Cyprus is the birthplace of the notoriously frisky Aphrodite. The busy resorts of Paphos, Limassol and Larnaca are ideal bases — you’ll most likely want to be on the beach — but take off into the hills and you’re plunged almost immediately into rolling landscapes of vineyards, mountains, craggy gorges and sun-dappled cedar and pine forests. Old men play backgammon in sleepy wine-growing villages and mountaintop Orthodox monasteries reveal cool interiors dripping with gold.
Les Trois Vallées is the largest connected ski area in the world which is linked solely by ski lifts and slopes. It claims to have about 600 km of ski slopes, resulting in 18.5 km² of groomed runs, while an independent expert measured about 493 km. In addition, there are 120 km for cross-country skiing. Seven ski resorts are spread over the mountainside in a rich and unique landscape. Courchevel. Méribel. Brides-les-Bains. Les Menuires. Saint-Martin-de-Belleville. Val Thorens. Orelle. The Alpine area of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville is known for its charming namesake village, with traditional stone-and-wood farmhouses, plus a handful of Savoyard restaurants
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the old year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day. Some of the more famous historic ways to ring in the new year include exchanging gifts such as black buns and whisky, while many others partake in the classic tradition of first footing — which refers to the first person stepping into your home on January 1 determining your luck for the year ahead.
Fågelvik Manor (Swedish: Fågelviks herrgård) is a manor house in Valdemarsvik Municipality, Sweden. Once a castle building, the remains of the first building on the site date to the 1300s.The estate is mentioned in written sources for the first time in the late 14th century. At one point it belonged to Karl Ulfsson, Lord High Constable of Sweden. In 1429 it became the property of King Charles VIII of Sweden. After his death it passed to his daughter and through her marriage to the Gyllenstierna family. It stayed in the Gyllenstierna family for almost 250 years, until in 1720 it passed by marriage to Count Arvid Horn. For three generations it stayed within the Horn family. During the 19th century, it belonged to the families Thott and Posse but was sold in 1852 to the Crown Prince, the future King Charles XV of Sweden. The prince, however, sold the estate in 1855 and we had the privilege of being invited by the lovely Manfalks who now own the properties.The manor is located on a small island in an inlet of the Baltic Sea. The medieval estate included a castle surrounded by a moat located approximately 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of the present manor. The ruins of the castle, destroyed during the Dacke War in 1542, are still partially visible. The presently visible main building of the manor was built during the 18th century. Designs were made already during the 1730s by architect Carl Hårleman but construction did not commence until the 1770s. The designs were then probably somewhat altered by architect Jean Eric Rehn. The main building is a four-story building with an extension protruding from the middle of the facade towards the garden. There are two wings, built at the same time as the main building, as well as several outbuildings and annexes.
Snowdon or Yr Wyddfa is the highest mountain in Wales, at an elevation of 1,085 metres above sea level, and the highest point in the British Isles outside the Scottish Highlands. It is located in Snowdonia National Park in Gwynedd. Backup is a fantastic organisation supporting those with life changing spinal cord injuries. A rewarding PUSH!
In grarian times, Midsummer celebrations in Sweden were held to welcome summertime and the season of fertility. In some areas people dressed up as 'green men', clad in ferns. They also decorated their houses and farm tools with foliage, and raised tall, leafy maypoles to dance around, probably as early as the 1500s.
The programme centres on a cobbled, terraced street in the fictional Weatherfield, a town based on inner-city Salford, England. It is the world's longest running soap opera, having first being aired on 9 December 1960 at 7pm on Granada!
The biographical movie, starring Hugh Jackman, is inspired by the true story of P.T. Barnum's rise to fame with his circus, though some details are slightly exaggerated.
Lake Como, in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, is an upscale resort area known for its dramatic scenery, set against the foothills of the Alps. The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y, with three slender branches that meet at the resort town of Bellagio. Menaggio and Varenna are popular ferry stops and areas to explore. Hiring a boat is the best way to make use of a sunny day. At the bottom of the southwest branch lies the city of Como, home to Renaissance architecture and a funicular that travels up to the mountain town of Brunate.
It was time to celebrate Charlotte's Birthday - what could be better than: ABBA Voyage is a virtual concert residency by the Swedish pop group ABBA. The concerts feature virtual avatars, depicting the group as they appeared in 1977. The concerts are held in a purpose-built venue at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London, officially called the ABBA Arena.
