Soaking Up Culture (Bath, England)

Soaking Up Culture (Bath, England) - Graced with timeless Georgian design with its target excellent symmetry and straightforward magnificence and matched with a world famous Roman spa, bathtub is unquestionably one amongst England’s greatest travel wonders. On discovering natural hot springs, the traditional Romans designed baths and associated therapeutic qualities to the mineral-rich waters. They dedicated the positioning to Minerva, the goddess of knowledge.

As the Roman Empire failed, the springs were forgotten till the spa city was reinvigorated with the royal patronage of Queen Anne. Refined buildings were erected to deal with the stately and prosperous people of the day.

The Royal Crescent could be a very good semi-circular honeycomb-coloured limestone building of thirty homes with a lush lawn as frontage.

Equally very good is that the Circus, a masterpiece that forms a whole circle cut into 3 equal segments by roads that lead into the complicated. All roads face straight onto one amongst the segments. galvanized by the Roman colosseum, the 3 storeys showcase 3 classical columns – Doric, Ionic and Corinthian. several famous individuals have referred to as The Circus their home together with William Pitt (ex-Prime Minister), the painter Thomas Gainsborough and African explorer, David Livingstone.

The Pulteney Bridge remains as one of only four bridges in the world with shops across the entire bridge. Spanning the Avon River, near a small cascade, it is built in the style of Ponte Vecchio in Florence. To build an element of relaxed and refined living, the city forefathers planned parklands to run alongside much of the Avon River in Bath, encouraging people to stroll the river banks or sit and enjoy the city’s charm.

Nearby bathtub Abbey with its huge vaulted ceilings features a purpose of significance for Australians. it's the memorial to Arthur Phillip, the primary governor of the colony of latest South Wales on European settlement in Australia in 1788. Similarly, a memorial to Isaac Pitman who invented shorthand is within the abbey.

However, the Roman bathtubs are undoubtedly the highlight of Bath. designed below today’s town level, the read from the terrace offers the primary read over the baths. the foremost inspiring component of the baths is that the advanced engineering employed by the Romans to manage the water flow and management the heating.

Hot, heat and cold baths were all designed at intervals the general public bathing complicated. The sacred spring will be seen through the steam at intervals the complicated at the side of the orange-coloured deposits from the made mineral content.

If you would like to check the medicinal qualities of the water, a sample will be drunk from the running fountain within the elegant glass-domed Grand Pump space nearby to the Roman Baths.

It is my favorite English town with its relaxed magnificence and a treasure trove of travel wonders. Sip the waters, stroll the relaxed streets, fancy the placing Georgian design and be astounded by the ingenuity of the traditional engineers within the remarkably intact Roman Baths.

Underground Fantasy (Skocjan Caves, Slovenia)

Underground Fantasy (Skocjan Caves, Slovenia) - Carved out over millennia by the broiling Reka River, Škocjan Caves is Slovenia’s most gorgeous natural travel marvel. This river disappears underground within the very little village of Škocjan and emerges some forty kilometres away, having carved its path through the rock over a few years.

A large space of south-west Slovenia lies on a limestone plateau. unbelievable caves and tunnels are eroded from the soluble limestone, leaving a fairyland of richly colored and unusually formed stalactites (the ones that drop from the roof) and stalacmites (the ones that grow from the floor). Out of all of those, UNESCO-listed Škocjan sits at the terribly pinnacle of those subterranean treasure troves.

Awkward to urge to, best may be a walk of a number of kilometres from Divaca rail station on a nice path to the hamlet of Matavun. the world contains some nice short walks (especially the tutorial Trail) through some native villages and around collapsed cave areas. there's alittle museum showcasing the cave’s history that helps pass the time until the guided tour is due.

The cave starts modestly through a longish tunnel and thru variety of chambers with a spread of typical cave decorations and formations, the foremost notable with the everyday imaginative names. Early on, the tour traverses Silent Cave, Paradise Cave and also the spectacular nice Hall and witnesses The Organ (which appearance a trifle sort of a church’s pipe organ) and also the Stone Forest.

As the tour exits the Great Hall a deep-throated rumbling can be heard from below. The Reka River lies around fifty metres below and is dwarfed by the immense Murmuring Cave – 300 metres long and over 100 metres high (which means that the Statue of Liberty or London’s St Paul’s Cathedral would fit inside). It lays claim to being the world’s largest underground canyon. Walking gently along a narrow ledge, the tour comes to the vertigo-inducing Cerkvenik Bridge (lead photo). Defying the considerable degree of edginess and shaky legs and leaning nervously over the bridge, it is beyond comprehension to imagine the raucous river below could have carved this cavern for giants by dissolving minute particles of limestone.

The previous bridge and the remains of the earliest bridge can still be clearly viewed and paths to various other caverns and halls branch off for the professional cavers and scientists.

Moving along, the next section includes a mesmerising formation called The Bowls. A series of a over a hundred natural troughs of water have built up over time, filling and emptying into the bowl below, leaving tiny mineral deposits to construct the walls of these mini-reservoirs.

Soon after the eyes squint as the daylight streams through the natural cave entrance created when the roof of an area collapsed and onto a funicular to save the legs from having stagger back up the hill.

The world contains numerous limestone caves, all fascinating in their own way but Škocjan stands as one of nature’s finest travel wonders – a subterranean wonderland of unimagined scale, breathtaking chambers and magical formations.

Exploring the Incan Wonderland - Part Two (Machu Picchu, Peru)

Exploring the Incan Wonderland - Part Two (Machu Picchu, Peru) - The sacred district has the foremost important and ma sites of the complicated. Walking from the Temple of the Sun towards Huayna Picchu, you arrive at the Principal Temple (PT on the map). This 3 sided temple boasts some stunning stonework (though some has subsided with earth movement) and a chic stone altar. during this same space is that the equally distinctive 3 Windowed Temple (3W) with characteristic trapezoidal-shaped windows and excellent stonework. Note the rock on the close to aspect as a part of the closest window has 10 sides, nevertheless fits neatly just like the most perfectly fashioned jigsaw.

A little any uphill and up a regally carved stone staircase is that the most exceptional part of Machu Picchu is Intihuatana (IN on the map). Nearly forever surrounded by giant teams, it's a method of ancient sundial. to point out the Incan’s deep understanding of astronomy, calendars and agricultural cycles and their precision stonework, this diamond formed rock casts no shadow solely at 2 time points throughout the year - midday on the 2 equinoxes (March twenty one and September 21) – the sun shining directly onto the rock. Even the guides who tell a similar story daily appear to be moved in describing this beautiful piece of middle age engineering. it's additionally claimed that the four points of the diamond misinform the four main compass points and are directly aligned with four of their most sacred mountains as well as Veronica to the east (photographed in an Inca path post) and Huayna Picchu to the north.

Walking to the tip of the positioning is that the entrance to the climb of Huayna Picchu (Young Mountain). it's a steep, vigorous climb up numerous rough Incan stairs and uneven dirt methods and takes between one and 2 hours (depending on your fitness). it's a well-worthwhile walk (after all, how usually can you be during this majestic location). For the trekkers, encourage those tired legs to bear an added climb. It should be undertaken within the morning (closes within the early afternoon and has daily limits on the quantity of trekkers) and is best suggested for the beginning of Day 2 for those that are visiting for 2 days (strongly suggested approach). The read from the highest offers an excellent understanding of the layout of Machu Picchu, offers an awe-inspiring overall panorama of the Andes and highlights the spectacular terracing of the agricultural sector. elements of this steep-sided mountain are terraced too.

If you aren’t yet tired of walking, a side path takes you to the impressive Temple of the Moon.

Finally, once you are down, I’d suggest you spend time wandering the general urban area (H on the map) where the standard population lived. Many of the houses are still in fine condition, though there are no roofs left as they were made of branches and grasses.

There are numerous other temples, rooms and areas to wander and get lost in this fantasy world of extraordinary stone buildings of the middle ages. Spend time relaxing in the main grassy plaza area and contemplate what a time it must have been, the hub-bub of activity in daily Incan life.

Whether you are mesmerised by the temples, the water-channelling system, the unusual stone sundials, the dry stonework of the walls, the large-scale agriculture or the phenomenal natural mountain setting, the Incan creators have left a remarkable legacy of an awe-inspiring, haunting, mysterious and magical travel wonder in this lost city.

guest post by Elegant Resorts

Banff, in the beautiful Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada is one of the worlds best places for luxury ski holidays. It has a long snow ski season and some of the world's coldest and driest snow. This makes Banff a reliable place for a ski holiday in a magical place that is one of the largest ski areas in Canada. There are glaciers, high mountain peaks, and valleys where you will spot a variety of wildlife.

When looking for luxury skiing in Banff the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel has such grandeur that it is known as "The Castle in the Rockies". The luxury and individualized service enhances its majestic beauty and comfort. Modeled after a Scottish Baronial castle, it has reigned supreme among hotels for over a century.

The fifth floor was renovated and turned into a Gold Floor with elegance, tasteful and comfortable furnishings, and gorgeous mountain views. The Presidential Suite is in the top tower and is reached by a private glass elevator. Unusual features include a baby grand piano, a spiral staircase, a crystal chandelier, wrap-around windows for a spectacular view and a canopy bed decorated with original European tapestries.

You can be pampered at the world-famous 36,000 square foot Willow Stream Spa where the mineral waters are regarded as sacred and therapeutic whilst the Alpine air is supposed to have healing powers. The three waterfall pools are also a sight to behold and there is also the luxury of whirlpools, saunas, private steam rooms, and excellent massages and facials.

Among the twelve restaurants are the five diamond Banffshire Club which offers a truly elegant dining experience with fresh innovative cuisine. Afternoon tea can be soothing as you sit and view the Bow Valley.

This is also a perfect location for a fairy tale romantic wedding. There are different sizes and styles of rooms to choose from including meeting rooms to ballrooms or even the use of the Bow Valley Terrace. The menu choices go from simple cocktails to an elaborate banquet so that you can plan your wedding according to your available budget.

There are three world-class ski areas (Lake Louise, Norquay, and Sunshine Village) covering 7,700 acres that can be easily reached by resort shuttles. There are runs from nursery slopes all the way to double-black diamond ones. At all times you can enjoy the magnificent mountain views and the feelings of a spiritual experience.

You can also go on sleigh rides, a gondola ride, go tobogganing, ice skating, dog sledding, snowboarding, golfing, or take a horse and carriage tour. There is great shopping in the area and within walking distance as well as over 100 restaurants with a selection of international cuisine including Mediterranean, Mexican with a Wild West theme, Italian, Korean, and even an Old Spaghetti Factory, ribs, burgers, and good steaks. There is an active night life with live music and dancing which includes an Irish pub with a variety of beers.

You can also enjoy the Banff Centre for Performing Arts, many offerings of Indian art and souvenirs, hot springs pools, museums, and galleries. Snowboard or ski lessons are offered, especially for beginners.

Photo Credits: Foyer, Meal

A small bright yellow train with cherry red trim has meandered its way through the French Catalan Pyrenees in the Languedoc Roussillon region near the Spanish border, connecting remote and isolated mountain villages for over 100 years. Popular with travellers, le train jaune tracks through dramatic alpine scenery over towering bridges, tunnels gouged through the mountains and a number of viaducts.

The train departs from the travel wonder medieval village of Villefrance-de-Confluent. Before boarding the train, a short walk to Fort Liberia that stands guard over the town helps stretch the legs. Offering a stunning view of parenthesis-shaped Villefrance, the view shows the tightly packed stone houses, narrow streets and intact (and UNESCO heritage-listed) medieval defensive walls that protected the small town for centuries from Spanish sieges. The village has lots of witches and broomstick models dangling from doorways and shop windows, protecting the population from the evil mountain spirits.

While chilly at first, the train includes two open carriages (they were referred to as les bains or the bathtubs) that gives the full effect of the fresh mountain air and the engineering marvel (built before World War 1) of getting a line through this mountainous countryside. The track bends and curls between mountains, ploughing into the inky darkness of a tunnel when no other paths are available. At several points on the journey, the train travels high via bridges and viaducts over the forested valley floor including the vertigo-inducing Séjourné Viaduct with its dramatic double-decker arching.

Tiny stations whisk past, the train only stopping at more major stops unless signalled by a passenger to stop. The lion’s share of travellers stay on the train for the entire return journey. The village of Olette features tall narrow houses that cling to the cliff edges with the confidence of mountain goats. Several of the villages appear frozen in time, their grey stony houses having weathered centuries of harsh winters.

The train is powered by an electric current along a third rail, produced by a hydro plant from a nearby dam (so it is a green train too!). And the train needs all its power too as it climbs to Bolquère-Eyne, France’s highest rail station at almost 1600 metres, with all the spirit of the “I think I can” children’s story.

More reassuredly, as the little yellow train crosses a plateau and tumbles down into the final stop at Latour-de-Carol, is the news that the train boasts three separate braking systems each capable of stopping the train alone. The train travels through lush farmlands, dotted with caramel-coloured cows and large rolls of hay readying for the harsh mountain winters.

It was strongly recommended to get off at Bourg-Madam (a hotel owner reassures me “Latour-de-Carol is boring”), three stops from the end, walk through scenic surrounds for around half an hour (up hill) across the Spanish border to the quaint town of Puigcerdà with its historic belltower and return in time to pick up the train on its return leg.

Operated by French rail (and so available on rail passes), the Yellow Train offers a refreshing and relaxing day among stunning mountain scenery and tiny medieval villages of yesteryear.

Notes
Photos: Séjourné Viaduct, Gisclard Suspension Bridge.
Map courtesy of SNCF (French National Railways).

Languedoc-Roussillon Vacations

Since 963 when Count Siegfried first built a castle on a rocky outcrop overlooking a sharp bend in the Alzette River, various European powers have battled for control of the tiny state of Luxembourg. At times, the Burgundians, Spanish, French, Austrians, Prussians and Germans have all held sway over this scenic nation wedged between France and Germany. Despite a tumultuous history of almost permanent siege, this pint-sized nation has survived to modern times and now is one of richest per capita countries in the world. Luxembourg boasts excellent walks including the city-based Wenzel Walk and a superb nature walk in an area called Little Switzerland.

The delightful and well-signposted Wenzel walk (either guided or self-guided with a pamphlet) in the main city of Luxembourg and named after a 14th century duke captures elements of this history and culture, leading past ramparts, fortresses, tunnels, towers, bridges and walls, intermixed with bustling streets and panoramic views. The narrow valley gorges plunge sharply and deep from the rocky plateaus of the city, connected and spanned by various bridges and viaducts, ingeniously protecting and guarding this challenging terrain.

The walk starts at Bock Promontory and the scant remains of Count Siegfried’s Luxembourg Castle that started this rich history. The view from this point includes the Alzette river slicing the ancient district of Grund into two. Jacob’s Tower includes an audio-visual display describing the history. Underneath the Bock are a warren of tens of kilometres of damp tunnels (Bock Casemates) that allowed soldiers access to different parts of the city without surfacing and held provisions in past times. The various invading forces extended and added to these fortifications throughout the years and were utilised as recently as World War 2 as bomb shelters. Accessible for less than two Euros, they make for an eerie passage with a combination of small natural openings, weak electric lights, twisting staircases and occasional dead ends. These remarkable fortifications earned Luxembourg the title of Gibraltar of the North and have earned UNESCO heritage listing.

Some defensive openings to allow for guns or cannons offer stunning vistas of the Luxembourg countryside, the picturesque Old Town or river valleys.

The walk leads via the Corniche lined with stately pastel-coloured historic houses, through old protective city gates, over a medieval footbridge to the impressive Wenzel Walls and its moat. These fortifications were part of a three-ringed system of walls guarding the prized higher parts of the city and major crossing of the river.

The walk finishes near the city’s oldest parish Church of St Ulric with a walk along the green waters of the Alzette and the remains of an old lock system that could be used to dam the rivers as an extra obstacle for invading forces.

Descriptively promoted as 1000 Years in 100 Minutes, the Wenzel Walk, in under two hours, unveils part of Luxembourg’s historic battles for domination and the ingenious defensive fortifications built to protect this strategic historic city.

Note
The tourist office has an excellent self-guiding brochure.

Map (without red lines): © Service des Sites et Monuments Nationaux / Luxembourg City Tourist Office

Encrusted with chipped paint, salt, sweat and misery, the walls lead to a tiny door – the door of no return. Stepping onto the beach, captives were led across the scorching sands onto ships sailing for the Americas and the Caribbean. Elmina Castle is a powerful reminder of the abhorrent history of slavery.

Approaching the tiny beachside town of Elmina, a grand white castle perches proudly over the Ghanaian coastline. Fringed by palms and with the echoes of fishermen selling their wares from handcrafted wooden boats, it appears as a resort that has seen its best days. From the outside, this castle hides its hellish past as a slave castle for 300 years where hundreds of thousands of natives were held before being shipped away.

Initially built as a Portuguese trading post for gold, ivory and tropical foods, human labour became a more valued commodity. Inside the reminders of this trade in human cargo abound. The main courtyard contains a cast-iron cannonball and chain. Slaves who disobeyed orders were chained up and left to die in the baking African sun.

The courtyard is surrounded by tiny darkened cells, stifling from the warm air, where shackled prisoners in their hundreds and thousands awaited their fate. Locked in one of these cells for only a few minutes is upsetting. Kept here for months and years, the privations and fear of the African captives are inconceivable. Larger bare storerooms stained with algae with only a couple tiny slits for air held the women prisoners in large numbers. They often remained here for two years awaiting shipment, barely surviving on the meagre rations, torture, cruel treatment and indignities.

The opulent governor’s quarters overlooked the women’s prison where his officers could select women they deemed suitable to sleep with. Those who refused were chained up in the courtyard while those who fell pregnant were moved to the town and freed.


To help maintain order, the most rebellious of prisoners were led through a door with an ominous skull and cross bones over the doorway to be killed.

Hauntingly, over half the captives who entered the slave castle never survived the imprisonment. A further half died on board the ships where conditions were equally harsh for the long journey across the oceans.

The most chilling aspect of the tour is left till last. Down a set of stairs and along a corridor to a small room with only a tiny doorway – the door of no return – only wide enough for one person to squeeze through. By this time, several on the guided tour are openly weeping. While the stories are difficult to emotionally handle, the images of this castle with its external palm-fringed beauty but cruel, inhuman interior, will stay with me forever.

The Harz mountains stand tall in the epicentre of Germany, rich in forests, rivers and historic half-timbered villages. Sliced in half by the East and West divide, this area attracts many less visitors than it warrants.

At 1000 years old, the world heritage-listed travel wonder of Goslar is a medieval masterpiece of narrow cobblestone streets, small canals, a glorious historic main square, the 1494 Hotel Kaiserworth (still functions as a hotel today) and 11th century royal castle. The active main square features an old animated clock that celebrates Goslar’s rich mining history on certain hours, a traditional town hall (including a vibrantly frescoed meeting hall), a handful of grand houses, a church and a fountain. Near the town hall is an old official textile measure where debtors and textile cheats (selling under-measures of cloth) were ceremoniously stripped to highlight their crimes. Mind you, on medieval standards, this is mild punishment indeed.

On a grassy hill is the grand mid-11th century Imperial Palace (Kaiserpfalz) with colourful frescoes detailing the town’s history, the tomb of Heinrich III (who built the palace) and his throne.

Just off the main square is an alms-house that has served as a place for the poor for 750 years. Seemingly unchanged over time, today the small rooms off the main hall are used by artists including glassblowers, potters and leatherworkers.

Less than a kilometre away is the location that gave Goslar is riches. For around 1000 uninterrupted years, silver and copper has been dug from the Rammelsberg Mine yielding an estimated 30 million tons of ore moved primarily by hand. Descending the shafts of this mine via ore train and foot highlights the savage and dangerous conditions of mining in past times. Huge waterwheels helped moved the ore to the surface. The mine only closed in 1988.




While there are a variety of museums and historic houses around Goslar, this is another delightful town where it pays to discard the map and simply wander the small canals and quiet cobblestoned backstreets. It is easy to imagine the local population having done so for many centuries.

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Bacon Beer and Bishops (Bamberg)
The World's Largest Advent Calendar (Gengenbach)

Matobo National Park in central Zimbabwe is a wild rock-strewn travel wonder. With small areas of dry grasslands, the park is a remarkable mix of natural gravity-defying rock formations, ancient cave art and a game park for a broad variety of African animals including the endangered white and black rhinoceros.

A local ranger guided three of us around this superb park for a single day some years ago. The boulder-strewn area is rich in small caves and hollows. The morning commenced exploring a couple of these caves where the San Bushman left impressive ochre cave drawings estimated to be around 1,600 years old. Giraffe, zebras and antelope are distinct in the delicate artwork. The floor of the areas around the caves supposedly contains ashes that have been dated to over 10,000 years old.

However, the most striking elements of the park are the eerie formations, with huge rocks balancing precariously upon each other. Though appearing to be stacked by giants, they are purely a result of erosion and time. Softer volcanic rock is eaten away leaving the harder granite, the normal weathering process separating the rocks from each other. Stunning formations result including the popular symbol of the park, the “Madonna and Child” and the fascinating “Rock Arch” with its centre rock looking like falling at any moment.


The View of the World marks a majestic view over a panoramic moonscape of rounded boulders and harsh rugged grasslands. The view so struck Cecil Rhodes, the founder of de Beers diamond company and whom Rhodesia is named after (Zimbabwe is south Rhodesia) that he asked to be buried there. Some large boulders and a generous plaque inlaid into the large granite platform mark his final wishes and memory. The setting over the dusty plains is strangely serene and harmonious.


Littered throughout the park, strange rainbow coloured lizards sun themselves in the cruel summer rays. With blue heads and green, yellow and red bodies, their rainbow bodies meld elegantly into the lichen stained rocks that form their home.

Full from lunch, the afternoon is reserved for a walking safari. Unarmed, the trusty ranger tracks us through thin grasslands with various antelope and a small herd of zebras nervously eating, their heads regularly bobbing for any signs of danger.

With a sense of nervous excitement, the small group slowly sneak towards a couple of white rhino until we are only ten metres away. They appeared undisturbed continuing to graze leisurely on the scant food supply before lying down for rest. The guide reassures us that rhinos have poor eyesight and hearing so if you approach downwind, the rhinos are likely to remain unaware of your presence. Fortunately, the wind stayed gently blowing in the one direction. Black rhino are less friendly and the only one we spy is kept at a respectable distance.

While Zimbabwe struggles through its modern political challenges, Matobo National Park offers a peaceful haven in the centre of the country. It is best described by Cecil Rhodes himself - “The peacefulness of it all: the chaotic grandeur of it: it creates a feeling of awe and brings home to one how very small we all are.”

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The Pink Pageant (Kenya)
Real Africa? (Central African Republic)
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