Chamonix, an artsy destination
Ski-free available activities include ice-skating, snowshoeing and dog sledding but, if you are not that sporty, you can go shopping in the different boutiques found in Chamonix or visit its numerous and original galleries.
Gallery Midnight should definitely be your first stop to discover the artistic offer of this ski resort. It features modern oils and lithographs from the resident artists Andy Parkins and Johny Midnight. Some of their work can also be admired on www.gallerymidnight.com. The gallery enjoys a central location and certainly takes advantage of it: every Wednesday night is drink night where you can go to meet artists and, obviously, have a drink. This gallery, located right behind the Alpine Museum in Rue Whymper, opens every afternoon except Mondays and don?€?t be afraid to simply drop by, as Johny is said to be often ready to share an open bottle of wine!
If photography is more your thing, try Galerie Mario Colonel, right beside Gallery Midnight on Rue Whymper. Mario Colonel specializes in mountain photography, for he is a professional photographer as well as a professional mountaineer. He has been living in Chamonix for the past 20 years but cannot stay in place, he is a authentic summit explorer. He trekked in numerous countries, including Bolivia, Canada, Patagonia and the Himalayas. You can get an overview of his work on www.mario-colonel.com.
If you are a fan of extreme sports and dream, secretly or not, to be the central object of extreme photos, you will be delighted of what you?€?ll see at Extreme Sport Photos, in Vallorcine. The commercial photographer Gus Hurst has been shooting in Chamonix and the Alps for almost 20 years. A passionate extreme sport enthusiast himself, he took snapshots as far as Pakistan, Iceland and Norway, as well as in France, and has been published around the world. He also has prestigious clients, including the Chamonix Tourist Board, BBC television, Red Bull
By: Robert Thomson
Article Source: http://articleaddict.com
วันจันทร์ที่ 16 กุมภาพันธ์ พ.ศ. 2552
The Newest Hot Spot in Europe, Dubrovnik!
The Newest Hot Spot in Europe, Dubrovnik!
Dubrovnik, also known as “the Pearl of the Adriatic” is a city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia. The name originates from the Proto-Slavic term for an oak forest, which was abundantly present in the hills north of the walled city of Dubrovnik by the end of the 11th century.
The history that surrounds this city goes back to the 7th century, where on a rocky island named Laus, Dubrovnik was discovered. Between the 14th century and 1808, Dubrovnik ruled itself as a free state. The Republic had its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries, when its thalassocracy (Ancient Greek term meaning ‘rule of the sea’) rivaled that of the Republic of Venice and other Italian maritime republics. As early as 1272, the Republic of Dubrovnik received its own Statues which among other things codified Roman practice and local customs.
Today, visitors and Croats alike enjoy fabulous museums, festivals, restaurants and a whole tourist explosion that has become one of the prominent destinations on the Adriatic. Admittedly, I was a tad bit skeptical about visiting Croatia; after all when one decides to travel cross the big pond, Croatia is not what comes to mind for many Americans. But it should be!
I was determined to see everything and armed with my tour map, I ventured to do just that. My first stop was the Lovrjenac Fort. The people of Dubrovnik built this fort in order protect the western sea to the City, particularly from the Venetian fleet. Construction was begun in 1080 and it wasn’t until the 16th century when it was completed. In Latin, above the entrance the inscription “NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO” – Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world. St. Lawrence, a chapel, is housed here – it has become a magical venue for theatrical performances. A large number of plays have been performed here during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival – which runs from July 10 – August 25.
Before entering the city, stroll the 15th century seaward promenade Brsaljie – the first one constructed outside the city. The Brsaljie terrace offers a magnificent view over a portion of the city walls and the Lovrjenac Fort at the foot of which lies a picturesque suburb with a little harbor. You enter through double city gates, into a whole new world. A good rule of them is to get here early. Like any other tourist attraction, the City does get packed with tourists.
By this time, hunger pains started controlling my every thought and I was interested in dinning on some authentic Croatian cuisine. Within the city walls I came across a family owned restaurant named Lokrum. I decided to dine outside and admire the beautiful city and do a little bit of people watching. I couldn’t make up my mind on what to indulge in, so I choose the mixed grill platter, promising myself that I will order seafood for dinner. The mixed grill platter consisted of beef, pork and sausage which was exquisite and went very well with a bottle of Karlovacko; a favorite local beer. The food was matched only by the owner and her son, both of which spent a moment welcoming me to their beautiful city. The prices for the meals range from $11 - $20; about average for this local theme restaurant.
After bidding my new friends good-bye I strolled around the main street Placa or Stradum. The harmony of the Old City of Dubrovnik is reflected here. The uniform Baroque architecture of the houses line up to greet you down the approximately 300 meters that made up this street. Their “knee like” entrances got its present day form in the restoration of the City that took place after the disastrous earthquake of 1667. The limestone pavement, worn by use, shines like glass after rainfall. The shops here are a little out of the ordinary, in Western standards; the “na koljeno” type consists of a door and a window in one frame spanned by a semi-circular arch. Although some of these stores do have the tourist laden tacky t-shirts and coffee mug places, there are some very nice shops as well selling different fashions and hand crafts.
One of the best known convents at the time, Covenant of St. Claire is located here. Once serving as a shelter for abandoned children back in the 13th century although it no longer serves that purpose, is still just as breathtaking.
Everything from the food, to the history and architecture, to all the museums that align this city romance me. The people here are warm and friendly and welcome you as one of their own; I felt like part of the family at the family-owned restaurants, if only for a little while. The hospitality made me realize what the rest of Europe has known for quite a while; that Dubrovnik, Croatia is a hot spot in vacations.
The moment that I checked into the Hotel Petka; in the western part of Dubrovnik in port Gruz, I was at home. My 4 days here were made complete with the free breakfast that awaited me every morning. The transfer to and from the airport, which is only a 22km trip, was also included in the $99per person price tag plus I got discounted airfare here.
Being dependant on the sea for everything makes this place a one of a kind stop. Hearing people talk about the many tales of life makes you realize that we are not all that different from one another, just some of us know how to tell the story better.
By: Travel Writer, Dunhill Vacation News
Article Source: http://add-articles.com
Dubrovnik, also known as “the Pearl of the Adriatic” is a city on the Adriatic Sea coast in the extreme south of Croatia. The name originates from the Proto-Slavic term for an oak forest, which was abundantly present in the hills north of the walled city of Dubrovnik by the end of the 11th century.
The history that surrounds this city goes back to the 7th century, where on a rocky island named Laus, Dubrovnik was discovered. Between the 14th century and 1808, Dubrovnik ruled itself as a free state. The Republic had its peak in the 15th and 16th centuries, when its thalassocracy (Ancient Greek term meaning ‘rule of the sea’) rivaled that of the Republic of Venice and other Italian maritime republics. As early as 1272, the Republic of Dubrovnik received its own Statues which among other things codified Roman practice and local customs.
Today, visitors and Croats alike enjoy fabulous museums, festivals, restaurants and a whole tourist explosion that has become one of the prominent destinations on the Adriatic. Admittedly, I was a tad bit skeptical about visiting Croatia; after all when one decides to travel cross the big pond, Croatia is not what comes to mind for many Americans. But it should be!
I was determined to see everything and armed with my tour map, I ventured to do just that. My first stop was the Lovrjenac Fort. The people of Dubrovnik built this fort in order protect the western sea to the City, particularly from the Venetian fleet. Construction was begun in 1080 and it wasn’t until the 16th century when it was completed. In Latin, above the entrance the inscription “NON BENE PRO TOTO LIBERTAS VENDITUR AURO” – Freedom is not sold for all the gold in the world. St. Lawrence, a chapel, is housed here – it has become a magical venue for theatrical performances. A large number of plays have been performed here during the Dubrovnik Summer Festival – which runs from July 10 – August 25.
Before entering the city, stroll the 15th century seaward promenade Brsaljie – the first one constructed outside the city. The Brsaljie terrace offers a magnificent view over a portion of the city walls and the Lovrjenac Fort at the foot of which lies a picturesque suburb with a little harbor. You enter through double city gates, into a whole new world. A good rule of them is to get here early. Like any other tourist attraction, the City does get packed with tourists.
By this time, hunger pains started controlling my every thought and I was interested in dinning on some authentic Croatian cuisine. Within the city walls I came across a family owned restaurant named Lokrum. I decided to dine outside and admire the beautiful city and do a little bit of people watching. I couldn’t make up my mind on what to indulge in, so I choose the mixed grill platter, promising myself that I will order seafood for dinner. The mixed grill platter consisted of beef, pork and sausage which was exquisite and went very well with a bottle of Karlovacko; a favorite local beer. The food was matched only by the owner and her son, both of which spent a moment welcoming me to their beautiful city. The prices for the meals range from $11 - $20; about average for this local theme restaurant.
After bidding my new friends good-bye I strolled around the main street Placa or Stradum. The harmony of the Old City of Dubrovnik is reflected here. The uniform Baroque architecture of the houses line up to greet you down the approximately 300 meters that made up this street. Their “knee like” entrances got its present day form in the restoration of the City that took place after the disastrous earthquake of 1667. The limestone pavement, worn by use, shines like glass after rainfall. The shops here are a little out of the ordinary, in Western standards; the “na koljeno” type consists of a door and a window in one frame spanned by a semi-circular arch. Although some of these stores do have the tourist laden tacky t-shirts and coffee mug places, there are some very nice shops as well selling different fashions and hand crafts.
One of the best known convents at the time, Covenant of St. Claire is located here. Once serving as a shelter for abandoned children back in the 13th century although it no longer serves that purpose, is still just as breathtaking.
Everything from the food, to the history and architecture, to all the museums that align this city romance me. The people here are warm and friendly and welcome you as one of their own; I felt like part of the family at the family-owned restaurants, if only for a little while. The hospitality made me realize what the rest of Europe has known for quite a while; that Dubrovnik, Croatia is a hot spot in vacations.
The moment that I checked into the Hotel Petka; in the western part of Dubrovnik in port Gruz, I was at home. My 4 days here were made complete with the free breakfast that awaited me every morning. The transfer to and from the airport, which is only a 22km trip, was also included in the $99per person price tag plus I got discounted airfare here.
Being dependant on the sea for everything makes this place a one of a kind stop. Hearing people talk about the many tales of life makes you realize that we are not all that different from one another, just some of us know how to tell the story better.
By: Travel Writer, Dunhill Vacation News
Article Source: http://add-articles.com
What are China's main tourist attractions?
What are China's main tourist attractions?
Beijing
With its skyscrapers and relatively wealthy population, the capital encapsulates the best of modern China but the past survives in some splendid imperial icons, including the elegant palaces of the vast Forbidden City, and the extraordinary, circular Temple of Heaven. Downtown, look for the ever-dwindling number of hutongs, the narrow alleyways which makeup so much of old ***** DO NOT PLACE LIVE URL LINKS IN THE ARTICLE BODY***** href="http://www.letstravelplease.com/Beijing_China_photos.htm" class="style68">Beijing. There are also China's foremost restaurants and nightlife to take advantage of – everything from teahouse theatres and acrobatic shows to clubs that only play deepest house. Within easy reach of the capital you'll also find the imperial Summer Palace's spacious and unpolluted parklands, and the stone guardians and chambers of the Ming Tombs
The Great Wall
This extraordinary feat of civil engineering was begun in the 5th century and stretched 6000km across China. The most accessible of its remaining sections are within easy reach of Beijing, including at very popular Badaling and at less commercialized Simatai and Jinshanling
View photos of The Great Wall
Xi'an
Made rich by the old Silk Road trade, Xi'an was one of China's former capitals. Its most famous sight is the Terracotta Army, life-sized figurines guarding the tomb of the country's first emperor, Win Shi Huang, but there's much more to Xi'an, including its two 1300-year-old Tang pagodas, and the Neolithic remains at nearby Banpo. The famous kung fu temple Shaolin Si, is within a day's journey to the east, near Luoyang – packed with visitors, it's a major tourist trap, filled with shops selling weapons and tracksuits, and with wushu students showing off their skills.
The Li river
Looking exactly like a Chinese scroll painting, a procession of tall, wonderfully weathered limestone peaks flanks 85km of the Li River in southwestern Guangxi province. Base yourself at either the package-tour city of Guilin or the more mellow village of Yangshuo, then cruise around or rent a bicycle and pedal off through the countryside.
Shanghai
With over thirteen million residents, Shanghai is the world's most populous city. It's buzzy, style-conscious nightlife is second only to Beijing's, and the shopping is fantastic, with good bargains for tailor-made clothes and plenty of glamorous malls to peruse. Though the city has few unmissable sights, the beautifully presented Shanghai Museum offers the perfect introduction to China's phenomenal artistic heritage. Shanghai also sports pockets of impressive European ART Deco architecture along its riverfront esplanade, a legacy of its time as a former colonial concession, strategically close to the mouth of the Yangzi river.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong's cityscape is one of the modern wonders of the world, best seen at night while crossing the harbour on the Star Ferry, though taking the famous tram up to Victoria Peak gives you another classic panorama. Shopping is a major Hong Kong pastime, at the excessively glitzy shopping malls, at the chaotic Temple Street Night Market and in the more traditional Stanley Market. Hong Kong is also the place for unrivaled dim sum brunches. Away from the commercial hub, the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery at Shatin offers fine temple statues and hill views, and there's historic interest at the Qing dynasty walled village of Kat Hing Wai. Or spend a day or two poking around the less-developed outer islands, exploring Lantau's small beaches and wooded hills or visiting the former Portuguese enclave of Macau
Three Gorges
The latter stage of the 6400-kilometre-long Yangzi River, in Chinese, and is still used as a transport artery. Catch a ferry through the Three Gorges, between the Sichaunese city of Chongqing and Yichang in Hubei, a three-day 250-kilometre journey past ancient towns, turbulent shoals and spectacular cliff scenery, some of it under threat of submersion from a massive and highly controversial dam project that's due to be completed in 2009
Tibet
The “roof of the world” is a place of red-robed monks and austere monastery complexes set against the awe-inspiring vastness of the Tibetan Plateau. It's also labouring under heavy-handed Chinese military rule, but even the Dalai Lama, exiled in India, encourages people to visit and see the region first-hand. Take your time and, after seeing the mighty Potala Place – Tibet's foremost tourist sight – in the capital Lhasa, get out to less-touristed monasteries at Shigatse and Gyantse. By 2008 access to Tibet will be possible by what is set to be the spectacular Qinghai-Tibet railway, the highest in the world. It will run over 1100km from Golmud to Lhasa, nearly all of it at an altitude of 4000m or above, using pressurized compartments to prevent altitude sickness.
Guangxi and Guizhou
The rural regions of these provinces are among China's poorest, but it's worth exploring the minority communities dotted throughout the fabulously terraced mountains here, especially the Dong village of Zhaoxing, in northern Guangxi. The Miao hilltribe settlements around Kaili in Guizhou host riotous festivals through the year, featuring bull fights, dancing, dragon-boat races and fantastic outfits.
Kashgar
An oasis town in China's northwestern deserts, Kashgar is populated by Muslim, Turkic-speaking Ulgir people. Its appeal is in its very remoteness from the rest of China – and its Sunday Bazaar, an Arabian-Nights style affair which draws 100,000 people, including thousands from nearby Krygystan, Turkistan, Tajkistan and Pakistan, to trade in everything from camels and carpets to plastic buckets
The Silk Road
Follow the ancient Silk Road between China and Central Asia – a 3000-kilometre-long train and bus route from Xi'an to Kashgar. On the way, you can take in remote sections of the Great Wall, the bird watching lake Qinghai Hu, astonishing eight-century Buddhist cave art at Dunghuang, the pleasant oasis town of Turpan and the scorching sands of the Taklamakan desert.
Hangzhou and Suzhou
Once a vital trade centre on the 1800-kilometre-long Grand Canal in eastern China, Hangzhou is set around the famed beauty spot of Xi Hu, or West Lake, ringed by pagodas and wooded, hilly parkland, its surface dotted with fishing boats. It's also worth making the haul 60km north to Suzhou, another canal city with a host of traditional Chinese gardens.
Changbai Shan nature Reserve
Set right up on China's frontier with North Korea, Changbai Shan is hard to reach even when the road opens in summer, but the rewards are the stunning blue Tian Chi – “Heaven's Lake” – and the faint chance you may spot Siberian tigers. More likely, you'll get to sample some of the rare fungi and medicinal herbs which locals harvest here and serve up in restaurants; Changbai Shan's ginseng is considered the best in China.
Yunnan in Sichuan
China's mist varied region, these two provinces stretch from Tibet to the steamy tropical forests of Xishuangbanna, and also share borders with Laos, Vietnam and Burma. Top spots are Sichuan's holy mountain, Emei Shan, where you can sleep and eat in the dozen or more Buddhist temples; the Yunnannese town of Dali, with its ethnic Bai population and vivid mountain and lake scenery; Lijiang, a delightful maze of cobbled lanes and wooden houses, home to the Tibetan-descended Naxi people; and the stark, dramatic scenery of Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest canyon in the world, with a drop of 2.5 kilometres.
Chaozhou
A self-conciously traditional town in southern Guangdong province, Chaozhou has nineteenth-century streets and even older architecture, including its city walls and beautiful Kaiyuan Temple, which make it a pleasure to explore. Foodies will also need to try out Chaozhou's restaurants, famed for their bitter, refreshing gongfu tea and fruit-flavoured sauces
By: Farazila Abu
Article Source: http://articleaddict.com
Beijing
With its skyscrapers and relatively wealthy population, the capital encapsulates the best of modern China but the past survives in some splendid imperial icons, including the elegant palaces of the vast Forbidden City, and the extraordinary, circular Temple of Heaven. Downtown, look for the ever-dwindling number of hutongs, the narrow alleyways which makeup so much of old ***** DO NOT PLACE LIVE URL LINKS IN THE ARTICLE BODY***** href="http://www.letstravelplease.com/Beijing_China_photos.htm" class="style68">Beijing. There are also China's foremost restaurants and nightlife to take advantage of – everything from teahouse theatres and acrobatic shows to clubs that only play deepest house. Within easy reach of the capital you'll also find the imperial Summer Palace's spacious and unpolluted parklands, and the stone guardians and chambers of the Ming Tombs
The Great Wall
This extraordinary feat of civil engineering was begun in the 5th century and stretched 6000km across China. The most accessible of its remaining sections are within easy reach of Beijing, including at very popular Badaling and at less commercialized Simatai and Jinshanling
View photos of The Great Wall
Xi'an
Made rich by the old Silk Road trade, Xi'an was one of China's former capitals. Its most famous sight is the Terracotta Army, life-sized figurines guarding the tomb of the country's first emperor, Win Shi Huang, but there's much more to Xi'an, including its two 1300-year-old Tang pagodas, and the Neolithic remains at nearby Banpo. The famous kung fu temple Shaolin Si, is within a day's journey to the east, near Luoyang – packed with visitors, it's a major tourist trap, filled with shops selling weapons and tracksuits, and with wushu students showing off their skills.
The Li river
Looking exactly like a Chinese scroll painting, a procession of tall, wonderfully weathered limestone peaks flanks 85km of the Li River in southwestern Guangxi province. Base yourself at either the package-tour city of Guilin or the more mellow village of Yangshuo, then cruise around or rent a bicycle and pedal off through the countryside.
Shanghai
With over thirteen million residents, Shanghai is the world's most populous city. It's buzzy, style-conscious nightlife is second only to Beijing's, and the shopping is fantastic, with good bargains for tailor-made clothes and plenty of glamorous malls to peruse. Though the city has few unmissable sights, the beautifully presented Shanghai Museum offers the perfect introduction to China's phenomenal artistic heritage. Shanghai also sports pockets of impressive European ART Deco architecture along its riverfront esplanade, a legacy of its time as a former colonial concession, strategically close to the mouth of the Yangzi river.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong's cityscape is one of the modern wonders of the world, best seen at night while crossing the harbour on the Star Ferry, though taking the famous tram up to Victoria Peak gives you another classic panorama. Shopping is a major Hong Kong pastime, at the excessively glitzy shopping malls, at the chaotic Temple Street Night Market and in the more traditional Stanley Market. Hong Kong is also the place for unrivaled dim sum brunches. Away from the commercial hub, the Ten Thousand Buddha Monastery at Shatin offers fine temple statues and hill views, and there's historic interest at the Qing dynasty walled village of Kat Hing Wai. Or spend a day or two poking around the less-developed outer islands, exploring Lantau's small beaches and wooded hills or visiting the former Portuguese enclave of Macau
Three Gorges
The latter stage of the 6400-kilometre-long Yangzi River, in Chinese, and is still used as a transport artery. Catch a ferry through the Three Gorges, between the Sichaunese city of Chongqing and Yichang in Hubei, a three-day 250-kilometre journey past ancient towns, turbulent shoals and spectacular cliff scenery, some of it under threat of submersion from a massive and highly controversial dam project that's due to be completed in 2009
Tibet
The “roof of the world” is a place of red-robed monks and austere monastery complexes set against the awe-inspiring vastness of the Tibetan Plateau. It's also labouring under heavy-handed Chinese military rule, but even the Dalai Lama, exiled in India, encourages people to visit and see the region first-hand. Take your time and, after seeing the mighty Potala Place – Tibet's foremost tourist sight – in the capital Lhasa, get out to less-touristed monasteries at Shigatse and Gyantse. By 2008 access to Tibet will be possible by what is set to be the spectacular Qinghai-Tibet railway, the highest in the world. It will run over 1100km from Golmud to Lhasa, nearly all of it at an altitude of 4000m or above, using pressurized compartments to prevent altitude sickness.
Guangxi and Guizhou
The rural regions of these provinces are among China's poorest, but it's worth exploring the minority communities dotted throughout the fabulously terraced mountains here, especially the Dong village of Zhaoxing, in northern Guangxi. The Miao hilltribe settlements around Kaili in Guizhou host riotous festivals through the year, featuring bull fights, dancing, dragon-boat races and fantastic outfits.
Kashgar
An oasis town in China's northwestern deserts, Kashgar is populated by Muslim, Turkic-speaking Ulgir people. Its appeal is in its very remoteness from the rest of China – and its Sunday Bazaar, an Arabian-Nights style affair which draws 100,000 people, including thousands from nearby Krygystan, Turkistan, Tajkistan and Pakistan, to trade in everything from camels and carpets to plastic buckets
The Silk Road
Follow the ancient Silk Road between China and Central Asia – a 3000-kilometre-long train and bus route from Xi'an to Kashgar. On the way, you can take in remote sections of the Great Wall, the bird watching lake Qinghai Hu, astonishing eight-century Buddhist cave art at Dunghuang, the pleasant oasis town of Turpan and the scorching sands of the Taklamakan desert.
Hangzhou and Suzhou
Once a vital trade centre on the 1800-kilometre-long Grand Canal in eastern China, Hangzhou is set around the famed beauty spot of Xi Hu, or West Lake, ringed by pagodas and wooded, hilly parkland, its surface dotted with fishing boats. It's also worth making the haul 60km north to Suzhou, another canal city with a host of traditional Chinese gardens.
Changbai Shan nature Reserve
Set right up on China's frontier with North Korea, Changbai Shan is hard to reach even when the road opens in summer, but the rewards are the stunning blue Tian Chi – “Heaven's Lake” – and the faint chance you may spot Siberian tigers. More likely, you'll get to sample some of the rare fungi and medicinal herbs which locals harvest here and serve up in restaurants; Changbai Shan's ginseng is considered the best in China.
Yunnan in Sichuan
China's mist varied region, these two provinces stretch from Tibet to the steamy tropical forests of Xishuangbanna, and also share borders with Laos, Vietnam and Burma. Top spots are Sichuan's holy mountain, Emei Shan, where you can sleep and eat in the dozen or more Buddhist temples; the Yunnannese town of Dali, with its ethnic Bai population and vivid mountain and lake scenery; Lijiang, a delightful maze of cobbled lanes and wooden houses, home to the Tibetan-descended Naxi people; and the stark, dramatic scenery of Tiger Leaping Gorge, the deepest canyon in the world, with a drop of 2.5 kilometres.
Chaozhou
A self-conciously traditional town in southern Guangdong province, Chaozhou has nineteenth-century streets and even older architecture, including its city walls and beautiful Kaiyuan Temple, which make it a pleasure to explore. Foodies will also need to try out Chaozhou's restaurants, famed for their bitter, refreshing gongfu tea and fruit-flavoured sauces
By: Farazila Abu
Article Source: http://articleaddict.com
Montg? and Cabo de San Antonio
Montg? and Cabo de San Antonio
Montg? is located in the Marina Alta region in the north of the province of Alicante, Spain and is easily accessible from the main holiday resorts situated to its north and south. Situated just to the north of J?vea (X?bia), Montg? is a large massif covering more than 2000 hectares and that rises to 753 meters (2470 feet). It is renowned for its rock formations, cliffs, caves and natural harbors and acts as a natural divide between the aforementioned town of J?vea and the large provincial port of Den?a.
Montg? was designated a natural park in 1987 because of its immense wealth of flora, fauna and ecosystems, it has more than 600 species of wild flowers, many of them unique indigenous sub-species, and it is for this main reason that the title of 'natural park' was bestowed upon this area.
Although the mountain of Montg? governs the skyline the park also features the promontory of planes known as 'les Planes' that run down to the Cabo de San Antonio named after Saint Anthony, the patron saint to which a 14th century hermitage was dedicated to, its ruins can still be visited on the cape today.
The park is home to many breeds of marine birds including the yellow footed gull, sandwich tern, Audouin's gull and Patiamarilla gull, but also a large number of birds of prey can be found including four owl species; Eagle Owl, European Scops Owl, Tawny Owl and Little Owl and four hawk species; Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel and Sparrow-hawk all of which have been documented as breeding in the park.
Perdicera Eagles, Short-toed eagles, Buzzards and Eleanora's Falcon can also be found in the park but it is not known for definite if they breed here, but it is common belief that they do.
It is not until you begin to hike through this area that you truly appreciate its splendor, the clean air is scented with lavender and wild rosemary and flowers of purple, yellow, pink and white border every track. For the adventurous, the four hour accent to the peak is rewarded with magnificent views up and down the coastline and on a clear day one can see Ibiza far out in the Mediterranean, however, the summit can often be shrouded in cloud even when the skies are completely clear elsewhere, so it is advisable to have a waterproof jacket packed as precipitation is commonplace near the summit due to the humid ocean air rising and condensing.
If trekking up the 753 meters is a bit too energetic for you there are several lower level routes one of which takes you down a cypress lined track to Los Molinos which are a line of old windmills, last used in 1911, that look down upon the scenic town of J?vea.
So if you are visiting the region, be it taking a beach holiday or a business trip and want to see the natural beauty of Spain as it was before the hotels and the over development then there is no better place to visit than the Montg? nature park.
By: Daniel Major
Article Source: http://add-articles.com
Montg? is located in the Marina Alta region in the north of the province of Alicante, Spain and is easily accessible from the main holiday resorts situated to its north and south. Situated just to the north of J?vea (X?bia), Montg? is a large massif covering more than 2000 hectares and that rises to 753 meters (2470 feet). It is renowned for its rock formations, cliffs, caves and natural harbors and acts as a natural divide between the aforementioned town of J?vea and the large provincial port of Den?a.
Montg? was designated a natural park in 1987 because of its immense wealth of flora, fauna and ecosystems, it has more than 600 species of wild flowers, many of them unique indigenous sub-species, and it is for this main reason that the title of 'natural park' was bestowed upon this area.
Although the mountain of Montg? governs the skyline the park also features the promontory of planes known as 'les Planes' that run down to the Cabo de San Antonio named after Saint Anthony, the patron saint to which a 14th century hermitage was dedicated to, its ruins can still be visited on the cape today.
The park is home to many breeds of marine birds including the yellow footed gull, sandwich tern, Audouin's gull and Patiamarilla gull, but also a large number of birds of prey can be found including four owl species; Eagle Owl, European Scops Owl, Tawny Owl and Little Owl and four hawk species; Goshawk, Peregrine Falcon, Kestrel and Sparrow-hawk all of which have been documented as breeding in the park.
Perdicera Eagles, Short-toed eagles, Buzzards and Eleanora's Falcon can also be found in the park but it is not known for definite if they breed here, but it is common belief that they do.
It is not until you begin to hike through this area that you truly appreciate its splendor, the clean air is scented with lavender and wild rosemary and flowers of purple, yellow, pink and white border every track. For the adventurous, the four hour accent to the peak is rewarded with magnificent views up and down the coastline and on a clear day one can see Ibiza far out in the Mediterranean, however, the summit can often be shrouded in cloud even when the skies are completely clear elsewhere, so it is advisable to have a waterproof jacket packed as precipitation is commonplace near the summit due to the humid ocean air rising and condensing.
If trekking up the 753 meters is a bit too energetic for you there are several lower level routes one of which takes you down a cypress lined track to Los Molinos which are a line of old windmills, last used in 1911, that look down upon the scenic town of J?vea.
So if you are visiting the region, be it taking a beach holiday or a business trip and want to see the natural beauty of Spain as it was before the hotels and the over development then there is no better place to visit than the Montg? nature park.
By: Daniel Major
Article Source: http://add-articles.com
Lovers play whaiwhai
Lovers play whaiwhai
In the city of lovers, Valentine’s Day is a holiday that fills the streets. Verona celebrates love on February 14th and we’ve arranged to be there – to play, obviously. The venue is “Verona in Love”, a series of events organized by the city and by the province of Verona.
One of the stars of this program is whaiwhai and its latest publication, Amor – Verona, with an appointment set for Saturday, February 14th at 11:00 at the Fnac bookstore in Verona. There we’ll present the gamebook and then give the green light to a challenge for all couples who wish to participate. Just purchase the gamebook at a bookstore (or if you’ve already got one, bring it with you) and bring your mobile phone. The game will last a couple of hours, putting teams on various itineraries in the city. The fastest and cleverest couple (the first to solve all the clues) will win a romantic dinner at the Osteria del Bugiardo. Let us know if you’ll be there – we’ll be waiting for you. Who knows, Eros might be there too, fluttering inquisitively over your heads.
By: IME
Article Source: http://articleaddict.com
In the city of lovers, Valentine’s Day is a holiday that fills the streets. Verona celebrates love on February 14th and we’ve arranged to be there – to play, obviously. The venue is “Verona in Love”, a series of events organized by the city and by the province of Verona.
One of the stars of this program is whaiwhai and its latest publication, Amor – Verona, with an appointment set for Saturday, February 14th at 11:00 at the Fnac bookstore in Verona. There we’ll present the gamebook and then give the green light to a challenge for all couples who wish to participate. Just purchase the gamebook at a bookstore (or if you’ve already got one, bring it with you) and bring your mobile phone. The game will last a couple of hours, putting teams on various itineraries in the city. The fastest and cleverest couple (the first to solve all the clues) will win a romantic dinner at the Osteria del Bugiardo. Let us know if you’ll be there – we’ll be waiting for you. Who knows, Eros might be there too, fluttering inquisitively over your heads.
By: IME
Article Source: http://articleaddict.com
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