The Indian Ocean beach club Kenya is possibly the most up market hotel on Diani Beach. It definitely has the best setting on the Kenyan beach. Located at the northern most part of Diani, close to the winding Tiwi River mouth, the club looks over wonderfully clean golden sands and good surf. There are enormous old baobabs, and right next to the club, nestled in a forest of these ancient trees, is a 16th century Arab mosque.
The club has been designed as a Swahili village, with clusters of white washed cottages arranged on both sides of the large main buildings. There are 100 rooms, all of which face the Indian Ocean. Some cottages are single-storied with makuti-thatched roofs while others, housing a few rooms, are double story with flat roofs in the Swahili style. The main building, with its grand red tiled roof and wooden shutters, is more reminiscent of colonial Kenya. The overall effect is a rather busy mélange of architectural styles.
The public rooms are simple and elegant. “Spices,” the large and airy upstairs dining room, seems to have no walls, just a series of arched-top windows lined in wood. Instead of glass, there are wooden shutters, opening to reveal glorious views of palms, white sand and blue ocean-all only steps away. Below this restaurant is an open sided breakfast area and a large free-form swimming pool with water flowing over the edges.
The Indian Ocean Beach Club does not intend to be just another hotel-on-the beach. Arriving guests are greeted with scented towels and then, instead of queuing up at a long reception counter, will be ushered to chairs at individual welcoming tables. There are message boxes outside of each room and a 24 hour valet service. Many water sports are included in the tariff such as windsurfing, sailing, goggling and there are guided bird walks up the Tiwi River. In addition to the large main pool, three plunge pools are scattered around the grounds.
The rooms also evidence quality and detail. There are king sized Lamu beds, cushioned window seats, nice stone-tiled floors, dark mangrove beams set in white ceilings, and the hotel logo of a fish painted on the tiles above the bath. There are fancy extras-direct-dial telephones, hair driers, and air conditioning, which automatically turns off when you open the door. The rooms feel cozy. The arrangement of the cottages is such that some rooms are very close together-ideal for families or groups.
To an appreciable extent, it is the clubs location which makes it so special. The baobabs are truly awesome-enormous bulges in undreamed of shapes-hundreds of years old. They provide interest and focal points to the grounds which are still rather lacking in shade or colour. Because there is a gap in the reef, waves are able to reach the shore and even at low tide, the water is deep enough for swimming. This is quite unusual along this coast. With exposed sand banks and indigenous vegetation, the gentle meandering channels of Tiwi River add a special interest. Children were leaping off sheer cliffs of sand into the river, and then floating gently upstream in the clear ocean water of the incoming tine-great fun.
Special offerings
Free sports facilities (tennis and squash) including green fees at the Nyali Golf Club, unlimited water sports (extra charge for deep sea fishing and scuba diving), free courtesy shuttle bus to Likoni and Diani, fully equipped conference room with air conditioning, gift boutique, beauty center, children’s club.
Robert is a travel expert to the Kenya and the East African region. He is a director to Landmark safaris ltd. At Landmark, we let you tailor your own Kenya water or animal safari-the way you want it! See your Kenya safari planner here: landmarksafaris.com/planner landmarksafaris.com/planner
From a simple but exotic thatched-roof cottage to a luxury villa on the sparkling sand beaches of Jamaica, there are hundreds of rental villas available for tourists coming for a vacation here. These villas vary in shape, size and location. They are available on almost every part of the island. Some of them can be rented as a part of an all-inclusive package.
Most of these villas offer kitchen, laundry and parking facilities apart from water sports facilities if they are near the beach. The Jamaican vacation villas are generally rented by those who come here for a long vacation. It is an ideal choice for a young couple, families and honeymoon couples.
In fact, one can find villas that would suit the requirements of various age groups. As the weather is a bit hot and humid here, it is better to check the status of air conditioning before renting a villa here. Some of them, which are offered at low rentals, may not be air conditioned at all. Others may be partly air-conditioned.
Large Jamaican villas are quite popular for business retreats. If you want the villa of your choice you should get a reservation in advance as, due to heavy tourist flow, most of the Jamaican villas often remain occupied through most part of the year.
If you are a bit short on money, you should search online and look for Jamaican villas offering heavy discounts. There are several web sites which offer online booking of these villas at discounted prices. Generally, these discounts are offered for weekdays. Weekends always witness a huge rush of tourists to Jamaica, sometimes from neighboring Caribbean islands. So the next time you think of a family reunion or a business retreat, a Jamaican vacation villa with affordable rent could figure high on your priority list.
e-JamaicaVacations.com Jamaica Vacations provides detailed information on Jamaica Vacations, All Inclusive Jamaica Vacations, Jamaica Vacation Packages, Vacation Rental Villas Jamaica and more. Jamaica Vacations is affiliated with z-Jamaica.com Jamaica Weather.
As you sit at your desk, as you walk your dog, as you pay your bills, you feel that something is missing from your life. Everywhere you look you see responsibility and constraint, and while you’re glad you have a job to worry about and a roof over your head, sometimes you just wish it would all go away and be replaced with something that calms you down. It sounds like you’re in need of a vacation, specifically a vacation that will wash away your stress and scrub the residue of city life from your skin. The sand, salt, and rhythm of the beach would be an excellent way to accomplish these goals, so think about making your way to the coast before your regular routine really starts to get you down.
Obviously there are about a billion miles of coastline to choose from once you decide you’re up for a beach visit, so deciding where to park your parasol may be a challenge. If you want to make it easy on yourself, follow the well-beaten path to Florida where the peninsula stretches on and on, providing a spot for everyone who’s looking to soak up some sun. From crowded to secluded, you’ll surely see something you like. Just as pleasing are Florida’s outlying islands, namely the Keys. This too-cool-for-school group of stragglers is pretty eclectic and tends to make you feel like you’re in the Caribbean rather than the ol’ USA, so if escaping is your true wish, get yourself down here.
The best way to embrace your beach experience is to hole up in your very own villa, condo, or cottage by the sea. Vacation rentals were born to exist by the ocean, as seclusion, peace, and privacy go hand in hand with the tranquil sound of waves and gentle trade winds looking to lull you to sleep. Nothing compares to turning out all the lights, pushing the windows open, and reclining on your lanai with your face turned to the stars.
If you’re smart you’ll leave your laptop and phone turned off as you spend your time taking your morning jog along the surf line, reading novels, and strolling through the sand with your bare feet. A beach house will allow you to make your way back and forth from home to ocean in the blink of an eye, so wherever you end up settling down you won’t have to worry about the price of gas. This alone is priceless, and will do wonders for your state of mind.
If you’re looking for a truly quiet experience, take the time to seek out a little bit of beach that seems untouched by human footprints. It might take longer to get here, but the feeling of being out of earshot from parties, motorboats, and the shouts of children will definitely make your troubles worthwhile. Hawaii’s wallflower of an island, Molokai, tends to draw fewer crowds than its tourist heavy sisters, yet is just as beautiful and inviting. The same goes for St. John, in the Caribbean. The other Virgin Isles might steal the spotlight, but this largely undeveloped gem has some of the most beautiful sights you’ll ever see.
If you would like a little city experience to even out your beach vacation, think about California. When you want to be alone, you can slip away to your cute cottage that is just a few steps from the Pacific. When the need to people watch or grab a delicious bite to eat strikes you, you won’t be far from San Diego, so hop into town for a quick refresher course on the topic of civilization. Remain anonymous or make new friends, this is your vacation so you decide what to do.
The beach scenarios are endless, as are the details of the property that you’ll call your own for a few privileged days. Because you’ve been looking forward to freeing yourself from all that is currently dragging you down, do things right and start looking now for the exact place that has the power to unlock the relaxed person that lives inside of you, the one that’s been dying for some attention lately.
Go online to peruse the thousands of cyberrentals.com/index.cfm/fa/find.textsearch?search_text=beach&vl=exact Beach Vacation Rentals that exist out there, and find the one that’s right for you.
cyberrentals.com/ CyberRentals.com is the place to look for the answer to all your vacation rental questions.
Spain is a country with a long proud history including settlement by the Ancient Romans and many centuries of domination by the Moors. It is a country of great diversity, with mountain ranges in the North East, beautiful beaches in the South and a luscious green coastline in the north. Spain is great for lovers of the outdoor, whether you enjoy hiking, biking or other outdoor pursuits.
The center of Spain is characterized by an arid plateau and Madrid is right in the heartland of this fascinating country. In the Spanish capital you’ll find many places to visit: the Prado, one of the world’s bests art museums, the Palacio Real (the Royal Palace), and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia featuring masterpieces by Salvador Dali and Juan Miró. For more lighthearted entertainment visit the Rastro, Madrid’s biggest flea market.
Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain and known world-wide for the architectural creations of José Antonio Gaudi, with the still unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral topping the list. When in Barcelona don’t forget a visit to the Barri Gótic and take a walk on las Ramblas, one of the most beautiful streets in the world, a tree-lined boulevard where you can delight in the talents of street performers.
Further south, the region of Andalusia awaits you with Moorish treasures such as Seville, Cordoba and Granada, where a visit to the Alhambra is a must. A visit to a bull fight, a Flamenco show or a sherry-tasting are authentic Spanish experiences that should not be missed. Food lovers enjoy Spanish cuisine such as paella and tapas with its typical Mediterranean ingredients. Festivals such as the Semana Santa and the running of the bulls in Pamplona manage to spice up the traveller’s experience in Spain.
The Costa del Sol from Malaga westwards down to Marbella and Gibraltar is of course known for its excellent climate and beautiful beaches, (and to some degree, its overdevelopment). Further east you will find other well-known coastal stretches, such as the Costa Blanca, south of Valencia and the rugged Costa Brava, northeast of Barcelona.
Northern Spain including the provinces of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country is referred to as “green Spain”, it’s a region that receives a lot more rainfall than the arid south and offers beautiful coastlines and lush green mountains. San Sebastian is one of the major cities in the north, located on a beautiful bay. Further west, Santiago de Compostela is a world-famous pilgrimage site and the end point of the Camino de Santiago.
And let’s not forget the charm and beauty of the Balearic Islands, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca as well as the Canary Islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro). Spain is one of my favourite destinations, its history, mystery and charm are unique.
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions( travelandtransitions.com travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.
Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest( travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.
“Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons”.
The interview with photos is published at travelandtransitions.com/travel_tips/green_travel.htm Travel and Transitions – Interviews
My Halifax City Tour, expertly narrated by Allen Mackenzie, a passionate Haligonian in a kilt, had provided me with a great overview of this city, and my visit to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic had added to my knowledge of Halifax, particularly of its connection to the Titanic and the 1917 Explosion. Still mulling over the historic significance of this city, the largest population centre on Canada’s East Coast, I sat down close to the waterfront to finally have lunch and strengthen myself after an intense introduction to the city.
On this sunny, fairly warm day I had a seat on the outdoor patio of Stayner’s Wharf, one of the restaurants on the Waterfront, located right next to the Halifax – Dartmouth Ferry Terminal. I was finally able to catch a rest, relax in the autumn sun and get ready for my lunch. I ordered the “Captain’s Brunch”, a pan-seared brunch-size portion of Atlantic salmon with one lightly fried egg, creamy whipped potatoes topped with a bit of Hollandaise sauce, served with a slice of tomato and cucumber. It was a very satisfying lunch, looking out onto Halifax’ waterfront, with a view of the Theodore Too, Halifax’ famous TV-show inspired tugboat.
I took about half an hour before I got up and made my way southwards on the Harbourwalk, Halifax’s 3.8 km boardwalk that stretches all the way from Casino Nova Scotia in the north to the Pier 21 National Historic Site in the south. More than 2.5 million visitors walk the Harbourwalk annually. $31 million were invested in order to purchase and rejuvenate properties and to renew infrastructure. The Harbourwalk is composed of a series of public parks, wharves and plazas all connected by a boardwalk system that is primarily wooden to reflect the historic marine character of Halifax’s waterfront which is now easily accessible to the public. People were out in full force, enjoying the pleasant weather. Several street comedians were performing right next to the waterfront, drawing huge crowds of onlookers.
The Halifax Harbour actually is one of the world’s best natural harbours as it extends almost 20 km inland into the Bedford Basin. Several islands are located in the harbour. The closest to the harbour entrance is George’s Island which has been designated a National Historic Site although it is not currently accessible to the public. This island has long played an important role in the harbour’s defense system.
McNabs Island is located farther out in the harbour and is accessible via a ferry from the Eastern Passage or via a charter boat from Cable Wharf. This island was settled in the past although the homesteads are now abandoned. A lighthouse, ruined fortress and batteries as well as sand beaches can be found on McNabs Island. One more island, Lawlor’s Island, is located close to the mainland. It never had any military installations and today is a protected nature area.
The Halifax harbour also features a deportation cross, reminiscent of the famous deportation cross at the Grand Pré, the original deportation site of the Acadian Expulsion. And being Canada’s major seaport on the east coast, it has always had a strategic military role and even today features key military installations.
As I was walking along Harbourwalk, I saw various ships passing in and out of the narrow passage, but the most interesting one was a military submarine, with all the sailors standing on deck, often waving to the fascinated audience on land. I was wondering when the sailors would disappear below deck, but I lost sight of them as I walked southwards towards the pier buildings.
Halifax is a true centre of ocean transport due to being blessed with one of the world’s deepest and largest natural harbours. The harbour’s waters remain ice-free and experience minimal tides and the port generally is the first inbound and the last outbound port to North America from Europe, the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal. It is also a major cruise ship centre: in 2005 108 cruise vessels with over 188,000 visitors docked in Halifax, causing a major economic infusion for the city.
In line with the ocean transportation theme, a monument to a famous Halifax resident is located just south of the entrance gate to the Halifax Port area: Samuel Cunard (1787 to 1865) , a native son of Halifax, is forever commemorated in a bronze statue that prominently presides over the Port of Halifax. Cunard became a Nova Scotia shipping magnate, whose Cunard Steamship Line would run many of the famous transatlantic ocean liners in the 1800s. His primary competitor was the White Star Line, whose ill-fated ocean liner Titanic sank 750 km off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1912. After this disaster, Cunard dominated the transatlantic passenger shipping and his company became one of the most important companies in the world. The Cunard line’s fortune began to decline in the 1950s when air travel became popular, but over the last few years has experienced a major revival with the world renowned Queen Mary 2, the first ocean liner to be built in 30 years, and the largest passenger liner ever built. In 1998 Cunard was taken over by Carnival Corporation, but the Cunard name can still be seen on the side of the Queen Mary 2.
I was in luck, because as I strolled closer to the pier buildings in the Halifax Port area, I saw that the Queen Mary 2 was indeed in town. An impressive ship, it appears to be about 8 to 10 stories tall and towers over the port buildings. Right here, with the Queen Mary 2 as a backdrop, I had reached my next destination: Pier 21, Canada’s immigration museum.
Upon arrival I connected with Stefani Angelopoulos, Communications Manager for the museum who was so kind to give me a personalized tour through this unique facility. Pier 21 is the Canadian equivalent to Ellis Island: more than a million immigrants came through its doors between 1928 and 1971. Until its opening in the late 1990s, the building sat empty as a warehouse and was finally turned into a museum in 1999 and designated as a National Historic Site. It was also the embarkation point for about 500,000 soldiers who were transported from here to fight in the Second World War. Halifax’ strategic importance in linking Canada with Europe became evident once again.
Stefani informed me that between 1942 and 1948, more than 48,000 War Brides came to Canada from Britain and other countries in Europe and they brought 22,000 children with them. They had fallen in love with Canadian soldiers and were ready to start their new life in Canada. The vast majority arrived in 1946, 60 years ago, and made their first connection with their new homeland right here in Halifax, at Pier 21. Many then took a train from here to start their new lives in other parts of the country.
I learned that to commemorate the 60 year anniversary, Via Rail came up with a special event in celebration of this occasion: the 2006 War Bride Train which is scheduled to bring hundreds of Canadian War Brides back to Pier 21 where their lives in Canada began. On November 6 the train will depart in Montreal and arrive on November 7 in Halifax where there will be great opportunities for celebration and reminiscing for hundreds of War Brides. Stefani commented that Pier 21 is linked to so many moving human stories that sometimes it is hard to keep a dry eye.
We started our tour at the Research Centre downstairs which has a collection of photographs of over 90% of the ships that transported immigrants to Halifax from 1928 to 1971. Images and newspaper photographs tell the diverse stories of immigrants, mostly from Western Europe and the Mediterranean area. Many images also relate to the almost half a million Canadian troops that departed from Pier 21 in Halifax to join the war effort in Europe during the Second World War.
The Research Centre also provides public reference for all ocean
immigration records from 1925 to 1935 and many Canadians specifically
come to Pier 21 to research their parent’s or grandparent’s arrival
records in Canada. Four computer terminals provide access to the website, to the stories database, the ship database and other electronic resources related to immigration. Microfilm records contain the responses to 28 questions that a prospective immigrant would have to answer prior to being allowed to enter Canada. These microfilms are some of the most popular records in the Research Centre.
Although I have no personal connection to Pier 21, having arrived by myself in Toronto without family in 1986, Carrie-Ann Smith, Pier 21’s Manager of Research, provided me with a copy of the entire chapter on German and Austrian immigration, taken from the Encyclopedia of Canada’s People’s, edited by Paul R. Magocsi, and published in 1999 by University of Toronto Press. I found out that about 31,000 Austrian immigrants came through Pier 21 from 1928 to 1971, compared to 1,152,400 immigrants from the United Kingdom and 527,000 immigrants from the United States. In addition to 48,000 War Brides and their children, many refugees and displaced persons also came to Canada during these years, including about 69,700 Jewish immigrants, many of whom were victims of the Holocaust. In addition, Canada also welcomed about 3,000 Evacuee Children from the United Kingdom who were evacuated during WWII due to the heavy bombing raids and the perceived threat of invasion. More than 250,000 children were supposed to be evacuated, but one of the ships transporting children was sunk by enemy ships so the program was cut short.
Another category of immigrant were the Home Children: more than 100,000 left Great Britain between the late 1860s and the mid 1930s due to the extreme poverty in their home country. These children would typically be employed either as domestic help or farm labourers, and the practice was already dwindling when Pier 21 opened in 1928. Stories representing the almost half a million WWII veterans who embarked for military service in Europe from Pier 21 during the Second World War, can also be found here. The human stories of so many different types of people provide fascinating insights into one of the most turbulent times of human history and Canada’s role in it.
Pier 21 is certainly one of Canada’s most unique museums, testimony to the key role that immigration has played and continues to play in this country. You enter the museum and arrive in a large exhibition hall, the Kenneth C. Rowe Heritage Hall, a multi-purpose area that can also be rented out for private functions which holds up to 600 guests. Up the elevators you arrive in the main exhibit area which features a wide variety of exhibits illustrating the immigration experience. The Rudolph Peter Batty Exhibition Hall allows you to retrace the steps of an immigrant who just arrived at the Halifax Harbour, complete with wooden waiting benches and an immigration officer’s desk. The Wall of Ships features images of many of the ocean liners that used to transport thousands of immigrants to their new home country. A replica of a Canadian National Railway car conjures up memories of the train journeys that so many immigrants took across Canada to their new homes in different parts of the country.
Six video booths provide access to video clips featuring the story of immigrants from different places. As a Canadian immigrant from Austria, I sat down in the first video booth where an Austrian video testimonial was being played and I saw the story of an Austrian immigrant , a man who had come to make his life in Canada in the 1950s. His emotion and gratefulness to his new country were clearly visible.
The Andrea and Charles Bronfman In-Transit Theatre at the far end of the exhibition space features a 24 minute virtual projection presentation that portrays the emotional stories of those who passed through these historic halls. Stefani pointed out that the volunteer guide who was supervising the presentation was a very special person: Robert Vandekieft is an 89 year old individual who volunteers at Pier 21 three days a week. But not only does Robert give his personal time to this unique museum, he actually came through the doors of Pier 21 as an immigrant himself in 1954 to start his new life in Canada.
Robert originally is from Haarlem, a town in northern Holland and decided to make his new life in Canada. Three months after his arrival in 1954 his wife and children followed. Robert fondly recalls a story of his family’s arrival: he had bought a teddy bear for his older son and upon arrival tossed it up to the top level of the ship where the boy successfully caught it. He had also bought some plastercene for his younger son as a present which he tossed up towards his younger child.
Unfortunately his throw was off and the plastercene fell into the water, but thanks to the kindness of the longshoremen of the Halifax Port, they fished it out of the water and brought it back to Robert so he would be able to give his younger son a proper welcome gift.
Robert had originally travelled to Winnipeg where he was hired as a fur dyer, his original occupation. But he did not like his job there very much, so after a few weeks he travelled back to Nova Scotia where he was offered a job on a farm. After his family’s arrival Robert found out that his wife was not at all keen on farming so he looked for another job. He started working for Canada Packers in the warehouse and would regularly lift sides of beef with a weight of up to 62 pounds.
After 8 months he applied for a job as a stagehand with the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), then he moved up in the ranks to crew header and later to become the supervisor of the design department. As his career progressed, Robert Vandekieft became a producer and director at the CBC and his career ended with senior roles in educational television. One of Robert’s last shows before his retirement was a 5-part series on the Mi’kmaq First Nations People filmed in their native language. What a Canadian success story!
Obviously this man at almost 90 years of age is able to look back on a long and interesting life of which he has spent 52 years in Canada. I asked Robert what he thought about Canada and his face lit up with a huge smile: “I love this country!”
Robert has been honoured as the “Maritimer of the Week” and he smiles when he says that his granddaughter nominated him. He loves volunteering for Pier 21 and has been doing it for almost five years now.
Although my visit at Pier 21 was cut short because of my tight schedule (I still needed to see Dartmouth on my last afternoon in Nova Scotia), I was touched by all the human stories of Pier 21, represented first and foremost by the living testimonial of Robert Vandekieft, who, like thousands of others, turned his arrival at Pier 21 into the first step of a long and successful life in Canada.
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called travelandtransitions.com Travel and Transitions (www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences & interesting life journeys, interviews with travellers and travel experts, cross-cultural issues, and many other features.
Susanne has recently published a series of FREE travel ebooks about destinations such as Spain, Cuba, Mexico, Sicily, New York City, Chicago, Montreal, Toronto, Nova Scotia and many more. Visit travelandtransitions.com/ebooks.html Travel and Transitions – FREE ebooks (www.travelandtransitions.com/ebooks.html) “Life is a Journey – Explore New Horizons”.
The third Ming emperor YongLe returned the capital to Beijing (from Nanjing) and in 1406 he began construction of a new and extremely grand imperial palace complex. The building work took 14 years to complete – and an estimated one million workers, including 100,000 artisans, were involved.
The Forbidden City gets its name from the fact that ordinary citizens were excluded from the complex. It is surrounded by a six meter deep, 52 meter wide moat. Inside the moat, the outer wall is 10 meters high and 3,400 meters long. The enormity of the complex, with the emperor hidden inside, added to the imperial mystique and air of legitemacy.
The Forbidden City, located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the home and seat of power of 24 emperors during the mid to latter Ming and the Qing dynasties. By the end of the eighteenth century, some 9000 people were estimated to reside there. Apart from the royal family, these were eunuchs, concubines and maid-servants.
From Palace to Museum
The Forbidden City ceased being the political center of China in 1912 with the abdication of Pu Yi, the last emperor of China. PuYi wrote an interesting autobiography entitled ‘From Emperor to Citizen’. The film ‘The Last Emperor’ was the first foreign film made in China and was partly filmed on location in the Forbidden City.
Today, the Forbidden City is a public museum, drawing the attention of millions of travellers and tourists from around the world. Here you can see and feel part of a place with over 600 years of history. Now renamed as the ‘Palace Museum’ (’GuGong’ in chinese, meaning simply ‘old palace’), its extensive grounds cover 720,000 square meters (74 hectares); it is nearly 1km from north to south. There are 800 buildings that have in total about 9,000 rooms.
The Forbidden City is listed by UNESCO as the largest collection of preserved ancient wooden structures in the world, and was declared a World Heritage Site in 1987. It is a dazzling architectural masterpiece. The imperial palace grounds are located directly to the north of Tian’AnMen Square and are accessible from the square via Tian’AnMen Gate. Although no longer occupied by royalty, the Forbidden City remains a symbol of chinese sovereignty and the image of its entrance gate appears on the seal of the People’s Republic of China.
Popular tourist destination
The Palace Museum is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Visitors can see the traditional palace architecture up close, enjoy the treasures of the imperial family and court, and learn of the legends and anecdotes about the imperial family and the court. White marble, walls of terra-cotta, roofs of glazed golden yellow tiles, and woodwork finished with paint, lacquer and gilding unite to create an effect of exceptional beauty (see ForbiddenCityChina.com” for many photos).
The chinese government has invested a lot of time and money in the Forbidden City and it is now a fantastic place to wander and dream of times gone by. Recently, the site has been under a major renovation that has limited visitors to a few areas. However, it remains open and the great majority of places are still accessible.
The name Beijing translates as ‘northern capital’ and is close to the old northern border of China protected by the Great Wall – about 40 km away. So with a trip to Beijing one can take in not only the Forbidden City but also the Great Wall of China. Also, the world famous Summer Palace with its large man-made lakes (the country palace grounds of the emperor) is only 20 km to the west, near the popular Fragrant Hills. To the south is the equally famous, and beautiful, Temple of Heaven (TianTan). Beijing is close to the port city of Tianjin and therefore can be a stop on a cruise tour of China.
mailto:Steve.Clarke@ForbiddenCityChina.com” target=”new2 Steve Clarke is a travel writer, photographer and founder of the ForbiddenCityChina.com” target=”new Forbidden City China website that features over 200 high quality photographs of the Forbidden City.
Quite possibly one of the most famous bridges in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge is by far the most recognizable icon of San Francisco. Spanning over the San Francisco Bay, connecting the northern tip of the San Francisco peninsula to a portion of the south facing headlands of Marin County by Sausalito. When the Golden Gate bridge was completed in 1937, it was the largest suspension bridge in the world. It now stands in the number 2 position, behind the Veranzo-Narrows bridge in New York City..
The Golden Gate Bridge stands as a testament to the human spirit and will. Due to the persistent fog, violent winds, and strong ocean currents below, the Golden Gate has been called the “Bridge that couldn’t be built.” This San Francisco icon is now considered an engineering marvel of the 20th century.
The need for the bridge came about as the only other way to reach travel through the Golden Gate Strait, was by ferry. Engineer and bridge-builder Joseph Strauss recognized the need for a bridge as ferry congestion became an increasing problem.
The orange bridge, yes orange, is considered red, despite it’s real color orange vermilion. Also called “international orange” this color was chosen by an assistant architect for two reasons: 1) it blended in nicely with the surrounding warm hues of the landscape amidst the cool hues of the bay and the sky 2) it was a bold color to help with visibility for ships below.
Strauss and his crew began the construction of the bridge in January 1933, and took just over four years to complete. Eleven men lost their lives in the contruction. Only one death had occured February 17, 1937; when a scaffolding accident claimed the life of ten men all in one day. The cost to build the bridge was over 35 million dollars. In today’s world, the bridge would cost approximately 1.2 billion dollars to construct. The bridge opened to vehicular traffic on May 28, 1937.
Today the bridge stands stall in the San Francisco Bay and is a favorite tourist attraction for millions of people every year.
Original source : bestofcalifornia.info/ bestofcalifornia.info/
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Benidorm is a paradise of a vacation spot for many different kidns of people, from singles, to retirees, to couples, Benidorm will have what you want.. Benidorm was taken over by a confident businessman who has brought it to the level that it is now in terms of a resort paradise. The weather is sunny nearly all year round and the temperature is great in both winter and summer, so you will always be comfortable when you are in Benidorm. There are tons of flights each day in and out of the Alicante airport which is only 25 minutes away by car. This means there are tons of tourists from the U.K., Geramy, Sweden, and Denmark who come each year to escape the cold climates of their home countries. No matter who you are or where you are from, you will find Benidorm to be a great place to relax and enjoy.
When you head down to the beach which is over three kilometers long you will have found your perfect vacation spot. Alongside the beach is a promenade where you can enjoy a cup of coffee or a beer at any time of day. Try eating an English breakfast in a lovely outdoor café near the Levante beach. You can also enjoy lunch in the tropical gardens of the Gran Hotel Delfin. It you want more of a midday snack then check out the Café de Paris to enjoy a rich pastry or a more formal meal if that is what you crave. Try out many different great tapas places located all over the area. El Calpi is strongly recommended for its great seafood tapas.
If you want to get out and experience Benidorm on your two feet then you can get into some sports or try out the local nightlife. If you want to be sporty then try surfing. You can also play a game of beach tennis with your friends or try windsurfing. No matter what your sport passion is, you are sure to find something fun to do in Benidorm. When it’s night time and you are ready to head out on the town then you can check out Penelope, a famed dischteque that has an outdoor and an indoor area and is sure to give you plenty to get up and dance about while you are there. If that isn’t your taste then head over to KU for a different sort of disco experience.
If you are traveling with children then check out, Terra Mitica, which is a large theme park that has attractions for the whole family. You can check out Labyrinth, Minotaurus, Piarmides, and the Great Odyssey Trip for starters. This park has new attractions all the time and you will definitely be surprised if you choose to come back over and over. If you want to travel down the coast then you can check out Denia, Altea, Javea, or Calpe to see even more places of interest on your holiday to Spain!
Jack Blacksmith continually produces articles on problems related to Alicante and Altea. His publications on alicante-spain.com/benidorm.html Altea and Benidorm are found on his web publications.
A wedding has to be an affair to remember as it comes once in a lifetime for most. Have you ever dreamt of exchanging vows with your beloved on a beach in the Caribbean under stars? It used to be a dream earlier, but now with cruise ships offering wedding cruise ship travel packages, it can become reality. Cruise ships offer something called as destination-wedding packages where you can select the location where you want to exchange vows. Let us have a look at some of the services under wedding packages in Cruise ship travel.
On Board Wedding Cruise Ship Travel Packages
You can select a wedding package where the ceremony will be held on the homeport of the ship or on any other port where the ship docks. It can also be held in a small chapel inside the ship as well. Most cruise ships have a wedding coordinator with them who will help you plan and execute your wedding. You can call all your guests, plan a grand wedding and a grand reception and then while your guests disembark, you two can sail off to your chosen destination for your honeymoon.
Destination Wedding Cruise Ship Travel Packages
Destination cruise packages are also quite popular nowadays. You can choose where you want to hold your wedding and exchange vows. Do you want to get married on a glacier in Alaska or the Hawaii? Maybe, on a remote beach in the Caribbean islands. It is up to you to decide and you can have it.
Your preferences
You can make it as grand and elaborate as you wish or you can make it a simple down to earth affair. If you have dreamt of a wedding amidst friends, relatives surrounded by the sea, spending romantic evenings on a deck, dancing, shopping, watching movies, enjoying the privacy of your room and getting pampered by room service, then a cruise ship travel is your best option.
Services on Offer
The basic services that you get on a cruise ship wedding packages include the services of a wedding coordinator, recorded music, a small wedding cake and some mementoes and a certificate which you can keep as an acknowledgement. If you want something fancier, you can get it at the cruise. You can get everything from the Tuxedo to special audio video packages, live coverage via webcam, buffet luncheons a multi course feast and much more depending on how much you are willing to spend.
You two can bet that you will never forget the experience that a cruise wedding and honeymoon package will offer you.
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Sound quite fascinating, could it be true? Recently the Great annual Wildebeest Migration across the Maasai Mara from the Serengeti Plains was decreared the seventh new wonder of the world. What did this mean to the Lions of the Maasai Mara, these regal and powerful hunters who have dominate the vast grasslands and attracted explorers and adventure seek to the Mara.
To answer this lets travel with you to Maasai Mara, arguably the world greatest wildlife reserve measuring some 1510sq Kms in the heartland of the Maasai, a strongly independent people who still value tradition and ritual as an integral part of their everyday lives. They regard themselves not just as residents of this area but that they are as much a part of the life of the land as the land is part of their lives.
In this small park the largest concentration of wildlife in the world is found.Reason? No one knows. The Mara comprises of open plains, woodlands and riverine forest. The vast grassland plains are scattered with herds of Zebra, Giraffe, Gazelle, and Topi. The Acacia forests abound with Birdlife and Monkeys. Elephants and Buffalo wallow in the wide Musiara Swamp. The Mara and Talek rivers are brimming with Hippos and Crocodiles.
But of interest now is that each year the Mara plays host to the world’s greatest natural spectacle, the Great Wildebeest Migration from the Serengeti. From July to October, the promise of rain and fresh life giving grass in the north brings more than 1.3 million Wildebeest together into a single massive herd. They pour across the border into the Mara, making a spectacular entrance in a surging column of life that stretches from horizon to horizon. At the Mara River they mass together on the banks before finally plunging forward through the raging waters, creating frenzy as they fight against swift currents and waiting crocodiles.
This mighty army of 1.3million plus wildebeest is not deterred by the Lions that lay in wait nor the formidable Mara River with its swift current and crocodiles waiting to profit from a free feast. The wildebeest bring new life to the Mara, through their cycle of regeneration of the grasslands and also for the predators that follow them. This courageous animal which folks say God created when he was tired, giving it a head of donkey, a tail of a horse and legs of a gazelle has of now taken over the “kingship” from the Lion but for how long? Let’s visit the Mara from July-October.
Travel Tips:
Location: Southwest of Kenya
Distance: 300KMS from Nairobi
How to Get There: By Road or Air
Accommodation: There are All Sort of Accommodation in Mara from Fix Star Lodges and Luxury Tented Camps, private homes to budget accommodation and Camping Sites.
When traveling to the Mara travel light the weather is generally warm throughout the year. If you are planning to take big game walking safaris carry some proper shoes not sandals.
Book you travel to Mara through a Travel Agent, Majority are honest but been on the lookout for overcharges shop around in the Internet before you settle for any.
Security: No course of alarm
I am the Tours Manager at Beyond Kenya Safaris a Local Based Destination Travel Company. I have a vast knowledge of Kenya Tourism/Travel spanning 20 Years and a passion of wildlife and Nature.
website: beyondkenyasafaris.co.ke beyondkenyasafaris.co.ke
