Tarragona - Spain

Tarragona – Spain

Post published:14 November 2015
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Capital of Hispania Tarraconensis

Just a week after being in Barcelona and Girona, we returned but this time with the main objective of spending Saturday sightseeing another city we’ve not been before: Tarragona. This is one of the great advantages of flying to Barcelona, and it’s that the entire autonomous region of Catalonia is filled with history and sights everywhere, hence it’s a perfect place to keep returning year after year. Not only to be with my Catalan friends, but also for going together to the many places around. After all they are also great guides since they’ve been many times before in these cities.

Tarragona was in our agenda for a long time. It is one of the few Spanish cities where so many Roman remains can be visible and integrated in the new city that constantly grew since the fall of the Roman Empire. Nowadays the ruins of Tarraco are listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. I can only recall the city of Merida, in Extremadura, as one of the best examples in the whole of Spain for the largest amount of monumental structures greatly preserved from the Roman times.

Once again as it was last weekend in Girona, the city is not too big and it is perfect for a day visit. Majority of tourist are day-trippers from Barcelona or the coastal resorts, and so we were coming for the day from Barcelona where we had our hotel. I cannot imagine however, any longer in the city should be your plan only stay here as you will end up with nothing else to do on your second day. (more…)

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Girona - Spain

Girona – Spain

Post published:7 November 2015
Post category:Europe Southern Europe Spain

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Iberian and Roman Gerunda

One of the yearly commonly weekend trips to Barcelona that we tend to do around October – November, but finally this time and after being so many times in Barcelona we though it was long due the visit to the many other cities and places nearby. To start this weekend, Girona. As for the weekend after this that we will return again to Barcelona, it will be Tarragona the main sight, and so until the next year already when we will book further flights to Barcelona to most likely keep touring around the beautiful region of Catalonia with the countless sights and places to visit on offer.

Girona lies to the north of Barcelona 100 kilometres and it is the last province within Spain, south of the Pyrenees mountain range, before the direct border with France being Perpignan the first large city in France at only 35 kilometres farther north. Conquered by the Moors and reconquered from them saw in turns between the 7th and 10th centuries becoming afterwards one of the most important Jews centres in Europe, finally expelled in 1492. Its legacy can be still seen today as one of the major tourist attractions in the city, the Jewish ghetto, the best preserved in Europe.

The city is filled with charm and history everywhere, with numerous important buildings and monuments of special mention the beautiful examples of Catalan Gothic architecture making it a great tourist destination. Most tourists who visit the city are day-trippers, either from Barcelona or from elsewhere along the coastal resorts, or even from the southern region of France like Perpignan. (more…)

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Cesky Krumlov - Czech Republic

Cesky Krumlov – Czech Republic

Post published:31 October 2015
Post category:Czech Republic Eastern Europe Europe

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Bohemian Crumlaw

At only 5 days ago since we returned from a long trip in Indonesia and yet today once again, as most Fridays are for us, we flew to Prague, and yes, once more to this city, it’s never tiring to repeat the places you admire the most. Although the original purpose was actually not doing any sightseeing whatsoever, but instead taking the time for doing “nothing” and simply enjoy at the many coffee places, food and nice beer; we changed the plans around in order to have a day excursion to Cesky Krumlov, the wonderful UNESCO World Heritage city some 170 kilometres to the south of Prague for the whole of Saturday. As for Sunday in the other hand we retained to the original plan and enjoy the free time.

For a city of this small size its castle is second in size only after the one in Prague! That is in fact very big. Other than the castle, it is also about the incredibly well preserved old town with most constructions dating from the 14th through the 17th centuries Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque architectural styles. The Vltava River also adds charm as it crosses the city in many meanders, giving many different perspectives from each angle.

Due to its small size and easy to navigate through when visiting I cannot think of anything else to give you as a note in this brief introduction. Furthermore when planning for lunch I cannot even give you a recommendation here either because our lunch was included as part of the tour hence we did not need to be looking around for restaurants, but as for any city in the world and specially if highly touristy as Cesky Krumlov is, care to have a look around at few places as you might end up in a tourist trap, or paying twice for the same, or having pretty low quality. (more…)

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Bali - Indonesia

Bali – Indonesia

Post published:24 October 2015
Post category:Asia Indonesia Southeast Asia

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The Island of a thousand temples

The last part of this Indonesian trip, yet the one taking half of the entire time we had with one full week. No surprise why this much, after such an incredible busy past days non stop, we wanted also to relax and enjoy doing nothing but lying in the beach and by the hotel’s pool. Still, with so much to see and do in the island, even a week is not enough and you will need to prioritise and plan ahead what you really want to see. The best way in doing so? Having a driver to take you around and explaining you a bit on the places. This is not really a high cost but surely is something you will not regret but be thankful instead.

Bali ranks among the lists of number one destinations of places to visit on “to do before you die” and on every travel magazine. It’s a major tourist destination that keeps gaining strength with more and more people coming here every year. Such fact is not fortuitous, but has to do with the incredible culture legacy and facilities offered. Literally there are over a thousand temples in such a “little space” that the island is, and to this, the spectacular rice terraces and nature, mountains and volcanoes, and the hundreds of kilometres of beaches aligned with great resorts and hotels. An ever growing thriving nightlife, and day life too!, and countless activities for everyone. No, you will not definitely be bored at any time and wished for the days to have more hours!

As for the cities, pretty much everything is located on the southern tip of the island, with its capital Denpasar, and the resorts of Kuta and Nusa Dua. Also the airport is located on the narrow strip that divides Denpasar from Kuta. Half of the entire island’s population lives just in this small area in the south, that’s over 2 million people. (more…)

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Mount Ijen - Indonesia

Mount Ijen – Indonesia

Post published:22 October 2015
Post category:Asia Indonesia Southeast Asia

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The blue lava volcano

The most unexpected trip we could ever have imagined we would be doing. And all it happened while having a chat with out driver we got to show us everywhere in Bali island, where the subject of blue lava came as a thread. I must be honest in saying I’ve never ever heard about this to be real or that any place in the world would exist with this but hey! The surprise kept us on a high knowing we were in fact not that far from one of the only 2 places in the world with blue lava! Yet things get even more thrilling after learning Mount Ijen is in fact, the only accessible of them 2. Merely for information, the other such volcano is in Iceland and it is inaccessible.

Giving up the splendid beach and pool at the resort we stayed in Bali was hard and kept us thinking if we should go ahead in doing this trip or not. Once I keep telling you then you will know why. This was not just getting there at any time and that’s all, but instead it required travelling in the night, and spend the entire night awake, hiking at terribly unsocial odd hours in the middle of the pitch black night. Then after sunrise, thinking on the same way back with a much longer driving time due to the heavier traffic. It took almost 24 hours since we were picked at the hotel and until we were dropped off.

Now if you ask me if the terrible tiredness, and extreme danger we were constantly when hiking up and down to the caldera of the volcano, I can tell you YES! Do it. Never think twice or you will regret not doing this. It is something so unique you might never have another chance in your lifetime, unless you travel back here on purpose. (more…)

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Bromo Tengger Semeru - Indonesia

Bromo Tengger Semeru – Indonesia

Post published:17 October 2015
Post category:Asia Indonesia Southeast Asia

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The most active volcano in Indonesia

Here we are on the last stop while in Java before leaving to the island of Bali, visiting this spectacular national park. Never before we’ve come across a place where to see such impressive volcanoes and so many on a birds eye view, with 2 of them active. Not even in Central America we’ve seen it this way, only coming close Guatemala with Lake Atitlan with the view of 3 at once. The most active in the whole of Indonesia, Mount Semeru, meaning Great Mountain, is like a Swiss clock and every 20 minutes or so it releases a cloud of steam and smoke. Mount Bromo, in the other hand, is constantly releasing a white cloud of smoke. Just for the fact of having such incredible view in front of you is quite unique hence why such a great tourist attraction not only in the region but the entire country with so many national and foreign tourists coming to admire.

Basically, take any Indonesia travel brochure and you will see a picture of this place. Another of the must do in the “list of places to visit before you die”. No wonder why. It really paid off all the hassle we experienced to get here to the point I would not mind in doing it all again to see it one more time.

Unfortunately getting here from Surabaya is not an easy nor fast task. If you decide to go on the cheap, then your only option is by bus and will set you up to at least 4 hours per way. In the other hand, the best you can do is to rent a car with a driver. This is what we did and worked perfectly! Not only that saved us plenty of time, we also arrived in great comfort and secured, while the driver waited for us as much time as we needed there. Please ask me if you need the contact of the driver who took us there or drop me a comment in this post and will provide the details to you; he is more than happy to have as many recommendations as possible since after all, this is his job.
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Surabaya - Indonesia

Surabaya – Indonesia

Post published:17 October 2015
Post category:Asia Indonesia Southeast Asia

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Capital of East Java

Continuing our tour across Indonesia we arrive to the second largest city in the country. Not only because of the many hundreds of gorgeous Dutch colonial buildings scattered everywhere through the city, but also because it was the perfect base and gateway to reach the incredible Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park, where the most active volcanoes of Indonesia are, while the area is worldwide known for its incredible beautiful landscapes. This was for us, no need to mention, the actual main purpose for this stopover in Surabaya.

Having always been a powerful city, and even becoming during the Dutch period the largest and most important city in the colony, it survived pretty much intact until the Japanese occupation in 1944 during World War II, when it was heavily bombed and as such, losing most of its character, charm and historic buildings legacy from the ex-colonial times. The revolution of 1945 also did not help much and claimed the loss of thousands of lives in the city. This date, 30th of October is a big celebration in the city named Hari Pahlawan, meaning Heroes’ Day.

Nevertheless and as we personally experienced, there are plenty places to see and things to do to keep you busy and enjoy a full day. This was our original plan, sparing the first day for visiting the city and the second for the excursion to the national park. This worked perfectly but unfortunately a bit rushy through the city as distances are very big between sights. Remember to have in consideration that by 18.00pm is already dark! This means the day will be even shorter. (more…)

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Borobudur - Indonesia

Borobudur – Indonesia

Post published:15 October 2015
Post category:Asia Indonesia Southeast Asia

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The largest Buddhist monument in the world

On the following day after our very packed cultural sightseeing day we had at Prambanan archaeological park and nearby temples, the next obliged visit was to Borobudur temple, a little bit more far from Yogyakarta than the previous one at some 40 kilometres northwest from the city, around 1 hour away. This is the most visited monument in the entire country and also the finest, without any doubt one of the key reasons why to visit Indonesia. No wonder it is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list.

Once again, as it was the case for the Prambanan complex and surroundings, a day is well more than enough to visit the entire place and the nearby minor temples. In fact, half a day is all you will really need in this case, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the site at a slow pace. It was such our case that on this same day we flew to Surabaya later in the late afternoon. In the other hand, of course, there are way too many more temples scattered nearby and all around Yogyakarta that could easily keep you busy for some days should you be looking to visit them, or at least the most important ones.

Borobudur in any case will impress you from the beginning, and the many hundreds of pictures you can take in such short time from every angle is priceless. The most spectacular one is when heading towards the exit when you will get to see the entire temple from far on two of its sides and all of its height and levels. Expect nevertheless thousands of tourists everywhere, unlike much quieter Prambanan.

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