Dresden, Germany

Dresden, Germany, capital of the federal state of Saxony, situated on the shores of the river Elbe, is considered the fourth largest city in Germany and more than half of its surface is represented by forests and green spaces, including four nature reserves . 
Among the most important tourist attractions in Dresden, are: 

Right near the Opera, Zwinger Palace is among the most ravishing baroque buildings in all of Germany. Being a collaboration between architect and sculptor Balthasar Permoser Pöppelmann Matthäus was originally a royal palace party, despite the odd name (which means "dungeon"). 
Some charming arcade leading to a vast courtyard filled with fountains, lavish buildings framed with carved baroque. At the top of the  western flag is Atlas, looking tense, holding the world on his shoulders, as opposed to it is a carillon of 40 Meissen porcelain bells, which emit a sound every 15 minutes.
Attractions located near: Catholic Church, Johanneum building, mural Fürstenzug, Royal Palace, Semper Opera House, the August bridge .

Church of Our Lady, known as Frauenkirche dome, one of the most beloved symbols of Dresden, was raised from the ashes of the city. The original, designed by Georg Bähr, embellished Dresden skyline for two centuries before collapsing two days after the bombing from February 1945.
Visitation fee is 8 euros and if you want an  audio guide in English it will add 2.50 euros.
Attractions located near: the Museum Albertinum, Municipal Museum, the building Johanneum, Bruhl terrace, mural Fürstenzug.

The Royal Palace, known as Residenzschloss , was the residence of the Saxon kings until 1918. When postwar reconstruction was almost complete, in the palace was restored the Green Vault, a stunning collection of objects made ​​of gold, ivory, silver, diamonds and other materials. There are so many, that are exposed in two separate rooms of treasures, both in the west wing of the palace. 

New Green Vault features over 1,000 objects in 10 modern rooms on an upper floor. Among the most valuable items include a frigate decorated with ivory with sailing very thin, a grain of cherry with 185 faces carved into it, and a set of 132 exotic gemstones figurines representing a royal court in India. Each art object is astounding. To avoid the biggest crowds visit the place during lunch.

Other 3000 additional items are listed below in Historic Green Vault . Are displayed on shelves and tables in a number of generous rooms , as it were on the days of August der Starke .

In the same wing , on the upper floor is a collection of prints and drawings . For beautiful views , head to the Palace Tower . For numismatics lovers we recommend coin collection , all located in the tower.

The ticket for all museums and collections in the palace, except the old green safe is 6 euros, and if you want to visit the old green safe the fee is 11.50 euro. 

The cost of visiting the old masters gallery is 6 euros, for visiting armory is 3 euros, for porcelain collection is 5 euro and for lounge math and science state is 3 euro.

Attractions located near:Catholic Church, Johanneum building, mural Fürstenzug, Semper Opera House, the August bridge, Zwinger Palace.

In northwest of Altstadt, you can not miss what looks like a giant mosque , a giant onion-shaped dome and stained glass. Yenidze, building the world's first reinforced concrete frame, initial worked in 1907 as a tobacco factory, producing a pseudo-exotic cigarette called Salaam Alakhem, but without success. Today it houses three restaurants and a terrace where you can have beer on the roof, inside the dome taking place  cultural events.

Attractions located near:The Royal Palace, Zwinger Palace, Semper Opera House, the building Johanneum, Carl Maria von Weber Museum, Japanese museum.

Semper Opera House is one of the most beautiful monuments in Dresda. The original building of Semper Opera  House burned  three decades after its inauguration in 1841. When it was reopened in 1878, neo-renaissance jewel came into the most amazing time of its, who saw premieres of works by Richard Strauss, Carl Maria von Weber and Richard Wagner. Unfortunately, World War II ended fun, and only in 1985 music filled the huge room again.

Even if you are not passionate about the work, it will be impossible not to be impressed by the opulent interior: the velvets, brocades and imitation marble skillfully crafted , creates an atmosphere of luxury and privacy. 

Guided tours of the building takes place throughout the hole day, depending of the work program at the opera and the fee is 6 euros.
Attractions located near:The Royal Palace, Zwinger Palace, the building Johanneum, catholic church, August bridge.

Occupying the former royal hunting land, is rightfully called Large Garden (Grosser Garten), a delightful retreat during the warmer months. Here, a magnet for visitors, is the excellent zoo, where crowds gravitate around the Africa hall and the new exhibition about tundra, with polar foxes and owls snow.In the northwest corner of the garden is Botanical Garden. From April to October is available a fun way to visit the park, aboard a miniature train.
Attractions located near: zoo, Botanical Garden,  Municipal Museum, Hygiene Museum, Church of Christ, transparent factory

Jerusalem-the holy city

Jerusalem the capital of Israel, is one of the oldest and most popular cities in the world. It is part of Palestine region and is considered a holy city for muslims, christian and jewish believers.
Among the most important tourist attractions in Jerusalem are included: 

Western Wall or Wailing Wall, with the age of about 2.000 years, located at the western edge of the Temple Mount, is one of the most important and visited tourist attractions in Jerusalem. The wall was built by King Herod in the temple expansion.

Western Wall became a place of pilgrimage for Hebrew mainly during the Ottoman occupation, the Jews lamenting the destruction of the Temple by the Romans - this is why it was called the Wailing Wall.  

The square in front of the Wall is divided by a fence - on the left side is a larger space for man and on the right side is a smaller space for women. Wall Access is free, but the head must be covered and the clothes must be appropriate behavior. 

Dome of the Rock is one of the first major achievements of Muslim architecture. The Arabs believe that here is where the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven on his fabulous horse, and then to return to the earth and to transcribe visions.
Dome of the Rock along with Al Aqsa Mosque, ranks third place among the holiest places for Muslims after Mecca and Medina. Golden dome, built in four years, is visible from far away, and the interior is coated with bright ceramics and mosaics and arabic calligraphy.
Dome of the Rock is not a mosque, but a temple that protects under its dome the rock, sacred to muslims, christians and hebrew. 

Al Aqsa Mosque was built less than 20 years after the Dome of the Rock. Al Aqsa Mosque was built by Caliph  Omaiad Walid I  on the place of justinian basilica, dedicated to Our Lady. Crusaders took mosque as the Temple of Solomon, and the Jews call it Solomon School. 

  Al-Aqsa Mosque has a silver dome, here being Islamic Museum, which has in its patrmony islamic artifacts and  relics.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the most important place of Christian pilgrimage, is a large building, which lies on the places where it is believed that Jesus was crucified and buried, and then rise again. 

Church of the Holy Sepulchre is not a church, but rather a gathering of churches, each with its chapel and altar . Since the time of Saladin, each orthodox christians, roman catholics and eastern orthodox christians  have a separate area - a church in this building. 

The Orthodox Church is the largest of these churches and is situated in the east of the Holy Sepulchre. Armenians have several smaller shrines and chapels in the building, and a larger church - St Helena and St Gregory. Roman Catholics have two chapels, the ethiopians have a chapel and a monastery located on the roof, and the Copts have a small altar behind the Holy Sepulchre.

Citadel of Jerusalem lies south of Jaffa Gate and is called the Tower of David. The building is not related to King David, being made ​​in order to protect the palace of Herod. The three towers of the citadel are called Phasael after his brother, Mariamne, after his wife, and Hippicus, after his friend. 

Today the Citadel in Jerusalem houses a museum about the history of the city, a folk museum and some interesting archaeological excavations.

Israel Old City is a district with an area of 0.9 square kilometers, bounded by walls, within the modern city of Israel, which began to develop after 1860. In the historical center there are several essential religious monuments : the Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Dome of the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque. 
According to tradition, Israel Old City is divided into four districts: Hebrew District, Christian Quarter, the Muslim Quarter and the Armenian Quarter. 
Israel Old City walls framing were built in the first half of the sixteenth century, by sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and have length 4 km. The walls were originally eight gates, seven preserving until today: Jaffa Gate, New Gate, Damascus Gate, Herod's Gate, St. Stephen's Gate, Golden Gate, Zion Gate and Garbage Gate.

Israel Museum is the most important place for art, archeology and anthropology in the country. Heritage museum includes paintings by famous artists (Rodin, Monet, van Gogh), and important archaeological discoveries. The piece de resistance of the museum is Shrine of the Book, a round shaped building that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Garden of Gethsemane is the garden of Israel known as one of the places visited by Jesus Christ. Located near the Temple Mount, near Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives, the garden is beautiful, full of greenery and attentive care. Cave of Gethsemane is in the garden of Gethsemane and is where the Savior came to pray. In the Garden of Gethsemane are four places of worship: Tomb of the Virgin, Cave of Gethsemane, catching stone Jesus (here is a Catholic Church) and the Church of the Holy Archdeacon Stefan.

Paris-the city of love

Paris, the capital of France, called the city of love, is one of the most beautiful capitals in the world and one of the largest cities. With the famous symbol Eiffel Tower, this city has an indescribable charm and can be a dream destination for your vacation.

It is ideal to go to Paris together with your loved one because, besides major cultural sites such as Cathedral Notre Damme du Paris, Champs-Elysees, Eiffel Tower, Louvre Museum, Basilica Sacre-Coer, here you can find many places full of romance such as walks along the river Senna, enjoying coffee at a cafe in Paris, all these making you to appreciate the most beautiful and simple things in life.

Lawrence Durell said about Paris : "The national characteristics... the restless metaphysical curiosity, the tenderness of good living and the passionate individualism.This is the invisible constant in a place with which the ordinary tourist can get in touch just by sitting quietly over a glass of wine in Paris bistro." In other words, Paris itself is a way to leave your life.

The sights of Paris are very different from the great monuments like the Palace of Versailles, Les Invalides, Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomphe, the majestic cathedrals such as Notre-Damme, Sacred Coer, Sainte Chapelle to world class museums like the Louvre Museum, Centre Pampidou, Orsay Museum, art exhibitions, extraordinary gardens that parisians love them very much, such as Luxembourg gardens (on the left bank of the Senne), Tuileries gardens (route from the Louvre to the Arc de Triomphe), park Royal Versailles and large forests such as the Bois de Boulogne and Bois de Vincennes.

Free attractions in Paris are:

-Notre Dame de Paris is one of the main symbols of the city and can be accessed at any time free by the  tourists; 

-Montmartre, the most beautiful district of Paris, is where you can visit free the Sacre-Coeur Basilica;

-Le Champ de Mars is the market were is the Eiffel Tower. Here you can enjoy free all landscapes; 

-Jardin des Tuileries is an historical garden where Queen Marie Antoinette walks and you can follow the Napoleon  path up to the Arc de Triomphe;

-Pere Lachaise Cemetery is a place of pilgrimage for lovers of culture and art, here being the tombs of Honore de Balzac, Marcel Proust and Oscar Wilde;

 -Modern Art Museum is a free alternative for    those who want to see a part of French art          before you go to visit Louvre Museum. 

       

   In conclusion, Paris must occupy first place in    the list of your future vacations. Here is a         photo gallery that definitely will make  you        dream of this city, paradise of art, culture      and last but not the least , the city of love.

Tweeturi despre "#paristravel"

Bali-exotic destination for a dream vacation

Bali is an exotic island paradise, known for its green rice terraces, for its volcanoes height that can exceed 3000 meters, for  its people that although poor, are very hospitable and not least for its temples where you can view  incredible sunsets.

Bali island belongs to Indonesia which is famous for beautiful tropical beaches with palms and flowers that grow up huge, for  diversity of art represented by sculpture, painting, dance and ceremonies dedicated to the gods. In Bali are organized numerous ceremonies and festivals. 

The representative temples of Bali tourism are Tanah Lot temple, the temple Pura Jagatnatha,  dedicated to god temple Sang Hyang Widi Wasa, Pura Besakih that is  situated on mountainside Agung.

Those who want to spend their holiday in Bali will not think twice because it is a paradise destination. When you arrive on the island you can make various trips and tours with buses, cars, boats and even airplanes. 

The featured sights for a dream vacation are: 

- Kintamani, a mountain village located at 1500 m altitude, where you can admire Lake Batur and Batur Volcano, still active. You can visit the village Trunyan; 

- Tampaksiring were we can visit  the Tirta Empul temple and Elephant Cave; 

-The Mother Temple is the most sacred of Bali and the largest Hindu temple in Indonesia; 

-many museums such as Puri Lukisan in Ubud, Neka in Campuhan Gallery in Ubud Neka, Agung Rai Gallery in Peliatan and Agung Rai Museum  in Pengosekan.

In Bali, besides visiting the beauty of nature, we can make  many other activities such as: 
- Water sports: swimming, snorkelling, water skiing, parasailing, wind surfing; 
- Scuba Diving, the best places are along the east coast near Candi Dasa, Amed and Tulamben and near Nusa Penida;
- Fishing: there are companies that rent yachts and fishing boats; 
- Cruises: Daily organized near islands Nusa Penida  and Nusa Lembongan  on the south-east were you can also practice water sports;
- Submarine Safari: submarine tours of 36 seats in the Gulf Amuk Bay, Padangbai; 
- Other activities: golf, tennis and squash, white water rafting, karting, bungee jumping, horseback riding, paintball, traditional dance classes ,cooking classes;

If you want to buy souvenirs recommend natural teas, spices, frames decorated with banana leaves, wood carvings and of course the famous Indonesian coffee.

In conclusion, Bali offers many exotic places that can turn your vacation into a true paradis. In completing the thought, here is a photo gallery of the most representative locations.

Thailand - the fairyland, a great travel destination

Thailand, also known as the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country located in the center of the Indochina peninsula in South East Asia. 

Thailand is called the land of pagodas, the  country of the smile and the fairyland of Asia. 

In this country you can plan your dream vacations and exotic honeymoons. Thailand, through the two cities Bangkok and Tron, has a lot to offer to cultural  lovers  and through the beaches and landscapes that it has, it  can satisfy the tastes of all  nature lovers.

Thailand can enchant with various activities such as: 

-here you can delight sun and beaches all throughout the hole year but one of the best months to visit Thailand is november;

 -thai traditional food will impress even the best chefs;

-the Buddhism will impress you with its  beautiful temples and cultural diversity specific to this religion;

-night-life, which was one of the reasons that attracts many young tourists throughout the hole  year,  is varies from night clubs to many great beach bars;

- for lovers of shopping, Thailand offers a variety of markets where you can find the most  interesting and the funniest  holiday souvenirs;

If i couldn`t convince you with the arguments that i  have brought till now, i hope that in  the next gallery of photo  you will discover  the beauty of this exotic country that is worth to see it at least once in lifetime.

The Transfagarasan, Romania

The Transfagarasan is one of the most famous roads in Romania, and even in Europe, due to the height at which it was built, beautiful landscapes and many switchbacks. The road is spectacular because it crosses the Fagaras Mountains, the highest mountains in Romania so Transfagarasanul reaches an altitude of 2042 meters, is the second road in Romania as altitude, after Transalpina Road.

The spectacular road was built between 1970-1974, with huge efforts from the soldiers and workers who have managed to create a road in the mountains. Lives lost were many. Official number of dead was 40, but people who worked on this road tell that the number of the dead is the number of hundreds.

Sights include Balea Lake and Balea waterfalls, Vidraru Lake and Vidraru Dam, waterfall Goat, Goat Lake and Goat Massive, Poenari Castle. Add to this the Ice Hotel at Balea Lake, only open during the winter, and hiking trails surrounding massifs Transfagarasan.

Balea Lake is the maximum height of the Transfagarasan and is a glacial lake that is formed in a depression surrounded by high mountain ranges.

In winter, when the Transfagarasan is closed, access to Balea Lake is by cable car from Balea Waterfall Cottage. All winter, for three months, works Ice Hotel at Balea Lake, one of the few ice hotel in Eastern Europe. The first hotel was conducted in 2006 and since then the tradition is repeated every year. The hotel is built in the form of an igloo, has about 16 rooms, and there is a bar built in ice. The experience of spending a night here is unique, being the only inconvienent cold and warm clothes,  but considering the uniqueness of the hotel, is worth paying.

The  Vidraru Dam  was opened in 1966, after 5 years it took to build and which involved many human sacrifices. It is the highest dam in Romania, with a height of 166 meters but the largest arch dam in the country. The inauguration was the 5th arch dam in Euope and ninth in the world. The engineers pride who built the dam  is the power plant Vidraru, that is being placed underground in massive fortress at a depth of 104 meters. From the dam can practice bungee-jumping site.

The Vidraru Lake was created in 1965 to produce electricity, has a length of 14 km, maximum width is 2.2 km, a total area of ​​870 hectares and a depth of 155 meters. Over the lake and dam dominate Prometheus statue, erected on Mount Pleasant depicts the mythological hero Prometheus with a lightning bolt in hand, a symbol of electricity.

The Goat Lake is located in the Fagaras Mountains 45 minutes from cottage Balea, at an altitude of 2230 meters, at the foot of massive Goat, and has a depth of 11 meters and a beautiful blue color. In the southern part of the lake there is a plateau suitable for camping, which offers a wonderful view of the mountains.

The Poienari Castle is the latest tourist attraction on Transfagarasan. The Castle was the residence of Vlad Tepes (also called Vlad Dracul or as it is known as Dracula) and was built as a fortress against the turks. There is a staircase with 1,500 steps leading up to the fortress. Unfortunately all you can see are thick walls and landscapes with Fagaras mountains To climb nearly 1,500 steps takes time and patience.



In conclusion, the Transfagarasan offers many natural attractions and is perfect for mountain lovers. I hope you enjoyed our ride on Transfagarasan and if you are interested in other things about this destination please tell me.

Wildlife in Himalayan Mountains

The wild life of Himalaya is very diverse.The region is a paradise for nature lovers. The different wild life sanctuaries and national parks are the home for rare species. The types of flora, which are common in the Himlayan region, are pine, fir, oak, rhododendron, deodar and juniper. Regarding wildlife, snow leopard, blue sheep, elephants, tigers, wild boar, crocodiles and musk deer are seen mostly in the different parts of the Himalayan Mountains.

In the north of the Himalayan Mountains the temperature falls below freezing point and its extremely cold. That`s way during the cold winter, most of the animals migrate to the lower regions of the Himalayas while others like marmots and brown bear choose to hibernate. The iak is living mostley in the cold desert.

In conclusion, the Himalayas is a very harsh environment and that`s way some  animals have to be well equipped to survive.

One of the most beautiful animals in the Himalayas is snow leopard. He is a member of cat family and is a predator of other creatures that lives in this region.

Snow leopards show several adaptations for living in a cold, mountainous environment. Their bodies are stocky, their fur is thick, and their ears are small and rounded, all of which help to minimize heat loss. Their paws are wide, which distributes their weight better for walking on snow, and have fur on their undersides to increase their grip on steep and unstable surfaces; it also helps to minimize heat loss. Snow leopards' tails are long and flexible, helping them to maintain their balance, which is very important in the rocky terrain they inhabit.

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The Himalayan Yak  is a long-haired bovid characterised by long shaggy hair and living in areas in which there is much grass and lichen. People living in the Himalayas depend considerably on the yak for both food and transportation.  For this reason, the Yak is usually farmed in  herds. 

The herds consist primarily of females and their young, with a smaller number of adult males. The remaining males are either solitary, or found in much smaller groups, averaging around six individuals. Although they can become aggressive when defending young, or during the rut, wild yaks generally avoid humans, and may rapidly flee for great distances if any approach.

The bharal or Himalayan blue sheep is a caprid found in the high Himalayas of Nepal, Tibet, China, India, Pakistan and Bhutan.

Bharals move in herds of 10 or more, with males forming separate herds outside of mating season.Bharal are active throughout the day, alternating between feeding and resting on the grassy mountain slopes. Due to their excellent camouflage and the absence of cover in their environment, bharal remain motionless when approached. Once they have been noticed, however, they scamper up to the precipitous cliffs, where they once again freeze, using camouflage to blend into the rock .

The Himalayan forests are not so lush and green but they have a different charm. In the Terai region variety of wildlife can be seen .Different kinds of birds like the Monal Pheasant are also seen in areas of eastern, central, and the western region of the Himalayas. Even rare species are also found here.

In conclusion, not many places in the world can charm you like the Himalayas.  Not every place gives you the reason to visit there every season. Spring and summer is the best time to visit as the flowers are in full bloom during this time to welcome the visitors with a burst of colors. 

References

 Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia