Koh Phangan

The Koh Phangan is a Thai restaurant in Södermalm, Stockholm.

It's a bit of a crazy restaurant because of the decoration inside. It's very colourful with different pictures on the walls, even in neon colours. There are many little seating nooks with tables inside and you're feeling a bit like your in the jungle. They even have a small river with real fish inside the restaurant.

The dishes taste great and everyone will be able to find something on the menu. The dishes are marked how spicy they are, so you will know what you can choose when you don't like it hot. The whole menu is available in English as well.

If you don't want to eat there, you can only go to the bar as well.

The restaurant is often very full, so you can book a table in advance or you have to plan for some waiting time before you get a table.

They have a second restaurant in Östermalm as well.

You can find more information on their site:
Koh Phangan (Swedish, menu in English available)

Jameson Experience

The Jameson Experience is an old whiskey distillery turned into a museum.

The visitor centre is open since 1992 and is located in the Old Midleton Distillery. 

You can have a guided tour through the distillery which is around 75 minutes long and shows you how the Irish whiskey was made in the old distillery. It is very interesting to see the different fabrication steps and how the whiskey was made in this distillery. You can see the mill, the malting process and the huge pot stills which are the largest ever built.

Some people can take part in a whiskey tasting during the guided tour and a Jameson Signature drink is included in the entrance.

You can also visit the shop and buy different whiskey kinds or other merchandise related to whiskey.

More info here:

Jameson Experience

Wikipedia

Hanover Zoo

You can find the Hanover Zoo in the Zoo quarter of the city Hanover.

It is one of the oldest zoos in Germany and was founded in 1865. From 1990 onwards the zoo was converted into a more animal friendly place. 

You can find seven theme worlds in the zoo with different animals in each of them. There are Zambezi, which shows the African Savannah, the Gorilla Mountain, Yukon Bay, which leads you into a Canadian gold town, the Jungle Palace, the Australian Outback, Mullewap and Meyer's Farm. During the winter time there is also the Winter Zoo and some parts of the zoo are decorated around Christmas.

The entry fees are not that cheap but you can easily stay the whole day and take your time to see every corner of the zoo. When you're visiting with children it's maybe better when you take something to eat and to drink with you because food can be expansive as well.

One thing you have to do is to take the boat in Zambezi and see the African animals from the boat which gives you a different perspective. There are also feedings of different animals which you can watch.

In Hanover Zoo everyone can find a favourite animal.

You can find more info here:

Wikipedia

Erlebnis Zoo Hannover

Vigeland Park

The Vigeland Park is a sculpture park with sculptures by Gustav Vigeland.

The more than 200 sculptures in the park are made from bronze, granite and wrought iron. Gustav Vigeland has modelled all of the sculptures in clay but other craftsmen made the bronze and granite sculptures. The park was completed between 1939 and 1949.

One of the great sights in the park is the monolith with a height of 17 meters. It is made of one granite block and shows 121 intertwined figures. The monolith stands on a plateau with more granite figures around depicting people of different ages.

There is also a huge fountain in the park wich shows the circle of life from birth to death. You can see the story of a human life when you walk around it.

The most famous sculpture of the park is the "Angry Boy" which you can find on the bridge. You can touch his fist for good luck.

Most of the time there are many people in the park because it's a tourist attraction but it's definitely worth a visit. You can also visit the Vigeland Museum which is close by.

You can find more information here:

Vigeland Park

Monopol

The Monopol is a restaurant and bar in the city Hamelin.

It has a nice atmosphere and very good food. You can order small dishes, salads, burger or steaks for reasonable prices. If you don't want to eat anything you can also go there for cocktails.

In summer you can sit outside on the roof terrace but you have a great view over Hamelin from inside as well. The interior is stylish and everywhere are nice details like the gold and black candle holders on the tables.

The restaurant has a culinary calendar with different events during the year. In summer they have regular BBQ buffets or culinary world tour buffets which can be quite spectacular. It's better to reserve a table on one of these event days.

There's the possibility to rent the historic hall for weddings, birthday parties or other events.

You can find more information on their site:

Monopol (German)

Cliffs of Moher

The Cliffs of Moher are located in County Clare in Ireland.

The cliffs are one of the most popular tourist destinations in Ireland. There's a Visitor Centre built into a hillside close to the cliffs. You have to pay a fee to enter the Visitor Centre and see the exhibitions in there. If you only want to see the cliffs, there's the possibility to visit after the opening hours of the Visitor Centre and you won't have to pay a fee.

At the highest point the cliffs are 214 meters high. Many different species of birds live in the cliffs, so it's also a good place for bird spotters. If you like hiking, there's the Cliff Walk which you can use to walk along the cliffs.

As a photographer you have many opportunities to take great pictures, depending on the light and the Irish weather. You can also just enjoy the view over the cliffs, the Aran islands and Galway Bay.

The Cliffs of Moher are a spectacular sight for nature lovers and everyone else.

You can find more information here:

Wikipedia

Cliffs of Moher

Way Down South

The Way Down South is a Barbecue restaurant in Oslo's quarter Grünerløkka.

Picture:
Topped Sweet Potato Fries

It's a small and cosy restaurant and in summer you can sit outside on the sidewalk as well. They serve southern BBQ dishes and desserts made from local products. There's an early bird menu beside the normal one when you arrive in the restaurant before 6 pm. It's a bit cheaper than the dishes from the normal menu.
The food tastes great and I can especially recommend the St. Louis Pork Ribs and Topped Sweet Potato Fries. If you want to have something crazy, you can order a Freak Shake and be surprised what you'll get.


More information on the website:
Way Down South

Hamelin (Hameln)

Hamelin (or Hameln in German) is a town in Lower Saxony, which is famous for the tale of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

Picture: Hochzeitshaus (foreground) and Marktkirche St. Nicolai

Hamelin is situated at the banks of the river Weser. From here you can start boat tours to Bodenwerder or other cities along the Weser during the summer months.

The city started with a monastery and became a fortified town later on. You can still see some parts of the city wall but it's not a lot left of it. When you are walking in the pedestrian area of Hamelin you can see many half-timbered and stone houses, which are in the stile of the Weser Renaissance.

In and around Hamelin are many places to go for a walk. Along the Weser you can also find hiking or cycling trails, which give you a beautiful view of the landscape around you.

When you are in the city, it can happen that you meet the Pied Piper on the street. He can be hired for guided tours of the city through the tourist information. During the summer months, you can watch a performance of the story of the Pied Piper every Sunday on the stage you can see on the picture above.

You can visit different churches, the museum and other parts if you want to get to know Hamelin better. It's also a nice place for shopping with a big shopping mall and different shops in the pedestrian zone. If your feet are tired from walking, you can find many cafés or restaurants to have a rest. Some nice places in summer are the beer garden and restaurant on the Werder, the island in the river Weser. If you ask someone for it, they can sure point you into the right direction.

Hamelin is a nice town with a lot of history and great architecture, which is really worth a visit.

You can find more information here:

Stadt Hameln (German and English)

Wikipedia 

Boltenhagen

Boltenhagen is a small seaside resort on the Baltic Sea in Germany. It is close to Lübeck and Wismar.

Boltenhagen is a holiday town and there are many tourists there, especially in the summer months. You can choose if you want to stay in a hotel or a holiday flat. That's up to you.
As everywhere in Germany you have to pay visitor's tax when you want to be at the beach but there is a pier as well and it's free to go onto it.

You can either be at the beach the whole day when you are in Boltenhagen or you can hire a bike and take a tour along the coast or into the country. There are many scenic streets that are great for cycling. When you don't want to cycle you can step into the small train "Carolinchen" and go onto a trip to the steep coast or other destinations.
If you have enough of the beach and nature you can visit one of the castles or churches which you can find around Boltenhagen. A great place to go to on rainy days is the butterfly park in Klütz. There you can watch different butterflies and it's nice and warm in the rainforest-like glass dome.
It is no problem to find a nice restaurant or café after a day on the beach and you have supermarkets and bakeries at hand, too. Close to the town centre you can find a shop called "My Choc" where you can decide what you want to have in your chocolate (i.e. cranberries, walnuts or coffee) and you can pick up your special chocolate the next day. Very good.
In the town are also many little shops where you can buy clothes, different products made out of sallow thorn or the typical tourist stuff. If you want some bigger shops, you have to visit Wismar, which is not so far away.

You can find more information here:

http://www.boltenhagen.de/ (German)

Wikipedia

Wisentgehege

The Wisentgehege is a deer park in northern Germany where you can watch European animals. It's open all year round.

Picture:
Wolves in the Wisentgehege

First, the Wisentgehege was only for breeding European bisons and that's where it got it's name from. Now you can find around 100 different animal species there including Przewalski’s horses, wolverines, elks and different deer species.
One of the main purposes of the deer park is the conservation breeding of endangered animals but it's also a shelter for injured birds of prey.

The deer park is situated in a woody area with old trees and nice paths to walk on. Some of the animals are in enclosures but some, like the deer, have a wide space almost like in the wild. During the day there are different "shows" the visitors can watch. You can see feedings of different animals or an air show with the birds of prey. There is a lot to learn in the Wisentgehege, not only about the animals but about nature in general, too.
They are always building new enclosures for the animals and try to keep them in a natural way. You can spend a day in the Wisentgehge and take a picnic along with you if you want. There are many nice places where you can sit and eat but there is also a restaurant when you don't want to take food along.
The Wisentgehege is a great place to watch European animals in a nature like environment and to spend a nice day with your family.

If you want to read more, you can have a look here:
http://www.wisentgehege-springe.de/ (German)
Wikipedia (German)

Gamla Stan

Gamla Stan or Old Town is the centre of Stockholm and the place of the first settlement. It's located on one of Stockholm's many islands.

Pictures:

Gamla Stan seen from Slussen

The Royal Castle

Although most of the tourists visit Gamla Stan when they come to Stockholm, it's a lovely place to have a wander around. It can get crowed throughout the day but in summer it's also nice to visit Gamla Stan in the evening when most of the tourists are gone. The atmosphere on the cobbled streets is unique and you can find small squares or interesting streets around every corner. You can reach Gamla Stan easily with the metro because it has it's own station and then walk around as much as you like.

There are many attractions in Gamla Stan and one that should be named is the Royal Castle. You can argue if you like the outside of the castle or not but the inside is quite impressive. The changing of the guard is also an event that you shouldn't miss when you are there at the right time. You can have a look at different churches, for example Storkyrkan or Tyska Kyrkan. You don't need to pay to get into Tyska Kyrkan (German Church) and it's worth a visit but not as big as Storkyrkan. A couple of museums are also located in Gamla Stan, like the Nobel Museum.

You can find many shops in the small streets of Gamla Stan, where you can buy typical tourist souvenirs but also clothes or handicrafts. I guess everybody will find a nice place in Gamla Stan and the food there is good too. One of my favourite cafés is still a Swiss pastry shop where you can get tasty pies and cakes. There are also many picture opportunities in Gamla Stan but you aren't allowed to take pictures in every museum.

Have a look here if you want to read more:
http://www.visitstockholm.com 

Fanø

The Danish island Fanø is located in the North Sea and has beautiful beaches and nature with different animals, which are living on the island.

Pictures:
Fanø beach

Fanø belongs to the Danish Wadden Sea Islands and the only way to reach it is via ferry from Esbjerg. The island is only 16 km long and 5 km wide and originated from a sandbank. The main town on the island is Nordby where you arrive with the ferry. Other towns are Sønderho, Rindby and Fanø Bad. Fanø is a tourist island, so you will find many people there in the summer and you have to book in advance when you want to rent a hotel room or a summer cottage but you can also get some last minute. Even more people are on the island when the International Kiteflyer-Meeting is held there in June.

You can explore the island with a car, on foot, with your bike or from the back of a horse.
The beaches are mostly on the western shore and you are even allowed to drive with your car directly down to the water. There are even bus stops on the beach. In the north-west of the island is a huge sandbank, which is called "Søren-Jessens-Sand" and you can explore it on a guided tour. There are huge dunes on some parts of the island but you can also find heath and a pine wood. You will probably spot quite a lot of animals like rabbits, deer and different birds when you wander around. There is a boat tour where you can watch seals when you are lucky but it also gives you a great view of the monument "Men at Sea"

Most of the guided tours and other activities are in the summer months but you can always have a look at the two churches or different museums on the island. You have many options for taking pictures especially with the sometimes fast changing weather.
When you have enough from nature, you can always take the ferry to Esbjerg and spend a day there.

If you want to read more, you can go here:

Wikipedia

Arches National Park

“There are several ways of looking at Delicate Arch. Depending on your preconceptions you may see the eroded remnant of a sandstone fin, a giant engagement ring cemented in rock, a bow-legged pair of petrified cowboy chaps, a triumphal arch for a procession of angels, an illogical geologic freak, a happening—a something that happened and will never happen quite that way again, a frame more significant than its picture, a simple monolith eaten away by weather and time and soon to disintegrate into a chaos of falling rock"
                                               Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire



These two photos are only a small sample of the magnificent views that you can expect to see at "Arches National Park". The park is located in eastern Utah just outside the town of Moab, a Mecca for all kinds of outdoor activities, especially hiking and dirt bike riding. Climbing the arches within the park has long been banned by park regulations although the wording of the regulations was deemed unenforceable by the park attorney. Climbing some other features (other than named arches) is allowed but highly regulated.
Delicate Arch (The photo) has become an unofficial symbol for the state of Utah (it appears on car license plates) and is probably the most famous in the whole park. Some of the other interesting sites are Double Arch, Devil's Garden (with the amazing sandstone fins) and the longest, Landscape Arch (just to name a few of the many amazing sights in the park).

The park is open all year round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Although it is crowded in the summer, the temperature can be extremely hot. In my opinion, the best time of the year to visit is Spring (April and May).

 

You can read more about the park, and plan a visit, on the National Parks Service site and on Wikipedia.

Atomium

The Atomium was built for the Expo 1958 in Brussels and shows the structure of an iron crystal.

Pictures:
Two sides of the Atomium
© www.atomium.be - SABAM 2011 - kostolany244

The Atomium consists of huge spheres, which are connected by tubes. The highest sphere is 102 meters tall and shows the best view over Brussels. Today the Atomium is a popular tourist attraction and became the symbol of Brussels. You can get everything with the Atomium on it, from postcards over mugs even small models.

Because of safety reasons only five of the nine spheres are open for visitors. One sphere houses a permanent exhibition, which shows pictures and models of the Expo in 1958. Another sphere is used for temporary exhibitions, which have a scientific theme. You can move between the different spheres via escalators or stairs but the top sphere is reached by an elevator. There is even a kid's sphere where group of kids with accompanying adults can stay for the night.
The outside of the Atomium is already spectacular but the inside is worth a visit as well. The views from the upper sphere are brilliant but you can already see parts of Brussels when you move between the other spheres. In the top sphere is a restaurant where you can dine high above the ground. Some of the escalators are lit in changing colours, which gives the ride up a bit of a surreal feel. When it gets dark outside the spheres are lit up by 2970 lights, which looks really beautiful but the reflection of a sunset on the spheres is beautiful as well.


Read here if you want to know more:
Wikipedia
The Atomium

Compton Acres Gardens

Compton Acres is situated in Poole, Dorset and consist of 10 acres of different garden types. It is a privately owned historic garden.



Picture:
One of the waterfalls in Compton Acres

There you have an Italian garden with fountains or a small wood with huge trees and waterfalls. You can also find a rock and water garden, a heather garden and a Japanese garden. I think there is something for everybody's taste and everybody can find the place they really like.
On the whole area you can find cosy benches to sit and from some places you can even enjoy the view of Brownsea Island. There is a winter garden as well with different statues and you have many photo options all year long.
In the gardens are different events over the whole year and you can even marry there if you want to. An interesting place for the whole family.


You can read more here:
Compton Acres

Fotografiska

The Fotografiska is a definite must see for a photographer when he/she is in Stockholm. It is located in an old industrial building in Södermalm, directly at the harbour.

Pictures:
Fotografiska from outside
Poster from the exhibition of Sandy Skoglund

The museum has changing exhibitions from contemporary photographers not only from Scandinavia but also from around the world. There are normally two to three different exhibitions at the same time, so it should be something there for everyone. They have a big shop as well where you can buy different art or photography books but also poster or postcards with pictures of the exhibitions. Directly under the roof is a cafe and a gallery where you can buy pictures from different artist.
Not only something for rainy days.


Have a look here when you want to read more:
Fotografiska (English)
Wikipedia

Roemer- and Pelizaeus Museum

The Roemer- and Pelizaeus Museum in Hildesheim is a great museum, which arose from a private collection of Egyptian artefacts.

Pictures:
Permanent and Special Egypt exhibition

They have several permanent exhibitions, including ones about Egypt, America or Asia. Every year they have several special exhibitions, which are definitely worth a visit. I can still remember the ones about dinosaurs or the ice age. You can take pictures in some parts of the museum but not everywhere. You can take a guided tour through the museum or there are audio guides as well but I'm not sure if they have them in different languages. When you like museums or when you are facing a rainy day and want to do something, this is a good place to go.


If you want to read more, you can have a look here:
Roemer-Pelizaeus Museum (English and German)
Wikipedia

Monteliusvägen, Stockholm

When you get the chance to visit Stockholm, you should go up to Monteliusvägen, which is in Södermalm. It is a great viewpoint from where you can see a lot of the city.

Pictures:
Panorama of Stockholm from Monteliusvägen
Stadshuset

You have a great view over Gamla Stan, Östermalm, the Stadshuset and Lake Mälaren. On a sunny day you can watch boats travelling from the Baltic Sea to Lake Mälaren or into the other direction because one of the locks is directly besides Gamla Stan. You can also see the houseboats beneath you and some of them are hotels where you can stay when you want to.

Monteliusvägen is a great place to see a big part of Stockholm.


If you want to read more, you can have a look here:
www.visitstockholm.com

Basel Münster

The Basel Münster was originally a Catholic church but is a reformed Protestant church today. It was finished in 1500.

Picture:
Inside and outside of the Münster

The Münster is already beautiful when you look at it from the outside. It is built out of red stones with a patterned roof. There is a kind of terrace behind the Münster from where you have a beautiful view over the Rhine and a part of the city of Basel. On the outside of the church are several statues, which are made out of the same stone as the building. I really liked to walk through the big and small cloister, which are on one side of the Münster. The inside of the Münster is rather simple but that can be beautiful too. You can look at some beautiful coloured windows or the interesting pulpit. It is no problem to take pictures inside the Münster but there is also a small shop where you can buy postcards and things like that.

You can go up onto the tower as well and it is only 242 steps to get up there. It costs you a small amount of money to get into the tower, which you can either pay in Euros or Swiss francs. During your climb, you can see the bells of the church. The last part of the climb is a bit steep but it is manageable. From the tower you can look over the timbered houses of Basel or the Rhine and on a clear day you can even see parts of the Black Forest. Definitely a beautiful view from up there.


If you want to read more, you can have a look here:
Wikipedia
Das Basler Münster (German)

Ulmer Münster (Ulm Minster)

The Minster in Ulm, Germany is a Lutheran church, which was completed in 1890.


Picture:
Inside the Münster

You can visit the Minster for free and it is allowed to take pictures inside. I'm not an expert in architecture but the inside of the Minster is really beautiful with high ceilings and beautiful details everywhere. The wooden choir is definitely worth a look and there are several small chambers you can visit as well. Another beautiful sight are the colourful windows, especially when the sun is shining through them. If you want to light a candle for someone you can purchase them in the church for a small amount of money. On the inside and outside you can find different sculptures and the altar is beautiful too.

The steeple is 161.5 meters high and you can climb nearly to the top. You have to pay a couple of Euros when you want to go up but the view you get is definitely worth it. It is 768 steps to the top but you don't have to go all the way because there are three platforms from where you can look at your surroundings. The spiral staircase for the last part is quite narrow and you can only hope that no one comes down while you climb up. The view from the tower is amazing and you can get a good look at Ulm, the Danube or even the Alps when it is a clear day.


When you want to read more, you can have a look here:
Wikipedia
Das Ulmer Münster (German)