Every year for the past fifteen, over 200,000 people converge on the coast of Spain for the annual music festival, Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, for four days of live music, partying, and hanging out at the beach. What could possibly go wrong?

By Laura Bridgestock

It’s 8:30 a.m. I’ve been asleep for three hours. It feels like I’m in a sauna.

Actually, I’m in a tent at one of the world’s largest and best-known music festivals, the Festival Internacional de Benicàssim, located in the port town of Benicàssim, Spain. Now in its fifteenth year, the festival has become a major draw for fans around the world of indie rock and electronic music, with bands like Oasis, Franz Ferdinand, and The Killers all headlining this year.

I’d been worried about camping in the Mediterranean in mid-July and, as I’d feared, sleeping late is really not an option in this weather. The music doesn’t start until late, so there’s not much to do during the day other than crawl out of your tent, load onto the festival-sponsored bus heading to the nearby beach, and snooze in the shade or drink a cool sangria in a bar. By around 7 p.m., just as it starts to cool down, everyone’s ready to head back and start all over again.

In fact, heat turned out to be the least of our worries in a trip that began with one of our friends getting mugged and ended with all of us missing our flights home. Not to mention the gale-force wind storm that caused chaos in the middle of the week. Don’t get me wrong, Barcelona (where the mugging happened) is an amazing city, and FIB is a brilliant festival, but it ended up being a lot more dramatic than I’d planned for. After all, Spain is the most popular holiday destination for Brits like myself, and a good 60% of people at the festival were British, so I guess I was expecting things to go a bit more smoothly (especially after my adventures in Syria last year). (more…)

You never know what you’ll stumble upon while wandering the streets of Paris with camera in hand. Hopefully a good picture, but more important, some great memories.

By Dana McMahan

Sophie pushed open an anonymous door on rue de Faubourg Saint Antoine and we stepped off the noisy street and into a peaceful, shaded alley leading into a Parisian courtyard that seemed to be from another century. I followed her, still a little flabbergasted at the nonchalance with which she strode right in. This was not the Paris I knew, the Paris of landmarks and elbow to elbow tourists. And that’s exactly what I hoped for when I booked my half-day photography workshop with Sophie Pasquet.

We have to back up for a moment. I’d decided with three weeks notice to visit Morocco, and limited by my miles as to where Delta could fly me, I had to fly into London and EasyJet it to Marrakech. When the agent asked where I’d like to fly home from, well, the answer was a no-brainer: Paris. Though I’ve visited the city half a dozen times — spending a week there just last year — I can never get enough, and took this opportunity to tack on a couple days in my favorite city.

Once the decision was made, I began to wonder how to fill my time on this, my first trip to Paris all alone. Of course I’ve visited the biggies, and even some of the more obscure sights (5 a.m. tour of Rungis anyone?). I’ve taken a biking tour, a Seine tour, walking tours and even a boulangerie tour. How might I see the city in a new way? (more…)

In Part Two of my travel guide to Dublin, Ireland, I head off the beaten path to get a better sense of the city. I begin by checking out an international graffiti festival featuring artists from around the world. Later, I take in some traditional Irish music at a private show in my hostel, then finish off by heading north to the town of Malahide to visit famed Malahide Castle and to see some incredible views of the Irish coastline.

Dublin is one of the world’s most popular travel destinations, and a few days spent there shows why.

In Part One of my travel guide to Dublin, I tour the city’s number one attraction, the Guinness Storehouse, go in search of the bar that serves the best pint, visit prestigious Trinity College, and head out into the famed nightlife that is Dublin after dark.

London may be a notoriously difficult city to find good food, but don’t despair foodies: an insider’s guide to the best eats in town.

By Michele Giordano

Ah, the good ole English drinking tea, riding the tube and gaining their incredible wit from the awful weather. An English friend of mine once said to me, “You need to always be prepared to experience four seasons in one day.” As an island, the climate is far from tropical, bringing immediate showers, gray skies and fast moving clouds that can capture your gaze. London transportation, weather conditions and the best spots for teas are only part of the traveling experience in London, but finding the truly best places to eat around town is how to really understand the city and the English.

It can be hard for any traveler to find the right places to eat, and this is perhaps no more true than in London, a city that it’s fair to say, does not have the best culinary reputation. Before heading somewhere, I usually end up spending weeks researching, asking friends and skimming food websites to find out where the best places are to eat. For me to really experience a destination, I need to be immersed in the foods, flavors, spices, markets and restaurants of the locals.

This is why I ate my way through London for three months and acquired my own list of favorites. With the free museums, spending extra on a good meal seemed reasonable and proved not to be so difficult. The food of London is defined by some traditional English dishes: bubble and squeak; black pudding; fish and chips; bangers and mash; and salted beef beigels. Yet, if you understand the diversity of London, then you also know that there is a lot more to enjoy on a food tour of London. (more…)

For a truly authentic Norwegian experience, head to the country during the May 17th celebrations. But be prepared, you may never think of Norway the same way again.

By Catherine Skrzypinski

“Hei, I am Øivynd,” the shy Norwegian greeted me and my classmate, Zarinah, in front of the Royal Palace in Oslo, Norway.

It sounded like he said the word “even.”

He gestured towards his friend wearing a bunad, Norway’s national costume. “This is my friend Odd.”

I stifled a giggle. Even and Odd — now that’s quite the pair. They’re Norway’s very own Chip and Dale, decked out in red jackets and white knee-high socks.

“Welcome to Norge. Especially on the 17th of May,” he said enthusiastically. “It’s a great day to be here in Oslo!”

Indeed it was. May 17th is Norway’s Constitution Day, an annual celebration that marks the day in 1814 when Norway adopted its constitution and gained independence from Denmark, and is one of Norway’s most popular holidays. It is so popular, in fact, that many Danes travel across fjords and back through time to witness the spectacle. (more…)

Travel with Beebe as she explores the 12th century Catalan Cistercian monastery of Poblet and its wine fields in the heart of Catalonia.

By Beebe Bahrami

My friend Mia had joined me for ten days during my research into the sacred sites of Catalonia. We were currently fixed at a local café across the street from the Monastery of Santa Maria de Poblet, located inland in the rippling countryside not far from the coastal city of Tarragona.

Getting there had been another one of those local bus adventures: The bus driver from Tarragona assured us he would let us off in Poblet. But as we passed the scant four or five building site — granted, one of those ”buildings” was the Cistercian monastery complex — the entire bus load of elderly locals and young commuting workers erupted in an uproar. As one voice they chorused, “You didn’t stop for the two Americans! Stop! Go back!” On the bus ride, curiosity and boldness, two wonderful Spanish features, had already led to other passengers learning all about us and why we were on the bus.

Momentarily embarrassed, our driver hit the brakes and reversed to Poblet. By the time Mia and I got off, his usual puffy confidence had returned, “I’ll be back at 4:45 p.m. sharp to pick you up at the fountain.” I craned around, looking for a fountain, refusing to step off the bus for fear that he would leave before explaining. “The fountain?” (more…)

Here’s the fully edited, new and improved, final “Ireland Trip 2009″ blog.

Yes, you may have caught a glimpse or two of the original, but this one has new characters, additional plot twists, and added romance! (Okay, I added a few more pictures, fixed various grammatical errors, and expanded a bit on the posts, but isn’t that enough to make you want to check it out one more time?)

New posts will continue this week and new articles will begin again next Monday (South Africa, the Mexican Riviera, Spain, and much, much more).

Here are some highlights of my trip to Ireland in April of 2009.

1. St. Patrick’s Cathedral: Dublin. Reputedly the site of a well that St. Patrick himself used to baptize newly converted Christians, the well has since been filled in by the British and the exact location is unknown (as was told to me by a local passerby who saw me filming).

2. Front Gate/West Front of Trinity College: Dublin. Ireland’s most prestigious university, this entrance to the university grounds is probably Dublin’s second most popular meeting spot (next to the “Tart with the Cart”: the Molly Malone statue).

3. Full Moon: Dublin. After exploring the grounds of Trinity College, I found myself at the corner of Nassau and Dawson Streets with this amazing view of a full moon. It’s funny those little things that you appreciate when you’re traveling.

4. Malahide Castle: Malahide. Just a short trip north from Dublin is Malahide Castle, an actual residence from 1185 up to 1976. The castle is surrounded by beautifully green grounds and is close to some spectacular views on the coast.

5. View Near Malahide. Many tours will take you to the castle then drive along the coast to offer you some incredible views. This is looking south towards Dublin and to the area where both Bono and The Edge have homes. We tried ringing them but they weren’t home.

6. Temple Bar: Nighttime. Temple Bar is not actually a bar (well it is but that’s not related to the origin of the name), but in this case “Bar” refers to the term for an area near a river, and Temple being the name of the original landowner. Now this area is ground zero for Dublin’s touristy nightlife (for a little more authentic experience head south along St. Great George’s Street).

7. Graffiti Festival: Car Park on Francis Street. In a symbol of Dublin’s diverse and creative culture, the city plays host to a number of graffiti festivals during the summer where artists from around the world come to paint and to be treated like rock stars from adorning pre-teens clutching autograph books.

8. Guinness Storehouse: Old Gate. The Guinness Storehouse is by far Dublin’s #1 attraction, attracting over 4 million visitors since opening in 2000. From this giant gate on the east end of the complex you can still see the old train tracks in the road where trains used to depart carrying loads of this classic porter.

9. View From Gravity Bar: Guinness Storehouse. Though a little steep in price, the storehouse tour is well worth the price once you see the 360-degree view of Dulbin from the Gravity Bar atop the factory. Shaped like a glass of Guinness, from a distance the bar represents the head of the beer.

10. Cork Seal: Cork. Cork is about a 4 1/2 hour bus ride from Dublin and is the country’s second largest city. Located in the southeast section of the island, Cork is also a great springboard to explore the scenic Western Coast.

11. Downtown Cork. Downtown Cork is dominated by small alleys and pedestrian-only walkways, perfect for exploring when the sun makes it way out.

12. River Lee: Cork. Like Dublin, the River Lee splits the city into two. It eventually leads to Cork Harbour and out into sea.

13. St. Finbarre’s Cathedral: Cork. Named after Cork’s patron saint, St. Finbarre’s Cathedral is Cork’s Protestant cathedral and has been around since the 7th century.

14. Cork Courthouse: Cork. I was told these steps were a popular hangout on St. Patrick’s Day.

Paris may have some of the best (and most expensive) restaurants in the world, but for those hoping to save a little money or looking for something a little bit different while about town, here are the top five spots for street food in Paris.

By Alexandra Bregman

Ah Paris: the land of soufflés and escargot, of fine vin and decadent fromage. Yet for those of us who aren’t living on Cloud Nine, life isn’t all snails and cheese. The real world of Paris isn’t entirely clichés out of your grandmother’s cookbook, and thus there are many low-budget, comparatively exotic alternatives to the high-end world that ends up in most travel guides. So Voila! The street food of Paris is waiting to be tasted.

Gyros of Saint Michel

Just a stone’s throw away from the grand Notre Dame Cathedral is a winding road of humongous Greek eats. An “Extra Pita Grecque,” for 4.50 euros, is the best fast food around. A large pita is stuffed with predominately chicken shawarma, cut from a rotisserie of meat at the window, then lettuce and tomato is added, and finally the pita is filled to the top with French fries. If you’re lucky, you’ll get extra “sauce blanche,” or tzatziki, a creamy yogurt-based cucumber and garlic sauce. There are variations of the “Grecque” at these stands, but your best bet is the massive sandwich, to be eaten inside if there’s room or taken on the go to continue your tour of the Left Bank. To fit in like a true European, eat the fries inside your sandwich with a fork.

Directions: Metro Saint-Michel. With your back to Notre Dame, facing the Saint Michel fountain, the winding street is your first left. (more…)