造訪歐洲,優美的山光水色和素樸典雅的古老建築總是讓旅人們心醉神迷。不過在廣大的歐洲大陸上,隱藏著許多鄉村小鎮,以其令人屏息的景色成為世界旅人們的私房景點,到了當地,就像置身在遺世獨立的桃花源中,很難不為之所著迷 遺世獨立的歐洲小村莊美景,深深擄獲世界各地旅人的心。(圖片來源/取自http://en.wikipedia.org) 英格蘭—拜伯里 藝術家威廉.莫里斯將座落在科隆河畔的Bibury稱為「英格蘭最美村莊」,17世紀建造的石頭小屋猶如風景畫,尤其是阿靈頓路的小屋,其優美靜謐的景象曾多次出現在大螢幕中。 阿靈頓路小屋景色如詩如畫。(圖片來源/取自http://en.wikipedia.org) 奧地利—哈爾施塔特 曾經因鹽而致富、名列世界文化遺產的奧地利哈爾施塔特,鄰近哈爾施塔特湖湖,這座老村莊中的居民不過近千人,是薩爾茨卡默古特地區的熱門旅遊地。 哈爾施塔特躋身世界文化遺產之列。(圖片來源/取自http://en.wikipedia.org) 法國—科爾馬 位於阿爾薩斯葡萄園區中心的科爾馬小鎮,曾為當地的葡萄酒貿易中心,其絕佳的氣候與風土條件,也獲得「葡萄酒之都」的美名,而科爾馬的古建築風貌,也是吸引旅人造訪的一大特色。 來到科爾馬,除了欣賞當地建築,香醇的葡萄酒也是一大特色。(圖片來源/取自http://en.wikipedia.org) 挪威—雷訥 挪威的雷訥,在17世紀時是當地的經貿重鎮,儘管村裡居民不到千人,但其優美的村莊與山水美景,不僅被譽為「挪威最美麗的村莊」,也是今日挪威的旅遊熱門地。 雷訥,有挪威最美麗的村莊的美譽。(圖片來源/取自http://www.mountainphotography.com) 瑞士—格律耶爾 喜愛起士的饕客們,一定聽過「格律耶爾起士」,而這有「起士女王」之稱的高品質起士,便來自於瑞士的「格律耶爾」。當地建築保有純正的中古世紀風貌,是瑞士相當知名的旅遊勝地。 喜愛起士的老饕們,來到格律耶爾,可千萬別錯過曾奪下世界冠軍的起士。(圖片來源/取自http://www.mrfs.net) 斯洛維尼亞—布萊德 位於朱利安阿爾卑斯山山區的布萊德,以冰蝕湖「布萊德湖」聞名,而湖中央的小島上,則是聖母升天朝聖教堂,在當地不僅可欣賞優美景色,也可釣魚、打高爾夫,吸引許多遊客前往。 斯洛維尼亞的布萊德,山水美景令人難忘。(圖片來源/取自http://nexttriptourism.com)
捷克—泰爾奇 想要欣賞文藝復興時期的古建築,來到泰爾奇就對了!位於捷克摩拉維亞南部的泰爾奇興起於14世紀,在1992年列入世界遺產之中,經典的建築風格讓人以為穿越時光隧道。 9 個世界上最靚嘅村莊, 你猜在那? / 9 villages in the world's most beautiful generous, What place you guess?30/8/2013
你有冇諗過有 1 日,去 d 寧靜嘅小村莊度 Hea 下呢?逃離香港呢個咁喧囂嘅城市,去避世?呢 9 個世界上最靚嘅村莊,邊一個先係你至愛呢?
Do you think that you will relax for a day at the world's most beautiful villages to escape the hustle and bustle of generous city, Where Would You Most Love To Live Graham Hughes travel to EVERY COUNTRY in the world WITHOUT FLYING. I did it alone, on a shoestring budget, it took four years and got thrown in jail a couple of times.
When asked how can I afford to travel so much, I feel like retorting with: how can you afford your rent? To keep a dog? To have children? To smoke? When I travel, I have no rent to pay, no dog to feed, no kids to look after or cigarette companies to support, so 100% of the money I have can go on travel. Keeping to a budget of $15 a day is fairly easy if you're CouchSurfing (free), eating street food ($2 a meal) and travelling on the chicken bus ($10 per 100 miles). That's just $5500 a year -- less than a typical British cigarette smoker will spend on fags over the same period and much, much less than the rent on a squalid little flat in London or the cost of bringing up children. "The toughest part of travel is deciding to go." Travel isn't a question of being loaded, it's a question of priorities. Obviously if you want comfort and security, stay at home, work hard and maybe go on a cruise when you're 67 years old. If you're lucky enough to live that long. But if you want to see the world NOW, while you're young, rush headlong into the thrill and vigour of the unknown, wake up every day in a new place with new challenges and new friends, then the world is your dancefloor -- all you have to do is make the decision to GET OUT THERE and strut your funky stuff. 格雷厄姆·環遊世界去每一個國家而不需用要飛行。一個人用有限的預算,花了四年時間去真正體驗。 當他被問及如何我能負擔旅行這麼多,我覺得像批駁:你怎麼能買得起你的租金?要養狗?有孩子嗎?要抽煙嗎?當我旅行時,我沒有租到付,沒有狗飼料,沒孩子,照顧或香煙公司支持,所以100%的錢,我可以去旅遊。保持每天15元的預算是相當容易的,如果你是沙發衝浪(免費),吃的街頭食品(2一頓飯),雞公車(每100公里10元)行駛。這只是每年5500美元 - 較上年同期將花費不到一個典型的英國吸煙者FAGS多,遠遠小於一個骯髒的小單位,在倫敦的租金或撫養孩子的成本。 “旅遊最困難的部分是決定去了。” 旅遊是不是正在加載的問題,這是一個問題的優先次序。顯然,如果你想要的舒適和安全,留在家裡,努力工作,也許當你67歲去郵輪。如果你足夠幸運,住這麼久。但是,如果你想看到的世界,當你年輕的時候,輕率地對未知的快感和活力,每天醒來了新的挑戰和新的朋友在一個新的地方,那麼這個世界是你的舞池 - 所有你必須做的是決定走出去,並支撐你的時髦的東西。 Sources from - http://travel.tw.msn.com/photos/
2013/4/4 | 攝影 Low Sze Ping, xinmsn Travel Contributor, edited by Jeremy Lim It was India turned up to max and the world’s media, beaming live images of naga (naked) sadhus leading the dawn rush to the river waters, lapped it up and in turn got people the planet over thinking ‘Next time I’ll be there’. Unfortunately for them, thanks to an unusual planetary alignment, this was actually the biggest festival for 144 years so you’ve got a fair old wait until the next one. Luckily huge, colourful festivals are two-a-penny in India. Here’s our run-down of the loudest of loud Indian festivals. Other Kumbh Melas Allahabad doesn’t hold a monopoly on Kumbh Melas. Three other Indian cities (Hardiwar, Ujjian and Nashik) also host them, with one held in each city roughly once every twelve years. This means that in effect there is a Kumbh Mela once every three years, with half-melas held in between, as well as an annual event in each host city. The next Kumbh Mela will be held in Nashik in 2015. The one in Allahabad is the most prestigious and largest of them all. Janmastami You can hardly move without tripping over the deity Krishna at this festival to celebrate his birthday. Temples are swathed in decorations and musical dramas about Krishna are performed. Held in August-September in Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. For more on Janmastami, check out our guide. Ganga Sagar MelaHead out east in mid-January to Sagar Island and the point where the holy river Ganges meets the ocean and join tens of thousands of Hindu pilgrims taking a communal paddle in the sea. Sonepur Mela This massive fair celebrates a prehistoric battle between elephants and crocodiles; today’s events are much less violent but no less spectacular. This is the largest cattle fair in Asia (by cattle we also mean elephants, birds and whatever else stepped off Noah’s Ark) and hundreds of thousands of river bathing-sin cleansing pilgrims. It’s held near Patna, Bihar in November/December. Rath Yatra This spectacular festival features immense chariots containing Lord Jagannath, brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra hauled from temple to temple through the streets of the beach town of Puri. Held in November in Puri, Odisha. For more on planning your trip, check out our guide to Rath Yatra here. Shivarati Mela Up to 100,000 Shaivite pilgrims, sadhus and Adivasis (tribal peoples) attend the celebrations at Mahadeo Temple. Participants bring symbolic tridents and hike up Chauragarh Hill to plant them at the Shiva shrine. Held in February/March in Pachmarhi, Madhya Pradesh. Thrissur Pooram Imagine seeing enough jewels to cover an elephant! Now imagine seeing enough jewels to cover dozens of elephants. This is Thrissur Pooram, Kerala’s most over the top festival and the elephant procession to end all elephant processions. Held in April/May in Thrissur, Kerala. Make it happen with our Pooram guide. Ganesh Chaturthi
Hindus celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, the birth of the elephant-headed god, with verve, particularly in Mumbai. Clay idols of Ganesh are paraded through the streets before beings ceremonially immersed in rivers, tanks or the sea. Held in September (or sometimes August) countrywide. Durga Puja Thousands of statues of the ten-armed goddess Durga clutter the streets of Kolkata during this festival held each year in October. The festival climaxes when all those Durga idols are thrown into the waters of the Hooghly River amongst much general singing, dancing and firework explosions. Pushkar Camel FairHeld in early November in the beautiful Rajasthani town of Pushkar, this famous fair could almost be described as a Kumbh Mela of camels and cattle. Around 50,000 slobbering beasts dressed in their finest ‘coats’ come to town accompanied by thousands of pilgrims and traders, but with masses of musicians, acrobats, and mystics there’s more than just ships of the desert to this fair. Make it happen with our guide to the fair here. The 2012 Olympics shone a spotlight on London, and in particular the massive revitalisation that is transforming the city’s east. While Olympic sites are undergoing extensive redevelopment and prepare to open to the public in 2013 and 2014, the area has plenty of other attractions showcasing the new East London, and the rest of the capital isn’t lagging behind, with major projects renovating two central areas. East LondonQueen Elizabeth Olympic Park North Park, the northern section of the newly named Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, is scheduled to reopen on 27 July 2013 – exactly a year after the Opening Ceremony wowed the world. Visitors will be able to enjoy landscaped gardens and some of the Olympic sporting venues, and the park will host a range of summer concerts and festivals, including Hard Rock Calling and the Wireless Festival. For Easter 2014, the final stage of the £300 million revamp will see the opening of South Plaza, the southern extension of the park. South Park will include the Aquatics Centre, providing arguably the world’s most stylish place to swim, and the ArcelorMittal Orbit tower, Britain’s tallest sculpture, giving views across the whole park and beyond. Until then the best way to get up close to the stadium and park is to take the DLR to Pudding Mill Lane and follow the signs for the View Tube, a series of yellow shipping containers that have been turned into an information centre and cafe, serving up excellent food alongside excellent views. Hackney The View Tube sits conveniently on the Greenway, a bike- and pedestrian-only trail that connects the Olympic site with East London’s creative and cultural hub, Hackney. For years a rundown borough, today the area epitomises the rise of the east, with cool restaurants, bars and shops seemingly opening every day. London Fields and its renovated outdoor pool form a relaxing focus point, with Broadway Market to the south offering boutiques and cafes, and Kingsland Road to the west being the place to head for the best bars and nightlife. Emirates Air Line & the O2 For a bird’s-eye perspective of all of East London’s redevelopment you’re spoilt for choice. If you have a head for heights and reasonably sturdy legs, Up at the O2 takes you to the top of the world’s largest tent where you can experience unique views of the Thames and all the new buildings along it, not least the ever-expanding Docklands skyscrapers to the west. For a more leisurely overview hop on the Emirates Air Line cable car at either North Greenwich (next to the O2) or Royal Victoria (next to Royal Victoria DLR). Rising above the river, it offers a panorama across the whole city, particularly the Thames Barrier and City Airport. Right next to the Royal Victoria terminal is The Crystal, an informative, interactive exhibition on urban development in London and around the world. The rest of LondonLondon Bridge & the Shard One of the most famous parts of London, the area around London Bridge, was also for years one of its least interesting. Recently though, things have been looking up – literally. The biggest – and tallest – change in the area is the 310m-high Shard, Renzo Piano’s pointy skyscraper and the tallest building in Western Europe. The Shard contains offices, homes, the Shangri-La hotel and, from 1 February 2013, the View from the Shard, three vertigo-inducing galleries giving visitors unrivalled views across London. Meanwhile, down at ground level, food-lovers’ heaven Borough Market is now firmly on the tourist to-do list, which has had a knock-on effect for the surrounding area, in particular nearby Bermondsey St, where traditional pubs nestle next to reserve-well-in-advance restaurants. A few minutes east of here, weekend buyers at the long-established Bermondsey antique markets now have some great lunch spots to choose from around Spa Terminus, a mini Borough Market for those in the know, with famous names such as Neal’s Yard Dairy and St John’s Bakery setting up business in the arches of the 150-year-old railway viaduct. King’s Cross The biggest urban regeneration scheme in London, indeed Western Europe, is taking place in King’s Cross, once famous as the city’s red-light district but now halfway through a 25-year redevelopment program. One of the first places to recognise the area’s potential was the British Library, which relocated here in 1997 and is still a highlight for visitors with its exhibitions of manuscripts and books including Magna Carta and handwritten Beatles’ lyrics. Next door, St Pancras Station is London’s greatest 19th-century neo-Gothic building (yes, even greater than the Houses of Parliament). Saved from demolition in the 1960s, it was restored in the early 2000s and is the terminus for national and international train services. A drink at the Champagne Bar is a wonderful way to enjoy the architecture. Not to be outdone, neighbouring King’s Cross Station is in the middle of its own revamp, with ugly 20th-century additions to the 1852 building being removed to uncover its original Victorian grandeur. Behind the station, in what had been an industrial wasteland, major work is transforming an area the size of 60 football pitches into homes, offices, bars, shops and restaurants. The arrival of Central St Martins art college has brought a creative energy, helped along by nearby Kings Place arts centre complex. The Regent’s Canal that flows through the area has been spruced up and has the fascinating London Canal Museum on its banks. Be sure to pop into the very helpful Kings Cross Visitor Centre for more details.
An excellent source of information on redevelopment across London is the New London Architecture building in Bloomsbury. Housing temporary exhibitions alongside a permanent and impressive scale model of the capital and its major building projects, it’s a must for anyone with an interest in the city’s future. Niue Forget palm-fringed beaches – there aren’t any on Niue. Instead, strap on a mask and explore underwater landscapes including tunnels, an under-island cave system, reefs frequented by sea turtles and tangles of sea snakes at Snake Gully. Swim with spinner dolphins year-round or with humpback whales from May to October. On land the island boasts and extensive and stunning cave system, trails though tropical forests to hilltops or secluded reef and some rugged, jungle mountain bike riding. Getting there: Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.com) flights currently depart once a week from Auckland and an additional weekly flight is planned starting in April 2013. You’ll want to hire a car to get around. Stay: From the recently refurbished hilltop Matavai Resort to several smaller ‘motels’ (which are mostly self-contained cottages in magnificent settings) and guesthouses, there’s a lodging option for every budget. Pitcairn Island Yarrr. If you’ve dreamed of a pirate adventure, Pitcairn Island, the hideout of the famous Bounty mutineers and now the last British South Pacific colony, is for you. Today the island’s population hovers around 55 and nearly everyone can trace their ancestry to one of the original mutineers. Pitcairn’s windswept, 4.5 square kilometer surface is steep and hilly and there is only one beach on the island, Down Rope, that’s grey sand and fronted by rocky pools. There’s a sweeping sea view from almost everywhere but the adventure is more about the people you meet and their history. Brenda Christian may take you fishing, Jay and Carol Warren are happy to teach folks about the local flora and more of the Christian family run Christian’s Cafe, the island’s only restaurant and the place to be on Friday nights. Getting there: Pitcairn Travel (www.pitcairntravel.pn) runs semi-monthly trips on the MV Claymore to/from Mangareva in French Polynesia for US$5000 return (you stay on the island for three days on a return ticket). You’ll have to fly first to Papeete, Tahiti and then onward to Mangareva (available on Air Tahiti – www.airtahiti.com). About 10 cruise ships make scheduled stops at Pitcairn each year, bringing guests onto the island for day trips. If the sea is too rough however guests won’t be able to visit the island and will only get a view of it from deck. Stay: Pitcairn Travel will help organize lodging with one of the island’s residents, including meals. Tokelau It’s predicted that all three of Tokelau‘s low-lying, coral atolls will be made uninhabitable by rising turquoise sea by the end of this century (due to climate change). Many of the islanders have emigrated but those who have stayed have developed a ground-breaking solar energy program that now sufficiently powers the small country. Kinship is incredibly important and society works on inati, a system of sharing where resources are divided between families according to need. Activities include getting involved with local fishing, snorkelling or diving the spectacular lagoons, pitching a tent on a remote beach for a true castaway experience or getting your groove on at the community disco. Getting there: Supply ships from Apia, Samoa depart around every 12 days and cost NZ$286-528 round-trip depending on the class. Stay: Reservations for the boat and for accommodation in one of the handful of small hotels must be made in advance via the Tokelau Apia Liaison Office (www.tokelau.org.nz). This is also where you’ll need to apply for your NZ$20 visitor’s permit. Tuvalu Tuvalu is another remote atoll nation threatened by rising sea levels. The idyllic white sand, blue water and palm-filled setting of the capital village of Fongafale is also the cramped 2.8 square kilometer home to some 4500 people and waste management is serious issue. Get out of town to explore the five pristine islets of the Fanafuti Conservation Area to live out your desert island fantasies. Otherwise experience traditional life on a remote islet like Funafala or get back to the main village for a rocking fatele, a competitive dance and music session that builds and rises to explosive proportions. Getting there: Fiji Airways (www.fijiairways.com) flies to Tuvalu once a week from Suva, Fiji while Pacific Sun (www.airpacific.com) flies the same route twice per week. A few cargo ships ply the waters between Tuvalu and Fiji (the trip takes about four days) but schedules are irregular. Try Pacific Agencies (info@pacship.com.fj) and Williams & Goslings (www.wgfiji.com.fj) both in Fiji. Stay: There are about half a dozen places to stay in Tuvalu and details can be found at www.timelesstuvalu.com. Wallis & Futuna
Wallis and Futuna are two very different Polynesian islands under the same blanket of French colonialism. The capital island Wallis traces its ancestry to Tonga while the more isolated Futuna has Samoan roots. Wallis is a relatively flat, stocky island dotted with ancient Tongan forts and crater lakes; the pretty rolling hills of Futuna are covered in flower-filled jungles that tumble to white beaches and elaborate coast-side churches. Aside from being technically a part of France, the two islands also share a dislike of tourism that has left their cultures intact and their names virtually unheard of outside of the region. If you go, don’t expect tourist services or helpful locals – this is a place where you have to be self-motivated to get out and see things and work hard to make friends. Getting there: Aircalin (www.aircalin.com) flies to/from Noumea, New Caledonia to Wallis three times per week. About 10 flights per week link Futuna with Wallis. Stay: Both islands have a handful of hotels that mostly cater to visiting French functionaries and none of them are cheap (prices start around US$100). Renting a car is the only means of getting around. Wind in your hair, landscapes whipping by, cruising through peaceful forests: embracing the outdoors on two wheels is one of the healthiest and most enjoyable ways to get around. Here’s our round-up of great cycling routes which offer something for everyone, from multi-day adventures to relaxing day trips. This dedicated capital-to-capital route whisks you from the Brandenburg Gate to the Little Mermaid through bucolic scenery, including Germany’s Muritz National Park (home to more than 130 lakes), a stretch aboard a ferry across the Baltic Sea between Rostock, Germany, and Gedser, Denmark, and along gorgeous sea-hugging paths following the Danish coast. Buenos Aires Ecological Reserve, Buenos Aires, Argentina (km: variable; park: 360 hectares) It may not be a specific named route per se, but this eco-reserve on the edge of Buenos Aires is a cyclist’s paradise. The reserve boasts a network of paths and boardwalks across marshes and wetlands, with ample birdwatching and views of the river, the Rio de la Plata. And in summer, the stretch along the water is also a few degrees cooler that the steamy city. But all year round, this expanse of green is a tranquil escape from the bustle a mere 10-20 ride from the fashionable San Telmo and Puerto Madero neighbourhoods. Hungary’s most famous cycle path goes all the way around Lake Balaton, Europe’s largest freshwater lake. Pedal past vineyards stretching from the water up the hills, Mediterranean-style lakeside towns, a bounty of restaurants serving fresh local fish and plenty of opportunities for dips in the milky green lake. Cape Cod Rail Trail, Massachusetts, USA (35km) One of New England’s most popular cycle trails runs along the path of abandoned railroad tracks on Cape Cod, Massachusetts’ thin hook of a peninsula. Stretching between the Dennis and Wellfleet townships, the trail meanders through quaint seaside villages with low-key food shacks serving clam chowder, lobster rolls (a lobster sandwich/New England fave) and freshly shucked oysters. It connects to several shorter bike paths, but we’re partial to the turn-off for Nauset trail: it drops you right on Coast Guard Beach, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and set beneath rising dunes. Berliner Mauerweg/Berlin Wall Cycle Route, Germany This route traces the former path of the Berlin Wall, which was dismantled piece by piece in the early 1990s. Cycling the entire circle – about 160km – would take a few days, but most people explore a portion past some of Berlin’s most famous sights, such as the Reichstag, home to Germany’s parliament and topped by a Norman Foster-designed glass dome, the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin’s neoclassical landmark, and the Berlin Wall Memorial Site, where you can examine reconstructed remnants of the wall learn about its history. Lands End to John o’Groats, UK (1480 km) Each year, thousands of people hit the road and cycle the entire length of the UK from top to bottom between John o’Groats, Scotland, and Land’s End in Cornwall,England. There are three routes to choose – the standard route hits major roads, the fastest sticks to busy thoroughfares, and the most scenic follows small roads. But they all pass dramatic landscapes including the Scottish Highlands, the Lake District and the wild Cornish Coast. Extending from Puerto Montt in central Chile to northern Patagonia via a series of ferries, this long and rugged span juts through Queulat and Cerro Castillo national parks and wows with spectacular blue-white glaciers, majestic fjords and chiseled mountains between sleepy villages. Munda Biddi Trail, Australia (about 330km) Mundi Biddi means ‘path through the forest’ in local Aboriginal language, and this trail in Western Australia winds its way through long stretches of countryside packed with eucalyptus trees, pretty river valleys and offers ample opportunities to see local wildlife like wallabies, possums and kangaroos. Tai Wai to Tai Mei Tuk, Hong Kong, China (20km) This city cycling path starts in Tai Wai village, a mere subway ride away from the centre of town, and takes you past temples, green spaces and along the waterfront to end in Tai Mei Tuk, another village sitting between Tolo Harbour and a rugged ridge of mountains. Unsurprisingly, there’s a growing network of cycling superhighways linking Dutch cities, but our favourite takes you from Utrecht to Amsterdam. The route features urban and village sections, goes over the Breukelen Bridge (Brooklyn, New York, is named after the village of Breukelen), skirts the Amsterdam Rhine canal filled with massive barges and the tranquil Gein river.
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Source
http://www.lonelyplanet.com Travel Blog
January 2015
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