The Beautiful Garden in Birkhill Castle, Scotland

I was already thinking some months ago to include posting in this blog images of the royal gardens that I visited here in Europe. It also means that I will be posting images of castles and palaces where these royal gardens are located. Not only you will see here the beauty of nature, but you will also experience visiting some scenic parts of the world starting today. How would you like to spend your vacation in a castle with a beautiful garden? Birkhill Castle is a luxury Scottish castle located in the historic St Andrew’s, Fife, Scotland. It is available for private groups, corporate events, sporting breaks, weddings and other activities.

Spending any of your Scotland breaks and holidays can be a very memorable and interesting experience. At Birkhill castle, you will easily feel at home because of its friendly atmosphere. Their facilities include a heated 40 feet swimming pool, tennis court, play equipment, billiard room and a lot more. There are some activities that are also located nearby like spending a day at st andrews golf break. Fishing, sailing, horse riding are only few activities in the area. What I loved most at Birkhill Castle is the 2.5 acres walled garden which has a traditional Scottish Victorian style. Don't also forget that Edinburgh, Scotland's capital is almost an hour drive from this castle. What a lovely place to spend a holiday here!

photo courtesy of birkhillcastle.org.uk

The Pool and the Flowers for my Fave Memes

I am slowly back in joining my favorite memes. I'm sorry guys if I don't have much time for the past weeks and yes even months of not posting for these memes. I will try my best to post as often as I can.

The blue sky in Lake Balaton, Hungary and the beautiful flowers. I had the chance to visit this place three weeks ago.

the Pool in Hilton Hotel Cebu in the Philippines. I wish to have more time swimming here. Did you just see the reflections of the palm trees on the water?

This blog is joining these wonderful memes; Skywatch Friday, Weekend Reflection and Scenic Sunday. Special thanks to the Authors of these sites for sharing these beautiful memes in the blogosphere. Have a lovely day to all!

Nature Travel with Timeshare Vacation Tips

If you want to experience beautiful nature like never before then you might want to shy away from a timeshare vacation. Timeshare vacations are usually packed full of luxurious amenities and can potentially leave you with nothing but manmade structures to enjoy. So if you are interested in the beauty of nature and other organic scenery you will probably not enjoy your timeshare too much.

Especially if you happen to have purchased a timeshare and are now an owner of a timeshare unit. While timeshare ownership makes perfect sense for some people, it is not the best vacation option for everyone. For those who have no problem accommodating the financial costs of ownership, a timeshare can mean absolute paradise. But if you are not prepared for fee increases and unpredictable special assessments then ownership may not work out so well for you. And with the current economic state you will most likely be unable to easily sell timeshare weeks.

The beautiful beach of Menton in France during my latest vacation. It is such a beauty of nature! I love this place.

And if you are already stuck in a timeshare that you want to get out of then you should see what a timeshare relief company can do for you. Services like those found at Transfer America can provide timeshare exit solutions with a written guarantee so that you can rest easy knowing you are no longer responsible for your financial timeshare obligations. If you need to cancel your timeshare contract then you need to give Transfer America a call today.

The Beauty of Northern Italy

You might probably wonder why a lot of tourists love to go to Italy. I also find Italy very inviting. I was there four times already and I still want to come back. "La dolce vita" which simply means "the sweet life" is the reason. Others would say, Italy is pasta, Pavarotti and the Pope. Italy's fashion, its wine, nice villas, the Ferrari--it's all the favourite things that culminate the words, La dolce vita.

I would love to specifically share about the beauty of Northern Italy. There are a lot to explore in this beautiful part of Italy. You might also wonder why most and maybe all of the lakes and mountains holidays in Italy are always fascinating? It is simply because of its wide cultural, historical and geographical definition, this part of Italy has been a popular tourist destination.

Here are some of the interesting places not to miss when visiting Northern Italy;

Venice

I am proud to see this city twice and I might be seeing it again this coming summer. I am currently organizing a trip to this lovely place. There are a lot of things to do in Venice. You might want to experience a gondola ride to see most of the city, a visit to St. Mark's Cathedral, shopping for famous designer brands, or maybe a walk along its canal. Don't miss to try the Veneto specialties like polenta and risotto with cuttlefish ink sauce.

St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, Italy. This was taken during my second visit last April 2006.

Milan

What do you expect when you visit Italy's capital of fashion and business? I believed it is self-explanatory. A friend asked me last week if we can go to Milan to do some shopping. Why not? Don't miss to visit the city's stunning Gothic cathedral, the Duomo di Milano. It has also a lot of interesting museums to visit like the Pinacoteca di Brera, Bagatti Valsecchi Museum and many many more. Historical monuments such as the The Castello Sforzesco, La Rotonda della Besana, are also worth to see.

Lake Garda

This is a perfect place for people who love nature and want to enjoy a quiet and peaceful holiday. Spend an exciting day in Gardaland, a big theme park located in the south of the lake.If you don't have a fear of heights, cable car rides are available in Malcesine. You might also want to go boating with peddlos or peddle boats.

Lake Como

The Lago di Como, as it is called in Italian is known to have a a kind of a flair and sense of history that tends to impress its visitors. This part of Northern Italy has been appreciated for its uniqueness and beauty. Take at least a boat trip to Varenna, Bellagio and Menaggio. These are some of the most famous tourist destination near the area. I love the Gelato in Italy and don't miss to try it in any gellateria's in Lake Como.

If you still have time to explore Verona, Genoa, San Remo, Merano, The Cinque Terre are also a must-see. I can't wait to visit the last three towns next month.

Europe Garden and Plant Shows to Visit in 2011

Nature lovers who are traveling in Europe in 2011 will find garden and plant shows to visit all year long throughout Europe.

1) International Violet Meeting, Toulouse, France

Toulouse is known as the world capital of violets. The “pink city” is hosting the International Violet Meeting on February 5 and February 6. Botanists, scientists and violet growers from all over the world will come to the city to share their knowledge. People who have no professional connection to the world of violets will still get a lot from this show. There will be exhibitions and other attractions centered around flowers. Admission to the show is free. If you don’t want to stop there, you should pair the International Violet Meeting with a trip to Paris. Simply book a cheap hotel in Paris (central) and a sightseeing tour of Paris and you’ll feel like you’ve seen natural and man-made beauty in your visit to France.

2) Holland Flowers Festival, Zwaagdijk-Oost, The Netherlands

Flower lovers can see many more types of flowers if they travel to the Netherlands for the Holland Flower Festival from February 23 to February 27. The show’s venue will be filled with hundreds of kinds of tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, narcissi, irises and crocuses. Early bird tickets and group discounts are available for this show

3) Wicklow Gardens Festival, County Wicklow, Ireland

Travelers who want to see gardens in Ireland have a great opportunity to do so during the Wicklow Gardens Festival from April to September. The gardens that can be visited during the festival are not usually open to the public. Ireland’s Heritage Properties are also on display during the festival. Houses and gardens all over County Wicklow can be visited during the festival. Visitors can see Mount Usher Gardens in Ashford and then travel north to see the Powerscourt House and Gardens in Enniskerry. Travelers who go west from Enniskerry will come to Russborough House and its gardens.

4) Malvern Autumn Garden & Country Show, Malvern, Worcestershire, England

This show in September marks the end of the gardening year and the approach of autumn. Representatives from more than 100 nurseries will have displays here.

5) Floralies Internationales, Geneva, Switzerland

There are still garden and plant shows to visit in Europe as winter approaches. The Floralies Internationales from November 14 to November 23 is held inside the Palexpo Exhibition Centre. The temperatures outside will be between 30 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit but the floral arrangements by exhibitors from all over the world will make it seem like spring inside the Exhibition Centre.

Nature lovers will likely find a plant or garden show to visit in most European countries no matter what time of year they travel to Europe.

Smell The Flowers: Two Eco Friendly Travel Ideas

Eco friendly travel, also known as ecotourism, is becoming a popular way to see the world. Eco friendly travel allows those on holiday to not only see a beautiful part of the world but also do so in a way that is green and good for the environment. Here are two of the most fantastic places in Europe to spend an eco holiday!

1) COPENHAGEN, DENMARK

Denmark is Scandinavia’s smallest country but it is making a huge splash environmentally. Copenhagen has been dubbed as one of the most eco friendly cities in all of Europe. This place gets 9% of its electricity from wind power and as a whole around 60% of the country's waste is recycled.

You will find that nearly all of Copenhagen is outlined by bike trails. There is almost nowhere to go that a bike can't take you. There is estimated to be a bike for every one of Copenhagen’s 1.9 million citizens and there are a few thousand rental bikes for tourists. The bikes can easily be rented during the day and returned to any rack at night for a nominal fee.

While staying in Denmark you can spend your time at one of the many inexpensive bed and breakfasts, usually in the form of a small eco friendly company, which are often located on working farms. You can also spend your time camping in one of several national parks or preserves that dot the land.

2) THE CAMPING PODS OF GREAT LANGDALE, WASDALE AND LOW WRAY, ENGLAND

So you want to be close to nature without getting rained on while you sleep, right? Well the National Trust has made that quite the possibility with the introduction of eco friendly camping pods. These small wooden pods have practically no ecological footprint and have been placed along some of the most beautiful walking trails and scenic areas of the national trust. The average pod sleeps a small family of 2 adults and 1 children and newer family pods sleep up to 2 adults and 3 children.

These pods allow visitors to be closer to nature without having to put up a tent or worry about rain. They are a warm, safe way to enjoy nature from a very close perspective.

Photo by: Denmark, Alanwoo

Europe: Where Native Flowers Grow

Tourists can't miss the wonder of the floral beauty when touring European countries. In the British Isles, there are fields of purple heather, the heady scent of lavender topped off each fall by golden flowers of gorse.

Travel eastward to Spain where the flower of the pomegranate is the official flower there. Spain's national flower is the Andalusian red carnation, a symbol of love and romance. Blue bells, gazania, Valencia Rose and lantana are also native to this country.

The flowers of France fall into two categories, the national flower which is the French Emblem of the iris and the official flower, the lily.

Onward To Eastern Europe

The further eastward a tourist travels in Europe, the more climate affects the types of flowers native to Eastern European countries like Poland where crocuses, pink amarylis and Alanya bloom under Polish skies. As winter ends in Hungary, tiny white snowdrops poke their heads from under the blankets of snow.

Flowers of Middle Europe

No one who has ever witnessed the grand display of tulips in the Netherlands ever forgets the sight of thousands upon thousands of this country's native flower in an array of colors that make the rainbow blush. The bright red poppy is the national flower of Belgium, but this is a country where azaleas, freesias and begonias are also considered part of the floral decor. Italy, the country of romance, crowns the rose its own national native flower.

Although Italians also love violets, the Pasque flower and white lilies. It may be amazing that 6,000 floral species grow in Greece. Among these are anemone or Grecian windflowers, narcissus, primroses and peonies. Dogwood flowers, also called the Judas tree thrives in abundance in Greece.

Further east in Switzerland native flowers include stock and flannel flowers which are similar to daisies. In Austria, eidelweiss, a tiny delicate white flower grows wild on the Alps and was made famous in song. Forget-me-nots can be found in Germany and create a lovely carpet of blue with tinges of gold at the rims of each floret.

Photo by: RB