The Oil Commercial Centre to Capital: Stavanger

Norway - Ross French - August 14, 2018

Stavanger, Norway’s third largest city. The 20th-century rapid population growth leads to the boost in the offshore oil industry. Now the city is the oil capital of Norway. The city is also known for its vibrant cultural hub with various music venues. The city outskirts are well furnished with offshore islands and steep mountains. The city has always been the commercial center.

Here are some of the must-visit tourist attractions in Stavanger:

• Preikestolen:

One of the famous tourist attractions in Stavanger because of its steep cliff which rises over 1980ft. On the top of the cliff, there’s a flat surface of 25 x 25 mts. The cliff is often visited by the base jumpers for their adventurous leaps. Every year over 150,000 visitors come here for hiking on the cliffs, which involves some breath-taking views of nature and some naturally formed lakes to take a dip and rest.

The climate here is mild and humid coastal climate and it’s better to not hike during winter and spring. The lavish green valleys take the tension out of your body and mind and recharge you.

• Norwegian Petroleum Museum:

The story of the petroleum might not seem a fascinating one but believe me, this one does. This ingenious museum makes the story significant and as well as alluring. The museum displays objects, photographs, and films that document the Norwegian oil and gas liveliness. The place might not be as appealing as other tourist attractions in Stavanger but it imparts knowledge that one must know.

The museum department explains how they discover the deposits and recover in a practical manner. Every adult can experience the diver’s suit in under water.

• Lysefjord:

A boat trip in this place is an unforgettable experience, the robust mountains, waterfalls, seal territories and goat herds are some beautiful sights. This is best tourist attractions in Stavanger that offers the physical challenge to mountain climbers. These fascinating mountains formed during the Ice age offer some of the beautiful views of the earth, a simple word to discover those sights is “Goosebumps”.

• Gamle Stavanger:

A beautiful place with small wooden houses and fabricated streets. The area largely contains re-established wooden buildings which were built during 18th and 19th centuries. Most of the houses are privately owned and are painted white but vary in age between 100-300 years. The area is well-worth for exploration of all the tourist attractions in Stavanger. With its galleries and museums, it is one of the charming areas of the Stavanger.

• Stavanger Museum:

The museum is of natural and cultural antiquity consist of several departments like Zoology, children’s, printing, art, maritime, canning, natural and cultural history.

Zoology department has a station for the migratory birds which abodes rich and varied birdlife.
Maritime department exhibits the development of the shipping and fishing industry of the last 2 centuries.
Art museum holds an extensive collection of over 2000 works, which are worked with more than 70 watercolors and oils.
Canning museum exhibition displays the machinery, photos, tools, labels of the canning industry of the last 2 centuries.

In this manner, every department has their own specialty and that makes the museum one of the most visited museums of tourist attractions in Stavanger.

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Medieval Art to Modern Architecture: Rotterdam Attractions

Netherlands - Ross French - August 10, 2018

Rotterdam, the second largest city of the Netherlands, shines with its modern shopping streets, architectural wonders, fine museums and many more Rotterdam attractions. Here are some examples of Rotterdam attractions to visit:

• Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum:

Thousands of artworks collection on Boijmans in the museum takes you through the Medieval to Contemporary art. The department of education in the museum organizes lectures, courses, tours and children activities to spread the awareness about the greatness of the art in the world. Every year over 250,000 visitors visits this museum.

• Maritime Museum:

This museum is dedicated to the naval history and one of the finest Rotterdam attractions to visit. The museum holds over 850,000 objects collection from six centuries of the marine history.

To make the tour adventurous for the children they conduct various exhibitions, activities and adventure tours with the objects.

• Grote of Sint-Laurenskerk:

The Gothic church which dates back to the 15th century and was the first all-stone constructed basilica in the Rotterdam. Visitors come here for the tower climbing of the church to enjoy the 360? panoramic view of the city which is breath-taking. The brass choir, bronze doors and 17th-century tombs etc are some of the worth seeing visits to the Basilica.

• The Cube Houses:

Rotterdam is also an abode for the modern architecture these are some of the admirable examples in the Rotterdam attractions. The eminent architecture makes and enduring appearance with its iconic yellow colour.

The houses contain three floors:
Ground Floor: Entrance

1st Floor: Living room and Open kitchen

2nd Floor: Two bedrooms and a bathroom

Top Floor: Used as a garden (sometimes)

• Market Hall:

A Residential and office building with a steeply arched ceiling, covered with the paintings of vegetables, food objects, and marine life. Those ceilings create an illusion of larger than life, some describe the market as the kaleidoscope of fresh foods.

The restaurants here serve the traditional cuisines Spanish, Tapas and some of the alluring Indonesian dishes which makes the places one of the delicious visits among the Rotterdam attractions.

• Windmills at Kinderdijk:

The place throws the light on the Dutch people struggle and its 740 years of water management history. These windmills have kept the water at basin for centuries. Visitors come here to spend the adventurous life of the Dutch and their struggle against the water.

• Europoort Harbour Tour:

The massive port of Rotterdam occupies half of its area. Countless massive ships on the port make it as one of the busiest ports in the world. The tour includes the sight of many industrial area activities like transhipping of the containers and more. You’ll get a chance to see the large ships as high as buildings. At the end of the tour, you’ll get a taste of one of the largest harbor in the world.

• Diergaarde Blijdorp Zoo:

One of the oldest Zoos of the Netherlands successfully known for its breeding programs. A ride between the Ocean world (sharks, sea lions, king penguins), crocodile river, piranhas, anaconda and Gorilla island makes the zoo tour more adventurous. The zoo abodes many more fragrant flowers and colorful butterflies which makes the visit as one of the colorful visits to Rotterdam attractions.

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History to the Heart of Nature: Esbjerg

Denmark - Ross French - August 7, 2018

The fifth largest town of Denmark is primarily an industrial port. But, it abodes several eminent museums and entertainment sites. The city creates an opportunity for a refreshment of the mind and body on visiting these tourist attractions of Esbjerg. Take some time off from the work to explore some of the extensive coastal lines, unique architecture and exciting museums.

Here are some of the tourist attractions of Esbjerg listed below:

Fanoe Island:

A short span of the ferry ride from the Esbjerg will take you to one of the must-visit tourist attractions of Esbjerg. Wide sandy beaches here offer cycling paths, nature walks. Although most part of the island is nature, they produce high-quality food and drinks. Nordic kitchens here are internationally renowned.
Using the bicycle ride you can experience the wildlife close to you, you’ll find about 1000 seals, deer herds and many migrating birds on the shores. Flying kites, landboarding and windsurfing are some of the adventurous activities.

Ribe Viking Museum:

One of the exciting tourist attractions of Esbjerg for all the fans of Viking history. To give the taste of that life for the visitors, the museum has reconstructed the farmhouses, marketplaces, and homes of the Vikings.

The gastronomy methods (like grinding flour and baking flat bread) here followed in the restaurants will amaze the visitors. Artwork of the glass bead makers with blue glass and Italian mosaic tiles is just magical.

Esbjerg Art Museum:

This museum is an experimental museum and an innovative space well-established platform for the young artistic talent. The museum has the permanent collection of the Danish art of many painters from the early 1900s. The museum is under constant update of its art exhibition to show the talent of Danish art to the world.

Marbaek Nature Park:

A nature reserve and an important treasure for the Esbjerg. There is an artificial lake, a bird sanctuary, a mini golf club and a few restaurants. These offer some good opportunities for some outdoor activity to the residents. This is one of the peaceful tourist attractions of the Esbjerg.

The lakes here were formed in the mid-1970s and cover over 50 acres. There are pathways for cycling and horse riding. The area provides rented cottages for stays.

Mando Island:

The island is flourishing with nature, bird life and sheep grazes on the banks. The seals on the shores will display some playful activities. This kind of natural atmosphere attracts many visitors and make it as one of the frequently visited tourist attractions of the Esbjerg.

In between the 16th and 17th century, a heavy storm destroyed the initially built churches, later another church is built using the limestone which is now secured by the banks.

Wadden Sea National Park:

This is the newest and greatest national park, which is in the upcoming tourist attractions of Denmark. The official motive for the establishment is reinforced:

Cultural history
Nature protection
Education and research
Outdoor activities

The park is abundant in birdlife and the extensive shorelines abode the largest population of seals. Summer is the best opportunity to have the sight of these creatures.

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Best Cities to Live in Sweden

Sweden - Ross French - August 4, 2018

Sweden is the largest of the four Baltic countries and shares a land border with Norway and Finland. The Baltic Sea is to its east, and the northernmost part of the country belongs to the Arctic. Given its large size, Sweden boasts of wild and diverse landscapes from rolling green meadows to dense forests, fierce rivers, and glaciers. Continue Reading

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5 Places to Enjoy A Budget Vacation in the UK

Travel Tips, United Kingdom - Ross French - July 17, 2018

They say if you want to enjoy a good vacation, you should make a rough draft, and then double the budget and halve the time. Heartbreaking, is it not? Nevertheless, the idea of a budget vacation is always attractive, especially when you are just starting out in life. And while you may not think of Britain as an inexpensive tourist destination, we are here to burst that myth for you. Let’s talk about five great places in the United Kingdom and help you find a cheap break to go on for you next vacation.

1. York

This charming city in northern England is everything you would imagine of an English town. Filled with medieval castles built around an intersection of two rivers, York used to be England’s passage to Scotland. You can stay at decent bed and breakfast places around the King’s College for mere £20 a night. Food is cheap too, and we suggest you try the local specialties like chips and steak at Cafe No.8 Bistro.

2. Bath

Located less than a hundred miles from London, this city oozes culture. It is a World Heritage Site, and that is obvious when you take the city tour (Bath has two for one city tours, great for your budget trip). The city is dotted with museums and theatres. Lodging is cheap as this is a university town, and you can get a dorm room for as little as £30 a night. If you are travelling in a group, getting a farmhouse B&B is just as cheap per person. There are also many eateries in Bath where you can eat for under £10 a meal.

3. Belfast

If you do not live in the UK, visiting Belfast is a must for an Irish experience. This city has excellent places to shop cheap, delicious cuisine and its own unique place in history. Have coffee and enjoy modern architecture for breakfast at City Hall or go to the medieval Belfast Castle. There are plenty of great fast food options and healthier options around the city where you can eat for £5-8 a meal.

4. Dorset

This south-west coastal English town is a hidden gem. It has been named an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty by the government, and for good reason. The cliffs of Dorset along the English Channel are full of fossils and are reputedly as old as dinosaurs. Dorset offers the perfect getaway for nature lovers, and you can book four-star hotels offering as low a tariff as £20/night some parts of the year.

5. Liverpool

The only real city on our list, Liverpool is a must-see if you are a Beatles (or football) fan. And for all the city’s culture and beautiful architecture, it is still cheap to stay at (unlike London). You can find cottages for £80 a night that house as many as seven. Also, Liverpool’s pubs are the cheapest, so, if you are a party person, your vacation just got a lot of fun.

These places are definitely magical, and with the right planning, you can have the best British experience at a fraction of the expected cost. Time to pack your bags and start making your bookings then!

Quick tip: You can save some additional money on communication services by buying an international prepaid SIM card.

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