If I had three lives, I'd marry you in two: Perfect Proposals

There are two kinds of marriage proposals, the impetuous kind, born in the passion of the moment and the planned variety where the moment has to be perfectly arranged and orchestrated. No one can help out the impetuous, but if you’ve the foresight to want to have a kosher story to tell the kids then these are some of the most perfectly romantic canvases on which to start:

“I just saw a shooting star and I wished you’d say yes to my next question…” Take your intended on an evening balloon flight over the desert, and as the sand dunes roll sensuously like a lover’s body under a sheet, and you sip champagne taking in the quiet, unforgettable sight of a clear night sky, make your move.

“I’d move heaven and earth for you…” If you’re a playful dog who likes to tease, whisk your lover away on an unexpected break to Harlingen in the Netherlands, and book the Harlingen Harbour Crane. From the outside it looks like the kind of crane ship yards use to move crates around, so pointing out that that’s where you’re staying will make you unpopular for the five minutes it takes to get inside. From there on in you’re on easy street, inside it’s all made up to fit two, in close, romantic quarters and though you can’t actually do any shifting of earth you can spin it around to capture all of the view, which is kind of like moving heaven…

“I want us to be intertwined for all eternity…” One of the most iconic and romantic pieces of art is Klimt’s The Kiss. The bright gold covers the couple showing only their faces and hands, their forms locked together for always. It’s just asking to be proposed in front of. One school of thought suggests it depicts the bright change of scenery caused by love’s first kiss – a theory which offers a wealth of potential proposal dialogue to mine! Hanging in the Austrian Gallery in Vienna there are a couple of beautiful hotels nearby. Hint hint.

“You smell just right to me…” We all know how powerful a force pheromones can be when it comes to affairs of the heart. That compulsion we feel towards some people is just our bodies picking up their enticing scent. With this in mind the annual August Jasmine Harvest in Provence will only enhance the feelings your intended has for you, they’ll be intoxicated by the sun and the heat and the scent and the flower fights and will fall for you like soft petals when you pop the question.

“Our love is comparable to the most passionate, dramatic narratives…” For some people nothing says I love you like a very public display of affection and a public proposal gets the crowd on the side of the proposer. There’s no more public show of ardour than to declare your intentions from a box in one of the world’s great opera houses before one of the grand romantic operas. Get the house on side and have them shine the follow spot at your box as the rock on the ring dazzles. To really make her feel like a princess the Vienna Opera Ball Season is the perfect excuse and she’ll be the belle of the ball all night after you’ve shined the light on her that she deserves.

“You make me feel like I’m on top of the world…” Less crowded with proposers than the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building, on the peak of Mount Kailash you can really lay the world at your loved one’s feet. A place of pilgrimage, Hindus believe Shiva, the divine master of Tantra, lives on top of Mount Kailash where he practices yoga, makes love and smokes ganja. It’s a four day trek to the top and on the way the only people you’ll meet are pilgrims. This is a really unique journey to share with someone, and though arduous it’s just more proof that you’ll go to the ends of the earth for each other.

“You’ll always be my queen…” One the world's greatest monuments to love, the Taj Mahal was built as a memorial for a well loved companion, and the Emperor who built it put all his emotion and funds into creating a shrine to his lover and his love. That story, told on bended knee by the pond in front of the Taj would melt a heart of marble.

“You’re all I’ll ever need…” Anyone who has seen the films ‘Blue Lagoon’ of ‘From Here to Eternity’ knows how romantic a secluded beach can be, and the only way to ensure you’re the really the only ones on the beach is to arrive on your own boat. A sailing trip is a popular honeymoon choice but why wait? Just the two of you on your own boat… Wade ashore early and lay a breakfast picnic out on the beach compete with ring filled champagne glass. It’ll be like you’re the only two people in the whole world.

Marry Me?

	Taj Mahal Monuments & Landmarks in Agra, India Of Mughal architectural design, the Taj Mahal is a true wonder of the world. It was built by Emperor Shah Jahan to commemorate his second wife and inseparable companion, Arjumand Banu Begum, (Mumtaz Mahal – ‘Chosen of the Palace), who died in childbirth, with a building unlike any ever seen before. Only the most worthy of architects were involved in its design. The tomb scales the heights of a modern 20-storey building. The white marble is from Makrana, taking on different tones at different times of the day, with imported precious stones. A red sandstone channel, set between rows of cypress trees, compliments the entrance. The main gateway is a large three-storey sandstone structure with an octagonal central chamber. The Quran is inscribed extensively throughout the building. It is clearly a supreme labour of love. Review by George Monkhouse Photo by flickr user Marc oh!
	Sailing French Polynesia Sailing in French Polynesia If I was going to do my honeymoon over I’d spend it sailing Tahiti. It’s got just the right kind of islands, which look like the setting for a romantic cast away film, with pale beaches and palm trees and volcanoes sprouting from the centres and the kind of bays and coves that are deep enough in places to sail quite close to the beach. The Society Islands are probably the most popular for sailors. The main port is on Raiatea, but there are a couple of deep water harbours on the island to choose from. This is where a lot of the charter operators run from as well if you’re hiring a boat or crew. The largest port is Papeete on Tahiti island. From there you also have access to many of the most popular ‘destination’ islands, but there are more than 30 proper islands and about 80 atolls, so you don’t have to pull into the same places as anyone else if you don’t want to , we found enough deep water port options to keep us happy. The furthest out we went was to Hiva Oa, which is actually famous for being away from it all. My wife wanted to visit because the artist Paul Gauguin is buried here. Its dense jungle hides the buildings and constructions of the ancient culture which thrived here and a replica of Gauguin’s house. Some highlights of our own 14 day affair were Taha’a island in whose coral gardens we had the best snorkelling of the trip, very colourful, Bora Bora, I’d read all about the American soldiers not wanting to leave and I could understand their point, it is literally picture postcard perfect, and Huahine, which was just so lush and had the most incredible sunsets I have ever encountered. The Bay of Virgins on Fatu Hiva was busy but spectacular and the low lying Tumotus group of coral atolls surrounding bright blue open lagoons were a pleasure to island hop. Marae de Taputapuatea on Raiatea we saw on the way back after it was recommended to us by another sailing family. It used to be the religious centre of Polynesia and is a stone platform, made of many rocks like a country wall with lots of stone carving around it. It sounds quite plain but the story and history of it made it worth a stop and some photos. It’s a cliché, but the people were friendly and relaxed, and life took on a lot of extra colour on this trip, not all of which we managed to capture in the photos. Review by Kenneth Hope Photo by flickr user jimg944
	Ballooning in Sossusvlei Flying, Gliding & Ballooning in Namibia There are three ballooning locations in Namibia, at Sossusvlei, Swakopmund and Otjiwarongo run respectively by Belgian, South African and German pilots. The operation at Sossusvlei is the most extensive and caters for up to 25 passengers per day on a private estate amongst the dunes of the Namib desert, some over 300m high. Flights are always at dawn and last about an hour ending in champagne and a mouth-watering spread for breakfast at the landing spot. The pilot is well-versed in local geography and culture so the in-flight commentary is fascinating. Rust-red dunes untouched by signs of human presence form a seemingly endless backdrop. Animals and birds of prey populate the plains between as the balloon’s shadow contrasts starkly with the sunlit sand. A balloon basket is probably the most stable moving camera-platform you’ll ever encounter and has 360-degree vision open to the fresh desert breezes. Any concern about vertigo is soon dispersed when passengers realise that flying in a balloon is just like anything else where you are not connected to the ground and fear of heights is totally absent. Flights last about an hour ‘from sunrise to breakfast’. Access to the area is either a 400km drive on dirt roads or, if you can afford it, by private aircraft to a nearby airstrip. Accomodation varies from basic safari-style camps to luxury lodges with prices to match. The balloons fly most mornings throughout the year except for the hottest season over New Year. Review by Phil Dunnington Photo by Photography: Phil Dunnington
	The Vienna Opera Ball Festivals in Vienna, Austria As the coldest months draw to a close in Vienna, the carnival season bursts forth in all its glory, and at the centre of the celebrations is the Vienna Opera Ball. The first one was held in 1936, in defiance of the Great Depression, in the gloriously ornate Staatsoper building itself, but the tradition dates back to the 19th century, when the dancers, singers and musicians of the opera house would perform at magnificent society events across the city. Skilful, young dancers can apply to be part of the principle ‘committee’ of walzers, and everyone else can watch the rich and famous arrive in fairytale horse-drawn carriages, before retiring to a box or a table from which the evening’s entertainment can be observed. Wear your best fantasy ball gown and enjoy the romance… Review by larapiegeler Photo by flickr user infraredhorsebite
	The Kiss (Klimt) Works of Art in Vienna, Austria The Kiss (original Der Kuss) was painted by Gustav Klimt, and is probably his most famous work. It depicts a couple shrouded in gold and symbols sharing a kiss against a bland background. The man is standing, bending over to kiss the woman who is kneeling on a patch of flowers and seems to be accepting the kiss, rather than actively participating. The portion of gold covering the man is covered with mostly rectangular, black and white shapes, while the woman's portion seems to be dotted with bunches of flowers...This painting is somewhat out of the norm for Klimt as many of his paintings were of powerful, striking women.. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Kiss_%2... This piece, painted in 1908, is on display at the Austrian Gallery in the Belvedere Palace, Vienna. Review by Amber Dobrzensky Photo by 78568
	Mt. Kailash Sacred Places in Plateau, China Soaring to 22,027 feet, Mt. Kailash is one of the world’s most venerated holy places and also one of the least visited. A sacred site of four religions and billions of people, Kailash is visited by only a few thousand pilgrims each year. This curious fact is explained by the mountain’s remote location in far western Tibet. Hindus believe Kailash to be the abode of Shiva, the Lord of Yoga and the divine master of Tantra. According to legend, immortal Shiva lives atop Kailash practicing yoga, making love with his consort, Parvati, and smoking ganja, the sacred herb marijuana. Kailash is sacred to other religions as well. The Jains call the mountain Astapada and believe it to be the place where Rishaba, the first of the twenty-four Tirthankaras attained liberation. Followers of Bon, Tibet's pre-Buddhist, shamanistic religion, call the mountain Tise and believe it to be home of the Sky Goddess Sipaimen. Tibetan Buddhists call the mountain Kang Rimpoche, the 'Precious One of Glacial Snow', and regard it as the dwelling place of Demchog and his consort, Dorje Phagmo. Pilgrims to Kailash, after the difficult journey getting there, have the arduous task of circumambulating the sacred peak. Known as a Kora, or Parikrama, this normally takes three days. Others will take two to three weeks for the Kora by making full body prostrations the entire way. Most pilgrims to Kailash will also take a short plunge in nearby lake Manosaravar, the ‘Lake of Consciousness and Enlightenment’. How long have people been coming to this sacred mountain? The answers are lost in antiquity, before the dawn of Hinduism, Jainism or Buddhism. The origin myths of each of these religions speak of Kailash as the mythical Mt. Meru, the Axis Mundi, the center and birth place of the entire world. Indeed, Kailash is so deeply embedded in the myths of archaic Asia that it was perhaps a sacred place of another era, another civilization, now long gone and forgotten. Review by Martin Gray Photo by Photography: Martin Gray
	The Harlingen Harbour Crane Unusual Places to Stay in Netherlands The Harlingen Harbour Crane is an unusual hotel. Firstly, the very friendly owners don’t do e-mail, preferring to have human contact with guests before bookings. Secondly, it was an actual crane until 1996, but a substantial and thoroughly modern renovation means that is now a hotel of one room! I probably should have made that point first, but I like building up atmosphere… To get to the room takes an elevator but it’s worth it for the views. The shower for two has five different illumination options from the central control command, which also controls the DVD and TV as well as heating and air-conditioning. There’s also the ability to turn the crane, meaning you can take in the 360o view, which is probably one of the most unique hotel options I have ever heard of. Review by John Johnston Photo by Harlingen Harbour Crane
	Annual Jasmine Harvest Festivals in Provence-Cote d'Azur, France A day in Grasse during the annual jasmine harvest is as close as you can get to a day in paradise; or at least, as far away as you can get from the musty, sneeze-inducing, chemical modernity of a department store perfume hall. Already a place of fairytale romance, with its art-filled cathedral, ochre colour palette and flower-blanketed hillsides, 7th century Grasse comes to glorious, vibrant life in the heat of August every year when the acres of jasmine are harvested alongside lavender, orange and lemon blossom, roses and aromatic herbs. The flower-farming industry has flourished here since the 18th century due to the ideal climate and perfect irrigation, and the product has to be one of the world’s most beautiful. Entirely natural, and celebrated as the world’s best, it is used across the globe in food flavourings and perfumes. Two days at the beginning of August signify the climax of the harvest, when La Jasminade takes place. There is a parade of bloom-bedecked floats manned by local girls, an enormous flower fight and party in the streets, firework displays and exhibitions of the best blossoms Grasse has to offer. The shopping isn’t bad either, since Grasse is home to some of the global perfume industry’s greatest secrets – small, independent producers that sell the far superior, genuine article for a fraction of the price you’ll pay on the high street at home. Review by larapiegeler Photo by flickr user Srini G