The International Festival of Alternative and Experimental theatres is one of the oldest theatre festivals in Poland. It has been organised continuously since 1975. Always taking place in April, it is a good opportunity to combine a spring city break and cultural event. The weather in spring is usually bit more friendly than in London and you will enjoy spending the first nights out, having a drink.

The festival is an opportunity to get a first glance at the new season's productions. It uses the theatre in an attempt to make us aware of a problem that concerns us all from an unknown and extraordinary angle.

www.reminiscencje.pl

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In the High Tatras there is a place called Pod Lesom where I stayed with all my family in a flat, in Febuary half term. Every day there were piles of new snow which meant that every day we could take the tram to go skiing in Strbske Pleso.

In Strbske Pleso I learnt to ski with a teacher called Roland. We got in a sleigh led by a horse called Bonty up the hill to the ski resort. After my skiing lesson I went to the Hotel next to the ski resort and got a hot chocolate. On the way to the restaurant I had a go on a skimobile. The skimobile ride went on for a long time. We then went to the restaurant called a Koliba (a traditional Slovakian mountain restaurant), where I ate garlic soup and fried cheese.

The next day I went to a place called Aqua City in Poprad where there was an outdoor swimming pool which was filled with natural hot spring water and it was huge.

On the last day we went to Lomnica where we went skiing and we went on a cable car (at that point I could ski).

From Johnnie Dowling (age 8).

Aquacity resort
www.aquacityresort.com

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Pamukkale has one of the most spectacular landscapes I have ever seen. On approaching it, one notices a rock rising up, with terraced slopes filled with natural basins of white water that seemed more like ice than a hot spring, because of the colour. When I saw the hill , I gasped - the place was breathtakingly beautiful. It was a waterfall in snow.

There are several ways to approach the place, but the best way is through the western gate, near Necropolis. UNESCO declared it a world heritage site in 1988 to restore the natural wonder which was being detsroyed by excessive commercialism and tourism. It was a mess, but concerted efforts of various agencies paid off and the place has regained much of its lost splendour. There is an entrance fee of 3 Euros. Ideally, this place is best appreciated off-season. Somehow, a lot of toruists wandering about the travertines takes away much of the magic. As the waters rolled down each terrace, they created magnificent white stalactitiles, and in the travertines the temperature of the water is around 33 degrees Celsius. It takes 20 mins to reach the top of the plateau - all barefoot.

You could take a dip in Cleopatra’s pool—the Sacred Pool (for a small fee), which is a nice experience and although it does not make you look a decade younger as it is often claimed, it is still fun. The water is supposed to have medicinal properties, but I guess a 15-minute dip is not the answer. The springs have been renowned for their therapeutic features dating as far back as the Roman era.

I was told that the calcium carbonate in the water as it flows down the hill, on reaching the surface allows carbon dioxide to be released and the carbonate forms the white sediment. These sediments create travertines where water collects and created this visual tapestry. The continually forming terraces and pools, allow for continuous movement of water and formation of stalactites. In winter, you can see a mist over the surface of the water. You can take off your shoes and walk in the water. The reason I suggest staying a night in Pamukkale, is that it is worth visiting the ancient city of Hierapolis and a few other places. You can get relatively cheap accomodation in this place - 20 USD for a double if you are really on a low budget.

There are a lot of good pensions and although a lot of them have swimming pools as an attraction, you are unlikely to use the pool - not the one in the hotel anyway. In winter, make sure you stay in a better place as hot water is a problem!! But in summer there are many good places. When you take a dolmus from Denizli to Pamukkale you can just tell them which hotel you want to go to. If you call the hotel a day earlier, giving them details of when you will arrive they will generally arrange for a pick-up. A couple of recommendations for pensions are Serin and Koray - very basic, but nice. The bigger resorts are in Karayhit, which is located north of the plateau. Wherever you decide, you will get a great deal with breakfast included, as there are too many hotels and too few tourists.

www.theglobaldesi.com

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There is a walkway to a building with change rooms, lockers, a restaurant, and a gift shop. The pool is open both summer and winter, and is a delightful experience when it is snowing outside!

The parking lot is located close to the Sulphur Mountain Gondola tramway, which whisks tourists up the mountain to a viewpoint and teahouse on the peak.

www.pc.gc.ca/regional/sourcesthermales-hotsprings/itm2-/visit4_e.asp

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There is an interpretive trail at the site of the Cave and Basin hot springs where tourists can visit the source of the hot springs, and there are viewing platforms from which one can see the flora and fauna indigenous to the area, including a rare form of tiny snail.

There is also a building which houses the original Cave and Basin hot springs bathing pool (encased in a cave in the rock) which was discovered in Banff over one hundred years ago. Tourists must pay a small admission fee at the entrance.

Banff National Park

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Miette Hot Springs is the ultimate hot springs location. The Hottest springs in the Canadian Rockies offers two hot pools for a relaxing soak and a cold pool overlooking the scenic Fiddle River Valley (if you're brave enough - it's chilly!).

Tucked away in the Fiddle Valley, the springs offer solitude and relaxation, and with many hiking trails starting from this point, it makes for a perfect location to hike and soak.

Camping and other accommodation are also available nearby. If you are looking to leave the crowds behind and soak up some nature, visit the Miette Hot Springs on your next vacation.

Canadian Rockies Hot Springs - Miette Hot Springs
Box 2579 Jasper, Alberta T0E 1E0
Tel: 1-800-767-1611, or
(780) 866-3939
Fax: (780) 866-2112
E-mail: hot_springs@pch.gc.ca www.explorejasper.com/sights/miettehotsprings.htm
Miette Hot Springs

61 km east of Jasper townsite
51 km west of Hinton
From Jasper, proceed east on highway 16 for 44 km to the Pocahontas Bungalows and the Miette Road junction. From Hinton, proceed west on highway 16 for 34 km to Pocahontas Bungalows and the Miette Road junction. From there, proceed south on the Miette Road. Miette Hot Springs are at the end of Miette Road, 17 km ahead.
dir.yahoo.com/Regional/Countries/Canada/Provinces_and_Territories/Alberta/Counties_and_Districts/Jasper/Recreation_and_Sports/Swimming_and_Diving/

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If you haven't had your fix of snow come May, book yourself a late-season trip. Although Blackcomb closes on April 23rd, Whistler mountain remains open until June 4th.

The snow may be on the slushy side, but skiing or boarding in a T-shirt and finishing the day off with a few beers on the Roundhouse patio is pretty awesome.

Powder in May is certainly not unheard of and, the way things are going so far (a record 469cm in January alone!), is looking increasingly likely this season.

One-day spring season tickets are just CAN$46, a bargain compared with the whopping CAN$75 charged over Christmas. And if you still want more, Blackcomb reopens in the summer for glacier skiing and riding, usually until late July or early August.

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