http://happysteps.net going places, seeing the world one happy step at a time! Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:45:39 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Castles, churches and other historical buildings are usually on my top travel destinations. Aside from being interested with the architecture of the building and the exterior details, going inside can be even more breathtaking. For instance the interiors of the cathedrals such as the St. Vitus Cathedral and the Church ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/21/eye-catching-illumination-inside-historical-buildings/ The 2008 Summer Olympics would undoubtedly keep the swarms of tourists and visitors in Beijing busy. I doubt if they would take extra time to drop by some tourist attractions in this notable and historic city of China. For me, it would be just some virtual travel for now but ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/19/beijing-virtual-tour/ http://happysteps.net/2008/08/13/wordless-wednesday-interesting-clouds-tampere-western-finland/ Among the stuff in my bag which I always bring with me during trips is my trusty pair of sunglasses. Yup, aside from shielding my eyes from the bright and harmful UV rays of the sun, they also protect my eyes from dust especially during windy days. It’s simply one ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/13/stylish-eyewear-for-travel/ I’m still here in Prague and enjoying my vacation a lot. But that doesn’t mean I am not missing the Philippines, especially the native dishes we have at home such as yummy fresh seafood! Recently, I cooked Tom Yum which is a Thai spicy sour soup with shrimp (or any seafood), ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/12/i-miss-yummy-seafood/ Learning from the history, culture and people of other places is what most of us enjoy about traveling. As St. Augustine said, “the world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page.” Yup, going on a tour is an educational endeavor indeed. In college, we ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/08/educational-tours-for-students/ Yesterday, we headed off to Kutná Hora, a town about few hours travel from Prague and with its historical town center listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site together with the Church of St. Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec. We stopped first at the famous Cemetery Chapel ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/08/cemetery-chapel-with-ossuary-at-kutna-hora/ One of my dream destinations in southeastern Europe is Greece, a place which abounds in history and charm. How nice it would be to visit the Acropolis and climb until its summit where the ancient ruins of sacred buildings and especially the Parthenon is located. It would be such an ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/05/cruising-by-the-greek-islands/ Whether you’re into sunbathing, surfing, waterskiing and other water sports activities, San Diego is a good choice for the summer. The beach communities in San Diego also offer shopping, nightlife and tourist attractions. There are many accommodations available for travel bugs, such as a San Diego summer beach rental. This ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/04/san-diego-beaches/ I’m here in Prague again! But before hitting the streets tomorrow… I’d like to thank my Top Entrecard droppers for the month of July: Thailand Land of Smiles (26) Toltec Insights with Dr. Susan Gregg (25) My Trips (24) rainydazeee (23) Travel Guides ( 23) Angels on Your Shoulder (22) Pastel Corner (19) Travel Asia (17) Hollywood Star (17) Thanks to ... http://happysteps.net/2008/08/03/big-thanks-from-happystepsnet/ My 40-day Finland vacation will soon be over and it’s time to say bye to the cold summer weather, the midnight suns, and so much more. I am grateful for having stayed here in Pori at my big sis’ flat which is located right at the heart of the city, ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/31/nakemiin-finland/ Being on vacation can be fun, but don’t expect your phone to be on holiday too, unless you turn it off. Chances are, it will be ringing or buzzing with SMS alerts particularly if you have left some unfinished business. Sometimes you miss your family and friends especially if you’re ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/30/international-calls-for-travelers/ It was a sunny Sunday when we went to Yyteri beach, one of the well-known holiday resorts in Finland. Yyteri is a district in Pori and is just few minutes’ drive from my big sis’ flat in the city center. The place is not just famous for its long stretch ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/29/yyteri-beach-warm-sand-dunes-cool-blue-waters-and-clear-sunny-sky/ We went to Tampere yesterday and had a great time. I will be writing a separate post about it later. Anyway, I’m thankful that I wore my favorite footwear for walking around… my high-heeled flip flops! :)  Even though we had a car to tour us around, we still had ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/28/comfortable-footwear-for-travel/ Who’s in Uganda now? It’s none other than cutie sis’ hubby for work purposes. He will be staying there until first week of August yet, so that means a different work environment for him and… the chance to tour around. :) Anyway he was there last time and was able ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/26/work-related-travel/ One reason for travel is attending trainings, seminars and conferences - from small private meetings to large conferences. For instance, my first travel to Europe was because of a company training. After our classes, my companions and I would tour around the city and shop a bit or visit some ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/26/when-travel-bugs-mix-business-with-leisure/ This didn’t happen to me but to my parents, cutie sis and her 10-month old baby C. They missed the airport shuttle and consequently their flight from Amsterdam to Prague. Anyway, it all happened because baby C needed to change her diapers (it leaked, ewww!) and as a result they ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/22/some-travel-bloopers/ One thing that makes travel fun is sampling out new cuisines and flavors whether they be exotic food (like fried silkworms, perhaps?) or some French gourmet dish. As my Mom would always tell me, the more you can accommodate new food for your taste buds, the more adaptable you are as ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/22/trying-out-new-cuisines/ It’s a cold summer here in Finland with the outside temperature dropping to as low as 12 degrees Celsius during evenings and rising up to around 23 degrees Celsius during afternoons. I checked the weather forecast for tomorrow though and it’s going to rain with the warmest temperature at only ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/22/summer-vacation-rentals/ Aside from souvenir T-shirts, refrigerator magnets, shot glasses and handcrafted items, tourists also shop for clothes, shoes and bags when they travel. Fashion-minded travel bugs are fond of dropping by those high-fashion boutiques when on tour, stepping inside different shops and finding new styles and accessories to add to their ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/19/on-travel-shopping-and-fashion/ “If you have to ask what jazz is, you’ll never know.” Louis Armstrong One thing that Pori is famous for is its annual international jazz festival which started in the year 1966 and since then is known throughout Europe as a prestigious music festival. This year is the 43rd festival which kicked ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/17/pori-jazz-43rd-festival-2008/ This sunshiny summer month of July is a great time for vacation and entertainment. At Wildwood New Jersey, an exciting series of concerts will be held at Morey’s Piers amusement park. Aside from being New Jersey’s largest, with many rides, concessions and having two beachfront waterparks, Morey’s Piers is a ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/16/radio-disney-summer-concert-series-at-wildwood-new-jersey/ Visiting castles would always be on the travel itinerary of tourists when going to Europe. It’s like stepping into the days of kings and queens, or imagining you’re part of a fairy tale. Getting inside the medieval castle of Turku acquaints the visitor of Finland’s rich culture and history, each ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/14/at-the-medieval-turku-castle/ My baby niece just turned ten months old and it’s quite impressive that she has traveled to a lot of countries (two continents at that) at such a young age. Of course, she has to tag along with her mommy from Czech Republic to the Philippines and back, and now ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/13/traveling-with-babies/ What do you do when you only have few hours to spend for sightseeing around a picturesque place such as Turku? Along the Aura River It was late in the afternoon when we arrived, so we lost no time in dropping by one of its famous landmarks, the Turku Castle. Being the ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/13/picturesque-turku/ Packing up for travel, sorting out my clothes, accessories, personal effects, toiletries, gifts and stuff can either be a breeze or a tough task depending on my destination and how many days the vacation or affair will be. Of course, my ever reliable HP laptop Pavi is always with me ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/12/on-travel-computers-and-data-security/ The Rauma Biennale Balticum 2008 art festival is currently ongoing at the Rauma Art Museum in Old Rauma, Finland. The exhibition, which started last June 14 and will end on September 21, features prominent Biennale artists such as Aija Zarina, Krista Leesi, Lutz Mommartz, Malgorzata Markiewicz and many others with ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/12/flower-power-at-the-rauma-art-museum/ Touring around a new place always brings fun and excitement particularly when trying out something new such as trekking on an unfamiliar terrain or doing extreme sports or even just having a swim at the beach. However, there’s also the possibility of emergency situations and accidents during travel, thus the ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/11/travel-assistance-during-medical-emergency/ Situated in the Satakunta Province, in the western part of Finland, Old Rauma is a UNESCO World Heritage site since it represents the history of Scandinavia’s early towns constructed in wood. Notable buildings/sites are the Old Town Hall, Marela Museum, Kirsti Museum, Rauma Art Museum, Church of the Holy Cross ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/11/the-charm-of-old-rauma/ We’ve been thinking of touring Pori during weekends and even possibly going to Helsinki. Too bad my big sis got sick and I got the rashes. Another concern is going around the area with a bigger vehicle since all of us can’t fit in their car. Good thing my big ... http://happysteps.net/2008/07/10/holiday-car-rentals/