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Cantabria – Green Spain

PatrickJullien
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Cantabria – Green Spain

In the north of Spain, on the Bay of Biscay, lies the province of Cantabria (Spanish. Cantabria). The beautiful port city of Santander is the capital and is also considered the economic and cultural center of the province.

Cantabria is also called España Verde – the green Spain – because the rainy area here is significantly greener than other parts of Spain. If you want to spend your holidays in Cantabria, you can look forward to wonderful landscapes, beautiful beaches and unique art treasures.

One of the many cultural highlights is the well-known Way of St. James, which leads through the capital Santander.

About 30 km from Santander, near the town of Santillana del Mar, are the well-known caves of Altamira, known worldwide for their cave paintings and a World Heritage Site since 1985.

Things to do in Cantabria

If you like hiking, you will have plenty of opportunity to do so in Cantabria, as the Cantabrian Mountains have more than 200 mountains with a height of over 2,000 mtr. With 2,648 mtr. the Torre de Cerredo is the highest mountain.

A special and magical place is El Soplao, located 60 kilometres from Santander. Here you will find a cave with underground wells and rivers, labyrinthine galleries, stalactites and stalagmites. Moisture and water have given the cave its shape over thousands of years. The tour of the cave takes about 1 hour.

The Cabárceno Wildlife Park in Obregón is also worth a visit. On a circular route of a good 20 km you can experience more than 100 animal species from 5 different continents. The park with its beautiful gorges, lakes and extensive enclosures can be explored on foot or by car.

Places to visit in Cantabria

Cantabria, Altamira Caves
The well-known caves of Altamira, Image: EQRoy / shutterstock

Many charming coastal towns such as San Vicente de la Barquera, Castro Urdiales or Comillas are lined up along the coast.

The small port town of Hondarribia has a beautiful old town with the church of Santa María de la Asunción y del Manzano, which is well worth seeing, and a town hall with a beautiful baroque façade. The popular street San Pedro Kalea attracts with numerous tapas bars and many other good restaurants.

Gijon has a special tourist attraction with its aquarium. The aquarium is located directly on the beach of Poniente and has a lot to offer on three floors. A special highlight are the shark feedings, which take place twice a week.

To go on hiking tours in the Picos de Europa National Park, the nice town of Potes is ideal. Here, hikers will find everything they need in the mountains. If you want to enjoy a truly overwhelming panoramic view, you should take the cable car from Fuente Dé to the 2,503 mtr. high Torre de los Horcados Rojos.

Llanes is a charming fishing village and one of the most beautiful places on the coast. A special attraction for mountain bikers and hikers is the Senda de la Costa, a hiking trail that winds along the picturesque coast. The largest beach in the town is Playa de Toro.

The cuisine of Cantabria

Kantruben, Chhorizo
The Spanish sausage chorizo, Image: DronG/shutterstock

Cantabria also has a lot to offer in terms of cuisine. For example, the paprika sausages chorizo and the black blood sausages morcielles are particularly popular here. Both are also used in the Fabada, a stew made from white beans. Another speciality is the blue cheese Cabrales, which matures in the caves of the Cabrales region. This cheese consists of a mixture of sheep’s, cow’s and goat’s milk.

The so-called guinea pig belongs to the scorpionfish family and is considered one of the ugliest fish. But its meat is very tasty and is therefore very popular in Pastel de Cabracho.

Beaches and nature in Cantabria

In Cantabria, more than 60 beaches await holidaymakers on more than 220 kilometres of coastline. One of the most beautiful and largest beaches, the 5 km long sandy beach La Salve, can be found in Laredo, a coastal town between the bay of Santona and the Ria de Treto inlet.

The longest sandy beach on the coast can be found in the seaside resort of Zarautz. It is a very popular meeting place for windsurfers. The town’s landmark is the Gothic fortified tower Torre Luzea, which is located in Nagusia Kalea Street.

On a true dream bay and surrounded by the foothills of the Pyrenees lies the seaside resort of San Sebastian (Donostia). The climb to the local mountain Urgull is worthwhile, because from here you have a good view of Concha Bay with its great beach.

Oman – from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age

PatrickJullien
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Oman – from the Middle Ages to the Modern Age

This region seems barren, and it is almost deserted. And yet she is of a sensitive beauty. Oman enjoys a diverse landscape. Sometimes it is dry as dust and dominated by the color brown, and a little later it presents itself with a sea of royal palms thanks to a sophisticated system of canals in the Jebel Akhdar Mountains.

The Arab sultanate on the Strait of Hormuz, where on a clear day you can glimpse the coast of its Iranian neighbor, looks back on 5,000 years of history. It is the history of trade on the seas. Little Oman owes its importance and wealth to this strait and the important sea route. With its strategically favourable location at the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, the country played a not insignificant role in trade with the early advanced civilizations in Mesopotamia for centuries. Oman is aware of its traditions and preserves them even in times when the country has cautiously opened up to tourism.

Oman, Grand Sultan Qaboos Mosque
The Great Sultan Qaboos Mosque in Oman, Image: Richard Yoshida / shutterstock

Almost fifty years ago, a new era began with the accession of Sultan Qaboos bin Said to the throne in Oman. The young regent led his country from the Middle Ages to the present and transformed it into a society with modern structures. He had roads built and, above all, schools. It was not only the Arab environment that looked on in amazement and registered how the change from a centuries-long state of paralysis to the contemporary present took place. The Sultan knew how to include the approximately three hundred Bedouin tribes of his country in his considerations, and since the oil wells have been bubbling up on the Strait of Hormuz, there is no place in Oman where water does not flow and houses are supplied with electricity.

Only the old people in the country can remember the conditions before the agile sultan ascended the throne and the toilets on the edge of the desert were still outside their tents. According to a study by the United Nations, of all the countries in the world, Oman is the one that has developed most sustainably in the recent past. This social and economic renaissance also benefited tourism. Here, the hospitality is actually still “genuine”, even if the Omanis maintain a kind of equanimous distance when meeting people from another world. But behind this is usually not aloofness, but rather pride. And the hosts protect their private sphere. If you want to take pictures in this country as a vacationer, you should leave it at the shots with the magnificent landscape, because women in particular are angry when cameras are pointed at them. And even the male inhabitants of the picturesque mountain villages sometimes lose their otherwise cheerful nonchalance.

Oman, Nakhal Fort
The fortress Nakhal Fort, Image: Hans Wagemaker / shutterstock

Tours through Oman are journeys between Orient and Occident. This country has chosen silence and frowns upon everything presumptuous and loud. The Arab Emirates’ small neighbour has retained a trace of its centuries-old secrets. On the edge of the desert, a fine sand always blows through the alleys of the villages and the Bedouins still boast of the gift of being able to read the map and the peculiarities of their sand mountains. On the market squares, colorfully dressed women offer their goods – mostly the fish of the sea and fruit from their gardens.

Oman – but this is also the actual home of incense and thus of a fragrance that beguiles the senses and for which even Alexander the Great once wanted to wage war. As it was 3,500 years ago, the frankincense trade is still an important source of income for the people of Salalah, the metropolis of the south. In the past, up to 3000 tons per year are said to have been transported from here to the Roman Empire. Weihrauch is one of the most important ambassadors of a country that is waiting to be explored on your own or in the form of a package tour .

Travel information Oman

Capital Muscat
Form of government Hereditary Monarchy
Political system
Currency Rial Omani (OMR)
Area approx. 309,500 km²
Population approx. 4,397,790 (2015)
Languages Arabic
Electricity grid 240 volts, 50 Hz
Area code Phone +968
Time zone UTC+4

 

The Monkeys Gold xPays slot review: A virtual alternative to a jungle trip?

PatrickJullien
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The Monkeys Gold xPays slot review: A virtual alternative to a jungle trip?

Jungle travel can be one of the most rewarding travel options because jungles are dense rainforests that are home to the greatest variety of life on Earth. Here you can observe animals and plants that you otherwise only see in film and television. Jungle trips offer the opportunity to see planet Earth in an untouched and pre-human state, a place where humans are not the dominant life form and instead animals and plants live in a complex web of life. Tourism in the Amazon rainforest is growing in popularity, and jungle travel is gradually being used as a means of preserving the last remaining rainforests, which not only benefits tourists but also protects the surrounding environment if properly staged.

With an area of more than 6.7 million square kilometers, the Amazon rainforest is the largest remaining rainforest of its kind on earth! The Amazon is located in South America and is accessible from 9 different countries, with Brazil having the largest area. Many areas in the jungle are difficult to reach and some are still unexplored. You can take boats to remote areas of the Amazon and stay in beautiful, remote resorts and eco-reserves in the jungle. The seclusion gives you more peace and quiet and a better chance of spotting wildlife. Typical activities offered by rainforest lodges and tour operators include: night walks through the jungle, canoe trips, visits to indigenous communities, visits to medicinal plants, kayaking, piranha fishing trips and nature walks.

But if you don’t have the financial means to travel to the other side of the world, you can have fun with virtual alternatives. The video and gambling market has recognized the popularity of the jungle theme and incorporated it into many games. For example, numerous online casinos and slots have taken up this theme, immersing players in a jungle world while enjoying the thrill and adrenaline of gambling. With the large number of providers, it is worthwhile to compare offers on sites like betrugstest.com/online-casino/spielautomaten/monkeys-gold-xpays/ before. In Monkeys Gold xPays slot, players can experience generous winning potential with increasing multipliers, colossal free spins symbols, symbol upgrades and much more. The game is filled with jewel-colored symbols that represent various gems and artifacts. The look of the game transports players to the jungle environment and makes for an immersive online gaming experience.

This game is very popular among slot fans because of its exciting engine and great graphics. xPays is an interesting concept that seems quite novel, but it’s actually quite simple. Winning combinations are formed by landing three or more matching symbols in adjacent positions on the reels, but the way the payouts work is unique, as each symbol in the winning combination has a cash value. At the end of the spin, the values of all symbols in the combo are added together to award you your prize. When you land a win, all non-winning symbols disappear and new ones fall in their place in a kind of reverse avalanche feature. This will encourage more symbols to potentially join your current win.

The jungle theme is also very popular in video games:

Far Cry

Rainforest in Borneo
Rainforest in Borneo, Image: BorneoRimbawan / shutterstock

While Far Cry 3 offered a beautiful and often stunning tropical paradise to explore, fans of the original know that the foliage was literally the thickest in the first game. In the 3rd level of the game, players could now really use the dense jungle environment as cover to secretly finish off the evil mercenaries who patrol the island. Video games have been set in the jungle before, but this was one of the first times you felt like you were really there.

Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune

The Uncharted series has always been about answering the call of adventure in your own way. It all started with Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune in 2007, when Nathan Drake, his friend Sully and reporter Elena Fisher searched for El Dorado in search of treasure. It wasn’t just about shooting bad guys, but also about exploring the jungle while climbing platforms and finding hidden treasures. The visual splendor of the environments, coupled with the gameplay and storytelling, helped make Uncharted a new flagship franchise for Sony, and it has only gotten better since then.

Tomb Raider III

The game starts and transitions into jungle sounds, but the most important thing is the rhythmic sitar and tabla music. It is suitable for entering the mysterious jungle and building up the atmosphere, but is also perfectly suited to the fight with the first tiger in the game and fades away shortly after the predator has been killed. Lara Croft begins her journey on a massive, sloping hill in the higher reaches of the dense Indian rainforest, from where she continues to navigate through the jungles of India , embarking on countless exciting adventures.

Jungle Hunt Arcade Game

This is a game about a hunter who has to save his girlfriend from native cannibals or Martians by swinging on lianas or ropes. In the original version of Jungle King, the character wearing a loincloth resembles Tarzan. In the renamed version of Jungle Hunt, the player character is an explorer with a pith helmet and safari suit. Another redesign of the arcade version was sold in 1982 as Pirate Pete.

Green Hell

If a realistic and grounded survival title is your thing, then Creepy Jar’s Green Hell could be the one. The game is set in a rainforest in the Amazon, where your fears can capture you, but that’s just the beginning. Food, shelter and water are just as important as defence against wild animals and diseases. The rainforest is dense in both size and detail, from the various plants and animals that inhabit it, to realistic behaviors and dynamic weather. The real test is whether you can preserve your physical and mental health and eventually escape.

 

The island of Silba in Croatia

PatrickJullien
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The island of Silba in Croatia

The island of Silba (Italian name: Selve) is located south of the island of Lošinj in northern Dalmatia. It has an area of only 15 km² and a length of eight kilometres and is part of the Zadar archipelago. On the car-free holiday island, 300 people live in the island’s capital of the same name. Original beaches with picturesque bays, tranquillity and attractive hiking trails are the main reasons why holidaymakers visit the small island. With a bit of luck, you can even spot dolphins in the bays off Silba.

Geography and history

Silba was already settled in Roman times. The name of the island may be derived from the Latin word for forest. The small island also bears the title “Gateway to Dalamatia” and experienced its most pronounced heyday in the 17. and 18th century. At that time, the number of inhabitants was four times as high as it is today. Seafaring helped the island to considerable wealth. With the beginning of steamships, however, the inhabitants then shifted to sheep breeding and fishing.

Silba has an elongated shape and is only 700 meters wide at its narrowest point. The vegetation on the island shows a very varied appearance. Pebble beaches, sandy beaches and small rocky bays alternate on Silba. A large part of the island consists of Cretaceous limestone.

Beaches and places of interest on the island of Silba

Torretta Marinich, Silba
Torretta Marinich, Image: JGA / shutterstock

On the south side of Silba spreads the wide beach of Pocukmarak. In a small café you can buy cold drinks and snacks. From the beach, a short walk will take you to the church of St. Mark. The best view of this church can be enjoyed from the small bay Porat Sveta Marka. It is also popular as an anchorage for leisure yachts. The Dobre Voda bay is also beautiful. But since it is difficult to reach, there are no larger tourist gatherings here and especially those seeking peace and quiet will find a small paradise here.

Another secluded bay is Nozdre, which consists of two separate parts. While one part is a pure sandy beach, the second part of the beach consists of a sand-gravel mixture. Cafés or restaurants are completely absent here. The most easily accessible is the beach of Sotorisce. The crystal clear water here usually shimmers light green. If you want to pursue water sports activities, you will find a wide range of activities here. Among other things, rowing boats are rented out and there are courts for football, basketball, table tennis and beach volleyball.

A landmark of the island is the Torretta Marinich, a hexagonal observation tower. It once belonged to the garden of Captain Pietro Marinich (1816–1897) and is accessible by an external spiral staircase. From here you can see almost the entire island. The busiest thing on Silba is around the bustling port of Žalić and on the village square with a church worth seeing. Several restaurants, cafés, bars and shops are lined up here. There is also a post office, a doctor and a pharmacy.

How to get to the island of Silba

Every day, several boats and ferries depart from Zadar to the island of Silba. In the summer months, there are also excursions to the neighbouring islands as well as to Rijeka and Pula on the mainland. On the island itself, you can only move on foot or by bike, unless you have rented your own boat. In general, the Croatian islands offer ideal conditions for an extensive sailing trip.

Excursions

Of course, you can spend your entire holiday on the island itself, but day trips by boat to the larger islands such as Lošinj or to one or the other pretty town on the mainland are recommended. Lošinj went down in history as an imperial island and for a long time was the second most important port on the Adriatic after Trieste . It is also known for its medicinal herbs, scents and aromas.

Zadar has plenty of attractions, including the 9th-century Church of St. Donatus and the remains of the Roman Forum. Several beautiful houses and palaces have also been preserved from the Venetian era. Bathing pleasures are promised here by the Kolovare beach.

No less remarkable is the historical heritage of Pula. The local amphitheater is one of the largest of its kind and is surprisingly well preserved. The Temple of Augustus and the Cathedral of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary should not be missed on any city tour. In the old town, you will come across filigree Roman floor mosaics. On the beaches in the Verudela district, the rare monk seals feel at home.

Accommodation on Silba

The most common form of accommodation on Silba is private apartments or holiday flats or entire holiday homes. In addition, there are smaller guesthouses and, of course, hotels. Last but not least, there is the option to charter a sailboat and spend the night there and sail from bay to bay during the day.

Experience Mallorca – much more than just Ballermann

PatrickJullien
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Experience Mallorca – much more than just Ballermann

Many people still associate the Balearic island of Mallorca only with the Ballermann around the traditional “bucket drinking”. A bad mistake, because in the 17th state of Germany so much more is possible than just sangria and partying, although the Schinkenstraße is of course legendary for this. Whether alone on a party holiday or with the family looking for a new adventure, Mallorca offers variety for everyone and is not for nothing one of the most popular holiday homes in the world.

Experience the underwater world of Mallorca – a sensational experience

Everything to do with water is of course one of the most popular Mallorca activities, because not only on the beach, but also under water there is a very special world that is waiting to be explored. Even the term Mediterranean, which is derived from Latin and actually stands for “sea in the middle of land”, is more appropriate than any other. Although the Mediterranean, with its 0.8 percent, is only a very small part of the most important water areas in the plan, it plays an important role in Europe in particular, with more than 10,000 sea creatures.

The Palma Aquarium in Mallorca offers interested hobby biologists and marine researchers the opportunity to immerse themselves in a whole new world and experience it up close. Whether diving with sharks or getting up close and personal with whales, the 4D offer of the innovative offer is one of the most beautiful sights in Mallorca and a real treat for young and old.

Explore the environment aboard a catamaran

If you like to be on the water, you can’t avoid a trip on a catamaran on the north coast of Mallorca. The sun shines from the sky, the crystal-clear water offers a view into the depths and the catamaran keeps its occupants dry. Departure is in Port d’Alcudia, and the excursion takes about five hours in total. There are numerous beautiful bays to admire and the Aucanada lighthouse also rises to its full size. In between, there is the opportunity to take a look at the Mallorcan mountains, an impressive photo motif, which can also be found on numerous postcards on the island.

When visiting the east coast, a visit to the Caves of Drach is worthwhile

Dragon's Cave Porto Cristo
The Dragon’s Cave in Porto Cristo, Image: Balate Dorin / shutterstock

Porto Cristo is home to Mallorca’s world-famous Caves of Drach, which are always worth a visit. The Coves del Drac, as Mallorcans call the impressive stalactite caves, have a total size of 1,7000 meters and are hung with numerous stalactites. Depending on the month, concerts and performances take place on the gigantic platform, which can even be attended in bad weather. A guided day tour is suitable for all those who do not want to go into the depths of the caves on their own. For real adventurers, however, this is also possible.

If you’re already there, you can also write the Coves del Hams on the plan, because this rock formation in the shape of a fish hook has three other main caves that can be visited. One of these caves is home to a gigantic botanical garden that is home to many species of birds. The so-called “Lake of Venice” then offers the opportunity to enjoy a little culture, as an impressive music show is played here to the sounds of Mozart, which leaves an unforgettable impression due to the cave acoustics.

For adventurers, a trip to the climbing park is worthwhile

Forestal is a climbing and adventure park in Mallorca that is perfect for all fans of holiday activities. With its various routes, it is suitable for young and old, for beginners and professionals. Most of the courses take place directly in the treetops, visitors with a head for heights are welcome to swing up the bridges, climbing nets and Tarzan swings and then get to know the longest cable car in Mallorca. A visit to the climbing park is a real hit of the day and here it is hardly worth planning other adventures on this day. Those who have mastered the various courses will be happy to relax their legs a little afterwards, with a leisurely round of relaxing on the beach.

Visiting the Sleeping Dragons

Sa Dragonera is the name of Mallorca’s dragon island, which is actually visually reminiscent of a sleeping dragon. As an uninhabited nature reserve, it is located directly off the southwest coast and can be visited by small groups. You can get there from Paguera or San Telmo by ferry. There are many different species of small animals and birds to admire, but the great outdoors and diverse fauna are also a real experience. Rocky terrain and narrow paths await visitors, who have to explore the island on foot. The Far Vell lighthouse, located at an altitude of 300 meters, is the highlight of the island, which can be seen well from afar. To get to Dragon Island, a ticket is required, which should ideally be booked in good time. Since only small groups of tourists are allowed to visit, there must be enough space on the ferry for everyone to be able to cross. It is not possible to travel by jet ski or rubber dinghy, even if you have a boat licence and a driving licence on Mallorcan waters.

Beautiful cycling routes for a summer holiday in Germany

PatrickJullien
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Beautiful cycling routes for a summer holiday in Germany

Summer is coming. Due to the increased prices and the uncertain location, many people want to spend their holidays in the area. Whether it’s a day trip or a multi-day bike tour, there is something for everyone. In Germany, there are many beautiful cycle paths with different requirements. Both for classic two-wheeler enthusiasts and for e-bikes, which are rapidly increasing in popularity. The most beautiful cycling routes in Germany are presented below.

A cycle path for beginners

The Weser Cycle Path leads from northern Hesse through the Weser Uplands to the North Sea. The river landscape is varied and is surrounded by historic cities such as Bremen, Höxter, Hameln and Cuxhaven as well as castles and palaces. The many small towns and the picturesque nature invite you to linger. The route is relatively flat and very well developed, so that families and older people should not have any problems. The cycle path is around 520 kilometres long.

Nature in the midst of industrial culture

The Ruhr Valley Cycle Path is about 240 kilometres long and leads cyclists along the Ruhr from Winterberg in the Sauerland to Duisburg, where the Ruhr flows into the Rhine. In the Sauerland, it goes through medieval old towns and past green meadows to Fröndenberg. In the further course you can see big cities such as Dortmund, Bochum and Essen, whereby the Ruhr is very green and quiet. The contrast between the quiet river landscape and the vibrant cities with the remains of past mining times is what makes the cycle path so charming.

The longest bike course in Germany

The Rhine Cycle Path has a total length of 1,230 kilometres, most of which is on German territory. From Andermatt in the Swiss Alps it goes up and down until the Rhine reaches Lake Constance . This part is therefore more suitable for athletes who are looking for a certain challenge. In Germany, the Rhine runs through forest landscapes and through cities such as Koblenz, Cologne and Düsseldorf. At Emmerich am Rhein, the Rhine Cycle Route crosses the border into the Netherlands and ends at the mouth in Rotterdam.

A trip through East Germany

The Elbe Cycle Path is a total of 1,260 kilometres long. It leads a few kilometers through the Czech Republic before the Elbe crosses the German border. This cycle path leads through beautiful cities such as Dresden, Magdeburg, Wittenberg, Hamburg and finally to Cuxhaven. The tour is beginner-friendly because the cycle path is completely asphalted and has very few inclines. On the way there are many beautiful cities, cultural highlights and lots of nature.

The beginning of a tour of Europe

Budapest in Hungary
A beautiful view of Budapest, Image: ZGPhotography / shutterstock

The Danube Cycle Path is considered the longest cycle route in Europe. It begins at the source of the Danube in Donaueschingen and finally leads through Romania to the Black Sea. In Germany, its length is around 600 kilometres and it leads through the Black Forest and the Swabian Alb to Bavaria and then on through the Bavarian Forest. It then continues via Vienna and Budapest, through Croatia and Serbia to Romania. The entire route covers 2,850 kilometers and is only something for real athletes, because not all paths are paved towards the end.

A holiday on the Baltic Sea

The Baltic Sea Coast Cycle Route is much more suitable for beginners and amateur athletes. It runs over a length of 1,100 kilometres from Usedom to Flensburg. On the way there are many cliffs and small coastal villages. The beaches invite you to relax. Cities like Stralsund and Lübeck are worth seeing and offer a lot of culture. A stage across the island of Rügen is recommended, because the island with the chalk cliffs and the beautiful piers offers special highlights.

A small challenge

If you like it a little more sporty, you are in good hands on the Lake Constance-Königssee Cycle Path. The cycle route has a total length of 440 kilometres and leads right through the Alps. From Lindau on Lake Constance, the cycle path goes through the Allgäu. On the way, many mountain lakes and castles await. At the end you reach Berchtesgaden and finally Schönau am Königssee. Special highlights of the cycle route are the Ettal Monastery and the famous Neuschwanstein Castle. The route leads over many hills and is therefore more suitable for advanced riders or e-bikes.

Surrounded by vineyards and castles

The Moselle Cycle Path begins in the Vosges, where the Moselle originates. It flows through the Saarland and flows into the Rhine after about 310 kilometres in Koblenz. The path through the valley of the Moselle has many curves and leads past medieval castles and vineyards, through cities such as Trier and Saarbrücken. It invites you to take a leisurely bike ride, because there are many places to stop along the way

Morocco – the magic of the historic imperial cities

PatrickJullien
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Morocco – the magic of the historic imperial cities

The sky shines like a mystical lapis lazuli, and the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas shimmer on the distant horizon. Holidaymakers in Morocco rave about the magic of this North African light and the sensuality of the Orient. In the bazaars of the Berber cities it smells of cinnamon and saffron and between the old walls acrobats, snake charmers, shoe shiners and the sellers of melons find their stages and their audience.

This country, south of the Strait of Gibraltar , professes moderate Islam and a constitutional monarchy with a king from the Alawite dynasty. It is a country bordered by the infinity of the Sahara but also by the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Since Morocco has a long history of tourism, it is recommended as an exceptional destination.

View of the capital Rabat, Image: saiko3p / shutterstock

In front of the medina, the carriages, the traditional means of transport of Morocco’s historic cities, are waiting. Behind panting horses, you carefully walk through the labyrinth of this oriental picture-book splendour. Morocco serves its guests the fascination of the imperial cities on a silver platter, so to speak, and if you don’t get lost in the maze of alleys of the souks, you will enjoy this atmosphere with all your senses.

Marrakech, Fez, Meknes, Casablanca and Rabat are the cornerstones of Moroccan history, stone witnesses of a great past and at the same time pearls of the present.

All of them were capitals of the North African country in different periods of history, and their respective rulers were apparently overwhelmed by the ambition to leave behind something significant for posterity. Anyone who strolls through these cities, which are so different in their building fabric, today embarks on a journey through time and space and walks in the footsteps that UNESCO has declared a World Heritage Site.

Fez sees itself immodestly as the memory of the Moroccan nation, because the metropolis has a wealth of art treasures like hardly any other oriental city. Since the late 8th century AD, there have been no wars here. Fez is the work of Prince Idriss I, who, according to Islam, was a descendant of the Prophet Muhammad. The Karawijin Mosque can accommodate 20,000 worshippers for their prayers. Affiliated with it is the oldest university in the Muslim world.

Morocco, Shop
A colorful store in Morocco, Image: Peter Wollinga / shutterstock

The Qur’anic writings are also studied in the Koranic schools of Marrakech. This is a mysterious royal city on the edge of the desert and with the Square of the Jugglers as the lively center. When the heat of the day evaporates and the coolness of the evening also beguiles the senses of the holidaymakers, the scent of the numerous food stalls hangs over the city.

Meknès impresses with a forty-kilometre-long and almost intact city wall, the shady parks and the government palace. Rabat is the traditional “white royal city” and has been the residence of the Alawite dynasty for more than a hundred years. No metropolis in the north of the Black Continent has given itself such a modern coat of paint as Rabat with its covered souk Es Sebat.

If you decide to go on a tour to the nearby Sahara, you will soon notice that the heat sometimes leads to fallacies and that the horizon disappears into the pale nowhere. But the desert also has many faces in Morocco. There are the karstic mountain ranges with their serpentine roads that end at the top of the passes. But there are also the many oases with their proud date palms and sleepy-looking small villages.

Zagora was once a caravan station – the starting point for journeys through the infinity of the African north. Somewhere the holidaymaker finds the much-photographed sign “52 days to Timbuktu”. This signpost is probably also understood as a threat in the land of the Berbers and nomads. Anyone who not only feels the hot breath of the Sahara as a holidaymaker, but is lucky enough to witness the mystical atmosphere of the traditional “Guedra” in the light of a fire, will never forget this “dance of the desert”.

Travel information Morocco

Capital Rabat
Form of government Hereditary Monarchy
constitutional monarchy
Currency Dirham (MAD)
Area approx. 446,550 km²
including Western Sahara: 710,850 km²
Population approx. 35,740,000 (2017)
Languages Arabic and Mazir (Berber)
Electricity grid 127/220 volts, 50 Hz
Area code +212
Time zone UTC±0
UTC+1 (March to October)

 

Mexico – in the footsteps of faded cultures

PatrickJullien
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Mexico – in the footsteps of faded cultures

If the mountains of Mexico could talk, they would have a lot to tell. They would report on the important Indian civilizations of a bygone era, on the colonial era of the country, on volcanic eruptions and earthquakes and, last but not least, on a revolution that led to a bloody civil war. This is all a past in this treasure trove of faded cultures and in a country that is still the “garden of the gods” for many Mexicans. “Viva Mexico” – this region of Central America tells the story of love and sorrow, of rise and decline. It is a land full of scenic wonders and it is blessed with the testimonies of the Maya and their secrets that hardly anyone has completely deciphered so far.

Mexico, El Ángel de la Independencia
The El Ángel de la Independencia in Mexico City, Image: Vincent St. Thomas / shutterstock

Scientists and historians have learned a lot over the centuries from the time when Aztecs and Maya populated this area. For both cultures, the rivers were of magical power and every volcano was a sacred place. Only stones remain from the heyday of the Indian peoples of today’s Mexico , but the winding palaces and gigantic pyramids still pose puzzles, because many puzzle pieces have not yet been used to create an overall construct. However, it is known that the Maya of Palenque were not only gifted picture houses, but that they wanted to appease the gods of the underworld with blood sacrifices. This magical place in the sprawling jungle with its bright red houses was a highlight of Mayan culture, where the scholars of their time observed the celestial bodies and developed one of the earliest calendars in human history.

Mexico, Baja
The Baja in Mexico, Image: Grey82 / shutterstock

However, the Maya were probably not a peaceful people of hunter-gatherers, and the decline of their culture could also have been linked to armed conflicts. Twice a year, thousands gather on the Yucatán Peninsula in the ruined city of Chichén to observe the equinox and the course of the sun. Shortly before dusk, the sun paints a ribbon on the steps of the Castillo, then unites with a snake’s head made of stone. This is an astronomical phenomenon and a spectacle for many holidaymakers.

But the mysterious sanctuaries of the Maya alone do not make a trip to Mexico an unusual holiday experience. On a round trip, there are the picturesque village churches, the evergreen rainforest, idyllic bays and hissing volcanoes. This is a land full of grace and beauty, rich in temples and dream beaches. Cancún is no longer a blank spot on the map of international tourism. At Playa del Carmen, all holidaymakers who hope for water sports activities in addition to sun and sand feel at home. The beaches convey a Caribbean flair and the glass-bottom boat takes you out to a dazzling underwater world.

Mexico is also an Eldorado for divers, because the waters on the doorstep are very clear almost everywhere and the galleries of the coral gardens are teeming with colorful schools of fish and turtles. Near Isla Mujeres is the “Cave of the Sleeping Sharks”, where not only reef sharks, nurse sharks and tiger sharks but even the bullsharks can be found. Romano Bravo, one of the most famous oceanographers, was laid to rest there. His urn was brought to the cave in 1988 by the then Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo himself, and a mortality table reads: “Sleep forever at the side of your sharks…”
Less exciting is the island of Cozumel, which is recommended for those who are looking for peace and relaxation. If you want to dive there in the National Marine Park, you can take boats out to the Santa Rosa and Palancar areas. A stay in the metropolis of Mexico City is vital and exciting. It’s a million-dollar juggernaut, but if you take your time, you’ll enjoy the colorful markets, the secluded parks and, above all, the canals of Xochimilco. In Mexico City, the gate to an unusual journey opens.

Travel information Mexico

Capital Mexico City
Form of government Federal republic
Presidential democracy
Currency Mexican peso (MXN)
Area approx. 1,972,550 km²
Population approx. 124,574,795 (2017 est.)
Languages Spanish
Electricity grid 110-135 volts, 60 Hz
Area code +52
Time zone UTC−6 to UTC−8
UTC−5 to UTC−7
(with daylight saving time)

 

Monaco – small and fine and not always expensive

PatrickJullien
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Monaco – small and fine and not always expensive

Of course, it doesn’t always have to be Kavier, but in Monaco’s best company, the expensive is part of the good manners. However, if you go to Monte Carlo as a vacationer, you will by no means fall out of character there when you feast on a fish sandwich on a bench in the picturesque Japanese Garden. This principality is far less snobbish than most people think. For some, the city-state on the Mediterranean Sea is more like an operetta, others see Monaco as an illustrious refuge of good humour and sometimes also good taste. However, here and there the old splendor has faded and is probably getting on in years. But what remains is an affordable luxury from a world between appearance and reality.

Monaco, Formula 1 Grand Prix
The annual highlight of the Formula 1 season: The Monaco Grand Prix, Image: cristiano barni / shutterstock

Monaco has always afforded itself the form of government of a constitutional monarchy. In all important decisions of the miniature state, the prince himself decides. The coastline measures just 4,100 meters and the entire territory is only two square kilometers in size. If you stroll through the English Garden on the Isar in Munich , you will be on the road longer than in Monte Carlo. The small principality is rich, beautiful and sought-after. After all, 41,000 jobs await the approximately 32,000 inhabitants – that is a lonely world record.

The narrow parking space on Avenue Princesse Grace could have sprung from the flashing Who’s Who of the automotive industry, because hardly a mid-range car gets lost here between the Porsches, Lamborghinis and Ferraris. If you take a seat in one of the bars at the marina, you can order a dish of the day for just under ten euros, but when you look at the styled boats, it can also be an expensive lobster. The rental fees in the marina amount to a proud 200,000 euros per year and ship.

Monaco at night, Image: tichr / shutterstock

Monaco would like to expand by landfilling, but the sea on its doorstep is up to seventy meters deep, which would cause costs that would be disproportionate to the yield even in the principality. So they stay small and a pinch immodest…

Prince Albert’s income is estimated at a good hundred million euros. But exact figures are state secrets. After all, he also holds the majority of shares in the casino company “Société des Bains de Mer” and various luxury hotels. If you are a holidaymaker inspecting Monte Carlo, you should start your day with a cup of coffee on the terrace of the legendary Café de Paris . Caruso already treated himself to a petit noir here and Frank Sinatra had a regular place there.

This is the aura of high society, the playground of the paparazzi, a sophisticated dwarf state. But also a particularly beautiful and contrasting refuge on the Mediterranean. Those who do their business there often travel from neighboring France every day, because even Nice is not very far. Those who can afford it, however, float in by helicopter – to the airport in Fontvieille. It is said of Monte Carlo that everyone knows everyone in this illustrious spot. Most of them also know the prince, because the city is actually a village.

Many tourists are drawn to the photogenic market stalls on the Place d’Armes and in the evening to the Texan restaurant, where Prince Albert’s sister Stephanie can also be seen. Even if you don’t stay there, holidaymakers should stop by the Hotel Hermitage and admire the lobby under the glass dome. And if you try your luck in the casino in the hall of the rattling machines or even at the roulette tables, you first have to pat the knee of the bronze horse with the Sun King Ludwig at the entrance. Then, they say, luck would be on your side in the casino.

Monaco is an illustrious stage of vanities – but also one of the sunniest places in the south of the continent. A small realm of elegance and extravagance.

Travel information Monaco

Capital Monaco
Form of government Hereditary Monarchy
constitutional monarchy
Currency Euro (EUR)
Area approx. 2.02 km²
Population approx. 38,400 (2015)
Languages French
Electricity grid 127/220 volts, 50 Hz
Area code +377
Time zone UTC+1 CET
UTC+2 CEST (March to October)

 

Namibia – the home of the San and many wild animals

PatrickJullien
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Namibia – the home of the San and many wild animals

There is no question that Namibia is a particularly strong part of the African south. With the endless expanses of the oldest desert in the world, with mountains of sand stretching up to a height of three hundred meters in the monster dunes of Sossusvlei, with the life-threatening region of the Skeleton Coast, with picturesque towns, the game-rich Etosha Pan and with many small and large wonders along the way. Namibia is in vogue because word has spread in international tourism that the former German colony is a largely safe travel destination, as long as you adapt to the conditions of the gravel roads. They require time, because the tires of the off-road vehicles are badly strained there and you should exercise caution in the curves on this unsafe terrain. But if you take this to heart, you will embark on an eventful journey through a land of light, emptiness and colours.

Namibia, Windboek, Christ Church
The Christ Church in Windboek, Image: Vadim Nefedoff/shutterstock

When the sun has sent its last rays over the fascinating Namib, those stories are told under the camel thorn trees that are passed on from generation to generation among the Bushmen. They are the stories of sun and sand, of thirst in waterless times and of hunting antelopes. There are still one hundred thousand indigenous people of the San people in Namibia and in neighboring Botswana. They are semi-nomads who have always built their houses out of branches and grass and can easily leave them if there are reasons for a change of location. They are collectors and hunters and they entrusted their dreams to the rocks of Namibia centuries ago, mostly in the form of animals. Just like in Twyfelfontein in southern Damaraland.

The self-esteem of the San has received a considerable boost in some regions of Namibia since they were encouraged to convey their rituals and lifestyle habits to holidaymakers in so-called “living museums”. The Living Culture Foundation Namibia was created thanks to a German initiative and enables the San villages to make an acceptable living. In the evening, they return to their homes, and when a warm wind blows through the trees, they are convinced that, true to ancient traditions, the sky has “slaughtered” the sun.

The Skeleton Coast in Namibia, Image: Radek Borovka / shutterstock

Sand and silence – these are the characteristics of the Namibian deserts. The red-yellow Kalahari and the Namib, which gave the country its name. Namibia is actually only green in the Zambezi region in the north, where the dangerous hippos populate the rivers and ponds. To the south, the elements have created the Fish River Canyon, the second largest in the world. The Skeleton Coast, so called because a number of stranded seafarers lost their lives there, is wildly romantic. The highlight of the varied Namib-Naukluft National Park are the dunes of Sossusvlei. In no other region of the world do they pile up in such dimensions. If you are good on foot there, you should go to Deadvlei, where gnarled tree remains bear witness to the fact that the river Tsauchab once silted up here.

There are only three cities in Namibia that deserve the name: the metropolis of Windhoek, Lüderitz and Swakopmund. And almost everywhere you can find traces of the German colonial era more than a hundred years ago. Walfis Bay on the rough and cold Atlantic coast has the only seaport in Namibia. South West Africa was once a gold and diamond mine, but when the treasures were unearthed, most Europeans left the country. Where the soldiers of fortune lived back then, today a hot wind blows through houses without window panes in Kolmanskop.

Namibia was the first country in the world to commit to nature conservation and enshrined this in its constitution, which contributed to the fact that many elephants, rhinos, lions and leopards can still be found in Etosha National Park today. The region around the dry and salt-solidified inland lake is one of the most interesting game reserves in Africa. Etosha and the neighbouring Waterberg are treasures of nature and proof of the thesis that the preservation of wilderness and tourism do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Travel information Namibia

Capital Windhoek
Form of government Republic
Semi-presidential democracy
Currency Namibian Dollar (NAD)
Area approx. 824,116 km²
Population approx. 2,324,400 (2016)
Languages English (German also very common)
Electricity grid 220 volts, 50 Hz
Area code Phone +264
Time zone UTC+2

 

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