If there is one dish that unites all corners of the globe, it has to be soup. La Louche d’Or – or the Golden Ladle – festival, which is being held on the streets of Wazemmes, Lille, on May 1st 2012, follows that spirit and invites the world to come and join in.

This festival has been running since 1984, and it now draws a large crowd of around 80,000 – rest assured, they’re not all in line for soup.

The Golden Ladle Soup festival isn’t just about the food, it’s a street party with local bands and artists travelling from across the globe. Audience participation is a must: not only can you go and whip up your own favourite soup recipes for the crowd, but you can also perform as well.

There’s a general party atmosphere, as the festival lasts for the entire day and well in to the night. The variety of dishes available will really broaden your palate and expert soup chefs will happily trade tips and give you some help if you show an interest in how (just an example) to make a hearty, German-style lentil and sausage soup.

Lille is in the North of France, so your journey from Calais will be a brief one. It’s filled with things to see, like the Palais de Beaux Arts, whose collection of masterpieces was first instigated by Napoleon. It boasts to be the second best art collection in France, and it contains statues, paintings and prints dating back to the Middle Ages as well as displays from Renaissance masters.

It is also a city of great character: from quaint narrow cobble streets to mammoth heralds like the Place du Generale de Gaulle, Lille is a city built for exploration. Once you’ve had your fill of soup, you can amble through the market squares or luxuriate at one of the sun-drenched cafes or bars.

Lille is just a short drive from Calais, all the soup you can imagine is just across the channel and P&O Ferries have a frequent which will get you to La Louche d’Or

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Tags: France, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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This April at the Belgovino fair, you’ll have the unique opportunity to sample some Belgian vintages before their official release.

You can book a table for the wine fair at Brusselicious, which is a celebration of all things gastronomically Belgian, here.

This event is taking place at the Brussels Tram museum on Saturday 14th April. It certainly promises to be a memorable evening of fine food, good wine and, depending on the company, decent conversation. You’ll also be treated to a tour of the fair before it kicks off, and a celebratory cocktail to get you in to the spirit of things.

This is a luxury booking which costs 85 € per person, and you can book a table for up to 10. You’ll get the chance to sample the finer things in a sit down meal with the wine makers so you can get a master class in the origin and history of what you’re drinking. To top it off, the meal will be prepared by chef Lionel Rigolet from the Comme Chez Soi restaurant.

As a country famed for beer and chocolate, Belgian vintages rarely get a look in when the more expensive wines are discussed. But with the increase in cold-climate wine making, Belgian wines are getting paid more attention, and rightly so. The local wine makers are hardly novices either, as numerous French vineyards are owned by Belgians. There are now 20 commercial vineyards in Belgium, so we’re sure you’ll something to sate your palate.

P&O Ferries offer an overnight service from Hull to Zeebrugge. You can either take your car with you and drive to Brussels or catch a train from the port town.

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Tags: Belgium, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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From the 22nd March, the Dutch Keukenhof flower gardens will once again be open to the public – and you should be there when it happens.

The Keukenhof flower gardens were established in 1949 and have been the largest public showcase of flowers for the last 50 years. The best time to visit is mid-April when everything is in full bloom. A trip around the Keukenhof gardens are the perfect way to chase off any lingering winter blues as you get to see Spring in all its glory.

As lovely as they are, you may not want to spend all your time in one of Holland’s cities, so a daytrip out to Keukenhof is a great way to get some fresh air and scenic views. There are approximately 7 million bulbs planted annually and it won’t take a horticulturalist to appreciate the displays at Keukenhof.

Although Holland is famed for its tulips, there’s so much more to see. Keukenhof has arrangements of hyacinths, daffodils, roses, irises, lilies and many more. Although you can’t take bulbs across borders, you will have the opportunity to pre-purchase some bulbs and have them delivered later this year, during planting season.

There are also special events to be held at the gardens as well. A weekend dedicated to the composer Frederic Chopin starts on the 24th, special Easter events are to be held (meaning chocolate in abundance) and of course the famous Flower Parade is set for April 21st.

The gardens are placed between Rotterdam and Amsterdam, so it makes for an excellent stop off between the port city and Holland’s capital.

P&O Ferries have a Hull to Rotterdam service which will drop you off a short distance from the Keukenhof Gardens

Image Credit:col&tasha.

Tags: Lifestyle, Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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Spring is in the air and that means all over the continent men are squeezing on their lycra and pumping up their racing tyres; yes, it’s time for the Spring Classics, Alez!

The Spring Classics are a series of outdoor cycling races that take place across Northern France and Belgium. They are some of the toughest one day events in Europe.

The ‘daddy’ of them all is the Paris-Roubaix race, otherwise known as the Hell of the North. It’s a one day classic that covers a stonking 260km across some of the toughest roads in France. This year it will take place on Sunday 8th April.

It got its rather intimidating nickname way back when it started. It was just after the First World War, and the entire landscape between Paris and Roubaix had been blown to smithereens. Everywhere trenches and craters littered the landscape, mud and ruined farmhouses were all that remained.

Against this desperate landscape those first hardened cyclists pitted their resolve, as they stretched and strained their way to the distant finishing line. Today this demonic challenge has been recreated by placing large sections of the route over bone jarring cobbles. Yes, that’s right, these guys actually choose to race each other across vast distances over cobbles –guaranteed to loosen screws and unhinge you permanently.

This is considered by many an ardent tough guy to be the single hardest one day race in the world, and the finishing line is at the Roubaix Velodrome on Sunday 8th April; just a short drive from Calais. Anyone out there who considers themselves to be a bit ‘Chuck Norris’ is strongly advised to get themselves down there and have a look at what a proper action hero looks like.

Roubaix is a short drive from the Port of Calais. You can reach it via P&O Ferries on one of its 25 daily crossings.

Image: DancinOnThePedals.net

Tags: France, P&O Ferries by John Hillman
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This will be the 26th year of the tradition. Kite flyers from all around globe flock to Calais to exhibit there skill and expertise at flying kites.

From April 7th to the 15th at Berck-Sur-Mer in Calais, France there will be over 700,000 spectators watching an exhibition of the most talented kite work you’ll have seen since the opening scenes of Kite Runner perhaps even better…

Berck-Sur-Mer is a well-established children’s resort so if you’re after peace and relaxation you may wish to look elsewhere.

The 12 kilometer long beach is a paradise for yachting and kite flying. As a beach haven there’s lots of entertainment to be had renting boats, or going for a ride, you get hold of some snorkel gear or rent a surf board.

There’s also a crazy golf course at Berck-Sur-Mer if kites alone won’t keep the kids entertained.

The close proximity to Calais makes Berck-Sur-Mer an ideal location for a break away with the family. Your crossing from Dover can be done on the cheap bringing a car and up to nine people for a single fee. The town itself is bedecked with restaurants, low costing chalets to rent and family filled entertainment. You could really make the most of an Easter break this April in Berck-Sur-Mur.

P&O Ferries run a frequent crossing from Dover to Calais, family resort Berck-Sur-Mer is in such close proximity you can mean it when you say ‘I’ll turn this around!’

Vironevaeh

Tags: France, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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Since it is International Women’s Day today, we thought it prudent to draw your gaze to Wereldmuseum’s exhibition, ‘Magic of Women’ in Rotterdam.

The exhibition opens on the 5th April and runs through to 9th September, displaying jewellery and textiles of the Indonesian archipelago. The artefacts on display have been donated by collectors in Europe and the United States and are hugely impressive in their richness of detail and beauty. The crafts on show were of cultural and religious significance –they served as displays of status and authority – as well as keeping the balance between spirits and humanity. This exhibition promises to be an eye opener with incredible works of gold and silver to enchant you.

Wereldmuseum also has its ‘Future Pass’ exhibition running at the moment. This exhibition has come to Rotterdam following a very successful showing in Venice.

‘Future Pass’ takes a look forward to the artistic themes that will come to define the 21st Century. It is divided in to five sections, East – West, Past – Future, Yin – Yang, Universal – Individual and Virtual – Real.

With more than 130 international artists will showing their paintings, sculptures, installations, films and photos his intriguing exhibition will move and inspire you in equal measure.

Wereldmuseum is in the heart of Rotterdam on the riverfront, which is an excellent location for an outing with quick access to the rest of the city. The museum is open from 10am to 8pm with a restaurant, shop and wine bar. Children under 13 can enter for free.

P&O Ferrries run a frequent service from Hull to Rotterdam, if you’re staying in the city Wereldmuseum is a short trip away. You can also book a guided tour of the museum too.

Tags: Netherlands, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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The Vrijdagmarkt (Friday market) in Antwerp square is a tradition over 400 years old. The market is held each Friday throughout March and April (excluding public holidays) and is a great opportunity to pick up some bargains or just peruse some of the more unique items on offer.

Since Vrijdagmarkt, like the rest of Belgium, has such a rich history it makes sense that there’s such a flourishing antique trade at the Friday market. P&O Ferries have a deal which will let you and one other person travel from Hull to Zeebrugge (P&O Ferries’ Belgian port) with your car for just £119. From Zeebrugge it’s about an hour’s drive to Antwerp. So if you do decide to do a bit of shopping at Vrijdagmarkt then you can bring all your shopping back in the car without any fuss. A journey to the Friday market could be done as a single daytrip or you could make a weekend of it staying in one of Antwerp’s many fine hotels.

Vrijdagmarkt Square is located centrally in Antwerp, and you’ll be able to find it by looking out for the statue of St-Catherine patron saint of ‘old cloth-buyers’. The name of the square came from an appeal of the vendors who used to hold their auctions on Fridays.

After you are done shopping there’s much more to see: you can take a wander around the city’s galleries and museums and admire the Flemish architecture and, if you haven’t had your fill, check out another local market (Grote Markt).

P&O Ferries’ Hull to Zeebrugge crossing takes about 12 hours. From the major port city you can catch a connecting train across the city or drive to most major locations within an hour.

Image credit: antwerpenR

Tags: Belgium, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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With brighter weather on the way, an outing to Versailles will make for a tranquil daytrip, filled with aesthetic wonderment and a rich appreciation of French culture and history.

Starting early this April and running through to October, the Musical Fountains Show will show the Gardens of Versailles in all their splendour. The fountains are coordinated to fire jets of water in rhythm with music to be played in the gardens from 11AM to 3:30PM on weekends. A real pleasure to witness, it brings an atmosphere of magnificence to invigorate the spirit. To make the most of Versailles, you can organise a tour or pick up a map and work your way through one of the most distinguished locations in France.

The symbolic value of the Versailles may not hold well with the Republic’s ideals but it cannot be denied – absolute monarchs know how to get a decent palace built. The Chateau de Versailles is considered one of the finest architectural achievements of 17th century France and stands as a tribute to the French monarchy. Each generation of the royal lineage added flamboyant extensions to the palace as a lasting imprint of their affluence.

If you tire of ambling and admiring, the chance to get some shopping done is available as well. Place du Marche is fairly central and you can pick up food for a picnic or do some antiquing there too.

The Gardens of Versailles also have their own arboretum. Today it holds around 15,000 specimens, if you make donation whilst there it’ll go to a good cause preserving rare and endangered species of plants.

P&O Ferries run a frequent crossing between Dover and Calais so you can make your journey to the splendid Gardens of Versailles at your leisure

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Tags: France, History, Lifestyle, P&O Ferries by Karim Beerahee
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