Category Archives: Guest Post

Live the life: 10 best outdoor activities in Barcelona

The Catalonian capital of Barcelona has long been a sought-after tourist destination. With its sunny skies, rich history and cosmopolitan lifestyle, the city has something to offer everyone. The warm balmy weather calls to be explored with many activities to stimulate one’s interests. Check out 10 of the top outdoor activities you can indulge in on your visit to this beautiful city.

1. Urban safaris

Nature lovers will get a kick out of enrolling themselves for urban safaris. Sponsored by the Jane Goodall Institute, visitors can opt for the Marine Birds or Urban Birds tours, both designed to create awareness among the public about Barcelona’s fauna. Aside from this, there is also the historic Parc del Castell de l’Oreneta, a wooded area which also doubles up as a conservatory.

2. Boating

Charming boat rides are what you will find if you visit the Parc de la Ciutadella. Amidst the park with its green lawns, playgrounds and a waterfall, is a lake where you can hire rowing boats and settle down to marvel at the lush surroundings.

3. Skateboarding

Extreme sports junkies can get out their skateboards and get a thrill at the MACBA. Outside MACBA is a square that sees skateboarding aficionados showing off their skills as well as skate stores where you can purchase all your skating paraphernalia.

4. Climbing

While it may not be as thrilling as mountain climbing, you can still get your adrenaline pumping at Montjuïc’s Climbat, a climbing center with surfaces measuring 800m². There is equipment for hire as well as classes first timers can take.

5. Beach hopping

What’s the point in visiting Barcelona if you don’t go beach hopping? Get your beach gear together and head for Barceloneta Beach, Icaria Beach and Mar Bella Beach where you can do more than just swim. There are kite and wind surfing activities as well as exercise circuits and even libraries.

6. Outdoor cinema

More entertaining than a drive-in, Barcelona hosts a cinema and concert event at the moat of the historic Montjuïc castle. No matter your taste in movies, you’ll find everything from the classics to just-released flicks. Prior to the movie screening, visitors can enjoy live music as well as bring their own picnic baskets for an evening to remember.

7. Sardana

Put on your dancing shoes and head to the Plaça de St Jaume or the Santa Eulalia cathedral to take part in the Catalonian dance called sardana. A cobla band will get you dancing to the rhythms typical of Barcelona. And while it may look simple, know that sardana isn’t easy to master.

8. Windsurfing

Get more than just a swim at Base Nàutica with a course in windsurfing. If you’re not a beginner, you can hire equipment charged per hour and also take part in sailing as well as hire kayaks.

9. Table tennis

Table tennis lovers can visit almost any park or public garden to find table tennis tables. There are over 40 such tables located in these green spaces and paddles and balls can be bought at any one of the Chinese-run shops.

10. Música als Parcs

Thursdays to Saturdays should be reserved for Música als Parcs, outdoor concerts that are organized on these days. Jazz and classical are the orders of the day with about 30 groups in each category. The concerts are held in green spaces like Turó Park, Parc de la Ciutadella and Parc Central del Poblenou.

The city of Barcelona sees a mix of sporting activities, culture and a lot of music. Its diverse nature is one of the reasons why it draws so many visitors from far and wide. If you ever plan to visit, make time for all of these outdoor activities aside from the usual sightseeing.

About the author: Samantha Harper is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology and luxury. Beside this she is fond of gadgets. She recently bought an Android Mp3 Player for herself. These days she is busy in writing an article on teen health.

 

Camping and Outdoor Cooking Safety

There’s nothing better than venturing into the great outdoors and cooking traditional food filled with authenticity and natural flavor. It’s a chance to get back to the basics while achieving tastes that you can’t get in any fancy kitchen. Camping trips are simply incomplete without great food, and it’s your responsibility to explore as many tasty options as possible. While enjoying yourself should be a priority, you have to remember that it’s not all fun and games. There are basic elements you need to address in order to preserve the safety of your entire family. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to anything camping related, and this fully applies to outdoor cooking as well. Here are some of the most important factors to keep in mind the next time you go camping.

Set up a Safe Cooking Space – it’s absolutely essential to finding a good place for your gas or charcoal grill. You should have a firm surface that limits the likelihood of tipping. Some smaller grills don’t handle weight well so you have to be careful about where you put them. It’s far better to find a sturdy model anyways so that you get a full barbecue that can accommodate your entire family. Most importantly, don’t make the drastic mistake of attempting to barbecue inside your tent!

Clean Your Equipment – it’s important to be familiar with your equipment and maintain it properly in an outdoor environment. Make sure to read instructions carefully and ensure there are no loose bits and pieces, especially if you’re working with a gas model. Keep it well stored at all times and make sure that you clean it after each cooking session so that you don’t get unwanted leftovers in your next meal.

Food Safety – you won’t have the luxury of working with modern refrigerators so that means you have to be more diligent with basic food safety. Keep your coolers separated and well-stocked while teaching your kids about basic food handling practices. There’s nothing worse than catching a bout of food poisoning while camping, so you have to make sure to keep uncooked meat separate from everything else. And if you have thawed anything from your cooler, make sure that you cook it right away rather than putting it back inside.

Cook your Food Thoroughly – you might be tempted to rush the process because everything smells so good. Just make sure that you have patience with your grill so that all of your food is cooked evenly. Barbecuing is actually a pretty simple process and thanks to modern gas grills, all you really have to do is let your meat sit until it’s done. You might even want to bring along a meat thermometer if you’re cooking larger cuts of beef or chicken.

Careful Precautions – common sense always wins out in any camping environment. Something should go without saying, but it’s always good to remind yourself of basic safety practices. For example, keep your barbecue well away from dry areas and always be aware of the danger of forest fires. Keep water or a fire extinguisher handy in case things get out of control. Also ensure that when you’re done, your coals have died and there are no errant sparks that can cause potential problems.

Keep the Kids Away – a campsite can get pretty chaotic if you happen to bring your children. This is why you need to know where they are at all times. Designate a cooking area and tell your kids to stay away until you’re done. The last thing you need is one of your children running into your portable charcoal grill and potentially harming themselves. Don’t worry, they’ll get their chance to participate as they grow older but for now keep them away from the grill.

Cabo San Lucas Fishing Charters And Others

If you are looking for a good place to go and spend your vacation in, then you should definitely take a look at Cabo San Lucas, which is located in Mexico. Here, you can do all sorts of things such as explore the beautiful places there, and even go on some Cabo fishing charters to help you explore your inner sport fisher.

Cabo San Lucas is a town which has a lot to offer in terms of hotels, restaurants, and various other tourist attractions. It boasts its many sandy white beaches and a great scuba diving experience in the area.

On the other hand, it is also well known to be a great place to fish for Billfish and Marlin. In fact, if you know just where to go, you can even locate some extraordinary wonderful fishing grounds wherein you can do some great sport fishing. You can even charter any Cabo San Lucas Fishing Boat to help you get to those wonderful fishing spots which you will never be able to find anywhere else.

If you are already a sport fisher at heart, then you will surely appreciate this area with all that it can offer. You can surely hone and further improve your sport fishing skills here. Conversely, if you are a beginner, you can also start off with the great fishing grounds located near the area.

Cabo San Lucas is one of the many tourist attractions in the Baja area in California. If you choose to come here, you are surely not going to be disappointed with all that this wonderful place can offer. with activities such as swimming, scuba diving, strolling along the twon, sight seeing, and most of all – Cabo San Lucas sportfishing, you are sure to find yourself wanting to come back to this beautiful place over and over again.

Getaway To A Great Adventure, Outdoors!

Who wouldn’t love a great adventure outdoors? Almost every child loves the time they get to spend outdoors, roaming, exploring and being free. This fades a little as we age, but only because we become accustomed to the structure of school and work. Think back to how much you looked forward to summer vacation, and why you still love vacation time and you can see how true it is.  Everyone yearns to spend time outside, away from stress and enjoying nature. Many people also want to enjoy a fun adventure outdoors, rather than to simply be outside.

In today’s world where we often worry about money and the cost of a great vacation, you might find yourself wondering what kind of adventure you can afford. Perhaps you would like to stay close to home, maybe to save on time or money. At climbingoutdoors.com you can read about places throughout Utah where you can have a great weekend adventure. Pick a hiking trail, a camping spot, a backpacking route, or a mountain biking trail where you can enjoy nature and relax and recharge. Even if you live in the middle of a city, the mountains and wilderness are not far away.

While it is true that some of these outdoor adventures, such as camping or rock climbing require a bit of an investment in equipment, Climbing Outdoors can suggest the best gear for your chosen adventure. If you think you won’t have the time to dedicate to enjoying this outdoor sport, hiking is a great place to start. All you really need is a map, a buddy, some water, and a cell phone would be smart. There are countless trails all across Utah, and the website highlights some great ones. Spend a Saturday hiking a trail any time you can, and once you feel more dedicated, spend the money on gear and camp for a week!

Experience Climbing Outdoors!

A fun activity to do is climbing outdoors. This is a great way to challenge your body and to improve your confidence as you are able to learn how to scale large rock walls and to see gorgeous views of the amazing world we live in. Climbing outdoors is a lot of fun but it requires skill and precision to do. It is a wise idea to invest time in a group training class and joining a climbing club so you can learn how to rock climb properly, and will be able to stay safe when you are climbing.

Rock climbing is a very difficult activity. You can learn it but you have to be prepared to have the physical capabilities along with the mental capabilities to really make it to the top. You do not want to give up on yourself when you are out there. It also helps to have some strong supporters with you in order to keep you motivated and to keep you safe when you are climbing outdoors. With practice you will start to get better and over time you will be able to defeat some of the biggest and most challenging rock walls out there!

Like any sport rock climbing will require special gear and equipment. With rock climbing you have to focus on safety. It is vital that you purchase the right type of safety equipment and that you learn the importance of belaying another person when they are climbing outdoors. You are responsible for their safety as much as your own. Taking a few courses on rock climbing will give you the best opportunity to learn safety techniques and how to climb to also to learn different climbing styles. Make friends in the rock climbing community as they can also help to teach you additional skills.