I have to say thanks to Everywhere Mag for bringing this to my attention.

Camp Minnie-Mickey

Camp Minnie-Mickey Rides and Attractions

There aren’t any rides in the Camp Minnie-Mickey area of the park, but you can see the fantastic Festival of the Lion King show. This show lasts for 30 minutes and features music from the Disney animated movie, The Lion King, together with dancers, acrobats and puppets. You can also join in with parts of the show, so young children will love it.

The other main attracion in this area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park is the Camp Minnie-Mickey Greetings Trails. Here, you’ll get the opportunity to meet some of your favourite Disney characters and children will love being able to have their photo taken with them or getting their autographs. Just decide which character you want to meet and follow the relevant path to find them!

Camp Minnie-Meeting Dining and Shopping

There are no restaurants or shops in the Camp Minnie-Mickey area of the park, but there are a number of stalls where you can buy drinks, ice cream and snacks.

Africa

Africa Rides and Attractions

There are two main attractions in the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom - Kilimanjaro Safaris and the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is one of the park’s most popular attractions, so you may find that the queues for this are fairly long. You can take advantage of the park’s FastPass system for this attraction, however – just use the machines near the ride entrance to get a FastPass ticket and come back during the allocated time-slot, and you’ll get fast-tracked to the front of the line.

On this fantastic ride, you’ll travel across the savannah in an open-sided jeep and you’ll be able to see a range of animals. The savannah area is home to elephants, giraffes, hippos, lions, cheetahs, rhino and many other species, so should be able to see many animals during your journey and each trip will be different! During your safari, you’ll also encounter poachers and will embark upon a high-speed chase to rescue a baby elephant.

After the excitement of your safari, you can take a relaxing stroll along the Pangani Forest Exploration Trail. You can stop at the various viewing points to see okapis, meerkats, hippos, gorillas and other animals, and there is also a walk-through aviary along the way.

Dining in Africa

There are a number of places within the Africa area of Disney’s Animal Kingdom where you can grab a bite to eat or relax with a cool drink.

Tusker House Restaurant is a table service / buffet restaurant which is open for character breakfasts, as well as for lunch and dinner. The menu at Donald’s Safari Breakfast at Tusker House includes bacon and sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, pastries, fruit and yoghurt, and you’ll be able to meet Disney characters such as Donald and Daisy Duck.

Dishes available at lunch and dinner at Tusker House Restaurant include salads, couscous dishes, curried chicken, salmon, spiced tandoori tofu and a range of desserts. There is also a special menu for children, which includes corn dog nuggets, macaroni and cheese, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

The Dawa Bar, next door to Tusker House Restaurant, serves a range of alcoholic drinks, including beers, South African wine and cocktails, whilst the Tamu Tamu Refreshments kiosk’s menu includes cheeseburgers, sandwiches, desserts and soft drinks. You can also enjoy a wide range of fruit and snacks from the Harambe Fruit Market, and pastries and coffee at the Kusafiri Coffee Shop and Bakery.

Shopping in Africa

If you’re looking for souvenirs, you’ll find plenty to choose from in Mombasa Marketplace and Ziwani Traders, including a wide range of African-themed gifts, such as carved animals and t-shirts. You can also buy batteries and memory cards for your camera in Duka La Filimu.

In the next part of our guide to the Disney’s Animal Kingdom theme park in Orlando, we’ll be taking a look at some of the things you can see and do in the Rafiki’s Planet Watch area of the park.

Image: Jeff Christiansen

The prize consists of a night’s accommodation for two in a Four Pillars Hotel in Oxfordshire, dinner for two, tickets to Blenheim Palace and Broughton Castle, and a walking tour of Oxford.

You can enter the competition by completing the online form on the Telegraph website. Entries must be received by midnight on Tuesday, May 3 2011 and the winner will need to take the holiday before September 14 2011.

Wat Phra Kaew (The Temple of the Emerald Buddha), Na Phralan, Phra Nakorn, Bangkok

Wat Phra Kaew (officially known as Wat Phra Sri Rattana Satsadaram) is situated in the grounds of the Grand Palace, in the heart of the Old City district of Bangkok.

The temple was constructed during the 18th century in order to house the statue of the Emerald Buddha, which is carved from a single piece of jade and depicts Buddha in the meditation position. The statue, though tiny, is extremely significant to the Thai people and, as a result, Wat Phra Kaew is considered to be the most important temple in Bangkok.

The Emerald Buddha is housed in the “ubosot”, or “ordination hall”, the temple’s main building. It’s kept within a glass case on a platform and the only person permitted to touch it is the King of Thailand, who changes the cloak around the Buddha three times each year in a ceremony believed to bring good fortune to Thailand. During the summer season, the Buddha wears a gold cloak encrusted with diamonds; during the winter, a solid gold cloak; and during the rainy season, a gilded monk’s robe.

The entire temple is ornately decorated and other things to look out for during your visit include murals depicting scenes from Buddha’s life and the huge “Yaksa Tavarnbal” (“Gate-Keeping Giants”), which guard the entrances to the temple’s balcony.

Wat Phra Kaew’s compound also includes two important libraries, the Royal Pantheon (which consists of statues of the first seven Kings of the Chakri Dynasty), a model of Angkor Wat (the Cambodian temple), and Phra Si Rattana Chedi, a stupa (mound-like structure) containing Buddhist relics.

You can take a guided or self-guided tour of Wat Phra Kaew and combine your visit with a trip to the adjoining Grand Palace, which is one of Bangkok’s most famous and important sites.

Travelling to Bangkok is easy and many airlines, including Etihad Airways, fly to Bangkok International Airport from London and other major destinations.

Image: Aimaimyi

The prize consists seven nights’ self-catering accommodation for four people in a shepherd’s hut on a working farm, situated on the northern edge of the Lake District. The winner will also be able to choose one of three additional prizes: a day’s mountain biking for four with Savvy Bikes; a Gyroplane flight for one with RS Gyroplanes; or a luxury food hamper from Cocklakes Farm Shop.

To enter the competition, you will need to register with the BBC Countryfile website, answer a simple question, and complete and submit the online competition entry form. Entries must be received by 11.59 p.m. on 15 February 2011. The winner must take the holiday before the end of July 2011 and will be responsible for their own travel costs to and from the destination.

Where is Hever Castle?

Hever Castle is situated in the village of Hever, in Kent. Hever lies between Sevenoaks and East Grinstead, and is about 30 miles from London.

The History of Hever Castle

Hever Castle dates back as far as 1270 but in the late 1400s, it was bought by the Bullen family, who constructed a house within its walls. The spelling of the name Bullen was variable, but in later years it was usually spelled as Boleyn.

In 1505, Hever Castle was inherited by Thomas Boleyn, the 1st Earl of Wiltshire. Thomas Boleyn was the father of Anne Boleyn, who spend her childhood at Hever Castle before becoming the second wife of King Henry VIII. Anne was executed in 1536 and, after her father’s death in 1539, it became the property of Henry VIII, who bestowed it to his fourth wife, Anne of Cleves.

During the years that followed, Hever Castle became the home of a number of different families and in the early 20th century,the American millionaire William Waldorf Aston bought the estate and embarked upon a major programme of restoration.

Highlights of Hever Castle

Hever Castle is now open to the public and you can enjoy exploring both the building and 125 acres of grounds.

The castle’s highlights include:

• the Tudor Portrait Collection
• two of Anne Boleyn’s Books of Hours
• Tudor furniture and tapastries
• collections of weapons, armour and torture instruments, housed in the 13th century gatehouse.

Attractions in Hever Castle’s gardens include:

• the Yew Maze – planted by William Waldorf Aston in 1906, this traditionally-designed maze includes a quarer of a mile of pathways and hedges which are up to 8 feet tall.
• the Italian Garden, which also contains a walled Rose Garden.
• a range of water features, including the Cascade Rockery, Two Sisters Pond and Half Moon Pond.
• several attractive walkways, including Anne Boleyn’s Walk and the Rhododendrun Walk.
• Sixteen Acre Island, which includes the Millennium Fountain and the Water Maze.
• Hever Lake Walk, a pathway which will take you all the way around the lake.
• the Adventure Playground.

Facilities at Hever Castle

There are two restaurants at Hever Castle, the Moat Restaurant and the new Guthrie Pavilion. You can also buy sandwiches, cakes and drinks from the Grab and Go Counter and, during the summer, you can purchase ice cream and drinks from a number of kiosks within the castle grounds.

If you’re looking for souvenirs to take home with you, you’ll find plenty to choose from in the Hever Shop and the Courtyard Shop.

Further Information

For more information, including opening times and prices, you can visit the Hever Castle website.

Image: Charlesdrakew

The prize includes: return flights from the U.K to Santiago; seven nights’ accommodation for two, including a two night stay in the Hotel Fundador in Santiago and a two night stay at the Hotel Santa Cruz Plaza in the town of Santa Cruz; a cable car trip to the peak of Cerro San Cristóbal; dinner for two at a leading restaurant in Santiago; and a VIP tour of the Palo Alto winery.

To enter the competition, you will need to register with the Delicious website, sign in, answer the competition question and complete your details, and submit your entry.

The prize must be taken between 1 March 2011 and 31 May 2011, and entries must be received by midday on Tuesday 4 January 2011.

Mallorca’s Mediterranean climate and range of excellent golf courses make it the perfect place to visit on a golfing holiday at any time of year. If you’re a keen golfer and want to plan a holiday to Mallorca, here are details of just a few of the island’s best golf courses.

Golf Park Puntiró (Ctra. de Sineu, km 10., 07198 Palma de Mallorca)

This 18-hole, par 71 golf course is only 9km from the island’s capital, Palma de Mallorca, so it’s a great course to visit if you’re staying in the city.

Designed by Nicklaus Design, the golf course design company founded by Jack Nicklaus, the course preserves and utilises the estate’s natural features, so you can enjoy seeing the natural vegetation such as pine trees, wild olive trees and carob trees as you play on its wide fairways. However, the course is also challenging and there are two large lakes to negotitate your way around.

Golf Park Puntiró has a driving range, complete with greens, bunkers and 42 practice bays, and a coaching studio. It also has a comfortable club house which includes a pro-shop, restaurant and other facilities.

Golf de Son Termens (Crta. de S’Esglaieta a Santa Maria km 10, Bunyola, 07193)

Golf de Son Termens is one of Mallorca’s newest golf courses, having opened in 1998, but it’s become popular with both local golfers and tourists. It’s an 18-hole, par 70 course with small greens and undulating fairways, so will provide golfers with plenty of challenges.

The course is only 10km away from Palma de Mallorca and is situated at the base of a mountain on an old hunting estate, so the setting is beautiful. There is also a club house with a golf-shop, restaurant, terraces and other facilities.

Son Gual Golf Club (Finca Son Gual, Ma 15 – Palma – Manacor, Km 11,5
07199 Palma de Mallorca)

Son Gual Golf Club is situated about 15km from Palma de Mallorca and only opened in 2007. The 18-hole, par 72 course was designed by Thomas Himmel and provides serious golfers with a real challenge, thanks to some low par holes, 66 bunkers and a number of water hazards.

Son Gual’s course is in a beautiful setting, surrounded by vineyards, wild flowers and olive trees. Unfortunately, the club’s practice areas are only open to members but non-members can enjoy a game on the course. There is also a club house with a restaurant, golf shop and changing rooms.

Other Mallorca golf courses include Andratz Golf Course, Vall d’Or Golf Course and Golf Maioris.

Image: Lotus Head

The Acropolis Museum (15 Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, Athens 11742)

The new Acropolis Museum in Dionysiou  Areopagitou Street, Athens, opened in July 2009 and was constructed as a replacement for the old Acropolis Museum, which had stood on the site of the Acropolis since the late 1800s. The new museum has more than 14,000 square metres of exhibition space and was designed by Bernard Tschumi.  

The museum’s permanent collection includes: The Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis, which houses a range of artifacts discovered during excavations of the Acropolis hill;  the Archaic Gallery, which houses artifacts dating from the 7th century B.C. until the end of the Persian Wars, including sculptures from the pediment of the Temple of Athena Polias; and the Parthenon Gallery, where you can see sections of the frieze and sculptures from the Parthenon.

The Acropolis Museum also holds temporary exhibitions, and you’ll find a cafe, a restaurant and a shop there.

Image: Tilemahos Efthimiadis

The National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum (50 Vassileos Konstantinou, Athens)

First opened to the public in 1900, the National Gallery – Alexandros Soutzos Museum houses a large collection of Greek and Western European art works dating from the Post-Byzantine period to the present day. The collection is housed in two buildings. Works showing the history of Greek sculpture are displayed in the National Glyptotheque (Army Park, Goudi, Athens), whilst the rest of the collection is housed in the main museum building (50 Vassileos Konstantinou).

The Railway Museum of Athens (4 Siokou Street, Athens)

The Railway Museum of Athens opened in 1979 and is the only museum of its kind in Greece. It houses a small collection of rolling stock, including a number of steam locomotives, as well as other railway-related exhibits, such as photos, tickets and railway workers’ uniforms. Admission to the museum is free of charge.

The National Museum of Contemporary Art (Vassileos Georgiou B 17 – 19 & Rigillis Street, Athens)

The National Museum of Contemporary Art is currently being housed in the Athens Conservatory while its own building is being renovated. It’s due to move back to its original location in 2011.

The museum’s permanent collection includes a wide range of works by both Greek and international artists. Works include paintings, 3D objects, installations, photographs and video art. The museum also holds regular temporary exhibitions.  

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens (44 Patission Street, Athens 10682)

Originally designed to house items found during excavations in and near Athens during the nineteenth century, the National Archaeological Museum of Athens now houses artefacts discovered throughout Greece, and is the largest museum in the country.

Its permanent collection is divided into five main sections: the Prehistoric Collection; the Sculptures Collection; the Vase and Minor Objects Collection; the Metallurgy Collection; and the Egyptian and Near Eastern Antiquities Collection.

The museum also holds regular temporary exhibitions, and there is a cafe and a shop on site.

Image: Lucretius

The prize consists of: return flights for four (2 adults and 2 children aged between 2 and 11) from London to Orlando; 7 nights’ accommodation in a family room in one of the Walt Disney World Resort’s 4-star hotels; unlimited transport within the Walt Disney World Resort; airport/hotel transfers; a £100 travel allowance; and travel insurance. The prize winner will be responsible for all other expenses.

You can enter the competition by answering the question on the Morrisons website and submitting your details. Competition entries must be received by midnight on the 19th of December 2010. The winner must take the holiday before December 2011 and will not be able to take it during Christmas, Easter or bank holidays.