overall tourist visit 4

French Guiana Part 1

I feel like I need to start this post with a brief history lesson to set the scene for what I did and saw here, since lets face it, most people probably don't know much about French Guiana. Basically the Europeans were fighting it out for the colonies back in the day and France got this area of land in the north east corner of South America. They set up some plantations and brought out some slaves from Africa to work on them. However, when slavery was abolished, the plantations were abandoned and left to run down. To overcome this problem, the French then brought in a bunch of Chinese, Malay and Indian workers. But this kind of work was obviously a bit too hard for them, and since they weren't slaves, they decided to set up shops instead. This is still evident today since Asians seem to run all the stores. When the plantations failed due to a lack of a willing workforce, the French instigated Plan B. French Guiana became to France what Australia was to Great Britain – a dumping ground for convicts. However, this also failed for various reasons including tropical diseases killing everyone and the inability of rehabilitated prisoners to make an honest living forcing them to return to their criminal ways. So that plan was also abandoned. A couple of world wars then distracted the French for a while before they focused again on French Guiana and decided to build a Space Centre in the 1960s. Unlike their previous projects, this one was a roaring success.

French Guiana is a DOM TOM. This means French is the official language, it has the euro, people get to have French licence plates on their cars, and residents have the highest standard of living in South America since they get EU money. Good times.

The flight to Cayenne from Belem is only 1.5 hours. It’s quite interesting because you basically fly over jungle the whole way until you are at the airport. I was thinking during the flight, if the plane crashes we are pretty much screwed. I don't know how they would rescue people when there are no roads or anything. On the plus side, it’s nice to see that humans haven’t destroyed the entire Amazon Jungle. Yet.

Coming in to land.

Cayenne

Cayenne wins the top spot for South America’s most expensive city for budget travellers. A taxi from the airport costs €30-40 and there is no public transport. On top of that, there are no hostels or guesthouses and the cheapest hotel (Hotel Ket Tai) is €45 a night. Bam! I’d spent €76 within an hour just to sleep here for one night. Budget blown.

Place des palmistes

My primary mission for my first day in Cayenne was to organise a tourist card for Suriname. I got to the Surinamese consulate at 9am and there was already a mass of people standing around, not forming an orderly queue. After waiting about 10 minutes I discovered you need to get a number depending on whether you want a tourist card or a visa. Do you think anyone would get out of the way though so I could get to the guy handing out tickets? No. It was so stupid cos all the people blocking the door already had their tickets and were waiting for the guy to call the numbers to let them in. But eventually I pushed through and got my number and then went back to wait. After an hour of standing outside sweating in the heat, I got inside. Most of the EU countries are on theeligibility list for a tourist card. This is good for two reasons. One, you don’t have to fill out any forms and get passport photos for a visa, and two it’s €20 compared to about €75. Once they had my UK passport, it took about five minutes to get the card and then I was done. I was relieved I could now get into Suriname, because getting to Georgetown from French Guiana to fly to Miami would have become very expensive and a massive pain in the arse if I couldn’t go through Suriname. Why you can’t just buy an e-tourist card on the internet is beyond me. It would certainly save a lot of hassle and dicking about.

Now that that was sorted, I had a wander around the city, which is actually more of a town. Cayenne doesn’t have a lot to offer tourists so I don’t have that many photos. While there is some nice French inspired architecture here, Cayenne is worthy of a day, tops.

This is the Hotel de Ville (City Hall), which I think is one of the nicest buildings there.

I was hoping to get some fresh fruit in the central market but I went there and most of it was closed. This seems to be a common thing in French Guiana. Markets in the towns near Cayenne are open once or twice a week and the days vary depending on the town. I think the same vendors must go to each one, which wouldn't surprise me actually since it's the Hmong people around Cacao who grow and sell all the veggies. Anyway, while I was walking along minding my own business some homeless guy with one leg decided to attack me! He was sitting on the footpath begging, saw me, and took a swing at me while yelling things I didn’t understand. I swear I did nothing to provoke him. I think he was just an angry man who may have been drunk or high. Obviously I didn't give him any money after the attempted assault, and while I walked away perplexed by what had just happened, he was still yelling at people or me. I believe there is a bit of drug problem here, although it was one of the safest countries I've been in in South America.

I managed to line up some couchsurfing after two nights in Cayenne. This was my first attempt at couchsurfing and one of the few ways you can save money in French Guiana.

My accommodation Montsinery, just north of Cayenne.

My couchsurfing host Constance picked me up from Cayenne and we went to an archaeological site with her parents who were visiting from France. Basically the only tourists here are French people visiting relatives and me. I didn't run into one English speaking tourist the whole time. They were all French. On the plus side, I got to practice my bad French again, which was a nice change from speaking bad Spanish. If you come here and don't speak any French, you are likely to have some difficulties.

The archaeological site l'habitation Loyola was once a fairly large plantation I believe. 

We sifted through piles of dirt looking for old rubbish (like from 200 years ago) basically. 

It was alright for about an hour since we did find the odd bit of glass bottle or ceramic, but doing this any longer or as a job would be pretty boring. 

The next day Constance took us to Chou Ai to see some rescued sloths. I've said it before and I'll say it again, I love sloths. They are like big, docile, smiley babies!

Baby sloth!

They don't move very fast at all, which is probably why they get hit by cars a lot :(

Kourou

The second way to save money in French Guiana is to hitchhike. Every backpacker blog I could find (which is about five) mentioned hitchhiking to get around. Normally this is not something I would ever consider doing, especially alone, for fear of becoming the inspiration for a Criminal Minds episode. However, hitchhiking is very common here since there is no public transport and it's quite safe. I saw a lot of locals doing it and at least half of them were women. 

My first hitchhike was from Montsinery to Kourou. Some Rasta guys gave me a lift. They were so funny. They’d never met any Australians here before so were quite intrigued by what I was doing travelling around on my own. I totally could have gone for a smoke with them too if I’d wanted since that came up in conversation.

Constance had kindly lined up some more couchsurfing for me with her old housemates. The guys dropped me off and even carried my backpack up the steps for me. That’s when I noticed how long their dreds were. One had dreds down to his calves! I have never seen hair that long. It must weigh a tonne and be really hot. I really wanted to take a photo of it but my camera battery had died. Bugger.

One of the housemates was an engineer at the European Space Centre and gave me a lift out the next morning to do the tour, which is like the only free thing to do in French Guiana. Since I was here during peak French holiday time the tour was fully booked but they said wait until everyone has signed in and there might be space if there are some no-shows. If you're reading this for helpful hints, the morning tour has 100 places whereas the afternoon one has only 50. There were about 25 no-shows but I stupidly forgot my passport so I couldn’t go. Urgh, I was kicking myself for being such an idiot. I did the museum tour, which was ok, but not the same. 

If you time your visit right, you can also see a shuttle launch (details here). That would be so awesome, but I was smack in the middle of the schedule, so that didn't happen for me. After the museum I hitched a ride back to Kourou, since the Space Centre is about 5km away from the town.

Rocket engine.

The housemates were all going away for the weekend so I could only stay one night. Then their neighbour came over and started chatting to me and he told me I could stay there. Sweet! I packed my bag and moved next door.

Kourou has a beach (also good for watching launches from) which is quite nice.

The water here is really brown from debris coming out of the Amazon Jungle and floating down the rivers to the sea. This means you can't see the bottom which freaked me out when something would wash up against me. But it's warm so you can stay in for ages.

Roura

The next day I had to hitchhike a fair distance from Kourou to Cayenne to Roura. First I had to get out to a main road from the house. A guy picked me up in town and dropped me off at the main roundabout, just outside Kourou. Then a few minutes later a couple stopped on their way to Cayenne. I had a good conversation in French with them and they laughed every time I used Spanish words cos I couldn't remember the French ones. Pretty much all of my sentences in French Guiana consist of French, Spanish and English words. The ratio of each depends on the complexity of what I'm trying to say. This couple were really nice and even offered me accommodation in Kourou for when I come back next week. Next up I got a ride for a few kilometres with a customs officer on his way to the airport. We talked about drug smuggling into France. Most drugs come from Peru these days and the mules swallow them to go out through Cayenne direct to France. Right now is peak tourist season though, so there is less drug smuggling going on since ticket prices are too high. Lol, budget conscious drug lords! I guess times really are tough with the euro. He also told me that Brazilians illegally mining and smuggling gold out is the other big problem here. Next up a group of 19 year old guys stopped in what looked like a work truck they’d stolen for the weekend. They were actually waiting for their mates at the same place I was hitchhiking from and said they’d give me a ride to Roura. Like most young people 

 

island of Tahiti and French Polynesia

 

You have not had a vacation on the island of Tahiti and French Polynesia this is your chance to go on vacation and enjoy the atmosphere of nature / beaches on this island you can see in this picture the beauty of the island atmosphere of quiet beaches and a gentle air that make the tourists happy with this atmosphere. Look at some pictures and a place to rest or a place of unique lodging is made from natural materials of bamboo and wood.

Chances are – you have completely changed your mind about eloping in Tahiti or even having a destination wedding on the beautiful island! Well don’t give up hope just yet. You can still have your dream wedding albeit a slightly amended version of your dream wedding! You can still say your “I Do’s” in Tahiti, that is – if you don’t mind saying it twice! For many couples with their hearts set on experiencing a wedding ceremony in Tahiti – the best work-around is to simply have their marriage license signed and legal vow exchange done by a Justice of the Peace in the United States and have your dream ceremony in Tahiti. A vow ceremony does not require any additional legal paperwork.

Eloping on the beautiful French Polynesian islands of Bora Bora or Tahiti certainly sounds like a romantic idea – but as a province of France, the islands are held to the legal rulings and laws of France. In order to marry in France or the French Polynesian islands, you must first establish legal residency for a minimum period of at least thirty days prior to being issued a marriage license. Though I must note that at the time of the writing of this article, it is speculated that the French are going to do away with the stringent requirement mandating 30-days of residency. It is not official yet, but is expected to be enacted by mid-2010. You must also produce a birth certificate, issued within 3 months from the date of your wedding – with an extra copy translated in French! Along with that, you are required to have a pre-marriage medical exam and if you and your spouse to be have any children conceived in your relationship – you must provide the birth certificates of the children that will be “legitimized” by the legal union. It doesn’t stop there, you must also obtain a certificate of celibacy (or proof that you are not married) and a notarized copy of the marriage contract!

Gabon
 

By his situation, Gabon dispose a landscape sublime. The beauty of this landscape repose on  nature very diversified. By his fauna and flora very diversified, the country possesses 12 National Parks through his nine province. We find country the construction which date  the colonization. we can see the traditional construction  such as bridge, home, tool.

Gabon

POSTED ON JUNE 11, 2010

This week, we travel all the way to Gabon on the west coast of central Africa with Bret of I Moved to Africa. Having spent a year living in the capital city, Libreville, Bret now tells us more about Gabon, an overlooked destination for adventurous travelers. As he writes, “There aren’t many places on earth where you can spend the morning on a white-sand beach and then go looking for forest elephants in the afternoon.” Read on to learn more about Gabon.

ONE YEAR IN GABON

I just spent the last year living in Gabon, a country on the west coast of central Africa. Like many people, I was affected by the recession in New York. A girl I was dating had just re-entered the Foreign Service and was about to be posted to the U.S. Embassy in Gabon. I figured an adventure was what I needed so I packed up my stuff, rented my apartment and went with her. That’s how I landed in Gabon.

We were based in Libreville, Gabon’s French-flavored capital city located on the Atlantic coast. You’ll notice the French influence of this former colony immediately upon arrival to the airport. English is not used anywhere — on any of the forms or signs at the airport or by any of the customs or ticket agents. Now I know what travelers with limited English feel like when they land at JFK. So I’d recommend you brush up on your French or get a phrasebook for a more comfortable trip to Gabon.

Gabon’s coastline showcases some magnificently unspoiled beaches. You can drive up the coast, or simply take a 20-minute ferry from Port Mole in Libreville across the bay to Pointe Denis. There are several lodges along the point; the Maringa (241-07-32-17-45) and Le Phare de Ngombe (241-62-99-99) are both good choices. If you arrive during turtle nesting season (Dec–March), stay for several nights or just spend the day. If you’re staying at one of the lodges, do call ahead to arrange for a pick-up from the ferry and lunch.

We frequently visited a safari camp called Nyonie, located about two hours south of Libreville – one hour by small boat and another by 4×4 across the Equator. This trip is highly recommended: There aren’t many places on earth where you can spend the morning on a white-sand beach and then go looking for forest elephants in the afternoon. Note that the cabins are very basic (bring your own towel) but the surroundings are gorgeous, the food very good (the French owner, Beti, used to be a chef), the wine and beer always available and elephants aplenty to spot. Any local operator can set you up with a trip there; Mistral Voyages is your best bet. Otherwise, it is pretty easy to visit independently by calling the camp ahead of time at 241-06-03-36-36. As long as you can find your way to the port to meet the boat (really a large dinghy) by 9.30am, there is nothing else to worry about. A three-day/two-night trip is ideal.

There is no real economy in Gabon outside of its natural resources, which include primarily oil and timber. Because of these, it is considered one of the wealthier countries on the African continent. Yet, as you might expect, the wealth is not distributed and the majority of the population still lives in poverty. Once the oil runs out, ecotourism will be a major opportunity for Gabon. Its countryside is lush with biodiversity and thick with wildlife. The former President, Omar Bongo, declared 11% of the country a national parks system, protecting these areas from poaching, logging and oil exploration.

Something to note for visitors to Gabon: Police corruption is the standard. Police may pull you over in the hopes of finding a reason to extort money. They are usually standing in the street near high-traffic areas and signaling you to pull over with ridiculous questions like “Do you have a health insurance certificate for your car?” They don’t write tickets, or even have tickets. Instead, they attempt to negotiate a price. When pulled over, speak calmly and exclusively in English and they will eventually get frustrated and wave you on.

Despite the occasional hassle from police, the country is relatively safe and without civil unrest. Although it has one of the highest GDPs on the continent, infrastructure in Gabon is surprisingly limited. Consistent electricity and water depend on which neighborhood you live in. Sabliere, home to our compound and the presidential residence, is almost always connected. Other neighborhoods are on and off. Several expat friends would frequent our home to shower and do laundry when the water wasn’t on for several days.

Some practicalities to keep in mind: Phone lines and internet connections are limited, and cash is an absolute necessity. You can leave your American Express at home although Visa is sometimes accepted, as long as lines are open to make the transaction. There is a trustworthy ATM at Laico Hotel, located on the main strip, Boulevard du Nord de Mer. To get around, use taxis, as these are the main transport in Libreville. Make sure you negotiate a price before you get in. Whatever the driver says, tell him to reduce it by 500–1000 CFA.

Although there are many different things to see and experience in Gabon, the country is not quite set up for tourism just yet. But that is part of the adventure, figuring it out as you go along. Do you want to travel deep inland or along the coast? See elephants, turtles or gorillas? Experience rivers, jungles, savanna or beaches? How about a local Bwiti religious ceremony? Whatever your interest, you’ll be charting new territory in Gabon. If tourism is developed and managed properly, it promises to be that way for a long time to come.

vFrom Africa's Eden via Africa Geographic
Africa’s Eden SA, the main tourism operator at Loango National Park – the park described as Gabon’s "jewel in the crown" – has announced today that it has been forced to abandon its ecotourism operations at the park as of September 1st 2010.

The decision has been taken despite Africa’s Eden’s shareholder having invested more than 15 million euros over the past nine years in aviation access and tourism infrastructure and nature conservation: building accommodation, eco-camps, training Gabonese staff and eco guides and supporting research and monitoring studies for the conservation of Loango’s exceptional wildlife and biodiversity wealth. It means that Loango Lodge, which since 2001 has welcomed thousands of international tourists to discover Gabon’s wildlife rich forests and unspoiled coastline, is closing its doors indefinitely.

The move is a result of the failure of negotiations following a dispute between the Gabonese civil aviation authorities (ANAC) and Africa’s Eden’s sister company SCD Aviation which ran a regional airline charter company to transport tourists from the capital Libreville to the park. Even active support of key members of Gabonese government could not prevent the severe consequence of a malfunctioning civil aviation authority (ANAC) that failed to create the conditions necessary for regular and safe aviation transportation: SCD Aviation was consistently refused the renewal of its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) even though all requirements were met.

Another consequence of this problematic situation is the fact that the European Union blacklisted all Gabonese airlines in 2008 when a large number of deficiencies were reported with regards to the capability of ANAC “to perform their air safety oversight responsibilities”, as states the Commission of the European Commission. “More than 93% of the ICAO standards were not implemented”. This was the lowest percentage of all audited countries, and makes ANAC in Gabon one of the poorest performing civil aviation authorities in the world.

 

14 GOOD REASONS TO VISIT GERMANY

There’s no way around it: Germany has firmly established itself as a first rate travel destination, not just for the well-informed few but for the happy-go-lucky crowds of tourists from all over the world too; in case anyone wonders why: this country has much more to it than meets the eye (no rhyme intended).

Germany’s multitude of regional identities offers a cornucopia of distinct experiences to meet all kinds of expectations and suit all possible tastes (even the most discriminating ones) – whatever it is you fancy: beautiful scenery, great architecture, lively festivals, glamorous events, exciting nightlife, delicious food and the best beer ever – Germany has it all and more…

Enumerating all the attractions that make visiting this country worth its while would be a daunting task – the possible reasons are so many and so multifarious that any attempt at shortlisting “the best ones” would smack of presumptuousness and of having an axe to grind.

Still, at the risk of appearing presumptuous, here’s a selection of just a few (14 to be precise) good reasons:

#1. River cruises on the Rhine and Maine

One only need kick back and take in the mesmerizing beauty of the German countryside, with its captivating landscapes, elegant old castles perched on the nearby hilltops, and vineyards stretching as far as the eye can see; the main waterways of Germany allow one to see the country from a unique perspective and gain an insight into how important a role some of the main rivers have played historically in the development of important urban centers (Frankfurt, Mainz, Koblenz, Cologne, Dusseldorf, etc) and thus the country as a whole.
The navigating of the stretch of the river known as the Rhine Gorge, dotted with beautiful castles, as well as the Lorelei rock (towering over the river just as painted by J.M.W. Turner) are particularly enjoyable aspects of what truly is a magical journey.

#2. The Carnival Season

A wonderful opportunity to relax and allow yourself to get swept away by tides of carnival celebrations, simultaneously taking place in a number of cities and regions in Germany (especially its western and southwestern parts) during the weekend and through Rose Monday (also on Mardi Gras in larger centers) just before Ash Wednesday. ‘Fifth Season,’ as it is also called, brings with it an explosion of colors: decorated floats, all kinds of flamboyant costumes, bizarre setups ridiculing politicians, street dancers and marching bands. For a truly awesome carnival party go to Cologne – you will experience first hand the warmth of this city, have one helluva good time, and see the stereotypically ‘reserved’ Germans in their ‘party animal’ edition.

#3. Berlin Film Festival

The Berlinale (a.k.a) is doubtless one of the most glamorous events in the global cinematographic calendar; but glamor, commerce, and relentless media attention notwithstanding, this prestigious film festival manages to maintain a good head on its shoulders, in the sense that it promotes and rewards genuine artistry and innovation in film-making within a number of different genres (hence its several sections: Competition, Forum, Panorama, etc) and spanning the full spectrum of global film production.
Attending ‘the Berlinale’ is a great way of keeping abreast with the latest trends and developments in the film industry (not to mention it being a great time to visit Berlin), as an incredible number of film projections – up to 400 – are held for the duration of the festival, making it the world’s largest film festival based on public attendance (over 300.000 tickets sold).

#4. City of Berlin

For the young and young at hart: you’ve got to set some time aside to explore this city! Now, there’s no shortage of events taking place in Berlin that in and of themselves are enough of a reason to visit (Berlinale of course, ‘Karneval der Kulturen,’ ‘Fête de la Musique,’ ‘Long Night of the Museums,’ etc), but just exposure alone (open-minded, needless to say) to the creative stirrings of this bustling city , with its alternative art-scene, ‘underground’ culture and wild parties, is a stimulating experience.
Make the most of the atmosphere around the ‘Hackesche Höfe’ and ‘Oranienburger Straße,’ and get catapulted into Berlin’s nightlife.

#5. Oktoberfest

Everyone (beer aficionados in particular) should, at least once in their lifetime, attend this great festival IMO, and join in the fun of downing consecutive Maßkrüge, to the sounds of lederhosen-clad ‘Oompah Bands’ while feasting on ‘wurst,’ ‘hendl’ and ‘schweinebraten,’ and generally, celebrating all things Bavarian.
Little wonder people from all over the world travel to Munich in droves to be a part of this festival – the atmosphere in and around “die Wiesn” (the epicenter of the festival) and the tents is cheerful in the extreme.

#6. City of Munich

The capital city of Bavaria, situated near the foothills of the Alps, with its characteristic ornate architecture, beautiful parks, world-class museums, nearby castles, and its trademark ‘beer gardens’ is a great place to visit year-round and not just during Oktoberfest.
Munich is a charming city full of remnants of its royal past (most notably around ‘Marienplatz’); being neither big nor small – just the right size – it offers a ton of attractions of all kinds within a relatively small area. Munich’s whole culture of beer gardens greatly adds to its friendly character.

#7. German Food

One of the great things about Germany is the delicious food one gets to eat while over there; yes, you heard me right: German food is great!
With all its ‘wurst’ this and ‘wurst’ that (1500 different types of sausages) served with sauerkraut and potato salad, exquisite soups and stews, ‘sauerbraten,’ ‘schweinebraten,’ ‘schwenkbraten,’ (and other ‘bratens’), hundreds of different types of bread (Brötchen my favorite), all washed down with the best beer in the world, Germany is a true gastronomic wonderland.
On top of that, almost everywhere you go out to eat, you get served a huge plate full of food, instead of some stylishly decorated little morsel.

#8. City of Hamburg

If it weren’t for the overcast skies, I’d move to this great city and never look back! Hamburg, like few other cities in the world, has it all and more: incredible energy, cosmopolitan flair, thrilling nightlife, tons to see and do, and the list goes on …
Due to its phenomenal geographical position on the river Elbe (close to where it flows into the North Sea) with many canals and lake Alster not far from the city center, Hamburg allows for an incredible variety of outdoor activities (even beech sports, believe it or not). Countless attractions to vist during the day (e.g. ‘Speicherstadt,’ promenade by the ‘Landungsbrücken,’ ‘Kunsthalle,’ the futuristic ‘HafenCity’ etc) and the exciting “Reeperbahn” nightlife hub to explore in the evening. No matter what your thing is, you’ll love this city.

#9. Bachfest Leipzig

A delightful annual event for lovers of classical music in general and of the great baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach in particular; takes place every summer at the historical venue of ‘Thomaskirche’ in Leipzig, where Bach served as the ‘Kapelmeister’ during the last three decades of his life.
Each year the festival features top-notch individual performers and classical ensembles from all over the world; after roughly 100 different events staged, the festival culminates with the performance of the ‘Mass in B minor’ at the ‘Thomaskirche.’

#10. Frankfurt Book Fair

Not only one of the most important events in the global book-publication calendar but also a media event of notable relevance, the ‘Frankfurter Buchmesse’ is the largest book fair in the world (with nearly 7500 participating exhibitors representing 110 countries). The fair dates back to 1476 – shortly after the mechanical movable type got invented by Gutenberg in the nearby Mainz.
The Frankfurt Book Fair with its incredible array of colors is a veritable spectacle for the eyes and a real treat for book lovers from the world over. It is also an important venue for negotiating book-related business deals such as licensing fees and international publishing rights.

#11. Erfurt

Although situated in the center of the country, Erfurt the capital city of Thuringia lies completely off the beaten track of mass-tourist itineraries. This forgotten gem of Germany with its astonishingly preserved medieval nucleus, and an exquisite mixture of medieval, baroque and classical architecture, comes as a breath of fresh air to an unsuspecting visitor. Erfurt boasts one of the oldest universities in Germany (Martin Luther was a student there in the early sixteenth century). Erfurt is conveniently close to Weimar and Jena, a couple of towns very much worth visiting.

#12. Wagner Festival in Bayreuth

If you’re into the music of Richard Wagner, than this festival is a must; the monumental ‘Ring of the Nibelungen’ cycle is the highlight of the festival, but other works like ‘Parsifal,’ ‘The Mastersingers of Nuremberg,’ ‘Tristan and Isolde,’ ‘Tannhäuser,’ ‘Lohengrin’ and ‘The Flying Dutchman,’ are performed too.
First staged in 1876 when, owing to the support by King Ludwig II of Bavaria, the famed composer realized his long-held ambition of instituting a special venue to showcase his own work. A quick caveat: tickets are very difficult to come bye and proper planning, well in advance, is necessary.

#13. Festival Mediaval

Granted it’s a bit unusual, to put it mildly, but if you’re a history buff with a penchant for all things medieval, you are going to love the kind of re-enactment of scenes from life in the middle ages they stage every September in the Bavarian town of Selb.
All kinds of medieval paraphernalia on display with the obligato fire shows, dungeons, archery tournaments, medieval music, bizarre looking characters like beggars and witches, and what not; an entertaining time-travel into a past shrouded in mysteries and myths.

#14. Germans

Last but not least, a good reason to go to Germany is to meet and befriend Germans. While some of the stereotypes about them ring true, they only conveniently cover one half of the truth (the one readily visible at first sight) while filtering out the other half of the equation; namely, while it is true that they are reserved and don’t exactly take to small talk like ducklings to water, once you earn their friendship and trust, you gain a friend who is a helluva lot more solid and real than many a super-sociable flake with whom you quickly take off, only to realize they’re a ‘potemkin village.

The 7 restaurants you simply must try on Mykonos

Lobster pasta and freshly-caught sea urchins are two of the signature dishes that writer Heather Warburton recommends ordering at Spilia. It was one of her seven favourite restaurants on a recent trip to Mykonos.

  

Guest post by Heather Warburton

There are many reasons to go to Mykonos—the color of the water alone, the music, and the stunning villas—but, undoubtedly, the food scene will convince you. If you intend to eat light and vegetarian, you’ll find no better place, and then again, if you’re more into feta cheese and baklava, you’ll be just fine, too.

I spent five days in Mykonos in early July, and these were my favorite restaurants:

♦ Scorpios

Scorpios is one of the only places to succeed in being both a terrific restaurant, and a really fun party. On a charming stretch of Paraga Beach, Scorpios is a sprawling compound. There’s an indoor area that’s light and spacious, with comfortable couches and a well-designed bar. If you come early in the day (read: before noon), you might see people working on their laptops sipping a green juice. Outside there is one large bar, a deck, a beach with over 40 lounge “beds,” and finally, a restaurant.

Despite its massive size, Scorpios boasts impeccable, friendly service and an intimate vibe. Graze on tzatziki, hummus, and spicy pita chips while waiting for a table. They’ll be the best pita chips of your life. You’ll find a vegetable driven menu once seated, with Mykonian salads (tomatoes, capers, cucumbers and feta cheese), whole roasted fish with your choice of sauce, and so many others. (I loved the quinoa with raisins and the zucchini with fresh mint). Their cocktail list is particularly impressive and long, with innovative and not-overly-sweet takes on your spirit of choice.

Go for a late lunch or sunset dinner.

A sunset party scene on the Scorpios seafront

Please click on the link below to read about the other 6 restaurants that Heather recommends on Mykonos. 

Visual delights in Greece’s Dodecanese islands

Dodecanese Promenade Part A is a 10-minute film featuring highlight attractions on Rhodes, Kasos, Chalki, Symi, Kastellorizo and Karpathos …

… while Part B  presents 10 more minutes of beautiful sights and scenes from Patmos, Leros, Kalymnos, Kos, Nisyros and Astypalea

Delightful dozen: Four down, eight to go. That’s how many places we have already been to in the Dodecanese island chain, and the number of other islands we want to see there, as we continue to explore Greece in our annual travels.

Our first foray into the Dodecanese was back in 2004 when we spent three days on Rhodes during our first-ever island hopping holiday in Greece. Our second trip into the region came several years later when we kicked off our 2009 vacation on Astypalea. We returned to the Dodecanese for a third time in 2010, when our travels took us to Kos and Patmos (with ferry stops that teased us with brief looks at Kalymnos and Leros en route).

Seeing only four islands in one chain is nothing to be embarrassed about, but it’s still just one-third of the dozen major destinations in the Dodecanese, and we definitely would like to boost that number. Topping our list of the other Dodecanese islands we would like to experience are Karpathos and Kastellorizo, though we’d be happy spending time on any of the others, too — including Kasos, Chalki and Symi.

Desert Safari Dubai is the most adventure place in the world .Desert safari park is amazing tour that will give you a unique experience in your life. The including sand is the most attractive think in desert Safari. Desert Safari is one of most nature gift to mankind. The trip of desert safari park is best activity of all ages. Specially it is the most romantic place for the new married couples. 

The most adventure thing in desert safari park is riding. Desert Safari Dubai Tours is incomplete without a ride on the camel .you will be enjoy this amazing animals as it takes you on ride. After the dune bashing adventure. The camel ride is perfect. The sand bashing is the most adventure part in desert safari park. You will be enjoy the most amazing ride in car. 

The ride in up and down of the  undulating sand in the desert has you in the throes of emotion every second. The next thing watch in desert safari park is sunset view point. This will be a first time experience in your life as you see a sunset that you would never ever have seen  After the lovely creating of nature. You will enjoy amazing types of food that is specially prepared for you. 

The barbecue menu that is mouth watering is prepared specially for you. A treat  for your eyes is also waiting for you in the form of belly dance. A dune buggy ride, sand and snow skiing, a taste of sheesha pipes for the men and amazing Heena designs for the ladies are the other highlights of the Desert Safari Dubai. If you want  Getting good accommodation. 

Desert Safari Dubai

That is also necessary if you want to enjoy the Dubai Desert Safari. This is only possible when you have the time to look at the accommodation options before you choose what you like. They have resorts and hotels that offer great hospitality services for tourists. It is important especially when you are travelling with a group to book for your accommodation early so that you can get the rooms that you want while on desert safari Dubai.

In researching our trip to Iceland, I found that a day trip to Greenland would be possible. Greenland? Who goes to Greenland? I immediately became captivated with the idea that we HAD to go. Convincing Laura was another story.

We had long discussions for months about whether we would take the quick trip from Iceland to Greenland. Once before, I wanted to do a day trip to somewhere crazy (from Spain to Gibraltar). At the time, I was accused of just wanting to collect a passport stamp. And it went much that way this time. I’ll admit, that was part of it. But how often do you have the opportunity for visiting Greenland? We don’t have a lot of vacation time, and tacking the quick trip on to our time in Iceland just made sense (to me, anyway).

Before we left on the trip, the cover of National Geographic was about Greenland being Ground Zero for global warming. I wanted to see it for myself. Laura finally gave in.

We opted for a day trip offered by Air Iceland. Yes, it is quite expensive – at about $525 per person, this would be an investment. Unfortunately, it was difficult to find detailed specifics about the Air Iceland package. So, with a leap of faith, we booked the trip.

We got up early and headed to the tiny Reykjavik city airport for the flight. The flight from Reykjavik to the hamlet of Kulusuk, Greenland took a little under two hours. Once in Greenland, we crossed through security and found the guide, a gent from Iceland who had lived in Greenland for some time. He originally came to Greenland as a sociologist to study the indigenous population and ended up seeing a money-making opportunity and stayed.

In Kulusuk, we walked from the airport down into the town, stopping at the cemetery ridge for a view of town. At about this time, the midges found us. These crazy little bugs are attracted to CO2 and fly into your mouth and up your nose. They made us miserable, but there was nothing we could do to keep them away. I wished we had had netting to get the bugs out of our faces.

Kulusuk is a small village where all of the little buildings clinging to the rocks are painted in picturesque reds and greens and blues. It was very charming…from afar.

The locals in Eastern Greenland have progressed rapidly. In just over 150 years, they have moved from tribal hunter/gathering in seal skins to driving ATVs and wearing North Face. But, like most native peoples, they have over 80% unemployment and an extremely high level of alcoholism. When we were in Kulusuk on a Saturday, the few locals with a job had been paid the day before and the entire town was drunk – including some boys as young as about 10 or 12. Our guide explained that this was pretty typical right after pay day. It was quite sad.

Our first stop was the town’s all-purpose store. It carries everything from groceries to clothes to guns and ammunition. An unusual mish-mash of merchandise, but it gave us a glimpse into the sparse lifestyle of the people and was a strong reminder of how remote Kulusuk is.

There is one gift shop in town, which our guide opened up for us. The store sells exactly the same merchandise as the Kulusuk Gifts store in Reykjavik – t-shirts and expensive bone carvings. He then took us over to the brightly-colored church for a brief 10-15 minute history lesson on Greenland.

We then went into a woman’s house for a drum ceremony demonstration – it could have been really good, however, without providing any cultural context, it was just kind of weird. And somehow Laura got roped into participating.

Actually, that really sums up our trip. Our guide studied the local people in Greenland for his degree and could have provided a really rich cultural discussion and been really informative. Instead, he seemed to be more focused on wanting to open the gift shop and sell things.

The most rewarding part of visiting Greenland was boarding the boats from the town of Kulusuk and taking them out into the bay and past some MASSIVE icebergs. That was very cool!

Yes, we got our passport stamp. Yes, we went to Greenland. And who goes to Greenland? It’s one of those places in the world that is very far off the beaten track and I’m glad we took this opportunity to go. But for cost of about $525 per person, we expected more. It was not the educational and enriching experience that we were hoping for, but I’m glad we did it.

We flew back to Reykjavik for dinner. We had selected Argentine, one of the most popular restaurants in all of Iceland and one of the better steakhouses we’ve ever been to. The restaurant is relatively dark and has a lightly smokey smell from the indoor pit – the ambiance is perfect for a high quality steakhouse. Clearly we hadn’t eaten enough, so on the way back to the hotel, we stopped off at the most popular restaurant in Iceland (really) – Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur hotdog stand. I had “one with” (meaning one with everything). It was excellent! And I can see now why Icelanders love their hotdogs.