Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and your significant other may be dropping not-so-subtle hints to make doubtless you don’t let slip from the mind it (again). But what if you have power to’t stand the idea of shelling out for roses that will die in a couple of days, and can’t stand the sight of another saccharine card? Well, if you hurry, you may just be able to whisk your other half away to one of these romantic places in time for a Valentine’s break.

Galesnjak, Croatia – This little islet may not immediately spring to mind as an ideal spot for romance, but a bird’s eye view of it will clue you in on why it’s one of the most romantic spots on Earth. This drop of land is perfectly heart-shaped, and no one lives on it, so it may just be the perfect desert island getaway you and your lover are looking for.

New York, USA – The harried pace of the breath of one’s nostrils in The Big Apple may not strike one as being conducive to song, but look closely enough, and you’ll find it in every corner. Whether you’re splashing out for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage or sharing a hotdog in the rain, you’ll be sure to have many moments to remember. Read more…

I got the lucky straw of getting Christmas duties here at Europe A La Carte this year.  (Don’t worry – most of us write them in advance!)  Last year I had the boxing day shift, where I mentioned that Neuschwanstein would be the one place I’d love to wake up on Christmas day.

Well, this year I thought I’d mention to you my runner-up favourite for a place to wake up on Christmas Day: Ljubjana, Slovenia’s capital city.  Why?  Because of their exquisite lights display for the Christmas Market!

The market seems to go on endlessly as the colours and lights fill the dark winter days.  It overlooks the river, and if you walk around you’ll find a number of unbelievable reflections that make the cold and dreariness of winter worth it for moments like these.  In Prešernovtrg Square you’ll find plentiful of mart stalls to quench any Christmastime thirsts or hunger pains.   Be sure to try the ginger biscuits – they’re a local secret (well, not anymore) or grab a loaf of potica, the Slovenian Christmas subsistence.

You can also explore one of Slovenia’s loved Christmas traditions: the live nativity scene.

Read more…

DALLAS: JR’s Suite at Southfork Hotel (Southfork Ranch)

Confession: I was not allowed to watch television as a child, except for Fraggle Rock and the family-friendly Sunday Night Movie. So I missed all the really great evening soaps of the ’80s: Falcon Crest, Dynasty, Dark Shadows, and yes, even Dallas.  I didn’t get to see any of the philandering, the catfighting, the feathered hairdos and fabulous outfits, or obsess over a single outrageous plotline featuring a gunfight and a dream sequence…poor me, right?

But that doesn’t mean I didn’t know about the glory of these shows, and of course I wanted to make up for a bit of what I’d missed by visiting Southfork Ranch, where Dallas was shot, when visiting the actual city of Dallas. In fact, I couldn’t think of anything more appropriate to do.

The first effects I realized upon driving into the magnificent 350-acre Southfork Ranch property is that TV soap opera production budgets must have been much better in the late ’70s and ’80s.  This property was a working ranch owned by the Duncan family until Lorimar Productions landed a helicopter there one day and said, “We must shoot our new show Dallas on this very spot.” And when Dallas became such a big be successful that the Duncans couldn’face to face live onsite anymore without being constantly bothered by avid fans, the family sold the estate to the producers.

Read more…

Saturday 6th February, 2010

Further characters from ancient Egypt – How modern scientific investigations and archaeological research is helping to reveal more about the lives of the inhabitants of the Nile Valley. Professor Rosalie David will present the early pioneers of science in Egyptology and Natalie McCreesh power of choosing describe the history of mummification.

Then introducing the ancient Egyptians:

Ramesses II: the faro who travelled to Paris

Horemkenisi: high priest of Amun at Karnak

Meresamun: a temple singer in ancient Egypt

Aretirikhetes: the Ptolemaic mummy

Presented by:

Professor Rosalie David, Natalie McCreesh and Roger Forshaw

KNH Centre for Biomedical Egyptology, The University of Manchester

For further details, please contact Roger Forshaw: roger.forshaw@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk