Archive for the Travel category.
Posted on November 02, 2008 by admin in
Travel Yorkshire is a large county in north eastern England with a population of five million. To many people it is known as ‘God’s Own County.’ Yorkshire is the largest county in England and covers in excess of 6,000 square miles. Many people visit Yorkshire for it’s contrasts - rolling moorland, rugged coastline, ancient buildings, modern cities.
The North York Moors has been a national park for fifty years. The area is a heather moorland and is a quiet and peaceful place. The moorland is intersected with many valleys which cut through it. These valleys come alive in the springtime during daffodil season. There is eighteen miles of steam railroad that runs through the moorland from Grosmont to Pickering. The area is also popular with walkers, cyclists and wildlife enthusiasts.
Yorkshire is also home to many bustling cities. These are centers of commerce and industry. You can find most things in these cities ranging from woolen goods and leather items to other commodities such as Yorkshire plumbers.
The Yorkshire Dales is another area that is popular with visitors and tourists becuase of its scenery, wildlife, cultural heritage and solitude. The Yorkshire Dales are close to the Pennines which run across north England. There are more than twenty dales each with their own characteristics. Around 20,000 people live in the farms, villages and market towns of the Yorkshire Dales.
The Yorkshire coast offers wonderful beaches, as well as rocky coves and cliffs. there are also traditional resorts such as Scarborough and Filey and many traditional fishing villages and ports the North Yorkshire Heritage Coast offers rugged cliffs and rocky shores with cliff top hikes and paths streaching along most of it. The area is popular for sailing, angling golf, and bowls.
Posted on October 14, 2008 by admin in
Travel Pitlochry is a Victorian town located at the gateway to the Scottish Highlands in Perthshire. The scenery in this area is remarkable and was a great favorite of Queen Victoria. Since that time it has been a popular tourist destination.
The Atholl Palace Hotel and Spa is a famous site when you approach the town from the south. It sits amongst thickly wooded hills and is very impressive. To the north of the town lies Blair Castle. This castle is equally impressive and is well worth a visit with its paintings and armory collections. There are many other Pitlochry hotels to choose from and which cater to all types of budgets.
Pitlochry is also renowned for its Dam Visitor Center and salmon ladder, Festival Theatre, and woollens shops. For those interested in whisky there are two distilleries - the Blair Atholl and Edradour distilleries.
Pitlochry is ideally located for exploring the marvelous scenery of the Perthshire Highlands. One of the most famous Scottish battles occurred at the Pass of Killiecrankie. This dramatic scenery is not easily forgotten. The Queens view is another sight that must be viewed. In the Pitlochry area there are many footpaths, mountain bike routes and the local rivers are some of the worlds best for trout and salmon fishing.
Posted on October 10, 2008 by admin in
Travel Scotland is a popular tourist destination. What makes it popular? Well its a land of many contrasts - from the mountains in the interior to the rugged coastline and sandy beaches, from the rural villages to the cosmopolitan cities, from the historical castles and monuments to the fines modern architecture. But the truth is that what makes Scotland popular is the warmth of the welcome you will receive from the locals.
Scotland is a small country with an amazing amount of things to see and do! At any time of the year you can find whatever you desire - culture, music, drink and food , history, sporting events to name but a few. Rest assured that the Scots love to find a reason to get together and celebrate!!
In Scotland you will have many options for accommodation. One of the most popular is Scotland bed and breakfasts. The owners take you into their own homes and as well as a comfortable bed you will receive a traditional Scottish breakfast and a chance to interact with your Scottish hosts.
Scotland has abundant wildlife including golden eagles, sea eagles, swans, ospreys, whales, dolphins, otters and many more animals living in their natural habitat.There are also many wild flowers which are beautiful in the summer month. It rain a lot in Scotland but even in the rain it is a beautiful country. When you visit be prepared and bring clothes for all weathers. The rain and mist are a natural part of the landscape and contrasts well with bright glorious sunshine.
Posted on October 07, 2008 by admin in
Travel Madrid is the capital city of Spain. It is a wonderful European city to visit and has a culture rich amongst artists and writers. The city came into its own in the early twentieth century and the artistic element flourished in the coffee shop environment.
Things changed after many changes in government and the Spanish Civil War and many of the artists went into exile. After the monarchy was restored Spain has regained it’s place as one of the most important cultural centers in the world.
As well as culture Madrid is famous for its Museums, its architecture and its bustling night life. It is also the home to Spanish kings, bull fights, flamenco dancers and great food. One of the worlds greatest soccer teams Real Madrid is located in the city. If you visit the city there is an impressive range of five star Madrid hotels available. The good thing about the city is that it is so easy to get around and so a central hotels will serve you well.
Posted on September 19, 2008 by admin in
Travel Wales probably has it all! From the mountains to the valleys, from the cities to the isolated villages, from the sea shore to hidden river banks. Wales is a country of diversity, of rich history, of poetry and song, of industrial struggle, and of folklore.
Wales is slightly off the beaten track for tourists visiting the UK. However because it is undiscovered that means less crowds and a unique vacation. It has whatever you want – a relaxing holiday by the sea or hiking, climbing or biking for the more adventurous.
Wales is easy to get to. There is a major airport in the capital city Cardiff as well as rail routes from all the major UK cities. Accommodation in Wales is easy to find and runs from classy hotels to a fine array of traditional Wales bed and breakfasts.
Welsh cuisine is renowned and is heavily influenced by local produce such as lamb, beef and leeks. As a large percentage of the country is on the coast seafood is available including the local favorite cockles. Be sure to try afternoon tea with some bara brith and welshcakes. Also local beers and wines are well worth sampling.
Posted on September 11, 2008 by admin in
Travel Both Southwest Airlines and American Airlines are watching Hurricane Ike closely and offering passengers the opportunity to change their travel plans. Read more
The Spanish island of Ibiza is one of Europe’s top tourist destinations attracting thousands of visitors every year. It is one of the three Balearic Islands along with Mallorca and Majorca. It has a reputation as having the best nightlife and is home to a burgeoning scene of electronic music. Some of the islands nightclubs, bars and discos are world famous and offer music parties and concerts throughout the summer months.
Ibiza is popular with water sport enthusiasts. Surfing, snorkeling and diving are common activities for tourists who are looking to augment relaxing on the beaches and in the sea.
As well as the nightlife Ibiza is also renowned for its culture and its character. Much of the island includes areas that fall under World Heritage status. These sites can be remote and are ideal locations for tourists looking for a quieter time and are also popular with artists, photographers and film makers.
Away from the beaches and nightclubs the island features traditional villages, villas and cottages that shows the other side of life on the island. Within the towns there are many Ibiza boutique hotels and in the outlying areas bed and breakfasts and small hotels can be found. There are also many opportunities to rent villas and cottages that are off the beaten track and away from the crowds.
So Ibiza offers something for everyone – culture, scenery, exciting nightlife, beaches and friendly people. You can decide to relax or be active. It truly is a jewel of the Mediterranean.
Posted on July 31, 2008 by admin in
Travel It’s the universal symbol of Americana abroad: the camera-slinging, fanny-pack-sporting tourist, clad in shorts, sneakers, unrolled socks and complaining loudly in English. Ever since the Pilgrims crashed the Wampanoag tribe’s Thanksgiving dinner, Americans have been earning a reputation as boorish international travelers.
Even stars and diplomats occasionally drive home the stereotype with egregious behavior. Actor Richard Gere was issued an arrest warrant by an Indian court after laying a wet one on actress Shilpa Shetty at a charity event last year. And President Bush caught flack for giving German Chancellor Angela Merkel an impromptu shoulder rub during a G8 Summit Meeting. Read more…
Posted on July 15, 2008 by admin in
Travel Last week I took at trip over to San Diego to hang out on the beach. Previously I have visited Mission Beach, La Jolla, Del Mar and some of the other beaches. This time I spent the week on Coronado Island.
My first impression was that the island seemed very rural and old worldy considering how close it was to downtown San Diego. The area cannot be described as cosmopolitan or cutting edge - perhaps best described as sleepy!
The beaches are large and at no point over a busy weekend did they get over crowded. I would give five stars for the beaches. They are clean, easy to access and have lifeguards on duty. No beachbums or other undesirables around either. There was quite a bit of seaweed in the water on the weekend I was there - and the water was just a but too cold for me!! I did see a school of dolphins moving quite close to the beach - I got quite a shock when I saw the fins for the first time!! I also heard of some people getting stung by stingrays during the weekend. Seemingly they are a bit of a problem out there. There was also occasional very loud noise produced by navy planes and jets landing on a nearby naval airport.
There is basically only one main drag in town with restaurants, coffeeshops and other beach related shops. You can stroll down this street in 15 minutes. By the end of my second day I was pretty board by this street.
The jewel of the area is the Hotel del Coronado which offers some historical interest to the area. Even if you are not staying there they do undertake tours of the hotel so that you can investigate its history.
All in all I thought the area was just a bit too bland for me even though I was there for a family beach getaway. There is little cultural diversity or even social diversity which for me makes for a dull, uninteresting place. I’ve been there once - I don’t think I will go back!
Posted on April 21, 2008 by admin in
Travel I like traveling and seeing the world. As a flight attendant I am able to see a lot of it but only for a short amount of time. So, when I get a chance I really like to take long vacations and get to know the place that I’m visiting.
The first place that I am planning on going to is Bulgaria. From the maps of Bulgaria that I’ve seen, the country does not appear to be too big. The population of its capital and largest city, Sofia, is 1,380,406. That’s not too bad.
I also want to take an extended trip to South America. From what I’ve read about the countries and what I learned from South America maps, there is a lot to do and a lot to see.
And my third vacation destination is the Philippines. I love everything I’ve ever heard about this country. This chain of islands has so much culture and from what I’ve seen from map of Philippine, there will be a lot to learn.
Posted on February 21, 2008 by admin in
Travel When I travel I always take a map with me. Before I leave on a trip I study the map carefully to get a feel for where I am heading. In fact even when I am not activly planning a trip I study maps for future expeditions.
I have currently been studying two maps for future travel vacations - a map of Hawaii and a map of India. These will be exciting trips. Both locations are vastly different from each other, but because of the diversity they need at be planned carefully to maximize travel time.
Because of our involvement in the war I have been studying troop movements using a map of Iraq. Its amazing to keep up-to-date with the trouble spots and where potential ones may occur in the future.
Next month I drive up to Illinois and so will pack a road map of Illinois along with my other necessities. I need to make a stop in Michigan (note to self - remember to pack your map of Michigan!) and so I am planning to drive over there. I prefer to drive rather than fly if at all possible. Time spent on the road is almost meditative for me and gives me a chance to re-charge my batteries.