Saturday, September 30, 2023
Koblenz, Germany
Koblenz is a city in Germany (Deutschland) located on the banks of Rhine and the Moselle. It is also located halfway between Cologne and Frankfurt.
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| inside Basilica of Saint Castor |
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| bagong gising na bata, mainit ang ulo, ahahaha! |
Top sights in Koblenz are:
1. Koblenz Cable Car
2. Stonzenfels Castle
3. Deutsche Eck
4. Ehrenbreitstein Fortress
5. Marieburg Castle
6. Cruise the Rhine
7. Electoral Palace (Kurfurstliches Schloss)
8. Schloss Stonzenfels
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| Deutsche Eck or the German corner |
Koblenz is famous for its monument Deutsche Eck or the German corner. The city is perched at the point between the Rhein and Moselle Rivers.
The original monument was erected in 1897 but was damaged during World War in 1945. Its replica was resurrected with the addition of 16 flags representing each German state.
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| the bronze statue of the artist's THUMB sculptured by Cesar Baldacinni |
Just a couple of steps from the Great Corner is a nice garden with magnificent view of different flowers especially tulips of contrasting colors.
Saturday, September 23, 2023
Ghent, Belgium
Ghent is one of the largest cities in Belgium. Ghent is famous for its canals and waterways and is also known as a university city of Belgium.
5 o'clock struck, working hours is done and and my brother Raymond said "tara na!". From Antwerp, Ghent is 58 kilometers or an hour drive. Me and my daughter visited him and his wife, Ayen, in April of 2023, it is still cold, and the day is longer. Photo stamps are from 8pm to 9pm and the sun is still out. We were also able to took photos when there are fewer people in the city.
You can get around Ghent through buses and trams. Trams are the most convenient and comfortable way to travel. Ghent has a model tram network connected to a train station.
You can also get around the city by foot or by renting a bicycle. Bicycle is also widely used by most locals in the city. Just research more on Belgian cycling rules.
At our background is the Gravensteen Castle or the "Castle of the Counts". It is built in 1180. Gravensteen was home to the "Count of Flanders" until 1353 and served as a symbol of power in medieval Ghent. The castle now houses the Arms Museum and Museum of Judicial Objects. The museum displays various weapons and other contraptions used for torture and punishment in middle ages.
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| Gravensteen Castle as our background |
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| Lys River |
Belgium as a country is very well known for its:
1. more than 1000 brands of Belgian beers
2. Belgian frites. French fries originated from Belgium and not from France
3. Belgian chocolates
4. Belgian waffles
5. Belgium has 3 official languages - Dutch, French and German
6. Mannequin Pis is Belgium's most famous statue
7. Saxophone originated from Belgium
8. Smurfs came from Belgium
9. Belgium is the heart of Europe
10. incredible architecture and scenic small towns on lakes
Top ten things to visit or do in Ghent:
1. St. Bavo's Cathedral
2. Gravensteen Castle
3. Canal Cruise at Lys River
4. Saint Nicholas Church
5. Vrijdagmarkt Square
6. Korenmarkt Square
7. Museum of Fine Arts
8. Ghent Belfry - tallest in Belgium
9. Try the Belgian beers
10. Great Butcher's Hall (Groot Vleeshuis)
Saturday, September 16, 2023
Colmar, France
Colmar is an enchanting city in Alsace, France. It is known for its colorful medieval architecture, and looks like a fairy tale in storybooks.
Have you watched Disney's Beauty and the Beast movie led by Emma Watson? The opening scenes of the movie in which Belle wanders in a medieval village with books in her arms, passing cobbled streets, was inspired by places that can be found here in Alsace, France. Walking along in Colmar feels like you have stepped inside a fairy tale in one of Disney's movie.
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| Le Petite Venice |
1. Little Venice
2. Le Quai de la Poisonnerie
3. Saint Martin Church
4. The Covered Market
5. The Pfister House
6. The Koifhus
Monday, September 11, 2023
Alsace, France
Alsace is one of France' regions with most castles. We saw them at the background of this photo. More than 500 castles are counted mostly distributed from north to south.
1. Chateau du Haut Koenigsburg
2. Chateau Saint Ulrich
3. Chateau du Hohlandsbourg
4. La Chateau des Comtes d' Eguisheim
5. Chateau Giesberg
6. Chateau d' Andlau
7. Chateau du Morimont
8. Chateau Fort de Fleckenstein
9. Chateau du Schoeneck
10. Chateau des Rohan
.... and 490 more
