Time travel online

Costa Blanca is simply Golf Heaven. It is not just the spectacular and rather humbling scenery in every direction that inspires and excites, but the overabundance of world class golf courses peppering the Coast truly makes the Costa Blanca one of the most desirable golfing vacation destinations in the world. You can hardly put your finger down on a map of the Costa Blanca without hitting a golf course, or sometimes even two depending on the size of your finger! There are over 20 courses of all sizes, suitable for all levels of expertise and temperaments, out of which 12 are listed as among the best in Europe, if not the world.

"The Costa Blanca is More" – is the slogan of the Provincial Patronato de Tourism, and they couldn't have said it better. What they mean is that there is more on offer here than you can even imagine. Blue flag beaches abound, offering all modes of water-sports. Some beaches are lined with palm-lined promenades, cafes, bars, restaurants, gift shops, and other curiosity shops where you can spend hours. Then there are the health spas and the healing mud baths of San Javier and Mar Menor. Another fun activity would be browsing the local markets on the various Market days where there's no saying what you may find.

Historical Wonders - Other than the golf, the spas, the water sports, the theme parks, and the shopping, you also have the sense of awe afforded by the architectural gems that hark back to magnificent periods in history. Castles, Cathedrals, Forts, and Towers exist amid natural wonders and majestic mountain ranges. Every province has its own museums of arts and archaeology where you get a pretty good understanding of the awesome sense of history the place holds.

Hot Spots – The entire Costa Blanca has been taken up by tourism to varying degrees. While provinces like Moraira are unscathed, those such as Benidorm are devoted entirely to the trade. Benidorm is the ideal place to pitch tent if you are on a family vacation. Besides being surrounded by golf courses, there's also the Aqualandia Water Amusement Park, Mundomar Marine Exotic Animal Park and the ever popular Terra Mitica said to have the wildest rides in Europe. Puerto Banus is another hot spot with its night golfing, and an enchanting marina.

World-Class Dining - Cuisine from all over the world vies with the delicious local dishes. The flavours and aroma of Pescaito Frito, Boquerones in Vinagre, and of course the ubiquitous Paella, will stay with you long after you have left the Costa Blanca. There are also a remarkable number of British and Indian restaurants, and also some Chinese eateries.

Getting around from Coast to Coast – Costa Blanca has a very good local transport network, but having said that, to fully appreciate what the Costa Blanca has to offer, you'll do well to hire a car. You can book your hire car in advance at visiting
Your-Carhire.com - specialists in Spain car rental services and pick it up from the airport when you arrive.

This article is devoted to dining in Charleston's historic downtown area, mainly because that is where I most enjoy exploring on foot the beauty and history that makes this city such an interesting locale to visit. During my last visit, The Planter's Inn on N. Market Street provided the perfect location to begin what I hope is but one of many visits. I mention the Inn because they serve up an excellent continental breakfast, offer iced tea and lemonade during the early afternoon before setting out hot tea around 4 pm and the wine and cheese in the evening. By the way, The Citadel is a must-see while visiting Charleston. It is just stunning, even on an early Sunday morning in January.

Charleston is also noted for its cuisine offered by many fine restaurants that I look forward to visiting on future trips. In the ones my wife and I were fortunate enough to dine, I hope I can do them justice in print, because we truly did not have a bad meal the whole time we were here.

Because we arrived in Charleston late at night on this trip, our first sample of the local dining scene was T-Bonz Gill and Grill, which served up a truly awesome steak sandwich in addition to offering a great selection of import and domestic beers. Over the next three days, we sampled the seafood at Hyman's Seafood Company, tried to get into 82 Queen without a reservation, and indulged ourselves at Wet Willie's, which serves up frozen daiquiris and assorted specialties while also offering a small but tasty selection of Southwestern fare that goes well with their frozen alcoholic concoctions!

I have nothing but praise for the folks at Poogan's Porch, a lovely restaurant on Queen Street named for the famous "porch pooch" who used to keep an eye on things from his spot on the restaurant's front porch. Afterwards, it's was off to Kaminsky's, a nice little café known for its outstanding desserts, coffee drinks, and other beverages. We also dined at Captain Stacks for lunch and decided to try the seafood buffet at the Palmetto Cafe in the Omni Hotel. All in all, another excellent weekend complemented by the outstanding service and accommodations at the Planter's Inn on the corner of Meeting and Market downtown.

Upon arriving in Charleston and settling in at your hotel or inn, I strongly suggest finding a copy of The Menu Book, which is free and provides an exhaustive rundown of places to eat and dine, maps to get you there, and reviews of almost every restaurant in town. I found the reviews to be accurate and the menus helpful in selecting different restaurants so as to maximize our cash outflow.