Costa del Sol – 3 days in Spain

by Justin Delaney on

The Costa del Sol lazily stretches out along the southern Mediterranean coast of Spain. Not really committing to the industrious ambitions of Barcelona or Madrid, the coast is a land of perpetual siesta, where work orders are responded to with a simple “manana,” and beaches gradually disappear into salty azure waters. It is the kind of place that convertibles were invented for.

To tackle it in 3 days would be a shame, but better than having not visited at all. To really cover the ground necessary along the Costa del Sol, an automobile is necessary. Luckily, car rentals in Spain are very affordable, as cheap as 15 Euros per day. Inexpensive flights also abound from all over Europe on Easyjet and Ryanair. It is possible to fly to Malaga for under 20 U.S. dollars from Barcelona round-trip. Once you have arrived along this golden coast of white villages and luxurious beaches, there is much to do and see. Read on…

Day 1 – Check out Malaga

If you are arriving by plane or train, then your adventure will likely begin in Malaga – birthplace of Picasso and one of the oldest cities in Europe. Start with a climb up to the Moorish castle of Castillo de Gibralfaro for a history lesson and a stunning view out across Malaga and the Mediterranean. It is tough to miss the attraction as it looms high over the city. If it is bullfighting season (Spring-Autumn, with August being the busiest month in Malaga), then check out a fight at the nearby Plaza La Malagueta after your climb.

Dropping by Picasso’s childhood home in the Plaza de la Merced is another top attraction and rewards the visitor with childhood paintings by the master himself. A day in Malaga is not complete without feasting upon a table of tapas. The undisputed top spot for tapas in Malaga is Tapeo de Cervantes. Be sure to get there early, and follow it with a Flamenco show if you have the energy at Kelipe Centro de Arte Flamenco. They have shows on Friday and Saturday nights at 9pm, but be sure to reserve in advance by email. If on a serious budget, then check out Melting Pot Hostel for a room. For a proper hotel, I prefer the modern, bright, and charming Petit Palace Plaza, which is also quite a bargain.

Day 2 – The Alhambra and Nerja

For the best Islamic architecture in the world, it is not necessary to travel to the middle east or northern Africa. The Alhambra is an ideal and is located in Granada, Spain. Wake up early and head east from Malaga on Spain’s excellent highway system. The Alhambra rests in the hills overlooking old Granada, and is the type of scene that reminds you why you travel. Take your time with the Alhambra. It is a spellbinding palace awash in the stories of Moorish times. When you are done wandering its storied halls, head down to Nerja, known as the balcony of Europe. Take in the beach, check out the lazy white washed town, or even explore the nearby cave system. Spain is filled with little towns that are extremely difficult to leave. Nerja is such a place. Stay the night at the Puerta del Mar, and feast on fresh seafood at Calabaza.

Day 3 – Gibraltar

It is a long drive to Gibraltar, but if you have the energy, and are not hypnotized into lounging around Nerja for the remainder of your days, then start heading west towards The Rock. Gibraltar has a strange and colorful history as the northern pillar of Hercules. Once thought to be the marker for the end of the western world, it has been a battleground, a British enclave, and even the last refuge for the Neanderthals. To reach Gibraltar, you must drive to La Linea de la Concepcion, park, and walk across the Gibraltar Airport runway. This is an interesting passage as any, especially if you must contend with a commercial plane descending on the narrow strip of cement. The island has a decidedly British feel, and is filled with pubs and schoolchildren in British academy uniforms. While Spain has repeatedly requested the return of Gibraltar from the United Kingdom, the Brits do not intend to part with the territory. It has become a small tropical Britain at the southern tip of Spain.

The real attraction is the Rock of Gibraltar, which has repeatedly served as a natural fortress throughout history. Its storied past of battles is written with holes for cannons and caves that served as barracks. Everyone from the Phoenicians to the Moors to the Brits have used this rock as a strategic stronghold at the end of the world. The Rock is also home to the only wild monkeys in continental Europe – Barnaby Macaques. They occupy the upper rock, and have separated into many rival gangs that compete for resources. They are cheeky creatures, and are well known for snatching ice cream cones from unsuspecting rubes for an easy snack. One can either climb the rock on foot or take a van up to the top. Finish the day with dinner at one of Gibraltar’s excellent restaurants, and stay the night in the ape infested Rock Hotel Gibraltar.

Extra – Tarifa or Morocco
If you find yourself with some extra time, then check out Tarifa, where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. With golden beaches and a fast ferry to Morocco, Tarifa is both a lazy place to lounge and a gateway to Africa. Tarifa is one of Europe’s, and the world’s, top beaches.

New website promises travelers much better adventures

by Kraig Becker on

A new website calling itself Much Better Adventures launched recently with a unique approach to providing travelers with a new option for finding opportunities to explore adventure destinations across the globe. The site serves as a guide for travelers looking for first hand recommendations and ratings on local guide services and other businesses that also happen to use ethical practices in their approach to travel.

The website has compiled plenty of information to help you plan your next adventure travel experience, including options for how to get to your destination, whether it be by plane, train, or automobile. There is also helpful notes on how to travel in a more environmentally friendly way, which is especially nice for those concerned with limiting their carbon footprint on their journeys. Much Better Adventures also offers handy guides to destinations based on various activities, and their “Deals” section has money saving offers that everyone can appreciate. Visitors to the site are encouraged to join the growing community there and share their favorite local outfitters, inns, or guide services. The “Grapevine” portion of the site helps to spotlight new additions to the every growing database of user recommendations.

Active travelers will probably most enjoy the site’s option for searching the database to find the perfect adventure based on what it is you specifically want to do. You can select from such options as “Bike,” “Snow,” or “Rock+Ice,” amongst others. From there, you’ll be provided a few activity specific options, which then leads to the destinations best suited for the activity. Once you’ve decided on the activity you’re most interested in, you can then select the continent and country that you would like to explore in that manner. The country of choice is even broken down into sub-regions, which once selected will also provide the tour operators in that area that provide the adventure you’re looking for.

The site is still filling up with information, but there are already some great suggestions for travelers heading to nearly any part of the world. Perhaps you’ll find it to be a useful tool the next time you’re looking for a much better adventure of your own.


When you should buy a cruise predicted by new booking tool

by Chris Owen on

In the not-so-distant past, booking early, watching for sales, using a Travel Expert or just being in the right place at the right time meant a good price on a cruise. A new website takes some of the guesswork out of the process by predicting when to buy.

Traditionally, cruise lines have appreciated those who book far in advance. Ships need to sail full to make money and those who booked early had historically been prized almost as much as past-guests coming back for more. If a lower fare that you qualified for came along after booking, the cruise line would gladly pass that price along.

That was then, this is now.

Now, a new web site claims to know that when you should buy a cruise can be predicted.Enter Cayole.com, a travel agency that uses months of historical pricing data to predict what is likely to happen to the pricing on any given cruise sailing from the U.S. Its predictions are similar to the Price Predictions that bing.com/travel provides for airfares and tell you what your Travel Expert already knows. Trends.

The information is no big surprise but to have and it does give a graphic illustration of what has been happening with pricing. Cruise brokers, like stock brokers, would like this.

With cruise lines tightening up booking rules, your travel expert is more important than ever. Any additional data you can easily get and use will be helpful in your research phase but it needs to be tempered with review by a competent advisor.

Some cruise lines are moving away from courting those who book far in advance. On Royal Caribbean, for example, you could always count on them honoring any lower price that might come along throughout the life of a booking. It was wise to book far in advance, take advantage of the best cabin selection and often the best price. But with few exceptions, the line would lower your price if it went down along the way, no questions asked. If the price went down after final payment, they would issue onboard credit for the difference.

Now Royal Caribbean line has slipped in a Best Price Guarantee Program which gives 110% of the difference if you find a lower rate…within 48 hours. Now all of the sudden when you buy is important. You’ll have to weigh if price or cabin selection is more important and up until now you would have to pull out the crystal ball to predict when the best time to buy was.

Flickr photo by CubaGallery


Solar flare brings Northern Lights for the next few nights

by Chris Owen on

The strongest solar flare in four years is disrupting communications in China but brings spectacular views of the Northern Lights for the next few nights.

“X-class flares are the most powerful of all solar events that can trigger radio blackouts and long-lasting radiation storms,” disturbing telecommunications, GPS systems and electric grids, NASA said Wednesday.

Called “Sunspot 1158” it is the strongest solar flare of the year so far.

Solar flares cause electrically charged particles to travel at extremely high speeds. Northern Lights are caused by collisions between those electrically charged particles from the sun that enter the earth’s atmosphere.

The Northern Lights, to be visible for the next few nights, are otherwise known as Aurora Borealis and are most likely to be visible in the far north.

NASA photo


Archaeology reveals the best way to drink: from a human skull

by Sean McLachlan on


Archaeologists in England have discovered three prehistoric skulls that were used as cups, the BBC reports.

The skulls were carefully worked into the shape of bowls. They were found in Gough’s Cave, Somerset, and are 14,700 years old. These make them the oldest skull cups discovered. Investigators found other human remains in the cave that suggest people split the bones to get at the marrow. As any dedicated carnivore knows, the marrow is one of the richest and most nutritious parts of any animal, humans included.

Skull cups were used by many cultures for many reasons. Some were involved in rituals to remind one of death, like this carved Chinese example photographed by user Shizhao and posted to Wikimedia Commons. Other cultures, like the Vikings and Scythians, drank from the skulls of their enemies to brag about their victory or get the power of the slain warrior for themselves. The archaeologists studying the Somerset skulls have published an interesting article about skull cups. The BBC also interviewed one of the researchers and their video of the skull cups is below.

So next time you’re in a museum, keep a sharp eye out for skull cups. The Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena has one, as does the Ethnological Museum in Berlin. London’s Natural History Museum sponsored the research and is making a reconstructed skull cup that will go on display in March.

Have you seen skull cups in other museums? Tell us about it in the comments section!