You Can Have it All on the Costa Del Sol

!±8± You Can Have it All on the Costa Del Sol

This is a run down of some of the fantastic activities and reasons to overcome your preconceptions and try the Costa del Sol for your next holiday.

Skiing and sunbathing in one place

We all associate the Costa del Sol with fantastic beaches and the sparkling Mediterranean Sea and it's certainly a great place to soak up the sun, enjoy the fantastic atmosphere and nightlife. However, what many people don't know is Andalucía also offers Europe's Southern-most ski resort, with great skiing from December to the beginning of May.

This winter wonderland is just a stone's throw from the Costa del Sol and on a good day you can even see the sea from the slopes. In fact it's so close that you can enjoy hot sunshine on the coast in the morning and then be on the slopes within two hours to enjoy an afternoon of skiing!

The Sierra Nevada (Snowy Mountain Range) near Granada offers sunshine, good snow and a good mix of runs for beginners and intermediates, plus a handful of more challenging runs. Although it is not a huge resort, there are wide, well-pisted slopes, quick and efficient lifts and good restaurants and bars to rest those weary feet. Plus you can combine skiing with a day on the beach to recover before you head home.

Terrific towns and picturesque pueblos

This area of Spain has been slammed for its concrete tower blocks and non-existent town planning. However, don't be fooled by this negative press coverage, for every Torremolinos there are several stunning white villages nestled into the hillsides, not to mention vibrant, Spanish towns and cities with great architecture.

Marbella is a fantastic town with lots of charm, a predominantly Spanish population, a beautiful beachside promenade and tons of fantastic bars and restaurants. It is often confused with the nearby Puerto Banus and thought to be an expensive, flashy place, but in fact this is a very real, working Spanish town and merits a visit.

Marbella's hidden gem is its historic and picturesque Old Town, or 'casco antiguo'. This has changed little over the centuries and still features ancient architecture, a maze of narrow cobbled streets with charming white washed houses and beautiful plazas. At the centre is Orange Square, a beautiful and typically Andalucian square, full of orange trees and sweetly scented tropical plants. The Old Town is full of unusual shops and galleries, little chapels and churches, not to mention a fantastic selection of bars, cafes and eateries, and is a great place to explore.

The picturesque Pueblo Blancos 'white villages' are a typically Andalucian feature and have been well-preserved, yet little explored by most tourists. If you are able to hire a car then you can spend several days driving around the stunning countryside, exploring these little villages and stepping back into Andalucia's past.

The most beautiful is Casares., built on the mountainside around an ancient Muslim fortress. Despite its proximity to the coast it has been un-spoilt by tourism and you can spend hours wandering its quaint, narrow cobbled streets, taking in the breathtaking scenery and enjoying its sleepy old-fashioned feel.

A Sports Man's Dream

If you want to have an active holiday then the Costa del Sol is a fantastic choice. It features more than 35 18-hole courses and over 10 9-hole courses, as well as hosting high-profile tournament such as the Volvo Masters in October.

If you like tennis, there are 9 fantastic tennis clubs, as well as many outdoor courts attached to hotels and urbanisations. As the European city of Sport 2009 Marbella is putting on many events including The Andalucía Tennis Experience in April featuring Jelena Jancovik and Serena Williams competing for the crown. Puerto Banus is also hosting the Davis Cup semi-final between Spain and Germany in July.

The Costa del Sol is a perfect place for mountain-biking and hiking in the nearby hills and mountains. For the more adventurous a hike up the iconic La Concha is a must, but as it is as high as Ben Nevis it isn't to be underestimated. There are numerous companies offering quad-biking, horse riding and walking tours to help you make the most of the stunning scenery just minutes from the coastal resorts.

There are also a host of water sports to take advantage of the Med such as sea-kayaking, windsurfing, diving and kite surfing. Or if you want to stay dry, you can take to the sea for a spot of fishing, learn to sail, or to try to spot some of the native dolphins.

Andalucia's unique cultural treasures

Andalucía boasts some of the most amazing cities and the most breathtaking sights to be seen anywhere in the world.

There's the narrow, bustling cobbled streets and ancient architecture of the Jewish Quarter in Seville; the harmonious blend of two thousand years of Christian and Muslim religious history in the stunning Mezquita in Cordoba; the Alhambra set against the snow covered peaks of Sierra Nevada in Granada and the golden dome of Cádiz cathedral shimmering high over the white tipped waves of the blue Atlantic ocean.

These cities are just two or three hours away by car from the Costa del Sol and make fantastic day trips to spice up any Costa del Sol holiday itinerary.

Even closer to the coast is the lovely and often overlooked city of Malaga. Malaga is so much more than an airport. Its long history has left a host of beautiful monuments such as the Cathedral, Gibralfaro Castle, the Alcazaba and the Roman Theatre. There are also a selection of beautiful historical gardens, and over 20 different museums to choose from.

However, it's the city's artistic heritage that is its biggest claim to fame. Malaga was Picasso's birthplace, and has the fantastic Picasso Museum to honour and celebrate the city's most famous son. This gallery has over 200 examples of works by Picasso on permanent display, including oil paintings, sculptures, drawings, sketches, etchings and ceramics housed in a stunning 17th century Renaissance building.

Relax and Rejuvenate

A holiday in Spain is a great way to get rid of the stress and strain of working life. Visit some of the beautiful beach clubs, stroll down the promenade and enjoy the laid-back pace of life. In addition, there are some amazing luxury spas and health clubs where you can pamper yourself and ensure you come back rested, relaxed and rejuvenated.

If facials and treatments just aren't enough to achieve the desired result then you can combine a relaxing holiday with a spot of cosmetic surgery, for a truly rejuvenating trip! There are several clinics to choose from in this area and it can be a more affordable and discreet option than the UK. All clinics have fully-qualified, English-speaking surgeons, excellent after care and an opportunity to recover from the surgery before returning home.

Family Fun

Spain is a very family friendly place and kids are welcomed wherever you go. The Costa del Sol has a whole host of fantastic places to go and things to do. A day at Funny Beach is perfect for those who love amusement, speed and adrenaline. There is a go-karting track, trampolines, video games, electric bikes and cars, a pool, children's rides, as well as a restaurant serving kiddie-friendly fare and a bar with a live band on Sundays.

There are also a number of cinemas showing English films, children's theatre at the Black Box Theatre in Marbella, a bowling alley and of course fantastic beaches. There is also Tivoli World Amusement Park in Benalmadena, the water park in Mijas-Costa, Fuengirola Zoo and Selwo safari park in Estepona.

For more teenage fun, there are many good organisations on the Coast who offer such adventures as scuba diving, quad-biking, jeep safaris in the National Parks, mountain treks on horse-back, canyoning in the region's gorges, and paintballing.

Eating and Drinking

One of the many pleasures of a visit to the Costa del Sol is the fantastic food. There are so many restaurants to choose from, serving all types of food. The chiringuitos on the beach are great and tasty tapas is an excellent way to sample some of the local Spanish fare. You don't have to walk far to find great restaurants, the main problem is knowing which ones to choose.

Ask the Experts

If you want to find out more about places to visit and where to stay along the Costa del Sol, contact HolidayRentalontheWeb. HolidayRentalontheWeb.com offers a portfolio of fully-managed Costa del Sol self-catering accommodation from villas with heated pools, to luxury apartments, both beachside and on golf courses.

You Can Have it All on the Costa Del Sol

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The Fear of Sharks

!±8± The Fear of Sharks

Learning about the fear of sharks is important to find inner peace, taking control of your life being rid of inhibitions.

Shark fear is commonly known as galeophobia, when a person has a fear of sharks they will typically shy away from water activities, as I did, where there was any potential risk of encountering sharks. This is a very real debilitating fear that is often passed on to other family members and friends especially children. Other factors that people who fear sharks will typically avoid, include watching any movies or view images of sharks, as to them this in itself can be overwhelming. So why do people fear sharks?

Why people Fear Sharks

It is easy to accept that many men, women and children especially, fear sharks and shark attacks. Just the appearance of a shark can be very frightening to many people worldwide as we look at their body shape, having their mouths partially open, exposing rows of sharp teeth like steak knives. This mental image reinforces the fact that they are silent, finely tuned predators, which have evolved predating the Jurassic era, cruising the oceans depths in search of prey. Sharks can attack with tremendous force inflicting horrific wounds to victims that may have been mistaken for their normal prey or food source.

The main reason why people suffer from shark phobia known as (galeophobia) is seeing how they attack victims or prey, with death cold looking eyes that lack any emotion as they tear flesh from the bone. Media hype is the next biggest factor that generates fear in people about sharks, with prime examples of this being how the media plays on words of those that have fallen victim to a shark attack, or jump the gun in a story including the word shark as they know this plays on people's emotions. Throughout the years we have been accustomed and trained to think that sharks are the enemy that are out to kill humans, whereas this is far from the truth.

Signs and Symptoms, Shark Fear

Speaking from a personal viewpoint after being attacked by a shark, panic is an involuntary response that can be bought on by the sight of sharks or even talk about sharks from other people as this brings back images that are too ghastly to face. After my attack I found it very hard to deal with or hear people talking about sharks in the initial transitional period, as I learned more about sharks and how to cope with the fear I had. Even going to the beach standing in water up to my knees was terrifying as every movement, or sight that I saw, my mind was telling me that they were sharks and I had to get out of the water.

Some of the most common signs that people will give off include reluctance to talk about the "shark topic", have an increased heart rate as well as getting very nervous or anxious. Dizziness and metal anguish is all part of the phobia that can lead to stuttering, sleepless nights, shakes, cold sweats and nightmares as you relive the experience you have had or an experience that you may have seen over and over again. I tried not to show my fear to others even though I suffered from all of the above as I strived to deal with the fear I was holding onto, but with good close family and friends along with professional help talking to other shark researchers I made it through to the other side.

Shark Movies and Media Hype

Movies such as the Jaws series have reflected the shark in a very bad light portraying them as savage predators' intent on killing humans, worsening the plight of the sharks as well as creating a social acceptance that a dead shark is a good shark. The Jaws series created a real fear strengthening shark phobia in all that suffer from it, as well as having others follow suit. See the opening stages of the film with promotional material depicting a young woman having a peaceful swim, while the monster shark attacks from below dragging her to a gruesome death. This movie triggered an unrealistic amount of fear in many people that knew nothing about sharks, enforcing a fear with the attitude that it must be real.

Media hype is the worst it has been in many years as each year we hear the same things, seeing the same headlines like. "Sharks spotted off coastal beach." "Swimmer disappears possible shark attack" "Shark attacks boat" Or in my case where they over exaggerate by saying Kayak fisherman attacked by 7 to 8 metre shark. Media companies know that they can get great exposure for stories by making something sound bigger than it really is as well as playing on the emotions of people. Take the incident a year ago when a suspected Tiger shark attacked a boat, the media fails to tell you that they were hitting the shark on the head to move it away from the beach! I don't know about you? But if someone or something was hitting me on the head I would definitely retaliate.

Don't get me wrong here as shark attacks are very scary, especially when we read about surfers, divers, swimmers or others being attacked by sharks and dying due to blood loss, but we have to put this into perspective. More people die each year going to the beach in car accidents but we do not ban cars as they are deadly. In fact we have all swum in the sea with sharks in the very near proximity without even knowing they are there. This is because we do not generally give off the right scent or appearance of a shark's prey; however sharks do attack with the most likely cause being mis-identification of the possible food source.

Prime examples of this can be seen in locations such as Florida, South Africa and Australia where surfers especially, have been attacked. These areas that have higher shark populations should expect there to be more shark and human interaction as more people are spending time in or on the sea. It is my firm belief that most of these attacks are caused by the shark misidentifying the surfer for an example, for a seal. Contained within this page shark attacks on dive planet NZ it shows how a shark perceives a surfer, or swimmer in relation to a seal it's most common food source, especially the Great White (Carcharodon carcharias).

Why Protect Sharks

Sharks have been around Pre Jurassic era and they play a vital role in our oceans. Sharks have evolved throughout the centuries as scientists believe they are very similar but more than likely smaller than those millions of years ago. The sharks play a very important role keeping an equal balance in the marine eco system, cleaning up dead and dying species that they encounter, as well as maintaining the fine balance of life in our oceans. If you start to take away the top predators then other dire consequences will occur, with an over abundance of certain species that will intern have an impact on sub species. This can, and most likely will, lead to a total collapse of life on life above and below, in the food chain order. Just as we humans rely on the sea as a food source that provides us with important vitamins and minerals.

At the present rate we are slaughtering sharks for shark fin soup and other remedies at an alarming rate, being in excess of over 100 million sharks every year. At this present rate and pressure on the shark populations' many believe 90% of all species will be wiped out by 2030. If this happens we will surely see more industry collapses on a global front including, but not limited to, a direct effect of other life on planet earth.

Over seventy five percent of the world's oxygen is derived from our oceans!! So ask yourself;"Can we really keep up this pressure?" If our seas die and become a jelly filled sludge pond all life on earth may turn into that of Easter Island. So get proactive, take action, confront and find an understanding to join myself educating others about the importance of sharks. Not just for yourselves but for the benefit of your children and their grandchildren.

Proactive Documentaries about Sharks

Divers globally are taking the initiative in hand as we try to show the world the life that we have below the surface. Taking on the role advising others about the desperate plight the sharks are facing as we try to make a difference. Of all of these I admire Rob Stewart maker of Sharkwater! If you have not seen this movie/documentary, I highly suggest you watch it. Sharkwater looks into the makeup of our oceans and how all life depends on the upper and lower order.

Shark diving operations are playing another key role as they showcase the sharks close up as well as giving researchers a closer insight into the world of the sharks. There is so much to learn from this one particular species of fish that can be and are directly related, to improving the health and well being of humans.

Unanswered Questions

If you have questions about sharks in general, especially the Great White shark I invite you to look up the relevant information on websites that focus on the key points.

The Fear of Sharks

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