posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 23
In 1964, while the rest of Spain enjoyed the tourist boom, this secluded area in the north of Girona ?very close to France, the Pyrenees and the Mediterranean? lived on the farmlands and shepherding. Nothing foreboded what the offer addressed by the company Eurobrava to the Town Council was going to mean. The idea of creating this big marina, the largest in the world, was borrowed from the United States ?Miami, Florida. The objective was to build a large estate laid out in a grid pattern, equipped with navigable canals and a small airport.
Despite the initial reluctance, nowadays Empuriabrava takes up a surface area of over 503 hectares (three times the size of the original town) and it is equipped with 35 km of navigable canals and 7 wonderful Mediterranean beaches which, thanks to the excellent climate, are available most of the year.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 21
People have been drawn to the rugged coast of Maine throughout history. Awed by its beauty and diversity, early 20th-century visionaries donated the land that became Acadia National Park. The park is home to a number of plants and animals, and the tallest mountain on the U.S. Atlantic coast. Today visitors come to Acadia to hike granite peaks, bike historic carriage roads, or relax and enjoy the scenery.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 16
Without doubt however, the best thing about Seville is its people, who are open and falling over themselves to welcome visitors to the capital of Andalusia. With Seville, it?s usually love at first sight. One of the first stops in the city is the Cathedral, where visitors can go to top of the only remnant of the old mosque. The Giralda tower has weathered well down through the years and is still an impressive sight at over 100 metres in height. At the very top lies the Giraldillo, a small weathervane which lends its name to the structure on which it stands. During the reign of the Muslims, residents would perch on the back of a donkey to sound the bells. And it is a ramp and not stairs which sightseers must now ascend if they want to reach the tower?s summit.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 16
From its historical Old Quarter to the urban expansion area, every corner exhales a marked personality. If the founder of the town of Bilbao, Mr. Diego L?pez de Haro, could rise from his grave, he would probably not recognize that little early settlement that emerged around seven streets. This northern city has experienced such changes that have little or nothing to do with the industrial appearance it offered some years ago. The so-called
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jul 29
Some people come to Spain because of the weather and its beaches; others are influenced by the contribution to art of painters such as Goya, Picasso or Dal?, and there are some who are simply attracted to its nightlife. Whatever the reason may be, the truth is that each year Spain receives a total of 45 million visitors, which turns it into one of the most visited countries in the world. Among these visitors, there are those who take advantage of their stay to learn the language of Cervantes in the country where he was born.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Jul 29
Today at noon began the San Fermin festival with the famous chupinazo on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona, a tradition repeated every year.
The tradition of the San Fermin itself goes back to the 13th. or 14th. century.
The first bullrun through the streets of the old part of the city of Pamplona, Spain, will take place - as every year - at 8 am on July 7th and the last one will be at the same time on July 14th. Each bullrun lasts around 3 minutes, depending mainly on the weather conditions and also if all bulls arrive together at the bullring.
Was has been a religous festival in the initial years, has turned out nowadays to be a week full of music, dance, drink and bull running.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Jul 25
Mountain Hardwear Monkey - Softest fleece on the planet.
Theres fleece jackets and then theres the Mountain Hardwear Monkey fleece jacket. While run of the mill fleece is soft, warm, and comforatble; the Mountain Hardwear Monkey is ridiculasly soft, as warm as a sleeping bag, and just as comfortable. Combine such outstanding qualities with versatility and you have a bomber fleece jacket.
At first glance you will notice that the fleece on the Mountain Hardwear Monkey looks much different than other fleece jackets. The fleece on the Mountain Hardwear Monkey is a silky smooth, plush, Polartech fleece thats soft to say the least. The fleece is so silky smooth that you may just find yourself petting your arm while sitting around the camp fire.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Jul 21
At the moment you are enjoying your well deserved Costa Blanca holiday, after the fist couple of days in your holiday villa or apartment you might wonder, where to find a nice restaurant at the Costa Blanca ?
The first part of the evening you will have to search a nice restaurant, if you are in Altea, or if you want to visit this beautiful place, you will find some very nice restaurants.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money, there is a very nice restaurant at the first line of the beach in Altea called “Tutti Frutti”, you can gat a pizza, but I really would advice a very nice salad, served in an eatable bowl, the menus are good priced and very nice. From the terrace you can overlook the Mediterranean, which will provide you with a nice cool breeze.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Jun 21
Lincoln City
I was born on the Oregon Coast, and as a family we try to visit at least every two years. I don’t have any family left there, but I still get a thrill when we drive the last few miles into Lincoln City and catch our first glimpse of the Pacific Ocean. Although my family moved away when I was just 6 months old, every return feels like a homecoming of sorts. Of course, there are a few things we must do every visit - I would be heartbroken if we skipped them, and oh yeah, the kids would too!
Mo’s Restaurant is a MUST. I hate fish, never have liked it - but when we’re on vacation in Oregon, I eat it like crazy. Mo’s has the BEST clam chowder - and I don’t like clam chowder - at all! Yes there are a lot of tourists, and you usually have to wait in line, but I’ve never said “Ugh, I’m sick of this” and we eat there almost daily the 2 weeks we’re on the coast. Mo’s has locations in Florence, Otter Rock, Newport (2 locations), Lincoln City and Cannon Beach. You can also order their chowder base online, which we do every New Years. They ship it in dry ice via FedEx Overnight and it’s TOTALLY worth it!
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posted by Charles H. Russo on May 31
Our final trip with the 2007 Dartmouth Ski Team was a special one for the athletes, coaches, and administrators who have dedicated so much to the ski team in particular and Dartmouth Athletics in general. At the White House on June 18, President George W. Bush honored 27 of this year’s NCAA Division-1 national championship teams-of which we were one-in an afternoon-long celebration that included a tour of the White House, a personal meeting with President Bush, and Presidential remarks delivered on the South Lawn.
Having gone our separate ways after winning the ski championship, we arrived at Washington’s Hotel Sofitel from all corners of the country-some from Hanover, others from Colorado and Texas, myself from New York City where I’m spending the summer on an internship. Having the team together was pleasant reunion because end-of-term finals and graduation rarely allow much time to say goodbye to so a number of of the people that influenced our lives at Dartmouth.
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