Sophie’s World » Europe

World at a Glance: Green bikes – and scooters – in Amsterdam

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:27:06 +0000

World at a Glance is a series here on Sophie’s World, portraying curious, evocative, happy, sad, wondrous, unexpected little encounters.

As I write this I’m on my way to the Netherlands, never mind it being 17 May, Norway’s national day, which, you may recall, is bigger than Christmas.

Last time I was here was on a blistering cold and wet day in December. But rain, sleet or snow – the weather is no hindrance for getting around by bike. Same in Norway, can’t let the weather rule your daily life too much, so come winter, we exchange summer tyres for snow tyres, often studded – on cars and on bikes.

In the city centre of Amsterdam, next to one of the city’s many canals, I drifted past a shop hiring out green bikes. A more unusual alternative were these green scooters (green in colour, at least, not so sure about emissions), a fun alternative to bikes if you’re feeling a bit lazy.

This time, amongst other fun stuff, I’m looking forward to biking on Scheveningen Beach, using a special fat rider (yeah, I’m not entirely sure what that is either; will let you know). And to testing a new odd place to sleep: a sea container.

What is the quirkiest place you’ve slept in?

Disclosure: My quirky sleeping quarters, beach biking and… well, other fun stuff, come courtesy of Visit Holland.

World at a Glance: Green bikes – and scooters – in Amsterdam is a post from Sophie's World

Viva Bahia, a fabulous Majorca family hotel

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:47:10 +0000

The Viva Bahia is located on the northern coast of Majorca, just steps away from a lovely beach, Playa Muro, in the Bay of Alcudia. This is a large hotel, more a resort really, and we were there for only three days, not nearly enough time to sample all the goodies on offer. That said, we did have a good look about and really enjoyed our stay. Cat didn’t want to leave. Kids have a lot to do with that. Goat kids, that is.

The apartments

Viva Bahia has 266 spacious apartments, decorated in a Scandinavian style: light, airy, functional and slightly minimalistic. The large sitting room comes with a flat-screen TV and a well-equipped kitchenette – in case you feel like cooking on holiday. (I always sorta kinda mean to, but never do. I fill up the fridge, and then quickly forget about it). The bedroom has a large comfortable bed and no TV, I’m happy to report (a pet peeve of mine, they just don’t belong). We were there in April, early in the season, and evenings were a bit chilly. But no worries, plenty of blankets in the cupboard.

The sitting room and the bedroom have a lovely balcony each, with ocean and pool views. Very convenient if you have children old enough to be in the pool by themselves, but you want to keep an eye on things without actually being in the middle of the bedlam.

Free wifi is available thrughout most of the hotel: in the rooms, the common areas and around the pool.

The food

Viva Bahia has several restaurants. We were out and about so much, we only had time to try two of them: the pool bar La Palapa (sandwiches, pizzas, salads, meat, fish – and wonderful views!) and the buffet restaurant Caprice, offering just about anything you can imagine, including a pasta chef whipping up just the pasta sauce you want. And the desserts… ooh lala!

Of course since it’s a family restaurant – and a buffet – there will be kids back and forth. Could have been just luck, but when we were there, all the children were well behaved: no yelling, no running.

For kids

The Viva Bahia is for children. Playgrounds are creative and colourful, on dry land and in the shallow splash pool. There’s even a pirate ship (but no Captain Jack Sparrow, I’m sad to say)

Play clubs and a wide selection of entertainment and excursions are available for kids 4 – 17. Cat’s favourite was an animal enclosure, home to ducks, swans and adorable kids. In fact, she insisted I make the baby goats a major feature of the review, hence three photos.

Sports and gardens

Viva Bahia has an extensive, lovely garden, a gymnasium and outdoor courts for a variety of sports, including tennis. A small minigolf course, ping-pong and billiards, petanque and beach volleyball are also on offer. Bicycles can be hired at reception (as well as motorbikes and cars). Really, I can’t think of anything missing.

Ready for the pièce de résistance?

Viva Bahia has treats for grown-ups too. There’s an indoor jacuzzi, sauna, spa and massage service. But here’s my favourite:

I absolutely loved this beautiful chill-out pool/jacuzzi with Balinese beds, reserved for adults; the perfect place for parents’ private time, say when the kids are on an excursion with the play club.

Convinced?

Hop over to Travel Photo Thursday for more travel inspiration.

Disclosure: In Majorca, we were guests of Viva hotels and No Frills Excursions. As always, we’re free to write about anything we want and retain full editorial control

Viva Bahia, a fabulous Majorca family hotel is a post from Sophie's World

Greece: A guide for history buffs

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:26:51 +0000

I haven’t been in Greece for a while, but a trip is in the works. Meanwhile, I’ve asked Kristy Moore, a travel writer with a particular interest in Europe’s historical attractions, to share her Greek history faves. Here’s Kristy:

There’s probably no holiday destination more famous for its fantastically rich history than Greece. Peppered with archaeological wonders, the country is a veritable haven for history enthusiasts. In fact, there are so many amazing sites to visit that it’d be nigh on impossible to fit them all into one blog post! So, for the purposes of today, I’m just going to focus on my personal favourites.

Delphi

First on my list is Delphi, which the ancient Greeks believed was the centre of the world. While that might not be true, what is undeniable is that this is easily one of the most impressive archaeological sites you’re ever likely to see.

In classical Greek times, Delphi had the most important oracle, with everyone from kings to common people coming here to seek advice. Today, you can see the magnificent Temple of Apollo – which was once impossibly grand – as well as the stadium that used to host the Pythian Games.

While you’re here, make sure you take the time to visit the local archaeological museum, where you can view all kinds of fascinating artworks; it’s a particularly good place to see some classical sculptures.

The Acropolis of Athens

Possibly the most famous archaeological site in Greece, if not the world, the Acropolis of Athens is an absolute must-visit. Sacred Rock stands in the heart of the city, so no matter where you are here, you’re never far from a reminder of the metropolis’s ancient heritage. This UNESCO World Heritage site is home to classical Greece’s most celebrated structures, notably the Parthenon, which was dedicated to the goddess Athena.

While this might be the best known of the structures to see here, it’s by no means the only treasure on offer. For example, opposite the Parthenon is the Erechtheion, while you can also get a close look at the world’s most ancient theatre, the Theatre of Dionysus. A relatively new addition to Sacred Rock is the Acropolis Museum, where you can see a selection of the treasures dug up here.

Knossos

Located in the suburbs of Heraklion on the island of Crete, Knossos is another must-visit – especially if you’re interested in Minoan civilisation, since this is its most famous site. Indeed, the Palace of Knossos acted not only as a royal residence, but also as the Minoan culture’s political heart, so it has an incredibly rich history.

Come here and you can explore old royal apartments in the east wing, as well as storage rooms – sometimes referred to as magazines – in the sprawling, maze-like structure of the old palace. In its heyday, this building spanned an impressive 22 000 sq metres.

A quick note on the night of the full moon

While these sites are well worth visiting at any time of the year, there are some months that are better than others. Personally, I think the night of the full moon in August is the best time to visit places like the Acropolis, since traditionally on this night these ancient sites come alive with various forms of entertainment.

For instance, you can head up to Sacred Rock and hear classical music or opera and see a Greek dance performance in the spectacularly lit surroundings of the ancient buildings. And, as an added bonus, it’s absolutely free.

What are your favourite historical sites in Greece? Leave a comment and let us know, and visit http://www.sovereign.com/destinations/Greece for some handy accommodation ideas.

This article is brought to you in cooperation with Sovereign Luxury Travel

Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons – Delphi and Acropolis, Knossos – Rick Payette, and Acropolis full moon – spapax.

Greece: A guide for history buffs is a post from Sophie's World

Norfolk Coast Path: horizons

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Fri, 10 May 2013 18:59:48 +0000

This week’s #frifotos* theme is horizons. My thoughts immediately go to water – and ships in the distance. But then they wander – my thoughts, that is – to a slightly modified version: the boats along the coast of Norfolk.

Norfolk Coast Path is part of a national trail running from Hunstanton to Sheringham, 150 km total. The path offers incredibly varied landscape: rivers and valleys, windmills and villages with quirky and quintessentially English names like Wells-next-the-Sea or Burnham Overy Staithe. There’s farmland and little harbours, cliffs and ocean, beaches, dunes and marshes. Notice the fishing boats on the horizon? A few years ago, I walked parts of Norfolk Coast Path and I was oddly mesmerised by these boats looking forlorn and out of their element, just waiting for the water to return. I took this photo near Brancaster.

The area is designated as AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). Not everything along Norfolk Coast Path is pretty, though: loose, corrugated iron flaps on ramshackle buildings, rusty tin roofs look like they’ll cave in any moment – and some of the boats have definitely seen better years. But that’s hardly nature’s fault. And even these less-than-stunning bits lend an interesting air to the walk.

Norfolk Coast Path is an easy and very accessible hike, whether you walk the entire length or just parts of it. The Coasthopper bus follows the path fairly closely (half-hourly in summer), so you can walk one way and take the bus back – or simply hop on the bus if you get tired of walking. Couldn’t be easier.

If you’re in England and tempted to give it a go, there’s heaps more information to be found at the official website.

Norfolk Coast Path is just one of many wonderful walks in Britain. Have you tried any of them?

*#FriFotos is a weekly Twitter chat where travellers share their favourite photos. Each week has a theme.

Norfolk Coast Path: horizons is a post from Sophie's World

The lonely convent

Alexandra Redisch — Mon, 06 May 2013 22:45:48 +0000

Once upon a time there was a convent. This convent was very old and tired, its walls were falling down and the roof had many holes. The convent was sad because no one lived there anymore. And it was used to having many occupants; the nuns of the Confraternity of Saint Mary of the Disciplined had lived there for many years, and St. Francis himself had even stayed there once. But the nuns were long gone, and the convent thought it would never be lived in again. It was all terribly upsetting.

But one day, the Marquis Giacinto Guglielmi of Civitavecchia came along and bought the old convent. He mended the holes in the roof and replaced the walls that were no more, and soon the convent was born again as Villa Guglielmi; a beautiful palace on Isola Maggiore, surrounded by Lake Trasimeno.

Marquis Guglielmi and his wife now lived in the convent, along with their daughter Elena. The convent was happy, but still it wanted more. Three people were surely not enough for such a large house. Elena felt the same way too. She was often bored, and she wanted to socialise with other girls in the fishing villages along the coast. She also wanted to do some good for the community, so she started teaching local girls how to make lace.

Italian lace

Lace making became very popular, and soon all the girls came to Villa Guglielmi to participate. One year they had thirty students who came daily to the villa to make crochet-hook lace. The convent was very happy now. There was energy bouncing off the walls, and the convent could feel this deep within her stone walls. The students were happy too. They made table cloths and dresses and all kinds of beautiful lace creations that they sold to rich girls from Florence, Rome, and Perugia.

The school became so popular that a specialist in Irish lace came all the way from Turin to train girls at Villa Gugliemli. The convent was very proud to have such a special guest under her roof. Signorina Elvira Tosetti was the first to learn this new art of lace making. She started showing it to other girls in the nearby fishing villages, and when they grew up they taught their daughters how to make lace as well.

Sadly, the Guglielmi family didn’t stay very long in the convent. Elenas children didn’t want to live on such a small island, and once again the convent was left to itself. It was scared that the walls would start crumbling again, but happily it didn’t stay this way for long.

Even though no one lives there anymore, the convent is still happy, because it is now used as a lace museum where you can see examples of the lace that Elena and her pupils made. But the convent would love even more visitors to bring energy to her old stones, so perhaps you could make the journey next time you’re in Italy? If you go there, follow the Via Guglielmi to the old convent, and you will see women making lace in front of their houses along the way. This old tradition is very important on Isola Maggiore, and the convent feels very proud to be a part of it, and is certainly not sad or lonely anymore.

Landscape surrounding the former convent.

Disclosure: On Isola Maggiore, I was a guest of Trasimeno Tourist Office and Umbria Regional Tourism Board. As ever, all opinions are mine, all mine.

The lonely convent is a post from Sophie's World

Rural Majorca

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 22:08:34 +0000

My youngest daughter Catarina and I have just spent a few days in Majorca. We were in the north of the island, at Playa de Muro, far away from the party beaches down south – very, very far away – in distance as well as state of mind. We spent one long, lovely day in rural Majorca, outback Majorca – shopping ingredients at the market, sampling local produce, then cooking lunch outdoors. Just a fab day all round.

Our guide is Michael, a Brit, island resident for 12 years, and passionate about everything Mallorquín.

First stop of the day is the Thursday market in Inca, third largest town in Majorca, and home of Camper shoes. No shoe shopping for me today alas, but there’s time for a browse. The market is huge and just about anything is for sale: basket ware, sunglasses, and an impressive assortment of bras.

And then, of course, there’s bunyols, (buñuelos in Spanish), fried dough balls topped with sugar; doughnuts, really.

An abundance of colours, textures, flavours…

We buy mild, white onions, equally mild green peppers, large beef tomatoes, and for the pa amb oli, the smaller tomàtiga de Ramellet, firm on the outside, soft on the inside, with a more intense and slightly bitter taste; perfect for rubbing on fresh bread.

We stop in Binissalem, a sweet little village in the rolling hills of Majorca’s wine region. Binissalem… sounds Arabic, no? Means sons of Salem, if I remember my Arabic correctly. The Moors once ruled this island, as they did much of Spain. More than 1 000 years before the Moors, however, the Romans lounged about here, occupying the island and drinking wine. As far back as the 1st century AD, Majorcan wine is mentioned in Roman manuscripts.

Well, certainly can’t break such a long and prominent tradition, now, can we? The only thing to do is sample the local products. We wander in through the doors of a small bodega, home of Ca’n Novell wines, sold from the barrel for next to nothing.

Our little group try six different wines, beginning with young whites and reds, then moving on to an older red, and then sweet dessert wines, one yummier than the next. (Of course Cat, like most 11-year-olds, fails to see the charm of a country wine tasting and uses the opportunity to check out yet another show jumping vid on YouTube).

Cooking in rural Majorca

Finally, we’re off to the finca, our cooking venue for the day. In the garden of this curious house, we hand over meat – pollo y cerdo – to Juan, barbeque chef extraordinaire, then get on with chopping ingredients for a trampo, a traditional Majorcan salad…

…and making the pa amb oli, also typical of this region – and one of life’s simple pleasures: delicious, healthy and, as a bonus, very easy to make: you take a hefty piece of fresh peasant bread, rub it with half a tomato, drizzle on some very good local olive oil, then sprinkle on salt. That’s it. Even I can do it. And that’s saying something…

Stay tuned for more on Majorca in the weeks to come. Horses will feature prominently. In the meantime, if you want to see more travel photos from around the world, head to Travel Photo Thursday or Friday Daydreamin’.

Disclosure: In Majorca, we were guests of Viva hotels and No Frills Excursions. Of course we’re free to write about anything we want, as ever.

Rural Majorca is a post from Sophie's World

Lighthouse living

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 10:00:04 +0000

Tree houses, ice hotels, 747s, caves and grottos, houses made of cow dung, caravans, sheep sheds, the beach,… I do like quirky sleeps, though it has been a while, meaning I’ve shoddy or no photos, so I haven’t covered many here on Sophie’s World. That’s about to change.

If you’ve poked around on this blog a bit, you will also have seen that I adore lighthouses. And thanks to adventurous colleagues in a former job, I’ve been lucky enough to spend the night in one. Instead of choosing an ordinary business hotel in say London, the organising committee for an annual internal seminar chose Landegode lighthouse in Nordland, in the Arctic.

Landegode lighthouse is situated on an islet near Landegode Island, a few kilometres off the coast of Bodø, the first proper city above the Arctic Circle. If you’ve seen photos of the midnight sun – or the elusive Northern Lights – chances are good they were taken at Landegode. Not only did my colleagues choose this fabulous location for our meeting, we also arrived there in style; no, not by helicopter, but in rough Norwegian style, by ocean rafting in the freezing waters of the Arctic. Super fast and super fun.

The islet houses nothing but the lighthouse buildings. That, and birds, views and beautiful sunsets.

Sunset at around 11pm. This was May, so a bit early for the midnight sun.

Beers at dusk:

I don’t have any pictures from inside the lighthouse. Before I began blogging, I wasn’t in the habit of photographing absolutely everything. However, the accommodations were nice enough, nothing luxurious, but clean and comfortable, indoor plumbing’n'all. We stayed in the lighthouse keeper’s cottage.

Want to try a little lighthouse living yourself?

If you’re on your own, you can’t stay at Landegode, that’s only for groups. No worries, though: Norway’s long, ruggedly gorgeous coastline is dotted with lighthouses and 60 of them offer accommodation, from the soft, rolling landscape of the south, to the windswept shores of 70 degrees north, and many others in between.

At some lighthouses, you’ll be all on your lonesome on a solitary rock in the middle of the North Sea. At others, you might share space (not sleeping space… unless you want to) with the local community, as in hanging at the pub with local fishermen with a sense of humour as rough as the landscape (think Australian). Not for the overly sensitive.

I’m frequently at Lista in southern Norway, and we usually make a point of visiting the lighthouse there. Lista lighthouse is now open for sleepovers, so we might give that a try this summer. Will keep you posted.

Have you ever slept in a lighthouse? Do you want to?

Lighthouse living is a post from Sophie's World

Hello again, Majorca

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:04:27 +0000

Next week, I’m off to visit Majorca. That’s a sentence I haven’t said in many years.

The name Majorca (or Mallorca) conjures up to Northern Europeans what I imagine the name Acapulco does to Americans: package holidays, pig roasts, loud pop music blasting from shops and cafes on busy seaside streets, embarrassingly drunk fellow countrymen…

Like the Costa Brava, the Costa Blanca and the Canary Islands, Majorca was one of the ‘original’ package holiday destinations. In Norway, this type of holiday is referred to as a trip to Syden, meaning the south. Syden is a generic term encompassing Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey – and sometimes even Florida and Thailand. Doesn’t matter where you go, as long as there’s sun, sand and cheap alcohol.

I must admit the reputation put me off these destinations, including Majorca, for years. My loss, it’s a lovely island with lots to offer. And it’s very easy to stray off the beaten path, i.e. keep away from the Syden-trippers.

I first visited Majorca with Alex when she was 11. That was in 1999 – and we enjoyed our little holiday there so much we returned the next year. That doesn’t happen often. I specifically remember four things from Majorca:

Cabo Formentor – a gorgeous rocky headland in the northwest of the island (photo),
Hearing a piano and violin-concerto performed from a rowing boat on an underground small lake in Cuevas del Drach (the Dragon’s caves),
Valldemossa – a hill town very near the island capital Palma – and especially the Carthusian monastery where Frédéric Chopin and Aurore Dudevant (better knwon as George Sand) spent a few winter months to combat the famous composer’s tuberculosis.
Palma itself – a smaller version of Barcelona, with much less traffic

A while ago, I was thinking it was time to take Cat, my present 11-year-old, along to visit Majorca. As fate would have it, just a few days later, an email from Viva hotels popped in, inviting us to come and have a look. Must be fate.

I look forward to seeing if the island has changed much in the last 13 years. Posts will be forthcoming, with much better photos than the scanned old thing above.

Have you been in Majorca recently? Any tips?

Hello again, Majorca is a post from Sophie's World

Seductive Sintra

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 11:00:12 +0000

A few years ago – 4, to be exact, I had some time to kill in Lisbon after long days of meetings. As luck would have it, I more or less stumbled upon Sintra. I’ve been meaning to share a few photos of this gorgeous town ever since. Better late than never, eh?

Sintra is under special protection by UNESCO for being the first centre of European Romantic architecture, and for its parks and gardens which have influenced landscape architecture throughout Europe. The town is a deliciously quirky blend of Gothic, Renaissance, Moorish and Egyptian architecture.

As if that isn’t enough, this lucky town also has beautiful natural surroundings, all green hills. With its extravagant architecture, lush landscape and perhaps most of all, its colours, Sintra is simply seductive.

I’m not the only one fascinated by this Portuguese town. About 200 years before me, British poet Lord Byron visited Sintra. His thoughts:

I must just observe that the village of Cintra in Estremadura is the most beautiful in the world.

Sintra has been home of numerous Portuguese monarchs through the ages, and is naturally brimming with weird and wonderful palaces. The pièce de résistance is probably the dreamy multi-coloured Pena Palace rising on a peak above town. Then, there’s the Quinta de Regaleira and Montserrate palaces, both with splendid gardens, the enigmatic Castelo dos Mouros (Moorish Castle), and more. Many of them are wondrously wacky and mysterious, and often shrouded in mist.

Easiest to see is Palácio Nacional de Sintra, the Royal Palace with the peculiar conical chimneys, in the town centre:

However, what I liked best weren’t the palaces and grand official buildings, but the brightly coloured houses, the public art, the fantastic fountains, the streets and stairways. What first caught my eye (and imagination) was this wonderful house in the hills:

But what was it? I had no guide in Sintra, and simply didn’t think to ask anyone then. Later, it took quite a bit of searching. The photo-sharing site flickr has a few pictures, but most are just named ‘pink house in Sintra’. Major travel sites like Lonely Planet, official tourism sites like GoLisbon, blogs; none that I found mentioned this house. And no wonder, perhaps – this is not a small palace or even a public building. Thanks to Virtual Tourist I finally found a little information. Casa dos Penedos is a privately owned house, and not a tourist attraction. Isn’t it fabulous, though? Look at how it seems to grow out of the hill itself. I love the towers, the colour – and just imagine the views.

When I visited, large eye-catching sculptures were set up along the walkways around town:

My favourite part of Sintra was the everyday houses and shops, the narrow alleys and stairs. And the colours.

Sintra colours

Sintra practicals

Sintra is a super day trip from Lisbon and getting there couldn’t be easier. Trains leave from Lisbon’s Rossio railway station every 15 minutes (30 minutes on weekends) and the journey takes about 40 minutes. Round trip tickets are only 4 euros.
The town centre of Sintra is a 15-minute walk from the railway station. Getting to many of the palaces requires a bit of a steep uphill walk (or a bus from the railway station). The views alone are magnificent, so very worth it even if you don’t enter the palaces.
I visited in October and had the town mostly to myself. I imagine it’s quite busy in summer though, so I’d plan accordingly – maybe even spend a night there to better feel the atmosphere.

Have you been in Sintra?

Seductive Sintra is a post from Sophie's World

World at a Glance: Beslan memorial in San Marino

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 22:25:39 +0000

World at a Glance is an infrequent series here on Sophie’s World, portraying curious, thought-provoking, happy, sad, wondrous, unexpected little encounters.

Beslan memorial San Marino

Wandering about in the world’s oldest republic, I stumbled upon this statue of a screaming boy, wearing only his underpants. It’s a monument to the victims of the school massacre in Beslan: On 1 September 2004, first day of the school year, School no. 1 in Beslan in North Ossetia (a small, autonomous republic within the Russian federation) was besieged by 30 Chechen militants. 1128 people were taken hostage. Russian special forces moved in three days later, and when the siege ended, 334 of the hostages were killed. Most were young children.

I stare at the boy for a long time, terror etched into the young face. This little sculpture touches me more than the TV broadcasts from Beslan did. Somehow it seems more real, more tangible – than images projected through a screen.

As one would expect, there are memorials to this tragedy in Caucasus – and in other parts of Russia. But why San Marino? Well, Russian is spoken in many shops and restaurants, indicating a rather large number of Russian tourists in this little country. But is there another reason as well? I don’t know…

World at a Glance: Beslan memorial in San Marino is a post from Sophie's World

Easter traditions in Norway

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 22:30:06 +0000

Spring is finally in the air up here in the northern world, although it looks like snow will be on the ground for a few more days at least, to the delight of most.

Easter, you see, means a 10-day-vacation – we’re in the middle of it right now – and skiing is an essential part. As I was rummaging through old family photos, I stumbled across this one from Easter in 1911. Fashions might have changed, but this country’s love affair with cross country skiing is stronger than ever.

Sunshine, snow and snacks

Norwegian Easter traditions can be summed up in a few words: family and friends, cross-country skiing, Kvikklunsj, oranges, board games, and crime.

In addition to skiing wax, the skiers’ rucksacks usually contain sandwiches (open-faced), a thermos of tea, coffee or cocoa, oranges, Kvikklunsj (a chocolate wafer that has been around since 1937, similar to the British KitKat) and Solo, a local orange soda, also from the 1930s: all to be enjoyed at hytteveggen, meaning ‘the cabin wall’.

Hytteveggen refers to being outside, a cabin wall at your back, enjoying lunch or a snack, with the warm sun on your face, and bright, white snow as far as the eye can see.

Hytteveggen, 1940s and our cabin, 2013 (Photo credit: Aleksander Bratlie)

Easter.. crime?

In Norway, Easter also means crime. So much so, that påskekrim (Easter crime) has become a word in its own right.

Curious about the somewhat morbid tradition? It’s all about a very successful 90-year-old marketing campaign. Two students came up with a plan to rob the Oslo – Bergen train on Easter Sunday. A clever plan, especially since Easter Sunday was also 1 April that year. Alerting the police to the robbery would likely be written off as an April Fool’s joke, giving the robbers a good head start.

Fortunately, the students didn’t actually rob the train but instead wrote a novel about it. The book was launched shortly before Easter in 1923, through a front page ad in the country’s largest newspaper, designed to look like a breaking news story. Reading only the headline, people with friends and relatives on the train called the paper in despair. A hoax, you might say. (15 years later, Orson Welles succeeded in eliciting similar reactions using the same tactics when broadcasting H. G. Wells’ novel War of the Worlds.)

Ever since, crime for Easter has been in great demand, through books, games, radio programs and TV. Even milk cartons have mysteries to solve, this year in the form of a cartoon.

On Easter Eve (Saturday), children are given a large cardboard egg filled with goodies, often påskemarsipan, chocolate-covered marzipan eggs.

What are some Easter traditions in your country?

Pop over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for more photo fun.

Easter traditions in Norway is a post from Sophie's World

A spring morning in Munich with kids

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:08:57 +0000

I’ve been meaning to write a practical post on travelling with children, focusing on long inter-continental flights especially. It’s on my to-do list, has been for a while. And I will write it. But not today. However, I’ll share one of my tips now: wear them out. Worn-out kids, you see, fall asleep. Simple really.

One of my favourite ways of wearing the kids out has been to schedule long stop-overs at intermediate airports, then being very active, outdoors if possible. A vigorous tumbling about before that 13-hour flight to Singapore is much more effective than sleeping pills. I’ve heaps of tips on how – and where – to wear the little ones out in London, Paris, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, Reykjavik…

Munich with kids

Now my youngest is 11 these little tricks are no longer necessary. As it happened, however, we had seven hours between flights a few weeks ago, in Munich. This was after a three-legged journey – including a long, boring inter-continental flight – and before the last quick two-hour flight home. The long wait was far from ideal and we were all a bit cranky. So although Munich airport is nice enough, we simply couldn’t face seven more hours indoors. Also, I had only been in Munich on business before, and not seen much of the city. Couldn’t miss an opportunity like that.

Anticipating this, I had asked my friend Laurel of Monkeys and Mountains, a Munich local, for a few ideas on how to kill a few hours in Munich with kids. She kindly provided a number of options; one of them was Obletter Spielwaren on Karlsplatz, the city’s largest toy shop. Karlsplatz it was then – and very conveniently located it was, on the direct train line from the airport.

As we got off, it was still too early for shops to be open, so we went down an interesting-looking street instead, through an old city gate, the Karlstor:

Further down the street, we met Juliet -

That whiles Verona by that name is known. There shall no figure at such rate be set. As that of true and faithful Juliet.

and saw the beautiful Town Hall at Marienplatz:

Just around the corner from Marienplatz is Viktualienmarkt, Munich’s fabulous daily farmers’ market, brimming with flowers, fruits, vegetables, meats and sausages, spices, honey and cakes, wines and cheeses…

and these cheerful boiled breakfast eggs (the ones in the left photo, that is):

As it happened, early March was a wonderful time to visit. The weather was unexpectedly warm and lovely, and Easter was just around the corner.

After an early lunch outdoors in the sunshine at Löwe am Markt, we ambled back towards the train,

…just in time to see and hear the noon-time Glockenspiel at the town hall tower:

Other things to do in Munich with kids

The toy shop? Didn’t happen. Not enough time. A few hours can, after all, provide just the briefest of tastes. We’ll do a long weekend in Munich later to have a look at Laurel’s other suggestions. Here they are:

Deutsches Museum: not only is it full of history, it’s also the world’s oldest museum of technology, perfect for my science nerd.
Take a self-guided tour of Munich Residenz: 130 rooms of the mad monarchs of Bavaria. (Although the maddest of them built his mad castles elsewhere.)
See sea Life at Olympiapark München: sharks, turtles, octopi…
Have a stroll through the botanical gardens at Nymphenburg: botanical gardens always provide an excellent place for kids to stretch and run about a bit, and I love the scents and colours.

Have you been in Munich? Any other tips?

A spring morning in Munich with kids is a post from Sophie's World

The old bridge in Mostar

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 15:00:54 +0000

This week’s #frifotos* theme is symbols. What first popped into my mind was Stari Most.

I think the old bridge in Mostar is one of the most powerful symbols there is: of multiculturalism, of how people of different religions can co-exist, how reconciliation can actually work.

There’s a Middle Eastern flavour to Mostar. No surprise, of course: this was, after all, an Ottoman city for centuries. Mostar is also a hauntingly beautiful city: the crystal-clear waters of the river Neretva, the green, verdant hills, the houses in soft colours – reds, faded greens, warm beige, the copper and brass wares of the street vendors shining in the afternoon sun…

Continuing along the streets, I spotted bullet holes here, a bombed house there. Remnants of the war were everywhere. Perhaps still?

The old bridge in Mostar

The original stone bridge across the Neretva was constructed by the Ottoman rulers of Bosnia-Herzegovina nearly 500 years ago – and brutally demolished by Bosnian-Croat forces in 1993. During the Balkan wars of the 1990s, Mostar suffered great losses, not least the iconic bridge. More than an architectural masterpiece was lost. Destroying the bridge meant people were separated from their friends and families for years.

The bridge is rebuilt now, using the same means and materials as the Ottoman architects did in the 1560s. Britain’s Prince Charles performed the solemn, official opening of the new bridge in July 2004. I took these photos two months later. The following year, UNESCO added the old bridge in Mostar to its list of cultural heritage with outstanding universal value.

On a more curious note, boys leap from the bridge into the surging icy-cold river below, haphazardly playing with their lives. My youngest daughter is fascinated. Jumping off the bridge is an ancient tradition, says Jusuf, a young man standing next to me. And sure enough, the first dive recorded is from 1664. To impress the girls? I wonder out loud. ‘No.’ Jusuf laughs. ‘To impress each other.’

*#FriFotos is a weekly Twitter chat founded by @EpsteinTravels where travellers share their favourite photos. Each week has a theme.

The old bridge in Mostar is a post from Sophie's World

World at a Glance: Frank Zappa in Vilnius

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 14:30:45 +0000

Welcome to World at a Glance, yet another infrequent series here on Sophie’s World. These are intended to be short posts, with a photo that is either curious or evocative, that gave me pause; pause to think, laugh, cry, wonder… Let’s begin with curious.

Frank Zappa in Vilnius

What is Frank Zappa doing in Vilnius? What is the connection? The unconventional singer died in 1993, just a few years after the break-up of the Soviet Union and Lithuanian independence. Had he managed to visit this tiny country towards the end of his life? Was his family from Lithuania?

Turns out Frank Zappa had no association at all with this little Baltic country – apart from an enthusiastic fan. And a desire to replace Soviet icons with, well, something else.

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Lithuania, like other countries in the region, couldn’t be rid of Soviet symbols quick enough. Down they went, statues of Lenin, Stalin, Karl Marx and others, leaving heaps of empty pedestals. But what to replace Lenin with? Something to mark the end of communism, obviously.

Enter Saulius Paukstys, a civil servant, photographer and founder of the Frank Zappa Fan Club. Amazingly, he managed to convince city authorities to erect a statue of the dead singer in the centre of Vilnius. In 1995, the statue was unveiled to the tune of a Zappa hit parade by brass band.

I love stumbling over curious little quirks like this. You?

Have a look at Travel Photo Thursday for more quirky shots.

World at a Glance: Frank Zappa in Vilnius is a post from Sophie's World

A Perfect Day in Oslo

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:21:28 +0000

Today, I’m joining the 100 cities to homeswap before you die-initiative and I’ll let you in on how to spend a perfect day in Oslo. (For more information on the project, click on the link at the end of the article.)

It’s not easy. That’s not because there’s a shortage of things to enjoy, quite the contrary. Oslo is packed with things to do – outdoors and in; quite a few are even free. But what to choose: that’s the question.

Winter is still here and there are plenty of temptations to lure the kids away from the screens and out in the snow. In fact, it’s snowing right now, which means just about everyone and their dog will be out in the forest enjoying what might be one of the last skiing Sundays of the season.

But for our perfect day, we’ll focus on spring; it’s just around the corner. We won’t go to the forest today, there simply isn’t time. Instead we’ll take to the fjord. The hop-on hop-off old wooden sail ship that plies Oslo harbour is perfect – it stops at City Hall, the Opera House and Bygdøy Museum Peninsula.

City Hall

Getting on at City Hall, we’ll soon sail past the 700-year-old Akershus Fortress. I love seeing Oslo from the water – and imagine how it must have felt to be a Viking returning home after months – or even years – at sea. Oslo celebrated its 1000-year anniversary in 2000 – and while the skyline has certainly changed since 1000 AD, nature remains much the same: hills and forests surround the city on three sides; the fjord is on the fourth.

Akershus Fortress

We’ll get off the ship at Oslo Opera House and take a stroll up the sloping marble roof for fabulous fjord views. If you have young children along, be aware: running down the slope is very tempting and there are no guard rails before you hit the chilling waters of the fjord.

By now we’re in the mood for morning coffee, and since the weather is lovely, we’ll have it outdoors, right at the water’s edge. In winter – or in the rain – Brasserie Sanguine offers coffees (or lunches or dinners) indoors, with smashing views through the enormous glass wall.

Oslo Opera House

Getting back on the boat, we’ll continue to Bygdøy. This peninsula is home to great hikes, fabulous beaches and Oslo’s best museums. Again, considering we only have one day, we have to choose between several wonderful maritime museums, including intrepid explorer Thor Heyerdahl’s ocean-crossing raft Kon-Tiki, the Viking Ship house, and more.

My 11-year-old is along, and she loves ambling about the deck of the polar ship Fram, used by the first man to ever reach the South Pole, Roald Amundsen. The best thing about this little museum is that we can board the Fram and have a look in the cabins, the lounges, the engine room and the cargo hold. I can imagine how it must have been out at the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica back in 1911.

Restaurant at Aker Brygge

About time for lunch? We’ll get back on our sailing ship one final time and head back to City Hall and Aker Brygge, a renovated ship yard full of quirky shops and great cafes, bars and restaurants. We’ll have lunch wherever takes our fancy, whether we’re in the mood for fabulous seafood, pasta, Japanese food, or just about anything else. There’s even an American diner.

A perfect day in Oslo will probably include Frogner Park

Everyone loves Frogner Park, so after lunch, we’ll hop on the tram and go west to join (or watch) locals rollerblading, walking their dogs, enjoying the sunshine and the scent of roses. Kids love to climb on the many sculptures in the park, all created by Gustav Vigeland. Or they’ll imitate them: Sinnataggen, the Angry Little Boy, is perfect for this.

A short tram ride – or a brisk 20-minute walk – takes us back to the city centre where we’ll walk down main street Karl Johan to one of Oslo’s most iconic restaurants, Grand Cafe. This used to be the hangout of the Christiania Bohemians, a gang of artists in the late 1880s. Noted playwright Henrik Ibsen was one of them. Twice a day he used to walk to Grand Cafe to enjoy a tankard of beer and read the newspapers.

Grand Hotel with Grand Cafe

Before we sit down, we’ll have a look at the large mural in the back of the restaurant depicting the Bohemians. You’ll see the great author in the left corner. He’s the man with the white beard and the top hat.

Section of Grand Cafe back wall mural

Since it’s a lovely day, we’ll enjoy our own beer outside in the afternoon sunshine (tea or hot chocolate for the little ones), where we’ll people-watch. The pavement outside Grand Cafe isn’t known as the catwalk for nothing.

We’ve had a full day, so perhaps we’ll just sit here, being lazy until it’s dinnertime. If we feel energetic, we might take a little stroll through Spikersuppa, the area between Parliament and the National Theatre. Or we could pop by one or two of the many snazzy shops at Paleet. There are all sorts of fancy clothing shops (perhaps you need a pair of Ilse Jacobsen wellies (rubber boots) for rainy days) or we’ll browse Tanum, one of Oslo’s largest book shops.

Fountain in Spikersuppa

Music pavilion in Spikersuppa

Here are a few more posts on Oslo:

Winter Family Fun in Oslo

17 May – Hip hip hooray! (about Norway’s cherished national day traditions)

Oslo, the open-minded city

Oslo on the House: 10 Great Free Attractions

… and here are a few from National Geographic’s Intelligent Traveler Blog:

Oslo Celebrates (about Christmas traditions)

I Heart My City

This post is part of the 100 cities to home swap before you die-initiative from Knok.com – hop on over for a look at perfect days in cities around the world.

A Perfect Day in Oslo is a post from Sophie's World

Monaco: All that glitters

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 17:38:19 +0000

Welcome to shiny, glittering Monaco glamour

That’s what the Monaco – Monte Carlo railway station says, don’t you think?

A quick peek at the boats in the harbour confirms that Monaco does indeed exude glamour.

Microstates vs micronations – and a few Monegasque oddities

I’ve written about micronations before. Monaco is not one of those. It is, however, a microstate. And what is the difference, you ask?

A microstate is a recognized sovereign nation, while a micronation is well, not.

Microstates tend to have an area of less than 1,000 km2 and fewer than half a million inhabitants. By land area, Monaco is the world’s second smallest country (only the Vatican is smaller). Counted by number of people, however, Monaco is only the 6th smallest. This tiny principality, you see, has the world’s highest population density.

It would be nice to think it’s the balmy Mediterranean climate that attracts the hordes of immigrants. I fear, however, that Monaco’s status as a tax haven is an even bigger draw.

Looks right crowded, doesn’t it? But don’t let this rather drab-looking colony of high-rises fool you. These are not exactly budget flats. Monaco has more billionaires pr capita than anywhere else on earth. And with real-estate prices as high as GBP 40 000 (about USD 60 000) pr square metre, it’s also the most expensive place to live in the world.

Monaco views, from the cannon’s mouth

Monaco isn’t only glamorous. It’s also a quite peculiar state. Surrounded by La France on three sides (and the Mediterranean on the fourth), treaties have been signed with the big sister through the years, severely limiting Monaco’s independence. About 100 years ago, the then prince signed a treaty where

… le Gouvernement de Son Altesse Sérénissime le Prince de Monaco s’engage a exercer ses droits de souveraineté en parfaite conformité avec les intérêts politiques, militaires, navals et économiques de la France.

That’s right. The prince agreed to exercise his sovereignty in perfect conformity with the political, military, naval and economic interests of France. Furthermore, there’s a stipulation about Monaco reverting to the status of a French protectorate, should there be no heir apparent. All this makes Monaco the least independent of the microstates.

When I was growing up, the Monegasque royal family made the headlines practically every week. The children of Prince Rainier and cinema princess Grace Kelly were involved in one scandal after another. In contrast, I don’t hear much about the present royal children. (But then, competition for scandal headlines seems to be fiercer these days.)

What do you think of when you hear Monaco? I’ll wager many of you would say Monte Carlo, James Bond, the casino…

But what else can you see and do in Monaco?

Here are a few suggestions:

See the Prince’s Palace

…and his guards

Have a look at Monaco Cathedral

where the Royal family, including Grace, is buried and Prince Albert, the current ruler, was married a few years ago…

Wander around in Monaco ville – the old city

Follow Parcourse Princesse Grace

Along the Princess Grace Walk, you can catch 25 scenes from her life through mobile technology and a more old-fashioned series of signs and photographs. I was oddly touched by this photo of Grace walking little Stephanie to school in 1970.

Visit the Musée Océanographique

My favourite. The building housing the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco is a work of art in itself, and the contents even better. Keen scientist and explorer Prince Albert I founded this magnificent museum in 1901. I’ve enjoyed strolling through it many times. Often, you’ll find interesting artwork outside as well.

Practicals:

Getting to Monaco: The bus that plies the Mediterranean coastline from Nice to Menton cost only 1 euro. Or you can take the more expensive (but still quite reasonable) train. If you want to splurge a bit and feel you’re part of the Monaco glamour for 15 minutes, the helicopter ride from Nice airport to Monaco costs 125 EUR (discounts for children and seniors).
Staying in Monaco: Luxurious hotels and resorts abound in Monte Carlo. How about the 150-year-old Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, location of a few James Bond films? There are also a few hostels – or you can stay in lively Nice or any of numerous picturesque villages along the riviera.

Have you been in Monaco? Did you enjoy it?

Monaco: All that glitters is a post from Sophie's World

Legoland, the original one

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 22:37:02 +0000

A few years ago, I finally visited Billund.

Billund, you say? And where might that be? Billund, dear reader, is a tiny Danish town, so tiny you can walk everywhere, to the airport even. Billund also seems to live and breathe Lego. Well, almost. There’s a little more to this place than Lego: a small town centre with a few shops, a bakery or two, some creative outdoor art, and fountains popping up from the ground at random. Cat loved dodging them.

Billund, home of Lego – and Legoland

But, as just about everyone else, we were in this tiny Jutland town for one reason: Lego. Billund is home of that most brilliant of toys. This is where it all began. The Lego company headquarters are here, as well as the original Legoland – everyone’s childhood fantasy, at least for us in the pre-Nintendo generation.

Lego HQ

Entrance fee to this large park is 254 DKK (about 32 EUR – 2013 prices), and there are plenty further opportunities to empty your wallet inside, as shops seem to outnumber attractions and exhibits. But the exhibits are impressive; and impressively huge.

There are larger than life Lego people and Lego wildlife (I’m reminded of nearby Givskud Lion Park).

There’s Lego Abu Simbel, Lego Mount Rushmore, a fierce fire-breathing Lego dragon, a Lego airport, a port and locks (that works), a space centre, a mine with lifesize Lego miners, and various world cities. The UNESCO-listed Hansa houses of Bryggen wharf in Bergen are here, as are the gabled houses and canals of Amsterdam. An entire Lego world!

Lego Bryggen in Bergen

Cat’s Lego faves

Children from 7 – 13 can get their driving licence at the traffic school, and beware, they’re quite strict about the age limit here. After a short driving lesson where the kids learn basic rules of traffic and the most common road signs, they have 30 minutes to drive along city streets, stopping for red lights, go the right way on one-way-streets, filling up the car at the Statoil petrol station, go through the car wash and most importantly, not crash into one another.

Cat was 7 at the time (well… near enough to 7 that I thought 7 sounded right). She did splendidly and became the proud owner of a driving licence. It looked very real, too – with the Norwegian flag inside the EU stars! Trouble is, Norway isn’t a member of the EU. Only in Legoland can you get a Norwegian EU driving licence.

Taking the driving test at Legoland

From the Legotop, a rotation panoramalift, you can see all of Legoland and all of Billund, including both Legoland airport and the real Billund airport right behind. A bit surreal, that.

The aquarium is good, too; passing through glass tunnels surrounded by tropical fish and sharks (not Lego ones). It’s also possible to reach into water basins to touch the sea creatures without damaging them. For lunch, I can recommend fish and chips at the Legoland Hotel. The chips, of course, are shaped like Lego.

Is there a branch of this creative Danish park in your part of the world?

Legoland, the original one is a post from Sophie's World

And the waters ran red with blood…

Alexandra Redisch — Sun, 03 Mar 2013 09:48:17 +0000

By Alexandra Redisch at Lake Trasimeno

Last April I found myself in a palazzo in Umbria, listening to enthusiastic Hannibal scholar, professor Giovanni Brizzi. He walks me through the epic battle that played out on the banks of Lake Trasimeno more than two thousand years ago. This is where the Roman army met the fearsome Hannibal of Carthage, in what is probably the most successful ambush in military history.

The Battle of Lake Trasimeno

Let your mind wander back to 217 BC: Hannibal of Carthage has been closely followed by Roman general Gaius Flaminius. He has found the ideal location, Hannibal has; a wide field with an entrance through a narrow vale, ridges on all sides. He has positioned his legions at strategic places around the field, and when the Romans advance on the field through the foggy vale, they hear the sound of trumpets and soon all hope is lost. The Romans face attack from all sides. With no time to form their usual fighting formations, Flaminius’ legions are forced to engage in hand to hand fighting, facing Gauls, Iberians, Africans and Celts.

Three hours later, the bodies of six thousand slaves and ten thousand Roman soldiers scatter the ground, including that of Flaminius himself. Hannibal, in contrast, has lost only fifteen hundred men. The surviving Romans flee, but are soon captured and killed, or sold as slaves later. Extra legions come to help, some four thousand men. They are captured the next day and completely annihilated. Defeat is total.

Here, Flaminius is decapitated by Ducarius the Gaul.

Sylvestre Ducar decapite Flaminius (Trasimene) – Wikimedia commons

Roman historian Livy states that the massacre was so terrible that neither army noticed an earthquake that destroyed cities, mountains and rivers, was happening parallell to the battle. There is also an ancient tradition in the area that says that for three days, blood from the slain soldiers filled the lake. A small stream feeding the lake was thus named Sanguineto (Blood River). In the surrounding areas of Lake Trasimeno, there are many places which also bear witness to that terrible battle; Ossaia (Place of Bones), Sepoltaglia (Sepulchre), Caporosso (Cape Red), Pugnano (Place of Battles) and Pian di Marte (Field of Mars).

Lake Trasimeno, once red with blood

Rome is in turmoil. The elect a new dictator, Fabius Quintus Maximus, but soon dispose of him as he does nothing to better the situation. Rome decides to wait out Hannibal, who ravages Apulia for the next year. Two new consuls, Paullus and Varro, are given charge of the Roman Empire, and thus ensues the even more crushing battle of Cannae (one of the greatest tactical feats of military history, and, in numbers killed, one of the bloodiest days in all of history).

Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam, said Cato the Elder, and though he gets his way in 146 BC, Hannibal is now at the top of his game. The world is his.

Our most excellent guides at Lake Trasimeno, Claudia Governatori og Vittorio Viterbi. And a centurion

Do you enjoy learning about the history of where you are?

PS: Hungry for more travel photos? Head over to Budget Travelers Sandbox for your weekly fix.

Disclosure: In Lake Trasimeno, I was a guest of Trasimeno Tourist Office and Umbria Regional Tourism Board. As ever, all opinions are mine.

And the waters ran red with blood… is a post from Sophie's World

Day out Britain: Warwick Castle

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 12:36:20 +0000

During a long summer stay in a Cotswolds village we had ample opportunity to explore both the Cotswolds and the surrounding area. One of Cat’s favourites was Warwick Castle, fun for kids of all ages.

Warwick Castle is often referred to as one of the best castles in England. And while I’m sure there’s stiff competition for that title, this one was certainly busy on a summer weekend.

I enjoyed ambling about the castle’s gorgeous interiors, and especially liked the rich tapestries and bright colours. Such a nice contrast to the current fashion of white-on-white-on-white…

Warwick castle was built in 1068 – on the site of a burh (a hill fort) from 914 – by none other than William the Conqueror, then later rebuilt, so today it appears as a very good example of a 14th century military fortress. It’s been in use throughout – as a stronghold in Medieval times and a country house by various earls of Warwick in later centuries – until 1978 when it was sold to the Tussauds Group. As expected then, the castle has eerily life-like wax figures from its 11 centuries of history.

Cat, my youngest daughter, is a bit weary of these fake doll-people, so she much preferred being outdoors, especially with the birds. Much to her delight, England in summer seems to be ripe with travelling falconers. In just one week, we saw magnificent birds of prey three times. As if that wasn’t enough, I was further persuaded to visit Cotswold Falconry Centre as well. What one doesn’t do for the little ones…

Warwick Castle has two daily bird shows, featuring eagles and vultures.

Warwick Castle – and the everchanging English weather – provide an excellent setting for birds of prey.

In addition to bird shows, there are daily fireball shows, Sword in the Stone reenactments, duelling gentlemen and more. And caricature drawings.

Warwick Castle practicals

Getting to Warwick Castle is easiest by car (a little under 2 hours from London, much less from Birmingham or the Cotswolds).
The castle opens at 10.00 am every day. Closing time is, like so many places in Britain, an annoyingly early 5 or 6 pm (at different times of year), except for a few days around Halloween when the castle closes at 9pm.
Entrance fee to Warwick Castle is £25.80 for adulte and £19.80 for children if you’re impulsive like us and get your ticket at the gate. If you plan better, increasingly cheaper tickets can be had 1, 2 and 7 days in advance. Also, tickets are much cheaper in winter.

Day out Britain: Warwick Castle is a post from Sophie's World

Exploring Ireland’s Ballyhoura with kids

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 23:01:48 +0000

Today, travel blogger and Ireland enthusiast Jody Halsted of irelandwithkids.com shares her experiences on travelling with children in Ballyhoura. After reading this, my youngest has already decided zorbing, zip lining, donkeys and horse riding in this Irish region is a must for the summer holidays.

You’ll not find the Ballyhoura Region of Ireland on a map, though if you look you will find the mountains that lend their name to the area. The Ballyhoura region lies in Ireland’s south-west, covering much of County Limerick and the northern part of County Cork.

Active Ballyhoura

Though relatively unknown to casual visitors to Ireland, this area is incredibly popular with hill walkers and mountain cyclists. Many of the Ballyhoura Loop Walks are an easy to moderate intensity and distance, while bikes can be hired in Kilmallock or Ardpatrick for a few hours’ ride. Feeling more adventurous? The Outdoor Activity Center at the Blackwater Castle Estate offers kayaking, archery, zorbing, zip line and laser clay pigeon shooting.

Historic Ballyhoura

Lough Gur, entry to Faerie Land

One of Ireland’s greatest – and most unknown – treasures lies just south of Limerick. Lough Gur was once the home of some of Ireland’s first people and the lake itself has yielded many treasures, like the Sun Shield of Lough Gur, a stunning Bronze Age shield that can now be seen at the National Museum of Ireland in Dublin.

The area around Lough Gur almost shimmers with Celtic magic. From the Wishing Seat near the lake to Cárraig Crothera (Hangman’s Rock) high above where the Desmonds would hang their enemies, every step around Lough Gur seems steeped in Irish history.

Inside Giant’s Grave

Not far away you’ll find the ‘Giant’s Grave’, a Megalithic tomb used by some the region’s earliest people, and just over the hill lies the Grange Stone Circle; the largest in Ireland.

Largest stone in Ireland’s largest stone circle

You could easily spend a day exploring the castles, standing stones and ring forts that are scattered throughout this area. To get a greater understanding of what you can experience, begin at the Lough Gur Visitor’s Center. It’s very inexpensive to enter (cash only) and invaluable to understanding what you will see. Don’t forget an iTrails map to guide you!

Visiting Animals in Ballyhoura

In the far south-west of the Ballyhoura region lies the happiest place on Earth. Especially if you’re a donkey. The Donkey Sanctuary in Liscarroll is home to over 600 neglected and abandoned donkeys. Now healthy and happy, they wander the sanctuary’s extensive acreage which will be their home for the rest of their days.

The Donkey Sanctuary is free to visit and a friendly group of donkeys wait to welcome you. Make a stop in the gift shop to pick up a stuffed donkey or adopt a donkey for only €20 before you leave.

At the base of the Ballyhoura Mountains near Kilfane is Molanna View Farm. A working dairy, you’ll find beautiful Friesian cows (and their calves), ponies and donkeys. Enjoy a guided tour or a walk by the river.

If it’s horses you seek, travel to the Glen of Aherlow for a trail ride with the Hillcrest Riding Centre. A one-hour ride is only €22 for adults and €17 for children.

Traditional Irish Ballyhoura

You’ll find traditional Rambling Houses and Irish Dancing across the region. Learn some steps at the Ballinvreena Community Hall (September-April) or Ballinvreena Crossroads Dancing (May- September) on Sunday nights or a the Greenwood Inn in Ardpatrick on Mondays, year round.

More than a dozen Rambling Houses can be found if you only ask about. Filled with music, dancing and storytelling, they celebrate Ireland and her people.

Ballyhoura with kids: where to stay

When visiting Ireland I opt for a bed and breakfast and the loveliest in the area is the Old Bank B&B in Bruff. While termed a luxury B&B, you’ll find that it is warm and inviting for families – even having a few rooms connected by interior doors! Terrifically spacious rooms and bathrooms, an incredible breakfast and inviting sitting room make this my first choice in Ballyhoura.

There is so much more in the Ballyhoura region than I could even touch on in a single post. It’s an amazing part of Ireland that I can’t wait to return to and explore further!

Have you been in Ballyhoura?

Jody Halsted is a freelance writer and family travel authority. Jody’s love of Ireland led her to publish Ireland With Kids, sharing the joys of family travel to the Emerald Isle, where she and her family vacation annually (if not more often!) Living the dream in Iowa; dreaming of living in Ireland.

All photos courtesy of Jody Halsted.

Hop over to this week’s Travel Photo Thursday for more fun photos.

Exploring Ireland’s Ballyhoura with kids is a post from Sophie's World

Moscow: a true megacity

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Fri, 15 Feb 2013 16:22:00 +0000

I haven’t been in Moscow in many, many years. Not since it was capital of the Soviet Union and Yuri Andropov was head of state. In fact, Andropov died during my stay in town, and a visit to the Bolshoi was cancelled as a result. I’ve plans to return soon (and see the Bolshoi). Meanwhile, writer Matt Gardner shares a few tips for this bustling metropolis. Enjoy!

There are few cities on earth as vast – and as mind-blowing – as Russia’s capital. Visitors from around the world are attracted by Moscow’s rich tapestry of history and architecture.

As the northernmost megacity on the planet, it’s now home to well over 11 million people, making it the world’s sixth largest. Once jewel in the crown of the Soviet Union, Moscow now thrives, somewhat ironically, as the city of choice for the world’s billionaires. It’s one of the most surprising places to visit, whether it’s your first time or tenth.

In terms of infrastructure, Moscow has everything you need to stay comfortably and travel easily. Due to the numerous cash injections the city has received since the fall of Communism, it is now home to good hotels such as Hiltons and Marriotts, and more luxurious offerings, like the Kempinski Hotel Baltschug. Getting from one place to another is easier than nearly anywhere else on earth, too; the Moskovsky metropoliten is the third busiest transport system after those in Tokyo and Seoul. And, the unique and beautifully decorated stations are in themselves reason enough to take the metro.

Dazzling architecture carries on above ground. The first thing that people often associate with Moscow is Saint Basil’s Cathedral, the colourful church that sits just outside of Kremlin on Red Square (so close, in fact, that it’s often mislabelled as the Kremlin itself). It was deconsecrated by anti-religious Bolsheviks in 1929, it survived Stalin’s urbanisation plans, and remains the most beautiful of Russian Orthodox monuments. Kremlin and Red Square were inscribed on UNESCO’s list of World Heritage sites in 1990.

Kremlin is Russian for fortress – and is exactly that. Used as the official residence of the president of the Russian Federation, it comprises four palaces and cathedrals, as well as the world-famous Kremlin Wall that runs alongside the River Moskva, displaying its characteristic towers and notches. The Spasskaya Tower, Saviour Tower, is the Kremlin’s main through-passage, and overlooks the Red Square; nearby, you can see the Tsar Cannon, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest bombard by calibre in the world.

Back to Red Square, visitors can head to Lenin’s Mausoleum. His embalmed body has been here since 1924, and is the centrepiece of the wider Kremlin Wall Necropolis. (I remember queueing for hours on a freezing cold February morning – along with a surprising number of locals – to see Lenin’s corpse. Ed.). The full complex was created in November 1917, when 240 pro-Bolshevik bodies were buried after the October Revolution. In March 1985, Communist premier Konstantin Chernenko was the last dignitary to be buried here.

Novodevichy

Heading a little further out of the city will bring you to plenty of other famous landmarks. One of the most interesting is Novodevichy, surprisingly often overlooked in spite of its UNESCO World Heritage status. The convent’s red and white walls and towers are adorned with beautiful golden domes. The former royal estate Kolomenskoye is further down the River Moskva. Don’t miss its 16th century Church of the Ascension, yet another World Heritage site.

Finally, for something a little different and harking back to Russia’s more recent past, head to Fallen Monument Park. Once called the Park of Fallen Heroes, this strange-yet-fascinating place is located between the Park Kultury and the Oktyabrskaya underground stations. It features over 700 sculptures, including dozens of Stalin and Lenin; you may remember it from the James Bond-film Golden Eye.

This post was brought to you courtesy of our partner, Kempinski hotels.

Photo credits: Moscow night-time cityscape: Valerii9116, Moscow metro: xJason.Rogersx. St Basil’s Cathedral: Katie and Michael, Novodevichy Convent: Wikimedia Commons, Fallen Momument Park: thejaymo.

Moscow: a true megacity is a post from Sophie's World

A Garden with a View

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 23:01:56 +0000

Jardí Botànic Marimurtra

Costa Brava is such a diverse region. From Blanes in the south to the French border in the north, this Catalonian region encompasses mountains and cliffs, plains and rough terrain, cities that manage to be simultaneously cosmopolitan and quaint. Here are adorable villages, miles and miles of coastline with alluring little coves and bays and, perhaps most famously, stunning beaches that have attracted visitors since the 1950s.

New to me were the gardens. On a recent trip in Costa Brava, I had the opportunity to visit both the pretty Jardins Santa Clotilde in Lloret de Mar, as well as Marimurtra Botanical Gardens in Blanes.

A Costa Brava Garden

Marimurtra is one of Europe’s oldest botanical gardens, planned and developed by enthusiastic German botanist Karl Faust. More than 4 000 species from five continents grow in this four-hectare Costa Brava garden.

But the most striking feature is perhaps the spectacular views here at the southern tip of the Costa Brava.

Enjoying it all with a lovely glass of local Cava – perfect!

Do you enjoy visiting botanical gardens on your travels?

Disclosure: I was in Blanes as a guest of the Costa Brava tourist board, Costa Brava Pirineu de Girona. All opinions are as ever my own.

Want to see more enticing travel photos? Then visit this week’s Travel Photo Thursday.

A Garden with a View is a post from Sophie's World

The Road to Gjógv

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 14:02:09 +0000

A road trip in the Faroe Islands is a treat, with awe-inspiring vistas or colourful little villages whichever way you turn.

Around a bend in the road, this is what you might see:

… or this:

We’re on Sheep Islands, so you will also see this:

On the island of Eysturey, you’ll pass by Eiði. With nearly 700 inhabitants, this is a large settlement.

Eiði

The old Viking settlement of Funningur, on the other hand, is home to about one-tenth as many:

Funningur

The Road to Gjógv

… and the fishing village Gjógv, our goal for the day, has even fewer inhabitants. Once home to a whopping 210 souls (and a fleet of 13 fishing boats), about 50 live in Gjógv today.

Curious about the pronunciation? It’s simpler than it looks: the first ‘G’ is silent, so just say ’jog’ with a ‘v’ added at the end. Gjógv means gorge and it’s a gorgeous place with a natural harbour, a village church, a school for the three children, and a post office in a private house, open 1 hour every weekday. There’s also a helicopter pad and a guest house.

The gorge – and natural harbour – at Gjógv

Plenty of space – and room to play with your garden:

The ancient landscape at Gjógv:

The Road to Gjógv is a post from Sophie's World

Scotland Street, Edinburgh

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:41 +0000

I may have told you before about my love affair with Alexander McCall Smith, or more specifically, his characters. The wise lady detective in Gaborone, the inimitable Edinburgh philosopher Isabel Dalhousie, the pompous Professor Dr Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld, the wonderfully quirky characters in 44 Scotland Street – I want to know them all. Just think of the dinner party discussions…

44 Scotland Street

Last time I was in Edinburgh, I wanted to have a look at Scotland Street, and dragged the girls along to New Town.

Have you read the series? It was first published as a serial novel in the Scotsman and is all about the slightly dysfunctional residents of 44 Scotland Street and their joys and tribulations: there’s sweet, 6-year-old Bertie with his pretentious and unsympathetic mother Irene. There’s the formidable anthropologist Domenica McDonald and her friend-later-fiancé, poet and painter Angus Lordie and his beer-lapping dog Cyril. There’s the conceited building surveyor Bruce, Pat, the student on her second gap year, the kind and awkward gallery owner Matthew and many more. Their lives intersect in weird and wonderful ways.

While there is no number 44, there is a Scotland Street. I can easily picture any of the characters running up the stairs and unlocking a heavy wooden door in this street.

Interestingly, bricked up spaces replace windows here and there. This, I’ve been told, is because of an ancient window tax. In 17th century Britain, property taxes were paid depending upon the number of windows. The tax was repealed in the mid-19th century. Yet, more then 150 years later, windows are still missing.

Nearby, is the elegant Drummond Place – and a gated garden. Little Bertie hides from his mum here, dreaming of being a normal boy and not take any more forced saxophone or Italian lessons, or yet another completely unnecessary session with the psychiatrist. Peeking into the pretty garden, I can almost see him.

Many of the characters in Scotland Street frequent Big Lou’s and sometimes the Cumberland Bar. Big Lou’s is fictional, the Cumberland Bar is real. I had expected a sleek, modern bar; the real Cumberland Bar is more of a neighbourhood pub. Makes sense, I suppose. A sleek, modern bar probably wouldn’t allow a dog having a dish of beer under the table.

On a freezing, rainy day, Cat and I ducked in to Valvona & Crolla, a favourite of Irene’s (and Bertie’s). This is Edinburgh’s oldest Italian deli/restaurant. In my mind’s eye, I had pictured a spacious, high-ceilinged room with large windows, facing a busy street. In the real Valvona & Crolla, the restaurant is at the back of the deli, rather low-ceilinged, and with no windows. The deli shop, on the other hand, has a huge, delectable selection of cured meats, cheeses, olives, all sorts of Italian goodies.

When next I read about Bertie and his mum having cappuccinos, I’ll see them at a table in the real Valvona & Crolla, Bruce will be doing business dealings in the real Cumberland Bar, and all the characters will come and go through the doors of a real Scotland Street Georgian house. Bricked up windows and all.

Do books inspire your travels?

Hop over to Travel Photo Thursday for more travel inspiration.

Scotland Street, Edinburgh is a post from Sophie's World

Arctic Sortland: Norway’s Blue Town

Anne-Sophie Redisch — Sun, 30 Dec 2012 22:55:18 +0000

At 68° north, a fair distance above the Arctic Circle, is Sortland, Norway’s Blue Town. Sortland is the capital of the Vesterålen Archipelago; less famous, perhaps, than its neighbour to the south, the Lofoten Islands, but no less stunning.

But why is Sortland blue? Well, despite its über-gorgeous surroundings, Sortland was a dreary town in need of a major renovation. Enter local artist Bjørn Elvenes, a man with an idea: why not paint the town blue?

The Blue Town was launched at the very end of the last century and in the years hence, the town has simply become an outdoor art project. Everywhere you look, you’ll see blue. Sortland has become a poetic city as well; little verses are painted on the walls, penned by famous Norwegian author Lars Saabye Christensen and local kids.

I’ve seen you run through the rain and catch up with the sun

There’s midnight sun all year. You just have to look closely.

In a corner in town lives silence,
to find silence, you must find the corner

Fish balls. And nature.

Another quirky claim to fame of this archipelago is fish balls, made from cod fished in the cold, clean waters here in the Arctic. Fish balls is a traditional Norwegian staple meal – usually served with boiled potatoes, curry and white sauce. Or with small, green peas and prawns in millefeuille shells. Most famous, perhaps, is Vesteraalen Fiskeboller, who celebrated 100 years of fish ball production this year.

But blue houses, street poetry and fish balls aside, nature is Sortland’s main draw.

Blue Town practicals:

This far north, the sun’s up 24/7 from mid-May to mid-July. For another month at either end there’s no real darkness at this latitude. Vesterålen is also an excellent place to spot the elusive Aurora Borealis. If you’ve seen photos of the Northern Lights in National Geographic, chances are good they’ve been taken right here.

The nearest major airport is Harstad/Narvik (EVE), about 2 hours away by bus or hire car. The tiny, local Skagen airport is only 20 minutes away.
Hurtigruten (The Coastal Express) stops in Sortland twice a day, the southwardbound around noon, the northwardbound at about 02.30 am.
Strand hotell and Sortland hotell are the main accommodations options, both with simple and comfortable rooms and in the town centre. There’s also a hostel, in Norway known as vandrerhjem (meaning wanderers’ homes) in Sortland.
Don’t miss Lihallen Kulturgård, a gorgeous art gallery, and
last, but not least, be sure to get out on the fjord.

Arctic Sortland: Norway’s Blue Town is a post from Sophie's World