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Conscious Luxury
Aquapura Duoro Valley introduces a resort with soul
Here's a novel idea. Build a chain of five-star, design-noteworthy resorts in far-flung, undeveloped locales (like Macedonia and Budapest) that are near water and near UNESCO World Heritage sites or preservation lands. That's basically the concept behind the Aquapura Resorts. It's a simple enough psychology that both appeals to and exposes what many travelers (like me) aspire to today: "conscious luxury."
I was at least intrigued enough to go see the first in the chain, Aquapura Duoro Valley, nestled in the famous wine-producing region of Portugal. We landed in Porto, a mere five-hour direct flight from New York. I had no idea Portugal was so close (the only downside is there isn't really time to get much sleep when taking the red-eye). As we flew over the Azores, I realized that Portugal's island chain is closer still (mental note: must go there).
From Porto, one of the most civilized airports in the world, we were whisked away by a fleet of black BMWs driven by handsome Eastern European men in well-cut suits. The whole thing was a bit like a James Bond movie or a scene in The Matrix. And these were talented drivers: The 20 minutes on the freeway would have been a breeze for anyone, but the twisty roads into the valley have been known to upset even an iron-cast stomach. These guys were smooth and fast around the turns, and I practiced a trick I'd learned a few years back: Much in the same way you keep your eye on land to ward off seasickness when sailing, the key to avoiding carsickness is to focus on a steady object. Since looking out the window only reminds you that you're in a swerving car, you should fixate on something inside the car, like the ceiling light. And of course, keep air from the AC or a crack in the window blowing on your face.
I was at least intrigued enough to go see the first in the chain, Aquapura Duoro Valley, nestled in the famous wine-producing region of Portugal. We landed in Porto, a mere five-hour direct flight from New York. I had no idea Portugal was so close (the only downside is there isn't really time to get much sleep when taking the red-eye). As we flew over the Azores, I realized that Portugal's island chain is closer still (mental note: must go there).
From Porto, one of the most civilized airports in the world, we were whisked away by a fleet of black BMWs driven by handsome Eastern European men in well-cut suits. The whole thing was a bit like a James Bond movie or a scene in The Matrix. And these were talented drivers: The 20 minutes on the freeway would have been a breeze for anyone, but the twisty roads into the valley have been known to upset even an iron-cast stomach. These guys were smooth and fast around the turns, and I practiced a trick I'd learned a few years back: Much in the same way you keep your eye on land to ward off seasickness when sailing, the key to avoiding carsickness is to focus on a steady object. Since looking out the window only reminds you that you're in a swerving car, you should fixate on something inside the car, like the ceiling light. And of course, keep air from the AC or a crack in the window blowing on your face.
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