Travelling to Spain

I have always been impressed with the south of Spain (Andalusia) the Arab influence on architecture there are breath taking.During our 2006 trip, I was very impressed with the Basque Region, amazing food, mountains, ocean beaches and hill top walled villages (like Laguardia) can be found within its borders.

The north and east of Spain has its own special appeal. The north, central and north east of Spain, in the areas of Castile and Aragon are where the "Catholic Monarchs", Isabel the 1st and Fernando the 2nd of Aragon, ruled and engaged in the "Reconquest of Spain".

The east of Spain holds the modernistic architecture of Barcelona, the ultra modern architecture of Valencia and the upcoming community of Zaragoza, not to mention numerous walled cities that retain much of their middle age character.

My top recommendation for touring Spain is, do not be in a rush.

Spain is best experienced slowly and as much as possible, try to match your activity to the life rhythms of the natives. Take time to linger at an outside cafe and do a little people watching. Buy some wine, cheese, bread and fruit, have a picnic while watching the sunset; even better watch the sun set with a mountain and/or Mediterranean view. Spend multiple nights at the same hotel and as much as possible limit the time you spend actually traveling.

Shopping hours, with some variation, run from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, reopening around 5 PM to then close at 8 PM. Large department stores usually stay open over the lunch period. Most shops will be closed on Sunday.

I find it best to get to the tourist sites in the morning and leaving the shopping to the evening, my wife on the other hand thinks mornings are an excellent time to shop.

This article breaks down the main Spanish travel options by region.

Northern Spain – The easiest way to access this region is by plane from one of the main UK airports flying directly to Bilbao or from the US to Malaga with transfer to Bilbao. It’s possible to connect with Iberia flights for connections across the North and throughout Spain. Alsa and Eurolines have sophisticated coach networks and it’s possible to travel all the way across Europe to Bilbao or San Sebastian and then pick up local coaches or rail connections. You can also sail from the UK port of Plymouth to Santander with Brittany Ferries, or you could take the P & O route from Portsmouth to Bilbao.

Castile and La Rioja – The cheapest way to access these regions is possibly to fly to one of the main Spanish hubs – Barcelona, Bilbao or Madrid for example, and then either drive or get connecting flights. You can connect with Iberia for flights to Logrona in La Rioja or Valladolid in Castile. Castile, Rioja and Navarre a

re serviced by an excellent road network which makes getting around simple and again, Alsa coaches will connect you with major and minor destinations across the regions and the entire country.

Aragon, Navarre and the Pyrenees – As these regions are easily accessible by car or coach from Madrid it may be best to get a cheap flight to Madrid and then drive the E90 to the heart of the region. You could consider getting a connecting flight to Zaragoza in the middle of the region which is a good jumping off point for explorations in this stunning part of Spain. Alternatively access to this region can be made by rail or coach. Eurolines coach

es will connect you with Pamplona or Zaragoza; Eurostar rail will take you from the UK to Paris and from Paris you can catch an overnight high speed rail link to Madrid…from Madrid the options are varied, from local rail and coach connections, car hire, and local flight connections with Iberia.

Costa Brava and Costa Dorada – As we move east to the beautiful Northern Catalonian coastal regions of the Costa Brava and Costa Dorada, so accessibility increases. Barcelona airport is the main airport for these regions and it welcomes cheap UK and US flights. You can then connect to Girona in the Costa Brava region or Reus in the Costa Dorada region. Barcelona itself has an underground train network for access throughout the city, and if you want to travel further afield the Spanish rail service RENFE has many mainline and local services servicing both regions. The main coastal road in Costa Brava is the A7, with the A2 taking you west away from Barcelona and the C32 taking you south from Barcelona into the Costa Dorada. Barcelona has a port with ferry services to Genoa, Rome, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza.

Source: travelinginspain and travel-rants

The Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is an English Island and country in the English channel five miles from the South Coast of Britain. It is situated south of the county of Hampshire and is separated from mainland Britain by the Solent. Popular since Victorian times as a holiday resort, the Isle of Wight is known for its natural beauty and for its world-famous sailing based in Cowes.

With more people visiting each year, that figure can only rise. The Isle of Wight is the perfect place for a holiday as there are so many things to see and do. Whatever your interests, you will be spoiled for choice and will find that one visit to this special place is never enough. Most people that visit this wonderful island find themselves coming back time and time again which is great for Isle of Wight tourism.

The Isle of Wight is the smallest of England’s counties, with the resident population being around 130,000. To the north lies the Solent and to the south is the English Channel. Known as “The Garden Isle”, this jewel of England indeed resembles a diamond in shape, measuring 23 miles west to east and 13 miles north to south, an area or 147 square miles.

Language and dialect

The distinctive Isle of Wight accent is a somewhat stronger version of the traditional Hampshire dialect, featuring the dropping of some consonands and an emphasis on longer vowels. This is similar to the West Country dialect heard in Southwestern England, but less removed in sound from the Estuary English of the Southeast. In common with many other English regional dialects and accents, a strong Island accent is not now commonly heard, and, as speakers tend to be older, this decline is likely to continue.

The Island also has its own local and regional words. Some words, including grockle (visitor) and nipper/nips (a younger male person), are still commonly used and are shared with neighbouring areas. A few are unique to the Island, for example overner (a mainlander who has settled on the Island) and caulkhead (someone born on the Island or, for sticklers, those born there from long-established Island stock). Other words are more obscure and used now mainly for comic emphasis, such as mallishag (meaning) and nammit ("noon-meat", meaning food). Some other words are "gurt" as in large or great, also "gallybagger" as in scarecrow.

The exact centre of the Island is at Shide Corner, on the outskirts of Newport and the highest point is St. Boniface Down at Ventnor. Walking on the Isle of Wight is a popular past-time and there are over 500 miles of public footpaths including dramatic coastal paths.

The climate here is almost sub-tropical and Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor are regularly at the top of the UK sunshine table. Over 50% of the Island has been designated an “Area of Outstanding Beauty” with about half of the coastline named as “Heritage Coast” - an honour only awarded to the finest stretches of coastline in the country.

Red squirrels have a particular penchant for the surroundings (due to the lack of grey squirrels) and are widely prevalent on the Island - almost the final stronghold in the south of the country.

The most famous landmark here on the Isle of Wight is The Needles - three jagged chalk projections running out to sea at the extreme west of the island at Alum Bay, which is also renowned for its multi-coloured sand cliffs, which are caused by a mixture of minerals in the sand.

There is a lighthouse here too, clinging to the base of the most westerly rock of the Needles group. It originally became popular here with tourists over 200 years ago when they used to visit by paddle steamer from the mainland.

Another popular landmark is the Bembridge Windmill, the only existing windmill on the Island. It is located at the opposite end of the Island, was built around 1700 and still has its original machinery intact.

Source: wikipedia and travel-rants

The Land Where the Lion is No Longer King

Sound quite fascinating, could it be true? Recently the Great annual Wildebeest Migration across the Maasai Mara from the Serengeti Plains was decreared the seventh new wonder of the world. What did this mean to the Lions of the Maasai Mara, these regal and powerful hunters who have dominate the vast grasslands and attracted explorers and adventure seek to the Mara.

To answer this lets travel with you to Maasai Mara, arguably the world greatest wildlife reserve measuring some 1510sq Kms in the heartland of the Maasai, a strongly independent people who still value tradition and ritual as an integral part of their everyday lives. They regard themselves not just as residents of this area but that they are as much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their lives.

In this small park the largest concentration of wildlife in the world is found.Reason? No one knows. The Mara comprises of open plains, woodlands and riverine forest. The vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi. The Acacia forests abound with Birdlife and Monkeys. Elephants and Buffalo wallow in the wide Musiara Swamp. The Mara and Talek rivers are brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles.

But of interest now is that each year the Mara plays host to the world’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti. From July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single massive herd.

They pour across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon. At the Mara River they mass together on the banks before finally plunging forward through the raging waters, creating frenzy as they fight against swift currents and waiting crocodiles.

This mighty army of 1.3million plus wildebeest is not deterred by the Lions that lay in wait nor the formidable Mara River with its swift current and crocodiles waiting to profit from a free feast. The wildebeest bring new life to the Mara, through their cycle of regeneration of the grasslands and also for the predators that follow them. This courageous animal which folks say God created when he was tired, giving it a head of donkey, a tail of a horse and legs of a gazelle has of now taken over the “kingship” from the Lion but for how long? Let’s visit the Mara from July-October.

Travel Tips:

Location: Southwest of Kenya
Distance: 300KMS from Nairobi

There are All Sort of Accommodation in Mara from Fix Star Lodges and Luxury Tented Camps, private’s homes to budget accommodation and Camping Sites. When traveling to the Mara travel light the weather is generally warm throughout the year.

If you are planning to take big game walking safaris carry some proper shoes not sandals. Book you travel to Mara through a Travel Agent, Majority are honest but been on the lookout for overcharges shop around in the Internet before you settle for any.

About the Author

I am David Kiarie, the Tours Manager at Beyond Kenya Safaris a Local Based Destination Travel Company. I have a vast knowledge of Kenya Tourism/Travel spanning 20 Years and a passion of wildlife and Nature.

Source: travel-rants

Swimming with Dolphins in Great Exuma

=Nowhere in the world is swimming freely with dolphins an easier and more exciting adventure than in The Bahamas. It is where countless visitors travel to relax on unspoiled beaches, take in stunning scenery, enjoy warm people, and of course, swim in the wild with dolphins. It has become a popular attraction in Great Exuma Bahamas.

Numerous diving programs are offered throughout The Bahamas, making swimming with dolphins a comfortable and wonderful activity for tourists and locals alike. Part of the amazement lies in observing them in their natural habitat, as you dive into open waters along coral reefs.

Swimming with Dolphins

Thirty years ago, swimming with dolphins was less common an event than it is today. At the time, a diver would spot one, maybe two, dolphins. Now, the experience can include an entire family unit. Dolphin encounters take place around the globe, but The Bahamas is recognized as one of the great centers where swimming with dolphins is possible.

Much can be attributed to the natural beauty of the countless islands and cays in The Bahamas. Wild dolphin encounters occur regularly in Bimini, Grand Bahama, the Abacos and Great Exuma Bahamas, just to name a few. You can touch, interact, and even hand-feed these amazing mammals in their natural habitat. But before you start swimming with dolphins, you might want to learn some facts about them.

Dolphin 101

· Most dolphins have acute eyesight
· They have a sense of hearing superior to that of humans
· They have a well-developed sense of touch
· They range in length from 1.2 m (4 ft) to 9.5 m (30 ft)
· They can weigh anywhere from 40 kg (88 lb) to ten tons
· They are social, living in pods (also called “schools”) of up to a dozen mammals
· They are found mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves
· They are carnivores that eat mostly fish and squid
· They use their sonar to communicate with each other
· There are almost forty species of dolphin worldwide

Dolphins and Humans

Dolphins are often regarded as one of Earth’s most intelligent species. Numerous stories are told of dolphins protecting shipwrecked sailors against sharks by swimming circles around them. In many cultures, spotting dolphins during a sea voyage is considered a good omen. Swimming with dolphins is the closest encounter one can experience with these fascinating creatures. On your next trip to Great Exuma Bahamas, be sure to consider this once in a lifetime opportunity, an adventure that will create memories you will treasure forever.

A trip to Bruges.

It was only last winter that I went to Bruges with my parents. Bruges is the capital of the province of West Flanders, the Flemish region of Belgium. In Dutch, Brugge means “landing stage”. Bruges has not changed since medieval times and is a major landmark of Europe. We flew to Brussels and then took a train into Bruges. It is very easy to reach Bruges as it is well connected by train to all Belgium’s major cities.

The Bruges railway station is just five-minute walk from the city’s main market square and not much further from our accommodation. We had booked a lovely room in advance and this made our time in Bruges all the more enjoyable.

As the streets are narrow and there are many canals in the city, it is not advisable to drive to and in Bruges. Instead, you can take advantage of the many guided walking tours of the city, which will be an unforgettable experience for the ones who don’t mind walking long distances.

The first thing we noticed in Bruges was that its medieval architecture has been preserved throughout the centuries and is still intact. We simply could not take our eyes off the medieval buildings that will surely fascinate anyone who visits Bruges. One of the buildings you’ll always remember is Europe’s highest brick tower belonging to the Church of Our Lady, (Onze Lieve Vrouwekerk).

Also, make sure that you visit the 13th Century Belfry (Belfort), which hosts the municipal Carillon having forty seven bells. UNESCO has declared Bruges “World Heritage Site” because of its huge assortment of Medieval and early modern art.

It was a pleasure walking down Bruges’ busy squares, parks and cobbled streets, and visiting the town’s almshouses and patrician’s homes. We also stopped to admire the Blacksmith’s Gate, the Ghent Gate, the Cross Gate and the Donkey’s Gate which are part of the medieval ramparts built in the 13th – 14th century. We could even go for a stroll or cycle around these ramparts. What I particularly enjoyed in Bruges though were the four 13th century windmills which are still operating today!

There are lots of museums in the city catering to the different interests of the tourists. There are chocolate museums, diamond museums, churches, lace centers, and collections that will simply baffle those who have an interest in archery. Anyone interested in astronomy (like myself) should not miss the Bruges observatory.

Bruges boasts not only about its medieval monuments but also about its modern architecture. For example, its Concertgebouw (Concert Hall) is a creative ode to Bruges and its dreams. Barge Bridge and Conzettbridge are two other modern masterpieces of the city. Bruges is also famous for its beer and breweries. Many beers have been named after Bruges.

If you plan to visit Bruges with your children, you should know that there are museums and guided tours especially for them. There is also a theme park which all of us enjoyed tremendously.

Last but not least, if you visit Bruges, don’t forget to have ‘Brugsch Swaentje’ (Bruges Swan) and other chocolate products that are guaranteed to leave you craving for more. You may get more information on the official tourism website of the city.