Ligety, Vonn Take Home World Cup Globes

..... Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany (Ski Press)-In a year when the success of the U.S. Ski Team was astounding, Lindsey Vonn and Ted Ligety capped off the excitement with some of the most prestigious awards in alpine skiing - Audi FIS World Cup titles.Vonn took the overall crown plus three other titles, while Ligety won his second giant slalom title in three years. The charge was led by Vonn who took three discipline titles in downhill, super G and super combined, to become first American to win three discipline titles in the same season. She also became the first woman to win three straight overall titles since Petra Kronberger of Austria in 1990-92. "It's so important to me. The overall title is one of the biggest things you can win in our sport. I always try to give my best every day, but it's a long season," said Vonn. "The last few years have gone really well for me. It's so hard to say whether you'll be able to win the overall title. To stand here in the finish and have a title in my hand is so rewarding." Only three other women have as many overall titles as Vonn -- Vreni Schneider of Switzerland and Janica Kostelic of Croatia have three each and Annemarie Moser-Proell of Austria leads all with six. Vonn also broke records this season with her 11 World Cup wins. She now holds the U.S. record for World Cup wins with 33 passing Bode Miller (Franconia, NH). Only one skier in the world ever had more World Cup wins in a season - Schneider with 14 in the 1988-89 season. Moser-Proell and Anja Paerson of Sweden also have 11 in a year. Finally, Vonn's career wins put her in a tie for sixth place on the all-time list with Hanni Wenzel of Liechtenstein, and Moser-Proell leads that list with 62. "It means the world to me. If you had asked me at the beginning of the season if I'd have been able to do that, I would have said 'not likely.' It takes a lot of hard work, not only by me, but from the team, from U.S. Ski Team coaches, from my husband, from Red Bull and my ski company Head," Vonn said. "It's everyone working together to make as successful a season as possible and I couldn't do it without them." Ligety brought the U.S. its only crystal globe in the men's World Cup to mark his career second giant slalom title after winning his first in 2008. With his success, Ligety joins Phil Mahre as the only American man to have two World Cup giant slalom titles. He earned the honor with four podiums in discipline this season, including one win. He also notched his first podium in super G with second at Val d'Isere in December. "Having two globes is awesome," Ligety said. "It's cool to have those and to be the best in giant slalom over the last couple of years is nice." Ligety also podiumed at first and last World Cup GS races, as well as won in Kranjska Gora for the third straight year. The success of the team didn't stop with World Cup titles, though, as the U.S. pulled in Olympic medals. On the women's side, Vonn took a win in the downhill and bronze in the super G. Teammate Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) racked in two silver medals in the downhill and super combined. On the men's side, Miller took in the trifecta of Olympic medals with a bronze in downhill, silver in super G and gold in the super combined. Miller was joined on the super G podium by Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) who took the bronze. With the season now closed, the alpine team will return to the U.S. to train this summer in preparation for the 2011 World Cup season opener in Soelden, Austria and the 2011 World Championships in Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany.

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Is your office ready for Post-It warfare?

Cartoons? Window d�cor? This is a war we can get behind.

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Skiinfo.co: Still Snowing!

..... Andermatt, Switzerland (Ski Press)-Skiinfo.co.uk reports that new snow over the Easter holidays has given a great powder base for many of the resorts still open in the Alps, while across the Atlantic the latest round of huge snowfalls on the west of the North American continent has left more resorts extending their seasons with waist-deep April powder.Conditions remain good in Scotland and Scandinavia too. There were heavy snowfalls in the German speaking areas of the Alps over Easter with Andermatt seeing over a foot (35cm) of new snow.� This was part of a total one meter (40 inch) fall in the past seven days, the largest in Switzerland. The Andermatt-Gotthard region also reports the biggest snow depth in the country at present with 3.5m (nearly 12 feet) on upper slopes. St. Moritz also reported 15cm (six inches) of fresh snow on Sunday. Martin Berthod, the resort's sports and events manager, said, "The snow conditions are still excellent all over the Engadin." The 4 Valleys has also reported good snowfall in the past week, with 75cm (2.5 feet) of new snow and Laax has had yet another 60cm (two feet) taking its snow depth to 220cm (7.3 feet). Glacier ski areas currently have some of Switerland?s deepest snow with Engelberg reporting three meters (ten feet) and Saas Fee a few centimeters/inches less with 289cm.��������� The snow depth in the French Alps is very good for the end of season with 183.6cm (6.2 feet) average on the top of the slopes in the Northern Alps and 229.6cm (7.6 feet) average for the Southern Alps. It has snowed a lot the last week in the French Alps with Skiinfo posting 24 Powderalarms for snowfalls in excess of 20cm (8 inches) in 24 hours in Sunday. Serre Chevalier reported 65cm (2.2 feet) of fresh snow and Puy St Vincent 40cm (16 inches) just on the one day. In Austria sunny weather is forecast for the next few days and on many Austrian slopes there is still lots of snow - so conditions for spring skiing are fine. S�lden, for example, got fresh snow again and issued a powder alarm for more than 20cm (8 inches) of new snow on Monday.� 31 of the ski resort's lifts are still running and the sky there is cloudless. It received 40cm (16 inches) in total through the last week and currently has a snow depth of 251cm (8.3 feet). Lech Z�rs am Arlberg has had 35cm (14 inches) of new snow in the past week. There are a dozen Austrian resorts with two meters or more of snow on their slopes.� The M�lltal glacier has the biggest snow depth of 390cm (13 feet), Hintertux has more than three meters (10 feet), too. In Germany to the north the Zugspitze got lots of fresh snow again with 20cm (8 inches) more on Monday and 35cm (14 inches) on Good Friday.� Feldberg in the Black Forest also received another 20cm (eight inch) fall in the past week. Many French ski resorts are still open during April and six will remain open into May. Chamonix currently has the top snow depth with 405cm (13.5 feet), La Clusaz has 310cm (10.3 feet) and Alpe d'Huez and La Grave 300cm (10 feet).�Serre Chevalier is just behind on 290cm (9.6 feet). Italy has topped the table in Europe for the most snow in the past seven days with Madesimo reporting 1.2m (four feet) of new Spring powder. Arabba and the Marmolada Glacier was second on the continent withy another meter (3.3) feet and there was about 60cm (two feet) more in Val Gardena in the Dolomites and Monterosa in the alps. North America and particularly California and Utah in Western USA have seen the biggest snowfalls of the past week, with particularly huge accumulations reported at Brighton in Utah with 228cm (7.6 feet) in seven days.� Snowbird, Alta and Solitude have also reported more than two meter (6.7 feet) accumulations. To the north Whistler Blackcomb has announced the decision to extend skiing and riding on Whistler Mountain by one week. Whistler Mountain?s last day of operations will be Sunday, April 25 while Blackcomb Mountain?s last day of operations will be Monday, May 24.

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Galley Gossip: Flight attendant interview - The pros and cons of speaking a second language and how it affects reserve

Filed under: AirlinesDear Heather, I am hoping to become a flight attendant soon (have a face to face interview next week!) and have a question about reserve status. I speak Japanese fluently and was wondering how different things are for flight attendants who speak a different language. Are they on reserve for the same amount of time? Is anything different? - Natasha

For the first time in history being a flight attendant is considered a profession, not just a job. Fewer flight attendants are quitting, turnover is not as high as it once was, and competition to become a flight attendant has gotten fierce. Ninety-six percent of people who apply to become a flight attendant do not get a call back. In December of 2010 Delta Airlines received more than 100,000 applications after announcing they had an opening for 1,000 flight attendants. Even though it is not a requirement to have a college degree, only the most qualified applicants are hired. Being able to speak a second language will greatly improve your chance!

The only thing that affects reserve status is company seniority (class hire date). Seniority is assigned by date of birth within each training class. This means the oldest classmate will become the most senior flight attendant in your class. Seniority is everything at an airline, and I mean everything! It determines whether you'll work holidays, weekends and when, if ever, you'll be off reserve. So it's important to accept the earliest training date offered.

While speaking another language doesn't affect how long you'll serve reserve, it will have an impact on your flying career.

PROS

1. MORE MONEY. "Speakers" earn more per hour than non-speakers. Unfortunately it's only a few dollars on top of what a regular flight attendant is paid. Remember most flight attendants make between fourteen to eighteen thousand a year the first year on the job, so every dollar counts.Continue reading Galley Gossip: Flight attendant interview - The pros and cons of speaking a second language and how it affects reserveGalley Gossip: Flight attendant interview - The pros and cons of speaking a second language and how it affects reserve originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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10 unique experiential hotels from around the world

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Stories, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, India, Belgium, Finland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, United States, New Zealand, Bolivia, Hotels and Accommodations, Ecotourism, Luxury TravelA trend in the travel world that is becoming increasingly popular is the "experiential" hotel. Many travelers are no longer looking for a basic room in a premier location, but instead for an experience that will allow them to get to know an (often remote) area, or at least have their hotel be something they'll never forget. From staying in mines in the deepest hotel suite in the world to getting in touch with nature in a tree-top accommodation, these ten unique hotels are must-stays for the experiential traveler.

The SnowHotel
Location: Ylläsjärvi. Finland

This hotel is an experiential property located in the Snow Village, a compound of snow and ice making a restaurant, bar, lobbies, sculptures, walls, slides, and, of course, the SnowHotel. Stay overnight in a room made completely of snow and enjoy the illuminated ice art that surrounds you. Rooms range from double igloo rooms to "furnished" ice suites.

The Sala Silvermine
Location: Sala, Sweden

The Sala Silvermine is not for the claustrophobic. Stay in the deepest hotel suite on Earth. Once you arrive, you will be given a guided tour of the mine, once Sweden's largest producer of silver, which is 155 meters underground. After the tour, guests are given a goodie basket of fruit, biscuits, cheese, chocolate, and wine, which can be a romantic touch in the dim, candle-lit room. Prepare to rough it a little as the toilets are located 50 meters from the room, while the showers are above ground in the hostel.

Safari Land Farm and Guest House Resort
Location: Tamilnadu, India

Often called the Tree House Resort, Safari Land will really get you in touch with nature. Safari Land is specifically designed with wilderness lovers, bird watchers, and environmentally conscious. Guests will stay in tree houses perched above 4,000 feet high hills. Look down and you will see a tranquil stream pouring down the hill. Look forward and your view will be of the Blue Mountains in India. And for those who want to have a rustic experience but still enjoy some comforts of home, electricity, toilets, and hot water are available.

La Balade des Gnomes
Location: Heyd Nr Durbuy, Wallonia, Belgium

La Balade des Gnomes is an experiential hotel for those who have a big imagination. With a fairy-tale theme in mind, the rooms are extremely detailed and over-the-top. Sleep in a boat under twinkling lights while floating in a swimming pool or opt for the enormous Trojan Horse Suite where you will literally be staying inside a trojan horse.

Palacio de Sal
Location: Uyuni,Bolivia

Those with high sodium levels, beware! The Palacio de Sal is, exactly as the name states, made entirely out of salt. Not only are the walls, ceilings, and floors made out of salt, but also the furniture. And, it doesn't stop there. Salt artwork and a salt golf-course are also part of the experience.

Controversy Tram Inn
Location: Hoogwoud, Netherlands

Guests of the Controversy Tram Inn can experience sleeping in a railcar converted into a 5-room Bed and Breakfast, each with a unique theme. A double bed, shower, sink, and toilet are also included. Next to the experiential hotel live the owners, Frank and Irma Appel, who also live like their guests, sleeping in a London double-decker bus in their living room and eating in a kitchen that is now a French Van.

Jules Undersea Lodge
Location: Key Largo, Florida

Imagine having to dive underwater to get to your room? If you stay at Jules Undersea Lodge, this becomes a reality, as guests dive 21 feet to get to this completely submerged experiential hotel. Meals and luggage are handled in waterproof suitcases, and the food is actually hot. Each room holds a 42-inch round window so that guests can check out the many species of sea life swimming in the lagoon. If you're into diving, the hotel provides unlimited tanks for their guests to explore the sea.

Propeller Island City Lodge
Location: Berlin, Germany

With rooms designed by German artist Lars Stroschen, staying here is like sleeping in a giant work of art, with upside-down rooms and flying beds. Everything you find in the Propeller Island City Lodge is custom-made and one-of-a-kind. Rooms range from mild to extreme and have the ability to alter your sense of reality. Be prepared for surprises everywhere you turn.

Wigwam Motel
Location: Holbrook, Arizona

The Wigwam Motel is one of the last standing Wigwam hotels left from a 1950's chain. In 2002, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Guests have the opportunity to stay in one of 14 authentic-looking teepees. Making the stay more experiential is the fact that it is located in close proximity to a number of Native American Reservations. Unlike Indian-style teepees, however, guests at Wigwam can enjoy double-beds and air-conditioning.

The Boot Bed 'n' Breakfast
Location: Tasman, New Zealand

Remember the childhood nursery rhyme The Old Woman Who Lived in the Shoe? Well picture that, but a lot more luxurious. This giant boot is located on 6 acres of gardens, courtyards, and well-manicured property. With private outdoor seating, a spiral wooden staircase, a cozy fireplace, and fresh flowers in rooms made for two, it is easy to see why the Boot Bed 'n' Breakfast is the perfect romantic experience for couples. Still, if you're single and still want to see what it's like to sleep in a giant shoe, make the trip anyway.10 unique experiential hotels from around the world originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Lake Titicaca's floating B&B

The only place to spend the night afloat Lake Titicaca in Peru is on a 150-year-old British gunboat, now a B&B, with a remarkable history ? and it only costs �24 a nightAt home, in my kitchen, sits a battered red book. Faded gold lettering on the spine spells out the title: The South American Handbook 1930, the direct ancestor of today's backpacker guide.It is the longest-running travel guide in the English language, but open the pages of the 1930 edition and you enter a vanished world: "There are regular direct sailings between the River Plate and the Port of Manchester," promises one advertisement. "Casino: the premier music hall of South America, composed exclusively of high-class turns proceeding from the most important halls of London, Paris and Berlin," urges another.But the most beguiling pages of all describe a journey it was once possible to make, and which I wish I could do now. It beats buses and planes and hitched lifts on South American lorries hands down.In 1930, a Pullman sleeping car ran from Buenos Aires, departing Retiro station twice a week, direct to La Paz in Bolivia. This vast journey ? "veritably across the roof of the world", says the guide ? took four days. Trains zigzagged up the canyon in which Bolivia's capital sits, arriving at a station designed by Gustave Eiffel ? the man who built the Paris tower. The tracks were pulled up for scrap long ago and today the terminus lingers on as the city's bus station.But in 1930, steam trains were waiting to continue the journey down to the shores of Lake Titicaca, the great inland sea, high in the Andes. And from there, steam boats carried passengers across to Peru, to be met by another train which would take them down to the Pacific, or across the mountains to the Inca capital, Cusco."There are thrills as the shriek of the whistle and the grinding of the brakes tell that the driver is trying to stop his train before it runs over some Indian driving his pack mule," says my 1930 guide.Does anything of this splendid journey remain today? In Peru and Bolivia this summer I attempted to find out. Glancing at my modern South American handbook, I could see that the romance has gone. There are no trains to La Paz; few trains, either, in Argentina. But Lake Titicaca looked promising: a train still runs from Cusco to Puno, on the shores of Titicaca. Fifteen years ago I travelled the route, sitting on the steps below an open door, my feet dangling over the passing track. It is still a fine journey but now rather more expensive, as the line is run by Peru Rail, a private company part-owned by luxury travel group Orient Express.On this visit I took the bus up from the coast to Puno. It is grim, a modern Peruvian city of concrete shacks and traffic, the worst of introductions to the best of lakes. At almost 4,000 metres the lake is renowned as the highest navigable stretch of water in the world, but that description doesn't begin to capture the oddity of what seems a small ocean in the sky, rimmed on its far shore by the great mountains of the Bolivian Andes, their glaciers shining pink in the setting sun.In search of relics from that long-lost South America described in my guide, I found something magnificent. The pier from which steam ships once departed is derelict, but the ships themselves mostly survive. By far the most wonderful is the Yavari, now moored just outside the town, a boat with a remarkable story.This year marks the 150th anniversary of its commissioning, and next year the ship will celebrate its arrival in South America. It was built as a gunboat on the Thames in London in 1862 ? on board you can still see the original receipt ? then boxed up in pieces and sent around Cape Horn as cargo. It took six years to transport all the sections of the boat to the lake, carried over the Andes by llama and on horseback, reassembled by English engineers and finally launched in 1870. No ship can ever have taken more effort to build.The Yavari is an elegant boat, now the oldest propeller-driven working ship in the world ? as historic in its own way as the Cutty Sark, and as old. It was fuelled for its first 40 years by dried llama dung ? there being no local coal ? and carried passengers until the late 1950s, before road travel stole its trade.The Yavari almost didn't survive. It was rescued by an amazing Englishwoman, Meriel Larken, who bought the remains of the ship in the 1990s and has led a team of Peruvians who are working to save it. They have restored the great oil engine, installed in 1910, and polished the Victorian brass work and varnished wood cabins. The ship is waiting, in return for a donation, for anyone who wants to tour her.You can stay on board, too, at what for my money is the best bed and breakfast in South America ? the only place it is possible to spend a night afloat on Lake Titicaca, two-and-a-half miles above sea level.We walked up the long pier in the early afternoon to be met by a Peruvian crew piping us on board. Inside we found a small but spotlessly tidy cabin, with crisp white sheets embroidered with the ship's name. Through a porthole I could see Puno; less hideous from a distance.The Yavari's captain, Giselle Guldentops, is as notable as her ship: the first female captain in the Peruvian merchant navy, she sailed the Pacific before coming to rest on the lake, in command of a vessel she hopes will soon be able to take tourists on day trips. The Yavari is in working order now, but needs �350,000 more work before it can be certified for passenger use. While funds are raised, it waits off Puno, hosting visitors for US$38 a night. You can order dinner ? wine too ? from a nearby hotel on shore.As the sun vanished and a full moon rose over the lake ? the twin symbols of Inca religion ? we toasted the Yavari with pisco sours, Peru's national cocktail. It turned out to be the captain's birthday, so we toasted that too, on board a British ship on an Andean lake, in its third century of voyaging.? Bed and breakfast on board Yavari (+51 51 369329, yavari.org) costs US$38pp per nightPeruSouth AmericaBed and breakfastsHotelsAdventure travelBoating holidaysguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Colombia: in Pablo Escobar's footsteps

A controversial Pablo-Escobar-themed tour has been launched in his home town of Medell�n, once Colombia's notorious cocaine-trafficking capital but now a growing tourist destinationA Colombian tourism company has launched a controversial new Pablo Escobar-themed tour of the city that the infamous drug lord locked into a cycle of terror in the 1980s.The operator, See Colombia Travel, has named the excursion, around north-west Medell�n, the "Pablo Escobar is History Tour", claiming it wants to "acknowledge the past, not to hide from it".The four-hour trip costs from �25 and takes visitors from Escobar's old house to the cemetery where he is buried. It even includes a meeting with his brother, Roberto, where you can "ask any questions you like, pose for photos and get signed photos".Some see the tour as a step backwards for a city that has been trying to shake off its constant association with Escobar. Medell�n is the shining star in Colombia's transformation from no-go zone to aspirational destination. Just over two decades ago, it was dubbed the murder capital of the world; now it has boutique hotels such as the new Art Hotel, and is being tipped as a retirement spot for wealthy Americans.The Colombian Ambassador to the UK, Mauricio Rodr�guez M�nera, is vehemently opposed to the idea of tours in Escobar's name. "I think it's very negative and counterproductive. I hope they fail, and soon," he told the Guardian.Yet, failure seems unlikely, given the huge interest in a man who, through cocaine trafficking and murderous ruthlessness, rose to become the seventh richest person in the world before being gunned down by police on a Medell�n rooftop in 1993. It is not uncommon to see backpackers traversing the country with a copy of Killing Pablo, the 2001 biography by Mark Bowden, in hand.Rodr�guez adds that he does not have a problem with Escobar's story being told, but he is against him being mythologised. "I don't think there should be museums or tours or anything making him out to be a legend," he says.See Colombia Travel, which was established in the early 2000s and offers a variety of tours around the county, says it didn't take the decision lightly and its main aim is to show how much security in the city has changed. All profits are being donated to a charity that supports research into Aids and HIV, albeit one in Escobar's name.Company spokesman JL Pastor says: "I've been asked why we are glorifying Escobar, but we think he is the most repellent character in Latin American history. Even his brother is not at all apologetic. This is a bold move, but it is not an opportunity to take pictures with a machine gun, Scarface-style."International tourism arrivals to Colombia rose by 16% in the first half of this year. The UK market showed the largest increase, leaping 40%.ColombiaColumbineSouth AmericaCity breaksVicky Bakerguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Readers' tips: autumn sun

A little-visited island off Sardinia, the highlights of western Crete, the hidden villages of the Algarve ? Been there readers share their secrets spots to catch autumn sun in the MediterraneanAdd a tip for next week and you could win a digital cameraWINNING TIP: Carloforte, Isola di San Pietro, Sardinia, ItalyCarloforte is a former Genoese enclave on the remote island of San Pietro, off the main island of Sardinia, surrounded by untouched nature and blue sea. Spend the day on a beach of fine sand at La Bobba, swimming in crystalline water. Join one of the boat tours of the island, or hire your own and go diving. In the evening, smarten up for dinner at Al Tonno di Corsa, where the speciality is tuna caught with traditional methods. As an appetiser or late-night snack try a delicious farinata, a Genoese chickpea flatbread, while promenading the beautiful old town, which is made up of small lanes and winding steps between pastel-coloured houses. With few tourists around, you'll discover a hidden treasure not even many Sardinians visit. Sardegnaturismo.it ContemporaneoItalyCamogli, GenoaThe town still feels like a genuine fishing port and its handful of tourist-orientated shops and eateries don't detract from its charm. Baroque houses line streets cut into the steep hillside above a picturesque little bay, complete with (shingle) beach, azure waters, fishing port and fort. There are plenty of opportunities to walk into the Appenine hinterland of hills cloaked in olive and orange groves ? particularly breathtaking is the walk from Camogli along the cliffs of the Portofino peninsula, with stunning views along the whole length of the Ligurian coast from the village of San Rocco. johnsannaeeGreeceEleonas cottages, Zaros, CreteEleonas is a beautiful hotel made up of cottages straddling a Cretan hillside and a main taverna/reception/bar at the base of the hill. If you want to get away somewhere quiet and friendly, with amazing food and walks in the hills, gorges and forests of upland Crete ? or, a short drive away, visiting the beaches, Minoan palaces and towns of the south coast ? then this is for you. +30 289 403 1238, eleonas.grmediamuleChania and western CreteRenting a car is a must for exploring beautiful, rugged western Crete. From the charming Venetian town of Chania, visit Samaria Gorge for sightings of wild goat or kri-kri ? relax after the day's hike in the laid-back coastal village of Agia Roumeli. Explore the hills above Balos beach for wonderful views of the Gramvousa peninsula. And visit the paradise setting of Elafonisi with its warm sands and shallow waters. In late summer the crowds have gone and the weather is good well into early autumn. We stayed at Frida Apartments for easy access to everything.Frida Apartments, Kladissos, Chania (+30 282 109 2729, fridahotel.gr)GornaLondonTunisiaHotel Kanta, Port El KantaouiPort El Kantaoui comes into its own at this time of year. It is still hot enough for a beach holiday without being uncomfortable. It's a purpose-built tourist resort a short drive from the older town of Sousse, with its traditional medina. The Kanta is a lovely hotel in the centre of the port with easy access to beach and marina. + 216 73 348666, hotel-kanta.comlebeeukPortugalThe villages of the Algarve and Cape St VincentYou don't have to travel far in the Algarve to escape the crowds. Hire a car and head inland from Albufeira. Just three miles north of here you can explore the narrow, timeless streets of Guia. Alternatively, to escape the heat as well as the crowds, head up into the Monchique hills for the fresh, cool air and the wonderful flowers. This is fabulous walking country. Head back down to the coast to stunning Cape St Vincent ? you'll find remote, barren cliffs, crashing waves, an ancient fort and a lighthouse that shines its powerful light 60 miles out into the Atlantic. The coastline north of here is stunning too, with coves that can be reached only by boat.troutiemcfish Carrapateira, western AlgarveThere aren't many things to do in Carrapateira besides soaking up the sun and stunning surroundings. A clear first choice has to be the surf. Right in the centre of town is a wonderful little surfboard rental that is run by Alex, who speaks perfect English and, if you're lucky, will take you to the local break. After a long day of surfing a good meal is essential. Luckily, Carrapateira serves great food, and although there are only a few places to eat, they're better than anywhere else I've been, with fantastic fresh fish. carrapateira.co.ukKaySmytheItalyEuropeGreeceCretePortugalTunisiaAfricaguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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The Authentic Ski Tour: Yellowstone National Park, Day 3

..... Yellowstone, Wyo. (Ski Press)-We drove out in the morning with the mountains going gold in the light, and the deer and the elk beside the road. They jumped the barbed wire fences so lightly, off into the grasslands and the endless views. And there was a little pasture filled with buffalo, and a herd of bighorn sheep working their way back into the hills. ?You wouldn?t go hungry,? I said. And Jeff said, ?And we?re still 20 minutes from Yellowstone.? It was the third leg of my ?Authentic Ski Tour? of Montana?s Yellowstone Country. After a day skiing the rustically exhilarating slopes of Red Lodge with Jeff Carroll, and an evening at the high-end honky tonk hot springs of Chico, we were heading to the crown jewel of America?s national park system: Yellowstone. Founded in 1872, the first national park in the world, just the mention of it filled my head with scenes of spouting geysers, iced over waterfalls and great herds of bison plowing pathways through the snow. ?I think I?m a Teddy Roosevelt Republican,? I suddenly confessed to Jeff (although it was President Ulysses S. Grant who first set the preservation stage by signing Yellowstone?s special status into law), suddenly getting all misty-eyed about our American wild lands, and the kind of politicians interested in preserving our country?s most spectacular and pristine native soil. ?But that?s something that probably doesn?t exist anymore.? ?Have you seen the Ken Burns documentary on the National Parks?? Jeff asked. ?It?s incredible.? We drove in to Yellowstone through Gardiner, Montana, and had only just paid the park ranger when I snapped a photo of a bull elk 10 yards from the car. Then we caught a snowcoach in to the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, with our guide/driver going on about ?geyser geeks,? wolf packs, calderas, wildlife biologists and grizzly bears, and how her parents had first fallen in love working one summer at Yellowstone. She said, ?That?s why I?ve always kind of thought of this as home.? Only 30 minutes into the drive we began to see herd after herd of bison, trudging in single file to a new grassy field, and creating a little Prehistoric-style traffic jam across the road. We saw bubbling gray mud pots, bleached white tree trunks and new green growth from the forest renewing itself. And everywhere there was the atmospheric mist of the geysers and the hot springs billowing in the cold March air. ?That?s one of the reasons I like winter here the best,? our guide/driver said. ?Because it?s so quiet. And the geysers are so much more dramatic at this time of year.? That equal measure of beauty and breathing planet is stunning to see, with the corresponding splendor of creation and damnation everywhere, of unfettered natural law. It?s why on the way out, when we stopped to take photos of two coyotes tearing apart the carcass of an elk, in my notes I wrote, ?Only heaven could be this wild and gorgeous, and this raw and real.? ?Did she also tell you that the bears might also be waking up right now?? asked Doug Wales. The director of marketing for Bridger Bowl, it was Wales who had invited me to Montana, and who had been the most excited about getting out for a cross-country ski on the Yellowstone snow. It was Wales who set me up to use that old joke, ?I don?t have to outrun the bear. Just you two.? But that would have been hard to do. A talented cross-country skier, Wales made it look easy, kicking and gliding up the snow-covered road as Jeff and I fell further and further out of view. Then again out the long, peaceful streamside trail, to the Lone Star Geyser like a throne of magma in the woods, bathing in the sun and a raven?s caws. ?When does it erupt?? ?Every three hours.? ?Every three hours from when?? ?Exactly.? We decided to ski back to watch Old Faithful instead, betting the safe bet. Which paid off like it always does, blasting hot water straight up in an exclamation arc as painters painted, gawkers gawked and video cameras whirred. ?Look at the coyote,? someone said, and there it was, sniffing the seats and then off into the woods as if it had known the geyser?s regular eruption schedule as well. ?That was cool.? That was nature?s entertainment hour, pulling out all the stops in a single day of sky and scenery and sensation in a place where there is no internet and no TV in the rooms. We sat by the fire instead, letting the feeling grow. In the morning we would see those coyotes eating the carcass, more steam from geysers like Yankee Boy and Old Faithful again, and more elk in the river and a swan. And for dinner, we would all order the buffalo. Next: Big Sky. Links: Yellowstone National Park: http://www.nps.gov/yell/index.htm Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yellowstone_National_Park

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The Gathering: Sun Valley, IDPoster signingGriffin Post and Tim McChesney4Bi9Second annualAfter partyThe RooseveltJosh Berman gets countryRedneck womanThe masterAfter DarkFree skisThe crowdThe ItalsJah Glory

The Gathering, a movie and music festival, took place last weekend in Sun Valley, Idaho, for the second year in a row. Movies were watched, shotguns were fired, and rednecks listened to reggae.

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Villa holydays are the opportunity for a relaxing and liberating holiday

If you are looking for a quiet and relaxing holiday, in which you can escape from everyday life and you can let behind any stressful problem, villa holidays are the answer to your search due to the fact that they offer each tourist the flexibility and the freedom to spend the holiday as he wants, without preset itineraries or rigorous schedule of meals

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Ask Tom: Live Q&A

Lonely Planet's Tom Hall is online now until 2pm answering your travel queries. Post your questions for him belowThe kids are back at school, but all too soon they'll be off again, so maybe you're in need of ideas and advice for October half-term. And while you may not want to think about the festive season while the leaves are still on the trees, this is the time to sort out a great break for Christmas or new year. Whatever your plans, if you need advice on a specific destination, how to get there or where to stay, ask Tom Hall ? he will be live tomorrow on Guardian Travel, offering expert advice. You can post your questions below.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.guardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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The Authentic Ski Tour: Chico Hot Springs, Day 2

..... Pray, Montana (Ski Press)-Through the windshield I can watch the Absaroka Range coming into view like great blue gods with diamonds and avalanches in their hair. Livingston, Montana is coming up on the right, and Bob Dylan is on the radio. ?Did you ever see the movie Rancho Deluxe, with Sam Waterston and Jeff Bridges?? I ask Jeff. He shakes his head. ?No.? It?s day two of my self-proclaimed ?Authentic Ski Tour,? of Montana?s Yellowstone Country, busting a Big Sky hole through the cookie-cutter clutter of ski experiences so sugared up, starched out, and stiltingly stratified that it?s a wonder anyone can tell their vacations apart anymore. Jeff Carroll got me started with the grassroots elegance of Red Lodge, and now we are heading to Chico Hot Springs, then Yellowstone National Park, Big Sky, Moonlight Basin and Bridger Bowl. ?It was filmed in Livingston,? I said. ?Bridges and Waterston are modern rustlers. And Slim Pickens is sent to catch them. And Jimmy Buffet and his band have a scene in the bar.? Buffet wrote a song called ?Livingston Saturday Night?: ?Pickup's washed and you just got paid. With any luck at all you might even get laid, 'Cause they're pickin' and a-kickin' on a Livingston Saturday Night.? But we?re heading south to Paradise Valley now, closer to those mountains catching clouds, through the endless prairies between the peaks and the great log cabins in open spaces without even a tree to stop the wind and the sun from coming through. ?It?s beautiful.? ?I know.? We?re heading to Chico Hot Springs, a kind of Rocky Mountain Eden where the mountains and plains and bubbling hot waters come together, and the wedding parties, couples and cowboys come for miles. Like a great camphouse-meets-country hotel, it is tucked against the peaks, golden in the light, with the wonderful restaurant inside, those mythic waters, and the Chico Saloon, its legendary bar. At the rooms across from the stables, where the horses are being fed at dusk, a stout man is busy unloading several six-packs of different micro-brews. ?Looks like you?re getting ready for a good time,? I said, wondering if he was booked for a week, or about to host his own beer festival right then and there. He looked me in the eye between moving six packs and said, ?It?s always a good time in Chico.? And walking over to the Chico Dining Room I felt a little warmth of anticipation at the light melting out the windows, and the sense of coming in from the cold. I felt the warmth of the wine, The Prisoner, and the conversation as Chico?s General Manager Colin Kurth Davis took us into the night, through Chico?s history and the restaurant?s menu. ?You have to stay for two nights,? he said. ?One night to eat here in the restaurant, and one night by the pool in the Grill.? Interested and generous, Davis gives off the air of a friendly neighbor hosting an endless pool party and barbecue. And what a pool, and what a menu. For the Dining Room there is even a book, ?A Montana Table,? written by Colin?s wife, Seabring Davis, an accomplished journalist and foodie, detailing the deceptively simple preparation of the restaurant?s ubiquitously delicious fennel breadsticks, rock-cooked Yellowstone Chicken, and Huckleberry Swirl Cheesecake. We sit there for hours. It is a perfect pace. In my mind, I could go there right now. It is Colin who finally breaks the trance. ?Shall we go next door?? I?ve never seen two-stepping that good before. The pedal-steel guitar and stand-up bass of Dirty Shame, and all those pretty country girls heating up the dance floor. The young cowboys come in with their towels tucked under their arms to hit the pool. Drinks are served in cups through the window, into the steaming outdoors. A sun-kissed blonde named Shona shoots me with a potato gun. Rounds of tequila are ordered, and the night suddenly accelerates as the band plays faster numbers. The dance floor fills, and if you look hard enough, you can see the stars start to swirl. Links Chico Hot Springs: www.chicohotsprings.com A Montana Table: www.amazon.com/Montana-Table-Recipes-Springs-Resort/dp/0762725702/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top Jimmy Buffet, Livingston Saturday Night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0gzzS0nyMfM

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Ski Gear: DPS Wailer 112RP Launch

..... Salt Lake City (Ski Press)-DPS Skis (dpsskis.com) announced the launch of The Wailer 112RP which ?bridges the gap with a shape that combines the loose and early planing feel of a fully rockered ski with aggressive sidecut and slight camber underfoot.??Once in awhile a ski comes along that breaks boundaries and becomes the new standard in terms of shape, flex, and construction. The Wailer 112RP is truly the centerpiece of any skier?s quiver. It?s equally at home pulling loaded g?s on packed snow as it is slashing a wave feature or surfing powder. It?s as close to a one ski quiver as possible and will become the new standard in versatility ? it?s fun everywhere,? says Stephan Drake, DPS Founder and President. DPS has built and shaped skis geared for the freeride community since 2005. According to Drake, The Wailer, is ?A 16m radius underfoot and great torsional stiffness allow for maximum versatility, while the rockered and tapered tips and tail allow the Wailer 112RP to get loose and be driven from the ball of the foot in deeper snow. It's a game changer.? For information visit: http://dpsskis.com/

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10 of the best music venues in Istanbul

Indie, electro, Turkish rock or dubstep? Izzy Finkel and Tom Rouech� pick the best venues in Istanbul's thriving music scene? As featured in our Istanbul city guideDogstarzIt's impossible not to love this venue-cum-club space hidden high above the rooftops of Beyo?lu. Arguably the only venue in the city that hosts regular dubstep nights, it is frequented by Istanbul's clubbing cognoscenti. The punters come for the mostly local bands and DJs who play on the first two floors, but it is the fantastic top-floor bar they stay for. Up here, the music continues until the dancing stops, and watching the sun rise over the gardens of Galatasaray Lisesi far below (while the DJ plays surf rock) is a sublime surprise. Such a night can only end in ?ampiyon Kokore� ? the 24-hour restaurant across the road that specialises in barbecued intestine and deep-fried mussels.? Kartal Sokak 3, Kat 3, Galatasaray, +90 212 244 9147, dogzstar.com Arka odaA converted town house at the heart of Istanbul's alternative scene, in the charmingly hectic Kadik�y district, Arka Oda is a venue of choice for Istanbul's up-and-coming indie bands. Situated at the heart of Kadife Sokak ? the so-called "bar street" ? Arka Oda hosts intimate gigs in spaces that feel like sitting rooms. The louche aesthetic sits well with the grungy, shoe-gazy electro played by bands like regulars Kim Ki O (a local band increasingly gaining international acclaim, and whose cafe, Kutu, is just around the corner). Regular DJ sets celebrate local and international independent music, from funk and soul to dub, jazz, hip-hop and eclectic indie music, before a crowd of appreciative regulars.? Kadife Sokak 18/A, Kadik�y, +90 216 418 0277, arkaoda.comHayal KahvesiFor many of the young Turks who march up and down ?stiklal Caddesi on a Saturday evening, the night has only one endpoint ? Hayal Kahvesi. It's where up-and-coming Turkish rock, jazz and pop bands play to a more mainstream crowd than those at Peyote (see below) or in Kadik�y. Music from popular artists such as pop-funk act Bora Uzer draw especially large crowds. For those unacquainted with guitar-heavy, Turkish-style rock, Hayal Kahvesi is an education. As the night wears on, many bands play covers of Turkish rock songs. On a Saturday night expect to find it heaving; likewise its sister venue Hayal Kahvesi Bistro, just around the corner. ? Hayal Kahvesi-B�y�k Parmak Kapi Sokak Afrika Han 19, Beyo?lu, +90 212 244 2558, hayalkahvesibeyoglu.com/tr-TR/Kallavi MeyhanesiMeyhanes, traditional restaurants or bars, have always had strong links to live music ? particularly to Turkish Fasil music. For Turks, singing and dancing is all part of a night out, and in a restaurant it comes somewhere between the main course and the dessert. At Kallavi Meyhanesi, men with a drum and a violin emerge somewhere after the delicate south-eastern mezes and sumptuous kebabs, gradually warming up the restaurant until everyone is singing along. Soon after, the dancing starts. For Turks, the songs and dances are familiar and come easily, but they are easy for newcomers to pick up. People dance and return to their seat to catch their breath, before being dragged back up to dance some more. ? Istiklal Caddesi Kurabiye Sokak 16, Beyo?lu, +90 212 245 1213, kallavi20.com Otto SantralOver the past few years, Otto Santral has proven one of the leading dance-music venues in Istanbul. Some way out of the centre of town, it is part of a larger museum complex in the converted buildings of an old factory. A little more polished than most warehouses, Otto Santral's massive hall has built its reputation with fantastic seasons featuring international and local DJs, including a semi-regular night by London favourites Horse Meat Disco, and gigs by Hercules and Love Affair, and grungy Turkish rockers Duman. More recently, it has also hosted parties in conjunction with Another Magazine.? Emniyettepe Mahallesi, Kazim Karabekir Caddesi 2/7, Elektrik Santrali-ey�p, +90 212 427 1889, ottoistanbul.comBadehaneA tiny bar guarding the entrance to the back streets of Asmalimescit, Badehane is where the Roma clarinettist Selim Sesler got his first break. Sesler (best known to foreigners through his appearance in Fatih Akin's documentary of the Istanbul music scene, Crossing the Bridge) has long since made it big, but he still comes back to play here on a Wednesday night. At other times rebetiko bands fill the programme. Although its rickety stools increasingly bear the bottoms of backpackers, Badehane does retain some of its authenticity amid its increasingly chi-chi surroundings ? the beers are still cheap, for a start. At the time of writing (September 2011), Badehane's atmosphere is suffering from a Beyo?lu-wide ban on outdoor seating, but denizens hope the street life will soon return as capriciously as it went.? General Yazgan Sokak 5, Asmalimescit, +90 212 249 0550BabylonWhen it first opened, Babylon was Istanbul's first proper black box music venue. Immediately it drew the likes of Depeche Mode to Istanbul, and this is still where acts such as Wild Beasts and Mulatu Astatke will play when they visit the city. Babylon's programme is extremely diverse, and the atmosphere of its gigs varies accordingly ? sometimes you can't move for the elbows and knees, while when the best-known Turkish instrumentalists play here you'll find an older crowd who often choose to sit on the floor in reverential silence. In summer, Babylon is closed, while its sister venue in the resort town of Ce?me opens shop (in Ce?me it also curates a four-stage festival). Still, there's always the nearby Babylon Lounge to keep you busy in the interim. No live sets there, but DJs and bright young things on every floor. ? ?ehbender Sokak 3, Asmalimescit, +90 212 292 7368, babylon.com.tr. (Babylon Lounge is reopening in September, after a period operating under the name Nublu: Jurnal Sokak 4, Asmalimescit)PeyoteNot just a bar but also a successful music label, Peyote is a mecca for fans of Turkish experimental rock (and if you come on a Friday night, you'll find that there are many). Bands nurtured and launched show up here regularly, although their four- or five-gigs-a-week schedule is also bolstered by the names of those passing through. Peyote specialises in grouchier rock, but don't be surprised to find more esoteric offerings ? Dixieland group Billie Not On Holiday were recently billed. If the live bands are not to your taste, there are often DJs entertaining Peyote's clientele of (mostly) disaffected students on the third-floor terrace bar.? Kameriye Sokak 4, Nevizade, peyote.com.trMiniM�zikholMiniM�zikhol opened a few years ago and during "the season" (after the summer heat has ended) it serves up Turkish psychedelica in both live and turntable forms. A small venue on Siraselviler, which leads down the hill from the "sloppy burger" joints of Taksim square to the chicer-than-thou cafes of gentrified Cihangir, the venue attracts a crowd and acts who all seem to know each other, sometimes giving the impression that you have crashed someone's front room. Nevertheless, its impeccably curated gigs feature visiting DJs and an impressive range of musicians, often smashed together from different bands in impromptu MiniM�zikhol side-projects. ? So?anc? Sokak 7, Cihangir, minimuzikhol.comHarbiye AmphitheatreNear to the defence ministry, after which the district and the venue are named, Harbiye's enormous concrete amphitheatre has been a crucial part of the annual Istanbul Jazz festival for many years. It has hosted foreign names from Bj�rk to Bryan Ferry via Buena Vista Social Club, and in recent years its programme has filled out across the milder months, with Turkish pop heavyweights such as Sertab Erener (she of Eurovision 2003 glory) and the heartthrob Tarkan on the roster. It's easy to spot regulars ? they're the ones who've remembered to bring a cushion. ? Harbiye Cemil Topuzlu, Ta?ki?la Caddesi. Website IstanbulBars and clubsWeekend breaksCity breaksClubbingguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Get Essex-ed up

Ahead of the third series of The Only Way Is Essex, we tour the show's main sites to find out how it created a mini tourism boom in the much-maligned county. For the more cultured side of Essex click hereIn a field outside Epping on a grey summer's day an expectant crowd has gathered. The Duke of Essex Polo Cup is billed as the "highlight of the Essex social season", but the polo is just a sideshow to the main event ? the arrival of the celebrity guests, most of whom seem to have either been married to Katie Price or appeared in Big Brother, or both. As Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Dane Bowers make their way along the red carpet to the VIP marquee (not together, that would be awkward), the onlookers murmur excitedly.Suddenly, there comes a deafening roar from above and all eyes turn skywards. A helicopter lands in the middle of the polo pitch and disgorges its brightly-coloured cargo. There are a couple of tense moments as the draught from the helicopter blades sends hair extensions and lace skirts billowing upwards. Then there's the difficult matter of negotiating a muddy field in eight-inch stilettos. But after a couple of wobbles, the safety of the red carpet is reached and the waiting paparazzi stand to attention: the cast of The Only Way Is Essex has arrived.Britain's first "structured reality" show, The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE to its fans) has been something of a surprise hit. The series, which follows the lives of a group of spray-tanned young men and women as they flit between beauty salon, wine bar and nightclub, returns to our screens for a third series next weekend, having picked up a Bafta award and spawned a succession of imitators. The photogenic cast, meanwhile, seem intent on world domination, appearing at premieres and on chat shows, launching beauty products, fashion labels and fitness DVDs (the Essexercise Workout, since you ask).But even more improbable than the show's success is the fact that it has sparked a mini tourism boom as TOWIE fans travel to Essex to see the locations where it is filmed. I grew up in Essex and while it does indeed have many lovely and underrated corners, the suburban extremities of the Central Line and the commuter towns of the M25 corridor are not among them.But what do I know? At the polo match I get talking to a group of bubbly young women from Glasgow. They tell me they are in Essex to celebrate their friend Rowan's hen weekend, and that the whole itinerary is a carefully planned homage to TOWIE."We've had the best time," says Alana, who admits that she doesn't even like the show. "We've been to London before and it's so unfriendly, but everyone here has been so lovely and welcoming. Essex people like to have fun. They're like Glaswegians: they don't take themselves too seriously."I am a rubbish Essex girl. Despite having been raised in Romford, the spiritual home of the white stiletto and the boy racer, I've never had a fake tan or a manicure, let alone a boob job, and I can't walk in high heels. But if I'm going to immerse myself in the TOWIE experience, some personal grooming is going to be necessary.My first stop is on Queens Road in the well-heeled suburb of Buckhurst Hill, which must have more hair, beauty and tanning salons per capita than any town on the planet. I pass an interiors shop whose USP seems to be that every single item, from picture frames to table lamps, is encrusted in diamante, and a boutique specialising in "pet couture" including a pink leotard for your lapdog emblazoned with the motto "This Is What Spoiled Looks Like".Heaven knows where you go if you want to buy a pork chop or a loaf of bread. In Posh Frocks I spot a pile of flyers by the door inviting local people to audition for the next series of TOWIE. My destination is Belles & Beaus, a beauty salon where some of the girls from the show get their spray tans and nails done. I'm terrified of looking like an oompah loompah so I shun the Fake Bake and go for a manicure instead.I ask Kate, the nail technician, if they get much demand for Vajazzles, the sparkly makeover for one's, ahem, "bikini area" which famously saw the light of day on the show. Right on cue, a young woman walks into reception and whispers something to the receptionist. She is ushered into a back room and emerges five minutes later clutching a small bag with the words Vajazzle Me on it.When the cast of TOWIE are not waxing, spray-tanning or Vajazzling themselves, they can be found gossiping over a salad and a glass of sauvignon blanc at attractive country pubs and wine bars in the Chigwell, Epping and Loughton area. I decide to have lunch at the Kings Oak Hotel, in the heart of Epping Forest, which has featured as a backdrop to some of the show's more dramatic scenes. There's a banner outside advertising an upcoming pool party.After ordering my food, I take a quick peek at the members-only "Beach Club" and am greeted with the sight of a sparkling blue swimming pool surrounded by Indonesian-style day beds decked out in billowing white linen, where, despite a stiff breeze, a handful of young women in bikinis are lounging around, acting for all the world like they are in Ibiza rather than Epping Forest. At a table nearby a trio of girls in designer sunglasses who could have stepped straight off a TOWIE set enjoy a lunch with their lapdogs. Suddenly it feels like I've entered a parallel universe.Picking up the trail again, I take the M25 from Epping to Brentwood, the dormitory town which is at the epicentre of the TOWIE phenomenon. Home to the Sugar Hut nightclub and Minnie's boutique, where much of the show's action takes place, the town has been inundated with followers of the show from near and far."It's been absolutely crazy," says Jamie, the receptionist at Brentwood's Premier Inn. "And it's not just groups of women: it's fellas too, and we also get lots of families making a weekend of it. We've even had people coming over from Australia."At Minnie's boutique, the reaction is one of similar bewilderment. In the show ? and in real life ? the shop is run by sisters Sam and Billie Faiers. The girls' mum, Sue, is holding the fort when I visit."You should come here on a Saturday ? they are queuing out of the door," she says. "It makes me laugh. We've had people from Cardiff, Scotland, Ireland ?"Some come to shop, but most are hoping to get an autograph from the sisters, who can often be found working behind the counter. This may be Essex's answer to the Sex and the City tours which were all the rage in New York a few years back, but the major difference is that on this tour there is a very real possibility that you will bump into the stars of the show going about their daily business. I tell Sue I'm going to the Sugar Hut that night and haven't a clue what to wear."Don't worry. We'll get you Essexed up," she says thrusting a white Tinkerbell dress with beaded bodice and lacy tutu and a pair of eight-inch high leopardskin platforms into my arms. Sartorially this is a bit of a new departure for me but I decide to squeeze into it for the comedy value. While I resist the urge to skip around the shop singing "Nobody loves a fairy when she's 40," Sue appraises my outfit with an expert eye. "You just need a bit of fake tan," she says kindly, though I suspect a fake body is what I need to carry off this little number.Queuing to get into the Sugar Hut ("It's not just a nightclub ? it's a lifestyle") later that evening, I realise that my fairy dress would not have been out of place at all. Whereas the dress code in most London clubs is to look like you haven't tried too hard, here it's clear that everyone has spent at least three hours getting ready. And that's just the men. Clearly, the show's motto, "look reem, smell reem, be reem", (and no, I don't know what reem means either) is taken quite seriously here.Once inside the club, which has a vaguely oriental theme, I'm relieved to find that posing is coming a distant third to drinking and dancing. At the bar I bump into a group of girls from Croydon, which is admittedly not quite Canberra, or even Cardiff, but is still quite a long way to come for a night out. "It's the furthest I've ever driven. It took one and a half hours to get here," says one of the women as she lines up shots on the bar. Was it worth it, I ask? "Oh my god, yeah, we love it."I have to agree. I can't remember the last time I was in a place surrounded by so many people so intent on having a good time. I was planning to stay just for one drink but the atmosphere's infectious. If I had a handbag I'd dance around it. I've embraced by inner Essex girl and it feels good.? The Only Way Is Essex returns to ITV2 on 25 September at 10pmEssexTelevisionJoanne O'Connorguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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Skiing Life ListTripsResortsLifeShredSkills

We all have them. Folded up in your wallet, taped to the wall of your childhood bedroom, set as your desktop background. A running record of dreams, attainable and otherwise. Here?s our life list as it stands right now, because that?s the thing about life lists, you can always add to them.

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In San Francisco, savoring a slice of heaven on France's Cote d'Azur

Filed under: Food and Drink, Stories, Europe, France

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September 20, 2011 -- I'm sitting on the sun-washed terrace of La Terrasse restaurant in San Francisco's gorgeous green Presidio. It's a spectacular Indian summer day, with the rays warming my bones and the bay sparkling in the distance under a cerulean sky. All around me, California Mission-style buildings - pale yellow walls, curving arches, terra-cotta roof tiles - shine.

I've been eating escargots and poulet roti avec pommes frites, and sipping a crisp Loire Valley Sancerre, celebrating because in a week I'll be in la belle France, exploring the regions of Burgundy and Champagne. Moments ago I was poring over the itinerary, giddy at the prospect of traveling once again in the country that changed my life decades ago. Suddenly this combination - the frisson of anticipation, the dejeuner francais, and the sun, roof tiles and glinting waters beyond -- concocted a terraced time machine-magic, and I was transported to a sunny scene 18 summers before, and a time-stopping, life-enlarging afternoon at the singular - and to my mind, sacred - restaurant called La Colombe d'Or, in St.-Paul-de-Vence, on France's Cote d'Azur....

I am ensconced under a white parasol at a red bouquet-brightened table, looking out on a somnolent scene of green hills and straw-colored houses with terra-cotta roofs.

I have just finished a plate of green melon and jambon de Parme, and now the waiter has placed before me with a flourish a platter of grilled sea bream, known locally as daurade.

Around me is a symphony of sounds: the clink of silverware on china, the splash of wine into glasses, the mellifluous laughter and multilingual chatter of diners in summery clothes.Continue reading In San Francisco, savoring a slice of heaven on France's Cote d'AzurIn San Francisco, savoring a slice of heaven on France's Cote d'Azur originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments

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Island Life in Mallorca

I packed my bags for Island life in Mallorca in May 2009 but I was not new to Spain - far from it.� Marbella guided me from my 20s through to my 30s but we reached our seven-year itch and I had to move on.�It was either back to the UK (the stuff of expat nightmares) or across to the Island of innocent childhood holidays and unblemished memories (apart from that summer spent working in Magalluf when I was 21, but that blemish can be erased) ? Mallorca of course won.Mallorca is a beacon of calm, sophistication, beauty and A-List celebrity.� It is also an Island of great wealth with its 870,000-strong population enjoying the highest per capita level of disposable income in Spain.�� To those who believe only what they read in the papers - tales of union jack shorts, binge drinking and abandonment of inhibitions ? this classy portrayal may come as some surprise. The truth is best summed up by a long-standing Spanish joke about a mythical fifth Balearic Island to add to Mallorca, Ibiza, Menorca and Formentera, which goes under the name of ?Majorca?.� This legendary island is visited by over six million tourists a year who care for nothing more than the all-day drinking antics of Blackpool on Sea ? AKA Magalluf ? or if you?re German, the neon lights of El Arenal.� Yet these package holiday enclaves are confined to just a couple of resorts on the fringes of the Bay of Palma and the Island as a whole should not be unfairly maligned with the red top treatment.� Mallorca is in fact breathtakingly stunning.�From deserted white sand beaches to craggy pine-clad mountain ranges, the exquisite architecture of historic buildings to flower-filled fields heavy with citrus trees, Mallorca offers every kind of beauty for everyone.� The trick is to get behind the wheel of a car (or indeed the helm of a motoryacht), explore and discover your personal piece of Island paradise.���� For me, the best place to start is World Heritage Site Serra de Tramuntana, the western backbone of the Island that offers steep mountain scenery set against a Mediterranean backdrop.� My favourite beach, Cala Dei�, can be found here, one of the most bewitching inlets on Mallorca?s entire coastline with the clientele to match.� The littoral outlet for well-heeled Dei�, a village that has been home to Mick Jagger, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Richard Branson and poet Robert Graves who is buried there, Cala Dei� may be small (200m wide), far from sandy (heaps of shingle) and a bun-fight to find parking (5? a day), but the water is crystal clear, the rocky outcrops imposing and the atmosphere convivial.� Either lunch at one of the delightfully primitive beach restaurants or, as I prefer, pack a hamper with a chic-nic of smoked salmon, cheeses, baguettes, leafy salad, strawberries, linen napkins, champagne flutes and iced cava and become the envy of the west.The Serra de Tramuntana also hides my favourite Mallorquin village, Fornalutx.�Twice elected Spain?s most beautiful, Fornalutx is surrounded by fragrant orange and lemon groves set against an imposing mountain backdrop.� The miniature main square is fringed with immaculately presented pavement cafes who?ll reward you with a cool beverage after you?ve tired your legs mounting the never-ending steps to nosy at the patios and flower-decked balconies of the lovingly preserved stone Mallorquin houses.As you drive back down south, take the coastal road and nip into Son Marroig and Monestir de Miramar on the way.�Both former residences of the Habsburg Archduke Ludwig Salvador (who fell head over heels with Mallorca) and both open to the public for a few euros entry, it?s undoubtedly the views that will captivate you more than the houses for they are the stuff of dreams ? particularly from the neoclassical marble temple at Son Marroig which is now a popular venue for post-card perfect weddings and acoustic concerts.From village to city, capital Palma is Mallorca?s only real city and deserves your full attention for at least a day.� It shares many characteristics with big sister Bar�a ? a Gothic Cathedral that has received the Gaudi touch, refurbished old buildings, mazy shopping streets, gardens with splashing fountains, art museums and an impressive city beach ? but without the suffocating tourist numbers and pick pocketing.� The best vantage point for looking down over Palma?s rooftops, endless marina front and visiting cruise ships is the Castell de Bellver.� In a wooded hilltop just west of the City, this 14th century fortress is immaculately conserved and built in a canny circular design with a central keep.� Climb up to the rooftop for the most attractive and peaceful views and go on a Sunday ? it?s free.Whatever your penchant; following the wine route of the Island?s 60 plus bodegas, scaling the countryside to a hilltop monastery or swinging a club on one of Mallorca?s 22 immaculate golf courses, all of Mallorca is within easy reach.� A drive from Palma in the south to Puerto Pollen�a in the north takes just 50 minutes on smooth motorway and to reach the beach resort of Cala Millor on the Island?s east coast is just one hour 15 minutes from the capital.� Nothing requires great logistical planning.If you really want to explore every possible angle of Mallorca, I?ll share three special ways to make your visit to Mallorca particularly memorable.� The first is to nip down to Son Bonet, Palma?s private aerodrome, and allow Sloane Helicopters to give you a unique bird?s-eye view of the Island in the comfort of one of their fleet of Robinson R44s.� Direct the pilot or allow him to be your guide and pay a little extra to be dropped off in a secret location for a heli-picnic with champagne and a treat-filled hamper.Staying on dry land, Mallorca is driving dreamland with traffic-free roads and striking grab-the-camera views at every turn.� For a reasonable fee Mallorca Driving will give you the keys to one of its impressive stable of classic cars - every petrol head?s dream.� Choose from a powerful 1966 Austin Healey MKIII or sporty Jaguar MKII, an elegant Mercedes 280 SE Cabrio or a replica Porsche 550 Spyder and plenty of more.� A good trick is to go as a group and swap drivers along the way so you can get behind the wheel of more than one of these timeless beauties.The last (and by far my favourite) is to flick through Nick Whale Marine?s charter portfolio and find a yacht to suit your dreams and your budget.� Whether you club together with some mates to take out the sprightly RIB with its water toys or crush the credit card on a gin palace Sunseeker, yacht charter will take you to the bays and caves that landlubbers can but dream of.� Rocking gently at anchor, bubbly in hand, Caf� del Mar on the iPod, watching the sun dip below the horizon ? now that?s My Mallorca...� Useful resourcesWhere to sleep?---Accommodation in Mallorca include a 4* Aparthotel Fontanellas Playa at ?33 per room per night, or 4* Hipotels Eurotel Punta Rotja Thalasso-Spa at ?54, or a luxurious 4* Saratoga Hotel at ?107.How to get there?---The major airport serving the island is Palma de Mallorca. Find cheap flights to Palma de Mallorca:Cheap Flights with Budget Airlines�Useful links:---Sloane MallorcaMallorca DrivingNick Whale Marine��
31 August 2011
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Mauritius now tops the list of popular choice of tourists The virgin beauty of different holiday destinations and tourist spots of the island is dedicated to give the utmost feel of lying on the lap of nature earth

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Abergevenny Food Festival

My three year old son is in the back of the car patting his tummy and licking his lips and saying ?Abergavenny, Abergavenny, Abergavenny? over and over again.� He can he possibly remember our previous visit to this mecca of epicurean delights?� He asks when we will be having lunch.� ?I want gnocchi? he demands.������ � Twelve months ago we were Food Festival virgins ? which means we didn?t realise that trying to steer a buggy full of sleepy toddler through the impossibly crowded streets of this little town on a Saturday - let alone through the quirkily-decorated market hall which was packed to the gills with fellow foodies ? was a pointless task.� We ended up with one of us waiting outside in the mizzle with a cranky child while the other one waited for a gap in the throng before shimmying from stall to stall, from a dazzling display of sausages to handmade chocolates, to fruit leather and to the most delicious pasta from the makers who had travelled from Italy.��� We wished we?d left the buggy in the car (parked on the other side of town as almost all the town centre car parks are commandeered for the duration of the festival) and brought a sling or a baby backpack to carry our little gourmet. � The Sunday was much better.� We concentrated on the slightly less crowded family-focused events taking place a short walk away in the grounds of Abergavenny Castle. � Here there was space to run around ? and grassy slopes and steps to climb up and down ? not to mention live music and a generally more relaxed atmosphere.� We gorged at the Persian grill and danced to the bands before I slipped away on my own to catch the highlight of the weekend ? an audience with four of the finest chefs in the Principality, including my secret crush, Shaun Hill, whose cooking at the nearby The Walnut Tree (which was awarded a Michelin star in 2010) had left us all ? including Charlie who declared that the truffle tagliatelle was ?very yummy? ? giddy with delight.���Just a few miles away from The Walnut Tree, the town of Abergavenny is home to several iconic foodie destinations including the acclaimed butcher HJ Edwards which is just a few steps away from the Angel Hotel where many of the talks and cookery demonstrations take place ? and which has just won a Tea Guild award for its Afternoon Tea. � To the north of the town ? you?ll find the village of Crickhowell and to the south east, off the road to the wonderfully-named village of Llanvihangel Gobion, is another place well worth stopping off at ? the hotel and restaurant at Llansantffraed Court owned and run by Mike Morgan who was one of the founders of the original food festival. � A short drive up an unpaved turnoff brings visitors to the fine 18th century building.� There?s plenty of parking (the gravel underfoot can make the going challenging for anyone with mobility issues so best to drop them off at the entrance) and everywhere you look, you?ll see rolling countryside. We were blessed with a fine, sunny day and chose to have lunch� in the shade on the delightful rear terrace while enjoying views down to the pond fountain and beyond to rolling hills while sharing a plate of home-cured venison (from nearby Blwch ) bresaola with soft, creamy mozzarella and a couple of hearty open sandwiches. � While Llansantffraed also has several well-appointed rooms, for our second visit to the area ? this time travelling with Granny Mistryguest who needs a specially adapted room ? we were staying at the Celtic Manor Resort, just outside Newport, about a 40 minute drive from Abergavenny. � Celtic Manor ? one of the supporters of this year?s food festival - is perhaps best known for hosting last year?s Ryder Cup ? one of the biggest golf tournaments in the world. The resort operates on a grand scale ? there are three gold courses - and joy of joys, the bar stocks Thomas Watkins.� But this isn?t any old bar for the Resort has cannily joined up with Michelin-starred chef James Sommerin of the Crown at Whitebrook to open an outpost ? The Crown at Celtic Manor. � Sadly for Charlie, diners under 13 are not permitted ? so he enjoys the hotel babysitting service (all staff work at the hotel?s childcare facility) and we enjoy a very pleasant child free dining experience. � Cooking at the Crown is overseen by Sommerin but the kitchen is run by head chef Tim McDougall who trained with Sommerin at the original Crown.� There are a few nods to molecular cuisine (a smattering of foams and a consomm� with a tiny square of tarragon jelly nestling at the bottom of the shot glass) but overall the food is precise rather than prissy.��� The joy of staying somewhere like Celtic Manor when wrangling three generations is that there is something for everyone under one roof.�� While too young for the fine dining (or to venture out on the famous 2010 course), Charlie did have a shot at adventure golf and if the tennis courts had been open he?d have quite liked a go at that too.��� He was more than happy with the swimming pool which helpfully had lots of gear for kids ? floats, armbands and for tiny ones, ?floatie cushions? that allow a child to float in an upright position ? under parental supervision of course. � There are clearly designated swim times for children in the main pool ? and they suited us ? but if he?d been even keener we would have been able to use the smaller pool at ?Dylans?� - a health club a short walk or golf buggy ride away. � Granny was thrilled to find a sun-drenched terrace where she could read and which was also within a short wheel of the Olive Tree ? the main restaurant where, the following evening, we settled for a light snack having sampled the lunch menu at the Newbridge on Usk, the newly refurbished gastro-pub which joined the Celtic Manor stable a few months ago. � There?s a very relaxed atmosphere at this restaurant with (very nice) rooms, including some at ground level, which will be launching its new menu at the Food Festival. Chef includes as much local produce as possible (my pouting was landed caught in Swansea Bay) and almost every table commands a decent view.� Ours watched over a bend in the Usk which is a prime to watch for leaping salmon apparently.� Not surprisingly the Newbridge offers special fishing breaks and the kitchen will even cook your catch to your specification if you bring it back during the catch and keep season. � There?s so much to see in this part of south Wales that a visit in any season (there is also a Christmas Food Festival in Abergavenny run by the same organisers in December) will satisfy every taste.���� Abergavenny Food Festival 2011 is on 17-18 September. Day tickets (including entry to five venues) from �6.50.� Under 16s free. For more information: www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com� 01873 851643����� GETTING THERE: � Nearest station: Abergavenny.� South West Trains offers one way advance fares from London from �11.00. � STAYING THERE � Rooms at Celtic Manor Resort (01633 413 000 www.celtic-manor.com) from �128.00�� The Crown at Celtic Manor (01633 410262).�� The Walnut Tree (01873 852 797 www.thewalnuttreeinn.com) Llansantffraed Court (01873 840678 www.llch.co.uk)�� Top tip: Book early for talks/demos at the festival as they sell out early. Take a reusable bag to carry purchases from the food festival
15 September 2011
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London walks: a food trail from Billingsgate to Balham

An 8 hour food-themed odyssey from Billingsgate Fish Market to Lamberts in Balham by foot, boat, bus and railThey say the early bird catches the worm ? and the same applies to the whelk, the whiting and the winkle. If you want to see moules rather than mops at New Billingsgate Market, London's seafood hub you'll need to be there by 6am at the latest ? the market opens for business at 5am (and is closed on Sundays and Mondays), and most of the pros have done their shopping by half past, but there's still plenty to see if you get there a bit later, and boxes of bream aren't something you want to be carting around with you all day in any case. Once you've had a wander round (and enjoyed the famously salty language on the market floor) head for one of the cafes for a restorative cuppa and a kipper bap - breakfast proper is better left until a bit later.By now it should be around 7.30am and most of London is yet to rise, so you've got a couple of options. You can linger over your tea and some papers and then take the DLR from Poplar or West India Quay to Mudchute where you'll have a two minute walk into Mudchute City Farm which opens at 9am, for a wander among the pigs, donkeys, llamas and geese until the kitchen opens at 9.30am, serving breakfasts made from the farm's produce.Or if you feel like something a little more urban and don't want to hang about, there's a cafe not too far away which opens at 7:30am on weekdays and 9am at the weekend. Join the DLR at Poplar and head north to Stratford, then change on to the London overground and go one stop east to Hackney Wick. This arty area has developed a number of good cafes in the last couple of years, but for breakfast, my money's on Counter Caf� in Roach Road, a 10 minute walk from the station, which serves good Antipodean-style coffee and excellent cooked breakfasts; it's a great place to linger with the papers and people watch. (Later Saturday arrivals may prefer to visit the H Forman & Sons Smokehouse restaurant at Pudding Mill Lane for a taste of their famous salmon, and stunning views of the Olympic Park. Brunch is from 10am.)Once you've recharged your batteries, it's back to the DLR for a trip south to the Museum of Docklands at West India Quay. The former warehouse offers a fascinating glimpse into the trade in spices, sugar and spirits which once fuelled an Empire ? and the slaves which it depended on. It's a fascinating place to spend an hour or so. There's a restaurant on site, but I'd wander down to the river and take a boat across to Rotherhithe, from where it's an easy bus ride to Zucca in Bermondsey for lunch ? take the C10 westbound from Rotherhithe Street and get off at Bermondsey Street ? the acclaimed Italian restaurant is at 184, and booking is essential. (For a side trip to the Surrey Docks City Farm, which also has a caf� turn left out of the Hilton Hotel just after you disembark the boat, and it's a 10 minute walk along Rotherhithe Street.)From Bermondsey, you're within a custard doughnut throw of Maltby Street, the Borough offshoot where the likes of St John, Neal's Yard Cheeses and the Kernel Brewery sell their wares on a Saturday ? and a brisk trot from London Bridge station. Take the northern line south to Tooting Broadway, then turn right into Tooting High Street and you'll find yourself in a completely different world ? Tooting Indoor Market may not have organic salads or artisan breads, but for Caribbean vegetables, enormous cooking pots and sheer exuberance, it's hard to beat. Continue along the road to the heartland of the area's diverse Asian community, from the Pooja Indian sweetshop at 168 Upper Tooting Road to the venerable Patel Brothers grocers at 187, which specialises particularly in Gujarati goods. The Apollo Banana Leaf Sri Lankan restaurant on Tooting High Street is great value if you just can't help yourself ? but, after such an early start, I'd save your appetite for an early dinner instead. From Tooting Bec station to Balham is a 2 minute ride ? or a 15 minute walk ? and three minutes up Balham High Road is one of the capital's most esoteric watering holes, the BBC, or Balham Bowls Club, round the corner in Ramsden Road. The clubhouse has a shabbily genteel feel, with defiantly unfashionable squashy settees, making it just the place for a relaxed pint before proceeding to our final port of call, Lamberts restaurant, which is just the other side of the station. Time Out reckons the seasonal modern British food make it "one of the best upscale local restaurants in London", Hardens reviewers laud it as "ludicrously good value", and it's definitely off the beaten track. It's small though, so make sure you book ahead, or a long day could well end in disappointment! Bonus points to anyone who orders fish here.Food & drinkLondonFood and drinkFelicity Cloakeguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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The Authentic Ski Tour: Bridger Bowl, Day 5

..... Bozeman, Montana (Ski Press)-We linger over coffee and bacon in the Summit Hotel at the base of Big Sky, hoping that the sun will soften the snow. But there is a cloud growing like a purple crown over Lone Peak, like ink into the early blue, and I imagine the high steeps like vertical white lanes custom frozen for human bowling balls. ?It?s slide for life conditions,? said the patroller at the top of Lone Peak when we walked in to see about signing out for the Snowfields. When Dax Schieffer and Doug Wales and I were the only three skiers on the tram that should have been a clue. For me, it?s just as well.� But Dax is devastated. He isn?t going to get to show off some of Big Sky?s most sensational skiing treasures, especially its adventurous alpine bridge to the expansive terrain of Moonlight Basin, and all morning he keeps glancing back up the hill. ?Sorry we didn?t hit it,? I told Dax. And with Lone Peak separating the sky with its cascading terrain like the flanks of a volcano behind him he said, ?How?d you know that?s what I was thinking about right now?? So that then it was just me and Doug driving to Bozeman, eating vinegar chips and drinking Gatorade, and losing count of all the white crosses by the side of the road. It is gorgeous country, expansive and glacial. With hot Augusts and frozen Januarys and sunsets that are among the most beautiful in the world. ?I?m glad to have lived in the East,? was the refrain that I heard. ?But I knew I would live in the West since I first saw the Rockies as a child.? That light going gold and red through the peaks as we drove into Bozeman at the end stop of my Authentic Ski Tour of Yellowstone Country, from Red Lodge to Chico Hot Springs to Yellowstone to Big Sky and now to Bridger Bowl, as I had the sense that I was finally going to ski the most authentic mountain of them all. I asked Doug, ?Who was it that wrote the story for Rolling Stone?? He said, ?Tim Cahill.? Published in 1985, before he became an outdoor writing legend first at Outside Magazine then with books like ?Jaguars Ripped My Flesh? and ?A Wolverine is Eating My Leg,? Cahill enshrined Bridger?s ?Ridge Hippies? in the article ?Going to Extremes ? Adventures in the Endo Zone.? With Bridger Bowl as the setting, the article introduced extreme skiing to much of America, explaining the passion for hiking past the chairs to ski the same chutes and gullies that in the summer you climbed with harnesses and ropes. And it focused on some of North America?s most soon-to-be famous ski astronauts like Tom Jungst, Scot Schmidt and Doug Coombs. That kind of skiing is the industry standard now, with open gates and steep skiing stars from Vermont to Vail. But in 1985, it was revolutionary. And at Bridger, the hike-to access for the Ridge had already been open for 12 years. Add the fact that Bridger Bowl operates as a non-profit, funded by lift tickets and association membership dues (membership being open to any Montana resident 18 years or older) instead of condo sales, and you?ve got a mountain with 100 percent focus on the ski experience, and nothing else. Or as Wales said, ?All of the net profit goes right back into the hill.? In the past few years that net profit has enabled Bridger to continue to lead the way in opening technical terrain, including the rugged Schlasman?s Lift (which you can?t board without a transceiver). It will also result in a new triple chair ? replacing the Deer Park and Bridger lifts next year. On the day we ski, though, the snow that had been baking in the sun for nearly a week is frozen as hard as a coral reef under a cold bank of clouds. On the steeps I feel as if I am at the top of a great frozen wave, trying not to skitter too quickly to the frozen ocean below. ?I?m pretty sure this is the worst day of the year,? Wales said, pointing to the top of the Bridger Lift where the crew has hoisted the Jolly Roger. ?Maybe the last two years.? ?It?s all a matter of degrees,? he said later, still thinking about it on the chair. ?Whether it?s temperatures or steeps, a couple degrees can make all the difference in the world.? Halfway through the afternoon Wales returned to his office to take another phone call about the history of skiing at Bridger. The same way he?s taken my calls for more than a decade, answering questions about open boundaries, avalanche control and now alpine hydration. And I kept skiing because there were still decent slopes, and the lifts haven?t closed. There were still people speeding down the steeps, even hiking the Ridge, and calling out to each other from the chair as if even a day like that there were still nothing better in the world to do. I laughed at the bumper stickers behind the bar at Jimmy B?s Bar and Grill that say, ?Did you move here to be in a hurry?? and, ?Custer was an out-of-stater, too.? At the Montana Ale Works we had bison patty melts and I heard a favorite song by Son Volt that I had never heard sung live before. In the morning it was snowing and I thought, ?what if I stayed for a few days more?? Links Bridger Bowl: www.bridgerbowl.com Montana Ale Works: www.montanaaleworks.com Good Lodging: www.cmoninn.com/midwest-hotel-locations/bozeman/ Special thanks to: Doug, Jeff, Robin, Dax and Colin.

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Sagrada Fam�lia to be completed ? in 2028

Barcelona's intricate temple to God to be ready for centenary of architect Antoni Gaud�'s death ? or thereabouts? Catch up on the history of Barcelona's architectural wonderBarcelona's emblematic Sagrada Familia church finally has a completion date ? 2026 or 2028, more than 140 years after it was started.Joan Rigol, president of the committee charged with finishing the building by Antoni Gaud�, said it should be finished in time for the centenary for the architect's death ? or, if not, two years later.Five huge towers are being added to the eccentric building, which is among Spain's most-visited tourist attractions.Gaud� died in 1926 after being runover by the city's No 30 tram. He had been living on the Sagrada Familia building site and looked so impoverished that it took several hours for doctors to realise who he was. The tram driver thought he had hit a drunken tramp.Originally paid for by subscription, the church was always set to take a long time to build. "My client is in no hurry," Gaud� once said, referring to God.The building was at one stage popularly known as "the cathedral of the poor" and Gaudi himself was known to go begging for contributions ? which currently amount to around ?500,000 (�440,000) a year.An influx of tourists, along with modern masonry techniques, has seen work speed up considerably over the past two decades. Some three million fee-paying tourists are expected to visit this year alone, contributing ?30m.With a roof finally in place, Pope Benedict was able to consecrate it as a basilica last year. But a setback came when a man set fire to the basilica's sacristy in April, with repair work still under way."The damage is worse than we had thought," said the building's chief architect, Jordi Bonet. Authorities are now considering installing metal detectors at the entrance."Our new objective is to complete the six central towers, of which five have already been started," said Rigol.The sixth tower will measure 170 metres and contain a lift to carry tourists to the top. Rigol added that a high-speed rail tunnel to be built nearby, which has been approved by the courts, may still damage the buildings foundations.Bonet did not seem so sure about the finish date. "I'm not saying that it is wrong, I hope it is not, but it is not that simple. This is a very complex work and needs a lot of investigation," the architect told the RAC1 radio station. "Everyone has the best will, but I cannot give any assurances."SpainArchitectureEuropeCatholicismReligionChristianityGiles Tremlettguardian.co.uk © 2011 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds

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