World of Powerboats » Boating Destinations

Tokyo Toys – Japanese gadgets

admin — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 13:28:42 +0000

In England, my friends come to me wanting my recommendations on which of the latest gadgets they should buy. If they’re stuck for a present or don’t know where to find some specific home accessory, I can usually point them in the right direction. I’m proud of my encyclopedic knowledge of the retail landscape but in Tokyo, the land of the bullet train, robots, instant noodles and all-singing, all dancing toilets, I always feel like I’m walking into another world, where my alleged wisdom is completely negated by a whole new generation of faster, whizzier, smaller, cuter, sexier, more exciting gizmos and retail adventures. In fact, technology is so advanced in the land tha t created mobile phones back in the 70s, tha t they are simply not used as phones any more. Very few Japanese actually talk on the phone at all. Instead they use them to write novels, manga comics, shoot films (there’s even a Mobile Phone Oscars) or create art. At the Shibuya H.P France Gallery, a group of mobile phone artists are gathered for a creative meeting. Surrounded by large-scale abstract oil canvases on the white walls, they are taking art into the technological age, using pixels instead of a paintbrush to create canvases for the communications era. I learn that young girls, somewhat predictably, change the ‘skin’ (appearance) of their phone more frequently than their male counterparts, and the ‘kawaii’ (cute) factor is key when it comes to choosing which phone art to download. Another way of decorating your mobile in Tokyo is to customize it. Like so many young Japanese women, top Japanese model and socialite, Momo Eri is immaculately turned out and her attention to detail extends to her phone handset, which is decorated with hundreds of stick-on crystals, bows, plastic fl owers and cartoon characters. As we arrive at Chiara, the tiny boutique where she has customised six or seven handsets in the last couple of years, she’s like a toddler in a pick & mix s tore, grabbing tiny cellophane bags fi lled with the treasure she’s chosen for her latest project. She briefs the sales assistant, handing over a selection of shiny shapes that will transform a mundane black gadget into a girly accessory worthy of any fashionista, and heads off for milkshakes with her friends while she waits for her ne w phone to be fi nished. Chiara is typical of the Tokyo shopping experience. All around the world, shopping has become homogenized: surrounded by familiar brands and shopfronts, you could be in London, Hong Kong, Milan or almost any other major city. But not in Tokyo. From international luxury brands to quirky gadgets, from exquisite origami paper to cute characters adorning everything from bento boxes to coffee machines, if you can ’t find it here, it doesn’t exist. In Otomesando, global brands have put down roots and made this their home. Kiddyland is heaven for kids and makes Hamleys look like a corner shop (there’s a whole fl oor of Hello Kitty paraphenalia for those who can’t resist the cute cat). Further up the street, there’s Otomesando Hills, a newly-rejeuvenated shopping centre fi lled with small boutique stores, and the amazing architectural structure that is Tod’s fl agship store in Tokyo: a glass cube wrapped in steel ‘trees’ – worth seeing for the building alone. Ginza is another upmarket shopping district, and on a Saturday is heaving with glossy ladies browsing in Mitsukoshi (aka Tokyo’s answer to Harvey Nichols), and Tiffany & Co. And of course, there’s Akihabara: Electric Town… So where do you go to refuel after a long day’s shopping? Well, in Tokyo, innovation doesn’t stop with ‘stuff ’. The city has the most technically-advanced food in the world too. In the 38th-fl oor Oriental Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, Japanese-American chef, Jeff Ramsey, serves Japanese molecular cuisine in the Tapas Molecular Bar. Think Nobu meets Heston Blumenthal. The 20-course tasting menu at £100-a-head changes every two months – although “course” is perhaps misleading; most servings are just a mouthful or two. Listing all 20 dishes would lessen the element of surprise tha t helps make the molecular experience fun but highlights include apple snap with manchego cheese sorbet, green tea tuna with 25-year-old balsamic vinegar, charcoal beef, a cleanser of mojito served in a steel straw in an empty glass and Chinese dumpling served in Australian lamb. Desserts entertain as much as they please. The Cherry Blossom is a syrup frozen in liquid nitrogen. It’s like eating dry ice and only lasts 20 seconds. Eat it quickly and smoke pours out of your nose, making you look like ‘Puff The Magic Dragon’. The next day it’s my turn to be on the menu at Oedo-Onsen Monogatari, a spa theme park in Shimbashi. I’m going for a pedicure. Forget pummice stones and nail fi les, here it’s Doctor Fish – tiny Garra Rufa carp – that do all the hard work, nibbling away at dead fl esh. I dip my feet in the warm pool of water, and hundreds of the tiny carp swim towards my feet for their breakfast. Of me. It’s the strangest, squirmiest, squealiest sensation, like being nibbled and tickled by a little electrical current. Once I’ve stopped giggling, I fi lm the little munchers with my new INQ phone, and after fi fteen minutes, I have the smoothest feet. The spa is like a village in itself, with shops, arcade machines, restaurants and even cigarette vending machines alongside open-air and indoor hot baths and massage treatment rooms. My time in this incredible city has fl own by like a sushi conveyer belt on fast forward. I’m off to make the most of Saturday night in Tokyo, but if you get a chance to hang out in this incredible city, don’t hesitate to take it.

Portugal – Alentejo region

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:21:29 +0000

The delights of Portugal’s Alentejo Region, this large and relatively unknown (and therefore un-touristy!) Part of Portugal has so much to offer! The pace of life is slower than in the more populated areas and there is so much to see and do.

Apart from the coastal part, there is also the long frontier with Spain, where there are several fortified towns and village, which stand out amidst the undulating landscape. The history is rich with many remains from Roman, Moorish and Medieval times. The northern part is more mountainous than the south, but most areas grow vines and this is the largest wine producing region of Portugal. Having sampled many of them I can highly recommend trying a wide selection of them! The regional cuisine is special too…my favourite being the “porco preto” which is black pig, the meat being darker than normal pork as the pigs are free range and feed on the abundant supply of acorns available to them. It is from these pigs that some of the best ”presunto” ham is produced. There are many bread based dishes too, which sounds heavy, but they are not…the famous soup “acorda” is made with bread and eggs, garlic, coriander and another herb called peojo. Wonderful cheeses are made locally, from goat and sheep’s milk (the best known is called Serpa) and there are lots of sweet dishes made predominantly from eggs and sugar…but the variety is incredible… There are towns like EVORA to be explored, which is in the centre of the Region, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can see Roman remains, and either stay in a very historic Pousada in the centre of town, or at a range of other hotels and rural accommodation. All offer a different type of experience dependant upon what the traveller is looking for. CASTELO DE VIDE lies on the edge of the Parque Natural de Sao Mamede and is an incredibly pretty place, with amongst other things, an old Jewish Quarter and a synagogue. The place is well known for its thermal waters and their healing qualities. Few cities have as many stories to tell as ESTREMOZ because of it’s strategic position on a hilltop, with views which are very far-reaching. There are actually 2 lines of fortification…the first dating back to the 13th century and the second from the time of the War of Restoration in the 1640s. There is also a beautiful Pousada there. ELVAS is another small town (known now for its greengages!) but which played a pivotal part in Portuguese history and also has a fortified castle, originally built by the Moors, but added to over the centuries. There is also an impressive aqueduct, with 843 arches stretching over 7.5 kms. ARRAIOLAS is famous for its carpets, and MONSERAZ, a beautiful little town where time seems to have stood still. BEJA is yet another fortified town, and like Evora was important in Roman times…with lots of amazing architecture, monuments and impressive buildings. There are so many wonderful places to visit…fresco routes for those who are interested in this sort of art, and an abundance of wonderful “ajulejos” (painted tiles) which can be seen almost everywhere both on the outside and insides of buildings. Many depict scenes from historical events and were used in many educational institutions as well as places of worship or private houses. Close to the border of Spain is the largest inland waterway in Europe. The Alqueva Dam, has a surface area of about 250 square kilometres, and The AMIEIRA MARINA offers a wide selection of power boats for hire. Motorboat holidays are a relatively new type of alternative holiday in Portugal, and can be taken at this beautiful lake in the Alentejo. Fly into Faro or to Lisbon, and then either take a hire car, or perhaps you prefer to arrange a transfer up to the lake, so that you do not have to think about driving from the airport. Boats are available for hire from the Amieira Marina, and can sleep up to 10 people ( although we recommend that 8 is enough on the larger boats) Whilst cabins tend to be quite compact, there is a comfortable saloon with a dining area, and there is usually an upper deck where one can sunbathe or just relax. The boats are comfortable and well equipped with such items as a fridge and a BBQ, and carry plenty of sweet water and fuel so that you do not have to worry about re-stocking all the time. At the marina there is a shop where you can stock up on essentials, and once you are underway you can tie up/stop at one of the many villages which are situated around the lakeshore. If you have hired a bike you can go exploring, (unless you are a keen walker!) Fishing gear can be hired, and all boats come equipped with a radio with a CD player and a TV with DVD player. You will be given a map of all the places where you can tie up and go shopping etc! The self drive rental of purpose built Motor Cruisers on the lake created by the Alqueva Dam (on the Guadiana River, part of the border between Spain and Portugal), is now only available from EHS Travel, or Destination Portugal it’s sister company . This beautiful area of calm, fresh and warm water is a huge attraction for sailors (of both motor and sail craft), windsurfers, fi shermen and wildlife observers. Several historic and relatively unknown villages are approached from the water and supply the necessary shops, bars and also local restaurants in which one can enjoy the robust fl avours of the Alentejo cuisine and the fi ne wines of the many growers in the area. The Motor Cruisers come in 7 sizes sleeping between 2 and 10 persons in double bedded cabins (though in each type there is the possibility of sleeping a further 2 persons in the Saloon), with between 1 and 4 shower/wc compartments according to size. All the boats have gas cooking facilities (plus outdoor gas barbeque), fridge/freezer, TV, DVD, outside shower and radio/CD player. Navigation equipment includes Satnav and sophisticated Sonar depth monitor, lifejackets (also for children) and emergency mobile telephone. A thorough briefi ng on the boat, its working parts, safety equipment and emergency phone procedure is provided before setting sail?. There are large areas on each boat for sunbathing, al-fresco eating and fi shing – there are even sun-shades provided for those sun downer moments when moored securely to one of the buoys provided just off each interesting village on the lake. Added fun for the family can be rented in the form of kayaks, bicycles, fi shing kit and licence. These boats provide a different type of (slightly) adventurous holiday which requires no previous experience and no licence. It will appeal to families, even with small children, and to groups of friends. The season is 12 months long with the peak period being July and August (at which time one would expect temperatures in excess of 300C ).

FOR BOOKINGS & ENQUIRIES:

Tel: EHS TRAVEL on 01993 700600 for tailor-made holidays or boat hire only, or

Email info@ehstravel.co.uk

or see www.ehstravel.co.uk.

or DESTINATION PORTUGAL on 01993 773269 for “packaged” prices that include flights, transfers or car hire and boat rental.

Email info@destination-portugal.co.uk

or see www.destination-portugal.co.uk

Il Palio – Siena Horserace

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 12:13:09 +0000

A grand duke of Tuscany was once asked to fund the construction of a lunatic asylum in Siena. “shut the city gates,” was his response, “and you’ll have a fine madhouse ready made.” Wander round Siena for 50 weeks of the year and you wouldn’t have a clue where he got the idea from. The place is a slumbering open-air museum. Turn up for the Palio, though, and you can absolutely see that the grand duke had a point. At race time, for two weeks every year, Siena is a nuthouse. Twice a summer they run a horse race, the world famous Palio di Siena, in the main square, the Piazza del Campo. Tourists pitch up in their thousands and observe a ritual that has been played out in various guises since the Middle Ages. They come along assuming that what they’re going to see is, basically, the Derby in medieval costume. They’re always a bit surprised when, right in front of their noses, gangs of young I talian men start piling into one another for no apparent reason. All over Europe there are festivals where all they really care about is separating tourists from their Euros. But the Palio isn’t put on for pink-faced northern hordes in shorts. You could remove every one of them from the piazza as the race is about to s tart, and it wouldn’t make even the slightest difference to the atmosphere of seething frenzy and dementia. If possible, it would make it seethe just that little bit more. The truth about the Palio is it has less to do with horses and pag eantry than money, passion, violence and the Virgin Mary. The race is run on specifi c religious feast days between ten horses, each representing a contrada, or borough. (T here are 17 of these in the cit y, so if a contrada’s horse isn’t in this one, it gets to run in the corresponding race next year.) The contradas all have quaint historical names – Owl, Tower, Goose, Giraffe, Caterpillar etc – but there’s nothing twee about rivalries between certain contradas that are as bitter as any between local football clubs. A lid is kept on all this for most of the year, but when the Palio week comes round it boils over. Young Sienese roam the streets in the fourday- up singing an infi nite variation on the same medieval soccer chant, often very rude riffs on rival contradas. After the chants come the fights. Rivalries even go on behind closed doors. Marriages between members of rival contradas are often put on hold for the week, with one spouse or another returning to their family home. The ten horses for the race are chosen on the Or wellian principle that all are of roughly the same quality, though some are more equal than others. They are each assigned to a contrada by lots four da ys before the race. But having a fast horse is no guarantee of anything. It’s necessary to secure an advantage of other runners and riders. There are two ways of ensuring success: divine intervention, and bribery. Before the race the horse is blessed in the contrada church. If it deposits a s teaming pile of shit on the holy fl oor, this is for some reason taken as a splendid sign. But bribery is generally taken to be a more reliable method. The Sienese generally deny to outsiders that it takes place, but when I went one year I was told by someone from the M onte dei Paschi Bank, the oldest bank in the world, that their contrada had shelled out hundreds of thousands of pounds to buy off eight of the oth er competing contradas. That is standard practice. Contributions come from the floor up, with individuals who are not necessarily wealthy pledging huge sums. All the money is spent on the race. The jockeys are all hired from outside, mostly from Sardinia where they breed runty, gnarled young men steeped in the ways of mounted skulduggery. (In another life Gianfranco Zola would have made a perfect Palio jockey). It’s lucrative, but dangerous being a jockey. It’s not just that the baked earth surface laid round the outside of the Piazza del Campo is very far from a soft landing. It’s more that if they are suspected by their own contrada of taking a bribe, and deliberately falling off, they run the risk of a severe kicking. They are regarded as mercenaries, and therefore fair game. Particular dishonour is reserved for the contrada, which finishes second. This is Italy, where the conspiracy theory is king, and a runner up is always assumed to have been bought off, because a horse good enough to finish second is deemed good enough to finish first. One time I went, a jockey who steered his horse in second was severely beaten up before managing to lock himself into a loo in a bar to a void having any limbs broken. Another jockey I saw climbing over a high perimeter fence and scampering out of the Campo. Jockeys who look like they might be coming in second start braking hard, or miraculously unseat themselves on the final bend, though they know the jockeys around them are doing the same thing. Some spend up to a month in hospital. Ambulances speed into the Campo as soon as the race is over. The jockeys are as fiercely guarded as the horses (which can be subject to tampering, knackering etc) but cannot be policed during the trial races, which are run for three days before the actual race. Once they’re on the start line they can pass on offers and do deals out of earshot. There is a famous story that one contrada could only communicate its offer to a rival jockey by leaving a message on the loo paper of a trattoria they knew he would be taken to eat that night. Even then they had no way of knowing whether he accepted the offer till the race was over. In short, the Palio is unlike any horse race you will see anywhere else in the world. It’s not so much that the race is preceded by a two-hour medieval procession marked by spectacular displays of flag-throwing. Yes, the jockeys do without saddles, batter one another with sticks, and thrash one another’s horses. But what’s unique about it is that it matters. I’ve been five times, and the tension in the build-up has an intensity all of its own. They are greeted by an earsplitting roar as they enter the Piazza. As they approach a rope slung across their path, they begin to circle and a spellbinding hush descends as everyone turns to await the amplified voice of the man charged with organising the start. It’s perfectly normal for them to trade bribes as they line up to race and, if they’ve accepted a bung, deliberately obstruct other horses or fall off their mounts. So contested is the race that the starter – like the jockeys a hired outsider – never hangs around to see horses complete the three laps of the piazza. Once he has sent the horses on the wa y, he is whisked away by the police for his own protection. You can see why. The race itself takes no more than 90 seconds, but the start can often take half an hour, or more. Nine horses are required to line up in the order they are summoned to by lot, while the tenth horse runs in along the outside to start the race. But the jostling between jockeys is intricate, and interminable. As the light dims over the piazza, the tension in the air assumes practically sexual levels of intensity. “What language am I speaking?” says the starter to the jockeys. “This is not a start. If you can’t get in position we will have to stop and come back tomorrow.” And then, bang, they’re off. I climb up on the wooden fence near the s tart to get a better view. A teenage girl has the same idea and clambered up ne xt to me, but the only way she can keep her balance is to wrap her arms around me from behind. I’d never met the girl before in my life but she keeps screaming at the horses. “Cazzo! Cazzo! Entra! Entra!” Literally: “Cock! Cock! Go in! Go in!” Like the Grand Duke said, a madhouse.

Key Facts:

• The Il Palio festival runs on 2nd July and 16th August every year – www.ilpalio.org

• We drove to Siena in a BMW 330i M Sport Touring. www.bmw.co.uk

• We stayed at The Garden Hotel – www.hotelgardensiena.com – an impressive 17th Century villa with one of the best restaurants in the city

Anguilla – The Caribbean

admin — Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:38:01 +0000

I’ve counted. We are outnumbered by palm trees. By a factor Of three to one. From where i’m sat outside gwen’s reggae Bar, sugary sand between my toes and carib beer in hand, To the hook of sand 300 metres away at the other end of Shoal bay east there are just eight people. That Includes the four of us. The empty beach. The cold beer. The gentle sounds of trade winds, lapping ocean and reggae music should be a cocktail for contentment. Instead it just serves to distress me. A hundred metres along the beach is a plantation-style house with which I’ve fallen in love. It’s on the market and I’m ready to make an appointment to look around. It even has an office. I imagine myself sat here, overlooking the beach at Shoal Bay, spending a month or two every year writing between swims and daiquiris. Until, that is, I fi nd out my dream pad is on the market for $8 million. Despite my disappointment, I’ve since discovered that’s actually a bit of a deal. Elsewhere in the Caribbean – say Barbados – $8 million will buy you C-list movie producing socialite Michael Winner or speed demon model Jodie Kidd for a neighbour. In Anguilla you are more likely to have Brad or Jen (obviously no longer at the same time) living next door. There is no island more hip for the Hollywood A-list than the most northerly of the Caribbean’s Leeward Islands, which lies between the Virgin Islands and Antigua. Edgy music TV station VH-1 reportedly called Anguilla the “celebrity winter vacation destination of the year”. Not that you would know it was hip. Apart from the line-up of G5’s or Falcon 300 private jets at Anguilla’s (until not so long ago grass) Wall Blake airfi eld, and the very occasional Range Rover dicing amongst ageing Mini Mokes or clapped-out Japanese cars on the island’s one and only main road, Anguilla is all about stealth wealth. Most of the houses are unpainted and a little unkempt. Rubble and rusting cars are not swept up just to please the visitors. Chickens and goats roam the streets. Forget bijou boutiques or delis selling fresh Roquefort cheese, coffee bars or offshore banks. The Valley, a crossroads around the colonial-sounding Coronation Avenue which spreads (only for a few hundred metres) Anguilla’s capital is a motley collection of utilitarian shops and businesses built to withstand hurricanes not lure Martha Stewart pilgrims. Anguilla is a real place, with a tiny population of 15,000 real people who are genuinely happy to welcome you. “You staying at Spyglass?” enquires the lady behind the counter at Corner Bar and Pizza in North Hill. She has a voice like Barry White’s, deep and soft and has taken an order for what are reputed to be the best pizzas on the island. It is still a little scary that she knows so much about me. But on Anguilla it does not take the skills of Clouseau to fi nd out what’s happening. “It’s a small island. News travels fast.” The pizza is good. We eat it on the verandah of Spyglass – the spectacular four-bedroom villa we have rented on a promontory high above Sandy Ground beach. Behind us is Dakar, Senegal – 3000 miles across the Atlantic. Ahead is the whole of the island and, above the low scrub of Anguilla’s not exactly picture postcard heartland rise the dramatic green peaks of the Franco/Dutch island of St. Martin. Anguilla is about beaches though, not the interior brush land. You’d need to stay on the 25×5 (km) isle for a month to experience a different day on each of Anguilla’s beaches. Just don’t do what I did and fi nd the one you like most (Shoal Bay) in the last few days of your stay. Explore the beaches and you start to fi nd the ingredients to Anguilla that put a £50,000 price tag on a week’s rental of Brad and Jen’s favourite villa. The day we sat on Shoal Bay was not a Wednesday in off-season August. It was Easter Saturday. And even over Christmas and New Year the icing sugar sand that decorates the coast is sparsely populated. “If you have to hear someone else talking on a beach then it’s a crowded day,” says the barmaid, possibly Gwen herself, at Gwen’s Reggae Bar. Her words cue a gaggle of giggling local schoolgirls coming down to the beach, their beach, for a swim. Clinging to the cliffs above the beaches, not just at Shoal Bay but at spots all round the island, is a splattering of large white villas. These are the homes away from home for Hollywood, for whom Anguilla is a fi ve hour jet ride from Santa Monica airport. Spotted disembarking have been rapper P.Diddy, Meryl Streep, Liam Neeson and J Lo. “Anguillans don’t care about most of the stars, but Jennifer Lopez and Puff daddy did cause a bit of a stir,” one hotel manager told me. Surprisingly, the stars are also happy to stay in Anguilla’s new rash of boutique villa resorts like Cap Jaluca and Altamer. Colonies of no more than a dozen or so ultra-luxurious villas. It is hardly mingling with the hoi-polloi. Once in your villa, say at Altamer, there is no need to see anyone else. Everything you need is available in the villa, which has an invisible staff of 9 and every piece of kit your Christmas list could want: 2 tennis courts per villa, 30,000 songs on the in-built sound system, pool table, 15 metre swimming pool and up to 8 bedrooms per villa. Despite its British heritage (Anguilla was colonised in 1650 and is now a British Dependent Territory – the modern terminology for colony), most visitors are American. The feel of the place though is unmistakably British. Kids play cricket on any open space they can find in an attempt to emulate the island’s star West Indian cricketer Omari Banks. The cars drive on the left. Marmite, the most British of condiments, is on sale in the shops. Pictures of the Queen’s last visit in the 1980s are not uncommon. And the police are unarmed (crime on Anguilla is almost nonexistent). Something, fortunately, Anguilla has not inherited from its British big brother is its cuisine. Food on the island is spectacular, whether it is barbecuing your own mahi mahi and eating simply on your own patio like we did much of the time or splashing out (because, like the best Anguillan villas and hotels – good restaurants are pricey) for dinner. The best food we found on the island was at The Straw Hat at the Frangipani Resort. Chef Marc Alvarez has created a menu that uses the best local ingredients cooked with a mix of Caribbean and cosmopolitan flair. My pan seared snapper with a ‘Somewhat Spicy Thai Curry Sauce’ was heaven. So too Georgia’s Chili Lime Cheese Cake. We never found out who Georgia was though. www. strawhat.com. We did find out that Robert de Niro had allegedly been in for a bite. For lunch try Gorgeous Scilly Cay, where the lobster and crayfish come right out of the water, make a brief stop on the BBQ and hit your table sat on the middle of this offshore atoll. www.scillycay.com. Ease off on the pre-lunch rum punches. You might lose all use of your taste buds and jaw muscles if you drink too many. For the last time, it is back to Shoal Bay to sleep off our meal. One thing no resort nor villa can offer exclusively is access to a beach. They are all public. It means that any A-listers must share the beaches with the rest of us. That’s fine my me…as long as they pick someone else’s stretch of sand.

Anguilla Fast Facts:

Jeremy Hart stayed at Spyglass Hill villa. www.spyglasshillanguilla.com

A hotel option is CuisinArt Resort. www.cuisinartresort.com

Flights to Anguilla are generally through Antigua or San Juan, Puerto Rico. Alternatively you can fly to St. Martin and get the 20 minute ferry across to Anguilla. www.link.ai

For more information on Anguilla. www.anguilla-vacation. com or www.anguillaguide.com.

The taste of spain, Fabulous Marina town of Puerto Banus

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:33:27 +0000

Puerto Banus in Marbella, Spain has, for almost 40 years, prided itself as one of the (ital) destinations for the jet-set and super rich. And on first view it does indeed seem that a bulging bank balance is a pre-requisite for enjoying a stay at, or near, one of Europe’s most famous harbours. Lined with cool bars, high-end restaurants and buzzing cafes, Puerto Banus exudes wealth – with million dollar yachts, look-at-me cars, premier shopping outlets and even a Salvador Dali public statue making it feel like an exclusive and almost inevitably pricey place to spend a family holiday. However, from personal experience, I can confirm that this is only half the story. Expensive, yes, but not prohibitively so, Puerto Banus has been an annual pilgrimage for generations of my clan. Starting with my parents, then my wife and I and now a holiday unit which includes grandparents and children, the port provides a fun, relaxed and above-all quality holiday experience. While the younger crowd head to the “second row” of clubs and bars that throb a minute or so back from the marina’s edge, families tend to stick to the front, where taking in the luxurious surroundings, perhaps over a cold drink or two, is the order of the day. The infamous Sinatra’s bar is always crowded with ex-pats, some rather “roguish”, all incredible characters. But more affordable and less embarrassingly British is Salduba next door. With plenty of seats right on one of the busiest corners of the port, this is the perfect spot to people-watch over a coffee or beer. And obviously key to any family holiday is the variety, quality and, yes, value for money of the restaurants on offer. This is where Puerto Banus really comes into its own. Feeling extravagant? Treat yourself to a meal at Pravda, a contemporary restaurant situated on the “front line” amongst some of the world’s luxurious clothing retailers. It serves wonderful international cuisine and in the summer months opens its terracto offer great views of the boats in the port. However, for an affordable, genuinely continental experience overlooking the marina try the superb Los Bandidos. Always crowded and with a casual atmosphere, this restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and has a chic 50s feel to it. The food is international (including Swedish and French cuisine) with meat and seafood particular specialities. The service is efficient and largely friendly and children are welcome – if they have room. However if Indian dining is your thing, I can recommend two restaurants Mumtaz and Khan’s at either end of the port. The former offers more traditional surroundings – a happy buzz and super-fast service while the latter is a much more fashionable affair with crisp lines, trendy waiting staff and more considered portions. However both are excellent places to take a family, the food is great and it won’t break the bank. Prefer a pizzeria? (who doesn’t like pizza?). Undoubtedly one of the more popular family restaurants in Puerto Banus is Picasso. Hardly ever without a queue outside, this large venue has a fantastically friendly ambience, funny waiters and excellent food. It does sometimes feel that the meal is hurried but with small children, sometimes that can be no bad thing. The grill house Jacks is a similar set-up but with an American diner/Tex-Mex theme. Quality steaks, burgers, fries and milkshakes are the menu’s staple and again children are very much welcome. One family tradition in Puerto Banus is an annual visit to Red Pepper and something I would recommend you try at least once. This family run Greek Tavern, though not cheap, provides great food and even better service. It really is like sitting in the home of a traditional Greek family. Possibly our most favourite restaurant in the whole of Puerto Banus is the little heralded Japanese eateries Sakura. Situated a two minute walk away from the port on one of the main thoroughfares of the town (Avenida de los Jardines del Puerto), it has a sublime menu. Beautiful sushi and sashimi, super-tasty but light tempura, a wonderful variety of teriyaki are all must-haves. The surroundings are unfussy but attractive with a large dining room and outdoor terrace. It is more than reasonably priced. If you are happy to take a trip slightly further afield there are two restaurants you just must try. First take a trip out towards Estepona to find El Carnicero. It’s hard to locate (four minutes from the Cancelada turnoff) and you’ll need pretty specific directions but immediately upon arrival you won’t be disappointed. They specialise in steaks but our favourite part of the menu is undoubtedly the hot stones. Slivers of prime, tender meat are provided which you then season and cook yourself at the table. A variety of sauces are provided and the end result is a fabulously tasty and fun night out. Again the staff are friendly and actively encourage children to participate in the meal. Last but not least, no trip to Puerto Banus is complete without reserving a table at Toni Dalli’s on Marbella’s Golden Mile. Named after the owner who is a former world famous opera singer and “friend to the stars”, his beautiful restaurant is a treat for the ear as well as the taste buds, as Toni often serenades the diners, normally at weekends. All in all, Puerto Banus is a no-stress, entertaining family destination, especially for those looking for a wide range of cuisine at affordable prices. Over four million people visit the town and surrounding areas each year, and despite the recession, that number is growing. With over 300 days of sunshine each year, a year-round temperature of 19 degrees, and food to die for, why not try Puerto Banus for yourself?

FIRST-CLASS DESTINATION

Impressed with Puerto Banus? Then travel further up the coast for another ultimate boating holiday! Sant Carles Marina is located in a prime location in Catalonia for boating and holidaying in the Mediterranean. Ideally situated in Sant Carles de la Ràpita, on the edge of the Ebro Delta National Park and within a sheltered lagoon, it combines a traditional Spanish resort with the modern facilities expected of a first-class marina. Sant Carles Marina boasts full service pontoon berths with 24-hour, seven days a week staffing and security from experienced and trained staff. The exceptional leisure facilities and wide range of services include an infinity swimming pool, restaurant and bar, as well as an air-conditioned member’s lounge with lending library and WiFi service. For boat maintenance, a boatyard with 75 ton travel lift is available. Boat owners can relax in the marina with its stunning views, visit the nearby sandy beaches, or enjoy watersports and fishing in the sheltered lagoon nearby. Just outside the marina entrance is the Bay of Alfacs, protected by a sandbar which forms part of the Ebro Delta. The ten kilometre stretch of sheltered water makes the bay the ideal location for sailing, cruising, watersports, fishing or anchoring. Within the bay is the Chiringuito la Costa, a fabulously rustic bar/restaurant on stilts that is only accessible by boat and serves paellas, seafood, drinks and snacks. There are also a number of places to visit further afield, with various marinas and towns to visit up and down the coast. Sant Carles Marina is also perfectly situated for cruising to the Balearics, which are only 110 nautical miles away. For marina visitors wishing to see more of the attractions on land, Barcelona and Valencia are approximately two hours away by car.

To find out about special berthing packages currently available, please visit www.santcarlesmarina.com

Lifestyle: Cannes, South of France

admin — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:47:17 +0000

Cannes, Not just for the very rich and famous though the small port town of cannes, in the south of france, is known primarily for its nightlife and glamour – especially around the time of the annual international film festival – it is also a fabulous, family friendly holiday destination with much to see and do. Wh ether you arrive at cannes by sailing into its world famous harbour or jetting into nearby nice airport, it is a good idea to rent a car for the duration of your stay. Taxis are very expensive and there are some beautiful small towns a short drive from cannes like mougins and st paul de vence that are well worth a visit. We arrived with our two year-old daughter on a hot day in august (though we have also been here in january and september so can attest to the beautiful weather nearly all year round) and once we had settled in to our apartment we decided to take a walk. Undoubtedly the first port of call for visitors to cannes is the world famous la croisette, the beachfront boulevard that runs between each end of the town, book-ended by the palais des festivals et des congrès (where the film festival is held) and several public beaches. The croisette is also home to the majority of private beaches, designer shops (chanel, ysl, jimmy choo, burberry and bottega veneta to name but a few) and top class hotels. This is the place where the residents and visitors to cannes congregate night and day. Walking the length of the pedestrianised croisette, a happy pastime is to just sit and watch the huge variety of people that visit this town. No beer bellied brits here, as the very rich and very beautiful mingle with families and couples enjoying this most romantic of destinations. Most beaches in cannes are private, usually owned by one of the exclusive hotels located on la croisette, like the traditional and grand carlton or the very exclusive martinez or majestic barriere hotels. Anyone is welcome on the beaches but be prepared to pay. On a first come first served basis, expect to see little change from forty euros per person for a bed, umbrella and waiter service throughout the day. It’s an added expense for sure, especially if you have a large family, but as the sun beats down and you’re sipping that first glass of wine of the day, it all seems somehow worthwhile. Also bear in mind that the beaches get extremely full during july and august so it is worth booking ahead once you arrive. And don’t forget there are several public beaches in and around cannes that cost nothing but still allow you access to the warm, inviting and very child friendly mediterranean sea. Alternatively you can take a drive towards nearby antibes where there are many other beaches available. If you and your family enjoy watersports, then cannes ticks all the boxes. Water ski-ing, jet ski-ing, parascending, banana boating, and diving are just some of the sea-based activities available. On our walk, we took our daughter to the festival end of la croisette where there is a mini fun-fair for the children complete with traditional carousel, nicely shaded among trees to escape the scorching august sun. There is a similar park and playground area at the other end of la croisette too, as well as a beautiful mature flower garden. If you keep walking past the festival building and through the harbour you will come to cannes old town, la suquet, where you can walk up the hill to visit the fortified tower and chapel of st anne, as well as see one of the best views of la croisette and the surrounding waterfront. La suquet allows you to wander through tiny streets and stumble across traditional french restaurants and squares and it is true what they say about france – it is very hard to eat a bad meal! We would recommend le caveau for an authentic french dining experience. It is a vast duplex restaurant opposite the harbour, busy all year round and staffed by real french waiters – no-nonsense and businesslike, but nevertheless on hand to help with whatever you need. As with everywhere in france children are welcome but they are accepted as simply part and parcel of life, few concessions are made specifically for little ones so you won’t always find a high chair or Baby changing facilities so it is worth thinking ahead about what you might need to take along. The following day, seeking to walk off our fabulous meal from the night before, we decided to do some shopping and headed for the rue d’antibes. Running parallel behind la croisette, this is the main shopping hub of cannes. While the top-class designer shops are located on la croisette and the market stalls and bargains are to be found in the old town, rue d’antibes offers virtually everything in between – from high-street names like zara and mango for clothes, to darty and villeroy and bosch for homeware and electrical goods. There is an excellent choice of cafes and restaurants along the street too. A particular favourite of ours is le cave croisette, situated at the eastern end of rue d’antibes, an off license (trust me, it is much nicer than it sounds!) That is also a wine and champagne bar. A perfect spot to rest the feet after a hard days shopping, and sample some of the fabulous local wines on offer. If shopping is not for you then there are plenty of other activities in and around cannes to keep even the most active of families busy. Why not take the boat from cannes harbour to île sainte-marguerite (st marguerite island) made famous as the location of “the man in the iron mask” held prisoner on this small island for 11 years in the 1700s? His cell can be visited in the fort of st marguerite, now renamed the musée de la mer (museum of the sea). This also houses discoveries from shipwrecks off the island, including roman (first century bc) and saracen (tenth century ad) ceramics. Also nearby is île saint-honorat (st honorat island) home to cistercian monks since ad410. Medieval vestiges remain in the stark church, which is open to the public, and in the ruins of the 11th-century monastery on the sea’s edge. The monks divide their time between prayer and producing red and white wines. Other nearby places to visit include the tiny village of mougins with its maze-like collection of cobbled streets which house art galleries and restaurants, or the small town of st paul de vence which perches atop a hill looking down across the surrounding countryside in which you will find charming antique shops and traditional french eateries. But, back in cannes and with the evening approaching there is only one place at the moment to watch the sun go down. Bar z, or the beach bar of the chic martinez hotel, is the must-visit location of the summer months – and, crucially, it is as family friendly as they come. Babies and toddlers play on the sand while white haired oligarchs sit alongside europe’s trendy, beautiful fashionistas taking in the unbeatable views as the sun sets behind the nearby hills. You can eat here but as with a lot of cannes it is very pricey so we headed across the road to the fun, family run italian joint, vesuvius instead, for pizza and ice cream. Next door to vesuvius is bar 72, another great spot for people watching, especially the myriad of uber-expensive cars zooming in and out of the martinez hotel driveway opposite. And then its home to bed before another 12 hours of sunshine gets us up and about. A good tip when planning your trip to cannes is try and coincide it with the festival de pyrotechnique. Every summer competing countries in europe put on spectacular firework displays launched from pontoons in the sea. In. You can either stand along la croisette to watch the show, book a table in one of the beach front restaurants who all operate a set meal policy on the firework nights, or be one of the lucky ones taking in the display from the many boats moored just offshore. All in all cannes lives up to it’s reputation of sun, sea and no little glamour. But behind the glitz and ostentatiousness lies a family friendly town with plenty to see and do. It’s not cheap, but then real luxury very rarely is, and for a no-stress, sometimes lavish and above all fun holiday destination, it’s simply in a different class.