Hit a different piste this winter November 29, 2009 FOR many of us there’s nothing to beat the feeling of whizzing down a slope at full pelt – skiing can provide a rush unlike any other. Having said that, queuing for ages to get near a lift, having to improvise slalom skills to avoid other skiers on overcrowded slopes and paying small fortunes for [...]
LEBANON November 29, 2009 Lebanon’s beautiful snowy valleys were first tapped for their skiing potential in 1913, when intrepid sportspeople headed to the hills near the Aley region of Mount Lebanon. In 1923, occupying French officers couldn’t resist the pristine slopes of the Baidar, Knaisseh and Mzaar mountains. Twelve years later, French entrepreneurs set up Lebanon’s ski school at [...]
ANDORRA November 29, 2009 IT may be Europe’s sixth smallest nation with a population you could fit inside Wembley Stadium, but Andorra, thanks to a vast investment programme in recent years, is fast becoming one of the UK’s most popular winter sports destinations, with Brits making up a high proportion of the country’s 10.2m annual visitors. High in the [...]
SLOVAKIA November 29, 2009 SLOVAKIA is perhaps the most up-and-coming location for European skiing. The past decade has seen considerable investment in the area’s tourism, which means an increasing number of top-quality lifts and facilities, and some plush new hotels. The especially good news is that it’s cheaper than skiing in the Alps – a six day lift pass [...]
SPAIN November 29, 2009 THOUGHT southern Spain was all about sun, sea and sand? Think again. The Sierra Nevada mountains – which you can see from the beaches of the Costa del Sol – provide Europe’s most southernly ski resort. Overlooking the city of Granada, the location means you’re practically guaranteed sunshine, and in late season you can split your [...]
FINLAND November 29, 2009 FINLAND, being a mostly flat country, isn’t known particularly for its skiing – unless, cross-country skiing is your thing. But it does have its moments, and the thick pine forests and rolling hills in the north provide an enchanting backdrop for those after something a little different. The biggest resort is Levi, which offers some [...]
TRAVEL NOTES November 29, 2009 Have an American adventureEmbark on a journey through the great outdoors with one of TrekAmerica’s Great American Adventures. Trip offerings include a 10-day Appalachian Trail walk, a week-long adventure through the southwest US and rafting down the Grand Canyon. Whether you prefer lounging in a three-star hotel or pitching a tent in the wilderness, Trek [...]
Fairly normal horror flick is no Blair Witch November 26, 2009 FilmPARANORMAL ACTIVITYCert:15 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY has caused quite a hullabaloo in the States where it has taken $150m, having been made for just $15,000. It follows the now-familiar blueprint established by the Blair Witch Project: characters film themselves, scary goings on are subtly suggested, and an online viral marketing campaign – including clips that suggest this [...]
OUT THIS WEEKEND November 26, 2009 FILM LAW ABIDING CITIZEN Denzel Washington and ever-busy Scotsman Gerard Butler clash in this so-so thriller. BUNNY AND THE BULL Surreal comedy from the director of TV comedy hit The Mighty Boosh. NATIVITY Martin Freeman plays a frustrated teacher in this seasonal school comedy. DVD TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN More fighting robots, CGI explosions [...]
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