Fans of the offbeat, quirky museums, and industrial history, may enjoy London’s Kew Bridge Steam Museum, home to a collection of water pumping steam engines.  While it may sound a bit dull at first thought, Victorian era London produced some of the finest waterworks around, and it’s on display here.  Located on the River Thames in west London, the museum is easily accessible from most hotels and apartments in London.

The museum is on the site of the original Kew Bridge Pumping Station which originally opened in 1838.  Although the pump station expanded over the following few years, eventually the steam engines were retired from service.  The final use of steam engines at the site was in 1958 – it was a demonstration only.  The pumps weren’t eliminated completely, however, they were merely stored in the hopes that they could be displayed to the public at some later time.

Fast forward to today, and the former pumping station has become an internationally recognized museum of steam pumping engines.  With a Victorian-styled setting, it’s a wonderful blend of elegant and practical, and the Italian Renaissance-style standpipe tower is a recognizable local landmark.

The Kew Bridge Steam Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of Cornish Beam engines, including the largest one – which was used to pump water in London for nearly a hundred years – which stands 40 feet high and weigh around 250 tons.  It’s one monster of a pump, and is fired up once a month for specially scheduled public viewing. Also on display:  a Bull Engine dating back to the mid 1800s, an Allan Diesel engine, and plenty more.

The museum is also a celebration of London’s industrial history, with an excellent display of huge sewers, pumping stations, public fountains, and an operating steam railway.  The railway operates on a short track that runs around the Kew Bridge site, and while at one time it might have transported coal to feed the engines, today it offers passenger rides (during the summer).  There are a number of special events that are regularly scheduled, including the Giants of Steam weekend when they fire up the big engines, so check the official website to see if there’s something going on when you plan to visit.

Location:  Green Dragon Lane, Brentford (on the north side of the Kew Bridge).  Take the Kew Gardens Tube, the Kew Bridge rail, or any number of buses that stop at Kew Bridge.  If you stay at one of the Citybase Apartments, you’ll find the convenience of public transportation near your front door.

Hours:  Tuesday-Sunday, 11 am-4 pm.

Admission:  £ 10.00 adults; £ 9.00 students; £ 4.00 children (ages 5-15).  Tickets are valid for one year and for multiple visits, so you can return as many times as you want.

Photo credit:  Les Chatfield via flickr (train) and via wikimedia (steam valves)

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In springtime the Welsh countryside is surely one of the most beautiful in the world. There is a lush greenness unmatched anywhere in Europe and it’s very easy to see why the daffodil is the region’s official flower. They are everywhere, from the planted beds in suburban public parks to wild outcrops by the roadsides. Take a short hike through the hills and you’ll also see wild foxgloves, primroses, and dozens of other flowers in full bloom. There are crocuses in the open spaces and bluebells in the woods.

Hiking is just one of the activities that bring visitors to Wales, and there are thousands of marked routes to choose from, ranging from gentle countryside meanders to full mountaineering experiences. The relatively gentle Brecon Beacons are perfect mountains for kids – a family with kids aged six or seven can reach the top of Pen y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales, within about 90 minutes. On a clear day the views from the top are spectacular. The car park and bus stop is less than an hour from Cardiff, the capital city.

Further north, it’s even easier to reach the top of Snowdon (in photo above). At 3,560 feet it’s the highest peak in either England or Wales, and it’s much craggier and more dramatic than its southern cousins. There are several walking routes to the top but those with little kids (or those whose knees are not quite what they used to be) can take a narrow gauge steam train right to the summit.

North Wales is also a wonderful place to try outdoor sports like rock climbing and white water kayaking. The National Mountain Center is a few miles from Snowdon and it puts on a huge variety of adventure sports courses and activities for all ages and ability levels. There are also dozens of smaller adventure companies to choose from, offering all kinds of outdoor activities. Kids as young as five can try indoor rock climbing, for example, and families can also try sea kayaking, mountain biking, or go on a guided tour down one of the old mines.

The castles are great fun at any time of year. There are more than 100 castles still standing in Wales, most of them hundreds of years old. They range from the massive and intimidating fortresses built by the invading English (Conwy and Caernarvon are the best examples) to smaller structures built by local lords.  Many of them welcome visitors.

There is also a more ancient history to explore. The Romans left all kinds of artifacts and remains behind when they left Britain. In the village of Caerleon in the south east there is a beautifully preserved Roman amphitheatre, a bath house, barracks, an old Roman town wall, and of course, an excellent museum. Staff put on regular special events where kids can dress up in costume armor and have a go at being in a play Roman army.

Wales is very proud of its history and its language, and with very good reason. Although English is spoken everywhere, it’s one of the few places where a Celtic language is still spoken on the streets. If your family has roots in Wales, try planning your visit to coincide with St. David’s Day on March 1. Throughout Wales there are celebrations of traditional Welsh food and clothing, poetry and music, and you’ll have a wonderful taste of your heritage.

Vacations in Wales are great for families who want to try new experiences and get involved in the action. There is plenty for adults to enjoy and plenty for the kids to do, see, touch, and taste!

Guest Author Bio: Jess Spate has lived in Wales for six years and still has no trouble finding new things to do. She writes for Appalachian Outdoors, a camping and hiking gear retailer.  

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Kendal is a small town located in the Lakes District of Cumbria with a rich history that attracts tourists.  Located on the River Kent, it was once known as Kirkby in Kendal, but now is referred to as simply Kendal.  It’s historically been a popular spot for visitors in the Lakes District, both because of its setting and its history.  If you’re planning a visit you can book Cumbrian cottages and settle in just like you were a local, then spend your days setting out exploring the area.

One popular spot to visit in Kendal is the Kendal Museum.  Founded in 1796, the Kendal Museum features collections covering a variety of topics with a focus on history, archaeology, geology, and nature.  The museum is divided into galleries, each featuring impressive exhibitions.

• The Wainwright Gallery – Named after a former honorary curator of the museum, this gallery traces the history of man in Cumbria, spanning from Prehistoric to present day.  In this gallery you’ll see a variety of Mesolithic tools and a large collection of Neolithic axe heads and stone tools from the surrounding Cumbria area.  The Gallery features a nice display about the 13th century Kendal Castle, explaining the story of the castle and its integration into the town life.  There’s an original key from the castle on display, along with drinking jugs, and weaponry.  (The Kendal Castle ruins are a short walk away, so after looking at the exhibits, go take a look at the real thing.)  The Wainwright Gallery also contains a nice collection of funerary artifacts. Kids will enjoy the Wainwright Gallery with age appropriate activities including making a medieval tiled floor, coin rubbings, and playing a slate xylophone.
• World Wildlife Gallery – Divided into geographic areas, this galley is an introduction ot the animals, birds, and insects of the world.  The gallery has a display on evolution and ecology, which seems at odds with the collection on animals head mounted on the wall, but wandering through the sections will give visitors a look at a lion, a great flamingo (that was donated over 150 years ago), a polar bear, three-toed sloth, armadillo, duck-billed platypus, and more.  Kids will enjoy meeting the museum’s famous polar bear and following the creepy crawly trail of insects.
• Lake District Natural History Gallery – Volcanic activity is responsible for the great mountain ranges of the Lake District, and you can follow the area’s geological history dating back back a mere 520 million years ago.  Artifacts on display include fossils, local shales, and a variety of mineral and rock types.  The gallery features a diorama in the form of a nature trail that you walk through to look at various Kendal habitats.  The animals found in this gallery were victims of accidents or died a natural death, and are preserved here for educational purposes.  Kids will enjoy fossil rubbings and the opportunity to explore and identify a variety of common place objects.
• The Hamer Collection – This collection features over 2,000 specimens of minerals, including beautiful ruby crystals from Myanmar and spectacular tourmaline crystals embedded in quartz from Brazil.  There are many specimens from the mines from the Lake District, where mineral collecting is now banned.  These specimens are not only beautiful, but provide an invaluable reference guide to scientists.

After viewing the various museum collections, you may want to enjoy some quiet time in the museum’s small wildlife garden.  Complete with a pond, marsh, and heather beds, the garden is home to a variety of fish, frogs, birds, plants, and insects.  Typically the wildlife garden is viewed from a corridor in the museum, and access is restricted in order to protect the wildlife.  However, if you’d like to visit the garden just ask at the reception desk; they’re usually happy to oblige your request.

Kendal Museum is managed by Kendal College as part of the community’s commitment to the arts.  You can find a nearby Kendal accommodation that will allow you to stay in the heart of the Lakes District and enjoy all that the community has to offer.

Location:  Kendal, Station Rd, LA9 6BT

Hours:  Wednesday – Saturday, 10:30 am-5 pm.  Closed for Christmas week.

Admission:  FREE

Photo credit:  Jerry1250 via wikimedia commons

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While most of us will still stay in regular hotels when we go on holiday or travel on business, there’s an increasingly large range of other alternatives available, from house swaps and couch surfing to serviced apartments.  Nowhere has more choices than London, so I recently had a look into what’s available – particularly since finding affordable accommodation for the 2012 Olympics is such a hot topic.

Couchsurfing is a great budget-friendly way to travel. The website lets users get in touch with like-minded people who have a spare bed, room or futon to offer at no charge. Often, couch surfers act as ambassadors for their city, helping visitors find the right bar, or get introduced to the local community. It is however potentially a bit risky – and also depends on volunteers – so there’s no guarantee you’ll find accommodation in a location you like, on exactly the date you need.

Further upmarket, renting a house for a few days or a week can be more attractive to some travelers than staying in a hotel. Claire Whisker, who runs Vive Unique, a London accommodation boutique, says: “We have a lot of guests who stay with us when they come to London a lot or need to stay for longer periods of time.  They want a bit more space, the ability to cook a meal”.  Some law firms regularly use Vive Unique for longer term stays. Claire understands exactly why.  She says, “I do love hotels, but I think if I had to stay in a hotel for more than a week I’d go mad.” Larger families, too, often find Vive Unique good value, as well as couples who want to live like a local in London.

Vive Unique has properties as far west as Chiswick and in East London too, with quite a few in Hoxton, Shoreditch and Clapton, as well as more established areas like Notting Hill and Kensington. Some homeowners who rent their houses are frequent travelers, others rent out while they are away on holiday, some have multiple homes, while recently a few redundant professionals have decided to stay with mum, dad or girlfriend and rent their flats out to earn cash.

While Couchsurfing is potluck, Vive Unique prides itself on selection of “house proud” owners.  All properties are visited and vetted. Claire says “We look at quality, design, and location. And we like to meet all the homeowners.” She also encourages homeowners to give “their top ten tips” – local pubs and restaurants, services, and places of interest – and Vive Unique will also provide services such as fridge filling, organizing nannies or baby-sitters and airport pick-ups.  She says on one occasion she even managed to get a family tickets for the Chelsea match on Boxing Day. “It was difficult getting five tickets so they could all sit together, but we managed it in the end!”.  So it seems that the service can even stretch to that of a good hotel concierge!

Those looking for cheaper accommodation during academic holiday periods may be able to take advantage of London University Halls of Residence which rent out rooms at very reasonable rates. UCL, for instance, rents out rooms in seven properties over the summer for around £30-45 a room (less for group bookings).  That’s incredibly cheap for central London, though student rooms are never going to be luxurious.

Hotels have also started creating serviced apartments for guests who want a more semi-detached experience. Base2Stay in Kensington has rooms with mini-kitchens so that guests can buy their own wine, food, and can even cook their own meals. It helps keep the hotel’s costs low, since it doesn’t have to run room service, or have a bar or restaurant, and it lets guests live exactly the way they want to.

196 Bishopsgate has a prime location in the City of London, with a range of apartments from studios up to penthouse suites, and again offers rooms with kitchens and dining area so that guests can be self-sufficient. But there’s also 24 hour reception, 6-day maid service, and even a grocery shopping service for guests who don’t have enough time to fill their own fridges with Prosecco and prosciutto.

At the top end of the market, the Athenaeum Hotel has 18 apartments with their own front doors in Mayfair but sharing the facilities of the hotel. Steven Spielberg stayed there and installed an editing suite in the apartment and many guests use the apartments for business entertainment. At this level, the serviced apartment concept overlaps with the hotel suite, but apartments generally maintain a little more distance from the hotel (for instance, not using the same reception desk).

Personally, I love staying in a hotel – but I can see the attraction of renting a separate property for a slightly longer stay. It’s partly about getting more privacy, and partly about being able to live a normal life, which eating three restaurant meals a day certainly isn’t!

Finally, if you find you can’t resist staying in luxury hotels but want to avoid paying top dollar, I’d suggest this site for good London hotel deals in attractive locations including hotels near Covent Garden.

Guest Author Bio:  Andrea Kirkby is a freelance travel writer based in the UK who has travelled extensively in India and counts Bundi, Rajasthan as one of her all-time favorite destinations.

Photo credit:  Tim Morris via flickr

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If all Olympics and Jubilee festivities of London are a bit too stuffy for you, get out of the city and head to Brighton, known as a premier UK hotspot for nightlife, music, and festivals.  About an hour south of London, by train (the Jurys Inn Brighton is located not too far from the station), it’s easy to pop down for a day trip.  But with so much to do, you may want to make it a weekend.

Here are a few Festivals in Brighton to choose from:

• Brighton Festival -  The second largest arts festival in the UK (the largest is in Edinburgh), the festival is full of parades, fireworks, theater, music, dance, visual arts (and lots more) all staged in venues around the city.  One of the unique features of the festival is the Artists’ Open House – artists open their homes for the public to come in look at, and hopefully buy, their works.  The festival has events for all artistic tastes and temperaments, and also features family-friendly activity.  The 2012 Brighton Festival will be held May 5-27th, and Vanessa Redgrave will be the Guest Director.
• Brighton Festival Fringe – Running in conjunction with the Brighton Festival, the Fringe is the third largest fringe festival in the world.  There’s a good mix of free and fee events, last year over 3,000 performances, and the Fringe is likely to attract (again) over 100,000 people.  Visit Fringe City for some of the best free entertainment around.  Between both festivals, nearly a million visitors make it to Brighton during the month of May.
• The Great Escape – Three nights of live music in various venues across Brighton.  Dates:  May 10-12, 2012.
• Paddle Round the Pier – One of the hippest fund-raising events around, bringing together surfers in a social gathering to raise funds for charity.  Dates:  July 7-8, 2012.
• Soundwaves Festival – Featuring contemporary classical music (composed in the 21st century), this festival features professional and amateur performances.  Dates:  July 13-15, 2012.
• Brighton Live – A free to see celebration of some of the newest music around from local bands, along with educational sessions for musicians.
• Brighton Pride – With a very active LGBT community, it’s no surprise that Pride is a big event, with activities that include a parade, street party, and plenty of entertainment.  This years dates have been scheduled later in the year due to the Summer Olympics.  Dates:  September 1-2, 2012.
• White Nights – Also called Nuit Blanche (French for White Night) is an annual Free all-night arts festival.  It features multiple venues, a variety of art (music, digital spoken word, performance, etc.) and lasts right up till dawn.  Dates:  On the day that British Summer Time “falls” back, giving you an extra hour to enjoy all the entertainment.
• Burning the Clocks – A winter solstice festival that features a procession of lanterns and costumes, made from willow canes and white tissue paper, led by local bands.  The parade goes through the streets from the city center to the water where there’s a lantern bonfire and fireworks.  Dates:  December 21, 2012.

There are plenty of other festivals in Brighton – all year round.  If you’ve gotten the idea that Brighton is a party city, that’s not quite accurate.  There’s the beach, of course, but there are also over 300 pubs to choose from.  While you’re making your festival and visiting plans don’t forget hotels Brighton – no drinking and driving allowed.

Photo credit:  Dominic Alves via flickr

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Named for the apostle Andrew, the town of St Andrews is located on the east coast of Fife in Scotland and was originally founded as a religious settlement.  Today it is widely known for its university and as the home of golf in Scotland (and the world), and is a popular tourism spot for travelers as well as a site for conference.  Here’s a list of just a few things to see and do in St Andrews.

1. Visit the University of St Andrews – The university is one of the United Kingdom’s most prestigious and it is the third oldest in the English-speaking world.  When in session, student enrollment accounts more nearly a third of the town’s population, so it’s no surprise that the university is well integrated into the community.  The university has a great museum as well.
2. Walk among the ruins of St Andrew’s Cathedral – Once Scotland’s largest building, serving as a cathedral, bishopric, and home to the relics of the apostle St. Andrew.
3. More ruins at St Andrews Castle – Located on a cliff to the north of town, the castle dates back to around the 1200s.  It served as a residence, prison, and fortress, before becoming a palatial residence.  What can be seen today dates back to around 1549-71.
4. Worship at Holy Trinity – The church dates back to the 12th century, although its location has changed, and while much of its original architecture has changed over the decades, it’s historical significance has not.  This was the launching spot for Scottish clergyman and reformation leader, and early political activist, John Knox.
5. Hit the links – The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world and is a popular spot even with non-golfers.   Don’t overlook the other superb golf courses in the St Andrews area as they, too, are part of the reason it’s such an popular destination for golf breaks.  If you can’t get a tee time, stop off at the British Golf Museum for a historical look at the great game.
6. Learn about Pictish Stones – The Celtic art of the Picts, generally consisting of stone sculpture and small metalwork, can be viewed at the museum at St Andrew’s Cathedral.  The stones range from unshaped standing stones with symbols carved into them to cross-slabs carved in relief in varying degrees of complexity.  The Picts date back to the mid-9th century.
7. Walk the Ports – In this case, “port” is a Scottish word for gate (in photo above), and the gates in question are So’gait port (South Street, also called West Port) and the Sea Yett.  The West Port is one of the few surviving town gates in the country, with some side arches and relief panels added during the mid-1800s.
8. Get physical, or just watch – There are plenty of activities to enjoy in addition to golf, including tennis, rugby, canoeing, swimming, and hiking.  The Fife Coastal Path (78 miles) is great for a long distance trek.
9. Watch a movie – The New Picture House isn’t so new any more, it opened in 1934, but if you want a comfy movie seat this is the place to go.  NPH has three screen, the largest one featuring VIP seats that are recliners.  Grab some popcorn and settle in.
10. Go the Beach – With its temperate climate, St Andrews offers near year round beach possibilities.  Okay, it can be a little cold during the winter, but West Sands Beach and the Old Course Beaches are well situated and easy to get to.  Ask a local for their favorite recommendation.

What are you going to do first?

Photo credit:  Kilnburn via wikimedia

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A visit to London this year is sure to be full of hectic activities and adventures. The 2012 Olympics Summer Olympics will bring in athletes, fans, and visitors from around the world, and Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee has the calendar chock full of commemorative events and displays.  You can easily find yourself wrapped up in a whirlwind of activities at a maddening pace.

When you’re ready for a break, and a get back to nature moment, try visiting one of the 8 royal parks of London, most of which are an easy walk for your London holiday apartments location.  Fair warning, they can be busy, crowded, places, but the opportunity to enjoy some beautiful grounds in the out-of-doors, can be a tonic to the traveler’s soul.

The parks were originally 5,000 acres of hunting grounds for the royals.  Later they became formal gardens, still for the royals however.  It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that the first park was opened to commoners, er, I mean the general public.  So take advantage of the royal opportunity and stop by one of London’s 8 royal parks:

• Bushy Park – Covering around 1,100 acres, most of which are open to the public, these were originally deer hunting grounds.  Today Bushy Park is home to the rugby, hockey, and cricket clubs, and is also home to wildlife conservation areas full of herds of Red and Fallow Deer.
• The Green Park – Consisting entirely of wooded meadows, The Green Park is believed to have originally been a swampy burial grounds.  Later it served as a private family estate before being turned into a royal park.  Government offices and royal palaces are linked beneath the park.
• Greenwich Park – With magnificent views over the Thames and the city, Greenwich Park is part of the Greenwich World Heritage Site.  The equestrian events and parts of the modern pentathlon events of the Summer Olympics will be staged here.  The Royal Observatory is also located in the park.
• Hyde Park – You may think this huge park, site of frequent demonstrations, is part of Kensington Gardens, but it has been a separate park of its own since the 1700s.  Full of monuments (the Diana, Princess of Wales memorial is here) as well as wide open spaces (many famous rock concerts have been staged here), Hyde Park will host the triathlon and some swimming events for the 2012 Summer Olympics.
• Kensington Gardens – With plenty of wide open spaces, Kensington Gardens was once the private gardens of Kensington Palace.  The gardens are fenced, a bit formal and posh, and full of art, making it a popular respite spot for visitors.
• Richmond Park – The largest of the royal parks at 2,360 acres, Richmond Park is home to Red and Fallow Deer and more notable monuments and historic sites that you can shake a stick at.  It is home to the Queen Mother’s Copse, a small triangular enclosure established in memory of the late Queen Mum.
• St. James’ Park – The oldest of the royal parks, St. James’ is adjacent to Buckingham Palace and has a small lake with two islands with a resident colony of penguins.
• Regent’s Park – Regent’s is home to Regent’s College and the London Zoo along with gardens, a boating area, playgrounds, and a variety of sporting areas.  Although originally scheduled as a venue for the 2012 Summer Olympics, it doesn’t look like that will happen.

Eight royal parks, each with their own personality and appeal – close to plenty of apartments London - and just perfect for an afternoon of enjoyment.

Photo credit:  public domain via wikimedia

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Fontana di Trevi, better known to most of us as Trevi Fountain, is  Rome’s most spectacular and popular fountain.  In a city with so many impressive fountains, that’s a pretty big claim.

The Baroque-style  fountain, designed by architect Nicola Salvi and completed in 1762, is located in a busy section of the city, not far from the popular Via del Corso.  To get to the fountain you walk down narrow streets, some of which seem more like alleys than streets, to the historic center of Rome.  There’s signage to help you find the way, and asking for directions will help get you pointed in the right direction, but if you find the noise gets louder and louder it means you’re getting close.

When I first stepped into the Piazza di Trevi, its intricate sculptures, cascading water, and faded stones wowed me.  Against the backdrop of the fountain is a large sculpture of Oceanus in the center, along with chariot in the shape of a shell drawn by seahorses.  Additional sculptures flank each side of Oceanus, resting in the niches.  In the water are additional sculptures representing sea creatures, both real and mythological.  At about 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, Trevi Fountain is a tribute to the power and lushness of the sea, both in its design and in the roaring water spilling over the rocks.

I spent some time at Trevi Fountain during the afternoon as well as in the evening.  It was always abuzz with people, albeit primarily tourists, and the constant clicking of cameras could be a bit distracting.  But still, there was a certain energy about it as visitors posed, as did I, throwing a coin into the fountain.

There are a couple of variations on the coin throwing story, all rooted in tradition with varying interpretation.  The most popular interpretation is that throwing a coin over your shoulder into the water of the fountain will ensure a return visit to Rome.  A current version of this tradition is throwing three coins with the right hand over the left shoulder.  This tradition of three coins probably comes from the movie Three Coins in the Fountain.  (In the movie, however, it was three different women each throwing one coin into the fountain.) Still another version of the tradition is that throwing two coins will ensure a marriage coming soon, and three coins means a divorce.

I opted for one coin, throwing it into the fountain with my right hand over my left shoulder – why tempt fate, after all.  It’s seems to have worked as I’ve been back several times since that first visit.

• In Three Coins in the Fountain (1954), three American roommates working in Italy wish for the man of their dreams after throwing coins into Trevi Fountain.
• In La Dolce Vita (1961), you see Anita Ekberg jumping into the fountain (fully clothed), inviting Marcello Mastroianni to join her.
• In the Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), Hillary Duff graduates from middle school and vacations in Italy.

Despite the crowds, the noise, and the tendency to dismiss visiting Trevi Fountain as too touristy, I loved its glow in the evening.  It was most special during that golden hour, when day turns to night in a wash of color, and the lights on the fountain start coming on.  It was beautiful and romantic, and I didn’t care if there were hundreds of other people around thinking that very same thing.

Location: Piazza di Trevi.  The narrow streets, few of which are straight or set up on a grid, can be confusing.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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If you want a holiday destination that’s full of European life, why not travel where they do – head off to Magaluf on the island of Mallorca.  The Spanish island, which is also spelled Majorca, is a popular vacation destination for Europeans, especially those from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Scandinavia.  Magaluf is pretty much a party resort, and is located a half hour away from the airport in the towns of Torrenova and Palma Nova.  If you’re looking for a party-type of vacation, this is one great place to have it.  But in an interesting (and unusual) dichotomy, Magaluf also appeals just as well to families – perhaps because of its lovely beaches – and its peak tourism time is the summer months when the kids are out of school.

The sun and the beaches are the primary attraction of Majorca, and with miles of sand it’s easy to understand why.  It’s also what most of the families come for.  Family friendly activities on Majorca include:

• Watersports – Surfing, windsurfing, jet skiing, paddle boarding, scuba and snorkeling, boat rentals, swimming, and pretty much an water option you can think of.
• Black Lizard Island – Located in the center of the bay, about 425 yards from the main beach, it’s home to a colony of black lizards that give the island its name.  It’s an energetic swim for those so inclined, or head that way on your board or boat.
• Go-karting
• Horseback riding – Near the beach or around the island.
• Waterpark – The waterpark is located on the outskirts of Magaluf.  With its wild west theme it offers up the usual water rides of all thrill levels, as well as a variety of performances, and is family friendly.

The nightlife in Magaluf is what you’d expect on a party island  – plenty of bars and nightclubs lining the beach.  Most of nightlife action is centered around the Punta Ballena strip, and there’s enough to see and do that you can likely opt for a different club experience every night.  Some of the popular venues include:

• BCM – The largest nightclub on the island has two floors of music and energy, and has recently opened a VIP lounge that provides table service.  The club puts on foam, popcorn, and water parties on its lower floor, and claims to feature the largest and most famous foam party.  (Located on the Avenida S’Olivera.)
• BCM Square – Located behind the club, this venue hosts major sporting events in a stadium-like atmosphere.  Thousands turn out to watch games on the big outdoor screen, so it can get a little crazy.
• Bars – Boomerangs and Bananas, among others popular across Europe, can be found in Magaluf.
• Pirates – A dinner show with acrobatics, dancing, comedy, and plenty of drinks.  And an after party.
• Mallorca Rocks Hotel – During the summer season, Mallorca Rocks features live concerts every Tuesday night.

Photo credit:  Chris via flickr

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Standing in the center of the Place Charles de Gaulle (also called the Place de l’Étoile) at the western end of the Champs-Élyseés, the Arc de Triomphe is the largest triumphal arch in the world.  It honors those who bravely fought for France, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars, and beneath the arch is the tomb of the unknown soldier from World War I, the grave marked by the very first eternal flame.  The flame burns in memory of those who died, but were not identified, in both WWI and WWII.  The English translation of the inscription reads “Here lies a French soldier who died for his fatherland 1914-1918.”  It’s said that this flame was the inspiration for an eternal flame being placed on the grave of assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

The Arc de Triomphe stands about 165 feet tall, and measures about 148 feet wide, and is surrounded by one of the busiest roundabouts in Paris. Seriously – do not try to dodge in and out of this traffic! Not only is it dangerous, but you’ll quickly be branded as a nutcase tourist.  I stood and watched for awhile at visitors who were tempted to make a dash across lanes of traffic – but didn’t see anyone acting on that temptation.  To reach the arch in a sensible and safe fashion, just follow the signs to the underground passageway that will take you beneath the crazy roundabout to the monument.  Just take a short elevator ride back up to ground level or climb the stairs.  Whew!  You’re there – and you didn’t have to do battle with Paris traffic.

Once at the monument, spend some time walking around looking at the sculptured facade. A few highlights include a winged figure of Victory, a sculpture of Napoleon, and 30 shields (each representing a victorious battle) on the crown of the arch. On the inside and top of the arch are inscribed the names of generals and battles fought, with the names of those who died in battle underlined. Conveniently missing are some of Napoleon’s later battles.

If you’re up to it, climb the 284 steps to the top of the arch. There is no elevator. The steps are stone, and the passageway narrow and circular. It’s okay if you need to stop and catch your breath – most people did, more from a sense of vertigo or claustrophobia rather than fatigue.  Once at the top, you’ll be treated to magnificent views in all directions.

Take a look around and you’ll see 12 major arterials leading into the Place, and as you watch how they merge into the roundabout, you’ll have a real appreciation for driving in Paris. And you’ll be glad you didn’t try to make that crazy dash across the lanes of traffic.  There are fabulous photo opportunities from the top, and  since the Arc is open late, it’s a favorite spot for sunset and evening photos.

Location:  Place Charles-de-Gaulle, 8th arrondissement, Paris.

Getting there:  RER line A (train), Metro lines 1, 2, and 6 (subway) both getting off at the Charles de Gaulle-Etoile stop.  Also accessible by numerous bus lines.

Hours:  10 am – 11 pm daily.  Closing is one half hour earlier during the fall and winter months.

Admission:  There is no charge to walk around and explore the base of the arch.  Access to the top is € 9,50 for adults.  Those under 18 years of age (26 years for EU citizens) are admitted free, as are disabled visitors and their escorts, and the unemployed.  Discounts are often available.  Admission is also covered by the Paris Museum Card.

Time:  The ground level of the arch is easily seen in half an hour, allow an addition hour if you plan on going to the top.  That allows time for exploration and photography, but if you want to spend some serious photography time, you can easily spend the day there as you enjoy the light from so many different angles.

Photo credits:  All via flickr, fly72 (top photo); Anna Fox (eternal flame); Edwin Lee (inscriptions); aliciat89 (night)

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