Sligo, Ireland is a tranquil town in the beautifully scenic Northwest Ireland and Lakelands area. It began as a small coastal village, and in recent times it has developed a great deal of excellent shopping, entertainment and restaurants. For a weekend getaway, it is the perfect mix of beautiful natural surroundings, welcoming small town atmosphere, and quality attractions.

Sligo is set within the stunning vistas of the Ox Mountains to the south, the Dartry Mountains to the north, and Sligo Bay to the west. It can also be a great base for nature lovers to explore the west and northwest Atlantic coast of Ireland.

If you are thinking of escaping to this beautiful part of Ireland for a break, here are some ideas of what to enjoy during your stay:

• Explore some ancient ruins. Sligo has been a significant settlement since the Early Neolithic period, which means that there are numerous ancient sites to discover. Head to nearby Carrowmore, only 8km away, to see some impressive megalithic tombs which were part of sacred prehistoric rituals.
• View the Sligo Abbey. This religious place of worship was built in 1253, and destroyed by a fire in 1414. It was rebuilt again, but burned once more in 1642. Now only the choir, the carved altar, and the cloisters remain. This is a very interesting local historical attraction.
• Pay your respects at the Famine Memorial. These sculptures were designed as a tribute to those who died during the Irish Potato Famine from 1845-1849. During that time, over 30,000 people emigrated through Sligo.
• Watch a Sligo Rovers football game. This team, founded in 1928, play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. If you are visiting between March and November you can watch a match, which is always a fun experience and a chance to soak up the local atmosphere.
• Get pampered at Solas Spa. You can make the most of your relaxing Sligo getaway by booking a treatment at this elegant Spa and Wellness Centre at the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa. They have many different beauty treatments, massages, and other indulgent experiences.
• Learn to kite surf! Ready for some excitement? While you are in Sligo you can learn the exciting sport of kite surfing at the only kite surfing school in the North West.
• Enjoy a refreshing pint at an Irish pub. Jump right in to the friendly atmosphere at your local Sligo pub and soon you will be sitting around a table, sharing stories with the locals. Try Fiddler’s Creek which is very lively on the weekends and features live bands and a DJ. Another great place is McLynn’s, which is a quintessential Irish bar with music, an old-style setting, and seriously delicious pints of Guinness.

One of the most luxurious options for accommodation in Sligo is the Radisson Blu Hotel and Spa, located in the countryside of Rosses Point. This tranquil haven is surrounded by the same gorgeous scenery that was a muse for the poet W.B. Yeats and is sure to inspire you as well.

Enjoy your getaway in beautiful Sligo, Ireland!

A deeply historical and yet excitingly modern city, Cairo is a gateway into all of the fascinating wonders of ancient and contemporary Egypt, easily accessible via flights to Egypt, including direct routes to Cairo. This popular tourist destination is a generally safe city with a low crime rate, but there are a few things that travellers should know before they visit in order to stay safe:

• There are not a lot of violent crimes in Cairo, but watch out for purse-snatchers in crowded touristic areas.
• People might approach you on the street and invite you to come shopping with them in places that you don’t know. They are trying to con you, so beware.
• If you are a woman travelling alone you can expect to receive a bit of attention and catcalling from the local males. It usually doesn’t go any further than this, but make sure that you are not wearing overly provocative clothing or walking around along late at night.
• If you are lost in Cairo, look for a police officer or a security officer who will be able to help you find your way.
• Crossing streets can be extremely dangerous in Cairo, as there are very few traffic lights and the ones that do exist are ignored anyway. You might see a police officer attempting to control traffic at a key intersection during busy hours. The safest way to cross a busy and chaotic street is to watch a local Egyptian who seems to know what they are doing and stay next to them as they dodge through traffic.
• Taxi drivers in Cairo can drive very dangerously, speeding and weaving through traffic. Don’t be afraid to tell the driver to slow down and stop if you feel unsafe.
• As in most destinations in Egypt, beware of what you eat to avoid suffering from an upset stomach. Raw vegetables, creamy salad dressings and minced meat are very likely to cause food poisoning. When eating from a buffet, avoid the foods which have been sitting out at room temperature such as cold salads and puddings. When you are eating fruit, choose ones with a thick skin that you can peel.
• If you become sick from eating the food in Cairo, you can purchase medication from the local pharmacy. However, if you experience vomiting and diarrhoea for an extended period of time you should visit a doctor because you will become at risk of severe dehydration in the high heat.
• It is a good idea to stick to drinking bottled water while you are in Cairo, and avoid taking ice in your drinks.
• The sun in Egypt can be very strong and harsh, so make sure that you wear sunscreen at all times to avoid your trip being ruined by painful sunburn.

Remember these trips and you will have a safe and enjoyable holiday to fascinating Cairo!

The actors claim to have been unaware of a clause in their recording contract stating that they were only eligible for royalty payments for 25 years. The production celebrated its quarter-century last year with a series of special events including a one-off concert at the O2.

Equity is seeking legal advice on behalf of its members, but First Night Records, the company behind the recording, insists that it is simply abiding by the terms of the contract, which the performers’ union had agreed.

Some of the original actors, including Peter Polycarpou, frances Ruffelle and Michael Ball have spoken out about their displeasure on Twitter and in the papers.

John Craig, managing director of the record company, said, “The beef that the players have should be with Equity and not with us…Their union signed a silly contract.”

“I feel quite bitter that Equity sign a contract and then moan like crazy when we stand behind the terms of it,” he continued.

But Equity’s assistant general secretary Martin Brown argued that changes to the length of copyright mean that the contract, which was based on a template agreed in the 1960s, is now too outdated to stand. “First Night Records are trying to use that nearly 50-year-old contract to terminate payments at 25 years, even though the legal copyright is now much longer.”

Les Miserables is the world’s longest running musical, premiering in 1985 and has been seen in 41 countries by over 55 million people.

This artiticle was written to exand on the short guide of things to do in Abu Dhabi on the Etihad website.  Etihad Airways use Abu Dhabi Airport as there hub operating scheduled international flights around the world.  Recent destinations include the Seychelles and a new convenient flights to the Maldives

A huge red building styled like a racing car is bound to stand out – even on super-futuristic Yas Island, an outcrop of theme parks in the city’s northeast. Ferrari World is a petrolhead’s paradise, with a 240kpm rollercoaster ride that simulates Grand Prix G-forces. Find out more about this years Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

Historically, falcons killed on the orders of their masters, the nomadic Arabs of the Middle East. The Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital (www.falconhospital.com; tours Sun-Thur at 10am and 2pm; £29) diagnoses and treats at least 3,000 of these desert predators every year. Those fearless of sharp talons can hold the birds – on gloved hands.

The vast, palm-trimmed Manarat Al Saadiyat Centre is home to three art galleries showing big-name exhibitions, from Picasso to ‘The Arts of Islam’. But this is just the tip of the iceberg. The astonishing Cultural District emerging on the beachfront down the road (www.artsabudhabi.ae/en) will include The Guggenheim Abu Dhabi (opens 2012), followed by the first Louvre outside Paris, and the Performing Arts Centre – a sinuous structure with windows shaped like leaves.

Kick up the dust on the F1 Marina Circuit behind the wheel of an Aston Martin GT4. If you’d prefer someone else to take your life in their hands, ride shotgun in a two-seater F1 racing car. The Yas Racing School (www.yasmarinacircuit.ae) can do both, but even in this well-supplied neck of the woods, petrol ain’t cheap: 75 minutes’ tuition in an Aston Martin costs £251; a three-lap passenger ride in an F1 car comes in at £1,910.

The Persian Gulf isn’t short of pretty fish (keep eyes peeled for a pearl oyster). If you fancy doing a 007-style backwards roll off the side of a dive boat, Al Masaood Travel will assist (www.almasaoodtravel.com/scuba; from £49; equipment hire from £24).

Get away from the glitz on a back-to-basics desert safari. Start with an exhilarating blast over the dunes in a 4WD at sunset, followed by camel photo ops and a visit to a Bedouin camp for a barbecue dinner, shisha-smoking and belly-dancing under a star-spangled sky. Emirates Adventures (www.eatours.ae) has half-day desert tours from £48pp.

Tee off in the spike marks of former world number-one golfer Lee Westwood, at Yas Links golf course (www.yaslinks.com; green fee from £66 for 18 holes). Opened in 2010, it’s already reputed to be one of the best courses in the Middle East, with no intrusive real estate to mar the sigh-inducing sea views. Alternatively, play pre-irrigation-era-style on the sand course at Al Ghazal (www.alghazalgolf.ae; green fee from £20) – you putt on ‘blacks’, made of compact sand and oil.

Paying off your mortgage early can be one of the best financial investments that you ever make. The longer you take to pay your mortgage the more you will be spending on interest. Also, as soon as you own your property outright you will be able to put the money that you are spending on the mortgage into something else. You will no longer be susceptible to the fluctuations of the property market and will have the peace of mind of owning all of the equity in your home.
So how can you speed up the process and pay off your mortgage faster? Here are some tips:
•    Start off on the right foot by finding a first time buyer mortgage with the lowest interest rate. Take your time and compare many different options so that you will be sure that you are choosing the right one. The lower the interest rate the less you will have to pay, enabling you to pay off your mortgage faster.
•    Prepay as much money as you possibly can early in the mortgage. Mortgage loans are interest heavy up-front, so if you can whittle down the amount that you need to pay at first you will save a lot of money in future interest payments. You should always start with a down payment of at least 20% of the purchase price of the home, but if you can pay more this will be even more beneficial.
•    If you receive a tax refund, inheritance, bonus at work, or other windfall, use it right away to pay down your mortgage. Before you do this, check with your particular mortgage because some have restrictions on paying lump sums.
•    Examine your monthly household budget to see if you can cut your expenses in any way. Dine out at restaurants less, walk to work instead of driving, and reduce other costs and you will be amazed how much extra money you have each month. If you can apply this extra money to your mortgage it will be paid off a lot faster.
•    If you have a suite or an extra bedroom in your home, consider renting it out and using the money to help pay off your mortgage faster. You will likely find many single people who are happy to rent out a one bedroom suite in a house for a reasonable price, especially if you live in a city with a university because many students will be looking for housing. Make sure that you check with the specific requirements of landlords in your area to ensure that you are doing everything properly.
•    Round up your mortgage payments. For example, if your bi-weekly payment is £367 why not round it up to £400? The extra £33 will not break your budget but it will add up in the long run.
•    If you get a raise at work, spend the extra money on your mortgage rather than increasing your lifestyle in the short term.
Use these tips to pay off your mortgage faster and get closer to owning your home!

Where to stay in Belgium

As Belgium has grown to be a focus for business and politics in Europe many international chains including Rezidor have opened hotels in Belgium. With two hotels in the both the capital Brussels and Antwerp the group continue to expand to other throughout Belgium.  Park Inn is also a brand operated by Rezidor and guest at their hotels can be asurered of high quality accomodation and outstanding service at the Park Inn hotel in Brussels city centre and on the outskirts this hotel in Leuven

Touring Antwerp

European cities are renowned for their old piazze, squares and plazas, Antwerp is no different, The Grote Markt and Groen Platz are two of the city’s best places to meet and relax. The Grote Markt is the historic centre of Antwerp and surrounded with a lovely collection of Renaissance Guildhalls and the large 16^th century Town Hall around which guided tours are offered.  The Groen Platz, originally a cemetery but in 18^th century it was converted into a green square, here you will find a statue of Rubens, and the area is popular with locals having lots café/bars and seating, making it a great place to watch the world go by.

One of the main features visible from both squares is the bulky form of the Cathedral of our Lady completed in 1521. Its turbulent history led to it being damaged over the years through fire and vandalism, being completely refurbished and restored in 1993. It has the tallest church tower in the Low Countries and it also houses four important works by Baroque artist Rubens. There is also a wonderfully colourful stained glass window of the “Last Supper” by Nicolas Rombouts.

Rubenshuis Museum where Antwerp’s celebrated artist, Pieter Paul Rubens lived and painted for at least 30 years of his life.  The building features the 17^th century Baroque apartments of the artist and his studio where he created much of his artwork.

Antwerp has a great collection of museums and galleries for visitors to explore, there are a number of significant small collections but also vast arenas of history on public display. Amongst these, normally, is the Royal Museum of Fine Arts, which houses the best collections of art in Belgium. This is currently undergoing extensive restoration work and until completed much of its massive collection will be on display at the nearby Municipal Museum in Lier

Het Steen, an old 13^th century castle that guarded the approaches by the river Scheldt was once the city’s fortress and a jail but now houses the Archaeological Museum and Maritime Museum, it is also the site of the WWII Canadian Troops memorial.

Plantin-Moretus Typographical Museum, this former residence and workshop has a small but noteworthy collection of printing dye and equipment covering 300 years. It is also home to a number of rare documents and books and in 2001 was given the UNESCO unique collection site status.

The diamond district and Diamond Museum near the central railway station has for centuries traditionally been the area of small establishments and workshops dealing with the cutting, polishing and setting, as well as the trade in diamonds. Here you will find the world’s largest museum dealing with the diamond industry, covering its history and processes, you can also view the replica displays of important gems. The Radisson Blu Park Lane Hotel, Antwerp is located within this central district.

Along with its historic and cultural attractions Antwerp also has a modern shopping centre and lively nightlife. You can spend hours exploring its pleasant neighbourhoods, docklands and monumental spaces. From its narrow cobbled streets to its public squares there is plenty to discover. You can travel around in horse drawn carriages or take a cycle tour, either way Antwerp offers visitors many different ways to experience its environs.

The ultimate celebratory drink, Champagne, is exclusively produced in the champagne region of France 100 km from Paris. In this video Jancis Robinson talks about the production and histroy of this special wine. Cheers!

The problem in the UK is that we want the banks to look after our money and pay us a reasonable rate of return for allowing them to then lend a multiple of that to people and businesses at a slightly higher rate. The Banks make a reasonable profit and the country dowes fairly well out of the arrangement.

The Banks meanwhile want to take our money as deposits, pay us nothing for doing so, in fact charge us for the privilige of us enabling them to lend a multiple of the deposits in gambling dervitavies with each other whereby massive profits and losses can be made. If they make massive profits they pay themselves and shareholders what they make and if they lose ( as some must always do) they rely on the same depositers to pay their losses so that they can have another go on the roulette wheel.

I think it is time to stop this merry go round as the public lose all ends up. If the banks want to go and play at the casino let them go elsewhere (if anyone will have them!) All we have to do is take their stake money away from them and put it in a Bank that doesn’t play the casino and deals with it as a “normal” bank would. The economy will not come to a halt and fire and brimstone will not fall from the sky. We should get a decent return on our savings, the banks will lend to people and business and the shareholders will make a reasonably profit.

We win all ends up! not the banks.

Their threats are based on their fears not ours. Let them go elsewhere there are plenty of banks and building societies that will do more with our savings and more for the economy than these leeches that have bankrupted not only our country but most of the world.

Earlier this week there was a global intiative aimed at saving energy and accentuating sustainability. Individuals, socities, landmarks and companies around the world joined the bid to turn out the lights. On the back of it all you can check out the “group pool” of photos which has amassed to a whopping 1,093 items just 5 days after the lights out.

Earth Hour started in 2007 in Sydney, Australia, when 2.2 million individuals and more than 2,000 businesses turned off their lights for one hour to take a stand against climate change. Only a year later, Earth Hour had become a global sustainability movement with more than 50 million people across 35 countries participating.

You can see before and after shots of some really cool locations as hundreds of thousands of people pitched in together to save the great battery.

Check out the pictures here.

The diversity of the places and companies being represented in the album are staggering. Etihad airways made particular mention to the event:

Mr Baumgartner was one of the speakers at a seminar this week organised by Etihad Airways and Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) at ADAC headquarters to mark Earth Hour, which included an inspirational presentation from Sheikh Abdul Aziz Bin Ali Al Nuaimi of the ruling family of Ajman, popularly known as the “Green Sheikh” for his eco-friendly initiatives.

The seminar was part of a host of initiatives launched by Etihad to promote awareness of Earth Hour and encourage long term commitment to environment-friendly lifestyle changes from its staff.

The airway is branching out services to provide flights to many different locations around the world. Flights to Bierut from Sydney, to Abu Dhabi from Bangkok and hundreds of destinations inbetween. For this size of company with this amount of coverage it’s refreshing to see them taking reponsibility.

“At Etihad, we are committed to action when it comes to mitigating negative impacts of our operations on the environment, including minimising our fuel use and emissions, wisely using our power, water and other resources, and recycling wherever possible. This has led to us working closely with Masdar and other Abu Dhabi companies.”

Next time we’ll make sure we’ve turned out the lights in our own office – just a couple of days too late. D’oh.