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6 things to do in Caldes de Malavella

November 23, 2012 Europe, Spain, tips, travel 2 comments
so happy about the in-room jacuzzi

Caldes de Malavella is a charming town in Spain very close to Girona airport, 81 km from France and 89 km from Barcelona. Being a small town, it still offers its visitors a lot of different things to do. Surprisingly, there are more older people visiting but I would love us the younger ones find out about this hidden gem too.

 

6 things to do in Caldes de Malavella:

 

1. thermal baths. The town has been known for its healing thermal water since the Roman era. There are a few thermal baths here nowadays. Go soak in Balneari Prats which is my favorite one, get delicious dinner there, enjoy in-room jacuzzi in Acqua room and pamper yourself every day with a different hydrotherapy treatment. I hope you get time to try a shower massage. I swear you won’t regret your time spent there. Just check out how I enjoyed Balneari Prats.

so happy about the in-room jacuzzi

so happy about the in-room jacuzzi

thermal water swimming pool at Balneari Prats

thermal water swimming pool at Balneari Prats

 

2. drink thermal water. The sources of thermal water in Caldes de Malavella are not just good for rheuma and circulation, but also have digestive properties. You can walk the streets of the town and find a couple of fountains around. The famous one is the Fountain of the Mine with 60 Celsius degrees mineral water.

drinking thermal water in Caldes de Malavella

drinking thermal water in Caldes de Malavella

 

3. history. If you want to get a bit of history during your visit, in Aquae CALIDAE (old name of Caldes) you can do that. Visit the remains of the Roman baths in the city centre and find out more about how it all started here with the thermal baths. Yes, already the Romans were using the properties of the mineral springs in the area.

next to Roman remains

next to Roman remains

remains of the Roman baths

remains of the Roman baths

 

4. walk. I always say that walking you will keep fit when traveling and also see the most. And in Caldes de Malavella there is a bunch of beautiful buildings everywhere around you that you just cannot miss. Modernist, ecclectic and neoclassical buildings can be found here not just along Rambla Recolons boulevard.

Casa Rosa in Caldes de Malavella

Casa Rosa in Caldes de Malavella

 

5. churches and castles. In the town itself there is St. Stephen’s church built in the Reinnasance and also Sant Grau.

Castle Malavella from the 11th and 12th century (the town got its name after 2 castles – Caldes and Malavella) with its Saint Maurice chapel are definitely worth visiting if you stay for a few days. The best time to visit is 22nd September during the Feast of the Saint when you can go back in histor and see the traditional Sardana dance.

hermitage Sant Grau in Caldes de Malavella

hermitage Sant Grau in Caldes de Malavella

 

6. Camp of the Dolls. Ever wondered what to do in Caldes de Malavella once you have visited everything else? In spring and aumunt every year just outside of the town, the archaeologists gather to keep digging for important Pleistocene animal and fossil remains. The old volcanic area became extraordinary archaeological site in Catalonia due to the fact how well-preserved all the remains found here are.

And a bonus thing – please watch the sunset. This place is great for those pinky sunsets you usually see somewhere at the beach 🙂

beautiful sunset in Caldes de Malavella

beautiful sunset in Caldes de Malavella

colourful buildings of Caldes de Malavella

colourful buildings of Caldes de Malavella

 

Find out more reasons why I fell in love with Caldes de Malavella when I visited in September 2012.

 

Thanks to Costa Brava tourism for making this trip possible.

 

7 reasons why I don’t drink alcohol

October 15, 2012 personal, tips 10 comments
alcohol no thank you

If you read about me, then you know I quit drinking on the 1st January 2009. It was just a New Year´s resolution for the year 2009 but during that year I realized I don´t need alcohol any more. I have not tasted alcohol ever since. Not even as a part of any cake, sweets or anything else.

Why?

There are many reasons. Apart from some family and personal reasons which I don’t usually speak about, there are still many more.

alcohol no thank you

alcohol? no thank you … where to go next?

1) I never liked beer, nor wine and I only used to drink cocktails, such as Sex on the beach or something sweet like Malibu (yes, I love coconut!) And you usually drink cocktails only when you go out at night, right? Recently, I work on my blogs at night or only go out with people I really like and to have fun with them, I don’t need to drink.

2) My dad has a pub in my home town Snina, Slovakia. I want him to earn money and not to spend his money on all the free alcohol he would have to give me if I drank alcohol when I am there.

3) No matter how much I used to drink, I could never get drunk. I am serious. I only laughed more. And I already laugh way too much sometimes. So what’s the point of drinking then?

4) I could eat chocolate and ice cream 24/7 so at least I try to do a lot of other healthy stuff. Not drinking alcohol is one of them.

5) Not paying for alcohol, I save a lot of money that I can use on my trips. Woo hoo! I remember when I still used to live in Scotland and I was doing city breaks every week. The others were wasting time and money on drinks and they sometimes spent more than me those days traveling. True story!

6) Each time I wake up next to a guy, he can be sure I will know his name 100% and that I am there because I want to be and not because I couldn’t see him properly due to too much alcohol in my blood the previous night.

7) I don’t have to spend time asking friends ”What happened last night?” (because let’s be honest, it does happen regularly to many) and then stay in shock. “WTF! What did you say? With who? What did I do with him???” … But then, sorry guys, if your performance was bad, I will remember it. Unfortunately … unfortunately for you, fortunately for me… so next time I know it will be ”NEXT”.

No alcohol for me does not mean I cannot visit wine cellars and learn how they produce wine, it is still interesting to me.

Interview with the best travel buddy Jason Montana of Montana the Explorer

August 16, 2012 interview, Philippines, tips 5 comments
crazy sexy fun traveler with Jason at Carmen Chocolate Hills in the Philippines

During my South East Asia trip in 2011, I decided to go to the Philippines for 3 weeks because of 2 reasons – Jason (and Mica) convincing me was one of them, and super beautiful beaches was the second one.

Jason planned a travel week together when we visited Palawan island, did some island hopping around, then I got my flights to Cebu and also Bohol. To say it was a lot of fun would be an understatement. Jason is the best travel buddy 🙂

The pic of us below is from Carmen Chocolate Hills in Bohol, Philippines 🙂

 

crazy sexy fun traveler with Jason at Carmen Chocolate Hills in the Philippines

1. Who are you? Tell us something about you.

I am Jason Montana, a certified beach bum and traveler. I live in Cebu Philippines and currently working as recruitment specialist in a BPO company. Definitely not a home buddy but an outdoor person who loves traveling, exploring, food trips (but I don’t eat vegetables), crazy long rides, doing extreme activities that give me an adrenaline rush and of course beaching. I also own a travel blog named www.montanatheexplorer.com –where I write and share my crazy experiences while hitting the road, some destination ideas and travel tips in the Philippines.

 

2. What is your favorite place, city and country and why? (All three of them)

This one is difficult because I happen to love two places and choosing one is not possible for me. I’d go for El Nido in Palawan and Calaguas Island in Camarines Norte. When I travel and choose a destination, pristine beaches must be always on the top of my list. The fine white sand, the water and the sound of the waves made me feel at home and relax. I don’t know but somehow I can feel that I’m a sea creature on my past life! Hahaha

For my favorite City and Country, that would be Singapore. The city is so clean and the people are very well disciplined. I also happen to love how small the city yet very progressive.

 

3. If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

Definitely New York, USA and to be more specific in Manhattan! Hahaha. Though NY is such an expensive city but it has so many things to do and to see. I love their super busy streets, the restaurants, the bars, the museums and of course Central Park. Plus the fact that the city happened to be the setting of my all time favorite tv series and movie Sex and the City. That already convinced me that NY USA is my dream destination and hopefully I will be able to go
there someday.

 

4. What do you love the most about your home country?

Our unique culture, the world-class beaches and other breathtaking destinations and of course the People.

Jason at the beach - his favorite place

Jason at the beach – his favorite place

 

5. How travel changes you?

Traveling totally transformed me to become more mature and wiser in dealing life. Usually I travel solo and that really demanded a lot from me. I can no longer rely to my family and friends since they are miles away. That’s why I had to take care of myself and that’s a huge responsibility already, you got to be really wise or else everything will be fucked up.

Traveling also changed the way I see life. It made me realized that life is such a precious gift given to us and we should not waste it. We need start doing what we love and always pursue our passions.

 

Jason, hun, thanks for your answers! I hope to see you soon again and have those great conversations and laughs like we had every day!

 

Love,

Alex 

Interview with Monette Fernandez of Flip Travels

August 9, 2012 interview, Philippines, tips, travel 2 comments
me with Monette and Marky at Captain Morgan Party in Manila 2011

I met this nice and beautiful girl Monette at Captain Morgan Party in Manila in November in 2011. It was sooo much fun! She is really sweet so I am sure next time when I am in SE Asia we will meet again 🙂

me with Monette and Marky at Captain Morgan Party in Manila 2011

me with Monette and Marky at Captain Morgan Party in Manila 2011

 

Find out more about Monette via her answers:

1. Who are you? Tell us something about you.

My name is Monette Fernandez. I work as a senior training manager for a third-party healthcare provider in the Philippines. I have been travelling for over five years and have been blogging with my travel partner, Ron Cruz, for over four years at Flip Travels. On regular days, I am a homebody. I enjoy ordinary bus rides to and from the office to save money for my trips. I am fuelled with caffeine, I devour books, and I breathe music. I do not know how to swim but love to go to beaches. As much as I enjoy traveling with Ron, my friends, and my significant other (together or separately), I am most blissful when traveling alone. Oh, and I hate frogs…

 

2. What is your favorite place, city and country and why? (All three of them)

My favourite place is by the beach. I’m not sure why as I don’t know how to swim… I just know that it gives me so much peace to sit, stare, and imagine what is over the great beyond. Or it just might be the beer… lol!

I love to stay in so many cities, but my ultimate choice has got to be Luang Prabang. I love its people’s almost whisper-like footsteps in the morning. I crave for its baguettes and brewed coffee sold on streets. I miss how this city warps time to make the hours passing really slowly, or stretches time to make the hours last longer. This place could lift me in its arms and cradle me to sleep.
My favorite country is Indonesia. I’ve never felt so close to one culture as this place. I feel comfortable moving along its streets and mingling with its people. I love how its food imitates my craving for home. I can feel its art as I trace my hands along its amazing islands. I can’t wait to go back there!

Monette in Muine Vietnam

3. If you could go anywhere in the world tomorrow, where would it be and why?

Switzerland for the Alps, chocolates, and cheese. Oh! And there is a guy who lives there who stole my heart and hid it somewhere in his basement… 

 

4. What do you love the most about your home country?

I especially like the fact that my family and friends, at least most of them, live in the Philippines. I don’t feel powerless. Also, I like how people get to squeeze in mall-ing, three-hour coffee breaks, and drinking during a work week!

 

5. How travel changes you?

Travel changed me profoundly in such a way that I always come out of every trip being better version of myself. There are always new things to discover, especially culture. I know now that people from different countries are no different from me. The more I meet people, the smaller my world becomes that I can practically wrap around my arms around the world.

 

Monette, you got me with Switzerland and their chocolate and cheese, I cannot get enough of them either 😀 Thanks for the interview!

 

Love,

Alex

 

Around the world – Sea Eye lake (Morske oko) in Slovakia

August 8, 2012 Europe, nature, photo, Slovakia, tips, travel No comments
Sea Eye lake in Vihorlat mountains in Slovakia
Sea Eye lake in Vihorlat mountains in Slovakia

Sea Eye lake in Vihorlat mountains in Slovakia

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