by editor | Dec 28, 2011 | Lifestyle
Crystal clear – Umbria in winter
Of all the places I’ve ever visited in the world – and I’ve visited a lot, believe me – my favourite is Umbria in Italy.
Of course, “favourite” is a subjective thing. Comparing Iceland to Greece, for example or Thailand to Canada is a little deciding which is preferable; chalk or cheese? And if you ask me what my favourite destination is in the depths of January, I’m far more likely to go for sunnier climes than I am at the end of August after a particularly hot summer.
Nevertheless, Umbria’s gently rolling hills in a warm September golden light remains the most beautiful countryside I’ve ever seen – for my own personal tastes.
I enjoyed New Zealand’s dramatic scenery, and I love the vineyards of “Le Sud-Ouest” of France. I love the Cotswolds, the Lake District and I love some of America’s dramatic city-scapes – in which New York stands out, of course.
I also love the beaches and islands of Thailand, the Greek white-walled islands glistening in what always seems to be a brilliant white summer light, but still, Umbria ultimately carries the day for me.
I don’t know exactly why this is – and it’s easy to like somewhere in a warm September glow – so I decided, last winter, to see if I would still love the mountainous undulating Italian middle country in the depths of December.
And to cut a long story short; I did. Umbria isn’t as accessible in December of course. But with a good guide book, safe and warm in North Face gear from head to toe and my favourite old walking boots with a good pair of ice grips for shoes handy in case needed, I set off on a few days’ magical walking through the most beautiful frosted landscape I think I’ve ever seen.
Clearly, my love for Umbria is deeper than a mere summer dalliance!
by editor | Dec 28, 2011 | Lifestyle
JUST CHILL
An Appalachian folk story tells of two friends who went coon
hunting. They treed a coon but could not get him down. So one
decided he’d climb the tree and shake the coon loose. To his
surprise, he found it wasn’t a coon at all, but a wildcat.
In a little while, his friend heard an awful commotion up in the
tree. Then he heard a voice screaming down at him, “Help! Help!”
“What’ll I do?”
“Just shoot up here amongst us,” his friend said. “One of us has got
to have some relief.”
Does your life ever feel like you’re wrestling with a wildcat and
somehow, somewhere, you have to get some relief? If so, you’re not
alone.
Psychologist Richard Wiseman asserts that people actually need more
relief now than ever before. We are living more stressful,
faster-paced lives than ever. He cites the results of an
international study conducted in collaboration with the British
Council to measure the speed of life.
The experiment was conducted by researchers who secretly timed how
fast thousands of pedestrians walked in city centers across the
globe, including London, Madrid, Singapore and New York. Granted,
this is not the most scientific experiment, but it is fascinating
nevertheless.
Prof. Richard Wiseman says, “This simple measurement provides a
significant insight into the physical and social health of a city.”
Where do the fastest walkers live? In order of speed, they are found
in Singapore (Singapore), Copenhagen (Denmark), Madrid (Spain),
Guangzhou (China) and Dublin (Ireland).
According to this study, we live about 10% faster now than twenty
years ago, when a similar experiment was conducted. The biggest
changes are found in and around Asia, where the pace of life in
Guangzhou (China) increased by over 20% and where Singapore showed a
30% increase.
A common American expression is, “Chill.” Are you anxious and
uptight? Chill. Need to de-stress? Just take it easy? Chill.
Chilling is pretty good advice, actually. Especially if the word
“chill” is spelled this way:
C – Calm down. When you’re anxious, frenzied or pressed, stop. Take
a deep breath and ask yourself, “Why?”
H – Hold back. Set a reasonable pace. Life is a marathon, not a
sprint. If you want to last, pace yourself. And take time to rest.
I – Indulge your desire for fun. Do something fun everyday and try
to put fun in your usual activities.
L – Learn how to just be. You already know how to DO. Take time to
BE. Don’t measure your life by what you accomplish, but by who you
are. Be present. Be attentive. But be.
L – Let it go. You are not responsible for everything and everybody.
In the immortal words of poet Robert Browning, “God’s in His Heaven;
all’s right with the world.” You don’t have to do it all yourself;
you don’t have to do it all right now. And some of it you may not
have to do at all.
You may feel like you’re wrestling with a wildcat. Or maybe you just
feel as if you’re living too fast. But if you need some relief,
“chill” is a good word to remember. Spell it right and you just
might get something you don’t expect. Happiness.
__________
Find Steve Goodier here: http://stevegoodier.blogspot.com/.
Newsletter: http://LifeSupportSystem.com <http://lifesupportsystem.com/
by editor | Dec 24, 2011 | Lifestyle
Christine Bleakley Gives Lucky Shoppers
The Chance To See London 2012
With just 220 days to go until the start of the London 2012 Olympic Games there has never been a better time to get involved. Unsuspecting shoppers were given a spectacular surprise when presenter Christine Bleakley pulled the string on The Cadbury Giant Party Popper live at Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford, giving passers by over 100 chances to win London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games tickets and other exciting prizes.
Cadbury Spots v Stripes is bringing people closer to the games with some of the lucky winners even getting the chance to watch the London Olympic Games in VIP style, with special VIP prize packages. The VIP packages will include tickets for events such as Athletics finals, plus accommodation at a top London hotel and luxury travel to the games, available over the next few months. If people aren’t lucky enough to win this time there are 4 pairs to be had at the weekly ticket draw at spotsvstripes.com.
by editor | Dec 23, 2011 | Lifestyle
Climbing in El Chorro
One of the classic winter climbing locations in Spain is El Chorro. It’s easy to get to, as it’s only 50 km from Malaga, and there’s a huge range of climbing there – for beginners through to experts.
The big attraction at El Chorro is the limestone gorge. There’s multi-pitch climbing and other crags suitable for all kinds of climbers. There are more than 650 different routes – both bolted single and multi-pitch.
Handily close to El Chorro village, climbers can easily walk to the gorge, so there’s no need to think about transport at the beginning and end of each climb.
It’s best to get your climbing equipment before arriving at El Chorro – you’ll have a wider choice available than buying on the spot.
The climbing routes are accessed by a walkway called ‘Camino Del Ray’. It’s a manmade structure that travels the length of the gorge a hundred metres above the valley floor. It is a bit rickety as it’s been there for more than eighty years. Recently though, it has been strengthened with via ferrata cables and bolts. Most of the multipitch routes are above or below the Camino Del Ray.
As you go deeper into the gorge, you used to be able to use railway tunnels to get access, but they are now patrolled by guards. Climbers have to use another route in – either by the Camino Del Ray or walking over the top of the gorge. In this part of the gorge, most of the climbing is single pitch.
Highlights of the gorge include El Polvorin with its really steep wall and 6th grade routes and Los Cotos which has slab climbing at the lower grades.
If you’ve done plenty of climbing before, you’ll know exactly what equipment you need to take with your climbing shoes. However, if you’re a novice, you should play it safe and go on a guided climb for your first venture in the El Chorro gorge.
by editor | Dec 22, 2011 | Lifestyle
Adorable apartment next Belém Gardens,
8 min to downtown
R. Vieira Portuense, 1300 Lisbon, Portugal
Staying in this apartment gives you the chance to experience the Portuguese Age of Discovery. It was from Belém riverfront that Vasco da Gama and other explorers departed to their voyages, events celebrated today by grand monuments and museums in the neighbourhood.
Enjoy history and charm but in a modern, candy and sweetly decorated apartment, with a living room overlooking the Belém gardens, one bedroom with a double bed and an individual sofa bed, another room with a double sofa bed, 2 WCs (one with bathtub, other with shower) and a fully equipped kitchen.
This cozy apartment will make you feel at home after a day in Lisbon, a city full of charm and places to discover.
Ideal for families or group of friends.
At 5 min walking there is a train station with trains to downtown (it takes 8 min to get to Cais do Sodré, in the old city center, where you have a connection with the metro line) and also to the famous beaches of Cascais and Estoril (30 min). To the old city center you can also take the typical and traditional trams (nr. 15) or the bus (nr 714, or 28) and in less than 20 min you will be there!
Staying in this apartment gives you the chance to experience the Portuguese Age of Discovery. It was from Belém riverfront that Vasco da Gama and other explorers departed to their voyages, events celebrated today by grand monuments and museums in the neighbourhood.
