Blog catchit.com

@ Chodaboy

Getxo is a picturesque commune of Bilbao known for its houses, located in the right part of the ria of Nervión.

It is known for its pretty residences with sight into the sea, built at the beginning of century XX by the Basque upper middle classes.

Today, the new port of Getxo is a sporting port full of boats, but the Old port of Algorta (Portu Zaharra) is a pretty tourist attraction.

Algorta is one of Getxo’s four communes, a small typical district where there are narrow and sinuous streets.

Although fishing has almost disappeared from the port, the district remains a place with plenty of life, especially on weekends and in summer.
There are a lot of colored houses of marine style, the restaurants and the taverns where you will, for sure, stop to try “pintxos”, tender meat skewers.

@ kalidoskopika

Ever since the alarm jumped on the first cases of transmission of tripartite virus H1N1 (human/to make haste/pig) of the pig to the man, newspapers speak on a daily basis of swine flu. The WHO (World-wide Organization of the Health) is thinking about raising the pandemic alert until level 5 on 6, since the virus extends quickly and its spread is already at world-wide level. Nevertheless, confirmed mortal cases of pig influenza outside Mexico do not exist.

What it is more hopeful is that to confront the pig influenza, we count on past experiences and tools that we have nowadays: Antiviral drugs, systems of attention and monitoring epidemiologist system, the WHO, a greater organization and cooperation between countries, etc.
On the other hand, it is a disease that is transmitted by the air, not by the consumption of pig meat.

Going to the hospital with the first symptoms (high fever, headache, nasal congestion and general fatigue), doctors have 24 to 48h to diagnose the disease and to administer an antiviral drug called Tamiflu (used in the bird influenza). Symptoms appear within 10 days after having been in contact with the virus.
We have to highlight that in spite of the fast expansion of the virus, treatments are successful and people are safe within a few days.

Lamentably, the government of Mexico, place of origin of the epidemic, is not absolutely transparent. It is the only place where mortal cases happened, and it does not know itself why this virus has arisen in this country.

We hope that the virus does not mutate, and that Mexico clarifies some details still unknown. In any case, the pig is not guilty … after all; we passed the influenza to him. Unfortunately, it has been given back to the Human.

In this crisis situation, the word “free” is a big attraction for travelers. The Travel European Commission has offered a top 10 of the best free activities in Europe that we can enjoy for the next months.

Germany

@ dalbera

The famous museum in Berlin, in the middle of the river Spree , offers free entry to the 5 museums every Thursdays from 2pm.

France

The ring of Kerry sums up all virtues and attractions of this Gaelic country: Gold and hiking in the green hills, fishing in the rivers and fine sand beaches. That’s not all; the area is an authentic museum in the open air with prehistoric buildings, castles and monasteries.

Estonia

The city of Navarra, located at the Russian border, is the most oriental point of the European Union. The Teutonic Knights castle is from the century XIII and it is split up by a river. Over there all kind of concerts and other open air events are going on.

Hungary

Already famous for its Red Bull, the Air Race takes place in Budapest from August 19th and 20th, with dozen of pilots doing acrobatics and jumping from bridges in a minimum of time.

Switzerland

The street Parade in Zurich goes on in August. It’s a colorful party with electronic music, it’s actually a huge “RAVE PARTY” which succeed with dignity to the “love Parade” in Berlin.

@ Javi Vte Rejas

England

London is famous to be expensive. Taking a look at these countless treasures and works of arts from the Britannic museum and the national Gallery is priceless. That’s why it’s free…

Belgium

The sentence “free beer” has a special meaning in this country that produces some of the best beer worldwide. The Haacht beer offers a free tour with 2 degustation of their beer included.

Norway

“The Scream”, famous Edvard Munch’s paint, can be contemplated in the national gallery in Oslo, with Cézanne’s, Gauguin’s, Picasso’s works of art.

Austria

In the city of Innsbruck, the “hiking bus” is free from end of May till October for all costumers of the city and for the ones being around this city, it will be free if you acquire the Club Innsbruck Card. Of course, there is a vast hiking program.

Campers, trekkers of the extreme, be aware!

The designer John Moriarty, with the help of Billy Harney, has created a survival cocoon.

Imagine yourself lost in a forest, with really bad conditions (storm, wind…); this item will able your body to wait for rescue without any danger.

It is simple; you just need to find a branch of a tree, a steep rock, anywhere where you can cling on and there you go!

The setting up is easy: Built with bright colors and material specially made for extreme conditions, this cocoon creates a cozy place for your body.

@ campist

So, adventurous, this survival product will be as useful as a Swiss knife.

Cinema has always been one of the best ways to travel without going away from our chair. Who has never dreamt about being an Indiana Jones in Petra or an Audrey Hepburn in front of Tiffany´s window on the 5th Avenue? Luckily, we don’t have to go as far as Jordan or New York to get the feeling of being in the silver screen.

Here are movies offering travels from another point of view.

Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain

Paris has always been known as THE city of love, but since this movie has come out, Paris became “Amélie’s city”.
As a result, the coffee place: Le Café des deux Moulins, Amélie’s working place, turned out to be an inevitable stopover while visiting the French capital.
M. Collignon’s grocery, where Amelie did her shopping, has kept the sign from the shooting and has become one of the most famous in France.

Life is beautiful and Tuscany

Since 1997, year of its release on the silver screen, the city of Arezzo became famous to be the place chosen to shoot this story, directed and acted by Roberto Benigni. Arezzo is a city in Tuscany, 47 miles away from Florence. You could walk around its streets and visit the church place, the theatre or the school where Guido’s mother gave classes.
But the city of Arezzo offers also other interest places, such as San Francisco Basilica, or the Plaza Mayor by Vasari.

Movies shot in Barcelona.

Before that Woody Allen chose it to shoot his last movie, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, the city of earl, a lot of movies were shot. Pedro Almodovar had chosen it as backdrop for his former works.
The beach of Barceloneta, the Park Güell, the Sagrada Familia or la Boqueria market have been protagonists on the silver screen.

Hôtel Everland

Two artists from Switzerland, Sabina Lang and Daniel Baumann (L/B), got the idea of this original concept.

The Everland hotel combines art, design and accommodation of quality.
The concept is simple: Putting down a modern capsule on the top of a monument, a museum, an unusual place to create an absolute illusion as you are in a hotel room.

Customers must feel like being in a hotel room and must get the impression to merge with the building.
The room, 35m2, provides a king-size bed, a bathroom, a mini bar and has everything expected from a luxury hotel. The difference? An exceptional view!

We have already seen this capsule in 2002 at the Expo 02, in Switzerland, at the edge of the lack Neuchâtel. This project was a success. Public were invited to spend a night inside.

Then, this capsule was in Germany, on the Museum of fine arts in Leipzig, and for the first time in France, in Paris, on the top of the Tokyo Palace.

During its stay in the French capital, staff from the famous Hotel Sezz, which is partner of the project, is in charge of cleanness.
However, the 2 idea men do not want to make a business of this capsule. They wish that customers enjoy a unique and artistic experience.

That’s why, only one night per person (or per couple) is available. You can book it only 2 months in advance.

Admittedly not everyone can afford it, but imagine you, in Paris, with unobstructed view guaranteed, rocked with city lights, lighting up your room…

This is an exclusive experience.
The only way to get to know where the hotel Everland will go next, is to register on the website.
So, take look on it, even just out of curiosity, maybe it will pass by around your city. For now, it is in Paris till the end of May…

Video tells more than pictures. Here is the overview of this unusual housing…

@ Youtube

It’s a bit difficult to imagine a beach entirely white, but it’s much easier to see it for real, on the Hyams Beach, a village setting in the Guinness records book as the whitest beach of the world.

Agent Smith

This takes place in the state of New South Wales, between Sydney (2h30) and Canberra (3h), in the South east of Australia.

The village of Hyams Beach will surprise you with its large beach entirely white and its transparent and turquoise water. The sand color is due to eroded corals which get the beach.

goldfoot

Hyams Beach is one of the most touristic destination New South of Wales state.

Moreover, the village is surrounded of a national parks area whereof Jervis Bay National Park, Boodere National Park and botanic gardens.

Booderee is a large reserve. Its name means “abundance bay”.
The reserve is made of several virgin beaches with a lot of wildlife, perfect to move away from the city life and to get directly in contact with the nature.

In Jervis Bay, another National Park with similar virgin area, you might see kangaroos going through the beach.

This Bay offers aquatic activities. Moreover, with luck, you will also see some wheels.

In summer this area is lively. Plenty of tourists and foreigners come to enjoy the sun…

By Swiv

Everyone has already heard, either from advertising or from movies, about the famous Route 66, also called “The Mother Road”. It has been created in 1926 and 2460 miles long.

From what point to what point does this road go?

Actually, it connects Los Angeles with San Francisco, crossing 8 states which are the state of Illinois, the state of Missouri, the state of Kansas, the state of Oklahoma, the state of ,Texas, the state of New Mexico, the state of Arizona and the state of California.

Through this road you will discover small-town America and its eventful past, but also its historical places. You will be amazed with its landscapes, going from deserts to agricultural plains. Good for forties/fifties lovers: The route 66 has kept all signs of this carefree time.
Along your way you will see restaurants and drive-in, abandoned motels belonging to this period.

Caveman 92223

You will probably cross bikers, as we have already seen in movies, with their leather jacket, riding large engines, making so much noise that they could wake dead people up.
Various tours are organized by various agencies, but it would be better to do it entirely, following the “real” route 66, which means without taking highways.
There are also other ways to do this trip: By auto motor, by big Americans cars, by bus, alone or in group, and others… But if you are a fan of huge engines, and especially of Harley Davidson, it is possible to own one for the period of this unforgettable trip.
Can you imagine driving this engine for 2460 miles, thinking about anything else, for 15 days…But doesn’t matter your means of transport, you will get this feeling of freedom. Once you brush this bitumen, there only you and this magic experience.

By Caveman 92223

By Caveman 92223

@ cuellar

The Spanish capital is a cosmopolitan city and the economic, financial and administrative center of the country. But Madrid is also an amazing heritage of a huge cultural and artistic patrimony. The king Philip II named it capital of his empire. Its historical center is known as the “Habsburg Madrid”. Its spectacular Plaza mayor is a Centuries’ XVI and XVII proof and the most known place.

Madrid has got 79 museums whereof el Prado museum http://www.spanisharts.com/prado/prado.htm, el Thyssen-Bornemisza museum, la Reina Sofia museum.

The “aristocratic center” of Madrid, close to la Plaza Mayor holds the Royal Palace mixes baroque and classic era, built in the XVII Century. On the other side, at the Plaza Oriente, there is the opera and the modern cathedral of Almudena (picture below).

By fredpanassac

Madrid’s commercial area is located around “la Puerta Del Sol”. There is all kind of shops.
Don’t forget the Clock of “La casa del Correos” whereof its bell rings wish you an happy new year!

Its open spaces are also an important entertainment while visiting Madrid: Retiro Park (picture below), La “Casa Del Campo” and Juan Carlos I park. You can enjoy the sun, walk, row on a lake, and also feeding pigeons.
Without forgetting to say that Madrid is one of the capitals the most verdant in Europe.

By caribb

We have to highlight also that Madrid has a wide-ranging of nightlife: bars, pubs, clubs, and Flamenco shows unite and get involved into traditional folklore festival which are mostly in summer.

One thing is truly sure: You will always find something to do in Madrid!

It is quite difficult to choose 5 beaches or creeks from Ibiza, but with a little bit of effort we managed it, each one, selected for a specific raison, offers a special place where we can enjoy sea, beach and nature.

La cala Jondal (South of Ibiza)

Surrounded of nature, this crystal clear water makes of this place somewhere enchanted.

@Jaume Meneses

Everyone can find one´s pleasure: A part is made of pebbles and another of fine sand. This beach is alive; there are plenty of snack-bars, refreshment area, restaurants open day and night.
Brazilians dancers give a show on the beach some summer Sundays.

La cala Vadella (West of Ibiza)

It’s one of the most picturesque. To get to the bay, you will need to get down through an ill of pine-wood ending with fine and white sand and crystalline water. There is another to reach this creek.

@ appartementvermittlung- ruegen

It is possible to do scuba diving. Vadela creek is the favorite creeks of boats lovers. You will enjoy this sunny creek by day and by night.
We advise you the restaurant Maria Luisa where you will eat a delicious rice as well as fresh fish and seafood.

La cala Xarraca (North of Ibiza)

If you don’t like fine sand beaches but you like calm this creek will be your paradise this is a perfect place for snorkeling. This transparent water offers a bunch of sea species and vegetation.
Even if it is plenty of rocks, fine sands and natural mud bath are close.
This place is perfect to spend as day. You will enjoy a sunth bath and/or doing activities.

@ CrazyVet

La cala Boix (East of Ibiza)

It is a quite creek on the eastside of the island. Its sand it’s not as white as others Ibiza’s beaches but it offers a relaxing environment where you won’t be disturbed.

@ MnGyver

It’s quite tricky to reach it through the ill. It’s advised to not take this way with children or physical difficulties. The way from the parking place to the beach is short but the stares in between aren’t easy to access.

Sa Caleta (South of Ibiza)

It’s located on the east of La cala Jondal. It’s a popular creek which full from early in the morning. It’s not a place quiet, but the landscape is characteristic. With orange rocks all around, no wind can reach this creek.
It’s a man-made beach. Some years ago, we covered it with sand and we took rocks off from the coast to transform it as we can see nowadays.

@ sml!

Ibiza has a lot of creeks, you will certainly find yours.