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Revision as of 17:36, 16 July 2013 (edit)IBAlex (Talk | contribs) (fixed formatting)← Older edit Revision as of 15:05, 24 July 2013 (edit) (undo)182.65.173.21 (Talk) (→‎Airlines)Newer edit → *'''SpiceJet''' [http://www.spicejet.com/], a third '''low cost''' airline, has fairly good network between bigger Indian cities as well as prices comparable to those of IndiGo. Their planes are similarly brand new, the main difference being these are B737-800s and -900s. *'''SpiceJet''' [http://www.spicejet.com/], a third '''low cost''' airline, has fairly good network between bigger Indian cities as well as prices comparable to those of IndiGo. Their planes are similarly brand new, the main difference being these are B737-800s and -900s. −Keep in mind, however, that outside of big cities '''coverage is poor'''. If you need to get to a small town, low-cost airlines other than Kingfisher Red won't help you. You may have to rely on Indian Airlines or Jet. Flying low-cost to a metro and taking a train is not a bad idea either.+Keep in mind, however, that outside of big cities '''coverage is poor'''. If you need to get to a small town, low-cost airlines won't help you. You may have to rely on Indian Airlines or Jet. Flying low-cost to a metro and taking a train is not a bad idea either. ====Fares==== ====Fares==== dial 100 for police 101 for fire 112 for medical India (Hindi: भारत), is the largest country in the Indian Subcontinent and shares borders with Pakistan to the west, China and Nepal to the north, Bhutan to the north-east, and Bangladesh and Myanmar to the east. Sri Lanka lies to the south, Maldives to the south-west and Indonesia to the south-east of India in the Indian Ocean. India is the seventh largest country in the world by area and, with over a billion people, is second only to China in population, although its much higher birthrate makes it likely to reach pole position in less than ten years. It is an extremely diverse country, with vast differences in geography, climate, culture, language and ethnicity across its expanse, and prides itself on being the largest democracy on Earth. By train Regular trains Do Fairs and festivals Hindu pilgrims bathing at Varanasi Indians date their history from the Vedic Period which scholars place in the second and first millennia BC continuing up to the 6th century BC, based on literary evidence. This is the period when the Vedas, the oldest and holiest books of Hinduism, were compiled. The earliest archaeological traces are from 7000 BC in Mehrgarh, which grew to be the "Indus Valley Civilization". By 3300 BC, this civilization had well-planned towns and well-laid roads, but gave no evidence of weapons or fortifications. This declined and disintegrated around 1900 BC, possibly due to drought and geological disturbances. Most historians say that the Vedic people, or Aryans, were later migrants, who encountered a civilization in decline and perhaps hastened that decline. According to this view, the Vedic people eventually occupied most of North India, while the descendants of the Indus Valley cultures moved south and gave rise to the Dravidian culture. The minority view challenges this Aryan Migration theory, claiming that the Indus Valley people were in fact the ones who compiled the Vedas. The Vedic civilization influences India to this day. Present-day Hinduism traces its roots to the Vedas, but is also heavily influenced by literature that came afterwards, like the Upanishads, the Puranas, the great epics — Ramayana and Mahabharata, and the Bhagavad Gita. By tradition, these books claim to only expand and distil the knowledge that is already present in the Vedas. Some rituals of Hinduism took shape during that period. Most North-Indian languages come from Sanskrit, the language of the Vedas, and are classified as part of the Indo-European group of languages. In the 1st millennium BC, various schools of thought in philosophy developed, enriching Hinduism greatly. Most of them claimed to derive from the Vedas. However, three of these schools - Sikhism , Buddhism and Jainism - questioned the authority of the Vedas and they are now recognized as separate religions. Many great empires were formed between 500 BC and AD 500. Notable among them were the Mauryas and the Guptas. This period saw major mathematical and astronomical advancements, many of which were ahead of their time and were rediscovered later in the West. In particular, Aryabhata theorized that the earth was a sphere that rotates about its axis and revolves around the sun. He also developed a calendar that is followed to this day. This period also saw a gradual decline of Buddhism and Jainism. The practice of Buddhism, in particular, disappeared from India's heartland, though Buddha himself was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon. Jainism continues to be practised by a significant number who are ambivalent about whether they consider themselves Hindus or not. Hinduism itself went through significant changes. The importance of Vedic deities like Indra and Agni reduced and Puranic deities like Vishnu, Shiva, their various Avatars and family members gained prominence. Jamia Masjid, Delhi Islamic incursions started in the 8th century. Gradually the raiders started staying as rulers, and soon much of North India was ruled by Muslims. The most important of the Muslim rulers were the Mughals, who established an empire that at its peak covered almost the entire subcontinent (save the southern and eastern extremities), while the major Hindu force that survived in the North were the Rajputs. The bravery of the Rajputs in resisting invasion of their land is legendary and celebrated in ballads all over the forts of Rajasthan. Prominent among the Rajputs wes Rana Pratap, the ruler of Chittorgarh, who spent years in exile fighting Akbar, the third of the Mughals. Eventually, however, the Rajputs were subdued, and the Rajput-Mughal alliance remained strong till the end of the empire. This period of North India was the golden age for Indian art, architecture, and literature, producing the monumental gems of Rajasthan and the Taj Mahal. Hindi and Urdu also took root in medieval North India. During the Islamic period, some Hindus also converted to Islam, some due to force, some due to inducements, and some to escape the caste system. Today, some 13% of the Indian population is Muslim. Sikhism, another major religion, was established in Punjab during the Mughal period. Relations between Sikhism and the Mughals varied over time. The Golden Temple at Amritsar was built with the help of Akbar. By the time of its tenth Guru - Guru Gobind Singh, however, relations were hostile. Conflict between the Sikhs and the Mughals was one of the causes for the eventual decline of the Mughal empire. The other cause was the challenge of the 'Marathas in Maharashtra, which was started by Shivaji and carried on by the Peshwas. The Marathas established a short-lived confederacy that was almost as large as the Mughal empire. Marathas lost their command over India after the third battle of Panipat, which in turn paved a way for British Colonialism. Free India under Nehru adopted a democratically-governed, centrally-planned economy. These policies were aimed at attaining "self-sufficiency", and to a large extent made India what it is today. India achieved self-sufficiency in food grains by the 1970s, ensuring that the large-scale famines that had been common are now history. However these policies also led to shortages, slow growth and large-scale corruption. After a balance-of-payments crisis in 1991, the country adopted free-market reforms which have continued at a meandering pace ever since, fuelling strong growth. The IT and the business outsourcing industries have been the drivers for the growth, while manufacturing and agriculture, which have not experienced reforms, are lagging. About 60% of Indians live on agriculture and around 36% remain in poverty. India is a Parliamentary Democracy modelled on the British Westminster system. The President, indirectly elected, is the Head of State, but his or her position, while not entirely ceremonial, has limited powers. In practice, the Prime Minister is seen to wield the most authority, and runs the government with her/his cabinet . The Parliament is bi-cameral. The Lok Sabha, the lower house, is directly elected by adult franchise, while the Rajya Sabha, or the upper house, is indirectly elected. The Lok Sabha is the more powerful of the two, primarily because a majority in the Lok Sabha is required to form a government and pass budgets. India has a vast number of political parties, and in recent times, no party has secured a majority in the Lok Sabha, leading to unstable governments and raucous politics. However, unlike neighbouring Pakistan, transition of power has always been peaceful and always constitutional. India has a strong and independent judiciary and a free press. Indian Standard Time (IST) is 5 hours and 30 minutes ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+5.5). Daylight saving is not observed. Foreign visitors will quickly encounter the special foreigners' rates that they are charged in some places in India. This applies to some tourist attractions, some high end hotels and some airlines. Some tourist attractions that are run by the Archaeological Survey of India have different rates for Indians and foreigners. These rates are prominently posted at the entrance and ticketing booths. The rates for foreigners may be as many as five to ten times those for Indians. This is understandable due to the much lower average cost of living in India. Below is a selection of ten of India's most notable cities. Other cities can be found under their specific regions. Hyderabad — The City of Pearls. Many visitors expecting maharajahs and fabulous palaces are shocked when their first impressions are dominated by poverty instead. Prepare for the following: Attention. Some people will unabashedly stare at foreign tourists, who can also be magnets for persistent touts and beggars. Men will routinely shove their mobile phone in your face and take pictures. Beggars, especially malnourished children and the badly deformed, can be particularly disturbing. Filth. Dirt, garbage and insects abound in the cities. Roadsides can sometimes be urinals. Crowds. Indian streets, markets, and bazaars are jam-packed with people, vehicles and at certain times, animals, and streets tend to be narrow. Tourist Visa on Arrival (TVOA) at the airports in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata for a stay of up to 30 days. It can take some time (no set period, allow 1-6 hr) to process the application once you have arrived at the Airport. The TVOA costs US$60, is valid for a single entry and is not extendible. In addition, there is a minimum two month gap between the expiry of one tourist visa and the issuance of the next. Please contact your local embassy/consulate for more information. Depending on the purpose of your visit, you can get a tourist visa (6 months), a business visa (6 months, one year or more, multiple entries) or a student visa (up to 5 years). A special 10-year visa (US$150, business and tourist) is available to US citizens only. An Indian visa is valid from the day it is issued, not the date of entry. For example, a 6-month visa issued on January 1 will expire on June 30, regardless of your date of entry. There is a minimum two month gap period between consecutive tourist visas. Tourist visa valid for 6 months can have maximum duration of stay of 90 days per visit, depending on citizenship. Make sure to check maximum duration per visit with your local embassy. Many Indian embassies have outsourced visa processing in full or in part to third party companies, so check ahead before going to the embassy. For example, in the USA, you must submit your visa application to Travisa, not the embassy. Applications through these agencies also attract an application fee, above that which is detailed on most embassy websites and should be checked prior to submitting your paperwork. In addition, many Indian embassies only offers visas to residents of that country: this means you should get your visa before you leave home, instead of trying to get in a neighbouring country (although, as at August '09, non-residents are able to apply for visas through the Bangkok embassy for an additional 400 THB "referral fee"). Rules and validity of visas will differ based on citizenship. Check the website of the Indian embassy, consulate or high commission in your country [1] or contact the local office [2]. It's wise to ask for a multiple entry visa even if you aren't planning to use it - they cost the same, are handed out pretty liberally and come in handy if you decide last minute to dip into one of the neighbouring countries. For citizens of Afghanistan, China, Iran, Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, Bangladesh, foreigners of Pakistani and Bangladeshi origin, and "stateless persons"[3]: Even on multiple entry visas, there is supposed to be a two-month gap between leaving India and coming back into the country. If attempting to reenter the country before two months have passed, you will be asked for details of your flight home to get them to sign you back in to the country. More convenient is simply to visit the Indian embassy in the country from which you plan to enter India and complete the paperwork authorizing the early entry. The embassy will then paste a cool endorsement sticker in your passport, and you'll be set to reenter India. However, you may not need a re-entry authorization sticker if you are following a exact itinerary (for example, if you're travelling to a neighboring country before re-entering India) and present it to Immigration at each entry. Clearing customs can be a bit of a hassle, though it has improved vastly over the the last decade. In general, avoid the touts who will offer to ease your baggage through customs. There are various rules regarding duty-free allowances — there are differing rules for Indian citizens, foreign "tourists", citizens of Nepal, Bhutan and Pakistan, non-citizens of Indian origin and people moving to India. Cast a quick glance at the website of the Central Board of Excise and Customs for information about what you can bring in. Foreign tourists other than Nepalis, Bhutanese and Pakistanis and those entering through Nepal, Bhutan or Pakistan, are entitled to bring in their "used personal effects and travel souvenirs" and ₹4,000,- worth of articles for "gifts". If you are an Indian citizen or are of Indian origin, you are entitled to ₹25,000,- worth of articles, (provided of course you aren't entering through Nepal, Bhutan or Pakistan.) The other rules are on the web site. If you are bringing any new packaged items along, it is a good idea to carry along the invoices for them to show their value. You are also allowed to bring in 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250 grams of tobacco and 1 litre (2 litres for Indians) of alcohol duty-free. If you do not have anything to declare, you can go through the green channel clearly marked at various airports and generally you will not be harassed. The major points of entry are Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Chennai. The airports at these cities are either new or undergoing development. Delhi has unveiled its brand new international Terminal 3 in time for the 2010 Commonwealth Games & Bangalore launched its new airport in 2008. The Hyderabad airport is rated as one of the top 5 airports in the 10-15 million category. There are many non-stop, direct and connecting choices to these cities from Europe, North America, Middle East & Australia. Africa is also connected to Delhi and Mumbai. For secondary points of entry to India, consider Goa, Kolkata or the Malabar coast. There are many connections to the Malabar coast region to cities like Kochi, Kozhikode & Thiruvananthapuram from the Middle East. Most of the major Middle Eastern carriers offer one stop connections to the coast from their Gulf hubs. Goa is a favourite European tourist destination & thus is connected by many European charter operators like Condor, Edelweiss, Monarch Airlines, Thomas Cook Airlines & Thomson Airways. Kolkata is currently served by Emirates, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines & Thai Airways. India has homegrown international airlines like Air India. These provide good connectivity within the country. In recent years, the government has allowed Indian private airlines like Jet Airways [http://www.jetairways.com, Indigo [6] to go international. There are daily flights to major hubs around the world from Delhi and Mumbai. Air India often offers the lowest rates for long haul flights to India. In recent years, it has steadily improved and had even been invited to join the Star Alliance, but there is still some ways to go until it can be considered world-class. Air India suffers from inconsistent customer service & its online booking/telephone reservations facilities are sub-standard. From the United States, United Airlines [7] offers nonstop daily service from Newark Airport to Delhi and Mumbai; Air India offers daily non-stop service to Delhi from New York-JFK and Chicago and Mumbai from Newark. Various European airlines offer connecting service through their European hubs from most major US cities and various Asian airlines offer connecting service from West Coast cities to India through their Asian hubs. Jet Airways [8] also flies from New York to Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai via Brussels. Entries from Europe and Northern America are possible using many European airlines such as Lufthansa [9], Finnair [10], British Airways [11], KLM Royal Dutch Airlines [12], Air France [13] and Virgin Atlantic [14]. For long-term visitors (3-12 months), Swiss airlines [15] often have good deals from Switzerland with connecting flights from major European and some American cities as well. To save on tickets, consider connecting via Gulf countries, by Air Arabia [16] (Sharjah-based low cost carrier having some connections in Europe), Etihad [17] (especially if you need one-way ticket or going back to Europe from another Asian country) via Abu Dhabi, as well as Emirates [18] via Dubai or Qatar airways [19] via Doha. Obviously, these airlines are also the easiest way to come from the Gulf countries themselves, along with Air India and Air India Express. From East Asia and Australia, Singapore (which is served by Air India, it's low-cost subsidiary Air India Express [20], Jet Airways, as well as Singapore Airlines [21], it's subsidiary Silk Air [22] and low-cost subsidiary Tiger Airways [23]) has arguably the best connections to India with flights to all the major cities and many smaller ones. As about the cheap way from South-East Asia or vice versa, Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia [24] is usually the best choice (if booked well in advance, one-way ticket price is normally below US$100, sometimes being less than US$50, they have connections from China, Australia and most of South-East Asian countries). They fly from Kuala Lumpur into New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Kochi and Tiruchirapalli. If you're going from/to Thailand, Air India Express flies from Chennai and Kolkata to Bangkok. Jet Airways, Air India and Thai Airways [25] fly from there to the wider range of Indian cities also. Most Recently, Silk Air [26] started its direct flights from Singapore to Hyderabad as well. Recently, IndiGo, an Indian low-cost-carrier, has started service to Singapore, Bangkok, Dubai, and Muscat. India has several international ports on its peninsula. Kochi, Mumbai, Goa and Chennai are the main ones handling passenger traffic, while the rest mainly handle cargo. However, due to the profusion of cheap flights, there no longer appear to be any scheduled ferry services from India to the Middle East. Some cruise lines that travel to India include Indian Oceans Eden II and Grand Voyage Seychelles-Dubai. There are two links from Pakistan. The Samjhauta Express runs from Lahore to Attari near Amritsar in Punjab. The Thar Express, restarted in February 2006 after 40 years out of service, runs from Munabao in the Indian state of Rajasthan to Khokrapar in Pakistan's Sindh province; however, this crossing is not open to foreign tourists. Neither train is the fastest, safest or the most practical way to go between India and Pakistan due to the long delay to clear customs and immigration (although the trains are sights in their own right and make for a fascinating trip). Ths Samjhauta express was the victim of a terrorist strike in February 2007, when they set off bombs that killed many people. Should you want to get from one country to the other as quickly as p

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Bay of Plenty : Rotorua Revision as of 23:38, 12 January 2013 by Guysers (Talk | contribs) Get in By car See Free Things to See Things to See requiring Paid Admission Rotorua is known as the thermal wonderland of New Zealand. Its hot springs and geysers have attracted tourists for over a hundred years. Boiling Mud- Kuirau Park in Rotorua Rotorua's Largest Geiser Rotorua sits on the shores of Lake Rotorua of New Zealand. There are several other lakes nearby. Along with the geothermal wonders, there are also the more usual water activities such as fishing, boating and white water rafting. Tourism is a major industry in Rotorua, and for good reason, the tourism services are therefore well developed and visitors should definitely make a stop at the Tourist Information Centre on the main road, Fenton Street. Rotorua is built over a geothermal hot spot. There are numerous natural vents, hot pools and other geothermal features in and around the city. Many of these are in parks and reserves. Natural eruptions of steam, hot water and mud occasionally occur in new locations. Many places have their own private geothermal bores for heating and water for bathing although private use of naturally occurring geothermal water and steam is controlled. It has recently been refurbished. Wai-O-Tapu is also an entertaining day out. Geologically, Rotorua is in the middle of the Taupo Volcanic Zone, which is named after Lake Taupo, the largest volcano in the area. There are four major volcanic calderas, which now contain lakes, and several more recognisable volcanoes in the surrounding area. It is this geologically active zone that produces the heat that is needed to drive all the geothermal activity. Rotorua is about a 3-hour drive south from Auckland, with several nice towns and villages along the way. There are two main routes, via Hamilton initially travelling on State Highway 1 and then joining State Highway 5 at Tirau, or via Matamata on Route 27. The Matamata route is less busy and probably a more interesting bet for travellers, but sections of the road boast the highest accident rates in NZ, so caution is needed. Matamata has gained notoriety as it is where Hobbitton [1] was built for the Lord of the Rings. The set is now a tourist attraction. A third option to get amongst the rural farmland is to travel via Te Aroha and then south along old Te Aroha Road, stopping to see Wairere Falls. Be careful on the narrow windy unpainted roads. Rotorua also has an small airport serviced regularly by Air New Zealand who fly there from Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch (and onwards to Queenstown without changing); a daily Qantas jet service also links the city to Christchurch (seasonal - suspended since late 2009). There are direct trans-tasman flights from Sydney twice a week, on Saturdays and Tuesdays. Bus services are provided by Intercity Coach [2] and Naked Bus [3]. All services arrive and depart from the main tourist information centre on Fenton Street. Services can also be booked there. Backpacker coach services tend to do pick ups from the major hostels. Rotorua is a cyclists paradise; as well as boasting some of the best off road mountain bike tracks in the world, the city has no less than seven quality cycle stores, with six in the CBD and the Outdoorsman Headquarters on Tarawera Road. In addition several shops provide cycle hire, notably Lady Jane's ice cream parlour near the lake front. Generally speaking cycling in Rotorua is safe; many roads have wide verges, cyclists are possibly at most risk from the many camper vans driven by tourists. As per the advice for drivers of cars, the same routes apply; Rotorua is 300 m (985 ft) above sea level, therefore a trip to the Bay of Plenty (Tauranga, Whakatane or Papamoa will be a mainly down hill trip of between 70-100 km (44-62 mi). Travelling north towards Waikato also will be downhill to near sea level; conversely a trip to Taupo will be an up and down affair with some challenging climbs. There is an functional ,if somewhat limited, bus service. They are lime green in colour and branded "CityRide". The main terminus is on Pukuatua Street (opposite side to the ASB bank building). These buses operate several routes from one side of the city to the other, including Ngongotaha (handy for accessing the Skyline, Rainbow Springs and Agrodome attractions), the Institute of Technology or 'Polytech' as the bus will say (Te Puia is across the main SH5 road), and the airport. The standard fare is $2.30 regardless of how far you travel. Books of tickets can be bought at discounted rates. Note most bus services seem to stop operating at about 6PM (Monday-Friday). A circuit bus operated by national sightseeing operator GreatSights New Zealand [4] visits several iconic Rotorua attractions including Te Puia [5], Rainbow Springs Nature Park [6] and the Agrodome [7]. There are also three or four reputable taxi companies, all metered, and also a shuttle bus operator with trailer for larger groups. Further info can be found at the tourist information centre on Fenton Street. As New Zealand's busiest tourist centre there are a variety of attractions ranging from free to quite expensive. Free Things to See Government Gardens is an immaculate park near the CBD, where there is also the city museum (small entry charge) and the famous Blue Baths. Nearby is the Sportsdrome and one of the many golf courses. The Lakes - there are 14 to choose from. Lake Rotorua gives its name to the city and boat trips can be arranged to Mokoia Island in the centre. The lakefront has a scenic promenade from where you can see Mokoia Island. From the Lakefront scenic floatplane or

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How many American tourists in 1900 were astute enough to foresee that in a few short years the people who lived in these villas and gardens and the very society they lived in would be swept away? How aware were visiting foreigners of the tensions between the classes? Looking back through the history of the last 100 years it's hard for us to imagine how the inequities in Russia wouldn't have been one of the chief things Americans noticed. Many people today have the notion that the nobility was a very small class in Russia. In proportion to the rest of the population this is true, but in Petersburg in 1900 there were 80,000 nobles by birth and 150,000 other people who held noble rank due to their contribution to society. A noble rank did not necessarily mean wealth, in fact some of the nobility were just a step above their poor brothers and sisters of the working classes. It often surprizes people to know that Lenin himself came from the ranks of the lower nobility.Above: Ball in the Hall of the Nobility in Petersburg. The Russian system of nobility was based on the Chinese "chin" system with various levels and ranks. A person's position in society was clearly defined by his rank. In Russia some titles - such as Prince and Princess - had direct slavonic equivalents and were as hold as Russia itself. Some families holding these titles had better pedigrees than the Romanovs themselves. Other titles - such as Count and Baron were imported from Western Europe and were freely distributed from the Tsars - from Peter the Great onwards - to noteworthy Russians and foreigners. The title of Grand Duke and its feminine form, Grand Duchess, designated the direct descendants of a reigning Tsar or Tsarina. In the reign of Alexander III there were so many Romanovs that the Emperor decided to limit this title - and its generous yearly grant from his coffers - to only the sons, daughters, grandsons and granddaughters of a Tsar. The house of Romanov assumed the throne in 1613, when it was offered to Mikhail Romanov by a delegation from an assembly of the Russian people. In 1913 the dynasty celebrated 300 years of Romanov rule. Virtually the entire Imperial family made an extensive tour of the sites associated with the events of 1613, including the Ipatiev Monastery in Kostroma, where Mikhail Romanov received the crown. This tour was successful or unsuccessful depending on the political views of the person asked. Hundreds of thousands of people participated in the celebration and it took on aspects of a religious pilgrimage for some. In hindsight historians see the "Tecentenary" as the swan song of the dynasty. In any event it was the last great event of national rejoicing before WWI and the revolution ended Old Russia once and for ever. Herr Jerrman explains the system of ranks as he saw it in 1855: "Although the Russian, great or small, lofty or humble, is before his Czar (like we other mortals before God), neither more or Iess than nothing, yet these nonentities have a political classification, and are duly divided into nobles, burghers, and peasants. The nobles are free, that is to say, as free as any one can be in Russia; tho noblest cannot marry according to his heart's choice, if that choice does not chime in with the Czar's good pleasure; or, if he desires to go to Italy, and the Czar strikes out the word "Naples" on his passport and inserts 'Tobolsk" the horses, against their master's will gallop eastward instead of south-west - such is the instinct of Russian horses. Or if by chance he desires to serve in the cavalry of the guard, and the Czar sends him aboard a sloop of war, he sails upon the ocean instead of riding on horseback, and does so without a word of objection or complaint, because it is the Master's will. Such things happen very rarely; but they may happen, and when they do, they happen de-jure as well as de-facto, for the Czar's will is the Russian's law... To return, however, to our classification. Next to that source of all power and greatness, the Court, stands the nobility, which is divided into two classes - the aristocracy of birth, and the aristocracy of service or government employment. The possessor of the first mentioned sort brings it with him into the world, and retains it until death - always supposing some gracious decree does not intervene to send him off to the Caucasus, shorn alike of hair and aristocracy. This, however, happens only as a punishment for a crime; and even in this condemnation to service as a private soldier there is a certain degree of mercy; for in the ranks of the army, and under fire of the enemy, the degraded nobleman has opportunity of regaining rank and title. The second order of nobility, the official aristocracy, is within reach of any one who aspires to it - if he only live long enough. On entering the public service he takes his place in Class Fourteen. That is just a little more than nothing at all, and usually elicits a deep sigh from the person who confesses himself to belong to that class, and a compassionate smile from him to whom the confession is made. Promotion, however, is pretty rapid; and as, if I do not mistake, nobility is attained with the eighth class, which point even the dullest cannot fail to reach, even by mere progressive seniority, so the candidate, if he lives, is sure of attaining his object. The higher classes confer a military grade, from lieutenant up to general. A counsellor of state, for instance, has lieutenant-general's rank; a state counsellor of the first order a general's rank, with the title of Excellency. The hereditary nobles begin at once with the rank of major; which must, however, be earned over again by service to the state; for in social position and estimation the official aristocracy stand far higher than the hereditary; and a high-born count of a low official class, feels himself very small beside a plebeian who has outstripped him in official rank. This arrangement is wise and just, and does much to compensate the tyranny of birth, whose aristocratic exclusiveness it overthrows; procuring at the same time due consideration and esteem for the only true nobility - the nobility of good conduct and useful services. Immediately after this official nobility comes the commonalty, or class of burgesses, a free class, consisting chiefly of traders. In this class, also, there are gradations. Highest upon the ladder stand the merchants of the "first guild," the aristocracy of capital and industry. The middle station is occupied by merchants of the second guild, whose commerce has narrower limits; whilst on the lowest range, next the ground, are found traders of the third guild, - petty dealers, who have not even, I believe, the right of drawing bills of exchange. The commercial aristocracy of the first guild, which enjoys the privileges of the nobility, imitates it in many respects - drives four horses, keeps a sumptuous house, inhabits beautiful villas, and in every possible way, and in emulation of the great nobles, strives to ruin itself, - with less success, however, than those it apes, since the inexhaustible fountains of trade constantly refill the empty coffers. One can hardly form an idea in Germany of the vast wealth of some of these Russian merchants. Stieglitz, one of the richest bankers in Russia, left behind him, at his death, a fortune of 40,000,000 of rubles banco, besides a great deal of land. And, yet there is no dearth in Russia of people richer than he was." Next photograph: The Imperial Mariinsky Theatre For a small map of the St. Petersburg area click here. To see a large map of the center of St. Petersburg go here. Comments on the website should be sent to Bob Atchison.

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Home » Magazine » 1988 » Volume 39, Issue 2 Hawaii: Our Most Foreign Place Frederick Allen March 1988 | Volume 39, Issue 2 PrintEmailDriving around the island of Hawaii, I got a strange feeling that I was driving through all of time. At the famous Kilauea Volcano I could watch the creation of the earth (the volcano adds to the island’s size every year); farther along I saw the vivid remains of a civilization that barely two hundred years ago got along without the wheel, the written word, or the notion that anyone else existed; I visited the spot where that society first collided with the modern West; and I ended up at a town where the Hawaiian people plunged from prehistory into the nineteenth century. The abruptness of that leap can still be felt.I started out at Hilo, the island’s largest town and principal port of entry. Hilo, an old-fashioned fishing town on the island’s quieter eastern coast, gives you a strong feeling that you’re in the real Hawaii—the one you’re not in when you’re in Waikiki. Behind the peaceful main streets, a long, lush plain rises gradually toward Mauna Kea, the highest peak in the state.The thirty-mile drive to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park passes through gentle, tropically shrubby country and hardwood forest, past anthurium and orchid farms, and into noticeably cooler air four thousand feet up. At the park I checked into a room at the hotel on the rim of the big Kilauea Crater and spent the afternoon poking around among the walk-through lava tube, the sulfurous steam vents (Mark Twain remarked, “The smell of sulphur is strong, but not unpleasant to a sinner"), and the various moonlike debris that littered the place. The main crater, enjoying a quiet spell, looked like a deep, empty pit two miles wide, its bottom lined with caked, cracked, steaming gray mud.Heading south and downhill in the morning, I was soon beyond the utterly barren fields of rubble that mark old lava flows but did not quickly reenter tropical paradise. Rather, I found myself in a scrubby plain where cattle grazed. The climate in Hawaii seems to change every mile; the mountains constantly build rain clouds, but the sunny coastlines can be arid. As the road approached the shore, I passed some fields of sugarcane and a resort hotel or two and sped right by the turnoff for Kalae, the southernmost tip of the United States. There some mooring holes drilled into coastal rock offer sparse early evidence of the Polynesian navigators who first hauled up here sometime between 200 and 700 A.D. and made the islands their own.Instead I continued on and followed the road as it turned north to head up the island’s western coast. This is where the human history of the island comes alive. The land, spotted with macadamia groves and coffee plantations, seems to make one long sweep, from the smooth, brown thirteen-thousand-foot cone way off to the right to the sea visible several miles away to the left. At the sign for Pu’uhonua o Hõnaunau, I turned left.This is a seaside spot to which until 1819 Hawaiians fled for absolution when they broke any of the many holy kapus, or taboos, punishable by instant death. Kapus were the glue of society. It was kapu to rise from prostration in view of a king or for a woman to prepare food for a man. Refuges like this one were attached to royal grounds; since setting foot on royal earth was kapu, you could reach it only by swimming across the bay or running in, just ahead of your pursuers, beyond the edge of the royal compound. Pu’uhonua o Hõnaunau is now fully restored as a National Historic Park, and it gives a strong feeling of what royalty and refuges were and weren’t in old Hawaii. Royalty was utterly feared but was hardly grandiose; the chiefly grounds and the holy grounds each take up just a few acres, and a high chief slept in a grass hut the size of a large closet. The refuge is pretty, set on a point surrounded by a calm turquoise sea and shaded by palms, but is also a hard place. The ground is all lava rock, and it is enclosed by a ten-foot-high lava-rock wall from the 1500s. Once a kapu breaker arrived, he had only to receive absolution from the resident kahuna, or priest, and he could leave to begin a new life. Standing there by a reconstructed temple, I thought I must be in the most foreign place in the United States. (These islands are the most geographically isolated in the world and were a kingdom from the 1790s until 1893, a republic from 1894 until 1898, and a United States territory from 1900 until statehood in 1959.) Leaving, I did not return to the main road but drove four miles along the shore to a small town behind a local beach on a wide, peaceful cove named Kealakekua Bay. This is where Capt. James Cook, “discoverer” of the islands, met his bizarre death. These islands were the only major landmass unknown to Europeans when Cook landed on the island of Kauai in January 1778. He was on his way north, to seek a passage between the Atlantic and Pacific. His men spent several weeks exploring and provisioning in Kauai and Niihau and then headed on toward the Bering Strait. After a frustrating summer amid the ice, they returned, this time first reaching a different island, Maui. Cook knew the people there “were of the same Nation,” for they had already “got a mongst the veneral distemper” left by his men in January. Thus began the long decimation of Hawaiians by foreign disease.1

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Danger in Bolivia There are some things you shouldn't tell your mother you are going to do until you have done them, like joining the Taliban, getting a tattoo, or mountain-biking down The World's Most Dangerous Road. The Taliban rejected my application, and I am not brave enough to get a tattoo, so a few days ago I did the mountain-biking expedition in Bolivia.Sixteen of us plus some guides started at the top of a barren mountain pass at 4700 metres, where an icy wind was coming over the snow and making our fingers go numb. A few hours later we had ridden 64 kilometres and descended down to 1700 metres (a total descent of 3 kilometres) into lush jungle in the mountains. Most of the time the supposedly two-way road was unpaved, barely wide enough for one vehicle, and with a drop of a few hundred metres over the side awaiting those who lost concentration. The biggest danger was from the scenery. We were warned at the beginning to ignore the scenery while riding, because there was a story of a guy who was admiring the views and rode straight over the edge.To make The World's Most Dangerous Road even more dangerous, we were riding at the tail end of the rainy season, so we spent a good hour riding through torrents of rain, turning parts of the road into mud that flicked up and covered our bodies and our faces. There had been a mud slide that morning which bulldozers were already mending but which still gave us more challenge than we needed.At the end of the road I loitered in Coroico, a small town located in the jungle and the mountains, for a couple of days.Some days before the bike-ride I visited a town called Copacabana on Lake Titicaca. The town has nothing to do with the song, I think. Lake Titicaca is variously labelled "The World's Highest Lake" or "The World's Highest Navigable Lake", but neither of these titles are true, which makes its claim to fame as plain as La Paz's: "A Lake". However it is interesting to see an enormous lake at almost 4000 metres. The thin air does magical diffusing stuff to the light so that sunrise and sunset are particularly impressive. Well, I can vouch for the sunset but seeing the sunrise would involve doing what I consider to be one of the worst tortures known to the human race - getting up early.On Lake Titicaca is an island, Isla del Sol, or Island of the Sun. This is where the gods of the Incas are supposed to have originated. I met up with a guy called Kashmir from Kanada, and we hiked from one end of the island to the other, a good 3 hours walk, always with great views towards either Bolivia or Peru. During the walk I found another reason to hate llamas. A Bolivian kid with snot all over his face blocked the path with his tethered-up llama, and wanted to charge us money so that we could take photos of his llama. I patted the llama's dirty, matted, thick wool and he reciprocated by trying to eat my shoe. It is not a shoe that I have any special sentimentality for, but nevertheless I didn't want it eaten. I pulled back, which started the llama-Steve war. He was determined not to let me cross the path, turning his back towards me and trying to kick me. Kashmir from Kanada and the enterprising Bolivian kid with snot all over his face both tried to distract the llama so I could cross but he wasn't having it. I had to clamber over the fields until I was well past him before I could get back on the path.I spent more time than intended in Bolivia. I had a bus ticket booked to take me to Chile, but on the day before I was supposed to leave protesters blocked the roads in and out of the bus terminals with tires and rubbish. No-one was getting in and no-one was getting out. I could do nothing but pass the time, until I got word that a bus was daring to leave at 3am in the morning when the protesters were distracted with sleep or something. So I made it to Chile, where I am now.

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Travel Events News / Organisations & Operators Hope takes charge at Dubai Opera development Emaar Properties has appointed Jasper Hope as chief executive of the Dubai Opera, the centre piece of the Opera District development in Downtown Dubai. Hope is an accomplished international professional with deep insights into the management of high-end cultural venues. He earlier held the position of chief operating officer at the Royal Albert Hall in London, one of the world’s leading cultural and entertainment facilities. He assumed control of Dubai Opera in January 2015, bringing his expertise in promoting high-end cultural destinations. As chief executive of Dubai Opera, he will serve as its lead officer and international advocate focused on setting its artistic direction and driving global stakeholder relationships. Billed as Dubai’s new cultural icon, Dubai Opera is a 2,000-seat multi-format venue for opera, theatre, concerts, art exhibitions, orchestra, film, sports events, and seasonal programmes. Hope, who has extensive experience in creating, directing and promoting global events, is mandated with ensuring the commercial success of Dubai Opera and developing its profile internationally. Ahmad Al Matrooshi, managing director of Emaar Properties, said: “We are delighted to welcome Jasper Hope on board our prestigious cultural icon. “His deep expertise in managing internationally renowned venues and tremendous industry insights will be a great asset in establishing Dubai Opera as one of the world’s most prestigious cultural destinations. “With Dubai Opera, we aim to further define Dubai’s cultural richness and create a dynamic platform for intercultural exchange. Mr. Hope’s proven track-record in identifying and motivating talent will be a strong resource in achieving our goals.” Renowned in the industry as a creative, commercial and resourceful leader, Hope has proven experience in successfully delivering a programme of change for the venues he leads apart from conceptualising and executing a diverse range of notable events in many of the world’s unique venues. He explained: “Dubai Opera is a fantastic development with tremendous potential to serve as the Gulf region’s defining destination for cultural events. “I am thankful to Emaar Properties for this opportunity to serve a region that is fast-evolving as one of the leading artistic and cultural hubs in the world. “An iconic development such as Dubai Opera will be a catalyst for the city’s cultural scene and serve as a magnet to attract international professionals and large-scale productions, further building Dubai’s reputation globally.” Earlier, as chief operating officer of Royal Albert Hall, he was responsible for the successful implementation of all operational management criteria and the leadership of the day-to-day business of the venue. Under his leadership, the prestigious venue achieved close to 400 events each year, making it one of the busiest venues in the world He also served as senior director of AEG Live at UK Live Events, responsible for creating and managing new entertainment business for the company. Expo Milano launches latest TV advertising campaign WTTC Global Summit 2015: WTTC president David Scowsill, opening speech Arabian Travel Market 2017: Dubai to welcome largest ever event Arabian Travel Market 2017: Seven Tides to charge Tesla owners in Dubai ACI: Atlanta-Hartsfield-Jackson holds on to top spot United Arab Emirates sees boost to average length of stay Dubai International sees passenger growth continue in February Viceroy Palm Jumeirah Dubai set to welcome first guests Dubai World Central welcomes first A380 flight Go City Card to launch in Dubai

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Travel Channel Premieres New Special GEM HUNT Tonight, 6/3 Travel Channel will premiere an all-new original one hour special GEM HUNT tonight, June 3 at 10PM ET/PT. Veteran gem dealer Ron LeBlanc and his team of gem hunters travel to the gem-rich nation of Madagascar in search of gemstones they can turn into a small fortune. There's much profit to be made from these rocks, but buyers must be skilled in spotting flaws, "fake" synthetic stones and knowing when - and just how much - to bargain. As LeBlanc and his team hunt for rare pink sapphires, premium blue sapphires and the country's finest aquamarines, they get more than they bargained for when they are offered a $700,000 piece of giant aquamarine that is about to be whisked out of the country. After many failures, they find what they came for - half a pound of aqua which LeBlanc hopes can be cut into a huge and valuable jewel in a secret gem factory in Bangkok, Thailand. Viewers will gain insight into Madagascar's bustling gem industry and the risks and dangers a gem hunter encounters in this exciting journey from mine to market. About Destination Summer Destination Summer is Travel Channel's multi-platform programming initiative that embraces all the fun and adventure that the season offers. As part of the Network's continued mission to inspire its travel-centric viewers, six new original series will roll out this summer, and will be complemented by multiple on- and off-air programming events. The six new original series anchoring Destination Summer include: "Xtreme Waterparks," "Insane Coaster Wars," "RV Kings," "Top Spot," "American Originals" and "All You Can Meat." All summer long, viewers can go to TravelChannel.com for a variety of engaging summer-themed travel content including: vacation and hotel planning tips, summer festivals and events, insane rollercoaster polls, exclusive road-trip video, extreme RV photos, a Rate-My-Beach community, grilling tips, national parks info and more. Plus, Travel Channel hosts will be sharing their summer favorites - from beaches and summer road trips to ice cream and theme parks. About Travel Channel TRAVEL CHANNEL (http://www.travelchannel.com) is a multiplatform travel lifestyle brand with the core mission of providing inspiring and compelling programming that takes viewers beyond their everyday destinations, making the unfamiliar familiar, whether it's around the world or around the block. A dual feed network that is also available in HD, Travel Channel is the world's leading travel media brand, and is available in over 94 million U.S. cable homes. Owned and operated by Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI), Travel Channel has offices in Chevy Chase, MD, and New York, NY. Scripps Networks Interactive (NYSE: SNI) also owns and operates HGTV, DIY Network, Food Network, Cooking Channel and Great American Country.

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Home > Europe > Italy > Sicily Live Weather Tenerife South 30424 Holidays in Sicily Hotels in Sicily Flights to Sicily Local time: 00:10 CEST Sunrise: 06:18 Sunset: 19:47 Tuesday 03:00 6°C 43°F 10°C 50°F Wednesday 00:00 Sicily: Forecasts Sicily: Live Weather Reports Live weather in Sicily The latest and today's weather in Sicily, Italy updated regularly Monday 24 April 22:51 GMT | 00:51 CEST +2h 24 Apr UK Time: 23:10 BST Local Time: 00:10 CEST (52°F) (12kmh) Sunset 19:47 Temp feels like: 14°C (57°F) Length of Day: 13h 29m 30.12" (1020 hpa) Visiblity: 10 miles (16 km) Average for April Annual Averages Sicily News Summer 2015 � plan ahead! MSC Cruises offers guests a balcony boost We wish you a Merry Cruise-mas� Latest Sicily Holiday Reviews Sicilian hospitality The weather was warm considering we visited in May. There was an odd shower, but cleared quickly.... Anonymous trapani syracuse agrigento enna catania naxos Excellent weather visited the island three times now in October and the Sun was ever present during all my trips.... Daniel Buckley my sicilian dream holiday Weather was beautiful. We had one bad storm and Etna erupted, sending grey ash down everywhere, but it was very exciting... anita watkins travelled around sicily 2009 The weather was lovely - just had a thunderstorm one day - other than that is was sunshine and warm all the time. It was... Anonymous More Sicily Reviews Weather Overview for Sicily Sicily enjoys a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and warm, rainy winters. The island is volcanic, home to one of the world’s tallest and most active volcanoes: Mount Etna. It is features a couple of fascinating old cities: Palermo and Catania. The island’s rugged, mountainous terrain gives rise to great regional variations in climate, all, of course, depending on altitude and the protection they provide from northwest prevailing winds. The southeastern regions are generally drier and warmer than the northwestern, and the southeastern coast is usually calmer. Higher areas have cooler temperatures and receive more rainfall year round. Sicily is the largest region of Italy and sits at the southwest tip of the boot-shaped mainland in the Mediterranean Sea. It is surrounded by a number of much smaller islands. The constant warmth of Sicily and its low, yet not absent rainfall creates the perfect conditions for the growing of citrus fruits. The hillsides are cloaked in green for much of the year and lemon and orange groves stripe the lowlands. Citrus flavours add a tang to many traditional Sicilian dishes. Sicily has passed through the hands of many cultures; for example Greek and Arab influences are to be seen in Sicilian design and cuisine. If you’re looking for a weather forecast for Sicily, you are advised to visit this page. Sicily, Italy. Summer, from June through September, is hot and dry with plenty of sunshine. The average high temperature is already at 23°C in June and then rises to 26°C in July and August before dropping to 24°C in September. Nights are also very warm, the average low temperatures ranging from 15°C to 19°C, which allows for pleasant evening walks in one of the island’s inland villages or along the beautiful coast. The heat, especially in the peak summer months of July and August, can be a little bit uncomfortable, but a dip in the warm sea or a trip up into the green hills provides instant relief. The water temperature gets up to 27°C in August, which is more than comfortable enough for everyone to swim. In July and September, the Mediterranean Sea is 25°C warm on average. Clouds generally avoid the coast, allowing around 13 to 14 glorious hours of sunshine per day for most of the season; September is slightly cloudier, but still has 11 sunshine hours. Rainfall is exceptionally rare, falling only briefly in the hills. June and July are the driest months in the year, receiving only 10mm in each month. August gets 17mm of precipitation, while September’s 28mm indicates that the weather is slowly moving towards the wetter autumn and winter seasons. Southwestern areas are sometimes terrorised by spells of intense heat and aridity when the sirocco wind blows up from the Sahara. The sirocco can sometimes carry sand with it, covering large areas in dust and veiling the sky in a thin haze. Autumn generally speaking falls in October and November, and experiences a continuation of the gorgeous weather. Summer warmth continues into October with average highs in the low 20s. It only drops below 20°C in mid-November, though the odd cool day may occur throughout the season. The average temperature is 17°C in October and 13°C in November, but ranges tremendously depending on whether you’re in the mountains or down at the coast. Precipitation increases greatly in autumn, although it remains a season with relatively low rainfall, especially when compared to countries in northern Europe. October gets about 48mm of rainfall, while November receives 67mm. Despite rainfall increasing, by a lot, cloud cover and these brief showers still leave 9 hours of sunshine per day in October and 8 in November. The sea remains warm enough for swimming till the very end of the season, staying above 20°C. Higher up above the coastline however lower temperatures bring the beginning of the winter snowfall. Mount Etna is often snow-capped by the end of November when the ski season starts. Sicily city, Italy. Winter, from December through February, is mild and somewhat unpredictable. It is a great time for walking holidays in the low hills and even skiing higher up. The average high temperature lingers around 12°C to 13°C for most of the season with average lows falling to 5°C. It tends not to get anywhere near freezing around the coast, but higher up in the mountains frost occurs throughout the season and snow settles on the peaks. The ski season on Mount Etna lasts from November to March; skiers often base themselves in Taormina. On average, the daily temperature in winter averages 9°C to 10°C. This is the wettest time of year; rain falls quite frequently but is generally also quite light. December is the wettest month of the year, receiving a total amount of rainfall of 79mm. November and January are close seconds. Sunshine levels are very good for winter with 7 to 8 hours on average each day. This is a spectacularly high number, particularly when considering how dark and cloudy winter tends to be in more northerly parts of Europe. While winter in Sicily is no time to lounge on the beach in a bikini, conditions are undoubtedly preferable to those found in northern Europe. Spring lasts from March through May and is warm and sunny. The average high temperature creeps to 13°C in March, 16°C in April and up to 19°C in May. By mid-April T-shirt weather is the norm and early in May bikini days resume. Nights, however, remains chilly until late-May. The average temperature in Sicily in spring rises from 10°C in March to 15°C in May. Rainfall decreases again, slowly, and the sun becomes a regular fixture in the clear sky. Monthly precipitation amounts between 14mm and 35mm can be expected in spring. As rainfall decreases, this brings less cloud cover, which, in turn, allows for more sunshine. While March has 9 hours of sunshine per day on average, May already a gloriously high number of 12 sunshine hours. However, despite these warming temperatures and increase in sunshine hours, the sea does not get quite warm enough for comfortable swimming and the wind can be quite chilly. The Mediterranean Sea warms up to an average of 19°C in May. Snow on the mountains melts in March, marking the end of the ski season and the start of the touristy seaside season. Return to Homepage

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CommentComment Philip Hoare: Why the sea will always be close to London’s heart More than just a tidal river connects us to the ocean — so why not bring back the fun of beaches to the capital? Philip Hoare Friday 31 May 2013 11:42 BST p14 comment 31.5 The sea invades London in subtle ways. We dream of it when we are away from it, here in the dry channels of the city. The beaches of our holidays are our fantastical resorts. Even if we are far from the sea, we need to be reminded of its presence, here in our island nation. It is one of our deepest yearnings, ever more so as the summer approaches and the sun rides high, raising our hopes of escape to the water as we make our daily commute.But it doesn’t always promise fun. The other day I was sitting in the sixth-floor café at Tate Modern, watching the riverscape spread out below me. It was a spring tide. The cappuccino-coloured waters of the Thames were lapping high at the embankments. It would have taken a rise of barely a few feet, if that, for the water to inundate the city, flooding its foundations, turning London into a disaster zone, and a water world, uncontained by the Thames Barrier.The salt water from the far-off North Sea will forever find its way into the capital. We go about our daily business, unaware that the tidal pull and the moon’s waxing and waning determines the great waterway fed by the sea. The sea to us represents a fantasy, something to dream of on our way to work.Some think of golden beaches and toes-up time, our annual contact with the water. But for the more fanciful among us, the sea’s dramatic pull never leaves us. As we strap-hang on the Tube, we translate that lurch from side to side to the ocean’s sway. We even imagine — as we’re whacked by a tourist’s backpack — the Polynesian navigators who found their way across the uncharted Pacific by resting their testicles on the prow of their canoes to sense the changing currents’ swell. Entering a tunnel, I even think of a sperm whale, diving deep into the ocean’s sunless profound. (But then I probably think too much about whales, generally).In Moby-Dick, one of the best books ever written about the sea, Herman Melville writes evocatively of the city-dweller’s compunction to go to the water, to stand at the land’s edge — even in the metropolis of Manhattan. “Nothing will content them but the extremest limit of the land,” he wrote. “They must get just as nigh the water as they possibly can without falling in … as every one knows, meditation and water are wedded for ever.” Magnetically drawn to this available wilderness — the last great expanse of the unknown Earth — we commune with the primordial element. After all, our bodies themselves are 60 per cent water. We all contain the sea inside ourselves.We humans are irretrievably linked to the sea, even in the city. London used to be more connected to the element. Before the Thames was embanked in the mid-19th century, its shores ran into the capital. The Strand was so named because it was once a beach. The Surrey Steps, and many other steps through the City, provided direct access to the water. We can still beachcomb on the river. In the early 20th century, cockneys even boasted their own beach below the Tower of London, a stretch of sand where they came to paddle and swim as if they were at Margate.Londoners evoked the sea in their other entertainments, too. In 1804, the Aquatic Theatre opened at Sadler’s Wells, complete with a sunken tank measuring 90 feet long, 24 feet wide, and three feet deep.Here one could witness the Siege of Gibraltar and Neptune’s chariot drawn by sea horses, along with other “perilous and appalling incidents” — a woman falling from the rocks to be rescued by her lover; sailors leaping from a vessel on fire; a child thrown in by its nurse, who had been paid to drown it, only for the infant to be rescued by a Newfoundland dog. So affecting were these scenes that at the end of a performance, members of the audience would jump into the water to assure themselves it was real.Much later, such watery entertainments were echoed by the surreal installation of a dolphinarium in Oxford Street in the 1970s, set in a basement pool, 12 feet deep and painted lurid blue. Here swimsuit-clad “aquamaids”, a sea lion, a penguin and a trio of dolphins named Sparky, Bonny and Brandy were prevailed upon to wear plastic hats and perform the usual tricks, pitiful captives far from their rightful home.Others have treated the Thames as a personal extension of the sea. Benjamin Franklin, who served as a printer’s apprentice in London, was addicted to swimming in the Thames. On a boat trip to Chelsea, Franklin decided to demonstrate his skills. He stripped off and leapt into the river, then swam back to Blackfriars, “performing on the Way many Feats of Activity, both upon & under Water, that surpriz’d & pleas’d those to whom they were Novelties”. Franklin even considered starting a swimming school in the city, before fate took him to other things — as one of the founding fathers of the United States of America.Nor did modern dippers desert the Thames. Much later, David Owen, erstwhile head of the SDP, would take a daily dip from his Limehouse home. David Walliams and Matthew Parris are other celebrated river swimmers. But since last year the Port of London Authority has banned such dips on grounds of safety. As someone who swims every day of the year in the sea, more shame on the PLA, I say.Stroll along the South Bank today, for instance, and you’ll find a great sandpit spread out on the promenade for children to play in. Why not recreate a beach here, like the immensely popular artificial Parisian plages on the banks of the Seine? For Londoners deprived of the briny, why not restore the beach at the Tower? How about Chelsea clam bakes and beach volleyball off Battersea? For would-be water-gazing citizens, it could be the perfect antidote to metropolitan claustrophobia. It might even go some way to satisfying our perennial longing for the sight and sound of the sea.Philip Hoare will be talking about his new book, The Sea Inside (Fourth Estate, 18.99), at the Stoke Newington Literary Festival on June 8. More about: Feet (anatomy)

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HomeCities TicketsKatowice Tickets Katowice Tickets Buy All Katowice Tickets Concerts in Katowice PL Sports in Katowice PL Theater in Katowice PL Venues at Katowice PL Details of Katowice and the Ticket Luck value Katowice is one of the most beautiful cities of Poland that boasts of spectacular architecture, phenomenal landscapes, natural beauty and a divine history of art, culture and civilization. It is also one of the most travelled to cities of Poland and has visitors from all over the world enjoying the ambience and culture. Katowice is uniquely located on the scenic and historic rivers. The famous Klodnica and Rawa rivers amalgamate and divide beautifully into different rivers within the Katowice vicinity. The gigantic mountaintops of Silesian Beskids which is part of the Carpathian Mountains surround the larger radius of the city and provide the breath-taking views that visitors come to see and enjoy. Katowice is also one of the oldest cities of entire Poland and has a rich and prosperous history providing to the world different roots, dynasties, civilizations and cultures. According to history, ethnic Silesians once governed the area surrounding Katowice and was later a part of the Crown of Bohemia Dynasty. The population and economics of the city exponentially increased during the late 1800's when the local community explored the vicinity and discovered large mineral reserves of coal in the nearby mountains. The financial activity paved the way for roads, infrastructures and dynamic institutions of excellence throughout the last decade. Katowice was later on occupied by Nazi Germany during the years between 1939 and 1945 and various monuments and artifacts still reside in the museums validating the impact of that particular area. The World War II and its impact also infiltrated into the city and its architecture but were later revived and are stored by the previous and current governments.Due to the exponential influx of people kick-starting the economical revolution that originated from the coal industry, the city had to grow both in terms of opportunity and activities for the communities building their homes and future in this great city. Theater, art, drama and museums started being built up during the last century to provide and cater to the requirements of the masses. And currently the city boasts of some of the most magnanimous and revered institutions of culture, drama, art and music. People from all over the world come and enjoy the famous theatrical performances staged in the numerous internationally recognized theatres in Katowice. The Silesian Theatre is one of the most powerful and sophisticated theaters in the entire city that boasts of a plethora of live entertainment, drama, music performances and comedy events. People from all over Poland come to enjoy the art and performances associated with the Silesian Theatre.The city will be incomplete without giving homage and respect to the famous Silesian Philharmonic Institute as well as the Silesian Estrade Group. Both of these Institutes provide quality music to the masses and have been endorsed as a must see on many of the travelogues written by people visiting Katowice. The Silesian Museum has a unique display of artifacts, paintings, and sculptures that have been associated with the different eras and dynasties associated with that particular region. The history of Katowice Museum is another center of excellence that provides to the masses an extraordinary tour of history and culture. Muzeum Najmniejszych Ksiazek Swiata Zygmunta Szkocnego and Muzeum Biograficzne P. Stellera are visited by many Polish citizens from across the country. The Muzeum Biograficzne P. Stellera takes extreme pride in presenting Polish talent throughout the ages. To the thousands of people that visit Katowice, the festivals and events are the real hallmark. The Rawa Blues Festiwal - Spodek has gained international recognition throughout the years and has invited some of the most legendary blues musicians to entertain the city. People from all across the nation visit the city to enjoy the Metalmania - Spodek as well as the Mayday - Spodek events. Interestingly enough, the city also has its own rare share of events that it hosts. The city is extremely proud of hosting the International Competition of Conductors by Fitelberg and the International Festival of Military Orchestras on a yearly basis. The all-Polish Festival of the Director's Art the Interpretations is a delight for all the people that have the opportunity to enjoy and become a part of the festival! Throughout the years, the city has also gained popularity due to its magnificent and lavish green parks and recreational areas. Some of the most visited and highly rated tourist spots are Silesian culture and refreshment park and the Valley Three Ponds parks. Visitors are delighted and engrossed by the beauty of Tadeusz Kosciuszko Park as well as the grandeur and greenery of Murckowska Valley. View All Katowice Tickets Newsletter Signup

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Grantley Adams International Airport is strategically situated on the eastern fringe of the Caribbean basin and forms one of the most important links in the aviation infrastructure of the region. The forerunner of Grantley Adams International Airport was Seawell Airport which came into being in 1956 after a Royal Netherlands Airlines (KLM) plane landed on a grass runway in 1939. In 1940/41, the Barbados government recognised that if an important and vital link was to be maintained between Barbados and the outside world, a paved runway was an absolute necessity. The new building was completed in 1956 and though it served Barbados well for 23 years, it became outdated almost as soon as its door were opened because of the rapid growth of air traffic. The present air traffic control tower was completed in 1976 and later that same year the airport was renamed "Grantley Adams International Airport" in honour of Sir Grantley Adams, Prime Minister of the West Indies Federation and now a National Hero of Barbados. Another landmark occasion for GAIA was November 1, 1979 when the new terminal was opened. The building was constructed at a capital cost of $28 million BDS. The terminal is an imposing building of grey concrete offset by the greenery around. Important dates in Barbados’ Aviation history EVENT/DAY First airplane (International flight) to land in Barbados@ Rockley Golf Club International Learn to fly Day The official opening of the Grantley Adams International Airport November 1st The anniversary of Seawell International Airport First Concorde to land in Barbados International Air Traffic Controllers’ Day International Civil Aviation Day Inside the Flight Control Tower Italia Store Front K-L-M Airplane Seawell Travel Tips Pack to be searched You never know when you will be spot-searched. And after your items are thoroughly dismantled from your bag it’s usually not an easy task to get it all back in and zipped up quickly – especially on a return trip home! Pack so that it’s easier to put it all back. Rolling clothing is a good technique as it keeps items separate and wrinkling is not an issue, plus it is a great space-saver.

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The Shark Moves To West OC With New Focus Feb 19,2008 by DispatchAdmin OCEAN CITY – The Shark Restaurant will be returning today as it opens its doors at a new location in West Ocean City, bringing with it familiar faces and favorite menu items, but adding a new waterfront view of the harbor and some new twists to the restaurant. Owner Travis Wright and kitchen manager Nate Britko sat down with The Dispatch to discuss the new features of the restaurant, the return of old favorites and the excitement of the new, permanent home in West Ocean City. The Shark will now be touting the name The Shark On The Harbor in honor of its new location along the West Ocean City commercial harbor. With the new name and location comes a stunning view of the harbor that can be enjoyed from just about any spot in the restaurant. Although the new location brings with it new opportunities, The Shark will be maintaining a majority of what has made it a popular spot among locals and visitors over the years. “It’s not a whole new Shark. We have found ourselves a permanent home here and we are extremely excited to be here. We have recaptured the water view that was missing in our previous building,” Wright said. After spending seven years at 46th Street, Wright decided to make the move to the West Ocean City district and is thrilled with what the new location has to offer. “Overall, we’re just absolutely thrilled to be here,” said Wright, noting the view of the Inlet, Assateague and the commercial harbor. “There’s always something going on. It’s a fun, unique spot.” With the move came the opportunity to revamp the menu, although many of the popular menu items will be returning. “We’re keeping a lot of the menu items, a lot of the all-time favorites, but we’re trying to move towards whole grain and all natural foods,” Britko explained. Wright added, “We’re trying to source as many organic products as possible.” All natural, farm raised beef will be used as well as wild caught fin fish and shrimp and whole wheat pasta dishes. Locally caught fish will also be a focus. “The quality of organic and all natural is unmatched, its tastes so much better,” said Britko, noting the increase in quality that will result from the new ingredients. “With a smaller place we can focus more on quality ingredients. We always had good food, but now we can be more meticulous,” Wright said. “Instead of focusing on higher quantity, we’re really trying to step up the quality of all of our ingredients,” Britko said. The menu will also include the addition of some “harbor themed” items. The move to a smaller restaurant not only gives the kitchen staff a chance to focus more on quality over quantity, but also enables Wright to maintain a smaller, more personalized staff. “We don’t have to balloon our staff up in the summer, we’ll have a consistent service element, which is harder to do in a bigger place,” said Wright. Only three new employees will be coming on board, with the rest of the employees bringing with them at least three years of experience working at The Shark. Britko has been a member of The Shark family for seven years, bringing a creative flair to the kitchen. “I went to school for fine art and I find that it translates to the cooking and gives me an outlet for that creativity,” he said. Wright and Britko said the customers have shown tremendous support of the relocation effort. “We definitely have to thank the support of our customers,” Britko said, noting the generosity they have seen over the past few months and the upswell of excitement that has been surfacing as opening day approached. “So many people really extended themselves to help in any way possible.” Wright said. “Of course, I couldn’t have done any of it without the support of my wife Jody and my parents. Without them, there would be no Shark.” As for making the move to the ever-growing restaurant district of West Ocean City, Wright isn’t worried about the surrounding competition. “So many people live over here now, we’re surrounded by a larger base. People tend to go to an area where there are a lot of great restaurants,” said Wright. “I think if anything it helps us,” said Britko. “Being around successful businesses won’t hurt us, it’ll help us. I think our menu is different enough, we feature different things than the surrounding restaurants.” Friday will mark the opening night for The Shark On The Harbor, with a soft opening. Next weekend will house a bigger celebration with live entertainment Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. ← Previous

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Soak up the atmosphere Wet through and loving it, Alf Alderson pits his kayak against the rapids on the Salmon River Alf Alderson Saturday 9 September 2000 09.40 EDT First published on Saturday 9 September 2000 09.40 EDT Idaho seems to do a good job of keeping its natural treasures hidden from the rest of the world. Who would think, for instance, that the Potato State has more officially-designated Wilderness Areas than anywhere else in the US outside of Alaska? The Middle Fork of the Salmon River flows right through the centre of one of these, the Frank Church - River of No Return Wilderness Area. It ranks high among white-water rafters and kayakers, not so much for the ferocity of its rapids or the difficulty of negotiating them as for the constant and regular flow of the water throughout its 100-mile length - there are very few areas of slack water. Then there's the huge variety of scenery and wildlife you encounter as you descend from the "put-in" point at 6,000ft-high Boundary Creek to the "take out", 3,000ft below at the confluence with the main Salmon. The relative lack of really serious white-water means that the river is accessible to pretty much anyone with a sense of adventure - I was on a six-day trip with a group of Texans all of whom were the wrong side of 40, and all of whom had a great time. At the put-in point, the Middle Fork would be unlikely to get anyone too excited - generally narrow and shallow, this is not the kind of whitewater maelstrom you see on all the raft ing posters. What you get instead is inspiring mountain scenery on either side of the river. Even in July, there are snow patches on the highest of the peaks, which rise up to between 7,000ft and 9,000ft, and you may spot any number of wild creatures ambling along the river banks, including black bears, deer, elk, big horn sheep, and, if you're really lucky, cougars, grizzlies and wolves. The upper part of the river is quite mellow, and there are plenty of opportunities to sit back in your raft and watch the landscape drift by, or hang a line over the side and wait for a salmon or trout to bite (although being a Wilderness Area, all fish are taken on a catch-and-release basis). At the first campsite, you realise just how serious the practice of "pack it in, pack it out" is in the wilderness, applying to human waste and toothpaste spit as well as the more usual detritus of a camping trip. Camping is in two-person tents, with campsites invariably based on idyllic white-sand beaches beside the river, with a backdrop of pine forests and blue mountains. Meals, cooked by the guides, are also excellent and varied, there's plenty of beer and wine, and it doesn't take long to crash out to the sound of the nearby current. That said, if you take a hike from the camp-site up the canyon sides, there's every chance of seeing a big-horn sheep or deer, less so a bear (it pays to be "bear aware" if you're heading out into the back country). Ironically, it's perhaps on a lone hike before the evening meal that you're most likely to get a feel for the isolation and challenge that this landscape provided for the pioneers who stumbled through here less than 100 years ago. Away from the chatter and clatter of the camp-site, looking at the river flowing ceaselessly towards the far distant Pacific Ocean and the peaks and forests bearing down from above, it's not hard to imagine the awesome and sometimes frightening beauty that Idaho presented to those early travellers. Nor is it hard to understand why the native Sheepeater Indians, whose pictographs you may stumble across, revered and worshipped such an uncompromising and elemental landscape. Back on the river, it wasn't until day three of the trip that white-water started to become a regular thing, and I flipped out of my "ducky" (a single-person inflatable kayak) at the first sign of turbulence. But, as more and more Class III rapids assaulted us, I was surprised at how easy they were to deal with if you follow the river guide's advice. On day four, we hit our first Class III/IV rapids. One of them, Redside, is regarded as one of the 50 classic rapids in the US, so it was with no small measure of trepidation that I approached it alone in a duckie. All I could really see of it was a vague blur of white water and what followed was a good deal of bouncing around and a thorough soaking. Shooting a rapid of this size appears to boil down to a combination of anxiety and adrenalin, with, ideally, the adrenalin winning out and taking you through. It's only afterwards that you realise it was also fun. It's also a sobering thought that only 30 years ago this was still pioneer territory as far as kayakers and rafters were concerned, and even today only limited numbers are allowed on the Middle Fork each year during the June-September white-water season, so you're still very much in a part of the world that relatively few others have travelled through. The next day was different - shafts of hot sunlight beamed down from above the canyon walls to glimmer off the deep and fast flowing green waters, a noticeable change from the clear, shallow river upstream where you could see each rock beneath the surface and trout feeding on the bottom. Today's rapids would be nearly all Class III, some approaching IV, and at Devil's Tooth Rapids, I was unceremoniously flicked out of my ducky by a wave - more a solid wall of water, actually. But the swim was fun, my pride wasn't hurt, and I'd go back any time and do it again - as would every other member of our group. And if you bear in mind that this was anything but the Red Bull generation taking on one of America's best white-water challenges, it's pretty safe to say that rafting is a sport for anyone who doesn't mind getting wet. Getting there The easiest way to reach the Middle Fork of the Salmon is from Boise, the capital of Idaho. Flights from the UK cost from £435 plus airport tax (North-South Travel, 01245 608291). From Boise, you can take an air taxi to the town of Stanley (from where you travel to the put-in point) then back from Salmon (the take-out point) for $195 (£135), or hire a car for the three-hour drive to Stanley. However, the car will then have to be shuttled to Salmon for you to pick up, which adds another $80 to the bill. River guides River Odysseys West (ROW, PO Box 579, Couer d'Alene, Idaho 83816-0579, tel: 001 208 765 0841, e-mail info@ rowinc.com), based in Couer d'Alene, organises white- water rafting trips from mid-June to mid-September, and a six-day rafting trip, including food, camping gear and transport to and from the put-in point costs $1,445 -$1,525. Vessels provided include a sweep boat, which goes ahead each day with all the equipment to set up camp before your arrival; an oar boat, which sits high out of the water and allows you to relax while the guide controls the boat; a six-person paddle boat which requires you and fellow paddlers to do the work; and single-person inflatable kayaks, or duckies, which are easy to fall out of. You can take turns to ride in whichever of the three takes your fancy. You can run the river independently, but a permit is required and these are limited in number and awarded by lottery. For details on permits, contact Middle Fork Ranger District, PO Box 750 Chalis, Idaho 8326. Where to stay ROW arranges accommodation for the night before and after the trip in Stanley and Salmon. However, if you want something a little different, try spending your first night at the Sawtooth Hotel, Ace of Diamonds Avenue, Stanley (you won't have trouble finding it as there are only about four unpaved streets in this classic western mountain town). Comfortable but basic rooms cost from $38 per night and staying here will have you feeling like an extra from High Plains Drifter. Other activities The region really is an outdoor paradise and there's enough to keep even the most energetic going for a lifetime - hiking, biking, horse riding, fishing, hunting, lounging around in the area's many hot springs.Don't expect museums, galleries and trendy coffee houses though. For more details on travelling in Idaho, contact Rocky Mountain International, PO Box 13652, London SW5 0ZR, tel: 09063 640655 (e-mail [email protected]). River classifications Class 1: very easy Class II: easy. Waves up to three feet; some manoeuvering required. Class III: medium - rapids with numerous high, irregular waves capable of swamping an open canoe. Class IV: difficult - long, difficult rapids, powerful waves, dangerous rocks, boiling eddies, constricted passages. Class V: very difficult - long, violent rapids, which pose a significant hazard to life in the event of a mishap. Class VI: limit of navigation - rarely run and a definite hazard to life. Canoeing and kayaking holidays Water sports holidays

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A day out in the East Riding Waterlilies on the lake at Burnby Hall I had a friend, Troy Marden from Nashville, Tennessee, staying at the weekend, and on Sunday took him out for a trip round the East Riding of Yorkshire, south and east of here. First stop was Burnby Hall in Pocklington, where the famous feature is a lake with an extensive collection of waterlilies, but it is set in pleasant and well-maintained grounds with a diversity of different garden styles. The waterlilies were looking lovely, with many classic cultivars forming big patches, but although it's National Plant Collection of Nymphaea it is sadly lacking in modern cultivars, so by no means displays the full spectrum of colours and habits. There is an excellent little museum there too, commemorating the life and travels of Major Percy Stewart and his wife Katharine, former owners of the Hall and creators of the lake and gardens. Nymphaea 'Juliana' I've never seen such a floriferous Romneya coulteri as this patch in the Victorian Garden at Burnby Hall - quite magnificent. It was a great surprise to see Incarvillea olgae in the Victorian Garden - it's a very unusual plant. The next port of call was Mires Beck Nursery, North Cave, which grows both ornamental perennials and a very wide assortment of native wildflowers sourced from Yorkshire stock. We've had many thousands of their plugs to put in at the arboretum, but I'd never visited the nursery, and I needed to pick up some cowslips, so it was a good opportunity to look in. Mires Beck is far more than just a nursery, being a registered charity offering work and training for people with learning difficulties and other disabilities, and in addition to the usual appurtenances of a nursery there are several nicely kept garden areas and a modern building with a big hall. It's definitely a cause worthy of support and we will continue to buy our wildflowers from them. A planter at Mires Beck Nursery with an attractive combination of native and 'garden' plants - Euphorbia myrsinites being most conspicuous. Burton Agnes Hall from the east. The globe sculpture in the pool spins round, slowly and elegantly . From Mires Beck we made our way to Burton Agnes Hall, situated in the Wolds between Driffield and Bridlington. It's a beautiful brick-built Elizabethan/Jacobean house, dating to 1598-1610, and has some beautiful architectural features and superb interiors.Most remarkable of all is the extraordinary art collection, with works by an array of great artists across the centuries, and some very fine work by less well-known painters too. As an indication of the quality the interpretation panels don't even mention the Renoir or Gauguin. The site is intimate - no vast park here, with the walled garden close by the house, outbuildings and church not far away, and a beautiful Jacobean gatehouse at the main entrance. Adjacent to the house e are lawns and clipped topiary, with a formal pool on the east side, but the walled garden is the centrepiece. Divided into various sections, it is full of interest and diversity, and very charming, but one feels it's past its best and needs refreshing. A thorough overhaul of the large shrubs would be a good start. But the potager is actively maintained, with good vegetables coming on amongst lots of annuals. A fringe of hydrangeas around the skirt of the house complement the mellow brickwork. The house through a fringe of hollyhocks in the walled garden. There is no ornamental plant with foliage of this colour and magnificence - we need to bring red cabbages into foliage schemes. It was good to see a fine patch of the old Sahin selection of Amaranthus cruentus, 'Hot Biscuits' and I was delighted to see handsome specimens of Dipsacus laciniatus, having a liking for teasels... The penultimate stop of the day was the chalk cliffs of Flamborough Head, still with abundant kittiwakes on their nests, and gannets flying past in files. A huddle of harebells on the very edge of the cliff. And finally - the Rudston monolith, the tallest (7.6 m) Neolithic standing stone in Britain, also reputed to have a dinosaur footprint visible, but this takes a bit of imagining. Nice plants in my parents' garden Crinum x powellii 'Album'. In the early '90s I remarked to Primrose Warburg that we'd had two stems on this, to which she replied that she thought she'd had forty on hers (planted at the foot of her washing line post). I had an hour or so at my parents' home in Maidenhead yesterday afternoon, and took some iPad snaps of plants looking good in the garden. Most of the planting there was put in by me in the 1990s, and it is interesting to see how permanent some plants are while others have faded away over the years. It is a warm, south-facing plot in a very mild area, on well-drained loam, so it's a very favourable site for plants that are not reliably hardy in colder areas. Agapanthus praecox, grown from seed from plants that grew in my garden in Tanzania. It has been hardy here for about twenty years. Allium senescens and Eryngium bourgatii 'Oxford Blue' A mystery Allium that has appeared - thoughts on identity are welcome! A nice combination in my mother's planter of Aeonium 'Zwartkop' and Plectranthus argentatus Fresh fronds of Polypodium interjectum 'Cornubiense' forming a lush carpet Lavatera cashemiriana came from Chris Chadwell in 1991 and maintains itself by self-sowing modestly. Myrtus communis, originally grown from a cutting liberated from a garden in Charmouth, Dorset, in 1982. Myrtus communis 'Variegata' is generally said to be tender, but this has been unscathed here since it was planted in 1991, justr like its plain counterpart. It was grown from a cutting supplied from the Oxford Botanic Garden for the plant propagation class in my Botany course in 1987. Cynanchum sp. - a curiosity as a hardy, climbing asclepiad, with tiny almost black flowers, followed by typical pairs of capsules looking like inflated horns , with silky-haired seed. It sows around, but doesn't really warrant its space. Ivy Broomrape, Orobanche hederae, on ivy roots in a dry border by the drive. A fun plant that parasitises only ivy so can't do any harm to anything else - and the ivy copes perfectly well.

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OUR SITES IN NEW ZEALAND Tongariro National Park SOUTH EAST ASIA | OCEANIA AUSTRALIA, CAMBODIA, INDONESIA, LAOS, MALAYSIA, NEW ZEALAND, PHILIPPINES, THAILAND, VIET NAM, SOLOMON ISLANDS, MYANMAR, PAPUA NEW GUINEA, SINGAPORE, Tongariro National Park PREV NEXT Tongariro National Park (Hide) In 1993 Tongariro became the first property to be inscribed on the World Heritage List under the revised criteria describing cultural landscapes. The mountains at the heart of the park have cultural and religious significance for the Maori people and symbolize the spiritual links between this community and its environment. The park has active and extinct volcanoes, a diverse range of ecosystems and some spectacular landscapes. Photographer : Chris Morton (New Zealand) This site is featured as one of the fifty in the new "Places of Wonder & Discovery" book. See "Our Books" page

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Pretty as a picture - 18 May 2008 The focus of the day was the Chiltern Hills Vintage Vehicle Rally at a little place called Weston Turville, some 33 miles northwest of home.Having had a look at the huge range of vintage and classic cars, military vehicles, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, tractors and a few traction engines, we left the hustle and bustle of the show and set out for a quiet walk in the countryside.The Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union Canal was only a mile or so due north of the place where the Show was held but we had to walk away from it for about a mile before we could pick up a footpath heading north.We have often been amused by the fact that footpaths go right through farmyards but today’s footpath took us through the rear section of a private garden. It was clearly marked but, neverthless, one felt quite odd wandering through.Just before the canal we passed through a Rare Breeds Park and then finally arrived on the towpath. There were 6 brick arch bridges over the canal along the 2 mile stretch, only one of them with a road over it, the rest, presumably, were just farm access points.Leaving the canal, we headed south back to the Show area, having completed just over 7 miles past hedgerows and through fields ablaze with blossom and wild flowers. Chilterns, Kelmscott Manor - 11 May 2008 Our Saturday outing up through Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds did not quite go according to plan so we did not manage to visit the places on our intended itinerary. Nevertheless it was beautiful day to be out enjoying a lovely part of the UK countryside and quaint villages like Faringdon.Sunday was another stunning spring day and we motored from Stratton to Kelmscott through a string of cute villages: Barnsley, Ampney Crucis, Ampney St Mary, Poulton, Down Ampney, Castle Eaton, Hannington, Fairford, Eastleach Martin and finally Kelmscott.Kelmscott Manor is an Elizabethan farmhouse that became surplus to the owner’s requirements and was let on a long-term tenancy to William Morris of “Arts & Crafts Movement” fame.It is now preserved as he left it with many of his prints, papers and fabrics on display. Berlin sights - 5 May 2008 The guidebooks warn of long queues at the Reichstag, so we set off nice and early to get ourselves in place near the head of the queue. The wait was not too long and soon we were enjoying the walk up the double helix spiral ramp that takes visitors to the top of the new dome, designed by Norman Foster, for a panoramic view across Berlin.Leaving the Reichstag we visited the Brandenburg Gate and the nearby Holocaust Memorial before strolling along Unter den Linten to Museum Island. From the end of Museum Island it is a short walk to the New Synagogue now with a restored domeA guidebook told us that the 100 bus gave as good a tour of the Berlin sights as a tourist bus so we took the 200 bus to the zoo to catch the 100 bus and ride the route back to town. This afforded us a quick trip through Tiergarten and then back, through the centre, to Alexanderplatz.From there it was a two-stop train ride to the stop for the East Side Gallery. A 1300m long section of the Wall that is now covered, both sides, with graffiti, making it the longest canvas in the world.Some of the original graffiti is quite good but unfortunately the graffiti has been graffitied and now the whole thing is quite tattyReturning to Alexanderplatz we book a tram to the river to catch a 1-hour long boat cruise that gave quite a different perspective on the city and some of its striking new architecture.With the last of the beautiful afternoon still remaining we set off to find the Otto Weidt Museum. Here, in the actual building where Otto ran a brush factory employing blind and deaf Jews, is told the story of how he protected so many Jews from the Nazis for so long. The usual stories of betrayal by informers, lucky escapes, and tragic murders in the camps are related in the simple and bare rabbit warren of the old factory premises.Then it was back to our neighbourhood riverside cafe for dinner - before heading for the airport.It would be a very hardened tourist who could visit Berlin and not be moved by the reminders that exist in so many parts of the city: Checkpoint Charlie; random sections of the Wall; the line of the wall set into the roadways and footpaths; the Topography of Terrors; the Holocaust Memorial; the Jewish Museum; Otto’s factory and so on and although Berlin is a city that is clearly looking to the future, its past will always be present.An interesting tale relates to the construction of the TV tower at Alexanderplatz. Intended as a symbol of Communist supremacy it remains the second tallest structure in Europe. At a time when the atheistic leaders of the DDR were busy removing crosses from the domes and spires of churches in Eastern Germany, this tower (erected in 1969 with Swedish know-how) unintentionally became the tallest spire in the land. The tessellated surface of the sphere had the effect of creating a giant cross when the sun shone on it earning it the cynical title of The Pope’s Revenge. Potsdam - 4 May 2008 Not far from Berlin is Potsdam, the area that the rulers retreated to in summer.A large area around the Schloss Sanssouci (Castle “without a care”) has been turned into a park that contains a number of historic attractions. There is the ‘New’ Palace with its grand servants’ quarters (now a university building); a historic windmill; the Chinese Teahouse; Schloss Charlottenhof; Roman Baths; the Orangerie; the ‘New’ Rooms; the Bildergalerie; the Belvedere; and Schloss Sanssouci itself.A day-ticket affords entry to them all (except the university buildings) and as they are spread over 287 hectares, there is a fair bit of ground to cover to get the full ticket value.Once again, we were warned about the queues so started the day with the main attraction, Schloss Sanssouci, the oldest building in the complex, started by Frederick the Great in 1747. As well as the main staterooms one gets to visit the kitchen and the Ladies Wing. Frederick was very keen on the Rococo style so the entire place is entirely over-the-top Rococo ostentation.One practical feature were wooden boards set into the tile floor alongside the kitchen worktops. Presumably to reduce the effect of standing on a hard, cold, floor all day: a nice touch.From there, it was a quick trip up and down the mill which, whilst on the historic site, was entirely rebuilt in 1993 after destruction in 1945. Just below the Mill is the Neue Kammern, an original orangery converted in to a guest wing: another feast for the eyes.Climbing back up the hill there is the current orangery, the largest palace in the complex and while it is an orangery on one side, it is anything but on the other. The palace contains a room full of copies of Raphael paintings and the climb to the tower is worth it for the view over the park and environs.In the northwest corner of the park is the partly restored Belvedere and from there we headed south to the Neue Palais, or New Palace. (it was ‘new’ in 1763) This ornate baroque building is one of Germany’s most beautiful palaces. Again, the interior is Rococo writ large.Further south down one of the long avenues we found the turning to head east, across the hippodrome – which hasn’t seen horse in a long while – to the delightful little Schloss Charlottenhof, built in 1829 for the heir to the throne, later King Fredrick Wilhelm IV.It is a intimate Roman villa with a most unusual Tent Room made of striped canvas to give the illusion of being in a tent.The day was going quickly so it was a quick peek at the Roman Baths and the Chinese Teahouse before heading back up to the Bildergalerie, Germany’s oldest purpose built museum building. Once again Fredrick’s taste in baroque and rococo are stamped all over it and it would be worth visiting even if it had no paintings on the wall. Beautifully restored it simply gleams with gold leaf.Tired but satisfied, we collapsed into a bus for a short trip to Potsdam town centre. It was here, in 1945 that Germany was carved up by the Allies. At the far end of the pedestrianised main street we could see the spire of Peter and Paul Church. We have been into hundreds of chapels, churches, abbeys and cathedrals but this one was unique in the decoration. Berlin and the Wall - 3 May 2008 Being of the generation that lived through the period of the construction of the Iron Curtain; its evolution to its final form in the 3.6m high concrete Berlin Wall; and the oft repeated news stories of escapes to the West, successful or unsuccessful, we would have laughed at the thought that one day we would be sitting in an apartment in East Berlin overlooking alfresco diners at cafes on the banks of the River Spee; but, due to the momentous events in November 1989, that is exactly where we found ourselves this weekend.As the day dawned overcast we decided that Checkpoint Charlie should be our first visit of the day so we set off for the 'border' and the Checkpoint Charlie MuseumThe idea that those in power feel so threatened that they have to imprison their citizens seems so anachronistic to those of us fortunate enough to have always enjoyed democracy and freedom and the displays at the Checkpoint Charlie Museum highlight the grim reality for those who found them selves on the wrong side of a line drawn on a map following WWII.From the Museum we followed the line of the Wall to the Topography of Terrors, the remains of The SS headquarters, besides which there is preserved a section of the Wall in the state it was in 1989 when the jubilant citizens were busily dismantling it with whatever tools came to hand.By then we were close to Potsdamer Platz so visited the striking new Sony Centre, one of the many examples of stunning modern architecture that pepper Berlin today.After lunch we set off to catch a bus to the Zoo only to find that we were, once again, victims of a bus strike so, instead, we took the train to Charlottenburg Palace and walked the formal gardens and parkTo complete the day of remembering and reviewing recent history we visited the Jewish Museum. This jagged building is thoroughly confusing to walk through. Though you ‘know’ it is vaguely linear, with a large slashed void through the space, the exhibits are laid out in such a way that you soon lose any idea of where you are or the direction you may be facing.Apart from being an amazing piece of design and construction, it is extremely interesting and poignant. In the large ‘void’ there was a most moving art installation entitled Fallen Leaves and the public is encouraged to walk over this. It consisted of hundreds of stylised faces of all shapes and sizes, hand cut from various thicknesses of steel plate and these clanked against one another as people walked across them.

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Advertisement Advertisement Current Generation Lives Two Years Longer than Last Fri, 09/13/2013 - 12:14pm Comments by Average Americans today can look forward to two more years of healthy life than they could have just a generation ago, Harvard researchers have found. By synthesizing the data collected in government-sponsored health surveys conducted over recent decades, Susan Stewart, a researcher at the National Bureau of Economic Research, David Cutler, the Otto Eckstein Professor of Applied Economics and professor in the Harvard Department of Global Health and Population, and Allison Rosen, associate professor of quantitative health sciences at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, were able to measure how the quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALE) of Americans has changed over time. The study’s findings are described in a paper published in the American Journal of Public Health. “What we’re talking about in this study is not simply life expectancy, but quality-adjusted life expectancy,” Stewart says. “Many studies have measured this in different ways, but this is really the first time we’ve been able to measure it in the entire U.S. population using such a rich measure over a long period.” For the most part, the news is good. The study shows that Americans are healthier than ever. The data show people living longer and reporting more energy, less depression and anxious moods, and less impairment in everyday tasks like walking and caring for themselves. All of the groups examined— blacks, whites, females and males— showed improved quality-adjusted life expectancy. The health improvements were, however, more concentrated among the elderly. Younger people did not show the same declines in walking problems and pain, the study found, and there was an increase in anxious mood among young and middle-aged people in the 2000s. “Ironically, many of the clearest gains have come at older ages, where people were once disabled by things like vision problems and cardiovascular disease,” Cutler says. “Those conditions today are far more treatable than they were in the past, so what we’re left with at the very oldest ages are things like Alzheimer’s and dementia, while at younger ages we’re seeing problems that appear to be related to a sedentary lifestyle.” “Some of the improvements are almost certainly the result of health care improvements,” he added. “There are a number of conditions, such as heart disease, that used to be very, very impairing. It used to be that after a severe heart attack, people would essentially be bed-ridden, or they would wind up in nursing homes. We’re not seeing that very much anymore.” What has taken the place of cardiovascular disease, Cutler says, are chronic, degenerative conditions, like Alzheimer’s, that remain largely untreatable. “We’re coming to where those are the dominant health issues reported for the elderly, rather than heart disease or stroke-related impairment,” he says. To capture this long-term snapshot of the nation’s health, Stewart, Cutler, and Rosen took on a daunting challenge that had stymied researchers. “No one has been able to fully get their hands around this question,” Cutler says. “There are many examples in the literature where a study looks at some aspects of health in a segment of the population, but there has not been consistent detailed health tracking over time. “What we’re trying to do is measure health beyond the simple measure of life expectancy, so what we set out to measure was health-related quality of life,” he added. “But historically that’s been very difficult to measure because there are so many dimensions to it. There’s the physical and the mental, but there are also aspects like energy, vitality, and pain. To try to bring all those together in a single number is challenging.” Beginning with national surveys that asked Americans about their health in various ways over the last 21 years, the researchers identified areas where studies overlapped, allowing them to build a single, large data set that represented the entire population over more than two decades. “We felt that there is all this data out there, let’s try to make the maximum use of the information the federal government has already paid to collect,” Stewart says. “There have been many calls for some sort of consistent way to measure quality-adjusted life expectancy over time. That’s the major methodological contribution of this paper.” While the study offers interesting insights into the past performance and current state of the health care system, Cutler says its value will increase in the next few years when a number of provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including the individual health care mandate, take effect. “Part of the reason we want to do this type of study is because we need to know what’s happening to the health of the population,” he says. “That information is valuable in and of itself, but it’s also important that we have a baseline that we can use to measure whether and how things change once the ACA goes into effect.” In some ways, Cutler says, the study parallels the work of Harvard economist Simon Kuznets, who constructed national income accounts through 1930s and ’40s. Though not perfect, the measure of gross domestic product is a vital tool that provides an understanding of how the economy is doing; it offers researchers a window through which they can study a host of important questions related to the national economy. Cutler says he wanted a comprehensive study of QALE that would do the same for the health care system. “It’s laying the foundation for allowing us to determine how to get more of what we want from the health care system,” he says. “It gives us a window into something we were never able to see— until now.” “The ultimate output of the system should be health,” Stewart says. “But we didn’t have a mechanism for measuring the output of the health system. That was our ultimate goal in doing this. We weren’t trying to come up with yet another health measure, because there are already so many out there. We were trying to maximize our use of the existing data to enable measurement of whether the system is delivering health.” Source: Harvard University Advertisement Advertisement View the discussion thread. Connect with Bioscience Technology Facebook

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Traveller's Tales: Bonita Norris by Condé Nast Traveller Mon 8 May 2017, 18:30 – 20:30 BST Mon 8 May 2017 Annabel's 44 Berkeley Square London W1J 5QB United Kingdom View Map Come and meet inspirational adventurer Bonita Norris in conversation with Condé Nast Traveller contributing editor Michelle Jana Chan at Annabel's, the famed private members' club that has welcomed everyone from Princess Diana to Frank Sinatra and Kate Moss. Norris's ascent to the top has been rapid. In 2008, her life changed after a Royal Geographical Society lecture by Everest mountaineers Kenton Cool and Dr Rob Casserley. Despite having no previous experience, Norris left thinking 'I'm going to climb Everest'. Two years later, she did. The champ has also trekked to the North Pole and scaled technically more difficult and fourth highest peak Mount Lhotse. Last year, she attempted to become the first British woman to tackle K2 and live to tell the tale - although it was a close shave, when life-threatening altitude sickness meant she had to be rescued by helicopter. Norris is now working on a book, Savage Mountain, about her journey from novice to the top of the world. She joins a roll-call of fascinating explorers, including Levison Wood and Colonel John Blashford-Snell, who have taken park in our Traveller's Tales Series, sharing behind-the-scenes stories in an intimate setting. Tickets are £35 and include a Plymouth Gin cocktail and canapés. To book a table for supper at Annabel's after the talk, email [email protected]. 44 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 5QB, United Kingdom

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By RealWireContributor profile | More stories Southall Travel’s Managing Director Presented with ITT’s Odyssey Award (Before It's News)London, United Kingdom, 31 October 2016: Buckinghamshire based Travel Company Southall Travel’s Managing Director Mr. Kuljinder Bahia has been honoured with the Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT)’s Odyssey Award in recognition of his contribution to the travel and tourism industry. Mr. Bahia was presented the highly coveted award at the ITT’s 60th Anniversary Party at London’s Dorchester Hotel on Park Lane. The gala event replaced the usual annual ITT President’s Dinner. There was a welcome reception, a three-course dinner and entertainment from Britain’s Got Talent runners-up swing band Jack Pack. Some of the industry’s biggest names were part of the night. In an interview which was featured recently on the ITT’s newsletter, Mr. Bahia said his proudest moment had been “surpassing the £500 million annual turnover figure from our initial £500,000 20 years ago.” “Although the number itself is a milestone, it’s more what it represents in establishing our team as one of the most significant travel providers in the market,” he continued. The honour comes close on the heels of Southall Travel being ranked at the 17th position in the prestigious Sunday Times Grant Thornton Top Track 250 league table that ranks Britain’s private mid-market growth companies with the biggest sales. Southall Travel is one of the largest travel companies in the UK and has a proven track record of consistent commercial success. In January, the company acquired a large office in the exclusive commercial district of Mayfair, London. The move is part of the growth plans and will provide suitable meeting facilities for the company’s business partners and suppliers. The Odyssey Award is among the most prestigious honours in the field of travel and tourism. The award is presented only if the Board of the ITT feels an individual meets the remarkably high criteria. Previous winners of the Odyssey Award include Sir Richard Branson, Manny Fontenla-Novoa, Harry Goodman, Peter Long and John Hays. Hoi An 2016 – The Essence Hoi An New Orleans Food in Pictures (part 2) Travel Intermediaries Business in China Signature Halloween Dishes From Around The World Travel Insurance Market Report with Key Vendors, Driver, Challenges & Trends to 2016-2020 Review: Travelon’s Urban N/S Tablet Messenger Bag Hoi An 2016 – From the River New Cool Up-and-Coming Travel Gadgets – October Haunted Bars in the U.S. Car Rentals Market in India

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A Bit About Jacksonville Florida’s Discovery Jacksonville is considered one of the large cities in the United States of America. It is found in the state of Florida. It lies on a total surface area of land mass of 2265 square kilometers. Of this total surface area, 1935 square kilometers is land mass while the water body mass is 330 square kilometers. It has a large percentage of water body as part of it. The elevation of Jackson is at 5 meters above sea level. Geographically, it is located on 30 degrees 20’N 81 degrees 39’W of the longitudes and latitudes. This city is mostly centered on the banks of St John’s River and 40 kilometer south of Georgia and approximately 550 kilometers north of Miami. There are Jacksonville beaches communities which are located along the Atlantic coast which is adjacent to it. The History of how Jacksonville in Florida came into existence Jacksonville is one of the largest cities in the United States of America. It is found in Florida. It is the county seat of a county called Duval. In 2500BC some fragments of pottery were found and discovered by a research team from the University of North Florida. The likely original name of Jacksonville was Ossachitte. Timucua people, a coastal group, were the likely first inhabitants of this area which later came to be known as Jacksonville. The Europeans who first arrived in the area established the first European settlement which was called Fort Caroline. It was on the St John’s River. Later on, a Spanish force which was their neighbors attacked them and killed almost all the French soldiers who were defending this settlement. A construction of the fort was thus established at the St John’s River. The British constructed a road connecting St. Augustine to Georgia. The road was named King’s Road. Cattle were brought across the river at a point where the road narrowly joined to St John’s River. T his joint was called Cow Ford. The Britons introduced agricultural products making the region to grow economically more than when it was inhabited by the Spanish. As a result of this, the population experienced a steady increase. The Americans who were staying on the northern side of Cow Ford decided to organize themselves and formed a city. They gave this city the name Jacksonville naming it after Andrew Jackson. Jacksonville was a key point in the supply of cattle during the American civil war. These were being transported from Florida by ship. During this war, the leadership changed hands amongst union and confederate forces. Because of these frequent changes and war the city was disorganized from the original plan and it therefore needed reorganization. As the city was restructuring after the war, it became a popular resort over the winter for the rich, popular and famous personalities. This slowly graduated to a popular tourism center that was accessible by road and water. Steam boats and rails alike were used to transport tourists to this location. Up to date, it is a major tourist destination for both locals and foreigners alike. About the Author: : Blonde Girl Homebuyers 3948 3rd St S # 134 We specialize in buying properties for cash and closing fast.

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Marine Investigation Report M04L0066 The Transportation Safety Board of Canada (TSB) investigated this occurrence for the purpose of advancing transportation safety. It is not the function of the Board to assign fault or determine civil or criminal liability. View document in PDFYou need a PDF reader to access this file. Find out more on our help page. Inflatable River Raft Magog River Sherbrooke, Quebec On 19 June 2004, a public activity day featuring a rafting excursion was organized on the Magog River in Sherbrooke, Quebec. The first raft left with nine passengers and a guide aboard. Less than one minute after departing, the raft struck a rock and capsized, sending all occupants into the water. The guide and two passengers quickly climbed onto the overturned raft, which continued its descent. Two other passengers were able to cling to rocks, and a fifth passenger was recovered upstream from the last ledge. Carried by the current, three other passengers descended the river and reached the raft that, following its descent, was purposely run aground on the bank downstream from the rapids. A ninth passenger remained stuck and submerged under a rock 5 m downstream from the point of capsizing. He was found some 1 hour and 30 minutes later and pronounced dead at the hospital. Ce rapport est également disponible en français. Other Factual Information Particulars of the Raft Self-bailing river raft Length1 Star Inflatables 1 guide Description of the Raft The raft is 2 m wide. It is constructed of a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)2-based synthetic fibre. The exterior tube, which is divided into four buoyancy chambers, is angled slightly upward at both front and back. The main flotation tube and interior cross tubes are approximately 0.5 m in diameter. Transverse rigidity is accomplished by the three cross tubes fastened to the main tube with hooks and rope. The outer perimeter of the main tube has a nylon rope grab line. Photo 1. Front view of raft Photo 2. View of underside of raft The raft floor is removable and has its own air chamber. The perimeter of the raft floor has a series of grommet-reinforced holes that are used to secure it to the main tube with rope. This configuration allows any water entering the raft to drain quickly. A PVC foot brace is fastened to the floor at the back and serves as a fulcrum and brace for the guide. The passengers sit on top of the exterior tube, with their legs inside the raft. To stabilize themselves, passengers wedge their feet into the space between the floor, the cross tubes and the main tube; there are no foot braces for the passengers. However, passengers can position themselves at the front of the raft, kneel down on the raft floor and hold on with their hands. On 19 June 2004, nine passengers and one guide were aboard the raft. Eight passengers were seated on the main tube, four on each side, and the ninth passenger was at the front. The guide was seated on the main tube at the back. Flowing from Memphrémagog Lake, the Magog River is the source for the Magog and Des Nations lakes and then flows into the Saint-François River, a short distance from Sherbrooke's city centre (see Appendix A). At 30 km in length, the Magog River has seven hydroelectric powerplants. The section between the last of these dams, the Abénakis Dam, and the Saint-François River is approximately 1 km long, the first 500 m of which abounds with rapids and falls (see Figure 1). Figure 1. Sherbrooke city centre. From point A, the Abénakis Dam, to point B, the rapids extend some 500 m. Point C shows the mouth of the Magog River where the PFD and paddle were recovered. Saint-François Park, point D, was the meeting place for participants. Map from the Sherbrooke, Cité des rivières Web site at www.citedesrivieres.com, accessed 19 October 2005. (It does not exist in English.) Rivières en fête! – Rafting on the Magog and Saint-François rivers Sherbrooke, Cité des rivières is a corporation formed in 1999 with a mandate to start and operate a river-themed project in Sherbrooke to promote and enhance the recreation and tourism potential of the Magog and Saint-François rivers. As part of its mandate, on 19 June 2004, between 1000 and 1700, the corporation held a public activity day at Esplanade Frontenac and Place des Moulins. The activity featured a rafting excursion on the Magog River, between the Abénakis Dam and the Saint-François River. Two trips were offered: a family excursion in calm waters at the mouth of the Magog and Saint-François rivers and a whitewater excursion for adults that departed from the foot of the Abénakis Dam. Preparation for the Rafting Activity Following a call for tenders from four companies, the Sherbrooke, Cité des rivières corporation awarded the tender for the rafting excursion to an outdoor activity company that specialized in whitewater rafting. The owner of the rafting company made a first exploratory site visit in February 2004, followed by a second visit to the site on 11 June 2004. During the second visit with a representative of Hydro-Sherbrooke, the extent to which the gate of the Abénakis Dam would be opened to produce the appropriate level of water and flow needed for the raft descent was determined. On that day, three experienced guides, accompanied by the owner, made two descents of the river without incident (see Photo 3). Furthermore, the second descent included a member of one of the corporations of the city of Sherbrooke as a passenger. During the site assessment on 11 June 2004, the owner of the rafting company and personnel that accompanied him concluded that there was no significant risk in rafting on the Magog River because: the flow of the river could be controlled as needed; the characteristics of the river were suitable for rafting; and the two descents made that day were successful. Experienced in this field, the company usually operates on a river that is much more dangerous than the Magog River. The abilities and experience on larger rivers of the guide who led the first descent were well known. Thus it was concluded that the river presented no significant risk and the possibility of capsizing was negligible. Following good practice, the crew placed emergency personnel at a strategic point on the river, ready to intervene in an emergency. Photo 3. Abénakis Dam in background. The main route from point A to point B shows the descent taken on 11 June 2004. The secondary route to point C shows the route taken on the 19 June 2004 descent. Point D is the rock struck by the raft. Point E is the rock under which the passenger was found. Photo taken on 22 June 2004. Description of the Descent On 19 June 2004, rafting company personnel arrived early at the site. The guides started the day by walking along the river as a final assessment prior to starting the activity. Meanwhile, at Saint-François Park, the meeting point of the participants, other team members prepared the equipment. To kick off the activity, local Sherbrooke area dignitaries and personalities were invited to make the first descent. At 0915, upon their arrival at Saint-François Park, the passengers filled out registration cards, the first section of which was for identification and health status information and the second section explained the risks involved in rafting and included a waiver to be signed by passengers stating that they assumed the risks. Once this first step was completed, the equipment was distributed to passengers, and personnel checked to ensure that the equipment was donned and adjusted properly. A first series of instructions on the activity about to take place was given to passengers. The first two groups to descend the river were transported by bus from Saint-François Park to the Abénakis Dam. During the bus trip, safety instructions were given to passengers. Upon arrival at the dam, some passengers helped the guides place the rafts in the water at the foot of the dam. Before going to the river, everyone was assembled for final instructions. The information provided to passengers during these three briefings addressed the following: the safety procedures to be followed; the various risks involved in rafting and the main dangers to expect during the descent; the position and role of the on-site emergency team in recovering persons who may have been thrown overboard; what each passenger could do to recover a person in the water; and manoeuvre techniques and paddling orders. Before starting the activity, the Hydro-Sherbrooke official, in consultation with the owner of the rafting company, adjusted the gate, which resulted in an increase in the level and flow of water into the river downstream from the dam. Once the owner was satisfied with the river conditions, the first raft was allowed to depart. Upon starting the descent, at approximately 1035, the guide directed the raft toward the centre of the river. The raft bypassed a first obstacle and then began to pick up speed, propelled by the river's main current. With 10 persons aboard, the raft was heavy and reacted slowly to the guide's manoeuvres. Less than 30 seconds later, the left side3 of the raft struck a rock. The front left side of the raft lifted out of the water, while the back right side sank. The raft quickly took on water on the right side and capsized, throwing the guide and passengers overboard. The guide immediately climbed on top of the overturned raft. With the help of passengers who were still in the water, the guide succeeded in boarding two persons along with him and continued descending the river, carried by the current. Two passengers clung to rocks, while four others were carried by the current. One passenger was recovered before the final ledge4 by a member of the emergency team; the other passengers swam to the foot of the two class III+ ledges (see Appendix B). Seeing the raft capsize, the Hydro-Sherbrooke official closed the gate to stem the flow. However, the flow upstream from the dam was not stemmed and, in 10 minutes, the water level reached the top of the dam. The river then overflowed, producing a rapid increase in the water level downstream from the dam. The two passengers who sought refuge by clinging to rocks felt endangered. The upstream passenger was recovered by a guide using a lifeline, while the other let go because of the strong current but was able to swim to the north bank upstream from the last ledge. In all, three passengers were recovered upstream from the two ledges. Approximately three minutes after departure, at about 1038, the guide purposely grounded the raft on the south bank downstream from the last ledge, then righted it. He then recovered the three passengers who swam down the rapids. From his vantage point, he could not see the section of the river where the raft capsized or the emergency team. Without any means of communication aboard the raft, he could not relay to the emergency team the number of persons that he had recovered. He took it for granted that the emergency team would recover the missing passengers. After waiting a few minutes, the guide placed the raft back into the water and departed for Saint-François Park with the five recovered passengers. Upon arrival at the park at approximately 1100, some passengers went to the station for first aid and then left the site without further consideration. The guide immediately radioed a member of the emergency team to report that he had recovered five passengers. After counting the number of passengers recovered upstream of the ledges and the number provided by the guide, it was discovered that one passenger was missing. An attempt was made to locate the missing passenger on the riverbank and in the crowd. There were no clues on the river and it was thought that the missing passenger had already left the area. As a precaution, the departure of the next raft was delayed. At approximately 1110, at Saint-François Park, a guide noticed a paddle floating at the mouth of the Magog River. While attempting to recover the paddle, a personal flotation device (PFD)5 was spotted floating slightly upstream, with its straps still attached. The equipment was recovered and upon returning to the bank, the finding was reported by radio to the emergency team. It was at that point that it was realized that the missing person was likely in danger and that a search of the river must be undertaken. A police officer was notified of the situation and guides and police officers immediately started a search by walking along the banks. A catwalk that hangs over the river was used as an observation station. A few times during the search, there was thought of possibly closing the dam, but no formal or direct order was given in that respect to the dam official. At 1152, the police officer who assisted the emergency team called the emergency dispatch service (911) to report the disappearance. At almost precisely the same moment, the dam official learned from a spectator that a search of the river was under way for one of the passengers. The dam official then took the steps necessary to drain the river bed. The passenger was found at approximately 1205 under a rock about 5 m from the capsizing point. Photo 4. Drained Magog River (water level does not correspond to the level on 19 June 2004). Point A shows the rock where the capsizing occurred. Points B and C show the first and second ledge. Point D shows the location of the emergency team and kayaker. The passenger’s left foot was caught under a rock, and the direction of his body pointed downstream. No helmet or PFD was found on the victim. Just after the raft capsized, the events unfolded so rapidly that the disappearance of the victim was not noticed by the guide, emergency team, raft occupants, passengers, organizers and spectators. History of Canada's Rafting Industry Commercial rafting in Canada started in British Columbia in 1972 and started in Quebec in the early 1980s. Today, rafting is also practised in the Yukon, Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan. According to Transport Canada, Canada has approximately 230 rafting companies that serve over 230 000 customers each year. An outdoor activity is considered a recreational activity by Quebec's Secrétariat au loisir et au sport (Sports and Recreation Secretariat) if it is practised outdoors, is non-competitive and includes a respect for the natural environment. Although rafting is also practised competitively, the rafting activity that took place on 19 June 2004 was considered an outdoor activity. Rarely do individuals purchase the equipment they need for rafting. As such, there is a high level of demand for this type of service. In Quebec, depending on the season, about 20 outfitters share between 40 000 and 50 000 customers per year.6 According to a study published in 2002 by the Chair of Tourism at the Université du Québec à Montréal, [Translation] "the few statistics gathered on rafting reveal that this activity's level of risk is less than we think . . . . The possibility of drowning must however be taken into consideration. . . ." Between 1994 and 2003, offices of the coroner in the Yukon, Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan and Quebec identified a total of 23 deaths in the practice of this sport. On the other hand, in May 2004, Quebec's ministère des Affaires municipales, des Sports et du Loisir (Department of Municipal Affairs, Sports and Recreation) presented an analysis of mortality data from the Office of the Chief Coroner of Quebec in which was compared the rate of mortality caused by recreational and sports-related injuries for several sports and activities practised in Quebec. More specifically, between 1990 and 2002, 5 deaths had been attributed to rafting. In other words, rafting accounted for 0.3 per cent of all deaths resulting from recreational and sports-related injuries during the above-mentioned period. Rafting Regulations Following an accident that resulted in the death of three persons in British Columbia in 1979, Transport Canada introduced in 1981 the River Rafting Standards (TP 8643) and amended the Boating Restriction Regulations by introducing Schedule VI.1 – White Waters for Which a Permit is Required to Operate a Commercial River Raft. The Boating Restriction Regulations require companies wishing to operate a river raft in British Columbia to comply with the parameters of the River Rafting Standards and to hold a permit. At present, Canada has no national Act or regulation that frames the safety aspect of the practice of rafting for the rest of the country. The River Rafting Standards were amended in 1987, following a series of accidents that resulted in the death of 12 persons in British Columbia. In their present form, the standards apply to the following parameters: construction; maximum load capacity; safety equipment that must be aboard; trip leader and guide qualifications; and minimum requirements for operating commercial river rafts. At present, there are no mandatory national regulations that prescribe training and qualifications for rafting guides in Canada. The River Rafting Standards (TP 8643) address the issue, but they are not mandatory across Canada. Besides, most stakeholders consulted were not aware of this legislation. The safety standards issued by the Canadian Rivers Council have a chapter dedicated to guide training and qualifications. Despite the virtual disappearance of the Council, Quebec outfitters continue to adhere to these standards. However, the Council no longer verifies whether these standards are adhered to or if guides are qualified. A consultation with some companies across Canada revealed that, in general, most guides hired have basic or advanced first-aid certification and, in several cases, have had training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Furthermore, most of these companies also require that guides have swiftwater rescue training. Also of note is that these companies provide specific training to new guides on guiding rafts in the rivers on which they operate. Following a series of fatal accidents in 1987, the British Columbia Government developed legislation to set out rafting safety guidelines and implemented the Commercial River Rafting Safety Act, and regulations for implementation. Despite repealing this Act in 2004, all outfitter members of the British Columbia River Outfitters Association have continued to self-regulate based on the spirit of the former Act. Alberta has no regulations governing whitewater rafting. The Jasper National Park Professional River Outfitters Association and the Professional River Outfitters Association of Alberta are two Alberta rafting outfitter associations. These associations gave themselves the mandate to promote rafting safety by applying safety standards they developed for their membership. Some Ontario outfitters apply the Canadian Rivers Council standards. These standards address persons taking part in whitewater rafting, the training and responsibilities of persons who deal with passengers, the organization and sequence of the event, the facilities and equipment used, and the safety services and equipment required. In Quebec, the Loi sur la sécurité dans les sports (Act Respecting Safety in Sports) promotes safety in the practice of physical activity engaged in at the beginner level, for recreation or for competition. Among other things, this Act requires that federations of sports bodies or unaffiliated sports bodies adopt safety regulations on site quality, participant equipment, participant health control and standards for the practice of the sport. The safety regulations for rafting accepted by the Quebec Government for rafting are the Safety Regulations of the Canadian Rivers Council (Rafting). The legislation does not apply to all companies that offer this sport. Moreover, it cannot force a private company to become a member of a federation or sports body and thus enforce the legislation. After determining that this provision of the regulations was insufficient following an accident on the Montmorency River in 1989, a coroner recommended to the Quebec Government that it should [Translation] ". . . grant the Régie7 . . . the power to extend the application of the safety regulations to unaffiliated sports bodies and, at the discretion of the Régie, to the sport practised."8 This recommendation has still not been implemented by the Quebec Government. Following two Quebec rafting accidents in 1992 and 1994, Régie inspectors visited Quebec rafting companies with a view to invite them to better supervise their activities. Suggestions made by the inspectors included becoming members of the Canadian Rivers Council and adhering to its safety standards. Without the restrictions of the Loi sur la sécurité dans les sports (Act Respecting Safety in Sports), most of the outfitters have followed the recommendation. Canadian Rivers Council and Aventure écotourisme Québec Founded as the Eastern Canadian River Outfitters Association in the 1980s, the Canadian Rivers Council was until most recently the only association of Quebec and Ontario rafting companies. In the past few years, however, the number of personnel of this association has been reduced significantly. In Quebec, rafting companies have come under the supervision of Aventure écotourisme Québec, a group of adventure and eco-adventure tourism operators whose mission is to represent and promote the interests of its members to develop a high-quality product. To date, Aventure écotourisme Québec has not developed its own rafting safety regulations but does require member outfitters to adhere to the Canadian Rivers Council standards. Rafting Company Personnel Personnel Distribution On 19 June 2004, nine employees accompanied the company official. For operations to run smoothly, tasks were delegated to each staff member. One employee was in charge of equipment at Saint-François Park and another looked after the bus transportation of participants. Six guides looked after the rafts and passengers; two guides were responsible for the family component of the activity, while four guides were assigned to the whitewater descent. Lastly, the emergency team was composed of a kayaker and a guide with a bag of lifelines. The emergency team focussed its efforts from a site downstream from the first large ledge (see Photo 4). Personnel Qualifications and Experience The rafting company owner had 15 years' experience in rafting, rafting-camping, sea kayaking and family rafting. He had had defibrillation training and held a pleasure craft operator card. He had also had the training necessary to be a swiftwater rescue instructor, a first-aid instructor and a remote area first-aid instructor. The guide in charge of the raft that capsized had 5 years' experience in rafting, rafting-camping, river kayaking and sea kayaking. He held a restricted radio operator's certificate (marine) and a sea kayaking level II certificate. He had also had defibrillation training, first-aid instructor training and remote first-aid instructor training. The other employees had more or less the same training and had between one and five years' experience in rafting. Equipment Lent to Passengers The company lent each passenger a paddle, a safety helmet and a PFD. The PFD the victim was wearing at the time of the accident was adult size "large/XX-large" that provided a buoyant force of 97 newtons (N). It could be worn by a person weighing over 41 kg and was United States Coast Guard-approved. The PFDs and safety helmets used at the time of the accident did not have the seal of approval based on the criteria set out in the River Rafting Standards (TP 8643). The equipment did provide sufficient protection to absorb head impacts and a significant buoyancy reserve, without hindering freedom of movement. It is the type of equipment that is usually used by the rafting industry in Canada and around the world. When the raft capsized, the force of the current most definitely led the body toward and held it under a rock (see photo 3, point E). After death, the passenger's body went into a state of hypotonia, that is, low muscular tension. The constant pressure of the current on the body of the unconscious passenger resulted in the victim losing his helmet and PFD. River Morphology The bed of the Magog River downstream from the Abénakis Dam is covered with rocks which, over the centuries, have been shaped by the water. As such, most of the predominant rocks in this section of the river have seen their bases erode faster than their tops, thereby leaving their bottoms wedge-shaped, pointing downward, like the rock where the passenger was recovered. This particular morphology is conducive to trapping a person who is pushed by the current against such a rock. Further, this section of the river was largely shaped by man over the centuries. In the past, industries harnessed the river's water power for development. Now gone, these structures have nevertheless left their mark in the form of ends of pipes, concrete structures, etc. Thus, on the bed and the banks of the gorge, there are sharp objects that, without apparently having contributed to the accident, represent hazards for the practice of water sports in this section of the river. Description of the Water Flow Control and Level of the Magog River Hydro-Sherbrooke, which was municipalized in 1908, is responsible for dams and hydroelectric powerplants on the Magog River. The service can adjust the water levels on the different bodies of water it manages, for specific needs, while respecting certain required minimum and maximum levels based on local and extraterritorial agreements. During the 19 June 2004 activity, an official from water level control downstream from the Abénakis Dam was assigned to manually operate a gate at the southern extremity of the dam. To ensure that there was always a sufficient quantity of water upstream from the dam, water flow was controlled beginning at Des Nations Lake (see Appendix A) by another official of the system control centre. The two Hydro-Sherbrooke employees were in radio contact at all times during the activity. Preparation for the Descent As is common practice, to make a rafting excursion safer and to make each individual aware of the raft's behaviour in white water, an exercise is completed before departure. Under the guide's direction, passengers learn about manoeuvring a raft as a team and, one by one, jump into the water to acclimatize to the element and to practise rescue manoeuvres. On 19 June 2004, the passengers took part in an information session before departure; however, practising the recovery of persons overboard, team manoeuvres and paddling orders were not carried out before departure. Also, the descent that the guide made was his first on the Magog River; he did not take part in the 11 June 2004 descents. Further, with the exception of one passenger, this was the first whitewater experience for all the other passengers. Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors When assessing the Magog River, it was concluded that there was no great danger and that the risk of capsizing was negligible. Despite holding an information session before departure, practising the recovery of persons overboard, team manoeuvres and paddling orders were not carried out before departure. The raft reacted slowly to manoeuvres performed by the crew and capsized after striking a rock; the guide and all passengers were thrown into the water. Because of a lack of communication between the guide and the emergency team, approximately 25 minutes elapsed before anyone realized that one of the passengers was missing. The guide had never made a descent in this section of the Magog River. Findings as to Risk Canada has no mandatory national regulations that prescribe training and qualification requirements for rafting guides. The River Rafting Standards (TP 8643) do address the subject, but are not mandatory across Canada. Quebec's Loi sur la sécurité dans les sports (Act Respecting Safety in Sports) does not apply directly to the sport practised and cannot force a private company to become a member of a federation or a sports body and thus apply the Act. Other Findings No official and direct order was given to the dam official to close the dam. The particular morphology of the rocks in the Magog River is conducive to trapping a person that is pushed toward them by the current. On the river bed and banks, there are sharp objects that, without apparently having contributed to this accident, represent hazards for the practice of water sports in this section of the river. There is no device to quickly locate a person in difficulty under water. The passenger remained caught under a rock approximately 5 m from the capsizing point and nobody could see him. Safety Action Since the fall of 2003, and unrelated to the Magog River accident of 19 June 2004, Transport Canada has made the proposed Special Purpose Vessels Regulations publicly available. The proposed regulations apply to inflatable boats that carry persons on an excursion for remuneration. The River Rafting Guide Training and Examination Standard (TP 14223) will complement the regulations and will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part I, in early 2006. These initiatives will replace the River Rafting Standards (TP 8643). This report concludes the Transportation Safety Board's investigation into this occurrence. Consequently, the Board authorized the release of this report on 20 October 2005. Appendix A - The Magog River and its Hydroelectric Dams Figure 2. With it's source at Memprémagog Lake, the Magog River feeds Magog Lake and Des Nations Lake and then flows into the St-François River. Appendix B - International Scale of River Difficulty Note: There are slight variations in the international scale of river difficulty in use in various jurisdictions. Easy. Waves small; passages clear; no serious obstacles. Medium. Rapids of moderate difficulty with passages clear. Requires experience plus fair outfit and boat. Difficult. Waves numerous, high, irregular; rocks; eddies; rapids with passages clear though narrow, requiring expertise in manoeuvring; scouting usually needed. Requires good operator and boat. Very difficult. Long rapids; waves high, irregular; dangerous rocks; boiling eddies; best passages difficult to scout; scouting mandatory first time; powerful and precise manoeuvring required. Demands expert boatman and excellent boat and good quality equipment. Extremely difficult. Exceedingly difficult, long and violent rapids, following each other almost without interruption; riverbed extremely obstructed; big drops; violent current; very steep gradient; close study essential but often difficult. Requires best person, boat, and outfit suited to the situation. All possible precautions must be taken. VI (or U) Unrunnable. Appendix C – Glossary kilometre Transport Publication 1. Units of measurement in this report conform to International Maritime Organization (IMO) standards or, where there is no such standard, are expressed in the International System of units. 2. See Glossary at Appendix C for all abbreviations and acronyms. 3. To facilitate understanding, the terms "left side" and "right side" refer to "port" and "starboard" respectively and the words "front" and "back" replace the nautical terms "bow" and "stern" respectively. 4. [Translation] In a body of water where the current is swift, churning and swirling as a result of hydraulic jump, a ledge is an abrupt change in slope, much like a step. (Société de sauvetage, Sauvetage en eau vive, Les Éditions Alerte inc., 1998.) 5. Life-saving device designed to keep a conscious person afloat; less buoyant than a lifejacket 6. Inventory and presentation of data from Quebec and Canada on outdoor and adventure tourism, Chair of Tourism at the Université du Québec à Montréal, October 2002 7. Régie de la sécurité dans les sports du Québec (Quebec's Sports Safety Board) 8. Report on the death of Danielle Boulet on 13 May 1989 in Québec, Quebec Coroner's Office, 26 October 1989.

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Oommen Chandy hails visa-on-arrival facility, says it will boost Kerala tourism Thiruvananthapuram: Introduction of tourist visa-on-arrival facility at Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports marks a new chapter for tourism in the state as more foreigners were now likely to visit Kerala, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said. Fresh rains in Uttarakhand, Badrinath highway again blocked Cop trying to diffuse bomb killed in Bengal Kerala CM Oommen Chandy The Kerala CM’s remarks came after he had reviewed arrangements at the special visa counter at Thiruvananthapuram International Airport, which became operational on August 15. He was accompanied by state Tourism Minister AP Anil Kumar, Health Minister VS Sivakumar and senior officials. Speaking to reporters, Chandy said that plans for the next phase of expansion of the city airport are progressing well. About 250 square feet for a holding area had been set aside in the immigration section and exclusive visa desks have been set up manned by Intelligence Bureau officials. Special enclosures for photographing visitors and foreign exchange counters have been set up at the facility. Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi airports are among eight airports in India to offer the tourist visa-on-arrival facility. It was rolled out in the first phase in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai. Two other airports that got the facility in the second phase are Bangalore and Hyderabad. Kerala is the only state to have two airports offering the service. The facility is currently available to citizens of 11 countries, namely, Japan, Singapore, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Indonesia. These countries are prime markets where Kerala Tourism sees vast potential and is beginning to make significant inroads. For instance, tourist arrivals from Japan rose by around 56 percent in five years to 11,440 in 2012. Arrivals from Finland more than doubled over the period to 5,160 last year. Tourist arrivals from New Zealand, Singapore and the Philippines have also risen by between 75 percent and 90 percent since 2008. Anil Kumar said that the special scheme, although limited to 11 countries at present, had opened up new avenues for Kerala Tourism. "The department of tourism will take the campaign to these countries. We will take part in travel fairs and take our roadshows there to tell people how convenient it is to visit Kerala," Kumar said. Fresh rains in Uttarakhand, Badrinath highway again blocked Next-Article Cop trying to diffuse bomb killed in Bengal Visa-on-arrival facility Visa-on-arrival facility in Kerala Kerala CM

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Overview of Mauritius Tourism sectorCurrently selected Ministry of Tourism>Tourism sector>Overview of Mauritius Population - 1.3 million Area - 2,040 sq km(788 sq miles) Languages spoken - English (official), Creole, French, Indian languages Main religions - Hinduism, Christianity, Islam Life expectancy - 70 years (men), 77 years (women) Currency - Mauritian Rupee (MUR)Gross Domestic Product – approx. USD 12 billion GDP Per Capita – approx. USD 10,000 For a timeline of key events in Mauritius, please access the following link: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13882731 Mauritius, an island nation located on the east of Madagascar off the southeast coast of Africa, gained independence on 12 March 1968. A democratic country, politically stable with free elections held every 5 years, the country has a diversified economic base and boasts one of Africa's highest per capita income. Mauritius is divided into ten districts and three dependencies, and its capital is Port Louis. Its official language is English, and its currency is the Mauritian rupee (MUR). It was another Portuguese sailor, Don Pedro Mascarenhas, who gave the name Mascarenes to the group of islands now known as Mauritius, Rodrigues and Réunion. The Portuguese did not settle permanently on these islands. The Dutch period (1598-1710) The French period (1715-1810) The British period (1810-1968) Constitutional development The Dutch period (1598-1710) In 1598, a Dutch squadron, under the orders of Admiral Wybrand Van Warwyck, landed at Grand Port and named the island Mauritius, in honour of Prince Maurice Van Nassau, "Stathouder" of Holland. However, it was not until 1638 that a first attempt was made at Dutch settlement. It was from here that the famous Dutch navigator Tasman set out to discover the Western part of Australia. The Dutch are remembered for the introduction of sugarcane, domestic animals and deer. They left Mauritius in 1710. The French period (1715-1810) After the Portuguese and the Dutch, the French took an interest in Mauritius. By 1715, they had started to settle on a permanent basis on the island which they renamed Isle de France. French governor François Mahé de La Bourdonnais established Port Louis as a naval base and a shipbuilding centre. Under his governorship, numerous buildings were put up, a number of which are still standing to-day - part of Government House, the Château de Mon Plaisir at Pamplemousses and the Line Barracks The island was under the administration of the French East India Company which maintained its presence until 1767. From that year until 1810, it was in charge of officials appointed by the French Government, except for a brief period during the French Revolution, when the inhabitants set up a government virtually independent of France. During the Napoleonic wars, Isle de France had become a base from which French corsairs organised raids on British commercial ships. The raids continued until 1810 when a strong British expedition was sent to capture the island. A preliminary British attack was foiled at Grand Port in August 1810 but the expedition launched in December of the same year from Rodrigues, which had been captured a year earlier, was successful. The British landed in large numbers in the North of the island and rapidly overpowered the French, who capitulated. By the Treaty of Paris in 1814, Isle de France which regained its former name of `Mauritius' was ceded definitely to Great Britain, together with its dependencies which included Rodrigues and the Seychelles. In the Act of Capitulation, the British guaranteed that they would respect the language, the customs, the laws and the traditions of the French settlers. The British administration, which began with Robert Farquhar as Governor, was marked by rapid social and economic changes. One of the most important events was the abolition of slavery in 1835. The planters received a compensation for the loss of their slaves who had been brought in from Africa and Madagascar during the French occupation. The abolition of slavery had important repercussions on the socio-economic and demographic fields. The planters turned to India, from where they brought a large number of indentured labourers to work in the sugar cane fields. The Indian immigrants, who were of both Hindu and Muslim faiths, were to change rapidly the fabric of the society. They were later joined by a small number of Chinese traders. Cultivation of sugar cane was given a boost and the island flourished, especially with the export of sugar to England. Economic progress necessitated the extension and improvement of communications and infrastructure. Constitutional development On the Constitutional plane, the Council of Government which was first established in 1825, was enlarged in 1886 to make room for elected representatives. The new Council included 10 members elected on a restricted franchise. It was not until 1933 that the Constitution was significantly amended. The proportion of nominated members of the Council not holding public office was raised to two-thirds. However, franchise was still restricted to persons within a certain income bracket and to property owners. A major breakthrough occurred in 1948, when after years of protracted negotiations for a more liberal Constitution, franchise was extended to all adults who could pass a simple literacy test. The Council of Government was replaced by a Legislative Council composed of 19 elected members, 12 members nominated by the Governor and three ex-officio members. General elections were held in August 1948 and the first Legislative Council met on 1st September 1948. Following Constitutional conferences held in London in 1955 and 1957, the ministerial system was introduced and general elections were held on 9th March 1959. Voting took place for the first time on the basis of universal adult suffrage and the number of electors rose to 208,684. In 1961, a Constitutional Review Conference was held in London and a programme of further Constitutional advance was established. It was followed in 1965 by the last Constitutional Conference which paved the way for Mauritius to achieve independence. After general elections in 1967, Mauritius adopted a new Constitution and independence was proclaimed on 12 March 1968 under the leadership of Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam, the first Prime Minister of Mauritius. The island achieved the status of Republic 24 years later on 12 March 1992. Since independence, Mauritius has developed from a low-income, mono crop sugar-based economy to an upper middle-income, diversified economy resting on agro industry, export-oriented manufacturing, tourism, financial services and ICT services. Over this period, annual growth ranged in the order of 5% to 6%. This remarkable achievement has been reflected in more equitable income distribution, increased life expectancy, lower infant mortality, high literacy rate and a much-improved infrastructure. GDP in Mauritius expanded 2.50 percent in the second quarter of 2016 over the same quarter of the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Mauritius averaged 3.82 percent from 2001 until 2016, reaching an all-time high of 9.80 percent in the first quarter of 2003 and a record low of -0.80 percent in the first quarter of 2005. Latest national account figures released by Statistics Mauritius estimate the GDP growth rate for 2016 to be at 3.9 percent. The forecasted growth rate is an improvement over the 3.4 percent expansion in the Mauritian economy last year. One of the highest drivers of growth is the tourism sector which is projected to grow by 8.6 percent with increases in tourist arrivals. Political Context Mauritius is a stable and multiparty parliamentary democracy, modeled on the British Parliamentary System; which guarantees the separation of legislative, executive and judicial powers. The President is the Head of state and the Prime Minister is the Head of the Government with full executive powers. The legislative elections held in December 2014 were won by the Alliance Lepep, a coalition comprising the Militant Socialist Movement (MSM), the Mauritian Social Democrat Party (PMSD) and the Liberation Movement. The coalition secured a comfortable parliamentary majority (now 53 out of 69 seats) with the MSM founder, Sir Anerood Jugnauth, becoming Prime Minister. The legal System is a hybrid one drawing from both French Napoleon Code and English law. Culture Beneath the natural beauties of Mauritius's landscape, lies another gem: Mauritian Cultures. A diverse range of different customs and traditions coexist in Mauritius, originating from the different cultures of people from Europe, India, China and Africa who, during the last 400 years, have settled on these shores. In Mauritius, Churches can be found next to a Mosque, Indian temples next to Chinese pagodas. Various religious festivals are celebrated with much fervour and devotion all year round by different communities. Another manifestation of the rich diversity of Mauritian culture is its exotic cuisine, which is a fusion of European, Indian and Chinese flavours. Music is also a living tribute to the variety and depth of Mauritian culture, illustrated through beautiful sophisticated Indian music and dance, the Chinese spectacular lion dance and the rhythm of the Sega, the most traditional folkloric music of Mauritius. Mauritius, an island covering 1,865 square kilometres is situated some 2,000 kilometres off the south east coast of Africa. More than 150 kilometres of white sandy beaches and transparent lagoons are protected from the open sea by the world’s third largest coral reef which almost surrounds the island. Being of volcanic origin, Mauritius has a central plateau which is about 400 metres above the sea level. Mountains scattered throughout the island, fast flowing rivers, tropical forests and plants are other features that add to the natural beauty of the island. Mauritius enjoys a maritime sub-tropical climate. The summer season lasts from October to May with temperatures averaging 27°C, while in the winter months temperatures average 22°C. The topography of Mauritius makes the central plateau more humid and cooler that the other regions. Mauritius has successfully translated economic growth into concrete poverty reduction and improvements in human development. Its poverty rates remain low by international standards, with less than 1% of the population estimated as living on less than $1 a day. Independent Mauritius inherited a system of free education and health services. The government, as part of its strategy of nation building, avoided social and political tensions and supported solidarity and equity by investing in these social services, as well as a non-contributory basic retirement pension and an extensive set of social security schemes. Since then, it has expanded these services, with the aim of expanding opportunities for its population and ensuring inclusive growth. Life expectancy at birth increased from 61 overall in 1965 to 70 for men and 77 for women to date. Along with the Seychelles, Mauritius has the lowest under-five child mortality rate on the sub-continent (17 deaths out of 1,000 live births) and the highest rate of children immunised against measles. The largest contributor to mortality in Mauritius is currently non-communicable diseases including cancer and diabetes. The Government is developing specific strategies and sensitization campaigns with a view to reducing the incidence of such illnesses. The population of the Island is approximately 1,300,000, made up principally of people of European, African, Indian and Chinese origin. Mauritius takes pride in the fact that these different cultures co-exist in peace and succeed in creating a cultural entity that is distinctly Mauritian. Mauritius is the most densely populated country in Africa due to its small size, and is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world. Mauritius was the home of the dodo, an extinct species of flightless large bird. Conservation systems are now well enforced, but only nine of a known 25 species of indigenous birds remain, including the Mauritius kestrel and the pink pigeon. The Rodrigues fruit bat or golden bat was in danger of becoming extinct until recently; the Mauritius fruit bat is more common. Javanese deer, introduced by the Dutch for food, are found mainly in the uplands and the ravines, and protected by hunting restrictions. There are 12 species of lizards, four of non-poisonous snakes and 2,000 of insects and butterflies. Three of the butterflies – the citrus, ficus and sailor – are unique to the islands. Marine fauna is very rich. International Benchmarks No Index Africa Rank World Bank Doing Business 2017 49 out of 190 countries[U1] 1st Logistics Performance Index 2014 115 out of 160 countries Global Competitiveness Index 2016 - 2017 45 out of 138 countries Corruption Perceptions Index 2015(Transparency International) International Property Rights Index 2016 Mo Ibrahim Index of African Governance 2016 Press Freedom Index 2016(Reporters without Borders) 61 out 0f 180 countries The A.T. Kearney Global Services Location Index, 2016 30 out of 50 countries 2016 Index of Economic Freedom(Heritage Foundation) Economic Freedom of the World 2016(Fraser Institute) 5 out of 159 countries Human Development Index 2015 Democracy Index 2015 - Economist Intelligence Unit Full Democracy18 out of 167 countries Knowledge Economy Index 2012 Global Enabling Trade Report 2014 Environmental Performance Index 2016 Mercer’s 2016 Quality of Living Survey E-government development Index 2016 Global Information Technology Report 2016 ITU – United Nations Agency for Information and communications.ITU’s Digital Access Index 2012 Forbes Survey of Best Countries for Business 2015 Social Progress Index 2016 SOURCE: http://www.investmauritius.com/why-mauritius/benchmarks.aspx Ministry of TourismContact UsDisclaimer / Privacy policyFeedbackRSS FeedsTourism sectorAbout UsThe Minister of TourismSenior StaffVision, Mission, Objectives and Core ValuesContact UsAuthorities and BoardMauritius Tourism Promotion AuthorityTourism AuthorityTourism Employees Welfare FundPublicationTourism Statistics for 1st Semester 2015Handbook of Statistical Data on Tourism 2014ServicesWelfare Shemes - TEWFTourist InformationTourist SitesTourism sectorOverview of MauritiusTourism Sector

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Korean Air Fly to Urumqi Korean Air is to launch scheduled services to Urumqi connecting passengers to the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in Western China effective June 4, 2005. Korean Air is the first international carrier to begin regular operations to Urumqi. The airline will fly to Urumqi twice a week from June 4 to September 27, 2005. KE 883/ 884, will depart every Tuesday and Saturday at 8:10 pm from Incheon International Airport and will return departing Urumqi every Wednesday and Sunday at 1:20am. An Airbus A330 aircraft, which can accommodate 296 passengers, will be used on the route. “The new service will allow us to provide a seamless connection to Western China with its growing business center and rising tourist demand,” said Lee Jong-hee, President and Chief Operating Officer of Korean Air.Ê Urumqi is the capital city of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is the center of politics and economics in Western China and a major window of exchange between Western China and foreign cities. One of Korea’s telecommunication companies also recently announced its plans to construct an operations plant in the city. “Urumqi is rich in cultural heritage and is a popular tourism destination. The city is also a springboard to other cities in Xinjiang and the inland provinces,” Mr. Lee added. Korean Air is now flying to 14 Chinese cities including Beijing, Jinan, Kunming, Qingdao, Sanya, Shenyang, Yianjin, Wuhan, Xiamen, Yanji, Shanghai, Xian, Yantai and Hong Kong.——-ADVERTISEMENT Starwood to Manage New Hotel in Urumqi Rock-A-Bye Business Traveler

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New biz model emerging for airlines A new model of airline is emerging as no-frills airlines and traditional carriers around the world increasingly seek to copy the best of each business model. Speaking at the GCC Low Cost Airlines conference in Dubai yesterday (Sunday 10 September), Nejib Ben-Kheder, president of Sabre Airline Solutions’ consulting business, said the new breed of airline was best described as a value-focused carrier (VFC), and was set to gain a significant share of the leisure and cost-conscious business travel market. Ben-Kheder says VFCs are identified by their focused route networks, simple fare structures, relatively cheap sales and distribution arrangements, limited array of partnerships and streamlined ground operations. Sabre Airline Solutions defines a VFC as an airline that applies its resources in very specific markets, competing on a combination of price and a product that differentiates it from traditional carriers, while managing costs tightly. The new business model is gaining ground as no-frills carriers and traditional airlines around the world converge to become VFCs, Ben-Kheder says. He pointed to dozens of examples of airlines in the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific regions as examples of this transformation. “It’s important to note that ‘value-focused’ does not mean ‘no-frills’,” Ben-Kheder said. “VFCs such as Flybe in the UK, JetBlue in the US and Kingfisher in India do offer complete services and could never be described accurately as ‘no-frills’, but neither would they fit the profile of your typical traditional carrier such as British Airways, Qantas or Singapore Airlines.”ADVERTISEMENTSabre Airline Solutions says VFCs ultimately will gain a significant share of the market for leisure and cost-conscious business travel. It estimates that these carriers currently handle 12 percent of this traffic around the world, compared to 6 percent in 2001. Factors influencing the growth of VFCs include: a discernable move away from a supplier-driven business model to one in which travel-wise consumers are increasingly able to exercise choice; price transparency and the ability of the Internet to present travellers with different travel options; increasingly simple pricing models; and the increasing demand for premium fares to represent some tangible value to the business traveller. Ben-Kheder says Sabre Airline Solutions has developed a full range of operational and decision-support products to service the emerging VFC sector. “These airlines need tools that enable them to be highly flexible to adapt rapidly to changing market conditions”, he said. “The ability to deploy aircraft and crews on more profitable or emerging routes quickly and easily is crucial to this business model, as is the ability to adjust fares quickly to market or competitor activity, or alter flight plans and fuelling arrangements to take advantage of prevailing flight conditions. “They are looking for modular technology that doesn’t lock them into an entire, inflexible IT platform. Sales and marketing tools, in particular, should be able to link with each other and should embrace the entire spectrum of the operation, from booking, ticketing and fulfilment right the way through to settlement, accounting and customer relationship management.” Ben-Kheder says the Middle East is ripe for expansion by VFCs. “Globally, the airline industry is recovering well,” he said. “Scheduled airlines’ operating revenues crossed the $400 billion mark in 2005. Yields are also improving, and reached 11.1 US cents per revenue passenger kilometre (RPK) last year, compared with just over 10.3 cents per RPK in 2002. Within this healthy picture, the Middle East’s own share of worldwide airline revenues is growing, too. This stood at 4.5 percent last year, compared to 3.7 percent in 2002 and 2003.” Total revenues of airlines based in the Middle East have been growing at double-digit rates for the past few years, Ben-Kheder said. This has been fuelled particularly by Dubai, with its importance as a financial sector, burgeoning tourism industry and demand for labour from around the world to assist with infrastructural growth. Traditional network carriers in the Middle East are investing hugely in growth opportunities, he said. Some carriers in the region have projected compound annual growth rates of 16 percent between now and 2015. But, presented with such rich potential for growth in the Middle East aviation sector, new carriers would continue to challenge the status quo. These would predominantly be VFCs, Ben-Kheder said. “The traditional carriers in the region are responding well to the changing market forces,” Ben-Kheder said. “They are maintaining differentiation and value over the basic no-frills business model, but increasingly looking forward to multi-lateral alliances such as Arabesk to increase the breadth and depth of their networks - thereby reinforcing their network strengths and delivering a broader service to the community than no-frills carriers can afford. “They know that just hoping no-frills carriers will go away never works. You lose market share and revenue and allow the no-frills carrier to become stronger. Matching fares and creating a war of attrition is expensive and ineffective, mostly because the no-frills carrier has lower cost base. In many cases the best way to deal with the emergence of a no-frills carrier in your market is to evolve and adapt - and that’s what the VFC business model is all about.”——- West Ham signs Thomas Cook Thomas Cook expands guidebooks

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As Cuba Opens for Tourism, Dallas' Cigar Retailers Brace for the Possibility of a Lifted Embargo Alaena Hostetter Monday, November 14, 2016 at 4 a.m. By Alaena Hostetter Americans visiting Cuba can now bring back $100 worth of cigars per person per month. Chepe Nicoli/ Shutterstock.com Cuba was a forbidden fruit for nearly 50 years — closed to tourism and trade, so the collective American imagination relied on photos of 1960s models Volkswagen Beetles and hot rods, and people sitting on porches fanning themselves while puffing on Cuban cigars and listening to old transistor radios. Now people can satisfy their fascination for the nostalgia of Cuba after President Obama announced in late 2014 that he would open the borders to tourism, and as recently as October, the U.S. government announced that it was lifting the limits on how many cigars Americans could bring back with them from their travels. The guidelines are $100 worth per person per month; anything over that requires a 40-cent excise tax per cigar and some rigmarole with customs. It’s the same policy as with importing cigars from any other country.While importation for personal use is now legal, importing for resale purposes is still banned in this country, which has led to some misunderstandings in the retail sphere. Marco Cavazos, who owns Cigar Art in Oak Cliff, says he has nearly 10 people every day asking to buy Cuban cigars. Upcoming Events “I think there’s sort of a Renaissance in cigar interest. People who aren't interested in cigars want to try Cuban cigars,” he says.But the uptick in demand is mostly novelty. "It's about the prohibition; you couldn't have it so you wanted it," says Willie Martinez, who owns House of Cigars. Martinez says he welcomes the lifting of the ban because “the myth behind the Cuban cigar will finally be over to the American market. They're going to realize that there's really nothing special about the cigar, there are equal-to or better smokes on the market.”It’s a sentiment shared by many cigar shop owners and manufactures here. The ubiquitous Cuban cigar company, Habanos, has had a veritable monopoly on the market. It’s the only Cuban cigar manufacturer — owned 50 percent by the Cuban government and 50 percent by a Spanish company, Altadis. And it’s the supplier of choice for many European countries even though Cavazos and Martinez say the company’s product is inferior as compared with cigars from Central America.“In Europe where Habanos is king, the biggest complaint is if you buy a box, four or five in a box of 25 will be no good. They accept that as part of the handmade cigar process,” says Cavazos. “But in the United States you have to be much more competitive. The cigars coming out of Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican republic, you seldom have quality control issues, it's more like one in 500 cigars will have a problem.”Despite the fact that selling Cuban cigars isn’t yet legal in the U.S., Habanos has been buying up retail shops around the country in anticipation of the commercial ban being lifted.“There's a lot of anxiety in the industry right now,” Cavazos says. “If the embargo is lifted entirely, the big fear … is that existing cigar stores will still not be able to buy and sell Cuban cigars because [Habanos] will have a monopoly on distribution, selling it through their own retail outlets.”There’s another hiccup in the plan for Cuban cigars to be sold here legally. The FDA is now involved in the regulation of cigars after the Family Smoking Prevention Act was passed in 2009.“They're trying to roll it back to only cigars that were on the market in the U.S. prior to 2007 [can be sold],” says Eliot Suied, who owns Cigar Warehouse in Dallas and Plano. “Since no Cuban cigars were sold in the U.S. in 2007, the likelihood of Cuban cigars being available to U.S. consumers is nil under those new gaming rules unless they grant an exemption to Cuba.”Suied says granting an exemption to Cuba would cause a host of other problems — “It would open up the floodgates for all the other manufacturing countries … that weren't on the market at that time either.”The other way to sell legally without an exemption or grandfathering would be to meet the FDA's new rule that requires costly inspection and testing for all cigars entering the market after 2007. Yet consumers bringing them in for personal use aren’t subject to FDA screening. “If you have no limits [for personal use], that means I could go to Cuba and buy $50,000 worth of cigars,” says Martinez, who, along with Cavazos, suspects that it will lead to an increase in the black market, which would also put cigar shops at a deficit.“The black market is going to be significantly bigger because now anybody can go and buy Cuban cigars abroad and resell them. There's no legal way to compete,” says Cavazos.The flip side of black market Cuban cigars is an increase in the knock-offs claiming to be Cuban cigars, preying on people's lack of knowledge of the situation. “It's the most counterfeited product in the world,” Martinez says. While this claim isn’t verifiable, it’s still worth noting that it’s highly counterfeited and both say that if someone is selling a Cuban cigar in the U.S., it’s probably not real.“The counterfeit market is going to explode. The perception now is that Cuban cigars are going to be easy to get, so I think you're going to have a lot of people taking advantage of that,” says Cavazos.“As a cautionary thing I would be careful about buying anything claiming to be Cuban cigars in the States before the embargoes are lifted," he adds. "With any counterfeit product, you have to be leery about what's actually in it.” Retail spaces in Galveston

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Home > Encyclopedia of History Alexandria A city founded by Alexander the Great in the autumn of 332 BC. It was situated originally on the low tract of land which separate the lake Mareotis from the Mediterranean, about 14 miles west of the Canopic mouth of the Nile. Before the city, in the Mediterranean, lay an island, upon the northeast point of which stood the famous lighthouse, the Pharos, built in the time of Ptolemy I in the 3rd century BC and said to have been 400 feet high. The island was connected with the mainland by a mole, called the Heptastadium, thus forming the two harbors. The plan of Alexandria was designed by the architect Deinocrates, and its original extent is said to have been about 4 miles in length, with a circumference of 15 miles. It was intersected by two straight main streets, crossing each other at right angles in a large square, and adorned with handsome houses, temples,a nd public buildings. The most magnificent quarter of the city was that called the Brucheion, which ran from the center to the eastern harbor. This quarter of the city contained the palaces of the Ptolemies, the Museum, for centuries the focus of intellectual life of the world, and the famous library; the mausoleum of Alexander the Great and of the Ptolemies, the temple of Poseidon, and the great theater. To the south was the beautiful gymnasium. The Serapeum, or temple of Serapis, stood in the western division of the city, which formed the Egyptian quarter, and was called Rhacotis; a small town of that name had occupied the site before the foundation of Alexandria. To the west of the city lay the great Necropolis, and to the east the race-course and suburb of Nicopolis. Much of the space under the houses was occupied by subterranean cisterns, which could hold enough water to supply the whole population of the city for a year. From the time of its formation, Alexandria was the Greek capital of Egypt. Its population, in the time of its prosperity, is said by Diodorus to have been about 300,000 free citizens, and probably a larger number of slaves. This population consisted mostly of Greeks, Jews, and Egyptians, together with settlers from all nations of the known world. After the death of Alexander the Great, Alexander became the residence of the Ptolemies. They made it, next to Rome and Antioch, the most magnificent city of antiquity, as well as the chief seat of Greek learning and literature, which spread hence over the greater part of the ancient world. The situation of the city, at the junction between the East and West, rendered it the center of the world's commerce, and made it hugely prosperous. Alexandria had reached its greatest splendor when, on the death of Cleopatra, the last of the Ptolemies, in 30 BC it came into the possession of the Romans. Its glory was long unaffected, and it was the emporium of the world's commerce, especially for corn. In the reign of Caracalla, however, it suffered severely; and the rise of Constantinople promoted the decay of Alexandria. Christianity was introduced, according to tradition, by St Mark. In the 2nd century it had many adherents; among its teachers were Clemens Alexandria and Origen. The struggle between Christian and non-Christian led to bloody strife. The Serapeum, the seat of non-Christian theology and learning, was stormed by Christians in 389 AD, and converted into a Christian church. Alexandria was a chief seat of Christian theology till it was taken by the Arabs, under Amru, in 641, at which time it entered a period of serious decline. Alexandrian Library This remarkable collection of books, the largest of the ancient world, was founded by the first Ptolemy (Ptolemy Soter), and fostered by his son. It quickly grew, and already in the time of the first Ptolemy, Demetrius Phalereus, had 50,000 volumes or rolls under his care. During its most flourishing period, under the direction of Zenodotus, Aristarchus of Byzantium, Callimachus, Apollonius Rhodius, and others, it is said to have contained 490,000, or, according to another authority, including all duplicates, as many as 700,000 volumes. The greater part of this Library, which embraced the collected literature of Rome, Greece, India, and Egypt, was contained in the famous Museum, in the quarter of Alexandria called the Bruchelon. During the siege of Alexandria, by Julius Caesar, this part of the library was destroyed by fire; but it was afterwards replaced by the collection of Pergamos, which was presented by Cleopatra to Mark Antony. The other part of the Library was kept in the Serapeum, the temple of Jupiter Serapis, where it remained until the time of Theodosius the Great. When this emperor permitted all the non-Christian temples in the Roman emperor to be destroyed, the magnificent temple of Jupiter Serapis was not spared. A mob of fanatic Christians, led on by the Archbishop Theophilus, stormed and destroyed the temple, together, it is most likely, with the greater part of its literary treasures, in 391 AD. It was at this time that the destruction of the Library was begun and not at the taking of Alexandria by the Arabs, under the Calif Omar, in 641, when its destruction was merely completed. Home • Copyright © The Worlds of David Darling • Encyclopedia of Science • Encyclopedia of Alternative Energy • Contact

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Book a flight from Edinburgh to Bali with Qatar Airways At Qatar Airways we welcome every kind of traveller: those on important business trips, intrepid travellers looking for adventure or those returning home to their friends and family. Regardless of who you are or why you are making the journey, flights from Edinburgh to Denpasar with Qatar Airways will ensure you arrive relaxed and ready for anything. Let our attentive cabin crew demonstrate why we are regarded as one of the best luxury long-haul airlines in the world.Located in the south of Bali and its largest city and capital, Denpasar is not only a fascinating destination in its own right but also a gateway to the rest of the island. This glorious location is loved by tourists from around the world for its natural beauty and amazing sights and sounds. In Denpasar itself you will encounter a heady mixture of old and new, from ornate temples to modern shopping centres – guaranteeing a truly memorable trip, whether you are travelling for business or pleasure. Flying from Edinburgh Edinburgh International Airport is the busiest airport in Scotland. Despite being a busy air transport hub, it still manages to retain a friendly, personal feel than many other large airports. It’s easy to navigate your way around the complex, which makes checking-in and finding your flight departure point quick and easy. You’ll find the staff incredibly friendly and helpful, and flying from Edinburgh with Qatar Airways is a great way to start your journey in a relaxed and comfortable way.Transportation and parkingA dedicated 24/7 airport bus service, Airlink (Service 100), runs from outside the terminal building (stance 19) to Edinburgh city centre every 10 minutes. The buses have Wi-Fi access on-board, so passengers can spend their journey time checking emails. The Edinburgh Tram system also connects the airport to the city centre. Taxis are available outside the main entrance. Parking is located right outside the terminal, so it’s only a short walk to check-in. There are two parking options: a covered multi-storey car park and a surface parking area. A pre-book service is available for parking, which can save up to 65 percent on the cost.Arriving at Edinburgh International AirportThe departure check-in desks are located immediately in front of the main entrances. Security is very tight at the airport, so ensure that all baggage is packed correctly and that you do not have any of the listed banned items in your bags. Check-in can be done online or at the airline check-in desks. If you are flying with Qatar Airways from Edinburgh you should check in at least three hours before your flight is due to leave.Facilities and amenitiesEdinburgh International Airport has a good selection of shops and retail outlets, including wellness products, beauty and manicure services, duty-free and travel goods. There are also outlets that specialise in Scottish products, so you can pick up a souvenir of your vacation in Scotland. A range of amenities from baby-care areas to banking are also available. A selection of eateries, restaurants and cafés serve everything from Japanese Sushi and seafood to on-the-go snacks and coffee. Arriving in Bali The largest city and the capital of the beautiful island of Bali, Denpasar is a stunning blend of ancient and modern. From spectacular monuments and tranquil parks to glittering skyscrapers, it’s a friendly city that welcomes both business and leisure travellers. Full of temples and palaces, there is plenty to see and do in this busy city. Book a flight to Denpasar with Qatar Airways and you’ll find a city that many tourists overlook as a destination in its own right. If you pause for a while and explore Denpasar you’ll discover an authentic glimpse of life in Bali away from the usual tourist resorts and hotels, and an incredibly warm and friendly welcome from its people.Tourist attractionsAt the very centre of the city (quite literally) is the Alun-Alun Puputan square, with its huge, four-faced statue, which is supposed to defend the four cardinal points of the compass. It’s also an incredibly useful landmark if you get lost at any time.To find out more about the history and culture of the island and its people a visit to the Bali Museum is highly recommended. It is spread across four pavilions, with the main pavilion housing a collection of ancient stone, bronze and wooden artefacts. The southern pavilion has exhibitions of the country’s textiles, while the northern pavilion focuses on the history of Balinese performance art. The central pavilion is devoted to Balinese spirituality.The Lapangan Puputan Margarana park is a large open space in the heart of the city. You can’t miss the huge Bajra Sandhi monument, which dominates the park. Bali’s capital is also full of temples that are exquisitely decorated, including the Palace of Satria and the Royal Temples, and the beautiful Pura Maospahit, which is believed to date back to the 14th century.Travel considerationsFlights to Denpasar with Qatar Airways land at Ngurah Rai International Airport. Visa restrictions for entry into the country will depend on your country of origin, length of stay and whether your trip is for business or pleasure. Before you fly to Denpasar please check the visa and passport requirements. Useful Info About Edinburgh Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP)Voltage: 230 VoltsPlugs: Type GLanguage: EnglishInternational dialing code: +44More Information: Read our Edinburgh Travel Guide Useful Info About Bali Currency: Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)Voltage: 230 V 50 HZPlugs: Type C / F Language: Bahasa IndonesiaInternational dialing code: +62More Information: Read our Bali Travel Guide Read more Exclusive Stopover Deals Book your stopover Book a flight Subscribe to Qatar Airways' newsletterX

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Lonesome Dove Western Bistro Make Reservation About Us Chef Tim Love --- HOURS OF OPERATION --- Lunch ServiceTuesday thru Saturday:11:30am - 2:30pm$9 Daily Stockyards Special Voted Best Lunch Value in Fort Worth Dinner ServiceMonday thru Thursday:5:00pm - 10:00pm Friday & Saturday:5:00pm - 11:00pm --- LOCATED IN THE FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS --- VIEW LARGER MAP --- URBAN WESTERN CUISINE --- Opened in 2000, The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro, located in Fort Worth's Historic Stockyards District, has quickly become the city's premiere dining establishment. Chef/Owner Tim Love has designed a menu influenced by all of the ingredients and cultures that have been a part of the West since the first adventure began on the Goodnight-Loving and Chisholm Trails -- with an added level of modern sophistication. Items on the Lonesome Dove Bistro menu range from an inventive selection of steaks and seafood to dishes such as Wagyu Tomahawk, Kangaroo Carpaccio, Rocky Mountain Elk Ribeye, Wild Boar, and Rabbit & Rattlesnake. The Lonesome Dove Western Bistro & it's Chef / Owner Tim Love has received numerous awards and acclaim from the likes of Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, Zagat Survey, Southern Living, Esquire, The New York Times, Fort Worth Star-Telegram & The Dallas Morning News. A native Texan and Fort Worth's first chef invited to cook at the famed James Beard House in New York, which is dedicated to furthering the practice and appreciation of the culinary arts, Tim Love is known for celebrating the food and culture of the American West while taking it to a new level of elegant sophistication. Through his restaurants and work in the community for such causes as Burgers 4 Babies in support of Fort Worth's NICU Helping Hands Foundation or Spoons Across America, Chef Tim Love has become the de facto culinary ambassador for the state of Texas, always doing his fans and family proud. His charm and southern hospitality are always on display, whether it's at his restaurants or at culinary events and cultural festivals around the world such as the Food & Wine Classic in Aspen, the South Beach Wine & Food Festival, and as the official chef of Austin City Limits Music Festival. Love is a regular guest on the CBS Early Show, and has appeared on countless other television shows, including Top Chef Masters, Iron Chef America, The Chew, The Today Show, Paula Deen, and the Food Network, where he was a judge on the popular series "Best in Smoke". Chef Love has taken his recipes that originated from the Lonesome Dove Western Bistro all across the world. The flavors & culinary creations of the Lonesome Dove are world reknown and a testament to the hard work and dedication put in by Chef Love and his Staff for the past decade at his culinary outpost in the Fort Worth Stockyards. On your next visit to the Historic Fort Worth Stockyards, be sure tomake reservations for one of Fort Worth's culinary treasures. Lonesome Dove Western Bistro2406 N. Main StFort Worth, Texas 76164 Map | Directions(817) 740-8810 Sign Up to Our Email List We promise we will not email you too often, and you can unsubscribe at any time. © Chef Tim Love 2013

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exothermic This is the real thing. From the holy grounds of Jerusalem, the city of the great Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths, to the militant streets of Gaza, the land on which you stand is alive with a past and present pregnant with faith, principles, and politics. The promised land for some, desired by many, and contested for centuries, Israel is a small country; you can reach any city in less than a day on public transportation. Jerusalem to Eilat takes a mere five hours by bus and the cities cannot be any more different. The former, one of the oldest cities in the world is remarkably well-preserved despite its conflicted past and is home to both devotees and relics of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Jerusalem bustles with open air markets, religious sites, and museums. The latter, on the other hand, is a popular port and resort town, littered with beaches and tourists of the lesser reverent variety. Ditch the Red Sea, though, for the Dead Sea, the Mediterranean, or the Sea of Galilee. Take a healthful soak in the hyper-saline dead sea, one of the oldest health resorts from the reign of King Herod the Great, and feel its climate, waters, and mud soothe your ailments away. Hike in the hills or relax on the beaches of Galilee, or roll up your sleeves and take a step back in time by volunteering at one of the many nearby kibbutzim. Nearby is Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, full of churches, synagogues, and mosques. Take a stroll through its Old City, sample the delicious goat cheese, hummus, sabra, and olives in the day, make a late night hummus run for a delicious post-dinner snack. The cities can vary drastically, but each is a part of the vibrant, confused, and struggling country that is Israel. The tension and violence of Gaza seems like a faraway dream fewer than fifty miles up north in Tel-Aviv, where the proliferation of nightclubs, restaurants, and bathing suits conjure an atmosphere of metropolitan fa-la-la (think Barcelona of the Middle East). It is these differences that flavor Israel, a nation built and centered on its past, present, and future. Its history, faiths, divisions, and beauty are all real and pulsing ever so closely. Regions in Israel Coastal Plain The Coastal Plain in Israel stretches from the Carmel Range in the north, to Gaza and Egypt in the south. At its center is the sprawling Tel Aviv metropolitan area. The Sharon is the part of the coastal plain... read more Galilee is a large region in northern Israel which overlaps with much of the administrative North District of the country. Traditionally, Galilee is divided into Upper Galilee, Lower Galilee, and Western Galilee,... read more The Negev is a large desert that covers the entire southern half of Israel. The least populated area in Israel, it is a home to (among others) the nomadic desert people known as the Bedouin. The Negev offers... read more The North Coast of Israel extends along the Mediterranean Sea shoreline for 20 km, from just north of the city of Akko to Rosh Haniqra on the Israeli border with Lebanon, and inland across the coastal plain... read more Shephelah The Shephelah is a range of hills between the Coastal Plains and the Jerusalem mountains in central Israel. The Shephelah is characterized by many fertile hills, checkered with many ruins from ancient times.... read more The West Bank is a Palestinian Territory and an area of Jewish settlement between Israel and Jordan, to the north of the Dead Sea. Depending on where one travels, the area is controlled by Palestinian authorities,... read more

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Transylvania! The name alone makes us think about vampires and werewolves. Transylvania is an area in the north central part of the country encompassed by the Carpathian Mountains to the west and south and the Apuseni Mountains in the east. Until World War I Transylvania was part of Hungary. After the revolution in 1989 many of the Germans who had lived in Transylvania migrated to Germany and reduced the number of Germans in the area roughly by half leaving approximately 120,000 in the area. And this number was reduced by 50% by 1995. We are told that Hungary continues to not be happy about Transylvania being a part of Romania The first place we visited in Transylvania was Bran Castle (above) which served for many years as a tax collection station on the road between Transylvania and Wallachia. It sits atop a small hill and provided a secure location for the residents. The castle itself is a rambling series of rooms at odd angles, with a lovely courtyard in the center (left). There was some furniture still in the castle, and we particularly were taken with the heavily carved bed (below right). We also visited the hill top fortress located above the town of Rasnov. Rasnov has decided to entice tourists to visit by placing the sign pictured below left on the outskirts of town where there is a fork in the road - take the road to the right and come to Rasnov and the one to the left leads to Bran. Most of the tourist hordes head for Bran to see the castle. However, we did both. Rasnov is an old medieval town sitting upon the hill, reached by a rocky dirt road that was a joy on the bikes. Rasnov was created as a refuge and defense fortress in the 13th century by the inhabitants of the town. It was made to ensure protection against both the Turkish and Tartar invasions and the trespasses of the feudal noblemen. Over time it was reinforced so that it was one of the most solid fortresses in the 15th century. The picture at right shows the perimeter houses, most of which have been rebuilt to a great extent. Various carts and farm implements fill the center area. The photo below, left shows the condition of the walls an ramparts not yet rebuilt, as we look out to the Fagaras Mountains. One of the interesting tales of Rasnov is the well that was dug by 2 Turkish prisoners who were promised their freedom upon completing the well (completed in 1640). All well and and good except that it took them 17 years to complete the project! However, it did provide more security for the residents as they no longer had to open the gates to get water. Now, what about that Dracula tale? Well, Vlad Tepes, ruling prince of Wallachia in the mid-1400s, gained the name Tepes (Impaler) because of the form of capital punishment he employed to punish his enemies. A wooden stake was driven carefully through the enemy’s backbone without touching any vital nerve, ensuring at least 48 hours of conscious agony before death. The Impaler usually dined with at least one Turk on a stake in front of him. This was the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Count Dracula. Vlad was called Dracula (meaning “son of the dragon”) because his father, Vlad Dracul who was a knight of the Order of the Dragon. While at Rasnov, we found a print which depicted the infamous Impaler, dining before the Turks on the stakes (below, right) Sometime in the afternoon we had stopped at a gas station for a break and a soda. Jim was inside and Verna was standing outside with her soda when a Romanian woman in a car motioned to Verna, asking if she would like one of the covrigi (a small round bread, either salty or slightly sweet, photo above, left) the woman was eating. Verna politely motioned “no,” but the woman got out anyway and came over and offered her one from the bag. Finally giving in, Verna took one and thanked her. Later Jim came out and Verna told him what had transpired then gave him the last bite. The woman from the car then got out and came over with a whole bag of the covrigi and insisted we take them. We tried to say no, but she wouldn’t accept. She pointed to our license plate, then the bag, then handed the bag to us. She then got in the car and drove off, blowing us a kiss and waving goodbye. Luckily it was a small bag and Verna found a space for it. For the next couple of days we savored not only the covrigi, but the generosity and kindness of the woman For the night we stopped in Brasov and had a wonderful Chinese meal for something different. We have been told that Brasov is the most visited city in Romania. The city has many old buildings which have been restored and maintained. It makes for a pleasant, interesting walk around town. There is even an old bastion sitting on the hill overlooking the town. In a quiet park area south of town we found an old city gate from the 1500s (above, right). There is a large pedestrianized area, lots of well stocked shops and lots of people out and about. At left is the main square, late in the day when the locals were enjoying their city. There are lots of restaurants that border the square and it is really quite a pleasant place. The people of Brasov have done a lot of work in restoring their town and it shows. We rode to Sibiu after leaving Brasov. Founded by the Romans during the 12th Century Sibiu has always been important town in Transylvania. During the 19th Century Sibiu was the seat of the Austrian governors of Transylvania. It has some lovely old architecture and several open squares, one of which is pictured above. They have even closed one of the main streets and made it a quiet pedestrianized area complete with shops and outdoor bars and restaurants. One of the highlights is the Gothic Evangelical Church (1300-1520) whose 5 pointed tower is visible from a distance (right). The church contains the largest pipe organ in Romania with a total of 6002 pipes. There is also a lovely fresco in the sanctuary originally painted in 1445. From Sibiu, we rode north to Cluj-Napoca whose roots can be traced to 1st century AD. In 124 the city attained municipal status and Emperor Marcus Aurelius elevated it to a colony. Because it was located in the middle of Transylvania, it became a crossroads which led it to later become an educational and industrial center. Today it is a university town and a busy city center. It has several major squares and many interesting architectural sites as well as sidewalk cafes where one can sit and enjoy the people-watching scene. As with much of Romania, we found that most of the older buildings had lots of potential, but were in need of cleaning and renovation. St. Michael’s Church from the 15th century (left) was the focal point of the central square along with the equestrian statue of the Hungarian King Matthias. Hungary had an influential role in Transylvania’s history as represented by this prominent statue. Our home for the night was outside the city center, up a little hill. From our room, we had a view of the city skyline, which was fairly one-dimensional except for the obviously new building near the center of the photo below. We have no idea what it is, but is this the beginning of a new skyline for Cluj-Napoca? Heading west from Cluj-Napoca, we traveled through the Apuseni Mountains. a low mountain range of about 2,000 ft. They are very green and lush with some nice smooth winding pavement to enjoy. On the western side, we were treated to an expansive view of the plains below, full of crops in various stages of maturity and a colorful patchwork of colors (below, right). Here, like in most of Romania, the crops are planted in long strips rather than huge fields. We expect this reflects the land ownership, each farmer tending his own land, rather than huge acreages owned by agricultural firms. Our last stop in Romania was in Oradea, very near the Hungarian border. The first thing we noticed when walking around this town was that it had more of a western European look and feel to it. The wide pedestrian path with shops and sidewalk cafes had a very western feel and something we had seen in only one other city in Romania. One of the finest buildings in terms of architecture and current state was the lovely town hall (below, right), situated on the banks of the river which bisects the town. We were pleased to see, however, that several buildings in town were undergoing restoration. What particularly caught our eye was the scaffolding being used. While obviously very functional, we were a bit concerned about the safety of the structure. Our favorite site was the scaffolding around the tower of the Black Vulture Hotel (below, left). The upright poles are bare tree trunks with 2x4s providing the cross bracing. Then planks are set across for the workers to walk on, but from what we could see from other scaffolds, none are secured. The pole extensions are interesting as well (below, right). Would you like to spend your day working up there? Well, aside from the scaffolding, you can see that the building above has a lot of interesting architectural detail and we think it will be a very positive addition to the cityscape. If you find typographical errors or have any other problems when looking at the site please contact the Webmaster describing the problem and the page involved. Copyright © 2000-2009 Jim Seavey and Verna Norris

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Ross Boissoneau - July 29th, 2013 Barrel Back Offers Windows on WalloonThe first thing you notice at Barrel Back restaurant on Walloon Lake isn’t the food. It isn’t the open fireplace in the center of the dining area, either. Nope, it’s the view through the garage doors. Come again? Yes, that’s right. The many garage doors open on three sides of the secondstory restaurant, giving an unimpeded and impressive view of Walloon Lake. “We open them whenever we can,” said manager Carla Bradley. “It’s great that customers have become so comfortable they go open them themselves.” The garage doors contribute to the industrial feel of the restaurant, as do the cement floors, wire railings and metal chairs. Bradley says credit for the design goes to general manager Bryan Banfield. MAGICAL SUNSETS Barrel Back takes up the entire upper floor of the old marina, while the lower floor is home to a watersports shop. Thus the views extend across the water from the northern end across the lake, making sunset an obvious favorite time for viewing – and eating. “The sunsets over Walloon are just magical,” said Bradley. The food is an engaging mix of traditional favorites and higher-end dishes. Smoked Polish sausage sandwiches with grilled onions on a pretzel bun are served next to grilled Scottish salmon with asparagus risotto, watercress and balsamic. The menu is the brainchild of chef D.J. Flynn. A veteran of the food service industry in the area, Flynn previously served as executive chef at Bay Harbor and also worked at Tapawingo, the late lamented Ellsworth eatery that regularly topped the state’s best restaurant lists. “The menu concept is all D.J.’s,” said Bradley, who also came to the restaurant from Tapawingo. “It’s comfortable food done very well – pizza, burgers, salads.” Bradley calls the lemon basil sauteed walleye “phenomenal,” but says another finned favorite has been the most popular dish at the restaurant. “The number one seller by far is the whitefish sandwich,” she said. “It’s got a great batter, crispy on the outside, and it’s moist inside. It’s served with a homemade slaw and sweet pickles.” Barrel Back includes a complete appetizer menu, along with the salads, sandwiches, pasta, and over a half-dozen other entrees. The bar boasts nearly two dozen beers on tap and nearly 100 wine selections, as well as mixed drinks. There’s even a dessert menu, complete with appropriate dessert drinks. BOATING TO DINNER Since opening, the restaurant has been doing even better than expected. An early Friday evening saw waits of over half an hour. Bradley says that has been typical. “The support has been great, from the community and from Petoskey and Charlevoix,” she said. As had been hoped, much of the traffic comes from people in boats tying up at the dock, grabbing a meal and then heading back to the water. And while the warm summer days and nights are bringing in water-lovers, the restaurant will be open year-round. Currently it is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Sunday, and till 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Barrel Back is closed Monday. The restaurant is owned by the Borsch family, which donated the land for the park next door and is now busy refurbishing the retail shops across the road from Barrel Back. Bradley says they wanted to bring people back to the village. This should certainly help. The restaurant is located at 4069 M-75 in Walloon Lake, and you can visit it online on Facebook or at Barrel-Back.com. But don’t try to call for reservations – not only does the restaurant not accept them, it doesn’t even have a phone on-site, though there is an answering machine. Oh, and the name? It’s derived from a type of boat, as in the old wooden Chris- Crafts which used to ply these waters. Seems appropriate. PRICE: Salads from $6, sandwiches from $7, pizza from $10, and entrees from $12 to $29. DON’T MISS: Lemon basil sauteed walleye with fried green tomatoes, sweet onion/ caper relish and lemon aioli. Currently 3.5/5 Stars. Snurfing anyone?From Farm to Table to… Poor HouseLetters 02-20-2012GaylordRelated to:restaurantbackbradleyopenwalloonbeenlakefood

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COMMENTS HarborWalk has brought people back to the water, developer Peter Bos says HarborWalk Village has helped visitors rediscover Destin’s Harbor District, Legendary CEO Peter Bos says. SCOTT JACKSON / Special to The Destin Log By MATT ALGARIN / Destin Log Published: Saturday, July 27, 2013 at 03:20 PM. DESTIN — As the harbor and boardwalk continue to draw in visitors, the team at HarborWalk Village continues to create new attractions for them. “The whole idea is that you have to create a reason for people to come to the harbor,” said Peter Bos, CEO of Legendary Inc. “Our first mission was to get people to rediscover the harbor, then that’s really evolved now into a much bigger statement of rediscovering Destin.” Since the Emerald Grande and HarborWalk Village opened in 2007, there has been a mix of retailers and restaurants to entertain visitors. But as of late the experience has become more interactive. Whether it’s bungee trampolines, aqua spheres, a 40-foot rock wall, the new 500-foot zip line, the 80-foot free fall experience, or the 7-D interactive movie ride, there is no shortage of choices. “It’s all about experiential behavior,” said Jamie Hall, HarborWalk’s director of marketing. “People want to come down and they want to experience things and be involved.” Things were much different not so long ago. Bos said a survey was conducted at Destin Commons in 2006, and out of the 1,000 visitors polled, 52 percent didn’t know Destin had a harbor, which was an “unbelievable” revelation. Part of the problem was that prior to 1993 most of Destin’s visitors came across the Marler Bridge and could see the harbor. After the Mid-Bay Bridge opened, Bos said they stayed on the interstate longer to avoid driving through Pensacola, Gulf Breeze and Fort Walton Beach. “The whole traffic pattern changed,” he said. HarborWalk Village and the Emerald Grande have helped people rediscover the harbor area. “The harbor was dead,” said Bos. “There was a time when people said ‘we don’t want a big, ugly building,’ but if we hadn’t made a grand statement, people wouldn’t have come from Sandestin and Seaside to Destin.” There have been growing pains. Noted restaurants such as Pat O’Brien’s, the Camellia Grill, Commander’s Palace and The Shed closed in relatively short span. However, HarborWalk is seeing something of a restaurant revival now. The famed bar Coyote Ugly opened earlier this year, and construction is underway on Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville, which will be in the old Lucky Snapper building. Bos said the North Carolina-based retailer The Fudgery also will open at HarborWalk. “These are national tenants, and a big, big deal for the harbor,” he said. Hall said diners have two new options in Tucker Duke’s hamburgers and Sweet Treats Japanese Crepes, which operate from food trucks. The harbor district will evolve again as the years go by, Bos said. “I think the area is going through a maturing process and we are going to move into a retirement phase, which will bring some challenges along with it,” he said. “This is a place for fun and families, but there are still some quiet coves where people who don’t like the noise can go.” Housing eventually will be a bigger part of the district, he said. “As the boardwalk is exploding and growing, this will help cement business and create jobs, as well as a need for housing in the harbor district,” he said. “We’re eventually going to have to take all of the areas that need work and turn them into apartments where people can work along the harbor and ride their bikes. “What I do is think about what the next 20 years or 30 years are going to be like.” Destin Log Staff Writer Matt Algarin can be reached at 850-654-8446 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @DestinLogMatt. By MATT ALGARIN / Destin Log

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Free in LA, from Hollywood to the beach By John Rogers Associated Press | Friday, March 1, 2013 11:06 AM The Walt Disney Concert Hall, designed by Frank Gehry, is among attractions in a revived downtown Los Angeles. People explore the interior of the expanded Griffith Observatory on Mount Hollywood in Los Angeles. Viewing the heavens through its powerful telescopes is free. The Nethercutt Collection Grand Salon is a recreation of a 1920s-1930s auto sales salon. The vehicles are among the antique and rare automobiles exhibited at the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar, Calif. LOS ANGELES – It’s been called, sometimes derisively, a collection of 72 suburbs in search of a city. Still, there’s a lot of stuff to see and do inside those 72 suburbs that are said to comprise Los Angeles, a place that, at 469 square miles, is big enough to hold all of New York’s five boroughs with enough room left over for San Francisco. Much of what’s here is ridiculously expensive, of course. Think the fancy eateries along La Cienega Boulevard or the trendy bottle-service clubs in Hollywood and elsewhere. But at the same time, there is an impressive array of just really cool things to see and do for absolutely nothing, from Hollywood to the beach. Here is a modest list of just five:HollywoodThe intersection of Hollywood and Highland is the crossroads for the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where more than 2,400 terrazzo-and-brass stars containing the biggest names in the entertainment business can be viewed by just walking down the sidewalk. You’ll find everyone from Clark Gable to Johnny Depp, Marilyn Monroe to Meryl Streep. You also can gaze upon a lot of people in that neighborhood who are dressed up to look just like some of the stars, especially Marilyn. But if you take their pictures they’ll want money, so stop by instead at the courtyard to the famous Chinese Theatre. There you’ll find the stars’ names, and their handprints and footprints, immortalized in concrete. There’s everyone from Mary Pickford, who left her prints in 1927, to Robert De Niro, who put his there Feb. 4. Last stop, appropriately enough, should be the Hollywood Forever cemetery. While some burial grounds frown on tourists wandering around looking for stars’ graves, this one, featured in the 2010 film “Valentine’s Day,” does not. It even has a map on its website telling you just where to find the final resting places for punk-rocker Johnny Ramone, director John Huston and dozens of others. For details, visit www.walkoffame.com, www.tclchinesetheatres.com and www.hollywoodforever.com. DowntownThis place once defined LA’s reputation as a city where there is no there. But no more. It has undergone a revival in recent years, adding upscale condos, chichi bars and the iconic Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall. The area to visit for the cool free stuff, though, is on the north side of the Hollywood Freeway, home to the historic El Pueblo de Los Angeles, where the city was founded in 1781. There you’ll see many of its oldest and most beautiful buildings restored to their previous grandeur. LA’s oldest existing house, the Avila Adobe, built in 1818, is on colorful Olvera Street and offers free tours. A couple of blocks away is Union Station, renowned for its beauty and distinctive fusion of Spanish Colonial and Art Deco architecture when it opened in 1939. With its huge waiting room and landscaped gardens, the place, still a working train station, offers a perfect venue for reading, resting, people watching or taking a lunch break. For more information, visit www.elpueblo.lacity.org.Griffith ParkWith more than 50 miles of free hiking trails, many of them winding through chaparral-covered canyons and over hillsides, Griffith Park bills itself as the largest urban wilderness in the United States. While the zoo and some of the park’s other attractions charge admission, the world-famous Griffith Observatory does not. Nighttime visitors are free to check out the moon and stars through its powerful telescopes, while those arriving during the day can safely gaze at the sun. Or they can just walk outside to take in some of the city’s best views of the iconic Hollywood Sign. Details: www.laparks.org/dos/parks/griffithpk. Venice BeachArguably the best free people-watching venue anywhere west of New York’s Times Square and with the added bonus that it never gets really cold here. An afternoon stroll down 1½-mile Ocean Front Walk will take people past one of the most colorful collections of skateboarders, street artists, fortune tellers, jugglers, mimes, acrobats, unicycle riders, actors, dancers, musicians, street preachers and armchair philosophers found anywhere in the United States. Immediately west of the walk is a wide expanse of soft, white sand and blue Pacific Ocean. Immediately east, sandwiched between the juice bars, T-shirt shops and takeout food places is an impressive array of medical marijuana dispensaries. For more information, visit www.venicebeach.com.Nethercutt Museum & CollectionOne of the city’s best-kept secrets, even to its residents, this free museum is in Sylmar, a neighborhood of modest, 1950s-era homes in the farthest northeast corner of the city’s San Fernando Valley, where thousands of olive trees once stood. Inside are more than 250 beautifully restored, classic automobiles dating to the 1800s. Outside is a fully restored steam locomotive and 1912 Pullman passenger car that visitors may walk through. The collection includes antique clocks, watches and musical instruments. If you must visit The Valley, as locals call it, this is likely the best free thing to see there. Visit www.nethercuttcollection.org for details. Nick Ut/Associated Press file photo Damian Dovarganes/Associated Press file photo The Nethercutt Collection 10 easy ways to reduce travel stress Hidden in plain sight: 10 unsung sites for art in the nation’s capital Google Earth invites you to ‘get lost’ exploring the planet

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23.18277777777875.777222222222 8 Go next Asia > South Asia > India > Plains (India) > Madhya Pradesh > Western Madhya Pradesh > Ujjain Ujjain is a city in the state of Madhya Pradesh in India. Ujjain is well connected with rest of India by road and rail, but there is no airport in the city.The closest airport is in Indore and the distance between Indore and Ujjain is 52 Km. By train[edit] Ujjain has direct trains for all the major cities of India, though some are very inconvenient and it's better to break journey from Bhopal. From Bombay "Awanitka express"(daily) and "Pune-Indore" express (thrice in week), from New Delhi "Hazarat Nizamuddin Intercity Express" and from Bangalore "Jaipur Mysore Express" are a few good leads. By car[edit] Ujjain is connected to nearby towns with very good roads compared to the rest of Madhya Pradesh. It is 52 km from Indore along the NH 3 toll road, and it takes less than an hour to cover the distance. Indore is in turn connected by Agra-Mumbai National Highway to rest of the India. The drive is scenic and punctuated by small villages on either side of the road. Stop by on the way to enjoy fresh guavas and corn. Its a must. Most part of the road is decent and drivable with broken road in patches on the entire stretch. Upon reaching Ujjain, the road is being laid and is a nightmare to drive. Road widening work is in progress (4-lane highway ) through to Ujjain which when complete, will make the drive smooth and will reduce travel time to 30 minutes. Nagda,a small town is also about 50 km far from Ujjain. Nagda has the largest factory of Birla all over India. 23°10′58″N 75°46′38″E Map of Ujjain 23.1793075.784911 Bade Ganeshji Ka Mandir. This temple situated above the tank near the Mahakaleshwar temple, enshrines a huge artistic sculpture of Ganesh, the son of Shiva. An idol of this size and beauty is rarely to be found. The middle of the temple is adorned by an idol of the pancha-mukhi (five faced) Hanuman. There is provision for learning of Sanskrit and Astrology in the temple. 23.2040975.766642 Bhartrihari Caves. These caves are situated just above the bank of the Shipra near the temple of Gadkalika. According to popular tradition, this is the spot where Bhartrihari, who is said to have been the step brother of Vikramaditya, lived and meditated after renouncing worldly life. He is believed to have been a great scholar and poet. His famous works, Shringarshatak, Vairagyashatak, and Nitishatak, are known for the exquisite use of the Sanskrit meter. Chintaman Ganesh. The temple is built across the Shipra on the Fatehabad railway line. The Ganesh idol enshrined here is supposed to be swayambhu - born of itself. The temple itself is believed to be of considerable antiquity. Riddhi and Siddhi, the consorts of Ganesha, are seated on either side of Ganesha. The artistically carved pillars in the assembly hall date back to the Paramara period. Worshippers throng to this temple because the deity here is traditionally known as Chintaharan Ganesh meaning "the assurer of freedom from worldly anxieties". Durgadas Ki Chhatri. This distinctive monument glows like a small jewel in the surrounding lush landscape. Vir Durgadas earned a secure niche for himself in the history of Marwad by his undaunting, selfless service to the State. He fought for the independence of Jodhpur after the death of Maharaj Jaswant Singh and helped Ajit Singh to ascend the throne against the wishes of Aurangzeb. Durgadas died at Rampura in 1718, and his funeral rites were performed according to his wishes on the banks of the Shipra. The rulers of Jodhpur had built the chhatri to consecrate his memory. This beautiful structure, built in the Rajpur style of architecture, houses a statue of Durgadas which crumbled down. 23.2083075.770313 Gadkalika. Situated about 2 miles from the city of Ujjain, the deity in this temple is believed to have been worshipped by Kalidasa. The legend goes that he was an idiot and it is by his devotion to the goddess Kalika that he acquired great literary skills. Emperor Harshavardhan had this temple renovated in the 7th century AD. There is further evidence of renovation during the Paramara period. The temple has been rebuilt in the modern times by the erstwhile Gwalior State. 23.1880575.771354 Gopal Mandir. This huge temple is situated in the middle of the big market square. It was constructed by Bayajibai Shinde, the queen of Maharajah Daulat Rao Shinde in the 19th century. It is a beautiful example of Maratha architecture. The sanctum sanctorum is inlaid with marble and doors are silver plated. The door in the inner sanctum is said to have been carried to Ghazni from the Somnath temple and from thence by Mahmud Shah Abdali to Lahore. Mahadji Scindia recovered it and now it has been installed in this temple. Hanuman Naka Mandeer. this is 100 year old southface hanuman naka and ram laxman and sitaji temple.this is situated old ujjain seema. Harsiddhi Temple 23.1841975.764705 Harsiddhi Temple. This temple occupies a special place in the galaxy of ancient sacred spots of Ujjain. Seated between the idols of Mahalaxmi and Mahasaraswati, the idol of Annapurna is painted in dark vermilion colour. The Sri Yantra, the symbol of power or shakti, is also enshrined in the temple. According to the Shiva Purana, when Shiva carried away the burning body of Sati from the sacrificial fire, her elbow dropped at this place. There is an interesting legend in the Skanda Purana about the manner in which the Goddess Chandi acquired the epithet of Harsiddhi. Once when Shiva and Parvati were alone on Mount Kailash, two demons called Chand and Prachand tried to force their way in. Shiva called upon Chandi to destroy them which she did. Pleased, Shiva bestowed upon her the epithet of 'one who vanquishes all'. The temple was reconstructed during the Maratha period and the two pillars adorned with lamps are special features of Maratha art. These lamps, lit during Navaratri, present a glorious spectacle. There is an ancient well on the premises, and an artistic pillar adorns the top of it. Kal Bhairava. The worship of the eight Bhairavas is a part of Saivite tradition and the chief among them is Kal Bhairava, believed to have been built by King Bhadresen, on the banks of the Shipra. There is mention of a Kal Bhairva temple in the Avanti Khanda of the Skanda Purana. Worship of Kal Bhairava is believed to have been a part of the Kapalika and Aghora sects. Ujjain was a prominent centre of these two sects. Even today, liquor is offered as a part of the ritual to Kal Bhairava Beautiful paintings in the Malwa style once decorated the temple walls, only traces of which are visible. Kalidasa Academy. This academy was set up in Ujjain by the Government of Madhya Pradesh to immortalize the memory of the great poet dramatist-Kalidasa, and to create a multi-disciplinary institution to project the genius of the entire classical tradition, with Kalidasa as the apex, enable research and study in Sanskrit classical and traditional performing arts, and facilitate its adaptation for contemporary stage in different cultural settings and language groups. The Academy complex consists of a theatre, museum, library, lecture and seminary halls, mini stage for rehearsals, research facilities for scholars, and a large open air theater. 23.1793075.784916 Kaliadeh Palace. Situated on the banks of the Shipra, the island-like site immediately conjures up the natural beauty of ancient Ujjain which poets down the ages have waxed lyrical. The glorious landscape of the flowing river on both sides of the palace and the man-made tanks and channels, with water gurgling through them, provide a spectacular backdrop to the imposing building. The central dome of the palace is a beautiful example of Persian architecture. Two Persian inscriptions found in one of the long corridors of the palace record the visits of Emperor Akbar and Jehangir to this palace. The palace was broken down in the time of the Pindaris and was restored by Madhav Rao Scindia in 1920 to its present glory. The Sun Temple was also restored by the family. Mahakaleshwar. The presiding deity of time, Shiva, in all his splendour reigns eternal in Ujjain. The temple of Mahakaleshwar, its shikhara soaring into the skies, evokes primordial awe and reverence with its majesty. The Mahakal dominates the life of the city and its people, even in the midst of the busy routine of modern preoccupations, and provides an unbreakable link with past traditions. At the temple, you will be surrounded by hawkers and hard-sellers. Usually, one is not required to wait in the queue to offer prayers at the shiva jyotirling. However, the temple is crowded on weekends, including Mondays - queues can take up to 3 hours and move at a slow pace. Once at the garbh of the temple, which is where the main jyotirling is situated, you are not pushed (like at other temples). You can wait as long as you like to get a good view of the jyotirling. 23.2112775.782657 Mangalnath. This temple is situated away from the bustle of the city and can be reached through a winding road. The temple looks upon a vast expanse of the Shipra waters and fills the onlooker with an indescribable sense of peace. Mangalnath is regarded as the birth place of Mars, according to the Matsya Purana. In ancient times, it was famous for a clear view of the planet and hence suitable for astronomical studies. Mahadev or Shiva is the deity which is worshipped in the temple of Mangalnath. Navagraha Mandir (Triveni). Situated on the Triveni Ghat of the Shipra, the temple is located away from the old site of Ujjaini town. It is dedicated to the nine planets, attracts large crowds on new moon days falling on Saturdays. Its religious importance has increased in recent years though there is no known reference to it in the ancient texts. Pir Matsyendranath. This is an extremely attractive spot on the banks of the Shipra quite close to the Bhartihari Caves and the Gadkalika Temple. It is dedicated to the memory of one of the great leaders of the Natha sect of Saivism-Matsyendranath. Since muslims as well as the followers of the Natha sect call their saints 'pir', the ancient site of Pir Matsyendranath is venerated by both. Excavations at this site have yielded some antiquities which date back to the 6th and 7th century BC. Ram Janardhan Temple, Ram Ghat, Harihara Teertha, Mallikarjuna Teertha, Ganga Ghat, Bohron Ka Roja, Begum Ka Maqbara, Bina Neev Ki Masjid, Maulana Rumi Ka Maqbara, and Digambara Jain Museum are some of the other prominent places of interest in Ujjain. Sandalwala Building. This masterpiece was created in 1925 by Fida Husain Abdul Husain Sandalwala. The architectural marvel stands on R.P. Bhargav Marg of Ujjain, it was built by the artisans of Ujjain and Jaipur. From inside the building looks more like a Palace and is an Landmark in itself. Currently families of Mr. Fida Husain Sandalwala son of Late Asger Ali Sandalwala, Mr. Anis Sandalwala son of Late Abdul Husain Sandalwala & Mr. Firoz Sandalwala son of Late Inayat Husain Sandalwala are residing in the building. 23.2114875.782638 Sandipani Ashram. The fact that ancient Ujjain apart from its political and religious importance, enjoyed the reputation of being a great seat of learning as early as the Mahabharata period is borne out by the fact that, Lord Krishna and Sudama received regular instruction in the ashram of Guru Sandipani. The area near the ashram is known as Ankapata, popularly believed to have been the place used by Lord Krishna for washing his writing tablet. The numerals 1 to 100 found on a stone are believed to have been engraved by Guru Sandipani. The Gomti Kunda referred to in the Puranas was the source of water supply to the ashram in the olden days. An image of Nandi, belonging to the Shunga period, is to be found near the tank. The followers of Vallabha sect regard this place as the 73rd seat of the 84 seats of Vallabhacharya where he delivered his discourses throughout India. Siddhavat. This enormous banyan tree on the banks of the Shipra, has been vested with religious sanctity as the Akashyavat in Prayag and Gaya, Vanshivat of Vrindavan and the Panchavata of Nasik. Thousands of pilgrims take a dip in the Shipra from the bathing ghat built here. According to one tradition, Parvati is believed to have performed her penance here. It used to be a place of worship for the followers of Natha sect. One legend has it that some Mughal rulers had cut off the Banyan tree and covered the site with iron sheets to prevent its roots from growing. But the tree pierced the iron sheets and grew and flourished. The little village of Bhairogarh near Siddhavat is famous for its tie and dye painting for centuries. In ancient times when trade with other countries flourished, exquisitely printed cloth from Bhairogarh used to find its way to Rome and China. The Vedha Shala (Observatory). Ujjain enjoyed a position of considerable importance in the field of astronomy. Great works on astronomy such as the Surya Siddhanta and the Panch Siddhanta were written in Ujjain. According to Indian astronomers, the Tropic of Cancer is supposed to pass through Ujjain. It is also the fist meridian of longitude of the Hindu geographers. From about the 4th century BC, Ujjain enjoyed the reputation of being India's Greenwich. The observatory extant today was built by Raja Jai Singh (1686-1743), who was a great scholar. He translated the works of Ptolemy and Euclid into Sanskrit from Arabic. Of the many observatories built by him at Jaipur, Delhi, Varanasi, Mathura, and Ujjain, the one at Ujjain is still in use actively. Astronomical studies are conducted through the Department of Education and the ephemeris is published every year. There is a small planetarium and a telescope to observe the moon, Mars, Jupiter and their satellites. The observatory is also used for weather forecasts. 23.1682475.800689 Vikram Kirti Mandir. Established on the occasion of the second millennium of the Vikram era, as the cultural centre to perpetuate the memory of Vikramaditya, the Vikram Kirti Mandir houses the Scindia Oriental Research Institute, an archaeological museum, an art gallery and an auditorium. The Scindia Oriental Research Institute has an invaluable collection of 18,000 manuscripts on various subjects and runs a reference library of important oriental publications. Rare manuscripts in Prakrit, Arabic, Persian and other Indian languages cover a wide range of subjects from Vedic literature and philosophy to dance and music. Palm leaf and bark leaf (Bhurja Patra) manuscripts are also preserved in this institute. Apart from an illustrated manuscript of Shrimad Bhagavata in which actual gold and silver have been employed for the paintings, the Institute has a rich collection of old paintings in the Rajput and Mughal style. The museum also exhibits a rich array of images, inscriptions, copper plates and fossils discovered in the Narmada valley. A huge skull of a primitive elephant is of special interest. Vikram University. A famous centre of learning in the past, Ujjain continues to uphold that tradition. The establishment of the Vikram University in 1957 was an important landmark. Situated on the Dewas Road, this university plays a significant role in the literary and cultural activities of the city. Buy[edit] Variants of locally produced consumer goods --- for instance namkeen (snacks), toast, henna among others --- have grown to become closely linked with the cultural and geographic identity of Ujjain. These can be found in shops all over the city, across the price and quality spectrum (in some cases, common prices are agreed upon by trade associations). A few notable outlets, which have gained popularity beyond the borders of Ujjain, would be: Bafna Sweets & Namkeen, Near Bada Sarafa (Standing at the juncture facing Gopal Mandir, the right lane leads to Sarafa.). A family business that caters to the culinary wants of the city, with an almost exhaustive variety of milk-based sweets and namkeen (a variant of spicy snacks, indigenous to North India). 'Sev' is the preferred choice of travel snack for locals. (updated Nov 2015) Noorjanan Mehandi. A locally produced brand of henna with clientele all over India. (updated Nov 2015) Haidery Bakery, Qamri Marg (It is in one of the bylanes of the road between Gopal Mandir and the Badri Moausoleum.). One of the most famous producers of 'toast', a local favorite mostly consumed with tea. The modest location of their shop betrays the fact that their produce goes all over the nation, most notably served in Bohra guest-houses. Although, back at home, they have quite some competition from some locally well-established players. (updated Nov 2015) Rida, Multiple shops outside the two major Bohra mausoleums. (Qamri Marg and Kharakunwa Bakhal.). The traditional Bohra garments, Topi-kurta (male) and Rida-Jodi (female) are produced in blinding variety by local producers, catering to the sizeable Bohra population of the city as well as the hordes of visitors that flock the two shrines. (updated Nov 2015) When you are in Ujjain never forget to visit Gopal Mandir and have a bite of famous Gajanan Kulfi. Apart from that one of the most happening places in Ujjain to eat and enjoy is Tower Chowk. Go there try your hands on all the street chats you have ever heard. The very first thing that will attract you will be stalls of Pani Puri. Following which you will see Hot Dogs stalls serving hot , spicy, juicy hot dogs and Aaloo Tikia with Chhole over it garnished by onions tomatoes corriander, Green chatani, Imli chatani and if desired Fresh Curd. They call it Chhole Tikiya Chat. Then you will have Bhelpuri stalls,Dahi Puri and all related chatpate chats varieties including Dahi Vada. For sweet lovers have falooda ice cream there or A Barf Ka laddoo. Rabadi is a must when you visit Ujjain. Kids will love this place with so much eateries and Jhoolaas and balloon sellers everywhere. and of course Buddhi Ke Baal (cotton candy) Shree Sweets and Restaurant at "Tower Chowk" also a nice place. You can enjoy best kachories there. Drink[edit] Suresh, Gudri (near Mahakal). Poha from suresh uphar greh is a feast, two plates poha and you don't need anything other for whole day,tea,samosa and kachori of "OM cafe"(freeganj) are also nice Sleep[edit] Budget[edit] Ashray (Around 2 km from railway station). Private hotel, decent enough, with clean rooms. (updated Jan 2016) Prem Palace, A-16/1, Madhav Club Road, Freeganj (near Shipra Palace), ☎ (0734) 2552070NOCC, 2555677NOCC. Private hotel, less than 2 km from railway station. Rooms are quite clean with good room service. This hotel has restaurant and bar. Food served is very good and cheap. Has ICICI ATM in front. (updated Jan 2016) Shipra Residency (3 km from the Mahakal temple), ☎ (0734) 2551495-96NOCC, 3269000NOCC, 2552402NOCC, e-mail: [email protected]. This hotel is run by the MP tourism development corporation. There is a restaurant in the hotel and serves north-Indian food. One can do advance reservation online. (updated Jan 2016) Yatri Niwas, ☎ (0734) 2511398NOCC, e-mail: [email protected]. (updated Jan 2016) This city travel guide to Ujjain is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow! Retrieved from "https://en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?title=Ujjain&oldid=3012347" Hidden categories: Has default bannerHas mapframeHas map markersListing with phone missing country codeWestern Madhya PradeshAll destination articlesOutline citiesOutline articlesCity articlesHas Geo parameterPages with maps Navigation menu فارسی Edit links This travel guide page was last edited at 14:28, on 18 June 2016 by Wikivoyage anonymous user 117.247.152.125. Based on work by Wikivoyage users Ibaman, Bakaitaha, Matroc, Ikan Kekek, Texugo, Sukanya, Traveler100bot, Wrh2Bot and Deepak bairagi and others.

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Through what countries does the Danube River flow? The Danube River flows through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania and Ukraine. Its headwaters begin with the confluence of the Brigach and Breg rivers in the town of Donaueschingen in western Germany's mountainous Black Forest region and empties into the Black Sea at the Danube Delta in western Ukraine. Continue Reading What countries make up Eastern Europe? Which countries are members of the EEC? Where does the Danube begin and end? The Danube River flows for a total of 1,770 miles, making it the European Union's longest river and the European continent's second longest river after the Volga. This river passes through many important cities, including four national capitals: Vienna, Austria; Bratislava, Slovakia; Budapest, Hungary; and Belgrade, Serbia. The Danube's drainage basin covers an area of 315,000 square miles and extends into several more countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Montenegro, Switzerland, Italy, Poland, the Republic of Macedonia and Albania. The Danube was home to some of the earliest human cultures in Europe, and its long navigable length has made it an important highway for trade and war for thousands of years. It was a prize for which the Ottoman, Hungarian and Austrian Empires contended for hundreds of years. Today, it is still a major thoroughfare for trade, and it also provides drinking water for around 20 million people. People also use the Danube for fishing and for tours of the historical riches along its length. Learn more about Bodies of Water euratlas.net icpdr.org What countries did the Romans conquer? At its height, the Roman Empire covered much of Europe, including areas that would become Portugal, Spain, Andorra, England, France, Monaco, Luxembourg, Be... What countries are Slavic? The 13 countries considered to be official Slavic states include the Czech Republic, Bosnia, Serbia, Poland, Slovakia, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, ... What itineraries does Grand Circle River Cruises offer in Europe? Grand Circle River Cruises 2016 European itineraries include a 15-day tour "The Great Rivers of Europe," which cruises from the Netherlands to Austria via ... What is the Danube river? The Danube River is a river located in central and southeast Europe, flowing 1,725 miles from southern Germany to the Black Sea. It is the second-longest r... What are some Volga River facts? What kind of software can you use to calculate gas pipe flow? Which ocean contains the most icebergs? How old is the Nile river? How many islands are there in the world? What are the two types of geography? Danube River Map Map Showing Danube River Danube River Route Facts about the Danube River Map of Danube River in Europe Map of the Rhine River Map of the Danube and Rhine Rivers Which states and provinces border the Great Lakes? What is the deepest river in the world? Where do droughts occur in the world? What bodies of water surround Ireland?

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Tag Archives: new zealand Ian Leaf Skydiving in Britain, United Kingdom and New Zealand Posted on October 28, 2016 Posted in About Ian Leaf . Great picture of Ian Leaf skydiving in Britain, the United Kingdom and New Zealand! From records, it is eminent to call Britain a sovereign country in the continent of Europe. The Great Britain is located in the north-western region of the European mainland. The mainland includes the island or region of Great Britain, which is a name often used for the whole country. The north-eastern part of Britain is surrounded by the island of Ireland and other smaller regions. It is only Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom that shares a land frontier with another state. The United Kingdom is covered by the Atlantic Ocean apart from this land frontier. The English Channel is south to the United Kingdom, the North Sea to the east, and the Celtic Sea to the south-southwest. This makes it the twelfth longest coastline in the globe. The Irish Sea is located between Ireland and Great Britain. The UK has a land surface area of 242,500 square kilometers, making it the 78th biggest sovereign nation in the globe. It is also approved as the eleventh biggest country in Europe. With a stipulated 65.1 million inhabitants, the UK is as well the 21st most populous nation. With all these details, Great Britain is accepted as the 4th most populated nation in the EU. This also follows the Ian Leaf Britain quote that helps the UK gain its position in the world and the EU. With a parliamentary system of governance, the UK remains a constitutional monarchy. Queen Elizabeth II remains the monarchy since 6 February 1952. London is the largest and capital town of the United Kingdom. London is a financial center and global town with an urban region population of 10.3 million. It is the second biggest city in the European Union. London is also the 4th biggest in Europe. Other primary urban regions in the United Kingdom include Liverpool, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, and Manchester. The United Kingdom consists of four nations, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and England. The first three nations in the UK has developed administrations with each having varying powers based on their capitals, Belfast, Cardiff, and Edinburgh respectively. This is also another sign of the Ian Leaf Britain quote. Tags: britain, Ian Leaf, new zealand, united kingdom . Recent Posts Ian Leaf Britain

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Devotees of Ganesh pray and seek blessings during the Ganesh Festival at Shri Utthayan Ganesha Temple in Sarika, Nakhon Nayok. If I use the holidays I've covered to mark the passage of time, I am starting my second year in Bangkok. The first thing I photographed when I arrived in Bangkok in 2012 was the Ganesh Festival at Shri Utthayan Ganesha Temple in Sarika, Nakhon Nayok. I hadn't even found an apartment yet, I read about the festival in a Bangkok newspaper, hired a car and went for an adventure in the countryside. (The temple is about two hours north of Bangkok.) To this day, it was one of the most interesting and fun things I've covered in Thailand. Ganesh is a Hindu God and his birthday is one of the biggest holidays in India but Ganesh is also revered in Buddhist Thailand and his birthday is also celebrated here. Seeking blessings during the Ganesh Festival. After that first experience, covering Ganesh Chaturthi has become a fixture for me. Thais are Buddhists and Ganesh is a Hindu God. Thais are also very tolerant of other religions and incorporate aspects of Hinduism into Thai Buddhism. Ganesh is revered by many Thai Buddhists and there are shrines to the "Overcomer of Obstacles" all over Thailand. Shri Utthayan Ganesha Temple is a Buddhist temple with huge shrines to Ganesh. The festival was a real blending of faiths and cultural traditions in Thailand. Hindus celebrated their traditions in one part of the temple. Hindu priests blessed people at shrines to Ganesh while Theravada Buddhist monks performed their own blessings nearby. There was a battle of the mor lam bands in the parking lots of the temple, while Chinese Lion Dancers (from the Mahayana Buddhist tradition) worked the crowd soliciting donations. At the same time, in the center of the temple, a Buddhist monk was blessing statues of Ganesh, the Hindu overcomer of obstacles. All of this was going on at the same time, and everyone had turned the volume up to 11. It was sensory overload. Ganesh statues wait to be blessed. When services at the temple ended a large statue of Ganesh was loaded onto a truck and driven to a nearby river for the submersion of the deity. I walked the four kilometers to the river with the crowd. It was a boisterous parade with a soundtrack that was part traditional Hindu music and mor lam. Pickup trucks carry statues of Ganesh to the river. At the river, statues of Ganesh were carried down to the river and gently submerged. The crowds was overwhelming - everyone wanted to touch Ganesh before he slipped underwater. There are more photos of Ganesh Utsav in my archive or available from ZUMA Press. Ganesh Festival 2014 - Images by Jack Kurtz Polo Unbound Elephant Polo. It's exactly what it sounds like. Late August in Bangkok can only mean one thing. It's Elephant Polo season! At just four days, it's admittedly a short season but it's fun for a good cause. Anantara, a family of high end hotels and resorts in Asia, is the chief sponsor of the annual King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. It draws polo players from the US and across Asia (seriously) who come for four days of polo action to benefit elephants rescued from abusive environments. Mahouts on their elephants in the corral before the tournament. I know what you're thinking. This sounds like something from The Onion. But elephant abuse in Asia is a big deal. Elephants have a long history of being used as beasts of burden in the logging industry in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar. Logging is more regulated and mechanized and elephants and their mahouts (trainers) are being pushed onto the streets where they end up begging for handouts from tourists. (I am not making this up.) Ananatara and a couple of other organizations are trying to help rescued elephants. The King's Cup Polo Tournament is Anantara's fundraiser for elephant welfare. A "Khru Ba Yai," or Elephant Spirit Man, leads a blessing for the elephants before the tournament. The Khru Ba Yai used to capture wild elephants for the logging industry. There are only a few Khru Ba Yai left since there are almost no Thai elephants left working in the logging industry. Elephant polo is sort of just like horse polo. Horse polo is an exhilarating sport played at break neck speed. Elephant polo is not. It's played on elephants that trundle around the pitch (field). It's so slow the referee runs up and down the field and polices the play not on an elephant or on horseback but on foot. There's more than just elephant polo at the King's Cup Elephant Polo Tournament. There's the elephant buffet (a huge table set with pumpkins, corn, pineapple and other fruit) that the pachyderms munch while people watch and try to make selfies. There's human food, booze and lots more. A dancer with an elephant hat channels an elephant. There are more photos of the elephant polo tournament in my archive or available from ZUMA Press. Elephant Polo 2014 - Images by Jack Kurtz Sticktoitiveness Performers at a Chinese opera wait for the evening performance to start at a small shrine in Bangkok. Most of the stories I work on are ones I assign to myself. I read something in a local newspaper or stumble on something on the internet that piques my interest, do some research and start photographing. Sometimes it's a news event, like the exodus (and subsequent return) of Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand. Sometimes it's an issue related story, like drought in Thailand. Other times, it's just fun stuff. Sometimes it just takes a lot of "sticktoitiveness" to get the story done. Chinese opera definitely falls into the fun category. This is Ghost Month in Chinese communities around the world. Thailand has a large Chinese community and Chinese holidays, like the Chinese New Year or the Vegetarian Festival, are usually cause for a big celebration here. A man rides his scooter past the stage for the Chinese opera. Chinese opera, called "ngiew" in Thailand, is popular and I thought that Ghost Month would be a great opportunity to photograph some Chinese opera. The problem with photographing Chinese opera, though, is finding one. It's not that the operas are secret, but they're held at small Chinese shrines and temples and they are not usually advertised. They're as much religious as they are entertainment and announcement of a coming Chinese opera is usually limited to posters in the temples. The posters are frequently in Chinese, which for me is a problem because while I don't read Thai I can get it translated. But Chinese? It's all Greek to me. I've photographed a couple of Chinese operas since coming to Thailand. If I can, I collect contact information from every opera I go to, but it's always been a challenge to pin down the exact time and location of a Chinese opera. A performer smokes a cigarette before the show. Last month I started sending emails and making some calls on Chinese opera. I contacted an opera "source" who had always been very helpful. She told me there were probably no Chinese operas in Bangkok for Ghost Month because Chinese opera during Ghost Month was not a big part of the Thai Ghost Month tradition. She told me that most of the Thai Chinese opera troupes went to Malaysia for Ghost Month, but that a couple of opera troupes might be performing in Bangkok and told me at which shrines they might be performing. So I put on my walking shoes and went on a research mission. I went to a Chinese shrine on the riverfront in the Dusit district. No one in the temple spoke English but iPhone to the rescue. I showed people in the temple pictures I had on my iPhone from other Chinese operas I photographed and used the Translate app to ask about opera. People in the temple liked the photos and thought the app was amusing. But said no, they had no opera for Ghost Month. They did say they had one coming in December. I added that to my calendar but left disappointed. There are no dressing rooms at this opera. Performers put on their makeup where ever they can find room, sometimes in the middle of the street. Then I went down to Chinatown and Talat Noi and wandered through the alleys and shrines looking for evidence of a Chinese opera. It was nice but fruitless stroll. I found no operas. My last stop was a small shrine in a neighborhood behind Chulalongkorn University, between MBK shopping center and Hua Lamphong train station. My opera "source" said there had been Chinese operas in the neighborhood for Ghost Month in years past but the neighborhood was being torn down (urban renewal Bangkok style) and she wasn't sure if the neighborhood shrine was still open. On my first visit the shrine was deserted. It was open, candles and incense burning inside, but there was no one there and no sign of a coming opera. Although the shrine is still open, the neighborhood around it is being razed to make way for condominiums and shopping malls, which I took as a bad sign. On a whim I went back to shrine over the weekend. There were a couple of new posters in the shrine in Chinese but more importantly there was a charming woman who thought it was quite nice that a foreigner had wandered into her temple. (This is way, way off the tourist trail.) I started the whole iPhone translate routine of asking about Chinese opera and she said, "you want to photograph a Chinese opera?" In English. I told her that I did, that I was a journalist working on a story about Chinese opera and Ghost Month and asked if she knew of any Chinese opera. She said her shrine was having a Chinese opera in 18 days. That didn't seem right because it would take us out of Ghost Month so we hunted down a calendar and I counted ahead 18 days. While I was counting, she stopped me at August 18 and said "Here. In 18 days." And I said, "you mean on August 18?" She pointed to the poster (which was in Chinese) and said, "yes, August 18." The opera starts with performers making an offering in the shrine. Yesterday I went down to the shrine. There was a small stage blocking the street in front of the shrine. It was the Chinese opera I was looking for and the performers couldn't have been nicer. When I started photographing they thought I was just going to make a couple of snapshots and leave. After about 90 minutes, they realized that I was in this for the long haul. So they pulled up a chair for me, offered me dinner and regaled me with stories about their lives in greasepaint. Of course, no one spoke English and I speak neither Thai nor Teochow (Chinese) so our conversation was limited to my laughing and nodding but it was a great evening and good experience. All thanks to a healthy amount of sticktoitiveness. A member of the audience relaxes while she watches the opera. There are more photos from the Chinese opera in my archive. Chinese Opera Marks Ghost Month - Images by Jack Kurtz Celebrating Krishna's Birth Men at the Vishnu Temple in Bangkok during the Janmashtami celebrations at the temple. I went to the Vishnu Temple in Bangkok last night to photograph the temple's celebration of Janmashtami, the birth of the Krishna, the eighth avatar (incarnation) of the Lord Vishnu. It's an important Hindu holiday and a joyous one. The services was supposed to start around 7.30PM. I got there about 7 so I could talk to people and make sure it was okay to photograph. The 7.30 start time was more a suggestion than an actual start time though and the service didn't really got rolling until around 9. Early in the service, women pray at a crib that represents Krishna's crib. By 10.15PM the temple was packed and the service was really going. There was a band at the front of the room backing up vocalists who led the crowd in prayer through song and call and response. Hinduism is nothing like Christianity - the two come from completely different traditions and parts of the world - but the service reminded me a lot of revival meetings and evangelical services I've covered in the US. Men pray during the service. As the night went on, the temple became more and more crowded. By the end of the night, it was full well past overflowing. There was no room left inside, people in Hindu temples sit on the floor, and the floor was completely full. There was a narrow aisle from the doors to the front of the temple, but even that was impassible as people overflowed onto the aisle. I was struck by genuine warmth and kindness people showed me through the evening. I was the only farang (Thai for European or white skinned foreigner) at the service, between that and my cameras I really stuck out.Throughout the evening I was treated as an honored guest. Even though people sit on the floor during the service, I was repeatedly offered a chair, which I declined because I was moving around the room as I photographed, and not one person looked askance at my photography. During the Janmashtami service. It was a great evening. There are more photos from Janmashtami in my archive. Janmashtami 2014 - Images by Jack Kurtz Feeding the Ghosts Men burn joss paper, that symbolizes gold bars, on Charoen Krung Street during the Hungry Ghost Festival. The seventh month of the Lunar Calendar is called Ghost Month. The gates of hell are thrown open and ghosts come back to wander the earth. It's a time of piety and celebration in Chinese Buddhist and Taoist communities around the world. Thailand is home to a large Chinese community and the first days of the month, the Hungry Ghost Festival, is an important holiday. A man prepares to throw a stack of "hell money" into an incinerator. People burn joss paper, the paper represents the things ghosts need to ease their way through the afterlife. Suits, shirts, shoes, money, gold bullion are all incinerated. It's not a raucous holiday like Chinese New Year or the Vegetarian Festival, but it's widely celebrated and brings big crowds to the Chinese temples and shrines. A man walks past barrels burning hell money and joss paper during the Hungry Ghost festival in Bangkok. A service to venerate ancestors at Wat Mangkon Kamalawat, a large Mahayana Buddhist temple in Chinatown. There are more photos from Hungry Ghost in my archive or available from ZUMA Press. First Day of Ghost Month - Images by Jack Kurtz General Boonsang Niampradit, a member of the National Legislative Assembly, arrives at the Parliament in Bangkok before the NLA's opening Friday. Thailand started back on the path to civilian rule Friday when the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) convened. The NLA met Thursday to receive blessings from the Crown Prince and the Monarchy but they conducted their first business Friday. Somporn Thepsittha, 89, the oldest member of the National Legislative Assembly, arrives at the Parliament Building. Somporn chaired the first meeting of the NLA. The NLA has a strong military flavor. There are 197 members. From the Royal Thai Army 40 members are Generals, 21 are Lt. Generals and 7 are Major Generals. From the Royal Thai Air Force 17 are Air Chief Marshals and 2 are Air Marshals. From the Royal Thai Navy, 14 are Admirals and 5 are Vice Admirals. There are also 6 Police Generals and 3 Police Lt. Generals. There are 187 men in the NLA and only 10 women. It's expected that the body's political reforms will attempt to severely limit the role of the Shinawatra family in Thai politics. NLA members stand during the opening ceremony - not many women in this picture. Only about 5% of the body's members are women. The first thing members did was elect their leadership. Happily, the results were unanimous. Pornphet Vichitcholchai was elected President of the body. Surachai Liengboonlertchai, former speaker of the Senate (who hosted a meeting with Suthep during the protests in the days before the coup) was selected as first vice-president and Phirasak Porchit as second vice-president. The voting took less than five minutes. Pornphet Vichitcholchai thanks his fellow legislators for electing him President of the NLA. Photographically, it was a frustrating day for me. When I was working for newspapers in the US, my bread and butter was covering politics. Photographing the first day of the NLA was a bit of a throwback to those days. Back then I would have been covering the first day of the state legislature and I had access to the newspaper's inventory of long lenses. I would have been working with either a 300mm f2.8 or 400mm f2.8, Canon's ridiculously expensive (the 400mm f2.8 is about $12,000 US) L series telephotos. I don't need those lenses now, this was the first time since I've left the paper that I really needed anything longer than my 200mm f2.8. But when you need a 400mm lens, you need a 400mm lens. I ended up using my 200 and 1.4X teleconverter (for an effective focal length of about 280mm at f4). Using the teleconverter in the dimly lit Parliament was a challenge. With the 200mm lens I could get away with working at ISO3200. But with the teleconverter, which both takes one stop of light (my 200mm f2.8 becomes a 280mm f4) and requires a faster shutter speed (because the longer lens is more prone to camera shake) so I ended up working at ISO12,800. Peerasak Porchit thanks members of the NLA for electing him 2nd Vice President of the NLA. Made with my 200mm f2.8 & 1.4X teleconverter. Effectively a 280mm f4, ISO12,800, 1/250th at f4. This is the first time I've used ISO12,800 for anything serious. I was checking my work on the camera's back screen and I was not impressed with what I was getting. So when I thought it was over I left in a hurry. Big mistake. When it was over, the leadership stood in the middle of the chamber with their hands clenched over their heads in a victory pose. And I wasn't even in the room. It wasn't really a very good picture (none of the photos from the day were really very good photos) but it was THE photo. The one everyone used from the day. The only good thing to come out of the experience was the knowledge that I can work at ISO12,800 and still get usable images. I still remember the old days of film, when ISO800 (for color) was a big deal. Those low ISO habits are hard to break. There are more photos from the NLA opening in my archive. Opening of Thai Legislative Assembly - Images by Jack Kurtz Coup, Always Carry a Camera Redux Cooked rice ready to be distributed to people at Pek Leng Keng Mangkorn Khiew Shrine in Khlong Toei Market. I had to run an errand to Khlong Toei earlier today. I expected it to take a couple of minutes - I left our apartment about 8.30AM and thought I would be home by 10. (It says something about Bangkok traffic that an errand that should take a couple of minutes and is only a few miles away would take 90 minutes, but that's another story.) Although I was not going out to photograph, I never leave our apartment without a camera, even when I'm running errands. Traffic in Khlong Toei was even worse than normal and people were wandering around in the street. We passed a small Chinese shrine, one I've stopped into several times but never photographed because there was never anyone there, and it was packed. People line up in the street to get into Pek Leng Keng Mangkorn Khiew Shrine. My errand was across the street from the shrine, so I took care of it and walked back to the shrine to see what was what. As luck would have it, I happened to be passing by the shrine on the one day of the year it's packed. The seventh month of the lunar year is known as "Ghost Month." It's when the gates of hell open and ghosts can return to wander the earth. It's an important time of merit making and many Chinese shrines hand out food and children's toys to community members. I knew that Ghost Month was coming up, but it doesn't start until August 10, so I wasn't expecting the shrine to busy three days early. People pray in the shrine after making donations of rice and food. The food was distributed to the poor a couple of hours later. I photographed for a couple of hours while people waited for the food distribution to start. People started lining up before 8AM for a program that didn't officially start until 1PM. Several groups came down to the shrine and set up small field kitchens and served up everything from noodle soups to curries to satays. People lined up for whatever was being served and then went back to their spot in the big line to wait for the staples to be distributed. People flavor there noodle soup with chilies and sugar. Volunteers stack sacks of rice before handing it out. I didn't go out expecting to photograph this morning. But I grabbed my cameras because you just never know and I ended spending most of the day at the shrine. There are more photos of the food distribution in my archive or available from ZUMA Press. Hungry Ghost Food Distribution - Images by Jack Kurtz

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Disney Cruise › Disney Cruise Line Expands to Four Ships, Earns Profits for Mickey Disney Cruise Line Expands to Four Ships, Earns Profits for Mickey John Frost 02/14/2012 Disney Cruise Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse are joined by (from left to right) Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft, Captain Wolfgang Thos, also from Meyer Werft, Captain Tom Forberg and Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line as they celebrate Disney Cruise Line taking possession of its newest ship. Mickey Mouse turns out to be a better sailor than he is a movie star. The Disney Cruise Line is reportedly booked to 75% for 2012, even with the Disney Fantasy about to add 40% more capacity to the fleet. Thinks are looking good, even though bookings have softened recently after the Coast Concordia accident. Disney CEO Bob Iger still says, “Generally speaking, we’re looking at a very, very healthy year ahead for that business.” In fact, just this week, Disney Cruise Line took possession of its fourth and newest ship, the Disney Fantasy, from the Meyer Werft shipyard in a traditional maritime ceremony aboard the ship. The Meyer Werft flag was lowered, while the Disney Cruise Line flag was raised, transferring ownership from the shipbuilder to Disney. Captain Tom Forberg will officially take the helm of the Disney Fantasy for Disney Cruise Line. As part of the Disney Cruise Line ship construction team, Captain Forberg has been with the company for more than 15 years and was responsible for launching Disney’s first three ships, the Disney Dream, the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. You can be assured the ship is in the very best hands with Captain Tom at the helm. “Today we celebrate the culmination of a wonderful partnership, as we take possession of the Disney Fantasy and prepare for the journey home to Florida. This ship is the result of the superb craftsmanship from the master shipbuilders at Meyer Werft and the innovation, imagination and ingenuity of the Disney team, who have partnered together so beautifully to bring this ship to life,” said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line. “We are eagerly anticipating our guests, who will experience storytelling in enchanting new ways onboard the Disney Fantasy while making magical memories that will last a lifetime.” The hand-off closes the book on the ship’s construction journey and signals her readiness to welcome guests on her maiden voyage, set for March 31, 2012, from Port Canaveral, Florida. The Disney Fantasy is the second of two newly designed Disney ships that take the family cruise experience to new heights and features many of the innovations found on her sister ship, Disney Dream. “The Disney Fantasy, along with her sister ship, the Disney Dream, are the largest ships that Meyer Werft has ever built,” said Bernard Meyer, managing partner of Meyer Werft. “Over the last five years we have developed an outstanding partnership working with Disney, and together, we have seen two magnificent ships become reality. The collaboration among Disney Cruise Line, Meyer Werft and its suppliers has been exemplary.” Meyer Werft and Disney first signed a contract to build two new ships in April of 2007. Shortly thereafter, planning for the design of the ships began and construction started on the Disney Dream, the first of the two new ships, with the first steel cutting on March 2, 2009. Since the recent completion of the ship’s float out and conveyance on the River Ems, the test-and-adjust period has been in full swing. The ship will remain in Bremerhaven for another week while additional crew members board, and supplies and provisions are loaded. The Disney Fantasy is scheduled to depart on Feb. 16 for its transatlantic voyage to the U.S., with an expected arrival to its homeport in Port Canaveral, Florida on March 6. Are you traveling on the Disney Fantasy, or any of Disney’s ships, in 2012? What are you most looking forward to? I will be on the Disney Fantasy for a 3 night cruise beginning March 23rd. Let me know if there is anything in particular you want me to photograph or check out for you. Bob Iger, dcl, Disney Cruise, disney fantasy, meyer werft, shipbuilder, tom forberg, twdc Post navigation Once Upon a Time Episode 1-12: Skin Deep | Magic Kingdom Photo Update – Making Progress to New Fantasyland Opening (Part 2) 2 thoughts on “Disney Cruise Line Expands to Four Ships, Earns Profits for Mickey” Pingback: The Disney Blog Pingback: The Disney Blog Comments are closed. RSS feeds and such Enter your email address:Delivered by FeedBurner

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There is this awesome Ice Cream place near Center Street in Provo that is somewhat new called Rockwell's. Stacey had told me about it a while ago and told me it was his favorite ice cream and wanted to take me... but we never got around to going. Apparently he goes often enough that they asked him if he wanted to create his own flavor for the store. I mean... it helps that he is also a Utah celebrity... but whatever. So he accepted and created his own flavor and the opening night was tonight and he was going to be there helping to serve up ice cream to promote his flavor. Pretty cool right? Yeah, so Lindsay asked me if I wanted to go with her to support Stacey. Of course I said yes. We also ran into some other friends that also went to support Stacey. Stacey later told me that they didn't keep the ice cream flavor that name... it was just for him that night. Pretty lame. Why do it at all if you aren't going to keep it? Oh well... still cool that they asked him. Good ice cream and friends isn't a bad way to spend your Friday evening. Oh and that ice cream is super good. I will be going back for sure. Lynette Mills Cool beans!

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Kyle is 22 months old, which means he is still young enough to ride on a plane for free. Whether or not he should is a question we probably should have discussed when we bought plane tickets for last weekend's trip to Florida. Consider our choices: by purchasing a ticket for our son, we would be able to fly together as a family, without a stranger sitting next to us by the window. Kyle would not be forced to sit on Jennifer's lap or my lap, and he would be spared from having our seat belt buckles dig into his back. He would not be close enough to the seat in front of him to kick it, and the comfort of his own seat, combined with the soft purr of the jet engine, would likely quell him to sleep for most of the flight. On the other hand, by not purchasing a ticket for Kyle, we would save 250 bucks.We chose to save 250 bucks.As the millions of my avid readers know, this was not Kyle's first flight, but it seemed like it. The last time Kyle boarded a plane, George Bush was president and the stock market was dropping faster than a bird glued to a bucket of bowling balls. While many people would like to forget that period of time, Kyle actually did, so this whole plane thing was new to him.I think the entire flight would have gone well for Kyle had it been as turbulent as the takeoff from JFK early Friday afternoon. The plane jerked. It rocked. It fell suddenly. I sweated profusely. Jennifer's life passed before her eyes. But Kyle laughed and smiled. Apparently he thought he was on a new ride, something like those crazy tea cups at the amusement park. Sadly for him, but much to our relief, the plane steadied as it hit cruising altitude. Our prayer time ended, and Kyle became bored.First he wanted off our laps. Then he wanted back on. Then he wanted to be on the floor. Then he wanted all his books on the floor with him. Then there was no more room on the floor, so he wanted to be back on our laps. We had downloaded some children's videos on an old iPod Nano we own, and he seemed interested in that for a while. By "while," I mean five minutes. He then flung it away and wanted to be back on the floor.We thought food might help pass the time. We fed him snacks he always enjoyed at home, including his favorite cookies. This worked for a while, but then, like he does at home, Kyle started flinging his food. Unfortunately, unlike home, Kyle did not have much room for tossing. The passenger next to us received a lap full of Cheerios, I received bits of sandwich, and Jennifer was socked in the face with a water bottle. When she regained consciousness, Kyle was kicking the seat in front of us so hard that the passenger there nearly swallowed his tray table.Then came the landing. As we began our descent, Kyle decided he was not interested in a lollipop or even the straw cup he drank during takeoff. We desperately tried to give them to him, since sucking on them was the only way for him to pop his ears and avoid the -"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"We were too late. Kyle felt pain from the air pressure."WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!! WWAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"Our child screamed. His face turned purple as his lips quivered. We tried desperately to make him stop, practically forcing a lollipop or the straw cup into his mouth. He kept pushing them away. People were turning around, and we realized we had become that family: the one that wakes everyone up with the screaming child. The one business travelers complain about at the staff meetings. The one that makes people swear to never get on a plane again. The one that helps control the population by convincing young couples that they'd rather have a dog."WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!" screamed our child, ramming his head into my chest as I tried to rock him back and forth. A flight attendant stopped by. I feared she was going to give us a few parachutes and tell us we'd have to leave."Have you given him a lollipop?" she asked. When I told her we had, she walked away. She was very helpful. Later another attendant came by and asked us the same thing. Apparently no other kid has ever refused a lollipop before.Thankfully, we soon were on the ground, and Kyle's crying stopped. His sense of humor came back, and he laughed as he waited with us at the car rental pick-up spot. For the rest of our time there, Kyle was a joyful kid, entertaining all the guests at his great-grandmother's 90th birthday party (which was the reason why we flew down). We had a great time, too... so much so that we had even forgotten the unpleasant fact that we had another flight to take to get home.That happened yesterday. I won't get into as many details about that trip, only to say that it was very similar to the trip down, though this time he did spare our sanity a bit by taking a brief nap. I'm just glad we made it back alive, and with our eardrums in tact.We will be driving for our next trip. I think might wait a good number of months before we fly again. The break will be good for Kyle, good for us, and good for humanity in general.And you can be sure that next time we will buy Kyle his own seat. Taking the morning train As you probably know, my family lives in a New York City apartment. While there are a good number of perks that come with this, including the complimentary 2 a.m. wake-up alarm service provided by the local bar patrons, there are a few downsides. One such downside is the fact that the floor is not entirely ours. We live on the third floor of our building, which means our feet touch the ceiling of the second-floor apartment beneath us. If we choose to be the friendly and respectful type, and we often do, we have to limit some of our behavior. We try not vacuum or make other loud noises very early or very late in the day, and we keep our clog dancing to a minimum.Sometimes, though, no amount of kindness can avoid a complaint, either to you or your landlord. Believe it or not, some city dwellers are actually irritated by the noises they hear above them, and I'm not talking about sounds caused by the occasionally necessary chair-smashing or pogo stick race. No, these people are bothered by walking or simple furniture movement. Somehow they don't grasp the concept that, by living in an apartment, you might have to hear some noises made by people who live above you. I once had a downstairs neighbor approach me frantically to complain about the slight tapping noise made by my coffee table whenever I put my feet on it. That's nothing compared to another person we know who is so bothered by simple noises she had called her upstairs tenants to complain daily, and she threatened to have them arrested by the police or deported. She says the tenants blast their radio and host wild dancing parties whenever we're out (since we never heard such things), but other tenants in the building say noise has always been a problem with her. They told us that she once called and threatened (in the most polite way, I'm sure) to stab a pregnant woman who had made the dreadful mistake of dropping something on the floor. She's a sweet old lady, once you get to know her.Fortunately, this person does not live directly below us. The tenants who used to live there were very kind to us, and tolerated the many noises Kyle started making once he transformed from a little immovable baby to a fast-moving, foot-stomping, wild and crazy noise machine. But they're gone now, and we are just waiting to see whether our new downstairs neighbors will be as friendly.In the meantime, we have become a little too comfortable with an empty apartment beneath us. We're living it up, giddily stomping on the floor whenever we feel like it. Our son is enjoying it, too, as our neighbors' departure just so happened to coincide with his new love for a toy he received nearly a year ago from my aunt and uncle. Kyle has spent many mornings this month riding a blue plastic train through the apartment, running over anything in its path and bumping into walls. When the steering wheel doesn't turn the train far enough, he often stands up and flips it around, sliding its four wheels on the floor. He also manages to drive the train over small obstacles by lifting the front wheels, passing them over the object, and then dropping them back onto the floor with a THUD! He then does the same with the back wheels. Sometimes he also removes the back of the train seat and throws it to the floor. This all happens before eight in the morning, even on Saturdays.If our neighbors were still downstairs, we probably would have hidden the train in our room each morning, but it's been so much fun watching him play with it. In the weeks he has been using it, his driving skills have greatly improved, though he has yet to master parallel parking. He often leaves the vehicle right in the middle of a traffic lane, where an unsuspecting visitor or dad might create more noise on the floor with his or her body after tripping over the thing.Soon, though, we will have to be quiet again. Hopefully the neighbors we get downstairs will be tolerant of our kid, just like the previous neighbors were. Even so, I suppose we will have to return to our old morning routines, keeping quiet out of respect to those living beneath us. Kyle will have to limit his train riding to the late morning and afternoon hours. I guess that's the way things will have to be until we move to the suburbs or have a ground-floor place. It's too bad, really, because Kyle has truly grown to love the train. The only thing he seems to love more is his toy jackhammer. Behold, the elusive yellow plastic circle thingy:This is one of ten pieces belonging to the Tupperware "Shape O" ball. Chances are that you probably had this shape sorter when you were a child, as it was developed many years ago by cavemen to teach their kids how to recognize the wheel they just developed, along with other shapes and objects still on the drawing board. Kyle received this toy for Christmas, and at that time the ball contained ten pieces. Since then, the circle has become our own Loch Ness Monster, with knowledge of its existence kept alive merely through rumor and folktales. The circle vanished so early during its stay here that many have wondered whether it was even part of the set. There's one belief that Tupperware deliberately did not include a circle piece and left a slot for one in the ball to screw with children's minds and teach them some sort of lesson about life.Then, sometime in February, any denial over the existence of the circle was shattered. In the fog of our living room (our radiators give off a lot of steam), our Loch Ness Monster reappeared as mysteriously as it had disappeared. I leaped in excitement and was about to call all our friends and neighbors, but then realized that perhaps they would not quite understand the significance of the yellow plastic circle thingy's return, and I did not want them to ruin the moment. Turns out that was a wise move, because the moment was incredibly brief, as the piece vanished within days, returning to the stuff of legend for several more weeks. Sometimes it would come back and take its friends away in the night, leaving Kyle to play with only half the shapes he should have. In recent days, though, all pieces have returned to their rightful place, including the yellow circle. Its reappearance allowed me to finally take a picture of it, proving that it does, in fact, exist. I plan to showcase it on a talk show next week.The disappearance of the elusive yellow plastic circle thingy is not the only phenomenon happening in our New York City apartment. Other objects have also mysteriously vanished. A set of twelve Sesame Street mini-books Kyle received as a gift now has just ten books. A jungle play set that came with six colorful balls now has only two. Several stuffed animals are MIA, and so is a Curious George book. Who knows where they all went, though I suspect the Curious George story may have vanished to the same watering hole the man with the yellow hat always seems to be visiting whenever his monkey runs amok.Perhaps the greatest mystery of all is the disappearance of Kyle's first birthday gift, the Oball. Jennifer and I are not sure exactly when it ceased to exist; we just noticed one day that Kyle had stopped playing with it, and we have not seen it anywhere. The only known photographs I have of it, in fact, are from his birthday. I believe this is the largest of all the objects that have vanished, and I am puzzled as to how it happened. After all, we live in an apartment. Sure, it's no studio, but it's no townhouse, either. We're on one floor with adjoining rooms, a so-called "railroad apartment." We do not have our own yard, our own deck, or our own killer sand creature like the one in "Return of the Jedi." If we did, then the disappearance of these things would make more sense. Our home appears to have very few hiding places, but somehow, someway, these objects have found a good one.While we hardly ever see Kyle play with these toys after they go into hiding, he might know where this perfect hiding spot is. That could explain how some things unexpectedly reappear. Such was the case several months ago, one morning shortly after Jennifer went to work. Kyle had left me in the middle of a deep conversation and ran to his bedroom. I didn't bother to follow, since his bedroom is a relatively safe place, if you overlook the snake pit, which I often do. Kyle did not spend much time in his room, and I sat there and watched him run out, back towards me with a big smile on his face... and a straw cup filled with water in his hand.Funny, I thought to myself, I don't remember giving him a straw cup today. I hadn't yet, in fact, since it was still early in the morning, shortly after his breakfast, and I normally don't fill one up with water until later in the day. I e-mailed Jennifer and asked her if she gave him one before she left. She e-mailed me back saying she did not. I looked back at Kyle and saw him smiling and drinking away... and I wondered just how old that water was. Thank God it wasn't milk. Kyle must have retrieved that straw cup from the hiding spot, where it had sat overnight, or perhaps days or weeks, next to the Oball, the Sesame Street mini-books, the jungle play set balls, and the yellow plastic circle thingy.Of course our son is not telling us where this hiding place exists, as he likes to find any way to build leverage over his parents. So I must go from day to day, wondering what's happening to most of his toys, trying to figure it out without going crazy crazy crazy. I am sure they will turn up eventually, but not before more toys, including something bigger (like his Elmo doll or the crib), will disappear. Or maybe there is no secret hiding place. Maybe Kyle's just selling is toys for profit on eBay. That certainly would explain how he was able to afford that new stereo system in his room. The Grinch Who Stole Easter Easter certainly was a different experience for us this year. When the day began, Jennifer and I were full of excitement, looking forward to Kyle's reaction to his basket, which the Easter Bunny had placed in the living room. By the end of the day, we were in that very same living room, tattered shells of our former selves, struggling to stay awake through the season's first major league baseball game. The rug was covered with Easter grass and plastic eggs that were once confined to the now-empty basket, along with several locks of hair that were once attached to our skulls. Inside the room at the far end of the apartment was our beautiful child, who was sleeping peacefully after screaming through his bedtime stories. I guess you could say the day did not go as well as we had hoped it would.Last year we had it easy. Kyle's first Easter basket was simple. It has no Easter grass, and no candy. It merely contained a few toys, plastic eggs, and jars of pureed vegetables. Back then, nothing expressed love more to Kyle than a container of mashed green beans.At church last year, Kyle did not cause much of a stir, except to flirt with the nuns, and he slept through most of the brunch we had with a couple of our friends afterwards. If I remember right, when we came home he slept a little more, smiled when we posed for pictures, and did nothing else but hug us and make adorable little baby sounds for the rest of the night.This Easter, Kyle was possessed by demons. He fought with us much of the day, and he cried angrily whenever he didn't get what he wanted, which is often nearly impossible to figure out. He screamed through much of our time at church, though that wasn't as bad as it could have been, since we've been starting to visit a local parish that has a toddler-friendly Mass. There were about 80 or so children there on Easter, with most of them running, jumping, screaming, or crying throughout the service. It was like the chimpanzee exhibit at the zoo, but with Bible readings. Afterwards we went downstairs to the church hall, where there was even more running and jumping, plus an Easter Bunny who handed each kid a bag full of colorful choking hazards. Kyle at least enjoyed that part.The demons took a break for brunch, as we filled our son's stomach with enough food to keep himself satisfied, and ourselves with enough coffee to get through the rest of the day (the mimosas included with the brunch also helped). The peace ended shortly afterwards, when Kyle refused to take his afternoon nap, cried whenever we did not identify every car or flag he pointed at, and then, at the end, screamed as Jennifer tried to read him stories before putting him down for bed. He also kicked a few orphaned puppies and vandalized a library. It was an unnaturally difficult day with Kyle, and we were at a loss as to what could have caused it.There was, however, an element present at this Easter that was absent last year: chocolate. Yes, the Easter Bunny chose not to continue our child on the healthy eating path it forged last year, and instead caved to the pressures of the corporations that have long funded his ventures, namely Hershey and Palmer Chocolates. I cannot say for certain that chocolates caused Kyle to become especially difficult, since some of his unruly behavior happened before he consumed any. Still, just the knowledge that there was easily-accessible candy in the home could have sent him over the edge. I will have to research this, of course, by showing him a piece of chocolate and, regrettably, consuming some myself. If there's a change in behavior, then I'll know for sure what caused it. Otherwise, we'll just blame this on the terrible twos, and continue counting the days until he turns three. Subscribe To DaveWeekly.com! Get The DaveWeekly.com Feed Check out my article in New York Family Brooklyn: Top reason why DaveWeekly will fail: Contact Dave Directly E-mail him at [email protected]

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Home › Blog › Posted In: Adventure, Destinations, Ecotourism, Monarch Butterflies, Nature, Whale Watching Beyond the Beaches: Get Up Close and Personal with Mexico’s Wildlife Posted In: Adventure, Destinations, Ecotourism, Monarch Butterflies, Nature, Whale Watching Both on land and by sea, Mexico has a rich ecosystem home to a diverse array of flora and fauna. With an impressive reef system on the east, and what Jacques Cousteau calls the “Aquarium of the World” on the west, the natural wonders that exist beneath the seas surrounding Mexico are easy to access but hard to forget! Dolphins, mantarays, tropical fish, reef sharks, and sea lions are some of the marine wildlife in Mexico, but the true highlights are gray whales, sea turtles and whale sharks. PACIFIC GRAY WHALES Some of the world’s best whale watching happens here in Mexico. The Pacific Gray Whales migrate thousands of miles every year from the frigid waters the Bering Sea off of Alaska’s coast to the warm, protected lagoons of the Baja Peninsula. This journey is the longest known mammal migration in the world and draws nature and whale watching enthusiasts and novices alike from around the world. These great animals have been hunted nearly to extinction for hundreds of years but with Journey Mexico, you’ll interact with conversationalists to learn about what is being done to preserve these incredible creatures and their mating grounds. Prepare yourself for an up close meeting with these magnificent creatures and experience whale watching in Mexico, one of the world’s most memorable wildlife encounters. The whale shark is the world’s largest living fish. Their narrow mouths extends across the full width of a flattened head and they are harmless and even curious about human beings. These mighty whale sharks can be seen off of the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, near Cancun, Isla Mujeres, and Isla Contoy in the open waters in the Caribbean Ocean. On the Pacific Coast, the whale sharks swim near the state of Oaxaca and in the Sea of Cortez. A swim with a whale shark will make even the biggest admirer feel small in comparison! For generations, sea turtles have played a key role in Mexican culture in native coastal communities. In addition, they have provided a significant part of the livelihood of a large number of coastal fishermen. In the past 20 years, a combination of factors, including unlimited exploitation, the low percentage of hatchlings which survive to adulthood, and environmental degradation, have resulted in the turtles becoming endangered in Mexico. The Mexican Government in partnership with the NGO community and private businesses has been working hard to protect Mexican Sea Turtles through out the country. There are currently sea turtle preservation programs on the Baja Peninsula and up and down the Pacific Coast that offer extraordinary up close experiences for interested travelers, like the Magdalena Bay Sea Turtle Monitoring Camp! Hatchling releases, sea turtle monitoring, and open ocean sea turtle viewings allow visitors to witness these remarkable creatures in their natural habitat while ensuring their presence for generations to come. In addition to underwater, the jungles of Mexico and tropical forest provide a healthy habitat for an diverse number of wildlife, plants, and birds on land; and in central Mexico the monarch butterflies captivate any visitor. The Monarchs Butterflies embark on an annual migration to Mexico that is unmatched by any other butterfly in the world. Starting in October, just east of the Rocky Mountains, these graceful creatures float the wind currents to the forests high in the mountains of Michoacan and the State of Mexico. They travel much farther than all other butterflies, up to 4,000 miles, and amazingly, they fly to the same wintering spot, often to the exact same oyamel tree. Still a mystery to humans, somehow the butterflies navigate their way every year even though the butterflies returning to Mexico each fall are the great-great-grandchildren of the butterflies that left the previous spring! The annual cycle spans five whole generations! In Mexico, the wintering grounds are protected sanctuaries by UNESCO World Heritage which contribute to the conservation efforts of these lovely, delicate creatures. Birdwatching in Mexico is a birdwatchers paradise. North to south, east to west, the diversity and plenitude of the birds of Mexico has been a draw for experts for years. In Northern Mexico, we can see wild parrots, Roseate Spoonbills, McCaws and Trogansand to name a few. Move a little west and across the Sea of Cortez and you find yourself in Osprey territory and in the company of the Baja Peninsula’s family of Cormorants (seabirds). Further south into the Bay of Banderas and you will be easily surrounded by the cries of the 317 bird species that live along the coast of Puerto Vallarta. Banderas Bay still harbors some of the last remaining populations of Green Macaws in the world. On the Gulf Coast, if you time your trip right, you can see twenty species of raptors sail over Veracruz, including turkey vultures, Swainson’s hawks, Mississippi kites, and Kestrels, which are dynamic little falcons. Most of the hawks are broadwings traveling from the eastern United States to wintering areas from Mexico to Brazil. In Southern Mexico, bird watchers revel in the sightings in El Triunfo in Chiapas, Calakmul in Campeche, and Celestun, Rio Lagartos, and Sian Ka’an in Quintana Roo/Yucatan Peninsula. Ready to interact with the wildlife of Mexico? If you’re interested in traveling to Mexico to experience the wildlife upclose and personal, browse our sample itineraries below or contact Journey Mexico today. Private Tour to Swim with Whale Sharks – Live the thrilling experience of swimming next to the biggest fish in the planet, the Whale Shark, off the coast near to Cancun in the open waters of the Mexican-Caribbean Sea. Monarch Butterfly Migration – Witness the natural phenomenon of the Monarch Butterfly migration at the UNESCO World Heritage Butterfly Reserves and learn about a variety of historical and cultural features that are unique to the region while also visiting several charming nearby towns like Patzcuaro and Santa Clara del Cobre. Sea Turtles and Whale Watching – Explore the protected lagoons of the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Cortez, allowing for magnificent encounters with marine wildlife. The tour combines Journey Mexico’s signature high quality tours with the internationally recognized work of the Groupo Tortuguero to create a meaningful experience for both our guests and the communities and environments they visit! Wildlife Encounters in Baja California Sur (Sustainable) – Travel to places visited by few outsiders for authentic interaction with the wildlife of the Sea of Cortez. Whale watching, mule trekking, sea-turtle monitoring, swimming with sea lions, tropical fish and dolphins, whale shark spotting, and migratory bird sightings make up much of the activities; complemented by a close interaction with the people and traditional culture of the region. Read more… Mexico’s Top Wildlife Adventure three + 9 = XHTML: You can use these tags: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> SHARE THIS PAGE

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Destinations Within Florida What To Do In Florida Florida Trip Itineraries Top Ten Nature Sites Destination(s): Florida Keys Visitors from around the world are drawn to the Florida Keys to experience the island chain’s priceless natural resources, and the therapy they provide the mind, body and soul. The Keys have celebrated a heritage of conservation and protection of these resources for more than 100 years, demonstrating the region’s commitment to environmental stewardship and the future of the island chain. Find the best of the Keys' natural resources at any of these nature sites, state parks and refuges. read more about Top Ten Nature Sites Bahia Honda State Park Mile Marker 37.5 tel:+1 305 872 2353 Visit website Key West, 33043 In 2008, the New York Times listed this as one of the top '31 Places To Go This Summer' and it will not disappoint. In 1992, the beach there was named among America's Top 10 Beaches, by Dr. Stephen P. Leatherman, a.k.a. Dr. Beach. Bahia Honda is a days-off dream. With 492 acres, Bahia Honda boasts three sandy beaches -- some of the best in the Florida Keys, which are rare. This one is rivaled only by Marathon's Sombrero Beach. Shallow-water snorkeling and fishing from the beach, plus an abundance of wading and shore birds, kayaking and great views of the Old Bahia Honda Bridge complement the Sand and Sea Nature Center. read more about Bahia Honda State Park tel:+1 305 289 2690 Visit website Marathon, 33050 At MM 56 Oceanside in Marathon is the unspoiled, uncrowded Curry Hammock State Park, with beach and picnic facilities. It is an uncrowded oceanfront preserve, with outstanding beach and recreational facilities, kayak launch site, and just an idyllic spot. Curry Hammock is fast becoming a site for launching kiteboards, a sport that is gaining momentum in the Keys, especially in Marathon and Islamorada. A small RV park has been built at Curry Hammock, with approx. two dozen sites, but the RV area's private beach is unrivaled. Quiet, quiet, quiet. And close to any and all day trips throughout the islands. Curry Hammock is still an unspoiled gem in the Middle Keys. read more about Curry Hammock State Park John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Mile Marker 102.5 tel:+1 305 451 6300 Visit website Key Largo, 33037 Kudos to the late "Miami Herald" editor John Pennekamp for helping to create the first undersea park in the United States. Key Largo's John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, established by the state legislature in 1961 to protect the miracle of America's only living coral reef, allows access to abundant underwater wildlife, large brain, staghorn and elkhorn coral formations and a four-foot barracuda who likes to be photographed. Only a 90-minute drive from Miami, Pennekamp is incorporated in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, a 2,800 square nautical mile span of coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamp on both sides of the Keys island chain, Florida Bay, the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. One of the park's most popular dive sites is the nine-foot bronze statue of Jesus Christ that rests in 20 feet of water. The statue is a replica of the "Christ of the Abyss" statue in the Mediterranean Sea and was donated to the Underwater Society of America in 1961 by industrialist Egidi Cressi. Underwater enthusiasts can take a reef adventure on a glass bottom boat, snorkeling or scuba diving. If you're not into the underwater scene, John Pennekamp offers two manmade beaches, canoe, kayak and boat rentals and nature trails, as well as 47 campsites, all with electrical hookups and water. read more about John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Garden Key Visit the Dry Tortugas by charter boat, catamaran or (my favorite) high-speed ferry. The trip is a well-spent day and the crew of Yankee Freedom II knows how to show you a good time. Once at the fort, you can camp overnight on its small beach, or snorkel for a while among the nearby corals. The Yankee Freedom II is state-of-the-art comfort, lunch is included, you cannot go wrong! Even among residents of the Keys, this is one of the favorite things to do with family and friends that visit, or to just a wile away a day exploring, away from phones and work. Book before 3p.m. the day before you want to go! read more about Dry Tortugas National Park Lignumvitae Key State Botanical Site 1 Mile West tel:+1 305 664 4815 / +1 305 664 9814 Islamorada, 33036 Long Key State Park tel:305-664-4815 Visit website Long Key, 33001 Key Largo Hammocks State Botanical Site MM 106 Bayside tel:+1 305 451 1202 Key Largo, 33070 Fort Zachary Taylor State Historic Site and Park End of Southard Street on Truman Annex Lignumvitae Key Wildlife Observation Site tel:305-664-2540 Visit website Islamorada, 33036 National Key Deer Refuge 28950 Watson Boulevard Big Pine Key Plaza tel:+1 305 872 2239 Visit website Big Pine Key, 33043 The National Key Deer Refuge consists of approximately 9,200 acres of land that includes mangrove forests, freshwater and salt marsh wetlands, pine rockland forests and tropical hardwood hammocks, as well as more than 75,000 acres of state waters co-managed to support refuge objectives. Shallow nearshore waters are included as well. These native habitats sustain the tiny Key deer, a subspecies of the North American white-tailed deer, and 21 other threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Since the refuge was established, the Key deer, once nearing extinction because of over-hunting and habitat loss, has rebounded to a healthy population of between 600 and 700 animals. The refuge, which is over 50 years old, is also a stopping point for thousands of migratory birds each year, and a winter home to many North American bird species including the roseate tern and peregrine falcon. Birdwatching is one of the world's largest participatory sports, and the Keys are an ideal location for it, year-round. read more about National Key Deer Refuge View All Florida Trip Itineraries View All Florida Vacation Deals 1 Hotel South Beach Hammock Beach Resort Palm Coast, Florida Soho Beach House Rosemary Beach, Florida

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More Ghost hunting in Alberta's BadlandsMark Stachiew, Postmedia News 07.22.2013The sign welcoming visitors to Wayne keeps a running count of the town's population.Mark Stachiew / Postmedia NewsThe Rosedeer Hotel and Last Chance Saloon have been a part of proprietor Fred Dayman's family since it opened.Mark Stachiew / Postmedia NewsShareAdjustCommentPrint Top 10 haunted amusement parks What better place is there to look for ghosts than a ghost town?The tiny town of Wayne in Alberta’s Badlands is not exactly a ghost town, but it’s not far off. Before the coal mine shut down, the town boasted a population of nearly 2,500 souls. Today, there are only 27 or, to be more accurate, 27 1/2 , as one of the town’s residents is pregnant. That’s big news in a community that has been in decline for decades.Most of Wayne’s residents picked up and left when the mine closed during the Great Depression. Building supplies were at a premium in the Badlands, since there aren’t many trees around, so most folks literally picked up their shacks and relocated to nearby communities where other mines were still operating, places like nearby Drumheller. As a result, there aren’t many buildings left to remind visitors of Wayne’s glory days, but there is one place, the storied Rosedeer Hotel.The beige, false-fronted building of the Rosedeer, sitting by the rusted railway tracks that once served this populous place, looks like something from a western, which is probably why it’s been featured in a film or two, not to mention some TV shows and music videos.Today, it’s a popular stop for road-trippers searching for remnants of the old West — and for ghost hunters. Not ghost-town hunters, but ghost hunters. That’s because the Rosedeer Hotel is haunted.The hotel has three floors, but the third floor is closed. Legend has it, it’s off limits because a ghost lives there. The story goes that goons from the Ku Klux Klan were hired by the mine to mingle with the clientele in the hotel’s saloon to be on the lookout for Communists, which was what anyone who dared try to organize the miners into a union would be called.On occasion, they would take undesirables up to one of the hotel rooms and give them a good beating, burn them with cigarette butts or tar and feather them — whatever it took to deliver the message that they weren’t welcome in Wayne. At least one time, it’s said, the roughs went too far with their victim. Something bad happened on the third floor, which remains closed to this day.The proprietor of the Rosedeer, Fred Dayman, whose family has operated the hotel since it opened in 1913, says he’s never seen the ghost, but has heard it and felt its presence and reports that visitors have told him about strange happenings there.A group of us spent the night in the hotel, not so much to find the ghost, but to enjoy the atmosphere of the colourful Last Chance Saloon, which is attached, and to enjoy the quiet of Wayne.It was late September, and the season was winding down. It was also a weeknight, so it was quiet. A few curious travellers stopped by for food, which is excellent, and the occasional local would step in for a drink or two. Since it was Wednesday, our drinks were served in quart sealers, jars normally used for making preserves.The saloon is as colourful a place as you can imagine. The original upright piano sits in the corner. The walls are festooned with memorabilia and bric-a-brac accumulated over the hotel’s history. There are even bullet holes in the wall from the time an argument got a bit overheated.The highlight of the antiques on display is probably the band box, which is an old mechanical contraption from the 1940s that would sit on the top of a jukebox. It featured a bandstand with a number of foot-high, metal musicians that would light up and play along with the song selected on the jukebox. Dayman says there are only two in Canada, and the other is in a private collection.After a pleasant evening of food, drink and conversation, we settled into our rooms for the night. The rooms are plainly furnished and decorated with eclectic folk art, but are comfortable enough.I didn’t know if I’d see or hear any sign of the hotel’s infamous ghost, but I lay in bed thinking about it. I heard the sounds of footsteps on the creaking wooden floorboards in the hall outside my door. It was simply someone heading down the hall to the shared bathroom.I slowly drifted off to sleep with no further sign of a spectre. All I heard was the faint sound of the wind outside my window and the howl of coyotes in the distance. The ghost would be silent that night, but that’s the way spirits are. You can’t predict when they’ll show.To contact the hotel for reservations or other information, call (403) 823-9189. The author’s trip to Wayne was made possible with the assistance of Travel Alberta and the Canadian Tourism Commission. xShareGhost hunting in Alberta's Badlands

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Salisbury Beach State Reservation Home › History A few eclectic tidbits of Salisbury Beach History (and some old Postcards!) The best resources for information about the history of Salisbury and Salisbury Beach are two out of print books. If you live in New England you should check to see if your local library can find you a copy of either of these books. Images of America: Salisbury Beach by Pamela Mutch Stevens discusses the history of the area and has a lot of great photographs. The other book is "Salisbury Beach, 1638-1913 : a place to gather" by Betsy H. Woodman. It covers the history of what was called the "Great Gathering." This Salisbury celebration was held annually, in September, for well over a hundred years. It attracted thousands of people and over the years featured performances and speeches by many famous people. When you visit Salisbury today there is little indication that it has such a rich and vibrant history. It once was a well known resort destination that many people wanted too and did visit. A variety of circumstances led to the local area historically being a place where people found themselves going to, even prior to the Great Gatherings. This means there are numerous accounts, records, and odd things you can dig up about Salisbury Beach if you begin to poke into its history. The following are but a few examples. Dogem - the first bumper cars Land Ho! - an 1839 account of the beach from a sailing manual Pre European and post settlement history - Native Americans and early Europeans Dodgem! One of the famous amusement rides on Salisbury Beach was the Dodgem. Similar rides were and still are found in other amusement parks but the first prototype was built and operated in Salisbury Beach. Most people that have ever been on a Dodgem ride know them by another name - bumper cars. The original bumper cars were built at a time when cars, and even more so an electric car, was a real novelty. The Dodgem name was first used because the cars were hard to steer. It was thought the greater challenge was to avoid other cars in the Dodgem arena, since it was assumed most people would pay to enjoy the novelty of being able to drive an electric car. There was a Dodgem ride in one form or another operating at Salisbury Beach from 1920 to 1980 (the picture at the right is a modern day version at the Amusement Pier at Seaside Heights, New Jersey). Here is an excerpt that describes how the first prototype ride was built. That first car was built by Stoehrer in a bungalow located on Combination Street in Methuen. Stoehrer's son and I built the rest. The [Salisbury Beach] installation was at Driftway and Ocean Front North. Before we could build the cars we had to build a wooden platform for the floor, which we covered with tin and the ceiling was made out of chicken wire. Then we built the other nine cars right on the platform. The cars were round in design and were constructed with wood and covered with sheets of tin. There was a balance problem, and to keep the cars from tipping, the weight had to be centered in the main castor located on the bottom. Three smaller castor wheels were placed around the diameter of the base and these allowed the cars to move and they also acted as balance wheels. We painted all of the cars red, gave them a little fancy trim, and we were ready to open in the summer of 1920. (from Betsy H. Woodman, Essex Institute, Salem MA) This ride operated for a year and was replaced the following year by a much improved version. You can read more about the history of bumper cars at Salisbury Beach at the Lusse Autoscooters website. Return to the top of the page Land Ho! It is often enticing to daydream about what it must have been like to have lived sometime in the distant past. It is common for our minds to conjure up a romantic idea of how cool it would have been to have lived somewhere way back when. Fewer people, less hectic times, etc. The reality is that life could be really rough before the advent of modern medicine and modern technology. This excerpt from a 1839 navigation book can give you a bit of an idea of what Salisbury Beach may have been like before it was developed: In a course nearly North from the lighthouses on Plum Island, and about half a mile distant, across the mouth of Merrimack River, is the southern extremity of Salisbury Beach, called Salisbury Point. From this point a sand-beach extends on the verge of the ocean, without an inlet or interruption of any consequence, until it reaches Hampton River. This beach is connected with the main land by a salt-marsh, of considerable extent, intersected by a variety of small rivulets and creeks, which render it impossible for a shipwrecked mariner to reach the inhabited parts of Salisbury. Here, too, the hapless seaman is sometimes destined to suffer the' misfortunes of shipwreck, and to reach a desolate and inhospitable shore, only to aggravate the horrors of his death. If he can attain the first and wished-for object, in evading the jaws of the angry ocean, he yet finds himself a solitary wanderer on the coast, without shelter, and without sustenance ; and, in his fruitless search for them, must inevitably perish. As the N.E. storms are generally most fatal to vessels on this part of the coast, Salisbury Beach is not so often a place of shipwreck as Plum Island. But, to guard against a possibility of accident, which must sometimes happen to the unskilful or inexperienced navigator, the Marine Society erected a hut, similar to those on Plum Island. Here they deposited every thing necessary for the relief of such as might need it, and were at the pains and expense frequently to inspect it, and renew their generosity by replenishing it : but this has shared the same fate with those on Plum Island ; not so much, however, from the insufficiency of its foundation, or the violence of the winds, as from the wantonness of individuals and companies, who frequent this spot, in the warm season, on parties of pleasure. The Merrimack Humane Society have extended their benevolent views to this part of the coast, and have erected a hut about three-quarters of a mile north from Black Rocks, so called, and about 150 paces from the sea-shore. This hut will be maintained in commodious repair, and provided with every thing suitable for those who may be so unfortunate as to need its shelter. Others, on the same coast, will be erected as speedily as the funds of the society, and the charity of individuals, will render it possible, and will be conveniently furnished and provided for the same laudable purpose. From: The Colombian Navigator; Or, Sailing Directory for the American Coasts and The West Indies. By John Purdy. Published for R.H. Laurie. 1839. You can look at a digitized version of an 1819 map of the northeastern seaboard that John Purdy helped produced. Return to the top of the page Pre European History of Salisbury Beach Prior to settlement by the English colonists, members of the Pawtucket Indian group inhabited coastal areas of Massachusetts Bay from the Saugus /Salem, Massachusetts area to York Village, Maine. This group is locally referred to as the Pentuckets. These Native Americans subsisted primarily on shellfish, and supplemented their diet with wild game and a variety of both wild and domesticated plants. They hunted both wetland and upland game birds and fished shad, salmon and trout along the Merrimack River, which was their summer fishing ground. Signs of the early inhabitants have been found mostly along the Merrimack River. Thirteen shell mounds have been discovered along the bank of the river. In addition, in 1868, Jeffries Wyman reported discovering large collections of Indian arrowheads and implements on the beach, approximately one mile from the left bank of the Merrimack. In addition to these artifacts, local historians have re-traced a number of Indian trails along and in close proximity to Salisbury Beach, as well as inland. These trails include what are now Ferry Road and Seabrook Road. This trail later developed into a Colonial route that linked coastal areas to the north (New Hampshire) with the Merrimack River. Elm Street was likely as western-running trail. Water travel was also extremely important throughout the coastal area. Numerous creeks and coastal rivers such as the Merrimack River provided transportation routes to the coast. European colonists first settled in Salisbury in 1638. Permission was given to 12 petitioners by the English government to begin a plantation called Merrimack Plantation. This plantation included New Hampshire’s plantation of Exeter, Hampton, Portsmouth, and Dover and Massachusetts’ plantations of Salisbury and Haverhill. Only five individuals and their families actually settled in what is now the town of Salisbury. The initial settlement was made near the ocean in the vicinity of Beach and Ferry Roads. In 1645, a highway to the Beach, which is now called Beach Road (Route 1A), was laid out. In 1649, a vote at a town meeting ordered that all meadow on the north side of the river should be reserved as common land. A proclamation read “A beach common running from the Merrimac River’s mouth including all meadow and marsh not disposed of should remain a town common, forever.” from the "Salisbury Beach State Reservation Barrier Beach Management Plan 2008" Masschusetts DCR. Return to the top of the page Salisbury Beach State Reservation History Geology contact / about Other State Parks and Recreation Areas First Landing State Park, Virginia Pymatuning State Park, Ohio and Pennsylvania Allatoona Lake, Georgia Red Top Mountain, Georgia Other beach possibilities Hampton Beach, NH Seaside Heights, NJ Lavallette, NJ Hampton Vacation Salisbury Beach Home | State Park Camping | The Beach | Food | Events | Hotels | Driving Directions contact - about | Privacy

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Old Great North Road, Dharug National Park Wisemans Ferry to Clares BridgeThe Old Great North Road is a 240 km convict built masterpiece constructed between 1826 and 1836 to provide an overland route from Sydney to Newcastle and the Hunter Valley. Much of the original convict built road remains in use today, although a lot of the original surface is well buried beneath bitumen. Convict built remains, such as stone retaining walls, pick dressed cuttings, culverts, bridges and stone cut drains, can be seen when walking in Dharug and Yengo National Parks. Wisemans Ferry to Clares BridgeThe first part of this section of the Great North Road is called Devines Hill. It contains the most spectacular evidence of the road and in 2010 received UNESCO World Heritage Listing. The National Parks and Wildlife Service manages the road as far as Ten Mile Hollow and has installed many interpretative signs. The ferry, opened by Wiseman in 1827, is the oldest continuously operating ferry in Australia. On leaving it and turning left, the road crosses Thomas James Bridge. Built in 1830, it is the oldest functioning bridge on mainland Australia. The road then enters the Dharug National Park and climbs the steep Devines Hills, where substantial work was involved in cutting away the hillside and building up retaining walls. Limited by the size of their hand tools, the convicts removed sandstone to achieve the required road level. In some parts they had to cut away five layers of stone from the rock-face while building massive retaining walls to support the outer edge of the road. Graffiti from 1830 can be seen high on one cut face. Hangmans CaveIt was so named in the late 1890s to impress and horrify tourists. In fact, hanging could only be ordered by the Supreme Court and usually took place in the gaol yard. The cave had a solid roof in the 1830s and was probably used as dry on-site storage. Round the corner and above the cave is the site of the stockade for Iron Gang No 3. It had a well which offered a dependable supply of water. From 1830 onwards, soldiers were camped outside the stockade in order to guard this Iron Gang twenty-four hours a day. Farther up the hill, the Shepherds Gully track joins the western side of the road. This track was possibly built at the same time as the road. Giving access to the Macdonald River valley, it allowed the collection of timber from Wrights Creek and the procuring of fresh water from the river during drought. East of Finchs LineThis was the original ascent, abandoned in 1828 as too steep and too long. The Devines Hill route cut off two miles – about three kilometers. This is the end of the section receiving World Heritage and is the farthest most day trippers will walk. From here the road lies along the ridge-line and is now mostly travelled only by intrepid bushwalkers and cyclists. More information and Old Great North Road and Dharug National Park can be obtained from National Parks and Wildlife Service. Find

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Albuquerque Ballon Festival 2009 Moroccan Sweet Pastries Bab Fteuh Assaf Spiegler Hot Springs Road, California Jakub Hruska Top of Nativity Façade, Sagrada Família Redsky Jann Lipka Royal wedding 19 of June 2010 in Stockholm More About New Mexico 世界 : North America : USA : New Mexico New Mexico is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. Inhabited by Native American populations for many centuries, it has also been part of the Imperial Spanish viceroyalty of New Spain, part of Mexico, and a U.S. territory. Among U.S. states, New Mexico has the highest percentage of Hispanics at 45% (2008 estimate), being descendants of Spanish colonists and recent immigrants from Latin America. It also has the third-highest percentage of Native Americans after Alaska and Oklahoma, and the fifth-highest total number of Native Americans after California, Oklahoma, Arizona, and Texas. The tribes represented in the state consist of mostly Navajo and Pueblo peoples. As a result, the demographics and culture of the state are unique for their strong Spanish, Mexican, and Native American cultural influences. At a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth most sparsely inhabited U.S. state.[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_mexico]

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Ascent of the Northwest Face I met up with Chris again while the airplane was in the shop, and we had a closer look at Utah by daylight. The plan was to hike up Big Cottonwood Canyon (which is apparently the smaller of the two canyons named Cottonwood) to a trio of lakes called the three sisters. We would then cheer for ourselves, and hike back down. We parked at the bottom of a ski-lift and started up. It's not really a trail at this point. It's just walking under the chairlift; the trail proper starts further up because the old trailhead was closed to protect it from erosion. There are large patches of snow still on the slope, and we're walking in the damp muddy parts in between. I saw a number of small, fast moving gopher-like creatures, and a raptor of some sort, maybe a hawk. The dirt slope with patches of snow quickly becomes a snow slope with patches of dirt and then a snow slope. Fortunately it's not very slippery because it's warm enough outside that the snow is soft and mushy, so you just kick your foot in and make a step. In full honesty I should admit that Chris just kicks his foot in and makes a step. I follow along in the steps, gasping slightly. I'm no stranger to going up slopes. It's just that normally if I say I hiked up a six thousand foot mountain, I mean that it was six thousand feet at the top. Here the road to the parking lot starts at 6000'. My lungs and muscles noticed the lower pressure of oxygen. The only thing that spared me from having to call for embarrassing rest breaks every ten minutes or so was that my boss kept texting me to ask me questions about the ongoing maintenance. So I would then stop walking, call the maintenance shop from half way up a mountain, ask the question, and text my boss back. The middlewoman was necessary because my boss was driving through less technologically enhanced mountains somewhere, and when he called the shop his cellphone kept cutting out. I promise I didn't arrange for the diversion in order to get regular breaks. Despite my cellphone-retarded progress, and the increased snowiness and steepness of the slope, we came out at a bit of a plateau with a big rock on it, and a lake called Dog Lake. The dog in question must have been a Pomeranian, as it was a very small lake, kind of a bog. I had my picture taken, standing on the rock, with mountain peaks in the background, while I'm furiously texting on the cellphone. Seems kind of appropriate for the morning's adventure. I took a picture of Chris, my intrepid guide, and was going to use it as the symbol of my expedition, but the shot wasn't as flattering or as dramatic as Hillary's of Tenzing Norgay, so I cropped it to just scenery, and you'll have to trust we were there. The trip down was quick, and we managed not to slip and make it even quicker. Chris then acceded to my tourist request to "see the salt lake." Primed by Phil to expect a smelly nasty fly-infested marsh, I wasn't put off by it. It was a bit smelly, and kind of marshy and there were a lot of sand flies. But I just wanted to see the salt. There was an area where people had walked in the marsh and their footprints had filled with water, then evaporated, so each footprint was a plate of crystalline salt. I tried to pick some up, but it was kind of mushy. Another area had firmer sand and a procession of people walking out to try and float in the lake. (The high salinity makes it very easy to float, and so it's probably fun, if you are dressed for it, and want to wade out far enough for it to be deep enough to float. It's a very flat, shallow lake. I didn't taste it, just took Chris's word for it that it's even saltier than an ocean. Apparently brine shrimp live in it. There were an extraordinary number of dead birds on the sand, though, so I guess they don't live well in it. After lunch I went back to the maintenance hangar to rearrange the dirt on the airplane. It turns out that my company's mechanic got turned back at the US border for unknown reasons, so local mechanics are doing the work. At least it's getting done. I ask if the inspection has turned up anything that will result in a delay for parts or a lot of extra work, but apparently the inspector won't be here until Monday, they're just doing the routine servicing. The mechanics are very sweet to me, finding me a mat to sit on, as if it were important that some part of me not get filthy as I tried to clean the flaps. I think there is a special sort of dirt that clings to the underside of flaps, because it knows how hard it is to scrub at that inverted angle. It's more tenacious than belly grime or under nacelle grime. And the parts of an airplane that are easy to stand and scrub hardly get dirty at all. Once I had made most of the airplane closer to white than black, I started wiping down the wing boots, something that is supposed to be black, and a mechanic came up to chat. I'd listened to his accent earlier when I had asked him where to dump grease-contaminated water (some states prohibit it in drains, but in Utah it was okay to pour it down a grate in the hangar floor). He wasn't from the US, and I had been trying to decide where he'd come from. I was guessing somewhere in west Africa, but it turned out to be Kenya. He asked if I were my company's mechanic and then expressed surprise that the pilot wasn't off golfing while the airplane was in the shop. (Reminds me of someone who once asked me "doesn't your company have people to do that?" My company does. They're called pilots.) He liked the idea of a pilot who would stick around to make sure the job got done, and then he talked about his job, and he couldn't be contained in his passion for fixing airplanes. It turns out that Kenya uses the same aviation terminology as Canada: I suppose both countries got it from the British, so he knew what a snag was and how to read a journey log. He managed to stop a diplomatic safe distance from saying anything negative about the non-ICAO systems the USA uses, and it was fun to have an ally in a strange land. commercial aviation, US-Canada relations, Oshkosh Meetups Not a Good Scene I'm Going to Oshkosh Consumer Survey Salt Lake Flying Still on the Golf Course My Weekend on the Golf Course Another Hundred Hours More Salt Lake City Oxygen Service Darth Aviatrix Quick Tour of the Town I Pronounce Me Here My Customers Know Me Well Bug on the Hardware Recut Movie Trailers Top Secret SUV Beer Credits Canada Day on the Road

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Why do they light the Olympic flame at Hera's temple? Another post about Hestia today, and another requested one s I got a reply to yesterday's post that I wanted to answer. Of course, as the title says, this post is also about Hera--but in this case, the two Goddesses are connected. "I've been reading your blog for a couple of months now, and there's something I've been thinking since I was in Olympia two years ago and I don't understand... If fire is always associated to Hestia, why do they light the olympic flame in Hera's temple?? Specially having a Hestia temple there too... I hope you can give me an answer!" Back in ancient Hellas, most religious activities surrounding the household revolved around the central hearth, which was seen as the physical manifestation of Hestia. The male head of household, the kurios, presented slaves, children and his new wife to the heart fire so they became part of the oikos and fell under the protection of Hestia and the other household Gods. While Hestia has little mythology to Her name, Her worship was a vital part of ancient Hellenic religion. For one, Her flame connected every single Hellenic oikos to each other and the state. All the household fires were lit with a flame from the prytaneion (Πρυτανεῖον), the structure where state officials met and where the city kept a fire for Hestia burning day and night. Every single heart fire in the city or town was linked to that central one, and that central fire was linked to the city from where the settlers of the new village, town or city came. This network of fires, which were never allowed to go out, brought all Hellenes together. As it did for the household, the sacred flame of the games served as a unification symbol; the games came with a truce and it brought all city-states together. The Olympic flame commemorated the theft of fire from Zeus by Prometheus, and the unification of humanity. A receptacle called the 'skaphia' served as a parabolic mirror and was used to start the fire for the games. The use of the sun's rays to start the fire ensured the purity of the fire and also obtained the fire from a source associated with the Gods. The fire for the prytaneion was also obtained from the heat of the sun's rays, and was used to light the other fires of the sanctuary. This fire was available for lighting the torch for the games in the event that the sun was not available for lighting the game's fire. We do not know where, exactly, the skaphia lit the sacred flame for the Olympic games, nor where it was 'stored' for the duration of the games. Personally, I assume it was kept at the temple of Zeus for His games, and the temple of Hera for Hers. Why the modern flame is specifically lit at the temple of Hera, I do not know. It's not part of any press release. Perhaps it is because the Heraion is the oldest peripteral temple at that site, and one of the earliest Doric temples in Greece. Perhaps it is because the temple held the table on which the olive wreaths for the victors were displayed during the Olympic Games. Perhaps it is because it is the temple with the most room for press and spectators. Perhaps it just catches the most direct sunlight. Personally, I think this is the reason: The prytaneion at Olympia, current view The heraion at Olympia, current view It looks better on television. ancient Hellenic culture, Hera, Hestia, Burlesque Salvaje Great post! thanks a lot for your dedication to my question! I brought light to my ignorance!! And of course... it looks better on TV! LOL!!Ada You are very, very welcome! :-)

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The Malta Aviation Society announces Airshow 2014 dates The Malta International Airshow 2014 will be held on September 27th and 28th. This was announced by the Malta Aviation Society who also said that preparations for next years airshow are in full swing as contacts are being made with various air arms and commercial companies within the sector. “We would like to thank all those who, in some or many ways, have been part of this great journey so far” said Mr Joe Ciliberti, President of the Malta Aviation Society. "The Malta International Airshow is the direct result of enthusiasm and a great deal of team-work all year round. This results in a successful international event which is increasing in popularity each year. Furthermore, Malta’s airshow has earned itself a good reputation throughout the sector over the last 21 years and this has shown itself with Malta attracting new participants year after year as well as successfully attracting sponsors as has been the case with AirX for the 2013 event.” The memorable display of the Red Arrows who performed their last display of the European airshow season in Malta; the amicable crews who chatted with the visiting public, the spirited display by Air Malta’s highly experienced crew and the response of the general public propels the Malta Aviation Society to earnestly work towards the Malta International Airshow 2014. Thus, the focus is now firmly on the 2014 edition of this highly successful and safe event. Invitations to a record number of countries have already been sent and the process continues as we are now even enticing countries in South America, reaching as far as Columbia for instance. Commercial companies and private operators will also be invited for next year's event, as the Malta Aviation Society strives to make the Malta International Airshow a true ‘Festa tal-Ajruplani’.

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Our top ten places to see and visit in Callander and the Trossachs 1 Loch Lomond Shores - gateway to Scotland’s first National Park. An outstanding mixture of leisure and shopping experiences (including Jenners), overlooking the majesty of Loch Lomond at Balloch. Enjoy a host of events taking place on the at The Shores throughout the summer including Farmers Markets, family fun, activities at the National Park Gateway Centre and the fabulous new Loch Lomond Aquarium. Also visit Loch Lomond Birds of Prey Centre www.llbopc.co.uk 2 Helensburgh and Hill House - The Hill House is the largest and finest of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's domestic buildings and is located in the delightful Clyde Coast town of Helensburgh 3 Stirling Castle - Stirling Castle is the grandest of Scotland's castles and one of the most popular visitor attractions in the country 4 Glasgow – 30 minutes away by car, and a must visit for all! 5 Antartex Village - Antartex Village is a unique factory shopping experience. There are fashions for all the family as well as the opportunity to visit the craft workshop - to see the famous Antartex sheepskins being made. Spirit of Scotland Whisky Shop - free tastings daily. 6 Glengoyne and Auchentoshan Distilleries - Glengoyne is one of the leading premium malt whiskies in the world. Our Distillery - situated near Loch Lomond close to Glasgow - is open all year round for Tours, Masterclasses, Whisky Tastings, Meetings and Private Dining. At Auchentoshan, the visitor reception centre offers a full range of Auchentoshan Lowland Single Malt Scotch Whiskies as well as a selection of high quality gifts. 7 Balloch Castle Country Park - 200 acres of varied habitats offering stunning views of the National Park area. Set on the southern shore of the bonnie banks with a small visitor centre and retail outlet. 8 Maid of the Loch, and SS Sir Walter Scott - The Maid of the Loch was built in the Coronation Year 1953 by the shipyard of A. & J. Inglis, Glasgow, and is now owned by the Loch Lomond Steamship Co., a registered charity. Experience the splendour of the bonnie banks and Ben Lomond from right on the water. Entry to the Maid is free, seven days a week, from 9.00 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. And as the only surviving screw-driven steamer in Scotland, the SS Sir Walter Scott transports thousands of visitors back to a gilded age - in beautiful Loch Katrine 9 Bannockburn Heritage Centre - Commemorating Robert the Bruce's victory at The Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, this heritage centre brings the Wars of Independence to life. There are scenes of the coronation of Robert the Bruce and the signing of the Declaration of Arbroath. There are figures of Wallace and Bruce, a large model of the Battle of Stirling Bridge and an audio-visual presentation which tells the story of Bruce and the battle. 10 Scottish Wool Centre - enjoy a fun day out - daily sheepdog demos with sheep and Indian runner ducks. As seen on TV! "Story of Scottish Wool" Show where animals and actors provide a hilarious yet informative live performance. Top 10 things to do in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Top 10 family attractions in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Touring ideas in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Whats on in Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Back to intro

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With Search Saryarka – Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan UNESCO/NHK Videos on Heritage Saryarka - Steppe and Lakes of Northern Kazakhstan comprises two protected areas: Naurzum State Nature Reserve and Korgalzhyn State Nature Reserve totalling 450,344 ha. It features wetlands of outstanding importance for migratory water birds, including globally threatened species, among them the extremely rare Siberian white crane, the Dalmatian pelican, Pallas’s fish eagle, to name but a few. These wetlands are key stopover points and crossroads on the Central Asian flyway of birds from Africa, Europe and South Asia to their breeding places in Western and Eastern Siberia. The 200,000 ha Central Asian steppe areas included in the property provide a valuable refuge for over half the species of the region’s steppe flora, a number of threatened bird species and the critically endangered Saiga antelope, formerly an abundant species much reduced by poaching. The property includes two groups of fresh and salt water lakes situated on a watershed between rivers flowing north to the Arctic and south into the Aral-Irtysh basin. Source: UNESCO TV / © NHK Nippon Hoso Kyokai URL: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1102/

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Home >> Explore Destinations >> Purandar Fort Location : Near Saswad | Category : Trekkers Favorite | Distance from Pune : 47 KMs Rating | Rate this place Best Season: Throughout The Year INFOPHOTOS MAP REVIEWS Purandar is about 40kms south-east of Pune and some 10kms south-west of Saswad. Perched on a gigantic mountain mass, its height above sea-level is 1398 metres and about 700 metres above the plain at its foot. It really comprises two fortresses: Purandar, the stronger and more important of the two, and Vajragarh, small sister fort situated on a ridge running out east of it. Purandar has two parts: the upper or Balekilla with precipitous sides all around and the lower part or machi about 300 metres above the plain. On the north side of the lower part there is a broad terrace comprising the cantonment area of the fortifications. There are many monuments, old and new, on the terrace. Towards the east of the terrace, beyond a narrow ridge, lies the fort of Vajragarh, also called Rudramal. From the cantonment area of the terrace a winding path leads to the upper fort. The approach is commanded by the Dilli Darwaza, the main gate. The most important monuments, on the summit of the hill is the old temple of Kedareshwar. The history of the Purandar fort goes back to the 13th century. The Bahamani Sultans in the 14th century built here some walls and bastions. From 1484 AD, for about a hundred years, the fort remained in the hands of the Nizamshahi rulers. In 1596 AD, the fort was given as Jagir to Maloji Bhosale, grandfather of Shivaji. However, Shivaji had to struggle very hard to establish his control over the fort in 1646 AD. In 1665 AD, Purandar was besieged by the mighty Mughal forces under the command of Jai Singh and Dilir Khan. In the ensuing battle Murar Baji Prabhu, the gallant commander of the fort, was killed. Shivaji, under a treaty, had to surrender to the Mughals his 23 forts, including Purandar and Vajragarh. At the lower fort a statue of Murar Baji Prabhu has been installed in his memory. Purandar was recaptured by Shivaji in 1670 AD Later it became a favourite retreat of the Peshwas. Purandar was captured by the British in 1818 AD. During the Second World War, the British kept here the German war prisoners. Dr. H. Goetz, one of the German prisoners, thoroughly studied Purandar and wrote a monograph on it. After Independence there also functioned a National Cadet Crops (N.C.C.) Training unit at the top. Tourist AttractionsNo Tourist Attractions FacilitiesNo Facilities Connecting PlacesMorgaonJadhavgadhJejuri No Photos Available By GAURAV SAWANT 09 Mar 2014 nice place Add your photos Add a new place on Aroundpune! Spotted an error? Tell us. Write a review for Purandar Fort Add Your Errors Here Error Desc

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The Best City Parks in the USA Mike Gerrard Travel and Drinks Writer Golden Gate Park in San Francisco Everyone's heard of Central Park, and you might be forgiven for thinking it's the biggest and best city park in the USA. Not so. 'Best' is subjective, but there are other US urban parks that are bigger, and some that have many more attractions than Central Park. So, excluding State Parks and Wildlife Preserves, here in ascending size is a list of some of the biggest and best US city parks. Cal Anderson Park, Seattle This was recognised by Forbes Magazine in 2009 as one of the USA's 12 Best City Parks. It has several pools, floodlit tennis courts, basketball courts, a dodgeball court, a children's play area, walking paths and some oversized chess boards. It's named after Cal Anderson, who was Washington State's first openly gay legislator. Size: 7.37 acres More Information: www.seattle.gov How to Get There: Trailfinders has a fly-drive holiday starting in Seattle and going down the Pacific Coast via San Francisco to San Diego. Encanto Park, Phoenix Fairly centrally located in one of the country's biggest and busiest cities, Encanto Park is a great escape from Phoenix's traffic. It dates back to 1934 and is family-friendly with the Enchanted Island amusement park (Encanto is Spanish for Enchanted). Other features include two golf courses, fishing lakes, several ponds, a swimming pool, walking trails, paddle boats and picnic areas. Size: 222 acres More Information: www.phoenix.gov How to Get There: Stay at The Phoenician in Scottsdale with Abercrombie and Kent. The Bean in Chicago Grant Park, Chicago Grant Park runs along the Lake Michigan waterfront and has all kinds of attractions and activities. These include the Art Institute of Chicago, the Adler Planetarium, the Shedd Aquarium, the Field Museum of Natural History and the 1924 Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears football team. It also contains Buckingham Fountain, one of the largest fountains in the world, several parks within the park and various outdoor sculptures and art works, including the city's greatest selfie opportunity, The Bean. Size: 319 acres More Information: www.chicagoparkdistrict.com How to Get There: American Sky has city breaks at the Fairmont Chicago, one block from Grant Park. Strawberry Fields Forever, in Central Park Other cities may boast bigger parks but Central Park is the one that's most familiar from the numerous movies filmed there. One of its popular sites is the Strawberry Fields area, a tribute to John Lennon whose Dakota Building apartment overlooks Central Park (Yoko One still lives there). Other features include various outdoor sculptures, the Central Park Zoo and, if you get hungry, The Tavern on the Green. More Information: www.centralparknyc.org How to Get There: Kirker Holidays offers luxury breaks at The Pierre which overlooks Central Park. Golden Gate Park dates from the 1860s when New York's Central Park was being created. The west coast city was not to be outdone and built an even bigger park. Attractions include the 1921 fine arts collections of the De Young Museum, and the California Academy of Sciences, one of the world's largest natural history museums. The park also has the largest windmill in the world, a golf course and a Conservatory of Flowers (be sure to wear some in your hair). Size: 1017 acres More Information: http://sfrecpark.org How to Get There: Trailfinders has a wide range of hotels in San Francisco. Balboa Park in San Diego Balboa Park, San Diego There's so much to see and do in Balboa Park it's almost a destination in its own right. The San Diego Zoo alone could take a couple of days, while there are also a mind-boggling 17 museums,including the Museum of Art, the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Photographic Arts. There are also several gardens and the wonderful Botanical Building, which displays over 2,000 plants. More Information: www.balboapark.org How to Get There: Exsus features several hotels in San Diego. City Park, New Orleans Four miles and a world away from the brashness of Bourbon Street is City Park, whose attractions include an amusement park, a botanical garden, a sculpture garden, the New Orleans Museum of Art, golf courses and a driving range, tennis courts, several stadiums and a café where some say you can get the best beignets in the city. More Information: http://neworleanscitypark.com How to Get There: Audley Travel has an Old South fly-drive which includes 3 nights in New Orleans. Forest Park, St Louis Forest Park hosted the 1904 Olympic Games and within its boundaries are the St Louis Art Museum, the St Louis Science Center, the St Louis Zoo and the Missouri History Museum. There are several restored prairie and wetland areas with some hiking and biking trails, lakes, golf and tennis centers. More Information: www.forestparkforever.org/ How to Get There: Trafalgar's Route 66 escorted tour includes a stay in and tour of St Louis. Griffith Park, Los Angeles As well as being the home of the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Park is where you'll find the Griffith Observatory, the Los Angeles Zoo, hiking and horse-riding trails, a transport museum with its own miniature railway, a separate railroad museum and the Autry Museum of the American West. More Information: www.laparks.org How to Get There: i-escape has a choice of hip hotels in LA. George Bush Park, Houston West of the city center, this vast urban park has ponds, hiking trails, sports facilities including two soccer fields and six baseball fields, a boardwalk which crosses the Buffalo Bayou, and the award-winning American Shooting Center. It does have a Nature Reserve within its boundaries but with its many other facilities it definitely qualifies as one of the best - and biggest - urban parks in the USA. More Information: www.pct3.com/parks/bush-park How to Get There: Wexas has a Best of Texas self-drive tour which visits Houston. Mike Gerrard is an award-winning British travel writer who specialises in writing about the USA, where he lives for half the year at his home in Arizona. He is also co-editor of the 101 USA Holidays website. Follow Mike Gerrard on Twitter: www.twitter.com/Mike_Gerrard Usa Best City Parks Biggest Urban Parks Central Park Around the Tube in 80 Pubs: A Guide to Some of the Best Pubs in London by Mike Gerrard, Pete Gerrard Snakes Alive: and Other Travel Writing by Mike Gerrard

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The Journal of a Journey,UK and Ireland 1999 Day 11—Sunday, October 10—Nantyglo Our day in Nantyglo, Wales, the main destination of this trip, began like most of the others with a good B&B breakfast and drizzly skies. We spent a little time getting acquainted with Joe and Pat McDonnell, our B&B hosts, then moved out into the Welsh mist to take in the view. The Ysgubor Fach Bed and Breakfast is located high up a hillside opposite most of Nantyglo across the valley. The first three pictures in the slide animation at right are segments of the panorama of Nantyglo from the front yard of the B&B. The fourth slide is the B&B itself, and finally the group, with Joe McDonnell on the left, Trevor Rowson, Pat McDonnell, and Jeff Jones, our driver and host for the grand tour of greater Nantyglo. (Tip: to stop slides at any time, click your cursor on your browser's "Stop" button. To resume animation, click "Refresh.") By the time I got a couple shots on video, Jeff and Trevor were driving up to collect us.They joined the McDonnells for a few minutes, Trevor telling how, as a boy, he remembered bathing, fully clothed, in the pond just outside this house and being invited inside to dry off by the fireplace. We bid adieu to the McDonnells, threw our luggage in the trunk of Jeff's BMW, and were off for a history tour of this once vital industrial valley. Our first stop was a large row house that Trevor wanted us to see, along a rutted dirt road at the edge of the town, a typical old mining town sight, still occupied by families today. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a good camera shot of it. Just below it was the former reservoir built for the iron works, shown in the accompanying slide, which has now been converted into a park with swimming, picnicking, and fishing. Next stop was the Ironmaster's house, shown in the second of these slides, which has been turned into a membership club/tavern. It was built in the 1820's and still retains the marks of fine workmanship used in its construction. (Trevor is shown describing an alcove that once housed a shrine to the Virgin Mary inside the house.) Third stop was at the Royal Oak Inn, where Chartists, members of a pre-labor union movement who advocated rights for laborers during the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution, were organized by the landlord. Battles between Chartists and government forces led to many deaths in the early 19th century. In the fifth slide of the second set, Trevor shows us two placards commemorating local history. The lower, round plaque, is in memory of Chartists killed in the uprising of 1839. Above it is a plaque showing where Hermon Baptist Church once stood, a remnant of the famous "Welsh Revival" that swept that country around the time of America's last Great Awakening. The third slide set, at right, begins with a view of Nantyglo's town center. Though in its prime this street was lined with stores and shops, today it is all converted to housing, with some empty units. Our host Jeff grew up in the large house on the right in this picture. The second slide in this set is the Ebbw Fach Valley which runs through Nantyglo. The river that once flowed here is now underground, beneath the highway, diverted through concrete pipes. At its industrial peak, this valley was filled with iron works, and before the introduction in the middle of the 19th century of the Bessemer process capable of turning iron into steel, this valley was the world's leading center of iron production. Nanty Glo's main historic landmarks, a pair of round towers built by ironmaster Crawshay Bailey after labor riots in 1816, were our next stop. The towers are on a privately owned farm and one, shown in the third slide above, has been restored and is partially accessible from an adjacent carpark (as Trevor demonstrates in the fourth slide). Normally, there is no access to the other tower (fifth slide), which is in ruins, but a resident of the farm came out to see who we were and when he discovered who Trevor was, he invited us to have a look around. The accompanying slide animation shows a view of an interior wall at the ruined tower, a historical plaque about the towers, the barnyard which separates the towers (the barn was used as a barracks for militia during an uprising shortly after the towers were built; I found it fascinating, the most "old-world European" sight on our whole tour) and a wide-angle perspective of the restored tower. The towers are notable as the last castle-type fortifications built in the UK. The final slide in this set shows the open mouth of a mine face that goes deep into the mountain a few yards from the towers. Our hosts said it is not sealed in any way, other than the barbed wire shown here. A walk down a short trail to the left of the parking lot leads to the foundation of Ironmaster Crawshay Bailey's mansion (first slide, right), called Ty Mawr or Nantyglo House. So powerful was Bailey that houses built on the hillside across the river opposite his were not allowed to have windows facing his mansion. The second and third slides in set 5 are underground storage areas for the company store, or shops as it was known here, where miners and iron workers shopped with the scrip in which they received their wages. As in America a century later, miners and millworkers here also "owed their souls to the company stores." Trevor shows where various tunnels under the store showrooms were used for warehousing food, produce, and goods. As before, this is a site not normally open to tourists, being now the basement of a private residence; Trevor's fame preceeded us and as soon as he introduced himself and told what we were there to see, we were welcomed inside. The fourth slide above shows the residence of Crawshay Bailey's and the iron company's physician. Though something of a mansion in its own right, Trevor said it would have been small compared with Bailey's house. The final slide above shows the only remaining ruins of one of the area's iron mills, in a history preserve park a few miles from Nantyglo. Slide set 6 begins with a converted row house in which ironworkers lived, near the mill shown above. Four former row houses have been converted into one large home. The second slide in this set is the Brecon and Monmouthshire Canal, some miles south of Nantyglo, whence iron was transported via mule-drawn train cars for shipment to Newport and points beyond. The third slide shows the dramatic view (though mist shrouded somewhat in this shot) from atop the adjacent mountain. One of the train cars used to transport coal and iron is on display in a park dedicated to local industry atop the mountain. The final slide shows a collection of miners' lamps hanging from the ceiling of a nearby pub. We ended our tour at the pub. Jeff dropped Trevor off at his Nantyglo home and drove Tom and me back to Newport to catch the next train to Bath, England, an hour's journey away. Bath was also a major experience, but this entry has already gone overlong so we'll save it for next page. Next station: Bath Nanty Glo Home Page | Nantyglo Home Page Travel Department Home Page | Travel Links Page | Email us

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We all scream for Doc Burnstein’s Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 Posted In Arroyo Grande Attractions Dining Tagged as Related Whale Rock Music and Arts Festival announces line up Somm’s Kitchen brings a fresh approach to downtown Gary Kramer Guitar Cellars opens in Paso Robles Escape the ordinary at Allegretto Vineyard Resort Unwind with Phantom Rivers Wine I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM! That’s the song that fans of Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab sing as they enjoy the marvelous delights of this shop located on West Branch Street in the historic Village of Arroyo Grande. This is an old-fashioned ice cream parlor, the nostalgic kind of place visitors want to hang out in, not just because of the product, but the warm, friendly feeling guests get when they step inside. Greg Steinberger was raised in Wisconsin and spent eight years in the Navy, ultimately stationed in the Bay area in California. He liked California, especially the warmer winters, but missed the small town feeling that he grew up with. “I was looking for a business to get into and decided to see what Arroyo Grande had to offer,” he said. He found Burnardo’z Candy Kitchen & Ice Cream Parlor, which was originally begun by Chuck Burns. After some persuading, he was able to buy the shop from the new owners, and was introduced to Chuck in the process. Chuck is a local legend in this area when it comes to the creation of ice cream, and he and Greg became fast friends. “Burns taught me everything he knew about making ice cream,” Steinberger said. “His grandson actually made the first batch of ice cream in my store,” he said, “and he stayed on with me through his high school years.” Steinberger also attended several Ice Cream University seminars that included instruction on the business side of an ice cream shop. Then he attended a special five-day class offered by Cal Poly on the creation of ice cream. “Chuck taught me the art of making ice cream,” he said, “and Cal Poly the science.” “When I took over the business I did a remodel that included adding a party room, more windows, lighter colors, and a window in the manufacturing room so people can see the ice cream being made,” Greg commented. He also set about simplifying the original recipes. “I found that the more straightforward and simple the product was, the more successful it was.” Greg, who is now known as Doc, says the name is a combination of Doc Brown from “Back to the Future” and Alfred Einstein. In his lab, Doc Burnstein specializes in hand-crafted super premium ice cream. The product is produced using hormone free cream from a dairy in the Bay area. The dairy uses a lower-temperature pasteurization process that results in a creamier ice cream. “Our Super Premium label has more cream than any other ice cream produced on the Central Coast,” Doc said. A recent visit from a group of seventeen children had Doc showing them how ice cream was originally made by using the old-fashioned hand crank in a bucket with milk, cream and sugar. The kids also got to make their own waffle cones. “But the thing they liked best,“ Doc said, “was walking into the freezer.” Ideas for new flavor combinations come from all kinds of sources. Patrons suggest them as do restaurants. Not all flavors work out. Doc once made a batch containing Guinness. “That was the worst flavor combination I made,” he said, “I flushed that down the drain.” He also participated in a turkey challenge contest put on by KCOY and made turkey ice cream, mashed potatoes and gravy ice cream, and cranberry sorbet. “The turkey ice cream was a flop,” he said. “The best flavor combination we’ve produced is our Merlot Raspberry Truffle,” Doc said, “and this is made with real wine. It’s our most popular ice cream.” With over 140 flavor combinations visitors to the shop definitely have their choices. “Our second most popular ice cream is Birthday Cake,” he said, “made with dough.” The most unusual flavor combinations ever made at Doc Burnstein’s are Basil and Pesto ice cream and Chocolate Chile that was also created for a contest. They also make an olive oil ice cream that is sold at all the We Olive stores. “Vanilla remains the clear favorite.” Doc said, “More people like vanilla than any other flavor.” Doc gets natural vanilla from Madagascar through a processor in Paso Robles. “Many people don’t realize that there are about 247 vanilla flavors,” he said. Doc even makes an ice cream treat for man’s best friend. “We have a bacon and soy ice cream for dogs,” he said. “Dogs can’t tolerate real cream.” This product is packaged for sale at grocery stores. Doc’s holds an Ice Cream Lab Show every Wednesday evening at 7 P.M. where guests can help invent the next incredible ice cream flavor. This is a comedy show utilizing the old wooden bucket and hand crank as Doc tells the history of ice cream, all accompanied with light and sound effects. Then four base flavors are put out and the audience gets to make four mixes. Everyone votes on the results and they name the combination and it goes for sale at the parlor the next day. “Some of these combinations have made it into our permanent flavors,” Doc said. Doc’s also holds a children’s Reading Lab on Tuesdays at 3:30pm, where area storytellers get to read selections from children’s books to any gathering of kids. “I believe in supporting the community,” Doc said. Every two months there is a blood drive at the store and there are over 100 donors who participate. “Anyone who donates a pint of blood gets a pint of ice cream,” Doc said. Part of his community involvement is accomplished by donating 10% of his profits to school education. “I also am following a community owned business model,” he commented, “where our employees and customers can be shareholders in the business.” Doc has started this with 20 of his long time employees and intends to grow this out to the community.The newest flavor for Doc Burnstein is the opening of a second shop in the Orcutt Union Plaza on West Clark Avenue in Orcutt. This store will have all the famous ice cream flavors as well as a coffee and espresso service. Doc Bernstein’s is located at 114 W. Branch St., Arroyo Grande. They can be reached by phone (805) 474-4068 or online www.docburnsteins.com. They can also be found on Facebook: facebook.com/docburnsteins. It’s safe to say that Doc Burnstein will keep making delicious ice cream flavors for a long time. Stop in to sample some soon.— Ruth Ann Angus < Previous ArticlePicnics, bluffs, caves and more Next Article > Play disc golf About the Author Visitors Guide

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Taipei Airport Guide This airport is one of the simplest to navigate in Asia. And it's emerging as a popular regional hub that connects passengers from northern Asia to southern Asia, and from the US to Southeast Asia. Photo by: Robert Verzo, flickr Robert Verzo, flickr Tokyo-Narita, Shanghai-Pudong, Seoul-Incheon, Hong Kong-Chek Lap Kok and … Taipei-Taoyuan? One of those names doesn’t quite belong, and there’s a reason. Due to Taiwan’s relations with China (or lack thereof), Taipei’s bustling international airport hasn’t quite developed into the hub-on-steriods that its Pacific Rim neighbors have become. But in recent years, that has become an advantage, with the airport emerging as a popular regional hub that connects passengers from northern Asia to southern Asia, and from the US to Southeast Asia. The Taipei airport is one of the simplest to navigate in Asia, and consists of only 2 terminals. Terminal 1, which opened in 1979, looks like a replica of Washington’s Dulles Airport. Terminal 2 is a glass and steel structure that opened in 2000. An automated people mover shuttles passengers between these 2 buildings. Since the airport first opened, it has become one end of one of the most traveled routes in the world -- Hong Kong to Taipei -- and is home to the country’s 2 major airlines, China Airlines and EVA Airlines. With Taiwan’s relationship with mainland China gradually improving (regular direct flights resumed in 2008) and the airport’s gradual expansion, Taipei Taoyuan may eventually rival its neighboring competitors. Until that happens, here’s what you need to know to navigate the current airport landscape. Situated in Taoyuan Township, which is located southwest of Taipei, the airport is a 60-minute drive from the center of the city. The airport is linked only by road, and buses run frequently to the city’s Taipei Station. A taxi ride costs approximately $40. To remedy the lack of transportation links, Taipei is currently constructing a link to its MRT, or rapid transit, system. A station at the airport is schedule to start running late in 2013, and will link passengers to the city in approximately 35 minutes. Get Refreshed
One of Taipei airport’s best features is its transit hotel -- a hotel located within the airside of the airport. Transfer passengers can access the Evergreen Airside Transit Hotel, located on the fourth floor of Terminal 2. The hotel is also known to provide access to shower facilities, but this availability varies according to hotel occupancy. Airport Amenities
The airport is full of dining, duty-free shopping and services such as beauty and massage treatments. While these amenities have been a bit lackluster, the airport has recently begun renovating its facilities, beginning with Terminal 1. Last year, a new food court opened on the B1, or basement level, and features Tokyo Prince Ramen and Jimmy’s Kitchen, an outpost of the popular Taipei Steakhouse. Hairei Meatball of Hsinchu City serves a real delicacy: the ba-wan, a pork-stuffed into translucent dough that is a popular snack in adjacent Hsinchu County. Sprinkled among the perfume and liquor counters of the duty-free stalls are Tastes of Taiwan boutiques, one of the most robust assortments of Taiwanese snacks to be found at the airport, showcasing mochi, rice cakes and Taiwanese sorghum wine. Until recently, Taipei was home to the tallest building in the world, Taipei 101. (The building is now the second tallest.) In addition to its massive height, the tower has become a resounding symbol of Taipei’s new ambition and growth, with the adjacent area around the tower, the Xinyi District, becoming a new hub for business, shopping and dining. Attractions here include the Taipei 101 Mall, the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store and Neo19, a shopping destination that features several restaurants. For a late-night trip, visit the Shilin Night Market slightly north of Taipei to experience some of the street food, including oyster omelettes and rice noodles. This open-air bazaar operates past midnight, and houses several hundred food stalls. (A recent renovation to the market displaced vendors in the main market hall, but adjacent vendors on nearby Dadong Road have not been affected.) If the night market is not open late enough to suit one’s tastes, visit one of Taipei’s local institutions, the Eslite Bookstore, located on Dunhua Road, which is open 24 hours. This bookstore, which has expanded to 48 branches around Taiwan, showcases books on arts and literature. Its newest flagship location in the Xinyi District is one of the most well-curated shopping experiences in Taipei, with food and lifestyle shops interspersed around the book and reading areas. NYC-based writer Andrew Yang was born in Taipei, and first flew out of Taipei Taoyuan International Airport at the age of 3. Hong Kong Airport Guide On a layover in Hong Kong? Check out our guide to Chek Lap Kok airport. Singapore Airport Guide Got a layover in Singapore? Check out Travel Channel's guide. Deluxe Airport Hotels Over-the-top amenities, high-end design and close to the airport. São Paulo Airport Guide São Paulo's 2 airports -- Guarulhos and Congonhas -- are irksome at best and sheer transportation hell at worst. Here are tips to minimize the pain of using either airport. Dublin Airport Guide Here's what you need to know to navigate Dublin Airport. May the road rise up to meet you … and all your flights be on time. Paris Airport Guide Here are some pointers for flying through Europe's second busiest airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport. Toronto Airport Guide See our tips and recommendations for one of the major hubs for North America -- Toronto's Lester B. Pearson International Airport. Atlanta Airport Guide The busiest airport in the world? Atlanta’s mega hub, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Get our tips for flying through this busy airport. New Orleans Airport Guide More than $300 million in improvements to New Orleans International Airport were unveiled in 2013. See what's new and how to get around this airport. Philadelphia Airport Guide Sandwiched between New York and Washington, DC, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is one of the country’s busiest airports. Get our tips for making the most out of a layover in Philly.

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Why RCI? About RCI RCI Advantage The Registry Collection History of RCI What is timeshare? RCI VenturesVoice of vacation ownership Home Resort development You are here: Home / Hospitality and tourism / Brownlee brothers go head to head in Abu Dhabi Brownlee brothers go head to head in Abu Dhabi December 9, 2013 by Steve Adams Follow Alistair Brownlee races in Abu Dhabi in 2013. Credit and copyright: Ryan Bowd Reigning Olympic Champion Alistair Brownlee and brother Jonathan, the 2012 World Champion, are among the superstars taking part in the 2014 Abu Dhabi International Triathlon. The British brothers are both confirmed to open their seasons in the Emirate on 15 March, at an event that has become a ‘must’ for the sport’s top stars and a huge tourist draw for Abu Dhabi. Now entering its fifth year, the Abu Dhabi International Triathlon is organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority, and offers participants the opportunity to compete in long, short or sprint distance routes while taking in the breathtaking scenery of the UAE capital. Frederik Van Lierde’s win in the long distance wave at this year’s event set him up for a tremendous season, culminating in his victory at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, while Melissa Hauschildt scooped the title in the women’s discipline. Battling brothers The Brownlee brothers will go head to head, with 2012 ITU World Champion Jonathan hoping to clinch the title from the event’s current reigning champion Alistair. Jonathan said: “Having watched Alistair’s victory in last year’s event, I knew this was a race that I wanted to do. Alistair said the event was something I couldn’t miss out on, especially with the idyllic conditions and iconic course the event offers us. It will be a step up in distance for me, which is a challenge, and I think I can adapt to it very well.” Alistair is looking for a strong start to the year following a tough injury-ridden season, which saw him bow out of the ITU World Championships. He said: “I loved the experience of competing here last year. It was my first time at the longer distance, and I was nervous going into the event. The city offers so much to a Triathlon that it is an event that should be on everybody’s list of ‘must do’s’. It didn’t take much convincing to get Jonny to come out with me this year. Obviously I was disappointed with the end of my season, and I couldn’t think of a better way to start 2014 than retaining my title in Abu Dhabi.” A record number of entries and participants are set to take part in next year’s event, which starts in the shimmering turquoise waters off Abu Dhabi’s Blue Flagged public beach, before weaving its way along the Corniche to the spectacular Yas Island and around the Yas Marina Circuit, home to the annual Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, before returning to the heart of the UAE capital. Get the last word - first! Sign up for the RCI Ventures newsletter to get the news on shared ownership success before anyone else. Follow @RCIVentures Why timeshare? Get the news first! RCIVentures.com is provided by RCI, the world’s leading provider of exchange services to the shared-vacation ownership industry. Be the first to get the news about the timeshare and fractional businesses – and to view the RCI Ventures magazines as soon as they are published – by subscribing to our weekly newsletter. Subscribe now and receive a FREE download of RCI’s Creating Opportunity in Shared-Holiday Ownership Handbook – the industry A-Z. RCI Ventures magazines are… ... Published by RCI and the industry’s most trusted and reliable sources of news, expert opinion and practical guidance for the shared-vacation ownership industry. RCI produces four regional editions which bring case studies, plus resort and developer profiles, into an engaging and informative content plan which covers timeshare, fractional, mixed-use, condo-hotel and private residence club products and services across the globe. Email address*Message* Part of Wyndham Worldwide Privacy Policy · © Copyright 2013 RCI Ventures · All Rights Reserved ·

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Fan Encounter from Fat Tony's Pizzeria Click here for the largest archive of Trish Stratus videosOn Friday, Megan (from last week) met Trish again this weekend; this time at Victoria's Pizzeria: Fat Tony's. She was kind enough to send in her encounter & photos. Thanks Amanda! I went to Victoria's Pizza Place last night to meet them cause they were promoting that Victoria, Candice and Chavo Guerrero were going to be there. I live in Ohio and me and my friends drove down to KY to meet them. We weren't sure if it was going to be just those 3 or if more were going to be there. We were sitting there waiting for people to come and first in comes, Mickie James and Maria! Maria is really really pretty in person! Then a few minutes later, Candice, Victoria and Chavo came in. I was kinda sad because I was really hoping that Trish would be there. A few minutes later in she came! I was SO excited to see her again! She was talking to some of the fans that were in line and she looked over at me. I was standing where she could see me and she came right over to me and gave me a hug right away and she asked me how I was and i asked her how she was. We talked for a little while before she went over to the tables where they all were signing at. Me, my sister and my cousin went to get into the line to meet them and stuff. There was a little boy in a wheel chair and Victoria and Trish went over to him. They were talking to him and getting pics with him. It was very sweet of them. Mickie was looking at him and smiling. We waited for 10 minutes and it was finally our turn to meet them. Mickie was first, she was quiet, but nice. I didn't really talk to her. Next was Maria, I go up to her and she was like, "Hi! How are you?" I said hi and that I was fine and I asked how she was. I gave her my poster of her to sign and she signed it. She asked me if I wanted her to personalize it for me and I told her no, that's ok. Next: Victoria! I gave her a copy of a picture of me and her from when I met her in 2004 at a signing and she was like, "Can I keep it? and I said yea! She smiled and said Thank you. She remembered what signing it was from and said, "Wasn't this from the Harley Davidson thing?" and I said yes. I gave her my promo I wanted signed. We said our hi's and how are you's. As Victoria was signing my promo, Maria asked me if the figure I was holding was Trish and I said yea and showed it to her. Victoria was looking at it too, so I showed it to her, too. LOL. I said to her, "That was when she pushed you down! That was mean!" and she started laughing and said "Yea! You should tell that to Trish!" I laughed and said yea. I asked her if I could get a picture with her and she said, "Yea! Come on around!" so I did and Maria and Candice posed for the pic too, lol. I told her thanks for the picture and she said no problem! I didn't really talk to Candice cause the whole thing was kinda rushed. Chavo's turn! I gave him a trading card I had of Eddie (RIP) and he asked me if it was for him and I said yea. He said, "Thank you SO much!" I said no problem. He asked me what my name was and I told him. Trish was sitting next to him and she says to him, "This is my girl, Amanda! We hang out on the weekends!" I started laughing and went to talk to Trish. I gave her a picture from a show that my friend took and she goes, "Where do you get these pictures from?" and I told her that my friends take them and they give me them. Before she signed it, she asked me, "To Amanda, again?" and I said yes, please. She said ok and signed it. I gave her the figure to sign and before she did so, she asked me how I knew she was going to be there and I told her I didn't, I just hoped she was going to be there. She just smiled at me and signed my figure box to me, again! I gave her another gift and she smiled. Inside the bag was 2 pics of me and her from last friday when I met her, a thank you letter and a Wonder Woman Logo T-shirt. She took out the 2 pictures first and says, "Are these from last weekend?" and I said yea, and she said cool. She looked at the letter, but didn't read it. She pulled out the Wonder Woman shirt and held it up to her. I told her I got her a small, because I didn't know what size she wore and she said, "It's ok! I think I can squeeze it all in!" I started laughing, the girl is funny, lol. She said thank you for the stuff and stood up and gave me a hug. I told her it was no problem. She sat back down and I told her thanks for the autographs and she said no problem and we said goodbye to each other. An Hour and A Half Later: Trish was walking to the door to leave and she was talking to some of the fans. I wanted to get a picture of us hugging, so I called her name and she turned around and smiled and came over to me. I asked her if I could get a picture of us hugging and she said, "Sure! Do we act like we are emotional?' and I said yea and she said ok. So we took one, but it didn't come out, so we took another one and it didn't come out right,either. My mom was showing Trish and she was like, "I can't see that! I'm blind!" and we started laughing, so we did it again. Me and Trish were standing there just in a hugging pose and Trish was just giggling! It was funny! We finally got one that looked right! The security guard was rude, he was like, "Hurry up! She has to go!" She wouldn't leave until she knew that it came out the right way. I told her thanks and she said no problem and we said goodbye to each other. Overall, it was an awesome experience! All the divas are very beautiful in person. All the divas that were at the show came, except for Lita. Trish is the best, EVER! No one can compare!Like this story? MORE FROM TRISHSTRATUS.COM

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Cismigiu Garden, the Main Entrance Andrei Zdetoveţchi The main entrance into the Cismigiu gardens, from Elisabeta Boulevard, right in front of City Hall. Copyright: Andrei Zdetoveţchi Tags: landmark; park Yasuhiro Muranaka Murouji8 Matthias Kunze Die Lamsenspitze in den Wolken Alexey Ermakov Bolshoi na vinose Marin Giurgiu Côté Saint-Martin, Valence, France Zoran Strajin Bazzar, Old City, Jerusalem Tomb of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Jerusalem More About Bucharest The World : Europe : Romania : Bucharest Overview and HistoryBucharest, Romania was first mentioned in written history around 1459 AD. Since then it has gradually grown in influence, becoming the capital of Romania in 1862 and even earning the title "Paris of the East" for its cultural magnetism.The city has a population of about two million people and makes up one of the main industrial centers of eastern europe.The origin of the name Bucharest comes from the legendary outlaw and prince Bucur. Linguistic roots from Albanian and Thracian languages connect that name to words like "beautiful", "glad" and "joyous."Bucharest was home to Wallachian Prince Vlad the Impaler in the 15th century. The city was burned down by the Ottomans in the early 17th century, rebuilt, and ravaged by the Plague over the next two hundred years. Battles between the Ottoman empire and the Austrian Hapsburgs saw Bucharest occupied by Austria and also Russia in the eighteenth century.In 1861 Wallachia and Moldova were united to form the Principality of Romania with Bucharest as its capital. This new region was occupied by Germany during World War One and saw heavy Allied bombing in World War Two. In the middle of the war, Romania joined the Russian side against Germany, and was bombed again, ths time by the Luftwaffe.Following the wars, Romania was under Communist leadership by Nicolae Ceausescu. His tenure came with the construction of many large Soviet-style buildings which took over the historic districts of the city. He was overthrown in the 1989 revolution.The 1991 Constitution established Romania as a republic with a multi-party system, market economy and individual rights of free speech, religion and private ownership.Romania joined NATO in 2004 and the European Union in 2007.Getting ThereYou'll be flying into Henry Coanda International Bucharest Airport, the biggest airport in Romania. Henry Coanda built the world's first jet powered aircraft, did you know that?The airport is 16km north of the city and connects by bus, taxi and a shuttle bus to the Gara de Nord, Bucharest's main train station.TransportationBucharest has an extensive public transportation system, one of the largest in Europe. There's a Metro along with buses, minibuses, trams, trolleybuses and light rail. They have limited the number of taxi licenses to ten thousand to keep down the traffic problems.The main train station is called the Gare de Nord and it connects to all the cities in Romania as well as Belgrade, Budapest, Vinena, Prague and Moscow. The commuter rail line is currently being extended to unite it with surrounding counties.People and CultureThe currency is the Romanian Leu (RON) which exchanges at about 4.3 RON to the Euro at the time of this writing.The first known art in Romania dates to 10,000 BC as cave paintings in northwest Transylvania. Pottery from the Neolithic Age (4000 BC) has been found widely, all around the country. Around 2000 BC there was a distinct group of Thracian people here, whom the Greeks referred to as "Getae". The Romans called them "Dacians" and Herotodus described them as ""the fairest and most courageous of men," because they believed in the immortality of the soul and were not afraid to die.Things to do, RecommendationsRumor has it that Romania sits on one of the world's strongest magnetic lines, and these are responsible for attracting psychics and... wait for it... VAMPIRES to the area!!!Many "dracula" tours take place in Romania, including such places as Sighisoara, the Snagoc Monastery, Castle Bran and of course, Curtea Domneasca. These sites are all related to the life of Vlad Tepes, the legendary Count Dracula.Apart from that, Bucharest is known for its large neoclassical buildings and fashionable parks (in their day). Visit Cismigiu Park, Calea Victoriei street and the Royal Palace for a taste of the architectural history.Text by Steve Smith.

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What’s Wright with Iowa? Magic Mountains, Czech Village, Cedar Rock, and Loose Meats by Sandra Foyt on July 20, 2011 in Accommodations, Food Adventures, Road Trips This Foodie Adventures Road Trip has been plagued with instances of extreme bad luck, and moments of sheer fortune. Finding not one, but three street side parking spots in downtown Chicago right in front of the pizza parlor we planned on visiting was a stroke of good fortune. Waking up to find a tire flattened by an errant nail was not. Car trouble could have derailed our plans for the day, but we were in Iowa where people seem to go above and beyond to be helpful. Long before AAA’s estimated an arrival time of a towing service, our flat tire was completely fixed (not just replaced with a spare!) and all the tires were fully checked. Soon, we were on our way in search of cinnamon rolls and magic mountains. Ross’ Restaurant: Cinnamon Rolls and Magic Mountains Jane and Michael Stern’s 500 Things to Eat Before It’s Too Late: and the Very Best Places to Eat Them lists the cinnamon rolls in Davenport, Iowa, but it doesn’t tell you where to find them. A little investigative journalism turned up a restaurant whose decrepit exterior belies it’s impressive story. Our server, Rylan Ross, third-generation member of this family-owned business, told us about the day earlier this summer when President Obama stopped by. The president dropped by, unexpectedly, to make good on a campaign promise to visit the diner and sample the Magic Mountain, a pile of loose hamburger meat, cheddar cheese, onions and fries or hash browns piled on Texas toast. And he did, ordering both the Magic Mountain, and the Volcano which adds a spicy topping of hot chili. Although the Secret Service agents scoped out the venue previously, the Ross family didn’t know about the impending visit until minutes before the arrival – too late for Rylan to get there in time. Of course, we had to try the Volcano ourselves. It’s a huge portion, but manageable when split between four adults. The cinnamon rolls, however, were just ridiculously huge – each is as big as a birthday cake! The kids insisted in getting their own, while I shared mine with the rest of our party. But the cinnamon rolls were so huge that despite working on them for a couple of days, we still ended up dumping quite a bit. Czech Village On our way to our next foodie adventure, we spied a sign for the Czech Village in Cedar Rapids, IA. It wasn’t on our itinerary, but given that my husband is from the Czech Republic and that this is our children’s heritage, we had to drop by. I was surprised to discover that it really is a little village, with a main street devoted to the arts and crafts of the region and a bridge that vaguely resembles Prague’s Charles Bridge. And at the center, there is a story of survival. The first Czechs in Iowa were the homesteaders who came in search of land, and stayed to build a community remarkable for its longevity. But this was tested three years ago when the Cedar River floods destroyed many properties, driving away residents and businesses. Now, some are returning, and at the center of it all is the new location, and expansion, of the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library. It’s an ambitious project that calls for moving the original building and adding 50,000 square feet, but it’s been fully funded in record time and the construction project seems to be moving forward despite rainy day setbacks. In the meantime, we were able to visit a temporary exhibit space that was entertaining and informative despite it’s small size. My daughter insisted in adding her grandmother’s story to the Oral History Scrapbook, while I admired the artistry and craftsmanship of visiting lace makers who replicated the bobbin lace found in a Czech lady’s trunk from long ago. Our next stop was at Cedar Rock, a modest “Usonian” home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for the Walters family. But our plans were nearly derailed when we arrived to find the gate closed. We were there on a Tuesday, only to discover that schedules had changed since the guide book was published and now the park was only open Thursday-Sunday, preferably with an appointment. I didn’t know that when I found the gate pulled shut. Thinking that this was an oversight, I pulled the gate open and drove in to the Visitor’s Center. There, by chance, we discovered a very knowledgeable young man who was there to water plants, but who was willing to give us a tour. If we had been there any earlier, or later, we would have missed him, but we were lucky – again. The home and boat house are small, easily viewed in short order, if not for the clever design elements that had us puzzling over Wright’s genius: green roof, interlocking and convertible dining set, and the incredible living room that appears to be one with the garden. It is one of Wright’s most complete designs: all the furniture, and even housewarming gifts, were approved by the architect; earning the home one of the coveted red tiles, a limited edition set. Loose Meats Our last foodie adventure in Iowa was neither fortuitous, nor especially lovely. Again, on the recommendation of the 500 Things To Eat book, we stopped at Tastee Inn & Out, a drive-in restaurant with a passionate following of fans (and detractors.) Tastee Inn & Out is loved (and hated) for its old-fashioned milkshakes, onion chips (deep-fried breaded onion slices) and loose meats, a somewhat spicy amorphous ground meat concoction that mostly stays within a bun. It’s OK. Fine, even. I had just reached my limit of heavy, meat-based foods after three days of foodie adventures based on the 500 Things To Eat book. I don’t know how the authors survived a steady diet of high-fat foods, but we’re done. For the rest of this road trip, we’re going to look for our own culinary delights. Our hotel in Iowa wasn’t actually in Iowa. Just across the Missouri River from Sioux City, Iowa, is the Marina Inn Conference Center in South Sioux City, Nebraska. It’s a swanky hotel that would usually be out of reach of our road trip budget, but we arrived during recent flooding. While the floods are a disaster for the area, it did not affect our stay. My kids enjoyed the lovely indoor pool and even the exterior gardens, and we all benefited from a night in luxury accommodations. There is always a silver lining. Cedar Rock, Czech Village, Davenport, Iowa, loose meats, road trip, road trip USA, road tripping, Ross' Restaurant Previous post: Chicago – Foodie Adventures and the Deep Dish Pizza Next post: Going Bad In South Dakota: Tourist Traps and the Badlands

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1 of 82 of 83 of 84 of 85 of 86 of 87 of 88 of 8 Allan H. Treman State Marine Park http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/35/details.aspx Allan h. treman is one of the largest inland marinas in new york state. it boasts 370 seasonal, 30 transient and 30 dry boat slips. for folks trailering boats, the park has an 8-lane boat launch ramp. the marina is an excellent port-of-call off the barge canal system at the south end of cayuga lake and within easy walking distance to the city of ithaca along the cayuga waterfront trail. for bird watching fans, the hog hole wetland and the cayuga lake shoreline make for great opportunities to view waterfowl and wetland species. Allegany State Park - Quaker Area http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/1/details.aspx The quaker area is known for its two lakes and wonderful camping experiences. it offers a sandy beach for swimming, two fishing piers and a canoeing or kayaking access point. friend's boat launch makes the allegany reservoir available to the boating enthusiasts. the many hiking trails give opportunities to explore the naturally formed caves, plus the diversity of plants and wildlife. many come to relax with the programs offered at the quaker amphitheater, by picnicking, or just letting the children spend time on the playground. if you enjoy sports, you can use our horse shoe pits, baseball fields, basketball, volley ball or tennis courts. the old quaker store has been completely restored and now houses a park museum. interesting exhibits document the history of allegany state park as "the wilderness playground of western new york", and orient visitors to the parks unique features and attractions, both past and present. allegany's mixed hemlock /hardwood forest, mountains, rolling hills and meadows, streams, ponds and lakes attract devoted outdoors enthusiasts year-round. Allegany State Park - Red House Area The red house area is known for the historic tudor-style administration building and everything centrally located around the red house lake. it offers 5 miles of paved bike paths, boat and bike rentals, a sandy beach for swimming, fishing and snowmobiling. feel free to exercise by walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, playing softball tennis, horse shoes or even a game of volleyball. the administration building features a natural history museum, regional headquarters and a gift shop. thunder rocks is an impressive bedrock city that allows for the nature lover to see the hidden beauty that this park is known for. the stone tower structure shows vistas of the rolling hills of mature forests. the many beaver ponds are a good place to observe the diversity of wildlife located in the park. Anthony Wayne Recreation Area - Harriman State Park The anthony wayne recreation area of harriman state park lies in a wooded valley. facilities include picnic areas with fireplaces, playing fields and cross-country ski and hiking trails. Artpark State Park (Earl W. Brydges) http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/113/details.aspx Earl w. brydges artpark is dedicated to presenting the finest in performing and visual arts programs, including broadway musicals and classical, jazz and pop music concerts; art exhibits; classes, workshops and demonstrations, and tours of the park's geological and historic sites and nature trails. lower landing archeological district is a key point in the colonial niagara historic district. take the virtual tour! Battle Island State Park This park derived its name from a battle which took place on a nearby island on the oswego river in the mid-1700s. in 1916 most of the land owned by f. a. emerick was deeded to the state. battle island officially became a state park in 1938 when the remaining land was turned over.the popular course near fulton lies adjacent to the oswego river and offers golfers magnificent views from a number of its fairways and greens. the 18-hole battle island state park golf course is a challenging one for the "budding professional" and amateur player. the park also is used in winter for cross-country skiing. Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park Bayard cutting arboretum's purpose is "to provide an oasis of beauty and quiet for the pleasure, rest and refreshment of those who delight in outdoor beauty, and to bring about a greater appreciation and understanding of the value and importance of informal planting." the current collection of fir, spruce, pine, cypress, hemlock and other conifers is probably the most extensive to be found on long island. also found are extensive plantings of dwarf evergreens, rhododendron, azaleas, hollies and oaks, wildflowers and daffodils. with the park's ponds and streamlets, these plantings provide food and homes for land and aquatic birds, fox, raccoon and other wildlife.a permit is required to take wedding photos at bayard cutting arboretum state park. it must be obtained prior to the event and a fee may be required. please contact the park for further information. Bayswater Point State Park Bayswater point state park comprises 12 acres at the tip of a peninsula in the rockaways that juts out into the mott basin on the eastern shore of jamaica bay. the terrain is varied and includes beachfront, wetlands and woodlands. this diversity helps make it an ideal habitat for migrating and nesting birds. the goal of this park is to preserve the existing natural systems, and if feasible, restore what has been lost. passive recreation, such as hiking and nature study, are encouraged. Bear Mountain State Park Bear mountain state park is situated in rugged mountains rising from the west bank of the hudson river. the park features a large play field, shaded picnic groves, lake and river fishing access, a swimming pool, trailside musueums and zoo, hiking, biking and cross-country ski trails. an outdoor rink is open to ice skaters from late october through mid-march. the perkins memorial tower atop bear mountain affords spectacular views of the park, the hudson highlands and harriman state park. perkins memorial drive and tower are open from april through late november, weather permitting. Beaver Island State Park Beaver island state park is located at the south end of grand island in the upper niagara river. the 950 acre park has a half-mile sandy beach for swimming, adjacent 80 slip marina with both seasonal and transient boat slips, fishing access, car-top boat launch, multiple canoe/kayak launches, bike and nature trails, nature center, playgrounds, picnic areas, athletic fields, horseshoe pits, an 18 hole championship disc golf course, an 18-hole championship golf course. also located in the park is the river lea house and musuem, home to the grand island historical society and built by william cleveland allen, cousin to grover cleveland who visited the family farm on several occasions. in winter, visitors can snowmobile by permit, cross-country ski, snowshoe, sled or ice fish. water fowl hunting is allowed in season by permit. beaver island clubhouse has banquet and catering facilities. for more information please call the park office. Beaver Pond Campgrounds - Harriman State Park http://nysparks.state.ny.us/parks/116/details.aspx Beaver pond campgrounds adjoin the lake welch recreation area within harriman state park. the campgrounds include tent and trailer sites, as well as accommodations for larger vehicles. comfort stations, showers, laundry facilities and a dumping station are part of the campgrounds. Belmont Lake State Park Belmont lake state park is a full service park and the headquarters of the long island state park region. activities include boating, fishing, picnicking, biking, horseback riding, hiking and cross-country skiing. the park also has playing fields, horseshoe and basketball courts and playgrounds. Bethpage State Park Bethpage state park is best known for its five world-class golf courses, including the world-renowned black course which was the site of the u.s. open championship in 2002 and 2009. visitors also flock to the park to use the park's picnic facilities, playing fields, tennis courts, bridle paths, hiking and biking trails and cross-county skiing trails. Betty and Wilbur Davis State Park Perched atop a hill in southern otsego county, betty and wilbur davis state park provides spectacular views to the south and west. nearly two thirds of the park is blanketed by a forest of hardwoods intermixed with smaller areas of conifer plantation. the remainder of this 200-acre property is occupied by gently rolling meadowlands and two ponds.the park, which is named for the generous new york couple who donated the land to the state, offers a variety of recreational opportunities. with expansive views and tranquil surroundings, betty and wilbur davis state park is a favorite among birdwatchers and other nature lovers. Big Six Mile Creek Marina Big six mile creek state park marina is located in a protected inlet off of the upper niagara river. this marina provides a boat launch for boating and world class fishing access, 134 seasonal boat slips, gasoline and oil sales, ice and pump out service. seasonal slip vacancies are filled by a lottery every year. Blauvelt State Park Blauvelt state park is 590 acres of forested green space in rockland county. hiking trails provide the only access and afford spectacular views of the hudson valley. Bonavista State Park Golf Course Nestled above the shore overlooking seneca lake, this park derived its name from the amazing lake view visible from the golf course. the 9-hole course can be played twice from different tees for an 18-hole round. there is also an attractive clubhouse/ restaurant. the park has shaded picnic areas and food is available at the snack bar. bow hunting is allowed in season, call for details. Bowman Lake State Park Bowman lake state park is a remote sylvan retreat known as "a camper's paradise." scenic park roads wind through evergreen and hardwood forests to shady campsites. there is a sandy lakefront for swimmers and sunbathers with several picnic areas nearby. the lake is regularly stocked with trout, and birdwatchers can spot as many as 103 species of birds. the park also has a nature center. Brookhaven State Park Once property of brookhaven national laboratory and former military installation called camp upton, brookhaven state park is 1,638-acres and is part of the central core of the long island pine barrens. the park runs along the east side william floyd parkway north of whiskey road, and between ny 25 and ny 25a. for the avid hiker, the park features the brookhaven trail, which heads south through the park and hooks up with the white-blazed paumanok path. Buckhorn Island State Park Buckhorn island state park nature preserve, 895 acres of marsh, meadows and woods and the last vestige of once vast marshlands and meadows that bordered the niagara river, is classified as a park preserve. the public is welcome to walk the nature trails, hike, bike, kayak, canoe, fish and cross-country ski in the park. ongoing restoration continues to re-establish wetland cover and water levels and increase the diversity of native flora and fauna. the ongoing restoration plan includes increasing public access with more non-intrusive trails, overlooks and bird watching blinds. Burnham Point State Park Burnham point state park is small and quiet with lightly-wooded campsites, ideal for boating, fishing and relaxing. boaters can explore local towns, islands and historic sites for miles up and down the scenic river. popular game fish include bass, pike, muskellunge and walleye. Buttermilk Falls State Park Buttermilk falls state park takes its name from the foaming cascade formed by buttermilk creek as it flows down the steep valley side toward cayuga lake. the upper park has a small lake, hiking trails through woodlands and along the gorge and rim, picnic areas and playing fields. the lower park has a campground, pool and playing fields, beyond which is larch meadows. larch meadows is a moist, shady glen and wetland area through which a nature trail winds. park activities, including tours through buttermilk gorge, which are offered weekly from july 4th through labor day. Caleb Smith State Park Preserve Nestled in the heart of smithtown, caleb smith state park preserve is one of only two state nature preserves on long island. within its 543 acres are a variety of habitats offering guests picturesque views that change with the seasons. caleb smith is a passive use park. this not only helps protect the local plant and wildlife populations but also allows visitors to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and enjoy the quiet serenity that can only be found in nature. Camp Hero State Park Camp hero state park encompasses 415 acres of diverse landscape including heavily wooded areas, a long expanse of beachfront along the atlantic ocean, and an historic military installation. specific features of camp hero are magnificent pristine maritime forests, freshwater wetlands, spectacular ocean vistas and dramatic bluffs rising from the beach. an extensive system of trails is available for hiking, biking and horseback riding. the park boasts some of the best surf fishing locations in the world, open 24 hours a day to fishermen with permits, and areas for picnicking. an undisturbed environment shelters bountiful wildlife and an abundance of birds. the former military base that is in the park is registered as a national historic site. Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park Notice: canandaigua lake state marine park will close on september 6, 2011 for construction. access to the park will begin to be limited on august 8, when 2 of the 6 ramps will close. after labor day, the launch ramps will be completely reconstructed and to ensure the public's safety, access will not be permitted. anyone who is planning to use the state boat launch to remove their boat from canandaigua lake this year is encouraged to do this as early as possible. the last day the boat launch will be available for public use is monday, september 5. the park is expected to reopen before january 1, 2012. 1 of 82 of 83 of 84 of 85 of 86 of 87 of 88 of 8 Search Search the entire directory Search only this category Shop Our Products at iboats.com Boat Motor Parts Controls & Steering Manuals & Charts Covers, Tops, Canopies Boat Lift Canopy Covers Pontoon Boat Parts Trailers and Parts Life Jackets, Vests & PFDs PWC Parts Home > State Parks > New York

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Teen Murti Bhavan, New Delhi Site Name: Teen Murti Bhavan Site Type: Memorial, MonumentLocation: New Delhi, IndiaHighlights: One of the important memorials in Delhi Nearest Railway Station: DelhiNearest Airport: DelhiHow to reach: Well connected by road, rail and airHotel: A lot of options are available within Delhi cityRestaurants: Many options and varieties across the city The Teen Murti Bhavan is one of the important memorials in New Delhi, the capital city of India. It is the former residence of the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Jawaharlal Nehru stayed in this house for about 16 years. The building was designed by Robert Tor Russell, the British architect in 1930s. It was meant to be the residence of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Indian Army. Today, the house serves as a memorial. The building houses Nehru museum which has several articles and furnitures used by the former Prime Minister. The Nehru Memorial Library located in the same building is one of the best sites for information on modern Indian history. Also, the Nehru Planetarium is located in this building. When you go to Delhi, visit Teen Murti Bhavan to pay homage to the late Indian leader. monument, Safdar Jang's Tomb - Delhi Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, New Delhi Mughal Gardens, New Delhi Delhi Bhairav Temple Humayun's Tomb - The inspiration for Taj Mahal Chhatarpur Temple, Delhi Ulsoor Lake, Bangalore Someshwara Temple, Bangalore HAL Museum, Bangalore Bangalore Museum and Venkatappa Art Gallery Visvesvaraya Museum, Bangalore

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This Is America Olvera Street: Birthplace of Los Angeles December 07, 2014 In this March 3, 2011 photo, tourists shop at Olvera Street stores at El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic District in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Olvera Street: Birthplace of Los Angeles Welcome to This Is America, from VOA Learning English. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I’m Katherine Cole. Today we visit a Southern California street that leads back hundreds of years. An unusual historical monument The family stepped off a train at Union Station in Los Angeles. The mother looked around in the bright California sunshine and shook her head. “Where are we?” she asked. “I thought this was supposed to be downtown – the center of the city.” The woman had expected to be completely surrounded by huge office buildings. But instead, she and her family felt as if they had somehow landed in another time. Their train ride had led them to the oldest part of downtown Los Angeles. The visitors had stepped back through centuries of history. Shrine to the Virgin of Guadalupe They stood near the birthplace of Los Angeles, now the second largest city in the United States. They were close to where settlers and a few soldiers from Spain first set up the city in 1781. The settlers had left a nearby Roman Catholic religious center called Mission San Gabriel Arcangel. They wanted to set up a community on the edges of the river then known as Porciuncula. Today, the place where the settlers started new lives is part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. The word “monument” sometimes makes people think of a traditional statue – perhaps a man riding a horse. But this monument includes historic homes, museums and other buildings, parks, marketplaces, plazas and many artworks. It has places to rest, eat, play -- and places to think about what life was once like here. A marketplace and community-event center called Olvera Street form a lively part of the Historical Monument. “La Placita Olvera aquies!” Mariachi musicians gathered in May 2014. Chances are it is busy on Olvera Street today. But then, energetic activity goes on here most of the time. People buy and sell things. Some people take lots of pictures. They stop for drinks, coffee and meals. And nearly every day, mariachi bands fill the air with song and music from the Spanish-speaking world. And you hear many other languages spoken as well. Millions of tourists pass each year among Olvera Street’s puestos, or small businesses. They buy everything from imported leather goods to big hats, from dresses to shoes, from musical instruments to puppets hanging from strings. Maybe you've seen Olvera Street before... Olvera Street marks the heritage and the continuing relationship of the movie and television industry of Hollywood -- a Los Angeles neighborhood -- and nearby Burbank. Parts of movies and television shows are often filmed along Olvera Street and in the neighboring Plaza. Dancing at the Plaza on Olvera Street Long ago, silent film star Charlie Chaplin rescued child actor Jackie Coogan from a threatening welfare office in the 1923 movie “The Kid.” A 1952 film called “The Ring” told about a Mexican-American prizefighter struggling to gain a better life. And Danny Glover and Mel Gibson ran toward the Plaza in the 1992 film “Lethal Weapon 3.” More recently, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt danced there in the 2005 movie, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.” They danced in the center, or courtyard, of the Francisco Avila Adobe historic home. The building is said to be the oldest structure made of the material adobe in Los Angeles. A man named Francisco Avila had the home built in 1818. Special days Olvera Street is more than a tourist center and a movie set. It also has been used to mark or celebrate special events. Los Angeles Caridinal Roger Mahoney blessed animals in 2005 The Blessing of the Animals is a good example. During the ceremony, people present their animals to a religious leader who offers thanks for the creatures. Thousands of people bring cows, birds, cats, dogs, horses and other animals for the ceremony. Among the other animals are ferrets, lizards, llamas, ponies and rabbits. Christopher Espinosa works as general manager of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument. He says his favorite event is All Souls Day -- the Day of the Dead. In Spanish, it is called El Dia de Los Muertos. “It’s like the Mexican version of Halloween, and the main day lands on All Souls Day -- a time period where traditionally you respect the people who have passed.” Mr. Espinosa described some of the event’s many activities on Olvera Street. “And there’s altars with beautiful marigolds, and then there’s, like, a procession that occurs every day on Olvera Street and into the Plaza. And every night there’s dancing. And each day it builds bigger and bigger and bigger until the final day, the Dia de Los Muertos. And that day there’s this beautiful dance, and the place is jam packed.” Mother of Olvera Street? Olvera Street probably would not have existed without huge effort. That is especially true of the volunteer work and influence of a woman named Christine Sterling. By the 1920s, large numbers of immigrants had arrived in California and other parts of the United States. The Avila Adobe and other historic buildings had fallen into poor condition. Ms. Sterling loved both history and Los Angeles. She heard that the oldest adobe structure in the city was threatened with destruction. And she started a campaign to save it. People who wanted to rescue the Avila house donated money to repair and restore it. But not enough was raised. In 1928, the city government approved orders to condemn the home. But Mrs. Sterling followed with a note of her own. She accused officials of not caring about the city’s past. Public opinion arose against destroying the old building. She and many in the public supported the return of the Avila Adobe and other places along Olvera Street to their former appearance. Ms. Sterling appealed to Harry Chandler for help. He was publisher of the Los Angeles Times newspaper during that period. She described her dream of a colorful marketplace and cultural center to Chandler. Chandler’s newspaper aided her campaign. And he invited businessmen to fund-raising meals. Harry Chandler was a powerful man. Other powerful people came to the expensive meals. With their help and that of others, the goal was reached. On Easter Sunday, 1930, the dream of Mrs. Sterling and many people from that neighborhood came true. Olvera Street opened with the name “Paseo de Los Angeles.” Visitors immediately made the area a success. Neighborhood people called it Olvera Street, the street’s postal-office name. It honored Agustin Olvera. He became the first county judge in the new County of Los Angeles in 1850. The people that you meet Ms. Sterling also helped people with special skills find a place to demonstrate those skills. For example, in the 1920s she visited Tijuana, Mexico. While there she saw skilled handmade craftwork by the father of a present Olvera Street businessman. She liked what she saw and invited the craftsman to work in Los Angeles. But he did not take the invitation seriously. Jesus Hernandez is the son of that man. He tells the story. Masks hang over shoppers on Olvera Street during Cinco De Mayo festivities “She (Ms. Sterling) told him, ‘I want to ask you to come to Olvera Street in Los Angeles. And my father said,’ Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever.’ He was very young, he was probably mid-20s.” Happily for the father and for Olvera Street, the man later received another invitation. His son remembers that time, he accepted. Jesus Hernandez has a business on Olvera Street, just as his father did. He has operated the import store for many years. He says he sells “everything.” “It’s not that I’m getting rich. But this is the tradition. This is what he taught me. This is the only thing I know how to do.” America Tropical A stone’s throw from the street is the Italian Museum of Los Angeles, home to a mural called America Tropical. The Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros created the painting on an upper level outdoor wall overlooking Olvera Street. It is the only surviving public mural by Siqueiros in the U.S. that remains where it was painted. Some experts say Siqueiros was a major Mexican artist of the 20th century. Some call him the father of the Los Angeles mural movement. Yet America Tropical was painted over and nearly destroyed. For many years, it was forgotten. The mural shows a poor Mexican Indian tied onto a cross. An eagle above the Indian looks threatening. Critics said the mural accuses the U.S. of oppressing poor people. To many people in Los Angeles it was an unwelcome sight. But over the years, defenders recognized the mural’s importance. They included experts from the Getty Conservation Institute. The Institute formed a partnership with the city. Thanks to a project costing millions of dollars, the painting has been brought as close as possible to its earliest condition. People can study the mural, its artist and the methods experts used to save it in the America Tropical Interpretive Center. A special platform, a raised structure, provides visitors with a good look at the painting. They enter the platform through Sepulveda House in Olvera Street. The history of Siqueiros’ work is one of many stories told on Olvera Street. It is a place of memories and images of America’s second largest city during the years Los Angeles invented itself. This program was written by Jerilyn Watson. I’m Jonathan Evans. And I’m Katherine Cole. Join us again next week for another This Is America from VOA Learning English. Dictionary word lookup v2

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A Trip to Béarn This article was published at France Today:Le Béarn: A Foray into France ProfondeJudy FayardWhen Henri IV succeeded to the throne of France in 1589, he was king of Béarn and Navarre. Knowing that his proud people would not relish being absorbed by the French, he declared to them: "I am not giving Béarn to France. I am giving France to Béarn."One of candidate Francois Bayrou's most astute moves in France's recent presidential campaign was to meet the press while riding a tractor in the fields of his native Béarn. Those photos struck a deep chord with millions of voters-representing the reassuring stability of an idealized pastoral and agricultural France profonde in the face of an uncertain globalized future.In many ways, the idealized image is true: the flatlands are rich with fields of wheat and corn, and in the mountains some farmers are still plow with horses and and harvest hay by hand. But the region is alsoBéarn today is the larger half of the département of Pyrénées-Atlantique, shared with the Pays Basque to the west. It's a lush land of a thousand different shades of green, pierced by deep valleys and gaves-rushing rivers highly prized by fishermen for their salmon and trout.The Béarnais share many other things besides their département with their Basque cousins, including the béret, which was in fact originally Béarnais, and jambon de Bayonne, first developed in Salies-de-Béarn by curing ham with salt from the town's springs.And, even more than for the Basque country, the defining feature of Béarn is the stunning vista of the snow-capped Pyrénées, filling the southern horizon like a majestic battlement wall. The mountains partially account for the legendarily independent character of the Béarnais, somewhat mellowed by a mild, almost Méditerranean climate that also-witness those verdant valleys-gets a lot of rain, especially in the spring.The Béarnais language, a variant of the langue d'oc, is still spoken by many and is being taught to schoolchilden once more. And like their beloved Henry IV, "Lou Nouste Henric," the Bearnais have a well-established appreciation for their hearty southwestern food and regional wines-sweet or dry white Jurançon, rosé de Béarn, Béarn-Bellocq, Madiran and white Pacherenc, also both sweet and dry."Béarnais baptism": garlic and winePau, the regional capital, is perched on a cliff over the wide Gave de Pau, with an unparalleled view of the mountains from the terrace of the Boulevard des Pyrénées. The narrow cobbled streets of the old quarter lead to the château, an almost cartoonlike hodge-podge of a castle begun by the Vicomte de Béarn Gaston Phébus in the 14th century and meddled with by just about every sovereign who followed. Like the city itself, it's full of beguiling, low-key charm.Henri IV was born in the château in 1553, the son of Henri de Bourbon and Jeanne d'Albret. On his father's side, he was directly descended from Louis IX, Saint Louis. His maternal grandfather was Henri II d'Albret, a rough and ready bon vivant, and his grandmother Marguerite d'Angoulême, sister of François Ier, was an intellectual and poet who wrote the Tales of the Heptaméron, inspired by Boccaccio's Decameron. When Henri was born, his grandfather gave him a "Béarnais baptism"-rubbing the infant's lips with garlic and a drop of Jurançon wine.Henri's cradle was the shell of a giant tortoise, a curiosity thereafter displayed beneath a pyramid of lances holding a gold knight's helmet replete with white plumes. Given the quirky look of bemusement on the dozens of statues of him strewn around the château, Henri might have found the tortoise-shell shrine a bit over the top.But the rest of the castle is worth the price of admission, including a grandiose dining room table that seats 100 guests, and rooms opulently refurnished in the 19th century under Napoléon III and Louis Philippe, both of whom were anxious to establish their connections to the direct descendant of Saint Louis.It was also in the 19th century that Pau became known as la ville anglaise, a fashionable health resort for wealthy English folk. That notoriety earned the city a bevy of elegant English villas, the first golf course on the European continent, and horse-breeding and fox-hunting traditions still alive today.The Musée des Beaux-Arts offers an eclectic collection-El Greco, Breughel, Rubens, Zurbarán, Degas's "The Cotton Exchange in New Orleans" plus local contemporary works-and the small Musée Bernadotte is the former home of Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, one of Napoléon's maréchals, who became King of Sweden in 1818, founding the dynasty that reigns today and making this modest Béarnais city the birthplace of two kings.A futurist complex in la France profondePerhaps a better base for forays into the countryside, though, is Orthez, lively but smaller and easier to negotiate. It's an authentic Béarnais town, the home of Jeanne d'Albret, whose former manor house now houses a small museum of Protestantism in Béarn. The formidable Jeanne was a devout Protestant who imposed Calvinism on her realm and on her son, Henri IV, until he bartered his faith for the crown of Catholic France (in his famous phrase, "Paris is well worth a Mass"). The main street in front of Jeanne's house leads, on one end, to the "Château" Moncade-an imposing 13th-century tower with a panoramic view-and on the other to the fortified Vieux Pont.Between Pau and Orthez lies Lacq, and a modern-day tale. Until the mid 20th century, Béarn was an economic backwater and rural life was harsh. In 1951, the largest deposit of natural gas in western Europe was discovered here. Within a few years the immense gas plant at Lacq brought in thousands of workers, jobs and wealth to the entire region and spawned a sprawling industrial complex that looks like a futuristic city from another planet.A few kilometers and a world away, Salies-de-Bearn (pronounced SaLEES) sits atop the salt springs that gave it name and fortune. The crystallized salt was used for preserving food, notably jambon de Bayonne, and the springs-seven times saltier than the sea, it's said-still supply the town's thermal baths. Delightful Salies calls itself the "Venice of Béarn," since the Saleys river meanders through, bordered by balconied houses on stilts.Home of the béretNearby Sauveterre-de-Béarn is a stop on the pilgrimage route to Compostela. The name comes from salva terra, referring to hamlets founded by monasteries as safe havens for fugitives and wanderers. It's still an appealing place to wander, past stone houses topped by steep, slightly turned-up Béarnais roofs made of red tiles called picons. Only half of the 12th-century Vieux Pont still stands, site of a legendary trial by divine judgment: In 1170, the widow of Gaston V de Béarn, accused of murdering her newborn child, was thrown off the bridge bound hand and foot; she floated safely to shore, and so was "proven" innocent.Tiny Navarrenx is surrounded by the remains of its medieval walls, considered a perfect example of 16th-century fortifications. It too is a stop on the pilgrim route (also a good café stop on the route de tourisme), and the site of the annual World Salmon Fishing Championships. Or so they are called.Red tile roofs give way to the gray slate of mountain towns like Oloron-Sainte-Marie, where a chocolate factory fills the whole town with its aroma. The béret Béarnais is made here, and so are Artiga "Basque" linens. But the star attraction is the superb 12th-century portal of the cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Sculpted in Pyrénéen marble, the astonishing tympan portrays Biblical and allegorical figures along with fishermen (toting very big fish), hunters, farmers and cheesemakers. On either side, a mounted King Constantine treads on the head of Paganism, and a monster devours a man.Eco-disaster in paradiseStraight south of Oloron, the Aspe valley is deep and narrow, with sheep and hay meadows and exhilarating views at every bend in the road. Villages pop up here and there: Sarrance, with a pilgrimage church and cloister; Bedous, where a turnoff to leads down to the river and a perfect picnic ground beside a limpid salmon pool. Near Accous there's a small aluminum factory owned by the Japanese company Toyal. It's incongruous, and recently the cause of controversy: When the owners announced they would build another factory at Lacq, local congressman Jean Lasalle, fearing the old one might close after the new one opened (only 43 miles away, but out of his district), went on a hunger strike to put the kibosh on the new project. Even more bizarre, he seems to have won.Farther along, a turn off the main road winds up to Lescun, a flower-decked stone village with a café and a plain stone church with an ornate Baroque altar. The village sits in a majestic cirque of needle rocks, but climb a little higher above the church for the valley's most breathtaking view.Sadly, all is not idyllic in this mountain paradise. The two-lane Aspe Valley road is a pleasure on weekends, but weekdays it's heavy with truck traffic crossing from Spain through the Somport tunnel. In mid-June a truck carrying chemicals went off the road near the Lescun turnoff, spilling thousands of gallons of toxic liquid into the gave, destroying fish and vegetation along a four-mile stretch. Farther down, the river eventually diluted the chemical disaster, but for the affected segment the river and its banks are closed off indefinitely.Heading back, a detour north of Oloron will take you through the hilly vineyards of Jurançon, a beautiful drive on peaceful country roads where you can stop for a tasting wherever you see a dégustation sign. One great bet is the Château de Rousse, near La Chapelle de Rousse almost directly south of Pau. There, on the former hunting grounds of Henri IV, the Labat family produces award-winning Jurançons on steeply terraced vineyards. Geneviève Labat graciously shows visitors around, and a chat about the beauty of her garden leads inevitably to talk of rain, and the generous quantities of it in the region. "Ah, oui," she says with twinkling eyes and musical accent, "in Béarn we don't lack for water...or for wine."We guess profonde means "not really", and taking the very first paragraph as our cue we can say that the author knows that Béarn is not quite a part of France. If you do some research you will find out that Béarn is actually part of Nabarra (Navarre in English)..... ... . Javier Aguirre's Basque Identity Festivities in Lekeitio Euskaltel Euskadi's Odds Eusko Flickr : Iturriaren Adarrak Comic About Basque Whalers Archaeological Findings at Lizarate Pass Eusko Flickr : Lapurdi - Recorrido por el Litoral Txalaparta and Basquetronic Mycologist's Paradise Araba Euskaraz '09 Cod "Pil-Pil" Euskaltel's '09 Tour's Team Eusko Flickr : Larrun Disrespect at Ezkaba Eusko Flickr : Lekunberri Eusko Flickr : Leitza - Herriko Erdia Campaign Against Extradition of Basque Activists A Petition to Stop Extraditions in Ireland Eusko Flickr : 8. Alboka Topaketa Eusko Flickr : Iniciativa Internacionalista Eusko Flickr : Landarbaso Mikelo Gets Wiki Recognition

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Jemez Mountains Revision as of 18:19, 12 November 2005 by Bill-on-the-Hill (talk | contribs) (→‎Stay safe)(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff) The Jemez Mountains are a major mountain range in north central New Mexico. The range contains several important travel destinations such as Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument and part of Santa Fe National Forest. This article covers attractions in the Jemez not covered in the articles on one of those other destinations. Contents Los Alamos (population about 20,000 including White Rock) is about the only community near or in the mountains large enough to have its own article. Some smaller villages whose names crop up in connection with attractions are: Abiquiu Jemez Pueblo Santa Clara Pueblo Valles Caldera National Preserve While the Jemez Mountains may look like part of the Rocky Mountains, they are distinct from the Rockies geologically, and are the remnant of a "super-volcano" that had a catastrophic eruption about a million years ago, with several lesser but still significant eruptions since then. This violent past shapes many of the attractions of the region: Los Alamos and Bandelier National Monument sit on a great ash flow from the climactic eruption, while Valles Caldera National Preserve contains a number of volcanic features and preserves the eruptive center itself. You'll enjoy your sightseeing in the mountains more if you do a little homework to understand what you're seeing; informative web pages appear below under "External links." The Jemez were the scene of several major forest fires in the latter part of the 20th century, the most serious of which destroyed a number of homes in Los Alamos and nearly 50,000 acres of forest. These fires have had lasting effects on recreational opportunities in the mountains. Several previously excellent hiking areas are either closed altogether or severely restricted because of fire damage. Considerable rethinking of fire-prevention goals and policies is in progress, with the result that limitations on open campfires, etc., may seem a little restrictive. Please honor these restrictions; several of the fires resulted from poorly-constructed campfires, and residents of the area are understandably skittish about it happening again. The nearest major airport is in Albuquerque. Apart from brief (hours-long) closures due to snowstorms, state highways into the mountains (SR 4/502 on the southeast and southwest, SR 96 on the north and northwest) are generally passable year-round, unlike some of the roads in the higher Sangre de Cristo Mountains nearby. Be careful, however, about west-side access via SR 126 from Cuba to La Cueva. This road looks tempting on a map, and in summer can be an enjoyable drive, but it is unpaved for much of its length and has sections that can be hazardous or impassable following winter storms. Going the "long way" from Cuba to San Ysidro and then on 4 to La Cueva may be necessary at such times. Drive. State highways within the range pose no problems getting around, with the one caveat regarding SR 126 in winter and early spring. High-clearance vehicles are desirable for many of the obscure forest roads as well as some leading to private homes, etc., in the boonies. There is no public transportation to speak of in this region, and traffic volume is so low over most of it that hitchhiking is likely to be unrewarding. The best road for viewing the unique volcanic scenery is New Mexico SR 4, connecting Los Alamos and San Ysidro. There are several scenic turnoffs as SR 4 passes through Valles Caldera National Preserve. During the warmer months, a large elk herd inhabits the Valle Grande and can often be seen from these turnoffs (bring the biggest binoculars you have). There are also nice picnic areas along SR 4, at Fenton Lake on SR 126, and in Santa Clara Canyon, on the territory of Santa Clara Pueblo on the east side. A fee is charged to enter Santa Clara Canyon. Stop en route and see the archaeological sites of the Puye Cliff Dwellings (fee). Many of the region's activities are covered in the separate articles on Bandelier National Monument, Los Alamos, and Santa Fe National Forest. A few that don't fit into one of these areas: There are a number of well-developed fishing spots along the Jemez River west of the Valle Grande. Abiquiu Lake, a man-made reservoir on the northeast side of the range, also offers fishing and some other water sports, but don't expect Lake Mead. The same applies for tiny Fenton Lake on the west side of the range (no power boats, it's hardly big enough to put one in). Valles Caldera National Preserve is a new and unusual unit of the national park system that doubles as a working ranch. Web site http://www.vallescaldera.gov/index.aspx . Activities include hiking, fishing (restricted access), and winter sports that can be spectacular in years with heavy snowfall or nearly nonexistent in drought years. Check the web site to see what's available when you're visiting; recreational activities are still undergoing planning and development. Jemez State Monument on SR 4 near Jemez Springs (open 8:30-5 except Tuesdays and some holidays, small fee) preserves American Indian and mission ruins of considerable archaeological interest, with a short interpretive trail. There are a number of hot springs in the southwest part of the range where you can soak following a day on the trails or ski slopes. Most are "wild" and undeveloped, some requiring a short hike (and see under "Stay safe"), but Jemez Springs has two developed springs: the village-owned Jemez Springs Bath House, web site http://www.jemezspringsbathhouse.com/ , and private Giggling Springs, web site http://www.gigglingsprings.com/ . Both accept walk-ins, but reservations at Jemez Springs Bath House are a good idea on summer weekends. Jemez Pueblo on the western slopes is one of the less "tourist-friendly" of the New Mexico American Indian pueblos, but is open for limited visits on certain feast days. Jemez pottery is excellent and can sometimes be obtained at roadside stands in the stunning red-rock country near the pueblo. Los Alamos is the only community in the mountains with significant numbers of restaurants; see separate page. There are also a few restaurants in Jemez Springs (Laughing Lizard, Los Ojos including a satisfactory bar, others along SR 4) and sometimes an acceptable one at La Cueva. However, restaurants in the smaller towns tend to lead a precarious, hand-to-mouth (so to speak) existence owing to sparse clientele. If you're planning on cooking your own food, provision up in Los Alamos or closer to your point of origin, but one tip: Jemez Pueblo produces delicious bread that can often be purchased at roadside stands along SR 4 west of Jemez Springs. If you're driving from Albuquerque into the mountains, keep an eye out for these stands, which may also sell other goods suitable for supplementing a picnic lunch. Don't expect much night life in this highly rural region, although there are a few watering holes in Los Alamos and Jemez Springs. There are however two reasonably interesting wineries in the Jemez: Balagna Winery in White Rock (see description in the Los Alamos article) and Ponderosa Valley Vineyard and Winery, in the tiny town of Ponderosa south of SR 4. Web site http://www.ponderosawinery.com/ . The volcanic soil is surprisingly good for growing grapes, and the resulting wines are worth a try. There are no major safety issues in this region. A few minor ones, however: The north side of the range was the scene of pronounced ethnic conflict (of complicated origin) in the second half of the 20th century, and there are still residual Anglo/Hispanic tensions in some areas. Simply being respectful goes a long way to defuse these, but it's probably wise to avoid small-town bars on the north side, and to be alert at backcountry campsites there. Please take restrictions on open campfires, etc., seriously. These mountains are flammable and have seen a number of nasty forest fires recently. If backpacking or backcountry camping, purify stream and lake water, as Giardia parasites are present in water supplies, as usual. (Tap water is OK.) Be careful also not to get water in your nose or eyes if you're bathing at one of the "wild" hot springs; dangerously pathogenic amoebas have been found in some of the springs and can cause life-threatening brain abscesses. You probably won't have any problems from them, but keep your head above water just to be on the safe side. In many regards the Jemez don't "feel" like high mountains, but they are, and the sun is intense; use sunscreen when outdoors. Not so much a "safety" issue as a legal one: SR 4 west of the Valle Grande is notorious for radar traps and has numerous, basically inexplicable changes of speed limits that afford opportunities for traffic citations. Pay attention when driving here. DUI is a problem in much of northern New Mexico as well, and can be a concern in this region, although it's less of one than in the valley. Jemez Mountains pages at Volcano World Valles Caldera page at the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program Retrieved from "http://wikitravel.org/wiki/en/index.php?title=Jemez_Mountains&oldid=136414" Category: Stub articles Navigation menu

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The New Era of Tourism by Sayantini Ghosh India, the land of diversity has drawn in people from all across the globe to witness its true grandeur; be it the culture, the traditions, the spirituality or the festivals. The multi faceted Indian terrain has everything going for it. In the last decade or so India has shocked the world with its economic progress and its long term plans. Many industries flourish in India out of which tourism is of great importance. By 2020, Tourism in India could contribute Rs 8,50,000 crores to the GDP. (Source- WTTC). India is yet to realize its full potential from tourism. The Travel and Tourism industry holds tremendous potential for the Indian economy. It can provide impetus to other industries, create millions of new jobs and generate a lot of wealth for the nation. The topographical diversity that is present in India explains the rise of tourism. People from around the world visit India and its natural reserves, the mountains and plains. The more the human interference, more is the balance of nature disrupted. To curb this over exposure of nature, a new branch of tourism came into existence called Eco-tourism. The International Eco-tourism Society is of opinion that eco-tourism is "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people". There are perhaps many ways to define it, but at the centre of it what it really means that we should enjoy nature and its bliss but never forget our duty towards its conservation as well. The genesis of ecotourism in India evolved in 1970s from a view to conserve and promote it into a massive global enterprise. The evolution materialised as a reaction to many negative consequences of tourism crime, cultural devastation, destruction of natural landscape and economic discrepancies. The movement grew to include cultural organisations, educational groups, ethnic institutions, and friendship tours. Although its popularity is gradually gaining acceptance now, it faced several questions in the first few years of its evolution in properly defining and successfully implementing ecotourism. Over the years, ecotourism proved to be a great benefit to the local communities. The strong roots of ecotourism lie in the profitable interaction between responsible tourism and nature travel. The Indian topography boasts of an abundant source of flora & fauna. India has numerous rare and endangered species in its surroundings. The declaration of several wildlife areas, national parks, and protection laws are the factors that have encouraged ecotourism. Currently, there are about 80 national parks and 441 sanctuaries in India, which works for the protection and conservation of wildlife resource in India. In India eco tourism can only go uphill. Statistics suggest that each year the revenue grow by 7.7%. In past there already have been many a successful attempts in promoting eco tourism. Even now the future of eco tourism is bright as famous projects like Jim Corbett National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Gir Lion Park, houseboat cruises in Kerala etc that were started a few years back are running successfully. India is loaded with eco regions that have enveloped great natural sightseeing locations. The gigantic and majestic Himalayas is home to world famous eco sites. One can also relish eco excursions in Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Sikkim amongst others. All of these places being mentioned have been pulling in a lot of tourists even before the term eco-tourism was devised. The concept has been there in India for quite some time now but it is the term which has gained popularity now. Perhaps all that was required to give the Indian tourism industry a kick-start was a fancy term, but whatever be the reason eco-tourism is definitely the new “in thing” now. Image (c) Gettyimages.com More by : Sayantini Ghosh Top | Environment

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Home Cruise News Celebration Limps Back To Galveston Celebration Limps Back To Galveston September 4, 2003 Carnival’s Celebration is limping back to Galveston after experiencing technical malfunction with its port-side propulsion system, which has reduced the ship’s speed. The ship, built in 1987 and currently sailing Western Caribbean itineraries – this one a five-day trip that called at ports such as Cozumel and Playa del Carmen -- was slated to return to Galveston this morning, Thursday, at 7 a.m.; arrival time is now pegged at 7 p.m., a full 12 hours later. As a result Carnival, according to news reports, has revamped the ship’s next cruise from a four-day Western Caribbean trip to a three-day all-sea itinerary. Passengers who were slated to depart today will still be able to sleep on Celebration tonight – though boarding will be fairly late (as the ship won’t even arrive until 7 p.m. and crew members need time to turn it around). A Carnival spokeswoman anticipates embarkation will begin at around 10 p.m., though that’s not necessarily a definite time. Carnival Celebration is now slated for a 4 p.m. departure on Friday. Those who opt out of the shortened cruise will get a full refund and 50 percent off on a future four- or five-day trip. Those still planning to sail will get a $300 stateroom credit and a future 50 percent discount. The cruise line is providing air rescheduling and accommodation assistance to travelers who, onboard today, will miss flights. Like us on Facebook

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Wales Unveils World's First Continuous Coastline Path - At 870 Miles Long (PICTURES) The first continuous path in the world which runs the complete length of a country's coastline officially opened on Saturday. A full 870 miles of breathtaking beauty, five years in the making and costing millions of pounds, skirts the entire coastline of Wales. Offering spectacular coastal views, the path is also expected to boost the Welsh economy by attracting an extra 100,000 visitors a year. Hopes are high that free-spending tourists in the UK for this summer's London Olympics will also use the occasion to venture into Wales. That prospect improved last year when travel publisher Lonely Planet proclaimed the Welsh coastline the No 1 region in the world to visit in 2012. The singular honour was bestowed in expectation of Saturday's official opening of the All Wales Coast Path (AWCP). It throws open the whole of the Welsh coastline for visitors to explore from Chepstow to Queensferry in the north of the country. "How better to truly appreciate the shape - and soul - of a nation?," the Travel 2012 guidebook asks. Welsh Environment Minister John Griffiths hailed the AWCP at an official celebration at Cardiff Bay today held to mark the event. Similar events also took place at locations along the path in Aberystwyth and Flint in the north. "The path opens just before the world's eyes will be on the UK for the Olympics," Griffiths said. "We hope many visitors coming to London for the Games will take time to visit Wales and its coast. "Since this project began in 2007 we have created over 130 miles of new path and improved more than 330 miles of existing pathway. The path will provide a real boost to local economies around our coastline. "I am delighted to be opening the path today. This has been a five-year project and is an example of how sustainability is an underlying principle of everything we do. "Wales enjoys some spectacular scenery and opening the path is a wonderful opportunity for people to get out and explore some of it. "The path has been developed in partnership with the Countryside Council for Wales, 16 local authorities and two National Parks. "I want to thank all these organisations, as well as coastal landowners for all their help and support in helping us to realise our vision." He added: "Last month I cycled over 250 miles through Wales to raise awareness of cycling as a sustainable means of transport. "I speak from experience when I say we can guarantee visitors some wonderful views and countryside." The Welsh Government has invested up to £2m a year since 2007 to realise its ambition of creating an 870-mile path. This has been supplemented by £4m from the European Regional Development Fund over four years. Wales' Coastline Path Tourism Uk News Walking Olympics 2012 Uk Tourism

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Sify.comNewsNationalHotelier Anil Madhok honoured with lifetime achievement award Hotelier Anil Madhok honoured with lifetime achievement award Source : Last Updated: Wed, Jan 09, 2013 12:30 hrs Gurgaon, Jan 9 (IANS) At a glittering event in this suburb of the national capital, Anil Madhok, managing director of Sarovar Hotels Pvt. Ltd. was felicitated with the much coveted lifetime achievement award at the Hotelier India Awards that celebrate excellence in the hospitality industry The award recognized Madhok's "enormous experience and expertise in hotel conceptualization and operations", a statement said. Madhok started his career with Oberoi Hotels. After a long association of three decades, he turned entrepreneur and setup Sarovar Hotels in 1994. Over the years the hotel management company has grown from strength to strength, with a enviable domestic presence of 60 hotels across 40 destinations today. The company also operates three hotels in East Africa. Another 20 projects are at various stages of development and the company aims to be a 100-hotel chain by 2020. "Sarovar Hotels today stands on its own merit, well recognized in the industry for efficiency and delivery of top-line and bottom-line revenues," the statement said. Madhok "has successfully carved a niche for Sarovar Hotels in the Indian hospitality space and has propelled the group to the forefront of the mid-market hotel segment in the country", the statement added.

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Untamed nature – man’s challenge By Christian Raaflaub, Rolf Amiet Jul 29, 2014 - 11:00 Each year over 150,000 people visit the Swiss National Park at the Ofenpass or “Oven pass”, where kilns were once set up for smelting iron ore. For 100 years now nature has been left to itself. It is not always easy to keep things this way.A hike through the park with Flurin Filli, head of operations and monitoring, begins in the Val dal Botsch (Buck’s Valley).Filli is a zoologist by profession, and as the former head of the research department here, he knows the Swiss National Park in his native canton Graubünden like the back of his hand.On a hike through part of this unique natural landscape in the Lower Engadine region, he explains how the National Park deals with the challenges and problems arising when nature is left free of human intervention.For example the Spöl, the main river flowing through the National Park, is dammed on its upper reaches to provide electricity. At the Easter weekend in 2013 a mishap at the dam led to silting up of the river; thousands of fish and other animals died.(Text and sound by Christian Raaflaub, photos by Rolf Amiet, swissinfo.ch; production: Daniel Wihler) Be the first to comment on this article: Write a comment...

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Wings & Wheels History Historically the previous owners of the Aerodrome, BAE, held a staff family fun day which included an airshow and attracted 13,000 visitors. Wings & Wheels was founded by Dunsfold Park in 2005 to celebrate the long history of British aviation and motoring and assist the fundraising efforts of a number of charities. Now organising our 13th show, we are firmly established on the airshow and event calendar with reviews describing us as 'the best airshow in the Country'. We continue to go from strength to strength and have gone from a one day show to two days and an audience of 5,000 to 40,000. We've evolved to be more than just an airshow and have a strong motoring offer as well as military displays and good old fashioned family entertainment. We aren't a large team. Our core team work on the event part time and manage everything in house with support from three external consultancies, one to help with air display negotiation, another for traffic and parking management and an infrastructure team who also look after health and safety. We also accept work experience students and volunteers to assist with administration throughout the year and have over 200 volunteers helping over the Show weekend. Wings & Wheels also celebrates the history of its home, Dunsfold Aerodrome. Dunsfold Aerodrome History Cloaked in secrecy, Dunsfold Aerodrome was screened from public gaze by woodland and much of its work protected by the Official Secrets Act until the early 1990s. Situated between Godalming and Guildford, the airfield began life on 11 May 1942 and the site was officially handed over to the Royal Canadian Air Force on 16 October 1942.During the war (1942 -1945) a variety of aircraft operated from Dunsfold. These included B-25 Mitchell Bombers, Typhoons, Mustangs, Mosquitoes and Spitfires. Following the war, the airfield was used as a repatriation centre and over 47,000 prisoners of war were returned to their homelands using Dakota, Lancaster, Stirling and Halifax aircraft.In August 1946, Dunsfold Aerodrome was declared inactive. Later Skyways Ltd, a charter airline, leased the airfield and then subsequently played a significant part in the Berlin Airlift between 1948 and 1949. Skyways also used Dunsfold Aerodrome to refurbish, test fly and deliver Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft for the Portuguese Air ForceWhen Skyways went into liquidation in 1950, the Hawker Aircraft Company Ltd (today part of BAe Systems) acquired the lease. The company moved into Dunsfold Aerodrome using the airfield as a flight test centre for its parent factory at Kingston. They tested and refurbished Sea Hawks, Hunters, Sea Furies, Gnats, Harriers and Hawks for worldwide markets. In October 1960, the forerunner of the Harrier Jump jet made its first tethered flight at Dunsfold Aerodrome, which led to its first conventional flight in November of the same year. Up until 2000, when BAe Systems ceased activity at the aerodrome, all derivatives of the Harrier family of aircraft evolved from Dunsfold. In December 2010, a fleet of sixteen GR9 Harriers made their final flight before being decommissioned due to defence cuts. These aircraft were a key factor to victory in the Falklands conflict. Dunsfold Aerodrome was able to have a final display at its very own show, Dunsfold Wings & Wheels, before the aircraft ceased flying. Menu HomeAbout

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Trinity Lane Photos taken in December 2003 Trinity Lane is one of those places most Cheltenham residents probably never notice the existence of, despite being pretty much in the centre of town. It’s hidden away down a small pathway down the side of Holy Trinity church in Portland Street. This 2003 view (above) is taken from Trinity Lane itself and shows the gateway through the churchyard, with the Portland Street car park beyond. In the distance you can see the yellow and grey bulk of the Whitbread brewery office block, for a long time a despised Cheltenham landmark, now demolished and inexplicably replaced by an even uglier building. OK, so this is what Trinity Lane looks like … It’s a narrow and T-shaped service lane giving access to the backs of houses in upper Portland Street and upper Winchcombe Street. The south end opens onto Warwick Place. The north end (from which this photo was taken) is overlooked by the back gardens of houses in Clarence Road. At this end the lane stops and splits into two small alleyways, one joining up with Portland Street and the other leading along the side of the beautiful mini-terrace of Columbia Place. Back in the 1890s the lane was known as Trinity Church Lane, and at some point before that it seems to have been called St Leger’s Lane. There’s no sign of it in “old” Cheltenham … the 1806 map just shows open fields here. But it was in existence by 1820 as shown here, unnamed, on Cossens’ Post Office map: 1820 map It shows that before the Pittville development started the lane originally went right through in a straight line from Warwick Place to Clarence Road, and already had a couple of mews buildings in it. Holy Trinity church is clearly shown on the Portland Street side, though it was actually only just being built at the time the map was made. The School of Industry in Winchcombe Street later became an orphan asylum for girls. Trinity Lane appears again on Merrett’s map of 1834, by which time it had been closed off at the north end by the building of a terrace of houses in Clarence Road (then known as Pittville Terrace). It was one of these houses (no.4 Pittville Terrace) that became the birthplace of Gustav Holst in 1874. 1834 map. At this time there were still very few buildings in upper Portland Street other than the church. Trinity Lane had to be re-routed at its north end as it was no longer able to join up with Pittville Terrace, and this is the form it still has today. Other interesting landmarks shown here include the Anchor Brewery on the corner of Warwick Place (a tiny part of which still survives), the Female Orphan Asylum in Winchcombe Street (long gone) and the Pittville Gates. So what is there to see in Trinity Lane? Not that much in terms of landmarks, but it’s one of those places where time seems to stand still and you can imagine yourself transported back a couple of hundred years. The most emphatic landmark of course is the rear of Trinity church. This lovely window is one of the highlights. Holy Trinity church was built “in the fields” between 1820 and 1823 and was the first of the new churches of Cheltenham’s Regency era, built as a chapel of ease to the parish church. No others had been built in the town since medieval times. Its architect was G.A. Underwood, who also oversaw the Masonic Hall at about the same time. The cash for its construction was raised from the sale of shares which entitled shareholders to the privilege of a pew. Everyone else had to pay to attend services. The formidable “Pope of Cheltenham” Francis Close began his association with the town when he arrived as Holy Trinity’s curate in 1824. Among the burials here is the Hon. Katherine Monson, a property speculator who built several notable things in the town before the 1820s credit crunch and lived just up the road on what is now the site of North Place car park. More than just a wealthy developer, this extraordinary lady took a personal and practical role on all her building sites despite being a daughter of the aristocracy. Her tombstone is at the southern end of the churchyard, but you have to be sharp eyed to spot it because the inscription is quite worn. The grave slabs at Trinity are all set flat into the ground, so you have to walk over them. She shares her final resting place with William Halford, her former clerk of works who took her in as a lodger after her bankruptcy. A fine pair of Cheltenham bollards. These iron pillars stand guard at the junction between Trinity Lane and Portland Street. Similar ones can be found in the other alley on the Winchcombe Street side and several other of the town’s interesting back alleys. Many of them were made locally by celebrated Cheltenham ironmonger Richard Eede Marshall, whose company was involved in the crafting of much of the town’s fancy Regency metalwork. « Eldorado Road Larput Place » Date : December 2 2008 Tags: Cheltenham, Columbia Place, Francis Close, Holy Trinity church, Hon. Katherine Monson, Portland Street, Trinity Lane, Warwick Place, Winchcombe Street Categories : Pittville, Town Centre Sue Schofield (21:17:45) : My gt grandfather is listed in the 1891 and 1901 census as living in 4 Britannia Cottages Trinity Lane and working as a blacksmith and his son as a wheelwright. He was Richard Burnell; his son John Charles was my grandfather , killed on the Somme in 1916, and my mother was Gwen Burnell, my uncle Jack Burnell. We visited the lane a couple of weeks ago while in the area for a few days; as you comment, it does have vibes! cheltonia (12:04:42) : It is an atmospheric little place. I’m not sure where Britannia Cottages would have been … there must have been a few cottages in the lane at one time but very little has survived. Some of the foundations are still there though, incorporated into walls and garages. I have in my garden some poppies from seed I collected on the Somme battlefield …

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DUBAI IFTAR-2 (Ramadan 2012) rosspisvena DUBAI IFTAR (Ramadan 2012) Bastakiya, Old Town, Dubai, UAE©fullcircleIftar , refers to the evening meal when Muslims break their fast during the Islamic month of Ramadan. Iftar is one of the religious observances of Ramadan and is often done as a community, with people gathering to break their fast together. Iftar is done right after Maghrib (sunset) time. Traditionally, three dates are eaten to break the fast, in the tradition of the prophet Muhammed, who broke his fast in this manner.Many Muslims believe that feeding someone iftar as a form of charity is very rewarding and that it was practiced by Prophet Muhammad.Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iftar Copyright: Rosspisvena Tags: iftar; ramadan More About Dubai The World : Asia : Middle East : United Arab Emirates : Dubai Overview and HistoryDubai is one of the seven Arab Emirates and has the highest population in the UAE. Unfortunately for western historians, the pre-Islamic culture used an oral tradition for recordkeeping of its stories and legends, so there isn't much to go on from library sources.But the area around Dubai has been occupied for thousands of years, with many trading centers between the east and west. The earliest mention of Dubai recorded in writing dates to 1095, and it was known as a source of rich pearls to merchants of Venice.Dubai was dependent of Abu Dhabi during the 19th century; it became a protectorate of the UK as of 1892, and engaged in border disputes with Abu Dhabi after WWII. As of 1971 Dubai became part of the United Arab Emirates.From here onwards let the theme of this essay be,"Dubai goes BIG!"There's booming construction going on in Dubai right now, as in, almost 25% of its economy is based on building!Dubai has the capital and initiative to set up some really exciting projects, like Dubai Internet City. It's a free trade zone in a technology park created to attract large companies by offering special tax breaks within its economic zone. So far players like Microsoft, HP, Nokia, IBM and Oracle have moved in with their regional offices... not bad. DIC is now a strategic hub connecting two billion people across the Middle East, Africa and India.Spin around in the Heritage Village area and check out all the construction cranes on the horizon.Getting ThereThe Dubai International Airport has one of the best duty-free shopping malls in the world, which is an attraction all by itself.The airport offers a wide range of world-class services. Transportation service will be car rental or taxi, with buses to appease the traffic problem.TransportationDubai has an extensive taxi system made up of both private and government-operated cabs. The city was planned to hold 600,000 people and it population is now 1.5 million -- you figure out what that means in terms of traffic...Currently there's a $4 billion construction project underway to build a Metro system, expected to be complete in 2012.If you want to have some real fun, take an abras to find the world's most amazing spice market here, at Spice Souk Abra Station. Abras are little wooden boats you take to cross the Dubai canal. It costs about 27cent USD for the trip, you get them at Abra station and ride them between the gold/spice market on one side and the textile market on the other.This is a great way to see old Dubai too, by traveling the Dubai creek. Also, don't forget that the National Bank building reflects the surface of the water and looks like a giant TV.People and CultureChoosing the right season to visit Dubai is of critical importance. Temperatures range from 10C in winter to 48C in the summer. Tourist season starts in October and gets cranking in November.The local currency is the dirham. Carry small change with you for taxi drivers and things, otherwise you will end up giving a bigger tip than you meant to.They drive on the right in Dubai and there is a car accident, on average, every three minutes. Be advised and keep your eyes peeled.Dubai has a zero tolerance drug policy. ZERO. Don't mess around.Things to do, RecommendationsDubai is as ancient as it is modern. See the Chamber of Commerce and Bastakiya for just two of the myriad examples. Bastakiya is a completely-restored neighborhood from an old merchants' settlement. A really popular historic destination to visit is one of the of three watchtowers guarding the city of Burj-Nahar in Deira.Dubai is the upscale shopping capital of the world, but its charming old markets (souks) are where it all comes from. If you're not from around here, get ready to learn about bargaining...Here's the old market called Souk Bur Dubai, take a look at your shopping schedule and dive in!Al-Sabkha is one of the smaller communities in Dubai but it's got tons of markets to poke through.Clubbing: Dubai has strict liquor laws (and pork laws) so most of the nightclubs are located inside hotels, where they already have some sort of liquor license. Check out Zinc, Planetarium, Kandy Club, and Peppermint to get your dose of bass.Well, you can't exactly climb up this one, but here's the clock tower.Just wait until the Burj Dubai is finished, then you'll REALLY have something to get a view from! The Burj Dubai will be the world's tallest structure when it's done. Office space is set for about $4,000 per square foot, ready to go in September 2009. Cheap! It's part of a development that when finished will host thirty thousand homes, nine hotels, seven acres of parkland, and the Dubai Mall -- slated to be the largest mall in the world.Dubai is going big! Get there and have a look for yourself.Text by Steve Smith.

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Winks Lodge Share to BodyFull ArticleLocated near Pinecliffe, about ten miles due west of Eldorado Springs and an hour from Denver by car, Winks Lodge was the main hotel and social hub at Lincoln Hills, a historic black resort community in Gilpin County. Opened in 1928 by Denver businessman Obrey Wendell Hamlet, who went by the nickname “Winks,” the lodge was a popular destination among black vacationers until the 1960s. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and is now owned by Willow Educational Services, which oversees programming for the nonprofit Lincoln Hills Cares. A Black Mountain Resort Winks Hamlet’s lodge was in Lincoln Hills, a black resort community that took shape in the 1920s along South Boulder Creek between Pinecliffe and Rollinsville. At the time, Lincoln Hills was one of only a few black resorts in the United States and the only one located in the mountains. It was easily accessible by car and train, and its developers sold several hundred lots by the end of the decade. In 1925 Hamlet acquired property at Lincoln Hills with the plan of building a destination lodge. After working on the wood and stone building for three summers, the lodge opened for business in 1928 as the first full-service resort in the area. Built on a hillside above the creek, the three-story lodge had six guest rooms and a bathroom on its upper floor. The main floor included a lobby, lounge, dining area, and kitchen, while the lower floor had space for storage and a workshop. The lodge operated in the summer and fall, then was boarded up for the winter. Winks Lodge proved popular among the African American community in Denver and nationwide. Hamlet advertised in Jet and Ebony. In 1952, according to an ad in Ebony, visitors could get meals and lodging and go fishing, hiking, and horseback riding for only three dollars per day. Famous black musicians who played in Denver, such as Lena Horne, Count Basie, and Duke Ellington, often traveled to the mountains and stayed at Winks Lodge before or after their performances in the city. In addition, Hamlet arranged for black writers such as Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston to give readings at the lodge when they passed through on cross-country trips. Over the years, Hamlet added outlying cabins and a tavern to the property, which served as the social center of Lincoln Hills. Hamlet’s wife, Naomi, served home-cooked meals at the lodge until her death in the 1940s. After 1952, cooking duties passed to his second wife, Melba, whose barbecue was considered the best for hundreds of miles around. Hamlet ran Winks Lodge until his death in 1965, which marked a turning point in the history of Lincoln Hills. His death and the subsequent closure of Winks Lodge coincided with the fundamental transformation of American society that made all-black resort communities like Lincoln Hills no longer necessary. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in public accommodations, it became possible for blacks to travel freely to resorts like Estes Park. With Winks Lodge closed and other resorts now open to all, Lincoln Hills was visited primarily by property owners whose families had constructed cabins on their lots in the 1920s. In 1971 Melba Hamlet sold Winks Lodge to Eileen and Guy Dart. In the late 1970s, black historian Bertha Calloway and her husband acquired the lodge. Calloway had attended nearby Camp Nizhoni as a child and wanted to restore the lodge and preserve the area’s history. In 1980 she succeeded in getting the lodge listed on the National Register of Historic Places at the state level of significance. In 1985 Calloway and her husband sold Winks Lodge to Rob and Martha Tomerlin. For two decades, the Tomerlins maintained the lodge, preserved its history, and used it as a retreat for family, friends, and youth groups. In 2006 Winks Lodge was acquired by the Beckwourth Mountain Club (also known as Beckwourth Outdoors), a nonprofit focused on providing outdoor recreation opportunities for black and urban youth. In 2008 Denver businessman Matthew Burkett bought property at Lincoln Hills, established the Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club, and co-founded a charitable organization called Lincoln Hills Cares, which provides outdoor experiences and education to veterans and youth. Winks Lodge is now under the care of Willow Educational Services, which oversees programming for Lincoln Hills Cares and hopes to restore the lodge and open it to the public in the future. In late 2014, the National Register of Historic Places listing for Winks Lodge was elevated to the national level of significance for its role in African American history and enlarged to include more of the original Lincoln Hills resort community. Author: Encyclopedia StaffReferences: Bertha W. Calloway and Everett and LaBarbara Wigfall Fly, “Winks Panorama,” National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form (June 1979). Andrea Juarez, “Lincoln Hills: An African-American Monument in Colorado’s Mountains,” Denver Urban Spectrum, May 2007. Claire Martin, “A Resort to Remember,” The Denver Post, February 15, 2009. Tom Noel, “Winks Lodge Part of State’s Black Heritage,” The Denver Post, February 19, 2012. Melanie Shellenbarger, High Country Summers: The Early Second Homes of Colorado, 1880–1940 (Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 2012). Additional Information: Lincoln Hills Cares Lincoln Hills Fly Fishing Club “Meet Longtime Lincoln Hills Vacationer,” The Denver Post, February 15, 2009. Rocky Mountain PBS, "Lincoln Hills," Colorado Experience, February 21, 2013. Category: PlacesKeywords: Lincoln HillsWinks Hamletafrican american resortsAfrican Americanshistoric hotelsBeckwourth Mountain ClubMatthew BurkettMap: Updated 2017-04-15 Related Articles Brown Palace Hotel Hotel de Paris Lincoln Hills Lincoln Home Rossonian Hotel Stanley Hotel The Broadmoor Home

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Cromane | Flora & Fauna | Surrounding Area | Extended Area | Contact Us Iveragh Peninsula The most famous and popular road circuits for tourists in the South West of Ireland, the Ring of Kerry, traverses the coastline of the Iveragh Peninsula, with a great many tourist sites along the way. From Cromane it is just a short drive via Dooks to join the world-famous Ring of Kerry at Caragh Bridge and continue west towards Glenbeigh, a picturesque village nestled in a horse-shoe shaped valley surrounded by wooded and fertile hills and Seefin Mountain. The name Glenbeigh is from the Irish Glean Beithe (Glen of the Birch Trees). Close by is the beautiful sand and dune beach of Rossbeigh. Wonderful to walk on and to get plenty of bracing Atlantic Ocean air. From Glenbeigh/Rossbeigh the N70 is a very scenic drive via Mountain Stage and Kells, with Kells Bay below in a beautiful harbour setting, and on towards Cahersiveen. On approach to Cahersiveen, can be seen the birthplace of Daniel O'Connell “The Liberator" and hero to the Irish people in the 1800's. It is also home of two stone forts dating back to the 9th. Century, all visitor information can be found at the tower like building, a refurbished R.I.C Barracks near the town centre. A short drive from Cahersiveen and to the right off the 'Ring' road will bring you to The Point at Renard from where you can take the ferry, car and all, to Valentia Island. An alternative route is via Portmagee and a bridge link to the island. The Ring of Kerry's beauty and grandeur continues as you drive on through Waterville in Ballinskelligs Bay, Caherdaniel, Sneem, Parknasilla, Kenmare and back through Moll's Gap and via the Lakes to Killarney, the traditional finishing point of the Ring of Kerry. This entire journey is so spectacular that one runs out of superlatives to describe in words. The best the reader of these words should do is drive around and decide for yourself. There are many coach companies operating day-trips, while the public bus service, Bus Éireann, operates some services. Having your own car makes the trip most enjoyable as there are so many reasons for wishing to side-track, not readily available to the coach operations. Author: Des Condon © 2006 for Cromane Community Council E&OE Copyright Cromane CC 2006©

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Artemis March 4, 2017 by AdamAH DELOS – A Visual Odyssey Legend has it that Leto, the beautiful Titaness, travelled the world over as her belly swelled with the offspring of cloud-gathering Zeus. No town or village, forest or mountain fastness would welcome her with the great goddess Hera pursuing her to the ends of the earth. Rest upon land was forbidden to the expectant mother who fled her tormentors from the great forests of Hyperborea to the salt sea. When Leto’s time was near, an island with no roots welcomed her. …so far roamed Leto in travail with the god who shoots afar, to see if any land would be willing to make a dwelling for her son. But they greatly trembled and feared, and none, not even the richest of them, dared receive Phoebus, until queenly Leto set foot on Delos… (Homeric Hymn 3 to Apollo) The Sacred Harbour of Delos and part of the archaeological site There are many sacred places in the world, places that have been the centre of worship for ages. They are places where history and myth vibrate together, where they can be felt, and touched. The Aegean island of Delos is such a place. This post isn’t a history lesson. It’s more of a visual journey, something for your senses to enjoy. At the eye of the group of islands known as the Cyclades, this little island was a centre of religion, inspiration, and trade for millennia. Empires went to war over control over this small place just five kilometers long and thirteen-hundred meters wide. The House of the Dolphins Delos has been occupied, as far as we know, since the third millennium B.C. As the midway point between the Greek mainland, the western Aegean islands, and the Ionian coast, it was the perfect stopping point for ship-bound traders. However, the main reason for the popularity of Delos, for its sanctity, was that it was believed to be the birthplace of two of the most important gods of the Greek and Roman pantheons – Apollo and Artemis. To reach Delos today you must take a boat from the nearby Cycladic island of Mykonos. It is a choppy ride and not for those without sea legs. The Cyclades are in a windy part of the Aegean. However, the short odyssey to get there is well worth it. Once you come out of the waves and into the Delos Strait between the island of Rhenea and Delos itself, the waters welcome the visitor and Delos appears like a hazy jewel in a brilliant turquoise sea. Part of the residential district of Delos Delos is not just another archaeological site to be seen hurriedly through the lens of a camera. For those open to it, as soon as you set your foot on the path from the ancient ‘Commercial Harbour’ to the upper town, you know this place is different. This is a place to be felt with all your senses. Apollo’s sun beats down with intense heat, and the hot Aegean winds wrap themselves about you at every turn. The voices of the past are loud indeed, be they of priests or pilgrims, merchants or charioteers, theatre patrons or performers, the rich or poor. Everyone came to Delos for all manner of reasons, for thousands of years. Ruins along the Sacred Way To preserve the purity of the place in ancient times, it was forbidden for anyone to be born or to die on Delos. Those who were involved in either of these acts were sent across the strait to Rhenea to do so. As the birthplace of important gods, this was taken very seriously. The Palm and the Sacred Lake …the pains of birth seized Leto, and she longed to bring forth; so she cast her arms about a palm tree and kneeled on the soft meadow while the earth laughed for joy beneath. Then the child leaped forth to the light, and all the goddesses washed you purely and cleanly with sweet water, and swathed you in a white garment of fine texture, new-woven, and fastened a golden band about you. (Hymn to Delian Apollo) The usual visitor might be led directly to the small museum on-site where several artefacts are on display. Others feel themselves pulled in the direction of the place that made Delos famous. The Sacred Lake, where Leto is said to have laboured for nine days when giving birth to Apollo and Artemis, is still there with its magnificent palm swaying in the sea breeze. The lake is drained now, and the palm is a distant ancestor of the original, but it is still a marvel to stand in a place revered for ages. On a nearby hill, the nine Delian lions stand guard over the birthplace of the gods, ever watchful. Mount Cynthus Delos was not just a quiet place for religious reflection. Indeed, it was very busy and at one point had a population of about 25,000 people. It was covered with sanctuaries and temples, monumental gates and colossal statues, stoas, shops, homes, theatres, stadia and agora. And above it all was mount Cynthus, 112 meters high, where the Archaic Temple of Zeus looked down over the birthplace of his son and all the mortals coming to do them homage. If you stroll about the island you will be greeted by something new around each corner; a different view of the sea, ancient homes with some of the most beautiful mosaics ever found open to the sky, the ruins of a once-beautiful theatre, or even something as simple as a stretch of marble paving slabs from whose cracks red, purple and yellow flowers sprout to paint the scene. Temple of Isis in the Sanctuary of Egyptian Gods Delos was a meeting place of many deities, not only Apollo and Artemis. There were also temples to Zeus, Athena, Poseidon, Hera and many others of the Greek Pantheon. On the Island of Delos there were also sanctuaries to Syrian, Egyptian and Phoenician deities. Near the stadium area, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a Jewish Synagogue. All were welcome to make offerings, worship, work and trade on this tiny rock-of-an-island which, by the 1st century B.C., was one of the great commercial centres of the world. As one walks around the site today, it is not necessarily the voices of trade and craftspeople at their daily work that one is reminded of. The shops have long since closed their shutters and turned to dust. The treasuries have been looted, and subsequently crumbled. Grass and wild flowers sprout from between the paving slabs of the Sacred Way where asps warm themselves beneath the rays of Apollo’s light. One of the Delian Lions overlooking the Sacred Lake In truth, it’s difficult to describe in words the feeling one gets while cutting a meandering path among these ancient ruins. Delos is a place of light and colour and ancient beauty, an omphalos of the Aegean to which travellers have been drawn for ages. For myself, there is an overwhelming sense of awe and absolute peace that creeps over me whenever I visit this place. It’s not always an easy task to shut out the groups of tourist hoards that descend upon this unassuming rock by the boatload. However, if you can manage the journey there, to break away from the masses, you will be treated to an experience in which you will delight in myriad shades of blue and pristine white, hot Aegean breezes and the loving light of the sun. Most of all, you will stand still and wonder at the sight of a swaying palm, that one spot on the island where gods were said to have been born, and which earned this place called Delos renown for all time. …queenly Leto set foot on Delos and uttered winged words and asked her… “Delos, if you would be willing to be the abode of my son “Phoebus Apollo and make him a rich temple –; for no other will touch you, as you will find: and I think you will never be rich in oxen and sheep, nor bear vintage nor yet produce plants abundantly. But if you have the temple of far-shooting Apollo, all men will bring you hecatombs and gather here, and incessant savour of rich sacrifice will always arise, and you will feed those who dwell in you from the hand of strangers… (Hymn to Delian Apollo) A picture is indeed worth a thousand words, so, if you would like to see more, just continue scrolling down to continue the visual Odyssey. The nine Delian Lions keep a timeless watch over the Sacred Lake Part of the archeological site of Delos. Excavations continue as most of the island remains to be uncovered Terrace of a Delian house overlooking the Commercial Harbour Mosaic at the House of the Dolphins Doorway to the back of the theatre The ancient theatre of Delos. The artistic competitions of the ‘Delia’ were performed here Island cisterns where rain water was gathered Alleyway among the ruins of Delos Mosaic in the residential quarter Mosaic waves open to the sky Statues in the House of Cleopatra Ruins near the harbour Remains of colossal statue of Apollo (the torso) Artist rendering of ancient Delos – Francesco Comi, 1995 Map of the Archaeological site of Delos Edition sponsored by the Hellenic Republic, Ministry of Culture and the European Community (3rd CSF 2000-2006) To Delos in another light, other than the parched, tourist-packed summer landscape we are familiar with, check out the beautifully shot video below, directed by Andonis Theocharis Kioukas. In this video, you see Delos in the fullness of spring, quiet, green, with myriad colours bursting from among the ruins. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTyppBJVso | Tagged ancient Greece, Apollo, archaeology, Artemis, Delos, Greek islands | 4 Comments November 18, 2015 by AdamAH Ancient Epidaurus – The Sanctuary of Asklepios When you enter the abode of the god Which smells of incense, you must be pure And thought is pure when you think with piety This was the inscription that greeted pilgrims who passed through the propylaia, the main gate into the sanctuary of the god Asklepios at ancient Epidaurus. Last week we looked at the world-famous ancient theatre of Epidaurus, and the marvel of artistic engineering that it was. This week, however, we will step into the quiet realm of the sanctuary of the God of Healing, a place that was famous around the ancient world for the miracles of health and healing that occurred there. After our visit to the theatre, when the sun was at its most intense, we walked back down the steep stairs toward the back of the sanctuary where the small, but wonderful, site museum is located. It was time to get into the shade for a few minutes. This museum is quite unassuming, but it has some amazing architectural and everyday artifacts. The vestibule contains cabinets filled with oil lamps, containers and phials that were used for medicines and ointments within the sanctuary, as well as surgical implements and votive offerings. Medical Instruments in the Epidaurus museum Above the cabinets and into the main room of the museum, there are reliefs and cornices from the temple of Asklepios decorated with lion heads, acanthus, and meander designs, many of which still have the original paint on them. However, in the first part of the museum are some plain-looking stele that are covered in inscriptions recording the remedies given at Epidaurus, and the miracles of healing at the sanctuary in ancient times. These inscriptions are where much of our knowledge of the sanctuary comes from. Stele with accounts of healing at the sanctuary, as well as quotes of the Hymn to Apollo We walked out of the vestibule into the slightly crowded main museum room where most of the tourists who were on site seemed to be cooling off. But I didn’t notice the people. My eyes were drawn, once more, to the magnificent remains of the Tholos, and temple of Asklepios – ornate Corinthian capitals, cornices decorated with lion heads, and the elaborately-carved roof sections of the temple’s cella, the inner sanctum. Remains of Temple of Asklepios I stood before the statues of Athena and Asklepios that had adorned various parts of the sanctuary, and the winged Nikes that stood high above pilgrims, gazing out from their corners of the roof of the temple of Artemis, the second largest temple of the sanctuary. I wondered if the people walking through the museum realized how beautiful the statues they were walking by actually were, the meaning they held for those coming to the sanctuary in search of help. The Museum Interior Once we had cooled off a bit, we gathered ourselves to head back out into the heat and head for the sanctuary of Asklepios just north of the museum and theatre. The site was completely empty. It seemed that most visitors headed for the theatre alone, some to the museum afterward, but none wanted to tough it out among the ruins of one of the most famous sanctuaries in the ancient world. The Sanctuary of Asklepios from the North The Sanctuary of Asklepios lies on the Argolid plain, with Mt. Arachnaio and Mr. Titthion to the north. The former was said to have been a home of Zeus and Hera, and the latter, whose gentle slopes lead down to the plain, was said to have been where Asklepios was born. To the south of the sanctuary is Mt. Kynortion, where there was a shrine to Apollo, Asklepios’ father, and farther to the south are the wooded slopes of Mt. Koryphaia, where the goddess Artemis is said to have wandered. This is a land of myth and legend, a world of peace and healing, green and mild, dotted with springs. The sanctuary was actually called ‘the sacred grove’. Apollo and Artemis Asklepios, as a god of healing, was worshiped at Epidaurus from the 5th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D. According to archaeologist Angeliki Charitsonidou, it was the sick who turned to Asklepios, people who had lost all hope of recovery – the blind, the lame, the paralyzed, the dumb, the wounded, the sterile – all of them wanting a miracle. But who was Asklepios? Some believed he learned medicine from the famous centaur, Cheiron, in Thessaly. Another tale from the Homeric ages makes Asklepios a mortal man, a king of Thessaly, whose sons Machaon and Podaleirios fought in the Trojan War, and who learned medicine from their father. Eventually, it came to be believed that Asklepios was a demi-god, born of a union between Apollo and a mortal woman. His father was also a god of healing and prophecy, both of which went hand-in-hand in the ancient world. The snake was a prophetic creature, and a creature of healing, so it is no wonder this animal came to be associated with Asklepios and medicine. At Epidaurus, snakes were regarded as sacred, as a daemonic force used in healing at the sanctuary. These small, tame, blondish snakes were so revered that Roman emperors would send for them when in need. Now you know where this symbol comes from! The thing about Asklepios was that he was said to know the secret of death, that he had the ability to reverse it because he was born of his own mother’s death. Zeus, as king of the gods, believed that this went against the natural order, and so he killed Asklepios with a bolt of lightning. There are no written records of medical interventions by the priests of Epidaurus in the early centuries of its existence. The healing that occurred was only through the appearance of the god himself. However, over time the priesthood of Epidaurus began to question patients about their ailments, and prescribe routines of healing or exercise that would carry out the instructions given to pilgrims by Asklepios in the all-important dreams, the enkoimesis, which they had in the abato of the sanctuary. It is quite a feeling to walk the grounds of the sanctuary at Epidaurus, to be in a place where people believed they had been touched or aided by a god, and actual miracles had occurred and were recorded. Faith and the Gods are a big part of ancient history, and cannot be separated from the everyday. I’ve always found that I get much more out of a site, a better connection, when I keep that in mind. You have to remove the goggles of hindsight and modern doubt to understand the ancient world and its people. From the museum we walked past the ruins of the hospice, or the ‘Great Lodge’, a massive square building that was 76 meters on each side, two-storied, and contained rooms around four courtyards. This is where later pilgrims and visitors to the sanctuary and the games that were held in the stadium there would stay. Map of the Sanctuary (from the site guide book) – 1 is the Propylaia; 12 the Temple of Asklepios; 18 the Tholos; 20 the Temple of Artemis; 19 the Abato Without a map of what you are looking at, it’s difficult to pick out the various structures. Most of the remains are rubble with only the foundations visible. This sanctuary was packed with buildings, and apart from a few bath houses, a palaestra (22), a gymnasium (23), a Roman odeion (24), the stadium (26) and a large stoa (7), there are some ruins that one is drawn to, notably the temples. I’m not sure why temples, among all those other ruins, are such a draw. Perhaps it is the mystery that surrounds them? Maybe it’s the fact that they were the beating heart of ancient sanctuaries where, for centuries, the devout focussed their energies? The sanctuary of Asklepios has several temples the largest being dedicated to the God of Healing himself, within which there stood a large chryselephantine statue of Asklepios. There were also temples to Artemis (the second largest on-site), Aphrodite, Themis, Apollo and Asklepios of Egypt (a Roman addition), and the Epidoteio which was a shrine to the divinities Hypnos (sleep), Oneiros (Dream), and Hygeia (Health). These latter divinities were key to the healing process at Epidaurus. As I sit at my desk writing this post on a chilly November evening, fighting my first cold of the season, I’m warmed by my memories of the sanctuary – the sunlight, the heat, the fresh air, the sight of green trees with a backdrop of mountains with the sea not far beyond. That’s the type of place ancient Epidaurus was, and still is; a sacred escape where the mind, body, and soul could recuperate. It still feels like that, even in memory. As the cicadas yammered on in their bucolic frenzy, and bees and butterflies wended their way among the fallen pieces of the ancient world, our feet crunched along on the gravel pathway, past the ruins of the palaestra, gymnasium, and odeion to an intersection in the sacred precinct of the sanctuary. Reconstruction of the Temple of Asklepios’ south side (from site guide book) I looked down at my map and found that I stood with the temple of Artemis to my right as I faced the ruins of what was the magnificent temple of Asklepios to the north. You can see the foundations, the steps leading up. The image of Asclepius is, in size, half as big as the Olympian Zeus at Athens, and is made of ivory and gold. An inscription tells us that the artist was Thrasymedes, a Parian, son of Arignotus. The god is sitting on a seat grasping a staff; the other hand he is holding above the head of the serpent; there is also a figure of a dog lying by his side. On the seat are wrought in relief the exploits of Argive heroes, that of Bellerophon against the Chimaera, and Perseus, who has cut off the head of Medusa. (Pausanias on Epidaurus – from the Description of Greece; Book 2.27.2) I wondered how many pilgrims, how many people in need had walked, limped or crawled up those steps seeking the god’s favour. I turned to my left to see a large, flat area of worn marble that was once the great altar of Apollo where pilgrims made blood sacrifices to Apollo and Asklepios in the form of oxen or cockerels, or bloodless offerings like fruit, flowers, or money. Remains of the Great Altar of Apollo Standing there, you can imagine the scene – smoke wafting out of the surrounding temples with the strong smell of incense, the slow drip of blood down the sides of the great altar, the tender laying of herbs and flowers upon the white marble, all in the hopes of healing. As people would have stood at the great altar, they would have seen one of the key structures of the sanctuary beyond it, just to the west – the Tholos. The Tholos was a round temple that was believed to be the dwelling place of Asklepios himself. It was here that, after a ritual purification with water from the sanctuary, that pilgrims underwent some sort of religious ordeal underground in the narrow corridors of a labyrinth that lay beneath the floor of the Tholos’ cella, the inner sanctum. The Tholos, undergoing reconstruction for the last decade After their ritual ordeal, pilgrims would be led to the abato, a long rectangular building to the north of the Tholos and temple of Asklepios. The abato is where pilgrims’ souls would be tested in by away of the Enkoimesis, a curative dream that they had while spending the night in the abato. I have to admit that on previous visits to Epidaurus, I had by-passed the abato, this crucial structure where the god is said to have visited and healed pilgrims. This time, however, I went into the remains (which have been partially restored), and stood still for a while. Miracles happened in this place, and there are over 70 recorded inscriptions that have survived which detail some of them – mute children suddenly being able to speak, sterile women conceiving after their visit to sanctuary, a boy covered in blemishes that went away after carrying out the treatment given to him by Asklepios in a dream. There are many such stories that have survived, and probably many more than that we do not know of. The Abato with staircase leading down As I stood in the abato, careful not to step on any snakes that may have been hiding along the base of the walls, I reflected on the examples of healing on the posted placard. It seemed that the common thread to all the dreams that patients had was that Asklepios visited them in their dreams and, either touched them, or prescribed a treatment which subsequently worked. Relief of Asklepios healing a dreamer For a moment, I had my doubts, but then I remembered where I was, and for how many thousands of years people had been coming to this sanctuary for help, and had been healed. Sleep. Dream. Health. When I think of those divinities who were also worshiped at Epidaurus, right alongside Asklepios, it doesn’t seem so far-fetched. In fact, standing there, in that place of peace and tranquility, it seemed highly likely. The people mentioned on the votive inscriptions – those who left vases, bronzes, statues, altars, buildings and fountains as thank offerings to the god and his sanctuary for the help they received – those people were real, as real as you or I. They confronted sickness, disease, and worry, just as we do. Today, some people turn to their chosen god for help when they are in despair. Others turn to the medical professionals whom they hope have the skill and compassion to cure them. Ceiling section from the Tholos, where pilgrims underwent their religious ordeal At ancient Epidaurus, people could get help from both gods and skilled healers, each one dependent on and respectful of the other. As we walked back to our car, the sun now dipping orange behind the mountains to the west, I thought about how special this place was, how the voices of Epidaurus, its sanctuary, and its great theatre, will never die or fade. Indeed, just as Asklepios was said to have done, this is a place that defies death. As we drove away, I found myself looking forward to my next return visit, and the new things that I will discover. Here is a short video I shot on-site. The quality is not great (that hot wind!), but it will show you a couple of the ruins I talked about above from where I was standing in front of the great altar of Apollo. The columns beyond the long rectangle of the temple of Asklepios belong to the abato. http://eaglesanddragonspublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/The-Sanctuary-of-Asklepios.m4v | Tagged ancient Greece, ancient religion, Apollo, Artemis, Asklepios, Epidaurus, faith, goddesses, gods, healing, health, sanctuary, Temples | 2 Comments

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Trail to the Light At first, the thought of a two mile hike to a lighthouse seemed a bit much - especially when we were only stopping by for a very short visit on our way down the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. The consensus was to make the trip as fast as possible so we could continue our journey down the shore. The trail began at the Ludington State Park campground, a wooded area, but soon meandered through a stand of Jack pine, then grassy dune. Signs of dune progression could be seen along the way, as the structure and vegetation of the dunes changed the closer we got to the shore. Flat and covered in crushed limestone, the trail was easier to hike than expected - more like a road; it's also used a few weekends a year for bus traffic to the lighthouse. Passing a walk-in campsite, I thought about the next trip here, and camping amid the dunes - the perfect way to capture dusk and sunrise at the lighthouse. Rising up from behind a series of dunes was the Big Sable Point Light, it's cast iron cladding painted white with the middle 1/3 black - a daymark for navigation. What a great home this must have been for the lighthouse keepers of the 1920's and 1930's - secluded and quiet. Climbing up higher, I gazed to the north and east at what seemed to be an endless series of dunes as far as I could see. I instinctively began walking to see what lied beyond, but quickly remembered our tight schedule. There will certainly be a next visit, soon I hope, where I will give in to my instinct and explore the expansive landscape. Big Sable Point Lighthouse A two mile walk from the nearest parking area, the Big Sable Point Lighthouse rises over the seemingly endless expanse of dune and beach. Built in 1867, the light stands 112 feet tall, is built of brick, and clad in cast iron It is one of the most recognizable lighthouses on Lake Michigan. We followed the marked path to the lighthouse, but decided to walk along the beach on the return trip. On this particular summer morning, we only passed one couple on the beach - pretty much had the place to ourselves. A morning tradition, I've been told, walking out to the north pierhead light to wave farewell to the passengers on the S.S. Badger. I'm also aware of the evening tradition of welcoming the ferry back to Ludington. Morning in Ludington, Michigan was quiet, laid -back, and peaceful, broken only by the horn of the Badger as it left port. I can only imagine how it appeared in the early 1900's, with scores of vessels moving in and out of port on Lake Michigan. Now, it seems, the lake is host mainly to pleasure boaters; the commercial vessels are few and far between. The lighthouse is tilted about 7 degrees from vertical - a nightmare for photographers. Either the horizon is level or the lighthouse is straight, can't have both. This occurred during the pier restoration a few years back, when too much material was removed from the base of the pier. The tilt was not corrected, but it was reinforced to prevent further movement. Ludington Light The early morning sunlight bathes the Ludington, Michigan north pierhead light. From what I've seen, this small lakeside town wakes up slowly, but once activities around Lake Michigan kick in, they're slow to wane.The downtown area and lakefront were busy with visitors until well past 10 pm. Departing Ludington Our morning began with a visit to Ludington's Sterns Park, a lakefront park with FREE parking, a soft sand beach, and of course, a lighthouse. Built in 1924, the North Breakwater Light marks the entrance to Pere Marquette Lake, and Ludington's port where the historic S.S. Badger extends US Route 10 60 miles across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, Wisconsin. 2013 marks the 60th year of the Badger's operation as a car ferry across Lake Michigan. The 410 foot vessel makes the four hour trip across the lake twice a day. 180 vehicles can be loaded on the ship, along with 600 passengers, and 60 crew members. A friend of mine was a crew member for a number of years, and often talked about the experience working on a real steam ship. Farm on the Apple River The drive north from Savanna, Illinois to Galena winds through a rolling countryside dotted with small towns, and picturesque farms.Directly on the Apple River, and a stone's throw from the downtown area of the tiny town of Hanover, Illinois, this farm appears to be in perfect working condition. Up the Mighty Mississippi Atop the Mississippi Palisades- steep, wooded cliffs overlooking the Mississippi River - traffic on the river can be viewed. This tug heads upstream with several barges on its way to points unknown to us.Many decades ago, before the abundance of roads and railroads, the traffic here must have been heavy. Passengers and cargo would have passed here, before heading to St. Louis, Memphis, New Orleans, and even Chicago once the Hennepin, and Illinois and Michigan Canals were complete. Rolling Countryside The countryside just south of Galena is more like Kentucky than Illinois. This area of northern Illinois was not scoured by the glaciers of the last ice age, so the hills and eroded rock formations remain untouched.A viewing tower once stood where this photo was captured, but even without it, the view is wonderful. The end to a perfect Summer day, the boys splash around in the warm water of the lake, while boaters position themselves for fishing or watching the sunset. Secret Fishing Spot Wading through the creek, casting his fly-rod again and again, it seemed this fisherman was evading us. But a 300mm lens caught up with him before he wandered too far off. The gentle waters of the creek become swift at this point - the confluence of Rock Creek and the Kankakee River. The perfect mix of shade and sun, and the patter of the fountain, make this the perfect summer spot for reading and relaxing. Two blocks from the downtown shopping district, Centennial Park is located in the heart of Holland, Michigan. During the Spring, the park is packed with vendors and Klompen dancers when the annual Tulip Time festival welcomes people from around the region to celebrate the Michigan town's Dutch heritage.

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As mentioned in part I, & II the history of the Cairo urban area began as early as the Roman period. During the Pharaonic (3000-332 BC) and Greek (332-30 BC) eras of Egyptian history there was no town or city in the heart of what is now the Cairo area, although twenty miles to the southwest stood the great pharaonic capital of Memphis and its temples to the creatorgod Ptah, while to the northeast (located in what is now the Matariya section of Cairo) stood ancient Heliopolis, the great cult center to the sun-god Ra.But in the Roman period there was a powerful fortified town, Babylon, on the east bank of the Nile River opposite the southern tip of Roda. This fortress was located at the strategic heart of Egypt, the dividing line between Lower (Northern) Egypt and Upper (Southern) Egypt; it also dominated the principal ford along the length of the Nile, for most caravans and armies moving east-to-west or west-to-east across Egypt skirted the edges of the Delta and made use of Roda Island as a crossing-point. The remains of the fortress of Babylon are situated in the modern Cairo region known as "Old Cairo," and it was to this site that the Arab came when they entered the country in 640 AD.After the fall of the fortress, the Arab commander, Amr bin al-3as, chose to make the camp-city which his army had established just north of Babylon his capital. This camp-city, "al- Fustat," soon supplanted Alexandria as the demographic and economic center of Egypt, and from 700 to 1100 AD it flourished and became one of the great cities of the Mediterranean world.But in 969 AD a dynasty centered in North Africa, the Fatimids, conquered Egypt and established a new palace city for themselves along the edge of the desert two miles northeast of Fustat; the site stood a mile-and-a-half due east of the Nile and was separated from the river by a band of swamps and lakes. The new city was "al-Qahira"Cairo: the "Victorious City"and It did not take long before the population of Fustat, attracted by the patronage available in the new royal residence, abandoned the older city and settled in the new one. By 1100 Cairo had supplanted Fustat as Egypt's most important city.Indeed, from 1100 to 1500 Cairo can claim to have been the grandest and most splendid city in the Western world. Throughout this era its physical dimensions never exceeded five square kilometers (three square miles), and its population was never greater than 750,000 souls. However, such a total was as large or as that of any city in Europe before 1800.Ref: Marcopedia, Wikipedia, The Ancient City we are living in a great city and dont know its value because if we does we wouldnt have treated it this way!

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Best U.S. Destinations For Wine LoversCalifornia, Virginia, Oregon, and New York offer some of the nation's top destinations for wine tourism in the USA, increasingly of interest to leisure travelers.America's 5 Best Waterfall HikesAn introduction to five of the very best waterfall hikes in America Rex Ryan, Jets Admittedly Sparked By The Many Critics, Doubters 'We Really Don't Care What People That Don't Believe In Us Say' October 9, 2013 10:01 AM Filed Under: AFC East, Geno Smith, Mark Sanchez, Marty Mornhinweg, MetLife Stadium, New York Jets, Rex Ryan Rex Ryan (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) Rex Ryan (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images) NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — No respect is no matter to Rex Ryan and the New York Jets. Not when you’re 3-2 and one of the NFL’s early season surprises. “We really don’t care what people that don’t believe in us say,” Ryan declared during a conference call Tuesday. “We care about what our fans think. We care about what our locker room knows to be the truth.” And, that truth is that the Jets are much better than many expected. It’s still early, but gloom and doom were the buzz words entering the season by pretty much anyone you asked about the outlook for the team. Except the Jets, of course. “To say, absolutely, what the national media and people like that think about us, the negative comments and all that kind of stuff, to think it doesn’t put a little fuel to the fire, of course it does,” Ryan said. “With that being said, we know they’re not in the meetings, they’re not seeing what we’re seeing. “Again, I’m not going to lie and say it doesn’t add something or it doesn’t spark you a little bit.” An us-against-the-world approach has bonded this team through the first five games, a stretch in which they have relied on a rookie quarterback in Geno Smith, a tough defense and one of the game’s top offensive coordinators in Marty Mornhinweg. While some fans and media still wonder if the Jets are the real deal, consider this: After a 30-28 win at Atlanta on Monday night, they’re just one game out of first place in the AFC East with a home game against the winless Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday followed by another showdown with the division-rival New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium in two weeks. Ryan isn’t surprised, and neither are his players. They saw a team coming together nicely in the preseason, even as people outside the organization saw a bunch that was sorely deficient in many areas. “We knew we were much better than what we were given credit for,” he said. “With that being said, we’re not even close to where we have to get to, starting this week against Pittsburgh.” The Jets are a 2 ½-point favorite against the Steelers, something Ryan was asked if he thought was a bit of a sign of disrespect considering the opponent has yet to win a game. “You guys know how I feel about the betting deal,” he said. “It means nothing to me.” Neither does the fact that the three wins the Jets have come against teams who have a combined record of 3-11: Tampa Bay (0-4), Buffalo (2-3) and Atlanta (1-4). “You can try to discredit us all you want, that’s fine,” Ryan said. “It’s no big deal to us. We know what we have in our building and that’s it. You can take any stance you want on it. Those are facts, there’s no question, but if you think the Atlanta Falcons are only going to win one game or whatever, then I don’t know, I think they’re a better football team than that. “But again, that’s for you to write and that’s all fine and dandy. We really don’t care though, to be honest with you.” Remember that brash Rex Ryan with all that swagger and bravado? Well, he’s back — in a toned-down way. There are no guarantees or outrageous boasts now. Just a supreme confidence in himself and his team. Getting a few wins has helped. And the performance against the Falcons was an indicator that the Jets might just have something in Smith, who is now the clear starting quarterback with Mark Sanchez opting for season-ending surgery. Things have been up and down for the rookie second-round pick. But Smith was terrific Monday night, finishing 16 of 20 for 199 yards and three touchdowns. Best of all was the final drive in which he set up the winning field goal by completing four passes and moving the Jets 55 yards with less than 2 minutes left. “It was a tremendous game for him without question,” Ryan said. Now, the Jets will gear up in a hurry for a Steelers team coming off a bye-week break. “Well, I’m interested to see how we respond, but certainly it’s not like we feel like we’re King Kong or something,” Ryan said. “We know it took a great effort last night, but it’s going to take the same kind of effort this week.” And for those who still might not give the Jets much of a chance, Ryan says keep thinking that. “I got a memo from the league, and they said we can win two games in a row,” the coach quipped. “I think that’s going to be what I talk to our team about.” After hosting the Patriots in Week 7, New York will take on the Bengals on the road and then the Saints at home before their Week 10 bye. Keidel: Would Warriors’ NBA Finals Win Hurt Durant’s Legacy?Jets’ Maccagnan: Don’t Read Too Much Into Interest In Draft’s Top QBsPorzingis Playing For Latvia This Summer, Hasn’t Spoken With Knicks Since Season EndedVigneault On WFAN: Beating Carey Price In 3 Straight A Great Ego Boost For Rangers

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ottawa Events City Bites Macarons galore at the new Westboro location of Quelque Chose Pâtisserie Going Out REASON TO LOVE OTTAWA: Because two guys on Parliament Hill have been listening to our secrets for a century POSTED July 2, 2014 2:17 pm By Cindy Olberg Sydney Mutendi of Harare, Zimbabwe sits by the Whispering Wall on Parliament Hill, May 3rd, 2014. Photo by Jackson Couse Perhaps you’ve heard whispers about an unusual monument hidden in plain sight on Parliament Hill. On the east side of the Centre Block, past the statues of the Famous Five and Queen Elizabeth II, there’s a statue referred to as the “whispering wall.” The Robert Baldwin and Sir Louis-Hippolyte LaFontaine memorial, designed by Walter Seymour Allward and built in 1914, is a tribute to two statesmen who worked together to give legislative power to elected assemblies and prove that French and English Canadians could collaborate on political issues. Often praised for its original curved design, another quality tends to get overlooked: it carries sound. When two people sit at opposite ends of the monument and whisper, they can hear each other — perfectly, as if they were sitting side by side. According to Craig Merrett, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at Carleton University, it’s caused by a phenomenon known as evanescent waves. “Sound waves almost move in a ripple along the surface of the wall, and the person at the other end can hear — with little distortion. With the sound waves moving along the surface of the wall, it actually doesn’t lose its intensity as much as when you normally just talk into open air.” Students from Sir Guy-Carleton High-school at the Whispering Wall monument commemorating Robert Baldwin and Louis-Hyppolyte Lafontaine, the collaborative Premiers of Upper and Lower Canada. The students, from grades nine through twelve, were on a leadership training scavenger-hunt to Parliament Hill, May 4th, 2014. Photo by Jackson Couse. The effect is fun for passersby, but it’s not an intentional design element. Other famous examples include the dome in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London and a dam in Williamstown, Australia – both of which attract tourists with their sound-channeling properties. Take a friend and experience it for yourself – tell each other a secret or something nonsensical. But bear in mind: you’ll be doing it under the watchful gaze of two politicians who continue to remind us that communication is the glue that bonds English and French Canadians, whispers and all. The Novak family of Vancouver – Milan, Marek, and Gabi Novak and their mother, Paula Da Rosa – talk to each other across the Whispering Wall on Parliament Hill, May 4th, 2014. Photo By Jackson Couse. This REASON TO LOVE OTTAWA is found on Page 17 in the 2014 Summer Issue of Ottawa Magazine, available now at independent local news outlets or at ottawamagazine.com

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Travelling around Gawler is relatively simple. Even without a car, there are several ways to quickly get around the Gawler area. The Gawler Central train line stops in several locations throughout the Gawler area, before going all the way down to Adelaide. For the full list of locations on the Gawler Central train line, you can visit the Adelaide Metro website here. The timetable is available here. Train tickets can be bought on the train. If you plan to use the train regularly, the best option is a rechargable Metro Card, which can be bought at several locations including the Gawler Heritage Kiosk located at the Gawler Train Station and Northern News located in the Northern Market Shopping Centre near the Gawler Central Train Station. Gawler has four main bus routes that travel throughout the Gawler area - the 491 (Hewett Circuit), 492 (Gawler East Circuit), and the 493 and 494 (Gawler South Circuit). The timetables for these services are available at the Adelaide Metro website. Adelaide Metro shares the same ticketing system across its services, so Metro cards should work for both trains and buses. There are also several bus services going from Gawler to various rural areas, including Angaston, Kapunda and Freeling. These do not use Metro cards, as they are run by Link SA, a different group which covers rural services. Full details of these bus routes are located at the Link SA website. Other Transport Options The Gawler Dial-a-Ride service allow you to travel around Gawler for only $6.50 per trip. However the ride must be booked at least an hour in advance, and opening hours vary. For the full details visit here. Car Services Buying Your First Car Content currently being developed. Roadside Assistance and Towing If your car has run into issues on the road in the Gawler area, there are many local businesses able to help. An easy way to find the one that suits you best is to look through the Yellow Pages website. Assistance Whilst StudyingJobsMoney

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The Best of the Pacific Northwest: Oregon, Washington and British Columbia Discover the Pacific Northwest’s cultural bounty as you learn about its vibrant cities, world-class cuisine, verdant parks and unique museums and heritage centers. 11B 9L 10D Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Intro. to Pacific NW Portland Gardens, Columbia River Gorge, Multnomah Falls Downtown Portland Walk, Brewery Visit, Train to Seattle Sculpture Park, Chittenden Locks, Historic Architecture Train to Vancouver, Chinatown, Gastown, Stanley Park Sustainable Vancouver, Chinatown, Museum of Anthropology Ferry to Victoria, Butchart Gardens, Beacon Hill Park British Columbia Museum, Old Town Victoria, Free Time Native Art, Friday Harbor, San Juan Museum, Islands Talk Local Artist, San Juan Island Park, Explore Island, History Transfer to Seattle, Pike Place Market, Space Needle Set out on a journey through the Pacific Northwest to learn about its glorious cities, harbors and islands on both sides of the border. Experts lead your adventure, from the historic architecture of Seattle to contemporary life in the San Juan Islands. Look for orcas off the Vancouver harbor and enjoy the parks and gardens of Victoria. Walking two or more miles daily over varied terrain (see daily activity notes for more details). Disembark ferries, trains and buses; transporting baggage. Take in Northwest highlights, including Multnomah Falls near Portland and Seattle’s Pike Place Market. Travel by train to Vancouver, B.C., and meander through Gastown, Chinatown and the Museum of Anthropology. Ferry to Victoria, B.C., and savor Butchart Gardens. Itinerary varies by date. Michael Vouri Michael Vouri is chief of interpretation and historian for San Juan Island National Park. He is a passionate historian with an unmatched knowledge of regional history and exploration, and the author of five books about the Pig War, the Royal Marines and San Juan Island history. He has worked as a reporter and editor for weekly and daily newspapers, as a public affairs officer for the U.S. Air Force and as assistant director of the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs. He began his career in history with the Whatcom Museum History and Art in Bellingham, Wash., where he curated exhibitions in addition to being the museum's public affairs officer. He is a veteran of the Vietnam War, having served as a crew chief of an O-1 Bird Dog in the Mekong Delta. Mike has been a popular Road Scholar instructor on San Juan Island since 1997. Charles Elliott Mimi Sheridan John Atkin Joseph Couture Cindy Hansen Peter Chausse Warship Under Sail by Lorraine McConaghy Waxwings by Jonathan Raban A Traveller's History of Canada by Robert Bothwell Vancouver and Victoria Colourguide by Candice Brissenden Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet 11 B 9 L 10 D Courtyard by Marriott Portland- Downtown / Convention Center Activity note: Hotel check in from 3:00 p.m. Afternoon: Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions, including our resident expert who will serve as study leader throughout the program. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures including contact numbers for key staff, and answer any questions you may have. This program includes long days exploring the beautiful highlights of the Pacific Northwest. We will be walking an average of 2 miles per day and will be on our feet at museums, gardens, and other sites. We will transfer our own luggage on/off ferries. Unless noted otherwise, travel and transfers will be via motorcoach. Also unless noted otherwise, meals typically include coffee, tea, water beverage options with other beverages available for purchase. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please be aware that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Dinner: In the hotel restaurant, enjoy a plated meal with beverage options including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Evening: We’ll be joined by a local expert who will give a presentation weaving together the strands of history, culture, and aspects of contemporary life in the Pacific Northwest. There is no doubt that the region known as the Pacific Northwest is one of the most distinctive and beautiful in the country. We will begin our journey of discovery in the beautiful City of Roses, just 70 miles from the ocean in a magnificent setting between the Columbia and Willamette Rivers. Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; walking up to 2 miles; mostly paved trails and paths; standing about an hour in each garden. Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers a variety of choices such as eggs and cooked-to-order omelettes, breakfast meats, Belgian waffles, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, pastries and breads, fresh fruit, plus milk, juice, coffee, tea, water. Morning: Portland is known as "the City of Roses" due to its lush gardens and has been called the “greenest” (i.e., most environmentally friendly) city in America. Our morning begins with a field trip to the International Rose Test Garden. We will learn about the oldest official, continuously operated, public rose test garden in the United States. Learn the story of how the gardens came to be during World War I when hybridists sent roses from around the world to Portland’s garden for testing and to keep the new hybrids safe from being destroyed by the bombing. The garden has grown to include more than 6,800 rose bushes representing 557 varieties. Next, we’ll take a trip through time and learn about Chinese culture, history and way of thinking at the Lan Su Chinese Garden. Our docent leads our examination of the garden’s living collections that present hundreds of native Chinese plant species and forms including more than 90 specimen trees, many rare and unusual shrubs and perennials, and signature collections that include Magnolia, Cymbidium, Camellia, Osmanthus, Rhododendron and bamboo — all within a one block area inside Portland's Chinatown. Their mission is to cultivate an oasis of tranquil beauty and harmony to inspire, engage, and educate the global community in the appreciation of a richly authentic Chinese culture. Lunch: At a popular restaurant in downtown Portland, order from a select menu with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Afternoon: Moving on, a local expert will guide our exploration of the Columbia River Gorge, a designated National Scenic Area and spectacular geological wonder of outstanding natural beauty. We’ll learn how the Gorge was formed by the Missoula Floods, how the geology has impacted the surrounding culture and population. The Columbia River is the fourth largest in North America and the gorge (canyon) it carved over millennia stretches more than 80 miles through the Cascade mountain range towards the Pacific Ocean. Its striking waterfalls include breathtaking Multnomah Falls, the second-tallest year-round waterfall in the country, dropping 620 feet from its origin on Larch Mountain. Dinner: At a restaurant overlooking the cascading Multnomah Falls, enjoy a plated meal with choice of entrée; coffee, tea, water included; other beverages available for purchase. Evening: We’ll return to the hotel after a long and exciting day. The remainder of the evening is at leisure. Hyatt Place Seattle Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles in downtown Portland, paved and cobblestone sidewalks, few options to sit. Wear comfortable, closed-toed shoes for our brewery field trip. Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we'll walk to the station and take Portland's famous public lightrail — the Max — across the Willamette River to start our walking field trip through the streets of downtown Portland. A local expert will lead us through some of the finest of the city's unique art and architecture. See and learn about tidbits many Portland residents may not even know! Among its many innovations, Portland has become one of the great beer destinations in the U.S. It has so many brewpubs and microbreweries that it has been called "Munich on the Willamette." Lunch: We’ll take the Max to one of the local breweries where a member of the staff will lead us, followed by a beer tasting and a buffet lunch; coffee, tea, water included, other beverages available for purchase. Afternoon: We’ll take a motorcoach to the the Portland Amtrak station, board the train, and depart on our trip to Seattle. Sit back and relax aboard the Amtrak Cascades as it whisks you north with scenic views of the surrounding area. Upon arrival at Seattle’s King Street Station, we’ll board a motorcoach and transfer to the Warwick Hotel for check-in. Dinner: We’ll walk a few blocks to a popular Seattle restaurant featuring Asian fare for plated meals and beverages including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Evening: After our late dinner, we'll head back to the hotel to relax and rejuvenate for our next day. Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles; mostly flat surfaces; standing at Chittenden Locks, Volunteer Park, and Seattle Asian Art Museum. Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers hot and cold cereals, eggs, breakfast meats, toast, pancakes, pastry, fruit, juices, plus coffee (regular/decaf), tea and milk. Morning: After gathering in our meeting room to discuss today's activities, we'll head out with a local expert for the day, first to Olympic Sculpture Park. In this stunning project of the Seattle Art Museum, developed in association with the Trust for Public Land to preserve the city’s last remaining waterfront property. We’ll experience a variety of contemporary sculpture in an outdoor setting surrounded by the incredible views and beauty of the Olympic Mountains and Puget Sound. Learn about the Park’s history, dynamic spaces, design and layout. Our next stop is the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, also known as the Ballard Locks for their location. Our expert will lead a walk along the locks, the botanical garden, and fish ladder. We’ll learn about the history and operation of this engineering marvel as we observe boats, flowers, and swimming fish. The locks provide a link for boats between saltwater Puget Sound and the freshwater canal connecting local lakes. The grounds feature the Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Garden, one of Seattle’s most beautiful park settings, and a fish ladder critical for salmon and steelhead heading upstream to spawn. Lunch: At a popular waterfront restaurant featuring tasty seafood, we’ll have plated meals with beverages including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Watch as ferries cruise by and seagulls squawk. Afternoon: We’ll drive through the lovely University of Washington campus to Volunteer Park, with its Olmsted-designed conservatory, and Seattle Asian Art Museum. Founded in 1861 in what is now the heart of downtown Seattle, the University of Washington is one of the oldest public universities on the West Coast. We'll explore the Conservatory and view outstanding Asian art exhibits at the Seattle Asian Art Museum. Returning to the hotel, we’ll have some time to freshen up and relax before dinner. Dinner: At the hotel, enjoy a Northwest-inspired plated meal including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Evening: We’ll be joined by a local historian with deep knowledge and boundless enthusiasm for Seattle and Washington State. Learn more about the largest city in the Pacific Northwest. Seattle rapidly expanded as the entryway to the Alaska during the Klondike Gold Rush. During World War II, the city became a center for technology and is now home to Boeing, Microsoft, and Amazon. Best Western Plus Sands Hotel Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; walking up to 2.5 miles; city streets. Breakfast: At the hotel, pick up a boxed breakfast to have on the train to Vancouver. Morning: We’ll check out of the hotel, transfer to Amtrak's King Street station, and board the train to Vancouver, following along salt water all the way. We’ll have great views of ferries, giant container ships, and green islands afloat in the blue of Puget Sound. Arriving at Pacific Central Station, we’ll take a motorcoach to lunch. Lunch: At a local restaurant, enjoy a plated meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Afternoon: This afternoon we’ll explore two of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods to gain fascinating (and occasionally offbeat) insights into history, architecture, and people. The motorcoach will drop us off for a walking field trip with a local expert into Chinatown, with its rich culture and striking collection of heritage buildings that recall the contributions of early pioneers and leaders. We’ll also walk through historic Gastown, the city’s birthplace, with much of its early architecture and character intact. We’ll also see how it is evolving into one of the city’s newest residential areas. Returning to the motorcoach, we’ll finish our afternoon with a drive through Stanley Park as our expert provides commentary on board. This 1,000-acre evergreen oasis near the downtown core boasts a natural West Coast atmosphere and backdrop of majestic cedar, hemlock, and fir trees. Park landmarks include totem poles, monuments and sculptures, and a 5.5 mile seawall that encircles the entire park. Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a plated meal including coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Activity note: Walking up to 1.5 miles; standing at museum. Breakfast: At the hotel, choose what you like from the breakfast buffet. Morning: Vancouver is part of a region known locally as the Salish Sea. In a presentation by our expert, we’ll learn about its history and historical precedents as well as the planning and sheer dumb luck that have enabled this city to achieve its status as one of the most “livable” in the world. Because everything the city does has done has an impact somewhere else, Vancouver is committed to being one of the most “sustainable” cities in the world. For our next field trip, we’ll take the motorcoach to Granville Island, home of a thriving artistic community of painters, furniture makers, jewelers, and even a cobbler. See how a sandbar was transformed first into an industrial area then into a renowned public market. Lunch: On Granville Island, we'll have sandwiches and soup. Afternoon: We'll proceed to one of Vancouver's finest institutions, the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia, in a spectacular building overlooking mountains and sea. Canada’s largest teaching museum is a place of extraordinary architectural beauty, stimulating programming, and vibrant exhibitions of world arts and cultures. On a self-directed exploration, get a remarkable glimpse into the lives of the indigenous peoples of the northwest coast of British Columbia as we explore one of the world’s outstanding collections of Pacific Northwest Aboriginal artifacts. We’ll also meet with anthropology students. Dinner: At a popular restaurant amid the gardens and forests of Stanley Park, enjoy a 3-course meal with soup or salad, choice of main dish, and dessert plus coffee and tea; other beverages available for purchase. Royal Scot Hotel and Suites Activity note: We will transport our own luggage to/from the ferry. Ferry ride is approximately 1.5 hours. Morning: We’ll transfer via motorcoach to the ferry terminal in Tsawwassen just south of Vancouver and take the ferry across the Strait of Georgia and through the Southern Gulf Islands to the terminal just north of Victoria, British Columbia. The trip is wonderfully scenic. Upon arrival on Vancouver Island, we'll be joined by a local historian, who will accompany us aboard the motorcoach to world-renowned Butchart Gardens with commentary en route to learn its fascinating story. Lunch: At Butchart Gardens, we’ll have boxed lunches. Afternoon: The afternoon’s self-directed exploration at Butchart Gardens provides an opportunity to see and do what interests you most. Fifty-five acres of wonderful floral display are open to the public, offering spectacular views from the many paths that meander through the four main gardens. From the exquisite Sunken Garden to the charming Rose Garden, this show garden still maintains the gracious traditions of earlier times. Explore at your leisure the fabulous Gardens in all their seasonal glory. Dinner: At the hotel, enjoy dinner with a selection of entrées, salad, seasonal vegetables, and dessert, plus coffee and tea. Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles, paved streets and paths; standing at museum. Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers a variety of choices such as eggs, breakfast meats, hash browns, croissants, toast, fresh fruit, coffee, tea, water. Morning: We will walk from our hotel to the Royal British Columbia Museum and Art Gallery for a self-led exploration. Here at one of the foremost cultural institutions in the world, learn about the history of generations of people who have prospered in the land we know as British Columbia. Lunch: We’ll walk a few blocks to a popular pub for a plated meal with coffee, tea, water; other beverages available for purchase. Afternoon: After walking back to the hotel, we’ll have a presentation by our expert on the rich history and culture of British Columbia’s capital and western Canada’s oldest city. Learn about Victoria’s natural and human history from the time of the First Nations through the Hudson’s Bay Company, 19th-century gold rushes, and modern development. Then, we'll explore Vancouver’s Chinatown with our study leader who will enlighten us on the Inner Harbor, historic people and buildings and Chinatown's secrets. Victoria's British ancestry is apparent in double-decker buses, horse-drawn carriages, formal gardens, and tearooms. The remainder of the afternoon is free for personal independent exploration. Friday Harbor Suites Activity note: Hotel check out after breakfast. Carrying luggage on/off ferry and during transfers; walking approximately 500 feet with luggage from ferry to shuttle. Ferry ride approximately 1-1/4 hours. Walking up to 1.5 miles during the day; 25 steps with railing at Whale Museum; standing up to an hour. Morning: We’ll be joined by a native artist for a unique opportunity to learn about his fascinating craft. We’ll then take a short motorcoach ride to the ferry terminal in Sidney and depart for the San Juan Islands on the Washington State ferry. Relax and enjoy the emerald green water as we float by islands large and small on our way to idyllic Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Lunch: Aboard the ferry, we’ll have box lunches. Afternoon: Upon arrival in Friday Harbor, we’ll make a brief stop at the hotel to check in and drop off the luggage before we begin our explorations. We’ll then walk to two small but significant museums. The nationally recognized Whale Museum is the first of its kind dedicated to promoting stewardship of whales — especially Orcas — and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research. A local expert will lead our exploration of fascinating exhibits, artwork, models, and artifacts including real whale skeletons and a family tree of the resident Orcas. We can also listen to the "songs" of various species of whales. Then, at the San Juan Historical Museum, the Executive Director will lead us back in time through the island's history. The museum consists of eight buildings, including an 1894 farmhouse, a carriage house, root cellar and milk house, the original San Juan County Jail, a barn, 1891 log cabin, and Resource Center. Each building houses displays and exhibits of early life on San Juan Island. We’ll walk back to the hotel at the conclusion of our field trip. Dinner: At the hotel, enjoy a 3-course plated meal plus coffee, tea (hot/iced), water; other beverages available for purchase. Evening: A local author will join us to provide insightful reflections about life on an island. Activity note: Getting on/off minibuses multiple times throughout the day. Walking up to 2 miles, approximately 3/4 of an hour to each location; uneven dirt paths or trails; standing at different sites. Breakfast: At the hotel, choose from a breakfast buffet featuring assorted eggs, cereals, toasts, muffins, bagels, cottage cheese, milk, coffee, tea, water. Morning: We'll begin our day at the hotel with art. Meet a local artist, see the art, and learn the story behind their work We'll then board our motorcoach for a field trip to San Juan Island National Historic Park led by a local expert. At the Park, we'll have a brief overview of its history, followed by the opportunity to view the remaining historical buildings on site, the grounds, and the barracks. Following the precedent set by the Great Pig War, in which the U.S. and Great Britain settled ownership of the island through peaceful arbitration, the Park now celebrates how disputes can be resolved without resorting to violence. The Park also encompasses a rich and diverse environment intimately involved with the island's 3,000 year human history. From there, we’ll proceed to Limekiln Lighthouse. Lunch: At the Lighthouse, we’ll have box lunches picnic style while keeping our eyes out for whales at one of the best places in the world for whale watching from land. The Lighthouse also serves as a whale research outpost. Afternoon: This afternoon features a minibus field trip of your choice to either historic Roche Harbor Village or Westcott Bay Sculpture Park for self-guided exploration. You are welcome to choose either. Roche Harbor, once a Hudson's Bay Company trading post and limestone production outpost, is now a popular resort featuring Historical Hotel de Haro; colorful gardens; and large marina. Westcott Bay Sculpture Park contains more than 100 sculptures scattered throughout its outdoor museum. Gaze at the striking artworks of bronze, wood, stone, ceramic, medal and glass created by notable Pacific Northwest artists. After the field trip, we’ll return to the hotel. Dinner: Hotel plated meal. Evening: We’ll be joined by a local historian for a talk on marine life and how it has been important over time to Native peoples, European settlers, and commercial and sport fisherman today. Activity note: Hotel check out after breakfast. Carrying luggage off ferry, walking approximately 500 feet with luggage from ferry to shuttle. The ferry ride is approximately 1-1/4 hours. Walking up to 2 miles during the day. Morning: We will transfer to the Washington State Ferry from Friday Harbor to Anacortes for a scenic ferry ride past islands of the San Juan Archipelago in the Salish Sea. We’ll then board a motorcoach for our transfer to Seattle. Luggage will be stored on the motorcoach until we check into the hotel late afternoon. Arriving in Seattle, we’ll walk to Pike Place Market with our local expert, who will discuss this special place that is recognized as one of America's foremost farmers' markets, comprising nine acres and more than a century of history. Offering endless opportunities, Pike Place is also home to a craft market, independent businesses, and a housing development that is mostly home to low-income seniors. Between the markets, businesses, and performers, more than 700 can be found practicing their trade here. "The Market," as locals affectionately call it, attracts millions of visitors a year, making it one of Washington state's most frequently visited destinations. Lunch: On our own to enjoy what you like at the Market with 60 restaurants and cafés from which to choose. Afternoon: We’ll have some independent time after lunch to explore the nooks and crannies abounding in five levels of shops and talk with the local folks. We’ll re-group at a pre-determined location and walk five blocks to Seattle's Monorail. Built for the 1962 Century 21 Exposition, the Monorail is the best way to travel to the Seattle Center and the landmark Space Needle and the Chihuly Garden and Glass. It's a short ride but lots of fun! Stepping off of the Monorail, we will zip up more than 520 feet to the top of the Space Needle, also built for the exposition in 1962. When the Space Needle was built it was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. The view is amazing. We’ll see cruise lines and cargo ships crossing Elliott Bay, the sparkling water of Lake Union, streets abuzz with activity — The whole city! Back on the ground, we’ll return via the Monorail and walk to the hotel for check in. Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a plated meal with coffee, tea, water, other beverages available for purchase. Share your favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends. Evening: At leisure. Say farewells and prepare for departure in the morning. Breakfast: At the hotel, enjoy a buffet including eggs, breakfast meats, hot and cold cereals, pastries, fruit, milk, coffee (reg/decaf), tea, water. This concludes our program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys! Oct 01, 2017 - Oct 12, 2017 (Portland, OR to Seattle, WA) May 21, 2017 - Jun 01, 2017 (Portland, OR to Seattle, WA) Jun 18, 2017 - Jun 29, 2017 (Portland, OR to Seattle, WA) Jul 30, 2017 - Aug 10, 2017 (Portland, OR to Seattle, WA) Sep 10, 2017 - Sep 21, 2017 (Portland, OR to Seattle, WA) Oct 01, 2017 - Oct 12, 2017 (Portland, OR to Seattle, WA) 2 nights Portland The Courtyard Marriott is a beautiful and comfortable facility. The hotel is 9 miles from the airport, across the river from downtown, near the Willamette River, Waterfront Park, the Eastbank Esplanade and just three blocks from the nearest MAX lightrail station. TripAdvisor Reviews 3 nights Seattle Complimentary hotel-wide Wi-Fi + 24 hour fitness center + indoor pool + free shuttle service within 1 mile of hotel TripAdvisor Reviews 2 nights Vancouver Best Western Plus Sands Hotel is conveniently located one half block from the beach at beautiful English Bay and three blocks from Stanley Park's 1,000 acres of trails and gardens. Three bus routes stop at the front door for easy access to other parts of town. TripAdvisor Reviews 2 nights Victoria Step outside the hotel doors and into the celebrated sites of downtown Victoria. Take in views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains. The Royal BC Museum is just around the block. TripAdvisor Reviews 2 nights Friday Harbor Friday Harbor Suites is within walking distance of Friday Harbor's art galleries and shops. TripAdvisor Reviews Springerville, AZ Quite an adventure, the northwest was a fascinating place to visit, enjoyed all the places we visited. My entire trip and many of the photos taken appear in 5 parts on my blog. you may read all 5 parts if you are so inclined by either visiting reschzoo.blogspot.com or by searching for The Eclectic Curmudgeon (my blog's name.) Montrose, PA We were delighted with every aspect of this well planned and well executed program. The variety of activities and transportation made every day exciting. The leaders and presenters were knowledgeable, kind, and helpful in every way. And yes, the air *IS* wonderful in Oregon, Washington, and BC! And, oh, the gardens! 11th program. We were not disappointed. The NW has always been advertised to us as chilly & wet. Not so on this trip. Roger is well versed & experienced coordinator. The gardens are beautiful. Great trip, overall. Linda was a great trip leader. Beautiful scenery. Be forewarned that we actually walked 3-6 miles per day. H. Ray One of the best Road Scholar programs we have attended. We did walk over 2 miles each day. If you want to see the great cities of the northwest and Vancouver and experience their exciting cultures- plus beautiful islands- sign up for this enjoyable,exciting, and always interesting program. A fascinating tour of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, especially for you if you have never been there. Our tour to the Great Northwest was fun, relaxing, interesting and full of diverse places to examine and learn more about. I'd be interested in traveling again with this particular group of people, leaders and Road Scholars. All asked good questions and were well prepared.

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Places » Countries » United States » Wisconsin Wisconsin is a U.S. State located in the upper Midwest, between the St. Croix and Mississippi Rivers on the west and Lake Michigan on the east. Its climate is known for long chilly winters and pleasant temperate summers. Much of the northern part of the state is dominated by pine forests. The central part of the state has rich farmland . Although much of the state's natural features were carved out by the last Ice Age, the southwestern corner lies in the Driftless Zone, which remained unglaciated, and is marked by picturesque bluffs carved by rivers flowing from the glaciers. The name of the state was derived from the name given by the Algonquin tribes of the area to the river flowing from the northern forests to the Mississippi. The French explorer Jacques Marquette recorded the name as Meskousing; later transcribed as Ouisconsin and ultimately anglicized as Wisconsin. Like many place names derived from Indian words, the meaning has become obscure, but one theory is that its a Miami word meaning "It lies red", referring to the red limestone riverbanks of the Wisconsin Dells. The first known humans in Wisconsin were Paleo-Indians who arrived around 10,000 BC. They were primarily hunters who hunted Mastadon and Mammoths. When the last glaciers began to retreat from the area around 7000 BC, the Plano cultures dominated the region. By about 500 BC, the culture had begun to shift from hunting to agriculture and a rise of more permanent settlements, art and pottery, as well as the construction of Effigy Mounds. Around AD 1050, the Mississipian culture had expanded into Wisconsin and built a large settlement at Aztalan. The primary tribes in Wisconsin at the time the first Europeans arrived were the Ojibwa, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Sac, and Fox. The first European to reach what is now Wisconsin was the French explorer Jean Nicolet who founded a colony at the site of the present city of Green Bay in 1634. For much of the next century and a half, the region was mostly settled by French fur traders. A battle near the western shore of Lake Winnebego in 1730 between French settlers and the local Fox Indians was said to give the name to Butte des Morts, the "Hill of the Dead", a large burial mound in the area. The mound had been in use as a burial site long before the battle, but the battle gave the site its name. The British took control of Wisconsin in 1763 during the French and Indian War. Even after the United States acquired acquired the territory after the American Revolution, the British retained a military presence and control of the local fur trade until the War of 1812. When they were finally forced to withdraw by the Treaty of Ghent, the British burned Fort MacKay, a fort the Americans had build which they had seized during the war, rather than hand it back. Not that we're still bitter about it; just sayin' is all. In 1784 the Northwest Ordinance established for the region north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi to be organized for settlement. Revisions to the Ordinance in 1785 and 1787 developed specifics for how the land was to be organized and the establishment of government. Among the important provisions of the ordinances was that slavery would not be permitted in the territories north of the Ohio and that one section (1 sq. mile) out of every township (a square region six miles to a side) would be set aside for schools. Attempts by the U.S. Government to resettle several Indian tribes led by Chief Black Hawk in Iowa led to the Black Hawk Indian War in the 1830s. Battles between U.S. soldiers and Black Hawk's people raged across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois until Black Hawk was decisively defeated in the Bad Axe Massacre on August 1-2. 1832. The removal of the Indians from southwestern Wisconisn led to the Great Wisconsin Lead Rush. Rich lead deposits drew miners from all over the country to dig for the "grey gold". The miners became known as "badgers" which ultimately led to the state's nickname, "The Badger State". (A miner from the 1830s is one of the figures depicted on the Wisconsin State Flag). When Wisconsin was officially organized as a territory, it was originally proposed to place the capitol in the town of Belmont, in the mining region, which was the most heavily-populated area at the time. Political dickering and dealmaking by a land speculator named James Doty persuaded the territorial legislature to build a new capitol midway between the mining region around Mineral Point and the territory's other main population center of Milwaukee. The new city, located on the ithsmus between Lakes Mendota and Monona on land owned and surveyed by Doty, was called Madison. Wisconsin became the 30th state on May 29, 1848. Wisconsin was a strongly anti-slavery state. A meeting in Ripon, Wisconsin on February 28, 1854 calling for a new political party to oppose slavery is considered by many to be the start of the Republican Party. The State sent several volunteer regiments comprising over 90,000 men to fight during the American Civil War. On October 8, 1871, Wisconsin suffered the deadliest fire in United States history when the Peshtigo Fire burned 1,875 square miles (4,850 km²) of forestland around the timber industry town of Peshtigo. Between 1,200 and 2,500 people died in the conflagration. Around the Turn of the Century, a Wisconsin congressman named Robert La Follett became a leading voice in the Progressive wing of the Republican Party. He became a national figure and an influential voice fighting for issues such as woman's suffrage, worker's rights and trying to limit the power of the big railroads. He created a close co-operation between the State Government and the University of Wisconsin which became known as the Wisconsin Idea. Although nicknamed "Fighting Bob", La Follett was strongly anti-war and vigorously opposed America's entry into World War I. Early in the 20th Century, the Socialist Party of America had a strong base in Milwaukee, and the city actually elected four Socialist mayors between 1910 and 1960. The Milwaukee socialists were sometimes dismissively called "sewer socialists" by more radical members of the party because they emphasized civic improvement and public works over Marxist social theory. On the other end of the political scale, Wisconsin also elected Joseph McCarthy to the U.S. Senate, the man who personified the Communist witch-hunts of the 1950s. Other notable Wisconsin politicians include Senator William Proxmire, an influential Democrat who in the 1970s and 1980s attacked government waste and spending; Governor Tommy Thompson, a Republican who sponsored the influential "Wisconsin Works" or "W2" welfare reform program in the 1990s; and Senator Russ Feingold, a leading voice in Campaign Finance Reform and an opponent of the Iraq War and the 2001 USA PATRIOT Act. During the 1980s, the right-wing militia group Posse Comitatus had a presence in Northern Wisconsin. Although the organization has lain low in the decades since then, it's members are still around, lending their views to other organizations. An important ecological concern in recent years has been Chronic Wasting Disease, a degenerative condition similar to Mad Cow Disease, that has threatened the state's deer population. There have been unverified claims of CWD being passed on to humans. Industry and Commerce Wisconsin is probably best known as the Dairy State. It is the country's leading producer of cheese and is second only to California in the production of milk and butter. It is also a leading producer of corn for silage, cranberries and believe it or not, ginseng. The Door Peninsula region is known for it's cherries, and other crops grown in the state include potatoes, oats and tobacco. But Wisconsin doesn't just mean cheese, it also means beer. Milwaukee formerly boasted several major breweries, including Schlitz, Pabst and Miller. The state is also home to numerous smaller breweries and microbreweries. The timber of the Wisconsin North Woods feeds the paper industry, which has many plants in northern Wisconsin, especially in the Fox River Valley running from Lake Winnebego to Green Bay. Tourism is also a major state industry with many out-of-state vacationers coming to enjoy hunting, fishing and camping in Wisconsin's forests. Other major Wisconsin companies include: Oscar Meyer — maker of hot dogs, cold cuts and other meat products Johnsonville Foods — maker of the best bratwurst on the planet Kohler Company — a major manufacturer of bathroom fixtures and small engines Harley-Davidson — One of the biggest motorcycle manufacturers in the country Kimberly-Clark — manufacturer of Kleenex and other paper products In professional sports, Wisconsin boasts a legendary football team, a less-than-legendary baseball team and a basketball team which has occasionally reached greatness. Green Bay Packers — Lambeau Field, Green Bay (American Football) In the 1960s, legendary coach Vince Lombardi led the Packers to win two Super Bowls and forever sanctified the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field. Milwaukee Brewers — Miller Park, Milwaukee (Baseball); Formerly located at County Stadium; Miller Park is a domed stadium built during the late 1990s Milwaukee Bucks — Bradley Center, Milwaukee (Basketball) one-time home of Kareem Abdul-Jabar Wisconsin Badgers — various collegiate teams of the University of Wisconsin, Madison. The football team is a leading member of the Big Ten football conference Milwaukee Braves — Baseball team formerly based at County Stadium in Milwaukee until it moved to Atlanta. Hank Aaron, Jr. played for the team in both cities. Wisconsin Cities Wisconsin Places of Interest and Events Circus World Museum EAA AirVenture Oshkosh House on the Rock Effigy Mound Peshtigo Fire Project ELF News: Church Approves Wisconsin Apparition Of Mary Event/News: Massive fireball reported across Midwestern sky News: Wisconsin Man Runs Over, Eats Seven-Legged Transgendered Deer - apparently Freaks of Nature are not unknown here… Event/News: Wisconsin mystery - What's going boom in the night? News: With All Systems Go Sheboygan Shoots For The Moon With Spaceport 1. Wikipedia entry: Wisconsin 2. Wikipedia entry: History of Wisconsin 3. Wisconsin Historical Society home page 4. Arcana Wiki Map entry locationrng_locationwisconsin page revision: 17, last edited: 11 Feb 2013 09:47

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Home > Monuments > Ticketed Monuments > Kerala > Bekal Fort, Pallikare Ticketed Monuments - Kerala Bekal Fort, Kasargod Bekal fort (120 23' N and 750 02' E), a coastal fort lying 16 km south-east of Kasargod situated on the backdrop of Arabian seashore of Pallikkara village in the Kasargod district (Kerala). It is one of the best preserved forts in Kerala. Kasargod has long and continuous history, since its proximity to the Karnataka area and in turn Bekal area occupying a strategic position, attained importance from the days of Vijayanagara times. According to south Canara Manual and other literary works, the Kelady Nayakas (c.1500 -1763), who had their capitals variously at Keladi, Ikkeri and Bednore in Kamataka, were responsible for the construction of a few forts in Hosdurg –Kasargod area. The Bekal fort was considered to be built by Sivappa Nayaka. The other version is that the fort was in existence during the Kolathiri Rajas and after the decline of Kolathiri and Vijayanagara Empire, this area came under the control of Ikkeri, Nayakas, who rebuilt the fort and enjoyed the area. In 1763, the Bekal fort fell into the hands of Hyder Ali. Bekal served as an important military station of Tipu Sultan when he had the great military expedition to capture Malabar. With the death of Tipu Sultan while fighting against the British in 1799 the Mysorean control came to an end and subsequently the fort came under the English East India Company. Gradually the political and economic importance of Bekal declined considerably. The fort spreading over forty acres, has massive walls about 12 meters in height built of local laterite stones. The headland on which it is situated runs into the sea with fine bay towards the south. The site was so well selected to give a complete view of the area and also the laterite bedrock was very well utilized to strengthen the fort. It is a large fort, the wall and ramparts on the sea side being strong and interspersed by the bastions with opening for guns. The main gate is towards the east and was protected by bastions. A ditch surrounds the fort on the land side. The important features of this fort are the tank with its flight of steps, the opening of the tunnel towards the south, the magazine for keeping ammunition, wide ramp leading to the observation tower. This tower is a rarity giving fascinating view of the surrounding area. From there one has ample view of all the important places in the vicinity and also has the strategic significance in ascertaining the safety of the fort. The voids in the massive laterite walls were used for placing guns. The recent excavations conducted at the fort yielded different types of secular and religious structures built of laterite of the time of Nayakas of Ikkeri and Tipu Sultan. The other interesting discovery was the mint house (Huzur) and a palace complex of the medieval period. Remains of Darbar hall and temple complex were also brought to light during the excavation. The coins collected from the excavations belong to Hyder Ali, Tipu Sultan and Mysore Wodeyars. Another interesting find was the copper coin mould of Tipu Sultan. The structures exposed were mostly secular in nature. Citizens of India and visitors of SAARC (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Maldives and Afghanistan) and BIMSTEC Countries (Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Myanmar) - Rs. 15 per head. (Free entry to children up to 15 years)

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Newsletter Sign-Up May 24th, 12:02pm Home in the Mountains of Blue Smoke As we drove to the Great Smoky Mountains, it seemed appropriate to listen to “The National Parks” on tape, by David Duncan and Ken Burns. We were struck by an interview with Gerard Baker, the first Indian American superintendent of the national parks, where he said, “When you walk into any natural, national park, you are walking into someone’s homeland.”This is doubly true of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Spanning both North Carolina and Tennessee, these gentle mountains were once home to hundreds of families, with a mountain culture all their own, and who were expelled with the formation of the park in 1934. Almost a hundred years earlier, the Cherokee people were dispelled by the Indian Removal Act of 1830, but were able establish their own territory, where they still thrive today. With so much past, the Appalachian mountains remain rich with stories today.Today, the Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the country, with an estimated 11 million visitors in 2015, and even more expected in 2016. Our interviewees cited many possible reasons - that the park is fee-free, and that it’s within a day’s drive of ½ of the US population, that it’s beautiful, of course. The park also hosts sections of the Appalachian Trail, the Georgia to Maine hiking trail, and the Blue Ridge Parkway, a historic scenic motor road stretching from Georgia to Virginia; two routes for two distinctly different types of travelers. We asked a series of three questions in the interviews that we conducted in our two weeks. What does somebody who has never been here before need to know about this place?What are your favorite things about this place?What are some common notions/stories about this place that should not be shared?Our interviews led us to stories from Gladys Trentham Russell, a poet and mountaineer, and Wiley Oakley, the Ramblin’ Man of the Mountains, who served as a local guide-for-hire in the early days of the park. We visited cultural institutions like the Great Smoky Mountains Heritage Center and the Mountain and Farm Museum within the park. We interviewed park rangers, storytellers, community members and folks from the Great Smoky Mountains Association, Friends of the Smokies, the Museum of the Cherokee Indian, and many more!We were welcomed in early May by rain, which gave way to blooming tulip poplars (among many other wild flowers), and two weeks of allergies. We leave the Great Smokies with these themes in mind:Wisdom of the MountainsThe Appalachian Mountain range is one of the oldest mountain ranges on the planet, thought to once have been as tall as the Rocky Mountains, but have been worn down by weather, by time, and by the constant shift of the very earth that formed them. They appear today as “gentle” and “feminine,” like “grandmother’s bosom.” Fun fact: a majority of the sand along ALL the coastlines of the Atlantic Ocean is made up of the very particles that once made up the highest peaks of the ancestral Appalachian mountains. The Great Smokies gets its name from the fog over the mountains, typical in the mornings or after rainfall. We’ve heard many origins of the smoke: that it’s humid air from the Gulf of Mexico cooling rapidly in this climate, that it’s moisture from these trees, or that it’s the prayers of all the Cherokee people, making their way up to the gods. No matter which you believe, the smoke that hangs over the mountains has the effect of giving this emerald palace a character of wisdom.Full of LifeBotanically, the Smokies are referred to as the “womb of the earth,” for its role as a sanctuary for over 19,000 unique species of flora and fauna. We were told that during the Ice Age, there was no glacier that covered any mountains in the Appalachian chain, due to the mountains orientation at an angle, from southwest to northeast. So as the Ice Age receded, the species in the Smokies were able to fan out, and repopulate the American continent. The highest elevations of the mountains maintain a climate and air pressure that can host northern species, while the valleys maintain climates appropriate for species that are comfortable in Georgia or Alabama. There are more plant species here then anywhere in North America.A few wildlife facts about the park:On average, there’s one black bear for every square mile. If you took all the salamanders in that same square mile, they would outweigh every other species combined - bears included. Thus, it’s the “Salamander Capital of the World.”Early to mid-June, you can watch thousands of fireflies sync their lighting patterns in the Elkmont area of the park - an event so popular, visitors must call ahead and reserve a spot to watch this phenomenon.Elk, once eliminated from the area, were reintroduced to the park in 2001 and you can spot them on the North Carolina side of the park, sometimes grazing even just outside of the Ocanaluftee Visitor Center.A familiar refrain is that there are 1,600 black bears and 11 million people in the park, and neither behave responsibly. During our stay, a backcountry camper on the Appalachian Trail was bitten through his tent, and a few days later, a bear came wandering back into the campsite, and had to be euthanized. Once a bear sees humans as a source for food, everyone’s safety is in danger. This is the ongoing challenge of park officials to keep everyone safe, and to keep the wild, wild.Mountain CultureThe park, established in 1934 amidst mountain habitation and a thriving logging industry, forced the relocation of hundreds of families. Some families saw the need for protection and accepted the compensation, but others resisted, and those complex emotions remain today. The park’s preservation has saved much of the forest from logging as many will be quick to point out that what you see today is second-growth forest. Nearby tourist towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge have been sprung up from the visitorship to the park. These communities, who helped raise the funds to purchase the land for the government, see the value of the park and continue to aid in its ongoing preservation.And to their credit, the National Park Service supported lifetime leases for a few mountain families (including the famous Walker Sisters), and hired Joseph Hall (aka “the Songcatcher”) to collect recordings of mountain culture. Unlike other parks, the preservation of this culture was a mission of the Great Smoky Mountains park from the start. And so the Smoky Mountains today remains rich with stories of the Appalachian way of life.Appalachian people were both fiercely independent, and lived in tight-knit communities, often centered around the church. One interviewee told us while it is inappropriate to ask for help, neighbors will often notice and lend a hand in a time of need.Mountain life consisted of farming and hunting. The work of everyday life was rugged, and people used a variety of ingenious methods to live off the land. But without higher education, or access to doctors, mountain communities relied on home remedies and superstitions to guide their daily decisions. Lice was treated with kerosene, and moon phases guided when and where to plant or harvest crops. And despite religious values, turning corn into moonshine (aka corn liquor) proved so profitable, that many farmers owned and operated stills illegally.For all the hardships, people who lived in these mountain communities feel rich in their heritage. Much of this culture was carried through music and song. Without instruments, people relied on shape-note singing, a sheet music system that used different shapes to recall notes. Once instruments began to be introduced, the banjo became most common for its ease to make at home. The music culture grew, and eventually old-time music branched off into modern forms of bluegrass music today.Cherokee NationBut 100 years before the park was established, the Cherokee were driven out of these same mountains. President Andrew Jackson signed the Indian Removal Act in 1830, calling for all Indians east of the Mississippi to be relocated to “Indian territory,” present-day Oklahoma. Through a variety of means, the Eastern Band of Cherokee were able to remain, buy back some of the land to establish the Qualla boundary, a sovereign nation within North Carolina.The Cherokee are the native people of this land and their history goes back tens of thousands of years, as recent archaeological digs are confirming. Cherokee leaders govern themselves in the Qualla boundary, where they continue to teach their language and culture, and hold ceremonies - even an annual Miss Cherokee competition. Storytelling continues to be a large part of passing down important values and lessons. While every story varies slightly each time it’s told, these stories continue to carry forward the Cherokee culture into the new millennium.A Spiritual ConnectionMany who live here today speak of some sort of spiritual connection to the land - a feeling of a sense of place here. Those who trace their ancestors into the lands that now make up the national park speak of reverence, awe of the landscape, and continue the traditions of resourcefulness and appreciation for the function of the land. We also encountered a number of people who upon a chance visit, describe the same awe and appreciation, and decided to move here. One interviewee attributed this indescribable connection to the feminine and gentle nature of the mountains. The wisdom of the smoke, the gentle curves of the old mountains, that call to many to a simple and rich way of life.As one of our last interviewees told us, “what you seek, will seek you.” For as peaceful as they seem, the Great Smokies is full of turbulent human history, culture, and wildlife. We are so grateful to all the individuals who sat down with us to share their collected opinions of a place they hold so dear. There’s a whole stack of books we devoured on our trip, and another stack to continue to dive into for when we get home. But for now, we wrap up our time in the Great Smoky Mountains, and look west to our next stop in the Rocky Mountains. greatsmokymountains, smokymountains, nationalparks, nationalparkservice, campfirestories, campfirestoriesbook Pre-order Campfire Stories

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Tag Archives: la manga pass Days 23 to 28: Del Norte, Colo. to Abiquiu, NM August 24, 2012 Mitch The final 200 miles of my journey featured some of the most remote, undeveloped, and beautiful country I’ve seen since starting in Southern Wyoming. Far from any population center, the mountainous terrain of Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico offered virtually no services and presented me with some of the most difficult riding of the whole trip. On Saturday morning, I left Del Norte at 9:30 am, later than I’d wanted to, and began the epic climb up Indiana Pass, the route’s high point at nearly 12,000 feet. Initially, I hoped to get to the top or over the pass in one day, but it soon became apparent that it would be too far. The first dozen miles out of town were level to rolling and on pavement, so I was able to grind up the mileage quickly, but that was only like the pre-game warm-up. I gained about 1,000 feet of elevation in that time, so I’d still have to climb another 3,000 feet in the last dozen miles, on a dirt road. As with many of these passes and big hills, the beginning was very steep, kinda loose, and somewhat intimidating. It was especially tough because I had to load up on water at the bottom. Streams and creeks would be scarce in the miles ahead, and once I crossed over the pass, I’d be in the middle of the Summitville Mine Superfund site, where the water is contaminated. After about 18 miles of riding from Del Norte, I was up at 10,500 feet and feeling exhausted, so I decided to make my camp and finish the last six miles of the climb on Sunday morning, when it would be cooler and the skies would hopefully be less threatening. On Sunday, I woke up shortly after dawn and started up the pass once again. The first couple of miles were the steepest and had me soaked in sweat even though it was cool outside. Fortunately, the grade eased up toward the end. The scenery at the top is impressive. You’re right at tree line and there are several barren peaks in the vicinity, including Grayback Mountain, a 13er in the South San Juan Range. But not long after you start descending, the ugly scar of the Summitville mine becomes visible and soon you’re riding right through the toxic waste site. For the first time in days, I was able to descend the backside of the pass without a vicious headwind slowing my progress. In fact, on Saturday and Sunday, I had something of a tailwind during much of the climb up Indiana Pass; I shudder to think what it would be like to climb that mother with the wind holding me back. Yet another pass–Stunner–awaited me on Sunday, but I was already way up there, so it wasn’t as high, long, or as tough as Indiana. My map suggested I might be able to pick up a meal and groceries in the little outpost of Platoro, 50 miles from Del Norte, but I’d learned not to bank on such possibilities. Thankfully, the store and cafe were open, so I stat down for a huge cheeseburger and fries–the guy at the next table said he’d driven 75 miles from Pagosa Springs for the burger. I noticed he was drinking ice tea so I figured it was OK to order that as well, even though my map said tap water in Platoro might be contaminated. I was in GI distress later that afternoon, but it’s hard to say why given the dubious water sources I’ve been relying on. There was just a smattering of food available for sale in the Platoro store, so the only thing I bought was another box of mac and cheese and a packet of ramen. From there the route followed the Conejos River downstream. It was a pretty stretch, but there were a fair number of vehicles on the road, many with Texas plates. I made my own campsite a couple hundred yards off the road and next to the river. It felt great to bathe in the water, which wasn’t too cold and surprisingly swift given the drought. By the final week, some of my gear was being held together with duct tape and safety pins. All of the zippers on my tent and fly stopped working, so it would take a half dozen zips for me to get at least some of the teeth to hold. If rain threatened, I’d use safety pins to close the gaps. Both earpieces on my sunglasses had snapped and were being held together with duct tape. My GPS watch had failed in the first week, so I had to estimate distances because using my iPhone would drain its battery too quickly. I’d lost one hiking shoe along the way and there was no way to get a replacement pair, so my biking cleats would be the only thing on my feet for the rest of the trip. And then my rear derailleur started to malfunction. I could shift into easier gears, but not into harder ones; not unless I manually pulled on the cable running down my top tube. That’s how I’d downshift for the rest of the trip because I could never fix the problem. The dust, mud, rocks, and rain had subjected my bike to a lot of abuse over the previous three weeks. Monday’s ride was relatively short, about 23 miles, due to the rainy weather. I woke up to cloudy skies and by the time I was rolling it had started to drizzle. After following the Conejos River downstream for another seven miles, I turned onto a state highway and headed up La Manga Pass, 10,230 feet. The pavement made the climb tolerable but the weather worsened the higher I got. By the time I reached the summit, it was pouring and I had to put on my rain pants. Descending was a little cold and miserable, but the showers soon passed and I started to hear the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad. It passed me behind a ridge, so I only got a glimpse of the locomotive and passenger cars, but I could see the trail of steam for a long way as it chugged up the valley. For the next two days, I’d occasionally hear that steam whistle and it added a nice little soundtrack to the rugged scenery, making it easier to imagine what it was like to traverse these mountains by rail, in a stage coach, or on horseback more than a century ago. I missed an unsigned turn off the highway and wound up climbing an extra mile to Cumbres Pass, where the RR passes through, but then retreated and headed down into a valley, past some guys working on the tracks who really loved my BOB trailer and its suspension system. From there, the road quickly deteriorated and confronted me with some of the gnarliest riding of the trip. There would be a couple short stretches that would be unrideable even without the trailer. In a few miles, I came to the NM border and the Carson National Forest. The skies were once again darkening and it looked like water would be hard to find in the miles ahead, so I called it a day at Apache Creek. It wound up being one of my favorite campsites. As soon as I got there, coyotes on the opposing ridge broke out into a cacophony of howls, yaps, and barks. I could hear and see elk up the valley, along with some cows. There were tons of birds flying around and the sky was incredible: clouds swirling before my eyes without the aid of time-lapse photography and moving in all different directions. I made camp around 2:30pm and promptly crashed in my tent for a deep sleep of a couple hours. On Tuesday, I awoke on the edge of a slender fog bank that had settled above Apache Creek. Everything was covered in dew and I was on the shady side of the drainage, so many of my clothes were still wet. I’d washed my shorts and jerseys in the Conejos River, but then the monsoon returned and made it hard to dry them, even when I strapped them to my bag in an effort at air drying. As soon as the sun peeked over the high ridge, the fog burned off and I hauled a lot of my stuff out into the middle of the little valley so it could dry, at least partly. While packing up to go, I heard a galloping sound to my right and turned to see a huge black bear tromping along, about 100 feet away from me. His big snout was sniffing intently on the ground and gave a nod over in my directions, but he just kept moving, up the valley, never threatening me at all but making me think about using my bike as a last-ditch shield if he charged. I was amazed at his size and how fast and agile he was (I’m assuming he was a male since there weren’t any cubs around, but that’s just a guess). Looked like he could easily outrun me. The encounter with the bear definitely woke me up and I seemed to have a little extra oomph in my pedaling as I set out for another tough day of biking. Tuesday’s ride would take me up to nearly 11,000 feet, along the Brazos Ridge and around the Cruces Basin wilderness area. At times, the road was muddy, rocky, narrow, and fairly steep. I’m not sure my Subaru Forester could have made it through some of the technical sections. My map had warned me of the conditions and that I’d be facing a half-mile stretch that was unrideable. Sure enough, that segment wasn’t really a road, but more like a river of rocks and small boulders. It was a 20-minute slog, pushing the bike and BOB up that pitch, but I knew I’d be close to the top when I was done. Along the ridge, you get an expansive view into the Cruces Basin and I was impressed by how undeveloped the entire area seemed (aside from the cows and roads). Amazingly, I got a strong cell signal up there and was able to call Ginette, which gave my morale a real boost. I was able to make good time the rest of the day because much of the route was downhill. There were some great stretches of bombing through forests at high speed that reminded me why bikepacking can be pure fun. I did about 40 miles on Tuesday and camped in a pleasant enough setting in Cisneros Park, although the cows in the area were super loud and woke me a bunch of times in the middle of the night. I tried to get an early start Wednesday because I knew the forecast called for rain, but it still got a little doused during the day. There was a climb up to Burned Mountain, 10,192′, but that would be the last time on the trip I’d be above 10,000 feet. I had some trouble finding water. The wells at a picnic area weren’t working and when I got to Canada del Oso, there was just a tiny trickle coming out of the culvert. Strangely enough, the water was clear and some of the best-tasting I had on the trip. After filtering the water, I started off, but only made it a few feet before I discovered my front tire was flat–my first one of the whole trip. So I set about replacing the tube with a spare, but the little stem in the presta valve snapped off, so that tube was history. And then I realized that I didn’t have the second spare tube that I thought was in my bag. My only option was to patch the flat tube and then hope that it held. I was worried that another stem would fail or I’d get a gash in a tube I couldn’t patch, in which case I’d have to flag down a motorist. Thankfully, the patch held and I was extra delicate in filling the tube. My map told me that an upcoming stretch would be muddy if wet, and it had definitely been raining a lot, so I decided to take a small detour on a paved road. The dirt road on the route would also put me in an area where I might be stranded for a while if I got a flat. It felt a little like cheating, until it became apparent that I’d have to climb about 4 miles into a stiff headwind. Not sure the detour saved me much time, but at least I’d be able to hitch a ride if my bike failed, which felt increasingly likely. I made it to the hamlet of El Rito at about 4pm and the only thing open was a “bar” that was more like a liquor store with some snacks. It was the first place I’d come to since Platoro that had any food for sale. I figured I’d be safe buying some packaged Grandma’s cookies and a Hostess fruit pie, but turns out these things have expiration dates and both were so stale I couldn’t eat them. The only other establishment I found in the town was a little hole in the wall restaurant, but it wasn’t opening for another half hour, so I headed back out of town to find a campsite. El Rito is at about 7,000 feet, so the surroundings are covered with pinion, juniper, prickly pear, and creosote. Sadly, there’s a ton of trash in the area and it was tough to find a decent place to pitch my tent. I walked up a wash–carrying my bike to avoid thorns–and found a flat spot near some discarded construction materials. I went back to the restaurant for a burrito, which wasn’t so hot, literally and figuratively, and then headed back to what was my least attractive campsite of the trip. It rained solidly for at least an hour Wednesday night before I feel asleep. As soon as the sun peeked over the horizon, it blasted my tent and I was broiling inside my sleeping bag. I only had about 20 miles to go to Abiquiu, but I was convinced that my tires would go flat due to the thorny environment and proliferation of broken beer bottles along the roads. Much of the ride from El Rito to Abiquiu is downhill, so I made good time on the paved state highway. It was amazing how many empty cans and bottles of alcohol were on the side of the road. Plenty of other garbage as well. I don’t think the state has an adopt-a-mile roadside cleanup programs in this area because it’s so remote, but it was sobering to think how much drinking and driving is going on in this area. Not surprisingly, there were also plenty of white crosses denoting fatal accidents, mostly at curves and the crests of hills. Three miles from Abiquiu, I took a right onto US 84 and promptly ran over the remains of a broken bottle that was scattered across the shoulder. I could hear the crunching under my tires and within a minute I could feel my front tire going flat. I didn’t have any spare tubes left and with so little distance to go until my final destination, I didn’t feel like stopping on the side of the highway to patch the tube. The leak wasn’t a gusher, so I was able to stop every few minutes and add some more air with my CO2 cartridge. By the time I reached the Abiquiu Inn, the tire was totally flat. I got off the bike, walked over the cattle guard, into the parking lot, and was done with the ride. Although it was just 11 am, I was able to check-in and the prospect of a shower, real food, and being off the bike filled me with joy. I’m staying in their cheapest room, which isn’t much, but it feels like the Taj Mahal after six days and five nights of camping and bikepacking through some of the toughest terrain on the whole route. After showering and getting settled in my room, I went to the hotel’s cafe and had some delicious huevos rancheros and a Santa Fe IPA. There’s no cell service or much of anything here. Abiquiu is where Georgia O’Keeffe spent summers and that seems to drive much of the tourism. The Ghost Ranch where she lived is 12 miles up the road, but I’m content to just hang out here at the hotel, relax, and recover. On Saturday, Ginette and her mom Jen will pick me up on their way from Mesa Verde to Taos and then we’ll stay in Santa Fe for a night before heading back to Denver. I’ll have more to say in another post about what I learned, what I liked, and what I could have done without during the trip, but at this point I’d sum it up as one of the greatest adventures of my life! abiquiucarson national forestconejos rivercruces basin wildernesscumbres passDel Norteel ritograyback mountainindiana passla manga passplatorosummitville http://mitchtobin.com/tag/la-manga-pass/">

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Home Field Notes Field Notes Entry Celebrating the New Arctic Interagency Visitor Center Alaska Region, June 29, 2004 The completion of the Arctic Interagency Visitor Center located in Coldfoot, Alaska was commemorated on Tuesday, June 29, 2004. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), National Park Service (NPS), and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) have been working collaboratively in Coldfoot since 1989 to provide information to visitors traveling the Dalton Highway. The new visitor center is almost ten times the size of the previous, and offers a wide array of interpretative displays and exhibits. Kanuti National Wildlife Refuge Manager Bob Schulz and Park Ranger Jody DeMeyere, Visitor Services Chief Debbie Steen, and Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge Operation Specialist Jimmy Fox represented the USFWS during this interagency event. Unfortunately, due to smoke conditions from wildland fires north of Fairbanks, Deputy Secretary of the Interior Steve Griles and USFWS Director Rowan Gould were unable to attend, but the celebration continued!! About 75 people were in attendance for the celebration. Residents from the communities of Wiseman and Coldfoot Camp, along with BLM, NPS, and USFWS employees, retirees and volunteers, representatives of the Alaska Joint Pipeline Office, Alaska State Troopers, Alaska Natural History Association, and USKH-Alaska (the architecture firm that designed the center) sat together and listened as one speaker reminisced about the ?good old days? when the original interagency visitor center was a one room log cabin without plumbing. Another speaker described the new modern facility that will inspire visitors with its beauty and thoughtful exhibits miles away from ?civilization.? Wiseman resident, Jack Reakoff, spoke of changes in the area since the development of the pipeline and Dalton Highway. He concluded by stating how the visitor center allows visitors to understand the beauty and richness of the area through education and outreach. With the new visitor center as a backdrop, individuals and groups who, individually or collectively, helped develop, plan, and design the visitor center concept, construct the building, create interpretive exhibits, obtain funding, or staff and manage the visitor center were recognized and commended for their commitment to excellence and perseverance to the visitor center's purpose. Each was presented with a copy of the commemorative Arctic Interagency Visitor Center poster and an award thanking them for their contribution in the development of the visitor center. To cap the celebration, three key individuals representing the three federal agencies involved in the new center and responsible for the overall success of it were asked to represent their agencies and co-workers and cut the official ribbon. With the crowd enthusiastically applauding, they jointly cut the ribbon that officially opened the visitor center. Following the ribbon cutting, visitors toured the new center, viewed and participated in interactive exhibits focusing on interagency cooperation, enjoyed light refreshments, and were overwhelmed by the automatically flushing toilets. Contact Info: Kristen Gilbert, 907-786-3391, [email protected]

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Shenandoah National Park: Nature, History and Trails in the Blue Ridge Find out how Shenandoah National Park came to be as you enjoy expert-led walks, short hikes, educational excursions and evening performances in this national gem. Classes, Hike to Visitor Center, Ranger program Field trip along Skyline Drive, Ranger program Morning Class, Afternoon Hike, Live Music in the Main Lodge Morning Class, Afternoon Field Trip, Ranger Program Wrap-up Session, Program Concludes Immerse yourself in the natural and human history of Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains. Survey the local flora and fauna, and trace the ecological changes that have come with increased settlement. Learn about the campaign to create the first National Park in the east and the personal sacrifices residents made in order to make Congress’ 1926 “novel experiment” possible. Get some fresh air on a variety of expert-led walks and short hikes while basking in the splendor of the park’s natural beauty. Hiking 3-5 miles daily over varied terrain. Elevations up to 4,000 feet. Explore mountains, forests and meadows in Shenandoah National Park and traverse the famous Skyline Drive with its gentle curves and many vistas. Enjoy a combination of expert-led walks and short hikes, and delight in special evening performances and talks. Stay overnight at the Big Meadows Lodge complex inside the Park. Jeffrey F Ruggles Jeffrey Ruggles is a historian and photographer whose specialities include the history of Virginia and 19th-20th century popular culture. He has published a book on photography and a biography of Henry Box Brown. His professional background includes curator at Virginia Historical Society, gallery exhibitions, and permanent installations. Jeffrey also owned and operated a popular restaurant in Richmond's Shockoe Bottom for a number of years. Bruce Bytnar The greatest single feature--a sky-line drive: 75 years of a mountaintop motorway by Reed L. Engle A pictorial history about the planning and construction of Skyline Drive Along Virginias Appalachian Trail by Leonard M. Adkins and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy A pictorial history that covers sections in both Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway Wildflowers of Shenandoah National Park: a pocket field guide by Ann Simpson and Rob Simpson Big Meadows Lodge Afternoon: Welcome to Big Meadows Lodge! Rooms should be ready by 4:00pm. Register with Road Scholar in the lobby 4:00-5:00pm and receive your program materials. Dinner: Dinner in the Spottswood Dining room Evening: Orientation in the Lodge classroom. An option available each evening from 9-11 pm is live music in the New Market Taproom on the lower level of the main lodge. Breakfast: Breakfast in the Spottswood Dining room Morning: Become a naturalist and experience the forested mountains of historic Virginia. The Blue Ridge Mountains are the east range of the ancient Appalachians, home to mists and fog, landscapes and breeze, a delicate flower and a busy songbird. Seventy-five years ago the north end of the Blue Ridge was gathered into Shenandoah National Park, and during the Depression, atop the ridge through the park was built a winding road called Skyline Drive, today a National Scenic Byway. Explore the pioneering people and the culture that developed in these upper Virginia Mountains. Learn of the personal sacrifices residents made for the park. Study the venerable mountains that tell a fantastic tale of origin and the web of life that dwells there yet. With numerous overlooks above the rolling hills of the Piedmont to the east and the Shenandoah Valley to the west, the 105 miles of Skyline Drive connect at Afton with the 470 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the most visited unit of the National Park Service, reaching the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina. Our program will include classes, hikes, field trips, and presentations. This morning we will hike the relatively easy one mile trail to the Big Meadows Visitor Center. At the Visitor Center we will meet a Park Ranger for a guided walk through the namesake meadows. The Visitor Center has Rangers on duty to answer questions, a museum exhibit, a theater which offers films on demand, and a gift shop. After the meadow walk we will hike back to Big Meadows Lodge, for a total distance of about 3.5 miles. (PLEASE NOTE: This is a sample schedule. The schedule for each session may be different depending on Park schedule, availability of instructors, and other factors.) Lunch: Lunch in the Spottswood Dining room Afternoon: Shenandoah National Park was authorized in 1926 and dedicated by President Roosevelt in 1936. Land was acquired through "eminent domain" and we'll learn the history of the Park's creation, including the families and communities that were "displaced." Classes focus on the people who pioneered and lived in that area, and the ecology, natural history, and folklore of the Shenandoah. Class this afternoon, in the main lodge meeting room, will cover the cultural history of Shenandoah National Park. Evening: Class this evening at the Lodge meeting room will be a presentation by a retired Park Ranger on his experiences along the Blue Ridge Parkway. An option available each evening from 9-11 pm is live music in the New Market Taproom on the lower level of the main lodge. Morning: Led by our naturalist/retired park ranger, a field trip by bus along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park. Probably the most famous feature of the park is the highway constructed in the 1930s to follow the crest of the Blue, with a top speed limit of 35 to 45 mph. We will take advantage of opportunities to stop at overlooks and, depending on conditions, at one or more of the Park trails for short hikes. Possible hikes include the Limberlost Trail at MP 43, a 1.3 mile circuit through an upland marsh, and the Stony Man Trail at MP 42, a 1.6 mile circuit to a 4000-foot summit and view. The Park is largely forested, with more than 100 species of trees and more than 1,100 species of plants, including 18 varieties of orchids. The variety of ecosystems within the Park include old growth hemlock forests, hardwood/deciduous forests, meadows, marsh and bogs, and pristine wilderness. To the west, the famed Shenandoah River flows at the base of the mountains. Our naturalist will help to find and identify many of the trees, wildflowers and birds that we encounter. For a list of some of the species in the Park, visit www.ohranger.com/shenandoah/flora-fauna. Lunch: Picnic box lunch along Skyline Drive, at a site such as Elkwallow Picnic Area. Afternoon: Field trip continues to explore Shenandoah National Park. An afternoon stop is Massanutten Lodge, the restored home of George and Addie Pollack who operated Skyland as a private camp before the park was established. Evening: This evening we will enjoy a Park Ranger program at the Big Meadows amphitheater. An option available each evening from 9-11 pm is live music in the New Market Taproom on the lower level of the main lodge. Morning: Class this morning will be on the geological history of the Blue Ridge. Afternoon: This afternoon is a hike to Dark Hollow Falls. The round-trip distance is about 3.6 miles. The first mile is relatively easy across meadows, to the start of the trail to the waterfall. The waterfall trail is .8 mile down and then .8 mile back up, and is the steepest trail on the program schedule. The reward is a 70-foot waterfall deep in the hollow. Once back to the top, it’s the same relatively easy mile back to Big Meadow Lodge. Evening: Free evening. An option available each evening from 9-11 pm is live music in the New Market Taproom on the lower level of the main lodge. Morning: Class this morning will be a Park Ranger-led seminar on a current issue facing Shenandoah National Park. Lunch: Lunch at the Spottswood Dining room. Afternoon: The field trip this afternoon is a visit to Rapidan Camp. The camp was President Herbert Hoover’s retreat during his term in office, a fishing camp where he and his wife spent weekends during the warmer months. The Hoover’s cabin has been restored and another cabin has been made into a small museum. The hike to the camp is 4 miles round trip, with 3 stream crossings and it does have some steep sections. Morning: After breakfast we will meet for a wrap-up session. Room checkout is 11 am. Sep 10, 2017 - Sep 15, 2017 Jul 23, 2017 - Jul 28, 2017 5 nights Skyline Drive Located within Shenandoah National Park, Big Meadows Lodge opened shortly after the park was officially opened. The main lodge was built in 1939 with stones cut from the Massanutten Mountains to the west. In recent years the interior has been restored to its original look and furnishings, featuring wood paneling made from native chestnut trees that are now virtually extinct. The main lodge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Cabins and other units in the complex were added in the 1940s and 50s. TripAdvisor Reviews Nice combination of indoor and outdoor activities. Walking in nature and learning indoors. Learning included historical and natural. Very good food at the lodge with choices offered. No long distance hikes but some up and down hiking. Lodge is rustic (no A/C, tv, radio). Rooms have electricity and showers. Spectacular scenery with lodge located at top of Blue Ridge, near the parkway. Many scenic overviews. Park located near other interesting places (such as Shenandoah Valley). Hiking is on rustic trails with exposed roots, rocks and steepness. If you are planning on 10 mile hikes, it is as they said in the description, "4-5 mile hikes." A more experienced hiking group did take a longer hike one day, and there are opportunities to hike portions of the Appalachian Trail near the lodge on free time without a guide. Great food at the Big Meadows Lodge! Rustic accommodations or modern rooms depending on assigned rooms. Beautiful area for peacefulness, history lessons, geology, and nature. Hiking difficulty was variable, but correctly described by Road Scholar. When we arrived (rustic, but nice, lodge) the staff was cautious by overstating the steepness of the trails. No hike over 5 miles r.t., and bring your hiking shoes, a walking staff, and bug spray. This program is set in the beautiful Shenandoah National Park. The woods are gorgeous, and the educational programs were varied and interesting. However, I joined this program because I wanted to hike in the woods, and I was disappointed. Except for one day when a retired park ranger led the hike, it was clear that hiking was not a focus for the organizers. The organizers did not understand the needs of hikers, so strenuous hikes were scheduled in the heat of the afternoon in Virginia in July, rather than the morning, so we could stay awake through class. The leaders had no water, first aid kits, or training in natural sciences to support hikers, so I could have saved my money and hiked on my own. If you're looking for a good hiking experience, look elsewhere.

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How to avoid shark attack Shark attacks on humans are extremely rare, but should it ever happen, you need to know what to do. How to avoid a leopard attack Leopards are top of many people’s safari tick-list, but, while they usually avoid humans, there are some instances in which they will attack. How to survive a lion attack Most lions flee, even from people on foot, but an attack is a possibility and knowing how to react could save your life. How to avoid a bear attack Knowing how to avoid an attack could save your life, because if a bear decides to pick a fight, you’re in a tight corner. How to survive a crocodile attack What to do if you find yourself in a life-or-death situation - and how to avoid being there in the first place. How to avoid a hippo attack Walking through the African bush in the dry season could bring you face to face with a hippopotamus. Here's how to avoid a potentially dangerous and even fatal encounter.

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About Hangzhou Geography and Climate Lingyin Temple Yue-Wang Temple Leifeng Pagoda Qiantang Tide Liuhe Pagoda Xixi National Wetland Park Hu Xueyan's former residence The Yellow Dragon Cave VoiceOverWest Lake—World focus on cultural heritage Clearly, without West Lake there would be no Hangzhou as we know it. To the Chinese mind, Hangzhou and West Lake are an entirety that cannot be separated. West Lake not only serves as the model for the aesthetics of Chinese landscape, but it's also the spiritual home of Chinese scholars from various epochs. It was inducted to the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 2011. West Lake currently occupies an area that was once an ancient gulf about 10,000 years ago. Among all other Chinese attractions, this one is the only lake that has achieved status as a World Heritage Site. Some people say that West Lake merely consists of a lake, a couple of pagodas, some quaint bridges, and a few small islands... but actually, the natural surrounding landscape of West Lake, the spatial features of a modern city surrounded by greenery, and the cultural relics, are all crucial elements that combine to form West Lake's overall charm as a World Heritage Site... making it a perfect backdrop for visitors who wish to take in the area's highly acclaimed top ten views. West Lake covers an area of 60 square kilometers, has a lake surface area of 6.5 square kilometers, and is surrounded by trees that provide visitors with a pleasant canopy of shade. There are many historical sites, including more than 90 representative Chinese stylistic gardens and more than 60 ancient cultural relics. West Lake has virtually become synonymous with the city's name after thousands of years. 此页面上的内容需要较新版本的 Adobe Flash Player。 Address: 228, Yan'an Road, Hangzhou, 310001 China Email: [email protected]; Web Site: www.gotohz.com Hangzhou Tourism Plan ©2013. All Rights Reserved

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Yom Kippur in Nineveh or the teshuvah of Berlin by Micki Weinberg | PUBLISHED Oct 7, 2014 | Opinion In Berlin’s Pergamon Museum, tourists gawk at Assyrian soldiers frozen in an alabaster relief, remnants from the ruins of Nineveh. The sins of Nineveh are overshadowed by the relief’s artistic merit. On Yom Kippur, in synagogues throughout Berlin and the world, we read about Nineveh’s sins and repentance in the Book of Jonah. I live in Berlin, this 21st century-Nineveh, a city in the process of teshuvah ever since 1945. As Germany’s capital, the city plays a special role in how it reacts to its murderous past and what it does to ensure that “Never again” is not only a slogan. How does a city repent? On the most superficial level, Berlin’s public engagement with its past is evident in its many memorials, museums and other explicit references to Nazi crimes. On nearly every street are stolpersteine, or “stumbling blocks,” small brass-covered concrete squares wedged within the cobblestones with the words in German “Here lived …” and the name, personal information, date of deportation and death of the victim who lived at that very space. In horrifying statistical brevity, the stolpersteine demand Berliners to remember their neighbors’ blood. There are many seasonal memorials in major commercial and tourist areas. For example, last winter, a walk down the touristy shopping boulevard, the Kurfuerstendamm, involved encounters with large photos of the murdered Jews who wrote, sang, danced and acted in the cafes, cabarets and theaters that once lined the street. The Berliner cannot escape his past, even in his leisure moments. What about these cafes, cabarets and theaters? They have been bombed out of existence, and none of those that remain are anything like what they were before the war. To understand the significance of this, we can look at Vienna, which has a whole industry selling a reified version of an extinct aura. At Vienna’s Cafe Landtmann, a tourist can comfortably sit, admiring an interior made to look like nothing happened between 1939 and 1945, and never know that Sigmund Freud, Max Reinhardt and all other Jews flaunted by the cafe owners as “regulars” either fled, were deported or murdered. In Berlin, there is no equivalent “aura industry.” Not replicating the Weimar-era cafes reminds the world that the aura of the Jewish Berlin of Walter Benjamin, Kurt Tucholsky and all the other Jews that gave Berlin its special feel, has been extinguished. Because these cafes were completely destroyed, there is nothing original left to renovate. Pathetic enterprises by businessmen seeking to capitalize on Weimar-era Berlin, like the Waldorf Astoria’s attempt to rebuild Berlin’s legendary Romanisches Cafe, usually fail to re-create that special feeling they are aiming for. The aura is missing in this age of chicanery. The architecture as a whole in Berlin remains in a wounded state. The ruin of the 19th-century Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church with its partially destroyed spire is nestled between a cluster of postwar functionalist constructions. The adjacent new church building is not rebuilt in the original style, but instead completely modernist, and to many Berliners another postwar eyesore, annoyingly ensuring that everybody knows things are different now. There is always a debate when reconstructing a building exactly as it was before the War. Some argue that Berlin must never be the same, that it is a crime to forget the crimes of the past. Berlin’s architectural chaos may be as powerful a reminder of the war as memorials, which may soon become objects devoid of meaning like the Nineveh reliefs. Immersed in this tohu vavohu metropolis, without a single major square as it was before the war, every visitor will see something is not right. The question is whether Germany’s capital is different from the architecturally congruent Paris. Absence is the defining factor of Berlin’s teshuvah. What about the people? Like Berlin’s Nazi-constructed Zoologischer Garten station, an integral part of the transportation system, fascist elements are still rooted within the populace. Last summer, crowds of German youth shouted “Jew! Jew! Cowardly Pig!” (This time with Palestinian flags instead of swastikas, the latter illegal here.) The far-right National Democratic Party campaigns with racist posters. In recent months, various leaders in the centrist Social Democratic Party have called to cut off arms sales and impose economic sanctions on Israel. Some things haven’t changed. But if there is some antagonism, there is also acceptance. If you don’t want to be understood in Berlin, don’t think you’re safe speaking Hebrew. You will be surprised that the blonde in the subway car spent a year volunteering to wash dishes in a kibbutz kitchen. Don’t use Yiddish either. Many Yiddish words are still part of the Berlin jargon. Some things haven’t changed. There are strong voices across the spectrum that, because of the history, are more sensitive to anti-Semitism and Israel hatred than in America. Where else in the world is there a far left who sides with Israel? These inspiring Germans look back to the anti-Nazi side of prewar Berlin that made Berlin one of the most progressive cities in the world. This return, teshuvah in its pure sense, has been largely successful. A rabbinical seminary has been re-established. Jewish cultural institutions abound. Hipsters from throughout the world flock to Berlin for its cheap rent and inviting art scene. Israelis are everywhere. Berlin has succeeded where other cities failed — it has rejected the false teshuvah, and remembers its crimes. By engaging with its history, by choice and by circumstance, that magnetic aura that once made this city so great has returned. Like Jonah, who found difficulty with Nineveh’s teshuvah, many Jews today, understandably, find it challenging to accept Berlin’s repentance. Yet like Nineveh, Berlin is a “great city” that deserves its chance for teshuvah. Micki Weinberg, a native of Los Angeles, lives and writes in Berlin. http://jewishjournal.com/opinion/133891/ Limitation Drives Innovation: A Sukkot Message133837http://jewishjournal.com/opinion/133837/ Syria’s Assyrian Christians find refuge with Turkish neighbors by Jane Burgess, The Media Line | PUBLISHED Jan 27, 2014 | Live from the Arab Spring This story originally appeared on themedialine.org. Miydat's Assyrian Orthodox community is still encumbered with festive cookies and candied nuts from their Christmas festivities. In every home, tables groan with remnants from the recent celebrations, which for many of Midyat's residents found themseslves in situations far safer than the previous holiday spent in Syria. Often reported to be sympathetic to the regime of Syrian president Bashar Assad, although all the Christians in Midyat are quick to assert their neutrality, Syria's christian and Assyrian communities have come under an increased threat from more extreme Sunni rebel groups, like Jabhat Al-Nusra and the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS); and many have sought refuge across the border in Turkey's south-eastern provinces. “The Islamists were kidnapping us. It's another kind of terrorism,” said Kalill, a former resident of Al-Qamishli, now living as a refugee in Midyat with the help of the local Assyrian community. A journalist by trade, Kalill had been critical of the Jihadists in the north of Syria near his home. “I didn't know which day the Islamist groups would come into my home. I had been writing against them, so I was threatened,” he told The Media Line. Turkey is home to nearly 600,000 registered Syrian refugees with hundreds of thousands more living in the country without registering with the authorities. The presence of refugees from minority groups within Turkey is a 'see it to believe it' phenomenon, with most Turks and Syrian's refusing to believe they exist. Abuna Ishok Ergun, a Syriac-Orthodox priest in Midyat, says many of the Christians who end up in Midyat do so because, “In Istanbul they won't accept them as refugees because they say there is no problem.” But the refugee population of Turkey is not a homogenous group. While the country geographically and politically lends itself to the arrival of large numbers of mainly Sunni Muslim refugees from Syria's north, amongst them live Kurds, Alawites and Christians. Each group is assisted by their closest Turkish relatives, be that literal – as is the case with many of the Kurdish refugees who arrive in the country and stay with family; or figurative – like the Alevi mosques in Istanbul who aid their Alawite neighbours. The Assyrian community in Midyat, close-knit and supportive, is initially suspicious of a stranger but they soon open up and welcome the chance to tell their stories. Sahaleb Mouza, who left Syria seven months ago, says he likes Midyat and has been welcomed by the local Assyrian networks, but he misses home. “It's not like Syria. It's not like my own country,” Saheleb told The Media Line. He said he took his children and left because, “We were in Qamishli; there's no electricity for eight hours a day and no schools for the children. There is no future.” The Raber family now shares a small apartment in Midyat. Their boys, aged 22, 20 and 19, fled Al-Hasakah with their mother after their father was killed by Jihadist groups who later attempted to kill one of the brothers. They receive help “sometimes from the church and sometimes from family.” Eziky, the eldest son, said, “We are safer here but we don't have the best life. We were studying before and now we don't do anything.” Around 1 million Assyrians were living in Syria before the conflict. They form a sub-section of the Christian community (although there is very small minority of Muslim Assyrians) of Syria, who number around 2.5 million or 10% of the population. The Assyrian Christians live mainly across the north east of the country, around Qamishli and Al-Hasakah, towns just over the border from Turkey which are now controlled by the Kurdish military in a place commonly referred to as 'Rojova'. Pockets of Christians also lived in Mal'oula and Saidnaya as well as in the larger cities of Aleppo, Latakia, Damascus and Homs. In Mal'oula, 11 Christian nuns were kidnapped in early December when the city was overrun by rebel forces. Despite the outcry from the international community and parties within Syria, the nuns remain missing. The incident is cited by all the families in Midyat as evidence of the rising sectarian violence in Syria. “Every ethnic group has lost everything. It's Sunni vs Shia; all the other ethnic groups have been affected,” said Kalill. “In Qamishli, before the crisis, we were living with our neighbors with no problem.” For now, the Kurdish military wing called the People's Protection Units (YPG), which is the predominant fighting force in the Rojova area in Syria's north east, works alongside the Christian and Assyrian communities and protects them. Their common enemy, the Jihadist rebel groups of Jabhat Al-Nusra and others, create a reason for their marriage of convenience. But the Christian community is not wholly convinced its interests will be protected by the Kurds who seek autonomy and their own state. “We are worried about President Barzani, that he won't respect our rights,” Kalill says about the President of Kurdish Iraq who is seeking a united Kurdistan: “I expect in the Rojova area it will be a sectarian war in the countryside.” Father Abuna Ishok Ergun, explains that there were around 130 Assyrian Orthodox living in Midyat before the crisis. Over the last twenty months another 300 individuals have arrived and are cared for in 13 villages in the area. Twenty more had arrived just two days before. The war has been hard on them, according to Father Ergun. “They have different problems like insomnia and depression.” The response of the church is thorough. Father Ergun says they discussed the likely influx of refugees back in 2012 with the local Archbishop and made a home for the Assyrian Orthodox in a local monastery when they began coming in numbers later that year. A Turkish refugee camp was built in the region and was to have a sector for the Christian community. After much controversy about whether it was the correct response for the refugees in question, just three Christian families moved into the camp, with the rest choosing to stay within the Midyat community and in the surrounding villages. Many of the families move onto Europe or elsewhere, using the region as staging post. The act of leaving Syria is, in many cases, sudden and unplanned, Father Ergun told The Media Line. “The Jihadists enter their homes and say you can't take the money or your phone, and if they argue they kill them. They leave so they will not be killed, so they won't kidnap their children and destroy their shops and houses.” Part of the problem, according to Father Ergun, is that, “The Christians in Syria don't have an organization that is defending them.” This is a sentiment echoed by all the refugees in Midyat. Their sense of being in it alone is palpable; they feel Syria has now become sectarian with other groups supported by external governments and organizations. Even the Kurds have a strong political and military presence both in Syria and in Turkey. Once they flee Syria to predominantly Sunni Muslim Turkey, the situation again leaves them with little support outside of the church. Yet, despite the difficulties they face in Turkey, Sahaleb Mouza says they would rather be here than elsewhere. “It's better than Lebanon or Jordan. It's bad for Assyrians in Lebanon.” http://jewishjournal.com/news/world/live_from_the_arab_spring/126351/ Story of a Palestinian honor killing125502http://jewishjournal.com/news/world/live_from_the_arab_spring/125502/ © Copyright 2017 Tribe Media Corp

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Darjeeling : A Dream of Beauty Darjeeling Toy Train Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park Chowrasta and the Mall Batasia Loop Peace Pagoda Like a dream, Darjeeling lies stretched over the steep mountain ridge. Emerald tea plantations surround it and add an enchanting fragrant breeze mixed with the aroma of tea. As a background, the snow-white peaks of the Himalayas float on whiter smoky clouds. Darjeeling is the most incredible attraction in West Bengal. Here you can stare in amazement at the Kanchenjunga Peak as it towers in the background. The city retains the colonial era charm with its beautiful architecture which makes your journey through the narrow streets a more fascinating affair. Here, you can enjoy glimpses of the rare red pandas snow leopards. In case you feel exhausted while enjoying all these interesting sights, there will always be a freshly brewed cup of the delicious Darjeeling Tea waiting for you. The nearest airport to Darjeeling is Bagdogra which is approximately 95 km away from the city. There are some direct flights from the cities like Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati to Darjeeling. New Jalpaiguri is the nearest railhead with connections to Kolkata, Delhi, Guwahati, Madras, Bombay, Bangalore, Bhubaneshwar, Tirupati, Trivandrum and Cochin. Darjeeling is well connected to some of the major cities closeby such as Gangtok,Siliguri and Kalimpong. A visit to Darjeeling will remain incomplete if you do not take a ride on the Darjeeling Toy Train. Officially the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the train system has been designated by the UNESCO World Heritage. The narrow gauge railway network is still traversed by original steam engines and you will be taken across some of the most fascinating natural sights in Darjeeling. The journey is literally a joyride. The entire network is a testament to the skills of the engineers who brought the vision to life. Tiger Hill A visit to Tiger Hill should only be done at dawn. As the soft light of dawn creeps over the horizon, you will be stunned by the Himalayan mountain range which stretches over 250km. Among the various peaks which slowly glitter under the rays, you will recognize some of the famous mountains in the range including Everest, Makalu and Lhotse. However, due to its proximity, the Kanchenjunga Peak will tower over the rest. It is a sight that can make your jaw drop. Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park One of the best zoos in India, the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park was established in 1958. Here the bountiful Himalayan fauna are studied and conserved in their natural habitat. There are some incredible creatures here such as the red pandas, clouded leopards, Tibetan wolves and Himalayan bears. There is a breeding center here dedicated to the cause of the Snow Leopard. These are two of the most famous places in Darjeeling. At the Mall, you can enjoy the social life of the hill station by indulging in a shopping spree. Many of these shops have been operating for a number of decades and have become a part of the heritage of Darjeeling. You can even take a ride on a pony at Chowrasta. At Batasia Loop, the fascinating toy train of Darjeeling takes a circular route around the Gorkha War Memorial. The views from this place are amazing and you can relax in the greenery here. The tranquil atmosphere is, in fact, perfect for relaxation. War Memorial The somber War Memorial is surrounded by a simple garden which seems rather fitting for the monument. The memorial was created as an honor to the valiant Gorkha soldiers of the Indian Army. These brave soldiers laid down their lives in the different operations and wars after the independence of India. The white facades of the pagoda gleam invitingly. It is one of the 70 pagodas built by the Nipponzan Myohoji, a Japanese Buddhist organization, around the world. The pagoda is quite simple but very enjoyable especially during the prayer times. During prayer, you will be encouraged to join in by beating a small hand drum.

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Books, Movies and Random Thoughts July 16th, 2009 at 11:07 pm (Travel) We flew from Newcastle to Jersey on Flybe. I had been very nervous about the weight restrictions – because of my Qantas Club membership, I had come to the UK with 30 kgs of checked baggage, but Flybe only allows 20kgs, and charges a lot for excess baggage. Before I made the booking, I had been advised by email that I would be allowed to register my fencing bag as “special sporting equipment”, which would make it exempt from the weight restrictions, but when I attempted to do so, I was told that the person who had first emailed me had made a mistake. They refused to change their position on this, so after much to-ing and fro-ing I just registered a second bag, and hoped for the best. But when we checked in, she didn’t even blink at the weight (although Michael was told that his cabin bag was too large, and would have to be checked). So all that stress for nothing! We had decided not to stay at the “official” hotel for the Veteran Fencing Championships, as it seemed rather expensive, especially for staying more than the 3 days of the event. But Jenny had found a place in the village of Gorey – the Maison Gorey – where a few of us from the Australian team decided to stay. It was outside the main town of St Helier, but in terms of getting in for the competition it was only about a 15 minute drive. And the accommodation came with free car hire – the car was a Ford Ka, so we weren’t entirely sure we would be able to fit everything in it (fencing bag, suitcase, large backpack, and two wheelie cabin bags) but amazingly, when we put the back seat down, it all went in. (See photo – and note the colour of the car. It doesn’t show all that clearly, but it was a pinkish burgandy shade, described as “blush”.) After we had taken our bags up to our room, we walked down to Gorey Harbour. The tide was out, and I was amazed at just how FAR out it was. This was to strike me time and again during our time on Jersey – someone told me that Jersey has the second lowest tides of anywhere in the world, and I can well believe it. The below photos show Gorey Harbour (with Orgueil Castle in the background) first with the tide out and then with the tide in. And the tide-out photo doesn’t really give a good impression of just how far out it went. We had some drama in the hotel room that night. Jenny had arrived a few hours after us, and we had agreed to watch Torchwood together in our room. Just before she got there, the shower suddenly started to leak water. A bit later, it did it again, and on closer inspection we realised that it wasn’t the shower but the bathroom ceiling that was leaking! And we then found that there were no staff in the hotel! (It was a small, family run concern, with not that many staff – though it did prove to be quite unusual for there to be nobody there at all.) After looking everywhere – and even phoning – without success, Jenny had the bright idea of going to the house next door and asking if they had a contact number for the people … which, fortunately, they did. The owner turned up in about 10 minutes, and we were moved into another room. It appeared that there had been a burst pipe. (Sadly, shuffling bags around meant that we missed the start of Torchwood.) There was further excitement the next morning, when, just as I was about to step out of the shower, the light fitting came crashing to the floor, right where I would have been standing a few seconds later. Fortunately nothing else went wrong for the remainder of our stay. And it actually was a very nice place to stay – the people were lovely, and it had much more character than a big hotel. The plan was to spend the day seeing the two main castle – Elizabeth (on a tidal island off St Helier) and Orgueil (in Gorey). We went to Elizabeth Castle first, which can be accessed by ferry, or, when the tide is out, by foot. However, we were told that because it was rough and windy the ferry wouldn’t be going until 11:00 (the tide would be out enough by 11:30 or so). So we grabbed something to eat and dropped in at the nearby Radisson, to leave a message for Meredith, another Australian fencer, who was staying there. But when we got back, the 11:00 ferry was already fully booked, and it would be half an hour for the next one. So we decided to change things around and see Orgueil Castle first. Orgueil was a medieval castle, with additions and expansions up to the 17th Century. There were so many rooms and passages that I’m not sure we actually saw everything, but we had a great time exploring it. It was relatively busy, but (with a bit of patience) we were still able to get photos without other people in them. We then went back to Elizabeth Castle … only to be told that the ongoing wind meant that they were closing up early. As an alternative, we went to La Hougue Bie, a 12th Century chapel, built on top of a Neolithic mound, which was itself built over a dolmen. Unlike Maes Howe in Orkney (and Newgrange in Ireland) we didn’t have to go in as a group with a guide – we could just explore on our own. The layout was not actually dissimilar to Maes Howe – a long, low entrance opening out into a chamber with three chambers off it. Though this was smaller and distinctly more damp. The entrance seemed lower and longer than Maes Howe, though this could partly be because we didn’t have someone to tell us when we could stand up, so not only did I have to shuffle through hunched over, but I also had to run my hand along the (damp) ceiling to see when it would be possible to stand up. Much more exciting! Particularly for Jenny, who thought she had reached the end of the passage, stood up, and then found (the hard way) that there was one more bit of ceiling jutting down. The building on the top of the mound was actually two separate chapels – one built in the 12th Century (Chapel of Notre Dame de la Clarte) and then an oratory (Jerusalem Chapel) added to the existing chapel in about 1520. Both chapels were fairly plain whitewashed rooms: the Notre Dame had a simple piscina (the ancient altar stone had been removed in 1931 when the chapel was rededicated), and the (unfurnished) Jerusalem still had the very faint remains of the early 16th Century wall paintings. We noticed on the map that we would be passing close by another dolmen, La Pouquelaye de Faldouet, on the way back to the hotel, so we diverted to have a look at it. Unfortunately, it was clearly on the map for hikers and cyclists, as there was no parking, and the road was far too narrow to stop. But we drove down a bit further, to an intersection, and then Michael stayed with the car, while Jenny and I ran back to have a look. It was a passage grave, with a double chamber (apparently quite unusual). The next morning we met up with Meredith, again planning to go to Elizabeth Castle … and again being told it was opening late becasue of the winds. So Meredith, Michael and I went to the Jersey War Tunnels, while Jenny went into town. The War Tunnels are a museum about the German occupation of Jersey during World War II, set up in an underground German Military Hospital. The museum took us through the start of the war (matching world events with events on Jersey) through the optional evacuation, the occupation and then the emancipation. It was a very well put together museum, with a well planned mix of artefacts, archival video and sound effects, and more recent video interviews with people who lived through it. The focus was mainly on day-to-day life, and it was absolutely fascinating. We then met up again, and this time actually made it to the Castle! We decided to walk along the causeway, which was fully exposed by the tide. I had forgotten my camera and had to run back for it – while the others were waiting for me, they met up with Jane, another member of the Australian team. So we all went around the castle together. This was a much later castle than Orguiel, but the really interesting thing about it was that the Germans had used it as part of their defence network during the occupation, so we kept coming across German bunkers and fortifications surrounded by 17th century stonework. Extending out beyond the castle was another causeway, so flat and wide we thought it had been put in by the Germans, but it turned out to be Victorian. This let to a small hermitage, which I think pre-dated the castle (there was also German blockhouse). The photos below show the tidal causeway to the castle (tide way out), the castle itself and the hermitage and blockhouse. We finished the day by driving back to the hotel along the coastal road. This was our last full day of sightseeing, as the next day marked the start of the Commonwealth Veteran Fencing Championships (the actual reason we were on Jersey). However, we did manage to get in to the Jersey Museum the next morning, before weapons check. I won’t go into details about the Championships, except to say that with 105 competitors it was the largest Veteran Championships since the event began in the 1990s, and it was very well run and enjoyable. The Australian team consisted of 6 women and 3 men. I fenced in the individual and team foil (12th in individual and the team got silver), the “B” epee team (we had fun, while the “A” team was winning gold) and the individual and team sabre. I placed 5th in the individual (would probably have made the top 4 if the Championships had been a week earlier, as the winner only turned 40 a few days before the event), and we got the bronze medal in the teams. A good time was had by all! Comments Hadrian’s Wall and Durham July 15th, 2009 at 1:25 am (Travel) I’m now more than a week behind in writing up our holiday. However … Given that we only had a day at Hadrian’s Wall, we couldn’t see everything we wanted, so we concentrated on just a few things. We started with the Procolitia Fort and Temple of Mithras. The Fort is a bit hard to work out, as it hasn’t been excavated, so it is basically just ridges in a field (with lots of sheep and cattle), and because it is private property there’s not a lot of signage. Fortunately the owner happened to walk past while we were there (collecting molehills, which apparently make good topsoil) and she showed us the rough layout. The Temple of Mithras was in the next field over, and was a bit more obvious as it has been excavated and partially restored. We then went to the Steel Rigg carpark, which is a starting point for some good stretches of Wall. We went for a bit of a walk, but didn’t really have time to make it extensive. The Wall was impressive, and the views were spectacular. Next stop was Vindolanda, a Roman auxiliary fort that was originally set up before Hadrian’s Wall was built, and so is located a little south of the Wall. Excavations of the area are ongoing: as well as the archaeologists, they have volunteer workers every year, a number of whom we saw digging and dragging wheelbarrows around. There’s not much in the way of high walls, but there is a growing picture of the layout of the township. There was also a rather good museum, with interesting pieces, and a video about the Vindolanda tablets – wooden tablets with ink writing containing all sorts of lists and messages (including one to the fort commander’s wife, from another, nearby, fort commander’s wife, inviting her to a birthday party). After Vindolanda, we went to the Roman Army Museum (discount ticket if bought at the same time as a Vindolanda ticket) which proved to be a bit disappointing. Our final stop was Housesteads (Vercovicium), a fort actually on Hadrian’s Wall. Like Vindolanda, there are no full walls or anything, but it has been more extensively excavated. We were lucky enough to arrive just as a guided walk was starting, so we went on that, and learned a fair bit more than we would have got just from the signs. As well as the fort itself, the views over the landscape (and of some intact/restored sections of Wall) were spectacular. After that, we drove down to Durham, where Anelie and Neil had very kindly offered us a room for the night. It was great to catch up with them again. After we’d gone out for dinner, we all went for a walk along the riverbank, and Anelie and Neil showed us a lovely view of the Cathedral. The next day, we went to see the Castle and the Cathedral. They are opposite each other, with the green in between them. However, because the graduations had just finished, the green had been completely covered by an enormous great marquee. By the time we got there, workmen had started disassembling it, but it was still half up, and they appeared to be on a break of indeterminate length. So we weren’t able to get any nice photos of the area. It turned out that Castle tours didn’t start until the afternoon, and there were services in the Cathedral all morning. However, we were still able to see some sections of the cathedral, and the cloister. And it was lovely to be in the Cathedral while the choir was singing. We went briefly into the Museum before meeting Anelie and Neil for lunch, and then after lunch went back and saw the rest of the Cathedral. It really is vast, and must have been incredibly impressive when it was all painted inside (it was pretty impressive just with bare stone!) The first Castle tour was at 2:00, so we walked over about 5 minutes before, only to have the people in front of me by the last two tickets. So we booked for the 2:30 instead, which was probably better since the 2:00 had 41 people on it, and ours was much smaller than that. We got a history of the Castle, and saw a number of rooms, the Great Hall, the two Chapels and the kitchen. Because the Castle is now student accommodation, the kitchens are still in use – in fact, they are the oldest continually-in-use kitchens in Britain. There were also two original kitchen tables, taken out of use in the 1970s as they were deemed unhygenic, which were kept in other areas. (The bigger one was in a large room upstairs – apparently the rugby team of the day had carried it up!) We then went back to Anelie and Neil’s, said our goodbyes and headed to the B&B near Newcastle airport that we had booked, ready for the flight to Jersey the next day. They had advertised as having no aircraft noise – which did prove to be true – but neglected to mention that they were right next to a busy roundabout. Fortunately the traffic did ease off later in the evening, but it definitely at the lower end of the B&Bs we had stayed in. On the other hand, the pub dinner we had was very good. Comments Edinburgh and the Border Abbeys July 9th, 2009 at 8:31 am (Travel) Because we had left things to the last minute in deciding whether to go to Edinburgh or Glasgow, we didn’t have any accommodation organised in advance. After spending an evening of running various web searches, I ended up just booking into the same place I stayed when I was in Edinburgh in 2006. Though it now has the bonus of free wifi. Because it is very conveniently located for Holyrood Palace, that was the first place we set off for (Michael had never seen it, and when I went some of the rooms were closed). However, we had failed to make the connection that because the Queen had been visiting Culloden, she was obviously in the North, and would therefore be in residence. As it turned out, she had left the Palace that morning, but it was still closed to visitors for a couple of days. So we went to Holyrood Park instead. In the end, we didn’t go all the way up Arthur’s Seat, but we still got some great views of the park, Holyrood Palace and the city. We then walked up the Royal Mile and spent an enjoyable few hours in the Castle. There were still quite a few hours of daylight remaining as we left, but at that point the mild headache I’d had all day turned into a migraine, and I didn’t really feel up to hiking around the city any longer, particularly since it was actually quite hot. So we called it a day. The next day, the weather actually turned Scottish – or at least, more so than we had experienced thus far: it drizzled on and off for much of the day. However, it didn’t stop us from seeing three of the Border Abbeys included in our Historic Scotland passes: Melrose, Dryburgh and Jedburgh. It wasn’t actually raining when we were at Melrose Abbey (founded in 1136 by Cistercian monks) so we spent quite a while wandering around, climbing the tower, and listening to the free audio commentary. When we got to Dryburgh Abbey (1150, Premonstratensian canons) the drizzle had definitely set in, so we didn’t spend as much time there as we might have. (Also, they didn’t have a free audio guide.) Sir Walter Scott and Field Marshal Haig are both buried here – Scott has the more impressive memorial, although there were a lot of regimental wreaths at Haig’s grave – I believe there had been some sort of Services Day, or something, recently. Finally, we went to Jedburgh Abbey (1138, Augustinians). Situated high on a hill, it was perhaps the most impressive of the three, although since the Nave was undergoing conservation work, there was a certain amount of unsightly scaffolding (and some points in the audio tour where we couldn’t quite follow the instructions on where to walk). After Jedburgh, we crossed the border into England, and went to the farm B&B near Hadrian’s Wall that we had booked into. In our time in Scotland we had only had one brief glimpse of a Highland cow – so of course, now that we were in England, the farm had two of them in the field we could see from our window. They also had a very friendly cat. Comments Travelling south July 6th, 2009 at 7:09 pm (Travel) From Inverness, we meandered south to Edinburgh, stopping overnight in Ballachulish (near Glen Coe). This time, we drove down the east side of Loch Ness, along the more picturesque, less populated B862. Again, because it was early in the morning it was very quiet and the Loch looked lovely and misty. We stopped at Foyles and did two short walks – one to the Falls of Foyles (which weren’t quite as Robert Burns described them) and the Red Squirrel Walk (didn’t see any red squirrels). But the walks were pleasant, nevertheless. After this, we continued past the interestingly-named Loch Lochy, and then stopped to look at the Commando Memorial (“in memory of the Commandos who died in the Second World War”) and enjoy our first view of Ben Nevis. We then detoured slightly west, to go to the village of Glenfinnan on the shores of Loch Shiel, where (historically) in 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard to signal the start of the Jacobite uprising; and also where the (fictional) Connor Macleod was born in 1518. There is a column by the edge of the Loch, commemorating the Jacobites, but it looked like you had to pay a an entrance fee to get to it, and we figured that the National Trust of Scotland had had enough of our money the day before at Culloden, and the Glenfinnan Visitor Centre would be covering the same set of events as the Culloden one, so we decided to give it a miss. Instead, we continued on into Glenfinnan, and had lunch at the Glenfinnan Station Museum, in a converted railway carriage (originally a Dining Car). They very helpfully gave us a map of walks in the area, so we did the first part of the Viaduct Viewpoint path, which ran all the way from Glenfinnan to the 21 arch viaduct crossed by the West Highland Railway (as seen in the Harry Potter films). We only went as far as the viewpoint, where we got a magnificent view of the Loch in one direction, and an in-the-distance view of the viaduct in the other. On leaving Glenfinnan, we retraced our route back towards Ben Nevis, and into the start of Glen Nevis. We parked in the “Braveheart” carpark and did a short and not very interesting walk. We would probably have done better to drive further into the glen, but time was getting on and we wanted to get to the B&B we had booked in Ballachulish. After checking in to the B&B, and offloading our luggage, we drove on into Glen Coe and did a couple of walks – one from the Visitor Centre, and then another (better) one to Signal Rock. According to the information board, tradition has it that Signal Rock was the gathering point for the MacDonalds of Glencoe at times of emergency, and some people believe that a fire was lit here to signal the start of the Massacre on 13 February (though there is no evidence to support this). Regardless of whether this is true or not, there was a wonderful view from the top of the rock. The next morning, we drove on through Glen Coe and Rannoch Moor, stopping (frequently) to enjoy the views. We then drove through part of the Trossachs National Park, which was quite pretty, but not a patch on what we had seen earlier in the day. We stopped at Balquhidder to see Rob Roy’s grave, and at 13th century Inchmahome Priory, which is on an island in the Lake of Menteith (the only lake – as opposed to loch – in Scotland). A little 12 person boat regularly ferries people across the lake to the island. Our final stop for the day was Stirling Castle. We got there at about 3:00, and as we arrived it started to rain lightly. The air smelled as if an enormous great thunderstorm was brewing, but fortunately this failed to eventuate. However, it was still sprinkling when we went into the castle and joined one of the free guided tours. The tour guide was amusing and informative, and we really enjoyed it. We went through the Great Hall and the Chapel (where the infant James VI was baptised), but the Palace was closed as it was still being restored. Part of the restoration work includes the weaving of new tapestries for the Palace walls: they are basing them on a six-tapestry series of a unicorn hunt (allegory for the Crucifixion and Resurrection) and the four completed tapestries were hanging inside the Chapel. We went down to the Tapestry Room, where you could actually see the weavers working on the new tapestries, and read some information about them: the kind of research that had been done, the changes that had been made, etc. One nice feature is that they aren’t attempting to age them at all: when the Palace is reopened, the tapestries on the walls will be as rich and vibrant as they would have been when the Palace was actually in use. Stirling Castle was the first place we had been to that showed signs of really heavy tourist activity happening. However, because we had arrived later in the day, the numbers were thinning while we were there, and while it didn’t end up deserted, it certainly wasn’t crowded. Even better, by the time we were leaving, the rain had cleared up completely, so we were able to get photos of the views, and of the Wallace Monument in the distance. We were spending the night in Edinburgh, but we had been warned that it would be best to arrive after 6:30, to avoid traffic congestion, so we grabbed a quick meal in Stirling (confirming that British Chinese Restaurants are still underwhelming) before heading to Edinburgh. Comments Inverness July 3rd, 2009 at 7:40 am (Travel) There were a few things we wanted to see around Inverness, so we set off bright and early in the morning. Our first destination was Urquhart Castle, on the west bank of Loch Ness. The road down had lots of stopping places to view the Loch, which looked lovely in the early morning mists. It was sufficiently early in the morning, that it was very quiet (there was one tour bus, but we had walked down a little path to the edge of the loch, and for some reason they all stayed in the parking area to take their photos). We drove through the village of Drumnadrochit, declining to stop at any of the monster exhibitions, and got to the castle 20 minutes before opening times. There were a few people hanging around the carpark, but we decided to backtrack slightly and go to Divach Falls. They turned out to be not the most exciting waterfall in the world, but it was a lovely walk to get there and much better than sitting in the carpark. When we got back to the castle, it was open but still fairly quiet. Before going to the castle, you watch a short film on its history (repeatedly sacked, damaged and rebuilt over the centuries, and finally blown up in 1692 to prevent Jacobites using it), and when the film finishes, the curtains open and there are the castle ruins before you. Quite effective. The ruins were nice to wander around, and the views of the Loch were spectacular. We planned to go to Culloden Battlefield next, so we drove back up the Loch (the roads were more crowded by this time) but we arrived to find a police car at the entrance, and we were told the Battlefield was closed until 2:30. No explanation as to why. We speculated that there might have been some kind of incident, but it did seem rather unlikely that the police would know in advance exactly when they would be finishing up. Later, we learned that the Queen was visiting (though apparently she didn’t go onto the battlefield at all – just stayed in the new Visitor Centre and had lunch). We therefore went off to nearby Clava Cairns – Bronze Age burial chambers. There were two ring cairns and two passage graves, which made an interesting contrast to (Neolithic) Maes Howe in Orkney. The passage graves were open rather than fully enclosed, so not grassed over, and there was a single passage into the middle, which was aligned with the setting sun. Each one was within a ring of standing stones. We then had to decide between seeing Cawdor Castle and Fort George. In the end, we picked Fort George – we decided it would be a bit different (we will be seeing quite a few castles) and also it was included in our Historic Scotland ticket, whereas Cawdor Castle wasn’t. And Cawdor Castle doesn’t really have a Macbeth connection, as it only dates back to the 14th Century. Fort George was built after the Battle of Culloden, as a base for George II’s army to quell any future Jacobite uprisings. This ultimately proved unnecessary, but it has been used every since as a military barracks (and still is today). Because it is still in use, some bits were off-limits, but much of it was open, with several rooms set up to show how they would have looked historically. The audio commentary (free) was very informative, and it was particularly interesting to walk around the walls and see how the changing nature of warfare had led to the Fort being built with ravelins (big ditches and earthworks to absorb the impact of cannon fire), rather than high fortress walls which could be shattered by a cannon ball The weather had been a bit cloudier than the last couple of days, and at about 3:30 we noticed that it was starting to look like rain. So we thought it would be a good idea to go to Culloden before it hit. (As it turned out, although it sprinkled a bit, if there was full-on rain it went somewhere other than Culloden.) The big fancy Visitor Centre (only finished in 2008) was quite informative about the events leading up to the battle, but to be honest I thought quite a lot of the presentation was basically fluff. They could have shown everything very nearly as effectively – and a heck of a lot less expensively – by just having information boards and diagrams, without the need for sound effects, computer screens, etc. And the money saved could have been spent on restoring the area to how it would have been for the battle (which they are also trying to do). We went on a short guided walk of the field, which was quite good, but annoyingly the GPS-driven audio guides weren’t available. For some reason, I found it all a bit less evocative that when we went to Bosworth Field (though admittedly that was over 10 years ago, so I could be mis-remembering). However, seeing the clan graves was quite moving. Comments Orkney July 1st, 2009 at 8:52 am (Travel) The conference finished at lunchtime on Thursday. We had picked up our hire car that morning, so we were able to set off as soon as we had finished lunch. We drove as far as Inverness, stopping on the way at Kildrummy and Glenbuchet castles. We had wonderful sunny weather, and our visit to Kildrummy was enlivened by the sound of lawnmowers and whipper-snippers, and the smell of fresh-cut grass. Glenbuchet turned out to be in the middle of a sheep paddock – someting I hadn’t factored in when I decided not to change out of my conference-going clothes. However, I managed to avoid stepping in anything nasty. Both were enjoyable – Kildrummy (13th century) was larger and grander, but considerably more ruined than Glenbuchet (1590), which had most of its walls still intact. The next day, which was bright and sunny, we drove up to Scrabster, where we were booked on the ferry to Orkney. It was an extremely large car-ferry, with restaurant, bar, etc. More importantly, it was the scenic ferry route, going around Hoy (we got a good view of the Old Man of Hoy) and into picturesque Stromness. Getting off the ferry, we went straight to our B&B, “Ashleigh”. It wasn’t an old building, but it was central to all the things we wanted to see, it had a view over the Loch of Harray, and the room was huge and well appointed. The owner, Audrey Poke, was very nice and helpful, and, as we discovered the next morning, provided a wonderful breakfast. Definitely a high rating on the B&B scale. After offloading all our bags, we went to see the nearby Stones of Stenness and Ring of Brodgar. Both were originally stone circles in henges – Stenness had much larger stones, but only a few were left standing, whereas you could still tell that Brodger was a ring (see photo). They both clearly had the ditch (feature of a henge) and causeway still visible. Stenness is the oldest henge in the UK, and Brodger may well be the third oldest – they are both older than Stonehenge. We had seen that there was a “Taste of Orkney” céilidh happening nearby, so we went along. It wasn’t a tourist thing – more like a local community concert. So some performances were not exactly traditional (e.g. ballet students dancing to an Abba song) but there was a fantastic pair of drummers, a flute/guitar pair (playing Shetland rather than Orkney tunes!) and a brilliant folk singer. He sang a song that I think was called “Proud women rule us with their tears”, inspired by Flora Macdonald, that was beautiful. There was a supper (local Orkney produce) and then a dance, that we didn’t stay for. It was 11pm by the time we got back to the B&B – and still light. The next day, which was again bright and sunny (we had fantastic luck with the weather!) we started off with a trip to Kirkwall, to do some shopping and to see St Magnus Cathedral, the Earl’s Palace and the Bishop’s Palace. The last two were ruins – but all three were, by a considerable margin, the most recent things we were to visit that day. At midday we went back to the Ring of Brodger for a (free) guided walk, which covered not only the history but also the local flora and fauna. The guide (Elaine) told us that Brodger, Stenness, Skara Brae and Maes Howe had together been designated a World Heritage Site – the “heart of Neolithic Orkney”. As well as these four sites, the area has a number of other standing stones, and is just littered with artefacts. However, because of this, they are not allowed to dig more than two inches into the ground without permission, and they have to have an archaeologist present when they do so. This means that just putting up a signpost can be a lengthy process! From here, we went to the next component of Neolithic Orkney – Skara Brae. This is a Neolithic village which has been amazingly well preserved. Basically, it was completely buried in sand, and then revealed as the result of a big storm in the 19th century. It was certainly interesting, and amazingly well preserved, but it didn’t feel “special” in the same way that Brogder and Stenness did. The last item in the quartet is Maes Howe, a burial chamber. We had booked to do a “twilight” tour at 8pm (not that this was really twilight!) which meant that we had time to go to the Brough of Birsay first. This is an island that you can walk to during low tide (which happened to be in the evening) and which has the remains of a Viking settlement. We then walked to the top of the hill, which had a lighthouse, and views of the cliffs. It also had a number of bird watchers. After the slight disappointment of Skara Brae, visiting Maes Howe was more like the other places – it really felt special. It is a covered burial chamber – again, far older than Stonehenge, probably about the same age as Newgrange in Ireland, though not as big. Unsurprisingly, it didn’t look like anything much from the outside (see photo) but the inside was amazing. We had to stoop down and shuffle through the entrance passage (whereas in Newgrange, we could stand upright but it was so narrow we had to go in sideways.) The inner chamber had three areas for placement of bones, although any bones that may have been there were lost when it was excavated in the 19th century. Like Newgrange it is precisely aligned so that during the winter solstice the sun’s rays shine directly into the central chamber (though in this case it is the rising sun where as Newgrange is the setting sun – or maybe it is the other way around …). The other fascinating thing about it is that, millennia after it had been abandoned, the Vikings found it. It is possible that they may have used it to store treasure, but it is certain that a number took shelter during a fierce winter storm. The chamber is full of Viking graffiti. We were only booked to stay two nights on Orkney, so reluctantly we had to leave on Sunday morning. We were booked on the shorter, cheaper, less-scenic ferry from St Margaret’s Hope. On the drive over, we stopped to look at the Italian Chapel – built by Italian prisoners-of-war out of two Nissen huts. An amazing piece of work – the inside is painted to look like the stonework of a cathedral. The ferry went from St Margaret’s Hope to Gills Bay, which is between Dunnet Head (Britain’s most northerly point) and John O’Groats. So we went to see both. With its lighthouse and sea and view of Hoy on the horizen. Dunnet Head felt splendidly remote (see photo). John O’Groats … didn’t. On the subject of remoteness, one thing that struck me on Orkney was that we managed to fluke visiting places at a time when most other people weren’t there. In fact, except for Skara Brae it was remarkably quiet, and easy to get photos without lots of people in them – and even Skara Brae wasn’t overly crowded. Apparently Saturday is often a quiet day (people coming for a week are leaving/arriving), but even so we were very lucky in that regard. Comments Aberdeen June 23rd, 2009 at 7:52 am (Travel) I’m resurrecting my blog to cover our four week holiday in the UK, which incorporates a conference, a fencing competition and some driving around the Scottish Highlands. The flight over was not quite as horrible as usual. We managed to get upgraded to Premium Economy, which meant much wider seats, with much more legroom and more of a recline. It was also a set of two rather than three, so I wasn’t stuck between Michael and a stranger. As a result, I actually manged to get a couple of hours sleep. I also watched a few TV episodes of programs I had already seen, and five movies: They were all quite watchable, though I can’t say I regret missing any of them at the cinema. I probably enjoyed Michael Clayton and Inkheart the most. We arrived in Aberdeen at about midday, only to learn that my fencing bag was still at Heathrow. However, they promised that it would be on the next flight up, and I wasn’t too fussed since the fencing competition isn’t until the other end of the holiday. On the taxi ride in from the airport, we quickly learned why it is called the Granite City – even the suburban houses were made of granite rather than brick, and looked really nice in the sun. (Though I have since discovered that this is not the case in all suburbs, it was certainly a lovely introduction to the city.) After we had checked into the hotel, showered and changed, we went out to wander around for a bit. The sun had gone in, and it was starting to look a bit overcast, and it was at this point that I remembered I had packed my raincoat into my fencing bag. Not the best move. But it wasn’t actually raining, so we went out anyway. We walked down the main street, went to the Maritime Museum and were then wandering back to the hotel when the heavens opened and we had to take shelter in the doorway of a restaurant. Fortunately it only lasted for about ten minutes (and we weren’t the only people taking shelter in that doorway!) On Saturday, we went to Provost Skene’s House, a 17th century house that is almost entirely surrouned by tall buildings (and the signs pointing towards it weren’t as helpful as they might have been). It had a fairly amazing painted gallery, dating back to 1622 and restored as best they could (i.e. one or two places are completely blank, and the diagram just labels them as “scenes from the life of Jesus). As a complete contrast, the other memorable feature of the house was the enormous rocking horse in the nursery. We then went to the bay area: we walked down the Esplanade and into a suburb called Footdee, which apparently used to be a fishing village. The little houses were very charming and completely non-touristy: it was just somewhere people were living. Though this did mean that our assumption there would be shops and somewhere we could by fish and chips were mistaken. Finally , we went to the Art Gallery. It had quite a nice collection of 19th century painting, but I thought the most striking piece we saw was a sculpture on the ground floor. It was called Feedback Loop 2003, by Kenny Hunter: I have linked to an online photo of it, although this doesn’t really do it justice. Michael described it as Manga meets Chairman Mao, and this is pretty much what the notes in the gallery said. I can’t really say why I liked it (except that the online photo doesn’t really capture the power of it). On Sunday we did a walking tour of Old Aberdeen, which included Kings College Chapel, the university’s Botanical Gardens, St Machar’s Cathedral (a fortified cathedral!), Seton Park and Aberdeen’s oldest bridge. A lovely area, and the guided tour was reasonably informative. The conference started today, but I will hold off on blogging it until the end. Comments Rome Again October 10th, 2007 at 10:19 am (Travel) Our last two days were back in Rome, and we stayed at Eva’s Rooms again – a different room this time, on the third floor, rather smaller and somewhat cheaper. After getting the train back from Florence, and checking back into the hotel, we went to the Via Appia. We got off the bus at about the 6th mile and walked all the way back to the start. We really enjoyed it. On the way, we stopped at the Catacombs of San Callisto. This was actually a bit disappointing. The catacombs themselves were fantastic, but the tour through them was very short, and we were rushed past a series of rooms with frescoes in them. On Monday we went to the Vatican Museums. We mostly looked at the Roman collection, plus going through the Room of Maps, the Library, and, of course, the Sistine Chapel. The Chapel itself was horribly crowded, which is understandable I guess given the quality, and fame, of the art. By contrast, the Roman collection was much easier to move around (lack of tour groups, for one thing) and was an interesting mix of gods and mythic heroes with real people. I particularly liked a bust of Hadrian. The rest of Monday was spent doing various errands. We went to Statzione Termine, to find out about shuttle bus services to Ciampino Airport (for Michael, who is flying RyanAir to the UK) and the train to Fiumicino (Leonardo da Vinci) Airport for me (flying Cathay Pacific/Qantas back to Australia). We also posted some books back to Australia, did a bit of shopping, and then spent the evening packing. Comments Maranello October 6th, 2007 at 6:19 am (Travel) The official website for Galleria Ferrari was notably lacking in information on how to get there by public transport. We eventually worked it out by means of other people’s blogs, plus some minimal (though better than nothing!) instructions from the Florence tourist office. So, since other people’s blogs helped us, I thought I’d add to the internet-based information. Step one was to get from Florence to Modena – fortunately we got a direct train, rather than having to change. From the Modena train station we got a Number 7 bus to the main bus station. Actually it would only have been a 10 minute walk, but since we didn’t have a map (there was no tourist information at the train station – or, indeed, at the bus station) we thought the bus would be safer. Finding a bus to Maranello was quite easy, as the bus station had a central ticket office, numbered bays and an indicator board, though it was about 40 minutes before the next bus was due. On the (very good!) advice of the ticket seller, we bought four tickets – two to get us out there, and two to get us back. What we didn’t think to do was ask if there was a timetable so we would know when the busses back were. The bus trip took about 30 minutes, and the bus driver shouted out “Ferrari” at the appropriate stop. The stop was outside a Ferrari shop, and after that was the restaurant Enzo used to eat at, and then another shop (this was the actual, official one). The factory was across the road, but factory tours are only available to owners. To get to the Gallery we walked down the road between the restauarant and the official shop, around to the left, and then around to the right. The actual gallery was a bit smaller than we had expected, but there was a good collection of F1 cars (there were important early ones, plus a range of relatively recent ones – three of Schumacher’s, plus one of Prost’s, one of Mansell’s and one of Berger’s), as well as road cars (I particularly liked the new 599 in a stunning shade of metallic red, slightly deeper than the traditional Ferrari colour) and an exhibition of sports prototypes. In total, Michael took 350 photographs at the gallery, and of cars in the carpark. We had hoped to have lunch in the restaurant across the road from the factory, but it was full (something we should have anticipated), and this was the point at which we realised our error in not asking about bus times, as the bus stop didn’t have any timetable on it at all. But by an incredible piece of good luck, while we were standing there debating whether it would be better to walk into the centre of Maranello or just wait for a bus, one arrived! We had considered seeing a bit of Modena, but in the end we just got the train back to Florence. Rather than wandering around looking for somewhere to have dinner, when we got back to the hotel we asked them to recommend a nice restaurant. The place we went – Giovanni’s – was expensive, but far and away the best food we had eaten. Michael had the suckling pig, which he said was the best he had ever had, and I had the tuna, which was also cooked superbly. 1 Comments Siena Once we had actually found the bus station in Florence (after walking right past the entrance at least three times), getting the bus to Siena was quite problem free. It seemed that almost everyone on the bus was a tourist rather than a local! Siena itself was just beautiful. I loved the gold colour of the buildings. We spent the morning walking around, had lunch on Piazza del Campo (where the horse race is run) and then went into the Museo Civico in the Palazzo Communale. There was an amazing range of decoration within the rooms, and the view from the top floor (even though we didn’t actually go up the bell tower) was wonderful. In the afternoon we did a walking tour, with a really good tour guide who not only told us about historic Siena, but also about the more modern aspects – especially the full details of how the horse race is organised: it is entirely a competition between the districts of the city, once the horses for the race have been selected they are actually assigned to the districts by lot, but each district organises its own jockey. I said I didn’t see how people standing in the middle of the piazza would be able to see the race at all, and she made us all laugh when she replied “If you are Sienese, you feel it.” When the tour was finished, we went into the Duomo – which has the most amazing floors – and then up into the Museo Dell’Opera museum, which is in what would have been the nave of the never-finished extension to the Duomo. From the top, we got another magnificent view of Siena. Getting a bus back to Florence was slightly less straightforward than the morning, but only because the bus was delayed, and there were no indicator boards or anything to tell us. Comments « Previous entries Next Page » Next Page » Impressions of the movies/plays I see, plus some of the books I read. Search PagesIndex Bujold Streatfeild Meta Log in Entries RSS Comments RSS Powered by Wordpress Site by White Gauntlet Adapted from a theme by Beccary and Weblogs.us

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About Bhutan Bhutan Articles Bhutan History Bhutan News Fiction & Music King Remembered Bhutan’s first five-star hotel opens today January 23, 2008-Thimphu: Taj Tashi, a joint venture of the Tashi Group of Companies and Taj Leisure Hotels, India, opens in the capital today to become the country’s first five-star hotel. The Taj Tashi-Bhutan, a 66-room hotel including 9 suites, with dramatic hand-painted walls provides the perfect foothold for a visitor to discover Bhutan’s many wonders. Reflecting Bhutan’s rich heritage and architecture, the hotel maintains a delicate balance of traditional Bhutanese design with contemporary elegance. The rooms offer a majestic view of mountains surrounding Thimphu valley and inside guests will find every modern comfort and facility – from the spa to swimming pool, elegant conference facilities and multi-cuisine dining – in a setting that retains the charm and artistic sensibilities of Bhutan’s art and culture. Guests can savor traditional Bhutanese cuisine at the specialty restaurant known as Chig-ja-gye (hundred and eight), reflect on the day’s experience at Rimps – the airy tea lounge, or enjoy a drink at Ara – the bar. “The Tashi Group has embarked on an ambitious project of having the finest hotels in Bhutan. This association with the Taj Hotels is the first step in that direction. We remain committed toward promoting the best that Bhutan has to offer and are confident that this long-term partnership with Taj Hotels will enhance our efforts in marketing this unique destination,” said Wangchuk Dorji, vice chairman of the Tashi Group of Companies. Taj has entered into a management contract with the Tashi Group to operate the property. Indian Hotels Company, a part of Taj Hotels, as a strategic market decision has been targeting a presence in virgin tourist destinations with Bhutan being the latest addition, said media reports. Taj Tashi has been developed by the Tashi Group of Companies with an investment of Nu 500 million, according to Business Standard, an Indian newspaper. Inspired by the dzong architecture, Taj Tashi is one of the first Taj properties in cool climate regions. “All rooms have a mountain view. We will be able to give an essence of Bhutan to the tourists even if they do not want to step out of the hotel. This will also be Bhutan’s first centrally-heated hotel,” Jyoti Narang, chief operating officer, Taj Leisure Hotels, told Business Standard. In the same compound, Tashi Group is also coming up with a shopping complex that will feature a bowling alley and have an underground parking. A proposal for two mini theatres inside the complex has been put up to the government. Vijay Shrikent, the general manager of Taj Tashi, said the hotel aims to attract tourists and business personnel. “The tariffs are between US $ 300 to 600 a day. There are no concessions for Bhutanese,” he said. Established in 1903, Taj Hotels and Palaces is one of Asia’s largest and finest group of hotels, comprising 59 hotels in 41 locations across India and 18 hotels in the Maldives, Mauritius, Malaysia, Australia, UK, USA, Sri Lanka, Africa, Middle East and now in Bhutan. Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces is part of the Tata Group, India’s premier business house. Source: Bhutan Times Posted in: Bhutan News « March is on to Assembly elections An autonomous tourism board » About YANA Bhutan Picture Gallery © 1999 - 2014 YANA Expeditions, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Airport news: San Jose, Denver, Salt Lake City, Paris, Berlin May 27, 2016 International arrivals at Mineta San Jose can use an app to get through Customs faster. (Image: Mineta San Jose Airport) In airport news, two airports in the western U.S. are the latest to offer an expedited arrivals option for international passengers; Salt Lake City international changes course on the availability of smoking rooms; Paris CDG has a new place where weary travelers can lay their heads; and Berlin’s new Brandenburg International faces more delays. U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Mobile Passport Control app is now available for international travelers re-entering the country through Mineta San Jose International and through Denver International. The free app, available through the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, eliminates the need for filling out a paper customs declaration form and speeds up processing of incoming travelers. Persons who download the app simply need to create a personal profile with their passport data, fill in the “New Trip” section when they arrive in the U.S., submit their CBP declaration form via the app to get an electronic bar-coded receipt, and then show their passport and smartphone with the receipt to a CBP officer. If you’re a smoker, you might not want to connect through Salt Lake City International in the future. The new city administration there has decided to get rid of all five smoking rooms at SLC by the year’s end. The effort will start with the Concourse D room, which will be gone July 5; the others will be removed over the next six months. This policy marks a change from the previous city administration, which had planned to continue offering smoking rooms as part of the massive terminal redevelopment coming to SLC over the next few years. A typical guest “cabin” at Paris CDG’s new Yotel. (Image: Yotel) At Paris Charles de Gaulle, a July 1 opening is scheduled for the airport’s first in-terminal lodging. That’s when a Yotel will make its debut in Terminal 2E, the home base for Air France and its SkyTeam partners. Yotel already operates airport locations at London Heathrow, London Gatwick and Amsterdam Schiphol. Yotel accommodations are in small “cabins” with luxury bedding, ensuite bathrooms with showers, and a “techno wall” with flat-screen TV, mood lighting and multiple power ports. The CDG airside facility will also have a communal Club Lounge with free hot beverages, work spaces ad a TV zone. The whole place provides super-fast Wi-Fi as well. Bookings are available at www.yotel.com. Remember back in 2011 when Germany was planning to cut the ribbon on a big new international airport serving its capital city of Berlin? After five years of construction, that 2011 opening never happened. The airport, plagued with all kinds of structural, design and technological problems, was then rescheduled to open in 2012, then in early 2013, then in late 2013, and most recently in 2017. But now the city’s mayor has told local officials that at this point, it’s looking like 2018 is a more likely possibility. What happened to that legendary German efficiency? Volkswagen emission controls, anyone? Filed Under: Airports Tagged With: airports, App, Berlin, Brandenburg, Charles de Gaulle, Customs and Border Protection, Denver, mobile passport control, Paris, Salt Lake City, San Jose, Yotel shrike2112 The beleaguered Berlin Brandenburg Airport would answer your question from a previous post as to why many of the Air Berlin flights go to Duesseldorf instead of Berlin. The airports in Berlin are simply inadequate for that kind of international traffic. Yotel is NOT CDG “airport’s first in-terminal lodging”. There is a Sheraton hotel within Terminal 2 (as well as numerous hotels within a few minute walk of terminal 3, although those are obviously not in-terminal). Yotel is the first airside one though, although that in itself makes it inaccessible to many people as CDG do not normally allow entering a terminal wing without a ticket departing from that section. I have used the Mobile Passport at SFO and it works fine. Speed up the lines??? No. You still need to get into a special line with the Bar reader and wait for the Officer to do their thing. Maybe SJC will be faster as it is a much smaller airport.

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Long-time resident of Nanaimo, Mike Atherton and Calgary-based Red Seal Chef, Dean Andrichuck first met in 2006 and found themselves discussing the possibility of opening a restaurant. Shortly thereafter, Dean was moving to Nanaimo and Mike was looking for a location. Both were inspired when they came across a beautiful heritage building located in the heart of downtown. Built in 1893, this historic building was originally constructed as Nanaimo’s second fire station (replacing the first that had been destroyed) and so, with the origins of the building in mind, The Firehouse Grill was named and the doors opened in October 2007. The original concept of The Firehouse Grill started off with the basic want of providing a space where people could come together over good food. Over the years their vision has evolved to providing not just a place to come together but also a beautiful setting, a vibrant atmosphere and passionate team members. With a love for all things cajun and inspiration from the fresh West Coast flavours, Dean has created a menu that both plays into the fiery influence of the building and accents the fresh ingredients available to us here in BC.The Firehouse continues to grow and change through the years with the creativity of Mike, Dean and the staff members aiming keep the original concept in mind. A comfortable place to come together with friends, loved ones and great food. Contact UsFacebook

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The Benwood The Benwood is located one mile northeast of French Reef within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. She has a minimum depth of 25 feet (stern) with a maximum depth of 48 feet (bow). The stern houses the engineÕs support platforms and four propeller shaft pillow mounts. One hundred feet southeast of the bow lies an anchor facing seaward. Although its association with the Benwood is questionable, it is still considered a major feature of the site. Due to the shallow waters, the Benwood is inhabited by a variety of corals and sponges, specifically fire coral, sea fans, and Elkhorn coral. There are also many species of tropical fish ranging from yellow tail snapper, trumpet fish, parrot fish, hog fish, and angel fish. Tom Scott claims that because of the BenwoodÕs easy access, shallow waters, and variety of marine biology, it is considered the most popular dive site in the Florida Keys (Scott, 1994). The Benwood was built in 1910 at Sunderland, England, but her home port was Newcastle, England and she was registered to Kristiansand, Norway. She has a length of 360 feet, a beam of 31 feet and a water displacement of 3,931 tons. Owned by Skjelbred Company, Norwegian Shipping and Trade Mission, this merchant marine freighter was powered by a steam engine yielding 1800 horsepower at 9.5 knots (see Appendix B). She sailed with a crew of 38, and an armament of 12 rifles, one four-inch gun, 60 depth charges, and 36 bombs (Scott, 1994). Wrecking Event The sinking of the Benwood has been a controversy for many years with accounts of submarine involvement at the heart of the controversy. According to Scott's research, there is no documented evidence by the Americans nor the Germans of torpedo attack against the Benwood. The more likely explanation follows: On the night of April 9, 1942 the Benwood, under command of Captain Torbjorn Skjelbred, was on a routine voyage from Tampa, Florida to Norfolk, Virginia carrying phosphate rock. Rumors of German U-boats invading the area forced the Benwood to travel the Key coastal lights three miles abeam and completely blacked out. On the same evening the Robert C. Tuttle, 544-feet long and 70.2-feet at beam, traveling to Atreco, Texas, under Captain Martin Johansen, was ordered to travel the Key lights one and one-half miles abeam and was also blacked out. It is reported that at 12:45 a.m. of that same night the Robert C. Tuttle ordered right rudder to turn the vessel starboard due to a black object spotted just ahead of the ship. Captain Johansen sounded one whistle indicating to the object, "I intend to turn starboard." Her signal was not reported to be heard by the Benwood. At 12:50 a.m., the Benwood reported to have sighted a blacked out ship just off starboard in her direct path. Captain Skjelbred sounded the whistle twice indicating, "I intend to turn port." Again, no acknowledgment was heard or reported. In an attempt by both ships to avoid an accident, they had unintentionally set a course for collision. Just before the collision, Captain Skjelbred made final efforts to avoid the Robert C. Tuttle by ordering the engine full astern. It was too late. The bow of the Benwood crashed into the port side of the Robert C. Tuttle. The Robert C. Tuttle was found to be in no immediate danger. The Benwood however, was flooding due to her crushed bow. Realizing this, Captain Skjelbred, in an attempt to ground and save the ship, turned the vessel toward land. The Benwood took on water too rapidly. A half an hour after the collision, Captain Skjelbred gave the order to abandon ship. On April 10, 1942, the crew of the salvage tug Willet determined that the keel of the Benwood was broken and declared the ship a total loss. Unreported salvaging on the ship over the years prompted John Pennekamp State Park to form a protection program in 1959 to prevent further damage to the wreck. Today, the Benwood is a protected resource under the Key Largo National Marine Sanctuary due to changes in the state parkÕs borders in 1973, and the formation of the Sanctuary in 1975. Archaeological Value A casualty of many salvage attempts at the time of its sinking, and military target practice until the 1950's, the remains of the Benwood are scattered over a wide area ( see Appendix B). Major sections of hull plating can be seen on the port side where they have been wrenched from the ship's frames. Other metal plates and pieces are also scattered over a 100-foot radius from the hull outline. These are probably pieces of the upper works and superstructure that posed a hazard to navigation. It is said that the Benwood was dynamited to reduce its profile and lessen its threat to modern vessels, but according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, there was no evidence of wreck clearing. The result of these activities as well as the storms and currents that batter the shallow reef has been to reduce the Benwood to about one-third of its former height. Whereas it originally attained a hull depth of 25 feet 4 inches, only about 8 feet of hull can now be measured amidships. The bow is the most intact, forming an impressive 25-foot profile in the water column. Previous studies have documented wreck elements that may be associated with the BenwoodÕs demise. The remains of a metal cargo mast assembly has been noted some 800 yards away (Brown 1994:6). It is accompanied by a mast partner at a depth of 18 feet. These elements match historic photographs showing the Benwood with its large cargo masts, and they may have been blasted to their present location or carried by the strong currents. Wreck Features The Benwood was originally powered by a 342 hp triple expansion steam engine which pushed her along at 9.5 knots (Berg and Berg 1991:97; Scott 1994:33). While the engine, boilers, drive shaft and propeller are missing, the propulsion system can still be visualized from the engine mount and pillow blocks that held it in place (see Appendix B). The engine was situated on a rectangular plate measuring 12' 8" (l) by 6' 3" (w) by 2' 8" (h) (Nuttal 1994). Large bronze bolts with threads still intact are evidence to the dismantling and removal of the engine from its resting place. Thrust was conveyed from the engine to the propeller along a drive shaft. It was supported by four lead-lined pillow blocks. These are spaced approximately 21'-22' apart which allows the propulsion system to be easily reconfigured (see Appendix B, Nuttal, 1994). The Benwood's hull structure is mostly intact up to the level of the first deck (see Appendix B). Only a small midships section has had these deck plates removed, exposing the lower frames and keels on. Large steel knees join the deck plate to the outer hull and sides of the vessel. These are massive reinforced triangles of steel which outline the curve of the hull. Thus, they tend to be elongated triangles in the midships region where the hull bows out, and more equal-sided in the bow where the hull rises sharply. The result is that the ship's hull shape can be seen from these knees even though the hull plates themselves are mostly torn free. The primary deck has been punctured in many places forming a network of "nooks and crannies." These provide important fish habitat but are not large enough to allow diver entry. Several holes enable divers to peer into the cargo hold where ore was carried for many years. Applying the National Register Criteria This report takes the position that the Benwood shipwreck MAY BE eligible for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places, and should be considered a significant maritime archaeological resource. The reasons for arriving at this evaluation are: 1) It exceeds the 50 year eligibility requirement. 2) The Benwood, constructed in Norway in 1910 and used in an ore carrier, was associated with The U.S. Armed Forces in World War II. It can be argued that the vessel, in spite of its Norwegian registry, was sunk carrying ore for the U.S. military effort on April 9, 1942. This fact provides an important connection to WORLD WAR II, an important event in our history. 3) Two areas of significance can be argued for the Benwood wreck. One is commerce. This merchant vessel was involved in coastal commerce on the Eastern seaboard for many years. She make her lasting important contribution, however, as a support craft for the U.S. military effort. 4) In spite of the fact that perhaps only 10-15% of the vesselÕs structure remains on the main wreck site, a significant additional amount has been noted across a debris field radiating out from the hull. Other associated artifacts such as the bell and captainÕs chair have been located in Key Largo (Scott 1994:38). An adequate degree of integrity has been retained by the hull, engine block plate, pillow blocks, knees and first deck to provide integrity of feeling. Her massive bow, protruding upright from the sand, conveys her historic outline and presence. 5) The Benwood has been described as perhaps the most "dived upon shipwreck on the world" as well as one of the most frequently visited vessels (Scott 1994:33). These facts imply a significance recognized by the public and asssigned to the shipwreck. Its massive hull structure, complete bow, and open condition made for an impressive display. Its setting on Molasses Reef, where it was lost on that dark night, contributes to its significance. Biological Value In May 1992, Indiana University conducted field investigations of the Benwood in order to prepare a comprehensive site plan, create a biological inventory, and establish a baseline for biological assessments on two sections of the hull. (Brown 1994) Assistant Professor, William Ruf, of the Indiana University Biology Department, led the biological survey. The team sectioned a 10' x 10' grid pattern on the bow of the shipwreck. The researchers chose this site on the bow for the vast array of aquatic life and the potential growth. The process was repeated on a section of the stern that contained an abundance of fragile Fire Coral, millepora complanata. The four engine mounts were also photographed and biology was noted (see Appendix B). During 1994 field investigations, the bow, stern and four engine mounts were again pictured. Biological data were again gathered by research assistants of the Underwater Science and Educational Resources Department of Indiana University. Field investigations in 1994 and May 1996 indicate that the majority of coral found on the bow section consisted of sea fans and sea whips. In this area, a brain coral and red sponges were also present. The mounts contained predominantly soft corals, including again sea whips and sea fans. The stern section contained fire coral, millepora complanata. A qualitative inventory of fishes present was conducted as well (see Appendix B). Biology at the bow section of the Benwood was most abundant and diverse. An inventory revealed 20 hard corals and 15 soft corals on the bow section alone, including encrusting corals, deep water sea fans, sea whips and gorgonians. The mount sections of the Benwood contained a large number of corals. Mount #1 contained eight hard corals and 11 soft corals. Mount #2 contained eight hard corals and 15 soft corals. Mount #3 contained six hard corals and 17 soft corals. Finally, Mount #4 contained three hard corals and 16 soft corals. Again, sea fans and sea whips were the prevalent corals. The stern section of the Benwood contained the fewest number of corals monitored. The stern had nine hard corals and eight soft ones. The stern section of the Benwood contained fire coral and one area of star coral. Future investigations may examine why the bow and stern sections differ in the abundance of coral growth. Because of time constraints, specific naming of the corals is not available. However, an on-going inventory has been maintained at the aforementioned biological monitoring stations. Indiana University will continue to monitor this site for changes in biological patterns. These studies will reveal information about reef ecology at the site, and may lead to a better understanding of human effects on coral reef systems.

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2017-17/0952/en_head.json.gz/20702

> Saint Germain En Laye Hotel Booking > Du Coq Du Coq Saint Germain En Laye, France Boulevard De La Paix 45 Saint Germain En Laye The hotel is located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, 20 km northwest of Paris. It is situated 3 km from the town centre and approximately 5 km from the Château de St Germain en Laye. The Château de Versailles is also very close, just 14 km away. This modern, family-friendly hotel was built in 1987 and offers a total of 65 rooms. The hotel is characterised by a combination of modern comfort and traditional elements of Saint-Germain-en-Laye style, making it a distinctive accommodation choice. It also offers a range of services and facilities to make each guest's stay unforgettable. Guests are welcomed in the lobby, which offers a 24-hour reception and a 24-hour check-out service, as well as a hotel safe, cloakroom and lift access to the upper floors. Guests can relax in the bar and dine in the hotel restaurant. Conference facilities are also available. Additional services include wireless Internet access and room service. Guests arriving by car can enjoy the convenience of the hotel car park. All rooms are en suite and feature a shower and bath, as well as satellite/cable TV and Internet access. The rooms also come equipped with a hairdryer, direct dial telephone and radio as standard. Additional features include individually regulated heating. Lunch and dinner are each offered à la carte. HOTELMAP Hotel Map Of Du Coq, Saint Germain En Laye Photos Of Du Coq, Saint Germain En Laye Du Coq, Saint Germain En Laye Hotel Facilities Saint Germain En Laye Hotels Du Coq Saint Germain En Laye Booking Your reference is: Top Hotels in Saint Germain En Laye Pavillon henri IV Hotel All hotel reviews in Saint Germain En Laye

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2017-17/0952/en_head.json.gz/21107

Research team explores causes of death on Mount Everest Most deaths occur above 8,000 meters during descent from summit, high-altitude cerebral edema a common problem An international research team led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators has conducted the first detailed analysis of deaths during expeditions to the summit of Mt. Everest. They found that most deaths occur during descents from the summit in the so-called "death zone" above 8,000 meters and also identified factors that appear to be associated with a greater risk of death, particularly symptoms of high-altitude cerebral edema. The report, which will appear the December 20/27 issue of the British Medical Journal has been released online. "We know that climbing Everest is dangerous, but exactly how and why people have died had not been studied," says Paul Firth, MB, ChB, of the MGH Department of Anesthesia, who led the study "It had been assumed that avalanches and falling ice - particularly in the Khumbu Icefall on the Nepal route - were the leading causes of death and that high-altitude pulmonary edema would be a common problem at such extreme altitude. But our results do not support either assumption." Thousands of climbers have attempted to reach the summit of 8,850-meter (29,000-foot) Mount Everest since the 1920s. In order to examine the circumstances surrounding all deaths on Everest expeditions, the research team - which included investigators from three British hospitals and the University of Toronto - reviewed available expedition records including the Himalayan Database, a compilation of information from all expeditions to 300 major peaks in the world's highest range. Of a total of reported 212 deaths on Everest from 1921 to 2006, 192 occurred above Base Camp, the last encampment before technical (roped) climbing begins. Firth and three physician co-authors - all experienced Himalayan mountaineers with expertise in managing high-altitude illness - reviewed records for all deaths and classified them according to available information. More detailed analysis was conducted on deaths occurring above 8,000 meters during the past 25 years. Deaths were categorized as traumatic, from falls or external hazards such as avalanches; nontraumatic, from high-altitude illness, hypothermia or other medical causes; or as disappearances. Expedition participants were classified as either 'climbers,' individuals from outside the Himalayan region, or 'sherpas' - high-altitude porters, most of them ethnic Sherpas or Tibetans, hired to transport equipment and otherwise assist the climbers. The overall mortality rate for Everest mountaineers during the entire 86-year period was 1.3 percent; the rate among climbers was 1.6 percent and the rate among sherpas was 1.1 percent. During the past 25 years, a period during which a greater percentage of moutaineers climbed above 8,000 meters, the death rate for non-Himalayan climbers descending via the longer Tibetan northeast ridge was 3.4 percent, while on the shorter Nepal route it was 2.5 percent. Factors most associated with the risk of death were excessive fatigue, a tendency to fall behind other climbers and arriving at the summit later in the day. Many of those who died developed symptoms such as confusion, a loss of physical coordination and unconsciousness, which suggest high-altitude cerebral edema, a swelling of the brain that results from leakage of cerebral blood vessels. Symptoms of high-altitude pulmonary edema, which is involved in most high-altitude-related deaths, were suprisingly rare. "High-altitude cerebral edema symptoms were common among those that died, but signs of pulmonary edema, or excessive fluid in the lungs, were unusual" Firth says. "We also were surprised at how few people died due to avalanches and ice falls in recent years - those usually happen at lower altitudes, and overwhelmingly people died during summit bids above 8,000 feet - and that during descents, the mortality rate for climbers was six time that of sherpas." While the reduced mortality rate among sherpas during descent suggests that taking time to acclimatize to high altitude could improve climber survival, Firth notes that many other factors may be involved. "Most of the sherpas are born and live their lives at high altitudes, and the competitive process for expedition employment probably selects those who are best adapted to and most skilled for the work. So the ability of lowlanders to acclimate to these very high altitudes needs further investigation." During a 2004 Norwegian-American expedition from the north side of Everest led by Firth, equipment problems led the team to turn around at 8,300 meters, return to 7,900 meters and pool their oxygen supply. Half of the team successfully re-attempted the summit and returned safely, including Randi Skuag, the first Norwegian woman to climb Everest. Seven other climbers from other teams that year were not so fortunate - all dying above 8,000 meters, most while descending from the summit. "The majority of those who have died on Everest were in the prime of their lives, with families and friends left bereft," stresses Firth, who is an instructor in Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School. "Mountaineering is for fun; it's not worth dying or leaving others there to die. Appropriate caution is the hallmark of the elite mountaineer - the mountain will always be there next year." ### The senior author of the British Medical Journal report is Richard Salisbury, who created and maintains the Himalayan Database. The other physician reviewers are Jeremy Windsor, MD, the Heart Hospital, London; Andrew Sutherland, MD, Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford; and Christopher Imray, MD, University Hospital, Coventry, all in the U.K. Additional co-authors are Hui Zheng, PhD, MGH Department of Medicine; G.W. Kent Moore, PhD, and John Semple, MD, University of Toronto; and Robert Roach, PhD, University of Colorado. The study was supported by the MGH Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care. Massachusetts General Hospital (www.massgeneral.org), established in 1811, is the original and largest teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School. The MGH conducts the largest hospital-based research program in the United States, with an annual research budget of more than $500 million and major research centers in AIDS, cardiovascular research, cancer, computational and integrative biology, cutaneous biology, human genetics, medical imaging, neurodegenerative disorders, regenerative medicine, systems biology, transplantation biology and photomedicine. Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. Sue McGreevey [email protected] @MassGeneralNews http://www.mgh.harvard.edu More on this News Release PULMONARY/RESPIRATORY MEDICINE TRAUMA/INJURY

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