Heidi Fuller-love
The following articles are copyright to Heidi Fuller-love, and may not be reproduced in any form without her consent in writing.
- Welcome to a different world
- Paris Conference Top Ten
- Notes from the Pueblo
- Don't fence me in – Twenty top tips for having fresh-air fun in Zurich this summer
Welcome to a different world: how to spend your weekend in the nature park of Cabo de Gata
First published in Spanish Homes Magazine
If you believe that the unsightly serves to heighten the sublime take the N340 coast road via Almeria to reach Cabo de Gata. Just 10 minutes drive from the region’s capital, the endless stretches of plastic which cover every inch of natural soil and hinder views of the coast here, serve as a striking counterpoint for the stunning beauty which greets the eye as soon as you enter this wonderful park.
ENTER A DIFFERENT WORLD
Created in 1987 The Parque Natural Maritimo Terrestre de Cabo de Gata-Nijar unfolds it’s scenic wonders along a 45 kilometre strip of the Costa Blanca coastline nestling on Spain’s most southern-eastern tip. Blessed with a stunning biodiversity because of its isolated position, a sub-desert climate and lack of heavy industry, spend a weekend here and as you bike, hike, or simply choose to drive through the park’s 49000 hectares you will have the bewildering impression of traversing several, completely different, worlds.
Take one of the wind-blown tracks which lead inland and you’ll discover a desert landscape of steep slopes, rocky outcroppings, forbidding prickly pears and tough esparto grass. Explore the coastline and you’ll find bleached sandstone cliffs and black volcanic rock and an unspoilt stretch of water – said to be the best-preserved in the Mediterranean – whose starfish, seahorses and bright pink coral reefs make it an underwater paradise for deep-sea divers.
With an average annual temperature of 20°C the park is also a terrestrial heaven since it boasts the warmest climate in Spain.
BEAM ME UP, SCOTTY!
Talking of different worlds, there is something ‘other worldly’ about the park’s urban areas too. San Miguel is the main town and cubic houses painted tangerine orange, or flaming pink, deserted rectilinear streets and wastes of scrub dwarfed by stunning Sierras will have you rubbing your eyes and wondering if you haven’t been scooped up in some space ship and dropped off near Mexico. This is a sleepy place out of season and after a wander along the seafront to see the bright-coloured craft and the fishermen mending their nets, you’ll want to take the one lane road leading along the coast and seek out the park’s other charms.
PRETTY FLAMINGOS AND ‘EL LAWRENCE’
Not least of these are the salt flats, ‘Las Salinas’, which – as tyre tracks in the glittering saline ‘snow’ scattered along the roadside clearly testify - are still in use today. The salt flats were originally created by the Phoenicians, who used the precious mineral to conserve their food. The lagoon is also home to a colony of Flamingos, so don’t forget to take binoculars if you want to catch a glimpse of this exotic bird.
Not for the faint-of-heart the narrow road which climbs past the salt flats and unwinds like a roller coaster ride over the bleak backs of the volcanic Sierras, gives stunning views over to Cabo de Gata lighthouse. This watchtower was built on a reef which forms part of a volcanic chimney and it’s said that the name of Cabo de Gata derives from the Amethysts – or ‘Agatas’ – which once studded this hostile rock. From here it’s a stiff walk - accompanied by heady odours of ozone and lemon thyme and curry-plant - to explore the eastern seaboard. At Monsul, whose dune changes shape according to the fanciful fingers of the wind, or Genoveses, where Peter O’Toole rode a camel through rousing scenes of Lawrence of Arabia, you will find some of the parks most isolated coves.
GO FOR GOLD
If you don’t fancy a very long trot, it’s time to climb back in the car and drive inland to the pretty, palm-fringed town of Rodlaquilar. A mosey round the visitors centre will give you a fascinating insight into the life and times of gold miners who were brought here to exploit rich veins found back in the 18th century. The mine head still overshadows the half-ruined town and it’s easy to see why Spielberg filmed many of his Indiana Jones epics in Rodlaquilar. The town also boasts a well- stocked botanical garden, which is open all year round.
From Rodlaquilar the countryside parts in a long cleft down to reveal the sparkling fisher-village oasis of La Isleta del Moro. Walk round the narrow lanes and discover the house of El Chorerro, one of the hamlets legendary pescadors, or just sit out at the terrace of the Hostal with your feet almost dangling in the water and watch crafts ply their trade whilst you sample the delicious fresh paella, or local specialities like ‘Gurullos’ made of pasta and rabbit, or ‘Pimenton’ a green pepper soup served with fish.
Finally take the country road, past spectacularly arid scenery studded with abandoned windmills and ancient, dome-shaped water cisterns, to Agua Amarga. The oddly named ‘bitter waters’ are definitely sweet these days and this charming fisher’s cove, whose cliffs are studded with prehistoric grottos, is an ideal spot to wind up the perfect weekend.
First published in Meeting Professional Magazine, USA
Paris, City of Lights, is home to the Champs Elysees, Coco Chanel and Coq au vin. It also boasts some of Europe's most prestigious and innovative conference and event centres - here’s a top ten.
There’s more to a good meeting than mere logistics - as any planner knows, a successful reunion relies on a lot of blood, sweat and tears but it also loves the little extras that only location - and the velvet touch of Lady Luck! - can bring.
Dame Fortune has certainly beamed on Frances’ capital over the past decade. Ranked top of the Union of International Associations’ listings in 2001 for best places to hold large scale international events, with more than 36.3 million visitors per year the city has been propelled into the new Millennium by a host of exciting refurbishment projects - canals have been unclogged, parks have been tweezered and fume-blackened monuments lovingly restored - and along with its cobbled streets, sidewalk cafes, world-renowned chefs, splendid monuments and special designer flair, the Capital of Love now offers a host of exciting venues for small and large-scale reunions. Here’s our pick of the best.
SHIPSHAPE
Paris might be 157kms from the nearest sea it still boast some 60kms of quays, docks and wharfs and at the height of summer when heady aromas of Gitane ,Pastis and Chanel float in the stilly air like pollen,’ Les Yacht de Paris’ five, fully-equipped cruise ships offer an elegant and airy alternative to onshore facilities.
Ideal for receptions or seminars the four yachts based at Quai Henry IV make their stately way down river whilst top chef Gerard Besson hunkers over his galley stove conjuring up gastronomic miracles like the Dublin Bay prawns oozing truffle sauce and the Foie Gras peppered with fresh pink figs.
For land-based reunions with a nautical theme the company’s fifth vessel , L’Escale, moored just a stones throw away from Eiffel’s famous tower, has an olive-tree shaded garden, chequered table cloths and stunning views.
STATELY
Set like a precious jewel in the throbbing heart of Paris’ exclusive eight district ‘La Maison Opéra’ was built in the 1860’s by French Opera house architect, Charles Garnier, and up until the mid-fifties this was the rendezvous for French High Society. One of the city’s most sumptuous examples of Second Empire style, the house was restored with the aid of American donors and now offers its salons for small-scale reunions which take place amidst the chandeliers, wall friezes and Aubusson tapestries which embelish Garnier’s scintillating décor .
SWINGS AND ROUNDABOUTS
Merry go-rounds, fire-eaters and fortune tellers are just some of the joys on offer in the brand new Bercy pavilions located on the site of the city’s ancient wine market, alongside the sparkling Seine . Linked by tree-lined walkways and set in a shaded park close to the trendy Bastille district, the pavilion is home to one of the world’s biggest fairground art museums and the three, immense salons decorated in turn of the century fairground style are a Mecca for showbiz and other glitterati events. So why not yours?
MILL ON A HILL
Built as a present for Blanche of Castille in the 13th-century Orgemonts’ tower became a mill in the sixteenth century, and a restaurant in 1810 .
Atmosphere is the key note to this meeting venue set high on a hill over looking le tout Paris. Fixtures and fittings were recuperated from a shipwrecked liner and the roof timbers once sheltered the chapel of the Palace of Versailles . The restaurant offers traditional French cuisine and the owners propose slightly less traditional village fête theme days whose attractions include archery and barrel organs and lessons in picking pockets! .
SUBTERRANEAN SPECIALTY
From the sublime to the slimy, if you’re looking for a venue that really stands out from the crowd, Paris’ sewers sunk 500 meters below the surface of the city and rendered famous by Victor Hugo who had his hero of Les Miserables escape from jail via this underground labyrinth, offer surprisingly well-lit and well equipped conference facilities.
DINE WITH DELACROIX
For an eminently Bohemian soirée the apartment where one of France’s most distinguished artists lived till his death in 1863, is a ‘must’ . Nestling on Paris’ most charming square Delacroix’s spacious atelier with its lingering scent of oil paint is ideal for cocktails , the carefully trimmed gardens give extra space for summer receptions and if you don’t get to dine with the artist, you do get listed as his benefactor since funds from hiring rooms are used to buy more of the artists’ oeuvres.
WINE WITH SPECIALISTS
Visiting France without tasting wine would be like quitting N.Y. without seeing the Statue of Liberty. To avoid making such a cultural faux-pas why not hold your event in Paris’ wine-themed museum, la Musée du Vin? Three cool, vaulted halls are available for corporate events and seminars ,and wine specialists are on hand to guide you and your participants through the fragrant labyrinths of Frances’ vinous art.
MANSION CLASS
Since the Jacquemart was refurbished a few years ago it’s been the talk of the international art world . This unique house-museum hosts five thousand works of art and antiquities range from the Italian Quattrocentro to the Rococo of Boucher, along with a Trompe l’eoil dining room ceiling painted by Tiepolo, Gobelins tapestries and Sevres porcelain; in other words it reeks class . Three opulent salons are available for themed receptions and the winter garden is a cosy place to hold small-scale reunions when icy winds howl outside.
PAVILLON CHIC
Another prestigious venue ,the Pavillon Gabriel ,just opposite the American Embassy, was built in 1841 to house the capitals first café concert hall . Requisitioned by the U.S government after WWII to use as their chancellery, the mansion was bought up in the 1970’s by French caterers Potel and Chabot who turned it into a historic meeting venue which symbolises all the magic ingredients: Beauty, Luxury and what the French do best: elegance with a capital ‘E’.
THE LOUVRE TO YOURSELF
And talking of elegance, this is the big one. Paris’ most famous museum now opens its doors to meeting planners and whether its prestigious events under Pei ‘s controversial pyramid or seminars in the well-equipped auditorium, nothing can match the thrill of being alone with your group in the biggest museum in world!
NOTES FROM THE PUEBLO: PART ONE/ RUIN WITH A VIEW
First published in Spanish Homes Magazine
Corumbela is the tiny pueblo where I've elected my (second) home - or perhaps that should be 'perch'? According to Pedro (the builder who lives two doors down and whose house tiled from top to bottom leaves me breathless with admiration) Corumbela means ' white dove' and way up in the cloud-wrapped Spanish Sierras this petite village surges out of the mountainside like some precious bird. If you grew a pair of wings you could soar up yourself and see the pueblo careering down the side of the Sierra Almijara’s twisted knuckles like wax from a candle that’s dripped here for centuries. Surrounding it you’d make out a frothy sea of olive and avocado groves, the peeled trunks of Eucalyptus, bunches of muscatel grapes used to make the sherry-sweet Competa wine and an occasional sharp-toothed Agave throwing out a desperate flower spike before crumpling at the feet of it’s heartless offspring. This is Corumbela: a diminutive pueblo blanco in the heart of the Axarquia. No cars can enter the narrow streets, no backfiring motorbikes either. Only mules are foolhardy enough to clatter their dainty hooves through this white-washed vertical labyrinth; only goats are hard-headed enough to skip to its peak and as for the fish vendor who plies his bacalao through every other Andalusian village, you can hear him for miles around groaning at the sight of our slopes
We bought the house on a whim. Visiting Competa we fell in love with the site, the climate, the people and started those ‘wouldn’t it be wonderful’ sort-of dreams. A quick glance in a few estate agents windows put paid to that - with our tiny budget it was hopeless - and for the rest of the afternoon we sat out on the terrace of a café in the main square, sipping Ponche and watching a couple of bright-eyed Scots septuagenarians knocking back the scotch and gleefully comparing all the aches and pains that had disappeared since they’d come to live in sunny Andalusia. Feeling bitter and twisted at the ripe old age of forty we turned the knife in each others wounds by totting up all the flu epidemics, backaches, belly bugs and ghastly inner ear inflammations which were our inevitable lot when we returned home and once we were suitably depressed we set off to try and find our car.
Lost down the labyrinth of Competa’s back lanes Fabrice stopped to buy something comfortingly sticky. He emerged waving a bag of jellied snakes and a grubby scrap of paper. It was an ad; it read: “100m2 for sale’. Of what, we knew not, but the price was within our budget, which meant a dream was within our grasp. We called and arranged to visit.
It took us half an hour to find the road to Corumbela and that first afternoon in early June was stiflingly hot. We drove up and down Velez Malaga’s main street trying to avoid the scooters manned by good-looking adolescents, helmet-less and hair spread to the wind, who flirted outrageously with each other as they wove in and out of dense traffic. Besides them on the wide pavement proud parents sauntered past with babies in prams and beneath the sweet-smelling shade of orange trees a group of elderly Spaniards seated on wrought iron benches gossiped as they watched the world go by. ‘Age is no barrier here in Andalusia,” I remembered a woman from Malaga telling me and it struck me how right she was.
We were negotiating the roundabout for a fifth time when one of the elderly gents waved us to stop. His skin was olive brown and shiny as if he’d been embalmed by decades of working out in the campo under the pitiless Andalusian sun. He stood blocking the traffic as he explained the route. “Nada nada”, he said waving away our thanks and then he pressed a warm orange, from a bag he had which was full of them, into my hand .
The road snaking up from the coast was narrow as a shoe lace with sheer drops either side. Spectacular or bloodcurdling according to your point of view, in our old campervan we crawled up so slowly we could watch the crickets bouncing along the tarmac beside us and even puttering mopeds overtook us with ease. Gradually the glittering sea sank away from us, then disappeared in a bread-oven haze. The road got narrower still and we had to juggle with oncoming cars and the occasional road slides where torrential rain had washed half the track over the mountain’s edge. Fabrice grinned wickedly. “You’d never get bored doing this trip.” He said. “Especially at night.”
Round one more sharp bend and there was Corumbela. We parked the car on a narrow plateau below the village and got out and stood with trembling legs listening to crickets sawing the air with a thousand wings; a mule ‘eehing’ across the valley, a donkey ‘awwing’ in reply. Boy was I glad to be alive! The road snaked on beyond us to Sayalonga and a scooped out valley separated us from the white tentacles of Competa spread like linen to dry on the opposite hillside. A catch of song wafted up to us from deep in the gorge and a bunch of brown pinpricks told us it was a cabrero with his goats. I took a deep breath. The air was filled with Sunday roast odours of rosemary and wild thyme and a hint of something sweeter, like jasmine and something sour, like rotting rubbish. A tiny gust of wind ruffled the dried grass and then there was silence. It was hard to believe we were only half an hour away from the hustle and bustle of the Costa - the contrast was astounding.
We left the car below and climbed a winding alley scattered with black pips we thought were olives but an unmistakable musk aroma told us were goats droppings. We stopped to catch breath near the church. The road was so steep that even in trainers we slipped . “My God people out here must be fit!” Fabrice blasphemed clutching the iron railing like a drowning man.
The house was nearly at the top of the village - and we nearly fainted at the sight of it. Most of the first floor seemed to have landed in the next door neighbours cellar and a handyman had knocked out one wall then panicked and botched the hole up again with everything that came to hand, including a pair of old shoes and the socks that went with them, a rusted bike pump and - adding a decidedly grotesque touch - a Barbie doll’s head whose plaster filled eyes stared sightlessly at the only untouched wall.. There was a ceiling of eucalyptus and bamboo canes about to cave in, an old stone sink filling half of one room, a pile of mortar and rubble filling another and everywhere there were broken chairs, rotted mattresses, mangled books. I stared around in dismay. Nothing daunted Fabrice was already out on the balcony and gazing at the distant sea. “it might be a ruin, “ I heard him mutter. “But at least it’s a ruin with a view.”
DON'T FENCE ME IN – TWENTY TOP TIPS FOR HAVING FRESH-AIR FUN IN ZURICH THIS SUMMER.
First published in Oryx Inflight Magazine, Dubai
Far from the safe-haven paradise of the gulf’s blazing summer heat, another kind of paradise, famed for its snow, offers a surprising wealth of things to do. So if you don't feel like being fenced in, hemmed down or penned up this summer, why not follow Oryx's top twenty tips for having some fresh air family fun in Zurich?
When you think of Zurich do you picture cups of frothy hot chocolate, speedy ski lifts and cold feathery snow? Then its time to think again. Believe it, or not, Switzerland’s largest city isn’t just a joy in winter. When the summer sun beats down on this lovely, lively conurbation dominated by the mighty Alps and trimmed by a sparkling lake, whether its shaded parks, lazy river cruises, an exciting trip out to the city’s rainforest, or just a luxurious soak in the local spa, you’ll find a wealth of fresh air fun for all the family – and the superb transport network of trains, trams, buses and boats makes getting around kid’s play, too!
STROLL THE OLD TOWN
Zurich might be Switzerland’s biggest metropolis, it’s still surprisingly compact and easily covered on foot. Split in two by the languorous river Limmat, the city’s right bank is it’s historical centre. This is where you’ll find Zurich’s vibrant old town, a picturesque labyrinth of narrow streets studded with architectural jewels, ancient monuments, art galleries, antique shops and chic cafes, ideal for lazy summer strolling.
SHOP TILL YOU DROP
Need a more vigorous shot of adrenaline? Then follow the Banhnofstrasse. This swanky street leading to Zurich’s beautiful lake is guaranteed to set you’re heart beating with furious shopping pleasure as you discover chic boutiques selling everything from luxurious furs and sumptuous antiques, alongside cheap and cheerful department stores vending the sort-of tacky cuckoo clocks and thick bars of finger-licking Swiss chocolate your kids will adore.
CHILL OUT IN A PARK
Switzerland’s biggest city is surprisingly lush and gorgeous sprawling parks abound. With it’s neat trimmed lawns, kiddies playground, food stands, street musicians and row boats for hire, Zurich Horn is a favourite for all ages; what’s more, you can take a leisurely boat ride from elegant Bürkliplatz to reach the park.
The Zurichberg is another lovely, wooded area with gorgeous views over Zurich’s lake, while the Old Botanical Garden along the Pelikanstrasse is slap-bang in Zurich’s city centre and provides an ideal rest stop for weary shoppers.
COOL OFF IN A RAINFOREST
Recognised as one of Europe’s finest zoos, Zurich’s Zoological garden in Zurichbergstrasse boasts 2000 animals from all over the world. This is also the site of one of Zurich’s most ambitious and exciting projects. The Masoala Rainforest, which opens in June 2003, is a slice of the Madagascan tropics transferred to a massive 10,000m2 stretch of city parkland. Not to be missed!
CATCH A FRESH AIR MOVIE
Zurich’s Orange Cinema is a giant, 3500 m2 screen outdoor picture palace set up alongside the city’s mirror-clear lake to show dozens of movies – some in V.O. – all summer long.
INDULGE IN OUTDOOR DRAMA
If you like outdoor acting head for Zurich in late August, when the Landiwiese becomes the stage for ‘Theater Spektakel’ an exciting and innovative arts festival showcasing avant-garde and mainstream theatre from around the world
WATCH WORLD CLASS ATHLETICS
August is also the month to enjoy Zurich’s immensely popular Weltklasse, a Golden League series sports event which attracts the cream of the athletics world to the conurbation’s outdoor Litzigrund Stadium.
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
For a novel way to see Switzerland’s historic city try climbing the Uetliberg. This 871 meters high mountain in the heart of Zurich has breathtaking views over the Alps. From here you can enjoy a two-hour stroll to Felsenegg, where a cable car descends to Adliswil and an S train will zip you back into town.
SEE SOME STARS
For a magical night time treat, pay a visit to the century-old observatory in the aptly named Uraniastrasse. Climb the 48 meter high tower on a clear night and you’ll enjoy panoramic views of the city’s velvet skyline.
TAKE A TRIP THROUGH HISTORY
No visit to Zurich would be complete without a wander down Augustinergasse, a picturesque street lined with some of the city’s oldest houses.
DISCOVER THE POOLS AND LIDOS
The Limmat river flows through Zurich city-centre and empties into lake Zurich without a scrap of litter in sight, so its hardly surprising that bathing is such a popular activity here. As well as a beach in the heart of the city, Zurich boasts five outdoor swimming pools, half a dozen lakeside lidos and five more by her riverside, including a woman-only pool at Barfussbar and a men’s pool at Am Schanzengraben.
SOAK IN A SPA
If swimming isn’t your thing, or you’re looking for a more sophisticated aquatic experience, head for the sumptuous Panorama Resort spa perched above dazzling lake Zurich. Dedicated to health and fitness the 2000m2 complex has whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms and five luxury beauty baths.
CRUISE THE INNER WATERWAYS
For a cool way to explore Zurich’s side streets and back alleys, hop on a ‘Limmat boat’ - Limmatschiff in German – which departs every half hour from the Landesmuseum and enjoy a 55 minute tour of the city’s inner waterways.
RIDE A STEAM TRAIN
Want to grab a slice of living history? Climb aboard the celebrated steam locomotive, run by the Zurich Museum Railway, which puffs right through the centre of Zurich town. www.museumsbahn.ch
PADDLE THE LAKE
Still on a historical theme, the ‘Stadt Zurich’, built in 1909, and the ‘Stadt Rapperswil’, launched on the eve of WWI, are just two of the beautifully restored paddle steamers which will take you on a stately ride the length of Zurich’s 40kms lake.
GET SOME CHEAP WHEELS
If you don’t want to pay a bean for getting about town, cash in on the city’s best-value transport and pick up the bikes which are available free of charge, from 7.30am to 9.30pm all summer, outside Zurich’s main train stations.
HUNT DOWN A BARGAIN
Saturday morning’s bustling flea market at Buerkliplatz is the best of its kind in Zurich. Open from 6am to 4pm you’ll find art-deco trouvailles and collectors items tangled up with the usual flea market bric à brac. Kids will want to visit the teddy bear shop, at ‘La Maison de la Poupee’, in Neumarkt street, where ailing bears are mended by a bona fida Swiss teddy doctor.
DINE WITH A TRAM
Built in the 1930’s, Zurich’s tram station was abandoned for years until recently converted into a charming restaurant whose summer garden terrace gives out onto the pretty Sihl river.
SAMPLE SCHOBERS BRUNCH
In summer its fun to just laze on the terrace of a café and watch the world go by. There are plenty of upmarket cafes on and around the Helvetziaplatz, but those ‘in-the-know’ head for the Café Schober in Napfgasse street. The venue’s fragrant hot chocolate is legendary and Schober’s brunch boasts the best cream-and-fruit-packed Bircher Muesli in town.
SKI THE SUMMER SNOW
And if you’re convinced that a visit to Switzerland wouldn’t be complete without snow, head for Zermatt. Just four hours away from Zurich by road, this four-seasons resort offers fresh air skiing and snowboard fun for all the family - even in the burning heat of summer.