My first: a Metro journey in the desert



 Credits: Photo_SG

  Going to Dubai is like going to Disneyland. Every time I arrive at Dubai International Airport I have the feeling of an immense excitement - something extraordinary is going to happen to me when visiting this place. Most of the time I am not mistaken.

No other city gives me such an adrenaline rush as Dubai. Not only this is the largest amusement park for grown ups and children alike, but it is build in the most inhospitable terrain such as desert. But this is not a mirage. I had to pinch myself many times to realize that this island of high sky scrapers, surrounded only by sand and sea, was indeed for real.

Ok, there are many aspects of the place which makes it probably the most artificial place on Earth. I cannot deny that. But if you are about to visit the most artificial human-made wonder of our World, this is the place to go.

 

Credits: NASA's Marshall Space Craft Center

 Dubai boosts many records: the highest building, indoor ski resort inside one of the biggest shopping mall, artificial man-made islands visible from the space, over 70km of artificial coastline added by Dubai's waterfront. Just to name the few.

For many years I’ve heard of Metro being build in Dubai. This made me wonder how odd this concept was. Metro in the desert? How bizarre. I must try it out when it’s ready - I thought many times!

So last March when I had a chance to visit Dubai again, this was an experience not to be missed. I’ve done my Google map navigation how to get from office building to my hotel using Metro system and off I went.

But as soon as I’ve stepped out of the office building I was faced with the serpentines of winding roads, expressways and new buildings sprouting everywhere. I was lost after just first few steps. I had to go back and ask for help a security guard, but my question about directions to the nearest underground station met a confused grim on his face. I new something was wrong. I’ve repeated the question again but with no luck. Then by a stroke of genius I’ve asked: a Metro? Ah, that made all the difference and I was shown a general direction where to go. Over the patch of sand towards an island of brand new skyscrapers and 20 minute walk later, I’ve approached an entrance with Metro sign on it. And then it came a revelation, of course this was not an underground, the Metro system was 10 meters above ground level, spanning the whole city from one end to another. How silly of me! Few years earlier I have witnessed the construction of ramps all over the city thinking this was another express road, not realising it was a new Metro system in the making.
 
Ok, so I was on the way to have my first Metro ride in the desert. Got the tickets. Never mind that my final destination turned out to be a short walk away from the station, and in the end I had to come back to the place of my original departure. But I was determined to have the experience no matter what.


Credits: citronate

 The train has arrived, the doors have opened as expected and I’ve stepped into the car. At the very moment I was shouted at by the platform assistant to get out immediately. What on earth have I done wrong? Was I on most wanted list again? Back on the platform, I’ve looked at the side of the car I was just trying to board only to notice “ladies only” sign. Uhrgrrr… am I going to be arrested? Luckily I was politely explained to get to the next car which was for everybody else I guess. Which I did, but to my surprise there was no inside partition between the cars. And like I was about 2 meters away from the nearest woman in ladies only section, I was also about the same distance from her in the adjacent compartment. I am still puzzled what was the point. But then again, what’s the point of catching a Metro in the middle of a desert and not going anywhere!

That was my first Metro journey in the desert that I will never forget!



Credits: jamesup



Marrakech by Mike Wood

My family and I live in the South East of England and the genesis of this tale lies in the fact that my best friend in England is Moroccan. For many years Mohammed and I talked about a trip to his home country which we finally got round to doing in 2003 visiting his birthplace of Casablanca, where I was lucky enough to experience the warm hospitality of his family, as well as touring a number of other towns including the charming port of Essaouira and, most significantly for me Marrakech. Walking inside the ancient City walls of the old town of Marrakech is like stepping inside the pages of the bible. For centuries the Red City has sat at an intersection between cultures, a trading post and meeting place for intrepid Europeans, ethnic arabs from the East and the Camel Caravans that crossed the desserts to the South from sub saharan Africa. Today its narrow streets, too tight to accommodate cars, are teeming with life from

street vendors, food stalls, donkeys and carts, locals of all ages and tourists from the corners of the globe. At the heart of Marrakech sits the incomparable Jema al Fnaa square filled with the sights sounds and smells of snake charmers, storytellers, acrobats, performing monkeys, henna artists, musicians, dancing boys, orange juice sellers, primitive dentists and all manner of other enterprises and entertainers. At dusk the north side of the square becomes the worlds largest and most welcoming open air barbecue. The best discovery of all from that first trip to Morocco was the hidden world of the Riad, the traditional form of courtyard home built inward facing around a central garden, in fact the literal meaning of riad in arabic is garden. Each Riad is a private space with no outward facing windows, its closed form providing shelter from the heat of the sun as well as privacy for traditional muslim families. It is difficult to believe the contrast between the calm of a Riad courtyard and the vibrant chaos of the streets outside.

My mind was made up, I had to have a Riad! My wife was willing to go along with the plan although at that stage she would really have preferred a Gite in France or a nice cottage in Derbyshire. There followed two years of frustration searching for the right Riad to renovate only to be thwarted by sellers who changed their minds, difficulties of understanding and translation, title deeds that could not be found, and a hundred and one other obstacles. Reassuringly the more we went back to Marrakech the more we became convinced that this was the one place in the world we had visited which we could see our family coming back to indefinitely. Marrakech is such a cosmopolitan City, it seems a new restaurant opens every week many to top international standard, the souks are endlessly fascinating, the seaside is a short day trip, and the Atlas mountains are your playground with walking trekking and even skiing in winter all around an hour away. Where else can you bathe in dependably warm sun on a private roof terrace within sight of snow topped mountains!

Early in 2006 the search finally bore fruit and we took possession of a beautiful tall, proud old Riad in Baroudiyine, one of the oldest districts of the old town Medina near to the Marrakech museum and the historic Ben Youssef Mosque with its fabulous Maddrassa. Then having waited patiently for so long for our Riad a second one fell into our laps! My wife Lucie, who by this stage was as passionate about the project as me was idly sitting at her keyboard one day and for reasons best known to herself tapped the search term 'riad for sale' into google. Up came a delightful courtyard garden house, perfectly proportioned, only five minutes from our new Marrakech home and annoyingly quite a bit cheaper! So we had no choice really, we had to buy that one as well, a feat which was accomplished less than a week from meeting the charming German owner. So there we were, proud owners of two Marrakech Riads each with their own charm and both in need a more than a little TLC. Their subsequent renovation and conversion into successful boutique hotels Riad Papillon and Riad Cinnamon involved five years of highs, lows, escalating budgets and constant learning about a very particular and fascinating culture......... but that is another story.

Mike and Lucy are running 2 Riad hotels in Marrakech. You can contact them on www.marrakech-riad.co.uk to discuss and book your accommodation.

My Special Cities by Bjørn Lødøen

Every year popular cities are chosen as the most popular destinations in a region, a country or in the world. These cities are picked on the basis of special criteria such as the most visitors, best attractions,etc. My most popular cities in the world out of those I have visited are also based on such criteria, but always because of some special experiences while staying there. Special cities I have visited in the world are San Francisco, Cape Town and Singapore.

Hermanus and Walker Bay in Cape Town

I will never forget Cape Town. One of the most enjoyable cities in the world. Robbin Island, Table Mountain and the Waterfront all make it a fascinating city. But a visit to a small holiday destination a short ride from Cape Town set my heart and soul shivering. Hermanus is fast becoming one of the most loved holiday destination amongst South Africans as well as international visitors. Wedged between mountain and sea offering spectacular views over Walker Bay, Hermanus promises remarkable natural beauty in the heart of the beautiful Western Cape. During the past decade, Hermanus has grown into a vibrant seaside destination complemented by fine restaurants, numerous art galleries, boutiques and shops, as well as a multitude of outdoor and adventure activities for the nature enthusiasts. But why so special for me? On the edge of the sea cliffs there is a café located just near enough to watch what is going on in the wavy ocean.
You will experience seals and whales playing a fantastic movie right in front of your eyes. You will not believe it until you see. It is so near that you almost feel they are there for you. Hermanus is known as the heart of the whale route and offers the best land-based whale watching in the world; undeniably the towns’ most popular tourist attraction. The Southern Right Whales come to South Africa between May and December to mate and calf and are the most frequently seen in Walker Bay. It is a fantastic experience which I will never miss when going back to Cape Town.
Stellenbosch wine district, near Cape Town.

San Francisco is almost always being chosen as number one tourist spot in the USA. This counts for me too, but not only because of Alcatraz, the sight of the Golden Gate or its Cable Tram tour. It is mostly because of the special treat you get at Fisherman’s Wharf. As a person from the West Coast of Norway, the best seafood I get is stone Crab. Stone crabs is one of the real popular thing you can buy at Fisherman`s Wharf. I love them and it is the first thing I do when visiting “Bagdad of the Bay”, as San Francisco is often called. You buy them boiled, ready to eat. Bring them to your hotel room, buy bread and mayonnaise and a bottle of good white Napa Valley wine. This meal is perfect for me and after having stuffed myself with this delicious treat, I can go out and enjoy the life in this wonderful city. Why do I eat it in my hotel room ? Because I can do it my way, without taking notice of the way the restaurant want me to eat it. I can forget about the eating code and the other guests and just dig in. Therefore, visiting San Francisco; The Stone crabs make my day!

Singapore has always been a popular tourist spot. A modern vibrant city, mixed in with all of the old parts of the city; Little India, Chinatown and Orchard road. I love Singapore; The people, the food, the smell and the different cultures. On our first tour to the city, I think it must have been about 15 years ago, we went on a tour of the city and ended up outside the famous Raffles hotel. We could not miss the opportunity to visit one of the Lions City most famous attractions, dated all the way back to 1887. Having heard of all of the famous playwrights, novelists and actors, Noel Coward visited the hotel for the first time in 1931, we were really looking forward to enjoy the fantastic atmosphere. We headed into the Writers bar, a bar tributed to the writers who have stayed at the hotel or have written about. Of course we ordered a ‘Singapore sling’ but we were so surprised being kindly asked to leave. We did not know there is a dress code at the bar, no shorts, but appropriate long trousers. At first we felt embarressed but later on we understood that our shorts did not fit in. I have been back to Singapore later, also to the writers bar, but properly dressed! However, I will never forget the moment when we had to give up our Singapore Sling.

These three places have given me a special experience to be remember for ever. In that way they became My Special Cities.

My First: a Trip to the Top of Mount Fuji!

In our klik2travel blog we want to share information and give ideas on where to travel and how to get most out of your stay. Today we kick off a series of “My First” travel articles, with a story from Bjørn Lødøen on his first trek to the top of Mount Fuji:

"The devastating earthquake, tsunami and the problems with the power plants in the aftermath of all this, triggered me to revoke one of many surprising adventures we experienced during our stay in Japan. Japan is a beautiful country, so different related to culture, nature and the people itself. Travel-wise we see suggestions for visiting a lot of countries around the world, but very few focus on trips to Japan. There are different reasons: the language - as soon as you leave the big cities very few speak English; the cost - it has been considered a relatively expensive country. Both can be solved if you are keen to really get something out of your travel. If you have not been to Japan, you are really missing something.

Mount Fuji is located in the beautiful lake district of the national park named Hakone. The mountain itself, an active volcano, is considered a symbol of Japan. The name has different meanings: “richness”, “deathless”, “without comparison” and is often being a topic for all sorts of arts: paintings, poetry and religious symbols. What is though so special in climbing the top of Mount Fuji, being only 3776 meter high? Writing about mountain climbing is usually related to Mount Everest and K2 and other really high peaks. I will tell you it is the feeling you will experience after having been there that is so unique! First of all it is a trip a tourist can perform by just being in a normal physical condition. If you have the right equipment and go during the season, almost everybody will manage. But remember, even during the season the climate can change from summer to winter. The fauna varies from almost impenetrable woods and bushes to hard volcano rocks. You can avoid these by following the marked trails. Some years back, the woods of Fuji was the arena for a lot of suicides among young people; They went into the woods and never came back! They could not find their way back, and as strange as it sounds, magnetic compasses do not work because of all the lava stone. The Japanese experience something superstitious that attracts you to this holy mountain and the saying goes like this: “To climb Fuji once is wise, to climb it twice is to proclaim oneself a fool”.

Having prepared yourself the best way, you will go either by train or bus to what they call Fifth station, which is located at approximately 2300 meters. From here you have no choice: start walking.  Plan for approximately 5-6 hours to get to the top. You can choose between starting in the evening and sleep over in one of the primitive mountain huts or start around midnight from The Fifth station, doing it all in one stretch.. Remember to bring some water and food as the price of the food at the huts increases according to the altitude.

If sleeping over in a hut, the next morning quite early make yourself ready for the last stretch, arriving early enough to reach the sight of a glorious sunrise. This is some sort of a ritual to the Japanese and what they call “goreiko”. It is a breathtaking view if the weather is on your side. But before reaching the top you will experience something I never expected to experience. The last 200-300 meters you will probably be “attacked” by some sort of altitude sickness, only being able to cope with more than 50 meters climbing at a time, until you will have to sit down and rest due to the lack of oxygen. Stretching your hand to get a grip of the stone you are planning to rest on, you suddenly will pull your hand back, because….the stone is warm; It is really an active volcano. It is not burning hot, but warm. I will never forget these. I will either never forget the moment we reached the top. Stunning ! I felt the strength and kindness of Japans most worshipped mountain. The way “back home” is much more easy, as you will in a way glide through the lava stones. For the time being it is not advisable to go to Japan and the Tokyo area. But the Japanese are a strong people, things will settle down again and life will go on as normal. Sooner than anyone will expect. If you are going to visit Japan in the future: Plan for a trip to the top of Mount Fuji. You will never forget, because I have not done."

 --Bjørn Lødøen

What Do You Get When You Mix klik2travel and a Norwegian travel writer/photographer? A Film About Essaouira, Morocco!

klik2travel's latest collaboration recently came to fruition through the recommendation of a mutual friend. Bjørn Lødøen is a talented writer and photographer from Norway who has a passion for travel.

To find out a bit more about the man behind the beautiful Essaouira video let's get the background to Bjørn in his own words: "I got my first camera when I was 10 and since then photography has been my main hobby. At first I mostly shot family pictures and have continued doing that, but soon found out that shooting pictures was much more than that. I have been writing articles for magazines and newspapers, but mainly doing stories for Travel magazines. I was also lucky enough to be working abroad for 11 years, in Antwerp, Yokohama and New York, which gave me the opportunity to get images from this cities and countries. Later on I have been travelling most of the world, except for South America and and Australia. My camera is always with me and is my best friend.

I have probably worn out approx. 10 Canons during the last 40 years. Entering into the digital world of photography was a great challenge and now being retired I have quite a job of digitizing the best of more than 5000 slides from these years. I love my Pixma 980, which is a great multiprinter. I must admit I am not fond of manipulating photos. A picture should in my opinion show the real world.

Besides shooting pictures from places I have travelled to, I also try to focus on different themes, like museums ( ecsp. maritime museums) , ships, people and antiques. And... having photography as your main interest, you will never get into the problem of buying a present for someone, because a nice picture is something people always like to hang on the wall. Besides, you will leave a true documentation of your life to your family when you sometime have to enter your last travel from this world.

Just now I enjoy working with klik2travel. It gives you a tough challenge to tell people about interesting places to go to."

We are thrilled about having Bjørn on board!

Telescopes at the Tower being fouled on?

The ravens of the Tower often interrupted the work of John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal of England by fouling his telescopes until he moved to the Greenwich observatory in 1676. The King ordered the ravens killed but he was reminded of the legend that if the ravens left the Tower, the monarchy would fall. Charles wisely allowed some ravens to survive. In July 1676 Flamsteed moved into the Observatory where he lived until 1684. klik2travel clarify just what the Tower has been used for and how many ravens are in residence now http://klik2travel.com/london/k2t.php

klik2travel's Madame Tussauds video - Editor's Pick on Tripfilms.com

Editors at Tripfilms.com have designated klik2travel's Madame Tussauds an Editor's Pick video by saying: "We think that Madame Tussauds is a high-quality travel video that is both informative and inspiring!"