I love animals and decided to devote the better part of my summer vacation volunteering with animals, which was how I found myself on a marine conservation voluntourism holiday off the west coast of Scotland through the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust. Its website promised that volunteers would conduct cetacean studies using scientific methods off of a yacht. It sounded good to me so I signed up immediately.
Conduct cetacean studies we did – 8 …
Rome can not be seen in a day, a week or a year. No, a city with this much history takes centuries to get to know. It is literally a city of layers, one generation, one millennium building on top of the next. It is the “Eternal City”, and we are mortals. Since time is not on our side, consider moving Rome higher on your list of places to visit, and start planning now. With …
Traveling through the back roads of Northern Ireland or dining in one of Belfast’s contemporary restaurants, you would never know that the country was once plagued by violence. The Northern Ireland of today is quite a different place to the images that filled the world’s TV screens in the 70s and 80s, when “The Troubles” were at their worst. In fact, these days, Northern Ireland is positively serene, and the fact that it is still …
Twelve Dervish musicians sit hunched over their easels, the hem from their long black capes resting on the floor. In unison they begin to pluck the strings of their wooden instruments and tap the skin of their kettledrums. This marks the beginning of the ancient Sama ceremony. The first monk stands up, shedding his black cloak in a spiritual rebirth before crossing his arms against his chest, representing the number one, an interpretation of God’s …
Stone turrets and towers keep an eye on everything in every direction. Vine covered slopes so steep it’s hard to believe people walk between the rows. Narrow villages line the banks of the winding river. You can almost see the damsels with their flowing gowns curtseying to knights in shining armor. Fairy tales…here we come.
Follow the winding Rhine River…either on your own or enjoying a river cruise. There is not a castle, an island, …
You can’t be blamed if beer (“pivo”) is the first thing that comes to mind when considering the topic of drinking in Prague. On your visit to the Czech Republic, you will quickly discover that beer is usually cheaper than water, ranging from about CZK 21 to CZK 32 for .5 liter. If you pay more, you may be a tourist.
The Czech Republic, where pilsner beer was born in the town of Plzen, proudly …
Practicality and innovation are the key words associated with design in Brussels. The city’s style engineers sculpted its individuality with absolute respect for quality – then they dry brushed it with a good dose of humour. Whatever Belgian designers turn their artistic hands to, be it an ornament or a piece of furniture, an under garment or a ball gown, it sells almost as quickly as it is made to discerning customers in the best …
Why Less is More on the Balearic Islands
At just eighteen kilometers total from tip to tip, Formentera looks like a boomerang being tossed off the south-eastern coast of Spain. It is nothing more than a croissant crumb on the world map, and though most people have heard of rockin’ Ibiza or artsy Mallorca, Formentera usually draws a ‘Where’s that?’ when mentioned. The answer to that telling question is nowhere. There’s not much going down …
A plain old soak in the tub is now officially passé. Here are just five of the many weird and wonderful places around the world which put more zing in your bath time.
Hamam scrub-down: Istanbul, Turkey
You haven’t been to Turkey until you’ve experienced the hamam (or Turkish bath) and where better to partake in a traditional scrub and soak than in the sultan’s ex-playground of Istanbul. An experience not for the modest, a …
Sitting quaintly out in the middle of the Irish Sea, somewhere between Britain and Ireland, is the Isle of Man. A British crown dependency with its own parliament, known as the “Tynwald,” the island is not technically part of the United Kingdom, but its foreign affairs and defense are overseen by Great Britain.
Though everyone speaks English, the native language of the Isle of Man is Manx and you are likely to see it listed …
What’s not to love about Athens? Travelers who remember Athens from visits in the 1980’s and 90’s will say the city is a bit pricy and crowded. They will remember five million inhabitants spilling through its streets, filling the shops and by-ways with an audible hum, the traffic fierce. But Athens holds a certain attraction felt nowhere else, and if you have not been there in the past few years, you are in for a …
Bike sharing has exploded all over Europe in the last ten years or so. Now more than ever, it’s easy to sightsee on two wheels in many Western European cities where infrastructure for cyclists has been much improved. Next time you’re in Copenhagen or Barcelona, forget the Segway and rent yourself a classic cycle to get around town.
Copenhagen, Denmark:
In central Copenhagen 55% of the population rides to work each day and 37% …
There is no better time to visit Holland than in the spring when symphonies of tulips bathe the landscape in a carpet of rich, vibrant colour.
Holland dazzles the senses with Flower Power. The Dutch celebrate their blooms at every opportunity with a procession of flower parades, flower fairs, flower art displays, flower museums and flower markets. Each year Holland’s tulips attracts millions of visitors who gaze in awe at landscapes of crisp perfection, suddenly …
Ireland is one of the most lush, beautiful countries in the world. Its quiet pace and the warm, friendly manner of the Irish people are sure to draw you in. Whether you are traveling with your family, a solo backpacker or a couple on a romantic getaway, there is no place like Ireland to captivate your fancy. Filled with ancient mystique and bright green landscape, these hidden treasures are some of Ireland’s most unique, unspoilt …
