Archive for October, 2009

Unusual Vacation Ideas: 5 Museums All About Food

October 29th, 2009

Museums are located in many cities in the United States and they have diverse subject matter. Museums often focus on art, history or music. But, did you know that some museums are dedicated entirely to food? If you’re planning a culinary vacation, then adding in a visit to a food museum can be an interesting way to learn something new. There are quite a few food museums located in the United States that a person could visit to discover about the history, facts and trivia of food.

The Idaho Potato Museum is a traveling museum that is currently located in New Mexico. This museum originated in 1975 in Belgium, and is the first museum dedicated to the potato. The Idaho Potato Museum features exhibits such as art depicting soldiers peeling potatoes, exhibits showing how potatoes grow, and exhibits showing the importance of the potato throughout the world. As with most museums, the Idaho Potato Museum has an online store where visitors can purchase apparel and other items to show they had visited the Idaho Potato Museum.

The Jello Gallery is located in LeRoy, New York. This museum is open year round and is accessible for visitors confined to wheelchairs. The Jello Gallery focuses on the history of Jello and Jello trivia. There is also an exhibit in the museum that showcases Jello spokespeople throughout the history of Jello. There are many items dedicated to Jello, and the Jello Gallery is home to a gift shop where visitors can purchase Jello memorabilia, cookbooks, and Jello apparel.

Austin, Minnesota is home to the Spam Museum. The Spam Museum is free of charge and open year-round. Exhibits in the Spam Museum include a World War Two exhibit about Spam, an interactive game show exhibit, a Spam diner, and movies about the history and uses of Spam. The Spam Museum allows visitors to learn about a locally made product while having fun.

The Mustard Museum is located in Middleton, Wisconsin. This museum pays homage to the many varieties of mustard. There are over 5,000 varieties of mustard from all over the world on display in the Mustard Museum. This museum features a newsletter that is published on Tuesdays. People not able to visit this museum can view the newsletter online. The Mustard Museum also celebrates National Mustard Day in August. At this festival, visitors can expect mustard games, music, free hot dogs, and free samples of mustard. Inside the museum, visitors can purchase unique mustard varieties for their own personal mustard collections.

While traveling through the state of Washington, people can visit the Washington Banana Museum. This unique museum has many different banana artifacts from various countries. A visitor can expect to see items such as a banana carved from bone, banana posters, and toys for children shaped like bananas. The Washington Banana Museum has no admission charge for visitors. There is no gift shop at this museum, but visitors to the Washington Banana Museum will be able to learn about the history of the banana at this unique food museum.

Museums throughout the world showcase any number of fascinating subjects — including food. Whether learning about Jello, Spam, bananas, mustard, or potatoes, foodies on vacation will enjoy these memorable museums.

A Destination of Natural Beauty – North Yorkshire Moors, England

October 27th, 2009

The North Yorkshire Moors are one of the largest expanses of moorland in the UK and have been named a national park in order to preserve its beauty. Whilst many Brits may not see them as a real backpacking destination due to their proximity, any backpackers of other nationalities are blown away by its beauty when they come to visit.

The moors could be explored for days on end for the backpacker looking to get out into nature and drink in the clean yorkshire air. However, travellers who go backpacking looking to relax on the beach in hot climes might not be quite as entertained.

The moors also surround various beautiful market towns that provide a great getaway if you need to hit the shops and speak to some real people rather than sheep for a while! Towns like Knaresborough and Ilkley have lovely local shops, pretty buildings and Ilkley even has the famous Bettys tea rooms if you want to blow a weeks budget on some tea and scones.

So when you go backpacking to destinations across the globe, don’t forget to include the places that are right on your doorstep.

Visit Hotel Napoleon for Real Rome Experience

October 25th, 2009

The Hotel Napoleon received rating of 4.0 out of 5 based on 44 hotel reviews. Roberto Cioce, General Manager of the hotel helps us to understand what makes the Hotel Napoleon a highly recommended hotel on Real Travel.

Since 1962, the Hotel Napoleon has been a family operated hotel. Cioce explains that since the hotel is entering its 4th generation of family members, guests “can find all the ‘traditional’ services of a true 4 star hotel.” With expert staff members, guests are sure to receive all the assistance they need to make their stay a pleasant one. Upon entering the hotel, guests can appreciate the large lounges and authentic artwork. In addition, hotel rooms face internal courtyards, which makes for a quiet stay in the bustling city of Rome. Cioce describes, “the furnishing of the rooms is antique style, upholstery and tapestry, made with elegant fabrics with soft colors, giving the rooms the warm welcoming of the ‘old fashioned’ feeling.”

Another added bonus: the hotel is just ten meters from the metro station. Taking you to the Vatican Museum, San Pietro, the Sistine Chapel, Castel Sant’Angelo, the Spanish Steps, and Piazza Barberini –there is a plethora of places to visit right off the metro. One guest comments, “Located literally right next to the Metro station it is very conveniently located for quick access to the whole city.” Also, guests might enjoy the ever popular Rione Monti with plenty of the “trendiest” bars and pubs.

To Roberto Cioce, providing excellent customer service at the hotel is a common and “usual” occurrence. In one instance the porter, Mr. Guglielmo Stirati, was in the process of cleaning a hotel room when he noticed a diamond stone that must have fallen out of the guest’s ring. Informing the Concierge, the hotel attempted to contact the couple however they were already on their flight back to the United States. Thanks to the thoughtful efforts of Mr. Stirati, the hotel received a letter from the Italian Tourist Office of New York recognizing them for their excellent service.

Described as a hotel that “is suitable for all those people who travel looking for a real experience of the country and the people they are visiting,” the Hotel Napoleon is the perfect place for couples and families with children.

6 Unusual Things to Do in Beijing, China

October 24th, 2009

Suggestions for your Beijing itinerary after you’re done with the Forbidden City and Tiananmen Square.


1. Grab a Drink at a Rooftop Bar Overlooking the Forbidden City

A full exploration of the Imperial Palace and Forbidden City, a complex sprawled over nearly eight million square feet, takes the better part of a day. When you’re done, order a cocktail and rest your legs at Yin, the rooftop bar at the Emperor Hotel.

You’ll find the building near the east gate, and Yin is reached via an ascending series of terraces from the boutique hotel. Views take in a panorama of the royal grounds, and the menu is stocked with innovative concoctions — many made with the evil Chinese liquor baijiu, so it’s drinker beware.

2. Ride a Tandem Bike around Houhai Lake
Houhai Lake is one of the hippest spots in Beijing. It’s also known as the “back lake” and is surrounded by restaurants, bars, coffee houses, and boutiques set along cobblestone lanes.

To save on rickshaw fees, hit up one of the bicycle rental stands, which rent by the hour and day, and pedal yourself around the lake district. You can even pick up a three-person tandem. I’m happy to say it’s a whole lot of fun to wobble down the narrow streets with the locals cheering you on.

3. Cook Dumplings in a Local’s Kitchen
Tour operator East Tours runs a gig where you can take dumpling making lessons at the home of a local. She’ll show you how to put together the filling and roll out the dough — harder than it sounds, believe me.

Stuffing the dumplings requires even more practice; don’t lose heart if your first half dozen look pathetically deformed.

The beauty of this tour is not only in getting a look at traditional Chinese cuisine but also at the homes and lives of everyday citizens in a real neighborhood — probably not an opportunity you’d have otherwise.And of course, you get to eat what you cook.

4. Go Karaoke
Karaoke is a staple of the social fabric in China, just like in other East Asian nations. Don’t miss out. Venues can be found in most hotels and seemingly along every major street. They’re sometimes called KTV, so watch for that on signs.

Protocol: Check in and pay for a specified amount of time at the front desk, after which you’ll be escorted to a private room with audio-visual equipment, microphones, a TV, and couches. You can order drinks and sometimes food.

5. Crunch into a Scorpion or Seahorse on a Stick
The Donghuamen Night Market, near the Forbidden City, is the place for street food.

You can find more sedate offerings such as dim sum, soup, and fresh veggies, but don’t bypass the bamboo skewers of silkworms, scorpions, seahorse, snake, and starfish. I also discovered a caramelized lotus root I couldn’t get enough of.

You don’t have to eat to enjoy yourself — half the fun is in gawking at the food and talking with vendors and other patrons.

6. Walk an Unrestored Section of the Great Wall
The Great Wall is long. Busloads of tourists get dropped off at the famous sections near Beijing every morning, but at other places unmarked by restoration or tourism, there are surprisingly few people. The experience of discovering the “wild wall” is powerful.

The Simatai-Jinshanling section allows you to do this. At the Xiangshui Lake scenic area there are another two, as well as a restored section. To get there, instead of walking ahead to the main gate, turn right or left; both directions lead farther into the village and towards original stretches of wall.

For more, consider a horseback tour along the wild wall, or a stay at one of the two hotels that have private access. Red Capital Ranch, Beijing’s first eco-tourism resort, owns ten restored villas set on 50 acres, while Commune by the Great Wall is another recommended resort, with villas surrounding a path that leads to part of the wall available only to guests.

Tips To Getting The Best Golf Holiday In Scotland

October 15th, 2009

When you’ve spend days in the office pulling long hours day to day seeing nothing more than the four walls of your office, then you know you’ve been working too hard. If you’re a man with a passion for golf, why not treat yourself and your family to a good golf holiday. You could spend some relaxing time on the green courses while your kids play in pools and play land and the ladies pamper themselves with spas or even join you on the course. So, what’s better than heading down to Scotland, the home of golf for a good vacation?

First, decide where in Scotland you’d like to go. There are tons of great courses to play on each with a different feel and scenery. You can have a good game on the greens in the highlands or hit Aberdeen and have a good game. Once you’ve picked a city or town, get a list of golfing courses available and see which appeals to you the best. Of course there’s the ever famous St. Andrews but there are many others to choose from as well.

Next, look online or check with travel agents for family golf holiday packages which would usually include accommodation, food and a few rounds of golf. Of course you would purchase all of these separately but usually packages are cheaper and you can often find good promotions a few times a year.

When you’ve settled with a place, check and see if there are golf tours available. As Scotland is the home of golf, there are plenty of golf courses to visit and learn about so if you’ve got the interest sign up for a tour and you’ll see places like St. Andrews, Muirfield and even the Royal Troon, all great courses that hold amazing golfing history.

So what are you waiting for, look out for great deals and make your reservations right away!

Top 10 Beaches in the Caribbean

October 7th, 2009

A holiday to the Caribbean offers you the chance to visit some of the most spectacular beaches in the world. Virtually every island of the Caribbean will have beaches that amaze; with crystal clear blue seas, sugar white sand & palm trees.

To help you choose where to go and more importantly what beach to choose, we have compiled a list of the top 10 beaches in the Caribbean.

1/ Palm Beach (Aruba) – Idyllic beach setting with superb white sand.

2/ Grand Anse Beach (Grenada) – 3km beach with sugar-white sand, lots of space & shallow waters.

3/ Johnson’s Point (Antigua) – Made up of secluded coves; these white soft sand beaches are a must for snorkeling & swimming

4/ Pink Sand Beach ( Bahamas) – One of the world’s most photographed beaches, often voted world’s best by travel publications. 5km’s of salmon pink coloured sand, due to red plankton that has mixed with the fine white sand.

5/ Crane Beach (Barbados) – Often voted as Barbados’ most beautiful beach. Imposing cliffs, a natural coral reef and soft white sands make for a perfect beach.

6/ Negril Beach (Jamaica) – Laid back atmosphere and Jamaica’s prettiest beach. A lot quieter than Seven Mile beach.

7/ Englishman’s Bay (Tobago) – A sheltered beach with fine white sand, crystal waters & surrounded by a palm jungle.

8/ Grace Bay (Turks & Caicos) – Part of a national marine park, this beach has fine white sand, calm turquoise waters and is protected by a barrier reef.

9/ Trunk Bay (US Virgin Islands) – A beautiful beach with crystal clear waters, considered one of the best places for snorkeling in the Caribbean.

10/ Shoal Bay (Anguilla) – Put Angullia on the tourism map; sugar-white sand, crystal clear blue waters & coral reefs.

The Enchanting Bohemian Destination – Cesky Krumlov, Czech Republic

October 7th, 2009

There are some backpacking destinations which manage to take your breath away as you approach them, places so beautiful that it feels like you’re travelling around a fairytale. These are few and far between but when the come along you need to grab them with both hands. Cesky Krumlov falls into this category.

It is is a small city in the south of the Czech Republic characterised by the incredible density of old stone buildings with terracotta roofing, all centered around the stunning Cesky Krumlov Castle. It is this architecture that has made the place famous, with the old town being named a Unesco Heritage site in order to preserve its beauty.

But architecture is not the only string to the Cesky Krumlov bow. There are a variety of adventure activities on offer in the surrounding area for backpackers to sink their teeth into, especially water sports due to the various lakes and rivers close by. So if you eventually get bored of exploring the enchanting streets of the city you can head out to the Sumava National Park (the biggest in Czech Republic) and take in environments from giant forests and alpine meadows to man-made lakes and winding rivers.

The best bit about all of this is that it has everything that so many people visit its more famous cousin, Prague, for; it’s just a short plane ride away, offers outstanding value and has fantastic Czech beer! If you like the sound of that but want to get slightly off the beaten track then look no further, this bohemian delight will be right up your street.