Features

It’s crazy to think that only just a decade or two ago Dubai was a virgin desert and a simple Arab port. Now, Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities in the world. A city with no street addresses where eighty percent of the residents are foreigners, a city with the tallest man-made structure on the planet, the tallest hotel, the world’s largest horses and the world’s largest shopping mall with 1,200 stores where you can ski while you shop. Dubai is a playground for the rich and famous, a place where religions and cultures co-exist side-by-side with short skirts to women covered up from head to toe. It truly is a land of extremes with countless bars, reatuarants and hotels. Here are a selection of luxury hotels in Dubai. Burj Al Arab, Dubai. From £844.18 per room per night Review... [Read more of this review]

Utterly safe and fantastically well organised, Hong Kong, meaning ‘Fragrant Harbour’ in Cantonese, offers little moments of perfection.  This bustling, densely populated, city was just a collection of fishing villages when claimed by Britain in 1842 following the First Opium War with China. Today, this incredible ‘shop-till-you-drop’ city, located on China’s south coast, 60 km east of Macau on the opposite side of the Pearl River Delta, is one of the world’s leading financial centers in the world and a commercially-vibrant metropolis where Chinese and Western influences fuse and a skyline that will take your breath away. Photography © www.itchimages.com City skyline from Victoria Park On 1 July 1997, Hong Kong returned to Chinese sovereignty allowing Hong Kong to enjoy... [Read more of this review]

Joao Pessoa the capital of the Paraíba State, located just north of Olinda and south of Natal, is the oldest city in Brazil, and also the second greenest city in the world after Paris. This article has  previously appeared in The Itchmag.com A boy enjoying the ocean, Joao Pessoa. Founded in 1585, this paradise destination, once owned by the Dutch, has a rich architectonic patrimony, including the beautiful baroque structures like the church São Francisco and the convent Santo Antônio. With new properties springing up in Brazil’s tourist friendly city, now is a great time to go and experience the beauty of Joao Pessoa. Eat fresh seafood, relax on the white beaches and enjoy dancing to Forró. All photography Itchimages As well as being the oldest and greenest city in Brazil,... [Read more of this review]

Explore the British Isles with the National Trust, and spend a few days or a long break in one of thousands of historic holiday cottages from castles to lighthouses. DOYDEN CASTLE Doyden House, Port Quin, Port Isaac, Cornwall National Trust: Doyden Castle > Many people dream of living in castle, high up on the cliffs, regally surveying the ocean of stepping out through Gothic archways onto the springy turf and looking down from their citadel onto the valley below. Happily, the National Trust has made this dream a possibility and Doyden Castle is about as close to a dream destination as you could imagine. In fact, despite its crenulated tower and arched windows, this building is neither a true castle nor a folly. It was built in about 1830 as a kind of pleasure house by an infamous and... [Read more of this review]

Bear is a man who has always loved adventure. After breaking his back in three places in a parachuting accident, he fought his way to recovery, and two years later entered the Guinness Book of Records as the youngest Briton to climb Mount Everest, aged only 23. He has since led ground-breaking expeditions across the world.. But for Bear, it is not just about pushing his limits. It’s about overcoming challenges, and living your dreams. This belief, and Bear’s gift for communication, have led him to become a world class motivational speaker, author and tv host. Bear’s passion and enthusiasm for the outdoors are now shared and enjoyed through his TV programs in over 150 different countries, reaching over one billion people worldwide. By combining his adventures with media work, Bear realised... [Read more of this review]

Lifestyle

Baby. Photograph © Chris Raven. Photograph of a baby at the monkey temple in Kathmandu Nepal. Click here to buy this picture as a poster.  Read More →

Horse & Hound Online Win a lesson with Jeanette Brakewell plus a KAN body protector Horse & Hound Online The one-day clinic will be held at Aston-le-Walls, Northants, on 3 August. Jeanette will help our winners with their flatwork in the morning, with the focus …  Read More →

By Chris Raven, The Itchmag.com Experience a train journey across Europe this summer; enjoy the comfort, the romance and the beautiful ever-changing scenery. InterRailing has never been so popular, so why not have a environmentally friendly holiday this year and leave your car keys at home, forget about the budget flights and travel overland by train. ... [Read more of this review]

Organisers pull plug on Spratton Folk Festival Northampton Chronicle & Echo … had made a loss of about £1500 but claimed it had generated about £300000 for local businesses in the Daventry district since it started five years ago. …  Read More →

If you suffer from those annoying catchy tunes that repeat in your head – you are not alone. Research from psychologists at the University of Reading has shown that these earworms are relatively widespread and for some can be intrusive and persistent. Findings published in December 2009, showed that virtually any song can become an earworm,... [Read more of this review]

Penelope Goldsmith writing in her wedding diary,  explains  how she has taken a  massive gamble to save loads-of-money! It was a huge decision – not as huge as agreeing to marry my HTB – but on a hugest scale of 1-10, I would rate it at nine. After trudging around numerous wedding dress shops in my region and made to feel depressed and... [Read more of this review]