Countryside Trip

It was a relaxing cruise we had last summer in Danube River particularly in Visegrád. It is a historical town in Pest County, Hungary.

I am also glad to announce that this site is joining for the first time the memes below. I hope to join every week when time permits. I just have a lot of travel images to share for this memes.

It was a fantastic countryside trip we had last August 2011.

A small boat cruising Danube River, the second longest river in Europe.

The name Visegrád (Vyšehrad) is of Slavic origin meaning “the upper castle” or “the upper settlement/town/fortification”. Visegrád was first mentioned in 1009 as a county town and the chief town of an archdeaconry. After the destructive Mongol invasion of Europe in 1242, the town was rebuilt in a slightly different location to the south. King Charles I of Hungary made Visegrád, his hometown, the royal seat of Hungary in 1325.

This was taken while we were near the castle in Visegrad which is located on top of the hill. That river is called Danube.

Feel free to visit and join these wonderful memes; Watery, Wordful, Outdoor Wednesday and Wordless Wednesday. Thanks to the Authors of these sites for sharing these wonderful memes in the blogosphere.

It was one of the places we visited during our trip to Hungary three months ago. Lake Balaton is considered to be the largest lake in Central Europe. It is also one of the famous tourist destinations in this country. Since it was summer during our visit, this part of Hungary was very hot. I don’t remember that there was a cold breeze from the lake. I was sweating so hard under the heat of the sun. Swimming is not allowed everywhere. There is a particular part where you can go swimming. I heard from a fellow tourist that there is an entrance fee when you go swimming in that part.

Lake Balaton is sometimes called the Hungarian Sea since Hungary is a landlocked country. The Zala River provides the largest inflow of water to the lake, and the canalized Sió is the only outflow.

I was there last August 2011 with a friend named Jean.

This is such a beautiful place! I love especially its beautiful white sand beach with its clear blue water. Monterosso Al Mare is one of the five villages in Cinque Terre which we visited last spring 2011. It is a town and comune in the province of La Spezia, part of the region of Liguria in northern Italy.

I felt bad when I heard over the news that it was extensively damaged by a flood on 24th October 2011. I even saw some images featured by a German Television. I am just hoping that the people of Monterosso can rebuild back immediately the damages caused by the natural catastrophe.

During summer season the beach of Monterosso is used by tourists and locals as well. It is quite crowded on summer time.

Together with the other Cinque Terre villages (Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore) this town is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The beach is the only extensive sand beach in the Cinque Terre. This was taken during our trip last April 2011. I love this place! It always reminds me of home.

This is not really a big village but Riomaggiore is also a nice place. It has only a total area of
10 km2 or 3.9 sq mi. It is one of the villages of Cinque Terre in the province of La Spezia, situated in a small valley in the Liguria region of Italy.

Riomaggiore is well-known for its historic character and its wine. We had the chance to walk on its main street named Via Colombo. You can find here various restaurants, shops and bars.

Riomaggiore’s village plan.

Via Colombo, the main street of Riomaggiore. This is quite an interesting place to walk around. I wish to walk on its trail path in my next visit. I am satisfied of seeing it for the first time last April 2011.

Riomaggiore is the most southern village of the five Cinque Terre, all connected by trail. The water and mountainside have been declared national parks.

This is one of the historic remains we visited in Turkey. We had a tour in this place. While our tour guide was explaining its history, I was busy going around to take photos of this place. Aphrodisias was a small city in Caria, on the southwest coast of Asia Minor. Its site is located near the modern village of Geyre, Turkey, about 230 km from İzmir.

The city was built near a marble quarry that was extensively exploited in the Hellenistic and Roman periods, and sculpture in marble from Aphrodisias became famous in the Roman world. Many examples of statuary have been unearthed in Aphrodisias, and some representations of the Aphrodite of Aphrodisias also survive from other parts of the Roman world, as far afield as Pax Julia in Lusitania.

The double tetrapylon, or monumental gate..taken during our visit last September 2011.

Tetrapylon

One of the most attractive features of Aphrodisias is the ornamental gate constructed in the middle of the 2nd century. The name Tetrapylon refers to its being composed of four groups of four columns. The entrance lies to the east. The front row of Corinthian columns with spiral fluting look out on to a street with north-south alignment. The second and third columns of this fourfold structure are surmounted by a semicircular lintel with relief figures of Nike and Erotes amid acanthus leaves. The process of repairing and re-erecting the Tetrapylon columns was completed in 1990.

This is a garden park in Luxembourg. It is located in Petrusse valley. I love the way how they arrange the garden park. I remembered our ride in Petrusse Express that took us in Petrusse Valley while listening to the history of this place through audio tour.

Luxembourg is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany.

This park can be seen better when you are near the Monument du Souvenir. This was taken during our visit last August 2010.

We had a bus trip last summer 2010 from Brussels to Luxembourg. During that trip we had the chance to have a short stop-over in Dinant. It is a municipality in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium.

I had the chance to go to the Citadel of Dinant which is located on top of a hill. From there, you can see the whole view of the city.

The tower of Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame, the city’s landmark. You can also see the River Meuse that runs along Dinant. On the right side are the castle’s walls.

This was taken during our short stop-over last August 2010.

Èze, Eza in Italian is a commune in southeastern France. We happened to stop-by in this village while on our way to Nice, France. Èze is also a renowned tourist site in French Riviera. We visited the Parfumerei Galimard in Eze and I bough some soaps and postcards here.

The small medieval village is famous for its beauty and charm. Its many shops, art galleries, hotels and restaurants attract a large number of tourists and honeymooners.

the old bridge in Eze, France during our stop-over last April 2011.

Parfumerei Galimard in Eze..

Planning for a holiday to Miami and still don’t know what do there? Miami, the world renowned city of Florida, is known for its endless beaches and vivacious lifestyle. Often described as a hot and tropical destination, Miami boasts a sunny and bright climate all through the year.

If you are visiting Miami, there are several beautiful local sites and numerous popular things to do that you should not miss:

Experience Miami nightlife

With a vibrant and pulsating nightlife, Miami welcomes all its guests to indulge in music, fun and dance. Renowned for the best night scenes in the world, this city truly plunges in to a sparkling nightlife as the sun goes down. Popular clubs in this city includes the Club Space, Clevelander, Opium Garden and the Miami Velvet Swing Club.

Check out where the celebrities live

Miami is the home of several celebrities. Tourists come here to see celebrities and celebrity homes. The city offers various celeb sightseeing tours where the tours take the tourists on a boat cruise to show the celebrity homes.

Miami Skyline.

Snorkel and scuba dive

With its ideal weather and warm water, beaches in Miami are the great place to experience some underwater adventure. The city has various activity options in beaches that appeal all age groups. Apart from the gorgeous South Beach, you can visit to Virginia Key Beach. Discover numerous interesting paths through various hidden coves with thousands of colorful fishes and corals surrounding while enjoying your scuba diving. If you are looking for a secluded beach experience, then Haulover beach is the best choice for you.

Stroll on the strip

Miami’s popular South Beach has the stunning strip that is known as the one most beautiful spot in this city. While the South Beach offers amazing scenic views of Miami, the strip boasts numerous shops, restaurants and nightclubs line the streets adjacent to the sand. You can shop, enjoy in the clubs and dine in fancy restaurants on the strip.

Relish a typical Floridian dinner

Miami has a great mix of cultures and that’s the reason for the diversity in restaurants in this city. Whether you want to savor the typical Floridian seafood dinner or a different cuisine at any of the restaurants in the city, there are a number of choices for you. Some of the popular names include the Joe’s Stone Crabs, News Café, Emeril’s Miami Beach Restaurant, Poraco Capital Grille, Shorty’s Bar-B-Q and Tropical Chinese Restaurant.

If you are planning for a trip to Miami, there is a lot to see and do in this city. Experience a wonderful nightlife, visit the city’s popular spots, stay in a cheap Miami hotel, dine in the restaurants and swim through the tropical water to experience something new in this city.

This is one of the most famous square in Rome, Italy. For me, this is even the most beautiful square I had seen in Rome during our visit last year. It was a dream come true after I paid a visit to the Holy City of Vatican. St. Peter’s Square is located directly in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, Rome, Italy.

St. Peter’s Square and the obelisk from the Circus of Nero. taken during our visit last August 2010.