TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe THE Ritz-Carlton, Powerscourt my favourite luxury hotel in Ireland has been voted the most romantic destination on the island by travel web site Gayot.com (www.gayot. com ) two years in a row since opening in 2007. To celebrate the hotel is pushing out the romantic boundaries by launching a new Romantic Suite, The Suite with No Number, unlike any of the other 200 guest rooms in the hotel. This new luxury suite is the answer for couples looking to mark a special occasion, by staying in a room where decadence is the order of the day. An ambiance of self indulgence, romance and fun greet guests as they enter the Romantic Suite. Two gold chaise longues and a petal filled bath for two in the main lounge set the mood, added to by the chandeliers and candles flickering throughout. A cocktail bar offers a selection of delicious recipes for guests to try out before dining à deux on the heated terrace whilst enjoying the privacy and tranquillity of the Romantic Suite. Prices are from €680 per couple sharing and include one night’s accommodation in the Romantic Suite with breakfast the following morning, a Strawberries & Cream Treatment for two and a Romantic Turndown that evening. www.ritzcarlton.com/powersourt
Weekend Hotspot
The Paracas Peninsula is the most prominent peninsula on the coast of Peru and has been set aside as a national reserve to protect the huge numbers of birds and marine wildlife that live in the area. Located just 120 miles south of Lima, near the seaside town of Pisco, the beautiful landscapes of seaside cliffs, sandy desert, and ocean with distant rocky islands on the horizon make Paracas a popular destination. In addition to the abundance of seabirds and occasional sightings of whales and dolphins, Paracas is also famous for a strange series of lines that were scraped onto a large, sea-facing sand dune. Known as “El Candelabro”, they are easily viewed and photographed on boat trips to the Paracas Peninsula. The Ballestas Islands are located just north of National Reserve, Peru’s only ma-
Living Home and Away Extra
■ Nazca-Lines Monkey Paracas Peru
■ Hotel Parac
as Peru
rine reserve. While the islands are not yet included within this protected area, disembarking is prohibited in an attempt to minimize impacts on wildlife. Nonetheless, the speedboats which are used for these tours always maintain a distance that provides close views of the broad range of animals that frequent the islands. Hotel Paracas one of the finest resorts of its kind worldwide features 120 guest rooms with private terraces, a 5,000 square foot spa, two outdoor pools, more than 5,000 square feet of event space and two signature restaurants and lounges. There’s an earthy, airy feel to the accommodations with textiles modelled after pre-Columbian designs, wood floors, walls covered in bamboo, and patios that look out onto the Pacific Ocean. Guests can enjoy one of the world’s largest wildlife reserves from a private 52-foot luxury yacht with excursions to the Ballestas Islands and the Paracas Nature Reserve, a 900,000-acre marine park along the country’s pristine southern Pacific coast. Guests are also invited to explore the region’s mesmerizing Nazca Lines, one of ancient Peru’s most impressive petroglyphs in the desert, which can be best experienced via the hotel’s private airplane. The Lines became a Unesco World Heritage site in 1994 on the grounds that they are “among archaeology’s greatest enigmas be-
Pet’s Corner...
cause of the quantity nature, size and continus ity.” Al■ Hotel Paracas Ground though you do not have to take an airplane to see them, the bird’s eye view is much better than the constructed viewing platforms. Not only will you be able to see more of the lines themselves, you will also be able to get a better view and awesome pictures from one of the many airplanes that fly overhead. Said to have had ritual astronomical functions, these figures depict living creatures such as the hummingbird, monkey and spider. To assist with my Peru planning I used Cultural Immersion a specialist tour company based in Cusco. They provided quality travel services and tour guides throughout Peru, including Machu Picchu,Sacred Valley, Lake Titicaca, the Peruvian Amazon, Lima and other main attractions. The company also help with the development of the poor villages of the Andes working on many development projects so you know you are helping the indigenous populations by working with Eduardo and
his team. . The best websites for further details are www.liberatdor. com www.culturalimmersion.org www.visitperu.com
Weekly Best Buy
There are many reasons to self drive in Namibia and with years of experience regarding what to see, road conditions, vehicle rental and accommodation, allows GoHop.ie to help you plan the ideal trip to suit you. GoHop.ie offers many different routes for those wishing to explore this fascinating destination on a self drive holiday. Experience the red desert of the Kalahari, the dunes at Sossusvlei, the coastal town of Swakopmund, Damaraland, home of the desert-dwelling elephant, as well as game viewing in Etosha National Park. Start and end your itinerary in the nation’s capital, Windhoek. GoHop.ie self drive package to Namibia for 13 Days / 12 Nights from €1,289 per person sharing excluding flights* www.gohop.ie
Motorcyclists are being invited to take part in a twonights guided motorcycle tour to Snowdonia and the Lake District being hosted by Celtic Horizons Tours in partnership with Irish Ferries departing Dublin on Friday, 13th May and returning two days later on Sunday, 15th May. The trip will take bikers through the most picturesque areas of Snowdonia and the Lake District. Included will be visits to the Italian Village at Portmeirion, the Cars of the Stars Museum in Keswick and the Beatles Museum in Liverpool plus two nights B&B and one dinner at the 4-star Manchester Marriott Airport Hotel. Cost per person sharing, based on rider and pillion, is EUR259 with supplements for two riders/two bikes and single room occupancy. A Celtic Horizon representative will accompany riders with pre-planned stops arranged for refreshments and refuelling every 1-2 hours approximately. www.irishferries. com. Leading online travel agent, Ebookers, is paving the way for mobile travel by announcing the launch of its mobile website, which allows consumers to browse and book direct from their mobile phone. As the first online travel agent in Europe to offer a fully bookable mobile service for multiple products, the new mobile site sees ebookers leading the way in driving m-commerce in the travel sector while responding to consumer demands and making the travel planning and booking process easier than ever before. www.ebookers.ie Robert Walshe is a freelance contributor / broadcaster and is guest travel writer for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland
with Kathleen Murray
with Kathleen Murray: Animal Behavioural Therapist
What does spring mean for animals?
HERE we are once again. The spring is just around the corner. Lots to look forward to... the hope of a long, good, hot, sunny summer and the flowers coming in bloom. Even at the present moment, while it is still chilly, the sunshine fills us with hope and energy. The lambs and calves and all the other baby animals that are born in the spring are a joy to look at and while lawn mowers and strimmers are getting a service, plans are being made to shed a few pounds after stuffing more than the turkey at Christmas Time to dust off the dog for a weight
losing exercise program. Slimming magazines and tans will be in demand and people will be more cheerful. So what does the spring mean for animals? For many baby lambs and their mothers it means terror time. Dogs roaming, chasing and mauling them. Many dogs are in heat at the moment and other dogs are leaving home to mate with them. This is a disaster for sheep. Know where your dog is at all times. For many animals that hibernate over the winter spring means being burned to death as people burn wood piles and old leaves (from the
autumn and winter) that they have been using as “dens”. For many kittens it means being hauled and mauled by small children and then abandoned to their own devices when they become old enough to defend themselves... adding to the already overwhelming cat problem in the county. For many baby birds it means a very short life as there are too many cats around, so while some animals have a reasonable to good spring and summer... many more do not.. During your spring outings it would be very helpful if you could watch out for any distressed,
stray or wounded animals. Cats and cars come to mind.
Shock Many are not killed outright and are left on the roadside in shock and agony. Bring them to a vet or ring an animal welfare organisation and get some help for the animal. If your cat or dog is missing then look on the road and pick it up off the road before the cars leave it unrecognisable. Put dead animals on the side of the road out of the way of the traffic. Call either the Gardai or the Co Council depending on the type of animal it is or if you find a wandering animal. The
spring is a very active time so there are many casualties as a result. If there is a problem with wildlife (birds, rabbits, seals, deer etc) then ring the wildlife rangers at Glenveagh or the Seal Sanctuary for advice. Wild animals don’t take well to captivity so don’t handle them unless you really have to. They die from stress very easily or can kick or bite. Be careful with seals as they can give a very nasty bite that can cause infection. Always leave it to the experts. It’s always good to stay in touch with nature. It’s good for
the mind and it teaches us so much about life. We are all part of the same planet and we are all needed to keep it alive so we must watch out for each other. Be careful with the hedge trimming. Birds will be nesting soon. The law states when you can trim hedges and burn wood so find out what the law is. Ask in your local Garda station and find out about the legalities surrounding animal rights. Have a great spring... and please ensure that the animals in your care and your locality also have a great spring.