vrijdag 16 december 2011
woensdag 7 september 2011
What to do in Benalmadena
Benalmádena is a town in the province of Málaga, part of the autonomous community of Andalusia in southern Spain.
What can you see there?
- Torre Quebrada watchtower
- Bil-bil Castle
- Colomares Castle
- Dolphins in Selwo Marina
- Enjoying the nice weather at the coast
- The largest Buddhist Enlightenment Stupa in the Western world
What can you see there?
- Torre Quebrada watchtower
- Bil-bil Castle
- Colomares Castle
- Dolphins in Selwo Marina
- Enjoying the nice weather at the coast
- The largest Buddhist Enlightenment Stupa in the Western world
zaterdag 27 augustus 2011
BeWelcome: a valid alternative to CouchSurfing
Number one contender would be www.bewelcome.org, a non-profit, free and open source travel and accommodation community run solely by volunteers. The number of members is still low (compared to the millions of CouchSurfing) but the community is strong and will hopefully benefit from the new members who don't necessarily like the changes that CS is going through.
maandag 7 maart 2011
Things to do in Tamil Nadu
1. Beaches: Covelong Beach, Elliots Beach, Kanyakumari Beach, Mahabalipuram Beach, Marina Beach
2. Fairs and Festivals: Arubathimoovar Festival (Chennai), Chithirai Festival (Madurai), Dance Festival (Mamallapuram), Jallikattu-Bull fight, Kanthuri Festival, Kavadi Festival Music and Dance festival Chennai (December), Mahamagam Festival, Natyanjali Dance Festivals (Chidambaram), Pongal Festival
3. Hill Stations: Ooty Coonoor, Kodaikanal, Velliangiri Hills, Kodagiri Hills
4. Pilgrimage Places: Arjuna's Penance (Mamallapuram), Kailasanatha Temple (Kanchipuram), Rock Fort Temple, Shree Meenakshi Temple (Madurai), Sri Brihadeswara Temple, Agnitheertham (Rameshwaram), Dhanushkodi (Rameshwaram), Kodumudi (Coimbatore), Kamakshi Amman Temple (Kanchipuram), Meenakshi Amman/Sunderashwer Temple (Madurai), Mandapams (Mamallapuram), Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram), Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rameshwaram), Sri Parthsarathy Temple (Chennai), Sri Kandaswami Temple (Chennai), Srirangam (Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple), Thousand Lights Mosque (Chennai), Vaikuntha Perumal Temple (Kanchipuram)
2. Fairs and Festivals: Arubathimoovar Festival (Chennai), Chithirai Festival (Madurai), Dance Festival (Mamallapuram), Jallikattu-Bull fight, Kanthuri Festival, Kavadi Festival Music and Dance festival Chennai (December), Mahamagam Festival, Natyanjali Dance Festivals (Chidambaram), Pongal Festival
3. Hill Stations: Ooty Coonoor, Kodaikanal, Velliangiri Hills, Kodagiri Hills
4. Pilgrimage Places: Arjuna's Penance (Mamallapuram), Kailasanatha Temple (Kanchipuram), Rock Fort Temple, Shree Meenakshi Temple (Madurai), Sri Brihadeswara Temple, Agnitheertham (Rameshwaram), Dhanushkodi (Rameshwaram), Kodumudi (Coimbatore), Kamakshi Amman Temple (Kanchipuram), Meenakshi Amman/Sunderashwer Temple (Madurai), Mandapams (Mamallapuram), Nataraja Temple (Chidambaram), Ramanathaswamy Temple (Rameshwaram), Sri Parthsarathy Temple (Chennai), Sri Kandaswami Temple (Chennai), Srirangam (Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple), Thousand Lights Mosque (Chennai), Vaikuntha Perumal Temple (Kanchipuram)
Blue Night in Nuremberg
May 18th, 2010
Every year in May there is a special Blue Night / Die Blaue Nacht in Nuremberg (Bavaria). Many of the sights are lit and there is a special atmosphere because many visitors are wearing little blinking lights.
Highlight is the projection on Nuremberg Castle. In 2010 a local artist named Axel Voss created an impressive lightshow with a collage of cartoons and publicity signs.
Every year in May there is a special Blue Night / Die Blaue Nacht in Nuremberg (Bavaria). Many of the sights are lit and there is a special atmosphere because many visitors are wearing little blinking lights.
Highlight is the projection on Nuremberg Castle. In 2010 a local artist named Axel Voss created an impressive lightshow with a collage of cartoons and publicity signs.
donderdag 10 februari 2011
Travelling in 1989
June 18 : Brussels - Calais - Dover - Wales
June 19: Wales - London
June 20: London - Oxford
June 21: Oxford
June 22: Oxford - Birmingham
June 23: Birmingham - Aberdeen
June 24: Aberdeen - Keith - Inverness
June 25: Inverness - Pitlochry
June 26: Pitlochry - York
June 27: York - London - Dover
June 28: Dover - Brussels
June 30: Proclamation!!!!
June 30: Brussels - Hamburg - Lübeck
July 1 - 5 : Lübeck
July 5 - 6 : Hamburg - München - Salzburg
July 7: Salzburg - Vienna - Budapest
July 7 - 15 : Budapest
July 15: Budapest - Sopron
July 16: Sopron - Vienna
July 18: Vienna - Köln - Brussels
June 19: Wales - London
June 20: London - Oxford
June 21: Oxford
June 22: Oxford - Birmingham
June 23: Birmingham - Aberdeen
June 24: Aberdeen - Keith - Inverness
June 25: Inverness - Pitlochry
June 26: Pitlochry - York
June 27: York - London - Dover
June 28: Dover - Brussels
June 30: Proclamation!!!!
June 30: Brussels - Hamburg - Lübeck
July 1 - 5 : Lübeck
July 5 - 6 : Hamburg - München - Salzburg
July 7: Salzburg - Vienna - Budapest
July 7 - 15 : Budapest
July 15: Budapest - Sopron
July 16: Sopron - Vienna
July 18: Vienna - Köln - Brussels
Interrail Travelling in 1988
1988
July 1: Brussels - Köln
July 2: Köln - Hannover - München
July 3: München - Venezia
July 6: Venezia - Verona - Milano
July 7: Milano - Firenze
July 8: Firenze - Pisa - Firenze
July 9: Firenze - Roma
July 11: Roma - Salerno
July 12: Napoli - Foggia - Bari
July 13: Bari - Brindisi
July 14: Patrai - Olympia
July 15: Olympia - Zeygfolatio - Argos - Athene
July 17: Athens - Inoi - Kalampaka
July 18: Kalampaka - Paleofarsalos
July 19: Thessaloniki - Beograd
July 20: Beograd - Sutomare
July 24: Kardeljevo - Doboj
July 25: Doboj - Zagreb
July 26: Zagreb - Llubjana - Vienna
July 27: Vienna - Zell Am See
July 29: Zell Am See - Innsbruck
July 30: Innsbruck - Basel
July 30: Basel - Brussels
July 1: Brussels - Köln
July 2: Köln - Hannover - München
July 3: München - Venezia
July 6: Venezia - Verona - Milano
July 7: Milano - Firenze
July 8: Firenze - Pisa - Firenze
July 9: Firenze - Roma
July 11: Roma - Salerno
July 12: Napoli - Foggia - Bari
July 13: Bari - Brindisi
July 14: Patrai - Olympia
July 15: Olympia - Zeygfolatio - Argos - Athene
July 17: Athens - Inoi - Kalampaka
July 18: Kalampaka - Paleofarsalos
July 19: Thessaloniki - Beograd
July 20: Beograd - Sutomare
July 24: Kardeljevo - Doboj
July 25: Doboj - Zagreb
July 26: Zagreb - Llubjana - Vienna
July 27: Vienna - Zell Am See
July 29: Zell Am See - Innsbruck
July 30: Innsbruck - Basel
July 30: Basel - Brussels
woensdag 9 februari 2011
Icecream in Sopron
In July 1989 I visited my Hungarian penpal Mariann. Here is what she wrote in my travel book :
"When you go to Sopron, you should visit the best icecream parlour. It's in the old city, in the Szentgyörgy Street. You can ask it there, I think everybody will help you. Just say "I am looking for a place where I can buy very good icecream with little umbrellas.
In Hungarian : "hol van az a cukràszda, ahol nagyon finom fagylaltot lehes enni, és kis esernyökel adnak hozzà?"
"When you go to Sopron, you should visit the best icecream parlour. It's in the old city, in the Szentgyörgy Street. You can ask it there, I think everybody will help you. Just say "I am looking for a place where I can buy very good icecream with little umbrellas.
In Hungarian : "hol van az a cukràszda, ahol nagyon finom fagylaltot lehes enni, és kis esernyökel adnak hozzà?"
Visiting the Holsten Tor in Lübeck, Germany
The Holstentor ("Holsten Gate") is a late Brick Gothic city gate, the only still existing one beside the Burgtor and part of the medieval fortifications of Lübeck in Germany. It consists of two round towers at the north and the south side with an arched entranceway between them. The building is four stories high. Today it is considered a major landmark of Lübeck. Together with the Altstadt of Lübeck it is an UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.
History
The main gate was erected by the city's Master Builder Hinrich Helmsted between 1464 and 1478. Built in 1585 as the front entrance to the city, the Holstentor design was intended to aid the defence of the city's west side. The original gate was later demolished.
The redesigned version was built with insufficient foundation depth. Because the Holstentor was sinking into the ground, the whole structure was in danger of collapse. The subsidence was so severe, that in a 1863 survey, the lowest arrow slits were found 50cm under the ground. The structure was in constant danger of collapse.
It was not until 1871 that the authorities stepped in to try to save it, but it the subsidence continued. A successful refurbishment and stabilisation programme commenced in 1933/34. A similar procedure occurred in 2005/2006.
Since 1950, the Holstentor became a museum dedicated to history of the city it originally protected. In 2002, the museum was significantly modernised. The torture chamber that was installed in the 1950s museum was removed for authenticities sake. Today the museum is managed by the Kulturstiftung Hansestadt Lübeck.
Source: Wikipedia.org
History
The main gate was erected by the city's Master Builder Hinrich Helmsted between 1464 and 1478. Built in 1585 as the front entrance to the city, the Holstentor design was intended to aid the defence of the city's west side. The original gate was later demolished.
The redesigned version was built with insufficient foundation depth. Because the Holstentor was sinking into the ground, the whole structure was in danger of collapse. The subsidence was so severe, that in a 1863 survey, the lowest arrow slits were found 50cm under the ground. The structure was in constant danger of collapse.
It was not until 1871 that the authorities stepped in to try to save it, but it the subsidence continued. A successful refurbishment and stabilisation programme commenced in 1933/34. A similar procedure occurred in 2005/2006.
Since 1950, the Holstentor became a museum dedicated to history of the city it originally protected. In 2002, the museum was significantly modernised. The torture chamber that was installed in the 1950s museum was removed for authenticities sake. Today the museum is managed by the Kulturstiftung Hansestadt Lübeck.
Source: Wikipedia.org
The Mont Royal Fortress in Traben-Trarbach
In South-West Germany, not far from Trier, lies the wonderful village of Traben-Trarbach. Famous as a wine region and a great place to go trekking, this town also offers another remarkable point of interest: one of the largest fortifications ever build: The Mont Royal Fortress.
In support of her range of fortifications and the domination of the
Rhineland, France built the Mont Royal fortress in 1687.
Under the supervision of the famous Vauban it was, at times, built by,
up to 8.000 enforced labourers. Millions of French public funds and
German compulsory reparations were spent. With a diameter of 5 kilometres it covered the whole of the plateau with the main fortress extending over a length of 1,6 kilometres and width of 750 metres, bordered by the left bank of the Moselle all around the peninsula. The main keep with an area of 123 acres and a height of 200 metres, formed the very heart of the whole fortress and was surrounded by a main wall of 2,92 kilometres in length and 30 metres in height with 5 bastions and 3 fortified towers. In additon 3 ramparts, 5 outer walls, moats with inner walls (the so-called curtain-walls), outer works, galeries and various other stoneworks protected this fortified town. South of it there was the "Große Königliche Hauptquartier" (Grand Royal Headquarters), a fortified camp and operations centre for the Rhenish troops; with a citizenry of its own, stables for 3000 horses and barracks for 12.000 men.
Under its governor, the Earl of Montal, this gigantic works had a combat complement of 14 regiments with 8.450 men, 155 heavy ordnances
and enormous supplies, e.g. 504.000 gallons of wine. The whole installation was twice as powerful as its supporting fortresses of Saarlouis, Luxembourg and Rhinefels together.
In the long run, however, France was not able to maintain such an unrealistically expensive fortress, 100 kilometres inland of the militarized Rhineland, against a startled Europe.
The Netherlands and England alike tried to negotiate for Mont Royal
undemolished. France, however, was reluctant to let her adversaries
have her model fortification and prefered to have it dismantled after the Peace of Ryswick in 1698.
In The Thirties of this century, the local historian Ernst Willen Spies Ph.D., supervised and conducted excavations on Mont Royal by means of original plans from archives in Paris. A local history association was formed in 1930 which enthusiastically aimed at excavating the fortifications and opening up this unique attraction for tourism. The main excavations were performed during the years 1929-1937. Without exception they were merely intended for tourism. During the war years from 1939-1945, time once more spread the veil of oblivion over the ruins causing further decay. More important tasks were to be done in the post-war period. It was not until the Sixties that a flourishing tourism brought this unique site in the West of Germany back into promenance and recently steps have been taken to make Mont Royal accessible to tourism again.
In support of her range of fortifications and the domination of the
Rhineland, France built the Mont Royal fortress in 1687.
Under the supervision of the famous Vauban it was, at times, built by,
up to 8.000 enforced labourers. Millions of French public funds and
German compulsory reparations were spent. With a diameter of 5 kilometres it covered the whole of the plateau with the main fortress extending over a length of 1,6 kilometres and width of 750 metres, bordered by the left bank of the Moselle all around the peninsula. The main keep with an area of 123 acres and a height of 200 metres, formed the very heart of the whole fortress and was surrounded by a main wall of 2,92 kilometres in length and 30 metres in height with 5 bastions and 3 fortified towers. In additon 3 ramparts, 5 outer walls, moats with inner walls (the so-called curtain-walls), outer works, galeries and various other stoneworks protected this fortified town. South of it there was the "Große Königliche Hauptquartier" (Grand Royal Headquarters), a fortified camp and operations centre for the Rhenish troops; with a citizenry of its own, stables for 3000 horses and barracks for 12.000 men.
Under its governor, the Earl of Montal, this gigantic works had a combat complement of 14 regiments with 8.450 men, 155 heavy ordnances
and enormous supplies, e.g. 504.000 gallons of wine. The whole installation was twice as powerful as its supporting fortresses of Saarlouis, Luxembourg and Rhinefels together.
In the long run, however, France was not able to maintain such an unrealistically expensive fortress, 100 kilometres inland of the militarized Rhineland, against a startled Europe.
The Netherlands and England alike tried to negotiate for Mont Royal
undemolished. France, however, was reluctant to let her adversaries
have her model fortification and prefered to have it dismantled after the Peace of Ryswick in 1698.
In The Thirties of this century, the local historian Ernst Willen Spies Ph.D., supervised and conducted excavations on Mont Royal by means of original plans from archives in Paris. A local history association was formed in 1930 which enthusiastically aimed at excavating the fortifications and opening up this unique attraction for tourism. The main excavations were performed during the years 1929-1937. Without exception they were merely intended for tourism. During the war years from 1939-1945, time once more spread the veil of oblivion over the ruins causing further decay. More important tasks were to be done in the post-war period. It was not until the Sixties that a flourishing tourism brought this unique site in the West of Germany back into promenance and recently steps have been taken to make Mont Royal accessible to tourism again.
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