Feature proposals

December 04, 2006

Wolf People in Sheep's Clothing, Spring in northern Romania.

Romania passes an important obstacle and will gallop into the European Union next month. This is generating a lot of negative publicity, but the good thing is we'll be getting a new European travel destination. In many ways the most authentic destination, as folk culture hasn't degenerated into folklore yet, and the flu is still being suppressed with herbs.

Maramures, Moldavia and Transylvania are regions which have retained an almost medieval simplicity and beauty. In secluded valleys bordered by the Carpathian Mountains and shaded by clouds of plum blossom lie villages with wooden churches and houses where ancient rituals, festivities, clothes and crafts are cherished. To educate this illiterate people the outer walls of late medieval monastic churches were covered with colourful religious frescoes. A very kind people with an amazing sense of hospitality.

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October 03, 2006

Leiden, city walk in the Netherlands

A home game, because Leiden is Paul Smit's home town. In this city walk fun shops, restaurants and cafes are reported on as well as cultural hot spots. The feature is enlivened with small historical vignettes. Leiden, where Rembrandt is born and has lived for 23 years, is easily the most beautiful city in the Netherlands, and after Amsterdam has the largest historical centre. This has attracted many antique shops, allowing the city to develop into a veritable magnet for lovers of all that is timeworn. Thanks to the presence of the country's largest university, Leiden is also effervescent with social events.

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September 15, 2006

Around Dresden, scenic drive in Germany

"Around Dresden" is a wintry exploration of the area around Saxony's capital.

Dresden received special attention the last two years due to the completion of the Frauenkirche, followed in 2006 by the town's 800th anniversary. Now the dust has settled and winter draws near we take time to have a closer look at the surroundings of Dresden.

Most prominent is the Elbe Valley, a stretch of castles and palaces along the river, in 2004 added to the list of UNESCO world heritage sites. Our scenic drive starts in porcelain city Meissen with a story about two inventions. Both took place in the Albrechtsburg castle: porcelain and the ribless cellular vault. The exploration ends in Zittau, near the spot where Germany, Poland and Czechia meet, with an amazing story about the Lent Cloth. On the way we visit walled Bautzen, meet artist Franz Gruss and his prehistoric animals and hike in the Elbsandsteingebirge with its table mountains and national park.

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March 26, 2005

Snowdonia, national park feature in Wales

"Snowdonia" is the tale of my return to the spot where my enthusiasm for mountain hiking was born, this time bringing my daughter who has a rather different view toward mountain hikes. This exploration of North Wales with its mountains, lakes, and fascinating coastline results in a feature offering a recreational view on national park Snowdonia, rather than nature oriented.

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Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness, trekking feature in the USA

In the heart of the Colorado plateau lies the Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness Area. An unknown, inaccessible and breathtakingly beautiful area, farther from human civilization than any other park in North America. Here you'll find the Paria Canyon, Buckskin Gulch (the worlds longest slot canyon) and Coyote Buttes, a large reserve where only twelve people a day may enter. This is the home of the "Wave", the most well-kept trekking secret of the USA.

This feature is a lot more adventurous and extreme than the aforementioned ones. Not all readers would be able to go on this trip themselves, but that is not necessarily a disadvantage as readers likewise enjoy poring over articles of polar expeditions or of rare animals.

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