Happy Steps travel blog

European cities top world’s best places to live

We all agree that there’s no place like home, it’s where our heart is, and everytime we go somewhere, there’s always that longing to be home. Even travel bugs and those who are passionate about travel tend to appreciate more the little things about their hometown or neighborhood after coming from a trip someplace.

But what if you are given the option to move to another place or to relocate? Let’s say you visited an Arlington Property Management firm and given some various residential properties to decide upon, which place would you prefer to start over and settle with your family? If you have the whole world to choose from, which country or city would you move to? Continue reading… »

Cheap flights to the UK, Germany and France via KLM Philippines

Dubbed as their “Hot fares for the rainy season,” KLM Philippines is currently offering some tempting flight deals from the Philippines and Guam to the UK, Germany and France in Europe as long as you book your flights during weekdays (Mondays to Thursdays) and travel period should be until September 30 only. The promo air fares already include taxes, surcharges and booking fee. Continue reading… »

Wordless Wednesday: Berlin street scenes

Continued from Berlin day tour: Checkpoint Charlie

Mouse-over the photos to read the captions. Okay, so it’s not really that “wordless” after all.

To view more Wordless Wednesday entries, click here.

Continue reading… »

Berlin day tour: Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)

Continued from Berlin day tour: Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden)

An imposing landmark at the Museumsinsel (Museum Island) in Berlin is the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) located to the northeast of the Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden). The Dom was built in the late 18th to early 19th century, and as an Evangelical Church, its design is deemed by some to be the Protestant equivalent of the St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City.

The massive columns lined up along the cathedral’s front hallway.

The facade of the Berliner Dom as seen from the Lustgarten.

A closer look at the front of the Dom. Sitting on the front steps were some boy scouts tired from a day’s tour.

One can’t help but gaze at the building’s artistic design and inspect the intricate details of the doors, ceilings, statues, the column capitals, and other wall décor and mouldings.

Berliner Dom opening hours:

9:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Mondays through Saturdays)
12:00 NN – 8:00 PM (Sundays and Holidays)

From October 1st through March 31st, closing at 7 pm

Note that visits are not allowed during church services or events. Cathedral tours are also offered for tourists.

Next stop: Neue Wache (New Guard House) war memorial and other buildings at the Bebelplatz

Berlin day tour: Lustgarten (Pleasure Garden)

Continued from Berlin day tour: Museumsinsel (Museum Island)

The Museumsinsel (Museum Island) in Berlin is not all about museums actually. Visitors will be greeted by two famous landmarks, the Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral) and the Lustgarten (Pleasure Park), before they can reach the Altes Museum (Old Museum).

The Lustgarten as seen from the Berliner Dom entrance.

The Lustgarten is a notable spot in Berlin’s history and went through interesting developments. Originally a kitchen garden to the palace, it was then developed into a landscaped garden with fountains. During the time of King Friedrich Wilhelm I, it was converted into a parade ground. Aside from being a public park, the Lustgarten was also used for public rallies and political demonstrations. For instance, Hitler used to hold mass rallies in this site.

This is the fountain at the center of Lustgarten where an equestrian statue of Friedrich Wilhelm III used to be.

Today, the Lustgarten is a simple park with a fountain at the center where visitors and tourists going to and from the museums rest for awhile. It is also a good place to get great views of the facades of the Altes Museum and the Berliner Dom.

Tourists at the Lustgarten with the façade of the Berliner Dom in the background

Next stop: Berliner Dom (Berlin Cathedral)