Summer Palace, Beijing Part 1

“Yiheyuan” 颐和园 (Summer Palace of Beijing) is an imperial garden from the Qing Dynasty. Built in 1764 as “Qingyiyuan” 清漪园 during the reign of the Emperor Qianlong. It was burned down towards the end of the Second Opium War by the Anglo-French troops and was reconstructed in 1888 by the Guanxu Emperor to celebrate the 60th birthday of Empress Dowager Cixi, adopting its present name. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for “its harmonious ensemble of outstanding aesthetic value”.

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Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands

My days in Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands went like a dream. It wasn’t so much of a “dream” come true – because, honestly speaking, both destinations weren’t particularly high on my list – I only went because I was awarded a trip of my choice by my company with additional vacation days to spare so I wanted to do something different. What I ended up having was an amazing jaunt brimming with new discoveries and cherishable memories.

From the magnificent sunset in Nyhavn

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A Day Trip and More to Eat in Porto, Portugal

It’d been almost an hour since we’d been waiting for bus no.2 by the Braga train station. “C’est compliqué en Dimanche” – said the Portuguese woman to a French couple nearby before she jumped on her bus and took off, leaving us clueless tourists behind.

We decided to grab a taxi, which conveniently delivered us to the hilltop of the religious sanctuary named Bom Jesus do Monte, that boasts a beautiful church

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What to See (and Eat) in Porto, Portugal – Part 3

Ponte Dom Luis I

The iconic Dom Luis I bridge that links Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia was built in 1886 by Théophile Seyrig, a disciple of Gustav Eiffel.

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Portugal in May

My dear friends and fellow bloggers, I am back!

We spent most of May traveling through Portugal, visiting various sights and sampling local cuisine.

We began the journey in Porto.

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A Walk in the Swiss Alps

I have to admit that I have a thing for snow-capped mountains – the sight of which brings tears to my eyes. 2014 was the year I saw a lot of mountains. It was the year I did Tour du Mont Blanc, hiking through the Alps across France, Italy and Switzerland.

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Paris, I Hate You!

Paris, I hate you!

This morning we woke up, the sun went into hiding. and it seemed that you were back to your usual grey.

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Petit Palais & Musée Rodin, Paris

The day we visited Petit Palais in Paris

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Its courtyard garden was blazing with spring blossoms.

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Spring in Paris

After spending a memorable evening at Palais Garnier, we woke up the next morning to brilliant sunlight.

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Back to Paris

In Paris we stayed at Hôtel Saint Paul Rive Gauche in the 6th Arrondissement, a few blocks from the Luxembourg Gardens. On the day of our arrival, after storing away our luggage, we went for a walk.

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