Top Five Rivers for a Cruise Holiday

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guest post by David Collins of travelsupermarket.com

Go on a river cruise and you'll be able to take in a whole range of sights from majestic wildlife to fascinating cultural attractions from the comfort of a luxury boat. To find out more about five of the best river cruises in the world, read on.

Nile

As the longest river in the world, cruising up the Nile can offer you a fascinating insight into ancient Africa. While the waterway crosses through a number of countries, it is perhaps most closely associated with Egypt and as you travel from Aswan up to Luxor you'll be able to learn more about the ancient civilisation.

One place that you should definitely stop by on your cruise is Thebes. Here you'll get the chance to explore the Karnak temple complex (photo), which is more than 2,000 years old. A wide range of monuments and tombs can be seen here; however, it is perhaps the precinct built in dedication to chief Egyptian god Amun-Re that will be most captivating.

Continue your journey up the Nile and you'll come across the Luxor Temple. Built to host the Festival of Opet, an ancient event which saw a statue of Amun-Re paraded down the Nile, here you'll also find an array of historic statues and attractions, including an effigy of Ramesses II and the Abu el-Haggag mosque.

Travel a little further north and you'll come to the Valley of the Kings, which contains more than 60 royal tombs, including that of Tutankhamen. From the comfort of your boat, you'll be able to see a wide range of wildlife, including small fishes and Nile crocodiles which grow up to 16 feet long.

Danube

You may also want to go on a cruise of the Danube. As one of the longest rivers in Europe, this is a great way to see several of the continent's most charming countries.

Starting in Germany, you'll have the chance to explore the beautiful riverside town of Passau before continuing your journey to Salzburg, Austria. Visit the city's old town district and you'll be able to take in some beautiful Baroque architecture and learn more about composer Wolfgang Mozart who was born in the city.

Continue your cruise and you'll pass through Vienna and Bratislava before arriving at your final destination of Budapest, the Hungarian capital (photo). The city is set across both sides of the waterway and you'll find a range of captivating attractions in each.

These include the neo-gothic parliament building and the world's largest thermal water cave system, while the dozens of geothermal springs located here mean you'll find a range of spas where you can go for a soak.

The fact that the Danube crosses through so many countries means that you'll be able to see a wide range of wildlife, with white pelicans, beavers and tawny owls among the creatures you may have the chance to see.

More than 100 species of fish can be founded in the waterway, so look over the side of your boat for a chance to spot the Danube salmon, the Balkan loach and the Black Sea salmon.

Amazon

Take cheap cruises along the Amazon and you'll be able to explore South America, getting a glimpse of some fascinating wildlife.

As one of the world's largest waterways, there's a range of countries you can take in on a tour of the river, including Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru. Your cruise is likely to pass through Brazil, where upon your cruise ship mooring up you'll be able to interact with local tribes and learn more about how they survive in the rainforest.

Among the many creatures you might get to see during your Amazon cruise are monkeys, tropical frogs and freshwater dolphins, some of which are an unusual pink colour, and you can also go on nature hikes and fishing excursions during your trip.

Mississippi

Opt for a river cruise along the Mississippi and not only will you get the chance to travel on a traditional steamboat but you will also be able to explore some of the USA's most exciting cities.

Among the many interesting destinations that you'll be able to take in during your trip are St Louis, Memphis and Nashville, a city that is synonymous with country music.

However, it may be New Orleans that really catches your interest. A melting pot of different cultures, here you'll be able to sample Cajun and Creole cuisine before exploring the French Quarter and watching jazz bands.

Yangtze

Booking a river cruise along the Yangtze gives you the opportunity to see some of China's breathtaking natural scenery, not least of all several spectacular gorges.

Perhaps one of the most popular stop-off points on a voyage of the waterway is the Chongqing Zoo. The largest zoo in south-west China, here you'll be able to see hundreds of different kinds of animals including pandas, giraffes and tigers.

Other sights to be seen include the Fengdu Ghost City and parts of the Great Wall of China, while you may also be able to explore the bustling cities of Shanghai or Beijing.

With so many fantastic places to explore, a river cruise can be a fantastic way of seeing the world!

Photo Credits: Karnak, paddleboat, panda

Drinks Around the World: Pomegranate Juice (Morocco, Turkey)

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The translucent seeds of the pomegranate glitter like rubies in the afternoon Moroccan sun. And nothing could refresh the body like pomegranate juice escaping after a few hours battling the hawkers, traders and crowds (and offers of mint tea) in the packed, humid, tangled labyrinthine souk in Marrakesh. Rarely sighted in Australia, pomegranates and pomegranate juice seem exotic luxuries that I was keen to taste.

Pushing the pomegranate into this primitive looking but cool machine, only hundreds of little red berries (called arils) remain. These hundreds of tiny liquid sacs are placed in a juicer along with a touch of orange blossom water (it's new to me too!), to produce a blood red syrupy juice.

The tartness startles a dry mouth with the first sip (a bit like cranberry) but remains just sweet enough to be truly refreshing and thirst quenching.

Marketing of the product makes it sound like liquid tiger balm, associated with being the magic elixir for a whole host of diseases and ailments. It is undoubtedly healthy with lots of vitamins but I suspect the claims are vastly overstated.

Available throughout parts of north Africa, the Middle East and Turkey, seek out a local stand for juice from this wonderful juice and help recover from the parching desert heat.

Photo Credits: juice, pomegranate

Marrakech Vacations

Photo of the Week: Little Piece of Paradise (Bay)? - Antarctica

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The brooding mist hides all but the very peak of this small mountain in Paradise Bay on the Antarctic Peninsula. Antarctica is an unparalleled continent, a dramatic mixture of grandeur, size, wonder, hostility and utter emptiness. Not something that any other place could be described as.

The fair breeze blew,
The white foam flew,
And the forrow followed free.
We were the first to ever burst into the silent sea.
- The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Samuel Taylor Coleridge

The Best Wine Regions in France

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guest post by Sea France

It would be extremely difficult not to experience some of the local wine while holidaying in France, and lets face it, you probably wouldn’t want to. With some of the most delicious wines produced anywhere in the world, tasting wines is one of the best things about holidaying in France.

Holidaying in the different wine making regions of France has never been easier due to the many options for getting there. One of the easiest and cheapest ways to make the trip is by ferry and with many ferry to France deals appearing every day you can really make the trip at very little expense leaving more funds available to spend on wine!

Champagne

The vineyard area in Champagne has around 14,000 growers and 300 villages spread across three main growing areas. The majority of the growers here sell to the Champagne houses or co-operatives which are then blended into the famous brands or the supermarket labels we all know.

Of course this area is a great place to experience some of the world’s best champagnes, so if you like your fizz this may well be the place for you.

Bordeaux

Bordeaux is synonymous with fine wine but often demand can outstrip what is produced by the wine growers, meaning the top chateaux often charge very high prices for their wines. However, if you take a little time and look around you can often get very good Bordeaux while spending time in France. Make the trip to the outskirts of the region to visit the smaller grape growers and you’ll be sure to get yourself a great deal.

The Loire Valley

As this is one of the biggest wine producing regions in France, you’ll be safe in the knowledge that the wine will be delicious. Not only is the wine a real draw for visitors here, the scenery will provide stunning backdrops to the drink and the fine French food which accompanies it.

The region stretches from the coast near Nantes where you can experience Muscadet wine, through to Saumur, Anjou and Vouvrav where the wines of Cabernet Franc and Gamay reds can be enjoyed. If Sauvignon Blancs are you favourite then make sure you make the trip to Touraine.

Burgundy

The Burgundy region, located in central eastern France, is famous all around the world for its Chardonnay whites and Pinot Noir reds. In the same area though typically separately promoted are the Gamay red Beaujolais and chardonnay-based Chablis sub-region wines. Burgundy produces many different tasting wines despite the fact they are from the same grape. This is down to the different wine making practices of the individual growers and other factors such as the difference in climate, soil and drainage in the different areas.

The area stretches in a long narrow strip from Dijon in the north to Lyons in the south with a history that runs many centuries.

Photo Credits: bottles, grapevines, old bottles, tasting

A Magic Carpet Ride Through Agadez (Niger)

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Only with travel for days through the Sahara Desert are the dusty streets of Agadez a welcome sight. Belying its history as a grand city on the Saharan trade route, the dust and unrelenting heat grants no relief from the Sahara but the adobe architecture gives Agadez an almost fanciful Arabian feel as if Aladdin and his magic lamp could be wandering the streets.

The stifling conditions (well over 110 degrees) and flurries of dust slow Agadez into a dawdling city. People walk patiently along the sandy ramshackle maze of streets and past centuries-old adobe houses (some decorated with beautiful fascias) while others lean on mud walls in disinterested conversation. Only the children appear to the energy to defeat the heat with simple but competitive games on the wider streets, their smiles seemingly radiating even more heat. Their earnest pleas of donnez-moi un cadeau are easily ignored before they quickly resume their entertaining activities.

Like a porcupine standing tall on its hind legs, the highlight of Agadez is the 500 year old adobe Grand Mosque. Large wooden poles protruding from all sides provide the spine for the magnificent minaret giving an appearance of a spiky tree. Standing proud and central among the low-set maze of adobe buildings, the minaret is clearly visible from far around, highlighting the Islamic heart of Agadez.

Reputedly, the minaret is the tallest mud building in the world. Several times a day, a steady, unhurried bustle of folks quietly leave the homes or market stalls and proceed to prayer. Mind you, the wonderful minaret is less welcome at dawn as the harmonious chanting of the muezzin and the call to prayer echo through the narrow streets awakening everyone for miles around. Outside of prayer a small fee to a minder allows interested visitors to stroll the narrow dingy staircase barefooted to the top of the minaret for a view over the labyrinthine lanes of the Old Quarter (Vieux Quartier) and the shimmering beauty of the Sahara Desert.

Unkempt corrugated sheds mark the two main markets selling the usual array of food (mainly trucked in from the fertile south and nearer oasis villages) and other goods. The colourful outfits and people are far more interesting than the goods for sale.

Featuring an arid, dusty paddock full of camels, goats and sheep baking in the harsh desert sun, the Camel Market has provided centuries of trade for the nomadic Tuareg people. Oblivious to the stench, all the animals appear to mill around together though the owner will miraculously materialise from the relative cool of a shaded tree as soon as any of his brood are approached. Occasional deals take place after quiet, almost surreptitious negotiation, a handshake and tiny rolls of weathered banknotes are passed.

A strong case for conversion to vegetarianism is the butcher’s area. Goats (and probably other animals) are butchered in surprising numbers, razor-sharp knives skilfully carving cuts of meat on rickety tables with occasionally specks staining the protective robes. No part of the animal is wasted though there is little in the way of sales activity and a complete absence of refrigeration (which begs the question – where does all this meat end up?). The smell permeates the entire area, whole carcasses hanging from posts throughout the area.

A familiar symbol around the necks of many inhabitants is the famed Agadez Cross (croix d’Agadez). Each Tuareg town has its own unique cross still made in the same ancient manner by family silversmiths. A wax model of the desired design is artfully carved before encasing it in a clay mould. The clay is baked in ovens, the wax slowly melted and dripped out through weep holes to leave the final mould. Molten silver is poured into resultant clay mould, cooled with the clay broken away to produce the final silver Agadez Cross. Further carving, scraping and polishing leaves the final beautiful jewellery piece.

While the process is fascinating and the artisan’s skills undoubted, the sales pressure is intense, making Moroccan carpet shop keepers appear shy and retiring in contrast!

Niger is one of the ten poorest countries on Earth with many palpable signs of poverty. It rarely features on a travel itinerary. However Agadez is a remarkable town with superb mud architecture, a photogenic mosque, a lively market and a cultural melting pot where Arabic Africa meets dark Africa. Jump on a magic carpet and enjoy a memorable experience in the grand Saharan city of Agadez.

Photo Credits: Street life, panorama