Safaris to the Kruger Park, which is roughly the size of a small country, are always popular. This area of Africa has seen human habitation for roughly 40,000 years. Indigenous populations coexisted in balance with the local game, but after Europeans arrived and began to hunt for trophies, game populations declined drastically due to the uncontrolled slaughter despite hunting laws introduced to South Africa in 1858.

The area first became protected in 1989, just before the Boer War, after a campaign by Paul Kruger to establish the Sabi game reserve between the Sabi and Crocodile rivers. After the Boer War ended in 1902, the James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed warden of the Sabi Game Reserve, and formal protection and rebuilding of game stocks was instituted. Stevenson-Hamilton became determined to protect the area permanently by making it a national park. After much lobbying, he succeeded. The national parks act was passed in 1926 and the Sabi and Singwitsi reserves (by then the Transvaal Game Reserve) became the Kruger National Park.

It took a few years before visitors discovered the park. In 1927, a total of 3 tourist vehicles ventured into the park, bringing in an income of 3 pounds. By 1930, there were 900 vehicles roaming on the 500 kilometres of new roads in the park, and staying in the huts and tents that could accommodate up to 700 people. Stevenson-Hamilton was an outdoorsman who disapproved of luxurious facilities, and he attempted to maintain a rustic atmosphere. However, when he left, accommodations were upgraded and the park became a reknowned destination for tourists from all around the world.

By 1955, visitors flocked to the park in numbers exceeded 10,000 a year, prompting extensive development of roads and tourist services along with the fencing of the park boundaries. During peak holiday season, such as Christmas, Easter and July, the park can be quite crowded. There is now a daily limit to number of visitors, so if you must travel in peak season, reserve well ahead of time.

Adjacent to the Kruger on its Western Boundary are a number of private game reserves, including the Sabi Sand, Timbavati and Manyeleti. Kruger Park Safaris offer a huge variety and density of wildlife, as well as a wide range of safari experiences. You’ll never be able to see the whole park in just one tour. Safaris include everything from tented walking safaris and self-driving safaris to ultra-luxurious fly-in safaris. Kruger Park holds hundreds of lodges for different tastes and budgets.

The Kruger Park is a year-round destination, but there is a seasonal difference in climate. The dry season (winter) is usually between May and August, although rainfall starts declining in April and is still fairly low in September and October. This is the best season to see game, as permanent waterholes attract animals, the vegetation becomes thinned out, and trees have fewer leaves to obstruct the view. Winter has warm days and chilly nights. The average maximum temperatures is around 24 degrees in winter, and the average minimum is about 8 or 9 degrees, although it can drop as far as 5 degrees. It is important to bring along a warm jacket for early morning and evening game tours.

The wet season (summer), is from November to March. This is when the Kruger Park receives most of its rainfall, usually in dramatic afternoon thundershowers. The weather is hot and balmy, with Average maximum temperatures of about 30 degrees Celcius, with an average minimum of 20 degrees. The summer grass and foliage becomes lush and green, and while this makes for beautiful scenery, it can also make game viewing difficult. Also, animals no longer concentrate around waterholes because there are now widespread sources of water.

However, for birdwatchers, the wet season is the ideal time to visit the Kruger Park, as this is when the migrating birds arrive, and when all the local birds are at their most active. The Makuleke region of the park is renowned for its many species of birds, and visitors may see exotic specimens such as Scarlet Chested Sunbirds, Broadbilled Rollers, Redheaded Weavers, Wattle-eyed Flycatchers and owls, such as the Pels Fishing Owl, the Scops, Whitefaced, Pearl-Spotted and Giant Eagle Owls.

The wet season is also the best time to see baby animals, as most animals calve at the beginning of the rainy season to take advantage of the lush grazing grounds.

Luxury resorts in and around the Kruger Park are not cheap, but offer services such as massages, reflexology and room service for guests who like to remain within the bounds of civilization while still having an opportunity to take day tours and see game.

Overland Safaris in a tour group are the most economical way to see Kruger Park. These group tours are a great way to meet like-minded eco-tourists and enjoy a genuine outdoor experience. Both camping and hotel options are available.

The bush of the Kruger Park can also be experienced on hiking tours. These walks are conducted in parts of the region not accessible to vehicles, including the spectacular Lanner Gorge.

It seems as if ever since airplanes became the popular way to travel, a focus has been placed on comfort. Regardless of whether or not you will be taking a long flight, you will want to be comfortable. There is nothing worse than wearing an itchy sweater or tight pair of pants up in the air. Unless you bring a chance of clothes with you and place them in your carryon bag, you are out of luck. That is why it is important that you think of what you will be wearing before you leave for the airport. Even if you are traveling for business, you should be able to change in to your business clothes as soon as you arrive at your destination, even in the airport bathrooms.

When it comes to comfort, as previously mentioned, many air travelers make the decision to wear sweat pants and a comfortable top. In addition to being comfortable, you will find, in most cases, that these types of clothes are the best for airport security, especially when entering airport screening checkpoints. This is because most sweat pants are not made with any metal items. Essentially, this means that you should be able to enter the security checkpoint and leave it quicker than most other travelers, such as the travelers who are decked out in accessories.

When it comes to clothing accessories, you will find that a number of different items set off airport metal detectors. That is why most airport security officers request that you remove all of your jewelry. Once your jewelry is removed, you will need to place it in a small bin, which will be scanned right along with your carryon luggage. Whether you have rings or a necklace, you are advised to remove them, if you can. For your convenience, you can leave your earrings on. If by chance, you earrings set the metal detectors off, you will likely be pulled a side and airport security should easily be able to tell whether or not your earring were what set off the alarms.

In addition to jewelry, you will find that your belt may even set off an airport’s metal detector. For that reason, a large number of airports have requested that you remove your belts before entering the metal detectors. Since a large number of travelers wear belts, this is done to help speed up the process of checking each and every passenger. If you do not enjoy removing some of your jewelry or removing your belt, it is advised that you leave those items at home.

Recently, a number of new air travel rules have been implemented. One of those rules requires that all passengers remove their shoes. Your shoes, once removed, will be scanned by an x-ray machine, right along with the rest of your carryon luggage. In recent years, only random passengers were asked to remove their shoes, but now everyone is. For that reason, you will to wear simple shoes that you can easily remove and put back on.

Another air travel rule, recently implemented, is the ban of liquids. This means that adults are no longer allowed to bring a drink onboard, even bottle water. It also means that you are prohibited from placing liquid beauty supplies in your carryon luggage. One concern, made by many women is the allowance of gel or water filled bras. Currently, you are allowed to wear these types of bras onboard an airplane. Honestly, unless you mention it to airport security, there is a good chance that they would never even know.

Since there are really no rules or restrictions on the clothing that you can wear while flying the great skies, you need to choose for yourself. Whether you want to be fashionable or comfortable, it is all up to you.

five times you learn all the airlines travel terms, you won’t be dependent on your local travel agent anymore, & he/she won’t be able to collect all the wonderful service fees from you for being your traveling interpreter.

The price of your travel flight is based on plenty of intricate components that the airlines reservations department implement, not to purposely confuse you, but to formulate their airfares & determine what they need to charge each passenger for all flights taken.

Now if you already know most of these airlines flight terms, then that is ok. However, there’s plenty of people that are new to traveling, & are now beginning to use online air suppliers to capitalize on the great deals they offer. But when you’re making that reservation, you need to understand why the flight you selected is so cheap, & what are the reasons for the low pricing.

Most of the airlines service terms you will come across will play a big factor on whether you pay an expensive price for you ticket, or getting the discounted travel deals you’re looking for in the first place. I will explain the most common industry terms that plenty of people get confused about:

Misunderstanding in Airline Terms can cost you more currency!

Direct or Through Service: This can get a little confusing to plenty of individuals. The aircraft even though is en route directly to your location, it may be making some routine stops on the way, & all passengers must remain on the plane at that time. there’s plenty of times when you print your ticket that it won’t list the cities that it will be landing in, so it’s always wise to investigate a little further, & see how long the stop is going to be in each individual city.

Nonstop versus Direct or Through Service: Don’t get this five confused, because plenty of airline companies don’t explain this properly. Nonstop means exactly that, & most travelers need these flights, so they book-up quickly. You fly from your origin & land at your desired location without any stops in between.

Connecting Flight: When you’re on this type of service flight, now this is treated differently than the other services above. With this type of flight the plane travels from five city to another, however, the passengers must modify aircrafts at some point between the origin city & the location city.

online Connections: This is when you modify an aircraft but continue to fly with the same carrier. So if you’re flying form los angeles to los angeles on American Airlines. If you make a stop for example in Denver, you will modify planes at that airport, but with the same American Airline carrier.

Interline Connection: This is when you as a passenger changes airplanes, but instead of boarding the same company plane you will be on a different airline. For this example, you’re flying from Seattle, Washington en route to San Antonio, los angeles. If you were on a United flight, you will have a stop in a city in-between your origin & location, & let say you have to get on an American carrier to continue your journey. The main reason for this is that the particular airline company may not be flying into certain cities due to particular business reasons, so then they share with competing airline business companies.

Open Jaw: No it’s not when you see the price of your ticket & your jaw drops. This trip is five in which you depart out of five city, & later return from another city. For example: you fly from San Diego, los angeles to los angeles City, & then return back home from the city of Boston back to San Diego. This can dramatically increase your airline ticket, so if you’re looking to visit a family member in another city that you arrived in, & then depart out of another city where your families live, then carefully check & make sure you understand this term.

Consolidators: A consolidator can be your friend if you understand how they work. basically put, they purchase tickets from an airline at a rate less than the tariff, with the purpose of reselling the tickets to either you the public or travel agencies. They buy tickets in bulk from air carrier companies, & therefore offer substantial savings. If you happen to be wondering what a tariff is, it’s basically set pricing, rules, & regulations all put in place by authorized organizations in the airline industry.

Lets talk types of Fares! If you’re searching for fares online, you will come across a list of different terminologies for your ticket, & it will reflect on the price you end up paying. The airlines distinguish certain fare prices by the terms normal or restricted.

Normal Fares: A normal fare is first class, business class, & economy. These have no restrictions such as advanced reservation requirements or maximum stay stipulations. Such flights are valid for five year from the date of the first flight & can be extended if not used within that period.

Restricted Excursion & Discounted Fares: These have certain restrictions, & that is why they are cheaper to purchase. they are sold with a quantity of conditions attached, which most require advanced reservations, & there is normally a maximum & sometimes a maximum stay requirement. Travel dates are pre-determined, & any changes in most cases are subject to a penalty, or at times you cannot make any changes at all! Airlines limit the number of seats at these fares to encourage travelers to book early.

With an understanding how the air travel industry communicates, & how they determine a flight schedule & pricing, you will eventually be able to speak their language, prevent air lingo confusion, & obtain the best flight itinerary & price with this new knowledge!

Para comenzar a jugar necesitas a un compañero, dos dados y una tabla de backgammon especial. La tabla esta dividida en dos lados con divisiones numeradas de 1 a 24. Puntos 1 a 6 son la llegada, 7 a 12 la salida. 13 a 18 el punto medio.

Al comienzo del juego, cada jugador tiene dos fichas en el punto 24, 3 fichas en el punto 8, 5 en el punto 13 y 5 en el punto 6. Cada jugador tira los dados y el puntaje mas alto comienza la jugada.

El que comienza mueve las fichas de acuerdo a la posición opuesta de las agujas del reloj, desde su punto de partida para llegar al punto de partido del oponente.

El objetivo del backgammon es mover tus fichas hasta llegar al punto de partida de tu adversario y luego removerlas del tablero. La velocidad del progreso del juego es determinada por los resultados de los dados.

Cada jugador tira dos dados en cada turno, y deber una o dos fichas de acuerdo al número que salio en cada dado. Puede mover una ficha sumando el puntaje de los dos dados, o mover dos. Por ejemplo, si el resultado del dado es 5 y 4, puedes mover una ficha 9 lugares o mover una 5 y luego otra 4 para adelante.

Si los dados salen dobles, un numero dos veces, puedes mover las fichas 4 veces en vez de dos. Es decir, si sale un doble 2, moverás 2 lugares cuatro veces. En ese caso puedes o mover una ficha 8 veces, 2 fichas cuatro lugares, 4 fichas dos veces o la combinación que elijas que requiera dos lugares 4 veces.

Puedes mover una ficha a un casillero que hay solo una de tu oponente, y as?la “comes”. Luego, esta ficha es ubicada en la mitad del tablero, llamada el bar.

Tu oponente puede volver a jugar una vez que puedo ubicar a la ficha en algún casillero de su llegada que no este ocupado por mas de una ficha tuya. Por ejemplo, si tira los dados y sale 2 y en ese casillero no hay ninguna ficha o solo una tuya, el puede entrar y seguir sus jugadas. De lo contrario, deber?esperar a su turno y volver a intentarlo.

Una vez ubicadas todas tus fichas en el casillero de llegada de tu oponente, deberás comenzar a removerlas del tablero. Es decir, si tiras los dados y sale 1 y 2 puedes mover una ficha del casillero 1, si sale 2, puedes mover una ficha del casillero 2 y as?sucesivamente.

Si tu oponente no ha removido ninguna ficha mientras que tu has removido 15, tu ganas el juego y viceversa. Lo mismo ocurre si tu has removido 15 fichas y el tiene algunas en el medio comidas, (sin aun haber removido ninguna) tu ganas el juego.

El juego es muy entretenido e inteligente que te puede acompañar en muchas ocasiones. Disfrútalo!

Preflight preparation isone of the most important aspects of combating jet lag. Before leaving, be sure you have all your affairs, personal and professional, in order. Avoid late farewell parties, so that you are not tired or hungover from a function the night before. Participate in regular exercise in the days prior to departure and if possible try to avoid exposure to people with flu or colds. Get a full night of sleep just prior to departure.

There is evidence that jet lag is less acute on eastward rather that westward flights, as it is easier to force oneself to stay up later than normal than it is to fall asleep earlier than normal. Daytime flights cause less jet lag than overnight flights, which is why the latter are called “red-eye” flights. Due to cramped seating and ambient noise, don’t expect to get a good night’s rest on one of these flights.

Drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids, since the dry air in airplanes causes dehydration. Water is better than coffee, tea and fruit juices. Alcoholic drinks are a poor choice for combating dehydration, and demonstrate a markedly greater intoxicating effect when consumed in the rarefied atmosphere of an airliner compared to ground level.

A blindfold, neckrest or blow-up pillow, and ear plugs can help you get quality sleep while flying. If there are some spare seats on the flight, lay across them, since it easier to fall asleep laying flat than sitting propped up.

Get up and exercise frequently. Walking up and down the aisle, standing for short periods, and doing twisting and stretching exercises in your seat reduces discomfort from swollen legs and feet, and prevents potentially deadly Deep Vein Thrombosis. On long flights,get off the plane if possible at stopovers, and take a short walk around the airport. As far back as 1988 the Lancet report estimated “that over three years at Heathrow Airport, 18% of the 61 sudden deaths in long distance passengers were caused by clots in the lungs.” These clots originate in leg veins where blood pools and coagulates due to passenger immobility.

There are many products purported to prevent or cure jet lag. One of them is melatonin, a hormone produced naturally by the body to produce sleepiness. Another product, No-Jet-Lag, has been proven effective in a scientific trial of round-the-world passengers and confirmed by longhaul flight attendants in a test conducted in cooperation with their union. Since it is a homeopathic preparation using extremely low dosages, No-Jet-Lag has no side effects and is compatible with other medications.

If you plan to use melatonin, it is important to take it at the right time or it may make matters worse. When traveling east, on the day of the flight, take one dose of melatonin between 6 and 7 p.m. your time. On the day of arrival and for the next four days, take a dose of melatonin at bedtime (between 9 and 10 p.m.) local time of your new location. If you are on a stopover and will be traveling further east, take one dose of melatonin on the day before flying onward, again between 6 and 7 p.m. local time, instead of at bedtime). On the day of arrival at the final destination, take one dose of melatonin at bedtime (local time) and for the next four days.

For westward travel, melatonin will not help if you are going less than five time zones to the west. For distant westward travel, on the day of arrival, take one dose of melatonin at local time bedtime and continue to do so for the next four days. If you wake up before 4 a.m., take a little more melatonin (half a dose) to get a complete night’s sleep. Dissolve this dose under the tongue, if possible, so it will be more fast-acting.

Sleeping pills are not advisable, especially on the plane. They produce a drugged state which has little in common with natural sleep, and suppress natural body movement, not desirable in a cramped environment where the risk of DVTs is already high. Many over-the-counter sleeping pills are anti-histamines which tend to dehydrate the mucous membranes, creating a parched, sore throat when combined with the already dehydrating atmosphere inside the airplane.

Hopefully these tips will help you arrive at your destination awake and energetic.

1. Premium Good’s
694 Fulton St (Btw. Ft. Green Pl & S. Elliot),
718.403.9348
Train: A or C to Layffette
Hours: 10am-7pm
Looking for Bathing Ape? The…
shopping, sneakers, new york, nyc, shoes, tennis shoes
It’s summer time and the living is easy. So time to go shopping and get a new pair of sneakers. But you don’t want an ordinary pair of sneakers. You want something unique, flashy, and eye catching. So wither your a native New Yorker or your visiting from out of town here are some of the best spot to find sneakers in NYC.

1. Premium Good’s
694 Fulton St (Btw. Ft. Green Pl & S. Elliot),
718.403.9348
Train: A or C to Layffette
Hours: 10am-7pm
Looking for Bathing Ape? They have em! Plus a whole slew of sneakers many people have never seen in the US.

2. Alife Rivington Club
158 Rivington St Cross Street: Between Clinton Street and Suffolk Street
212.375.8128
Train: F to Second Ave
Hours: Tues-Sun. 12pm-7pm
This down-low sneaker spot have some SERIOUS kicks that will make you shell out that $300.

3. Adidas Orginals
136 Wooster St
212.777.2001
Train: N or R to Prince St.
Hours: 10am-7pm
My Adidas! Your Adidas! Who does’t like Adidas!

4. Training Camp
41 and 6th AVe
Train: D Train to 42nd.
Hours: 10am-7pm
A large selections of sneakers and large sizes for those with big feet.

5. ATMOS
203 West 125th Street
Train: A Train to 125th St.
Hours: 10am-7pm
The best place in Harlem to find affordable and hard to find sneakers.

6. NikeTown
6 East 57th St. NY
212.891.6453
www.niketown.com
Train: N or R to 57th
Hours: 10am-7pm
The mothership for all that is NIKE!

7. Laces
252 Mott Street
212.334.5457
Train: B, N, R to Broadway-Layffette
Hours: Monday by appointment only, Tues-Friday 10am-7pm.
The only sneaker store in town that’s execlusivly for women.

8. KCDC
99 North 10th Street
718.387.9006
kcdcskateshop.com
Break out ya skate board and skate your troubles away. otherwise pick up a nice pairk of sneakers here.

9. Dave’s Quality Meats
7 East 3rd off the Bowery
212.505.7551
Train: F to Bowery
Hours: 10am-7pm
You won’t find salamey here but a dope selections of sneakers and t-shirts.

10. Nort 235
235 Eldridge Street
212.777.6102
Train: Locations throughout Manhattan
Hours: 10am-7pm
if your looking for sneakers that you won’t see alot of people wearing then visit this spot.

Whether it is fishing in Alaska, Costa Rica or simply Sportfishing in Cabo San Lucas, the thrill of catching a big fish thrills the vacation traveler so much so that destinations like Panama and Baja California fishing has become sought after.

Unlike before, nowadays sportfishing enthusiasts never had it so good. Every kind of luxuries is available for the tourists in relatively untouched areas like the Sea of Cortez.
The fishing equipment and tackles etc. are usually easily available and the booming hotel industry ensures excellent accommodation. Add to this the thrill of deep sea fishing, the boat rides to the deep sea and we have a compelling travel destination.

Who are the people who would want to go to Mexico for Sportfishing?

Sportfishing is very popular in South America. Brazil sea bass is one of the popular fish in Brazil, and consequently there is a premium that fisherman can get. In Mexico also, fishing has been a part of many family traditions.

Things to look for to ensure a great vacation

Equipment : This is key to success as far as sportfishing is concerned. We hope to follow the school recommended methodology of renting out fishing equipment once we reach our destinations.

Environment : Slightly off the beaten track.
If you need to go seriously fish, then you need to choose relatively smaller destinations.

Infrastructure : When you spend upwards of 12 hours on the boat, the least you want is a comfortable hotel room with all the perquisites.

Sportfishing Playa de Mexico, Cabo San Lucas and Baja California all fit into this category as top tourist destinations. This is a great time to visit Mexico for all our sportfishing needs.

In light of the recent world events, these increased airport security (and beyond) measures are becoming a fact of life with no signs of slowing down anytime soon. However becoming educated and following a simple system can help you avoid foreseeable hassles along this turbulent journey called life.

First of all, to travel anywhere on short notice, be prepared to pay several times as much as you would if you had booked an economy ticket a few weeks ahead of time. Unfortunately, in today’s fast moving business world, executives often do not have more t…

aircraft charters,private jets,aircraft timeshares

Though it may appear initially that private aircraft are a corporate luxury, they can actually save a business traveler money in some circumstances. Aircraft charters offer security, safety, flexibility and convenience.

First of all, to travel anywhere on short notice, be prepared to pay several times as much as you would if you had booked an economy ticket a few weeks ahead of time. Unfortunately, in today’s fast moving business world, executives often do not have more than a few days notice of where they will be needed. So to be fair, when comparing the cost of a private or charter plane, the cost per traveler should be compared with the cost of a first-class ticket, not the standard economy fair.

In addition, work and meetings can take longer than expected to complete, so it can be difficult to plan the return trip at the time of ticket purchase. And one-way tickets, aside from being even more expensive, can lead to lengthy, aggressive security searches due to terrorist profiling by airport security. To be competitive, today’s management team cannot be restricted by the inflexibility of airline schedules and ticket bookings.

Also, commercial flights may simply not be available at the time desired. With tight budgets, airplanes are overbooked, so even if the traveler is prepared to pay for a top-class ticket, the seats may already be all booked. With an aircraft charter you can set your own schedule, and aircraft charters can be changed or rescheduled on short notice.

With an aircraft charter your business schedule becomes the flight schedule. Charter flights allow the traveler to avoid the check-in an security lines, missed connections and the long drives to locations far away from the major airports. Also, factor in the overnight stays due to poor connections. This leads to hotel and restaurant expenses, as well as productive business time lost. Aircraft charters allow more sales calls, more time to manage your business and ultimately more leisure and family time.

With security searches, constant distraction and movement of valuable items such as laptops, cellphones and business papers, be prepared for theft and loss on commercial airline trips. Trips on charter aircraft are much more organized and relaxed, allowing the business traveler to manage equipment better. With a private jet charter the chances of losing luggage are almost non-existent.

It is possible to host a private meeting on board aircraft charter since the only passengers on the aircraft are the staff or invited guests. Computers and paperwork are much easier to handle without the logistical problems of cramped seats and poor power sources, not to mention the distractions caused by fellow passengers.

The film, entertainment and fashion industries have been using charter aircraft for years. Due to high costs of moving production teams between locations, charter aircraft are extremely cost effective. They offer the advantage of traveling from one point to another in a shorter period of time, without scrambling to reassemble at connection points, and safe transport of cameras and other expensive equipment.

Professional athletes have long used aircraft jet charter for their special needs. Their schedules are uncertain so an aircraft jet charter must always be available for early or delayed departures. Many amateur athletes have also been taking advantage of an aircraft jet charter when the need arises due to the same concerns and possible schedule conflicts. Also, bulky sports equipment sometimes causes problems on commercial flights so an aircraft jet charter would probably be required. Airlines are toughening the regulations for overweight luggage,and some types of sports equipment may be too large. Charter aircraft allow extra space for cargo, and staff are available to assist with loading and unloading.

Clubs, organizations and associations may find a private jet charter a more convenient and even cheaper way to travel. When dealing with a group, there is a great time saving together with the reduction of stress and frustration. A private jet charter facilitates the check-in process by avoiding long security lines and facilitating baggage check in. For a large group, a charter aircraft may be less expensive that individual tickets. Next time your group needs to travel together check out the costs of a private jet charter.

Aircraft charters are becoming known as the preferred option for an increasing number of business travelers. Seasoned charter travelers already know the value of an aircraft charter. Drive your car up to the charter aircraft lot and park within a few steps of the departure lounge, and enjoy a more streamlined and relaxed travel experience on your own charter aircraft for the same or, sometimes, even less cost.

Saved by its Ancestors

The Algarve region has seen all the cultures beginning with the Lusitanians, Celtics, Romans and Arabs who were forced out of Faro in 1249 by Sancho II. But thanks to the combination of all these people, especially the Arabs, the Algarve province ( http://www.lisbon-and-portugal.com/algarve/algarve-portugal.html ) now has a strong production of olive trees which produce rich olive oil, figs and almonds. It is said that the almond trees were a gift from a Moorish sultan who was in love with a Nordic princess. She dearly missed the snow covered ground in winter and what most resembled that were the almond trees in full bloom in the spring. From this, the Algarve makes a rich dessert from almonds, figs, eggs and sugar called ‘morgados’. And thanks to the dry weather, pears, tomatoes, melons and grapes are among the delicious fruits available year round.

Algarve Wine, A Sweet Caress for Your Lips

Grapes in Portugal are synonymous to wine, and Algarve has quite a variety. The exportation of wine from this region started under the Muslim domain and reached its climax in the 14th and 15th centuries. Lagos, Portimao and Tavira are the principal wine producers.

+ The Algar Dry from Lagos is a dry wine, served very cold for appetizers. The dry and sweet moscatel wines are aged in oak barrels for at least seven years and have about 18% alcohol content.

+ Alfonso III is another dry wine from Lagos and also served very cold.

+ Cruz de Portugal is a smooth red wine which should be served at room temperature for dessert.

+ From Tavira you have Licoroso de Tavira which is very sweet and dark in colour, served at room temperature.

+ Medronho is a type of liquer very well known all over the Algarve region and usually found in the typical ‘tascas’ or taverns and served in glasses from Oporto.

Cute places to see around Portugal

Between Tavira and Castro Marim, one can easily manage a nice beach day in Monte Gordo and a leisurley stroll through the Natural Reserve Park to appreciate the marvellous view of pink flamengos and long-legged storks soaring in and out of sight. For golf lovers, near Albufeira and hidden among pine trees and the shore you will find Villamoura with its campestral fields for playing a relaxing game of golf. Wherever you go in this region, be it on the coast or deep in the forest area, there are all kinds of hotels with great facilities for your stay in Algarve or the capital of Portugal, Lisbon.