Tag Archives: hotels
June 29, 2013

Castroville – The Artichoke Capital of the World

Castroville, the Artichoke Capital of the World, is located nine miles northwest of the city of Salinas.  It is called this because this small city, that only has a population of 6,742, supplies seventy-five percent of the artichokes sold in the United States.

 

One of the most notable events held every year in this pleasant rural town is the Castroville Artichoke Festival, which takes place on Memorial Day. Every year, the Festival crowns a King and a Queen.  In February of 1948, Marilyn Monroe was crowned Artichoke Queen and William Hung (the American Idol contestant) was  crowned  Artichoke King in 2006.

 

The Castroville Artichoke festival also features a parade and an art competition in which competitors make sculptures from artichokes and other vegetables.  Foodies also flock from miles around to sample the treats produced by the produce and wine vendors in the area. There are usually cooking demonstration, arts, crafts, theatrical and musical performances and visits by celebrities.  There is also an antique car show that takes place as a component of the festival as well.

 

This old town was founded by Juan Bautista Castro in 1863. Aside from artichokes it is known for it’s wonderful mix of Victorian and Spanish architecture. The original old school house and post office, both built in the 1860s, are still there.

 

A wonderful, eccentric landmark is The World’s Largest Artichoke which was a sculpture commissioned in 1963 for a road-side stand. The artichoke is twenty feet tall and twelve feet across and stands on Merrit Street in downtown Castroville.

Culinary-wise this town is known for its dishes and street food based on artichokes.

 

A specialty of restaurants in the area are deep-fried artichoke hearts. These are artichokes dipped in batter, fried in a vat and then served up with all kinds of delicious sauces.   Hot and cheesy artichoke dip is also a specialty of many local restaurants, especially when the artichoke is in season.  These types of treats go well with the wines that are grown in nearby vineyards along Highway 101 and just south of the hills of the city of Salinas.

 

As the town is so small there are not many hotels to stay in during the Artichoke Festival. However the towns of Salinas, Seaside, Marina, Watsonville and Monterey are not that far away and are home to many beautiful hotels that often run shuttle buses to and from the Artichoke festival.   This spares you the problem of driving along California highways inebriated from enjoying the many California wines that are often offered with the artichoke delights offered at the festival.

June 23, 2013

Parkfield – The Earthquake Capital of the World

In the county of Monterey in California is a small town of 18 known as Parkside, which is often called The Earthquake Capital of the World.  The town experiences an earthquake above .6 on the Richter scale every 22 years. The motto of the town is “Be Here When It Happens”, possibly referring to the “Big One” that is supposed to devastate California.

 

The town is built directly on the San Andreas fault and is about 1500 feet above sea level in the TemblorHills. It used to be a thriving mining community and curious visitors can still visit some of these abandoned mines.  The town itself is very pretty and sits in a grove of very old oak trees.

 

The bridge across the creek in downtown Parkside has shifted more than five feet relative to it’s original position when it was built in 1936.If you have an interest in geology then Parkfield is definitely the place to visit. It is one of the most closely measured and watched earthquake zones in the world. Just North of Parkfield is the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth, which is a hole, drilled 2.5 miles into the earth’s crust that is meant to observe seismic activity.

 

The town is owned and run by a couple of families of ranchers and farmers and Parkfield is well known for its horse-shows, rodeos and equestrian-related events. It also holds an annual Bluegrass Festival. It is also the site of the Parkfield Classic, which is a collegiate bike race that has been held in the hills in the area since 1989.  This event typically takes place on the first or third weekend of October and consists of three courses: a 9, 16 and 24-mile challenge.

 

There are also many hiking trails and trails for equestrians to ride their horses high into the hills so they can enjoy some scenic views. There are beautiful valleys and rock outcroppings cloaked in fields of wildflowers; in fact there are over 200 species of wildflowers in the hills around Parkfield.

 

Parkfield is also a haven for bird-watchers, butterfly lovers and campers. There are both natural and paid campsites in the area so you can sleep outdoors at night under the stars.

 

There are also heritage style ranches in the area that also double as hotels and spas. The cuisine offered in the area tends to be the organic meat from grass-fed grazing cows in the area. This special meat from the area of Parkfield is free from antibiotics, pesticides and chemicals.

June 8, 2013

What to See in Curitiba, Brazil

Curitiba is known incredible European architecture and excellent food. It is also known as the ecological capital of Brazil as it enforces many programs to protect the environment.

 

In fact one of the Curitiba Brazil attractions are the twenty parks that boast bicycle paths that make it very easy to get around the city. Curitiba is great for single people both young and old because it has a very social park called the Parque Bariqui that is very laid back.  It is a great place to hang out with locals, roller blade or ride a bike.

 

The reason that the architecture in this city has such a European flair is because it is mainly populated by Ukrainian, Polish, German and Italian immigrants. The food that is offered in this city reflects this cultural diversity and there are many all you can eat style restaurants.  Most of these ethnic restaurants are located in an ethnic area of town called Batel.  The place also attracts a lot of German and Italian tourists each year.

 

This city, which is also about three centuries old also boasts a giant open market that is open every Sunday from 9 am to 2 pm.  This fair also features musicians and performers that wander through the streets.

 

This city is on the edge of a lush rain forest and tours of the Amazon are conducted on a bus that travels on a paved road called the Estrada da Graciosa through the lush greenery.  You can also book tours to the Guaraquecaba Environmental Protection Area, which is a Nature Reserve.

 

The city is also near the Parque Estadual de Vila Velha. This State park lies 52 miles from Curitiba. It contains twenty-two extraordinary rock formations dating from three hundred million years ago.

 

It also boasts some affordable luxury hotels such as the Parthenon hotel, which is located one kilometer away from the city center. There is also a Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, which has a spa. Many people come here to luxuriate in the sun and enjoy the five star treatments.

 

From Curibita you can also travel to gorgeous Honey Island, which is a place where no cars are allowed and there is nothing but small ramshackle homes, a few restaurants, humble hotels and miles of glorious beaches with warm calm water. You will have to travel 2 hours by bus and 30 minutes to cross the Paranagua Bay Channel but the trip is worth it as it like visiting a little bit of Eden.

May 27, 2013

The Top Six Brazil Hotels

Planning on visiting Brazil in style? Here is a rundown of the top six most expensive luxury Brazil Hotels.

 

Perhaps one of the most famous hotels in the world is the Copacabana Palace Hotel, which located across from the famous Copacabana beach (that is also featured in the popular song by Barry Manilow. It’s five star Italian Restaurant and semi-Olympic sized outdoor pool has seen many presidents, kings and queens over the years.  The rooms have Internet and direct-dial telephones which can be a bit of luxury in Rio de Janeiro.

 

Another famous hotel in Rio de Janeiro is the Hotel Fasano that is situated on the beautiful sands of the Ipanema beach. It is known for its retro sixties art and furniture and full service spa.

 

The Fasano hotel chain is well known for excellence in Brazil and there is an incredible post modern crossed with Art Deco hotel in Sao Paolo known as the Hotel Fasano Sao Paulo. It is a very cotemporary hotel and is home to the jazz bar “Baretto” which is considered to be one of the most beautiful bars in the world. It also has rare armchairs designed by Hans Wegner, Ofuro baths and stunning views.

 

If you are looking for the a truly exclusive resort you might want to check out the Casa Grande Hotel Resort and Spa which is located on the beautiful Guaruja Island off of the Brazilian coast.  This charming Colonial beachfront hotel sits on bright white sands just 44 miles away from bustling Sao Paulo.  It is home to a very famous Thai restaurant and offers full service therapeutic and aesthetic treatments.

 

In Salvador the place to see and be seen is the Convento do Carmo Hotel which is a converted convent from the sixteenth century complete with colonial furniture and antique works of art. It has an on-site fitness center and a glamorous outdoor pool.

 

If you want to stay in a contemporary hotel that mimics the kind of décor you would find in Canada or the U.S. then try the Hotel Emiliano in Sao Paulo. It is completely twentieth century and houses a full service spa.

 

You don’t have to stay in these expensive five star hotels to be treated well in Sao Paulo or any other Brazilian city. Many of the hotels with just two or three stars are still first rate, are on the beach and also have pools and Internet connections.

May 3, 2013

Think of Travelling to Peru

When people think about going on a vacation they rarely think about going to Peru.  It is understandable since its geographical location is not that suitable for a vacation get away. It is located on the far western side of the South American continent which is rather far from where most of the population on that continent lives The remote aspect of the country is why Peru is not visited as often as Brazil and Argentina.

 

Peru is also sometimes seen as a poor country, too poor to have the kind of amenities that might have hotels with great amenities. The truth is they do have these luxury hotels. However, like many places in South America there is a huge divide between the rich and the poor.  However it is true that a third of the population lives before the poverty line.

 

One of the greatest reasons to visit is to explore the country’s rich ancient culture known as the Inca. Although this can be a troubled country, the citizens themselves are helpful, peaceful and very friendly.  There will always be a Peruvian hand to help you for free or very, very cheaply as most people there are desperate for money or just simply kind.

 

This natural beauty and indigenous healthy food in the area makes this a wonderful place to chill out and relax.  It can be very hot so do not expect life to be too demanding during the day. The slack lifestyle shouldn’t be a problem if you just want to relax.

 

The best time to go to Peru is during a time when it is not busy. The June to August months are the busiest months because that is when there are a lot of festivals held. It would be very nice if you go to Peru during the cold month of December

 

Even thought the country is small, its places are diverse because of the many influences by other neighboring countries.  The weather can be a bit fickle.  Be sure to pack both light and very warm clothes, as it is hot during the day and cold at night.

 

If you love nature and want a “green vacation” Peru is a good place to go.  There are guides called  ‘pagos a ala tierra’ who spend most of their time advocating for the preservation of Mother Earth. So, if want to do a good deed, pay to go onto one of the many celebrated nature walks in the country.