An Introduction to Places to Stay in Northern Spain and Galicia

An Introduction to Places to Stay in Northern Spain and Galicia
Author: Scott James

All forms of tourist accommodation can be found in Galicia and Northern Spain. Accommodation can be found that will fit all forms of budgets and even the most particular tourists will find something to suit their particular needs.
If it is luxury that you are after then the best advice should be to head straight for the exclusive hotels and “Paradors” but to be honest even the basic family “casas rurales” are extremely good value for money. The region is dotted with mountain refuges with stunning views not to mention that in the coastal areas you can find quite a few campsites.

The standard of accommodation in the area is extremely high as you would expect from Galicia and Northern Spain. The categorisation for the hotels is awarded on a star system and these are allocated by the regional tourist authorities. If you need actual visible proof of the standard of your hotel you can find confirmation indicated by a small blue plaque near the hotel front door.
You can usually find en-suite bathrooms or at least a shower in each Hotel bedroom. Do not expect to find en-suite facilities in the smaller Hostels and “Pensiones” but you might be surprised in certain cases.

Don't equate the number of stars on the outside door of the hotel to necessarily match the standards of the accommodation that is on offer and this is because in Spain the stars are allocated on the facilities on offer not necessarily the quality of the service. The more exclusive hotels offer all kinds of extra facilities, such as air conditioning, on-site parking, internet-access and rooms with televisions as well as facilities for the disabled.

The cost of accommodation as in most cases varies from season to season therefore it is wise to plan in advance. A popular option available in all of the autonomous regions of northern Spain are hostels (hostales) and guest houses (pensiones) which are cheaper than hotels. These are usually establishments that can only offer a few beds and by and large are family-run.

There are in excess of 1,500 hotels with a total of 92,000 beds registered in the territory of “Green Spain” -- the Atlantic regions of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque country.

Grupo Sol-Melia and NH are the biggest chain of hotels in the area. Their facilities are of a high standard and include internet-access amongst other features. Latterly there have been a growing number of smaller privately run hotels that offer memorable relaxing accommodation available.

In Spain they have dotted throughout the country a series of state run hotels that are known as Paradors. These are classified from between three to five stars. The first Parador opened in 1928 and there is now quite a comprehensive network throughout the country. The theory behind them was that they should never be more than a day's drive from one to another. In Santiago de Compostela you can find possibly the best known Parador in the area and this is the Parador de los Reyes Catolicos. Other Paradors can be found in Castles, Monasteries and various other monuments’. You will quite often find that there are a growing number of purpose built Paradors and these can quite often be found in either towns of historic interest or areas of spectacular scenery.

The local Parador might not be best hotel in town but it will usually deliver a predictably consistent standard of comfort. The standard from each Parador to Parador very rarely varies with comfortable spacious bedrooms to be found throughout. Some also offer fine regional cuisine. It is usually wise to plan ahead and book your accommodation if you wish to use the network of Paradors. Bookings can be made either using the Central de Reservas which is a centrally based service based in Madrid or you can contact each Parador direct. Rates can be expensive it is worth looking for special deals especially in the high season but to be brutally honest this has to be the same anywhere you go.

Making your Trip to Niagara Falls an Affordable One

Making your Trip to Niagara Falls an Affordable One
Author: Colin Trentroy

The summer months are the busiest time to visit the great Niagara Falls. Toursists from all over the world flock to the city and fall in that inevitable trap of paying for overpriced meals, accommodations and parking. With my help, you will be able to pull this off with half your money still in your pocket when you return home.

AccommodationsMost major hotels will range from $200-$700 per night between the months of May and August. Even the smaller hotels and motels charge between $100 and $300 per night. Do not get a room with a view of the falls. It’s completely free to stand at the falls and admire it, but many people do not know this, so they ensure their room can see it. The cost for a room with a falls view is through the roof. Stay further away from the falls and drive down to see it. Another option would be student housing. In the summer months, many student homes sit empty and the landlords are more than happy to rent them for a couple of days, since they are not making anything on them anyways. A good start would be Niagararents. If you enjoy camping, bring a tent and go west on Lundy’s Lane or South on Stanley Ave.

MealsIf you’re planning on eating a meal near the falls, plan on using your credit card or carry lots of cash. An average meal for two will cost you between $80 and $100, and that’s not including tips and alcohol. Take a five minute drive west on Lundy’s Lane. There are several restaurants at affordable prices including Swiss Chalet, Mick & Angelo’s and Falls Manor, just to name a few.

ParkingAll most all the hotels will charge you parking, even as a guest. Parking charges range between $10 and $25 per night. Even when you drive down to see the falls for free, they will charge you for parking. The best thing to do is to find a parking lot that charges about $5 for the entire day. They do exist but are about a 10-15 minute walk to the falls. There is a few located on Ellen Ave. near Clifton hill and a couple on Stanley Ave, in the Fallsview District.

It is possible to save money in Niagara Falls, it just takes some time and research. Don’t be afraid to ask questions when calling around and remember, if it sounds fishy then move on.

Secrets of Spanish Coffee

Secrets of Spanish Coffee
Author: Iain Macdonald

The Spanish love their coffee and it is as much a part of everyday life as tapas or wine. A normal day for any typical Spaniard will always begin with a coffee served with hot milk. Similarly the day ends after the evening meal with a strong espresso style coffee served in a tiny glass or cup with lots of sugar. Throughout the day more cups will be consumed served in a variety of different ways in a range of different sized glasses or cups.

Few countries can equal the variety and quality of the Spanish coffee and the secret to this is primarily in the bean. Spanish coffee is roasted and blended in a unique way resulting in a robust, smooth, full bodied cup every time.

Excellent quality raw beans are always used and the two main blends produced are natural and mezcla, the latter being the hallmark of Spanish coffee. Mezcla blends are a result of the ‘torrefacto’ process which means that a small proportion of the raw beans, usually about 20% - 30% are ‘sugar sprayed’ with a fine mist of sugar before roasting. The glazed beans are then added to the other beans and slowly roasted where the sugar is burnt off leaving a dark roasted bean with a hint of caramel to create a deep rich coffee without any hint of bitterness. The beans are then used whole, or ground exceptionally fine as is always the case with Spanish ground coffees.

Once the beans are roasted and ground there are a variety of different blends to choose from for use in the home ranging from 20/80% torrefacto / natural blends, to 50/50% and 100% blends, each with their own unique taste.

The roasting of the beans and the blending is only just the beginning however. There is no better way to experience the true beauty of Spanish coffee than to sit a while in a traditional Spanish bar, take in the atmosphere, experience the aromas and try a real cup of Spanish coffee for yourself which is always freshly made and piping hot.Such is the social institution of coffee drinking in Spain, you can almost never go into a bar and ask for only a coffee as there are so many ways to drink it and each serving seems to have a style of glass all on its own.

Café solo is the basis for all Spanish coffees. It is a small strong black coffee served in a small glass, popular at around 11am when workers come into bars for the main breakfast of the day.If you like black coffee and feel the solo may be a bit too strong, then try a café Americano which although not traditionally Spanish, is similar to a café solo but served in a larger glass or cup with a bit more water.

Café con leche is the next most popular way to drink coffee, especially as the first cup of the day. It is half café solo and half hot milk and can be served in a small glass or a tall thin glass.

The best thing about having coffee this way is watching them make it in Spanish bars where the milk is poured into a small metal jug and rapidly heated to a lovely froth with the steam from the espresso machine.

Another variation on the coffee with milk is a café cortado, in this case a strong black coffee with only a drop of milk.

Café sombra or manchado is also coffee with milk but this time largely milk with only a dash of coffee. The names sombra and manchado mean shade and stained respectively and signifies the milk is shaded or stained with only a small amount of coffee.

A truly delightful Spanish coffee is the café carajillo and if you watch it being served correctly, it is a pleasure in itself. A very small glass is used and into it goes a dash of brandy with a small glass of café solo waiting. The bartender then sets fire to the brandy and with a teaspoon, spoons the brandy slowly up out of the glass before letting it drop back down again and this is repeated for a minute or so. When the alcohol has sufficiently burned off, the café solo is poured into the glass resulting in a perfect morning tipple especially on cold days.The more rustic variety of this is regularly seen most mornings in bars where a café solo is served with a dash of brandy, aniseed, rum or whisky and more fashionably, Baileys, Crema Catalana or a cream rum liqueur. There is, however nothing quite like a proper café carajillo which must be tried at least once in your lifetime.

For those with a sweet tooth there is a type of café con leche called a café bombon which is a small glass of condensed milk into which a café solo is slowly poured. The drink remains separated half black and half white until it is mixed, lovely to look at and deliciously satisfying but not so good for the teeth!

During the summer months there is of course the iced coffee or café con hielo. The proper way to drink this is to have a café solo or café con leche whichever you prefer, and a tall glass filled with ice cubes on the side. You should pour your coffee over the ice to drink it the Spanish way.

For me the true beauty of Spanish coffee is that whichever way you drink it at whatever time of the day, you are always guaranteed to experience a great cup of coffee. It is not important where you drink your coffee, indeed the most rustic and world worn Spanish bars will often serve the best coffee. Coffee is part of the fabric of life in Spain and everyone from the poorest farmer to the wealthiest land owners have a right to enjoy a good quality coffee at a reasonable price and so do you and I!

Whats The Future Of Air Travel?

Whats The Future Of Air Travel?
By: Auckland Semper Jr

Air travel is great when it works, when it doesn't, it's a nightmare. It is safe for infants, even newborns and no matter where you're going, it seems air travel is an essential part of your trip. One reason why there is such fast growth is that air travel was under-priced until higher fuel prices came along but yet demand for air travel is at its highest levels since 9/11. It is governed by International, European and Domestic legislation and even private corporate air travel is now accessible. Traveling by air is the fastest way to travel but it is still very tiresome but is frequently the most practical method of covering the large distances between sights around the world. A century after the very first flight, air travel is no longer a miracle, it's something we all now take for granted. Commercial air travel is a comfortable, speedy and a safe means of transport like buses in the sky.

This pattern is not seen for all airlines in all regions. Aloha Airlines received the fewest complaints for any airlines recently. Different airlines have different policies but they all make them as safe and profitable as possible. When it comes to prices now a days, the best deals are offered by Aeroflot, Quantas Airlines, Japan Airlines and Southwest Airlines. More and more airlines are cutting out a lot of their business class air travel and sticking with just coach and first class flights because business travel is way down. Some airlines are better than others at providing a quality air travel experience but there are so many flights to chose from. That's why the member airlines of the Air Transport Association have set forth their commitment to improving air travel and making it as safe as can be.

With the geography of aviation and airports, air travel is a fascinating subject since it involves the immediate movement of people around the globe. Canada's new government announces increased security measures for airports and air travel. European airports are handling the second largest air travel market in the world and are talking positively about their future. Whether on a domestic or a multinational trip, airports really can save you money. All airports in the United States are certainly focused on optimizing safety because millions of people are moving through our airports every day of the week.

Be smart while you travel: Make sure you follow travel safety tips while you are on your trip.The Airport Authority always offers tips for travelers and you should always follow them for smooth traveling.

Air travel is still growing and the key to successful air travel is planning, preparation and communication because it is such big business and can easily become a nightmare.

Happy Traveling

Auckland Semper Jr loves and studies Traveling since 1993. He loves doing research to contribute to ezines,newsletters and websites.You are more than welcome to use his articles as long as a link to his website is provided that search engines can follow.For more information about Air Travel visit http://www.infoairtravel.com

Finding Cheap Flights Hong Kong Is Easy

Finding Cheap Flights Hong Kong Is Easy
By: Jarl Jacobsen

With cheap flights Hong Kong, you will be getting more than just a flight. You will be able to get anything that you need from this company. You can bet that you will be happy with the choice that you made in getting your cheap flight Hong Kong. You can be sure that you can afford the tickets and also enjoy the time that you have while on the flight too.

Getting out into the world is not always easy because you might have to take an airplane. This is something that is not for everyone because they are not sure about the quality of service they will get. With the right airline and the right service, they will have the best time and get a good price that they can feel good about.

Finding cheap flights Hong Kong is easy. All you have to do is go online and find the place that you want to go. You will be able to afford the tickets and find the perfect time and day that you want to go. You will not have to wait and you will be impressed with the high standards of quality that you will receive. There is no better way to get to a destination that you want to go.

Finding out about a great deal is something to get excited about. You can feel good about your decision to make this your place of travel. You will have the value that you are looking for as well as the package that you can feel good. There is no reason to try any other airline company when you are getting what you need with cheap flights Hong Kong.

There are other things that you can get with the cheap flights Hong Kong. You will get good deals on car rentals and hotel rooms as well. There is nothing that you have to feel bad about when you are looking on cheap flights Hong Kong. There is nothing else that you will have to do to get a great flight.

You can take the family on a great flight with this airline as well. You will not have to worry about anything when you are with them. You can relax and feel good about traveling with people that care about you and your family. You will have no worries when it comes to flying with the professional and trustworthy skills those cheap flights Hong Kong has for you.

Your Guide to Travel Safety

Your Guide to Travel Safety

Author: chris rowlands

I’m sure the last thing on your mind when you’re caught up in the excitement of an ensuing holiday is your personal safety or security. That is of course unless you’re travelling to a war zone; let’s hope for your sake that this doesn’t turn out to be the case.

Of course whatever your destination you should always review the level of security needed. This doesn’t just include finding resort and/or country information, but involves many other factors such as; political status, risk of natural disaster and social and economic variances.

We are becoming increasingly aware of the need for travel insurance whilst taking our holidays, but we still have a long way to go when it comes to our travel security arrangements. Many of us are aware that we should check the current climate in both a meteorological and political sense, finding this information however can be a daunting task.

You may find even when travelling to the most tourist friendly resort that factors beyond your control can change, such as in the event of an earthquake or a military coup. You need only cast your mind back to September of last year to be reminded of the military coup in Thailand which resulted in the formation of a new government. Should this be the case in your circumstances, you may find yourself needing to either cancel your holiday or make provision to return home early.

You should ensure you have any emergency numbers necessary before you travel, including those of the British embassy and your travel insurance emergency line. Giving relatives a contact number for the accommodation you will be staying at is also a good idea. It is worth noting that some internet travel security websites offer 24 hour emergency contact giving you access to practical assistance should you lose your passport, suffer a natural disaster or fall foul of any other emergency.

Usually this type of service can offer you help and advice on many aspects of safety abroad

and provide you with fully researched destination reports including much relevant and crucial information.

and provide you with fully researched destination reports including much relevant and crucial information.

New Airport Boost for Andorra

New Airport Boost for Andorra
Author: Roger Munns

Once a poor European country with no real economy, Andorra has been transformed in the past forty years to a vibrant independent State, sought after by the wealthy for her tax haven status, and skiers for her ski runs that match the best in Europe for facilities and ski holidays infrastructure.

The one drawback that Andorra has had is the distance from a major airport, two and a half hours drive to Barcelona in Spain or Toulouse in France, with some ski holidays starting with a night in one of the hotels in Barcelona before setting off for Andorra.

But that is set to change with agreement for an aiport to be built just fifteen minutes drive from the Spanish / Andorra border.

As well as the extra ski tourists the new airport will impact Andorra as a tax haven. Andorra and the more famous Monaco are Europe's leading tax havens, with residents enjoying the benefit of no income tax. Property prices in Andorra are less than a third of the price of Monaco's.

Commenting on the new airport, Andorra estate agents who specialise in Andorra property for sale thinks that the prices of Andorra properties will rise.

'At the moment Monaco has the advantage of being ten minutes away from an international airport by helicopter, while Andorra is over two hours. With that advantage gone we anticipate more people considering a tax haven will consider Andorra, with a resulting appreciation in property prices.'

Property in Andorra has risen an average of ten per cent a year in recent years, with three streams of buyers - the local market, buyers for ski holiday homes who are often on a Crystal Ski holiday and like Andorra enough to buy a holiday home, plus those looking for a tax haven.

The airport is to be located in Seu d'Urgell, and the first flights are anticipated to be in 2010 or 2011, with a runway of 4,500 feet - not long enough for some medium range aircraft, and it is likely that most commercial airlines using the airport will be 60 to 80 seaters, plus private jets much favoured by the wealthy who might now consider Andorra as a viable tax haven.

As well as being welcomed by the property business in Andorra, a new airport has been greeted enthusiastically by the skiing industry.

The country has upgraded facilities in recent years, and often competes as a top ski destination in Europe, with well known ski companies like Crystal ski operating holidays for the British market.

In recent years the number of tourists for the Andorra ski holiday season has topped ten million visitors, and the ski industry is an important part of the country's economy, with the government investing in new infrastructure to help tempt visitors back for skiing for repeat visits.

But last year was the worst season for decades as the snow, which normally falls from end October, didn't arrive until mid March, and the first drop in the number of ski holidays in Andorra being sold by British and other European travel agents dropped from the previous ski season for some years.

The new airport cutting travelling time from the UK, one of the Andorra ski holiday's main markets, could boost the occupancy levels of Andorra hotels significantly.

'When people are considering a ski holiday in Andorra', comment one travel guide, 'At the moment to reach Soldeu, one of Andorra top ski villages, it's two and a half hours from Barcelona to the capital la Vella, and then another twenty minutes on top of that - nearly a three hour trip after a flight. Cutting down resort arrival time from three to one hour will be enough to influence some people's decision on where to visit.'

Recent investment by the government has reached several million Euros designed to keep the country in line with other European winter destinations, and intended to make Andorra a natural choice for the ski and snowboard fraternity, the addition of an airport close to her border could help ensure that.

All that is needed now is a good level of snow in the years to come.

The Travellers Temperature Tips

The Travellers Temperature Tips

By: Wacek Kijewski

Many businessmen, tourists from the USA and UK are going to travel to the countries that use SI system. The base SI unit of temperature used in science is the Kelvin but a change of 1 K is the same as 1 degree of the popular metric unit, the degree Celsius, so both units are used in parallel.

In 1742, a Swedish astronomer, Anders Celsius designed a temperature scale from 0 to 100. The lowest, cold end (0), he affixed for the temperature at which water freezes and the highest (100) for the temperature at which water boils. This scale, known as the centigrade scale became widely spread.To honour Celsius, in 1948, the centigrade was named the degree Celsius. Until the 1970, English speaking countries used the Fahrenheit temperature scale based on affixing 32 for the freezing point of water and 212 for the boiling point of water with the difference between both ends divided into 180 parts (degrees Fahrenheit).

However, due to a convenient, easy to grasp in - every - day – life, the Celsius scale gained popularity and now is commonly used in every country of the world with two prominent exceptions: USA and UK! However, the differences between magnitudes of these two units produce headaches for housewives, students, technicians, travellers on both sides of the divide. “Have I set the temperature of my oven correctly?”. “ My body temperature is 37.8 ºC. Should I go to a doctor?”. “I am travelling to Cracow... CNN reports that temperature there, at present, is – 19 ºC; how should I dress?”

An so on...Very often the problem is to change correctly the degrees Fahrenheit to the degrees Celsius or vice versa, especially when faced with urgency. With help comes the Internet. According to one search engine only in April this year about 50 000 people in the world turned to the Internet for help to convert either the degrees Fahrenheit to the degrees Celsius or vice versa. Oh, I wish 10% of them found my book in every coming month! And then...10% turned into buyers! (...Wacek, stop dreaming! For only these two keywords you want to get a fat salary! Please continue!). OK, then, something easy to remember during your trip:

temp. in ºC
0 .......................freezing point of water1
8 - 22 ..............pleasant outdoor temperature
23 - 24...............room temperature, the best for brain
26 - 27...............pleasant beach temperature
28 - 29...............hot
30 and above.......very hot, temperature stress
36.3 – 36.8 ........my body temperature during a dayabove
37.1..........your body requires attentionabove
38.5..........your body requires urgent attentionabove
45 .............most of organisms do not survive
100......................boiling temperature of water
160 – 220.............typical baking temperature range

To change to your familiar Fahrenheit degrees:

1) multiply by 2 (eeeasy!)
2) subtract 10% (or 1/10) of the result (eeeasy!)
3) add 32. Easy, but you need to memorize the number “32”!How to help your memory? Say, you correlate it to your age, a certain event: “when he was 32” or AD 32 crucifixion of Jesus; the possibilities are endless. I memorize: “I need to add the next higher number than the highest number of days in a month, i.e. 32”.

Remember these three steps:

ºC x 2, -10%, +32 →→→ ºF (exact!),send me a poscard and... keep warm!

Wacek Kijewski

PS: Read my last ezine: "How to Measure Cultural Differences in Metric Units". Keywords: fun test, fun facts, joke, puzzle, poll, metric units.

The algorithm of conversion can be copied and distributed freely subject to the inclusion of the author's name and the author's website www.wacek.co.za