Madrid Spain - Take A Tour Of A City That Rocks

June 17th, 2008

One thing is for sure, “Madrile

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Granada Spain - Glorious City Of Southern Spain

June 14th, 2008

Situated at the foot of the southerly Sierra Nevada ski
resort, Granada is one of the most splendid cities of
eastern Andalucia.

On its southern side is 103 kms of fabulous Mediterranean
coastline, with the Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical in
close proximity whilst, in between, lies a fertile plain
producing exotic fruits.

Granada dates back to prehistoric times and was known as
Ilbyr. When the Romans colonized the southern part of
Iberia, they built their own city there, calling it
Illibris. The Arabs, invading the Peninsula in the
eighth century, gave the city its current name of Granada.

Being the last Muslim city of Spain to be reconquered by
the Christians, Granada has an unmistakable Arab flavor,
and Moorish and Christian elements go hand-in-hand.

One of the most brilliant jewels of Granada is the Alhambra,
a series of palaces and gardens built under the Nazari
Dynasty in the fourteenth century. This mighty compound
of buildings, including the summer palace called Generalife
with its beautiful fountains and gardens, stands at the foot
of the Sierra Nevada.

The hill facing the Alhambra is the old Moorish casbah or
medina called the Albaic

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Travel Planning - It’s All in the Details!

June 13th, 2008

To make any trip run smoothly, there are a few things you should take care of before you hit the road. To start, you should find out as much as you can about the destination you plan to visit. Learn about what to expect in terms of culture, weather and local customs. Try to pick up a few common phrases of the local language if you can: yes, no, and thank you, will often do the trick.

Make sure you have the proper documentation for your trip including passports, visas and tourist cards. If only one parent is travelling with a child, you may also need a notarized letter from the other parent giving consent for the child to travel.

Bring some cash along but don’t bring too much, alternatives include credit cards and ATM cards and travelers checks. Most countries have ATM’s available and often getting cash as you need it is the way to go. Try to avoid currency exchange at the hotel, they tend to have the highest exchange rates.

Will you need to be immunized? Find out what the requirements are for travel health at your destination. Never travel without travel insurance, a broken leg in a foreign country can set you back $20,000 out of pocket. It’s not worth the risk of not getting proper medical attention when you are far and away.

Where can you get all this information to plan your trip? The internet is of course a great place for information, other sources are friends and family who have traveled to the destination, travel agents, a library or bookstore, Embassies, Consulates and tourist boards. If you are going on an extended trip, a guide book on the destination is a great resource to bring with you.

Jolana Klobouk is a former travel agent who has traveled extensively for work and vacations with her family. For more travel information, visit her travel websites: http://www.best-family-beach-vacations.com and http://www.FlyFromCanada.com

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