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LGBTQ

LGBTQ

Which way to the Shire?

If you're lucky, you live near trees.  And if you're even more lucky, those trees will be plentiful. But, if you're really lucky, you might be able to find a rare habitat, one that would make Frodo feel at home - a tree tunnel:  high or low canopies of the trees that create a nature-made…

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Controversy

With the benefit of hindsight, we can look back at things that raised the blood pressure of "the people," but can now look back and wonder what all of the fuss was about. An example is Eileen Gray’s modernist villa E-1027, built  in 1929.  It resides on the Cap Moderne site.  (The Cap Moderne Association is…

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I ♥ more holidays

Research out of the European Society of Cardiology suggests taking more than three weeks of vacation days may help you live longer. The 40-year study initially set out to examine the result healthy living (aerobic exercise, a balanced diet, and putting down the cigarettes) had on the long-term risk of developing heart disease. But researchers…

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A bag tied in the middle

Every so often, a human mass movement comes along that subtly alters the zeitgeist of we humans.  It could have been the art enlightenment in the 1920's.  Or perhaps it was the peace and love Hippies in the 1960's.  But one of these movements has persisted - the Chautauqua Institute. Chautauqua was an adult education…

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More sabor

Tripadvisor fans (like us) get around.  They every corner of the globe to discover the newest, the wildest, the most obscure and the, well,  just plain fun. It's almost impossible to travel without eating something.  And if your budget permits, the lure of "best of" restaurants is just too strong to resist.  Here, here to…

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Mama Prati

As if Rome isn't fun enough - may we present to you Mama Shelter, Roma.  Created by the owners of Club Med, Mama Shelter goes waaay beyond the normal.  Just a short walk from the Vatican, and just  250m from the Cipro Metro station,  everything is close and the nightlife is not far away. Treat…

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I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that

The vast majority of Airbnb rentals go smoothly, but do you know what to do when they don’t? What happens if your host cancels your booking two days before you arrive, or the spacious bedroom shown in a listing turns out to be the size of a closet? Read more courtesy of SmarterTravel.com. As you…

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Breaking news: Ireland has more than two cities

Ireland is one of the more hip, inclusive, free and charming places in Europe.  When you meet an Irish human, you will inevitably strike up a natural and amiable conversation, no matter the situation.  The Irish - the same as the Australians - are simply like that. Everyone tends to gravitate to Dublin and Belfast…

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Try not to drool

AirBnB, constant bad press notwithstanding, has created a wonderful new model on how to travel.  Almost everyone wins. VRBO, an Expedia company (and one of our valued affiliate friends,) have taken the model and successfully given AirBnB a run for their money:  in some recent months, they have marched past AirBnB in bookings. But, this…

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Hey, bungalow thrill

"If looks could thrill it would have been us instead of him"  All the children sing. These looks will thrill - at Reserva Alecrim EcoSuite & Glamping in Portugal. The properties, the views, the surroundings, the location - wow!  And the bungalows look more like dwellings on the moon. Set by a lake in the Alentejo…

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The Sylvia Path

We're not sure if Sylvia Plath ever stayed at Sylvia's Restaurant and Lounge in Vancouver, but we're sure she would have felt at home. The Sylvia Hotel is a designated heritage building - there aren't too many of those in Vancouver  - ideally located on English Bay, beside Stanley Park and just 5 minutes from…

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Take a “trip” to Hong Hong

No, this is not about drugs.  But it is about sensory experiences that you can enjoy no matter your mood. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is featuring a collection of four autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) videos that show off the acoustic ambience from the all parts of the city. Custom-made to arouse the…

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The menace of Venice

Venice in peril.  If it's ancient foundations crumbling, and literal hoards of tourists aren't troubling enough, Venice is now being genuinely threatened by the gargantuan cruise ships that pull up to the ancient city. So much so, that UNESCO has put Venice on its endangered list unless Italy permanently banned cruise ships from docking in…

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The campings

Europeans love to camp.  There are literally thousands of them dotted around the continent.  Not only are they plentiful, they are usually in beautiful, if not stunning, locations and are a very cost effective way to holiday. You can enjoy all of the traditional ways of camping, including tents and resorts, but hiring a fuel-efficient…

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If you’re goin’ to San Francisco…

...be sure to visit SFO.  The airport itself is a wonderland, especially since the team there have lovingly and carefully  been saving artefacts, toys and more.   And you can see them.  There are dozens of exhibitions happening at SFO. The San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library and Louis A. Turpen Aviation Museum provides unique opportunities…

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I’m Antman and I will be your server tonight

Disney Cruise Line is upping the “ant-e” on immersive family dining with the debut of “Avengers: Quantum Encounter” at Worlds of Marvel restaurant aboard the Disney Wish. Premiering in summer 2022, this all-new cinematic dining adventure will assemble some of Earth’s mightiest and tiniest— Super Heroes in a larger-than-life showcase of revolutionary quantum technology and…

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Go where the air is free

The Covid pandemic has wreaked havoc almost everywhere in the world . . . and has taught us some important lessons along the way.  What we once took for granted has the possibility of slipping through our fingers - such as travel. But, with destinations slowly blossoming again for tourism , and travelers tentatively making…

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True Xiqu

Every country and every peoples have stories to tell.  The Chinese have such a long and colourful history, it's only natural that their catalogue is perfect for relaying those stories via opera. The West Kowloon District in Hong Kong, has the Xiqu Centre which is dedicated to preservation of the art of traditional Cantonese opera,…

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Stiff upper quip

Some need that little extra push, or perhaps a bit of "what for."  If you know someone who would benefit from some sharp-as-a-tack, quick-as-a-whip, stiff upper lip education, there can be no better place than in London.  Home of stern educators such as Mary Poppins, Martin Chuzzlewit, Mr. Tomkinley, Melissa  Wackles . . . the…

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