Summer Holiday Tips

Belgium has a lot more going for it than some of the dreary descriptions and jokes about it would suggest. It is a low lying country, situated between France and Holland with a coastline facing England

across the North Sea.

A welcoming country to visit

One of the reasons for its boring, unpopular image probably stems from its capital, Brussels being a dreary collection of administrative offices and its associations with E.U. bureaucracy. Another reason is Belgium’s identity crisis. It is Flemish-speaking in the north and French-speaking in the south and there has always been a considerable clash of cultures between the two, both competing for a definition of what is the real Belgium. However, if one delves beneath the surface of this uninspiring portrayal of Belgium, it soon becomes apparent that the country has much to offer. For a start, it is actually packed full of absorbing history; from both before and after its separation from the Netherlands in 1830. Beautiful historical buildings and architecture abounds in nearly every city. Ghent provides a fascinating example of a medieval port and has the most number of historical buildings to see. Bruges however, is the most attractive from a scenic point of view. It is a beautifully preserved 14th century Flemish town whose narrow cobble-streets, canals and gabled houses demand at least a day’s visit and preferably a longer stay there.For a lively city with plenty to do, head for Antwerp which as well as being Europe’s diamond capital and a hotbed of modern fashion, still manages to reveal its impressive past through places like the house where Rubens lived and worked for thirty years.

Although much of Belgium’s countryside is flat and lacking in scenic appeal, the Ardennes region is mountainous and offers a beautiful wooded landscape of wild crags and ravines where one of the most famous battles of World War 2 was fought.

Belgium’s people are generally some of the most welcoming you will find anywhere. They are noted for their love of good food in large helpings. The word Gourmands (meaning big cuisine) rather than Gourmets (meaning fine cuisine) describes the typical Belgium very well. Another cliché often used to describe Belgium cuisine is; French food in German sized helpings. It is very apt!

When to visit

The warmest time of the year is April through to September but Belgium weather is inclined to provide days of grey skies and rain at any time.

A popular tourist attraction takes place at the beginning of July. This is the Ommegang Pageant, a spectacular medieval festival dating back to 1359. The colorful procession through the streets of Brussels is followed by a flag and horse parade. Next, crossbow men surround a statue of the Virgin that the procession has escorted from the Sablon Church. Finally everyone settles down to enjoy an incredible fiesta of games and entertainment.

Getting to Belgium

The UK has several discount airlines operating flights from many of its airports to Brussels, Antwerp and other cities. Visitors from other European countries will usually travel by train or road. U.S. and Canadian tourists will probably need to consider flights to France or the UK rather than finding a direct flight.

More travel tips about Belgium

For more travel tips, information and articles about Belgium as a holiday destination, take a look at the best-travel-tip.com website



By: Stewart Palmer

About the Author:

The Dark Continent of Africa probably does not Jump to mind as the first destination you would choose when planning a holiday at the beach, but there are many great reasons to give it a try.

The Cape in South Africa has up until very recently always been “the” location to visit if you felt like going to Africa to enjoy the beach as well as all the other great things that only this great continent has to offer.

There are now new kids in town and places like Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania, Mombasa in Kenya and the stunning beaches in The Gambia have really come in to their own each offering their own unique perspective of Africa but all wonderful beach holiday locations.

Winter Sun Holiday Destination

An obvious reason to pick somewhere on the African continent is to enjoy the beach during the European winter, breaking up your winter and escaping the summer holiday rush. How often these days do we hear of long delays at airports during the summer peak holiday period, delaying thousands of people going on holiday and destroying their few weeks away from the daily grind of work? So escape the rush and go on holiday out of the peak season.

South Africa and Cape Town as a beach holiday Location

Cape Town, right on the bottom tip of Africa is still the most sophisticated beach vacation location in Africa, with the incredible backdrop of Table Mountain, excellent accommodation options and some of the finest places to eat in the world it would be an excellent place to visit even without the beautiful beaches. On top of that you can also enjoy the finest wines and scenery of South Africa on the Garden Route, which stretches from Mossel Bay to the Storms River in the Western Cape. There are ten nature reserves in the area as well as unique marine reserves, home to soft coral reefs, dolphins, seals and a host of other marine life.

Including a round of Golf with your beach holiday has always been popular in places like Spain and The USA, South Africa and the Cape Region have some of the finest Golf courses in the world, now you can combine a beach, golf and safari holiday all in one location, there is nowhere in Europe that can boast that!

So what are the beaches like?

Cape Town has some excellent beaches, False Bay with the long sandy beach which extends from Gordon’s Bay to Muizenberg and includes Boulders Beach and Simon’s Town. The Atlantic Seaboard along the West (Atlantic) side of the Cape Peninsula with well known beaches including Sandy Bay, Clifton Camps Bay, Scarborough and Kommetjie. The West Coast, running Northwards from Cape Town with the windy conditions make these beaches popular for surfing and kite-surfing.

An important point to note is the sea in False Bay is about 6 degrees warmer than the Atlantic Seaboard and the West Coast!

on the negative side, Cape Town is the furthest point in Africa you can travel to from Europe, so expect a long flight around ten hours). Also mentioned above the water can be a little chilly and then it is probably one of the more expensive locations in Africa.

Beach Holiday in Mombasa, Kenya

Kenya is probably mostly thought of for it’s African wildlife safaris on the Masai Mara but also has plenty to offer in the way of beach holidays on the coastline near Mombasa. The city of Mombasa is a typical African city and there is in stark contrast to the sophistication of Cape Town. There are however many excellent restaurants to eat enabling you to sample some more traditional African food as well as those catering to western palates. The old part of Mombasa is also well worth visiting and Fort Jesus, a Portuguese fort built in 1593 by order of King Philip II of Spain, to guard the Old Port of Mombasa, Kenya. It was built in the shape of a man and was given the name of Jesus as a religious reference.

On the coast there are many of places to stay with some of the most luxurious hotels you’ll find anywhere in Africa as well as some fantastic beach huts and cottages as well as basic beach side camp-sites, all in all there is something for everyone.

The scuba diving and snorkelling in Mombasa and the surrounding areas is also excellent and makes a great place to learn to dive with the prices here are much cheaper than many other well know diving locations. Bamburi beach is a great location to base your beach holiday in East Africa, about half an hour from Nairobi, there are some great hotels and beach cottages as well as an excellent PADI dive center located at the well know Travelers Beach Hotel.

Beach and Safari Holiday in Kenya

Obviously no trip to Kenya would be complete without some sort of wildlife safari and they can be organized from Mombasa with a popular destination being the Tsavo National Park, which not as well known as the Masai Mara, but at just over 21,000km sq, Tsavo is the largest national park in Kenya and one of the largest in the world with large herds of Elephant and plenty of lions, it is definitely worth visiting if you want to take a break from relaxing on the beach!

With these two very different African beach holiday options, I hope to have given you a just a flavour of what Africa can offer you in the way of your next seaside holiday.



By: Bob Smith

About the Author:

Winter Holiday Picnic

 

A romantic picnic is a wonderful way to keep the spark alive in a relationship.  Unfortunately, if you live in an area that’s cold most of the year, you might think this activity isn’t available to you, but there are still many options to keep romance alive all year long.

Step 1 – Set the right mood:

 

Cold, winter months, especially during the holiday season, might actually be the perfect time for a picnic.  Plan for a cozy night alone - send the kids to a friend’s house, turn off the phone and the TV.  Make sure to hang all of your Holiday decorations, like a Christmas tree and colored or white lights to set the right mood.  Build a fire in your fireplace, light some candles, and turn on some romantic music – my favorite is anything by Frank Sinatra.

Step 2 – Choose the right picnic basket:

Having the right picnic basket can add elegance and sophistication to your special night.  Some of the most romantic picnic baskets are from Picnic Time’s English picnic basket collection, such as the Sandringham picnic basket, the Chardonnay picnic basket, or the Windsor picnic basket.

Of course, wine is an essential part of any picnic.  A suggestion for a red wine that works well for the holiday season is from Brotherhood Winery, the Holiday Spiced wine.  This wonderfully spicy and sweet red wine is a dessert all on it’s own.   You can heat the wine for extra flavor and warmth.  Keep this wine nice and toasty with one of our insulated picnic wine totes, like the Wine Duffle Driftwood, or choose a picnic basket with an insulated wine tote, like the Nottingham picnic basket. 

Step 3 – Pick the right menu:

 

Once you have your picnic basket, the next thing to do is fill it!  A great way to enjoy a picnic is with tasty finger foods.  Here’s some examples of items you can include in your picnic basket:

 

Cheese and Fruit

 

Spanakopita

 

Smoked salmon bites

 

Cranberry and cheese toasts

Step 4 – Focus on the right thing … each other:

 

Place your picnic basket on your picnic blanket and cozy up to your special someone.  Let the daily stresses melt away and remember what it’s like to gaze into each other’s eyes and appreciate every curve of their face, and every word they whisper.  Enjoy! 

For more tips like this, visit www.PicnicForYou.com



By: El Greco Solutions

About the Author:

If you are interested in spending few days of fun amidst wild beats, fogs and long stretch of unending wilder, few reclusive and lazy days during the winter at Botswana can be the options to lookout for. This small nation inhabits only around 1.5 million people with a major part of it being covered with wildlife. The forests of Botswana allow the wild animals to live freely without the fear of being hunted. Going on winter holidays in Botswana can be great where one can meet altogether different cultural identity of Africa.

Winter Botswana holiday are one of the perfect ways for exploring the rarest inner life of Botswana and get the glimpse of its wildlife than you may never have experienced before. The fascinating scenery of the nation has also been featured in several Hollywood films such as ‘The Gods must be crazy’.

Although the country has no sea coasts and is situated far away from sea, tourism plays an important part in its economy. There are several game reserves and national parks with wetlands and wildlife. The nation is famous for Moremi National Park, Chobe National Park and Central Kalahari Game Reserve. Makgadikgadi Pans National Park is also a must see place in Botswana.

St. Claire Lion Park, Khana Hill and Main Mall are among the best places to visit while enjoying Botswana safari holidays. A variety of leopards and black eagles can be observed from the Kgale Hill, and the Gaborone Game Reserve is famous for bird watching, apart from other animals such as zebras, elands, impalas, wildebeests and ostriches. Cape vultures are protected in the Manyelanong Game Reserve which allows the visitors to see them sitting on rocks and flying around the area. The Mashatu Game Reserve is a private land and has the largest population of elephants. The wildlife of Botswana includes brown hyenas, lions, leopards, cheetahs, antelopes and wild dogs that can be seen roaming freely in natural parks and game reserves of the country. The natural resource management project of the country is trying to include villagers in its tourism.

Needless to say, Botswana is entirely an adventurous country for the travelers and allows the visitors to get a closer view of the wildlife.



By: Akhila Choudhary

About the Author:

When most people think of a winter holiday they instantly think of skiing. As the world’s oldest, and most popular winter sport, thousands of people head to the mountains of Europe, North America, and some even more exotic locations every year to enjoy the delights of zooming down a snow covered mountain on a pair of planks. But what about those who want to enjoy a winter holiday without risking life and limb?

Well, there is a growing number of people who are heading out to ski resorts, yet who have no intention whatsoever of downhill skiing. Those who want to enjoy the great outdoors without the danger of snapping their bones, should try snowshoeing. Here, a special shoe is attached to your boots which allow you to walk easily over deep snow without sinking. Armed with a pair of poles you can wander along winter paths and enjoy the beautiful frosty scenery. Snow shoeing is ideal for young and old, as you can go at your own pace making it a perfect family activity.

Animal lovers might prefer to indulge in a less strenuous activity by taking a ride on a husky dog sled. Trips can be booked for a few hours, a full day, or even multi-day expeditions. After learning how to handle the sled and picking up a few of the basic dog commands, you’ll be able to set off through the snow after shouting “Mush! Mush!” at your pack of Husky hounds.

If you’re staying in a chalet or holiday cottage near a large town, then find out if there will be a Christmas market running. Throughout the festive period many places in Europe host Christmas Markets, offering visitors the chance to shop for local specialities, drink a glass of warming mulled wine, buy locally made crafts, watch live music, see impressive lighting displays, and listen to carol signers.

Adrenaline junkies who want a bit more power between their legs can get their throttle fix by going snowmobiling. Most ski resort areas have a snowmobile circuit which can range from a simple loop taking a couple of minutes, to backcountry expeditions which can last all day. Snowmobiles are very easy to operate, and anyone can pick up the basics within a few minutes. Instructors will always be on hand to help and guide you.

And finally, if you like your fish fresh, then why not give ice fishing a go? Especially popular in Scandinavia and the Baltic States, all you need is a short fishing rod or hand line, an ice drill and plenty of warm clothing. Organised trips are on offer for a few pounds an hour, and you also get to keep your catch.

So remember, winter holidays are no longer just for skiers - anyone can head out to the mountains and enjoy the winter wonderland without having to worry about ending up in hospital!



By: Elisha Burberry

About the Author:

With countries suffering from the impact of recession, holidays that were suppose to be enjoyed every once in a while are no longer a priority. People try to build funds and try to have fun on spring breaks and Easter but its still difficult with the status of their finances right now. On the bright side, cheap holidays are now available to sympathize with the declining income of holiday lovers. Moreover, there are number of ways on how to spend less for a wonder holiday vacation. Here some of my tips for those who still want to catch a cheap venture some where new and fun.

I’m Headed to..

Since the exchange for pound today is dreadful than last year, the days of packing empty bags and suitcase ready to be jump packed with gifts, gadgets and stuffs from New York, Milan and Germany is no longer an option. These places now cost considerably higher if you decide to spend a holiday there. Right now, the pound has dropped against both the dollar and the euro and holidays in most of Europe and North America are not a good choice anymore.

Great places to go this 2009 are Iceland and Mexico whose economic status are even more troubled than the pound. These countries are remarkably cheaper and close to home. You can enjoy cheap holidays, tours, cruise and of course shopping sprees.

Travel Timing

To bag the cheapest plane fares, you must be totally flexible with short notice flights. If you haven’t decided a date for your travel, then your in the best situation to take advantage of the bargain deals from airlines and travel agents. However, if you have settled the date of your holiday, there are still ways to save money on flights.

Flight that take off on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday offer the lowest prices. Tickets that includes a Saturday night are usually cheaper. For low cost airlines, the biggest bargains you can find are from flight scheduled during unpleasant hours.

Last Minute Rush

Last minute bookings are quite a risk especially on peak holiday periods where flights are usually full. But since recession has been a big factor this 2009, we can’t be sure that every attractive holidays that were released months ago have been wiped out. These are perfect times to get last minute bargains from tour operators and airlines who are both struggling to sell a package or fill an empty seat. This leads to very cheap holiday package and even cut price round trip tickets.

Comparison

The rule of thumb of purchasing cheap holidays is by having several providers at hand and comparing their rates eliminating one as you go on with the comparison process. Don’t just settle with providers that are obviously cheap. Some times you might think that you bagged the cheapest holiday anyone could imagine and then realized its not worth it in the end. Always remember that what comes cheap comes less. In terms of quality, cheap holidays always comes behind the expensive ones. So when comparing, try to consider the quality of the package according to your budget.



By: Jessica Nielson

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Queensland’s Gold Coast is internationally famous for its beaches. We have about a 50km stretch of sun drenched beaches, where the water is warm enough to swim every day of the year. The water at its coldest, in the dead of winter, is around 19° C. So its pretty easy to see why we love our beaches here, and why so many people visit us just to spend a few weeks relaxing on the beach.

Here are some more reasons why our beaches are so popular

For the Surfers

From Duranbah in New South Wales through to The Other Side (TOS) at South Stradbroke Island, we have beach after beach of world class waves to surf. We have some of the most famous reef breaks in the world, with Snapper Rocks and Burleigh Heads constantly producing amazingly long right handers. And it is at these point breaks that we host the first ASP World Championship Tour event, during February - March every year.

If you are a little like me though, and are happy to trade off a small amount of wave quality, for a large amount of the crowds, our beach breaks are just the thing. We have mile after mile after mile of sandy beach breaks. The more famous of these beaches include Kirra and of course Surfers Paradise. Some lessor known beach names include Main Beach, Mermaid Beach, Nobby’s Beach, Tugan and Miami. There is rarely a day where there is an unridden break or two along the magnificent Gold Coast Stretch

Its little wonder this stretch has produced such a host of Aussie surfing champions, including the current aspiring World Champions, Mick Fanning, Parko and Dean Morrison.

For the Swimmers and Tanners

The Gold Coast Weather combined with the temperate water temperature makes our beaches ideal for swimming and tanning all year round. Sure, sometimes it gets a bit “nippy” here in winter, but it is a rarer July and August (June - August are winter in the Southern Hemisphere) not to see people tanning on the beach, than to see them there. The beautiful 20 - 24° C days of sitting in the sun in the middle of winter are the rule, not the exception.

And then there is our our ocean water temperature. As an example, I have been very warm swimming, one chilly night when the outside temperature was only 6° C, in just a pair of shorts. The water was still a beautiful 20° C. I have to admit though, it was a bit of a mad dash to the car once I was finished…

With 10 - 20 metres of sand from the water to the street, on most Gold Coast beaches, tanning, running, surfing, swimming, kitesurfing and all manner of beach activity become such a pleasure. Further, many local counsels have installed picnic areas, and beach volleyball competitions are a frequent sight. It is little wonder our beaches in themselves have become one of Australia’s premier tourist attractions.



By: Damian Papworth

About the Author:

Malta is a tiny country located along the Mediterranean Sea between North Africa and Europe.

Malta is a prime spot for holiday travellers because of its rich heritage and many enticing attractions that draw people from all over the world. Malta experienced a great increase in the number of holiday visitors it received in 2007, reaching about 1,300,000 visitors. These guests were mainly from the countries of Scandinavia, Ireland and Britain.

This is great news for a country that depends heavily on tourist expenditures as a source of income. With a whopping 6 per cent increase in sales in 2007 over the past year, things are looking just as promising for the 2008 projection of sales. So, what is it about Malta that attracts so many visitors? Let’s take a look at some of the countries highlights.

For the Nightlife Traveller

Partying in the Mediterranean is an experience not many people want to miss. The country hosts popular stars who perform concerts for eager listeners, with attractions such as Elton John, Sting and others. The night clubs and restaurants are some of the top-rated places to visit in the world. If dancing is not your scene, perhaps you would enjoy the bustling casinos or vivacious theater shows. There is definitely no shortage of adventure with the Malta nightlife.

For the Sports Nut

Malta’s climate makes it easy to enjoy the outdoor life immensely. Sea sports are huge in Malta, including scuba diving in crystal clear waters, sailing, water skiing and wind surfing, among others. The Marsa Sports Club, the largest sports center in Malta, has opportunities for tennis enthusiasts, as well as squash, cricket and golf participants. Another favorite sport in Malta is horseback riding.

For the History Buff

For a small country, Malta is teeming with history and culture. There are many attractions to see, including the Museum of Archaeology where you can catch a glimpse of prehistoric artifacts. Ggantija is a popular attraction, as it is the oldest freestanding temple left in the world. You can see historical re-enactments, as well as multimedia presentations that give you the scoop on Malta’s history in less than an hour. With so much history in Malta, you can find yourself viewing relentless dungeons from the medieval era and walking through romantic and fragrant gardens.

It is no wonder that Malta makes such a great holiday destination. It is alive and welcoming. It presents so much to do and can fit the interests of any visitor easily. Malta jumps at the chance to show off its stuff and should see a continuing rise in the number of tourists that come to visit. So, when will you be arriving?



By: Roger Munns

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We were both huddled around a tiny electric fire. Outside, the sky was the same turbulent mixture of greys that it had been since a short interval of unconvincing sunshine, had awakened us and offered false promises through the bedroom blinds. More rain blew almost horizontally across the sea and our view deteriorated as the window pane became laced with wet streaks outside and misted over on the inside. Yesterday was being repeated and yesterday had been pretty much a copy of the day before. That had been the day we had arrived.

Weather like this was not what we had expected in June in Menorca. We were totally unprepared for it. No rainwear, no sweaters and nothing warmer than very light jackets had been included in the packing for our one week holiday. We hadn’t bothered to hire a car because Son Bou, the resort at which we stayed, has the longest beach on the island. Our plan had been to spend every day enjoying the three kilometres of golden sand, sunbathing, swimming and taking a few beach walks.

Normally, June in Menorca is fairly typical of the Mediterranean climate, with 24 degrees Celsius being the average maximum and 16 being the average minimum. Throughout the year, the island averages 300 days of sunshine, so considering that the other 65 days are most likely to be during the winter months, the odds were clearly stacked in our favour. However, Menorca does experience more changeable weather than the other Balearic islands and it is the coolest and wettest island of the group. Menorca is also subjected to no less than eight prevailing winds, causing it to be referred to locally as “The Windy Island”.

Son Bou, is a purpose built holiday resort on the west coast of Menorca. It is situated less than thirty minutes drive from the island’s international airport at Mahon. It is a very pretty, hilly resort with many luxury villas and apartments. Our one bedroom apartment was not amongst the most luxurious but it was extremely well furnished and catered for all our needs - except the sunshine, that is!

The resort of Son Bou could do with more restaurants but those that it has provided us with reasonably good meals at a price that was slightly above typical Spanish prices. Our walks to the restaurant every evening were usually accompanied by another short interval of dry weather with a watery sun poking through the clouds and creating patches of blue. Each time this happened we fell for the trick all over again. “Its clearing up for tomorrow” is what we would say to each other; but it wasn’t and our seven day holiday remained constantly unsettled to the end.

We did manage to grab the odd hour between showers to bravely try out the beach. It lived up to our expectations of being one of the most beautiful in the Balearic islands. Its sand is golden for most of the three kilometres but there are several spots where the colour becomes almost a tropical white. We would have loved to have enjoyed it in the normal summer climate but it wasn’t to be. Each time our clothes came off, the clouds came back. On one occasion, we sat huddled under our beach parasol, using it as a rain umbrella and refusing to dress again in a fruitless act of defiance that left us both shivering.

As we waited at our apartment for the taxi to take us back to the airport, we reflected on the week. Weather-wise we might as well have spent the time at home in England. But despite the disappointment of a washed-out holiday, we had seen enough of Son Bou to know that under normal circumstances this beautiful part of Menorca is a holiday destination worth visiting. It is also one of the nearest to the U.K. with cheap flights taking only two hours to get there and being available from every U.K. airport.

As the taxi pulled up we stepped out into the pouring rain which was being blasted by a swirling wind that seemed to blow from every direction at once. We had regretted not hiring a car but on reflection, driving around Menorca in these conditions would not have increased our enjoyment of this Mediterranean holiday destination.



By: Stewart Palmer

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I am looking for the Michelob Holiday Sampler 20-pack. I used to see it all the time around November/ December, but I haven’t come across it yet this year. I live in Central FL. Where can I find the Michelob Holiday Sampler 20-packs?
Never heard of TOPS Supermarket… I am in Central Florida.
… I still haven’t found them…

By: DRATER

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