Excitement, disguised as laughter, smiles, and loud conversations fill the air. Bright color clothing decorate the people and streets. The vibrations of drums, guitars, saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and the performers make a slight effort to drown the sounds of the already energetic crowd. The streets are being beaten by the feet of the thousands of people dancing and singing, while others choose to lounge on the sidewalks and bob their heads. The ambiance of the city is overwhelmed with culture as the sounds of jazz music bursts through the streets, shops, cafes and restaurants. The annual International Jazz Festival in Aarhus, Denmark is one of the reasons why this old city remains young at heart. Founded by the Vikings, Aarhus is the second largest city in Denmark and it is located in East Jutland. With a little over 300,000, the city is populated with many museums, restaurants, trendy shops and cafes. In addition, the University of Aarhus and the 25 other learning institutions also attract the many college students that monopolize the city. By day, fashionable stores like Gallery Bo Bendixen and BOXdeLUX offers a variety of products that make the shopping experience exciting and enjoyable. The Museum of Ancient Art takes you on a journey to the Mediterranean countries, by acknowledging their ancient rituals with its fascinating displays of Egyptian mummies, and its celebrations of the traditions of the ancient Greek gods. Having a smooth glass of wine or beer, or even a cup of cappuccino over inviting conversation at one of the many cafes or pubs can be a relaxing way to end the night. Dancing the night away while listening to a live band at La belle or to popular mainstream music at The Social Club can also be an exhilarating experience. The restaurants in Aarhus have some of the best foods in Denmark. Whether it's Forlæns & Baglæns for Spanish tapas and Spanish beer, or Italian, French, or Greek delicacies, the city has numerous restaurants that can quench any pallet. For a taste of a true Danish delicacy, stop by The Teater and Bodega restaurant and try the Skipper's Hotpot or Biksemad dishes. You may even rub elbows with an actor, writer or musician since the restaurant is within reach of the Aarhus Theatre. Malling and Schmidt restaurant also embraces Danish cuisine with impressive and unusual dishes like smoked herring ice cream and musk ox. Aarhus airport provides international and domestic flights to other European cities. There is also a bus service that takes passengers from the airport to the city with predefined stops along the way. For adult tickets one way is 100Dkk (16.48 USD), children one way ticket is 75Dkk (12.36 USD) and senior one way tickets cost 90Dkk (12.36 USD). Since the roads of the city are generally flat, traveling by foot and bicycling are relatively easy. Tourists can rent with an Aarhus card for DDk 10 (1.65 USD) for one day and 10% off of rental for more than one day. Another option is you can borrow a free bike by dropping a DDK 20 coin (3.30 USD) in the slot to release the bicycle from the rack. The money is refundable once the bike is returned to any bike station. With the Aarhus card you can experience more for less with discounts or free admissions to many of the popular attractions and restaurants the city has to offer. The card also makes bus and train rides less expensive as well. There is no charge when traveling within zone 1-2 on the city buses. For 24 hour adult tickets, the price is DKK 119 (19.63 USD) and 48 hour adult tickets are DKK 149 (24.57 USD). Children 24 hour tickets are DKK 59 (9.73 USD) and 48 hour children tickets are DKK 69 (11.38 USD). Buses from Aarhus travel to Vejlby Vest, Skejbyparken, and Skejby Sygehus. Trains travel to and from Copenhagen every hour. The weather in Aarhus changes throughout the area because of the size of the city. February is generally the coldest month which averages to 31°F or below. The city is popular amongst tourists during the warmest month, July. The temperature remains steady at around 63°F. However, you may need a jacket even in the summer time because summers are known to be pretty windy.
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Abu Dhabi, rich with Islamic culture, demonstrates the true meaning of a magical Arabian city. Its exquisite architecture, turquoise waters, and timeless desert will leave you with an image strait out of a picture perfect dream. Here you can get much needed relaxation at one of its sandy beaches or take a ride on a camel in the vast desert. The picturesque attractions and the futuristic appeal of the tall mirrored buildings also contribute to the unique ambiance and adventures that Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates has to offer. Abu Dhabi is inhabited by approximately 600,000 people. It is the located in the United Arab Emirates and it is considered to be one of the richest cities. This is because most of the city's revenue comes from Abu Dhabi being a great oil supplier to many countries all over the world. It is not hard to grasp the culture of the city since many of the architecture and the infrastructure display the Arabian traditions proudly. The Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a perfect example of how the city celebrates its culture. The mosque is considered to be one of the most beautiful and most sacred buildings in the world. With the largest carpet, gold chandeliers, and marble imported from countries like Greece and Italy, its appearance demonstrates the natural yet elegant style of the city. Whether gazing at the exotic animals at the Al Ain Zoo or shopping until you drop at one of the luxurious malls, there are a wide range of activities and attractions. At the Arabian Wild Life Park tourists can get close and personal with a hyena or a wild Arabian Oryx. You can also rent a vehicle and venture on an excursion in the desert. Belly dancing or cabaret is a unique yet exhilarating part of the nightlife. Nightclubs have sizzling dance floors and they acknowledge their multicultural audiences by showcasing themes and by playing different genres of music. There is even the local jazz club or piano bar that presents a more serene and soothing atmosphere. The dining experience in Abu Dhabi is known to be extraordinary. Whether it's Arabic, Persian, Thai, Indian, or Lebanese, the cuisine of the city is a pleasurable experience for all food critics. The restaurant Ushna offers a variety of international dishes, if you are lucky you may be seated facing the picturesque Grand Mosque. For a taste of Emeriti cuisine, Al Arish is popular amongst tourist and prides itself for being one of the few restaurants with its enticing menu of Arabian delicacies like Arabic coffee and sharwarma. For a unique dining adventure, Al Dhafra offers dinning while sailing the tranquil, blue waters of Abu Dhabi. Its diversity of foods will leave you speechless and your gastronomical needs will truly be satisfied. Abu Dhabi International Airport is 18 miles from the city and it provides international flights to many major cities. Buses are available to get around Abu Dhabi. They cost 1AED (0.27 USD) per trip. Taking a bus to the neighboring city, Dubai per trip costs 15 AED (4.09 USD) or 20 AED (5.46) if you are take a luxury bus. Taxis are the most popular modes of transportation in Abu Dhabi. The least expensive fares range from 2 AED (0.55 USD) to 5 AED (1.36 USD) per trip. Newer taxis cost range from 3 AED (0.82 USD) to 10 AED (2.73 USD) per trip. An exciting way to cool off in Abu Dhabi during the summer (June-September) is to head to Ferrari World and ride Formula Rossa, the world's fastest rollercoaster, since temperatures can soar as high as 100°F. Just in time for the Al Ain Aerobatic show, in late November to early December, the winter (November-April) temperatures are generally cool averaging to as low as 50°F to as high as 75°F.
Acapulco, Mexico
Long before the popularity of Cancun had spiked among tourists, Acapulco was the original Mexican resort town. Still a hugely popular tourist destination, Acapulco sits on Mexico's Pacific coast and is bordered by the rugged Sierra Madre mountains and stunning Acapulco Bay. Even among the high-rise hotel zone, streets congested with traffic and one million + residents and tourists who visit each year, the city still somehow seems to remain breezy and relaxing. While much of the city has turned to tourist-centric hotspots, the town square, Zocalo, exposes more of Acapulco's local culture. Daytime in the Zocalo is a peaceful place to take a stroll past the fountains, cathedrals and sidewalk bistros, while nighttime brings out a smattering of locals and visitors who take in the entertainment of wandering clowns and street performers who are looking for tips well into the evening. To take in something truly entertaining, a trip to Acapulco isn't complete without watching the cliff divers at La Quebrada. Since 1934, professional divers have been jumping off the steep cliffs into dangerously shallow water four times a day. Isla de la Roqueta is a small island off of the coast of Acapulco that can only accessed by water taxi or glass-bottom boat. The beautiful beach, hiking trails, lighthouses and snorkeling spots attract both locals and tourists looking for a reprieve of the bustle of the city. The premier golf courses, pristine beaches and fishing excursions of the day give way to the often raucous and never-ending nightlife. Hillside clubs, bars, discos and lounges bring out the best in Acapulco's hedonistic side with music and dancing lasting well into the morning. Heavy on fresh seafood plucked from the Pacific, Acapulco's culinary scene is a mix of family-owned establishments and large tourist-friendly chains. Su Casa is a fine dining option offering both city and ocean views and some of the best seafood in town. Jovitos is a favorite known for traditional Mexican dishes and friendly service, while Zibu is a unique restaurant serving up a fusion of Mexican and Thai dishes that continue to excite and surprise diners. Juan N. Alvarez International Airport (ACA) is the city's main transportation hub and serves both domestic and major international airlines. For navigating around Acapulco, taxis are everywhere and are the number one choice for tourist transportation. Most cabs are unmetered, so it is suggested to negotiate a fare before leaving. Buses are also available, and have their destinations printed on the windshield. All buses are privately owned, and many are colorfully decorated and play tradition Mexcan music. Acapulco's climate is hot and tropical, with both wet and dry seasons. Temperatures do not vary much throughout the year, as most months maintain an average of high 80s to low 90s, making the resort town a true year-round destination.
Africa is the second largest and most populous continent in the world. At 11.7 million square miles, it is large enough for the United States to fit inside it more than three times. It stretches from the Mediterranean Sea on the north, where it is culturally part of the Middle East, to the Atlantic Ocean on the west and the Indian Ocean on the east. Africa's west coast juts out into the Atlantic much farther west than Europe, and its eastern side is much farther east. Dakar, Senegal, is only 4,000 miles from North Carolina. When you fly from New York to Johannesburg, South Africa, Dakar is only the half-way point. Africa is arguably the world's most culturally diverse continent. Nearly all the nationalities and cultures of the world seem to be represented there. The European colonial powers carved the continent up to claim territories for their colonial empires. The European influence dates back to 1652 when the Dutch East India Company founded Cape Town as an outpost only a few years after the Dutch West India Company founded what would become New York City. Cape Town was the first permanent European settlement in Africa. They all left their historical and cultural legacies, their languages, architecture and infrastructure, which are all part of the rich cultural tapestry of Africa today. In the 1960s, a wave of African nationalism spread across the continent as one after another of the colonies sought and achieved independence. Many of the political struggles were severe and the battle for Africa's rich resources led in some cases to systematic brutality, which has also left its mark on Africa. In the 1990s, South Africa, where the colonization all began, finally threw off its oppressive racist government and became a democratic country where all people have the right to vote. It led to an economic and cultural renaissance for the country, which has since moved into the forefront of African tourism. In the north, Africa adjoins with Europe and the Middle East, both geographically and culturally. At the Strait of Gibraltar, Europe and Africa are separated by only 7.7 nautical miles of sea. Morocco and Spain practically bleed into each other with their blends of Moorish, Arab, Spanish, French and Roman influences. The Arab states of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt form the northern rim of Africa. Egypt is one of the most popular and unique tourist destinations in the world. Morocco is not far behind it. To the south is the great Sahara Desert, and below that the great variety of sub-Saharan Africa. The continent has tremendous geographical diversity, from desert to jungle, forest, savannahs, mountains, beaches and winelands. And it has the most spectacular wildlife on earth, with elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, gorillas, rhinos, hippos, antelopes, buffalo, chimps and baboons. While most American tourists don't even think of Egypt and Morocco in the African context, African tourism has historically meant going on safari to most people. The safari business began with Kenya, then gradually spread, so that today Americans go on safari in Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Namibia and South Africa, and interest is spreading even farther. But today, Americans are discovering Africa beyond the safari and seeing that Africa is rich in the many of the same kinds of attractions as elsewhere in the world. The highly developed civilizations offer great cultural and historical richness to discover, as well as modern cuisine and nightlife. In the 21st century, Africa is definitely on the ascendance.
Described as heaven on earth, Aitutaki is a picture-perfect paradise. For a relaxing vacation, this region of the Cook Islands is an ideal getaway with white sandy beaches, turquoise ocean waters, gourmet seafood, and thrilling water activities. Most of your days can be spent relaxing and swimming among bright-colored coral and the exotic fish that decorate the ocean. Also, tours are a great way to combine adventure and culture together. While basking in the ambiance of the island, tourists can dive into the blue sea and become one with the creatures of the aquatic underworld. You will truly be mesmerized by how the traditions and beauty of the island intertwine with each other, which makes the island a breathtaking and enriching escape from the hassles of life. First settled by the Polynesians, Aitutaki, Cook Island consists of 15 inlets ( motu) with three being volcanic. It is populated with approximately 2,200 residents and it has a magnificent lagoon that is surrounded by other small islands. The Island is also rich with Christian practices. Built in 1828, the Arutanga CICC church is the oldest church in the Cook Islands. Its picturesque view if the lagoon in the background and the exquisite design of the historical monument displays the Aitutaki customs brilliantly. Aitutaki safari adventures are both educational and exciting. Tours such as the archeological pre-Christian site provides information about the ancient traditional practices and customs of the Aitutaki people. Tourists can also take part in a race on the lagoon by participating in the Oe Vaka sport which is paddling in a canoe or enjoy a nice, leisure hike up Maungapu. For island designs, the local shops and outlets in Aitutaki are known to produce great handcrafts and bright colored clothing. From straw hats to wooden drums and jewelry made from recycled material, shopaholics can satisfy their shopping addictions by purchasing authentic souvenirs that showcase the raw talents of the Aitutakians and the richness of the island's culture. You can also bite into a delicious paw paw or banana at one of the local fruit markets. By night, the Aitutaki dancers show their rhythmic moves to the beat of drums while using fire to excite and entice their spectators. At nightclubs and bars tourists are invited to dance to lively music while sipping on a beer or cocktail. The Aitutaki cuisine is a natural and cultural phenomenon. The many restaurants offer panoramic views of the ocean and sand-between-your-toes ambiance. Foods like poke (paw paw or banana pudding) and kumara (sweet potato) are exquisite yet delectable. Tourists can also sample other mouthwatering dishes like mayonnaise (potato salad) or mitiore (grated coconut marinated with crab) while drinking a tall glass of coconut juice. For the seafood lovers, many restaurants overflow with the smells of freshly picked fish, crab, and other appetizing creatures from the ocean since the island is known to have a vast selection of exotic seafood flavored to perfection. The climate of Aitutaki, Cook Islands is hot and humid. During the summer months of December-February the temperature averages to a high of 29 oC (84.2 oF) and a low of 22oC (71.6 oF). During the winter months of June August t he temperature averages to a high of 25 oC (77 oF) and a low of 19 oC (66.2 oF). During this time nights are quite cool so a light jacket may be needed. Especially in October-May when nights can be cooler than usual. From the airport in Avarua of Rarotonga Air Rarotonga, is the Cook Islands' national air service, and it provides flights to Aitutaki a few times a day. The tropical weather makes transportation in Aitutaki relatively easy. Visitors can take a relaxed stroll or rent a bicycle. Many tourists choose to drive a scooter or rent a car. However, driving is on the left side of the street and you would have to show your valid driver's license in order to purchase a Cook Islands driver's license from the local police station which cost NZ 2.50 (USD 2.02). Since there is no regular bus schedules, taxis/shuttles are available to take you to your desired destination.
Nestled in the fascinating country of New Zealand, Akaroa is nothing short of delightful. This quaint village's French and British heritage is proudly celebrated through its many faces of culture. Come enjoy the pleasant weather and indulge in its wide contrasts of adventures. Whether you choose to relax or explore its historical pleasures, there is an endless supply of thrills that are awaiting your arrival. You cannot miss the opportunity to discover a unique destination painted with structures of architectural magnificence and feel the ambiance of such an enchanting paradise. With many sights of treasured jewels, Akaroa, New Zealand offers its visitors a little piece of heaven. Situated in the core of a historic volcano, Akaroa is a charming village on Banks Peninsula in New Zealand. With a harbor bearing its name, this destination is host to a world of al fresco adventures and historic attractions lurking throughout its striking landscape. The crystal clear waters of the Akaroa Harbor are home to New Zealand's most exotic creatures and offer a plethora of activities from kayaking and jet skiing to swimming and sailing with dolphins. Enjoy a glass of wine with majestic views of Banks Peninsula's emerald mountainsides at the Akaroa Winery and Meniscus Wine Vineyard. Get up close to the furry alpacas and observe their interesting behaviors at the Shamarra Alpaca Farm. In addition, step back into time and explore the exhibitions relating to the ancient civilization of the peninsula at the museums. Enjoy an afternoon of shopping at the shops and boutiques that are dotted along the cobblestone streets. Genuine New Zealand souvenirs such as antiques, jewelry, clothing, postcards, wines, and produce elaborately decorate the trendy shopping districts. Oh what a pleasure it is to feel authentic fabrics like sheepskin slip between your fingers. This unique cultural experience of Akaroa gives fashionistas the opportunity to meet friendly locals and cure their shopping addictions without the long lines and bustling stores. From the popular fish 'n' chips to fine cuisine, the gastronomic experience is a delight to any pallet. The restaurants overflow with aromas from baked treats, seafood, chorizo, and meats flavored to perfection. Whether you choose to dine under the magical sky or you prefer an intimate indoor setting, Akaroa's beautiful sceneries of water and hilly pastures are never far behind. Akaroa experiences a humid moderate climate. From the months of December to March (warm season), the weather averages from a daily high within the70s to the low 50s. During the months of May to August (cold season), the temperature ranges between a high in the 50s to the low 30s. Traveling throughout Akaroa's beautiful landscape is a captivating discovery of interesting sites. There are a variety of bus tours and cruises that provide transportation to various activities in the village as well as its neighboring destinations. Also, the lush trials of Banks Peninsula lead to a gateway of natural wonders and unexpected treasures so brilliant, you cannot fully grasp the beauty that surrounds this striking destination.
Deeply rooted in Islamic culture, the Al Fateh Grand Mosque in Al Manamah, Bahrain is one of the largest mosques in the entire world. Uniquely designed with its dome made of fiberglass, exquisite chandelier, and Italian marble walls and floors, the mosque is a picture-perfect and elegant sight. The rich Islamic traditions are manifested throughout the sacred halls, where calligraphy and geometrical shapes are skillfully used as decoration. It is so grand, 7,000 worshippers are able to fit within its rooms comfortably. It also consists of a library that houses thousands of ancient books including the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, the Global Arabic Encyclopedia, and the Encyclopedia of Islamic Jurisprudence. The Al Fateh Mosque attracts visitors from all over the world who marvel at its beauty and architecture. The mosque is one of the many reasons why Al Manamah is an interesting, yet exciting destination. Al Manamah is the largest city and the capital of Bahrain. It is located in the north, eastern section of Bahrain. The lively city is filled with trendy shopping malls, enticing restaurants and bars, and thrilling attractions. Journey to the past and visit the Bahrain National Museum and learn about ancient traditions of Dilmun and gaze at the historic archeological artifacts. On the other hand, the Bahrain World Trade Center has a futuristic silhouette that glistens in the sun. Standing at 787 ft, you cannot fully grasp the amazing architecture of the exquisite site that provides panoramic views of the city and the Arabian Gulf. Treasure your memories of Al Manamah with a souvenir from the Manamah Souq. Products such as fabric, shoes, spices, jewelry, rugs, and carpets are sold by local street vendors. The thick scent of spices and the excitement of busy shoppers fill the atmosphere and crowded markets. The chic shopping malls are also available for the everyday shopaholics who are excitingly ready to buy the latest fashions. By night the city transforms into a social scene. Clubs and bars are a great way to mix and mingle with local residents and tourists while dancing the night away to the latest hits. A visit to Al Manamah would not be complete without tasting authentic Arabian delicacies. Aromas from delicious Arabian dishes such as samboosa, qoozi, machboos, falafel, and shawarma are pleasing and mouthwatering. Whether it is, Italian, Indian, Turkish, or Spanish cuisine, there is an endless supply of food that will satisfy your appetite. Along with a great meal, many of the restaurants offer enjoyable entertainment. It's a thrill to watch live performances of singers and dancers while indulging in a delectable feast. The climate of Al Manamah is typically hot and dry. In the months of May to early October temperatures average around 94°F and above. During the cold season of December to March temperatures average around a high of 74°F to a low of 58°F. However, within a year temperatures can soar to approximately 106°F and can be as low as 53°F. Bahrain International Airport, located in the city of Muharraq, provides flights to Al Manamah and to cities in the Middle East as well as Europe, Asia, and Africa. The desert-like temperature makes commuting in the city relatively easy. Saptco Bus Company provides rides to Saudi cities such as Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah. Taxis are popular and are a less expensive means of transportation. Tourists can also rent a car as long as they have a valid driver's license and passport.
Alabama, United States
From its history and deep south feel, to its beaches and outdoor offerings, Alabama is truly a diverse state with something for everyone. Alabama has a long history with race relations. It was an integral state in the Civil Rights movement and its role is celebrated throughout the state in the form of museums and memorials such as The Civil Rights Memorial Center, The Rosa Park Museum, The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and the Dexter Parsonage Museum, among others. Alabama also has plantations and Civil War sites open to the public where you can step into the past and view history from a different perspective. The Slavery & Civil War Museum is a must see and war buffs will revel in preserved Civil War sites like Fort Morgan and Fort Gaines. Birmingham is a modern city that also pays homage to the past. Kelly Ingram Park, where Civil Rights demonstrators were attacked by police dogs in 1963, serves as a memorial for all of those who fought for equal rights. Sculptures of the police dog attack, Martin Luther King Jr. and other symbolic events and people can be found here. For some family fun, visit the McWane Center where you can play with science exhibits and catch a show in their IMAX Theater. Nightlife in Birmingham is also a big attraction, with bars legally allowed to stay open around the clock. For a more relaxing vacation, visit Alabama's beaches in the Gulf Coast or visit one of its many state parks where hiking and biking trails, great fishing and camp trails await you. The mountain regions in Northern Alabama offer a peaceful experience where you can golf, canoe and take in the beautiful scenery.
Alanya, Turkey
Surrounded by huge stones, the crystal clear waters of Cleopatra Beach in Alanya glisten in the sun. According to Greek mythology, this is where the Egyptian Pharaoh Cleopatra and Mark Anthony were rumored to have taken romantic baths. Historic ruins of one of her mansions were also found along a trail leading to the beach. Here, you can splash in the waters or build castles in the white, silky sand. The sunset is the perfect backdrop for a romantic picnic while listening to the giant waves crash onto the shore. There is also a mysterious cave that traps and releases the cool, clear ocean water. Cleopatra Beach is one of the many exotic attractions of Alanya, Turkey. So relaxing and stunning, even the beautiful pharaoh thought it was the perfect getaway. Alanya is a city in the Mediterranean region of Turkey. With the Taurus Mountains and the Türktas plateau overlooking the large city, Alanya has a striking scenic background. The city is filled with chic boutiques, sandy beaches, exotic restaurants, ancient caves and archeological attractions. Standing 250 meters high and with scenic views of the Mediterranean Sea, the ruins of the medieval Alanya Castle is a historical monument and open air museum that consists of Seljuk cisterns, a Byzantine church, a Seljuk bath, tombs, and the Keykubat Sultan Palace. Decorated with Seljuk art, the Kizilkule Ethnography Museum was built in 1226 with a purpose to defend the pier. It now displays resources such as carpets, clothing, pot and pans, and guns, which give insight about ancient Turkish civilization. Alanya is a shopper's paradise. There are many boutiques and lively markets located within the city. The plethora of products found is infinite. Everything from clothing and artifacts to textiles and souvenirs are readily available for your consumption. Bargaining is also a great way to get the best deals on the stylish Turkish products. To find the latest trends, the shopping mall is accessible and convenient for tourists who are in desperate need of retail therapy. By night, the large city becomes a disco. Nightclubs and bars encourage visitors to party until the sun comes out, while dancing to different genres of music. For a relaxing and smooth atmosphere, smaller bars are great for enjoying welcoming conversations and a cool beverage with both locals and tourists. Experiencing a mouthwatering dish at one of Alanya's many restaurants is a must. For tourists who are brave enough to quench their pallets Mediterranean style, there is an endless supply of Mediterranean dishes. Alanya Restaurant offers authentic Turkish delicacies such as lamb in yogurt sauce, köfte with potato, and hünkar begendi. In addition to international cuisine, Bar Celona Tapas Bar and Brasserie also offers Spanish, Turkish, and Mexican. Eateries in Alanya are known to provide a variety of delicious foods with the good intentions of fulfilling your gastronomical needs. With such a vast selection, the regular food connoisseur will truly be satisfied. Alanya has a Mediterranean climate which makes it possible for plants such as papaya and guava to grow here easily. During the summer the weather is typically hot and dry while the winter climate is generally wet and humid. During the summer months the temperature averages between 26°C (78.8°F) and 38°C (100.4°F). In the winter temperatures average around a high of 24°C (75°F) to a low of 16°C (60.8°F). However, within the course of a year the climate of Alanya is approximately 19°C (66.2°F). Antalya Airport provides flights to and from Alanya. Walking is a relaxing and enjoyable way to soak in the weather and bask in the beauty of the town. The bus service offers rides to Antalya, Adana, and other neighboring cities. From Alanya Harbour, boats travel to Girne in Cyprus. A less expensive mode of transportation is the Dolmus which is convenient for commuting throughout the town. Taxis are also available to take you to your desired destination. Many tourists also choose to rent an electric scooter or bicycle and take a leisurely ride around the city.
Alaska, United States
Alaska is an untamed and bountiful state. The icy mountain peaks seem tall enough to pierce the prismatic Northern Lights, which beautifully scar the night sky. From kayaking among glaciers and icebergs, to getting cozy with bears, wolves and moose on a wildlife expedition or taking a hike through a temperate ancient rainforest, any lover of nature will be in awe of what this state has to offer. And chances are your visit will barely scratch the surface. Though split into five regions -- Southeastern, South-central, Southwestern, Interior and Arctic Alaska -- most travelers only visit a handful of destinations within the state's expansive territory. For a subarctic urban experience, Alaska's two largest cities are Anchorage and Juneau. Anchorage, home to nearly 280,000 residents, is abuzz year-round with adventure, culture, seasonal festivities and outdoor sporting events. Check out Juneau, the state's capital city, for some of the freshest seafood in the world, funky late-night brewpubs and countless galleries and exhibits shellacked with local, international and Native American artwork. Adventure and ecotourism allows tourists to experience the exhilaration and unparalleled majesty of Alaska's natural beauty. Considered to be the crowning jewel of this natural beauty is North America's highest peak, Mt. McKinley. At home in Denali National Park, McKinley sits among 6 million acres of protected wilderness in which visitors and adventurers can tour, hike, climb, camp, photograph and raft through whitewater rapids. Arrive by helicopter and take a dogsled tour through the glaciers of Skagway in Alaska's panhandle. Skim the wilderness in a bush plane and see Alaska from above as you glide over the Aleutian Islands or Arctic Circle. The dining experience can be an important part of any traveler's Alaskan vacation. Staples like Alaskan salmon, king crab, halibut, caribou and moose are served in heaping portions at most any restaurant in the state. For a taste of some of the freshest seafood of the Pacific Northwest, Hangar on The Warf in Juneau is a local institution with an amazing waterfront location. Try Kincaid Grill of Anchorage for an upscale restaurant with a refined menu offering classics like smoked duck and giant red king crab. For international fair inspired by local ingredients, check out Orso, which is also located in Anchorage and considered one of the best restaurants in the city. Ted Stevens International Airport (ANC) in Anchorage is serviced by most major airlines and is the most widely used for Alaska travel. Fairbanks International and Juneau International airports are also used, but to a smaller extent. Many cities and villages are only accessible by plane or boat. Alaska Airlines offers frequent jet service for in-state travel, and serves several larger and smaller communities. The Alaska Marine Highway System consists of 8,000 miles of coastal routes that connect to 31 port communities throughout Southeast, South-central and Southwest Alaska. Taking a cruise is one of the best ways to experience the state. Cruise ships can bring travelers amazing close to glaciers and offer professionally guided off-boat excursions. Other modes of transportation within Alaska include buses, shuttles and trains. The Alaska Railroad runs from Seward through Anchorage, Denali and Fairbanks to the North Pole, and is famous for its summertime passenger service. Though it's known for its legendary harsh winters, most travelers visit Alaska in the summer, when the temperatures are moderate and the days are long. Summer solstice brings about long days of 19 (in Anchorage) to 24 hours (in Barrow) of complete sunlight. Winter solstice has the same effect, bringing total darkness for almost a complete day. In the summer, the Inside Passage and Anchorage areas reach temperatures of 60 to 70°F and can get as cold at -30°F in the winter months. The Interior, including Fairbanks and Denali, often has summer temperatures that reach 90°F and winters in the bone-chilling -50°F range. The best time to visit Alaska is in the late spring to late summer months. For cruises, the season runs from May to mid-September.
Albania, Europe
The Republic of Albania is a country in South Eastern Europe. It's bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the west, and on the Ionian Sea to the southwest. It's less than 45 miles from Italy, across the Strait of Otranto which links the Adriatic Sea to the Ionian Sea. Albania's largest city, Tirana, is also the country's capital. The main cultural and artistic institutions of Tirana are the National Theater, the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet of Albania, the National Gallery of Figurative Arts of Albania (Galeria Kombëtare e Arteve), and the Ensemble of Folk Music and Dances. Tirana is also home to several castles such as Tirana Castle, the historical core of the capital, the Clock Tower of Tirana, the Bridge of Tobaccoes, Skanderbeg Square and Kapllan Pasha's Grave. Albania is distinguished for its rich biological diversity because of the country's diverse geography and temperature. Vast forests of black pine, beech and fir are found on higher mountains as are alpine grasslands. The north and eastern mountains of the country are home to the last remaining Balkan lynx a critically endangered population of the lynx. Some of the most significant bird species found in the country include the golden eagle known as the national symbol of Albania. The main meal of the Albanians is lunch, and it is usually accompanied by a salad of fresh vegetables, such as tomatoes, cucumbers, green peppers and olives with olive oil, vinegar and salt. Lunch also includes a main dish of vegetables and meat. Seafood specialties are also common in the coastal areas of Durrës, Vlorë and Sarandë. In high altitude areas smoked meat and pickling is very common. Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza is Albania's only international airport. More than a dozen international airlines connect Albania to Europe and Eastern Europe. There is a four-lane highway connecting the city of Durrës with Tirana and the city of Durrës with the city of Lushnje. Despite the size of the country, Albania has a high number of climatic regions for so small an area due to a coastline facing the Adriatic and Ionian seas, its highlands backed upon the elevated Balkan landmass, and the entire country lying at a latitude subject to a variety of weather patterns during the winter and summer seasons. The coastal lowlands have typically Mediterranean weather; the highlands have a Mediterranean continental climate. In both the lowlands and the interior, the weather varies markedly from north to south.
Albany, New York
Albany, New York, the state capital, sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about 150 miles north of New York City. Albany was permanently settled in 1614, and is the oldest surviving settlement from the original thirteen colonies, and the oldest continuously chartered city in the United States. Downtown Albany is the city's oldest neighborhood. In particular, State Street is one of Albany's oldest streets and its original main street. West of Downtown is the Empire State Plaza, which effectively cuts Downtown off from the gentrified neighborhoods of Center Square, Hudson/Park, Lark Street and Washington Park. Often collectively referred to as mid-town, these neighborhoods are often compared to New York City's Greenwich Village for their mix of residential and commercial uses, including bars, night clubs, restaurants and unique stores. Albany has over 60 public parks and recreation areas. Washington Park is a popular venue for active types to indulge in sports. Other parks in Albany include Lincoln Park, Buckingham Park, the Corning Preserve and the Pine Bush. The Corning Preserve is home to a visitors center that details the Hudson River and the local environment. The park also features a bike trail and boat launch. The Palace Theatre and The Egg are forums for music, theater and cultural performances. The Times Union Center serves as the city's largest musical venue for well-known bands, as well as tradeshows, sporting events and other large-scale activities. The Tulip Festival, set in Washington Park, is one of Albany's largest events. Alive at Five is a free concert series held Downtown on Thursdays throughout the summer. Because of Albany's historical and political significance, the city has numerous museums and historical buildings. In particular, Albany is home to the New York State Museum and New York State Archives, both open to the public. The USS Slater , a decommissioned World War II destroyer escort that was restored in 1998, is a museum ship docked in the Hudson River at Quay Street. Albany is home to 57 listings on the National Register of Historic Places and six National Historic Landmarks. The Ten Broeck Mansion, a 1797 Federal-style mansion, is currently a historic house museum and the headquarters of the Albany County Historical Association. Albany is known for its cold, snowy winters, and hot, wet summers; the city experiences four distinct seasons. Snowfall is significant, totaling 62.7 inches annually. Winters can be very cold with fluctuating conditions. Summers in Albany can contain stretches of excessive heat and humidity. The Northway (Interstate 87 north of the New York State Thruway) connects Albany by car to Canada at Champlain. Albany is literally at the crossroads of I-87 and I-90 though it lacks its own railroad station--but Amtrak currently services the area through the Albany-Rensselaer station in Rensselaer. Albany's nearest airport is Albany International Airport in nearby Colonie. Eight major airlines service Albany -- Air Canada (which offers the airport's only international destination, Toronto), Cape Air, Continental Express, Delta Air Lines, Northwest Airlines, Southwest Airlines, United Air Lines and US Airways.
Alberta, Canada
Alberta occupies the western edge of the Canadian prairie, and some aspects of the Albertan culture are iconic of the prairie lands; farms and cowboys come immediately to mind. However, it is the imposing beauty of the Canadian Rockies and boreal northern forests that travelers flock to the province for. Lakes are fairly numerous in northern Alberta and a few of them are sizable. Lake Athabasca is located primarily in neighboring Saskatchewan but it is still Alberta's largest lake. Like nearby Claire Lake and Lesser Slave Lake to the south, Athabasca is a destination for wildlife gazing, fishing and flat-water kayaking. Some of the rivers around the Albertan lakes do run quickly, so whitewater kayakers and rafters will have plenty of terrain to fruitfully explore. Banff National Park, Canada's first, and the adjoining Jasper National Park sit amid the Canadian Rockies and are stunning. The Ice Field Parkway which crosses both is a scenic drive that rivals the best in the world. Within Banff National Park, the trendy little mountain town of Banff acts as a base for first-class skiing and snowboarding in the surrounding hills. Southern Alberta is where the prairie is. On that prairie, Albertan farmers raise more than half of Canada's beef, so a fresh steak is hardly difficult to find, and plenty of Albertan restaurants serve one up delectably. Sticking out amid the stockyards and wheat fields are the Albertan prairie cities of Calgary and Edmonton. Edmonton is aptly nicknamed "The City of Festivals." The Edmonton International Street Performer's Festival, summer festival Capital EX, and the second-largest fringe theater festival in the world, the Edmonton International Fringe Festival, are just a few highlights of the city's yearly festival circuit. Not to be outdone by its down-province rival, Calgary hosts the Calgary Stampede every July. In existence since 1950, the Stampede is an enormously popular 10-day, high-purse rodeo and exhibition of the Canadian Cowboy lifestyle. Calgary and Alberta also foster a bitter little hockey rivalry between their beloved Flames and Oilers, respectively. Of course, if you're going to catch a great hockey game in Alberta, it will probably during the winter, so pack a coat as temperatures in the southern Alberta usually stay below freezing all winter. In the Albertan north, be truly prepared, the winters are arctic. Southern summers are warm, not often hot, and northern summer is much the same, although temperatures will drop significantly at night. Alberta is a well-paved province, so getting into and around it by car is an easy, scenic process. Calgary and Edmonton both have international airports, so getting to the province by planes is simple as well and can be done directly from many U.S. cities. More leisurely travelers have the option of scenic train rides through Alberta via Via Rail, or the Rocky Mountaineer.
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Straddling the Rio Grande, Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and offers a number of wonderfful attractions, colorful scenery and a Southwestern culture all its own. Mountains looming majestically above the high desert, magnificent sunsets, and the stark splendor of dramatic landscapes, make Albuquerque a one of a kind vacation destination. Toss in hot-air balloons drifting in a brilliant blue sky, and you have an irresistible formula for attracting you to one of America's most underrated cities. Depending on the season and personal inclination, visitors may choose golf, hiking, horseback riding, hunting, mountain biking, or pick a spectator sport such as minor league baseball, horse racing, or Lobo basketball at UNM. The world's longest jig back tramway provides transportation to ski runs in the Sandia Mountains and in October thousands come for a visit to take part in the International Balloon Fiesta.
Rich with history, the Alton Museum of History and Art is a cultural exhibition and acknowledgment of the outstanding accomplishments of some of Alton's most inspiring citizens. The site gives visitors a glimpse into the past with its decorated rooms which pays homage to individuals like Robert Pershing Wadlow, (the tallest man on record) and Elijah Lovejoy (an abolitionist who was assassinated for his beliefs in freedom of the press). The ambiance of the historical monument is filled with the heritage and culture that has cultivated the city and its people today, and its exhibitions proudly showcase the traditions and history of an all-American city. The museum also offers its visitors the opportunity to journey into a world that tells the story of bravery, hardships, and triumphs of its influential natives and the community. The Alton Museum of History and Art is one of the many reasons why Alton, Illinois, United States is an inspirational and captivating destination. The city of Alton is located in Illinois, United States. With a scenic backdrop of the Mississippi River, the city is an elaborate landscape filled with adventure. From roaming the haunted, scary halls of the McPike Mansion to gazing at the displays of the artistic masterpieces at the Jacoby Arts Center, the city is home to thrilling and memorable attractions. Catch a live play at the Alton little Theater or a live concert overlooking the Mississippi River at the Alton Riverfront Amphitheater. Play a game of golf at the Cloverleaf Golf Course or become one with nature and venture on a safari, while sailing the waters of the infamous river. There are also many mystical and educational tours will be of great fun. The city offers a wide variety of activities that will absolutely spark your interest. In addition to the variety of thrilling activities, souvenirs are a great way to remember your fascinating journey. Alton is filled with shops that sell the city's finest products and accessories. Alton Exchange is a local mall that prides itself on its unique collectibles, crafts, and antiques such as hand crafted body products. Alton Square Mall offers the latest trends with enticing sales and deals from popular brands and stores. Also, Alton Stained Glass specializes in products such as glass beads and ornaments which consumers can purchase or make themselves in one of the classes that the store offers. There are a plethora of shopping centers where you will find Alton's best merchandise and fashions. At night, music can be heard from miles away coming from the local bars, pubs, and clubs. Visitors are encouraged to dance under the night sky while sipping on Illinois' trademark beverages. Along the quaint streets, restaurants can be found lurking on almost every corner. Specializing in all-American foods and international dishes, restaurants serve delectable meals that will definitely hit the spot. Aromas from BBQ, seafood, juicy steaks and homemade pies, are mouthwatering and fill the air. The wide selections of meals will satisfy your cravings and appease your gastronomical needs. Alton experiences a humid continental climate. During the summer (May-September), temperatures average from 78°F-95°F. In the winter (November- February), the temperature averages from a high of 47°F to a low of 23°F. Alton is in close distance to St. Louis Lambert International Airport and St. Louis Regional Airport. The Amtrak train provides transportation to Alton and different cities within the United States. The ferry is accessible when traveling to the different attractions in Illinois and Missouri. Bluff City Tours also provides trolleys that offer tours to major attractions throughout Illinois and Missouri. In addition, cabs are convenient at providing door-to-door transportation.
Amalfi, Italy
Painted with white architectonic beauties clenching onto the edges of majestic hills, the town of Amalfi beams with old Italian charm. This quaint destination embodies the essence of the Amalfi Coast, infused by the warm glow of the Mediterranean sun and cliffs rising out of the earth. With a façade pointing towards the multihued ocean, Amalfi, Italy lures its way into the hearts of every traveler, drawing them in with its magical spell of tranquility amid breathtaking scenery. Amalfi is the perfect location to get lost in timeless beaches, while indulging in legends of its colorful past. It is also a destination where land and sea harmoniously reside to awaken your passions along the path to discovery in true Italian fashion. Since the Byzantine period, Amalfi has made a significant stamp in Italy's civilization. This quaint town is the spirit of the Amalfi Coast, derived from a history as one of the renowned Maritime Republics. With a powerful military once by its side, the town's façade changed tremendously as architecture began to decorate its streets. Though it faced much success, the town underwent defeat and the earthquake of 1343; however, Amalfi never lost its rustic appeal. Its landscape later attracted European royalty and continues to be a popular destination among tourists. Its piazza and waterfront are speckled with shoppers, food lovers, and sightseers grabbing a piece of the Italian culture. The 62 steps blazing a trail to the Duomo di Sant' Andrea and Cloister of Paradise is worth the climb. Housed in the Palazzo Morelli is the Civic Museum, which is a riveting account of Amalfi's past, while the Museo delle Carte (Paper Museum) offers a fascinating glance into its historic paper making industry. Amalfi's natural beauty is also a must-see. From sugary beaches to embracing the spray of waterfalls, the town is an exotic adventure. Amalfi offers a gastronomic experience of a lifetime. Its restaurants are snuggled in hills and dotted throughout its winding roads offering an array of delicious Italian favorites like pizza, pasta, and freshly caught seafood drenched in lemon. The town's chefs are eager to fill your taste buds with wonderful dishes prepared with rich Italian spices and cooked from the soul. Amalfi's weather is characterized by a Mediterranean climate. The months of June to September (summer) experiences highs around 85°F and lows slightly below 70°F. During November to March (winter) its temperatures vary between a high of 60°F to a low of 40°F. Naples International Airport is Amalfi's main gateway and offers bus connection to the town. The train station in Salerno also services bus transportation to and from the town. Ferry service also connects Amalfi to other Italian destinations. However, its piazza and narrow streets are best explored on foot.
Amalfi Coast, Italy
The Amalfi Coast in southern Italy is as much a state of mind as an actual place. The endlessly deep blue of its sea-vistas, the confetti colors of towns rising out of the cliffs and its seemingly endless sunshine make it the "go-to" place for an escape from the rigors of everyday life. And it's had that image have made it a vacation haven for two centuries. It's been both an escape and an inspiration for all sorts of artists from the 19th century to today--Giovanni Boccaccio, Richard Wagner, Pablo Picasso, Gore Vidal and plenty of others. This stretch of southern coast along Italy's Gulf of Salerno, is mix of cliffs, sea and picturesque villages, with small beaches tucked in here and there. The two major ports on the coast are Amalfi and Positano; this stretch of the Amalfi Coast is its busiest. There are smaller and equally attractive villages such as Cetara, Minori and Praiano. The easternmost village is Vietri sul Mare, followed by Cetara, both popular tourist towns. Continuing west, you'll enter the Bay of Amalfi and find Maiori, Minori, Atrani and Amalfi. Continue from Amalfi to Positano, located in deep cove. This is one of the world's most visited stretch of seacoast, particularly in the spring and summer, when there are many art and cultural events. The fun begins when the sun goes down on the Amalfi Coast, which has an amazing range of choices. At one bar (actually built into a cave that overlooks the ocean) New Age music meets age-old fishing techniques when local fishermen pull up nets full of seafood at the very edge of the dance floor. There are Irish pubs, wine-and beer bars and wonderful restaurants. Ferries, which run frequently, can be the best ways of getting, especially because local roads can be clogged in the summer. Then, of course, there is that famous coastal road, with its images of carefree jet-setters in shades and scarves tooling along its famous hairpin bends, precipitous drops and heart-stopping views. Traffic can be heavy and you'll be sharing the road with aggressive Neapolitan drivers, so consider using an alternative mode of transportation such as bus, taxi or chauffeured car. Dining out, in fact, is a major part of the Amalfi experience. You'll find some of the world's best fish and seafood here. Tucked into the narrow streets of small villages are creative chefs producing menus based on whatever the fishermen brought in that day--pasta and clams, fish sauce and pesto. Other restaurateurs bring a contemporary twist to regional classics.
Since 150 AD, the archeological ruins of the Roman Amphitheater remain a marvelous display of Amman's history. So grand, the stadium seated 6,000 spectators within its 33 rows comfortably to watch live performances and other ceremonial rituals. It appears as a huge bowl deeply rooted in a vast hill of the city and it echoes true beauty with its stone-like interior and massive columns. Its architectural design is an insightful view of the thrilling events and cultural impact of ancient Jordan. In addition, within its foundation are the Jordan Folklore Museum and the Museum of Popular Traditions. They represent an introduction and explanation to the customs, clothing, and history of Amman, and their exhibits invite visitors on an unforgettable journey into the city's ancient civilization. Still in use today, the Amphitheater is an amazing example of why Amman, Jordan is such a captivating destination spot. Amman is a densely populated capital and city of Jordan in the Middle East. The bustling city is inhabited by over two million people and situated on seven hills. Once renamed Philadelphia, meaning "brotherly love", this is a true testament of the warm, welcoming smiles and greetings of the Jordanian people. Its history dates back to biblical times and invites you to a world like none other with the numerous attractions that decorate Amman. To begin your journey head to the Citadel, this hill houses many of the preservations of the archeological ruins. The Great Temple of Hercules is an unfinished attraction that overlooks the city at 33 feet. Corinthian columns of the Byzantine Basilica are a historic reminder of the Christian heritage that once prevailed in Amman. The remains of Umayyad Mosque are still an important display of Amman's history with its resemblance to a true Islamic mosque and a reconstructed dome that sticks out among the ruins of the ancient site. The numerous tourist attractions provide a scenic look and cultural guide into the flourishing capital. Souqs, boutiques, and designer stores all make up the shopping environment of Amman. Everything from fabrics, jewelry, and handcrafts are within reach. Take a break from sightseeing and head to the Gold Souq and feast your eyes on the most exquisite gold and silver jewelry Amman has to offer. Shop at the designer stores and get the latest fashions and great deals on fashionable accessories. Trendy shops are also available for tourists to purchase souvenirs and authentic Jordanian merchandise to add to their collections. The shopping experience is remarkable with its endless supply of products and stores that are pleasing to the everyday fashionista. The cultural influence of Amman is also presented in its culinary delicacies. However, an abundance of multicultural foods can be found throughout the city. Start your meal with mezze, which is a popular array of Arabic appetizers. Foods like stuffed vine leaves, eggplants, cheese, yogurt, and kebabs are delicious and capture the true tastes and culture of the city. Meat lovers can indulge in the succulent tastes of lamb and steak. Also, spoil yourself with a sweet treat from the multiplicity of delightful choices of eateries available. Chefs prepare exotic cuisines that will hit the spot and appease your taste buds. Amman experiences typically a moderate temperate. Summers are usually hot and dry with the weather averaging in the 80s-90s during the day, with the nights cooling down to the mid 60s. Rainfall is common in the spring and fall with temperatures averaging from the 80s-60s. However, mornings are expected to be a little cooler with the climate ranging from the 40s-ÂÂÂ50s. Winter has the most abundant rainfall. The temperature is expected to average around 50s and lower to the 30s. Queen Alia International Airport serves flights to and from Amman. Taxis are abundant and they are the best way to travel to your desired location within the city. Public buses also offer rides and different routes to major spots in Amman. In addition, train services are offered along the railroad to Syria, Amman, and Damascus twice a week. In order to drive in Amman, visitors must obtain an international driving permit. However, the best way to enjoy Amman's weather, scenery, and locals is to take a leisurely stroll along the busy streets and lively markets.
In Amsterdam, Netherlands, Venetian canals give way to narrow streets peppered with world-famous museums, floating flower markets and a nightlife unmatched in all of Europe. Whether coming for the coffee houses, the Anne Frank House or grand displays of modern and pre-war architecture, it's with good reason the city receives nearly 4 million visitors a year. Museum Square, or het Museumplein, is where art lovers can browse among the works of Van Gogh, Rembrandt and Van der Helst. Dam Square is considered the true heart of the city, where street performers, vendors, peddlers and musicians create an unforgettable ambiance found only in Amsterdam. The Old Centre, known as Centrum, is the core of the city and is not only home to Dam Square and its popular commercial street, Kalverstraat, but also Nieuwmarkt, where dozens of coffee shops, outdoor cafes and markets line the square. The Old Jewish Quarter, which includes the Portuguese Synagogue, Jewish Cultural Museum, Waterlooplein Market and Artis Zoo, is also located within the center of Amsterdam and is a popular area for tourists. Jordaan and Spui are growing districts with upscale boutiques and restaurants, as well as the floating flower market (Bloemensingel) packed with Dutch tulips swaying over the Singel Canal. De Wallen, known the world over as the infamous Red Light District of Amsterdam, is a main tourist attraction within the city, and features sex shops, adults-only theaters, and coffee shops. The Museum Quarter (Museumplein) is a residential-looking neighborhood with three of the most important museums in the Netherlands: the Rijksmuseum, Stedelijk Museum of Modern Art and Van Gogh Museum. First-time visitors would be remiss to pass up an opportunity to experience each. Also in the quarter is city's best known park, Vondelpark, and two of the ritziest shopping streets -- Hooftstraat and Van Baerlestraat. With a culinary influence from all corners of the world, Amsterdam's dining scene is as diverse as its population. Seasons Restaurant serves international and seasonal cuisine and is often voted one of the top restaurants of the city. For a taste of something local, Greetje specializes in Dutch and French specialties such as wild duckling with apple syrup, potato tartlets with cheese and wine gravy, and black pudding with apple compote. Yamazato offers authentic Japanese food and is located within the Hotel Okura, and Koh-i-Noor is one of the most renowned restaurants in the city. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) is one of the busiest in Europe, and provides service for both domestic and international travel. Train is also a common way to get into Amsterdam, and most arrivals and departures are from Amsterdam Central Station, located between the Old Centre and the waterfront. For getting around the city, there is a metro line, tram and other public transportation available. Central Amsterdam is highly walkable and can best be seen on foot or bike. Taxis are available as well, but are an expensive option. Amsterdam has a cool, oceanic climate that is influenced by its proximity to the North Sea. Winter temperatures are typically cool, with a January average temperature of 41.7° F (5.4° C). Summers stay fairly mild, with a pleasant high temperature of 71.2° F (21.8° C) in the warmest month of August. Without much precipitation of extremes in weather, Amsterdam is a year-round destination, with peak visiting in the spring and summer months.
Nature lovers won't want to miss a trip to Alaska's biggest city, Anchorage. Home to two-fifths of the state's population, Anchorage boasts some of America's most breathtaking scenery. Framed in by the Chugash Mountains and due south of Mt. McKinley, Anchorage is a favorite stopover for skiers and mountain climbers alike. While Anchorage does offer some cultural venues like the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts, it's winter sports that reign supreme in this town. From an international ice carving competition to dogsled races to ubiquitous fishermen in search of Alaskan salmon, visitors to this city should be ready to bundle up and enjoy the great outdoors. Due to the location of Anchorage, summer days are very long and winter daylight hours are very short.
Imagine a world where you are generously greeted by the golden sun, sandy white beaches, and the turquoise ocean. So free from the outside world, you can't help but relax and enjoy the beautiful scenery and weather. Anegada, British Virgin Islands is a wonderful example of a picture-perfect paradise. From the feeling of sand in between your toes to the cool ocean water covering your entire body, you will truly be mesmerized by the adventures that are awaiting your arrival. Escape to the aquatic world, and have a real life 3D experience by swimming with the exotic fish and coral reefs that decorate the gorgeous sea. Get up close and personal to learn about the exquisite sea creatures through fly fishing and scuba diving. The exhilarating activities of Anegada, will make your journey a memorable vacation. Anegada is the second largest island in the British Virgin Island in the Caribbean. Anegada, meaning drowned land, got its name for the fact that the island is very flat at only 28 feet above sea level. Originally inhabited by pirates, shipwrecks were common and a great sight to behold while diving in the deep waters. Beware of the extraordinary attractions of flamingoes at the Flamingo Pond, and endangered rock iguanas that lurk in the distance. Tourists can also enjoy the many perks of being on a secluded beach like kayaking and sailing. For a unique way of fishing, fly fishing allows you to feel the scales of a bone fish, permit, or barracuda before releasing the fish back into its natural habitat. Anegada is an island where time stands still, a place where you can get your hair wet and forget about the worries of tomorrow. Take a break from the exciting activities and head to the local markets and boutiques. Here you can purchase "made in Anegada" merchandise such as conch shells, jewelry, handcrafts, artifacts and tropical clothing. Purple Turtle is a trendy shop where many of the products focus on Caribbean themes. Everything from clothing, music, sauces, and Caribbean rum can be found in this store. For groceries and fresh produce Cow Wreck Beach Resort is known for its large supply of popular snacks, drinks, spices, canned goods, fruits, and vegetables. For a hearty meal sink your teeth into fresh lobster, fish, shrimp and other flavors of the sea. Meat lovers can fill their appetites on juicy steaks, chicken, and ribs. Restaurants overflow with a variety of delectable Caribbean delicacies and seafood dishes and delicious tropical beverages. With the backdrop of the picturesque ocean, the dining experience of Anegada is a phenomenal experience. Anegada experiences marine tropical weather. During the summer the climate is very warm and humid while the winters are quite calm, yet still enjoyable. The temperature averages in the 80s with a little rainfall. The great weather makes the island the perfect getaway. The Auguste George Airport provides domestic flights to and from Anegada. Ferries and boats are modes of transportation and connect the island to the other British Virgin Islands. In addition, cruises are a luxurious and joyous way to enjoy the scenic view of the secluded beaches and the Horseshoe Reef. Taxis are available to take you to your desired location. However, by biking, driving, or simply walking is a great way to bask in the ambiance and beauty of the island.
Angra Dos Reis, Brazil
Filled with culture, 2000 gorgeous beaches, and historic attractions, Angra Dos Reis is a thrilling destination. Its emerald and turquoise sea offers a plethora of activities from scuba diving to swimming amongst the bright colored fish. The ancient monuments reveal stories of ancient beliefs and traditions that cultivate Angra Dos Reis' society. If you drink the water from the mysterious fountain, Bica da Carioca, it is said that you will be attracted to Angra Dos Reis forever. Once a prison, the Municipal Building preserves some of the architectural design of the historical building. The endless array of highlights and thrills of Angra Dos Reis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil are exciting. Whether it is relaxing on the beach or sightseeing, you will truly be amazed of the adventures that make this destination an unforgettable experience. Angra Dos Reis (Bay of the Kings) is a municipality located in Brazil with 365 islands within its region, and Ilha Grande being the most popular amongst tourists. It is also located south in the state of Rio de Janeiro and it houses Angra Nuclear Power Plant, the primary nuclear power plant in Brazil and many prehistoric, conserved churches. Angra Dos Reis has the true characteristics of a magical paradise with its sandy, white beaches leading to an aquatic world of fun. Feel the cool breeze blow against your face as you ride the huge waves by jet skiing and surfing. The numerous waterfalls are great for hiking and biking, but make sure you dodge the giant rocks when white water rafting. For the enthusiastic sightseers, indulge the city's culture by visiting the different varieties of ancient attractions. An interesting site is the Monument to Aquidabã Shipwreck which pays homage to the sinking of the most powerful battleship of the Brazilian navy. The Fish Market Place also pays tribute to history as it is reminiscent of the flourishing fish industry. To nourish your memories with unique seashells and handcrafts by visiting the trendy shops and malls that Angra Dos Reis has to offer. Local products and popular trends are within reach for the shop-a-holics in dire need of retail therapy. The night life of the city is an exotic thrill. The bars and nightclubs provide an intense party scene as visitors and locals dance to the pulsating beats of Brazilian music while conversing and drinking Brazil's signature beers and cocktails. In Angra Dos Reis, food is a cultural phenomenon. From freshly caught seafood like fish, lobster, mussels, and shrimp to the exquisite cuisines of multicultural influences, the dynamic varieties of dishes will satisfy any food connoisseur. Dare to try peixe com banana (a mixture of cilantro, basil, and banana cooked in fish) and tainha na telha (salmon stuffed with flour, shrimp, unions, and olives), which are some of the popular authentic delicacies of the city. Many restaurants pride themselves on providing the best dining experiences with not only great food, but with a relaxing ambiance, exciting entertainment, and picturesque views of the majestic city and crystal clear ocean. Angra Dos Reis experiences a tropical climate. During the warm season (November to February), temperatures soar to the high 90s and lower to the 80s. However, this is also considered the rainy season. During the months of June to September, the temperature remains relatively cool fluctuating from the high 70s to low 60s. During the winter, the weather is typically dry, since there is little to no rainfall. With no major airport, cruising on a boat is a scenic way to get around Angra Dos Reis and its islands. Ferries provide transportation to IIha Grand, Mangaratiba, and other main ports. The Costa Verde buses service rides in route to Angra Dos Reis and Rio and Colitur buses travel from the city to Paraty. There are also buses that travel to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. Nevertheless, by renting a car or walking, you can travel at your own pace and enjoy the beautiful weather and scenery.
Anguilla, Caribbean
Anguilla is located in the British West Indies, 150 miles east of Puerto Rico and nine miles north of St. Martin. Anguilla is the most northerly of the Eastern Caribbean's Leeward Islands. The name Anguilla means "eel," an apt description of this long, thin island, which measures 16 miles by three miles. Anguilla has a flat landscape and because annual rainfall levels are low, vegetation consists mainly of small trees and bush. Anguilla's historic sites include the Heritage Collection Museum, which displays the island's most important documents, photographs, letters and other items. The collection spans the island's history and features articles ranging from Arawak artifacts to present-day political campaign materials. The Old Salt Factory and Pumphouse, located at Sandy Ground, recall an era when salt production was one of Anguilla's main industries. The historic Manse Building is a three-gabled house built by an Anguillan planter in the early 1900s; the building has been restored and now features two art galleries and a gift shop. Anguilla offers visitors 12 miles of powdery white-sand beaches plus tranquil, transparent waters ranging from aquamarine to cobalt blue. All 33 beaches are public. Many feature distinctive characteristics including rock and coral formations and picturesque tropical plants. The island offers many beachside bistros and bars overlooking the long ribbons of sand. Nude and/or topless bathing is not permitted on the island. Boat racing is Anguilla's national sport, and the island hosts a series of regattas each year. Visitors can also cruise and/or sail to one of Anguilla's offshore cays or secluded beaches for picnics ashore. Several tour operators also offer sunset cocktail cruises, along with snorkeling trips and excursions to sand cay restaurants. Sport fishing lovers will find Anguilla's warm and calm waters filled with Wahoo, marlin, swordfish and yellow and black tuna, which can be tackled on any of several regular fishing charters run by experienced Anguillan operators. Other aquatic activities are also available, such as parasailing excursions at Shoal Bay, which also offers paddleboats, sailboats and windsurfing rentals. Anguilla is surrounded by a fringe of coral reefs and cays, making it a premier snorkeling and diving destination. Anguilla also features seven marine parks Dog Island, Prickley Pear, Seal Island Reef System, Little Bay, Sandy Island, Shoal Bay Harbour Reef System and Stoney Bay Marine Park home to everything from living limestone walls to century-old shipwrecks. Anguilla offers more than 70 separate dining experiences ranging from elegant gourmet eateries to casually chic beachfront bistros and bars to festive roadside grills. Anguilla's fare features eclectic flavors reflecting the island's Caribbean, French, Mediterranean, Continental, Creole, Italian, American and Indo-Chinese influences. Additionally, many hotels on the island maintain large wine collections. Two of the largest wine cellars are located at the Malliouhana Hotel & Spa and the Koal Keel Restaurant. Anguilla is served by Wallblake Airport, which accommodates moderate-sized aircraft. Services connect to various other Caribbean islands, but the airport cannot receive large jets and there are no direct flights to or from continental America or Europe. Regular ferries link Anguilla and the neighboring island of Saint Martin, with a journey time of 20 minutes. Aside from taxis, there is no public transportation. Cars drive on the left.
Annapolis, Maryland
Annapolis, Maryland's state capital, boasts a rich maritime heritage mingled with abundant and spectacular parks, fabulous museums and historic sites, chic specialty shops, and other attractions. Located on the banks of the Severn River, which flows into the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis is "America's Sailing Capital" and home of the U.S. Naval Academy. And, it has more 18th-century buildings still in use than in any other U.S. city. Be sure to walk along the red-brick streets near City Dock; visit a local pub; stop by a gallery; take advantage of the plentiful choices for recreation on the bay, including boating and fishing. No visit to Annapolis is complete without a visit to the U.S. Naval Academy. Don't miss the newly renovated chapel and its massive pipe organ. The Naval Academy Museum features more than 50,000 artifacts and is home to the famous Gallery of Ships. And, of course, you have to get out on the water. You can enjoy a two-hour cruise aboard a 74-foot schooner, charter a boat for the day, or unwind on a boat and breakfast getaway. If you don't have time for a cruise, at least take a water taxi. While Annapolis is a walkable city, sometimes the quickest way to get from point A to point B in America's Sailing Capital is to hop aboard a water taxi. Use one to get from City Dock to Eastport for an enjoyable meal along Restaurant Row or drop anchor across from the Naval Academy. Another great way to get around town is by e-Cruiser. The six-passenger, environmentally-friendly vehicles provide complimentary transportation to riders who flag them down for a quick and easy ride to attractions and restaurants. Or, if you want to cycle throughout the Historic District without breaking a sweat, rent a Green Pedals electric bike. Be sure to make a stop at the Maryland State House, the oldest State House in continuous legislative use in the nation. It is also the only state house in the country that also served as the nation's capitol. You will also want to save time for a visit to William Paca Garden. The two-acre, reconstructed 18th-century pleasure garden is an oasis in the heart of Annapolis, located behind the National Historic Landmark home of Declaration of Independence signer William Paca. Restaurants serving up nature's bounty dot the more than 400 miles of shoreline that weave their way throughout Anne Arundel County. Favorites like Mike's Restaurant and Crab House, Cantler's Riverside Inn, Skipper's Pier, and others help contribute to the claim that some 3.9 million crabs are consumed here each year. The Annapolis Rotary Crab Feast held at the Navy-Marine Corps Stadium the first Friday in August each year is recognized as the largest crab feast in the world. If you're here on a weekend, be sure and catch Summer at City Dock performances that bring street performers and musicians to Annapolis' waterfront every Sunday from noon until 6:00 p.m. and Saturdays on holiday weekends. On Wednesday nights don't miss the Wednesday Night Sailboat Races that run from the end of April through the second Wednesday in September. The lifestyle of Annapolis & Anne Arundel County is laid-back with a taste of big-city excitement. Located between Baltimore, Maryland and Washington, DC, Anne Arundel County attractions combine small-town accessibility with a cosmopolitan flair. The closest major airport (17 miles from the city center) is Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI Airport). Though Annapolis is rich in history there's plenty of other things to see and do throughout the city. If you're into the arts, check out a performance by the Annapolis orchestra symphony, Annapolis Opera or the Colonial Players of Annapolis. Annapolis also offers an array of different sightseeing attractions from its historic buildings, to the walking and Discover Annapolis tours, to their wonderful carriage rides around the city. One thing is for certain, you'll always find something to do in this lovely city.
Antarctica is the land at the bottom of the world, the seventh continent, earth's final frontier. Antarctica is the most exotic, most unusual travel destination on earth. It is the closest thing to interplanetary travel that is now possible. The continent, as large as the U.S. and Mexico combined, is covered with two miles of ice on most of its surface. But the Antarctic Peninsula is a finger of land that stretches out to within 625 miles of the southern tip of South America. Almost all tourist trips to Antarctica visit the Antarctic Peninsula. As you explore the Antarctic Peninsula, you are still about 3,000 miles from the South Pole. When you are in Antarctica, everything is different from what you are accustomed to in the rest of the world. It is like being on another planet. The cycles of day and night in the rest of the world do not hold in Antarctica. In June, when it is at the peak of summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter and constant night in Antarctica. In December through February, it is summer. At the peak of the austral summer, it is daytime all the time. That is the time when tourist voyages go to Antarctica. Practically none of the considerations that normally apply to tourism apply to Antarctica. There are no hotels or restaurants. There is no nightlife. In fact, during the tourist season, there is no night at all. There are no cities. There isn't even soil. It's just rock, gravel, snow and ice, giant glaciers and crystalline blue icebergs sculpted by wind and water into exotic shapes. And yet, as inhospitable as it seems to human activity, it is a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life. As desolate as the black snow-covered peaks appear above the sea, under the surface of the ocean there is an abundance of life. Penguins and seals, which lumber about awkwardly on land, turn into beautifully streamlined swimmers underwater and travel with great grace and speed. Many species of whales also thrive there, finding a rich food supply in the plankton and krill that fill the waters there. Tourism began in 1966, when Lars Eric Lindblad took the first group there using a chartered Argentine navy vessel. Before Lindblad, the only people who had ever been to Antarctica were explorers and scientists. Lindblad created the model that most operators still use today, taking relatively small groups on ships with ice-strengthened hulls, using Zodiac landing vessels for shore excursions, and incorporating educational programs with specialist guides. As he refined the model he chartered a Chilean ship, and in the 1970s he built the Lindblad Explorer especially for Antarctica. In the late 1970s, a second operator, Society Expeditions, started operating the World Discoverer in Antarctica, and in the 1980s, several other operators joined in. In recent years, larger cruise lines like Holland America, Crystal and Princess, started bringing ships carrying more than 500 passengers. Ships of that size are forbidden to land passengers on shore by the guidelines of the International Association of Antarctic Tour Operators (IAATO), so they just cruise by. In March, the International Maritime Organization banned the use of heavy fuel oil by ships sailing in Antarctic waters. It will reduce cruise capacity in Antarctica by 50 percent, but small ships will not be affected by the ban and will continue to make voyages.
Antigua and Barbuda are located in the Eastern Caribbean's Leeward Islands approximately 17 degrees north of the equator. Antigua is the largest of the English-speaking Leeward Islands, and encompassing 108 square miles, measuring 14 miles long and 11 miles wide. The highest point is Boggy Peak (1,319 feet) in the southwestern corner of the island. Barbuda is a flat coral island encompassing only 68 square miles, and lies approximately 30 miles due north of Antigua. The nation also includes the tiny uninhabited island of Redonda, a nature preserve. St. John's, the capital and largest city, is dominated by the white baroque towers of St. John's Cathedral. Built in 1845, the church is now in its third incarnation following earthquakes in 1683 and in 1745 which destroyed the previous structures. Antigua's cruise ship dock is located in St. John, and the island is a favorite Caribbean port-of-call for cruise ships. St. John also features several hotels and is a lively hub for shopping and dining. English Harbour is Antigua's historic district, located on 15 square miles in Nelson's Dockyard National Park. Developed as a base for the British Navy, the harbor served as the headquarters of the fleet of the Leeward Islands during the turbulent late 18th century. Other historic attractions include Shirley Heights, an array of gun emplacements and military battlements named for General Shirley, Governor of the Leeward Islands when the area was fortified in the late eighteenth century. The site overlooks English Harbour, and informal Sunday afternoon gatherings here feature barbecue, rum punch, and the plangent steel band and reggae music. The Museum of Antigua and Barbuda tells the nation's story from its geological history through the present day. Located in St. John's, the museum features a variety of noteworthy objects and exhibits, including a life-size replica of an Arawak dwelling and the bat of Viv Richards, one of the greatest cricket players of all time. Sea View Farm Village is among Antigua's signature cultural attractions. Antiguan folk pottery dates back to the early 18th century, when slaves fashioned cooking vessels from local clay. Today, Sea View Farm Village is the center of this cottage industry. Folk pottery can be purchased at outlets in the village and at several stores around the island. Buyers should be aware that Antiguan folk pottery breaks easily in cold environments. Antigua claims to have 365 beaches, one for each day of the year. Most are inside the protected waters of the island's Caribbean side, and all are open to the public. Dickenson Bay and Runaway Bay, located along the island's developed northwestern coast, offer a complete resort beach experience. Most convenient to St. John's are the beaches at Fort James and Deep Bay. Galley Bay attracts surfers in the winter months and joggers during the evening. There are four highly regarded beaches at Hawksbill, one of which is nudist. Antigua is served by several major airlines departing from the United States and Europe; several operators also offer inter-island air service. Taxis are available throughout Antigua. Fares between the airport, harbor, and many hotels and destinations are fixed and can be obtained upon arrival. There is some local bus service; schedules and routes can be obtained through hotels. Antigua temperatures generally range from the mid 70s in the winter to the mid 80s in the summer. Rainfall averages only 45 inches per year, and the island receives nearly constant tradewinds from the northeast. Antigua features low humidity year-round.
Antofagasta, Chile
The Regional Museum of Antofagasta is a unique look into the past with its archeological findings of ancient artifacts, mummies and fossils. Visitors are welcomed to learn about historic civilizations that once prevailed throughout the city and marvel at the preservations of the ancient wonders. The museum is in in the charming city of Antofagasta, which remains one of the most important places of Chile with its exquisite natural attractions. People from all walks of life choose to visit this captivating destination because they are truly amazed by the hypnotizing sites, beautiful beaches, and its vibrancy. Antofagasta is a city located in the northern part of Chile and it is the capital of the Antofagasta providence and region. Its proximity to the Atacama Desert plateau and exportation of copper and other minerals makes this city a major port. Filled with many attractions, Antofagasta is the perfect getaway. Standing at approximately 100 ft above sea level, La Portada, meaning gateway, is a natural, massive stone-like monument and archway in the crystal clear ocean. The Ruins of Huanchaca is an ancient silver refinery that also serves as an important gateway into Antofagasta's past by sending its visitor's on a journey into a foreign world filled with hidden treasures. Whether you have or have not seen Big Ben, you will definitely need to meet Torre del Reloj, which is smaller replica of the famous clock tower. Along with the historical monuments, the pristine beaches offer a plethora of activities from sun bathing to scuba diving among the exotic sea creatures. Shopping in Antofagasta is an experience that should not be missed. Popular retail stores and trendy shops offer an abundance of merchandise. From authentic Chilean products to everyday supplies, there is a vast selection of souvenirs that will add to the memories of your wonderful journey. At night, the local bars and clubs are overwhelmed with locals and tourists who are ready to have a great time and dance the night away. The vibrations of music and lively chatter fill the atmosphere of the discotheques as club goers sip on Chile's signature cocktails, wines, and beers. The gastronomy of Antofagasta is extraordinary. From fresh seafood to the city's staple foods, there is a wide variety of dishes that will truly appease your taste buds. Within the local restaurants you can savor the taste of traditional dishes such as empanadas, parrillada, and humitas; as well as delectable international cuisine. Not only are restaurants known to serve extensive meals but also provide the best scenic views of the serene ocean. Antofagasta experiences a cold desert climate. During the warm season (December-March) the temperature fluctuates from the low 60s to the mid 70s. In the cold season (May-October) the temperature averages from a high in the 60s and lower to the 50s. Traveling throughout Antofagasta is relatively easy. Buses are a convenient mode of transportation and they provide rides to various locations on a regular schedule. Taxis are also an easy way to commute, especially when traveling with large groups of people. They can be found on the streets and at local stands. Since Antofagasta has two seaports, travel by boat is a scenic and relaxing means of commuting through the city and to other port cities in Chile.
Antwerp, Belgium
Antwerp is the principal city of Belgium's Flemish region. It's an often overlooked gem in Europe, yet it presents numerous rewards for the visitor. While the city is commonly known for its favorite son, Flemish master Pieter Paul Rubens, and for its fame as one of the world's principal diamond dealing and cutting centers, there's much more in store. Historically, the city was known as a major port, and today it's still the world's fourth-largest. If you take the train to Antwerp, make note of the Central Station where you'll be arriving. It was completed in 1905 and has two baroque façades, a 200-ft. high metal and glass dome and a marble interior. Begin your exploration of Antwerp in the Grote Markt, Antwerp's central square. It's anchored by the Stadhuis (town hall). Next up is the Cathedral of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwe Kathedraal), the largest gothic cathedral in Belgium; it's noted for its spire and its four works by Rubens. Art lovers must continue on to the Museum voor Schone Kunsten, the city's best fine arts collection, for its work by Rubens and van Dyck; the Modern Art exhibit includes Belgian Rene Magritte. You don't have to be an art aficionado to enjoy a visit to the Rubenshuis: the master's home and studio for the last 30 years of his life, 1610-1640. For a change of pace, Antwerp Zoo is one of the oldest and largest in Europe, housing as many as 6,000 animals. And of course, any visit to the city should include at least a casual browsing for diamonds. As with most destinations in this region, Antwerp has many opportunities for day trips. Places like Brugge, Ghent and Ieper (Ypres) make for easy side trips by car or train. Other destinations in the Benelux (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg) region are also easily accessible by rail or car from Antwerp. Antwerp is a cosmopolitan city that's home to many "name brand" hotels, including Hilton, Crowne Plaza, Radisson Blu, Ramada, Novotel, Best Western, Holiday Inn Express, Tulip and Ibis. Direct flights from the U.S. into Brussels are provided by United, Delta, US Airways, Jet Airways, Brussels Airlines, Air Canada and American. It's 60 minutes by train to Antwerp. Bus and tram service are the best ways around the city, however, most of the city's main sights are within walking distance of the Grote Markt.
Aomori, Japan
The lively streets are crowded with excited people as they anxiously wait for the festivities to begin. In the distance, the thunder of large taiko drums, cymbals, and flutes begins to drown out the chatter of the energized spectators. Haneto dancers dressed in bright colored costumes move to the pulsating beats of the music and start to make their way down the decorated streets. They are followed by the brilliant lights and animated figures of the huge nebuta floats that are rhythmically twirling and swaying to the loud music as well. The atmosphere is bursting with culture as the thrilled audience joins in by singing, clapping, and dancing while being hypnotized by the fascinating entertainment and celebrations. The Aomori Nebuta-matsuri Festival is one of the largest cultural festivals in Aomori, Japan. This is one of the main reasons why Aomori is a vibrant and captivating destination full of adventure. Aomori is the capital city of Amori Prefecture and situated on the Honshu Island of Japan. It is a major seaport and the primary apple producer for its region. It is populated with over 1million inhabitants, great restaurants, and trendy shops. For a peek into the city's history and culture, visit the interesting sites that will simply take your breath away. For the art enthusiast, The Aomori Museum of Art boldly displays the artistic works and modern paintings of influential artists such as Marc Chagall and Nara Yoshitomo. Step into the Jomon period and visit the Sannai Maruyama site, filled with its archeological finings of ancient columns, clothing, jewelry, pots, and dwelling pit. Nature lovers will definitely want to watch the beauties of life unfold by taking a leisurely stroll in Gappa Park or by gazing at the exotic marine animals at Aquarium Asamushi. The great amount of thrilling attractions will truly make your journey an unforgettable experience. Shopping is also a great way to nourish your memories. Everything from genuine Japanese souvenirs to the latest fashion trends makes Aomori a shopper's paradise. It is also a thrill to feast on delectable traditional Japanese foods zashiki style (eating while sitting on the floor). Chefs provide a taste of Japan with authentic Asian recipes and international cuisines for the cautious food critics. What an exciting feeling it is to dine on mouthwatering foods like ichigo-ni, senbei jiru, cod Jappa-jiru, and sea pineapple while enjoying the scenic views the city has to offer. Aomori experiences a humid continental climate with ample rainfall. The warm seasons are mainly hot with temperatures soaring to the high 70s and decreasing to the 60s. The winter seasons are known to produce heavy snowfall. The weather maintains an average of a high within the 40s and lowering to the 20s at night. Aomori airport services flights to other major Japanese cities and Seoul, South Korea. The Aomori train station provides rides via the JR Tsugaru Kaikyo line to Hakodate; JR Tohoku Main travels to Morioka; the Ou Main line goes to Akita. Buses are also available in route to Towada-ko, Tokyo, Morioka, and Sendai. Ferries are also a convenient mode of transportation to Hakodate.
Imagine a place where you are warmly greeted by the sun and by friendly faces waiting to say, Ahlan wa Sahlan (welcome). The mesmerizing Red Sea is at arm's length, while picturesque mountainsides can be seen in the near distance. Away from the sea, lies the golden desert, where the blends of beauty and mystery are visibly noticeable through its thick presence. The diverse landscape of Aqaba, Jordan offers a plethora of electrifying adventures. Whether you choose to relax on the beach or explore the iconic landmarks, you cannot escape the natural wonders that make this location a luxurious getaway. Therefore, Aqaba is an exotic destination and an enjoyable feast for all five senses. Glistening at the tip of the Red Sea lays Aqaba, a coastal city in Jordan. With the Red Sea linking Aqaba to other countries, the city served as a major trading center for Jordan. However, the vast ocean is also home to a host of activities from sailing to snorkeling among the bright colored fish. Besides a vibrant maritime, Aqaba celebrates its history with preservations of iconic jewels that sparkle throughout its surroundings. The ancient ruins of Aqaba Castle and Al Humayma are memoirs of the city's rich heritage. Since the city is deeply rooted in a religious background, there is an array of churches and mosques that can be seen dotted along the cobblestone streets. The Archeological Museum also serves as an open history book with its numerous collections of artifacts. Aqaba is definitely a shopper's paradise. From skillful creations to designer goods, customers will be pleased to find whatever they are looking for. The spice shops overflow with the powerful scents of ginger, cumin, and saffron. Sand handicrafts are creative pieces of art relating to the Jordanian culture. The souk and shops are ideal for obtaining authentic Aqaba souvenirs such as candles, carpets, and purses; while the malls are great for purchasing international merchandise. For a little sparkle, the gold market shines with interesting jewelry. With a cup of coffee or a sweet delicacy, the shopping experience of Aqaba is a cultural venture. Dance under the stars to lively music at the city's adrenaline pumping nightspots. For a taste of the Aqabawi culture, head to the trendy restaurants. Sink your teeth into Arabic culinary temptations like kishnah, bukhari, fresh seafood, humus, rice; as well as a variety of signature beverages flavored Jordanian style. The restaurants burst at the seams with the aromas of traditional dishes meticulously prepared in authentic spices that will delight your taste buds. Let your taste buds indulge in foods so wonderful, you will beg for more. Aqaba experiences a hot desert climate. During the warm season (May-September) the temperature averages from the 70s to 104°F. In the cold season (October-April) the weather cools down and ranges from 86°F to the high 60s. Aqaba's endless supply of enjoyable weather makes navigating through its landscape a pleasant experience. King Hussein International Airport is the city's main gateway to other Jordanian cities as well as destinations around the world. Ferries are available to travel to Aqaba's neighboring cities in Jordan. Buses provide transportation to various spots in the city. Taxis are a flexible and bargaining the price is expected before getting into the car. In addition, with a 30-45 minute drive you will be able to see the sights in Amman as well as other nearby treasures.
Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Deeply engraved inside a huge rock, the Cueva del Indio (The Cave of the Indian) is a mysterious world filled with hidden treasures. Findings of Taino petroglyphs foretell of an ancient civilization that once prevailed throughout the city of Arecibo. Overlooking the massive cliffs of the Atlantic Ocean, the cave appears to be a hideaway while preserving the sacredness and secrets of the ancient rituals and ceremonies of a land before time. With such a profound glimpse into Arecibo's cultural background, it is no wonder why Cueva del Indio is rich with such a magical ambiance, manifesting the historical importance of a predestined society. This is why Arecibo, Puerto Rico is a fascinating destination, overflowing with natural and exquisite attractions that will truly take your breath away. Arecibo is geographically the largest city in Puerto Rico and borders the Atlantic Ocean. Located south of the city is the Arecibo Observatory, which is the largest single-dish radio telescope in the world and it is used to detect astronomical observations. Looking out into the pastoral land and hills of Arecibo, the Cueva Ventana is another fascinating cave enrooted in a mountain. Here, you will have the opportunity to observe interesting rock formations, dating back to prehistoric times. Splash or take a bath in the Rio De La Planta, an artificial waterfall or in the crystal clear waters of La Poza Beach. Become one with nature and discover its wonders by hiking and camping in the Cambalache Forest Reserve. Built in 1898, the Arecibo Lighthouse and Historical Park is a cultural look into Puerto Rico's history with its tributes to the Spanish- American War. Visitors will be able to relive history by exploring artifacts from the ocean, a diving suit from the early 1900s, and a duplication of the US Constitution. With picturesque views of the town and the Atlantic Ocean, you may even get the opportunity to see a whale. Your vacation will not be complete without shopping at the boutiques and stores Arecibo has to offer. Shop-a-holics will be thrilled to find popular stores with the hottest brands and Puerto Rican souvenirs in the city and in nearby locations. By night the quaint town becomes an intense social scene. Bars and pubs entice tourists and locals with Spanish hits, popular music and delicious cocktails. Arecibo is a food lover's dream come true. Its cuisine is a multicultural blend of international dishes and local specialties. Tourists can become familiar with Caribbean spices and popular Puerto Rican recipes influenced by the Spanish colonizers or you can indulge in foods inspired by the African slaves and Taino settlers. With such a great selection of mouthwatering cuisine and serene atmosphere, the gastronomical experience of Arecibo is an enjoyable experience. Arecibo experiences a moderate climate. During the course of a year temperatures average from a high of 85°F and can lower to 61°F. During the hot and cold seasons, hurricanes are quite common. Renting a car is an easy way to get around the city and to Aguadilla, Ponce, and San Juan. Public transportation is also available to San Juan and Aguadilla. Nevertheless, walking is a great way to become familiar with your surroundings and to enjoy the beautiful scenery and tropical weather.
Arizona's desert climate provides hot summers and mild winters, perfect for snow birds looking to make an escape from the blistering cold. One of the state's biggest attractions is the Grand Canyon, which is also one of the world's seven natural wonders. Take part in the many activities available at the Grand Canyon such as hiking through the landscape or rafting down the Canyon while taking in the stunning views of Northern Arizona. Want to revisit the Wild West? Hit up Tombstone where historic buildings and saloons welcome tourists and don't forget to see a gunfight show! Phoenix, Arizona's state capital and largest city, is the perfect place to take in a performance at the Phoenix Symphony Hall or Orpheum Theater, or sample Mexican food that rivals authentic Mexican cuisine. The Heard Museum in downtown Phoenix gives a history of the city's Native American period and children will enjoy the Phoenix Zoo. Adjacent to Phoenix lies Scottsdale, an upscale city known for its shopping and partying. Those seeking luxury will revel in its high-end hotels and spas. Whether you're hitting the golf courses, having a five-course meal, or visiting one of the cities many art galleries, you'll be sure to feel pampered by what Scottsdale has to offer.
Arkansas, United States
If you're looking for an outdoorsy vacation, Arkansas serves as the perfect locale. The state which is located in America's southern region boasts mountains, hot springs and plains and it is remarkably affordable, especially for a family vacation. Originally a mining hub, you can still mine for quartz and diamonds in the area. With over 9,000 miles of river, Arkansas is the perfect place for whitewater rafting, fishing, sailing and other water sports. For over 200 years Arkansas's famous Hot Springs have been visited by travelers from around the world looking to cure ailments or relax in a therapeutic bath. Some of the springs' more notable visitors include Al Capone and Harry S. Truman. Want to revisit some of the turning points in American history? Arkansas's Civil War battlefields are a must-see for kids and adults alike. For the more mature crowd, wine country has dozens of wineries open for touring and tasting. If you're looking for a less adventurous getaway, Little Rock is the place to be. The city's museums, restaurants and theaters provide a city atmosphere with the mountains as a backdrop.
Officially the Republic of Armenia, this country landlocked, mountainous country is situated in the Caucasus region. Located between the Black and Caspian Seas, the country is bordered on the north and east by Georgia and Azerbaijan, and on the south and west by Iran and Turkey. Yerevan is the country's capital as well as its largest city. With the growth of the economy of the country, Yerevan has been undergoing major transformation as many parts of the city have been the recipient of new construction since the early 2000s. Today, the appearance of new buildings, roads, restaurants, boutiques, living quarters, etc., have started to give the city a modern, cosmopolitan appearance. The National Art Gallery in Yerevan has more than 16,000 works that date back to the Middle Ages. It houses paintings by many European masters as well. The Modern Art Museum, the Children's Picture Gallery, and the Martiros Saryan Museum are only a few of the other noteworthy collections of fine art on display in Yerevan. The Armenian Philharmonic Orchestra performs at the beautifully refurbished Yerevan Opera House, where a full season of opera and ballet is performed by the staff of Armenian Opera Theater. Yerevan's Vernisage (arts and crafts market), close to Republic Square, bustles with hundreds of vendors selling a variety of crafts on weekends and Wednesdays (though the selection is much reduced mid-week). The market offers woodcarving, antiques, fine lace, and the hand-knotted wool carpets and kilims that are a Caucasus specialty. Obsidian, which is found locally, is crafted into assortment of jewelry and ornamental objects. Armenian gold smithery enjoys a long tradition, populating one corner of the market with a selection of gold items. Soviet relics and souvenirs of recent Russian manufacturenesting dolls, watches, enamel boxes and so on, are also available at the Vernisage. Yerevan is filled with various restaurants and cafes including the centrally located Marco Polo, which has a cafe and bar section adjacent to the pedestrian area of Abovyan street. The restaurant is located in the basement and features a travel theme. There's also another large classic restaurant section where live piano music is played every evening. Considering higher than average price level, Marco Polo is popular among foreigners and local Armenians able to afford. The city's Caucasus Tavern offers dishes including authentic Armenian and Georgean cuisines and the menu is available in five languages including English. There are about a dozen airlines serving Armenia from Europe and the Middle East. Zvartnotz International Airport serves international flights between Yerevan and Europe, the Middle East. Inner-Armenia and helicopter flights originate at Erebuni Airport in Yerevan, at Shirak Airport in Giumri and Stepanavan. The climate in Armenia is markedly continental. Summers are dry and sunny, lasting from June to mid-September and low humidity level mitigates the effect of high temperatures. Springs are short, while autumns are long and known for their vibrant and colorful foliage. Winters are quite cold with plenty of snow.
The smallest of the Dutch Caribbean islands, Aruba is a friendly and relaxing oasis just 15 miles off the coast of Venezuela. With one of the highest rates for repeat visitors, Aruba offers warm hospitality, perpetual sunshine and white, sandy beaches. Visitors can find tranquility on a secluded stretch of beach, explore the marine life of the Caribbean Sea, or take advantage of the island's vibrant nightlife at its many casinos, clubs, bars and folk festivals. Whether here on your honeymoon, with family or as a singles getaway, odds are there is an Aruba vacation that fits your style. Located on the western end of the island, Oranjestad is Aruba's capital and largest city. Pastel-colored Dutch colonial buildings line the main streets, along with a variety of restaurants, bars and markets. The downtown area and Seaport Village are the primary shopping areas on the island, where tourists can find everything from jewelry and clothing to perfume and electronics. The southern and western coasts of the island are where the majority of tourist activity can be found, as these regions are sheltered from the fierce ocean currants that tend to batter the northern and eastern rocky shores. This is an island where you can do as little or as much as your want. Explore the abandoned gold mines and native cactus and divi-divi plants that overtake the desert landscape of Arikok National Park. Hit the links with sparkling, cerulean waves at your back while playing a round on the world-class Tierra del Sol golf course. Choose from one of Aruba's 11 casinos for non-stop gaming and live entertainment. Or do what many visitors to Aruba do -- just relax. This sun-soaked island will tempt any vacationer to do nothing but lay on a hammock overlooking the lulling Caribbean tides. With a distinct Caribbean and international flair, Aruba's restaurant scene ranges from national fast-food chains to high-end and locally owned dining rooms. For a wonderful open-air restaurant named after the road it's on, B55 serves up some of the island's freshest fish, including mahi-mahi and grouper. For live outdoor entertainment along with an inexpensive meal, check out Salt and Pepper for Spanish-style tapas dishes including shrimp in mango sauce and fried brie. For an intimate dinner literally right on the beach (prepare for some sand between your toes), head over to Flying Fishbone in Savaneta. The pesto cream wahoo and spiced pineapple with homemade chocolate ice cream are house specialties. All flights into Aruba will arrive into Reina Beatrix International Airport (AUA), located on the western side of the island. With no national airline, Reina Beatrix serves many American and international carriers, including American Airlines, Continental, Delta and Jet Blue. Aruba is also an extremely popular stop for cruises. Cruise ships dock in the Port of Aruba, located in Oranjestad, and visitors have easy access to the city center or neighboring beaches. For navigating around the island, there are taxis as well as car rentals. If renting a car or jeep, be aware of local traffic laws (for example, no right turn on red). Aruba enjoys a tropical marine climate with little seasonal temperature variation. It's this perpetual summer that makes the island a prime destination to visit any time of the year. The near-constant sunshine and 82° F weather is coupled with light sea breezes off the Caribbean. The northern and eastern regions tend to receive harsher weather, including occasional harsher trade winds, yet overall, Aruba can be considered the perfect destination for dependable island weather.
Asia
In Hong Kong, they like to point out that within a five-hour flight of their dazzling international airport, lives half the world's population. In many ways all other parts of the world are mere suburbs of Asia. And almost everyone who travels there for the first time is overcome with a feeling of discovery that must be at least a little like the feeling that Marco Polo had when he arrived in the great city of Xian, China. Whether you're exploring the gardens of Kyoto, Japan, trekking to monasteries in the high Himalayas of Tibet, on a tiger safari in central India or diving in Thailand's Andaman Sea, you will find in Asia a region that surpasses your expectations in almost every circumstance. The simple truth is that there is no typical Asian journey, as your experience will vary greatly depending on the region or the country you're traveling in. Culturally, China and India stand as the two giant mother cultures of Asia, but in almost every country cultural touchstones such as religion, art, literature and architecture have followed a specific course. Southeast Asian culture, with its ring of historic kingdoms and empires, its cross-pollinating trade, and its multitude of islands and port cities, is reminiscent of the Eastern Mediterranean. While India's topography varies from tropical to alpine and from the most densely populated cities to the empty expanses of the Thar Desert, most visitors come to India to explore the saga-like culture in its great monuments in Rajasthan, the dreamlike Taj Mahal or the pristine backwaters of Kerala. China offers a radically different set of experiences highlighted by the majesty of a Yangtze River cruise and the winding trail of the Great Wall. Such cities as Beijing and Shanghai have led the country into the 21st century even as they've preserved a classical past. In Northeast Asia, Japan and the Koreas carry on other traditions. With its temple-topped hills and the changing colors of their foliation, the countryside in Northeast Asia is a beautiful place for nature lovers. Bhutan and Nepal offer yet another slice of Asia that's characterized by the highest mountain peaks in the world and some of the most devout religious culture. Just as you begin to think of Asia as a repository of age-old traditions, Hong Kong; Mumbai, India; Taipei, Taiwan; Tokyo; Bangkok, Thailand; Singapore; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; and Manila, the Philippines, put a modern global face on the region. If you're more of an island-resort person, you can sample a tropical beach on one of Indonesia's 13,000 islands or one of the roughly 7,000 islands of the Philippines. Too tame? Maybe you'd prefer a Sepik River cruise into the stone-age cultures of Papua New Guinea or an eco-trek through Malaysian Borneo. Whatever you're looking for from a journey, it's a pretty safe bet you'll find it in Asia.
Aspen, Colorado
With picture-perfect scenery, the city of Aspen, Colorado, sits in a valley high within the Rocky Mountains. Though commonly regarded as an international winter playground for the rich, there still remains a small-town feel to this western ski resort with a population of under 6,000. Winter sports, powdery mountain peaks and buoyant holiday crowds give way to spring's lush green parks, hot air balloon rides and outdoor music festivals. There are four mountain resorts within the town. Aspen Mountain is the most centrally located, and there are convenient (and free) buses that regularly transport skiers to and from the other three -- Buttermilk, Snowmass and Aspen Highlands. Aspen Mountain is serviced by a gondola in the center of town and is easily accessible to skiers and snowboarders. The terrain is the steepest of the four mountains, and there are no beginner trails. Buttermilk is known as the beginner's mountain, and has a highly regarded ski school, as well as being the host for the Winter X Games for nine consecutive years. Snowmass is the most family-friendly of the resorts, and is the largest of the area's mountains, while Aspen Highlands is more of a local mountain with a combination of steep trails and back country access. For stunning scenery in any season, visitors should not pass up a trip to the Maroon Bells. The surrounding lake, hot springs and 14,000-foot mountain peaks are some of the most photographed landscapes in Colorado. Hiking the trails and camping amongst the wildflowers are popular activities for both locals and tourists in the spring and summer months. Other outdoor adventures like mountain climbing up granite crags or white water rafting down the Roaring Fork River are ways visitors can experience Aspen at its best. As alluring as its glistening ski slopes, Aspen's downtown (Main Street) is a high-end playground chock-full of posh designer boutiques, restaurants serving haute cuisine and a nightlife that will heat up the frozen temperatures outside. Just a short walk from downtown, the Aspen Art Museum is located in a historic brick building on the Rio Grande Trail. The museum features thought-provoking contemporary artwork from around the world and, like its neighbor the Wheeler Opera House, infuses this nature-rich society with international culture. Chowhounds from around the globe flock to Aspen for its renowned restaurant scene. The town hosts the annual Food & Wine Classic, where foodies and gastronomy biz pros gather to sample cutting edge cuisine and wine from industry legends. Located at the base of Aspen Mountain, Ajax Tavern serves upscale French bistro food made with sustainable local ingredients. For a unique Latin American dinner experience, check out Zocalito Bistro and try house staples like shrimp and tilapia ceviche or chicken mole with beans. For a rowdy pub with good eats, try Zane's Tavern Aspen for beer specials and a nearly perfect authentic Philly cheesesteak. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport, known as Sardy Field (ASE), is the area's only commercial airport and caters to most major carriers. Besides walking, the best way to get around is by taxi or shuttle. The Roaring Fork Transportation Authority and the Free Skier Shuttle provide bus service to the mountains as well as some downtown attractions. Aspen is a tourist destination that is beautiful to visit during every season. The city enjoys low humidity and year-round sunshine. The summertime temperatures can reach up to 80° F in mid-July and become much cooler in the evening. Though winters can dip down to a bone-chilling 0° F in January and February, thousands of visitors brave the cold each year as this is Aspen's peak tourist season (and the most expensive time to visit).
Astoria
Ahoy captain! You are generously invited to experience an adventure far beyond the sea. Have you ever wanted to steer a ship? If so, I have the place for you. The Columbia River Maritime Museum is a spectacular exhibition of impressive nautical artifacts. From shipwrecks to floating lighthouses, there is so much to explore as you gaze upon the variety of boats and collections that are on display. Let your imaginations run wild while listening to stories about Astoria's vibrant maritime, and assist in a Coast Guard rescue. With the crystal clear water of the Columbia River in the background, your experience will seem very real. Astoria, Oregon is a captivating city which begs to be discovered. Its pleasant combination of land and water makes it one of the richest cities in America. Retrace the Lewis and Clark Expedition and explore the fascinating city of Astoria in Oregon, United States. So unique is the city's landscape, it was chosen as a setting for blockbuster hits such as "Free Willy", "Into the Wild", and "The Ring." Historians will appreciate the appearances of traditional buildings and iconic highlights that are sprinkled along the cobblestone streets. Its profound heritage can also be seen throughout the marina that is colorfully dotted with seafood; the museums, which celebrate the sacred traditions and lives of influential figures of the past; as well as the emerald parks overflowing with Spruce and Douglas-fir trees. Climb atop the 164 steps of the Astor Column and capture a bird's eye view of the city's majestic scenery. From fishing to kayaking, the waterfront offers a plethora of aquatic thrills. It is also the perfect backdrop for a romantic stroll. The vibrant shopping districts glisten with interesting treasures. Astoria will delight every shopaholic with the variety of souvenirs and collectables offered. Whether you choose to treat yourself or give a gift, Astoria provides a full spectrum of merchandise. Toast to the night, and bask in the aromas of beer and other alcoholic drinks that burst at the seams at the chic brew pubs. Taste masters get ready to sink your teeth into delicious culinary temptations. From baked treats to imaginative dinners, the gastronomy of Astoria is phenomenal. Local seafood as well as multicultural cuisine is within reach and flavored to perfection. Restaurants are treasure chests filled with excellent delicacies, so tasty your pallet will be overjoyed. Astoria experiences a Mediterranean climate. During the months of June to October (warm season) the weather is typically dry with averages from the high 60s to the low 50s. In November to February (cold season), the temperature is mild and fluctuates between the 50s to low 30s. Take a historical ride on the city's trolley. Built in 1913, the trolley travels along Astoria's riverside and journeys to various attractions along its path such as the Maritime Museum and Astor Column. This is a great way to catch the amazing sites of marine animals and the colorful boats that paint the harbor. The city's trails are also ideal for hiking. With a diverse landscape of verdant scenery to its paved roads, Astoria's precious highlights are never far behind.
Rich with beauty and culture, The Great Temple of Ramses II is an extraordinary site. Appearing over 30 meters tall, the four statues of the infamous pharaoh are a true testament of the power and prestige of Ramses II during his 67 year reign. So magnificent is its structures, you cannot fully imagine the diligence and strength it took to build such a dynamic monument of wealth and sanctity. With such a grandeur appearance, this temple is truly one of the most astonishing attractions that Egypt has to offer. This site will take you on a far away journey through the eyes of pharaohs and Egypt's most significant royal families with its everlasting, majestic presence that seems to never grow old. The Great Temple of Ramses II is easily accessible from the city of Aswan, Egypt which makes this destination the perfect gateway to exciting adventures, overflowing with hidden treasures. Aswan is a southern, desert city in Egypt and situated on the banks of the Nile River. The city's claims to Elephant Island, Kitchner's Island, and Philae Island, and the Sehel Islands and its location on the Nile makes trading relatively easy. Aswan is known for its relaxing atmosphere, breathtaking sunsets, and historical monuments that serve as memoirs of ancient African traditions. The Nubia Museum houses some of Egypt's most fascinating archeological collections of silver and gold jewelry, baskets, statues of influential leaders, carvings, and vessels. Aswan's rich granite was commonly used to construct many monuments throughout the city and Egypt. Since the 6th century, The Monastery of St, Simeon has remained a significant preservation of a historical period in Aswan. From the top of the hill on which it stands, get a bird's eye view and feel the ambiance of the royal supremacy and godliness that dominated the mystical city. Built by the British and situated in the Nile, the High Dam has controlled flooding in Egypt. Along with the many monumental architectures, cruise the Nile and explore Aswan's surrounding islands. Also, mingle with locals and celebrate Egyptian culture and traditions at the annual festivals. The vibrant spirit of the shopping district of Aswan is a unique experience. The narrow streets are decorated with vibrant shops and markets filled with African fabrics, carpets, textiles, and spices. Shoppers will truly be mesmerized by the colorful and exotic merchandise that populate the busy stores. Negotiating is also an important and thrilling way to get the best prices of genuine products specifically sold in Aswan. The nights come alive with the sounds of vibrant African music and performances from Nubian dancers that move rhythmically to the beats of cultural music, which is constantly heard throughout the busy streets. Savor the tastes of cultural dishes from the many restaurants that Aswan has to offer. The local restaurants are overwhelmed with aromas from exquisite spices and ingredients that will make your mouth water. Feast your senses on traditional Egyptian delicacies like kebab, chicken, local fish, kofta, and rice. Visitors will also be able to bask in the beautiful settings overlooking the picturesque tranquil river. The gastronomy of Aswan is a fulfilling experience that will satisfy your appetite, yet leave you wanting more. Aswan experiences a hot desert climate. During the warm season (May-October) the temperature averages from a low in the 80s to a high of over 100°F. In the cold season (December-February) the weather fluctuates between a low within the 50s to a high of 79°F. Aswan Airport is the main gateway to other Egyptian cities and destinations all over the world. Buses and trains are convenient and affordable means of public transportation to get to various locations in Aswan and major Egyptian cities. Sailing the Nile is also a relaxing and scenic form of traveling to reach Aswan's nearby islands. Felucca trips provide rides to Luxor, Edfu, Esna, and Kom Ombo. Taxis are available but haggling prices is expected. In addition, by walking through the narrow street corners, you will truly be able to breathe in the wonderful Egyptian culture and meet the friendly natives.
Athens, Greece
High above Athens, Greece, on the Acropolis, the iconic Parthenon shimmers in that fabled Greek light. Nowhere else in this noisy, modern city do the ancient Greeks speak to us as clearly as they do through its soaring lines. Its seemingly straight lines are actually concave; the columns subtly narrow and tilt imperceptibly inward, creating an optical illusion that draws your eyes heavenward. Athens is a city to be savored. Just as the Parthenon is not exactly as it seems, neither is Athens. It holds some of the most important antiquities of ancient civilization and produced some of the greatest philosophers not just of their times, but in history. At the same time, this intellectual and philosophical capital's economic problems recently threatened the economic pillars of the European Union--and not for the first time. It's hard to pinpoint the one thing that makes Athens so attractive. It's not just a museum or an olive tree or a local tavern; it's a vibrant and contemporary city. The three-acre pedestrian mall in the city's historic center lies in the shadow of the Acropolis. Hadrian's Arch; the theater of Dionysus, where works by Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus and Aristophanes were performed; and the new Acropolis Museum are just some of what you'll see here. Then there's the Plaka neighborhood, whose houses date back to the 19th century, as well as Byzantine architecture and some remnants of the Ottoman period. Then there's Monastiraki, a characteristic area of "old" Athens. Some of Athens most beautiful neoclassical buildings are downtown, the district centered on the two main squares of Syntagma and Omonia. For shopping, there's the pedestrian-friendly Ermou, the street that's the heart of Athens' main shopping district and its 2,500 shops. There's haute couture in Kolonaki and a glimpse of the hustle and bustle of everyday life for Athenians in the glass-and-steel Central Market, where vendor stalls are filled with fresh fruit, nuts and seafood straight from the Aegean. Athens is for food lovers, whether it's Michelin-star restaurants serving Mediterranean cuisine or casual restaurants serving spit-roasted souvlaki. Tavernas in the historic Plaka and Monastiraki districts serve Greek classics such as moussaka and lamb. Athens and its outskirts are linked by a web of bus and trolley lines. Taxis are also available. You can get into Athens from the airport by taxi or metro; there are also several bus services. Spring and early summer are the best time to visit, avoid the heat and crowds of July and August. As with most urban destinations, travel smart and be aware of pickpockets.
Atlanta, Georgia
The sprawling, beautiful city of Atlanta, Georgia, not only has a defined place in civil rights history, but is also a swelling tree-lined hub of commerce and tourism in the Southern U.S. With a myriad of shopping, dining and entertainment options, this self-dubbed "capital of the South" is an urban playground for vacationers from around the world. Without natural boundaries to define the city limits, Atlanta has become an immense metropolitan area made up of several skylines and urban neighborhoods. Downtown Atlanta is made up of Five Points, Centennial Park, Sweet Auburn, Castleberry Hill and the Hotel District. Midtown, which includes Atlantic Station, is the main business hub of the city and home to the Georgia Tech campus. Known for its pulsating nightlife and upscale shopping district that rivals Rodeo Drive, Buckhead plays host to a surplus of bars, clubs, restaurants and hotels that could very well make up its own skyscraping city. East Atlanta is a woven tapestry of alternative and trendy neighborhoods, like Little Five Points and Virginia-Highland, while West Atlanta is home to historic districts such as Collier Heights and the West End. As a major transportation center and booming tourist destination, Atlanta thrives off its charming sights and attractions. The World of Coca-Cola exhibition and the Georgia Aquarium are two new and modern additions to the city's vast variety of visitor entertainment. Hiking trails, Civil War memorials and a plethora of black history are scattered throughout the city. The CNN world headquarters, along with the Atlanta Zoo and the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Site are popular draws for this large Dixie burgh. Although Atlanta has become a hotbed for unique and contemporary cuisine, classic Southern favorites still reign supreme. Whether serving up fried chicken, shrimp and grits or fall-off-the-bone BBQ, restaurants like Thelma's Kitchen and Rib Shack, Dogwood and Restaurant Eugene are always packed with folks looking for a true taste of Southern cooking. Downtown Atlanta hosts a wide variety of high-end and budget-friendly dining, showcasing cuisine from around the world. For fusion hotspots, check out restaurants like Spice Market and Straits, while contemporary places like Pricci and Kyma serve up authentic Italian and Greek dishes. For the world's largest drive-in restaurant, check out an Atlanta staple -- The Varsity. Located eight miles south of downtown, the city's principal airport is Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). With an immense volume of passenger traffic, this busy airport serves as the one of the main transportation gateways of the South, as well as the national hub for Delta Air Lines. For transportation around the city, Atlanta is served by the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), which operates both regional rail and bus networks. Single rides will set passengers back $2 (including transfers), while those in the city for expended stays can use Breeze Cards for easy transit access. Many areas within Downtown and Midtown Atlanta are pedestrian-friendly, and walking will be the best way to experience the city. With a temperate climate, Atlanta enjoys all four distinct seasons. Though snow is not very prevalent in the region, Atlanta winters can still average a low of 33.5°F (0.8°C) in January. The warmest month of the year is in July, when temperatures average 89°F (31.6°C), though the city can reach well into the 90s. With an average 5.36 inches of precipitation, the month of March is Atlanta's wettest month, while October is the driest, with 3.11 inches. Weather-wise, early spring and autumn are considered the best times to visit, with steady mild temperatures and low humidity.
Auckland, New Zealand
A cultural paradise, Auckland, New Zealand is a city draped with spectacular sights of mountainsides and a dazzling harbor. Adventure seekers get ready to feel the rush of adrenaline flow through your bones. From 16,000 feet in the air, embrace the cool breeze as you soar out of a plane. Take a romantic horse ride while watching the giant waves cascade upon the shore; or gaze at the unusual exhibitions in the Auckland Museum. Maori performers are waiting to bless you with the mesmerizing Haka war dance and invite you to indulge in all that Auckland has to offer. With such a diverse landscape, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Auckland is a fascinating city that attracts many people with its vibrant atmosphere. It overflows with luxurious amenities, while boasting a society full of pride. Populated with 48 volcanoes, Auckland or Tamaki Makaurau (name used by its Maori natives), continues to be one of the most desirable cities in the world. New Zealand's biggest gem attracts many wandering eyes to its unspoiled treasures of rich volcanic soil and natural wonders. Whether you are flying in the sky or touching the ocean floor, you cannot escape Auckland's charismatic culture and breathtaking views. Its museums hypnotize their visitors with fascinating stories and preservations of historic collections. Towering over the city at 328 feet, the Sky Tower encourages its brave tourists to take a daring skywalk around its circumference. Shutterbugs will enjoy the sights of Mount Eden while learning about Auckland's colorful heritage. Also, the city's majestic maritime offer sights of exotic aquatic animals as well as kayaking, sailing and other nautical opportunities. From shopping districts to strips, there is a colorful spectrum of jewels lurking behind every door. The local stores are dazzlingly beautified with multicolor knickknacks and designer goods. Fashion lovers can nourish their memories with exquisite "made in New Zealand" collectibles without the bustling long lines. Take a break from shopping and enjoy a sip of wine at the local wineries. What is better than having a backdrop of magical views with a glass of a fine vintage delicacy in your hand? The chefs of Auckland prepare visionary cuisines that will quench every pallet. From traditional specialties to multicultural treats, there is an endless supply of mouthwatering imaginative dinners. The Observatory Buffet Restaurant located in the Sky Tower offer fantastic culinary temptations while providing an amazing panorama of the city's scenery. Sink your teeth into a plate of the famous fish and chips, seafood freshly caught from the marina, or even a juicy steak from the trendy restaurants that are dotted along the cobblestone streets. Auckland experiences a moderate humid climate. During the months of December to March (warm season), the weather fluctuates between the mid-70s and the low 60s. In May-September (cold season) the temperature averages from a high in the 60s and lower to the mid 40s. There are many ways to get around Auckland. Auckland International Airport services flights to and from the city. Helicopter rides are an exhilarating way capture a bird's eye view of the city. Water taxis are also an exciting means of travel while viewing Auckland's landscape. Buses are abundant and easily available from the Britomart Transport Centre. To navigate through the city at your own speed, bikes are accessible for rental for $20/day. Also, with a valid driver's license, you can rent a car. (Just remember to drive on the left side of the road)
Augusta, Maine
Augusta is the capital of the U.S. state of Maine. The city's population was 18,560 at the 2000 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vt., and Pierre, S.D., Located on the Kennebec River, it's home to the University of Maine at Augusta. Some sites of interest in Augusta include the Kennebec Historical Society and Museum, the Maine State House, the Maine State Museum, Pine Tree State Arboretum and the Children's Discovery Museum. The 180-foot dome of the State House, constructed of Maine granite, is one of the most fascinating architectural features of the city. Augusta and neighboring Hallowell are former Native American villages. The pilgrims arrived in 1625 and set up a trading post along the Kennebec River. The rich history of the region is chronicled at The Maine State Museum, adjacent to the State House. The museum covers 12,000 years of Maine life through life-like exhibits and more than 2,000 artifacts dating from the end of the Ice Age through the 1800s. Augusta's Fort Western, built in 1754, is the oldest surviving wooden fort in the region. Today, its story is told through living history programs that emulate daily life at the fort during the 18th century. The historic buildings that line Hallowell's main streets house a good selection of antique shops, specialty stores and several exceptional restaurants. Augusta is the gateway to the Lakes regions, laid-back resort communities where water-based activities are the order of the day. Belgrade is home to a top-ranked golf course, and Ernest Thompson wrote "On Golden Pond" while staying here. Visitors can ride in the mail boat made famous by the movie version of Thompson's book as it delivers mail to residents along Great Pond. Maine lobsters are considered the best in the world. A meal at a Maine diner can come with home-cooked chowders, muffins and blueberry pies, as well as some ethnic specialties. If you're arriving via small aircraft, you can land at Augusta State Airport. Maine experiences a humid continental climate with warm (although generally not hot), humid summers. Winters are cold and snowy throughout the state, and are especially severe in the northern parts of Maine. Coastal areas are moderated somewhat by the Atlantic Ocean. Daytime highs are generally in the 75 to 80° F. range throughout the state in July, with overnight lows in the high 50°s F. January temperatures range from highs near 32° F. on the southern coast to overnight lows below 0° F. in the far north.
Austin, Texas
As the self-dubbed "Live Music Capital of the World," Austin, Texas is a city abuzz with the electric spirit of young musicians, artists, entrepreneurs and cowboys. Walk down Sixth Street at any hour of the day and you'll find just about every genre of music being played from inside a bar, club or coffee shop. The SXSW Music and Austin Film Festival are just two of the hundreds of events that blow through the city and leave a wave of artistic inspiration in their wakes. Though it may seem that Austin is strictly arts and culture-centric (which it definitely can be), there are multiple personalities to this sunny city. Nature is abundant here, which makes for wonderful hiking and biking excursions, swimming in freshwater springs and kayaking or tubing down the San Marcos River. To witness one of Austin's wackiest claims to fame, check out the Congress Avenue Bridge between March and November to see 1.5 million bats take flight into the cobalt dusk sky. As a giant creative community made up of students, artists, musicians, designers and filmmakers, Austin thrives as a southern epicenter for everything arts. Located at the University of Texas, the Blanton Museum is the nation's largest university-owned collection that exhibits everything from modern and contemporary American and Latin American art, to European paintings and an encyclopedic collection of drawings and prints. In addition to the hundreds of galleries in the area where local works are displayed, art venues such as the DiverseArts Culture Works, Mexic-Art and the Botanical Gardens infuse an international flair into the city. More than just a music and arts town, the Texas state capital also has an abundance of nature within the city that provides for a multitude of outdoor recreational activities. There are 220 parks in the Austin area, including the 360-acre Zilker Park, as well as a 10-mile hike and bike trail that surrounds Lady Bird Lake. Visitors can also take a dip in the year-round 68 degree water of Barton Springs Pool or trek around the Barton Creek Greenbelt, which including nearly eight miles of trails and is habitat to several endangered plant and wildlife species. The cuisine of Austin is just as rich and soulful as its music scene. County Line BBQ, along with dozens of other Southern-style eateries, may just be the best 'cue you've tried. Mexican food also thrives in the city and is as authentic as it can get north of the border. El Ray, Serranos and Chuy's Restaurant are just a few of the many. And because you can't go far in Austin without hearing some tunes, grab a burger and a beer while listening to some local music at the Shady Grove. Located six miles southwest of downtown, Austin Bergstrom International Airport is the largest airport in the area and is served by most major carriers. Aside from downtown, seeing Austin by foot can be quite difficult due to the fact that is a sprawling metropolis. Public transportation includes Capital Metro, a bus service as well as a light rail that makes stops all over the city. Taxis are also available, and renting a car may be a decent option if you plan on visiting several parts of the city for an extended stay. Austin has a humid subtropical climate and is characterized by hot summers and mild winters. July and August temperatures tend to remain quite hot and often humid, averaging in the mid 90s for the duration of the season and into the early parts of autumn. Spring delivers pleasant weather, with temps typically in the 70s, and winter weather can average temperatures anywhere from the low 40s through the mid 60s.
Australia, Pacific
Australia is repeatedly listed on travelers "wish" destination lists, and rightly so. Experiences are as diverse and big as the land itself, which is close to 3 million square miles, or about the same size as the 48 U.S. mainland states. You can go from cultural city, to isolate outback, and on to enjoy an island atmosphere all in one trip. You choose your exploration, whether it's the red desert, countryside, wine regions, wilderness coast, islands or the incredible reefs below the sea. Australia is made up of six states, including New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia, as well as two major mainland territories -- the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). Its coastline stretches just over 31,000 miles, with over 10,000 beaches. More than 85 percent of Australians live within 31 miles of the coast, so fun in the sun is definitely a part of the lifestyle. The people of Australia are a mix of cultural diversity. More than 20 percent are foreign-born and over 40 percent are of mixed cultural origin. The Aboriginal people have lived in Australia more than 50,000 years and are believed to be the world's oldest civilization. The different cultures bring a nice mix of cuisine to Australia, as does the superior quality of its produce, and you can find just about every type of food. Australian meat pie is considered the national dish, but "Modern Australia" cuisine has recently popped on the scene with chefs using international dishes in inventive ways. The beautiful and cosmopolitan city of Sydney offers top dining and hotels, and is home to magnificent beaches as well. Bondi, minutes from Sydney, is one of Australia's most famous beaches. It's a "scene" to enjoy. Other cities, including Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, as well as Sydney, offer cultural attractions that include museums, art galleries, theaters and orchestras that appeal to a wide variety of tastes and interests. Shopping comes in the form of department stores, major malls and gift and souvenir shops. The Gold Coast, part of the east coast, is home to magnificent beach resorts, and divers should head for the famed Great Barrier Reef. The winery districts of South Australia and New South Wales offer more romantic spots to stay. Adventures await those who head to the Outback and more of Australia's wild side. Most trips to Australia begin with a flight into Sydney, the most eastern city and closest to the U.S. Nonstop flights are available from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Getting around the big land can be done any number of ways. Enjoy the adventure with a four-wheel-drive at your own pace, but flying is your best bet to cover the big distances and get to see the most in the least amount of time. Australia also has an excellent rail system, and sailing tours, ferry rides and cruise ships are ways to travel through its waters and along its massive coastline. Australia's climate varies across the continent, from hot and tropical in the far north to cool and even snowy in the south. Think opposite seasons when booking travel here, with December through February as the summer months for most of the country, and the wet season in the tropical north. The Australian winter is from June to August, but is generally mild. You will find snow in the southern mountain regions.
Austria, Europe
Austria is a landlocked country in Central Europe that borders Germany and the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. Austria's terrain is highly mountainous due to the presence of the Alps. The country's capital Vienna is also one of its nine states, the other eight of which are: Burgenland; Carinthia; Lower Austria; Upper Austria; Salzburg; Styria; Tyrol; and Voralberg. Schonbrunn Palace, the former summer residence of the imperial family, is considered one of the most beautiful baroque palaces in Europe. The Habsburgs resided here the better part of the year in numerous rooms for the large imperial family in addition to representational rooms. Emperor Franz Joseph, who later married the enchanting Sisi and reigned from 1848 to 1916, was born here in 1830. The Vienna Boys' Choir is a Viennese institution, having been formed as the Boys' Choir of the Royal Court in 1498. Together with members of the chorus and orchestra of the Vienna State Opera, they form the Hofmusikkapelle, which performs at Mass in the Chapel of the Imperial Palace throughout the year. The Vienna Boys' Choir also performs in the Brahms-Saal (Brahms Hall), the venue for chamber music in the Musikverein, and at the Volksoper (People's Opera), a smaller venue that stages opera, operettas, ballets and musicals. The renowned Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Vienna Symphonic Orchestra also perform here. Austria is famous for its well-balanced variations of beef and pork and countless variations of vegetables. There is also the "Mehlspeisen" Bakery, which created particular delicacies such as Sachertorte, "Krapfen" which are doughnuts usually filled with apricot marmalade or custard, and "Strudel" such as "Apfelstrudel" filled with apple and "Topfenstrudel" filled with sweetened sour cream. Typical Austrian dishes include Wiener Schnitzel, Schweinsbraten, Kaiserschmarren, Knödel, Sachertorte and Tafelspitz. There are also Kärntner Kasnudeln, a cooked filled dough-bag with a type of cottage cheese and spearmint, and Eierschwammerl dishes. The Eierschwammerl, also known as Pfifferling, are native yellow, tan mushrooms. Austria's main airports are in Vienna; Innsbruck; Salzburg; Klagenfurt; Linz; and Graz. An excellent motorway, highway and federal road network connects Austria with all its neighboring states. Österreichische Bundesbahnen operates a wide network of trains throughout and beyond Austria. International connections from Vienna include trains to Germany (Berlin), to the Russian Federation (Moscow, via Warsaw/Kiev and Minsk), to Romania (Bucharest, via Budapest). The greater part of Austria lies in the cool/temperate climate zone in which humid westerly winds predominate. With over half of the country dominated by the Alps, the alpine climate is the predominant one. Austria can be quite cold in the winter, but summer temperatures can also be very warm.
"Azerbaijan" may not roll off the tongue, in fact, you may not even know where it is, but this former Russian territory in the Caucasus Mountains of southeastern Europe and Asia is a hidden gem of a country. Once an important stop on the Silk Route, Azerbaijan has potential to develop as a tourism destination as if offers one of a kind opportunities. Azerbaijan is rich in ores, minerals and fuels. The most unforgettable site is the eternal burning fires in the hills of Ramana, Surakhani, Yanardag and Absheron. This phenomenon is caused by gas seeping through natural vents in the oil saturated ground. Zoroastrian fire worshippers occasionally perform ritual flame leaping dances at Ramana. Local petroleum and mineral spas have cropped up around the country to take advantage of the therapeutic naphthalene hydrocarbon (a grade of oil used for medicinal purposes). Patrons sit in a bath and are coated in oil up to their necks. Within the coastal capital Baku is the medieval walled city of Icheri Sheher, with a Middle Eastern atmosphere where locals sip sweet black tea out of small glasses and play backgammon at teahouses along the narrow streets. Baku's oldest building is Synyk Kalah Minaret, dating from 1093 AD. There are two caravanserais (inns), from the 14th and 16th centuries, originally built to house traveling merchants from northern India and central Asia. They have been turned into restaurants. Baku overlooks the Caspian Sea, the largest lake in the world rich in biodiversity. Other important sites are the 10,000 year old rock paintings at Gobustan and 2,500 year old settlement of Sheiki. Travelers should avoid the dangerous Nagorno-Karabakh enclave and border with Armenia due to continual land ownership conflicts.
Azores Islands, Portugal
With the mountainous green lands leading to the emerald ocean water, the Azores Islands, Portugal is a magical paradise. The majestic waters are a gateway to a world of endless explorations like whale watching, scuba diving and yachting, and the picturesque landscapes offer a taste of natural beauty filled with thrilling escapades. The Azores Islands are truly an adventure seeker's haven where you are generously greeted by the warm sun and a whirlwind of fun. Whether you choose to spend your vacation tanning under the golden sun or surfing the giant waves, there are many tropical luxuries that are awaiting your arrival. The Azores Islands is a great destination to focus on building unforgettable memories while forgetting about the stresses of tomorrow. The Azores Archipelago is composed of nine islands of volcanic origin in Portugal and situated in the Atlantic Ocean. The islands are geographically divided into three groups. The Eastern group consists of Santa Maria Island and São Miguel Island; the Western group islands are Corvo and Flores; the Central group islands are Faial, São Jorge, Terceira, Graciosa and Pico. Its capital Ponta Delgada is located in the island of São Miguel and the economies of the islands thrive from agriculture, fishing, and the production of wine. Each island offers a unique cultural experience with historical monuments, festivals, and exciting outdoor activities. Visit São Miguel to bask in its fascinating scenery, journey to the past at the museums and historical monuments, and swim on the refreshing waters of the vast lakes. Also, head to the island's main city Ponta Delgada, and partake in its vibrant night life and restaurants. Visited by Christopher Columbus, Santa Maria is host to The Mare do Agosto Festival and houses the region's scenic vineyards. An ancient port of goods from America and the Indies, Terceira preserves Boa Hora Hospital, one of the oldest military hospitals in the world. Graciosa is surrounded by green pastures, fountains, a lake, sulfur pits, windmills, and vineyards. Nature lovers would enjoy the challenge of climbing Portugal's highest mountain, which stands at 2,351 meters in Pico. São Jorge's interesting rock formations and picturesque backdrop offers a peaceful, yet mysterious atmosphere. Get a bird's view of Pico and São Jorge at Faial's volcanic peeks or marvel at the baroque architecture of the island of Flores' historical monuments. The smallest island of the Azores Islands, Corvo is home to beautiful scenery and Caldeirão, a crater of an ancient volcano. The vast sea of the Azores is home to many exotic marine animals. Big Game Fishing is a popular sport between the islands of Faial, Pico and São Jorge, where white and blue marlins are mainly spotted and caught. A perfect place for bird migration, the islands are also known to present sightings of the most exquisite species of birds. Take a stroll or bike ride through the massive cliffs or hike up the mystical mountainsides. Instead of walking, fly like a bird by parasailing in the bright sky. The shopping experience in the Azores Islands should not be missed. Through the paved roads you will be able to find local shops and stores selling genuine products such as ceramics, clothing, blankets, and Azorean wines. Shoppers will not only be able to satisfy their shopping addictions but get a glance of the true Azorean lifestyle. By night, the streets become populated with locals and tourists who are looking to have a good time. The intense nights provide visitors with great food, lively music, and delicious cocktails. The gastronomy of the Azores is extraordinary. Chefs are known to prepare local delicacies such as fish, pork, stewed octopus, lobster, crab, caldo azedo, a variety of soups, and seaweed pasta. The aromas from such delectable foods can quench any pallet, even the food connoisseur will be pleased by the savory tastes of such Azorean specialties and wines. The Azores Islands experience a moderate oceanic subtropical climate. During the course of a year the temperature averages from the 50s to the 80s. Summers are mainly hot and dry while winters are typically cool. International airports are available from Sao Miguel, Faial, and Terceira Islands and they serve as the gateway from the Azores to other cities worldwide. However, SATA (local airline) provides flights in between the nine islands. A local ferry is also a means of transportation when traveling between the central group islands (Faial, São Jorge, Terceira, Graciosa and Pico). Renting a car is accessible, but many tourists choose to walk to enjoy the beautiful surroundings and weather.
Painted with giant trees, fascinating coves, and silky beaches, Bahia Drake embodies the definition of a tropical paradise. Miles of dense forest leading to the endless sea offer a plethora of outdoor adventures from kayaking to horseback riding among the exotic wildlife that can be found lurking throughout the bay. With such striking features, Bahia Drake, Costa Rica is an unimaginable site where you are generously greeted by the warm sun and friendly smiles. This secluded heaven is an unmatchable destination filled with exciting thrills where nature lovers and tourists who need to unwind can enjoy the picturesque backdrops of the perfect combinations of land and sea. Named after the explorer Sir Francis Drake, Bahia Drake is located on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica. It is comprised of two small towns, Agujitas and Drake and populated by approximately 300 people. Home to many of Costa Rica's exotic species, through the thick jungles you will hear the busy sounds of wild monkeys, frogs, and birds. Tourists from all over the world come to the Corvacado National Park to explore the beauties of the exquisite wildlife in their natural habitats. They also enjoy scuba diving at Isla de Cano (Cano Island), a nearby island that houses a variety of tropical trees and animals. The ocean also invites you on a Finding Nemo adventure by snorkeling amongst the bright colored fish and sea turtles. In addition, it provides 3D sightings of dolphins and whales and a great habitat for catching yellowfin tuna, mackerel, roosterfish, and sailfish. Offering lavish sceneries of the beautiful wild flowers, vast trees and serene atmospheres, the quaint restaurants provide a majestic gastronomical experience. Feast your senses on freshly caught shrimp, an assortment of fish and meats flavored with local spices, baked breads, and tropical fruits. Chefs are masters at preparing Costa Rican specialties and cuisines influenced by their international audiences. The menus overflow with delectable feasts and appetizing treats that will satisfy any food critic. Bahia Drake experiences a tropical climate. Temperatures typically stay the same throughout the entire year. During the day the temperature fluctuates between the high 80s and low 90s. At night, the temperature decreases to the high 70s. Bahia Drake's small airstrip welcomes flights from San Jose. Trekking through the small dirt roads by car, you can head from Agujitas to Rincon, which leads to Puerto Jimenez (south) and Interamericana (north). Boat rides are also available to reach Bahia Drake and other nearby Costa Rican locations. However, its pleasant weather, natural beauty and mysterious creatures are best explored when hiking through the vast trees and walking on the sandy beaches.
Bahrain, Middle East
Bahrain is a fascinating melange of Eastern and Western cultures, where grandiose mosques and minarets share skylines with sleek skyscrapers. You can enjoy modern tourist infrastructure, including roads, an international airport, telecommunications, hotels and the restaurants are top notch. Bahrain is an archipelago of 33 islands in the Arabian Gulf between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It's connected to the Saudi Arabia mainland via the 15 mile long King Fahad Causeway. Manama, the modern capital, has a variety of interesting attractions. Shop at the bustling souk at the city center near the archway of Bab al-Bahrain or explore the National Museum, tracing the country's archeology. In the old quarter, archaic houses still retain their 20 foot tall wind towers. The ancient capital of Bilad al-Qadim, dating from 900 AD, is just outside city limits. Manama offers excellent shopping in four malls, a traditional Arabian Night show with belly dancing and live music and restaurants serving Arabic style lamb, salads and dips. Bahrain has one of the world's largest necropolises. A'ali Burial Mounds at the center of the island is the largest prehistoric cemetery in the world, with 170,000 graves and burial mounds dating from between 3000 B.C. and 600 AD. Beach goers can head to Al Jazair, where you can take a dhow to the al-Areen Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the rare Arabian onyx. Pearl diving is a huge part of Bahrain's heritage; travelers can dive down to the island's thriving oyster beds.
In Bali, Indonesia, the sanctity of life is celebrated in almost hourly rituals,and that devotion infuses Balinese culture with dance, sculpture, theater and painting like no other spot on the earth. Though its splendid beaches are what attract most of the visitors from nearby destinations, Americans enjoy Bali's ample sun and fun, but are much more enchanted by a culture and landscape that are rich aesthetically and spiritually. Americans tend to stay either in the southern tip of the island that culminates in the Bukit Peninsula with its Nusa Dua resort area or in other hotel nuclei such as those found at Legian, Sanur and the Kuta beach area. Luxury resorts on Bali, with their devotion to sensual detail, have made it a place where indulgence travelers flock to elaborate spas. Low labor costs make these hotels incredible values in terms of room rates and also give them lofty service standards. Amandari, Four Seasons, Hilton, Holiday Inn, Hyatt, InterContinental, Mandarin Oriental and Ritz Carlton are just some of the international flags flying in Bali. There's even a Hard Rock Hotel. Ubud, the crafts center of Bali, is another area popular for five-star hotels. Landscapes such as at Bukit Jambul feature terraced rice paddies whose waters offer a perfect mirror to the sky; Mount Agung, the sacred volcano, and its Besakih Temple; the Monkey Forest (Alas Kedaton) covered with sculptures of monkeys and real monkeys as well; the Goa Gajah (Bat Cave) home to thousands of bats; and literally hundreds of other temples to explore. While most Balinese eat simply on a daily basis, their religious feasts are elaborate often featuring suckling pigs surrounded by several complimentary dishes such as nasi goreng (fried rice) satay (skewered meats in a spicy peanut sauce) and more. Balinese cuisine, which is based as all else in Bali, on religious offerings, mirrors the ritual presentation of food at a temple with many dishes served on banana leaf. Fish, pork and chicken are the primary meats on this Hindu island. Beef is also available in dishes that are spicy and aromatic. Arts in Bali are a huge part of the experience of visiting. The village of Batubulan is a sculpture center for sandstone carvers. The pantheon of Balinese Hinduism is the theme and several workshops are open to visitors who want to see the work, most of it for temples, being created. Denpassar's Bali Museum houses a modest collection of artifacts,and the Arts Center offers a selection of Balinese painting and wood carving. It's been several years since Garuda Indonesia Airlines stopped its service to Los Angeles. To get to Bali now air travelers need to fly via Tokyo, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur or other neighboring countries. Located near the equator, Balinese temperatures hover between 86 and 92 degrees Fahrenheit year-round with plenty of humidity. The driest months are August and September;the wettest are December and January.
Ballwin, Missouri
Surrounded with a rich environment, Ballwin, Missouri, United States is a peaceful and dynamic city. It is a destination where you are generously greeted with friendly faces, warm smiles, and charming sceneries. So pleasant are its amenities, this city has been chosen by Money Magazine as one of the best places to live in America in 2005 and 2011. The manicured, emerald golf course and the significance of baseball make Ballwin a sport's lover's paradise, while the recreational parks and infrastructure showcase the natural beauty and culture of this captivating town. From its rustic past to its lavish suburbs, Ballwin is a thriving city that remains on top with its impeccable accommodations. The city of Ballwin is located in St. Louis County of Missouri. So unique, it is the only destination in the United States with the name Ballwin. It is inhabited with over 30,000 people and its cultural impact can be seen bursting through the seams of the impeccable landscapes. The city is also strategically located near the city of St. Louis and other major cities of Missouri. Adventure seekers are invited to mingle with the natives by discovering the thrilling adventures Ballwin has to offer. Covering 31 acres and housing the Ballwin Days Festival, two ball diamonds, four tennis courts, two ponds, and a playground, the Vlasis Park is an exciting recreational park attracting many people to its picturesque landscape and fun sporting facilities such as fishing and volley ball. The New Ballwin Park is an idealistic place to fish for catfish and trout and it provides a fun atmosphere for games of tennis, basketball, or for taking quiet strolls along the walking trails. Surrounded by the Meramec River, Castlewood is a perfect location where bikers and hikers can enjoy the pleasant sceneries and explore the vast, wooded areas. By night the quiet streets are transformed into an intense social scene. The local bars offer, great food, tasty beverages, and the opportunity to make new friends. The French Quarter is situated on the infamous Manchester Road. Its lively ambiance is credited to the live music, alcoholic games, and delectable foods. You can also venture 40 minutes away into the heart of St. Louis where the vibrant streets are painted with pubs and bars that are known to light up the nights. The local restaurants throughout Ballwin offer combinations of family owned, international, and popular food chain restaurants. Local chefs genuinely invite you to feast upon old family recipes while enjoying the scenic atmospheres, delicious beverages, and Ballwin's culture. From barbeque specialties and seafood, to pastas, steaks, and pizza, there is a wide variety of dishes that will satisfy the appetite of any food connoisseur. Ballwin experiences a humid continental climate. Summers are expected to be hot and dry and winters are typically cool. In the warm season (May-September) the temperature averages from the high 60s to high 80s. During the cold season (November-February) the weather fluctuates between the low 50s to as low as 18°F. Rainfall is expected throughout each season in Ballwin. Getting around Ballwin and the rest of Missouri and the United States is pretty easy. There various modes of transportation which are located through the city. The Metro transit of St. Louis services bus and train rides from Ballwin to major cities and sites in Missouri. Taxis are also available to reach your desired location. In addition, renting a car is a good way to tour the city at your own pace.
Baltimore, Maryland
Visitors flock to Baltimore, Maryland, for a taste of the city's world-famous seafood and to enjoy one of its many festivals and events, such as Restaurant Week and the annual Preakness Stakes. Just about all visitors make a stop at Baltimore's Inner Harbor, home to many popular restaurants, unique shopping, famous museums, live entertainment, local pubs and taverns. Throughout the Inner Harbor, visitors will find relics of Baltimore's fascinating maritime history intertwined with a number of contemporary attractions. These include the National Aquarium, Maryland Science Center, Port Discovery Children's Museum, the updated Harborplace and The Gallery shopping centers, and the new sports stadiums for the Ravens and Orioles. Baltimore's most visited attractions include the National Aquarium - with around 10,000 creatures and a magnificent Atlantic Coral Reef display; Maryland Zoo - known as the third-oldest zoo in America and including many popular jungle animals; the Maryland Science Center - a stunning modern building with numerous exciting hands-on attractions and information about modern science; the Pimlico Race Course - a world-famous racecourse, home to many of America's major horseback racing events; and Baltimore's Lexington Market - the oldest continually operating market in the USA. Other tourist attractions in Baltimore include the Washington Monument at Mount Vernon Place - a famous memorial to America's George Washington, built in 1815; the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine - birthplace of the American national anthem; the Star Spangled Banner Flag House - one of the city's oldest buildings, with information about the War of 1812; the Baltimore Conservatory and Botanic Gardens - featuring three greenhouses, landscaped gardens and a host of exotic plants; and the Cylburn Arboretum - a vast nature preserve with gardens, woodlands and period buildings. Baltimore also contains a number of highly regarded museums, such as the Baltimore and Ohio (B&O) Railroad Museum - reputed to the oldest railroad depot standing in the western hemisphere, with numerous classic locomotives; the Maritime Museum - featuring popular tours of the USS Torsk submarine and three WWII vessels; the Babe Ruth Museum - celebrating the life of this famous baseball star; the Streetcar Museum - with interesting information about the history of public transport in the city; the Port Discovery Children's Museum - full of hands-on exhibits and dedicated to providing fun education for children; and the Baltimore Museum of Art - boasting approximately 100,000 works, including art by Picasso, Cezanne, Monet and Van Gogh. Tourist attractions situated near to Baltimore include the Ellicott City Firehouse Museum - with historic information about the area's fire-fighting services; the Howard County Center - dedicated to black Americans who have made major contributions to America's history; the Historic Oakland Manor - a stunning mansion surrounded by beautiful landscaped gardens; and the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin - a historic building, with information about the development of the region. The daily mean temperature for Baltimore is 55°F, ranging from 33°F in January to 77°F in July. Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI Airport) serves the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
Bamberg, Germany
With culture bursting at the seams, Bamberg is one of the most enchanting cities of Germany. Here, jewels of unique architectural structures and beautiful gardens glisten along the cobblestone streets and ancient monuments serve as memoirs of the city's historic civilization. No matter what your interests may be, the attractions and activities are very appealing. Fashionistas would enjoy the Levi-Strauss Museum Jeans & Kult, which is a fascinating presentation of the life and fashions of the famous Levis jeans inventor. With such a vibrant atmosphere and plethora of thrills, Bamberg is the perfect destination to enjoy culture, history, and adventure to the fullest. Built on seven hills, Bamberg is a city located in the Franconia region of Germany. It is a modern city with backdrops of rolling green hills leading to exquisite baroque, Romanesque, and gothic structures and sculptures. The heritage of Bamberg is also manifested in the celebrations of art, music, sports, and festivals. Its many museums showcase collections of ancient artistry, artifacts, and history that strongly cultivate the city's society. The Franconian Brewery Museum educates its visitors about significance of beer and how it is produced. The majestic cathedral Saint Peter and Georg has been an important artistic architectural centerpiece for Bamberg for centuries. Listen to the smooth sounds of jazz or the Bamberg string quartet at the city's Symphony Orchestra. Tourists are invited to join in the celebrations during the fun-filled festivals, where the streets are crowded with excited celebrators and spectators. From outdoor adventures to cultural thrills, Bamberg offers an array of activities for nature lovers, art enthusiasts, and historians. Experience the sights and sounds of Bamberg with the BAMBERGcard. It is a ticket that allows you to explore some of Bamberg's museums and exhibitions inexpensively. The ticket is valid for three (3) days, and its validity also provides free bus admissions on bus transportation via Verkehrsbetriebe Bamberg. The chic shopping districts of Bamberg are a shop-a-holic's paradise. The surroundings of an antique town provide a cozy environment where tourists can get their hands on interesting souvenirs. Everything from clothing and jewelry to antiques and produce are readily available for your consumption. The lively markets and boutiques bursts with friendly natives who are eager to introduce you to Bamberg's latest trends. For this reason, the city's shopping experience is an extraordinary thrill, where visitors can nourish their journey with "made in Germany" merchandise, meet new people, and enjoy the luxurious sceneries. The restaurants of Bamberg warmly invite you a delicious feast "Franconian style". Local and multicultural cuisines produce overflowing aromas that will tickle your taste buds. The gastronomy of Bamberg is an intimate affair where tourists are able to enjoy the majestic sceneries, indulge signature beers and cocktails and feast their senses on rich foods filled with flavors. From tasty pastries to gourmet seafood and juicy meats, the cuisines will satisfy any appetite. Bamberg experiences a continental climate. During the warm season (May-September) the temperatures averages from high 70s to high 50s. Throughout the cold season (November-February) the weather ranges from the low 40s to low 20s. Getting around Bamberg is relatively easy and convenient. Trains provide transportation to various German cities. Buses are also available as a means of travel to visit many sites and locations throughout the city. The Bamberg tram services roundtrip tours from the Cathedral to Altenburg Castle and St. Michael's. Renting a bicycle is a great way to keep off the vacation pounds while enjoy Bamberg's unique scenery; and taking a stroll is also a thrilling way to enjoy the culture and vibrant atmosphere of the city.
Bangka Island attracts many people to its turquoise sea and fascinating sites. Since the island achieved its first group of settlers, it has mastered at becoming a cultural paradise filled with exotic treasures. The orange sunset is the perfect backdrop as you feel the sand between your toes and listen to the majestic waves crash upon the shore. With such a unique atmosphere, you cannot help but notice the natural beauty and tranquility that prevails throughout the island's charming landscape. Bangka Island, Indonesia is an ideal location to relax and enjoy nature's wonders. It is a cultural destination providing the perfect combinations of land and sea. Bangka (originated from the word Wangka meaning tin) is one of the islands that make up the Bangka-Belitung province in Indonesia. Inhabited with approximately 600,000 people, much of the island's population is made up of different ethnicities that enjoy fishing, hunting and farming. This island is also home to Pangkal Pinang, which is the capital of the Bangka-Belitung province. Bangka is often referred to as the "Tin Island" because it is an important producer of tin called bankatin as well as pepper and rubber. With such a profound history, Bangka is also a destination rich with iconic attractions. From the top a mountain, the Pemali Open Pit Tin Mine can be seen in all its glory. Built in 1932, the guesthouse of Mount Menumbung was once home to the island's banished president and vice president. Visit the Muntok Tin Smelter and learn about how the infamous bankatin is made. Capture a bird's eye view of Bangka Island's beautiful scenery and climb the 199 steps of the Tanjung Kelian Old Lighthouse. For tourists in dire need of relaxation, the Pemali Hot Springs offers a hot pool where you can soak all your stress away with striking backdrops of the surrounding park. Painted gold and white sand, calm blue waters, and giant palm trees, its picturesque beaches provide the perfect scenery for leisure The shopping experience of Bangka is quite unique and they are decorated with "made in Bangka Island" souvenirs carved from local materials. The island is well known for its craftsmanship of popular products such as woven and silk fabrics, jewelry and pipes. Since it is great manufacturer of tin, you will also be able to find skillful handicrafts that are strategically made out of tin and pewter such as ashtrays and ships. Don't miss the opportunity to observe the rhythmic movements of the sacred Sepintu Sedulang and Lion dance. However, during the Lion dance, dancers are believed to be under a magical spell. The gastronomy of Bangka Island is filled with culinary temptations. Its traditional specialties are influenced by its multicultural settlers and flavored with local ingredients and spices such as red peppers, garlic, and shallots. Foods like noodles, potatoes, eggs, and seafood are commonly found on the menus of the local restaurants. Bangka's natives also enjoy sweet treats that are typically made from fruits grown on the islands like coconuts and bananas. Also, savor the tastes of the island's signature drinks such as Tew Fu Sui (soy milk) and Arak (an alcoholic beverage). Bangka experiences a tropical rainforest climate. The weather is typically wet and dry. During the warm season (August- September) the temperatures range between the low 90s and 70s. In the cold season (December- February) the weather averages from a high in the 80s to the low 70s. There are different forms of transportation in Bangka. Ferries are accessible to reach Muntok from Sumatera Island and Palembang. Ferries from Pangkal Balam Harbor are also available for travel to Jakarta, Palembang, and Belitung Island. Local angkots (buses) in Pangkal Pinang service the Ramayana market. However, tourists may find it easier to rent a car to visit the island's different sites since most of the public transportation is not located near the tourist attractions.
Bangkok, Thailand
When Rama 1, made Bangkok the Thai capital in the 18th century, he placed the Emerald Buddha in Wat Phra Kaew on the grounds of his Grand Palace. It's still there serving as the symbolic anchor of Thai sovereignty. Bangkok is a city of important temples, and they're all connected symbolically to the Palace, a complex of about 100 buildings. There's a dream-like quality to any stroll through the Palace grounds with its gilding, its polished tile, its guardian statue figures and ubiquitous light catching shards of stone and mirror connecting the temples and palaces. If the Grand Palace is the spiritual heart of Bangkok, the Chao Phraya River is its vascular system coursing through the center of the lives of the common people who built their homes off of the honeycomb of canals fed by the river. All along the river, people catch long taxi boats called hong yao to get around. Canal tours depart from piers along the river. Larger boats cruise to Ayutthaya which was the Siamese capital before Bangkok. Bangkok is one of those rare cities where casual visitors can turn off of an avenue and find a narrow alley that has all the feel of a village. It's part of Bangkok's magic that the village spirit lives so contentedly inside one of Asia's busiest cities. In many cases, whole villages moved into particular neighborhoods preserving much of the country's rural social structure in the city. Some of the best shopping in Bangkok takes place in tiny shops inside of these enclaves. The city is also home to several shopping malls. Bangkok has some of Asia's best values in textiles, crafts, art and custom tailoring. The most famous name in Thai silk is American. Jim Thompson's house is home to a legendary silk museum and shop. Bangkok's Lumphini Arena features regular boxing matches. Even if you're not a boxing fan, the atmosphere around the ring feels like a scene from a gritty old boxing movie, but with fascinating elements of Buddhist ritual. It's a wonderful night out especially when you combine it with dinner at the night market down the street. The National Theater offers many kinds of shows, but it's specialty is Khon dance-dramas. Based on the Hindu epic Ramayana, the Khon dance features elaborate costumes and masks as the stage is often dominated by a female dancer being pursued by a bestial figure. As a global metropolis you can find any cuisine you like in Bangkok, but Thai food rules the roost. The Suan Lum Night Bazaar in Lumphini is a great place to indulge in street food and for a five-star meal up above the clouds head to the Lebua Hotel's rooftop restaurant and bar. Bangkok is a hot, tropical city with annual temperatures hovering in the 80s and 90s. The winter months are dry with a rainy season running from May to September. Continental, United, Delta and Thai all offer service to Bangkok's new Suvarbabhumi's International Airport, as do a host of other international carriers.
Bangladesh, Asia
Bangladesh is for real adventure travelers only. More than 50 rivers make this a place to be explored by ferries, motorboats and river cruisers. The rivers of Bangladesh, with their flotillas of primitive boats, have been compared to the Nile of thousands of years ago. It's a land of low-lying rivers and lakes surrounded by hills, rain forests, beaches and rice paddies. Only Java is more densely populated. The culture of Bangladesh was formed much as India's was, as Mughal conquerors brought Islam to a land of Buddhists and Hindus; then came Portuguese, Dutch, French and British traders. British colonialism began in 1757, when the last Muslim ruler of Bengal fell to the British. In 1947, when the British left the Indian subcontinent, it was divided into India and Pakistan, with Bangladesh becoming East Pakistan. In 1971, Bangladesh fought a war of independence against Pakistan that was won after nine months of intense fighting. Bangladesh is tropical with a mild winter running from October to March, and a moist summer from March to June. The monsoon season runs from June to October pouring an average of 225 inches per year, about five times New York's annual rainfall. The Sundarbans are the largest mangrove forest in the world and home to a dwindling population of Royal Bengal Tigers. To explore the mysterious Sundarbans, visitors usually go to Khulna on the Rupsha River. You can travel hours through the Sundarban backwaters without seeing another soul. It's a 19-hour ride on the Rocket Steamer from Dhaka to Khulna. Bangladesh can be thoroughly explored by water. Barisal, a port also known for its rice paddies, offers boat rides on the Rocket Steamer. Hill tribes populate the mountains above Chittagong. Mostly Buddhists, the tribes feature compelling rituals. The tribes follow a matriarchal social structure with the women being the real drivers in both the families and the villages. Each tribe features its own dialect, dress and rites. Some still hunt with bows and arrows, and produce beautiful handicrafts. Cox's Bazar has a beach that stretches for 75 miles and as such it's the country's top beach resort. The monsoon runoff of Nepal's Himalayas makes its way through Bangladesh to the Bay of Bengal and the Ganges Delta, the largest delta in the world. With plenty of rice and curry, the food in Bangladesh is similar to India's except that as a Muslim country, beef is a popular option. Otherwise, as in India, lentil or daal and fish are popular. British Airways, Emirates, Thai Airways, Singapore Airlines, Malaysia Airlines and Turkish Airlines all fly to Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport.
With fascinating blends of past and present, Banjul, The Gambia, West Africa is a unique destination. Its vibrant streets pave the way to scenic rustic villages and buildings as well as modern architecture that display the city's dynamic culture. Where you are generously greeted by the pleasant weather and friendly smiles, the city overflows with authentic African traditions and cultural amenities. Many tourists are attracted to this small city that glistens with sounds of tribal music and a rich heritage that flows throughout the atmosphere. With such a profound appearance, Banjul is a charming destination where you are cordially invited to indulge in enriching African treasures. Formerly known as Bathurst, Banjul is the capital city of The Gambia in West Africa. It is also referred to as an island city because it is located on St. Mary's Island and it is situated on the banks of the Gambia River. The city is a lively commercial center and its economy is based on its exportations of peanut products, palm oil, beeswax, and palm wood. While exploring Banjul's scenery you will be welcomed by the various attractions that are dotted along the pathways. The Gambia National Museum is a journey into the city's past with exhibitions showcasing the city's ancient civilization. Towering at 114 feet, July Arch 22 is an entryway and monumental landmark that offers panoramic views of Banjul's landscape. Deeply rooted in religion, King Fahad Masjid is a sacred mosque that demonstrates the significance of Islamic architecture. Get up close to Gambia's exotic wildlife and sail the majestic waters of the Oyster Creek. Take a break from sightseeing and head to Albert Market. The narrow trails are densely populated with people shopping for "made in Africa" products. This is a shopper's paradise as the streets and stands are colorfully decorated with a wide variety of genuine African merchandise from jewelry, fabrics, and shoes to vegetables, spices, and handicrafts. The market is also a great place to meet Banjul's interesting locals and to brush up on your negotiating skills to get the best prices on unique trends. In the evening, the beach is a great way to see the amazing sunset or visit a bar or club to listen to cultural music while tasting Banjul's signature beverages and treats. The gastronomy of Banjul is an extraordinary experience. Feast your sights, smells, and tastes of traditional foods richly flavored with African spices and ingredients. Rice served with beef, chicken, and fish stew, okra, goat, kebab, and couscous fill the atmosphere of the city's local restaurants. In addition, seafood freshly picked from the Atlantic is a popular food choice for many visitors. For the cautious food connoisseur, there are also a variety of multicultural specialties that will definitely delight your pallet. Banjul experiences a tropical savanna climate. During the warmest season (February- March) the weather varies from a low in the 60s to high 90s. In the coldest season (July-September) the temperature averages from a low within the 60s to a high within the low 90s. Banjul International Airport is the city's main gateway to other African destinations and the rest of the world. The city is also accessible from Barra and other locations in The Gambia via ferries. Bush taxis are an inexpensive mode of transportation that travels to various spots in Banjul. Taxis are located near the hotels but prices are negotiated first. Car rentals are also available but not recommended.
Bar Harbor, Maine
A luxurious and coastal getaway, Bar Harbor invites you to explore its magnificent landscape painted with nature's pleasures and iconic jewels. With the Acadia National Park in its backyard, the town is surrounded by such beautiful sights that flow from the bottom of the tranquil lakes to the top of the 1,532-foot Mount Cadillac. What a delight it would be hear the echoes of falcons twittering in the vast trees and observe the behaviors of the different species of amphibians in their natural habitat. Bar Harbor is truly a great destination to enjoy nature, adventure, and beauty to the fullest. So enchanting, the Rockefellers, Vanderbilts, and other prominent families found refuge in its charm. Located on Mount Desert Island in Maine, United States, Bar Harbor's captivating landscape was once a peaceful escape for many artists and scholars. However, more people are becoming drawn to this unique paradise filled with deluxe accommodations, slightly tucked away from the busy crowds. Bar Harbor offers an extraordinary experience for tourists who are searching for a peaceful, yet eventful vacation. From enclosed to alfresco adventures, the town's magical surroundings beg to be explored. The museums pay homage to its heritage with exquisite exhibitions from its Wabenaki natives and marine wildlife to the ancient beliefs and civilization. Enjoy the orange sunset over the sea on the nature cruises, which are highlighted with amazing sights of whales, dolphins, and puffins. Bar Harbor's maritime is also home to many exotic animals and kayaking adventures. The town's shopping experience is an enriching treat for everyone. Local boutiques and shops are vibrantly draped with treasures specifically found in Maine. With such a variety of antiquities, there is something for every pocket. Nights are warmed by the sounds of live entertainment coming from the nearby hotspots. From comedy shows to concerts, Bar Harbor provides a great atmosphere for an intimate outing under the stars. The foods of Bar Harbor are a cultural event that brings locals and tourists together. The cuisines are meticulously prepared to enhance your gastronomical experience. Restaurants are drenched in the mouthwatering scents of seafood, lobster, and many other delicious treats. Behind every door there is a wide spectrum of digestive specialties, purposely created to delight your taste buds. Bar Harbor experiences a moist continental climate. From June to September (warm season) the temperatures average from a high of 77°F to a low of 48°F. During the months of December to March, the weather fluctuates between a high of 35°F to as low as 10°F. Hancock County-Bar Harbor Airport (BHB) is the town's main gateway to the rest of the United States as well as different international destinations. Sail under the sun and capture views of Bar Harbor's coast by hopping on board of a local ferry. The Island Explorer provides tours to various hiking grounds, sites, and beaches. To navigate through the town at your own pace, car rentals are available. In addition, the attractions of Bar Harbor are best discovered by hiking along the trails leading to impeccable treasures of natural beauty and wildlife.
Barbados, Caribbean
Barbados is located at the Caribbean's Lesser Antilles, in the western North Atlantic Ocean, east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea, outside of the principal Atlantic hurricane belt. The island nation encompasses 166 square miles, measuring 21 miles long and 14 miles wide. Barbados has a well-developed, mixed economy, and a moderately high standard of living. The island is classified by the World Bank as being in its 66 top global high-income economies. Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, the economy has diversified into manufacturing, tourism, and offshore finance and information services. The island has seen a construction boom, with the development and redevelopment of hotels, office complexes, and homes. Barbados is also one of the Caribbean's leading tourist destinations and is the most developed island in the region. It offers everything from inexpensive guest houses to five-star luxury hotels and resorts, many of which line the island's abundant beaches. The Boatyard is among the most popular of the many accessible beaches around the island. The island offers much to see and do beyond the beachfront: Broad Street in Bridgetown, the island's capital city, is home to several large department stores and duty-free. Sunbury Plantation House, which dates from 1660, features historic antiques, including carriages and farm implements. St. Nicholas Abbey is another historic home and part of new Slave Route Project, a heritage tourism initiative of the Ministry of Tourism. St. Nicholas was erected in 1650 and is one of the only three houses of Jacobean architecture still standing in the Western Hemisphere. The Abbey features Dutch gables and finials of coral stone. Barbados' premier festival, Crop Over, is a traditional celebration of the end of the sugar season. The festival lasts for five weeks and features markets, carnival shows, calypso concerts and colorful parades. Other special events include Holders Season, which is held in March and internationally renowned for opera, theater and music performances. The Barbados Jazz Festival has live performances seven nights in a row, each held at a different island venue. Arlington House Museum, formerly Barbados' first modern hospital, is located on Queen Street in the historic town of Speightstown. The 18th-century, three-story "Single House" is now restored and features an interactive museum chronicling Speightstown's history as a port and hub connecting three continents. Duffers can tee off at one of three golf courses, including the Green Monkey, at the rebuilt Sandy Lane resort. Barbados has an active sports scene with professional horse racing, cricket (the national sport), tennis, squash and polo. Air transportation to and from Barbados is widely available from major U.S. gateways, and there are several inter and intra-island air transportation providers. Barbados is among the cruise industry's premier Caribbean ports, with homeport and port-of-call cruises available throughout the year. The most popular dishes are flying fish (a Barbados icon also found on the island's currency), "cutters," a local sandwich made using salt bread, and pepperpot, a pork stew in a spicy dark brown sauce. Barbados' Mount Gay brand rum is among the world's oldest and indeed the beverage was created in Barbados. Barbados offers extensive, reasonably priced taxi service. Drivers do not use meters and, as is the case anywhere, it's best to negotiate the price before you proceed. Driving is on the left. The bus system is extensive, cheap, and fast. Blue-colored public buses are run by the Barbados Transport Board.
Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona, Spain, is the capital and the most populous city of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia and the second-largest city in Spain, after Madrid. It's also Europe's largest metropolis on the Mediterranean coast and the most popular tourist destination in Spain. Barcelona has many venues for live music and theater, including the Gran Teatre del Liceu opera theater, the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, the Teatre Lliure and the Palau de la Música Catalana concert hall. Barcelona also is home to the Barcelona and Catalonia National Symphonic Orchestra (Orquestra Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Catalunya, usually known as OBC), the largest symphonic orchestra in Catalonia. Barcelona has a great number of museums, which cover different areas and eras. The National Museum of Art of Catalonia possesses a collection of Romanesque art while the Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art focuses on post-1945 Catalan and Spanish art. The Fundació Joan Miró, Picasso Museum and Fundació Antoni Tà pies hold important collections of these world-renowned artists. Several museums cover the fields of history and archeology, like the City History Museum, the Museum of the History of Catalonia, the Archeology Museum of Catalonia,and the Barcelona Maritime Museum. Local cuisine blends seafood with products from the Pyrenees like vegetables, rabbit, duck and lamb. Dishes that combine sweet and savory flavors, such as rabbit with figs, are also fairly common. Food often features Catalonia's four basic saucesallioli (pure garlic and olive oil), romescu (almonds, hazelnuts, tomato, garlic, and olive oil), sofregit (fried onion, tomato, and herbs), and samfaina (a ratatouille-like vegetable mixture). Typical entrees include habas a la catalana (a spicy broad-bean stew), bullabesa (fish soup-stew similar to the French bouillabaisse), and espinacas a la catalana (spinach cooked with oil, garlic, pine nuts, raisins, and bits of bacon). Barcelona is served by Barcelona Airport in the town of El Prat de Llobregat, about 11 miles from the center of Barcelona. It is the second-largest airport in Spain, and the largest on the Mediterranean coast. The airport mainly serves domestic and European destinations, but some airlines offer destinations in Asia and the U.S. The airport is connected to the city by highway, commuter train and scheduled bus service. Sabadell Airport is a smaller airport in the nearby town of Sabadell. It's devoted to pilot training, commercial flights, aero-taxi and private flights. Barcelona also boasts an extensive motorway network and is a hub of high-speed rail. Barcelona is served by a comprehensive local public transport network that includes a metro, a bus network, two separate modern tram networks, a separate historic tram line, and several funiculars and aerial cable cars. The Barcelona Metro network comprises nine lines, identified by an "L" followed by the line number as well as by individual colors. Barcelona is a major hub for RENFE, the Spanish state railway network, and its main intercity train station is Barcelona-Sants station. Generally, Barcelona has high-speed rail links with major cities of Spain. Barcelona enjoys a Mediterranean climate. The summer's season lasts about six months, from May to October, although also in November and April sometimes there are warm temperatures. Winters are mild.
Cruises
4-day Bahamas From Miami - Norwegian Sky
Departure City: Miami. First Departure: 04/25/2016 | Last Departure: 04/28/2017. Provided by Norwegian Cruise Line
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7-day Western Mediterranean From Marseille - Norwegian Epic
First Departure: 04/30/2016 | Last Departure: 10/29/2016. Provided by Norwegian Cruise Line
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15 Night Northern Australia Explorer - Sun Princess
First Departure: 05/01/2016 | Last Departure: 07/31/2017. Provided by Princess Cruises
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4 Night Western Caribbean Itiner - Carnival Triumph
First Departure: 05/05/2016 | Last Departure: 04/24/2017. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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3- Night Bahamas From Miami - Norwegian Sky
First Departure: 05/06/2016 | Last Departure: 05/01/2017. Provided by Norwegian Cruise Line
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12-day Grand Mediterranean From Barcelona - Norwegian Spirit
Departure City: Barcelona. First Departure: 05/07/2016 | Last Departure: 11/05/2016. Provided by Norwegian Cruise Line
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12- Night Grand Mediterranean From Venice - Norwegian Spirit
First Departure: 05/19/2016 | Last Departure: 11/17/2016. Provided by Norwegian Cruise Line
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4 Night Western Caribbean Itiner - Carnival Fantasy
First Departure: 06/27/2016 | Last Departure: 11/04/2016. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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4 Night Bahamas Itinerary - Carnival Sensation
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4 Night Western Caribbean - Carnival Paradise
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7 Night Eastern Caribbean - Carnival Freedom
First Departure: 07/02/2016 | Last Departure: 04/28/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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5 Night Western Caribbean - Carnival Paradise
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5 Night Bahamas Cruise - Carnival Ecstasy
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12 Night Treasures Of Asia - Dawn Princess
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3 Night Nassau Cruise - Carnival Victory
First Departure: 07/07/2016 | Last Departure: 10/30/2016. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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4 Night Western Caribbean Cruise - Carnival Liberty
First Departure: 07/07/2016 | Last Departure: 04/30/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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5 Night Exotic Eastern Caribbean - Carnival Sensation
First Departure: 07/09/2016 | Last Departure: 05/03/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7 Night Exotic Western Caribbean - Carnival Freedom
First Departure: 07/09/2016 | Last Departure: 04/21/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7 Night Exotic Eastern Caribbean - Carnival Pride
First Departure: 07/10/2016 | Last Departure: 05/06/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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4 Night Bahamas Itinerary - Carnival Victory
First Departure: 07/10/2016 | Last Departure: 04/13/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7 Night Exotic Western Caribbean - Carnival Dream
First Departure: 07/10/2016 | Last Departure: 05/06/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise - Carnival Conquest
First Departure: 07/11/2016 | Last Departure: 09/09/2017. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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8 Night Exotic Eastern Caribbean - Carnival Sunshine
First Departure: 07/12/2016 | Last Departure: 04/14/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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4 Night Western Caribbean Itiner - Carnival Sensation
First Departure: 07/14/2016 | Last Departure: 04/23/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7 Night Exotic Eastern Caribbean - Carnival Conquest
First Departure: 07/16/2016 | Last Departure: 09/16/2017. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7 Night Western Caribbean Itiner - Carnival Freedom
First Departure: 07/16/2016 | Last Departure: 05/05/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7-day Florida & Bahamas - Carnival Pride
First Departure: 07/17/2016 | Last Departure: 04/29/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7 Night Eastern Caribbean - Carnival Breeze
First Departure: 07/17/2016 | Last Departure: 05/06/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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5 Night Western Caribbean Itiner - Carnival Sensation
First Departure: 07/18/2016 | Last Departure: 04/28/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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8 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise - Carnival Sunshine
First Departure: 07/20/2016 | Last Departure: 08/20/2017. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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5 Night Western Caribbean Cruise - Carnival Triumph
First Departure: 07/23/2016 | Last Departure: 05/03/2018. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
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7-day Greek Isles & Ephesus - Seabourn Odyssey
First Departure: 07/23/2016 | Last Departure: 10/22/2016. Provided by Seabourn
Starting at$2,199.00
12-day Scenic Norway & Fjords - Seabourn Quest
First Departure: 07/23/2016 | Last Departure: 08/03/2017. Provided by Seabourn
First Departure: 09/01/2016 | Last Departure: 11/03/2016. Provided by Seabourn
Starting at$2,999.00
10 Night Mediterranean Turkey & Carnival Vista
First Departure: 09/03/2016 | Last Departure: 10/21/2016. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
Starting at$1,029.00
10 Night Mediterranean Turkey & Carnival Vista
First Departure: 09/03/2016 | Last Departure: 10/21/2016. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
Starting at$1,069.00
Portland, OR (Vancouver, WA) to Clarkston - Hotel Stay - Vancouver, WA
First Departure: 09/03/2016 | Last Departure: 04/10/2017. Provided by American Queen Steamboat Company
Starting at$2,649.00
Glacier Bay 7 Night Alaska Cruis - Carnival Legend
First Departure: 09/06/2016 | Last Departure: 09/12/2017. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
Starting at$1,249.00
7 Night Canada Cruise - Carnival Sunshine
First Departure: 09/10/2016 | Last Departure: 10/14/2017. Provided by Carnival Cruise Line
Starting at$769.00
14-day Adriatic & Aegean Isles - Seabourn Odyssey
First Departure: 09/10/2016 | Last Departure: 10/22/2016. Provided by Seabourn
Starting at$5,499.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Var - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Var - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Var
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Tor - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Tor
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Jarl - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Jarl
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Freya - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Freya
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Atla - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Atla
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Njord - Budapest to Nuremberg via Viking Longship Njord
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Var - Nuremberg to Budapest via Viking Longship Var
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Tor - Nuremberg to Budapest via Viking Longship Tor
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Atla - Nuremberg to Budapest via Viking Longship Atla
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Njord - Nuremberg to Budapest via Viking Longship Njord
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Jarl - Nuremberg to Budapest via Viking Longship Jarl
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Romantic Danube Sailing on Viking Longship Freya - Nuremberg to Budapest via Viking Longship Freya
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Magnificent Mekong Sailing on Viking Mekong - Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City via Viking Mekong
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$3,999.00
Magnificent Mekong Sailing on Viking Mekong - Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi via Viking Mekong
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$3,999.00
Roof of the World Sailing on Viking Emerald - Beijing to Shanghai via Viking Emerald
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$5,900.00
Roof of the World Sailing on Viking Emerald - Shanghai to Beijing via Viking Emerald
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$5,750.00
Myanmar Explorer Sailing on Viking Mandalay - Bangkok to Bangkok via Viking Mandalay
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$5,599.00
Chateaux, Rivers & Wine Sailing on Viking Longship Forseti - Bordeaux to Bordeaux via Viking Longship Forseti
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Cities of Light Sailing on Viking Longship Idun - Paris to Prague via Viking Longship Idun
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$3,056.00
Cities of Light Sailing on Viking Longship Odin - Paris to Prague via Viking Longship Odin
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$2,956.00
Cities of Light Sailing on Viking Longship Odin - Prague to Paris via Viking Longship Odin
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$3,056.00
Cities of Light Sailing on Viking Longship Idun - Prague to Paris via Viking Longship Idun
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$2,956.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Prestige - Passau to Budapest via Viking Prestige
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$2,556.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Legend - Passau to Budapest via Viking Legend
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Alsvin - Passau to Budapest via Viking Longship Alsvin
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Vili - Passau to Budapest via Viking Longship Vili
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Skadi - Passau to Budapest via Viking Longship Skadi
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Ve - Passau to Budapest via Viking Longship Ve
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Prestige - Budapest to Passau via Viking Prestige
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Legend - Budapest to Passau via Viking Legend
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Skadi - Budapest to Passau via Viking Longship Skadi
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,856.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Ve - Budapest to Passau via Viking Longship Ve
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Danube Waltz Sailing on Viking Longship Alsvin - Budapest to Passau via Viking Longship Alsvin
First Departure: 09/12/2016 | Last Departure: 12/31/2016. Provided by Viking Cruises
Starting at$1,956.00
Adventure Travel
Do you enjoy rafting, skiing, mountain climbing, fishing, or camping? Does jungle trekking, bungee jumping, or biking peak your interest? If so, an Adventure Travel Vacation may be right for you. There are several adventure travel companies, and the Wizards have used them to provide their clients with an awesome experience!
Wide Skies Over Wickenburg
For those traveling far from home to get a taste of where the buffalo roam
Wickenburg is where you will be able to kick up some dust, take a load off their boots and hang their hat in the shadow of majestic saguaro glades.
The mid (19th) century frontier town claims the high desert territory an hour north of Phoenix
(and an hour south of Prescott) as its own and has been known as the "Dude Ranch Capital of the World" in its time, if not the oldest Arizona town north of Tucson.
Visitors find five fine "Dude Ranches" there today
where riding, roping, campfires and elaborate barbeques welcome weekend cowboys.
A tour of the town starts at the Visitor's Center
housed in the 113-year old Santa Fe Depot on Frontier Street in the center historic downtown - the location of ten buildings on the National Register of Historic Places. Visitors mosey around shops, galleries and museums stocked with Southwestern arts and crafts, Native American jewelry, Mexican furniture, rugs, antiques, curios, pottery, western gear, tack, antiques and clothing. The Desert Caballeros Western Museum has one of the finest collections in the country when it comes to western art and frontier legend and lore.
Nearby at the Nature Conservancy's Hassayampa River Preserve
wayward riders dig into a lush, streamside habitat home to some of the Sonoran Desert's 230 species of birds as well as mule deer, wild peccaries, bobcats, ringtails, and even mountain lions.
At night folks dine on prime cuts under a starry sky at Wickenburg's largest and most luxurious ranch, Rancho de los Caballeros.
The ranch covers a 20,000-acre spread of scrub, golf, trails and scenery with southwest-style accommodations, a spa and guided dude ranch must-dos through May.
Africa Tours
A Spectacular East Africa Safari or the Southern Explorer Tour? No matter which one you choose, Africa awaits you with all its natural beauty! (other tour options also available - call us for details)
The Best of Kenya & Tanzania 14-Day Adventure
A special safari with something to offer everyone from the first-time traveler to Africa to the experienced safari trekker on his/her tenth wildlife adventure. Choose between the Masai Mara or Serengeti trips, depending on time of year.
South African & Victoria Falls 12-Day Adventure
An excellent introduction to Southern Africa's cultural and natural wonders - a spectacular stand-alone adventure or a grand companion to an array of itineraries throughout southern and eastern Africa.
Masai Mara Map & Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart Usa
Your African journey begins with your departure flight. Destination: Kenya!
Day 2 - Nairobi, Kenya
Spend your first night at Nairobi's finest and best-known hotel. A traditional starting point for most safari's, with its own private tropical gardens. the Norfolk Hotel.
Day 3-4 - Amboseli
South to Amboseli, where you will discover local wildlife against the stunning backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tortilis.
Day 5-6 - Samburu
Fly north to the semi-arid Samburu region, where you're sure to see many herds of elephants as well as other species unique to this region. Intrepids Tented Camp.
Masai Mara Option
Best July - September
Day 7-9 - Masai Mara
Fly to the magical Masai Mara for three days of activities in an area with the greatest wildlife concentration. Governor's Camp, Masai Mara.
Day 10 - Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Today, you fly across the border to Arusha. From there, you are driven to Manyara National Park, famous for its abundant birdlife and the mysterious tree-climbing lions. Manyara Serena Lodge, Lake Manyara.
Day 11-12 - Ngorongoro Crater
During your 2-night lodge at the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, enjoy an excursion to the crater floor, home to the local non-migratory inhabitats, and walk among the nearby foothills to visit a local Masai manyatta. Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Ngorongoro.
Day 13 - Depart Kilimanjaro
A late-morning drive brings you back to Arusha where you relax until the evening departure of your international flight home. Mountain Village Lodge, Arusha.
Day 14 - Arrive USA
With photos, stories, and memories of an enchanting Safari.
Serengeti Map & Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart Usa
Your African journey begins with your departure flight. Destination: Kenya!
Day 2 - Nairobi, Kenya
Spend your first night at Nairobi's finest and best-known hotel. A traditional starting point for most safari's, with its own private tropical gardens. the Norfolk Hotel.
Day 3-4 - Amboseli
South to Amboseli, where you will discover local wildlife against the stunning backdrop of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Tortilis.
Day 5-6 - Samburu
Fly north to the semi-arid Samburu region, where you're sure to see many herds of elephants as well as other species unique to this region. Intrepids Tented Camp.
Serengeti Option
best october - june
Day 7 - Lake Manyara, Tanzania
Today, you fly across the border to Arusha. From there, you are driven to Manyara National Park, famous for its abundant birdlife and the mysterious tree-climbing lions. Manyara Serena Lodge, Lake Manyara.
Day 8-9 - Ngorongoro Crater
During your 2-night lodge at the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, enjoy an excursion to the crater floor, home to the local non-migratory inhabitats, and walk among the nearby foothills to visit a local Masai manyatta. Ngorongoro Serena Lodge, Ngorongoro.
Day 10-12 - Serengeti
Spend three nights in legendary Serengeti, with plenty of opportunities to photographically capture your own Big Five as well as other bountiful wildlife species. Mbuze Mawe Tented Camp, Serengeti.
Day 13 - Depart Kilimanjaro
A late-morning drive brings you back to Arusha where you relax until the evening departure of your international flight home. Mountain Village Lodge, Arusha.
Day 14 - Arrive Usa
With photos, stories, and memories of an enchanting Safari.
Map & Itinerary
Day 1 - Depart Usa
Your adventure begins as you board your international flight.
Day 2-4 - Cape Town, South Africa
Take two full days to absorb the beauty of the Cape Peninsula. Tours to unique city sights, vista views of the 'Fairest Cape in the World' from the top of Table Mountain, and dinner with a Capetonian family will be forever etched in your memory. Victoria & Alfred Hotel (K), Twelve Apostles (R), the Cape Grace (E).
Day 5-7 - Kruger Park
Fly to Kruger Park, the heart of 'Big Five' country. Enjoy three nights in a luxurious camp, with morning and afternoon drives through wildlife. The area is known for its populations of elephant, giraffe, buffalo, lion and leopard...to name just a few! Kings Camp (K), Lion Sands River Lodge (R), Singita (E).
Day 8 - Johannesburg
Take a final drive through game country before flying back to Johannesburg. Plenty of venues to explore and dining options galore to experience here. the Grace (K), the Westcliff (R), the Saxon (E).
Day 9-10 - Victoria Falls
A 2-night stay to take in the magnificence of Victoria Falls with a walking tour of the mighty falls and a sundown cruise on the Zambezi River. Victoria Falls Hotel (K), Royal Livingstone Hotel (R), the River Club (E).
Day 11 - Depart Johannesburg
Return to South Africa to connect to your international flight.
Day 12 - Arrive Usa
With memories to last a lifetime!
Honeymoon Tips
Start honeymoon planning when you set your wedding date
Work with a certified travel consultant
Establish a realistic budget for the trip
Check your passport expiration dates or apply for new ones
Sign up for a Honeymoon Registry.
This can greatly upgrade your choices.
Schedule vacation time at work.
Start shopping for honeymoon clothing now.
This will relieve last-minute shopping pressure.
Purchase trip cancellation insurance, so in case of unforeseen events, you can simply re-schedule your trip.
Most importantly, enjoy the planning process - we are here to help!
Oiling it Up in Abu Dhabi
Question: What would you do if you were an ambitious emir with a pocket full of petrodollars to spend?
The answer is obvious: Grab a desert island, open up a Ferrari theme park and start gunning the engines.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan of Abu Dhabi has a lot more on his mind than Ferrari fantasies in the desert.
There are water theme parks to build, art museums to raise, golf courses to design, marinas to construct, polo clubs, villas and shopping malls to be created. All this is taking place at a pulsing pace on the scenic eco-reserve of Yas Island, 30 minutes west of Abu Dhabi by 10-lane expressway in the United Arab Emirates.
Yas Island, otherwise known as Bani Yas for the area's original local tribes
spreads for about 33 square miles inside the Gulf of Oman. Once a full-fledged wildlife and nature reserve with an active conversation and breeding program, a little more than half the land is morphing into a $39 billion steroidal pleasure center, residential spot and business park promising to be nothing short of everything money can buy.
First there was the mad rush to complete the $40 million Yas Marina Circuit
by November 1 for the venue's first Formula One event aptly named the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Aldar is also facilitating the building of roller coasters, a Ferrari Theater, a 900,000-square-foot retail mall, a 12-acre water park, four polo fields, a Warner Brothers theme park, an equestrian center, championship golf courses, a marina and floating harbor, beaches and beach clubs, an exhibition hall, a signature hotel overlooking the race track, drag race, rally driving, dune buggy and go-kart tracks, villas, apartments and lots of beach hotels. And that does not include the prince's all-encompassing plans for a cultural district on nearby Saadiyat Island, where some of the world's best-known design makers (think Frank Gehry, Jean Nouvel, Zaha Hadid and Tadao Ando) are building the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, a branch of the Louvre, a maritime museum and a performing arts centre for world-class theatre and opera. A general completion date offered aims for 2014 with an overall infrastructure scheme for the city of the future that culminates in 2030.
Guests of the new 500-room Yas Marina Hotel
get a private window on the action as the 3.4 mile race course sporting 21 white knuckle turns runs right through the property, engines gunning at 200 mph.
But the park is meant to be a family attraction, too, offering not just top class racing events.
Thrill-seekers won't miss a G on the 210-foot twin rollercoaster drops that allow riders to race against each other to the bottom. Or they can get close to the real thing by test-driving the circuit with skilled instructors in the only Ferrari driving school in the world beyond the barriers of the Ferrari Maranello base.
Softer excitement can be found through go-kart racing, rally driving and dune buggying in the theme park.
The Water Park in Yas Island provides refreshing action between the races but not without some gasps of its own. The Giant Maelstrom, Velkoma water bomber, Master Blaster and "hurricane" rides get the blood pumping. Other activities include cable water skiing, scuba diving and sand lounging. Horse buffs can test their mettle on the polo fields or in the equestrian centre.
As more than 400 extinct-in-the-wild Arabian Oryx look on
joined by an odd assortment of African transplants from giraffes and hyenas to cheetahs, the quiet of this island preserve has also given way to an assortment of clean energy initiatives to power the new development: wind turbines, solar complexes, desalinization plants. The wildlife park was created more than a quarter century ago on the island to ensure the survival of Arabia's endangered species. Archeological sites, too, have been discovered on Yas Island - the oldest to date being a pre-Islamic monastery dating back to 600 AD.
The Desert Islands Resort & Spa on Yas Island offers an assortment of rooms
suites and villas on the beach and provides access to the island's natural preserves.
Plans for Yas Island have brought a string of new hotel development activity now putting a shape on the island's skyline.
But a little luxury at the Kempinski Emirates Palace on the outskirts of Abu Dhabi may be the perfect complement to a Ferrari-focused holiday. Oversized rooms and suites pullout all the stops in "palace"-themed decor and come equipped with laptops, room controls, 52-62" plasmas, private terraces and private check-in/check-out. A dozen cafes and restaurants, a Moroccan-inspired Anantara Spa, a world-class art exhibition gallery, fitness programs and a bevy of private beaches and pool areas make up the rest of the experience.
Om Swasti Astu - Welcome to Bali
Come experience Bali, its beautiful people and rich culture with Travel Wizards. Just call us to custom-tailor your journey through Bali or anywhere else in SE Asia!
Think of Bali and one often imagines virescent rice terraces, pulse-pounding surf
enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerizing dance perfomances, pristine beaches and the delightful "frangipani" flowers! The only Hindu Island amongst whopping 17,000 islands of the Indonesian Archipelago, Bali is not just a destination, it's a unique feeling that is beyond words and can only be experienced. Small obviously doesn't mean limited! From the manic whirl of Kuta beach, segue into the luxury of Seminyak. The artistic swirl of Ubud is a counterpoint to misty treks amid the volcanoes and lush green rice terraces. With more than 90% population being Hindu, the minority made up of Muslims, Buddhists, and Christians, religious ritual plays into every facet of life. Balinese Hindus believe in the ascending pantheon of Hindu gods, as well as "dharma" and "adharma" - order and disorder. The importance of "karma" or the consequence of individual actions plays into the peaceful daily rhythms, whether placing daily offerings of flowers on someone's car or undertaking rigorous mountain pilgrimages. Balinese believe that, to achieve harmony, the forces of good must be saluted with offerings, while the forces of evil must be appeased. With an estimated 20,000 temples and shrines, Bali is know as the "Island of the Gods," and every village has at least one temple with buildings dedicated to Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva (the Creator, the Preserver, and the Destroyer).
The tones of the "gamelan" the bright-sounding metal percussion ensembles that accompany
just about every celebration and ceremony here, music is everywhere in Bali, from the Indonesian pop pouring from restaurants and shops, to folk music and the refined classical music that accompanies the many staged dance performances and temple worship. If you have a chance, don't miss a performance of traditional dance. Legong and Barong dances are intricate ballets depicting scenes from the epic Ramayana. Kecak dance is a circle of up to 100 men chanting rhythmically and telling the saga of a monkey king and his warriors. It's a colorful, fun experience. Wayang Kulit, or shadow-puppet plays, feature intricately cut leather figures that puppeteers use to project images against a screen.
Arts and crafts are seamlessly woven into the fabric of life in Bali, as are dance, music, and ritual.
Fine carving and craftwork can be found adorning the most humble dwelling. Craftsmen are highly revered, and skilled wood and stone carvers turn out authentic works in street-side studios all over the island, much concentrated in Ubud. You are guaranteed to walk away with some beautiful, original finds in wood and stone. Masks used in traditional performance make fine souvenirs. Ancient stylized paintings of deities and the delicately carved "lontar" palm-frond books are both still produced on the island. Expatriates have had as much influence on modern Balinese art as the ancients. As guiding patrons, men such Walter Spies, whose home on the site of the Tjampuhan Hotel in Ubud became central to the arts in Ubud, influenced local painters, opened societies, and brought the glory of Bali to the world at large. With a little searching, you can find some real masterpieces.
The Balinese have been hosting foreign tourists for decades; they are fairly laid-back and accepting of Western habits and culture.
However when visiting Bali one must not forget that the Balinese have their own traditions that should be respected. The most important rule is to cover up your legs and shoulders when entering a temple; most hotels supply sarongs for temple visits. The Balinese also ban menstruating women from temples. The temples on the Island of Bali are unique, some set right in the middle of the ocean such as the Tanah Lot, and some such as the Uluwatu, hang from the cliff looking down to the Indian Ocean. Most temples do not allow tourist to enter the main areas but it is still worth a closer peep!
The Balinese speak both Indonesian and Balinese at home.
Balinese is much more complicated, not least because there are three levels: high, middle, and low depending on the class and authority of the person to whom you are speaking. Balinese language also sees a great influence from Sanakrit, the ancient Indian language and is very soothing to ears.
Beyond the rich culture of Ubud up in the mountains, Bali is home to some of the world's best beaches and warm water!
Sanur on the southeastern side of Bali is an excellent site to watch the sun rise, as you jog along the white sandy beach. Being one of the first resort developed in Bali, Sanur maintains its traditions. Only a stone thrown away from the beach, ancient temples stand as solemn as they have been in centuries past. Kuta, Legian and Seminyak are practically on the opposite side of Sanur stretch on the southwestern side of Bali, where surfing is a major activity! Trendy shops, pubs and restaurants have transformed the Kuta and Seminyak area into a happening spot on the Island! Directly South of Kuta & Seminyak is the village of Jimbaran, on a narrow neck of the island of Bali with two of its remarkably different beaches. On the west, Jimbaran Beaches faces the Jimbaran Bay, and on the east is Nusa Dua where the beach faces the body of water sheltered by Benoa Harbor! The crystal clear water here provides excellent snorkeling and diving sites, and the waves on the northern and the southern part of Nusa Dua allows great surfing opportunities. Soka Beach further northwest from Denpasar, on the way to Gilmanuk, the ferry port town that connects Bali and Java, is a small quiet beach great for a remote, intimate experience away from the touristy buzz. Continuing along the path towards Gilimanuk is the Medewi Beach known for its beautiful sunsets and water that is great for surfing, yet undiscovered. Near the northern tip of the island of Bali lies a stretch of tiny villages by the Bali Sea and ticked away here is the Lovina Beach. It is well known as an excellent site for sunset, snorkeling, and diving. Nightlife in abundance, as well as chartered boats to go out into the sea. If you like what Kuta offers but do not like the crowd, Lovina Beach is for you.
Everything you hear about Bali is fascinating, strange and singular.
This small tropical wonderland, full of exotic and mystic experiences, magnificent temple celebrations, colorful processions and the mysterious, graceful dances pull you immediately into its spell. The landscape here is grandiose again and again; green rice terraces - the sky stairs of the Balinese Gods - are different with the high volcanoes, tropical jungles and beautiful beaches. The underwater world with their multicolored corral reefs is indescribable. Above this all you remain inspired by the heartiness and joy of life of the Balinese people, because nowhere in the world we get our smile so often back again.
Explore Costa Rica
Visit the hottest destination in Latin America. If you love nature, Costa Rica is the place to go! Trek through the beautiful rainforest, explore the volcanoes and relax on the beach. Enjoy activities such as kayaking, white water rafting, hiking, zip lining and more. Take an independent tour that combines two of Costa Rica's most famous natural resources, Tortuguero National Park and Arenal Volcano, with a visit to the popular Guanacaste beach area on the Pacific side of the country. 9 Days/8 Nights Departs Daily Starting from - $995 per person. B - Breakfast is Included; L - Lunch is Included; D - Dinner is Included. Prices are per person based on double occupancy with moderate hotels.
Day 1
After you collect and clear customs you will be met outside the terminal by a local representative, who will be holding a sign with your name on it. A representative will collect your vouchers and present you with an itinerary with scheduled times of pick-up. You will be transferred by van to your selected hotel in San Jose.
Day 2
Early departure (between 6-7am) by motorcoach from San Jose, passing through misty Braulio Carillo National Park. Depending upon visibility you may be able to see Barva and Cacho Negro Volcanoes, within the park. This wet forested area is filled with ferns, orchids, and bromeliads. From Braulio Carillo you will be dropping down into the tropical lowlands of the Caribbean side of the country. The scenery changes drastically as the road winds through banana plantations, and you notice a different style of local architecture. After a stop at one of the local Tico restaurants for breakfast, continue to the Tortuguero Canal where you will board a boat for a 2.5 hour fascinating trip through the meandering waterway to your selected lodge. The Canal, which runs parallel to the ocean, is the water highway from the city of Limon to the northern coastal region. As you motor up the canal it is possible to see monkeys, tree sloths, and a variety of birds in the dense jungle. You will arrive at your lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon, visit the Park Museum and hike the nearby nature trails. Tortuguero National Park is an important breeding ground for the green sea turtles. Their nesting season is from July to early October. End the afternoon with a visit to the small village of Tortuguero. Return to your lodge for dinner. (B/L/D).
Day 3
After breakfast, depending upon which lodge you are staying in, you will enjoy a morning hike (not Tortuguero Hill) with a naturalist guide (from the Mawamba and Manatus Lodges) or you will go on a boat ride to view wildlife (from the Pachira or Evergreen Lodges). After lunch, there will be an opportunity for further exploration of the Tortuguero channels by boat. Before dinner, enjoy a dip in the pool. (B/L/D).
Day 4
After breakfast, (between 8:30-9am) board the boat for the return trip through the Canal. At the dock you will board a motorcoach that will take you to the town of Guapiles. After lunch at the Hotel Suerre, continue by van to Arenal. The scenic drive from Guapiles to Arenal hotel in the late afternoon (between 4:30-5pm), just in time to see Costa Rica's most famous active volcano before sunset. On a clear night, Arenal Volcano provides entertainment in the form of rumblings, lava flow and shooting sparks. (B/L).
Day 5
Day at leisure. You can arrange one of the optional tours - rafting, kayaking, a canopy tour, Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, or hiking tour. Overnight. (B).
Day 6
After breakfast, (between 8:30-9am) transfers by van approximately 4.5 hours to the beaches of Guanacaste Province. From Arenal you will travel from the highlights to the lowlands of the North Pacific, the driest region of the country. Here you will see cattle ranches. Continue to the coast to your selected Guanacaste beach resort. (B).
Days 7 & 8
Day at leisure to relax by the pool or walk along the beach, or arrange one of the optional tours. Overnight. (B).
Day 9
Transfer to the Liberia Airport for your return flight. (Or board your return flight to San Jose to connect to an international flight, or to spend the night.) (B).
Hotels
San Jose
Britannia Hotel - http://www.hotelbritanniacostarica.com.
like a film set dreamed up by Stephen Spielberg or George Lucas than a modern city on the sands of the Persian Gulf, Dubai begs to be noticed. And succeeds. Where Egyptians built monuments to the dead, Dubai raises towers - each bigger, broader and more brazen than the last - to the living, as an iconic city eternally in search of itself and knowing the answer lives in the next amazing thing.
Enter Burj Dubai, a missile reaching toward Mars that will become the tallest building on earth when it opens January 4.
It will feature a mere 57 elevators - one rising 1,653 feet along 138 floors - the world's highest elevator and at 30 feet per second, probably the world's fastest.
"When Burj Dubai was first planned, it was to be a 90-story structure, but Sheikh Mohammed asked us
'Why stop there?'" Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Director-General of Dubai's Department of Economic Development said in a recent interview.
The once backwater pearl-diving port found diamonds in oil development
and turned those diamonds into golden sands that shape this desert in cemented steel and glass as one industry after the other makes its Euro-Asian hub on this Persian Gulf peninsula. Within the metropolis of nearly 1.5 million souls are such places as Media City, where the world's media giants cluster and Internet City where top names in IT collide. And soon there will be Studio City - the largest film backlot in the world, as well as NASCAR City, Dubailand themepark city to add to Dubai Sports City, Industrial City and other superpods of commerce and entertainment.
But tourism is Dubai's true oil and it is manifesting its might in an unending line of five-to seven-star city and beach resorts
nearly five dozen luxury malls, some of the tallest buildings in the world and construction projects counting more than a fifth of the world's available high rise cranes.
The effect is dizzying. The iconic Burj al Arab, once the tallest building in the land, is now the stubby step sister of the gallant Burj Dubai.
At the base of that tower is Dubai Mall, now one of the largest malls in the world with 1,200 stores and amazing water shows out front courtesy of WET Design, the force behind Bellagio's fountains and Mirage's volcano.
But why stop there?
As the city claims the sea as its next frontier with a series of man-made island developments in the shapes of palm trees, a globe and the planets, new hotels are opening just about every week and all with a unique story to tell.
A year ago, with such notables as Lindsay Lohan, Robert DeNiro and Sir Richard Branson checked in
Atlantis The Palm opened atop the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah marking the first of many luxury properties in that area to come, all connected to the Jumeirah Beach mainland by causeway and, eventually, monorail. The Sun International property brings its legendary awe in the form of 1,539 ocean-themed rooms, a mesmerizing aquarium with guest rooms, corridors and attractions looking onto the mysteries of this deep. Its backyard is a complete, 40-acre water-themed adventure park with extraordinary rides fashioned around the motif of ancient Mesopotamia. Abutting the beach and sea is Dolphin Bay, a 10-acre dolphin park with programs for guests to interact with the intelligent sea creatures. For dining, there is a Nobu as well as signature restaurants by Michelin-starred chefs Giorgio Locatelli, Michel Rostang and Santi Santamaria. The Spa & Fitness Centre at Atlantis feature Middle Eastern massages and therapies inside a labyrinth of tranquility.
Also opened in the past year or so is Raffles Dubai
a superluxe sibling of Raffles Hotels & Resorts connected to the uberscale Wafi Center mall and souk. This 19-story pyramid-shaped hotel is a city property with golden panoramas of the Emirate from guestroom terraces and penthouse restaurants and clubs. All 248 rooms are palace-sized suites with comfortable furnishings, espresso machine, free Wifi, a 40-inch LCD TV, iPod dock, a cushiony lounge spread with soft throws and pillows, a grand marble bathroom with a deep soaking tub and a bed fitted with soft high thread count linens. A spa, library, even a botanical garden to wander through add to the stay, as does the property's corridor connections to one of the city's top shopping venues, which recently put the finishing gloss on an amazing medina where fine Middle Eastern artifacts, clothing, jewelry, foods, perfumes and artworks can be found.
The beach scene in Dubai is anything but quiet.
The bulldozers have been busy along this once sleepy littoral building a bastion of one-of-a-kind resorts, mostly under the Jumeirah Group brand. The world famous Burl al-Arab, at 1,053 feet, maintains its title as the tallest hotel tower in the world. Only 202 suites in this sail-shaped structure. Each suite is double story and leaving the guest wanting for little. They come with a complete turnkey office, a floor concierge, and dedicated butler to unpack and draw the bath. Windows run floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall looking out to sea, automatic everything - from curtain drawing to door answering. Bathrooms big enough to set up house present his and hers complimentary full-sized amenities from Hermes, otherwise found in finer stores and a round Jacuzzi tub to take away stress. The closet is actually the corridor between the bedroom and bathroom and the bedroom offers a large bed under a full-mirror for a guest to watch the sea when watching self becomes less interesting. Plenty of sitting areas here - living room, bedroom cubby, dining room, all entered by a marble foyer leading to a grand staircase.
The Burj is connected by pathways to the spread of resorts
restaurants, shopping and waterways of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel (and connected Wild Wadi waterpark) and the Madinat Jumeirah - a winding waterway navigated by complementary abras, through more than 40 cafes and restaurants, a huge indoor/outdoor souk-themed mall and three more moderately-priced Arabian-themed luxury hotels.
On the Table for 2010 and beyond
A 213-room Palazzo Versace Hotel in the Culture Village renaissance, a development underway along Dubai Creek.
A $680 million, Paris-inspired, 342-room Baccarat Hotel & Residences facing the Palm Jumeirah
A Karl Lagerfeld-designed property called Hotel Moda, which will have 250 rooms and be located on the ambitious The World island development.
Trump Dubai, a 62-storey Trump International property with 378 rooms and suites and even more villa condos and townhouses, located on the Palm Jumeirah.
On the Palm Jumeirah will be a 550-room Kingdom of Sheba property under Fairmont management, which will contain a residence club and a souk.
QE2 Dubai. The legendary Cunard line ship is being recast from her recent retirement to spend her golden years as a luxury hotel and attraction moored in the harbors of Palm Jumeirah.
Dosing Your Dosha in Ancient India
In India, it is the "science of life" that is practiced through ancient healing ways.
The healing touch, the gently applied oils and scents, the absorbing of delectable aromas within a meditative steam or soaking session would not be considered pampering per se, but a way of life and a way of keeping the body in harmony with nature in common rituals handed down through the centuries.
This is the discipline of Ayurveda, possibly the oldest wisdom of the body and its healing ways.
To experience a spa in India is to experience 5,000 years of Ayurveda practice.
The Sanskrit tradition purports that each person is made up of space, air, fire, water and earth and balancing these forces is the job of a practitioner.
Each person thus falls into one of three possible body types or doshas: Kapha (earth/water), Pitta (fire/water) and Vata (air/space) and for each dosha, a system of treatments is devised to help the person detoxify, heal and thrive.
Whether at a resort spa in the southern backwaters of Kerala
an international hotel in the resort beach-lands of Goa, a business property in Mumbai or a day spa in New Delhi, the pampering a guest will be influenced by these ancient traditions with herbal oil massages and plant-based medicines that will keep the body in line. It was the ancient Hindus that discovered the energizing properties of peppermint and eucalyptus oils, and the mood soothing elements of frankincense, rose, myrrh, sandalwood and patchouli oils. They used lemon, grapefruit and cypress as well as coconut, sesame tamarind, datura, ginger, dill and salt to detoxify, cleanse and boost circulation. Today, as then, these attars are put to work in such treatments as the "shiroabhyanga," that massages the head while oils are carefully and slowly poured on the third eye; or the "abhyangam"- an hour-long oil massage administered in sync by two therapists; or the "pizichil": an oil bath given in tandem by two therapists as the vaida or doctor orders precise movements. Each session might last an hour or might last four. Special teas and foods will be suggested and offered according to their heat properties and special prayers or mantras may be chanted. The oils will stick and feel uncomfortable, but the cleansing that results will feel indescribable.an international hotel in the resort beach-lands of Goa, a business property in Mumbai or a day spa in New Delhi, the pampering a guest will be influenced by these ancient traditions with herbal oil massages and plant-based medicines that will keep the body in line. It was the ancient Hindus that discovered the energizing properties of peppermint and eucalyptus oils, and the mood soothing elements of frankincense, rose, myrrh, sandalwood and patchouli oils. They used lemon, grapefruit and cypress as well as coconut, sesame tamarind, datura, ginger, dill and salt to detoxify, cleanse and boost circulation. Today, as then, these attars are put to work in such treatments as the "shiroabhyanga," that massages the head while oils are carefully and slowly poured on the third eye; or the "abhyangam"- an hour-long oil massage administered in sync by two therapists; or the "pizichil": an oil bath given in tandem by two therapists as the vaida or doctor orders precise movements. Each session might last an hour or might last four. Special teas and foods will be suggested and offered according to their heat properties and special prayers or mantras may be chanted. The oils will stick and feel uncomfortable, but the cleansing that results will feel indescribable.
Because Ayurveda is as much a part of the India experience as saris
curries and bicycles, these treatments will be found at the best hotels, including Oberoi, one of India's top-tier hotel chains, which features spas by Banyan Tree, a world-renowned luxury spa company based in Singapore.
There are several such spas in India, including Oberoi New Delhi, Oberoi Amarvilas in Agra
Oberoi Rajvilas Jaipur, Oberoi Vanyavilas Ranthambore, Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur and Wildflower Hall in the Himalayas in Shimla.
The Oberoi New Delhi is modern and centrally located, overlooking the immaculate greens of the Delhi Golf Club.
In Agra, the Oberoi, Amarvilas is less than a half-mile from the Taj Mahal with unobstructed views of this wonder from nearly every room, including treatment rooms at the spa. "Noor-E-Jahan" a signature spa therapy at Amarvilas was created as a tribute to beauty traditions from the royal palace of the Mughals.
Meanwhile, Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur sits on 32-acres of gardens
pools and fountains. Signature spa experience include "Royal Splendour" and the "Spirit of Ayurveda," based on strict Ayurvedic formulas.
The Oberoi Vanyavilas in Ranthambore has a jungle locale where tiger safaris are the attraction.
The resort combines exhilarating jungle experiences with the luxury of specially appointed spa suites and a range of exotic treatments and therapies, such as the signature "Tree of Life" and "Secrets of the Forest." In Udaipur, Oberoi Udaivilas, is themed in the romance and splendor of a bygone era. The spa wing at The Oberoi Udaivilas overlooks Lake Pichola and includes five double spa suites, a separate Ayurvedic treatment room and a steam room. Specialties include daily yoga, meditation and Pranayam sessions in addition to an extensive menu of spa therapies. Finally, Oberoi Wildflower Hall in Shimla located high in the Himalayas, is situated on a magnificent perch 8,350 feet into the Himalayan foothills. Two Spa Forest Pavilions on the property's 22 acres of thick cedar and pine forests. The indoor heated swimming pool and outdoor infinity pool provide majestic views of the Greater Himalayas.
Oberoi Wildflower Hall is running a four-night adventure/spa retreat package through March that includes premium lodging
daily breakfast, a white water rafting trip with guide, transport and picnic lunch, a one-hour biking trip with a guide or three-hour forest walk with a naturalist, daily yoga and meditation sessions, complimentary use of spa and fitness center and a 60-minute spa treatment.
Ananda in the Himalayas, a Preferred Hotel, is another treat for the senses.
The mountain hideaway is dedicated to restoring balance and energy through a holistic approach that uses yoga, Ayurveda and aromatherapy, along with contemporary spa technology, all seeking to balance the five elements of nature and create harmony between the mind, body and spirit.
Rates per couple include accommodations
scheduled aerobics, yoga, or meditation classes; scheduled hiking trips in the Himalayan foothills; use of spa areas such as the sauna, steam bath, and Jacuzzi; complimentary use of gymnasium and swimming pool. Additional suite inclusions are breakfast for two served in the suite or restaurant; choice of two aromatic baths; and railway station or airport transfers. Guests staying for at least three nights receive a night on the house.
The resort, which opened in September 2000 and has been hot-listed by Conde Nast Traveller UK
Travel & Leisure and Gourmet magazines, is set within 100 acres of virgin forest in the Himalayas on a Maharaja's palace estate just north of New Delhi: By air, Ananda is a 45-minute flight from New Delhi followed by a one-hour drive. By rail, it's a four-hour journey from New Delhi to Haridwar railway station followed by one-hour drive. The driving time between New Delhi and Narendra Nagar is approximately five and a half hours.
Raj on a Roll
Thanks to the ever-on-the-move British, who built rail networks all over Africa and Asia, India
remains the world's largest railway system under one management - Indian Railways - with some 40,000 miles of track, 6,867 stations, and 1.6 million staff - all combining to do something that rail companies cannot seem to do in the U.S.: make a huge profit.
And you can hop aboard the Darjeeling Limited with a couple of challenged siblings and a laminating machine in tow
or enjoy it with a significant other passing mighty palaces of Rajasthan and rolling along India's majestic planes. Either way there is no better, nor more romantic way to experience ancient India than through the decked out cabins of a luxury train.
India by rail may be the most efficient and cost-effective way of touring the country.
The Palace on Wheels and the Deccan Odyssey rail tours are well known to purveyors of tourism on the sub-continent. The land/rail journeys are unsurpassed when it comes to offering a complete experience of India's royal wonders with an expansive view to its historical roots and cultural treasures.
But few travelers know about the Fairy Queen, the Darjeeling "Toy Train"
(part of the Hill Train options), the Buddhist Train, Heritage on Wheels and the Bharat Darshan. These are overnight to weeklong excursions that allow visitors to take advantage of the sprawling rail lines while getting a full immersion in the lore of the land.
The Hill trains of India operate through five rail networks
the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, the Kangra Valley Railway, the Kalka Shimla Railway, the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, the Matheran Light Railway, and were all designed and constructed at the turn of last century, preserving much of the ambiance of that former era for today's passenger. They ply the hill stations, many located in the foothills of the Himalayas that provide an escape from India's hot climes, if not unparalleled beauty.
The most notable of these is the Toy Train or the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway
is a steam-fueled narrow-gauge railway that runs from Siliguri to Darjeeling in West Bengal. The train was built between 1879 and 1881 and the journey is about 51 miles long with an ascent of about 6,000 feet to Darjeeling. Since 1999 the train has been a World Heritage Site as listed in UNESCO.
The train can be accessed at New Jalpaiguri where the narrow gauge line meets the broad gauge line from Assam.
The train journey wheezes and coughs in a series of switchbacks and zigzags on a slow 5-hr uphill ride through scenic tea plantations, rainforests and gentle plateaus to Darjeeling, a colorful town steeped in a confluence of Buddhist, Hindu and British inspiration. Most visitors travel from Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) to pick up this day tour. But many tour operators add the Toy Train excursion as a treat to take in during an extended tour of the sub-continent. Abercrombie & Kent, for instance, adds the Darjeeling excursion as part of its two-week Temple & Dragons tour to Bhutan and Darjeeling since the mountain village borders Bhutan in the northeast corner of India.
Other toy trains to consider may be less legendary but just as thrilling and historic.
In Shimla, a little more than halfway between Delhi and Dharamasala in Himichal Predesh , a fun toy train journey from Kalka to Shimla passes through 107 tunnels and a series of arched bridges, with stops at such picturesque hill stations as Dharmpore, Taksal, Gamma and Solan. The Kalka-Shimla Railway was built to connect Shimla, the summer capital of India during the British Raj, with the Indian rail system. Now, Shimla is the capital city of Himachal Pradesh. The cars are made for foreign tourists and dignitaries with wide glass windows, ergonomically designed reversible cushioned chairs, carpeting, modern toilet amenities, exclusive cabins, and customized on-board catering services.
Visitors heading to the southeastern city of Chennai (formerly Madras) can try the Nilgiri Mountain Railway.
It starts from the town of Mettupalayam, about an hour by regular broad gauge service from Chennai, and journeys in twists and turns toward the hill resort at Ooty at a maximum speed of 25 miles per hour crossing plains, plantations and jungle-covered hills.
The Fairy Queen may be the most easily accessible of these scenic hill station railways.
It is a three-day tour that starts at the train station in Delhi and hits Alwar, Sariska and Jaisalmer in Rajasthan. Among the highlights is a sunrise jeep safari in Sariska, the home of Indian tiger. The town also contains ruins of 9th and 10th century temples. Located right next to the tiger reserve is the Sariska Palace where train passengers stay. It offers 49 rooms with modern amenities and old world ambience, not excluding the occasional outside intrusion of roaring tigers. The trip is aboard a locomotive that made her maiden trip in 1885 and is now considered the world's oldest working train.
The final stop in Jaisalmer brings stunning landscapes of royal Indo British architecture against a vast and dusty desert expanse
one of the most exotic cities of the Orient that has weathered the vicissitudes of fortune and trade with the onslaughts of nature and politics. Plenty to see here in preserved byways of houses selling colorful Indian textiles and crafts. Along the cobbled stone streets of Jaisalmer, visitors also see the havelis-the mansions of the Jain merchants who were the powerbrokers of the time. Their homes remain a symphony of sandstone, carved and wrought in mazes of detailed patterns that keep the eye transfixed.
Jaisalmer is also a city that is part and parcel of a tour on the Palace on Wheels.
That trip remains one of the country's finest with a start in New Delhi and stops in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Madhopur, Udaipur, Bharatpur and Agra on a crowded eight-day schedule.
The seven-night Buddhist Train itinerary offered by the Indian Railways
brings a more intimate encounter with India as it travels to out of the way places revered by local countrymen. It brings a local experience of pampering - quite comfortable with good service, clean compartments and air conditioning. The trains starts in Delhi and makes stops in the northern towns of Gaya, Rajgir, Nalanda, Varanasi, Sarnath, Gorakhpur, Khusinagar, Lumbini, Gonda, Sravasti, Agra and Fatehpur Sikri (ending in Delhi), touring holy sites and temples along the way. All tours, onboard meals, transfers and entrance fees are included in the tariff.
The Heritage on Wheels is a relatively new itinerary that provides luxury train accommodations
on a four-day excursion that starts and ends in Jaipur and stops in Bikaner and Shekhawati. Bikaner, a medieval palace city on the edge of the Thar Desert comes with a camel safari and tours of the palace. Shekhawati offers a city of fresco-covered havelis and is dubbed an "Open Air Gallery" by tourist guides. Nearby, a visit to Tal Chappar brings a wild life sanctuary and wonderland for lovers of migratory fowl.
Heading west to Gujarat
visitors can take an eight-day journey on the Royal Orient. Like the Palace on Wheels, the service, decor and layout of the train hark back to the time of the rajas. All cabins are comfortable and fitted with modern conveniences as the trains 13 coaches chug through such locations as Udaipur, Junagarh/Verava, Sasangir, Palitana/Sarkhej, Ahmedabad and Jaipur from Delhi.
Finally, the Deccan Odyssey
which rumbles from Mumbai to Goa and Pune, is well known to luxury packagers of India who find the product to be both popular and convenient sell. The cabins and coaches are comfortable and full of ambiance, the itinerary - convenient from Mumbai - brings some scenic and somewhat less traveled experiences of west central India, and the train brings some extras that other trains do not: namely, a spa room, where passengers can sample local ayurvedic massage and steam baths as the train rolls on.
The newest train journey in India is aboard the Golden Chariot
a seven-day journey from Goa to Bangalore via Mysore, Hassan, Hampi and Gadag. The train scheduled to launch early this year and is slated to be the country's most luxurious offering with handpicked art pieces decorating the saloons and decor based on the rich architecture of the Vijayanagar Dynasty and Mysore Palace.
Italy is Magic
There's a lot more to Italy than the historic cities of Florence, Rome & Venice. From the ancient streets of Rome and the Venetian canals to the Alps and the Amalfi Coast, Italy is a country of spectacular contrasts. It delivers everything from art and architecture to glamorous beaches, sophisticated lake resorts, rural retreats and skiing and activity vacations. If you have already been to Italy, here are some of the lesser-known Italian towns and regions that are well worth exploring. Italy is always a great place to visit no matter what the occasion might be. There is so much to see there that you will find yourself wanting to come back for more. Let the Wizards help you explore this country to its fullest, contact us today!
If You Like Chianti / Try Piedmont
Wine, truffles, chocolate, hazelnuts...if you're not salivating yet, you soon will be. With its undulating countryside, mouth-watering cuisine and award-winning wines, Piedmont, tucked into the hills behind Turin, has long been a secret slice of heaven among gastronomes. The region is home to the world's white truffle capital, Alba, whose mushroom festival straddles a fortnight in October. Southern Piedmont is flush with castles and stately homes, among them the former residence of the Kings of Savoy, the Royal Palace in Turin. What Else? Turin offers great city break potential. Its elegant center houses stunning baroque palaces, tree-lined boulevards, grand cafes, museums and art galleries. Following restoration, the Palazzo Madama (Lady Palace) has re-opened with over 70,000 works of art. A key 'sight' is the Holy Shroud in Turin's cathedral.
If You Like Tuscany / Try Umbria
Every town or city in Umbria seems to breathe art from its ancient stone. Along with some notable Etruscan ruins, the 'green heart' of Italy is dotted with medieval hilltop towns and villages, while Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto, Todi, Gubbio and Orvieto are home to world-renowned squares, monuments, cathedrals, castles and monasteries. Treasured works of art can be found all over. Lake Trasimeno, the impressive Marmore Waterfalls and acres of wild, rolling countryside - Umbria - is crossed by the Apennines - offer good potential for bird watching, trekking and mountain-biking. Umbria excels at agritourism, with rustic farmhouses scattered across idyllic landscapes, many of them attached to vineyards. Laced with vines, Umbria's countryside supports a prolific wine-growing sector including two DOCG wines and an impressive 11 DOC wines. Epicurean delights include prized oils and wines, while sprinkling of natural spas and springs set in magnificent landscapes adds another string to Umbria's bow. One of the best known is Terme di Fontecchio at Citta di Castello, once frequented by Pliny the Younger. What Else? The Trasimeno Music Festival (late June), the acclaimed Umbria Jazz festivals in summer (Perugia) and winter (Orvieto), and the Todi Arte Festival (September) make good city break sell-ins. The Festival delle Nazione (August 25 to September 5) pays homage to Great Britain with its Midsummer Night's Dream concert directed by Henry Purcell. All of the concerts are held in churches around Citta di Castello.
If You Like Amalfi / Try the Ligurian Riviera
The captivating Amalfi Coast is justifiably well-known, but equally dramatic is the national park and protected marine area of the Cinque Terre, five picture-perfect villages that cling to the mountains hugging the Ligurian coastline. The real joy of the Cinque Terre is walking along the centuries-old paths that join the villages, each step flanked by Mediterranean bush, olive orchards, vineyards and sensory treats - and the views. The most famous path, the Via dell'Amore (lovers' walk), connects Manarola with Riomaggiore and is hewn out of the steep cliffs. The first village on the approach from Genoa is Monterosso al Mare, with its large beach and promenade, followed by Vernazza, at the mouth of a river. Manarola and Riomaggiore cling spectacularly to the rock face, their pastel-hued houses piled impossibly against the cliff face. Corniglia, surrounded by vineyards, is the only village not on the sea. The Cinque Terre Card, supplied by the National Park, covers trains and electric coaches. What Else? Topographically, Liguria has a little of everything - sea, lakes, mountains (with the odd ski piste) and rolling countryside. Plus great food, some stunning palazzos and impressive gardens. And don't bypass historical Genoa, the region's transport hub as it's also the birthplace of pesto and Christopher Columbus.
If You Like the Costa Smeralda / Try Hidden Sardinia
Sun, sea and centuries of culture laid bare in castles, archeological sites and historical towns and cities, plus great food and wine, make Apulia (Puglia) a dream destination. The region offers scores of quieter and more affordable alternatives to some of Italy's more saturated destinations. Try substituting the baroque city Lecce for Florence; the whitewashed towns and inland pine forests of the Valle d'Itria for Tuscany; and the seaside towns of Monopoli, Ostuni or Galipoli for Sorrento. The Salento peninsula, south of Brindisi, is known as the 'heel of Italy' and offers miles of sandy beaches. There's no compromising on quality - the region offers some of Italy's most spectacular boutique accommodation. What Else? Puglia's conical-roofed whitewashed trulli houses offer a unique experience, many having been converted into self-catering villas.
Don't Forget About Sicily
Floating off the toe of the Italian mainland, the island of Sicily is noticeably distinct from the rest of Italy. This is where Europe starts to take on a flavor of Greece. Go to Taormina, east of the island, where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the largest active volcano in Europe, Mt. Etna. The volcano smoke from its snow-covered summit is framed by a blue sky, while far below the azure sea laps its shores of pristine sandy beaches. Visit Erice, located on the northern coast of the western part of the island. It is an ancient town balanced high in the mountains and overlooking the sea. You will see old stone streets, castle towers and ancient churches emit a sense on medieval times. The food identifies very much with its varied past; Couscous being an Arab dish is a specialty there. Or see Monreale, located 5 miles from Palermo, known for its outstanding Byzantine mosaic style cathedral that identifies also with its Arabic and Norman past. Nearby and up the road is the large Norman fortress, the Castellaccio, which protected the area from invaders. What Else? Must visits: The Norman Palace where both Norman and Arab cultures fused to produce the unique architecture, the Quattro Conti (the four corners), which is in the center of the old town, San Giovanni degli Eremiti (St. John of the Hermits), most known for the Arab-Norman structures. The colorful street market, Vucciria, which resembles a Kasbah featuring an astounding selection of foods. Mondello Beach, just outside the city, is full with great fish restaurants and atmosphere.
The Road to Aqaba
Jordan will shock you.
There is simply no substitute for gazing at the fiery Treasury of Petra at sunset. There is no word to explain the trance imposed by the view of salt rock pillars above the Dead Sea and imagining Lott looking back at his wife in just that location. There is no other path but the one you are on as you realize Moses walked that exact way. There is no other wind but the one that whips against you as you challenge the sands of Wadi Rum with the ghost of T.E. Lawrence at your back.
There is the Jordan for the adventurous and curious and the Jordan for the religious and scholarly.
Either way, the journey leads to the core of who we are now.
For persistent travelers
whether the hardened and young backpacking type or the seasoned and pampered set, Jordan brings a surprising level of luxury and an efficient tourism infrastructure to make whatever needs to happen, happen.
Planning an adventure trip to Jordan, the itinerary should have a few "must dos."
Think Wad Rum, Dana Preserve, Petra, Red Sea Scuba dives and Dead Sea day hikes and , of course, crusader castles and Biblical hot spots in every corner.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum, for instance, is a full blown desert experience where you sleep in sheeted comfort within wool-draped tents or under the belt of Orion, drink Bedouin coffee from thimble-sized cups, listen to oud ballads around a fire and indulge in a feast of piquant goat and poultry barbecue with pita and salads. The bathrooms are flush with private shower stalls and the camp, called Captain's Desert Camp, is miles from anything but an occasional off-road vehicle or train of camels on a detour from the King's Highway that runs the length of the country. The next day is spent exploring dunes in 4 x 4s, tracing the steps of "Ourence."
Similarly, Petra takes stamina and brings ample rewards of awe.
The night tour of Petra is a lifetime highlight, a truly amazing descent down the path of 2000 years glowing from a thousand tiny candles that also illuminate the funeral chambers carved into the sandstone along the way.
The lost city of Petra is just that
a city that was once the quarry of the Edomites, a migration from Yemen and Arabia that knew the art of building dams and saving water in the small years of B.C. They built their city in Petra and lived there for a few hundred years until they were overrun by the Nabataeans who settled southern Jordan and made their fortune levying taxes to weighted caravans along the frankincense trail to Alexandria. The Treasury is the most recognized icon among the wonders of the ancient world. On the night walk down, about two miles on the dark, flame lit trail, the visitor emerges through the narrow Siq to the wide gallery of the Treasury with the music of a lone herder's flute echoing through the monuments cavernous interiors. A Bedouin serves sage tea, light of the full moon reflecting off the carved capital above the columns, all around are cliff dwellings and all is quiet except the echoes of the flute.
Petra is the land of 500 tombs and to see them all or even pass them by day takes strength
good hiking shoes, a hat and some Jordanian bills to rent a donkey. To hike from the entrance, passed The Treasury and hundreds of assorted caves and tombs to the Al Deir Monastery takes a good eight hours round trip, with a break at the cafeteria at the bottom and other breaks along the way. Water and donkeys are in abundant supply.
Dana Preserve is a spot to stop between the Capital of Amman and points south as the journey begins.
It is a bit of an eco preserve with sweeping views of the Wadi Dana that can be hiked. On location find a resource center for research, a restaurant and a cottage craft industry run by the women of the village with a gift shop selling locally grown produce, handcrafted silver jewelry and pottery. The area is old, originally settled in 4000 BC and inhabited now by the Al Ata'ata tribe dating back to the Ottoman era. Visitors can camp there with tents and meals prepared by village attendants through arrangements made with the Jordanian Tourism Office.
But "To Aqaba!" is the eternal call and Aqaba
with its 15-mile border rimming the Red Sea from Eilat in Israel to the edge of Saudi Arabia, is all about scuba for the visitors that come. Several dive centers easily accommodate with modern and tested equipment and professional buddying up. Plenty of Turkish shipwrecks and flourishing coral religiously protected by the Kingdom make this adventure worth the days it takes to get there.
Finally, en route back to the capital, a couple of days must be spent exploring the grandeur of the Dead Sea
the world's lowest (and probably saltiest) spot. The sea that flanks Israel and Jordan is a quarter of a mile below sea level and both warm, stinging and scintillating to the touch. The area around this strange water body is believed to have been home to five Biblical cities: Sodom, Gomorrah, Adman, Zebouin and Zoar. A hike in this region is not only a hike in the lowest nature reserve in the world, it is a hike through history and one can only wonder, while looking through a gorge or bouldering through feisty currents of water what Biblical characters must have come this way. The Mujib Reserve is located within the deep Wadi Mujeb gorge, extending to the Kerak and Madaba mountains to the north and south. A difficult and magnificent trail offers 4,000 feet in elevations and is best done in swimsuits and Teva sandals without backpack. This is mountain goat territory and quarry of the horned Ibex, which have a breeding reserve near the entrance.
A circular trail is closely monitored to keep the trails pristine and the crowds away.
It offers five to six hours of hiking and swimming through the Wadi Mujeb system.
Tours to Jordan abound.
Even a blind point of the finger will palpate the perfect option.
Finding Bliss and Nerve in New Zealand
Joseph Campbell called on people to follow their bliss.
Tourism New Zealand calls it "getting your life back," and challenges visitors to give them a week and see what happens.
But Americans might call it crazy to head to the antipodean australs to do some heavy amping of the adrenaline kind
whether that means jumping off a cliff, skimming water at 80 miles per hour, jumping onto a 90-foot swing, swimming with Cetacea Delphinidae, spelunking with glow worms or heli-touring through narrow fjords. If you have ever met a Kiwi - that is a New Zealand national named after a flightless bird the size of a chicken known for its fearless punching prowess, its keen sense of smell and its ability to lay an egg a quarter of its body size - you'll understand why the country is considered the epicenter of extreme sports.
Even the Auckland skyline features an iconic Kiwi move
You not only can experience the exterior panoramic views of the city from the top of the Sky Tower (Auckland's answer to the Seattle Space Needle) some 600 feet above the fray - no handrails, but you can take a flying leap off the edge of it. The "Sky Jump" is a common inclusion in tour packages in Auckland and can be booked on site as well.
Most daredevils head to Queenstown, however.
The South Island city just six hours drive from Christchurch is rife with crazy Kiwis just waiting to share their wares. Consider the Shotover Canyon Swing. This little attraction on a cliff in the middle of nowhere is pure nirvana for the strong of nerve set, who hurl themselves from a platform 300 feet above the Shotover River and arc several times across the canyon in a flying swing. True, A.J. Hackett started this adrenaline boom 20 years ago when it brought bungee jumping to these parts, but the Swing takes the experience of flight a few ticks farther as participants swing on a wire pendulum from one cliff face to the other in a heart pounding swirl of Gs.
Below them, along the Shotover River
jet boats race the wind in shallow river waters. This purely Kiwi invention carries about a dozen passengers through the winding riverbed at 70 mph speeds, deftly maneuvering turbo-charged turns on a dime - the oil age's answers to whitewater rafting. Above the canyon, paragliders dip and rise and up-river a ways, white water rafters take their shot at challenging rapids.
Zip lining, too, is taking off in a big way.
Try the Mokai Gravity Canyon in Taihape (a quaint village in the middle of North Island along the main North-South route). The Zip-line launches you from a ledge 574 feet above a river canyon before you race down a Zip line 2/3's of a mile a long at speeds up to 99 miles per hour. Apart from the Zip line, two other adventure activities await on-site: a 262-foot-high bungee and a 164-foot freefall on the bridge swing. Most people coming this far simply combine all three.
Between Christchurch and Queenstown, New Zealand has the Southern Alps.
The Everest of these Alps is easily Mt. Cook - at 12,316, Australia's highest mountain. It is said Sir Edmund Hillary, the first climber to conquer Everest - a Kiwi at that - practiced on this bunny hill - one of the world's most dangerous actually in having claimed more than 200 lives.
Guided hiking outfits to fit any level of skill and a variety of packaging options for hours
days, type of trip and destination are ubiquitous in the Canterbury and West Coast regions of South Island. You can get packages that include add-ins such as "Picnic on a Peak" helicopter tour with a ride through narrow canyons in the Remarkable range and over skyward glaciers before landing at a heavenly lake, a tour of Milford Sound, a jet boat rip through Shotover and a jet boat safari from Queenstown along the Dart River to the UNESCO World Heritage area of Mt. Aspiring National Park (including 4WD tour of Lord of the Rings scenic filming locations). Travelers can spend three nights on Fox Glacier, South Island exploring the glacier peaks amid primeval rainforests. This include a half-day walk on Fox Glacier, dramatic heli-hike on Fox Glacier, breakfast daily and three nights at the Te Weheka Inn on Fox Glacier.
Among the other intriguing adventures to be found in New Zealand
dolphin encounters ranks high on the "must-do" list. Swimming with dolphins Kiwi-style is not the tame photo-op tour it is in the states where visitors get limited contact with the friendly sea mammals in a controlled environment. Rather, in New Zealand, whether you are out in the open ocean or in a calm harbor, you can frolic with a variety of dolphin species in a multitude of conditions. Wet suits, transport and guidance are all included in most arrangements and because the swimming encounters are highly regulated and can only happen during New Zealand's summer (our fall to spring) reserving early is strongly suggested.
Wisdom in the Pacific
Heading to Tahiti and beyond? Take along a little not-so-ancient wisdom.
If your desire is to get to a beautiful beach
unpack and settle into a complete holiday, head to Bora Bora or Moorea. There's enough to do and see in between the naps and swims.
When packing for Tahiti let cool and casual be the buzzwords of the bags.
Bring light, loose, easily washed clothes of natural fibers.
Remember your feet when you pack your swim gear.
Those coral lagoons and black sand beaches can cut. Bring aqua socks or old tennis shoes for walking in water.
When buying pearls in Tahiti
get a receipt and a certification of origin and authenticity for each pearl you buy and receive a tax refund on departure. There is no import duty on black pearls levied when passing through US customs.
If you want to use mobile phone service while in Tahiti you can bring an unlocked
tri-band cell phone from the U.S. and swap out the company's chip for a "Vini" chip upon arrival.
Die-hard golfers can get in the game at the 18-hole
Olivier Breaud International Golf Course located about 25 miles from Papeete, which can be booked by a hotel concierge.
Tipping is not required throughout these islands, nor is it a custom.
Often, instead of money, guests will present gifts to their attendants or send a "thank you" letter from home.
To truly get away from it all consider a Robinson Crusoe experience at Kia Ora Sauvage Rangiroa.
It's a private islet of five thatched bungalows off Hotel Kia Ora in Rangiroa. It has no electricity but does have one of the freshest seafood dining experiences in Tahiti and offers plenty of activities, including feeding the local sharks from the shore.
Have a romantic and soothing high tea session on the beach at the Hotel Bora Bora in late afternoon.
It is flavored with fresh vanilla beans and served up with banana or coconut cookies.
If you receive a lei of leaves it might be the mystical Ti plant.
This sacred plant will protect you from fire, especially if you plan on walking on flames, and be used to protect your dwelling fire if you hang it on the door.
Remember to reconfirm international flights no later than 72 hours before departure.
Unused francs can be converted into dollars inside the airport terminal.
Tahiti has some of the best scuba diving conditions and attractions in the world
where it is not only possible to see a range of sharks species but also dozens of rays and even humpback whales (off the island of Rurutu during the mating season from July to October when they come up from Antarctica).
Non-certified scuba enthusiasts must present a certificate from a doctor indicating good health.
Doctors are available in Tahiti to provide these services. There are more than 30 scuba diving clubs in French Polynesia to supply information and arrange dives.
When in the water, take care.
Avoid: "crown of thorns" starfish, jellyfish, sea anemone, stone fish, scorpion fish, fire coral, urchin spines and cone shells. Wear protective shoes and watch where your hands go. Leave bright jewelry in the room.
There are no snakes on this island chain, nor poisonous spiders or scary land animals.
Ignore the yellow lizard you may see on your ceiling. These harmless geckos will eat your mosquitoes, but they also like bananas.
Consider visiting a remote island off Australia.
Check out Lord Howe Island, a World Heritage Site that measures 11 miles by 2 miles, tabbed the "last virgin of the South Seas."
Sleep under the stars at Eagles Nest Resort by the Bay of Islands off New Zealand's northern coastlines.
The First Light Temple Villa offers a dramatic skylight that allows the couple to stargaze in bed.
Book a week at the Wakaya Club,
a 2,200-acre private island in Fiji, which hosts only nine couples at a time
Learn to dive at Yasawa Island Resort in Fiji through a private PADI diving instructor.
Reserve the Lomalagi bure, secluded at the end of its own.
Stay at Royal Davui in Fiji.
The private island offers 16 gorgeous villas and can be accessed easily by boat from Viti Levu.
Say I do in the Cook Islands, where vows are internationally recognized and legally binding worldwide.
Panama Canal Cruise, Rainforests & Beaches
9-Day Fully Escorted Tour for $995 Per Person (Land Only)
9-Day Fully Escorted Tour for $995 Per Person (Land Only)
Triple Reduction(per person)$20.00
Single Supplement$300.00
Taxes & Fees
Hold space free from 1 to 3 days, then $300 deposit. Full payment due 60 days prior to departure. $99 Travel Protection Plan. Air is booked separately*
Meals: B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner; Bottled water will be provided on motor-coach and purified water will be provided at all meals.
1st Day - Panama City, Panama
Welcome to fun, vibrant Panama, home to the Panama Canal, the most important waterway in the world. Explore rainforests and white sand beaches. Meet friendly native Indians living in the jungle. Take a day cruise on the Panama Canal. Relax on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. Transfers will be provided from Panama's Tocumen airport to your hotel for a two night stay. Rooms are available for check in after 3:00 p.m. Join your tour director and group for a welcome briefing at 6:00 p.m. Dinner is at your hotel. (D).
2nd Day - Panama Viejo, Miraflores Locks
Morning visit to ruins of Panama Viejo (Old Panama), the city founded by the Spanish in 1519 as a getaway for gold from the Inca Empire. The Isthmus of Panama links North and South America. Panama Viejo is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Drive along Panama City's bay front. Photoshop at Balboa statue. Lunch. Visit Miraflores Locks and learn about the Canal construction and operation. Dinner. (B, L, D).
3rd Day - Portobello, Colon
Enjoy views of the Caribbean Coast on your morning drive to visit the sleepy fishing village of Portobello. Stroll the restored Portobello Fort, built by the Spaniards in the 16th century to guard their treasure fleets against pirate attacks. Portobello is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visit Portobello's old Custom House. See the famous Black Christ statue at nearby San Felipe Church. Enjoy lunch. Afternoon arrival in Colon for a two night stay on the Caribbean Coast. Enjoy dinner. (B, L, D).
4th Day - Embera Indians, Gatun Locks
This morning cruise the Piedras River deep into the jungle to visit an Embera Indian Village. Look for different species of colorful birds and playful monkeys. The Embera inhabits the rainforests of Panama and live in simple thatched huts. Watch native dancers as they perform in their traditional clothing. Embera makes exotic handicrafts from tagua nuts and palm fibers. After lunch, visit Gatun Locks. Gatun is the Atlantic entrance to the Panama Canal. Here you can see all three adjoining locks raise ships 87 feet above sea level onto Gatun Lake. Enjoy dinner. (B, L, D).
5th Day - Pipeline Road, Playa Blanca
This morning take a bird watching hike at the "Pipeline Road," the old service road for the Panama Canal. The Audubon Society rated this trail as one of the best birding sites in the world. Listen to the joyful sounds of the rainforest. Next, cross over the Bridge of the Americas en route to Playa Blanca for a relaxing two night stay on the Pacific Coast. Enjoy lunch. Your afternoon is at leisure to enjoy your resort's white sand beach and swimming pools. Dinner. (B, L, D).
6th Day - Playa Blanca, El Valle
Morning visit to picturesque El Valle, a town situated in the crater of dormant volcano. Scenic drive of the village's charming homes. Visit the local artisan marketplace. Lunch. Enjoy carefree leisurely afternoon at your resort. Dinner. (B, L, D).
7th Day - Panama Canal Cruise
Today enjoy an unforgettable six hour adventure as you cruise the Panama Canal. Your small vessel allows for close-up views of the opening and closing of the enormous six foot thick steel gates of both the Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks. See at eye-level how transiting vessels are guided by small tugboats and pulled by small trains. Enter the Gaillard Cut and cross the Continental Divide. Enjoy lunch on board. Disembark at Gamboa on Gatun Lake. Return to Panama City for another two night stay in this lively cosmopolitan city. Enjoy free time in Panama City. Dinner. (B, L, D).
8th Day - Casco Viejo, Handicrafts
Morning visit to Casco Viejo, the old French Quarter. See the wide brick streets and ornate wood balconies. Visit the Canal Museum. Learn Panama's prominent role as the major transit route between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, from Pre-Columbian times to present day. See the Gold Altar at San Jose Cathedral. Enjoy views from French Park, a tribute to the early French canal workers. Enjoy lunch on Amador Island. This afternoon visit a Kuna Indian marketplace. Shop for colorful mola embroidery depicting rainforest animals and marine life. Dinner. Next, a night lights drive of this dazzling city. Panama City is a combination of Manhattan, Miami and Las Vegas blended with Latin American flavor and style. (BLD).
9th Day - Panama City
Your tour ends after breakfast this morning at your hotel. Caravan provides transfers to Panama's Tocumen airport, arriving at 5:00 a.m., 8:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. ¡Hasta la vista! (B).
Hotels
Days 1 & 2
Panama City: Marriott Courtyard.
Days 3 & 4
Colon: Radisson.
Days 5 & 6
Playa Blanca: Playa Blanca Resort.
Days 7 & 8
Panama City: Marriott Courtyard.
Travel Wizards Serves Up Julia Child's Paris & Provence
Independent Tour Celebrates Culinary Icon's Early Days in the Kitchen.
Amidst all the buzz of the widely popular movie, Julie & Julia
Travel Wizards and New York-based culinary company Tour de Forks have joined forces to offer the perfect foodie pilgrimage, "A Taste of Julia Child's Paris & Provence."
The 8 day/7 night package was created by Tour de Forks'
French associates Kathy Morton and Debra Fioritto, recipients of the 2006 Julia Child Endowment Fund Scholarship. Drawing on their own expertise and Child's memoir, My Life in France, they compiled a week's worth of activities that combine the beloved cook's discovery of France, French cuisine, and her larger-than-life character. Highlights include a stay in the Left Bank's legendary Hotel Pont Royal, where Julia and her husband spent their first days in Paris, a culinary experience at her alma mater Le Cordon Bleu, and a visit to her former home in Provence, the charming farmhouse La Pitchoune.
While it's a perfect girls' getaway
it's also well suited for anyone who savors food and this culinary icon who changed the way Americans cook today.
A Taste of Julia Child's Paris & Provence is designed as an independent adventure
with Travel Wizards working with clients to customize each trip. Travelers have the option of doing portions of the itinerary as a walking tour with a private guide, or a car and driver. In Provence, they can opt for a rental car or a driver and guide as they explore the regions colorful markets and visit Julia's former home, La Pitchoune. Additional special arrangements can also be made, including cooking demonstrations, wine tastings, and restaurant reservations upon request. Three-day "Julia" extensions to Normandy and Marseille are also available. Travelers can choose to explore at their own pace or Travel Wizards can customize the adventure as a guided tour.
Basic Package
The basic package includes:
Seven nights hotel
Champagne upon arrival
Breakfast each day
A culinary experience at Le Cordon Bleu
First Class rail from Paris to Provence
Directions and walking routes to all of Julia Child's haunts and favorite shops and bistros
A copy of Julia Child's best seller,
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, only when clients book this special package through Travel Wizards.
Julia Child's Paris and Provence
Suggested Itinerary. B = Breakfast Included.
Day 1, Paris
Arrive in Paris and transfer to Hotel Pont Royal where Julia and her husband Paul spent their first night. Welcome bottle of champagne in room. Explore the left bank and later dine at one of Julia's favorite bistros.
Day 2, Paris
Following your itinerary, or together with your guide, explore Julia's haunts like rue Cler where she loved to market, and view the treasure trove (including of course, the famous copper pots) at the legendary cookware shop E. Dehillerin. Perhaps a visit to the Musee d' Orsay and a meeting with an expert French etiquette hostess. (B)
Day 3, Paris
This day will center on a culinary experience at Le Cordon Bleu but there will be time for more exploring before dinner. A perfect last night in Paris would be at an historical monument and revered restaurant serving only traditional French cooking that Julia so loved. (B)
Day 4, Provence
On the way to Gare de Lyon train station, shop at Julia's favorite cheese shop and pick up some camembert. Then, go to a noted bakery for some crusty bread, followed by a trip to her preferred wine shop. Bring this all with you for your lunch on the train ride to Provence. Arrive in Avignon, pick up your rental car, or meet your driver for the trip to your hotel, the magical boutique property L'Oustau de Baumaniere in Les Baux. Enjoy! Travel Wizards recommends dining at the hotel as it is world-famous for its exquisite haute cuisine. (B)
Meander the market at Mouans, go to the butcher in Plascassier, and drive to the hilltop town of Saint Paul de Vence to visit one of the world's most famous small museums of modern art. This would be the perfect evening to dine at another of Julia's favorite restaurants in a small village - perhaps to savor the lobster with red wine reduction. (B)
To visit Shanghai is to greet a Jetson-like skyline sitting on top of a wonderland of ancient,
brick and wood labyrinthine neighborhoods where you can carry your bags from the glistening mall to a subterranean hot pot shop across the street that has been serving up steaming dumplings in pungent beef broth for the past century or more.
futuristic and traditional, carries on as much through the cuisine, shopping, arts and museum attractions as it does through the architecture. In this land where the lion's share of the world's cranes have been buzzing for the past two decades building Feng Shui-perfect monuments to the heavens, there is always a huge hole for dragons to use should they need to make a quick escape through a skyscraper of steel and glass.
The old is preserved most aesthetically at the Yuyuan Garden
a medieval classical garden of the Ming and Qing dynasties abutted by a colorful and lively street bazaar of handicrafts and clothing where time-choked visitors can have a quick and satisfying shopping venture. Then there is the Jade Buddha Temple built more than a century ago in Song Dynasty style around a six-foot white jade Buddha encrusted with jewels. It is one of the city's few Buddhist temples and is still active with worshippers. Jews also have a history here - and a temple museum. The Ohel Moishe Synagogue built in 1927 was the centerpiece of the Jewish ghetto that housed a great migration of European refugees fleeing the Nazis between 1933 and 1941.
A cruise along the Huangpu River is a good way to spend the heated afternoon hours in shade and breeze
while getting to know the city from the scapes along the banks. The river cuts through the heart of Shanghai and the cruise runs from the Bund to Wusongkou, about 40 minutes each way passing such icons as the Pearl Television Tower needle and the Monument to the People's Heroes. The Bund starting point is an attraction in itself - a mile of 52 high rises in all shapes, sizes and designs of contemporary Shanghai. The area is undergoing an extensive renaissance to become a global epicenter of galleries, restaurants, design, fashion and all that is fast-forwarding the world's indicators of cool.
Shoppers will beeline to Nanjing Road, about three miles long and the busiest commercial center in the city crowded with chic malls
restaurants, department stores and specialized boutiques. Catch clean and fast levitated train, take a taxi or enjoy exploring the neighborhoods en route and upon arrival, note, all prices are negotiable and tailoring to fit can be managed on the spot.
Whether the experience is Shanghai's lively night markets or neon night life,
underground noodle bars or five-star banquets, world-class museums, cultural attractions or eye candy architectural offerings, shanghai will have it and deliver it with bragging rights. China begs to be seen now, and again. Its currency is change. Its magic is in its continuously disappearing and reappearing metamorphosis -- the dragonhead in the clouds.
Food
While Shanghainese can be considered a hybrid of regional influences from neighboring Zhejiang and Jiangsu, often resulting in a sweeter and more oily constitution of noodle, dumplings and rice dishes, Shanghai has its roots in international exchange and there, too, food has found its sheen. You'll find such favorites as "beggar's chicken," (complete with the story of the pauper without a pot for his stolen chicken who plucked the bird bare, covered it in clay and buried it in a burning hole), fish with corn and pine nuts, crab roe dumplings and Bao (claypot) dishes. But also find fine continental foods cooked up by Euro-trained chefs, even hamburgers done to perfection and chocolates shaped by imagination. Many of the city's top restaurants can be found on the Bund, in fine hotels and along the pedestrian-friendly streets of Xintiandi where fashionista shopping, dining, clubbing and living collide.
Fun
The five-floor, sun-dappled Shanghai Art Museum is one of the finest in all of Asia. The modern "ding-shaped" (as in tripod cooking pot) structure houses 120,000 pieces in all manner of jade, calligraphy, bronzes, paintings, ceramics, coins and folk art. It also offers a splendid array of quality gifts, jewelry and clothing in its gift shops.
Future
More than 70 million visitors are expected to show up between May and October of 2010 for the World Expo in Shanghai. The riverside site of the festivities will span more than two square miles with participation from 185 countries so far to illustrate the hope of urban futures with the theme, "Better City, Better Life." Shanghai is gearing up with a system of green transport options to get visitors to the site and packaging with airlines and hotels to create seamless experiences for visitors.
Favorite Stays
Shanghai is a haven of over-the-top hotels - literally. From the 1,614-foot high World Financial Center and the Park Hyatt occupies the 79-93 floors as the highest hotel in the world, to the 1,377-foot Jin Mao Tower featuring the high tech Grand Hyatt on floors 55 to 87 and its Cloud Nine lounge on the 87th floor to the Regent with its floor to ceiling glass views of the city along 53 floors. Four Seasons, Portman Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis Shanghai, Peninsula and Shangri-La can also be counted amid the city's snazziest stays. All have spas sporting the latest beauty and pampering treatments dripping in the ambience of the Orient as well as six-star suites, lobbies, dining, shopping and services that put even the fanciest hotels in the U.S. to shame. For a fun stay by Shanghai's latest "in" spot, try 88 Xintiandi, a boutique hotel of only 53 rooms, but winner of numerous awards for its comely designs. Also consider the Peace Hotel on the Bund, now part of the Fairmont Hotels collection. This was formerly the showpiece residence of Victor Sassoon and its Art Deco interiors are meticulously preserved for an authentic experience of Old Shanghai.
FYI
Find fabulous fakes at Longhua Fashion and Gift Market -- the unofficial new "Xiangyang Market," that was the epicenter of faux until the city closed it up. The new market is as busy as the old with Prada, Longchamps, Polo, Rolexes, Fendi, Dolce and Gabana, Chloe, Dior and Chanel. Bargain hard - less than a quarter of the asking price is feasible - and note the inferior quality of materials as you do. Then have fun. Shanghai has markets galore and no doubt something for everyone - even an insect market selling worms, snakes, spiders and well, antique books and scrolls.
Recommendations
Bao Lu
Crowded, chaotic and brimming with classic Shanghainese food.
Chun
Inexpensive, authentic & precious.
Xin Ji Shi
Sleek, chic & affordable.
Nan Xiang
Dumplings and Bao for a song.
Din Tai Fung
No need to swing by Taipei for this well-known restaurant's famous dumplings. Same open kitchen show too.
M on the Bund
Watch the neon of Pudong and the festive ferries on the river here in stylish surroundings. Fine wine list and international menu.
Jean-Georges
This may be the best deal in China - a refined meal by Alsace star chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten and every bit as good as his Michelin-starred New York establishment but less than half the cost.
Fashion
Shanghai is easily the Paris of China, and for far fewer dollars and virtually no snobbery.
Nanjing Road is the traditional center of it all with gleaming malls, known chain designer stores, a Ritz-Carlton, banks and restaurants and wide, walkable sidewalks that lead to the Bund river-walk. Just behind Nanjing Road, however, find old and atmospheric noodle shops, street performers as talented as anyone in the Shanghai Circus, and shop upon shop of desperately discounted jeans and sports clothes. Watch sellers will approach. Buy if you want. A fine fake Rolex is still a bargain at $5. Better yet? The Mao watch.
The latest layout of Shanghai chic is Xintiandi
a bustling shopping and entertainment district near the French Concession area that mixes local mid-century building styles with car-free corridors and alleys and a cornucopia of sleek shops, clubs and cafes.
Also consider the Bund of Old Shanghai, a phalanx of fancy Art Deco splendor lining the Huangpu River.
Find a fine mix of upmarket shops and high-class restaurants along this pleasant and walkable mile of Shanghai history. Find forward homegrown fashion, contemporary Chinese couture and accessories from such flashy designers as Zhang Da, Wang Yiyang and Han Feng (designer of the costumes for Anthony Minghella's production of Madama Butterfly).
A visit to Yuyuan Garden brings a bustling madhouse of tourist class restaurants, famous bun shops
tea houses and street vendors and the avenues around the garden bring a crowded bazaar of great souvenir offerings - from beaded purses to Mao jackets to finely woven rugs - all easily haggled for even greater deals.
Just for Chills
Baby, it's cold outside
and inside, too, if you are sleeping on ice blocks from the Torne River. But a little Fairy Queen and a dash of Golden Compass can turn any Nordic stay into an Arctic paradise.
Sweden's Ice Hotel is just that
a shimmering experience in carved crystals and ice blue snow on the northern frontiers of Sweden some 130 miles from the Arctic Circle.
As soon as winter's sting approaches each November
a global team of snow builders, architects, designers and artists converge on the sleepy dark village of Jukkasjärvi. Snow guns hum, snow clouds drifts along the nearby Torne as the frozen condensation is sprayed on huge steel forms and allowed to settle into thick icy blocks. Soon the forms are removed, leaving a maze of freestanding corridors of snow. These become the walls and frames of the ice hotel, built anew each winter, into four sexy white guestrooms that begin to melt with the first crocuses. The Ice Hotel opens December 10 and closes April 18.
After a winter's day snow shoeing
dog sledding, reindeer riding or tracking moose on horseback around Jukkasjärvi, the outdoor temperature drops beyond the zeros but the inside air, hovering between 17 and 23 degrees, feels like a day at the beach. After dinner (these can be a menu served on frozen ice plates in the Ice Hotel Restaurant as well as local fish and hearty soups and stews served in a 17-century log cabin called the Homestead), it's vodka toddies in the Ice Bar and some super stargazing at the Aurora. The dazzling charged particles of winter's sky show are nearly guaranteed in these parts.
But bed - despite being just an ice block one well
more ice blocks and snow - looks amazingly inviting no matter what the sky is doing. The reindeer skins keep the cold and moisture out while thermal sleeping bags and blankets keep things toasty. Sleep is quiet and deep in your own little frosty tomb. And it would not be fun to get up from this safe place were if not for the cup of hot lingonberry juice placed bedside in the filtered morning light.
Each room sleeps four comfortably, although two is the usual number of occupants.
The Ice Hotel has caught on as a romantic getaway, a place to say vows in a breathtaking cathedral of ice, a place to renew marriage and commitment.
As nowhere as the Ice Hotel is, the road to Lapland is just as close as the airport
and that is in Kiruna, about 10 miles away. SAS has daily flights and there is even an overnight train that runs from Stockholm to Kiruna.
Standard rates include room, breakfast
towels and winter overalls, boots, hat and mittens. Everything else is extra - whether it is transfers between airport and hotel by dogsled, sweating in the sauna, or guided night wanderings into the tundra. Packages can be created with excursions to nearby ski resorts or stays in the hotel's "warm" rooms if your tooties get a little too tingly for a second night's stay.
Getting the Edge on Australia
While most people think Australia is located somewhere between the bottom of the earth and the other side of the planet
the country "down under" has never been closer. Deals abound in both tours and airline flights and V Australia, Sir Richard's latest sky bound venture, just launched from Los Angeles last year to offer even more choices in services and pricing. And when you arrive, you will find that the airport is a mere six miles from the center of town.
Fall in Australia, our spring that is
can be the perfect time to check out the great "out there." For travelers anxious to see Australia's wild top end, the months of late May through September present the dry and temperate weather required. For those interested in Ayer's Rock and the jewels of the continent's vast Red Center, these months are also a good time to visit.
No matter what the weather is, the key to the continent is picking a region and sticking to it unless you have days to spare.
If you want to go to Australia for quality, pick three cities and give yourself two weeks. Leave yourself time to recover from all of your travel when going to Australia.
The saucy and sensational city of Sydney is usually the start of an Australian holiday
but the city is a destination in its own right with a list of "dos" that extend well beyond touring the Sydney Opera House or making the famous Bridge Climb above the Harbor.
The bustling port city of New South Wales is the country's oldest and is a marvelous place for just about any sophisticated pursuit
art galleries, architecture, heritage tours, botanical gardens, hidden streets and alleys filled with artsy boutiques and shops, dining districts, and more.
The Opera House now offers high tea and backstage tours as part of the opera tour menu.
The tea features a local diva that entertains with a medley of arias during the session. Also, for those who want to climb the bridge over Sydney Harbor, but do not have four hours to spend climbing all the way up and down, an "express climb" of two hours is available.
Recommended attractions inside the city include the state-of-the-art installations to be enjoyed at the Museum of Sydney
the early public buildings and gardens around Macquarie Street by the Opera House and the Australia (natural history) Museum. Darling Harbor is also worth wandering. It was once an industrial dockland and now is a meandering and cavernous waterfront tourist park with museums, shops, restaurants and lots of heritage.
A new dining district along George Street has opened with 18 bars, nine restaurants and lots of retail.
The hip area of Paddington is the hot spot for seeing the city's traditional terrace houses and hidden turn of the century alleys and streets. It is not far from Oxford Street, an area buzzing with bars, boutiques and cafes.
Sydney has a vast and crackerjack system of trains and trams that can be employed for cross-town travel
but the downtown area by the Harbor is compact and a joy to walk and explore.
A walk to the Art Gallery of New South Wales
for instance, is surrounded by botanical gardens filled with odd avian species and a riot of flying foxes cackling and crying as they hover low over the trees and grab branches to hang on to. The museum itself is a world-class attraction with 29,000 works ranging from European and Contemporary to Aboriginal and Australian.
Chinese gardens, swap meet bazaars
artist enclaves and bohemian boutiques around The Rocks and across from Darling Harbor, the Bond Beach scene ... Sydney is a wonderland of shopping, walking, watching and wandering. Safe, easy and insatiable.
Wok'n Roll in Taiwan
If poetry could arrive on a plate, it would happen in Taiwan.
In a country where eating has become the national obsession - second only to karaoke and possibly the addiction to betel nut - food has become more art than science, something that requires a story and a picture before the savoring of its message.
At one meal, a dish called coffin bread arrives in the form of toasted "bricks" with a sweetish creamy soup inside.
Turns out once there was a poor chef who saw a restaurant throwing out lots of bread each night. He took the bread home and tried to figure out what he could do with it. In the end, he came up with boxes that looked like coffins and filled them with tastes that were very much alive. In another dish, in a hot pot is a chicken soup made from a black chicken. The pot is stirred and sent around the banquet style table in a lazy susan. The unlucky person to scoop the chicken's head will soon have bad luck. Dishes called, "stinky tofu," "ants on a tree," "lion's head," and "Buddha Jumps over a Wall," can be found in fine dining establishments and steamy night markets alike. And in a country that rewards chefs for their creative ingenuity, each region, each market, each city has its "must try" favorites.
Where Chinese cuisine tends to play regionally with a past that rewarded excellence in traditional pursuits
Taiwan's history is quite the opposite. The island that has been ruled by Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese had its most recent renaissance as the refuge for nationalist Chinese sympathizers fleeing Mao in the 1940s and settling under the more freeing dictates of Chiang Kai-Shek. Taiwan accepted all comers and they came from all regions of China. Suddenly cuisine secrets were being shared among chefs, who were exposed to myriad methods of cooking and ingredients they had never seen. And suddenly every chef had to stand out with extraordinary fare if he was to survive.
The result?
Dishes that popped out as artwork in appearance, dishes that came spun with a yarn of mythology, dishes that became attractions in themselves as part of the local culture.
Visitors to Taiwan can experience restaurants where all food is cooked in tea.
There are food stalls where the central meat is snake of central garnish is ants, and other spots where locals line-up from morning until night for saucy, juicy dumplings.
Visitors will no doubt need a guide to get through the morass of dining choices.
Every stall, restaurant or cafe will have its unidentifiable version of roast duck or "warm" fresh pig, steaming buns, live squid, smoked pork floss, noodles of every shape, size and texture, tofu that is hard, soft or "stinky" when fermented in a brine of food leftovers for months then fried and opening to a silken interior that is doused in soy and chili paste. Positively addicting.
If the most coveted treasures at the National Palace Museum are a pearly jade carving of a Chinese cabbage and a multicolored rock that resembles a piece of fatty stewed pork
then oeuvres from the pricey Japanese-inspired Shi Yang restaurant above Beitou, the legendary dumpling dishes of Din Tai Fong, the famed oyster omelets of Ningxia night market and much more await the traveler with the adventurous palate.
True foodies will want to come for the country's August food festival in Taipei.
It features the Taiwan Culinary Competition, international contests attracting connoisseurs and conjurors of Taiwanese cuisine from all over the world.
Explore the Hidden Treasures of Vietnam
On any visit to Vietnam two stories unfold.
One is the Vietnam you see before you - the chaos of cars and scooters racing by in a strange Darwinian order of bulk against speed. Sidewalk cafes and pho houses (inexpensive noodle soup spots) are left in the dust and din of buildings that have seen their centuries of Chinese conquerors, French order and civility, and local despots strung along by foreign demons and dollars.
Today those buildings house electronics stores
phone boutiques, restaurants and silkshops. Everybody seems to have a job - even the scooter riders and pedicabs that follow pedestrians in hopes of a fare.
At the same time an American in Vietnam is constantly confronting a story of the past. Ghosts walk these streets.
A continuous buzz of headlines and news bulletin memories tick off as names such as DaNang, Tet, Agent Orange and Ho Chi Minh Trail come to consciousness. One is never entirely free of these memories either inherited or experienced - until a young Vietnamese man or woman halts the flow of conversation to remind you once and for all, Vietnam is a country, not a war.
It has been more than three decades since the last US bomb scorched the earth and the Viet Cong tanks stormed the iron gates of the Presidential Palace in Saigon.
And Vietnam has moved on, forgiving and forgetting along the way. Today's Vietnam is a country of children (half the people in this country are below the age of 30) more concerned about text messages than politics. And from the undulating hills of Sapa in the north to the steaming dust of Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) in the South, Vietnam is once again a sensation to savor. Easily traveled, yet cunningly remote, Vietnam will test your patience and senses leaving the adventurous and determined well rewarded for their time.
The entire eastern edge of Vietnam rolls into the South China Sea and the country has its white sand beaches and golden resorts scattered up and down this lengthy littoral.
But a trip to Vietnam is not so much about a cruise through China Beach as it is about seeing Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hoi An and Hue, and the towns and villages in between that preserve the history of the country in its many eras.
Hanoi is known for its French colonial charm, its temples and pagodas
its urban sophistication and its labyrinthine Old Quarters. Ho Chi Minh City is very much a modern urban sprawl, a business city with pockets of European charm along the muddy Mekong. Both cities have their "must" museums that shed valuable light on the region's history and especially on the "American" War as it is called there. In between is the port city of DaNang and then the nearby historical towns of Hue and Hoi An that served as the seat of the Mandarin culture that dominated Vietnam for much of the last millennium. Other notable spots include Sapa, where nearly three dozen hill tribes make their home, the beach resort hamlet of Nga Trang and the scenic highland hideaway of Dalat.
A visit to Vietnam could and should be at least two weeks to take advantage of the history
the beauty and the variety of adventures this destination has to offer.
Hanoi was bombed to bits during the "American" war but much of the colonial element was spared as were several historic temples and neighborhoods.
Among these was the venerable Old Quarter - an area defined by narrow winding streets filled with museum quality souvenirs, unusual clothing stores and silk shops, elixir vendors, chestnut and soup sellers, handmade puppet theaters and mid-19th century architecture. Enter via Hoan Kiem -- the Lake of the Restored Sword and its legendary Chinese Bridge and island temple dedicated to the ancient and wise turtle that supposedly lives in the lake.
A 10-minute cab ride away finds Ba Dinh Square
also known as the Ho Chi Minh Quarter. It's an area of magnificent French-era pavilions and residences and also the resting place for Ho Chi Minh, who departed in 1969 but whose embalmed body never left the neighborhood. His mausoleum attracts the crowds, who must dress conservatively and may not carry anything inside. They are hurried past the glass sarcophagus by unsmiling guards given the task of tending to tarryers. Afterwards, the curious can wander the house where Ho Chi Minh lived; see his favorite cars and typewriter, and the room where he slept.
It would be hard to visit Hanoi without a tour of the Hanoi Hilton
the famous prison where downed pilots were housed, including Sen. John McCain. An unassuming building not far from the Hoan Kiem Lake, the 112-year-old Hao Lo Prison was actually the work of the French and much of the exhibition space is dedicated to the shackles and guillotines used by the foreign rulers against subversives during the country's war of independence from France. Other rooms are given to the capture of US pilots with recreated cells and exhibits of captured articles right down to the Winston packs and Anacin bottles.
Others
Sailing into the Past
From Hanoi, an overnight cruise around Halong Bay off the Gulf of Tonkin, makes a relaxing if not eerily compelling segue that should be considered a "must." The Bay is made up of more than 3,000 limestone islands jutting out of the water, a geologic forest of doom for vessels that do not know their way. But on the slow flow of a preciously refurbished turn-of-the-century French paddlewheeler, the Bay becomes a journey into the past as much as place. One can easily imagine being Graham Greene or Marguerite Duras while watching the horizon and filling out post cards from a rattan deck chair. Classic Cruises' Emeraude (www.emeraude-cruises.com) is a period vessel that presents a complete experience of Halong Bay - from the three-hour Hanoi transfers by minivan to relaxing cruise, meals, stops for sightseeing and kayaking and even a cool night time viewing of the evocative film starring Catherine Deneuve, Indochine (much of which takes place in that very spot) aboard the top deck while the boat is moored in a quiet cove. The ship has 14 superior cabins (all with private bathrooms), 22 deluxe quarters plus two suites. It also offers in-suite spa services for about a sixth of what such would cost on a commercial liner.
Below the DMZ
A flight south from Hanoi to DaNang takes about an hour. The city seems as honky-tonk and cheesy as it was during the war, although fabulous beaches running north to Hue and then Hoi An are the scene of rabid international resort development projects in what may be on its way to becoming the next Phuket. The top attraction in Hue is the Royal Citadel on the banks of the Perfume River where the ruling Mandarin class out of China held court in the 19th century. It was also the scene of major fighting during the Tet Offensive and guides eagerly point out bullet holes in the stone walls. The road from Hue, past China Beach and south to Hoi An is scenic - bicycle enthusiasts consider this one the best rides in the world. In Hoi An find a preserved UNESCO World Heritage village of ancient Chinese dwellings and walkable streets lined with dozens of silk shops and sewing dens, custom shoe shops, lantern boutiques, handmade jewelry and craft shops, even a place called the Reaching Out shop with artistic crafts created by the town's handicapped and disabled residents. Find shops selling silk paintngs of painstaking needlepoint, taking the process from worm to wall. Other shops sell books or artifacts from the town's lengthy history. But it is the clothing that catches most eyes. Anything can be created or copied by the town's talented tailors. Allow at least 48 hours with time for repeated fittings. Do not hesitate to choose fabrics and designs carefully -- and bargain hard.
Saigon Sensibilities
To the south, an exploration of Ho Chi Minh City requires at least two days. The attractions here include Reunification Hall - the Presidential Palace that housed the last three doomed presidents of South Vietnam and was the scene of tanks crashing the gates on April 30, 1975. The 1960s vintage rooms, the hidden bunkers and the rolling film that ties it all together make this a worthy expense of time. The War Remnants Museum, too, is an emotional scene as visitors go through room after room of disturbing photography, haunting exhibits and dioramas, and films of maimed citizens still fighting the effects of Agent Orange. A tour that puts much of the missing history of this war in place is a half-day trip to the Cu Chi tunnels, about an hour outside the city. The tour provides a rare view of the world lived by the Viet Cong resistance fighters who fought, survived and staged the war from a hand-hewn web of tunnels fanning out for more than 100 miles.
Nuts and Bolts
Vietnam Airlines does not service the US. Visitors can easily meet up with flights to Vietnam, however, through Taiwan, Korea and Japan. UAL does have routes to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from the US West Coast. Visas are necessary for US citizens and can be obtained through Vietnam offices in San Francisco and Washington DC.
Corporate
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