Travel Logs – Page 7 – Travel Destinations

Red Poppy Flowers on Monte Cassino

Red Poppy Flowers on Monte Cassino / Czerwone Maki na Monte Cassino

This song was written shortly after the capture of the Monte Cassino, Italy on 18th May 1944. It is a tribute to thousands of soldiers who fell in the shadow of Monte Cassino Monastery. Over 1000 Poles lost their lives in the taking of the Monastery during May 1944. The words in English are:

“The red poppies on Monte Cassino Drank Polish blood instead of dew… O’er the poppies the soldiers did go ‘Mid death, and to their anger stayed true! Years will come and ages will go, Enshrining their strivings and their toil!… And the poppies on Monte Cassino Will be redder for Poles’ blood in their soil.”

We visit Monte Cassino this time, as an increasing number of tourists each year will travel not just to Italy, but throughout Europe, the USA and South East Asia to walk in the footsteps of those servicemen and woman who bravely fought in years gone past. Each has their own reason for doing this, some want to see where their relatives were posted, others out of historical interest or to give their visit to a country a purpose.

This story of the taking of Monte Cassino by the Allies is actually a very sad one. The Germans said that Monastery was to be a neutral zone, but the allies didn’t believe them and thought it was a ruse. It wasn’t and so it was bombed by the Allies killing innocent civilians and religious staff sheltering inside. Once attacked by the Allies the Germans then decided make the most of the strategic position on the Monastery and the hill to fortify the ruins and they proved to be a worthy foe.

There were over 55,0000 Allied casualties in the effort to take Monte Cassino, but its taking was part of the long and bitter struggle led to the taking of Rome, the first Axis capital to fall to the Allies and the turned the tide of the battle for control of Italy.

Paestrum was a major Greek city on the southern Italian coast which is famous for its three temples that date back to around 550 to 450BC. The temples themselves are well preserved, as are the city walls and amphitheatre.

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St Augustine at Night

Have you been to Florida or planning a trip to Florida? Then you are likely to have been to Orlando or Miami. How many of you have ever considered St Augustine? This is where our song takes us this time. “St Augustine at night” was a single released in October 2020 by the Californian based American Band “Dawes*”from their album “Good Luck with Whatever*” that reached No5 in the American Folk Chart.

St Augustine at Night – Dawes

St Augustine itself is the oldest city in the USA, it is home to the oldest wooden school house in the USA and it is the location of the oldest street in the USA. The St Augustine tourist authority describes the destination as full of old-world charm, historical monuments, unique attractions, world class shopping, sunny weather and beaches just minutes away. On that basis St Augustine makes an ideal holiday destination for everyone.

Aviles Street, St Augustine, Florida, USA

Aviles Street in St. Augustine is the oldest street in the USA. Archaeologists digging down several layers under the brick paving, have found pottery shards from the early 1600s. The Pilgrim Fathers didn’t land on the continent until 1620. This historic street is also St. Augustine’s original artist district, dating back to the 1930s when the Hamblin Hardware warehouse at 11 Aviles Street was transformed into studio and gallery spaces for artists. The street also boasts some of St Augustine’s oldest historical sites.

The Ximenez-Fatio House Museum is one of the best preserved colonial buildings in the town and is preserved to recall the first tourist boom in Florida from the 1830s to 1850s. The Spanish Military Hospital Museum is an authentic reconstruction of a military hospital that stood on this site during the Second Spanish Colonial Period (1784–1821) and depicts the state of care that was on offer during the 1790s.. Finally the Father O’Reilly House Museum that was constructed in 1691, purchased by Father Miguel O’Reilly in 1785. Father Miguel, an Irish priest in the service of the preserving the old values.

Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse in the USA, St Augustine, Florida, USA

The Oldest Wooden School House is cited as being the oldest wooden school building in the United States. The exact date of construction is unknown, but it first appears on tax records in 1716. We know that it cannot have been built before 1702 because the British burnt the City to the ground. Since 1937 the building has been encircled by a large chain, to help anchor it to the ground in case of a hurricane. The classroom was one of the first in the US to be co-ed educating both boys and girls since 1788.

Bridge of Lions, St Augustine, Florida, USA

In 1982, the Bridge of Lions was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was built in the mid-1920s as a way for cars to travel from St. Augustine on the mainland to Anastasia Island The bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge, also known simply as a drawbridge, which allows commercial and recreational boats to pass through a center channel when the moveable span is in the up position. It poses a magical image at dusk as it is all lit up.

There is plenty more to see in St Augustine. We haven’t even mentioned the pirates!! I hope that the video above by “Dawes” has inspired you to find out more about this beautiful city, often forgotten as a holiday destination due the bright lights and thrill rides of destinations like Miami and Orlando.

Gibraltar

Maybe not the best known song containing Gibraltar but in this post we start off with Gibraltar by Maxi Priest. You might be more familiar with “Rock of Gibraltar” by Frankie Laine. If you would like to reacquaint yourself with this song about a brush salesman, click here .

The video below was recorded in 2016 and as you will be able to see was filmed on the rock a few days before his first public performance on the song at the Gibraltar Music Festival.

He wrote the song, he said, for many different reasons.

“As a kid I remember my mother always used to say to me ‘you’ve got to be solid as the Rock of Gibraltar’ and we just kind of took it because it had a ring to it but not really knowing the full meaning to it. Then coming here and its history immediately made me click… in a funny way emotionally, it is something your parents said to you and you’d use it, you’d say it but you never really quite understood exactly what it meant.”

Maxi Priest – Gibraltar

If you have a look at the current travel corridors, Gibraltar is one place that you can travel to at the time of writing without having a Covid test prior or on entry and there is no need to quarantine on your return. Daytime temperatures are average around 16^oC in January and can get into the low 20s. It is pleasant enough to sit out and eat lunch during the day, but gets a bit chilly for dinner in the evening.

Although Gibraltar is relatively small, there is still plenty to do. Scenery wise there is a little bit of everything. There are beaches which during the winter you might not want to sit on but they are great places to walk, take in the sea air and the views. There is plenty of history on Gibraltar due to its geography at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea which has been a highly valued possession. You will find a mixture of influences and reminders of the Romans, the Moors, the Spanish and the British all over the island.

St Micheal's Cave, Gibraltar - visitgibraltar.gi — St Micheal’s Cave – Gibraltar – visitgibraltar.gi

St Michael’s Cave is one of the many wonders of Gibraltar, and has enticed visitors for hundreds of years. While staying in Gibraltar it’s well worth paying a visit. The cave is actually a series of caves that are 300m above sea level. They are Gibraltar’s main tourist attraction with over 1,000,000 visitors a year. One of the largest caves serves as an auditorium and during WW2 the caves served as a hospital.

You cannot visit Gibraltar without seeing the Barbary Macaques, these monkey inhabitants of the rock are the only monkeys on the continent of Europe. They are well looked after in the Gibraltar nature reserve that covers 40% of the country.

Barbary Macaque - African coastline of Morocco in the background. — Barbary Macaque – African coastline of Morocco in the background.

Two other attractions I wouldn’t want to miss out on if I were going on a short break. One would be the 11^th century Moorish castle complex. In its heyday it was much larger that it is today. Look out for The Tower of Homage and the Gate House. In 1704 the British flag was placed on top of the castle and it still files today. The other would be the Great Siege Tunnels which were built at the end of the 18^th century during the Great Siege of Gibraltar when France and Spain attempted to capture Gibraltar. The tunnels dug out by hand mainly using sledgehammers and crowbars with the occasional gunpowder blast are impressive.

Moorish Castle and view over Gibraltar. visitgibraltar.gi

Kiss Kiss – Turkish Delight

“Kiss Kiss” is probably the most famous song to come out of Turkey but you didn’t realise it. The original song “Şımarık” was a hit for Tarken, a German born Turkish singer. You are probably more familiar with the versions by the Greek-American singer Stella Soleil in 2001, which was itself covered by the Australian actress Holly Valance a year later.

https://youtu.be/FkKShvCPrRc

So today we are off to one of Turkey’s main tourist destinations the Antalya region. The area is famous historically as the centre of the Lycian Empire and was the last region on the Mediterranean Sea to become part of the Roman Empire. You cannot go far without coming across reminders of its past. If visiting the area you must take some time out to see Hadrian’s Gate located in Antalya city centre and the rock tombs in Myra.

The main resort of Antalya offers a wide range of hotel accommodation from luxury hotels to small boutique hotels and there are a range of beaches to suit everyone’s’ needs whether its small and quite or big and noisy. The best months to visit weather wise are May to October. Daytime highs during these months are 26°C and above, with only a slight chance of rain.

Çıralı, one of Antalya’s most beautiful quieter beaches. Here you will find the ancient Lycian city of Olympos. You can walk among the ruins after a day of lying on the beach. For more serious walkers there is the “Lycian Trail”. This is a marked walking trail that takes approximately 29 days to trek, taking in 25 historical sights over a distance of more than 500 kilometers.

King of Mallorca

Some of you long standing visitors to Mallorca might remember the song by Jürgen Drews called König von Mallorca*.

His version of Mallorca is about as far from our version as you can imagine. We like to get away from the beaches and up into the hills. There are three hotels that we would recommend. If you want to be close to Palma then head for the Valparaiso Palace Hotel which stands above the port and its rooms offer outstanding views across the port and Palma Bay.

Should you want to get away from it all then the Gran Hotel Son Net might be just the place for you. It’s hidden away in the Son Net which is located within the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range near the medieval village of Puigpunyent.

The hotel dates back to the 17th century and only has 31 rooms and suites. Words probably can not do justice to the location and facilities at this beautiful hotel. Incidently it has its own private art collection that includes artists such as Marc Chagall, Frank Stella, David Hockney, Robert Longo, and Christo.

If you are on more of a budget then Es Recó de Randa, a hotel-restaurant located in the picturesque village called Randa might suit you better. Like like Son Net it is located within a 17th Century building and for a number of those years it was a nun’s convent. It has only 25 rooms, but its restaurant is famous for miles around and the views from the rooms and pool terrace are fabulous.

Night time view from Randa — Night time view from the Puig de Randa

Finally, Es Recó de Randa is on the road up to the summit of the Puig de Randa. From the top you can see views of almost the whole island. Located at the top of the summit is the Santuari de Cura Monastery which incidently offers 33 rooms where you can stay for the night. The hill top location has been a place of pilgramage since 1275 and today many cyclists and walkers will make the trip too. With a cafe and a restaurant offering the weary traveller refreshments after their journey up. We started off our journey today with the King of Mallorca. Well sitting on the terrace drinking a coffee looking out across the island you will certainly feel like the King of Mallorca.

If you cycle up to the Sanctuary then maybe “King of the Mountains” might be a more appropriate title.

I Love LA

For our musical inspiration we head back to 1983. “From the West Side to the East Side / Everybody’s very happy / ’Cause the sun is shining all the time / Looks like another perfect day / I love L.A. (we love it)”, so sang Randy Newman. Randy says that the sun is shining all the time, it has 284 sunny days a years compared to the US average of 205. It only rains on about 36 days of the year so you are pretty well assured of good holiday weather.

I Love L.A. – Randy Newman

It might seem strange to suggest that you visit LA because of the beaches, but it actually has some of the best beaches in the US. The names of them are easily recalled by most of us due to their locations being used in numerous US films and TV series. Venice Beach is one of LA’s most known beaches, with its numerous galleries, quirky shops, street performers, what is less well known are the Venice canals. Whilst in the area dont’t miss out on Muscle Beach. The perfect place for people watching.

Many people prefer Santa Monica Beach to Venice, I will leave that up to you to decide. Santa Monica attracts more than 7 million visitors a year who come primarily for the beach connection. It is also close to other Los Angeles attractions. Santa Monica is very attractive as a walkable and bike friendly destination. Don’t miss a trip to the world famous Santa Monica Pier, yes they have them in the States as well.

Santa Monica Beach, LA, CA — Santa Monica Beach, LA

For the kids and young wizards at heart. Los Angeles is home to the brand new Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Hollywood. Complete with its own Hogwarts Castle and Harry Potter themed rides. Of course you can not really visit Los Angeles without doing something celebrity / entertainment based. You can make your own tour if you plan ahead or book yourself onto many of the themed tours. Fully recommended are the tours of Universal Studios, Warner Brothers, Paramount Pictures or Sony Pictures. Finally we can not do justice to all LA has to offer so we will be back.

>Any links with an * by them are affiliated, which means get a product via this link and a contribution may be made to us.

One Night in Dubai

“One Night in Dubai” is the title of a song by the Swedish-Iranian singer Arash. The video to accompany the song was filmed in Dubai and mainly features its most iconic hotel, the Burj Al Arab. Arash sings his lyrics in Farsi, whilst the english lyrics are sung by the Swedish singer, Helena Josefsson. His object of attraction is Russian model, Alena Shishkova.

One Night in Dubai – Arash feat Helena.

One night is Dubai is not enough to do justice to this fantasic holiday destination. The Burj Al Arab hotel is an experience in itself. It was constructed using cutting-edge engineering and was built to resemble the billowing spinnaker sail of a J-class yacht. Being one of the tallest hotels in the world it is hard to miss on the skyline. Despite its size, in terms of rooms there are just 202 bedroom suites. The smallest suite occupies an area of 169 m² so not that small being bigger than the average 3 bedroomed UK home.

What you wont find in Dubai are great museums and heritage sites, though you will find some culture. Visit the Al Fahidi Neighbourhood to see what Old Dubai was like in the 19th century. Here you will find small museums, galleries and food events. Don’t miss the Jumeirah Mosque. Adopting an ‘Open Doors, Open Minds’ policy, the mosque welcomes visitors of all faiths and their are daily tours with a guide.

Dubai is a city of modern wonders. A must see are the Dubai Fountains, the fountain jets up to 22,000 gallons of water as high as 140m in the air at any one time. The Mall of the Emirates is the ultimate shopping experience with over 500 shops, cinema complex and snow slope.

Camel desert safari - Dubai. — Camel desert safari – Dubai.

Away from the city, there are plenty of opportunities to get your adrenaline rush. Sky-diving, desert safaris, desert dune buggy experiences, diving with sharks, bungee jumping, drive a McLaren Sprint and Audi R8 V10 on track and the extreme rides at one of the water parks.

Starwood in Aspen

“Starwood in Aspen” was a song that John Denver wrote about his home in Aspen, Colorado. His house in the gated community of Starwood was built in 1972 and he lived there until his tragic death in 1997 when the experimental airplane he was piloting crashed into Monterey Bay, California.

Starwood in Aspen – John Denver

There are many reasons to choose to live in Aspen, but for most of us, we will visit to take advantage of the many recreational opportunities on offer all year round as an excuse to travel there.

Top of the list has to be the skiing. Aspen boasts four mountains that are a paradise for both skiers and snowboarders. It is the perfect place for skiers of all standards from the beginner right through to the most experienced, offering a wide array of slopes, as well as plenty of runs through expert-only terrain. In fact Aspen has hosted the Winter X games on numerous occasions.

Skiing - Aspen, Colorado — Skiing – Aspen, Colorado

For fans of other winter activities you will be able to ice skate, and cross-country ski. In the summer Aspen attracts many hikers and cyclists. However there are plenty of opportunities for fishing, golf, horseback riding, and rock climbing. If you are into aerial sports then paragliding in one of the most beautiful parts of the world has got to be a major attraction.

Maroon Bells - RyanFSpack — Maroon Bells

Top of the list of sites are the Maroon Bells, a combination of a reflective lake, Maroon Peak and North Maroon Peak. Located 10 miles west of Aspen in a glacial valley the 14,000 foot peaks provide a dramatic backdrop to your hike or drive in the area.

Finally in Summer Aspen is home to the Aspen Music Festival. Founded in 1949, the Aspen Music Festival and School is regarded as one of the top classical music festivals in the United States, noted both for its concert programming and its musical training of mostly young-adult music students. In fact, the John Denver video above was filmed at the festival in 1980. Over an 8 week period during July and August upwards of 400 music events take place.

I, I was ready for Cancun

The lyrics “I, I was ready for Cancun” are from a song called M exico* by the Nigerian born British singer Jacob Banks*. Though released two years ago some of the lyrics could have been written for this Covid year. “And these breaking news consume my mind, couldn’t wait to leave the London smoke, make a vote to stay at home and pass the time, sayin’ we couldn’t make it to Mexico”.

Jacob Banks – Mexico

Looking ahead to 2021, plenty of us will be considering a trip to Cancun and we will be able to make it to Mexico. Trips to Cancun have it all. On top of the 13+ miles of beaches, there is plenty of nightlife, modern shopping malls and Mayan ruins a short trip away.

For sun lovers the sun shines for 250 days a year in Cancun. The driest part of the year is from January to May and day time temperatures average between 28°C and 34°C depending on the season. Sea temperatures average 27°C. The northern beaches are sheltered by a small island and have calmer waters whilst the eastern beaches have more waves. Take your pick depending on what you are looking for from a day at the beach.

Beach - Cancun - Mexico — Beach – Cancun – Mexico

Just a 90 minute drive away at Tulum, perched above 40 ft cliffs you will find one of Mexico’s best preserved Mayan coastal sites. Here you will find a walled city that was a bustling metropolis from the 13th to 15th centuries. Don’t miss out on the Temple of the Frescoes and its numerous murals, the Temple of the Descending God which is a single room accessed via a narrow staircase on top of another temple that served as its base, and finally the pyramid shaped El Castillo. The photo below does it more justice that words.

Tulum - Cancun - Mexico — Tulum – Cancun – Mexico

Back in Cancun there are a wide range of hotels to suit every pocket and in the evenings there is everything from sports bars to ballet and everything inbetween.

Sunset - Cancun - Mexico — Sunset – Cancun – Mexico

Jerusalema

“Jerusalema” was originally recorded in Johannesburg in November 2019, by the producer Kgaogelo Moagi (aka Master KG) and the singer Nomcebo Zikode (she uses only her first name). The song is now one of the most downloaded songs on the digital charts worldwide. Sung in Zulu and with a religious theme “Jerusalem, my home. Protect me” are the opening two lines.

Jerusalema – Master KG featuring Nomcebo

Shortly after its release a video with dancers from the Fenomenos de Semba troupe from Angola appeared and went on to inspire countless “Jerusalema dance challenges” around the world. Check out some of the here.

The fact that the song was born in Johannesburg is a reflection of the changing nature of the city. Today Johannesburg or Joburg as its known by its residents, is a great place to start your South African holiday. First off Joburg is easy to get to with three airlines flying direct from the UK.

People frequenting the stalls at the Maboneng precinct.

Once in the city head for the Maboneng Precinct. Meaning “place of light”, Maboneng is Joburg’s most creative quarter. Many of the disused industrial buildings left over from the mining days have now been renovated and turned into apartments (both affordable and high-end) and retail space. It provides an excellent space for art, culture, great food and good shopping.

A visit to Joburg would not be complete without a trip to Soweto and to Nelson Mandela’s house and museum. There are a number of tours that can be booked with a local guide who will give you a full insight on life in the township and how it has changed over time.

A couple hours’ drive northwest of Joburg lies the Pilanesberg National Park, where you’ll have the chance to spot the “Big Five” wild animals here. Lion, leopard, rhino, elephant and buffalo in addition to hippos, giraffes, hyenas and countless varieties of birds. Early morning and late afternoon safaris will get you the best views of the animals in the natural habitat.

South African Safari - Lionness lying down. — South African Safari – Lionness lying down.