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Eduardo Chillida is a much-loved Basque son and his sculpture can be enjoyed at many locations in the region, including the breathtaking Wind Comb work, which looks out to sea on the edge of La Concha. But it is also well worth a trip to the Chillida-Lexu sculpture park, which is a short drive outside the city.
Chillida and his wife bought the estate the park lies on in the eighties, restoring the 16th century farmhouse on the grounds and eventually turning the gardens into an outdoor museum.
Today, posthumously, it remains a site for fans to come and observe the artist's vision. The stark realist sculptures set on the green Basque landscape is quite a sight to behold.
Little visited and close by, Arusha Park is scenic with great views of (and includes) Mt Meru, and has its own crater, forests and lakes, some laden with salts. There are giraffe, buffalo, colobus, flamingo and lots of birds, and a few hippo left in what was once their biggest home in Tanzania. Quiet and peaceful compared to the main parks.
A few miles east of Arusha on the Moshi road, lots of local safari operators will do a full or half day, or you can climb Meru on a 3 day tough trek
The Cape of Good Hope is part of Table Mountain National Park and apart from the views from the lighthouse on the point overlooking the Indian Ocean at the place where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, there are lots of good, well-marked hiking trails (maps from the Park office at the foot of the lighthouse) in the park with plenty of wildlife to see (dassies, ostriches, springboks, birds etc).
Salix restaurant at the Willow Creek Winery on the Mornington Peninsula south of Melbourne is simply superb.
Local produce and seafood, a great view and the fine wines from the winery and other areas create a high-class dining experience. Go for lunch or dinner and enjoy!
Willow Creek Vineyard
166 Balnarring Road
Merricks North 3926
Salix Restaurant
ph: 5989 7640
www.willow-creek.com.au/index.php?page=salix_restaurant
Google map: tinyurl.com/p4l5ox
Across the Ohio River from Cincinatti lies the city of Covington which is in Kentucky. Once very run down, Covington appears to be in the process of revitalisation. A hotel on the Covington riverfront is ideal if you want to enjoy a spectacular view, but be careful where you choose.
The Marriott offers very attractive rooms, but given the hotel's location, it seems incredible that the tiny hotel bar offers no view of the river and Cincinnati. But this is a vastly superior hotel to the neighbouring Embassy Suites, with its dull rooms, and with priceline.com you can get a great deal at the Marriott.
There are lots of cafes, restaurants and bars in the area known as Mainestrasse Village. We ate at Chez Nora, that has been owned by Jimmy and Patty Giliece since the early 1990s. Since opening the premises have been extended several times and this is testimony to the obvious popularity of the place with discerning locals. Deceptively large inside, the restaurant provides diners with good choice at reasonable cost.
The crab cakes in particular are worth a mention. On the upper levels there is a rooftop patio, and there is regular jazz music at weekends. Well worth a visit. Another notable restaurant in this area is Pho Paris, offering (as the name suggests) Franco-Vietnamese food.
If you are looking to dine in Cincinnati or Covington you cannot go wrong if you try one of the many establishments owned by or associated with Jean-Robert de Cavel, and the next time we are in Cinci, Pho Paris will be our first choice.
Having decided to stay clear of Mainestrasse at the weekend, on the Saturday night we took a 10 minute taxi drive from Covington to visit Primavista, an award-winning Italian restaurant regarded as one of the best in Cinci. The restaurant does offer a fabulous view. However, we probably had the least attractive table, and our view was the doors to the kitchen. The food is very good, and the wine list is commendable.
We enjoyed an exceptional Merlot for less than $35. Dinner for two with wine and drinks will be just under $150.
Right in the heart of HK is a lush haven that provides a welcome break from the crowded city. Go to Hong Kong Park before the shops open and walk around the beautiful Botanical Garden (which has a zoo) - don't forget the amazing walk-through aviary.
Clean, lush, well organised, uncrowded, quiet and fresh. All 100% free of charge!
Helicopter company Airlift offer a number of flight itineraries from their base in Kinsarvik. It’s a thrilling way to survey the fjord, swooping low through canyons, over the water and soaring above the mountains to where the Hardangervidda begins.
During the winter this sizeable mountain plateau is a cross-country skier’s heaven. In summer, when the snow melts, the land takes on a slightly barren and desolate appearance but a network of marked trails and rest huts open it up as a hiking destination. A popular jaunt is the six-hour round trip to the Trolltunga (Troll’s tongue), a dizzying outcrop of rock where those with a strong stomach can stand and enjoy an impressive panorama.
Yes, it's in every guide book, and yes it's expensive, but it's the most beautiful hotel I've stayed in. It's a wonderful building organised around four courtyards. It has been immaculately restored and furnished. The staff clearly take pride in this flagship of the Parador chain, and the service is cool but impeccable. Food is good. Beds are comfortable. It is located on one of the finest squares in Europe, and there is even a terrace to watch the sunset.
Praza de Obradoira, Santiago de Compostela.
The province of Pontevedra is full of interesting villages with castles, monasteries, natural reserves, Celtic settlements, spectacular viewpoints, and much more. If you have the intention of spending your holidays there, I recommend you rent a car to go from one village to another.
Sometimes it is a little bit difficult to find the right place, but don't worry, take a good road map with you and everything will be OK.
I think that's better than going by bus, because the bus connections aren't very good and you'll spend more time in the bus than visiting nice places.
The airport of this province is the airport of Vigo.
Perhaps the main attraction of Margate, the Dreamland, is closed but there are more things to see and do with the family on a weekend, like the building of Margate Harbour, the Shell Grotto, the Margate Caves.
Finally for fish and chips try the Marine Sands Cafe.
I think that the best way of enjoying the province of Pontevedra is through nature. The sea is one of its best characteristics due to its varied and rich seabed.
Two months ago, I had two friends who came here for diving and they were surprised with the beauty of the waters. They said it was incredible and amazing.
www.buceopontevedra.com/
www.riasbaixas.org/web2005/index.php?id_idioma=3&bnn=hacer&secc_int=2
This is a festival in honour of seafood. It is celebrated in O Grove (Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain) during the first two weeks of October and it is one of the most important festivals of Galicia.
Here, anyone can taste the different kinds of seafood: from oysters, mussels and cockles to prawns, crabs and barnacles. It is amazing how many different dishes there are for a good price. Moreover, there are also folk performances.
This year, there were more people than ever. The village was full of people from all parts of Spain, and even from outside. It was very difficult to book a hotel for those people who did it in the last days before the event because the occupancy rate was at the highest level.
Two of the main important characteristics that make this festival different are the fact that the seafood from this area is among the in the world; and the second fact is that it is awesome to have lunch in front of the estuary Ría de Arousa. It is a perfect location for this festival: you can enjoy this wonderful landscape while you taste the best seafood.
Love art? Love food? Overload your senses and combine the two. Le Georges sits like a crown at the top of the Centre Pompidou. Seat yourself next to the reflective pool and indulge in the beauty of the Sacre Coeur and Notre Dame.
The sleek modernist style seeps through from the galleries below and encourages a creative flair to the food. This restaurant infuses Parisian chic and fiery Thai flavours with an artistic hand. Enjoy an exquisite meal and a long stemmed rose to accompany your hedonists' view of Paris.
This beach house (which is available to hire) is where I've spent many a summer and I can confidently say it is the most beautiful spot in the world.
You've got a beautiful lagoon right at the foot of the property, which opens out into the ocean right in front of you. There's bush walks to the north and a long beach with a blowhole at the end to the south. Lovely quiet town but 15 minutes from Whangamata if you need it. Loads to do, or nothing if you just want to enjoy the tranquility. This is the best place in the world!
It's a two hour hike to this little bit of Thai splendour a couple of hours from Melbourne. A forested swamp meets the sea in a golden crescent of sand hemmed in by mountains. Granite headlands keep the warm, clear waters nice and calm; continue on to Refuge Cove (2hrs) for a more exclusive swim before a long walk out.
wilson's prom national park
Directions to one of Paris’s best-kept secrets: Take the Metro's Line 5 and get off at Laumière. Climb up Rue Laumière until you reach the main entrance of the most beautiful Parisian garden: Les Buttes de Chaumont.
Climb up the hill around the lake, up to the view point. Now the real secret: if you happen to be there on August 30th at about 8.20pm, you'll see the sun setting right behind the Sacre Coeur and the Montmartre hill, now that's a view that will stay with you for a while.
Margate is so nice on a sunny weekend in the Autumn. Enjoy the city view from the pier and visit Margate's museum at Old Town Hall Market Place.
This small pub was build in 1720. Right on the riverfront of the Thames. Excellent views of the river - good food and beer.
76 Narrow Street Limehouse E14 8BP
www.hotelara.com/england/2007/10/inns-and-pubs-of-river-thames.html
I love this place, they always have some crazy exhibition going on, the shop is full of silly postcards and amazing art books. And the café is definitely worth a visit, go to the terrace outside for fantastic views over the Seine and the Tour d’Eiffel. They also organise special events with DJs and live bands.
Visit the Cafe Marly opposite the Louvre, which serves evening meals. It has a great view of the Louvre lit up and you can also watch the Eiffel Tower sparkle by evening.
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