Our first stop was at the Leaderfoot viewpoint, just off the A68 (the Edinburgh to Jddbrugh trunk road), where 3 bridges span the River Tweed. The oldest is Drygrange Bridge constructed in 1780, closed to vehicles after the construction of the modern road bridge in the early 1970s.

Me with Dryburgh Bridge in background

The Leaderfoot Railway Viaduct opened in 1860s but has been redundant since the branch line closed in the late 1940s.  Unfortunately you can’t walk across the viaduct.

Leaderfoot Viaduct

Just up the from the bridge are the not very obvious remains of  Trimontium a Roman fort.

Me on the viewing platform for Tritontium

Next stop was Melrose, also on the Rvier Tweed. It’s said that Melrose Abbey is the burial place of Robert the Bruce’s  heart.

Melrose Abbey

There’s a circular walk along the banks of the River Tweed in Melrose.

River Tweed at Melrose

The town of Kelso where the 1803 bridge spans the Tweed, was on our way back.

River Tweed at Kelso

Kelso Abbey dates from the 12th century.

Kelso Abbey

I hope that you’ve enjoyed my photo tour of a day trip to the Scottish Borders and will visit soon to see it for yourself. You can see all my photos from our day out here.

Missed the big travel stories of the week? And the weird, wacky and insignificant ones? We’ve got your roundup right here….

After floods, Machu Picchu back in business
Trekkers, grab your packs! Destructive floods and rains closed Machu Picchu for two months, but the park is finally set to reopen April 1. This is quite a feat: January rains swelled the Vilcanota River, destroyed roads and rail lines, and left thousands of tourists stuck in nearby town Aguas Calientes. Now that the region is up and running again, expect a rush of visitors who changed mid-winter travel plans.
Source: Jaunted

Be responsible: Travel!
A sluggish economy might sink cruise ship cabin sales, but more philanthropic tourism is staying afloat – and even prospering — despite the industry’s bleak outlook. According to a study by the Center for Responsible Travel, vacations that bolster local economies are faring better than other sectors of the travel industry. Everyone from alternative spring-breakers to round-the-world backpackers, it seems, want to use their cash for good. Amen to that!
Source: Center for Responsible Travel

Puttin’ on the Ritz, for way less
If you’re jonesing for plush terrycloth robes and mints on your hotel pillows, now is definitely the time. Luxury hotels across the country are cutting room rates by as much as 22 percent. The dramatic discounts at glamorous hotel names like the Ritz-Carlton have at least succeeded in filling up vacancies: On average, bookings in the top 25 markets are up 7.2 percent compared to April through June 2008.
Source: USA Today

An unhealthy scare
This seems wildly extreme. One U.K. theme park is offering riders of its new coaster, Thirteen, health insurance before hopping on board. The ride promises to combine the “ultimate elements of physical and psychological fear.” To ward against any unforeseen injuries or, apparently, psychological damages, riders may cough up $1.50 for an insurance voucher. Don’t physicists design these things? Let’s hope the insurance is just one more “psychological fear” tactic.
Source: Gadling

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Travel Bits
Calling all foodie writers: Lonely Planet seeks submissions for its upcoming anthology, A Moveable Feast: Life Changing Food Encounters Around the World
Source: Gadling

Baiona is located on Galicia’s Atlantic coast about 2 hours drive from the important city of Vigo. Dominating the town, sitting on a rocky promontory is the Castillo de Monte Real which is also an elegant Parador. The views from the fortress walls stretch far into the Atlantic, the Islas de Cies and the Ria de Vigo.

Castillo and Parador Monte Real

It’s also from this vantage point, that you spot the yacht harbour below and, nestling forlornly among all the big, white yachts, the historical highlight: a replica of the caravel ‘Pinta’ which is permanently anchored there.

Walking along the promenade you really have to watch out, because, surprisingly, there is no sign indicating the way to the ‘Pinta’.

Caravel 'Pinta' in the port of Baiona

The ‘Pinta’ was one of the three sailing ships (caravels) with which Columbus set out on his first voyage to discover the New World in 1492. The other two where his flag ship the ‘Santa Maria” and the ‘Nina’. Although the ‘Santa Maria” being Columbus’ command post, is better known, it was the ‘Pinta’ which made history.

Rodrigo de Triana, a crew member of the ‘Pinta” first spotted the New World on 12^th October 1492. Again, it was the ‘Pinta’ under her captain Martin Alonso Pinzon, which first brought the news back to Spain. Having been separated in a storm southwest of the Azores, Captain Pinzon and his men made it back to Baiona on 1^st of March 1493, beating Columbus my several months. A lot of enmity between the two followed, but that’s another story.

Captain Pinzon writing in his logbook

When you walk along the planks leading to the ‘Pinta’ you can’t help but be amazed by how small she is. It’s hard to believe that a ship which is all of 20 meters long and 7 meters wide has withstood storms and waves and made it across the Atlantic and back without the help of radar and other nautical instruments of modern times.

I came on a rainy day and rather early which meant that I was the only visitor and had the whole ship to myself. There is a guide who accepts your €1 admission and is happy to tell you all the history.

But the most fun is below deck. Greeting the visitor, hunched over his charts and looking decidedly grumpy is Captain Pinzon, carved in wood.

Behind him are the quarters of the crew and then you descend into the depth of the hull via a very small and steep wooden ladder which can only be navigated backwards. The replicas of sailors, provisions they carried with them and the treasures they brought back are so vivid and brightly painted you can imagine hearing them mutter and curse.

Meet the crew of the 'Pinta'

Spanish hams and black beans – provisions for the journey

Treasures they brought back

A visit to the ‘Pinta’ provides a unique insight into the hardship, courage  and spirit of adventure of those explorers who roamed the seas centuries ago.

Whilst in Baiona make a small detour to another sea-related monument. Already from the distance you notice an enormous statue of the Virgin Mary on another promontory overlooking the sea not unlike Christ of Rio.

Drawing nearer, you realize that the statue is hewn out of the rock with only the face and hands added. Maria de Afuera  stands  in the middle of a nature park, Parque de La Roca and the base can only be approached by foot. A small donation of €1 is requested and then you can climb up a spiral staircase in the statue’s interior which is so narrow, that only one person is allowed at a time.

At the top, you step out onto a sailboat which Mary holds in her hand and, windblown, enjoy another spectacular view of Baiona and the ocean beyond.

Maria de Afuera

So you can see why a visit to the Pinta in Baiona is one of my top Europe travel tips.

There are a number of interesting Nimes museums, and if during your stay there you will want to visit each one – head first to the Tourist office and get yourself a 3 day Forfait Museum Pass, which allows you a single entry into each of the main museums. One not to miss, if only to contrast with the abundant Roman architecture, is the Carrée d’Art; designed by Norman Foster this striking building aptly houses a collection of European and French contemporary art. Do not miss the roof-top café, which allows a wonderful view of the Maison Carrée; the amazingly preserved Roman temple built in 5 AD.

You will not miss Les Arènes, the first century Roman arena is still the focal point of the city. As far as Roman arenas go this one is in pretty good shape and well worth a visit. Once the stage for the typical Roman gladiatorial events, this arena now plays host to a more recent spectacle – the annual Nimes bullfighting feria, and has done so since the mid 1800s. Nîmes is well-known for its bullfighting fairs, and the most popular of these takes place over a five day period during the Whitsun weekend.

If these Nîmes attractions do not satisfy you, head out of the city to the Pont du Gard. Originally built as a aqueduct to bring water to Nîmes from Uzès, the 49 meter hight construction was built entirely without the use of mortar – all the more impressive when you consider that some of the stones weight up to 6 tons. The Pont is 49 m high, and the longest of the three level is 275 m long – the highest arches are 22 m high. Not surprisingly, today the Pont is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The photographs here are taken from Wolfgang Staudt’s photostream on flikr, where you can many more spectacular images of this truly great European city.

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Photo courtesy of "Slumdog Millionaire"

Unless you’re traveling to Qatar or Liechtenstein, there’s a good chance your trip is taking you somewhere where you might be considered wealthy.  No, not next to your fellow tourists but in comparison to the local people who work, live, and play at your destination of choice.  If you earn the average U.S. salary of around $46,000, you greatly out-earn workers in the majority of other countries around the world.  To give you a sense of others’ average annual salaries, here are some examples:

• Turkey: $14,000
• Costa Rica: $11,000
• Jamaica: $8,000
• Egypt: $5,000
• Laos: $2,000
• Malawi: $800

To know these inequities exist is important, not so that you’ll avoid these locations out of potential guilt but so you’ll understand the realities of this new place and be able to help (if you want) in appropriate and responsible ways.

Many tourists have experienced feelings of guilt or impotence when approached by locals asking for spare change.  Indeed, many tourist destinations are rife with children running around asking visitors for money.  And it’s difficult to say no, sometimes.  Different communities deal with this problem in different ways.  Some discourage tourists from giving anything to children and others who ask.  And some suggest you bring brightly colored pencils or pens with you to give to children, encouraging them to stay in school instead of dropping out to spend their time asking tourists for money.  I’ve seen tourists give children gum or candy also – something that may not be a great idea for these children who are unlikely to see dentists on a regular basis.  In high-tourist areas, you’ll see more begging as a business – children who are working for adults and hand over their “earnings” at the end of the day.  As tourists, of course we don’t want to encourage this abuse.

So, what can you do if you want to help in some small way?

There are better and more sustainable ways to make a difference to communities in need.  If you’re interested in giving back to the community you’re visiting, make an appointment ahead of your trip to speak with local government officials or a local non-profit organization.  Having a meeting like this will be a rich addition to your trip; you’ll have a meaningful conversation with people you wouldn’t have even met before and you’ll find out more about the town or country that you ever hoped to know through guidebooks and tours.  These officials should be able to steer you in the right direction if you’d like to make a donation to a local cause.  Maybe they’ll ask you to buy a day’s worth of bread for a school or make a monetary donation to a clinic.  If you have a particular area of interest that you care about (like women’s rights or vaccinations, etc.) let them know that and maybe they can find the right organization for your donation.  Also, be upfront about how much money you’re willing and able to spend.  Twenty dollars might not sound like a lot for you – but forgoing the second serving of cheese bread and beer while out on the town one night during your vacation might be enough to pay for a day’s worth of clean water for 10 families.

Finally, if the local officials approach doesn’t appeal or work for you, consider donating to larger nonprofits that works in that country or area.  Examples could include:

• Heifer International
• Grameen Foundation (microlending)
• Amnesty International
• American Friends Service Committee
• Doctors Without Borders
• Gates Foundation (vaccinations)
• Conservation International
• CARE

Giving back to a host community is more than handing over spare pesos; if you take a mindful approach, both you and that community will be enriched.

Shadia Garrison writes about socially conscious travel on her blog, The Mindful Tourist.

Personally, I believe sport is a great window into the culture of a country.  The stereotypical stoic Swede enduring the cold and dark winter for example is on display at a bandy game.  Bundled up, braving the elements, never resting as they cheer on their team. It is quite the site. Although bandy might not be at the top of your sporting list when you’re thinking of European destinations whilst doing your Europe travel planning.  And that’s ok.

Because as a casual fan, it means you will stand outside for two 45 minute halves in below freezing temperatures.  You will struggle to keep track of the bright orange ball in what has to be one of the fastest sports you’ve ever witnessed.  You’ll marvel at the corner strokes as the opposing team lines up in net hoping not to be hit by the ball in any sensitive area.  You might even notice that the goalies for one of the teams are wearing pink.

What you’ll most definitely notice are the not so casual fans.  The hearty supporters whose eyes dart expertly back and forth between the ball and the open rink ahead.  The fans who sing songs dedicated solely to their bandy team.  It is an impressive show of dedication and an impressive display of athletic ability.

If you ever find yourself in Sweden on a cold winter night (or Russia, Norway, maybe even Finland) with a couple of hours to kill bandy is a great way to see a bit of local European culture.  Just make sure to follow the crowd to the local bar afterwards to get warmed up.

Sweden is the reigning 2010 Bandy World Champion, in case you were wondering.

New boutique hotel in the heart of Paris is a post from A Luxury Travel Blog

You won’t miss it as you’re strolling around Helsinki, and it’s free to enter (but closed on Mondays in winter). The history of the place is that it is based on an older church near Moscow, but the Uspenski Cathedral was built in the nineteenth century, being finished in 1868. Going inside is like visiting a little piece of Russia. And from its hilly position, you can get a great view over parts of Helsinki, too.

Other Helsinki attractions include the Market Hall and Seurasaari Open Air Museum.  What are your recommendations for Helsinki sightseeing?

When my German guide Bruno—who runs Sun Creek Lodge and his own tour company along with his Belizean wife—heard how much I love chocolate, he offered to show us how the sweet stuff is made. He was full of interesting facts, and walked us through the entire process, from visiting a farm to stopping by the Toledo Cacao Growers Association that represents more than 1,100 farmers, to seeing how it’s packaged. We sort of did the trail backwards and stopped first at Cotton Tree Lodge, whose sign reads, “The Chocolate Center of the Universe.”

I learned that chocolate actually comes from the seed of a fruit grown inside a pod and surrounded by tart pulp. The cacao seeds are dried, roasted, shelled, grinded into a paste, usually mixed with all-spice or sugar or milk depending on the type, poured into a mold, cut after its dried, and packaged for sale. The bean itself actually tastes bitter, like coffee, before it’s grinded and roasted and sweetened with sugar or milk. Check out this video of how they do it at Cotton Tree Lodge with a hand drill and blow dryer. If you need extra motivation to visit, the annual cacao festival happens in May. It’s definitely worth the trip to taste chocolate that’s so pure, creamy, and fresh.

Photo and video credit: Mike Bristol

I met Eva Keogan, lastminute.com’s social media expert, at the Travel Blog Camp in London organised by Darren Cronian in November 2009.  At the Good Stuff Gathering event in Manchester on 18 February 2010, I met some of the other bloggers writing for lastminute.com including Simon of Celebritain.co.uk and Penny of Penny Golightly.

lastminute.com Good Stuff Gathering event in Manchester

I’m delighted to be writing Europe travel tips for the lastminute.com blog and hope that you’ll enjoy reading my posts there.