♥♥♥
An old song that I haven't heard since like a decade ago, when I first fell in love :-).. and today it was played softly:
- "When I need you" by Leo Sayer -
Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Europe. Show all posts
24.8.13
Only a heartbeat away!
An old song that I haven't heard since like a decade ago, when I first fell in love :-).. and today it was played softly:
- "When I need you" by Leo Sayer -
11.7.13
Berlin in summer scent: Music, Art, Museum..
Berlin Philharmony
Berlin Hackescher Markt
Berliner Dom in summer view
Am Brunnen - Museumsinsel
Kite festival at the Berlin Tempelhof park (old airport Tempelhof now closed and used as a park)
11th Open Air Gallery auf der Oberbaumbrücke
Private tour to visit the renovated historical roof truss at the Pergamon Museum
19.4.13
Prague in early spring!
Visiting a familiar city, yet seeing a new Prague :-)..
Prague, here we come again!!!
View of the amazing Prague - the stone Charles Bridge is in the middle
The 'legendary' Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) on an early April morning
"Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river Vltava (Moldau) until 1841, the Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the Old Town and adjacent areas. The bridge is 621 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by 3 bridge towers in an astonishing civil gothic-style. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, originally erected around 1700 but now all replaced by replicas." (source: wikipedia)
Lesser Town Bridge Towers
"Lesser Town bank of the Vltava River is decorated with two bridge towers, which together form an entrance to the Lesser Town. The lower bridge tower is also called Judita's, since it was built in the context of the construction of the first stone bridge over the Vltava River, i.e. as early as in the 12th century. The higher tower is younger, it dates from the 15th century and was built at the expense of King Jiří z Poděbrad. The gate is decorated with provincial and municipal signs." If you notice, the both gates are not facing straightly the Charles Bridge, the story of this I will explain in later part of this entry.
View of the busy Charles Bridge from the Old Town Bridge Tower in April's chilling weather
Prague Castle in sunset... Prague - a magical city that 'has it all'!
"This magical city of bridges, cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes, has been mirrored in the surface of the swan-filled Vltava River for more than ten centuries. Almost undamaged by WWII, Prague's compact medieval centre remains a wonderful mixture of cobbled lanes, walled courtyards, cathedrals and countless church spires all in the shadow of her majestic 9th century castle that looks eastward as the sun sets behind her. Prague is also a modern and vibrant city full of energy, music, cultural art, fine dining and special events catering to the independent traveller's thirst for adventure. It is regarded by many as one of Europe's most charming and beautiful cities, Prague has become the most popular travel destination in Central Europe along with Budapest and Krakow. Millions of tourists visit the city every year." (source: wikitravel)
The swan-filled Vltava River
"The Vltava River runs through Prague, which is home to about 1.2 million people. The capital may be beautiful, but pollution often hovers over the city due to its location in the Vltava River basin." This might explain sometimes one cannot have a wide-spread panoramic view of the city.
View of the Prague Castle from the Strahov Monastery
Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad), an ancient symbol of the Czech lands, is "the most significant Czech monument and one of the most important cultural institutions in the Czech Republic". (source: hrad.cz) The Castle was "where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it. According to Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. It occupies an area of almost 70000 m², at about 570 metres in length and an average of about 130 metres wide."
Towards the Old Town Square - Town Hall's Tower and Týn Church
The famous Astronomical Clock at the Town Hall's Tower
"Prague's old Town Hall was built in 1364. The Astronomical Clock at the Town Hall's Tower is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Originally the building served only as the city hall of the old town, but later became the city hall for all of Prague. It is now only used for ceremonial functions."
Town Hall's Tower at the Old Town Square
Old Town Square viewed from the Town Hall's Tower
"Step into the Old Town Square in Prague and journey back in time, 600 or 700 years. As you stand in awe, the dramatic history of Prague permeates the air." (source: pragueexperience.com)
St. Nicholas Church at the Old Town Square
"St. Nicholas Church at the Old Town Square was completed in 1735. It replaced a parish church, mentioned in records dating back as early as 1273. St. Nicholas is a Baroque church, decorated with sculptures by Antonín Braun. The interior design was inspired by the chapel of St. Louis-des-invalides in Paris. From 1870-1914 St. Nicholas became Russian Orthodox. Then, during the second World War, Czech army units were stationed here and artists were set to work restoring the church. After the war, St. Nicholas was handed over to the Czech Hussite movement, with whom it remains today. It now serves as both a church and a magnificent venue for classical concerts." (source: pragueexperience.com)
Týn Church at the Old Town Square
"Church of Our Lady before Týn (Czech: Týnský chrám) is a dominant feature of the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, and has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century. The church's towers are 80 m high and topped by four small spires." (source: wikipedia)
A view to the Lesser Town Bridge Towers and Charles Bridge on the side of the Malá Strana (Lesser Town)
"Malá Strana (German: Prager Kleinseite) is a district of Prague and one of its most historic regions. The name translated into English literally means "Little Side", though it is frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Quarter", or "Lesser Side". This name derives from its position on the left (west) bank of the river Vltava, on the slopes just below the Prague Castle, in opposition to the larger towns of Prague on the right bank, to which it is conjoined by the Charles Bridge. In the Middle Ages, it was a dominant centre of the ethnic German (and since 16th century also Italian) citizens of Prague. It also housed a large number of noble palaces while the right-bank towns were comparatively more bourgeois and more Bohemian Czech." (source: wikipedia)
Part of the Lesser Town viewed from the Bell Tower of the St. Nicholas Church (Malá Strana)
A view of the Mostecká towards Malostranské Náměstí with the St. Nicholas Church (Malá Strana) in the background
High view of the beautiful Prague - the St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle..
"Prague was founded in the later 9th century, and soon became the seat of Bohemian kings, some of whom ruled as emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. The city thrived under the rule of Charles IV, who ordered the building of the New Town in the 14th century - many of the city's most important attractions date back to that age. The city also went under Habsburg rule and became the capital of a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918, after World War I, the city became the capital of Czechoslovakia. After 1989 many foreigners, especially young people, moved to Prague. In 1992, its historic centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two countries and Prague became capital city of the new Czech Republic." (source: wikitravel)
Prague, here we come again!!!
View of the amazing Prague - the stone Charles Bridge is in the middle
The 'legendary' Charles Bridge (Czech: Karlův most) on an early April morning
"Its construction started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and finished in the 15th century. As the only means of crossing the river Vltava (Moldau) until 1841, the Charles Bridge was the most important connection between Prague Castle and the Old Town and adjacent areas. The bridge is 621 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide, resting on 16 arches shielded by ice guards. It is protected by 3 bridge towers in an astonishing civil gothic-style. The bridge is decorated by a continuous alley of 30 statues and statuaries, most of them baroque-style, originally erected around 1700 but now all replaced by replicas." (source: wikipedia)
Lesser Town Bridge Towers
"Lesser Town bank of the Vltava River is decorated with two bridge towers, which together form an entrance to the Lesser Town. The lower bridge tower is also called Judita's, since it was built in the context of the construction of the first stone bridge over the Vltava River, i.e. as early as in the 12th century. The higher tower is younger, it dates from the 15th century and was built at the expense of King Jiří z Poděbrad. The gate is decorated with provincial and municipal signs." If you notice, the both gates are not facing straightly the Charles Bridge, the story of this I will explain in later part of this entry.
View of the busy Charles Bridge from the Old Town Bridge Tower in April's chilling weather
Prague Castle in sunset... Prague - a magical city that 'has it all'!
"This magical city of bridges, cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes, has been mirrored in the surface of the swan-filled Vltava River for more than ten centuries. Almost undamaged by WWII, Prague's compact medieval centre remains a wonderful mixture of cobbled lanes, walled courtyards, cathedrals and countless church spires all in the shadow of her majestic 9th century castle that looks eastward as the sun sets behind her. Prague is also a modern and vibrant city full of energy, music, cultural art, fine dining and special events catering to the independent traveller's thirst for adventure. It is regarded by many as one of Europe's most charming and beautiful cities, Prague has become the most popular travel destination in Central Europe along with Budapest and Krakow. Millions of tourists visit the city every year." (source: wikitravel)
The swan-filled Vltava River
"The Vltava River runs through Prague, which is home to about 1.2 million people. The capital may be beautiful, but pollution often hovers over the city due to its location in the Vltava River basin." This might explain sometimes one cannot have a wide-spread panoramic view of the city.
View of the Prague Castle from the Strahov Monastery
Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad), an ancient symbol of the Czech lands, is "the most significant Czech monument and one of the most important cultural institutions in the Czech Republic". (source: hrad.cz) The Castle was "where the Kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman Emperors and presidents of Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic have had their offices. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it. According to Guinness Book of Records, Prague Castle is the largest ancient castle in the world. It occupies an area of almost 70000 m², at about 570 metres in length and an average of about 130 metres wide."
Towards the Old Town Square - Town Hall's Tower and Týn Church
The famous Astronomical Clock at the Town Hall's Tower
"Prague's old Town Hall was built in 1364. The Astronomical Clock at the Town Hall's Tower is one of the city's most popular tourist attractions. Originally the building served only as the city hall of the old town, but later became the city hall for all of Prague. It is now only used for ceremonial functions."
Town Hall's Tower at the Old Town Square
Old Town Square viewed from the Town Hall's Tower
"Step into the Old Town Square in Prague and journey back in time, 600 or 700 years. As you stand in awe, the dramatic history of Prague permeates the air." (source: pragueexperience.com)
St. Nicholas Church at the Old Town Square
"St. Nicholas Church at the Old Town Square was completed in 1735. It replaced a parish church, mentioned in records dating back as early as 1273. St. Nicholas is a Baroque church, decorated with sculptures by Antonín Braun. The interior design was inspired by the chapel of St. Louis-des-invalides in Paris. From 1870-1914 St. Nicholas became Russian Orthodox. Then, during the second World War, Czech army units were stationed here and artists were set to work restoring the church. After the war, St. Nicholas was handed over to the Czech Hussite movement, with whom it remains today. It now serves as both a church and a magnificent venue for classical concerts." (source: pragueexperience.com)
Týn Church at the Old Town Square
"Church of Our Lady before Týn (Czech: Týnský chrám) is a dominant feature of the Old Town of Prague, Czech Republic, and has been the main church of this part of the city since the 14th century. The church's towers are 80 m high and topped by four small spires." (source: wikipedia)
"Malá Strana (German: Prager Kleinseite) is a district of Prague and one of its most historic regions. The name translated into English literally means "Little Side", though it is frequently referred to as "Lesser Town", "Lesser Quarter", or "Lesser Side". This name derives from its position on the left (west) bank of the river Vltava, on the slopes just below the Prague Castle, in opposition to the larger towns of Prague on the right bank, to which it is conjoined by the Charles Bridge. In the Middle Ages, it was a dominant centre of the ethnic German (and since 16th century also Italian) citizens of Prague. It also housed a large number of noble palaces while the right-bank towns were comparatively more bourgeois and more Bohemian Czech." (source: wikipedia)
Part of the Lesser Town viewed from the Bell Tower of the St. Nicholas Church (Malá Strana)
A view of the Mostecká towards Malostranské Náměstí with the St. Nicholas Church (Malá Strana) in the background
"Prague was founded in the later 9th century, and soon became the seat of Bohemian kings, some of whom ruled as emperors of the Holy Roman Empire. The city thrived under the rule of Charles IV, who ordered the building of the New Town in the 14th century - many of the city's most important attractions date back to that age. The city also went under Habsburg rule and became the capital of a province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. In 1918, after World War I, the city became the capital of Czechoslovakia. After 1989 many foreigners, especially young people, moved to Prague. In 1992, its historic centre was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. In 1993, Czechoslovakia split into two countries and Prague became capital city of the new Czech Republic." (source: wikitravel)
14.4.13
A dream garden house? Potsdam in summer..
The other day I was by chance looking again at a picture folder of a work project that I have been working on since September last year 2012. The project relates to a historical iron truss structure, on which my colleagues and me have performed some in-situ tests. So what could be the correlation between that and this post? I'll tell you shortly. The story is the building of the truss structure is located in the nice city of Potsdam, about which I have written a post not too long ago - romantic peaceful city of Potsdam partly covered in snow, during my 'officially' visit of the city on the Easter holiday (April 2013). What I mean by the word 'officially' in the above sentence is that before that trip, I have been to Potsdam several times for my work but not actually looked around the city. Luckily enough, on one of the trips before, I also got a chance during a short lunch break to go to a special place named "Denkmal Karl-Foerster-Garten" (translated as monument Karl-Foerster garden). This I must credit to my colleague who knows more about the city than me and drove us to the garden. Generally I would also include this place and its photos into the post for Potsdam that I have created, but I simply forgot that I have been to such a nice garden house. Nevertheless, I am happy to look at the photos again and decide to make a separate post for a probably 'dream green place to live in'. What also special is that from the other post, it was during the winter time with cold gloomy weather and white snow. But in this post, you will also experience a part of Potsdam in summer time with warm bright weather and as I have mentioned, it would be a good idea to visit the city when the sun shines! ;-)
"Denkmal Karl-Foerster-Garten"
"After Karl Foerster moved with his nursery 1910-1911 from West Berlin to Potsdam-Bornim, since around 1912 the house garden worlds emerged that made the district of Potsdam Bornim world known as "Worpswede Garden designer". It is probably no coincidence that Karl Foerster has settled here, on the edge of open fields, the Peter Joseph in the 19th Century designed. Opposite the gates are the old oak trees catch the coach house robbery, a forest, in which earlier was able to provide the cattle. The Foerster Garden is now an attraction for garden lovers alike as for the international scientific community." (source: potsdam-wiki.de)
"Karl Foerster wanted to demonstrate the diversity of herbaceous and woody plants, which takes into account each plant as an individual being. The original garden saw six thematic areas: Sunken Garden, Spring Lane, natural garden, Herbstbeet, rock garden, and experimental garden. He combined with perennial flower bulbs, grasses and shrubs and they grouped so that there is every season featured areas." (source: potsdam.de)
"The garden has been rebuilt several times: In the 30s Hermann Mattern put the terracing of the Senkgartens on by dry-stone walls, made in the years 1960/61, a further revision by Hermann Göritz, and in 1983 designed again Göritz with Peter Herling individual areas new. Since 1981, the garden is called "Karl Foerster Memorial". For the Federal Horticultural Show 2001, it has been reconstructed as a memorial garden. Hundreds of plants have been grown, alone nearly 70 delphiniums." (source: potsdam.de)
3.4.13
Potsdam - a "little Versailles" romantic peaceful city
Potsdam is known as a nice romantic city near Berlin. Having stayed in Berlin for nearly one year and a half, but like a 'habit' of not sight-seeing our own city, only until this Easter holiday, combining with a visit from Dustin's brother to Berlin so we liked to take him around, we decided to make a day trip to the charming city Potsdam. Only that the weather was still quite cold and gloomy. It seemed like snows would never be gone..
At the Sanssouci Palace, which is considered as a "little Versailles"
"Schloss Sanssouci", a relatively modest palace of the Prussian royal and German imperial family. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it is also notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park. The palace was designed/built by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court (source: wikipedia). The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree"...
The terrace gardens, looking down from the Palace, towards the park
It was a little pity that in winter almost all outdoor statues are covered in wooden boxes to protect them against snow. The Palace and the park would be more romantic, charming and really nice in summer! Maybe I will have a reason to come back here when the sun shines :-).
Walking around the Sanssouci park still covered in snow at the end of March..
"Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/ Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 kilometres southwest of Berlin city centre." (wikipedia). It took us only about half an hour by car from Berlin Steglitz.
"Schloss Sanssouci", a relatively modest palace of the Prussian royal and German imperial family. It is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it is also notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park. The palace was designed/built by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfill King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court (source: wikipedia). The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree"...
The terrace gardens, looking down from the Palace, towards the park
It was a little pity that in winter almost all outdoor statues are covered in wooden boxes to protect them against snow. The Palace and the park would be more romantic, charming and really nice in summer! Maybe I will have a reason to come back here when the sun shines :-).
"Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/ Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, 24 kilometres southwest of Berlin city centre." (wikipedia). It took us only about half an hour by car from Berlin Steglitz.
30.3.13
Happy Easter holiday: egg, bunny and ..snow!
This Easter holiday considers as my first Easter in Germany. Having spent our Easter days last year in Amsterdam - a holiday like in-a-race trip that made us a little exhausted, this year we wish more for a relaxing and quiet, peaceful time. The atmosphere of the Easter holiday is warming, something that reminds us of Christmas! Only that this year the weather this Easter is even colder than that am Weihnachten. It is still surprisingly white and sometimes raining snow.
21.3.13
Erfurt - a medieval city with timber-framed houses, an important logistics location
I have visited Erfurt on a Saturday in August 2011 with my German language class organised by DAAD; at that time I was staying in Leipzig.
The programme of the tour with the DAAD group was: "90 Minuten Stadtführung durch die Altstadt mit der Krämerbrücke, dem Rathaus, dem Universitätsviertel und dem Dom St. Marien, Spaziergang auf den Petersberg mit wunderschöner Aussicht auf Erfurt, parallel zum Spaziergang besichtigt jeweils eine Gruppe die Gloriosa, Glocke des Erfurter Doms."
Comment from my close girlfriend: "You look so cute.. I love this style. It suits you most , I think :-)" :x
(to be continued)
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