Bantog Backpackers

Thursday, November 23, 2023

Brussels in Belgium is the first place in Europe i set my foot on. I was so excited before this trip because I just tried our luck to pass and be granted a Schengen visa.

Belgium is officially known as the Kingdom of Belgium. The Royale Palace in the first picture is home to the King and Queen of the Belgians, in the center of the nation's capital, Brussels.

The first on the list of places to visit in in Belgium is "The Atomium" in Brussels built by Engineer Andre Waterkeyn, Architects Andre and Jean Polak. It was built for the 1958 Brussel's World Fair. The Atomium is meant to be showcased for just six months, however, after six decades it is standing still for the reason that it attracts visitors and it one of the main attractions in Brussels.

The Atomium stands at 102 meters and one of the tallest structures in Belgium. Its spheres have a diameter of 18 meters, six of them can be explored. The structure is located at PI de I'Atomium 1, 1020 Brussels, Belgium.

Inside the Atomium is a Science center and museum. You'll find here educational exhibits, a restaurant, souvenir shop, and a viewpoint with panoramic view of Brussels.

After visiting "The Atomium", my brother leads us to Mont des Arts. It was built in 1910 for the Universal Exhibition. It is an urban complex that consists of the Royal Library of Belgium, The National Archives of Belgium, The Square, the equestrian statue of Albert I and the public garden.

Mont des Arts

It is also in Brussels where you'll find the best shops for Belgian waffles. Look for Maison Dandoy (Galeries), Le Funambule, Waffle Factory, Los Churros and Waffles, Belgaufra, Gaufre de Bruxelles, and Galet.

mouth-watering Belgian waffles

Mannequin Pis is one of the best symbols for Brussels. The statue which depicts a boy urinating into a fountain of water was in Brussels since 1618. One of the tales of the Mannequin Pis is a boy who saved Brussels from fire by peeing to the fuse of an explosive.

ganyan lang sya kaliit!

Mannequin Pis in Brussels

We also went to this very touristic location - The Grand Place or Grote Markt. It is Brussel's central square. The Grand Place is well known for its decorative and aesthetic wealth. It is surrounded by baroque guild houses, the city hall and the Maison du Roi.

in front of the Royale Palace

the Royale Palace

Unknown to many, Belgium is a hereditary parliamentary constitutional monarchy led by a King. The duties of the king are laid out by the Belgian Constitution. King Philippe or Filip is the King of the Belgians and his official palace is the Grand Royale Palace. King Philippe is the eldest child of King Albert II and Queen Paula. He succeeded his father in June 2013. He is married to Queen Mathilde d' Udekem d'Acoz in 1999. They have four children.

Tuesday, November 21, 2023

Gruezi!

Switzerland is a destination that many people fantasize about visiting. It is my impossible dream to visit Switzerland at least once in my lifetime and I got the privilege to experience Schweiz for two days!

Switzerland is famous for its mountains, chocolates, cheese, and wines. It boasts over 1500 lakes, high mountains where its peaks are mostly covered with snow.

Switzerland is bordered by Germany to the north, Austria to the west, Italy to the south, and Austria and Liechtenstein to the east. Switzerland is also home to Red Cross and headquarters of famous institutions like World Health Organization, World Trade Organization, International Labor Organization, FIFA in Zurich and United Nations.

Switzerland is located in Central Europe. Its capital is Bern and the largest city is Zurich. The prominent language is German or Deutsch.

Luzern or Lucerne is our destination for this day and it is located in the very heart of Switzerland and sits at the shores of Lake Lucerne.

Chapel Bridge at night

wearing my borrowed furcoat from my sister in-law, Ayen

Lucerne at night

The next day, after eating our baon na breakfast, we immediately proceeded to the Town Hall Clock Tower. The clock tower was an element of the fortification of Lucerne, built between 14th and 16th century.

This is the magnificent view from the town hall clock tower.

tasted the potable flowing water in Lucerne

Tito Raymond and Julia

inside the Chapel Bridge

At our back is the famous Chapel Bridge. Built initially as a way to link the Old Town on the North Bank to the New Town located at the South Bank. It is also Luzern's famous landmark and Europe's oldest covered bridge and world's oldest truss bridge.

Chapel Bridge as my background

souvenir shop

our accommodation for two days at the heart of Lucerne

we are pointing at our Schweiz accommodation for two days (above "Sandro")

Places to go in Lucerne:

1. Town Hall Clock in Kornmarkt

2. Hofkirche St. Leodegar

3. The Lion Monument

4. The Chapel Bridge

5. Needle Dam

6. Musegg Wall

7. Glacier Garden

8. Mount Rigi

9. Old Town

10. Engelberg

11. Weinmarkt

Saturday, November 11, 2023

Paris is France' capital. It is called by many different names, "City of Love", "City of Lights", "The Fashion Capital". Paris is known for its grandiose, majestic, grand monuments. The preeminent of Paris' landmarks is of course the Eiffel Tower.

The Eiffel Tower is a wrought iron that stands 1,063 feet tall and was designed by Gustave Eiffel in 1887 to 1889 for the 1889 World's Fair. The tower was meant to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French revolution and of course to show-off to the world France's modern industrial excellence.

Eiffel Tower can be viewed in multiple sites but it is in Rue de I'Universite where you can get the best photos of the Eiffel Tower. We left Antwerp, Belgium at around 4am and we got here before 8am. Because of this spot's popularity on social media, this site is already filled with tourists who want to get a perfect snap of the Eiffel Tower.

Gustave Eiffel constructed an apartment at the top of the tower. The last floor was intended to welcome and accommodate visitors. The apartment is located just below Eiffel's spire. It measures 100 square meters and has a couch, table, a piano, three desks, a bathroom, kitchen and a toilet cubicle.

Eiffel Tower can withstand wind and will sway through storm. The tower also moves because of its material, the wrought iron, that expands by the heat of the sun growing a few centimeters during summer.

The tower lights are lit up every evening until 1145 pm, however its illumination is protected by copyright under French Law but it only applies to photos taken for professional use. We are at liberty to posts and share Eiffel tower and its magnificent lights.

It is Gustave's strict condition and instruction to repaint the tower every seven years to protect the tower from rust and other corrosive effect. Over the years, the tower has been repainted with different colors from reddish brown to bright yellow. In 2024 the tower will be filled with golden hue to coincide with 2024's Paris Olympics.