Things to Do in St John's

Blyde River Canyon is the third largest in the world and second deepest in Africa. Known as the “River of Joy”, its towering cliffs rise nearly 800 meters above the winding valley, providing backpackers and day hikers with epic views of the Drakensberg Mountain Range and the lush natural forests that make a trek through Blyde breathtakingly scenic.

Lucky visitors to the canyon may spot a pair of Taita Flacons—one of the most rare bird species in the world—near the Abel Erasmus Pass. Travelers can also get up close to some of South Africa’s other natural rarities too, like Three Rondavels viewpoint, where massive rocks spiral out of canyon walls. Hundreds of years of flowing waters have created Bourke’s Luck Potholes, natural rock sculptures that are recognized as one of the country’s most memorable geological formations.

A helpful information center is located near the mouth of the canyon, where man-made dams have crated placid pools perfect for swimming. Visitors can venture towards Blydesrivierpoort (near Swandini) and travel by boat across the dam to the scenic Tufa Waterfalls. Miles of well-marked trails make Blyde River Canyon a true hiker’s destination, but a wealth of canoeing, rock climbing and abseiling excursions mean there’s also plenty to occupy adventurers.

As one of five museums on Museum Island, the Bode Museum, formerly the Kaiser- Friedrich Museum, houses three separate collections of sculptures and treasures: the Museum of Byzantine Art (art from the West-Roman and Byzantine Empires from the 3rd to the 15th century), the sculpture collection (sculptures from the Early Middle Ages to the late 18th century), and the Numismatic Collection (coin cabinet). The cabinet is complemented by a gallery specifically for children. The museum, which opened in 1904 was renovated in 2006.

The Bode Museum’s architecture is impressive. In order to achieve the appearance of a building rising from water the architect arranged the three-winged building around several interior courtyards so that the exterior facades immediately bordered the banks of the river Spree. A dominating dome and two opulent staircases give the building the appearance of being stately. Seen from the water, the museum gives the impression of a gigantic ship above the waterline.

In the summer, the shore on the other side is a popular place for people to meet each other and hang out.

There are a number of places to scope out Singapore’s cityscape and the historic Boat Quay is among the best. Once the epicenter of maritime trade, the famous Quay now boasts loads of great restaurants and bars housed in well-preserved old shop houses. Complete with open-air terraces, these mainstays of the Quay are heralded for not only their terrific viewpoint, but reasonably priced sea food as well.

Open through the late hours of the evening, one can sit back there and take a midday break from the urban sightseeing or have a romantic dinner as the city lights glimmer on the waterfront. The pedestrian area also contains a few great nightclubs and pubs, for those looking to stay out a bit later.

Among the structures you can spot from the Quay are the Parliament House and Empress Place Building along the North Boat Quay Promenade as well as the famous Fullerton Hotel.

Since 1926 this city heritage site known for its rare antiques, old coins, Burmese jade and black market moneychangers has been a destination for locals and travelers alike. The halls of this crowded labyrinth are lined with bustling stalls where local artists sell traditional handicrafts, handmade clothes and hearty regional dishes.

Bogyoke Aung San Market has one of the largest selections of traditional longyi and gemstones, and since the first sale of the day is considered good luck, those who arrive early are likely to get some of the best prices. Travelers can watch jade being fashioned into earrings or bracelets and see clothes being stitched by hand on the second floor of Bogyoke.

Visitors looking to escape the intensity of the market and the sounds of the city can stop into the nearby Holy Trinity Cathedral for some peace and quiet contemplation.

A trip to Barcelona isn’t complete without sampling some of Catalonia’s renowned wines and the Bodegas Torres, Spain’s largest winery, is the perfect place to start. A sprawling vineyard dominating the famous Penedés region, the winery is owned by the legendary Torres’ family, whose wine and brandy making legacy dates back more than 140 years.

Less than an hour from Barcelona, the Torres Winery makes a popular day trip for both locals and tourists, where you’ll not only get the chance to sample some of the world-class wine varieties, but to tour the winery and learn about the winemaking process. Founded in 1870, the historic vineyards produce some of the region’s most acclaimed grapes, maturing their wines in small oak barrels similar to those produced in Bordeaux and exporting to over 120 countries around the globe. The barrels, wine cellars, fermentation tanks and bottling plants are all open to the public on the tours, along with the fascinating Torres Museum, where a multi-language audio visual presentation will fill you in on the area’s rich wine culture. Best of all, a small train will whisk you on a tour of the vineyards, where around 1,300 hectares of vines lie basking in the Catalonian sun.

Dr. Gunther von Hagens is a controversial German scientist who invented a new method for preserving human tissue called Plastination and has subsequently made his fortune exploiting it. His acclaimed, but somewhat macabre, exhibitions have travelled the world ceaselessly for the last 20 years and in that time have been visited by more than 40 million people. Today Von Hagens has set up six floors of permanent home in the former American Express building in Amsterdam’s city center; currently on show is Body Worlds: The Happiness Project, which is designed to highlight the beneficial effect of happiness and exercise on the human body. Display are not always for the faint-hearted, as they include human corpses stripped of their skins or in various states of dissection, some hale and hearty, some neatly sliced to illustrate disease – the smoker’s lungs would make anyone give up on the spot – as well as fetuses, but nevertheless the exhibition has proved so popular that time slots are required when booking.