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How to celebrate stag weekends with your college buddies in Europe?

 Fly to the continent of Europe for few days of ultimate fun since Europe makes a great choice for enjoying your last chance of freedom. Europe is a hot place for celebrating stag weekend getaways. Leave everything right behind and make your decision now! If you’re going to Europe, how’re you going to celebrate your stag weekends with college buddies? What are the things you can’t just miss out? Here’s an answer to all your possible queries. Let’s have a look on some of the top Europe destinations worthy enough to consider for a memorable stag weekend.

Prague, Czech Republic: This city has recently transformed itself into a popular stag weekend destination and Prague, undoubtedly remains to be a fun filled destination for stag weekends. Booze is very cheap when compared to other European cities. This city is small enough and so it’s easy for you to roam around on the foot - it’s completely packed with beautiful and historic monuments where an efficient transport system is a booster.

Riga, Latvia: Visit this ‘much affordable’ place for castles, towers and cathedrals. It’s a shopper’s haven with amazing transportation facilities and you can easily party here all night. However, sometimes you might have to fight conservative environment so it’s advisable that you maintain decorum on stag weekends with college buddies.

Barcelona, Spain: Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations among beach lovers. If you’re fond of water and adventure sports, Barcelona has many options that offer you great avenues. You can see, eat and experience a lot in Barcelona.

Tallinn, Estonia: The cost of living is quite low over here. Typical European castles, well constructed and beautiful architectural monuments and the list of places to visit is endless. Budapest, Hungary: Hungary is a quiet country which has a very calm and soothing poetic feel to it. There are most goods that will actually cost you less than that in the rest of the Europe. There are many activities like paint-balling, pistol shopping, go-carting, carving, fencing, golf, city tours, wine testing, pub crawls and more. Europe venues are rapidly emerging as eminent destinations to party on global life. Nightlife and shopping in Europe is yet another thing to do on a crazy stag weekend in Europe. If you’re planning a stag weekend with college buddies, Europe is your ultimate fun filled destination. If you want to celebrate stag dos please get in touch with us :)

Climb Mount Doom From Lord of the Rings

 

Quick Guide to Christmas Markets in Poland

Every season as November turns into December, the central squares in many Polish cities are transformed into cozy outdoor Christmas markets (Jarmak Bozonarodzeniowy). Dozens of vendors sell locally-made sausages, cheese, honey and crafts from behind wooden stalls, and Christmas trees taller than most of the surrounding buildings become the focal point of the squares.

Christmas markets originated in the Germanic-speaking regions of Europe during the Middle Ages; however, the tradition has been assimilated and adapted into Polish Christmas culture.

The markets are one of the best places to find the products and ingredients central to a traditional Polish Christmas dinner. Carp, bought fresh (and sometimes live) so the scales can be dried and kept for luck, is the main Christmas Eve dish in Poland. And oplatki, thin wafers which are broken and shared as a symbol of family and friendship, are sold alongside traditional Polish staples like kielbasa and pierogi.

The main market square in Warsaw hosts the biggest Christmas market in Poland. With a focus on regional products, the program also includes live musical performances throughout the month of December. Another major market is held in Krakow. Thousands of lights illuminate one of the only major medieval town squares in Poland that resisted destruction during the Second World War.

If you’re in southwest Poland in December, head over to Wroclaw; the market in the former German city includes an outdoor stage with live musical and dance performances. Or, head north to the Christmas market in Gdansk and spend the holiday on the coast. Smaller markets are held in the secondary cities of Torun and Lodz as well.

Mulled wine (grzaniec), the most popular element of Polish Christmas markets, can be found in the central stalls. The warm mugs, wafting scents of cloves and cinnamon, are a great way to thaw frozen hands on a chilly December evening.

Jenna Makowski is a freelance writer who seeks experiential and local travel. She blogs at http://jennagmakowski.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to get a Holiday for Free

Holidays; it seems that we spend our lives scrimping and saving for them and as soon as we get back, we want another one. It seems like a hefty financial outlay for such a fleeting, transitory experience for which we have little to show aside from a few ropey photographs, but studies have shown that, in Britain at least, a holiday is one of the few things Brits are unprepared to give up, even when cash is tight.

It is this reluctance that means Britain’s travel and tourism industry remains strong even in uncertain times, but while many of us need a holiday to keep us sane, that two week summer break is undoubtedly having an effect on our finances, whether that’s the ability to save, pay off our debts, or shell out other essentials. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could get our finances in check and take that holiday?

Sound crazy? Well it shouldn’t there are in fact many ways to bag yourself a free holiday, or at least holidays at massively discounted rates, and I’m not talking about catching a bus to Turkmenistan. Here are five ways you can wrangle yourself a very cheap, or if you’re lucky, a free holiday;

Competitions

Ok, so you don’t have time to spend all day watching day time television waiting for Lorraine Kelly to spring a painfully simple question about the capital of France to which millions of people will enter, no fear, there are easy ways. One of these is Competwition, a little known site at present that has daily competitions across a number of verticals including travel and leisure. Simply Tweet to enter, no phone calls, no silly questions, no fuss.

Work for a Travel Company or Airline

Really love travel? Why not work for a travel companies, many multinational travel firms have bases in the UK (often located near airports) and depending on exactly what job you do for them, holiday concessions or free travel are amongst the perks you can enjoy. Of course working as cabin crew is another option, a fairly well paying job which has a low barrier to entry, and one where lengthy stopovers in desirable locations are the norm, particularly on long haul carriers.

Become a Travel Blogger

What? Geeks that sit at home on the internet all day writing blogs can get free travel? You betcha! If you put in the work and create (or get someone to create you) a nice, user friendly site, have some writing talent, and the time to update it regularly, you could become an influencer in the travel industry and get picked up by a large company who want you to write about their holidays! Making and maintaining a successful travel blog is easier said than done, it takes time, but the cash investment is fairly minimal.

Complain

Didn’t like your recent holiday? Complain. Travel firms have just much accountability as any company to provide you with a satisfying and valuable experience. Take heed, only complain if there was a genuine issue with your holiday, doing so otherwise could land you in hot water. If there is genuine gravity behind your claim, then make it known, you may just get an apology, but you may get a free holiday…

Coupons

Groupon, if you’ve haven’t heard of it yet, is an online group buying system whereby huge discounts are offered on a number of experiences including meals out, spa days and yes, holidays. Granted the products on offer are not always international getaways, rather weekend breaks in country houses, but a holiday’s a holiday right? All that’s required is that enough people sign up for the deal for it to be valid, so get all your friends and family on-board (or not if the only reason you go away is to escape their evil clutches!)

Joe is a travel blogger and serial bargain hunter, he’s currently looking for deals on Flights to Australia. You can follow Joe on Twitter @joe__johnson__

Luxurious Things to Do in Miami

There is plenty to do in Miami. You can frolic along movie stars anywhere in South Beach with beautiful people and ice cold drinks. There is plenty of excess in Miami but why no take it to the next level by……

Buy Some Art

Miami is a phenomenal melting part for very unique art deco designs and artwork. Visit one of the many various art galleries and museums to find that exclusive piece for your new living room or office.

Exclusive Golf

Try your best for a hole in one at Biltmore Hotel’s Donald . The Par 71, 6800 yard championship golf course is a masterpiece of luxury golf.  The course has received many acknowledgements for it’s resort layout which has brought many famous actors, musicians, and golf pros.

Stay @ Mandarin Hotel

This luxurious sanctuary is a staple for luxury travel and accommodations in southern Florida. This hotel boasts a 15,000 square foot luxury spa with 17 treatment rooms, suites, Pilates and Yoga Studios, separate male and female saunas and steamrooms, and Oasis Beach Club for outdoor massages.

Rent a Luxury Car

If you want to draw the attention of the crowd in Miami rent your favorite exotic car and take it for a ride in South Florida. Make a couple pit stops and cruise down Ocean Drive. Be sure to get the brightest color possible. Nothing says status more than a Ferrari on Ocean Drive except for……..

Charter a Yacht

Cruise to the open sea and be sure to invite plenty of people for your excursion. There is no better way to enjoy Miami than aboard a crewed yacht. Treat yourself to a dream along a luxury chartered yacht.

 

Worldwide Yacht Charters

My Amazing Experience in Tribal India

 As I rode through a remote tribal area of Orissa, India, my guide spotted a group of women sitting in a field. We got out and sauntered over to see what was transpiring and learned that the women were priestesses of the Kondh tribe. They were preparing a curative ceremony for a boy about nine years old from their village. They did not mind our presence and allowed us to stand there and witness the entire process while I photographed each activity they undertook. First, the head priestess partook of some intoxicating liquid and eventually chanted until she was in a partial trance.



    As the ceremony progressed, the child emerged from the village accompanied by his mother. Each of them carried a live bird, one a pigeon and the other a chicken. The birds were handed over to the women who fed both of them rice in order for them to be full and satisfied before being sacrificed as part of the ceremony. Some rice was placed on the boy's stomach, hair and lips which the birds gleefully ate. The satiated animals were then relieved of their innards and eventually sacrificed. These guts were then rubbed onto the shoulders and belly of the child. After a period of chanting, water was pored over the boy to cleanse him.

    Next a man emerged from the woods whom I assumed was the child's father. He carried a small bow and several arrows and directed the young man to shoot in various directions in order to casting away the evil that caused his illness. The man then withdrew back into the woods. Soon the boy, cleansed and naked, and his mother walked back to the village under the cover of a white sheet I hope he was cured. I was overwhelmed. Another wondrous experience in Third World.

 

My travel to remote corners of the world provided me important lessons and helped me grow as a person. As a life-long educator, my observations about the value and meaning of such travel has made my lectures thoughtful and informative. My memoir, What's an American Doing Here? begins with childhood thumbing through pictures in an old World Book Encyclopedia to my development as an enthusiastic voyager to some of the least likely destinations imaginable. Imagine being stranded in a flash flood in the mountains of Western China or being robbed by bandits in the Guatemalan jungle. Envision yourself joining a dance at a funeral in West Africa or becoming a guest of honor at a wedding on an island in rural Indonesia. From Voodoo to Candomble, from elephant parades to Silk Road market towns, I have explored places where few American tourists tread. I spent most of my life teaching children, directing schools and writing about my philosophy of education. In my retirement I transformed those skills to become a lecturer, consultant and author. You can access my website at http://www.travellectures.com/index.html

Traveling to Savannah, GA- Check Out Mandy Starling on The CW

 

Mandy Starling is the host of See Savannah on the CW in the Southeast.  Mandy will also be starring in the movie Untouched.

Alexandria, the Pearl of the Mediterranean Sea

So as it seems that every time I collect my travel around Egypt, my resting place still takes me up North for the ancient city of Alexander the Great on the Mediterranean Sea. Alexandria is just the perfect element for my strength to be renewed. Something is different about it, could it be the weather? big part of it could! It also could be the city’s roman architecture feel about it, but for sure it is how beautiful the city is as a whole.


Famous Tourists Attractions in Alexandria

If you want a piece of history in Alexandria you should go to the Citadel of Alexandria, Qaitbay Fort as it is one of the top historical military forts that was built during the rule of MamlukSultan El-Ashraf Sayf El-Din Qaitbay in which was founded in the 15th century upon the ruins of the old Light House of Alexandria that was destroyed in a 14th century earthquake. The Citadel is recognized by its huge form of architecture, three major walls construction and divisions that included several defensive techniques against the Turks at the time; in addition to its great location above the Mediterranean Sea view that you literally could see horizons of the blue waters and splash of air in your face.

 

If you want the modern piece of Alexandria you should not miss out on the Great Library of Alexandria, Bibliotheca Alexandrina that has been inaugurated in 2004 near the original one which has been destroyed purposefully or accidentally during several conquests earlier. Architecture wise its mind blowing, and the inside tour is worth every minute if you are in love with culture, history and art.

Best Timing to Visit

Weather in Alexandria becomes irresistible around the autumn season where it reaches the peak of its best starting mid-September to mid-November, where humidity is usually less and the air is wonderfully refreshing.

Travel from Cairo to Alexandria

The safest and most direct way to get to Alexandria from Cairo is by train, most recommended is the Spanish train, first class type of ticket reservation, which will cost about EGP 50. Get a nice and smooth trip of two and half hours you can spend on reading or working.

A US Waiver Could Save Your Dream Vacation

Before planning your dream vacation, there are a few good questions to ask yourself. "Will I need to deal with US Immigration?" "Have I ever had any issues with US Immigration?" "Do I have what I need to avoid complications such as a US Waiver?"

Let's face it, in today's society a great majority of us are basically working for vacations. A much needed escape from the mundane routine of our everyday lives. We crave a change of pace, some time to sit back and reflect, to spend quality time with our loved ones without the stresses of daily life. And really, there are some absolutely stunning places in this world that simply must be seen, and for many the only way to do this is by taking small vacations here and there when we can.

Maybe your dream vacation is hiking the great Machu Picchu of Peru, or walking the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain. Or maybe, it simply involves a tropical beach destination at an all- inclusive resort where you can bathe in the sun for hours sipping pina coladas and cooling off in the turquoise waters of the Caribbean sea.

Wherever your dream vacation may take you, be sure you are prepared in every way to ensure a smooth and successful travel experience. Lean from others misfortunes, do your research, and have a US Waiver in hand if you need one. Imagine this; you have planned your entire trip, booked your holiday time, arranges for someone to look after the house , rounded up family or friends to coordinate their holidays with you and off you go. Everything is going just as planned and then you hit the US for one of your connecting flights. Everyone funnels off the plane to proceed through US Immigration. You think nothing of it. As your group approaches the counter everyone is let through and for some the US Immigration officer stops you and begins asking a lot of questions. Much more than they did for anyone else. Before you know it they are asking you into their interrogation room for further questioning. Then it dawned on you the incident from 6 years ago where the US Immigration officer on duty refused you entry to the US because you looked 'Suspicious'. Bet you wish you applied for a US Waiver? Then you could have moved through without complications.

This is a common occurrence with the US, where border officials can deny you entry for any reason they see fit, whether their reasoning is true or false. If you have ever had an issue with US Immigration and plan on traveling through again; even if only on a connecting flight, then it is highly recommended that you look into a US Waiver . It truly could make the difference between your dream vacation and no vacation at all.

 

What exactly is agrotourism

Agritourism is a mild form of tourism where visitors usually stay on the country side and engaged in agricultural work. The difference between other forms of tourism is the direct contact of visitors to rural life, crops, nature, flora and fauna and all the things that are missing from the modern European citizen, leaving in urban areas. Besides welcoming and hosting guests in an environment with local character the most important aspect of agrotourism is the active participation of tourists in a range of activities. Some typical activities are:

• agricultural activities (participation in work)
• Ecosystem viewing (birds, fauna, flora, etc.)
• adventure sports (eg rafting, hiking, etc.)
• cultural tours (eg, visits to churches, museums, and archaeological sites).
• different courses (eg loom, traditional cooking, local tasting, wineries, etc)

The main peculiarity of practicing this form of tourism in developed agro countries (Greece, Cyprus, Spain, Germany, France) is based on staying in a farm in the countryside.

Cyprus

Cyprus is the jewel of the Eastern Mediterranean sea. A place with ancient history and culture and an outstanding natural environment and climate. Cyprus had the fortune and misfortune with standing at the crossroads of three continents for 6000 years and so it was the object of desire for many countries.

The main economic activities of the island is tourism, exports of clothing and craft items and the shipping industry. Traditional crafts include embroidery, pottery and bronze.

Cyprus is ideal for all types of trips throughout the year and is bound to compensate the guest with the best αnd where there’s always a new world to discover. Where East meets West and a new experience awaits the visitor. Cyprus offers many types of tourism. From luxury tourism with championship Golf courses to relaxing tourism with clean beaches and breathtaking mountain trails. Most importantly Cyprus agrotourism for those that want to get back to nature.

Agrotourism in Cyprus

The Cyprus countryside is full with historical, natural and human riches, waiting to be discovered. There are lots of traditional villages that keep their local character, traditional architecture and village planning. Within such villages the visitors will have the benefit of the hands-on experience of the traditions that characterize these villages:

• The simple rhythms: People say that usually time passes up slower in these villages!
• The folk customs
• The daily activities such as farming and collecting fruits and vegetables
• The authentic tastes of traditional cuisine
• Most importantly, the genuine hospitality of the people leaving in these villages.