Travel To Travel

2008-8-13 3:15pm

2008-8-13 3:04pm

2008-7-31 2:41pm

Not all of it. Smart moves can help curb cancellation costs, although you usually can't avoid them altogether. In any case, the earlier you start, the better.

Here's your top 10 list to help see to it that if you have to cancel, the only thing you're losing is the trip:

1. Read cancellation policies before you book reservations.

Many times airlines and travel sites will have more than one set of change/cancellation policies. Travel consolidators sometimes get special rates on certain blocks of rooms, so not all their offerings will fall under the same cancellation/rescheduling policies.

Buy an unrestricted ticket and you can usually exchange it without any penalties, says David Lytle, editorial director for Frommers.com. But, he says, "If you're like most people, you're buying a low-fare, restricted ticket."

Rescheduling fees run the gamut, frequently between $10 and $100, depending on the airline, the time/day/route and how you cancel, says Brice Gosnell, regional publisher for the Americas with the Lonely Planet, a leading travel publishing company.

Want phone help? Many times, that's extra, says Lytle.

There is one instance where you can change reservations for free: If it's the airline's fault (i.e., mechanical problems), the carrier has to reschedule at no charge.

Booking online? Before you reserve a specific flight or room night, look for a button with cancellation or rescheduling information. Click it, read it, then print it out.

To check airfare rules before you buy, look at the "conditions of carriage" section on the airline Web site.

"It's a couple of extra clicks, but it's worth it," says Jennifer Paull, senior editor for Fodor's Travel.

If you're booking by phone, "the key on this is: Just ask," says Gosnell. Hotels get this question all the time, he says. "Some people think, 'It means I'm being cheap.' No, it means you're being savvy."
You want to ask two questions, says Lytle: If I have to change or cancel, when do I have to notify you? Second, what's the penalty if I don't?

Throw your notes or print-out into a folder or notebook with your other trip information. That way, if a question comes up, it's handy.

2. Make friendly cancellation policies a consideration.

If you're laying out a large amount of money for something like a cruise or tour, you should compare the cancellation policies just as you'd compare the quality of the meals or accommodations, says John Stachnik, president and co-owner of Mayflower Tours and board member of the U.S. Tour Operators Association.

"It's just as important as the level of hotels or level of meals if you're spending your hard-earned money," he says.

One option: Many tour operators offer a cancellation waiver, says Stachnik. This is not travel insurance, and it will apply only to the money you paid for the tour itself, not travel arrangements to the departure destination.

You need to know what circumstances are covered. While some waivers will cover cancellation for a limited list of occurrences like sickness or job loss, others will refund your money minus the cost of the waiver for any reason at all, he says.

What you get back if you cancel will almost always depend on how far ahead you cancel. Your tour operator will give you a schedule for the return policy (and you can often find one on the company's Web site).

Often, with tours, if you cancel during the last month before departure, you forfeit a significant amount of your total, Stachnik says. With his company, there is no fee if travelers cancel up to 45 days before a domestic trip or 60 days before an international excursion.

But that schedule "is fairly liberal" in the industry, Stachnik says. Some operators will want cancellation notices earlier. And many times there is a sliding scale: the closer to the departure date, the more money is forfeited.

While most companies don't have a rain-check policy, it's a good thing to ask for if you do want to reschedule and end up out a large amount of money, says Stachnik. Operators are going to want to help you out even more if they know you're going to be traveling with them soon, he says.

3. Cancel as early as possible.

Time is money. The sooner you cancel your plans, the more likely you are to recoup the maximum of whatever you've paid for the trip.

If the hotel, resort, cruise line or tour company has time to resell your spot to someone else, everybody wins.

With smaller, independent establishments, like inns and bed-and-breakfasts, cancellation requirements vary widely.
"In our industry, with B&Bs and inns, they all have their own policies," says Karen Hudgeons, director of membership and member services for the Professional Association of Innkeepers International. Establishments will often post policies online and almost all will e-mail or fax a copy after you register.

For some, a week's notice might be enough, she says. But for anything in a hot area during high season, you could need a month's notice.

With hotels and motels, it also pays to read the cancellation policy. Many allow you to cancel without penalty as long as you contact them at least 24 hours before check- in. Some resorts, boutique hotels or seasonal lodges will require 48 or 72 hours' notice, or you could forfeit the equivalent of your room cost for a night or two.

But there is no one-size-fits-all, Lytle says. One five-star Hawaiian resort requires 15 days advance notice of changes or cancellations, says Lytle. The penalty: the equivalent of a two-night stay, (at a minimum of $850 per night).

"And that's sort of a standard for high-end resorts," he says.

4. Talk to the right people.

When you have a problem, sometimes it can't be solved through discussions of "company policy" with a low-grade employee. "Sometimes it helps if you get the right person on the phone," says Lytle.

Have to cancel hotel or resort reservations? Call the front desk and ask for the general manager, says Banks Brown, general counsel for the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

It can also be an argument for making arrangements through a travel agent. "A good agent will often work with you as an ombudsperson," says Linda Kundell, spokeswoman for the U.S. Tour Operators Association.

If you book through a third-party Web site, in most cases you're required to reschedule through its customer service department. The fees will vary with the packager and the purchase.

However, if the site takes you to the hotel or airline site to actually make the purchase, then you would deal directly with them to cancel or change reservations.

This is another case where you really need to read that fine print before you buy.

5. Call rather than going online.

Many airlines will charge extra if you want to make your changes by phone rather than online. But some situations require human intervention.

So if you're having problems making a change or are floored by the potential fees, "that's when it's a good time to talk to a phone agent," says Lytle.

6. Know the code.

If you cancel lodging by phone, ask for a cancellation code and hang onto it, says Brown. It will act as a receipt and guarantee you a refund if your card gets charged in error. If you cancel online, just print out a copy of your cancellation confirmation and save it.

7. Be polite.

Canceling is rough. But venting won't get you what you want. In fact, anger and attitude will likely have just the opposite effect.

"Once you start getting rude or angry, forget it," says Gosnell.
So hold it together, keep negotiating and politely work your way up the chain of command.

If you have a true emergency, tell your story. "The only thing you can do is try," says Gosnell. But if you're polite and honest, many times people will respond, he says.

Bottom line: Unless you're dealing with a call center, you're probably talking with someone who likes being in the hospitality business.

"And most travel professionals want to help people have a good trip," says Gosnell.

8. Purchase travel insurance.

A travel insurance policy averages 4 percent to 8 percent of the cost of your trip, according to Ed Walker, president of the U.S. Travel Insurance Association.

If you're spending four or five figures for that dream vacation or booking many months in advance, it can be a great investment. Of the travelers who buy it, one in six will file a claim, according to the association.

9. Look for alternatives other than money.

Ask for a rain check. If you just need to postpone, find out if you can switch your reservations to a later date.

If you missed a connecting flight, rather than ask for a new ticket, see if you can fly standby, says Gosnell. While there are no hard-and-fast rules, "most of the time, they will say, 'Let's see what we can do to accommodate you on a different flight,'" he says.

If you don't have a specific date in mind, airlines will often trade your ticket for a voucher that you can use within a year, but there is frequently a fee. You can ask a rep to waive the fee, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

With a cruise or a tour, it will depend on the company and its policies. Even though it may not be part of the company's policy, tour operators are more likely to accommodate you if they know you'll be traveling with them soon, says Stachnik.

10. It helps to be a club member.

If you rack up so many hotel stays or airline miles that you belong to an affinity club, that could come in handy when you need to rearrange plans.

As a frequent repeat customer, "you have a lot more bargaining power," says Lytle. Especially with hotels, you may find they are "much more willing to work with you," he says.

2008-7-27 3:49pm

2008-7-18 10:57am

"A day in Chiang Mai is long enough" affirms the travel agent, and the client nods, alas, knowing no better.

"Enough to see the main sights, and do the Night Bazaar" he adds confidently, as the computer screen confirms a one night hotel booking in Thailand's oldest continually inhabited city, thus depriving the tourist of some of the most interesting travelling experiences in Asia.

For years, the travel industry has mistakenly considered Thailand's northern capital to be a side excursion, or an overnight stop on a seven day "See All Of Thailand" coach trip. The truth is that like Venice or Vienna, this centuries-old city is a prime destination in its own right.

If Bangkok is to Thailand as London is to England, then Chiang Mai is to Northern Thailand as Edinburgh is to Scotland. Indeed, it is almost similar in size and population to the Scottish capital, and with a past equally as turbulent, and customs as distinctively different, a week here might not be long enough for the serious traveller.

Without delving into linguistics or history, it is interesting to know that the Thai word for twelve is Sib-song. A thousand is Pan and a million is Lan. A paddy field translates as Na, and by joining these words, we form two names that are fundamental to understanding Northern Thai history, ie. Sib-Song Pan-Na and Lan-Na. Respectively, they mean twelve thousand, and one million rice fields. For those who have thrilled to the irreproducible iridescent green of ripening paddy, this is a wonderful image to consider before we even start.

Much like Australia or America, modern-day Thailand is composed mainly of migrant races. Various ethnic peoples of the Mon-Khmer group, such as the Lawa tribe, which is still in evidence today, originally inhabited Northern Thailand. The majority of today's northern "Thais" are in fact are descended from "Tai" or "Dai" immigrants, mainly from Northern Burma, China and Laos, who displaced the indigenous races, and over centuries were eventually, and very often painfully, united.

Evidence of this clearly exists in archaeological and linguistic studies, but nothing is more compelling than a visit to Sib Song Panna (Xishuangbanna) in China's Yunnan province. This might be called China's Mini-Thailand, for it is indeed more Thai than Chinese, with the Buddhist "Dai" people in the majority, said to number over 800,000. They celebrate distinctly Thai customs, and worship in Thai-style temples. Familiar sights such as saffron-robbed monks are also common, and although it is clear that there are Tai origins elsewhere in Asia, many older Thai people look on Sib Song Panna as their ancestral home.

Exploring the forests and tribal settlements on foot with a local guide has become immensely popular over the last decade, particularly with Chiang Mai's influx of young travellers. Travel shops advertise a range of trekking options, from a basic overnight hike to arduous week-long safaris. The recipe is usually the same - basic accommodation in consenting hill tribe villages, mixed with varying degrees of soft adventure such as sectors on elephant back or exciting stretches of white water rafting. These itineraries vary from the memorable to the mundane, and some routes have suffered from tourism overkill, with a foreseeable negative effect on both authenticity and hospitality. There are still however a number of dedicated and eco-friendly operators who operate less-frequented routes, and a well-chosen trek can be a hugely rewarding experience.

Chiang Mai's tribal settlements are a separate fascinating study, with their origins in different parts of Asia, and correspondingly very different beliefs, languages, customs, laws, dress and traditions. Individual descriptions are well beyond the scope of this web site, but Chiang Mai's larger bookshops stock some excellent coffee-table publications with stunning photography enhancing the thoroughly absorbing text.

2008-7-18 8:15am

Unlike Bangkok, Pattaya has no magical mystery hidden in aesthetic corners, and it makes no pretence of being anything more than what it is: - an unbeatable combination of essential, thoroughly satisfying holiday ingredients.

To illustrate this, some years ago a leading travel trade magazine conducted a poll of several hundred clients of different nationalities staying at a first class hotel, where the guests were predominantly couples or families. The results showed just how extraordinarily successful Pattaya is. Over 97% of respondents said they were "very satisfied", would return again, and would recommend Pattaya to friends.

Probably more has been written about Pattaya's nightlife than any other place on the planet. For years, television crews and eager journalists have scoured the back streets in search of sensational, often exaggerated stories. Not surprisingly, the destination has acquired a mixed image of both bouquets and brickbats, a fact that may indeed discourage prospective visitors, who, uncertain of Pattaya's merits, may choose to go elsewhere.

What hoteliers know and most others don't realise, is that Pattaya receives a large number of repeat visitors - professional people, families, and retired couples - many of whom have made it their preferred choice after spending holidays in various other resorts around the globe. If you ask them why Pattaya wins over other more exotic or fashionable places, they point to its long list of assets: climate, accessibility, location, affordability, top class accommodation, fine restaurants, plus the huge choice of sporting, leisure and entertainment choices - arguably far and away the best in any Asian beach destination.

They will also tell you that Pattaya's main night spots are contained within a downtown area, which like London's Soho, you can either choose to visit or ignore. Those who choose the former out of curiosity will inevitably confirm with a smile that most of the girls are charming and polite, a far cry from the dubious personalities of their counterparts in the West, and a just being a spectator in one of the downtown bars can be a lot of fun.

Before even dipping a toe in the briny, there a number of interesting and worthwhile places to visit, many of which feature on organised tours.

Some of the most popular choices include Suan Nong Nooch, a Thai village style theme park with superb gardens, an orchid nursery, and entertaining cultural performances including an elephant show. Pattaya's most important temple is Wat Yansangwararam, a modern building under His Majesty the King's patronage. It incorporates buildings of different architectural styles, including Japanese, Chinese, and Indian influences, and is a centre for meditation. Wat Khao Cheejan is located nearby Wat Yansangwararam where the biggest Buddha is carved with gold on a stone mountain.

Khao Kheaw Open Zoo with 1,200 acres of forest and natural beauty is one of the largest zoos in Asia, offers the basic open zoo excursion and night safari and Asia's Largest Butterfly Garden - Saithip Butterfly Garden which occupies 15.22 acres of beautiful landscape in Khao Kheaw area, experience floral garden with over one hundred species of thousand of butterflies. Sriracha Tiger Farm , is a mini-zoo with crocodiles, tigers, camels and many birds, and although hardly Thai in content.

The Million Years Stone Park & Crocodile Farm, houses over 1,000 crocodiles, plus a zoo and a bonsai garden set amongst some interesting rock formations and fossils. Pattaya Elephant Village, features well performed demonstrations of elephantine skills such as logging, and re-enactment of their role in historic battles, plus the enduring favourite, the elephant football match. The Siriporn Orchid Farm has some splendid displays of orchids including catteleyas, daedrovium, pompadours and vandas. Cut flowers and plants are on sale here.

The Bottle Art Museum comprises a collection of more than 300 glass bottles containing miniature replicas of churches, temples, palaces, and much more, the clever handiwork of a resident Dutch sculptor. Mini Siam & Mini Europe, puts on a daily cultural show, and features an interesting selection of beautifully crafted scale models of major buildings both in Thailand and elsewhere, on a scale of 1:25 and Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum , is an entertaining retreat on the odd rainy day.

Pattaya Park Tower rises some 240 metres and provides a revolving restaurant as well as spectacular views and Pattaya Water Park , which provides thrilling water slides, whirlpools, and swimming pools for family fun.

Source: http://travelintotravel.blogspot.com/

2008-7-18 6:32am

On ancient charts, Phuket is referred to as Jang Si Lang, appearing on later maps, not too appealingly perhaps, as Junk Ceylon . Some maintain the current name derives from the Malay word 'Bukit' meaning hill, which seems the most likely, particularly since the transliteration from Thai was spelled Bhuket for many years. Others say it has origins in the Tamil word, 'Manikram' or Crystal Mountain, although any phonetical association here is unclear. Until it became recognised internationally, Phuket (correctly pronounced Poo-Ged) was mistakenly and mischievously included on the lists of the world's "naughtiest-sounding" destinations.

Located just under 900 kilometres Southwest of Bangkok, it is similar in area to Singapore, measuring 54 kilometers north to south, and 21 kilometers east to west at its most distant points. About 70 percent of the land area is mountainous, with the highest elevation at 529 meters. The terrain is richly varied, with rocky headlands, numerous beaches of differing sizes and character, limestone cliffs, jungle-clad hills, small estuaries, lagoons, and tropical vegetation of all kinds. It is surrounded by over thirty smaller islands of similar topography, many of them prime tourist attractions in their own right. The permanent population is estimated at roughly a quarter of a million, and Phuket is the only island in Thailand to have full provincial status. The Sarasin Bridge connecting it to the mainland was constructed in the mid-1970's, and a second one parallel to it, the 660-metre Thao Thep Krasatri Bridge, opened more recently. Phuket airport saw its first aircraft land in 1976.

Unlike tucked-away Samui off the opposing Southeast coast of Thailand, Phuket's strategic position as a trading post on coastal sea routes gives it a recorded history going back a millennium or more. This has nurtured an interesting blend of cultures and influences, including Burmese, Malay, Chinese, Indian, Portuguese and Dutch, mixed with the indigenous 'Chao Ley' or sea gypsies, dark-skinned peoples thought to have originated in India's Nicobar Islands. Although predominantly Buddhist, Muslims make up more than one third of the population. As a result, Phuket is a pleasantly strange mix of ancestry and ambience, a kaleidoscope of stunning tropical seascapes and forested hills, and a fascinating combination of tin mining, rubber, and tourism.

One event in its history might have dramatically changed the island's future. In the late 1700's the British seriously considered establishing Phuket as a strategic base for their imperialistic presence in the Far East. As it happened, they finally opted for the island of Penang further south, a decision they doubtless regretted when large deposits of tin were discovered on Phuket, an asset which led to a huge presence of immigrant Chinese. These industrious people dominated the tin industry, and their subsequent generations still form much of the island's population today.

If Phuket's history provides the traveller with a rich choice of pleasurable discoveries in edifices and customs, its size and varying altitudes endows it with a variety of meteorological variations. Weather conditions can thus change unexpectedly, often refreshingly, as you travel from one part of the island to another, particularly during the monsoon. Nearly a third of the flora consists of rubber plantations, which were first introduced in 1903, but the remainder of the vegetation is richly varied, and home to interesting wildlife, which in the past included tigers, rhino and wild elephants; reported by travellers as little as a century ago.

Tourism awareness remained at almost zero until the mid 1980's when the combined presence of the newly opened Amari Coral Beach Resort and Club Med gave Phuket sudden and significant international exposure. Delighted holidaymakers from Japan, Australia and Europe spread the word, and the emerging regional "Tiger" economies saw newly-affluent Asians begin to experience Phuket's delights. The so-called 'rainy season' from May to October proved to be no obstacle to enjoyment, and by 1987 - "Visit Thailand Year" Phuket was on everybody's lips. More top class hotels followed, and the airport was expanded to take wide-bodied jets. Direct scheduled and chartered flights began to arrive from Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, and Europe, and tourism soon became the main source of income, eclipsing the coconuts, cashews, pineapples, fishing, prawn farming and pearl cultivation which had been the island's economical mainstays in the past. Most land-based tin mines have closed down due to the fall in global prices. Marine mining still continues on a small scale.

If Phuket is many people's dream of paradise, increasing numbers of foreigners are turning dreams into reality by settling here permanently, either for business or retirement, and enjoying the unbeatable blend of exotic tropical ingredients, excellent infrastructure, good educational facilities, and the reasonable cost of living. Phuket indeed, has always enjoyed high standards; by 1910, it already had paved roads and motorcars, long before other provinces in the Kingdom.

2008-7-17 8:28am

Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton is located in the wine-growing region of Hungary. It just so happens the Lake is also populated with a number of thermal mineral springs. Hmm…wine and hot tubs! On top of this, the lake is relatively shallow resulting in water temperatures in the seventies in the summer. All and all, it is nearly impossible to get stressed out at Lake Balaton.

Lake Balaton is located about an hour an half to the west of Budapest by minivan. While minivan travel can be aggravating, this trip is definitely worth it. There are plenty of hotels and resorts in the area, although summer weekends can get packed.

Visegrad

Visegrad is a tower castle that has seen better days. In its heyday, Visegrad was a major outpost for the Roman Empire. The history of Visegrad is interesting, but you will want to visit for a different reason. Visegrad is a great place to parasail. Located approximately 1,000 feet above a river, the terrain and air currents are ideal if you’re interested in flying like a bird. In fact, you can literally float for hours.

Szentendre

Szentendre is a little town located about 20 minutes north of Budapest. The town has an old feel with cobblestone streets and outdoor cafes. Perhaps the biggest reason to go, however, is the vibe of the town. Szentendre is the artist center of Hungary. Walk down the streets and you will start seeing art you recognize from shops in Budapest. There are literally hundreds of galleries and artist sketching in the sun. If art is your thing, Szentendre is worth a visit.

Budapest is definitely the must see location of Hungary, but Lake Balaton, Visegrad and Szentendre are definitely worth a look.

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So how about it? Want to have all this and more? There's only one place where you can get all this at incredible prices: Global Resorts Network. Global Resorts Network not only offers the best value in luxury resorts around the world, but we also offer the best prices on standard and luxury cruises around the world!

I, Ernesto Recaman, am retired pilot that worked for the Colombia Air Force and a lumber shipping line in my country. With a rich history and lots of traveling experience, I want to pass on my experiences to you and help you decide on your options. Feel free to contact me, or visit my web page below for more information.

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by: Terry Hely
A little known citrus farming center called Orlando was paid a visit the 1960s by a gentleman called Walt Disney who started buying land on the outskirts of the town.

The remainder of that story is now history and by 1971, that land had become Walt Disney World. Today, Orlando has a resident population of approximately 200,000 people and visitor numbers swell that figure into the many millions.

The words "Orlando, Florida" immediately conjure up images of fairy tale palaces, thrill rides, theme parks and Disney characters loved the world over. The combination of the "big 3" Orlando entertainment parks of Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Studios have no equal anywhere else in the world.

Located on the the outskirts of Orlando, the towns of Lake Buena Vista and Kissimmee are home to most of the major entertainment park attractions. It's no surprise that the accommodation industry generates a major portion of the Orlando economy and that it employs a high percentage of the local population.

The nearby towns of Winter Haven and Altamonte Springs offer a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Orlando and the parks. Their quiet rural charm and sedate pace provides a glimpse back to the time before the area became the home of the world's best known entertainment parks.

** Orlando Hotels And Resorts

Orlando has more beds to service the tourist industry than any other USA city except for Las Vegas. Orlando is the fifth most popular USA city for travelers visiting from overseas. It is not surprising that the accommodation industry represents a major portion of the Orlando economy and employs a high percentage of the local population.

Visitors are spoiled for choice when it comes to Orlando accommodation and every taste is catered for in every price range. From themed luxury hotels, fantasy resorts, exclusive golf resorts, condominiums, vacation rentals, bed and breakfasts, backpacker hostels to luxury villas, it's all available in and around Orlando.

The parks have several entrances which can be separated from each other by quite a distance, so selecting accommodation near the best gate for you can be an important consideration. Orlando accommodation is often named for proximity to a particular theme park (Universal) or a particular gate (main gate east etc)

** Orlando Transport

At least 35 airlines and just as many charter operators fly into Orlando International Airport with the bulk of these flights being Delta which accounts for around 25% of the flights that originate in approximately 160 different cities.

Other airlines serving Orlando are America West, American, Air Canada, British Airways, Continental, Northwest and US Airways. The Orlando Airport website provides and excellent page about airport shuttle services and city transport.

Amtrak is the USA rail service and it operates to and from Orlando with connections to many of the surrounding towns such as Kissimmee, Sebring, Winter Haven, Sanford and Ocala.

The I Ride trolley service is an excellent way to get around the International Drive Resort precinct. The LYNX bus service covers the downtown Orlando metropolitan area and surrounding cities.

The main highway through Orlando is I4, running directly from downtown Orlando to the Disney area. If you plan on driving in Orlando, be prepared for traffic, especially at rush hour.

Welcome To Miami

2008-6-10 7:27am

by: Terry Hely

Miami is a sub-tropical city, climatically very different from most places in the USA. The city is a cosmopolitan playground that attracts more visitors than any other US destination.

Miami appeals to holiday makers wanting warm sun, clean sandy beaches, a laid back lifestyle, sophisticated entertainment in clubs and bars and a mix of art, music and international cuisines.

Travelers visiting Miami may actually spend their time in Miami Beach, a separate municipality situated 4 miles (6 km) across Biscayne Bay from downtown Miami. The combined greater Miami area includes several ethnic neighborhoods such as Little Havana and Little Haiti.

The population of the Greater Miami Area is a 50% mix of assorted Hispanic and the diverse cultural mix is evident in Latin American languages, cuisine and music throughout the city and. Dining in Miami offers the opportunity to visit a different ethnic restaurant every night and enjoy diverse international cuisines.

Once upon a time, Miami attracted mostly retirees turning their backs on snowy, colder climates but nowadays it attracts the ultra-chic glitterati, cashed up yuppies, the boating and yachting fraternity and Cuban immigrants.

** Miami Vacation Attractions

Greater Miami is a great base for access to several major Florida holiday attractions. The northern tip of the Florida Keys is just off shore, the Everglades are just a short distance inland and the affluent enclaves of Palm Beach and Boca Roton are just a short distance along the coast.

The Miami Beach Promenade, aka South Beach, is a favorite spot for cyclists, skaters, joggers and skateboarders. This is the most instantly recognized beach front location in existence and the place to be seen if appearances are important.

Many of the early Miami buildings from the early 1900's have been restored. A walking tour around the South Beach precinct is recommended to see the spectacular rejuvenation of the 1920's buildings in the Art Deco Historic District.

Miami boasts fine museums, galleries, historic gardens, zoos, sports stadiums, spring fed natural pools and of course, the ever present golf courses. Greater Miami has lots to brag about when it comes to world class golf courses and is home to some of the most testing courses in the world.

** Miami Vacation Cruises

The busiest cruise ship center of any city in the USA is the Port of Miami with holiday cruises to the Caribbean and Latin America making up the bulk of these cruises, but there are also cruises to all parts of the world.

Cruises are usually well equipped for gambling and casinos open as soon as the ship passes into international waters. Non stop food, games, movies and onboard activities ensure guests are always entertained and well fed.

** Miami Hotels & Resorts

Miami visitors are offered a range of hotels, resorts and vacation rentals to satisfy all tastes and budgets. There's accommodation and prices to suit everyone, ranging from the restored boutique hotels in the Art Deco and South Beach district, modern glass and chrome high rise hotels, budget hostels, beach front condos and villas, serviced apartments, inns and guesthouses... it's your choice.

** Miami Vacation Transport

Miami International Airport is one of the major airports in the USA, and a major hub city for American Airlines. Major domestic airlines such as Delta, Northwest/KLM, United and US Airways and Continental all servive Miami as well as several economy carriers.

There are two Amtrak trains that run daily from New York down to Miami and the travel time is approximately 27 hours.

The Metro-Dade Transit Agency runs two Miami rail systems, one being Metrorail which is a modern elevated commuter train that connects downtown Miami and the southern suburbs. Metromover is an elevated line looping the downtown precinct and connecting with many of the important attractions, shopping and business districts.

Tri Rail is the south Florida commuter train service that connects Miami with North Palm Beach and all centers in between.

France Map - Great Holiday Ideas

2008-6-10 7:22am

Be ready to get impressed on your travel France as the country has everything that one could expect from a holiday. Amongst the five top most tourist destinations in the world, facts about France let you see why it is so. It has the fashion capital Paris as its capital city, beautiful nature, beaches, the mountain scenery, and monuments all make it a great tourist destination. Moreover, the experience of visiting the country can vary as to the place you select for your holiday. Holidays on a beach, in the countryside, the big cities to the beautiful villages, all have something on offer for its visitors. There is plenty to explore and discover, loads of activities to get involved in and certainly life long memories to take back home. A great destination, France provides number of holiday ideas a few are mentioned here.

• Adventure Holidays

Take on an adventure holiday to see the real France. For those who love adventure travel, adventure holidays can be a fantastic option. Get a taste of the place, meet the local people when you head on an adventure holiday. On offer are all kinds of different activities that one can pick from like from the extreme sports to the more ordinary. These holidays come in complete package holidays, and tailor made for adult only adventures or for a family holiday that can cater for all ages of children. It’s the horse riding that catches your fancy, mountain biking or is it the hiking, you can find all this and much more for your holiday.

• Cycling holidays

With cycling being a national pastime in France, the organized cycling holidays are becoming very popular. These holidays provide with an opportunity for the visitors to cycle their way into the country and explore the region while having a go at the sport. This year round activity is a very popular among all ages and weather has a big role to play. In addition there are quite and beautiful countryside, with number of roads available for cycling. The well-maintained roads provide excellent cycling areas for cycling. Tour de France, the greatest cycling event in the world takes here in the country. For not the regular cyclists there are organized cycling trips, which combine cycling with accommodation, visits to the areas along the route.

• Skiing holidays

If you are on travel France for a skiing holiday then you will find the country has some of the best ski areas and ski resorts. France is a very popular destination among the tourists and if you skiing is your cup of tea, then Alps provide with excellent ski areas. With many ski classes made available for the tourists who are beginners, everyone can enjoy. Tourists can choose from a wide range of ski accommodation from ski resorts, private ski chalets, chalet apartments to hotels. The ski accommodation meets the needs of all skiers.

• Golfing holidays

France can turn out to be an excellent choice for a golfing holiday for both the professional and amateur golfers, as the country has a variety of golf courses. Playing golf amidst snow-capped mountains or Mediterranean views, it is a wonderful experience. France is a fantastic destination for golf holidays all the year round and plenty of sunshine adds on to the charm of the place. There is a lot of choice as the France map is dotted all over with golf courses. With the specially designed golf holidays, wherein one stays in a luxury villa, a private golf course and this blend of comfort and quality with golf is a quite experience.

• Holiday on a River Cruise

With the varied landscape that France has, a river cruise holiday is a perfect way to enjoy the countryside, the history and the culture as one travels from one place to another. It is the right idea for a relaxing and a different kind of holiday. A river cruise lets you experience, what you can never otherwise see, with every region having its own specialty and beauty.

• Camping holidays

Travel France for a great camping holiday, which is a great holiday idea for fun and adventure. In the recent years, camping has caught on with the tourists and with thousands of campsites available, it is all the much easier to embark on a camping holiday. One will get easily spoiled for choices, with so many to choose from, right from hiring your own tent, caravans, or even a mobile home, is a great way of touring the country. The campsites are well maintained and organized, offering all the facilities for relaxing and entertaining holidays.

Wherever you travel a France map would be a handy tool and should be your accompanist all through your holiday.

Medical and dental treatment and coverage in Oaxaca, Mexico

2008-6-10 7:14am

When I first gave up the practice of law in Toronto in favor of early retirement in Oaxaca, I assumed that the years I would add to my life by leading a much more stress-free existence in Mexico, would be lost by the inferior health care system to which I would be exposed, subjected and restricted. This, then, is my assessment of the extent to which my presuppositions have been accurate, together with information and advice for both vacationers to and would-be ex-patriot residents of Oaxaca.

Aside from the small, private hospitals, often referred to as clínicas, there are four publicly funded and insurance - based hospitals in the city, as well as a hospital just outside of the city offering specialized treatment for a number of serious ailments. There is the Red Cross facility available to all, often used for emergency treatment only. The civic hospital provides free services or treatment at a modest cost based on a sliding scale respecting means. ISSSTE is a federally funded facility restricted to government employees who are members of a union. Finally, there is IMSS, a federal insurance program available to ex-pat residents and Mexican citizens alike, with an extensive network of clinic doctors and a large hospital. It’s funding is provided in large part by business owners. Aside from these hospitals, there are several, small, easily accessed clinics scattered throughout suburban and rural neighborhoods.

For the vacationer, and the ex-pat with a VISA permitting residency in the country, the most common means by which to obtain emergency treatment is through Red Cross, IMSS (which accepts patients without coverage on a pay-per-service basis) or a private hospital. However, the last of these three is the only one in which you can be reasonably reassured of being attended in a timely fashion by extremely competent and efficient personnel.

WHAT TO DO AS A VACATIONER

If you do not have out-of-country healthcare coverage, by all means go out and buy it before leaving for your trip. However, it’s advisable to first inquire of your credit card company, to ascertain if in fact you already have at least some coverage simply by virtue of, for example, having a gold or platinum card. You can then make a more informed decision concerned whether or not to purchase coverage, and if so at what level. On the other hand, a broken leg, gastrointestinal problem or other non-life threatening ailment can be attended by a private doctor or clinic without breaking the bank. Of course for an outlay of more than $100, it’s nice to be reimbursed.

If you intend to make a claim to your private carrier, credit card company or government funded health care plan, ensure that you not only keep all receipts, but request a written diagnosis and treatment plan, and that the prescriptions you are given indicate for what purpose each medicine is being prescribed (i.e. antibiotic, analgesic, etc.). Many doctors provide all required information simply as a matter of course. Accepted practice, at least except for when narcotic medications are being prescribed, is for the pharmacy to return prescription forms to you. Often medical plans require translations of each document that is presented to them as a prerequisite for processing and reimbursement. When in doubt, submit all documentation with your claim, making sure to determine if originals are required, and keep copies. Frequently, as is the case with Ontario, it’s a two step process. Treatment receipts and diagnosis is submitted to the provincial plan. Once you’re notified of the portion not covered, prescription receipts together with a request for reimbursement for the amount not covered by the province, is submitted to one’s private plan. In theory, between the two plans, 100% reimbursement is achieved.

You can ask the manager of your hotel or bed and breakfast to do you a favor by translating each of your supporting documents, to save you the trouble upon your return home. Make a note of the then prevailing rate of exchange, and submit a calculation to your plan with your documentation, to more easily facilitate payment. When a member of a clerical staff is processing your claim, he’ll be less inclined to put yours aside for another day or week if it already contains all the necessary and relevant data, organized in a readable format.

Concerning where to go in the event of illness or emergency, your accommodations host should be able to make recommendations for English speaking physicians with private practices, and for private clinics. Regarding competency of the former, while there is a medical school in Oaxaca, many doctors travel out-of-state for their post-graduate training such as to universities in Mexico City or the US, and regularly attend conferences and upgrading courses. Some travel abroad within the context of their specialization training. Indeed the Oaxacan populace appears to take notice of and prefer those physicians who are able to display foreign diplomas.

Our personal experience with emergency treatment over the past 10 years has been nothing but positive for ourselves, our family and our guests, at hospitals Carmen and Molina, both downtown … in terms of competence, speed with which one is attended, and the presence of English speaking ER doctors. On the other hand, we cannot recommend the emergency departments at the civic hospital or IMSS because of delays in receiving treatment, and at minimum in the case of IMSS unavailability of competent medical personnel 24 hours a day to attend to even a commonplace emergency (i.e. suturing). Having said this, many excellent surgeons with private practices perform surgery at the non-private hospitals where there tends to be the more state-of-the-art and sophisticated equipment.

The normal range in price for a consultation with a family doctor, specialist or dentist, is $20 - $50 (all figures are stated in US dollars and are approximate for 2008 unless stated otherwise).

PURELY ELECTIVE AND COSMETIC PROCEDURES

Over the past several years Oaxaca has become a popular destination for Americans and Canadians seeking both plastic surgery and extensive dental work. Word has spread of the competence and quality of work of both nip-and-tuck and dental surgeons, and of course of their extremely reasonable charges relative to those paid to hometown practitioners. Many foreigners, as well as Mexicans from Mexico City and other regions of the country come to Oaxaca for face lifts, breast reductions and augmentations, liposuction and other appearance enhancing procedures. A friend who attended for plastic surgery in Oaxaca by a well-known plastic surgeon a couple of years ago, recently commented that she had read an article in a Canadian magazine indicating the cost for the same procedure which she had performed for $500, was $3500 - $5000 at home. In effect she had a free trip to Oaxaca, and returned home with extra money in her pocket.

Our personal experience with dental treatment has been extremely positive. Cost tends to be about a third to a half of American and Canadian prices, for example for crowns and bridges, implants, root canals, gum and bone work, etc. While the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas) has not yet arrived in most Mexican cities, a dentist with a gentle touch can more than make up for that lack of temporary high while in the chair.

RESOLVING THE EX-PAT CONUNDRUM

Get whatever coverage is made available to you both in your homeland and in Mexico, subject of course to affordability.

To my thinking, with IMSS coverage costing under $400 annually for a couple, why not go for it regardless of what other coverage you already have. Then supplement IMSS with international coverage for catastrophic injuries unless you have other similar insurance from another source. Our Oaxacan friends tend to disagree, but theirs is a different mindset where insurance in general has historically not been stressed or valued, be it home, car or health.

Some American acquaintances swear by IMSS since it provides regular care including preventive procedures, all dispensed by government employed physicians including specialists, together with lab tests, medication and hospitalization. There are restrictions the first year of enrolment, and there are caveats. The level of cleanliness in the clinic environment tends to be below the standard to which most of us have become accustomed growing up in the US and Canada. Many physicians have not received the quality of medical education of their private counterparts. The medications provided through the clinic pharmacy are often not the best available in the marketplace for treatment of a particular ailment, because of cost. Often the wait to see your designated doctor or for your lab tests can be long, requiring a half day commitment for each step in the process: visiting a general physician, going for one set of tests, then for another, and finally seeing a specialist.

So why bother with IMSS at all, with all these downsides? It’s a failsafe, another form of assurance that you’ll be cared for in the event of a lengthy and serious illness. As suggested earlier, often it’s the largest hospitals such as IMSS which have the best equipment, and surgeons with private practices who perform some of the surgeries. And there is no additional cost for hospitalization once you have full IMSS coverage. While attending a private clinic is more akin to your experiences before moving to Mexico, if you must remain in hospital for a lengthy period of time, the cost of doing so in a clinic could be prohibitive…just like back home.

Visiting private physicians, and even biting the bullet and getting your tests done at privately owned laboratories, reasonably assures you of a familiar quality of care. Coupled with IMSS coverage, you can now be confident that you’re covered in almost all respects. In the event of a protracted hospital stay you can afford to be there for as long as necessary. The best locally available equipment will be used in your diagnosis and treatment, and you have a reasonable likelihood that attending surgeons are those who split their time between private practice and clinic work, and performing procedures in one or more large hospitals.

We maintain IMSS coverage, but rarely use it, preferring to tap our Oaxacan social networks for referrals to specialists to the extent they are required. And in any event, after having been resident in Oaxaca for a few years, those of us who are in our fifties or older have already been introduced to a broad range of specialists. As strange as it still is to be a Canadian and subscribe to the pay-as-you-play philosophy of medical care, it serves our purposes, with the IMSS safety net just in case.

Under certain circumstances you may not want to rely on even the best Oaxaca has to offer. Indeed the stream of Oaxacans traveling to Mexico City flows briskly and wide. The middle and upper classes with contacts in the nation’s capital, there quickly seek out the best in terms of physicians and state-of-the-art equipment, for diagnosis and for treatment of life-threatening diseases.

Even doctors working in Oaxaca at the IMSS and ISSSTE hospitals can make arrangements for patients to receive treatment not available here, to be attended in Mexico City or other larger centers. However, the process can be slow. We know of one case, that of a two-month-old baby with heart problems, who was finally sent to Puebla for surgery at ISSSTE, only to die before the procedure could be performed.

The solution, unless you have quality foreign coverage perhaps as part of your retirement pension plan, is to buy insurance which will pay for treatment in Mexico City, or better yet throughout the world as long as you can make your way to one of the participating top-of-the-line hospitals. In my case, I have a low annual premium, with high deductible which is waived in the event of accident. Again, it’s a failsafe mechanism in the event of, for example, a serious car accident, or cancer, stroke, heart attack, or other catastrophic ailment which would otherwise not be affordable. Oaxaca has less than the best of diagnostic equipment and treatment facilities. My plan provides for a $10,000 deductible, $2,000 annual premium, with member private hospitals in Oaxaca, Mexico City and elsewhere in the republic, and of course abroad including the US, with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester being a participant.

In summary, my medical coverage and plan for treatment is the following. We have our regular family physician, who, along with our Oaxacan friends, refers us to specialists in which we have the utmost confidence, and to whom we pay per visit. The same holds true for dental treatment. We have IMSS coverage which we reluctantly (because we don’t use it) renew on an annual basis, but believe it’s worth the price in the event we need extended hospitalization, or to have surgical procedures performed not available in private clinics. And I have my catastrophic coverage which hopefully I’ll never need to access.

Medical care and coverage can be inexpensive, and just as easily it can be costly. It’s a matter of the individual or family having a philosophy, or set of priorities, before electing to move to Oaxaca. You have to determine how you want to lead your life in terms of balancing having less disposable income as a result of medical and insurance costs, with having greater peace of mind in knowing that whatever is thrown your way will be looked after as best possible given your new life in a foreign land. If you cannot achieve a level of comfort in the resolution of these issues and decisions, then perhaps the move is not for you.

Ten Things To Do In Rwanda

2008-6-10 7:08am

Rwanda, the land of one thousand hills and 'hundreds attractions' is an extraordinary place where serene scenery and placid people greet you at every juncture. Rwanda is safe and secure with an overwhelming renaissance of Rwandese national pride and cultural reconstruction. It is full of sights and delights, waiting to be explored. If Rwanda is on your travel list there is no better time to runaway to Rwanda...visit today you would want to stay!

The country is well known mostly because of its horrible recent history and you might think that Rwanda should therefore be more the scope for No governmental organization than for travelers. Nowadays, nothing is less true. Rwanda has wonderful people, breathtaking beautiful lakes, challenging mountains, stunning scenery, perfect climate, rare species of apes, excellent roads, express buses, good and cheap food and beer, various accommodation options, fast internet, only few tourists outside the gorilla-homes, you will found it all in Rwanda, a safe and yet to be discovered backpackers haven!

Because of its small size, Rwanda attractions are near each other and can be reached quite easily and safely.

1. KIGALI CITY: A NICE PLACE TO EXPERIENCE AN AFRICAN CAPITAL

Kigali is an interesting mix of rural and urban town overflowing on juxtaposed hilly terrain. New construction is everywhere and large mansions stand side by side with mud brick huts and lean roads. It has a peaceful feel and the center is located upon the hilltop expanse. It feels safe and getting around is easy on foot or minibuses...many and new. For a bit more taxis can whiz you anywhere without breaking the bank. Kigali is a nice place to experience an African capital.

2. KGALI GENOCIDE MEMORIALS CENTER IN GISOZI

During the genocide in Rwanda in 1994, over a million people were murdered. Some 250,000 perished on the streets and in the houses, churches and hospitals of Kigali alone. The Kigali Genocide memorial center contains ten mass graves- a site of burial for almost victims, who were killed in the Kigali region. After the genocide, as mass graves were being discovered around the city. It was decided that a single monument/ burial place should be created, where the victims could be laid to rest with dignity, this is now their final resting place. The memorial houses a children’s section, a particularly powerful experience to read about the children- how they lived, and how they died. Amongst other things, it traces how things came to being so bad, how the ideology of genocide emerged, how the tragedy could have been averted, and how the world ignored the signs and warnings repeatedly. Some of the survivors of the genocide have been trained as guides at the center. Open 10am to 5pm daily. Entrance is free but at the door there is a box for donation. The place is really heart breaking!

4. MOUNTAIN GORILLAS TREKKING

A Mountain Gorilla Trekking is the pinnacle of all the wildlife experiences available in Africa and Rwanda is with no doubt the best place for this. People are limited to spend only one hour with the Gorillas and expect to hike for two to four hours to see them. These incredible primates are divided into four groups that have been habituated over the decades; it’s a thing not to miss in Rwanda. Don't miss spending an hour with these magical creatures. It does require planning in advance, and contacting the National Park or a local tour operator to check what the latest system they have implemented with regards to how you get a permit - but it is all worthwhile. Also, don't be put off by the price - a high price is needed to ensure that protecting the gorillas is economically sustainable for the local area.

5. MOUNTAINS CLIMBING

The National park office offers guided climbs to the top of 2 volcano among the 5 of the Virunga chain, Visoke (3711m) and Karisimbi (4705m -the tallest).

The climbs to the summits are not technical and can be done by fit hikers. The scenery is great! However, the trek to Karisimbi's summit is an overnight trek and should be prepared properly.

6. NYUNGWE FOREST NATIONAL PARK

This national park is a preserved part of rain forest which houses 13 species in all, including humankind's closest living relative the chimpanzee, as well as the handsome L'Hoest's monkey and hundred-strong troops of the delightfully acrobatic Angola colombus. The most important ornithological site in Rwanda, Nyungwe harbours almost 300 bird species of which two dozen are restricted to a handful of montane forests on the Albertine Rift. Please come with your car or book a tour with a local tour operator otherwise it is very hard to reach the place and get away. You can camp there and pitch a tent but you have to consider bringing all food and water with you as facilities are limited. The entry fee has recently been increased so check up the actual fares.

7. AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

Akagera is the best national park of Rwanda - very helpful park-ranger help to find you all animals in park - mainly, giraffes, zebras, antelopes, baboons, buffaloes, hippos and crocodiles.

8. RUSUMO FALLS

Rusumo is a Marvelous and spectacular falls of the Akagera River, a part of the most distant headwaters of the river Nile. The falls is located in the Eastern part of Rwanda at the border with Tanzania.
If you happen to cross the border with Tanzania at Rusumo don't forget to see the Rusumo falls.

9. THE BEAUTIFULLY LAKE KIVU

The beautifully Lake Kivu is a large deposit of fresh water that marks the western border with DR Congo and one of the Great Lakes of Africa. The lake is in the Albertine Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley. Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika. Beneath the lake lie vast reserves of approximately 55 billion cubic of dissolved methane gas which have not been exploited. Lake Kivu is a tourist center, safe to swim (but just ask locally to be completely sure). There are nice beaches, gorgeous landscapes and the sunsets are regularly stunning. There are some excellent places to stay on the Lakeside such as Kibuye and -especially-Gisenyi near the DR Congo border.

10. BUTARE CITY IN HUYE

The most popular tourist attraction in Butare is the superb National Museum, which houses perhaps the finest ethnographic collection in East Africa. The rooms are spacious, without the excessive clutter of distracting memorabilia. This makes the well-labeled exhibits easy to appreciate and enjoy. Absorbing displays of traditional artefacts are illuminated by a fascinating selection of turn-of-the-century monochrome photographs, providing insight not only into pre-colonial lifestyles, but also into the subsequent development of Rwanda as a modern African state. Here the Intore dancers can be commissioned to perform, but this is not a good deal for a single traveler. If a group is present the price would definitely be worthwhile as shows are few and far between.

mountain gorilla tour .

Portugal - Silver Coast. A taste of life and hospitality

2008-6-10 7:01am

All of this is now less than an hour drive from Lisbon International airport along the new A8 motorway, linking the vibrant capital of Portugal with historic Oporto in the North. As there is also a proposed new international airport to be located at OTA, this little known region is opening its doors to the outside world. For decades the Algarve has been the only realistic location for overseas buyers to enjoy the unique hospitality of the Portuguese, but prices there have put it out of reach for most. Now we are pleased to invite you to experience the heart of Portugal - a secret we can all share.

A region for life

Exploring the tranquil towns, villages and countryside of this beautiful region will confirm to you that here is a place that genuinely has the best of both worlds. Whilst offering a life of rural calm amidst the spectacular scenery, at the same time it is perfectly equipped with access to all the modern facilities of transport, healthcare, education and leisure that make life a pleasure for all generations. The Western Region enjoys entertainments and events throughout the year: concerts, art exhibitions, the Torres carnival - 'the most Portuguese event in Portugal', the Caldas da Rainha ceramics and fruit fairs, the Bombarral wine festival, Peniche's Festas da Nuestra Senhora da Boa Viagem, the Montejunto popular festival (Cadaval), Alenquer's Feira da Ascensao, festivals in Sobral, Monte Agraco and Arruda dos Vinhos, Feiras da Cebola e das Tasquinhas and hundreds more fairs, festivals and popular gatherings. The region has many hotels with superb facilities and innumerable restaurants, bars and lively venues which ensure that one's first visit to the Western region is never the last. For golf enthusiasts the Western Region is the new destination in Portugal. Golf Courses at Praia d'el Rey (18 holes)and Rio Maior (18 holes) are complemented by 9-hole courses at Consolação and Porto Novo - Bom Sucesso and Perola da Lagoa 18-hole courses are actually already under construction and the brand new project of the 18-hole course of Foz do Arelho, which will be the hugest should begin within the year 2007. The natural abundance of the area is enhanced by beautiful fine-sanded beaches, where the sands shimmer like silver, at Santa Cruz, Porto Novo, Areia Branca, S. Bernardino, Consolação, Peniche, Baleal, Foz do Arelho and Salir do Porto. Local crafts can be found in Peniche, which is notable for its lace, and in Caldas da Rainha, which is one of the most important centres for ceramics in Portugal. The new Peniche recreation centre is a base for water sports, with a haven of fishing and scuba-diving in Berlenga. Santa

Cruz and Peniche (Supertubos beach and Lagide beach) are the places for surf lovers. The Obidos lake has sailing, rowing and windsurfing. Montejunto, Serrado Socorro and Santa Rita beach are the main locations for paragliding and hang-gliding. The Santa Cruz aerodrome, with its flying school, offers flights in light aircraft and gliders. There are equestrian centres in the Hotel Golf Mar, in Marquiteira (Lourinha), in Atouguia da Baleia - at the Quinta das Tripas and the Quintas de Bom Sucesso - Lourinha, S. Sebastido - Arruda dos Vinhos, Quinta da Ferraria and Cortisada - Rio Maior.

A region for health

Healthcare facilities are modern and efficient and offer a good range of public and private services for all your requirements. In addition the region offers several thermal baths: Vimeiro (digestive system, circulatory system, respiratory system and skin), Cucos (metabolic and endocrine systems, rheumatics, muscular and skeletal systems) and Torres Vedras and Caldas da Rainha - the oldest in Europe (respiratory system, rheumatics, muscular and skeletal systems).

A region for Gourmets

Gastronomy in the region is rich and varied: there are many delicious pork dishes, oven baked kid, stewed rabbit with rice, celebrated fish stews, baked or boiled sea bream and rock bass from Peniche, eels and cockles from the Obidos lake and shellfish from the beds at Porto de Barcas (lagosta suada - 'sweating lobster' - is a delicacy which can only be found in the Western Region). The gastronomical influence of history is evident in trouxas de ovos, lampreias de ovos (sweet dishes made with eggs) and cavacas (light crisp cakes) from Caldas da Rainha, bean pies from Torres Vedras and paes de lo (sponge cakes) from Landal, Painho and Rio Maior. All are complemented by the taste and aroma of apples and pears.

The Western region is also one of the largest wine growing areas in Portugal and indeed the world. The area boasts full-bodied, aromatic red wines with excellent alcoholic content: the wines of the south (castas Camarate, Periquita and Tinto Miudo) are lively when young, intense yet well balanced and with an exquisite bouquet when aged. The white wines of the north are deliciously fruity (castas Arinto, Fernao Pires, Vital). Out of this diversity, the wine-growing areas of Obidos and Alenquer, Arruda dos Vinhos and Torres Vedras were born in 1989. The region is also known for its light wines with lower alcohol content, and for the only DOC (controlled standard of origin) classified brandy in Portugal - Aguardente Vinica from Lourinha.

PORTUGAL - COSTA DE PRATA - THE SILVER COAST

Aveiro in the north is unique: it is criss-crossed by canals grandly embroidered with art nouveau houses and spanned by hump- backed bridges. Here in colourfully painted 'moliceiro' boats, seaweed is gathered in the vast saltwater lagoon. Further inland you can sample the curative waters of the elegant thermal spa towns of Luso and Curia, fashionable since early this century. And in the Bucaco forest nearby, stands the Palace Hotel, resplendent with turrets, arched galleries and an enormous marble staircase: a perfect hideaway for romantics.

The lively University city of Coimbra is a mixture of ancient and modern. Its streets are filled with the chatter of black-caped students and the soulful tones of fado. The university library, one of the best in Europe, is a Baroque fantasy where the rooms each lead into the next creating a telescope-like effect. The old Cathedral is one of the most important examples of Romanesquc architecture in Portugal. In the Marchado de Castro Museum, you'll find religious art treasures and can actually explore the ruins of the Roman crypt over which the museum was built. An even more impressive sight is the nearby Roman city of Conimbriga. On the west coast, the town of Figueira da Foz has vast beaches and a famous casino.

Further south is the charming town of Leiria with its crenulated walls towering high above an almost perpendicular rock. From May to October, the roads nearby are lined with pilgrims - many on foot - visiting the famed shrine of Fatima where three shepherd children claimed to have seen visions of the Virgin Mary.

Thirty four kilometres east is Tomar where the bastion of the Knights Templar later became the Convento de Cristo. Tales of mystery and hidden treasures echo around it's cloisters and its crowning glory is the ornate Manueline window.

Another magical place is the Castle of Almmourol, just south, which stands on a tiny island and is steeped in legends of giants and knights.

Further opulent architecture can he discovered at Batalha in the Santa Maria da Vitoria Monastery, with its flying buttresses, gargoyles, pinnacles and the intricate stonework of its cloisters. Close to this is one of Portugal's most awe-inspiring monuments: the Monastery of Alcobaca, which has been given UNESCO world heritage status. The kitchen, with ovens big enough to roast six oxen at once, even has two streams converging through it into one. The monastery also contains the tombs of King Pedro and Ines de Castro whose passionate love story has inspired writers and poets all over the world. Many of the farming methods and agricultural science of the region introduced by the Cistercian monks are still in evidence today.

The delightful town of Obidos, with white houses adorned with bougainvilleas and honeysuckle was captured from the Moors by the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques, in 1148. D. Dinis later presented it to his wife, Queen Santa Isabel. From then until 1883, the town of Obidos and the surrounding land was always the property of the queens of Portugal.

Encircled by a ring of medieval walls and crowned by the Moorish castle rebuilt by D. Dinis, which is now a pousada, Obidos is one of the most perfect examples of our medieval fortress. As in olden times, the town is entered through the southern gate of Santa Maria, embellished with eighteenth-century azulejo decoration.

Inside the walls, which at sunset take on a golden colouring, one can sense a cheerful medieval ambience of winding streets, old whitewashed houses bordered with blue or yellow, Manueline embrasures and windows, reminding us that King D. Manuel I (sixteenth century) carried out major works here, and masses of colourful flowers and plants.

Be sure to visit the Igreja Matriz de Santa Maria (Parish Church of Santa Maria), the pretty Capela de Sao Martinho (Chapel of S. Martinho) and, outside the town walls, the Igreja do Senhor da Pedra (Church of the Senhor da Pedra).

Among the events that take place every year in Obidos, the most important are the Holy Week Festivities (recreating the steps on the Way of the Cross), the Ancient Music Festival in October and, for the more gluttonous, the International Chocolate festival in November, which includes an international competition in which the recipes are judged by an international jury of experts.

Fatima - With its origins deep in history, it was during the Arabian occupation that this settlement developed and was named. According to legend, during the Christian Reconquest, the Templar knight Goncalo Hermingues, also known as Bringer-of-Moors, fell in love with Fatima, a Moor captured in the course of an ambush. Reciprocating the love, the young woman converted to Christianity and adopted the name Oureana.

In the sixteenth century, the settlement became a parish in the collegiate church of Ourem within the Diocese of Leiria.

Its subsequent development dates from the events known as the Apparitions of Fatima, in the early part of the twentieth century. It has become one of the key centres for the Cult of the Virgin Mary in Portugal and has been recognised world-wide by the Catholic Church.

The first apparition took place in 1917, in Cova da Iria, at the site of the current Sanctuary. The most important celebrations are held on 13th May (including the Candlelit Procession on the night of the 12th and the Farewell Procession closing the event on the 13th) and 13th October. Furthermore, the 13th of every month between these two dates is also a day of devotion.

For those interested in the historical context of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima, visits can be made to the houses of the shepherd witnesses in the village of Aljustrel.

In the gardens of Casa de Lucia, there is a monument commemorating the second apparition of the Angel of Peace and the end of the Via Sacra which begins in the Sanctuary.

Along this route, there are 14 chapels donated by Hungarian Catholic refugees in the West. Of particular note is Valinhos, 400 metres from the village where monuments commemorate the fourth apparition in 1917 as well as the place chosen by the angel. Here, in 1916, the shepherds saw the Angel of Peace for the first and third times.

On the coast is the fishing village of Nazare where you'll find fishermen in knee length plaid trousers, and women in full skirts and seven petticoats, mending nets. The walled town of Obidos should also not he missed, with its narrow streets of brightly white-washed houses and striking towers of the Castle that's now a splendid Pousada Take just a short trip south and you can explore the active fishing port of Peniche which has a dominating 16th century fort built for protection against marauding pirates. The Silvercoast is one of the most peaceful and romantic places of all.

Buying Property in Silver Coast Portugal

Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal is currently popular with Europeans, but as of yet, not so much with the British property buyers. This is because properties are relatively inexpensive and transport links to/from the UK are getting better and cheaper to the Silver Coast. Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal offers superb beach holiday facilities with a great summer climate, great culture, architecture and history. Also, the Silver Coast is tipped to see significant capital property value rises in the coming years.

Portugal is an evergreen in the overseas property market. Build quality is high, property prices have grown a steady 10-15% per annum since the Millennium, and there's a broad choice of property across the price range and country - within the Silver Coast the price grow within the following years will possibly reach the 25 - 35 %.

Buying property in Silver Coast Portugal offers good prospects for rental from both the local market and from holidaymakers, and with the potential of significant property price rises on the Silver Coast Portugal, this could be the ideal place to invest in a holiday home.

Buying property in Portugal still has great appeal as it has a benign tax system which allows avoidance of the worst effects of capital gains and inheritance tax and can put you in a lower tax band.

Why buy in the the Silver Coast

Property experts have been advising clients to look beyond the Algarve, with its pockets of overgrowing, and invest instead in homes 45 minutes' drive from Lisbon on Portugal's Silver Coast. Maddison says, "The Algarve used to be the most popular area. However, it is now rather overrun with Brits and over commercialized. In other words it is too popular now, with many of those looking to purchase in Portugal now looking elsewhere."

According to international property specialists the Silver Coast is now the up-and-coming area in Portugal. "Many Brits are selling up in the Algarve and moving up to the Oeste Region, which is located just north of Lisbon. This area is still very Portuguese, with farming the main source of income for the locals. It does not die in the winter because most of the locals are Portuguese. The cost of properties is so much cheaper than on the Algarve - so there is still room to make money in this area".

But what of the place itself? The Silver Coast stretches from Porto down to Portugal's capital Lisbon and hugs the North Atlantic coastline; it is home to beautiful beaches, amazing cliffs, quaint fishing villages, lush rolling countryside and some of the most fascinating historic sites in Portugal. Here you can discover pretty villages and a real Portuguese way of life. The Silver Coast is a particularly good bet for those with holiday lets in mind, thanks to the new A8 motorway which has cut journey times from Lisbon to the Silver Coast considerably, opening the atmospheric towns of Caldas da Rainha and Turcifal, and pretty villages, such as Peniche, up to tourists and investors.

There is a wide range of property available on the Silver Coast. You can find traditional farmhouses in need of renovation, but there has also been a fair amount of developments popping up and luxury villas with pools and apartments in complexes are easy to find.

Access to the area is becoming even easier as more and more airlines now offer frequent flights to Lisbon.

Peru Holidays by Lake Titicaca

2008-6-05 3:38pm

When you see Lake Titicaca you can be forgiven for thinking someone has stuck a medium-size sea right in the middle of the Andes! It is massive, covering 8,000km² and is the highest navigable lake in the world, forming most of Peru's border with Bolivia. Many people fit a visit to Lake Titicaca into their Peru holidays and it's definitely a location you should consider trying to visit on your holiday in Peru

It is an incredibly tranquil place, and is home to some of the most ancient of the Peruvian peoples. Many speak Quechua (the language of the Incas) as a first language and maintain a very traditional way of life. The lake itself played a prominent part in Inca creation myths and there are many items of historical interest both in and around the lake!

The Uros are floating islands made entirely out of the reeds which go all round the lake. The largest have several hundred people living on them and one great thing to do on your holiday in Peru is to take a boat trip out to visit some of the smaller islands. The trip out to these remarkable homes amid the tranquility of the lake is definitely something to remember!

Of course, if you don't fancy trusting to reeds, then a trip to Taquile and Amantani - two of the 'real' islands further out in the lake is perhaps a better idea! Both islands are absolutely beautiful and have a rich heritage of both Inca and pre-Inca ruins, and both have a famous tradition of handwoven textiles. For the more adventurous, it is also possible to stay overnight on either of these islands with a local family and sample some real Andean hospitality as part of your holiday in Peru.

The main town on the lake is Puno and this is most people's base when visiting Lake Titicaca during their Peru holidays. It is a centre for traditional music and is a great place to buy llama and alpaca gear - much cheaper than in Cuzco or Lima! There is a large daily market in Puno and you can find it just by walking towards the lake from the town itself, along Avenida Los Incas. If you are arriving by train from Cusco, the very last stage of the journey actually goes through it!

There is also a great vantage point behind the town which you reach by following a path symbolising the stations of the cross. The views across the town and out over the lake are well worth the walk!

Outside Puno itself, there are several sites of interest within easy reach, of which the most important is Sillustani. This village has an astonishing congregation of Inca and pre-Inca funeral towers. It is still unclear exactly how they were constructed and they are defying archaeologists attempts to re-create them. There is a small museum at the site (although the exhibits and displays are all in Spanish) and the location is beautiful so if you find yourself with a few hours to spare then it’s definitely worth a trip. A taxi from Puno should cost about $25 and won’t take more than 45 minutes - a worthwhile addition to any holiday in Peru!

Lake Titicaca should definitely be on your Peru holiday checklist so make sure you don't get carried away thinking about Cusco and Machu Picchu and forget about when you're looking to book your Peru holidays this year!

Philippine Travel: When And Where

2008-6-05 3:31pm

When you’re about to embark on a journey to the Philippines, the two most important questions to ask is “when” and “where”. If you’re traveling to the Philippines, do be aware that the experiences you’re about to encounter is unlike anything you’d encounter anywhere else in the world. Each and every country has its own unique experience to offer you and when you travel to the Philippines, you should expect the same.

When Is It Best To Travel To The Philippines?

Are you allergic to rain? If so, it would do you good to avoid traveling to this part of Southeast Asia during the months of June till November as that’s when the occasional typhoon or two makes time to visit the Philippines. Traveling during the rainy season of the Philippines can be quite a hassle, especially if you don’t have a car. But if you do, you could expect smaller crowds to contend with as most people tend to stay indoors.

If you’re unable to take the heat and still be merry, then you should not travel to the Philippines during the months of March till May because that’s officially the summer season of the country. Everyone heads for the nearest beach so if you don’t want to feel crowded when you’re sunbathing, set your travel date for another time of the year. The Easter season is always busy for everyone in the Philippines so expect a difficult time on reserving transportation when it’s Holy Week.

If you’re on the lookout for the world-famous fiestas that only the Philippines could offer, schedule your travel date for January, May or December. The flower season of Baguio – described as the summer capital of the Philippines because of its perennially cool weather – is something to look forward to. And then there’s the Santacruzan during May and which each and every town parades its most beautiful residents in a walk around town.

Where In The Philippines Is It Best To Travel To?

There are so many types of places to visit in the Philippines that it’s hard to enumerate each and every one of them. Beaches, however, are one of the most favorite travel spots of the country so if you want to enjoy your stay in a beautiful paradise of clear blue green water and cool white sand, you could check out Tali Beach, the world-famous Boracay or try surfing the secluded beaches of Surigao and La Union.

Subic Bay Philippines

2008-6-05 3:25pm

For many centuries, Subic Bay was recognized as a deep safe harbour. Realizing Subic Bay’s potentials, the Spaniards used the bay as a port to defend and maintain the Philippines as a part of their empire in the 17th century. In 1885, it was built into a naval base that utilized the safe harbors and natural resources.

After their victory over the Spaniards in 1898, a naval repair and supply base in Subic Bay was established by the Americans. It was only reachable by sea until 1932 when the zigzag roads were opened linking Subic Bay and Olongapo to the rest of the Philippines.

The Japanese bombed Subic Bay in 1941 and was held by them until the US took back the Philippines in 1945. The naval base was returned to the control of the United States. The two invasions by the Japanese and Americans produced a number of bombed or scuttled naval ships in Subic Bay. Scuba divers from around the world are now enjoying these wrecks in their underwater graveyards.

Control and maintenance of Subic naval base remained under the United States despite the Philippines gaining their independence. The United States was given 99 years free access of the facility via an agreement signed between the Philippines and US. With the outbreak of the Vietnam War, Subic Bay became a strategic site in the maintenance of a strong US presence in Asia.

In 1991, the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo covered Olongapo and Subic Bay with nearly half a metre of ash. After the Senate of the Philippines rejected the renewal of the US bases treaty in 1992, the Subic Bay Freeport was established after the last of the American naval ships completed its pullout of forces.

Since then, Subic Bay Freeport Zone has now become a well-known economic, commercial and tourist hub. It is booming with world class restaurants and duty-free shopping.

Subic Bay is situated in Zambales Province on the west coast of Luzon 120 kilometres north of Manila. Mountains with lush jungles bound its coastal area. Mountains with lush dense jungles, suitable for trekking, surround the coastal area. The bay cuts out into the South China Sea.

Subic Bay brags of interesting wreck dives. It is home to a impressive combination of wrecks. The six wreck sites have an average depth of 45 ft.

Subic Bay boasts of its rainforest and a white sand beach. Its world-class facilities, which include a marina, yacht club, hotels, shopping arcades and food shops, are supported by Philippine tourism. An international airport is another attraction.

A Mauritius Luxury Holiday In A Great Honeymoon Hotel

2008-5-19 3:50pm

By: A F

A Mauritius Luxury Holiday, be it a Family Holiday in Mauritius that you want, or a Honeymoon in Mauritius that you are planning, needs careful research. Recently voted as the Number one Resort and Spa of choice in Mauritius is The Sands Resort and Spa a Flic En Flac Hotel on the west coast. As there are some amazing hotels in Mauritius including the legendary St Geran, it is worth investigating what has made The Sands so popular amongst visitors.

Firstly the situation lends itself to being a luxury romantic vacation getaway, a real hideaway situated on the west coast of Mauritius, at the southern end of the beautiful Wolmar Beach with spectacular views across the Bay of Tamarin. The beach itself is about two hundred and fifty metres long of white sand, with a reef protected lagoon making it absolutely ideal for a whole range of water sports, including waterskiing, sailing, pedal boats, kayaking, windsurfing, and snorkeling. The beach is very clean, and never busy which is great if this is the place you have chosen for your honeymoon in Mauritius. Walking on the beach is fun, and when you take a look at the other hotels, then you will appreciate how private and peaceful The Sands Resort and Spa is by comparison.

This is the ideal place for couples, honeymoon couples seeking peace and quiet, some tranquility and a high level of comfort and personalized service. Having said that there are interconnecting rooms, baby sitting, and the ability to squeeze a third bed into a twin bedded room, so The Sands Resort and Spa is not only a honeymoon hotel, but suitable for a family holiday in Mauritius as well, although family type reservations are only on a strictly request basis.

The Sands has just 92 rooms, all sea facing, with either a balcony or a terrace. King size beds are a feature, as is the spacious bathroom. One guest’s comment was that the bathrooms are the biggest they had ever seen. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, walk in wardrobes, TV, video, telephone, mini bar, safe, tea and coffee maker.

A Mauritius luxury holiday mustn’t only have great accommodation and facilities, fantastic views, all of which The Sands has, it should also have delightful food to complement everything else. There is The Tamarind Terrace restaurant which is open every day for breakfast, lunch, and dinner featuring International and Mauritian specialties. You will also find that the menu changes every day

The other restaurant is Spices which is an a la carte restaurant opens every day for dinner serving the spices and menus of the Indian Ocean. For drinks there is the Dolphin Bar facing the bay, which opens until after midnight.

To summarize, The Sands Resort and Spa in Mauritius has a great location, well kept grounds, friendly staff, and good sized rooms and bathrooms, with good food. If you choose it for either a holiday in Mauritius or your honeymoon, you will not be disappointed.

Honeymoon In Belize At An Ambergris Caye Resort

2008-5-15 5:47pm

A Honeymoon in Belize is becoming a popular option, and the hard part then is putting together a honeymoon package, after deciding where to stay. A good choice would be the Xanadu Island resort on Ambergris Caye.

A Honeymoon resort benefits from being small, and Xanadu Island resort has only eighteen rooms, right on the beachfront within ten minutes walk of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye

The kind of accommodation you might decide to take on your honeymoon package could well be Suite number two which is an oceanfront loft with views to die for. Get up early, about half past six, make a cup of coffee in the kitchen, go outside onto the deck, and watch the sunrise, and if you do this once, you’ll do it everyday.

Ambergris Caye is a real island getaway, and Xanadu Island resort even more so. It is hidden on a beach lined with palm trees, and what you see from your dawn and daily outlook is the turquoise Caribbean, and the white line of the reef.

The breakdown of the accommodations is a Studio, Loft, or 1,2,or3 bedrooms. Each suite is airconditioned, plus ceiling fans, cable Television, unlimited internet access, as if you’d want that on your Belize honeymoon!!

Added to that hairdryers, safe, beach towels, and not forgetting your own private deck which is shaded from the sun.

There is a long pier with a thatched shade at the end and a swimming platform, so you can snorkel over the hotel’s own man made reef. There is a lovely pool, and loads of hammocks and sunbeds around the pool and on the beach.

The complimentary bikes and kayaks allow you to explore Ambergris Caye, and the bicycles are especially useful to take you into San Pedro to the great restaurants there. If your honeymoon in Belize isn’t to be just relaxing at the Xanadu, but you wish to be more energetic, then why not try Scuba Diving, sailing, fishing or take a guided eco tour to the rainforest.. In addition tours to Mayan ruins can easily be arranged.

Whilst there is no restaurant at the resort, this won’t detract from your honeymoon vacation at all, after all who needs boring hotel restaurant food anyway. There are two local markets close by, so snack meals can easily be organised in the kitchen which is very well equipped.

Some suggestions for feeding yourself are George’s for breakfast, Casa Picasso for dinner, Crazy Canuck’s Bar on the beach, and Monkey Bites for breakfast or lunch

The management team at the Xanadu Island Resort go out of their way from even before you arrive for your honeymoon in Belize to ensure you have an enjoyable and stress free time. From the immaculately maintained property, well looked after rooms, nothing is left to chance, even ensuring flights and taxis are all there when you need them.

Xanadu Island Resort on Ambergris Caye could give you the perfect honeymoon in Belize, and research shows that most people who have gone there for their Belize Honeymoon would return.

The Top Beach Resort In The Turks And Caicos Providenciales Island

2008-5-15 5:37pm

Some research into The Tuscany Resort on Grace Bay, Providenciales Island Turks and Caicos to see if it would be a good choice for your Caribbean Vacation

Looking for a Turks and Caicos Resort on Providenciales, then look no further than The Tuscany Resort on Grace Bay.

It is the newest build, and so is at the end of the line, which makes it calm and peaceful compared to other resorts. There are 30 luxury suites, in this extremely private luxurious boutique resort.

The Tuscany Resort has been described as completely unbelievable, and so well thought out that it never seems to be crowded.

The suites in this gorgeous Turks and Caicos Resort are all 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom, so they are perfect for families or groups of friends. It’s especially good for a group of friends because each bedroom has its own bathroom They are all beautifully decorated and equipped including a huge kitchen, a laundry room, and a very large well screened patio which opens off the large dining and living area, and is designed to give a floor to ceiling panoramic view of Grace Bay and the incredible turquoise sea that lies beyond it. Having said that it is important to avoid the first floor doesn’t have a view. Best of all try to get a suite on the fourth floor, and another tip is to avoid the middle suite because they are darker, and also you need to request a room on the outside of the building.

The décor of the suites are quite incredible with a tropical theme. The sun loungers, more chaise longues really give you the perfect end to the perfect day, with a glass of wine gazing at the Reef as the sun sets in an amazing display of different colours.

You won’t need the air conditioning, because of the cool breezes coming in through the doors.

Although the Tuscany resort has no restaurant you will find plenty within a short walking distance and in your suite you have everything you will need for a truly remarkable Turks and Caicos Resort Vacation.

One of the best things for many people is the fact that you can get massages in your room from Spa Tropique, just a phone call away. It could be a great way to spend the day, by going down to the beach for a swim, up to your suite for a massage, and then back to the beach again!

As to be expected in a high quality Turks and Caicos resort the pool is great, and the temperature is about right. Because the beach at Grace Bay is so nice you could well have the pool almost to yourself much of the time. It would however be a shame not to go to the beach, and you needn’t worry about be hassled by hawkers and vendors because it is illegal on the Turks and Caicos Islands. The beach and the water are so very clean it is amazing, so clear that you can see the fish in the water from the beach.

There are lots of restaurants to choose from close to the resort, varying from shacks to high quality high priced places, but excellent food to suit every palate and pocket.

The Tuscany Resort is a new kid in town, with a fast growing reputation, and if you want a quiet relaxing Turks and caicos Resort On Providenciales Island on Grace Bay then why look further than here?

Rail Europe for the Student Traveler

2008-5-07 6:28pm

It has been a time-honored tradition for the North American university grad to leave his sheltered nest and seek the unknown in a distant land.

Unfortunately, tradition also lends way to cliché.

The early twenties, book smart grad are filled with an ambition to add some life experience to his new set of professional letters. He sits in a dockside café eating hometown food with French provincial names as he writes into a leather-bound booklet some deep insights that he assumes are original. He dreams of having a torrid love affair with some local peasant girl but settles instead for swapping email addresses with some Canadians doing the exact same thing. As entertaining as this prospect seems, it was not my wish. I wanted to carve out my own adventure, and in Europe there is no better way than by train.

The European rail system has been for years second-to-none for accessibility, comfort, and, with Rail Europe, affordability. There are a variety of Rail Europe passes for different prices that can get you anywhere you wish in little time and from city center to city center. North Americans must purchase the Rail Europe tickets before departing Europe (you can't get them in Europe) and well in advance of their trip, and in certain countries the passes are valid on ferries and riverboats. The passes are easy to use and, if taken advantage of fully, are cheaper than most other forms of transportation. Best of all is that trains can get you to remote areas that you would otherwise miss. For the budget-minded the night excursions or hotel trains save you hotel rooms so that you awake the next day in a new country!

Copenhagen —

I landed in Copenhagen and got immediately roped into the standard tourist sites — Tivoli Gardens, the Royal Palace, etc.

I saw an incredible exhibit of Danish design at the National Art (Kunst) Gallery, and I took a bike ride through an area called Christiania, an area started by a group of Danes in the 1960s looking for free love, free drugs, and free rent, and it hasn’t changed much since. I was here when I was thirteen years old, staying with a cousin. Since, the government has made an attempt to clean up Christiania by taking out most of the drugs but the general atmosphere remains. Old military buildings painted in bright colors are home to all sorts of the local free thinkers from vagrants to artists to very accomplished architects. The tour ended at the National Library, also called the “Diamond” because of its seemingly transparently beautiful aesthetics. It is a remarkable example of the old world class of a European city (half of the building is the original building of the National Library) and the clean lines and simple concepts of modern Danish design that act to seemingly tell a story with nothing but light.

Munich —

As wonderful of a city as Copenhagen is, the tourist route begins to lose its luster and the rails are calling me East. I've been to Germany before so I wasn’t interested in staying for too long, but the food and beer would be a shame to miss — yet another perk of train travel. Local trains can always be caught if you simply feel like ending up in a small town outside Munich, ordering a heaping lunch and a few giant steins of local brew and making your way out the same day. Needless to say, between Frankfurt and the Hungarian border I was full, comfortably brewed-up, and happy as the beautiful sites of central Europe flew by.

As can be expected, this type of life can take its toll on a person’s ability to remain conscious. By chance, when my body and mind were screaming for sleep, I happened upon a rather quiet train car. In fact, at one point a person was asked to keep the noise down behind me. I thought there was going to be some sort of movie starting that necessitated such silent attention until I realized that some of the train cars are specifically designated for the lazy kind of traveler that I felt like being. They are quiet cars and I will snore my praises of them for years to come.

Budapest —

A city full of history, incredible architecture, and beautiful women. As you walk around the city you get a definite stench of the former socialist society coupled with an obvious existence of capitalist growth. The city sits on the banks of the Danube. The Pest side is where you would find a much more built-up city center with malls and shopping areas, not to mention the late night venues. You can imagine my desire to visit the other side of the river.

The other side of the river is the Buda part of the city (are you picking up on the basis of the name yet?). A little quieter and lush, Buda contains some beautiful homes and sites. The Gelhert Hill, marked by a statue that can be reached by hiking paths, offers an incredible view of the city. I was lucky enough to meet a lovely local named Janka and I was invited to a dinner party. Hungarians are often seen as slightly less personable than some western European counterparts. This can be chalked up to a very dry sense of humor. I can attest, however, that this is not the case at all. After a great, home-cooked meal and a few cocktails in a quaint apartment in the hills filled with great people, including Zigga (who I knew for a few days and offered me a lift to the train station), and of course the beautiful Janka; I would say that kindness and generosity are staples in the social diet of Hungarians. They also have an uncanny ability to have a good time

Jasper – Travel to Canada’s Rocky Mountain Paradise

2008-5-07 6:12pm

Mention the Canadian Rockies, and most people instantly think of Banff. As the main tourist destination in the Rockies, Banff is very much a commercial town geared to tourism. But for those who like their Rockies a little quieter, 250 kilometers north is paradise - the town of Jasper.

July and August are the peak times to visit Jasper, but if you don't mind colder weather and like your lakes frozen, you can avoid some of the tourists by visiting in the few months either side. The weather can be haphazard, so allow a little flexibility in your plans.

Six kilometers south of Jasper is Whistler Mountain. If you visit early or late in the day, you will most likely hear the melodic sounds made by the whistling marmots living on the lower slopes of the mountain. Early birds can also get cheaper tickets on the Whistler Mountain gondola. The terminus is at 2,500m, with spectacular views south to the Columbia Ice fields, and west to Mount Robson.

For those who prefer to look up at mountains, there are plenty of beautiful lakes close to town, all surrounded by snow topped peaks. Patricia and Pyramid Lakes, 8km north-west of town, are small and quiet. They have beaches just begging for picnickers to sit on them and admire the view after a tranquil lunch. Herds of elk and deer roam the area, and if you're very lucky, you may spot a coyote or a black bear.

Maligne Lake is south of Jasper, and is the largest of the glacier fed lakes. A boathouse from the 1920s completes the storybook setting. There are a couple of excellent hikes in the area, taking full advantage of the beautiful scenery.

Nearby is Maligne Canyon, a narrow cleft through the rocks filled with roaring water during the spring thaw. It's also home to a very active herd of big horn sheep, which can jump out of nowhere to startle tourists.

For those visitors who like more leisurely pursuits, it is possible to swim in Lakes Annette and Edith near town. Situated at around 1000m, they are popular during the summer months, although it's still not advisable to take a lengthy swim in the icy waters.

After a few hard days of sightseeing, go for a leisurely drive about 40km towards Edmonton. At the sleepy little town of Pocahontas (she certainly got around!) take the turnoff to Miette Hot Springs. The renovated spas contain two pools, and are a welcome respite for tired bodies. On the way there you may be lucky enough to see mountain goats beside the road, although they're more likely to be perched on a cliff high above you.

Another excellent drive is route 93A, which was the original road heading out of Jasper towards Banff. Now preserved as a scenic route, the road offers a number of interesting stops. Keep your eyes open, particularly during the quieter times early and late in the day, because wild life abounds here. Mother bears with their cubs have been seen chomping on berries right beside the road!

The aptly named "Meeting of the Waters" marks the place where two rivers join together. During the spring thaw this meeting can make for spectacular waterworks. Further along, it is worth taking the time to visit Moab Lake. A pleasant walk ends with the magnificently sited lake, mountains hovering in the background.

Skiers visiting in winter will certainly want to make the trip to Marmot Basin, a popular ski resort south of Jasper on 93A. In summer, however, it looks much the same as any other deserted ski field, except for the breathtaking scenery.

One of the final stops before the road rejoins the main highway is the Athabasca Falls. A raging torrent in spring, the fierce waters tumble and crash over hundreds of smoothed boulders. The adventurous can explore further up the river, but wear shoes with a good grip.

When the time comes to leave Jasper, there are two major routes. Those who arrived by train can continue their journey either east to Edmonton and on across the Canadian plains, or west to Vancouver. This route takes you on one of the most spectacular train journeys in the world, with incredible scenery in every direction.

For those travelling by car, allow plenty of time to explore the 230km Ice fields Parkway which connects Jasper to Banff, with a slight detour to Lake Louise. The road follows a valley through the Eastern Mountain Ranges, and offers spectacular scenery and plenty of wildlife. By the end of the day you'll probably have a stiff neck from craning upwards to see the view.

The Sunwapta Falls are set in chunky terraces of rock, and it's worth taking a short stroll to the viewing platform. Peyton Lake is a beautiful glacial lake, but should only be visited when the snow clears, otherwise the gentle uphill stroll can become a mammoth battle through waist high snow drifts.

Another beautiful stop is the Tangle Falls. Intrepid visitors can do some exploring here, rewarded by a close up look at the rushing waters. The best known stop, however, is Athabasca Glacier. This glacier has been steadily retreating for years, and there are date markers so you can see the gradual regression. It is possible to take a truck ride on the ice, or you can simply walk from the car park. Be warned - the weather can change very rapidly during your visit, so be prepared.

The Weeping Wall is particularly interesting after or during rain, with thousands of tiny waterfalls pouring down its rough faces. And for those nature lovers with a penchant for moose, try visiting Waterfowl Lake at either end of the day. It's home to a number of these huge creatures.

The Ice fields Parkway continues on to Lake Louise, the magnificent setting for scenes in the movie "The Bodyguard". Finally the road reaches Banff, leaving the peace and quiet of the wilder Jasper behind for good.

Exploring the Canadian Rockies is a must for lovers of rugged, mountain scenery. For those who want to experience the Rockies and its wildlife as closely as possible to how it would have been centuries ago, Jasper is the perfect base. The Rockies are waiting for you.

The Green Coast of Rio de Janeiro

2008-5-05 8:15am

by: Luiz Silva

As a Coastal City in the State of Rio de Janeiro , Paraty (in Portuguese, instead of an "y" it is spelled with an "i"), is popular because of its beauty associated with its mountains and Ocean. But that's not all it is famous for. Paraty has a rich history, including its use as a port for the gold that came from Minas Gerais ( State in Brazil ), in the early to mid 1700's. In the early 1800's, the gold was running out and an upgraded rail road system made other routes to more preferable port cities. These events basically took Paraty off the map for a good 150 years.

In the 1970's a paved road was built from Rio de Janeiro to Santos , ( City in Sao Paulo ), which began a flurry of new activity around and in Paraty. Since then the city has grown from what was primarily a fishing and agricultural area to a major tourism force. However it is important to point out that while many people visit Paraty, it has preserved much of its historical appearance. Much of its architecture dates back 250 years ago; it has cobble stone streets, an old colonial style fort, historical churches, old colonial houses ( which in many cases have been converted to quaint little shops and restaurants). Paraty is also well renowned for its avid participation in most Brazilian holidays and Festivals. Perhaps the most famous of which is the Literary Festival.

If you like tropical Islands and beautiful Brazilian Beach scenes, you're in luck-- the mountains just beside Paraty is the place you're looking for. It has about 65 Islands just waiting for you to experience; you'll have to come back for a long second visit to even come close to seeing all the beaches and Islands Paraty offers. Experience Luxury tours and stay in a high class hotel if you like. Paraty would be a great place for a Romantic Honeymoon in Brazil- either a first or second (or even a third). Paraty certainly has Luxury Hotels that have comfort with a capital "C". With all these beaches, Festivals, history, and legends of gold and precious gems, the questions is not why Paraty? It is why not Paraty?

10 Hotel Safety Tips that Every Traveler Should Know

2008-5-05 8:03am

Would you choose a hotel room for yourself, if you knew it was not accessible to the fire department? That is exactly what you are doing if you are housed in a room any higher then the 6th floor! The 6th floor is the maximum height that the standard fire departments ladders can reach. If at all possible, select rooms lower then the 6th floor.

Stay away from the ground floor where there is doors and windows that open to the outside. Hotels with interior hallways tend to be safer. Rooms that are facing the courtyards are generally safer then those facing the direct parking lot.

Always check your rooms closet and bathroom for intruders upon entering. Always keep your key in the same place closes to your bed in case there is an emergency in the middle of the night. You will need your key to re-enter your room after the incident is resolved.

Do you know the difference between a 2-way mirror and a standard mirror? A 2-way mirror looks like a seemingly ordinary mirror hanging on a wall. The difference is a person can see you, but you cannot see them. Give all mirrors the "fingernail test." Place the tip of your fingernail against the reflective surface of the mirror. There should be a "gap" between your fingernail and the image. If there is, that is a genuine mirror. If there is no gap and your fingernail directly touches the image then this is a 2-way mirror. There is a simple saying that goes with this advice, "No space, leave the place"!

Rooms with electronic keys are much safer then the standard key. With the electronic key the combination is changed with each new guest, unlike the standard keys with the same room numbers. Always use your deadbolts. If the door only has a chain, then twist the chain tightly before latching it.

When you exit your room, always leave the TV on. When you exit your room at night, leave the drapes slightly open with a light on, creating the illusion that someone is still there. Laptops should never be left in your room. They should be taken down to the lobby desk for safe keeping. You wouldn't display your purse or wallet in the middle of a hotel table, but we consistently do this with our computers. If you are dead set against taking it down to the lobby, you could find the safety chains that are usually located in the hotel room closet and fasten your laptop to the sink in your bathroom.

Although, you hate to think of being physically accosted during a vacation or business trip, it does happen and you should be prepared. Always carry a small bundle of bait money that you have readily available to hand over to your assailant. Make sure that the outside bill is the largest denomination with the remaining inner bundle consisting of ones.

I actually carry two wallets in my purse, just in case I am approached for money. In my first wallet I carry cash, license and credit cards and keep it at the bottom of my purse. My second wallet holds only old photos, some change and a few dollar bills which I keep on the top. I also carry a small can of pepper spray in the side pocket.

Of course if they steal my whole pocketbook, then there is not much else I can do, which leads to my last tip. Ladies, when walking in a crowded area or unfamiliar place try to carry your purse clutched tightly in front of your body, not loosely on your shoulder or dangling from your hand.

London Travel - Everything you need to know about London...

2008-4-20 5:57pm

by: Rishi Chandra

London Travel

London is a very visitor friendly place and traveling around in London is very suitably provided by various forms of transportation. The most common mode of transport is the London Underground http://tube.tfl.gov.uk and it operates through out the day [from early morning to late night]. Other forms include buses, taxis etc. The whole city is divided into 6 zones with zone 1 and 2 referred as 'Central London'.

With London's endless choice of theatres, sports and music venues, you won’t be short of entertainment. This is the place to be if you're looking for world-class art, exhibitions, music and more. More unbiased information can be found at Visit London http://www.visitlondon.com/.

Accommodation in London offers a variety of choices from budget low room rate [starting from £30] and to high-class luxury rooms [greater than £1000]. The best hotel which I have stayed in is The Ritz http://www.theritzlondon.com and the best priced [in terms of location, service and price] is Regent Palace http://www.regentpalacehotel.co.uk/. More information on the choice of the hotels, price comparison, amenities information, photographs of rooms, online booking can be done at London Hotels http://www.2pl.com/London/bs-1250300001.htm.

Finding a place to eat in London is a difficult task not because of scarcity of restaurants but because of such a wide variety and number of places. Chinese, Indian and Italian are the most popular cuisines in London. London Eating http://www.london-eating.co.uk/ provides the easiest way to identify the closest restaurants of the choice of your cuisine. But London is an expensive place in an expensive country. So mind your wallet when going out for dinner. A rough guideline: £5 per person: Sandwich Shop, £10-20 per person: Pub, £15-30 per person: cheap to medium class restaurant, £50-100 per person: very nice restaurant, £100 and above: Savoy or Ritz.

What you need to know about – Switzerland travel

2008-4-18 8:42pm

by: Mansi gupta

Since time memorial, Switzerland has proved itself as one of the most cherished tourist destinations. Every part of this country seems to be caressed and lying in the lap of nature. The land of magical Alps Mountains, Lake Maggiore and the home of cities like Zurich and Bern need no introduction. An Encounter with the Swiss Cities Switzerland greets you with one of the most beautiful cities on earth-Zurich. This metropoplis is a significant financial center in the world. Apart from its blessed location at the tip of Limmat River, the city has some of breathtakingly wonderful attractions that include Gothic Fraumunster, the Church of Our Lady, the Fluntern Cemetery where the soul of famous Irish writer James Joyce rests in peace. You can take some of the most expensive items home from the Bahnhofstrasse Street meant for the rich. Accommodation is not a problem in this city for there are many a great hotels like The Widder Hotel, The Baur au Lac Hotel, Arabella Atlantis Sheraton Hotel and the like that provide the best of all amenities. Cuddled up on the shores of river Geneva is the historical city of Switzerland-Geneva. Amongst a multitude of pulls, the city is known for possessing the world’s tallest fountain, a beautiful flower clock (Hologe Fleurie), the archaic Cathedrale de St.Pierreand the renowned Musee de L’ Horlogere that enhances your knowledge about the worldwide recognized Swiss watches. The great Luzren’s Lowendenkmal, also known as Lion Monument can be gazed in the city of Luzren. The city is endowed with beautiful surroundings that include villages and mountains. The Luzren city happens to be at the spot where the River Reuss flows out of Lake Luzren. The bees are related to honey and water to bridges. So there are some grand worthwhile bridges here. For instance The Chaff Bridge, the Kapellbrucke or The Chapel Bridge that If you are stunned with the popularity and status of ‘bears’, you have stepped in the metropolis Bern. Bern is a delightful city that is the capital of Switzerland and is nestled in a curve in the River Aare. The ancient exotic fountains, the majestic arcades that seem to be eternal and caring, the Kunstmuseum or art Museum with the original magnum opus of the genius Swiss painter Paul Klee, are some of the outstanding features of the Bern city. Some more museums like Bern Historical Museum that presents exclusive archaeological artifacts; 15th century tapestries etc., The Natural History Museum, the Communication Museum and the Kunsthalle Bern Museum always receive the vacationers’ attention. The Bernese Oberland region of Bern is an evergreen tourist destination. The area has some of the captivating spots like Interlaken town that is bedecked by three mountains namely Jungfrau, Monch and the Eiger. The spectacular Grindelwald Glacier near the recognized Grindelwald resort never lets one take off his eyes from it. To elate your spirits the Trummelbach Falls that can be distinctively viewed via an elevator built in the rock and the Staubbach Waterfalls await your visit. To rock your body on the pulsating music, celebrate with the Swiss their highly acclaimed Montreaux Jazz Festival in the Montreaux city. What can also be relished is the amazing work of art of the mentally ill and criminals at the distinguished Collection de l’Art Brut museum that is to be found in the city of Lausanne. The town of Klosters is swarming with visitors for its fantastic ski resort that too is known as Klosters. Skiing can also be enjoyed at the popular skiing resorts in the town of St. Moritz. Since the town rests on the southern side of Alps Mountains at an altitude of 6000 feet, it is all the more appealing to the visitors.

What you need to know about– paris travel

2008-4-14 7:36pm

What you need to know about– paris travel

by: Mansi gupta

Life never sleeps in the capital city of France- Paris. The City of Lovers or the City of Lights, the city of Paris is exceptional for it has not just one but a multitude of attractions that leave each and every visitor bizarre. The aura of the city is such that the visitors are left spell bound. The city is so rich in its exotic and prized possessions that it becomes difficult to explore the entire city within a few days. The Multiple Assets From art to glamour, from the mystifying Eiffel Tower to the stunning Seine River, the wondrous city of Paris has it all. When we talk about the city’s art and architecture, Paris has some of the coveted monuments in the world. For instance the Napoleon’s eminent ‘Arch of Triumph’ (a piece of architecture that ascends the streets); the Square of Peace (known for its huge statues and fountains) and the wonderful pillar from Egypt called the Obelisk of Luxor. The Eiffel Tower has its own tale. Counted amongst one of the wonders of the world, the tower is 986 feet tall and weighs 700 tons. The Unity in Diversity Paris is endowed with a plethora of small regions that contribute to the pleasing diversity of this place. To name a few in this regard- The Le Marais Region in Paris speaks of the rich history and tradition of the city. Marais, the land where the King Henry II took his last breath, is the home for some of the most archaic French buildings. The Musee Carnavalet museum has many archaeological discoveries along with breathtaking historical paintings, sculptures etc. Other eminent museums include-The Musee Cognaq Jay, The Musee de la Serrure Briccard, Musee de la Chasse et de la Nature (famous for stone age weapons) and last but not the least The Musee Picasso that has the worlds largest number of Picasso paintings. The Jewish Quarter that nestled in the Marais region and that familiarizes you with the Jewish customs and traditions has always been an apple of every visitor’s eyes. The La Quarter region of Paris is a paradigm of unity and diversity. This is because people from all castes and creed inhabit the place. There is round the clock activity with plenty of markets, restaurants, gardens, parlors etc. in this ancient region that has streets of the Roman era. Not to be overlooked is the popular Montmartre region of Paris. The area is bedecked by the Sacre Coeur Church, that has almost scaled to the height of the Eiffel Tower. The place is also more often visited for it’s being the land of illustrious artists like Zola, Van Gogh, Turgeney and Degas. Apart form this, the Montmarte region has an exclusive cemetery where the great souls of Degas, Stendhal, La Golie etc. lie in peace. There is also the famous The Musee de Montmartre where people like Renior, Dufy and Suzanne Valada had resided. But this isn’t all. The Notre Dame Cathedral at the Notre Dame region is worth looking. The ancient cathedral that is an epitome of love also has an underground crypt and a small museum for the visitors. A outstanding and enthralling place nestled in the city of Paris is the Louvre Museum. This museum has some of the world’s most prized sculptures, paintings, utensils and other antiques. If there is the globally treasured Mona Lisa of Leonardo Da Vinci, there are also the two giant winged bulls that long ago used to guard the palace of Sragon II and the Hammurabi Code. Other antiquities from Babylon, Mesopotamia, Sumeria etc. can also be seen. Amongst the several bedazzling galleries like Prints and Drawings Gallery, arts gallery etc. the sculpture gallery is also garlanded by the bewitching Michaelangelo Courtyard. On the whole, the Louvre Museum is a spectacular place to stop at. The authentic magnum opus of art maestros like Renoir, Sisely, Van Gogh, Monet, Manet, Degas and Pissaro can also be gazed at the Musee d’Orsay museum that also has some exclusive primitive sculptures. Also to be seen are the delightful gardens in Paris. For instance, The Rond-Point, The Grand Palais, the Petit Palais etc. being some of them. However, one falls short of words and ink to appraise and express the brilliance and magnificence of the unusual and wonderful city Paris, the charm and charisma of which carries the potential to raise someone from the dead.

The lowdown on china travel

2008-4-14 7:25pm

by: Mansi gupta

The fragrance of fish, lobsters…, the sturdy Great Wall, the broken hush of winds by the Martial Arts, the grand museums and unpretentious down to earth people…welcome you to the third largest country on the globe-China. China is universally known not just for any single reason. The country has earned remarkable name not just in electronics and technology but it also surpasses many countries in its receiving tourists' attention. The charisma of China is such that people from all over the world endeavor to bask at least once in the Chinese glory.

China is the land of rich history and has contributed a lot in sphere of philosophy. However, demographically China is the most populous country that we have today followed by India. The commonplace life and activity of the place can be enjoyed by taking on to the streets of the Chinese cities.

A Brush with the Chinese Cities

Like nay other country, China too has its own network of cities. But unlike many other cities, the Chinese metropolises are swarming with people. This is because the place has an exclusive charm and unique assets that lure the people all over the world. The first city that hogs limelight besides Hong Kong is the capital city Beijing.

Beijing is one of the wonderful cities that can keep all its visitors glued to it. Once you decide to step in this city, scores of attractions await your encounter. The pleasant weather of Beijing is a good reason to go for a stroll and water and other games in the Beijing Amusement Park. As soon as you enter the place, get ready to discover the child in you for the rides like roller coaster, bumper cars, paddle boats etc. will not at any cost let you to ignore them. Beijing also hosts a recreation center popularly known as The Beijing Recreation Center. This center invites people of all age groups for there are multitude of games like poker, bowling, electronic golf, squash, tennis and billiards. The discotheque, fitness room, sauna and mah-iong room are added pulls. The Summer Palace (Yiheyuan) at Beijing with its archaic temples, pavilions, huge mansions, lakes etc. make a superb picnic spot. Your vacation can be an experience of fun with learning when you enter the eminent Beijing Museum of Natural History. Also to behold is the China Aviation Museum that lies nearly on the outskirts of Beijing. This museum has about 200 planes and the aircrafts etc. used during the World War II. Finally shopping in Beijing can be enjoyed once you take on to the Wangfujing Business Street of Beijing. From here you can take home books, amazing handicraft items, medicines, electronic gadgets and almost everything you require in your routine life.

Are you trying to make your way through the bustling population? Walking down the street have you encountered the world's third tallest TV tower i.e. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower? And do you think there is no end to the place you are in...You have entered the by far the largest metropolis of the world-Shanghai. Along with these magnets, The Tomb of Emperor Qin Shi Huang-Xian where this foremost emperor of China is believed to be yet lying in a single piece is a site that summons many visitors. The Shanghai Museum is worth visiting to view some distinctive relics of China. The place can be a center for a thrilling nightlife. There are beautiful night clubs and bars, Caribe Bar being a frequently budding one. Some vibrant streets of Shanghai are a perfect place to shop. From sparkling glass items to exclusive china-ware, everything is at hand.

The glorious city oh Hong Kong needs no introduction. It has already established itself as the Asia's world city. Many attractions of the place also include the Hong Kong Space Museum that is one amongst the largest planetariums in the world. It is an educational site for kids as well as adults that reveal some of the baffling facts of the universe. When it comes to food, generally eight cuisines are found in China- Shandong, Sichuan, Guangdong, Fujian, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Hunan and Anhui. Few restaurants in Hong Kong serve 'vegetarian pork' and 'vegetarian chicken'. The dishes made of Soyabean are difficult to be distinguished from the real ones. Hong Kong is an ideal place to shop. The Times Square is a recommendable venue that welcomes you with numerous shops. There is anything and everything from dazzling jewelry, garments and antiques to sports goods and toys.

The Sites Globally Known

The Great Wall of China speaks through itself. Besides the historical significance the site that makes through the wonders of the world, exerts a pull on each and every person that comes to China. The Grand Canal of China that has 60 bridges and 24 locks has always been a center of worldwide attention. Not to be forgotten is the Mt. Huangshan that is known for its deformed pine trees and springs. You can trek up the Mt. Huangshan or take a tram to have an exotic and breathtaking view of the mountain as well as the entire China.

The lowdown on new orleans travel

2008-4-14 7:18pm

by: Mansi gupta

The beautiful city cuddled around the curve of the Mississippi River, known for its cuisine, music and culture, is the metropolis New Orleans. This vibrant city summons many a visitors every year. Its more than a few attractions are cherished by tons of people across the globe.

Getting Acquainted With the Place

New Orleans is quite an old city that has a profound sense of art and architecture, culture and people. Certain historic buildings like the U.S Mint Building and the Lousiana History Museum have always accepted attention of the visitors.

The French Quarter is an eminent area in New Orleans. The Quarter speaks about the marvelous European architecture, history, legends and the like. The Bourbon St. bars is an all time entertainment bar or club for the adults. Once you step out of French Quarter, a horde of hotels and restaurants welcome you. The IMAX theatre, Riverwalk shops and Harrah's casino are particularly very famous here.

The Storyland at the City Park of New Orleans is believed to be a wonderland park. The Six Flags amusement park, the Audubon Park and the Zoological Gardens that have more than a thousand animals are amongst the magnets of New Orleans. The Jackson Square area of New Orleans is teeming with artists, musicians, mimes and fortune tellers, needs no introduction. People from all over the world visit this place on their vacation to New Orleans. The French Quarter is brimming with shopping malls and shops. From glittering jewelry to exclusive souvenir, everything is readily available. There are also antique shops for those who have a taste of antiques.The French Market at New Orleans is known for the bargain. The market is basically devoted to the farmers as well as to flea.

Once you are tired of running around to shop, enjoy a wonderful coffee at the Café Du Monde. The café is considered to be the home of beignet and chicory coffee. The 'shotgun' houses at New Orleans are meant to admire the exclusive and peculiar architecture. The rooms in these houses are lined one behind the other such that a single shot fired from outside the front door would go out from the back door without hitting anything. The D- Day Museum at New Orleans that exhibits the history of World War II, has its own glory and charm.

There are different tours to explore New Orleans to the fullest. Thses tours are quite informative and adventurous. For instance on a swamp tour you get to know the concept behind the above ground cemeteries in the city. You also get an opportunity to feed the alligators, see the grand homes and gardens in the Garden District and many such things. A ghost tour, relished especially by the kids will take you to the haunted St. Philip Street. While on a Southern Comfort Cocktail Tour you will enjoy the restaurants, bars and hotels of the city along with the fables attached to them. The Honey Island Swamp tour is specifically meant for the kids to enjoy this nature preserve and eerie houses like Gris-Gris.

The distinguished pulls of New Orleans are incomplete without the festivals celebrated here. The principal festival of the year is the Mardi Gras in February. This is followed by the crawfish festival in March, the Jazz Heritage festival and the French Quarter Festival in April or May. The July visitors can enjoy the fireworks that happen to be on the 4th of July, Satchmo festival in August subsequent to which are the festivals for tomatoes, catfish, plants etc. in September. Finally there is the grand Christmas celebration that draws everyone's thought and concentration. Almost all the festivals are festooned at least with fireworks and parades.

New Orleans has earned a significant name in the area of sports. The city is a host to many sports concerts all round the year. These festivals make New Orleans a destination worth vacationing all round the year.

Travel and Scenic Photography 101

2008-4-14 7:10pm

by: Seth Lutnick

When you're driving through the mountains somewhere, and you notice a car parked half off the road and some guy leaning to the left to avoid a branch with his Rebel 2000 camera in the act of focusing, you've met me. I do this because, to me, a trip isn't fulfilling unless I've preserved that beauty for posterity. I'd like to share some of the techniques that make scenic photography such a wonderful artform - simple, yet elegant.

First off, equipment. As much as the cheapo disposable camera beckons, get real. These cameras have fisheye lenses which I call "spam" lenses. They cram everything in, with equal blurriness and boringness. Good photos are sharp, unless you use blur for artistic effect. Sharp comes from an adjustable lens. It can be a fixed lens or a zoom, but it must focus specially for each picture. Fixed lenses are limiting for scenic pictures, where to frame the shot you may need to move long distances. Imagine using a fixed lens on the Washington Monument, when you're half a block away! Zooms get my vote, even though they often don't have as wide an aperture, which limits their capabilities in low light situations.

Practically speaking, an SLR is the absolute best. They are lightweight, and can be used with top quality lenses. Film SLRs tend to be less expensive, but have the limitations of film, meaning you have to get it developed and so forth. Digital SLRs are VERY expensive, so for the budget conscious either go with a film SLR or a high quality basic digital camera. With digital, resolution is also a critical factor, so look at the specs before you buy.

OK, we've got the camera, emotions are running high, and that's great, but not too great! Sometimes I find a spot that is so wonderful, I start shooting like a madman, only to be disappointed by the pictures. What happened? Emotions. When you experience a place, there are sounds, aromas and breezes as well as the visuals of the spot. Needless to say, you can't photograph all of these elements, only the visual. When overwhelmed by the spectacle of a scenic hotspot, we are often overwhelmed by all of these elements.

So what to do? Look through your camera. The viewfinder does not lie (usually). Try to see what you are looking at as the finished picture. Most people perfunctorily take pictures, hoping that somehow the shot will come out great. If you wonder how the pictures came out when you are on the way to the drug store to get them, you're doing something wrong. At the moment you click the pic, you should know exactly what you will get. (Of course with digital, that's not a trick!).

Now, I was a tad dishonest in saying that you can't capture all of the elements of a scene. You can hint at them. For starters, motion. Yes, even in a still picture, there is motion. Something happened before, during and after your picture. In a mountain vista scene, you may find something that hints at motion, whether it be a branch of a tree that has been swaying in the breeze, or a river flowing through the valley below. These add a sense of motion.

Then there's the "rule of thirds." When you place the main object of the picture smack-dab in the middle, it is static and boring. Place it one third of the way from either side, and you IMPLY motion. Put the horizon in a landscape photo a third of the way up or down, not across the middle.

Remember, when a person looks at a picture, their eyes move. You want to frame your photo to help that movement. If you can find some lines in the scene, such as a skyline, cloud formation, path through the forest, etcetera, use it interestingly, and with the rule of thirds to draw your viewer's eyes into the picture.

Avoid "summit syndrome." You get to the top of Mount Washington and shoot the majestic vista. Great. The pictures come out ... boring! How? No PERSPECTIVE. Big vistas will be flat unless you have an object in the foreground, such as a rock or a tree, to give them perspective. Then the eye really grasps how big this scene is. People enjoying the view is a real winner, because the viewer may identify with their emotions, giving the image real impact.

Cheese! Yes, you do have to take the family photos. It's obligatory. But when you do, make sure that they show the LOCATION of the photo. Otherwise, you might as well do it on your driveway. Frame the scene in context, with landmarks as part of the picture. Find a way to tell as story in the picture, such as little Sara climbing up the rocks by the waterfall.

Finally, any element in the picture that hints at more senses than just the visual will make it remarkable. Actor headshots for example, tell a story about the subject. You can almost hear them saying their next lines. If you photograph a garden, the viewer may experience the aroma of the flowers. A tourist street with an accordion player on the corner may have your amazed friends whistling "Dixie."

In summation, picture taking on travel is recording the experience in a satisfying way. Use motion, perspective, sensory, storytelling and so forth, to bring your photos to life. Oh, and needless to say, make your job easy and go to great places! See you at the overlook!

Where to Buy Cheap Plane Tickets to U.S.A

2008-4-03 8:52am

World is developing at a faster rate than we can keep track of. In the hustle and bustle of life, a break is always welcome. Fly to the mesmerizing and heart stealing world of the United States of America and feel the difference. And if the scary thoughts about expenditure have made you an insomniac, get ready to plunge into bliss; because an easy entry into a world of cheap plane tickets is at your doorstep.

Gone are the days when traveling was all about standing in long queues and sweating your days out. One of the best human inventions has made this task easier to a great extent. Not only can your computer make your job easier at home and at your workplace, it will book your Airline Tickets too- and that too at a surprisingly low price. Thanks to the latest travel sites, the work of a lifetime now can be done in a jiffy!

The hardest step to take is to decide the destination for that perfect get-away. Once that is done, the rest of it is taken very good care of. The various travel sites offer you a never before option to pick the best price for your journey. It makes you the one to be in a position to decide the price that you have to pay for your trip.

These travel sites bring to the forefront various discounts and offers that are being run by various airlines, and also make it easier to choose by providing expert guidance. Once to decide which airline you want to go for, it also helps you to book tickets online. It is a complete treat to the senses as the work is done at a much faster rate, and in turn leaves time for you to invest in better tasks at home and work.

Give your loved ones the surprise of that much awaited holiday, and make your dream trip a reality. Travel smart by choosing the right partner, who not only helps you in booking Cheap Flights, but also finds great hotel accommodations within your budget. The world of beauty and progress invites you to itself and the heart warming presence of loved ones can make it even better.

Get going and pack your bags up for that great trip. Sit in your comfort zone and let your very own computer do the needful. Choosing the best is now in your hands, and with increasing business among various airlines and travel sites, you have a golden chance to strike jackpot. Explore the world’s web and extract for yourself some of the best moments. Fill your heart with memories that will leave you in paradise every time you think of them.

No matter what purpose takes you to United States, one thing common will be the fun part; and the cheap air tickets that these travel sites will help you locate would just be icing on the cake. So log on to one of these travel sites today and cherish one of the most economical yet enjoyable vacations of your life. Happy flying!

Travel Australia

2008-3-25 5:45am

By: Alastair Harris

Welcome to Australian Travel, this article is devoted to anyone planning on being a tourist to Australia. This site gives travel advice and some great links that are are going to save you money on your visit to Australia. The top tourist spots in Australia tend to be Sydney, the Gold Coast and Cairns, they are certainly the most visited.

I've lived in all these places so can give you some great advice. (For advice of Melboure, Perth, Adeliade, Tasmania and other aussie places see upcoming blogs)

There are numerous other great places to visit as well and I'll give tips where I can.

Sydney

Sydney is a huge diverse metropolis with numerous cultures and ethnicities living within the city. The central city is where you will want to spend most of your time as the suburbs hold little in the way for tourists. Some surburbs are no go zones being ethnic ghettos with drug problems and the like. However the central city and the eastern beaches are safe and great places to visit.

The Beaches - you are spoilt for choice here. Beautiful yellow sand, rolling waves and patrolled. Follow the advice of the surf life savers with their traditional yellow and red hats. Bondi of course is the most famous with numerous bars, cafes and shops. But Maroubra is probably better for surfing and swimming. Catch the Manly ferry and walk across to the ocean beach and there is a lovely walk to the heads passing numerous restaurants. Cronulla beach is nice to the south with some nice walks as well.

Shopping:- There is plenty of shopping to be done in Sydney. If your from the UK or the USA then the exchange rate makes it even better for you. In the Central CBD are plenty of shops, one of my favourites is the Victoria building. Great design with traditional features. If you're there on the hour go to the very top where there is a large clock. On the hour it shows scenes of British royalty with a bit of a fanfare.

Hop on the monorail and go to Darling habour (see picture left as seen from the top of Sydney tower). Plenty of places to buy t-shirts and other souvenirs. Also on the ground floor is the best tasting fudge shop I've been to. I recommend the apricot favoured fudge. If your traveling around in the inner city buy a rail circle hopper ticket which allows you to get on and off the train as many times a day as you wish and includes Redfern station which is right next to paddy's markets. Another place to check out is China town just to the south of the CBD.

Attractions:- No visit to Sydney would be complete without the mandatory visit to the Sydney Opera house - an icon of Australia. From there walk to the ferry terminal which attracts numerous entertainers and gives a good view of the habour. Continue around towards the Sydney habour bridge and you will run into "the Rocks" and see what old Sydney looked like. Lots of bars and places to eat with more shopping. Hyde park is another place to visit. At night it is lit up with lights in the trees. Bring an apple and feed the possums up in the trees. Kings Cross and Oxford street are center of "night life".

Greater Sydney:- If you head out to the blue mountains via train or car Katoomba has great views of the Blue Mountains as well as walking tracks. Take the cable car across the gorge and look a thousand feet straight down or take the 'railway' and go down to the bottom. I recommend sitting right at the front if possible. Take in a view of the three sisters. One of my favourite place to visit in the Blue Mountains is the Jenolan Caves. Numerous caves to chose from and beautiful to see. Just a tip going down the road to the caves make sure you chose a low gear or you will burn out your brakes.

Gold Coast

The center of the Gold Coast is Surfers Paradise. A very long strip of yellow sand beach, however the name is not entirely correct The better surfing on the coast is found off the Kirra point breaks and Coolangatta has the whitest sand and bluest water. Surfers Paradise may be more appropriately named for its after hours activities. Orchid Ave and the surrounding streets are a hot bed of night life with numerous nightclubs and other going ons. In the summer time is it just one event after another with the Indy car series, then schoolies, then Christmas and the New Year Fireworks - Standing room only as Surfers is packed out at this time. Generally safe though except for the odd drunk idiot looking for a fight.

Theme Parks - the Gold Coast has numerous theme parks including Seaworld, Dreamworld, Movie World, Wet n Wild, and Currumbin Bird Sanctuary. For more on these see the link on the side for (Gold Coast theme Parks or Seaworld Nara Resort).

The Gold Coast's Hinterland also has much to offer. Early morning balloon rides, walking tracks and O'Reilly's. O'Reilly's is a bit of a drive but its worth the trip just to hand feed the brightly coloured parrots. Also there is a tree top walk with a walkway high up in the trees - not for those afraid of heights. There is also a guest house for those who would like an overnight stay.

Cairns

Cairns is the main gateway to the Great Barrier reef. Viewed from the air the reef shows its true form a series of small reefs and Islands. Beautiful seen from the air as emerald coloured jewels they are even better close up. A Boat trip out to the reef takes over an hour depending on where on the reef they stop. The best view is obviously for the scuba divers. Be warned though the waters are dangerous with numerous creatures that can kill so follow the local advice. Sharks, Jellyfish, Snakes, Stone Fish, Deadly blue ring octopus and yes stingrays (although Steve Irwin was only the third person in Australia to die from a stingray so don't get too carried away). Of course it your sensible there is much beauty that will stay with you for the rest of you life. Colourful tropical fish and multi-coloured coral. In closer to shore are Crocodiles, and yes they can even be found out to sea. Mine you my whole time in Cairns (over two years) the only Croc.s I saw were in a local crocodile farm and on a river boat trip on the Daintree. However further up Cape York they get alot more numerous so follow the local signs and be careful.

Cairns is a Tropical environment and as such is VERY HOT year round (In the wet season expect late afternoon rain - see picture left). The Esplanade has been reworked and numerous tourist now sunbake on it. The central city is a backpackers heaven and numerous night clubs, bars, restaurants cafes carter for almost every taste but obviously seafood is a specialty.

A visit to the Daintree (where rainforest meets the reef) can be relaxing. Though I recommend you take in a boat ride and see Crocodiles in their natural environment. We saw four on our trip with a tiny year old one and a large one capable of making you lunch.

Kurranda is about an hours drive uphill, or you can take the scenic cable skyway or the kurranda train. Views of the Barron Falls and Tropical rainforest abound. Kurranda has a little market village feel about it. In the picture left you see it in full flow but sometimes it can almost be none existant as water is diverted for the Stanmore hydro power station and due to the impact of the dry.

Sydney with the Kids

2008-3-21 9:30am

Sydney is Australia’s oldest and busiest City, it is the economic powerhouse of the nation and home to the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.
Surrounded by water, from the magnificent harbour to the sensational beaches, and blessed with a sunny Mediterranean climate, Sydney is a great holiday destination for families with plenty to do and fun for all ages.

20 Things to Do in and around Sydney with the Kids

1. Spend the day at Luna Park, with 17 fantastic rides to choose from there is non-stop fun for the kids and the kids at heart.

2. Visit Taronga Zoo. Make sure you see the Chimpanzee Exhibit and Gorilla Forest, you can also get up close and personal with the cuddly Australian Animals.

3. Discover natural history at the Australian Museum, check out the 'More than Dinosaurs' exhibit and let the kids dress up in an Insect Costume!

4. Visit Australia Reptile Park with its huge alligator lagoon, you will also see lots of different reptiles, spiders, marsupials and birds. Look out for celebrity crocodile Eric he weighs over 500kg!

5. See Science in action, by creating electricity or learning about chocolate’s unusual properties at the Powerhouse Museum, great fun for all ages.

6. See the awesome display of sharks, fish, eels and turtles as they swim over your head at the Sydney Aquarium. There are over 650 species of marine life in 1.5 million litres of water.

7. Visit the National Maritime Museum and climb a 19th century lighthouse. With a whole host of interactive maritime exhibits, both indoors and outside, the kids will be busy for hours.

8. See Koalas in their natural environment. You can walk through the rainforest and watch the koalas eating and sleeping. There are also kangaroos that you can hand feed, the younger kids will love this one.

9. Walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and watch the busy bustling city as it goes about its daily life. Not for the faint hearted!

10. Go bushwalking in Buddy National Park, this park has a series of small, beautiful beaches beneath forests, steep hills and cliffs; it is a lovely national park suitable for the whole family.

11. Visit Fairfield City Farm, it's a 580 acre working sheep and cattle farm, you can see the cow milking, sheep shearing, working dogs and much more.

12. Take a ferry ride on the magnificent Sydney Harbour, this is truly the best way to see the city’s favourite playground.

13. Go to the Beach; Bronte, Balmoral, Nielsen Park and Shelley Beach are all great kid-friendly beaches. Don’t forget to take the buckets and spades or your boogie boards.

14. Feed the Pelicans at The Entrance. Pelican Feeding is the Central Coast's most popular tourist attraction and operates at 3.30pm daily, 365 days a year come rain, hail or shine.

15. Visit Vera's Water Garden, every child likes to dangle their feet in water, run through water sprays and climb all over things, and Vera's Water Garden has all this and more.

16. Picnic at Bicentennial Park, the park has bbq’s, lovely picnic areas, 2 children’s playgrounds, boardwalks and cycle ways.

17. Take a walk on the wild side at Sydney’s newest attraction, Sydney Wildlife World, you can see nine unique Australian habitats – from a spectacular rainforest to the iconic red centre with more than 6,000 of Australia’s furry, scaly, hairy and spiky creatures.

18. Catch a movie on the big screen at IMAX theatre. IMAX is the largest and most exciting film format in the world. The IMAX experience draws you in with pictures so real you want to touch them, so powerful you can feel them.

19. Go for a paddleboat ride on the harbour, paddleboats are available for hire from Darling Walk at Darling Harbour. Lots of fun and great exercise for your legs.

20. Take a ride on the Metro Monorail, this unique transport system is one of the most popular ways of getting about, with 8 stops along its 3.6km route around Darling Harbour, Chinatown and the city.

Holidaying in South America:Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Sao Paulo

2008-3-18 8:12am

South America is a vast continent of jungles, rain forests and some of the world\'s most exciting cities. Miles and miles of fabulous beaches, soaring mountains and a passionate culture that thrives on music and dance make the region a must for a holiday.

Rio de Janeiro

Rio sits between lush mountains and the glorious beaches fronting the Atlantic and is a true city of the imagination. The pulse of the samba is rarely absent from this city in which every day is a celebration.

Climate

Like all of coastal Brazil, Rio is sultry and humid for most of the year. Summer temperatures hover around 28 C. The rainy season occurs from October to January. Winters in Rio feature temperatures of around 23 C.

Transport:getting there and getting away

Flights connect Rio with all of Brazil and Latin America, as well as many other major cities. Buses depart for most destinations from Novo Rio Rodoviaria.

City buses are often crowded and struggle through Rio\'s traffic. Rio has an excellent, air-conditioned subway system but it only covers points north of Botafogo.

Accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts

Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Rio de Janeiro hotels

Events:what\'s on and what\'s hot

*Carnaval is the five-day internationally-famous extravaganza beginning at midnight on the Friday before Ash Wednesday. Dancing, parades, head-dresses and flaunted bodies make up this unforgettable spectacle.

*The Fiestas Junina\'s is celebrated in public squares throughout June.
*August 15 sees music, colorful stalls and a parade celebrating the Festa de NS da Gloria do Outeiro.
*Festa da Penha is one of the largest religious festivals in the city. It\'s held every Sunday in October.

Buenos Aires

With its fading architecture, grand boulevards and old-style cafes Buenos Aires seems like an European city of another era.

Transport:getting there and getting away

Buenos Aires is a major transport hub for the southern part of South America. The city has two airports: Aeropuerto Internacional Ministro Pistarni (known as Ezeiza), for international flights. Domestic and regional flights use Aeroparque Jorge Newbery (Aeroparque) which is just five miles out of town. Both airports can be reached by bus.

Getting around Buenos Aires is easy. The city boasts an efficient underground known as the Subte and a round-the-clock bus system. Plus the major tourist attractions are near each other so it\'s well worth exploring on foot.

Climate

Summers are hot with the temperatures reaching 40 C and winters can get very cold. Spring (October to November) and Autumn (March to May) are warm and pleasant. Rain can come at any time but it tends not to be heavy.

Accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts

Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Buenos Aires hotels

Events

* Buenos Aires Tango is a tango festival that takes place between late February and early March all over the city.
* The Feria del Libro annual book fair celebrates Latin American literature in April at the Centro Municipal de Exposicions.
* Mid-May sees the art fair, Arte BA.
*More tango related activities on June 24 when aficionados remember Carlos Gard el, the man who made the tango famous.
*December features the Campeonato Abierto Argentino de Polo.

São Paulo

São Paulo is the largest city in South America. It\'s also Brazil\'s most cosmopolitan and boasts pulsating nightlife, fine restaurants and an impressive cultural and arts life.

Transport:getting there and getting away

São Paulo has three airports: São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport (GRU, for domestic and international flights) and Congonhas, (CGH, for domestic flights).

The city is very congested so the subway is the best method of getting around.The buses are very crowded.

Climate

Not as pleasant as other Brazilian cities but generally warm and sunny all year round. Rainfall is highest during the summer months.

Accommodation:from cheap stays to luxury resorts

Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Sao Paulo hotels

Events

*São Paulo Fashion Week is the crowning event in the Brazilian fashion scene.
*São Paulo Gay Parade in June features a huge carnival.
*Brazilian F1 Grand Prix is in October.

Shopping in Cardiff

2008-3-14 9:28am

The centre of the city is famous as one of Britain’s largest and most interesting regional shopping centres, but outside the city centre also has a lot to offer. You can find anything from clothes shops to butcher shops or from grocers to bookshops.If you are looking for a fun shopping day out, the city of Cardiff is the best place to go. Aside from the wide variety of products and services offered by its numerous shopping centres, Cardiff is also well known for its affordable life, which means that shopping in Cardiff provides you with countless different quality products at very low prices. It is no wonder that Cardiff has been the dreamland of all shopaholics for at least the past decade. The centre of the city is famous as one of Britain’s largest and most interesting regional shopping centres, but the city also has a lot to offer outside the centre limits. You can find anything from clothes shops to butcher shops or from grocers to bookshops in the shopping centres from Canton, like Cowbridge Road East, or Roath, with the Albany Road shops.

Aside from the major stores represented in the city’s shopping centres, including names like Marks & Spencer, Vidal Sassoon, Armani, Hugo Boss and D&G, the shopping life of Cardiff also offers quality products by local companies, such as the Welsh made home goods made by famous Melin Tregwynt, a favorite of Hollywood superstars like Catherine Zeta Jones. For music lovers Cardiff can pride itself as the owner of the oldest record store in the world, Spillers Records, located in The Hayes. Shopping in Cardiff can provide you with anything you may desire, from luxury clothing by famous designers to goods for the home or from collection records to friendly puppies, all at affordable prices.

Experian Retail Ranking in a survey that included 50 shopping centres around the country ranked Cardiff the 6th best shopping centre in the United Kingdom and the best in Wales in 2003. It has everything to offer to the experienced shopper from the biggest Next in the world, huge department stores like the well known Debenhams to smaller specialized shops.

An area offering a wide range of high quality stores is located close to the centre of the city and it features names such as Hennes and Mauritz ( or as you probably know it -H&M), Vidal Sassoon, Oasis, Marks and Spencer, Jaeger or the Virgin Megastore. The very modern shopping centre combines famous designer name fashion clothes with seasonal display and occasional live music. The covered Victorian arcades of Cardiff city centre date back more than a century and offer alternative shopping experiences from designer labels and department stores through to a series of smaller, more intimate shops like boutiques, coffee houses, bookshops, bars and record shops. The High Street Arcade is filled with unusual and interesting smaller shops that range from vintage clothing shops to joke shops including Nice, which sells paraphernalia from inflatable chairs to fur bags or Buzz, a famous and funky Cardiff shoe store. The Morgan Arcade houses Woodies Emporium, a designer outlet that sells men’s clothing by names like Armani or Hugo Boss, and women’s clothing by D&G or Sticky Fingers.

A House of Fraser store, Howell’s, includes several designer outlets like D&G and Pied á Terre and a very good cosmetics department that features products of famous cosmetics giants as well as products by Molton Brown, La Prairie, Benefit, Darphin, Aveda, Malika and many more. The Royal Arcade is the home of the famous Melin Tregwynt store of Welsh made home goods and it sells trinkets, blankets, cushions, candlesticks and other goods that have become favourites of some of the most stylish homes, especially since it became known that Catherine Zeta Jones does her shopping there!

Cardiff city centre is very compact and in just two main streets, St. Mary Street and Queen Street, it manages to offer a multitude of shopping malls, markets and arcades. There are four major covered shopping malls of which Cardiff city centre can boast: Queens Arcade, Queens West, St. David’s Centre and the Capitol Centre.

Music lovers and record collectors can spend an entire day in the most famous record store that Cardiff has to offer, Spiller Records located in the Hayes, the oldest record store in the entire world.

The Cardiff Bay waterfront also offers a shopping experience to be remembered. Aside from super stores like Tesco, Asda or Morrisons, Cardiff Bay will soon be the home of the largest Toys-R-Us store in Europe. The Wales Millennium Centre for the performing arts is also a place that houses several interesting stores, bookshops and coffee houses in addition to its theatres and can offer a unique shopping experience.

There are two markets in the centre of Cardiff, a covered market and an open air market. They both offer accessible fresh fruit and vegetables and the covered one also sells meat and dairy products as well as fresh fish.

There are some very reliable supermarkets located outside the city centre, among them are Asda, Sainsburys, Safeways and a Tesco situated very close to the Talybont Hall of Residence.

Two very important shopping areas located outside the city are Albany Road in Roath and Cowbridge Road East in Canton, both housing grocery stores, bakeries, butcher stores but also card shops, gift shops, supermarkets and clothes shops.

A visit to Cardiff offers an exhilarating shopping experience. With its two main shopping streets in the centre housing different department stores and designer outlets, the network of seven Edwardian and Victorian arcades with their intimate atmosphere housing delicatessens, bookshops, boutiques and small shops, the Cardiff Bay waterfront and its Wales Millennium Centre it is more than prepared to meet the highest standards of any shopping lovers. When you add to all this the accessible prices that the city is famous for, it becomes clear that Cardiff is the perfect destination for the shopping trip of your dreams.

Fish Creek House B&B - A Childhood Dream Come True

2008-3-13 7:55am

"When I was young I always told my parents I wanted to live in Montana," said Cid. Living in New York and later California, Cid didn't know how that would quite happen.

Dan, a partner in a computer business and gunsmith, and Cid, a bi-athlete, came to Bohart Ranch near Bozeman to compete in the running and shooting competition and fell in love with the area. The search was on for property in Montana. For Dan, he was returning to his roots. He lived in Malta until he was five.

The couple found a beautiful log home located on forty acres with gorgeous views of the mountains and a stone's throw from Fish Creek. Located just 15 milesfrom Whitehall Mt, nestled in theTobacco Root Mountains. .The Inn offers rustic charm with all the modern conveniences.. It's also a perfect stopover between Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks.

The house was purchased and a large renovation started.

"We'd drive up from California every month to see how the progress was going," said Cid.

During one of their trips, they took a hike down to the creek and when Cid looked up at the log home nestled in the hills, the name Fish Creek House came to her.

With the renovation complete and the licenses involved with a bed and breakfast approved, Fish Creek House is officially open for business.

The couple looks forward to sharing their home with guests, and those with horses as well. A new barn , arena and round pen have been built for the couple's horses and although they are not offering trail rides, guests are welcome to bring their own horses and board them in the new facilities. Other activitiies include hiking, antiquing, exploring nearby ghost towns and hosted shooting clinics at their range. Virtually outside our door is the Beaverhead Deerlodge National Forest, great for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing Whether on horseback, or in hiking boots, you will enjoy some of the most beautiful, untouched country in America. We're also a great stopover between Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks.

"We want to accommodate people who are nature loving. We'll make you feel like part of the family while you're here," said Cid.

One of Dan and Cid's specialties is shooting and plan to host shooting clinics for enthusiasts. Dan, an Olympic rifle coach had a shooting range was built on the property, The Fish Creek Gun Club

Another specialty of Fish Creek House will be the food. They offer a gourmet breakfast for their guests and with their own personal greenhouse, the vegetables will be organically grown on site.

The inn offers two guests suites, each with a private bath, a large living room with a stone fireplace, a library and a sitting room, complete with a microwave and a fridge. Fish Creek House is also a place where the active businessperson can stay in touch. They offer wireless internet in each of the rooms and are considered a "wifi hotspot." They are also community minded business people and have used custom made Montana pieces in their guest rooms.

Fish Creek House B&B is a proud and inspected member of the Montana Bed and Breakfast Association.

Swimming At Southern California Beaches: How To Avoid Twelve Hazards

2008-3-08 12:40pm

Generally, going to the beach in Southern California is a relatively safe activity. There's sand, there's water, there's seagulls. Maybe a few rocks. What could go wrong?

Whether you're a seasoned local or planning your first beach vacation, there are some common potential dangers to watch out for, as well as ones you may not have considered.
Swimming in the surf is one of the most fun things to do in the universe, and Southern California has some of the best beaches to do it at. If you're prepared, you'll likely avoid any bad experience. Just remember, try to stick to beaches with lifeguards (easier to find in summer), because they are your best friends at the beach. When you arrive at a beach, just ask him or her if there are any particular hazards to watch out for that day.

1. Riptides. Don't panic! Stay calm, wave an arm, gradually and steadily move parallel to the shore until you are out of it.

2. Polluted Water. Check signs. Check with the lifeguard. Stay away from storm drains and river mouths. Don't swim right after a storm, when bacterial levels generally rise. Check healthebay.org for recent sewage spills on local Southern California beaches.

3. Swimmer's Fatigue. Swim with a buddy. Don't drink alcohol. Don't push yourself just because you're having a blast. Swim in front of a lifeguard. Monitor the waves before you go in. Note the size of the waves and the time lapse between them. Check how strong the current is and don't try and swim against it.

4. Rising Tides and Surprise Waves. Be aware of the changing tide level and allow extra distance for surprise waves. When exploring tide pools, keep an eye on the waves and don't venture out too far. Don't let your toddlers play by the shore's edge unattended.

5. Drop Offs. Before going in, watch other swimmers and waders and note if there is a different depth in certain spots between sand shelves. If you are a non- swimmer, be aware that shallow water may suddenly become deep, as not all beaches have a gradual slope.

6. Wayward Surfboards. Swim somewhere where there aren't surfers close by. Use a leash if you are the one surfing.

7. Shore Breaks. Bodysurfing a wave that breaks right on shore is not recommended, but whenever or wherever you are bodysurfing, keep a hand out in front of you to protect your head and neck from hitting the bottom.

8. Jellyfish. Swim away, preferably upcurrent. Alert the lifeguard. If you are stung, rinse with salt water and seek medical attention. The jellyfish found in Southern California waters are generally not as dangerous as those found in Florida or Australia.

9. Stingrays and Round Rays. These flat fish sometimes lurk in the sand and will sting you if stepped on. Seal Beach has had the most occurrences. Shuffle your feet through the sand as you walk through the water to scare them off. If stung, rinse it, remove the stinger, apply pressure to stop bleeding, soak in hot water and seek medical attention.

10. Sharks. Attacks are rare, but to lessen your chances of encountering one, swim close to others, as you are safer in a group. Don't swim with an open wound. Avoid murky waters or areas where sea birds are diving, indicating a ripe feeding area. Avoid swimming at dusk or at night. Try not to splash around too much and don't wear highly contrasting colors, as these attract sharks' attention. If you see one, sprint to shore.

11. Submerged Rocks and Storm Drains. Check with the lifeguard. Check the signs. Be aware that high tide may conceal underwater hazards.

12. Unreliable Flotation Devices. Don't rely on just a boogie board or other floaty if you are a nonswimmer. It can easily get out of your grasp. Only coast guard approved PFD's can be trusted to keep you afloat.
Remember, always respect the power of the ocean and never underestimate it. Keep an eye on your kids and have a fun, safe and memorable beach vacation.

Nice Vacation Spots In Tunisia

2008-3-08 12:29pm

No matter which season it is, Tunisia is a kind of paradise thanks to its coast as a Mediterranean land.Tunisia has very nice places to see. Here you can enjoy yourself with charming sea, discover the numerous sites, cities and museums. Sousse, Monastir, Hammamet and Nabeul, Djerba and Tabarka are the well known resorts.

Combination of sand beaches with perfect water is so inviting for travelers. The place is appropriate not only for swimming but also for kinds of sea sports. Also, short boat rides are available.

In southern resort areas, sea sports can be practiced for most of the year. Riding, hiking, tennis, hunting are additional ones. For the amateurs, lessons are available at a reasonable cost.

Accomodation does not create any problems due to comfortable hotels that are next to. As a visitor you may choose either International Cuisine or Tunuisian Cuisine. Summer is the most crowded season but also is the most available time for maximum activities. Festivals of summer provide you a chance to know Tunisian local folklore.

Having a historical past, visitors can experience more than one culture in Tunisia such as Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Turks, Spanish and French. As a result, well preserved museums are also places to visit in Tunisia.

Though the modern structure of Tunis, the capital of Tunusia, it is not a typical tourist site.You can have one day trip. Bardo museum with its selection of mosaics and the very well kept zoo are nice places to see in Tunisia. Zitouna is the main mosque of Tunis. It also has an historical heritage as well as its being a house of worship. Named and known also as "Gate to the Sea" or "Porte de France". Bab el Bahr is a kind of symbol becuse of its being a gate between the oriental part and the European part of Tunis. Bardo Musem with its selection of mosaics and the very well kept zoo are nice places to see in Tunis.

The coastal resorts of Hammamet, Nabeul, and Sousse are for travelers who would like to spend time on beaches.The best Roman ruins are in Dougga, about 100 km inland and uphill from Tunis. Each July and August, there is Dougga Festival of classical drama. The Dar Charait Museum is the second freqently visited museum in Tunisia after Bardo Museum.

The Tunisian City Matmata is where Star Wars desert scenes were shot, With its fame, curious travelers and fans of the movie visit Matmata. Matmata's fame also comes from the unusual houses that were dugged vertically to the ground.