France is a country whose name has become a synonym of the word ‘tourism’. At times one almost feels tempted to think that all that the French are doing in France is vacationing and having fun. Why should the rest of the world then be denied of an experience that will surely provide soothing memories during the gruelling hours of the day for years to come. Visiting France would probably be on the ‘must do’ list of many of us. Depending on your interests you can tailor your trip as the country offers a lot of different experiences. read more

Bull fighting, or corrida de toros, is an ancient sport believed to have originated as a form of worship and sacrifice. Later on, Romans added the spectacle part and turned it in to something fascinating. Tauromachy or ‘the fighting of the bull’ has over the years been seen as an iconic sport of Spain. The Fiesta, as Hemingway calls it, is something quite intriguing. The magical atmosphere that engulfs the whole town, the running in front of the bulls to the action that takes place in the ring, leaves one hypnotized & completely enthralled by the whole event. Once you are there, you can not but feel the adrenaline pumping through your blood. Even if you find yourself in the block that considers the whole idea & practice of bull fighting disgraceful & cruel, you would still feel the rush in your blood, only in the opposite direction.

The sport is a major part of Spanish tradition; a defence used against the severe criticism that it has come under. For, in all honesty, it is a blood sport in which the bull are subjected to extreme suffering. True, the graceful close-range manoeuvres of the matadors look extremely classy, but the price for that is a life, normally that of the animal but at times human also.

In a particular Fiesta Brava (Spanish Style), three matadors take part, each fights two bulls, with a team of 6 assistants; two lancers on horse backs, three flagmen & 1 sword servant. There is a lot of pomp & ceremony involved in a bull fight. First the participants enter the arena, next the bulls are led in and the matador and flagmen check his agility with their dress capes. This part looks really graceful in the way the matador moves. For people with a weak heart this is where the fun ends; from here onwards, it becomes a dangerous & bloody spectacle in which one side definitely suffers.

Before the matador faces the bull, the lancers & the flagmen injure the bull enough to weaken him, and in a way give the matador an unfair advantage. This does not make things too easy for the matador. In the final stage of the fight he enters the arena alone. He attracts the bull towards himself getting him to make extremely close passes, requiring skill & courage. To kill the bull, he has to get the bull in to a position from where he can plant his sword between the bull’s shoulder & pass it through the heart, killing the animal; a feat only expert matadors can perform. Sometimes, after an exceptional performance, a bull might earn back his life, be treated & sent out to pastures to spend the rest of his life.

Tradition or cruelty, corrida de toros attracts over 1.3 million people every year in Spain to these arenas. To decide, once & for all, which side of the argument you support, visiting one game might not be a bad idea. It would either be your first or the last

There are a lot of adventures and expeditions that would satisfy the cravings of the thrill seekers and dare devils, but who is taking care of people with a sweet tooth??? Well, look no further as someone in Rotterdam, who probably had one such tooth himself, came up with the idea of a pancake cruise. Who wants a relaxing and romantic cruise in a big ocean liner with all the luxuries imaginable, when you can have a trip where right from the word go, you are provided with all different sorts of pancakes; apple, plain or bacon with an array of delicious toppings to choose from.

Pancake boat runs on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It can be categorized as more of a family experience. As soon as the trip starts, the pancake buffet is open. You can make them and you can eat them, and eat as many as you can keep down. People concerned about their waist line or suffering from sea sickness: beware!! As far as putting too much sugar into the kids is concerned, there is a specially designed ‘holding area’ for them, filled with colourful balls to help burn the excess sugar out before getting off the boat.

The trip starts from Parkhaven, opposite the Euromast, and lasts for about an hour in which you will have a sweet tour of the Amsterdam harbour. On Wednesday afternoon, the boat hosts a children’s party and if you want to treat someone special, consider taking the 3 hour cruise on a Saturday, which is supposed to be a romantic pancake cruise.

Rotterdam is a beautiful city with many classy accommodation options available. One great hotel is the Westin Hotel Rotterdam. The hotel is located in the city centre opposite to the Central train station and very close to the night life. The Rotterdam airport is at a distance of about 6 kilometres.

It is a very modern hotel with a lot of style and class. The rooms are equipped with all the latest amenities and the service is also great. The restaurant offers International cuisine and nice views of the city from the seventh floor. Hotel also has a modern gymnasium to help you stay on top of your game.