This Week's Five!

 

1.     Portsmouth, New Hampshire's Waterfront.  You don't think about it much.  As a matter of fact, I've driven pretty much right over Portsmouth 20 times and only stopped at the state liquor store.  I had a chance recently to take a look around and all the kitchy shops, the parks, the views of the harbor, river and bridges, and Tugboat Alley.  This was one of the nicest walks I've taken in a city in a while.  The views are great, the stores are a lot of fun to visit.  The food is excellent.  If you like books, you can shop, read, drink and eat all in the same place.  It's scenic and a lot of fun, so don't miss out on the waterfront you never really thought about.

https://www.goportsmouthnh.com/explore-portsmouth/guides-maps/waterfront/

https://cruisingodyssey.com/2020/07/01/portsmouth-nh-a-historic-and-charming-waterfront-town/

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g46209-zfp43-Portsmouth_New_Hampshire.html

https://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/best-restaurants-portsmouth-new-hampshire/

2.    Petra tou Romiou or Aphrodite's Rock...Cyprus.   The closest city to this wonderful mythological beach and rock is Paphos.  The area is along the south coast of the island of Cyprus in the Greek region.  Cyprus is one of those interesting spots, because there's still a wall dividing the country between the Greek and Turkish parts.  Bet you didn't even know about that wall, did you?  Well, The Paphos area is full of sunshine, shoreline, beaches, great food and outdoor activities.  It's a spot not to be missed and one of the more beautiful sights to see.

https://visitworldheritage.com/en/eu/birthplace-of-aphrodite/d4a87816-4a22-44d0-adbd-695bf3ad7d52

https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/what-and-where-is-aphrodite-s-rock.html

https://www.cyprusisland.net/cyprus-cities/paphos

https://www.visitcyprus.com/index.php/en/

3.     Have you heard of Play Airlines?  This is the new up and comer taking international discount flying by storm.  They fly out of multiple airports in the US and go to many places in Europe.  They tend to connect through Iceland on the way.  They don't have a lot of frills, so if you want that, they aren't for you.  However, if you have time, as some of the flights are a bit lengthy; you can save quite a bit of money on your flight.  Worth checking into as flights continue to climb, particularly to Europe.

https://www.flyplay.com/en?origin=SWF

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/05/04/play-airlines-cheap-flight-test/

https://www.cntraveler.com/story/play-airlines-flight-review

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR9vu4IzsGA

4.   Go skiing in Copenhagen, Denmark on Copenhill.  How to explain this.  Denmark is flat.  In 2020 we had a pandemic, and borders were closed all over the world.  People in Denmark wanted to ski.  Hence, the government was building a recycling and waste power plant and center and decided to kill two birds with one stone.  They designed the building to be a wedge and put a ski slope on it.  There's steps up the sides.  There's a lift.  There's a snack bar at the top.  It's designed for snow as well as for summer skiing so that the Danes don't have to worry about where to ski anymore.  Check it out!

https://a-r-c.dk/amager-bakke/

https://www.copenhill.dk/en

https://www.skimag.com/ski-resort-life/skiing-copenhill-copenhagen-denmark/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21ijLduW0nw

5.    The Falkirk Wheel, Tamfourhill, Scotland.  This is yet another ingenious solution to one of life's tougher problems.  There are canals all over Britain.  Needless to say, the land isn't flat, so at times you have to change elevation.  In Falkirk, they decided to try something completely different.  They made an elevator for boats.  It's called the Falkirk wheel and it takes the idea of locks out of the equation.  Your canal boat goes on the elevator and your day of dealing with locks turns into less than 15 minutes of change.  If you ever get a chance to take a boat up or down this wheel, or maybe just take the tour, it will be one of those great adventures of a lifetime.  So, when in Scotland, try this out.

https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/visit/canals/visit-the-forth-clyde-canal/attractions/the-falkirk-wheel

https://www.visitfalkirk.com/things-to-do/family-days-out/the-falkirk-wheel/

https://www.visitscotland.com/info/see-do/the-falkirk-wheel-p248061

https://www.secret-scotland.com/place/falkirk-wheel

So there you have it.  This week's five ideas.  I realize that a few of these ideas were merely solutions to problems in the area where the attractions are.  I love it when problem solving creates something worthy of a visit, so they are some of my favorite attractions.  At any rate, keep checking back and I will continue to post little ideas to go along with vacations in my quick fives.  Enjoy!

This Week's Five Great Ideas!

 

1.    Rock the Kasbah baby!  Marrakech is a jaw dropping destination, as anyone who's been there can tell you.  I always hear about the mosques, the souks, the tanneries, and the old town.  What no one tells you is that the Kasbah is largely the old town.  In Marrakech, the Kasbah is a World UNESCO Heritage site which you enter through the Bab Agnaou.  Basically, that's a gate.  Don't forget, the city center of almost any city in Morocco is a fort.  They used to live in walled villages for any number of reasons for their safety.  The Kasbah is ancient, it's walled, it has shopping, mosques, fort elements, and many other ancient places to visit.  Only worshippers can enter the mosques, but there is so much to see and learn.  It should be the centerpiece of any visit to Marakkech.

https://visitmarrakech.com/en/listing/la-kasbah/

https://archiqoo.com/locations/kasbah_of_marrakesh.php

https://muchmorocco.com/kasbah-marrakech/

https://www.getyourguide.com/s?cq_src=google_ads&cq_cmp=6654624205&cq_con=111419385972&cq_term=&cq_med=&cq_plac=&cq_net=g&cq_pos=&cq_plt=gp&campaign_id=6654624205&adgroup_id=111419385972&target_id=aud-1393039795340%3Adsa-927962620953&loc_physical_ms=9003419&match_type=&ad_id=454590688299&keyword=&ad_position=&feed_item_id=&placement=&device=c&partner_id=CD951&gclid=Cj0KCQjwldKmBhCCARIsAP-0rfyrsNK9EHCDC05qBWS5630PshlHgjRY5vYdeZNqLo-mZ5DxUEScSOAaAtDWEALw_wcB&q=Marrakech&et=194708

2.    Get a Cronut!  Welcome to SOHO Manhattan, home of Dominique Ansel Bakery and the tenth anniversary of the world famous Cronut!  SOHO is a progressive young community also well known for the torch and crown brewery which we also visited on the same day.  There's Sicilian restaurants all over, narrow streets full of life all around and an unbelievable vibe in general.  Long since SOHO has been a favorite of mine, but in the ten years since its creation, I'd never had a Cronut.  The Cronut is a cross between a croissant and a donut.  It's injected with flavor and topped with frosting.  I waited for 40 minutes outside in line just to get two of these sugary wonders and it was worth it.  You can only buy two per person, because they are so much in demand, but there's also a wealth of sugary bakery treats to choose from if you want more sweets than two Cronuts.  Is it something I recommend?  Not just for the Cronut, but come and enjoy all of SOHO and all it has to offer!

https://capturetheatlas.com/things-to-do-in-soho-nyc/

https://newyorksimply.com/soho-happy-hour-nyc/

https://www.opentable.com/cuisine/best-sicilian-restaurants-soho-ny

https://www.torchandcrown.com/

https://www.dominiqueanselny.com/

3.     Go to the beach in NYC!  I'm not joking.  You don't want to go to some city beach?  You don't swim in harbor waters?  Me either!  Rockaway, Brighton, Ocean, and Coney Island are five great beaches right on the Atlantic Coast.  Far away from the harbors and rivers of NYC, they are all time honored traditions for visitors and New Yorkers alike.  Coney Island carries the biggest history with more to do than you can imagine.  Home of Nathan's a baseball team, and the world famous Cyclone Roller Coaster; it's history at it's finest and a whole lot of fun.  Brighton Beach has long been called Little Russia or Little Odessa by the Sea.  This is a complex community full of Russian and other Asian people who now call New York Home.  The shopping is amazing, the food is amazing and you can have a great Russian lunch right along the boardwalk.  It's a great place to spend the day.  Rockaway is the hard to reach beach that juts out into the ocean past the others.  There's a shuttle from Manhattan so you can go and spend the day at the beach.  If you really want a little quiet, Ocean Beach sits in between Brighton and Coney Island.  If you really want to enjoy the beach, it's the quietest spot, but I recommend them all for a great visit!

https://www.girlwiththepassport.com/best-beaches-in-brooklyn/

https://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/rockaway-beach-and-boardwalk/facilities/beaches

https://www.nyctourism.com/new-york/brooklyn/brighton-beach

https://www.coneyisland.com/

https://www.nyctourism.com/attractions-tours/coney-island

4.     Visit Bedrock Gardens in Lee, New Hampshire.  That's right, I said it.  Visit a sculpture garden.  I recently visited this place and it was amazing.  I couldn't stop finding things to look at.  It's acres of beautiful things to look at and ponder.  There were even sculptures underwater and hanging from the trees.  I'd never seen anything like it.  It was one discovery after another.  It was one of the most creative places I've ever seen.  So, if you're in either the Portsmouth area or the Lakes Region, this is a great stop!

https://www.bedrockgardens.org/

https://www.facebook.com/bedrockgardens/

https://www.visitnh.gov/agriculture/5816/bedrock-gardens

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cg2ZfcoF-5M

5.    Rochester, New Hampshire.  This is a little burg, on the way to so many other places.  Not far from Dover and the race fans' hotel spot.  On the way to Laconia and the lakes.  Just north of Portsmouth and the city.  This little burg is cute.  It's old, as in it has a hotel that's fascinating and predates almost everything in the state.  No one talks about Rochester.  It's a place where people live and work and spend their time in a lot of other places.  I stayed in the Governor's Inn recently.  It was fascinating.  There's the main hotel.  There's the adjacent building to the hotel.  There's two restaurants.  There's a performance area.  There's a garden.  It's all old and beautiful.  It was a wonderful stay.   Rochester is home to the Granite State Fair, NH's biggest fair.  And, there's one other thing you should check out this tiny little town for. Every summer there's a Bigfoot hunt.  Not joking.  You'll find the colorful Bigfoot cutouts all over town.  It's a lot of fun. You can partake in the scavenger hunt by visiting City Hall and getting started.  It's a quiet little town with a lot to offer that no one ever hears about.  Trust me.  Stay in this town and run around the area.  You'll have a truly good time.

http://www.governorsinn.com/

https://www.facebook.com/RochesterNH/

https://www.granitestatefair.com/

http://www.rochestermainstreet.org/bigfoot.html 

https://www.rochesternh.org/things-to-do/

So, there's my five for this week.  I swear they're all a lot of fun.  You'll marvel at the wilds of New Hampshire.  You'll probably gain a little weight in SOHO and learn a lot.  I hope that you get a chance to experience even a few of the spots that I talk about in this blog so you can go out and wander and enjoy!

This Week's Five Great Little Ideas!

1.    It's called Matera.  This is a cave settlement, pretty far away from about anything you've heard of in southern Italy.  Evidence says it was probably founded during Byzantine times and has quite a history.  It was a city for decades, maybe millennia.  Once more modern times were upon them, most of the people moved to areas where they could have electricity and running water and sewage.  It fell into a shambles over time.  Recently, however, it's become a hidden gem of luxury travel.  You can stay in a luxurious cave hotel with all the modern amenities.  You can go to a cave spa.  You can also enjoy wandering the rest of the town with your camera enjoying a wonderful UNESCO World Heritage Site area.  I wouldn't miss that one for the world.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/04/27/a-cave-with-a-view

https://www.aptbasilicata.it/new-dove-dormire/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/mater-went-from-ancient-civilization-slum-hidden-gem-180949445/

https://www.neverendingvoyage.com/sassi-matera-italy/

2.    Faja do Padres on the south coast of Madeira.  That's a mouthful, but what a place to see.  Now, anyone in their right mind would love to see Madeira.  It's a beautiful island in the Atlantic Ocean.  But, if you take that rental car and drive to the south of the island, you'll find a cable car that takes you down a cliff like nothing you've ever seen before.  300 meters down a cliff.  I'm not joking.  900+ feet.  It will be one of the most scenic rides of your life.  Below are the gardens and the shore.  It's beautiful.  The people are wonderful.  There's even a restaurant.  It's the ride of a lifetime.

https://fajadospadres.com/faja/index.php/acessos-en/elevador-en

https://digitaltravelcouple.com/faja-dos-padres-madeira/

https://www.madeira-web.com/en/places/camara-de-lobos/what-to-do/faja-dos-padres-cable-car.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqQQfKFnQ_4

3.    The Basilica Cistern in Istanbul.  Ancient times called for ancient ways.  Istanbul sits on a lot of water, but what they needed was drinking water.  Hence, the cistern.  One of the most famous cisterns in the world, this one is located not far from the Hagia Sofia.  Once the premiere place to get water, it's now been turned into a museum, and is one of the most unique museums you'll ever visit.  There are so many amazing things to see in Istanbul.  This is that gem that tends to get overlooked.

http://yerebatansarnici.com/

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/turkey/istanbul/sultanahmet/attractions/basilica-cistern/a/poi-sig/402088/1324696

https://theistanbulinsider.com/the-basilica-cistern-the-coolest-spot-in-town/

https://istanbul-tourist-information.com/en/experience-istanbul/fountains-cisterns-in-istanbul/basilica-cistern-yerebatan-sarnici/

4.    Torgny, Belgium.  I said it.  Do you have any idea what the town is?  I didn't.  They call it the Provence of Belgium.  It's closer to France and Luxembourg than it is to anything we've heard of in Belgium.  It's the wine producing area.  That's right.  If you like wine tasting, this is a great area to visit.  They have fantastic vineyards and a gorgeous little village with cozy bed and breakfasts.  It's an amazing way to get your wine on without going to all the bourgeois locales that everyone else goes to.  

https://nextstopbelgium.com/guide-to-torgny/

https://visitwallonia.com/en-gb/content/poirier-du-loup-vineyard 

http://thismustbebelgium.com/torgny-the-prettiest-belgian-village/

https://hotellagrappedor.com-hotel.com/en/

5.    Belgium is a hidden gem to most Americans.  Fortunately, I watch World Wanderista and she spent some time where she actually lives during the pandemic.  Belgium has a region filled with ancient villages and castles, where you get around by gondolas and boats.  It's beautiful and referred to as Dinant Region.  Namur is a beautiful city to visit and apparently became a favorite of an American with a lot of money.  While in the area, you should make the hazardous trek to see the house he built for when he visits this tiny country.  It's known as "The Wizard's Cabin, and will take some work to get to, but it is one of the most unique places you'll see in Belgium.

https://briscoveries.wordpress.com/2021/02/11/dinant-region-belgium/#2-1-the-wazards-cabin

https://www.worldwanderista.com/hidden-gems-in-belgium/

https://www.europeanbestdestinations.com/destinations/namur/

https://www.namurtourisme.be/en/

So, there you have it.  Five more kitschy places to visit.  I love the unusual.  I love being off the beaten path.  Sometimes it gets so crowded in the usual places that you just want to do something else.  I'll keep finding and posting these little things to do while in the area to try and help keep your travel fresh.  So, try something different, wander, and enjoy!
 

Have You Heard of Play? It's an Airline!

 

Years ago, I took Icelandair to Iceland.  It was one of the best trips of my life.  The rates were good, the service was direct, and I loved it so much.  Lately, we've been victims of rising air travel prices, gouging over luggage and stuff; and recently American Airlines announced that they may give away your seat.  Not good.  And, by the way, American, give away my seat?  That's just rude.  I don't care if you think I can't make my connection.  I made an impossible one last winter that you would have given my seat away on.  Glad I was flying Delta.

At any rate, Play Airlines is the latest budget service to many countries, and it seems to be flying under the radar.  I haven't had it come up on any of the big travel sites, even though they partner with Booking.com.  They have some of the cheapest flights to Europe I've seen in decades, with a chance for stopovers in Iceland on almost all the trips.  They are the latest in the class of "I want to go to Europe, but the prices are stupid."

Now, there's a catch like always.  Will you have first class?  Business class?  No.  They are a budget airline.  Will you pay for luggage and carry ons?  It depends on what service you book.  Will you have to travel on certain days of the week for some trips?  Yes.  Is there food service?  Yes, but for pay.  You can bring your own snacks if you don't want to buy from the menu.  But, if you aren't rich and want to head to Europe, just follow their guidelines and go.  I don't really care about luxury.  I can make time to travel.  I'm just like Tom Brady on a Hertz commercial.  I want to GO!   And Play Airlines will get you there for cheap.

Take a look and don't overlook.  They won't give away your seat either.  Enjoy!

https://www.flyplay.com/en?origin=SWF

https://www.booking.com/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2022/05/04/play-airlines-cheap-flight-test/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR9vu4IzsGA