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A game of polo and a cup of tea in Jamaica

enero 18th, 2013 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in DESTINATIONS - (0 Comments)

Polo was brought to Jamaica by the British army in 1882. During the early years it received an unenthusiastic reception, but by 1898, and following a series of Royal visits, polo had become an authentic institution in Jamaica, with clubs and tournaments springing up everywhere. By the turn of the 20th century, polo was attracting many English and North-American visitors, and 1901 saw the first edition of the ‘Parish Cup’, a silver cup that teams competed for each year and that was first presented by Sir John Dewar, whose family owned the famous ‘Dewar’ distilleries in Scotland. English teams have been regular visitors to the island ever since. Over the last 25 years, one of the most familiar sights on the circuit has been the team managed by John Tinsley, former President of the Hurlingham Polo Association. Over the years, Jamaica’s polo teams have played matches against teams from all over the world, even from countries as far off as New Zealand and Nigeria and as close to home as Barbados and Costa Rica.

The Jamaican polo season is long, running from January to early August, when the hurricane season is at its height.
Each year, a large number of teams from various countries travel to the island. The highlights of Jamaica’s polo season are the famous Scotia Capital Markets Open, played in Kingston in March, and the Senior Cup which takes place in St. Ann in May.
The clubs offer superb facilities for visiting players, regardless of whether they are beginners or seasoned professionals, including pony hire, lessons, mallet and ball hire, etc. If you’re interested in trying your hand at this amazing sport, anything you may need, regardless of your level of skill, is at your disposal at these clubs.

According to Shane Chin, who has played this sport all his life and is Captain of the Jamaica Polo Association and a member of the St. Ann Polo Club, “When you’ve played polo once, you’re hooked for life. It’s like a disease that spreads through your veins. The only way of getting out of this sport is either by going bankrupt or dying!”

Yet polo was not the only custom the British passed on to the Jamaicans. Part of the polo ritual is stopping for tea. Jamaica produces an organic tea harvested from the Jamaica sorrel bush, a hibiscus from the Malvaceae family. This unusual plant can grow to heights of between 3 and 5 metres. Its flowers are red, although as it grows they generally fade in colour. The calyx is red and full, with a soft velvety texture that gives you the impression that you are looking at a bobble of perfumed cotton.

This tea is extremely good for you: it is diuretic, anti-oxidising, speeds up cell metabolism, reduces LDL or ‘bad’ cholesterol and increases the synthesis of HDL or ‘good’ cholesterol.

So are you ‘game’ for watching a polo match whilst you sip a cup of fragrant Jamaica sorrel tea?

“IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts’ hotels in Jamaica offer you the chance to experience all the irresistible thrills of this island. The prime locations of the IBEROSTAR hotels on Jamaica are the perfect opportunity to explore this island and discover its countless treasures.”

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The best way of keeping fit

septiembre 10th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (1 Comments)

 

The Best way of keepinf fit

Eager to burn off those calories after a delicious meal in the gourmet restaurant? Or tone up those muscles after dancing the night away in the theatre to the finest classic tracks and sounds of today? Or get that body moving after long, leisurely hours enjoying a good book on one of the best beaches in the world? Or simply dying to get away from it all by enjoying some rowing in the vast blue waters of the unique Caribbean Sea?

Whatever your reason, share the moment with Steve and stop to think for a moment what you’d do if you were in his shoes. And to make it even easier, IBEROSTAR has come up with a campaign to promote the fabulous world of holidays with happiness included. A 2.0 experience in which our customers share their opinions, sensations, joy, their love of life and having a great time with everyone.

And so that our guests can include everyone in this unforgettable experience, IBEROSTAR Hotels & Resorts has organised a professional production team that films guests as they have fun on vacation with their friends and family. Once recorded, the video-message is sent to the people of the guests’ choice, whilst the stars of these fabulous vacation experiences get on with having the time of their lives in the world’s finest destinations. But there’s more: via their webcams, we also get to see the receivers’ reactions when they open their message from a dream destination.

More info at conexioniberostar.com

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Interview with David Ferrer

septiembre 7th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in THE WORLD OF IBEROSTAR - (0 Comments)

 

1.       Which tournament do you find toughest, Wimbledon or Roland Garros?

 The world’s best players compete in these tournaments, which makes them both pretty tough, but playing on grass is harder physically, partly because I only play two grass court tournaments each season.

2.       Who has been the greatest rival you’ve played to date?

Every match is difficult because any player can complicate things for you, but that’s especially true in the case of the top four in the ATP ranking.

3.       You’re staying at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraíso in Mexico, which is your favourite area of the hotel? The sea water pool, the spa or the specialised restaurants?

I’m really fortunate to be able to take advantage of the facilities at the Grand Hotel Paraíso México, as it offers you a host of options; I definitely love all three facilities.

4.       What was it like taking part in the Olympic Games?

It was a unique experience. I also took part in the Beijing Olympics, but I enjoyed the London games more. I had a really great time, plus I was lucky enough to be playing really well.

5.       We’ve noticed that you’re an avid Twitter user. How do you see the role of social networks?

They’re really important because they bring you into close contact with everyone, enabling them to learn about me and also helping me to find out things about others.

6.       Which has been your toughest match to date?

I’ve played lots of hard matches, but probably the most recent and considering what was at stake, I’d have to say the Davis Cup final match I played last year against Juan Martín Del Potro.

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World Tennis Champion, Rafael Nadal, and his Beloved Majorca

junio 25th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

In recent years, Spain has been on a winning streak in the sports arena, winning championships around the world – from Formula One races to the World Cup (football) and tennis championships. Amongst the innumerable sportsmen, Rafael Nadal has stood out as a key contributor to Spain’s victory. Between 2008 and 2011, Nadal was ranked World No. 1 – after winning several Grand Slam titles, ATP World Tournament titles and Olympic gold medals. Today, he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time.

Staying Rooted in Majorca

Despite his worldwide success, the tennis champion remains humble and very much rooted to his origins. Originally from the island of Majorca, Nadal has traveled and played all over the world, but for him, there’s nowhere else like home.“Majorca where I feel happiest,” said Nadal, in an interview with The Telegraph. Being constantly pursued by paparazzi, Nadal feels like ‘a normal person’ only when he’s back in Majorca, where he can play leisurely rounds of golf and go fishing for tuna.

“Majorca is my favourite place in the world, as I have my family and my friends there, and that’s where I grew up,” Nadal said. “That’s the place for me. I’m still close to the friends I went to school with on the island.”

Nadal’s Home: Manacor

Born and raised in the inland town of Manacor, Nadal continues to make this part of the world his home. As one of the biggest towns in Majorca, Manacor gives a good glimpse into Nadal’s childhood as well as the culture and traditions of the Balearic Islands. Here, you can visit the weekly street market, wander around the old town centre, explore the Caves of Drach or even lounge by the quiet and secluded ‘calas’ (coves).

The best time of the year to visit in from late May to the beginning of June, when everyone gathers in town to celebrate the Fires i Festers de Primavera. Giant floats are paraded through the streets of Manacor while activities and exhibitions are held in various squares of the town.

Photo | Brett Marlow

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An Inspiration to Jamaica: Pioneer Bobsledder, Devon Harris

mayo 31st, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

At the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, the world was truly surprised to see the tropical country of Jamaica competing in bob-sledding, a cold-weather sport. But the Jamaican four-man team quickly won the world over: Despite having to borrow spare sleds from other countries to compete, the Jamaicans were determined to show the world their sportsmanship.

The team didn’t technically finish the race: they crashed midway, but after which, they famously got out of their sled and walked to the finish line to great applause. This inspirational team inspired the movie, Cool Runnings. The characters in the film are fictional, although the original footage of the crash and the monumental walk of victory was used in the film. The bobsledding team continued to participate in the Winter Olympics the following years and showed significant improvement throughout the games. In 2000, the Jamaican bobsleigh team won the gold medal at the World Push Championships in Monaco.

Bringing Bobsledding to the Winter Olympics

So how on earth did the Jamaican team get introduced to the winter sport of bobsledding? The pioneering bobsleigh team was founded by two Americans who had family and business ties to Jamaica. During a visit to the island, they saw a pushcart derby and realized how similar pushcart racing is to bobsledding. Since bobsleighing requires a fast start, the Americans decided to recruit sprinters for the team. The idea was presented to the Jamaican Defence Force and a team selection was held, with Devon Harris finishing off with the fastest push time. He was obviously given the nickname ‘Pele’ for good reasons.

A Jamaican Pride

Harris became one of the founding members of the Jamaican bobsled team, fulfilling his dream of representing Jamaica in the Olympics. His ‘keep on pushing’ mentality played an important role in the success of the Jamaican bobsledding team – inspiring and motivating his fellow teammates to push on and finish the race. Harris has since founded the Keep On Pushing Foundation to support and enhance the education of kids in disadvantaged communities around the globe. He also works with Right to Play as an athlete ambassador, supporting their efforts in using sports and play in refugee camps around the world to enhance child development and build community capacity. Today, he has retired from bobsledding but he still works as a motivational speaker to help people around the world.

Although bobsledding didn’t gain catch on in Jamaica (it is a cold weather sport after all!), it did give Jamaicans plenty of reason to be proud of their own country. To the youths of Jamaica, they now know that there is nothing they can’t do.

Photo | Devonharris.com

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Climbing Great Peaks in Italy with Reinhold Messner

mayo 18th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Local Characters - (0 Comments)

Italy is often associated with good food, romantic piazzas, Roman ruins and turquoise beaches – few know about the majestic mountains that run through Italy. From the Dolomites to the Apennines, the peaks of Italy boast dramatic heights and grandeur but are often overlooked by tourists and locals alike. Thanks to Reinhold Messner, one of the most famous mountaineers of all time, Italian peaks are slowly moving into the travel spotlight and getting the attention they deserve.

Greatest Climber of All Time

Having conquered the highest and most challenging peaks around the world, Reinhold Messner is lauded as the greatest climber in history. Of course he didn’t earn this reputation overnight – in 1978, Messner made the first ever solo ascent of Mount Everest without supplemental oxygen and in 1986, he became the first climber to ascend all fourteen “eight-thousanders” (peaks over 8,000 metres above sea level) in history.

Originally from Brixen, Italy, Messner grew up in the mountains, spending his early years climbing the Alps. The Dolomites in Italy, was his playground and it remains one of his favorite places in the world. At the age of five, his father Josef had already led him to his first summit. In his early twenties, he became one of Europe’s best climbers. Today, he remains one of the most successful climbers of all times having broken several records in mountaineering.

His Love Affair with the Dolomites

Before conquering Mount Everest and other peaks in the Himalayas, Messner led over 500 ascents in the Dolomites. This was where he found his love for mountaineering, trained hard and perfected his climbing skills.

The Dolomites mountain range is located in North-eastern Italy, extending from the River Adige in the west to the Piave Valley in the east. The mountain range was declared a UNESCO natural heritage site in 2009 and it is protected as a national park.

These days, most people visit the Dolomites to climb the Via Ferrata, a mountain route equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The Via Ferrata in the Dolomites was the first mountain route system ever to be built. It was constructed during the First World War, to aid the movement of the Italian mountain infantry. The long trails that run across the Dolomites are numbered from 1 to 8 and most climbers take at least a week to walk all of them, sleeping over at the numerous refuge huts along the way.

If you’re curious to see how Messner fell in love with mountaineering, be sure to make the Dolomites your next adventure – you won’t be disappointed.

Photo | dsearls

When you visit the Iberostar Hotel in Italy and you’re curious to see how Messner fell in love with mountaineering, be sure to make the Dolomites your next adventure – you won’t be disappointed.

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‘Cool Runnings’: The Real Story of the Jamaican Bobsled Team

febrero 15th, 2012 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in The View - (0 Comments)

The scene is one of the most emotional tear-jerking moments in any sporting movie. Jamaica‘s Olympic bobsleigh team, having overcome every conceivable obstacle (not least the balmy Jamaican weather had hardly helped their training), are hurtling down the track at near world-record speed. The impossible is looking as though it might just happen and the four men who arrived in Calgary for the 1988 Winter Olympics are starting to look like real medal contenders. All is lost in a horrible crash, but the men then elevate themselves above the status of mere mortals as they rise from the carnage, lift their sled and carry it defiantly over the finishing line.

Cool Runnings, made in 1993, told the story (loosely based on true events) of the attempt of the four Jamaican men to bring home the most unlikely of medals – for the winter sport of bobsledding. So how did the film differ from the events that actually occurred both under the Jamaican sun and at the climax in Calgary?

For a start there was no single American disgraced coach (as played by John Candy). There were in fact a number of coaches assigned to the team. In the film the team is met with animosity and derision by the other competitors in Calgary. What actually happened was that other teams were very supportive and full of encouragement for the Jamaican rookies and even lent them their equipment to help them train.

But perhaps the biggest surprise is that the climax where the men lift the sled as if it were the coffin of a loved on and carry it over the line didn’t actually happen. The reality was still an act of bravery, if a little less dramatic than that portrayed within the movie.

While the story may end there as far as the movie is concerned, the real story of Jamaican bobsled lived on well beyond 1988. The team competed again in 1992 but finished well down the order but returned to the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway and finished a very creditable 14th, ahead of the USA and Russia. In fact at its most successful point the team was ranked 8th in the world.

Internal struggles followed and the team slipped close to oblivion, but renewed backing with coaching and sponsorship has kept the dream alive. While the Jamaicans have failed to qualify for the last two Olympics they are still very much around and hope to be back at the 2014 Olympics in Russia.

Speaking of the those upcoming games in Sochi, perhaps the movie will turn out to have an element of accident truth about it. Apparently the Jamaica team hopes to add more sleds and more drivers to enhance its preparations.

The story isn’t over yet, mon.

Photo |  Wikipedia

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Golf Courses to Dye For: Interview with a Master Designer

octubre 26th, 2011 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in Mystery Guest - (0 Comments)


Few golf course design firms working today are better known and more influential than that of the Dye clan, headed by 86-year-old legend Pete Dye. Along with Pete’s wife Alice, various sons, daughters, nieces, nephews, and grandkids have been beavering away at the family firm, Denver-based Dye Designs, whose signature style favors elements drawn from the traditional Scottish courses such as St. Andrews and the Royal Dornoch. These elements include deep pot bunkers, rolling fairways, and undersized greens to provide ample strategy, yet the firm hasn’t been afraid to innovate. It’s a winning combination that has firmly ensconced the Dyes as the “first family” of golf course design.

One of Pete’s sons, 56-year-old P.B. Dye, is a key figure in the family firm, with more than 80 courses under his belt, and it’s he who has spearheaded the collaboration with Iberostar on several golf resort greens that have become must-stops on the international golfing circuit.

Exhibit A is Iberostar’s Playa Paraíso complex on Mexico’s Riviera Maya between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, which I last visited just last month as part of Iberostar’s #Startrip. Built in 2007, it’s a masterpiece with lots of elevation changes, expert contouring, and a real sense of place, thanks to the low Yucatan jungle that surrounds it, the impressive faux-Maya pyramid in the distance, and several natural cenotes (sinkholes). As he always does, P.B. poured a lot of sweat and love into this course, spending more than 100 days living on site.

His other work for Iberostar includes the five-year-old, par-72 18-holer at Iberostar Praia do Forte, north of Salvador, Brazil. A gorgeous seaside course with challenging breezes and spectacular vistas (especially along the last three holes), it also boasts lots of tricky sand bunkers. Also 18 holes and par 72, the Iberostar Bávaro Golf Course in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, dating from 2009, is chock-full of Dye’s signature pot bunkers, rolling fairways, and water hazards.

I asked P.B. earlier this month about his work with Iberostar:

What’s it been like to work with Iberostar on these courses ?

Top-notch. In particular, I must say that Don Miguel [Fluxá, CEO of Iberostar] is world-class, absolutely at ease and at peace with himself; with me, he was just like a laid-back guy on vacation. That may not sound exceptional, but believe me, it is.

Since you’ve designed so many courses around the world, it must be challenging to come up with different designs each time. What were the particular challenges on these three projects?

The way Dad taught me to build a golf course means working not from a cookie-cutter set of plans but from a concept, and especially when you’ve got a piece of land that has character, you’ve got to work with the land. In Mexico we were working with calcium material nine meters (30 feet) above the ocean with some solid trees around, and we could excavate a bit. In Brazil it was sand dunes – didn’t have a tree in the whole place. In the Dominican Republic, it was scrub jungle and the ground was two-thirds caliche [sedimentary calcium carbonate], which you can excavate, but the western third was solid rock, so I had to pile on top of that. In all cases, the secret to utilizing a piece of property is to be there as much as possible, and listening to and learning from the local people.

What’s the trickiest feature of the Playa Paraíso course? And the most interesting?

We built in optical illusions on every green with different lines and approaches. If I create an inch of fall every ten feet and a half inch in the opposite direction, you can’t see that with the human eye but it definitely affects the way balls break and play – often it looks like the ball’s breaking uphill. We also used bunkers to create opposing lines, which feel uncomfortable to good golfers. You’ve got to get these golfers mentally, because you can’t get them physically, they’re that good; some practice eight hours a day.

How would you compare your Iberostar Bávaro course with your father’s work on Teeth of the Dog and other famous links at Casa de Campo resort?

I’ve been working in the DR for 40 years, and as a course, I’d say Bávaro is as good as any out there. The main difference is probably that it’s not on the ocean and is part of a real-estate development, with condominiums on both sides of the fairway, whereas the Teeth of the Dog’s last seven holes are right on the ocean, and golfers will travel a long ways for that.

Has your design approach and philosophy evolved over the years?

My concept for each course is still pretty much the same: I want a golf course that’s fun, otherwise you won’t want to come back to play a second time.

Photos | Iberostar, Dye Designs

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Against All Odds: Football, With a Maya Twist

agosto 26th, 2011 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in The View - (0 Comments)

Maya Ball Court at Chichen Itza Iberostar

An out-of-favor football player turns up in Cozumel in search of a girl. They fall in love amid danger, dirty deals and murder. Jeff Bridges and Rachel Ward add the necessary sparkle while a soundtrack featuring the well-known Phil Collins title song ensures worldwide success.

But it may be the spectacular locations on the Yucatan peninsula chosen for “Against All Odds” that really steal the show. Chichen Itza, recently listed as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, forms a spectacular backdrop for the movie’s pivotal scene, where modern-day football is compared to the ball games once played at this ancient site.

Maya Ball Games, Anyone?

You thought American football was rough on the players? Maya football was a brutal game with a particularly gruesome finale and is considered to have been an important part of Maya culture. The game was played on a T-shaped ball court, examples of which can be found at sites across Mexico and Central America. Players would wear heavy leather padding across their chest, arms and knees, along with a stone belt with which they would make contact with the ball. The aim of the game was to keep the ball (similar to a soccer ball but far heavier) from touching the ground and this was done by using the elbows, knees or hips. Points were scored if the ball was hit against a stone ring on the side of the court (above right, in the picture).

Exactly how the game was played is largely unclear, yet perhaps it’s the gruesome ending of a Maya football game that is most disputed. Many believe that the losing captain was beheaded and his life offered as a sacrifice to the gods. Others suggest that it was in fact the winning captain who was sacrificed; after all, it was important to offer the most valuable gift to gain favor with the deities. That someone was killed at the end of a game is the one thing that’s not in doubt.

Visiting Ball Courts at Chichen Itza and Tulum

Apart from being an admittedly high-risk sport, the ball games were also an integral part of religious observance during the centuries of pre-Columbian Maya civilization. Every community of significance had a ball court, and easily accessible examples can be found in both Chichen Itza and Tulum. Trips to both sites are within easy reach of the resorts along the Yucatan coast, and make for a great day trip from Playa Paraiso or Cancun.

Photo | Andy Jarosz

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Brazil 2014: The World Cup Comes to Salvador da Bahia

agosto 4th, 2011 | Posted by Iberostar Hotels & Resorts in The View - (0 Comments)

Brazil 2014 World Cup

There may have been some controversy in recent months about who should host the future soccer World Cup. Few people, however, were surprised when Brazil was awarded the honor of staging what is arguably the ultimate global sporting event. For the 2014 World Cup Brazil will host 32 of the world’s leading soccer nations in an event that will be watched by millions of people in the stadiums and billions more on TVs around the world. For many of the nation’s soccer fanatics, Brazil 2014 can’t come quickly enough.

World Cup in 2014

Twelve stadiums have been selected and the authorities in each of these cities are now racing to get everything ready in time. Salvador, the capital city of the state of Bahia, is one of the lucky host cities and will be keen to show its best features to the watching world. It is expected that the city will be packed with soccer fans from around the world and accommodations in Salvador are already getting booked up, almost three years before the World Cup kicks off.

Visiting Salvador da Bahia

Local tourism officials hope that soccer fans who come to Salvador will experience far more than just a sporting spectacle. The city is historically very significant and was the first to be established by the conquering Portuguese back in 1549 as Cidade de São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos (“City of the Holy Savior of the Bay of all Saints”) – a lovely name, to be sure, but happily shortened in the years since. As the main entry port into the New World, Salvador became an important center for slave trading. That legacy is seen today in the city’s multi-cultural population, with 80% of people having African roots, while the architecture of the city itself is distinctly Portuguese.

Think of Brazil and one of the first images you’ll paint in your mind is probably that of a beautiful beach. Salvador da Bahia is particularly attractive for those who value golden sand ahead of all else for their vacations. Thirty miles of beach stretch along the coast here, and the Porto da Barra beach was rated the 3rd best in the world by the British newspaper The Guardian.

Biggest ever Brazilian carnival?

Salvador is already popular with tourists and is Brazil’s most visited destination after Rio de Janeiro. For one Brazilian winter (June and July 2014), there will be another reason to visit this north-east corner of the country. To witness the annual Carnival is, according to locals, to see an unforgettable mix of color, noise and passion. I suspect that even this will pale in comparison to the party that Salvador will stage if Brazil wins the World Cup on its own soil.

Photo: Gov/BA

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