<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rss version="2.0"
	xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"
	xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/"
	xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"
	xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"
	xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/"
	xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/"
	>

<channel>
	<title>Holidays Paradise</title>
	<atom:link href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" />
	<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com</link>
	<description>Your Direct Link to Paradise Vacations</description>
	<lastBuildDate>Wed, 02 May 2012 08:34:20 +0000</lastBuildDate>
	<language>en</language>
	<sy:updatePeriod>hourly</sy:updatePeriod>
	<sy:updateFrequency>1</sy:updateFrequency>
			<item>
		<title>City break in Sibiu</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=city-break-in-sibiu</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 28 Apr 2012 19:24:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Romania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sibiu]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=945</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Since weather got a lot better in the last few days and spring has revived the whole nature, my first thought of a holiday break was Sibiu , and especially Astra Museum &#8211; a splendid traditional art museum situated in &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Since weather got a lot better in the last few days and spring has revived the whole nature, my first thought of a holiday break was Sibiu<br />
<span id="more-945"></span></p>
<p>, and especially Astra Museum &#8211; a splendid traditional art museum situated in the middle of the forest.<br />
I&#8217;m writting this from Sibiu, after spendind the first day with a long walk through the city old center and town park. It&#8217;s been a superb day and Sibiu has not dissapointed me at all, even if I&#8217;ve visited it lots of times.<br />
Here are some pictures I&#8217;ve taken so far:<br />

<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/2012-04-28_14-45-16_hdr/' title='2012-04-28_14-45-16_HDR'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2012-04-28_14-45-16_HDR-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2012-04-28_14-45-16_HDR" title="2012-04-28_14-45-16_HDR" /></a>
<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/2012-04-28_14-46-14_hdr/' title='2012-04-28_14-46-14_HDR'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2012-04-28_14-46-14_HDR-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2012-04-28_14-46-14_HDR" title="2012-04-28_14-46-14_HDR" /></a>
<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/2012-04-28_15-40-24_hdr/' title='2012-04-28_15-40-24_HDR'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2012-04-28_15-40-24_HDR-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2012-04-28_15-40-24_HDR" title="2012-04-28_15-40-24_HDR" /></a>
<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/2012-04-28_17-22-34_hdr/' title='2012-04-28_17-22-34_HDR'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2012-04-28_17-22-34_HDR-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="2012-04-28_17-22-34_HDR" title="2012-04-28_17-22-34_HDR" /></a>
</p>
<p>I should not forget to mention that I found a very good accomodation in <a title="Sibiu Hotels" href="http://www.easytobook.com/en/romania/sibiu/sibiu-hotels/?affid=280824514" target="_blank">Sibiu </a>at <a title="Hotel Booking" href="http://www.booking.com/hotel/ro/apollo-hermannstadt.en-gb.html?aid=323506;sid=9d5de8814f71612b78a61eaec49c6850;dcid=1;origin=disamb;srhash=1264968509;srpos=1" target="_blank">Hotel Apollo Hermannstadt</a> &#8211; my second checkin here and so far they offered me very good services.</p>
<p>More to come tomorrow..can&#8217;t wait for it!!<em></em></p>
<p><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.extension.fm/exfm.js"></script></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/city-break-in-sibiu/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Amara Dolce Vita Luxury &#8211; Kemer &#8211; A Paradise Holiday</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/amara-dolce-vita-luxury-kemer-a-paradise-holiday/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=amara-dolce-vita-luxury-kemer-a-paradise-holiday</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/amara-dolce-vita-luxury-kemer-a-paradise-holiday/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 25 Jan 2012 06:15:32 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Asia]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Antalya]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kemer]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Turkey]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=940</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[To be honest with you, this was my first time to travel into Turkey and I was a little worried at start because I wanted to be a great holiday for my entire family. In the end things worked out &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/amara-dolce-vita-luxury-kemer-a-paradise-holiday/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Amara-Dolce-Vita-Luxury-Resort.jpg"><img class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1002" title="Amara Dolce Vita Luxury Resort" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/Amara-Dolce-Vita-Luxury-Resort-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a>To be honest with you, this was my first time to travel into Turkey and I was a little worried at start because I wanted to be a great holiday for my entire family. In the end things worked out great for us and we enjoyed this vacation like never before. And this was possible mainly because I have chosen this resort located at a site where the Taurus Mountains and the Mediterranean joins, within a secret paradise surrounded by pine forests, with its own private bay of 630 meters and 2 km away from Tekirova Centrum: Amara Dolce Vita Luxury.</p>
<p>My first worrying thought was regarding the weather since our holiday took place for one week in the middle of May. Until then, the weather had not been very kind to the tourists in Kemer, but starting with the day of our arrival, it was just perfect: 25-28 degrees during the day and few clouds appearing exactly in time for you to chill out a little bit.</p>
<p>So having the perfect weather conditions, we had to get also the luxury accommodation that is so advertised in this resort&#8217;s name: Amara Dolce Vita Luxury.  And we almost did &#8211; even if we paid for the cheapest option from the resort, the rooms were still beautifully decorated &#8211; Club Standard Rooms were available in two &#8220;streets&#8221;: Istanbul and Rome. We stayed in Rome, a little bit further from the main buildings, but this was great for us to make some more exercise.</p>
<p>The entire resort is quite amazing &#8211; it stretches over 160,000 mp and is situated right next to Taurus Mountains. I can not express in words the natural beauty of the region: sea, mountains and pine forest combine in harmony. This resort has all you need: fresh air from the mountains, excellent weather conditions, a beautiful long beach (one of the longest beach from Kemer region), great services and multiple attractions &#8211; all these combined gave us a holiday to remember.</p>
<p>I will try to present in a few words different attractions, services and places we&#8217;ve been inside the Amara Dolce Vita Luxury Resort in the following posts.</p>
<p><strong></strong></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/amara-dolce-vita-luxury-kemer-a-paradise-holiday/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Pamporovo &#8211; Ski Resort in Bulgaria</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/pamporovo-ski-resort-in-bulgaria/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=pamporovo-ski-resort-in-bulgaria</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/pamporovo-ski-resort-in-bulgaria/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:58:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bulgaria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ski]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=736</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Pamporovo is a modern ski resort in the heart of the Rhodopi mountain, the mountain that since ancient times have been a source of legends and stories told through the centuries. This is the cradle of the mythical singer Orpheus. &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/pamporovo-ski-resort-in-bulgaria/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="text-align: center;"><a rel="attachment wp-att-737" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?attachment_id=737"><img class="size-medium wp-image-737 aligncenter" title="pamporovo-view-01" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pamporovo-view-01-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>Pamporovo is a modern ski resort in the heart of the Rhodopi mountain, the mountain that since ancient times have been a source of legends and stories told through the centuries. This is the cradle of the mythical singer Orpheus. Magnificent pine forests, green meadows and mountain peaks bathed in sunlight – these are the incredible Rhodope Mountains you will never forget. Not will you forget the Rhodope the Rhodope people – their hospitality and the delicious dishes they will make especially for you.<span id="more-847"></span></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-738" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?attachment_id=738"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-738" title="pamporovo-view-02" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pamporovo-view-02-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>The resort is amongst the southern skiing resort in Europe. It is the sunniest Bulgarian mountain resort with wonderful snow throughout the whole season. Pamporovo is situated on 1650 m above the sea level at the foot of peak Snejanka (1926 m). It is 240 km far from Sofia and 85 km from Plovdiv.</p>
<p>The climate in winter is moderate/mild with a Mediterranean influence and about 120 sunny days during the skiing period. Typical of this region is that nature does not change its moods abruptly, there is no danger of avalanche, and that guarantees the tranquility and safety of your vacation.</p>
<p>The significant influence of The Aegean Sea appears here and the skiing season starts from mid &#8211; December to mid &#8211; April. The average air temperature is &#8211; 3 ° C. The gentle profile of the mountain with its rounded slopes and summits makes Pamporovo particularly suitable for beginners. But there are also difficult ski runs like the Giant Slalom run which is an excellent exercise for every skiing expert. If you cannot ski, this is not a tragedy, the ski-school in Pamporovo is one of the best in Europe. Highly qualified instructors, speaking at least two foreign languages, train the beginners, in groups or individually. Specialists will help you to make the snow-board a part of your body.</p>
<p><strong>Pamporovo Ski Zone</strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pamporovo-view-03.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-739" title="pamporovo-view-03" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/pamporovo-view-03-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>All ski runs are safe guarded and maintained in a very good condition. More than 100 highly qualified ski instructors fluent in different languages are here to teach both beginners and intermediate skiers and snowboarders. Ski rentals are available near the ski runs and the lift stations, you can book ski equipment rental, ski school, lift pass with us.</p>
<p>The ski runs in Pamporovo come in all hardship levels. They are located between 1926 and 1450 m above the sea level on the northern, eastern and western slopes of The Snejanka peak.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-740" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?attachment_id=740"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-740" title="ski-map-pamporovo" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/ski-map-pamporovo-300x235.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="235" /></a></p>
<p>The most difficult ski piste is &#8220;The Wall&#8221;.  All major ski runs start from the peak of the mountain, where the TV tower is located. Great off-piste skiing and snowboarding is available in this resort, however we recommend using a local guide when going off-piste.</p>
<p><strong>Places to go</strong></p>
<p>We recommend a day trip to Plovdiv or the nearby town of Smolyan. Sofia and the Bachkovo Monastery  are of great interest too.<br />
The local people have developed a good selection of places to go.<br />
The staff in most places is professional, very helpful and friendly. English (plus some other popular languages) is widely spoken.</p>
<p><strong>Restaurants&amp;Night Life</strong></p>
<p>Most of the famous drinks are available. Local or imported alcohols, beers and wines are available at very reasonable prices. Regular &#8220;Happy hours&#8221; provide drinks on half price to start the night with.<br />
Almost all hotels have restaurants and day bars. Different types of restaurants and places to eat are available in the resort and near the ski pistes. Read more on restaurants and more on night life.</p>
<p><strong>Accomodation</strong></p>
<p>For best accommodation deals you can search here through 30 holidays reservation systems: <a href="http://hotels.holidaysparadise.com/City/Pamporovo.htm" target="_self">Hotels in Pamporovo</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.bulgariaski.com/pamporovo/index.shtml" target="_blank">Source</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/pamporovo-ski-resort-in-bulgaria/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>1</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Transfagarasan &#8211; A Road to Heaven</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 18 Sep 2009 07:49:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Romania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gallery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Transfagarasan]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=633</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[If we had to put it in just a few words, than the Transfagarasan (DN 7C) is just the road that passes through Fagaras Mountains (the highest mountains in Romania – Moldoveanu peak – 2544 meters) and that connects Walachia &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-703" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-703" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>If we had to put it in just a few words, than the Transfagarasan (DN 7C) is just the road that passes through Fagaras Mountains (the highest mountains in Romania – Moldoveanu peak – 2544 meters) and that connects Walachia and Transylvania. But in fact Transfagarasan road is more than that. I called it a &#8220;Road to Heaven&#8221; mainly because of the splendid sights it passes giving you the impression of a road way to better places.<span id="more-633"></span></p>
<p>It is the road that climbs to the highest altitude in Romania, 2042 meters, in the Glacial Hollow Balea. It has two traffic lanes of 92 kilometers long. Because of the countless turns, the average speed is maximum 40 km per hour. Along this route there are 27 viaducts and bridges, and the longest road tunnel in Romania &#8211; 887 meters, that passes through Paltin Mountains, from Capra to Balea Lake. The ventilation of the tunnel is made naturally, thanks to the extremely powerful currents. The traffic lane inside the unlighted tunnel is only 6 meters wide and there is a one meter broad pavement.</p>
<p>Tourists who would like to “venture” on the Transfagarasan Road are advised to climb it from South to the North. Romania’s most famous road runs from Arefu village (at km 61 of DN7C) in the county of Arges, to the county of Sibiu, somewhere near Cartisoara village (at the crossroad with DN1).</p>
<p>The landscape is fantastic, and the differences of altitude and the curves represent a challenge for both cars and drivers. Unfortunately, because of the weather conditions, Transfagarasan Road is opened for only a few months every year, usually from July until October.</p>
<p>The most important tourist attractions are Vidraru Lake and Vidraru Dam, which is one of the greatest in Europe, then Poenari Fortress (built in the time of Vlad Tepes), Balea Glacial Lake and Balea Waterfall.</p>
<p><strong>How it bas built</strong></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-700" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-700" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>Transfagarasan was built between 1970 and 1974. A brief presentation with numbers might be difficult to follow, but for those who have the patience to read it is worth saying that about 3 million tones of hard rocks were dislocated, 830 transverse works and 290 000 cubic meters of masonry were made for building those 92 kilometers of road. For building the Capra – Balea Tunnel there were excavated over 41 000 cubic meters of rocks. There were also used 20 tones of dynamite, 3 573 tones of cement, 89 tones of concrete steel, 24 000 of anchors, 129 tones of brazed nets, 14 200 square meters of encasements, 1750 meters of concrete tubes, 4 100 meters of pipes, 50 tones of metal composites, 6 900 cubic meters of grit, 6000 cubic meters of gravel, 3 000 tones of crushed rocks and 740 lighting lamps.</p>
<p>Some of those who worked at the construction of Transfagarasan, nowadays retired, speak about the sacrifices that were made for the road that leads to the sky. Before its construction, it was impossible to cross the mountains, not even on horseback. But it is said that once, before becoming president, Nicolae Ceausescu stopped by Arefu village and the idea of a road that passed through the mountains crossed his mind. During the construction a lot of men lost their lives, like in Vidraru’s case. Unfortunately the documents didn’t keep these numbers. But the survivors say that it is about a hundred of human sacrifices. Many of those who died weren’t even found in the precipices in which they had fallen. It is also said that when the tunnel was built, the miners who were in charge with the planting of the explosive were hanging on each other, in groups of 20 or 30, not to be thrown by the strong wind into the precipice.</p>
<p>A story that has been spreading from mouth to mouth refers to a monk named Nectarie. After the construction of the Transfagarasan road, he climbed it by his car, a Trabant, up to Capra, where he was caught by an avalanche. He left the car at Capra, and he threw himself on the snow, being carried by the “wave”. It is said that he remained alive, while his car was found after 6 months, when the snow melt away.<!--–nextpage–--></p>
<p><strong>Balea Waterfall and Balea Glacial Lake</strong></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-693" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?attachment_id=693"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-693" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-01" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-01-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" /></a></p>
<p>Balea Waterfall, located in the Fagaras Mountains, is one of the most famous waterfalls in Romania, is at an altitude of 1234 meters and the water falls from 68 meters.</p>
<p>Balea Glacial Lake is a real monument of nature (formed in a glacial circus), is 360 meters long, 240 meters broad and 11 meters depth. Situated at 2 034 meters of altitude, the lake is between the Defileul Oltului (Olt Canyon) and the foot of Piatra Craiului Mountains. It is accessible by car during the summer, and the rest of the year by a cable car from the “Balea Cascada” chalet.</p>
<p>Since 1932, the lake and about 180 hectare of land around it were declared scientific reservation. It must also be mentioned the fact that the first ice hotel in Eastern Europe was built near the lake in 2006.</p>
<p>On summer one can practice boating on the lake, while on winter one can skate, play hockey or curling on the frozen surface of the lake. One can also climb down from the Waterfall by skiing, on a 10 kilometers route with a 600 meters difference of altitude.</p>
<p><strong>Accommodation possibilities</strong></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-714" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22/"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-714" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22-300x225.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="225" /></a></p>
<p>There are many accommodation possibilities, from camping places to boarding houses and chalets. It is certain that booking must be done in advance because they are booked for the entire year.</p>
<p><em>“Valea cu Pesti” (Fish Valley) Chalet</em><br />
Located on the East side of Vidraru Lake, at an altitude of 870 meters, the chalet was one of the protocol places used by Nicolae Ceausescu. Nowadays it has 18 dwellings, meaning 45 accommodation units.</p>
<p><em>“Cumpana” (Sweep) Chalet</em><br />
It is located on the West side of Vidraru Lake and has 88 accommodation units, a restaurant for 100 persons, a disco, a sport field, a pool that floats on Vidraru Lake on summer. One can also rent from here all sorts of amusement devices to use on the lake, and can take the passenger steamship (for 100 persons) that goes to Casa Argeseana (Argeseana House) and “Valea cu Pesti” (Fish Valley) Chalet.</p>
<p><em>Dracula Boarding House</em><br />
Dracula Boarding House is located on Transfagarasan route, at about 6 km far from Vidraru Dam and 1 km far from Poenari Fortress. It has 20 rooms, parking lots, terrace, its own restaurant and bar.</p>
<p><em>“Paraul Capra” Chalet</em><br />
Capra Tourist Complex is located at an altitude of 1585 meters and has 52 accommodation units in 26 double rooms and a restaurant for maximum 80 persons.</p>
<p><em>Cascada Chalet</em><br />
It is located at the foot of the Balea Waterfall, at an altitude of 1234 meters. The chalet has 80 accommodation units, an all included restaurant, a day bar and, on demand, a conference room.</p>
<p><em>Balea Lake Chalet</em><br />
Balea Lake Chalet is located on a half-isle that goes into the Balea Glacial Lake, at an altitude of 2034 meters. The present chalet was rebuilt in 2000, because the old one had been destroyed in a fire in 1995. On its three floors there are double rooms, rooms with four, six or ten places and also apartments. It has its own restaurant and facilities for renting sport equipment, baby sky and scooters.</p>
<p><em>Paltinul Villa</em><br />
The villa is located on the border of the Balea Lake, at an altitude of 2044 meters, and has 26 accommodation units in double rooms, rooms of four and an apartment. One can also rent sport equipment, and professional mountain assistance is ensured as well.</p>

<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08/' title='transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-08" /></a>
<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11/' title='transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-11" /></a>
<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22/' title='transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22" title="transfagarasan-road-to-heaven-22" /></a>

<p>Text Source: <a href="http://www.romanianmonasteries.org/romania/fagaras-mountains" target="_blank">Travel to Romania</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/transfagarasan-a-road-to-heaven/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Funny tips for extra in-flight service</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/funny-tips-for-extra-in-flight-service/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=funny-tips-for-extra-in-flight-service</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/funny-tips-for-extra-in-flight-service/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:05:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Travel Plans]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=673</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I found the following tips on Dohop.com blog, they were hilarious and I thought I would share this with you: Be polite. Smile. Stewardesses have to deal with tired and crabby passengers day in and day out, so being nice &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/funny-tips-for-extra-in-flight-service/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-675" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/funny-tips-for-extra-in-flight-service/080117_p11_asiana-300x202/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-675" title="080117_p11_asiana-300x202" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/080117_p11_asiana-300x202-200x134.png" alt="" width="200" height="134" /></a></p>
<p>I found the following tips on Dohop.com blog, they were hilarious and I thought I would share this with you: <span id="more-673"></span></p>
<ol>
<li>Be polite. Smile. Stewardesses have to deal with tired and crabby passengers day in and day out, so being nice to them will get you a long way. Just don’t overdue it so they think you’re hitting on them, because they will <em>definately</em> not like that. Unless you’re, you know, Brad Pitt or his long lost twin.</li>
<li>Be tall. Be very very tall. Rumour has it that if you ask for seats with extra leg space in check-in, some airlines will upgrade you to first class. And first class, as we all know, means extra service AND champagne!</li>
<li>Pretend your pregnant. The stewardesses will be rushing to see if you’re comfortable and get the best food before anyone else is served. Plus, you have an excuse to ask for more, as you are supposedly eating for two.</li>
<li>Feign air sickness. They will give you soft drinks and be concerned about you throwing up your meal all over your seat.</li>
<li>Tell them you are afraid of flying. Before 9/11 they would probably have taken you to meet the captain and given you the tour of the cockpit, but those happy days are over. But if you pretend you are terrified, they might just give you a free drink or two to calm your nerves.</li>
<li>Bring a baby. You get to be the first to board, and the first to disembark.</li>
<li>Play dead. We all read the story about how on board British Airways flights passengers who die in the air are discreetly moved to first class, where there tend to be more free seats available. You won’t be able to ask for any of the accompanying perks, but the seats are definately better! And you might have a bit of explaining to do when you come back to life as the wheels touch ground.</li>
</ol>
<p><a href="http://blog.dohop.com/index.php/2009/09/07/tips-on-how-to-get-extra-in-flight-service/" target="_blank">Source</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/funny-tips-for-extra-in-flight-service/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Rome &#8211; Colosseum</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/rome-colosseum/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=rome-colosseum</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/rome-colosseum/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sun, 06 Sep 2009 10:58:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gallery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Rome]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=644</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[The Rome Colosseum is quite possibly one of the most amazing thing I have ever seen. In my late winter visit to Rome this was the first part of ancient Rome we saw and made a point of walking past &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/rome-colosseum/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-650" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/rome-colosseum/rome-colosseum-03/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-650" title="rome-colosseum-03" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/rome-colosseum-03-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>The Rome Colosseum is quite possibly one of the most amazing thing I have ever seen. In my late winter visit to Rome this was the first part of ancient Rome we saw and made a point of walking past it every day at different times for a truly magnificent view of the structure. <span id="more-644"></span></p>
<p>Constructed over 1920 years ago, It is considered an architectural and engineering wonder, and remains as a standing proof of both the grandeur and the cruelty of the Roman world.</p>
<p>The Amphitheatrum Flavium, a.k.a. Colosseum or Coliseum (though in the antiquity Romans referred to it as to Amphitheatrum Caesareum or hunting theater), was built by the Flavian emperors Vespasian, Titus and Domitian between 71-72 and 80 AD as a gift to the Roman citizens, in the place where the previous Emperor Nero (37-68 AD) had built his residence, the Domus Aurea.</p>
<p>It took about ten years to build the amphitheater. Vespasian started the works in 72 AD and his son Titus dedicated it in the year 80 with magnificent games that lasted one hundred days. It is generally accepted that the building was completed by the following emperor, Domitian, Titus&#8217; brother.</p>
<p>In the amphitheater, a Roman invention, were held games; the most popular were the venationes  (hunts) and the munera (gladiatorial games). The Roman ruling class was obliged, by law and by the expectation of the people, to organize games, also to gain the favor of the citizens. The organization of the games, which involved great expenses, became a matter of public interest and was regulated by many laws.</p>
<p>The whole area was dedicated to the games; near the Colosseum Domitian also built four ludi, the prisons where gladiators had their training. The bestiarii, who fought against the beasts, were in the Ludus matutinus, so called because the show with the animals was held in the morning. Then there was the Ludus Gallicus, the Ludus Dacicus and the Ludus Magnus.</p>
<p>After the splendor of imperial times, the Colosseum was abandoned, and in turn it became a fortress for the medieval clans of the city, a source of building materials, a picturesque scenery for painters, a place of Christian worship. Today it is a challenge for the archaeologists and a scenario for events and shows.</p>
<p>Light up at night and well worth the walk into town just for the holiday snaps. I strongly recommend a trip inside but go either first thing or later in the day as it gets pretty crowded and it&#8217;s too bad for the beautiful sights to be rushed.</p>
<p>The exterior of the Roman Colosseum is made entirely of travertine, stretching 527 m around and four stories high. The arches of the second and third stories were originally filled with statues. There were 80 entrances, with the two principal ones reserved for the emperor and his entourage.</p>
<p>The interior is made of brick, tufa and marble; little of the marble survives today. The central area, the arena, was covered with a great wooden floor and canvas to make it waterproof. Over this was a layer of sand to absorb blood &#8211; in fact &#8220;arena&#8221; derives from the Latin word for sand. The floor is now exposed down to its underground passages, where beasts and gladiators awaited their fate, and crossed by a modern walkway.</p>
<p>The arena was surrounded by a 5m-high wall to protect spectators from attacks by wild beasts. At the top of the wall was the podium, on which the imperial party and other VIPs had their seats.</p>
<p>Near the site of the imperial box is a cross, which replaces an earlier one set up to commemorate the Christians who were believed to have been martyred here.</p>
<p>Above this was the cavea or seating area. This was divided into three tiers: the lowest for knights; the middle for wealthy citizens; and the top for the general population. In total the Colosseum could hold up to 45,000 spectators.</p>
<p>The base of the Colossus statue of Nero, after which the amphitheater is named, can be seen between the Colosseum and the nearby Temple of Venus and Roma.</p>
<p>There are dozens of tour guides outside offering a tour of the Colosseum but most will only tell you what it says in the guide book anyway. If you really want to take a tour, my advice would be to use context travel who offer tours by historians and archaeologists.</p>

<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/rome-colosseum/rome-colosseum-03/' title='rome-colosseum-03'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/rome-colosseum-03-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="rome-colosseum-03" title="rome-colosseum-03" /></a>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/rome-colosseum/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Center of Nuremberg</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=center-of-nuremberg</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:02:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Germany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Nuremberg]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=619</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[In my business trip to Germany, I&#8217;ve managed to get some time to visit the center of Nuremberg, the second-largest Bavarian city with splendid mixture of tradition and modern times. With 500,000 inhabitants, Nuremberg is the economic, services and cultural &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-626" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/nuremberg_bavaria_germany-01/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-626" title="nuremberg_bavaria_germany-01" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/nuremberg_bavaria_germany-01-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>In my business trip to Germany, I&#8217;ve managed to get some time to visit the center of Nuremberg, the second-largest Bavarian city with splendid mixture of tradition and modern times.<span id="more-619"></span></p>
<p>With 500,000 inhabitants, Nuremberg is the economic, services and cultural center of Northern Bavaria, and the center of the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region with about 3.5 million inhabitants.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-627" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/nuremberg_kaiserburg-nuremberg-castle-02/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-627" title="nuremberg_kaiserburg-nuremberg-castle-02" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/nuremberg_kaiserburg-nuremberg-castle-02-200x133.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="133" /></a></p>
<p>The old town of Nuremberg in the shadow of the towering imperial castle is more than picturesque: Gothic churches, splendid patricians’ houses and romantic corners and spots. The castle is located on a sandstone rock in the north of the historical city and it comprises three parts: the Emperor&#8217;s buildings (&#8220;Kaiserburg&#8221;), the mostly built buildings of the rulers of Nuremberg (&#8220;Burggrafenburg&#8221;), and the buildings on the eastern side (&#8220;städtische Burganlage&#8221;). The castle was damaged in the Second World War but then reconstructed and today it stands as a omnipresent guardian of the old town.</p>
<p>An atmosphere of lively co-existence between medieval and modern, between the past and the present prevails in Nuremberg. I&#8217;ve walked for hours on the old streets and I could not get enough of the beautiful, well preserved buildings. A varied cultural life, a rich museum landscape, excellent shopping facilities, a large number of traditional and international restaurants and bars – all this constantly makes Nuremberg an experience that should not escape from you.</p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-628" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/nuremberg-durer-house-03/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-628" title="nuremberg-durer-house-03" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/nuremberg-durer-house-03-185x200.jpg" alt="" width="185" height="200" /></a></p>
<p>The most important house in the city is considered to be the house where Albrecht Dürer lived the last two decades of his life, from 1509 until his death in 1528. Three centuries after his death, the city bought the house, preserved it, and turned it into a museum. Inside the four-story house, there are many permanent exhibits devoted exclusively to Dürer&#8217;s life and works.</p>
<p>If you want to find good hotels in Nuremberg try <a href="http://www.booking.com/city/de/nurnberg.html?aid=323506">booking.com</a> and choose what you like most from the list &#8211; have a look at the guest reviews, because those give you an idea of how are the services of the hotel.</p>
<p>Following are some of the HD videos I&#8217;ve made in the old town of Nuremberg &#8211; enjoy:</p>
<p>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRmn0kK26tc</p>
<p>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LGNJr78mwuA</p>
<p>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHewh42YzNQ</p>
<p>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DI9p-LpjSE</p>
<p>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrSG3ffa1xM</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/center-of-nuremberg/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Golden Sands &#8211; Bulgaria &#8211; Sol Melia Grand Hermitage</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 23 Jul 2009 00:01:18 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bulgaria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gallery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Golden Sands]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=577</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I&#8217;ve always been skeptical about going to Bulgaria because of the many stories appeared over the media about fake cops, attacks on the roads and so on&#8230;. This was until I went to Greece some years back traveling through the &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-584" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage/sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-584" title="sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>I&#8217;ve always been skeptical about going to Bulgaria because of the many stories appeared over the media about fake cops, attacks on the roads and so on&#8230;. This was until I went to Greece some years back traveling through the whole Bulgarian country. Everything seemed quite ok and it feels that since it&#8217;s an European Union country, Bulgaria opened up it&#8217;s possibilities.</p>
<p>A fantastic location to travel in Bulgaria is Golden Sands (Zlatni Pyasatsi) &#8211; you can imagine that it&#8217;s a sea tourist destination and a very nice one. It&#8217;s located quite close to Varna, 17 km north of it, drawing many visitors from Germany, the United Kingdom, Russia, Scandinavia, France, Central and Eastern Europe, the Persian Gulf, Israel, and other countries, attracted by the favorable climate, scenic landscape, and reasonable prices.<span id="more-577"></span></p>
<p>The name <em><strong>Golden sands</strong></em> comes from an old legend: Pirates dug in huge golden treasure in the seaside north from Varna. The land took revenge on the bandits and transformed the gold into wonderful sand.</p>
<p>Resort development started in 1957 and in about two decades, the place was transformed into a modern holiday complex with numerous hotels (many open year-round), villas, apartment buildings, spa centers, restaurants, clubs, casinos, attractions, shopping centers, and sports facilities, including a yacht marina, a horse riding school, and the <em>Aquapolis</em> water park. Golden Sands was privatized in the 1990s and attracted considerable investment through the 2000s.</p>
<p>The area is famous for the purest sand on the Black Sea coast and also abounds of trees and bushes. Mineral water springs, as well as the marvelous wood bordering the Frangen Plateau turn Golden Sands into one of the pearls of the Bulgarian coast. A constant temperature of about 27°C throughout the summer season makes it a wonderful place for a summer holiday.</p>
<p>If you enjoy water based activities this resort might be for you it has good beach facilities with the opportunity to try many water sports including jet skiing, surf boarding, banana boating, diving etc. There is also the water park Aquapolis where everyone can have some ‘water fun’.</p>
<p>Evenings can be enjoyed relaxing with a cocktail at one of the beach bars, some venues have live variety shows, and your hotel may have evening entertainment to. Some of you might prefer a more lively night out at one of the clubs, or a visit to the casino.</p>
<p>The hotel offer is quite impressive giving opportunities for two to five star accommodation.</p>
<p>We have chosen the biggest hotel in Golden Sands &#8211; <a title="Melia Grand Hermitage Booking" href="http://www.booking.com/hotel/bg/grand-hermitage.html?aid=323506" target="_blank">Melia Grand Hermitage</a> &#8211; a luxurious hotel on a quiet hillside away from the hustle and bustle, is only 100 meters away from the beach and within easy reach of the center of the Golden Sands resort.</p>
<p>The spa stretches over 2 levels and offers beauty and massage treatments, an indoor and outdoor pool, a Jacuzzi, a sauna, a Turkish bath and a gym.</p>
<p>Fine Bulgarian and international cuisine is served in the Melia&#8217;s restaurants and a range of pubs and cafés invite you to spend a relaxing time while sipping your favorite drink.</p>
<p>South of the Melia Grand Hermitage hotel you find a chapel, on the north there is a lush green park, on the east there are green terraces leading down to the promenade and the beach, and on the east you find the hotel driveway.</p>
<p>Each room boasts a private and spacious balcony with a magnificent view over the sea, the swimming pool, the surrounding parks or the forested hills. All rooms are decorated in warm tones, mahogany wood furniture, burgundy striped or polka-dotted fabrics, black-out curtains for long rests, couches and amber night lights. Bathrooms feature a bath and a shower cabin that is spacious enough for 2. All rooms offer free wired internet access.</p>
<p>For more hotel offers, I recommend <a href="http://www.booking.com/city/bg/golden-sands.html?aid=323506" target="_blank">booking.com</a>.</p>

<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage/sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01/' title='sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01'><img src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01" title="sol-melia-grand-hermitage-01" /></a>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/golden-sands-bulgaria-sol-melia-grand-hermitage/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Astra Museum &#8211; Sibiu &#8211; Spring 2009</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 11 Jul 2009 05:14:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Romania]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Features]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Gallery]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sibiu]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=512</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[I can not get enough of visiting this marvelous museum &#8211; ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization. My first visit was in the winter when I was very surprised of the things present there. I was thinking back then that &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-539" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009/astra-museum-01-2/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-539" title="astra-museum-01" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/astra-museum-01-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>I can not get enough of visiting this marvelous museum &#8211; ASTRA Museum of Traditional Folk Civilization. My first visit was in the winter when I was very surprised of the things present there. I was thinking back then that I should definitely come back for more and I did indeed. <span id="more-512"></span></p>
<p>It is not easy to express in words the beauty of the landscape on those Astra lands in the middle of the spring &#8211; the green can never be more expressive &#8211; it just surrounds you from everywhere, even when you are by the lake or in the middle of the forest. At some point I felt completely overwhelmed by nature&#8217;s grandeur. Visiting the same places that I&#8217;ve seen in the winter was very enjoyable since more new things were being discovered at every step of the way.</p>
<p>The atmosphere in the museum is quite rustic &#8211; and this is the whole idea &#8211; to look and feel exactly like in the regions the houses came from, to sense what traditional really means. I found out by analyzing the exposition that life in the traditional way could be simple and meaningful in the same time &#8211; every activity our ancestors had to do was cleverly and meticulously executed using only some rudimentary nature elements: water, wood, wind. I can imagine the union with the nature was greater then ever back then &#8211; nature was a part of the household, giving a hand in the activities or sometimes pushing the limits to the maximum.</p>
<p>So, even if you&#8217;ve already been to the Astra Museum before, you have no reason to miss the re-birth of nature in the middle of traditional Romanian houses and workshops. You&#8217;d definitely enjoy it, as I did.</p>

<a href='http://www.holidaysparadise.com/astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009/astra-museum-01-2/' title='astra-museum-01'><img width="150" height="150" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/astra-museum-01-150x150.jpg" class="attachment-thumbnail" alt="astra-museum-01" title="astra-museum-01" /></a>

]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/astra-museum-sibiu-spring-2009/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
		<item>
		<title>Herzogenaurach: More Than Adidas and Puma</title>
		<link>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/herzogenaurach-more-than-adidas-and-puma/?utm_source=rss&#038;utm_medium=rss&#038;utm_campaign=herzogenaurach-more-than-adidas-and-puma</link>
		<comments>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/herzogenaurach-more-than-adidas-and-puma/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 20 May 2009 13:54:36 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>HolidaysMaster</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Europe]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Germany]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Herzogenaurach]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.holidaysparadise.com/?p=507</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[During a business trip into Germany, I was really impressed by a small town from Bavaria, very well known for the two huge competitors on sports apparel market: Puma and Adidas. Founded during the 13th century, the idyllic town of &#8230;<div class="read_more"><a href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/herzogenaurach-more-than-adidas-and-puma/">read more</a></div>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-520" href="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/herzogenaurach-more-than-adidas-and-puma/herzogenaurach/"><img class="alignleft size-thumbnail wp-image-520" title="herzogenaurach" src="http://www.holidaysparadise.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/herzogenaurach-200x150.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="150" /></a></p>
<p>During a business trip into Germany, I was really impressed by a small town from Bavaria, very well known for the two huge competitors on sports apparel market: Puma and Adidas.</p>
<p>Founded during the 13th century, the idyllic town of Herzogenaurach is located in central Franconia, Bavaria and now counts approximately 25,000 residents.</p>
<p>Herzogenaurach is a place which should definitely be visited by anybody coming to Germany. Its historical background routes far beyond the establishment of the Adidas and Puma headquarters.<span id="more-507"></span> Even the Argentinean national team has chosen to stay at a hotel in Herzogenaurach during last year&#8217;s fotbal World Cup due to the town&#8217;s characteristics and originalities.</p>
<p><strong>Historical Origins a</strong><strong>n</strong><strong>d Sights</strong></p>
<p>During the 13th century, a castle was built in Herzogenaurach. It was destroyed during the Thirty Years&#8217; War (1618 &#8211; 1648). In 1720 however, Bishop Lothar Franz had the castle rebuilt in Baroque style. It is now accessible for tourists.</p>
<p>From the castle, it&#8217;s an easy walk to the market place. The fountain in the middle of it guarantees a medieval atmosphere without the absence of modern day surroundings such as shops or restaurants.</p>
<p>Not far from there is the main road that&#8217;s lined with two towers. Once part of the inner-city walls they are now the town&#8217;s landmark. Over the centuries, the eastern tower was used for multiple purposes, such as to store the city&#8217;s money or as the town&#8217;s prison. Until World War II it was used as the town&#8217;s museum.</p>
<p>Today the museum is only a few meters away from the eastern tower. During the 1990s the building was completely restored as it used to be a nursing home. It is now a popular place which is constantly visited by tourists and locals.</p>
<p><strong>Churches a</strong><strong>n</strong><strong>d celebratio</strong><strong>n</strong><strong>s</strong><br />
Probably the most exciting sight in Herzogenaurach is the St. Maria Magdalena parish church. Archaeologists found the fundaments of a preceding Roman building beneath it. Enthusiasts of Roman history and architecture will find this very interesting.</p>
<p>The church should also be of interest to others as it was restored in Baroque style in order to fit with the whole town&#8217;s general atmosphere. Part of the restoration was the huge barrel-vault which spans the nave and is the most powerful in Franconia.</p>
<p>There might be a lot of further churches and sights in Herzogenaurach, but that&#8217;s not all: Herzogenaurachers are a joyful community who love to celebrate. From June 16 until June 18, the annual Old Town Festival, the <em>Altstadtfest</em>, is celebrated. During these days there is a stage at the palace garden where local music bands play folk music.</p>
<p>On July 29 and July 30, people dress up in Medieval-style clothes in line with the theme of the actual festival, the Medieval spectacle (<em>Mittelalterspectaculum</em>).</p>
<p>Even though you could imagine a crowded residence area, it&#8217;s in fact exactly the opposite &#8211; in the middle of the week all day long there is a relaxing silence over the place &#8211; I enjoyed my time spent walking the old center streets disturbed only by a singing choir rehearsal (you can hear it on the following movie).</p>
<p>httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ6Iamx01vg</p>
<p>httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPCZHoFQKYs</p>
<p>httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtQ4-kzU_jY</p>
<p>Regarding the hotel I&#8217;ve stayed in: I&#8217;ve chosen <a href="http://www.booking.com/city/de/herzogenaurach.html?aid=323506" target="_blank">RAMADA Herzogenaurach Herzo-Base<br />
</a>, a very stylish hotel with good services and proximity to sport centers. The Ramada on the Herzo Base is your 4-star accommodation for excellent comfort with 150 guest rooms. Enjoy international flair and indulge in the homely atmosphere of each of the rooms &#8211; just watch my following clip with real footage from the hotel and room:</p>
<p>httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUq_VcpQxaw</p>
<p>In the end, what was promising to be a normal business trip concluded into a memorable visit into Herzogenaurach.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
			<wfw:commentRss>http://www.holidaysparadise.com/herzogenaurach-more-than-adidas-and-puma/feed/</wfw:commentRss>
		<slash:comments>0</slash:comments>
		</item>
	</channel>
</rss>

