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What if you could travel only through your summer drinks? Indeed, tomorrow, 21^st of June, the summer will begin, which means it is time to start making fresh drinks again!

If each weekend you could make a different typical summer drink of a special city or region, you may feel like if you were travelling. Here are some ideas to travel through your summer drinks!

Croatian “Miš-maš”

Start in Croatia with a “Miš-maš” and feel the sand slipping between your toes when drinking this mixture of red wine and orange juice (or Fanta).

Spanish “Sangria”

Make your next stop in Spain where you could drink the well-known “Sangria”, which is a mix of fruit and wine (the colour you prefer). But Spanish people are also crazy about “Calimocho” and “Tinto de Verano”. The first one is a mixture of red wine and Coke whereas the second one is a mixture of red wine and soft drink (generally lemonade), or literally “red summer wine”.

Portuguese “Vinho Verde”

Cross the Spanish border and take some time to chill on a Portuguese beach. Once you are there, try the local summer favourite drink: “Vinho Verde” (literally, “Green Wine”). This is a slightly sparkling wine called “green” because it is a very young wine. However, you can also find it in other varieties: red and white. In any case, make sure it is really, really cold when you’re serving it!

Brazilian “Matte Leão”

Then, cross the Atlantic Ocean and try a Brazilian “Matte Leão”, which is made of iced tea. Just by crossing one border, order an Argentinian “Fernet con Coca”. “Fernet” is an Italian type of bitter which has been introduced in Argentina during the European immigration wave.

Russian “Kvass”

Cross the Ocean again and disembark on Russian land. There, take a traditional drink named “Kvass”. This is a Slavic and Baltic fermented beverage made of rye-bread. It is to be served cold and can be flavoured with fruit.

Bavarian “Radler”

After your Russian drink, head West and enjoy a “Radler” when crossing Germany, the country of beer. “Radler” is a drink composed by beer and lemonade, that initially comes from Bavaria. Today it is commonly known in most European countries.

French “Jaja”

End your summer drinks trip in the South of France, with a local “Jacqueline”. This is a drink named after a French women name. “Jaqueline”, or “Jaja”, is composed by white wine, lemonade and grenadine syrup, mostly popular is the South West of France.

 

What is the local summer drink of your country? Leave a comment below!

Everyone knows someone who went on a trip of a lifetime! They are always showing their travel pictures, showing you the gifts from their international friends and endlessly sharing their experiences with you. Of course, you like the stories, but what about your trip? You keep daydreaming about your “next” big trip, but it never seems to happen. Today we will give you tips on which things you have to take into account when planning your trip.

Why?

First of all, you have to clarify for yourself the reason why you actually want to travel. This because your trip should be meant for personal development and explore the things you want to explore. It is no point to start traveling just because someone else has traveled.

Where?

Not one trip is the same. Make sure you make your own travel itinerary. Don’t just select destinations because they are very popular, but list the places you really want to go. From experiencing the Asian culture, traveling around Australia or hiking in the mountains of Canada, everything is possible! Make sure you orientated yourself properly before making any decision.

When?

The seasons often are a huge influence when deciding when to go. You could select the months when the weather is the best or fly when the prices are most cheap. If you are planning to travel for a longer period of time it is recommendable flying on those days when the flights are cheap. When the time is short, so enjoy as much as you can. Try to find a good deal, but make sure the weather is nice at the destination. It will be a bummer if you arrive at a destination in the rainy season and end up staying in your hotel/ hostel all day.

Budget?

No matter if you have a small or a big budget for your trip, always try to make sure you have enough funds to do the planned trip. Nothing is more disappointing than having to cut your trip short because you ran out of money. Especially when you are traveling to a long-haul destination, it is very likely that you won’t come back anymore for another visit. Therefore, make sure you save up properly to avoid this situation.

Most important!

Like mentioned earlier, an adventure should be focussed on your personal development and experiencing the things you wanted to do all your life. Take all the advice at heart during the preparation or during the travel, but always remember the reason why you travel. It is your personal journey, no one can ever tell you you’re doing it wrong.

2017, the year that will mark the celebration of the Summer of Love which exists for fifty years. It all started with a group of writers and a collection of literature works known as “The Beats”. This generation wrote about their dissatisfaction with the society and rebelled against its norms during the 1950s. Many of those writers, like Gary Snyder and William Burroughs, were associated with San Francisco, as they lived, travelled or published their works
there.

The beliefs of The Beat generation influenced the lifestyle of the hippies in the sixties. They possess a carefree and non-conformist lifestyle and lived together sharing their belongings and responsibilities. The most known commune was Haight-Ashbury a district of San Francisco where the clock Is still frozen at twenty past four.

Back in the sixties the hippies, also called flower children, were suspicious of the government, rejected conformist and materialist values of modern life and opposed the Vietnam War. The emphasis was on sharing and community. That is why the Diggers, a radical community-action group of activists within the district, established a Free Store and a Free Clinic where medical treatment was provided.

The Summer of Love began with the celebration of Human Be-In at Golden Gate Park in 1967 which was organised and produced by Michael Bowen. The event was a rally against the newly law of California banning the use of the drug LSD that came into effect in 1966. This event led to the mass movement of young people through America to descend to Haight-Ashbury. After they became inspired by Scott Mckenzie who sang “If you’re going to San Francisco, be sure to wear flowers in your hair… if you’re going to San Francisco, summertime will be a love-in there.’’     

Influence present San Francisco
At present, the influence of the hippy culture can still be found in the music of nowadays. In the 1960s the San Francisco bands changed the music by being able to sing successfully about whatever issues or topics they wanted. In the past, artists only received attention when they sang about major issues. The city of San Francisco was also shaped by the hippy culture and in special the area, Haight Ashbury. The area is surrounded by colourful Victorian homes that have been turned into restaurants and boutiques. The hippie lifestyle is still present in Haight Ashbury, as well as the Beat Museum which presents the origin of the movement. Other main attractions include the Red Victorian hotel and the Haight-Ashbury street fair which is held on the second Sunday of June.

San Francisco plans to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the Summer of Love by hosting numerous events and art exhibitions. Click here to see an oversight of the events and exhibitions that take place this year.

 

 

 

 

Valencia is the third biggest city in Spain, which welcomed approximately 1.8 million tourists in the year 2015. The city is located on the Costa de Valencia, which is just north of the Costa Blanca and has a pleasant Mediterranean climate with short mild winters and very long hot summers.

Whether you are interested in history, architecture, culture or you feel more like tasting typical Spanish dishes, Valencia is the place to be! Today in this blog, we will give you some tips which you can use when you are planning your next trip to this beautiful city.

From history to modern

The historic centre of Valencia is one of the biggest of Spain. You will find yourself in narrow streets surrounded by old buildings. The UNESCO listed La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia, an old silk market, is one of the most beautiful buildings within the city limits. El Mercado Central de Valencia, which is close to the central station, is another great place to visit. Here you can buy all the fresh products from the region such as fruits, vegetables and all kinds of fish and meat.

Because of the history of Valencia you see a lot of buildings from various centuries with each its own story. An example is the “Ciudad de les Arts y las Ciencias” which means the City of Art and Sciences and was designed by the local hero Santiago Calatrava. The City of Art and Sciences is an entertainment-based architectural complex and contains a planetarium, an opera-house, an IMAX and a scientific museum. This complex is frequently visited by tourists and is also known as one of the 12 Treasures of Spain. It’s definitely a must-see when you go to Valencia!

If you are interested in art you should check out the museu de Belles Arts de Valencia. This museum houses over 2.000 works, most dating from 14-17 centuries. If modern art is more your thing the Institut Valencia d’Art modern is the place to go for you.

Las Fallas

If you like to experience a real Spanish cultural festival, then Las Fallas is the festival to go to! There is always a lot to see and do in Valencia, but during Las Fallas the city offers even more. The city showcases hundreds of colourful statues made of paper-maché and wood. Some of which can be up to 20 meters tall.

Las Fallas always begins on the last Sunday with an opening party called ‘La Crida’. The big celebrations are from the 15^th until the 19^th of March. You will find live music, shows, paella cook-offs and a lot of drinking and partying on the streets. From the beginning of March, there will also be firework shows during the day which are called ‘Mascleta’. These firework shows are different than all the shows you have ever seen or heard. After hearing and feeling all these loud salvos, you perfectly understand what we mean!

During las Fallas, there are also great light shows in different streets, who are competing to be the best of the year. This experience is truly amazing and therefore attracts a great number of visitors. During the last night the statues will be burned on the streets. This event, called ‘La Crema’, can last for hours. Traditionally, the most beautiful statue will be saved from the fire and showcased in the Fallero Museum in the city.

‘La comida’ de Valencia & España

One of the most typical dishes of Spain, which originates from Valencia, is the ‘Paella’. This original paella, which is cooked on wood fire, is made with chicken, rabbit and snails. Nowadays you can find Paella on every corner of the street in Valencia, but lots of the “authentic” Paellas that are sold are not made according to the original recipes and are just for the tourists. We highly recommend that you look for a real authentic Paella restaurant, like restaurant Casa Clemencia located at Avinguda del Primat Reig, 179, 46020 València. This to guarantee that you will not overpay and have the best dish possible.

Besides that there is still a variety of choice, but the best known is of course the tapas. Tapas are a wide variety of appetizers. This can be from a little serving of olives to a bit of Spanish ham, to deep-fried potatoes (Patatas Bravas) or different kinds of meat or fish. These little dishes can be served either hot or cold and can be eaten as a little snack with friends or as a complete meal when you order several different tapas.

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The Reservation Factory is a upcoming online reservation system for everyone, where you can book your flights, hotels and car rental! This website will be used to keep you up-to-date about the travel industry. Check out our newest blog and get inspired!