Archive for January, 2006
Doreen B.
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Take a weekend break to Dublin and visit the National Museum of Ireland. You will find the museum 4 miles east of Castlebar off the N5. It is situation just outside the Village of Turlough.
Why you may ask? Well the remains of two apparently wealthy men from the Iron Age were found and have been placed in their new home, which is the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin’s fair city. It is apparently worth the trip if you are interested in ‘Bog Bodies’ and its history.
You may have heard of the findings of ‘bog bodies’. These are the human remains found in Bogs around Northern Europe and Ireland. The bodies are well preserved by the peat found in bogs. Bog bodies are surmised to be the victim’s of human sacrifice by the Roman Iron Age people or often just people being punishment for perceived crimes such as homosexuality. People who died in bogs usually met with violent deaths.
The two men recently uncovered have been named after the areas they were found in, Old Croghan Man (found in May 2003) and Cloneycavan Man (found in Feb 2003). If you want to investigate the place that they were found then take a trip to Cloneycavan which is in Ballivor, County Meath and the other was found Croghan just 25 miles from Cloneycavan.
From the findings they can tell that the men were more than likely tortured to death around 2300 years ago. It amazes me how they can tell so much from remains.
The BBC apparently ran a documentary (on Timewatch) about them on the 20th of January. If you missed it then I guess you will have to take a trip to Ireland and see the real thing. Other interesting sites to visit while you are there: Trinity College and the Irish Museum of Modern Art or just browse our website Indigoguide for more information.
January 23rd, 2006
Doreen Bennett
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The Castillo Hotel Son Vida in Palma (Majorca or Mallorca) will be re-opening on the 4th of February. This is one of the hotels we recommend on our sight under Palma Accommodation. The hotel has been closed for a year for renovation. They are offering a 2 day and a 5 day opening special between the 4th of Feb and the 31st March. Click on Castillo Hotel Son Vida and book directly with them.
For those of you who don’t know the hotel and the area allow me to fill you in. The hotel was originally a medieval castle built in the XIII century. It is surrounded by Sub-tropical Park and has views of the Bay of Palma to die for. The hotel, which is filled with beautiful antiques and paintings, has its own 18 hole golf course. It is one of the most highly recommended luxury hotels in Palma.
As for Palma, it is the capital of the Balearic Islands and if you have not been and are wondering what the attraction is, please allow me to direct you to our sight IndigoGuide for more information. The main attractions include the Royal Palace, the Stock Exchange, the Cathedral and the Castle of Bellver, oh and don’t forget the gorgeous weather!
January 19th, 2006
Doreen Bennett
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Usually I associate New York with shopping but obviously there is a lot more to New York. I read recently in the Economist magazine about two new airlines - start-up companies offering flights between London and New York and thought I should blog about it. I would certainly like to fly to New York on a ‘not too exorbitant’ business class airline, which is what they are supposed to be.
If you travel frequently between New York and London, you may already know about the two new carriers. If you are an infrequent flyer and just go on the occasional weekend break to New York (or London if you live in the States), you may not know about the new low cost business jets that started up recently. Check out these two new airlines. MAXjet and Eos Airlines. These airlines were created with the business traveler in mind but at lower costs than your usual commercial carriers. MAXjet’s first flight was in November 2005 and Eos Airlines took its first load of passengers in October 2005 and their official launch was 10 January 2006.
If you have travelled with either of them, let us know if it was worth the money?
January 16th, 2006
Doreen Bennett
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Hey news flash… we have just published our new e-book on Cyprus! It’s really great! Have a look at our Cyprus e-book and let us know what you think?
While on the subject of Cyprus it is quite important to that you do your homework about the differences between the North and South and pay particular attention to issues such as buying property and about travelling between the two. We have mentioned these two issues several times on our website as well as the cultural differences between Northern and Southern Cyprus.
Some more tips for you, if you intend spending most your time on the beach and in the sun (as most holiday makers do) you will no doubt take to the water at some stage to cool off. So all you swimmers out there, It is worth noting that the under currents in Cyprus are strong and if you don’t watch yourself and most especially your kids (if you have any that is), you could get end up in deep water (in trouble).
And finally…for those party animals, remember that the Cypriots have a zero tolerance policy with regards to the use of drugs. If you are caught with any illegal substances, you will be lucky to get off lightly with just a hefty fine. The alternative is prison so stick to alcohol (in moderation) and enjoy your holiday. 
January 13th, 2006
We spent a day in CALAIS one Sunday – Why? Well in order to validate my daughters multi purpose visa (this is for her South African passport – the Brits don’t need one of course). She was actually going to Italy on a school trip, but we gained the visa through the French embassy because they provided the quickest service, hence our one day trip to CALAIS.
Unfortunately we discovered that not much was open on Sunday, so we wandered around a little, had some lunch. I had snails … yummy! You can’t get them in the UK, well not from any of the French restaurants around Oxford anyway. So, if you plan on going to Calais for a day don’t do it on a Sunday. Naturally we had not done our homework. We thought only of getting the passport stamped so the Italian border control folks would recognize the visa. If a multi purpose visa is obtained, the first country you visit should be the country of the embassy that granted the visa in the first place.
Also, some things to keep in mind about security in CALAIS; British registered cars have recently been the target of opportunistic thieves. The incidences have happened while the cars have been parked but beware; the stories of motorists being flagged down and then robbed have been reported as well. Another thing to consider when it comes to being robbed is if you have a flat tire you are a sitting duck. Muggings have been reported on deserted motorways so make sure you have a good spare tire all pumped up and ready to go and a full tank of petrol so that you don’t stop dead in the middle of nowhere.
I guess it is common sense to most people that they should keep all their purchases (and handbags etc) hidden from sight (locked in the car boot or hotel) and try not park in isolated or dark areas if you can help it, but it had to be said.
Oh and just one more word about cars in France, in case you were not aware of it, you must be 18 years old to drive in France. My 17 years old wanted to take the car to France so that she could drive on the other side of the road. Unfortunately though in France her British license is not recognized until she turns 18 and we were not prepared to have the car taken away if we got caught. So keep that in mind when traveling anywhere in France. If your 17 year old insists on a drive tell them that the will be liable for paying the fine. That will put them off – or probably not.
Anyway, if you are going to CALAIS enjoy the trip and stay safe.
Let me know if you want more information.
January 11th, 2006
For those struggling artists looking for inspiration, take a leaf out of Van Gogh’s book and visit a little town called ARLES in France. This is where Van Gogh was inspired to paint over 180 paintings (none of them are exhibited in Arles though).
Picasso was also inspired by the French town of ARLES and painted many bullfighting scenes here. There are roughly 70 of his paintings still in the town which were donated by Picasso.
Talking of bullfighting, many moons ago I thought it was only a Spanish thing. However, the South of France has a fair amount of Spanish influence and bullfighting is one of them. It was introduced to France by Napoleon III’s Spanish born wife, the Empress Eugenie in 1853.
If you are planning a trip to ARLES (or somewhere else nearby in France) and are averse to bullfighting, then just be aware that the peek bullfighting period starts in February and runs through to October. ARLES festivities include the La Feria Pascale and during the 3 days of Easter one of the main focuses for this period is bullfighting. In the month of October the bullfights are usually held every Saturday and Sunday.
For those totally against bullfighting, you will be happy to know that there are organizations working to stamp it out. The ‘Irish Council Against Blood Sports’ for example, has been campaigning against the sport in France for a long time and they have recently renewed their appeal to the French Government to end bullfighting in the southern part of the country. This was due to some recently disturbing photos taken and published last year (2005 now) of what happens to the bulls at the end of a fight. I find it amazing that in France alone there are about 68 towns still allowed to practice the sport.
Although ARLES is one of the main centers in France for bullfighting it has so many other fantastic attractions in the way of museums, cathedrals and colorful landscapes for you to draw your inspiration from, so don’t be put off by the blood sport. Or if you are like Picasso, you may find the sport itself an inspiration – urge….
Give me your thoughts please?
January 11th, 2006
Kate, the author of our section on Thailand (we call her Pink Kate because she likes to color her hair and it’s usually pink) spent loads of time in Thailand. This is some advice from her about the Weather in Thailand and swimming in Thailand.
For those in the know, this is the time to visit Thailand (December – May) to avoid the rainy season. For those that have not been to Thailand before it is worth doing your homework about the Weather in Thailand.
For the beach bums, it is important to be aware that swimming off the coastal areas can be risky because of the strong riptides. This is particularly important to note during monsoon season and particularly for the areas of Phuket, Koh Chang, Pattaya and Hua Hin.
Another point for swimmer to note is that jellyfish are common in Thailand. The sting from the jellyfish can also be quite nasty; in fact in some cases the sting has been fatal. The jellyfish swim close to the shore and are more prevalent around the rainy season (May to October).
So take care, but do enjoy your holiday. I wish it were me going to visit Thailand.
Let me know if we have missed anything of interest on Thailand?
January 6th, 2006
Traveling to Thailand? If you booked your ticket early last year and you where scheduled to fly with Phuket Airlines, the bad news is that they have been suspended on the UK route. This took place in September 2005 and since then they have been banned from operating in various other airports including France and Belgium. The Thai Ministry of Transport grounded Phuket Airlines domestic flights as well because of safety concerns so if you have booked flights within Thailand, check and see if its with Phuket Air.
There are other major airlines you can use for flights to Thailand and also to flying within the country. Airlines like Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways are two that spring to mind. Don’t forget that companies like Air New Zealand also travel between the UK and Bangkok. Click on our site: IndigoGuide to get some handy information for your travels to Thailand.
January 6th, 2006
Our website has some useful information on Getting Around Spain. Most sites will give info on getting to Spain but if you are not hiring a car, then you need to know more about the transport system in Spain. Click on ‘Getting Around Spain’ for some handy information.
Some advice for you if you intend traveling to Spain soon. Something that has just been hi-lighted… (excuse the pun and you will see why in a minute) when you buy cartons of cigarettes in Spain (as we usually do because it is so much cheaper) they sometimes have lighters attached to the cartons. My advice is to remove the lighters from the cartons because they are considered a fire risk in the luggage compartment of an aircraft. If these lighters are spotted by the airport staff, you will be asked to sort it out at the airport which will cause a delay and it means unpacking and repacking your case. If you are running late it can cause you to miss your flight. Trust me, we have had the experience of being delayed in Spain due to luggage problems and they did not blink an eye lid when we stressed about missing the plane. The Spanish don’t do anything in a hurry.
Just thought I’d share that bit of information with you. If you have any other advice that could help travelers, speak up – your input is needed and appreciated.
January 6th, 2006
Its that time of year where most adventurous holiday makers go skiing. For something different try skiing in Dubai instead of Europe. The Dubai Weather is great this time of year. The temperature is around 22 degrees for most of the winter. This means you can venture outdoors and explore this magnificent country without wilting in 5 seconds flat. Now that they have the new indoor ski place, you don’t have to miss the tradition of a winter ski. You can ski, shop, explore and all under great weather conditions.
I said I would give you more information on skiing in Dubai so here it is….The indoor ski centre is situated at Interchange 4 on the Sheik Zayed Road. The place has been called Ski Dubai and is part of the Emirates Mall or ‘The Mall of Emirates’ (which I mentioned in my previous blog). It is open all year round and if you have had enough of the searing heat, then head to Mall for some lunch, shopping or skiing. Sounds crazy doesn’t it?
Ski Dubai offers ski lessons for those who have never tried it and don’t worry about bringing your own ski stuff because when you pay the admission fee (about $40 from what I can gather) it includes the ski rental, clothing and lift pass. The ski instructors come from all over the world (obviously head hunted) and because there are so many English Ex-pats in Dubai, English instructors are a-plenty.
If you just want to experience the place without having to hassle with learning to ski, then you can start with a sled ride or just chuck a couple of snow balls at your kids (or husband). Its quite cool to just go in for a look see because they have man made icicle stalactites, glacial caverns and ice sculptures for authenticity.
If you want to do the full ski thing but only have limited experience then you can use the more gentle slopes designed for beginners. If you are up for a full on ski, then they have some great slopes (blue and black runs) to challenge you as well. They have 5 runs all together and the snow making jets have to make a whopping 28 inches of powdery snow to make the patrons happy. It is supposed to be the third largest indoor ski spot after Holland and Germany.
If you want to chill but not take part in the activities, then you can relax while the kids take to the slopes by sipping coffee or hot chocolate from the observation deck at the café which is near the summit. The attached mall will also have cafes at the base of the hill which will have viewing windows to separate you from the skiing nutcases.
Click on ‘Ski Dubai‘ for more information.
Let me know if you want more info or if you have already been there, done that etc.
January 6th, 2006
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