So goes the Grand Canyon song by Steve Goodman. He sings of how the Colorado River has carved the canyon to expose the many colours of the layers of rock and sand. Many of us will be looking to travel to destinations away from populated areas for a while and the Grand Canyon might be the answer to those of you who would like to visit the USA.
Grand Canyon Song – Steve Goodman
The Grand Canyon is over 270 miles in length, at some place up to 18 miles across and a mile deep. Located in Northern Arizona, the Grand Canyon is managed by the US National Park Service and is an officially designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Grand Canyon – Arizona – USA
Around 6 million visitors will head for the Canyon and yes it can get busy, but the majority of those will head for the Southern Rim. Here you will find the Grand Canyon Village and the Bright Angel Trail.
Grand Canyon Village holds some of the best scenic overlooks in the park, including Yavapai Point and is the focal point for most people who are visiting the Southern Rim. From here you can access the many activities on offer, including helicopter tours, horseback rides, a scenic train ride, and mule trips. If you are planning to hike and camp, then you will need to purchase a permit. Most of the trails are permit free if you are just hiking for the day.
Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA
The Bright Angel Trail in one of the most popular trails and originates in Grand Canyon Village and descends 4380 feet down to the river. It is regularly patrolled by Park Rangers so help and assistance is never far away should you need it. You don’t have to walk the whole thing, you could turn round at 1.5 or 3 miles along the 9 mile plus route if you just want to hike just for a day. Should you choose to do the whole trail, then you will need to camp or rent a cabin at the bottom. It takes a good 5 or 6 hours to hike and its slower coming up than going down.
Grand Canyon – South Rim, Arizona, USA
For visitors who aren’t up for a hike into the canyon and driving round winding roads and seeking out parking space and finding change for the parking fee sounds like stress. You might be better off relying on the park’s free shuttle buses, they transport visitors along the rim of the canyon, stopping at many vantage points, giving you great views along the ways. Many of the restaurants in the area also have fantastic views of the Canyon.
Whilst the Southern Rim is open all year, the quieter Northern Rim is only open for the summer. The Northern Rim is where you will find hardy campers and hardcore hikers. There is a lodge and one camping ground. If you are not a hiker, then you can take the scenic Northern Rim drive which includes a visit to Point Imperial which is the highest point of the Northern Rim at 8,803 feet.
Grand Canyon – North Rim, Arizona, USA
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The literal translation is “On the Beautiful Blue Danube”. It is known in the English speaking world as “The Blue Danube”. It is one of Johann Strauss II most famous pieces. The video below is the instrumental version. There is also a choral version which starts “Danube so blue, “so bright and blue. Personally, I have only seen the Danube a murky brown!
The Danube has its origins in the Black Forest and flows for 1,785 miles until it reaches the Black Sea. On its travels it passes through 10 countries. Due to its length you will find a wide range of river cruises to suit individual travellers’ interests and lengths of holiday required.
The majority of cruises focus on the German, Austria, Slovakian and Hungarian sections of the Danube. It is possible to travel the full length of the Danube, but this usually involves a transfer in Budapest.
Regensburg – Germany
Starting in Germany, Regensburg is usually the first town of any Danube cruise. Since 2006 it has been UNESCO listed city. Here you will find 11th- to 13th-century architecture – including the market, city hall and cathedral. Surprisingly you will find the old town dominated by tall buildings as the rich merchants of centuries gone-by would build taller and taller buildings, to outdo their competititors. Travellogs will be back to visit Regensburg in more detail at a future date.
Passau – Germany
Next stop for most will be 2000 year old “City of the Three Rivers”, Passau. Sited on the confluence of the Inn, Ilz and Danube. It is noted for gothic and baroque buildings and it is because of these it is sometimes also referred to as the “Venice of Bavaria”. Most visitors will head for St Stephan’s Cathedral. A church has been on this site since 703 and it is home to the largest organ in Europe. Concerts are held daily at none, except on Sundays.
St Stephen’s Cathredral – Passau – Germany
From Passau it’s possible to fit in a day trip to Salzburg and in fact some of the Rhine cruises actually include this beautiful city in their itineraries not crossing the border into Germany but rather staying in Austria. As with Regensburg we will return to Salzburg at a future date.
As you cruise south along the Danube you will stop off at Vienna, Budapest and Bucharest, all places that we have visited recently here on Travellogs. Please click on the links to visit them.
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That is the dilemma facing most of us at this time. The UK government is yet to decide whether to change the May 17th for international travel and even then the list of destinations that UK residents can travel to is likely to be limited. So we are faced with 1982 eternal dilemma of staying or going. The original release hit No.17 in the UK charts, whilst the re-release in 1991 made it to No.1. Unlike The Clash who waitied 10 years before asking the question for a second time, we here on Travellogs have only waited 10 months. Let’s hope we get to a choice of whether we go
Should I stay or should I go – The Clash
Our postings on Travellogs focus on the going, so this time round we are going to look at the advantages of staying.
Like for like on the whole the cost of a UK holiday for most of us is cheaper than abroad. No airport parking charges, transfers at the other end, holiday insurance just to name a few additional costs. In addition the value of the pound has fallen since Brexit so that holiday abroad would have cost you more this year anyway.
In the UK we actually have some really beautiful scenery. We covered the Scottish 500 mile route awhile back. The views are breathtaking. For those of you who have watched the excellent TV series “Hinterland”* or “The Bay” cannot have helped being moved by the beautiful beaches and magnificent mountain views of West Wales and Lancashire respectively.
Sunset – Morecambe Bay – Lancashire, England, UK
There is so much history and most of us have hardly touched it as we have been more focused on travelling abroad. You might be familiar with the more obvious historical sites like Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, the Roman Baths or Edinburgh Castle, but consider places a little less famous like Wells Cathedral in Somerset. We have a tremendous industrial heritage here in the UK. Why not visit the Big Pit in South Wales and go down into a real coal mine, visit the Black Country Museum and see what life was like for working families 100 years ago.
Wells Cathedral – Somerset, England, UK
For your French or Italian cuisine, we export cheese and spirits all over the world. Why not take some time out to sample some great British food. In recent years there has been an explosion in craft beers, small dairies, bakeries, sausage makers, just to name a few. This plus all the tradition British foods, like Cornish Pasties, Eccles Cakes and the like, your eyes and stomach will be well taken care of. Can you really beat freshly cooked fish and chips eaten from the wrapper as you stroll along the prom. Finally there are many world class restaurants here on our doorstep.
British Fish and Chips – It doesn’t get much better.
This past year has been stressful enough so why don’t you just stay in the UK, no PCR checks, no need to apply for a new passport, or a visa, does my insurance cover me for x, y and z or even have the kennels or cattery got spaces. What is the new luggage allowance on my low cost airline, is my suitcase the right size. No problem in the UK take the kitchen sink with you.
Ribblehead Viaduct – Yorkshire, England, UK
Actually, the rail network is very efficient in the UK and booking in advance and off peak makes it a reasonable option if you want to do a long trip and aren’t planning to travel far when you get there. There are a range of railcards that will give you significant savings. Taking your own car will mean that you are not having to worry about learning to drive a hire car, that you have never heard of, never mind sat in before if you want to get out and about.
For a small country we actually have a lot to offer, just think about our wonderful National Parks and stunning coastline and at the end of the day you are bound to find a pub to suit all tastes.
Contact Maggie today to help you plan and book your UK break this year.
One Night in Bangkok is a 1984 song from musical Chess, by Tim Rice, Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. Murray Head sings the rap verses and so he gets the credit as the singer. Within the song the chorus sings about the positives of Bangkok, whereas Head’s lyrics ridicule the city, describing those positives as less interesting than a game of chess. This led Thailand’s Mass Communications Organisation to issue a ban on the song in 1985, saying its lyrics “cause misunderstanding about Thai society and show disrespect towards Buddhism”.
Murray Head- One Night in Bangkok
You cannot spend a night or a day in Bangkok without a visit to Wat Pho. It is one of Bangkok’s oldest temples. The temple complex known as the Wat Pho complex consists of two walled compounds. The larger northern walled compound, is open to visitors and houses the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, and very famously the 46m long reclining Buddha. The southern compound, contains the living quarters for Buddist monks and a school.
The Temple of the Reclining Bhudda – Wat Pho – Bangkok – Thailand
Next on your list and be prepared to set aside a good few hours for this one, is a visit to the Grand Palace. The palace at one time was the king’s home (1782 -1925) as well as the place where the government of Thailand carried out their work. The Great Palace is not a single building but a collection of buildings divided up into four main courts: the Outer Court, the Middle Court, the Inner Court and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha. Some buildings are open to the general public, whilst others are still used by various government departments.
Grand Palace – Bangkok – Thailand
For contrast take yourself shopping. At one end of the scale head for Chatuchak Market which is open on Saturdays and Sundays. With over 8000 stalls and at local prices you are bound to find a bargain or two here. At the other end of the scale head for Siam Paragon. You will only find 250 shops here, but they are high end brands and even include car manufacturers including Bentley, BMW and Porsche. You will also find South East Asia’s biggest aquarium and numerous food outlets.
Sofia is the name of a track by the Bulgarian hip hop stars Akaga and Spens. You may not have heard of them or this track, but they are famous household names in their native Bulgaria. The chorus translates in English to “Sofia, the Memory of our Childhood, Sofia, Sweet memory, Sofia, the Memory of our Childhood, Sofia, the Dream city”.
Sofia by Akaga and Spens
Sofia was founded over 3000 years ago and was at its pinnacle in terms of regional power in the 4th century. The Bulgars who give this region its current name did not arrive until the 9th century. Unfortunately, much of the legacy of this period disappeared during the Turkish occupation, that lasted from 1396-1878. However, it doesn’t detract from what the city has to offer today’s visitor.
Alexander Nevsky Cathedral by Night – Sofia – Bulgaria.
The majority of Sofia’s tourist attractions are centrally located and you can easily walk between them. In the city centre, you will find the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral. This Eastern Orthodox church was built in honour of St Alexander Nevsky, a prince famed for 13th century military victories over Germany and Sweden.
One church that does survive from before the Turkish Occupation is the thirteenth-century Boyana Church which is now on the UNESCO heritage list. The church is actually a collection of three buildings, the first built in the 10th century. The frescoes in this second church, painted in 1259, make it one of the most important churches housing collections of medieval paintings. This site is one of the most complete and perfectly preserved monuments of east European medieval art.
Boyana Church – Sofia – Bulgaria
Mosques were an important feature of old Sofia, the Archeological Museum is housed in a 15th century mosque and you can unofficially visit the The Banya Bashi Mosque built in 1576 by Mimar Sinan, who also designed the great mosque at Edirne in Turkey. Behind the Mosque are Sofia’s mineral baths. Sadly it no longer operates as public baths, but the Sofia Regional Historical Museum is housed in part of the building. It is still possible to taste the hot, sulphurous water from public taps nearby.
Russian Church – Sofia – Bulgaria
Whilst in Sofia, you should not pass up the opportunity to visit the Russian Church or to give it, its full title, The Church of St Nicholas the Miracle-Maker. Built on the site of a mosque in the early twentieth century, the Russian Church is a stunning golden-domed building with an emerald spire and an exuberant mosaic-tiled exterior, which conceals a dark, candle-scented interior. Construction started of what was the church on the Russian Embassy in 1907 and completed in 1914. The Russian government takes on the responsibility for the upkeep of the church and its renovations. The church remained open even after the Russian revolution and all through the Communist era.
Doha is the capital and most populous city of the State of Qatar. Enjoy listening to the Qatar National Day 2020 song by Fahad Al Kubaisi.
Qatar National Day 2020 song by Fahad Al Kubaisi.
It is tempting when visiting Doha to focus on the beaches, the desert activities and shopping in air-conditioned malls. However you really ought to take some time out to walk down the streets of Souq Waqif. Here you will be transported back in time. True, not everything on sale will be traditional but you will get the ambiance, the smells and experience haggling with the locals that you is difficult to find elsewhere. The architecture alone is worth the trip. A trip to Souq Waqif should be close to the top of your list of things to experience in Doha.
Inside a Souq – Doha
At the other end of the scale head for the man-made island that reeks luxury and explore The Pearl Qatar is a man-made island just north of West Bay that became the epitome of luxury. Here you will find the yachts, elegant shops and luxury villas that will give you an insight into how the other half live.
The Pearl by Night – Doha.
Fancy taking a trip out of town. There are various options but whichever you choose you cannot fail to be impressed by the scenery. Choose your mode of transport carefully, a leisurely ride on a camel, a smooth ride in a jeep or seat of your pants ride in dune buggy.
Many of us have daydreamed about riding a camel and going on a desert safari. It’s one of those classic adventurer experiences, and amazingly this is one of the best things to do in Doha.
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“Welcome to Nashville, man what a great day / The first stop we’re gonna take you is a place called Broadway “ that how the comic duo that are Austin and Colin start off their funny, information and catchy song about Nashville. They take us on a journey through the sights and sounds of Nashville.
Welcome to Nashville – Austin and Colin.
Their first stop is Broadway and it’s a good place to get acquainted with the city. Located in the downtown area, it includes Lower Broadway which is renowned for its honky tonks and live country music as well as restaurants and a number of tourist attractions.
Honky Tonk Central – Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Austin and Colin are seen queuing outside the 100 year old former grain store, that is now the Acme Feed & Seed restaurant and music venue. Head for the rooftop bar with its views of the Cumberland River, the Nissan Stadium, the home to the Tennessee Titans of the NFL and the Broadway strip.
Next on their list is Demonbreun, the area and the street are named after a French-Canadian fur trader who is known at the “first citizen of Nashville”. You can continue to follow their list which then takes you to Belmont, Hillsboro Village, Vandi, Green Hills, Frothy Monkey etc. However, you will probably be visiting for its musical connections and the museums.
Acme Feed & Seed Restaurant & Music Venue – Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Throughout the city you will find numerous music venues playing something to suit everyones taste, it’s not just country music that you will hear in Nashville. In addition you will probably want to head over to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. The museum’s core exhibition “Sing Me Back Home: A Journey Through Country Music” tells the story of the origins of country music and its main contributors using artefacts, photographs, recorded sound, vintage video, and interactive touchscreens. You might want to also visit Music Row’s Historic RCA Studio B, the oldest surviving recording studio in Nashville, where landmark recordings by Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, and many others were made. Due to its size pre-booking is advised. Personally, I would be off to the Johnny Cash Museum by day and will be spending an evening at the Tribute to Elvis Show.
Johnny Cash Museum – Nashville, Tennessee, USA
For car nuts, just over an hour’s drive out of town will take you to Bowling Green, the home of the National Corvette Museum. On display are over 70 Corvettes displayed in periodic settings.
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“We danced on the streets of Bucharest” sing the Romanian pop stars Florian Rus and Maria Mirabela Cismaru, better known as MIRA.The song “Strazile din Bucuresti“ is about young lovers who meet on a Bucharest city street.
Streets of Bucharest – Florian Rus feat. MIRA
Bucharest is home to the world’s biggest parliamentary building. Originally at The Palace of Parliament but more commonly known today as the People’s Palace construction started in 1984 and took thirteen years to build. An area of s (2.7 sq mi) of the old city centre was flattened to allow the construction including monasteries, factories and a hospital. One engineer set out to save as much as he could.
Moving Churches to Safety – Bucharest.
Today the People’s Palace, both houses of the Romanian Parliament., along with the National Museum of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Communist Totalitarianism and the Museum of the Palace.
The People’s Palace – Bucharest, Romania.
Prior to the Second World War Bucharest was known as the “Paris of the East”. The war, the Communist era and an earthquake in 1977 robbed the city of many or the art nouveau buildings. Here and there are places where that former sophistication. The Cantacuzino Palace which now houses the George Enescu museum is one such example which was built between 1901 and 1903 by architect Ion D. Berindey.
Paris of the East, Bucharest, Romania
Berindey was responsible for a number of famous landmarks during this time including the Bucharest observatory that was built between 1908 and 1910. George Enescu incidently is regarded as one of the greatest musicians in Romanian history. You might even choose to stay in the elegant Athenee Palace Hilton hotel designed by the French Theophile Bradeau. Around and about you will find more examples that listed here. Remember to look out for Bucharest’s copy of the Arc de Triomphe.
Arcul de Triumf, Bucharest, Romania.
Personally, I would recommend seeking out the beautiful churches and chapels that fuse Byzantine, Greek, Ottoman and Renaissance styles. On your list head for The Stavropoleous Church in the old city, St Apostle’s and the Doamnei Church.
Orthodox Church, Bucharest, Romania
If you are interested in looking back in time, you might be interested in watching the TV series “Comrade Detective” on Amazon Prime. Set in 1980s Bucharest it tells the story of two police detectives investigating the murder of a colleague. There is more to this story than meets the eye!
The song Abu Dhabi is by Mikolas Josef, the Czech singer and songwriter. You might know him from the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest where his finished sixth with his song “Lie to Me”. The most successful Czech entry in Eurovision at the time of writing.
Abu Dhabi – Mikolas Josef
If the United Arab Emirates is under your consideration for a visit this year then you might want to head for the capital Abu Dhabi. There are a wide range of experiences on offer whether you are on a short break or lengthier stay.
Although it is the second largest city in the UAE, it is home to largest and allegedly most beautiful mosque. The Sheikh Zaved Grand Mosque is home to the world’s longest hand-knotted carpet and can hold up to 40,000 worshippers. If you are planning a visit remember dress modestly, loose cloaks are available free of charge at the mosque.
Sheikh Zaved Grand Mosque Abu Dhabi UAE
A complete contrast to the mosque and its historical connections with the Persians and Moghuls is the Louvre Abu Dhabi. It is the first foreign output of the famous French museum and gallery. Due to loans and special exhibitions signed with other famous Parisian museums you will find a wide range of works including those by da Vinci and Picasso.
Louvre Abu Dhabi UAE
Go for gold and visit the Emirates Palace, the official guest palace of the city’s government. Gold is everywhere amongst its 394 rooms; it is even in the coffee and the ice cream. Nearby the palace you can find the Founder’s Memorial, where Sheikh Zayed, the country’s is commemorated. Fancy an adrenaline filled day then head for Yas Island, more familiar to most of us as the venue for the Abu Dhabi F1 race. Here you can ride the world’s fastest rollercoaster at Ferrari World and explore the six immersive worlds at Warner Bros World.
We haven’t even mentioned the desert. We will return to Abu Dhabi at a future date to discover more of what this wonderful city has to offer.
Desert Abu Dhabi UAE
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Watching a rerun of the Hitchcock classic “North by Northwest” starring Cary Grant reminded of the lyrics from “I’m gonna shake out all that snow. Riding years ago, through the South Dakota roads.“ from the song “Shaking Out the Snow”* by Nanci Griffith the American singer and songwriter. Those of you familiar with the song will know that ending of the film is set in South Dakota and Mount Rushmore specifically. If you haven’t visited this part of the USA then maybe it should be on your itinerary in the coming months.
A good starting point for any trip to South Dakota is a road trip based on I-90. I-90 is the longest interstate highway in the USA and the longest east-west road across South Dakota. Although it doesn’t pass through the South Dakotan capital of Pierre it does provide the focus on a great holiday in this part of the world.
The route will take in a number of impressive geographical features starting off with the Sioux Falls after which the state’s largest city is named. Over 7000 gallons of water cascade down every second. That’s a lot of water by anyone’s standards.
Sioux Falls – South Dakota USA
The striking landscape of Badlands National Parks features a maze of buttes, canyons, pinnacles and spires. The native Lakota people gave this land its name, “mako sica,” meaning “land bad.” Erosion of the Badlands reveals sedimentary layers of different colors: purple and yellow, tan and grey, red and orange and white. Bison, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule and whitetail deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, eagles and hawks are amongst the wildlife you are likely to see.
Badlands – South Dakota USA
If Native American history and culture is your cup of tea then at Mitchell you will find a Prehistoric Indian Village that is more than 1,000 years old. On-going excavations and laboratory analyses are discovering more about how these people lived. A trip to the Akta Lakota Museum on the campus of the St Joseph’s Indian School in Chamberlain provides history and learning about Native American life in a unique way. Check out the mini-theater, interactive displays, English-Lakota descriptions, and its beautiful gift shop.
Finally there are a few attractions that you will want to check out that you might not have expected. Whilst visiting the Akta Lakota museum take in the Dignity Monument.
Dignity Monument – South Dakota USA
The sculpture was erected in 2016 near I-90 in honour of the 125th anniversary of South Dakota statehood. It depicts an indigenous woman in plains style attire. If you enjoy sculptures, then head to the Porter Sculpture Park at Exit 374 and spend time viewing the sculptures made by Wayne Porter who makes his sculptures mainly from junk metal.
If you are visiting South Dakota as a road trip that a trip to the Pioneer Auto Show at Murdo is a must. There are more than 30 buildings displaying it’s unrivaled collection of cars, motorcycles, tractors, scooters and bicycles. Plus other automobilia including gas pumps and antique toys. In case you are in the mood, they also have classic American cars for sale.
Rapid City is South Dakota’s second-largest city and this is the place to head for to see the Mount Rushmore Memorial, the Custer State Park and the Crazy Horse Memorial. Which is where we started. We have run out of space to do justice to everything South Dakota has to offer, we will be back again.
Mount Rushmore – South Dakota USA
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