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Secret cities worth visiting

January 29, 2018 by David Herd

Interesting travel suggestions

Secret cities worth visiting

Secret cities worth visiting, well actually they are not all cities & not all secret, but they are all worth visiting. These are places mostly off the beaten track, places that many people may not have heard of.

Above is The lovely French village of Breil-sur-Roya which is particularly known for trout fishing. The Roya river runs through town and is open to trout anglers from March to September. Located in the mountains near the Italian border just north of the French Riviera.

Breil-sur-Roya

French and Italian rail lines run through Breil so it is very easy to travel anywhere. There is a great market every Friday at Ventimiglia on the border 30 minutes drive or 20 minutes by train from Breil.

Talking about Italy

In the Middle Ages and Renaissance era, San Gimignano was a stopping point for Catholic pilgrims on their way to Rome and the Vatican, as it sits on the medieval Via Francigena. The city’s development was also improved by the trade of agricultural products from the fertile neighbouring hills, in particular saffron, used in both cooking and dyeing cloth and Vernaccia wine, said to inspire popes and poets.

Secret cities worth visiting include San Gimignano

San Gimignano is famous for its Medieval village architecture, unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls form “an unforgettable skyline”

Have you ever heard of Florianopolis?

Most people outside of South America have not heard of this fabulous city which currently has an estimated population of 420,000 people. The Greater Florianopolis Metro area is home to about 1 million people. Florianopolis is a wonderful Brazilian city which should go on the bucket list for anyone intending to visit this wonderful country.

Friendly people who love to party.

January 11, 2009. Newsweek placed Florianópolis in the “Ten most dynamic cities of the world” list in 2006. Veja magazine, a Brazilian publication, named the city as “the best place to live in Brazil.

Kagoshima Japan

Active Volcano Kagoshima Japan Sakurajima had been peaceful since 2013 until July 2016, then suddenly plumes of smoke, cracks of lighting and a flow of lava came bellowing out of Japan’s Mount Sakruajima in July 2016. Located in a scenic bay on the southern island of Kyushu, this 1,117 meter high volcano has been a sleeping giant for the past three years prior to this fiery spectacle. The incident took place at 12:02 am on Tuesday at the mountain’s Showa crater, which resulted in a 5,000 meter high column of ash – but officials say no fatalities have been reported. Credit to STACY LIBERATORE FOR DAILYMAIL.COM Read about it here.

Fabulous food

One of the many reasons I visit Japan often is the fabulous food. A village near the railway station is called Kagomma Furusato Yataimura. There are about 25 small restaurants that seat only 8 or 10 people.

Forster Tuncurry east coast Australia

A population of over 18,000 people it is a holiday destination for many Sydney people who are only a 4 hour drive away.

A great area for fishing & boating.

At the Northern tip of the Great Lakes, these twin towns are where Wallis Lake meets the ocean. The twin townships are surrounded by National Parks and feature majestic headlands and long secluded beaches. Boating, fishing, diving, paddling, cruises, whale watching and coastal walks combine with galleries, unique shopping and award-winning restaurants to create an experience rich coastal destination.

Mae Pim Gulf of Thailand

Thailand Beach Resort Mae Pim on the gulf of Thailand is only ninety minutes by car east of Pattaya, and 2 hours south of Bangkok. Beautiful white sand and clean water, and so quiet and peaceful.

Secret cities worth visiting

Lots of great Thai food & seafood in Mae Pim.

Mostar in Bosnia and Herzegovina

It’s known for the iconic Stari Most (Old Bridge), a reconstructed medieval arched bridge. The nearby alleys are full of shops and market stalls, and the Old Bridge Museum explores the bridge’s long history. More on THIS LINK.

Cevapcici, the best I have ever had.

Cevapi, or Cevapcici, are homemade sausages traditional of the Balkans area.

Thanks for checking out my Secret cities worth visiting photo blog, drop me a line if you need any information.

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Brazil Hotels

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

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Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

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Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

9a1fec74-4461-46cd-8663-97f5893c8f6e (1)

Check out these great photo blogs.

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Copacabana Rio de Janeiro

April 17, 2016 by David Herd

Copacabana-Brazil-babes-bikinis-Rio de Janeiro

View from my apartment

Copacabana Rio de Janeiro

Copacabana Rio de Janeiro is one of the world’s great beaches. This is my sixth visit to this fabulous city, my rented apartment is right across the road from the beach.

Copacabana Beach Rio de Janeiro, say no more.

These two look like they mean business.

Alan Austin and his wife Renata

Alan & I met in Rio and became very good friends, unfortunately the following year he ran into some problems with the English authorities and I now he lives in England.

It’s now 2018 & after 11.5 years as a guest of Her Majesty Alan will be a free man in August.

Shenanigans Ipanema

Monday nights here there are lots of specials and the place gets really crowded. The guy in the red shirt is Alan’s Las Vegas friend Jay.

Two dozen oysters = two days food poisoning

I was totally out of it for 48 hours after eating these oysters on the beach.

The Evil eye

The look on his face should have warned me about eating his oysters. He even had madman printed on his cap. 🙂

The girl from Copacabana

I was relaxing on the beach when this vision appeared in front of me. I have never been one to let a golden opportunity pass so I brushed up on my social skills and introduced myself. Her name was Mel and she came from neighbouring Niteroi. Lo & behold within an hour we were in my apartment making mad passionate love. This certainly was one on the best days of my trip. ?

Mel from Niteroi

Mel is around 6′ tall with amazing green eyes, a total knock out. It is 2015 and I still have her photo on a shelf in my condo. ?

How about those fabulous eyes?

I have to admit the fact that Mel spoke no English did not bother me at all. 🙂

John, an Aussie guy who owned “The Office” restaurant.

John was an Aussie guy from Sydney and we swapped many stories about people we knew and knew of, mainly well known Sydney gangsters. ? The following year John in fact was abducted by Brazilian gangsters who forced him to go to his home in Angra Dos Rios and pen his safe which they cleaned out.

Copacabana eye candy

One of the best locations on Earth for gorgeous females.

Late afternoon at Copacabana

Looking down from my apartment you can see the shadows staring to creep across the beach.

Kiosks on Copacabana

Every 50 meters along the beach there is a kiosk where you can buy a beer or a hamburger and watch the passing parade.

Copacabana Rio de Janeiro

Copacabana beach babes are among the sexiest girls in the world. My photo blogs with the most visits involve Brazilian babes so I thought I would add to the collection with samples from my 2 months in Rio from December 2007 to February 2008.

Making a splash

There is no better place in the world to see beautiful beach babes than Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.

Nice hat

Hat, what hat, I don’t see a hat?

Now can you see a hat?

Is this a trick question? Who looks at hats on Copacabana beach?

The sea was angry that day my friends.

You don’t often see big waves at Copacabana but this particular day the surf was quite rough. In fact it was new years eve 2007 and Copacabana was preparing for a crowd of 2 million people.

Smile for the camera

Brazilians absolutely love the beach, check out my most popular blog here.

Ah! The colours of Brazil.

Are you aware Brazil’s Primary colours are green and yellow? Just saying…………

Time for a lunch break

The prawns are very good however I was laid low for 48 hours after eating 2 dozen oysters on the beach. ?

Two pretty girls

All you need is a camera on Copacabana because the talent is unlimited. ?

Look closely you may see a tattoo

Tattoo? I don’t see a tattoo.

No tattoos here

A fabulous body like this does not need any tattoos.

Copacabana Rio de Janeiro

All my friends who know and love Rio will remember the wonderful times we had at “HELP” nightclub on Avenue Atlantica. Many thanks for visiting my Copacabana Rio de Janeiro photo blog, without any doubt in the world “you gotta love Rio”.

Rio was part of a fabulous world trip starting in Sydney and finishing in Bangkok.

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Seven deadly Songkran days

April 16, 2016 by David Herd

Sexy-Songkran-deadly-days-Thailand-Bangkok-Pattaya

Songkran 2016

Seven deadly Songkran days

Seven deadly Songkran days photo blog focuses on two things, first the tragic loss of life and the thousands of people who are seriously injured. Sadly Thailand has the 2nd worst road toll in the world after war torn Libya, mainly due to poor driving skills and alcohol fueled accidents. Songkran however is the black spot of this terrible statistic. My sadness and sympathy does not lie with the several hundred who lose their life, they are gone and know nothing any more, my sympathy is for the parents who have lost children and the thousands of Thai people seriously injured during these Seven deadly Songkran days.

Secondly, lots of photos showing the joy and happiness thousands of people get from this famous celebration.

I would like to give credit to the Bangkok Post for borrowing many of their photos for this blog, many thanks to this great newspaper.

The first four days

The fourth day of the Songkran festival’s “seven dangerous days’’ saw 259 people lose their lives in road accidents across the country, up almost 36% from 2015.

Most accidents involved motorcycles, with 78.8%, followed by pick-up trucks, 10.8%. (BKK Post)

The madness that is Songkran

The Songkran celebration has many symbolic traditions. The mornings begin with merit-making, visiting local temples and offering food to the Buddhist monks. On this specific occasion, pouring water on Buddha statues is considered an iconic ritual for this holiday. It represents purification and the washing away one’s sins and bad luck. Originally water was splashed gently on friends family & neighbours, today it has evolved into an all out water fight which certainly does not reassemble the original tradition.

Lets focus on happiness

The tragedy & sadness of the road carnage needs to be balanced by the joy and happiness most people in Thailand, consequently here is the sort of thing that makes me happy this time of the year. 🙂

A beautiful lady in traditional dress.

This is one of my favourite Songkran images, not sure who to credit.

Traditional Songkran

Gently pouring water on Buddha statues is considered to be an iconic ritual for this holiday. It represents purification and the washing away one’s sins and bad luck.

The other side of the coin

The two photos above demonstrate the both ends of the spectrum.

Have you ever seen a happier child?

Riding on his father’s shoulders he is having the time of his life.

More happy faces

Thanks once again to the Bangkok Post for another great photo.

Gunfight at the Bangkok Corral

Thousands of tourists flock to Thailand to participate in the greatest water fight in the world. Pamplona in Spain has the running of the bulls, Thailand has the running of the water cannons. 🙂

What did I do?

This guy seems to be denying any wrongdoing, could it be because he is not wearing a helmet? No, they rarely enforce that in Thailand, unless of course they see a Farang without one. 🙂

Here is one of my favourite Bangkok hotels in Sukhumvit Soi 11, use this link for a great rate.

Fabulous foam at Centralworld

A sea of white foam and everybody is having fun.

The very best of Songkran

I intended to focus on the danger on the roads during Songkran however images like the one above totally distract me.

Total determination

Concentrating totally on eliminating the enemy. 🙂 (Photo Bkk Post)

Beach Road Pattaya April 19.

Songkran Beach Rd Pattaya 2016

Watch this video on YouTube

Long range weapon

Many of these water cannons have a very long range.

Fifth day the terrible toll continues.

The number of people arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol over the past seven is 81,541, including 50,271 motorcycle drivers and 31,270 drivers of cars and public vehicles.

How sweet she is.

After any bad news like the shocking road toll we need some good news, and here she is. 🙂

My name is Rambo

I have a licence to spill.

Songkran is “so in your face”

There is absolutely no escape from this “in your face” experience. 🙂

Day six and the news is still bad

The first six days of the “seven dangerous days” of Songkran saw 397 people lose their lives in road crashes across Thailand, a 29.74% jump from last year, with drink-driving remaining the major cause. (BKK Post)

Songkran madness in 2nd road Pattaya

Songkran celebration Pattaya 2016

Watch this video on YouTube

What could possibly go wrong?

You are on a bike, you get hit by a stream of water, what could possibly go wrong?

The battle rages

I feel overall we have to properly balance the whole situation, fun versus death & suffering, in my book fun loses. I’m not advocating doing away with Songkran, however somehow the authorities have to do more to stop the road carnage.

Seven deadly Songkran days

Drink-driving remained the biggest single cause of road crashes, blamed for 34.09%, followed by speeding at 32.93%. Most crashes involved motorcycles (80.67%), followed by pick-up trucks (8.85%). (From Bangkok Post.)

Compare the last six years.

Four out of every five accidents involved motorcycles. So far a total of 442 people have been killed. It should also be noted that statistics taken inside Thailand only includes victims who died at the scene. Can you imagine how much worse the statistics would be if they also included people who died within 30 days?

80 lives lost every day

This link may answer some of the questions.

Thanks for visiting my Seven deadly Songkran days photo blog.

A-One hotel on Beach Road

For a great room rate at the A-One hotel opposite the beach just book through THIS LINK.

Please check out these fabulous posts

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposte the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

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Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

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That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Go Go bars Pattaya Thailand

February 13, 2016 by David Herd

Walking St-Pattaya-2016-Taboo-Virgins-sexy-babes

The more things change the more they stay the same

Go Go bars Pattaya Thailand

Go Go bars Pattaya Thailand are constantly popping up with many clubs closing and new venues opening. There is still nothing in the world quite like Walking Street Pattaya. Prices have certainly risen and tourists numbers are down in 2018, except for the Chinese. however that does not deter new clubs from opening. A while back I visited two of these new hotspots, Taboo which is owned by some French guys from Paris and Virgins owned by a Russian fellow called Slava.

Go Go bars Pattaya Thailand

An upmarket club with nice décor and friendly girls. I met two of the owners Glenn & Alex from Paris, they opened December 2015.

When you are in Taboo it’s up to you

Walking Street is always changing, old clubs closing and new ones opening. Just last week in Soi Diamond Sugarbaby closed it’s doors after 30 years in business. This photo was taking by LovePattayaThailand, check out some of the articles I write for them here.

Hello baby

Half Thai and half Japanese, a great combination.

Virgins

Now I’m quite sure you will find it very difficult to find a virgin working on Walking St. In fact the catchy name actually means the girls at Virgins have never worked in a Pattaya bar before. 🙂

Glass elevator

Too lazy to climb the stairs? Well, there is a glass elevator to whisk you up to this dark sexy Go Go bar.

Go Go bars Pattaya Thailand

Here is something quite unique in Walking Street, a rooftop bar where you can have a drink and enjoy the view.

Looking down on Walking Street.

Views of Walking Street and Pattaya Bay.

Enjoy a spa with a lady

Thirty minutes in the spa with the lady of your choice and a bottle of Champagne for B6,500, sadly it’s way above my pay grade.

Eastern European girls

They come from Ukraine, Russia, Uzbekistan & Moldova, just make sure you have plenty of money because this is an expensive club.

Neon lights of Walking St

There certainly is no shortage of lights here.

Most people come here to see….

You guessed it.

Pothole & I certainly came here to see her.

There has been talk for many years about demolishing the buildings on the western side of Walking St as they have been built illegally on public land. Here is how I feel about this subject;

If 1/2 of Walking St goes Pattaya will survive & thrive, times have changed and this city must change with it. Why should a few wealthy business people with a false sense of entitlement be allowed to build on public land for their own selfish needs?

A story in a local paper mentioned some business people who believe it will negatively impact on tourism in Pattaya, or even the Pattaya condo market. I’m guessing they may be some of the real estate agents who charge over the top commissions. I say give the beach front back to the people.

What part of the phrase “public land” don’t they understand?

Instead of loading boats at Bali Hai wharf for some strange reason quite a few still unload passengers around the Hard Rock Hotel and other parts of Beach Rd. There are even police in attendance helping the tourists to cross the road. I’m guessing somebody with influence has approved this anomaly.

Pattaya has been trying to clean up it’s image for years but progress is slow. Here is an idea from left field, Thailand was Siam, Myanmar was Burma, Beijing was Peking etc etc. Cities & countries can & do change their name, I would change Pattaya to “MAGIC CITY”.

For the first 5 years I would just add “MAGIC CITY” to Pattaya, after 5 years I would drop off Pattaya & just use “MAGIC CITY” .

As I said before you have to move with the times. 🙂

Yours sincerely the FiveStarVagabond, November 8 2016.

Here are the illegal building on Walking St

I say give the beach front back to the people.

Here I am in 2013 with some friends from Australia

My friend on the left is Nathan Corbett an absolute Muay Thai legend. He was world champion eleven times in 3 different weight divisions.

Walking St Pattaya

Well here we are back on the street with a many alternatives new and old to cater for our every need. Walking St is totally unique, it offers many more choices than the three Bangkok red light districts, Soi Cowboy, Patpong & Nana Plaza. Even Amsterdam’s famous RLD does not come close to Walking St Pattaya.

Sabai Wing Soi 1, 3 swimming pools and nice rooms, 100 meters from BigC, great value at only $23 usd per night as of August 15. I live in the high-rise in the background, Markland. For a great room rate book here.

Just use THIS LINK for a terrific rate at the Wave Hotel.

The history of Walking St by Bangkok Post.

Thanks for visiting my Go Go bars Pattaya Thailand photo blog.

Check out the other Thailand hotspots below.

Holiday Inn

Fabulous views, excellent restaurants & a very good room rate if you book through THIS LINK.

The building in the middle is the Holiday Inn, on the left is the Amari Hotel which is another very good five star hotel. Use THIS LINK to book for a very good room rate.

Sabai Wing North Pattaya

The best Pattaya budget hotel, 3 pools & opposite Central Marina shopping mall. For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Sutus Court is a great budget hotel right i the heart of one of Pattaya’s main bar areas, just use THIS LINK for a terrific room rate. 420/100 Moo 9 Soi Buakhao.

Pattaya Hilton

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

Please check out these fabulous posts

Gold Coast Pattaya Cinque Terre

Rio de Janeiro Singapore Eastern Europe

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Great hotel room rates anywhere in the world if you book

through these links below. Book now & pay later.

Free Cancellation.

Bangkok Hotels Pattaya Hotels

Brazil Hotels

That’s all folks

Pattaya live webcam

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

Soapy Massage Pattaya Bangkok

Spectacular Bangkok Sky Bars

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Hawker Chan Hollys Coffee

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Breakfast Bake n’ Brew

Food review Pattaya 2020

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Copacabana beautiful beach babes

December 13, 2015 by David Herd

Rio de Janeiro

Copacabana beautiful beach babes

Copacabana beautiful beach babes are among the sexiest girls in the world. My photo blogs with the most visits involve Brazilian babes so I thought I would add to the collection with samples from my 2 months in Rio from December 2007 to February 2008.

Copacabana beautiful beach babes making a splash

There is no better place in the world to see beautiful beach babes than Copacabana in Rio de Janeiro.

Nice hat

Hat, what hat, I don’t see a hat?

Now can you see a hat?

Is this a trick question? Who looks at hats on Copacabana beach?

The sea was angry that day my friends.

You don’t often see big waves at Copacabana but this particular day the surf was quite rough. In fact it was new years eve 2007 and Copacabana was preparing for a crowd of 2 million people.

For a great hotel room rate in RIO just book through THIS LINK.

Smile for the camera

Brazilians absolutely love the beach, check out my most popular blog here.

Ah! The colours of Brazil.

Are you aware Brazil’s Primary colours are green and yellow? Just saying…………

Pink towels are very attractive

Pink towel, I don’t see a pink towel 🙂

Copacabana beautiful beach babes

All you need is a camera on Copacabana because the talent is unlimited. 🙂

Look closely you may see a tattoo

Tattoo? I don’t see a tattoo.

No tattoos here

A fabulous body like this does not need any tattoos.

My friend Mary

My lovely friend Mary is now happily married and living in Miami.

Mary from the other side.

We had some very good times together in Rio de Janeiro, perhaps I’ll see her again one day in Miami.

Are you taking my photo?

Yes, I certainly am.

Flying fish

I asked the guy if he was going to throw it back, he said “no, I’m going to eat it”.

Copacabana beach babes

And still they come with a body to die for.

Two cheeky girls

I spent over 2 months in Brazil this trip, as well as Rio I visited Florianopolis, Curitiba, Balneario Camboriu and Paraty.

Paraty

Three hours from Rio and one of my favourite places in Brazil. I know they are not Copacabana beach babes however the girls from Paraty are worth a look.

New Years Eve 2007

It’s only 2 pm and the crowd is building in anticipation of celebrating the New Year.

Rio Orthon a perfect location.

For a great room rate just book through THIS LINK, book now & pay later, includes free cancellation.

I’ll be watching from over there

There will be nine cruise ships anchored offshore and two million people will arrive all dressed in white.

Ebony

What a magnificent colour.

Here is a webcam focused on Copacabana.

Beach boogie

What time can we start having fun?

It will take weeks to get the smile off my face

Many thanks for visiting my Copacabana beach babes photo blog, I’m sure you will agree it’s the best eye candy in the world.

For a great hotel room rate just book through THIS LINK.

Check out the live webcam here.

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Brazilians don’t need a visa to visit Thailand. Please check out my webcam.

Pattaya Beach live webcam

Click bottom right hand corner for full screen.

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Travel tips fabulous countries

August 30, 2015 by David Herd

David Herd is the FiveStarVagabond

Travel tips fabulous countries

Travel tips fabulous countries feature some of my favourite places, many people may think I’m a bit of a dinosaur & perhaps I am, however I don’t know any other person who has travelled more than I during the last 30 years. Therefore I hope can provide you with a few ideas on where to go for your next holiday.

I’ll list the 5 countries in alphabetical order rather than by personal preference.

Australia

The home of my birth and a country that offers a huge diversification of incredible travel destinations. Most people find it difficult to grasp the size of this great country, don’t make the mistake of trying to cover too much in 3 or 4 weeks, better to come back another time.

Sydney is the most spectacular city but don’t forget Perth and Adelaide both wonderful cities also. Then of course there is the Gold Coast in Queensland with it’s wonderful weather and beautiful beaches.

For a good budget hotel in Sydney just book through this link. Broadbeach is the best place to stay on the Gold Coast, here is a very good value apartment block in a perfect location.

Three suggestions

Sydney Great Ocean Rd Outback

I drove from Adelaide to Melbourne along the Great Ocean road Australia in October 2014, I had driven this road once before in 1988.

Brazil Travel tips one of the five fabulous countries

Bigger and more diverse than Australia I have enjoyed 8 visits to the wonderful country. Rio de Janeiro is fabulous however there is so much more to see. Apart from Rio my favourite places are Praia de Pipa, Paraty, Iguazu Falls & Florianoplis.

Check out these Brazilian posts

Camboriu Rio’s beaches Fortaleza

Since 2004, the blocos have exploded and now there are now nearly 300 blocos with over 40 new ones appearing for the 2007 Carnaval. The first blocos started only a little over ten years ago. This is the heart of the “Street Carnival” which includes the greater likelihood of locals playing percussion instruments with their friends at their favorite hangout as well as the Bandstands and the many Parades of downtown’s Rio Branco Avenue. These events are inclusive and practice for the musicians begins months before the Carnaval and the parades do not end until Sunday of the following weekend.

Croatia is a must for travellers here are Travel tips fabulous countries

It was March 2005 before I finally made it to this fascinating country, the photo above is the coastal city of Split. I travelled by bus between the major cities to see more of the actual country. I had a terrific 2 bedroom apartment in a great location for only $50 per night, book through this link.

Next door is Bosnia so make sure you also visit the wonderful city of Mostar.

Split Dubrovnik Zagreb

In Zagreb I stayed at the excellent hotel Dubrovnik overlooking the Main Square you see above, it was a perfect location with good wifi. Marc van Bloemen owner of Karmen apartments in Dubrovnik was the perfect host, he a friendly Englishman who will point you in the right direction for restaurants, tours & places of interests, he also has a great knowledge of Dubrovniks history.

United Kingdom

So many places to see & so much history. I travel there most years making London my base, then visit cities & towns all over the country either by train or car. Apart from London some of my favourite places are Brighton, Bath, Glasgow & Bradford on Avon. The photo above is Gold Hill is a steep cobbled street in the town of Shaftesbury in the English county of Dorset.

London pubs Lands End Hyde Park

Travel tips. Great Britain has an excellent rail service, save up to 80% by booking your ticket before you arrive, just click here. London Underground’s Piccadilly Line provides the most cost-effective rail route between Heathrow Airport and the capital, so look for accommodation around Earl’s Court, Gloucester Rd or Knightsbridge. For more information click here.

France

Where do you start Paris or Monte Carlo, the choices are endless in this wonderful country. One of my favourite holidays was based in Breil Sur Roya a small village in the mountains near the Italian border just north of Menton. From here I was able to explore many medieval French & Italian villages as well as the fabulous French Riviera. The Roya river runs through town and is open to trout anglers from March to September. Part of the trout run is reserved for fly-fishing. Trout anglers share the river with white water rafters, another popular local sport.

Saorge St Tropez Versailles

Chateau de Versailles Paris is a fabulous destination which made my bucket list as soon as I saw the Woody Allen movie “Midnight in Paris”. When the Château was built, Versailles was a country village; today, however, it is a wealthy suburb of Paris, some 20 kilometres southwest of the French capital.

Italy

My favourite European Country by a long shot. The food, the wine, the crazy drivers who park anywhere, there is so much to see & do it’s hard to know where to start. Rome, Florence, Venice there are so many great cities, however if I had to pick two favourites they would be Sam Gimignano and the Cinque Terre.

Florence Lake Como Portofino

Travel tip, take a wonderful one hour walk from Santa Margherita. The homes are truly magnificent, prepare yourself for a great experience when you arrive at the beautiful waterfront village of Portofino. The buildings, the boats, the restaurants, it’s all there. Just make sure you have your credit card and a wallet full of Euros. For the budget minded like myself it makes more sense to stay at Santa Margherita and visit Portofino on foot or by ferry. The Lido Palace is on the beach if you want to go upmarket, my hotel was one block back and reasonable priced, with free car parking, The Mediterraneo.

Thanks for visiting my Travel tips fabulous countries photo blog.

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Pattaya Hilton

This is the view from Horizons the amazing rooftop bar. A great five star hotel located opposite the beach & above the Central Festival shopping mall. Just book through THIS LINK for an excellent room rate.

Soi Cowboy Nana Plaza Patpong

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Sospel village near Monte Carlo

August 17, 2015 by David Herd

North of Monte Carlo

Sospel village near Monte Carlo

Sospel village near Monte Carlo is a small town situated about 15km inland from the coastal resort of Menton & close to the French border with Italy. We were based in Breil Sur Roya just a short drive through the mountains.

Briel Sur Roya to Sospel & Monte Carlo

A short drive to the coast.

Medieval town

This small medieval town feels almost Italian in character, maybe because it was part of Italy until 1860.

Relaxing in the town square

Sospel became prosperous in the 13th century when an important salt trading route between Nice and Turin passed through the town and those using the route paid tolls to use the bridge across the Bévéra river.

Houses along the riverbanks

The streets of the old town contain numerous attractive medieval houses, many with decorative painted facades.

Toll Bridge

The tower in the centre of the fortified bridge was originally the toll gate for the mules using the trade route. A bridge has stood here since at least the 13th century, although it is likely the original version was built of wood. In 1522 the wooden bridge was replaced by a stone version, much as we see it today.

Viaduct beside the village

You can spend many days exploring the beautiful part of France.

Coffee with Deborah

Thanks for sharing my Sospel village near Monte Carlo photo blog, lots more links below.

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La Brigue ancient French village

August 16, 2015 by David Herd

La Brigue

La Brigue ancient French village

La Brigue ancient French village north of Menton was originally part of Italy, the village was annexed to France as part of the Treaty of Paris in 1947.

Donjon tower

The village is both pretty and interesting, with colourful buildings, ancient churches, arcades, vaulted passages, streets to explore, and the pleasure of a fast-flowing river that’s joined by a mountain stream in the centre. The stream is called “Rio Sec”, or dry river, but was full of spring water when we were there. Many of the buildings are of natural stone and many are nicely renovated with pastel facades and green doorways and steps. The 14th-c medieval Chateau des Lascaris perched above the village is in ruins, with only some walls and a tall, round donjon tower remaining. Partial reconstruction, however, has been started, and the castle is used for medieval festival weekends. Reconstruction will be followed by archaeological digs on the site.

Medieval stone structures

La Brigue is very attractive with steep rocky hills rising either side, also there are several important monuments.

ANCIENT STONE FOUNTAIN

This fountain is dated 1741.

The water tastes so pure & cold

This water is worth bottling.

Homes in La Brigue

Wonderful ancient stone buildings.

La Brigue French village

As you can imagine there are not too many hotels in La Brigue, Hotel Le Terminus is a good choice, excellent rates if you book through this link.

St Martin collegiate church

I rarely enter a church however in La Brique I made an exception.

St Martin collegiate church

A great shot of the local church.

Ancient buildings & narrow lanes

One of the fascinating cobblestone lanes.

La Brigue ancient French village

La Brique is a great example of a typical French mountain village.

La Brigue is on the Roya river

Perched on the banks of the Sur Roya.

Looks like it will last 1000 years

I’m guessing it has been there 1000 years already.

Deborah Holliday & Jodie ONiell

These lovely ladies from the Gold Coast were my travelling companions. We were based at Breil Sur Roya between Saorge & Airole.

David Herd at La Brigue

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Saorge beautiful French village

August 15, 2015 by David Herd

This village is spectacular

Saorge beautiful French village

Saorge beautiful French village was classed as one of the “40 most beautiful villages of France”. The main village streets traverse narrowly between the buildings at very different levels, with smaller streets and steps leading up and down between them. The view from anywhere in the village is spectacular, looking outward to snow-capped mountains in the middle distance (into May and June) and the deep gorge and rushing white-water river below.

Road to Saorge

The region belonged to the old County of Nice. From 1388 to 1860 Saorge was part of Sardinia-Piedmont when it was ceded to France. In June 1793 the armies of the First French Republic and Sardinia clashed here. In the Battle of Saorgio on 24–28 April 1794, the French wrested the town from the Piedmontese. The town was returned to Sardinia-Piedmont after the overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte.

Saorge beautiful French village

Saorge is 11 km north of Breil Sur Roya where we were based. There are so many interesting French & Italian villages in this particular area, you can spend weeks exploring these fabulous part of Europe.

Bath house or wash house?

Whichever one it is or was I can guarantee it is old, very old. 🙂

Saorge homes

The tall solid stone houses date from the 15th-17th centuries and line the narrow steep cobbled street that climb up through the village.

Narrow streets & Alleys

Exploring the village is straightforward as the village mostly follows one long street that climbs the hill through Saorge, with lots of smaller alleys climbing the hill to either side.

My travel buddies

Deborah Holliday and Jodie ONiell from the Gold Coast in Australia spent a couple of weeks with me exploring the French & Italian villages, French Riviera & the Cinque Terre. My best travel tip for this area is to base yourself in the central village of Breil Sur Roya, from here you can easily reach all the wonderful surrounding villages similar to Saorge.

Thanks for visiting my Saorge beautiful French village photo blog.

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Menton French Italian border

August 11, 2015 by David Herd

Menton shopping

Menton French Italian border

Menton French Italian border is certainly one of my favourite towns on the French Riviera, in fact I intend to make it my base the next time I visit this wonderful part of the world.

Side-walk restaurants & galleries

Menton is certainly overlooked by many tourists & travellers, to me it is much nicer than many of the more popular Riviera locations.

Art gallery

So many interesting shops & restaurants in Menton.

Beautiful restaurant setting

Of course one of the main pastimes in France is food and there are many good restaurants to choose from here.

While we are on the subject of food

Wonderful French Oysters, even though I now live in Thailand I often enjoy these succulent molluscs which are regularly imported fresh from France.

What a magnificent combination of colours in this seafood pasta

It tasted every bit as good as it looks. 🙂

Creme Brulee to finish

Now that’s what I call a perfect lunch.

So many restaurants & so little time

This is where I enjoyed the wonderful food you see above.

The restaurant was next door to Le Nautic

It’s very easy to get around Menton by car.

Bastion Museum

Jean Cocteau, painter and poet, became involved in the restoration and decoration of the Bastion, a small fort of the XVII century, in order to convert it into an exhibition place for his work.

One of the many beaches

One of the most popular coastlines in the world.

Comfortable on the rocks?

Probably not too comfortable, however I would be very happy lying beside her, I would gladly put up with the pain from the pebbles.

Neil Diamond Love On The Rocks Subtitulado

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High density living

On the left is the Basilique Saint Michel.

City view

A great view overlooking the harbour and beach.

Harbour view

Some of the thousands of boats on the French Riviera.

Crowded Marina

Sun, sand & boats, however many of the Riviera beaches have pebbles instead of sand.

Breakwater

It seems to be shaped like a large anchor.

The old cemetery

The previous photos have been taken from the Old Cemetery which is worth a visit. Great view of the old city and harbour.

Old Cemetery overlooking Menton

Some very ancient grave stones here.

The old border checkpoint Menton French Italian border

Italy is just round the corner from the French Riviera… In fact, if you are in Menton, you can just walk across the border! The Italian town of Ventimiglia is located at the terminus of the coastal railway line that runs between Nice and Monaco.

Menton is the perfect location

Menton is the perfect location to stay, 2 hours west to Saint Tropez, 3.5 hours east to the Cinque Terre and 45 minutes north to Breil Sur Roya one of my favourite villages.

Aussie girls

Here are my 2 travelling companions from the Gold Coast in Australia, Jodie ONeill & Deborah Holliday. Many thanks for visiting my Menton French Italian border photo blog.

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