| Jun 7, 2012 |
| ToursByLocals Open House |
 |
The dust has settled from our big move to downtown Vancouver, and we're throwing open the doors of our brand new, bright green office on Pender Street for an Open House on June 14th. Everyone welcome!
Along with our big move, we're in the mood to celebrate 3 years of tremendous growth: with 1253 guides offering 6551 tours in 109 countries around the globe, we're truly meeting our mandate of connecting travelers with local guides worldwide.
Perhaps you're a Vancouver local who has used our guides on your travels, or are considering it for your next trip. Or you might be one of our local guides in the Lower Mainland who hasn't yet met the office staff in person. Or maybe you're a travel agent looking for unique experiences for your clients. Whatever personal or professional connection you have with travel and tourism, you're invited to meet our team and enjoy drinks, food and travel chat.
When: 4-6pm, Thursday June 14th
Where: 1112 W. Pender St, Suite 600 (at Pender and Thurlow, near the Burrard Skytrain Station.)
If you plan to drop by, please let David know: dyoung at toursbylocals.com or call 604.777.4141 ext 6773. Hope to see you there!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jun 5, 2012 |
| Five Things to do in Casablanca: tips from a local guide |
|
| Have you ever been to Morocco? The nation is a fascinating fusion of Mediterranean and North African cultures, and its diverse influences are reflected in its unique architectural styles and cuisine. Mohamed, a guide in Casablanca, is here today to share with us five suggestions on how to enjoy his legendary hometown. |
(click to enlarge) |
Today Casablanca is the largest city in the Maghreb; despite its size, the city retains a very real charm, thanks in large measure to different attractions. Here are some of my personal recommendations:
1. ENTER HASSAN II MOSQUE. This great mosque is a MUST SEE, it’s the third biggest in the world and it’s very beautiful! The entire structure, which covers a total area of 24, 000 square meters, is designed on a gigantic scale! This mosque is nothing like any other you've seen before!
2. DISCOVER THE CITY’S ART DECO ARCHITECTURE. In the French-built part of the central districts of the city, visitors can see very interesting decorative details on the façades of residential and administrative buildings in Art Nouveau and Art Deco Style. Motifs taken from Renaissance, Neoclassical and Moorish traditions are also incorporated.
3. EXPLORE THE MEDINA QUARTER OF HABBOUS. With its small squares and narrow, arcaded streets it is a fine example of the successful adaptation of modern town planning to the traditional role of the medina. The copper and brass market is an interesting place to be discovered.
4. HAVE LOCAL FOOD IN A TRADITIONAL RESTAURANT. One of the must-do things in Morocco is to have a tajine, the traditional Moroccan dish named after the earthenware vessel with the cone-shaped lid in which meat, fish and vegetables are slowly cooked. There are a variety of different types of tajine to choose from, and don’t forget to also have a Moroccan tea with mint, it’s the Moroccan national drink!
5. SEE THE CORNICHE. Don’t miss the opportunity to take a stroll along Boulevard de la Corniche which is bordered by an un-interrupted sweep of beaches, swimming pools, cafés, hotels and restaurants. If you have time, you can have a drink and breathe the sea air, while enjoying the nice weather of Casablanca!
If any travellers are headed to Casablanca in 2012 (or beyond!) you can get in touch with Mohamed for more great ideas on how to spend your time exploring this fabled Moroccan city. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Jun 4, 2012 |
| Jubilee Celebrations in London |
|
| In the last year, London has seen more than its fair share of pomp and circumstance. There was the Queen’s 85th birthday in April 2011, followed closely by the much anticipated wedding of Prince William and Catherine, ongoing preparations for the 2012 Summer Olympics, and now Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee. |
(click to enlarge) |
Not even England’s infamous rain can dampen spirits in London these days: British pride is out in full force.
Despite threatening weather that turned to heavy downpours, more than 1 million people are estimated to have turned out this Sunday to watch the queen’s barge lead a 1,000-boat flotilla down the Thames. Sodden sleeping bags and crumpled ponchos along the river banks were evidence of Londoners’ determination to bear witness to the majesty of the monarchy, personal discomfort just a small price to pay to be part of royal history.
The celebrations continue today with a concert staged by a different sort of royalty: that of British pop. Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Cliff Richard and Sir Tom Jones — along with Dame Shirley Bassey, Stevie Wonder and younger artists including JLS, Kylie Minogue and Will.i.am – will be taking the stage outside Buckingham Palace to entertain massive crowds. The BBC is providing frantic live coverage of the event, tweeting incessantly (as I type) about what the Queen is wearing, who’s on stage, and which royals (nearly all of them) are in attendance. (One can only imagine the Queen is wearing a set of earplugs.)
With the feeling of pride and celebration lingering in the air, this summer will be a great time to visit Britain. And if crowds aren’t your thing, there’s no need to stick to London, where the Olympic Madness will no doubt be palpable. Our ToursByLocals guides can whisk you out of the city for glorious daytrips all over the English countryside, from Shakespeare’s home in the Cotswolds to the lovely medieval town of Rye to the Roman relics in Bath...and scores of other places. Rule Brittania! |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| May 29, 2012 |
| Enjoy Porto’s São João Festival! |
|
| In 2004, a journalist from The Guardian commented that "Porto's Festa de São João is one of Europe's liveliest street festivals, yet it remains relatively unknown outside the country." Almost a decade later the lively celebrations surrounding John the Baptist continue to pulse through the Portuguese city – but more visitors than ever are joining the party. Will you be one of them? |
(click to enlarge) |
Miguel, an experienced guide and traveler who was born and raised in Porto, explains what São João is all about – and why you shouldn’t miss it!
São João is almost here! It is Porto's most famous festival, already known throughout the world and experienced by more and more tourists and visitors each year. The city gets dressed up and the streets are filled with colour, tradition and joy.
Particularly in the evening and the night from 23 to 24 June, the São João Night, Porto embraces thousands of people in an unparalleled and unforgettable gathering lasting until dawn.
In the Churches and Chapels, and particularly at this time, visitors can tour the altars dedicated to the saint and admire the artistic representations conjured up by renowned national and international artists.
In the streets, the cascatas (cascades), unique in Portugal, call the attention of passers-by to a tradition that involves the representation, in miniature, of scenes from around the city and customs from times gone by. They include houses, paths traced out in sand and moss, clay figurines painted in lively colours of people going about their daily business, working at their professions (many of which have now disappeared) and animals that, these days, are rarely seen inside the city. The most famous of these is the Cascata das Fontaínhas.
The festival program has space for competitive activities too, such as the now traditional regatta of ‘rabelo’ (port wine) boats which runs over a 1.5 km course from Foz do Douro to the Luís I Bridge. There are also activities along the riverside and more competition in the form of the S. João race and the contests for best cascata, shop window, ‘rusga’ (parade) and popular poetry celebrating S. João.
The night of the 23 June is the most jubilant of the year. Crowds of people come out onto the streets to celebrate this patron saint of amours. In the ‘Baixa’ area the streets ring out with the cries of the sellers of the traditional basil plants, carnations, lemon verbena, “leeks” and the modern hammers that are used to dole out friendly whacks on the head to passers-by and which spread like wildfire throughout the city from early on in the day, acting as harbingers of the fun that is coming later on. The S. João bonfires are set alight in the streets, by groups of neighbours and friends who prove their bravery by jumping right over the top of them. At midnight on the 23 June, there are fireworks, or São João’s fire, on the river. The banks of the Douro fill up with thousands of spectators who have come to watch the biggest show of the year, bursting with light, colour and emotion.
The traditional S. João balloons, made out of paper and brightly coloured, are carefully launched into the sky, providing an unparalleled spectacle of hundreds of ascending points of light.
On the Feast night or on the day of S. João, people eat ‘caldo verde’ soup with cornbread, mutton, lamb or grilled sardines, pepper salad and, for dessert, egg and milk custard or S. João cake, deservedly washed down by a delicious Port Wine.
The night of S. João comes to a close at Foz do Douro, with people rowing out towards the sea until the dawn breaks.
Come and have fun with us. Porto awaits you!
It sounds magical! If you’re headed to Porto this summer, feel free to send Miguel a message about your trip plans. You can get in touch with him here: Miguel’s guide profile. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Home
Blog home
Submit an item
Archives
May 2013 (6)
April 2013 (9)
March 2013 (8)
February 2013 (8)
January 2013 (8)
December 2012 (7)
November 2012 (7)
October 2012 (9)
September 2012 (8)
August 2012 (6)
July 2012 (9)
June 2012 (11)
May 2012 (11)
April 2012 (12)
March 2012 (11)
February 2012 (13)
January 2012 (12)
December 2011 (12)
November 2011 (13)
October 2011 (14)
September 2011 (12)
August 2011 (14)
July 2011 (16)
June 2011 (16)
May 2011 (17)
April 2011 (16)
March 2011 (16)
|