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Ahoy!
It's CRUISE WEEKEND this weekend at Barrhead Travel with Exclusive Offers, Huge Price Reductions and Fantastic Cruise Holidays to be had!
Come along to our Glasgow Superstore to meet cruise experts from Royal Caribbean, NCL, Thomson Cruises and more or call any of our branches and speak to our own expert, friendly consultants to get some of the very best cruise offers on the market!
It's Cruise Weekend this Saturday and Sunday at Barrhead Travel ... Don't miss the boat!
More info @ http://www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/events/
Friday 22 January 2010
Thursday 14 January 2010
Barrhead Travel Destination of the Week: Mayan Mexico
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A question often heard in Mexico and Central America is, “Whatever happened to the Mayans?” They are surely one of the most hyped-up of all the ancient civilisations, with Mel Gibson’s 2006 film Apocalypto stoking the myth that the Mayans were a bloodthirsty race. What is for sure is that the highly advanced Mayan civilisation went into sudden decline around 1200 AD, when great stone cities such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal were abandoned.
But the Mayans didn’t simply disappear (or fly off to the moon as some fantasists believe). They melted away into the jungle, and you can meet their descendants today all over the region including the Yucatan peninsula in the south-east of Mexico. This is where Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum (near the major resort of Cancun) and other lesser known Mayan sites are located, and many more are believed to be still covered by dense jungle. While these sites are the focal points of a Yucatan tour, there’s much else to see – and opportunities to meet modern-day Mayans.
Many still live in traditional thatched huts with earthen floors, sleeping in hammocks just like hundreds of years ago. Don Antonio, is a little old man who shows visitors around a traditional hut at Sotuta de Peon, a hacienda (country estate) an hour’s drive from the Yucatan state capital, Merida. Don Antonio spent his working life cultivating sisal, a spiky plant used in basket and carpet manufacture until man-made fibres replaced it. Sisal was a lucrative trade, and you can see the 19th-century luxury home of the estate owners before touring the fields in a horse-drawn tram. He is cheerful and down-to-earth, and says (in Mayan) that he still lives in a hut, cooking simple corn-based meals in a stone pot.
Many visitors are keen to make a spiritual connection with the Mayans, and this has created a new industry of Mayan-themed spas. You can also seek refuge from the tropical heat and swim in underground lakes called cenotes, which ancient Mayans believed were the gateway to the underworld. Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Tulum are now major tourist attractions, with Uxmal running a cheesy sound-and-light show and Chichen Itza being so popular you can no longer climb the pyramid. But you still marvel at the mathematical precision with which the pyramid was built, without use of the wheel or metal tools. Much is still being excavated, and a new area opens to visitors this year.
Ek Balam (Black Jaguar in Mayan), roughly halfway between Merida and Cancun, is a relatively unknown ancient city excavated as recently as 1987. Here you can still scramble up the pyramid to admire the intricate carvings, and many of the mounds in the jungle surrounding you are believed to hide pyramids as impressive as this one. Alfonso Morales, an expert archaeologist working for ground handler Catherwood Travels, offers private and group tours of the Mayan world. He cheerfully debunks some of the myths that have grown up around the Mayans, such as their love for chopping people’s heads off. No headless skeletons have been found. Alfonso also reveals that he has to employ guards to watch the guards who mind the excavations, such is the lure for bounty hunters.
Another place to meet the Mayans is the old town of Izamal (Mist from Heaven in Mayan), where all the buildings in the centre are a deep shade of yellow. It has a pyramid, and you can watch traditional jewellery makers at work. Fortunately the Mayans are still going strong, but get off the beaten track to discover them properly.
Set off on your Mayan adventure today by contacting Barrhead Travel. Call one of our friendly consultants on 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk
A question often heard in Mexico and Central America is, “Whatever happened to the Mayans?” They are surely one of the most hyped-up of all the ancient civilisations, with Mel Gibson’s 2006 film Apocalypto stoking the myth that the Mayans were a bloodthirsty race. What is for sure is that the highly advanced Mayan civilisation went into sudden decline around 1200 AD, when great stone cities such as Chichen Itza and Uxmal were abandoned.
But the Mayans didn’t simply disappear (or fly off to the moon as some fantasists believe). They melted away into the jungle, and you can meet their descendants today all over the region including the Yucatan peninsula in the south-east of Mexico. This is where Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Tulum (near the major resort of Cancun) and other lesser known Mayan sites are located, and many more are believed to be still covered by dense jungle. While these sites are the focal points of a Yucatan tour, there’s much else to see – and opportunities to meet modern-day Mayans.
Many still live in traditional thatched huts with earthen floors, sleeping in hammocks just like hundreds of years ago. Don Antonio, is a little old man who shows visitors around a traditional hut at Sotuta de Peon, a hacienda (country estate) an hour’s drive from the Yucatan state capital, Merida. Don Antonio spent his working life cultivating sisal, a spiky plant used in basket and carpet manufacture until man-made fibres replaced it. Sisal was a lucrative trade, and you can see the 19th-century luxury home of the estate owners before touring the fields in a horse-drawn tram. He is cheerful and down-to-earth, and says (in Mayan) that he still lives in a hut, cooking simple corn-based meals in a stone pot.
Many visitors are keen to make a spiritual connection with the Mayans, and this has created a new industry of Mayan-themed spas. You can also seek refuge from the tropical heat and swim in underground lakes called cenotes, which ancient Mayans believed were the gateway to the underworld. Chichen Itza, Uxmal and Tulum are now major tourist attractions, with Uxmal running a cheesy sound-and-light show and Chichen Itza being so popular you can no longer climb the pyramid. But you still marvel at the mathematical precision with which the pyramid was built, without use of the wheel or metal tools. Much is still being excavated, and a new area opens to visitors this year.
Ek Balam (Black Jaguar in Mayan), roughly halfway between Merida and Cancun, is a relatively unknown ancient city excavated as recently as 1987. Here you can still scramble up the pyramid to admire the intricate carvings, and many of the mounds in the jungle surrounding you are believed to hide pyramids as impressive as this one. Alfonso Morales, an expert archaeologist working for ground handler Catherwood Travels, offers private and group tours of the Mayan world. He cheerfully debunks some of the myths that have grown up around the Mayans, such as their love for chopping people’s heads off. No headless skeletons have been found. Alfonso also reveals that he has to employ guards to watch the guards who mind the excavations, such is the lure for bounty hunters.
Another place to meet the Mayans is the old town of Izamal (Mist from Heaven in Mayan), where all the buildings in the centre are a deep shade of yellow. It has a pyramid, and you can watch traditional jewellery makers at work. Fortunately the Mayans are still going strong, but get off the beaten track to discover them properly.
Set off on your Mayan adventure today by contacting Barrhead Travel. Call one of our friendly consultants on 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk
Tuesday 12 January 2010
New Seabourn Luxury Yacht on sale at Barrhead Travel
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Barrhead Travel's Latest Cruise News
SEABOURN’S NEXT YACHT WILL BE NAMED SEABOURN QUEST
Luxury Line’s Third Intimate Cruising Vessel Set to Launch in 2011
The Yachts of Seabourn has announced that Seabourn Quest will be the name given to its newest vessel. Poised to become the third of three new ultra-luxury yachts launched by the award-winning, small-ship cruise line in as many years, Seabourn Quest will launch in June 2011.
Seabourn Quest will be the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared on Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009, hailed as a “game-changer for the luxury segment.” The second sister ship, Seabourn Sojourn, launches in June 2010 in London. Together, the three new vessels represent a capacity increase of over 200 percent for the line in a three-year period – underlining the company’s confidence in a burgeoning demand for ultra-luxury cruising. At 32,000 GRT and carrying just 450 guests each, the three new Seabourn yachts are the smallest cruising vessels being built by any major cruise company, in keeping with the line’s strategy of offering guests highly personalised service in a relaxed, sociable and luxurious environment.
“The selection of the name Seabourn Quest completes the triad of names we chose for these three new vessels,” noted Pamela C. Conover, Seabourn’s President and CEO. “Taken together, we believe that Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest represent the passion for adventure and discovery that spurs our guests’ desire to travel in Seabourn style.”
The three new Seabourn yachts join another trio of small, 208-guest ultra-luxury vessels already in the fleet: Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. All offer Seabourn’s award-winning combination of all-suite accommodations, personalised service, superb cuisine and exceptional itineraries in the world’s most desirable destinations. Innovative onboard features on the new yachts include Seabourn Square, which replaces the traditional reception lobby with a comfortable, relaxed, club-like room that combines a library, internet café and a discreet guest services centre with a social lounge and konditerei-style coffee bar. The 11,400 square-foot, indoor/outdoor spa facility is the largest on any luxury vessel. Four dining venues, six bars and lounges and a wide range of open decks and terraces provide venues to suit every mood, from sociable to secluded.
With its expanded fleet, The Yachts of Seabourn is able to offer travellers an array of new itineraries throughout the year, including year-round sailings in Asia aboard Seabourn Pride, exploring Vietnam, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan. The new vessels will continue to offer popular itineraries such as Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas, and will also add annual World Cruises to the line’s offerings.
To book call Barrhead Travel now on 0800 093 0622, visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk or visit our specialist cruise website www.cruisedirect.co.uk and start planning your luxury Seabourn cruise with Barrhead Travel today!
Barrhead Travel's Latest Cruise News
SEABOURN’S NEXT YACHT WILL BE NAMED SEABOURN QUEST
Luxury Line’s Third Intimate Cruising Vessel Set to Launch in 2011
The Yachts of Seabourn has announced that Seabourn Quest will be the name given to its newest vessel. Poised to become the third of three new ultra-luxury yachts launched by the award-winning, small-ship cruise line in as many years, Seabourn Quest will launch in June 2011.
Seabourn Quest will be the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared on Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009, hailed as a “game-changer for the luxury segment.” The second sister ship, Seabourn Sojourn, launches in June 2010 in London. Together, the three new vessels represent a capacity increase of over 200 percent for the line in a three-year period – underlining the company’s confidence in a burgeoning demand for ultra-luxury cruising. At 32,000 GRT and carrying just 450 guests each, the three new Seabourn yachts are the smallest cruising vessels being built by any major cruise company, in keeping with the line’s strategy of offering guests highly personalised service in a relaxed, sociable and luxurious environment.
“The selection of the name Seabourn Quest completes the triad of names we chose for these three new vessels,” noted Pamela C. Conover, Seabourn’s President and CEO. “Taken together, we believe that Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest represent the passion for adventure and discovery that spurs our guests’ desire to travel in Seabourn style.”
The three new Seabourn yachts join another trio of small, 208-guest ultra-luxury vessels already in the fleet: Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. All offer Seabourn’s award-winning combination of all-suite accommodations, personalised service, superb cuisine and exceptional itineraries in the world’s most desirable destinations. Innovative onboard features on the new yachts include Seabourn Square, which replaces the traditional reception lobby with a comfortable, relaxed, club-like room that combines a library, internet café and a discreet guest services centre with a social lounge and konditerei-style coffee bar. The 11,400 square-foot, indoor/outdoor spa facility is the largest on any luxury vessel. Four dining venues, six bars and lounges and a wide range of open decks and terraces provide venues to suit every mood, from sociable to secluded.
With its expanded fleet, The Yachts of Seabourn is able to offer travellers an array of new itineraries throughout the year, including year-round sailings in Asia aboard Seabourn Pride, exploring Vietnam, Thailand, China, Korea and Japan. The new vessels will continue to offer popular itineraries such as Europe, the Mediterranean and the Americas, and will also add annual World Cruises to the line’s offerings.
To book call Barrhead Travel now on 0800 093 0622, visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk or visit our specialist cruise website www.cruisedirect.co.uk and start planning your luxury Seabourn cruise with Barrhead Travel today!
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