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<p>From the late 15th century when the Western colonial powers held sway over vast swathes of the world, hordes of precious artefacts were seized as spoils of war or amassed in other ways. Many were sold privately and larger numbers still ended up in the great encyclopaedic museums of Europe.</p>



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<p>As territories gained their independence following the Second World, they began to voice a desire for the return of cultural treasures that had been looted, purchased or gifted. Arguments about the legitimate ownership of such heritage pieces are long and complex, but in recent years Western governments and institutions have begun to heed a groundswell of public opinion and make accommodations for some to head back to their original home.</p>



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<p>In the UK, the issue is complicated by a law that prohibits national museums from permanently handing over items in their collections. To circumvent this legal hurdle and find common ground, a collaborative approach is required.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Contested marbles</h3>



<p>It was reported last year that the British Museum had engaged in talks with Greece over the fate of the Parthenon sculptures. The Elgin Marbles, as they are known in the UK, are perhaps the most famous of the contested colonial artefacts in the museum’s collection. The Parthenon, ancient Athens’ most important temple, sat atop the Acropolis and was decorated with marble statues and a sculpted frieze depicting heroes and gods at a festival in honour of the goddess Athena.</p>



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<p>The exact circumstances surrounding permission in 1801 for British ambassador Thomas Bruce, the Earl of Elgin, to remove “some pieces of stone with old inscriptions and figures”, as he put it, have been debated ever since. At a UK parliamentary committee convened in 1816 to investigate the possible purchase of the marbles from Lord Elgin and assess their worth, British sculptor John Flaxman called them “the finest works of art … [and] the most excellent of their kind that I have ever seen”.</p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="680" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-1024x680.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-81663" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-421x280.jpg 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-768x510.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-2048x1361.jpg 2048w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-200x133.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Elgin-Marbles_01-800x532.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>


<p>Cultural commentators are divided on the issue of important national symbols – as the Parthenon Marbles are to the Greeks – residing in institutions that belong to another country. Many believe there is a strong moral argument for the repatriation of cultural treasures acquired during colonial times. Indeed, in a poll last year, the majority of the British public supported the marbles’ return to Greece in a cultural partnership.</p>



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<p>British sociologist Tiffany Jenkins, author of the book Keeping their Marbles, believes the Elgin Marbles perform a valuable service by sitting in the British Museum, where a reported 75% of visitors are from overseas. When viewed there, in context with galleries showing artefacts from the Roman Empire, for instance, it is possible to see the influence the Parthenon had on other cultures.</p>



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="838" height="1024" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-838x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-81661 size-full" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-838x1024.jpg 838w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-229x280.jpg 229w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-768x939.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-1256x1536.jpg 1256w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-1675x2048.jpg 1675w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-200x244.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3-800x978.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Benin-Bronze-3.jpg 2045w" sizes="(max-width: 838px) 100vw, 838px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="1014" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-1024x1014.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-81662" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-1024x1014.jpg 1024w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-283x280.jpg 283w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-768x761.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-1536x1522.jpg 1536w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-2048x2029.jpg 2048w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-200x198.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-800x793.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Cast-gold-badge-worn-by-the-Asantehenes-kings-soul-washer-as-a-badge-of-office-Asante-Ghana-before-1874-©-Victoria-and-Albert-Museum-London-2-100x100.jpg 100w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
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<p>The Greek government has sought the return of the marbles from Britain for more than 40 years. The remaining Parthenon sculptures reside in a state-of-the-art museum next to the Acropolis, where a place has been reserved for those removed by Elgin. It is thought the Greeks wanted to strike an agreement that would mean masterpieces like the mask of Agamemnon could be shown in the UK for the first time.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Regalia return</h3>



<p>The British Museum and the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&amp;A) announced details in January of a long-term loan agreement whereby gold and silver regalia from the ancient Asante royal court will be displayed at the Manhyia Palace Museum in Kumasi, Ghana. These artefacts are of cultural, historical and spiritual significance to the Asante people and the announcement was greeted with joy by Ghanaians; many of the objects will be seen in the country for the first time in 150 years. The collaboration follows an official visit to London by the Asantehene (King of Asante) Otumfuo Osei Tutu II in May last year.</p>



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<p>“We are delighted to be lending these beautiful and significant cultural objects for display in Kumasi in this the Asantehene’s Silver Jubilee year and the 150th anniversary of the Anglo-Ashanti war, and to be doing so through a collaboration with Manhyia Palace Museum and the V&amp;A,” said Lissant Bolton, Keeper of Africa, Oceania and the Americas at the British Museum.</p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-819x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-81660" width="614" height="768" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-224x280.jpg 224w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-768x960.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-200x250.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-800x1000.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Aborney-Image-1-scaled.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 614px) 100vw, 614px" /></figure></div>


<p>Items from the British Museum collection include those looted during a later conflict, in 1895-1896, as well as gifts to the museum presented during trade negotiations in the early 19th century. Among them are the Mpomponsuo sword of state and a small gold ornament in the form of a lute-harp (sankuo).</p>



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<p>For its part, the V&amp;A is lending 17 objects, including all 13 pieces of Asante royal regalia it acquired at a Garrard auction in 1874. Standouts are a gold peace pipe and three gold soul-washers’ badges (akrafokonmu) that were worn around the necks of court officials responsible for cleansing the king’s soul.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Moot loot</h3>



<p>A report commissioned by French President Emmanuel Macron in 2018 called for thousands of African artworks in French museums taken without consent during the colonial period to be returned to the continent. France duly gave back 26 objects to Benin from a collection known as the Abomey Treasures that were looted by French forces in 1892 – including statues, portable altars, palace doors and a throne. The gesture was part of French moves to improve its image in Africa and allow Africans access to their heritage.</p>



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<p>Belgium is also making strides to repatriate many items taken during its colonial occupation of the Congo. King Philippe recently handed over a magnificent large wooden mask to Félix Tshisekedi, President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Other items are set to follow.</p>


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<figure class="aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" src="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1-768x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-81665" width="576" height="768" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1-210x280.jpg 210w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1-200x267.jpg 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1-800x1067.jpg 800w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/P17-1_p-1.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 576px) 100vw, 576px" /></figure></div>


<p>Now scattered in museums in the UK, the US, Germany and elsewhere, the Benin Bronzes are another collection of artefacts whose repatriation in some form have been urged. These superb royal and personal objects crafted from the 16th century onwards at the behest of the court of the Oba (king) in Benin City (in modern-day Nigeria) include elaborately decorated cast plaques, commemorative heads, and animal and human figures.</p>



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<p>The 1860 plunder of Yuanmingyuan (the Old Summer Palace) in Beijing left a treasure trove of Chinese art and artefacts in British hands. Years later many were sold at auction houses and found their way into museums. Unesco has estimated that about 1.6 million Chinese relics are in the possession of 47 museums worldwide, including about 1 million looted from Yuanmingyuan. Chinese antiquarians believe more than 10 times that number are in the hands of private collectors. Some of these precious heritage objects are now being bought by wealthy Chinese and returning to China. The fate of the remainder is open to speculation.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">India pride</h3>



<p>India has been hankering since independence in 1947 for the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond acquired by Britain during colonial times from the 10-year-old Maharajah of Punjab. Following its arrival in Britain, the Koh-i-Noor was eventually cut by Dutch master craftsmen in perfect symmetry with 33 facets on top and the same number underneath. Widely lauded for its dazzling beauty, the diamond was set in successive royal crowns, most lately that of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Pakistan has also laid claim to the jewel.</p>



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<p>One interesting development, which organisers are hoping will provide a new model for sharing art across borders, is an exhibition at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya in Mumbai, India of items on long-term loan from the British Museum, the Berlin State Museums and J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. On display until 1 October 2024, Ancient Sculptures: India, Egypt, Assyria, Greece, Rome brings great works of antiquity from Western museums to an Indian audience and helps shed light on the interconnectivity between religions and cultures since ancient times.</p>



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<p>“We see the exhibition as a unique and important educational endeavour that provides our Indian audiences and children with new ways of viewing their own culture as a result of seeing it in relation to other societies and geographies,” said Sabyasachi Mukherjee, director general of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya, Mumbai, also noting that a high percentage of India’s young people might never have the opportunity to travel and experience the art and culture of other parts of the world.</p>


Lost Property: Disputed colonial-era treasures long held by museums in the West begin the journey home


<p>The Basque Country is steeped in history going back millennia. The people in this little pocket of Europe that overlaps Spain and France are fiercely proud of their distinct culture, and during the summer months, the region explodes into life in a sea of wine, bull and folklore rituals with all-day parties, crazy costumes and cuisine to die for.</p>



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<p>These events and festivals act like a magnet, drawing in visitors from all over the world keen to experience a bit of Basque culture. The region is nestled between the Pyrenees and the Atlantic Ocean, and Basque (or Euskara) is spoken, as well as Spanish or French; Euskara is the only remnant of languages that existed before southwestern Europe was Romanised.</p>



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<p>The major conurbations of the Southern Basque Country, in Spain, are Bilbao, the destination of most incoming flights, the elegant coastal city of San Sebastian, the Basque capital Vitoria-Gasteiz, and Pamplona. The Northern part, in France, houses the palatial coastal splendour of Biarritz, while Bayonne is famous for its magnificent summer festival.</p>



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<p>Basque food is also unique and a rich, almost obsessive, part of local culture, with a reputation as some of the best to be had in Europe. Signature dishes include great surf-and-turf combos, hake stew, lobster salad, vegetable and fish soups and the much-revered sea bream. There is heated rivalry over which part of Basque turns out the best culinary delights.</p>



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<p>This competitive spirit is also evident in Basque sports such as pelota, which has been described as the fastest ball game in the world. There are also many herri kirolak (rural sports) competitions involving chopping wood, lifting massive stones, manually drilling holes in rocks and oxcart lifting. These can be seen at many of the summer fiestas in the region.</p>



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<p><strong>Festival highs</strong><br>In graceful Haro, capital of the Rioja Alta wine region, the ‘Battle of Wine’ occurs in late June and is of such repute it has been designated a ‘festival of international tourist interest’. After a mass that is celebrated at the Chapel of San Felices de Bilibio, participants wearing white squirt wine on each other until everyone’s clothes change colour.</p>



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<p>About a week later, the most talked-about of the Basque summer festivals kicks off in Pamplona. The Fiesta de San Fermin, popularly known as the Running of the Bulls, takes place every 6-14 July transforming the historic city into a frenzy of strength, speed and colour. Each morning at eight o’clock, six bulls are released onto the narrow, cobbled streets where they rush through a sea of fleeing people wearing white and red scarves around their waists and necks. Their route to the bullring only takes a few minutes, but each year some of the participants will be injured, and occasionally fatally gored. It is common for tourists to try their luck and join in, often as a last-minute act of bravado just before the bulls go past.</p>



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<p>From 21-23 July, the bizarre spectacle of Danza de los Zancos (Dance of the Stilts) can be observed in Anguiano. Here, dancers on 5cm-high stilts tiptoe through the sloping, cobbled streets as part of a parade celebrating a pagan ritual. Performers wear colourful clothing with their hidden petticoats providing much-needed balance.</p>



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<p><strong>Coastal giants</strong><br>In the last week of July, the Fêtes de Bayonne commences at the city’s Place de la Mairée when a mascot throws keys from the balcony to the hordes below. This is the largest festival in France, with numerous parades and dances, music galore, giant figures roaming the streets and breathtaking fireworks displays. Tourists are encouraged to join in the fun.</p>



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<p>Located at the confluence of two rivers, Bayonne treasures its rich cultural heritage; it was officially recognised as a French ‘Town of Art &amp; History’ in 2012. There is plenty to browse in this city also renowned for its superb chocolate, and regular tours are available in July and August. Just 8km (5 miles) south of Bayonne on the Basque Coast is beautiful Biarritz, which is also worth exploring. Anglet and Hossegor, to the north, offer world-class surfing action, and from 7-10 July, the former’s annual surf film festival draws more sedate crowds to the beaches.</p>



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<p><em>(Read the full interview in the May 2023 issue (pg: 138). Available on the Gafencu app on Android and Apple.)</em></p>


Basque Bonkers – The summer months are when the Basque region goes wild

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Good quality sleep, for many urbanites, is the holy grail of a healthy lifestyle &#8211; setting the mood for the rest of the day.&nbsp;</span></p>
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<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-65757" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7.png" alt="premium luxury mattress glencraft gafnecu 7" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7-600x399.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-7-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Praised for its excellent construction and use of materials such as its individually coiled springs, and sumptuous horse tail hair, alpaca, silk and cashmere fabrics, its mattresses have long been regarded as fit for royalty.</span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-65754" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu.png" alt="premium luxury mattress glencraft gafnecu" width="337" height="500" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu.png 337w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-200x297.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-189x280.png 189w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-120x178.png 120w" sizes="(max-width: 337px) 100vw, 337px" /></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It&#8217;s little wonder then how the brand&nbsp; has received several nods from prestigious hospitality establishments while also serving four generations of the British Royal family, and was awarded the prestigious Royal Warrant by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth Il.</span></p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-65759" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4.png" alt="premium luxury mattress glencraft gafnecu 4" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4-600x399.png 600w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/premium-luxury-mattress-glencraft-gafnecu-4-400x266.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At Glencraft, nothing exceeds the importance of the comfort and well-being of its customers. As a special gesture of gratitude for its loyal following, the company is offering an exclusive promotion for&nbsp; two of its five signature mattresses available at its Horizon Plaza location: The Heritage Premium and The Monarch Deluxe.</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">For more information, please contact the team via Whatsapp at 98498524 or visit <a href="http://glencraft.uk.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">glencraft.uk.com</a>.&nbsp;</span></em></p>


Royal Treatment: Glencraft offers the ultimate restful slumber

<p>Travel bugs and holidaymakers will be enlivened by positive news that a possible &#8220;travel bubble&#8221; is underway. While the Hong Kong government is still arranging talks with 11 countries, including Japan, Thailand, France and Switzerland, frequent travellers have something to look forward to in the coming months, especially with the looming change in season and the approach of the festive Christmas holidays.</p>
<p>In hopes of&nbsp;delightful travel prospects in the coming months, the following places will be worth visiting when the travel curbs are lifted:&nbsp;</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-52405" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand.png" alt="‘Fun getaway’ options amid travel bubble phuket phi phi islands thailand" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-phuket-phi-phi-islands-thailand-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><strong>Phuket, Thailand</strong></p>
<p>Thailand offers the brightest prospects of opening a travel bubble with Hong Kong. As November marks the end of the wet season in the country, it is the perfect time for beach lovers to plan an island hopping vacation to the <em>Phi Phi Islands</em> and a warm Christmas on the tropical beaches of Phuket.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-52406" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan.png" alt="‘Fun getaway’ options amid travel bubble southern okinawa japan" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-southern-okinawa-japan-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><strong>Southern Okinawa, Japan</strong></p>
<p>Frequent travellers to Japan might be initially disappointed by prospects of Tokyo and Osaka getting stricken off the list of travel bubble destinations, for now. However, tourism lawmaker, Yiu Si-wing suggests looking at southern Okinawa as a possible travel destination option. Rainfall and humidity are relatively lower in November and the weather stays warm all year round, which makes for a comfortable time to explore beaches, golf courses and historic sites of the region, such as <em>Peace Prayer Park</em> and <em>Himeyuri Monument</em> . The region is also well-known for its brown sugar and sugarcane juice.&nbsp;</p>
<p><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-52407" src="//www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland.png" alt="‘Fun getaway’ options amid travel bubble swiss alps switzerland" width="700" height="466" srcset="https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland.png 700w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland-200x133.png 200w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland-421x280.png 421w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland-120x80.png 120w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland-500x333.png 500w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland-400x266.png 400w, https://www.gafencushop.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/‘Fun-getaway’-options-amid-travel-bubble-swiss-alps-switzerland-600x399.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></p>
<p><strong>Switzerland</strong></p>
<p>While it looks unlikely for countries like Australia, France and Germany to open their borders to tourists in the near-term, prospects of holidays in Switzerland look brighter and more promising. In the case that a flight out to the Swiss Alps becomes part of your holiday plans in winter, you can consider hoping on the <em>St. Bernina Express</em> to take in the breathtaking Alpine landscapes, but not before you take a ski trip down <em>St. Mortiz</em>.&nbsp;</p>


‘Fun getaway’ options amid travel bubble feature image

Tag: heritage

Lost Property: Disputed colonial-era treasures long held by museums in the West begin the journey home

Basque Bonkers – The summer months are when the Basque region goes wild

Royal Treatment: Glencraft offers the ultimate restful slumber

Fun Getaway: Places to visit during the travel bubble

Tag: heritage

Blog Section

Lost Property: Disputed colonial-era treasures long held by museums in the West begin the journey home

Basque Bonkers – The summer months are when the Basque region goes wild

Royal Treatment: Glencraft offers the ultimate restful slumber

Fun Getaway: Places to visit during the travel bubble