Rate:
$7500
HONEYMOON & ROMANCE PACKAGE 8 days and 7 nightsInclusive of:
- All meals and non-alcoholic beverages - Afternoon tea - Service charges and taxes on the room- The use of all non-motorized water sports and facilities on PSV- Complimentary massage for 2- Champagne and fruit in room upon arrival - Half day snorkeling trip to the Tobago Cays- 3 course private dinner on the beach
Thursday, March 31, 2011
In search of the spirit of Al-Andalus
In Granada and Cordoba, Marcel Theroux meets a group of Spanish muslims looking to the area's Islamic legacyMarcel TherouxShehani FernandoAlex Healey
Caterpillar Fungus on the Annapurna Circuit
The Himalayan region is indisputably one of the world's most beautiful and remote areas Parts of it are very popular among trekkers - such as the Annapurna Circuit, a challenging but non-technical route within a region which has also become known for the contested trade in Yarsagumba
Photo of the WeekFabio Studer lays down a smooth cork 360
Every once in a while, we stumble across a brilliant amalgamation of composition, scenery, and athletic achievement? otherwise known as an action-sports photograph. We've decided to start rounding them up for you. Stay tuned for more eye candy that will make you itch to get outside.
It Ain?t Over ? Utah Gets Rocked!
..... Snowbird, Utah (Ski Press)-While many ski areas are shutting down after the Easter weekend, it looks like Utah is only just getting started on the ?deep? season. April showers have resulted in ample powder at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, which has received four-and-a-half feet in the last week, pushing the season total to 440 inches with a mid-mountain base depth of 127 inches. With an additional 30-40 inches forecasted in the coming days, the mountain is in mid-winter form and skiers are raving about the spring storms. ?Just like last year, April is providing some of the best conditions we?ve seen all year,? said resort president Bob Bonar. ?With this deep snowpack we expect to offer skiing and riding well into May, continuing our tradition of offering the longest season in Utah.? And at Solitude (from whence we received a photo collection of nothing but over the head faceshots yesterday ? Thanks a lot Joe and Nick), 58? of snow last week brings the YTD total to 438?!!
Exploring Ethiopia's Somali region
Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Africa, Ethiopia, Transportation, Budget Travel
It's the dream of every adventure traveler--to explore a region that gets virtually no tourism, to see a culture with little contact with the outside world, to be among the first to visit the sights. It can be a thrill, an amazing rush that gives you valuable insights into a foreign culture and its history.
It can also be a major pain in the ass.
To the east of Harar lies Ethiopia's Somali Region, a vast lowland spreading out east to Djibouti, Somaliland, and Somalia. Home to only 4.3 million, it's Ethiopia's most sparsely populated region, where many Somalis still live a traditional pastoral life.
To visit the Somali Region I hired a driver with a Landcruiser (the transport of choice in Africa) and Muhammed Jami Guleid (guleidhr @yahoo.com) a Harar tour guide who is Somali and lived for many years in the region. "Dake", as everybody calls him, may be Somali, but he's lived in Harar and speaks fluent Harari, so he's accepted as Harari. Nebil Shamshu, who introduced me to a traditional African healer, came along too.
We set out in the early morning, climbing up and over several large hills to the east of Harar and passing through the Valley of Marvels, a beautiful geological wonder of strange rock formations and towering pinnacles that reminds me of some parts of the Arizona wilderness. I ask our driver, Azeze, to stop so I can take pictures but he refuses. ""A few weeks ago bandits stopped a minibus here," he says. "They killed nine men and kidnapped and raped six women." Suddenly I don't feel like taking pictures anymore. While Ethiopia is generally safe (I haven't had any problems in four months travel all over the country) there are bandits in some parts of the countryside.
Gallery: Road trip in the Somali Region
Continue reading Exploring Ethiopia's Somali regionExploring Ethiopia's Somali region originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
It's the dream of every adventure traveler--to explore a region that gets virtually no tourism, to see a culture with little contact with the outside world, to be among the first to visit the sights. It can be a thrill, an amazing rush that gives you valuable insights into a foreign culture and its history.
It can also be a major pain in the ass.
To the east of Harar lies Ethiopia's Somali Region, a vast lowland spreading out east to Djibouti, Somaliland, and Somalia. Home to only 4.3 million, it's Ethiopia's most sparsely populated region, where many Somalis still live a traditional pastoral life.
To visit the Somali Region I hired a driver with a Landcruiser (the transport of choice in Africa) and Muhammed Jami Guleid (guleidhr @yahoo.com) a Harar tour guide who is Somali and lived for many years in the region. "Dake", as everybody calls him, may be Somali, but he's lived in Harar and speaks fluent Harari, so he's accepted as Harari. Nebil Shamshu, who introduced me to a traditional African healer, came along too.
We set out in the early morning, climbing up and over several large hills to the east of Harar and passing through the Valley of Marvels, a beautiful geological wonder of strange rock formations and towering pinnacles that reminds me of some parts of the Arizona wilderness. I ask our driver, Azeze, to stop so I can take pictures but he refuses. ""A few weeks ago bandits stopped a minibus here," he says. "They killed nine men and kidnapped and raped six women." Suddenly I don't feel like taking pictures anymore. While Ethiopia is generally safe (I haven't had any problems in four months travel all over the country) there are bandits in some parts of the countryside.
Gallery: Road trip in the Somali Region
Continue reading Exploring Ethiopia's Somali regionExploring Ethiopia's Somali region originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Readers' tips: photography galleries
Been there readers offer their top tips on the best photography exhibition spaces, from a gallery dedicated to war photography in Dubrovnik to a red phone booth in YorkshireWINNING TIP: War Photo Ltd, Dubrovnik, CroatiaThis compelling gallery is dedicated to the work of war photographers, and shows exhibitions from wars around the globe, as well as the Balkan conflict. The images are both hard-hitting and heartbreaking, and reveal people struggling to live their daily lives through wars. These are the lives and deaths of real people, and I urge you to rise to the emotional challenge.Antuninska 6, +385 20 322 166, warphotoltd.com. Admission �3.50. Closed until 1 MayTroutiemcfishBritainInto the Deep, EdinburghNot a gallery in the accepted sense: a Georgian square in the New Town has been transformed into an outdoor exhibition space with amazing, giant-sized photographs from the world's seas. The exhibition is part of the city's Science Festival and runs until 22 April. I saw many more people admiring the work displayed here than in more conventional galleries.St Andrew Square, sciencefestival.co.ukgdeanoukStills Gallery, EdinburghFantastic small gallery with some of the most innovative exhibitions in the city. Best to plan ahead and set aside some time if you are interested in the video pieces.23 Cockburn Street, 0131-622 6200, stills.org theadoreGallery on the Green, Settle Quirky but familiar, intimate yet communal ? for a photography gallery with a difference visit the "Tardis" of Settle, north Yorkshire, the Gallery On The Green. Step inside the classic red phone booth and you are transported to wherever the images take you. The charm of the smallest gallery in the world has inspired not only the local community but even Queen guitarist and astronomer Brian May, who supported a 3D exhibition of stereoscopic photographs. Here small really is beautiful.Upper Settle, galleryonthegreen.org.ukAlanFergusonPhotographique, BristolA tiny basement gallery showcasing photography from the local area and further afield. Mostly unheardof photographers, embracing new and often unconventional approaches. There's a rapid turnover of shows so there's always something new to see.31 Baldwin Street; 0117 930 0622, photographique.co.ukrussiaThe NetherlandsFoam Gallery, AmsterdamNot only does this place put on a variety of excellent photographic shows but it's worth a visit to check out the architecture alone. I have memories of cycling through the snow in Amsterdam and arriving at the gallery, getting into the warm and spending the afternoon looking around the show, the shop, the library and the building ? the whole package!Keizersgracht 609, +31 20 5516500, foam.org/foam-amsterdam. Admission ?8 hprykeNederlands Fotomuseum, RotterdamThe Chema Madoz exhibition was a very clever, sometimes humorous, collection of black and white images. It really captured my attention and impressed me with the creative and innovative ideas behind each photograph. It was refreshing to find an art exhibition that I could enjoy, understand and actually sink my teeth into.Las Palmas Building, Wilhelminakade 332; +31 10 203 0405, nederlandsfotomuseum.nl/index.php?lang=en. Admission ?7DunbabNepalKiran Chitrakar's archive, KathmanduKiran is a cameraman for Nepal state television and his father and grandfather were court photographers. Kiran has inherited their vast photographic archive, all on large glass negative slides, which he keeps at home. You can browse through black and white prints capturing Nepal and its people before the country opened up to tourism. Prints are available to buy and make a really original, reasonably priced holiday souvenir.Call Kiran on +977 9851 061961 to visit his home, which is in Bhimsensthan, near Kathmandu's Durbar SquareLevantinelivingChinaParis Beijing Photo Gallery, BeijingFounded by a French couple in the Dashanzi art district, it was one of the first galleries to exhibit exclusively photography ? young Chinese photographers and the work of international artists on China. Over the last four years, it has slowly expanded, opened in Paris, and gained a bit of a reputation, eventually showing Martin Parr's first exhibition in China.4 Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District, +86 10 59 789262, parisbeijingphotogallery.commarcusianoRussiaMoscow House of Photography I've never seen a boring photo here. The shows are always entertaining, incredibly well composed, sometimes a little subversive. Often they have photos showing what life's like outside Moscow, which capture the awesome beauty, and often desolation, of the country.16 Ostozhenka str, +7 495 637 1100, mdf.ru/english. Prices around �5 misswissTravel photographyPhotographyCultural tripsGuardian readersguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Cheap villas holidays enjoy comfort at modest prices
Cheap villas holidays are the best way to vacation in exotic holiday spots as they suit even modest budgets And they cannot get more exotic than the 'sunshine state' of Florida and the lovely beach
The Authentic Ski Tour: Big Sky, Day 4
..... Big Sky, Montana (Ski Press)-The first time you see Big Sky Resort?s Lone Peak it is like the first time you saw Brad Pitt in A River Runs Through It or the young Scarlett Johansson in the Horse Whisperer. ?My god,? you think as you gaze on that marble palace of rock and snow holding the horizon, and start re-ranking your standards of beauty and all the places you have skied before. ?I can?t believe I?ve never been here.? ?There?s another great pullout for pictures up ahead,? Doug Wales said, the second time I asked him to pull over, trying to capture in a single frame this monument to nature, this triumph of geology. ?Amazing,? I muttered, snapping shots by the side of the road. We had driven north from West Yellowstone after a day cross-country skiing among the bison, coyotes and geysers. Along with Jeff Carroll of Red Lodge, I had soaked in the ambiance of Chico Hot Springs and sped down the slopes of Red Lodge before we had taken a detour to count coyotes in the National Park. And now Wales, the marketing director at Bridger Bowl, was getting me back on the lifts. Big Time. With the most vertical drop in North America (4,350 ft), and in conjunction with next-door-neighbor Moonlight Basin the most skiable acreage (5, 512 acres), Big Sky really is one of the giants of North American skiing. Founder Chet Huntley (the late great NBC news anchorman), who opened the area in 1973, built his mountain out of runs as wide as the Montana sky all falling into impossible views. Then in 1995, with the addition of the Lone Peak Tram, the resort went Richter on the advanced scale. Palm-sweating steeps like the Big Couloir, Marx, Lenin and Dakota Bowl were suddenly easily accessible, and Big Sky?s big mountain reputation quickly began to build around the world. That mix of family vacationers and hardcore shredders is present everywhere, obvious in the little clans carving down the boulevard-wide blue runs, and in the fast-moving shred posses, bouncing in line for the tram to whisk them back up Lone Peak for another adrenaline dose. It is in the confluence of our palatial rooms at the Summit Hotel, and the cowboys who open the door and park the car. ?The President stayed right here,? Dax Schieffer said at lunch, pointing back up at the hotel that last August had hosted President Barack Obama and his family. ?It was the biggest event, and you couldn?t say a word.? Big Sky?s director of public relations, Schieffer was part of a planning group called the ?Secret Keepers? that had to privately plan for the president?s arrival ? including blocking out 400 rooms around the village for security and personnel, and reserving the parking lots for the presidential helicopter detail. ?Once all those helicopters started buzzing in,? Schieffer smiled, ?It was hard to keep it secret anymore.? A sunny day, we sat on the deck in that first hint of spring in the mountains with people everywhere. And after lunch we went zooming down the runs. There hadn?t been snow for a little while, but the visibility was fantastic and the hardpack had that dry Rocky Mountain buoyancy of cold Styrofoam. ?Hero conditions.? We waited for the tram and watched a group of young skiers getting a class in steep chute skiing while their parents waited below. Everybody clapped when they were done. And we zipped around on everything from soft corn snow to little sections as hard as coral reef, running like little flashes of color in the sun. At the end of the day we drank Cold Smoke Scotch Ale to ease into the evening, and to help our minds feel as warm as our cheeks. We walked around the little village with the firepit burning and people talking in crowds and couples, moving with some relaxed destination around the mountain town. We had Chianti, minestrone and lasagna at Andiamo, the chic Italian spot with the fuzzy chairs and the high walls. We had espresso or grappa. And Dax said, ?Tomorrow we?ll ski the North Summit Snowfields over to Moonlight Basin. And there?s one section where there can be some significant consequences if you fall.? I said, ?I don?t like the sound of that at all.? So that when I woke up the next morning, it was the first thing on my mind. Links Big Sky Resort ? www.bigskyresort.com Dax and the President - http://meetingsnet.com/medicalmeetings/mag/0101-president-meetings-guest/ Cold Smoke Scotch Ale - www.kettlehouse.com
No April Fool's - 3 Feet of Fresh at Squaw
.....Squaw Valley, Calif. (Ski Press)-No fooling, a strong storm has left up to 3 feet of new snow at Squaw Valley USA in the last 36 hours. A chance of snow showers remain in the forecast in the days ahead, providing continued fresh ski conditions. Squaw will be open through May 9th, with superb springtime skiing and snowboarding, and a host of spring events, including weekly pool parties at the spectacular High Camp Swiming Lagoon and Spa, and fun events like the annual Billy Dutton Uphill Race on April 11th, and the Lake Cushing Classic Pond Crossing. SEASON STATS To date this season, Squaw Valley USA has received over 428? or more than 35 feet of snow on the upper mountain. Current base depths measure 139-151? on the upper mountain.
Boy skis into bear den, lives to tell tale
Filed under: Skiing, Europe, Sweden, Ecotourism, News
A 12-year old Swedish boy has quite a tale to share after he accidently skied into a bear den last Friday, much to the ire of the inhabitant, who was home at the time.
Ollie Frisk and four of his friends were skiing in the backcountry at the Härjedalen ski resort, located in northern Sweden, at the time of the incident. Frisk unwittingly skied over the den, causing it to collapse under his weight and sending him tumbling inside. The female brown bear slumbering beneath the snow, woke up at the sound of an intruder in her home, and immediately pounced on the young man, who says he thought that he was dead for sure.
"I accepted death, that was the feeling, let it come," Frisk is quoted as saying.
But Ollie didn't die. Instead, he says, he quit struggling as he accepted the inevitability of his fate, and when he did so, the bear simply stopped attacking him. A few moments later she wandered out of the lair, where Ollie's friends made loud noises to scare her away. They then helped Frisk from the den, and back down the hill to safety.
The boy spent the night in a hospital, where he was treated for bite wounds on both legs and scratches on his back. Although he is lucky to be alive, Ollie is recovering quite nicely now and has returned home with his family.
The bear's cubs might not be so lucky however. After being scared off, the female hasn't returned to the den and the cubs have now been left alone for several days. If they aren't fed soon, wildlife officials may need to step in to save them. They're still hoping that mama will return home to her kids, but they are prepared to act if she doesn't.
[Photo credit: HBarrison via WikiMedia]Boy skis into bear den, lives to tell tale originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
A 12-year old Swedish boy has quite a tale to share after he accidently skied into a bear den last Friday, much to the ire of the inhabitant, who was home at the time.
Ollie Frisk and four of his friends were skiing in the backcountry at the Härjedalen ski resort, located in northern Sweden, at the time of the incident. Frisk unwittingly skied over the den, causing it to collapse under his weight and sending him tumbling inside. The female brown bear slumbering beneath the snow, woke up at the sound of an intruder in her home, and immediately pounced on the young man, who says he thought that he was dead for sure.
"I accepted death, that was the feeling, let it come," Frisk is quoted as saying.
But Ollie didn't die. Instead, he says, he quit struggling as he accepted the inevitability of his fate, and when he did so, the bear simply stopped attacking him. A few moments later she wandered out of the lair, where Ollie's friends made loud noises to scare her away. They then helped Frisk from the den, and back down the hill to safety.
The boy spent the night in a hospital, where he was treated for bite wounds on both legs and scratches on his back. Although he is lucky to be alive, Ollie is recovering quite nicely now and has returned home with his family.
The bear's cubs might not be so lucky however. After being scared off, the female hasn't returned to the den and the cubs have now been left alone for several days. If they aren't fed soon, wildlife officials may need to step in to save them. They're still hoping that mama will return home to her kids, but they are prepared to act if she doesn't.
[Photo credit: HBarrison via WikiMedia]Boy skis into bear den, lives to tell tale originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 30 Mar 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
The product of communicating with subway patrons
Filed under: North America, United States, Video, Transportation, Budget Travel
Fun fact: almost half of my good friends in my new home town of Chicago were randomly made on the subway. How did I meet them? By randomly striking up a conversation. I'm one of the few people on the planet that doesn't think that it's strange to communicate with people on the train, whether this is with a smile, some polite conversation or a shared laugh -- as it turns out, there are a lot of interesting people out there. Perhaps that's why I travel so much.
There's an interesting youtube video making its way around the interwebs right now that well-illustrates my line of thought. A guy named Luke Rudkowski spent some time meeting and interviewing random passengers on the New York subway, and in the process pulled some pretty interesting stories and opinions out of everyday passengers. With so many commuters stacked so close to one another each day, it's amazing that these stories don't more often intersect.The product of communicating with subway patrons originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Fun fact: almost half of my good friends in my new home town of Chicago were randomly made on the subway. How did I meet them? By randomly striking up a conversation. I'm one of the few people on the planet that doesn't think that it's strange to communicate with people on the train, whether this is with a smile, some polite conversation or a shared laugh -- as it turns out, there are a lot of interesting people out there. Perhaps that's why I travel so much.
There's an interesting youtube video making its way around the interwebs right now that well-illustrates my line of thought. A guy named Luke Rudkowski spent some time meeting and interviewing random passengers on the New York subway, and in the process pulled some pretty interesting stories and opinions out of everyday passengers. With so many commuters stacked so close to one another each day, it's amazing that these stories don't more often intersect.The product of communicating with subway patrons originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Video of the Day - Sunsets around the world
Filed under: Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, China, India, Mongolia, Russian Federation, Thailand, Vietnam, Belgium, France, Guatemala, Mexico, Nicaragua, United States, Australia, Colombia, Photo of the Day
Seeing the sun set over a foreign land can lead to some of the most memorable moments on any given trip. Even though it's an event we witness every day of our lives, watching it dip over a new horizon always feels like a completely new experience. Today's Video of the Day is a collection of one backpacker's best sunsets from a 365 day trip around the world.
Romain Corraze decided to travel around the world for one year after finishing his studies in 2009. Starting in France, he managed to venture through the USA, India, Cambodia, Colombia, China, Russia, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Mexico, Hong-Kong, Australia, Vietnam, Guatemala, Belgium & France - and captured some of these sunsets along the way.
If you like it, then be sure to check out Romain's full length documentary - "Backpacker, the movie". The video was shot with a Sony HDR-SR11 and edited in Final Cut Pro - which just goes to show that anyone can create an inspiring video with today's simple tools. If you have an inspiring piece to share, drop a comment below and it could be our next Photo/Video of the Day!Video of the Day - Sunsets around the world originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Seeing the sun set over a foreign land can lead to some of the most memorable moments on any given trip. Even though it's an event we witness every day of our lives, watching it dip over a new horizon always feels like a completely new experience. Today's Video of the Day is a collection of one backpacker's best sunsets from a 365 day trip around the world.
Romain Corraze decided to travel around the world for one year after finishing his studies in 2009. Starting in France, he managed to venture through the USA, India, Cambodia, Colombia, China, Russia, Thailand, Argentina, Chile, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Mexico, Hong-Kong, Australia, Vietnam, Guatemala, Belgium & France - and captured some of these sunsets along the way.
If you like it, then be sure to check out Romain's full length documentary - "Backpacker, the movie". The video was shot with a Sony HDR-SR11 and edited in Final Cut Pro - which just goes to show that anyone can create an inspiring video with today's simple tools. If you have an inspiring piece to share, drop a comment below and it could be our next Photo/Video of the Day!Video of the Day - Sunsets around the world originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 29 Mar 2011 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
A socialist football club in Hamburg's red light district
Marcel Theroux goes in search of the rebel spirit of St Pauli, and finds fans fighting for the club's soulMarcel TherouxShehani Fernando
Surprise Encounter in Saranda, Albania
My guess was that she had lived here her entire life, through communism and upheaval. I wondered if she?d had her heart broken or broken any hearts herself.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Galapagos Destinations Traveling Manual Spot light upon Galapagos Destinations Vacations
This Galapagos Islands, pretty much ONE PARTICULAR, 000km there are various coast connected with Ecuador, are the oceanic paradise; a spot that time has neglected This islands will be household to unique in addition to exciting styles of life which are definitely not found anywhere else on the planet
A visit to an African market
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Food and Drink, Africa, Ethiopia, Budget Travel
One of Africa's best attractions are its markets. Full of vibrant life and color, an African market always makes for a fascinating visit.
Harar has one big and several smaller markets. There used to be one at each of its five gates, but some have dwindled to barely half a dozen women selling tomatoes and potatoes. The only big gate markets now are at Assum Gate, where there's a busy market for qat, Africa's favorite narcotic leaf, and at Asmaddin Gate, which has a huge market--Harar's biggest and some say the second biggest in Ethiopia, with only Addis Ababa's famous Merkato being bigger. Merkato is unfair competition since it's the biggest African market of all!
The markets are dominated by the Oromo, a different ethnic group than the Hararis. The Hararis live in town and the Oromo farm the surrounding countryside. Most sell fresh produce and you'll see piles of fresh vegetables as well as sacks of grain. People also sell manufactured goods, mostly cheap Chinese imports such as shoes, blankets, radios, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
The Oromo have a strict segregation of the sexes at the market. Only women sell food, while men will often sell manufactured items. Men never sell qat. In his Eating the Flowers of Paradise, Kevin Rushby tells a story of an Oromo man whose wife had died. Needing money, he went to the market with a bundle of qat. He was laughed out of town and even years later he was known as "the man who tried to sell qat." Nobody could explain to me why this division of labor exists; it's just the way it is.
Gallery: Markets in Harar, EthiopiaContinue reading A visit to an African marketA visit to an African market originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
One of Africa's best attractions are its markets. Full of vibrant life and color, an African market always makes for a fascinating visit.
Harar has one big and several smaller markets. There used to be one at each of its five gates, but some have dwindled to barely half a dozen women selling tomatoes and potatoes. The only big gate markets now are at Assum Gate, where there's a busy market for qat, Africa's favorite narcotic leaf, and at Asmaddin Gate, which has a huge market--Harar's biggest and some say the second biggest in Ethiopia, with only Addis Ababa's famous Merkato being bigger. Merkato is unfair competition since it's the biggest African market of all!
The markets are dominated by the Oromo, a different ethnic group than the Hararis. The Hararis live in town and the Oromo farm the surrounding countryside. Most sell fresh produce and you'll see piles of fresh vegetables as well as sacks of grain. People also sell manufactured goods, mostly cheap Chinese imports such as shoes, blankets, radios, and pretty much anything else you can think of.
The Oromo have a strict segregation of the sexes at the market. Only women sell food, while men will often sell manufactured items. Men never sell qat. In his Eating the Flowers of Paradise, Kevin Rushby tells a story of an Oromo man whose wife had died. Needing money, he went to the market with a bundle of qat. He was laughed out of town and even years later he was known as "the man who tried to sell qat." Nobody could explain to me why this division of labor exists; it's just the way it is.
Gallery: Markets in Harar, EthiopiaContinue reading A visit to an African marketA visit to an African market originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Ask Tom: Live Q&A
Lonely Planet's Tom Hall will be live online tomorrow from 1-2pm answering your travel queries. Post your questions for him belowPlanning a late spring getaway in search of much-needed early summer sunshine? Maybe you're taking advantage of the extra bank holiday or starting to plan your summer. Need advice on a specific destination, how to get there or where to stay? Tom Hall will be live on Guardian Travel tomorrow offering expert advice. Post questions below in advance or on the day.Tom will get to as many as he can in an hour, but due to the volume of questions, he may not be able to answer all of them in the live blog. Unanswered questions will be considered for future Ask Tom blog posts.Tom Hallguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Submissions Call: Worst-Case Scenarios
At what point does a bad situation become a "worst-case scenario"?
Top Five Pocket Snacks For Skiers
This question just might be one of the seven wonders of the food world: What is the optimal snack to pack so I don?t have to stop for lunch on a powder day, that doesn?t weigh me down, smooch, or melt in my pocket? The answer is that just as skis have gotten wider, on-slope snacks have also improved, moving past dry protein bars and sweaty string cheese. If you?ve upgraded your gear in the last year, then it?s also time to upgrade the snack selection. Start with these five snacks, each available for under $2 per serving.
Video: Japanese tsunami destroying everything in its path
Filed under: Asia, Japan
The aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami has been widely broadcast on TV news shows - images of wiped out towns and the total destruction of entire areas showed us the power of the quake and its resulting tsunami.
In this video, you'll see one of the most terrifying clips to date - showing just how devastating this natural disaster really was. From the slowly rising river waters to a massive torrent that destroyed everything in its path - this is one clip that will stay in your mind for a long time.
[Via: Jalopnik]Video: Japanese tsunami destroying everything in its path originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
The aftermath of the Japanese earthquake and tsunami has been widely broadcast on TV news shows - images of wiped out towns and the total destruction of entire areas showed us the power of the quake and its resulting tsunami.
In this video, you'll see one of the most terrifying clips to date - showing just how devastating this natural disaster really was. From the slowly rising river waters to a massive torrent that destroyed everything in its path - this is one clip that will stay in your mind for a long time.
[Via: Jalopnik]Video: Japanese tsunami destroying everything in its path originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 28 Mar 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
China hotel industry expected to ride on continued bullish economic growth
The 7th Annual China Hotel Development and Financing Conference, organized by Horwath HTL, STR Global and the China Tourist Hotels Association (CTHA), kicked off officially this morning at the Crowne Plaza Sun Palace in Beijing, China. The event has attracted about 600 participants this year, which is 20% more than 2010.
Mr. Zhang Run Gang, President of China Tourist Hotels Association, opened the conference with optimism in the Chinese tourism and hotel industry, while highlighting the challenges, namely rising inflation, labour shortage and increasing labour costs, and the potential impact from the Japan Disaster. This sentiment was seconded by Mr. Liu Shi Jun, Deputy Director General of the China National Tourism Administration. He reinstated that low pay levels in the hotel industry is an obstacle in attracting and retaining talents. He lobbied for industry partners to collaborate on addressing this pressing issue.
Also speaking at the conference was Mr. Stephen Green, Head of Research for Standard Chartered in Greater China. According to Green, China is expected to register a GDP growth of 8.5% in 2011 and 9.0% in 2012, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) also growing by 5.5% and 3.0% respectively. It is predicted that China will be the world?s largest economy by 2020, and that the country will contribute 23% of global GDP by 2030. In contrast, the bank predicts that the US economy will shrink from contributing 24% of global GDP in 2010 to 12% by 2030. In 2010, the GDP of China grew by about 10.3% and accounted for 10% of the world?s GDP.
According to Mr. Jonas Ogren, Area Director of STR Global Asia, Revenue Per Available Room (RevPAR) of hotels in Asia Pacific rose by 21.3%, after a drastic drop of 19.4% in 2009. Between 2004 and 2008, the rolling Average Daily Rate (ADR) of hotels in China peaked at about RMB 588, but fell by 38% during the global financial crisis. ADR levels in the country are recovering, and the national aggregate is now at approximately RMB 478. In 2010, key markets such as Shanghai, Hong Kong and Beijing witnessed ADR growth of 47%, 32% and 28% respectively; with the significant ADR growth in Shanghai largely credited to the Shanghai World Expo held from May to October 2010. However, he pointed out that occupancy and ADR levels of luxury and upper upscale hotels in Shanghai and Beijing are still trailing behind other key gateway cities in the region, such as Sydney, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore. Ogren added that new hotel developments in China account for about 56% of the 334, 586 new hotel rooms to enter Asia in the next 3 to 4 years, and that hotel room inventory in China will increase by about 16% over this period.
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Monday, March 28, 2011
Classic France: the insiders' guide
Camp on the beach on the Emerald coast, take a tour of Cognac country or follow in Proust's footsteps around Normandy ? our experts reveal their dream trips that won't break the bankBrittanyIt is called the Emerald coast and bears its name with panache. From Cancale, world capital for oysters, to St Briac, where Renoir loved daydreaming, this stretch of granite rocks and gold sand shelters resorts with everything discerning visitors on a budget could dream of. Among them is Dinard, between St Malo and St Lunaire. There, pitch your tent at the Camping du Port Blanc (rue du Sergent Boulanger, +33 2 9946 1074, camping-port-blanc.com) on the beach, from ?13pp a night, or rent a studio at the charming La Pens�e in St Lunaire (la-pensee.pagesperso-orange.fr) from ?195 for a week.Among the many things to do in and around Dinard: swim, sail, walk, eat and hunt for antiques. In Dinard and St Lunaire, Point Passion Plage (digue de L'Ecluse, Dinard, +33 2 9988 1520, pointplage.fr) provides kayak, catamaran and windsurf lessons and rentals. You can also purchase a ?92 pass that will give you access to all their activities.Your stay on the Emerald coast wouldn't be complete without a taste of the region's best galettes, such as those of Cr�perie du Roy (9 boulevard F�art, Dinard, +33 2 9946 1057). Go for the galette soubise (onions cooked in muscadet) and cr�pe pomme maison flamb�e au calvados ? your palate (and wallet) will be forever grateful.If you want to treat yourself, then veer towards the promenade au Clair de Lune. At the end stands La Gonelle (+33 2 9916 4047, lagonelle.com), a seafood and fish restaurant open from 15 April to 30 September. You can choose your fish from the aquarium; the chef will present it to you on a platter as it breathes its last.There's no need for a car in Dinard. Public transport, such as the bus linking St Briac to St Malo (illenoo-services.fr), or the vedette (boat) taking you to St Malo every half-hour (vedettes-saint-malo.com), are reliable and cheap. You can also rent a bike for the day near Dinard's market (8 rue St Enogat, +33 2 9946 2725, breizhcycles.com) and cycle to the medieval city of Dinan (dinan-tourisme.com). You'll pedal through sunflower fields and old villages and hug the River Rance for a few miles. Dinard will leave you with wonderful and enduring souvenirs.French-born Agn�s Poirier is a political commentator and film critic based in ParisNormandyIn order to do the Marcel Proust tour of Normandy properly, you should ideally be driven by a bisexual chauffeur you're lusting after. If you can't manage that, then hire a convertible two-seater and get your significant other to wear goggles, kinky rubber coat and close-fitting aviator's hat while you shout relevant passages from A la Recherche du Temps Perdu from the passenger seat.Drive first to the Grand H�tel Cabourg (les jardins du Casino, +33 2 3191 0179, accorhotels.com) on the lovely C�te Fleurie (Flower Coast). Proust checked into his fourth floor suite here feverish and exhausted in the summer 1907. He wrote: "? menaced by the enemies thronging around me, penetrated to the very bones by fever, I was alone and wanted to die". When I stayed in the Marcel Proust suite with my beloved, by contrast, I couldn't have been happier. I flung open the French windows on to the Promenade de Marcel Proust and rang for the best room service I've ever had ? champagne with confite de daurade aux hu�tres.You could splash out and do the same ? a double room costs from ?165. Or stay at nearby La Raspeli�re (from ?80 for a double, chambres-hotes-cabourg.fr), and then dine at Le Balbec restaurant below the Grand H�tel, with its marvellous seasonal seafood menu (three courses from ?56). First, though, have a Proust cocktail (gin, cointreau, orange and cura�ao bleu) in the Belle Epoque bar while listening to Scott Joplin on the computerised pianola.Next morning follow Proust and the love of his life, chauffeur Albert Agostinelli, on their tour of Norman architecture. They went to Bayeux, not to see the tapestry, but to pay homage to oriental figures in the romanesque part of Bayeux cathedral. They didn't, as far as I can find out, have lunch in Bayeux's restaurants (try La Rapi�re, off rue St Jean, +33 2 3121 0545, larapiere.net) offering Norman-style cooking. But you should.Rejoin Proust's tour by visiting the abbeys of Jumi�ges, Saint-Wandrille and Saint-Georges de Bouscheville, perhaps taking tea at the Ch�teau de Balleroy (chateau-balleroy.com), where Proust savoured Boucher's tapestries.Check into another grand hotel ? the Grand H�tel de l'Esp�rance at Lisieux (from ?69 a night, lisieux-hotel.com) and after dinner, get your chauffeur to drive you to the cathedral of St Pierre. It was here that in 1907 Proust studied the facade's foliated tracery, illuminated by Agostinelli's headlamps.The following morning drive towards Illiers, where adolescent Marcel stayed. On the way, you'd be idiotic not to visit Chartres cathedral (chartres-tourisme.com). Illiers itself is a scruffy backwater village transformed into Combray in the novel. Today the house where Proust's Tante L�onie lived is a little museum (marcelproust.pagesperso-orange.fr). From Illiers, you could drive to Monet's garden at Giverny (?8, giverny.org/gardens). Proust repeatedly planned to go, but never made it. A shame: given his love of botany and his hypersensitive openness to beauty, he would have adored it.Stuart Jeffries is a feature writer and ex-Paris correspondent for the GuardianLoireThe Loire Valley has to be France's most fran�ais region. Its people speak the purest French, and it's also at the heart of the country's history ? a fascinating base for a week's touring.The most famous chateau, and justifiably so, is Chenonceau (chenonceau.com) in Indre-et-Loire ? it straddles a lake on a series of arches, and was a gift from King Henri II to his lover Diane de Poitiers, a woman so sexy that the Queen, Catherine de Medici, used to spy on the couple's lovemaking to learn a few tricks. Chenonceau is to chateaux what Monica Bellucci is to cinema. Le Relais de Chenonceaux (+33 2 4723 9811, chenonceaux.com), close to the chateau, has double rooms from ?52, half-board from ?92.To the south-west, across vineyard-covered countryside stands the hilltop Ch�teau de Chinon (visit-loire.com/cities-loire/chinon). You can stand in the very room where Joan of Arc performed a "miracle" in 1429. To test her divine inspiration, Prince Charles (no, not that one) hid in disguise among his courtiers. Unerringly, Joan picked him out. Miraculous, until you realise that the knock-kneed, squinty-eyed prince was one of the most recognisable men in France.A great-value day out is a rent-a-bike ride along the Loire riverbanks from the medieval Ch�teau de Blois (chateaudeblois.fr): Tra�neurs de Loire (traineursdeloire.com) rent out bikes for ?13 a day from several locations along the river.In the evenings, the region is the perfect place for a gourmet feast. In the old centre of Saumur, Auberge Saint-Pierre (6 place Saint-Pierre, auberge-saintpierre.com) has traditional regional cuisine at reasonable prices, such as boeuf bourguignon for ?11.50.And if I taste a wine I like at dinner, I ask the restaurateur for the grower's address, then drop by next day to stock up at wholesale prices. Chinon blanc sec, for example, is a golden drink that inspires descriptions like "harmonious", "fruity" and "generous with its charms" ? very much like this part of France itself.Stephen Clarke, author of A Year in the Merde (Black Swan, �7.99). His new book, Paris Revealed, is out on 31 MarchAquitaineThe first time I travelled down to France's south-west corner, it was to investigate the region's separatist movement, Iparetarrak (IK), a more amateurish and considerably less violent version of Eta. For many years, IK was secretly applauded by those Parisians lucky enough to own houses along that pristine stretch of Atlantic coastline. Twenty years on, the revolutionaries that fed IK have retired and development along the coastline has mushroomed. New-builds have sprung up on the hills, and traffic jams along the coast's route nationale are the norm.There is one place, however, that has not changed. Gu�thary is a small fishing village nestled between the chichi seaside towns of Biarritz and Saint Jean-de-Luz. It is also one of Europe's more confidential surf spots and so it has been contaminated or preserved, depending on your point of view, by a certain alternative vibe that seems to co-exist quite nicely with the well-heeled Parisian families who have been holidaying there since the 60s.The village is sliced in two by the route nationale, so you'll want to make sure you're staying on the right side of it. Head straight to the Hotel Madrid (+33 5 5926 5212, lemadrid.com) in the heart of the village. Here the sound of the ocean rubs out the distant rumble of traffic. Unaltered since the turn of the last century when Paul Klee stayed here and sat with Kandinsky on its windswept terrace overlooking the sea, Le Madrid is still a simple, family hotel with five pretty rooms, from ?59 a night, and a good restaurant.Gu�thary is one of those magical places to which people return faithfully all their lives. My own children would play for hours on its vast fronton (court), theoretically for pelota but more often for impromptu football, or rollerskating, or teenage flirting or, at night, dances and fireworks or Basque games (shows of strength).In the morning, you might walk down to one of Gu�thary's three beaches: la Plage du Centre to mess around in the rockpools and eat chipirones (tiny squid) or gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp) at Kostaldea, a little place right on the beach. Or there are the wilder beaches of Les Alcyons or Cenitz, where you can lie on the white sand or body-surf in the big waves. Later, while the children play outside you can be in the Bar Basque opposite the Madrid, drinking sangria and watching the sunset.Lucy Wadham is the author of The Secret Life of France (Faber, �7.99)AlsaceWith a unique Franco-German character, Alsace offers stunning mountainous scenery, gorgeous villages, fascinating museums and wonderful wines. My ideal itinerary around the region kicks off high up in the Vosges mountains. The wonderful little eco-hotel Villa Rosa (rue Thierry Schoerem, +33 3 8949 8119, villarosa.fr) in Trois-Epis, near the town of Colmar, is the perfect place to relax. It has eight comfortable rooms costing from ?63 per night, and its owner, Anne-Rose, creates wonderful meals with the vegetables, herbs and flowers from her garden (?26 for three courses).After winding down for a day or two next to the solar-heated pool or taking walks from the hotel, I'll jump in the hire car for some thrilling drives through the mountains. The hairpin bends aren't for the faint-hearted, and the roads' steep hills are a popular challenge for cyclists. My destination is the nearby village of Turckheim. Like my other favourite villages, Eguisheim and Riquewihr, Turckheim has wonderful narrow streets rambling through colourful timber-framed houses with window boxes in full bloom. My stroll will also have me sniffing out one of Turckheim's wineries where I'll sample the local riesling and gew�rztraminer.Not far from Turckheim is the imposing Ch�teau du Haut-Koenigsbourg (haut-koenigsbourg.fr). Sitting high over the vineyard-lined valley, the castle dates from the 12th century and offers incredible views across to the Black Forest in Germany. After a poke around its battlements, I'll carry on to Colmar, a gorgeous little town in the heart of Alsace. Lunch is at the characterful restaurant Maison Rouge (9, rue des Ecoles, Colmar, +33 3 8923 5322), where I'll tuck into a salad of the local Munster cheese, or a delicious tarte flamb�e, before walking it off along the canal in the area known as Petite Venise (Little Venice).Carolyn Boyd is editor of France magazine (francemag.com) Poitou-CharentesBeneath Tiepolo skies, it's a gentle amble through shimmering cognac vines down to the Charente river for a dip in the calm waters. Such is the idyllic nature of summer days in the Charente, second-sunniest corner of France, after the Riviera.The riverside town of Cognac has for four centuries been the home of cognac-making, now a booming export trade, not least among the American rapper fraternity where it's known as "yak". In the courtyard restaurant of the quirkily decorated but comfortable Hotel Heritage (25, rue d'Angoul�me, +33 5 4582 0126, hheritage.com, doubles ?70) or in the smartly cosy Le Bistro de Claude (35 rue Grande, +33 5 4582 6032, bistro-de-claude.com) the spirit Victor Hugo dubbed "the liquor of the gods" is served in tulip glasses to stop aromas escaping.Most cognac houses ? such as Hennessy, Martell and R�my Martin ? offer visits and tastings. But Baron Otard (baronotard.com) has the advantage of being in the Ch�teau de Cognac so the tour takes in Renaissance halls designed by Leonardo da Vinci and plunges into a fungi-draped dungeon, the "paradise cellar", where cognacs from centuries past are stored.For sustenance of the soul, the nearby thousand-year-old Abbey of Bassac (+33 5 4581 9422, abbayebassac.com) has a tangible spirituality and visitors are welcome to stroll in the near-silent gardens. Within the same tiny village there's a choice of two good restaurants, L'Essille (rue de Conde, +33 5 4581 9413, hotel-restaurant-essille.com) and L'Auberge de Cond� (, doubles ?35, rue Rixendis Loriches, +33 5 4583 0967, auberge-de-conde.net).But for an insight into contemporary French culture, head to Angoul�me, historic home of papermaking and capital of the comic book. On a ramble through the hilly Charente capital you'll spot some of the 20 or so giant-scale cartoon scenes painted on to the sides of buildings by top comic strip artists.Lennox Morrison is an author and journalist based in ParisDordogneThe prehistoric Lascaux caves, Bergerac, and Sarlat are the famous sites of the Dordogne region of Aquitaine, but in the bit I know well I've found many surprising treasures. Make a base in the pretty village of Sainte Alv�re, such as the sweet Roquebrune en P�rigord (+33 5 5361 2418, roquebrune-perigord.com, ?75 for two), where you will be tempted to spend a week scoffing saucisson, truffles and foie gras from the weekly market (the rotisserie chicken van is amazing). Go dancing one night with local farmers, families and dreadlocked hippies at La Guinguette de Neufonds, a fun restaurant beside a lake (where you can swim) near Vergt, that has a cheap buffet with live music ranging from Gypsy jazz to local ska-punk.My top day trips are as follows. A wonderful chateau with an interesting backstory is Ch�teau des Milandes (milandes.com) in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, once the home of Josephine Baker, the African American who became an exotic dancer in Paris in the 20s. She also spied for the French resistance, was a major player in the American civil rights movement and the Angelina Jolie of her day, adopting children from around the world. Look out for the gorgeous art deco bathrooms modelled on perfume bottles and her famous banana skirt. Another day drive to Limeuil, where the Dordogne and V�z�re rivers meet and you can go for a high-speed float in the strong currents, or kayak. Further away, on the coast, the incredible Dune du Pyla is Europe's biggest sand dune, and if you're in the area in May, the Bergerac jazz festival (jazzpourpre.com) is excellent.Gemma Bowes, acting travel editor of the GuardianProvence-Alpes-C�te D'AzurProvence and the C�te d'Azur don't take kindly to budgets, but experiencing the region on the cheap is possible. I'd head to N�mes (just over the border in Languedoc-Roussillon), preferably between 8-13 June for the F�ria (viva-la-feria.com), and either buy a ticket for the bullfighting at the Roman arena of Les Ar�nes (4 rue de la Violette, arenesdenimes.com) or settle for some gardiane, a bull casserole. I'd sleep at the excellent N�mes youth hostel (?35 for a double, +33 4 6668 0320, hinimes.com).On to Arles and the fascinating Van Gogh walking tour (+33 4 9018 4120, arlestourisme.com) then, bellyful of bull finally digested ? it won't go down without a fight ? I'll have pizza at Chez N�n� et B�b� (12 impasses du Forum, +33 4 9093 4949, tinyurl.com/5sg57fg).I'd like to hit Avignon for its festival from 6-26 July (+33 4 9027 6650, festival- avignon.com) and to eat at Au Tout Petit (?25 for three courses, 4 rue d'Amphoux, +33 4 9082 3886, autoutpetit.fr), which serves good value, inventive dishes.Last stop, Aix-en-Provence, and I'd stretch the budget to stay at Le Manoir (?67 for a double room, 8 rue d'Entrecasteaux, +33 4 4226 2720, hotelmanoir.com), set in an historic house with a beautiful courtyard and 14th-century cloister.Neil McQuillian is a travel writer for Rough GuidesLanguedoc-RoussillonIt is easy to find the Languedoc. Just follow the Rh�ne river, and when you hit the southern French coast, instead of turning left to head to St Tropez or Provence, head right towards Spain. The region stretches over 16,000 square miles.Your first major stop is B�ziers, a city that seems almost more Spanish than French. It was a Cathar stronghold in medieval times and the site of a horrendous massacre in 1209 when crusaders besieged the city. The worst bloodshed took place in the cathedral, which you should visit, if only for the views across the city and the Orb. Then you have two choices for lunch; either the best wine-bar in the region, Le Chameau Ivre (15 place Jean Jaur�s, +33 4 6780 2020, tinyurl.com/5s93d5t), or a charming restaurant called Le Petit Monmartre (+33 4 6728 5654, lepetitmontmartre.net) in the elegant Place de la Madeleine. Stay at the H�tel des Po�tes, overlooking the park (80 all�es Paul Riquet, +33 4 67 76 38 66, hoteldespoetes.net).Next stop is the Etang de Bages, just outside Narbonne. You can walk along the wooden walkways over the water, or simply along the coastal paths, admiring the nature and the pink flamingoes. If you're hungry there is no nicer place to eat than the restaurant Le Portanel (pas de Portanel, +33 4 6842 8166, leportanel.fr).From there it is a short drive to Spain, but please don't miss Collioure (collioure.com), just before the border, a favourite haunt of the fauvist artists and famous for its anchovies.Helena Frith Powell is the author of Love in a Warm Climate (Gibson Square, �8.99)FranceDordogneProvenceBrittanyNormandyPyreneesFood and drinkAgn�s PoirierStuart JeffriesLucy WadhamGemma BowesHelena Frith Powellguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Turks and Caicos Islands
Island vacations can be sophisticated or rustic, active or serene. Head to the Turks and Caicos Islands and you can mix and match day by day. This scenic collection of 40 diverse destinations has your dream escape. Eight of the islands are inhabited. Many visitors prefer to lodge on Providenciales, known as Provo, which is renowned for its spacious accommodations and top-of-the-line services. Adventures await at sister islands such as Grand Turk and Salt Cay, where impressive Bahamian-style architecture is the backdrop for amazing diving. Cockburn Harbor has an intriguing blue hole, Middle Caicos boasts a large flamingo population, North Caicos is lush ? in the Turks and Caicos Islands, you can have several vacations in one. If you?re eager to enjoy Provo?s exceptional diving, beautiful beaches and fine restaurants ? without paying luxury prices ? lodge at the Comfort Suites. This all-suite hotel provides everything discriminating travelers expect ? except the high tariff.
Located directly across the street from Grace Bay Beach, with its own designated area with lounge chairs and shades, Comfort Suites is also adjacent to the Ports of Call Shopping Village. Restaurants, bars, boutiques and other service providers make convenient neighbors.
Better yet, Comfort Suites itself is a delightful place to lodge. Every guest room is a junior suite, each one refreshingly refurbished with new upholstery, flat-screen TVs, orthopedic bedding, sofa beds, refrigerators and free WiFi access. Guests gather around the 50-foot swimming pool and at the hotel bar. Did we mention breakfast is complimentary? This is the hotel that allows value travelers to enjoy this special destination. 888- 678-3483, comfortsuitestci.com
Ocean Club and Ocean Club West are situated right on Grace Bay Beach in a relaxed and casual setting. These all-suite resorts offer an ideal balance of quiet and activity. Stay at one and you?re a guest at both!
Each of the hotels has its own dive shop. Windsurfing, catamaran trips, sailboats and motorized skiffs invite you to head into the Caribbean Sea all day. At both hotels, stunning freshwater pools situated near tropical gardens invite a more leisurely experience. Barbecue areas surrounding the pools encourage relaxed dinners.
Ocean Club Resorts feature three restaurants, and all take advantage of entrees from the land and sea. At Opus Restaurant, the evenings- only eatery, chefs use local ingredients to creatively enliven classics. The beachfront Seaside Caf� has Caribbean cuisine with an Italian influence. Grab conch fingers or a wrap at the casual oceanfront Cabana Bar & Grille.
Each resort offers beautifully appointed accommodations ranging from studios to threebedroom suites. Lodgings begin at 400 square feet and are as generously sized as 1,900 square feet for a three-bedroom unit, which will comfortably fit a family or a group of friends. All units have a kitchenette or kitchen, a balcony or patio, and at least one full bathroom. In addition to the ability to prepare meals ?at home,? families appreciate the rental strollers, beach toys, high chairs, baby monitors, books and board games. Between them, the resorts have spa treatments, a fitness center, tennis courts and complimentary bicycles. Many guests enjoy the greens at the nearby Provo Golf and Country Club. 800-457-8787, oceanclubresorts.com
If you?re looking for relaxation and indulgence in a Turks and Caicos vacation, then consider The Tuscany on Grace Bay. Situated on a lovely stretch of Grace Bay Beach, this luxury resort with Italian-influenced architecture provides a civilized escape. The Tuscany on Grace Bay ranks No. 1 out of 42 Providenciales hotels and resorts on TripAdvisor.
When guests are not exploring Providenciales or hitting the links at the nearby golf course, they?re enjoying the white sand and sunshine or unwinding by the pool. Tennis lovers will enjoy the court, lighted for night play.
The Tuscany?s 30 three-bedroom suites are expansive. Each uniquely decorated unit offers 2,000 square feet of amenities, including a gourmet kitchen and screened-in balcony with panoramic ocean views. The comforts of the master bathroom include a platform soaking tub, separate oversized shower and double vanity sinks, and, as a favor to families, many units come equipped with DVDs, toys and changing tables.
Terria Misick, the Tuscany?s gracious general manager, is dedicated to pampering lodgers. Want your suite stocked with groceries before you arrive? An exquisite meal prepared by a private chef? An indulgent spa treatment? Simply ask. Need to call home? No problem. The Tuscany provides complimentary Sony Ericsson cell phones, which work anywhere on the island. Ten dollars of free long-distance minutes is a gift from the management.
The Tuscany is giving away a five-night vacation. Aspiring winners should enter for their chance at thetuscanyresort.com/fivefreenights by April 30. 866-359-6466, thetuscanyresort.com
If you think about what you want in a family vacation, The Alexandra Resort & Spa truly seems to have it all. And you can take advantage of the Suite ?N? the deal free-night program. You?ll be treated to plenty of room, including a dining area, a living room with a sleeper sofa, a washer/dryer and a full kitchen. Did we mention the DVR? Record a movie, microwave some popcorn and spend a cozy evening bonding.
Better yet, The Alexandra Resort offers a family program that lets you experience adventure, exploration and even a little quiet time for the two of you. After you settle into your suite, you may want to stock up on some supplies at the market, which offers goodies from breakfast cereal to pate de foie gras, milk to a beautiful cabernet sauvignon. The staff will be happy to shop for you if you?d prefer.
Take a day to explore the island, beautiful by nature. The Alexandra will provide the car, a picnic basket and a map of Provo. On another day, visit the sea. Enjoy a Hobie Cat and conduct your own cruise around the islands. And on an evening of your choice, the two grown-ups will enjoy a gourmet dinner at a private table for two on the beach while the little ones have a kidfriendly dinner with a babysitter.
Your family will remember these days together for many years to come, and The Alexandra Resort provides the perfect setting for this family portrait.800-284-0699, alexandraresort.com
One of the original hotels on the island of Provo, The Sands at Grace Bay continues to stand apart. Situated on a prime stretch of Grace Bay Beach, this recently renovated 114-room paradise has what vacationers seek. In addition to the gentle Caribbean Sea, guests can swim in one of three freeform swimming pools, which are connected by canals. A waterfall, Jacuzzi and intimate grottos enhance the lush hotel grounds. Lodgers can use the resort?s kayaks, windsurfing equipment, snorkel gear and Hobie Cats for free and can explore the grounds by bicycle. A tennis court is lighted for night play.
The hotel?s legendary Hemingway?s Beachfront Restaurant offers fine island and continental cuisine as well as alfresco dining right on a beach deck. It?s almost mandatory to begin each dinner with conch fritters. After that, perhaps you?ll feast on pan-seared grouper with tequila-veggie salsa, or grilled tender filet mignon with red wine-mushroom sauce. Guests preferring to prepare their own meals can do it in the privacy of their suites. The 1,000- to 1,600-square-foot accommodations feature full kitchens with granite counter tops. Even studios have mini refrigerators, microwave ovens, toasters and coffeemakers.
Special deals are available through mid- December. For example, with the Lasting Love Romance Package, you?ll be greeted en suite with fresh flowers, strawberries and a chilled bottle of bubbly. During your stay, you?ll be treated to his and hers Swedish massages, full scalp massages and mini reflexology sessions. You?ll relax other ways, too, such as with a couples sunset cruise and a couples beach cruise. Even roundtrip airport transfers are included. 877-777-2637, thesandstc.com
Clearly, incredible accommodations at many price points are on the menu for your Turks and Caicos island vacation. Which wondrous island you choose to explore during each day ? well, that?s up to you.
Located directly across the street from Grace Bay Beach, with its own designated area with lounge chairs and shades, Comfort Suites is also adjacent to the Ports of Call Shopping Village. Restaurants, bars, boutiques and other service providers make convenient neighbors.
Better yet, Comfort Suites itself is a delightful place to lodge. Every guest room is a junior suite, each one refreshingly refurbished with new upholstery, flat-screen TVs, orthopedic bedding, sofa beds, refrigerators and free WiFi access. Guests gather around the 50-foot swimming pool and at the hotel bar. Did we mention breakfast is complimentary? This is the hotel that allows value travelers to enjoy this special destination. 888- 678-3483, comfortsuitestci.com
Ocean Club and Ocean Club West are situated right on Grace Bay Beach in a relaxed and casual setting. These all-suite resorts offer an ideal balance of quiet and activity. Stay at one and you?re a guest at both!
Each of the hotels has its own dive shop. Windsurfing, catamaran trips, sailboats and motorized skiffs invite you to head into the Caribbean Sea all day. At both hotels, stunning freshwater pools situated near tropical gardens invite a more leisurely experience. Barbecue areas surrounding the pools encourage relaxed dinners.
Ocean Club Resorts feature three restaurants, and all take advantage of entrees from the land and sea. At Opus Restaurant, the evenings- only eatery, chefs use local ingredients to creatively enliven classics. The beachfront Seaside Caf� has Caribbean cuisine with an Italian influence. Grab conch fingers or a wrap at the casual oceanfront Cabana Bar & Grille.
Each resort offers beautifully appointed accommodations ranging from studios to threebedroom suites. Lodgings begin at 400 square feet and are as generously sized as 1,900 square feet for a three-bedroom unit, which will comfortably fit a family or a group of friends. All units have a kitchenette or kitchen, a balcony or patio, and at least one full bathroom. In addition to the ability to prepare meals ?at home,? families appreciate the rental strollers, beach toys, high chairs, baby monitors, books and board games. Between them, the resorts have spa treatments, a fitness center, tennis courts and complimentary bicycles. Many guests enjoy the greens at the nearby Provo Golf and Country Club. 800-457-8787, oceanclubresorts.com
If you?re looking for relaxation and indulgence in a Turks and Caicos vacation, then consider The Tuscany on Grace Bay. Situated on a lovely stretch of Grace Bay Beach, this luxury resort with Italian-influenced architecture provides a civilized escape. The Tuscany on Grace Bay ranks No. 1 out of 42 Providenciales hotels and resorts on TripAdvisor.
When guests are not exploring Providenciales or hitting the links at the nearby golf course, they?re enjoying the white sand and sunshine or unwinding by the pool. Tennis lovers will enjoy the court, lighted for night play.
The Tuscany?s 30 three-bedroom suites are expansive. Each uniquely decorated unit offers 2,000 square feet of amenities, including a gourmet kitchen and screened-in balcony with panoramic ocean views. The comforts of the master bathroom include a platform soaking tub, separate oversized shower and double vanity sinks, and, as a favor to families, many units come equipped with DVDs, toys and changing tables.
Terria Misick, the Tuscany?s gracious general manager, is dedicated to pampering lodgers. Want your suite stocked with groceries before you arrive? An exquisite meal prepared by a private chef? An indulgent spa treatment? Simply ask. Need to call home? No problem. The Tuscany provides complimentary Sony Ericsson cell phones, which work anywhere on the island. Ten dollars of free long-distance minutes is a gift from the management.
The Tuscany is giving away a five-night vacation. Aspiring winners should enter for their chance at thetuscanyresort.com/fivefreenights by April 30. 866-359-6466, thetuscanyresort.com
If you think about what you want in a family vacation, The Alexandra Resort & Spa truly seems to have it all. And you can take advantage of the Suite ?N? the deal free-night program. You?ll be treated to plenty of room, including a dining area, a living room with a sleeper sofa, a washer/dryer and a full kitchen. Did we mention the DVR? Record a movie, microwave some popcorn and spend a cozy evening bonding.
Better yet, The Alexandra Resort offers a family program that lets you experience adventure, exploration and even a little quiet time for the two of you. After you settle into your suite, you may want to stock up on some supplies at the market, which offers goodies from breakfast cereal to pate de foie gras, milk to a beautiful cabernet sauvignon. The staff will be happy to shop for you if you?d prefer.
Take a day to explore the island, beautiful by nature. The Alexandra will provide the car, a picnic basket and a map of Provo. On another day, visit the sea. Enjoy a Hobie Cat and conduct your own cruise around the islands. And on an evening of your choice, the two grown-ups will enjoy a gourmet dinner at a private table for two on the beach while the little ones have a kidfriendly dinner with a babysitter.
Your family will remember these days together for many years to come, and The Alexandra Resort provides the perfect setting for this family portrait.800-284-0699, alexandraresort.com
One of the original hotels on the island of Provo, The Sands at Grace Bay continues to stand apart. Situated on a prime stretch of Grace Bay Beach, this recently renovated 114-room paradise has what vacationers seek. In addition to the gentle Caribbean Sea, guests can swim in one of three freeform swimming pools, which are connected by canals. A waterfall, Jacuzzi and intimate grottos enhance the lush hotel grounds. Lodgers can use the resort?s kayaks, windsurfing equipment, snorkel gear and Hobie Cats for free and can explore the grounds by bicycle. A tennis court is lighted for night play.
The hotel?s legendary Hemingway?s Beachfront Restaurant offers fine island and continental cuisine as well as alfresco dining right on a beach deck. It?s almost mandatory to begin each dinner with conch fritters. After that, perhaps you?ll feast on pan-seared grouper with tequila-veggie salsa, or grilled tender filet mignon with red wine-mushroom sauce. Guests preferring to prepare their own meals can do it in the privacy of their suites. The 1,000- to 1,600-square-foot accommodations feature full kitchens with granite counter tops. Even studios have mini refrigerators, microwave ovens, toasters and coffeemakers.
Special deals are available through mid- December. For example, with the Lasting Love Romance Package, you?ll be greeted en suite with fresh flowers, strawberries and a chilled bottle of bubbly. During your stay, you?ll be treated to his and hers Swedish massages, full scalp massages and mini reflexology sessions. You?ll relax other ways, too, such as with a couples sunset cruise and a couples beach cruise. Even roundtrip airport transfers are included. 877-777-2637, thesandstc.com
Clearly, incredible accommodations at many price points are on the menu for your Turks and Caicos island vacation. Which wondrous island you choose to explore during each day ? well, that?s up to you.
Your Next Island Home?
Timeshare rentals, Destination Club offers ? as editor of ISLANDS magazine, my inbox sees a lot of these. Most go ignored. This one, however, employs a unique business model that struck me as different, bold and ? looking through these unbelievable island homes ? at least worthy of a fun daydream, or more...
From Equity Estates: We are an investment portfolio that provides dual benefits to its members: luxury vacation home travel (similar to what destination clubs like Exclusive Resorts offer) and long-term appreciation potential through an equity position in a portfolio of multi-million dollar vacation homes. It works like this:
? Unlike a timeshare, travel club, etc., Equity Estates is an equity-based real estate investment fund that allows its members access to luxury homes all over the world in which the fund invests, in addition to appreciation when the homes are sold. Members essentially travel for free while their money works for them, and the initial investment is actually 75% less than the cost of renting these homes otherwise would be.
? The portfolio continues to grow with residences in 32 destinations, including Turks & Caicos, Florence and Maui. Based on feedback from their owner members, Equity Estates purchases luxury residences at the bottom of the market, in desirable vacation destinations, that also offer a sound long-term investment that will likely result in handsome returns upon selloff.
? The immediate gratification members receive in their investment by having access to these vacation homes, combined with the opportunity to make a sound, low risk, long-term investment in the homes? appreciation over the next 10 years, makes Equity Estates the smartest way to own and enjoy luxury vacation homes around the world. This uniquely successful business model has helped Equity Estates grow membership by 50 percent year over year. 800-413-3340; equityestatesfund.com.
From Equity Estates: We are an investment portfolio that provides dual benefits to its members: luxury vacation home travel (similar to what destination clubs like Exclusive Resorts offer) and long-term appreciation potential through an equity position in a portfolio of multi-million dollar vacation homes. It works like this:
? Unlike a timeshare, travel club, etc., Equity Estates is an equity-based real estate investment fund that allows its members access to luxury homes all over the world in which the fund invests, in addition to appreciation when the homes are sold. Members essentially travel for free while their money works for them, and the initial investment is actually 75% less than the cost of renting these homes otherwise would be.
? The portfolio continues to grow with residences in 32 destinations, including Turks & Caicos, Florence and Maui. Based on feedback from their owner members, Equity Estates purchases luxury residences at the bottom of the market, in desirable vacation destinations, that also offer a sound long-term investment that will likely result in handsome returns upon selloff.
? The immediate gratification members receive in their investment by having access to these vacation homes, combined with the opportunity to make a sound, low risk, long-term investment in the homes? appreciation over the next 10 years, makes Equity Estates the smartest way to own and enjoy luxury vacation homes around the world. This uniquely successful business model has helped Equity Estates grow membership by 50 percent year over year. 800-413-3340; equityestatesfund.com.
Surprise Encounter in Saranda, Albania
My guess was that she had lived here her entire life, through communism and upheaval. I wondered if she?d had her heart broken or broken any hearts herself.
Turin, Italy's forgotten city
Italy became a country just 150 years ago and Turin, its first capital, is hosting the birthday celebrations. Here is the best of this fascinating cityOver the past 100 years or so Turin has rather become Italy's forgotten city. For tourists, it comes a long way down the list behind the magnetic must-see destinations of Venice, Florence, Rome and Naples. For Italians, Turin is still perceived as a kind of "grim up north" metropolis of heavy industry, with its emblematic Fiat factories.That is set to change from 17 March, when the city takes centre stage as the venue for Esperienza Italia (italia150.it), a nine-month celebration of the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Italian state. The Italy that we know today was officially united from disparate city states and dukedoms, and declared a nation as recently as 1861. And the city that became its capital (though for just four years) and site of the first parliament was Turin.What visitors will discover this year is that the exhibitions and festivities are only the tip of the iceberg of Turin's attractions. Surrounded by rolling green hills with snowy Alpine peaks in the background, the historic centre is filled with sumptuous baroque palaces and art nouveau mansions, and a labyrinth of shady arcades lined with fashion boutiques, funky aperitivo bars and romantic restaurants serving delicious Piemontese cuisine.The man behind the unification, or Il Risorgimento as it is known, was Count Camillo di Cavour, who just happened to come from Turin. This was already an imposing regal city: the Dukes of Savoy had built their opulent palazzi here, and they became the official royal family when parliament declared Victor Emmanuel II the first king of a united Italy on 17 March 1861. This month, it will be Italy's head of state, the eminently respectable President Giorgio Napolitano ? and not the serially disreputable prime minister Silvio Berlusconi ? who will arrive at the newly reopened Palazzo Carignano to inaugurate the celebrations in the original tiny parliamentary chamber.From that moment on, Turin will host a non-stop calendar of art, design and fashion exhibitions, opera and concert performances, food and wine tastings, plus festivals of theatre, cinema, street art and music. There will be two main venues, the Officine Grandi Riparazioni, or OGR, an immense railway workshop in the heart of the city, and the Venaria Reale, a sumptuous 17th-century hunting lodge and the residence of the Savoy royalty at the edge of the modern city, today a beautifully preserved world heritage site.The blockbuster art exhibitions will all be at the Venaria (Piazza della Repubblica, lavenaria.it), beginning with Bella Italia, a selection of more than 300 masterpieces by Giotto, Botticelli, Raphael, Michelangelo, Titian, Veronese and Caravaggio. Then, in October, the more quirky Leonardo: Italian Genius, Universal Myth (lavenaria.it/mostre/eng/eventi/2011/leonardo.shtml) opens, examining how artists have depicted the face of il maestro compared with his iconic self-portrait in red chalk.Away from fine art, fashionistas will not want to miss Fashion in Italy: 150 Years of Elegance, looking at the roots of Italy's uniquely glamorous fashion industry. And all year, the idyllic gardens of the Venaria are open for visits and tours of its vegetable plots and orchards, organised by the Slow Food movement (slowfood.com), whose headquarters are nearby.A very different Italy is on display at the OGR (Corso Castelfidardo 22, officinegrandiriparazioni.it), where a series of interactive exhibitions in the cavernous Victorian locomotive plant will try to explain how "people became Italians" and how Italy will supposedly evolve. (The exhibitions are sure to be visually stunning, but the theme is somewhat idealistic: many Italians say their country is as divided today as it was 150 years ago, with the extremist Lega Nord pushing for separation from the poorer south.)Although the extravaganza of the Esperienza Italia will get Turin talked about, the city itself is the real star of the show. For a slice of la vita Torinese, head down in the morning to Porta Palatina, the ancient city gate, where a frenetic, teeming market is held each day. Foodies will be dazzled by the displays of cheese, salami and prosciutto, wild porcini mushrooms and pungent white truffles from the town of Alba, to the south.But walk for a few minutes through the narrow streets of the nearby Quadrilatero Romano, the ancient Roman centre, and the market crowds rapidly disappear, and eventually you come out in the magnificent Piazza San Carlo, a jewel of baroque architecture. Here, elegantly dressed locals window-shop at haute-couture boutiques, then sip an espresso at the historic Caff� Torino, or Caff� San Carlo (caffesancarlo.it), further up the street. These two look more like palaces than bars, with their shimmering crystal chandeliers and plush velvet sofas.For lunch, choose between an old-fashioned osteria such as Cantine Barbaroux (Via Giuseppe Barbaroux 13, +39 011 535412, cantinebarbaroux.it), serving Piemontese specialities like a steaming plate of tajarin pasta smothered with a rabbit and rosemary sauce, or opt for a healthy salad in the stylish Neo-Head Bar (Via Bonelli 16c), a minuscule chapel decorated by owner-photographer Enrico Frignani.The afternoon can be spent doing more cultural sightseeing. There is an amazing Egyptian Museum (Via Accademia delle Scienze 6, museoegizio.org) whose collection of mummies and sarcophagi rivals that of the Cairo Museum ? but this is an airy, green city, and a better bet is to stroll through the quiet gardens of the Parco Valentino, then along the Murazzi, the promenade along the river Po. As soon as the fine weather arrives in the spring, the Murazzi are transformed after sunset into the nightlife heart of the city, with scores of bars and dance clubs that are packed out till dawn.In the early evening, everyone heads off to their preferred bar to indulge in the local habit of l'aperitivo ? free tapas-style snacks when you order drinks ? which runs from 6pm until 9pm or 10pm. With Martini and Cinzano vermouths both hailing from this city, the Torinesi have turned the aperitif into an art form: for the price of an Americano or Negroni cocktail (be prepared to splash out ?8-10), you can feast from a lavish buffet.The decision is whether to choose a classy caff� or a funky bar. Traditionalists will tell you not to miss the celebrated Belle Epoque Caff� Platti (Corso Vittorio Emanuele II 72, platti.it), but a more fun time is to had at the lively student haunt Pasticceria Abrate (Via Po 10), or the terminally hip La Drogheria (Piazza Vittorio Veneto 18, la-drogheria.it), whose DJ has everyone dancing even before the official aperitivo hour is over. If you find the buffet is not enough to fill you up, head for fashionable trattoria Pastis (Piazza Emanuele Filiberto 9b, +39 011 521 1085) or, for a traditional Piemontese meal, try the Tre Galline (Via Bellezia 37, +39 011 436 6553).? Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Turin, from �33 return. The boutique Art Hotel Boston (Via Massena 70, +39 011 500359, hotelbostontorino.it) has doubles from ?110, including breakfast. Chic B&B Foresteria degli Artisti (Via degli Artisti 15, +39 011 837785, foresteriadegliartisti.it) has doubles from ?90 with breakfast. For more information see turismotorino.orgTurinItalyCity breaksShort breaksRomantic tripsJohn Bruntonguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
11 Cooking Schools For Travelers
Learn about spices, regional ingredients, and local cooking techniques the next time you travel. Mary Richardson lists 11 fun cooking classes for travelers around the world.
Outside Finance institutions Holiday getaway Accommodations
Your Surface Finance institutions getaway leases offer you an array of hotels which usually allow for vacationers to spend time on the wonderful bright crushed stone beaches associated with North Carolina, amongst stone dust dunes, and also beach oats
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Quill Attack
Temperatures and tensions rise as summer starts at the DeYoung Family Zoo. With crowds pouring in, Bud and Carrie struggle to keep up. Their to-do lists grow longer and longer by the minute. And Emo, an inbred white tiger, must be neutered to protect future generations from genetic defects. Bud and Carrie struggle to prepare an operating room but it’s one interruption after another — a car show by the lion pen, a pampered potbellied pig, a dog who got in a fight with a porcupine, and a litter of fox kits that needs their help. Finally, the operating room is ready and the vet arrives. But the surgery is not without complications.My Life is a Zoo: White Tiger Trouble premieres TONIGHT at 10P et/pt only on Nat Geo Wild!Video Preview: A dog attacks a porcupine and gets a mouthful of painful quills. Bud and Carrie rush to its aide.
Danmark ? hvor det sker! (Denmark ? where it's at!)
With a hit TV show, an Oscar-winning film, the best restaurant in the world and covetable design, now is the time to discover all things DanishThe hit TV showPut simply, the hunt for the killer of Nanna Birk Larsen rejigs everything you expect about snoozesome murdery-mystery TV. Over 20 dimly-lit, subtitled hours, The Killing's plot simmers, startles and slowly unravels, as cops Sarah Lund and Jan Meyer pace Copenhagen's streets. They interview, re-interview, then thrice harangue witnesses, each time gleaning fresh "truths". We observe Nanna's mourners make mental headway with shock, anger, bargaining, depression. Lund's obsession with catching this grim, meticulous murderer, giving closure to Nanna's parents, becomes our obsession, too.I love Lund; she's the sort of better woman I dream to be, shunting her love life, parenting-guilt and planned move to Sweden into the "Emotional crap to deal with" pile as she bids to change Denmark for the greater good. I love her grooming regime: hot water, nicotine replacement gum and an elastic band. I love her nifty skill in zoning out criticism, warnings and mind games, especially from her own nagging mum. Lund challenges the scary, gruff patriarchs of Copenhagen's politics and top-rank police, headbutting the truth until old alibis dissolve, fierce loyalties are disrupted and the most innocent faces give way to guilt. While British cop shows are festooned with screaming and snottering, Lund and Meyer deal aloofly with each triumph. Emotions run high, but rarely show on anybody's face. Each time the credits close, one is left with fewer hard facts and more befuddling questions. In a television age where tweet-along programming is king, The Killing requires good, old-fashioned "phone switched off" and "staring straight ahead" concentration. Oh, the irony. A TV show that no one can tweet about ? or chat about for fear of "spoilers" ? is so far one of 2011's biggest hits. Grace DentThe Killing, season one, is out on DVD on 4 April.The must-see filmsFor a tiny country, Denmark often punches above its weight and that's certainly true for film. Not since Lars von Trier slapped audiences around the face with Breaking The Waves and his subsequent Dogme pranks (who could forget The Idiots, in which a bunch of Copenhagen suburbanites pretended to be mentally disabled?) has Danish cinema been so talked about.Director Susanne Bier scooped this year's Oscar for best foreign language film with In A Better World, a compelling drama about two schoolboys choosing between pacifism and violence, while Janus Metz's war documentary, Armadillo, records life at a Danish-British base in Helmand. If there's one thing that unites these two most-hyped exports, it's their determination to scuff up Denmark's reputation as the "nicest" nation in Europe.With a storyline that begins with playground bullying and takes in infidelity, bereavement, evil warlords and revenge, no one could accuse Bier of dodging the Big Issues. Her drama unfolds with a kind of relentless calm ? huge African skies and flat Danish waters fill the screen even as the emotional screws tighten on the boys and their families. Bier has said the plot was engineered to question the cosy stereotype of her homeland as "an harmonious society" and a "blissful" place to live.Minefields, real and ethical, also run through Metz's nonfiction work, which has shocked Denmark by showing its international "peacekeepers" as brutal killers. Armadillo has been compulsory viewing in that country ? especially for the government, which has now set up an inquiry into the war crimes it may or may not portray. Liese SpencerArmadillo is released in the UK on 8 April. In A Better World is out in August. The hot gastronomyAfter a long, demanding day of Machiavellian political manoeuvring in episode 12 of The Killing, prospective Copenhagen mayor Troels Hartmann rewards himself with a chill-cabinet pepperoni pizza. But if he really wanted to prove his commitment to his city, he'd be eating New Nordic. The food world's latest crush, the New Nordic culinary movement, was spearheaded by deeply photogenic young Danish chef Ren� Redzepi. His restaurant, Noma, opened in Copenhagen in 2004 and the fact it now holds two Michelin stars and was last year voted into top spot in the San Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants awards indicates he might be getting something right.The philosophy behind his menus is "local, seasonal" ? of course it is ? but Redzepi takes a hardcore approach, refusing to cook with anything that doesn't come from his home region. So "nej, tak" to olive oil, garlic, tomatoes and foie gras, but "ja, hvorfor ikke" to largely foraged ingredients such as marsh violets, silver birch sap, bulrushes and, perhaps more challengingly, cod milt (sperm). There's no point in pretending this type of cooking isn't ludicrously ripe for parody, but it's also delicious and kind of thrilling.Over here, fellow Dane Christoffer Hruskova, having started out at his first London restaurant, Fig, is continuing to riff on the New Nordic theme at his second place, North Road, applying Noma's zero-tolerance policy on olive oil and garlic, and its fondness for foraging and ancient cooking techniques (smoking, salting and pickling), to ingredients available in Britain. Jenny McIvor The classic designPeek through the windows of any Danish home and chances are you'll see one or all of the following classics: Poul Henningsen's flying-saucer PH lamp, a Series 7 chair by Arne Jacobsen, a Bang & Olufsen TV and a set of Georg Jensen cutlery. Danes are rightly proud of their rich design heritage, in all its functional, well-crafted, minimalist glory, but the result is that almost every home looks the same."We're such a small country," says Poul Madsen, chief executive of Normann Copenhagen, a well-known contemporary design company. "If a lamp or chair is even modestly successful, it means most people own it."Such is the influence wielded by these masters, it can be hard for younger designers to find their own style. "These old guys from the 50s and 60s really put Denmark on the map, but designers often feel their weight a bit too much," Madsen says. Those who are most successful, says Peter Bonn�n, founder of Muuto, another young design brand, take the functionality and craftmanship of Jacobsen et al and add a 21st-century twist.To get the Danish look, head to Skandium for the classics; Normann Copenhagen and Muuto for new designs; and 95percentdanish.com for everything else. Hannah BoothThe most-wanted fashionWe've had to wait a while for female detective chic to move to the next level, but Sarah Lund's cream-and-black Scandi knit is the unsung star of TV drama The Killing and has, in one perfect knitwear coup de grace, ended the hitherto unassailable dominance of the DCI Jane Tennison skirt-suit and trench look.Sofie Gr�b�l, who plays Lund, has said the casting of the jumper is perfect because it shows that her character is at home with herself and isn't in thrall to the-woman-in-a-man's-world idea that forces many wardrobe departments to put female cops in suits. Well, there's that, and there's also the fact that the jumper just rocks. It looks lived-in but not grungy, slightly 70s but not embarrassingly retro, and is perfectly pitched at the Alexa Chung end of the nerdy spectrum. No wonder knitwear specialist Gudrun & Gudrun, which sells the jumper for ?280, can barely keep up with demand.If you don't want to shell out on the original (spring is coming, so it's not the wisest moment to overspend on wool), there are still a lot of Fair Isle options on the high street. A man's in XS will give you that Lund look if you can't find the right one on the women's rails.If the classic Scandi knit has given you a taste for the Danish look full stop, the labels to investigate are Day Birger et Mikkelsen for bohemian glamour, M�us by Malou Sander for simple leathers and R�tzou for quietly chic dresses. Choose classic stuff ? Malene Birger does the perfect blue shirt, R�tzou has the loveliest simple pocket dress. Like Lund with her jumper, you'll never want to take them off. Imogen FoxThe gripping readScandinavian crime fiction is no flash in the pan ? in recent years barely a train in the country has reached its destination without several well-thumbed copies of Swedish bestsellers Henning Mankel or Stieg Larsson on board. Norwegian writer But what true enthusiasts know is that Denmark is where the real action is. While bleak, hypnotic thriller The Killing continues to enthral viewers on BBC4, Jo Nesb�'s Oslo-set Harry Hole novels have been racing up the book charts both here and abroad, and this spring we are to be treated to Denmark's top crime writer, Jussi Adler-Olsen.Mercy, the first in his "Department Q" trilogy, has spent more than a year on bestseller lists in both Denmark and Germany, and film rights have been snapped up by trilogy-fan Lars von Trier's production company. Out here in May (Penguin, �6.99), the novel sees troubled detective Carl M�rck setting up a department for unsolved cases. Or, as he sees it, "a home for hopeless cases". His first investigation is into the disappearance of a missing politician, presumed dead, but in fact imprisoned. It features all the hallmarks Scandi-book fans have come to adore ? complicated politics laced with a frisson of sexual tension, a disenchanted detective and coffee-fuelled crime-solving. But what set apart this recent rash of Danish tales are their credible characters. Where the novels of Patricia Cornwell and TV shows such as CSI almost fetishise gore and material evidence, Mercy and its ilk focus on narrative, motive and a refreshing dollop of social commentary. While never shying away from the gruesome, the Danes are employing an age-old secret ingredient: gripping storytelling. Alexandra HeminsleyThe weekend awayApart from the psychedelic Hotel Fox, Copenhagen's trendiest hotels tend towards cosy rather than self-consciously cool. Try the seaside Skovshoved hotel ? 20 minutes from the city centre ? for wooden-floored, plump-pillowed bedrooms and private jetty. Or Nimb, with a Michelin-starred restaurant, "rustic" wine bar and antique-draped bedrooms with open fires and huge bathtubs.Design heads should make for the Radisson Blu Royal, created by Arne Jacobsen in 1960. Guests can loll in an Egg or Swan chair in the lobby, perch on a Series 7 chair at the bar, eat with "AJ" cutlery in the 20th-floor restaurant or check into room 606, featuring Jacobsen's original colour scheme, furniture and lighting.For caffeinated gallery- and boutique-hopping, gritty-but-hip Vesterbro is the place, home to record and coffee shop Sort and art, craft and design emporium Designer Zoo. Or head for Copenhagen's shiniest fashion street, Kronprinsensgade.Swim with the locals at one of the pools suspended in the harbour or navigate the city's secret corners by kayak (try have recently launched new Urban Kayak tours that paddle, . offers a tour that paddles through small canals and harbours into Amsterdam-like houseboat villages and counter-culture . Too energetic? Recline on a cushion at Halvandet "beach bar" and enjoy Copenhagen's liquid assets. Rhiannon BattenDenmarkEuropeEuropeDenmarkTelevisionDesignFood & drinkFashionThe KillingRen� RedzepiGrace DentHannah BoothImogen Foxguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Brainrotting Ep. 20 ? Volunteering in Guatemala
Graham stops for a while on his journey, volunteering for a month with Education For The Children at their school in Jocotenango, Guatemala.
The Authentic Ski Tour: Red Lodge, Day 1
..... Billings, Montana (Ski Press)-They say that what you seek is what you find. So I shouldn?t have been surprised in the Billings airport, the ?gateway to the big sky,? to feel like I had landed in 1975, waiting for my bags in a nostalgic mountain scene of ranchers, miners and skiers, before anyone had heard of timeshares.Maybe it was the cowboys drinking Budweisers at the airport bakery and pastry bar, the guys in the seats on the plane behind me trading Clydesdale dreams and the promise of open land, or the horse statues at the baggage carousel, the stuffed sheep and all the soldiers coming home. But that sense of grassroots wonder started as soon as I heard those two good old boys behind me talking on the plane. ?If I had one of those Clydesdales I?d just keep it like a big old dog. Here puppy, puppy,? one of them said. And the other one agreed, that they were the most beautiful horses, and started to tell a story about how he used to ship bull semen all over the world. But then the plane hit a patch of bad air and the younger one said, ?Right now I?m just imagining that I?m driving down a gravel road.? Jeff Carroll picked me up outside. Tall, blonde and eternally tan, he had been Red Lodge Mountain?s Director of Sales and Marketing for nine months now, having made the move from Tamarack in Idaho. He said he had jumped at the job, and loved the mountain, and loved the opportunity to tell his wife that she was going home. ?She grew up here,? he said, driving to Red Lodge with all the deer beside the road. ?So it?s pretty amazing to raise our family here, too. He said he had a little girl, and another baby on the way. And I told him I remembered Red Lodge from coming up from Jackson Hole to ski Beartooth Pass in the late spring when the road was plowed between high white walls of snow; the red brick parade of buildings down Broadway and all the cowboy hats and Carhartts in the bars. We ate steak at the Carbon County Steakhouse, a perfect New York and Cowboy Coffee Ribeye. And I slept at Pollard?s down the street, the grand red brick hotel with the history of ?Liver? eating Johnston and William Jennings Bryants and even Ernest Hemingway on fishing trips coming through. There was a plaque behind the counter with the quote, ?Go forth to meet the shadowy future, without fear, and with a manly heart,? by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, that had been saved from the heyday of the miner?s ?Theatorium? next door. ?They started clearing out a lot of the statues and stuff when that place was used to make our own special ?cough syrup? during Prohibition,? the lady at check-in said. ?They used to ship their ?cure? all the way to Chicago and San Francisco.? I wanted to ask her more in the morning but she was gone. So I walked past the neon tipi of the Red Lodge Caf�, the wine bar, antique, pottery and kitchen stores, and past a fence made of skis where I saw a truck attached to an extension cord to keep the engine warm right next to an open Subaru hatchback loaded with fishing gear and thought: ?That?s Montana right there.? Slightly more than 2,000 people live in Red Lodge. And Jeff Carroll said his destination ski traffic is heavily weighted to North Dakota and Minnesota. ?So will I see lots of snowmobile suits and Viking?s Starter Jackets on the slope?? ?Oh,? Jeff assured me. ?Those are some of our best customers.? I didn?t see any obvious Brett Favre fans, but lots of hot-rodders in camouflage came zipping by, and telemarkers, snowboarders and kids in Day-Glo. We saw them skiing off Nichols and Grizzly Peak, and down into Palisades Park where the cliffs rise up like dinosaurs. Down the tree-sided steeps of Upper Continental and True Grit, and zooming the open slope of Lazy M with Bob, a fast-skiing welder from Billings who rides Harleys and only hunts with black powder now. He led us down ?Lodge Trail,? a gullet of bumps into the base area where I wish I had stopped to pull out my camera. And he stopped and smiled up at the sunshine and said, ?I?m going to have a beer then see a man about buying a house. It?s time I made the commute from here to Billings instead of the other way around.? At the gas station, Jeff started talking to the banker who said, ?Oh, Chico Hot Springs. You guys are going to love it there.?� Links: The Carbon County Steakhouse: www.thepizzaco.com/steakhouse The Pollard Hotel: www.thepollard.com Red Lodge Mountain: www.redlodgemountain.com
Galapagos Destinations Traveling Manual Spot light upon Galapagos Destinations Vacations
This Galapagos Islands, pretty much ONE PARTICULAR, 000km there are various coast connected with Ecuador, are the oceanic paradise; a spot that time has neglected This islands will be household to unique in addition to exciting styles of life which are definitely not found anywhere else on the planet
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Big Bear Vacation Rentals
A great candidate to consider for Big Bear rentals is Golden Bear Cottages With 29 cabins to choose from on a historic five acre resort, just one block from the lake, these Big Bear cabin rentals are perfect for families, groups, and couples
Where to Ski this Weekend: March 25-27
Snow is still flying across the country. Plus, plenty of resorts are hosting music, festivals, and events. The skiing is good just about everywhere. Get out there.
The locals' guide to Paris
Bloggers from the Spotted by Locals network share tips on the French capital, from a reclaimed cultural centre to the Belleville cafe, once the hang-out of Piaf and ChevalierTour Montparnasse ? best view of ParisSpotted by: Willem VinkMost people, when asked for the best view of Paris, would immediately answer "from the Eiffel Tower" or "from Montmartre". But there is a far better view from the Tour Montparnasse. The building is one of the highest in the city and has devoted its top floor to the breathtaking view it has over the city. The big advantage over the Eiffel tower is that the capacity is much bigger, so you don't have to queue for hours before you can go up. The advantage over Montmartre is that you also have a view of Montmartre. You go up by high speed elevators. On the top floor (56th) you have an interesting exhibition on the history of Paris. You can take in the the view from the inside if the weather is bad, but even better is the large rooftop where you have lots of space. You will notice that Paris has a very strict policy on high rise buildings and that almost all buildings have about the same rooftop level. In fact the Tour Montparnasse, which is a tall and rather dark and dull monolith, is the living example of how things could get if no such limitations were in place ? a warning for all Parisians.? rue du D�part, Montparnasse (+33 (0) 1 45 38 52 56, tourmontparnasse56.com). Adults ?11. Open Apr-Oct: 9.30am-11.30pm daily; Oct-Apr Sun-Thu 9.30am-11.30pm, Fri-Sat 9.30am-11pmPoint �ph�m�re ? cool cultural spaceSpotted by Harriet O'BrienRun by Usines �ph�m�re ? a not-for-profit organisation that converts wastelands into cultural centres for young artists ? the Point �ph�m�re is a cafe, nightclub, exhibition centre and concert venue all rolled into one. Artists' and musicians' studios and workshops are also housed there, making it one of the most innovative cultural projects in Paris today. Simple food and inexpensive drinks are available until late and the canal-side terrace is a great hang-out and a perfectly protected sun-trap. Leaflets and flyers with information on concerts/club nights and exhibitions can be found in bars and on their website.? 200 quai Valmy, Belleville/Nation (+33 (0) 1 40 34 02 48, pointephemere.org). Open 1pm-2am daily (later if there's an event/concert on). Club nights ?10Le Tambour ? all night eating and drinkingSpotted by: Harriet O'BrienThe main thrill of the Tambour is undoubtedly its curious opening hours. Fancy a steak or an onion soup at 4am? The Tambour is probably the place for you. The food is traditional French: various cuts of meat, cheese boards and a good selection of wines. The place fills up with well-heeled post-show/theatre goers, hungry post-bar students and all manner of miscellaneous others. It's always busy and while there is no definite obligation to eat, ordering a plate of cheese will probably land you a table a bit quicker. Characteristic of old bistro culture, you'll be packed on to tiny tables next to strangers, so be prepared for a bit of inter-table banter. They also maintain that dangerous tactic of leaving a huge bottle of wine on your table for you to drink (and pay for) as much as you consume.? 41 rue Montmartre, Louvre/Les Halles (+33 (0) 1 42 33 06 90). Open Tue-Sat 12pm-6am, Sun-Mon 6pm-6am.Butte aux Cailles ? a different ParisSpotted by: Tamara Mesari?Butte aux Cailles is a really lovely part of the city, the 13th arrondissement, southern Paris; the northern limit is boulevard Auguste Blanqui, to the south is rue Tolbiac, rue Barrault to the west and rue du Moulin-des-Pr�s to the east. It has the atmosphere of a tranquil village with a holiday feeling. Just a few centuries ago, this area was covered with farms and windmills with the river Bi�vre running through it. The origin of its name comes from the 16th-century owner, Cailles, while buttes are hills. Today, history is visible through its distinction from its surrounding areas: Haussmann's Paris on one side and high-rises on the other. And the river went into the underground. In the evenings, and on weekends and sunny days, there is a great atmosphere all around. Lively, not stuffy or snobbish at all. Walk around before choosing a bar, especially in the rue Butte aux Cailles. Fine places are the Basque restaurant, Chez Gladines in the rue des Cinq Diamants, and La Folie en T�te, Le Diapason and Sputnik in the rue Buttes aux Cailles. Most bars open until 2am.Aux Folies ? noisy, frenetic and diverseSpotted by Harriet O'BrienOnce a caf�-theatre frequented by Maurice Chevalier and Edith Piaf (then local residents), Aux Folies embodies perfectly the spirit of the quartier, so cram yourself on to one of the tiny street-facing tables and watch the colour and chaos of local life unfold. The drinks are cheap and the service super-efficient; late afternoon even finds the terrace (a rare sun-trap amid the narrow shaded streets) bathed in somnolent rays. Aux Folies is usually packed at all hours, the clientele is made up of the local bohos, Chinese and north African residents, plus a selection of foreign students and artists too. Very cool, very Parisian. Aux Folies also featured in C�dric Klapisch's 2008 film Paris. Naturally.? 8 rue de Belleville, Belleville/Nation (+33 (0) 1 46 36 65 98). Open Mon-Sat 6am-2am, Sun 7am-1amVintage Desir ? go and look greatSpotted by: Karim FekarLocated in the famous pedestrianised rue des Rosiers, Vintage Desir is the address for secondhand vintage clothes. Once inside this little shop, the prices are reasonable ? from ?10 to ?15 for a shirt or dress, a little bit more for a leather jacket. I recently found a typical Austrian jacket for ?15 - and it's not difficult to negotiate if you buy a few articles.? 32 rue des Rosiers, Marais/Bastille (+33 1 40 27 04 98). Open daily 11am-9pmThese are edited extracts from the Spotted by locals blogParisCity breaksFood and drinkCultural tripsBars and clubsFranceguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2011 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
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