Jetsettersblog

KOSRAE, Micronesia- Looking for a new winter vacation spot away from the cold and snow?

A place where you can wander through underwater gardens, race through tropical rainforests in search of hidden ruins, paddle through mysterious mangrove channels and fall asleep in a cottage on the beach?

Kosrae Village in the South Pacific has an adventure for everyone after stepping off the plane.

Underwater Playgrounds- Ever wonder what it would be like to swim with Nemo? Scuba dive or snorkel at sites like Hiroshi Point or Walung Coral Gardens and watch colorful fish and invertebrates play. Keep a look out for turtles, rays, urchins, and anemones.

Diving classes and all gear are available with Sleeping Lady Divers.

Mangroves Paddle outrigger canoes or kayaks through Kosrae’s mangroves where trees appear to be walking through water. A local guide can show you the way, and maybe the next day you can strike out on your own.
Ancient Ruins Search for signs of ancient civilizations on the island.

When hiking through the rainforest, watch for ancient ceremonial sites or artifacts.

You can even visit a manmade island, which was once home to Kosraen royalty. Modern historical relics are also sprinkled around the island. Take a trip to a WW II bunker or search for a Japanese radio.

All of these adventures and others such as beachcombing, surfing, fishing, weaving, and tidepooling can be found on Kosrae. Kosrae Village’s Family Fun package includes 6 nights and 7 days for less than $550 per person. Kids under 12 stay free.
www.kosraevillage.com

QUITO, ECUADOR – Forget the typical cruise or big group tour, ROW Adventure has partnered with Travel Ecuador to offer their Galapagos Islands Sailing trip, a completely unique way to see the amazing wildlife and scenery of the pristine Galapagos Islands, offered only during the Christmas Holiday.

This adventurous itinerary offered by renowned adventure outfitter ROW Adventures ditches the typical yacht or cruise ship in favor of a beautiful 70 ft sailboat – The Encatada.

While aboard the Encatada, guests will have the unique opportunity to learn the art of sailing from the ship’s veteran captain and crew. Guests will spend 4 days aboard the Encatada sailing from island to islands while learning the fundamentals of reading winds and currents and navigating with a sextant.

Days will be spent exploring the bays and beaches of the islands by sea kayak and snorkel, with plenty of opportunities to see flamingos, sea lions, tortoises, sea turtles, blue-footed boobies, Darwin’s finches, albatross, iguanas, and lizards, all in their natural habitat. After 5 days of sailing, guests will spend one night beach camping under the stars on Manglecito Beach, truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The remainder of this 10 day adventure will be spent hiking, sea kayaking, and snorkeling near San Cristobol Island, Isla Lobos, and Kicker Rock, with opportunities for bird watching, swimming with sea lions, and snorkeling with tropical fish such as stingrays, reef sharks, eagle rays, barracuda, snappers, and sea turtles.

The Galapagos Islands Sailing trip is a 10 day all-ages multisport adventure vacation in the Galapagos Islands with set group departures from Guayaquil, Ecuador on December 25 and December 28, 2011.

Pricing for this all inclusive itinerary starts at $4,750 per person, not including international airfare.

Full itinerary, dates and rates can be found at this link.

The trip is offered through a partnership with ROW Adventures and Ecuador-based adventure travel outfitter Travel Ecuador. Travel Ecuador is owned and operated by former veteran ROW guide Juan Rodriguez, and specializes in providing high quality guided trips throughout Ecuador, Chile and the Galapagos Islands that are marketed through ROW and a network of other world-class travel companies.

www.southexpeditions.com

While skies in much of the United States are grey, the aquamarine waters off Baja’s eastern coast come to life in the winter. That makes Tofino Expeditions’ Sea of Cortez kayaking tour a favorite for active travelers hoping to beat the winter “blahs.”

The eight-day tour winds along the coast and offshore islands of Mexico’s Bahia Loreto National Park, through turquoise bays edged with white sand and dramatic cliffs. Each night, the group will pull up on shore to sleep out under the stars and enjoy Tofino guides’ famous gourmet wilderness cuisine.

In the winter months, the waters are popular with Blue and Fin Whale, which are often seen by paddlers on the trip. Jacques Cousteau famously called the Sea of Cortez “the world’s aquarium,” and the offshore islands are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of the diversity of life they host.

The islands are teeming with birds; pelicans congregate on partially submerged reefs, osprey nest in the highlands, and blue footed boobies roost on the faces of white seaside cliffs.

Available from November to April, the trip is perfect for those travelers hoping to take a break from winter weather.

www.tofino.com

What could be more romantic than a ride in a sleigh, wrapped in fur blankets through the snow in a beautiful Alpine valley, through winter forests, along the rivers, through villages all lit up with twinkling white lights. Stop for a warming mulled wine then head back to the roaring fire of your hotel. Most of our Ride & Ski hotels offer sleigh rides but at some you can also take the reins and learn how to drive a sleigh yourself. These sleigh driving courses are for complete beginners (no need to know how to ride) or for experience drivers who want to learn the special techniques of driving in the snow.

Horse and carriages are still widely used by villagers and farmers in the Tyrol region of Austria and Northern Italy so this idyllic picture right out of Dr. Zhivago is once again a common sight in ski resorts. The Riding Company specialise in all things riding (particularly Ride & Ski in Winter) so it is no surprise that they have a wide range of sleigh ride experiences:

learn to drive your own carriage through the cobbled streets of Garmisch Partenkirchen, passed the Baroque painted shop fronts, passed the famous Olympic ski jump, to the foot of the spectacular Zugspitze and back for a warming Gluhwein with your lederhosen-and-braces-clad host.

Or how about combining German-run efficiency with an Italian flair at the Alpine Post Hotel in South Tyrol and a horse driving course with three-time Italian driving champion Hannes Weilaner. There is a large light indoor riding school here so lessons can take place even in inclement weather. You can also take riding lessons here and gallop out into the snow if that’s what tickles your fancy. The extra good news about this 4* village hotel is the spa… with pampering and soothing treatments and massages especially developed for riders and drivers.

But the icing on the cake, has to be sleigh pulled through the snow by two white Lipizzaners – the horse breed associated with Austrian Emperors and the Spanish Riding School in Vienna – at the luxurious 5* Achenkirch Reiter’s Resort in the Tyrolean Alps, Austria. The local scenery is a winter wonderland between the frozen lake Achensee and the dense forests, all surrounded by stunning snowy peaks. This hotel offers a fantasy-inducing setting with dream spa, fitness and sporting facilities. A winter holiday doesn’t get any better than this!

Also throughout the winter, The Riding Company are offering a new carriage driving holiday in Portugal with carriage driving on the beach (winter sun) and also in Hungary where you have the opportunity to try a ‘four in hand’ – driving not a pair of horses but two pairs of horses, or more!

Carriage driving is a perfect activity for all ages, from pensioners to children – everyone can have a go. It’s a lovely old-fashioned way to enjoy the countryside.

Further details:

http://www.theridingcompany.com/uk/choose-a-holiday.htm#carriagedriving

Holiday details:

Germany: The 3* Fiakerhof in the Bavarian Alps. 3 night and 7 night driving courses are offered in this traditional Alpine chalet-hotel in the famous ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Zugspitze). Courses throughout the year. Winter driving in the snow. Small groups, complete beginners to advanced.

Italy: Post Hotel in the Italian Dolomites: The 4* Hotel Post lies in the heart of a popular mountain village in the Dolomites. It has a lovely indoor pool, sauna and steam grotto in the new 900m2 spa and offers various massages, aromatherapy soaks and beauty treatments. The restaurant offers delicious gourmet food from the Alpe-adria region. The stud farm is the largest horse-riding and driving centre in South Tyrol and it is waiting for you with 30 horses, warmbloods and Haflingers, a riding arena, a brightly-lit sandschool, professional riding and driving instructors. Three-time Italian driving champion Hannes Weilaner skilfully manages the stud farm as well as running the carriage-driving course. Winter sleigh rides and courses. Combine with skiing at Kronplatz/Dolomiti Superski.

Austria: The Achenkirch 5* Reiter’s Resort in the Tyrolean Alps, Austria. Extensive spa, fitness and sporting facilities. Beautiful stylish cosy interior. Rides out and dressage on Lipizzaners. Extensive programme of yoga and spiritual fitness, downhill and cross country skiing. Romantic sleigh rides in stunning winter landscape. No children under 14. A winter holiday doesn’t get any better or more luxurious than this. Nearby skiing at Christlum (free shuttle).

Germany: The 3* Fiakerhof in the Bavarian Alps. 3 night and 7 night driving courses are offered in this traditional Alpine chalet-hotel in the famous ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (Zugsptze). Courses throughout the year. Winter driving in the snow. Small groups, complete beginners to advanced. More details

Portugal: The New Forest Lodge. A traditional farm perched 250m above the Atlantic ocean, enjoys uninterrupted views over the distant Algarvian coastline. The farm provides a perfect location to enjoy carriage driving courses, riding and superb traditional Portugese country cuisine. Combine driving with a cookery course and/or with riding. 7 night and 3 night budget breaks available. Our hardy locally bred Lusitano cross horses are suitable for both novices and experienced riders. The choice of either riding or driving is yours. Winter sun, driving on the beach. More details

Hungary: Carriage Driving: Experienced drivers will love the holiday as much as beginners with the chance to drive fantastic horses in both 2 in hand and 4 in hand vehicles. Accommodation in 4 star hotels. Your instructor is the multi medal winning instructor Sandor Fulop.

Paris Catacombs invite you to explore the city underground.
PARIS, FRANCE, — There can be fewer more appropriate times than Halloween to visit the Paris Catacombs. The underground tomb holds the bones of some 6million Parisians, and has nearly two kilometres of tunnels to explore.

Newly reopened after an attack of vandalism on the bones, the Catacombs now boast improved lighting and a much more solid structure, so you can relax and enjoy your stroll around as the skulls stare blankly back at you from every wall.

Tickets cost just 8EUR (4EUR if you are under 26), well worth it for the 45 minutes spent enjoying one of the most interesting slices of Parisian history. Visitors should possess a decent fitness level, as there are 130 steps down into the tomb, and a further 83 to ascend at the other side.

The museum is open from 10am to 5pm every day except Monday, with the final admission granted at 4pm.

For more information about the Paris Catacombs, visit http://www.catacombes-de-paris.fr/english.htm

Art enthusiasts visiting Zürich’s Baur au Lac can now view rare works by artists such as Picasso, Matisse, Kandinsky and Monet at the world’s first exhibition of The Nahmad Collection, a family-owned collection spanning two generations that features a number of works by Picasso.

The Baur au Lac is offering a special Nahmad Collection package that includes admission to the exhibition, which will be showcased Oct. 21 through Jan. 15 at the Kunsthaus Zürich, the city’s museum of modern art. The package includes one night’s accommodation, fresh fruit and homemade sweets from the hotel’s in-house chocolatier upon arrival, full buffet breakfast for two, two tickets for “Miró, Monet, Matisse — The Nahmad Collection” at the Kunsthaus Zurich, complimentary in-room wireless Internet access and unlimited use of the rooftop fitness club. Based on double occupancy, the offer is priced from CHF 823 ($916), inclusive of VAT and service charges. For more information, visit www.bauraulac.ch

Some of the most iconic cinema in the genre get another airing.
LONDON, ENGLAND, — For some, nothing epitomises Halloween better than a classic horror film, and no amount of apple-bobbing and pumpkin carving can get near it. Those people would be well advised to come to Halloween Screamings at the Round Chapel in Hackney on October 28th-30th, where they can see a collection of the finest horror fare ever created in the company of like-minded film buffs.

The venue has a history of hosting excellent events. Coldplay staged a secret gig there in 2005, while it has also been used by Oasis and Estelle.

Four classic films are spread across three days. October 28th hosts the mother of all horror films, 1973′s The Exorcist, while October 30th offers a matinee screening of The Blair Witch Project (1999) at 4:45pm, followed by The Omen (1976) at 7:30pm. Finally, on October 31st, the event draws to a close with, rather aptly, the 1978 classic Halloween.

Hotels-London.co.uk offers plenty of superb city centre hotels just a 45-minute tube and train journey (GBP4) from Charing Cross to Hackney Downs. Strand Palace Hotel is located on one of the most famous streets in London, while Bermondsey Square Hotel enjoys an idyllic spot south of the Thames.

For more information about the Round Chapel, visit http://www.web.theroundchapel.org.uk

Antiques and collectables will be on display at the Royal Highland Centre on November 12th and 13th.

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, — Edinburgh Antiques and Collectors Fair will see bargain hunters descend on The Royal Highland Centre midway through next month.

Organisers Roger Sumner and Helen Martin took over the running of the Malvern Antiques & Collectors Fair and the Malvern Flea & Collectors Fair in 2006, with the Edinburgh event coming on board three years later.

The pair have a huge amount of experience in the industry, as Roger spent ten years working at the Malvern fairs, while Helen has been an exhibitor and dealer for more than two decades.

As well as managing the Malvern and Edinburgh antiques sales, the two run shows in Kinver, Detling and Grantham.

The Scottish capital’s quarterly Antiques and Collectors Fair is set to return on the weekend of November 12th and 13th.

Doors open at 10:00 GMT on both days and close at 16:30 on Saturday and 16:00 on Sunday, while admission costs GBP2.50.

Trade visitors must pay a GBP5 entrance fee and can set up their stalls between 08:15 and 10:00 on the first day.

A free bus to the Royal Highland Centre departs from Waverley Bridge bus stop at various times throughout both days.

Antiques buffs looking for places to stay in Edinburgh will find LateRooms.com offers a large selection of Edinburgh accommodation, such as the Albyn Townhouse.

More details on the fair can be found at http://www.edinburghantiquesfair.co.uk

Top Gear Live will bring three days of high-octane motoring to the Birmingham NEC.

BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, — Car lovers are in for a treat when Top Gear Live arrives at the NEC in Birmingham next month.

Running from Friday November 11th to Sunday November 13th, the motoring extravaganza will feature live driving action, a host of supercars and plenty of pyrotechnics.

A new indoor track will be built at the NEC, allowing the Top Gear team to present live versions of popular features from the BBC Two show such as Star in a Reasonably Priced Car.

Jeremy Clarkson, James May, Richard Hammond and the mysterious Stig are all set to take part in the action, while fans of the programme will also have an opportunity to explore the replica Top Gear TV studio.

A choice of tickets are available, with silver tickets priced at GBP49 and providing holders with access to the live action arena, track and exhibition.

People who choose to pay the gold or platinum entry fee (GBP75 and GBP99 respectively) can enjoy additional benefits such as the track paddock tour, which offers an opportunity to get closer to the vehicles.

The event will begin at 10:00 and run until 20:00 GMT on Friday November 11th. Opening hours for Saturday are from 09:30 to 20:00, while the Sunday session will start at 09:30 and finish at 19:00.

Visit http://www.topgearlive.co.uk/  for more information on this event.

Dublin hosts the sixth edition of its annual Polish film festival Kinopolis next month.

DUBLIN, IRELAND– Kinopolis, Dublin’s annual celebration of the Polish film industry, is due to run from Thursday November 3rd to Sunday November 6th this year.

Now in its sixth year, the event is known for bringing exclusive movie screenings and special guests to the Irish capital.

For 2011, the organisers have announced the premiere of two 3D productions from Poland – Battle of Warsaw 1920 and The Flying Machine.

Directed by Jerzy Hoffman, Battle of Warsaw 1920 is the first 3D movie to be made in the country and one of the most expensive films in the history of Polish cinema.

As usual, Kinopolis has lined up several guests to take part in the festival, with animator Tomasz Baginski and actress Roma Gasiorowska both due to appear over the four days.

Baginski is a self-taught artist whose 2002 short film Katedra (The Cathedral) was nominated for an Academy Award, while Gasiorowska is one of Poland’s most highly rated young stars.

Other films that will be screened during the festival include Little Rose by Jan Kidawa Blonski and Andrzej Wajda’s Promised Land.

Tickets for Kinopolis events, which will take place at Cineworld on Parnell Street and the Irish Film Institute, are individually priced.

Visit http://www.kinopolis.com.pl/index.php?action=page&lng=en&page=15  for more information on this event.