5-Step Detox to Revitalize You

At the arrival of spring it is a natural instinct to cast off the winter blues and feel renewed. It is also a great time to eliminate the toxins that have been burdening your system, leaving you sluggish and fatigued. Make a clean sweep with the 5-step detox listed below!

Why you need to spring clean your body
Your body is naturally equipped with a self-cleaning process. But too much sugar, caffeine, processed foods, stress, and too little exercise can slow the body's natural detox function to a slow pace. And then your body can't clean itself when it is put up against the increasing number of harmful and toxic substances in the environment. Toxins come in many forms: pesticides in produce, formaldehyde in carpets and cosmetics, PCBs from plastic containers, dioxins from bleached paper products, and more.

Your body will process and eliminate some of the hordes of chemicals that enter, but overflow gets stored in the liver, lungs, kidneys, fat cells, intestines, blood stream, and skin—which can result in chronic illnesses down the road. When you undergo a detox, you get these toxins out of your system.

How do you know if you need a detox?
You know you're suffering from toxic overload if you are experiencing fatigue, memory decline, difficulty focusing, allergies and infections, irritability, anxiety and depression, difficulty with weight gain and weight loss, muscle and joint pain or weakness, skin rashes and outbreaks, recurrent yeast and fungal infections, constipation, diarrhea, abdominal bloating, and indigestion.

Most people report vast improvement in their symptoms after a detox. At first, you may feel a little fuzzy because of the toxins being released. However, when you stick with it, you will begin to feel more alert, energized, and full of vitality.

At-Home Detox
Start small! Begin with a one-day program and gradually increase to one week or more. Here are 5 steps to a daily detox that will gently cleanse your body:

1. Start the Detox Day Right
• First thing in the morning, drink one lemon squeezed in 12 ounces of warm filtered water. Lemon activates your liver to release toxins and helps to cleanse and move the roughage that stays behind in your intestines.

• Take acidophilus or a probiotic supplement. Acidophilus is one of the many "good" bacteria and yeasts known as the probiotics. Probiotics balance our intestinal functions, helping to break down food and control the "bad" bacteria that is also in your system—all of which optimizes the detoxification process. Always take probiotics on an empty stomach.

2. Your Detox Meals
These meals are designed to jump-start your body into becoming healthier.
• Breakfast: Eat oat bran cereal, brown rice, or any other whole grain cereal as long as it is unbleached and does not contain any added sugar or chemicals. Pair with unflavored soy milk.

• Lunch or Dinner: Eat any combination of beans, brown rice, oat bran, vegetables, and organic chicken, turkey, or soy-products. When you eat, notice how your food affects you. You should feel satisfied and energized. If you feel tired and sluggish, try eating smaller meals so that you don't overwhelm your digestion and interfere with the detoxification process.

3. Eat Green to Spring into Health
The green pigment in plants, chlorophyll, is structurally similar to the hemoglobin in the human body—the iron-containing element in blood. It increases red blood cell production and improves oxygenation, detoxification, and circulation. Be sure to eat several servings of fresh green vegetables every day during your detox. Try this super-cleansing broth and juice as a quick way to up your veggie intake.

Detox Broth: Add as many of these ingredients as you can into a large pot of filtered water: collards, Swiss chard, kale, mustard greens, cabbage, dandelion, Brussels sprouts, daikon radish, watercress, seaweed, shitake mushrooms, cilantro, garlic, leeks, fresh fennel, anise, fresh ginger, and turmeric. Boil until all ingredients are soft. You can make in a large batch and refrigerate for up to three days.

Detox Juice: Juice the following together: Aloe vera juice (which can be found in most health food stores), apples, asparagus, beets (including greens), cabbage, carrot and carrot greens, celery, cucumbers, and parsley. You can also purchase vegetable juice from the store, but be sure that it has no added salt or chemicals.

4. Supplement Your Detox
• Take a daily supplement of 1 tablespoon of flax seed oil, walnut oil, or deep-sea fish oil.

• Green Tea is a strong antioxidant, and a great beverage choice for your detox. Be sure to drink decaffeinated green tea.

• Dandelion and Milk Thistle both protect and restore the liver. According to Chinese medicine, the liver is most active in the detoxification process during spring.

• Ginger is a bowel and kidney cleanser. Make yourself tea from fresh ginger root during your detox.

A popular herbal formula among my patients is Internal Cleanse, a special combination of natural herbs to detoxify, calm nerves, clear the mind, promote emotional balance, and ease digestion. For more information, click here.

5. Take an Invigorating Herbal Soak
Soak for 20 minutes in a revitalizing herbal bath. Help draw out toxins by infusing your bath water with eucalyptus, wintergreen, peppermint, fennel, cinnamon, and epsom salts.

Spring may be the best time to cleanse your body, but you don't have to wait until spring to start. Detoxification and cleansing is a healthy maintenance program for all seasons.

May you stay healthy, live long, and live happy!

-Dr. Maoshing Ni - Posted on Tue, Mar 10, 2009, 4:51 pm PDT (Yahoo! Health)

‘Hidden Paradise’ in Cebu Lures Visitors

CEBU CITY -- A mountain resort in southwestern Cebu is fast becoming a destination of tourists looking for a place far from the hassles of city life.

The P30-million Hidden Valley Resort lies on a 12-hectare hillside property in a secluded valley in Barangay Lamac, Pinamungajan town. The “hidden paradise” is a favorite venue for retreats, meetings, conferences, reunions, outings and even honeymoons.

While most resorts are owned by the rich, Hidden Valley is owned and managed by the Lamac Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC).

The resort and the amenities that the villagers now enjoy were nonexistent 40 years ago.

“In the 1970s, Lamac had no road, no electricity, no potable water supply, but it was already a community [of] farmers,” recalled Ma. Elena Limocon, LMPC general manager.

Change came slowly to the remote village. In 1970, some 70 tenants and small farm owners led by then barangay chair Narcisa P. De Gracia formed a Samahang Nayon (a Marcos-era village group) with an initial capital of P3,700. They immediately established a consumers’ cooperative, the forerunner of the LMPC.

Lamac transformed itself through the hard work, sacrifice, commitment and faith in God of members of the LMPC, Limocon said during a “Leaders of Change Forum” of the First Rafi Triennial Awards Summit held on March 4 at the Sacred Heart Center in Cebu City.

The cooperative was one of the award presenters during the summit. In 2000, it received the first Eduardo Aboitiz Award for Outstanding Institution.

Limocon said the farmers first worked on rotation basis in helping build a road that would link their village to the outside world where they could sell their products and avail themselves of medicines and other basic needs.

Lamac, a two-hour ride from Cebu City, has a population of 5,000. It has a church, health center, elementary and secondary schools, post office, bakery, water system and drugstore.

Now, it is also easily reached through a concrete road from the town center and a gravel road from Barangay Lutopan in Toledo City.

The LMPC grew, acquiring office equipment, a truck, a rice mill and other assets. It later bought land, including a P7.5-million lot in Cebu City, and erected a building and a training center for cooperative members, Limocon said.

Limocon disclosed that the cash prizes that the LMPC won with its awards were used to buy office and farm equipment, and land, as well as construct buildings.

The cooperative also bagged awards in Gawad Pitak, Tulong sa Tao, Gawad Sikap, Mithi Award, Kabuhayan Award, Ulirang Kooperatiba Award, and Outstanding Cooperative-Municipality Partnership Award. Its prizes ranged from P55,000 to P1 million.

Its Hidden Valley Resort can accommodate up to 400 guests at a time. Past visitors included businessmen, school officials and students, balikbayans and their families, and foreigners.

Last year, more than 100 Koreans stayed for 45 days.

The resort offers air-conditioned single and double rooms, 25 big rooms for six persons each, and dormitory-type rooms. Guests can also stay in native huts or in semi-concrete buildings.

Aside from the beautiful landscape, it has a lagoon where guests can go rafting and fishing, two adult pools and two kiddie pools, function halls, restaurant and an amphitheater.

The more adventurous visitors can explore the resort’s seven caves.

The LMPC is also engaged in agricultural modernization, microfinance, youth development, environment protection, product marketing and promotion, and housing and outreach services.

Lomicon said some members were engaged in swine and goat raising, vermiculture, biogas production, dairy farm and organic farming, as well as recycling and managing of a 48-hectare timberland.

The LMPC now has nearly 44,000 regular, associate and youth members, and total assets of P427.8 million. It has 14 offices operating in different places in Cebu.

“God has been kind to us,” Limocon said.

Vicente Labro, Visayas Bureau, www.inquirer.net

‘Paraw’: More than just an Ilonggo Sailboat

ILOILO CITY – Fisherman Jayde Pauchano Sr. and his crew were racing the paraw in the Iloilo Strait toward Bundolan Point when tragedy suddenly struck. The wind and waves became rough, toppling the native boat’s mast and flipping it to its side.

Fortunately, a motorized boat with journalists on board was around to pluck the four crewmen out of the waters. The paraw was later put up and towed to safety, with Pauchano staying to guide it.

Luck refused to abandon Pauchano that day of Feb. 22. His other boat, 2 Angels, won over 74 participants in the 23.8-kilometer Paraw Regatta Sailboat Race from Sto. NiÒo Sur Arevalo in Iloilo City to Bundolan.

The city holds the Paraw Regatta Festival yearly to recognize the creativity of the Ilonggo people in paraw-building. “We have been doing this for the last 37 years. It has been like a community bonding already,” said Edwin Trompeta, regional director of the Department of Tourism.

Since the Spanish times, paraw-building has been a tradition for the Ilonggo people, known to be shipbuilders and seafarers. They have used the boat not only as a means of transportation but also as a source of livelihood.

Distinct character

Pauchano, 61, has joined the Paraw Regatta since 1973. His father taught him how to build the boat when he was a child – a craft that the fisherman eventually perfected by creating the double outrigger boats.

The paraw is built from a carved keelson or a long beam of wood connected to the floor of the boat with plywood planking for the sides. The hull is pointed at both front and back ends.

Measuring 31 m long and 30 m high, the boat’s distinct feature is its slim hull with a length-to-beam ratio of 20 to 1. To stabilize the vessel, it is fitted with outrigger floats made of bamboo.

Its sails are originally made from woven matting, but nowadays, they are stitched up from synthetic awning materials. The forward sail or layag knives the wind as fast as 20 to 30 nautical miles per hour.

Like Pauchano, Cesar Engallado believes that boat-building is in his blood. “My father was the one who actually made the paraw and he just taught me how,” Engallado said in Filipino.

A veteran regatta participant, Engallado loves to gaze at his most prized possession as it gently sways to the rhythm of the wind. He needed at least P30,000 to build the boat. “We buy the materials one piece at a time,” he said.

Joining the race has become a lifelong hobby for him. He started participating when he was 5 years old.

For Pauchano, the paraw is not only a sport but also a means to feed his family of 12. During off-season, he uses a smaller boat to catch fish.

“Sometimes, we catch eight kilos of fish, but at times, we only have two kilos,” he said. He earns a meager amount of P200 to P800 per catch, but has managed to send his children to college.

The paraw also helps ease the burden of day-to-day life, Engallado said. “It helps us forget our problems in life especially when we win.”

He had earlier worked as a checker in a brokerage firm in Parañaque City, but when the firm closed due to financial difficulties, he decided to return to Iloilo and build the paraw instead.

Today, Engallado, 42, alternates fishing and baking in a bread shop in Guimaras so he could keep his boat. “This has been a tradition for us. The paraw is already a part of our lives,” he said.

Fishermen like Pauchano still prefer the paraw over the motorized ones. “The paraw is faster,” he said.

Wind power

The sailboat is considered economical and environmentally friendly since it only needs the wind to propel it. After all, Iloilo is where two winds converge.

With the theme, “Sailing the High Seas, Mooring for More,” the Paraw Regatta Sailboat Race was the highlight of the four-day festivities in the city. The winning boat received P14,000 in cash prize.

More than the money, Rene Cortum, tourist operational officer, said “others joined because they enjoyed it and they really wanted to support Iloilo.”

Last year’s race attracted 40,749 tourist visitors, mostly Koreans.

For Pauchano and Engallado, the paraw is not only a boat but a symbol of a rich heritage of craftsmanship and ingenuity.

Vanessa Hidalgo, Visayas Bureau, www.inquirer.net

Dress to Flatter Your Figure

REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE. fashion expert Sam Saboura taught Jennifer Fuller how to show her body off to best advantage; here’s his advice for you.

Your Type: Apple shape (you tend to carry weight around the midsection)

The Strategy: Create contrast by using angular lines to counteract the roundness and softness

Look for:

• Wrap tops, which will give the illusion of a smaller waist
• Seaming on blouses and anything with a corset-style structure
• Pleating and gathering under the bust that draws the eye vertically down the tummy
• Deep v-necks and scoop necks
• Drapey empire styles, provided they’re not too voluminous (that’ll only make the area look bigger)
• Straight-leg―rather than skinny―bottoms build a sense of proportion with your upper half
• Higher-waisted pants and pants with a bit of stretch; these have a girdle-like effect and hold your stomach in

Avoid:

• Extreme A-lines, or anything too blousy that lacks shape
• Busy details like pocketing on your top half, patterns that don’t match your overall size (larger frames can carry off bigger prints, and vice versa)

Your Secret Weapon: Wear a stretchy tank top underneath your garments to create a smooth, seamless base

Carter Berg

Your Type: Pear shape (smaller on top, heavier on the bottom)

The Strategy: Achieve balance by adding a bit of volume to your upper body and minimizing your lower half

Look for:

• Darker colored pants that have a stiffer fabric or some stretch, which will have a slenderizing effect. (A leg that falls straight down from the widest part of you is best.)
• Seams that run down the front of the leg, which create a leaner leg by “bisecting” it
• Fluted skirts that flare out a bit at the bottom
• Lower and thicker waistbands that help minimize the bottom
• Tops that are slightly A-line with a bit of blouse to them
• Low-slung tunic tops (wear the belt below your natural waistline) and ¾-length jackets and tops that stop around the knee or mid-thigh

Avoid:

• Any fading or whiskering on your denim, which will only highlight trouble areas
• Too-tight tops, which will accentuate the difference between your upper and lower halves
• Attention-grabbing pocket details on the hips and thighs

Your Secret Weapon: Have the pocket fabric removed from the inside of your pants, which will minimize bulk.

Olivia Graham

Your Type: Hourglass shape (curvy around the bust and hips, with a smaller waistline)

The Strategy: It’s all about exaggerating your silhouette, not fighting it

Look for:

• Simple, solid shapes that will highlight your waist.
• Thick belts, pencil skirts, a little volume around the shoulder to make the waist appear even smaller
• Wrap tops, scooped and boatneck necklines. Pants should be bootcut or flares that fill well in the thigh.

Avoid: Ruffles, frills, lapels, busy patterns; any straight, boxy shapes

Your Secret Weapon: A fitted vest that flares out at the waist

Ditte Isager

Your Type: Athletic/boy shape (straight up and down)

The Strategy: Use clothing to create curves where they don’t exist naturally

Look for:

• Details at the bust such as ruffles, wraps and rouching―these add fullness up top
• Sleeveless tops and halters; they show off toned arms
• High-waisted skirts; they should begin at the smallest part of your waist, just underneath the bust
• Bootcut pants and jeans, with a lower rise for maximum curviness

Avoid: Menswear-inspired styles, straight cuts, “boyfriend” jeans

Your Secret Weapon: A ruffled blouse tucked into a high-waisted skirt

Party Places of Davao City...

Hmmm....I could never deny that I am a party animal Davao City have not been an exception to my cravings to discover new places to hang out in. I have never been to all the party scenes favorites but I could definitely site a few examples that might interest the imaginations of some especially those who are party people like me.

Rizal Promenade...
This all for one vicinity right in the middle of the heart of Davao is definitely a must see for party goers as bars are aligned side by side, definitely fitting the trip for Bar Hopping. Indeed there could never be a perfect place for Yuppies who prefer to meet people in a more intimate manner than any other place in Davao. Sighting some examples are Yukeme and 183 Bar. Some friends will actually discourage one to go here for certain reasons that this place is for "Masses" and would easily fit the term 'cheap' for the so-called 'class' indiviuals. Of course, I could always say that a true classy person are the ones who go to cheap places but still act decent. It's your attitude man! Or should I say, Girl! Hehehe

Torres...
Torres is actually a street in Davao comparable to Smallville in Iloilo where bars are in the some place but in a much bigger venue than Rizal Promenade. There are actually more space fit for group dates, gimiks or just for the thrill of being outside and listening to local Bands. Much 'classier' than Rizal Promenade, it is actually the new hip destination of the town as thousands flock the place during the weekends. Parking spaces are much available for those who have rides and the selection of bars are much varied than those in Rizal Promenade....Bar favorites are Fiesta Lokal (Lokal), Calle Cinco, Idol Grille (Idol) and Bakbak.

Station 91...
An old moviehouse-turned Party Bar is an alternative to the local hot spot. With a big stage in the middle, bars are scattered around with just seats separating each other. The crowd is a mixture of street savies and regular people with a rare treat of Yuppies.... Be on a lookout for anything...Heheheh Just for the adventure of it...

The Venue
The all class, elite party scene with a crowd of the city's elite and influencial people.

Matina Town Square...
A venue much like the one in Torres but smaller in comparison....

Thanks...

After my almost 2 months stay in Davao, it is but time to bid farewell to a place that had been my temporary home and party place. My friends that I have known from elementary through highschool had been my constant companion. Some had proven that memories lasts, and friendships are made stronger. I learned to open up with others while others seems lost to my past. I have never been closer to friends that accepts me for who I am and appreciates me for what I have become. - Nam, thank you very much.

For my old friends whom I have rekindled my relationships with. Thanks Bot.

It is now that I realize that you could never take for granted those who deeply, truly care about you because in the end, they will be the one who will be there to help you.

Again lessons are learned through experience and indeed experience had taught me not to trust everyone. Even those who seems to care for you the most. One could never be too careful for the people whom facades are the only thing that you are familiar with. Nevertheless they are still part of me, part of my past which I will definitely ponder from.

It is innate of me to trust but it is my responsibility to be careful. It seems that I am lecturing myself but I cannot help it to blame myself for my ignorance and obvious idiocracy.

In the end, it is my God whom I should be thanking for. For giving me these experiences that will definitely polish the treasure in me. To be chaste and not be full of impurities.... to be wise and not be dull...

And for all that is, for all that had and for all that will....Thanks.....

5 Foods to Avoid on a Date (If you don't want to feel bloated, gassy, and....blah)

As a married woman, I have become somewhat accustomed to the fact that my digestive tract and my husband's digestive tract have their moments of 'not so perfect' etiquette. It is, after all, human to pass gas. And, as a result, I've become perfectly accepting of those less than lady-like or gentlemanly-like moments on a whole.

That said, whether you are married or single, going on a date should be special. You want to look your best and feel your best. You may have a favorite outfit you like to wear. You may like to exercise that day to ensure you look a little extra 'buff'. You may even head to your nail or hair salon for a little extra primping. But what about your insides? How do you get them prepared for a special, romantic evening? It isn't as easy, is it? For instance, if I eat certain things, I can end up feeling like a sausage: stuffed...gassy...bloated. This doesn't always manifest itself in the best of ways and can quickly become an uncomfortable and awkward situation, both physically and aromatically.

Needless to say, if you are trying to have a romantic evening, this can really kill the mood. So, what can you do? You can avoid some of the more gassy foods and stick to those that will keep you smelling like a rose. Lean proteins and fats tend to be the least gas producing, while foods that are high in carbohydrates, fiber and sugar tend to be the worst culprits. Specifically, here is a list of those foods you might want to avoid while having a romantic interlude:

1. Starchy foods: Pasta, potatoes, corn and wheat
2. Dairy products: Milk, cheese and ice cream
3. Veggies: Cabbage, spinach, broccoli, onions, artichokes and asparagus
4. Fiber-Rich Foods: Whole grains, fruits, beans and peas
5. Fruits: Apples, pears or peaches

As you can see, a lot of healthier foods, ironically, can cause extra gas in your system. Unfortunately, some foods cause more gas in certain individuals than others. Apparently, as I have now discovered, spinach does a number on me. If you find that there are certain foods in particular that cause your digestive tract to go into a tail tizzy, you might want to eat those foods in smaller portions.

The World's Most Beautiful Castles

They may no longer be used for repelling enemy hordes or otherwise defending the kingdom, but these castles still have their rugged good looks.

More than 900 years old, Leeds Castle regularly received Henry VIII as a guest.

ENGLAND

Bamburgh Castle, Bamburgh, Northumberland. Fortifications have stood on this rocky outcrop near the North Sea since the 5th century. In the 12th century, King Henry II acquired the structure, and later it was snapped up by William Armstrong, a wealthy Victorian industrialist. Still owned by Armstrong's descendents, the castle has served as the location for several movies, including Roman Polanski's 1971 version of "Macbeth." After you tour the castle, which is open to the public from March to October, hop over to nearby Holy Island for a visit to Lindisfarne Castle. This stunner also overlooks the sea and is accessible only at low tide (the causeway connecting it to the mainland floods at high tide). 011-44/16-6821-4515, bamburghcastle.com, admission $10.75 (£7).

Leeds Castle, Maidstone, Kent. More than 900 years old, this moated castle regularly hosted that much-married Tudor, Henry VIII. Its current success as one of England's most popular tourist attractions is due to the work of the blue-blooded Olive Wilson Filmer, who outbid William Randolph Hearst to buy the castle for $873,000 in 1926 (that's over $10 million in today's dollars). Filmer used the rest of her fortune to restore and beautify the structure and its surroundings. On the grounds are several mazes, a display on falconry, and a dog-collar museum. 011-44/16-2276-5400, leeds-castle.com, admission (valid for a year) $25.25 (£15). Budget Travel gallery: See the world's most beautiful castles

SCOTLAND

Eilean Donan, Dornie, Scottish Highlands. Planted on an island in the middle of a loch, Scotland's most famous castle looks as if it's been there forever. It does date back to 1220, but the original structure was destroyed in 1719 and lay in ruins for two centuries. In 1919, Lieutenant Colonel John Macrae-Gilstrap bought it and began restoration. He was helped by the stonemason Farquar Macrae, who claimed to have seen in a dream how the original castle looked in earlier times. The castle was rebuilt according to Macrae's specifications; later, plans found at Edinburgh Castle proved his vision correct. The "new" castle was finished in 1932. 011-44/15-9955-5202, eileandonancastle.com, admission $7.75 (£5).

WALES

Beaumaris, Angelsey, Wales. The English king Edward I began raising this castle as part of his campaign to conquer Wales. Work began in 1295, but the castle had not been completed when the money ran out (as so often happened with castles), and it remains unfinished to this day. Castles are thick on the ground in North Wales: Within easy driving distance from Beaumaris, you'll find the major structures of Conwy, Harlech, and Caernarfon, as well as two small, romantic ruins, Dolbadarn and Dolwyddelan. But Beaumaris remains the most beautiful. 011/44-12-4881-0361, beaumaris.com, admission $5.75 (£3.70).

GERMANY

Neuschwanstein Castle, Hohenschwangau, Bavaria. Ludwig II of Bavaria -- a.k.a. Mad King Ludwig -- commissioned a set designer to create Neuschwanstein. Engineers broke ground in 1869, but King Ludwig didn't get much chance to enjoy his over-the-top palace. In 1886, as the castle was nearing completion, he died under suspicious circumstances; his body was found floating in a lake, with the body of his physician nearby. Despite this unhappy ending, Neuschwanstein remains the quintessential fairy-tale castle: It was a major inspiration for Sleeping Beauty's Castle at Disneyland. 011-49/83-6293-9880, neuschwanstein.de, admission $13 (€9).

DENMARK

Kronborg Castle, Helsingør. Dating back to the 1420s, Kronborg is one of the best-preserved Renaissance castles, despite the various alterations it's undergone since then. Positioned next to a strait separating the Danish island of Sjælland from Sweden, it had great strategic power over the sea traffic -- not enough, however, to prevent the persistent Swedes from conquering it in 1658. Kronborg gained more lasting fame as the castle in Shakespeare's "Hamlet." 011-45/3392-6300, kronborgcastle.com, admission $16.50 (85 DKK).

FRANCE

Château de Castelnaud, Castelnaud-la-Chapelle, Dordogne. This impressive fortress, located on the limestone rocks above the Dordogne River, overlooks a former enemy, the Château de Beynac. During the Hundred Years' War, the English held Castelnaud and the French controlled Beynac, with both nations hoping to control this sensitive border region. These days Castelnaud is known for its Museum of Medieval Warfare, which includes reconstructions of giant crossbows and trebuchets, the huge slings used to hurl rocks at castle walls. 011-33/55-331-3000, http://www.castelnaud.com/fr/, admission $11 (€7.60).

Haut-Koenigsbourg Castle, Orschwiller, Alsace. The hilltop position of this 12th-century castle, more than 2,000 feet above the Alsace plain, kept it safe for centuries. Destruction came in 1462 and again in 1633 after a siege by Swedish soldiers during the Hundred Years' War, after which it was overgrown by the forest and abandoned. Now it's a popular stop for tourists visiting the Alsatian wine region. 011-33/38-882-5060, haut-koenigsbourg.fr, admission $10.50 (€7.50).

ROMANIA

Bran Castle, Bran, Brasov. Both the keepers of Bran Castle and the Romanian Tourist Board are keen to emphasize links between Bran Castle and Vlad the Impaler, the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Count Dracula. The connections are tenuous, but there's no denying the spooky charm of this massive structure's many turrets and towers. Some of the furniture on display was owned by Marie of Romania, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria who turned down a proposal from the future King George V of England and married the king of Romania instead. 011-40/26-823-8333, http://www.brancastlemuseum.ro/, admission $4.25 (12 leu).

SWITZERLAND

Château de Chillon, Lake Geneva, Montreaux. As with most real estate, it's often location, location, location that makes all the difference with castles. On an island near the edge of Lake Geneva, Château de Chillon is no exception. Excavations here have turned up evidence of a Bronze Age settlement, but the castle as it now stands was created between the 12th and 18th centuries. Its popularity got a huge boost in 1816. That year, following a visit, Lord Byron published his long poem "The Prisoner of Chillon"; the work refers to the "seven pillars of Gothic mold" that stand in "Chillon's dungeons deep and old." 011-41/21-966-8910, http://www.chillon.ch/, admission: $11 (12 Swiss francs). - www.budgettravel.com