Ilovetravels

Bake until it's done

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 10:20:20 PST

Here is one simple but very tasty cake. I really don't know its name but I like to call it Bake until it's done!
My colleague asked me for this recipe so I told her all the ingredients she needs but when she asked me how long she had to keep it in the oven I was kinda caught by surprise and simply told her to bake it until its done. When we both realized what I said, we burst into laughter, so the name stayed. It's very simple and you can make it for every occasion.

Ingredients:

4 eggs
25 dkg of sugar
25 dkg of flour
a bit of baking powder
very little vegetable oil
20 dkg chopped almonds
20 dkg of raisins
vanilla sugar
grated lemon peel

Beat the yolks and the sugar. Add the beaten whites, flour, vanilla sugar, baking powder, and at the end add almonds and raisins.
The result is a dense mass that has to be properly spread on baking pan. Bake at a temperature of approximately 180°C for about thirty minutes, maybe a little more. Don't burn it, the surface should remain bright so be very careful.

Bon appetit!

Gaestehaus Eva-Maria Salzburg

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 15:22:00 PST

Breakfast room

“As you are in the village”

Pension situated in a quiet part of town is almost idyllic. A real vacation.
On the other hand it is very close to downtown and all the sights you must see in Salzburg. Husband and I were placed in a double room with bathroom that was clean and neat. We also have breakfast and we were satisfied. The host is always at your service. I loved his cats. If I ever go back to Salzburg I'll probably stay there again!

Cat

Room

Lisbon - Expo part

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:59:26 PST

Oceanaruim entrance

Vasco Da Gamma tower

Expo 1998 has left behind a different face of the city, so different from everything that we've seen before. The futuristic architecture of Eastern Lisbon is a complete contrast to the old parts of the city. I don't think that's bad ofc, every major city in the world has shiny new built parts, however I find the old parts of the city much more charming. Of course, everything is worth seeing. Both the new and the old have their stories to tell.

First we decided to ride on a cable car to experience the surrounding from a bird's perspective.
The cable car constantly circulates starting from Parque das Nacoes to the tower Vasco Da Gamma.

Cable car

It rides parallel to the river and gives you some breathtaking views along the way. You can see many new attractions include a viewing tower, a marina, and a number of bars and restaurants with outdoor terraces overlooking one of the world's longest bridges.
There is also the Oceanarium, hailed as the world's most impressive aquarium. It's one of the world's largest aquariums.
It is a deep-sea diving experience without any of the risks, with about 25.000 fish, seabirds, and mammals in an enormous central tank that is the size of four Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Cute lazy beaver

In the Oceanarium, we managed to pass through the different climates of the world, from tropical to cold and we saw all the animals that belong to each of those ecosystems. Through the thick glass you can look face to face with a shark. That was a really creepy experience even though I knew I was completely safe. I have to say the penguins were my favorite, I was surprised how small they are.

Penguins

I like watching various documentary films and somehow watching penguins on television, gave me the impression that they're a lot bigger than they actually are. Oh they are such cute little black & white creatures.
Besides these and other sights shopping lovers just can't miss the shopping center nearby that has lots of very known brands and merchandise. There is something for everyone.
With this I concluded my visit to Lisbon.
Five days is definitely not enough time to see this wonderful city, to enjoy its relaxed, gentle atmosphere.

Tropical part

We have seen a lot, but a lot is remained to be seen. I have a reason to come back.
So, goodbye to Lisbon!

Lisbon - Day 3.

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:17:07 PST

Belem

Here we are in Lisbon again.
We continued to explore this lovely city so we went to Belem. Belem, the symbol of Lisbon, is placed at the entrance of Lisbon harbor. It was built in 1515th and was a guard tower of the city. To many sailors and explorers this place was the last view of their homeland. It's a pleasure to pass through the tower and see all its rooms. I can't recall how much the ticket cost, but I know it was not expensive and was worth of every cent. If you want to visit Lisbon this place is a "must see". Everyone should do a tribute to 500 years old structure which I would name "The fortress of stone lace". Check out the photos :) .

Belem

Discoveries Monument

Beside Belem tower there is the Discoveries Monument. It was built in 1960 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Prince Henry the Navigator's death, one of the most significant person in the history of Portugal. It represents a three-sailed ship ready to depart, with sculptures of important historical figures King Manuel, poet Camões, Vasco da Gama, Magellan, Cabral, and several other notable Portuguese people. The only female is the queen Felipe of Lancaster, mother of Henry the Navigator.

The interior can be visited. An elevator takes visitors to the top of the monument, which provides a view of the whole part of the city. Inside is an exhibition space with temporary exhibits. The pavement in front of the monument is decorated with a mosaic that represents a compass with the map of the world charted with the routes taken by the Portuguese explorers.

Discoveries Monument

Saint Jeronimos Monastery

Saint Jeronimos Monastery is the most impressive symbol of Portugal's power and wealth during the Age of Discovery. King Manuel 1st built it in 1502 on the site where Vasco da Gama and his crew spent their last night in Portugal in prayer before leaving for India. It was built to commemorate Vasco da Gama's voyage and to give thanks to the Virgin Mary for its success. Vasco da Gama's tomb was placed inside by the entrance.

Vasco Da Gamma tomb

Standing beside the tomb of Vasco Da Gamma, a great world traveler and explorer was a great honor to me. After all, every thought of travelling, past, present or future, was conceived at a time when I received the first knowledge of history, art, culture, life in general. I used to listen to the stories about the discoveries with my mouth, ears, eyes and mind opened in amazement, and the imagination working rapidly. My eyes have always been directed towards the unknown distances, and my desire grew bigger each day until I managed to set my sails into that unknown. It's all thanks to Vasco Da Gamma and to all those many wonderful people who have lived long before me and have done a lot for me.

Saint Jeronimos Monastery

Coaches Museum

One of Lisbon's most visited sights, the Coaches Museum has the largest and most valuable collection in the world. Each coach is more magnificent than the other. One of the most outstanding has gilded figures on the tailgate showing Lisbon crowned by Fame and Abundance and a dragon trampling the Muslim crescent. Unfortunately taking pictures wasn't allowed so I borrowed one from the internet only to convey the splendor collected in this area.

Sintra - Cabo da Roca

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:34:27 PST

We decided to take one day trip to Sintra and Cabo da Roca. Actually Cabo da Roca was the main goal of this trip and we only meant to pass through Sintra. However that plan was very flawed. Sintra is a small town but deserves a lot more attention. Due to the lack of time, I managed to stay in Sintra only for about 2-3 hours, just enough time for a short walk and few photos. Getting to Sintra and Cabo da Roca from Lisbon is very easy. First you have to take a train from Lisbon to Sintra departing from the railway station Rossio. It's not a long ride (many people live in Sintra and work in Lisbon) and it's not expensive. To get to Cabo da Roca from Sintra you have to catch a bus going to Cascais. This is the easiest way to get to Cabo da Roca, and doesn't cost much.

Sintra Slideshow: Ana’s trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Sintra, Portugal was created by TripAdvisor. See another Sintra slideshow. Take your travel photos and make a slideshow for free.

At the bus station there is a small office where you can take a certificate of your visit to this westernmost point of Europe. I dare not speak a lot about it but would rather give the word to the one of the famous Portuguese poets, Luís Vaz de Camões (1524-1580) : "Where the land ends and the sea begins". These words are engraved on the Monument declaring Cabo da Roca the westernmost point of continental Europe. A cross has been erected in this spot as a monument to celebrate the end of the European mainland, and the beginning of the Atlantic Ocean.
Standing on the edge of Europe and looking at the horizon in a direction where another continent lies is a unique feeling.

Cabo da Roca Slideshow: Ana’s trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Cabo da Roca (near Colares, Estremadura), Portugal was created by TripAdvisor. See another Colares slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

Lisbon - Day 2. Afternoon

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:58:13 PST

Praca do Comersio

We had lunch at a restaurant close to Praca do Comersio.The food was well prepared and very tasty. I was so thirsty that I committed a sin: I had a beer instead of wine....MEA CULPA! Haha.! Seriously, in Portugal drinking beer instead of all those yummy wines is a sin. OK that was a joke. Let's move on.

Rua Augusta

The nearest place to visit was the Praca do Comersio.When we reached the square we were surprised to be in such vast space. While preparing for this journey I read the book and looked at many pictures, I have created some sort of idea about every sight of the city including this square, but when I found myself there, the place left me speechless. Huge is not the right word for the Praca do Comersio. This waterfront square is the place where the royal palace stood for over two centuries until 1755 when it was destroyed by the Great Earthquake. The royal family moved to another residence in the district of Belem, and the new arcaded buildings acted as the port of entry to the city. Right next to the square is the most famous street in Lisbon, Rua Augusta. In the evening we took a stroll down the street and I was very satisfied with what I saw. It's a pedestrian zone that's crowded with people during daytime. Lots of stores and coffee shops make this place very lively. I regret that I didn't manage to see it in daylight. Next time I will!

Tram 28 passing by Cathedral

One of the best ways to get a little rest from a long walk is to get on a tram number 12 or 28. Number 12 runs a short tour through Alfama and number 28 runs the longer tour around Lisbon, if I remember well. We went to Lisbon Cathedral-Sé de Lisboa on foot and after got on a tram number 12 to reach the castle. The ride didn't take long but enough to pass through the narrow streets of Lisbon. The streets constantly lead somewhere up. Passing through them made me feel I was passing through time. The past and the present share this place. You get the feeling that the time stopped yet it didn't, like the past and the present are intertwined in some way. A very unusual experience if you ask me!

Lisbon's Cathedral

Speaking of the cathedral I must say that Lisbon's ancient cathedral was built on the site of an old mosque in 1150 for the city's first bishop, the English crusader Gilbert of Hastings. If you look at it from the outside, with its two bell towers and a glorious rose window, it resembles a medieval fortress. Inside it appears predominantly Romanesque, with a Gothic choir and ambulatory.

Sao George Castle

Sao George Castle can be seen from almost everywhere in the city. Its oldest parts date from the 6th century. It served as a Moorish royal residence until Portugal's first king Afonso Henriques captured it in 1147 with the help of northern European crusaders on their way to the Holy Land. It was then dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of England. Today it's, I could say, a small excursion site. Every day numerous people visit the castle, or better said the fortress.

Walking through the park and watching peacocks strut around and sitting in a restaurant was a lovely experience but the most amazing one was a walk around the walls and 18 towers. It's a place that gives you the most breathtaking view of the city.

Sao George Castle

One of the castle's inner towers holds the Camera obscura and Periscope that projects sights from around the city.
Since it was a veeery busy day, we really needed a break. The next day however brought some new "tasks" and adventures.....
To be continued....

View of Praca do Comersio

Towers of Sao George Castle

Peacock

View from Tram 12

Inside Cathedral

Lisbon - Day 2. Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:23:30 PST

Marques de Pombal Monument

Avenida Liberdade

On the next day in Lisbon we had few "tasks" to fulfill. I love to travel, I love to see a lot of new places and when I say task I don't just think about mere sight-seeing and numbering the places I visited, I actually mean enjoy them. I wish I could see all my everyday obligations with the eyes of a traveler. The hotel was located at the top of the Avenida Liberdade. Avenida Liberdade is Lisbon's Champs-Élysées. This boulevard is the main avenue of the city. It runs 1.6km from Marques de Pombal Square (Marquis of Pombal was the prime minister responsible for the rebuilding of Lisbon following the Great Earthquake in 1755. The monument shows him standing on a column with his hand on a lion, as a symbol of power, and his eyes are directed to the downtown area that he rebuilt) to Restauradores Square and it's more than 90m wide. It's an elegant and beautiful promenade with fountains, cafes, hotels and shops, but what attracts the most of your attention is the decoration on its floor.
In the avenue you can also find the Monument to the Heroes of the Great War, a tribute to the 50,000 Portuguese soldiers who fought in World War I.

Restauradores Square

When we reached the Restauradores Square, a huge space appeared before us. There you can see a monument that commemorates the country's liberation from Spanish rule, that lasted for 60 years, in the 1640.
A beautifully arranged floor that looks like a chain reveals itself in front of you.

Rossio Square

Walking along we arrived to Rossio Square. The tiles there look like a rough sea and they are handwork. I'm really amazed by some people's love, patience and dedication to make something as beautiful and complex as these tiles.

Rossio train station

On this square you can find a railway station Rossio, a building that looks more like a museum building then like a train station. Wonderful! We stayed there enough to admire the beauty of the place and then moved on to the Santa Justa elevator.

Santa Justa elevator

Santa Justa is one of the city's best-loved landmarks and also known as the "Elevator of Carmo", this extraordinary structure was built at the turn of the century by the Portugal-born French architect Raoul de Mesnier du Ponsard a student of Gustave Eiffel, explaining the structure's similarities to Paris' Eiffel Tower, to connect downtown to Bairro Alto, the lowest and highest points of the city. At the top there is a plateau with a small cafe.

Praca Comersio and river Tagus

The view from the plateau stretches around the city center, on one side, a square Comersio and the river Tagus, on the other side overlooking the Rossio Square and opposite the elevator view at one of the seven hills of Lisbon and Sao George Castle. But that's another story.
We walked a lot so we were pretty tired, and it was a lunch time.

Sao George Castle

Rossio Square

Lisbon - Fado

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:19:35 PST

I can't describe how happy I was on the day I decided to go to Lisbon. Ireland and Dublin, Portugal and Lisbon; two interesting distant countries, two beautiful cities and lovely, hospitable people.
I'm in love in Ireland but I must say I'm as much in love in Portugal.
I was so exited while I was boarding my plane to Lisbon. I realized that I was going to visit the most western point of Europe, wow! During my Lisbon "must see sights list" preparation, one of the first things I had to include was a visit to one of the numerous Fado clubs.

I chose Clube de Fado, located in the oldest part of Lisbon which is considered to be the cradle of Fado, Alfama. I heard that this is one of the top clubs in Lisbon so I made the reservation over the internet.
The flight from Zagreb (via Bologna) to Lisbon took quite a while, cca four hours. When I finally saw the shapes of Lisbon from afar I was happy as a little kid in a candy store. The first thing I noticed was the fortress Belem.
I could not resist and I took some photos from a "bird's perspective". Now, looking at these pictures I remember every step I made on the Lisbon ground and that fills me with great joy.
These pictures will help me remember the my days spent there and help me to write few words about my visit four years ago.
Landing, airport formalities, bla bla you know the drill :) went normal as usual. Buses and taxis are arranged in a line in front of the exit so you can easily pick a way to get to the center of the city. I chose to take the bus which turned out to a good choice because it took me right to the station by my hotel Fenix Lisboa.
At the very beginning I'd like to point out that the taxi in Lisbon is also a good way of transport. Numerous taxi service cars are available to you all day. In fact there are so many that as soon as you raise your hand someone will stop to pick you up. Taxi service seems to be an integral part of the of public transportation. In the days that followed we went by taxi exclusively.

At the hotel it took us short time to settle in. After changing clothes we took a taxi to the Clube de Fado. Fado means destiny. It is a music genre characterized by sad melodies and lyrics usually about life in poverty.
It is extremely popular in Portugal and musicians who perform FADO are real stars.

When we arrived at the Clube de Fado a kind host escorted us to our table. We settled in and ordered a dinner. We wanted to try everything, so we ordered various dishes from appetizers to desserts and of course the famous Portuguese wine. The music started shortly after. They were playing nicely and calm so I let the sounds of their music and the taste of wine carry me to another dimension. The wine, the music, created such a relaxed atmosphere that even after leaving the restaurant I felt like being in a dream that I would never wake up from.
There are moments in our lives that leave a great impact on our soul, our very being and we relive them every time we think or talk about them. For me, this was one of those moments. :)

Minimundus - Journey around the world in two hours

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 01:37:53 PST

Klagenfurt - Minimundus Slideshow: Ana’s trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Klagenfurt, Austria was created by TripAdvisor. See another Klagenfurt slideshow. Create a free slideshow with music from your travel photos.

MINIMUNDUS

While I'm preparing a trip to Amsterdam, which I'm planning for April, I'm trying to recall some of the places I visit on my past trips.
One of them was Minimundus in Klagenfurt where I went seven years ago. O God how quickly the time flew by and the places I managed to visit during that time.....So, Klagenfurt, an Austrian city on the border with Slovenia in the past known as Celovec. I can't remember any important details that I could write about, but there is one place that you shouldn't miss while staying in Klagenfurt and it's called Minimundus.

It's a place that represents the whole world using models of the most known places in the world which makes it an interesting place to visit no matter if you're an adult or a child. I remember, while I was walking through that large park and looking at the world's most important buildings in miniature, saying to myself: "I was there, I have to go there." And trust me some of the idea for my trip came exactly from this place.
I still lively remember while I was watching mini Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona I was thinking: "This is my next destination". And a year later I was in Barcelona.

Minimundus, the miniature world is a nice place to visit and learn some interesting things. There are approximately 150 models of famous structures, trains and ships that take visitors on a trip around the world in, as said in title,two hours. Minimundus models are constructed in details on a scale of 1:25 by using original materials, like sandstone, basalt lava or marble. They are created in the Minimundus model workshop, by students or by expert model makers.

Sagrada Familia - Barcelona

Acropolis - Athens

Taj Mahal - Agra

Great Wall of China

Statue of Liberty - New York

Petra - Jordan

Eiffel Tower - Paris

Belvedere - Vienna

A walk through the Lapad and Petka on first day of 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:14:24 PST

The first day of 2012 brought a beautiful weather to my city. I couldn't resist not going for a long walk through my Petka hill and Lapad. I brought my camera with me and captured couple of wonderful sights of the first day of the 2012. Nature's colours can neither be described nor imitated. Nature is a miracle that somehow manages to surprise me every day. I had such a wonderful time today that I simply had to share it with all those who wish to see it.
Enjoy the photos!!!

Happy New Year!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:08:00 PST

Christmas carol on Christmas Eve

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 12:01:34 PST

This year a traditional Christmas caroling took place on Christmas Eve again. Mixed Choir Libertas is an active participant in caroling every year. These people managed to keep the centuries old tradition going on and that is a praiseworthy gesture. The songs are preformed in front of the door of sponsors and institutions such as the hospital, nursing home, radio station, Franciscan and Dominican monasteries and finally in front of the city hall at noon. In front of the City Hall the choir meets with Brass band and Folklore Ensemble Linđo and carols to the Mayor. Through these images I'll try to portrait a small part of Dubrovnik's celebration.

Hospital

Radio station


Nursing home


Franciscan monastey

City hall

Traditional sweets

And the pigeons just slept through this like nothing in the world is of their concern.

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 15:17:00 PST

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Merry Christmas!

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:22:00 PST

Prikle (I don't have right translation)

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 23:23:22 PST

Prikle is traditional dessert of Dubrovnik region. They are usually prepared on Christmas Eve and Good Friday. Like the previous sweets that I wrote about, it is impossible to imagine Christmas without its scent.

Ingredients:

1 / 2 kg flour
a bag (7 g) of dry yeast (my grandmother and mother worked with a fresh yeast, but this is more convenient for me)
lemon peel
small cup of rakia (brandy)
teaspoon of sugar
a pinch of salt
raisins
approximately 4-5 dcl of water

Soak the raisins into the warm water to soften them slightly.
Whisk flour, water, yeast, salt and sugar in a bowl, then add lemon peel and small cup of rakia (it provides flavor and prevents absorption of oil).
When the dough becomes a compact mass add the pre-soaked raisins. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise on a room temperature.
After the dough doubles, it's ready to be fried.
Take the dough out of the bowl with a teaspoon and use your finger to get it off the spoon and put into the hot oil.
Fry in hot oil on both sides until they get a golden color.
Serve hot, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon.

Bon Appetit!

Grandma's Christmas cake

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 03:06:58 PST

Here's another grandma's Xmas recipe. Christmas wouldn't be so tasty and full of flavors without it. This cake is filled with various ingredients and spices that spread a pleasant holiday scent, during and after the baking. These aromas bring back the memories of my childhood, which is probably the reason why the Xmas time always makes me feel relaxed and warm inside.

Ingredients:
25 dkg butter
25 dkg sugar
5 eggs
15 dkg of flour
15 dkg of carob flour
1 / 2 bag of baking powder
12 dkg dried figs
12 dkg raisin
12 dkg dates
12 dkg chopped almonds
chocolate powder (quantity - I put about 5 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon of cinnamon, cloves, muscat nut
sugared orange crust
fresh lemon peel (organic)

Beat half of the sugar with the butter. Take the other half of the sugar and beat it with the eggs. Add flower, carob and baking power to the egg and sugar mixture and mix well. Add the sugar and butter mixture and mix until you get a very compact, dense mass. Finally add the chocolate powder, sugared orange peel, chopped almonds, dates, dried figs, raisins, a tsp of cinnamon, muscat nut and cloves. Spread the mixture evenly on the baking pan and bake for about 40-50 minutes on 170°C. Finally, sprinkle it with a bit of powdered sugar, serve and enjoy the aromas :)

Bon Appetit!

Arancini (Sugared orange crust)

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:58:36 PST

The orange, as you'll see from this recipe, can be utilized literally 100%. Don't throw the orange peel because you can make a really delicious treat that you can serve as a snack or even use it to decorate a fruit cake.
Peel the orange (must be home grown-organic)
Cut the peel into thin sticks and soak in water for 3 days (change the water 2 times a day)
After getting the peel out of water, dry it well, preferably on the kitchen paper and then weigh.

Ingredients

20 dkg of orange peel
20 dkg sugar
3 dl water

Put the orange peel strips into a pot, pour 3 dcl of water over them and cook until they become soft.
Add sugar and continue cooking with the occasional stirring until the liquid evaporates.
The peels are ready when sugar gets crystallized and stuck on them (not caramelized!!!).
Spread on baking paper and leave to dry.

This is the specialty of the Dubrovnik area, that my grandmother and mother taught me. When my grandmother was very young it was a very popular treat during the Xmas holiday season and was served with dried figs and a small cup of rakia or Rosolin (Rose liqueur).

Bon Appetit!

Mjendulata (Almond loaf)

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 04:45:03 PST

Here's a cookie recipe from my childhood that is usually prepared during Christmas holidays. These are very simple and delicious biscuits that everyone loves. During the holiday season we all tend to eat too much whether it's sweet, salty or greasy, so by the time the season is over everyone is fed up with food and there's actually nothing left we want to eat. Well almost...as these are the cookies no one refuses.

Ingredients:
18 dkg flour
18 dkg sugar
18 dkg almond
2 eggs
lemon peel
a bit of baking powder (quantity: the point of the knife)

Beat the eggs and sugar, add flour. Knead on a surface covered in flour and gradually add more flour until the dough has hardened enough to be shaped into thin loaves. Add the whole almonds at the end. Bake at cca 170°C. Be careful not to overdo it, the loaf must remain white.
Cut into thin slices while the it's still hot.

These cookies can be kept long, eventually they become even tastier.
Of course it should be kept in closed box in a dry place.

Bon Appetit!

Bruštulani Mjenduli (Caramelized Almonds)

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 02:56:33 PST

A very simple dessert that gives a nice touch to the festive table. It a great snack for those with a bit of a sweet tooth and simplle to make. I honestly don't know anyone that doesn't like them.

Ingredients
20 decagrams of almonds
16 decagrams of sugar
6 tablespoons of water
3,2 decagrams of Vanilia sugar

Put all ingredients in a pot on low heat and constantly stir. Stir constantly! I can't stress enough how important this is :)
At the beginning the sugar will look kinda like flour and as you stir it'll start to clump which will make to stirring job a bit harder. This means your job will soon be over. When the sugar is melted in a way that it forms into brown blobs that stick to the almonds, you're done. Let the almonds cool down and serve in a nice bowl.

Bon appetit!

Vienna

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 06:48:12 PST

Vienna The City of Bauty Slideshow: Ana’s trip from Dubrovnik, Croatia to Vienna, Austria was created by TripAdvisor. See another Vienna slideshow. Create your own stunning slideshow with our free photo slideshow maker.

We dedicated our last day in Vienna to walking around without any plans. We went to the city park. You could feel and see autumn on every step and we simply enjoyed this beauty surrounding us without words or any thoughts on what's to come, problems etc. There, there was just Vienna and us.

Walking, having a cake and a coffee, having lunch, walking again...time flies by so fast we didn't even notice the night had already fallen. We arrived to the Hundertwasser house. Unfortunately due to the lack of light the exterior couldn't be seen well so we couldn't take a good photo of it either. It's not a museum so you can't look around inside but it's nice to see it from the outside. Since this time we missed the opportunity to see it we went in a small souvenir-coffeshop and the kind lady in there showed us cca. an hour long movie about the architect Hundertwasser.

Looking back on my experience I'm kind of glad that my "just passing through" visits to Vienna made me want to come here, stay longer and start exploring the city. I'm now convinced that Vienna is a destination that will capture you with her beauty, rich culture, knowledge and will make you come back for more. To that I have to add wonderful and kind residents which is something I wasn't expecting in such amount. Every person we stopped in the street for information was very kind with honest intentions to help you which made this whole experience even better. If I could I would even move here.

Till the next time we see each other, goodbye Vienna!

Gutenberg monument

Church of St. Charles Borromeo

St. Peter's Church

City Park

Johann Strauss monument in the City Park

Stefansdom-Vienna

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:31:24 PST

Stefansdom is situated in the very center of Vienna. It is the most significant symbol of Vienna and gives the impression like the whole city revolves around it. We went for a visit to this cathedral the first thing in the morning and ofc we had to climb up one of the towers. It took us 343 steps to get to top and it's quite a challenge. Getting to the top is always a chore but you'll be rewarded with the magnificent view on the whole city. This is also applied to Vienna. Stefansdom is a gothic cathedral, one of the most beautiful in the world. It reminds me of the one in Prague and Milan, however I don't like to make any comparisons since each has its own beauty and history.

The oldest sections of its facade, the Heidentuerme and Riesentor, are of Romanic origin. They date back to 1260. during the reign of King Ottokar II of Bohemia. But it was left to a members of the Habsburg royal family to complete the construction of the cathedral.
A lot of members of the Habsburg family rest beneath it. Today Stefansdom is also a beautiful concert hall where you can enjoy classical music including the one written by the austrian genius composer Mozart.

Crest on the Cathedral's roof

View from the Cathedral's Tower

Viennese pastries

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 04:11:00 PST

Pastries, a doll and a horse made of marzipan

Vienna is a city of art, and to compliment that Viennese pastries also come in a form of true art. The most famous Viennese cake is Sacher Torte, but all the others I tried were just as tasty, yummy. A mouth full of rich taste, what more can you ask. What else can I tell you? Let's just say that If I'd lived in Vienna, I'd have weighed 300 kilograms.

Schönbrunn Palace Vienna

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 09:21:20 PST

To be in Vienna and not visit the Schönbrunn is the same as you were not there. It’s true that this castle resembles many other European palaces of the period, but the unique spirit of the old Vienna is woven into it and you just have to experience it. The castle and its surroundings breathes with so much beauty and order it's a sin to miss an opportunity to see this beautiful complex. Everything is graceful, calm and gentle, even the squirrels, accustomed to visitors and tourists, don’t run away from you, they literally eat from your hand. I envy the Viennese for having a such nice place.

Besides groups of tourists visiting the palace I’ve noticed that also a lot of locals were hanging out there with their friends and families. No wonder because it's just a vast space where you're not endangered and annoyed by traffic or noise characteristic for modern urban area. There is also belvedere at the Gloriette of Maria Terezia and a café as well as the ZOO which brings a lot of joy not only to the kids but to the adults as well. Finally you can visit the labyrinth simple harmless fun for every age. Walking through labyrinth is a lot of laugh, especially when you face a dead end and feel like a complete fool. Fun! Well there is nothing new I could say about Schönbrunn . Entire world had already heard of it but still here are a few facts just for the information or a reminder.

The Schönbrunn Palace is place where famous Empress Maria Terezia lived with her 16 children and her husband Emperor Francis I. The palace has its origins in 1559, when Emperor Maximilian II who was looking for a hunting lodge purchased a mansion in the outskirts of the city.Schönbrunn Palace is Vienna’s Versailles and it was used as the summer residence o the Habsburgs from the 18th century to 1918. The golden yellow palace is set within magnificent gardens, landscaped in the baroque style with wonderful views. Gloriette is a triumphal arch that stands on the top of the hill behind the palace and affords a stunning view over the ground and the city beyond. The palace and gardens are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The world’s oldest ZOO established 1752 can be found in the park. After the fall of the Austro-Hungarian Empire 1918. a newly established Austrian government turned palace into a museum.

Fall in Schonbrunn

Gloriette

Labyrinth for children

The Austrian National Library

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:02:00 PST

The Austrian National Library was once the Royal Library of the Habsburgs, one of most powerful families in Europe. It is a baroque building and one of the largest and most beautiful historical libraries in Europe. Nowadays 200.000 books printed between 1501-1850 are stored in this hall - oval center of the hall. The Austrian National Library owns more than 8 millions books and objects. The library consists of State Hall, Map Collection and Globe Museum, the Papyrus Collection, the Esperanto Museum, old and precious prints and a Music section.

It's a fascinating building, with the content that will never be study in detail. But simply walking through the tunnel of books makes me feel like some kind of a great scholar.

Vienna The City Of Art & Beauty

noreply@blogger.com (Ana Belanda) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 22:40:59 PST

Maria Terezia Platz

Vienna, the capital of Austria as well as the largest city with a population of about 1.6 million inhabitants. It is also the cultural capital of Austria, and I dare to say, cultural capital of the world, at least when it comes to music.

You have the opportunity to attend a concert or some other kind of musical event almost at each step. It is really hard to choose among them all indeed. I am a music enthusiast, and regularly attend all the musical events in my city, but here I felt as a musical ignoramus.

Last year, when I stopped in Vienna for few hours on my way to Prague and decided to change the "just stopping by on my way to some other place" attitude towards Vienna. This IS a city of history, culture, music, waltzes, mmm cakes, a city of tremendous value, and should have more of my attention and respect. So the decision of staying in Vienna for few days and getting to know it a bit was made.

Vienna is a city full of valuables that can't be seen the in one visit. Our goal, for this visit, was to enjoy long walks through the city and to see let's call it, the most essential sightings.

We arrived quite early, settled in our hotel in Mariahilferstrasse and immediately went for a walk. Our choice of hotel was perfect, the majority of the most important sites were available to us on foot. At the end of the street, there are the Museum Quarter, Maria Terezia Platz and Hofburg Castle.

Choosing what to see now and what to leave for the next visit was quite a difficult task.
The Austrian National Library was among the first attractions I chose to visit.