COLONIAL CITY SANTO DOMINGO

SANTO DOMINGO THE CITY OF FIRSTS 

Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is the oldest city in the New World founded in 1496 by Christopher Columbus’ brother. One of the Caribbean’s most interesting cities, its colonial old town with limestone 16^th century buildings boasts the first cathedral, the first monastery and the first hospital built in the Americas. 

 Santo Domingo also has the first metro system in the Caribbean but I prefer to explore on foot especially along the cobbles of Calle las Damas (Ladies ‘street) which got its name in 1509 when Maria Del Toledo, wife of Diego Columbus, stepped out with the fashionable wives and girlfriends of the day.

To get into the role, I am staying at the unusual Casas XIV in the heart of the Zona Colonial. Thehotel is found in a series of renovated 16^th century houses.  Entering my home for the night in Casa Del Pozo is to step back in time into this former convent filled with antiques and artworks with a courtyard featuring the original well. 

CHURCHES OF BERMUDA

Unfinished church in St George's

BERMUDA  is famous for its pink sand beaches, turquoise oceans and of course that Triangle, where countless souls have supposed to have disappeared.

Bermuda is thought by scholars to be the island in Shakespeare’s The Tempest about a group of noblemen brought to a magical island by a violent storm. And indeed the tiny 21 mile island was discovered by a shipwreck.

St George’s is one of the earliest English settlements in the New World where British sailors were  shipwrecked in 1609 while travelling to Jamestown, Virginia. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site there is  twisting alleyways leading to quaint shops and cottages and many Anglican chapels including the lovely St Peter’s Church and Their Majesties Chappell. The magnificent Gothic Unfinished Church was meant to replace St Peter’s in 1970 but the project was abandoned. Now the mysterious building, open to the elements and nature, is a popular wedding spot.

Throughout the island one finds hundreds of churches which wouldn't look out of place in English villages and towns. 

St Peters church St Georges

Cathedral, Hamilton

BUDAPEST WITH ROUGH GUIDES

Back from my first visit to the Hungarian capital Budapest I found myself with a wealth of memories. From chaotic ruin bars to elegant squares, historic castles to modern art galleries – Budapest is a complex mix of styles and atmospheres.

 This is a multi-layered city which could take years to discover in depth. But with only a few days and armed with the latest version of The Rough Guide to Budapest, I did my best to sample some of the city’s attractions.

The guide usefully addresses the city neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Most visitors, like me, start their visit in the popular Belvaros inner city area, with its shops, cafes and promenades. Here we also find insights into Hungary’s rich history by exploring down the embankment of The Danube. The Rough guide not only gives interesting information on main sites such as the Cathedral of the Dominion Greek Orthodox church but also directs us to quirkier finds such as the Underground Railway Museum.

Close by are the Erzebetvaros and Jozsefvaros districts where I enjoyed stroll around the Jewish Quarter. The Great Synagogue is a good starting point and this area also gave me my fist introduction to ruin bars – built in abandoned buildings these colourful and lively bars are a Budapest must-do.

Away from the central attractions, Budapest is diverse.  Until 1873 Buda on the hilly west bank and Pest on the east were two different cities and they still retain distinct personalities; Buda older and classy with its Castle Hill (Var) and Pest with its bustling atmosphere and fascinating Art Nouveau architecture.  Don’t miss the thermal baths – of which there are over 100. And when you get hungry there is no shortage of good cafes and restaurants. Hungarian food is hearty and delicious and The Rough Guide does a good job of providing comprehensive listings to suit all palettes.

The Rough Guide to Budapest, 7th edition. Published January 2018.

Follow this link to buy the book: https://amzn.to/2toAuJD

IN THE STEPS OF JOSEPHINE BAKER

I recently stayed at the charming boutique hotel Riad Star in the heart of Marrakesh's medina. It was once the home of the famous Jazz Age dancer, civil rights activist and entertainer Josephine Baker, who stayed here in the 1940s while recuperating from illness. Tributes to the star and memorabilia abound in this lovely hotel.

Riad Star has just 13 rooms and its own Hamman, perfect for refreshing scrubs and massages. There is a roof terrace with sun loungers and secret shady corners to escape the heat.

Rooms are individually decorated with silk duvets, statues and Moorish touches as well as modern day essentials including TV and free Wi-Fi. Fragrant orange blossom toiletries feature in the shower room.

Delicious home cooked Moroccan dinner is available and breakfast can be taken on the terrace or in the dining room. The Hotel has its own cookery school where local chefs share their love of traditional Moroccan dishes.

The Riad Star is right in the heart of the medina ideally placed for exploring the vibrant historic areas that make this city so fascinating. 

You could spend days just mooching around the old town’s teeming alleyways and souks and marvelling at its vast palaces and gardens. A walking tour with a guide or a tour of the city by horse and carriage will ensure you won’t get lost, although the Riad Star offers guests the loan of a local mobile phone and its App is invaluable. 

Riad Star is the flagship property of Marrakech Riad which has four character hotels in the old medina district. For best rates book direct online, www.marrakech-riad.co.uk

Room rates at Riad Star from £112 

www. Riadstar.com

Phone: 020 7193 7357

For more information on Morocco see www.muchmorocco.com

THE HISTORICAL ABACOS, THE ISLANDS OF THE BAHAMAS

The Abacos in The islands Of The Bahamas are famous for their sailing, diving and fishing opportunities, but on land there is colourful history experienced by walking around colonial Hope Town, with its red and white candy cane lighthouse, or New Plymouth with its periwinkle and pistachio coloured wooden houses. The islands were settled in the 1700s by Loyalists escaping the American Revolution. Hope Town's candy striped lighthouse, a favourite postcard subject and wedding venue now, but quite controversial when it was under construction back in 1863 because up until then, the islands residents had been making a comfortable living by salvaging ships that wrecked on the offshore reefs

New Plymouth, a short drive from Green Turtle Cay, feels like a sleepy 18^th century English town.

Here we find the quaint  and slightly  ramshackle Albert Lowe museum and the fascinating Loyalist Memorial Sculpture Garden. Stop by the old jail and the characterful coffee and ice cream shops. You may notice that the same names crop up on shopfronts, plaques and gravestones – McIntosh, Pinder and Roberts to name just a few.

 

 

Stay at the lovely Bluff House, just a short drive away.

 

Formerly a private home, Bluff House is one of the oldest resorts in The Out islands and sits on the highest point of Green Turtle Cay

www.bahamas.com
www.bluffhouse.com

MAKE MINE MAYAN - TIKAL GUATEMALA

MAKE MINE MAYAN - TIKAL, GUATEMALA

 

 

Rising out of the jungle in the steamy afternoon heat with the shrieks of howler monkeys in the background is a towering black temple; marked by age and worn by climbing feet over thousands of years ……..This is my first glimpse of the ancient Mayan ruins at Tikal, Guatemala, one of the wonders of the Americas.  We stay until sunset as the sky turns pink over the five magnificent temples and return the next morning at sunrise with the toucans, macaws and parrots. I am told that jaguars and ocelots lurk in the surrounding forest, but we only spot a cheeky coatimundi or racoon like creature scurrying past.

Tikal is one of the oldest Mayan sites with the earliest evidence of human habitation here around 700 BC.  There are five temple pyramids which soar above the forest canopy, with carve stelae and altars in the central plaza. We spot masks carved in the stone as we learn the history of this amazing place with its stories of rulers buried in tombs with precious jade, human sacrifices and royal palaces which at one time were painted in bright colours.

LA LANCHA

After a long day getting to know the Mayans, my experience is made even more magical when I head to my accommodation for the duration of my stay. Just a short drive away is the fabulous La Lancha rainforest lodge, tucked away in the rainforest high above the clear waters of Lago Petén Itzá – the second largest lake in Guatemala.

 

La Lancha is part of the Family Coppola Hideaways group, owned by film director Francis Ford Coppola and his family. He fell in love with the jungle while filming Apocalypse Now in the Philippines, and went on to establish three luxury rainforest lodges in Belize and La Lancha in Guatemala.

It is easy to see how he was captivated by this lush, exotic part of the world where every turn brings breath-taking scenes worthy of the most dramatic movie set and where the monkeys, toucans and parakeets provide the soundtrack.

Ten thatched suites and rooms are dotted around La Lancha.  My room is a  Lake View casita -  a pretty treehouse filled with Guatemalan artefacts and crafts, from colourful throws on the beds to the animal masks and huipils (traditional Mayan women’s’ dresses) hanging on the walls.  The wooden furniture is Balinese in style and, as in all the rooms here, there is a terrace with hammocks and chairs which look out to the calm and beautiful lake.  La Lancha is proud of its eco credentials and the spacious bathroom is stocked with handmade, locally sourced toiletries.

Exploring the winding paths around the property I find the two-level swimming pool and the Mirador or look-out deck, complete with huge comfy recliners from which to look over the lake, listening to the birds and monkeys.  La lancha has a number of eccentric touches, such as the Shellphone – a pink conch shell which is actually a telephone for guests to pick up and order a cocktail, food or coffee wherever they are in the property.   Later its time to detox at the   Temazcal, a traditional Mayan sweat lodge or sauna for  cleansing and relaxing with copal incense burning.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served in La Lancha’s lovely open-air restaurant under the thatched roof of the Main Lodge with fabulous views over the rainforest to the lake.  In the evening meals are cooked on an open parilla or grill. Food is a combination of traditional and Guatemalan dishes including fresh fish from the lake and Suban Ik (‘God’s meal’), a traditional dish containing chicken, beef, rice and spices. Top class wines are from the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in California and drinks are on offer at the rooftop bar and library or down at the enchanting lake-view bar accessed by a quirky funicular.

 

Adjacent to the Restaurant is an authentic tortilla hut, where local staff make fresh, homemade tortillas and encourages guests to join them in the tradition.

As well as visits to Tikal, the hotel can arrange rainforest experiences including zip-lining, aerial walkways and canoeing or kayaking on the lake.

Fact Box

La Lancha

Aldea Jobompiche

San Jose, Petén

Guatemala

www.thefamilycoppolahideaways.com/en/la-lancha

00 (502) 30450817

NEW ROUTE TO PARDUBICE CZECH REPUBLIC

EASTERN BOHEMIA IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC OPENS UP TO UK VISITORS

A new direct flight to Pardubice in the Eastern Bohemian region of the Czech Republic opens up a wealth of opportunities for UK travellers to visit this hidden gem.Ryanair commenced the new route this month.

Pardubice lies in the Labe lowlands, surrounded by meadows, forests and lakes. It is probably best known for its Great Pardubice Steeplechase, the oldest and most difficult cross country horse race on the continent and held here since 1874. Horses play a huge part in Eastern Bohemian tradition – Pardubice’s coat of arms includes the front half of a horse (from the coat of arms of the influential Lords of Pernstein who developed the city) and close by is the National Stud at Kladruby nad Labem, one of the oldest studs in the world. Here we see the magnificent Kladruber horses, bred here since the 14^th century.

In the city itself we visit the Pardubice castle which is a Renaissance chateau right in the middle of town. We walk around its Gothic ramparts before examining many plaques on the town walls depicting myths and legends associated with the rulers and families who left their mark on the region. The town received a new lease of life in the second half of the 19^th century with industrialisation.

Of course you can’t come to the Czech Republic without tasting the beer! Beer has been brewed in Pardubice since the 14th century and the Pardubice brewery was one of the first modern breweries in Eastern Bohemia, established in 1871. You can tour the brewery and enjoy a tasting of their signature beers including the strong Pardubice Porter with its characteristic dark foam and malty flavour, the classic Pernstein light beer and Taxis, a pale beer made from Moravian malt.

 

Away from the city a magical tour of fairy –tale castles and chateau takes us to Litomyšl. With elaborate decoration, gables, elegant arcades, romantic gardens and a mysterious underground, this representative seat of the Pernštejn family is one of the most beautiful examples of the Renaissance style and  the chateau complex is now included on the UNESCO world heritage list. There is also Kunětická hora Castle, famous under the religious wars in the 15^th century.

Lakes, fish ponds and spa towns add to the region’s gentle attractions and the capital Prague is less than an hour away by train, making it an ideal spot for a two centre trip.

Ryan air flies to Pardubice from London Stansted.   www.ryanair.com

For more information on East Bohemia see www.east-bohemia.info 

And www.czechtourism.com