Chadi » Tourism http://thechadi.com Reporting live from the centre of the Universe - My living room Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:33:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Texas http://thechadi.com/2010/08/texas/ http://thechadi.com/2010/08/texas/#comments Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:33:19 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=405 Texas is the second-largest US state by both area and population. Texas resembles the beauty of the south west and often associated with the image of cowboys. It is also known as The Lone Star state signifying that it is indeed an independent republic and serves as a reminder of the long struggle of the state to break free from Mexico. Although it heavily did rely on cattle in the early years, Texas evolved since 1900 to a centre for oil in the US. If you are in Texas, make sure not to miss the good Tex-Mex food or the brilliant steaks. Just be careful, everything in Texas is big and so are food portions :)

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/08/texas/feed/ 0 Gdansk, Gdynia & Sopot http://thechadi.com/2010/08/gdansk-gdynia-sopot/ http://thechadi.com/2010/08/gdansk-gdynia-sopot/#comments Mon, 09 Aug 2010 06:31:35 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=398 Three gems on the Baltic Sea and the principal seaport in Poland. A short stop in the Gdańsk Bay to visit some good friends, I had to take some photos but these are by no means representative of how beautiful this area is. I will leave you with these photos for now and will revisit the area for some more. If you happen to visit the area before me, make sure to make it to Gdańsk and the banks of the Motlawa River, the Long Street, the Town Hall, the Harbor Crane, St Catherine’s Church, the Sopot Beach, Sopot Monte Cassino, and the Gdynia Oceanographic Museum and Sea Aquarium (Muzeum Oceanograficzne i Akwarium Morskie).

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/08/gdansk-gdynia-sopot/feed/ 1 Colorado http://thechadi.com/2010/08/colorado/ http://thechadi.com/2010/08/colorado/#comments Wed, 04 Aug 2010 03:10:29 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=394 Colorado is a unique state that has a lot to offer. It starts with the numerous state parks and goes all the way through the Rocky Mountains drawing a breathtaking natural beauty. The mix between culture and nature is just phenomenal. It probably is one of the few places where you can drive for a bit and get to the top of the mountain for skiing and drive the other direction for a bit and get to endless golf courses. You wouldn’t want to miss out on the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Denver Botanic Gardens or the Colorado State Capitol. Denver is a wonderful city but don’t miss out on Colorado Springs with its famous Garden of the Gods that gives you a wonderful view of Pikes Peak. Aurora is another place you will want to visit to relax and chill.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/08/colorado/feed/ 5 Parc Güell & Camp Nou http://thechadi.com/2010/06/parc-guell-camp-nou/ http://thechadi.com/2010/06/parc-guell-camp-nou/#comments Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:05:53 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=388 Back in Barcelona for a short break right before the summer. This time the focus of the trip was relaxing and taking it easy :) Parc Güell was high on the priority list and hence spent most of the time enjoying its beauty. Parc Güell is a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of a complex of gardens built on a hill and designed by the ever famous Catalan Architect Antoni Gaudí. It definitely is a must see for any visitor to the city. Photos of a few other places of the city has been also included in this album.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The next big thing on the trip was visiting Camp Nou, home to FCB. Futbol Club Barcelona is one of the most successful clubs in Spanish and European football. I won’t get into detail of their achievements but that can easily be checked out if you are interested to know :) It is worthy to note that it FCB has become a Catalan institution rather than just a club. This explains their motto “Més que un club” which translates to “More than a club”.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/06/parc-guell-camp-nou/feed/ 0 Amsterdam http://thechadi.com/2010/06/amsterdam/ http://thechadi.com/2010/06/amsterdam/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:48:10 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=332 Amsterdam is indeed a unique city that has managed to maintain its authenticity despite the huge influx of visitors. Explore Amsterdam by taking a canal cruise and then by visiting Amsterdam’s best museums. Amsterdam is probably the most bicycle friendly city I have ever seen and would strongly encourage you to take one for a spin around the city.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/06/amsterdam/feed/ 0 Belgium http://thechadi.com/2010/06/belgium/ http://thechadi.com/2010/06/belgium/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 15:44:43 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=378 Why Belgium? It is young, hip, covered in green, filled with castles & gardens, host to a lot of festivals, has the capital of the European Union, waffles, French Fries, huge variety of beer, and above all is home to the world’s best chocolatiers!

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/06/belgium/feed/ 0 Budapest: Take 2! http://thechadi.com/2010/04/budapest-take-2/ http://thechadi.com/2010/04/budapest-take-2/#comments Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:02:34 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=367 For a city so beautiful and filled with culture like Budapest, one trip is never enough to capture everything in it. This is merely another attempt at capturing a few shots of this magnificent city. This time the Parliament gets a big share of the photos. Such a stunning building! After all, Budapest is a magnificent place but it is also for the great people in it that makes it such a wonderful place.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/04/budapest-take-2/feed/ 1 Istanbul (Topkapi Palace, Archaeological Museum, Bazaars and Prince’s Islands) http://thechadi.com/2010/03/istanbul-topkapi-palace-archaeological-museum/ http://thechadi.com/2010/03/istanbul-topkapi-palace-archaeological-museum/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:50:26 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=353 Archaeology Museums (Arkeoloji Müzeleri): Open daily between 09.00 and 17.00 (no entrance after 16.00). Closed on Monday.
Topkapi Palace (Topkapi Sarayi): This must be one of the most sought after tourist attractions in Istanbul. Open daily between 09.00 and 17.00. Closed on Tuesdays. A must see.
Harem (Harem): The Harem in Topkapi Palace (Will get to this down in Palaces) is a must-see feature and is certainly worth the extra money. It is the private area of the Sultan and his sons. Open daily, but closed on Tuesdays. On the first day of religious holidays, the museum is closed until 12.00. Tours start every half hour from 09.30 onwards until 15.45. To visit the Harem, you have no option but to take a guided tour.

Unfortunately, most of the Topkapi Palace was not photographed due to restrictions on photography in certain areas of the palace.

Egyptian or Spice Bazaar (Misir Çarsisi): This is the place to be to lay in a fresh supply of spices, nuts, honeycomb, Turkish delight, dried figs, caviar and mature hard Turkish cheese. Even if you are not there for this, it is a nice experience to walk through it. It’s a nice, small, cozy and very traditional market. It is open daily from 08.00 till 19:00. Closed on Sundays.

Grand Bazaar (Kapali Çarsi): This is the world’s oldest and largest covered market! Any visit to Istanbul is not complete without going through this. You can get good bargains if you know how to haggle with the shopkeepers. This holds more than 4,000 shops! It is open daily between 08.30 and 19.00. Closed on Sundays. Tonnes of cute necklaces, rings, etc, pashimina scarves, tea cups, and Turkish apple tea.

The Princes’ Islands, Istanbul’s Biggest Car-Free Zone. A must visit, there are guided tours that take you from the hotel, across with a ferry to spend the day there and back.
]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/03/istanbul-topkapi-palace-archaeological-museum/feed/ 0 Istanbul (Blue Mosque & Hagia Sophia) http://thechadi.com/2010/03/istanbul-blue-mosque-hagia-sophia/ http://thechadi.com/2010/03/istanbul-blue-mosque-hagia-sophia/#comments Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:47:36 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=347 Blue Mosque (Sultanahmet Camii): Open daily from 09.00 till 1 hour before dusk. The mosque is closed half an hour before until half an hour after prayer time. On Friday the doors are closed an hour before until an hour after the noon prayer. Words aren’t enough to describe how beautiful it truly is on the inside.

Hagia Sophia (Aya Sofya) or Holy Wisdom: This is a former Orthodox Basilica then was turned into a Mosque and currently into a Museum. It is just across from the Blue Mosque and open daily between 09.00 and 17.00. Closed on Monday.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/03/istanbul-blue-mosque-hagia-sophia/feed/ 2 Scotland http://thechadi.com/2010/03/scotland/ http://thechadi.com/2010/03/scotland/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:31:25 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=335 Head to Scotland if you are in love with castles, whisky, history and green scenery. A land so beautiful and rich with history and culture. From Edinburgh, with its magnificent castle overlooking the entire city and its surroundings, to Glasgow, for the party animal in you, to the Highlands in the North you will find a country that will take your breath away.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/03/scotland/feed/ 0 Copenhagen http://thechadi.com/2010/03/copenhagen/ http://thechadi.com/2010/03/copenhagen/#comments Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:12:08 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=328 From the beautiful Tivoli Gardens to the famous Little Mermaid passing through Strøget, the world’s longest pedestrian street for shoppers of all tastes, you explore European architecture at its finest as you hit the Round Tower that gives you a magnificent view over this city.

]]> http://thechadi.com/2010/03/copenhagen/feed/ 0 Budapest: Queen of the Danube http://thechadi.com/2010/02/budapest-queen-of-the-danube/ http://thechadi.com/2010/02/budapest-queen-of-the-danube/#comments Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:53:41 +0000 admin http://thechadi.com/?p=324 Budapest, the capital of Hungary, is also known as the City of Spas. A big city with a friendly atmosphere, a place for the past to be treasured and the new to be embraced. The magic of Budapest makes it one of the most enjoyable European cities and ranked as the most livable city in Central Europe. The stunning architecture and wonderful views on banks of the Danube makes this city one with an irresistible charm. Budapest is considered as one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. The city houses a few World Heritage Sites, namely the banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter, Andrássy Avenue and the Millennium Underground railway. The first settlement in the city was Ak-Ink. It was build by the Celts before 1AD. Currently the ethnic groups residing the city are  Hungarians, Germans, Roma, Slovaks and Greeks.

Budapest has 23 districts in total; 6 are located in Buda, 16 in Pest and 1 on the Csepel Island between them. The largest medicinal bath in Europe, Széchenyi Medicinal Bath, is also located in the city.  The third largest church in Europe, Esztergom Basilica, is only 45 km away from Budapest. The first underground railway in Europe was built in Budapest, which is known as the Millennium Underground railway. A major attraction of the city is the 80 geothermal springs. Budapest also has the world’s largest thermal water cave system, second largest synagogue and third largest Parliament building. I think I will leave you with the photos for now :)

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