CLOSED FOR THE HOLIDAYS

The heat has gone to our heads and our hearts are anxious to wander free. We’re off for some rest and relaxation, eager to recharge our batteries. But rest assured, we’ll be back in September with a host of exciting new surprises.

During the last few days of July we seem to be seeing and hearing things: the distant sound of the waves breaking on the shore, a faint whiff of salt in the air, and a slight golden hue to our skin – the result of those fleeting weekend getaways. But at last the moment has arrived: we’re off on our holidays! Ahead of us are long leisurely days in the sun, crystal-clear waters, magical spots, unforgettable sunsets, the melodious sound of crickets chirping…the perfect backdrop for a crazy summer romance!

So where are we heading for? We’ve asked around, and there are several destinations that seem to keep cropping up.

Some have opted to rent a cottage on Formentera. This is an island that once visited, almost everyone wants to return to. And it really is an idyllic spot. Overflowing with tranquillity, fun and nature, all in just the right amounts. Here you can relax in picturesque coves such as ‘Es Caló des Morts’ (known as the ‘Cove of the Dead’, the name may sound sinister but it really is a breathtakingly beautiful spot!), tuck into a delicious fish casserole at ‘El Moli de Sal’, enjoy a shopping trip to the hippy market, admire the spectacular sunsets from ‘La Mola’ viewpoint, or dance the night away at private beach parties…In other words, paradise.

On the other hand, there are those that prefer to explore the world. With a pair of comfortable boots and their backpacks, they set off in search of a thousand and one adventures. Thailand is a popular choice with backpackers. The mainland is packed with fascinating places to see (and walk around!): spectacular temples, magnificent nature reserves, mystical spots, chaotic cities, food like you’ve never seen and tasted before, magic rituals…and to round off the trip, give those adrenalin surges a break and chill out on any of the country’s countless beaches (they’ve all got something special about them). Probably the most famous of all is ‘Ko Phi Phi’ where, incidentally, the famous movie ‘The Beach’ was filmed.

And for those in search of a little romance, one of the most popular destinations is Santorini.
A volcano in the middle of the sea, topped by two towns that are so picturesque that it’s hard to believe they’re real. These dazzling white towns are crisscrossed with narrow winding streets where you could be forgiven for feeling as if you’re dreaming. Hire a motorbike and head off along the road in search of red sandy beaches where… surprise! you suddenly come across a gleaming white chapel that fires your imagination in time to the sounds of the musical ‘Mamma Mia’. Dive amongst the incredible sea life in the crater and walk on the sun-kissed earth. Taste a delicious moussaka and get caught up in the Greeks’ infectious love of life. And don’t forget to take the time to admire one of the most fabulous sunsets in the world. The views from Oia are guaranteed to give you goose pimples and even bring a tear to your eye.

They all look really tempting, don’t they?

So we’re off, but we’ll be back in September, with lots of exciting new features! We hope you have a great time on your holidays!

INTERESTING HOTELS FOR A DIFFERENT KIND OF MINI-BREAK

Easter holidays are about to begin for many of us. They are a preview for the long-awaited summer hols, a few days of escape in which we can rest and recharge our batteries while we hold out for our big summer getaway. We know that many of you choose to be by the sea, regardless of the weather. But even if you’ve decided already, let us suggest a couple of alternatives:

The first destination is at the heart of the Swiss Alps: how about sleeping in a tent gazing at the stars from 1,700 metres high, warming up next to a fire and surrounded by snow? Silence, tranquillity, pure nature, skiing, good food. It’s a hard plan to beat. An unforgettable experience in the heart of the mountains. See the following website.

The second destination that we recommend is also somewhat special: how would you like to spend a night in a log cabin up a tree, in the middle of the Catalonian sierra? A completely environmentally friendly holiday, a chance to enjoy a unique experience. Leaving your hotel means crossing the bridges that run from one tree to the next; ordering room service entails receiving a basket brought up to you by pulley. See these curious cabins here.

Which appeals more?

DREAMING OF A WEEKEND BREAK?

To travel or not to travel. Are weekend breaks really worth the effort?

Leaving aside those endless traffic jams and packed beaches as soon as the first rays of sunshine come out, it bothers us that those short breaks finish when the good weather starts (as the old saying goes, ‘Cast not a clout till May be out’). If you expect bad weather, at least you won’t be disappointed, although miracles are always welcome at this time of year

But the truth is we’re in need of a break!

So we’ve come up with some great ideas for those who are bold enough to get away for a few days as well as for those who aren’t. So here we go: a journey to your inner self; a tour of your city; or a spur-of-the-moment trip.

A journey to your inner self: if you can kid yourself a bit, even staying at home can turn into a welcome break. All you have to do is focus on the seemingly insignificant things going on around you. Or consider taking a so-called ‘meditation break’: chill out and try to see life from an alternative perspective over an entire weekend. It’s all in the mind!

A tour of your own city: hardly a new option, unless you choose to take someone with you. Invite a loved one from far away and rediscover your city through a different set of eyes. Alternatively, find someone you can visit.

The spur-of-the-moment trip: we’re all in favour.. You take the decision to stay at home, but then, at the last minute, you head off to the first place that springs to mind. This adds an extra thrill to the whole experience. Check out atrápalo.com, lastminute.com, edreams.com, etc., for a range of options that, compared with our everyday routine, are simply out of this world.

AN ALTERNATIVE CHRISTMAS

Our wish this Christmas is to enjoy an experience which will live forever in our memories. It occurred to us to search out unusual, but nevertheless totally Christmassy, travel plans and we came up with:
(No offence to the Rockefeller Center and Laponia, but that’s not where the magic of Christmas is to be found…)

1) A White Christmas in Trans-Siberia, 2) An island called Christmas 3) A visit to Italy to see a Christmas tree the size of a mountain 4) Sleeping in an igloo in Andorra

1) Christmas in Trans-Siberia: just the thing for anyone not scared of the cold. Spend Christmas in Moscow then travel up to Trans-Siberia, cross the Volga, enjoy the snowy scenery and celebrate New Year’s Eve in Irkutsk, “the Siberian Paris”.
www.adventurecenter.com/Sundowners/trip/tsxs&var=tsxs

2) Christmas Island: an island with a tropical climate! It’s a coral atoll in Micronesia, with coconut palms and crystal clear waters. It was so named by Captain Cook, no less, on discovering it on 24 December 1777.
lonelyplanet.com

3) The world’s largest Christmas tree: boastfully claimed by the residents of Gubbio, an enchanting gothic town in the centre of Italy. It could be a romantic escape: Roman ruins, pasta and a cable-car ride up Monte Ingino. On Christmas Day the mountain slope is illuminated in the shape and colours of a gigantic Christmas tree.
www.inumbria.net/eng/eng_evento.html?ID_evento=263466281
umbria-turismo.blogspot.com/2007/12/gubbio-el-rbol-de-navidad-ms-grande-del.html

4) The igloo hotel at Grandvalira, in Andorra, at an altitude of 2,300 metres, built entirely of ice, offers you skiing during the day, and igloo Jacuzzi, igloo restaurant and igloo bedroom at night. Happy igloo Christmas!
(seen in El Viajero at El País) More on the Grandvalira Igloo Hotel

And to bring the subject to a close, a musical Christmas caravan:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDbBCPPpdzk

YOUR CITY, WITH OTHER EYES

How’s my relationship with my city? After many years, I am very fond of it and I’d never exchange it for another, but I have to admit that it doesn’t thrill me the way it did the first few months…

If something tells you that the time has come to move, travel or rediscover your city, don’t hesitate to check the amazing travel guides published by Lecool, all of them designed by locals in the know.

Madrid, Amsterdam, London, Lisbon and Barcelona in an independent, carefully chosen selection of nooks, secrets and sins. Places whose existence we might have suspected but didn’t know how to get to. To fall in love all over again…

In short, our thanks to le cool for cheering up our Thursdays with its online magazine, and now, too, for skilfully ushering us through our city with its guides.

www.lecoolbook.com
www.lecool.com

NIBBLES ON THE BIG APPLE

We want to travel to New York with the excuse of Fashion Week, or because we’ve won a trip to New York from club wow, or if we don’t have any excuse, simply to sample the city’s new flavours.

We’ll scan Time Out, the visitors’ guide in NY Magazine, and we’ll even read that book that people seem to like, NY CALLING, that surveys the changes in the city since Taxi Driver and Annie Hall. We’ll go shopping and on a quest for great deals. We’ll improvise a film, we’ll have lunch in Little Italy, we’ll have dinner at a deli, we’ll have lunch in Chinatown, and we might even have dinner at NOBU, and for one day we’ll the follow the line of Momo, the artist of TAG MANHATTAN (momoshowpalace.com), or we’ll look for his tropical –coloured graffiti. We’ll go see a musical (there are now 31 shows on Broadway to choose from!), we’ll take the subway, we’ll go to the Guggenheim and to see the autumn colours in Central Park. We’ll destroy our trainers from walking and come back with others as a souvenir.

Would you exchange your house with someone from London, Singapore or Bahia? Why not? I spend a week in your bungalow in Tahiti while I lend you my flat in the middle of Madrid. This low-cost travel alternative appeared back in the 1950s, but thanks to Internet it is gaining enormous ground: almost 20% of summer vacationers join the home-swapping trend. There are innumerable websites, and this is how it works: 1-You register your home, 2-You look for a destination, 3-You choose a home and get in touch with the owner.

Try a brand-new experience, or just dream about it from your office, like a post-vacation de-stressing exercise:

www.1sthomeexchange.com

www.homeforswap.com