Europe Euphoria

Have you heard of festival which participants attend in a coffin? Every year on 29th July a small Spanish town, Las Neves celebrates the unusual festival known as the Fiesta de Santa Marta de Ribarteme (Festival of the near death experience).

It’s a celebration for those people who have had a near death experience and lived to tell the tale. Those people who have had a near death experience have to attend the festival in a coffin.

Thousands of people fill the narrow streets on the day of Santa Maria to hear stories of the survivors. The relatives carry the coffins containing the loved ones to the small church where there is a shrine to the Virgin Santa Marta to hear the mass. After the mass is over, the procession then winds its way up to the local cemetery. The effigy of Santa Marta around the church follows the procession.

If you know Spanish, the festival is a wonderful place to hear stories and tales of the different near death experiences and although this is a slightly strange festival, you can have a good time. The festival provides a great opportunity to have good old chats about near-death-experience.

Source: Gadling

Danfoss Universe which is Denmark’s largest Science and Experience Park located next to the Danfoss headquarters in Nordborg has added another feather to its cap. Berlin architect Jurgen Mayer H. recently completed the extension of the park which include two new buildings.

Jurgen Mayer H. designed one of his typical organic architectures, a building which almost elides any borders between structure and surrounding landscape.

The new exhibition building Curiosity Center (1200 sq. m.) and the cafe (500 sq. m.) is designed to make the Outdoor Park accessible also in winter with new exhibition spaces and space for scientific experiments.

The buildings rise up from the ground and provide spaces which articulate the fusion of outdoor landscape and indoor exhibition. The endpoints of the buildings smear the line between building and park by offering inside-out spaces as display areas and projection surfaces related to the temporary exhibitions inside.

The unusual appearance of the building underlines the educational and innovative principles of Danfoss Universe and is designed to rouse interest in nature and science.

Scroll down for more pictures.

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Source: Spluch

If you’re in Tuscany in August, don’t miss Tuscan Sun Festival. Named one of the Ten Best Summer Arts Festivals in Europe, the festival is celebrating its fifth anniversary with most spectacular artistic array.

From classical music to food, art exhibitions and alternative medicine, the festival offers an unmissable spectrum of artistic programming at venues throughout the town. Italy’s beloved Sophia Loren will officially open the Festival during a gala concert in honor of her late husband, legendary film producer Carlo Ponti, on August 4.

The festival then features performances by the Belcea Quartet, Joshua Bell, Elina Garanca, Emmanuelle Haim, Angelika Kirchschlager, Nina Kotova, Viktoria Mullova, Anna Netrebko, Jean-Yves Thibaudet and many others.

In addition to the musical program, the festival will also be celebrating its fifth year with unique cookery and literary events, wine tastings, receptions, yoga sessions and art exhibitions.

With lots more on offer, this festival is sure to gather international interest from all quarters of the artistic world. The festival will run from August 4 to August 16.

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Source: Festivaldelsole

Your exploration of Odessa, Ukraine would not be complete without a visit to the maze of catacombs that lace their way under the city and its environment. The catacombs were dug out nearly 200 years ago during mining of building materials that were used to build the city.

The catacombs are particularly important to Odessa’s history, because during World War 2, nearly 2000 Russian partisans lived in these tunnels to hide from the Nazis.

The Odessa catacombs are much younger than catacombs in Rome or Paris, but much longer than both together. The size of Odessa catacombs is more than 2500 km. At present only 1700 km are studied. The average height is 1.5 - 3.5 m, width 2 - 4.5 m. The depth can reach 50 m below sea level.

The entrance is dressed up with giant stairs down from ground level and a wide open entrance, which soon dissolved into tiny narrow passageways and small yellow light bulbs every 50 ft or so lights up the way.

There is a small museum at the exit. The most prized item in the museum’s collection is a handwritten letter by Fidel Castro which he wrote for the catacombs during his visit here in 1986.

In summer, air temperature in Odessa is about 30 degrees C, so the underground walk through these catacombs is refreshing and chilly, as the temperature never grows higher than +14C.

Rumors persist that the occasional unaccompanied visitors have been lost in the tunnels never to be located. So, guided tours to catacombs are preferable. Hotels and local travel agencies also assist visitors in booking a tour of Odessa’s catacombs at a cost of 25 U.S. dollars.

Scroll down for more pictures of Odessa Catacombs.

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Source: Gadling

If you’re planning a break from work or a weekend away from the hustle and bustle of the world, Hambleton Hall is a sybaritic paradise. The location is unrivaled, standing in stately grandeur on a wooded hillock, surrounded by manicured lawns, surveying the expanse of Rutland Water. The hotel has luxurious interior.

Hambleton Hall is a small hotel with just seventeen rooms converted from a Victorian residence to a hotel in the late Seventies. The lakeside situation is what really sets the hotel apart, but every aspect is well executed, from the efficiency of the service to the elegance of the decor and especially the quality of the cuisine, overseen by Michelin-starred chef Aaron Patterson.

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The hotel has manicured gardens, tennis courts, and a swimming pool. The restaurant is a haven for foodies and wine lovers and the rooms combine comfort and style.

Exceptional service standards and warmth of welcome make Hambleton Hall a perfect destination for a relaxing and luxurious escape or an exploration of a charming unspoiled region.

Location: 2 miles E of Oakham on peninsula jutting into Rutland Water. The hotel has ample car parking.

Facilities: Sitting rooms, 3 dining rooms, bar, garden, swimming pool, and helipad.

Source: Telegraph

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Villa Bianca, Tuscany is a luxurious hotel that is perched on a hillside above Sicily’s most stylish resort, Taormina. It provides an excellent standard of accommodation to make your stay memorable and enjoyable.

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The hotel is surrounded by a large green park that has ancient trees as cypresses, pines and lime trees. There are 3 double bedrooms, open plan kitchen, living and dining area in the hotel. With traditional decor, the bedrooms are comfortable and relaxing. Also, there is a children pool, Jacuzzi area and an outdoor bar that remains open 24-hours.

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Just 100 meters away there is the clearest warm water anywhere in the Adriatic, for swimming, sailing, diving and fishing. Throw open your window for a breath of sea air and you’ll glimpse the beach and Mediterranean Sea or the mountains! You can rent the villa for a weekly. The charges start from $690.

Location: Loc. Piazzano C.S. 25, Tuoro sul Trasimeno

Source: Latimes

Known for Montenegro’s best beaches, Budva is the fastest growing tourist destination. Apart from its natural beauty, its bay islands and beaches, Budva is rich in historic monuments, architecture, its cultural heritage and night life.

Nestled in-between several large cliffs, Mogren is the most famous beach of Budva. Among other beaches are Ričardova glava, Pizana, Slovenska (Slav Beach), Guvance.

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Budva is a white-walled jewel that juts into the glass-clear Adriatic Sea, a dramatic entry point to the miles of beaches that stretch south toward the Albanian border.

Church Sv. Trojica, housing the tomb of the exquisite writer Stjepan Mitrov Ljubisa, the Churches of Sv. Ivan, Sv. Bogorodica and Sv. Sava are the famous buildings in Budva. Also, there are important historic and religious monuments such as Monasteries Stanjevici, Podostrog, Rezevici and Gradiste.

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Getting There:

By air: There are flights from New York to Podgorica, in between you’ll have to change planes in Europe. There are regular flights from Vienna. Montenegro Airlines also offers flights from Belgrade and other European cities. You can fly to Dubrovnik, in Croatia, and rent a car.

Stay at:

The Queen of Montenegro (Becici): Double rooms start between 55 euros and 110 euros per person, breakfast included.
Hotel Splendid (Becici): Double rooms start at 97 euros to 137 euros a person, breakfast included.

Hotel Marija: Doubles are 90 euros for two people, breakfast included.

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Eat at:

Konoba Jadran is a family-run local favorite, specializing in seafood.
Dolce Vita offers quiet seaside dining. Dinner with wine costs about 35 euros.
Masa is a fantastic place to grab a drink (3 to 5 euros) or dessert.

Budvu is amongst the most beautiful coasts in the world and its beauty will not leave you indifferent.

Source: The New York Times

It seems that UK is quite desperate to take away the title of the tallest building from Manchester’s Beetham Tower. There are plans to build the tallest commercial space on the waterfronts of Liverpool. Named The King Edward Tower, the £130m skyscraper will have the highest living spaces in the UK. The tower will have 54 stories with 412 apartments, 25,000 sq ft of commercial office space and 7,500 sq ft of retail and leisure space.

There will be penthouses on the 54th floor of the building. Also, there will be 6,000 sq ft rooftop bar/restaurant on the top of the tower. The construction of the tower is anticipated to begin in mid-2008 and it’ll take three years to complete.

Source: LuxuryLaunches

Products that enhance the feel of skin and the smell of the body have been highly valued in every culture. Today women have fragrance wardrobes of at least six different perfumes, rather than a single signature perfume. Do you know Grasse which is known as the perfume capital of the world is the medieval Provincial town associated with billion-dollar perfume industry.

Grasse is an ideal perfume producing place. Though it is very close to the fine sand beaches of Cannes, with their stifling heat in summer yet it enjoys a fresher climate all year round. The plentiful sunshine and mild temperatures make the town and surrounding areas ideal for flower growing, and thus ideal for the production of perfume.

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Molinard, Galimard, Salon des Parfums are the main perfumeries of Grasse. These are open to public all the year round and guided tours are also provided which lets the people watch the process of perfume manufacture, learn the history of Grasse’s importance in the industry and buy products in the on-site shops.

Fragonard is the famous historic centre that offers 35 fragrances. These products can be found in about 20 countries. Guided tours of the Fragonard’s factory floor in the old town are provided.

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There are three notes in which the fragrances are broken down. Bergamot or mandarin is the scent that is first detected and is the top note. Magnolia or jasmine is the heart note. Cedar and sandalwood, which can last up to 24 hours on the skin is the base note

At the end of the tour, visitors can go to the boutique, where the company’s fragrances are on display. Billet Doux, a floral eau de parfum is for about 45 euros. Les Naturelles eau de toilette (100 milliliters) is for 19 euros.

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Grasse is worth a visit if you wish to experience the wonderful fragrances hanging in the air during the summer months. So, next time you spray on some perfume, remember owe the luxury to the pioneering perfumers of Grasse.

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Source: The New York Times

Loud and obnoxious bars, sailors pulling up ropes, and ancient city streets are prominent characteristics of most of the Croatian cities. Although I haven’t heard of a lot of people who have goofed off to Croatia, it is definitely a great place to be checked out.

The period between April and September is ideal for visiting this part of the world. Zagreb is Croatia’s capital city and there are plenty of flights to Zagreb from Most European cities. These are mostly operated by Croatian airlines.

Where is Croatia?

Well, you are probably wondering by now where on earth is Croatia. This is a small country sandwiched between Slovenia and Bosnia as on the map. Also, you can see the weird shape of the country on the map above.
So much for location and how to get to Croatia.

What’s there to see?

Unlike other big countries, Croatia doesn’t really offer much. However, it does offer a few sandy beaches, and a cuisine without much variation. The most appealing thing about this part of the world is the tranquility and the awe inspiring natural beauty.

The tourists can be mostly found at Dubrovnik, Rovinj, and the town of Hvar. Along the Croatian coast are Zlatni Rat, and Vis. This is much different than California coastline. These are some very attractive and exotic names.

In the city of Dubrovnik are some old historic forts. These are very medieval in nature. I think this is a popular tourist destination. Whenever someone talks about Croatia, Dubrovnik comes up first during the conversation. The city offers a majestic palace turned to hotel for the visitors.

Besides these, there are hilltop vacation resorts/hotels where you can chill out with your significant other. Towns like Groznjan and Motovun are there to offer you unforgettable awesome vistas. These hilltop resorts are fully equipped with air conditioners, terraces and kitchens. Some also offer swimming pools and other entertainment facilities. A week in these villas would cost you pound 1,495.

Croatia is littered with diverse landscapes all over. Plitvice national park is kept hush hush. It is not that popular of a tourist destination yet. Awesome rock faces and astounding waterfalls offer great views to the tourists. This is a mecca for wildlife lovers. You can go on a guided tour for 12 pounds per adult.

The country’s tourism was put on hold for a while due to the war in 1990s. With Bosnia right next door, Croatia did suffer some loses from the war. Please be advised that parts of Croatia still have land mines buried under soil. I was quite shocked after I got this information. But, if you are traveling in popular tourist destinations, you shouldn’t have to worry about land mines.

So, after reading all this are you still thinking about visiting Croatia? Well, what’s stopping you. After all the famous literary figure George Bernard shaw rightly called this place a heaven on earth.

Image Credits: Webcarhire, Guardian , Friendlyplanet , Excursiononline