La Masia - this is a youth academy which can boast to have European Champions and World Champions in football. The academy was inaugurated in 1966 as the La Masia de Can Planes, it is located near the Camp Nou and it holds more than 300 young players and has really boomed since 2002 garnering praise as one of the best in the world from many and has been a significant factor in Barcelona's European success as well as the Spanish national teams ' success at both the European Championship and The 2010 Fifa World Cup.
The building now used as the club's headquarters is an ancient country residence that was built in 1702, before Barcelona bought it in 1954. It was used as a workshop by architects and builders of the new stadium the Camp Nou. When the Camp Nou was inaugurated in 1957 La Masia was remodelled for use as headquarters it was opened on 26 September 1966, but by 1979 La Masia had been made a dormitory for young players who would arrive from outside the city. The idea of an established youth Academy came from Johan Cruyff who was a youth product of the highly acclaimed Ajax Academy. He proposed it to the president of the club at the time Josep Núñez who accepted it and appointed Oriol Tort as a director to over see it.
One of the first graduates of La Masia is Josep Guardiola, who started in the first team in 1990 He had graduated during Cruyffs management which instilled Cruyff's total football philosophy which is what many see as a vital part of Barcelona's success over the years, and would later inspire other midfielders in the same mould as he, such as Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta and Cesc Fàbregas. In fact Xavi has been quoted in saying that he considered leaving the club because of the amount of pressure and high expectations to become the next Guardiola. After he had left the club and went abroad for a while he came back as a coach for the Barcelona B team in 2007 where he made many changes as the team as the team had been relegated to the fourth tier of Spanish football and in the two years he was there they were promoted to the highest league they can play in the second tier (this is due to Barcelona being in the top league).
He reorganised the youth structure and convinced the president of the club that they needed to improve training facilities and move the youth teams so that they can work closer with the coaches. Also the teams philosophy is to integrate at least one youth player into the main Barcelona team each year. In recent years the La Masia has gained more media attention many have stated it has replace Ajax's Academy as footballs premier youth Production facility. It is stated that more than 440 youngsters have left their homes and families in Spanish villas to live at La Masia since it was inaugurated.
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Friday 27 August 2010
An Insiders Guide to AndalusiaAndalusia is one of the most beloved tourist destinations in Spain bringing in millions of tourists every year, flocking
Andalusia is one of the most beloved tourist destinations in Spain bringing in millions of tourists every year, flocking here to enjoy the sun drenched white sand beaches.
For years tourists have travelled here to their Spanish villas, and to enjoy the southern Spain experience.
While many have their holiday activities here are some ideas garnered from the experts.
With suggestions from the editors and staff of some local publications, here are some of the best outings and culinary trips in the region.
Cycling and Hiking in Via Verde
One of the best kept activity secrets of Andalusia is the Via Verde Sierra cycle and hiking track. Running a long a 36km railway track that was started but never completed in 1926, this runs from the wonderful white washed town of Olvera, through to Puerto Serrano. On the way there is three great restaurants to eat in, and the world's largest griffon vulture colony to admire.
Art in Malaga
Malaga has a great significance to the art world, one of the grand masters of 20th century painting was born here. Picasso's birthplace duly celebrates one of its progeny with its museum dedicated to his name. In the Picasso museum there is a great display of the master's work, along with exhibitions of other prominent artists. Malaga also plays host to a great contemporary art museum which has held exhibitions of work by the Chapman brothers and Tracy Emin.
Vineyards in Ronda
For all Oenophiles Andalusia is a great little getaway. There are many beautiful vineyards producing excellent wine. Be sure to book in advance.
Foodie Trawls in Fuengirola
While Fuengirola is an overdeveloped concrete mess, in the old town it offers its salvation. Behind the promenade are some wonderful tapas bars to hop from. Well worth making the trip in to town.
Seafood by the sea in Malaga
You can't really beat a good but of fish next to the ocean. In Torre Del Mar, just east of Malaga, is the Bar Negri, a veritable sea food institution. Delicious Prawns are served as tapas appetisers while you consider your order. The Swordfish, the Clams, and the squid are all a treat for seafood lovers. The restaurant also offers a great wine list.
Open air concerts in Seville
Throughout the summer Seville offers some great musical events under an open sky. Jazz and Classical concerts take place here as well as lavish costume dramas performed in Alcazar Gardens in Seville. It's an enchanting setting with swaying palm trees and a wonderful floral scent floating throughout. Thankfully the concerts start late, when the blistering heat has subsided.
Art and Fortified wine at the home of Sherry in Jerez
Bodegas Tradicion in Jerez is a compact but impressive bodega. It produce only four sherries and a brandy, but has proven its weight in gold in regard to the quality of its produce. It is also home to one an extremely impressive art collection featuring some of Spain's masters such as Goya and Velásquez.
For years tourists have travelled here to their Spanish villas, and to enjoy the southern Spain experience.
While many have their holiday activities here are some ideas garnered from the experts.
With suggestions from the editors and staff of some local publications, here are some of the best outings and culinary trips in the region.
Cycling and Hiking in Via Verde
One of the best kept activity secrets of Andalusia is the Via Verde Sierra cycle and hiking track. Running a long a 36km railway track that was started but never completed in 1926, this runs from the wonderful white washed town of Olvera, through to Puerto Serrano. On the way there is three great restaurants to eat in, and the world's largest griffon vulture colony to admire.
Art in Malaga
Malaga has a great significance to the art world, one of the grand masters of 20th century painting was born here. Picasso's birthplace duly celebrates one of its progeny with its museum dedicated to his name. In the Picasso museum there is a great display of the master's work, along with exhibitions of other prominent artists. Malaga also plays host to a great contemporary art museum which has held exhibitions of work by the Chapman brothers and Tracy Emin.
Vineyards in Ronda
For all Oenophiles Andalusia is a great little getaway. There are many beautiful vineyards producing excellent wine. Be sure to book in advance.
Foodie Trawls in Fuengirola
While Fuengirola is an overdeveloped concrete mess, in the old town it offers its salvation. Behind the promenade are some wonderful tapas bars to hop from. Well worth making the trip in to town.
Seafood by the sea in Malaga
You can't really beat a good but of fish next to the ocean. In Torre Del Mar, just east of Malaga, is the Bar Negri, a veritable sea food institution. Delicious Prawns are served as tapas appetisers while you consider your order. The Swordfish, the Clams, and the squid are all a treat for seafood lovers. The restaurant also offers a great wine list.
Open air concerts in Seville
Throughout the summer Seville offers some great musical events under an open sky. Jazz and Classical concerts take place here as well as lavish costume dramas performed in Alcazar Gardens in Seville. It's an enchanting setting with swaying palm trees and a wonderful floral scent floating throughout. Thankfully the concerts start late, when the blistering heat has subsided.
Art and Fortified wine at the home of Sherry in Jerez
Bodegas Tradicion in Jerez is a compact but impressive bodega. It produce only four sherries and a brandy, but has proven its weight in gold in regard to the quality of its produce. It is also home to one an extremely impressive art collection featuring some of Spain's masters such as Goya and Velásquez.
Thursday 26 August 2010
The Tapas Capital of Spain
Barcelona's beaches attract a diverse ensemble of characters: Stag parties, pensioners, tattooed men on surf boards who, along with some more mischievous children, secretly ogle the topless sunbathers. In its way Barcelona runs the whole gamut of tourism with those it attracts.
On the promenade you could be forgiven for thinking you are in LA as inline skaters bisect the pedestrians and others walk around with boom-boxes on shoulders. But then there is the distinctively Spanish smell of Paella hovering over and reminding you you are in fact in Spain.
Though this hustling bustling form of city does not make for everyone's idea of a perfect city break, but for some it is a large part of the appeal. They feed off the sights, the smells, the sounds, and the great energy of this thriving city.
The beach scene forms a large part of the draw to Barcelona, while it is crowded and noisy it remains the place to be. To residents it offers a local holiday just minutes away from home.
With the popularity of the beach growing and growing, the bars and restaurants round here have become fierce contenders fighting for that tourist dollar. There have been make overs and décor changes in an attempt to lure in the straddlers from the beaches, hoping to fill their bellies with food and wine.
The locals here and tourists emerge from their Spanish villas, for a day of bathing on the beach and an evening of wining and dining down the strip.
Here is a list of some of the best beach bistros:
Santa Marta
By the Barceloneta beach is the area's undeniably trendiest bar. It attracts young locals who are drawn to the cool vibe and the Italian specialities on offer. It's a small and welcoming place, perfect for eavesdropping on other tables.
Bestial
Bestial is often touted as Barcelona's best terrace eatery. It's minimalist interior is nice, but really only a means to the candle lit terrace with the waves crashing close by. The food is good also, decadent Italian dishes like Pasta with truffles. Though the place is more designed for cocktails with the beautiful people.
El Xiringuito Escribà
Nova Icaria is lined with many fine sea front food place, yet the one to try is El Xiringuito Escriba. As an off shoot of one of Barcelona's most beloved Patessieres expect it to be busy and book ahead. The dish to try here is the fantastic Paella.
Base Nàutica de la Mar Bella
Based on the Mar Bella stretch of beaches, this humble little place stands in stark opposition to Bestial as a humble terrace. With its wooden planks it is particularly laid back and families come here to spend the evening enjoying the terrace BBQ.
Lasal
Much further afield is the Lasal bar, a chiringuito with enough musical credibility to be able to sell its own compilation CDs. Leading DJs fly from around the world to perform sets here and the atmosphere is quite something as the music blares and the waves crash in to the sand.
On the promenade you could be forgiven for thinking you are in LA as inline skaters bisect the pedestrians and others walk around with boom-boxes on shoulders. But then there is the distinctively Spanish smell of Paella hovering over and reminding you you are in fact in Spain.
Though this hustling bustling form of city does not make for everyone's idea of a perfect city break, but for some it is a large part of the appeal. They feed off the sights, the smells, the sounds, and the great energy of this thriving city.
The beach scene forms a large part of the draw to Barcelona, while it is crowded and noisy it remains the place to be. To residents it offers a local holiday just minutes away from home.
With the popularity of the beach growing and growing, the bars and restaurants round here have become fierce contenders fighting for that tourist dollar. There have been make overs and décor changes in an attempt to lure in the straddlers from the beaches, hoping to fill their bellies with food and wine.
The locals here and tourists emerge from their Spanish villas, for a day of bathing on the beach and an evening of wining and dining down the strip.
Here is a list of some of the best beach bistros:
Santa Marta
By the Barceloneta beach is the area's undeniably trendiest bar. It attracts young locals who are drawn to the cool vibe and the Italian specialities on offer. It's a small and welcoming place, perfect for eavesdropping on other tables.
Bestial
Bestial is often touted as Barcelona's best terrace eatery. It's minimalist interior is nice, but really only a means to the candle lit terrace with the waves crashing close by. The food is good also, decadent Italian dishes like Pasta with truffles. Though the place is more designed for cocktails with the beautiful people.
El Xiringuito Escribà
Nova Icaria is lined with many fine sea front food place, yet the one to try is El Xiringuito Escriba. As an off shoot of one of Barcelona's most beloved Patessieres expect it to be busy and book ahead. The dish to try here is the fantastic Paella.
Base Nàutica de la Mar Bella
Based on the Mar Bella stretch of beaches, this humble little place stands in stark opposition to Bestial as a humble terrace. With its wooden planks it is particularly laid back and families come here to spend the evening enjoying the terrace BBQ.
Lasal
Much further afield is the Lasal bar, a chiringuito with enough musical credibility to be able to sell its own compilation CDs. Leading DJs fly from around the world to perform sets here and the atmosphere is quite something as the music blares and the waves crash in to the sand.
Wednesday 25 August 2010
Autumn Sunshine Locations
After the gruellingly British British summer in which the sun has barely shown its face from behind overcast clouds, you may feel as if you need a holiday. If a summer's trip away from Blighty hasn't been possible this year then perhaps you could consider an Autumn break instead.
Thankfully there are many short haul destinations that will offer some final glimmers of sunshine before the winter begins to kick in.
There are many other appeals to an Autumn getaway as well, beyond compensating for a rather absent British summer. Generally speaking, crowds have thinned and beaches are empty. You can head down to the tourist attractions and not have to worry about queuing all day, and furthermore with a less intense heat, that summer malaise doesn't take quite such a toll and you can take a nice walk taking in all the natural beauty of your holiday destination.
Perhaps most appealing of all is the price slashes of the off season, cheaper flights and accommodation. Vacation rentals across the continent begin to offer great deals for late travellers wishing to book their villas.
Here are some of the best destinations for an Autumn getaway in Europe:
Andalusia, Spain
Andalusia enjoys a particularly warm August, often approaching temperatures in the low 30 degrees. The beaches are great this time of year, still great for lounging around in and considerably less crowded and quieter. Yet this time of the year here is particularly suited to cooler climbs of the sweeping hills around the region.
The Sierra de Arcane is a beautiful national park nearby, that is great for an Autumn stroll. Then traipse through the whitewashed villages in the region, settling down to tapas and a fine Rioja in the evening.
Spanish villas are beautiful all year round, offering a great windswept luxury throughout the Autumn.
Sardinia, Italy
Throughout the Autumn Sardinia's temperature remains in the mid 20s offering a warm but not overbearing holiday.
Yet in Autumn you can also discover one of the regions best little secrets, Autunno in Barbagia (Autumn in Barbagia). This is a season long festival in which the place is transformed. 27 villages throughout the region flood with markets and street celebrations. Local open their doors to travellers, and invite them in to their dining rooms for local cuisine prepared by local people.
Alternatively you can take advantage of the nearby empty beaches.
Cyprus
Cyprus's southern position ensures that it has a long and hot Autumn. With temperatures frequently in the mid 30s it may only be the locals who notice that it isn't Summer. While many may be reluctant to stay in the Cyprus resorts, there are now a great number of Cyprus villas attracting tourists from all over Europe. Around Cyprus there are many great rustic areas, perfect for a sunlit stroll. Though perhaps more would be drawn to the white beaches and the still warm beaches as they glisten under a boastful sun.
Thankfully there are many short haul destinations that will offer some final glimmers of sunshine before the winter begins to kick in.
There are many other appeals to an Autumn getaway as well, beyond compensating for a rather absent British summer. Generally speaking, crowds have thinned and beaches are empty. You can head down to the tourist attractions and not have to worry about queuing all day, and furthermore with a less intense heat, that summer malaise doesn't take quite such a toll and you can take a nice walk taking in all the natural beauty of your holiday destination.
Perhaps most appealing of all is the price slashes of the off season, cheaper flights and accommodation. Vacation rentals across the continent begin to offer great deals for late travellers wishing to book their villas.
Here are some of the best destinations for an Autumn getaway in Europe:
Andalusia, Spain
Andalusia enjoys a particularly warm August, often approaching temperatures in the low 30 degrees. The beaches are great this time of year, still great for lounging around in and considerably less crowded and quieter. Yet this time of the year here is particularly suited to cooler climbs of the sweeping hills around the region.
The Sierra de Arcane is a beautiful national park nearby, that is great for an Autumn stroll. Then traipse through the whitewashed villages in the region, settling down to tapas and a fine Rioja in the evening.
Spanish villas are beautiful all year round, offering a great windswept luxury throughout the Autumn.
Sardinia, Italy
Throughout the Autumn Sardinia's temperature remains in the mid 20s offering a warm but not overbearing holiday.
Yet in Autumn you can also discover one of the regions best little secrets, Autunno in Barbagia (Autumn in Barbagia). This is a season long festival in which the place is transformed. 27 villages throughout the region flood with markets and street celebrations. Local open their doors to travellers, and invite them in to their dining rooms for local cuisine prepared by local people.
Alternatively you can take advantage of the nearby empty beaches.
Cyprus
Cyprus's southern position ensures that it has a long and hot Autumn. With temperatures frequently in the mid 30s it may only be the locals who notice that it isn't Summer. While many may be reluctant to stay in the Cyprus resorts, there are now a great number of Cyprus villas attracting tourists from all over Europe. Around Cyprus there are many great rustic areas, perfect for a sunlit stroll. Though perhaps more would be drawn to the white beaches and the still warm beaches as they glisten under a boastful sun.
Tuesday 24 August 2010
Walt Disney World Becomes a Paradise for Wine Lovers with its Wine Festival
Disney World has always catered to families and thrill seekers, with its blend of wholesome fun and thrilling rides. Though through October until mid-November it also becomes a haven to all foodies and oenophiles (wine lovers) with its food and wine festival taking place in its Epcot resort. Many lovers of wine and cuisine are already booking their tickets to Florida, and their Orlando vacation rentals.
The theme of this Annual Epcot Food and Wine Festival is delicious discoveries, so expect a few surprises and unfamiliar options to choose from.
Now in its 15th year, the festival has grown from strength to strength, fixing itself as a firm staple in the Disney annual calender. As popularity broadens, so too does the selection of wines, and this year there is a selection of over 250 varieties of wine to choose from. With 65 per cent from the New World (California, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand) and 35 per cent from Old World sites (France, Italy and Spain), Disney have set a long stage for all connoisseurs.
From October to November Epcot will play host to more than 25 internationally themed market places, offering up tapas size portions of local cuisine. Here are some of the things to look forward to:
*
This year we see the festival adding three new destinations, Belgium, South Korea and Singapore. Among the returning marketplaces are Chile, Poland, South Africa and Spain.
*
Celebrity chefs and cook book authors will be available for signings.
*
Two new Epcot restaurants, the Via Napoli serving up authentic Italian pizza, and La Hacienda de San Angel at the Mexican pavilion.
*
Festival favourite, the weekly 'Party for the Senses' grand tasting event with wonderful offerings from prominent chefs, more than 50 wines, and live entertainment from the Cirque du Soleil.
In addition to the festival taking place in the Epcot centre this is also a great opportunity for the restaurants in the resort to expand their wine selections. Jiko- The Cooking Place a restaurant in Disney World's Animal Kingdom, offers an exclusively South African wine list, constituting the largest selection of South African wine in the USA. Meanwhile Artist Point at the Wilderness Lodge only serves wines that originate from the Pacific Northwest.
Narcoosee's in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will be eager to find some good white wines to accompany their fish selections. The Yachtsman's Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort will be looking for red wine to couple with their beef dishes.
The jewel in Disney's restaurant crown is perhaps the AAA Five-Diamond award winning Victoria & Albert at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa which has 700 selections on its menu and a whopping cellar of over 4,200 wines.
Meanwhile The Wave at Disney's Contemporary Resort offers a great variety of New World numbers.
Throughout the festival there should be enough to suit everyone's pallet.
The theme of this Annual Epcot Food and Wine Festival is delicious discoveries, so expect a few surprises and unfamiliar options to choose from.
Now in its 15th year, the festival has grown from strength to strength, fixing itself as a firm staple in the Disney annual calender. As popularity broadens, so too does the selection of wines, and this year there is a selection of over 250 varieties of wine to choose from. With 65 per cent from the New World (California, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand) and 35 per cent from Old World sites (France, Italy and Spain), Disney have set a long stage for all connoisseurs.
From October to November Epcot will play host to more than 25 internationally themed market places, offering up tapas size portions of local cuisine. Here are some of the things to look forward to:
*
This year we see the festival adding three new destinations, Belgium, South Korea and Singapore. Among the returning marketplaces are Chile, Poland, South Africa and Spain.
*
Celebrity chefs and cook book authors will be available for signings.
*
Two new Epcot restaurants, the Via Napoli serving up authentic Italian pizza, and La Hacienda de San Angel at the Mexican pavilion.
*
Festival favourite, the weekly 'Party for the Senses' grand tasting event with wonderful offerings from prominent chefs, more than 50 wines, and live entertainment from the Cirque du Soleil.
In addition to the festival taking place in the Epcot centre this is also a great opportunity for the restaurants in the resort to expand their wine selections. Jiko- The Cooking Place a restaurant in Disney World's Animal Kingdom, offers an exclusively South African wine list, constituting the largest selection of South African wine in the USA. Meanwhile Artist Point at the Wilderness Lodge only serves wines that originate from the Pacific Northwest.
Narcoosee's in the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa will be eager to find some good white wines to accompany their fish selections. The Yachtsman's Steakhouse at the Yacht Club Resort will be looking for red wine to couple with their beef dishes.
The jewel in Disney's restaurant crown is perhaps the AAA Five-Diamond award winning Victoria & Albert at the Grand Floridian Resort and Spa which has 700 selections on its menu and a whopping cellar of over 4,200 wines.
Meanwhile The Wave at Disney's Contemporary Resort offers a great variety of New World numbers.
Throughout the festival there should be enough to suit everyone's pallet.
Monday 23 August 2010
Gatorland, The Alligators Great White Hope
With its iconic Gator mouth entrance you know you will be venturing into a theme park that will do more than just flash its white teeth at you. GatorLand is an 110 acre theme park and wildlife preserve located along the South Blossom Trail in Orlando. The park was established by Owen Godwin in 1949 and is still privately owned by his family today. It is coined as the 'Alligator Capital of the World', and is a place that features over thousands of alligators and crocodiles as well as a breeding marsh with a board walk and a observation tower. There are one of a kind reptile shows, nature walks, aviary and a petting zoo. There are also some other things that get people involved such as a miniature water park, Lilly's Pad that is a children's splash zone and playground. Also for those who want to learn about creatures there are educational programs. At Gatorland there are live shows which that will be fun for all of the family, there you can watch the unique way of feeding the alligators with the world famous Gator Jumparoo or get up close with Animal Encounters or watch a good olé fashion Gator wrestlin' show.
The park is known for leucistic alligators, which are pale white alligators with blue eyes. There are 5 million Alligators in the world but only 12 of them are leucistic and Gatorland has four kept in their park. They were collected from the Louisiana swamp, the ivory reptiles were a part of 17 infants that were recovered by workers from the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company who had been surveying the area in 1986. They later brought hatchings to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans only a few of the reptiles survived before they where moved top Gatorland in 2008.
This is the largest group of Giant white Alligators in the world , they are often confuse with being albino which is not the case as they have a little bit of pigmentation and a little tough on the tail and piercing blue eyes. It is a rare genetic condition that reduces the colour pigmentation in their skin. Other than them being Leucistic there is nothing different about them they eat the same food as normal alligators such as chicken, fish, red meat and vitamin supplements. But because they are white and only ten to eleven plus feet, they are vulnerable to many predators. The lack of pigmentation deprives them of natural camouflage.
They also have have to be housed in special enclosures to protect them from sunlight, although they still get a bit of sunlight and also because they are all male alligators it keeps them from fighting with others. The team at the park are hoping they could breed more white Alligators as there two female alligators that have the leucistic gene in them.
The Park draws roughly 400,000 visitors every year which is good especially as Orlando is a place filled with loads of attractions that can easily make Gatorland a place that is overlooked. Such places as the Disney world resorts and the Universal studios resorts. So if you want to see the world's rarest Alligator's in the world you its only an Orlando vacation rentals away.
The park is known for leucistic alligators, which are pale white alligators with blue eyes. There are 5 million Alligators in the world but only 12 of them are leucistic and Gatorland has four kept in their park. They were collected from the Louisiana swamp, the ivory reptiles were a part of 17 infants that were recovered by workers from the Louisiana Land and Exploration Company who had been surveying the area in 1986. They later brought hatchings to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans only a few of the reptiles survived before they where moved top Gatorland in 2008.
This is the largest group of Giant white Alligators in the world , they are often confuse with being albino which is not the case as they have a little bit of pigmentation and a little tough on the tail and piercing blue eyes. It is a rare genetic condition that reduces the colour pigmentation in their skin. Other than them being Leucistic there is nothing different about them they eat the same food as normal alligators such as chicken, fish, red meat and vitamin supplements. But because they are white and only ten to eleven plus feet, they are vulnerable to many predators. The lack of pigmentation deprives them of natural camouflage.
They also have have to be housed in special enclosures to protect them from sunlight, although they still get a bit of sunlight and also because they are all male alligators it keeps them from fighting with others. The team at the park are hoping they could breed more white Alligators as there two female alligators that have the leucistic gene in them.
The Park draws roughly 400,000 visitors every year which is good especially as Orlando is a place filled with loads of attractions that can easily make Gatorland a place that is overlooked. Such places as the Disney world resorts and the Universal studios resorts. So if you want to see the world's rarest Alligator's in the world you its only an Orlando vacation rentals away.
Friday 20 August 2010
Wizarding World of Harry Potter's Butterbeer is the Smash Hit Product Launch of the Year
There may be no bigger product launch smash this year than Butterbeer," WalletPop.com said.
They are referring to the latest Soft drink launch, currently available exclusively at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park at Universal studios in Orlando Florida.
As Harry Potter fans flock to this theme park sensation, many of them are left at least half enchanted by the Butterbeer product. Wesh.com reporter, Gabe travers noted the the curious phenomena of the Butterbeer. “It's interesting that one small thing they can sell for a few dollars is getting as much attention as the rides ”, he wrote in his review of the the theme park.
Since the Harry Potter theme park opened on June 18, Butterbeer has been one of the most searched for terms on the internet. A recipe on the fansite Mugglenet.com received nearly 3,500 hits on the day of the theme parks opening, and is now averaging 1,200 views a day.
Universal are keeping their recipe top secret at the moment, a press release has only gleaned that the drink is "reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch."
In the Harry Potter novels, the beverage seems to have a slightly intoxicating effect, and some of the online recipes add a healthy dosage of butterscotch schnapps for good measure. The drink served at the park is a non-alcoholic variation. When J.K. Rowling was asked about Butterbeer in 2002 she revealed she had made the drink up. “I imagine it tastes a little like less sickly butterscotch”, the author said.
The creators of the beverage for the park were keen to get Rowling's approval for their recipe, which was granted after the writer sampled it herself.
This buzz of the Rowling approval seems to have spurred the popularity of the drink. “Everyone knows Butterbeer was approved by J.K. Rowling, so people want to taste it and see if their tastebuds match up, ” said Travers in his review of the park.
Butterbeer is being sold in two varieties at the moment, the regular chilled version and the frozen version. Many fans have been sampling both varieties in the park. “There are some two-fisted butterbeer moments happening," said Tom Schroeder, a spokesman for universal.
The general consensus amongst fans on the internet forums is that the frozen is the better variety.
Both variations have proved a great success with visitors in the park and has generally been receiving rave reviews. Though on discerning 11 year old visitor is slightly less under its spell, voicing her little reservations "It was too sweet to chug down, but it was good for the first five sips or so."
In a few months the Harry Potter park at Universal studios has become a cornerstone to Orlando's theme park region. Many hotels, that feared a decline due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, have been enjoying full bookings, while owners of the various Orlando vacation rentals have also had a summer in which their properties have generally been fully occupied throughout.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try some of the amazing Orlando vacation rentals available at VacationRentalPeople.com.
They are referring to the latest Soft drink launch, currently available exclusively at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park at Universal studios in Orlando Florida.
As Harry Potter fans flock to this theme park sensation, many of them are left at least half enchanted by the Butterbeer product. Wesh.com reporter, Gabe travers noted the the curious phenomena of the Butterbeer. “It's interesting that one small thing they can sell for a few dollars is getting as much attention as the rides ”, he wrote in his review of the the theme park.
Since the Harry Potter theme park opened on June 18, Butterbeer has been one of the most searched for terms on the internet. A recipe on the fansite Mugglenet.com received nearly 3,500 hits on the day of the theme parks opening, and is now averaging 1,200 views a day.
Universal are keeping their recipe top secret at the moment, a press release has only gleaned that the drink is "reminiscent of shortbread and butterscotch."
In the Harry Potter novels, the beverage seems to have a slightly intoxicating effect, and some of the online recipes add a healthy dosage of butterscotch schnapps for good measure. The drink served at the park is a non-alcoholic variation. When J.K. Rowling was asked about Butterbeer in 2002 she revealed she had made the drink up. “I imagine it tastes a little like less sickly butterscotch”, the author said.
The creators of the beverage for the park were keen to get Rowling's approval for their recipe, which was granted after the writer sampled it herself.
This buzz of the Rowling approval seems to have spurred the popularity of the drink. “Everyone knows Butterbeer was approved by J.K. Rowling, so people want to taste it and see if their tastebuds match up, ” said Travers in his review of the park.
Butterbeer is being sold in two varieties at the moment, the regular chilled version and the frozen version. Many fans have been sampling both varieties in the park. “There are some two-fisted butterbeer moments happening," said Tom Schroeder, a spokesman for universal.
The general consensus amongst fans on the internet forums is that the frozen is the better variety.
Both variations have proved a great success with visitors in the park and has generally been receiving rave reviews. Though on discerning 11 year old visitor is slightly less under its spell, voicing her little reservations "It was too sweet to chug down, but it was good for the first five sips or so."
In a few months the Harry Potter park at Universal studios has become a cornerstone to Orlando's theme park region. Many hotels, that feared a decline due to the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, have been enjoying full bookings, while owners of the various Orlando vacation rentals have also had a summer in which their properties have generally been fully occupied throughout.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try some of the amazing Orlando vacation rentals available at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Thursday 19 August 2010
The Cities of Disney You Didn't Know About But Have Probably Been Too
Disney is a powerful corporation that has a strong foothold in Florida: millions turn up to their resort that is known all over the world is one place kids dream of visiting and the Magic Kingdom is the world's most visited place for themed entertainment in the world. But not many people know that the Walt Disney company owns two cities in Florida.
Lake Buena Vista is a city in the Orange County that is known as being the home to parts of the Walt Disney World Resort and is one of the two municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company. There are 16 people, 9 households and five families that reside in the city, and out of the 9 households only one had children under the age of 18 living with them.
The lake in the city actually located east of the Buena Vista Golf Course, it is a small body of water west of the crossing of State Road 535 nd Interstate 4. The lake was named the Black Lake before Disney came and changed it. They say that the name comes from Buena Vista Street in Burbank, California where the Disney corporate offices are located and also where the main studios are situated. Several Walt Disney Company business entities have used the names containing 'Buena Vista'; a Spanish phrase that when translated becomes “good view”, which is what you get when looking out to the look from one of Orlando vacation rentals.
The other city that is controlled by Disney is Bay Lake. The population of this city is 23, with the lake of the city is located to the east of The Magic Kingdom theme park. Most of the World Disney Resort, including all four theme parks and one of the water parks, is located in Bay Lake. Which means most of the attractions associated with Disney are located in this city.
The laws of Florida, incorporating the City of Reedy Creek, were signed into law by Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on May 12, 1967 under chapter 67 -1965 this was for Lake Buena Vista, whilst on the same day he also signed chapters 67-764 creating the Reedy Creek Improvement District and 67-1104 this one was for Bay Lake. In 1969 a law which didn't need the Governor’s approval redefined the city boundaries which meant that the cities were moved and renamed to reflect both of their locations. The Bay Lake city also was expanded because of this.
Disney’s original plans for this site was to have at least one futuristic living area which hey dubbed “community of the future” but this was never built; although some of the ideas were used in the EPCOT theme park and the later Celebration - a city that Disney use to own up until 1994.
The only people who live in these two cities are Disney employees that live in a community on the north of Bay lake (Bay court) and North of down town Disney (Royal Oak Court of Lake Buena Vista).
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try some of the amazing Orlando vacation rentals available at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Lake Buena Vista is a city in the Orange County that is known as being the home to parts of the Walt Disney World Resort and is one of the two municipalities controlled by The Walt Disney Company. There are 16 people, 9 households and five families that reside in the city, and out of the 9 households only one had children under the age of 18 living with them.
The lake in the city actually located east of the Buena Vista Golf Course, it is a small body of water west of the crossing of State Road 535 nd Interstate 4. The lake was named the Black Lake before Disney came and changed it. They say that the name comes from Buena Vista Street in Burbank, California where the Disney corporate offices are located and also where the main studios are situated. Several Walt Disney Company business entities have used the names containing 'Buena Vista'; a Spanish phrase that when translated becomes “good view”, which is what you get when looking out to the look from one of Orlando vacation rentals.
The other city that is controlled by Disney is Bay Lake. The population of this city is 23, with the lake of the city is located to the east of The Magic Kingdom theme park. Most of the World Disney Resort, including all four theme parks and one of the water parks, is located in Bay Lake. Which means most of the attractions associated with Disney are located in this city.
The laws of Florida, incorporating the City of Reedy Creek, were signed into law by Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. on May 12, 1967 under chapter 67 -1965 this was for Lake Buena Vista, whilst on the same day he also signed chapters 67-764 creating the Reedy Creek Improvement District and 67-1104 this one was for Bay Lake. In 1969 a law which didn't need the Governor’s approval redefined the city boundaries which meant that the cities were moved and renamed to reflect both of their locations. The Bay Lake city also was expanded because of this.
Disney’s original plans for this site was to have at least one futuristic living area which hey dubbed “community of the future” but this was never built; although some of the ideas were used in the EPCOT theme park and the later Celebration - a city that Disney use to own up until 1994.
The only people who live in these two cities are Disney employees that live in a community on the north of Bay lake (Bay court) and North of down town Disney (Royal Oak Court of Lake Buena Vista).
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try some of the amazing Orlando vacation rentals available at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Wednesday 18 August 2010
New Legislation to Make it Easier to Rent Property in Italy
If you was you to ask an Italian if they could make a spaghetti bolognese they would give you a puzzled look. It is a common misconception that this dish was made popular in Italy and that is all they eat. You won't see many people eating the dish in their villas in Italy.
So what is Spaghetti Bolognese? It is meat sauce served on a bed of spaghetti, sometimes with a sprinkling of grated partisan or parmigiano cheese to add to the flavour but there are slight variations. It is called Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Spaghetti Bolognese, Esparguete à bolonhesa or Spaghetti Bolognaise so it is easy to confuse anyone even those who know of the dish, add to the fact that it is mainly popular outside of Italy.
Also it didn't exist in its namesake city Bologna, in the city they always served Ragu with egg pastas tagliatelle or lasagne. Naples, a place where a lot of different Italian dishes are made, is where Spaghetti comes from and the Naples Ragu of a meat flavoured thick tomato sauce sticks much better to the slippery nature of Spaghetti better than Bologna's ground beef ragu. Although there are some that do claim that the Bologna Ragu based dish is a form of Spaghetti Bolgnese which is why you see a sauce less form of the dish.
The 'traditional' recipe was registered in 1982 by the Bolognese delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina, who rounded up the ingredients to: beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, white wine, and milk or cream. Although they admit there can be slight variations to the traditional ingredients such as the use of chopped pork or pork sausage instead of beef, while other meats such as chicken may be used along with the beef.
The dish in other countries is different from the Italian counterparts as it seems more based on a tomato sauce rather than Ragu (meat based sauce). In Britain, Northern Europe and the United States the tomato sauce dominates the dish but the sauce is still made thick and rich thanks to the chunks of meat in the sauce and is served with big pasta shapes such as linguine, tagliatelle or fettuccine. Although there are some who try to make it authentic by adding spaghetti to it but due to the different consistency of the sauce it doesn't cling to the tomato sauce so it isn't recommended to wear a white top when eating that version. In Norway the dish is very popular especially among children.
In Australia and New Zealand it has almost become a custom to some families to have Bolognese on Tuesday nights as a family meal, this is due to a popular sauce brand called latina who had an advertising campaign in the 1960s and whilst the advertisements no longer play the tradition still remains strong. Chinese people call it 'Western Zhajiang Main' because it looks similar to the traditional Chinese dish. The Zhajiang Mian is dry noodles covered with a thick ragu which is mainly minced meat, on the other hand westerners called Zhajiang Mian 'Chinese Spaghetti'.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
So what is Spaghetti Bolognese? It is meat sauce served on a bed of spaghetti, sometimes with a sprinkling of grated partisan or parmigiano cheese to add to the flavour but there are slight variations. It is called Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Spaghetti Bolognese, Esparguete à bolonhesa or Spaghetti Bolognaise so it is easy to confuse anyone even those who know of the dish, add to the fact that it is mainly popular outside of Italy.
Also it didn't exist in its namesake city Bologna, in the city they always served Ragu with egg pastas tagliatelle or lasagne. Naples, a place where a lot of different Italian dishes are made, is where Spaghetti comes from and the Naples Ragu of a meat flavoured thick tomato sauce sticks much better to the slippery nature of Spaghetti better than Bologna's ground beef ragu. Although there are some that do claim that the Bologna Ragu based dish is a form of Spaghetti Bolgnese which is why you see a sauce less form of the dish.
The 'traditional' recipe was registered in 1982 by the Bolognese delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina, who rounded up the ingredients to: beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, white wine, and milk or cream. Although they admit there can be slight variations to the traditional ingredients such as the use of chopped pork or pork sausage instead of beef, while other meats such as chicken may be used along with the beef.
The dish in other countries is different from the Italian counterparts as it seems more based on a tomato sauce rather than Ragu (meat based sauce). In Britain, Northern Europe and the United States the tomato sauce dominates the dish but the sauce is still made thick and rich thanks to the chunks of meat in the sauce and is served with big pasta shapes such as linguine, tagliatelle or fettuccine. Although there are some who try to make it authentic by adding spaghetti to it but due to the different consistency of the sauce it doesn't cling to the tomato sauce so it isn't recommended to wear a white top when eating that version. In Norway the dish is very popular especially among children.
In Australia and New Zealand it has almost become a custom to some families to have Bolognese on Tuesday nights as a family meal, this is due to a popular sauce brand called latina who had an advertising campaign in the 1960s and whilst the advertisements no longer play the tradition still remains strong. Chinese people call it 'Western Zhajiang Main' because it looks similar to the traditional Chinese dish. The Zhajiang Mian is dry noodles covered with a thick ragu which is mainly minced meat, on the other hand westerners called Zhajiang Mian 'Chinese Spaghetti'.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Spaghetti Bolognese... What is That?
If you was you to ask an Italian if they could make a spaghetti bolognese they would give you a puzzled look. It is a common misconception that this dish was made popular in Italy and that is all they eat. You won't see many people eating the dish in their villas in Italy.
So what is Spaghetti Bolognese? It is meat sauce served on a bed of spaghetti, sometimes with a sprinkling of grated partisan or parmigiano cheese to add to the flavour but there are slight variations. It is called Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Spaghetti Bolognese, Esparguete à bolonhesa or Spaghetti Bolognaise so it is easy to confuse anyone even those who know of the dish, add to the fact that it is mainly popular outside of Italy.
Also it didn't exist in its namesake city Bologna, in the city they always served Ragu with egg pastas tagliatelle or lasagne. Naples, a place where a lot of different Italian dishes are made, is where Spaghetti comes from and the Naples Ragu of a meat flavoured thick tomato sauce sticks much better to the slippery nature of Spaghetti better than Bologna's ground beef ragu. Although there are some that do claim that the Bologna Ragu based dish is a form of Spaghetti Bolgnese which is why you see a sauce less form of the dish.
The 'traditional' recipe was registered in 1982 by the Bolognese delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina, who rounded up the ingredients to: beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, white wine, and milk or cream. Although they admit there can be slight variations to the traditional ingredients such as the use of chopped pork or pork sausage instead of beef, while other meats such as chicken may be used along with the beef.
The dish in other countries is different from the Italian counterparts as it seems more based on a tomato sauce rather than Ragu (meat based sauce). In Britain, Northern Europe and the United States the tomato sauce dominates the dish but the sauce is still made thick and rich thanks to the chunks of meat in the sauce and is served with big pasta shapes such as linguine, tagliatelle or fettuccine. Although there are some who try to make it authentic by adding spaghetti to it but due to the different consistency of the sauce it doesn't cling to the tomato sauce so it isn't recommended to wear a white top when eating that version. In Norway the dish is very popular especially among children.
In Australia and New Zealand it has almost become a custom to some families to have Bolognese on Tuesday nights as a family meal, this is due to a popular sauce brand called latina who had an advertising campaign in the 1960s and whilst the advertisements no longer play the tradition still remains strong. Chinese people call it 'Western Zhajiang Main' because it looks similar to the traditional Chinese dish. The Zhajiang Mian is dry noodles covered with a thick ragu which is mainly minced meat, on the other hand westerners called Zhajiang Mian 'Chinese Spaghetti'.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
So what is Spaghetti Bolognese? It is meat sauce served on a bed of spaghetti, sometimes with a sprinkling of grated partisan or parmigiano cheese to add to the flavour but there are slight variations. It is called Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Spaghetti Bolognese, Esparguete à bolonhesa or Spaghetti Bolognaise so it is easy to confuse anyone even those who know of the dish, add to the fact that it is mainly popular outside of Italy.
Also it didn't exist in its namesake city Bologna, in the city they always served Ragu with egg pastas tagliatelle or lasagne. Naples, a place where a lot of different Italian dishes are made, is where Spaghetti comes from and the Naples Ragu of a meat flavoured thick tomato sauce sticks much better to the slippery nature of Spaghetti better than Bologna's ground beef ragu. Although there are some that do claim that the Bologna Ragu based dish is a form of Spaghetti Bolgnese which is why you see a sauce less form of the dish.
The 'traditional' recipe was registered in 1982 by the Bolognese delegation of Accademia Italiana della Cucina, who rounded up the ingredients to: beef, pancetta, onions, carrots, celery, tomato paste, meat broth, white wine, and milk or cream. Although they admit there can be slight variations to the traditional ingredients such as the use of chopped pork or pork sausage instead of beef, while other meats such as chicken may be used along with the beef.
The dish in other countries is different from the Italian counterparts as it seems more based on a tomato sauce rather than Ragu (meat based sauce). In Britain, Northern Europe and the United States the tomato sauce dominates the dish but the sauce is still made thick and rich thanks to the chunks of meat in the sauce and is served with big pasta shapes such as linguine, tagliatelle or fettuccine. Although there are some who try to make it authentic by adding spaghetti to it but due to the different consistency of the sauce it doesn't cling to the tomato sauce so it isn't recommended to wear a white top when eating that version. In Norway the dish is very popular especially among children.
In Australia and New Zealand it has almost become a custom to some families to have Bolognese on Tuesday nights as a family meal, this is due to a popular sauce brand called latina who had an advertising campaign in the 1960s and whilst the advertisements no longer play the tradition still remains strong. Chinese people call it 'Western Zhajiang Main' because it looks similar to the traditional Chinese dish. The Zhajiang Mian is dry noodles covered with a thick ragu which is mainly minced meat, on the other hand westerners called Zhajiang Mian 'Chinese Spaghetti'.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Monday 16 August 2010
The Country in Rome
The Vatican city was established in 1929, it is situated within the city of Rome. It is one of the most sacred places in Christendom, attests to a great history and a formidable spiritual venture, this small slice of the city is packed with more history and artwork than most cities in the world. It is the smallest independent state in the world, but is the most visited. The Vatican sits atop a low lying hill just a few hundred metres west of the River Tiber.
Although the city is an independent country it is completely surrounded by the City of Rome. This is the centre of Roman Catholicism, and the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries. Also it deals with issues, passports, coins, and stamps these are its form of economy. It has a radio station and a publishing house and the Flamboyantly dressed Swiss Guards. John Paul II, the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, was elected in 1978. Pope Benedict XVI was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican City in 2005 after Pope John Paul II's death.
The Vatican is one Rome's most visited so staying there might be a problem. But you have to consider the fact that Rome has some of the most beautiful villas in Italy. The easiest way to get to the Vatican from Rome is via the metro service to Ottaviano-San Pietro. Where it is a short walk away if you can't take the Metro then there are buses that get there as well.
There are an unique collection of artistic and architectural masterpieces lie within the boundaries of this small state. The first building you will see at the end of the Via Della Conciliazione, is St. Peter’s Basilica which was designed by Michelangelo and his Pieta is exhibited within the building. Also if you go to the top of the roof you will see a great view of the whole Vatican city. It's usually better to go when sun is rising or or setting as during the day its usually hazy. Also the in house museum is great and see the grotto below, this is where St. Peter and John Paul II as well as other popes are buried. The baldequino over the main altar built with bronze looted from the Pantheon is an interesting example of baroque design.
There are other Vatican sites such as the Apostolic palace which is the official residence of the Pope. It is known as the Sacred palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican. The Vatican itself refers to it as the Palace of Sixtus V in honour of Pope Sixtus. There are also the Vatican Gardens which take up half of the territory it covers approximately 23 hectares, there you will see it is decorated with fountains and sculptures. These gardens date back to medieval times when orchards and vineyards extended to the north of the Papal Apostolic Palace. Then there is the museum, St Pietro and many more.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Although the city is an independent country it is completely surrounded by the City of Rome. This is the centre of Roman Catholicism, and the Holy See maintains diplomatic relations with more than 150 countries. Also it deals with issues, passports, coins, and stamps these are its form of economy. It has a radio station and a publishing house and the Flamboyantly dressed Swiss Guards. John Paul II, the first non-Italian Pope in 455 years, was elected in 1978. Pope Benedict XVI was elected head of the Roman Catholic Church and Vatican City in 2005 after Pope John Paul II's death.
The Vatican is one Rome's most visited so staying there might be a problem. But you have to consider the fact that Rome has some of the most beautiful villas in Italy. The easiest way to get to the Vatican from Rome is via the metro service to Ottaviano-San Pietro. Where it is a short walk away if you can't take the Metro then there are buses that get there as well.
There are an unique collection of artistic and architectural masterpieces lie within the boundaries of this small state. The first building you will see at the end of the Via Della Conciliazione, is St. Peter’s Basilica which was designed by Michelangelo and his Pieta is exhibited within the building. Also if you go to the top of the roof you will see a great view of the whole Vatican city. It's usually better to go when sun is rising or or setting as during the day its usually hazy. Also the in house museum is great and see the grotto below, this is where St. Peter and John Paul II as well as other popes are buried. The baldequino over the main altar built with bronze looted from the Pantheon is an interesting example of baroque design.
There are other Vatican sites such as the Apostolic palace which is the official residence of the Pope. It is known as the Sacred palace, the Papal Palace and the Palace of the Vatican. The Vatican itself refers to it as the Palace of Sixtus V in honour of Pope Sixtus. There are also the Vatican Gardens which take up half of the territory it covers approximately 23 hectares, there you will see it is decorated with fountains and sculptures. These gardens date back to medieval times when orchards and vineyards extended to the north of the Papal Apostolic Palace. Then there is the museum, St Pietro and many more.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Friday 13 August 2010
The City That Was Ruined by a Volcano
If you're wondering where Pompeii is, then you'll need to look in the Italian region of Campania, near Naples. Close to the bay of Naples, with the coast to the west and the Apennine Mountains to the east, Campania is a fertile plain, traversed by two major rivers and blessed with soil rich. Pompeii (along with sister city Herculaneum) is a ruined and partially buried Roman town-city, it was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophe.
Mount Vesuvius at one point was very active volcano, though it had remained dormant for as long as humans could remember. There was no evidence of any form of destruction before and the people of the city didn't realise there was any potential for danger. The first warning sign of the volcano was on February 5th 62 AD, around midday a long muffled roar shook the whole town and nobody knew what it is or where it had come from. After, the earth began to tremble and buildings started to collapse. This led to people rushing out of town - only to fall prey to deep chasms that ripped open the countryside without warning. The first earthquake lasted for a short period, however an hour later there was another one that seized the area. This continued to happen until nightfall.
For the next 17 years Pompeii concentrated on repairing the damages the earthquake had caused, determined to make their town even more splendid than before. Campania was peaceful and prosperous once more, and their maritime trading industry continued to be successful. Signs of the upcoming eruption began at the beginning of August in AD.79. Small tremors shook the ground, but the quakes were so insignificant and caused so little damage that few paid any attention to them. Springs and wells also dried up, which in ancient times was often interpreted as a sign of the gods' displeasure.
The first signs of the destruction of Pompeii started to show on August 20th: the earth started to rumble and crack, while the calm sea turned into giant waves and animals started to become unsettled as if they could foresee the future. On the morning of August 24th the volcano blew its top, it spewed loads of molten ash, pumice and sulphuric gas miles into the atmosphere. A fire storm of poisonous vapours and molten debris engulfed the surrounding area suffocating the inhabitants. The mud seeped down the sides to Vesuvius farms, orchards and villas swallowing them all in its way.
Artefacts were discovered by people who lived on the land, scholars have hypothesized they found from the famous la Citta. Excavations didn't occur until the eighteenth century, when Herculaneum was rediscovered by a peasant digging a well. Pompeii was finally found on March 23, 1748, and from that date on excavations are still being done to in order to still reveal this mysterious city's secrets.
You can visit the ruins as it has been a popular destination for the past 250 years. There are tours and it is part of a national park. It is a World Heritage site and Pompeii is the driving force behind the economy of the nearby town of Pompei. Also, many residents are employed in the tourism and hospitality business. Being so close to Naples - which has some of the best villas in Italy - there is no excuse why this site is on your to do list.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Mount Vesuvius at one point was very active volcano, though it had remained dormant for as long as humans could remember. There was no evidence of any form of destruction before and the people of the city didn't realise there was any potential for danger. The first warning sign of the volcano was on February 5th 62 AD, around midday a long muffled roar shook the whole town and nobody knew what it is or where it had come from. After, the earth began to tremble and buildings started to collapse. This led to people rushing out of town - only to fall prey to deep chasms that ripped open the countryside without warning. The first earthquake lasted for a short period, however an hour later there was another one that seized the area. This continued to happen until nightfall.
For the next 17 years Pompeii concentrated on repairing the damages the earthquake had caused, determined to make their town even more splendid than before. Campania was peaceful and prosperous once more, and their maritime trading industry continued to be successful. Signs of the upcoming eruption began at the beginning of August in AD.79. Small tremors shook the ground, but the quakes were so insignificant and caused so little damage that few paid any attention to them. Springs and wells also dried up, which in ancient times was often interpreted as a sign of the gods' displeasure.
The first signs of the destruction of Pompeii started to show on August 20th: the earth started to rumble and crack, while the calm sea turned into giant waves and animals started to become unsettled as if they could foresee the future. On the morning of August 24th the volcano blew its top, it spewed loads of molten ash, pumice and sulphuric gas miles into the atmosphere. A fire storm of poisonous vapours and molten debris engulfed the surrounding area suffocating the inhabitants. The mud seeped down the sides to Vesuvius farms, orchards and villas swallowing them all in its way.
Artefacts were discovered by people who lived on the land, scholars have hypothesized they found from the famous la Citta. Excavations didn't occur until the eighteenth century, when Herculaneum was rediscovered by a peasant digging a well. Pompeii was finally found on March 23, 1748, and from that date on excavations are still being done to in order to still reveal this mysterious city's secrets.
You can visit the ruins as it has been a popular destination for the past 250 years. There are tours and it is part of a national park. It is a World Heritage site and Pompeii is the driving force behind the economy of the nearby town of Pompei. Also, many residents are employed in the tourism and hospitality business. Being so close to Naples - which has some of the best villas in Italy - there is no excuse why this site is on your to do list.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in Italy at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
Strasbourg – A Bookworm's Paradise
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region, which is in the north-eastern part of France, located close to the border with Germany and it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin department. It is widely known for hosting a number of important European institutions such as the seat of several European institutions including the Council of Europe (with its European Court of Human Rights, its European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and its European Audiovisual Observatory) and the Eurocorps, as well as the European Parliament and the European Ombudsman of the European Union. The city is the seat of the Central Commission for Navigation on the Rhine.
The Grande Île is the historic centre and is an island in the Ill River; it means Grand Island and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. At this time it was noted by the International Council on Monuments and sites that Grande Île is 'an old quarter that exemplifies medieval cities'. Other than the Strasbourg Cathedral Grande Île is also host to four other centuries old churches: St. Thomas, St. Pierre-le-Vieux, St. Pierre-le-Jeune and St. Étienne. To mark the world heritage status in Grande Île, 22 brass plates were placed on the bridges that give access to the island. Grand Île is sometimes referred to as "ellipse insulaire" because of its shape.
Strasbourg has been a bridge of unity between France and Germany for centuries particularly through its university of Strasbourg which is currently the largest in France.
In Strasbourg is the second largest library in France, it’s the Bibliothèque nationale et universitaire which has more than 3,000,000 titles in its collection. It was founded by the German administration after the previous library in the city was destroyed in 1871; it is simultaneously with being a student's and a national library. The other library Bibliothèque municipale de Strasbourg manages a network of ten medium sized libraries in various parts of the town. They also have the largest library in Eastern France that is the Médiathèque André Malraux which is six stories high.
Strasbourg is one of the cities that have one of the earliest centres of book printing in Europe, Strasbourg for a long time held a large number of incunabula in their libraries as one of their most valued heritages but after the destruction a new collection had to be reorganised from scratch. Today the various libraries in Strasbourg have a large display of incunabula.
Strasbourg is a pedestrian friendly city, a load of large tour groups especially frequent during the summer months and during the annual winter market. The tourist office sells numerous self-guided walking tours throughout the town as cheap as €1.
There’s something very Novel about the city, everywhere you look you can see why it is ranked highly when it comes to quality of living. This will put your minds to rest as they have some of the highest quality villas in France. Whether you want to go to a library and have a read or just want to tour the city with a guide in your hand Strasbourg will no doubt bring out the bibliophile in you.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in France at VacationRentalPeople.com.
The Grande Île is the historic centre and is an island in the Ill River; it means Grand Island and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1988. At this time it was noted by the International Council on Monuments and sites that Grande Île is 'an old quarter that exemplifies medieval cities'. Other than the Strasbourg Cathedral Grande Île is also host to four other centuries old churches: St. Thomas, St. Pierre-le-Vieux, St. Pierre-le-Jeune and St. Étienne. To mark the world heritage status in Grande Île, 22 brass plates were placed on the bridges that give access to the island. Grand Île is sometimes referred to as "ellipse insulaire" because of its shape.
Strasbourg has been a bridge of unity between France and Germany for centuries particularly through its university of Strasbourg which is currently the largest in France.
In Strasbourg is the second largest library in France, it’s the Bibliothèque nationale et universitaire which has more than 3,000,000 titles in its collection. It was founded by the German administration after the previous library in the city was destroyed in 1871; it is simultaneously with being a student's and a national library. The other library Bibliothèque municipale de Strasbourg manages a network of ten medium sized libraries in various parts of the town. They also have the largest library in Eastern France that is the Médiathèque André Malraux which is six stories high.
Strasbourg is one of the cities that have one of the earliest centres of book printing in Europe, Strasbourg for a long time held a large number of incunabula in their libraries as one of their most valued heritages but after the destruction a new collection had to be reorganised from scratch. Today the various libraries in Strasbourg have a large display of incunabula.
Strasbourg is a pedestrian friendly city, a load of large tour groups especially frequent during the summer months and during the annual winter market. The tourist office sells numerous self-guided walking tours throughout the town as cheap as €1.
There’s something very Novel about the city, everywhere you look you can see why it is ranked highly when it comes to quality of living. This will put your minds to rest as they have some of the highest quality villas in France. Whether you want to go to a library and have a read or just want to tour the city with a guide in your hand Strasbourg will no doubt bring out the bibliophile in you.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in France at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Friday 6 August 2010
You Gotta Louvre Going to the Museum
The Musée du Louvre (Grand Louvre) or Louvre Museum inn English is a museum that can boast a few things: they can boast being one of the world's largest museum in the world and the most visited museum in the world. Their visitor count smashes the second placed museum, the British museum. The British Museum has just over 5,500,000 visitors while the Louvre has 8,500,000 visitors per year almost three million more. It can also boast that it is a historic monument and is a central landmark of Paris. Where it is located you will find some of the best villas in France as Paris is a city full of culture.
The museum is housed in the Louvre palace which is a building that was first built as a fortress in the late 12th century but there are still remains of the Fortress are still in place in the crypt. Over time the building has been extended numerous times, mostly over the middle ages to what you see today.
The Louvre was abandoned by Louis XIV who moved to Palace of Versailles whilst doing so he left most of his royal collection there making it a place to display them. This included items such as sculptures a few years after Louis left the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture occupied the building. The Académie stayed at the Louvre for roughly 100 years and during the French revolution, the National Assembly ruled that the Louvre should be used as a museum that would display some of the nation's greatest masterpieces.
On the the first anniversary of the monarchy's demise the 10th of August 1793 the museum was opened and had an exhibition of over 500 paintings and almost 200 objects of art, with most of the the pieces being items that were taken from church and royal properties. The public was given free access on three days per week The building had to be closed in 1796 because of structural problems that the building had, it was reopened on 1801. The influence of Napoleon became strong as he built up a good collection which increased the amount that the museum already had and because of this, the museum was renamed the Musée Napoléon. Although after the defeat at Waterloo many of the works that were seized from Napoleon's armies were returned to their original owners. But that didn't stop the collection from growing because during the reigns if Louis XVIII and Charles X the works increased and during the Second French Empire the museum had acquired 20,000 pieces. Holdings have grown steadily through donations and gifts since the Third Republic, except during the two World Wars. As of 2008, the collection is divided among eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings.
Today the Museum has almost 400,000 objects and 35,000 works of art in various departments and has more than 60, 600 square metres dedicated to the permanent collection, it has featured as the point of interest in the book and film The Da Vinci Code. The museum got a big pay-day by allowing filming of the filming in its galleries.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in France at VacationRentalPeople.com.
The museum is housed in the Louvre palace which is a building that was first built as a fortress in the late 12th century but there are still remains of the Fortress are still in place in the crypt. Over time the building has been extended numerous times, mostly over the middle ages to what you see today.
The Louvre was abandoned by Louis XIV who moved to Palace of Versailles whilst doing so he left most of his royal collection there making it a place to display them. This included items such as sculptures a few years after Louis left the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres and the Académie Royale de Peinture et de Sculpture occupied the building. The Académie stayed at the Louvre for roughly 100 years and during the French revolution, the National Assembly ruled that the Louvre should be used as a museum that would display some of the nation's greatest masterpieces.
On the the first anniversary of the monarchy's demise the 10th of August 1793 the museum was opened and had an exhibition of over 500 paintings and almost 200 objects of art, with most of the the pieces being items that were taken from church and royal properties. The public was given free access on three days per week The building had to be closed in 1796 because of structural problems that the building had, it was reopened on 1801. The influence of Napoleon became strong as he built up a good collection which increased the amount that the museum already had and because of this, the museum was renamed the Musée Napoléon. Although after the defeat at Waterloo many of the works that were seized from Napoleon's armies were returned to their original owners. But that didn't stop the collection from growing because during the reigns if Louis XVIII and Charles X the works increased and during the Second French Empire the museum had acquired 20,000 pieces. Holdings have grown steadily through donations and gifts since the Third Republic, except during the two World Wars. As of 2008, the collection is divided among eight curatorial departments: Egyptian Antiquities; Near Eastern Antiquities; Greek, Etruscan, and Roman Antiquities; Islamic Art; Sculpture; Decorative Arts; Paintings; Prints and Drawings.
Today the Museum has almost 400,000 objects and 35,000 works of art in various departments and has more than 60, 600 square metres dedicated to the permanent collection, it has featured as the point of interest in the book and film The Da Vinci Code. The museum got a big pay-day by allowing filming of the filming in its galleries.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great villas in France at VacationRentalPeople.com.
Thursday 5 August 2010
The Saint-Ouen Flea Market - From Rags to Riches
St-Ouen Flea market is the biggest of the three main flea markets in Paris. It is open on weekends and Mondays and sells almost anything you can think of from second hand to new clothes, old knickknack's and antiques. It is the leading antiques market in the world and is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the greater Paris region, which is no surprise as some of the best villas in France are nearby
The flea market is called Le Marche Aux Puces de Saint-Ouen and extends over seven hectares in Saint-Ouen. The flea market has around 70,000 visitors over its opening days and is one of Paris most famous shopping venues. There are over 2000 shops and stands in the flea market so you are bound to find something of your interest. This is a place that can appeal to bargain hunters or just those who fancy a stroll.
After the war in 1870, shopkeepers who were forced out of Paris built a village of rag merchants in Saint-Ouen, after a while they officially opened the market in 1885. The town of Saint-Ouen made sure to make the district safer and cleaner. This was helped by them charging the stall holders a parking fee. Parisians flocked there in increasing numbers particularly on Sunday, as this is almost like a ritual to them as a Sunday outing away from the city. The first four markets appeared between 1920 and 1938: Vernaison, Malik, Biron and Jules Vallès. The Marché du Biron was formed in 1925, with two long rows of stalls and is known as one of the more expensive markets.
After the first war, the market became so popular that the land around it was invested in. Streets were laid and necessities such as electricity and water were supplied to stands; although at a steep price. This made the area more contemporary and attractive so more crowds would turn up and it also helped it become famous for its cafés, bistros, restaurants and amusements: chips and mussels booths, dance cafés, traditional café games.
A few tips when going to the flea market:
Go in the morning as in the afternoon it gets very crowded. Bring a calculator with you to really see if what you are buying is really a deal as opposed to mentally juggling about different currencies.
If you are going to the market in a group then choose a central meeting point and time after you arrive there so that if members of your group do wander off in various directions, you can join back up with each other.
Hide your wallets under your shirt or sweaters around you upper body region, thankfully a lot of the dealer accept credit cards so if you rather pay that way you can as it will be easier and lighter for you. Also don't bring your passports with you as they're not needed especially when buying antiques although they do need credit cards.
If you are use to shopping at markets for antiques, then you will know that you could always banter with the dealer to get a cheaper price. Also if possible try to go with someone as sometimes you will need a second opinion, and having someone to ask "do you really need X?" also helps with the haggling.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great Villas in France at VacationRen-talPeople.com.
The flea market is called Le Marche Aux Puces de Saint-Ouen and extends over seven hectares in Saint-Ouen. The flea market has around 70,000 visitors over its opening days and is one of Paris most famous shopping venues. There are over 2000 shops and stands in the flea market so you are bound to find something of your interest. This is a place that can appeal to bargain hunters or just those who fancy a stroll.
After the war in 1870, shopkeepers who were forced out of Paris built a village of rag merchants in Saint-Ouen, after a while they officially opened the market in 1885. The town of Saint-Ouen made sure to make the district safer and cleaner. This was helped by them charging the stall holders a parking fee. Parisians flocked there in increasing numbers particularly on Sunday, as this is almost like a ritual to them as a Sunday outing away from the city. The first four markets appeared between 1920 and 1938: Vernaison, Malik, Biron and Jules Vallès. The Marché du Biron was formed in 1925, with two long rows of stalls and is known as one of the more expensive markets.
After the first war, the market became so popular that the land around it was invested in. Streets were laid and necessities such as electricity and water were supplied to stands; although at a steep price. This made the area more contemporary and attractive so more crowds would turn up and it also helped it become famous for its cafés, bistros, restaurants and amusements: chips and mussels booths, dance cafés, traditional café games.
A few tips when going to the flea market:
Go in the morning as in the afternoon it gets very crowded. Bring a calculator with you to really see if what you are buying is really a deal as opposed to mentally juggling about different currencies.
If you are going to the market in a group then choose a central meeting point and time after you arrive there so that if members of your group do wander off in various directions, you can join back up with each other.
Hide your wallets under your shirt or sweaters around you upper body region, thankfully a lot of the dealer accept credit cards so if you rather pay that way you can as it will be easier and lighter for you. Also don't bring your passports with you as they're not needed especially when buying antiques although they do need credit cards.
If you are use to shopping at markets for antiques, then you will know that you could always banter with the dealer to get a cheaper price. Also if possible try to go with someone as sometimes you will need a second opinion, and having someone to ask "do you really need X?" also helps with the haggling.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the great Villas in France at VacationRen-talPeople.com.
Wednesday 4 August 2010
Normandy Pays Tribute to its Illustrious Art History with the Impressionism Festival
Normandy is the landscape of Impressionism, at least in the respect there are few locations so inextricably linked to an artistic movement as Normandy is to Impressionism. Here there is always the faint memory of paintings seen, as you begin to mingle with the land depicted so often by Monet, Pissarro, Manet and Boudin
This land provided the perfect territory for this new breed of landscape painting, with good train services to the capital it offered them a good way to address the dichotomy of their reliance on the city for its funding, and their reliance on the countryside for the images it inspired. As a location it blended the modernistic (trains, industry) with the more unspoiled picturesque charm we are familiar with in Monet paintings such as 'White Waterlilies'
The Festival Normandie Impressioniste is a great excuse to get over to Normandy, rent one of the villas in France and take in some high quality culture. A series of events and exhibitions sweep through the area, paying homage to Normandy's rich cultural past.
It offers a series of boat rides, film-screenings, open air restaurants, amidst the nostalgia of Normandy's most prosperous artistic period.
Road to Rouen:
The hub of the festival, as it was the hub of Impressionism is Rouen, where the flagshi9p exhibition of impressionism shall take place, featuring the biggest names of the movement, Pissaro, Monet, Manet et al. Also featuring the earlier works of Gauguin before his switch to Surrealism in Brittany.
The highlight of the show is the collection of 11 of the 28 exhibiting of 11 of the 28 paintings Monet did of the Rouen cathedral, produced in all weathers. Though this takes precedence in the museum, there are some other charming pieces to be seen and this is a must as a port of call on the festival's route.
After you can take a trip up to the cathedral and see the building that Monet recreated so often with his paint. Opposite you can see the house from which, the artist viewed his subject.
In the town Pissarro's favourite bridge, Pont Boieldieu has been turned in to a considerable artwork. You can now walk underneath it using the 400ft plank installation by Belgian artist Arne Quinze.
In the centre of the town you will find place de View-Marche, a bizarre ship-shaped building, that is partially church, partially food market, it stands just next to the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Here you will find the new Gustave Flaubert lifting bridge, leading to riverside promenade and rehabilitated warehouses where the festival shall reach its climax with a big party on September 25th.
Many other towns around the region are holding events in hope for an influx of tourism in Normandy. These towns include Jumièges and the boucles de la Seine, Honfleur, La Côte Fleurie, Le Havre and Etretat, and Giverny.
For every Monet fan no trip would be complete without a journey to Giverny, the small which the artist is most associated with.
This land provided the perfect territory for this new breed of landscape painting, with good train services to the capital it offered them a good way to address the dichotomy of their reliance on the city for its funding, and their reliance on the countryside for the images it inspired. As a location it blended the modernistic (trains, industry) with the more unspoiled picturesque charm we are familiar with in Monet paintings such as 'White Waterlilies'
The Festival Normandie Impressioniste is a great excuse to get over to Normandy, rent one of the villas in France and take in some high quality culture. A series of events and exhibitions sweep through the area, paying homage to Normandy's rich cultural past.
It offers a series of boat rides, film-screenings, open air restaurants, amidst the nostalgia of Normandy's most prosperous artistic period.
Road to Rouen:
The hub of the festival, as it was the hub of Impressionism is Rouen, where the flagshi9p exhibition of impressionism shall take place, featuring the biggest names of the movement, Pissaro, Monet, Manet et al. Also featuring the earlier works of Gauguin before his switch to Surrealism in Brittany.
The highlight of the show is the collection of 11 of the 28 exhibiting of 11 of the 28 paintings Monet did of the Rouen cathedral, produced in all weathers. Though this takes precedence in the museum, there are some other charming pieces to be seen and this is a must as a port of call on the festival's route.
After you can take a trip up to the cathedral and see the building that Monet recreated so often with his paint. Opposite you can see the house from which, the artist viewed his subject.
In the town Pissarro's favourite bridge, Pont Boieldieu has been turned in to a considerable artwork. You can now walk underneath it using the 400ft plank installation by Belgian artist Arne Quinze.
In the centre of the town you will find place de View-Marche, a bizarre ship-shaped building, that is partially church, partially food market, it stands just next to the spot where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. Here you will find the new Gustave Flaubert lifting bridge, leading to riverside promenade and rehabilitated warehouses where the festival shall reach its climax with a big party on September 25th.
Many other towns around the region are holding events in hope for an influx of tourism in Normandy. These towns include Jumièges and the boucles de la Seine, Honfleur, La Côte Fleurie, Le Havre and Etretat, and Giverny.
For every Monet fan no trip would be complete without a journey to Giverny, the small which the artist is most associated with.
Tuesday 3 August 2010
Costa Del Sol Police to Launch New Tourist Service
It’s a bit of misdemeanour, the term ‘Costa Del Crime’ falsely leads people in to believing this part of southern Spain as an unsavoury place to holiday. In fact it the name was given to the region in the eighties in reference to the many British criminals who have found a little haven here.
In Puerto Banus the sun beams down on luxury yachts and fast cars, Rolls-Royces, Mercedes, BMWs, and the owners sip on Champagne at the quayside, in the restaurants and upmarket cafés.
While many are legitimate businessman, enjoying the spoils of their prosperity, this used to also be partially made up of a criminal underworld. Yet Britain had nearly 230 known criminals hiding out in Spain, many located around the Puerto Banus area, and in other vistas of the Costa Del Sol.
With them they brought their own self contained syndicate of crime, with British and Irish and Russian gangs jostling for territory, in a lucrative drug trade, constituted mainly of Cocaine sales.
Yet the days of London’s gangsters in luxury villas are mostly over, with many crooks extradited and charged in their own countries, this sleazier side to the Costa Del Sol, ‘The Costa Del Crime’, are widely over.
On the other side of the scale the Costa Del Sol is a mostly safe are for tourists, unaffected by the annals of organised crime. Yet as with any popular tourist destination, it is not uncommon to fall victim of petty crime, and burglaries and robberies are not unheard of in the Costa Del Sol.
Now both tourists and renters of holiday Costa Del Sol villas will be pleased to hear about Spanish authorities new plans to help travellers that are affected by crime. The newly opened Servicio de Atención al Turista Extranjero (SATE), will be offering its assistance to tourists who find themselves in the unfortunate position of being robbed.
It is a service that is designed specifically for travellers and will aid them with quick turnaround in dealing with their problems, and also offers counselling and credit card cancellation as required.
The main office for the service will be in the Costa Del Sol as the busiest tourist region of Spain, the headquarters for SATE will be in the tourist office, with other branches located in regional police stations. Here officers will have specifically trained for dealing with tourist issues to attend any
victims of petty or violent crime.
This project comes to head as Costa Del Sol continues its stronghold of Spanish tourism with Costa Del Sol villas being an encouraging prospect for British travellers on a tight budget.
With the clearing up of the organised crime scene in Southern Spain, this new movement serves to help clean up the lower side of crime in the Costa Del Sol. Protecting tourist interests serves as high priority to Southern Spain, as local authorities try to shun the ominous title ‘Costa Del Crime’, which has become associated with the area.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the beautiful Costa Del Sol villas at VacationRentalPeople.com.
In Puerto Banus the sun beams down on luxury yachts and fast cars, Rolls-Royces, Mercedes, BMWs, and the owners sip on Champagne at the quayside, in the restaurants and upmarket cafés.
While many are legitimate businessman, enjoying the spoils of their prosperity, this used to also be partially made up of a criminal underworld. Yet Britain had nearly 230 known criminals hiding out in Spain, many located around the Puerto Banus area, and in other vistas of the Costa Del Sol.
With them they brought their own self contained syndicate of crime, with British and Irish and Russian gangs jostling for territory, in a lucrative drug trade, constituted mainly of Cocaine sales.
Yet the days of London’s gangsters in luxury villas are mostly over, with many crooks extradited and charged in their own countries, this sleazier side to the Costa Del Sol, ‘The Costa Del Crime’, are widely over.
On the other side of the scale the Costa Del Sol is a mostly safe are for tourists, unaffected by the annals of organised crime. Yet as with any popular tourist destination, it is not uncommon to fall victim of petty crime, and burglaries and robberies are not unheard of in the Costa Del Sol.
Now both tourists and renters of holiday Costa Del Sol villas will be pleased to hear about Spanish authorities new plans to help travellers that are affected by crime. The newly opened Servicio de Atención al Turista Extranjero (SATE), will be offering its assistance to tourists who find themselves in the unfortunate position of being robbed.
It is a service that is designed specifically for travellers and will aid them with quick turnaround in dealing with their problems, and also offers counselling and credit card cancellation as required.
The main office for the service will be in the Costa Del Sol as the busiest tourist region of Spain, the headquarters for SATE will be in the tourist office, with other branches located in regional police stations. Here officers will have specifically trained for dealing with tourist issues to attend any
victims of petty or violent crime.
This project comes to head as Costa Del Sol continues its stronghold of Spanish tourism with Costa Del Sol villas being an encouraging prospect for British travellers on a tight budget.
With the clearing up of the organised crime scene in Southern Spain, this new movement serves to help clean up the lower side of crime in the Costa Del Sol. Protecting tourist interests serves as high priority to Southern Spain, as local authorities try to shun the ominous title ‘Costa Del Crime’, which has become associated with the area.
Vacation rentals from around the world, direct from the owner at vacationrentalpeople.com.
Try one of the beautiful Costa Del Sol villas at VacationRentalPeople.com.
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