Metro Manila Photo credit: shaun

Malls in Metro Manila

With summers hotter than ever thanks to global warming, the cool, air conditioned malls provide refreshing respite. Going to the mall is not all about shopping. It has replaced Luneta Park for strolling, exercising, and taking the family out for the weekend. It has replaced the old town squares where people went to hear music and buy food from nearby stalls, sit on benches and whisper among themselves. So if you are in Manila, leave your briefcases in the office for the day and check out some of the greatest shopping this city has to offer.

At the malls you can see famous foreign musicians for free, watch a fireworks display, and view art and photo exhibitions. Bands play and old people do aerobics. There are indoor playgrounds and water fountains. All the malls have the same stores, so first I will list the stores to look at in the malls, then list down the distinctive qualities of our top malls.

SHOPS

Surplus Shop: You can find a Surplus Shop in every SM Mall, but sizes tend to be small. For large sizes, go to Surplus Plus in Alabang Town Center. Surplus shops have export overruns of brands like Liz Claiborne, DKNY, Anne Klein, Gap, et al.

For good local designer clothes there is Maldita, Bayo, CMG, People Are People, Bench, HerBench, Nothing But Water, Kamiseta, Plains & Prints, Top Shop, Folded and Hung, Tubbies (for large sizes). For shoes try Celine’s, Capezio, Janylyn and Via Venetto. For knickknacks there are Dream Catcher and Papelmelroti.

Where to Eat

There are also a lot of good places to eat. For Filipino food the staples are Aristocrat and Max Fried Chicken both of which have been around since world war II. There is also Bangus, Dencio’s, and Gerry’s Grill. Jollibee is the Philippine’s answer to Mcdonald’s. For a good pub experience there is San Mig. For affordable pastas and sweets there is Delifrance. A good local coffee shop is Figaro.

THE BEST MALLS

In Manila

The Mall of Asia is Asia’s biggest mall, owned by Shoe Mart and built with an Olympic sized skating rink because at one time the Philippines hoped to host the Olympic games. There is this amazing bridge which leads to Manila Bay and as you walk along the bridge there is this wonderful frame which captures the sunset perfectly as though you were looking through a picture window. The bridge leads to Manila Bay which at night comes alive with so many choices of eating stalls and bands here and there. But even in the Mall of Asia itself the nightlife is pretty amazing with courtyards of restaurants and music and people everywhere. All events that matter happen in this mall and in its adjoining convention center.

In Makati

The Fort: Just off Makati’s edge is the Fort. I love the fort. At Serendra there are lovely restaurants of varied cuisines. It is also a very pleasant walking experience. An adjoining mall on one side has upscale shops. The garden walkways lead to posh boutiques. Further down is Market Market with affordable buys.

Greenbelt Mall is a must. Socialites, actors and actresses go to posh shops, restaurants and clubs in the new wing. Have a pizza at DiMark’s, listen to music or watch a stand up comedian at Merck’s, or club hop.

Glorietta Shopping Mall: Beside the uber posh Shangrilah hotel and near Manila Peninsula, Glorietta has everything including crowds of people. Well, if you like everything you won’t be disappointed.

Rockwell Power Plant Mall: This place reminds me of Washington DC’s Pentagon Mall. Very upscale, a place for only the wealthy. There are some good vintage stores, and stores and products that are exclusive to Rockwell like Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Lovers line.

Heading South

Alabang Town Center: Go to Rustan’s for quality local designs. Great Filipiniana is found here and lovely clothes by top local designers. There are also top foreign brands like DKNY, etc. ATC also has two flea markets with Korean and good local buys.

Festival Supermall: NOW they have pearls, so if Greenhills is too far for you, try going here. The basement jewelry stalls also can make jewelry to your design for as little as P100 (US $2) while you wait. There is also a good modern Filipiniana area.

Pasig City:

Tiendesitas: This pet friendly mall has good local food, clothes, accessories, antiques, handicrafts and furniture. You can also experience riding a calesa through the complex.

San Juan:

Greenhills: This is where foreigners go to buy pearls. There are some 2000 stores here.

Shangri-la Mall: This is a lovely mall. The Repertory Theatre is here. It is also adjacent to the Shangrila EDSA hotel. The art plaza and old antique shops are great.

This is a guest post by Mona Gonzalez who writes for Briefcases Direct, a website that offers luxury briefcases direct from the manufacturer. She is a veteran writer of some 30 years in her country, the Philippines and has covered a range of topics from business to lifestyle and travel. Mona grew up travelling and studying at schools in Europe, the United States and Asia as the daughter of a diplomat. She later settled again in the Philippines with her husband, daughter, and three dogs.

Photo credit goes to: Sharkie

Discover the Secrets of Togo!

Tucked into the Gold Coast of West Africa is the Vermont-sized country called Togo. This “slice of African life” is the perfect place for the adventure-seeker searching for the REAL Africa.  So put down your purses and briefcases and prepare to unlock a few of the secrets of Togo!

After passing through airport customs, taxi procurement could be a traveler’s first lesson in bargaining.  Be sure to ask within the airport what the going rate to your accommodations should be.  Taxi trips within most of the capital city of Lome should incur a standard rate, with increases only for the outer-most limits of the city.

The Grande Marche (market) is the focal point of business in Lome.  Any household product and most foods are for sale somewhere within the multi-level structure.  Butchered meat and fresh fish, smoked fish and livestock, flowers, freshly baked bread, vegetables, spices and minerals for cooking abound on the ground floor.  Local fabric and imported cloth as well as items for fetishes occupy the second level, and (mostly) second-hand clothing and shoes are on the third floor.  Portions of the market operate every day, but Market Day is always Saturday.

Lome’s beautiful beachfront is lined with palms and small juke-box bars.  Though the climate is tropical, swimming in the Gulf of Guinea is not recommended due to a very strong undertow.  Evening visits to the beach should be avoided since petty crime in the area is a problem.

Visitors may also wish to visit Togo’s National Museum, the Voodoo Market, Lake Togo, the University of Lome, the 2 Fevrier Hotel – the city’s tallest building, and the artisan’s village of Togoville.

Independent travel northward in the country sometimes requires a lot of patience!  Most locals consider “time” a luxuriously slow commodity. Tourists may desire to rent a vehicle with a local driver.  Taxis travel at all hours up and down the single major highway reaching from Lome to Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta), its neighbor to the north.  The cheapest (and most uncomfortable) form of travel is the “bache” – a small, foreign-made pickup truck with a wooden frame built over the truck bed.  Passengers ride under the frame sitting on narrow wooden benches, while all the baggage (anything from live animals to motorcycles) is tied on the top of the frame.

Other cities and climates to visit within diversified Togo include:

*Kpalime, northwest of Lome, a beautiful city in the hills with Mt. Agou nearby.

*Kloto is famous for its craft center where locals create colorful batiks which depict scenes from African life.

*Atakpame, a major travel hub, located about one-quarter of the way up the country.  A paved road carries tourists west on a winding mountain drive, arriving in Badou – a center of the cocoa trade.  Taxi drivers know the “cascade” and will drive visitors the short distance to the village of Akloa.  Leave the taxi where the road curves into Tomegbe, and find a child or young adult to guide you to the waterfall.  The few francs you pay are well-worth the hike up the mountain to the crystal-clear waters falling into a pool where you may take a refreshing swim.  Some people profess that these are healing waters.  Along the trail through the cocoa grove forest, you will see colorful birds and butterflies, and remarkable insects.

*Lama Kara in the north is the home of the Kabye people.  Fresh-water fishing, fields of yams, cotton, kapok, and peanuts provide a living.  This region is more arid and less densely populated.  Not far away in Sara Kawa, a monument marks the spot where former President Eyedema’s airplane crashed; he escaped unharmed.

*Keran National Park and Wildlife Reserve is in Naboulgou and is a popular focal point for tourists.  Guided tours are available for viewing elephants, buffalo, antelope, monkeys, squirrels, and less frequently, lions and panthers.  There is a hotel located near the park.  Two other wildlife and nature reserves, Kamassi and Koue, are located near the border with Ghana in the Fazao Mountains west of Sotouboua.

Always observe what is happening around you.  Traditions and customary life abound.  Watch the women grinding corn or making foufou from plantains; buy some roasted corn or peanuts from the children on the street.  Enjoy the freshly-baked bread in the market.  This is all part of daily life in Togo.

At any time a visitor may stumble into a village where a ceremonial wedding dance or funeral is ongoing.  The colorful traditions are not to be ignored, though it is wise to ask permission before intruding.  The village chief is likely to invite you into his home for a drink of the local brew or the bottled Togolese beer. Don’t forget to pour a few drops onto his dirt floor to honor the ancestors!

This is a guest post by Tania Kidd who writes for Briefcases Direct, a website that offers luxury briefcases direct from the manufacturer.  She is a former high school English teacher who has published her own dog-breed magazine for ten years.  She served as a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer in Togo, West Africa, and has also traveled in Europe and Mexico.  She makes her home in So. California.

Rome... Photo credit: Lin Biddle

Have just about 24 Hours or Less in Rome? Maria tells you how to make the best of your visit…

Perhaps you’re a business traveler in town for an important meeting or maybe a wayward traveler just pass through – but you only have 24 hours or less in this ancient city and don’t know where to go. While Rome certainly wasn’t built in one day, you may find there are still many things you can see in Eternal City. So whether you travel with a leather briefcase or a rucksack, you’ll find that Rome has many sites to see, places to go and lots of new experiences!
Morning:

Why not stop at any café and go for a real Italian breakfast? Grab an espresso and a cornetto (their version of the croissant) and do it like the locals – stand at the bar while chatting with the bartender (or smile and nod, if your Italian isn’t up to par) – this is a great way to start the day and cheaper than sitting at a table where you’ll be charged a coperto (cover fee)!

It’s best to start at the Vatican City and viewing the vast Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square). If you’re there on a Wednesday, you may be luck enough to get a glimpse of the Pope. Entering the St. Peter’s Basilica is free, so the lines may be long. It’s worth it, especially since you’ll be able to glimpse Michaelangelo’s masterpiece the Pieta, which depicts Mary holding Jesus in her arms after the crucifixion. If you have a bit more time, a visit to the Sistine Chapel to see the ceiling fresco is a must!

Midday:

If the morning’s activities made you hungry, then stop by a typical Italian pizzeria – the light and crispy dough, topped with fresh tomatoes, basil and cheese will be forever embedded in your memory and never make you want to eat another Domino’s or Pizza Hut pie.

Walk, bike or take the Metro to Rome’s most colossal monument – the Colosseum. Over 2000 years old, this ancient engineering wonder seated over 50,000 spectators who came to watch such sights as dramas, animal hunts, battle recreations, sea battles and, of course, gladiator matches. Today, most of this structure still stands and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Rome.

Now, it’s time for something a little more “modern” (compared to 70 BC, anything, even from 1629, seems modern.) Another of Rome’s top tourist spot is the Trevi Fountain, a massive water fountain, filled with columns, tritons and seahorses in a wild parade. Make sure you toss in a coin to ensure your return to Rome, then make your way to the Spanish Steps, which, ironically enough, were built by funds from the French. Sit on the steps with a cool drink as you sit and watch tourists rush around.

Rome's fountain..... Photo credit: Lin Biddle

Afternoon:

If it’s still light, take a peek inside the Pantheon to look at the large dome, which has an occulus (opening) to the sky. The Pantheon was built as a temple to the gods, then later turned into a church, and even a tomb (Raphael and composer Corelli are interred here.) Dozens of restaurants, cafes, shops and gelaterias turn the area into one of the liveliest in the city – sit at an outdoor café table and enjoy an apertif, some fresh pasta, and dig into some rich tiramisu as you celebrate your, albeit brief, stay in this wonderful city.

This is a guest post by Maria Freeman who writes for Briefcases Direct, a website that offers luxury briefcases and a unique rolling briefcase selection direct from the manufacturer. She is a freelance writer and self-appointed world traveler who left San Francisco to travel the world, starting in Asia and made her way through Western Europe in 3 months. Maria is based in Manila, Philippines and spends more than half of every year seeking out new adventures, great food and the best bargain shopping in the world.

Lefkada town by night Photo credit: Graham Green

My beautiful Lefkada

Close and lock the office, pack your <a href=”http://www.briefcasesdirect.com/”>briefcase</a> away, because you are coming away on vacation to my wonderful and ancient Greek island of Lefkada. It is not easy to miss the masts of all the yachts and catamarans berthed alongside the many jetties in the marina of Lefkada town. In the winter, sitting at a table having lunch in one of the many harbor front taverns, or sitting in one of the cafes, sipping a strong Greek coffee, being lulled by the sound of the rigging ropes tap tap tapping against the masts in the wind, it is easy to daydream oneself back to summer, remembering those carefree halcyon days, sailing the crystal clear waters of the Ionian sea.

Summer is when my island comes alive, with tourists visiting from all corners of the world; from Australia, Canada, the USA and Europe, to mention just a few. Lefkada has a bustling economy in the winter, even though we only have a population of about twenty thousand, but come the summer, the roads are crowded, kids and families laze on the beaches and swim in the sea, and the taverns, coffee shops and bars do a roaring trade.

Engremi beach in Lefkada Photo credit: Graham Green

Sailing, along with the typically lazy beach vacations are the backbone of tourism here, with the calm, sparkling clear waters of the Ionian Sea, and myriad small ports and island ports calling to visitors in their yachts, probably not unlike the Sirens of ancient Greek mythology.

Sailing is a wonderfully stress free vacation, just the sound of the wind in the sails and the water rushing round the hull as you cut through the wave to your next destination. Maybe it will be famed Ithaki, legendary home of Odysseus, or perhaps you will skirt round Skorpios, the private island owned by the Onassis family.

Dolphins and sea turtles (Caretta Caretta) are abundant in these waters so always have the camera at the ready; it is not unusual to see schools of young dolphins showing off to each other, leaping from the water with the utmost agility and grace.

The beaches here on Lefkada are like chalk and cheese, from one side of the island to the other, with shallow calm waters on the east, ideal for yachting and all manner of boating, to the west, dominated by steep cliffs and almost inaccessible beaches, with crystal clear waters that shimmer an exquisite turquoise in the sunlight.

Maybe you are a “culture vulture” and enjoy exploring old buildings and studying the history of a place when you are there. Here in Lefkada, you are spoilt for choice, with ancient ruins, not so ancient monasteries, and a town that has small narrow streets and alleys, with little gems hidden around every corner.

My wife and l live in Lefkada. We are semi retired, love our cycling in the winter when the roads are quiet, and enjoy the odd coffee or three in our favorite taverns in town when I take a break from the writing. I say town, it is really a very large village. Coming here four years ago gave me the opportunity to write, and for Deb to put her feet up. Our children and grandchildren are far away, so when they visit, we make as much fuss of the girls as we can, all four of them.

So now, maybe I have painted a wonderful canvas for you. Open invitations extends to all those that want to step in and discover our islands secrets. The best thing about living here has to be the wonderful peace and calm that is daily life, but above all, when the tourists leave after summer is over, and the roads become quiet again, we get our island back for ourselves.

This is a guest post by Graham Green

According to the legend, Kerala was prospering under the reign of the demon king Bali. People were happy as there was no discrimination amongst based on caste or creed, no poverty and no disease. His growing popularity some what threatened the Gods. He was tricked by Vamana – Vishnu into giving up his entire kingdom. Vamana dressed as a sage asked the king for three steps of land. The egoistic King Bali guffawed and granted the sage his wish.

The sages in his first step covered the entire earth and by second the entire heaven. By now, the king knew that he was no ordinary sage. To honor his words King Bali asked the sage to place the third step on his head; following which he was kicked into the nether world.  However, before that the benevolent King was granted a wish – that on a day each year the king will be allowed to return to the earth and to be with his people and see the kingdom he once ruled. Since then Onam is observed by all Keralites as the return of their favorite ruler. The festival is celebrated by all malayalees despite their religion.

snake boat race

Onam falls in the month of August / September. This 10 day long festival comes with highlights such as Snake boat race (Vallamkali) on river Pampa, intricately designed flower mats in the front courtyard of the house made by family members to welcome King Bali (pookalam), dance merriment and of course Onam sadya which by the way is purely vegetarian by nature.

Pookalam

Onam Asamsakal!

How can there be a festival without yummy food! Check out for Kerala recipes whole of month of August and September 2010 on Akshayapatram.

Simonstown Harbour Photo credit: Andrew Massyn

A Holiday In South Africa? An Unforgettable Experience!

South Africa is truly the perfect holiday destination for the whole family. As you arrive, you will immediately notice how friendly the people of South Africa are. What a way to begin a perfect vacation in a country that has everything to offer! Whether you decide to have a holiday filled with adventure, plenty of vibrant nightlife, and great shopping, in one of the larger cities, or opt for a quieter holiday in one of the smaller areas of South Africa, you will be assured of a holiday to remember for the rest of your life. So pack your briefcases and get ready for the experience of a lifetime!

Clifton and Camps Bay in Cape Town are the places to be if you want to rub shoulders with millionaires. Here is where you can soak up the sun on beautiful white sandy beaches as you watch the beautiful people partying on their yachts in the bay. Further along the coast is Hout Bay, where you can enjoy a day at the famous World of Birds, or perhaps enjoy a meal at one of the many fabulous restaurants – any seafood you order here is almost guaranteed to be fresh from the ocean! A little further along you get Fish Hoek and then Simonstown, where the SA Navy has its base. Also, taking a walk along the main road of this little village is an experience in itself, with the really quaint little shops, tea rooms, and restaurants. A short distance from here is where you’ll find Gordon’s Bay – a little coastal village with great beaches, restaurants, and other activities to keep you busy.
Also along this coastline of South Africa, you will come across the beautiful Tsitsikamma Forest that has much to offer the visitor. Apart from outdoor activities such as hiking, boat trips, fishing, and caves to explore, you can also enjoy the unique canopy tours that are available in the forest itself. This involves gliding 30 meters above the forest floor, on ten slides, to ten different platforms, where you can survey the lush greenery below. Really a great experience!

Still higher up the coast is Jeffreys Bay, home of the perfect wave, and an absolute delight to surfers and sun worshippers alike. Not only is this area world famous for the surfing opportunities it offers, but also the variety of near-perfect shells that are washed up on the shore daily. Be sure to visit the amazing shell museum in the town! Dolphin sightings are a daily occurrence and even the whales love Jefferys Bay – they come back every year to calve, between May and October!

Canal Wall Mall in Cape Town, South Africa Photo credit: Andrew Massyn

Going inland, you will experience a totally different side of South Africa, The Karroo, South Africa’s huge central plateau that is considered to be the heart of the country. From dramatic rugged mountain ranges, to dry open plains, this is where you will experience the timelessness of Africa.

Of course, everywhere in South Africa, you will find fabulous restaurants, superb accommodation to suit all budgets, and really great shopping opportunities.

This is a guest post by Lynette who writes for briefcases and is really fortunate to live in the Western Cape, South Africa, with her two dogs and two cats.

Pic credit: australiaphotos.co.uk

Australia is a land of opportunity, a magical place full of contrasts, a land of tropical rainforests, snow capped mountains, and a dry, red dusty interior where only the brave or foolish venture. If you are not prepared, the interior takes no prisoners. But the one thing guaranteed to stop you in your tracks is the coastline. Wherever you go, you will not miss the briefcase you left at the office.

With sweeping beaches which seem to carry on forever, craggy cliffs with dramatic surf relentlessly pounding the rock face into myriad shapes, as well as some of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Small bays and harbors make the Australian coastline, some thirty seven thousand kilometers, one of the most diverse in the world.

To place that in perspective, the Australian coastline is almost one and a half times the circumference of the Earth at the equator. There is something there for everyone, from small, sandy bay beaches accessible only from the sea, to the long, sweeping beaches of the north, such as those to be found around the coast of Queensland and the Northern Territories.

A Mecca for sailing, Fremantle on the west coast is the port city and marina area of the City of Perth, Western Australia. A cosmopolitan and vibrant city and district, it is home to one of the largest descendent populations of Italians in the world, and is known for its café culture and Mediterranean feel “al fresco eating culture.

“Cappuccino Strip” is the place to go to sample the wonderful Italian café culture of this most wonderful of cities.

If you are in the east, Sydney, the capital of New South Wales is home to famous Bondi beach, loved by sun worshippers, a magnet for hunks in trunks and girls in itsy bitsy bikinis and not much else; it is an icon of what Australian beach life is all about. It is always packed, so be there early to get a good spot.

Byron Bay beach, the most easterly point of Australia is a popular surfing beach, and over the last forty years has transformed from a quiet backwater into a thriving and popular beach resort, popular with surfer dudes and chicks, as well as those seeking more of an “alternative lifestyle”.

Alternatively, the Great Ocean road is a is a route worth following, from east to west along the southern coast, taking in small coves and bays, peaceful villages and small town Australia, as well as finding some fabulous surfing. The water can be cold, due to the currents coming up from the Southern Ocean.

Take a trip inland a little and discover the ancient rainforests, or take a trip on a boat and get some fishing in. Whether it is from a chartered boat or from a quiet jetty somewhere, this is some of the best fishing in the world. A visit to Bateman’s Bay, not only for the fishing, but also the culture will satisfy most peoples’ requirements of a relaxing, unhurried getaway vacation.

Australia cannot be “done” in a lifetime. There is too much of it. To go there is to want to go back again and again, and if you love the sea and the coast, it will call to you always.

The Top three on podium

Manx Missile makes it 5, Contador makes it 3!

The 20^th & final Stage of the TdF was from Longjumeau to Paris Champs-Élysées, a distance of 102.5km. The last stage in the three week long Grand Tour, it was almost a formality for the peleton to roll into the city of Paris and finish on the streets of Champs-Élysées. With only the Green jersey & the final stage winner to be decided upon, the whole of the peleton kept a steady pace till they entered the city streets, with the Astana team doing the honors of bringing in the Yellow jersey leader Alberto Contador to the finale. As predicted by me in yesterday’s post it was Mark “Manx Missile” Cavendish who blasted out every other sprinter at the finish to win the final stage of the Tour. Also, as predicted in the same post, Alessandro “Ale Jet” Petacchi did go on to win the Green jersey for this year’s Tour.

Cavendish makes it 5 for this Tour

The start town of today, Longjumeau is hosting the tour for the first time. This town, with a population of around 20,000, is located less than 20 km away from Paris in the Essonne department. Almost like the last town between the town and country, Longjumeau is surrounded by fields and crops, making it a breath of fresh air, only a few km outside Paris. Along the banks of the Yvette River and its affluent the Rouillon River, the town is famous for the honey its bees produce and Longjumeau Honey is often gifted to newly-weds and new-born babies.

A Ritual on Paris Champs-Élysées!

The end stage is set in Paris Champs-Élysées, the traditional finish spot for the TdF since the late 70’s. The street of Champs-Élysées, one of the busiest in Europe filled with the brand stores & cafes, thronged by millions of people daily closes down fully for traffic only twice in a year, once for the Bastille’s Day celebration on July 14^th every year and then for the last stage of the tour. The peleton as usual makes its way into the city & then does 8 rounds on the streets before finishing on the straights of the Champs-Élysées.

RadioShack team in Black as the best team

The race started of with a delay, as the team RadioShack had come in an All Black jersey with 28 printed at the back for all nine riders to commemorate the 28 million people suffering from Cancer across the world and who are part of Livestrong. The race organisers did not allow them to start & they had to change into their team colours, while all the other teams waited at the start line.

Contador making the final rounds

Immediately on start, Contador made a false breakaway & was joined by Schleck and by the others all in the spirit of the sport. Soon thereafter the peleton started rolling steadily.

Once the peleton reached Paris, there were the usual moves by riders to try & breakaway. One such breakaway did form with Anthony Roux of Française des Jeux, Remy Pauriol of Cofidis, Nicki Sorensen of Saxo Bank, Sandy Casar of Française des Jeux, Christophe Riblon of AG2R-La Mondiale, Tony Martin of HTC-Columbia, Karsten Kroon of BMC Racing, Christian Knees of Milram, Alan Perez of Euskaltel-Euskadi, Danilo Hondo of Lampre-Farnese Vini and Aitor Perez of Footon-Servetto. They did work together for a long time and stay out in the front, but their lead never got over 30secs on the peleton.

In the front of the peleton, HTC-Columbia was doing the hard work supported in some level by Team Sky. In the end, the breakaway was reeled in, and Cervalo Test team’s Burt Lancaster did set up Thor Hushovd for a final sprint. But as soon Hushovd started out, Ale Jet was on his wheel and broke away on his left. The Manx Missile, who was lead in by the HTC Columbia train, was on Ale Jet’s wheel and he immediately made his own move & flew away from the rest & won with several bike lengths to spare.

Ale Jet in Green

With this emphatic win, his 15^th stage win in three tours, Cavendish has become the first sprinter to defend the final stage win on the Champs-Élysées. Ale Jet, having come second, defended his Green jersey and became the first rider ever to win the Green jersey in all the three Grand Tours (Italy, Spain & France).

Alberto Contador finished in the peleton along with all the other riders and ensured that he bags his 3^rd TdF crown. He joins a group of 9 other riders who have won the TdF thrice. Though mention must be made that he never won a stage in the tour this time around!!

For several riders, Lance Armstrong of Team RadioShack, Christophe Moreau of Caisse D’Epargne, Koos Moerenhout of Rabobank,..etc it was a goodbye to the Tour, one last time. Many riders like Robbie McEwen, Robbie Hunter, Chris Horner, …etc. who have not officially said goodbye, but are surely going to be missed next year.

The Manx Missile, happy about his second straight win on the Champs-Élysées said, “I came around the last corner and I just jumped and started my sprint. It’s different on the Champs-Elysées to every other sprint in the Tour de France where you kind of have save as much energy as possible because every day is so hard. In Paris you’ve got nothing to save your energy for so you just go balls-out to the line and that’s kind of what I did today. I’m disappointed this year not to win the green jersey. I set out to do so – it was a target for this year – but I had some bad luck in the first days and was out of the running but the team fought back, did our best and I lost it by 11 points. But we won five stages and we’ve got to be happy with this year’s Tour. In the first week there was nothing that could be done about the bad luck but the team rode incredibly strongly throughout the early days and I was the weak link at the end of it. But they never gave up faith and they continued to lead me out and it takes a special group of guys to do that. It’s not just the riders but the soigneurs, the management, the mechanics… everyone in the team. I’m so lucky to part of a group of people who give 100 per cent whatever the outcome. It’s frustrating not to have the best out come when they’ve also done such a good job. It was just a case of trying to make amends. Finally I did and we just got on a roll after that. Obviously if you win, you get confidence. If you get confidence, you win… it rolls like that and it came out to be a pretty successful Tour so I’m pretty happy.”

Contador celebrates with team

Contador after winning the Tour said, “It is a Tour in which I had a lot of pressure, especially physically as I was not at my best level. It took a lot of confidence to face difficult situations. For example, everyone said I had already won the Tour after the stage to the Tourmalet. But we saw yesterday, in the race against the clock, that it was not fully played out. Today is therefore a great relief for me, it is a moment that I feel like I’ve been liberated from all the pressure. The three wins are all very different. The first, in 2007, had something special, precisely because that was the first. Last year, the context was difficult and this made it difficult. And this year I have had difficult moments, but I could count on a strong team. I realize that each year I gain in experience. I know better manage a team throughout the race. Now I am happy to enjoy this victory and I’ll take a good vacation.”

Andy with fans

Andy Schleck, who fought long and hard all through this tour said, “It’s a completely different feeling to when I came second in 2009. I got up there and look at the yellow jersey now and I realize I was so close – but in the end it’s so far away. I almost had it. I wore yellow for six days and I’m more than sure that I want to do better. I have a meeting on the Champs-Elysées next year with the yellow jersey. I’ll be back to win it. Right now it’s a bit difficult to understand all that’s happened because I’m in the middle of it all. It’s better to see from the outside. The people I’ve spoken to who have looked on say it’s been a really beautiful Tour and now I really need some time in the next week to sit back and maybe take it all in. I’m not going to watch the replays. I don’t want to watch myself on TV – I’m not in love with myself. But I have to enjoy it a little bit. I’m not going to brew on the 39 seconds. I’m finished thinking about that. It’s behind me now. It’s pretty funny though because yesterday when I finished the time trial, I said to my room-mate Nicki, ‘If I lose, I hope it’s like 45 or 50 seconds.’ I told him that I hoped it wasn’t going to be 39 seconds. I get to the hotel at the end of the stage and he reminds me that it’s 39 seconds. Ah well, it’s over and it’s lost. Right now I don’t know what’s going to change but we’ll all find out soon enough.” That comment in the end tells me that we have seen the last of the Schleck brothers in the Saxo Bank team!!

Anthony Charteau as King of Mountains

At the end of Tour de France 2010 the overall race results are as follows. Alberto Contador of Team Astana wins the Tour & bags his third Yellow jersey. Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre wins his first Green jersey at the Tour de France. Andy Schleck of Team Saxo Bank wins the White jersey for the third consecutive year. Anthony Charteau of Bbox Telecom wins the King of the Mountain jersey for TdF 2010. Team RadioShack wins the Best Team in the race award. Sylvain Chavanel of Quick Step wins the “super-combatif” prize for being the most aggressive rider in Tour de France 2010.

With this post, my journey at TdF 2010 ends. Its been a fantastic three weeks of cycling & racing against the clock. The tour has given so many insights to so many, hopefully, I will be there next year too to cover another Grand Tour, maybe with more insights than this year….:)

So till next year…:)

Au revoir…

Email : mrquizmaster@gmail.com

Cancellara in the world champion jersey at the finish line

Andy fights, Cancellara flies, Contador still in Yellow!

The 19^th Stage of the TdF was from Bordeaux to Pauillac, a distance of 52km and was the only Individual Time Trial Stage in this year’s TdF. Set over a very flat course with open vineyards on both sides & the breeze coming over the shoulder & sometimes against you, this stage was the final battleground for the top position on this year’s podium at Paris. As predicted by me in yesterday’s post – it was Fabian Cancellara of Team Saxo Bank who pulled his World Time Trailing Champion jersey on and showed everyone why he is still the no.1 time trialist in the world. He went out on the course and set the race course on fire with a ride averaging over 51km/hr!! (And for all those doubting Thomases, TdF officials did check his bike & everyone else’s too, but were unable to find the hidden motor or the gear trigger to switch the motors on/off!!) Schleck did come out throwing punches and some of them did land too, but the stronger rider in the form of Contador ultimately won the day.

The start town of today, Bordeaux is hosting the tour on its 80^th visit. This city, also called as the City of Festivals, is world renowned for its wine & vineyards. A city with lots of cultural influences, there are seven museums, eight libraries, a fine arts school, many entertainment and exhibition venues, as well as international events and a national opera too. Located at the heart of 27 municipalities that make up the urban area home to a population of 800,000 people, Bordeaux has 240,000 inhabitants within its confines and is twinned with 19 cities around the world and welcomes 70,000 students to its universities.

In contrast the finishing stage town of Pauillac is hosting the tour for the very first time. With a population of around 5,000 this town is also a very big resource for all oenophiles. Half way between Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave, Pauillac stretches along the banks of the Gironde, Europe’s biggest estuary. It was from here in 1777 that La Fayette set sail to America to help it obtain its independence. However, its name is especially well known throughout the world thanks to its prestigious wine appellation: with 37 châteaux that share 1,200 hectares of vineyard and 18 great classed growths in 1855, including three first great classed growths (the famous Châteaux Latour, Lafite-Rothschild and Mouton-Rothschild), Pauillac is the wine capital of the Médoc area. Visits to cellars, the village of wine and gourmet delights in Bages, ..etc. all contributes to making Pauillac today one of the most visited wine tourism destinations in France.

Cancellara is all concentration

The stage began at Bordeaux with Bert Grabsch of HTC Columbia being the first to leave, as he was the last placed rider at the end of Stage 18. The 2008 world champion soon showed that inspite of a tough TdF 3 weeks, he still had the legs to power around the course and set the pace for the rest. The only person who could beat him initially was his teammate Tony Martin who eclipsed his times at each of the three checks and became the first to finish the stage at an average of over 50km/hr. And then came Fabian Cancellara who just blew the rest of the riders away with a might performance. Despite the fact that he had put in some heavy duty time at the front of the peleton during the many mountain stages in the service of Andy Schleck, specially on the Col du Tourmalet, Spartacus as Cancellara is known, rode away to an incredible time of 1hr 56secs for the 52km course, 17secs faster than Martin, who had the best time at that point.

Some of the other riders who finished were Cadel Evans who was behind by 10min 45secs, Armstrong by 7min 05secs, Leipheimer by 5min 59secs, Millar by 4min 20secs, Zabriskie “Captain America” by 3min, Wiggins by 3min 33secs, Vinokourov by 5min 32secs and Sastre by 6min 30secs. As the wind started picking up later in the day, it was becoming increasingly difficult for any of the riders to make a better time than Cancellara.

Looks like Sanchez knew even before he started!

Much was made of Samuel Sanchez being 3^rd with 21secs lead over Denis Menchov, but Menchov put in a super ride to not only wipe out the deficit but also climb into the third place with a lead of over 1min 39secs over Sanchez!!

The silent assasin - Menchov into 3rd place

But the whole world was waiting for the ride of Schleck in this stage and having no history of ever having beaten Contador in time trialing ever, Andy put in the ride of his life. Staring very strong, he clawed back his time deficit to almost 3secs at the 30km stage. But with the strong wind taking a heavy toll on and his posture on the bike being not as aerodynamic as Contador’s, that was the closest he could come to getting his Yellow jersey back. With 7kms to go, Andy weakened & Contador showed his class by putting in a strong finish to roll in 31secs ahead of Schleck. So with this Contador almost for sure bags his third TdF title. Andy Schleck also will win the White jersey for the 3^rd time again, a feat achieved by the great German Jan Ullrich in the past.

Andy time trialing

Cancellara who won this stage said, “I’m truly happy about the victory. Time trials over an hour are insanely demanding where you have to keep focus every second of the way to hold the rhythm and pressure on the pulse. On the paper, the course looks pretty flat and easy but believe me it was lumpy and the headwind forced me to dig deep within myself to come up with the power to do this after a long and wearing Tour de France. But I really wanted to win. I’m sorry that Andy wasn’t able to take the jersey today, but we had a great Tour with both Andy and me in the leader’s jersey, winning the white jersey, four stage wins and a spot on the podium.

Contador exults after finish

A relieved Contador stated, “This morning I woke up in shape, I had a good night. But today we can say that I suffered. I think Andy has also suffered a lot for the race was very difficult. I had a hard time to settle down into a rhythm. But I wanted to stay completely focused on my position… on the aerodynamics. This was not my best day and I had doubts, but I won. A time trial at the Tour de France, it is never a race like any other. I am very excited because it was a victory that was difficult to attain. It had not been easy in 2007 and last year, but it’s unbelievable. It’s a huge relief.”

Andy Schleck, who fought long and hard all through this tour vowed to be back next year. He did think that loosing brother Franck on the cobble stones was his major setback as otherwise between the two of them they could have worn Contador in the mountains. A strategy that will be tested in the years to come not only by the Schlecks but also by all the other competing teams. Ironically, the deficit of 39secs that he has with Contador is the same that Contador gained on him in the Chaingate incident!!

At the end of Stage 19 the overall race results are as follows. Alberto Contador of Team Astana remains in the Yellow. Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre remains in the Green jersey. Andy Schleck of Team Saxo Bank continues in the White jersey. Anthony Charteau of Bbox Telecom has won the King of the Mountain jersey for TdF 2010. Team RadioShack is strongly placed to win the best team in the race award.

In the meanwhile, Sylvain Chavanel of Quick Step was awarded the “super-combatif” prize for being the most aggressive rider in this year’s Tour de France.

The Tour de France Stage 20, is from Longjumeau to Paris Champs-Élysées, a distance of 102.5km. This is a very short ride for a tour stage, one of the shortest perhaps. With the Green jersey still up for grabs and two intermediate sprints before the grand finish, it can be either Cavendish, Hushovd or Ale Jet who can bag it. But as the laps of the Champs- Élysées are being done, will it be a break away that will steal the thunder under the sprinters nose?? Me thinks, tomorrow, it will be tight finish with the sprinters teams going all out to roll out their man in the best position possible. But in the end, bare any mishap – it should be the Manx Missile that will blast off!!  But in the end, it will be Ale Jet which will ride away with the Green jersey!!

So till tomorrow…:)

Au revoir…

Email : mrquizmaster@gmail.com

Cavendish dedicates win to Renshaw

Manx Missile makes it four for TdF 2010

The 18^th Stage of the TdF was from Salies-de-Béarn to Bordeaux, a distance of 198km.  A flat stage after the last 4 days in the Pyrenees was a relief to all riders and the fact that there was almost no effort to chase the inevitable breakaway till the last kms, also showed the mindset of the riders, who just want to finish this tour on the streets of Paris on Sunday.

The breakaway was allowed to go out and the peleton settled down soon enough into a steady pace. In the end, it was the Manx Missile of HTC Columbia, who as predicted by me in yesterday’s post, blasted out of the bunch sprint & gave a master class in the art of winning bike races. It was a clean sprint without his leadout man Renshaw and showed the frightening skills of a man who almost did not make the start in the morning due to fever & bronchitis. Cavendish won with enough space & time to spare in the end.

The start town of today, Salies-de-Béarn with a population of around 5,000, is on the tour route for the 2^nd time. A thermal spa, city of salt, Salies-de-Béarn located between Pau and Biarritz, owes its reputation to a unique saltwater source created by a geological oddity formed 200 million years ago. The picturesque old houses on stilts with steeply sloping roofs as well as the prestigious town houses dating back to the end of the 19th century recount centuries of an enthralling history. One of the legends that one hears is of the boar that was killed by hunters and which was miraculously preserved all these years due to the salt contained in the marshes.

After Paris the finishing stage town of Bordeaux has the record for hosting the tour the maximum number of times, 79 so far. On its 80^th visit the Tour will find this city of more than 225,000 people, also known as the City of Festivals, to be the right place to wind down after a hectic two weeks. A city of art, trade and history, Bordeaux is also a UNESCO listed world heritage site.

Celebrity visitors - Topgun & Cruz

The stage began at Salies-de-Béarn with all 171 riders who finished the race yesterday. (Simon Spilak of Lampre had hung his boots in the race yesterday after the 20km mark.) The race route for this stage had two intermediate sprints. With the climbs all over for this year’s TdF, the Polka dotted King of the Mountain jersey was won by Anthony Charteau of Bbox Telecom yesterday.

As soon as the race began Benoît Vaugrenard of Française des Jeux escaped and built a small lead. By the 11km mark he got Jérôme Pineau of Quick Step, Daniel Oss of Liquigas-Doimo and Matti Breschel of Saxo Bank along for company. These 4 riders formed the break of the day. Two BMC Racing riders – Alessandro Ballan and Marcus Burghardt also tried to join the breakaway but were quickly pulled back by the peloton.

The peleton kept a steady pace and with the bunch sprint looming in the end as a possibility, HTC Columbia & Lampre sent its riders the task of keeping the leaders within catchable distance. These riders rode to the plan and at no time could the breakaway set a time gap of over 3min consistently.

The Astana riders in the peleton were up to the mark on ensuring that Contador in the Yellow was protected at all times from any split in the peleton. So much so that Contador had to change his bike midway, which he did efficiently & then rode himself back into the peleton. Also seen was Schleck, who made his way to the back of the peleton to consult the Tour Doctor in the middle of the race. No details are available on this visit, so far, hopefully it will not be something which will hamper his riding in tomorrows’ time trial.

In the front, with the catch by the peleton imminent, Oss, riding his first tour, went hell for leather and left the other three riders behind. He rode a very strong race till the final 3.5km, when the peleton swallowed him too. At the front of the peleton for the first time Team Sky put in a very organized sprint train for Hagen. Lampre who had done the lion’s share of the work the whole day also was out for Ale Jet. So was Cervalo test team for Hushovd. But in the end, all of this was of no avail, as even with out Renshaw, his regular leadout man, Cavendish exploded from behind the wheels of Ale Jet and rode with such ferocity that none of the other sprints could even cast a shadow at him. He won with time to spare & turned around to see who was finishing & at what place, such was his speed today. With this win he takes his tally of TdF stage wins for this year to 4, and his total tally to 14. The rest of the peleton rode in at the same time and so there was no change in the overall standings.

A visibly happy Cavendish told the journos, “I wasn’t sure if I was going to even start the stage. I’ve been sick the last four days with bronchitis – actually, there are a hell of a lot of guys in the peloton with the same thing so I’m not only one. But I finally had the fever yesterday and I was dead last night and never thought I could start today. We decided, ‘Oh, okay I’ll go. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t…’ 
Even during the stage, I was speaking with Brad [Wiggins] and he said, ‘Are you sprinting today?’ And I told him, ‘Yeah.’ 
He then told me that I’m not normally as talkative as I was when I’m up for a sprint. But I told him that we didn’t really have the pressure on and if I don’t win, we know the reason… but it was so nice to see the guys working so incredibly hard. I was sitting in 10th wheel and the guys were pulling and pulling and pulling. The guys in the escape were strong and also very clever and, as we saw in the end, it was hard to bring back (Daniel) Oss – he did a brilliant ride at the finish – and we had to use Michael (Rogers) and Tony (Martin) to pull him back. 
It was up me to kind of freestyle for the last kilometer. I was jumping from wheel to wheel; I was back to my old style of sprinting and it worked out, so it’s okay. This one is for Mark (Renshaw). We actually planned a celebration. I was going write ‘Renshaw’ on my gloves but Bob said I couldn’t do stuff like that. But I think the whole team rode the way they did for Mark today. It was remarkable. We miss him in the team, we miss him when we’re racing, we miss him at the dinner table and I still think it’s a shame that he left in the circumstances that he did. I’ll never say never when it comes to the green jersey but I lost it in the first week. It hasn’t really been my aim. At the end of the day, I like to win bike races. I’ve always said, ‘If I win the green jersey by winning races, that’ll do.’ We’ll try and win again in Paris and see what happens.”

Contador on podium

At the end of Stage 18 the over all race results are as follows. Alberto Contador of Team Astana remains in the Yellow. Alessandro Petacchi of Lampre takes over the Green jersey. Andy Schleck of Team Saxo Bank continues in the White jersey. Anthony Charteau of Bbox Telecom has already won the King of the Mountain jersey for TdF 2010. Team RadioShack consolidates their position as the best team in the race.

Andy in white

Sanchez in 3rd spot

The Tour de France Stage 19, is from Bordeaux to Pauillac, a distance of 52km. This being an Individual Time Trial, and a long at that, it will be the single most important stage that Andy Schleck would have ever ridden in his life. He is behind by only 8secs, but Contador is very strong rider & is aiming to win the stage tomorrow. So will Andy be able to ride away from Contador & win the TdF? Me thinks, not possible. A shorter distance would have been much easier for Andy, but with 52km – a stretch too much. Contador is strongly tipped to extend his time gap over Andy, but watch out for Fabian Cancellara, he will be out there for ride to a stage win. Also, Menchov & Sanchez will try & put some time into Andy for a possible podium stage. RadioShack riders, Horner & Leipheimer too will try to put in solid rides.

Cancellara vs horse!

So till tomorrow…:)

Au revoir…

Email : mrquizmaster@gmail.com