Nothing interests me more than beaches, when the concerning matter comes to traveling. That day, every one of my friends was head over heels to approach a conclusion on where to go in the summer vacation. I was the savior to their confusion and convinced them to start for Rugen in Germany. I showed them a number of picturesque snaps of Rugen beaches on the travel sites over the Internet. They couldn’t help appreciating my decision.

We chose to reach the heavenly Rugen Island by ferry from the city of Stralsund. Baltic Sea welcomed us with a turquoise smile to the sand beaches of Rugen. The weather was really nice. The day temperature was around 16 degrees Celsius. It was a heavenly experience to enjoy the panoramic view of Rugen from the rooftop of our hotel. We stayed in the hotel – Steigenberger Resort Hotel Rugen.

But one unfortunate thing seemed to haunt us in the island. We saw there a number of resorts (you may also call them castles). After a bit of inquiry, we collected the bitter information that those were once built on Nazi fascist ruler Hitler’s orders. Legends say that this killer ruler was so becharmed by the beauty of this beach that he built resorts for his lackeys.

The Nazi holiday resort, Prora really haunted us for a day. The memory of concentration camps in which the Jews suffered inhumane death in 1940s captured our mind. But the pristine beaches did not let us be gloomy for more than a day. The beaches of Rugen showed the valor of beauty overtaking the brutality of Nazis. The fact that Hitler is dead and Rugen is alive proves the fact that beauty overhauls brutality.

You must have heard a lot about the Eiffel Tower of Paris isn’t it? Have you heard about the Place de la Concorde? It is also a major attraction of Paris. It is the largest square of Paris situated over 20 acres of land. It is situated near the Tuileries and the Champs-Elysées.

Place de la Concorde was created in the year 1772 surrounding the statue of King Louis XV by the architect Jacques-Ange Gabriel. Later on, in 1792, the statue of the king was replaced by a statue called “liberte” (Freedom). During that time it was known as Place de la Révolution. A guillotine was also installed where around 1119 people were beheaded. The famous people beheaded here were King Louis XVI, Marie-Antionette, and revolutionary Robespierre.

During the 19th century, the 3200 years old obelisk from the temple of Ramses II was placed at Place de la Concorde. In 1831, this was gifted by Viceroy of Egypt to Louis Philippe. You will find hieroglyphs picturing the reign of pharaohs Ramses II & Ramses III on the obelisk.

Once you visit the lovely Place de la Concorde of France, you will find a number of statues representing various cities like Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Bordeaux, Brest, Lille, Rouen and Strasbourg. Jacob Ignaz Hittorf installed these in 1836 and also redesigned the Place de la Concorde in 1846. Two fountains - ‘La fontaine des Mers’ and ‘Elevation of the Maritime’ can also be found here. Some of the other attractions located close to palace are Arc de Triomphe, the Madeleine, the Tuileries and the Palais Bourbon. 

So do not miss Place de la Concorde on your Paris Tour!

If you want to go for a wine tour to anywhere in Europe, visiting Moldova will be a great Idea. The landlocked nation bordered by Romania and Ukraine. The country in Eastern Europe is officially known as the Republic of Moldova. The beautiful country is much famed for its high quality wine. The taste and flavor of these wines are loved by the wine lovers across the globe. If you are interested in finding out the find information about wine making process can go for an enriching wine tour.

You can visit any of the vine yards in the country. In these vineyards the best quality grapes with great taste and curative properties are cultivated. You will find a wide variety of quality wines in these vineyards. These locally prepared wines are sure to satisfy every wine lover. You will find the finest of European wines including Chisinau, Chardonnay, Riesling,Cabernet, Pinot, and Aligote, the local, high quality wines like Rara Neagra, Feteasca, Plavai. You can also visit Cricova which is home to one of the largest wine cellars of the world. You can also opt for wine tasting here. You will be able to choose from a wide selection of some of the choicest of European wines and spirits. On your trip to Cojusna you can also try a wide range of local wines. A wine tour in Moldova can bring you close to the people and culture of the country.

If you want to visit an European country that is blessed with natural beauty and mystery then you are sure to enjoy a trip to Scotland which is the northern part of United Kingdom. Scotland consists of more than 790 small islands all of which are blessed with greenery. The land is well known for its rich history and heritage. The scenic landscapes and massive architectures of the land attract thousands of tourists every year to Scotland.
The scenic beauty of Scotland is breathtaking. You can sooth your eyes looking at the lush green lands that start from the rugged coastline and end at the foot of the mountain. You can breath in some fresh air and spend a restful and leisurely vacation in the realm of nature. If you visit the mountainous region of the country which is known as Highland, you will be surprised to behold the smoky hills, snowy peaks, lush greenery and crystal clear lake.

You can also see the beautiful castles and palaces in Scotland. You will find a number of beautiful churches in this country as well. All these architectural specimens are the evidences of astute Scottish craftsmanship. You must visit the Edinburgh Castle, Iona Abbey and Glasgow Castle during your trip. Do not forget to indulge in delicious Scottish cuisine and Scotch whiskey. Listen to the sooting native music of Scotland and trust me, you are sure to love it. You may also go for a leisurely boat cruise in any of the picturesque lakes of the country. If you are lucky you may also catch a glimpse of Loch Ness Monster at Loch Ness. With all such surprises in store this country in Europe is worth a visit.

If you are planning to visit a European country this vacation, I will suggest Moldova. This small country in Europe is known for its rich history and fertile soils. The large numbers of vineyards are also one of the major attractions here.  Very few people visit Moldova which has maintained the virginity of the place.  A large number of budget airlines operate in this country. Do not miss a tour to the Monasteries, the local wine gardens and a trek through ancient forests of this region.

The friendly people of the country and their heart warming welcome attracted me a lot when I visited this country. I loved visiting the capital of the country, Chisinau – do not miss visiting the beautiful cathedrals, monuments and museums here. You will find also find various things which have even survived the WWII bombings. A must visit is the house where Pushkin spent his days in exile and has also penned some of his famous works.
 
Cricova, National Archaeology and History Museum and Orheiul Vechi are some of the major attractions of the country. Do not worry about accommodation as you will find a large number of hotels in Moldova. I am sure you would enjoy visiting these places. So have a nice time…

If you are planning for a long vacation somewhere in Europe you can think of a trip to England. This beautiful country has a rich heritage, glorious past and amazing natural beauty. So you better make your travel schedule in advance. You can also buy a tourist map of england to help you in planning your tour. But even if you have less time in hand and can visit all the important tourist attractions in England do not miss all the important tourist attractions in London, the capital of United Kingdom.

The Thames divides the historical city of England in two halves. The historical London is situated to the north of river. You can see most of the important tourist attractions in this part of the city. You can see the beautiful Tower of London, the historic monument that has witnessed a number of murders, escapes and executions. The famous St. Paul’s Cathedral is situated at a small distance form this tower. The architectural beauty of this cathedral is worth mentioning. You will have an amazing experience in the Whispering Gallery of this cathedral. While in London do not forget to visit the iconic clock tower Big Ben. You can also see the Neo-Gothic Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

London is home to some of the finest museums and art galleries. Depending on your tastes and interest you can visit the national museum, National portrait museum, the famous Victoria and Albert Museum and natural history museum. There are many beautiful gardens in the city as well.

Apart from this London also has a lot of things on offer. Being a modern bustling city, London gives you ample scope of dining, shopping, entertainment and amusement. London has the power to engulf your senses eve at the first glance.

I’ll never forget my trip to Germany. And how can I? I spent some glorious weeks at Germany with my newly wedded wife Karen on our honeymoon! And again I was on a official tour to Berlin, and this time I was sure that ill bring  back some fond memories with me. I spoke German fluently and I knew there wont be much of a difficulty to communicate to people for all my needs. But definitely I will be carrying some German currency with me.

The best thing about Germany, as far as i’d remember is the climate. Its neither too warm, nor too cold. And what fascinates me most is the annual beer festival, the ‘Munich Oktoberfest’. Being a little of a beer worshiper myself, I thought, I wouldn’t mind to join in the festivities! As I packed my bags, I called up and checked in with Lufthansa regarding my flight reservations. I was promptly informed that I had a confirmed boarding pass in the economy class. I knew I would run out of time after reaching Germany, so I decided to go for the currency switch as soon as I had reached.Sipping on to the coffee I remembered that a significant population of Berlin before world War II was Jewish. Still remnants of the Jewish culture exist. Harrowing tales of German oppression in the times of Adolf Hitler still remains in the history books. I decided, I would definitely visit those places and try to salvage the past.

Definitely I would try to visit the location where once the Berlin Wall stood magnificently.

Torrential rain followed by devastating flood has hit North Ireland. The first 17 days of August saw about 178 millimeter of rain, which is well above the average rainfall recorded in August. Weather in Ireland is undergoing a drastic change this summer.

The northern part of Ireland has experienced torrential rain in two successive weekends. Further rain and flooding on Monday worsen the weather condition in Ireland. The most affected areas on the Ireland map are Carlow Town, Limerick, Belfast and Dublin.

On Sunday, more than 100 people have been evacuated from their houses in Carlow Town, when overflowing river drowned the area. Traffic has been brought to a halt in Belfast, where highways have been flooded. The Broadway Underpass went under 20 feet deep water after the heavy rain during the last weekend.

Life in Ireland is totally disrupted due to the rainfall in past few days. The Ulster Grand Prix was cancelled on Saturday; soccer matches were abandoned—all due to bad weather condition prevailing in the region. On Saturday, a train was derailed on the Dublin-Cork line due to mud slide.

Authorities have rescued a number of people, who were trapped in their homes or cars. It is suspected that the changing weather pattern owing to global warming has caused this calamity in Ireland. Government is taking precautionary measures to cope with the bad weather in the country. New guidelines are being set to prevent flash flooding and coastal erosion. But, global warming is a big concern—if temperature on earth cannot be controlled, the day, when most of the islands and the coastal areas of the countries will be flooded, is not far away.

Last year, myself and Nikhil decided to set off on a Mediterranean holiday. We chose Cyprus Islands, which is the third largest in the Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia. Cyprus is situated close to the south of Turkey. Our Cyprus tour was planned for the winter. We had boarded a flight with Cyprus Airways. It connects most of the towns and cities of Europe. Cheap flights to Cyprus are also available with this airlines.

Cyprus, the sun-kissed isle, is a wonderful holiday resort. We were struck by the beauty of the pine dotted mountains, the pristine beaches with sand like gleaming gold, the archaeological sites and monuments that bear witness to the bygone era and most of all the sparkling turquoise blue sea.  Nicosia, the capital, divided by the ‘green line’ border and Paphos, which has been declared as a World Cultural Heritage Site by the UNESCO, are eloquent in their grandeur and cultural heritage. We visited the Hamam Omerye, Augustinian Church of St. Mary, Paphos Archaeological Park, Quiet Valleys,The Rock of Aphrodite, The Seven St. Georges, Kykkos Monastery and the Famagusta.

The gorgeous sea beaches of Protaras and Ayia Napa and the beautiful Troodos Mountains with Mount  Olympus visible at its peak are must visit places for a relaxing sojourn. The cafeterias dotting the beach front of Larnaca and those at Nicosia and Limassol are simply awesome. You must also try out the mouth watering Cypriot cuisine.

Getting around Cyprus is no big hassle. There are lots of taxis, cars and buses that provide easy  transfer from one place to another. The Cyprus hotels, villas and apartments provide excellent lodging options. Our stay at the Forest Park Mountain Hotel was a pleasant one. The Cyprus budget hotels also offer comfort and shelter at an affordable rate. An important word for shoppers: Cyprus is famous for lace work, jewelery and leather goods.

The tranquil ambiance exuded by the islands and the warm camaraderie of the people lingers in the memory long after the visit. The Cyprus, is truly the ‘Emerald of the Mediterranean.’
 

I remember, since my early teens I always had a fascination to travel to Albania. Having heard loads of harrowing tales about people being mugged by armed gangs and how the landscape was dangerously filled with landmines, I thought if its gonna be another adventure trip for me again,…Albania its going to be! Fred was up to yet another photographic assignment in Libya and I thought I just might wait a day or two before I could catch up with him.

A few enquiries followed and what I could deduce was that, a visa was not necessary for me to enter Albania. Just an entrance fee of 10 euros. As for the travel plans, I was informed that a Mercedes benz had already been booked for us. I was kinda shocked. “Mercedes for rental in a country where the population barely can afford a square meal? “. I knew, there were more surprises in store for me. New projects had been initiated and the existing roads have been revamped making travel a joy. Fred eased away a lot of pain for me by actually taking the initiative and making all the reservations. Shkroda was chosen as our first place of visit. I learned the town had beautiful churches and museums, notably, the Rozafa castle and the friendly and inviting town folk. Fred was excited, he had other plans in mind. He had already made up his mind on visiting Durresi and Saranda which he said was a photographer’s delight. Our plan was to travel to Bari in Italy take a overnight ferry to Durres.