Bregenz - Austria

Bregenz – Austria

Post published:10 May 2014
Post category:Austria Europe Western Europe

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Roman Brigantium

Continuing on this weekend trip after visiting Vaduz, the capital city of the 4th smallest country in Europe, Liechtenstein, we arrive at Bregenz by the Lake Constance, which boundaries are shared between Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Considering that the cities around the lake are very small, with some of them being island-cities, you can perfectly visit as many as time you have by simply stopping along the way. Not to mention the nice advantage viewing points you will have along the way driving.

Being able to visit all these places can only be really possible if having a rental car. Depending on public transportation means you will need much more time than just a weekend. At least, you can count with a good train network connecting most of the important cities.

Our first city by the lake was Bregenz on the southern tip, the westernmost city in Austria, minutes away from the Swiss and German borders. Austria after all, is the country with the less portion of border by the lake.
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Vaduz - Liechtenstein

Vaduz – Liechtenstein

Post published:10 May 2014
Post category:Europe Liechtenstein Western Europe

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The Fourth Smallest Country in Europe

Another country and capital city in Europe not been before; Vaduz, and the last of the 6 micro states in Europe, Liechtenstein. With this visit on this day I mark the 41st county visited in Europe, meaning only 9 left to complete the whole continent. In any case, so far for this year there will not be any other new European country to be visited, therefore it will need to be from the next year and so on when perhaps I can continue to tick off the list. But now on a newer separate note after a trip through the Caucasian countries in 2018, that was the time I’ve completed the entire continent.

This weekend trip was not only about reaching Liechtenstein, but also to explore all around the beautiful Lake Constance, shared between Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Very busy Saturday and Sunday, non-stop driving all around the lake after Vaduz. Also a bigger job later on to create the separate travel guides for each of the places been such as: Bregenz, Lindau, Friedrichshafen, Meersburg and Konstanz.

Vaduz is capital since 1342, and ranks in the 2nd place as the smallest capital city in any European country (being the smallest San Marino City). Located surrounded by the Austrian Alps the nature is just incredible everywhere. The Rhine River is the only natural border that separates the city from neighbouring Switzerland at just 2km away. (more…)

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Taal Volcano - Philippines

Taal Volcano – Philippines

Post published:26 April 2014
Post category:Asia Philippines Southeast Asia

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The Smallest Active Volcano in the World

At just 7 hours after returning from Taipei back into Manila, our last day in the Philippines would become a special surprise thanks to our Philippine friends who planned this day on our backs and told us just once we were about to take the plane into Manila the night before. The magnificent Taal Volcano National Park. What best way to end this great trip than spending the last day with them and enjoying these marvellous landscapes and nature merely 2 hours south of Manila.

The heat again played against us, although I keep saying that I totally don’t mind the heat, but mind the cold. We were anyway lucky towards the afternoon, with the refreshing thunderstorm out of the sudden. Quite unexpected, but kept the rest of the day under clouds and fresh air. This is part of the magic in here, the unexpected. And not precisely talking about rain, but how about a volcanic eruption? Mind that this is one of the most active in the world, and as recent as early 2020 it has put the area on a stand-still once again.

Reaching this place is really straightforward and comfortable. For at least half of the way there is a good motorway where you need to pay several times for tolls along the way, while for the remaining of the journey this will be a single lane road in each direction. With just some traffic near one mall you will pass along the way, there seems to be no complication at all. (more…)

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Boracay - Philippines

Boracay – Philippines

Post published:23 April 2014
Post category:Asia Philippines Southeast Asia

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White Beach: One of the top 10 beaches in the world

On our next move within the Philippines we travelled southwest of the country to this little piece of paradise, the island of Boracay. Barely 4 months since I was in another piece of paradise at the other side of the planet, 15500 kilometres to the west of Boracay, 15000 of them being the vast of the Pacific Ocean; San Pedro Ambergris in Belize (or La Isla Bonita as it is better known). Thankfully in this occasion weather made a huge difference to what was back then in the Caribbean with a horrible one! Although our second day was quite cloudy I have to admit it was even a relief after the intense heat and unbearable sun from the first day.

The island of Boracay is located in the region called Western Visayas. It’s so small that the nearest airports are on the larger neighbouring island of Panay, but easily to commute from/to as described in the transport section below.

It rapidly boomed in tourism being one of the most visited islands in the Philippines without doubts for its worldwide renown pristine beaches of fine white sand and turquoise waters. But something almost the 100% of first time visitors to the Philippines do not know is that there are by far much better islands and beaches elsewhere across the countless the country is formed of. (more…)

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Vigan - Philippines

Vigan – Philippines

Post published:21 April 2014
Post category:Asia Philippines Southeast Asia

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Bee Gan: Beautiful Shore

After spending a great evening the day before with a great traditional dinner at the house of my Philippine friend, we knew today would be a very busy packed day trying to see the most we can until the time to make the way back to Laoag airport for the evening flight back to Manila. Having so little time in each place on this trip has been one of the downsides, although in the other hand and coming from London so far away, that’s the less we could do. A very busy and tight agenda with almost no time to sleep. Definitely well worth it at the end. That’s the fun of travelling.

Vigan is the capital city of the province of Ilocos Sur. An UNESCO World Heritage Site in its full in the sense that it is one of the very few Spanish colonial cities in the Philippines left almost intact, keeping most of its charm and incredible Hispano-Philippine-Oriental fusion unique only to this part of the world. The best preserved colonial city in Asia.

Really small in size and well organised as it follows since its creation the usual grid pattern urban plan where the main streets meet at the central square; principal cultural, politic and religious part in the city, with the rest of the streets parallel and perpendicular between them. (more…)

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Laoag, Paoay and Santa Maria - Philippines

Laoag, Paoay and Santa Maria – Philippines

Post published:21 April 2014
Post category:Asia Philippines Southeast Asia

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City of Lights

On our next move in the Philippines after Manila we head to the northern region of Ilocos Norte, flying to it’s capital city, Laoag, where the only commercial airport for the whole region is located. We knew the night we landed and the following day would be extremely packed with a very explicit visit of Laoag in the night, Paoay in the morning, then the drive south towards Vigan, highlight for this trip but not before an unexpected surprise stop over by Pangil, an ancient dead coral reef and the UNESCO World Heritage listed Santa Maria Church; passing through countless tobacco fields plantations and beautiful landscapes; then back again towards Laoag for a late evening departure flight to Manila.

So right upon landing, our friend came to pick us from the airport and gave us a small tour around the landmarks of Laoag. Few minutes after we were already on way to the neighbouring village of Paoay where we drop our bags at the hotel and then enjoyed an amazing Northern Philippine dinner where we sampled the incredibly good Ilocano dishes. That was a great feast! We will always keep these great memories!

So here they are the key reasons in getting to this region: meeting my friend in Paoay, its World Heritage listed church, and of course, getting to visit the best preserved and almost untouched Spanish-Oriental colonial city in Asia, Vigan, a fascinating city like no other, and yet another UNESCO site visited in our growing list.

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Manila - Philippines

Manila – Philippines

Post published:20 April 2014
Post category:Asia Philippines Southeast Asia

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The Pearl of the Orient

Finally the date has come! 10 months waiting for this moment since we booked our tickets, now a reality. And thankfully as we found a good air fare in hotukdeals app on our phones (remember you can also check the website version here, just type flights in the search box). Although originally on a split flight from London to Abu Dhabi with Etihad, and Abu Dhabi to Manila on Philippine Airlines (both companies do code-share on this route); the flight times dramatically changed for the Philippine Airlines leg meaning we could not make the connecting flight in Abu Dhabi on time. Luckily for us in this case, Philippine Airlines re-booked us instead on the direct London to Manila which they recently introduced.

If you are the kind of person who cannot sleep on long haul flights then try to make everything possible to get some sleep on the outbound flight, always any flight from west to east; otherwise the jet lag will be definitely terrible. If you can or have someone who can get for you some sleeping tablets then that’s a good bet however needless to say careful with it and mind the doses. This flight is among one of the longest direct in the world, and to this date the longest I’ve ever done. And it was our lucky day, we managed entire 4 seats rows for each of us since the outbound flight was half empty.

Our plan on this trip was not only visiting Manila, but some other places during the 9 days in total we stayed across the Philippines and Taiwan. For instance, our stay in Manila was shortened to 2 days on our arrival and a last one before our departure back home. The rest of the places we would visit are Taal, Laoag, Paoay, Santa Maria, Vigan, Boracay and Taipei.

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Ercolano - Italy

Ercolano – Italy

Post published:30 March 2014
Post category:Europe Italy Southern Europe

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Named after the Greek Hero Hercules

On our second part of this trip and in the same day after the Roman villas of Stabiae and Oplontis, we visit the major highlight, the ancient city of Ercolano. Second in size after Pompeii, but way different to this in the sense of how incredibly well preserved everything stood after the 79AD Mount Vesuvius eruption. Unfortunately only 1/4 of the total city has been excavated, while the remaining of the city might never been uncovered. The new city of Herculaneum was built on top of the ancient. Back then they even did not even know what was below ground, but the over construction covered most of the former city limits which lie well below the current street level.

I cannot say that I like one or the other more. Both compliment each other. While in Pompeii you do not have such great paintings and large villas, or so incredibly well preserved thermaes; you have in the other hand the complete area of the forum, theatre and coliseum, something that is completely buried under the new city in Herculaneum.

What is best on this place, the lack of mass tourism. In Pompeii expect hordes of tourists, but here in Ercolano you will be happy to enjoy the city mostly to yourself, but of course, mind that during the high season months there will be lots of people but nothing to compare with overcrowded Pompeii.

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