Beach Holiday Guide

Catalonia encompasses a large part of the Spanish Pyrenees. There are some wonderful national parks for nature lovers to explore as well as skiing in the winter season. The coastline is well known for the popular resorts along the Costa Brava and Costa Daurada and the not so well known holiday region of Costa Garraf.

Barcelona is the capital of the region and offers the possibility of a city and beach holiday combined. It is home to a busy port and as a city is on a par with Madrid in all aspects. The cathedral is a popular attraction for visitors as well as Las Ramblas in the old part of the town, probably one of the most famous streets in the country. It is busy and thriving at all hours with its picturesque buildings, cafes and shops which lead down to the seafront.

Girona is another historic city to visit in this region. Like Barcelona, Girona also has in the old town, la Rambla de la Llibertat, a street full of busy shops and cafes. There is also a cathedral as well as museums. Many visitors take day trips to Girona from the coast, but it also has a very good choice of restaurants and places to stay.

The Costa Brava – the Wild Coast – is part of the Catalonian coastline within the province of Girona and can be found to the north of Barcelona. Although the Costa Brava has many busy holiday resorts there are still quieter beaches to be found such as Santa Cristina.

To the south are three of the busiest destinations; Lloret de Mar, Tossa de Mar (which is an old fort town) and La Platja d’Aro. L’Estartit is also popular and has a marine reserve which is excellent for scuba diving.

If you want to get away from the beaches and travel inland you will find the medieval villages of Peratallada, Peralada and Pals.

Looking for holiday villas Costa Brava, choose from our wide selection of properties in this beautiful region of Catalonia.

The Costa Garraf, is a little heard of region of the Catalonian Coast between the city of Barcelona and the Costa Daurada.

Located by the Llobregat delta, the Costa Garraf forms a low lying region with long sandy beaches, against steep sided cliffs. Vilanova i la Geltru is a popular resort as is Castelldefels and Sitgues, one of the most popular towns along this stretch of coast.

With its clear waters and pleasant climate, vacationing in a holiday rental along this coast offers up plenty of opportunities with Barcelona situated not too far to the north east. There are many apartments in Barcelona, ideal for a short break before spending the remaining time lazing by the pool of your Costa Garraf villa.

The Costa Daurada – the Golden Coast – of approximately 240km has many long, sandy beaches and runs from Tarragona northwards to Barcelona. Tarragona is a major industrial port but still has many of the remains of its Roman history. To the south of the city is Port Aventura, one of the largest theme parks in Europe.

To the north of Tarragona is the town of Sitges which is a lively resort and is popular amongst the Spanish and holidaymakers alike. The local restaurants serve many Catalan dishes.

The resort of Salou and Cambrils found to the south are amongst the busiest and have safe, shallow waters which are ideal for family holidays in one of the holiday villas Costa Daurada.

You’ve finally made that big decision on where you want to go for your next vacation! Mexico? Caribbean? Europe? Nope…you’ve decided to visit the number one rated vacation island in the world. Look out Maui, here we come!

Now that you have made that big decision to take a Maui vacation, it is time to decide where you are going to stay. Is there really a difference in the quality of resorts on Maui? Actually, there is a BIG difference between Maui resorts but it’s not necessarily the quality of the resorts. Actually, the decision on which Maui resort you pick should be based more on what type of experience you want to have during your Maui vacation!

You need to ask yourself several important questions regarding the type of Maui resort where you want to stay. They are…

Do you want to stay in a hotel or a condo. If you are planning on doing some cooking while you are on your Maui vacation, you will probably want to rent a condo.

Are you going to spend all your time away from the condo and you just, basically, want a place to sleep or do you plan to spend time relaxing at the resort and taking it easy?

Do you want the Maui resort to be right on the ocean or is a short walk to the beach okay?

Do you want the Maui resort to be in a specific location such as Napili, Kahana, Lahaina, Kihei or Wailea?

What kind of view do you want from your Maui resort condo? Do you want ocean front, ocean view, garden view or mountain view?

What is your budget?

Those are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself before you go on your Maui vacation. Each one of those questions will have an effect how much you pay for your condo! There are other factors to be considered but that will give you somewhere to start.

Most people don’t understand that careful planning prior to their Maui vacation can save them quite a bit of money. Depending on the length of time you are planning on staying on Maui, you could save $1,000 or more!

Which Maui resort is the best place to stay? I have been asked that question thousands of times and my answer is always the same. Tell me what kind of experience you want from your Maui vacation and I will tell you which resort would be the best!

Remember, careful planning can ensure you bring back wonderful memories from your Maui vacation. Take the time and effort to plan in advance and you certainly won’t regret it!

Tiny Teterboro, New Jersey is situated just south of Hackensack at the edge of the Meadowlands only twelve miles from midtown Manhattan. This Bergen County borough is mostly known for its airport, as the residential properties in the town are few. Indeed, recent census figures put the towns population at just 18 souls! Meanwhile, business dominates the town and the airport, named for the town, is the chief job generator in the town as well as in surrounding communities.

At just over one square mile, Teterboro certainly is easily missed. Bordered by state highways 46 to the north and 17 to the west, the town would certainly be overlooked unless you failed to notice the regular flow of general aviation traffic entering and leaving the airport. Indeed, Teterboro Airport {TEB} ranks as one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country serving Piper and Cessna owners all the way up to Gulfstream V charter operators.

In 1917, a Mr. Walter C. Teter purchased what is now known as Teterboro from North American Aviation, who had operated a plant on its site during the first world war. Over the years, the airport changed hands several times until, finally, in 1949 the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey purchased the airport. Since then the authority has operated the airport through contractors or has managed it directly; vast improvements to Teterboro Airport have been made since the authority assumed control.

Teterboro is the home to numerous aviation companies including Atlantic Aviation, Million Air, Jet Aviation, First Aviation Services, and Signature Flight Support. All five companies operate what are known as Fixed Based Operations {FBOs} which provide essential airport services including aircraft fueling, passenger processing, and more. In addition, aircraft hangars occupy key sections of the airport for operators to house their expensive business jets within.

One of the most famous landmarks in the Teterboro is the Aviation Hall of Fame & Museum of NJ. Located on the airport grounds the museum, which opened in 1972, was the first state aviation museum in the nation. Aviation pioneers Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhardt both flew in and out of Teterboro.

Towns bordering Teterboro include: South Hackensack, Little Ferry, Moonachie, Wood-Ridge, and Hasbrouck Heights. Indeed, the entire lower third of the airport actually falls within the boundaries of Moonachie.

Spain is one of the better countries in the world with rich culture based on religion and customs. The country is inhabited of about 45 million people of whom 80-94% are Roman Catholics. This is the reason why local as well as national events are based on Catholicism and faith. Spain is also home to several great things to do. While in this country, you will never have to worry how to spend your days because believe it or not, Spain travel can give you total vacation experience.

Here are some of the events you can catch and the things you can do if you decide to travel to Spain:

Run with the bulls. If you dare and tough enough to face the challenge of running with the bulls or simply want to join the fun without actually getting face to face with the bull, Pamplona should be your destination. The festival happens every July and has already attracted visitors from all parts of the world. The celebration is offered to San Fermin, the patron saint of Pamplona. This religious and unusual celebration makes Pamplona a good destination for your Spain travel.

Skiing and Mountaineering. Visit Catalunya, Aragon, and Torremolinos and Malaga in Andalucia and stay at one of the top winter resorts in Spain. Perfect time to go is during the late spring where you can have your winter sports by day and go at the beach and sunbathe in the afternoon.

Watch the Primera Liga Live. See you favorite football stars like Zidane, Raul, Roberto Carlos, Figo, Ronaldo, and David Beckham as they all play for the best football team in the UAFA Cup: Real Madrid.

Caf all Day. Treat yourself in the relaxing day at one of the caf in Spain. The country has lots of cafs in every village, town, and city where you can spend your whole day chatting with friends or alone savoring the Spain environment.

Go to local village fiesta. Spain travel might not be complete if you havent seen any local village fiestas. Since every town has their own patron saints to offer thanksgiving, you can never miss attending one. Fiestas normally have parades, religious activities, and parties during the night.

Meet the Artists. Spain travel would introduce you to several world-renowned artists. Visit Frank Gehrys Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Barcelona beachs giant copper fish and other Gehnys contemporary structures. Know more about the art of Antoni Gaudi in his structures at Barcelona and get introduced with his unusual tile style and graceful organic curve.

Take a glimpse of Diego Velazquezs art in Prado Gallery in Madrid. Diego Velazquez painted the “Old Woman Cooking Eggs” and “The Rokeby Venus”. And of course, who would not recognize Pablo Picasso? See his work Guernica at the Reina Sofia. Or visit the Picasso Foundation in Malaga.

Stay during the Holy Week. Spain travel is also ideal during holy week where the whole country commemorates that passion, death, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. See all the plays, activities, traditions, and the celebration of the country. If you are not a Catholic, you can still witness this activity.

Eat Snails. The Snail Festival happens every snail Lleida give you a different appetite for food. Although snails are the main course, you can also drink, dance, and eat other local foods all day and all night.

The Philippines has recently gained itself a bad reputation due to all the political on-goings in the country. Clashes between rebel forces and the government, rumors of coup, status of emergency declarations, and even suspected links to the al Quaeda no wonder some Western governments cannot help but release travel advisories against visiting this country.

Before you decide against a trip to Manila, you should bear in mind that the newspapers do not always give an accurate picture of a situation. Sensationalism is their business, and sensationalized news is what you usually get.

Manila is located in the northern island of Luzon. The terrorist stronghold is located in the southernmost part of the Philippines two big islands away in Mindanao. The status of emergency was indeed declared but civilians basically continued to live their normal lives even as it was in place.

It is very easy to get around in Manila. The jeepney is the Philippines most common form of transportation. It is actually based on the US Army jeep but is longer and fits about 16-20 people. You can also get on buses, the Metro Rail Transit, and hire cabs. Language is not a major problem as even the people on the streets can speak rudimentary English.

Manila is well-known for its nightlife. You can find bars open until 3 or 4 in the morning. The Makati and Malate areas are where you can find the hottest clubs and bars. Makati is a bit more expensive but safer as well.

Malls abound in the metro. You can find anything from designer brands to nondescript but very cheap brands. Food is not a problem. Filipino food, American fast food, Japanese food you can find anything there.

Filipinos are very hospitable by nature. You will be surprised at how friendly and helpful most of them are. Its actually a different form of racism they seem to treat Caucasians in a much better way.

Cost of living and traveling is so much lower than in western countries. So if you have dollars or euros, chances are you will have no problems availing services that meet your standards. Hotels and other accommodations are abundant and easy to find.

If it is the beach you want, then you can opt to go out of the city. The nearest beach can be reached in about 4 hours from the city. You can take a plane to other parts of the country if you want to see more.

Whether you are traveling alone or with your family, Manila is a good place to visit. It will be a rich cultural experience for you.

Auckland: Sailors paradise
On the North Island of New Zealand youll find Auckland, a large city set around stunning inlets and bays. Not surprisingly, most of the Auckland’s most celebrated activities are to do with water. These include dinner cruises in the harbor and swimming with dolphins.

Transport: how to get there and around:
New Zealands main international airport is situated in Auckland. This makes it accessible to direct flights from the US, Australia, Asia and Europe. Flights also run domestically from the South Island to Auckland.

Auckland city covers a wide area so it is recommended to get around using a bicycle or taxi. To reach other towns and attractions, there are bus and rail services.

Weather
Owing to its location in the southern hemisphere, summer in New Zealand is from November to April. In summer temperatures are around 20 C and the winter is fairly mild as it doesnt usually freeze.

Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays
The internet can offer some of the best information on the cost, range and location of hotels in Auckland.

Attractions & Events
There are events held all year in Auckland, although the city really comes to life in the summer time.

*Sports fans can enjoy January with the Open Tennis Championships and the Captain Hobson Anniversary Day Regatta.

*In March, Western Springs holds the Pasifika Festival with Polynesian music and performances.

*Auckland Botanical Gardens have a show in November called the Ellerslie Flower Show.

Wellington: Attractive city of views
The capital city, Wellington is surrounded by hills and offers some splendid views of the Harbor. Home to the main government buildings, Wellington also has a bustling cafe and entertainment culture.

Transport: how to get there and around:
Domestic flights from Auckland and Christchurch as well as other destinations connect with Wellington airport. A ferry also makes it possible to reach the south island town of Picton.

A major bus route runs from Auckland to Wellington. To get around in and around the city itself there are local train and bus services, as well as taxis.

Weather
Situated on the coast, Wellington can suffer from windy weather.

Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays
The internet can offer some of the best information on the cost, range and location of hotels in Wellington.

Attractions & Events
Many sporting and cultural events take place in the capital city, here are just a few.

*During January, the city hosts Wellington Cup Week with fashion, live music and of course horse racing.

*The Arts Festival is held in January with International artists taking part.

*The Jazz festival and Fashion Festival are both during October.

Christchurch: Have fun with nature
From Christchurch you can access nature and have fun on New Zealands plains, lakes, mountains and beaches. Being the largest city in the Southern Island, there are always attractions for visitors such as the Antarctic Centre, wildlife showcases, gondola trips and more.

Transport: how to get there and around:
The international airport of the South Island is in Christchurch, connecting with Australia and several other destinations. Air New Zealand serves other domestic locations. Getting around is simple with the citys cost effective bus service and reliable rail network.

Accommodation: Luxury to budget stays
The internet can offer some of the best information on the cost, range and location of hotels in Christchurch.

Attractions & Events:
*An international festival of flowers is held in Christchurch during the month os February.

*Fine music, food and wine can be enjoyed during Augusts International Jazz Festival

Madrid is relatively young when compared to the other great Spanish cities such as Seville and Valencia and so it lacks the traditions of the ancient Andalusian and Castilian towns. It lies on a vast open plateau and is subject to extremes of temperature, the daily variation is sometimes 22C. The locals sum up their climate as nine months of winter and another 3 months of hell.

It is the nation’s chief transportation and administrative centre. Its commercial and industrial life developed very rapidly after the 1890s and today it is nation’s chief transportation and administrative centre, rivalled only by Barcelona. Besides its many manufacturing industries, Madrid are foremost as a banking, education, printing, publishing, tourism, and film production centre.

The general aspect of Madrid is modern, with boulevards and fashionable shopping areas, but the old quarters have picturesque streets. In the heart of the city is the Plaza Mayor, a 17th century square, built in the style of Juan de Herrera. Madrids loveliest gardens can found the Buen Retiro Park which opened in 1631. At the weekends street performers including musicians, tarot readers and puppet shows for children play in the park but this does bring in the crowds. Other landmarks include, El Pacicio Real, the huge and very opulent royal palace. A restored 1850 opera house and the imposing 19th-century building containing the national library, the national archives, and an archaeological museum. Also noteworthy is the modern University City, which transferred from the town of Alcal de Henares in 1836.

The best area in Madrid for bars and clubs is Malasana. If you arrive before 1 am you’ll find the night yet to get underway. Cool Ballroom is probably numero uno in the city. And don’t forget to end the night with the traditional Chocolate con Churrus. Madrid, as you would expect has numerous eating-place but try Casa Mingo in the Rio Manzanares. The house speciality is a whole roast chicken served with a salad and a bottle of cider. On Sunday you should head for, along with most of the population of the city, the Embajadores for the flea market on El Rastro. Most of what is on sale is junk but there are a few stalls with genuine antiques. If you’re a football fan try to obtain tickets for one of Real Madrid’s home games at the spectacular Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Here you will see the famous “galacticos” perform, or as is more usual under perform.

Madrid places host to three superb art museums, the Prado, which houses one of the finest art collections in the world including works by Veleazquez, Domenikos Theotokopoulos, Goya, Murillo, Ribera, Hieronymus Bosch, Rubens, Botticelli, Mantegna, Titian, Rembrandt, Mengs, Poussin and Gainsborough. The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum is housed in the renovated Villahermosa Palace and is home to one of the most wide ranging private collections of European art. The Queen Sofia Museum of modern art includes turn of the 20th century Catalan Modernism, Juan Gris’ cubism, the bronze sculptures of Pablo Gargallo, some 20 canvases by Salvador Dali and Picasso’s work condemning the German bombing the town of Guernica in the Basque country during the Spanish civil war. Also worth a visit is the Monasterio de las Descalzas Reales which holds an interesting collection of treasures.

Madrid was first mentioned in the 10th century as a fortress of the Moors. Alfonso VI of Castile drove them out in 1083. The Cortes of Castile met in Madrid several times, and Ferdinand and Isabella as well as Emperor Charles V often resided there, but Madrid became the capital of Spain only in 1561, in the reign of Philip II. The city developed slowly at first, but it expanded rapidly in the 18th century under the Bourbon kings. The royal palace and the Prado date from that period. A popular uprising against the French took place at Madrid on May 2, 1808 at the beginning of the Peninsular War. A fierce battle was fought in the city’s central square, the Puerta del Sol. In reprisal, hundreds of citizens were shot at night along the Prado promenade. Goya immortalized the events of that day with two of his most celebrated paintings, both can be seen in the Prado gallery. Madrid again played a heroic role in the Spanish civil war, when, under the command of General Jos Miaja, it resisted 29 months of siege by the Franco’s Nationalist forces, suffering several bombardments and air attacks. It finally surrendered in late March 1939 effectively bringing the conflict to an end.

Alcal de Henares lies some 30 km to the east of Madrid, on the Henares River. Once surrounded by wheat fields, the building of a major road has drawn it into the suburban orbit of Madrid. Chemicals, plastics, electrical appliances, leather, and china are produced in the town. Among the landmarks are a Gothic collegiate church and the former archiepiscopal palace. The new University of Alcal de Henares was founded in 1977.

The town was called Complutum in Roman times. It is famous as the former seat of a great university founded in 1508 which subsequently transferred to Madrid in 1836. Also as the birthplace of Cervantes, Ferdinand I and Katherine of Aragon. And lastly as the scene of the Cortes in which Alfonso XI promulgated the Ordenamiento de Alcal. The Spanish civil war saw the town severely damaged.

Other towns within the autonomous region of Madrid include Toledo, which preceded Madrid as the Spanish capital. Avila, whose old walls remain largely intact and a walk along them provides superb views of the town within and the harsh Castilian landscape outside. Segovia and its ancient
aqueduct which is an example of Roman engineering at its very best and Guadalajara.

Much of Asia is a tropical and travel delight given the beautiful scenery and cheap prices. A Malaysia wellness retreat is a tremendous experience everyone should try.

Malaysia Wellness Retreats

If you’re traveling in Asia, you might be looking for a great place to relax and rest from your vacation. A Malaysia wellness retreat might just be the thing you’re looking for. Many of the world’s greatest rejuvenation clinics are located in Malaysia or the countries surrounding, and these retreats all cater to the world traveler.

One such Malaysia wellness retreat is the Berjaya Langkawi Beach Resort, located in Burau Bay, Malaysia. This retreat, open since 1987, has long been considered a tropical holiday paradise as well as a great rejuvenation destination. The Berjaya Lankawi Resort offers 388 rooms, which are housed in Malaysian-style chalets and suites, spread over 70 acres of land. The rejuvenation clinic itself is the first complete retreat situated on the island of Langkawi, and it offers a complete range of services to its guests.

Another Malaysia wellness retreat located on the island of Langkawi in Malaysia is The Datai. This destination, which is situated at the northwestern tip of Langkawi, has won many awards for its relaxation and rejuvenation services, including being named the seventh best retreat (in the top 25) as voted on by Conde Nast Traveler readers. It offers such exotic items as their body elixir, beauty rituals (these include Shirodhara, a mind and body treatment with hot oil drip), and facials and other beauty remedies using products from Decleor.

A third Malaysia wellness retreat is the Gem Wellness Island Resort. This resort is located on a private island (the only one in Malaysia), and there is only one rejuvenation clinic on the island. The private island of Marang is located in Terengganu, Malaysia, which has its own airport and is easily accessible. The spa at the Gem Resort is named Tusita, and it offers an array of different “therapies”, including traditional Malay treatments and oil therapies. There are even packages that include snorkeling and scuba experiences on the resort as well.

No matter which Malaysia wellness retreat you choose to visit, you’ll find the atmosphere relaxing, healing and exotic. Combine your treatments with water activities and traditional Malaysian events, and you’ll definitely have a trip to remember. Malaysia is often frequented by English speaking people, so you’ll have no problem communicating. That is, if you even feel like talking after enjoying your relaxing treatments here in paradise!

In the 40 years since the first Super Bowl was played between Green Bay and Kansas City, Super Bowl Sunday has grown into an unofficial national holiday that has shopping and economic effects rivaling Christmas, Thanksgiving and other major official holidays. Whether it’s a casual get together with a few friends or a lavish, catered party, 125 million Americans celebrated the Super Bowl in some fashion in 2006. Even those with little interest in football get in on the craze, if only to watch the commercials.

Understanding this unique opportunity, advertisers spare no expense to showcase their products and services during the Super Bowl. Advertisers paid up to $2.5 million dollars for each 30 seconds of advertising during Super Bowl XL in 2006. Agencies work on their advertisements all year, and the Super Bowl has become the unofficial Academy Awards of advertising. There are almost as many websites and television programs analyzing the advertisements as there are analyzing the game.

The food and beverage industry also profits from Super Bowl Sunday. Super Bowl Sunday is second only to Thanksgiving in the amount of food that Americans prepare and consume. In the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XL, Americans spent $55 million dollars on food for their Super Bowl parties and spent ten million hours preparing it. Since it is estimated that an average of 17 people attend each Super Bowl Party, these figures are not surprising.

The king of Super Bowl food is the avocado. More avocados are sold in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl that at any other time of the year. It is estimated that 12 million pounds of avocados are purchased and turned into guacamole for Super Bowl parties. Since guacamole requires chips, 15,000 tons of chips are consumed as well. All that food needs washing down and soda and beer sales also top out during the weeks preceding the big game.

It’s not just food and beverage manufacturers who profit. Millions of dollars are spent on party supplies like paper plates, cups and plastic cutlery. Electronics stores also benefit. After all, you need that big-screen TV in order to properly appreciate the game. Even sales of antacids spike on the Monday following Super Bowl Sunday. There’s a good reason for that. The estimated total time that party-goers take to consume all that carefully prepared food: 15 minutes.

Spain is the land of romance and amazing oddities. From bullfights to Gaudi to partying the night away on Ibiza, travelers could easily spend a year exploring Spain.

Madrid

With a population of over three million, Madrid is a big, modern city in central Spain. The suburbs of Madrid are very modern and not particularly interesting. Make it to the center of the city, however, and you are in for a treat. Small alleys, hidden squares and odd little shops are the norm. In this center, you will find a vibrant public life with outdoor cafes literally overrun with the passionate and interesting people of Madrid. When visiting the city, keep in mind it is very hot in the summer and pretty cold in the winter.

Barcelona

One of my favorite travel destinations, Barcelona is a costal city oozing charm. The city embodies all of the interesting little oddities of Spain with ancient streets where the local hobby is people watching. The city is also the home of best Gaudi architecture in Spain. Gaudi was either a genius or a madman, but there is no denying his architecture is unique. I would describe it as a mix between dripping candles and normal architecture. The big tourist attraction, of course, is the Sagrada Familia church, but better examples can be seen by just walking through neighborhoods. Yep, his work is throughout the city. The only downside to Barcelona is a trend of modernization. While modernization is generally okay, I think it is taking a bit away from the historic charm of Barcelona.

Ibiza

If youre looking to sit on the beach all day and party the night away, Ibiza is the hottest spot in Europe. An island off the coast of Spain, Ibiza is the rare tourist spot where monstrous tourist hotels dont dominate. Instead, youll find yourself staying in rented rooms, little hotels and hostels in Ibiza Town. During the days, its all about enjoying the beaches. At night, the bars and clubs of the island are world famous and they never really seem to close. Bring plenty of aspirin!

If youre going to visit Spain, you cant really go wrong. If time is short, Madrid, Barcelona and Ibiza are three spots worth seeing.