top destinations:     Madrid   |   Montreal   |   New York   |   Paris   |   Rome
Home » 2005

Bits from 2005


Nice Places


Says Who?


Years


News: 2005 Spanish Tourism Stats
Posted by Gromco in Spain on 28/Dec/2005
Via LaRazon.es -- How much does the typical tourist spend in Spain daily? 86 euros, according to the newly released statistics of the Spanish Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Commerce. That's an increase of 4.9% from last year's averages.

Read the rest of: "2005 Spanish Tourism Stats


Punta Cana Dance Party
Posted by Ree in Dominican Republic on 26/Dec/2005
Punta Cana Party
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



No one should pass up an opportunity to take an all expenses-paid trip to New York, and I am no exception. So, when such an opportunity finally presented itself, I didn't waste any time hesitating - instead, I packed my bags and, given the timing of such luck, my Halloween costume.

Read the rest of: "Halloween In New York


Tirana Cell Phone
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!



Hotel Ponta do Sol
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


Point des Chateaux
Posted by Ree in Guadeloupe on 28/Nov/2005
Point des Chateaux
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)


Café Gijón
Posted by Slavito in Madrid » Restaurants on 12/Nov/2005
Cafe Gijón (header) 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


Siena: Plaza
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


Hotel Pergola
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



Browse Photos:

Habitat 67
Habitat 67

Habitat 67
Habitat 67

Paris Catacombs
Paris Catacombs

Happy Faces at L'Express
Happy Faces at L'Express

Downtown Light
Downtown Light

Versailles
Versailles

Versailles
Versailles

Versailles
Versailles

Versailles
Versailles

LaSalle Coke Crane
LaSalle Coke Crane

See all 2005 photos

Copyright © 1999-2008 Gromco, Inc. Forum