Chinese tourists take a roundabout pilgrimage to Lourdes - 800 kms away

It's easily done isn't it?

You arrive at an airport, rent a car, complete with GPS or SatNav, and tap in your destination.

If you're lucky the thing will direct you to exactly where you want to go without any problem.

If you're not, or are hopeless at following instructions, then you could end up taking a route which will allow you to see a little more of the countryside than you had intended.

The chances are though, that you'll eventually reach where you want to be.

Both scenarios of course rely upon your having entered the correct town or city.

But there remains another possible outcome: arriving miles away from your intended journey's end.

(screenshot Mappy  - the green flag is Paris, the yellow one Leuhan, and the red flag is Lourdes)

That's exactly what happened this past weekend to a group of Chinese tourists who had arrived at Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris from Los Angeles and decided to hire a car with a GPS, to drive to the southwestern town of Lourdes.

Except they ended up over 800 kilometres away in the village of Leuhan in Brittany, in the west of the country.

As the regional daily Ouest France reported the five women had indeed entered Lourdes into the GPS but they had forgotten to include the number of the département: hence they arrived in the village where the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes can be found.

An easy mistake to make!

"They got out of their car and asked me where they could find their hotel," Manée Peron, the owner of the village bar-tobacconist Ti Manée, told the newspaper.

"But when I looked at the reservation slip they showed me I saw that they were looking for Lourdes in the southwest of France and I told them they were in completely the wrong place."

Not surprisingly the women were apparently more than a little fed up but reprogrammed their GPS, and were on their way once again...to the correct Lourdes.

Let's just hope their rental contract allowed them unlimited mileage.

A "perfect" summer job

There were probably plenty of disappointed applicants last year when Briton Ben Southall beat out over 34,000 others to become caretaker of an Australian tropical island for six months in the so-called "Best job in the world".

But now a similar position of sorts is up for grabs in France, albeit for a limited period and with a distinctive - how to put it? - French touch perhaps.

It's the "Summer job of 2010" (le "job de l'été 2010") offered by the tourist office of the seaside town of Les Sables-d'Olonne and involves - among other things - spreading suntan lotion on holidaymakers: a six week stint which will earn the lucky recruits €5,000.

Photo, Payton Chung from Chicago, USA - from Wikipedia

Actually there isn't just one position as a "creamer" (yep that really is the name the organisers have dreamt up for the job) available but two, as François Boche the director of the town's tourist office explained on national radio.

And the successful candidates won't just be rubbing lotion into sunbathers who've perhaps forgotten to bring along some protection.

"We're looking for a young woman and a young man and applicants will be judged on their ability to get along with members of the public," he said.

"And they'll also need to have some knowledge of health issues and in particular the need to wear sun protection," he continued.

"As well as applying lotion to sunbathers, the successful candidates will be offering advice and information on sun protection," he added.

"And they'll be handing out free samples from the company sponsoring the whole operation."

Ah yes. The "Summer job of 2010" isn't just a public service aimed at increasing awareness of the need to protect against the sun's rays, but also a marketing strategy, and Boche admits that the relatively high pay - €5,000 for just six weeks work - is also a way for the town to promote itself.

So how do all those aspiring "creamers" who want to spend six weeks in July and August on the beaches of the western coast of France actually go about applying?

Well first up they'll have to submit a 45-second video (as well as communications skills and "some knowledge of health issues" they'll presumably also need to be attractive) and a brief curriculum vitæ outlining why they want the job, online.



A site has been set up specifically for applications.

They're then encouraged to mobilise support among their "network of friends online through Facebook, Twitter or email" because the initial voting process is open to anyone logging on to the site.

In June, the 10 candidates with the highest number of votes will then appear before a jury which will choose the two winners.

Just for the record, and for those of you who might be popping along to the beach at Les Sables-d'Olonne some time over the summer and aren't too thrilled at the thought of a complete stranger offering to apply suntan lotion, Boche has a few words of comfort.

"To avoid any problems, the two 'creamers' will only be proposing to apply protection to the upper back and the arms," he said.

"And as far as children are concerned, it'll only be done in the presence of the parents."

New Year in Bali - the sound of silence

Happy New Year!



Yes you've read correctly.

Even though Tuesday is just another working day for most of us, for the people of Bali it's Nyepi Day or the "Day of Silence" which this year falls on March 16.

While most countries around the world welcome in the beginning of a new year with celebrations (and all too often those regrettable hangovers) the folk on this Indonesian island take the whole affair much more sedately and, as the name suggests, mark it in silence.

It's proceeded by an evening which provides a stark contrast of the day that is to follow with Nyepi ushered in by a carnival-like atmosphere as the local people proudly parade giant effigies or Ogoh-ogoh figures made especially for the occasion.



They represent "evil spirits" and their purpose is to purify the "natural environment of any spiritual pollutants emitted from the activities of living beings" - including man.

And after being paraded around towns and villages they're burnt as a symbol of self purification.



But on the following day this normally bustling island of just over three-and-a-half million takes on a totally different character.

There are none of those haphazardly driven scooters or cars on the streets. There's no entertainment of any sort even though the Balinese are known for their love of gamelan music and processions.

Shops, markets, bars and restaurants are closed as is the airport in the capital Denpasar.



The traditional terraced rice paddies remain untended, televisions and radios are turned off and the only sound you're likely to hear is ...well...silence - and perhaps the barking of the island's large dog population.



In short, Bali closes down for the day as the mainly Hindu population remains at home for a period of self reflection and fasting.

All of which might all be a little disconcerting for unsuspecting holidaymakers expecting to be able to top up their tans but to no avail. The beaches are closed and tourists are more or less confined to their hotels for the day.

But in taking time out to reflect not only on themselves but also their place in the "wider scheme of things" for a whole day, the Balinese are surely setting an example from which we could perhaps all learn a little something.

So from the island of Bali, "Happy Nyepi".

Venice - a photoreportage

It's easy - oh so easy perhaps - to take glorious photos of Venice, even for the most talentless among us.

Simply point the camera in any direction, press, whirr and voilà.

And with digital technology you've got not just one but several (hundred?) snapshots of those canals, water, bridges, piazzas, more water, palaces, boats, gondoliers, even more water and so on and so forth.

Souvenirs of a city that is without question one of the most romantic in the world.

Well just for a change, here, mixed in with those typical tourist photos (well what did you expect?) is a selection of a few other images and clips taken by one galoshes-wearing happy snapper traipsing - or should that be sploshing - around the "Queen of the Adriatic" as the sun put in a brief appearance during acqua alta or "high water".

Braving the raised walkways at the Rialto bridge

equipped with wellies that have clearly never seen the countryside

After the rain, the sun

It might be chilly but some are determined to make the most out of the sun

Just to state the obvious, Venice of course means boats

...and canals, starting with the Grand Canal

...and continuing with the side canals

...gondoliers at work, waiting and taking a break

and gondolas - take one or make one

It's a city with the narrowest of streets

and where.daily exercise Venetian style entails lugging pushchairs over bridges

As it's Italy it's time to shop. Tat for sale - masks, tee shirts and "original" Murano

And then there are some extravagant loo brushes

Signs (galore) - where exactly are we? - posters, instructions and graffiti











Hung out to dry

Bells and doors

All right then, a couple of typical tourist shots to finish with.

St Mark's - in the rain and at dusk

A slice of life in France - Toulouse "la Ville Rose"

Toulouse is surely one of those French cities that has a touch of magic to it. Just the mention of its name brings, for many, romantic images to mind.

Famous for its terracotta brick buildings, which give the city its most common nickname*, "la Ville Rose", Toulouse is, as the official website of its tourist office rightly boasts, a city "at once both modern and proud of the legacy of its past."

Visitors, it promises are "bound to be seduced by the incomparable Toulousain lifestyle, coupled with the wealth of its cultural heritage."

And the site probably isn't far off the mark.

One look at the landmark Capitole de Toulouse for example which houses the town hall, an opera company and a symphony orchestra, is enough to tell you that this is indeed a splendid city.



Mind you, many of the more than 4,700 competitors (individual and relay combined) taking part in le marathon du Grand Toulouse (the National Grand Toulouse Marathon) last weekend probably won't have had much time to take in the sights and sounds of what it has to offer as they pounded the 42 plus kilometres.

It was Kenya's Benjamin Bitok who crossed the finishing line first at la place du Capitole in the heart of the city. Bitok's winning time of two hours, 14 minutes and 12 seconds, was four minutes faster than when he won the inaugural event back in 2007.

Following him home were two more Kenyans, Patrick Nymbane seven minutes back in second and Simon Ruto another six minutes behind in third.

The first woman home was Algeria's Kenza Dahmani in two hours 40 minutes and 29 seconds.

More famous in sporting terms perhaps for the exploits of its top-flight rugby side Stade Toulousain or even the first division soccer team Toulouse Football Club, la Ville Rose has played host to the marathon for the past three years.

It's an event which quite literally runs through the heart of Toulouse as well as some of its suburbs in a city which ranks as the fourth or fifth largest in France in terms of population, depending on whether you're taking into account those who live in the city itself or the metropolitan area.

Hotfooting it through the streets though is perhaps not the best way to take a real look at everything Toulouse has to offer: the architecture, history, culture or of course the gastronomic delights (this is France after all) les Toulousains Toulousaines have to serve up.

The ever-expanding Blagnac airport with regular arrivals from both Paris-Orly and Paris-Charles de Gaulle as well as a host of European cities, makes getting to Toulouse simple.

Given the fact that Toulouse is the home base of the European aerospace industry in the shape of Airbus, it's perhaps not surprising that the city will also be playing host in 2010 to a major air service development forum.

The "Airbus effect" aside though - and it has been an important factor in the growth of the city in recent years and its "dynamism" - Toulouse makes an ideal weekend break especially for visitors who prefer a more sedate pace of life and want to spend a little more time taking it all in.



The weather is generally temperate, the food fantastic and getting around, be it on foot (preferably) or by bus, easy.

And there's more. Toulouse is also the gateway to the rest of the southwest of France which might tempt you to prolong your stay and make a real holiday of it as you take in some stunning scenery.

One thing to note though, and it might just be the experience of this particular visitor, is that the local folk can be a little hard to understand once they get going.

Their French is heavily accented and they seem to speak at a rate of knots.

But don't let that put you off as it just adds to their charm and that of the city.





*Toulouse is also sometimes known as la cité des violettes - City of Violets - because of its long association with the cultivation of the flower.

Stockholm shines - even in the rain

Stockholm's long summer days with warm and pleasant temperatures certainly provided more than a welcome break from the heatwave that hit much of continental Europe this year.

There are, of course, those short winter days, where the average temperature in the Swedish capital in January and February is a bracing -1 degree Celsius. But no need to dwell on that for the moment.

Right now Sweden holds the six-month rotating presidency of the European Union.

So you might be expecting it to put on something of an effort to promote the fact especially in the capital, but instead it seems to be keeping rather a low profile (in Stockholm at least) with barely a sign that it's currently "in charge" of the 27-nation bloc.

But maybe that's just a case of forward thinking and not wanting to be too closely associated with being the country that was at the helm should the Lisbon treaty shortly be dealt its final blow: the Irish will vote for the second time next month on whether to accept or reject the treaty.


Mind you, the EU probably isn't uppermost in most visitors' minds to the city.

So when you touch down at the rather dated Arlanda airport, what can you expect?

Well a warm welcome to begin with (even if the outside temperature isn't exactly playing ball and it's raining) and for English-speakers the delight that you'll pretty much be understood wherever you go.

Should you decide to plump for a taxi rather than public transport to make the 40 kilometre trip to the city centre, don't be surprised to be riding in a hybrid car.

Perhaps Swedes took to heart a finding back in 2007 that the country had "the highest level of pollution-emitting cars in Western Europe." Something to do, according to the New York Times, with their "love affair with big, comfortable cars."

Whatever the case, Stockholm at least certainly seems to have cleaned up its act, with a recent report from the Austrian-based Central European Institute of Technology (CEIT), heaping praise on the fleet of "eco-taxis" which "make up 35 per cent of those" serving the airport.

When you hit the city itself, perhaps the most striking thing is the architecture - a perfect and surprisingly colourful blend of traditional and modern, with of course a healthy dollop of respect for the environment thrown in.

Royal palace

As over 30 per cent of the Stockholm is made up of waterways and the city is built on 14 islands, what better way to take a look at it than from a boat - and that's especially true when the heavens open in an effort to dampen your spirits.

Fear not though, from the shelter of one of the many companies offering boat tours, you'll be able to take in the sights and history of the city.

Probably the most informative and comprehensive is the two-hour "Under the bridges of Stockholm" that picks you up from either Stromkajen or Nybrokajen and takes you (not surprisingly perhaps) under 15 bridges and through two locks.

Or maybe you fancy the "Historical canal" or "Royal canal" tours - no prizes for guessing what they specialise in - which maybe try to pack a little less in to the time allotted.

Whichever one you choose, a boat trip is as essential for visitors to Stockholm as it would be say for those going to the "real" Venice in Italy.

While rain probably isn't the ideal accompaniment to a short break, when the sun puts in an appearance, the real beauty of the city shines through. Well let's face it, "good" weather always helps doesn't it?

Taking care not to get caught up in a passing horsebound royal military parade



(this is a country with a monarch after all) and avoiding being almost mown down by the olde worlde Djurgården tram,



now's the chance to flex those leg muscles, and don some sensible footwear as you head off to see the Old Town.

On the way though, you should try to drop in at Saluhall market, housed in a late 19th century red brick building and a veritable feast for the eyes and tantaliser for the tastebuds.

Try to get there just before the lunch hour rush begins as that'll give you the chance to wander around gaping at the fresh produce on sale (including the most gruesome-looking monkfish - is there any other sort?) before grabbing a seat and tucking in to some traditional Swedish fare.

Don't be surprised if you share your table with complete strangers as places are at a premium.

Once again though the Swedes show just how hospitable and friendly they are by helping you with any questions you might have about those unpronounceable dishes on the menu and they don't mind answering politely when you point to their plates and ask, "What is that?"

A good tip is to arrive hungry and leave stuffed, ready to pound the pavements (or take the metro) as you head off finally to the Old Town or Gamla Stan.

It's a maze of medieval streets, where you'll find (amongst other things) the city's cathedral, the Royal Palace, the Nobel Museum and innumerable souvenir shops in which you can of course pick up that Pippi Longstocking doll you've been "requested" to take home.

Pippi Longstocking, the fictional heroine of Astrid Lindgren's books for children

A weekend certainly isn't enough to do Stockholm anywhere near the justice it warrants.

But it serves as just a taster to an experience well worth repeating regardless of the weather - and perhaps not a moment too soon.