The Concert Hall in Gerdarmenmarkt, Berlin

The Gendarmenmarkt is one of the famous squares in Berlin, Germany. It is also considered as the most beautiful square in Germany's capital. You can find here the Konzerthaus or Concert Hall and the German and French Cathedrals. The square was created by Johann Arnold Nering at the end of the seventeenth century.

the Concert Hall during my visit last February 2011.

Travel Snapshots from Zurich, Switzerland

It's been almost a year now since we visited Zurich, the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. The highlight of our visit last December 2010 was the witnessing of the biggest indoor Christmas market in Europe. It was held inside the Hauptbahnhof or main train station.

Zurich is a leading financial center and global city. The city is home to a large number of financial institutions and banking giants. Also, most of the research and development centres are concentrated in Zurich and the low rate of tax attracts overseas companies to set up their headquarters there. According to several surveys from 2006 to 2008, Zurich was named the city with the best quality of life in the world as well as the wealthiest city in Europe.

Christmas market in Zurich during our visit last December 2010.

The Limmat river in Zurich. It is the continuation of the Linth river, known as Limmat from the point of effluence from Lake Zurich, in the city of Zurich.

Jura Volksfest Parade, Neumarkt, Germany

Jura Volksfest is an annual festival held every month of August in Neumarkt i.d. Oberpfalz (Upper Palatinate) in Bavaria, Germany. The highlight of the festival is the so-called Volksfestzug or the festival parade held in the Altstadt or Old City of Neumarkt.

This year's celebration runs from August 12- 22, 2011.

lovely ladies with their maroon costumes.

horses with carriages decorated with colourful ornaments. You can see the Town Hall with its huge watch in the background. The parade took place last August 15, 2011. I was there!

Neuschwanstein Castle of King Ludwig II of Bavaria, Germany

Visiting this castle is truly a wonderful and interesting experience! I was there four times already and always loved it! Neuschawanstein Castle is a 19th-century Gothic Revival palace on a rugged hill above the village of Hohenschwangau near Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. The palace was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to Richard Wagner.

taken during my fourth visit last July 2011.

Places To Visit in Estonia

This is also one of the countries I want to visit in the Baltic region. My eagerness to visit and experience Estonia has become stronger when I saw beautiful images from it in the internet.

This country is officially called Republic of Estonia. It is considered to be one of the wonderful holiday destinations in the Baltics. Whether you want to spend a city break in Tallinn, a coastal holiday to Saaremaa, relaxing at a spa in Kuressare or a beach vacation in Jurmala, Estonia is simply a place to spend an enchanting holiday. The Baltic Travel Company is the expert to all vacation getaways in all of the Baltic nations.

Here are the top charming cities I wish to visit in Estonia:

Parnu

This is another interesting city to visit in Estonia. It is located southwestern Estonia on the coast of Pärnu Bay. This city is sometimes called Pyarnu. It is a famous summer vacation resort with many hotels, restaurants and beautiful beaches. This is also the reason why it attracts a lot of visitors every year especially during summer season. No wonder it is the summer capital of Estonia.

Other interesting cities to visit in Estonia are Narva, Tartu, Rakvere, Valga, Paide, Tapa and depending on your choice there are still a lot to see. Having received a lot of international rankings, Estonia has been a target of many tourists and visitors.

Tallinn

This is the capital and largest city of Estonia. Tallinn is considered a global city. It is the European Capital of Culture in 2011. It is a member of the European Union countries.

Tallinn is a combination of historical sites and ultra modern styles which made it unique. There a lot of things to see and experience in Tallinn. Visiting its Old Town which belong to the list of World UNESCO Heritage Sites is a must-see in this city. The coastal district Pirita, the Kadriorg Palace which now houses the Art Museum of Estonia and the Estonian Open Air Museum in Rocca al Mare are also worth visiting.

Kuressaare

This is the capital city of Saaremaa. It is a historical city that was first mentioned in 1424. It is located around 216 kilometres from Tallinn. It is considered to be a safe and healthy city. It was the first city in Estonia to receive the official status of Healthy City in 1998, thus making it a perfect place to have a relaxing and healthy vacation. I was amazed after knowing that alone this city has seven great spa-hotels, three of which are located by the sea. That is also the reason why a lot of tourists are visiting it all year round.

Travel Snapshot from Loboc River, Bohol, Philippines

It seems that it was only last month since I and my brother made a cruise in Loboc River in Bohol, Philippines. The cruise that we had started near Loay Bridge in Poblacion Loboc. As far as I remember, we paid between 250-300 Philippine pesos (around 5.00 Euros or $7.00) for the cruise including a buffet lunch. It was a wonderful experience dining in a floating restaurant in Bohol. A live band was also playing at the same time. The highlight of our cruise was the visit to a small island where native Filipino people live.

the floating restaurant where we had a buffet while cruising Loboc River in Bohol.

Travel Snapshot - Dinant, Belgium

The Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame as seen on the Citadel of Dinant, a fortress in this city. You can also see the River Meuse. I took this image last August 2010.

The city's landmark is the Collegiate Church of Notre-Dame. You can see the tower of the church in the image above. It was rebuilt in Gothic style on its old foundations after falling rocks from the adjacent cliff partially destroyed the former Romanesque style church in 1227.

Travel Snapshot- Sunset in Manila Bay, Philippines

The Manila Bay Sunset taken during my vacation in the Philippines last 2010.

The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbors in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world. The bay was the setting for the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 and the siege of Corregidor Island by invading Japanese forces in 1942.

Travel Snapshots from Cannes, France

You might be very familiar about the famous International Cannes Film Festival. Yes, it is in Cannes, France and it is held every year. I can't believed that I was able to visit this beautiful place. I can say that Cannes is probably the most elegant place in Cote d' Azur or French Riviera. With its lovely sandy beaches, super friendly climate, magnificent bay, its mountains and the charming ports, I truly find it a perfect place to spend for a vacation.

I had an overwhelming feeling when I visited this city the other weekend. Even we only spent some hours here, I am already happy and contented to see and to experience it. The highlight of that trip was the meeting with my friend, Aimee, whom I did not see for a decade now. I always believed that this world is truly very small. Imagine, we are both around 11,000 km away from home and we did met in Europe? It was truly a memorable spring vacation. I love it!

Here are some of the travel snapshots I took during my visit in Cannes.

a square near the port. you can see from here, the fortified tower and Chapel of St Anne in the background.

a shopping street in Cannes.

The Harbour in Cannes, France. Taken during my spring vacation, April 2011.
I wish to go back to this place again.

The Sign in Brussels, Belgium

this sign will help you where to go to interesting sights in Brussels, Belgium. I was there!

The Road Sign to Neumarkt Upper Palatinate, Bavaria, Germany

taken last August 2009 during our road trip to Neumarkt Upper Palatinate in Bavaria, Germany.