Were it not for the feral chickens roaming through the
resort, you might imagine yourself to be in southwest
Florida at the IFA Ocean Village in Punta Cana.
Bespeedoed Germans, Spanish spoken all around (but you
don't have to speak any), swimming pools, and
beautiful white sand beaches complete this illusion.
Read the rest of: "Punta Cana Dance Party"»
I spotted this grandma when I was in a traffic jam on the outskirts of Tirana, the capital city of Albania.
The picture doesn't show it clearly, but the woman is talking on her cell phone and gesturing - all the while walking calmly between 4 lanes of cars and trucks on a dusty highway. To me, this portrait shows a lot about how Albanians, isolated for half a century and now reintroduced to the rest of the world, merge the old with the new. Creative problem solving is a way of life. Hey, if walking down the middle of the highway gets you where you want to be......then go for it!
The small and tranquil town of Ponta do Sol lies on the south
shore of Madeira, about 45 minutes from the airport. It has a
stone beach, a few restaurants, and, as the name suggests, the
most hours of sunshine per day on the island. It's not exactly
the kind of place you would expect to find designer digs like
the Hotel Ponta do Sol, but the perhaps somewhat unexpected location
only enhances the hotel experience.
Read the rest of: "Hotel Ponta Do Sol: Architecture + Nature"»
Pointe des Chateaux is the easternmost tip of
Guadeloupe, where the placid Caribbean meets the
antagonistic Atlantic ocean and the two engage in a
dramatic conversation. Or is it an argument? It's hard to tell.
Read the rest of: "Point des Chateaux"»
So this is the unforgettable Bavaro beach. It's
beautiful and pristine, as you can see. Employees even
pick up loose seaweed daily, so as not to defile your
experience of white sand and clear water.
There are designated swimming areas, and the Caribbean changes
color depending on the time of day and amount of
sunlight and wind.
Read the rest of: "Vamos a la Playa! (Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana)"»
To have a coffee in a literary setting that's oozing atmosphere and tradition
in Madrid requires almost no effort.
Just walk to Pasillo de Recoletos,
look for the address plaque that says "21" and open the door to Café Gijón.
Read the rest of: "Café Gijón"»
Whoever likes good wine and good food should go to
Siena, a little town in the heart of Tuscany. It has
something magical that you don't fully realize until
you've left the town. Everybody who has been there
once will return sooner or later because of the
medieval spell that follows you as you roam through
the narrow streets lined by red brick walls, giving
you a sense of safety and carefree-ness that you might
have lost.
Read the rest of: "Siena - a Little Town in the Heart of Tuscany"»
If the blandness and price tag of the big resorts in
Gosier are not your cup of tea, you might be tempted
to stay at the Hotel Pergola, a run-down villa right
above the beach... Unless you bring your own lightbulbs, toilet
paper, pillow, soap and towel don't even consider it.
Read the rest of: "BYOTP (and towel; and pillow) to the Hotel Pergola"»
