" Winter break : Travel Highlights: Germany ; Czech Republic and Italy "

I can't believe January ended without a single post.
I'm literally months be-hind!
I mean, where was I during that period ?
Apparently, this is how I look these days... tired, weary and anxious.
2015 is just starting but I think I've matured 10 years already.


courtesy of : telegraph.co.uk

WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING LATELY:

1- I'm still sorting out photos from our last trip. Can't seem to get it done with.
I miss tinkering my camera.
I miss travelling more than ever.

2- Still in Vacay-mode. * ^0^ * yes, i know, i know, it's been 2 months already...
Apparently, 2 weeks isn't enough for a real-reel break. * sorry, I'm babbling... *
Most of the time, I lack 8 hours of sleep and felt sleepier than ever.
Like presently here but mentally somewhere ...

3- and on a personal note:

My Dad's leg is not in its best shape.
It has been for years actually, but just weeks ago,
His left leg has gotten worse and weaker.
Before, he could climb the stairs with his cane,
But lately, his legs felt so frail he could no longer do it...
These are just some of the many things that I think about and could not help but worry.
How I wish Life were simpler than ABC.

Anyways,
Here are the highlights on what we did last Winter.

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NUREMBERG
This historical city called Nürnberg was our first port of entry.
I have come to love the Bavarian side of Germany, thanks to our Munich visit last year,
so, it was only natural that it was next on our list.

I like meandering the alleyways and just gape at its architectures.
When in Germany, I feel safe.
Things are mostly in order and with discipline.
German people though are not the friendliest in town,
but they are nice and could understand English better.

I've always like to visit cities that feels so different from the place I'm in.
Quick comparison: Philippines = always Hot and Humid vs Germany = well, you have 4 seasons, so that's a plus!
~*When you live in Manila, You'll know what I mean... ^-^


fachwerkhaus : details from Kaiserburg Castle

Despite the cold breeze , the weather was neither clear nor sunny.
It rained intermittently, damped with fog and was mostly cloudy all throughout.
The good thing though,
We stayed right at the heart of Hauptmarkt, the old town, where the famous Christkindlmarkt and the Pegnitz river is located.





St. Lorenz Kirche

Everything in Nürnberg is just picturesque and lovely.


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BAMBERG

We took a day trip to Bamberg the following day.
Finally, the sun was up and shining...
well, at least for a few hours...

Bamberg for me?!
the first two adjective words I could think of: Beautiful and Charming...

The city doesn't have a Metro, either you take the Bus or a local Taxi.
We did neither, instead we walked 15-20 minutes thereabout till we reached the main plaza = called MaxPlatz.
Bamberg is definitely smaller than Nürnberg, but still, quite as interesting.
It's a quaint little town, laid back and things are cheaper as well.


Postcards for sale in some random souvenir shop outside the train station


one of the many works of Igor Mitoraj called : Centurione-I


read as: VHS IM ALTEN E-WERK DER STADT BAMBERG = Community College here in Bamberg

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PRAGUE

The day after,
we took the IC BUS From Nuremberg To Prague.

♫♫ "{Ah! the magical and dreamy Prague,
Let me count the ways }... "♫♫♫

I fell in love with this city some 10 years ago,
too bad, it was all but vague,
the only substantial thing I could think of were the Vltava River and the Charles Bridge.
So the first thing I did was to check out accommodations that were near the area.
To sum up this city in a word or a sentence... it's just not enough.

Winter is magical in this city, but be prepare to be bombarded by fellow tourists.
they're puh-len-ty! ^0^
Souvenir and Money Exchange shops are battling ear to ear, so that part, you don't have to worry though.


the narrow and crooked, cul-de-sac alleyways.


Sunset with a breathtaking view, overlooking the Vltava River


We couldn't ask for anything more when we saw this view!!
attic room from our Hotel.
Well, it's kind of tilting towards the right, because of the rooftop shingles.
I chose one that's literally a stone's throw away from the Charles Bridge and near Kampa Island.

A room with a view



random sketches and paintings for sale.


Inside the courtyards of Prague Castle


A random bookshop in Prague that caught my eye. what a reflection!

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MILAN

After wandering around Prague for 5 days, (without any day trip included, that's how we love this city.)
we headed to Milan on board the Easyjet.

Now Milan is totally different from the earlier cities we've been.
The moment we step out of the train platform, the whole atmosphere changed.
It was nothing but busy, busy, busy.
Everyone was either dressed in sombre black or dark blue bubble jacket outfits, still touristy and very disorganized.
Most of the trains esp. the ones passing to and from the main Centrale station was very dirty,
a bit smelly and lots of cigarette butts.
The sad thing was, no one seemed to care.
We've only been a few days, but the vagrants we saw were like our travelling buddies. ^0^

Despite all the negatives I've said though,
I loved this city. Period.
It's vibrant and noisy, chaotic and polluted in a way, which reminds me of errr... Manila.
If i'm not listening to a couple of Italian talking, it's either in Chinese or in Indian dialect,
or my very native language - in Filipino. ^0^
The weird thing is, sometimes, it doesn't feel like I'm a thousand miles away, because everything sounds familiar. ^0^
Get into any Fast food outlet and you'll sure to bump into one.



no need for an introduction : The majestic Duomo


outside Porta Garibaldi station : Bike sharing



very ornate stained glass details outside The Duomo - Milan



Porta Romana station was our frequent Metro stop, it's literally 5 minutes away from our hotel.


We visited the Sforzesco Castle or Sforza for short.
We had a nice and sunny walk away from the crowds.

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TURIN

The last bit we did was a day trip to from Milan to Turin via Frecciarossa.
I know, I know, why not choose Venice or Lake Como instead.
Well, I wanted to see Venice for more than a day and maybe I've been keeping the best for last. ^0^
I've been meaning to tick this city off my list but still can't. Oh well...
and Lake Como in December is a hit and miss, some of the shops are closed, not to mention the cold weather.

Turin is an old city but not dated, it is in the Piedmont region.
On a clear day, you can almost see the dreamy Alps.
If you're a film buff, you have to see the Mole Antonelliana.
If you're religious, you might want to see the Shroud of Turin.
If you like Art, then it's Palazzo Madama.
But because it was a Monday,
where, for the love of me, I forgot to check when we booked our train tickets, almost all of the vital must-see's are closed.
So, yes, we missed all that !
well, we just decided to walked around the area.
It was a nice, relaxing walk and wished I could spend more than a day or two.


the colonnaded arches


The Porta Palazzo Market - my favorite shopping haven.!



random street shot

* so there you have it, just a quick re-cap of what we did last year.
I promise to blog more in the days to come. *

Linking it to: TRAVEL PHOTO THURSDAY