Caribbean Delights

So you fancy a holiday to the Caribbean. Well let's face it, who wouldn't? Those white powder-soft sands, gently swaying palms, twinkling blue shores and that delightfully laid-back lifestyle is like paradise found, and it's something of a magnet to holidaymakers. Whether you head to the desert island-like shores of St Lucia, explore the colonial architecture of Jamaica, or opt for the stunning bays and beaches of the Dominican Republic, the Caribbean is a stunning destination that's certainly at the top of most people's 'must see' lists.
And what better way to explore this magical destination than on a cruise?
There are plenty of reasons to take a Caribbean cruise. Whether you want to relax on a picture-perfect beach, follow a guide across the mountains and through steamy jungles, or soak up the laid-back lifestyle by going wherever your fancy takes you, the Caribbean is an absolute delight that will happily oblige. And of course when you're not sipping run cocktails or enjoying the samba beats of the Caribbean, you'll find a whole host of fantastic facilities just waiting to tempt you back on board your cruise ship.
The likes of P&O and Royal Caribbean International are famous for their contemporary facilities and fun-filled entertainment, with vessels that are packed to the gunwales with such amenities as swimming pools, spa facilities, kids' entertainment, even rock climbing walls and surf simulators.
If you're looking for a Caribbean cruise holiday, one of the best ways to find an itinerary and a price to suit is to search and book via a tour operator. For instance with Thomas Cook Cruise, you can search for cruise itineraries across a wide range of operators, and use the online search facility to whittle down the options and look for those itineraries that best fits your personal preferences - as well as your pocket. There's a whole world of different cruise holidays out there - it's just a matter of finding your favourite...

Royal Caribbean International - Radiance of the Seas Atrium

Ocho Rios Jamaica

By the beach in Jamaica

Samana Dominican Republic

If you are considering a visit to one of the Caribbean delights such as Antigua, check out holidays to Antigua with Best At Antigua holidays.

Olympia, sanctuary of sports in Greece

Even though the modern Olympic Games are only about 100 years old, the original Olympic games were first organized about 3000 years ago in Ancient Greece. The games took place every 4 years from 776BC until 393 AD, after which a decree from the Christian emperor, Theodosius I implemented a ban.
Olympia is situated in the Peloponnese peninsula and was in the time of ancient Greece an important sanctuary. This sanctuary consisted of an unordered arrangement of various buildings such as the Temple of Hera and Temple of Zeus, the Pelopion and the area of the altar, where the sacrifices were made.

Olympia, Stadium Entrance

Stadium on the Olympic Site

Olympia is also known for the gigantic ivory and gold statue of Zeus that used to stand there, sculpted by Pheidias, which was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World by Antipater of Sidon.

Some interesting sites in the ancient complex are The Leonidaion, the guest house for athletes and other special guests present at the game and The Bouleuterion which hosted the council of the games, here athletes took an oath of allegiance on respecting the rules of the game.

Remains of the Leonidaion

Archaeological Site of Olympia

The Small Islands near Hong Kong

There are more than 200 small islands near the densely populated Hong Kong Island; some of them are just small rocks above the ocean but there are also larger islands with long beaches. These small islands are mostly inhabited by farmers or fishermen.
Only about 100.000 people live there, that's just about 2% of the whole Hong Kong population. Most of them are elder, still living a traditional life while their children adventure in the metropolis.
The number of people on the island increases on the week-end when Honk Kong citizens com here with the ferry to relax on the beaches or hike the mountains.
Lantau Island is the largest in Hong Kong. There are some great tourist attractions here: the high mountain peaks, the beaches, the small fishermen villages, the Po Lin Monastery or the 85-foot (26 m)-high bronze Tian Tan Buddha statue.
The Ngong Ping 360 is also a must do, a gondola lift that takes you to the Ngong Ping Plateau. Ngong Ping 360 is a tourism experience which combines a 5.7 km cable car journey with a cultural themed village and easy access to the Tian Tan Buddha Statue.
On the Lantau Island hosts also the airport and a recently constructed Disneyland; however these new developments don't really interfere withe the more traditional side of the rest of the island.

View From The Ferry Terminal

Tian Tan Buddha Statue

Fishermen houses on the Lantau Island  

Other islands worth the visit are Cheung Chau and Lamma, these are great for people who like water sports, splendid beaches and many restaurants specialized in sea-fruit and fish dishes.

Tin Hau Temple, Cheung Chau

Beach at Cheung Chau

Vung Tau, weekend destination in Vietnam

Vung Tau is the Vietnam corespondent of Atlantic City, USA, a resort on the sea-coast close to a big city (the capital Ho Chi Minh City) with great beaches and fresh air.
Vung Tau looks festive and offers some great views being situated on a peninsula between two big hills.
The main tourist attractions besides the beach are the White Palace and a giant statue of Jesus.

The White Palace (Bach Dinh) was built by the French colonists in the 19th century as a residence for the governor of the province. The palace is surely worth to visit; from its balcony there's a panoramic view of Front Beach plus there are many antiques collected from Cau Islet-Con Dao exposed here. This is the reason why it attracts hundreds of tourists every day.

The White Palace in Vung Tau

The Statue of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms, on top of Small Mountain is at 28m almost as big as the famous statue in Rio Brazil (30m). It was built in 1971 and it can be used as an observation deck to check out the East Sea. The interior of the statue is hollow and the two shoulders of the figure are balconies, each able to accommodate up to six people. The 30 minute hike up the mountain is also nice, there are some great views from various places on the path.

The Statue of Jesus Christ in Vung Tau

View from the Jesus statue in Vung Tau

These two attractions along withe the beautiful pagodas in the city and the beach front make  Vung Tau a place worth visiting considering the fact it's just about 125km far from Ho Chi Minh City.

 Vung Tau Market

 Vung Tau Beach 

Catalonia day trip from Barcelona

One of the best ways of to discover more of a regions specific is getting a day trip in the nearby towns, considering you have a hotel accommodation in the region capital. This way you can get the most of the city and have a taste of the surroundings.
Doing this in Catalonia is one thing I truly recommend. Barcelona is a great city, with lots of landmarks and many things to do, but if you are spending more than 4-5 days there it would be great to get on a day trip to explore the beautiful landscapes and old towns in Catalonia.
The best way to do it is to get a guided tour that lasts for about 10 hours, check the offers on sites like Viator and you can get some good deals. There's also the possibility of renting a car and exploring the region on your own, this way it's more flexible, but not having a guide can be a downside.

What should one visit in Catalonia?
Girona, a city with a long history, believed to be founded around 76 BC. It has a great medieval city center, with narrow streets and gardens near the old city walls. Some attractions are: the remains of the roman walls, the hanging houses(cases penjades) on Onyar River, the old Jewish quarter and Saint Mary's Cathedral.

 Cases penjades in Girona 

 Girona Cathedral 

Montserrat, one of Spain's most important pilgrimage sites for hundreds of years, due to the famous 12th-century Romanesque carving of the Virgen Moroneta, the Black Virgin. The abbey is situated on this multi-peaked mountain.

Montserrat Abbey

Pals, a small city that developed near an old fortress. The Gothic Quarter of Pals is a great tourist attraction. By visiting the fortress you also get a great view of Costa Brava from the old observation Towers.

Street on the Gothic Quarter of Pals 

Costa Brava. Visiting a city on the shore should be mandatory on a trip like this and Calella de Palafrugell is a great example. You can explore the rocky coastline, take a bath on a secluded beach, admire the whitewashed houses that almost reach right down the seafront. There are some great restaurants on the beach so it's a great place to have a meal and admire the sea.

Calella de Palafrugell

 Calella de Palafrugell beach 

Córdoba, Argentina - rival of Buenos Aires

Córdoba is the second largest city in Argentina, located near the geographical center of the country. The city is a popular tourist destination, though most tourists are Argentinian citizens. With few foreigners arriving here, it is easy to find accommodations in Cordoba.
Downtown Córdoba has a great colonial architecture with many sites included in the UNESCO world heritage, including the famous Jesuit Block.
In the colonial time, the city evolved more than Buenos Aires, the National University of  Córdoba being founded in 1613 by the Jesuit Order. Because of this, the city is still nicknamed La Docta (roughly translated, "The Learned one").

Some of the best things to do in Córdoba , Argentina:

• Explore the city center. Packed with colonial buildings build by the Jesuits in the 17th and 18th centuries you won't regret getting lost on the city streets. The Cathedral and a few other churches in the area are well worth visiting.
• Try the local cuisine. Argentine cuisine varies a little from province to province, but in Córdoba you will find restaurants that offer some great dishes at a fraction of the price payed in Buenos Aires. People in Córdoba like their meat so this won't be a great experience for vegetarians.
• Córdoba nightlife. As already mentioned the city is a big learning center in Argentina and is packed with students. If you like the nightlife try to visit Córdoba in the spring or autumn when the students are in town and the clubs are full. There are places to cater for all tastes from dingy bars to live shows to the latest and greatest music. 

Monasterio de Santa Teresa, Córdoba

 Córdoba Cathedral 

Plaza Velez Sarfield

Parque Sarmiento Córdoba

Qufu - Hometown of Confucius

Qufu is a city in China's Shandong province. Birthplace of Confucius and his family, Qufu is a pilgrimage site for Chinese, Coreen and Japanese visitors. All those people come here to visit The Three Confucian Sites: the Temple of Confucius , the Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion, all three Unesco World Heritage Sites.
The importance of Confucius in the Asian culture is overwhelming but even for those unfamiliar with his teachings can appreciate the architecture and the historical importance of this place.

The Confucius Temple had a humble begging but expanded considerably during time. Inside you will find cypress and juniper trees, some of them panted by Confucius himself, and more than one thousand stars, symbols of Confucianism. Near the pavilion where Confucius taught his students you can also buy small volumes with his teachings.

Confucius Temple in Qufu

Inside the temple in Qufu, China

The Kong Family Mansion is where the direct descendants of Confucius lived. They lived in absolute luxury, one time the family was in control of the largest private rural estate in China. Today, the mansion comprises 152 buildings with 480 rooms, which cover an area of 12,470 square meters, and throughout history it was rebuild many times.
The family mansion was inhabited by descendants of Confucius until 1937 when they fled to Taiwan where they still reside.

 The Kong Family Mansion 

In The Kong Family Mansion Complex 

The Cemetery of Confucius sometimes called the Confucius Forest lies to the north of the town of Qufu. This is the place where the tomb of Confucius and his descendants are located. Since some of Confucius' descendants had noble titles, many of the tombs in the cemetery show their status symbols. More than 10,000 mature trees give the cemetery a forest-like appearance.

Confucius Forest

Confucius Tomb in Qufu

Turkish treats in Istanbul

Istanbul, the old capital of the Ottoman Empire, is not a city filled with contrasts in modern day Turkey.
Because of it's rich heritage, both cultural and architectural, the city that spans between Europe and Asia has a lot of visitors going through the streets of the old quarter.
Although most blogs and websites talk about the old Mosques and Palaces that are well worth visiting in the city I am going to talk a bit about the traditional Turkish threats that you can enjoy in Istanbul.

Turkish Tea
Tea, called by turks Çay, is very popular in Turkey and an important part of the Turkish culture. This is a type of black tea which is consumed without milk, produced on the eastern Black Sea coast.
Turkish tea is typically prepared using two stacked kettles, similar to the way Russians do it. The small kettle has a high concentrated tea which is diluted with water from the large one. Note that this is the way tea is served at most hotel breakfast buffets, so be careful not to drink undiluted concentrated tea.
Having a somewhat warm climate, Istanbul can be visited in the winter when you can take a walk in the old quarter and get yourself warm with a hot cup of tea every now and then.

Turkish Tea with the traditional kettles

Turkish Tea Glass

Shawarma
An Arab meat preparation dish it comes in many forms. First of all you can use lamb, chicken, turkey, beef or veal meat. Also it can be served on a plate or a sa sandwich rap.
Usually, this is somewhat a fast food dish, but in Istanbul you have the chance of eating something special. The best one I've had as ingredients grilled vegetables, inserted between the chicken, cabbage, tomatoes and other traditional ingredients. As far as I remember this was in the Kumkapi area.

 Shawarma Incredients

Shawarma

Fruit juice
Very popular in the city, and very tasty was the fresh juice made on the spot on the streets of the city. Orange, pomegranate, grapefruit and more are served at reasonable prices...

Fruit Juice Shop in Istanbul

 Fresh Fruit Juice Cart in Istanbul 

Myanmar, a destination to visit right now

One of the most visited places in Asia today is Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The temple complex fully deserves it's fame and is now flooded with tourists from all over the world.
Myanmar or Burma, a destination that was once avoided because of the political regime is now getting in the spotlight. Since the military began relinquishing more of its control over the government, the tourism is starting to grow even more rapidly and this country has a lot to offer.
I've started this article with a reference to Angkor Wat because I want to present the Burmese version of an ancient city: Bagan.
Bagan's prosperous economy built over 10,000 temples between the 11th and 13th centuries and the remains of over 2200 temples and pagodas still survive to the present day.
This is the reason why the Bagan Archaeological Zone is a main draw for the country's tourism industry.
Bagan, unlike Angkor Wat is filled with Budist places of worship and was of course developed by a different civilization being the capital of the Kingdom of Pagan, the first kingdom to unify the regions that would later constitute modern Myanmar.
I can think of two main reasons to visit Myanmar, and  Bagan in particular, right now: mass tourism is still not present at full scale and the temples are still well preserved, which is great considering there are many earthquakes hitting this part of the world.
Go there and enjoy an astonishing archaeological site not yet filled with tourists, it won't be like this for long.

The Mingalazedi Pagoda

The Lawkananda Pagoda

Old Bagan Temples

The Pagodas of Bagan

Have a drink in Dublin, Ireland

Irish pubs are popular around the world and this article is about the ones in Dublin, with a few extra tips. If you’re ready for a drink, book a city break to Dublin and get your drink on.
First things first, when you go in a pub in Dublin order a pint of Guinness, the local beer, or more specifically called dry stout. This is a black beer with a distinct burnt flavor, you might not enjoy it so much at first but many learn to like it and really enjoy the taste afterwards.
The best place to drink a glass of Guinness in the whole world is at the Guinness Storehouse, a popular tourist attraction at St. James's Gate Brewery in Dublin, you can take a self-guided tour there that ends on the Gravity Bar where you will probably get a fresh pint of Guinness, straight from the brewery. This is a great way to learn about beer in general and about Arthur Guinness, the creator of this fine beer type.
The famous Irish pubs are in Dublin's cultural quarter, Temple Bar. And there you can enjoy live music and also some great food coming with the beer in pubs like "The Temple Bar" or "The Oliver St John Gogarty Pub".

Inside the Temple Bar

Temple Bar by night

The Oliver St John Gogarty Pub

Guinness Storehouse Gravity Bar 

If you are not really into beer you can try the Irish whiskey, for a great experience cross the river Liffey and go to the Jameson Distillery on Bow Street. Here you can find out the history of the drink and especially the differences between Scottish, Irish and American whiskey.

 The Jameson Distillery on Bow Street

Malaga, a great experience in Andalusia

Although the golden triangle of things to visit in Andalusia is considered to include Granada, Sevilla and Cordoba, we will give you some insight on why you should at least start a tour of this Spanish province from Malaga.

A very good reason for that is the Malaga Airport, the third largest airport in Spain, you can get there from all over the world and in about 30 minutes you'll be in downtown Malaga.

What can you see in Malaga?
The Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro, both on top of the hill overlooking the city.
The Alcazaba is a Moorish castle built in the 11th century, this old fort is the best-preserved of its kind in Spain and very similar in architecture with the Alcazaba in Granada.
Another Moorish castle and the counterpart to the Alcazaba, the Castillo sits on a larger hill behind the Alcazaba and offers an incredible view of the city and neighboring suburbs. You will have a stunning view of the port of Malaga and the Malagueta Beach.
The city center is very, located just under the Alcazaba with the main attraction being the Malaga Cathedral.
You can also have a great time on the Malagueta Beach or on the beach front by having a walk down the Paseo Maritimo.

What else you can do?
Try the local cuisine. It's a great opportunity to some great fish dishes, you will get a better meal and at a smaller price comparing to other cities on the Mediterranean like Barcelona or Marseille.
If you plan to spend more than a few days in Malaga you can do some day trips to check out Granada or Sevilla, the bus station is close to the city center and you can do your own schedule with ease. Be sure to book your bus tickets in advance.

Search for a good deal on airplane tickets and hotel accommodation in Malaga using the Zubi Travel Booking Engine.

View from Gibralfaro Castle

Paseo Maritimo in Malaga

Alcazaba palace architecture

Alcazaba, Malaga

Malagueta Beach