Filed under: History, Learning, North America, United States
Of all the Wild West towns in America, Tombstone, Arizona, stands out as legendary.
Tombstone got its name from a mining claim filed in 1877. Prospector Ed Schieffelin had been told by local soldiers that the southern Arizona hills were crawling with Apaches, scorpions and rattlesnakes and that he'd only find his tombstone there, so he thumbed his nose at their pessimism by naming his claim Tombstone. Schieffelin discovered the area was rich in silver and the dusty hillside soon became a boom town. Within two years Tombstone had a population approaching 1000.
One early resident, Clara Spalding Brown, wrote that Tombstone was, ". . .an embryo city of canvas, frame and adobe, scattered over a slope. . .The only attractive places visible are the liquor and gambling saloons, which are everywhere present and are carpeted and comfortably furnished. . .The camp is one of the dirtiest places in the world. . .The sod lies loose upon the surface, and is whirled into the air every day by a wind which almost amounts to a gale; it makes the eyes smart like the cinders from an engine; it penetrates into the houses, and covers everything with dust. . .The mercury gallivants around in the nineties, with altogether too high-minded ideas. . .we cannot obtain desirable food for hot weather; fresh vegetables are scarce, and the few fruits in the markets require a very large purse. . .The camp is considered a remarkably quiet one - only one murder since my arrival."
That low murder rate was about to go up. Scattered in nearby ranches and villages was a loose-knit group of cattle rustlers dubbed "the Cowboys." They'd cross the border into Mexico, steal cattle, and sell them cheaply in Tombstone. In most of the West, "cowboy" simply meant a drover from Texas. Now in Southern Arizona the name took on a pejorative meaning, distinct from the respectable "rangemen" or "cattlemen."
Gallery: Tombstone, ArizonaContinue reading Tombstone, Arizona: The Toughest Town Of The Wild WestTombstone, Arizona: The Toughest Town Of The Wild West originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 30 Jun 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Great Fun English Holidays
Individuals living in the UK who are ready to take a few UK vacations can do so without having to travel far from home Taking a few trips in the UK won't be as expensive as vacationing in some distant land You'll be able to enjoy a nice holiday right here, while getting away from your problems at home
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I Heart My City: Berit?s Copenhagen
When Berit Bonde isn't studying for her master's degree or working part time in the travel industry, you can find her exploring new places, whether it involves going around the world or just around the corner. Her restless spirit has her moving to Bangkok for half a year, but this Dane says she'll always return to Copenhagen, where her heart resides. Here are Berit's recommendations for her beloved capital city.
Island Fireworks
To help you celebrate the holiday, we've pulled together a gallery of our favorite island-style firework celebrations.
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World Class Hotels That Tempt Tourists to take San Francisco Flights
San Francisco, a city and a county of California is a centre of culture, finance and transportation The metropolis is densely populated and tourism plays an important role in the economy To accommodate huge influx of travelers many world class hotels are constructed here The world class hotels that tempt tourists to take San Francisco flights include Nikko Hotel, The Mosser Hotel, Kabuki Hotel and The Edwardian Hotel
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Out-of-town stays for the Olympics
Coming to London for the Olympics but don't want to stay in the city? We've picked the loveliest towns, villages and rural retreats, most within an hour by train, and found stylish hotels and B&Bs with availability but without the price hikesCambridgeshireFrom punting on the river, exploring the grand university colleges and picnicking in the parks to dancing to live music at night, Cambridge gets a first for its attractions. This summer, there's a Sculpture Promenade and Han China exhibition at the Fitzwilliam Museum (fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk) and sports-related exhibitions and events at the Cambridge and County Folk Museum (folkmuseum.org.uk).The new Varsity Hotel (01223 306030, thevarsityhotel.co.uk, doubles from �165) has a rooftop terrace with a cinema, a spa, and rooms with four-posters and Union Jack pouffes.? 45mins to London's King's Cross station, or to Stratford for the Olympic Park (via Tottenham Hale) in around one hour 20 minutesOxfordshireOxford's charms are similar to those of Cambridge: you can poke around the grand college buildings, go punting on the river, or embrace the nightlife, shopping, and burgeoning microbreweries trend ? look out for pubs serving beers from the Compass, Shotover and White Horse breweries. There are two tastefully arty hotels in the centre: the Old Bank (01865 799599, oldbank-hotel.co.uk, limited availability, doubles �132) and the Old Parsonage (01865 310210, oldparsonage-hotel.co.uk, doubles �220).? Paddington 55 minutesThe posh Oxfordshire town of Henley-on-Thames is quintessentially English, boasting rowing regattas, historic pubs frequented by royals, manor houses and iron age forts nearby. The Hotel du Vin (0845 365 4438, hotelduvin.com, doubles from �130) is a modern boutique hotel with a Georgian facade, just 50m from the riverbank.? Paddington 58 minutes, via TwyfordGloucestershireThe Cotswolds has dozens of picture-perfect honey-coloured villages, thatched inns, amazing restaurants, and posh farm and antiques shops. To randomly pick one of dozens of fabulous hotels, The Wheatsheaf Inn (01451 860244, cotswoldswheatsheaf.com, little weekend availability, doubles from �130) in Northleach has hip decor and celebrity fans.? Paddington to Kemble (20 minutes by taxi to Northleach) 1 hour 18 minutes HertfordshireThe city of St Albans, with its Roman museums, golf courses and children's wildlife attractions, is also home to a 500-year-old country house hotel, St Michael's Manor (01727 864444, stmichaelsmanor.com, doubles �165), which is offering free taxis to the station during the Olympics.? St Pancras 17 minutesVincent Van Gogh once walked from London to Old Welwyn to visit his sister, so it's definitely within easy reach of the capital. The Welwyn area has several attractive country homes to hide away in, just like Elizabeth I did at nearby Hatfield. Only the Tudor banqueting hall of Hatfield Palace, and the wonderful gardens, remain, but on the site is Hatfield House (hatfield-house.co.uk), an example of superb Jacobean craftsmanship. In Datchworth, the Coltsfoot (01438 212800, coltsfoot.com, doubles �139) has 15 suites, with exposed timbers. In Welwyn, the White Hart (01438 715353, thewhiteharthotel.net, doubles �115) is a 17th-century coaching inn.? Welwyn North to King's Cross 27 minutes KentGeoffrey Chaucer would recognise Canterbury today, from the towering cathedral ? England's oldest ? ruined abbey, castle, churches and city walls. But the city these days also is a great shopping destination, and a hub for the arts. Head to the King's Mile for quirky, independent shops and then catch a show at the Marlowe Theatre (marlowetheatre.com), which has a lovely riverside restaurant. The House of Agnes (01227 472185, houseofagnes.co.uk, limited availability, doubles from �89) dates from the 13th century, with a walled garden, an honesty bar and a library.? 56 minutes to London St PancrasChichi Whitstable and arty but kitsch Margate are the obvious Kentish coast options. Broadstairs is truly the British seaside: sandy beaches, Punch and Judy shows; fish and chips; ice-cream parlours and old-fashioned arcades among higgledy piggledly Victorian architecture; fishermen's cottages and cobbled streets. Dickens holidayed there regularly for 20 years, and you can stay at Bleak House, where he wrote David Copperfield, on the cliffs overlooking Viking Bay. It has recently been restored and has four luxury bedrooms (01843 865 338, bleakhousebroadstairs.co.uk, doubles from �195), plus tearooms and a smuggling museum in the basement. Or try Belvidere Place, a gorgeous contemporary boutique hotel (01843 579850, belvidereplace.co.uk, doubles from �130).? 1 hour 22 minutes to St PancrasThe most atmospheric area of elegant Tunbridge Wells is the Pantiles, a Georgian colonnade with specialist shops, restaurants and bars. Some B&Bs and attractions are offering discounts over the Olympic period ? go to visittunbridgewells.com for details. The Brew House (01892 520587, thebrewhousehotel.net, doubles from �75) brings gloss to a period building.? Around 50 minutes to London Cannon Street or Charing CrossAround Ashford ? itself unlovely, but with good rail links from Ashford International ? are country pubs, vineyards and several charming villages, such as Pluckley, where the Darling Buds of May was filmed. Just outside, Elvey Farm (01233 840442, elveyfarm.co.uk, doubles from �135) has stylish rooms in the converted stables, barn, oast house and granary, surrounded by Kentish countryside. The top suite has exposed rafters and a hot tub. Tenterden is another very cute village, with a 10-mile steam train ride to Bodiam, the Chapel Down vineyard and bargain B&Bs (tenterdentown.co.uk).? 35 minutes to St PancrasSussexWith tons of fun on offer, Brighton is almost a (smaller) alternative to London. It's great for foodies (especially vegetarians), party people, shoppers, the gay scene, kitsch fairground rides, arts and sports. There is masses of accommodation in the city too: top picks include Kemp Townhouse (01273 681400, kemptownhousebrighton.com, doubles from �95), Drakes (01273 696934, drakesofbrighton.com, doubles from �115, limited availability) and The Twenty One (01273 686450, thetwentyone.co.uk, limited availability, doubles from �95). Neighbouring Hove is more chilled.? London Victoria 52 minutes East Sussex's county town, Lewes, is also its best-looking, with unspoilt buildings in an idyllic setting along the banks of the River Ouse, flanked by rolling South Downs countryside, perfect for rambling. Stay at the Pelham House Hotel (01273 488600, pelhamhouse.com, doubles from �190), a boutique hotel in a restored 16th-century townhouse with views over the Downs.? Victoria 1 hour 10 minutesEast and West Sussex meet Surrey and Kent in East Grinstead, an ancient market town with 14th-century timber-framed buildings, a 17th-century almshouse and an imposing 18th-century church. Winnie-the-Pooh's adventures took place in nearby Ashdown forest (ashdownforest.org), and the Bluebell Railway (bluebell-railway.co.uk) heritage line's steam locomotives chug past. The best hotels are slightly out of town: Alexander House (01342 714914, alexanderhotels.co.uk, dinner, bed and breakfast �159pp, a five-star country house hotel and spa, or Gravetye Manor (01342 810567, gravetyemanor.co.uk, limited weekend availability, doubles from �290), a 16th-century house with lovely gardens.? 55 minutes to VictoriaEssexColchester is Britain's oldest recorded town and was once the capital of Roman Britain. Visitors can brush up on their history at the well-preserved castle and several museums. The North Hill Hotel (01206 574001, northhillhotel.com, doubles from �64.50) has some cute beamed rooms with sloping ceilings; or try Trinity Town House B&B (01206 575955, trinitytownhouse.co.uk, doubles from �75).? Around 45 minutes to Stratford or London Liverpool Street. Towards the coast, the new Life House Spa (01255 860050, lifehouse.co.uk, �149) in Thorpe-le-Soken makes a really relaxing retreat from the city, and offers an array of treatments, gyms and fitness classes, a great pool, gorgeous gardens, creative health food and bikes to borrow to cycle to the sea.? Free pick-up from Thorpe-le-Soken station. Trains to Stratford (1 hour 10 minutes) or Liverpool Street (1 hour 20) Saffron Walden is a charming market town with medieval and Tudor buildings, small cafes and craft shops in the historic Rows streets, and the wonderful Bridge End Garden with its hedge maze and recreated Victorian gardens. Debden Antiques (http://www.debden-antiques.co.uk/find-us-i-4.html ) is a 17th-century barn with a fabulous collection from Persian rugs to decorative clocks, and outside town are some of England's vineyards.The Cross Keys (01799 522207, theoldcrosskeys.co.uk, doubles from �90) is a timber-framed pub with six new rooms featuring iPod docks and freestanding baths.? Audley End (two miles from Saffron Walden) is 53 minutes from Liverpool Street) SurreyNear the beautiful North Downs, a great area for walking or cycling, are gorgeous villages such as Sheer and Haslemere, and appealing towns such as Dorking, near to Box Hill, focal point for spectators in the Olympic road cycling, and the setting of scenes from Jane Austen's Emma, near which you can stay at the Denbies Wine Estate (01306 876616, denbies.co.uk, fully booked during the cycling, otherwise available Monday to Thursday, doubles from �98).? London Waterloo is 50 minutes from both Dorking and Boxhill & Westhumble stations SuffolkSuffolk is a lovely county to explore, especially its old wool towns, once the focus of medieval England's textile trade. Pretty Lavenham has historic buildings, a 16th-century guildhall, a "wool church", antique shops and art galleries. The Old Rectory (01787 247 572, lavenham-old-rectory.co.uk, doubles from �225) is a stunning Georgian house with cosy pastel-coloured rooms with modern bathrooms, and three acres of gardens. Or in the centre, The Swan (01787 247477, theswanatlavenham.co.uk, doubles from �195) has a real sense of history with its timber beams, leaded windows and medieval wall hangings, but modern furnishings. Other notable villages nearby include Long Melford and Stoke By Nayland, where The Crown (01206 262 001, crowninn.net, limited availability, doubles �120) is a revamped inn with luxury rooms.? Colchester is a 30-minute taxi ride from Lavenham; direct trains from Colchester to Stratford take 45 minutes HampshireWith a 900-year-old cathedral, quaint shopping streets and a medieval Great Hall, Winchester is a stunning historic base among rolling countryside. Day trips could be to Laverstoke Farm (laverstokepark.co.uk) Portsmouth, Southampton, Jane Austen's home in Chawton, or even the Isle of Wight. In town, the Hotel du Vin (01962 841414, hotelduvin.com, doubles from �145) is set in an early Georgian building dating from 1715.? One hour to WaterlooBerkshirePangbourne is a pretty village on the river Thames with views of the Chiltern Hills, and for a day trip, Basildon Park (nationaltrust.org.uk), an 18th-century Palladian mansion with 400 acres of parkland. The Elephant (0118 984 2244, elephanthotel.co.uk, doubles �40 during the Olympics, limited availability) is an opulent Empire-themed hotel in the village.? London Paddington 51 minutes Windsor is a must for many tourists, with its palace, Great Park or ? for kids ? Legoland (legoland.co.uk). With the rowing at nearby Dorney, it's busy for the Olympics, but try staywindsor2012.co.uk for a list. Alternatively, not far away is glorious Stoke Place (01753 534790, stokeplace.co.uk, doubles from �105), a beautifully decorated classic Georgian boutique hotel in Stoke Poges, famous for Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.? Windsor-Paddington 29 minutes; Gerrards Cross-London Marylebone 25 minutesBuckinghamshireThe hills and woodlands of the Chilterns form a beautiful area for walks and country pubs. You could base yourself in Great Missenden, a quaint village where Roald Dahl lived and which is home to a museum about his work (roalddahlmuseum.org). The Nags Head Inn (01494 862200, nagsheadbucks.com, doubles from �140, not 28-30 July) is a transformed 15th-century inn doing Anglo-French food. Walk from Princes Risborough to Wendover and you'll pass Chequers, the prime minister's country retreat. Or book a stay at stunningly stylish The Crown (01494 431283, thecrownamersham.com, doubles from �95, not 4 August) in Amersham ? it's hard to believe you can reach somewhere so rural and lovely on the tube, yet it's the last stop at the western end of the Metropolitan line.? 46 minutes to Marylebone from Great Missenden; 50 minutes on the Metropolitan line from Amersham to Baker Street, or 39 minutes by overground train to Marylebone All prices and availability correct for the Olympics period at time of going to press. Fastest train times quoted; check nationalrail.co.uk for delays/disruptions during the Games ? This article was amended on 30 June to correct the sentence which stated Hastings and Rye are in Kent. They are in East SussexLondonUnited KingdomOlympic Games 2012HotelsBed and breakfastsCambridgeOxfordMargateGemma BowesRachel Dixonguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
How to marry a sailor and leave home
Four months later, the day you graduate college, pack his Honda Element full of everything you own.
Tips that can help you find the best holiday deals
The world economic crisis and therefore the increased attention of people for the way they manage their financial resources led to a considerable decrease in costs of holidays spent in places that until recently were accessible only for wealthy people
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Friday, June 29, 2012
Two Overlooked Art Spaces in Madrid
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Europe, SpainMadrid is famous for its art. The "Golden Triangle" of the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza attract millions of visitors a year.
But there are plenty more places to see art than those famous three. One of my favorites is the Conde Duque, an 18th century barracks that has been turned into an art and educational space. Behind an elaborate Baroque gate are three large courtyards. The high, thick walls muffle the sound of the busy city outside and a sense of calm reigns.
There are three major exhibition spaces, although all aren't always showing something at the same time. Conde Duque has recently reopened after a major remodel. While it's lost some of its decaying charm, the building seriously needed work because termites were eating away at the old beams.
Entrance to the exhibitions is free. Evening concerts of classical music are often held in the courtyards and these charge for tickets. This is a popular nightspot for madrileños so book well in advance.
Right across the street from Conde Duque is Blanca Berlin, one of the best photo galleries in Madrid. They have a constantly changing collection of photos for sale from established and up-and-coming photographers from all over the world. They also have a permanent stock of photos you can look through. Unlike some of the snootier galleries in Madrid, they don't mind people coming in just to browse.
These two spots are at the edge of Malasaña, a barrio famous for its international restaurants, artsy shops and pulsing nightlife.
Still haven't satisfied your art craving? Check out five more overlooked art museums in Madrid.
[Photo courtesy Luis García]Two Overlooked Art Spaces in Madrid originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
But there are plenty more places to see art than those famous three. One of my favorites is the Conde Duque, an 18th century barracks that has been turned into an art and educational space. Behind an elaborate Baroque gate are three large courtyards. The high, thick walls muffle the sound of the busy city outside and a sense of calm reigns.
There are three major exhibition spaces, although all aren't always showing something at the same time. Conde Duque has recently reopened after a major remodel. While it's lost some of its decaying charm, the building seriously needed work because termites were eating away at the old beams.
Entrance to the exhibitions is free. Evening concerts of classical music are often held in the courtyards and these charge for tickets. This is a popular nightspot for madrileños so book well in advance.
Right across the street from Conde Duque is Blanca Berlin, one of the best photo galleries in Madrid. They have a constantly changing collection of photos for sale from established and up-and-coming photographers from all over the world. They also have a permanent stock of photos you can look through. Unlike some of the snootier galleries in Madrid, they don't mind people coming in just to browse.
These two spots are at the edge of Malasaña, a barrio famous for its international restaurants, artsy shops and pulsing nightlife.
Still haven't satisfied your art craving? Check out five more overlooked art museums in Madrid.
[Photo courtesy Luis García]Two Overlooked Art Spaces in Madrid originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Come to Nigeria, if you like a bit of edge with your natural beauty | Afua Hirsch
Tourism is a growth industry in Africa, and Nigeria wants to cash in, but is the country a safe place to travel to?Travelling around west Africa is an unpredictable business, but if one thing is certain, it is this ? whenever fellow travellers sit down and talk, the conversation often turns to an exchange of horror stories.There are the old former-Soviet planes that used to fly passengers ? and crates of chickens ? from Ghana to Sierra Leone, stopping off at almost every country along the way whilst the liquor-soaked pilot disembarked to exchange God knows what with some bloke on the border.One experience I sometimes recall is of the Lagos-Abuja flight that waited on the runway for two hours, then mysteriously escorted the VIPs off the plane but refused to tell other passengers why, before taking off, flying shakily in a large loop over Lagos and then landing there again. It turned out the plane didn't have enough fuel to make the trip, but the airline wanted to avoid charges for cancelling the flight.The point is, getting from A to B can be a serious logistical challenge in west Africa. It pays off, of course: the rise in business-plane travel is just one of many indicators that intra-African trade, rather than the well-entrenched extraction of all African resources to other continents, is the future.But are these experiences you would really choose if you were on holiday? The UN World Tourism Organisation (WTO) thinks so, and has this week held its Africa meeting in Nigeria for this first time, in Calabar ? an old city in south-eastern Nigeria's Cross River State.The Madrid-based WTO is pushing eco-tourism, fashion, art and culture, and Nigeria's abundant natural beauty ? waterfalls, caves and national parks. For diaspora tourists, also a growing phenomenon in west Africa, Calabar's slave trading past is also a major attraction, and offers a chance to see increasingly endangered centuries-old relics from part of African history that still shapes people's lives.But is it even responsible to encourage tourism to Nigeria? The country's infrastructure ? particularly its aviation safety and security ? is worse than ever. Nigerians themselves are avoiding travelling to Boko-Haram affected northern cities, and the national youth service scheme ? which since the 1970s has placed university graduates in different parts of the country to foster national unity ? has now stopped posting people to Kano and Kaduna due to the terrorist threat.In this context, there is an air of unreality about glossy publications like Come To Nigeria , which encourages tourists to visit Kano ? centre of the 18th-century Hausa empire ? to see its old walled city, famous Kurmi craft market, Emir's Palace and dye pits, but doesn't mention the frequent bomb attacks by those un-tourism minded Islamic extremists.The WTO insists it would be an injustice to discourage tourism to Nigeria as a whole because of these pockets of instability."It is absolutely realistic to encourage tourism to Nigeria," said Taleb Rifai, secretary general of the WTO. "If you can create tourism in even more volatile areas, like the Palestinian territory, Pakistan and Iraq ? which we are helping with ? then why not Nigeria? We don't believe there is any place under the sun not open for travel and tourism."And it's true that, despite the challenges, tourists have been voting with their feet. Africa as a whole was the only region in the world whose tourism grew continuously at a double rate of growth over the last 10 years. The continent's 50 million tourists are predicted to almost triple to 140 million by 2030. No sub-Saharan African country ? where growth has been the most intense ? wants to be left out of this influx of foreign cash.Nigeria can't compete with the package holidays of comparatively tiny and more manageable countries like the Gambia or Cape Verde, or the (relatively) more reliable infrastructure of Ghana or Senegal. Nigeria's strategy seems to be to embrace its flaws and sell itself as a rough and ready product nonetheless. Advocates such as Nike Oshinowowo, a former Miss Nigeria who organised the WTO Calabar event, capture this in a typically Nigerian brand of optimist-realism."Nigeria doesn't come in a tidy box with a nice ribbon around it," said Oshinowowo. "But once you get over that hard edge that my country has, once you have passed through the airport, you are welcomed by wonderful, warm people, the food is phenomenal, the climate is constantly nice.""Yes there is poverty, but there are also beggars on the Champs Elys�es, and that doesn't deter tourists to Paris," Oshinowowo continued. "If you come and sit and eat with us you will see that we are not thieves and our girls are not all prostitutes."It's not exactly a conventional sales pitch, but then Nigeria is not going to be a conventional tourism destination any time soon.? Follow Comment is free on Twitter @commentisfreeNigeriaAfricaAfua Hirschguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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Country diary: Loch Flemington, Highlands: Diving coots, squabbling grebes and mute swans line astern
Loch Flemington, Highlands: There was a commotion near a sedge bed ? a brood of well-grown mallard ducklings seemed to have fallen out over somethingWhile the water looked flat, calm and mirrored the surrounding trees, there was plenty of activity among the water birds. In front of me a coot was diving, seeking submerged plants and then bobbing to the surface almost like a cork, its brilliant white frontal shield above its beak giving rise to the expression "bald as a coot". In contrast, the three little grebes were fighting as only these tiny grebes can. One was diving and then coming up from under another while the third was fighting both of them.All the time their piercing, trilling notes echoed across the water. The single Slavonian grebe seemed to be aloof from such boisterous antics as it swam close by, as if aware of its magnificent plumage. There was a commotion near a sedge bed and a brood of well-grown mallard ducklings seemed to have fallen out over something while the mother looked on as if amused by the antics. Male tufted ducks looked conspicuous in their striking black and white plumage as they too were diving for food. In contrast to all this activity the mute swans looked regal, almost superior, as they swam over the middle of the loch. The cob was in front, as if he was proud and leading the way. The pen was behind with the brood of cygnets, still in their brown plumage, following her. All were line astern as if intent on reaching the far bank.But at last there was the bird I had come to see ? a moorhen. This delightful creature is uncommon to scarce in the Highlands and is one of my favourites. The bird was swimming along the edge of a dark green dense bed of bog bean that reached well out from the shore. To me the moorhen is amusing with its perpetual jerky movement of its head as it swims or walks, so how fitting that the Gaelic name for this bird is cearc uisge meaning "hen of the water".BirdsRural affairsScotlandRay Collierguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
European cruise industry buoyant despite recession and Costa Concordia
Older generation who sustain Europe's cruise industry are holidaying in greater numbers with British passengers leading the wayThe eurozone crisis may have left millions of young people jobless but the older generation who sustain Europe's cruise industry are holidaying in greater numbers ? with British passengers leading the way.Figures released by the European Cruise Council show 6.2 million people took a cruise last year, a 9% increase from 2010. The number of customers from the UK grew by 10% to 1.7 million.Booking volumes dipped earlier this year after the Costa Concordia disaster in January, when 32 people died after the cruise ship struck rocks on the Italian coast. However, the industry says bookings have recovered.The Costa line itself, having slashed prices to attract customers back, has seen a 25% increase in bookings compared with this time a year ago, its owner, Carnival Corporation, announced last week.The ECC has released research claiming that cruising has generated record spending of �12.1bn annually in Europe on other businesses and employers who service the industry, such as shipbuilders, food producers, and providers of port facilities.Its figures show the industry contributed �2.28bn to UK economic activity in 2011, where it claims to have provided employment for 63,834 people, 14,486 working directly for cruise lines.Its research shows Southampton, the second busiest European port (after Venice) for cruises, used by 1.5 million passengers, gained economic benefits of more than �300m from the industry.David Dingle, a member of the ECC executive and chief executive of Carnival UK, said: "Despite these challenging times the cruise industry is making an increasingly significant contribution to the British economy and that of mainland Europe by creating jobs and acting as a catalyst for tourism."And next year we will see more ships deployed in UK ports which we believe is testimony to the continued confidence in the UK as the world's second largest source market for the cruise industry."Travel & leisureGwyn Tophamguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Readers' travel tips: Croatian islands and coast
With nearly 2,000 miles of coastline and 50 inhabited islands, Croatia has plenty to offer lovers of sea and sunshine. Been there readers select their best-loved spotsAdd a tip for next week and you could win a digital camera Winning tip: Stupe island, near KorculaEscape the cruise ship hordes in Korcula town by heading out to peaceful Stupe island. This tiny outcrop in the Adriatic has a small beach, superb snorkelling and a family-run shack serving fresh fish. The kitchen is built into the rock, and wooden tables overlook the dock beneath a shade of reeds. You can reach the island by water taxi from Korcula or, as we did, towed behind a speedboat on an inflatable banana! Just don't forget to ask to be picked up again after sunset. colsholsIstriaVodnjanThis small town just outside Pula is full of medieval winding streets, beautiful churches and stunning architecture. The fascinating church of St Blaise is home to six mummified saints, and the best restaurant in the whole of Istria is the friendly Vodnjanka (+385 52 511435, ul. Istarska 22B) serving authentic Istrian meals, with excellent service.hrobsonLampajinaThere are many little bays and coves in the nature reserve of Lower Kamenjak, but Lampajina is probably the most stunning of its beaches. You'll find laminated white rocks offering natural sun-lounging by the emerald waters of the Adriatic, and a spot where locals cliff-dive from a height of about 10m. The nearby Safari Bar is a classic: the calamari sandwich is worth the wait. kamenjak.hrorange1936Porton Biondi campsiteHere you can set up camp in a fragrant and ancient pine forest overlooking the Adriatic just a short walk from the centre of Rovinj for less than �4 a night per adult. From the waterfront you can hire little motorboats to explore, snorkel, swim and relax. The town itself is old and crumbling and charming and best reached by boat from Venice (returns about ?120pp). So you get to see Venice too! Pick up some Italian cheese, bread and beer: the four-hour ferry ride across the Adriatic, beer in hand in the late afternoon sun, is the perfect way to melt into holiday mode.Ferries: find-croatia.com; campsite: portonbiondi.comalerooni1975Split areaSplitIt's easy to fall in love with this pretty city, set against a stunning mountain backdrop. The centre is built around the striking remains of Diocletian's Palace and contains a warren of stone-paved streets filled with interesting shops. Visitors can take a walk round the coast to the beach or join the evening promenade down the palm-lined harbour. For a great meal try the local's favourite, Sperun (+385 21 346999, ul. Rijecka 3).split.infojaynemoobsGrablje, HvarThough Hvar is known for its posh port and brilliant beaches, those with steel knuckles and a set of wheels can go for a joyride on the narrow, twisted back lanes of the island's old roads. The summit near Grablje reveals heart-stopping panoramic views of sea and mainland. Ancient stone walls mix with patchworks of lavender and olive trees. Back at sea level, stop in tiny Milna for white stone beaches and, in the only, alfresco, cafe, inexpensive fresh fish and delicious omelettes.hvarinfo.com/milnabeanercorriganHvar TownHvar is a fairy tale that has the added bonus of an entirely traffic free centre, frequented only by silent electric delivery carts, ferries and luxury yachts. Once an important port in the Venetian empire, today it is a town of smiling and courteous locals.After an exhausting day of sun-bathing and swimming, wander and admire the stunning architecture, climb the steep hill to the 16th-century fortress above the old city, explore the passageways and stairways or just sit and watch the world go by with a coffee in the beautiful old square overlooking the harbour. End the day at the ancient theatre or a lively disco, or with a walk along the beautifully lit promenades, through the trees by the sea, looking out to the twinkling lights of the stairs and ships anchored in the bay. tzhvar.hr/en pmartiniRestaurant Lungomare, Hvar This gem in the middle of Hvar is a 10-minute walk from the marina and the expensive cruise-passenger-filled restaurants. Enjoy a complimentary starter (ours was delicious fresh anchovies with lemon and Istrian olive oil) and then the best and most reasonably priced seafood in Hvar. Expect the exuberant chef and owner to come personally to your table to make sure you are enjoying your meal. The ceiling decorated with fishing nets and shells and adds to the relaxed yet fun atmosphere. +385 98 361543, ul. Krizna Iuka 9, pinkchampagnehvar.com joyouseDubrovnik areaSobra, Mljet island Sobra, on the island of Mljet, off the Dubrovnik coast, is a village that tourists normally sail past. Here you'll find a private "beach" and a first-class bar/restaurant serving Croatian food and Italian pizzas, run by Nikola. From Sobra catch a ferry or hire a car and head to the national park on the other side of Mljet to explore the beautiful, wild and lush forest. The highlight is the large saltwater lake that cocoons a Benedictine monastery. You can swim across or take the hourly boat.mljettravel.com/sobra.htmljimmigrimbleLokrum islandPick up some picnic supplies and take the 10-minute, hourly boat from Dubrovnik to this beautiful island. Start the day with a trek to the fortress at the highest point of the island, for unbeatable views of Dubrovnik, before taking the coastal path to the monastery. On the way, take one of the rocky paths down to the shore to discover your own private beach ? for a picnic lunch and a few hours of sun-worshipping. Finish the day by watching the sun go down, enjoying live guitar music in the cafe, or, best of all, floating in the beautiful tranquillity of the salt lake.lokrum.hr/en. Boats depart from the old harbour every half an hour in summer, 9am-5pm. Returns 35 kuna (about �4)jesuisbenrobCafe Buza, Dubrovnik A well-hidden hole in the city walls leads to this stunningly located bar on the rocks. Watch the sun set over the Adriatic with a cold beer, while locals plunge into the water from the high rocks next to you. It's an astonishingly beautiful place. cafebuza.com. The address is Crijeviceva 9, but ask for directions or head to the city walls and look for the "Cold drinks this way'" sign beauforttenHotel Villas, Kolopcek Island Easily accessible from Dubrovnik, but a world away from it, Hotel Villas Kolopcek is a fantastic hotel on a brilliantly peaceful and relaxing island that you can walk across in an hour or kayak the whole way around in an afternoon. Blue seas, secluded coves, amazing fish restaurants, friendly and efficient staff at the hotel, and four ferries a day into Dubrovnik for only a few euros, it's the absolute perfect place to unwind. kolopcek.com scubagirl66CavtatCavtat is a beautiful and peaceful port village across the bay from historic if a bit overcrowded Dubrovnik. In fact, the best way to enjoy medieval Dubrovnik is to stay in Cavtat. Everything is cheaper, yet it is the same excellent food, the same excellent wine and the same friendly Croatians. Eat grilled squid, drink Plavac wine (a spicy dark red), have an Istra Bitter aperitivo (like Campari, only better), and stay at the spacious Hotel Croatia on the hill overlooking the village. I've been to many places, but Cavtat is close to paradise. dkaszetaKorcula I recommend taking a flight to Dubrovnik and flying home from Split. Going in that direction you will be able to book your island-hopping ferries in advance and avoid getting up at 5am to queue for tickets on the day if you travel in the opposite direction. In Korcula we stayed with the redoutable Priam in Karbuni, who made us feel part of their family summer ? the canoes were free to use, and the sea clear and enticing. We also went to Mljet, which was more touristy but stunning, and Trogir, which was used for the "Vampires of Venice" Dr Who episode, and is small enough to get to know in three days. alisonjart CroatiaBeach holidaysguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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Video Of The Day: Rush Hour At Boston Logan Airport
Filed under: North America, United States, Photo of the Day, Airlines, Video
Today's Video of the Day brings you a moment of Zen from an unlikely source: Boston Logan Airport at rush hour. Boston-based Chris Eagle made the time-lapse video from about 40 minutes of airplane runway footage, and with the accompanying music by Little People, it feels almost peaceful (probably much more so than if you were on one of the planes waiting to take off). The video is a sequel of sorts to another time-lapse from Logan last year, but the original has a much different feel, watching the airplanes rocket off into the sky.
See any cool travel videos? Share them in the comments below or on the Gadling Facebook page for another Video of the Day.Video Of The Day: Rush Hour At Boston Logan Airport originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Today's Video of the Day brings you a moment of Zen from an unlikely source: Boston Logan Airport at rush hour. Boston-based Chris Eagle made the time-lapse video from about 40 minutes of airplane runway footage, and with the accompanying music by Little People, it feels almost peaceful (probably much more so than if you were on one of the planes waiting to take off). The video is a sequel of sorts to another time-lapse from Logan last year, but the original has a much different feel, watching the airplanes rocket off into the sky.
See any cool travel videos? Share them in the comments below or on the Gadling Facebook page for another Video of the Day.Video Of The Day: Rush Hour At Boston Logan Airport originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 28 Jun 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Thursday, June 28, 2012
World Class Hotels That Tempt Tourists to take San Francisco Flights
San Francisco, a city and a county of California is a centre of culture, finance and transportation The metropolis is densely populated and tourism plays an important role in the economy To accommodate huge influx of travelers many world class hotels are constructed here The world class hotels that tempt tourists to take San Francisco flights include Nikko Hotel, The Mosser Hotel, Kabuki Hotel and The Edwardian Hotel
PATA: International arrivals growth of 10% into Asia/Pacific
International arrivals into Asia/Pacific1 destinations grew by 10% year-on-year during March 2012, according to preliminary data released by the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA). All sub-regions reported solid gains with North America, South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific showing double-digit growth. Despite its very large base of arrivals, Northeast Asia still managed to show healthy growth of 8% for the month, year-on-year.
International arrivals to North America surged by 11% in March 2012. This very strong result was supported by the continued growth of arrivals to Canada (+9%) and the USA (+14%). Besides the strong performance of intra-regional travel flows, arrivals from Germany and the UK showed outstanding gains of approximately 30% during March 2012 after several years of sluggish growth. In addition, arrivals from Japan set new monthly arrivals records to the USA and Mexico.
Northeast Asia continued with its positive momentum during the third month of 2012. This upward shift can be attributed to the recovery of international arrivals to Japan (+92%) a year after the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. The rebound of Japan has been substantial to date and its international arrivals were only 4% lower than those of March 2010. The easing of restrictions on solo travel from Mainland China to Chinese Taipei has significantly increased traffic to the latter destination, which saw 250,000 arrivals from the mainland in March 2012, an increase of 65%. Foreign inbound into Korea ROK also saw a dramatic increase for the month (+17%). China reported growth of 1.4% for total inbound crossings. However, the foreign arrivals count increased at the much stronger rate of 7.5%.
South Asia was the second fastest growing market reporting 14% year-on-year growth during March this year although in terms of visitor volume, it was still far behind other Asia/Pacific sub-regions (860,000 arrivals for the month). With the exception of the Maldives (which reported a 5% decline), all reporting destinations within this sub-region performed well with gains in foreign arrivals of more than 10% for the month. Nepal and Sri Lanka in particular were very strong performers during March 2012, with gains of 37% and 21% respectively.
Southeast Asia became the fastest growing sub-region in Asia/Pacific during March 2012 with a 15% increase in international arrivals. Thailand managed to post double-digit growth (+12%) for the first time since September last year when the floods took a toll on international tourism. Overall strong travel demand to the sub-region contributed to healthy growth for all reporting destinations. The Russian Federation is now as important as UK in terms of arrivals from Europe, while China and Korea (ROK) are the largest Asian source markets for Southeast Asia.�
The Pacific reported remarkable growth of 12% in March. However, this outstanding increase may - in part at least - be attributed to an earlier Easter holiday period compared to 2011 as well as a lower comparative base of international arrivals to New Zealand last year following the earthquake in February 2011. Growth was not evenly spread across small Pacific islands either; the Marshall Islands (-39%) and Papua New Guinea (-3%) each recorded a decline for the month while other reporting destinations showed positive growth in March ranging from Samoa at +3% to Vanuatu at a staggering +108%.
Martin Craigs, PATA CEO, said: ?Even under the constraints of the current global economy, the Asia/Pacific region continues to produce strong performances in international travel flows. This result, after just three months of 2012, has generated almost 7.5 million additional foreign arrivals into Asia/Pacific destinations. The continued growth puts the region firmly on track to reach PATA?s forecast of 450 million arrivals for calendar year 2012.?
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International arrivals to North America surged by 11% in March 2012. This very strong result was supported by the continued growth of arrivals to Canada (+9%) and the USA (+14%). Besides the strong performance of intra-regional travel flows, arrivals from Germany and the UK showed outstanding gains of approximately 30% during March 2012 after several years of sluggish growth. In addition, arrivals from Japan set new monthly arrivals records to the USA and Mexico.
Northeast Asia continued with its positive momentum during the third month of 2012. This upward shift can be attributed to the recovery of international arrivals to Japan (+92%) a year after the earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. The rebound of Japan has been substantial to date and its international arrivals were only 4% lower than those of March 2010. The easing of restrictions on solo travel from Mainland China to Chinese Taipei has significantly increased traffic to the latter destination, which saw 250,000 arrivals from the mainland in March 2012, an increase of 65%. Foreign inbound into Korea ROK also saw a dramatic increase for the month (+17%). China reported growth of 1.4% for total inbound crossings. However, the foreign arrivals count increased at the much stronger rate of 7.5%.
South Asia was the second fastest growing market reporting 14% year-on-year growth during March this year although in terms of visitor volume, it was still far behind other Asia/Pacific sub-regions (860,000 arrivals for the month). With the exception of the Maldives (which reported a 5% decline), all reporting destinations within this sub-region performed well with gains in foreign arrivals of more than 10% for the month. Nepal and Sri Lanka in particular were very strong performers during March 2012, with gains of 37% and 21% respectively.
Southeast Asia became the fastest growing sub-region in Asia/Pacific during March 2012 with a 15% increase in international arrivals. Thailand managed to post double-digit growth (+12%) for the first time since September last year when the floods took a toll on international tourism. Overall strong travel demand to the sub-region contributed to healthy growth for all reporting destinations. The Russian Federation is now as important as UK in terms of arrivals from Europe, while China and Korea (ROK) are the largest Asian source markets for Southeast Asia.�
The Pacific reported remarkable growth of 12% in March. However, this outstanding increase may - in part at least - be attributed to an earlier Easter holiday period compared to 2011 as well as a lower comparative base of international arrivals to New Zealand last year following the earthquake in February 2011. Growth was not evenly spread across small Pacific islands either; the Marshall Islands (-39%) and Papua New Guinea (-3%) each recorded a decline for the month while other reporting destinations showed positive growth in March ranging from Samoa at +3% to Vanuatu at a staggering +108%.
Martin Craigs, PATA CEO, said: ?Even under the constraints of the current global economy, the Asia/Pacific region continues to produce strong performances in international travel flows. This result, after just three months of 2012, has generated almost 7.5 million additional foreign arrivals into Asia/Pacific destinations. The continued growth puts the region firmly on track to reach PATA?s forecast of 450 million arrivals for calendar year 2012.?
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Yorkshire-Heathrow flights restored after 18-month gap
British Airways opens Leeds Bradford-Heathrow route after period in which carriers withdrew link twice in as many yearsDirect flights between London and Yorkshire are to be restored after an 18-month interval in what some people regard as an encouraging move for the region's economy.British Airways will run four services a day between Leeds Bradford and Heathrow from 9 December, ending a period of uncertainty that has seen the link broken twice in as many years.Ticket sales opened on Wednesday with a single fare costing �42. Andy Lord, BA's director of operations, who unveiled the link at Leeds Bradford, said the airline was sure that its network would not face the problems which led first BMI and then Flybe to withdraw from Leeds in 2009 and 2011.But the move was condemned by environmental groups including Greenpeace, whose senior campaigner, Joss Garman, said: "You can hop on a train to do this journey. It's exactly these kind of short-haul flights, easily reachable by other less polluting ways to travel, which clog up Heathrow. The aviation lobbyists look as disjointed as the government's transport policy if they're going to applaud needless flights like this and then complain about Heathrow being full."The new service follows BA's acquisition of BMI and its Heathrow landing and take-off slots in April and will see streamlined connection services aimed at the business and tourism sector. Travellers will be able to check in bags and get boarding cards at Leeds-Bradford for onward flights from London and timings will be linked to BA services to destinations including New York, Singapore, Johannesburg and Hong Kong.Yorkshire pitched vigorously for the new link, one of three confirmed by BA with others introducing direct services between Heathrow and Rotterdam and Zagreb. Lord said: "This is our first new service to a regional airport for some years and it's a tribute to the persistence of Leeds Bradford and the case which people in Yorkshire and the Humber have made. It's also a welcome return to Yorkshire for British Airways and we are very excited about flying from this excellent, commercially important airport once again."Leeds Bradford has a significant catchment area and we are delighted to offer not only direct flights to London but a well timed schedule that will allow customers from this region to connect with our extensive short haul and long haul flights from Heathrow."A report for BAA Airports from Oxford Economics last year underlined the importance of better air links to manufacturing and other businesses in Yorkshire and the Humber. It estimated that �3.3bn of exports from the region annually depend on international flights and two-thirds of the foreign investors, who account for 11% of jobs, rely on air transport to reach their main markets.The study also emphasised the importance of tourism to Yorkshire and the Humber and suggested that 3,800 jobs in the region depend directly on access to Heathrow. Overseas visitors spent �417m in Yorkshire and the Humber in 2010 and 749,000 of the estimated 1,000,000 total arrived in the UK by air.Mark Goldstone from Leeds Chamber of Commerce said: "This is a real issue for Leeds city region as we have dozens of members that trade with or aspire to do business with the likes of Brazil, India and China. To support trade and the city region's economy, it is vital for our firms to be able to make connections to these emerging markets."Brian Dunsby of Harrogate Chamber of Trade & Commerce said: "We have been lobbying for a restoration of the scheduled service between Leeds Bradford and Heathrow ever since BMI withdrew the service in 2009."Whilst the East Coast trains from Leeds and York to Kings Cross are ideal for visits to central London, the onward connection to Heathrow can take more than an hour, which means that the new flights will be much more convenient ? given an adequate flight schedule."Air transportYorkshireUnited KingdomEuropeBritish AirwaysAirline industryTravel & leisureLeedsBradfordHeathrowMartin Wainwrightguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Readers' travel tips: Croatian islands and coast
With nearly 2,000 miles of coastline and 50 inhabited islands, Croatia has plenty to offer lovers of sea and sunshine. Been there readers select their best-loved spotsAdd a tip for next week and you could win a digital camera Winning tip: Stupe island, near KorculaEscape the cruise ship hordes in Korcula town by heading out to peaceful Stupe island. This tiny outcrop in the Adriatic has a small beach, superb snorkelling and a family-run shack serving fresh fish. The kitchen is built into the rock, and wooden tables overlook the dock beneath a shade of reeds. You can reach the island by water taxi from Korcula or, as we did, towed behind a speedboat on an inflatable banana! Just don't forget to ask to be picked up again after sunset. colsholsIstriaVodnjanThis small town just outside Pula is full of medieval winding streets, beautiful churches and stunning architecture. The fascinating church of St Blaise is home to six mummified saints, and the best restaurant in the whole of Istria is the friendly Vodnjanka (+385 52 511435, ul. Istarska 22B) serving authentic Istrian meals, with excellent service.hrobsonLampajinaThere are many little bays and coves in the nature reserve of Lower Kamenjak, but Lampajina is probably the most stunning of its beaches. You'll find laminated white rocks offering natural sun-lounging by the emerald waters of the Adriatic, and a spot where locals cliff-dive from a height of about 10m. The nearby Safari Bar is a classic: the calamari sandwich is worth the wait. kamenjak.hrorange1936Porton Biondi campsiteHere you can set up camp in a fragrant and ancient pine forest overlooking the Adriatic just a short walk from the centre of Rovinj for less than �4 a night per adult. From the waterfront you can hire little motorboats to explore, snorkel, swim and relax. The town itself is old and crumbling and charming and best reached by boat from Venice (returns about ?120pp). So you get to see Venice too! Pick up some Italian cheese, bread and beer: the four-hour ferry ride across the Adriatic, beer in hand in the late afternoon sun, is the perfect way to melt into holiday mode.Ferries: find-croatia.com; campsite: portonbiondi.comalerooni1975Split areaSplitIt's easy to fall in love with this pretty city, set against a stunning mountain backdrop. The centre is built around the striking remains of Diocletian's Palace and contains a warren of stone-paved streets filled with interesting shops. Visitors can take a walk round the coast to the beach or join the evening promenade down the palm-lined harbour. For a great meal try the local's favourite, Sperun (+385 21 346999, ul. Rijecka 3).split.infojaynemoobsGrablje, HvarThough Hvar is known for its posh port and brilliant beaches, those with steel knuckles and a set of wheels can go for a joyride on the narrow, twisted back lanes of the island's old roads. The summit near Grablje reveals heart-stopping panoramic views of sea and mainland. Ancient stone walls mix with patchworks of lavender and olive trees. Back at sea level, stop in tiny Milna for white stone beaches and, in the only, alfresco, cafe, inexpensive fresh fish and delicious omelettes.hvarinfo.com/milnabeanercorriganHvar TownHvar is a fairy tale that has the added bonus of an entirely traffic free centre, frequented only by silent electric delivery carts, ferries and luxury yachts. Once an important port in the Venetian empire, today it is a town of smiling and courteous locals.After an exhausting day of sun-bathing and swimming, wander and admire the stunning architecture, climb the steep hill to the 16th-century fortress above the old city, explore the passageways and stairways or just sit and watch the world go by with a coffee in the beautiful old square overlooking the harbour. End the day at the ancient theatre or a lively disco, or with a walk along the beautifully lit promenades, through the trees by the sea, looking out to the twinkling lights of the stairs and ships anchored in the bay. tzhvar.hr/en pmartiniRestaurant Lungomare, Hvar This gem in the middle of Hvar is a 10-minute walk from the marina and the expensive cruise-passenger-filled restaurants. Enjoy a complimentary starter (ours was delicious fresh anchovies with lemon and Istrian olive oil) and then the best and most reasonably priced seafood in Hvar. Expect the exuberant chef and owner to come personally to your table to make sure you are enjoying your meal. The ceiling decorated with fishing nets and shells and adds to the relaxed yet fun atmosphere. +385 98 361543, ul. Krizna Iuka 9, pinkchampagnehvar.com joyouseDubrovnik areaSobra, Mljet island Sobra, on the island of Mljet, off the Dubrovnik coast, is a village that tourists normally sail past. Here you'll find a private "beach" and a first-class bar/restaurant serving Croatian food and Italian pizzas, run by Nikola. From Sobra catch a ferry or hire a car and head to the national park on the other side of Mljet to explore the beautiful, wild and lush forest. The highlight is the large saltwater lake that cocoons a Benedictine monastery. You can swim across or take the hourly boat.mljettravel.com/sobra.htmljimmigrimbleLokrum islandPick up some picnic supplies and take the 10-minute, hourly boat from Dubrovnik to this beautiful island. Start the day with a trek to the fortress at the highest point of the island, for unbeatable views of Dubrovnik, before taking the coastal path to the monastery. On the way, take one of the rocky paths down to the shore to discover your own private beach ? for a picnic lunch and a few hours of sun-worshipping. Finish the day by watching the sun go down, enjoying live guitar music in the cafe, or, best of all, floating in the beautiful tranquillity of the salt lake.lokrum.hr/en. Boats depart from the old harbour every half an hour in summer, 9am-5pm. Returns 35 kuna (about �4)jesuisbenrobCafe Buza, Dubrovnik A well-hidden hole in the city walls leads to this stunningly located bar on the rocks. Watch the sun set over the Adriatic with a cold beer, while locals plunge into the water from the high rocks next to you. It's an astonishingly beautiful place. cafebuza.com. The address is Crijeviceva 9, but ask for directions or head to the city walls and look for the "Cold drinks this way'" sign beauforttenHotel Villas, Kolopcek Island Easily accessible from Dubrovnik, but a world away from it, Hotel Villas Kolopcek is a fantastic hotel on a brilliantly peaceful and relaxing island that you can walk across in an hour or kayak the whole way around in an afternoon. Blue seas, secluded coves, amazing fish restaurants, friendly and efficient staff at the hotel, and four ferries a day into Dubrovnik for only a few euros, it's the absolute perfect place to unwind. kolopcek.com scubagirl66CavtatCavtat is a beautiful and peaceful port village across the bay from historic if a bit overcrowded Dubrovnik. In fact, the best way to enjoy medieval Dubrovnik is to stay in Cavtat. Everything is cheaper, yet it is the same excellent food, the same excellent wine and the same friendly Croatians. Eat grilled squid, drink Plavac wine (a spicy dark red), have an Istra Bitter aperitivo (like Campari, only better), and stay at the spacious Hotel Croatia on the hill overlooking the village. I've been to many places, but Cavtat is close to paradise. dkaszetaKorcula I recommend taking a flight to Dubrovnik and flying home from Split. Going in that direction you will be able to book your island-hopping ferries in advance and avoid getting up at 5am to queue for tickets on the day if you travel in the opposite direction. In Korcula we stayed with the redoutable Priam in Karbuni, who made us feel part of their family summer ? the canoes were free to use, and the sea clear and enticing. We also went to Mljet, which was more touristy but stunning, and Trogir, which was used for the "Vampires of Venice" Dr Who episode, and is small enough to get to know in three days. alisonjart CroatiaBeach holidaysguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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Famous holiday destinations in Mauritius
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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Stuff We Like: Forsake
My days follow a fairly standard routine: car to the gnar to the bar. It?s a demanding schedule, and finding technical and stylish footwear that keeps up is difficult. I?m a one-pair-of-shoes sort of guy?meaning my kicks must withstand muddy ski-area parking lots, Front Range trailheads, and discoth�ques with equal panache. Then I discovered Forsake, a new footwear-startup created by college buddies Jake Anderson and Sam Barstow. Forsake builds shoes with my exact conundrum in mind. But there?s one catch: The final retail product doesn?t fully exist yet. For the past two years, Anderson and Barstow have designed and prototyped their vision of the perfect shoe?a stylish yet technical high-top. The most recent models, Hiker, Plot, and Thurston, incorporate durable EVA sole materials, a waterproof and breathable membrane, and a slick mountain-savvy-dive-bar-patron aesthetic. With production-ready samples in hand, Anderson and Barstow looked to Kickstarter for crowd-sourced funding to make Forsake a reality, but their project goal fell short last month. However, with an overwhelming positive response to the shoes, they are pursuing other funding for a Spring 2013 launch. On paper, Foresake makes my perfect shoe, but I wanted to log some foot time to be sure. After a few emails, the guys sent me one of the few-available prototypes of the Pilot. Two weeks worth of mischief later, I can?t be more stoked on these sneakers. They?re comfortable, functional, and damn good-looking. They?ve got equal parts office, outdoor, and barstool steeze. They?ve survived sudden spring downpours, long bike rides, and more than a few dribbles of tzatziki sauce from post-bar gyros. I?d still use a technical hiking boot for big excursions, but the Pilot covers everything else. ?We're working hard to make Forsake happen because we really believe in its potential. We want the shoes for ourselves,? says Barstow. ?The name came from ?For Sam and Jake.? We see ourselves as our first customers.? Mark me down as future customer number three. Goodbye soggy skate shoes. Follow the progress of Forsake on Facebook. Also, check out Forsake?s entire line at their website.
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Stalking Schwitters in the Lake District
Newcastle honours the high priest of Dada, whose previous exhibitions include the notorious show 'curated' by the Nazi Goebbels on 'degenerate art'. Alan Sykes reportsWakefield-born Helen Petts is a film-maker, a photographer and a painter who also works collaboratively with improvisational musicians.In her latest work, commissioned for the Great North Museum's Hatton Gallery, she has created a film installation with sonic back-drop which follows the high priest of Dada, Kurt Schwitters, as he fled Nazi Germany for Norway and then on again to the Lake District. Schwitters has many passionate admirers, and the Merzbarn, his only surviving 'Merz' construction, made in a barn in the Langdale Valley in the months before his death in the Lake District in 1948, is now an integral part of the Hatton Gallery, and a place of pilgrimage for Schwitters' fans.As an, at the time dangerous, addition to his cv, Schwitters was included in the Entartete Kunst ? degenerate art ? exhibition curated, if that's the right word, by Josef Goebbels in Munich in 1937. Schwitters had fled Germany a few months before the opening of the exhibition ? which also included works by Mondrian, Max Ernst, Kandinsky, Kokoshka, Chagall, Otto Dix and Klee - as his son Ernst had evaded military service, and it became convenient for both of them to leave.In Norway he mostly stayed on the small island of Hjertoya where the Schwitters Hytta still survives. Helen Petts followed him there, camping on the electricity-free island and filming the surroundings, as well as swimming in the icy fjord. It seems probable that, in creating the Merzbarn, Schwitters was, in some way, attempting to re-create the space in Norway where he was happy ? as Helen Petts puts it: "it was almost spooky how similar the landscape around the hytta is to Elterwater, and how like the Merzbarn the hytta itself isSchwitters was forced to flee the Nazis again in 1940 when they invaded Norway. He embarked on the last Allied ship to leave, arriving in Scotland with his son, daughter-in-law, one piece of sculpture and two white mice. Eventually he landed up in the Lake District, where he spent the last three years of his life, occasionally selling portraits and landscapes of local scenes to earn a living. Although depressed that Kenneth Clark, then director of the National Gallery, refused to see him, his morale was lifted in 1947 when a cheque for $1,000 arrived from the Museum of Modern Art in New York, enabling him to start work on the Merzbarn. The wall of the barn which he had partially completed, by then falling into disrepair, was gifted by its owner to Newcastle University in the 1960s, and transported over there - with considerable difficulty - in the 1960s..Helen has followed Schwitters almost obsessively for her film, camping on the island in Norway where Schwitters lived. She has also followed all of Schwitters' walking routes in the Lake District.As the Dutch art historian Rudi Fuchs has pointed out possibly the great achievement of Schwitters was that he discovered disorder as an expressive force in art. The title of the exhibition comes from the description Schwitters gave of the random process he used with the materials for his collages. Helen Petts has used the apparently haphazard images she has made for her film to create an abstract narrative of the last 10 years of Schwitters' life ? following him to his gravestone in Ambleside churchyard - forcing the viewer to concentrate on shape and form, texture and movement, tone and light, both in the film and the accompanying sound-track. Schwitters was a fan of avant garde music and composed abstract poetry using wordless vocal sounds to construct works like his Ur Sonata. Helen Petts has used experimental music and improvised sounds as the sound-track for her film, working with leading experimental musicians Phil Minton, Roger Turner, Adam Bodman and Sylvia Hallett.Helen has said: When I was invited to Hannover Jazz Week to screen some of my music films, I went to the Schwitters archive there and realised what an extraordinary artist he was and what an influence he has been on the musicians I work with who all work in free improvisation. And Schwitters was obviously a walker ? he loved the mountains. In the Hatton, the work will be shown on a large screen in the gallery next door to the Merzbarn, with six speakers immersing the viewer with the accompanying sounds.Helen Pett's Throw Them Up and Let Them Sing: Following Kurt Schwitters' escape from Nazi Germany to Norway and the Lake District is on at the Great North Museum - Hatton Gallery, Newcastle, from June 28 until 18 August (with a Merz musical evening at the Sage Music Centre in Gateshead on June 30th). It will also be displayed at the White Room at the Royal Festival Hall, London, from 31 August to 8 September and at Hall Art Gallery, Kendal from 15 September to 19 November. It has been chosen by the Huffington Post as one of the 21 Cultural Olympiad events not to miss this summer. Here's a clip from YouTube of Petts filming Roger Minton, playing percussion with paintbrushes and palette knives, while Phil Minton sings Dada.ArtLake DistrictNewcastleAlan Sykesguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
Ghost-Dodging in Portland
?Some people swear they?ve seen her,? Ben the bartender said.
?One guy described her in detail, down to the bows on her shoes. He said he saw her sitting right there, in that chair next to you,? he added pointing to my right. ?Sometimes, if I feel an eerie presence around, I?ll leave that chair down when I put the others up for the night. Just in case.?
?One guy described her in detail, down to the bows on her shoes. He said he saw her sitting right there, in that chair next to you,? he added pointing to my right. ?Sometimes, if I feel an eerie presence around, I?ll leave that chair down when I put the others up for the night. Just in case.?
TUNESday: Julian Carr
Julian Carr has a serious hucking habit. He's known for blasting off big cliffs and going inverted off many of them. He also started a headwear company called Discrete, and loves writing. He's one of skiing's rennisance men. We caught up with him for this week's TUNESday to ask a few questions and find out what kind of music inspires someone who inspires others. Skiing: What kind of music do you normally listen to while skiing?Julian Carr: I love jazzy hip-hop instrumentals the most. Flowing but energetic. SK: Hands down favorite place to ski? Because? JC: Utah. Best snow in the world. AK, Andes, Alps and BC are a close 2nd...SK: Would you rather spend a day skiing ice with your friends, or shredding pow by yourself? Why? JC: POW. It's an experience you couldn't possibly even comprehend if it didn't exist. Ice on the other hand, you can comprehend - no fun. You can always have fun with your friends wherever you are.SK: Who would win in a fight, Davy Crockett or Captain Jack Sparrow? Why? JC: Crockett. No question. Dude fought bears. Jack Sparrow had to hang out on a pirate boat with 100 other dudes all the time, no thanks.SK: You never get to go inverted again. Do you: 1.Up your daffy game? 2.Attempt to beat Jon Olson in ski racing? 3.Find out if inverts in video games still count? JC: Daffy twister spread all day long...Shredding the Face Off the Mountain Mix: Julian Carr's Shredding the face off of the mountain, mix:So Bad It's the Shit Mix: Jullian Carr's So Bad It's the Shit, mix: on GroovesharkBustin' Out Emails On Five Cups of Coffee Mix: Julian Carr's Bustin Out Emails on 5 cups of coffee, mix: on GroovesharkFor REAL Top Five Mix: Julian Carr's For Real Top 5, mix: by joshua rashkin on GroovesharkThe Julian Carr Super Player: Pop-Out Player
Ventotene, Italy: Eating Here
The winds were favorable today, and we sailed all the way to Ventotene, an outlying island to the northeast of Procida that is actually in the Pontine Archipelago, not the Phlegrian. With gusts snapping in the sails, we made the 26-nautical-mile trip in a cracking three and a half hours. And we were famished from the journey.
Enter Benito Malingiere, the 84-year-old owner and chef of Ristorante Bar ?da Benito? where we sated our appetite. Cradled in a small bay that overlooks Roman ruins, the eatery has for 42 years been serving Pontinese staples such as garlicky lentil soup (cultivated on the island for centuries) and tooth fish grilled in the restaurant?s open-air kitchen. Benito, a bushy-haired, sweet-talking charmer, still mans the grill with a switch of rosemary that he uses to baste the meat in extra virgin, oregano, and mint. After every bit of fish had been picked from the bones and there were more dead soldiers on the table than full ones, the chef, who wears a Sterling anchor on a chain around his neck and was drinking white from a carafe by this point, serenaded us with Neapolitan love songs. The four svelte 20-something Roman girls at the table next to ours swooned and crooned the choruses along with him. Eating here, I?m finding, is as much about spending time and community as it is about simple nourishment.
The winds were favorable today, and we sailed all the way to Ventotene, an outlying island to the northeast of Procida that is actually in the Pontine Archipelago, not the Phlegrian. With gusts snapping in the sails, we made the 26-nautical-mile trip in a cracking three and a half hours. And we were famished from the journey. Enter Benito Malingiere, the 84-year-old owner and chef of Ristorante Bar ?da Benito? where we sated our appetite...
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Enter Benito Malingiere, the 84-year-old owner and chef of Ristorante Bar ?da Benito? where we sated our appetite. Cradled in a small bay that overlooks Roman ruins, the eatery has for 42 years been serving Pontinese staples such as garlicky lentil soup (cultivated on the island for centuries) and tooth fish grilled in the restaurant?s open-air kitchen. Benito, a bushy-haired, sweet-talking charmer, still mans the grill with a switch of rosemary that he uses to baste the meat in extra virgin, oregano, and mint. After every bit of fish had been picked from the bones and there were more dead soldiers on the table than full ones, the chef, who wears a Sterling anchor on a chain around his neck and was drinking white from a carafe by this point, serenaded us with Neapolitan love songs. The four svelte 20-something Roman girls at the table next to ours swooned and crooned the choruses along with him. Eating here, I?m finding, is as much about spending time and community as it is about simple nourishment.
The winds were favorable today, and we sailed all the way to Ventotene, an outlying island to the northeast of Procida that is actually in the Pontine Archipelago, not the Phlegrian. With gusts snapping in the sails, we made the 26-nautical-mile trip in a cracking three and a half hours. And we were famished from the journey. Enter Benito Malingiere, the 84-year-old owner and chef of Ristorante Bar ?da Benito? where we sated our appetite...
read more
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The amazing weather man of the Lake District
The records of John Fletcher Miller reach the limelight at last. And, lo!, they are even more interesting than that seminal Whitehaven work, Lamposts I have knownWhitehaven's record office contains many wonderful documents in the miles of shelving in its vaults. Vaults that once housed prisoners when they were used as the cells of Whitehaven police station. Lamp posts I have known by Peter Richardson is one of my favourite books in the archives, with a detailed and valuable historical account of almost every lamp post in the town. There's also the single sheet headed, List of Deaths taken from the Parish of Lamplugh from Janry ye 1, 1658 to Janye ye 1, 1663. It includes:* Took cold sleeping at church: 11* Frighted to death by Fairies: 4* Died of a fright in a Exercise of ye traind bands: 1* Mrs Lamplugh's cordial water: 2* Bewitched: 7and so forth.But in July the remarkable work of John Fletcher Miller (1816 - 1856) receives some long overdue publicity. At the age of 15, John Miller realised his ill health would not allow him to pursue a medical career and chose instead to keep a daily detailed log of the weather in the Lake District. This he continued until his death at the age of 40.It's not just the day-by-day measurement of rainfall, cloud cover, rainbows and storms that are worthy of mention. It's also the beautiful calligraphy with which he wrote up his logs. There is page after page of italic script describing in wonderful language the "mizzling rain", "gleamings" of sunshine and "prismatic solar halos". For example:July 13th 1852 - Very vivid and almost incessant sheet lightning (horizontal) from sunset till after daylight, the heavens being in a perfect blaze.He was also something of a 'Fortean'. You will recall Charles Fort was the 19th century collector of 'the damned' - those falls of frogs, fishes spontaneous fire, levitation and other unexplained data which he felt science chose to ignore. Years before Fort started his mountain of newspaper cuttings, Miller was collecting at first-hand accounts of meteors, strange aerial phenomena, particularly destructive lightning strikes, the first appearance of butterflies in the spring and - something for which Guardian readers will be particularly appreciative - the first cuckoos. They seemingly always put in a first appearance around April 21st. Miller was living not far from Borrowdale where legend has it that the locals tried in the past to build a wall across the valley to prevent the cuckoo flying away and thereby ensure an 'eternal spring'. When the cuckoo flew over the wall, the Borrowdale wall-builder cursed that he had not built it a couple of feet higher!But I digress. Here's a description by Miller of a particularly violent lightning strike in May 1850:At Westfield House, near Bowness, Carlisle, Mrs Harrison and the servant-man were milking the cows during the storm, when the electric fluid struck the man dead on the spot, killing four cows at the same time. The stool upon which Mrs H was sitting was literally, split in two and she was thrown to a considerable distance by the violence of the shock. Strange to say, not the slightest mark was found to be on the man or the cattle. The storm was not felt at Whitehaven. which is peculiarly exempted from thunder-storms.He built his own observatory in Whitehaven and seemed to spend as many nights as he did days recording events in the sky. His description of a meteor on 27 April 1851 even included a drawing (though its fair to say his talent lay in the writing rather than drawing):-About 10hr 5min being in the observatory my attention was attracted by a sudden blaze of light illuminating the sky and on reaching the open air, I perceived a very large comet-shaped meteor proceeding from the head of Draco through Cassiopea, but I did not see it more than a couple of seconds. The meteor greatly resembled a rocket. Its body might be one and half degrees in length and it was followed by a long and brilliant train of bluish-coloured sparks. Its light exceed that of a the full moon and I feel assured moderate sized print might have easily been read by it. It was seen at 10pm in the neighbourhood of Manchester, Rochdale and other places. It was followed by repeated flashes of lightning.We think that we are experiencing extreme weather these days, with barely a month going by that some fall of rain or heatwave is not the best or worst "since records began". But a quick look at Mr Miller's records suggests that 19th century weather was just as varied and extreme as today. In January 1850 for instance he reports:Sharp frost set in on the 6th and continued till the 22d, during which period there was fine skating on Bassenthwaite Lake. A stag was roasted on its margin and a tea party assembled on the ice.It would be wrong to dismiss Miller as an eccentric. He had five papers on Rain Fall in the Lake District published by the Royal Society and he became a fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. He was a founder of the British (now Royal) Meteorological Society.The original volumes of Mr Miller's data will be on display at Whitehaven Archive and Local Studies Centre in Scotch Street, Whitehaven, during the first week of July. Admission is free. The offices are just round the corner from Miller's former High Street home - a blue plaque marking the building. And even if you don't share an interest in annual rainfall figures or first cuckoos the beautiful script contained within the hand-bound books held tight with gold clasps will at least remind you of that stress-free age before typewriters, laptops and ebooks.Alan Cleaver is a freelance journalist and author living in Whitehaven.You can watch a slideshow about another amazing Lake District weatherman here.WeatherMuseumsMuseumsLibrariesLake DistrictWhitehavenRoyal SocietyAstronomyguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. 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WILD Fall Preview
Can't wait till fall? Neither can we! Check out what's coming soon to the WILD lineup: Meet the freshest faces of Nat Geo WILD. Three rugged, adventure-seeking experts answering the ?call of the wild.? And one veteran who will give them all a run for their money. Also coming up: Animals Say the Wildest Things: Coming this August-September, Wednesdays at 10 & 10:30 p.m. A chimpanzee therapy session, a polar bear that lost her cell phone, a choir of singing sharks and a bird tribute to the ?king of Pop,? Michael Jackson. That?s just a bit of what comes out of the mouths of comedians voicing over natural history footage?with their own humorous interpretation of what the animals are thinking and doing in the new series Animals Say the Wildest Things. We?ll also meet the ?Prince of Barkness? when special guests Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne give their own interpretation for a scene. Nature?s Miracle Babies: Premieres Tuesday, September 13 8-11 p.m. & Wednesday September 14 8-10 p.m. These are special babies ? more than just adorable, they are critically important to the survival of their species. Nat Geo WILD takes viewers around the world to follow dedicated people working to save them. Each animal they raise to adulthood is a step away from extinction, with the ultimate challenge to return them to the wild. We?ll see ambitious programs to save diverse species from the outback of Australia, the savannahs of East Africa, the Brazilian Amazon and some of the most successful zoo breeding programs in the world.
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#FriFotos: Soumaya and the Sky
This week's #FriFotos theme is MUSEUMS, so we decided to feature this unbelievable shot that Abelardo de la Torre submitted to the National Geographic Traveler Photo Contest. Sixteen thousand aluminum tiles coat the exterior of the Soumaya Museum in Mexico City.
Where To Eat Exotic Meats In Denver, Colorado
Filed under: Arts and Culture, Food and Drink, North America, United States, Budget TravelLocated at 2148 Larimer Street, Biker Jim's is an unassuming hot dog restaurant serving up a very unique menu. While the crowds of families, couples and groups of friends may look like they're eating your average beef hot dog, they're more likely eating elk, duck, pheasant, buffalo, rattlesnake, wild boar or possibly reindeer. They also have a bat burger topped with bacon, avocado and tomato cream cheese.
Hot dogs are $6, with additional costs for toppings. And, we're not talking just ketchup. Cream cheese with caramelized onions, Malaysian jam and wasabi aioli with caramelized apple are just some of the unique choices you can top your dog with. My companion and I ordered the Alaskan reindeer and bat dog. While the reindeer was extremely plump and juicy with a very spicy flavor, the bat dog was a lot sweeter with a smoky essence.
If you're in the mood to eat outside, Biker Jim's also has an outdoor food cart. It's located across from the clock tower on the 16th Street Mall. You can head over around 10:30 a.m. to get your fix, and they stay until around 3 or 4 p.m.
Best of all, they're open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so you'll be able to satiate your drunk munchies with some buffalo wrapped in bacon, or a combo dog of rattlesnake and pheasant.Where To Eat Exotic Meats In Denver, Colorado originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Hot dogs are $6, with additional costs for toppings. And, we're not talking just ketchup. Cream cheese with caramelized onions, Malaysian jam and wasabi aioli with caramelized apple are just some of the unique choices you can top your dog with. My companion and I ordered the Alaskan reindeer and bat dog. While the reindeer was extremely plump and juicy with a very spicy flavor, the bat dog was a lot sweeter with a smoky essence.
If you're in the mood to eat outside, Biker Jim's also has an outdoor food cart. It's located across from the clock tower on the 16th Street Mall. You can head over around 10:30 a.m. to get your fix, and they stay until around 3 or 4 p.m.
Best of all, they're open until 3 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, so you'll be able to satiate your drunk munchies with some buffalo wrapped in bacon, or a combo dog of rattlesnake and pheasant.Where To Eat Exotic Meats In Denver, Colorado originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Tuesday, June 26, 2012
Court Ruling Gives Europeans Right To Sick Days While On Vacation
It's bad enough that Europeans get about twice as much vacation, on average, as we do in North America and now they can take sick days while on vacation too? The European Union Court of Justice, based in Luxembourg, ruled last week that workers who get sick while on vacation should be able to classify those days as sick leave.
Don't get me wrong; I'm all for vacation time, the more the better, but this ruling is hard for an American to understand. If you came back from a vacation and your boss asked, "How was your trip?" and you responded, "It was OK, but I caught a cold," do you think he'd offer you a do over? I doubt it.
American conservatives, who tend to distrust all things European, point to rulings like this one as proof of why most European economies are a mess. But the truth is that the European countries that take the most time off - Germany, The Netherlands and Norway are in relatively good shape, while Greeks, who have the sickest economy in Europe, work the most hours on the continent. Maybe the Europeans are on to something and we should start taking sick days while on vacation too.
[Image via cdedbdme on Flickr]
View PollCourt Ruling Gives Europeans Right To Sick Days While On Vacation originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
Don't get me wrong; I'm all for vacation time, the more the better, but this ruling is hard for an American to understand. If you came back from a vacation and your boss asked, "How was your trip?" and you responded, "It was OK, but I caught a cold," do you think he'd offer you a do over? I doubt it.
American conservatives, who tend to distrust all things European, point to rulings like this one as proof of why most European economies are a mess. But the truth is that the European countries that take the most time off - Germany, The Netherlands and Norway are in relatively good shape, while Greeks, who have the sickest economy in Europe, work the most hours on the continent. Maybe the Europeans are on to something and we should start taking sick days while on vacation too.
[Image via cdedbdme on Flickr]
View PollCourt Ruling Gives Europeans Right To Sick Days While On Vacation originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 26 Jun 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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B&B review: Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon
This magnificent hall in Devon is a far cry from the usual country house hotel ? it's a not-for-profit social enterprise promoting social justice, sustainability and the arts. And its newly refurbished rooms aren't bad eitherThe email announcing that 50 rooms at Dartington Hall have been refurbished in a bid to attract leisure guests, tells a fraction of the story.The hall is on an estate on the banks of the river Dart, bought, in the 1920s, by the American heiress Dorothy Elmhirst and her husband Leonard, son of a Yorkshire curate. He had graduated in agriculture from Cornell in New York and worked in India with reformer and writer Rabindranath Tagore.They breathed life into the medieval estate, and endowed the arts. They commissioned painter John Piper, and were advised by potter Bernard Leach. They also created a progressive school. Today, Dartington Hall Trust runs the estate as a not-for-profit social enterprise, promoting the Elmhirsts' passions for social justice, sustainability and advancement of the arts (with an exciting festival and performance programme).The estate is also home to Schumacher College, at which Satish Kumar is a visiting fellow and Jonathan Porritt lectures.Events currently create demand for the rooms, and the driveway winds to a large car park. More college campus than hotel. Reception is tucked into a stone arch, through which is a courtyard of manicured lawn and deep flower borders. Soon I'm trotting behind the girl who is showing me to my room. Creeper clings to pretty stone buildings ? once pupils' rooms ? and at the far end is the magnificent hall. An enchanting scene. Pity no one offers to help with my luggage.Only the staircase (boxed in by glass and heavy fire door ? thunk thunk) lends an institutional touch en route to my first-floor room. Tall windows and a window seat (my favourite thing), discreet TV, plump bed, compact tiled shower room.On this summer evening, the grounds gradually reveal their glorious expanse ? grassy terraces crowned by Spanish chestnuts, stone steps unfurl at gurgling fountains and shady glades hug unexpected sculpture. How many hotels can boast a Henry Moore?I catch a film before dinner, in the bijou Barn Cinema right beside reception, then drift over to the little pub created beside the hall. Staff are jolly, good beers and English wines on offer. Not sure why Cajun roasted sweet potato soup is on a summer pub menu ? it's pleasant enough ? but salmon with new potatoes, asparagus and white wine sauce is disappointingly dull.A sublime night's sleep, broken by sunlight edging around the courtyard and birdsong, is followed by breakfast in the restaurant, for a lacklustre buffet of mini cereals, prunes and grapefruit segments. Can I have breakfast outside? The answer is no, but inexplicably changes to yes when the bar opens. Toast in the rack is delicious but my poached egg comes on soggy sliced brown.Small niggles are beginning to stack up ? to an impression that food and service are not at the heart of Dartington Hall. I love the not-for-profit ethos, and the new rooms are a great way to further the hall's aims, but if one instrument in an orchestra is slightly out of tune, it can throw the whole performance.sally.shalam@guardian.co.uk, sallyshalamsbritain.co.ukDevonBed and breakfastsHotelsUnited KingdomEuropeShort breaksSally Shalamguardian.co.uk © 2012 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Olympians Join Efforts to Develop an Olympic Bid for the Tahoe Region
Olympic Valley, CA - Five U.S. Olympians have agreed to join its efforts of the Lake Tahoe Winter Games Exploratory Committee (LTWGEC) to develop a bid for the Tahoe region for the Winter Olympics.
Friday?s announcement of their involvement comes just weeks after the LTWGEC formed itself with civic leaders from both California and Nevada. The new organization supersedes two organizations that were previously exploring bids, the Sacramento based California Winter Games Coalition and the Reno based Reno-Lake Tahoe Winter Games Coalition.
The five Olympians ? Andy Gabel, Bret Hedican, Jonny Moseley, Tamara McKinney, and Kristi Yamaguchi ? represent a diverse array of Winter Olympic sports including alpine skiing, hockey, women?s figure skating, speed skating and freestyle skiing.
The Olympic Winter Games could possibly return to Squaw Valley and the Lake Tahoe region in 2022. (photo: Vards Uzvards)
?We are delighted to have such an impressive array of Olympians join our effort,? said Andy Wirth, CEO of SquawValley/Alpine Resorts and Acting Chair of the LTWGEC . ?The Olympic experience starts with the athletes themselves. We look forward to integrating the influence of these great champions into each and every aspect of our effort.?
?Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places on the planet,? said Moseley (Nagano ?98 ? Freestyle Skiing). ?In 1960, the world took a chance on making Squaw Valley it?s choice for the Olympics. We?re proud to invite everyone back.?
?I grew up here in Lake Tahoe,? added McKinney (Sarajevo ?94 ? Downhill Skiing).� ?It is a magical place with great mountains that would anchor some of the most breathtaking downhill skiing events in history.� Standing atop one of our peaks and looking at that beautiful Lake Tahoe will be a memory that everyone ? Olympians and spectators alike ? will never forget.?
The LTWGEC hopes to land the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, 62 years after the Olympics visited the region for the 1960 Games.
Related stories:Joint Committee Formed to Explore 2022 Tahoe Olympic Bid
2nd Annual Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week is Oct. 2-9
North Lake Tahoe?s SnowFest Takes Place March 2-11
Second Busiest Ski Season Ever for Lake Tahoe Resorts
Pro Snowboarder Jamie Anderson Gives Back to South Lake Tahoe Kids
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Friday?s announcement of their involvement comes just weeks after the LTWGEC formed itself with civic leaders from both California and Nevada. The new organization supersedes two organizations that were previously exploring bids, the Sacramento based California Winter Games Coalition and the Reno based Reno-Lake Tahoe Winter Games Coalition.
The five Olympians ? Andy Gabel, Bret Hedican, Jonny Moseley, Tamara McKinney, and Kristi Yamaguchi ? represent a diverse array of Winter Olympic sports including alpine skiing, hockey, women?s figure skating, speed skating and freestyle skiing.
The Olympic Winter Games could possibly return to Squaw Valley and the Lake Tahoe region in 2022. (photo: Vards Uzvards)
?We are delighted to have such an impressive array of Olympians join our effort,? said Andy Wirth, CEO of SquawValley/Alpine Resorts and Acting Chair of the LTWGEC . ?The Olympic experience starts with the athletes themselves. We look forward to integrating the influence of these great champions into each and every aspect of our effort.?
?Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places on the planet,? said Moseley (Nagano ?98 ? Freestyle Skiing). ?In 1960, the world took a chance on making Squaw Valley it?s choice for the Olympics. We?re proud to invite everyone back.?
?I grew up here in Lake Tahoe,? added McKinney (Sarajevo ?94 ? Downhill Skiing).� ?It is a magical place with great mountains that would anchor some of the most breathtaking downhill skiing events in history.� Standing atop one of our peaks and looking at that beautiful Lake Tahoe will be a memory that everyone ? Olympians and spectators alike ? will never forget.?
The LTWGEC hopes to land the 2022 Winter Olympic Games, 62 years after the Olympics visited the region for the 1960 Games.
Related stories:Joint Committee Formed to Explore 2022 Tahoe Olympic Bid
2nd Annual Lake Tahoe Restaurant Week is Oct. 2-9
North Lake Tahoe?s SnowFest Takes Place March 2-11
Second Busiest Ski Season Ever for Lake Tahoe Resorts
Pro Snowboarder Jamie Anderson Gives Back to South Lake Tahoe Kids
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Tiago Leal: illustrated journey from A Coruña to Santiago de Compostela
Tiago Leal is a professional illustrator from Lisbon, Portugal.In May 2012, Tiago went on a journey starting in Coimbra, Portugal and then continuing on foot over 100km through Spain, from A Coru�a to Santiago de Compostela. He travelled with his sketchbook and throughout the journey drew what he saw.He will be posting one drawing every day, Monday-Friday here. There are 23 drawings in total, so follow Tiago's journey through his drawings.We hope you like the drawings. Leave a comment on his blog and be in a chance to win a signed drawing by Tiago! At the end of August, Tiago will pick the best comment and the winner will get a signed copy of his drawing.Here are a couple of illustrations from the start of his journey:"Esta��o Nova", Coimbra, Portugal, where the journey begun (leave a comment).Town hall in Miranda do Corvo, a small village near Coimbra, Portugal (leave a comment).See more illustrations on his blog here.
26 June 2012
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26 June 2012
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Tweet ur trip: Lost on holiday
Guardian Travel readers tweet their navigational nightmaresNext week: Things in hotels that you hateTweet us at @GuardianTravel #TravelCorkboardGuardian readersguardian.co.uk © 2012 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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Stunning Aerial Shots Of Cities From Around The World
Filed under: Photos, Stories, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, United States, Middle EastExperiencing an unknown city is always exciting. That's the great thing about travel - it allows you to try new things and explore new places. While wandering through a city on the ground is interesting, it's also worthwhile to see a destination from a unique perspective you normally wouldn't get to view.
Below, you'll find beautiful aerial shots taken above some of your favorite cities. The lit up Las Vegas skyline twinkling various colors against a nighttime backdrop, the grey and intimidating buildings of the Big Apple as seen from above and the glossy and luxurious architecture of Dubai from a bird's-eye view, are some of the stunning shots captured by photographers.
To see some of the best aerial views of cities from around the world, check out the gallery below.
[photos via Big Stock]
Gallery: Stunning Aerial Shots Of Cities From Around The WorldStunning Aerial Shots Of Cities From Around The World originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Below, you'll find beautiful aerial shots taken above some of your favorite cities. The lit up Las Vegas skyline twinkling various colors against a nighttime backdrop, the grey and intimidating buildings of the Big Apple as seen from above and the glossy and luxurious architecture of Dubai from a bird's-eye view, are some of the stunning shots captured by photographers.
To see some of the best aerial views of cities from around the world, check out the gallery below.
[photos via Big Stock]
Gallery: Stunning Aerial Shots Of Cities From Around The WorldStunning Aerial Shots Of Cities From Around The World originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Behind the Scenes With Where the Hell Is Matt?
In honor of the new dancing-around-the-world video by Matt Harding (Where The Hell is Matt?), I’m releasing some never-before-seen photos of Matt at work. I know, because I took them! I got to spend 22 hours aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln off the coast of California last August, part of a blogger group that included…
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Monday, June 25, 2012
Video: Did Easter Island Statues Walk?
This is one of the biggest island mysteries: How did the famous statues of Easter Island -- some of which are 30-feet tall and weigh 90 tons -- get moved around? A new video reveals how scientists were able to make an Easter Islands statue walk. Even when they aren't moving, the statues, called moai, are a sight that every island traveler wants to see. If you can't make it to Easter Island soon, you can see the video, plus the ISLANDS feature article and chart about these statues. ISLANDS writer Matthew Miller and photographer Brown W. Cannon III recently traveled to Easter Island, more than 2,000 miles west of Chile in the Pacific Ocean. They discovered what's happening now and next on this remarkable island destination.
Read the article.
See the chart.
Watch the video.
This is one of the biggest island mysteries: How did the famous statues of Easter Island -- some of which are 30-feet tall and weigh 90 tons -- get moved around? A new video reveals how scientists were able to make an Easter Islands statue walk. Even when they aren't moving, the statues, called moai, are a sight that every island traveler wants to see. If you can't make it to Easter Island soon, you can see the video, plus the ISLANDS feature article and chart about these ...
read more
Read the article.
See the chart.
Watch the video.
This is one of the biggest island mysteries: How did the famous statues of Easter Island -- some of which are 30-feet tall and weigh 90 tons -- get moved around? A new video reveals how scientists were able to make an Easter Islands statue walk. Even when they aren't moving, the statues, called moai, are a sight that every island traveler wants to see. If you can't make it to Easter Island soon, you can see the video, plus the ISLANDS feature article and chart about these ...
read more
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