Leisure Lifestyle: leisure

Tuesday, April 18, 2017

The PPBoyz of Beverly Hills Transport to a Galaxy Far, Far Away. . . St. Tenerife, Spain

: PPBoyz From Beverly Hills

The PPBoyz (as we are called) have been living a fast and fabulous life in Beverly Hills, and since we can’t take you in our suitcase with us, we want to take this time to give you a glimpse of our latest trip!

We had a chance to stop off on the Island of St Tenerife, the largest of the seven main Canary Islands Chain, just off the coast of Africa. Our time there was even more special because we had our friends with us, from Barcelona, Salud and her daughter, Montse (who was named after the infamous Montserrat Monastery – one of the new seven Wonders of the World).

: Saint Tenerife Spain PPBoyz Travel

The day started off with us meeting with our local tour guide, Carlos so we could venture out to all the famous sights and explore each and every hotspot the island has to offer. Thankfully, he had mapped out quite an adventure for us, beginning with a trek deep into a remote part of the highest ground of the island where the vantage point gave us a bird’s eye view of all surrounding islands and on this crisp clear day you could see past them to the shores of Africa. The views were breathtaking and the peacefulness and tranquility we experienced high above had energized us to a great start!

: Saint Tenefire Spain

After we spent some time at the highest point of the island, we ventured down to the lowest and one of the most famous movie backdrops known to man. The original Planet of the Apes, starring Charlton Heston and Roddy McDowell; Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, and the remake of Clash of The Titans were all filmed at the base of Mountain El Teide, which is 3,718 meters (12,198 ft) summit is the highest point in Spain and the highest point above sea level in the islands of the Atlantic. At 7,500 m (24,600 ft) from its base on the ocean floor, it is the third highest volcano in the world.

Pol’ and I spent a few hours exploring the caves and caverns at the base of the mountain and walking in the same path where these iconic films were made. It was interesting to see just how different each of these exotic locales were all within the same general area. The walls of the caverns where Star Wars and Planet of the Apes was filmed had become our movie set for the day. One can’t help but notice, how when the sunlight hits the exterior walls of the caverns a glistening beam of light seems to transport you into a new time in a different galaxy far, far away. We felt as if we were visitors to another to planet.

: Pol Atteu and Patrik Simpson

Following this we hiked down to the lowest level of the mountain where we immersed ourselves in the remnants of previous volcanic eruptions, which had engulfed the area with soft gravel, black sand, and volcanic ash. The highlight of this experience was when wrote our names (Pol & Patrik) in the sand and kissed each other in front it, making it the perfect photo op. After this we realized this was the exact same place that the Clash of the Titans film made and we truly had left our mark on this infamous movie location.

Our final stop on the island was the beach, as we made our way down to Playa del Socorro, widely regarded as the best beach on Tenerife for the surfing crowd, due to its strong swell, which means that swimmers should necessarily take care. It sits just outside of the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The beach itself is a long stretch of natural volcanic sand, offering beautiful natural scenery and a friendly atmosphere, is so private it can only be reached by private car or taxi, as no public transport comes there. The crystal clear waters made it the ideal spot to end our time on the island. Another highlight of our adventures was when Patrik jumped into the ocean and swam with the fishes, of course Pol’ was a little worried as this area is known for its swarm of white sharks, that often times have come inland and attacked swimmers and surfers, which seem to frequent this beach because of its ability to formulate the perfect wave.

: Saint Tenerife Spain Travel

It was one of those rare occasions that we were able to explore and find some unique hideaways that otherwise are so remote that we would not have had the opportunity to experience. Our recommendation to anyone that should travel to the beautiful island of St. Tenerife is to contact Carlos Martinez and ask him to take you on The “PPBoyz Special Adventure” and he will be sure to take you to places unseen and unexpected and make your visit one you will never forget! Contact Carlos at 0034-666938274 or email: carletys@hotmail.com.

@4ChionLifestyle

Written and contributed by Pol’ Atteu and Patrik Simpson

Connect here:

Facebook/Twitter/Instagram/Snapchat

PatrikSimpson

PolAtteu

SnowWhite90210

#PPBoyz

Patrik Simpson

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/patriksimpson

Twitter: http://twitter.com/patriksimpson

Facebook: http://facebook.com/patriksimpson

IMDB: http://www.imdb.me/patriksimpson

Pol’ Atteu

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/polatteu/ – Polatteu

Twitter: https://twitter.com/polatteu – Pol Atteu

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/polatteu – Pol Atteu

IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2757437/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1 – Pol Atteu

Connect with Saint Tenerife Spain here

Tuesday, March 14, 2017

A Roman Holiday Our Italian Experience

Our Journey in Europe included a stop in the capital city of Italy, Rome. With its unique blend of culture, architecture and history, it’s no wonder why this city is often referred to as the Eternal City or the ‘Navel’ of the World. Rome, Italy is home to the Coliseum, the Forum, Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps overlooking Via Veneto, the infamous Quattro Fontane (four magnificent Baroque fountains at four corners), and the Vatican. We would recommend that if you visit, you book a hotel near Via Veneto or the Coliseum, which will put you in the center and within walking distance to all the sights this beautiful city has to offer.

Our time in Rome began with a rooftop breakfast on top of our hotel, the Mecente Palace, which gave us spectacular views of the ancient city and views of Basilica Square. After our authentic Italian breakfast, we took a short walk to the Coliseum. Of course, no visit to Rome, Italy could be complete without a tour of the Coliseum and Forum.

The Roman Coliseum, originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater, was commissioned in 72 AD, as a place where spectators, who were seated according to rank, gathered to watch deadly combats of gladiators and wild animals fight to the death. The gladiators were usually slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals.

Walking through the Royal Entrance, and once we were inside the Coliseum, it was as if we were brought back in time to the day of the gladiator games; you could hear the roar of the spectators and the rumble of their hungry appetite as the gates opened for the lions to enter and the prisoners to defend their lives.

Standing inside the mighty Coliseum leaves you in awe of who designed this and how this was built in ancient times. After we spent the morning exploring the Coliseum, we continued our adventure on to the great Forum, directly across the street.

: Basilicas, Rome Italy

The forum was once the center of political, commercial and judicial life in ancient Rome.
The largest buildings were the basilicas, where legal cases were heard. We spent the rest of the afternoon touring this incredible sight.

Inside the Forum, was a Mecca of ancient ruins, cobblestone lined stairs lined with massive marble statues, meticulous gardens, fruit trees and the remains of what was once a thriving city. At the very end of the Forum, you will find the grand mansion, once called home by Mussolini, filled with ornate paintings and excavated artifacts, has now been turned into a museum for all to enjoy.

While on the walk to the museum, at the top of the hill, overlooking years of excavation below, we came across a group of orange trees filled with fruit. Our guide explained to us that it was often told that if you can reach the fruit, it would be yours for the taking. Of course, Pol’ always up for a challenge, had to have a bite of the ‘forbidden fruit’, and used every means possible to get it. His reward was a delicious afternoon snack of a very juicy orange, from a tree that had been there for over 300 years!

Our time in Rome finished with a quick visit to the Quattro Fontane. These four fountains are a group of four Late Renaissance fountains located at the intersection of Via delle Quattro Fontane and Via del Quirinale in Rome. The figures of the four fountains represent the River Tiber (the symbol of Rome); the River Arno the symbol of Florence; the Goddess Diana; the symbol of Chastity; and the Goddess Juno, the symbol of Strength.

: Rome Italy

: Trevi Fountain

Our last two stops were the Trevi Fountain, arguably one of the most beautiful fountains we have ever seen. It is the largest Baroque fountain in the city and one of the most famous fountains in the world.

It stands 85.3 feet high and 65.6 feet wide, and people from all over the world come here to throw a coin into the fountain to

make a wish. Legend has it that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome. Another is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one’s right hand over one’s left shoulder into the fountain, and of course we did as well.

We ended the evening passing through Via Veneto, commonly referred to as the ‘Rodeo Drive’ of Italy, with a walk up the Spanish Steps. Pol’ recalled when he was invited to the famous fashion designer, Valentino’s fashion show many years ago. Rich in history, the Spanish Steps were designed in 1723 and are 138 steps joining the Piazza di Spanga and the Trinita dei Monti church. Once we got to the top of the steps we took in the final breathtaking views of the city. It was from here that we were able to walk back to our hotel all the while taking in the sights, sounds and smells of this marvelous and unique city that has withstood the sands of time.

Our days in Rome, Italy took us back to moment of history where we lived through the eyes of the Romans and we reminisced about what it would have been like to live in such a modern city in such ancient times. Since, we both tossed coins into the Trevi Fountain, we hope our wish comes true and we return to the romantic city of Rome, Italy and bring you an insight into the Vatican in the future.