http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk The Villa Exchange and Holiday Blog Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:33:53 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en The current fluctuations in exchange rates make travelling to the US from Europe more expensive for those looking to travel from the UK and Europe.  Of course for those looking to do the reverse journey there has rarely been a better time to make the journey to Europe.  One great way ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/11/17/save-money-on-your-holidays-this-year/ Before going make sure you check all your paper work – many of the problems you might encounter while away can be resolved by spending 20 minutes a few days before departure checking everything is as you want.  Things to look out for include who to contact on arrival, do ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/11/11/more-top-tips-when-holiday-home-exchanging/ • Ensure the property you want to exchange is adequately furnished – for example a master bedroom should have where possible a bed, two bedside tables, drawers mirrors etc. Also ensure there is enough seating (internally and externally for the number of people your property can sleep) • Make sure your descriptions of ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/11/10/top-tips-for-holiday-home-exchangers/ With the strengthening of the dollar and the Euro against the pound, many owners who have bought properties overseas have been hit by the double whammy of increased running costs and possibly higher mortgage re-payments. If the properties are rented out, there is probably a third whammy in the form of ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/28/overseas-villa-owners-have-a-new-way-of-beating-the-credit-crunch/ Christopher Columbus claimed the island of Puerto Rico for Spain during his second trip in 1493, the island at that time was inhabited by Arawak and Taino Indians who were friendly compared with other Carib tribes inhabiting other islands of the Caribbean. The Taino Indians were quickly enslaved and put to ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/24/taino-indians-the-original-puerto-ricans/ When we think of Switzerland, we think of chocolate, cuckoo clocks, watches, skiing and wonderful scenery, amongst other things. Switzerland is divided into 3 cantons each bordering with different countries where different languages are spoken; Italian, French and German. Switzerland has remained neutral since the formation of the federal state in ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/24/switzerland-land-of-chocolates-and-cuckoo-clocks%e2%80%a6/ Located in central Italy along the Mediterranean coast, Tuscany is a hilly region known for its vineyards, olive groves and rolling landscape. The beautiful countryside is not all that Tuscany has to offer, as the stunning scenery surrounds beautiful towns and cities with renaissance art and architecture. [caption id="" align="alignleft" width="171" ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/15/experience-your-own-tuscan-dream/ One of our members recently exchanged their Cyprus Apartment for a week in San Lourenco in Quinta do Lago on the Algarve.  They were kind enough to write us this short note. Hello Michael We really enjoyed our stay in the apartment: it was very homely and had all of the conveniences ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/14/testimonial-villa-exchange/ It’s a well known fact that many recipes for famous French liqueurs, and even for Champagne, were produced by monks. Benedectine, as the name implies was produced by the Benedectine monks at the monastery of Fecamp in Normandy. The inscription on the bottle DOM stands for Deo Optimo Maximo, latin ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/09/chartreuse-benedictine-and-other-elixirs/   “Michael Winner is not welcome here!!” So said the sign at the entrance to a beach restaurant in Rodney Bay St. Lucia, in truth I would not be surprised to see similar signs outside most restaurants, that name must strike fear even to the most professionally run establishments! Sunday Times ... http://blog.selectexchange.co.uk/2008/10/09/%e2%80%9cmichael-winner-is-not-welcome-here%e2%80%9d/