AmazoniaBike | TravelBlog

Anne Frank was one of the millions of Jewish victims of the Nazis during World War II. Although she was only 13 years old when she died, Anne Frank’s story has been told many times thanks to the diary she kept whilst she was in hiding in Amsterdam. Anne was born in Germany and along with her father (Otto), mother (Edith Frank-Hollander) and sister (Margot), fled to Holland to escape persecution.

Otto had set up a successful food business and part of the company was located in a building on Prinsengracht. In May 1940, Germany invaded Holland and they brought with them, the repression of the Jewish people. Fearful about the fate of his family, in July 1942, Otto Frank moved his family to an annex at the back of the building at 263 Prinsengracht. Later, the Franks were joined in the Annex by Hermann and Auguste van Pels, their son Peter and Fritz Pfeffer.

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When I first thought about Tenerife holidays, I immediately thought of loud bars and nightclubs, stag and hen parties and just general mayhem – After holidaying there several times, I now realise that it has a lot more than this to offer holidaymakers of all ages.

Tenerife is a volcanic island, hence its main attraction being Mount Teide – the volcano. Teide is open to visitors all year round and is located in the North of the island, along with the resort of Puerto de la Cruz. I visited this resort for the day and was pleasantly surprised, although more suited to an older clientele, it had nice beaches and a big tourist attraction called the ‘Loro Parque’, which is a bird/animal park that really does make for a great value day out.

Further South, you can find the resorts of Los Gigantes and Las Caletillas along the East coast, which make for a quieter, more relaxed holiday with little fishing harbours and cafés to unwind.

Golf del Sur is another popular resort, only a 5 minute drive from Tenerife South Airport. This has been a firm favourite for years, with golfers originally, but has now grown into a popular tourist resort for all age groups. There are several golf courses nearby and many more further South in Playa de las Americas and Costa Adeje.

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Sea turtles are very intelligent creatures of nature; they continue coming to Puerto Vallarta regardless of the swine flu scare, the border town drug wars, or the global recession! They don’t visit Vallarta for its perfect climate, its eight beautiful golf courses, its world class deep sea fishing, its hundreds of fine restaurants, nightclubs and discotheques, its magnificent sunsets, or the colorful tropical flora and fauna in the surrounding Sierra Madre hillsides; they visit Vallarta strictly for its 35 miles of sandy beaches. However, the fact that they love the beaches around PV is only a small clue as to what makes the sea turtles so incredibly intelligent.

Sea turtles constitute a single radiation that was distinct from all other turtles during the Late Cretaceous Period, the “age of dinosaurs”, at least 100 million years ago. It’s hard to imagine that approximately 65 million years ago during the Cretaceous–Tertiary Extinction Event (KT Mass Extinction), the planet endured catastrophic events such as massive asteroid impacts and/or tremendous volcanic activity resulting in significant climate changes affecting all of the Earth’s plant and animal life. Sea turtles were among the few species to survive these traumatic events and related climate changes.

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Bandos

Bandos had a major overhaul during 2005 which added some accommodation and an extension to its facilities. The look of the resort is a good balance between formal and casual styles. The reception has a modern set of conveniences such as internet hotspot, plasma TV, conference hall, etc. but this hasn’t affected the plain natural beauty of the resort which hasn’t been compromised at all. The general feel is of tranquil accommodation with private beach areas shaded by tall palms and other vegetation. The main bar and coffee shop are well-placed near the water, the bar generally being a  hive of activity until the early hours of the morning. The restaurants, while not particularly inspiring in their decor, do serve a range of quality dishes.

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