More used to Grand Prix cars than dog sleighs, Monaco's Prince Albert's forthcoming trek to the North Pole has been greeted with surprise by many. But the Prince is fairly accustomed to the cold, in contrast to the Mediterranean warmth of Monaco where he became ruler last July following the passing of his father Prince Rainier, who had ruled the tax haven for over 50 years. Albert represented Monaco at the last five Winter Olympic Games in … [Read more...]
Where can you find Islands the Shape of Palm Trees?
All my preconceived notions about the rigid cultural conservativism of countries in the Arab peninsula were thrown out the minute I entered Dubai, a sprawling and mushrooming megalopolis rising up between the fringes of the Arab deserts and the Persian Gulf. Saudi Arabia may still be the country of chokingly strict laws, but Dubai seems to be the total opposite. Actually it is one of two major cities in the United Arab Emirates, a country roughly … [Read more...]
Bunbury, Western Australia
Bunbury and the South West area of Western Australia (or WA) is one of the world's great places to live, with a Mediterranean climate, sandy-white beaches, beautiful native forests and all the infrastructure expected of a modern western society. Bunbury is the major city in WA's South West region, that is also home to other centres such as Busselton, Margaret River, Donnybrook, Manjimup, Augusta, Pemberton, Collie, Harvey and Bridgetown. … [Read more...]
Busselton, Western Australia
The first recorded mapping of what is now Geographe Bay and the eventual town of Busselton, was in 1801 by the French explorer Nicolas Baudin, from the ships the Geographe and Naturaliste. The Bay was named after his ship whilst the river was named the Vasse after a sailor who went missing in mysterious circumstances. The area was settled in 1832 when families from the Augusta area, led by John Garrett Bussell, traveled north to farm the … [Read more...]
Royals Put Malta Back on Map
For a Mediterranean island with good year round weather, a friendly local English speaking population and facilities to rival that of any of her competitors, Malta is a surprisingly often forgotten island for many people planning a holiday in the Mediterranean. Malta missed some of her own government's tourist targets in 2005, but a recent visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh resulted in four days of positive media coverage … [Read more...]
Going Cal-ing in Ibiza
Every now and then, I'll combine English and Spanish words and come up with something that truly annoys my wife, who happens to be from Spain. These "Spanglish" concoctions are usually pretty cheesy, but I must say that I'm not the only one guilty of this. Spaniards themselves do it. For bungee jumping, for example, they've invented the word puenting combining the ing ending from English with the word "puente" (bridge) in Spanish to form a hybrid … [Read more...]
Arequipa, Peru – Colca Canyon
For those who are in decent shape, a trek in Colca Canyon is one of the highlights of visiting Arequipa. Choose from a variety of trekking itineraries ranging from 1 to 2 to 3+ days. The actual canyon is about 4-5 hours by bus from Arequipa (depending on which trailhead you use). We do not recommend doing this as a day trip - as the distances are to great, with very limited time at the canyon and extremely early departure and late arrival times. … [Read more...]
Las Vegas, NV – Restaurants
The following are restaurants that the author visited in Las Vegas during his stay there. Black Mountain Grill is part of the Tommy Rocker franchise of restaurants/bars. It is located at 11021 S. Eastern Ave in Green Valley. They have a full bar in the center of this restaurant. Dinners are quite good here. Sunday brunch is also served. For more information call: (702) 990-0990 Website: www.blackmountaingrill.com I Love Sushi is located … [Read more...]
Redding, CA – Museums
Redding is not a hot-spot for museums - there are only several in town that are open to the public. We have visited and highlighted a few below. Behrens-Eaton House Museum is highly recommended for a personalized tour and look back in time - to the life of prominent judge Judge Richard Behrens Eaton who lived here until he died in 2003. Upon his death a trust he established stipulated that his home and grounds be turned into a museum open to … [Read more...]
Redding, CA – Restaurants
Redding has a diversity of food - but is not necessarily a culinary hotspot. Any prices we list below are for dinner only. Prices are subject to change without notice. What are your favorite restaurants in Redding? Email dave@pon.net so that one of our team can visit and add a review here the next time we are in town. All phone numbers are in the 530 area code unless otherwise noted. Anthony's Mediterranean is located at 2475 Eureka … [Read more...]