A Caribbean Hideaway On Mayreau Island In The Grenadines

by: Gordon Steven

Mayreau hosts The Caribbean Island Resort, the Saltwhistle Bay Club, which is a real Caribbean Hideaway in the Grenadines

Your arrival at Saltwhisle Bay is by boat, having been picked up at the airport on Union Island, and you are taken to Mayreau Island. Real holiday hideaways very often are only accessible by boat, and as you cross the channel to Mayreau you will realise, if you didn’t before what a small island it is.

Mayreau in fact is the smallest inhabited island in the Grenadines, being less than two square miles in size, with a population of about 250 living in a village on the south west of the island. Saltwhistle Bay Resort occupies the entire northern end of Mayreau island and the unspoilt beach shore of the windward side, which is considered by many windsurfers and kite boarders to be world class. Another reason for basing yourself here is that the famous, beautiful Tobago Cays are no distance away at all.

You will be greeted with a tray of rum punch, and your luggage will disappear, to reappear again in your bedroom, one of just ten rooms in stone cottages, scattered around behind a screen of palm trees in a 22 acre tropical garden. This is a simple and definitely barefoot type of place, but don’t be misled because it is also extremely comfortable but very low key. The cottages at Saltwhistle bay have been built using local wood and stone, and all feature king sized beds, with a spacious bed sitting area with an ensuite bathroom. Accessible from each room is a semi private shaded and furnished roof terrace.

It has to be described as a real Caribbean Hideaway because it is at least two plane journeys and a boat ride from home, so it is isolated. There is a little activity but not much, and the people who come here, do so to escape the speed and noise of life in the twenty first century. Most people who come to this Caribbean island resort come to read, relax, swing in a hammock and just generally enjoy the natural tropical life of a totally undeveloped tropical paradise. The bay is a perfect half moon of white sand and turquoise blue water, and must be one of the very best in the Caribbean

To summarise the key features of Saltwhistle Bay.

This is a very remote small Grenadines Hotel set on the smallest inhabited Grenadines Island of Mayreau, with a bar which can be lively with visiting yachtsmen, and an excellent stone and palm thatched garden restaurant which presents three good meals every day. It is an intimate, friendly hotel on a romantic Caribbean beach, with good swimming. This really is the classic Caribbean barefoot seclusion and attracts independent travellers, honeymooners and visiting yachtsmen.

Two things still to mention about this Caribbean Island resort which relate to tnings close by. The first is the Tobago Cays, the five uninhabited dream islands, and Saltwhistle Bay Club is the clsest resort to them, being just 15 minutes from the Cays and a snorkelling paradise. Not only that you can spend an afternoon on Petite Tobaque which is where Johnny Depp was marooned in the movie ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’.

The second thing is that you should visit the village on the other side of Mayreau where you will be able to eat some very good food at great value prices.

This Caribbean Island resort will not be for you if you like five star pampering but if you see yourself as a traveller as opposed to a holidaymaker then this Caribbean Hideaway could be perfect.

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A Caribbean Vacation Destination Unknown To Many

by: Gordon Steven

As a Caribbean Vacation Destination Los Roques an archipelago of Venezuela has a lot going for it. Los Roques Archipelago is about one hundred miles north of Caracas, and is a beautiful and ecologically important group of islands which was declared a National Park some thirty five years ago.

One of its attractions as a Caribbean Vacation Destination is its relative inaccessibility, it is probably one of the most remote places of the Caribbean Sea because you either have to sail there or get a flight from Caracas or Margarita or Maracaibo, not names that are very familiar to tourists, European ones at any rate.

What makes Los Roques such a wonderful place is the peace and quiet and the relative calmness of the incredibly colored sea. There are masses of lagoons, over fifty small islands, three hundred emerged sand banks and white coral sand, few of them ever occupied. The sky is almost permanently blue, there is very little rain, and is outside the Caribbean hurricane belt.

Added to this is the fact that Los Roques has the third largest coral reef in the world, this is as Christopher Columbus observed on discovering Los Roques in the fifteenth century a “True Paradise on Earth”.

As Los Roques is a National park this automatically prohibits building high rise hotels so visitors stay in local guesthouses on Gran Roques where you arrive by air or sea, and is the only place with permanent settlements. It is home to over one thousand two hundred people.

The visitors, and there are around fifty thousand a year, who come to Los Roques for a Caribbean vacation are normally attracted by the stunning beauty of the beaches, and of course to scuba dive and snorkel the coral reef. Sport fishing and windsurfing are other popular activities at Los Roques

The guesthouses, inns and Pousadas on Gran Roques tend to be very picturesque, and are probably a luxuriously refurbished old fisherman house. Lodging usually includes breakfast and dinner, and can range in price for as little as USD50 to USD200 per night per person. Some of the guesthouses also include in the price transfers to nearby islands, lunch, sunbeds, umbrellas and equipment for snorkeling.

You could also stay on a boat, or even camp in specially designated areas, but far and away the most popular option is to stay in a pousada.

Having said the only accommodation is on Gran Roques, you can get to a small cay called Rasqui where there is a small lodge with only two rooms, and is really a private island. You should also visit Water Cay known as Cayo de Agua, which is totally deserted and absolutely beautiful.

Why not visit Dos Mesquises where the Los Roques Scientific Foundation has a program involving adopting a turtle, and is well worth visiting.

Could you find a better Caribbean Vacation destination than Los Roques Venezuela, where there are no hurricanes, miles and miles of white sand beaches, countless uninhabited islands and coral reefs teeming with multicolored undersea life.

There’s simply nowhere like it in the Caribbean, but go now whilst it is still a secret.

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Information About Guadeloupe

by: Gordon Steven

A Reservation in an Hotel on Guadeloupe is something that many people do, but if you just fancy the look of the hotel but know nothing about Guadeloupe Island, it might be a good idea to do some investigating .

Guadeloupe isn’t France but a French Overseas Department, and in many ways is more France than its homeland itself. It is to France what Hawaii is to the United States. Until 2003 St Barthelemy, otherwise known at St Barts and St Martin were part of Guadeloupe but are now independently affiliated to France.

To look at Guadeloupe on a map and it looks butterfly wings connected by a bridge, and is in fact two islands, and the more north east wing is Grande-Terre, where Pointe-a-Pitre the main centre for commerce and the main seaport is to be found.

It is known for its white sand beaches, rolling hills, cane fields and this is almost certainly where your Guadeloupe Hotel Reservation will be made if you decide to come here. The best white sand beaches on Grande-Terre includes Ste. Anne, St Francois and Le Moule

The south west wing is called Basse-Terre, which is the larger of the two islands, where you will find waterfalls, a botanical garden, and a volcano which overlooks the waterfalls which in turn spray cool mists to soak the too adventurous visitor.

There is no doubt that Basse Terre has the main tourist attraction in La Soufriere Volcano almost five thousand feet above sea level. It is surrounded by the National Park a renowned rain forest, and in turn by beautiful deep blue seas. This is where you come for the diving which is so good it has been described as world class. There are darker sand beaches here, amongst the best of which are Grande Anse, and Deshaies.

The two butterfly shaped joined islands of Guadeloupe do have a number of things in common which includes delicious cuisine and genuine West Indian hospitality from really friendly people.

So you want to make a Reservation for an Hotel in Guadeloupe, and you want suggestions. This is always very difficult because reviews are so subjective, but the number one hotel in Basse Terre is probably Caraib’Bay Hotel. The top hotel in the St Francois beach area is the Amaudo Hotel. Close to the white sand beach of Ste. Anne your best bet may well be the Hotel Le Diwali. Of the hotels in Terre de Haut you couldn’t do better than L’Auberge les Petits Saints aux Anacardies.

If you want to stay in Gosier then choose Le Mahogany Hotel , and the top hotel in Pointe-a-Pitre is Le Jardin Malanga, or go to Marie-Galante and choose the Cap Reva.

Whilst the list isn’t endless, there are 94 hotels on Guadeloupe that you could make a reservation at, and so you are very much spoilt for choice.

Guadeloupe has much for its visitors to do from beachcombing, sea diving, jungle exploring, or just lying relaxing on a white sand beach. Why not make a Reservation in a Guadeloupe Hotel, and find out for yourself.

By the way the food owes much to its French origins, as does the wines, so you can expect fresh food, which is fabulous, with a leaning towards seafood, all of course with a strong Caribbean influence.

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A Luxury Private Island Resort In The Grenadines

by: Gordon Steven

If you are looking for a luxury private island, why not check out Palm Island in the Grenadines for your honeymoon

A Luxury private island is a dream vacation for many, and to have a private island honeymoon is what seems to be an impossible dream. In the island group of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lies Palm Island, where you could make this dream come true, although you will have to share this private tropical island with other hotel guests.

Palm Island is about a mile from Union Island in the Grenadines, and there are just forty guest rooms which are scattered amongst the palm groves across the island. The island itself has five beaches inside coral reefs, and perfect for some relaxing snorkeling.

Most people fly into Union Island and then take a boat across to Palm Island where you are likely to be greeted by the manager with a rum punch.

Palm Island resort has two restaurants serving top quality cuisine from locally caught fish to international dishes. The Royal Palm Restaurant has one buffet night, and one barbecue night a week, on the other five days you order off the menu. Dinner then is five courses meal with some very interesting soups and desserts. If you’ve never eaten shark or swordfish then now is a good time to try!

If a buffet isn’t your thing, then you can go the the Sunset restaurant and although the menu is small it is very good.

You may feel the dinner service is slow, well what is your hurry. This is a luxury island, but it is a Caribbean Island, and the pace is slow. Isn’t that the point of a dream vacation, that you’re not in a hurry? Just relax, drink a bit more, and enjoy the sound of the waves in the background, you haven’t anywhere to go except the bar, a walk on the beach or bed. If this is your private island honeymoon, make sure you tell the resort when you are booking, and you may get upgraded to the honeymoon suite.

The honeymoon suite is at the end of the resort, so it’s very secluded without any passing traffic so to speak, with your own hammock under some palm trees. Nice room, huge walk in shower, permanently stocked fridge and a shaded deck with sun loungers and a table. There is even a foot shower to rinse off the sand before going into the room.

There is no air-conditioning, because frankly you don’t need any. There are beautiful cooling tropical breezes, just allow them in!!

Palm Island is very definitely a place for the dream vacation, a real luxury private island honeymoon spot, meant for couples who just want to get away from it all, and just enjoy the feeling of seclusion that only a private island can give you. Having said that the atmosphere is such that of you choose you can easily make friends at the bar, where you will find that most of your fellow guests are either from the UK or the USA.

Palm Island is very beautiful with soft white sand and the sea a shade of blue that almost looks like paint. You can go exploring every day, climb the hills, snorkel off the beaches, and never see another soul. It does really feel like your own luxury private island, and the perfect spot for a dream vacation or a private island honeymoon. Go to Palm Island in the Grenadines your Caribbean Island Hideaway.

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Great Caribbean Accommodation On Bequia In The Grenadines

by: Gordon Steven

If you are looking for great Caribbean Accommodation on unspoilt Bequia then here are good reasons for choosing the Frangipani Hotel

Caribbean Accommodation can vary from the five star ultra deluxe to a bed and breakfast. It is difficult to get a compromise between the top of the market hotel where you are in a cocoon, and somewhere that you can enjoy the real Caribbean. Well Bequia in the Grenadines is a real old fashioned Caribbean Island, and the fifteen roomed Frangipani Hotel is a real home from home good old fashioned Caribbean Accommodation.

The original house was built by a Bequia sea captain for his family almost a hundred years ago, and overlooks, in fact is very much at the waters edge of Admiralty Harbour a popular anchorage for the many yachts that visit Bequia.

You can observe all the comings and goings from the open sided dining room or the sundeck upstairs, and they are part of the original building.

The original building rooms are one of the four different types of accommodation available in this Caribbean hideaway, and whilst they are perfectly comfortable, simple and charming, they have shared bathrooms and a common balcony.

The new build rooms are off a path which winds up the hill behind the hotel, so this may not be ideal for the elderly or infirm.

The Garden Rooms rise behind the old house, with private bathroom, and balcony overlooking the garden again with a fan but with separate dressing area.

Deluxe Hillside Rooms are large and spacious, private bathroom, separate dressing room, and some have TV/DVD.

Top of the range are the air conditioned DeLuxe Rooms with king size bed, private bathroom, separate dressing room, balcony with loungers, fantastic views of the bay and flatscreen TV and DVD player.

The Frangipani has a great reputation as Caribbean Accommodation partly because of its fine food, with fruit and vegetables from Saint Vincent, and fish, lobster from the sea around the Grenadines.. People come from far and near for the Frangi Barbecue on a Thursday night with a quite superb buffet and live music, so that is something not to be missed. By the way don’t miss out on the bar menu either which has a lot of very tasty choices.

When choosing your Caribbean Accommodation on Bequia or anywhere for that matter, situation is all important and the location of the Frangipani is a very good one. It is an easy walk to town with lots of dining choices on the way, and if you feel energetic you can walk to Princess Margaret or Lower bay beaches which are well worth the effort.

The staff are incredibly friendly and helpful, and in fact you will find that the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are all the same, so you feel pretty safe here.

Frangipani Hotel is great, true, old fashioned Caribbean accommodation, probably best described as a Caribbean Inn on Bequia a proper Caribbean Island. It is safe to say that if it is five star frill you are looking for then bequia isn’t the place. If you want beauty, relaxation, lovely people, and no need for a watch, then Bequia is the place for you.

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Turks And Caicos Luxury Resort On Pine Cay

by: Gordon Steven

Why choose the Meridien Club on Pine Cay Turks and Caicos for your Caribbean vacation this year.

A Turks and Caicos Luxury Resort would be a good choice for a Caribbean vacation, and to be more specific the Meridian Club with a reputation for consistently exceeding expectations would be a great choice, especially as it is situated on Pine Cay.

You will realise very quickly that you have indeed booked into a top Turks and Caicos Luxury Resort, when after your six minute flight from Provo in a six seater you are met at Pine Cay airport by the managers themselves. You will be asked about your personal preferences, be given a tour and explanation of how everything works, and what happens about meals at the Meridien Club.

Breakfast and lunch are buffet style, and have their hours when they are available. Breakfast there are lots of fruits, cereals, and pastries, and you can order eggs any way you want them, plus omelettes, French toast, and pancakes, and all deliciously cooked and presented too.

Lunch differs every day, but you can expect pastas, chicken, pork, veal and fish. A great salad bar, and dessert trolley.

You’ll find on a blackboard in the dining room the dinner menu for the evening, which will have four courses, and at lunch you’ll be asked to select the entrée you want at dinner. Incidentally there are choices between four meat and poultry courses, and these are different every day. The food is excellent and even the most bored of buffet eaters will find something to their taste at lunch!!

The Meridien Club has only 25 rooms, very intimate, very self contained, sitting on a white sand beach next to a sea so blue a picture can’t do it any kind of justice, that stretches for over two miles on the tiny private island of Pine Cay that is in itself only one mile wide, two miles long and approximately 800 acres in size.

This is really a luxury resort which is a really quiet getaway with no children at all. The food here is very definitely of the five star variety and the staff are everything you would want staff to be at a luxury resort, unobtrusive, helpful, and appear in front of you almost before they are required, as if they have extra sensory perception. The Meridien Club is not so much a hotel as a Family home, at least that is how the staff make you feel with their incredibly personal service.

As Pine Cay is so small, you might feel it could be overcrowded but with only 12 rooms in the Meridien Club it still seems as if you have the whole island to yourself. Imagine being able to walk a two mile beach and not see anyone else.

Obviously this type of Caribbean Holiday isn’t for everyone, but insofar as a Turks and Caicos Luxury Resort goes, this whole feeling is akin to owning your own private island. For honeymooners, or stressed executives who need to or want to get away from it all this is just paradise. Remember there is no television, no phones, no computers, and no nightlife.

One thing is certain, and that is you will agree that the Meridien Club Pine Cay, Turks and Caicos Islands is very much a five star retreat from the world which you won’t be in a hurry to leave.

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The Top Beach Resort In The Turks And Caicos Providenciales Island

by: Gordon Steven

Some research into The Tuscany Resort on Grace Bay, Providenciales Island Turks and Caicos to see if it would be a good choice for your Caribbean Vacation

Looking for a Turks and Caicos Resort on Providenciales, then look no further than The Tuscany Resort on Grace Bay.

It is the newest build, and so is at the end of the line, which makes it calm and peaceful compared to other resorts. There are 30 luxury suites, in this extremely private luxurious boutique resort.

The Tuscany Resort has been described as completely unbelievable, and so well thought out that it never seems to be crowded.

The suites in this gorgeous Turks and Caicos Resort are all 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, so they are perfect for families or groups of friends. It’s especially good for a group of friends because each bedroom has its own bathroom They are all beautifully decorated and equipped including a huge kitchen, a laundry room, and a very large well screened patio which opens off the large dining and living area, and is designed to give a floor to ceiling panoramic view of Grace Bay and the incredible turquoise sea that lies beyond it. Having said that it is important to avoid the first floor doesn’t have a view. Best of all try to get a suite on the fourth floor, and another tip is to avoid the middle suite because they are darker, and also you need to request a room on the outside of the building.

The décor of the suites are quite incredible with a tropical theme. The sun loungers, more chaise longues really give you the perfect end to the perfect day, with a glass of wine gazing at the Reef as the sun sets in an amazing display of different colours.

You won’t need the air conditioning, because of the cool breezes coming in through the doors.

Although the Tuscany resort has no restaurant you will find plenty within a short walking distance and in your suite you have everything you will need for a truly remarkable Turks and Caicos Resort Vacation.

One of the best things for many people is the fact that you can get massages in your room from Spa Tropique, just a phone call away. It could be a great way to spend the day, by going down to the beach for a swim, up to your suite for a massage, and then back to the beach again!

As to be expected in a high quality Turks and Caicos resort the pool is great, and the temperature is about right. Because the beach at Grace Bay is so nice you could well have the pool almost to yourself much of the time. It would however be a shame not to go to the beach, and you needn’t worry about be hassled by hawkers and vendors because it is illegal on the Turks and Caicos Islands. The beach and the water are so very clean it is amazing, so clear that you can see the fish in the water from the beach.

There are lots of restaurants to choose from close to the resort, varying from shacks to high quality high priced places, but excellent food to suit every palate and pocket.

The Tuscany Resort is a new kid in town, with a fast growing reputation, and if you want a quiet relaxing Turks and caicos Resort On Providenciales Island on Grace Bay then why look further than here?

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Honeymoon In Belize At An Ambergris Caye Resort

by: Gordon Steven

A Honeymoon in Belize is becoming a popular option, and the hard part then is putting together a honeymoon package, after deciding where to stay. A good choice would be the Xanadu Island resort on Ambergris Caye.

A Honeymoon resort benefits from being small, and Xanadu Island resort has only eighteen rooms, right on the beachfront within ten minutes walk of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye

The kind of accommodation you might decide to take on your honeymoon package could well be Suite number two which is an oceanfront loft with views to die for. Get up early, about half past six, make a cup of coffee in the kitchen, go outside onto the deck, and watch the sunrise, and if you do this once, you’ll do it everyday.

Ambergris Caye is a real island getaway, and Xanadu Island resort even more so. It is hidden on a beach lined with palm trees, and what you see from your dawn and daily outlook is the turquoise Caribbean, and the white line of the reef.

The breakdown of the accommodations is a Studio, Loft, or 1,2,or3 bedrooms. Each suite is airconditioned, plus ceiling fans, cable Television, unlimited internet access, as if you’d want that on your Belize honeymoon!!

Added to that hairdryers, safe, beach towels, and not forgetting your own private deck which is shaded from the sun.

There is a long pier with a thatched shade at the end and a swimming platform, so you can snorkel over the hotel’s own man made reef. There is a lovely pool, and loads of hammocks and sunbeds around the pool and on the beach.

The complimentary bikes and kayaks allow you to explore Ambergris Caye, and the bicycles are especially useful to take you into San Pedro to the great restaurants there. If your honeymoon in Belize isn’t to be just relaxing at the Xanadu, but you wish to be more energetic, then why not try Scuba Diving, sailing, fishing or take a guided eco tour to the rainforest.. In addition tours to Mayan ruins can easily be arranged.

Whilst there is no restaurant at the resort, this won’t detract from your honeymoon vacation at all, after all who needs boring hotel restaurant food anyway. There are two local markets close by, so snack meals can easily be organised in the kitchen which is very well equipped.

Some suggestions for feeding yourself are George’s for breakfast, Casa Picasso for dinner, Crazy Canuck’s Bar on the beach, and Monkey Bites for breakfast or lunch

The management team at the Xanadu Island Resort go out of their way from even before you arrive for your honeymoon in Belize to ensure you have an enjoyable and stress free time. From the immaculately maintained property, well looked after rooms, nothing is left to chance, even ensuring flights and taxis are all there when you need them.

Xanadu Island Resort on Ambergris Caye could give you the perfect honeymoon in Belize, and research shows that most people who have gone there for their Belize Honeymoon would return.

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I Love Touring Paris - The Fifth Arrondissement

by: Levi Reiss

The 5th arrondissement is on the Left Bank of the Seine River in central Paris. It is often known as the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) although it's been a long time since many have spoken Latin there. Its population is slightly under sixty thousand and the district provides almost fifty thousand jobs. It is fairly small; less than a square mile (about two and a half square kilometers). This is one of the oldest districts in all Paris and offers some attractions dating back to the time of the Romans who never called it the Latin Quarter. The Roman town Lutetia was built in the First Century BC.

The Arenes de Lutece (Lutetia Arena) once held at least fifteen thousand spectators and considerably fewer gladiators. It was built in the First Century AD and included the longest Roman amphitheater. The 135 foot (over 40 meter) long stage hosted both plays and gladiator fights. There were probably animal cages as well, surely not for the plays. The upper level held the poor, the slaves, and women while the lower level was reserved for the big shots. Just in case the spectators got bored they did have a great view of the Seine River.

The city was sacked by barbarians in the year 280 and some of its stone was removed to build up the defenses. The arena was subsequently transformed into a cemetery, and then filled with the construction of city walls in the early Thirteenth Century. The arena was more or less forgotten; nobody knew where it was but neighborhood kept its name. The arena was accidentally rediscovered in the 1860s during the construction of a streetcar depot on the site. The famous Nineteenth Century writer Victor Hugo played a major role in preserving these ruins. The area became a public square in 1896 and is open to the public daily and evenings in the summer.

The Institut du Monde Arabe (Arab World Institute) was established in 1980 by eighteen Arab countries and France. This Institute provides extensive information about the Arab world and promotes its cultural and spiritual values. The Institute also supports cooperation and cultural exchanges between France and the Arab world, especially in science and technology. In 1989 it won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

The Jardin des Plantes is France's main botanical garden. It includes an aquarium, and a small zoo founded with animals from the royal menagerie at Versailles (not the two-legged variety). Its gardens include a rose garden, an alpine garden, an Art Deco winter garden, Australian and Mexican hothouses, and a maze.

The Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle (National Museum of Natural History) was founded during the French Revolution. It was quite a center of scientific research. One of the winners of the 1903 Nobel Prize for Physics, Henri Becquerel, held its chair for Applied Physics when he accidentally discovered uranium's radioactivity. Four generations of Becquerels held this chair from 1838 until 1948, which must be some sort of record.

The Musee de Cluny, officially known as Musee National du Moyen Age (National Museum of the Middle Ages) is perhaps the most outstanding medieval building in Paris. It was the town house of the Abbots of Cluny, dating back to 1334 but was rebuilt in both Gothic and Renaissance style starting near the end of the Fifteenth Century. The Musee de Cluny has a fine collection of important medieval artifacts, in particular tapestries, Gothic sculptures, and illuminated manuscripts. Herman Melville mentioned this museum in his famous novel Moby Dick.

The Thermes de Cluny are what remains of Third Century Gallo-Roman baths. Its best-preserved section is the frigidarium, the cold-water pool in which bathers dipped to close their pores after enjoyed the hot-water sections. Some of the original decorative wall painting and mosaics remain intact. These baths were poorly defended and probably destroyed by barbarians, those dirty barbarians, towards the end of the Third Century.

The Pantheon (from a Greek word meaning all the Gods) was originally built as a church dedicated to St. Genevieve, the patron saint of Paris. It sits on top of Montagne Sainte-Genevieve and overlooks all Paris. While this is a great-looking building the architect died before its completion, and not all his plans were followed. The building was intended to be a church in honor of King Louis XV's recovery, but the French Revolution intervened and the Pantheon was transformed into a mausoleum. In alphabetical order, some of the great buried here include Braille, Dumas, Hugo, Marat (French Revolution leader disinterred after little more than a year), Moulin (French Resistance leader), Sklodowska-Curie, Soufflot (Pantheon's architect), Voltaire, and Zola.

The Latin Quarter is home to many universities and other centers of higher education, and naturally scads of bars, bistros, restaurants, and nightclubs. Some schools have relocated to more spacious quarters in other parts of the city or region, surely to the regret of their student population.

Of course you don't want to tour Paris without sampling fine French wine and food. My article I Love French Wine and Food - A Maconnais (Burgundy) Chardonnay reviewed such a wine and suggested a sample menu: Start with Pate en Croute de Grenouilles au Bleu de Bresse (Frog and Bresse Blue-Cheese Pie). For your second course savor Poulet de Bresse a la Creme-Trompettes de la Mort (Free-Range Bresse Chicken in Creamy Sauce with Horns of Plenty Mushrooms). And as dessert indulge yourself with Ile Flottante (Floating Island, a Meringue Island in a Custard Sea.) Your Parisian sommelier (wine steward) will be happy to suggest appropriate wines to accompany each course.

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Diving Holidays For Single Travellers

by: Stephanie Hall

Sharm El Sheikh offers some of the best sites for diving and snorkeling in the world. More Europeans learn to dive here than anywhere else in the world and the resort is ideal for diving holidays for singles, beginners and experienced divers alike.

The climate is hot, the water warm and clear and great for diving any time of year. However if you would like to dive in extra warm waters it is best to visit between the months of June and September.

Sharm El Sheikh lies at the tip of the Sinai Peninsula in the Red Sea. There are over forty dive sites in the region and nearly fifty dive centers. With such an abundance of dive sites on offer the variety of diving is amazing. From reefs, coral formations, walls and wreck, the dive sites are diverse and teeming with a range of marine life including jacks, snappers and barracudas.

With its pristine coral reefs and countless species of fish Ras Mohammed National Park and the Straits of Tiran are amongst the more famous dive sites. Ras Mohammed has some steep coastal cliffs that plunge underwater to depths of over seventy metres. The Straits of Tiran have four circular reefs surrounded by steep drop offs. More advanced divers can enjoy world class wreck diving by taking a day boat to Thistlegorm, if you are willing to brace the four hour boat trip or the slightly more bearable two and a half hour trip to Dunraven.

For divers Sharm El Sheikh offers unparalleled access to some of the best diving in the world. The beauty of diving is that it is a sport that can be enjoyed by individuals or as part of a group. Complete beginners can begin with an ‘intro dive’ to get them accustomed to diving in the Red Sea. Reassuringly all the dive centres have qualified English speaking instructors to accompany each dive, providing and running diving courses and diving experiences. Experienced divers who already have their PADI certificate can enjoy organized dives with fellow divers.

Aside from being one of the greatest diving destinations in the world, Sharm El Sheikh also has plenty more to offer its visitors. When you are not diving there are other watersports to keep you occupied such as swimming and parascending. Simply relax in the cosmopolitan resort or take the opportunity in between dives to do some desert exploration and visit biblical sites. Outside of the water test your skill and luck on the casino floors or for those that love to shop take a leisurely stroll through bazaars and shopping centres in search of curious and exotic finds. If you are a night owl you will get the chance to boogie the night away and meet like minded people.

Diving holidays to Egypt are available with most major operators but if you are traveling alone it may prove difficult to avoid paying a single supplement. However there are a few tour operators that specialise in offering diving holidays for singles, catered to the single unattached traveller.

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Holidays In Orlando Florida

by: Terry Hely

A little known citrus farming center called Orlando was paid a visit the 1960s by a gentleman called Walt Disney who started buying land on the outskirts of the town.

The remainder of that story is now history and by 1971, that land had become Walt Disney World. Today, Orlando has a resident population of approximately 200,000 people and visitor numbers swell that figure into the many millions.

The words "Orlando, Florida" immediately conjure up images of fairy tale palaces, thrill rides, theme parks and Disney characters loved the world over. The combination of the "big 3" Orlando entertainment parks of Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios have no equal anywhere else in the world.

Located on the the outskirts of Orlando, the towns of Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee are home to most of the major entertainment park attractions. It's no surprise that the accommodation industry generates a major portion of the Orlando economy and that it employs a high percentage of the local population.

The nearby towns of Winter Haven and Altamonte Springs offer a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Orlando and the parks. Their quiet rural charm and sedate pace provides a glimpse back to the time before the area became the home of the world's best known entertainment parks.

** Orlando Hotels And Resorts

Orlando has more beds to service the tourist industry than any other USA city except for Las Vegas. Orlando is the fifth most popular USA city for travelers visiting from overseas. It is not surprising that the accommodation industry represents a major portion of the Orlando economy and employs a high percentage of the local population.

Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to Orlando accommodation and every taste is catered for in every price range. From themed luxury hotels, fantasy resorts, exclusive golf resorts, condominiums, vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, backpacker hostels to luxury villas, it's all available in and around Orlando.

The parks have several entrances which can be separated from each other by quite a distance, so selecting accommodation near the best gate for you can be an important consideration. Orlando accommodation is often named for proximity to a particular theme park (Universal) or a particular gate (main gate east etc)

** Orlando Transport

At least 35 airlines and just as many charter operators fly into Orlando International Airport with the bulk of these flights being Delta which accounts for around 25% of the flights that originate in approximately 160 different cities.

Other airlines serving Orlando are America West, American, Air Canada, British Airways, Continental, Northwest and US Airways. The Orlando Airport website provides and excellent page about airport shuttle services and city transport.

Amtrak is the USA rail service and it operates to and from Orlando with connections to many of the surrounding towns such as Kissimmee, Sebring, Winter Haven, Sanford and Ocala.

The I Ride trolley service is an excellent way to get around the International Drive Resort precinct. The LYNX bus service covers the downtown Orlando metropolitan area and surrounding cities.

The main highway through Orlando is I4, running directly from downtown Orlando to the Disney area. If you plan on driving in Orlando, be prepared for traffic, especially at rush hour.

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Welcome To Miami

by: Terry Hely

Miami is a sub-tropical city, climatically very different from most places in the USA. The city is a cosmopolitan playground that attracts more visitors than any other US destination.

Miami appeals to holiday makers wanting warm sun, clean sandy beaches, a laid back lifestyle, sophisticated entertainment in clubs and bars and a mix of art, music and international cuisines.

Travelers visiting Miami may actually spend their time in Miami Beach, a separate municipality situated 4 miles (6 km) across Biscayne Bay from downtown Miami. The combined greater Miami area includes several ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Havana and Little Haiti.

The population of the Greater Miami Area is a 50% mix of assorted Hispanic and the diverse cultural mix is evident in Latin American languages, cuisine and music throughout the city and. Dining in Miami offers the opportunity to visit a different ethnic restaurant every night and enjoy diverse international cuisines.

Once upon a time, Miami attracted mostly retirees turning their backs on snowy, colder climates but nowadays it attracts the ultra-chic glitterati, cashed up yuppies, the boating and yachting fraternity and Cuban immigrants.

** Miami Vacation Attractions

Greater Miami is a great base for access to several major Florida holiday attractions. The northern tip of the Florida Keys is just off shore, the Everglades are just a short distance inland and the affluent enclaves of Palm Beach and Boca Roton are just a short distance along the coast.

The Miami Beach Promenade, aka South Beach, is a favorite spot for cyclists, skaters, joggers and skateboarders. This is the most instantly recognized beach front location in existence and the place to be seen if appearances are important.

Many of the early Miami buildings from the early 1900's have been restored. A walking tour around the South Beach precinct is recommended to see the spectacular rejuvenation of the 1920's buildings in the Art Deco Historic District.

Miami boasts fine museums, galleries, historic gardens, zoos, sports stadiums, spring fed natural pools and of course, the ever present golf courses. Greater Miami has lots to brag about when it comes to world class golf courses and is home to some of the most testing courses in the world.

** Miami Vacation Cruises

The busiest cruise ship center of any city in the USA is the Port of Miami with holiday cruises to the Caribbean and Latin America making up the bulk of these cruises, but there are also cruises to all parts of the world.

Cruises are usually well equipped for gambling and casinos open as soon as the ship passes into international waters. Non stop food, games, movies and onboard activities ensure guests are always entertained and well fed.

** Miami Hotels & Resorts

Miami visitors are offered a range of hotels, resorts and vacation rentals to satisfy all tastes and budgets. There's accommodation and prices to suit everyone, ranging from the restored boutique hotels in the Art Deco and South Beach district, modern glass and chrome high rise hotels, budget hostels, beach front condos and villas, serviced apartments, inns and guesthouses... it's your choice.

** Miami Vacation Transport

Miami International Airport is one of the major airports in the USA, and a major hub city for American Airlines. Major domestic airlines such as Delta, Northwest/KLM, United and US Airways and Continental all servive Miami as well as several economy carriers.

There are two Amtrak trains that run daily from New York down to Miami and the travel time is approximately 27 hours.

The Metro-Dade Transit Agency runs two Miami rail systems, one being Metrorail which is a modern elevated commuter train that connects downtown Miami and the southern suburbs. Metromover is an elevated line looping the downtown precinct and connecting with many of the important attractions, shopping and business districts.

Tri Rail is the south Florida commuter train service that connects Miami with North Palm Beach and all centers in between.

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France Map - Great Holiday Ideas

by: Nancy Eben

Be ready to get impressed on your travel France as the country has everything that one could expect from a holiday. Amongst the five top most tourist destinations in the world, facts about France let you see why it is so. It has the fashion capital Paris as its capital city, beautiful nature, beaches, the mountain scenery, and monuments all make it a great tourist destination. Moreover, the experience of visiting the country can vary as to the place you select for your holiday. Holidays on a beach, in the countryside, the big cities to the beautiful villages, all have something on offer for its visitors. There is plenty to explore and discover, loads of activities to get involved in and certainly life long memories to take back home. A great destination, France provides number of holiday ideas a few are mentioned here.

• Adventure Holidays

Take on an adventure holiday to see the real France. For those who love adventure travel, adventure holidays can be a fantastic option. Get a taste of the place, meet the local people when you head on an adventure holiday. On offer are all kinds of different activities that one can pick from like from the extreme sports to the more ordinary. These holidays come in complete package holidays, and tailor made for adult only adventures or for a family holiday that can cater for all ages of children. It’s the horse riding that catches your fancy, mountain biking or is it the hiking, you can find all this and much more for your holiday.

• Cycling holidays

With cycling being a national pastime in France, the organized cycling holidays are becoming very popular. These holidays provide with an opportunity for the visitors to cycle their way into the country and explore the region while having a go at the sport. This year round activity is a very popular among all ages and weather has a big role to play. In addition there are quite and beautiful countryside, with number of roads available for cycling. The well-maintained roads provide excellent cycling areas for cycling. Tour de France, the greatest cycling event in the world takes here in the country. For not the regular cyclists there are organized cycling trips, which combine cycling with accommodation, visits to the areas along the route.

• Skiing holidays

If you are on travel France for a skiing holiday then you will find the country has some of the best ski areas and ski resorts. France is a very popular destination among the tourists and if you skiing is your cup of tea, then Alps provide with excellent ski areas. With many ski classes made available for the tourists who are beginners, everyone can enjoy. Tourists can choose from a wide range of ski accommodation from ski resorts, private ski chalets, chalet apartments to hotels. The ski accommodation meets the needs of all skiers.

• Golfing holidays

France can turn out to be an excellent choice for a golfing holiday for both the professional and amateur golfers, as the country has a variety of golf courses. Playing golf amidst snow-capped mountains or Mediterranean views, it is a wonderful experience. France is a fantastic destination for golf holidays all the year round and plenty of sunshine adds on to the charm of the place. There is a lot of choice as the France map is dotted all over with golf courses. With the specially designed golf holidays, wherein one stays in a luxury villa, a private golf course and this blend of comfort and quality with golf is a quite experience.

• Holiday on a River Cruise

With the varied landscape that France has, a river cruise holiday is a perfect way to enjoy the countryside, the history and the culture as one travels from one place to another. It is the right idea for a relaxing and a different kind of holiday. A river cruise lets you experience, what you can never otherwise see, with every region having its own specialty and beauty.

• Camping holidays

Travel France for a great camping holiday, which is a great holiday idea for fun and adventure. In the recent years, camping has caught on with the tourists and with thousands of campsites available, it is all the much easier to embark on a camping holiday. One will get easily spoiled for choices, with so many to choose from, right from hiring your own tent, caravans, or even a mobile home, is a great way of touring the country. The campsites are well maintained and organized, offering all the facilities for relaxing and entertaining holidays.

Wherever you travel a France map would be a handy tool and should be your accompanist all through your holiday.

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Medical and dental treatment and coverage in Oaxaca, Mexico

by: Alvin Starkman

When I first gave up the practice of law in Toronto in favor of early retirement in Oaxaca, I assumed that the years I would add to my life by leading a much more stress-free existence in Mexico, would be lost by the inferior health care system to which I would be exposed, subjected and restricted. This, then, is my assessment of the extent to which my presuppositions have been accurate, together with information and advice for both vacationers to and would-be ex-patriot residents of Oaxaca.

Aside from the small, private hospitals, often referred to as clínicas, there are four publicly funded and insurance - based hospitals in the city, as well as a hospital just outside of the city offering specialized treatment for a number of serious ailments. There is the Red Cross facility available to all, often used for emergency treatment only. The civic hospital provides free services or treatment at a modest cost based on a sliding scale respecting means. ISSSTE is a federally funded facility restricted to government employees who are members of a union. Finally, there is IMSS, a federal insurance program available to ex-pat residents and Mexican citizens alike, with an extensive network of clinic doctors and a large hospital. It’s funding is provided in large part by business owners. Aside from these hospitals, there are several, small, easily accessed clinics scattered throughout suburban and rural neighborhoods.

For the vacationer, and the ex-pat with a VISA permitting residency in the country, the most common means by which to obtain emergency treatment is through Red Cross, IMSS (which accepts patients without coverage on a pay-per-service basis) or a private hospital. However, the last of these three is the only one in which you can be reasonably reassured of being attended in a timely fashion by extremely competent and efficient personnel.

WHAT TO DO AS A VACATIONER

If you do not have out-of-country healthcare coverage, by all means go out and buy it before leaving for your trip. However, it’s advisable to first inquire of your credit card company, to ascertain if in fact you already have at least some coverage simply by virtue of, for example, having a gold or platinum card. You can then make a more informed decision concerned whether or not to purchase coverage, and if so at what level. On the other hand, a broken leg, gastrointestinal problem or other non-life threatening ailment can be attended by a private doctor or clinic without breaking the bank. Of course for an outlay of more than $100, it’s nice to be reimbursed.

If you intend to make a claim to your private carrier, credit card company or government funded health care plan, ensure that you not only keep all receipts, but request a written diagnosis and treatment plan, and that the prescriptions you are given indicate for what purpose each medicine is being prescribed (i.e. antibiotic, analgesic, etc.). Many doctors provide all required information simply as a matter of course. Accepted practice, at least except for when narcotic medications are being prescribed, is for the pharmacy to return prescription forms to you. Often medical plans require translations of each document that is presented to them as a prerequisite for processing and reimbursement. When in doubt, submit all documentation with your claim, making sure to determine if originals are required, and keep copies. Frequently, as is the case with Ontario, it’s a two step process. Treatment receipts and diagnosis is submitted to the provincial plan. Once you’re notified of the portion not covered, prescription receipts together with a request for reimbursement for the amount not covered by the province, is submitted to one’s private plan. In theory, between the two plans, 100% reimbursement is achieved.

You can ask the manager of your hotel or bed and breakfast to do you a favor by translating each of your supporting documents, to save you the trouble upon your return home. Make a note of the then prevailing rate of exchange, and submit a calculation to your plan with your documentation, to more easily facilitate payment. When a member of a clerical staff is processing your claim, he’ll be less inclined to put yours aside for another day or week if it already contains all the necessary and relevant data, organized in a readable format.

Concerning where to go in the event of illness or emergency, your accommodations host should be able to make recommendations for English speaking physicians with private practices, and for private clinics. Regarding competency of the former, while there is a medical school in Oaxaca, many doctors travel out-of-state for their post-graduate training such as to universities in Mexico City or the US, and regularly attend conferences and upgrading courses. Some travel abroad within the context of their specialization training. Indeed the Oaxacan populace appears to take notice of and prefer those physicians who are able to display foreign diplomas.

Our personal experience with emergency treatment over the past 10 years has been nothing but positive for ourselves, our family and our guests, at hospitals Carmen and Molina, both downtown … in terms of competence, speed with which one is attended, and the presence of English speaking ER doctors. On the other hand, we cannot recommend the emergency departments at the civic hospital or IMSS because of delays in receiving treatment, and at minimum in the case of IMSS unavailability of competent medical personnel 24 hours a day to attend to even a commonplace emergency (i.e. suturing). Having said this, many excellent surgeons with private practices perform surgery at the non-private hospitals where there tends to be the more state-of-the-art and sophisticated equipment.

The normal range in price for a consultation with a family doctor, specialist or dentist, is $20 - $50 (all figures are stated in US dollars and are approximate for 2008 unless stated otherwise).

PURELY ELECTIVE AND COSMETIC PROCEDURES

Over the past several years Oaxaca has become a popular destination for Americans and Canadians seeking both plastic surgery and extensive dental work. Word has spread of the competence and quality of work of both nip-and-tuck and dental surgeons, and of course of their extremely reasonable charges relative to those paid to hometown practitioners. Many foreigners, as well as Mexicans from Mexico City and other regions of the country come to Oaxaca for face lifts, breast reductions and augmentations, liposuction and other appearance enhancing procedures. A friend who attended for plastic surgery in Oaxaca by a well-known plastic surgeon a couple of years ago, recently commented that she had read an article in a Canadian magazine indicating the cost for the same procedure which she had performed for $500, was $3500 - $5000 at home. In effect she had a free trip to Oaxaca, and returned home with extra money in her pocket.

Our personal experience with dental treatment has been extremely positive. Cost tends to be about a third to a half of American and Canadian prices, for example for crowns and bridges, implants, root canals, gum and bone work, etc. While the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) has not yet arrived in most Mexican cities, a dentist with a gentle touch can more than make up for that lack of temporary high while in the chair.

RESOLVING THE EX-PAT CONUNDRUM

Get whatever coverage is made available to you both in your homeland and in Mexico, subject of course to affordability.

To my thinking, with IMSS coverage costing under $400 annually for a couple, why not go for it regardless of what other coverage you already have. Then supplement IMSS with international coverage for catastrophic injuries unless you have other similar insurance from another source. Our Oaxacan friends tend to disagree, but theirs is a different mindset where insurance in general has historically not been stressed or valued, be it home, car or health.

Some American acquaintances swear by IMSS since it provides regular care including preventive procedures, all dispensed by government employed physicians including specialists, together with lab tests, medication and hospitalization. There are restrictions the first year of enrolment, and there are caveats. The level of cleanliness in the clinic environment tends to be below the standard to which most of us have become accustomed growing up in the US and Canada. Many physicians have not received the quality of medical education of their private counterparts. The medications provided through the clinic pharmacy are often not the best available in the marketplace for treatment of a particular ailment, because of cost. Often the wait to see your designated doctor or for your lab tests can be long, requiring a half day commitment for each step in the process: visiting a general physician, going for one set of tests, then for another, and finally seeing a specialist.

So why bother with IMSS at all, with all these downsides? It’s a failsafe, another form of assurance that you’ll be cared for in the event of a lengthy and serious illness. As suggested earlier, often it’s the largest hospitals such as IMSS which have the best equipment, and surgeons with private practices who perform some of the surgeries. And there is no additional cost for hospitalization once you have full IMSS coverage. While attending a private clinic is more akin to your experiences before moving to Mexico, if you must remain in hospital for a lengthy period of time, the cost of doing so in a clinic could be prohibitive…just like back home.

Visiting private physicians, and even biting the bullet and getting your tests done at privately owned laboratories, reasonably assures you of a familiar quality of care. Coupled with IMSS coverage, you can now be confident that you’re covered in almost all respects. In the event of a protracted hospital stay you can afford to be there for as long as necessary. The best locally available equipment will be used in your diagnosis and treatment, and you have a reasonable likelihood that attending surgeons are those who split their time between private practice and clinic work, and performing procedures in one or more large hospitals.

We maintain IMSS coverage, but rarely use it, preferring to tap our Oaxacan social networks for referrals to specialists to the extent they are required. And in any event, after having been resident in Oaxaca for a few years, those of us who are in our fifties or older have already been introduced to a broad range of specialists. As strange as it still is to be a Canadian and subscribe to the pay-as-you-play philosophy of medical care, it serves our purposes, with the IMSS safety net just in case.

Under certain circumstances you may not want to rely on even the best Oaxaca has to offer. Indeed the stream of Oaxacans traveling to Mexico City flows briskly and wide. The middle and upper classes with contacts in the nation’s capital, there quickly seek out the best in terms of physicians and state-of-the-art equipment, for diagnosis and for treatment of life-threatening diseases.

Even doctors working in Oaxaca at the IMSS and ISSSTE hospitals can make arrangements for patients to receive treatment not available here, to be attended in Mexico City or other larger centers. However, the process can be slow. We know of one case, that of a two-month-old baby with heart problems, who was finally sent to Puebla for surgery at ISSSTE, only to die before the procedure could be performed.

The solution, unless you have quality foreign coverage perhaps as part of your retirement pension plan, is to buy insurance which will pay for treatment in Mexico City, or better yet throughout the world as long as you can make your way to one of the participating top-of-the-line hospitals. In my case, I have a low annual premium, with high deductible which is waived in the event of accident. Again, it’s a failsafe mechanism in the event of, for example, a serious car accident, or cancer, stroke, heart attack, or other catastrophic ailment which would otherwise not be affordable. Oaxaca has less than the best of diagnostic equipment and treatment facilities. My plan provides for a $10,000 deductible, $2,000 annual premium, with member private hospitals in Oaxaca, Mexico City and elsewhere in the republic, and of course abroad including the US, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester being a participant.

In summary, my medical coverage and plan for treatment is the following. We have our regular family physician, who, along with our Oaxacan friends, refers us to specialists in which we have the utmost confidence, and to whom we pay per visit. The same holds true for dental treatment. We have IMSS coverage which we reluctantly (because we don’t use it) renew on an annual basis, but believe it’s worth the price in the event we need extended hospitalization, or to have surgical procedures performed not available in private clinics. And I have my catastrophic coverage which hopefully I’ll never need to access.

Medical care and coverage can be inexpensive, and just as easily it can be costly. It’s a matter of the individual or family having a philosophy, or set of priorities, before electing to move to Oaxaca. You have to determine how you want to lead your life in terms of balancing having less disposable income as a result of medical and insurance costs, with having greater peace of mind in knowing that whatever is thrown your way will be looked after as best possible given your new life in a foreign land. If you cannot achieve a level of comfort in the resolution of these issues and decisions, then perhaps the move is not for you.

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Melbourne- Sports, Culture and Class

Gavin Wyatt

It may be Australia's second largest city, but Melbourne is seen as leading the country in many other departments. Its sports-mad residents refer to it as the sporting capital of Australia, and the large amount of world class stadiums, tournaments and teams based in the city justify this claim. This sports fever contrasts with, yet is enhanced by, the vibrant arts and crafts scene in the city that has made it the centre of all cultural activity in Australia. This strong sense of culture is evident in the heritage buildings, the galleries and the museums of Melbourne and has given it a reputation as a city of creative expression, which is reflected in the music, theatre and festival scene. An interesting, diverse and very cosmopolitan city, any holiday here is going to be an intriguing mix of history, art, sport and beaches thrown in with all the attractions of a modern and cutting edge city.

At the forefront of the arts and culture scene is the Melbourne Museum, the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Located in the Carlton Gardens, no visit to Melbourne is complete without stopping in here and checking out its seven galleries, the Discovery Centre or the incredible IMAX theatre which shows movies in 3-D format. The kids will be completely enthralled as they browse through Egyptian mummies and dinosaur bones from China! World Class travelling exhibitions find temporary homes here, and it also promotes the local arts scene and the history of the area. Another similar establishment is the National Gallery of Victoria, which is the oldest and largest public art gallery in Australia, having being established in 1861. It holds 63 000 pieces of work from arts masters of yesteryear and modern times, and is worth visiting to see these permanent exhibitions and the diverse range of travelling ones that it hosts.

The strong emphasis on culture and creativity in Melbourne has resulted in a vibrant and electric night life. It is a stronghold for live music and performances, and on any given night musicians will be filling the pubs and clubs with their smooth sounds. The seaside suburb of St. Kilda is seen as leading the way in this sense, and its bohemian atmosphere and creative reputation is enhanced by the performers, whether they be busking in the street or playing in the pubs. The pubs and the restaurants throughout the whole city also reflect the cultural diversity of Melbourne, and you can sample foods from a dazzling array of world cuisines, from classic English fare to truly exotic island-style dishes. Melburnians are big on their fine dining, and hand in hand with this goes there appreciation for a good drop of wine. The regions surrounding the city produce some of the finest wines in the country, and nothing beats a good meal with a bottle of the local red or white... Its the Melbourne thing to do!

To fully appreciate the sporting fever in this city you need to go to a live match, and there are lots to choose from. The Australian Tennis Open takes place at the Rod Laver Arena here every year, and is a huge drawcard for tourists. Perhaps the best atmosphere at a match can be found at one of the AFL (Australian Football League) matches. The sport was born in this part of Australia before spreading to the rest of the country, and it holds a special place in the heart of the city. The atmosphere at the fiercely fought matches confirms all this. Perhaps the most renowned stadium in the city is the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground), and a cricket match or an athletics meet here should not be missed. If there is nothing on then you are still able to take a tour of the inner workings of the ground, where you pass through the Cricketers Hall of Fame.

A city as large as Melbourne has countless accommodation options, ranging from the cheap backpacker variety to luxurious five star hotels. Regardless of what your budget is, the perfect place for you to stay is out there, you just need to find it. That may seem like a daunting task, but thanks to accommodationinmelbourne.com.au it doesn't have to be. The people at Accommodation in Melbourne have compiled comprehensive lists of all the hotels and apartments in the city, divided up into their various suburbs. All you need to do is log onto the website, choose the suburb you are staying in and then view the information provided on the accommodation venues in that area. Its as easy as that! If its centrally located backpacker accommodation you are after then look no further than urbancentral.com.au, an upmarket hostel situated right in the heart of Melbourne. They specialise in group bookings and tour organisation, and the very reasonable prices are complemented by the friendly staff!

The great thing about a holiday to Melbourne is that if you tire of the attractions of the city or feel like some fresh country air then there is plenty to choose form in the surrounding regions. Head west to drive along the Great Ocean Road and enjoy the spectacular views and bizarre geological features. The Mediterranean delights of the Mornington Peninsula are just a short drive away, as are the rugged mountains and lush valleys of the Dandenong Ranges. Whatever your age group or whatever your interests, the city of Melbourne and its beautiful surrounds will have something to make your holiday special. A hire car from Discovery will give you the freedom to explore the diversity of attractions on offer.

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Ten Things To Do In Rwanda

by: Ken Ndayis

Rwanda, the land of one thousand hills and 'hundreds attractions' is an extraordinary place where serene scenery and placid people greet you at every juncture. Rwanda is safe and secure with an overwhelming renaissance of Rwandese national pride and cultural reconstruction. It is full of sights and delights, waiting to be explored. If Rwanda is on your travel list there is no better time to runaway to Rwanda...visit today you would want to stay!

The country is well known mostly because of its horrible recent history and you might think that Rwanda should therefore be more the scope for No governmental organization than for travelers. Nowadays, nothing is less true. Rwanda has wonderful people, breathtaking beautiful lakes, challenging mountains, stunning scenery, perfect climate, rare species of apes, excellent roads, express buses, good and cheap food and beer, various accommodation options, fast internet, only few tourists outside the gorilla-homes, you will found it all in Rwanda, a safe and yet to be discovered backpackers haven!

Because of its small size, Rwanda attractions are near each other and can be reached quite easily and safely.

1. KIGALI CITY: A NICE PLACE TO EXPERIENCE AN AFRICAN CAPITAL

Kigali is an interesting mix of rural and urban town overflowing on juxtaposed hilly terrain. New construction is everywhere and large mansions stand side by side with mud brick huts and lean roads. It has a peaceful feel and the center is located upon the hilltop expanse. It feels safe and getting around is easy on foot or minibuses...many and new. For a bit more taxis can whiz you anywhere without breaking the bank. Kigali is a nice place to experience an African capital.

2. KGALI GENOCIDE MEMORIALS CENTER IN GISOZI

During the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, over a million people were murdered. Some 250,000 perished on the streets and in the houses, churches and hospitals of Kigali alone. The Kigali Genocide memorial center contains ten mass graves- a site of burial for almost victims, who were killed in the Kigali region. After the genocide, as mass graves were being discovered around the city. It was decided that a single monument/ burial place should be created, where the victims could be laid to rest with dignity, this is now their final resting place. The memorial houses a children’s section, a particularly powerful experience to read about the children- how they lived, and how they died. Amongst other things, it traces how things came to being so bad, how the ideology of genocide emerged, how the tragedy could have been averted, and how the world ignored the signs and warnings repeatedly. Some of the survivors of the genocide have been trained as guides at the center. Open 10am to 5pm daily. Entrance is free but at the door there is a box for donation. The place is really heart breaking!

4. MOUNTAIN GORILLAS TREKKING

A Mountain Gorilla Trekking is the pinnacle of all the wildlife experiences available in Africa and Rwanda is with no doubt the best place for this. People are limited to spend only one hour with the Gorillas and expect to hike for two to four hours to see them. These incredible primates are divided into four groups that have been habituated over the decades; it’s a thing not to miss in Rwanda. Don't miss spending an hour with these magical creatures. It does require planning in advance, and contacting the National Park or a local tour operator to check what the latest system they have implemented with regards to how you get a permit - but it is all worthwhile. Also, don't be put off by the price - a high price is needed to ensure that protecting the gorillas is economically sustainable for the local area.

5. MOUNTAINS CLIMBING

The National park office offers guided climbs to the top of 2 volcano among the 5 of the Virunga chain, Visoke (3711m) and Karisimbi (4705m -the tallest).

The climbs to the summits are not technical and can be done by fit hikers. The scenery is great! However, the trek to Karisimbi's summit is an overnight trek and should be prepared properly.

6. NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

This national park is a preserved part of rain forest which houses 13 species in all, including humankind's closest living relative the chimpanzee, as well as the handsome L'Hoest's monkey and hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colombus. The most important ornithological site in Rwanda, Nyungwe harbours almost 300 bird species of which two dozen are restricted to a handful of montane forests on the Albertine Rift. Please come with your car or book a tour with a local tour operator otherwise it is very hard to reach the place and get away. You can camp there and pitch a tent but you have to consider bringing all food and water with you as facilities are limited. The entry fee has recently been increased so check up the actual fares.

7. AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

Akagera is the best national park of Rwanda - very helpful park-ranger help to find you all animals in park - mainly, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, baboons, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles.

8. RUSUMO FALLS

Rusumo is a Marvelous and spectacular falls of the Akagera River, a part of the most distant headwaters of the river Nile. The falls is located in the Eastern part of Rwanda at the border with Tanzania.
If you happen to cross the border with Tanzania at Rusumo don't forget to see the Rusumo falls.

9. THE BEAUTIFULLY LAKE KIVU

The beautifully Lake Kivu is a large deposit of fresh water that marks the western border with DR Congo and one of the Great Lakes of Africa. The lake is in the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. Beneath the lake lie vast reserves of approximately 55 billion cubic of dissolved methane gas which have not been exploited. Lake Kivu is a tourist center, safe to swim (but just ask locally to be completely sure). There are nice beaches, gorgeous landscapes and the sunsets are regularly stunning. There are some excellent places to stay on the Lakeside such as Kibuye and -especially-Gisenyi near the DR Congo border.

10. BUTARE CITY IN HUYE

The most popular tourist attraction in Butare is the superb National Museum, which houses perhaps the finest ethnographic collection in East Africa. The rooms are spacious, without the excessive clutter of distracting memorabilia. This makes the well-labeled exhibits easy to appreciate and enjoy. Absorbing displays of traditional artefacts are illuminated by a fascinating selection of turn-of-the-century monochrome photographs, providing insight not only into pre-colonial lifestyles, but also into the subsequent development of Rwanda as a modern African state. Here the Intore dancers can be commissioned to perform, but this is not a good deal for a single traveler. If a group is present the price would definitely be worthwhile as shows are few and far between.

mountain gorilla tour .

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Fact about the Nyiragongo volcano in Goma Congo

Nyiragongo volcano is located in Virunga National park in the Democratic Republic of Congo DRC, At around 19 kilometers of Goma, very close to Rwandan border, in a safe and easily accessible area. The Nyiragongo is one of Africa 's most dangerous and the most famous for its semi permanent lava lake. The volcano is also known to the people of Congo as a sacred mountain where an angry spirit is trapped, The volcano is still active and it has erupted several times throwing lavas toward the town of Goma and other neighboring villages.

Any body knows about how long the volcano has been erupting, but since 1882, it has erupted at least 34 times, including many periods where activity was continuous for years at a time, often in the form of a churning lava lake in the crater. The volcano partly overlaps with two older volcanoes, Baratu and Shaheru, and is also surrounded by hundreds of small volcanic cinder cones from flank eruptions.

Volcanism at Nyiragongo is caused by the rifting of the Earth's crust where two parts of the African Plate are breaking apart. A hot spot is probably also partly responsible for the great activity at Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira.

The lava emitted in eruptions at Nyiragongo is often unusually fluid. Nyiragongo's lavas are made of melilite nephelinite, an alkali-rich type of volcanic rock whose unusual chemical composition may be a factor in the unusual fluidity of the lavas there. Whereas most lava flows move rather slowly and rarely pose a danger to human life, Nyiragongo's lava flows may race downhill at up to 60 miles per hour (up to 100 km/h). This is because of the extremely low silica content. Hawaiian volcanic eruptions are also characterized by lavas with low silica content, but the Hawaiian volcanoes are broad, shallow-sloped shield volcanoes in contrast to the steep-sided cone of Nyiragongo, and the silica content is high enough to slow most Hawaiian flows to walking pace.

The last known eruption was in 2002. The Volcano erupted and ajected a large cloud of smoke and ash high into the sky and spewing lava down three sides of the volcano. One river of lava flowed right through the center of Goma and into Lake Kivu , effectively bisecting the city. Hundred of people were burnt to death . At least 400,000 people fled their homes when the lava swept down the flanks of Mount Nyiragongo and through Goma's main street before pouring into Lake Kivu on the Rwandan border. The thousands of displaced, came back after three days and tried to rebuild their lives by erecting wooden huts on top of the lava. Somewhere beneath lay the remains of their homes.

The lava had set like concrete. It was impossible to dig trenches for water supplies and drainage. Even to sink a hole for the simple African drop toilet wasn't possible. The sharp irregular stones made walking difficult and slashed the tires of cars and motorbikes.

Lava dictated everything. It was the foundation for people's homes, their yards, the building blocks for yard walls and the surface of the roads. Buildings that had survived were submerged and set fast one story deep in it.

Even if the 2002 eruption was described by many Congolese as the worse; But the 1977 was many times than it. The difference is that the first didn't destroy houses like the last one, but its burnt many peoples. On 10 January 1977, the crater walls fractured, and the lava lake drained in less than an hour. The lava flowed down the flanks of the volcano at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on the upper slopes, overwhelming villages and killing at least 2000 people. Some reports quote much higher figures of up to several thousand people. The hazards posed by eruptions like this are unique to Nyiragongo. Nowhere else in the world does such a steep-sided stratovolcano contain a lava lake containing such fluid lavas.

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Cheap Flight Deals Hit In 2008

Roger Munns

Could the writing be on the wall for low cost airlines operating out of the UK and other European countries as the Conservative Party - once a campaigner and implementer of lower taxes - has called for purchase tax to be introduced to domestic flights?

The tax would add up to 17.5 per cent on to the cost of a flight from one British city to another, but while flights to the European mainland and popular holiday islands such as Menorca aren't specifically mentioned, one travel company believes the new policy will inevitably lead to higher fares for flights not just within Britain, but elsewhere too.

The Tory policy review calls for the UK to be a leader on green growth, noting that it was illogical for flights to attract less tax than cars and trains, with David Cameron, the Tory Party leader, saying that much of the report would be included in their manifesto at the next British General Election, which at the time could have been just weeks away as election speculation mounted in the UK, but is now likely to be in 2009 or 2010 following British Prime Minister Gordon Brown's decision not to hold an early poll.

'It's not so much that we're convinced the Tories will win the next election and tax domestic flights', say the travel company, 'But by proposing new taxes on flights it leads the door open to the Labour Party, who are more likely to win, to use taxes on flights as a revenue raiser with no opposition from the Tories who are traditionally seen as the tax cutting party. We have no doubt that flights will be taxed a lot more in 2008 because the Tories have now made it a soft target for the British government of any political persuasion and the Treasury when they prepare their annual budgets.'

In a pre-budget statement to the House of Commons, the first for new Chancellor Alistair Darling and the first major government statement after Prime Minister Gordon Brown opted not to call an early election, a shift was made away from taxing passengers to planes, making half full flights less financially viable, with a start date of November 2009.

Citing Menorca as an example, the company points to the holiday industry on the island being a major employer, and the Menorca map changing over the years as new resorts have been built to accommodate additional visitors.

'One of the other aspects of the report that is a worry for the holiday industry', continues the travel company, 'Is that new runways at Stansted, Gatwick and Heathrow Airports are all ruled out - all three airports serve London and the South-East of England. Any increased demand for example for Menorca holidays probably won't be able to be met without increased capacity, inevitably leading to a consequence of higher prices overall.'

From the environmental lobby the Green Party described the proposals as 'fiddling around the edges when what is needed is urgent and radical action', adding that the Tory eco-taxes would hit the poorest in society hardest.

Menorca Map

Taking Menorca as typical of the areas that could be affected most by additional flight taxes, the travel company takes the view that any downturn in visitor numbers and the volume of bookings for holidays and hotels in Menorca would hit an island that relies heavily on tourism.

The Spanish island is currently served by three UK airlines that offer scheduled flights, including one low cost carrier that offers cheap flights to Menorca. But there are a high number of holiday companies who offer chartered flights in the summer months, and these companies have helped reduced prices for holidaymakers visiting the island. Neighbouring island Majorca attracted most UK tourists for 2007, beating off competition from low cost destinations in Eastern Europe, and Menorca has also benefitted from an increase in visitor numbers.

Despite their geographical closeness and being part of the same group of islands, the Balearics, Menorca and Majorca attract a different type of tourist from each other, and with Ibiza the third of the islands each has its own appeal, and each her unique selling points when compared to each other.

Ibiza is known in Europe for her clubs and nightlife, with 18 to 30's and their high disposable incomes preferring the island to quieter Majorca and Menorca. A survey by the island's tourist board sprung a surpise for many in the hotels and holidays industry with a report showing of the three islands that Ibiza's visitors spent more on their holidays than those in Majorca and on holiday in Menorca.

Majorca is a favourite holiday island for both the British and Germans, and as well as having a cosmopolitan feel to it offers both nightlife for the young with luxury hotels and villa holidays for older visitors. Plans are in place to build Spain's top luxury hotel on the island.

The island of Menorca, also known as Minorca, is regarded as the quietest of the three holiday islands, and family orientated, with tourists just as likely to be taking a villa holiday with companies like James Villas as they are staying in a hotel or holiday apartment. The island is at her best in May and September when the island's roads are quiet but everyone is geared up for the season.

The travel company who produce YourMenorca.net concludes that all three islands would be affected detrimentally by any further increases in taxes on flights, and infrastructure improvements planned for the future might have to be reconsidered if the number of tourists visiting for a holiday comes down.

Minorca will be watching the British political scene with an unusual amount of interest 2008.

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Portugal - Silver Coast. A taste of life and hospitality

by: Villas Luz, Lda

All of this is now less than an hour drive from Lisbon International airport along the new A8 motorway, linking the vibrant capital of Portugal with historic Oporto in the North. As there is also a proposed new international airport to be located at OTA, this little known region is opening its doors to the outside world. For decades the Algarve has been the only realistic location for overseas buyers to enjoy the unique hospitality of the Portuguese, but prices there have put it out of reach for most. Now we are pleased to invite you to experience the heart of Portugal - a secret we can all share.

A region for life

Exploring the tranquil towns, villages and countryside of this beautiful region will confirm to you that here is a place that genuinely has the best of both worlds. Whilst offering a life of rural calm amidst the spectacular scenery, at the same time it is perfectly equipped with access to all the modern facilities of transport, healthcare, education and leisure that make life a pleasure for all generations. The Western Region enjoys entertainments and events throughout the year: concerts, art exhibitions, the Torres carnival - 'the most Portuguese event in Portugal', the Caldas da Rainha ceramics and fruit fairs, the Bombarral wine festival, Peniche's Festas da Nuestra Senhora da Boa Viagem, the Montejunto popular festival (Cadaval), Alenquer's Feira da Ascensao, festivals in Sobral, Monte Agraco and Arruda dos Vinhos, Feiras da Cebola e das Tasquinhas and hundreds more fairs, festivals and popular gatherings. The region has many hotels with superb facilities and innumerable restaurants, bars and lively venues which ensure that one's first visit to the Western region is never the last. For golf enthusiasts the Western Region is the new destination in Portugal. Golf Courses at Praia d'el Rey (18 holes)and Rio Maior (18 holes) are complemented by 9-hole courses at Consolação and Porto Novo - Bom Sucesso and Perola da Lagoa 18-hole courses are actually already under construction and the brand new project of the 18-hole course of Foz do Arelho, which will be the hugest should begin within the year 2007. The natural abundance of the area is enhanced by beautiful fine-sanded beaches, where the sands shimmer like silver, at Santa Cruz, Porto Novo, Areia Branca, S. Bernardino, Consolação, Peniche, Baleal, Foz do Arelho and Salir do Porto. Local crafts can be found in Peniche, which is notable for its lace, and in Caldas da Rainha, which is one of the most important centres for ceramics in Portugal. The new Peniche recreation centre is a base for water sports, with a haven of fishing and scuba-diving in Berlenga. Santa

Cruz and Peniche (Supertubos beach and Lagide beach) are the places for surf lovers. The Obidos lake has sailing, rowing and windsurfing. Montejunto, Serrado Socorro and Santa Rita beach are the main locations for paragliding and hang-gliding. The Santa Cruz aerodrome, with its flying school, offers flights in light aircraft and gliders. There are equestrian centres in the Hotel Golf Mar, in Marquiteira (Lourinha), in Atouguia da Baleia - at the Quinta das Tripas and the Quintas de Bom Sucesso - Lourinha, S. Sebastido - Arruda dos Vinhos, Quinta da Ferraria and Cortisada - Rio Maior.

A region for health

Healthcare facilities are modern and efficient and offer a good range of public and private services for all your requirements. In addition the region offers several thermal baths: Vimeiro (digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system and skin), Cucos (metabolic and endocrine systems, rheumatics, muscular and skeletal systems) and Torres Vedras and Caldas da Rainha - the oldest in Europe (respiratory system, rheumatics, muscular and skeletal systems).

A region for Gourmets

Gastronomy in the region is rich and varied: there are many delicious pork dishes, oven baked kid, stewed rabbit with rice, celebrated fish stews, baked or boiled sea bream and rock bass from Peniche, eels and cockles from the Obidos lake and shellfish from the beds at Porto de Barcas (lagosta suada - 'sweating lobster' - is a delicacy which can only be found in the Western Region). The gastronomical influence of history is evident in trouxas de ovos, lampreias de ovos (sweet dishes made with eggs) and cavacas (light crisp cakes) from Caldas da Rainha, bean pies from Torres Vedras and paes de lo (sponge cakes) from Landal, Painho and Rio Maior. All are complemented by the taste and aroma of apples and pears.

The Western region is also one of the largest wine growing areas in Portugal and indeed the world. The area boasts full-bodied, aromatic red wines with excellent alcoholic content: the wines of the south (castas Camarate, Periquita and Tinto Miudo) are lively when young, intense yet well balanced and with an exquisite bouquet when aged. The white wines of the north are deliciously fruity (castas Arinto, Fernao Pires, Vital). Out of this diversity, the wine-growing areas of Obidos and Alenquer, Arruda dos Vinhos and Torres Vedras were born in 1989. The region is also known for its light wines with lower alcohol content, and for the only DOC (controlled standard of origin) classified brandy in Portugal - Aguardente Vinica from Lourinha.

PORTUGAL - COSTA DE PRATA - THE SILVER COAST

Aveiro in the north is unique: it is criss-crossed by canals grandly embroidered with art nouveau houses and spanned by hump- backed bridges. Here in colourfully painted 'moliceiro' boats, seaweed is gathered in the vast saltwater lagoon. Further inland you can sample the curative waters of the elegant thermal spa towns of Luso and Curia, fashionable since early this century. And in the Bucaco forest nearby, stands the Palace Hotel, resplendent with turrets, arched galleries and an enormous marble staircase: a perfect hideaway for romantics.

The lively University city of Coimbra is a mixture of ancient and modern. Its streets are filled with the chatter of black-caped students and the soulful tones of fado. The university library, one of the best in Europe, is a Baroque fantasy where the rooms each lead into the next creating a telescope-like effect. The old Cathedral is one of the most important examples of Romanesquc architecture in Portugal. In the Marchado de Castro Museum, you'll find religious art treasures and can actually explore the ruins of the Roman crypt over which the museum was built. An even more impressive sight is the nearby Roman city of Conimbriga. On the west coast, the town of Figueira da Foz has vast beaches and a famous casino.

Further south is the charming town of Leiria with its crenulated walls towering high above an almost perpendicular rock. From May to October, the roads nearby are lined with pilgrims - many on foot - visiting the famed shrine of Fatima where three shepherd children claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary.

Thirty four kilometres east is Tomar where the bastion of the Knights Templar later became the Convento de Cristo. Tales of mystery and hidden treasures echo around it's cloisters and its crowning glory is the ornate Manueline window.

Another magical place is the Castle of Almmourol, just south, which stands on a tiny island and is steeped in legends of giants and knights.

Further opulent architecture can he discovered at Batalha in the Santa Maria da Vitoria Monastery, with its flying buttresses, gargoyles, pinnacles and the intricate stonework of its cloisters. Close to this is one of Portugal's most awe-inspiring monuments: the Monastery of Alcobaca, which has been given UNESCO world heritage status. The kitchen, with ovens big enough to roast six oxen at once, even has two streams converging through it into one. The monastery also contains the tombs of King Pedro and Ines de Castro whose passionate love story has inspired writers and poets all over the world. Many of the farming methods and agricultural science of the region introduced by the Cistercian monks are still in evidence today.

The delightful town of Obidos, with white houses adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle was captured from the Moors by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, in 1148. D. Dinis later presented it to his wife, Queen Santa Isabel. From then until 1883, the town of Obidos and the surrounding land was always the property of the queens of Portugal.

Encircled by a ring of medieval walls and crowned by the Moorish castle rebuilt by D. Dinis, which is now a pousada, Obidos is one of the most perfect examples of our medieval fortress. As in olden times, the town is entered through the southern gate of Santa Maria, embellished with eighteenth-century azulejo decoration.

Inside the walls, which at sunset take on a golden colouring, one can sense a cheerful medieval ambience of winding streets, old whitewashed houses bordered with blue or yellow, Manueline embrasures and windows, reminding us that King D. Manuel I (sixteenth century) carried out major works here, and masses of colourful flowers and plants.

Be sure to visit the Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria (Parish Church of Santa Maria), the pretty Capela de Sao Martinho (Chapel of S. Martinho) and, outside the town walls, the Igreja do Senhor da Pedra (Church of the Senhor da Pedra).

Among the events that take place every year in Obidos, the most important are the Holy Week Festivities (recreating the steps on the Way of the Cross), the Ancient Music Festival in October and, for the more gluttonous, the International Chocolate festival in November, which includes an international competition in which the recipes are judged by an international jury of experts.

Fatima - With its origins deep in history, it was during the Arabian occupation that this settlement developed and was named. According to legend, during the Christian Reconquest, the Templar knight Goncalo Hermingues, also known as Bringer-of-Moors, fell in love with Fatima, a Moor captured in the course of an ambush. Reciprocating the love, the young woman converted to Christianity and adopted the name Oureana.

In the sixteenth century, the settlement became a parish in the collegiate church of Ourem within the Diocese of Leiria.

Its subsequent development dates from the events known as the Apparitions of Fatima, in the early part of the twentieth century. It has become one of the key centres for the Cult of the Virgin Mary in Portugal and has been recognised world-wide by the Catholic Church.

The first apparition took place in 1917, in Cova da Iria, at the site of the current Sanctuary. The most important celebrations are held on 13th May (including the Candlelit Procession on the night of the 12th and the Farewell Procession closing the event on the 13th) and 13th October. Furthermore, the 13th of every month between these two dates is also a day of devotion.

For those interested in the historical context of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, visits can be made to the houses of the shepherd witnesses in the village of Aljustrel.

In the gardens of Casa de Lucia, there is a monument commemorating the second apparition of the Angel of Peace and the end of the Via Sacra which begins in the Sanctuary.

Along this route, there are 14 chapels donated by Hungarian Catholic refugees in the West. Of particular note is Valinhos, 400 metres from the village where monuments commemorate the fourth apparition in 1917 as well as the place chosen by the angel. Here, in 1916, the shepherds saw the Angel of Peace for the first and third times.

On the coast is the fishing village of Nazare where you'll find fishermen in knee length plaid trousers, and women in full skirts and seven petticoats, mending nets. The walled town of Obidos should also not he missed, with its narrow streets of brightly white-washed houses and striking towers of the Castle that's now a splendid Pousada Take just a short trip south and you can explore the active fishing port of Peniche which has a dominating 16th century fort built for protection against marauding pirates. The Silvercoast is one of the most peaceful and romantic places of all.

Buying Property in Silver Coast Portugal

Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal is currently popular with Europeans, but as of yet, not so much with the British property buyers. This is because properties are relatively inexpensive and transport links to/from the UK are getting better and cheaper to the Silver Coast. Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal offers superb beach holiday facilities with a great summer climate, great culture, architecture and history. Also, the Silver Coast is tipped to see significant capital property value rises in the coming years.

Portugal is an evergreen in the overseas property market. Build quality is high, property prices have grown a steady 10-15% per annum since the Millennium, and there's a broad choice of property across the price range and country - within the Silver Coast the price grow within the following years will possibly reach the 25 - 35 %.

Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal offers good prospects for rental from both the local market and from holidaymakers, and with the potential of significant property price rises on the Silver Coast Portugal, this could be the ideal place to invest in a holiday home.

Buying property in Portugal still has great appeal as it has a benign tax system which allows avoidance of the worst effects of capital gains and inheritance tax and can put you in a lower tax band.

Why buy in the the Silver Coast

Property experts have been advising clients to look beyond the Algarve, with its pockets of overgrowing, and invest instead in homes 45 minutes' drive from Lisbon on Portugal's Silver Coast. Maddison says, "The Algarve used to be the most popular area. However, it is now rather overrun with Brits and over commercialized. In other words it is too popular now, with many of those looking to purchase in Portugal now looking elsewhere."

According to international property specialists the Silver Coast is now the up-and-coming area in Portugal. "Many Brits are selling up in the Algarve and moving up to the Oeste Region, which is located just north of Lisbon. This area is still very Portuguese, with farming the main source of income for the locals. It does not die in the winter because most of the locals are Portuguese. The cost of properties is so much cheaper than on the Algarve - so there is still room to make money in this area".

But what of the place itself? The Silver Coast stretches from Porto down to Portugal's capital Lisbon and hugs the North Atlantic coastline; it is home to beautiful beaches, amazing cliffs, quaint fishing villages, lush rolling countryside and some of the most fascinating historic sites in Portugal. Here you can discover pretty villages and a real Portuguese way of life. The Silver Coast is a particularly good bet for those with holiday lets in mind, thanks to the new A8 motorway which has cut journey times from Lisbon to the Silver Coast considerably, opening the atmospheric towns of Caldas da Rainha and Turcifal, and pretty villages, such as Peniche, up to tourists and investors.

There is a wide range of property available on the Silver Coast. You can find traditional farmhouses in need of renovation, but there has also been a fair amount of developments popping up and luxury villas with pools and apartments in complexes are easy to find.

Access to the area is becoming even easier as more and more airlines now offer frequent flights to Lisbon.

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