The Magic of the North...In Greenland

 Aren't the Alps beautiful?  It's amazing how pristine they are and that we will travel half way round the  world just to get a look at them.  In the summer time, most folks go to the beach, but I take the opportunity to go north and see the things that I wouldn't go see in the wintertime.  I take that chance to do something that I wouldn't normally do.  I love mountains, I love unique experiences, I love the outdoors, and I love a great view.



Anyway, so Alps Smalps, welcome to Nanortalik, Greenland.  The mountains that look like the Alps up here are called the Skyscrapers.  They're a glorious bunch of spires and peaks to look at, and if you're younger than me, they are a fabulous place to go climbing.  Nanortalik is Greenland's most southerly town, with 650 or so residents spread over five different settlements that make up the town as a whole.  The town is surrounded by the Skyscrapers and fjords that would rival the ones in Norway.  The name Nanortalik means "place of polar bears" so it is immediately clear that you may have something to talk about when you get home.  Truth is that polar bears do occasionally pass through town, especially in the summer, so you may just get some pictures of nature up close and personal.



From Nanortalik you can take a glacier cruise to see the edge of the world famous ice sheet that the global warming people keep talking about.  Large portions of Greenland are continuously covered in ice.  It's just that it's quite taxing to go and look at the northern parts, because it is so cold and barren, leaving your best option for those areas being a flight see.  Here at the end it's more like taking a cruise in Alaska, but you're in the exotic country of Greenland.

 

Why would someone go to Greenland?  It's cold.  It's snowy.  It's rocky and barren.  You might just be surprised.  In the summer it doesn't get up to 80 or 90 degrees.  It does hover in the mid to upper 40's, but there's sun all night long.  I love that factor about northern countries, and I cannot recommend it enough.  You'll never forget midnight sun and white nights.  It is something that cannot be imitated.  You have to experience it for yourself.



But, I digress.  If you haven't heard in your lifetime that Eric the Red founded a Viking settlement in south Greenland then you haven't been paying attention.  In the area around Nanortalik, there are ruins to visit from the old Viking settlements.  It's true that you can also see these things in Newfoundland, but here you get that midnight sun to go along with them.  There are also some great museums in the towns and cities of Greenland that can answer most of your questions about how and why the Vikings came to this land.



Here's one for you.  You can go and learn how to be a musher.  They have an apprenticeship program in the area that you can sign up for.  You will get to spend some extensive time dog sledding as you actually learn about the mode of travel that has now become a northern sport.



Greenland is the world's largest island nation, still technically a part of Denmark, so it's no surprise that water activities are wildly popular with both the locals and tourists.  Sea kayaking is a popular activity.  It lets you get up close and personal with glaciers and icebergs.  Greenland is nearly as prominent for float by icebergs as the iceberg alley of Newfoundland, and it's great to get up close and personal with them.  It's hard to fathom how large an iceberg really is until you get right up and see one.  Then you realize why the Titanic didn't stand a chance.  Here in Greenland there are some of the oldest glaciers in the world and they house the world's purest water.  There is a company that bottles that water now, but a bottle of water in the states from Greenland will cost you about $50.  It's probably best to try it out in Greenland.  But water sports are not limited to kayaks.  For one thing, several companies operate cruises to and around Greenland.  For many, it's easier to let someone else do the navigating as long as they still get to see all the cool stuff.  Sailing is also something that is gaining popularity in Greenland.  It's for heartier souls than mine, but it's very cool.  Fishing excursions are popular with tourists and locals alike.



Cruises will show you many aspects of the life of northern animals.  There are a ton of places around the world to go on a whale watch, but when you do it in Greenland, you see so much more.  This is the end of the road for whales and other migratory sea mammals in the summer, and you will see some wonderful things like Orcas, seals, and walruses in addition to all those whales.  It's something that you won't normally see if you stay along the coast of New England.



And then there's the bit about how it's called Greenland.  I've heard a million different tales about how Iceland and Greenland got their names, but I've never heard the facts of the matter.  What I can tell you is that the south of Greenland gets green and it's gorgeous.  The hiking is wonderful, especially with the long nights.  Some people go hiking at night, just to say that they did it.  When you get home and show your friends the pictures, they won't believe that it's night time.



So, I've told you about the stunning little town of Nanortalik, with it's adorable Hotel Kap Farvel (hotel cape farewell), and a lot of interesting things that you can do there.  I did mention that several of the things you can do elsewhere.  So, besides the fact that the sun is up all night, why is this an Adventure for Anyone?



Well, I brought it up because of the sheep farms.  I'm not joking.  Around the world there are many places that you can take a vacation whilst living and working on a farm.  There are organizations that only cater to people wanting to go on farm vacations.  It's true.  Greenland offers a fabulous opportunity for tourists to stay and help out on sheep farms.  You get to stay at the farm and earn your keep.  It's something that I highly recommend for some important reasons.  If you would like to stay on a farm, there are really only a couple of places on Earth that I would actually recommend for that, and Greenland is one of them.  The hosts are great.  The experience is wonderful.  You get to see what it's like to live in that northern climate with livestock.  You will learn a lot.  You will get to meet some gracious people and some really interesting breeds of sheep.  It's a ranch experience that you won't soon forget.



There are many wonderful things about Greenland.  There's the culture, the people, the farms, the glaciers, the mountains, the hiking, the icebergs, the Viking history, the fjords, the animals, the adventure and the view.  There are so many reasons to visit this fabulous country that why would you take a pass?  It's one of the most exotic places you'll ever go.  It's got personality that can barely be contained.  It's also a country in flux, because soon it may be independent, which gives you the chance to visit now and say that you visited it when it still belonged to Denmark.  But, for all the reasons to visit this amazing country with surprises that just keep on coming, I think that the one that still strikes me most are the endless nights of summer.  And that's why I think that one of the greatest adventures for anyone is to spend some time on a working sheep ranch in the middle of summer when the view is the best, the nature is at it's finest, and the sheep are happy and free of their winter bonds.
Enjoy!

http://nanortaliktourism.com/groenland-pakkerejser
http://www.greenland.com/en/explore-greenland/sydgroenland/nanortalik.aspx
http://www.airgreenland.com/destinations/greenland/nanortalik
http://greatcanadiantravel.com/destinations/greenland
http://www.vacationstogo.com/cruise_port/Nanortalik__Greenland.cfm
http://www.fredolsencruises.com/places-we-visit/port/nanortalik?country=
http://greenland.nordicvisitor.com/travel-guide/towns/south/nanortalik/
http://www.princess.com/learn/ports/europe/ports/nanortalik_greenland.html
http://visitgreenland.com/listing/nanortalik/
http://www.greenlandtours.com/
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http://www.greenland-travel.com/
http://www.affordabletours.com/Destinations/Greenland/
http://www.scantours.net/products/region/greenland/42/
http://greenlandexplored.com/
http://ipiutaq.com/reception.html
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

The Solstice is Coming!

It's true that there will be a lot of people doing Yoga in Times Square during the Summer Solstice, but that's not what I would call an adventure for anyone.  However, The summer solstice is upon us, and this does make for some very unique traditions in northern latitudes.  So, where should you go and what should you do if you choose to celebrate the summer solstice?  If you live in Sweden and certain other Scandinavian countries, you will probably have the day off.  In some of those northern European countries this one is a national holiday.  It's not treated as a big deal in most of the United States, but that's because most things aren't.  We spend most of our time deciding whether or not we should acknowledge holidays based on just how religious the holidays are.



But really, what should you do to celebrate the solstice?  Well, in Fairbanks, Alaska they do have one of the more well known festivals.  You will note that around the world, most of the festivals for this holiday are music oriented, and that's not completely unfounded for Fairbanks, but in addition to all of the music around town, they also have a midnight baseball game just because they can.  There are no artificial lights involved with this game.  It just happens to start at 10:30 at night on the night of the solstice.  There's 33 years of tradition with the Solstice Festival in Fairbanks.  They also have midnight sessions at pools, midnight golf, and a ton of great music.  This festival lasts more than just the one day, so it is well worth the trip.



In Norway, you guessed it, they ski away the hours during the solstice.  They do have festivals all over, but the big deal here is the ability to still ski in June and do it in the middle of the night.  A provider called White Blue will set the whole thing up for you, and it will be a great time.



Midnight sun is really something.  The Nordkapp, or North Cape of Norway is a great place to get a view of this amazing phenomenon.  But there are a lot of northern places that take full advantage of the fact that they have sunlight that time of year.  Yellowknife, Canada has a short festival that is mostly music.  Seldovia, Alaska has a big music festival.  For heaven's sake, there's a pretty big bash in Denver, Colorado.  But they aren't a northern latitude.  At least not that far north.

 

In Finland it's more of a traditional thing with bonfires to leave the past behind and venture to the future.  In many ancient cultures it was time to be thankful.  Thankful that there will soon be more children.  Thankful that the cold is gone.  Thankful for the crops that grew.  Ancient Nordic culture was all about the Earth.  Their gods were born of lightening and thunder.   The Summer Solstice represented everything good in the world back then.  They celebrated because it was warm and they had made it through another year.  It was indeed the happy time of the year.



In Siberia, the local solstice festival is Ysyakh, and it is a cultural celebration of the Yakut people that call the region home.  There are many events to celebrate the longest day of the year, and outsiders are welcome to visit during this time and celebrate the holiday.



Anchorage, Alaska has a full day of activities on hand for the solstice as well as parades, sports, and lots of music.  Here it is a day event and does not run into the night.  The whole thing is technically over around 6 pm.



In Iceland they are developing a new tradition this year with their first Secret Solstice Festival.  Nordic countries have some of the best music festivals in the world.  Iceland has one already that rocks and they are now shooting for two.  Laugardalur is the  location for this one which is hot spring valley to you and me and it's just a short drive from center city Reykjavik.  There will be over 100 musical artists performing, some famous, some new.  It will last for three days and have both indoor and outdoor concerts.  This comes on the tails of the National Day celebration that takes place on June 17th, so it's a partying time of year to show up in Iceland.



One of the livelier places to spend the season is in St. Petersburg, Russia.  Here the white nights are legendary.  They celebrate with music and fireworks and all kinds of things.  This is the land where they stay up and play when the nights are white.  Even the drawbridges stay open until 5 am so that the cruises can run all night long.  In this area it's not so much a holiday, but a season, and there are many special events over a six week or so period.



I think, but I'm not sure, that the biggest solstice celebration of them all is at Stonehenge in Britain.  I'm pretty sure it's the oldest with it's druid rituals and white robes.  There are tour companies that will take you out to Stonehenge for a few hours during the celebration, but remember that thousands upon thousands of people come to Stonehenge during the Summer Solstice.  There have been riots in the past, so they have a lot more security these days on the longest day of the year.  If you've ever wondered about the meaning of the summer solstice, or wondered about the Druid belief, this is your place to learn some significant information.  You won't find a carnival at Stonehenge or a giant barbecue, or a music festival, or fireworks.  What you will find is one of the most traditional religious celebrations that you'll ever see.







 

So, whether it be the white nights, or midnight sun that you're after, the northern latitudes celebrate June 21st, the longest day of the year.  They call it Midsummer, Summer Solstice, and beginning of summer.  There are many names and many terms to describe it.  It is a natural phenomenon which always appeals to me.  The best part is that you can choose where and how to celebrate, which makes the day of June 21st an Adventure for Anyone.
Enjoy!

http://www.secretsolstice.is/#section:2
http://www.anchoragedowntown.org/upcoming-events/downtown-summer-solstice-festival/
http://downtownfairbanks.com/events/midnight-sun-festival/
http://www.seldoviamusicfestival.info/
http://thingstodo.viator.com/russia/st-petersburgs-white-nights/
http://eyakutia.com/tag/summer-solstice/
http://www.airrussia.us/blog/102-celebrate-ysyakh-festival-in-yakutsk-.html
http://stonehengetours.com/html/summer-solstice-tour.htm
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~marian1/gourmet/season5a.htm
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html?tab=artwork
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
http://www.gadventures.com/destinations/polar/arctic/
http://www.expeditions.com/destinations/arctic/
http://www.northernalaska.com/
http://www.tourvacationstogo.com/arctic_tours.cfm
http://www.visitnorway.com/us/what-to-do/active-holiday/skiing-in-norway/summer-skiing/
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings

By Land or by Sea...The North Coast of Norway

Norway is one of the most popular cruise destinations in the world.  That's a simple fact.  There are a dozen cruise lines that will guide you in and out of fjords, look at glaciers and waterfalls, show you the old time fishing villages, and in general show you a really good time.  Problem is, I don't like to do the normal thing.  Therefore, I decided to talk about a couple of different routes to take with exploring the coast of Norway.



Let's be honest, in today's world of modern and amazing engineering, you can drive it.  The Atlantic Highway goes all along the coast of Norway, in and out of fjords, to and from little archipelagos like the Lofoten Islands, and over some amazing bridges.  This method does give you ultimate freedom to go where you want when you want.  The road does go to most of the places that the cruises go.  The only problem with that is that you have to figure out where you're going.  I like that kind of thing, but a lot of people do not.

 

I'm not going to lie.  This is listed as one of the top ten beautiful drives in the world.  Here's the thing.  I love a good drive.  I really do.  It's just that in a place like Norway, I want to watch the scenery.  I want to see everything.  I don't want to watch the road.  So, driving Norway's Atlantic Coast?  This is for the return visitor.  This is for the person who saw everything on the first trip.  Once you've looked at some of the world's most amazing scenery, you will be ready to experience the drive.  It will be spectacular.  I promise.  Just make sure you've rented with unlimited miles and insurance.  Watch out for the weather, because it can sneak up on you and be terrifying.  That being said, have a wonderful time if you take the road.  If you've never been there, try a cruise.



First timers for the coast of Norway, I have a cruise for you.  Hurtigruten.  These guys have been around for about 120 years.  That alone is amazing.  The Norwegians refer to these guys as the mail boat.  That's right, they also deliver freight and the mail all up and down the coast.  They run from Bergen, that historic town that everyone on Earth has heard of to Kirkenes in the north inside of the Arctic Circle and nearly to the Russian border.  They are the locals and that is why I would recommend this as one of the few cruises in the world truly worth taking.  This is called the world's most beautiful voyage, and they aren't joking.



Bergen is the start and/or finish port for the cruise.  Bergen is one of the better known coastal towns in Norway, having gone from fishing hub to tourist town over the years.  This little berg has all the shopping, eating, and lodging that you will want before and after your trip.

 

Trollstigen is another stop on this cruise.  True, if you take the road you can simply drive the Troll's Road, but the Hurtigruten Cruise sends you out in a tour bus so that you don't have to do the driving.  You can take your time to marvel at one of the greatest roads in the world.  It goes up and down, through, and across fjords to give you one of the most amazing drives in your life.  There are many hairpin curves on this road and at the top there is normally snow, no matter what the season.



You'll never forget a trip on the Trollstigen Road.



Svartisen Glacier is another stop along the way.  If you're into travel and you like these northern latitudes and glaciers, then you've probably seen a photo or a video of this place.  It's one of Norway's largest glaciers and it's a very popular stop for all the cruise lines.  It's sometimes referred to as the black glacier, because the snow has so much sediment in it that it does look black from certain angles.  I think that it takes a lot of imagination to really see it as black, but whatever.

 

Trondheim is another interesting stop on the trip.  Along with all those wonderful old fishing village style buildings in red and yellow, Trondheim has the Nidaros Cathedral.  This is one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in all of Europe and well worth a stop.  It has flying buttresses, copper roofs, painted glass and the whole nine yards.  It's a gorgeous cathedral.



The mail boat goes to the Lofoten Islands as well.  This small archipelago is one of the most scenic spots along the coast with 1000 meter high mountains just popping up out of the ocean, and tiny fishing villages all along the way.  This is the part of Norway that you most often see on calendars and puzzles.


 

Svolvaer is the largest town in these parts, and one of the most scenic.  This is a great spot to take off on a fishing excursion.  But, if that's not your thing, you can just poke around town and check out all the great stuff and great places to eat.

 

Tromso is the heritage part of the tour.  Here you will find all the museums about Nordic life.  You will also find the largest excavated settlement of the Vikings.  They even have the remains of some of the Viking royalty from days gone by.  They have a long boat and a lot of other things.  Tromso is one of the main stops on all the cruises.

 

Hammerfest is the northernmost city in the world, period.  This place is a huge fishing and industrial city sticking out there in the North Atlantic and Barents Sea.  They are also coming into play as the oil companies move farther and farther north.  They are a boom town that seems to just keep on booming.



Nordkapp--the North Cape.  You can't miss it.  If you're this close, you must stop.  It's a quest kind of a thing, like going to any other extreme cape on the planet.  There is a monument there that you must take your picture with.  It's just something that travelers do.  It can't be helped.  However, don't be expecting nice weather.  The odds are against it, just like all the other extreme capes.  That's why they are extreme.



Kirkenes is the last stop in the north on this trip.  This town is amazing.  They've been through a lot of wars.  Everyone has tried to wreak havoc on this place.  Why?  Well, that's the adventure for anyone that's at the end of the rainbow of this trip.  You didn't really think it was just the cruise, did you?  Kirkenes sits very close to the border with Russia.  You didn't even think about that one, did you?  That's right.  Way up there in the Arctic Circle where the sun doesn't set in the summer, there is an international border with mighty Russia.



There is a special excursion that the Hurtigruten Cruise will send you on to go and visit the border.  You have a guide, and you will see a lot of other northern sights along the way, but it's unique.  Most of us never get to Russia, much less see the border from Norway.  It's a great experience and you'll only get it outside of Kirkenes, Norway.



Hurtigruten Cruises provides a lot of things that you don't get on the regular cruise, like King Neptune's Arctic Baptismal.  That's a show that the cruises are famous for that you can't see anywhere else.  The mail boats also go through some of the most narrow straits and fjords along the coast.  Other cruise ships can't get in there.  They also go to some places that you absolutely cannot get to by car.  I don't normally go for a cruise, but this one is different.  They've been around for over 100 years.  They are the mail service, so they go no matter what.



 

The other thing that most people worry about when I mention alternative ship travel is the accommodations.  Trust me, the ships have multiple levels of luxurious accommodations.  They have restaurants, great cabins, and some of them even have a glass elevator.  Some of them have pools and spas.  You can observe from fabulous indoor locations if the weather isn't to your liking or you can go outside with the hearty souls like me.  There are activities and everything.  It's wonderful.  You won't regret it.



So, it's summertime.  Come and see the endless days, the beautiful scenery of Lofoten, Islands of the Gods, check out a fjord, soak up some history, and have a great time on a cruise the way the locals go.  It's a great trip.  It's the one and only time that you will take a guided tour to the border between Norway and Russia.  It's the only time that you'll get to visit the north cape and take a picture of the globe that stands at N71 degrees 10 feet 21 inches.  It's an adventure that you'll never forget.  It's an adventure that just begs for a thousand pictures.  It's a great adventure for anyone.
Enjoy!

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It's The Father of all Safari Adventures...Selous in Tanzania

Africa has historically been a European wonderland of adventure.  We in America look at a beautiful picture of a beach and think that we're probably looking at Hawaii or California, maybe Florida.  It's how we look at it.  So, is it any wonder that most people don't wander around gasping at the idea of taking a massive long set of flights to get to a place like Dar es Salaam in Tanzania?  We're Americans, and it's easier to go somewhere else.  Sometimes I think that we're just too attached to our televisions and computers or we work too much to think about going so far to go to the beach.  So, why would you go to a place like Tanzania?

  

Tanzania is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on Earth.  Some of the oldest remains of humans and other creatures have been dug up here.  It's been lorded over by many groups including the Germans and the British.  Tanzanite is a popular gemstone from the 90's that comes from this tantalizing country.  Dar es Salaam is one of the fastest growing cities in the world.  It's modern with subways, taxis and buses.  It even has a water park.  Amongst all the beach goers along the shore, are an enormous collection of ex patriots from all over the world.  The suburban peninsula, Msasani is full of them, along with the fancy houses that they buy.



Dar es Salaam was originally a tiny fishing village called Mzizima back in pre colonial times, but it was eventually swallowed up the the sprawling city that we now see.  It has a thriving port, an international airport and is currently the capital of the country.  But, it is just another city in a country where Americans have to pay an extra $100 for a visa just to be there.  It is just another city where it's probably a little iffy as to whether or not tourists should go out at night.  It is a strange place where some of the beaches are divided between the Africans and the Indians.  Why would this be an adventure for anyone?  Maybe the question should be why wouldn't it be, but I mentioned Dar because it's a starting point for one of the world's great adventures.



The Selous Game Reserve is one of those places that you really need to fly to.  Dar is where you catch the little bush planes that can take you there.  The Selous is one of the largest game reserves in the world.  It's also one of the oldest protected wildlife areas in Africa having been a protected area since the 1870's.  The reserve is larger than Switzerland, and is largely untouched by man to this day.


Selous is home to one of the largest populations of elephants, even though to this day they are fighting off poachers.  They also have huge numbers of all the big game that people love to come to Africa to see like giraffes, lions, hippos, rhinos and so on.  They have one of the few populations of black rhinos in the world.  They have hundreds of species of birds.  They have water buffalo, zebra, all kinds of antelopes and gazelles.  It's amazing all of the animals that live there.



What's the difference at Selous?  With all the hubbub about Kruger National Park and most of Botswana, why would I choose to recommend a game reserve that hasn't been on TV in forty years?  Because it's the off the beaten path choice.  It was there first.  The founder of the park, Frederick Selous is buried right in the park.  He loved the area and helped to protect the wildlife there.  In this park, the animals are comfortable.  They haven't been overly exposed to humans in over 100 years.  There are some small settlements that pre existed the park and are still there.  They have special permission to hunt the animals for subsistence much like the Inuits with whale hunting.  But, other than that, and poachers which are still a problem with the elephants, there is not hunting in the area and the animals are largely not afraid of the humans that come to take films and pictures of them.



Home base for any safari in Selous is along the river.  This is where the various camps are.  Most of them are luxury camping in the grand old style of the British safari visitors of times of old.  The Rufiji River is the largest in Tanzania, and the camp that bears it's name is a wonderful base camp for going on safari.  From the Rufiji River Camp and many others, you can go on a boat safari, driving safari, or walking safari.  There are many choices, and they are all guided.  The people who run the camps, the tours that come in, and the safaris are experienced folks that will show you a plethora of exotic animals and a generally great time.



The professionals who take you on safari will get you up close and personal with the wildlife.  They know what they're doing.

 





The accommodations in the Selous are spectacular and vary upon taste.  You may stay in a tent like bungalow, or a building.  Some places have pools and lodges.  Some of them are more rugged and blend in with the surroundings.  There are several options, so choose the one that fits your style.  I won't lie, this will not be an inexpensive trip.  There are some vacation places on the web like Kensington Tours, and Vantage that may give you an upfront price for a trip like this, but most places will want to speak with you to customize a tour and, therefore, they won't just list prices.  Everything is specialized when you do something like this so there may be no two prices alike amongst customers.  They take into account lots of things that make them all very special and all very different in pricing.







 

If you want to do something special, this is it.  This is an adventure in its truest form.  If you want to see the largest Baobab Tree in all of Africa, if you want to see giraffe, hippos, birds and everything else in its most honest and real habitat, this is the place and the way to do it.  We all need to do something once in a lifetime, and this is one of those bucket list things.  You only live once.  This should be a piece of it.

Enjoy!

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http://www.safarihq.com/parks/selous-game-reserve/
http://selous-mbega-camp.com/gamereserve.html
http://www.expertafrica.com/tanzania/selous-game-reserve
http://www.selous.com/siwandu/camp
http://www.africannaturalheritage.org/Selous-Game-Reserve-Tanzania.html
http://www.selouslodge.co.tz/selous-game-reserve/
http://www.thetanzaniaspecialists.net/where-to-go/selous-game-reserve/sand-rivers-selous
http://www.selousgamereserve.net/selous-accommodation.html
http://www.rufijirivercamp.com/home
http://www.dekezadhows.com/
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/tanzania/dar-es-salaam
http://www.africansafaris.com/tanzania?_bt={creative}&_bk=+Tanzania%20+tours&_bm=e&utm_content=3271378239&utm_term=+Tanzania%20+tours&utm_campaign=[US_S006]+Tanzania&utm_source=Bing_Yahoo&utm_medium=cpc
http://www.sanctuaryretreats.com/tanzania-holidays?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=tanzania%20tours&utm_campaign=US|Destinations--Tanzania--%28E%29
http://www.globalbasecamps.com/tanzania/serengeti-ecotour/safari-and-canvas-tanzania-deluxe?kcid=27a3f885-7a92-8b68-ab49-00004ba02ecc
http://www.voyagetrek.com/Travel/Tours/Safaris/Tanzania?tfa_SpecialFormNotes=Bing-Search&tfa_SpecialNotes2=tanzania%20tours
http://www.affordabletours.com/Destinations/Tanzania/
http://www.tourvacationstogo.com/tanzania_tours.cfm
http://www.africantravelinc.com/african-safari-and-tour/safaris/tanzania/
http://www.cafepress.com/artisticcreationsbyninakindred1
https://www.fictionpress.com/u/530752/Nina-Kindred
http://ninakindred.wix.com/ninakindredgroup
http://www.zazzle.com/imagings
http://pixels.com/profiles/terri-dixon.html

Paris But a Little Different...After Dark

Notre Dame, The Eiffel Tower, The Arch de Triomphe.  These are all things that we are used to hearing about when we discuss Paris, France.  I don't blame you.  I saw all those places and I agree that they are some of the most spectacular places that I've ever seen, despite the disposition of the average Parisian that you meet on the street.  I loved the lighted boat tours.  I could have spent a lifetime in the Louvre.  Paris is one of the most celebrated cities in the world.  Why wouldn't I write about this outstanding place?



Well, no offense to the average traveler and their lovely trip to Paris, but once you've seen the regular stuff, you've seen it.  So, moving on to a new way to see Paris.  From the dark side.  Let's start with Place de la Concorde.  What's so special here?  Well, this is where the French Revolution reached it's zenith and Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI were executed.  This is where it all really began for Napoleon.  Long gone are the Bastille and the Tueleries, but the legends live on.  This square is still the largest square in town, and that says something.  For history buffs there are about 20 tours you can take in this area to learn more about the most notorious time in French history.  It's right at the Louvre too, so you're right by some of the greatest art in history.



Versailles is amazing, and it certainly helps us understand what could bring on a revolution.  The opulence, the gilding of everything, the gluttony, the indulgence, and so on.  I don't blame the average person for getting sick and tired of the whole thing.  Today Versailles is one of those places that you visit just to see it for yourself.  Once again, there are great historical tours of Versailles that will help you learn a lot more about the history of France.  They will teach you the story of the royalty that once called it home from their rise to their demise.



History is fabulous, and creepy history is better.  Take a walk on the wild side in Paris and discover a couple of things that make this a great place to go on an adventure for anyone.  Our first truly unusual stop is the catacombs.  That's right, underneath the city are an extensive tract of old tunnels or catacombs that used to be part of an old mine.  In the 1780's or so, dead folks were becoming a problem in the city of lights.  There were so many cemeteries where improper burials had taken place that the city was becoming contaminated from the ground up.  The water was contaminated and everything.  So, since the mines under the city were no longer in use, they decided to move the deceased underground.  This took a few years, and there were thousands, if not millions of bones to be moved.



Burial places were made.  Mausoleums were fashioned.  The bones of loved ones were turned into artwork on the walls of the catacombs themselves.  It was one of the creepiest places ever created.  Following the creation of this place underneath the city, they buried some people for a while.  Not many, but some.  Then in the early 1800's something strange happened.

 

The elite became fascinated with the place, and they started to visit it.  That was the beginning of it becoming a subterranean tourist attraction.  During WWII the catacombs were used as part of the resistance as well.  Finally in the mid 2000's the tunnels were majorly renovated to make them safe for visitors and today the catacombs are on the official list of museums in Paris.  You can't visit the entire catacomb system, but you can take a tour of a good sized section of them.  Remember to book it in advance, because the  number of visitors is strictly limited at any given time.  Also check ahead, because although it is rare, the catacombs are sometimes closed for national holidays.



The adventure continues with another truly fascinating place to visit in a city that you thought you knew all about.  The most famous cemetery in Paris and maybe all of France is Pere Lachaise Cemetery.  As a matter of fact, it's the most visited cemetery in the world.  Why?  Well, there are some amazing structures here, from mausoleums to fabulous headstones.  The way that they manage to fit everyone in it is amazing.  But, the biggest draw is that there are some truly famous people there.  The painter Delecroix is laid to rest there, along with writer Oscar Wilde, the composer Frederic Chopin, and even the French playwright Moliere.  There are a list of over 150 notable people buried in the cemetery and they are from all over the world.



But, in the ironic age that we live in, the cemetery's most famous resident is Jim Morrison.  That's right, the singer from The Doors.  His grave is the most visited in the whole place, and it can be a little weird.  If you come to the cemetery in the evening, you will still see his faithful followers gathered by his grave.  And they can be some really unusual people.  It's quite a sight to see, and I highly recommend it.  The cemetery is not officially open at night, but the followers of Jim Morrison don't seem to care much about the rules.



So, if you've seen it all in Paris, come and visit Oscar Wilde and Jim Morrison.  Sign up for one of the many ghost tours around town that will teach you about some of the seedier history of the city of lights. Come and see the catacombs where a specific problem was solved and it created a fascination for the rich and poor alike.  There are always many unusual things to see in any city in addition to the ones that we all know and love.

 

So, when you've seen all the stuff that you can see on the lighted boats and regular tours, try something different.  Go out at night.  See the world from an entirely different perspective.  Take a look at the dark side of Paris.
Enjoy!

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