Travel copy (Tourism)

Overview

Belém

Cities have history and this one takes visitors back to when the world was being discovered. Tour this area that was a focal point for explorers and distant riches. 

Lisbon’s Belém district takes discovery to a contemporary level with so many sites and structures to visit, defining the city as having been a gateway for precious goods from distant lands. Hop on trams that snake through this district that means Bethlehem in Portuguese, or walk the black and white tiled sidewalks known as calçadas.

Lisbon’s history revolves around the ocean and its wide estuary, the Tagus River, which runs by Belém. Wander along the riverfront with the 25th of April Bridge, a smaller version of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, in the distance and you will unavoidably come across a towering marble monument dedicated to Portugal’s seafaring importance. The Padrão Descobrimentos (Discoveries Monument) shows the principal figure Infante Dom Henrique, also known as Henry the Navigator of the country’s Age of Discovery leading notable people towards the ocean and distant shores. 

Walk beyond the monument until you see what looks like a small castle on the river’s shore. The Torre de Belém (Belém Tower) was a fortification to defend the area from attacks by sea and its location was originally in the middle of the river, but tides have gradually changed the configuration of the river and the tower is now by the shore.

Leave the waterfront and go inland to a large park, the Jardim da Praça do Imperio (Imperial Square Garden), with a magnificent fountain at its center where it’s definitely worthwhile to sit and admire the surroundings. Look across the park at the sprawling Mosteiro dos Jerónimos, a 16th century monastery that has become one of the city’s most visited sites and was erected with funds from the lucrative spice industry. 

Diagonally across from the monastery on another side of the park is the El Centro Cultural de Belém that houses the Coleção Museu Berardo, one of Lisbon’s finest museums with free admittance. Travel beyond this popular area towards the downtown and look for the large soft pink building on the left surrounded by trees, Belém Palace, the residence of the country’s presidents.

In keeping with things presidential, a short distance farther is the Museo Nacional dos Coches (National Museum of Coaches) with a collection of carriages that have been used by European royalty and various popes. Try Portugal’s national pastry, the pastel de nata, where it was first made at the beautifully tiled Pastéis de Belem bakery. Lineups can be long but the surroundings and baked goods are worth the wait.

A visit to Lisbon would not be complete without a trip to Belém. A tram is the preferred method of entering and leaving the district but pickpockets in this area are somehow notorious on this mode of transport. An alternative method is the bus that is often less crowded and not as worrisome.

Sources:

http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/belem.html

http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/belem-lisbon/belem-district-lisbon.html

POI

Belém Tower

This city constructed a fortification in the middle of a waterway to defend its riches. Find out how this structure is now accessible from shore. 

Look at it and you would think Lisbon’s Belém Tower has always been there, but the ornate fortification was originally situated midstream to fight off any hostile craft that came up the Tagus River. Over time, the current has reconfigured the river to place the tower by the shore. 

Built between 1514 and 1520, it has a storybook charm that can be credited to its heavy influence of Moorish design. Discern how the structure incorporates the two features of a medieval tower and a military fortification.

Enter the building on the gangway that connects it to shore and notice the carved rhinoceros at the base of the right-hand turret, believed to represent a live specimen that was sent as a gift to Lisbon by an Indian sultan. Cross the drawbridge to be in the bulwark with 17 cannons pointing out to the river. Their strategic placement allowed cannon balls to skip across the water to extend their distance. Below this floor was where the dungeons were located.

Climb the staircase to the first terrace, or bulwark terrace, to see six turrets with lookout windows and an opening in the middle looking down on the floor below. Admire the river-facing exterior from this terrace as it has the most detail to impress seafaring crews as they approached Lisbon.

Go up another staircase to the Governor’s Room that, despite its name, was not where governors stayed, but instead at a palace nearby. Notice the octagonal structure that collected rainwater stored in a tank below. In this room is access to turrets and another staircase leading to the top of the building. 

Ascend to the King’s Room with its balcony that has a commanding view of the river, while the room’s other walls have Venetian style balcony windows. The remaining rooms are the Audience Room and Chapel and you will notice holes in balcony floors that allowed heavy objects to be dropped on the heads of attackers.

Look straight across the river when you’re on the Tower Terrace at the top to see another fortification on the far shore. Known as St. Sebastian’s Tower and in conjunction with Belém Tower, attacking warships didn’t stand a chance. 

Sources:

http://www.torrebelem.gov.pt/en/index.php?s=white&pid=168

http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/belem-lisbon/torre-de-belém-belem-tower-lisbon.html

POI

Padrão dos Descobrimentos

Ocean cities often have a monument of their seafaring history and this one clearly announces its importance. Visit this monolith commemorating famous explorers.

Lisbon’s Padrão dos Descobrimentos (Monument to the Discoveries) points out over the Tagus River that flows into the Atlantic Ocean from where many sailing vessels had ventured to explore unchartered waters and discover new lands. View this concrete and limestone monument that provides a who’s who of maritime figures recognized as being Portugal’s leading individuals for introducing European customs and trade to distant regions.

Shaped like the bow of a vessel with billowing sails above, many historic individuals are immortalized by sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida who crafted his work for the 1940 Portuguese World Exhibition to celebrate Portugal’s beginning and its independence from Spain. The original monument was situated at the nearby Praça do Imperio (Imperial Square) and reconstructed by the river 20 years later to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Prince Henry the Navigator, the driving force behind Portugal’s explorations and conquests. Look at the first figure on the bow of the monument holding an exploration vessel, known as a caravel, to see a likeness of Henry the Navigator.

Count the statues to arrive at 32 figures of key people who were instrumental during Portugal’s Age of Discovery and notice the detail in their faces. Included among the explorers are cartographers, crusaders, chroniclers, missionaries and artists. The only female is Henry the Navigator’s mother, Queen Philippa of Lancaster. 

Look down before going inside to see a stylized compass that was a gift from South Africa charting Portuguese expeditions, which culminated in an empire that spanned three continents. Enter the monument to discover exhibits on Lisbon’s history and take the elevator and a flight of steps to the top of the 183.7-foot (56 meter) tall structure for incredible panoramic views overlooking the river, historic Belém district and the other shore.

Tour the inside of Padrão dos Descobrimentos every day except Monday when many visitor sites in Lisbon are closed. An entrance fee is required. Access the monument safely by going under the busy road from the gardens in front of the monastery.

Sources:

http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/lisbon-portugal-history/1940-Portuguese-World-Exhibition.html

https://www.visitlisboa.com/see-do/sightseeing-activities/museums-monuments/monument-to-discoveries

http://www.lisbon-tourism.com/en/lisbon-attractions/historical-edifices-and-monuments-in-lisbon/monument-to-the-discoveries.html

http://www.padraodosdescobrimentos.pt/en/monument-to-the-discoveries/

POI

Ascensor da Glória

To come to this city and not let this little lady outfitted in yellow show you around would be an opportunity missed. Sit back and enjoy the changing scenes.

Her name is Glória and she’s been faithfully going up and down Lisbon’s hills since 1885. Some cities have tramcars that are synonymous with metropolitan areas, and the Ascensor da Glória (Gloria’s Elevator) has earned her status with the best of them. Ride this tramcar, or more correctly funicular, to be introduced to this hilly city’s historical sites and places of interest.

Catch a ride on what is also known as the Elevador da Glória anywhere along its route of narrow streets from Restauradores Square to the Bairro Alto district in the old section of town. Get off at the top of the street Rua San Pedro de Alcántara for one of the best views of the city, the Tagus River and the far shore. Lisbon is like Rome inasmuch both cities are built on seven hills, so funiculars like Glória are truly appreciated in getting from one area to another.

There are other vintage cable cars in the city including the Elevador do Lavra and the Elevador da Bica that even if they may not be as iconic as Glória, are still interesting and fun to ride. Hop on board Lavra that is Lisbon’s oldest with service that started in 1884 and connects streets Câmara Pastana and Largo da Anunciada to important Avenida da Liberdade. Bica serves the Bairro Alto district and is regarded a close second to Glória for the views it provides.

Lisbon is a haven for classic tramcars that are an important component of the public transportation system. All trams display the letter E, which stands for electrico (electric) and they climb slight inclines, unlike modern tramcars. Experience how they navigate narrow places which is the principal reason why these 1930 vintage trams, upgraded in the 1990s, are still in service in a city known to have the world’s steepest tram tracks. 

Purchase your ticket from Ascensor da Glória’s driver, although it’s probably less hectic to buy a 24-hour pass at a metro (subway) station that allows passage on any tram or funicular. Enjoy this unique way of seeing Lisbon by riding the rails.

Sources:

https://www.lisbon.net/lifts

https://www.city-discovery.com/lisbon/tour.php?id=11617

http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/lisbon-transport/lisbon-tram-guide.html

http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/Baixa-Lisbon/Elevador-Santa-Justa-Lisbon-elevator-lift-guide.html

POI

Convento do Carmo & Museo Arqueológico

Ruins from an earthquake are often torn down, but this city has turned them into an attraction. Tour this site to sense the grandeur of a gothic masterpiece.

The 1755 earthquake caused massive destruction and numerous fatalities in Lisbon. A staggering death toll of an estimated 90,000 people makes the natural disaster one of the worst in history. The city was left in ruins after the estimated 8.5 to 9.0 magnitude earthquake and the resulting tsunami and fires, but a masterpiece remained standing. Visit the 14th century Convento do Carmo (Carmo Convent) to marvel at this Gothic roofless structure that defiantly stayed upright.

Tragically the earthquake occurred on All Saints Day morning when citizens were gathering in the massive church, Lisbon’s largest at the time. The fact that it wasn’t totally destroyed was incredible for the deeply religious surviving citizens when other churches were reduced to rubble and ash. Enter the church to see its skeletal remains that indicate its majestic history. 

Read the engraved stone at the entrance from Pope Clement VII who puts a blessing on visitors by saying “any faithful Christian” will be granted 40 days of indulgence. At the opposite end, where the main altar was located, is a small museum, the Museo Arqueológico do Carmo (Carmo Archaeological Museum), that contains tombs with one belonging to King Ferdinand I.

In the collection of artifacts are Visigoth pieces, a sculpture of the Virgin Mary made from jasper and quirky items like shrunken heads and South American mummies. Notice the absence of any books from this period as the majority of manuscripts burned during the disaster.

Finish your visit to the Convento do Carmo and the Museo Arqueológico at one of the outdoor cafés in the picturesque square in front of the church to be able to admire at leisure this remnant of a disastrous past. Located in the city center’s Chiado district, an entrance fee is required although it’s closed on Sundays.

Sources:

http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/carmo-church.html

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/carmo-convent-ruins

http://lisbon-portugal-guide.com/Baixa-Lisbon/igreja-carmo-church-lisbon.html

http://www.drgeorgepc.com/Tsunami1755Lisbon.html

POI

Fado Museum

This city is the birthplace for a style of music that’s dramatic and heartfelt. Learn why it was banned and its current popularity among its citizens and worldwide. 

Fado is a style of music that is either adored or shunned, but if a taste for it is acquired one can be hooked. Discover more about this traditional Portuguese music at Lisbon’s Fado Museum (Museu do Fado) and learn about songs that tell of the country’s history in a contemplative, soul-stirring manner. Unless Portuguese is understood the storyline of any song will probably be missed, but it’s obvious the topic is something very passionate and spirited.

Close your eyes when listening to Fado to feel the drama and forlorn state of the singer, or fadista, even if the meaning is lost. Musical accompaniment is traditionally with string instruments and songs are about the hard realities of life and despair, although hope that situations could improve is sometimes included. 

The style evolved in the 1820s in areas of the city frequented by sailors for their prostitutes and this form of musical expression became very popular in the early 1900s. However, Fado was censored in 1926 in an attempt to change the type of entertainment in Lisbon, but radio prevented its extinction. Imagine the protest from citizens to any attempt of keeping their beloved Fado from being the music of their city.

Discover at the museum how one fadista single-handedly brought this genre of music to global recognition until her death in 1999. Amália Rodrigues, known as the Queen of Fado, made this music stand out as an art form and had it evolve into its contemporary format that can include piano, violin and accordion. It may also explain why most fadistas in Lisbon are women.  

Arrange a special visit to the Fado Museum’s documentation center for deeper research, or if available, attend an intimate show in its small auditorium. Shop in the museum’s store for a wide-ranging assortment of Fado items. Located in the Alfama district, the museum is closed Mondays and an admittance fee is required.

Sources:

http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/fado-museum.html

https://portugal.com/portuguese-music/fado-seoul-portuguese-music

http://www.museudofado.pt/gca/index.php?id=13

POI

Lisboa Story Centre

An introduction to a city and its history can be told through visual displays and audio description. Learn about this city through an interactive look into its past.

Two stylized ravens welcome visitors at the door of the Lisboa Story Centre. The ravens are the city’s mascots that legend says accompanied the remains of patron Saint Vincent on a sea voyage back to Lisbon. Enter the interpretive historical showcase to be equipped with an audio guide that tells the progression of events for Europe’s westernmost city.

Begin with early settlers on a horse-filled Lisbon street conducting business and advance to the Age of Discovery when the city was a center point for sea-faring missions in discovering parts of the world and new trade routes. Portugal was in a race to colonize areas before England and France laid claim to them.

The spice trade was a significant source of the city’s income that provided for the construction of important buildings. View the sprawling Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (Jerónimos Monastery) for an example of a structure that was partially funded from the riches of this lucrative commercial period. 

At the height of this period that was full of conquests, a massive earthquake followed by a tsunami and fires almost destroyed the city killing tens of thousands of its inhabitants. Experience the horror on that fateful November day in 1755 in the center’s small theatre where a dramatic film shows buildings toppling and the sea swallowing up anything in its path. Anything left standing was quickly engulfed in flames as aftershocks toppled lit candles. 

Discover the rapid rebuilding of the city to make its buildings more resistant to earthquakes under the direction of the Marquis of Pombal. Browse in the souvenir shop for mementos of your recent voyage through 20 centuries of Lisbon’s past.  

The Lisboa Story Centre is open everyday with an admission fee being charged. Find it on the Terreiro do Paço square, near the river in the Baixa district.

Sources:

https://www.visitlisboa.com/see-do/sightseeing-activities/attractions/lisboa-story-centre-memories-of-city

https://www.inspirock.com/portugal/lisbon/lisboa-story-centre-a3149302837

http://www.portugaldailyview.com/whats-new/musuems-lisbons-story-teller-takes-you-on-a-ride

http://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/pt-lsb.html

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/portugal/lisbon-jeronimos-monastery

POI

Miradouro de Santa Luzia

Elevated areas in cities are often synonymous with being romantic places. Discover this city’s raised area with its mesmerizing views.

The Miradouro de Santa Luzia (Saint Lucia’s Gazebo) in Lisbon’s Alfama district is possibly one of the best places to be in the city on a sunny day, particularly a hot one. Take in the view as breezes come over the Tagus River and rush up to this vantage point. Shady trellises and bougainvillea shaped into tree forms provide protection from intense sunlight.

The red tiled roofs of the old downtown area below, the blue river meeting the Atlantic Ocean and any visiting cruise ships make a romantic setting, while a café is perfectly situated to enjoy a leisurely drink or a snack. Performing street musicians and artists selling their work often frequent this area. Identify historical places such as the large white church of Santo Estêvão (Saint Stephen), the dome of the National Pantheon and the onion shaped spires of São Miguel (Saint Michael) church. 

Walk over to the nearby church of the same name as the miradouro to view the outside pictorial tiles that depict the city’s Praça do Comerçio (Commerce Square) before the 1755 earthquake, while another assemblage of tiles shows crusaders storming the Castelo de São Jorge (Saint George Castle) in 1147. Such tiles, known as azulejos portugueses, are ubiquitous throughout the country and date back to the Moorish period but became assimilated into Portuguese culture.

Make a little further trek up the hill to see the commandeering 11th century Moorish castle, Castelo de São Jorge, that would later have a palace built within its walls for Portuguese royalty. The earthquake heavily damaged the castle, but restoration efforts in the 1930s repaired its crumbling walls. Inside the walls are well-maintained gardens and the palace is now a museum and restaurant. 

Return to the miradouro to dip your tired feet into a wading pool located on the lower terrace. Although not as open as the higher terrace, views are still magnificent. The Miradouro de Santa Luzia is a great family spot to while away some time together and if you can fit in a sunset you won’t be disappointed.

Sources:

http://www.golisbon.com/sight-seeing/santa-luzia.html

http://www.aviewoncities.com/lisbon/miradourodesantaluzia.htm

http://www.aviewoncities.com/lisbon/castelodesaojorge.htm

Space Weather – The Perfect Storm (Science)

Early in March 2012, the sun produced two spectacular solar flares classed in the X category that puts them in the highest magnitude. Like Earth, the sun has cycles of relative calm and more active solar weather, or what are called solar maximums. The biggest solar storm on record occurred in 1859 during a solar maximum that ominously was about the same size as the one in March. Although effects were minimal, today a similar storm would have a more climactic effect with society’s dependence on electronics. Scientists say an outburst of the 1859 magnitude would cripple the world’s electronic infrastructure.

The sun has been relatively quiet with sizeable activity not seen since 2003. In 1989, Quebec’s power grid was seriously affected with widespread blackouts in Canada and the U.S. leaving six million people in the dark for nine hours. The impact of a solar eruption on Earth depends on whether the massive energy outbreak is directed harmlessly out to space, or in the direction of our planet. Even a glancing blow that parts of the world endured in the March event can tremendously affect telecommunications and power grids.

NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center monitors weather in space, and tracks the magnitude and direction of solar storms to prepare people for a possible infrastructure disruption. It takes several days for the effects of a solar flare to influence Earth, when the solar charged particles reach our planet causing fluctuations with the globe’s magnetic field, or what is known as a geomagnetic storm.

One, or a series of these solar eruptions known as coronal mass ejections (CME), would have the biggest impact on power grids causing the potential of massive outages over a large area, in addition to playing havoc with technology such as GPS and aircraft electronics. The greater the effect on the globe depends how much we are in the line of fire with one or a series of these solar-produced energy waves. CMEs are in direct correlation to the sun’s magnetic fields that are in a state of flux causing the current greater incidence of solar activity. To counteract the massive interruptions of solar outbursts on electronic equipment and power grids, certain measures are required.

In the event a CME barrels down on Earth, giant power transformers could stop functioning causing an increased strain on the grid that would cause massive blackouts. The world’s power companies and airlines rely on NOAA’s forecasting of solar storm events to help prepare equipment and flight plans. This preparation could involve portions of the grid being shut down in advance and during CME phenomenon, thereby minimizing the disruption to localized short-lived outages. Commercial airlines are also prepared with such a forecast to avoid affected areas during the length of a geomagnetic storm that generally last a few hours.

But this excited period of solar activity is cyclical and once the present level of solar storms passes, the sun will return to its calmer state. In the meantime, the current solar maximum could last into 2013.

©2012

The Magic Western Sahara: Stay North of the Berm, Young Man (Travel)

Travel to North Africa brings the tourist face to face with unique customs and heritage from its diverse array of inhabitants. In this report from world-traveller Richard Hand, we learn about obscure Western Sahara and its tumultuous existence.

Tug of War

The status and politics of Western Sahara have been contested and unstable almost since the end of WWII when this previous Spanish colony was relinquished from its control by the mother country. Its fate is still ponderous and uncertain with friction coming from Morocco with its claim of interest, Algeria to the northeast that identifies itself with a large component of the area’s population (Sahrawi, of Bedouin descent), and the country’s internal movement, the Polisario Front, that seeks independence for this area it calls Sahrawi. The area controlled by the Polisario borders directly on Algeria and Mauritania and is known as the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) with its provisional capital at Bir Lehlou.

Mind the Gap

The area’s political uncertainty has caused it to receive a United Nation’s definition as being a non-self-governing territory. The area is prone to sporadic unrest, particularly to the southeast of a berm that serves as a buffer zone known as the Moroccan Wall. The region’s instability goes back even further to a historical feuding between Algeria and Morocco. There are reports that this region has the highest density of landmines in the world, and travel beyond this line is off-limits to tourists with area patrols performed by both UN and liberation forces.

A Contest of Ownership

The northern part of the country is under Morocco’s influence, with significant resources and subsidies earmarked for this area with a Wikileaks report that it is one of the largest per-capita aids programs in history, causing considerable economic strain on the country abutting its northern boundary. Its largest natural resource is the sea with its fishery, although there is some phosphate mining and there is speculation that the offshore may have oil and gas deposits. However, due to its lack of full country status, its claim to these resources is debatable. The land itself is one of the harshest environments on Earth being primarily arid desert, with any agriculture being confined to some coastal areas.

Tourism with a Difference

The capital is El Aaiún, also known as Laâyoune, in the Moroccan-influenced portion with flights from Spain, Morocco and the Canary Islands. The city provides a good opportunity to sample Western Sahara with the area’s monumental sand dunes providing opportunities for sand skiing and camel or SUV caravans across the desert, balloon rides over dunes, and a coast where the desert abruptly ends at sea’s edge in what is virtually an endless beach. A number of tour companies offer expeditions to Western Sahara that are adventure trips for travellers who like to venture and experience the fringes of contested areas. Also the Polisario itself organizes refugee tourism to the main camp in Algeria’s Tindouf through charitable organizations to get the message of the Sahrawi out on the world stage.

©2013

Paragliding In Oludeniz: A Rush In Clear Skies Over A Turquoise Sea (Travel)

Vacationing on the Turkish Riviera offers so much, but high on the list is paragliding in Oludeniz. Soaring like a bird over beaches, lagoons and boats is an experience like no other and paragliding in Oludeniz is perhaps as perfect a locale as possible.

Professional piloting

Mount Babadag is the backdrop and launching point at an altitude of almost 1980 meters (6500 feet), making it a prime location for paragliding in Turkey. It takes about an hour to reach the launching area from Oludeniz and the fee includes a very scenic Jeep ride up the mountain. Every paragliding trip has two people, or what is known as tandem paragliding – the customer and a certified paragliding operator – so that you can concentrate on taking in the magnificent views.

The take-off

Upon reaching the launching area, paragliders are suited up with all the necessary safety equipment and wait patiently for their turn to be launched, which is similar to watching planes waiting for take off at an airport. The “puller” holds on to the customer as he waits for clearance to launch, and when ready he starts to run towards the mountain’s edge with the customer and pilot running as well as the big wing unfurls behind. The continuous wind at this altitude quickly finds the wing and another excursion of paragliding in Oludeniz takes off.

Life above

The skies over Oludeniz are full of paragliders and from that vantage point it’s possible to see far down the Turkish coast and out over the Mediterranean Sea that stretches in front and eventually disappears into a soft heliotropic haze. Looking down on the white sands of Oludeniz beach and Blue Lagoon area makes one unmistakably realize why this region is such a popular tourist resort. In fact, it is at the Blue Lagoon that resembles the point at the end of a curved exclamation mark of white sand where paragliders float back to Earth after a journey that lasts from 30 minutes to an hour, with the entire trip from beach to beach taking two to two and a half hours. At the end you will understand why many claim Oludeniz is the best area for paragliding in Turkey, if not Europe.

Money well spent

Judging by the number of “sails” riding the thermals, there are a number of businesses offering this activity. Some major ones are Sky Sports Paragliding (www.skysports-turkey.com), Easy Riders Paragliding (www.easyridersparagliding.com), Focus Tours & Paragliding Co.Ltd. (www.focusparagliding.com), and Hector Tandem Paragliding (www.hectorparagliding.com). Prices are very competitive and it pays to shop around with an offered range from £55 – £70 (140–170 lira, €64 -€81, $83-$106). If interested, one on one tandem paragliding instruction is offered in learning to become a solo flyer. It’s advisable to book early in a vacation as this air sport is obviously weather dependent with Summer being the ideal time of year.

The major paragliding companies have full insurance and customers are advised to dress comfortably and wear laced shoes such as joggers. For an additional cost, a DVD can be made of the flight and, of course, bring your camera.

©2013

The Lycian Way: Travel To An Earlier Time On Foot (Travel)

Seeing southern Turkey on foot is a one-of-a-kind experience and possible by following The Lycian Way – a 509-kilometer (316 mile) trail that wends from Fethiye to an area near Antalya on a predominantly coastal route along the Tekke Peninsula. This biodiverse footpath, winding from sea level to an altitude of 2,366 meters (7,762 feet) on The Lycian Way trek up Mount Olympos, gets its name from when the area was called Lycia by conquering Persians.

A Labour of Love

Its history spans a period from the Bronze Age to Alexander the Great and the Romans as being an important area for trading ships plying between Greece and Egypt. Such a variety of cultures left their marks in this region that are still visible today in the form of deserted hillside villages, remnants of aqueducts and burial grounds. After centuries of neglect, the trail was resurrected in 1999 by British/Turkish historian Kate Clow and is maintained through the work of volunteers, sponsors, tour operators and local inhabitants.

Good Lungs and Legs Required

To walk from end to end requires about 4 weeks, but tour companies offer The Lycian Way in manageable segments with transport provided between sections. To consider navigating the trail on a mountain bike is inadvisable as there are many sharp outcroppings of limestone rock that would play havoc with wheels. From the beginning at Fethiye, there are spectacular views along what is known as the Turquoise Coast and the trail requires some mild exertion as it is uphill, so wear comfortable walking shoes and carry plenty of drinking water. This initial part of the trail is the most heavily travelled by visitors due to its proximity to seaside resorts and towns. Some hikers travel 4 – 5 days to Patara, which has the reward of a 12-kilometer (7.5 mile) beach with claims of being Europe’s most beautiful, and where the purported world’s oldest lighthouse is located. A number of various levels of accommodation proudly advertise in Fethiye as being the starting point of The Lycian Way.

At One With Nature

Along more lengthy walks, one will come across villages, inns and homesteads that welcome trekkers in for the night before continuing their sojourn the following day. There is also the option of tenting in pasturelands or amongst scented pine trees. Views of towering mountains and down deep gorges to the sea below continue to amaze trekkers with spectacular scenes along the route. The translucent waters of a cove can materialize at a convenient time for a cool-down swim before continuing. Periodically, goatherds and their keepers will be discovered, and chameleons will change their colour in an attempt to go undetected amongst the flora.

Know Your Route

As well as forested areas, The Lycian Way has large shadeless tracts that make walking the trail uncomfortably hot in summer and wet in winter, so it is recommended to attempt any long-distance journeys either in February to May, or September to November. The route is marked with signposts and waymarking to indicate day treks or longer ones, but it is always handy to have a Lycian Way map to identify one’s progress. Two Lycian Way maps are provided here (www.fethiyedays.com; http://www.cultureroutesinturkey.com) for one’s general reference, or books with detailed maps that identify what is seen on the trek are available at this site. (www.lycianway.com/BooksAndMaps/books.html). For hikes lasting more than a day, a GPS is a handy gadget to bring along.

©2013

Dating in New York, No Expense Spared (Lifestyle)

One of the most critical things that could make or break a first date is the locale of that heady first meal. In New York the selection is enormous, so making that critical decision on where to dine can be daunting. Here’s a list of some top spots to help elevate you from a “maybe” to a “definite”.

Free range chicken

If there ever was a romantic stereotypical image of New York, The River Café, 1 Water Street, Brooklyn (718) 522-5200 has to be it, and where the term “free range chicken” was first used. Windows of the softly lit restaurant show the city in all its glory from the constantly changing harbor scene of vessels gliding by, to the high-rise buildings of commerce on the far shore and Brooklyn Bridge towering above. There’s just something about having a meal by the water that makes all the difference and makes dating in New York so special.

Bon Appétit

When Paris, France comes to mind so often does the subject of love. Daniel, 60 E 65^th St., Upper East Side (212) 288-0033 captures the essence of romance and provides all the essential ingredients for dating in New York. This 4 star New York Times’ rated restaurant has straightforward elegance, high ceilings and pillared arches to make you believe you have just stepped off the Avenue des Champs Élysées. Closed Sundays. For something even more intimate, the boudoir-esque Bouley Restaurant will undoubtedly provide the spur to keep the romance vibrant. This TriBeCa establishment at 163 Duane Street (212) 964-2525 whispers amorously in your ear as soon as you enter its charming wood front door in its colorful façade. Closed Sundays.

That’s Amore

Not to be outdone, Italy has its own brand of romance by food. Situated in Greenwich Village, Il Mulino has a candlelight charm that promotes speaking in hushed tones and soft whispers. Situated at 86 W 3^rd St., (212) 673-3783 this is the type of restaurant that could easily become a tradition once the dating morphs into its next stage. Included at no charge is a choice of authentic starters. It definitely is amore.

First class tapas

Food can be sensuous in itself, and comparing recipes can be a fun dating event. A tapas bar is perfect for this and the Pipa Tapas Bar at 38 E 19^th St. in Flatiron (212) 677-2233 provides the perfect sharing arrangement. Due to the social nature of a tapas bar the atmosphere is certainly more lively than subdued, but there’s nothing wrong with food as a topic to fill in those awkward first date moments. The décor of this restaurant makes it unique with its plethora of chandeliers and candelabras and allows a date to truly shine and sparkle on this special night.

It goes without saying that when dating in New York at no expense spared, reservations are highly encouraged. It’s important to remember that food is not just sustenance, but also an expression of how one lives and loves.

For more information, please go to:

• yelp.com
• nyc.com
• pipa-nyc.com
• ilmulino.com
• davidbouley.com
• danielnyc.com
• rivercafe.com

©2012

The Skinny on the Green Coffee Bean (Lifestyle)

There is yet another “miracle pill” for losing weight, the Green Coffee Bean capsule, that one study reports more than 17 pounds (7.7 kilograms) can be shed in about 5 months without changing diet or doing exercise. The popularity of this extract is being further increased with Dr. Mehmet Oz touting its benefits on his TV show.

The study, reported in the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity: Targets and Therapy, was written by a chemistry professor from the University of Scranton in Pennsylvania, while the research itself was conducted in India. A manufacturer of the green coffee bean extract funded the study. Dr. Oz also conducted his study and confirmed that these beans do promote weight loss. However, before rushing off to buy the pricey capsules, which can run between $20 and $30 for a month’s supply, one has to consider the research already completed.

The initial Indian study used an extremely small number of participants, just eight men and eight women. The Dr. Oz study used a larger number of people, 100 women, and concluded that on average 2 pounds (0.9 kilograms) was lost in a 2-week period. However, critics doubt the results saying it’s impossible to lose weight without reducing caloric intake or doing any exercise.

Proponents claim green coffee bean extract that is processed from unroasted beans has an active ingredient called chlorogenic acid, which reduces the absorption of glucose from foods into the body. In turn, this is purported to help control the number of fat cells. Not so coincidentally, regular roasted coffee also has chlorogenic acid. Green coffee bean extract is available online or at natural food stores.

©2012

Nova Scotia Is New Scotland (Travel)

 Nova Scotia – Some may think they know where it is and some may have never heard of it. Carly Simon’s hit in the seventies “You’re so vain” brought some recognition to the area by singing about a celebrity who flew his jet to Nova Scotia for the sun’s full eclipse. Positioned as the second most easterly Canadian province, it sits just above the state of Maine jutting out into the North Atlantic. This peninsula offers a variety of topographical features in a relatively small land area.

Most reachable by land and air (there used to be a high-speed ferry to the USA but that has been discontinued), the northern part of the province offers sandy beaches and the warmest waters north of the Carolinas. It’s not that the water is a warmer variety, but it is shallow along the shore and the sun warms it by way of heat being absorbed by the sand.

Pictou and Antigonish Counties – The northern area features the town of Pictou, home of the replica and floating museum, Hector. The original craft brought Scottish immigrants to the Pictou area in the 1700s, and the replica is open for tours. Close by is Ballantynes Cove on St. George’s Bay that offers a photographer’s dream for scenic views. If it is not possible to tour Cape Breton in the northernmost part, this mini Cabot Trail is well worth exploring.

Cape Breton – This island is connected to the rest of Nova Scotia and the mainland with a causeway built in the 1950’s. People from this area call themselves Cape Bretoners over Nova Scotians. The vistas and winding roads over highlands and overlooking spectacular bays are reminiscent of Scotland. In fact, more than one Hollywood movie has been filmed here when a Scottish scene is required. The Cabot Trail encircles the island and is best travelled in a counter clockwise direction.

Inverness – On the Cabot Trail, a tourist hotspot is Inverness that offers local and international cuisines in a number of restaurants. Also located here is the Cabot Links, which is marketed as Canada’s only authentic links golf course, and offering sea views from every hole.

Tidal Bore – Back on the mainland near the central town of Truro, a unique natural phenomenon occurs twice a day. A tidal bore comes rushing up a narrow inlet, and it’s possible to ride this wild water in a raft with other visitors under the skilled command of a competent boatman. You may want to have some dry clothes available on your return.

Halifax – This is the capital of Nova Scotia with a population of just over 390,000, and it offers a variety of festivals during the warmer months such as a military tattoo, jazz, buskers and multicultural events. For a complete view of the city, its harbor and surroundings a former defense fortification, the Citadel, is an excellent vantage point. There’s also a ferry that connects downtown Halifax with the twin city of Dartmouth across the harbor that enables a round-trip for shutterbugs and others. In one direction, just outside the city is a long beach that is a mecca for surfers, and in the other direction are some with white-powder sand.

Annapolis Valley – An area known as “the Valley” is the fertile portion of Nova Scotia. In the Ice Age, glaciers dragged soil from other locations and deposited it in this region. Wineries and restaurants now dot the pastoral landscape providing for a peaceful and relaxing trip. At the beginning of the Valley, coming from Halifax, is the Gaspereau Valley that is a separate enclave and offering a microclimate suitable for wine grape production. It is also an important maple syrup producing area.

Fundy Tides – On the western side of the province, the Bay of Fundy is part of the Atlantic Ocean that has Nova Scotia and the neighboring province of New Brunswick as its shores. Power harnessing of the strong Fundy tides is being attempted, and it is here where you will see large ships roped to wharves without a single drop of water around them at low tide.

Peggy’s Cove – Travelling south from Halifax you will come across St. Margaret’s Bay that has the world famous Peggy’s Cove (Peggy is short for Margaret), which has granite rock devoid of any soil as far as you can see. Some of the soil that was deposited in the Annapolis Valley mentioned earlier came from this area. Seafood is this region’s staple with the emphasis on lobster.

Mahone Bay – Travelling further south is the picturesque town of Mahone Bay with its three church spires reflecting reverently in the still waters. This town is full of heritage homes, many of them topped with a “widow’s walk” where wives would look for their husbands to return from sea. Delightful bed-and-breakfasts are abundant. This is also considered a world-class sailing area and vessels with foreign flags on their sterns are often seen plying the waters.

Lunenburg – As its name suggests, Lunenburg was the focal point in the province for German immigrants. In addition to seafood, German fare is common on menus, with locally made sausage being a delicacy. Lunenburg has been and still is a major boatbuilding town and is where the famous schooner Bluenose, a fishing and racing vessel, was built along with its succeeding two replicas. On the back of a Canadian ten-cent piece the Bluenose is commemorated. Nova Scotians are often fondly known as Bluenosers, although it is debatable whether this name came from the vessel or a blue-colored salve fishermen used to put on their noses to prevent frostbite.

©2012

Iran’s Original Non-Violent Mujahidin (News)

Iran’s original mujahidin dates back to the 1970s, when the Shah of Iran was in power, and stands for democracy, gender equality and anti-terrorism as attendees were told at a recent Washington, D.C. conference on the crisis in the Middle East that focused on the Iranian threat.

In opposition to tyranny, the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, the PMOI or also known as MEK, rose to politically stymie dictatorship and the religious fundamentalist regime. In response members of the opposition were arrested for insubordination and sent to prison where they endured horrific killings. Iran’s message to its members was to, “Renounce the MEK or die.” The result was a mass murder in 1988 of 30 thousand of its supporters.

Ambassador Lincoln Bloomfield told the conference that as a consultant and advisor to a Washington law firm he researched the activities of the MEK to discover it was not a terrorist organization, but had been portrayed as Marxist to western governments by the Iranian administration resulting in facts becoming distorted. “I concluded that U.S. government accounts over the years…appeared to have been changed over time, tampered with, exaggerated, altered, and simply not squared with the facts…this was not the group that killed the Americans in the 1970s in Iran,” Bloomfield said.

For many Iranians the Mujahidin’s of the MEK became synonymous with heroes for opposing their country’s barbarous administration, but the word became abused. “It created a reputation and a brand that the Mujahidin were brave people standing up against tyranny. And so others wanted to capture that name and some of them wanted to do it with violence and they murdered Americans and they claimed the name Mujahidin but they were not this group,” Bloomfield said.

The negative connotation that became associated with the MEK influenced institutions such as Human Rights Watch and the RAND Corporation, a global policy think tank. However, according to Bloomfield, after the takeover of Baghdad by American forces there was no evidence of the MEK being a terrorist organization that had earlier claims against it for brutalizing the Kurds and the Shia in the spring of 1991.

“These are people who have stood for a non-nuclear Iran, religious tolerance, anti-fundamentalism, gender equality, and they’ve meant it…These are the roots of the Iranian resistance movement, and I’m not sure that Washington understands that,” Bloomfield said. However, the U.S. State Department has acknowledged that there has been no violence from this group for at least a decade and it has practiced only political activity resulting in it being delisted as a terrorist organization.

Bloomfield believes that as serious as the current ISIS threat is to Syria, Iraq and western countries, the MEK needs assistance to thwart Iranian advances. “The general public has no idea that this is going on, but everyone in the region can see what Iran has done to the United States. They see that they’ve maneuvered us into a position of paralysis. They keep extending the nuclear talks without conceding anything. That paralyzes us in Syria and Iraq. We don’t want to perturb the possibility of a deal,” Bloomfield said.

It is yet to be decided how Iraq’s new prime minister, Haider al-Abadi, will chart his country’s course. Bloomfield said the issues of human rights and popular sovereignty are entwined in Iraq, Syria and Iran and should be recognized together by world powers, or have these members of the opposition face in the words of Bloomfield “certain death” by their militant ruling powers.

©2014

FOFI Sets Goals In First Meeting (News)

Strasbourg – Friends of a Free Iran (FOFI), an inter parliamentary group of the European Parliament, met recently to voice its commitment to support a democratic Iran where human rights would be respected. Members of the European Parliament expressed their concern about last year’s massacre of anti-regime members belonging to the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI) in Iraq’s Camp Ashraf, and the continued atrocities towards PMOI members by Iraqi forces in a detention area known as Camp Liberty.

FOFI’s chairman Gerard Deprez of Belgium said the group’s first meeting was, “…to express and to show our solidarity and our commitment for a free Iran, for the people of Iran.” The group was initially organized as a result of a backlash from supporters calling on democratic countries to recognize the PMOI and its endeavours for a democratic Iran. Earlier, Iran’s regime had deceived the American and European governments that PMOI was a terrorist organization and in 2003 was successful in having it blacklisted. After a large outcry, the mislabeling of the PMOI prompted the formation of FOFI, “…to become a central point, not to say THE central point, of Iranian pro-democracy campaign in Europe,” said Dr. Alejo Vidal Quadras, former FOFI chairman.

Quadras believes that the Iranian regime is the centre of the problem in the Middle East. “In reality ISIS has been a by-product of Iranian regime’s meddling in Iraq and Syria. That’s why Henry Kissinger said recently that the real problem is Iran and not ISIS,” he said. In describing the challenges facing FOFI, Quadras said, “There is nothing more important, or more noble, or more necessary in our work in the international arena…than fight for a democratic change in Iran. The difficulty of this task, because I can assure you it is very difficult, must not be an obstacle but an incentive for all of us.”

Deprez mentioned the hopes that many governments had for conditions to improve in Iran when Hassan Rouhani became president last year, but “…that’s not the case, on the contrary, if you see the situation of the human rights violations in Iran, the number of executions carried out since Rouhani took office exceed a thousand. This is the worst record from any Iranian president for more than two decades.” He went on to say that simple things like donating money to the media in support of the PMOI has brought a death sentence of hanging. Newspapers and social media have been banned, and journalists face arrest while women face growing restrictions in such areas as employment.

Deprez said one of the most important issues for him as chairman of FOFI is the situation in Camp Liberty where more than 28 hundred PMOI members are being kept in deplorable conditions of having no food or medicine, which he described as “very worrying.”

MEP from Estonia, Tunne Kelam, stressed the seriousness of the dictatorship in Iran. “It’s our commitment here as parliamentarians to stand up for those who are trying to fight against dictatorship, to restore democracy and freedom,” he said, warning that historically dictators “will always go on their own way and you will get defeated, deceived.” Referring to the PMOI, Kelam who has toured Camp Ashraf said, “I can only add from my personal experience that these are exceptional people who are conducting this fight. They have never deceived us, they can be relied upon, they are realistic, they would warn us against risks and take care of us. I’ve never been in better company.”

Rather than using violent means to bring about change, Kelam said the PMOI uses the Internet. Referring to Camp Liberty, he said, “Our goal should be to save these people…why is it such a huge problem not to evacuate 2,800 persons who are declared protected persons (under the fourth Geneva Convention) to receive them in America and in the European member states, at least temporarily… to save their lives and to pressure our governments to receive them.”

MEP from Czech Republic cautions western countries from seeking an alliance with Iran in their fight to annihilate ISIS. Jan Zahradil said, “…we are dealing with a fundamentalist regime, with a regime which has nuclear ambitions…and it also wants to rule over the whole region, it puts its fingers and hands not only into Iraq, but also into Syria and Lebanon, and therefore we can consider this to be the most dangerous regime in the region…giving concessions to a regime which de facto is largely responsible for all turbulence, riots, and rise of Islamic fanaticism in the region, so that’s what we should not allow to continue.”

©2014