Speaking as someone whose ideal holiday is a getaway in the mountains with no crowds and wonderful scenery I am shocked to find that for many people it is shopping that tops the list of things to do whilst away. Despite the global recession many travellers can’t wait to part with their cash on a trip to the shops and I find this astonishing! For me shopping is a generally a chore especially as these days most high streets and malls have exactly the same brands on offer and are largely interchangeable but it would appear that I am an exception. Continue reading
Traditional Spanish Dress
Every country has their distinctive national dress – just think of Scotland and you think of kilts and tartan, and lederhosen couldn’t be associated with anywhere other than Austria and Germany. When it comes to Spain, we all think we know exactly what the Spanish national costume is, right? In fact, Spain is a very diverse country, and the swirling red and black skirts and castanets are only traditional in a very small part of it. Continue reading
Books or E-Readers – Which are Best?
I was one of those people who took one look at e-readers and immediately decided that I didn’t want one. I liked the look and feel of a paper book and had a stockpile of titles which I had yet to read. I didn’t think that using one of the new devices would be an experience I would enjoy and I had no intention of ever bothering with them. I was then forced to reassess the situation when I waged by annual war with my holiday luggage and yet again found myself with too little room to take the number of books I needed. Suddenly an e-reader was looking like an attractive proposition and I was lucky enough to receive one for my Birthday. Continue reading
The British Hotel Experience
I don’t know if it is my imagination but there seems to me to be very little consistency in the standards at British hotels. Unless you do your research you don’t know if you are going to get a lovely bright modern room or a time warp, a sizeable space or a shoe box and the prices don’t necessarily reflect the quality of the establishment. I have never stumbled across a nasty room in America nor leaking taps, malfunctioning showers and crumbling furniture but in Britain it is a very different story. Continue reading
A Self Sufficient Lifestyle in Slovenia
On my recent trips to Slovenia I have found many things to admire about this small country. This is a nation with an embarrassment of natural riches including glorious mountain scenery, crystal clear rivers and unspoilt forests. There are also many pretty historic towns and villages to explore but one of the most impressive things about this lovely country is the level of self-sufficiency many of the people still manage to maintain. Continue reading
What’s Happening In Bovec?
There aren’t many places in Europe where you can take a skiing holiday on a budget without some sort of compromise in terms of the quality of the snow and the resort. Until 2013 Bovec in Slovenia was a fabulous choice with low prices, a pleasant town, great snow and wonderful scenery but all that changed in an instant and now the resort sits dormant waiting for someone to rescue the situation. Continue reading
Completing the 50 States
Since I first set foot in America I have been gripped by the need to visit all of the United States. I want to be able to say that I have had at least one foot in each of the 50 states but I haven’t the faintest clue why I want to do this. I know for a fact that there are several places on the list that I have no real interest in and I haven’t met so much as one American who feels the need to visit every corner of his own country so why do I? One thing is perfectly clear, though. If I am going to achieve my ambition I need to get on with it sharpish because I am running out of time. Continue reading
Paradise on Earth
There can be few places on earth as breathtakingly beautiful and serene as the Soča Valley in Slovenia. The portion of the river near the town of Bovec was used as the filming location in the movie “Chronicles of Narnia – Prince Caspian” and it is not difficult to see why the director chose this wonderful place for the film. Continue reading
4 UK Activity Holiday Ideas
Are you looking for something a little different for your next holiday? Perhaps a world of action and adventure awaits!
Of course, even if you want to take on an activity holiday, it’s not always the case that your partner, your family or your friends want to do the same. That’s when compromises come in. Perhaps they don’t fancy something as active as skiing, but might prefer a walk that takes in a lot of the local scenery. There’s a lot of variety when it comes to activity holidays, and you can choose the perfect break to suit you. The great thing about holidaying in the UK is that you’re always comparatively close to a somewhere that has the right set up or facilities for such activities.
Here are four activity holiday ideas for your next trip! Continue reading
The Black Forest
Lake Titisee in the Black Forest
The Black Forest is a picturesque region of south western Germany which borders the Rhine Valley. The rolling hills of the area are covered in pine and fir forest and there are many attractive and historic towns and villages to explore. The region is easily reached by air from Basel/Mulhouse and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden airports or by car from the A5 autobahn, a main artery through Germany. There is much to do and enjoy in the region which is popular with tourists from across Europe. Continue reading