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Drink in vintage Firenze

18th February 202418th February 2024 funtime65

Si, we like this type of culture which puts the emphasis on wine and like which is why we agree, we should drink in vintage Firenze.

The experts at Titan Travel have analysed which major cities host the most “things to do,” from tourist landmarks to art galleries to music tours.

And here is where Fizzy Frosty gets interested… in which destinations have the most five-star restaurants and wine-tasting tours.

Of course, we should credit palace city Granada in Andalucia, Spain, with its Alhambra for taking No.1 spot.

But it’s Firenze which has been concentrating Her mind since we had to cancel our trip there last September when her much-storied Dad, oul’ Casey Jones sadly passed on.

Firenze frenzy

A great Italianophile he would, no doubt, have furnished us with books and maps on the city before we left… and somewhere in his legendary library we’ll find the very thing.

Florence, to give it its English name, as we found out when we were doing our homework, offers some of the world’s best wine tours (60.06 per 100,000 people).

And there’s even a Florence dinner and “Three Tenors” concert, where you can soak up Florentine food and culture and drink in vintage Firenze during a traditional dinner and concert experience.

Czech out the culture

Touch of class: On the King Charles Bridge in Prague

Now it might come as a surprise to those who only associate it with stag and hen parties that Prague comes in third on the list.

But not to Prahaphiles like us who have sampled the tastes above and underground.

Up the Castle and the climbing baby TV tower and in the beer cellars, Anthropoid crypt and nuclear bunker.

Prague, we’re told has 63.4 sights per 100,000 people to see in the Czechia capital by the Vlatva.

True Peru

For the cultural capital with the most things to do you do need to head to the Inca Empire.

It has the most excursions with 579.72 things to do per 100,000 people.

So for those of you know little more about Peru than Paddington and Machu Picchu then read on.

Architecturally-spectacular Lima does boast a statue of Paddy on Lima’s Miraflores Boardwalk, clad in his famous floppy hat and duffle coat, emblazoned with the British Union Jack.

We all know, of course, that Pad is a bespectacled bear and you can see his rellies, and maybe even Aunt Lucy, in the Chaparri Conservation Area.A community-owned and managed reserve, it covers a pristine area of grassy hills and vertical rock walls and studded with trees and cacti.

A 90-minute drive from Chiclayo, it boasts a wild population of threatened species including the spectacled bear.

And you can stay there at the Chaparri Lodge.

Whether Paddington, bespectacled bears and marmalade sandwiches are your cup of tea is your call.

Countries

Paddington is a gift to the world

19th December 202319th December 2023 funtime65

It helps when you’re furry and cute (a bearded Bandanaman perhaps) but also a certain Peruvian bear… yes, Paddington is a gift to the world.

Padders, who oddly but charmingly has a clipped English accent despite being from Darkest Peru, has never been so popular.

Well, it helps when you have the patronage of one of the most famous women in the world, the late Queen Elizabeth.

The duffel-coated one (Padders that is, not the Queen) is also the Poster Bear of Unicef.

And as bearophiles we’re happy to flag up this Christmas how Padders is helping children around the world.

Now, of course, we’ve all been inundated with requests for donations from charities.

And they’re all deserving of our hard-earned cash.

A gift of Unicef

We, though were taken by Padders and the invitation to show an act of furiendship to Unicef.

And give kids everywhere the chance to learn something of the world.

And so for the price of just £8 a month, the price of a good Merlot or Malbec, your little ones (or big ones) you can get Postcards from Paddington.

Now because I’m a man and have left the Christmas shopping to the last minute I’ve missed signing up before the big day.

But can get on for January.

When Padders will keep you updated on how other kids live all around the world.

Paddington’s adventures

Your little darling will receive a welcome pack with a travel journal and world map to log Paddington’s travels.

Each personalised gift is also marmalade-packed with:

fun and educational activities
stickers
postcards from Paddington
children’s stories
fact cards
monthly emails to the child’s parent or guardian

We all know, of course, that Paddington is a gift to the world.

Now it’s our turn to share him with kids all around the world.

Central America, Countries, South America

Darien back on the tourist map

5th September 20235th September 2023 funtime65

As tourist destinations go it didn’t catch on in the same way as say Blackpool or Ibiza but here’s Darien back on the tourist map.

Darien used to be a big thing in the 1690s after it had been identified by outsiders as a route from Atlantic to the Pacific.

Particularly those, like me, of a Scottish variety who, jealous of their English neighbours’ burgeoning empire, went after their own.

Only to find unsurprisingly that the locals, the neighbouring English and Dutch colonists and even God himself didn’t agree.

And cursed by plague, pestilence and penury in the jungle, their bid to establish a New Caledonia ended in bankrupting Scotland.

And why does this matter to you if you’re not of the Scottish variety?

Well the opportunistic English hotfooted it up to Scotland to buy them out and force a union on them, the United Kingdom.

Panama chat

If I haven’t sold the Darien to you yet, then maybe I’m better passing the job over to our friends at Swan Hellenic cruises.

The SH Diana people who will take you around Panama and Peru.

And into the jungle to meet the indigenous Embera people of the Darien.

Where we’re expecting they’ll be more welcoming than 325 years ago.

And Swan Hellenic will be coming in good will to promote the Darien.

Graceful Swan

The SH Diana is brand new for 2024 from Lima to Panama City, along South America.

And, of course, you’ll get to meet the natives who were here before any of us, God’s other critters.

Nature including Humboldt Penguins and Southern Sea Lions on Isla Guanape.

Peruvian pelicans and Blue-Footed Boobies on Lobos de Tierra.

One hundred and thirty species of hummingbird on Puerto Bolivar.

And nested waved albatross on Isla de la Plata.

Deal us in

Departing on March 18, the nine-night Cultures of Northern Peru and Biodiversity expedition cruise costs from £5,356 pps

Including return group transfers from the airport to the cruise port.

One pre-night cruise accommodation with breakfast in a four/five star hotel or onboard.

All meals on board, onboard accommodation in a stateroom selected category.

Twenty-four hour room service, drinks available all day, lecture programmes by experienced expedition team and guest speakers (phew)!

One selected short excursion per port of call, standard Wi-Fi, onboard gratuities and port taxes.

And maybe that’s where the Scottish navy went wrong.

And why they should have followed Swan Hellenic’s lead and why we have Darien back on the tourist map.