A visit to France can be more exciting for travelers if they will try out any of the menu that are exclusive to a specific area. Most of the regional menus in France are specialty foods fresh from the regional market.

Entree that is exclusive to a certain section is known as country cuisine. The secret procedure for cooking these kind of dishes lies on the selective use of local recipes as well as ancient methods which have long been concealed.

In addition, travelers will likewise encounter the nouvelle cuisine or new entrees. This kind of menu resulted from the diet and health consciousness of the community of France and other countries during the 70s and 80s. During this period, community showed a great interest in the kind of entree they eat. Moreover, this brand of menu was served in small amounts with a little bit of sauce. The impetus in such brand of entree is to emphasize its natural ingredients and color.

Moreover, the community of France also specialize in home-made menus. In general, this kind of menus are served in premier eateries, so, it is unlikely for tourists to savor it unless they have the budget. In general, these kind of food requires excellent presentation.

Finally, travelers do not need to go to Paris in order to enjoy an exquisite French entree. There are a few eateries in the varied provinces, which offer them. In these sectors, the recipes are cooked in full view of the traveler. Most of these eateries are family businesses who make a living out of choosing top-notch recipes at an affordable price.

Original post by Traveler and software by Elliott Back

by Paul la Vella

Houses and ski apartments in Andorra, second only to Monaco in popularity among Europe’s tax havens, have risen consistently over the last decade by an average of ten per cent a year, and in the last two years by over fifteen per cent.

But a lack of snow and tourists in December and January has stopped the rise in its tracks, according to Andorra property companies.

‘We normally seen an influx of buyers from the first week of December through to mid April who want to buy ski apartments, but it has been very slow this year,’ they comment, adding ‘It’s been an unusual ski season as there was next to no snow between December and mid January. A lot of tourists, some of whom end up buying a property in Andorra, delayed their visit or went elsewhere.’

Andorra has unusually high demand for property as there are three streams of buyers:
An active local market, international buyers looking for residency in a tax haven that offers residents a zero rated tax rate, and second home buyers looking for Andorra skiing holiday property.

And it is the second home buyers, mainly for ski properties, that has seen the Andorra property market stopped in its tracks - for six weeks at least.

One of the highest rises in recent years was the 19 per cent increase in property values in 2005, with the 2006 increase expected to be not far behind at around 15 per cent.

Andorra Real Estate

As well as being a top ski destination, Andorra is also a tax haven, with many people moving to the country to benefit from her income tax free status.

Buying a property in Andorra is often seen as a route to residency, which entitles people to live in Andorra and benefit from her tax haven status.

To obtain residency in Andorra, applications need to be submitted in Catalan. A notarised copy of the applicants passport, birth certificate and a certificate of good conduct from the home country are submitted at the same time. According to a local travel guide residency normally takes between three and six months to be approved.

Once residency is granted, residents are supposed to spend six months a year in Andorra, but this isn’t policed.

One of the drawbacks for those looking to become a resident in a tax haven when considering Andorra has been that the country has no airport of its own, and is unlikely to have ine future given that it is located in the Pyrenees. The nearest airports are Barcelona and Toulouse.
Recent improvements in the road from Barcelona to Andorra though have cut the travelling time by some thirty minutes to two hours fifteen minutes.

‘Given the tax advantages Andorra has’, note the Andorra guide, ‘A two and a quarter hour trip to the nearest international airport could be viewed as a small price to pay for those who will be saving substantial amounts of money in tax.’

About the Author
YourAndorra is a travel guide for Andorra, and includes hotels in Andorra, the ski resorts, late deals for Andorra holidays , a map, how to get to Andorra, and the latest Andorra weather

Original post by Larry and software by Elliott Back

There are so many things happening in town this June! Here are some of the major ones:

Grand Prix on the "Main" - 7-9 June. Boulevard St. Laurent. Check out racing cars both old and new as well as people-watching from one of the numerous open-air terraces. Gets a bit tricky with strollers as the crowds can be quite big in places, but it's great fun!

National Circus School Annual Show - 7 to 17 June. Tel: 514-376-8648 or toll free: 1-888-376-8648. Tickets between $21 and $25.

"Main" Madness - 14-17 June. Boulevard St. Laurent. Huge street festival. Again, gets crowded, especially during the evenings and weekend.

Les Bouquinistes du Saint Laurent - 15 June to 9 July. Old Port of Montreal. Old and new books for sale by the river, along with music and entertainment, something for the whole family.

Festival Eureka - Science Festival at the Montreal Science Centre in the Old Port of Montreal - 15/16/17 June. Includes 80 free activities.

Step Up for the Children - Saturday 16 June. Sponsored walk - Parc Jean Drapeau on Ile Ste. Helene. Details at 514-841-5881 or stepup@standardlife.ca .

International Fireworks Festival - From 20 June to 28 July. La Ronde, Ile Ste. Helene. 10pm rain or shine. First country - Spain on 20 June - England on 27 June.

Lively Sunday at Maison St-Gabriel - 24 June to 2 September. 2146 Place Dublin. Open every Sunday from 11am to 5pm. Special activies, music and entertainment for all.

Montreal Jazz Festival - 28 June to 8 July. Plenty of free outdoor concerts to choose from. Indoor concert tickets available online ($).

Cultural Rendezvous - 30 June to 1 July. Pointe-à-Callière Museum, Old Montreal. Music, dancing, parades, demonstrations and tastings from around the world!

Original post by lisak and software by Elliott Back

Simple fastening mechanisms such as zippers and Velcro strips are commonly taken for granted as they are present in almost all kinds of clothing– from blouses to skirts and pants. But without the formation of the Velcro strips, voguish items such as sneakers and jackets would not be the same. Unknown to many, the character behind this brilliant idea that has shaped the world of fashion and garments is a Swiss engineer named George de Mestral. His invention is now used in a lot of items such as wallets, jackets, wristwatches, and other important things.

Today, a company founded by two Swiss brothers — Art and Earnest Brunner, which is the K-Swiss Inc., is capitalizing on Velcro strips as chief features of their products. The K-Swiss company, which was founded in 1966, is now one of the world’s leading manufacturer of tennis shoes and other grades of sneakers and rubber shoes, and is the best when it comes to sports wear trends. Just like Nike and Adidas, K-Swiss has numerous branches around the world and its rubber shoes are still considered as one of the most hippest sports shoes by world-class athletes. Even in the ever-changing and intriguing world of fashion, sneakers by K-Swiss are surely making a comeback.

Original post by Traveler and software by Elliott Back

Being self-confessed shoe addicts, me and my companion each recently bought a Manolo Blahnik original during a journey to Europe. Even though it’s not soothing to wear stiletto hills, I decided to satiate myself to a Blahnik original on my birthday. The pair that I chose was a very strappy and enchanting footwear with intricate details made of vibrant and shiny beads. I was so enraptured with the craftsmanship behind the amazing pair that I did a little research on how Manolo Blahnik, a noted Spanish shoe designer, creates each masterpiece. I learned from my companion that the unconventional designer Manolo Blahnik was actually born and raised in the Canary Islands but is now based in London and France.

In order to get an original Manolo Blahnik pair, one has to go to select stores in the US or visit his two branches in France or in London because he refuses to extend his business or provide other branches in different countries. His sister and her American partner handle the business side of the company, but for the actual design and making process, Blahnik works alone, with no workers or apprentices. He puts every inch of his being when he creates a pair of shoes, making each pair a sophisticated masterpiece worthy of its reputation as the ultimate symbol of haute couture shoes.

Original post by Traveler and software by Elliott Back

I was auspicious enough to see a fashion show produced by Polina Raygorodskaya during a recent journey to Moscow. The show was a smashing hit, complete with fantastic lighting effects and good-looking models parading in unique designs. The designers featured were also very trendy and innovative. My first thoughts when I heard the phrase “Russian Fashion” were good-looking women in long, woolly coats and lovely fur hats with matching felt boots. But Polina’s fashion show undeniably proved me wrong because the show featured statuesque models in trendy and racy outfits.

The brains behind the fantastic production is actually a Russian-born model and entrepreneur who had conquered the fashion catwalks not only because of her lovely figure but also as the owner of her own fashion production company. Considered as a Russian fashion icon, her enthralling images can be seen in a number of magazines such as “FHM” and “Stuff.” At the tender age of nineteen, she has already produced several noteworthy fashion shows in Russia and abroad, proving the management potential of this stunning 5′9 Russian beauty. Polina has also worked with several modern fashion designers and other models, and has indeed done her part to endorse Russian fashion around the world.

Original post by Traveler and software by Elliott Back

The world of fashion and celebrities are often blurred together, suggesting that the most voguish people are the wealthy and the famous. The media’s obsession with celebrity fashion has undeniably reached new heights because while walking along the beautiful streets of Paris, I noticed that some of the locals are strutting the cat-walk like avenues with colorful bags. When I looked closer, the theme of the bag was propelled by magazine covers featuring pictures of celebrities doing their shopping. When I asked my companion about this new fashion fad, she said that a French fashion label “Morgan” has released a new trendy product — colorful shopping bags inspired by magazine covers with photos of celebrities. These rectangular shaped bags are roomy enough for all your shopping needs and the colorful design is undeniably eye-catching. In order for me and my companion to get our hands on this funny and pretty tote bag, we had to buy a pair of jeans from the Morgan fashion store. After numerous hours of choosing and marveling at the magnificent creations inside the clothing store, we were able to get a magazine cover-inspired shopping bag. I and my companion enjoyed the rest of the day shopping for other trendy accessories while flaunting our newly-acquired tote bags.

Original post by Traveler and software by Elliott Back

The world of fashion and celebrities are often blurred together, suggesting that the most chic people are the opulent and the famous. The media’s obsession with celebrity fashion has surely reached new heights because while walking along the lovely streets of Paris, I noticed that some of the locals are strutting the cat-walk like avenues with colorful bags. When I looked closer, the motif of the bag was motivated by magazine covers featuring pictures of celebrities doing their shopping. When I asked my pal about this new fashion craze, she said that a French fashion label “Morgan” has released a new trendy product — colorful shopping bags inspired by magazine covers with photos of celebrities. These rectangular shaped bags are commodious enough for all your shopping needs and the colorful design is surely eye-catching. In order for me and my pal to get our hands on this funny and delightful tote bag, we had to buy a pair of jeans from the Morgan fashion store. After a number of hours of choosing and marveling at the astonishing creations inside the clothing store, we were able to get a magazine cover-inspired shopping bag. I and my pal enjoyed the rest of the day shopping for other stylish accessories while flaunting our newly-acquired tote bags.

Original post by Traveler and software by Elliott Back

Last night, we went to karaoke…. Const and I sung “California Love” (Tupac); he did “Hungry Like the Wolf”; and I did “New York State of Mind.” I started singing out of key at first, and freaked–it was like Cameron Diaz in My Best Friend’s Wedding. Then, I started singing it an octave lower than Billy Joel, and I was all good.

The night was a lot of fun, though Const and I were confronted by someone who might have outdone the two California boys. We walked into the place, and this guy immediately walked up–and American who lives in Athens now–and said “You boys like country music? Good, cuz I’m ’bout to sing some!” We were then asked if we’d ever been to a Greek strip club (”no”)… an American strip club? (”no”)… his response to that was amusingly homophobic. And then he said, “Well, you boys should come later. They let you touch in Greece… in fact, they demand it!” We said “sure,” knowing that this guy was way too drunk to remember the conversation 5 minutes later. We were right. He ended up being rather hilarious. In the midst of our group doing all kinds up upbeat numbers, he’d come up and sing an old country ballad while drinking a beer and smoking a cigarrette in the same hand.

Because we went out last night, I explored Athens today instead of going to Delphi. Tomorrow, my last day, will be my Delphi day trip.

So, I saw the Archaeological Museum and a couple of the statues knocked me out… they felt even bigger than they actually were. I would have taken photos, but they were all pieces that are in every text book with the word Greek on the cover, so I decided I didn’t need to take stinky pictures.

Then, I wandered around, finally getting my bearings around the city. I ended up in the Plaka, where I bought presents for myself:

- 2 cheap bracelets as a daily reminder of this very awesome trip!
- A backgammon/chess board with REALLY NICE chess pieces (bronze ones that look like miniature god sculptures). That was 40 EU altogether. I almost got an even nicer board, but they just got SO pricey all of a sudden. The chess pieces and the mere act of playing backgammon is reminder enough of the Greek culture, I think.

I must go take a nap now. Small dinner and early sleep tonight so that I make the bus to Delphi early in the morn’.

See everyone back in NYC SOON! I am excited to get back… it’s been an exhausting 3 weeks.

-Gogo

Original post by Gogo and software by Elliott Back

Coober Pedy is the opal capital of the world and an 8 hour bus journey from Alice Springs. Apart from the opals, the interesting thing about Coober Pedy is that many inhabitants live underground in dugouts. The hostel we’re staying in is 6m underground!

It’s quite an isolated place - halfway between Alice Springs and Adelaide - in the middle of a desert. The landscape around the town is dotted with 1.5 million holes in the ground and a similar number of piles of excavated dirt from the mines. It’s so other-worldly that even an abandoned spaceship doesn’t look out of place!

We toured an old opal mine and underground home and went out on a star gazing expedition. Out in the middle of the desert the stars are much more visible than in town where the light pollution is higher. Unfortunately the moon and patchy cloud hid some of the fainter constellations - but we did get a couple of close up pictures of the moon through the telescope.

While we were in the tourist info office, we got the offer of a lift into the Breakaway hills near Coober Pedy from a retired couple called Bob & Diane. We took up their offer with our usual gratitude and also got a glimpse of the world’s longest dog fence (over 5000kms long end to end). They are bringing the frog with them to photograph at all the scenic lookouts they stop at.

Just before we left, we tried to get a look at the underground church, but apparently the priest was away exploring the nearby wilderness (reminds me of uncle Fr Paul).

Original post by Iff and software by Elliott Back