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azvolrien · 5 years

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Iceland - Day 8

Last entry!

Our last full day in Iceland was an eventful but fairly relaxed one, with a few different stops and an early start, but an early finish to go with it. We set off from the hotel at 8.30 and backtracked a little along yesterday’s road for the first few stops of the day. The first was Deildartunguhver, the biggest hot spring in Europe. Though what you can see of the colour-stained rock and constantly bubbling water is impressive, it’s actually difficult to take photos of: the spring emits such huge quantities of steam that you have to wait patiently for the clouds to subside before your camera can make anything out, and that’s after the spring has been harnessed to supply hot water to the nearby towns of Borgarnes and Akranes as well as a greenhouse at the site.

We then moved on to the final waterfalls of the tour: Hraunfossar (‘Lava Waterfalls’) and Barnafoss (‘Children’s Waterfall’), two very different falls that can nevertheless be considered together, as they are right next to each other. Hraunfossar is the first you come to, and consists of a gentle series of trickles that appear to spring directly from the lava rock beneath a bank of lush greenery. Barnafoss, almost immediately upstream, has a drastically contrasting character as a swift, furious boil of water through a narrow gorge of sharp rock that would probably claim the lives of all but the most experienced/lucky white-water kayakers. It gets its name from a story (entirely possible, but unproven) that two children, playing on a rock arch over the river, fell in and were swept away while everyone else was at church. Their bereaved mother then supposedly had the arch destroyed to prevent such a tragedy happening again. The moral of this story is to never leave children unsupervised near a waterfall.

After the waterfalls came the tiny hamlet of Reykholt, whose main claim to fame is that it was the home of Icelandic historian Snorri Sturlusson. It now contains an odd-looking church whose undercroft houses an exhibition about Snorri’s life and a small bookshop of volumes on Icelandic history, folklore and similar themes. Also very tangential themes, such as several different compilations of essays about Game of Thrones. I bought an illustrated book of legendary/folkloric Icelandic monsters, which includes some familiar like the water horse and the sea serpent and some that are downright weird, such as the King of the Bears and the mouse-whale.

After a half-hour stop in Borgarnes for an early lunch, we travelled to the last official stop of our tour and the third part of the so-called Golden Circle after Gullfoss and the Geysir area: Þingvellir National Park, where the Mid-Atlantic Ridge’s efforts to tear the island in two are most dramatically evident. While the rift was also visible up at Dettifoss, here it is far more clearly so. Fissures crack the land here, pushing ridges of broken rock up like the roots of Yggdrasil forcing their way through a pavement, while the biggest fissure of all forms a long row of cliffs of a similar height to the dolerite sill of Salisbury Crags at home. Other fissures have flooded into deep pools of beautifully clear water, popular with divers (who are common enough to merit their own ‘divers crossing’ road sign) and home to waterfowl and isolated populations of fish. The Icelandic flag flies over it all in honour of its place as the original site of the Alþing, Iceland’s ancient parliament established in 930.

With Þingvellir behind us, we returned to the Hotel Reykjavik Natura where we started, and the tour group went our separate ways at about 3.30. I didn’t really want to spend the rest of the day in the hotel, however, and so dropped my stuff in the room (almost identical to the last one here, just mirrored) and set off on foot for a wander and an early dinner in central Reykjavik. Both the maps in my guidebook and online were a little out of date due to construction works, but I managed to navigate past some building sites and through quiet residential streets by following the spire of Hallgrímskirkja, which towers over the city atop a hill and can be seen from almost anywhere in Reykjavik. I took some better pictures of the church, not being constrained by a moving bus this time, and had a look inside. The interior of Iceland’s biggest church is plain, a high, austere space of grey stone with no stained glass to liven it up, but it does have a truly magnificent pipe organ looming over the nave, easily as big as the one in St Giles’.

The streets around Hallgrímskirkja are, in a word, touristy. There are even more souvenir shops than there are on the Royal Mile, with all manner of gifts for sale from cheap keyrings to high-end knitwear and jewellery, as well as many little cafés and restaurants. I bought a couple of pin badges and one last t-shirt and had a plate spaghetti in a little Italian place, and returned to the hotel to pack up and have a final quiet evening in Iceland.

Patronising Kiwi and riding accident aside, I think I may have a new favourite holiday. Iceland is a fascinating, beautiful place, with a history and landscape like something out of the better class of fantasy novel, and while there were things we missed that I would have liked to see (such as whale-watching) we managed to pack in so much else that things missed out barely even register. The language, too, is fascinating. It’s a little like Welsh; not in that the languages themselves are similar, which they aren’t, but in how they both appear tongue-manglingly baffling to an English-speaker at first while, once you know the alphabet, actually being spelt exactly as they sound. The Nordic links to Scotland are also there for the observant listener to notice: Þingvellir and Dingwall share the same root, both meaning ‘Assembly Fields’, while the ‘Reykja’ in ‘Reykjavik’ is not so far from Edinburgh’s old nickname of Auld Reekie, both meaning ‘smoky’.

While I doubt I will do the complete tour in one go again, I definitely want to come back to Iceland one day to pick up on what I missed this time; perhaps spend some more time in Reykjavik and visit some more museums, as well as finally getting on that whale-watching trip. Seeing the Northern Lights would also be good, but you don’t have to come to Iceland for those.

Now I just need to visit Sweden and Finland and I’ll have been to all the Nordic countries. There are a lot of interesting places in the world that I’d like to see one day, but I think my heart will always belong in the North.

#Iceland #holiday diary

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schmidtchristmasmarket · 4 years

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Schmidt Christmas market is excited to bring to you another collection of travel ideas to explore this winter sponsored by our famous collection of Christmas decor. Today, we will look at one of the most popular areas to visit in Canada, Banff National Park, and the surrounding areas. There's plenty to do in these areas, from spending time outside exploring nature to enjoying a sleigh ride out in the snow. Sign up to get our blog in a weekly email

1. Evening Safari Ride In Banff National Park

Banff National Park offers nightly safaris where you get to go for a sleigh ride and observe wildlife throughout the Park. The total trip lasts around two hours and is a great way to see some of the countrysides when the sun is down. While you are on safari, you can expect to see a variety of wildlife and plant life that thrives in the Park. You'll likely see elk and deer and possibly even some bears all living in their natural habitats. It's definitely an exciting experience worth checking out if you're in the area.

2. Visit Sunshine Meadows To Observe The Wildlife

Sunshine Meadows is one of the most popular areas inside the National Park. You can make your own way to the top of the mountain to observe the Meadows that sprawl before you or take one of the gondolas. The gondola ride is a total of 4.6 km. It terminates at the Alpine village near the peak of the mountain. From the peak, you can easily observe the entire valley around you. On especially clear days, you can even look at wildlife throughout the Park as they go through life's motions. It's a truly breathtaking experience. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to see the Canadian Rockies from a perspective you rarely get the chance.

3. Ride on a horse pulled sled ride in Banff National Park

Around Christmas time, whenever there is plenty of snow on the ground, you can go to Banff National Park and get pulled behind a sled. This is a great activity to take your children with for the adventure. If you are lucky, your slave driver may even act in character and dress up as Santa Claus. For children, this can be one of the most exciting things they've ever experienced: Riding on a sled as it is being pulled by horses driven by Santa looking up at the winter night sky littered with stars enumerable.

4. Visit the Cave and Basin National Historic Site

The cave and basin national historic site is a great place to visit the gift shop and pick up some Christmas decor on the way out after learning all about the history of the Canadian National Park system. This historic site is where the original Canadian National Park was first established. Throughout the site, there are exhibits that will teach you all about the history of the National Park system in Canada as well as the culture of the area. You can go through the exhibits on your own, listen to the audio guides at your own pace, or join one of the guided tours. Along the way and you'll get to experience some of the hot water that leaks out of the ground in this part of Canada, as well as some of the fragrant minerals, mined from the earth.

5. Banff Park Museum National Historic Site

the Banff Park Museum National historic site lets you get up close with the nature of the Rocky Mountains. They include some of the mountainside's most dangerous predators stuffed throughout their exhibits so you can check them out up close. Inside the museum, there are over 5000 different artifacts at the oldest federal building in any Canadian national park. The museum has been in operation continuously since 1903.

6. Snowshoeing Tour to the Paint Pots

If you do not normally get the chance to experience snow during Christmas time, you definitely need to take the opportunity and go snowshoeing. There is a guided tour that will take you and your family on a snowshoeing trip to a group of famous mineral spring pools called the Paint Pots. Along the way, you will learn about the Canadian nature that surrounds you and enjoy some refreshing hot cocoa. As you walk through the snow with your snowshoes on you'll be surrounded by some of the most beautiful Canadian wilderness imaginable.

7. Discover Lake Louise

Lake Louise is generally considered to be the biggest attraction inside of Banff National Park. Each year overwinter, the lake is turned into a place that you could only imagine. The lake freezes over and allows people to go ice skating on it. Each year there are ice sculpture competitions, and the sculptures are put on display on top of the lake. If you have not gotten to see Lake Louise this time of year, it's not something you want to miss. You can even use the Banff national Park transportation system to easily make it to the lake without struggling your way there on your own. Taking your children ice-skating on top of a natural lake is an incredible experience that many would consider being one of the highlights of their vacations once they get back home.

8. Johnston Canyon Evening Icewalk

Inside of Banff National Park is Johnston Canyon. During the wintertime, there are guided tours that let you go through this extraordinary place safely. The tours take groups of people through the canyon on one of the Park's most popular places to hike once the sun has set. Each individual is given a headlamp, and then they get to go with their tour guide and check out the frozen waterfalls inside of the canyon. There are refreshments provided to tour groups at the midway point to keep you guys feeling good throughout the entire event. If you have not seen a frozen waterfall up close and in person, it's definitely something that will definitely stick with you.

9. Banff Gondola Ride

Schmidt Christmas market always recommends that anyone who goes and visits Banff Canada to check out their gondola. It is one of the largest gondolas in the Western Hemisphere, and it takes you up to the top of the mountain in the Park. With over 2 miles worth of track, you get to see the Park from high up along the way. The gondolas have fully wrapped around windows, so you'll have a full 360° view of the world around you. Once you arrive at the top of Sulfur Mountain, you will be greeted by some of the most amazing panoramic views that you've ever seen. You'll have a little over 1 ½ hour to check out everything Mount sulfur has to offer up top before you begin the gondola ride back down to the base of the mountain. Some restaurants at the top of the mountain consistently receive stellar reviews and are worth checking out if you happen to find yourself up there.

10. Banff Cave and Basin Exploring Game

The Banff Cave and basin exploring Game is one of the most unique experiences you'll find in any country at a national Park. This interactive game lets you play with another team as you race to reach the next location to answer questions. The Game is guided by an interactive smartphone app that will lead you down some of the best trails in the Park. As you are going through the trails, the app will query you different questions to see if you can answer them correctly. You can play competitively against other people in your group and see who wins. If you and your family enjoy friendly competition and spend time outside, this unique activity could be the highlight of your winter vacation. It is certainly not something most people will have experienced before.

Shop Schmidt Christmas Market for all your Christmas Decorations!

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hannahwayward-blog · 7 years

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A Long Weekend in Bangalore: Like India, But Not

I arrived in Bangalore on Thursday afternoon, both sad to leave Kolkata and relieved to escape the intense heat. Of course, on the day I left, it finally started to really rain, and my flight was delayed because the runway was flooding as a result of a torrential downpour. Bangalore greeted me sunny and cool, by comparison - it was around 80 degrees when I landed - and Arune picked me up from the airport and drove me back to his house.

I had visited Arune and his family once before, spending a weekend in Bangalore during DukeEngage, but they had since moved to a new apartment that really was more resort than flat. Each room had floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on a sea of palm trees: their home is situated next to a protected forest. White walls and white-tiled floors contrast with the brown wood window frames and the bright green outside. Porches flank the east and west ends of the flat, which is on the third floor of their building, and the weather is so nice that they can leave the glass doors slid open year-round. The entire fourth floor is a terrace, which Arune told me is the most frequented “room” in the house. A rooftop pool, complete with waterfall, sits between two seating areas - one high and in the sun, the other lower and covered with a projector screen and coffee table. The terrace also has a bar and a small kitchen, making it the ideal location for hosting. Needless to say, after five nights in a dingy hotel room and six days sweating my way through Kolkata, this terrace was the closest to heaven I’d ever been, and it was here I spent the largest part of my long weekend in Bangalore.

Thursday evening we sat outside and drank and reminisced, ordering pizza for dinner, and I called it an early night after playing a few games of Trivial Pursuit and Bananagrams. On Friday, Arune and I made a deal that we would alternate between one cultural outing for one bar, so after getting a haircut (Arune) and a pedicure (me) at UB City Mall, we grabbed lunch and drinks with Arune’s friend Abhimanyu at a Mexican restaurant before walking to our first cultural event. Tasveer is a small, local photography gallery, which had an exhibition in which a fashion photographer had recreated famous paintings. When Abhi and I had had our fill (Arune was done long before we were), we went to a nearby biergarten for a drink. This was the place I’d gotten food poisoning during my last visit, so I steered clear of the food but had one of their in-house brews. At Abhi’s recommendation, we next went to two secondhand bookshops, where I had to keep myself from buying everything (again, thank goodness for my pack). We ended our day out watching the sunset at Ebony, a restaurant on the 13th floor of a building from which I had a great view of the city of Bangalore.

We headed home, stopping quickly at Abhi’s house, which was full of beautiful antiques, and Abhi promised to take me to the antique store while I was in Bangalore. Once back at Arune’s, we ordered (lamb) burgers and hot dogs for dinner, stuffed ourselves, and then headed out to Sly Granny, a local bar, joined by Jess, a Duke senior who’s interning in Bangalore this summer. At Sly Granny, we were joined by many of Arune’s friends, and drank and danced until last call (which came at 1:00!?!) then took Ubers back to Arune’s. A group of 10 or so of us sat on the terrace until 5:00 AM, which is apparently not uncommon, and I slept exceedingly late on Saturday.

On Saturday evening, Arune and his family were hosting the Duke send-off party for the three incoming freshman and five incoming graduate students from Bangalore. We spent the day on the terrace, doing equal parts prepping and vegging. The 40 or so guests began to arrive around 6:00, and we chatted and hosted and wined and dined them until everyone trickled out around 9:00 (which surprised the caterers, who told Arune’s mom they weren’t used to leaving her house before midnight!). After this, Arune’s friends came over and joined us on the terrace, where we once again sat until an ungodly hour of the morning, listening to music and discussing books and doing more drinking and dancing.

I didn’t let myself sleep as late on Sunday, since Arune’s friend Abhi was going to make good on his promise to take me to Balajee’s antique shop. After a breakfast of toast and tea, my preferred combo while in Bangalore, I met up with Abhi and we went down to the shop. It was the first time since arriving in Bangalore that I truly felt like I was in India. Once more, old buildings leaned inward over narrow streets and vendors lined the sidewalks. We spent over an hour in Balajee’s, where I saw armor that had been worn by a German during World War I, a gorgeous beaded handbag from the 1960s, a photograph of Einstein and Nehru, and countless other odds and eccentricities dating from years and centuries back. As Balajee closed up shop to go to the cinema, Abhi and I walked through the busy streets and to the local market. On the way, I bought a coconut and drank fresh coconut water while we made our way through the throngs of people. The market was selling every fresh fruit and vegetable imaginable, with a flower market at its center. We ambled around here before going back to Arune’s, where we ordered biryani and milkshakes and sat in the sunshine that had finally appeared after a rainy morning.

Sunday evening was dedicated to games - we played Bananagrams, Trivial Pursuit, and Cards Against Humanity, then ended the evening with Blackjack on the terrace, joined by some of Arune’s cousins. It was another late night, which is part of what made it so hard to leave on Monday morning. While I was there, Arune and I realized that it had been eight years exactly since we received our freshman year dorm assignments. In London at the beginning of my trip and in Bangalore I was lucky enough to be hosted by friends I made in that dorm, and the weekend before my trip began I spent at the beach with friends from there as well. Arune and I talked a lot about how lucky we all are to have a friend group that’s more like family. After six days in Kolkata mostly alone, it was a welcome change to be around other people, but it was made even better by the fact that it was time spent with one of my first and dearest college friends and his family, who, like him, are aggressively hospitable. I was sad to leave the beautiful weather and their beautiful flat, but saddest to leave the comfort of being in a fun, happy home that reminds me of mine, some thousands of miles across the world. However, I was leaving this family to spend time with my own, and flew from Bangalore to Kochi to spend time with my sister - posts to come!

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jeremystrele · 5 years

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A Beverly Hills House With A Dinosaur Skeleton Is For Sale

Beverly Hills 90210 is the coveted location of this 5 bedroom, 9 bathroom, 12,500 square foot home. The listing, from The Agency, showcases 1300 Beverly Estate Drive as a palatial three-story property that rules a 67,953 square foot sloping lot. Its quiet neighborhood is just minutes from the heart of Beverly Hills, and enjoys stunning panorama of the cityscape below and an ocean scene beyond. The interior design is a stunning a collaboration by Lorenzo Cascino, brand ambassador for Italian design firm Visionnaire, and Los Angeles based Ameen Ayoub Design Studio. The result is modern glamor that is both sleek and inviting, filled with high-end materials, bespoke decor and remarkable amenities.

One thousand feet of driveway curls up toward the hillside retreat.

The modern exterior cuts thin white slices away from the foliage covered natural landscape, replacing the fallen greenery with gardens of its own.

Sweeping terraces cradle young trees and shrubs that will flourish to merge the private property with its beautiful location.

The 80-foot-long pool design paints a bright blue bar across the face of the property. An extensive pool terrace runs the full length of the property, a perfect place for entertaining guests or simply enjoying solitude.

The pool laps against the sheer edge of the property. Swimmers can pause in the cool water to gaze out at unobstructed views of Beverly Hills.

Outdoor lounge areas fill the terrace, which includes custom-made lounge furniture by Visionnaire and fire pits to warm the terrace late into the night. There’s also a chic outdoor bar area with a large TV–perfect for keeping up with the game and good friends.

Sunloungers stretch beneath clear blue LA skies.

On arrival, we find a grand entrance located the level beneath the wraparound terrace. A striking black and white facade stands bold amongst neat plant beds and borders, which are beautifully lit to create a warm welcome.

From out here we can already see the main attraction – an Allosaurus skeleton, on loan from a private collector. The ancient exhibit is poised as if to race across the floor of a magnificent double-height glass wall foyer.

The white stone floor of the foyer spills to the outside of the building, like a luxurious welcome mat. The towering glass walls wrap the side of a second volume of the home, to flood a landing with sunshine.

Inside the foyer, glass balustrades around the modern staircase keep the entire space looking open and bright.

Massive sliding glass Fleetwood pocket doors open up the length of the home, bringing the Californian sun right inside. The brilliant sunshine highlights a central 22 foot tall, double-sided Aquitanian black marble fireplace in the open plan living room. Airy lounge areas are decorated in pale neutrals to let the fabulous stone have its moment.

More black marble is used as bespoke decoration on the opposite side of the luxurious living room, along with custom chandelier designs and exceptional works of art.

A bar has been crafted with rare Porto gold marble. The kitchen, living and dining areas become one with the back terrace and all of the outdoor entertaining space it has to add.

The dining room is an enormous double height spectacle of Aquitanian black marble, which is the opposite side of the living room’s central fireplace. A magnificent dining room chandelier rains down from its ceiling mount high above the table.

A modern chandelier is formed by a group of ring pendants in the kitchen, over the walk space between two sleek waterfall-edge kitchen islands topped with Armani Pietra gray marble.

Moving further in we find a dedicated tasting bar combined with yet another relaxing lounge area.

Behind the tasting lounge there stands a 600-bottle temperature-controlled wine storage room.

Glass walls keep the wine storage wall open to the rest of the home, creating a unique design feature and inevitable talking point.

An abundance of copper globe pendants bubble along the ceiling space of the glass entryway. Wooden panels wrap the interior walls and ceiling in a rich tone that marries harmoniously with the warmth of the metallic shades.

Glass walls let nature become the decor of the landing that leads to the bedrooms.

On the third level, situated at the end for added privacy, the master suite becomes an outdoor space when great glass walls are retracted. A unique headboard design has bedsides built into white upholstered panels, revealing moments of highly polished wood grain. The suite has a morning kitchen to enable the owners to take coffee out on the terrace immediately upon waking.

Mahogany cabinets seem to go on for miles and miles.

Black marble is replaced by cloud-white Bianca Carrara marble in the luxury bathroom design, which has dual bathroom vanities, a soaking tub, and its own access to the outdoor terrace.

Three more ensuite bedrooms occupy the north wing. The second elegant bedroom is filled with silver grey furnishings and modern bedside table lamps.

A double sink bathroom vanity stretches the length of a contemporary bathroom scheme.

Another bedroom opens directly onto a fire pit surrounded by outdoor chairs.

Plush white seating fills a home theater for 12 viewers.

There is a fitness studio stocked with Technogym equipment, a sauna, and a steam room clad with Calacatta porcelain.

Recreational amenities are plentiful in this home. The games room has a multi-screen TV wall and stylish white pool table. Outside, a hot tub deck is made private by tall growing bamboo plants.

The home boasts a four-car motor court, and has fully-integrated smart home technology.

The 945 square foot showroom garage is floored with glossy black tile.

World-famous venues and shopping of Beverly Hills, West Hollywood and the Sunset Strip are just minutes outside the gate.

Recommended Reading: Luxury Property In Beverly Hills With Lap Pool And State Of The Art Movie Theatre

Luxury Property In Beverly Hills With Lap Pool And State Of The Art Movie Theatre

A Spectacular Beverly Hills House

Stunning Costa Rican House With A Spectacular Coastal View

A Modern California Home That Plays With Light & Showcases Spectacular Views

An Upside Down House in the Woods Flips the Architectural Script

Neutral Contemporary Apartment by W.C.H Design Studio

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drewebowden66 · 5 years