Visit beautiful Seville with Incantato Tours

Situated on the banks of the Guadalquivir River, Seville has a rich Moorish heritage, and used to be a prosperous port that carried out trade with the Americas. 

The streets and squares in the historic quarter of the capital of Andalusia are lively and busy. They treasure many constructions that have the World Heritage designation, and many districts, such as Triana and La Macarena, are full of traditional culture.

Seville is a prominent business and service centre in the south of Spain and has many hotels distributed all over the city which enable visitors to discover endless attractions. Museums and art centers, theme parks, cinemas, theaters and clubs are some of the many leisure options that a great city like Seville holds. Without forgetting, of course, the numerous terraces, inns and bars where visitors can practice one of the most deeply rooted and tasty traditions in the city: "Going out for tapas".

Another good excuse to come to the Sevillian capital are the festivals. The celebrations of Easter Week and Feria de Abril (the April Fair), which have been declared of National Tourist Interest, reflect the devotion and folklore of the people of Seville, always open and friendly to visitors. But Seville's appeal does not end there, as the city is also the starting point for the many cultural routes the province offers, such as the Roman Bética Route or the Washington Irving Route. 

The visitor will also discover the immense natural wealth of this region, which sits halfway between two continents, in natural treasures such as the Doñana Nature Reserve, declared a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, and the Sierra Norte Nature Reserve. They will be the ideal setting for practicing outdoor sports, including hiking, horse riding, and cycling routes. 

Córdoba, the city that changed the world

Córdoba was an Iberian and Roman city in ancient times, in the Middle Ages it became the capital of an Islamic caliphate. The old town contains numerous architectural reminders of when Corduba was the capital of Hispania Ulterior during the Roman Republic and capital of Hispania Baetica during the Roman Empire; and when Qurṭubah was the capital of the Islamic Caliphate of Córdoba, including most of the Iberian Peninsula.
It has been estimated that in the 10th century Córdoba was the most populous city in the world, and under the rule of Caliph Al Hakam II it had also become a centre for education under its Islamic rulers. Al Hakam II opened many libraries on top of the many medical schools and Universities which existed at this time. Such Universities contributed towards developments in mathematics and astronomy. During these centuries Córdoba had become the intellectual centre of Europe and was also noted for its predominantly Muslim society that was tolerant toward its Christian and Jewish minorities. Today it is a moderately-sized modern city with a population of 330,033.

It is located in southern Spain (Andalusia), on the banks of the Guadalquivir river. It has a rich architectural and artistic heritage including particularly the Great Mosque in the provincial capital and the archaeological site at Medina-Azahara.
It is well worth exploring its stately white villages, olive groves and mountain landscapes in places such as the Sierra de Hornachuelo, the Sierras de Cardeña and Montoro Nature Reserves.

Cordoba also boasts a rich gastronomic tradition typical of the interior, featuring several products which have been awarded the Designation of Origin label - Los Pedroches cured ham and virgin olive oil, for example; as well as characteristic recipes such as stewed bull's tail and "salmorejo" (a kind of thick gazpacho). These delicious dishes are perfect when accompanied by the wines to be found on the Montilla-Moriles Wine Route.

picture and information courtesy of http://www.spain.info/

Fun Facts about Madrid with Incantato Tours

Madrid has been officially declared as one of the "greenest" cities in Europe. However, greenery is not its only pride. Some of the unknown facts about this beautiful city are:


1. Madrid's official symbol of the bear on its hind legs eating berries from the madroño tree is a metaphor for Madrid's growth and represents possession and ownership of wood which is necessary for constructing buildings.

2. Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. It is the third-most populous municipality in the European Union after Greater London and Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the third-most populous in the European Union after Paris and London. It is also the highest capital city in Europe

3. Its sister city in the USA is New York City.

4. Madrid is home to the soccer team Real Madrid, that plays in the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid is one of the most prestigious soccer clubs in the world, having won a record 9 European Soccer Championships

5. The city bid to host the 1972 Summer Olympics, the 2012 Summer Olympics, and the 2016 Summer Olympics, which were lost to Munich, London, and Rio de Janeiro respectively.

6. Madrid hosts the largest Plaza de Toros (bullring) in Spain, Las Ventas, established in 1929. Las Ventas is considered by many to be the world centre of bullfighting and has a seating capacity of almost 25,000.

7. The Auditorio Nacional de Música is the main venue for classical music concerts in Madrid, is home to the Spanish National Orchestra, the Chamartín Symphony Orchestra and the venue for the symphonic concerts of the Community of Madrid Orchestra and the Madrid Symphony Orchestra.

8. The Royal Botanic Garden or Real Jardin Botanico was an 18th century creation. It was used as a base for the plant species being collected across the globe.

9. Madrid enjoys more cloudless days than almost any other city in Europe.

May we introduce you to Spanish cuisine?

The Spanish food tradition has varied ancestry, though most Spanish dishes have rather humble origins and are the result of ingredients put together by farmers or shepherd families - many times using leftovers, or at the very least products from their own farms and orchards.
Mountains run through Spain in several directions, acting as natural barriers to communication and making transportation difficult until the last half of the 20th century. This is one of the reasons why cooking differs so much from region to region. Many times the only common ingredients are olive oil and garlic, the two basic ingredients of Spanish food!
Many dishes are prepared today using the same cooking methods and ingredients as they were two or three hundred years ago. Other dishes sprung up from European and American influences and were adapted to the Spanish taste. One thing is for sure, food in Spain is fresh, abundant and full of taste and the Spanish love their food dearly.

Unquestionably pork is par excellence the most favorite Spanish meat:
the Spanish like to make use of all of the ingredients they can and often include a number of different meats in the same dish.
Of course there are many other meats served in Spanish tables including lamb, beef and chicken. But Spaniards are not exclusively carnivorous, there are many vegetarian stews and other dishes that are enjoyed from North to South, from East to West. Vegetables are grown throughout the country, and the varied climates and terrains in Spain mean that a variety of different vegetables are grown. As a result, the vegetable dishes in Spain tend to also vary from place to place.

But what makes Spanish food so popular? The answer is simple it is the quality and variety of the ingredients used. For instance, it was the Romans that imported rice to Spain, giving way to the creation of the Valencian paella and many other rice dishes. Since then, these dishes have come to form part of the typical dishes of Spain and are a definite must for any travelers who are planning on visiting Spain and doing a bit of gastronomic tourism.

There is also a great variety of seafood, including fish and crustaceans from the coast areas, which are used in the preparation of many delicious dishes. The fish industry in Spain is extremely important and forms part of the livelihood of many of the population. Furthermore, Spain is a country that is blessed with such a large and varied coastline, including the Bay of Biscay, the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. This gives rise to a whole manner of different species of fish and seafood being available for Spanish chefs. Therefore the range of Spanish seafood dishes is endless!

When it comes to sweet things, Spain has a very rich dessert tradition. On one hand it was also influenced by the Moors, and on the other many of them are centuries old creations from nun convents. 
If you have a sweet tooth we recommend you to sample some of the many deserts Spain has to offer for a example Churros, Spain’s answer to a donut, a crunchy, deep-fried sweet snack that resembles the horns of the churro sheep. It is mostly served with hot chocolate to dip it in.

¡Buen provecho!

Welcome to beautiful Spain!

¡Damas y caballeros, bienvenidas y bienvenidos a España!

Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is a member state of the European Union since 1986 and is located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.

Its mainland is bordered to the south and east by the Mediterranean Sea except for a small land boundary with the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar; to the north by France, Andorra, and the Bay of Biscay; and to the northwest and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, that border Morocco.

With an area of 505,955 km², Spain is the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union after France and is amongst the fifty largest countries in the world. Since January 1, 2010, Spain has held the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Because of its location, the territory of Spain was subject to many external influences, often simultaneously, since prehistoric times and through the dawn of Spain as a country. Conversely, the country itself has been an important source of influence to other regions, chiefly during the Modern Era, when it became a global empire that has left a legacy of over 400 million Spanish speakers today, making it the world's second most spoken language by native speakers. Spain is a democracy organized in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy.

The Spanish population stands at over 47 million, with an average density of just 93.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.
The life expectancy in Spain is one of the highest in the world (approximately 82,1 years). Life expectancy for Spanish women, at 85 years, is also one of the highest in the European Union. Around 15% of the Spanish population is under 16 years old, while approximately 15% are over 65. Nevertheless, Spain's population is still quite young in comparison to that of other European countries.

Since Spain has still a monarchy the members of the Spanish royal family enjoy the affection and respect of the Spanish people. The royal family is made up of H.M. the King Juan Carlos, H.M. the Queen Sofía, the Prince and Princess of Asturias, Felipe and Letizia, and their daughters, Leonor and Sofía.

Spain, is one of the warmest countries in Europe and has a predominantly warm Mediterranean climate, with dry summers and winters with balanced temperatures. Here you can enjoy more than 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. It is no surprise, then, that this is also one of the warmest parts of Europe.
When talking of weather, special mention should be made of the Canary Islands. Their special location, facing the coast of Africa, gives them a benign climate with mild temperatures with only small temperature differences between day and night, whatever the season.

The currency in Spain is the Euro, as in other European Union countries. The Euro is divided into 100 cents.
• There are eight different coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cent, and 1 and 2 Euro.
• And seven different bank notes, for the following amounts: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 Euro.

Flag photo courtesy of Wikipedia

Travel Insurance: Protecting Yourself and Your Investment

Dear Occidental College Glee Club Travelers, 

As indicated on your registration form, it is mandatory for all tour participants to obtain travel insurance to protect your investment in case you have to cancel for a medical situation, loss of luggage or various other reasons.

Our recommended insurance option is described below along with an online link to Travel Guard. We highly recommend this company based on a long and excellent relationship. 

TravelGuard has a variety of policies including a family plan.

In order for us to keep track of travel insurance for your group, please sign up through these links connected with Incantato Tours. Click here to get a Travel Guard Insurance quote.

Incantato Tours strongly recommends getting Travel Guard travel insurance for your upcoming journey as they have been a very reliable partner and provide excellent services, but we also know that you may have a different preferred supplier or are already covered under another policy. Again, travel insurance with trip cancellation coverage is mandatory for all Incantato Tours travelers. 

Not only are you covered medically should anything happen when traveling, but with TravelGuard's policies, you also protect your investment should you have to cancel or interrupt the trip.There is also coverage for delayed and lost luggage etc.

Here is a direct line to purchase travel insurance online and can you do so with your credit cards and also select the option that is best for you.

In the meantime, have a look at the most comprehensive coverage option The Protect Assist Gold below.

Protect Assist (Gold) -

Comprehensive Travel Protection for the World Traveler

Trip Cancellation JUST ADDED! - Trip Cancellation due to employment loss or layoff if employed with the same employer 1 year or longer Trip Interruption and Travel Delay Emergency Medical and Emergency Medical Transportation Baggage and Travel Document Protection Baggage Delay and Lost Baggage Tracking NEW - Cancel For Any Reason option now available NEW - Cancel For Work Reasons option now available NEW - Children age 17 and under covered at no additional cost IMPROVED -Trip Cancellation limit increased to $100,000 (from $15,000),  IMPROVED - Trip Interruption coverage increased to 150% of Trip Cost IMPROVED - Travel Delay required hours reduced to 5 hours (from 12) ProtectAssist special features: Best coverage for Weather Related Cancellations Pre-existing Condition Exclusion Waiver* Default/Bankruptcy Protection* $50,000 Flight Accident Insurance* 24-Hour "LiveTravel" Travel Agency Emergency Cash Transfers Identity Theft Restoration * These additional benefits apply If you are purchasing within 15 days of making your initial trip deposit or payment, however, coverage may still be purchased at any time up to 24 hours prior to departure. Increase your coverage with these valuable additions to your Protect Assist Plan: Cancel For Any Reason – 50% reimbursement of nonrefundable expenses if you cancel your trip for any reason, up to 48 hours prior to your departure. Only available when this plan is purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment. Cancel For Work Reasons – Offers additional work-related reasons for cancellation or interruption. Also includes our exclusive “Business Assistant” services if you have work obligations during your travels. Only available when this plan is purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment. Umbrella Package – Medical Expense limits are doubled and coverage is upgraded to primary. Emergency Medical Transportation limits are doubled and benefits upgraded to take you home or to the hospital of your choice. $25,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage will be added Optional coverages cannot be purchased separately. Must be purchased with base ProtectAssist plan.

Comprehensive non-insurance travel services* automatically included with plan!With the ProtectAssist plan, every customer also has access to these valuable travel services when they travel:
· Arrangements for last-minute flight changes
· Hotel finder and reservations
· Rental car reservations
· Emergency medical assistance
· BagTrak® -- lost baggage tracking
· Pre-trip health and safety advisories
· Live e-mail and phone messaging to family and friends
· Cash transfers
· Airport transportation
· Golf course reservations
· Event ticketing
· Floral services
· Identity Theft restoration

Business Assistant* (available when Optional Cancel for Work Reasons coverage is purchased)

*Non-Insurance services are provided by AIG Travel Assist.

Eligibility

Citizenship: All Nationalities

Residency: United States

New York, Oregon, and Washington residence please call to purchase
Some rider options are not available and other restrictions may apply
Destination: Worldwide
Ages: All Ages
Max Trip Length: 365 Days

Occidental's Final Day in Ireland

Today was the Glee Club's last day to enjoy the beautiful weather and people here in Dublin, as they fly out tomorrow. They enjoyed a day of leisure and sightseeing before tonight's farewell dinner, that was held at the Church Restaurant.




During their free time today, some of the students decided to take a tour of the Guinness Factory, and enjoyed a pint in the 360 degree panoramic bar. Ironically, Arthur Guinness, the founder of Guinness brewery, was married in the former St. Mary's Church of Ireland, now known as the aforementioned Church Restaurant!

We are very happy that the group has had an exciting and successful tour of Ireland, and that they were able to share their love of music with the people of this beautiful country. Upon reflection of the tour, the director, Desiree LaVertu, said that "The tour was A+; the venues and the country totally exceeded all of my expectations!"

Slán (Farewell), Occidental!

Occidental Glee Club sings at St. Patrick's in Dublin

Pictures of Occidental's Finale Performance in St. Patrick's Cathedral

Here are a couple of pictures of the Occidental Glee Club during their wonderful finale performance at St. Patrick's Cathedral. Congratulations Occidental and Desiree!

Welcome to Dublin!

At the end of their Incantato Performance Tour 2010, the travelers of the Occidental College Glee Club are visiting Dublin! Let's have a closer look at the Irish capital:

Dublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the centre of the Dublin Region. Originally founded as a Viking settlement, it evolved into the Kingdom of Dublin and became the island's primary city following the Norman invasion. Today, it has one of the fastest growing populations of any European capital city. Dublin is a historical and contemporary cultural centre for the island of Ireland as well as a modern centre of education, the arts, administrative function, economy and industry.
The writings of the Greek astronomer and cartographer Ptolemy provide perhaps the earliest reference to human habitation in the area now known as Dublin. In around A.D. 140 he referred to a settlement he called Eblana Civitas. The settlement 'Dubh Linn' dates perhaps as far back as the first century BC and later a monastery was built there, though the town was established in about 841 by the Norse.

Finale Highlight Concert: The Occidental College Glee Club performs at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin today (May 25) at 1 PM

To finalize this amazing tour, Occidental College Glee Club under the direction of Desiree LaVertu will be participating in a lunch time recital at the beautiful St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, the largest church in Ireland, today, May 25, at 1 pm.

Built in honour of Ireland’s patron saint, Saint Patrick’s Cathedral stands adjacent to the famous well where tradition has it Saint Patrick baptized converts on his visit to Dublin. A church was built on this site in 1191 and in 1991 they celebrated 800 years of worship. The present building dates from 1220 and during the years it had been extended again and again.
The Cathedral is today the National Cathedral for the Church of Ireland (Anglican). The basis of the present building was built between 1191 and 1270, though little now remains of the earliest work beyond the Baptistry. Much of the work was overseen by Henry of London, a friend of the King of England and signatory of the Magna Carta, who was also involved in the construction of Dublin's city walls and Dublin Castle. The tower (Minot's Tower) and west nave were rebuilt between 1362 and 1370, following a fire. In 1560, one of Dublin's first public clocks was erected in "St. Patrick's Steeple".
Throughout its long history the cathedral has contributed much to Irish life, and one key aspect of this relates to the writer and satirist Jonathan Swift, author of Gulliver's Travels, who was Dean of the cathedral from 1713 to 1745. Swift took a great interest in the building, its services and music and in what would now be called social welfare, funding an almshouse for poor women and Saint Patrick's Hospital.
The Choir School, which had been founded in 1432, supplied many of its members to take part in the very first performance of Handel's Messiah in 1742. It continues and although originally all-male, now also admits girls; a Cathedral Girls' Choir was founded in 2000 and sings once or twice a week. The Organ of St. Patrick's Cathedral is one of the largest in Ireland with over 4,000 pipes. Parts of it date from a Renatus Harris instrument of 1695. It was restored in the 1890s and in 1963.

Great success for the Occidental College Glee Club at St. Augustine’s Church in Cork

The Occidental College Glee Club inspired their audience today at St. Augustine’s Church in Cork. Every seat in the church was taken, over 200 people attended the concert! Now it's time for the final destination of the Incantato Ireland Performance Tour: Dublin! The travelers of the Occidental College Glee Club will go there tomorrow morning. We wish them a save trip!

The Occidental College Glee Club sings at St. Augustine’s Church, Cork, today (May 24) at 8 PM

St. Augustine’s Church in Cork is today's venue for the Occidental College Glee Club at 8 pm. The Augustinians, the Order of St. Augustine, owe their origins to Saint Augustine (354-430 AD), from Hippo in Algeria, who inspired men and women to live in religious communities.
By the 13th century many different Augustinian communities existed and in 1256 Pope Alexander IV created the Grand Union of all existing Augustinian Congregations to form what we know today as the Order of St. Augustine.
The Order of St. Augustine came to Cork some time between 1270 and 1300. As the Augustinian historian, Fr. Thomas C. Butler OSA writes: "If we take 1272 as a date of petition for approval to open a foundation in Cork, it would have taken some years for the planning and building so we can safely assume that the latter took place between 1275 and 1285.
The Priory was dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, but was recorded on ancient maps as St. Austin's 1545 and St. Augustine's 1610. Later still it became known as the "Red Abbey" because of the red sandstone used in the church. The Towers were added after the middle of the 14th century.
The Red Abbey was raided in 1630, but the friars, forewarned, had fled. This was a short lived closure and the friars were back again, until 1644 when all priests and friars were expelled from the city, and the Red Abbey was taken over by the protestant Dean of Cork, Richard Boyle.Lady Fanshawe leased the Red Abbey, but had to leave when Cromwell came in 1649, and stabled his horses in the building.
Returns on the State of Popery for 1766 give "a friary - Augustinian - in Fishamble Lane. It was located where a side entrance leads into the Franciscan church. Formerly Mill St, the site of the church is shown on De Rocque's map of 1759.
In 1776 the friars were living in an old tottering house, with an old tottering chapel nearby. They started to look for a suitable site and ran into difficulty with the bishop of Cork. The friary in Fishamble Lane was in the parish of St. Finbar's, and the new site was in SS Peter and Paul's.In 1778 the Augustinians chose a site on Brunswick St, at the time within the South Parish. Again the Bishop objected, but the Augustinians decided to go ahead with a chapel and dwelling in Brunswick St. now known as St. Augustine's Lane. The community was suspended by the Bishop. The case was taken to Rome.
A decision was given in favour of the friars, with a command to the bishop to bless and open the church when completed. The first stone was laid on November 27th 1780. The Bishop complied with the mandate from the Holy See, and he blessed the new church on June 4th 1781, and he restored the Prior and community to the jurisdiction of the diocese.
The church was extended in 1872 and the Priory built on Washington St, known then as Great George St. The present church structure was built in 1942 and furthered extended in 1972. The Priory was rebuilt in 1982.

The Occidental College Glee Club performs at the Danny Mann Pub in Killarney on May 22 at 7 PM

Today, Saturday, May 22, at 7 pm the Danny Mann Pub in Killarney will turn into a performance venue for the travelers of the Occidental College Glee Club under the direction of Desiree LaVertu. Incantato Tours proudly presents this very special and traditional venue:
The Danny Mann is a hotel pub that is renowned as one of the best centers for Irish music, singing and dancing in all of Killarney. Here you will find locals and visitors alike joining with the band to sing together. The Danny Mann Pub has brought traditional Irish music and good times to Killarney for over 70 years.

The Occidental College Glee Club sings at St. Mary’s Church of Ireland - today, May 21 at 8 PM

St. Mary’s Church of Ireland is the Occidental College Glee Club venue today, Friday, May 21 at 8 pm:

St. Mary’s Church of Ireland in Killarney is a Roman Catholic cathedral in County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. The diocese of Kerry, or Ardfert and Ahadoe as it is sometimes called, was ruled by vicars apostolic from the mid-16th century until the early 18th century, with the exception of a brief few years in the 1640s. The 18th century Bishops of Kerry resided at Dingle, Kilcummin, Tuogh, Listowel and Tralee, from 1720 until 1775. In the latter years Bishop Francis Moylan (1775-87) established the see at Killarney.
Before the construction of Killarney cathedral there was a small chapel in Chapel Lane, of which the font survives in the baptistery of the present cathedral. The idea of building a cathedral was started by Fr. Joseph O'Sullivan, curate of Dingle, who roused the enthusiasm of Bishop Cornelius Egan (1824-1856) and the 2nd Earl of Kenmare (1788-1853), a local Catholic landowner.