Heather on her travels » Podcasts

13 Zante – my Greek island holiday – podcast

admin — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 21:17:14 +0000

Podcast 13 – In this podcast I’m taking you on holiday with me to the Greek island of Zakynthos or Zante as it’s popularly known. You’ll hear about how we explored the island, enjoying Greek mezze in Zante town, watched some traditional Greek dancing, visiting ancient monasteries, wine tasting with our friends at Oenolpi winery and a boat trip around Laganas bay that’s known as a protected nesting site of the Caretta Caretta turtles. As my sister lives on Zakynthos, where she runs the Windmill Studios and Windmill Bay Hotel with her Greek husband, we visit her every year and this year we were there in May, which is an ideal time to visit.

To download the Zante Greek holiday podcast, right click here [mp3] 45 mins

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Turtle boat trip from Porto Roma, Zante, Greece

Shownotes

You’ll hear the sounds of the birds chirping in the background as I describe the view from our room above Windmill Hotel owned by my sister and her husband, with the olive groves and fruit trees and view over the teracotta roofs and across the bay to Zante town.

In Zante town I describe our lunch of typical Greek mezze, in a restaurant by the harbourside. We tried miniature sardines in batter, creamy tsatziki with herbs and spring onions, giant broad beans in fresh tomato sauce, courgettes baked in the oven with oil, stuffed vine leaf dolmades with rice and mint stuffing . After a walk to the end of the harbour to watch the boats coming and going we sat in a trendy cafe, sitting on rattan sofas for our frappé chilled coffee.

You’ll hear the evening of Greek dancing at my sister’s Windmill Hotel, where the traditional Greek dancers do their floor show and then get all the audience dancing around the swimming pool and my nephews and the barman did a show of their own.

Monastery near Volimes, Zante, Greece

Mezze lunch in Zante town

I walked around the vegetable garden that my sister’s Greek mother-in-law maintains with fruit trees, especially oranges and lemons, a poly tunnel with tomatoes, as well as courgettes, onions, beans and garlic as well as keeping chickens and rabbits for eating and eggs. She makes delicious traditional dishes from the produce such as these Greek stuffed tomatoes.

We visited Oenolpi winery to meet up with Christina-Maria and Timothy who we met last year and made a video of our wine tasting – Christina tells us why, although she grew up in Athens, she finds she’s even busier running a business on Zante, but why she feels she has a better quality of life surrounded by nature in the vineyards.

With Christina-Maria and Timothy at Oenolpi winery, Zante

With Yannis from Nature World Tours, Zante

We spent a day on a catmaran trip faround Laganas bay, from Porto Roma booked with Nature World Travel who organise turtle-friendly trips to see the marine park in Laganas Bay. I talk to Yannis Vardakastanis about his work to conserve the turtles and other wildlife in Laganas bay and to Cohil, who works at the Earth Sea, Sky centre that Yannis runs at Gerakas, who tells us about the survey trips that he and the other the volunteers do every day to check on the turtle nests, and monitor their numbers which are sadly in decline.

We drove to the rocky northern end of the island to see the old monastery of St Denis, the patron saint of the island and drove on to the outlook over the much photographed Navagio bay or Smuggler’s cove which features on many a postcard before finishing with a late lunch in a local taverna at Alykes

I hope you enjoy the slide show below that is designed to accompany the podcast

Things that you might enjoy on Zante or Zakynthos

Stay at one of my sister’s hotels at Windmill Studios or Windmill Bay Hotel – don’t miss the BBQ and Greek night that’s held once a week, open to non-residents too.

Learn what to look for in a traditional Greek taverna

Take coffee and glika (sweet cakes) in the backstreets of Zante town, or on the main square.

Visit a beautifully furnished 18th century Greek mansion at Romas Mansion in Zante town

Admire the fishing boats, yachts of all sizes and cargo ships in Zante harbour and walk right along to the end of the sea wall

Visit the Venetian fort or castle overlooking Zante town

See the sun set with a drink on the terrace at Bohali by the Venetian fort, with a view over Zante town

Visit the winery and do some wine tasting at Oenolpi winery at Machairado

See pottery being made and hand painted at the Sigouros workshop at Machairado or browse in the shop in Zante town

Take a boat trip around Laganas bay with Nature World Travel and spot some turtles if you’re lucky

Visit the Earth, Sea, Sky wildlife conservation centre at Gerakas beach, have lunch in the taverna next door and relax for the afternoon on the unspoilt Gerakas beach

Spend a few hours at the waterpark at Sarakinado – great for older children and teenagers

Sun yourself on one of the many beautiful beaches on Zakynthos

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

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12 Oberammergau Passion Play and Altötting in Bavaria – Podcast

admin — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 01:33:01 +0000

In Podcast 12 I talk about visiting the Oberammergau Passion Play in Bavaria, Germany and also visiting the pilgrimage town of Altötting that’s known for the shrine of the Black Madonna where many miracles are believed to have taken place. You’ll hear about our walk around Altötting with many stories and anecdotes about the religious sites there and our afternoon cycling to the swimming lake or badesee. I’ll tell you about the painted houses of Oberammergau and wood carvings, with useful information for attending the Passion Play and my impressions of the play performance with background music from the Passion Play.

To download the Oberammergau Passion Play podcast, right click here [mp3] 28 mins

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Jesus enters Jerusalem Oberammergau Passion Play

We started our short visit to Bavaria in the town of Altötting, where we had a tour of the town with a local guide who really brought the place to life with his many stories and anecdotes.
Altötting is best known as a pilgrimage town for the Shrine of the Black Madonna situated in the Chapel of Mercy on the main town square. The dark interior of the shrine and small dark statue of the Madonna and child are richly embellished with silver ornaments and the caskets containing the hearts of the Kings of Bavaria, as well as solid silver statues in front of the altar which have a story behind them.
On our tour around Altötting we visited the church of Phillip and Jacob with the famous Tod von Eding clock with a statue of the grim reaper and the church of the patron saint of the town, St Conrad, and the water fountain outside his church where the water is thought to be holy as it flows over a relic of the saint’s finger bone.
We heard about the visit of Pope John Paul II in 1980 and how he came to plant the linden tree outside the church.
We also hired bikes at the local bike shop in Altötting and cycled along the path beside the River Inn as far as the badesee or swimming lake near Passau.

Pilate condemns Jesus Oberammergau Passion Play

The passion play at Oberammergau dates back to 1632 when plague was sweeping through Germany and the villagers made a vow that if they were spared, they would perform a passion play every 10 years.
The play is a community effort and to participate, all the actors and musicians must be either born in the village or have lived for 20 years in the village.
We found that everything was very well organised in the village for visitors and you buy a package of play ticket, meals and accommodation, with free shuttle buses to take you around the area.
We found that the town of Oberammergau itself is an attractive place to visit, and even in the years when the play is not being held is well worth a visit, with painted houses and is also known for it’s wood carving.

Way of the Cross Oberammergau Passion Play

The play is performed in a large theatre which seats 4500 people and is open at one end with a view of the hills behind and although the audience are under cover, the cast and stage are open to the elements.
I was impressed by the crowd scenes with around 200 cast members on stage at a time, including young children and animals, making a striking scene.
The play starts with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on a donkey and continues with scenes from his life which were broken up by orchestral and choral music and with ‘living tableaux’ scenes from the old testament.
The first half of the play lasts for 2.5 hours starting at 2.30pm in the afternoon with a break of 3 hours for dinner before the start of the second half.
The second half was more dramatic than the first with the trial of Jesus and his walk with the cross, culminating with the crucifixion scene. The darkness falling also added to the atmosphere and again the crowd scenes especially during the trial of Jesus really made you a sense of what it would have been like to be there.
The play ends with the scene of Mary Magdalene in the garden discovering the cloth that Jesus’ body was wrapped in and Jesus comes forward and shows himself with the candles and torches really adding to the atmosphere.
If you want to see the passion play, this year’s season will end in October 2010 and the next performance will be in 2020, as the play is only held every 10 years, so your best opportunity would be to check with specialist tour operators, whether they have any spaces left on organised tours.

Oberammergau Passion Play Theatre

Visitor Resources for Altötting

While in Altötting we stayed in Hotel Zur Post, a pleasant and traditional family run hotel right on the main square.
Visit the Altötting official tourism website
Visit the Jerusalem Panorama in Altötting website
Information on the walking and cycling tours around Altötting

Visitor Resources for Oberammergau

Visit the Official Oberammergau Passion Play Passionsspiele website
Visit the Oberammergau official tourism website
We took our tour to Oberammergau with Pax Travel who organise holidays to many other pilgrimage destinations.

Photo Credits: Passionplay photos are copyright of the Oberammergau Passionplay website and photo of theatre interior by Heather Cowper

11 South America Backpacking with Indie Travel Podcast – podcast

admin — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 04:20:08 +0000

In Podcast 11 I talk to Craig and Linda from Indie Travel Podcast about their 4 months travelling with friends in South America, visiting Chile, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina and Uruguay. They pick out the highlights of their trip, and give some advice on travelling by bus, how to avoid scams and pickpockets and how they enjoyed staying with locals on this trip.

Craig and Linda on the Salt Flat Tour

To download the South America backpacking podcast, right click here [mp3] 45 mins

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Chile

Craig and Linda flew into Santiago because of the cheap flights from Auckland in New Zealand. The city is surrounded by mountains and can be bathed in smog although Craig & Linda enjoyed their time there with museums and great street food.
Patagonia in southern Chile has amazing scenery although Craig & Linda didn’t visit, as it is one of the most expensive regions to visit in South America and they didn’t have enough time.
The island of Chiloé is a great place to relax and slow down, with a Pacific Island feel with food being cooked in underground ovens, and a place you can spot seals and dolphins.
In northern Chile, the area around San Pedro de Atacama is beautiful although the town itself is a tourist trap. You can use San Pedro de Atacama as a base for trips into the surrounding area but as an alternative you can approach from the north from Uyunay in Bolivia. This region is known for its natural beauty with mountains and salt flats.
Craig and Linda enjoyed an astronomy tour with a Frenchman who has set up telescopes in his house to view the very clear night skies in this area that has very little light pollution.
Linda and a friend spent a weekend in Valparaiso in Chile with plenty of street art, funiculars and brightly coloured houses where the local government had commissioned open air murals around the town. They also visited Viña del Mar, the coastal resort of the region.
Unfortunately, Chile is one of the most expensive countries in South America for food and accommodation, along with Uruguay and Argentina.

Salt flats in Bolivia

Peru

Craig and Linda travelled by overnight bus from Santiago to Antofagasta and up to Lima and spent 7 weeks in Peru, 3 of which were in Cusco where they attended a local language school to learn Spanish.
Cusco is not representative of Peru as a whole as it is very touristy, being the main jumping off point for trips to Machu Picchu. We discuss the pros and cons of visiting Machu Pichu which is a major site but also expensive and crowded by comparison to other sites that receive far less visitors.
From Cusco they enjoyed a trek through the Sacred Valley, visiting local villages that were well off the tourist trail.
Craig and Linda didn’t visit Machu Picchu preferring to spend time at some other lesser known pre-Incan sites near Trujillo such as Huaca del Sol and Huaca de la Luna.
They especially enjoyed their time in the northern cities of Trujillo, Chachapoyas and Chiclayo and wish that they’d spent more time there than in Cusco.

Salt hotel in Bolivia

Bolivia

From Peru Craig and Linda travelled to the shores of Lake Titicaca, stayed at Cococabana and did some walking on Isla de Sol, a large island in the lake.
They visited the Uros floating islands made from reeds that were constructed as a refuge for the local people but have now become a major draw for tourists and brought more prosperity for the locals.
They had mixed feelings about La Paz which Linda loved as they stayed with locals and she enjoyed the street-food. Craig found the city dirty and felt unsafe as they were targeted with 3 pick-pocket attempts while they were there.
From Uyuni in Bolivia Craig and Linda visited the salt flats for a 3 day 4 wheel drive tour staying in a salt hotel and ending at San Pedro de Atacama. They loved the amazing play with perspective, coral islands covered with cactus and the heat haze with the mountains in the distance.

Uros floating islands in Peru

Argentina and Uruguay

Craig and Linda visited the Iguazu falls from both the Argentinian side which they found more developed but also more crowded and from the Brazilian side which had less visitors. The car to take them to the falls was arranged through their hostel and was only a little more expensive and more convenient than taking public transport.
From Puerto Iguazu they took the bus to Montevideo in Uruguay where they stayed with a friend who took them to his grandmother’s Lake House. This was close to the popular beach and surfing resort of Punte del Este which was reputed to have the best surfing on Uruguay’s east coast.
They also enjoyed Montevideo which was a relaxing place with plenty of culture and galleries, a contrast to the buzzing atmosphere of Buenos Aries. They also spent some time in in the town of Colonia in Uruguay.
In Argentina Craig and Linda did some wine tasting in the Mendoza and la Plata regions but found it difficult to take part in the wine tasting unless you were part of a tour as the wineries would only open their cheapest wines to try.

Igauzu Falls, Brazil

Tips for travelling by bus in South America

As they were travelling on a budget, Craig & Linda used long distance buses to get around, normally travelling overnight, despite the fact that Linda finds it difficult to sleep on buses.
The standard of the buses were best in Chile and Argentina and in Peru there was also a wide range of standards with some very high quality buses.
At best these buses can be similar in style to air travel with comfortable, reclining seats, airline style meals and drinks and even sometimes on board wifi.
Depending on the bus, you can book semi-cama seats that recline 45-60 degrees, Cama with 160 degree reclining, and even full cama that lie flat.
Craig and Linda suggest that you research your options and book with an bus operator that has a good reputation, even if it costs a little more.
Always keep your valuables with you on the bus and keep hold of any day-packs , especially when sleeping.
You may like a seat at the front of the bus that has more leg-room and you should also check the position of the toilet before selecting a seat to avoid unwelcome smells.

Couchurfingand meeting locals

On this trip Craig and Linda enjoyed staying with locals through Couchsurfing.org – even though their options were more limited as they were travelling in a group.
They combined this with staying in hostels which also gave them a break from speaking Spanish and an opportunity to catch up on the work for their Indie Travel Podcast site, as they also earn a living through the website.

Other Indie Travel Podcasts on South America

147 How to catch a bus in Chile and Peru
154 South American travel: Peru and Bolivia
155 – South American Travel: Chile, Argenina and Uruguay

Photo Credits: All photos by Craig and Linda and can be seen on their Mars-Hill Flickr site

10 Tiny campsites and eco-travel – interview with Dixe Wills – podcast

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:10:53 +0000

In my podcast interview with Dixe Wills, author of the Tiny Campsites guide, we discuss the benefits of slow travel and the things that make the campsites in this guide so special. You can read my review of the Tiny Campsite guide and hear Dixe’s tips and resources for those who want to travel in an environmentally friendly way. Like the Tiny Campsites Guide, this interview is guaranteed to leave you wanting to pack your tent and get out to enjoy these quirky and characterful campsites, handpicked by Dixe and all under one acre in size.

To download the Tiny Campsites and eco-travel podcast, right click here [mp3] 43 mins

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Piel Island from Tiny Campsite

I met Dixe when we were both camping at Trericket Mill and Dixe was cycling around Wales to research his Tiny Campsites guide. We discuss how he got into travel writing when he was wondering how to pay the mortgage and on the spur of the moment wrote to the Guardian Newspaper travel editor to pitch an article on Wild Camping. However Dixe suggests that aspiring travel writers should take a reality check, as most freelancers barely make a living from travel writing and he claims to live on the LILO principle – Low Income,Low Outgoings.

We discuss how Dixe decided not to travel by plane any more after he had lived in Guatemala and after many transatlantic flights decided that the impact on the environment was too great – now he travels by train, public transport, on foot or by bike. Dixe finds that travelling slowly enhances his experience of travel as he spots different places from the train he might like to visit in the future and when walking or cycling appreciates the small details around him as well as connecting with local people and culture. He quotes the Arab saying that your soul only travels at the speed of a camel, which is why travelling too fast leaves you disorientated and gives you jet lag.

Resources

Dixe recommends the following resources to plan his travel by train and other public transport;

Seat61.com – a website to help you plan train travel worldwide, named after the founder’s favourite seat on the Eurostar train. The site offers advice and information on planning different routes, train operators and the cheapest way to book your ticket.
Transportdirect.info – for planning travel by public transport in the UK giving door to door information on what transport to use to get to your destination.
Tourism websites – Dixe recommends using local or regional tourism websites for the destinations you want to visit as they often give useful information on how to get there.

Middle Ninfa from Tiny Campsite

Favourite places

We discuss favourite places that Dixe has visited that are off the beaten track but can be reached by public transport and he recommends;

Herefordshire and Shropshire in England which have beautiful countryside for walking such as the Long Mynd Hills but unknown as tourist destinations – mainly because they have very few motorways running through them.
The Cévennes in France is a large area of National Park with a small population as well as beautiful old stone villages – it was visited by Robert Louis Stevenson who wrote a book called Travels with a Donkey through the Cévennes. Dixe travelled to the Cévennes by taking the Eurostar from London to Paris and then the train on to the Cévennes region.
West Sweden – Dixe will soon be visiting the lake district of West Sweden called Dalsland , which he plans to reach via Denmark on a combination of ferries and sleeper trains.

Dixe told me how he came to write the Tiny Campsites book when was cycling across Devon looking for a campsite to stay the night and could only find a large commercial site, but luckily spotted a small camping sign that led him to a small campsite on a farm. He looked for a guide to help him find other similar tiny campsites and realised that, as there wasn’t anything available, he would have to write his own. Over the years he had visited or had recommendations for many delightful tiny campsites and in order to research the book he cycled all over the UK to visit all 75 campsites in the book and more to select the best ones to include.

Park Farm from Tiny Campsite

Park Farmfrom Tiny Campsite

Although there are a wide range of Tiny campsites from farms to back gardens to pubs and museum gardens, the thing that unifies them all is the charm, character and beautiful locations or just an indefinable something that makes you want to go and camp there, as Dixe put it ”a little bit of heaven”. Although I am slightly put off camping by the changeable British weather, Dixe has found that crazy weather can be found anywhere and he recommends June and September as beautiful times to camp, with more settled weather than the July and August.

We discuss the trend towards more unusual or luxurious camping experiences from yurts, to campsites like Broad Meadow House in Cornwall where in addition to the normal camping area, there are a couple of permanent tents with beds and B & B facilities where a delicious breakfast can be delivered to your tent in the morning.

I asked Dixe for some favourite campsites from the book and his suggestions were;

Great for families – Park Farm in Kildale, with fantastic views and walking and a camping barn on the same site where you can dry off if the weather is unkind.
Fantastic Views – Middle Ninfa Farm with only 4 pitches, two of them beside a croquet lawn and amazing views over the Usk valley
Coastal adventure – Piel Island in Cumbria – which can be reached by ferry or by walking at low tide with a ruined castle to explore and a pub where the landlord is known as the ‘King of Piel Island’

You can find more information about the Tiny Campsites guide at www.tinycampsites.co.uk and the book is widely available priced at £10.95 in your local bookshop or from the internet book sellers.

By the way, I featured Dixe and the Tiny Campsite guide because I love his travel philosophy and writing and not because of any financial inducement although I was previously given a copy of the guide to give away in my review.

Podcast 09 – Voluntary work in Ghana, West Africa

admin — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:38:44 +0000

Podcast 09 – In this podcast I talk to my friend Wendy about her recent visit to Ghana to work with the Atiamah Charitable trust. The charity is based in Bristol, England where Wendy lives and was started by a Bristol student doing voluntary work when she came across Atiamah, a 4 year old aids orphan whose parents had died. On her return to England she was determined to do something to help the people of this community in Ghana and started the charity named after this little girl.

To download the Ghana volunteer travel podcast, right click here [mp3]29 mins

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Wendy has her hair braided in Wiaga, Ghana

The Atiamah Charitable Trust started working with aids sufferers in North West Ghana but now supports a number of community projects for agriculture, health and education. Wendy first visited the village of Wiaga in 2008 with her teenage son and on this second visit was going to see how some of the projects were developing and to buy livestock and equipment for the agricultural project.

Boys on donkeys in Wiaga, Ghana

Schoolchildren in Wiaga, Ghana

On this trip, Wendy travelled with another volunteer, flying into Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso which was closer to the area of northern Ghana than flying into the capital of Ghanan, Accra, and travelled by road to Wiaga where she stayed for a couple of weeks.

Boy with goat in Wiaga, Ghana

Village houses in Wiaga, Ghana

I hope you enjoy the slideshow below which is designed to accompany the podcast

Shownotes

In the podcast we talk about;

The moving story of how the charity was founded and named after a 4 year old Aids orphan, Atiamah.
Wendy’s journey from Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso and her first impressions of Ghana and the people she met there.
The different projects that the Atiamah Charitable Trust was supporting such a providing donkeys, goats and carts for poorer families within the community, books and resources for a library, sports equipment for local schools.
The work Wendy was able to do as a medical doctor, setting up simple disease prevention projects such as the diagnosis and treatment of high blood pressure.
The work being done with womens’ groups who are responsible for childcare, education and agricultural work and future projects such as soap making with shea nut oil.
Why Wendy wanted to get involved in this project as a doctor, to practice some of her basic medical training and how she felt she could personally make a difference.
The rewards from a personal perspective of doing voluntary work and getting involved in small overseas charities like the Atiamah Charitable Trust
For more information about the Atiamah trust, visit their website at www.atiamah.com
Music on the podcast was Venus as a Girl by Andy McGee on Musicalley.com
You can find another interesting podcast interview about volunteer work and travelling in Ghana on The Amateur Traveler from Lillie Marshall of AroundtheworldL.com
All photos are by Wendy Harding and can be viewed on my Flickr site here

This article is originally published at Heatheronhertravels.com – Read more travel articles at Travel Blog Home

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08 Valencia in the Springtime – podcast

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 12:00:07 +0000

Podcast Episode 8 takes us to the coastal city of Valencia, Spain that I visited with my family in April 2008. Hear me talking to my local Valencian friend, Angel, about the best things to enjoy as a visitor to Valencia. You can hear the dancing and folk music of Valencia, about the pyrotechnical Fallas festival that takes place in March, and about the other places to go such as the beach, Turia Gardens and Mercado Central.

To download the Valencia in the Spring, right click here 15 mins [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Dancers in the Plaza de la Virgin

I contacted Angel through the travel networking website, Hospitality club, and he spent the day with my family, cycling with us through the Turia Gardens and to the beach where we relaxed for a while before returning the same way.

Our Hospitality Club friend from Valencia, Angel

I hope you also enjoy the slideshow below with my photos from Valencia, that you can watch while listening to the podcast.

Shownotes for Valencia in the Spring

In the podcast we covered the following;

Meeting other travellers through the travel networking website Hospitality Club, either for accommodation, to meet for a drink or a meal or just for tips on things to see.
The Fallas Festival that takes place in March, when different neighbourhoods of the city club together to create wooden and paper sculptures, set off fireworks and bangers, eat Paella, parade through the streets and then set alight the sculpture at the end. The best sculptures from each year’s festival are preserved in the Fallas museum that you can visit at any time of year.
The Mercado Central in the centre of Valencia where you can look at all the different food stalls and buy a picnic – don’t miss the fish section at the back and you can also try some tapas at the small bar in the Mercado.
The Turia River Park where we spent the day cycling with Angel. The park was created from the bed of the river that used to run through the city but was diverted in the 50s due to flooding. You can hire bikes from several different bike shops in the centre and then ride along as far as the port and the beach.
Going to the city beach which is a favourite place for Valencians to go at the weekend and is the best place to eat seafood or Paella in the restaurants along the boardwalk - you can cycle as we did or take the tram from the centre.
Walking around the centre at night, especially the area around the Cathedral and the Plaza de la Virgin that is close behind it – you’ll also find plenty of nightlife in the Bario Carmen
Visiting the modern leisure complex of the Cuidad de las Artes Y Las Ciencias or City of Arts and Sciences, where you’ll find museums, cinemas and concert halls as well as the Aquarium or Oceanographic where our kids enjoyed the Dolphin show when we were there.
Best time to visit is spring and early summer or autumn – you’ll probably find it too hot in July and August when all the Valencians head for the coast and the beach.

Other Valencia Podcasts

Listen to my podcast interview about our trip to Valencia at the Amateur Traveler Podcast

www.flickr.com

heatheronhertravels’ Valencia – cycling in the Turia Gardens photoset

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07 Interview with Lara Dunston and Grantourismo – Podcast

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:51:14 +0000

In Episode 7 in my podcast series. you”ll find an interview with travel writer and blogger, Lara Dunston who’s embarking on a year long project together with her husband, photographer Terry Carter, which they’re calling Grantourismo. They’ll be travelling the world, staying in different apartments around the world sponsored by Home-Away holiday rentals in the UK and you’ll also hear from Sarah Chambers of Home Away on why the company decided to take this approach to promoting their holiday properties.

To download the interview with Lara Dunston podcast, right click here 31 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Shownotes

In the podcast we talked about;

How Lara first got started in travel writing, working in public relations, film-making and media studies which developed into travel writing, first on a part time and later on a full time basis.
The realities of being a travel writer - from the fun bits such as eating out in great restaurants, as well as the more mundane bits such as updating guidebook information.
How Lara and Terry work together as a husband and wife as well as a working partnership.
How Lara and Terry deal with the practicalities of moving all their belongings, laptops and camera equipment around the world and how they persuade airlines to waive their excess baggage charges.
The advice Lara has for those who’d like to adopt their lifestyle as a travel writer or location independent worker.
How Lara and Terry came up with the idea of taking a contemporary Grand Tour for a year, getting into the culture of each place and travelling more slowly and with an authentic flavour.
What HomeAway Holiday-Rentals can offer travellers looking for holiday apartments, and how they wanted to promote the benefits of extra space and privacy and staying in local neighbourhoods.
How Home Away wanted to tap into consumers looking for travel information online and to provide them with something that would inspire them to a different way of travelling.
The Grantoutismo itinerary that includes Marrakesh, Spain, Paris, Montenegro, Puglia, Sardinia, Venice, Asia, Indonesia, New York, Austin Texas, Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, South America, Kenya and back to Europe in January 2011.
The trends that Lara sees in travel writing and blogging, with the recession hitting traditional media, leading to travel writers exploring new ways of working on line.
Sarah Chamber’s view that more travel companies are promoting themselves through inspirational content on-line and will be experimenting with approaches like the Grantourismo project.
You can follow Lara and Terry’s progress at Grantourismo and on Twitter @gran_tourismo
You can find holiday apartments like those Lara and Terry are staying in at HomeAway Holiday-Rentals
To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Other Podcasts to enjoy

06 Weekend in London at the Mandarin Oriental
05 An Autumn weekend in Lisbon
04 Visiting the Munich Christmas Markets
03 Ecuador and the Amazon Rainforest
02 My Istria Travel Diary

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heatheronhertravels’ London – around London photoset

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06 Weekend in London at the Mandarin Oriental – Podcast

admin — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 19:21:57 +0000

In Podcast Episode 6 I’m in London for a winter weekend meeting up with friends and staying at the fabulous Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park Hotel in Knightsbridge. As I travelled with my teenage daughter you’ll hear some recommendations from friends who live in London on the things that children will enjoy, as well as suggestions from the Concierge at the Mandarin Oriental on London attractions that his guests enjoy close to the hotel.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Hyde Park in London

I’ll be telling you about our Asian style dinner at the Park restaurant, the luxurious suite in which we stayed overlooking the park and our experiences shopping with teenagers in London. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe to my podcast series on I-tunes to be updated with new podcasts. If you are a subscriber to the blog you’ll already receive podcast updates as well as all my other articles.

To download the Weekend in London at the Mandarin Oriental podcast, right click here 35 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Dinner in the Park Restaurant

Orangery at Kensington Palace

Show Notes

In the podcast today you’ll hear;

Recommendations from Daisy (aged 10) and Lola (aged who live in London on things that children will enjoy. They love the Tate Modern gallery , The Sea-life Aquarium on the South Bank , The Science Museum in South Kensington, Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, the Princess Diana Memorial Playground in Hyde Park and seeing shows like Sister Act, War Horse, Hairspray, Billy Elliott and Mary Poppins.
About our Prince of Wales suite in the Mandarin Oriental which was extremely luxurious in classical English style, overlooking Hyde Park.
Shopping for teenagers in the huge fashion store, Top Shop, at Oxford Circus.
Admiring the hampers at the food emporium Fortnum and Masons, with a hamper for every occasion from a gift of English produce to Graduation hampers to tuck boxes to send to your children at boarding school.
Eating in the Park Restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, where they serve top class Asian food and I ate Crab Cakes and Thai Green Curry and finished with African Amber tea.
A chat with Senior Concierge, Mike Selcuk at the Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park Hotel, about the things that he recommends for his international guests from the Middle East, US and the UK. He suggests the following activities;
In Hyde Park behind the hotel you can find many activities for families, such as boating on the Serpentine lake, horseriding, feeding the ducks and the Princess Diana Memorial Playground and the Memorial Fountain.
Across the park you’ll find Kensington Palace where some of Princess Diana’s dresses are on display and you can take tea in the Orangery.
For shopping there’s Harrods and Harvey Nichols and further on are the three museums of South Kensington, as well as the Royal Albert Hall where you can have a tour or attend a concert.
In the other direction is Buckingham Palace which is open in the summer when the Queen is on holiday, and where the Changing of the Guards takes place daily in summer.
Families may enjoy the London Eye, the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London and Madame Tussauds and taking the hop on hop off bus around the sights of London.
There is a Duck Tour which is a combination of bus and boat that goes on the river that you can take by the river near Waterloo Station and the Cabinet War rooms used by Winston Churchill in the war.
Miko also often makes reservations for his quests to see popular shows like Oliver, Lion King, Mama Mia, Billy Elliot and the new show Legally Blonde as well as getting reservations to the top London restaurants.
The music on the podcast today was Venus as a girl by Andy McKee and Travelogue by George Wood on MusicAlley.com
I received a complimentary stay at the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park Hotel, in order to write an article for Kiwi Collection.com - read my review of the Mandarin Oriental, Hyde Park, London here.

Listen to other recent Podcasts

05 An Autumn weekend in Lisbon
04 Visiting the Munich Christmas Markets
03 Ecuador and the Amazon Rainforest
02 My Istria Travel Diary
01 Family Travel with Hospitality Club

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heatheronhertravels’ London – hotels photoset

05 An autumn weekend in Lisbon – Podcast Episode 5

admin — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:47:21 +0000

In Podcast Episode 5 I’m taking you to Lisbon where I took a weekend break in November with my husband. In the podcast you’ll hear about the gorgeous boutique hotel where we stayed, our sightseeing at the Monastery of Jerónimos and Castelo de Sao Jorge, the delicious local specialities we tried, the mournful Fado music we heard and our chat with Sergio, a local designer who gave us an insider’s view of Lisbon. If you enjoy the podcast, please subscribe to my podcast series on I-tunes to be updated with new podcasts (if you are a subscriber to the blog you’ll also receive podcast updates as well as all my other articles)

To download the Weekend in Lisbon podcast, right click here 39 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Meeting Marco and Sergio in Lisbon through Hospitality Club

I hope you also enjoy the slideshow which is designed to accompany the Podcast;

Shownotes

In the podcast you’ll hear about the weekend we spent in Lisbon in late November 2009 including;

How we easily and cheaply got from the airport into the city centre using the aerobus service
A description of the welcoming boutique hotel Heritage Av. Liberdade, where we stayed for 2 nights
The dinner we ate at Casa do Alentejo a restaurant set in a Moorish Mansion that serves as a Cultural Centre for the Alentejo Region of Portugal
Our breakfast at the hotel of local specialities like Pasteis de Nata, air-dried ham and local cheese with a slice of quince preserve, with exotic teas served from an old apothecary’s counter
Why you should wear your most comfortable shoes when visiting Lisbon and the Elevadors that will help save your aching legs
Our visit to the Monastery of Jeronimus and the nearby Monument to the Discoveries commemorating those who sailed from Lisbon to the Indies and Africa
The delicious custard tarts called Pasteis de Belem that you can buy at the famous cake shop near the Monastery
The Catelo de Sao Jorge perched on the top of the hill with a view over the roofs of Lisbon and the River Tegus, although as it was raining we couldn’t see as much of the view as we would have liked!
Meeting local designer Sergio and his partner Marco for tea in their appartment near the castle and their recommendations on what to see in and around Lisbon.
Our evening out in the Fado restaurant where we enjoyed the music but found the meal a little disappointing and had to have a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream on the way home to make up for it.
Our Sunday morning visit to the church of Sao Domingo where the walls are still blackened from a fire in the 1950s in contrast to some of the other highly decorated churches you find in Lisbon
You can subscribe to all my podcasts on I-tunes
The signature music was Venus as a Girl by Andy McKee on MusicAlley.com
All other music was recorded in Lisbon

Other recent Podcasts

04 Visiting the Munich Christmas Markets
03 Ecuador and the Amazon Rainforest
02 My Istria Travel Diary
01 Family Travel with Hospitality Club

Lisbon Resources

Visit Lisboa – Official Tourism Website
Go Lisbon Blog – I found lots of useful articles on things to do in Lisbon
On this trip we stayed at the gorgeous luxury boutique Hotel Heritage Av. Liberdade, which was ideally located for sightseeing
On this trip I used the Dorling Kindersley Eyewitness Top 10 travel guide to Lisbon which is a pocket sized guide that’s ideal for sightseeing if you’re there for a short time – read my review here
Podcast – Hostelworld Podcast – Only in Lisbon
Podcast – Guardian Unlimited Podcast – Lisbon

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heatheronhertravels’ Lisbon photoset

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04 Visiting the Munich Christmas Markets – Podcast Episode 4

admin — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 17:31:26 +0000

In my latest Podcast I’m taking you to the Christmas Markets in Munich getting into the festive spirit, with snow on the ground, German carol singers and the smell of gingerbread in the air. You’ll hear about my visit to the Residenz Palace, the market we found in it’s courtyards, the ethnic, alternative Tollwood Winter Festival and all the Bavarian food and drinking specialities we tried while we were there.

To download the Munich Christmas Markets podcast, right click here 18 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

The Christmas Market in the Residenz Courtyard in Munich

This was a weekend visit that I took with my parents and our visit was ideal to get us into the Christmas spirit, but all too short to really explore the city of Munich. I’d love to return in the summer when the air won’t be so chilly and I could see something of the parks and lakes near Munich and the alpine scenery of Bavaria. I hope you enjoy the slideshow of photos from the trip which is designed to accompany the podcast.

Shownotes

In the podcast you’ll hear about our weekend visit to Munich in December 2009 for the Christmas Markets;

How we easily got from the airport into the centre of Munich using public transport
The famous glockenspiel on the facade of the Neues Rathaus in Marienplatz which chimes every day at 11am and noon
Our visit to the Residenz Palace and the Treasury in the heart of Munich, home of the Kings and Electors of Bavaria
Trying the famous Kafee und Kuchen at a Conditorei near the Residenz
Eating the Bavarian speciality of spit roast pork knuckle and dumplings at the Haxnbauer restaurant
Christmas shopping at the Tollwood Winter Festival where we tried some ethnic food for lunch
Drinking a mulled wine with a difference called Feuerzangenbowle with a kick of rum and amareto
The Christmas market in the courtyard of the Residenz, with Christmas music, food and drink, gifts and a talking reindeer for the children
The view from the church tower of St Peter’s overlooking Marienplatz in the biting cold.
Our hotel was Hotel Falkenturm which is a modest, pension style hotel and was very well located in the old town centre for sightseeing.
The introduction music was Venus as a Girl by Andy McKee on MusicAlley.com
All other music was recorded in Munich at the Christmas Markets
If you enjoy my podcasts click here to subscribe on I-tunes and access past and future podcast episodes

Other Podcasts to enjoy

Ecuador and the Amazon Rainforest – Podcast Episode 3
My Istria Travel Diary – Podcast Episode 2
Family Travel with Hospitality Club – Podcast Episode 1

Munich Resources

We stayed in Munich at Hotel Falkenturm, a comfortable, 2 star hotel which is well-located for sightseeing
The guidebook I used on this trip was the pocket sized Dorling Kindersley, Eyewitness Top 10 guide to Munich, which I found ideal for sightseeing if you are there for a short time.
Official Munich Tourism Website

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heatheronhertravels’ Munich – around town photoset

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03 Ecuador and the Amazon Rainforest – Podcast Episode 3

admin — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 23:15:09 +0000

In this podcast interview about the rainforests of Ecuador you’ll hear how to enjoy how to enjoy your rainforest experience, as well as the many other diverse areas of of the country, the Avenue of the Volcanoes, the Indian markets, and the beaches of Manabi province where you can see migrating whales.

To download Ecuador and the rainforest podcast, right click here 30 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Heather Cowper and Luis Hernandez at the World Travel Market

While I was at the World Travel Market recently, I met up with my friend from Ecuador, Luis Hernandez who was part of the Ecuador country stand, promoting his travel business and Cuyabeno Lodge. When I visited Ecuador with two friends two years ago, we spent an amazing week travelling by canoe down the Rio Bobonaza and stopping at the Rainforest Community at Sarayaku for a few days, all of which was organised by Luis and he also accompanied us.

Luis Hernandez with Sr Guarlingez at Sarayaku

Rainforest Community at Sarayaku in Ecuador

Luckily Luis had made the journey before, so he knew the local communities and also had military connections which smoothed our journey through the lower river military zone near Peru considerably. Luis had also been elected as a member of the Ecuadorian Congress, just before our trip and so he was the man the rainforest communities wanted to meet, to put across their point of view and speak in the schools to their students.

I thought Luis with both his military jungle experience and knowledge as a tour operator and guide would be a great person to talk to about the best of Ecuador. I hope you enjoy the interview.

Show notes

In this interview with Luis Hernandez we discussed;

The Cuyabeno Lodge in Ecuador; where it is, how you get there, the type of accommodation and what you would do while you are there
The steps the Cuyabeno lodge take to be eco-friendly, such as using solar energy, using biodegradable products and recycling waste, as well as employing local people or transport by canoe and guides.
The variety of Flora and Fauna you can find at Cuyabeno Reserve and lagoon, such as birds, plants, flowers, river turtles, cayman and even pink dolphins
How to deal with a snake, cayman or anaconda if you should meet one in the forest
The equipment that you might need in order to be comfortable in the jungle, such as wellington boots, hat, suncream, insect repellant, torch and what health advice Luis gives to his visitors.
The problems in Ecuador with oil exploration and logging and how supporting tourism in the rainforest areas will put money into the local economy and prevent the destruction of the rainforest.
Other areas of Ecuador to visit, such as the mountainous Andean area of the Avenue of the Volcanoes where you can hike and walk on the volcanoes of Cotopaxi and Chimborazo staying in old haciendas.
The Indian markets of Otavalo on Saturdays and Saquisili on Thursdays
On the coastal area, Luiz recommends the south of Manabi province which has the Machalilla national park and the beach of Canoa in the north and Isla de las Plata where you can see migrating whales in July and August.
The political situation in Ecuador which is generally calm and stable – although the factions within the government may dispute among themselves, the situation for tourists is calm. The government is also creating a good network of roads and infrastructure, which makes it easy for visitors to get around.
The music on the podcast was Venus as a Girl by Andy McGee on Musicalley.com

Resources

Cuyabeno Lodge and Neotropic Turis – Travel company in Ecuador the organises tours throughout Ecuador as well as to Cuyabeno Lodge
Sarayaku Rainforest Community that we visited on my trip to Ecuador
Ecuador Tourism website
See all my Ecuador Photos on Flickr
Read all my Ecuador articles
To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

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heatheronhertravels’ Ecuador – river journey photoset

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02 My Istria Travel Diary – Podcast Episode 2

admin — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 11:41:02 +0000

In my Podcast Edisode 2, I’m taking you to Istria in Croatia with an audio diary of the four days I spent there with my family. You’ll hear about the Plava Laguna resort where we stayed, the cycling, swimming and sailing that’s available in this area as well as the fortified medieval hill towns and old coastal towns of Porec and Rovinj which we explored and the local specialities such as truffles and seafood.

To download Istria Travel Diary podcast, right click here 19 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Basilic of Eurphrasius in Porec, Croatia

If you enjoy this podcast, do take a look at my other articles, photos and videos for more detail of the things we saw. There’s so much to enjoy in Istria and as a self-contained region it seems to have something for everything, whether it’s swimming, sport, relaxation, heritage or the gourmet experience. I hope you also enjoy the slide show below that’s designed to accompany the podcast and covers the places I talk about in the podcast.

Show notes

Istria Tourism website
Istria Gourmet website
Istria Bike website
All my photos of Istria on Flickr
Read all my Istria articles
Video of Plava Laguna Resort
To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

- Music on this podcast was Venus as a girl by Andy Mckee on Music Alley
- I was hosted on this 4 day trip by the Istrian Tourist board to blog about the things I saw in Istria

01 Family Travel with Hospitality Club – Podcast Episode 1

admin — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:08:12 +0000

I hope you enjoy my first podcast about Family Travel with Hospitality Club. In this podcast, I interview my Serbian guests, Irena and her daughter Andrijana, from Serbia, about their experiences travelling in England and staying with hosts they met through Hospitality Club.

To download Family travel with Hospitality Club podcast, right click here 16 min [mp3]

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Heather with Hospitality club guests, Irena and Andijana from Serbia

I met my guests through the social networking website, Hospitality Club, which connects travellers who can offer each other free accommodation, help and advice when travelling. What was particularly interesting was that Irena had no qualms about travelling with her daughter in England, staying in the homes of strangers who she had met through Hospitality Club. They’d both had a very positive experience, which enabled them to travel cheaply but also enhanced their experience by making friends with locals who could show them a side of England that was a little different to the normal tourist experience.

Show notes

In the interview with my Serbian guests Irena and Andrijana we discussed;

What Hospitality Club is and how you use it
What reservations Irena’s friends might have had about travelling this way
What steps Irena had taken to carefully select hosts that could provide a safe an enjoyable experience for herself and her daughter
The advantages of this way of travel both financial and in enhanced experience
The places in England they had visited and what they’d especially enjoyed
Their advice for other parents thinking of travelling with children through Hospitality Club
Music on this podcast was Venus as a Girl by Andy McKee at Musicalley

Resources

Website of Hospitality Club – A free network of people around the world who offer free accommodation, advice and help when they are travelling
Website of Couchsurfing – another website that similarly connects travellers looking for free advice and accommodation.
Going Local Travel – a website by travel writer Vicky Baker for travellers who want to travel local and break off track. Vicky travelled around South America staying with hosts she contacted through social networking websites and wrote about her experience in the Travel Section of the Guardian Newspaper

To subscribe to all my podcasts in ITunes click here

Heather on her travels » Podcasts

13 Zante – my Greek island holiday – podcast

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Things that you might enjoy on Zante or Zakynthos

12 Oberammergau Passion Play and Altötting in Bavaria – Podcast

Visitor Resources for Altötting

Visitor Resources for Oberammergau

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11 South America Backpacking with Indie Travel Podcast – podcast

Chile

Peru

Bolivia

Argentina and Uruguay

Tips for travelling by bus in South America

Couchurfingand meeting locals

Other Indie Travel Podcasts on South America

More South American stories to enjoy

10 Tiny campsites and eco-travel – interview with Dixe Wills – podcast

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Favourite places

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Podcast 09 – Voluntary work in Ghana, West Africa

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08 Valencia in the Springtime – podcast

Shownotes for Valencia in the Spring

Other Valencia Podcasts

07 Interview with Lara Dunston and Grantourismo – Podcast

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06 Weekend in London at the Mandarin Oriental – Podcast

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Listen to other recent Podcasts

05 An autumn weekend in Lisbon – Podcast Episode 5

Shownotes

Other recent Podcasts

Lisbon Resources

04 Visiting the Munich Christmas Markets – Podcast Episode 4

Shownotes

Other Podcasts to enjoy

Other Munich articles to enjoy

Munich Resources

03 Ecuador and the Amazon Rainforest – Podcast Episode 3

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02 My Istria Travel Diary – Podcast Episode 2

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01 Family Travel with Hospitality Club – Podcast Episode 1

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