Makeyourtraveleasy

  It is timeless to walk in Italy like some kind of poetry, it reads line by line. Nothing can be more than in the paths of Cinque Terre. These five villages Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are located along the Ligurian coast and are connected by rugged tracks that are facing the sea. Their upbringing is like entering into a water color portrait because it swings into various colors with each movement.   I would begin my walk quite early in the day, when the morning-mist would be rising off the precipices. It was silvery sea water, and the atmosphere was lightly salty-lemon.  The best known is the one leading between Monterosso and Vernazza, and well it deserves it; it contains a combination of steep ascents, narrow steps of stone, and sceneries so beautiful that you are almost mesmerized by them. I went through small gardens as well, grapevines hanging around wooden stakes, and locals returning with baskets of the products along the impossibl...

  It has that sort of silence that falls on a Japanese park just before the fireworks start, that between when everybody has got their place settled, the air is red with grilled corn and yakitori, and even the cicadas appear to have stopped. It is summer in Japan and fireworks festivals - hanabi taikai - take place to their full extent.   I can still recall my first one, in Osaka. I had trailed a group of friends, cartons of picnic mats and bento boxes going to the river.   Note: If you are travelling on a budget, then you can book  meet and greet at Luton   and save money for your trip.   The sun was fading away in the horizon and the sky was turning peach and lavender. Families, and couples and parties of teenagers were making themselves comfortable all around us, talking in low tones, and waving paper fans. The entire city seemed to be beating in unison. Everything came to a standstill when the initial firework broke the door to the sky. There wa...

I will say it, it is not my strong point to pack. I am the type of a traveler who once packed half of a wardrobe into a suitcase just in case only to find out that I did not use half of it.   Throughout the years, a number of insane airport rushes and one bad overweight bag fee later, I have learned that it is not about packing more but packing better. The following are the three packing tips, which have indeed transformed the way I travel.   Note: The best tip that I can give for stress-free travel is to book  long stay parking Heathrow   and start your journey without any worries. Roll, Don't Fold   The day when I rolled my clothes in place of folding them, it seemed to me that I had uncovered a secret formula. Then all was in place, and I was able to see what I had packed, not having to dig to the bottom. Not only does rolling save on space, it does not allow clothes to get too wrinkled.   During my last winter trip, I was able to squeeze two s...

 When I first entered Karlovy Vary I felt as though I were being welcomed by the steam escaping through the colonnades. This tiny Czech city is listed among the ancient spa retreats and even nowadays, when one walks in its pastel-colored streets, one can feel that they have been transported to the world of rest and renewal.   A Town Built Around Healing   The Karlovy Vary is a story of its springs. It is said that the town was created when Emperor Charles IV found out about the healing waters during his hunting. Royalties, writers and musicians have since then visited here to burn, drink and give in to its curative capabilities.   You are walking along the colonnades and you notice that locals and visitors alike are filling up the porcelain cups with warm mineral water that comes straight out of the springs, and it feels both old and new at the same time.   The Spa Experience   The actual magic however is the thermal baths. One afternoon I spe...

 When I first arrived in Germany I believed that bread was bread. A loaf which can be cut, toasted, or eaten with butter. That fantasy was soon dispelled when I entered a bakery in Germany.   Shelves and shelves of loaves of all sizes, colors, and shapes, crusty rye breads, soft wheat rolls, sourdoughs, seeded dark loaves, which seemed nearly too firm to slice.   Side note: Before travelling, make sure to check airport parking Heathrow to secure an affordable deal. More Than Just Food   It is not just a bread one eats in Germany but a cultural anchor. Families continue to share a meal called Abendbrot, or evening meal, which consists of fresh bread, cheese, cold cuts and spreads. It is plain, but strongly tradition based.   Every land contributes something: Bavarian pretzels, Westphalian pumpernickel, Swabian "Seelen". The country has more than 3,000 officially registered types of bread with each bearing tales of place, history, and craftsmanship. At ...

You think that Mardi Gras is crazy, you should wait till you visit Carnival in Cologne. The festival is also addressed as the fifth season locally and the city turns into a tornado of costumes, parades and unbridled happiness.   Carnival in Cologne is not merely a phenomenon: the Carnival is a mood, an opportunity for all people to forget about their everyday life, and throw themselves into the celebration.   Side note: For a stress-free trip, make sure to book  Meet And Greet At Stansted . When the City Comes Alive   The season starts on November 11 at 11:11 a.m., but it reaches the height of madness in the week before Ash Wednesday. It is marked by the opening day Weiberfastnacht (Women Carnival Day).   Offices close, the streets are full of music and women before going out to have a good time, symbolically cutting the ties of men. Since then, the city has not slowed down.   Costumes, Crowds, and Chaos   You will see everywhere people...

 Dubrovnik is enchanted in some way when the world is still asleep. No crowds on the cruise ships, no camera clicks, just the echo of your own steps, and the soft murmur of the Adriatic on old stone. The First Light On the Adriatic   The ancient walls of the town have been in existence since the centuries that they have taken care of Dubrovnik against invaders. In the morning they protect something different: a quiet beauty that is rare.   You scale up as the first blush of light touches the terracotta rooftops and watch the city stretch and yawn. The sea is as though it had been polished in the night, and the islands all about are asleep in the morning mist.   Make sure to book  cheap Luton airport parking   if you want to experience a stress-free trip.   A Other City in the Morning   A stroll around the 2 kilometers course is like an epistle to the city in the form of a love letter. You go past watch towers that h...