English pleasures that money can't buy

Everything is more expensive in London. Yeah, unluckily, the English capital city is one most expensive cities in the world. So, how is it that more than 25 million tourists can afford visiting this city per year? If you want to be one of those, read this list:



Changing of the guard-Buckingam Palace

TOP FREE THINGS TO DO IN LONDON:

Changing of the guard

Inside the gates of the Buckingham Palace, every day at 11.30 a.m. during the summer (check for winter hours), the guards swap places. If you arrive early and get a good position you will be able to see how these English icons perform this military ceremony.

Trafalgar Square

Although London is full of different squares, this is, undoubtedly, THE square. It is full of historical monuments, statues and buildings. It is named after
the Battle of Trafalgar, remembered also by the Nelson's column where everybody poses a photo sitting on the lions that surround it. Other main attraction is the National Gallery. The square is not just a touristic attraction but also a cultural, educational, artistic and sporting spot. Several ceremonies and festivals are held here.

Markets

Who didn't wish to walk, as Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant did, through Portobello Market in Notting Hill? This is just one among the bunch the city offers, others are: Camden Market, Borough Market, and Brick Lane Market. Almost everything is to be found: new and used clothing, antiques, jewelry and accessories, food.  It's up to you to buy or not, but for sure you have to spend some hours at least walking around. Neither rain nor thunder cancel them.

Houses of Parliament

Set in the Palace of Westminster, are open to the public without booking required. It's possible to visit the galleries or even attend a debate or a judicial hearing. If you are willing for even more, get there any Wednesday and hear the Prime Minister's questions. Otherwise, if you aren't really into politics, the Palace is a great example of gothic revival architecture.



House of Commons-Palace of Westminster

Museums

Art is mostly free in London, must-sees museums cost nothing and there is a bunch of them. The British Museum, the National Gallery, The Tate Modern and Tate Britain, the Victoria & Albert design museum, the British Library and the Museum of London are waiting for you!

Parks

Thanks to London's rain, lots of huge beautiful green parks are all around the city. Although the Queen Mary's Rose Gardens in Regent's Park is the favorite spot in London of lots of people, St James, Royal and Hyde Park are very recommendable too. They are a scape from the metropolis, where people rest, exercise, make a picnic or just sit down and watch the squirrels around.



What else can you enjoy for free? Street performers every afternoon at Covent Garden; walks along the South Bank along the Thames or cross the Millennium Bridge while you admire landmarks such as London Eye and Tate Modern (download free walking tours here); a visit to St Paul's Cathedral ground floor; free music at the Royal Opera House or at St. Martin-in-the-Fields (check schedules).

Street performers in Covent Garden

So..what are you waiting for? Definitely, money can't be a reason.

Savoring Bacchus's beverage in France

France is worldwide known for its elegance, its museums, the Eiffel Tower and, of course, its food and wine tradition.

France has been ranked for several years as the number one wine producer. Why the European country deserves this place? It has been producing wine since the beginning of its history, that is why they had time enough to found the best spots for wine production and for developing improved techniques. More than 350 types of French wine are found.

There are seven main wine-producing regions: Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne, Loire, Provence, Rhone Valley and Languedoc Rousillon. Each of these has its specific terroir: they share the same soil, climate, grapes and wine-making techniques.

A bunch of travel agencies offer tours for people who are willing to experience the French wine flavor. These tours include: a driver who take tourists to private vineyards, a wine expert who teaches the proper tasting technique, restaurant recommendations, accomodation arrangements, bilingual local experts and free time for sightseeing and shopping. The tours can take one day or even five days.

I offer a brief description of three regions that each produce a different type of wine:

Alsace:



Strasbourgh, France

It is a north-eastern lovely region full of green hills and medieval villages. The Rhine River, situated in the East gives the irrigation needed for the vineyards. Its weather, semi-continental, with low rainfall helps in growing grapes. Due to be located really close to Germany, the way of growing grapes and wine-making is influenced by its neighbor.

There are seven grape varieties, Alsatian wines are floral and aromatic in flavor and most of them are white.

Its main cities are Strasbourg, Mulhouse and Colmar.

Right bank vineyards in St Emilion, Bordeaux

Bordeaux:

Located in the South-West, is very humid and produces 900 million bottles a year, consequently is one the most famous French wines. Merlot, Cabernet-Sauvignon and Sauvignon are some of the types of grapes grown here.

Some place of interest in this region are: Bordeaux, a beautiful city where you can visit museums, wine shops and the Palais Rohan; Pyla dune, a 1650-feet-dune; Landes; Arcachon.

Provence:

French region along the Mediterranean sea where painters like Van Gogh and Cezanne spent their days and got inspired by its idyllic landscape. It is famous because of its rose fruity summer wine. The vineyards are set on the border of the Mediterranean sea.

Besides the delicious wine you can taste here, it is worthy visiting cities like Marseille, Arles, Avignon or Aix-en-Provence.

'The red vineyard' by Vincent Van Gogh

I hope these few descriptions make you imagine the flavor of a delicious wine in your mouth and consider the idea of overflying the Atlantic to experience it.

A trip worth taking: 'The way of St James' (Part 2)

What should I take?

The boots: the most important item you need. You must have well fitting leather boots. Keep in mind that you are going to walk approximately 1,500,000 foot steps.



Boots, walking sticks and Pilgrim Id: musts

The backpack: the weight of it should be more or less as 10% of your body weight. Be sure to have a good backpack, adjustable to your hips so as the weight isn't on your shoulders.

Essential packing list:

Rain gear

Pain-killers

Sunscreen

Sunglasses

Hat

Toiletries

Towel

Camera

Earplugs, you will appreciate them when sleeping in hostels

Small torch

Swiss army knife

Mosquito spray

When?

The best times to walk to Santiago are in spring and in autumn. In winter is too cold and in summer not only it is too hot but also most of people are on holiday so they walk during these months and the hostels are pretty packed.

Can I get lost while walking?

You shouldn't, you can buy maps and books with indications in lots of shops along the road, also there are yellow narrows indicating the way everywhere. Furthermore, the towns are really close among each other and there are always people willing to give you directions.

What is the Pilgrims Passport?

The Pilgrims Passport is the ''pilgrims id''. You can get it in the city where you start walking. Pamplona, Roncesvalles and St Jean Pied de Port are the main centers where these passports are issued. During the walk you have to ask for stamps in your passport that will show that you meet the requisites to get the ''Compostelana''' (the certificate that shows that you conclude the ''Camino de Santiago'').

Albergue Itzandegia, Roncesvalles

Where to sleep

Dozens of 'albergues' are found along the way. These are hostels just for pilgrims,

that's why you need to show your Pilgrims Passport to stay here.

The facilities vary greatly. Some of them are warm and cozy but some are old school buildings.

Some have washing machines, but mostly you will have to wash by hand. Most of them have hot

showers, kitchens and internet connection.
They are really affordable, their prices vary from 3€ to 10€ per night.

Although albergues' rules vary from one to another, in all of them Pilgrims are allowed to stay just one night. It is useful to know that the closer you are to Santiago, the busier the Albergues. For a complete list of accomodations visit: http://www.jacobeo.net/

Whatever your reasons are, or whathever you are looking for, put your boots on and start walking this one-in-a-lifetime trip!



A trip worth taking: 'The Way of St James'

First of all, what is The Way of St James? Is the sum of old European pilgrimage routes which have as the final destination Santiago de Compostela (Spain). It is supposed that St James' remains were buried in this city, that is why people in Medieval Times traveled to the Spanish city to atone for their sins. Anyway, nowadays although it is still identified as a Christian pilgrimage, people walk it for a wide variety of reasons. 'El Camino' is so popular right now that even a film based on it is about to be released:

There are five main different routes in Spain: French Route, the Silver Road, the Northern Routes, the English Road, and the Portuguese Road. The first one is the most popular thanks to the infrastructure for pilgrims.

French Road's map

Where?

St Jean Pied de Port

The French Road begins at St Jean Pied de Port (Southern France) and it is nearly 800km from the arrival. This small city lies on the river Nive and it is 8 km from the Spanish border. People who start from this point usually feel really proud because the way from here to Roncesvalles is thought to be the hardest part of the Camino.

The next step would be Roncesvalles, a tiny town in Navarra, among the Pyrenees. There is not a lot there to be found besides a church, 2 bars and one of the largest ‘albergue’, where 120 people sleep in a large room. Nearly 50kms after you will finally reach Pamplona, one of the biggest cities of the whole Camino. In this capital city, known thanks to ‘Running the bulls’, you will find lots of shops, restaurants, churches and delicious ‘tapas’. It is worthy staying there one or two days in order to have time enough to visit the city.

 

Pamplona's City Hall



Burgos's Cathedral

 After leaving behind several towns such as Estella, Viana or Najera, you will arrive to one of the other big cities ot the route: Burgos. Capital of Castile, this city will impact you because of its Gothic Cathedral, dated of 1221. After walking almost 200 kms, another Gothic Cathedral settled in Leon will receive you. It is also known because of the Real Colegiata de San Isidoro where is located the Royal Pantheon, or Casa de Botines, a Gaudi's early work.
The penultimate stop would be Ponferrada where you definitely should have breakfast or lunch and deviate from the walk to visit the Old Square.
After nearly four weeks if you are still alive and your legs continue working you will finally make it to Santiago de Compostela, Galicia's capital city. Its cathedral is the desired destination for the pilgrims where the remains of Santiago (St James) are thought to be.

(to be continued..)