My WOW moment in Ireland

Rolling green hills, bustling city streets. Pints of Guinness that flowed at every turn- all priceless memories I’ve taken with me since returning from our unforgettable trip on Trafalgar’s Britain and Ireland Delight vacation.

Our optional excursion to a local pub in rural Country Waterford promised tasting local brew and an evening of traditional Irish music. From the moment our awesome driver swung us into the parking I knew we were in for an amazing experience.

A spectacular view of the Irish Sea encircled us like a blanket. I’ll never forget the feeling of standing on the sand at sunset and gazing out at all that beauty. For all the truly unforgettable things we saw on our trip, that was my favourite moment. I felt completely at peace.

Megan Snider enjoying the Britain and Ireland Delight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After befriending a local dog won over by my American charm, my mother and I returned to the Saratoga Pub and were treated to acoustic Irish music beautiful enough to bring tears to our eyes. My father, sister, mother and I toasted one another with our pints, finding it hard to believe we were so far from home – and in such an incredible place together. Now that my sister and I are adults, finding time to spend together can be difficult. This trip was a chance to reconnect and have incredible experiences we would be able to share for the rest of our lives

After enjoying the sounds of the performers at the Saratoga, one of the gentlemen told us he would be happy to teach us a traditional Irish dance – but would need volunteers. I learned long ago that the only way to really get the most out of your vacation is to say “yes” to everything

My partner was the gentleman; our instructor, himself – and he spun me around the makeshift dance floor, all the while bellowing to “hold on!”

I held on tight to his arm, laughing until tears rolled down my face. And though months have gone by, I’m holding on still – to the warm, golden memories from that unforgettable trip with my family.

Megan Snider

Our Family Experience in Costa Rica – Part Three

Today we were going to visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges – what a wonderful experience discovering nature eyeball to eyeball high up in the rainforest canopy. We continued to the Eco centre, which we just loved – the butterflies were incredible. After lunch we were given the option of going back to the hotel or to join an afternoon Volcano hike. We decided to go back into town but most went on the hike, including the grannies of around 76 years and very small children. They were only a few minutes into their hike when the rain came pouring down. Thank heavens for our choice. We had a great time in town and then along with our rain-soaked fellow travellers went to the Tabacon Hot Springs. What an amazing place…loved our time in the natural springs, and dinner here was incredible.

Next morning on the way to Manuel Antonio, we stopped for ziplining. After being kitted out and briefed, we were ready to go and for the next two hours we had an awesome time. Flying along ziplines does make you work up an appetite and we ran straight for the snacks once we got back to base. The Parador Resort & Spa was to be our home for the next two nights in Manuel Antonio. This hotel was conceptualised from the traditional paradores (stopping places) of Spain and features old-world European architecture and an extensive private antiques collection. A beautiful beach is an easy walk away and nature trails through the property’s rainforest lead down to cliffs overlooking the ocean. Next day we, Kelly and Angie, decided to sleep late while Mum went on a guided nature walk through the national park. She told us later that a huge snake nearly fell on them! But everyone really loved the ‘scare’ and it was the highlight of their day.

While Mum was getting the fright of her life we had a lovely late breakfast followed by cocktails in the pool and then took a taxi into town. What a great little surfer town! It really is a must-do. We enjoyed a refreshing jug of sangria and seafood on the beach. Very, very cool. On our final night we celebrated our journey with a Farewell Dinner at El Avion – an amazing restaurant in an old converted plane. Despite the broad range of ages and interests amongst our group, we all agreed that Costa Rica was a fantastic destination!

Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo South Africa

Arenal hanging bridges

Arenal Hanging Bridges

Our Family Experience in Costa Rica – Part Two

Time to make our way to Arenal via Sarapiqui and it was pouring rain. I guess we are in the middle of a rainforest! At tiny Sarapiqui we stopped at a pineapple farm, the only one of its kind in the world where they produce certified organic golden pineapples. The guide’s stories about how to choose the best pineapple in your local supermarket and the demonstrations were very entertaining. The tastings were lovely and we all had a great time.

Enjoying the Pineapple Farm

Enjoying the Pineapple Farm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, we enjoyed one of Trafalgar’s Local Specialities, a visit to a Tico family home and palm plantation. The family were charming and the palm heart snack they prepared for us was absolutely delicious! The demonstration was really delightful and we wanted to buy some of this palm heart dish, but the lady of the house would not hear of it. She offered us some to take away free of charge, which was totally unexpected and a lovely warm gesture.

Our next stop was at a local market where Jorge suggested we do some souvenir shopping, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Later we had lunch at a tropical restaurant that not only offered great food but the most beautiful views. We even saw crocodiles in the river!

We arrived at the hotel in Arenal to find it was set in a lovely location and commanded a stunning view of the smoking Arenal volcano. Dinner was on our own this evening, so we went into the nearby town of La Fortuna with a few of the other guests. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of seafood rice at a local restaurant followed by a visit to the local bar where we chatted to the locals, enjoyed the musicians and had a fantastic evening! I absolutely loved exploring this great little town.

Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look out for part three coming next week!

Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo

South Africa

Our Family Experience in Costa Rica – Part One

Pura Vida – Pure Life. In Costa Rica this simple phrase is a greeting, a way to wish someone well and a verbal manifestation of this tiny Central American country’s philosophy of environmental responsibility. My two adult daughters and I couldn’t imagine a better place to enjoy an exotic family holiday – one that not only turned on amazing experiences (and delicious cocktails!), but also gave us a new perspective on life.

After a night in the capital San Jose, we were on our way to Tortuguero National Park, where we were staying at the Laguna Lodge, accessible only by boat. The water was very low, so we had to travel very slowly. The ride was exciting as we had no idea of what to expect. The lodge was very charming and simple with lovely swimming pools and the frog ponds were great to visit too.

Our Travel Director Jorge asked us all to meet at 3pm for a get together with our fellow travellers – a diverse mix of people from grandmothers and parents to adult children, teens and young kids – and it was fun to meet everyone over a welcome drink.

We were thrilled to be able to go to a viewing of the turtles on the beach later that evening. At around 10pm we walked with the guide to the beach and sat quietly waiting for the turtles to emerge – it was so exciting to see them nesting. How they know exactly the right place to dig their nest and lay their eggs is simply incredible.

The following morning we went on an early excursion into the jungle. It was really worth the early start – we saw monkeys, iguanas, toucans and endless other wildlife – unforgettable! After an adventurous day of sightseeing it was nice to spend the afternoon just relaxing by the pool together – I can’t believe how my girls have grown up!

One of our highlights was visiting a local school in the small village of Tortuguero, which was very interesting to walk around. Only 700 inhabitants, very poor, but the people were friendly and we enjoyed purchasing small local hand-made items such as earrings and purses. I couldn’t get over how happy everyone was, and they didn’t seem to regard us as ‘strangers’. The town was spotlessly clean and we just loved the fact that even in this small town, they had their beautifully decorated waste bins organized between paper, glass, aluminium and other…wow.

Meeting the locals in Tortuguero

Meeting the locals in Tortuguero

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look out for part two coming next week!

Theresa, Angela & Kelly Szejwallo
South Africa

My WOW Moment in Turkey

My motto is, always leave a reason to return. Trafalgar’s Best of Turkey offered me that opportunity.  It was my third visit in 22 years and I anxiously anticipated sharing the mysterious land of Cappadocia with a new travel companion.

Turkey in itself is the best – the best of the East and the best of the West.  The country is rich with Roman Greek Egyptian and Ottoman history as evidenced by well-preserved ruins.  Perhaps the best way to enjoy Cappadocia, the unique region of volcanic landscapes, is through a hot-air balloon ride.  There’s something exhilarating about waking before dawn and driving through the cool night air to the take-off point. On arrival, dozens of colorful balloons were being filled with the hot air that would eventually raise them to a thousand feet or more. The fire from the gas burners warmed us as we waited our turn in anxious anticipation while one balloon after the other ascended from the dusty earth.

At last we climbed into the balloon and gently started our flight.  Dawn had just broken and black shadows of the troglodyte dwellings started to fill the horizon.  It was oh so quiet as each of us hungrily absorbed the landscape below, dotted with cone-shaped volcanic remnants hollowed and shaped by thousands of years of wind and rain that sculpted them to perfection. The silence was broken only when the gas burner spat out a burst of fire.  We were in awe as we descended lower into a valley of the “cones”.  Thousands of years ago the early Christians settled in Cappadocia and hid in cities like Kaymakali where they lived in underground caves.  We imagined what life was like when St. Paul and his followers inhabited Cappadocia.

Before long the early morning sky which was now pink and gold was dotted with dozens of colorful balloons. We peacefully drifted up and down through the valley as our pilot carefully navigated our balloon between the cone structures to avoid a collision.  Some of the volcanic structures looked like toadstools all swaying in the same direction.  Other structures revealed doorways which provoked our imaginations to conjure up images of the families who inhabited one of the most remarkable places on the face of the earth.

As our balloon started its descent, my friend and I looked at each other.  All we could say as we clumsily evacuated our balloon was “WOW”!

Hot-air balloon ride Turkey

Hot-air balloon ride Turkey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bonnie Mack

Enchanting Maritimes

We’ve just returned from Trafalgar’s Enchanting Maritimes holiday and what a wonderful time we had. We spent 12 days travelling from Boston through the New England area to New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton and Prince Edward Island – a part of the world we had not been to before.

Our holiday was full of so many highlights – one being the seaside resort of York on the coast of Maine. This town is a fashionable summer resort and was a nice surprise on our trip. The houses in this seaside town were unbelievable and called cottages by the locals – these homes would be referred to as mansions back home! Other highlights included Peggy’s Cove, and an amazing drive along the Cabot Trail (one of the world’s great ocean drives).

In New Brunswick we were treated to a highlight lunch onboard a local lobster boat. Our host took us out and showed us how they pull the nets up and catch lobsters, followed by a lesson on how to shell them. Then we all got to enjoy a feast of sweet and juicy Atlantic lobster!

Our host giving us the insiders tip on how to shell a lobster

Our host giving us the insiders tip on how to shell a lobster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Bras d’Or Lake we took an optional excursion on a terrific sailing boat around the lake. This beautiful boat was hand built by our captain. One of the highlights was seeing Alexander Graham Bell’s home who is famous for inventing the telephone. His property overlooks the lake and is still occupied by family descendants.  Later, we got to visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum.

Anne sailing on Bras d'Or Lake

Anne sailing on Bras d'Or Lake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We spent two nights in Charlottetown which is the birthplace of Canada. The houses are made of wood and the streets are very pretty with their hanging pots of flowers coming off the lamp posts. Here we stayed at a hotel where Queen Elizabeth had once slept!

On Prince Edward Island, we visited the Prince Edward Island Preserve Company. This place was filled with all kinds of jams and amazing homemade ice-cream and a variety of different teas – yum! Our Local Guide told us all about the island, her knowledge was incredible. Also worth more than a footnote was the trip over the Confederation Bridge (the longest bridge over iced waters in the world) which links Prince Edward Island with the Province of New Brunswick.

Jamie our Travel Director was wonderful and her knowledge of the area and history added greatly to the overall experience – in many ways our holiday (as one of our fellow traveller’s said) was like driving through a postcard with Jamie telling the story.

The history surrounding the Maritimes is fascinating and combined with breathtaking scenery and exceptionally friendly people, this holiday is one of the very best we have undertaken.

Anne and Duncan Ferries.

Alexander Graham Bell's House on Bras d'Or Lake

Alexander Graham Bell's House on Bras d'Or Lake

 

Top 5 spooky spots for Halloween travel

With the gallons of sweets, fake blood and all manner of ugly masks and costumes, what better way to embrace this creepy time of year than by steering your travel plans to the most mystically mysterious, frighteningly fun and dauntingly dark corners of the world? From bone-filled catacombs to haunted castles, here’s our top 5 picks of the spookiest spots for Halloween travel – fake blood and ugly masks not necessary!

1. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland
After seeing the sites of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Holyrood House and Arthur’s Seat, be brave and explore Edinburgh Castle, which is famed for its charismatic ghouls. Take for example, the headless drummer boy who appears whenever something dangerous is about to happen! Or how about the Lost Piper, who disappeared in the maze of tunnels underneath the castle, never to be seen again…

Visit Edinburgh Castle on our ‘Best of Scotland’ Itinerary.

2. Calico Ghost Town, USA
More than 100 years ago Calico was a booming silver mining town during the biggest silver rush California has ever seen. Today one third of Calico’s original structures still stand and the rest have been re-built to replicate the style of the Old West. Visit the Mystery Shack to see water running uphill, explore Maggie’s Mine and take part in some gold panning for old times’ sake; just don’t say we didn’t warn you that this place has a very eerie atmosphere!

Visit Calico Ghost Town on our ‘Golden West Contrasts’ Itinerary.

3. Nocturnal House, Australia
Even if you’ll be in sunny Australia this Halloween, there’s still some vampire fun to be had; no Halloween would be complete without some scary vampire bats. That’s what you’ll get to see at Nocturnal House in Alice Springs, you’ll also get to enjoy reserved seating at the Birds of Prey Presentation.

Visit Nocturnal House on our ‘The Great Australian Explorer’ Itinerary.

4. Catacombs of Paris, France
The Notre Dame may be a Gothic masterpiece, but in your free time in Paris, make sure you head below street level to explore the creepy Catacombs that lie beneath Paris’s celebrated monuments. Head down there and you’ll come face to face with walls made of skeletons; yes that’s right, bones instead of wallpaper and skulls instead of chandeliers! The Catacombs were built around 1786 as a result of overcrowded cemeteries which the government wanted to reclaim. By the time the relocation was over in 1860, around six million skeletons had been moved here. However horrid it sounds, the sight is really quite spectacular inside the Catacombs.

Visit the Catacombs of Paris on our ‘Contrasts of Europe’ Itinerary.

5. Mayan Temples of Uxmal, Mexico
Mayan people were known for building new temples over old ones, and this is no more visible than in Uxmal, Yucatan in Mexico where you can witness the mythical layers of civilisation before your very eyes. Dating back to the 10th century AD, you’ll learn so much about mysterious Mayan culture as you explore the staggering architectural bounds of its people.

Visit the Mayan Termples of Uxmal on our ‘Treasures of the Yucatan’ Itinerary.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you visited a spooky place recently? Let us know where and why it was eerie below!

 

To Russia With Love – Part Two

As it happens, Novgorod turned out to be the highlight of my trip, because I got to experience some of the REAL Russia, through the eyes of the REAL people on Trafalgar’s Be My Guest dinner. We visited Irena and her family of six who welcomed us to their restaurant with traditional ‘lucky bread’ and tea from the Samovar.

As Irena told us about their life and interests, Grandfather Vladimir offered us three kinds of home-made liqueurs or ‘nastoykas’ to try and we had to guess what they were made from – quite surprising! The whole family were so charming and we learnt so much about their lives and customs just chatting with Irena.

Dinner was scrumptious – especially Irena’s pancakes, for which she happily shared her family recipe. And of course, everyone really got into the spirit at the end when Irena led us all in a traditional Russian toast and song. A wonderful night!

Moscow! I still get goose-bumps thinking of that first encounter when we finally reached Red Square. It was one of those moments when I truly felt I had ‘arrived in Russia’ – just an amazing feeling! Of course, The Kremlin Armoury was just amazing, steeped in history, and now I know why they say the Metro is one of the wonders of the world… SO worth a visit.

One of the most delightful sights we saw in Moscow was a bridge where newlyweds attach padlocks with their names inscribed as a symbol of their wedded bond. There must have been thousands of them – just incredible! A real Hidden Treasure as Trafalgar calls them.

But as they say all good things must come to an end. I made some great friends along the way, experienced so much and took home a suitcase full of memories that will always remind me of my time in Russia.

Melanie Dryden
One Stop Touring Shop, South Africa

Trafalgar - Tasting some of Irena's 'lucky bread'

Trafalgar - Tasting some of Irena's 'lucky bread'

Trafalgar - The Bridge of Padlocks

Trafalgar - The Bridge of Padlocks

To Russia with Love – Part One

We all have that one place that we dream of visiting. For me, it’s always been Russia and for about nine years I’ve had it on the top of my bucket list. So finally this year I was on my way on an 8-day At Leisure guided holiday with Trafalgar, experiencing the Wonders of St Petersburg, Novgorod and Moscow.

I could have put my arms around Olga when I exited customs, knowing that from here on in I was going to be looked after by our English-speaking Travel Director. To be honest, I was a little concerned about travelling to Russia for the first time on my own. However, as quickly as those worries came they were completely overturned.

To my delight, we stayed at some of the most amazing first class hotels. We did some incredible sightseeing with Trafalgar and of course, if you know me, I took all nine of the optional extra excursions offered. Why? Because I figured I’m not likely to be back here in a hurry, so why not! Looking back, I wouldn’t have known where to start if I was doing the trip solo, so my time was definitely well spent.

Our first stop was St Petersburg and the incredible Hermitage Museum. With over three million items on display, this really was something to marvel at. And the fact we were in small groups meant we were all able to take everything in with a good view – our Local Guide made sure of that! This holiday wouldn’t have been complete without a visit to the ballet to watch Swan Lake by the Russian Ballet Company…so beautiful. Seeing the Winter Palace, St Isaac’s Cathedral, Catherine Palace and the fascinating visit to St Peter and Paul Fortress – it was certainly a trip back in history for all of us.

Next we headed south to the provincial city of Novgorod and after the magnificence of St Petersburg I wondered whether this trip could get any better.

Melanie Dryden
One Stop Touring Shop, South Africa

 

Trafalgar – the incredible Catherine Palace

Trafalgar – the incredible Catherine Palace

 

Our ‘Desperate Housewives’ trip to Southern Italy & Sicily – Part Three

Our first night in Sicily, and we were whisked off to a Be My Guest dinner at a spectacular Sicilian winery and restaurant on the slopes of Mount Etna. Our host chatted with us about the different varieties of grapes they grow and the wines they produce, while we tasted their signature wine ‘Liperus’ with home-made appetisers. The food, which was all true Sicilian fare, was delicious and we tried a different wine with each course. A fun night was had by all.

Next day, we drove up into the mountains to what looked like from the road a fortress! But wow – once we were there it was this incredible old medieval town called Enna, with locals living there, beautiful coffee shops, souvenir shops, churches and gardens.

After a night in the coastal town of Agrigento, we were on our way to the Sicilian capital Palermo. We stopped in a seaside town called Erice where a lot of Europeans and Italians buy holiday flats and houses. Very quaint and authentic with fabulous shopping and lots of great restaurants.

In Palermo, we did a city tour, visited the local markets with fresh fish, meats, fruits and veg. All displayed so beautifully. We visited a lovely church St Rosalina, known for its healing waters from the mountain.

As we drove through the city, we were surprised to be stopping in the heart of the suburbs. Next thing we knew, our Travel Director was showing us a Hidden Treasure – a historical family-owned Sicilian jewellery-making house. The building was magnificent, and the jewellery was exquisite.

Everyone was very impressed by how the Travel Director knew about this place. In fact, we were pleased with everything he did to make our holiday so carefree and fun.

Italy is really about the culture and enjoying life and our Travel Director made sure we got to experience this – the people, great food, the vino and of course, Prosecco!

My friends and I changed the motto of ‘eat, pray and love’ to ‘laugh, drink and shop’ and hence had the most amazing trip ever. Italy and Sicily will never be the same again – with 25 pairs of shoes and 22 handbags, not to mention the endless bottles of Prosecco, having been purchased, we feel we did our bit for the Italian economy!

Natalie Farnell
Sales Manager, Trafalgar South Africa

Trafalgar – the beautiful sights of Sicily

Trafalgar – the beautiful sights of Sicily