Caribbean
Mountain biking in Trinidad - parrots and orchids are greatest obstacles
Trinidad’s jungle is full of challenges for mountain bikers: uprooted jungle giants blocking the way, steep muddy tracks and streamlets that suddenly turn into huge waterfalls. But what finally makes even the toughest pedalling knights get off their bike are the wonders by the wayside: no-one rides past flowering orchids, giant butterflies or colourful exotic birds that easily.. ... Full story
An original sunset at Blue Haven Hotel is easily worth 1300 Dollars
Actually, all you need to do is copy them. After all, sunsets in Tobago are like magnificent paintings. Johann Jascha, an academic painter from Austria, turns them into works of art. For a few weeks each year he sets up his studio at the Blue Haven Hotel. To connoisseurs the results of his work are easily worth 1,000 Euro (about 1300 US-Dollars). ... Full story
Pirate islands of Hollywood: The little secrets behind the film maker's Caribbean dream scene
Crystal clear, innocently and tempting glistens the seawater in the Caribbean sun. There’s a sense of freedom, adventure and zest for life in the air. It’s the place where the adventure spectacle "Pirates of the Caribbean" is set. But where exactly do you find this kind of location? – The perfect set for this film was as difficult to locate as a real pirate’s treasure: "We had to search the Caribbean for months", says director Gore Verbinsky. ... Full story
Hikers discover secrets of the jungle along smuggler's paths
The peak of a Caribbean holiday lies just under 1,500 metres: on the summits of the volcanoes. At least this holds true for the growing number of visitors to Martinique, Guadeloupe and Dominica, who attach equal importance to walking shoes in their luggage as they do to swim gear: they come to explore the hidden beauties of the islands’ exotic nature. ... Full story
Dominica - Intimate photos of the imperial parrot family
The Amazona Imperialis well deserves its name: the natural cavities in trees that Dominica’s imperial parrot family has claimed as nurseries are of truly palatial dimensions. For the first time, intimate photos shed light on what goes on in the nests of these feathered royals and their offspring. ... Full story
A break from the beach - Top picks for a holiday in the Caribbean with a shot of adventure
Daring discoverers, wild Indians and savage pirates - adventures have always been part of the Caribbean as much as swaying palm trees, white beaches and the turquoise blue sea. It's true that Columbus, canons and cannibals are past history. Nonetheless, visitors to the paradise islands needn't do without that stimulating shot of adrenaline in their holiday cocktail. ... Full story
Moby Dick - In search of the mighty sperm whale
The warm waters surrounding Dominica and Guadaloupe are home to giant of the deep. “These coastal waters hold a true treasure trove”, raves Andrea Steffen. She and her husband Wilfried are the authors of a book about Moby Dick’s brothers and sisters - sperm whales. Several families of the mighty marine mammals have taken up permanent residency in the warm waters around Dominica and Guadeloupe. A real sensation for experts… ... Full story
Flying Turbo Midgets - On the trail of the hummingbirds' secrets
A wing beat comparable with the power of a racing car: these air midgets flap their wings up to 4800 times a minute. They can fly backwards, hover in mid-air, and they have an extremely aggressive temper. The Carib Indians were so fascinated by the birds, they named Trinidad after them: "Lere" - the land of the hummingbirds. Dr. Floyd Heyes from the University of the West Indies has studied the secret behind these flying turbo midgets. ... Full story
Trinidad - Natural Paradise and Vibrant People
Trinidad is an island of contrasts with pulsating life, exotic cultures and overpowering nature. You will discover romantic wild shores, mountain ranges with dense, impenetrable virgin forest and rushing waterfalls, mangrove swamps where beautiful red scarlet Ibis live, and in the south, the only asphalt lake in the world. ... Full story
Tobago - The Island of Robinson Crusoe
The island of Robinson Crusoe: an exotic picture book paradise. Palm trees, laden with coconuts bow to the waves gently lapping on the shore. Huge butterflies and tiny hummingbirds flit colourfully through the rainforest which covers the interior of the island. Large numbers of fish of every colour and size inhabits the waters and extensive reefs along the coast. ... Full story
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Huntsville - a touch of southern comfort.
The city of Huntsville, nestled amongst the hills of north Alabama, is certainly not the backwater southern town that I perhaps expected. It manages to combine a delightful historical old-town with a state of the art high-tech modern city built around the U.S. space programme. ... Full story