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Partytime

Partytime

Ne skie pas

France is a many-splendoured thing;  the food, the wine, the scenery, the joie de vivre.  No matter how many times you visit the country, you always find something new or unexpected. And, anyone who loves winter sports knows that France has some of the best ski runs in the world.  But, alas, things are changing At the…

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Why U?

Why u?  This is not your father's cruise ship. Designed as the first river cruise catering to a more trendy audience, U River Cruises features more experiential itineraries that allow passengers to connect with the cities the boats visit and the people who live there. The ships themselves look nothing like what you might expect: …

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Go go Bansko!

When you think of skiing, chances are probably good that Bansko doesn't come to mind first.  And, now intrigued, you may even wonder what and where Bansko is. Don't be hard on yourself, as Bansko is one of Europe's best kept secrets.  If enjoying winter sports and saving money while doing so are on your list,…

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Hola, Ilha Bay

Who can resist the allure of Brasil?  So diverse, and rich in adventure. A legacy of history that goes back hundreds of years.  And a people who love life and aren't afraid to show it. When most people think of Brasil, they think of Rio, and rightly so.  But, if you're not most people, you might…

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Oiran Dochu

Oiran (花魁) is a word used to refer to the high-class prostitutes that worked in the Yoshiwara red-light district (Yoshiwara-Yukaku) during the Edo period. The Ichiyo Sakura Matsuri started in 2003 to preserve this piece of Edo history. It takes place along a 500m or so stretch of road with members in full Edo period dress…

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Take a tour of the Emirates

Surprise!  This is actually a tour of the sumptuous Emirates Airbus A380, and will be worth every minute of your time. These yachts of the airwaves were almost put out to pasture with the Covid-19 pandemic.  With 400+ seats and breathtaking style and luxury, the A380 was almost anathema, when no-one was flying.  The Boeing 747…

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Free Grand Prix

History (and fun) can be found anywhere.  Sometimes you need to look, other times it lands in your lap when you least expect it. Here is an example of the latter.  On a relatively normal stretch of everyday road in Gueux, France, you will find yourself ready to rev your engines and don your helmet.  You're…

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M’lord, m’lady

Have you seen the world?  Have you been there, done that?  Do you want more?  Well, as always, Matouring comes to the rescue with something more. Fit for a king or queen—or your whole royal family—these castles located in delightful destinations around Europe invite you and your kin or friends for an unforgettable stay in…

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Make lunch, not war

Even better than the real thing. The annual festival of Els Enfarinats (Valencian pronunciation: [elz amfaɾiˈnats]) takes place in the town of Ibi in Alicante, Spain on December 28,[1] as part of celebrations related to the Day of the Innocents. Els enfarinats comes from the Valencian word for "breading", and roughly translate to "the breaded ones" or "the floured ones". In the day-long festival, participants known…

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No tell Motel

It always seems like "what goes around, comes around."  The new new. The latest and greatest are not really the latest.  They've been around the block before.  Been there, done that. But, sometimes that's not a bad thing, especially if the old new is new old, if you know what we mean. In this case, our subject…

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Pssst . . spread the word

Having worked in the travel industry, we know the complexity of buying airline tickets.  Supercomputers crunch numbers from (sometimes) thousands of travel suppliers, with literally millions of possible flight combinations. How do you even hope to get an edge?  Well, there are a plethora of "experts" out there who will be happy to provide advice .…

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São Paulo es la leche!

São Paulo es la leche! = São Paulo is the milk! Welcome to one of the world’s most populated cities. Check out the best spots to visit in Brazil’s exciting hub of business, culture, creativity and hospitality. São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, with a city population of about 12 million and almost 22 million in its…

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Hi. Checking or check-in?

All companies, including airlines, just love to make money whenever and wherever they can.  They're creative, and look for any tie-ins that they can to squeeze that little extra out. The video, below, is a really good discussion of airlines selling miles to banks, generating most of their profit from frequent flyer programs rather than…

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Guilt-free sea

You'll probably be asking what a cargo ship has to do with cruises.  Well, right now, not much.  But, watch this video to see what the smart boffins are doing now to help create a better world. Dubbed ‘the Tesla of the seas’ this fully-electrified, fully-autonomous cargo ship is already making waves. How does it work?…

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Can you vouch for that?

As if the Covid-19 pandemic isn't confusing enough, you sometimes have to deal with in-progress trips that seem to be slow-progress or no-progress.  And you paid for them, already. When the coronavirus hit in 2020, many travelers had no choice but to cancel upcoming flights. Willis Orlando, senior product operations specialist at Scott’s Cheap Flights (affiliate friends…

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Key West for Free / Less

Key West (Florida USA) is everything that they say it is.  Chilled. Hectic. Rich. Artistic.  And, most of all, sunny and warm.  Definitely worth a trip if you haven't been. But like most popular places, it isn't cheap.  So how can you have a good holiday without having to sell your children? Lonely Planet have some ideas…

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The party’s over

Like all of us, eventually we need to retire.  And so do ships (and planes.) We have all likely been on at least one cruise, and you'll comprehend the scope and size of those behemoths of the seas.  But, have you given any thought when it's time for the ship to be put to pasture? It's a…

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In the zone

The EU (European Union) is a powerful and rather marvelous thing to behold.  In addition to corralling 27 disparate countries into a unified and progressive force, they also respect and hold true the values that all countries should aspire to. So, it is both a joy to see that the EU will be including Croatia under…

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BRB!

We here at Matouring are of the opinion that our lovely readers are of the fun, adventurous and curious types.  You like the "new" and are always craving something different. With that in mind, here we'd like to tell you about our affilate friends BRB (Be Right Back) who feature a fun twist on travel:…

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