Budget Travel Through Europe

Teruel, Up, Up On The Mountain

2010-02-22T08:50:00.000-08:00

La Escalinata (Teruel)

I know it's been a while, but I guess I got hooked up with life, not to say a bit lazy, but time is our eternal enemy and that's a very good excuse.

In mid october I went for a day trip to Teruel, a small mountainous Spanish city north of Valencia, in the Aragon Province, best known for it's Lovers and Mudejar architecture style.

First of all when you walk on Teruelesque earth comming from the train stration you are welcomed by La Escalinata, a quite long stair, to keep you fit. This stair is made in a beautiful Mudejar style and it's like nothing I've ever seen before.

Teruel city center is only a 5 minutes walk from La Escalinata and the Tourist Information Office is just at the left of La Escalinata. As I said at the beginning, Teruel is a small city, small enough for it's inhabitants to start in 1999 a campaign with the slogan "Teruel existe" ("Teruel exists"). Well, it does. I've been there, I've seen it with my own eyes. You can take my word for it. Teruel is there, small but strong, exactly like its Torico, a small 60kg bronze statue reprezenting a bull, on top of a tall column in the middle of Teruel's main square.

Teruel's other symbol are The Lovers of Teruel. The story of the Lovers took place in 1217. But people of Teruel still remember them, probably mainly to the mausoleum in the San Pedro's Church housing the mummified bodies of Isabel Segura (a rich lady) and Diego de Marcilla (a poor man who battled at Crusades to earn some money with the intention to return to get married with Isabel) whose love ended tragically. It's kind of a Romeo and Juliet love story. Diego went away to gather wealth and Isabela was supposed to wait for him 5 years. Diego was not heard from in those five years and so on the day of the five years' close Isabel's father married her to somebody else. Right after the wedding ceremony Diego shows up with great riches but there was nothing he could do. So that night, Diego sneaks into the bedroom of Isabel and her husband and gently awoke her. He pleaded to her, "Kiss me for I am dying", but she refused. Upon hearing this Diego could not bear the separation between himself and his love, and with a sigh he died on the feet of his beloved Isabel. The next day, during Diego's funeral, Isabel showed up dressed in her wedding dress. She proceeded to walk to the front of the church and place a kiss on the man whom she had refused but in doing so Isabel died, falling prostrate on the body of the man whom she loved.

The mausoleum of The Lovers of Teruel

And the Lovers story at the top of La Escalinata

The San Pedro Church is a magnificent mudejar style church. I loved the interior, so rich in detail and color. The Mudéjar Architecture of Aragon is a World Heritage Site in Spain. Mudéjar is the name given to individual Moors or Muslims of Al-Andalus who remained in Christian territory after the Reconquista but were not converted to Christianity. It also denotes a style of Iberian architecture and decoration, particularly of Aragon and Castile, of the 12th to 16th centuries, strongly influenced by Moorish taste and workmanship.

San Pedro Church (Teruel)

The Cathedral is also in Mudejar style and though the interior didn't impress me that much in general, it's ceiling amazed me, especialy that the guided tour takes you up through the tower next to the ceiling so you can see it from up close.

Teruel Cathedral

The San Martín Tower from the 13th century is considered to be the most beautiful in Teruel.

San Martín Tower (Teruel)

Teruel Town Hall Square

Teruel is seeable in 4 hours and you can still take your time to have lunch. Teruel is well known for its jamón serrano (cured ham), but they also have very good cheese. Yummy! I'm craving for them right now.

Teruel is also known for it't pottery so if you know you have hungry for gifts big children waiting for you at home, you don't have to look far.

One more tip and I'm out of here. Teruel is noted for its harsh climate (hot in summer and very cold in winter), it is situated at 915 metres above sea level so if you go visit during the winter time, be prepared for snow. This being said, I'm going for a walk 'cause it's sunny outside and I need my tan nice and ready for my Las Fallas pictures, comming up next.

Valencia Travel - The Silk Exchange

2009-10-25T10:12:00.000-07:00

Today I´ve visited La Lonja de la Seda (The Silk Exchange) in Valencia for the thousandth time. I love it. The entrance is free and the place is not very big and lacks furniture, but it is really refreshing and castle like, with huge doors, very high ceiling and enormous columns. The Silk Exchange was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 for being one of the most stunning, most important and best preserved examples of Late Gothic architecture in the entire Europe.

Built at the beginning of XVIth century, La Lonja (Silk Exchange) is the real emblem of the Golden Age of Valencia - the times when the city was one of Europe's main economic centres. La Lonja is an impressive building and a must see for the traveler to Valencia and that´s why it is always included in any Valencian travel itinerary. La Lonja is composed of three parts (plus the Orange Garden - a walled court-yard). The main hall, Sala de Contratacion (The Contract Hall) is an enormous, lavishly decorated space supported by gorgeous twisted columns. This was the centre of life in La Lonja, the place where the merchants would meet, deal and sign. The side-wing is named the Pavillion of the Consulate, and this was the seat of the Tribunal del Mar - the first merchant tribunal to ever be formed in Spain. The first two floors were the main function rooms, with the upper one hosting a richly decorated ceiling - a masterpiece of medieval art which had the King ride out of the capital just to see it. La Lonja is situated next to the Central Market and only 5 minutes from the Town Hall, basically in the heart of Valencia and next to many typical tapas bars tourists and locals alike so enjoy.

Sanssouci Palace, Potsdam - UNESCO World Heritage

2009-10-25T02:19:00.000-07:00

Sanssouci Palace from Potsdam is the former summer residence of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia. The Sanssouci Palace was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 following the King's ideas and sketches and had the primary role of fulfilling Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court. The French phrase, sans souci, translates loosely as "without worries" or "carefree" symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power. The Sanssouci Palace is relatively small, more likely a villa that a palace like Versailles with which it is oftenly compared. The Potsdam Palace has 12 glamorous rooms including a concert hall and it is located on top of a terraced vineyard, beautifully decorated in rococo style. There are numerous temples and follies in the park like the Orangery, the Charlottenhof Castle, the Tea House and the Roman Baths. Paintings by Watteau, Panini and Pesne are on exhibit in the picture gallery. The Sanssouci Palace from Potsdam is listed by UNESCO between the World Heritage Monuments. It´s a pitty they don´t allow you to take pictures of the rooms, as they are truly breathtaking. The complex is rather large so you need a full day to explore it. Take your time and enjoy it and pray for a sunny day!

Vienna

2009-10-18T03:57:00.000-07:00

Few cities in the world glide so effortlessly between the present and the past like Vienna, the city of Mozart, Beethoven, Haydn, Schubert, Strauss, Brahms, Mahler and Schönberg. Vienna is a dream city for anyone with a romantic streak or an interest in history. Its splendid historical face is easily recognised: grand imperial palaces and bombastic baroque interiors, museums flanking magnificent squares, amazing architecture and impressive statues. Vienna, also described as Europe's cultural capital, is a metropolis with unique charm, vibrancy and flair. The collecting passion of art-loving rulers and monarchs has made Vienna a treasure house par excellence. The historic city centre of Vienna is inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Vienna is also famous for its coffee culture. "Let's have a coffee" is a very commonly heard phrase. The Kaffeehauskultur is still the traditional way to drink a cup of coffee, read the newspaper, meet friends or fall in love.

Amsterdam in Photos

2009-10-14T14:45:00.000-07:00

Amsterdam has an impressive architecture with lovely bridges and canals criss-crossing the city and world famous museums (Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Van Gogh Museum, the Rembrandt House Museum, Anne Franks House, Rijksmuseum, etc). Amsterdam took its name from the River Amstel. The city developed out of a small fishing village called "Amstelredam", built in the 13th century alongside a dam at the mouth of the river. The town was granted city rights around 1300. Amsterdam became one of the most important ports in the world during the Dutch Golden Age, a result of its innovative developments in trade. During that time, the city was the leading center for finance and diamonds. Amsterdam is situated only 2 meters above sea level and it is sometimes referred to as "The Venice of the North". Amsterdam is bike friendly, sex friendly and drugs friendly which makes it one of the most tourist friendly destinations in the world. Love is in the air!

Saint Dionysius´ Feast Day in Valencia

2009-10-14T02:25:00.000-07:00

On October the 9th Valencia celebrates Saint Dionysius' Feast Day, the local version of Saint Valentine. The valencian men wrap up in silk handkerchiefs specially decorated and shaped marzipan sweets that you can find in almost any valencian bakery around these dates and give them to their girlfriends as a demonstration of their affection. As I love colorful marzipan sweets I took a lot of photos as you can see. And yes, I got a nice marzipan box too. I´m a good girl, you know? I always get what I want!

Marseille

2009-10-13T01:58:00.000-07:00

Although part of the region of Provence, Marseille has a soul of its own. Founded in 600 b.c. by the Greek sailors of Phocaea, Marseille is the oldest city in France and surely the most complex. In the time of the French colonies, Marseille was the gateway to the Mediterranean. Today Marseille remains a capitol of southern Europe, cosmopolitan and exuberant, with its picturesque old port, its Bouillabaisse and its folklore.

Notre-Dame de la Garde, Marseille (the church is situated on the hill)

Longchamp Palace from Marseille features an allegoric group of the Durance River and the statues of vine and wheat. Note the fisherman’s net and fish on the column. The bulls from camargue draw the chariot.

These stairs lead to Marseille Main Train Station. But before you tire yourself climbing them, be advised that just around the corner there is another more modern entrance with mechanical stairs.

Neuschwanstein Castle

2009-10-12T13:46:00.000-07:00

Neuschwanstein Castle is a 19th-century Bavarian castle on a rugged hill near Hohenschwangau and Füssen in southwest Bavaria, Germany. Neuschwanstein Castle was commissioned by Ludwig II of Bavaria as a retreat and as a homage to the composer Richard Wagner, the King's friend and inspiring muse. Ludwig did not allow visitors to his castles, but after his death in 1886 the Neuschwanstein Castle was opened to the public (in part due to the need to pay off the debts Ludwig incurred financing its construction). Neuschwanstein Castle is the most photographed building in Germany and is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. Unfortunately public photography of the interior is not permitted. Thou there aren´t many rooms opened to the public, mainly because the castle was left unfinished, the ones that you can visit are huge ball rooms extremly rich in details. Neuschwanstein Castle appeared in several movies and was the inspiration for Sleeping Beauty Castle at both Disneyland Park and Hong Kong Disneyland.

Beautiful painted German houses at the bottom of the hill from where you can get to the Neuschwanstein Castle by foot, by bus or by a traditional horse carriage.

Zürich Travel - The Chinese Garden

2009-10-12T11:48:00.000-07:00

The Chinese Garden is a gift from Zürich's Chinese partner town, Kunming. The garden is dedicated to one of the main themes in Chinese culture, "Three Friends In Winter ", the pine, the bamboo and the winter cherry. The Chinese Garden covers an exactly rectangular terrain, surrounded by a low wall. Its central element is a pond with a small island. A bridge connects the pavilion's island and the inner garden, reminding of the Island of Immortals.

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Amsterdam

2009-10-12T01:47:00.000-07:00

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum from Amsterdam is amazing. The museum is housed in a very large building in the center of Amsterdam and it is spread over four floors. The lifelike figures are so perfectly done that you almost forget that all those famous people could just stand there and melt away if somebody switched on a lighter. From royals, sport stars, popular musicians, world leaders (as from January 2009 the Bush figure was replaced by an Obama figure), contemporary Hollywood celebrities, historical figures such as Gandhi and Einstein to famous Dutch people, everybody is there to greet you. It´s not like Madame Tussauds Wax Museum from Amsterdam is better than the one in London or NY, but hey! where else in the world can you have your picture taken next to Rembrandt? And to be fair, the wax figures in my photos are hard to distinguish from the real people. Hm, could it be really Rembrandt standing there next to me? There is always a cue to enter the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum so be advised and get your patient mood with you. The entry fee is not cheap either, but it is worth the trouble. And by any chance, don´t, but don´t forget your camera in the hotel!

Copenhagen

2009-10-11T17:38:00.000-07:00

Copenhagen is one of Europe's most enjoyable cities. Copenhagen has a reputation for tolerance, reinforced by the presence of the fascinating 'free city' of Christiania, a community of people who have tried to create an equal and just consensus-governed democracy for its people. There is more here than Carlsberg and The Little Mermaid. Thou I haven't been to The Tivoli Gardens I hear they are wonderful. The colorful buildings and the architecture are fascinating and the people are opened.

The Azay-le-Rideau Castle

2009-10-11T13:06:00.000-07:00

The Azay-le-Rideau Castle is one of the earliest French Renaissance châteaux constructed in the Loire Valley. Built on an island in the Indre River, 15 miles southwest of Tours (and about 150 miles southwest of Paris), its foundations rise straight out of the water. One of the many impressive features of the Azay-le-Rideau Castle is the central staircase, with open windows overlooking the courtyard, a very novel idea for the time it was built. The Azay-le-Rideau Castle is 'L' shaped, the two arms enclosing the courtyard and terminating in round towers (19th century additions). One can only marvel at the charming and majestic Azay-le-Rideau Castles that reflects such serenity and projects the image of a certain gentle and romantic way of life or haven of peace. It is hard to imagine that until the reign of François 1st, the Azay-le-Rideau Castle had a defensive objective and looked like all the fortresses of the area.

Heidelberg

2009-10-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

Heidelberg is a jewel among German travel destinations. Heidelberg is located in the Neckar river valley right where the dark Odenwald (Forest of Odes) opens up towards the plains of the Rhine Valley. Heidelberg is home to the oldest university in Germany (est. 1386). During WWII, Heidelberg was almost completely spared by allied bombings which destroyed most of Germany's larger inner cities. As a result, Heidelberg has retained its baroque charm of narrow streets, picturesque houses and of course the world-famous Heidelberg Schloss (castle).

Heidelberg Castle