Archive for February, 2010
Iran is a country of contrasts, made up of a natural landscape of dense rainforest along the Caspian coast and the north where temperatures rarely fall below freezing, towards the east of the country the landscape emerges into desert basins and salt lakes. Iran is also one of the world’s most mountainous countries, its landscape dominated by rugged mountain ranges. Across Iran’s vast countryside you will discover a varied amount of wildlife from bears, gazelles and wild pigs, to wolves, jackals, panthers, Eurasian lynx, and foxes. There is also a lot of culture to discovery in this country once known more as a warring country some of which can be discovered in places like Tehran, Mashhad Isfahan and Shiraz.
Khezr Beach, Hormoz Island, Persian Gulf
Picture courtesy of Hamed Saber
A sprawling city at the foot of the Tochal mountain range Tehran is the largest city and capital of Iran, it has long but somewhat unknown history dating back to the 9th century. The is still a lot of history to be seen however a lot of the older more traditional buildings were torn down in the 1950’s to make way for more modern buildings and architecture. Tehran is a city of contrasts and can been seen across the city, there is a divide between the north and the south with a split of modern and rich to traditional and poor, religious and secular. The north of the city seems most modernised and affluent with most hot spots to be here.
Tehran
Picture courtesy of Ensie & Matthias
Shiraz has been Iran’s regional trade centre for more than one thousand years and is located in the southwest of Iran on the Rudkhaneye Khoshk seasonal river, known as the city of poets, wine and flowers is a city of gardens, due to the many gardens and fruit trees that can be seen in the city. A popular destination to experience some of Iran’s great culture has a lot of history to explore like the tombs of Hafez, Saadi, and Khaju e Kermani which are enclosed in a mountain above the cities old quarter.
If you wish to explore the history and culture and enjoy the natural beauty of Iran you can book a flight to Tehran or Shiraz or any of Iran’s other major cities for an interesting break away.
Shiraz botanical garden
Picture courtesy of indigoprime
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The Celebrity Equinox cruise ship is a top class vessel that has a lot of traditional English charm, its main feature is its bowling green which is nearly two-and-a-half times the size of Wimbledon’s Centre Court which is a great to play on with beautiful beaches of the Caribbean as a backdrop. The ship also is not short of onboard indulgences cabins that can rival 5* hotels as well as other classes available such as Concierge Class (daily canapés, personal concierge) and Aqua Class (use of the spa Relaxation Room, Persian Garden and the ‘clean cuisine’ Blu restaurant), which make for a very luxurious cruise holiday.
Equinox Bowling Green
Picture courtesy of Tomas Mascardo
Dining on the Equinox is also 5* with The Silhouette Dining Room is your cruise ship’s main restaurant serving delicious World and Continental cuisine, with a superb choice of fine wines to complement every course or the Tuscan Grille where you can enjoy succulent steaks. If more classic European-style dishes is more your taste you can visit Murano or you can have a taste of the Orient and sample delights of Asian cuisine at Silk Harvest. However not everyone wants formal dining every night so you can go casual and have an al fresco meal at the Mast Grill or head off to the Oceanview Cafe for great food and fabulous sea views.
Equinox Show
Picture courtesy of jthetzel
There is also a lot to do on an evening after you have enjoyed a lovely meal you have a choice of 12 bars like the Martin Bar which has a special exclusive area called crush where you can enjoy caviar and vodka on ice. There are also many Vegas style shows going on at the Equinox Theatre where you can enjoy wonderful musical performances and rib-tickling comedy, or as on many other cruise ships place some bets at the Fortunes Casino. You can also dance the night away at Quasar, an ultra-cool night-club with a unique retro style.
The Celebrity Equinox cruises around the Caribbean and the Mediterranean as well as across the Atlantic, you can easily find great cruise deals for the Celebrity Equinox to any of the destinations.
Celebrity Equinox
Picture courtesy of jthetzel
After surviving a decade and a half of conflict, Beirut has undertaken a huge reconstruction project and is on the way to creating a new commercial and residential district for the 21st century with improved banking, construction, import-export and service industries. It’s now also easy to get to Beirut thanks to their newly renovated Rafic Hariri International Airport which has transport links to the city by service cab or taxi cab.
The city that has been continuously inhabited for millennia and has so much ancient history to explore because Beirut stands on the site of a very ancient settlement going back at least 5,000 years. Until recently many archaeological remains have been left undiscovered, after the conflict ended in 1991 many archaeological investigations have taken place with many Roman and Medieval artefacts discovered. Visiting sites such as the Group of five columns part of the Roman settlement you can learn much about the cities varied history as well as enjoying the splendour of the Roman Exedra, Roman baths and many the floor mosaics. Beirut also has a wide range of culture to explore and you will find many local art exhibitions and shows featuring local artists, you can also pick up lots of local traditional crafts, fashion and jewellery on many local markets.
Named one of the ten liveliest cities in the world by Lonely Planet, Beirut has plenty to offer for evening entertainment with its night life districts which have many bars, pubs and clubs and a large selection of local restaurants specialising in Lebanese food as well as western restaurants.
Beirut is an ideal city to visit with a culture including Greeks, Romans and Arabs and its also very easy to get to with flights to Beirut going from all major UK airports.
Corniche West Beirut
Picture courtesy of austinevan
Before you go away check your mobile phone provider’s charges for calling and texting from abroad, some offer packages especially for travel abroad with discounts and deal that bring down the of making and receiving calls abroad.
When you are packing for your holiday be aware of baggage restrictions and limitations, the cost of excess baggage can prove to be very costly. New security measures also mean that you are limited to what you can take in your hand luggage.
If you require airport parking you save yourself a lot of money by booking this in advance, many airport parking companies charge higher premiums if you book just before your travel date.
If you are travelling round the UK or even Europe by train it’s also a good idea to book your travel tickets in advance and if you are travelling in a group of four or more it’s worth checking train websites as many companies offer discounts for groups of travellers.
Save money on your flight by booking mid week departures, many airlines hike up the prices at the weekends because they know it’s the most convenient time for people to travel.
The town of Aspen which is nestled atop of the Roaring Fork river valley in Western Colorado makes most people think of the ski resort as a playground of only the rich and famous may be true if you were planning to buy a house there, (average price has now reached the £4 million mark) but you should not be put of taking a skiing holiday there, as you don’t need a megastar wallet to go.
There are more than 5,300 skiable acres over four mountains in the Aspen area all with varying terrain, ideal for everyone from beginners to experts. There are other perks to skiing in the US compared to European countries especially for beginners with many ski instructors English speaking. There is also Buttermilk which is a ski school where beginners can learn in safety from the faster slopes that are further up the mountains. There is also plenty to enjoy off piste with lots of forests to explore and other activities to enjoy like trekking and the usual sleigh rides.
Although you may think a holiday to Aspen may be expensive, if you shop around you can normally find some great ski deals that won’t break the bank and once your there you can keep the cost down as there are many bars and restaurants that won’t break the bank.
A cruise holiday on the Nile has a very old romantic touch it gives you a feeling of old world charm with pre-dinner cocktails and conversation and a dark-paneled saloon with heavy furniture and overstuffed chairs and women in glorious ball gowns. Here you can explore the many mysteries of the east in a luxurious cruise ship setting along the magnificent and historic River Nile, travelling at an easy pace enabling you to enjoy much of Egypt’s natural scenery and learning along the way the ancient history when visiting the tombs and temples at Aswan and Luxor.
You do not need to break the bank to experience the luxury of a cruise on the Nile as there are many cruise deals to Egypt, so you can experience the best of the country and visit some of the wonders of the world. The Giza pyramid complex and the Great Sphinx, such wonders which you can explore during organised excursions as well as the southern city of Luxor is home to the Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings.
Egypt is also a great holiday destination for those wishing for some sun, with temperature ranging from 21C in the winter to 43C in the summer and it is also generally rain free and you can also get great cruise deals to Egypt.
Valley of the Kings
Picture courtesy of Mossaiq
The UK is yet again braced for another cold spell with freezing temperatures so now is the best time to look at getting away and warming up, if you would like a relaxing holiday then why not visit the chic island of St Lucia which is the perfect place to de-stress. Stars such as Amy Winehouse go here to relax especially at this time of year where you will find temperatures of 30C and fresh breezes from the Caribbean coast that cut through the humidity. It’s not just a great escape for couples but also you can bring your family with lots to explore on this unspoiled exotic island.
For those who don’t want to spend all their time sunbathing on the golden sandy beaches there are other activities to enjoy such as diving, snorkelling, sailing, yachting, wind surfing, hiking, running and trail riding, if you prefer a more sedate holiday you can also relax in a spa and have a massage.
There is also lots of natural beauty to enjoy from the island’s landmark Piton Mountains which offer vistas across sparkling seas to some secluded sunspots such as Pigeon Island and Reduit Bay. The island is also famous for its local tipple Bounty Rum where you can sample it at the local island distillery, St Lucia Rums. There are also many festivals held on the island like the St. Lucia Jazz festival and the annual Carnival to International Cricket matches.
St Lucia
Picture courtesy of mickpix