Posted by Jill Bowen on Fri 31st August 2007 at 03:46 AM, Filed in November
You can’t make an omelette without cracking eggs!!
According to legend when Napoleon and his army were travelling through the south of France they decided to rest for the night near the town of Bresseires. Whilst there Napoleon feasted on an omelette prepared by a local innkeeper that was such a culinary delight he ordered the townspeople to gather all the eggs they could find in the village and to prepare a huge omelette for his army the next day.
From this humble beginning it became a tradition to offer omelettes to the poor at Easter in France. In 1984 three members of the American chamber of commerce visited the omelette Festival in Bessieres, France and returned with a determination to bring the tradition to Abbeville USA and thereby join the other 7 cities who celebrate the omelette (Bessiers and Frejus in France; Dumbea, New Caledonia and Granby in Canada; Malmedy in Belgium and Pigue in Argentina. The cities all invite each other to their own celebrations which have now become a cultural exchange known as Confrerie.
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Posted by Jackie Hewett on Fri 24th August 2007 at 11:50 PM, Filed in Europe
The name Mijas describes 3 different places. Firstly it is the name given to the wealthiest area, or province in Spain, but also it refers to a costal resort (also known as La Cala / Mijas Costa) and finally Mijas Pueblo (or village). Unsurprisingly both Mijas Costa and Mijas Pueblo lie within the province of Mijas. It is Mijas Pueblo that I wish to describe.
Although I have visited Mijas Pueblo more times than I can remember, I never tire of the place. Yes, it is a bit touristy with coaches frequently bringing people on day trips from cruises, but they visit with good reason. It is a very quaint spot with white-washed buildings that have a definite Moorish influence, and fabulous costal views. It nestles in the hills (about 10 minutes drive in-land / up-hill from Fuengirola) and its elevated position means the climate is generally a couple of degrees cooler than down on the coast with a gentle sea breeze. Many of the restaurants and bars take full advantage of the panoramic views, and whilst Fuengirola may not be the most up-market resort in the Costa del Sol, it looks good from the hill-side by day or night.
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We stopped at the town of Moab between visiting Monument Valley and Arches national parks. Canyonlands National Park is also nearby so it’s a good place to stop between visiting these parks. We were only there one night but I really liked the place, primarily because of the shopping opportunities! However, it also seems to be a bit of a Mecca for outdoor activities – especially mountain biking and river rafting / kayaking. Hence it’s ‘tag’ as Utah’s adventure capital. The world renowned 9 mile Slickrock trail attracts some 110,000 mountain bikers per year.
It’s a small town with a population of around 5,000 that has a lovely community feel. Whilst many of the shops are undoubtedly aimed at tourists the quality of the goods is high and they quite a ‘hippy’ / crafty edge’ – with lots of unusual jewellery, clothes, painting and sculpture in addition to lots of sporty out-door gear. My favorite shop was the Hogan Trading Company who profess to be the largest Southwest art gallery in Utah. They have a huge stock of sculpture, furniture and lighting. I have promised myself that one day I will go back and get one of Greg Gowen’s fabulous copper ceremonial masks (http://hogantrading.com/). Moab also seemed to have just the right number of coffee / cake shops and places to mooch around for a day or two!
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Posted by Jill Bowen on Fri 10th August 2007 at 03:09 AM, Filed in September
Do you like your men clean-shaven? Or does a little bit of designer stubble turn you on? Whatever your predilection you can’t fail to be intrigued by the biennial World Beard and Moustache Championship. These hirsute men have made facial hair into an art form.
2007’s event will be held in Brighton (Sussex UK) on September 1st. You’ve left it a bit late to enter this year’s competition, but you might gain inspiration for the next championship if you go along to view these ‘works of art’.
The objectives of the event are:
• To promote a good relationship between members of moustache and beard clubs throughout the world and to foster networks in the interests of friendship, conviviality and fun.
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Posted by Jill Bowen on Fri 3rd August 2007 at 03:52 AM, Filed in Europe, August
Each year the Isle of White is host to the White Air Extreme Sports Festival. This year (2007) it takes place on August 27th-September 2nd.
It’s one of the biggest water and land based extreme sports festival in Europe. What started nine years ago as a Wind and Surf based event due to the attraction of the Islands superb conditions, beaches, and of course waves, has rapidly expanded into one of the most prestigious International festivals on the calendar.
Over 40 countries now compete, with 500 competitors – world champions in 18 action sports, taking part on the beach, urban areas and land. Live music is catered for on a stage with 50 groups, there are many different sports you can try out for yourselves.
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