Posts by : Izy Berry

You will definitely know a place is worth travelling when the great Ernest Hemingway puts his indelible stamp of approval on its map, and that is what he did by the time he set foot in the Spanish city of Pamplona. Ninety years ago, Ernest Hemingway was astonished and enthralled at the sudden burst of vivid colours and lively music the city presented. Even more amazing than the sights and sounds of Pamplona is the festival of the region’s patron saint, San Fermin.

The San Fermin festival strikes a chord with daredevil adventure seekers all over the world. Every July, Pamplona’s streets are conquered by a herd of fighting bulls trampling their way through the city, from their corrals, all the way to the plaza de toros. Adding to the thrill of the event is the competition of daring young – and somewhat middle aged – men running ahead, and in the same direction of the bulls while trying to avoid getting impaled or crushed by the rampaging beasts. Though many have been injured and a handful perished, the San Fermin Festival still is one of the most anticipated nationally televised events in Spain.

Pamplona may be more known for the San Fermin festival, but the city still has a lot to offer to would-be travellers. Its picturesque views of the villages, terrains, and historical remains have always been the apple not just of “Instagram Photographers” eyes, but of its previous tourists and citizens as well. Minus the “bull,” this Spanish city has charmed its way into the hearts of people as proven by Mr. Hemingway’s ninety-year-old claim.

Sitting between Europe and Asia, Turkey is a country that offers a unique holiday experience. Steeped in history dating back to the famous Ottoman Empire and home to the ancient city of Troy, Turkey has an enviable position with coastlines on both the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black Sea. With cheap holidays to Turkey widely available, there really hasn’t been a better time to visit. Here’s a guide to the top Turkish destinations for a fantastic beach break.

Antalya

Located on the southern coast of Turkey and looking out onto the Mediterranean Sea, Antalya is both the largest and fastest growing tourist town in the country. Sheltered from the north by the Taurus Mountains, the climate is hot and dry which is the perfect weather to enjoy the pristine white sand beaches and crystal waters. The town itself is steeped in history and the cobbled, winding streets of the walled old town of Kaleci really do provide a step back in time. Any savings made booking the holiday to Turkey will certainly go a long way enjoying the rides here. For something a little cheaper, spend time relaxing on the beach here which is has endless miles of sand, an upmarket food court and bars and even a blue flag to prove its excellence.

Marmaris

Sitting where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean Sea, Marmaris couldn’t be in a more idyllic location if it tried within the Turkish Riviera. Set against the backdrop of the Marmaris Mountains, this town provides a great place to take a Turkish holiday. Marmaris has a perfect mix of bustling nightlife in town and amazing culture and scenery in the surrounding areas. To get a feel for Turkish history, visit the Ottoman castle of Suleyman the Magnificent and the amphitheatre ruins in town. To enjoy the beach life in all its glory, visit Cleopatra Island which is deemed to have some of the best sand in the world. Marmaris is also a great place to dive and sail, providing a chance to enjoy the landscape whilst relaxing.

Bodrum

Nestled within the Aegean, Bodrum sits on the peninsular to the south west of Turkey and provides the chance to let the hair down with its fantastic nightlife. The best beaches along the peninsula are Gumbet and Bardacki, both of which are peaceful idylls complete with olive groves that reach down to the sea which are crystal clear and shallow so suitable for families. To add some culture to this holiday, visit St Peters’ Underwater Museum and the 15^th Century castle in Bodrum Harbour. Alternatively visit Kadikalesi, a small resort with village charm which gives an indication of authentic Turkish life. 

If you want to go on a holiday that’s peaceful, where better than a lakeside resort? The waters gently lapping provide a calm background to any vacation, especially if you decide to visit the small Alpine resort of St Anton in Austria. One of the best places to go on a Lakes and Mountains holiday is St Anton, but why is it the case?

Being so close to some of Austria’s most impressive peaks, St Anton is seen as a mecca for keen walkers. Meanwhile, when the snow melts, the village and the surrounding area look stunning during the summer months. It lies within the Verwall Valley, and is close to the lake known as Verwall See, which should be seen to be believed.

A treat for your feet?

Although there are a number of routes to choose from that start and go through St Anton, one that stands out is the Verwall Valley walk. Krissy Sinclair, Austria Resort Manager for Inghams explains why it’s so interesting:

“Why not start your week with the Rosanna River walk or the Verwall Valley walk, both moderately flat. Along the route take in some wildlife, deers have been regularly spotted, and there is a variety of wild flowers and herbs, from wild orchids to wild miniature strawberries”, she said.

Like the lakes

Verwall See is arguably the best natural attraction within a short distance of St Anton. It leads up to the Rosanna river, provides plenty of opportunities to take great photos and, in the summer, it’s a great place to go canoeing or indulge in a spot of fishing.

If you find that you’ve explored St Anton itself with a few days left to spare, there’s plenty of other neighbouring towns and cities to visit such as Innsbruck, which is reachable from St Anton by train in less than an hour!

If you’ve booked a holiday this summer, the last thing on your mind will be accident and injury. No one expects the worst to happen, but even the most diligent holiday-goers can experience problems whilst they’re meant to be enjoying themselves.

According to a survey by First4Lawyers, 42% of people admitted to experiencing injury whilst on holiday, both abroad and in the UK. The places and circumstances in which you may be injured can be wide and varied so if you’re hoping to avoid injury on your next holiday, beware of the following places – these tips will help you learn how to avoid an accident on holiday. 

Campsites

Many of those interviewed had experienced injury whilst camping which is really no surprise. Insect bites and minor burns are just the beginning of things, whilst many more serious injuries are also possible.

Avoid building fires and cooking if you’ve had a bit to drink, and make sure you have plenty of camp side lighting equipment to avoid falls.

Planes

Nearly two billion people use commercial airlines every year, so it should be no surprise that lots of injury can occur here. Turbulence, tripping, food poisoning and anxiety attacks are just a few examples of what can happen whilst traveling in the air.

Supermarkets

You may be surprised how common supermarket injuries are whilst on holiday, but given the relaxed attitude of many holidaymakers, it’s not all that strange. Trips and falls are the main contributors to injury here, with flip flops and wet shoes holding some responsibility.

Hotels

Stairways, balconies, parking lots and bathtubs are the main perpetrators of hotel injury, with most of these places providing insufficient safety guards against trips and falls. In rarer circumstances, food poisoning and other guests can also provide a form of injury should you get unlucky.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing is one of the activities where you are most likely to be injured; with nearly 20% of those surveyed admitting an injury during this time. It’s a pretty broad activity so the range of different injuries can be incredibly varied, with anything from a fall to food poisoning to dehydration.

Ensure that you are paying attention at all times when sightseeing – roads can be dangerous and crowds can get a little hairy. 

These are my tips for how to avoid an accident on holiday. Do you have any tips?

This 126-mile stretch of limestone islands, floating on the crystal clear waters of the Gulf is sometimes called America’s best-kept secret. Florida Keys was once only accessible by boat, these islands are linked to the mainland and each other by the Overseas Highway. Several of the islands have been develop into holiday resorts whilst others have been protected for their natural beauty.

Nearby, Yet a World Away

Hiring a car within Florida, makes the Florida Keys easily accessible as they lie just an hour’s drive south of Miami. One of the charms of the Keys is the close proximity of such a relaxing and beautiful place. All the keys share the blue green waters and laid back atmosphere of a tropical paradise that call visitors back time and again. There are protected waters and marine reserves where eco tourism is making its mark with diving and snorkeling to see the superb variation of marine species.

Keys Dining

With such well-stocked waters surrounding them, fishing has always been part of life in the keys and much of the cuisine is seafood based. Conch was once so common in the keys that this large mollusc with the distinctive shell gave its name to the locals – residents are still called Conch today. Another favourite are the stone crab claws served October to May in 3 sizes, medium, large and jumbo. The sweet tender flesh is very popular. Easier to eat than its Maine relatives, Spiny Lobster has an enormous tail full of tender white meat, although no claws and is available all year except June and July. Key West pink shrimp are available over the winter months and the fish of the day could also be Yellow tail Snapper, Mahi Mahi, Grouper, or Yellow fin tuna. For desert of course, first choice is always key lime pie.

Key Options

There are 30 inhabited islands in the keys and the highway connects 43, but there are over 1700 islands in total. 

Key West is the furthest south you can go and is party capital of the keys with bars and nightlife to delight even the toughest party animal, but there are still plenty of time and space to sit and watch the sun go down over your rum cocktail. Key West was also the home of Ernest Hemmingway for over a decade and he penned some of his most famous works here. His home is now a museum and a fabulous place to visit.

Key Largo is the first island you reach on your drive from the mainland and is a great base for diving as it has the John Pennekamp State Park, the first underwater national park in the US, which provides superb diving and snorkeling.

If fishing is your thing then head to Marathon in the middle keys where the traditional way of keys life is celebrated in daily life across four of the islands that make up the community.

Wherever you head you can be sure of a chilled time in clean, beautiful surroundings with a wealth of options if you do decide you have time for anything more strenuous than sunbathing.

My wife and I like to take vacations abroad. We have been to places around the world such as Jerusalem, New York City, Tokyo, Sydney and Mexico City. As we were discussing our summer vacation plans, we were stumped. We were not sure where to go until a co-worker of mine suggested that we go to Canada for Canada Day. Honestly, we did not know very much about the holiday, but were interested in going to a different country and joining in their festivities.

There are many great places to visit in Canada and I had always wanted to go to Toronto. I think the reason was since I liked the professional baseball team the Toronto Blue Jays. Anyway, we boarded the plane and flew to Toronto a few days before Canada Day was celebrated. We purchased a few books and informational guides about the history of the celebration. We learned that the celebration began on July 1, 1867 with the colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the Province of Canada becoming the country of Canada. Although it became a country, it was under the umbrella of the British Empire until 1982, when it officially became entirely independent. Many businesses close on July 1 in honor of the celebration. 

My wife and I discussed where we wanted to stay. Toronto has plenty of places to lodge such as international hotel chains, bed and breakfasts, local motels and much more, like Hotel Le Germain Maple Leaf Square, One King West Hotel & Residence, The King Edward Hotel and Jare’s Place Bed & Breakfast. Eventually, we agreed upon a hotel and reserved our room a few months before Canada Day. It was a good thing we did, since many rooms were already booked. It excited me since there would be many people in the city and I liked being where events and action are. 

Getting to Toronto was easy, as we booked our non-stop flight to Toronto through Air Transat. After we landed and passed through customs, we decided to take a taxicab to our hotel. As we traveled, we visited with the cabbie about our excitement about exploring the city during Canada Day. He told us that this celebration was not exclusive to the city, but it was all over the country. In fact, one of the biggest celebrations is in the capital of Ottawa. At Parliament Hill, there is an amazing fireworks displays as well as live music, sports activities and much more. In addition to this, he stated that many cities and towns have festivals and parades to celebrate the Day. 

We were glad to get to Toronto a few days early since we could visit various festivities. My wife and I found ourselves going to Harbourfront Centre a few times while we were in the city. There was plenty of activities and live music for everyone to enjoy for a number of days. Although we had never heard of any of the musical groups, we enjoyed the music and made it a point to purchase some songs online. In addition to this, there were plenty of street vendors who sold wares such as clothing, flags and works of art. My wife in particular was thrilled with the large amount of shops who sold merchandise at Lake View Market. We found great items for ourselves and merchandise for our family as well. Shopping and sightseeing made us hungry and there were plenty of dining options for us to visit such as local vendors who sold fried foods and local dishes. A special fireworks show was presented at the Harbourfront Centre one evening that was incredible. I am pleased to state that there was plenty of space for everyone, including children, to see the amazing display.

We wanted to go to a parade that truly gave us a taste of the true celebration of Canada Day. Therefore, we went to East York. East York is a district in the city, which has plenty of things to see and do. One of the biggest reasons that we chose to visit East York was the parade that it held each year for Canada Day. There were many floats, politicians, marching bands and other people who were in the parade. We took plenty of pictures on our digital camera as we saw entertainers and people who highlighted this special occasion. When the parade was over, we visited vendors who sold food as well as merchandise. Something that really came across to us was the wide variety of activities for children to do. There were many rides to go on, mascots to say hello to and crafts to create. 

Before we went home, we stopped at Black Creek Pioneer Village, which holds a citizenship ceremony each year. There was a fee to get in, but it was worth it. I had never seen a ceremony like this one and it was wondrous to see people of many different ethnicities become Canadian citizens. It was something I will never forget. While we were in Pioneer Village, we visited the museum, walked around various gardens and said hello to friendly animals.

Our trip to Toronto to experience Canada Day was fascinating. The people were fantastic and quite friendly. There were plenty of things for us to see and do. Those and other experiences made our trip amazing. We are planning to visit Toronto again and hope to visit another city in Canada to get a new experience of Canada Day.