over a distance of 2 kilometres. The highlight in this grotte is “the White Cave”.

Castello Del Monte is another important attraction. This building has an octagonal structure with eight towers. Really beautiful!

Apulia is also well known for the Sanctuary of Pater Pio. Every year millions of pilgrims come to this place. Monte Sant’ Angelo is another historic town in Apulia and linked to St Michael the Archangel.

Vieste is a popular holiday resort in Apulia offering beautiful beaches and a splendid seascape. This is really a wonderful place for taking some good shots of the beautiful nature.

Lecce is in my opinion the highlight of the historical architecture of Apulia. This city can be called “the Florence of the South”. There are plenty of baroque monuments. A beautiful church is “the Basilique of Santa Croche”. The façade is richly decorated with animals, grotesque figures and a central rose window. Other beautiful attractions in Lecce are the Roman amphitheatre, the Palazza and church of Santa Maria, the Obelisk Porta Rudiae and the castle of Charles V.

Apulia is a combination of a wonderful nature, architectural highlights, and the area of the amazing trullis, beautiful beaches and delicious food. I can recommend this region in Italy for every traveller and probably within a few years a crowd of tourists will come to this beautiful place in Italy.

Wonderful Apulia

2008-07-24T09:14:00.042+01:00

Before I start making postings about all the beautiful places this year in Apulia (Italy) I want to start with the introduction of the book "History Art Landschape" by Lorenzo Capone.

WONDERFUL APULIA by Lino Patruno

I do not know whether it is wonderful for its dazzling white houses and the so called washed "chiance" or for its bread, for its oil like mother milk, for its secret orchids, or for its strange languages of the world.

I do not not know whether Apulia is wonderful for its local dance (pizzzica pizzica) or for its thorny sea-urchins, for its underground churches, for its fires and very small houses or perhaps because it is "stony" and "dry" or for its castles recalling Merlin the Wizard or for the high cathedrals, its uses and customs or for its civilizations and cultures.

I do not know whether Apulia is wonderful for its golden fields of wheat, red poppies, golden beaches, red poppies, golden beaches, green olive-trees or white salt, for the sound of its night birds and its sky or for the calm of the surf in the sunshine.

I do not know whether Apulia is wonderful for its grottoes "sculpted” by the water, for its windy areas, for the geraniums on small balconies, for some sheep-like villages, for the old farmhouses, for its ancient history, for the jewels of its women seeming the Madonna, for its healing and revengeful saints or for its San Father Pio.

I do not know whether Apulia is wonderful for its Eastern and Western influences or for its Eastern laziness and Western concreteness, for its simple but rich dishes, for its typical streets or for its boats among the rocks, for its wine as black as in, for the dairy products or for the dewy gardens.

I only know that Apulia is wonderful even if I cannot explain for what exact reason.

I

First summer events in Mol and Balen in the beginning of the summer of 2008

2008-07-16T15:09:00.028+01:00

The beginning of the summer started with a lot of activities for as well children as adults. The first event was “Summer in Mol Achterbos”. There were some workshops and the harmony played some nice music. Later many other musical events took place but in different music styles. There was even a group of Africa. It was also funny to see that people were paining the faces of some children.

The second event took place in a recreation center in Balen and was called “Plustival”. This was the first time that this festival was organized and normally one for older people. However, the target group was people of 55 years or more; this music was suitable for almost every age. There were also events for children and people could enjoy a marvellous show with Lisa Del Bo, Bart Herman and many others. There were different attractions and most people went also to the humour show of Luc Caals and a live show of Miel Cools.

The third event was “the braderij (a fair)”. Shops were selling products with discounts of 50% or more but it was a highlight for the horeca. All the terraces were full and everyone could enjoy a nice drank and excellent food. In the evening there was a schlager festival with different popular artists of Belgium. Mieke, Christophe with his sister Lindsey, and Jo Valley were the highlights of this evening. Regrettable, the weather was chilly and some rain was falling during the evening but everyone enjoyed this evening.

The beauty of Hudson Valley in New York

2008-07-01T11:44:00.014+01:00

The Hudson Valley is the region which runs from northern Westchester County up to the Albany area, which is the State Capital location. The Hudson River runs through this valley and widens as the river runs south. The Hudson Valley is rich with history, especially during the years of early European settlement in America. Many pivotal Revolutionary era events took place in this region also.

The Hudson Valley is full of history, art, remarkable landscape and diverse communities. It is also home to many beautiful state parks and the West Point Military Academy which is located on the Hudson River. There is much to see and do in the Hudson Valley".

These pictures were taken by Leigh Goessl during one of her travels in Westchester County, NY. .

Tulips of Amsterdam

2008-06-04T10:03:00.002+01:00

The beauty of tulips in spring

2008-06-02T12:09:00.012+01:00

Tulips are blooming in spring. I love these flowers and when I visited a few weeks ago Oudenaarde, a city in Belgium, I could admire the beauty of these flowers.

When I see tulips I always think on the Netherlands. They have a beautiful song about these flowers “Tulpen uit Amsterdam” (in English Tulips of Amsterdam).
However, the Netherlands are well known for these beautiful flowers; these flowers originated in Persia and Turkey. Years ago it was a tradition in Turkey to wear tulips in their turban. This was a tradition related to their culture.

Tulips are colourful and there is a proverb that these flowers express comfort in all the right ways. A tulip is not too elegant, too romantic, too big, too bright or too small; these flowers are just perfect.

There is a high variety of bright tulips like red, yellow, white, pink, blue and many others. These flowers belong to the family Liliacea and there are about 100 different species. There are many festivals in the world representing these beautiful flowers. A popular one is this in Keukenhof (Kitchen Garden) in Amsterdam (Netherlands). The song is written by the German componist Ralf Arnie and Herman Emminck was the first one who sung this song in 1957.

ENJOY THIS SLIDESHOW : THE BEAUTY OF TULIPS IN SPRING

How to keep your travel documents safe

2008-05-24T07:47:00.002Z

Travel documents are the most important documents if you want traveling abroad. If you lose these documents you can get a lot of trouble if you want returning home. Your destination is important for knowing which you really need and which actions you need to take for keeping them safe. It is necessary that you prepare yourself on time for your next vacation and collect all the necessary documents you need.

WHICH DOCUMENTS DO YOU NEED?

Read more

Siena, the jewel of Tuscany

2008-05-11T10:50:00.010Z

Siena is one of the most visited places in Tuscany and can be considered as the jewel of Tuscany, one of the most beautiful regions of Italy. This city is surrounded by olive trees and the vineyards of Chianti.

However, according to the legend Siena was found by Senio, the son of Remus who is one of the two founders of Rome; the origin of the name Siena is still uncertain; some will claim it to the Etruscan family of the Saina and others to the Roman family of the Sainii.
Siena is popular because of its rich historical and artistic patrimony and the beauty of its landscapes.

The Piazza Del Duomo is without any doubt the most beautiful places in Siena and this piazza can be considered as one of the most famous in the world. The Duomo is one of the most remarkable buildings in Siena. This masterpiece of Romanesque-Gothic architecture was designed by architect Nicola Pisano. The façade in white marble of this cathedral is impressive and divided in two levels. The glasswork is one of the oldest in Italy and the most important pieces of art are: The Votive Madonna by Guido da Siena (over the altar), the wooden choral bench by Fra Giovanni da Verona (in the apse) and the marble bergamot by Nicola Pisano in (in the left transept).

The Cathedral Museum is situated on the left of the Duomo and contains works which belongs to the Duomo.

The Gaia Fountain which is also situated in the Piazza del Duomo is a rectangular basin built in 1419 by Jacopo Della Quercia in a Gothic-Romanesque style. There are many beautiful statues around this fountain and the most popular one is “The Madonna and Child” flanked by two angels.

Other beautiful things to see in Siena are:
- The Sanctuary of Saint Catherina
- Piazza del Campo with Palazza Publicco and its Torra del Magnia
- San Dominico
- San Francesco

If you walk through Siena you have beautiful places where you can view a panoramic view of the entire city.

The Duomo

The Belltower

The Gaia Fountain

Piazza del Campo

Some other beautiful things to see in Siena

Top ten places to see in Europe, and why

2008-05-06T11:35:00.001Z

Europe offers you a lot of beautiful places to visit. This continent has a rich culture offering you a lot of beautiful buildings and a beautiful nature. The top ten places to visit in Europe depend on the interests of every traveler.

It is difficult to pick just 10 cities which are worthwhile to visit because almost every country in Europe has beautiful cities to visit.

I will try to give you my preferences but the ranking is not important.

Read more

Wasington DC : the capital of the United States

2008-04-22T15:53:00.016Z

Pictures taken by Leigh Goessl

Washington D.C. is the capital of the United States in America and situated on the banks of the Pontamac River. This beautiful city which offers some beautiful monuments is bordered by Virginia and Mary land. The name of the city found his origin in the name of the first president of America: George Washington.

Some beautiful buildings and monuments in this city are:

This picture is taken from Virginia overlooking Washington D.C. showing the Washington Monument and Capital Building.

- The Washington Monument :

The Washington Monument was built to commemorate George Washington, who led the U.S. to independence and was the first U.S. President. President Washington established the concept of a two term limit on the U.S. presidency because he didn’t want to see the presidents become a monarchy; this is an important piece of U.S. history and helped shape the established leadership which still exists to this day.

The Washington Monument is 555’ 5/8” high, and averages 30 to 40 miles visibility in clear weather. It was finished in December 1884 (taken from http://www.nps.gov/wamo)

- World War II Memorial

The WWII Memorial is one of the newest additions to the National Mall in Washington DC. It is circular in shape and has many fountains. Each wall contains many famous quotes and commemorates famous battles which occurred in WWII. The monument was established to honor the many people who served, died or helped support those who were in battle. The memorial was completed in 2004.

If you look at the monument, there are several pillars which go around the monument, and they each represent a state in the U.S.

-Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial is an interesting monument. You can walk the many stairs to the top or if needed, there is an elevator off to the left hand side you can ride to reach the top. This monument is a memorial to President Abraham Lincoln, who was the 16th U.S. President and who served his terms during the American Civil War when he worked to keep the nation as one. President Lincoln was assassinated in nearby Ford’s Theatre on April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth.

What’s interesting about this monument is there is a museum underneath where a lot of interesting and important history and artefacts reside.

Picture of the Lincoln Memorial

-The Jefferson Memorial

The Jefferson Memorial is a white marble monument that is dedicated to the third president of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. The architect who designed this memorial was John Russell Pope.
More historical information can be found at : http://www.nps.gov/thje/

This picture is of the Jefferson Memorial

-The White House

The White House is the official home of the president of the United States and also his principal workplace. It is built between 1792 and 1800 and can be considered as one of the most recognized buildings in Washington DC.

My friend Leigh Goessl and her husband were curious about how Washington DC and the White House should be decorated for Christmas since we were used to New York City’s extravagant and beautiful decorations.

They learned the Nation’s Capital is very quiet around Christmas time (everyone must be on vacation for the holiday) and the decorations are very subtile; very different from the hustle and bustle of New York City.

If you look closely, there is a bit of greenery draped over the front door. Most of the government buildings are decorated very subtle, sticking with traditional greens with red ribbons, it is simple, yet elegant and pretty.

- The Capital building

The U.S. Capital Building in Washington D.C. is the center of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives for government activity. The building is the focus of U.S. Legislative Branch and is very symbolic in the U.S. These pictures were taken in the Winter of 2005 during a walk around Washington D.C.

Standing next to the building is impressive, and when you are close up you can see the beauty of it's architecture. The front steps are grand and are a great place to stand to take pictures of this important U.S. landmark. It has been a very long time since I've been in the building (1985), but from what I can recall, the inside is just as spectacular as the outside.

The U.S. Capital Building has an interesting history. Its construction began in 1793 and has been through many construction phases, one of which was due to a fire resulting from action during the War of 1812.

To read more on the history of the Capital Buildings construction and reconstruction, you can check out this informative website for more information: http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc76.htm

These two pictures are of the Capital Building. The last time Leigh Goessl and her husband were inside was on an 8th grade trip, but they did walk over to it a couple of years ago.

This picture is the big Christmas Tree that sits across from the Capital every year.

The building is very impressive and the detail is very interesting

Guide to the Manassas National Battlefield Park, Virginia

2008-04-21T09:27:00.016Z

Article written by Leigh Goessl

Sandwiched between the bustle of Washington D.C. and the serenity of the Shenandoah Valley region of the Blue Ridge Mountains lies Manassas National Battlefield Park. The park, located in northern Virginia, is the site where two prominent battles occurred during the Civil War. The first battle of Manassas, commonly known as the Battle of Bull Run, occurred over these fields in July of 1861, the second Battle of Bull Run happened in August of 1862.

Today this national park has been established to commemorate these historical events. The park is a quiet and tranquil place, and one which hasn't been tarnished by the commercialism which sometimes accompanies historical landmarks; the park has done a grand job preserving its history and integrity. It's not a commercialized area until you leave the park and enter Manassas proper, so don't expect a lot of hype while visiting the park itself. There are many restaurants and hotels located in the vicinity, but not within the park's confines, although two major roads do cross through the park.

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Statue in memorial of General Thomas 'Stonewall' Jackson (a famous and noteworthy General who helped lead the Confederate Army).

The pictures all taken in December 2006 by Leigh Goessl; it was an unusually warm day where it reached in the 70s (Farhenheit) (more than 20 degrees Celcius), but you can see how everything is bare like it looks in the winter.

Pictures of part of the battlefield near the Visitor's Center.

This picture is a plaque located on the battlefield.

This picture is a shot of the 'Old Stone House'. The Stone House has an interesting history because it's been a residence and a tavern, but it served as a field hospital during the Civil War. The park administrators have worked hard to restore it to how it looked when it was a tavern.

History of the stone house

This picture is one of the inside and a table which was set up to look much light it did during that era.

This picture is another one from inside the Stone House, this is the fireplace.

This picture is of the Visitor's Center and some cannons which are placed throughout the battlefield site.
This picture is another shot of the battlefield with cannons.

This picture is from the Henry House.

America : Mount Vernon, Virginia : the majestic home of George and Martha Washington

2008-04-18T07:36:00.025Z

Article written by Leigh Goessl

In northern Virginia nestled just south of Washington D.C. sits Mount Vernon, the majestic home of George and Martha Washington. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association purchased the property in 1858 and they restored the home to the way it existed in 1799. The Association has done an incredible job with restoration, and progress is ongoing. In October 2006 the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center and the Ford Orientation Center was completed, further enhancing the historical value and experience of visiting this amazing place.

The grounds are open 365 days a year. Parking is ample, but can be difficult on busy days, so if you can, get there in the earlier part of the day, this also is beneficial as ticket lines can get lengthy in the latter part of the day. Once you've purchased your tickets, I also recommend touring the mansion immediately as there may be a long wait later there too. Although, whether the line is short or long - the wait to get inside is well worth it. The inside of the house is a must see!

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Pictures taken by Leigh Goessl

The backyard of Mount Vernon's main house (winterscene of the Potomac River)

Picture of the Mansion taken from a boat ride on the Potomatic River

Another picture of the Mansion. The Mansion inside is amazing and many original artifacts and possessions of George and Martha Washington are still inside, but unfortunately they do not allow anyone to take pictures of the inside.

Picture of the Potomatic River in winter Picture of the Potomatic River in spring

Pictures taken from the annual Craft Fair which takes place every September. That year (2006)they had a battle renactment. Every year vendors from all over come to sell their handmade products and there are also other entertainment events.

The last two years they had a fire eater/sword swallower, an old fashioned Medicine Man (scam artist), 'George Washington' gives a talk (that actor is fabulous!), and some other old fashioned festival activities. It's a really good time.

America : Inside the jail of Alcatraz

2008-04-11T10:49:00.016Z

The prison of Alcatraz is situated on Alcatraz Island and located in San Francisco Bay in California. You can reach this place only by ferry and when you are planning to visit this place it is recommended to buy your tickets on advance.

Alcatraz Island was originally called “Alcatraces” which found his origin by the Brown Pelicans which were seen there by the first discoverer of this Island, Juan Manual de Ayala, in 1775.

This Island served first as a lighthouse built by the Baltimatore firm of Gibbons and Kelly and completed in 1853..
Alcatraz was a military basis from 1850 to 1934. After this period it became a federal prison for almost 30 years (between 1934 and 1963). In 1964 and in 1969 Alcatraz was occupied by Indians. The occupation in 1964 happened by five Sioux and because they wanted a cultural center and Indian University on that Island. However, this occupation in 1964 took only 4 hours; it was important because the same demands came back in the occupation in 1969.

Today the Island and the buildings stand as a national park and is open to visit. When my friend Leigh Goessl was there with her family in August they needed to buy jackets because it was so chilly there. They didn’t expect that because it was so sunny in California.

This picture is from one of the buildings surrounding the main prison building; you can see all the decay which has occurred over the years. The brisk air and the sea water contribute to this.

This is a corner of the main jailhouse from the outside.

This picture is one of the inside of one of the jail cells; they had a few open where tourists could go inside of one. They also had a few cells which contained the possessions of famous inmates.

This picture shows all the floors of jail cells.

This one is another jail cell shot.

This picture is from "Cell Block D" which is the solitary confinement area. If you look closely, you can see how the entrance to the cell is double layered. It was pretty dark in there.

This is an attempted shot of what the bed looked like from "Escape from Alcatraz".

This picture is taken from the island to get the full shot of the city of San Francisco from across the Bay.

This picture is of what's left of the inside of the Warden's House, it was badly decayed.
This last picture is also of the Warden's House and you can see the Golden Gate Bridge off in the background.

Pictures taken by Leigh Goessl

America : A trîp from California to the Pacific coast

2008-04-08T15:32:00.007Z

A friend of me, Leigh Goessl, a well known writer for the site helium, and her husband were heading 'west' from San Francisco to find the Pacific Ocean and ended up going up a mountain and down. Interestingly after 1.5 hours of driving, the Pacific suddenly appeared on the other end! It was amazing to drive through forests, then farm areas and then look up and see the Pacific waves crashing across the street.

The first picture was taken on a road when they accidentally got lost on which started off as a forest/mountains and turned into flat farmlands.
The second picture is the beach they came upon at the end of the road; the beach was named San Gregorio and it was very chilly there, but so beautiful.
The 3rd shot is from another beach a few miles down the road and the 4th is from another angle. You can see the beauty of that big rock with the sparkling blue water.

The last picture is of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco. This place is used to be a military base and then became a famous federal prison for many years. It is well known of the movie “Escape from Alcatraz” with Clint Eastwood.

Pictures taken by Leigh Goessi

Read also her article : Visiting Alcatraz, San Francisco Bay, California

San Gimignano : the city of the beautiful towers in Tuscany

2008-04-01T14:19:00.004Z

San Gimignano is a small and medieval city in Tuscany and discovered by the Etruscans. This city is also called “the city of the beautiful towers”. However, there were 72 towers in the past; there are only 14 left but these are impressive in such beautiful landscape. This towers date back from the 15 century but the purpose was more prestige than defence.

When you want to enter the town you have to go through a gate and the city walls which are still intact. There are some beautiful squares and Piazza del Duomo is one of these.
You can admire there Collegiato di San Gimignano, the main church of San Gimignano. The interior is built in Romanesque style and famous for its lavish frescoes.

The town hall or Palazza Comunale (also called Palazza del Popolo) overlooks this Piazza. This Palace has a height of 52 m and is also popular because its tower “Torre Grossa” which is the highest tower in town and offers a breathtaking panoramic view of the city.
Many weddings take place in the Sali di Dante and even a high quantity of people from abroad come to this place to marry.

Sant Agastiono is another important church in San Gimignano and built in Romanesque style. This church has a marble altar with beautiful frescoes about the life of Saint Augustine and painted by Benozzo Gozzoli in 1465.

The woolwasher’s Fountain outside the Porta dei Fonti is another interesting place to visit and many people are taking pictures there. There are also some charming streets for walking and enjoying some beautiful sights.

San Gimignano is worthwhile to visit during your visit in Tuscany.

HAPPY EASTER!

2008-03-22T11:28:00.005Z

Happy Easter to all the visitors of my blog and I hope you will keep visiting my blog regularly!

Easter is celebrated worldwide however traditions are different. I found a site where they explained the traditions in different countries of the world : http://www.easterbunnys.net/easteraroundtheworld.htm

In my hometown Belgium it is a tradition that the clocks of Rome will bring Easter eggs and mostly hide in the garden. The children will search where they can find these chocolate eggs and it is enjoyable to see how they make fun with searching these Easter eggs.

When the weather is bad they need to search the eggs in different places in the house. They know perfectly that with such weather the clocks of Rome come into the house and hide their Easter gifts on unexpected places in the house.

Of course everyone knows that their parents hide these gifts but the children don’t know that and everyone has fun to see how the children enjoy this beautiful day. Many families have a traditional Easter dinner with the family but the Easter egg can’t be missed.
The last years many restaurants offer specific Easter dinners but mostly these are expensive and not suitable for everyone.

Easter is also a nice time for travelling. Many people choose for a ski vacation but also sunny destinations are popular.

Do you know that there is an Island called “Easter Island” which is situated in the southeastern Pacific Island? The name Easter Island found his origin because a Dutch explorer, Jacob Roggeveen, discovered this Island on Easter Sunday, 1722.

Easter Island is belonging to Chili and offers many beautiful attractions. I wished it was nearer to my hometown to make a travel to this wonderful place. The Moia statues of Ahu Tahai are wonderful and the landscape of Rapu Nai National park is breathtaking.

For more information about this place you can visit this site : http://www.sacred-destinations.com/easter-island/

Volterra, the jewel of the Etruscan period in Tuscany

2008-03-17T15:35:00.015Z

Volterra can be called the jewel of the Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance art of Tuscany. This city is located on a rocky hill 550 m above sea level and surrounded by strong walls.

Volterra is well known for its alabaster. It was during the Etruscan period that the working of Alabaster started in this city and became the artistic centre of this industry in Italy. It is magnificent to see how they produce such beautiful art works in Alabaster. If you are searching for a souvenir of Tuscany you can buy some wonderful gifts in Alabaster for every budget.

The Etruscan Guarnacci Museum is “a must see” in Volterra. This is one of the earliest public museums in Europe and found his origin in 1761. The noble abbot Mario Guarnacci, who was a collector of antiquities, donated his archaeological collection to the citizen of Volterra.

In my opinion is “Um of the married couple” the most beautiful work in this museum and “a must see” for every tourist. If you buy a pamphlet of the works in this museum you will see a picture on the front page. Of course there are a lot more beautiful things to see like a beautiful collection of Roman mosaics, urns with scenes from the Greek mythology, Etruscan coins in gold, silver and bronze and also a lot of Etruscan jewellery.

Palazza die Priori is a beautiful building in Volterra and built between 1208 and 1254 and representing the oldest civic hall in Tuscany. It is built in Romanesque style. Only the windows are remodelled to the Florentine style.

Theatro Romano is another interesting place to visit where you can see the ruins from the times of the Romans. The construction started already in the beginning of the first century BC.

The Baptistery is a beautiful octagonal building which is built in the 13th century. The façade above the door is impressive because of its decoration in green and white marble.

Volterra is also famous because its walls and Porto All Arco is the most impressive of all the gates. However this Etruscan gate is more than thousand years old it is still in a good condition.

Enjoy your visit in Volterra!

Pistoia : a discovery in Tuscany

2008-03-08T11:41:00.013Z

Pistoia is a city in Tuscany which is situated 30 km north and west of Florence. In Roman times this city was called Pistoria. The name of the city comes from “pistol” which was manufactured there from the 16th century. Pistoia is also popular because of its flower markets.

The Piazza dell Duomo is a large square in this city where you can admire the Palazza del Comune and the Palazza del Podesta. This piazza can be considered as one of the most beautiful ones of Tuscany. This square is popular because of its 14th century Baptistery which is built in gothic style by Cellino di Neso. The baptistery is made of green and white marble like so many important buildings in Tuscany and it is octagonal in shape.

The Bell Tower which you can find in the middle of the square has a height of 66meters and can be called “the heart of this piazza” with all the other monumental buildings around. With a climb of 200 steps you will reach the top of this tower and enjoy a panoramic view of the city.

The Cathedral St Zeno in Pistoia is an important building because it houses the most famous silver altar of the world. The façade of the cathedral is in Romanesque style and topped with two statues: St Zeno and St Jacopo (the patron of the pilgrims).

It is also worthwhile to visit Ospedale del Ceppo, a hospital and orphanage which is decorated with a frieze of of della Robbia’s, and San Giovanni Fuorcivitas. This represents the seven works of Mercy Alternating with the Cardinal and Theological Virtues.

Pistoia is maybe not so well known for tourists in Tuscany but it is real a discovery and the city is proud of its history which is reflected now in the ancient stones on the streets and the colour of the architecture of this city.

I can recommend you to visit this beautiful city.

Carrara : the city of white marble in Tuscany

2008-03-01T10:23:00.007Z

Carrara is a city located in the northern-western area of Tuscany and well known for its white marble which is used for the construction of many important buildings in Tuscany like by example the cathedral in Florence and Sienna. Also Michelangelo used this marble for his famous works like “the David”, his most popular work and well known in the whole world.

The name Carrara found his origin in the ancient word “Kar” which means stone. The Piazza Alberica represents the heart of the town where you can see a statue of the most beloved queen of the habitants of Carrara“Maria Beatrice d’Este’.

The marble quarries make that the Apuan Alps above Carrara looks snowcapped and show you a unique view in Tuscany.

The Fantiscritti quarry museum is worthwhile to visit because you can see the work of the quarry workers of the past. You can see beautiful works and there is a shop where you can buy gifts in this marble on a cheap price.
You can reach the Fantiscritti quarries by following the Carriona River up to Ponti Di Varo and these are situated 450meters above sea level.

Enjoy a visit to this beautiful place and admire the art of the white marble of Tuscany which is popular worldwide!

Lucca, a medieval treasure in the heart of Tuscany

2008-02-24T11:45:00.012Z

Lucca is a small city and remarkable for its walls which dates back from the 16th century and located only 20 km north east of Pisa. It is perfect possible to visit these two cities in one day.

Lucca found his origin by the Etruscans and became a Roman colony in 180 BC. Also now the historical centre preserves still the Roman street plan and there are still places which remember you on the Roman period like “The Ancient Roman Amphitheatre and the ancient forum in the Piazza San Michel.

Lucca is also the birthplace of the popular opera composer “Giacomo Puccini”. There is a bronze statue in the centre of Piazza della Citadella. Puccini was well known for operas like Madame Butterfly and La Boheme. You can also visit his birth house, which is now a museum, in the same street.

Lucca offers you some beautiful buildings and is also called “the city of the hundred churches”. This beautiful city offers you a lot of beautiful buildings which are worthwhile to visit like :

- The Duomo of San Martino: this beautiful cathedral which is built in Romanesque style is located in piazza San Martino and the biggest church of Lucca. The church is like so many buildings in Tuscany build in white and grey marble. The church has different rows of columns on the façade and you can see a statue of San Martino and drawing his sword while riding his horse.

- The Basilica of San Frediano: this beautiful church is made in white stone and situated on piazza San Frediano. It is built in Romanesque style and he façade shows a golden mosaic which represents The Ascension of Christ the Saviour with the apostles.

- The chapel of Saint Zita : this chapel is built in the 17th centurt for preserving the glass coffined body of St. Zita, the patron Saint of domestic workers in Lucca. In this chapel you can admire beautiful paintings of her miracles created by Francesco del Tintore.

- The Church of San Michele: this church is build between the 11th and 14th century and has an impressive Renaissance façade witch features busts of important men. Inside the church you can admire important work of Andrea Della Robbia, Pietro Paolino, Fippino Lippi and Raffaello da Montelupo. On the top of the church there is a statue which represents the archangel Michael.

A beautiful area in Lucca is the oval-shaped Piazza del Mercato where you can visit a Roman amphitheatre and circled by a lot of houses. This area includes also the impressive “Villa Lucchese” which was built on hilltops between the 16th and 18th century.

Lucca includes also a wide area from the Apuan Alps to the Garrfagnana. This area is also well known for the production of olive oil.

Lucca is lovely and offers you a combination of culture and breathtaking sights.

Pisa : an impressive city in Tuscany: The Leaning tower and much more.

2008-02-17T11:32:00.008Z

Pisa is a beautiful city in Italy and is situated in Tuscany, the most beautiful region of this country. The origin of Pisa is still uncertain; there are theories saying that this city is from Greek origin however that the city was probably discovered by the Ligurians of Etruscans.
The Leaning Tower, The Baptistery and The Duomo (cathedral) forms an impressive viewpoint in the Piazza Dei Miracoli.

The Leaning tower is probably the most popular building in Pisa. This tower is the bell tower of the Cathedral and the construction started in 1173. It took almost two hundred years when it was finished because of the three different stages. The height of this remarkable tower is approx. 55,68 meters. This campanile is unique in the world for leaning 4,4 meters out of line.
Bonnano Pisano was the engineer of this famous building.

The Baptistery is another beautiful building in Pisa, originally built in Romanesque style but transformed to the Gothic style. The Baptistery is constructed of marble which is used for many buildings in Italy. When you enter the Baptistery you can have a look to some beautiful monuments like the Font and the Pulpit. The Font, which is a work of Guido Bigarelli, is located in the middle of the Baptistery. The Pulpit is created in 1260 by Nicola Pisano

The Cathedral (Duomo) is a masterpiece in Pisa and built in Romanesque style by the architect Buschetto in 1063. The Cathedral has a length of one hundred meters and a height of 54 meters which makes it to one of the most impressive buildings in Pisa.

There are many possibilities to make a picture where you can see The Cathedral, The Leaning Tower and the Baptistery on one picture. When you climb to the top of the Baptistery or the Leaning Tower you can take many beautiful pictures.
The Piazza Dei Maracoli is really a beautiful place in Pisa where you can enjoy the outside this three beautiful uildings and the green grass gives a special effect for enjoying the beautiful sights. Go from the one corner to the other and you have a new beautiful view.

Another beautiful building is “Santa Maria della Spina. This is a small church in Pisa and built in Gothic style. The construction started in 1230, next to the Ponte Nova Bridge which was destroyed in the 15th century and never rebuilt. The architect of this beautiful church was Lupo di Francesco. It is worthwhile to visit the tabernacle where you can see a copy of “the Madonna con Bambino” of Giovanni Pisano.

Pisa offers more than these three impressive buildings. You can make a walk along the Arno River and enjoying the beautiful sights of the nature. The Agosina Palace is a beautiful building and the oldest of the city. It is made of terracotta and the decoration with Gothic motifs is really beautiful.

A walk around the Lungarni can’t be missed. It is amazing to see the popular and noble buildings there like the typical Tower houses and some noble palaces which accommodated writers like Lord Bryon and P.B. Shelley.
This walk is necessary to understand the past and present of Pisa. For centuries the Lungarni Quays were called “the heart of Pisa”.

Pisa is a city which you can consider as “a must see” if you make a travel in Tuscany! It is really a breathtaking place.

Travel tips : tips for tipping abroad

2008-02-06T08:57:00.001Z

Knowing the local tipping customs is almost a need when you travel abroad if you want to avoid unpleasant experiences. Tipping, also called royalties, is money that in most countries will be paid if you want to show your respect for the service you get by example from the waiter in the restaurant, the taxi driver, the luggage carrier and some others.

Tipping might seem to be etiquette of polite behavior but this is not true in all the countries of the world. Countries like Japan for example consider tipping as demeaning. Tipping in Japan is viewed as insulted and the waiter will think that the service or food was not good. Even if you left some money on the table the waiter will chase after you and return the money because he thinks that you forgot some money on the table.

Read more :

Travel plans for 2008

2008-01-27T11:04:00.000Z

People seems to make their plans for travelling already in the first month of the year. I am used to join an organized groups travel and also this year I have made my plans already. I was surprised that the travel I want to make was already guaranteed. The problem with organized group travels is that there is a minimum of travellers required and for many destinations you don't know if you want to book for a travel that there will be enough travellers.

Some destinations are always popular like Italy, Turkey, Spain, Greece and some exotic countries like Thailand, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Cuba and many others.

I decided to make my next trip to Puglia (also called Apulia) in Italy for one week during the month of June and normally in September for one week to Wagrain (near Salzburg) in Austria.

I hope to give you more information about these places if I am back from my travel but I will give you the next weeks more information about my travel of Tuscany of previous year. I made already many postings of Florence in Tuscany but I have visted more places where I want to share some information with the visitors of my blog.

Guide to making a ski trip a pleasant experience

2008-01-11T09:33:00.000Z

Now that summer is over, many people are starting to think about going on an enjoyable ski trip in the mountains. Good preparation is important in order to make your ski trip a pleasant experience. You can take many precautions before the ski trip. Skiing is not a sport that everyone can do therefore, it is important to get a check up from your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to go skiing.

Since skiing is a very intensive sport, it is not recommended for those suffering from heart disease. Lack of oxygen in higher altitudes can cause problems with breathing and ski-sickness. It is wise to be aware of all consequences and discuss them with your doctor so he/she can give you medication to avoid this problem.

Happy New Year

2008-01-01T10:18:00.001Z

I wish all the visitors of my blog "A HAPPY NEW YEAR" and I hope to see them this year back. I never expected that so many people should be interested in my travel blog and I hope they want also to vistit next year my new blog : the financial libary and there are plans to start more blogs about different items but I will inform you later more.

I made this year a lot of new friends with my blog and also two who know my native tongue : Dutch. You will probably know that I mean Marja from Dutchcorner and Joanna from Through Joann's Digital eyes.

If you consult my links you will notice that I have friends now in almost every continent. I write now almost two years for the site "Helium" and I made also there a few new friends. A special thank to Kathy, Carolina,Eileen, Jadey, Karen which are my new friends of Helium (I hope I don't forget someone) now but I surely don't forget my friends which I know now already for more than one year. (like Joyce, Deirdre, Megan, Paul and many more; the list will be too long to mention them all)

I will also thank Megan, who posted almost as first in my blog and I appreciate her work that she does to prevent child abuse with her website : Imaginif child protection and forum. I hope this year will be positive to prevent this problem and I am sure her site has warned many people to take the necessary precautions.

My plans for this year are to go further with travel information of more countries and of course some new of my hometown Belgium.

I hope 2008 will be a great year for everyone and I wish you a good health, enjoy the things you like and for the writers : keep writing and I hope : keep visiting my blog.

Christmas concert : Erik and Sanne

2007-12-30T09:28:00.000Z

During the month December there are several Christmas concerts in almost every country of the world. This year I had the chance to go to the Christmas concert of Erik and Sanne in the city Mol in Belgium.
It doesn't happen frequently that they have concerts so near to my home and I decided to go to this concert. I enjoyed this concert very much.

The concert started first with the Choir Koreander and after these we could enjoy of the music of Erik Van Neyghen, Sanne and a few songs with their daughter Maartje.

Christmas wishes!

2007-12-27T12:00:00.000Z

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I wish all the visitors of my blog a Merry Christmas. I made this year a lot of new friends and found some new great bloggers. I hope they keep visiting my blog and I promise to visit theirs regularly.

Enjoy of this Christmas holiday!

Christmas decoration ideas

2007-12-24T09:32:00.000Z

Christmas decorations give a special effect on celebrating this annual event. Christmas is a time that many people celebrate with their family and decorations ideas is a matter of insight and being creative.

You can make it as expensive as you want but decorations on a limit budget are easy to find. It is a good idea to involve your children with the choice of your Christmas decorations and many children like to make their own Christmas decorations.

A Christmas tree is the most important symbol of Christmas and you can find one in almost every house during the Christmas holiday. Decorating this tree together with your children can be a time of fun. You can start with visiting some shops and choosing some lights for your tree. You will surely notice that it is not easy to find your choice because there are so many differences. An important factor is of course the budget which you want to spend and probably your children can help to find the right spots for your Christmas tree. Do you like clear light or colored lights? Try to find together the ones which fit with the inside of your house and the preferences that your children have.

The history of Christmas

2007-12-23T10:14:00.000Z

Christmas is a Christian holiday which celebrates the birth of Jesus. In most countries of the world it takes place on the 25th of December. It is unknown why this date is chosen because this date is probably not the real date of his birth and you can consider the elected date for this event more as a tradition.

Even the New Testament doesn't specify a real date. If you read the version in Luke 2: 8 in the bible: And there were shepherds living out in the fields near by, keeping watch over their flocks at night"; it is more likely to believe that Jesus is born in September. Shepherds stayed with their flocks from spring to August in the Middle East, and also Palestine is situated there. It is hard to believe that they went to Bethlehem in December.

Although Christmas is associated now with the birth of Jesus the real history started already more than 4000 years ago. The word Christmas originated from Cristes maesse which means Mass of Christ.

Christmas decorations in Belgium

2007-12-20T16:57:00.000Z

It is almost Christmas and if we walk through the streets we can enjoy the beautiful Christmas decorations.
Almost everyone has a Christmas tree in their house but also the streets are full of Christmas decorations and in Belgium are Christmas markets very popular.

The Japanese Garden "Shin Kai Tei" in Ostend, Belgium

2007-12-11T15:17:00.001Z

Many tourists which are coming to Ostend forget often to visit this beautiful Japanese Garden "Shin Kai Tei". The architect of this garden is Takashi Sawano. It is a garden where you come to relax and enjoy the beautiful plants. It is a garden in Kaiyushiki-style and if you walk through the garden you will discover the different landscapes.

A beautiful snow landscape in West Virginia

2007-12-07T11:26:00.000Z

The first snow arrived in West Virginia, America. My friend Kathy, writer for Helium and Associated content and her blog "Katlyn's tips has send me these beautiful pictures.

Look to the beauty of this wonderful snow landscape!

Pictures of Ostend

2007-11-29T11:29:00.000Z

Ostend, the queen of the sea in Belgium

2007-11-24T15:26:00.002Z

Ostend is situated in the province West Flanders of Belgium and the largest city of the Belgian coast. During the summer there are a lot of tourists who visit this place for enjoying a beach vacation at the North Sea. Many people are swimming there or enjoy there of some other beach attractions. It is the ideal place for making a nice bicycle tour or for walking in the beautiful parks.

Ostend offers more than only the beach and you can call this beautiful city as the city of all seasons. There are so many attractions and beautiful places to visit which means that you can choose the most suitable in every season.

The St Petrus and Paulus Church is one of the highlight of Ostend. This beautiful church is built in 1904-1905 in a neo-gothic style by architect Delacensery and the first important building if you come with the train to Ostend. The mausoleum for Belgian first queen, Marie Louise, who died in Ostend in 1850, is located inside this church. You can admire the stained glass windows with portraits of Belgian Kings there.

Leopoldpark is the most popular park in Ostend and well known for the famous Floral Clock. This clock is created with almost 20.000 plants and it looks adorable with the variety of different colours. This clock gives every day the right date during the summer months.
Another important park is “Maria Hendrikapark”; also called “het bosje”(small wood). There is a beautiful lake (Mirror Lake). It is the ideal place for walking or jogging.

Ostend has also a Japanese Garden, called “Shin Kai Tei”. Shin means profound, discerning and learned and relates to the rich history of Japan and Belgium. Kai means sea or ocean. Japan is an archipelago and Ostend a city by the sea. Seeing the sun rise or sink into the sea brings man and nature closer together. Tai means garden but also sanctuary.
This Japanese garden is a beautiful garden where you can walk and admire the beautiful plants.

There are a lot of beautiful statues to find in Ostend. “Seaman’s Memorial” and “Looking out to the sea are two beautiful ones. The statue “Dikke Mathille” is a statue which you can find on the east side of the Kursaal of Ostend. Also the bronze statue of the waiting fisherman’s wives made by August Michiels is a visit worth.
Some other beautiful places to visit in Ostend are:
- The James Ensor Museum
- The Mercator
- The Hippodrome Wellington
- Fort Napoleon
- The Casino

Ostend is also a nice place for shopping and there are many terraces and restaurants where you can enjoy of a nice dinner or drink. Ostend is also popular for the many fish restaurant and the place to be for fries with mussels.

When you visit Belgium, don’t forget to visit Ostend! You will never complain and I am sure that you are convinced that Ostend is the queen of the sea in Belgium.

Katlyn's tips : a blog with an article directory of quality articles including travel articles

2007-11-22T19:00:00.000Z

“Katlyn’s tips” is a blog with links of articles of different categories which I found by browsing through the different Internet sites. There is also a travel section where you can find topics of different countries and the site is updated very quickly by adding some new great articles.

Katlyn is a free-lance writer from the United States and has compiled an article directory, listing topics from various free-lance writers from all over the world. Topics include travel, home and garden, relationships, finance and everything in between. There is something for everyone!

Visit her blog at : http://katlyn-tips.blogspot.com/

Summer events in Mol, Belgium

2007-11-06T16:17:00.000Z

This year there were also a lot of summer events in the city, Mol, where I live. The last years there was an event “the Happy Fridays”(organized in July) where you could enjoy a concert outside of some singers. The first year this event was a success but the last years more people want back the old tradition of one weekend in August with different singers and some attractions for children. Personally I like this tradition also more than the Happy Fridays and the name for this new event is: “Mol feest” or in English: celebrations of Mol. This year was Laura Lynn the most popular singer of this celebration and there were a lot of visitors for this event. It was a good occasion to enjoy her concert because it was for free and everyone could have a nice weekend. Even if you don’t like this kind of music there were some other groups and everyone can make their choice which was suitable for them.

Another event is the annual light parade in our city. We have two of these parades in September but the one of Mol Rozenberg passed near my home. This parade has a great history and found his origin in 1885 with a torch-light procession, arranged by the local association:” De Schepersvrienden” and became very soon a full light parade. In the beginning there was only one light parade in Mol, a combination of Ginderbuiten and Rozenberg, but this was not for a long time. The light parade of Mol Rozenberg is always on the second Saturday of the month September. Many carriages decorated full of electric lamps are going through the streets of the centre of Mol. It is amazing that every year this event attracts so many visitors.
The light Parade starts always with fireworks, very beautiful and nice to see for the visitors.Every year we see new items in this parade, actual events, but also things like technology, romantic, fantasy are very important. More than 20 carriages with thousands of lamps and a lot of musician make this event very original, but of course the weather plays a great rule in this happening. If the sun is shining it is nice to walk through these roads and see all these beautiful carriages. Of course there are many stands where you can buy some ice-cream or food like Belgian fries or a hot dog and there are enough places where you can drink something you like.

There is also “a Fair” during this weekend for the children. Parents go with their children to the Fair and the children enjoy the attractions which they like. It is nice to see how the children make fun. We saw this year also a clown who surprised the children.

If you ever come to visit “Mol” you can make a visit to the abbey of Postel. They have some special cheese which is very popular in our country: Postel cheese and you can also buy some breath from there called “ Postel bread”. I made a trip with my bicycle to this place because it is 14 km of my home and it was wonderful that I saw some lovely animals: deer’s. It doesn’t happen very frequently that you see some animals on other places than in a zoo but this time I saw them near the abbey.

Mol is a little city in “De Kempen” in Belgium but a nice place for spending a weekend!

My article : Is Swiss Chocolate the best in the world? reached the home page in Helium!

2007-10-30T15:07:00.000Z

Previous Saturday I reached the homepage with my article : Is Swiss chocolate the best in the world on the site “Helium”. It was a nice surprise because it is not easy to reach the homepage and I didn’t expect to reach the homepage with this article.

Probably not all the visitors of my blog know this site but Helium is a site for writers where you can write articles of different kind of interests. I joined this site in February 2006 and found a lot of pleasure there. For me it was in the first place my first steps in the writing world but my real intention was to improve my English writing. During the period I joined I saw a great evolution in this site. When I started writing there the site was totally different. You can compare the site in the past like “Yahoo answers” where the members posted a question with an answer and every member has to try to give the best answer. The difference with Yahoo answers was that in Helium the answers were rated by the members and the purpose of every member was to write the best answer. When your answer is on the top on the list you have more chance that more people will read your answers and give a higher chance for earning more money.

In September 2007 Helium changed totally and it was a great progress in the writing sites which are now to find in the Internet world. It was not more a site of questions but really topics with the intention to write the best one and to publish information which can be read by everyone. Changing the system has some disadvantages for the older members because questions were changed to topics and the answers which were given in the past are in many cases too short for a good article in the new feature. At the moment a minimum of 200 words is required but they prefer articles of at least 400 words. Many members who joined in the beginning noticed that many of their articles were deleted because the changes in their rules. Of course every member has the chance to adapt their article from the past and write a longer one which fits the topic.

The discussion board in this site is also a nice place where you can ask questions and share opinions with the members and you have the possibility if you have problems with certain tools in the site to ask a question on members of the Helium Staff.
Regularly contests are organized and on this way you can compete with other members to prove your writing capacity. There are some money prizes to win but every article gives his earnings on the long term. If someone reads your article you can earn money. It is not a site where you become rich but the site is really a good one if you like writing and if you read the articles you will notice that the quality of the articles is a lot higher than in the past.

Reaching the home page is not easy and it gives me a good feeling about my progress in writing. It was a time ago that I reached the homepage; I think from the contest in the summer with my article : Travel destination reviews : Venice; Italy. Probably my article of Venice was more popular because I earned this day more than $1.00 in one day with that article and now only $0.15.

You can call Helium as a family site because it offers more than just writing possibilities. The Helium café is also popular and you can compare it as a kind of chatting room where people can make postings about every kind of subject.

People who are interested to join this site can always send an email to me and I will send you an invite to join. There is no referral link; the only way I can invite you is that I use the invite feature and you will receive an invite to join. In this case you need to send me the next details :name and email address.

When you like writing : join this site but don’t expect to become rich!

If you like reading more articles of me : you can click on the right side of my blog where you find the Helium button : What I wrote for Helium or just click this link :an d go to the page : my articles : http://www.helium.com/user/show/4632

Dessel swingt 2007 (Dessel swings 2007)

2007-10-15T16:35:00.000Z

A nice event during our summer was “Dessel swingt” (Dessel swings); a musical family event for everyone. Dessel is a small city in “De Kempen” of Belgium and well known for the Market place, the Boeretang and the town hall. It is also the place where you can find the Pancake Boat “Den Diel” where you have choice between 100 different kinds of pancakes.

Dessels swingt (Dessel swings) was organized on the Marketplace.
There were activities for children but it was especially a day full of music and everyone could dance and listen to music for as well young as older people. There were two podiums where you could see the singers; if you wanted to enjoy them all you needed to switch every hour between the two podiums.

The greatest singers came on podium one and if you wanted a good place it was best that you were there a quarter before the new singer started. Regrettable that you missed on this way the last part which took place on the other podium but that is a choice you needed to make for yourself. A disadvantage of the great podium was that you couldn’t find a place to sit; in contrary with the other one where there were places enough to sit and enjoy of a nice drink.

The benefit of this festival was for a non profit organization; in this case “Vzw De Rusthuis”. They use the money for building a home for 10 people with a handicap.

It was the first time I heard of this festival and I feel me happy that I could enjoy this beautiful day. The weather was nice; only in the evening we saw some raindrops falling on our heads.
Some singers of this event were:
- Desselina
- Wendy Van Wanten
- Eddy en De Schellekens
- Dana Winner
- Peter Koelewijn
- Eddy Smets
- Juul Kabas
- Marc Deckx
- Hans De Booy

This event takes places every year during the summer but the location will be next year in Witgoor which belongs in fact also to the city Dessel.

Celebration of 35 year Prinsenpark in the city Retie of Belgium

2007-10-07T08:53:00.000Z

The Prinsenpark in Retie is a beautiful

park in Belgium with 230ha of woods and a lot of ponds where you can see many people fishing. It is situated in “De Kempen”, an area located in the province Antwerp. Many people who like to walk or running visit this place regularly. They can practise their sport in an environment where they can enjoy the beauty of the nature and it is often very quiet there.
Retie is especially well known for his lime tree which dated from 1652; the trunk has a diameter of 12 meter and a contour of 3,80 m. Some other places of interest are the castle of Rethy and a beautiful watermill.

This year “the Prinsenpark” existed 35 years and a good occasion for a celebration. Many activities for children were organized. Also adult people could enjoy this day. Someone came there who gave a lot of information about birds of pray. These kinds of birds are hunting for food primarily by using its talons. We can classify them as meat eaters. They have a good vision and powerful feet with sharp talons. The falcon was one we could see there.
The celebration ended with a concert of the family Deckx. Marc, Jules, and the daughter of Marc who calls Barbara and her brother were never in the same concert together.

Marc was especially popular in the sixties which his song “Oh clown” and many other songs.
.Jules is more a funny singer and is the brother of Marc. They started together in a group but after some time both made their own career. Jules became popular with his song “Juul Kabas”; it is song which means that he always went to his work with a sack. Another popular song is “het zijn zotten die werken” (you need to be crazy to work).
Barbara, the daughter of Marc is at the moment very popular in Belgium and she was also selected one time to take part in the “Eurovision Songfestival”; a kind of competition between countries of Europe where every country is represented by one singer. This festival was the start of her career.
This concert was organized by radio 2 of Belgium; the reason that it took place in Retie is maybe that Marc and Jules were born in Retie and it was a good occasion now to bring them the family together in this lovely park. More than 2000 visitors were present to enjoy this concert. Regrettable that it was a cloudy day with much rain but during the concert there was no rain at all.

It was one of the highlights during our summer of 2007 in “De Kempen” in Belgium.

Fata Morgana in Meerhout : living a week in the old Egypt

2007-09-25T11:25:00.002Z

Fata Morgana is a television program in Belgium where someone who is well known in Belgium (this can be an actor, actress, a singer or someone else) gives the challenge to a certain city in Belgium to do 5 tasks which can give them a star. The purpose is to reach 5 stars and if you succeed they call this city a five star city.

This summer a city; called Meerhout, only 7 km from the place where I live got the challenge from Marleen Merckx; an actress who plays in the Belgium serial “Thuis (Home)” to do 5 tasks in the Egyptian style. Meerhout is a city which is popular for their beautiful nature and situated in the “Kempen” in Belgium.

It happened on one of the rare hot days during our summer of 2007 but the real start for these tasks started already the Monday before. Geena Lisa (a singer and also presenter of television programs) and Steph Goossens (also actor in the serial “Thuis”) were going to some people in Meerhout and asked them to organize everything to succeed in these tasks.

The different tasks were:
- building a pyramid with a height of at least 10m and flanked through two Sphinx
- entry of 200 Cleopatra’s
- building a wall with a length of at least 50m and a message in all the hieroglyphs
- 40 exotic stalls in souk
- 8000 people who are dancing the Egyptian walk on the same time.

The people of Meerhout lived during one week in the old Egypt between pharaohs, sphinx and one great pyramid. No one was sure that Meerhout should reach the 5 stars but they did.

The real day of Fata Morgana was a day full of fun; excellent weather and a great show. Everyone was happy to see that they succeeded in all the tasks and really the work they did during one week was great.

View the slideshow of Fata Morgana in Meerhout

Summer 2007 in Belgium

2007-09-16T10:38:00.000Z

After a winter with soft temperatures and extremely high temperatures in April we expected a summer with hot temperatures. Many people bought air-conditioning because the year before the temperatures during the months June and July were so high that it was recommended to protect us against such high temperatures. Belgium is not used on extremely high temperatures for more than one month but he last years we noticed that the temperatures became higher and it is was not unusual to read in the newspapers that this one should be one of the hottest of the last years.

Was the weather forecast true? Certainly not; we noticed only a few days with high temperatures and not one week with temperatures above 30 degrees. The weather was always changing and we had a lot of rain. If we read now in the newspapers that it was a real Belgium summer I can only say that I don’t agree with them. It is true that we never know when it will be nice summer weather but mostly it happens always during one of the three months that we have hot days for a longer time.

When I went to school it happened mostly in the month June and often was August also a month with nice weather. July was always a month that there was a high risk of much rain. The warming up of the earth seems to change everything but I think Belgium has this year only the negative effects of much rain. I think the warming up effect in Europe happened only in countries where it is usual hot during the summer months like Italy, Spain, and Eastern Europe.

Not everyone will agree with me because there are people who don’t like hot weather and they were happy with a summer like this one and I can understand that people with heart problems are satisfied with such summer.

Nevertheless there were a lot of activities that we could enjoy this summer. A nice one was : Fata Morgana, organized through the Belgium television and every time in another city. I went to the one in Meerhout, a city only 7 km from the city where I live. It was one of the days that the temperature was a lot higher than 30 degrees. The purpose of this event was to become a five star city, this means that they got 5 tasks in Egyptian style and they needed to bring these tasks to a good end. You will read more about this event in one of the next postings.

Some other events were:

- Celebration of 35 year Prinsenpark : a park situated in Retie, located 10 km from the city I live (Mol)
- Dessels swings with a lot of Flemish artists.
- A musical event in the city where I live with a lot of artists
- A tour with my bicycle in a nice environment
- A trip to the beach in Ostend
- The light parade of Mol Rozenberg

The summer is almost over now but I hope we will have next year one with temperatures which are a lot higher!

Piazza Michelangelo : a breathtaking place in Florence

2007-09-09T10:46:00.000Z

Piazza Michelangelo is a beautiful area to enjoy the beautiful sights of Florence. This piazza is located on the top of the hill on the opposite side of the river Arno to the centre of Florence.
You can admire a replica of Michelangelo’s David. If you happen to miss the original one in the Academia you have a second chance here. The “David” is Michelangelo’s masterpiece and in fact created for the cathedral of Florence.

Michelangelo Buonarroti is irrevocable associated with Florence because you can find there so many masterpieces of this Italian Renaissance painter, sculptor, architect, poet and engineer. He was born in Caprese (Italy, Tuscany) on 6th of March 1475 and died on the 18th of February 1564. His best known works are the David and the Pieta which he created before he reached the age of 30 years.

Piazza Michelangelo is like a beautiful park above the city where you have breathtaking views of the buildings of the city: the Duomo, Campanile, the Arno, Ponte Vecchio and many others. It is also a nice place to enjoy a picnic and have a look to the beauty of the nature with the beautiful flowers.
There are also enough terraces for a snack or a meal.

Don’t miss this place in Florence!

I hope you have now a lot of information of Florence if you want to visit this beautiful city in Tuscany. You can spend there weeks to visit all the beautiful places but I was there for only two days; regrettable that I missed one important place: Palazzo Pitti! Maybe I can visit this place the next time.

Basilica di San Miniato al Monte : a beautiful romanesque church in Florence

2007-08-23T10:11:00.000Z

Basilica di San Miniato al Monte is a beautiful church in a fine Romanesque style and is situated on one of the highest points of Florence. On this place Minias who was Florence first martyr was beheaded in about the year 250.
The construction started in 1013 by Bishop Alibrando and it took 2 centuries before it was finished. The basilica was together with the adjoining Benedictine monastery built on the place where it was believed that the relics of the Saint were found. Today these relics are preserved in the church.

The beautiful façade is covered with green and white marble. The mosaic which you can see there is showing Christ in benediction between the Virgin and St Miniatus was made in 1260.
The interior is a little bit unusual because of the choir raised on a platform above the large crypt. The crypt is the oldest part of the church and the high altar contains the bones of St Miniatus himself.

If you visit this church you can admire the beautiful pavements in the centre of the Basilica with marble intarsias representing the signs of the zodiac and some other symbolic animals.
The walls contains frescoes of the 13th and 14th century
The chapel of the Crucifix which was designed by Michelezzo stands at the centre of the church.

Don’t forget this beautiful church if you visit Florence!