by Editor | Aug 1, 2009 | Arizona, North America, Simon and Baker Travel Review, United States
The Northern Light Ballon Expeditions van was parked in front of our hotel entrance at 5:25 a.m. when we arrived five minutes before the scheduled 5:30 a.m. pick up time. Blair Preston, a friendly pilot with 21 years of experience, introduced himself and welcomed us aboard. We were the last two passengers on the route so we drove directly to Forest Road 9851B off of Lower Red Rock Loop road, the place from which our balloon with six passengers and two other balloons would launch for our dawn flight.
by Editor | Aug 1, 2009 | Arizona, North America, Simon and Baker Travel Review, United States
Sedona Rouge was on our left on the road to into town on Arizona State Route 89A as we arrived by car from the Phoenix Airport following a day of travel from the east coast. Within minutes we were settling into the air conditioned comfort of our third floor hotel room. Right away we liked the easy to reach parking lot, comfortable double queen beds, flat screen television, electric fireplace and complimentary WiFi connectivity.
by Editor | May 1, 2009 | Europe, Italy, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Tuscany
Le Capanne was a short two-hour drive from Florence, and a world away. The magic began to unfold with the last mile of our journey, as we started up the narrow, intermittently paved country road to Camporsevoli. It meandered steeply upward, each turn revealing more spectacular views of the valley below, a rolling landscape of vineyards and olive groves punctuated by centuries-old farmhouses. Soon a discrete wooden sign announced Le Capanne; an unassuming name ( capanne is Italian for shacks) for this superb $2.5 million fieldstone villa perched on five acres (two hectares) of beautifully landscaped grounds. It turned out to be merely an allusion to the humble origins of the villa. Le Capanne was for centuries one of the many farmsteads on the 500-acre (200 hectare) hillside Camporsevoli Estate. It was only recently restored into a five-bedroom rustic beauty with an inviting country Tuscan décor and the latest comforts and conveniences, including satellite TV, WiFi and a large swimming pool. The housekeepers, Francisco and Maria, were on hand to welcome us and ensure we were happily settled in.
by Editor | May 1, 2009 | Europe, Italy, Simon and Baker Travel Review, Tuscany
Tuscany is famous the world over for its rich history, its artistic status as the cradle of the Renaissance, its magnificent churches and palazzos filled with stunning art and its picturesque countryside of rolling hills dotted with sun-baked medieval villages. All have contributed to making this 8,880 square mile (23,000 square kilometer) triangle of land, barely the size of New Hampshire, one of travelers’ favorite places to visit in Italy, a country that is itself one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. While Tuscany’s regional capital, Florence, is said to lure close to ten million visitors a year, it is but one of six United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Sites in the region. The remaining five, also vastly popular destinations, are the historical centers of Siena, San Gimignano and Pienza as well as the square of the Cathedral of Pisa and the Val d’Orcia, a remote valley south of Siena.
by Editor | Apr 1, 2009 | Europe, Frankfurt, Germany, Simon and Baker Travel Review
We much enjoyed our brief stay at the Hotel Bareiss, a family owned and managed resort with an emphasis on quality and being one of the best resort properties in Europe. From our arrival on a quiet late winter day we discovered an exceptional property.
by Editor | Apr 1, 2009 | Europe, Frankfurt, Germany, Simon and Baker Travel Review
Arriving at the Bareiss Restaurant at the tail end of a two-week visit of Southwestern Germany where we had been repeatedly surprised with the quality and refinement of the restaurants, we had high expectations of this establishment. We were delighted to find the restaurant met and surpassed them with room to spare.
Arriving at the Bareiss Restaurant at the tail end of a two-week visit of Southwestern Germany where we had been repeatedly surprised with the quality and refinement of the restaurants, we had high expectations of this establishment. We were delighted to find the restaurant met and surpassed them with room to spare.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the small restaurant tucked discretely within the outstanding Bareiss complex.
