Beauty of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is far from being a touristic country but I had spent there 4 months and I had the opportunity to discover an amazaing country hit by a terrible war that unables the country to open to foreign tourists. Let me show you some spots absolutelly wonderful.

Ankara is not a bad place!!!

Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the second largest city after Istanbul. Ankara is about as European as Turkey gets. There are touches of the mystical east if you know where to look but the vast majority of the city is 20th century through and through. Ankara is a huge university town and it lies in the middle of Anatolia. Usually visitors go to Ankara for business, eventhough it is becoming more and more, a historical city for Turkey organized tours. Winters are very cold and snow is a daily visitor.

Rabat, King's palace

Rabat is the capital of Morocco. I went there for work but it has appealed my attention because of its beauty, its restaurants and the Zoco. In the Zoco you can find spices, roses water, leather goods, lamps, moroccan style boxes, paintings, candles, tea pots, etc.

Rabat in general terms is a very safe city, where me, being a woman, can walk alone during the day around any area. Rabat has one of the greatest hotels in Morocco, the Golden Tulip http://www.goldentulip.com/, where you can see very special guests from the persic gulf all year long. The Tulip has a great spa with massage included, wonderful food and a very exotic lounge where to take a cup of mint tea.

I went to Morocco with Royal Air Marroc http://www.royalairmaroc.com/ram/Marchand/Fr/Home.jsp with Iberia code share, and it was very fine. Did you know that Royal Air Marroc has a policy which not allows stewardess to wear the muslim veil? I am not in favour either against it, but I just find it curious!!!

The Wall, the Great Wall

The Great Wall. What can I tell you about it? Please don't go to the most touristic part of it, known as Badaling where it will even be very hard to take a picture without being bothered by groups of tourist. Go to an other undiscovered part where you will feel there as if you were alone in the middle of the most powerful world wonder.

It will never disappoint you to take a different adventure, as if you were an expert on the Great Wall!!!

Taksim, wild life of Istanbul

Taksim, the business area of Istanbul is an exotic mix of cultures of Turkey. Taksim is the area of hotels, occidental shopping, restaurants and where people passes by more often.

In Taksim you have nice shoe shops and galleries (such as markets) where you can find from a cute accessory to a fine suit. By the way, in Taksim is the place where you can find all the clothes from brands producing in Turkey their entire collection such as Zara, Mango, Blanco, Bershka and Stradivarius at a very low price. Try it with Atlas Passage. You will be impressed!!!!

In Taksim you can also the coolest restaurants in the city. Let me suggest you some such as 360º http://www.360istanbul.com/. Also take into consideration Artisti Terrasse.

Taksim is a fun place you had never expected!!!!!

China, a leading country

Have you ever thought about going to China?

We were suggested that we could just book a hotel on the spot but we were a little bit afraid, so we decided to do it in advance thanks to http://wired-destinations.com/hotels/China/index.htm because they were offering very good deals.

The hotel in Shanghai World Mayfair Hotel was absolutely excellent. We have paid 50 euros per night, and believe me, it was much more than what we had expected. Check the site http://www.newworldmayfair.com/ and then you will understand everything!!! Don't forget this hotel when going to Shanghai (China)!!!! And due it through Wired Destinations!!!!

This country is what you had never expected before. Great food (with interesting, tasty and undiscovered dishes), great shopping of good quality such as japanese style clothes and accessories, the greatest hotels with good price/value standards, great and cheap transportatin (taxi, metro in big cities, boats in coastal cities, and cool high speed trains)... Anything you can imagine, apart of course, of a valuable historical fund to remember.

Chinese is an extremely difficult language and english is not vastly spoken but apart from this fact, to get along by yourself is the funniest thing you can do.

China is well known highly populated but you should take it as a fun part of the whole journey.

China is cool. You will love it or hate it, but it will not be indifferent to you, at all!!!!

By the way, the main reason why I went to Beijing was a wedding!!! check it out!!!

South African Journey

South Africa is one of the most amazing countries I had ever been. We went for a month trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town, almost 4.000 kms of full adventure through national parks, beautiful mountains, lakes, across the sea, and seeing all kinds of wild animals from giraffes, lions, buffaloes, sharks, dolphins,

whales, rhinos, etc.

We went there with a rangers organized 4X4 tour that was simply amazing. In case you think of living such an experience, we strongly recommend you Kananga in Europe http://www.pasaporte3.com/. By the way, South African Airlines assures you a great flight!!!

The French Antilles

The Antilles, Paradise on Earth.

These two wonderful islands, Maritinique & Guadeloupe are seen as unaffordable but believe me, you can also go there!!!

We went there the summer of 2006 with the French Caribean well known agency "Nouvelles Antilles". They did organize the whole trip including planes (air france), and housing in beautiful spots. I promise you this picture you are seeing here was there, personally by me. It is a non touristic paradise in the french DOM (Départements d'outre-mer), French overseas departments and territories amazingly preserved. Did you know the Jacques Cousteau Reserve is there, in Guadeloupe?

Barcelona, simply elegance

Barcelona is one of the most beautiful and amazing cities in the world. As a starting point... let's review some really good restaurants.

At the sea side you have:
-Bestial (mediterranean food) http://www.bestialdeltragaluz.com/
-Pincho (best paella, best black rice and best fideuà) http://www.calpinxo.com/
-Salamanca (funny environement with great fresh fish) http://www.gruposilvestre.com/
-Barceloneta (nice views while having a great paella). http://www.rte-barceloneta.com/

City Center:
-El Passadís d'en Pep (great and expensive, for a special meal) http://www.passadis.com/
-Tragaluz (forever one) www.grupotragaluz.com/

Peculiar ones:
-Tibet (catalan food)
-Sushi Itto (special japanese/mexican sushi) www.sushi-itto.com.es/

*Outside the city:
-Cadaqués: Can Rafa, best fish and paella you can have at a very good price
-Vilanova: El Peixerot, best lobster rice in the world.
-Gavà: Les Marines, great restaurant in a beautiful spot. http://www.lesmarines.com/

Istanbul, asian part

When going crossing the Bosphoros, you reach the asian part of Istanbul, a great residential area full of beautiful weekend 'houses', nice beaches and the most famous shopping area, Baghdad Street. It is an interesting shopping street about 10 km long and runs from Bostanci to Kadiköy. It is full of shops, bars, coffee places, restaurants, terraces, etc. Walking there is like being in Rodeo Drive of Los Angeles.
By the way, going there by taxi is not recommended. Take a car by your own, or take a boat.
You won't regret it!!!!

Hong Kong, world capital

Hong Kong is an amazingly clean city. Apart from smoking being widely forbbiden in bars, restaurants and public parks, streets are quite clean. When going to Hong Kong do not forget going for shopping. Get lost in Causeway Bay and in Kowloon as well.

You can't miss going to a Japanese restaurant (you'll find many around the city and a very good price), going to the Peak by bus (nº15), is much cheaper and takes you around the other part of the mountain.

Do some shopping in one of the several beauty shops where asian brands such shiseido are way much cheaper. In these beauty shops you will find many cute devices for face and body as well as beauty products you had never seen before!!!

Your last day in the city can be as easygoing as any other day, by going to Central and doing your flight check in in the city so you can forget about your luggage!!!

When going there, please forget about Finnair http://www.finnair.com/ whith small spaces between seats, with often delays on flights, and with terrible food on cabin. Trust me, we had been flying with several other airlines and in Finnair we were missing small things such us socks, brush and tooth paste, and of course, individual tv screen as they have in Air France, British, etc.

We booked our hotels through http://www.asiarooms.com/ and it was a great experiences. Apart from the fact that they have an excellent feedback as quick as possible the hotels they are offering trhough their website are great price/value. We finally chose JJ Hong Kong Hotel and it is recommended!!!