Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Flamenco Festival 2010, Jerez, Spain
Jerez, an hour and a half by train from Seville, is well-known by Formula One enthusiasts. However, few, apart from flamenco lovers, are aware that the small town also hosts the much-awaited Flamenco Festival.
During the end of February and the beginning of March each year, Jerez hosts hundreds of flamenco students and teachers from all over the world who participate in the classes given by renowned Spanish dancers. Classes are held in the morning and in the afternoon while the evenings and late nights are dedicated to the performances in Jerez's Teatro Villamarta and in the various penas around the town.
The Festival is a unique way to become familiar with and to witness first hand the true flamenco spirit in the heart of Andalucia and to see some of the best artists in the industry perform live. This year's courses (given in Basic, Intermediate and Advanced Levels) will be given by, among others, Inmaculada Aguilar, Pilar Ogalla, Angelita Gomez, Angel Munoz, Sonya Clavijo, Maria del Mar Moreno, Mercedes Ruiz, Manolo Marin, Javier LaTorre and Isabel Bayon.
This year's performers will include the Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia, Farruquito, Antonio Canales, Campania Maria del Mar Moreno, Compania Rafaela Carrasco, Compania Belen Maya and Matilde Coral. Such a cluster of flamenco living legends is hard to come by on a normal visit to the Iberian Peninsula. What's more, I can say from personal experience that these artists are very approachable and willing to speak to their fans, take photographs with them, and sometimes even have a drink at the local tablao.
For flamenco aficionados and for those who like to go beyond the tourist side of Spain and delve into the heart of its spirit and dancing, the Festival of Jerez is a unique opportunity afforded by the nature of the event, the small size and enchanting atmosphere of the venue.
For more information, visit the official website: http://www.festivaldejerez.es
Book a cheap holiday in Jerez: http://mundoideal.traverustravel.com
TIPS: 5 Things to do in Jerez de la Frontera
- Have a chocolate con churros in the Plaza at one of the bars.
- Indulge in a flamenco dress or some of the beautiful earrings, shawls or other accessories.
- Wake up early and go to the market to hear the vendors singing while they open their stalls. It's magic!
- Visit one of the penas late at night - it's just you and the locals and lots of flamenco music and singing.
- Visit the Alcazar, the beautiful Moorish castle.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Herstmonceux: A Recipe For Fun at England's Medieval Festival
Take two thousand re-enactors in authentic medieval armour; add horses, real cannons, siege machines, longbows and crossbows; season liberally with breath-taking displays from the world's finest jousters, and place them all in the fairy-tale setting of Herstmonceux Castle near Hailsham and Eastbourne. Add a Living History Village, jesters, falconers, strolling minstrels, hogs roasting over open fires and taverns for the hungry and thirsty.
Then invite over 30,000 visitors and watch the fun begin!
Open: 10am to 6pm
Discounted Advance Ticket Sales:+44 (0)20 8416 0398
Parking: Free
Website: www.EnglandsMedievalFestival.com
Email: info@mgel.com
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
The Honeymoon of Your Dreams
If you're getting married and want to have a luxurious honeymoon but can't afford it, don't putyour dream aside. Instead of having your guests turn up with random gifts for the house, you can organise a honeymoon registry and make that your wedding list.
The basic idea behind a honeymoon registry is to have the guests contribute to your honeymoon instead of paying for some fine bone china dinner set. Each guest can choose to pay for different activities you wish to enjoy during your honeymoon, or even to the trip and the hotel costs.
When you go to a wedding registry site such as http://mundoideal-traverus.honeymoonwishes.com/ you are asked to sign up and create your own registry. You then proceed to choose your destination and those activities, rooms, items, etc. that you wish to enjoy to make your honeymoon unforgettable. Apart from helping you pay for your flight and hotel, your guests can opt to pay for a welcome gift of strawberries and champagne, breakfast in bed, a room upgrade, massages, nights out, excursions, sports activities, meals, car rentals and so on.
Some honeymoon registry sites also offer the possibility of having your own wedding website through which you can keep your family and friends updated on the honeymoon by uploading photos and writing in your journal.
For an example of what your site would look like, go to http://mundoideal-traverus.honeymoonwishes.com/Honeymoon-Registry-48514.html
To create your own Honeymoon Registry, go to http://mundoideal-traverus.honeymoonwishes.com/
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Seven Free Sites to Visit in Paris
Sacre Coeur Basilica in MontmartreParis is a notoriously expensive city to visit, but some of its most beautiful monuments, gardens and sites are free of charge. Below are seven of the most popular and spectacular places that you don’t have to pay for to enjoy in the City of Lights.
1. Notre Dame: The most famous Gothic cathedral in France, situated on the Île de la Cité, is open to visitors every day from 9.30 am to 6 pm. The Cathedral, with its renowned flying buttresses, is the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris and is as architecturally breath-taking on the exterior as it is on the interior. Its high Gothic arches and stained glass windows create an atmosphere that makes it unforgettable. You can either walk around at your leisure or else take one of the free English guided tours available between 2 pm and 3.30 pm. Other parts of the Cathedral, such as the Treasury, the Bell Towers and the archaeological crypt can be visited against a charge.
2. Sacré Coeur: The Sacré Coeur Basilica is another religious site that is a major Parisian attraction especially since it is located in Montmartre, the old artistic centre of Paris. Overlooking the Red Light District and towering over the Moulin Rouge, the basilica seems to stand guard over the city and is one of Paris’s most popular landmarks. Situated at the top of a steep hill, the Butte de Montmartre, the stairs beneath it are a favourite rendez-vous for artists, mimes and musicians, and a resting place with a magnificent panorama of the city for travellers. The basilica is open to the public every day and can be accessed on foot, on board the Montmartre Petit Train that departs from the traffic island in front of the Moulin Rouge (Metro Place Blanche), or by the Funicular at the foot of the hill.
3. The Luxembourg Gardens: Situated in the Sorbonne area, in the Latin Quarter, the Luxembourg palace and gardens were built in the 17th century by Marie de Medicis. The palace is accessible against a fee, but the gardens are open to the public until 9.30 pm in summer. The gardens cover 25 hectares of land and are ideal for a relaxing evening among the trees and the flower beds. Although they are situated in a busy area, the gardens themselves are a quiet haven where children can play and adults chill out with a book, or even have a nap. Accessible by Metro, Luxembourg stop.
4. The Tuileries Gardens: Les Tuileries is the most central garden in Paris, connecting the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde on a straight line that proceeds through the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. One of its main entrances is directly opposite the Louvre Pyramid, through the Carousel Arc. Les Tuileries was designed in the 17th century by Le Notre, who had also designed the gardens of Versailles. The garden offers stunning views of the Seine from the Terrasse du Bord de l’Eau and is dotted with basins and statues by Rodin and Maillol. Metro: Tuileries
5. The Arc de Triomphe: At the centre of the star-shaped Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l’Étoile, with the Champs-Élysées-La Defense route as the main artery that runs through it, the Arc de Triomphe honours the people who fought for France, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. The reliefs on the arc depict the triumphant Napoleon, while, at the centre of the arc facing the Champs-Élysées is the perennially-burning flame and tomb in honour of the unknown soldier. The monument was commissioned by Napoleon after his victory at Austerlitz. Pedestrian access to the Arc is via an underpass on the Champs-Élysées. Metro: Charles de Gaulle - Étoile
6. Père Lachaise: A cemetery tour might not be everyone’s idea of a fun day, but Père Lachaise, one of the most famous cemeteries in the world and the largest in Paris, is certainly worth a visit. Established by Napoleon far from the city centre so as not to present a health hazard, Père Lachaise was not a popular cemetery until the administrators came up with an ingenious marketing strategy. They transported the remains of famous personages such as the playwright Molière and the medieval lovers Abélard and Héloïse to the cemetery and transformed it into a burial ground for famous people. Today, among its many ‘tenants’, Père Lachaise boasts Oscar Wilde, Sarah Bernhardt, Balzac, Chopin and Jim Morrison. For a full list of the personages buried here, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A8re_Lachaise_Cemetery . To get to the cemetery, the stop is on Metro, line 2, Philippe Auguste.
7. The Eiffel Tower: While you need to pay to go up the Eiffel Tower to see the whole of Paris beneath you, you don’t need to pay anything to have a close look and to sit and enjoy the lively atmosphere underneath and around the tower. Across the street from the south side of the tower, towards the École Militaire, the Champ de Mars is a vast recreational area with lawn picnic areas and games for children. On the other side, the Place du Trocadéro hosts musicians and concerts, while the building itself houses the Musée de l’Homme and the Musée de la Marine. Metro – Trocadéro or École Militaire
Metro Map http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan_ang.php?loc=reseaux&nompdf=metro&fm=gif
1. Notre Dame: The most famous Gothic cathedral in France, situated on the Île de la Cité, is open to visitors every day from 9.30 am to 6 pm. The Cathedral, with its renowned flying buttresses, is the Catholic Archdiocese of Paris and is as architecturally breath-taking on the exterior as it is on the interior. Its high Gothic arches and stained glass windows create an atmosphere that makes it unforgettable. You can either walk around at your leisure or else take one of the free English guided tours available between 2 pm and 3.30 pm. Other parts of the Cathedral, such as the Treasury, the Bell Towers and the archaeological crypt can be visited against a charge.
2. Sacré Coeur: The Sacré Coeur Basilica is another religious site that is a major Parisian attraction especially since it is located in Montmartre, the old artistic centre of Paris. Overlooking the Red Light District and towering over the Moulin Rouge, the basilica seems to stand guard over the city and is one of Paris’s most popular landmarks. Situated at the top of a steep hill, the Butte de Montmartre, the stairs beneath it are a favourite rendez-vous for artists, mimes and musicians, and a resting place with a magnificent panorama of the city for travellers. The basilica is open to the public every day and can be accessed on foot, on board the Montmartre Petit Train that departs from the traffic island in front of the Moulin Rouge (Metro Place Blanche), or by the Funicular at the foot of the hill.
3. The Luxembourg Gardens: Situated in the Sorbonne area, in the Latin Quarter, the Luxembourg palace and gardens were built in the 17th century by Marie de Medicis. The palace is accessible against a fee, but the gardens are open to the public until 9.30 pm in summer. The gardens cover 25 hectares of land and are ideal for a relaxing evening among the trees and the flower beds. Although they are situated in a busy area, the gardens themselves are a quiet haven where children can play and adults chill out with a book, or even have a nap. Accessible by Metro, Luxembourg stop.
4. The Tuileries Gardens: Les Tuileries is the most central garden in Paris, connecting the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde on a straight line that proceeds through the Champs Elysées to the Arc de Triomphe. One of its main entrances is directly opposite the Louvre Pyramid, through the Carousel Arc. Les Tuileries was designed in the 17th century by Le Notre, who had also designed the gardens of Versailles. The garden offers stunning views of the Seine from the Terrasse du Bord de l’Eau and is dotted with basins and statues by Rodin and Maillol. Metro: Tuileries
5. The Arc de Triomphe: At the centre of the star-shaped Place Charles de Gaulle, also known as the Place de l’Étoile, with the Champs-Élysées-La Defense route as the main artery that runs through it, the Arc de Triomphe honours the people who fought for France, especially during the Napoleonic Wars. The reliefs on the arc depict the triumphant Napoleon, while, at the centre of the arc facing the Champs-Élysées is the perennially-burning flame and tomb in honour of the unknown soldier. The monument was commissioned by Napoleon after his victory at Austerlitz. Pedestrian access to the Arc is via an underpass on the Champs-Élysées. Metro: Charles de Gaulle - Étoile
6. Père Lachaise: A cemetery tour might not be everyone’s idea of a fun day, but Père Lachaise, one of the most famous cemeteries in the world and the largest in Paris, is certainly worth a visit. Established by Napoleon far from the city centre so as not to present a health hazard, Père Lachaise was not a popular cemetery until the administrators came up with an ingenious marketing strategy. They transported the remains of famous personages such as the playwright Molière and the medieval lovers Abélard and Héloïse to the cemetery and transformed it into a burial ground for famous people. Today, among its many ‘tenants’, Père Lachaise boasts Oscar Wilde, Sarah Bernhardt, Balzac, Chopin and Jim Morrison. For a full list of the personages buried here, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/P%C3%A8re_Lachaise_Cemetery . To get to the cemetery, the stop is on Metro, line 2, Philippe Auguste.
7. The Eiffel Tower: While you need to pay to go up the Eiffel Tower to see the whole of Paris beneath you, you don’t need to pay anything to have a close look and to sit and enjoy the lively atmosphere underneath and around the tower. Across the street from the south side of the tower, towards the École Militaire, the Champ de Mars is a vast recreational area with lawn picnic areas and games for children. On the other side, the Place du Trocadéro hosts musicians and concerts, while the building itself houses the Musée de l’Homme and the Musée de la Marine. Metro – Trocadéro or École Militaire
Metro Map http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan_ang.php?loc=reseaux&nompdf=metro&fm=gif
Best prices to France http://mundoideal.traverustravel.com/
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Malta Beer Festival
Every year, Malta hosts the Farsons Great Beer Festival. The 2009 festival is being held at the Ta' Qali Park between July 24 and August 2, from 8pm onwards.
One of the most awaited local events, the beer festival brings together beer drinkers and music lovers during 10 days of fun and entertainment. Two distinctive sound stages display performances by popular local bands in a variety of pop and rock music.
Bars scattered all over the park sell local and foreign beer, including Malta's Cisk Lager and Cisk Export, and other beers that are sold exclusively during the festival such as Cisk XS and Farsons Strong Ale. International beers include Carslberg, Budweiser, Guinness, Kilkenny, Beck's and Corona. Bars also sell the official beer mug which has become a collector's item over the years.
The food court is as tempting as the bars, and supplies food from all over the world: Maltese specialities, Turkish, Chinese, Mexican and Spanish as well as all-time favourites like fried chicken, burgers and hot dogs.
Joining in the fun is easy: either drive by and park in the ample Ta' Qali car park, or take bus numbers 80, 81 and 84.
One of the most awaited local events, the beer festival brings together beer drinkers and music lovers during 10 days of fun and entertainment. Two distinctive sound stages display performances by popular local bands in a variety of pop and rock music.
Bars scattered all over the park sell local and foreign beer, including Malta's Cisk Lager and Cisk Export, and other beers that are sold exclusively during the festival such as Cisk XS and Farsons Strong Ale. International beers include Carslberg, Budweiser, Guinness, Kilkenny, Beck's and Corona. Bars also sell the official beer mug which has become a collector's item over the years.
The food court is as tempting as the bars, and supplies food from all over the world: Maltese specialities, Turkish, Chinese, Mexican and Spanish as well as all-time favourites like fried chicken, burgers and hot dogs.
Joining in the fun is easy: either drive by and park in the ample Ta' Qali car park, or take bus numbers 80, 81 and 84.
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