Schuetz

Between Spain and Portugal lies the Guadiana River. On its banks, and within a radius of about 30 kilometers, are more golf courses than you can shake a stick at. As a result, its possible to find a place to stay from which you could reach and play 14 courses in as many days, without ever having to drive for more than 40 minutes.

The Guadiana river provides the border between Portugal and South Western Andalucia, or Huelva, in theCosta de la Luz. It is also the location for an extremely large number of top-notch golf courses, all within easy reach of each other. There is none of the high-rise hotel development here that you will find on the other Costas, since local government has insisted on the preservation of protected natural spaces. Instead you will find a few attractive hotels, and a good selection of fairly new apartments and villas. The more temperate climate means that it is possible to play golf for most of the year, and, being in a river delta, the area is protected to a large extent from the strong winds that characterise this coast further south.

All these courses are conveniently reached by the airports of Faro in Portugal, or Seville in Spain.

Golf in Portugal.

Castro Marim

This is one of the newest courses to play golf in Portugal, having opened in the year 2000, in an area of the Algarve that until recently had no golfing infrastructure at all. This 18 hole, par 72 course has a very beautiful setting in the peaceful atmosphere of the eastern Algarve, offering players breathtaking views over the Atlantic Ocean, the River Guadiana and the nearby nature reserve. The fairways have been made with Bermuda grass, whilst the greens are made with the new Penn A4 grass. Unless you are a mountain goat, its advisable to hire a buggy, since parts of the course are extremely steep indeed.

This golf course offers challenges to all levels and abilities. In some places the layout is deceptive, and a well-struck drive could quite easily land in one of the ornamental lakes. Its unique underground irrigation system enables play even in the driest of weathers. A driving range, putting green and putting course are also available for pre-round practice.

Benamor

The late Sir Henry Cotton designed this 18 hole, par 71 course. Sir Henry was apparently inspired by the ancient church, which is now situated next to the clubhouse.

The resulting layout offers a challenge to players of all standards. The course is undulating, but although less hilly than the Castro Marim course, still offers stunning views to the mountains in the north and the Atlantic to the south.

Indigenous olive, cork, carob, fig and almond trees, many of them centuries old, add to the beauty of the area whilst also creating natural hazards. In addition, water hazards and bunkers are strategically placed around the course to test your strategy and accuracy. The greens of Penn A4 are superb, and fairways of Bermuda Sahara provide good opportunities for well-placed shots. There is also a driving range and putting green for you to get in a little practice before you play the course.

Quinta da Cima

This 18 holes, par 72 course is a great test of golf with dog-legs to the right and left, open fairways and well placed bunkers and lakes. A stream with dams and permanent flowing water crosses holes 4, 5, 6 and 13. This is a true championship course. Watch out for the tricky par 5 16th hole, and expect some surprises on the 18th!

This course offers breathtaking views, and is an exceptionally beautiful course to play. From any point on the course the views of the sea and the mountains are a delight. Century-old olive and carob trees and the typical orange groves provide a truly peaceful feel to this wonderful course.

The greens have been seeded with Bent Crenshaw. Tees and fairways are seeded with Zoysia.

Two large driving ranges provide magnificent views of the mountains as well as of the ocean.

The Robinson Golf Academy can be found on the second driving range, which is designed for practice with irons only. It comprises 3 greens and 6 tees for concentrated tuition.

Quinta da Ria

This spectacular 18 hole, par 72 course is situated in the Ria Formosa Natural Park and spreads along a gently rolling area down to the Ria Formosa itself, with a stunning view of the sea and the Huelva coastline It comprises two loops of 9 holes with each loop having 2 par 5's, five par 4's and two par 3's. Five lakes were strategically built around the course, near greens 5, 10 and 14. Hole 16, a par 5, is played between the two biggest lakes. The green of the par 3 17th brings one of the lakes into play and also has an island where a large number of local bird-life nests. Besides the beauty the lakes bring to the course, they are also used as water reservoirs for irrigation and are nourished by a stream, in play on some holes.

The greens, smoothly undulating, are well protected by bunkers. Greens, tees and fairways are seeded with Bent Crenshaw and the rough with Poa Pratensis with Fescues. There are wide fairways and well maintained rough, so the course is suitable for the higher handicapper.

Although the course is relatively new, it has been planted with more than 300 trees, such as olive and carob, in order to produce a more established feel, and to maintain the ancient border. From any point on the course, one can see both the mountains and the sea. The surrounding orange groves and vineyards contribute to make the landscape of the course even more beautiful.

On this course, as with the Quinta da Cima, there will be no housing development, so there will be nothing except the breathtaking views to distract you from your game. Together these two golf courses provide a fine choice for golf holidays.

For golf in Spain, there are a number of equally beautiful and equally challenging sites.

Isla Canela

This 18 hole par 72 links golf course is located in an area of outstanding natural beauty, overlooking the Guadiana River. It was designed by Catarineu, and completed in 1994. Its set in a beautiful landscape dotted with olive, orange and eucalyptus trees, and offers challenging and entertaining play on its gently sloping dunes.

Trolleys and buggies can be hired from the clubhouse; however there is little need of buggies since the entire course is relatively flat. It extends over a salt marsh crossed by small seawater rivulets.

The gentle slopes are formed by dunes, and the course provides a beautiful landscape dominated by broom, eucalyptus, olive and orange trees some of which require consideration when playing some fairways. Overall, accuracy rather than distance is key here.

Natural lakes border a number of holes, and the greens are generally large and well protected by bunkers. The par five 7th is reachable in two, but the river to the right of the green is likely to catch the unwary. The construction of strategically placed tees means Isla Canela is enjoyable for golfers of all abilities. The club also offers very good practice facilities.

There is a permanent golf school as well as a golf shop, a bar and a restaurant. In addition there is a swimming pool and two bowling greens next to a beautiful terrace on which to sit and relax after a game. Plans have been approved for a second course on the island, together with a third a little further up the River Guadiana at Costa Esuri.

Islantilla Golf Course

There are 3 separate courses at Islantila, each surrounded by luxuriant vegetation with stunning sea views.

"Course 1" is best suited to medium or low handicappers as it requires precision, stroke ability and skill. "Course 2" is ideal for high handicappers, as, although it has a somewhat difficult beginning, there are fewer quirks and the layout is less deceptive to the inexperienced eye. "Course 3" is the official 18 holes par 72 course which requires considerable skill, and is ideal for medium handicappers.

Established 1992 this golf course has been the stage of important events like the "Campeonato de Espana de Profesionales", and the PGA European Challenger Tour.

In addition there is a training centre, the Islantilla Top Golf Academy, which includes: - Individual and/or group lessons Weekend courses Digital video camera with specific golf analysis software On course lessons Clinics with professional guests Special junior programmes Golf club repair Pro shop

Nuevo Portil Golf Course

This 18 hole, par 71 course has been relatively recently built. The design is characterised by wide fairways and gently sloping greens, and follows a path between pines and other local trees, starting out in a wood of Mediterranean pines. It is a rolling type golf course, offering a pleasant walk for those not wishing to use buggies, and the Bermuda fairways, which are lined with indigenous vegetation, offer splendid sea views over the immense dune beaches that are close by. The tiered greens offer a tough challenge for birdie-seekers.

The club has a driving range, pitch and putt area, gym, sauna and swimming pool, together with a four star hotel and clubhouse with coffee shop, restaurant, pro-shop and all golfing facilities.

El Rompido

This 18 hole par 72 course is the furthest east of all those mentioned in this guide. The complex actually comprises two courses, the original South course and the brand new North course.

The South course sits on the edge of a tidal lagoon overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, and sprawls across an interesting mix of parkland and marshland with some amazing views the walk from the 8th green to the 9th tee takes you across a 650ft pontoon right across the protected marshland where you can see freshwater crabs and an abundance of bird life.

The new North course, which only opened in June 2006, offers a little more challenge. It has been designed by the famous Spanish golf course designer Alvaro Arana. This course winds through protected salt marshes, and offers a varied range of hole styles. The front nine features a run of holes with very tight drives - a typical "risk and reward" opening 9; while the back 9 is shorter, but demands greater accuracy from the fairway into small target greens which are of a consistently high standard.

The complex boasts a five star hotel complete with full health spa, conference and leisure facilities including private beach club, football pitches, tennis and paddle courts and much more. Altogether, it comprises a fully equipped golf resort and spa perfect for a golfing holiday.

Convenient holiday location

For those looking for a holiday location that allows easy access to all courses, it would be difficult to beat the exclusive resort of Isla Canela. Situated on the beach by the pretty town of Ayamonte on the Guadiana River, it is well within an hours drive of all the courses listed. Indeed the courses at Isla Canela itself and at Castro Marim, are both within 20 minutes drive. In this little resort you have the choice of 5 hotels, and a good range of rental properties with either golf, sea or marina views, starting from a humble one-bed apartment and progressing to a luxury 3 bed, 2 bath penthouse with breathtaking views and a Jacuzzi on the terrace.

For non-golfing family members the beach apartments are ideal, giving quick and easy access to 7km of lustrous golden sand, with safe beaches for bathing. Small shops, bars and restaurants are all within walking distance, and the little Andalusian town of Ayamonte is a short bus ride away. For days when you might be golfed out(!) its possible to join a guided coach tour of Seville, or even a jeep safari through the Donana National Park. River trips are also easily available.

Of course, thats if you dont want to just chill out on the beautiful beach!

The author of this article is Pauline Rendall. Pauline spends part of every year in this pretty corner of Spain which borders Portugal. This is a temperate area where it is possible to play golf all year round. If you would like to know more about what the area has to offer, especially for families and non-golfers, check out her website at http://www.spainbeachapartment.eu

I used to have acne when I was a teenager. It was frustrating and annoying. Going out was often the cause of anxiety, because the acne - horrible red inflamed spots - covered my face. Gradually, when I got older, the acne went away. Imagine my relief.

However, acne is not just an adolescent's problem. Adults get them too. It is not just a matter of genetics but a slew of problems playing a part in triggering these awful red spots.

Basically, acne is caused by the clogging of skin glands or spores, which in turn become infected. Acne in adolescents is triggered by the onset of puberty making the hormones work over-time and causing the oil glands to increase - gasp - the production of sebum, an oily substance. Sebum lubricates the skin but if it breaks the skin wall, it causes inflammation and pus. That's right, you get a pimple.

For some, the problem of - argh! - acne follows them right into adulthood. Now, our life-styles are now more hectic and crazy. Stress will sometime trigger flare-ups of the dreaded acne.

What should we do about acne? Conventional skin care products are sometimes useless against an acne onslaught. Perhaps, you might want to start looking in your kitchen.

Yes, your kitchen. I am talking about home remedies for acne.

What, My Kitchen!

If you are the type who only uses the kitchen for cooking, be amazed that it is also a source of home remedies for acne (and other things - but that's another story). Simple herbs and plants found in your pantry or window-sill might just do the trick for your acne problem.

Let's take a look around the kitchen, shall we?

Crystal-Clear Water

My mother used to tell me to drink a lot of water when I was a teenager (with the acne problem). She told me that water would flush out the poisons and toxins that caused the acne.

Water is a great purifier. Eight glasses is the recommended number for adequate water-intake. Your skin is an organ and water keeps it well hydrated.

You can also make herbal water by infusing the hair of one corn with water. The natural sweetness of the corn will make the water go down well. The hair of corn is a "cooling" agent and it will reduce the inflammation.

Of course, washing your face regularly with clean water is a wise choice.

Use Your Fruits and Vegetables

Our mothers were often right when they told us to eat our fruits and vegetables. Now, we can use them on our skin. It is as simple as opening up your fridge and looking at the types of fruits and vegetables. Our good old fridge is a good place to start looking home remedies for acne.

Cucumbers are a excellent choice. You can juice them, slice them or turn them into masks. Drinking cucumber juice is a good and tasty way to reduce pimples or acne. You can also mix in carrots and lettuces.

For fruits, you can try using fresh apricots. Juice an apricot and apply the juice on your skin. You can also eat the apricots. Yum!

Getting Serious With Cereals

Even your humble breakfast cereals can be a source of home remedies for acne.

Mix buttermilk and bran together to form a good paste. You can use the paste for cleansing. You can also use oats if you do not have bran in your kitchen. Bran and oats are great for masks as well. They also smell heavenly on the skin. Who says home remedies for acne cannot be delicious at the same time?

Convinced?

Convinced that your kitchen can be a great source for home remedies for acne? You can start by doing the basic - moderating your diet and including more fruits and vegetables. A healthy body will also ensure less acne and other skin problems. However, if your skin is unusually sensitive or you are unsure about using home remedies for acne, you should seek professional advice. This article is written as a general introduction to home or natural remedies for acne and should not be taken as absolute truth. Be discerning.

Have fun in your kitchen!

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. If you are looking for more information, read about Home Remedies for Acne at http://www.ayurvediccure.com/articles/acne_remedies.htm AyurvedicCure.com is the World's Largest Alternative Health Portal. You can also Participate in Health Questions & Answers, Discussion Forums and Blogs. If you are worried about your pet's Health then read about Dogs and Cats Diabetes

Seller lease option benefits

If you are a home sales broker or an individual that is selling your home that you own, or an investors in real estate, there may not be a better rental or sales strategy than the option of leasing. Lease option sales can give you many benefits. There are also many lease purchase options that you can choose from in order to take advantage of the real estate market.

This is sometimes referred to as rent-to-own or lease option to purchase but when it boils down to it the meaning is lease option sales. This is a way of approaching people in order to aid them in realizing their dream of property ownership and it will give the owner the opportunity for a positive cash flow and the added attraction of selling their home for more than the market value if the tenants eventually decide to do so.

There are several ways to go about the lease option sales method. But they all have the same outcome in that they will fill a vacant home and the owners of the home will realize a positive return on the investment. It is a win-win situation if all the correct steps are followed.

The advantages of this method are:

• Eliminating the vacancies on any market out there
• You as the owner can take advantage of the positive cash flow and are paid in a timely manner
• You will be able to receive a down payment in the form of a option consideration
• If you decide to sell on your own you can do away with the commissions that real estate brokers generally have
• Market prices for the property and, in many cases, more than market value.
• You can reap the rewards of the tax benefits as well as the depreciation of the ownership of a property that will be rented out
• Helping others realize their dreams of owning a home or property

If these methods are done the right way the ensuing result can be a tenant that is better each and every month. This is because you will not have tenants, you will actually have buyers who will usually pay in a timely manner as well as take care of the property better since they will be buyers of that property, therefore taking more pride in what is theirs. People take pride in what is theirs and by taking advantage of the lease option sales you can have the best of both world as you have tenants who are actually leasing property.

There is a great profit to be made by lease option sales but besides making your financial goals happen you can also make others goal of home ownership become reality as well. By leasing out properties you will give yourself the cash flow that you can use for anything as well as taking advantage of the tax benefits that are afforded to you. You can also look into other lease purchase options, which may be better for your specific situation.

The main factor of lease option sales is that you have the options available you being the owner of the property. These lease purchase options that you have can be financially beneficial if you take advantage of them.

Dan Ho is a real estate investor located in Michigan. To get assistance on rent to own, whether you need to sell a house or buy one, visit our website: http://www.buy-sell-michigan-real-estate.com/

Perfume, also called Extract or Extrait , can include 15-40% perfume concentrates. Perfume is made up of alcohol, water & perfume (fragrance) oil. Perfume is a scented liquid worn on the skin to impart a pleasant odor. Perfume is also made up of animal and plant-based aromatic compounds, dissolved in a mixture of alcohol and water. Most highly concentrated form of fragrance, containing between 20 - 50% perfume compound, Its the strongest and the longest lasting. The amount of scented matter to solvent determines whether the blend is a perfume or a cologne. The highest proportion of scent is found in true 'perfume' - anywhere from 25 to 40% is pure scent. Pure perfume is rarely sold, since it is prohibitively expensive and, frankly, far too easy to 'overdo. Most consumers are more familiar with eau du parfum, which is 15-30% aromatics.

Perfume has been an essential part of human culture for centuries. People love to stay fragranced. It is pleasurable and gives a wonderful feeling of individuality. Earlier almost common fragrances were worn by the males and females. There are 3 major types: oriental, floral & chypre (means "very sincere" in French). There are also many sub-variations such as woody, musky, aquatic, spicy & fruity. The floral fragrances are created by the extracts of different flowers such as jasmine, roses, lavender, carnation etc. Floral fragrances are the most in demand scent in the whole world. They are loved by almost all the generations. Woody fragrances are easy to adapt and comfortable to wear. Oriental fragrances are strongest as compared to other fragrances. It includes rich undertones and sensual overtones that make it a heavy blend.

Oriental fragrances are pretty strong and are considered best for the evening events, corporate environments and special events, age is no barrier. Jasmine, gardenia, and rose bases are the most popular of the popular, often for their unique blending style and their ability to match most body chemistries. Fruity fragrances are generally fresh and spicy. It is quite youthful and is suitable for all types of weather. They are best for the one who likes wearing classic fragrances with a tint of flair in it. It gives an aroma of crispness in summer and warm cider and deserts in winter. Most modern perfumes and colognes are made using the fragrance oils that the fragrances houses develop using essential oils and aromatic chemicals. Perfume oils are similar to perfumes, with the exception that the solvent is oil-based rather than alcohol-based.

Types of Perfume

1. Aftershaves (AS), lotions & splashes: the least concentrated of all perfume types containing 0.5% - 2% perfume oils.

2. Parfum: the highest concentrate of perfume with approx 22% oils.

3. Perfume oils are similar to perfumes, with the exception that the solvent is oil-based rather than alcohol-based.

4. Moisturizing perfume mist is a fragrance that does not contain alcohol. It is a spray that contains oil and leaves skin with a silky smooth veil of perfumed moisturizers.

5. Solid perfumes are often molded into pillboxes or tiny compacts to fit easily in a handbag for on-the-go applications.

Juliet Cohen writes articles for skin care tips and beauty tips. She also writes articles on makeup tips.