The Arm Chair Traveler

Quinta Sao Domingos in Guimaraes, near Viseu Portugal is now open for business.

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:47:00 +0000

Lynn and Tom Hart are pleased to announce that Quinta Sao Domingos in Guimaraes, near Viseu Portugal is now open for business.

Swimming pool, BBQ, terrace and gardens with your own luxurious apartment

A restored farm house and adega (wine house) on the edge of a small village in Central Portugal. The village, Guimaraes, is located about 8 miles north east of the town of Viseu about three miles off the road to Satao.

The Viseu skyline

There are two apartments in the Quinta, (farmhouse) one 2 bedroom, and one 1 bedroom.

Quinta Rosa is on the ground floor and has a kitchen, utility room, toilet, large lounge, and double bedroom with ensuite bathroom. Across the small internal courtyard there is a further double bedroom and ensuite shower room suitable for people with disabilities. It should be noted that the rooms are on different levels so internal access with a wheel chair is limited.

Quinta Azul is on the first floor with access up the staircase at the front of the Quinta with 14 steps. There is a large open plan kitchen and living room, double bedroom and ensuite bathroom.

We offer four self catering apartments, 2 x 2 bedroom and 2 x 1 bedroom. There is a 12m x 6m outdoor swimming pool, with an outside kitchen to enjoy barbecues and the local wine. This is a beautiful largely unspoilt area and is ideal for a quiet restful holiday. The apartments have been refurbished over the last two years, and furnished and equipped to a high standard, they are kept meticulously clean.

Adega Tinta is on the first floor up 10 steps to an open plan kitchen and lounge. There are two bedrooms with shower rooms, one double with a view of the lagar (wine making room) and one twin.

Adega Branca is an upside down apartment, reached up six steps,†with the double bedroom and ensuite bathroom underneath the lounge and open plan kitchen

The village is quiet and peaceful with virtually no traffic and looks over a beautiful rolling landscape to the Serra de Estrela Mountains in the east.

Our garden contains orange, tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, peach, apple, pear, fig, pomegranate, walnut and chestnut trees, together with a small vineyard and flowers.

For more information please visit our website or contact us.

Quinta Sao Domingos

Guimaraes

Sao Pedro De France

Viseu 3505-350

Portugal

00351 232 924 154

lynnhart49@gmail.com

www.quintasaodomingos.com

Skype tomatmill

Keeping hope afloat

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:01:00 +0000

Esther and Omar Mendez are raising funds to bring education, medical supplies, food and clothing to less privileged children in El Salvador.

* By Ramola Talwar Badam,Dubai-based freelancer, Friday

What Gulf for Hope charity
Where La Union, El Salvador
Who Esther and Omar Mendez, a couple based in Abu Dhabi
Why Helping educate less privileged children in El Salvador so that they might improve their circumstances by realising their potential
How Turn the page to find out how the Mendezes are setting up a charity, which was inspired by a trip to El Salvador three years ago...

German-born Esther Mendez still remembers looking into the bright brown eyes of a little girl named Iris whom she met while visiting her husband Omar's hometown, El Salvador three years ago. The six-year-old had been abandoned by her parents and as a result was being raised by a distant relative in the city of La Union.

Although little Iris was attending a school, which had very few facilities, and Mama Martha - the lady who looks after her - was earning a meagre $5 a week on which they had to survive, her eyes were brimming with optimism and hope. She was staying in a small windowless home adjacent to where one of Omar's relatives lived and had picked up a smattering of English words which enabled her to communicate with Esther and Omar.

It was the innocence in Iris' eyes that got Esther thinking about ways to help less privileged children like her. She wanted to do something, which would help children receive a proper education and be taught life skills to help them break free from their circumstances.

"It really started with Iris," says Esther. "We got to know her during our trip to South America in 2007. But even after I returned home, I simply couldn't forget her." When Esther and Omar returned to La Union in January last year, they took two suitcases full of children's clothes with them to distribute to the needy.

They also enrolled Iris in a private school, paying $380 for the year, which would take care of her books and uniforms.

Esther is a safety consultant in the oil and gas industry while Omar is an electrician. Education is the foundation that the couple want to build on. They moved from Houston in the US to live in Abu Dhabi a year ago.

Helping Iris get a proper education got them thinking about around 30 other children living near a railroad track close to Iris' home. "We found out that these kids were being ridiculed in school because they didn't have paper to write on. They used scrap paper picked up from bins to write on," recalls Omar. The couple decided to buy some school supplies - crayons, notebooks, and so on - to distribute to these children on their next visit.

The beginning

Omar had left El Salvador at the age of 16 for the US where most of his family have now settled. He returns once a year to La Union because he knows that there are many families who need help.

But it was only after he visited his home country with his wife that the idea of changing the lives of children by setting up a charity began to take concrete shape. "I didn't realise how many children we could actually help. When I went back with Esther, that's when we thought of making a difference," he says.

Registering a charity in El Salvador costs $2,000. To raise funds this, the couple shaved off their hair in exchange for sponsorship. They have decided to name the organisation Gulf of Hope.

After seeing the difference they were able to make in Iris' life when she started attending a better school, they decided to approach the local authorities so they could set up a more formal system of offering local children better education.

They also paid for the schooling and supplies for five girls who live near Iris' house. These girls go to a government school where they pay between $20 and $50 per child for the whole year.

Once the charity is officially registered with the authorities in El Salvador, the couple plan to pay for the hiring of an extra English teacher at the school. They also intend to fund two computers so that the children can learn more about technology. The couple also plan to have a local doctor pay monthly visits to the school.

Explains Esther: "If the children improve their English language and computer skills, they have a better chance of improving their circumstances. Our vision is to give them the opportunity to get away from $5-a-week jobs.

"I don't expect all of them to become fluent in English and move around the world,'' she says. "We only hope we will be able to facilitate in unlocking their potential."

Esther points out that without proper schooling, the children will end up in poorly paid jobs and would not be able to improve their lives.

Raising funds

But all of this costs money. To date, the couple has been dipping into their personal savings to make these changes. But they have now reached a point where they need help with funds to register the charity and to pay for the doctor and teacher. They are in the process of finding sponsorship to fund the children's education expenses. They have also been in touch with several companies to donate computers as well as an airline that they hope will waive excess baggage charges when they transport the clothing donation boxes to El Salvador.

"Sourcing funds to make the changes is priority," says Esther. "But even if we are not able to raise money, we will continue using our savings to help these kids as far as possible."

They are focusing their energies on community efforts. "We need a teacher from the area who can teach the kids and maybe even the parents too. We want these changes to be sustainable. The changes need to focus on the long-term, so that the initiatives can continue to develop even when we're not there," says Esther.

She then returns to the topic of Iris. "She (Iris) believes she is special. She has Mama Martha, the relative who looks after her. She also now has Mama Esther and another Mama, the mother of the girls who live next door," she adds.

But there is a tinge of sadness in her voice as she explains that Iris' case is not an isolated one. "There are many other kids who have a story similar to hers. I think there are only a handful of kids who still live with both their biological parents."

According to Omar, many young people left the country to search for work in the US due to the political instability that prevailed between 1980 and 1992.

"The reason I - and many others like me - left was because of the war," he says.

The couple calls the families once a month to keep track of the girls' progress in school. On visits to El Salvador, Esther checks their school books to gauge how well the children are being taught.

The couple and the girls share a strong bond even though they are physically separated.

Esther says it is touching to see Iris do so well in her studies. Not only does she lap up all that she is taught in school, she also imparts what she has learnt to her neighbourhood friends who are unable to attend a private school.

"She likes to share her knowledge," says Esther fondly. "She explains things to the other kids in her neighbourhood who are not attending a private school. I think they might know as many English words as she does by now!"

Setting an example

Before they embarked on setting up Gulf of Hope, the couple contributed extensively to international charities. Esther says she hopes their new drive will encourage like-minded people to volunteer.

"If you send money to charities, you don't always know exactly what is happening to your money. Here I know exactly where it's going because I directly influence how it is used."

She would like potential donors to visit La Union and see how their money can change lives.

"Come with us and see for yourself. I'm hoping to bridge this gap between just sending money and being involved hands-on. We have a house there and all are welcome to stay with us. You can speak to the kids and get to know them better and in turn get to know how your efforts are making a difference."

‘My hobby: studying'

Education is the key to their charity succeeding in its mission and for Esther, it defines who she is.

A principal engineer, she started out as a mathematician and now has three Master's degrees - in operations research, oil and gas engineering and in holistic nutrition. "While other people have hobbies, I study," she says. Omar, meanwhile, is busy studying German and Italian.

Esther was born in Cologne, Germany and has a British passport. She has worked in England, Scotland and the US, while Omar is from La Union and has a US passport. The two met in Houston.

So, what will draw others to help children in a country many people know little about? "I'm hoping that people will realise how fortunate they really are," says Esther. "I'm hoping that people will simply be touched by these kids' stories. If we can help even one child in the world in some little way, wonderful changes are possible."

Her eyes light up as she speaks of the children. "We want more for them so they may improve their lives. They need education to break away from the lives their parents lived."

Imparting life skills to children is also part of their long-term plan. While Omar will teach older kids handyman skills, Esther will teach the girls sewing so that they could one day set up their own small businesses.

Small steps that will go a long way:

Gulf for Hope's sponsor list so far includes relatives, colleagues and friends but you too can help. Esther regularly updates their blog with news at http://gulfofhope.blogspot.com. You can contact her at gulfofhope@gmail.com.

"Any contribution helps; it doesn't have to be money," says Esther. "Little things really can make a big difference in their lives. It's not about flashing money around and saying, ‘Look, we can get these kids into college.' It's about taking little steps... and we need to keep on walking."

Consider that...

* $5 provides school supplies for two children for six months.
* $25 provides school fees for a child for a month.
* $40 a doctor and dentist check-up for a child.
* $500 will provide quality, private education for a child for a year.

If you would like to help Esther and Omar visit their blog, donate or contact them

El Salvador childrens charity in hair raising charity money drive

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 17:06:00 +0000

The Gulf of Hope needs to be registered as a Charity, to make sure we are all official and above-board. This costs money. So far, all our funds have gone to enrol six little girls in a proper school for 2010. For now, the coffers are empty. Our solution: Omar and I decided to do a fundraiser. For a long while, we thought about what we could do, and finally came upon the idea that we will both shave our heads. With this, we are making a bold (and bald) statement - we are serious about the Gulf of Hope. We hope that our lack of locks will start communication with new people: people who will become interested in what we do, and who might decide to contribute.

The event will take place in late March, just before we go to the States. To make it easier with contributions, I signed us up on Chipin. Chipin will collect donations for us, track them, and provide updates as we go.

As you can see, we are hoping to raise $3000. Right now, we are not sure how much it will cost to be officially registered. This does not mean that we have not done our homework: registration is difficult as we live in Abu Dhabi at the moment and to register here is impossible without local support. We cannot register as a Charity in the UK, USA or Germany as we do not live there. But we are hoping to get charitable status in El Salvador. We spoke to our lawyers and they are working on this issue. When we go to La Union in April, we should be able to sign the necessary papers ... whatever we raise will support this venture. If anything is left over, it will go into the funds.

The Power of Donations at Gulf of Hope

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sat, 23 Jan 2010 20:22:00 +0000

If you are an armchair traveller why dont you visit Gulf of Hope and make a contribution to this small and effective charity

6 year old Reyna de la Paz is one happy girl: thanks to our donors, she can go to a good school this year. For $25 per month, the foundations for a sound future are establised.

The Power of Donations

There's something wonderful happening.

Children are beginning to believe. The desperation of poverty is being replaced by a new world - a world full of possibilities. And for the children of Gulf of Hope, this new world begins with the chance for an education.

Happy faces: this year, nobody will laugh at them at school for not having pens and paper! Thanks to the Gulf of Hope, these children have a year's supply of basic materials.

Donations make sure that they have the supplies they need for their school year, including basic pens and paper, backpacks and books. Right now, we are only able to help a few. The more donations we get, the more we will be able to help with expenses such as:
• health care and medicine
• dental care
• nutritional assistance
• educational support
Donations help poor children and their families, and offer security and sense of dignity that is all too rare when you live in poverty.
We hope you'll join us on this life-changing journey.

The Dawn of Understanding

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:07:00 +0000

The Dawn of Understanding, originally uploaded by James Neeley.

Emergency Broadcast New World Order Ahead

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Please do everything you can to circulate this video far and wide. Post it in blogs, bulletins, forums, chain emails... Upload it to your YouTube channel... Use your imagination...

Torrent: http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4755641

Website coming soon: http://www.operationmindseed.com

travel in Rhythmic Balanced Interchange

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 13:59:00 +0000

Find out more and book a trip

Video intro for La Tangerina hotel, Tanger - Morocco

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 00:15:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/?v=IYuhC9NT3m4

La Tangerina, Tanger - Morocco

Take a Virtual Tour to Fez

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 19:53:00 +0000

New Years Eve in Morocco - 5 unforgetable days in the Atlas Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:49:00 +0000

€500 per person - Special 5 day New Years Eve package with Morocco Carp including a Gala dinner!

A new years eve celebration in the Atlas mountains of Morocco with traditional Berber dancing, music and a banquet fit for a Moroccan King.

Click here to take a virtual tour of the Hotel

Our retro cool boutique hotel has 5 suites and fabulous views over the majestic lake of Bin el Ouidane and the high Atlas mountains.

The weather should be similar to that of a ski resort, cold clear star filled nights followed by crisp sunny blue skied days.

Some of the best carp fishing in the world is on our doorstep and we offer full equipment hire to give you a chance to hook yourself a Moroccan monster.

The lake record is a massive 69lbs but the lake average of 30lbs would please most.

If fishing's not your thing why not kick off 2008 with some off road Quad biking? we have two 150cc automatic Quad bikes for hire and miles of unexplored tracks, ruined Kasbas and stunning mountain scenery.

If peace and tranquility is more your thing why not explore the lake on one of our surf kayaks? unsinkable and safe for even the most inexperienced its a wonderful way to see and get close to the wildlife. Just dont get too close to the Carp fishermen.

A Moroccan food experience.

Your breakfast and dinner are prepared by our hotel kitchens every day and are included in the price, the selection changes daily as we use fresh in season local produce prepared in the traditional Berber style .

The Berber lounge restaurant menu operates from 12pm-5pm.

The Pioneer menu - for ordering pack lunches and drinks when your out exploring or fishing.

Moroccan food is excellent and we hope to show some of its finer points during our Moroccan Gala diner dance on the 31st. This will be an unforgettable evening to stimulate all your senses. The night will commence in our lantern lit gardens where Berber musicians thump out their haunting drum and vocal melodies, live. The rhythm is followed by the pulsating dancers who twirl and shrill in a way that has to be heard.

The smell of the honey glazed whole mutton that has been slowly spit roasted for 8 hours is intoxicating and is the centre piece of a buffet table of locally prepared dishes that will be continually replenished during the evening.

Finally a full bar service is available till the wee small hours for those that wish.

Included in the Price:

5 nights Hotel room* single person supplement applies
Breakfast and 3 course traditional dinner each day.
31st December Moroccan Gala dinner dance
Day trip to the stunning Cascades d'Ozoud.
Transport Marrakesh Airport - Bin el Ouidane return.

Itinery

Friday 28th arrive at Marrakesh Airport - Morning and afternoon arrivals with a small Marrakesh shopping trip for the early birds. Its a pleasasnt and photogenic 3 hour drive from the Airport with the snow capped high Atlas flanking us all the way to our lake side hotel.The nearest large town is Beni Melal and its just up and over the mountain before you will be checking in and enjoying a typical Moroccan welcome.

Saturday 29th - excursions and activities available or just chill in the Berber lounge and take in the splendor of the mountains.

Sunday 30th - The mini bus departs the hotel at 10am for the amazing day trip to the waterfalls at Ozoud. Dont forget your camera and swimming gear, its a real breath taker. Plenty of shopping opportunities in the bustling local arts and crafts market that winds it way down the cliff side. Enjoy lunch overlooking the falls with wild monkies, its a wonderful place to spend the end of 2007.

Monday 31st - Grand Moroccan Gala dinner dance.
Traditional spit roasted honey glazed sheep and a buffet of delicious Moroccan and Berber dishes. Accompanied by live Berber musicians and dancers, candle lit gardens and the star filled night sky.

Tuesday 1st - A day for... fishing, kayaks, hiking, quads - check out availability and prices with reception.

Wednesday 2nd Jan - return to Marrakesh.

€500 per person* based on double room occupancy SPS of €20 applies.

Ring Fraser on 00212 783 487 33 or email at info@moroccocarp.com
Reserve your place today!!

You might need to bring:
Clothing:The nights are cold and the days are warm so bring clothes that will handle the big daily temperature change. Good fleece and mountain/ski gear is ideal for nights, shorts, t-shirts and suncream for the day.
Swimming gear, towel, water shoes.
If you want to fish: sleeping bag, reels, alarms, indicators and end rigs.
Everyone: A good torch, travel adapter (2 pin round plug) Sun cream, hat, your best French.

Important Info:You need a minimum of 6 months on your passport to travel to Morocco.Try and book your flight tickets to arrive at Marrakesh airport on the 28th December at around 11am or 3pm. The return flight should depart Marrakesh in the mid morning to allow time for the 3 hour drive.
Medical: The Hotel and lake is at 800m (2400 feet) please consult your GP if you are taking heart/blood thining medication prior to booking. Bring Parecetamol (not Aspirin) Imodium for upset tums and some PG tips - Im running low.

Money: The local currency is the Dirham (MAD) get some from the bureau de change or the ATM's at the airport on arrival. Dont change too much as you cant change it back at the end, the hotel will accept payment in other international currencies if you run out of Dirhams.

New marketing campaign for Morocco Carp

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 10:23:00 +0000

Morocco Carp offer adventure fishing holidays to the mythical lake Bin el Ouidane in the middle Atlas mountains of Morocco. Our UK agents, Essex Angling holidays are luanching the new advertising campaign in the UK next week, so steal a march on the crowds and give Paul a ring today.

Essex Angling Holidays taking bookings now

Oliver Alcon Angullo the new Spanish Agent for Morocco Carp is organising a special Spanish week in February / March exclusivly for Spanish Carp Anglers.

The dates will be finalised when Oliver gets an indication of what is best for the majority of the people interested. So if you would like to fish for record sized carp in stunning surroundings with the best Hotel cuisine and UK brand name tackle, then give Oliver a ring today for more information. 0034 661627981

Explore the Cascades D'Ozoud with a 360 Virtual tour

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sun, 29 Jul 2007 13:25:00 +0000

Morocco carp organize exciting family and fishing holidays with day trips to this beautiful location and other attractions in the area.

Click this photo to take a virtual tour of the falls

The cascades d' Ozoud are located in the Grand Atlas village of Tanaghmeilt, in the province of Azilal and it is the most visited site in the region.

The largest of the three falls has a drop of over 100 metres and the hypnotic sight and enchanting sound of cascading water seems to seep inside you, as if by osmosis, leaving a profound sense of peace and beauty.

If you would like to visit this remote region of Morocco and try your hand at some of the best carp fishing on the planet have a look at our web site.

Madeleine McCann - you can help

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Thu, 17 May 2007 08:02:00 +0000

All of us at The Arm Chair Traveller would like to offer our support for the search and safe return of young Madeleine McCann. Madeleine was abducted from her bed on the night of 3rd May 2007 whilst on holiday in Praia da Luz, Portugal.

Madeleine has a very distinctive right eye, where the pupil runs into the blue-green iris.

Here is the link to the official Save Madeleine Website

Please click onto “News and Downloads” and you’ll be able to download the Madeleine Poster. They are available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and French. Please help by putting up posters in your local town and area.

We can all help by keeping this in the news and media. The search for Madeleine needs to be European wide so please forward this page to all friends and relatives anywhere in Europe.

Please let’s all do our bit to help the safe return of innocent Madeleine.

Travel through our virtual empire

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 19:25:00 +0000

What a wonderful world

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:07:00 +0000

What a wonderful..., originally uploaded by Silvia de Luque.

Ronda

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Mon, 05 Mar 2007 00:02:00 +0000

Ronda, originally uploaded by Jari Kaariainen.

sunrise-in-Marbella

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sun, 04 Mar 2007 23:58:00 +0000

sunrise-in-Marbella, originally uploaded by Marlis1.

Feria de la Reconquista - travel with a widget

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 00:42:00 +0000

Feria de Reconquista 20-23rd May

Set high on a bluff and protected by the dizzying El Tajo gorge, the mountain vastness of Ronda was one of the last strongholds of Moorish Spain.

Semana Santa or Easter Week sees colorful processions by the town’s religious fraternities. From the 20–23rd of May the "Feria de la Reconquista" celebrates the defeat of the Moors with a series of noisy parades, processions and a fiesta Andalusian style.

If you cant make it to this stunning Spanish celebration then do the next best thing.....

Take the tour of Ronda

Beginning of the 2007 Carnival in Torrevieja, Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 21:31:00 +0000

BEGINNING OF THE 2007 TORREVIEJA CARNIVAL.

From the 27th of January until the 18th of February 2007.

The Carnival events will start on Saturday 27th of January at the Municipal Theater of Torrevieja. During the official opening of the Carnival festivities, the Queens of the Carnival will be presented to the public.

The scheduled events organized by the Cultural Association of the Torrevieja Carnival will go on with the celebration of the Children’s Carnival Dance on the 30th of January, followed on the 4th with the Street Carnival Music Competition where five street bands will compete. On the 11th of February, the big Carnival Parade Competition takes place and to end this year’s Carnival festivities, the traditional Night Carnival Parade will take place on the 17th of February.

Carnivals in Spain are a fantastic experience and offer the chance to watch and take part with the Spanish people, from the oldest old ladies to the youngest children, all dressed in their carnival finery, dancing and partying on the streets all day and more often than not, well into the night.

If you cant make the festival then do the next best thing, take our Virtual tour of Torrevieja.

Thanks to Ewa Anita, Fuzzz for the photos.

Ronda the quintessential Andalucian white village

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Sat, 13 Jan 2007 18:20:00 +0000

The natural drama of Ronda will leave you breathless!

Ronda is divided in half by a steep river gorge which falls a sheer 130 m on each side.

The town is divided into three parts and the old Moorish citadel or as it is know in Spanish - La Ciudad is the first part of town you will encounter in the Barrio de San Francisco. Enter the old town through the Moorish gate - the Puerta de Almocábar with its characteristic horseshoe arch and make your way into the old city.

A small Moorish minaret now known as the Minaret of San Sebastián has a tale to tell. After the expulsion of the Arabs this tenacious structure switched allegiance and lived on as the belfry of a church, the church is now gone, but the minaret continues miraculously to survive.

The old city walls are still in existence and visitors can climb and walk along them towards the bridge, passing through the more modern and merely decorative Puerta Felipe V.
Visible below is the beautifully preserved Moorish bath house, the Hammam. In its heyday, the bath house drew water directly from the nearby stream. It is open to the public without charge though not, of course, for the purposes of bathing. The barrel vaults are pierced with star-shaped holes to allow illumination, and this is an excellent place to pause and feel the weight of Ronda's years.

would you like to see a stunning moving image of this photo?

From the Puerta Felipe V, it is possible to see the lower bridge, the Puente Romano, although there may well have been a Roman bridge here at some time in the distant past, the bridge as it exists today, is undoubtedly a much reconstructed Moorish construction.

Overlooking Puente Romano is another Moorish bridge whose origins are hidden beneath its extensive rebuilding in 1616. The Puente Viejo, or Old Bridge, is so called to distinguish it from Ronda's most famous bridge of all, the Puente Nuevo.

Would you like to take a virtual tour of Ronda?

Bull Fighting

Bullfights were popular spectacles in ancient Rome, but it was in the Iberian Peninsula that these contests were fully developed. The Moors from North Africa who overran Andalusia in AD 711 changed bullfighting significantly from the brutish, formless spectacle practised by the conquered Visigoths to a ritualistic occasion observed in connection with feast days, on which the conquering Moors, mounted on highly trained horses, confronted and killed the bulls.

As bullfighting developed, the men on foot, who by their capework aided the horsemen in positioning the bulls, began to draw more attention from the crowd, and the modern corrida began to take form.

Pedro Romero is undoubtedly the most celebrated name in the history of the corrida (Bullfight) he was not the first member of his family to grace the ring. His grandfather, Francisco, born in Ronda in 1698, was a great innovator. It was he who introduced, among other things, the muleta.

It had become traditional for matadors to carry a short cloak over their left arms. Francisco Romero found this cumbersome, and draped his instead over a stick. Romero's innovations soon became known as the "Ronda school" to distinguish them from the "Seville school" which had been the dominant style before he exploded onto the scene. Juan Romero lived to be 102, and fathered three sons - Juan, Gaspar, José - and one legend - Pedro, was revolutionary in an altogether more fundamental way.
He is considered the first matador to truly conceive of the bullfight as an art and a skill in its own right, and not simply as a clownishly macho preamble to the bull's slaughter. He had great rivals, notably Joaqín Rodríguez "Costillares", and the Sevillian Pepe Hillo, but Pedro Romero unquestionably outshone them all.

Festivals in Ronda

Fiesta de la Virgen de la Paz
Patron Saint of Ronda - January 24th.

Semana Santa
Holy week.

Like all Andalucian towns, Ronda celebrates holy week with processions, most of which begin in the late afternoon and take hours to wend through the streets and alleys of the old city.

Feria de la Reconquista
20th to 23rd May.

Bullfights and Cattlemarket.

Goyesque Fair

Feria Goyesca de Pedro Romero. First Week in September.

This fair is renowned for the bullfight held on the first Saturday of September, in which the toreros don the traditional bullfighting garb of the 18th and 19th centuries, known as the Goyesque Period.

Before the men face the bulls, there is a parade of horse-drawn carriages procession through the town, with all participants in full Goyesque costume. The procession ends on the sands of the bullring.

Marbella and the coast

The beaches and tourist resorts of the Costa del Sol are only 1 hour away by car so why not take a virtual tour of Marbella, the regions Jet Set hot spot while your here?

Thanks to Andalucia.com,

Dobar

Skiing or Beach? the choice is your at Sierra Nevada, Spain

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Wed, 27 Dec 2006 16:56:00 +0000

This astronaut photograph depicts the Veleta Peak region of the range and illustrates the sharp contrast between the snow-capped mountains, adjacent dry lowlands to the west and north, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south.

The Sierra Nevada in the Granada province of Spain are perhaps the southernmost skiing location in all of Europe. Veleta Peak, at an elevation of 3,398 meters (11,148 feet) above sea level, is a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders.

Would you like to take a virtual tour of the ski resort?

The rapid transition from lofty ski runs to Mediterranean beaches within a few hours’ drive has made the Sierra Nevada region popular for both outdoor and urban tourism.

Would you like to take a virtual tour of Marbella?

Thanks to eo newsroom

Northern Lights festival 22 - 28th January 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Tue, 26 Dec 2006 23:36:00 +0000

The Northern Lights Festival Tromsø Norway

The international art and music festival in Tromsø, Norway from the 22nd to the 28th of January includes outstanding musicians of various genres such as contemporary, symphonic, sacred, choral, chamber orchestra, song recitals, musical theatre, ethnic folk, experimental jazz and multimedia. In 2007, the festival celebrates it's 20 years anniversary.

If you cant make it to the festival....

...then do the next best thing - take the virtual tour.

The festival will take place between the 22nd and the 28th of January 2007 an important moment as the sun appears for the first time after winter. Enjoy this stunning natural phenomena and our music and art festival.

For more information on the festival click here, thank you to visit norway

noreply@blogger.com (Fraser) — Tue, 19 Dec 2006 16:46:00 +0000