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Celebrity Eclipse Cruise Review by Cereocker: Baltic Capitals on Celebrity Eclipse; July 19th to August 2nd, 2014 Celebrity Eclipse Cruise Review by Cereocker: Baltic Capitals on Celebrity Eclipse; July 19th to August 2nd, 2014 Celebrity Eclipse Show Celebrity Eclipse Prices Show Prices Avoya TravelExpediaCruise.comDirect Line CruisesAmerican Discount CruisesOrbitz.comPriceline.com Celebrity Eclipse Cereocker 2 Reviews Compare Prices on Celebrity Eclipse Baltic Sea Cruises Show Prices Baltic Capitals on Celebrity Eclipse; July 19th to August 2nd, 2014 Sail Date: July 2014 Destination: Baltic Sea Embarkation: Southampton This is a wonderful cruise on a lovely ship, and the highlight for us was definitely St Petersburg. We booked a two day tour with SPB which cost $200 each, and we felt it was good value, as it included visas, and entrance to several tourist attractions, including the Hermitage, which we were booked in at 9.30am, before most people are allowed in. There was a slight hitch caused by the SPB guide having to wait for our tickets to be delivered, and we were delayed by about 10 minutes which upset another tourist, who totally overreacted to what was only a very minor problem. The Hermitage is amazing, and has collections of paintings by many of the most important artists from all over the world, as well as many other artworks of historical interest. Also of interest was the Metro which is ornately decorated and has friezes depicting the triumph of Communism. Our guide Max had an encyclopaedic knowledge, and could answer questions on all manner of subjects, and More because we were part of a small group of eight tourists he was able to speak to us all personally. SPB describes itself as "your personal tour operator", and at the end of the tour we were met by Vika from the tour company, who wanted to check that the tour had met our expectations, and this was a very nice touch. However, it is obvious that tour operators have restrictions imposed upon them by the Russian government, and they are only allowed to take their tourists to approved places, which does not allow any contact with local people. It would have been interesting to talk to ordinary Russians and get their views on how Russia has changed since the collapse of Communism. Stockholm is a lovely city, and my partner's cruise highlight after St Petersburg, was the sailaway through the Stockholm archipelago, which is very beautiful. Tallinn is a picturesque and historic town, although it was difficult to tell which buildings were genuinely medieval, and which had been built more recently to match the style. We printed off a walking tour from the internet, and followed it to ensure that we saw all the most interesting buildings, and to get an appreciation of the history of the city. We did not have much time in Helsinki, but what we saw of it was not very impressive. Some of the buildings in the city centre seemed very drab and quite badly maintained, but the cathedral and port area is attractive. Celebrity definitely need to rethink their arrangements at Copenhagen, where we were docked alongside a desolate wasteland several miles from the city centre. If the ship has to dock here Celebrity should provide a complimentary shuttle service to the city centre, rather than charging the passengers to get off the ship, which is effectively what they are presently doing. Having said that it is an attractive and interesting city. However, its most famous landmark - the Little Mermaid - is quite a long way from the centre, and is small, although very charming. We had a wonderful experience in Zeebrugge. We had not made plans to go on a tour so decided to see what the port had to offer, and stumbled upon an old Russian submarine, which is now a museum exhibit, together with an old lightship. We took the tour and when we returned to the entrance we asked the curator, Stephanie, some questions about what we had seen. She is a very nice person, and suggested that we really should take the opportunity to see Bruges when we were so close, and offered to arrange a taxi for us. However, she was so shocked at the quotation she was given of 50 euros each way, that she then rang her husband and asked if he could take us, which he did. We will never forget the kindness of this lovely couple, and this will be a treasured memory. Warnemunde is billed as the starting port for a trip to Berlin, but it is about three hours each way so we elected to stop in the port which is a typical seaside resort, but has some lovely architecture and is an attractive town. We have also cruised on the Constellation, and this was our second cruise on the Eclipse but was not as good an experience as we have previously enjoyed with Celebrity. We felt that standards of service were not up to previous levels. There were several instances of poor customer service, and we felt unwelcome on our last evening and on the day we disembarked. Cabin attendants should not start preparing the cabin for the next passengers whilst we were still using it, by for example hanging clean robes in the wardrobe whilst we still had our clothes in it, and changing bedlinen and remaking the bed whilst we were at breakfast, before disembarking. On another occasion whilst we were eating in the Oceanview restaurant one of the waiters began hoovering around our table before we had finished our meal, and had to be asked to wait until we had left. The worst occasion however, occurred in the Moonlight Sonata. We were on Select dining so expected to have to wait to be seated on occasion, and on this evening we had waited approximately 15 minutes before being seated at a table which had the sun shining on it and I could not see my partner for the light in my eyes. The waitress moved us to another table which was just as bad, so I asked if the blinds could be closed. She referred to her supervisor, who told us that it would upset other customers if the blinds were closed and that the only thing he could do for us was to seat us on the other side of the dining room. We agreed to this but had not realised that there were no tables available there and we had to wait another 20 minutes for a table to become available. To make matters worse, we could see that whilst we had been waiting for a table the blinds on the other side of the dining room had been closed. After our meal I went to ask the supervisor why he had not closed the blinds when I had requested it but had subsequently done so. His explanation that several passengers had requested that the blinds be closed after we had vacated out table did nothing to placate me, and our evening was spoiled by his initial intransigence. There were also occasions when waiters leaned across us when serving and removing plates etc, which in itself is not a major issue but is symptomatic of a lack of awareness of the need make passengers feel comfortable. Celebrity should improve staff training to make them more considerate of their passengers. The Celebrity offering is still very good, but does not match their claim to provide "modern luxury". Less Published 08/14/14 Read more Celebrity Eclipse cruise reviews >> Read Cruise Critic's Celebrity Eclipse Review >> This is a very quiet cabin, and the only problems we found related to storage. The wardrobes are on the back wall of the bathroom and down one side of the bed, making access difficult and it is impossible for two people to use it at the same time. The whole of the dressing table surface is taken up by the kettle tray. The settee is uncomfortable and more space could be created by removing it and replacing it with two (comfortable) chairs.The beds are very comfortable and we slept well. Previous Review Not too expensive, and you get... Go with the right attitude and... Very Nice Holiday More Celebrity Eclipse Reviews Great Transatlantic Entertainment Wheelchair on Eclipse More Celebrity Cruises Reviews Celebrity Eclipse Cruise Reviews See Celebrity Eclipse deals up to 82% off: 14 Night Southern Caribbean Cruise Show January Deals See all Celebrity Eclipse Deals >> See Celebrity Eclipse Deals up to 82% off

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Hotel Management Network Market & Customer Insight Log In News, views and contacts from the global Hotel industry About UsAdvertise With UsContact UsIndustry Websites Latest FeaturesFeatures A - ZHotel Management International FeaturesContributors Industry Websites Swiss on a Roll Kerstin Zumstein meets Emanuel Berger, general manager of the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa. Berge is also winner of the Hotel Manager of the Year Award for 2005. This year's winner of the coveted European Hotel Manager of the Year Award, Emanuel Berger, is a model of the dedicated hotel manager. 36 years at the helm of the five-star Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel have made him and the Interlaken property practically synonymous. At 64, Berger has won plenty of awards in the past. It is perhaps to be expected of a man who has dedicated his life to a hotel which has enjoyed a sustained period at the top of hotel league tables. But this accolade, voted for by EHMA members, is particularly special. "This time it's extremely flattering, as the jury are my peers," he says. "After all, who is more critical than your competitors?" Nevertheless, he is modest about his achievements. "I may be the person receiving the awards, but it's a team achievement," he says. He also points to the role of his wife in the hotel's success: "She is an inspiring partner. Through our individual expertise we complement each other." Rosmarie Berger-Borer, 59, comes from a family of hoteliers; her brother heads the prestigious Peninsula Group. She is responsible for the interior design, as well as keeping an eye on the operational part of certain departments, such as housekeeping. She also does promotional work, including developing the hotel's own magazine. A SWISS LOVE AFFAIR Berger always knew he wanted a career in luxury hospitality. After attending the École Hôtelière de Lausanne, a string of international work placements followed, including his first experience as front office manager at the Victoria-Jungfrau in 1966. "I must confess," he reveals, "I fell for the grand lady [Victoria-Jungfrau] all those years ago. The property never fails to fascinate me." During his first stint at the historic hotel, the young Berger must have made a lasting impression on the then general manager, Ulrich Liggenstorfer. Four years later, while Berger was working at the Waldorf Astoria in New York, Liggenstofer approached him with the life-changing proposal to take over the Victoria-Jungfrau. Berger accepted and in 1970, at the age of 29, he became its general manager. "The amenities are modern, but we still capture the atmosphere of the good old times." His commitment to the property became clear when he helped acquire the hotel in 1985 together with some major investors. "I luckily managed to win our best clients as shareholders," Berger recalls. His enthusiasm made the hotel a prime example of a Swiss success story, attracting the country's large multinational corporations, such as Hoffmann-Roche, Novartis, UBS, Swiss Re, KI0 London and Zurich Insurance. "We were fortunate to have good people around and an outstanding board, chaired by Dr Bratschi," he adds. "But I guess what makes this venture special is that they joined a partnership with a small boy like me." Ownership is organised so that a pool of major investors control close to 80% of the shares, with the rest owned by 7000 shareholders. "We are a public company, listed on the Swiss stock exchange, so we have to do reports and respond to all legal aspects, which can be quite complicated, but it has been a good construction that has lasted over 20 years." The Victoria-Jungfrau is set in the Interlaken valley, one of the most idyllic corners of the world. Unlike many hotels in Switzerland, it is surrounded by ski resorts but not actually in one. Still the hotel enjoys unrivalled popularity, especially among blue chip companies on the lookout for a corporate paradise. This may be due to the tranquillity it provides – a benefit of not being part of a hectic leisure resort. The property is open all year, as each season has something different to offer guests – ranging from hiking in summer, golfing in autumn and skiing in winter. But it is the hotel's sense of originality that makes it so unique. The Victoria hotel first opened in 1865, and 30 years later the adjacent Hotel Jungfrau was linked to the building by a dome-shaped tract. The building remains true to that period, although the interior features rather more contemporary luxuries. "We've been able to move this historic hotel forward to become a traditional property that keeps its original charm but combines it with the latest comfort," Berger says. "The amenities are modern, but we still capture the atmosphere of the good old times." MANAGEMENT STYLE Berger is clear about why he enjoys his work. "Being in contact with all parts of a hotel's operations has been rewarding and challenging," he says, "but the most fascinating aspect is to be in contact with the guests. Excellent service is key and looking after guests is the most important part of my job." Being a hotelier is undoubtedly a vocation for Berger. "I believe very strongly that we do a deal with our guests: they are not only paying for their vacation; in addition they are giving us their time. Time is a precious element nowadays, but it gives us the opportunity to make a difference and add value." He smiles, "Thinking about it, we hoteliers have a heck of a responsibility." Working collaboratively this responsibility extends to industry-wide cooperation. He underlines the importance of associations such as EHMA, and has actively set up consortia, for example benchmarking with comparable hotels in the Victoria- Jungfrau league, such as the Gleneagles in Scotland, the Villa D'Este in Italy, and Brenner's Park in Baden-Baden, Germany and Royal Evian. "In my opinion cooperation among hotels is of prime importance," he explains. "The exchange of experience is the only way that an individual hotel can improve its quality of service – and its figures – in this very competitive market dominated by the big chains. So we should do much more together and form all sorts of consortia and collaborations in order to be stronger in the marketplace." "Excellent service is key and looking after guests is the most important part of my job." An example of such a collaborative venture is Berger's regular training exchange programme. He sends his talented staff on three-month exchanges, for instance to hotels of the Peninsula group, where they can practice other styles of management. "These exchanges are extremely important for staff, not just because their skills improve," he says. "It also allows us to keep our staff much longer. When they come back they have seen something else, had new experiences." So despite having stayed at one hotel for most of his working life, Berger sympathises with his staff's ambitions to venture elsewhere: "After all, the grass always seems greener on the other side. But on their return, staff tend to appreciate their work even more. This is one of the reasons why we have created a special atmosphere among our staff, which the guests feel too." Berger's attitude to investing in staff is clear. "I believe a hotel should have a long-term philosophy," he says. "In our industry we have two expensive investments – the buildings and the staff. Both need a long-term approach." He points out that building investments are written off in accounts for an average of 20–25 years, so why should the same thinking not be applied to staff? "The Victoria-Jungfrau is not just me," says Berger. "The property and the staff are all part of the Victoria-Jungfrau family. That way we achieve our goal of making our guests happy, now and in the future." AUTHENTICITY IS KEY Berger has never gone for the one-shot deal to maximise profit. Keeping the hotel true to its roots has been central to its success. As a result, he has hosted celebrities and heads of state such as the Thai royal family and the King of Belgium. In a market where guest expectations are continuously rising, the Victoria-Jungfrau has been a leader in its field for a long time. The trick is to stay appropriate to your context, something Berger has noticed himself when travelling. "It's fascinating to see other hotels and learn from them," he notes. "For example, I think the Peninsula in Hong Kong is spectacular. But it always depends on the context; the main thing we care about is authenticity. Things don't have to be luxurious; what we look for is something authentic." The trick certainly works for the Victoria-Jungfrau, which offers its guests true Swiss hospitality. So what would Emanuel Berger's advice to aspiring hoteliers be? "In one word: passion. You have to love what you do and if you do what you love then you'll succeed." His coronation as European Hotel Manager of the Year appears to show that there are many with EHMA who love what he does. The Victoria-Jungfrau is blessed with a mountainside location, but has none of the bustle of a ski resort. The Victoria-Jungfrau is set in the Interlaken valley, one of the most idyllic corners of the world. The hotel enjoys unrivalled popularity, especially among blue chip companies on the lookout for a corporate paradise. Emanuel Berger: General Manager of the Victoria-Jungfrau Grand Hotel & Spa and winner of the Hotel Manager of the Year Award 2005. www.hotelmanagement-network.com is a product of Kable. Copyright 2015 Kable, a trading division of Kable Intelligence Limited.

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My-Telugu Home Andhra Pradesh Message Board Andhra Pradesh Travel Andhra Web Directory Tourism Home Andhra Pradesh District Guides Andhra Pradesh Travel Message Board Kakatiyas- History The 12th and the 13th centuries saw the emergence of the Kakatiyas. They were at first the feudatories of the Western Chalukyas of Kalyana, ruling over a small territory near Warangal. A ruler of this dynasty, Prola II, who ruled from A.D.1110 to 1158, extended his sway to the south and declared his independence. His successor Rudra (A.D.1158--1195) pushed the kingdom to the north up to the Godavari delta. He built a fort at Warangal to serve as a second capital and faced the invasions of the Yadavas of Devagiri. The next ruler Mahadeva extended the kingdom to the coastal area. In A.D.1199, Ganapati succeeded him. He was the greatest of the Kakatiyas and the first after the Satavahanas to bring the entire Telugu area under one rule. He put an end to the rule of the Velanati Cholas in A.D.1210. He forced the Telugu Cholas of Vikramasimhapura to accept his suzerainty. He established order in his vast dominion and encouraged trade. As Ganapati Deva had no sons, his daughter Rudramba succeeded him in A.D.1262 and carried on the administration. Some generals, who did not like to be ruled by her, rebelled. She could, however, suppress the internal rebellions and external invasions with the help of loyal subordinates. The Cholas and the Yadavas suffered such set backs at her hands that they did not think of troubling her for the rest of her rule. Prataparudra succeeded his grandmother Rudramba in A.D.1295 and ruled till A.D.1323. He pushed the western border of his kingdom up to Raichur. He introduced many administrative reforms. He divided the kingdom into 75 Nayakships, which was later adopted and developed by the Rayas of Vijayanagara. In his time the territory constituting Andhra Pradesh had the first experience of a Muslim invasion. In A.D.1303, the Delhi Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji sent an army to plunder the kingdom. But Prataparudra defeated them at Upparapalli in Karimnagar district. In A.D. 1310, when another army under Malik Kafur invaded Warangal, Prataparudra yielded and agreed to pay a large tribute. In A.D.1318, when Ala-ud-din Khilji died, Prataparudra withheld the tribute. It provoked another invasion of the Muslims. In A.D.1321, Ghiaz-ud-din Tughlaq sent a large army under Ulugh Khan to conquer the Telugu country then called Tilling. He laid siege to Warangal, but owing to internal dissensions he called off the siege and returned to Delhi. Within a short period, he came back with a much bigger army. In spite of unpreparedness, Prataparudra fought bravely. For want of supplies, he surrendered to the enemy who sent him to Delhi as a prisoner, and he died on the way. Thus ended the Kakatiya rule, opening the gates of the Telugu land to anarchy and confusion yielding place to an alien ruler. The Kakatiya period was rightly called the brightest period of the Telugu history. The entire Telugu speaking area was under the kings who spoke Telugu and encouraged Telugu. They established order throughout the strife torn land and the forts built by them played a dominant role in the defence of the realm. Anumakonda and Gandikota among the `giridurgas', Kandur and Narayanavanam among the `vanadurgas', Divi and Kolanu among the `jaladurgas', and Warangal and Dharanikota among the `sthaladurgas' were reckoned as the most famous strongholds in the Kakatiya period. The administration of the kingdom was organized with accent on the military. Though Saivism continued to be the religion of the masses, intellectuals favoured revival of Vedic rituals. They sought to reconcile the Vaishnavites and the Saivites through the worship of Harihara. Arts and literature found patrons in the Kakatiyas and their feudatories. Tikkana Somayaji, who adorned the court of the Telugu Chola ruler Manumasiddhi II, wrote the last 15 cantos of the Mahabharata which was lying unfinished. Sanskrit, which could not find a place in the Muslim-occupied north, received encouragement at the hands of the Kakatiyas. Prataparudra was himself a writer and he encouraged other literature. The Kakatiya dynasty expressed itself best through religious art. Kakatiya art preserved the balance between architecture and sculpture, that is, while valuing sculpture, it laid emphasis on architecture where due. The Kakatiya temples, dedicated mostly to Siva, reveal in their construction a happy blending of the styles of North India and South India which influenced the political life of the Deccan. The most important of these temples are those at Palampeta, Hanamkonda and the incomplete one in the Warangal fort. The temple at Palampeta, described as the `brightest gem in the galaxy of Medieval Deccan temple architecture', was constructed by Recherla Rudra, a general of Kakatiya Ganapati, in S.1135 (A.D.1213). The figures in the temple are of a heterogeneous character comprising gods, goddesses, warriors, acrobats, musicians, mithuna pairs in abnormal attitudes and dancing girls. The sculptures, especially of the dancing girls, possess the suggestion of movement and pulsating life. A striking peculiarity of this temple is the figure-brackets which spring from the shoulders of the outer pillars of the temple. The figure-brackets are mere ornaments and represent the intermediate stage between their earlier analogues at Sanchi and the later examples at Vijayanagara. The Thousand-Pillared Temple at Hanamkonda, built by the Kakatiya king Rudra in A.D.1162, is similar in style and workmanship to the Ramappa temple. This temple, dedicated to Siva, Vishnu and Surya, is star-shaped. The Nandi pavilion, in which a huge granite bull still stands, the beautiful entrances to the shrine, the pierced slabs used for screens and windows, and the elegant open work by which the bracket-shafts are attached to the pillars are the other most interesting features of this temple. The temple in the Warangal fort, believed to have been built by Kakatiya Ganapati, was constructed making use of large slabs. The floor of the shrine is beautifully polished and shines like a mirror. An interesting feature of this temple is the four gateways called `Kirti Stambhas' which face the four cardinal points of the compass. In their design the gateways are reminiscent of the `toranas' of the Great Stupa at Sanchi. The architecture and sculpture of these temples are thus conventional to a degree but no one can deny their magnificence nor can any one fail to see the rich imagination, patient industry and skilful workmanship of the builders of the temples of the Kakatiya period. After the fall of Kakatiyas, uncertainty prevailed over the region. Several small kingdoms came into existence, Musunuri Nayakas occupied Warangal from Muslims and ruled between A.D.1325--1368. The fall of Kakatiya kingdom and its annexation to the Tughlak empire made the Hindu feudatories to unite themselves to liberate the Andhra country from alien rulers. A movement was started at Rekapalli on the bank of the Godavari under the leadership of Musunuri Prolaya Nayaka and his cousin Kapaya Nayaka and succeeded in driving away the Muslims from the Telugu country in A.D.1328. Kapaya Nayaka became the ruler in A.D.1333, after the demise of Prolaya Nayaka, and Warangal was once again the capital of the Telugu Country. They were dethroned by Recherla Chiefs and ruled the entire Telangana from A.D.1325 to 1474 with Rachakonda as their capital. The coastal area was ruled by the Reddis of Kondavidu between A.D.1325 and 1424. Addanki was their first capital which was later shifted to Kondavidu. There was also another branch of Reddis at Rajahmundry. In due course, Reddi kingdom disappeared in the hands of Vijayanagar kings, and Gajapatis of Orissa in the frequent battles with each other. The Gajapatis of Orissa with Cuttack as their capital extended their territory far into Telugu land by conquering the Reddis of Rajahmundry in A.D.1448. They also occupied some parts of the Bahmani kingdom. But, Vijayanagar king, Krishnadevaraya, occupied the entire Telugu region that was in the possession of Gajapatis. The Reddis and Recherla chiefs were the patrons of learning. The renowned poet Srinatha, and one of the three great poets who wrote the Mahabharata in Telugu, Errapraggada lived in that age. Travel Menu: Travel & Tourism Home Andhra Pradesh Accommodation Andhra Pradesh Art Forms Andhra Pradesh Beaches Andhra Pradesh Buddhist Places Andhra Pradesh Fairs and Festivals Andhra Pradesh General Information Guide Andhra Pradesh District Travel Guides Andhra Pradesh Festival Guide History of Andhra Pradesh Historical Places of Andhra Pradesh Modern Attractions & Hot Spots of Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh Museums Andhra Pradesh Palaces Andhra Pradesh Temples Andhra Pradesh Wildlife Sanctuaries Andhra Pradesh Tourism Forum Andhra Pradesh Travel & Tourism Directory Webmasters | Take Us! | e-mail Us | Site Map © My-Telugu.Com

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Troubled airways: International travelers, airlines worry about safety following a month of crashes Last updated: Sunday, August 3, 2014, 10:39 AM By RICHARD NEWMAN STAFF WRITER | The Record Emergency workers removing the wreckage of crashed TransAsia Airways Flight GE222 on the outlying island of Penghu, Taiwan. Suddenly, the skies seem less friendly for air travelers. Deaths hover over industry Three airline tragedies in eight days in July have shaken the industry: July 17 — Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 downed by missile in eastern Ukraine where the government is fighting pro-Russia separatists. The flight was headed from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur at a cruising altitude above 30,000 feet when it was struck down and all 298 onboard killed. July 23 — TransAsia Airways Flight GE222 passenger plane crashed while approaching Magong Airport in Penghu Island in Taiwan from Kaohsiung Airport in Taiwan during a typhoon, killing 48 of the 58 people onboard. July 24 — Air Algérie AH5017 aircraft headed from Burkina Faso to Algeria crashed in the Mali desert, killing all 118 onboard. Air-traffic- control recordings show the pilots had reported heavy storms and had asked to turn back. Three airline disasters in eight days last month have pushed the number of dead or missing this year to more than 700, putting 2014 on track to be the worst year for airline fatalities since at least 2010. Last month's calamities, with a combined 464 fatalities, made July the fifth-worst month in aviation history, according to the Air Safety Network. Aviation insurers' losses are expected to be the highest since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, said Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute. The unrelated tragedies in Ukraine, Taiwan and Mali, along with the mysterious disappearance in March of a Malaysia Airlines flight over the Indian Ocean, have raised anxiety levels for many who fly, particularly if they fly on airlines based in developing countries where enforcement of safety regulations may be suspect or on flights over war-torn areas. On July 22, the Federal Aviation Administration temporarily prohibited U.S. carriers from flying to Tel Aviv because of fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. "Some travelers are definitely more nervous as they travel internationally," said Kevin Mitchell, chairman of the Business Travel Coalition in Radnor, Pa., an advocate for corporate travelers. "This issue is being discussed at the traveler's dinner table, so families are concerned and weigh in." Mark S. Levenson, chairman of the New Jersey-Israel Commission, a state panel created to promote economic, scientific, educational and cultural ties, said that on a trip last month to Tel Aviv, the plane, which on past trips has almost always been full, was half empty. Shmuel Tsurel, director general of the Israel Hotel Association, told Reuters last week that occupancy rates were way below normal at 30 percent to 40 percent in some parts of the country. At Robert's Travel Service in Paramus, a local couple who had booked a trip to Moscow for this week canceled because of safety concerns after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. "People are hesitant to go there," said Patricia Corcoran, the agency's owner. A survey conducted last week for digital business news publisher TheStreet Inc., by a division of GfK Custom Research North America, showed 36 percent of Americans said they were afraid to fly internationally because of recent political turmoil. Fallout from Flight 17 The most disturbing incident last month was the shooting down of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 in an area of Ukraine where the government is fighting pro-Russia separatists. The flight was headed from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur at a cruising altitude above 30,000 feet when it was struck down and all 298 onboard perished. The airline has said it was in airspace approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization, a part of the United Nations that coordinates and regulates international air travel. The incident prompted global aviation officials to gather for an emergency meeting last week in Montreal to discuss ways to get more international cooperation in protecting civil aviation in the world's trouble spots. The groups vowed to create a task force composed of state and industry experts "to address how information can be effectively collected and disseminated," and submit the findings as "urgently as possible" to the ICAO for action. The industry leaders also called for ICAO to address "fail-safe channels for essential threat information" to be made available to civil aviation authorities and to the industry. It also is pushing for international laws to govern the design, manufacture and deployment of antiaircraft weapons. "The tragic shooting down of MH17 was an attack on the whole air transport industry," Tony Tyler, director general and chief executive officer of the International Air Transport Association, said Tuesday in a news conference in Montreal. "The world's airlines are angry," Tyler said. "Civil aircraft are instruments of peace. They should not be the target of weapons of war. That is enshrined in international law." Of all the geopolitical hot spots, Israel is the only one that is a popular tourist destination for Americans. Delta Air Lines, United Airlines and US Airways canceled flights to Tel Aviv along with several European carriers after a rocket landed near Ben Gurion International Airport. Israeli carrier El Al continued flying as scheduled, and British Airways also continued to serve the airport. To be sure, commercial air travel remains statistically one of the safest ways to go. According to information from the International Air Transport Association, during the eight days in which the three flights crashed last month, about 800,000 flights landed safely. Fewer than one out of every 2 million passenger, cargo and charter flights last year was in an accident that damaged a plane beyond repair. While July was a difficult month for the air travel industry's safety record, the Air Safety Network said that so far 2014 is statistically a better-than-average year. From Jan. 1 through the end of July, there were 12 fatal airline accidents worldwide. In the past 10 years, there has been an average of 17 crashes in that seven-month time frame. After Flight 17 went down, the FAA quickly issued a notice to aircraft operators that same day prohibiting U.S. flight operations until further notice over eastern Ukraine. The notice expanded a prohibition issued in April barring flights over the Crimean peninsula. Since May 2013, the FAA has strongly discouraged U.S. operators from flying to, from or over Syria. On July 21, the Department of State warned Americans of the risks of traveling to Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. Five days later, the agency warned Americans not to travel to Libya, and the U.S. Embassy suspended operations there and relocated staff. Warnings also are in place on travel to Yemen, Chad and Honduras because of terrorism or crime. Elsewhere, little change | Transportation Dash cam captures dramatic police chase through Bergen County [video] Photos: How some North Jersey spots got their names Paterson man, 19, found fatally shot outside his home Two Paterson men face gun charges after Thanksgiving Day traffic stop Two people die after pontoon boat capsizes off N.J. coast H.S. Ice hockey: Don Bosco leads The Record Preseason Top 15 rankings Latest tweets from @NorthJerseybrk

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Levitating Train Between DC And NYC Would Leave The Rest Of America Behind by Aviva Shen Nov 22, 2013 9:53am Many Americans have long nursed a pipe dream of one day riding a super-high-speed train just like the engineering marvels that have cropped up in Japan, China, and Europe. With a newly publicized offer from Japan, that dream is inching closer to reality — but only for a privileged few. The New York Times reported Monday that Japan, desperate to export its magnetic-levitation (maglev) technology, has offered to pay for 40 miles of a 300-mile per hour maglev train from Washington, DC to Baltimore, a route that would conveniently give lawmakers an eight-minute trip to the Baltimore-Washington International Airport. A mix of public and private funds raised by The Northeast Maglev company (TNEM) would be used to build the rest of the route to New York. If lawmakers bite, residents of the Northeast Corridor could someday zip between Washington and New York in an hour flat. A ripple of excitement has spread through elite circles in Washington and New York. TNEM is assembling a lobbying force of former lawmakers and businessmen to prod Congress to sign on to the deal in the name of innovation. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has tellingly tailored his pitch to the financial sector, extolling the maglev’s virtues at the New York Stock Exchange in September. Dangling the prospect of an hour-long commute in front of politicians, Wall Street moguls, and journalists who regularly travel between DC and New York is a smart strategy. TNEM is hoping to coax an exemption from Congress’ hostility to even the most modest infrastructure spending. But this vision of an American maglev train would be a massive investment that would primarily benefit the so-called Washington elite while sucking funds from the rest of the country’s rail system. Should the privately-owned maglev succeed, it would sap Amtrak’s high-speed Acela Northeast Corridor, the agency’s major source of revenue for maintaining the rest of the country’s less populated but still indispensable routes. Without the Northeast Corridor, Amtrak would never be able to maintain even the barebones service it currently offers across the Midwest, the West, and the South. TNEM chairman Wayne Rogers made clear to Politico that the company does not plan to collaborate with Amtrak, but compete. “Right now, this is a privately led venture,” Rogers said. “If we looked at it like airlines, I don’t think that, you know, JetBlue would be saying United Airlines has a seat at their table.” This competition idea echoes a persistent Republican plan to privatize the profitable Northeast Corridor while still requiring Amtrak to provide long-distance service to the rest of the country — a formula that would force the agency to implode. But even TNEM admits that private investments will fall short if the maglev is to become a real possibility. “A large amount of [funding] is going to have to come from the federal government,” Rogers told Politico. That means the maglev will compete for federal funding with the less shiny but still vitally important spiderweb of Amtrak lines stretching across the rest of the country. The meager federal funding for long-distance train routes is already on the chopping block, threatening to leave many rural Americans without any mass transit options at all. Conventional wisdom assumes mass transit is only for urbanites, while small town America clings to their cars. But attitudes are changing quickly. Amtrak ridership all over the country is growing steadily, and research suggests that the more regular service a route offers, the more passengers it attracts. If the DC-New York maglev were to become the poster child for infrastructure investment at the expense of slower routes, rural America’s options — and their fledgling interest in train travel — could disappear. The maglev would only confirm suspicions that mass transit investment redistributes taxpayer dollars to toys for city-dwellers, a bias that has helped turn public transportation into a hotly contested partisan issue. Without broadening train use all over the country, mass transit innovation won’t be a priority for most Americans. True, the Northeast Corridor is one of the most densely populated regions in the country, making it a worthwhile and lucrative area for innovation. In fact, Amtrak is already planning to buy new Acela bullet trains and increase average speeds from 150 mph to 220 mph. The maglev plan favors intensely concentrated speed for a fraction of Americans, without offering a viable plan to expand to desperately under-served areas. We’ve also already begun and stalled on a far more inclusive high-speed rail project thirsty for funding. President Obama envisioned a high-speed rail system that would connect the whole country, and dedicated $8 billion in the 2009 stimulus bill to start building the network. This 17,000 mile rail system would not be quite as lightning-fast as a maglev train, but would link the rest of the country at or above speeds already enjoyed by Northeast Corridor Acela riders. But after Republicans took over Congress in 2010, funding disappeared, construction on new bullet train routes halted, and the high-speed national network dream has moldered. Some state associations and private companies in California and the Midwest are still slowly chugging along, but a high speed national network won’t get back on track without long-term federal funding and political support. That won’t happen if we keep pretending people who live in Washington and New York are the only people who ride the train. High-Speed RailInfrastructureInnovationJapan

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Travel Review The Republic of Malta Contributed - Nov 19, 2012 / 5:00 am | Story: Photo: Contributed The Mediterranean island of Malta covers just over 316 square kilometres in land area, making it one of the world's smallest states. It is also one of the most densely populated countries worldwide with a population of 368,250. Malta is world renowned as a tourist destination, with a variety recreational areas and historical monuments, including nine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including the Megalithic Temples which are some of the oldest free-standing structures in the world. Malta lies 80km south of the Island of Sicily, Italy and though it's made up of a number of islands, only three are inhabited. There are two main languages which are Maltese and English. Malta's climate is typical of the Mediterranean: summers are hot, dry and very sunny; spring and autumn are cooler; winters are mild, with the occasional short cold spells; and the annual rainfall is low, averaging 568mm a year. With 1.2 million tourists every year there are three times more tourists visiting than there are residents. Tourism infrastructure has increased dramatically over the years and a number of good-quality hotels are present on the island. It is advisable that you arrange accommodation before arriving at the Malta International Airport. Once there it's easy to rent a car with an International Driver's License. Just remember they drive on the left hand side of the road and have higher speed limits than we're used to. You will also have to make sure you check with your travel agent regarding the entry and exit requirements. Once you've arrived and settled into your accommodations, you'll find you have a lot to do on your list! The historical sights alone can provide hours of endless exploration. Temples, palaces, cathedrals, and forts provide a living history and this historic legacy is reflected in the country’s national architecture and collections. Not a history buff? For more of a party atmosphere Malta offers scores of clubs to visit, excellent wine bars and first-rate restaurants to try. And with a jam-packed events calendar there's plenty to do: the Malta Arts Festival, the Valletta Baroque Festival, the Opera Festival, the Choir Festival and the International Jazz Festival! Internationally renowned DJs like Paul Oakenfold, Erick Morillo, Magda, Tiesto, Van Heill appear for guest weekends on a regular basis. How about more family oriented options? The Maltese Islands are great for families: especially as they offer such a safe environment! There are no shortage of beaches and many coastal resorts offering amenities for all age groups. With open-air music events, arts and crafts, sports and activity, exhibitions and shows, feasts and carnivals, and so much more.... along with museums and attractions to visit, theme parks and movie sets, open-top tour buses, tourist trains, and harbour cruises, horse-riding, hiking and mountain-bike tracks, and a hundred other fun things to see and do, together; you'll never run out of ways to please the kids, the parents and the grandparents! Set up an appointment today with your local travel agent to plan your trip to Malta! More Travel Review articles Laura has been a successful Certified Travel Counsellor since February 1999. She has worked in both Corporate and Vacation travel departments and has extensive experience as an avid traveller. She currently works as a Senior Consultant at one of the Okanagan's most popular agencies. To reach her for inquiries you can email: [email protected] "If you look like your passport photo - you probably need the vacation!" Your Travel Agent Laura-Beth Konschuh-Penney The views expressed are strictly those of the author and not necessarily those of Castanet. Castanet presents its columns "as is" and does not warrant the contents. Canada by rail May 25 Spring fever anyone? May 11 Travel insurance...yay or nay? Apr 13 The Belles of BC Mar 30 Bus touring! Mar 16 An Okanagan Valley Spring! Mar 2 Tokyo's inner island: Odaiba Feb 16 The hills are alive... Feb 2 Hiker's paradise Jan 19 This one's for the birds! Jan 5 Country of Georgia Dec 22 Jamaica 'Mon! Dec 8

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Early Wildflower Blooms Appearing in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park Borrego Springs, CA – Early blooms of sand verbena, popcorn flower, spectacle pod, brittlebush, chuparosa, and even the spectacular desert lily are popping up in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. “We anticipate the peak blooming season to hit between the 3rd week of February and the 2nd week of March, depending on the weather,” reports Michael Rodriques, the manager of the Park’s Visitor Center. “For those who enjoy the thrill of the hunt and would like to beat the crowds, right now is the perfect time to visit. Little pockets of wildflowers are being found along roadsides, in sandy washes, and along trails in the Park.” When the bloom reaches its peak, the massive fields of wildflowers are found at the northern edge of Borrego Springs on Henderson Canyon Road and at the northern end of DiGiorgio Road, about 1⁄4 mile beyond the end of the pavement. A great variety of wildflowers are found along washes or in the canyons of the Park. An off-road trip through the badlands, a hike up Borrego Palm Canyon or a trip to Plum Canyon may yield a startling array of wildflowers. Lower elevation areas in the southern end of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are currently seeing flower blooms in areas such as the Carrizo Badlands overlook at Sweeney Pass, the Bow Willow Campground, and Indian Valley Call the Wildflower Hotline (760-767-4684) to get regularly updated information about this year’s bloom. You can also visit Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s website (http://parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=638) or Anza-Borrego Foundation and Institute’s website (www.theABF.org) for wildflower sightings and locations that are updated weekly. If you plan to see the desert wildflowers with a large group this spring, schedule a guided tour with a naturalist who can take you to the lesser known hot spots in the Park. Anza-Borrego Foundation and Institute’s Step-On Naturalist program tailors trips especially for those visiting on tour buses and in groups of twenty or more. Avoid the crowds by venturing out early with an expert to explore, learn about, and enjoy the vast wilderness of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. At the cost of $10 per person, you will gain the expertise of a botanist specializing in plants of the Anza-Borrego Desert region. Contact Kelley Jorgensen at (760)767-4961 or visit www.theABF.org for more information about this unique opportunity. Tours focus on a variety of topics including geology, general botany, and prehistoric animals of the Anza-Borrego Desert. Park naturalists lead half day or full day tours which can be catered to the needs of your group. Tours of the Park’s distinctive Visitor Center are also available. If you need 4WD transportation for your trip, consider a licensed Park tour with California Overland, who will take you on a special wildflower route through varied terrain in open-air jeeps and excursionvehicles. Call (760) 767-1232 or visit www.californiaoverland.com for more information. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is California’s largest state park and is the largest state park in the contiguous United States with more than 600,000 acres. It extends into three counties: San Diego, Imperial and Riverside. From just above sea level to more than 6,000 feet, the Park has unique and diverse landscapes and environments, and provides habitat for many endangered and rare species including Peninsular bighorn sheep, least Bell’s vireo, Borrego bedstraw and Arizona Carlowrightia. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the first State Park to develop a sister park relationship across the world. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and Ikh Nart Nature Reserve in Mongolia were officially recognized as sister parks in September of 2008. The mission of Anza-Borrego Foundation and Institute is to promote conservation in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and the surrounding ecological region through land acquisition, education, interpretation and scientific studies. Anza-Borrego Foundation and Institute (ABFI), founded in 1967, is a non-profit educational organization which believes conservation of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is reached through educating Park visitors and others. Anza-Borrego Foundation operates Anza-Borrego Institute, a field school which provides high quality, in-depth educational courses to over 1,300 visitors each year. In addition, ABFI has a growing member/donor program with approximately 1,400 members. To generate funds to support Park programs and projects, ABFI sells an extensive selection of educational materials to visitors in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park’s Visitor Center and at ABFI’s website www.theABF.org.

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Author: Lehmann, Ted Challenge to Festivals: Weather & Capitalization Bluegrass festivals, especially mid-range and small ones, are facing twin challenges threatening their continued existence. Severe weather accompanied by apparently changing weather patterns and serious under-capitalization are making it difficult or impossible to attract and maintain the size and quality of audiences that would make it possible to book bands and schedule events to assure their continuance. During the past year we've seen an increase in the pattern of unpredictability as the seasons appear to be in a state of transition along with the weather patterns. This year, the entire eastern half of the U.S. has been plagued by extreme cold accompanied by extensive rain and cold.During the past couple of years, we've seen dangerously hot weather and highly uncomfortable wet weather wherever we go. These variable weather patterns suggest that removal to appropriate indoor facilities would serve to make the event more predictable and manageable. A large number of people who attend bluegrass events, according to our experience, are still people who do so by hooking up their trailer or driving their motor homes to relatively nearby events. Nevertheless, it still appears to us, in our travels, that the vast majority of those people are from the state in which the event is being held. Even in Florida, where a lot of snowbirds come to winter festivals, most license plates are from Florida, and many people we talk to are traveling less than 100 miles. Meanwhile, though at many events music is continual from noon until 11:00 PM, seats are largely empty during the heat of the day, around both sides of the dinner break, and in the late evening. Jammers, who've been up all night because the stage show never ends must find times and places to get their jamming in while seeing and hearing the bands they want to encounter, but thereby making the seats look empty much of the time. Vendors at many of the festivals we attend continue to offer unhealthy food choices at unconscionably high prices, making it even more important to return to the camper for any kind of balanced meal.A second factor threatening many bluegrass festivals lies in their being under-capitalized. The place where under-capitalization most hurts a festival lies in making it difficult to book anchor bands that will attract a strong and sizable audience. At a minimum, a good lineup must feature at least two good national bands, several other bands with recognizable national or regional appeal, and at least a couple of local or regional bands seeking to break into greater prominence. Showcases, band contests, and open stage events may help in this latter category. Attracting such talent requires promoters to be able to put out up-front money to schedule and book top bands at least a year in advance to permit publicity and organization to progress. It also requires sufficient funds available to be able to reserve facilities. Unless the promoter is lucky enough to have a stake or agreement with a venue, this is prohibitively expensive. Meanwhile, upgrading a personally owned facility to meet a state's safety and health requirements is also costly. Too many events find these combinations of circumstances too expensive and are forced to disband after a too brief time or even after years of marginal success.The proliferation of community cultural centers and convention centers built to attract business and tourism to a town or region suggest that another attractive alternative exists. A year or two ago we drove past the Hickory (NC) Metro Convention Center. A quick look suggested it would be a fine venue for winter or summer bluegrass festival. A look at its web site shows a large, flexible auditorium for big performances, lots of smaller meeting rooms for jamming and workshops, places for vendors, and lots of space. According to the web site, there are three nearby campgrounds, four bed and breakfasts, and twenty or so motels at a variety of price ranges. The list of places to eat is sufficient to meet the tastes of almost any diner. Hickory is a small city in the heart of the downtrodden former furniture capital seeking revitalization. Such centers exist all over the country. Successful indoor festivals such as Wintergrass, Joe Val, Bluegrass First Class, and the Southern Ohio Indoor Music Festival attest to the success of the indoor format. Why not expand it to a broader season?Bluegrass promoters need to rethink how they are organizing and paying for their events. Two recent trends seem to offer good alternative solutions,and I'm certain others will emerge as people start to re-think the future of festivals. Promoter combines and not-for-profit tax status both offer wonderful opportunities. Recently a group of NC festival promoters have banded together to create a group they call Bluegrass Circle Productions. According to Bluegrass Today the group involves �Cory Hemilright (Outer Banks Bluegrass Festival), Lorraine Jordan (Bluegrass Christmas In the Smokies), John Locust (Bluegrass in Cherokee), Don Mitchell (Blue Grass by the Rock), and Tim White (Song of the Mountains Bluegrass Festival). At this point they represent major festivals in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.� It is clear that such coordinated buying power is in a strong position to bargain, provide resources, and coordinate activities in a region. My greatest concern lies in wondering whether they will reduce diversity and prove to be destructive to independent festivals. This remains to be seen.Festivals find themselves plagued with the costs of trying to make a profit and engaging in seeking to pay taxes while seeking to make enough money to get to the next year. One way to reduce costs and attract sponsors is to become chartered as a 501 (c)3 non-profit organization. Such non profits must have a charity or cause to which they are dedicated and are governed by a number of rules and regulations. The promoter may be paid a salary from the receipts of the festival. The biggest attraction of non-profit designation is that it can attract local, regional, and national sponsors who can deduct their sponsorship costs. Attracting sponsors can make the difference between making money and failing as well as providing resources for booking bands and attracting customers. This is a win-win opportunity.We live in a highly competitive entertainment environment with a changing environmental situation and a need to find new markets for bluegrass music. Considering changing to indoor format and becoming chartered as a not-for-profit corporation represent only two of many ways to become more relevant as we enter into a new century. The bluegrass festival, as imagined and realized by Carlton Haney is now nearly fifty years old. That's a long time for any form of entertainment to continue in much the same format. It's time to re-think the bluegrass festival in terms of content, location and structure while finding new audiences to deliver live bluegrass music to and seeking to maintain the current one.

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15% off Southern Cross Safaris when booked from dianibeach.comhomeintrosafarisair safaris helicopter chartersafari campsday excursionshotelscottagesbed and breakfastlong term rentalsapartmentsair servicesrestaurantskite surfingdivingfishinggolfpicturesweddingsreal estateweather & webcamtidesnewsforexemploymentfor sale/wantedmaphumourtransfers/taxiscar hirerecommended readingmedicalfurnitureshoppinglegal/businessadvertisingkenya infolinksfeedbackcommunitycontact Kenya info......Following is some basic information on Kenya. At the bottom you will find links to profiles of the three presidents Kenya has had since independenceGeographyThe Republic of Kenya is in East Africa and is bordered by Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia and the Indian Ocean.Nairobi is the capital city. The main port is Mombasa. Much of Kenya is plateaux with highland areas. The Great Rift Valley runs the length of the country. Mount Kenya, an extinct volcano, is the second highest mountain on the continent. The main rivers are the Galana and Tana and lakes include Lake Turkana and Lake Victoria (the Lake Victoria region includes Tanzania and Uganda as well as Kenya).The Equator runs across Kenya. There are hot and warm seasons: April and May are usually very wet.EnvironmentKenya's natural environment is varied: coral reefs along the coastline, tropical rainforests, savannah, semi-desert and mountains with alpine regions. Its plant life includes rainforest flora and alpine plants. Like other rainforests, the Kenyan forests have suffered severe deforestation. As part of its conservation programme Kenya has many parks and reserves under the protection of the Wildlife Service.Kenya's parks and reserves are home to many birds and other wildlife. There are over one thousand species of birds including flamingos and lovebirds. Animals found in the reserves are elephants, lions, cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, rhinos and the hippopotamus. ArchitectureKenya has a variety of architecture ranging from timber-framed homes with mud walls to the modern buildings of Nairobi.There are also examples of buildings from the Swahili culture, such as the old town of Lamu (on the World Heritage list). PopulationThe population was 31,639,091 in 2003 and consists of the following groups: Maasai, Kikuyu, Luhya, Luo, Kalenjin, Kamba, Kisii, Meru, Asian, European, and Arab.LanguagesSwahili is the official language and English is also widely used. Other African languages include Luo, Maa and Kikuyu.ReligionThirty-eight percent of the population is Protestant; twenty-eight percent are Roman Catholic and some, mainly along the coast, are Muslims. Many of the population practise African religious beliefs.FoodKenyan food includes a variety of African and Indian recipes. Ugali (porridge made from cornmeal or millet flour), groundnut soup, stews and kebabs are favourite dishes. Use of spices and coconut feature in Kenyan cuisine. Indian food such as pilau rice, samosas and chapatis are often eaten with meals. Tea is served very hot and sweet.HistoryMany people think that the history of mankind started in Kenya and Tanzania. Fossils found around Olorgasailie and Lake Turkana point to this theory.The East African coast has been a centre of trade since early times. Exports included ivory, tortoiseshell and slaves. Over the centuries Arab merchants had a strong influence on the coastal towns. At the end of fifteenth century, the Portuguese explorer, Vasco da Gama, landed in Kenya. The Portuguese tried to gain control of the Kenyan coast but were eventually driven off by the Swahili and Omani Arab states.Slaves had been traded in Kenya for many years and with the spread of the British anti-slavery movement, a treaty was signed in the middle of the nineteenth century banning the export of slaves.In the 1880s Africa was divided between the European countries. The British East African Protectorate was established in 1895 and a railway system was built opening up the country for colonisation. However anti-colonialist feeling spread among the African peoples leading to revolts by the Kikuyu, the Kisii and the Maasai.Four years before the First World War (1914-18) coffee growing began on a large scale. After the War, the Soldier Settlement scheme gave land in the highlands to British ex-soldiers fuelling further resentment among Kenyans. This resentment increased as Kenya became a British Colony in 1920.The Great Depression of the 1930s (starting with the 1929 Wall Street Crash in the USA) caused economic problems in Kenya. At the end of the 1930s the Second World War (1939-45) began and Abbysinia (Italian Ethiopia) declared war on Kenya. Kenyans fought with the King's African Rifles contributing towards the success of the Allied army in Africa.In 1952 the rise of Kenyan nationalism including the activities of the Mau Mau (an underground military movement opposed to British rule) led to a State of Emergency. Many Kenyans were imprisoned; political leaders arrested and Dedan Kimathi, a Kenyan army commander, was executed. Kenya finally achieved independence in 1963 and Jomo Kenyatta became the Republic's first President. By the end of the 1960s the new government's Africanisation policy led to many of the Asian population leaving Kenya. On Jomo Kenyatta's death in 1978, his vice-president, Daniel Arap Moi, became Kenya's president. EconomyFor many centuries Kenya traded with merchants from Arabia and parts of Asia. Today Kenya exports to its neighbouring countries linked to Kenya by road and rail. Other trading partners include the United Kingdom, Germany, the Netherlands, Egypt, South Africa and the United States.Kenya has very few mineral resources but the beautiful country and abundance of wildlife has fuelled the tourist industry making tourism Kenya's largest foreign currency earner.At the end of the 1990s agriculture was affected by the weather phenomenon, El Nino, when rains destroyed crops in 1997 and 1998. Agricultural products include sugarcane, tea, coffee, corn, wheat, rice, pineapples, and sisal. Pyrethrum, (used in insecticides) is also grown. Kenyan industrial activities are the production of chemical products, cement, textiles, paper, beer, soft drinks and grain and sugar milling.ArtsAfrican art was traditionally the adornment of functional objects such as ceremonial masks. Today soapstone and wooden carvings are made for sale. Asian colonists introduced batik - paintings on waxed cloth - to Kenya. The batiks made in Kenya today are uniquely African. Kenyan literature dates back to centuries old Swahili poetry. The European colonial period is marked by the the writings of authors such as Karen Blixen (Out of Africa) and the political struggles of this century have produced the works of Jomo Kenyatta (Facing Mount Kenya), Dedan Kimathi (Makers of Kenya's History) and Oginga Odinga (Not Yet Uhuru).Traditional Kenyan music includes Tarabu (Swahili sung poetry) and benga music which was popularised in the 1970s and 80s. Drum music and dancing feature strongly in Kenyan tribal culture and Maasai and Samburu dance performances can be seen by tourists. Today's music is influenced by British, American and Jamaican music.SportA variety of sporting activities are popular in Kenya. These include football, basketball, rugby, cricket and golf. The country's athletes have an excellent record of track and long distance achievements in the Olympics and international competitions.The Safari Rally hosted by Kenya is Africa's longest annual rally.HolidaysChristian festivals of Christmas and Easter are celebrated as well as the New Year. Islamic Holy Days are observed by the Muslim community. Kenyatta Day commemorates the death of Jomo Kenyatta. NewsNews from Kenya can be found in The Daily Nation.Thanks to www.worldinfozone.com Our presidents a brief profile supplied from www.kenya.go.ke Jomo KenyattaDaniel Arap MoiMwai KibakiUhuru Kenyatta Top Copyright � 1999 TheHandmadeWeb for Dianibeach.com. All rights reserved.

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Point Reyes Books Sunday, January 27, 2013 at 3:00 PM (PST) Point Reyes Station, CA Share John Hart John Hart, author of Island in Time: Half a Century of Point Reyes National Seashore, will talk about the park Bay Area people love - and many love to argue about. He'll touch on its miraculous beginnings, its several identity crises, its awesome present, and its challenging future with a slide show.On September 13, 2012, Point Reyes National Seashore turned fifty. Mixing wilderness, history, and agriculture, Point Reyes is a hybrid park unlike any other in America. An Island in Time traces the triumph of its creation, the rescue effort that saved it from development, and its frequent identity crises since. Sixty images by regional photographers make it clear why people care. Celebrating what has been accomplished in half a century at Point Reyes, Hart takes a look at the several (and ongoing) arguments about what this remarkable piece of landscape will become. In 1962, Harold Gilliam's classic book Island in Time: The Point Reyes Peninsula helped complete the drive to create the National Seashore. In 2012, An Island in Time: 50 Years of Point Reyes National Seashore tells us the continuing story. John Hart lives in San Rafael and is the author of 15 books and numerous articles on the environment and has twice won the Commonwealth Club of California's Medal in California. Have questions about John Hart? Contact Point Reyes Books Point Reyes Presbyterian Church 11445 Shoreline Highway Point Reyes Station, http://ptreyesbooks.com Point Reyes Station, CA Events

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Labor of Love On a morning when the Ballantyne Resort Hotel is bristling with the excitement of an opening-night play, Smoky and Sara Harris Bissell relax on a burgundy sofa in the hotel's Magnolia Room conference room. At least, they appear to be relaxed. The gleams in their blue eyes, however, suggest that they're just as keyed up as the Hotel staff.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /> The Bissells are the driving force behind The Bissell Companies, the company that has developed the 535-acre Ballantyne Corporate Park, and now the Ballantyne Resort-which includes the luxurious Resort Hotel, the Golf Course, the Dana Rader Golf School, and two other chain hotels. "Its been a labor of love," says Sara, about the Resort. That's because she and her husband, as well as top managers, have spent the past five years getting ready for the Resort Hotel's opening day. They have dreamed, and researched, and planned, and shopped for the exact details to make the Resort a "must-stay" for business travelers. Smoky Bissell defines the Resort as a destination, along the lines of destination resorts in Pinehurst or Asheville. The Ballantyne Resort, however, provides something they don't: convenience and time-savings. "If your company is having a meeting in North Carolina, and you want to include golf, we can save you a day in travel," he explains. Because of the Ballantyne Resort's proximity to the Charlotte-Douglas International Airport - only 20 minutes away - companies can easily bring together their sales teams, executive groups and boards of directors for conferences, without having to build-in hours of destination drive time. The Spa at Ballantyne Resort, scheduled to open next spring, will provide additional services for conference spouses. "This is not just another hotel," says Geoff Kirkland, chief executive officer of Horwath Horizon Hospitality Advisors, consultants to the hospitality industry. While he emphasizes that he has not yet seen the hotel-he was unable to attend the grand opening-he credits the Bissell Companies as being "high-quality hotel operators," and says that, given what he's seen of the Resort's advertising and services, "People now have the option of coming to Charlotte for a resort experience. They didn't have that (option) before." The Bissell's vision has come together beautifully on this late summer morning. Golf carts are running in a line dotting the groomed golf course, in preparation for a charity golf tournament. Elsewhere within the Resort, a silent auction fundraiser has been arranged in the rotunda, and places are set in the Ballantyne Ballroom for the golfers' lunch. A place like this doesn't come together overnight, and the Bissells are happy to share some of the many steps, the many strategies, they undertook over the years. The Name and Place Ballantyne, located on the southern crescent of Interstate 485, once would have seemed in the middle of nowhere. Today, however, it seems like the area soon will be in the middle of everything. Sara Bissell's father, the late James J. Harris, had accumulated 1,750 acres in the area, and left it to his three children after his death in 1985. A few years later, the governors of North and South Carolina negotiated with the family for 80 acres, in order to tie in the four-lane highway U.S. 521 to the emerging I-485. The family saw that the location would be ripe for a new community, "something that hadn't been done before," Smoky Bissell explains. They envisioned a self-sustaining neighborhood with homes, a golf course, corporate offices, and hotels, and worked alongside land developers and the Urban Land Institute to come up with a workable plan. They tossed around ideas for a name, finally choosing "Ballantyne" to honor a distant great-aunt, Barbara Ballantyne, who took Smoky and Sara under her wing when they moved to California in the 1960s. Crescent Resources bought some of the land to develop its residential Ballantyne Country Club Community. In 1992, a large insurance company bought 108 acres, thinking it might someday develop a service center. About 525 acres remained for an office park; Smoky Bissell bought the land from the family in January 1996, and immediately started planning for office buildings and hotels. "There was nothing out here," Smoky Bissell recalls, "no roads - nothing. We spent the winter learning our way around." Smoky and Sara would cross the frozen creeks and climb the rolling hills to get a feel for the terrain, their beloved Dalmatians running ahead. "We had many a picnic down here," Sara says with a smile. "We'd sit on a hillside and say, 'maybe this could go here.' We'd let the dogs run wild and we'd talk big." Ground was broken eight months later for the first office building. The Design The Bissells knew from their experience in operating the Four Star and Four Diamond Park Hotel in SouthPark that the growing corporate community would request - and support - a hotel for company guests and vendors. To satisfy the immediate need, they became a Marriott franchisee and built the Courtyard by Marriott at Ballantyne. Yet they wanted to create something more elegant, building upon the operations and hospitality talent abundant at the Park Hotel, as well as the management expertise of Wayne Shusko, now the managing director of Bissell Hotels. Corporate clients were asking for golf facilities, so Smoky started planning for a golf course. He did not hire a golf course architect, he explains, because he didn't want to build a corporate center around the topography needed for a golf course - "I wanted to build a golf course where I couldn't build office buildings." (And still, he beams, the par-71 daily-fee course was named the "Best New Golf Course in North Carolina for 1998" by North Carolina magazine.) At first, the Bissells planned for a 13-story resort hotel, with 348 hotel rooms. They attended travel trade shows around the country, studied travel guides, and made worldwide "best practices" trips, visiting the best hotels in several countries, to determine which features worked best at which hotel, and why. The first big hurdle they realized they faced: parking. For 348 rooms, they would need two parking decks-"which would have ruined the view of the hotel from the street," Smoky says. So they scaled back the number of rooms, without scaling back the amenities. The ballroom, for instance, was built as if it were to serve a 300-room hotel. "We wanted to make sure there was plenty of meeting space," says Smoky. "I wanted to be able to hold three wedding receptions at 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday, and have three separate entrances so guests didn't run into each other." The Bissells, along with special projects director Dave Conlan and his wife Jane, took extensive notes from their "best practices" trips. Sara remembers a trip out west to five U.S. resorts; while the men were surreptitiously taking photos of a pro shop's layout, or a resort's parking spaces, "my job was to move the suitcases from one hotel to another," she laughs. On one trip, they visited 30 golf courses in five days. At night they would run to a nearby pharmacy, and have the photos developed in duplicate. Dave and Smoky would review the photos, explain why they were taken, and place them in a scrapbook. As a result of this mission, the Golf Club's cart storage was designed to fit under the clubhouse, in order to save space. Smoky learned that a conference-style amphitheatre wouldn't be practical: the fixed seating placement would not allow any flexibility for room use. Sara learned that room schemes, or themes, could be more simply replicated by having fewer schemes per hotel. Whereas the Park Hotel has ten room schemes, for instance, additional storage is needed for ten different backup bedspreads, draperies and the like. The new Ballantyne Resort Hotel, in contrast, has only two room schemes. Fewer does not mean less important, however; the Bissells intended to create a boutique hotel noted for its fine appointments. Carpets were hand-loomed in England. Antique pieces came from a flea market in Paris and several shops in the English countryside. A majestic breakfront in the lobby once resided in the office of Prince Charles' philanthropy. "Anytime we would take a trip anywhere, we would shop," Sara explains, gesturing toward two silk prints in the Magnolia Room that originated in Singapore. Dave Conlan liked the luggage racks at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok so much, he had them replicated for the Resort. Sara favored the European-style, two-tier bath vanities that allow for storage space without massive countertops. To perfect the guest rooms' layout, Smoky Bissell built two 'spec' hotel rooms in the basement of a nearby office building. Every detail was built-in-beds, telephones, electrical outlets-"down to the where the towel holders were placed," Bissell says. They made notes on the rooms' comfort, then redesigned and rebuilt the two rooms. "If we hadn't done that, we would never have had the product that we have here." The piece de resistance of the Resort is, in fact, a collection of pieces: oil paintings by Vermont artist Tom Vieth. A college roommate of Sara's -Vieth's aunt by marriage - had sent her a postcard featuring one of his works. The Bissells invited him to dinner, and asked him to provide one-of-a-kind artworks for the Resort Hotel. General manager Steve Brooks spent two days with Vieth, driving him around Charlotte, showing him some of the Queen City's highlights, including the Mint Museum, the statues at Trade and Tryon, and St. Mary's Chapel, formerly the Thompson Orphanage chapel. Vieth made watercolor sketches, then watercolor paintings so the Bissells could choose the portraits they liked. Vieth then painted the approved scenes in oil. "These are very much a signature of Ballantyne Resort," says Brooks, noting that two guests already have asked how they could contact the artist for paintings. He's working on printing a self-guided tour booklet so guests can view all the artworks and understand their significance. The idea, Sara Bissell says, is to get visitors interested in all that Charlotte has to offer-to reinforce the notion of Charlotte, and, of course, the Ballantyne Resort Hotel, as a travel destination. "(The resort) is going to draw people to the city," Kirkland adds. "It definitely is something that's a positive for Charlotte." The Bissells haven't yet learned of Kirkland's comment, but they've heard plenty of rave reviews from guests, visitors and meeting planners. Surely such feedback is music to their ears, sweetening the fruits of their 'labor of love.'" Powering the Char-lanta Megaregion!SCDC: Making Economic Development Work!SCDC: Making Economic Development Work!EDPNC: Leveraging Cooperation for ProsperityWater Wise: Thirst for Growth Requires Managed UseWater Wise: Thirst for Growth Requires Managed UseExpanding Access GloballyExpanding Access GloballyThis Changes EverythingAdvantage CarolinasMore -> Web Design, Online Marketing, Web Hosting home | subscriptions | about us | advertiser biz directory | contact us | links © 2000 - Galles Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Products named on this Web site are trade names or trademarks of their respective companies. The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of Greater Charlotte Biz or Galles Communications Group, Inc.

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Explore The Spread EagleA Brief History of The Spread EagleAround and About The Spread Eagle A Brief History ofThe Spread Eagle "...that oldest and most revered of all the prime inns of this world ..." Hilaire Belloc 1430 - The traditional date of the building that forms the oldest part of the hotel 1533 - The building was bought by Sir William Fitzwilliam, Henry VIII's Lord High Admiral 1730 - The Spread Eagle Inn is valued at £400 by the Sun Insurance Company 1791-1798 - It is certain that Admiral Lord Nelson visited the hotel at this time 1832 - The town's principal stagecoach, The Earl of March, left the Spread Eagle for London every morning, except Sunday, at 10.00am 1907 - A motor garage opened at the hotel 2007 - The hotel celebrates 50 years of ownership by the same family. Around and About The Spread Eagle

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View the background - Driving towards Keem Strand, Achill Island View as map Siege Boom (Heritage Trail) Derry-Londonderry, County Londonderry Derrynane House, National Historic Park Caherdaniel, Kerry Derrynane House the ancestral home of Daniel O’Connell, is a public museum commemorating one of Ireland’s leading historical figures and arguably the greatest ever Irishman. Ross Castle Killarney, Kerry Ross Castle is a 15th century tower house located in Killarney, County Kerry. It is a typical example of the stronghold of an Irish chieftain in the Middle Ages and is fully restored and furnished with period oak furniture. Muckross House, Gardens And Traditional Farms Muckross House, once visited by Queen Victoria, is situated on the shores of Muckross Lake within the stunning surroundings of Killarney National Park. The House and grounds are located 3.6km from Killarney town in County Kerry. Portumna Castle And Gardens Portumna, Galway Portumna Castle, built close to 400 years ago by the de Burgo (Burke) family, stands close to Lough Derg, the River Shannon and Portumna Forest Park in Portumna, County Galway. Kilkenny Castle Kilkenny City, Kilkenny Kilkenny Castle is a 12th century castle, remodelled in Victorian times and set in riverside parklands, which was once the principal seat of the Butler family, Marquesses and Dukes of Ormonde. It is located in the heart of Kilkenny City. Rothe House Rothe House is a unique, early 17th-century, Irish merchant’s townhouse and garden, set in the centre of Kilkenny City. It is also the base of genealogical research on Kilkenny ancestry. Cahir Castle Cahir, Tipperary Cahir Castle is located on a rocky island on the River Suir in the centre of Cahir town, County Tipperary. It is one of Ireland’s largest and best preserved castles.

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One of the cleanest places on earth 29 June 2011 | Fact sheet Lord Howe Island World Heritage Site, Australia Lord Howe Island is an irregularly crescent-shaped volcanic remnant in the Southwest Pacific Ocean. Two thirds of the island is a Permanent Park Preserve and the surrounding waters a Marine Park since 1998. Lord Howe is one of the "cleanest" places on earth: located 600km from the nearest large land mass, there is no air or sea pollution and no litter. The Lord Howe Island Board and the iIslanders go to considerable lengths to preserve the island, with comprehensive recycling programs; a tourist bed limit; and environmental management plans. The Lord Howe Island Group of islands comprises 28 islands, islets and rocks. Apart from Lord Howe Island itself the most notable of these is the volcanic and uninhabited Balls Pyramid about 23 km to the south-east, which is sheer, pointed, bird-colonised and (551 metres (1,808 ft)) high. To the north there is the Admiralty Group, a cluster of seven small uninhabited islands. Just off the east coast is Mutton Bird Island, and in the lagoon is Blackburn (Rabbit) Island. The Lord Howe Island Group is a New South Wales (Australia) dependency that is administered by the Lord Howe Island Board. The Board reports directly to the New South Wales Minister for Climate Change, Environment and Water, and is responsible for the care, control and management of the island. Its duties include: the protection of World Heritage values; control of development; administration of Crown Land, including the island’s protected areas; provision of community services and infrastructure; delivery of sustainable tourism. Offshore environmental values are also recognised by the Lord Howe Island Marine Park which consists of a New South Wales State Marine Park managed by the Marine Parks Authority of New South Wales in the waters out to 3 nautical miles around the island and including Ball's Pyramid, and a Commonwealth Marine Park extending from 3 to 12 nautical miles out and managed by the Commonwealth Department of the Environment and Heritage. In total the Marine Park covers about 300,510 hectares. The island's outstanding natural history was recognised in 1982 when the Lord Howe Island Group was recorded by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site of global significance. View Photos of the site Size and Location Situated in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand the island is 600 kilometres (370 mi) directly east of mainland Port Macquarie702 kilometres (436 mi) northeast of Sydney, and about 900 kilometres (560 mi) from Norfolk Island to its northeast. The island is about 11 km long and between 2.8 km and 0.6 km wide with an area of 16.56 sq km. In the south there is two volcanic mountains, Mount Lidgbird (777 metres) and Mount Gower o (875 m), the highest point on the island. In the north, where most of the population live, high points are Malabar (209 metres) and Mount Eliza (147 metres). Between these two uplands is an area of cleared lowland with some farming, the airstrip, and housing. Most of the island is virtually untouched forest on rugged terrain with many of the plants and animals found nowhere else in the world. Among its many natural attractions are: the diversity and exceptional natural beauty of its landscapes; the wide variety of upper mantle and oceanic basalts; the world's southernmost barrier coral reef; fourteen different nesting seabirds; large numbers of rare and endemic species of plants and animals; and a rich historical and cultural heritage. The island has over 130 species of bird; the sheltering coral reef hosts over 500 species of fish and 90 different corals. The reef is in pristine condition, washed by the cleanest ocean on the planet. Lord Howe Island has recorded 241 species of indigenous plants of which 113 or 47 per cent are found nowhere else in the world. Typical of remote oceanic islands, the vertebrate fauna is largely dominated by birds, including the Lord Howe Island Woodhen, which has been the centre of a highly successful captive-breeding program. Fourteen species of seabirds have important breeding populations. Lord Howe Island is reputed to have more seabird species breeding in higher numbers than anywhere else in Australia. There are at least 129 native and introduced bird species. Lord Howe is now the only known breeding ground for providence petrel. Fleshy-footed shearwater breeds in large numbers, with possibly half the world's population present seasonally. Other important species breeding within the preserve include kermadec petrel, black-winged petrel, wedge-tailed shearwater, little shearwater, white-bellied storm petrel, masked booby, and red-tailed tropic bird in greater concentrations than probably anywhere else in the world. More than 1,600 terrestrial insect species have been recorded with approximately 60 per cent found nowhere else. One of the most spectacular insects is the Lord Howe Island Phasmid, a large stick insect - thought to be extinct, but rediscovered in recent years on Balls Pryamid, a 550 metre high volcanic stack rising from the sea, 23 km from the island. Almost half of the island's native plants are endemic. The most famous is the Kentia palm, of which there are four species on the island. A population of the large forest bat occurs on the Island. No other indigenous native mammals are known. Introduced species, however, include mice, rats and goats. The marine environment of this far-flung part of NSW is utterly unlike any other part Australia, with a variety of tropical and temperate species brought on converging currents, and a large number of plants and animals which occur nowhere else. Related Link Website of the Park Find it on ProtectedPlanet Find the Marine Park on ProtectedPlanet Curio Point Photo: Kenny Lees View from Mount Gower Photo: Lord Howe Island Board OceaniaAbout OceaniaOur workConserving biodiversityGovernanceNature-based solutionsGreen economyProjectsGet InvolvedMembersCommissionsPacific Islands Species Forum2015 Oceania Regional Conservation ForumNews ArchiveResourcesAnnual ReportsProgramme DocumentsFact SheetsNewsletterWho's whoRoundtable for Nature ConservationCritical Ecosystem Partnership FundHow to ApplyNewsEMI Projects Page last updated: June 29, 2011. © All photos/graphics remain the copyright of IUCN

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157 comments! The Titanic History Love315Hate16 If all you know about the Titanic is that it was the ship where Jack and Rose met and fell in love, then you need to keep reading. It's been 95 years since the tragic sinking of the Titanic, but her memory still lives on in our minds. Titanic - A Luxury Liner The Titanic was the grandest ship of her time. She was majestic, lavishly decorated and considered unsinkable because four of her 16 watertight compartments could be flooded without endangering the ship. The Titanic was divided into social classes according to background, wealth and education. The bottom two layers were for manual workers and third-class passengers who were hoping to start a new life in America. The second-class layer included teachers, merchants and professionals. The top layer was reserved for the rich and aristocratic. Titanic - Her Tragic Ending Although it took five years to build, the Titanic had a very short career. She set off on April 10, 1912 from Southampton, England, but never made it to her destination of New York City - she struck an iceberg off the coast of Newfoundland shortly before midnight on April 14, 1912. As the ship began to fill with water, people scrambled to get in the lifeboats, but crew members decided that women and children would board first. Although each lifeboard could carry 65 passengers, some of them carried as little as 12. By the time the last lifeboat left, there were more than 1,500 passengers still on board the sinking ship. At 2:20AM on April 15th, people in the lifeboats watched in horror as the "unsinkable" Titanic went down, killing 1,523 passengers. The Carpathia, which had picked up the Titanic's distress signals, reached the site at 3:30AM to rescue 705 survivors. Titanic - Did U Know? The Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage. She stretched to 882 feet and weighed 21,831 tonnes. The Titanic cost a reported $7.5 million to build. Although the Titanic had a passenger capacity of 3,547, she was only carrying 1,343 passengers and 885 crew members. The Titanic was one of three sister ships - the Olympic, which had a successful career as a liner until she was broken up in 1935, and the Brittanic, which tragically sank on November 21, 1916 when she was either torpedoed or the victim of a mine explosion. On September 1, 1985, a joint French-American expedition led by Dr. Robert Ballard discovered the wreck of the Titanic. It was found lying upright in two pieces on the ocean floor at a depth of about 13,000 feet. Titanic Movie Review Working on a Cruise Ship Scary Places - The Queen Mary Luxury Liner More Trippin' Facts! Show More (132 Comments) Captain Edward J. Smith How Did the Captain of theTitanic Die? He sank with the Titanic. He shot himself with a pistol before the ship sank. He froze to death as he swam toward a lifeboat with a baby in his arms. He died from a heart attack years after the Titanic sank. Titanic 3-D Movie Review You probably have seen the Oscar-winning action/romance Titanic (1997) on either old videotape or... Titanic Preview Experience it like never before in 3D and IMAX. Titanic - coming to theaters April 4, 2012. Leonardo DiCaprio Bio Leonardo DiCaprio went from child star to Hollywood hunk in no time at all. Now he had won the he... Random in the forums posted in General: Hes the real dog :devil Who is Dr Who? Something that you would wear, especially on holidays.Who is... Hello Kitty? ;) reply What goes around comes around... Members of the boomerangs club :devil reply posted in New Users: posted in Debating: I have to wear uniform at my school coz I live in England but I do prefer Free-Dress:) reply

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Enjoy the people and places of Ireland at your own pace By Shelagh McNally, For Postmedia News The Cliffs of Moher in western Ireland is just one of the many astrounding sights a visitor to Ireland can see as they explore the country.Photograph by: Stephen Power , Tourism IrelandDotted with storybook castles and colourful towns and rich in dramatic shorelines and atmospheric countryside, there is no better place to forgo the limitations of a set travel itinerary than Ireland. The country is a welcoming destination for travellers who prefer to journey from one colourful location to another at their own pace. There is an efficient network of bus and rail services, plentiful car rentals and the locals are only too happy to direct visitors to an unexpected discovery down the road. Recognizing the needs of independent travellers, the Irish Tourism board offers Go-As-You-Please Ireland B&B Vouchers to make their travels simpler. These vouches are redeemable at over 1,600 establishments throughout the country. B&B owners will generally help arrange for local drivers and tours and point out must-see gems in their area. Jewels of the south and west: Cork, Kerry and GalwayCounty Cork, known as the “rebel county,” has rich farmland and river valleys that give way to sandstone hills and hidden bays along the Atlantic. It’s home to Ireland’s oldest and most famous castle, Blarney Castle, where you can kiss the Stone of Eloquence and get the gift of the gab. Cork City is known for its lively music and arts scene. This is a city built for walking where you can span the centuries by simply turning a corner. The 1624 Elizabeth Fort is a stone’s throw from the elegant St. Fin Barre's Cathedral begun in 1863. A few blocks away are the famous 18th century Shandon bells of St. Anne’s Church and the incongruous County Gaol: a beautiful castle on the outside, a grim reminder of 19th century crime and punishment inside. The seaport town of Cobh remains virtually unchanged since the Titanic departed from these shores in 1912. It has Titanic and other attractions devoted to its long maritime history.County Kerry is one of Ireland’s largest counties and some say its most photogenic. Known as the “Kingdom,” Kerry is the Ireland you’ve seen in countless movies. It has three stunning coastal peninsulas, the country’s highest mountain range and the Lakes of Killarney in the mountain-ringed Black Valley. Killarney National Park is a magnificent conservation area ideal for hiking and exploring. The park also features evidence of human habitation here in the Bronze Age, the ruins of the Inisfallen Abbey dating back to the 10th century and the 1448 Franciscan Muckross Abbey. The focal point of the park is the 19th century Muckross House, Gardens and Traditional Farms located close to Killarney Town. Kerry is also a county for walking along quiet country roads that lead to beaches and unspoiled fishing villages. The most famous route is the Ring of Kerry, a 179-km road traversing the Iveragh Peninsula dominated by the MacGillycuddy’s Reeks mountain range. The route is famous for spectacular views and villages serving seafood, pints and traditional music. The Kerry Way, Dingle Way and Beara Way are also favourite routes following ancient paths to early Christian monastic sites and medieval forts. Lovers of traditional Irish music often come to the Dingle Peninsula to enjoy its well-preserved musical heritage. Finish off this route by visiting County Galway. Galway City, often called the City of Tribes, is considered the cultural heart of Ireland, a place where Celtic culture and literature are thriving. With over 50 arts organizations for dance, music, theatre and poetry, it is home to countless festivals and events. Dotted with castles and buildings dating back to 1300s, it’s a city rich in history and is home to Dillon’s Claddagh Gold, the original maker of the Claddagh Ring. Delve deeper into Celtic country along the coastal trail of Slí Chonnemara, (Connemara Way), that starts in Galway City and travels 220 km through smaller and even more traditional centres. Many visitors take the ferry over to the Inis Mór, the largest of the three Aran Islands. This is the Ireland of Celts and early Christians. Back on the mainland, more incredible sights can be found at the Cliffs of Moher along the Burren Way in North County Clare, a terrain notable for limestone hills and valleys. Connemara National Park also has some incredible scenery with over 3,000 hectares of heathers, grasslands and woodlands overlooking the famous Twelve Bens and or Na Beanna Beola mountain range. The highlight of the park is the 3.7-km walk up to Diamond Hill peak. Dublin and the southeastYou can easily spend several days wandering around Dublin visiting its many historic sites, pubs and museums. South of the city are the charming glens and rolling hills of the five southeast counties: Carlow, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. County Tipperary is a place for fishing, among other popular pursuits. At the enormous Rock of Cashel, you’ll see the iconic stone Celtic Cross but also some rare frescoes dating back to the fourth century. The Mitchelstown Cave is famous for its enormous, bizarre formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Kilkenny City has a modern feel despite the cobblestone streets and medieval architecture. Behind its old-fashioned doors are stylish pubs and bistros as well as art galleries, boutiques and specialty shops. The sixth century monastery is now home to the famous beer – the original Abbey is at the heart of the brewery. The company is simply carrying on a tradition – monks started brewing the beer here centuries ago. For a crash course in ancient Ireland, visit the 35-acre Irish National Heritage Park in Ferrycarrig, Wexford. The town of Wexford, meanwhile, hosts a renowned festival every year at its modern opera house, which opened in 2008. Close by is the crystal factory in Waterford. Visitors often take in its remarkable displays then head to Kilmore Quay, noted for its whitewashed thatched cottages, beautiful beaches and proximity to the Saltee Islands. Northern renaissanceNorthern Ireland has been transformed in the last few years and is drawing millions of visitors for its wide-ranging cultural and scenic attractions. This is an especially exciting time for Derry-Londonderry. Northern Ireland’s second-largest city has been chosen as the 2013 UK City of Culture. It’s a chance for visitors to immerse themselves in everything that makes the city so renowned as a centre of Irish music, dance, art and literature. Belfast is undergoing a renaissance of sorts thanks in part to Titanic Belfast. This six-storey, 11,000-sq.-m interactive museum is drawing people from around the globe. Visitors take glass elevators to the bridge, where they travel through nine galleries of exhibits. From Belfast you can head to the scenic Causeway Coast and the nine valleys of the Antrim Glens. This winding route will first take you to Carrickfergus Castle — built in 1177 AD — onto ancient cairns and tombs, and eventually to the bizarre Giant's Causeway composed of columns of layered basalt created 60 million years ago by volcanic eruption. South of Belfast are the Mourne Mountains and Murlough National Nature Reserve, with access to one of the finest beaches in the country. Hikers and bicyclists frequently travel along the Mourne Wall, a 35-km granite wall passing over 15 mountains. The coastal cities of Strangford Lough and Newcastle resort offer plentiful opportunities for hiking, sailing and angling. If you go:The governments run all railway and bus lines on the island. In the Republic of Ireland, CIÉ (Córas Iompair Eireann) runs the major bus lines Bus Átha Cliath (Dublin Bus), Bus Eireann (Irish bus) as well as Iarnród Eireann (Irish rail). It works jointly with Translink with its bus and railway lines to create connecting lines to all areas. For more information visit:www.ireland.comwww.tourismireland.comwww.discovernorthernireland.com Postmedia Network Inc.Original source article: Enjoy the people and places of Ireland at your own pace E-mail this ArticlePrint this ArticleShare this Article More on This Story The Gathering Ireland 2013: A hundred thousand welcomesFrommer's Guide to Ireland Story Tools E-mail this ArticlePrint this Article Font:***** Image:**** The Cliffs of Moher in western Ireland is just one of the many astrounding sights a visitor to Ireland can see as they explore the country.Photograph by: Stephen Power, Tourism Ireland E-mail this GalleryPrint this GalleryShare this Gallery Photo Galleries » travelBelfastnone

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Statewide Map Trip Tips Distance: 218 miles Minimum Drive Time: 8-10 hours; optimally over several days. Best Time to Visit: June-October; Forest Road 39 is closed by snow from October 15 through May 15, but allows access to winter recreation areas. Note: Parts of this trip are on very narrow, winding roads. There are stretches of more than eighty miles without gas and with few services particularly between Joseph and Halfway. Be sure to re-fuel whenever possible. National Historic Oregon Trail Center Built and operated by the Bureau of Land Management, the center is a monument to emigrants who journeyed on the Oregon Trail. It offers a number of interactive exhibits and dioramas, seasonal living history performances, and interpretive / educational programs in an indoor theater. The center covers historic themes including exploration, mining, and settlement history. Paved footpaths lead to 150-year-old wheel ruts left by hundreds of pioneer wagons. A Town Cast in Bronze Named for young Chief Joseph, this town has earned a national reputation for its bronze foundries and galleries. Some of the nation's most highly acclaimed artists cast their bronzes at one of the four area foundries or show their work in one of the many galleries that line the town's picturesque Main Street. Snuggled at the base of the Wallowas and in close proximity to Wallowa Lake, Joseph is a popular destination for hikers, hunters, and fisherman. It's also home of the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo and the nationally known Fishtrap Writers Conference. A Pioneer Resting Place The Powder River and Grande Ronde Valleys were important emigrant stops on the historic Oregon Trail. Beginning in 1843 and continuing for several decades, the lure of abundant, rich farm land, clear water and seemingly endless forests brought over 350,000 Americans westward to the famed Oregon Country. Usually leaving the mid-west in the spring, they walked or rode horseback over 2,000 miles of wilderness, carrying their possessions in covered wagons. The lush Grande Ronde and Powder River Valleys provided welcome respite after months of hot, dusty travel. Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce The picturesque Wallowa Valley was the beloved home of the Nez Perce Indians. By winter of 1877, settlement conflicts drove Young Chief Joseph to make a tragic attempt to reach Canada with a group of 250 men, women, and children. They struggled to within 24 miles of safety before being captured in Montana and sent to reservations. This area remains a significant religious and cultural center for the Nez Perce, Umatilla, and Cayuse Indians. The word Wallowa is derived from the Nez Perce name for the tripod that supported the fishing nets used in area rivers. The Wallowa band of the Nez Perce gathers in the Valley each July for TamKaLiks, an annual Friendship Feast and Powwow. The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway is a 218-mile loop encircling the Wallowa Mountains, intersecting with Interstate 84 at La Grande and Baker City. Extremes in the land define this Byway and have likewise shaped the region's cultural history. At the eastern edge of the Byway is the Hells Canyon stretch of the Snake River, North America's deepest gorge. It boasts hair-raising rapids, awesome rock formations, and many signs of the indigenous peoples that once called this vast area home. At the core of the Byway are the Wallowa Mountains whose jagged, snowcapped peaks are reminiscent of the Swiss Alps. Millions of years ago, the Wallowas formed the coast of present-day Oregon. Flows of plateau basalt, batholiths of granite, and layers of shale were buckled and folded to form the mountain range we experience today. South and west of the Wallowas, the bountiful Grande Ronde Valley unfolds. Once a spring and summer gathering place for members of the Umatilla, Yakima, Shoshone, Walla Walla, Cayuse and Bannock Nations, the valley is now a rich agricultural center, hosting fields of hay, wheat, grass, mint, and canola as well as cattle, sheep, and horse farms. Between Hells Canyon, the Eagle Cap Wilderness area, and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest, the Byway offers incomparable outdoor recreational opportunities. Numerous campgrounds and trail systems are available. Anglers can fish the region's many rivers or Wallowa Lake. Hunters can pursue deer, elk, bear, cougar or bighorn sheep. Visitors can experience the back-country on a pack trip or rafting adventure. When the snow falls, downhill skiing is available at several area resorts, and abundant open spaces make for a snowmobiling/snowshoeing wonderland. Cultural events and attractions showcasing the region's heritage including rodeos, PowWows, music festivals, craft shows, concerts and other community celebrations can be enjoyed all along the Byway, throughout the year. The Hells Canyon Scenic Byway winds through the northeast corner of Oregon, taking in the craggy 8,000 foot depths of Hells Canyon and the 10,000 foot peaks of the Wallowa Mountains. Along the way, you'll encounter exceptionally scenic country and fascinating cultural history in the ancestral homelands of Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce Indians. A. Baker City As you travel on Interstate 84, enter the Byway's southern end by taking exit 304 and following the signs to Oregon Highway 86. Start your canyon adventure with a tour of the National Historic District in Baker City, the "Queen City of the Mines." Turn-of-the- century Victorian architecture dominates the commercial and residential buildings of the city's downtown, where many buildings, including the famous Geiser Grand Hotel, have been carefully restored. North of town, take Oregon Route 86 east to the National Historic Oregon Trail Interpretive Center at Flagstaff Hill. B. The Baker-Copperfield Highway Continue east on Oregon Route 86 through sagebrush-covered plateaus, the fertile farms of Richland, and mining towns like Halfway, Pine and Copperfield. Early pioneers first traveled portions of this route on their way to the Willamette Valley in the early 1840s. Gold strikes on the southern side of the Wallowa Range brought another wave of settlers to the region in the 1860s. Later settlers were attracted by fertile valleys and abundant timber; agriculture and forest products are still important industries throughout northeast Oregon. Today, visitors come to Halfway for a variety of outdoor activities including backpacking, llama excursions, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, fishing and hunting. Many use the town as a point of departure for Hells Canyon adventures. C. Snake River and Hells Canyon About six miles past the junction of Forest Road 39, you'll discover the mighty Snake River as it approaches the southern end of Hells Canyon, the deepest river-carved gorge in North America. According to Nez Perce folklore, Coyote dug Hells Canyon with a big stick to protect ancestors in Oregon's Blue Mountains from the Seven Devils mountain range across the gorge in what is now Idaho. Geologists believe that Hells Canyon was formed by normal stream erosion as the Snake River cut its way through rocks of a rising mountain range, beginning 6 million years ago. It is still being cut and is probably deeper and more rugged today than at any other time in its history. The 652,488-acre Hells Canyon National Recreation Area, (designated in 1975), encompasses a 71-mile stretch of the Snake River and contains some of the country's most unique scenery, plants, wildlife and geology. Relatively mild winters and abundant deer, elk, and bighorn sheep drew native peoples to the canyon; signs of human habitation date back over 11,000 years. Pictographs and petroglyphs, as well as winter pithouse villages, are scattered along the river, documenting the presence of those early inhabitants. A rafting or jet boat excursion on the Snake provides an excellent way to experience the abundant wildlife and grandeur of the canyon. D. Hells Canyon Overlook Return to Forest Road 39 and travel 16 miles to Forest Road 3965. From here, a short drive brings you to breathtaking vistas at Hells Canyon Overlook. The paved overlook, which rests at 5,400 feet, provides outstanding views of McGraw Creek, Hells Canyon, and the Seven Devils Mountains which stand at the Idaho border. The Overlook features interpretive displays about the canyon formation. E. Wallowa Mountains and Eagle Cap Wilderness Back on Forest Road 39, you'll head north across the "Wild and Scenic" Imnaha River and then west toward some impressive views of the majestic Wallowa Mountains. The Imnaha provides important spawning habitat for steelhead trout and chinook salmon, and some excellent angling opportunities. The 387,915 acre Eagle Cap Wilderness offers five campgrounds and ten trailheads, should you wish to stretch your legs and explore this pristine wilderness up close and personal. Skirting the northeast foothills of the Wallowa Range, you'll soon reach Joseph, a quaint recreational hub and thriving art community. One mile south of town, glacially-formed Wallowa Lake features a state park with a variety of accommodations including yurts for rent. A tramway takes you to the summit of Mt. Howard, and there's superb fishing and hiking for all ages in local streams and the lake. Geologists have proclaimed the moraines on either side of Wallowa Lake the most impressive moraines in the world. F. From Enterprise to Elgin From Joseph, take Oregon Route 82 to nearby Enterprise where the Visitors Center offers a magnificent view of the rugged Wallowa Mountains and presents the scenic, historic and recreational features of the Hells Canyon National Recreation Area and the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest. The largest of the Wallowa Valley communities, Enterprise offers an array of shops and accommodations, as well as back country and river outfitters. You'll continue west through the communities of Lostine and Wallowa, which houses the Nez Perce Interpretive Center. Soon, the Byway enters a canyon and adjoins the beautiful Wallowa River. At the confluence of the Minam and Wallowa Rivers, the highway takes a steep climb up the Minam Grade. This dramatic stretch of road provides a commanding view of the Wild and Scenic Minam River and the surrounding steep ridges. You'll soon reach Elgin, an agricultural and timber town that is home to the roaring Elgin Stampede PRCA Rodeo each July and the elegantly restored Elgin Opera House, built in 1912, which now presents movies, concerts, and live theater. G. Lovely La Grande Your mountain adventure ends in the Grande Ronde Valley and La Grande which was established as a rest stop along the historic Oregon Trail. A wide variety of travel services and proximity to varied terrain make La Grande a popular recreation base for cyclists, hikers, hunters, fishermen, and skiers, as well as snowmobile and ATV enthusiasts. The site of Eastern Oregon University, this lovely town offers year-round cultural events. Walking tours highlight the community's historic homes, urban forest, and commercial Historic District. Other Nearby Attractions Learn more about northeast Oregon's history by visiting these nearby attractions: Ranching and Cowboy History: Cowboys Then & Now Exhibit at the Union County Museum in Union Settlement & Early Twentieth Century History: Eastern Oregon Museum in Haine Mining: The Sumpter Dredge State Historic Monument and Sumpter Valley Railroad at Sumpter

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For gorgeous beaches, sangria under the sun, rich cultural history, and a vibrant urban scene, only one choice fits the bill... Spain. Transcript If you’ve got an appetite for a vacation filled with gorgeous beaches, sangria under the sun, and a vibrant urban scene, then there’s one choice that’ll fit the bill, Spain.Hi, I’m Patty Kim. More than 50 million people visit Spain every year, to gulp down the sunshine, the music, the art, the bold architecture, and the platefuls of paella that make up Spain’s contagious passion for living.In 1975, after 35 years of General Franco’s Fascist regime, King Juan Carlos I took power and propelled Spain into an era of freedom and democracy. Today, cities like the capital, Madrid, and Barcelona are cultural centers, buzzing with life day and night.And at over 2 thousand feet, Madrid is Europe’s highest capital. Located here, is the royal palace, the largest in Western Europe. It became the royal residence in 1561, was rebuilt after a fire in 1734 and today, is used only for ceremonial purposes. Spain’s rich history can be seen all over Madrid; from the Plaza de Cibeles to Don Quixote to the Museo del Prado where you’ll find works by Velasquez, Goya, and El Greco.Northeast of Madrid is Barcelona, the second largest city in Spain as well as the capital of the Autonomous Community of Catalonia. In the streets of Barcelona, not only will you hear Catalan as well as Spanish but you’ll also be surrounded by the work of artists like Miró, Picasso and Gaudí. Architect Antoni Gaudí’s buildings can be seen all throughout the city. His last project, Sagrada Familia, is a massive church that has been under construction since 1882. Some people expect it to be completed around 2041.One of the most delectable ways to get a sense of Spain is through “tapas,” traditional appetizers that keep you going until dinner, which rarely happens before 10 pm.Bullfighting is a fiber deeply woven into the Spanish cultural tapestry. With origins dating back thousands of years it is both ritualistic and ceremonial. While protested by some as a cruel pastime, brave souls who wish to experience bullfighting firsthand should venture to a Plaza de Toros, or Bullring, the most famous of which are in Madrid and Seville, where only the best matadors are allowed to flaunt their artistry. That’s right. For fans, bullfighting is not a sport but an art.Another deeply Spanish cultural performance is Flamenco. Flamenco is a form of song, guitar playing and dance that embodies the complex soul of Andalucia, a region in southern Spain. If you listen closely, you can hear Arab, oriental and gypsy influences blending together to produce this world renown sound. And if you’re really lucky, you might catch a dash of flamenco not on a stage but in its rawest, most authentic form as a spontaneous outburst late at night in a backstreet bar. Most experts believe Flamenco originated between the 9th and 14th century when gypsies arrived from north India, via Egypt, and Eastern Europe and fused their music with cultural arrivals from North Africa.In addition to influencing Spanish music, the North African Moorish presence in Spain has shaped Andalucian architecture. In Granada, Alhambra, derived from the Arabic for "red” is a palace and fortress complex built for Moorish monarchs. The Mosque, in Cordoba, though now a Catholic Cathedral, once stood as the second largest mosque in the world.Wherever your travels may take you in Spain, most likely at every turn, you’ll encounter that Spanish spirit, a passionate force, with a flair for drama. Destination: New Zealand, Overview Destination: Cambodia- Temples of Angkor Destination: Hawai'i Destination: New Zealand, Adventure Destination: Laos, Luang Prabang Destination: Egypt, Pyramids Destination: Costa Rica Destination: Japan Destination: South Africa Destination: Eastern Africa

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Home » Your Visit » Stations » Williton Postcode for Sat Nav: TA4 4RQ Station Facilities Williton Station consists of many buildings from the time the line was first opened and the buildings have been carefully preserved. The main building still retains the original Italiante chimney, and inside it is like walking in to a time warp. Even the Ladies toilet, we believe is the most photographed toilet in West Somerset! The original Bristol and Exeter signal box is believed to be the only one surviving and in operational order. originally the two tracks through the station were broad-gauge - hence wider than usual 'six' foot between the rails. The present steel footbridge, rescued from Trowbridge, Wiltshire at the end of the 1980's, was restored and erected in 2011, on the site of the original timber bridge , which was removed sometime in the 1920's. Williton Station has a booking office which sells the full range of West Somerset Railway Tickets which can be found by visiting the Fares Pages.The Station has toilets but no disabled toilet facilities, and serves a range of hot and cold refreshments. What to see and do nearby For those who would like to explore Williton itself, leave the station behind the Signal box and walk up Station Road past the industrial estate to the junction with Long Street and you shortly reach the first of the town's pubs, 'The Railway Inn'. Thereafter Long Street is a mix of building styles and materials and combines modern houses with older cottages and various business premises such as B&B's and Hotels. Early on you will have passed Gilbert Scott Court, the recently restored and converted Victorian Hospital, which is now an attractive housing development. Finally, at the head of this road you will find the Williton Social Club and a new florist, both of which are opposite the head offices of The West Somerset Free Press. A little further on is a newly opened Charity shop for the Taunton based St Margaret's Hospice, and a Fish & Chip and Pizza shop (Evenings only!). A right turn past these brings you to the 'Masons Arms', a delightful bar and restaurant, and which also has comfortable accommodation units. The town centre itself includes a newsagent, post office, two banks, Spar and Co-operative food stores together with three ladies hairdressers and a barbers shop. The Farmhouse Butchers, combines a deli and on certain days fresh fish. A recently opened bistro cafe and carpet shop, have brought new life to the town. A look in the local Estate Agents is worthwhile, a good place to start should you be considering a move to this delightful part of West Somerset. Along the Taunton Road is the 'Wyndham Arms', which serves good food most days, whilst a turn back onto the Minehead Road brings you past Gliddons hardware and country clothes store to the edge of town and Police Station. Across the road is the new Croft house care home and from here is signposted the Bakelite Museum. This museum houses an amazing collection of items from the precursor of the plastics revolution and together with its tea rooms rewards the half an hour walk from the station. Williton also boasts a modern library, up to date Health centre, a Cottage Hospital and Fire Station. The Head Offices of West Somerset Council and a filling station are central in the village. The Coleridge Way can be accessed from Williton Station. The Coleridge Way is a 36 mile route through the stunning Somerset countryside of the Quantock Hills, the Brendon Hills and Exmoor, a landscape that inspired Coleridge to produce some of his best known work. Wibble Farm Nurseries is 1 mile from Williton Station. History of Williton Station Williton Station stands right on the edge of the small town which it has served since 1862 and if you decide to explore beyond the station be prepared to do some walking. However the station area itself has some points of interest. Firstly the gap between the two lines of track is wider than might be expected. This is a consequence of the tracks that passed here being Brunel�s Broad Gauge of 7 feet and a quarter inch rather than the current standard gauge of 4 feet 8 and a half inches. The Signalbox which controls the movements at this station dates from the opening of the Railway in 1862 and is the last remaining box from the Bristol and Exeter Railway (who ran the branch on behalf of the original West Somerset Railway company before the Great Western took over). The goods shed is now the home of the Diesel and Electric Preservation Group (D&EPG), a dedicated band of enthusiasts whose passion and work is dedicated to the upkeep and maintenance of the generation of Diesel locomotives built in the 1960s and withdrawn from use by British Rail between the 1970s and 1990s. The D&EPG has an established visitor centre tracing the history of the Diesel Locomotive and this is open at weekends. The rest of Williton yard is a working area and access is not normally permitted to this or the large shed at the Minehead end of the site. This shed was once part of the GWR works at Swindon and was donated to the West Somerset Railway by Tarmac Plc. The Shed is the restoration base of the West Somerset Railway Association and the West Somerset Steam Railway Trust. Also present there are 5542 Ltd who are rebuilding a Great Western Auto Coach No: 168. Back To Stations Browse other stations

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Chinatowns of the world Culture/ Poll World Join Us About Sitemap Chinatowns Singapore Burma Vietnam Europe UK Americas Shwedagon Paya One of the most prominent symbol of Burma and landmark of Yangon is the Shwedagon Pagoda. It is also known as the Shwedagon Paya, Golden Pagoda and its official name is Shwedagon Zedi Daw. The Shwedagon Paya is 98m tall bell shaped stupa gilded in gold leaf and houses the sacred relics of 4 previous Buddhas making it one of the most sacred sites in Burma. It is believed to be 2500 years old although archeological evidence suggests that it was constructed between the 6th and 10th century. However, there is certainly a possibility of an earlier structure and related to local folklore of its existence before the time of the Buddha. In 1824 during the first Anglo Burmese war, the British used the Shwedagon Paya as a fortress and inflicted much damaged during their two years occupation. During the Second Anglo Burmese War in 1852, the British captured Shwedagon Paya again and this time, the western side of Shwedagon Paya was used by the British military till 1930. As a Burmese Buddhist institution, Shwedagon Paya reflects Burmese Buddhist art and Burmese cultural beliefs. It has been built and rebuilt many times and the current style dates to the 1786 reconstruction. Mythical beings from Burmese culture decorate many of the entrances and building structures. Around the main structure are shrines of 9 planets where people can pray to the one that corresponds with their day of birth. Many Burmese contributed gold to gild the main stupa and also money, time and effort to expand and to maintain the place. Shwedagon Paya is also a showcase of world Buddhist culture. There are many stupas and shrines around the main stupa. These are maintained by Buddhist of different traditions and cultures and reflect the architectural styles of these traditions. At the southwest corner are 2 temples managed by Chinese Buddhists. One of them is related to the Chinese Merit Association and has a Jade Buddha inside. There other one has a Buddha in a typical Chinese monastery style complete with a pair of lions guarding the entrance and a pagoda for burning of offerings. Shwedagon Paya is a major tourist attraction and is a must see in Yangon. However, the less obvious aspect of Shwedagon Paya is its showcase of diverse Buddhist culture. It is another example of how Buddhism expanded across cultural domains with a set of objective and not rules and how different Buddhist traditions developed in response to their local culture while embracing the common central teachings of Buddhism. Related articles: Burma main page Buddhism main page Chinese style monastery Chinese Merit Association If you like this article, why not join the Chinatownology mailing list. See join us for details or join us on Facebook. For an overview of Chinatownology, see sitemap. Live Traffic Stats Copyright © 2007-15 Chinatownology, All Rights Reserved.

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Home About the Encyclopedia / Get Involved / Resources / Helpful Tips / Site Map / Contact Us Browse Multimedia Home / Browse / River Designations River Designations aka: Wild and Scenic Rivers aka: Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System Designation of rivers as a method of protection grew out of the environmental movement of the late 1960s and early 1970s. In discussions of designation, the terms “river” and “stream” are used interchangeably. At the national level, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 was landmark in recognizing that certain rivers have value and should be preserved in their free-flowing condition. This legislation served as a model for state initiatives. The federal and state models for designation concentrated on activities in the principal channel of the river, such as damming and dredging. At the time, these activities were the biggest threats to rivers. Issues such as gravel mining, minimum stream flow requirements, and property rights activism had not yet developed. The state legislature created the Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers Commission in 1979. The enabling legislation reads in part: “Certain rivers in the State of Arkansas possess outstanding natural, scenic, educational, geological, recreational, historical, fish and wildlife, scientific, and cultural values of great present and future benefit to the people. A balance [shall] be established between the alterations by man and the protection of natural beauty along these rivers.” The legislation also created the Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System, which allowed the legislature to designate rivers for protection from dredging and damming. In 1997, the legislature dissolved the commission and moved the responsibilities of the Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System to the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, part of the Department of Arkansas Heritage. With the responsibilities for the state scenic rivers system, the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission is a resource and contact point for state and federal river designation information. Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System designation requires action of the General Assembly based on review and recommendations of local governments and citizens from the area through which the river flows. Rivers are classified as natural, scenic, or pastoral. The criteria involve the stream’s length, adjacent forest cover, biological characteristics, water quality, present use, and accessibility. A river or river segment listed in the system is protected from any permanent dam or structure that would impound waters or any channelization or realignment of the principal channel of the stream. Rivers listed in the Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System include: · Cossatot—Twenty-six miles, from the north end of Gillham Reservoir upstream to headwaters near Baker Mountain in Polk and Howard Counties of western Arkansas. · Strawberry—Forty-three miles, from the line dividing Sharp and Izard counties upstream to headwaters near Byron in the north central part of the state. · Saline—157 miles, from confluence with the Ouachita River in southern Arkansas, near Union County and the Louisiana border, upstream to the Grant/Saline County line in central Arkansas. · Little Missouri—Twenty-nine miles, from the upper end of Lake Greeson upstream to headwaters south of Big Fork in Polk, Montgomery, and Pike Counties in western Arkansas. Designation in the Arkansas Natural and Scenic Rivers System is not related to the Extraordinary Resource Water designation; this is a separate water quality designation administered by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality and related to the Clean Water Act. Federal Wild and Scenic River DesignationCongress created the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System in 1968 to preserve rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, or recreational features in free-flowing conditions. Rivers may be designated by Congress (usually after a study by a federal agency) or the secretary of the interior. Each river is administered by a federal or a state agency. The river designation might not include the entire river but may include tributaries. For federally administered rivers, the designated boundaries usually average about one-quarter mile on each side of the river to protect related natural, cultural, and recreational values. Each designated river is administered with the goal of nondegradation and enhancement of the values that caused it to be designated. Other uses, including recreation, a variety of agricultural practices, and residential development, may continue. In most cases, not all land within the boundaries is or will be publicly owned. In fact, where there is a federal administering agency, there are limits on how much land the agency is allowed to acquire. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is prohibited from licensing projects on or directly affecting designated rivers. Other federal agencies cannot assist by loan, grant, license, or otherwise in the construction of any water resources project (such as dams, water diversion, channelization, and riprapping) that would have a direct and adverse effect on river values. In 1992, eight streams in Arkansas were designated as components of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. Six are in the Ozark/St. Francis National Forest, which serves as the federal administering agency. Two are in the Ouachita National Forest, the federal administering agency. Part of the Cossatot River is managed by the state through the Cossatot River State Park/Natural Area. The Nationwide Rivers Inventory (NRI) is a list of more than 3,400 free-flowing river segments in the United States that are believed to possess one or more “outstandingly remarkable” natural or cultural values judged to be of more than local or regional significance. Under a 1979 presidential directive and related Council on Environmental Quality procedures, all federal agencies must seek to avoid or mitigate actions that would adversely affect one or more Nationwide Rivers Inventory segments. The inventory is a source of information for statewide river assessments and federal agencies involved with stream-related projects. Arkansas currently has forty-two streams or stream segments listed in the NRI. National Wild and Scenic Rivers Administering Agency Miles by Classification Big Piney Creek Forest Services Cossatot Hurricane Creek Little Missouri North Sylamore Creek Richland Creek For additional information:American Rivers. http://www.americanrivers.org (accessed November 16, 2005). National Wild and Scenic Rivers System. http://www.nps.gov/rivers/index.html (accessed November 16, 2005) Arkansas Natural Heritage CommissionLittle Rock, Arkansas About this Entry: Contact the Encyclopedia / Submit a Comment / Submit a Narrative Selected Comments Selected Narratives Sylamore Creek Big Piney Creek Waterfall Environment • Geography and Geology ©2015 The Central Arkansas Library System - All rights reserved - Web Services by Aristotle Web Design. About the Encyclopedia Browse Media

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A Fine Dining B&B ph: 207-236-425941 Elm St. Camden ME 04843 Hartstone Rooms & Suites Hideaway Rooms & Suites In-Room Extras Evening Dining Breakfast Dining Foodie Adventures Getaway Packages Chef for the Day Scheduled Cooking Classes European Culinary Tours Site Nav Wonderful Wizard of Oz Exhibit Opening at the Farnsworth Museum From farnsworthmuseum.org: “On Saturday, October 14, 2013, the Farnsworth Art Museum, in downtown Rockland, Maine, will open an exhibition entitled The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, drawn from the largest collection of Oz material in the world. The exhibition will run through Spring 2014 in the museum’s Crosman Gallery. Lyman Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, quickly became one of the country’s best-selling children’s books. It was eventually translated into several foreign languages and gained worldwide popularity. Its greatest success, however, was the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film starring Judy Garland as Dorothy, in which she made the song Somewhere Over the Rainbow a national hit. In 2014, on the 75th anniversary of the film, Warner Brothers will rerelease The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. To celebrate the anniversary, the Farnsworth will present an exhibition that will help bring to life one of America’s most beloved movies and all its characters. The show will include one of Dorothy’s dresses, the only surviving complete munchkin costume, examples of the many illustrated versions of Baum’s books, movie posters, and a remarkable array of Oz memorabilia, all from the Willard Carroll and Tom Wilhite Collection. The Farnsworth Art Museum celebrates Maine’s ongoing role in American art. It offers a nationally recognized collection of works from many of America’s greatest artists, with 20,000 square feet of gallery space and over 13,000 works in the collection. The Farnsworth has one of the largest public collections of works by sculptor Louise Nevelson, while its Wyeth Center features works of N.C., Andrew and Jamie Wyeth. The National Register-listed Farnsworth Homestead, the Olson House, a National Historic Landmark, and Julia’s Gallery for Young Artists complete the museum complex. Please visit www.farnsworthmuseum.org for more information on current exhibitions, programs and events.” Sign up for Email Specials: Be the first to know about new products, sales and exclusive offers. Send Postcard Dining at Our Camden Restaurant Evening Dining Weekly Menu Cooking School in Camden Maine Activity & Adventure Maine Vacation Packages Camden Spa Things to Do in Camden Calendar of Events in Camden 41 Elm Street, Camden, ME 04843 Email: info@hartstoneinn.com ©2015 Hartstone Innsite by Rare Brick

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Life & Style People Food & Drink Homes & Property Health & Family Travel Motors Fashion All Life & Style Food & Drink Wimples and swimsuits and suncream on sisters In 1939, when St Michael’s holiday house for the Presentation Sisters was opened in Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry, visiting nuns had to obey the bishop’s ‘Ten Commandments’. These days things are a little more relaxed – and the house a lot emptier Thu, Jul 25, 2013, 01:00 Rosita Boland There is a large yellow building that overlooks Ballinskelligs strand in Co Kerry, at an enviable location on the far end of the beach. It sits back from the strand at a height, the lawn ending in a drop that’s protected from erosion by a concrete wall at its base. Anyone familiar with Ballinskelligs will know this building, distinctive by the cross that rises from its flat roof.St Michael’s in Ballinskelligs is the purpose-built holiday residence of the Presentation Sisters’ order, dating from 1939. In an era when numbers in the religious community were far higher than today, most orders had designated holiday houses on the coast, with Clare, Waterford and Kerry being most favoured. At the opposite end of the beach from St Michael’s, there is a holiday house owned by the Sisters of Mercy.St Michael’s is where my great aunt, Bridget Kennelly, known as Sr Kevin by her community and Auntie Bride by her family, came on holiday each summer. She was born in 1900, and entered the convent in 1923. I have only one clear memory of her. It is of attending her 50th Jubilee celebrations as a Presentation Sister in Castleisland, Co Kerry when I was a child. Being alive for 50 years seemed incredible enough to me then, let alone being a nun for five decades. She was 94 when she died, having spent a total of 71 years as a nun. Although the religious community in Ireland has contracted greatly since 1939, the Presentation Sisters continue the tradition of holidaying here each summer. They arrive at the beginning of July, with the first week spent in retreat, and depart on 15th August. During that period, sisters from different parts of the country come to stay for varying lengths of time. One sister, the Superior, remains in residence for the entire six weeks to oversee the day-to-day running of the house. For several years now, it has been Sr Eileen Leen, who entered religious life in 1956. “I don’t know how you’d describe me. Am I in charge? I suppose I am,” she says briskly.The large site was bought in 1938 for £50; the following year, when the house first opened, the dormitory accommodated 64. It was full all summer, and those who filled it were only the Kerry-based nuns. In 1988, the house was refurbished and the dormitory converted into 20 single bedrooms. Bathrooms remain communal.On the cerulean blue July day that I visit, there are four nuns on holiday, and six more are expected the next day. “There’ll be a few young ones among them,” Sr Eileen says. When pressed on what ‘young’ means, she answers, “late 60s”.The other three nuns currently on holiday are Sr Borgia Shanahan, Sr Regina O’Connell, and Sr Anne Roche. Between the four of them, they have spent a cumulative 245 years in the convent.We are having lunch in the refectory, a large, sunny room with gorgeous views out over Ballinskelligs beach and bay. It once held eight long wooden tables, each seating eight. Now a few small round tables suffice. The rest of the space is occupied by bookshelves, and antimacassared armchairs that face a fireplace and a television.Over cauliflower cheese, mashed carrots, new potatoes and beef, followed by stewed rhubarb and ice-cream, the nuns reminisce about former holidays. They were allowed three weeks at Ballinskelligs during the summer. They all remember the pre-Vatican II habits they wore, even on the hottest days. “Six yards of serge and a wimple,” Sr Eileen recalls grimly.‘Nearly fainting’“We walked for miles in them in the fields and up mountains. You’d nearly be fainting at the end of it,” says Sr Regina. Today, only Sr Borgia (93) is wearing a habit, and it’s a modern one.The nuns had to obey rules set down by the Kerry Bishop of the day, Bishop Michael O’Brien. These were pinned up inside the house, and nicknamed by the community as “the Ten Commandments”. The nuns were forbidden to speak to people on the beach; wear ‘modern swimsuits’ (above elbow and knee); go to the local shop without permission; go swimming more than once a day; go alone on the rocks; go for long walks in the afternoon, unless as part of a group, following a leader. They also had to speak Irish as much as possible and observe set periods of silence.It sounds, frankly, not like a holiday at all, and impossible to imagine any group of adults obeying rules like these today. Yet their annual three weeks by the sea were cherished each year, as they still are.Sr Eileen has been thoughtful enough to search through their archive in advance of my visit and find photographs of my great aunt. She also shows me documents from their archive by a nun, now dead, who wrote down memories of her holidays.In 1989, Sr Gonzaga O’Keefe wrote about the summer the house first opened, half a century previously. Then as now, the beach was bisected by a small river, known as the “Black Pipe”. After a celebratory Mass on the day the house opened, Bishop O’Brien took the nuns for a walk on the beach. “We gathered round him like clucking hens,” Sr Gonzaga wrote.The bishop “pointed to the ‘Black Pipe’ on the strand and said, ‘Thus far and no farther’. We were also told that boating was not for us, and walks on the road were out. We may laugh at this now, but we accepted it without protest then, so glad were we to have the holiday and a measure of freedom.”That first summer, the building and plumbing work had not been completed when the nuns moved in. A donkey cartload of “much chipped and somewhat rusty chamber pots” arrived, to be placed at “strategic points” in the dormitories. “There was no electricity the first few years,” Sr Regina says. “We used candles. Lights out were at 10 o’clock.” When they were not practising their Irish, knitting on the lawn, having their one allocated swim a day, or out walking the mountains in six yards of black serge, they gathered on the rocks at the end of the beach for sing-songs. “We used to have great fun. We’d sing things like The Hills of Donegal. Or we’d do little sketches.”Inside I’m dancingSr Eileen shows me the sanctuary room, where the nuns heard Mass every morning. It’s as big as the refectory, and behind folding wooden doors, is the tabernacle. “We would close the doors here in the night, out of respect,” she explains, “and then sometimes sisters who had relatives nearby, would come in and play the accordion or sing, and we’d dance.” She recalls two nuns who were actual sisters, and whose father came every summer to play the accordion for their community.“We danced ballroom, quickstep, foxtrot, waltzes. Before we entered, we’d have been going to the dances on our bicycles, so we knew them all. We’d usually have a little party after dancing on the nights we were dancing: lemonade and biscuits. Red lemonade. Nash’s red lemonade was the best thing for a cold; You’d boil it up and put a few cloves in it.”There’s no dancing at St Michael’s any more, but the sisters still enjoy themselves. As they are on holiday, they don’t cook: someone is employed to do it. “We light the fire on misty nights and play Scrabble,” says Sr Eileen. They watch television: their favourite programmes are Nationwide – “It always gives your heart a lift,” as Sr Regina says – and anything to do with nature. They read. They walk where they like. Sr Borgia naps each afternoon. They are content and self-contained, and fewer in number each year.When I have said my goodbyes, I go for a swim at the beach below, and think about the life my great aunt led. After a while, someone comes down the private steps from the nuns’ garden. It is Sr Eileen, in a modern swimsuit, pausing on her way to the warm water to chat to people she evidently knows. If it had been 1939, she would have been breaking two of the “Ten Commandments” in under a minute. Anne Roche Bishop O Brien Bridget Kennelly Eileen Leen Eileen Sr Kerry Bishop Kevin Sr Michael O Brien Regina O Connell Regina Sr Sr Borgia Sr Borgia Shanahan Sr Gonzaga Castleisland Runway photos of Niall McInerney in the book ‘Fashion’s Front Line’ Obstacles such as tumbleweed stump self-driving cars Pixar president Jim Morris on the 20 year journey since Toy Story Most Read in Life & Style IRA prisoner on life sentence who escaped from Wakefield prison Séamus Murphy: August 8th, 1935 - November 2nd, 2015 Versatile actor who became famous for Alf Garnett role Warren Mitchell: January 14th, 1926 - November 14th, 2015 Rheumatologist who grew up in Dublin’s Jewish community Douglas Golding: December 15th, 1931 - September 25th, 2015 Something For The Weekend Sign up to receive our email sent every Friday featuring offers, competitions and a preview of what’s coming up in the weekend edition.

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Search for Kilbourne Called Off for Second Night in Cowley County For the second consecutive night, authorities have called off their search in Cowley County for a man who might be the suspect who shot a Butler County sheriff's deputy earlier this week. Based on trackers' findings, the sheriff's office will decide in the morning whether to resume the search. Sgt. Doug Allison said there were signs the suspect entered a creek near U.S. 77 about 10 miles north of Winfield, but no other signs were evident. He said it's possible the suspect hitched a ride from someone on the highway or hopped a freight train on tracks just west of 77. However, the suspect may still be in the area and residents who see a man walking alone are urged to call 911. Sgt. Allison says, "The trackers have told me they see indications he knows what he's doing as far as crossing roadways and that kind of thing. He's studied up on how to conceal his movement." The "trackers" are officers specially trained in searching. The "Cowley Trackers" have been used numerous times since they formed in 2002 to help solve crimes and find missing persons there. The search is ongoing for the man accused of shooting a Butler County sheriff's deputy earlier this week, and now a reward is being offered in connection to the case. Several agencies have been searching for 41-year-old Jan Tracy Kilbourne after he allegedly shot the deputy during a traffic stop near U.S. 54 between Santa Fe Lake Road and Indianola Road early Monday morning. Officers spent several hours searching for him, but he was never located. © AP/KAKE

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Advanced Search Close See more news releases in Airlines & Aviation Trade Show News Routes Europe Officially Handed Over to Aberdeen 10th Routes Europe heads to Scotland marking the first time the event has been held in the UK MARSEILLE, France, April 8, 2014 /CNW/ - A successful Routes Europe event came to a close today in Marseille, which has seen a record number of delegates descend on the city to discuss the future of Europe's air traffic, making this year's event the largest regional route development event ever. The event was officially handed over to Aberdeen City and Shire, the host of the 2015 event, earlier today during a superb networking lunch which saw Lord Provost of Aberdeen George Adam, Aberdeenshire Provost Jill Webster and Aberdeen International Airport managing director Carol Benzie accept the event which will take place at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) from 12-14 April 2015. The Lord Provost said: "There is a palpable excitement building about Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire hosting Routes Europe next year. Aberdeen International Airport is growing at a fantastic rate, with two new air services taking off in the last week alone. Aberdeen is playing in a league of much bigger cities than previously, competing with the likes of Marseille and Berlin. When we won the bid to host Routes Europe 2015, we said it was a huge vote of confidence in the economy of Aberdeen and its future. The support and excitement the news has attracted within the city region, Scotland and the UK is a clear demonstration of that confidence." "Routes Europe provides a fantastic opportunity to market Aberdeen to every airline and airport in Europe, and hosting the event will undoubtedly bring great benefits to the city and wider region. Team Scotland and the local collective working in Marseille this week will learn a great deal about how Routes Europe is run and the work which goes into it, which will help to ensure that the Aberdeen event is a huge success." Aberdeenshire Provost Jill Webster said: "This important event provides a platform for industry leaders to discuss market opportunities and consider Scotland as a key destination for flights from around the world. I'm delighted it's coming to Aberdeen next year on its first outing to the UK and this is an excellent opportunity to showcase the North-east of Scotland to the rest of the world. "By hosting Routes Europe we can raise the profile of Aberdeen International Airport amongst airlines and support ongoing route development efforts. This is a chance to promote our area to people at the heart of decision making on aviation matters, and they will be given a taste of Scotland in Aberdeenshire. I will be delighted to welcome delegates to a gala night I'm hosting at Castle Fraser, and they will also be offered a chance to sample the world-class golfing we have on our doorstep." An ambitious £15 million redevelopment is already underway at Aberdeen International Airport (AIA), designed to transform the customer experience. The project comes hot on the heels of a 24% increase in passenger numbers since 2011, the addition of a number of new routes including Corfu and Riga, and saw the airport enjoy its busiest ever year last year. Passenger numbers are forecast to grow further in the coming decade and this significant investment will ensure the team can continue to deliver excellence in customer service. With 65% of its passengers using the airport for business trip purposes, AIA is the best connected regional airport in the UK for daily hub connections and the best connected UK-UK airport in the country. Aberdeen International Airport MD Carol Benzie said: "I was delighted to be on stage as the handover took place, and all eyes are now firmly on Aberdeen as we prepare for 2015. The arrival of the event in the North-east of Scotland next year will mean a lot for the airport and the wider region that we serve. We hope that by bringing the aviation industry to our doorstep they will see the benefits of doing business with us, and we look forward to giving them a good Scottish welcome." Visit Aberdeen chief executive Steve Harris added: "Aberdeen has so much to offer in terms of history, culture, attractions and economic growth. It is a city on the move, a city of opportunity. We are delighted to be able to welcome travel industry partners to share it with us." "Routes Europe is the largest of our regional events and we have experienced significant growth this year with 115 airlines, 380 airports and over 1200 delegates in total," commented Katie Bland, Director Routes for UBM Live continuing: "When the event moves to Aberdeen next year, delegates will experience the economically vibrant region of the North-East of Scotland and the multitude of business and leisure opportunities on offer. Aberdeen International Airport is already well connected across Europe and will allow easy access for delegates. We are looking forward to working with the Aberdeen team and to the 10th Routes Europe in 2015." Aberdeen is the gateway to Scotland's castle and whisky country. Scotland's Castle trail runs through the heart of Aberdeenshire and the region is home to 13 of the world's most unique castles. Aberdeen is also known as 'the Granite City' named for its sparkling buildings, built from locally quarried grey granite, and elegant architecture. The city's old town, Old Aberdeen, dates back to the 1400s and is home to the oldest granite cathedral in the world, St Machar's Cathedral. The City, which is home to around 250,000 inhabitants, is within 15 minutes of the stunning countryside which surrounds Aberdeen and is also the capital of the Grampian Highlands with the majestic Grampian Mountains dominating the skyline to the west and miles of unspoiled coastline to the east. Notes to Editors About Routes Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and CIS respectively. http://www.routesonline.com Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK‐based ASM Ltd., a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports. http://www.asm-global.com. Routes and ASM are part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc. UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premiere brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors. http://www.ubmlive.com Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes, @NLPROU, @airlineroute About UBM plc UBM plc is a global events-led marketing services and communications company. We help businesses do business, bringing the world's buyers and sellers together at events and online, as well as producing and distributing news and specialist content. Our 5,500 staff in more than 30 countries are organised into expert teams which serve commercial and professional communities, helping them to do business and their markets to work effectively and efficiently. For more information, go to http://www.ubm.com; follow us on Twitter at @UBM_plc to get the latest UBM corporate news; follow @UBM for news from all UBM's businesses; follow @UBM for a flavour of UBM from selected members of UBM's Twitterati. SOURCE: UBM Live Routes Ltd For further information: Victoria Jones, PR Executive, Routes, T: +44-(0)161-234-2730, E: pr@routesonline.com UBM Live Routes Ltd

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Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs Opens in Dallas, Texas, Gourmet Hot Dog Features 30+ Free Toppings Hot New Concept is the First Franchise Location to Open in the Country. Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas Father and Son Co-Owners Tom Corcoran (left) and Joe Corcoran (right) with founder Jerry O'Connell The flavor is exceptional and I was hooked - the bonus is that both my dad and I are foodies and knew we needed to bring these gourmet specialty dogs to Dallas. Dallas, TX (PRWEB) Gourmet hamburgers move over, there’s a new dog in town. Father and son co-owners Tom and Joe Corcoran today announced the opening of Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas at 6340 Gaston Avenue in the burgeoning Lakewood area of Dallas. The first franchise location for the expanding Southern California-based restaurant concept, Jerry’s Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas offers specialty dogs and original recipe sausages that are cooked over a wood-fired grill and feature Jerry’s signature “Favorite Fixings Bar” with more than 30 free fresh toppings. In addition, the new Dallas location offers the first-ever “Taco Dog” that is topped with jalapeño ranch, iceberg lettuce, pico de gallo and cheddar cheese on a flour tortilla. “The first time I experienced Jerry’s Wood-Fired Dogs was when I lived in Southern California a few years ago. The flavor is exceptional and I was hooked. The bonus is that both my dad and I are foodies and knew we needed to bring these gourmet specialty dogs to Dallas,” said Joe Corcoran, co-owner and principal of Cordawg, LLC. Jerry’s Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas is located near the Gaston/Abrams intersection in the heart of Lakewood and has an 89-person occupancy capacity with indoor and outdoor dining, a community board and is “family friendly.” The custom-designed grill used for cooking the specialty dogs, sausages and hamburgers over mesquite wood and the Favorite Fixings Bar are prominently featured in an open kitchen design. Richard Dawson, who has more than 12 years of restaurant experience, will serve as the day-to-day manager. “When I was approached by Tom and Joe Corcoran to open the first franchise in the country, I knew they would offer the same great quality, passion, service and atmosphere that sets us apart from other restaurants,” said Jerry O’Connell, founder of Jerry’s Wood-Fired Dogs. “As our first franchise location in the Southwest region, I am confident that they will ensure every experience is as delicious and exciting as our original location that opened in Santa Ana, Calif., in 2003.” Facebook fans of Jerry’s Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas have a chance to win One Free Jerry’s Signature Combo a Week for a Year. Dallas dog lovers also can join Jerry’s E-Club and receive a free Signature dog plus exclusive offers and updates. Hours of operation are Monday-Thursday, 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday, 11am-10pm and Sunday, 11am-8pm. For menu, directions and more details about Jerry’s Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas, visit http://www.jerrysdogs.com/dallas. Footnote to Editors: Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs is the recipient of numerous awards and national acclaim. Monica Hildebrand Monica Hildebrand Communications 972-742-2555 Joe Corcoran Jerry's Wood-Fired DogsJerry's Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas "Taco Dog"Jerry's Wood-Fired Dogs Dallas E-Club

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Signature City Philadelphia: National Treasures of History and Heritage Select a Date OverviewProgram Details > Start and End> Required Documents> By Plane> By Train> By Car> Other Elevation NoteSea level Type: Boutique Hotel Description: Club Quarters is a private hotel available to members only. It is housed in an architecturally significant building constructed in the 1920's in the then-popular Georgian Revival style, for Provident National Bank.Contact info: 1628 Chestnut StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103 USAphone: 215-282-5100web: www.clubquarters.comRoom amenities: Speaker phone, voice mail, cable television, data port with high speed internet access, hair dryer, tea/coffee maker, iron, refrigerator and room service.Facility amenities: Instant check-in/fast check-out, 24-hour member services desk, fitness facility, and delivery of exercise equipment to room available at extra charge, restaurant, bar, meeting rooms, washer and dryer available.Smoking policy: NoSmoking policies vary by facility. During all group events and activities, smoking is prohibited.Elevator: YesAdditional nights before: $116 + 15.5% taxReservations required in advance.Check in time: 3:00 PM Day One: Sunday, September 08 - Registration 3:30 PM/Dinner Afternoon: 3:30 registration immediately followed by orientation then dinner.Dinner: Davios Restaurant located of the lobby of the hotel. It is a popular private restaurant. The restaurant can accommodate all diet requests.Evening: Check with sponsor to see if an evening activity is planned, sometimes due to scheduling opportunities this may occur the first night.Lodging: Club QuartersMeals Included: Dinner Day Two: Monday, September 09 - Uniquely Philadelphia lecture/Independence Hall &... Breakfast: Breakfast at Davio's Restaurant, off the hotel lobby.Morning: At 9:30, there will be a lecture on "Uniquely Philadelphia"Lunch: Lunch is at a local Philadelphia restaurantAfternoon: After lunch we will visit the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. we will use SEPTA public transportation. Tokens are provided but if you have a Medicare card bring it as you ride free on all of Philadelphia's busesDinner: Dinner will be at the Marathon Grill. at 6:15 PMLodging: Club QuartersMeals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day Three: Tuesday, September 10 - 19th C. Landmarks- City Hall & Masonic Temple/Rea... 19th C. Landmarks- City Hall & Masonic Temple/Reading Terminal Market/Pennsylvania Academy of The Fine Arts/Victor's CafeNote: short walks to sites and sitting at Thee Masonic Temple and standing/walking at the art museumBreakfast: At Davios restaurantMorning: After breakfast, there will be a field walking excursion to City Hall from Club Quarters covering 4 blocks highlighting 200 years of Philadelphia Architecture and development.Morning: After our walk we take a docent led tour of The Masonic Temple. A hidden treasured landmark showcasing highly decorated meeting rooms in various decorative styles from Greek to Egyptian to Medieval.Lunch: A short walking distance from the Masonic Temple is the Reading Terminal Market- a food shoppers paradise replete with speciality items from all over the world as well as produce and food specialities from the Amish who have been bringing their goods since the opening of the market in the 1890's. Enjoy walking around the market before making your lunch selection- Philadelphia Cheesesteaks and Hoagies (local treasures) are everyone's favorites here as well as Bassetts ice cream first scooped at our centennial of 1876.Afternoon: Charles Wilson Peale (America's first 18 C. painter) is the founder of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts- the first art school in the United States. It is also a museum that houses only American art by American painters from the 17th to 21st centuries. An art historian will show you the Peale, Gilbert Stuart, Eakins and Wyeths as wll as the Mary Cassat (Philadelphia native) and others.Dinner: 6:30 PM Dinner will be at Victor's Café in South Philadelphia. It is a music lover's Rendezvous showcasing live opera arias- even Lucianno Pavarotti and Rocky Balboa sang there. It is a true Philadelphia institution.Lodging: Club QuartersMeals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day Four: Wednesday, September 11 - Old City (Christ Church, Betsy Ross House) Free ... Old City (Christ Church, Betsy Ross House) Free Afternoon/Lunch & Dinner excludedBreakfast: Breakfast will be at Davio's Restaurant, off the hotel lobby.Morning: After breakfast we will visit Christ Church and take a walking tour of Old City.Lunch: Lunch is on your ownAfternoon: After lunch in the colonial city we will leave you to enjoy the rest of the afternoon to do things on your own. Your Group Leader will assist you with suggestions.Dinner: Dinner on own to meet with friends or to explore other restaurants on your ownEvening: Free evening. There is no activity scheduled.Lodging: Club QuartersMeals Included: Breakfast Day Five: Thursday, September 12 - Physick & Powel House in Society Hill/ Mummers St... Note: Short walks and standing in historic houses- chairs availableBreakfast: At Davio's Restaurant off the hotel lobby.Morning: After breakfast, there will be a history lecture; then we will visit the National Constitution Center and see a performance at the Freedom Theater.Lunch: Lunch will be at the Bourse.Afternoon: A visit to the Society Hill neighborhood will include a site visit to two historic houses with an educator. The Physick House dating to 1789 is the home of Doctor Phillip Syng Physick, known as "The Father of American Surgery". On view will be instruments that he invented to remove gall stones which are still in use today. The Powel House was the home to Samuel Powel first mayor of Philadelphia prior to the American Revolution and after it. It was constructed in 1748 and hosted the 25th wedding anniversary of George and Martha Washington and the marriage of Benjamin Franklin's daughter Sarah to Richard Bache.Dinner: At Davio's off the hotel lobby.Evening: Only in September every Thursday evening will you have the opportunity to enjoy some local color in South Philadelphia as the Mummers String Band performs outside or inside at The Mummers Museum, weather permittingLodging: Club QuartersMeals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner Day Six: Friday, September 13 - Morning lecture/Program ends at 1:00 after Lunch Breakfast: At Davio's off the hotel lobby.Morning: After breakfast there will be a history lecture "Sages & Scholars" talking about Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Rush, David Rittenhouse and other notables of the 18th C.Lunch: After the lecture, there will be a farewell lunch at Davio's. The program ends after lunch. Check-out is at noon, and bags can be checked with the front desk.Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch Academy Of Natural Science of Drexel UniversityFounded in 1812, the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University is America's oldest natural history museum and one of the world leaders in biodiversity and environmental research. The Academy carries out its mission to encourage and cultivate the sciences, exploring the diversity of the natural world and sharing these discoveries through innovative exhibits, publications, and educational programming. Open 10 am–4:30 pm, Monday–Friday and 10 am–5 pm, Weekends and Holidays For additional information, visit: www.ansp.org/ American Swedish Historical MuseumThe oldest Swedish Museum in the United States. Founded in 1926, the Museum has been dedicated to preserving and promoting Swedish and Swedish-American cultural heritage and traditions for more than 80 years. Open Tuesday – Friday, 10 to 4 and Saturday- Sunday, 12 to 4For additional information, visit: www.americanswedish.org Atwater Kent MuseumThe Atwater Kent Philadelphia History Museum is the only cultural institution solely dedicated to Philadelphia history, from the founding of the city in 1680 to the present today. Come here to see how Philadelphians have come to be known for their passion, the ability to join together during adversity, and their capacity to rebound and innovate. Open Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.For additional information, visit: www.philadelphiahistory.org Barnes FoundationCelebrated for its exceptional breadth, depth, and quality, the Barnes Foundation's art collection includes works by some of the greatest European and American masters of impressionism, post-impressionist, and early modern art, as well as African sculpture, Pennsylvania German decorative arts, Native American textiles, metalwork, and more.For additional information, visit: www.barnesfoundation.org Battleship New Jersey Memorial & MuseumThe second ship to be called "New Jersey" the BB62 is the most decorated battleship to ever serve in the US Navy. Explore one of the largest and longest serving naval ship and learn its history, from WWII all the way to action in the Middle East.For additional information, visit: www.battleshipnewjersey.org Betsy Ross HouseLocated at 239 Arch Street, The Betsy Ross House was home to not just Betsy, but to dozens of artisans and shopkeepers over the years before it was opened to the public as a museum in 1937. Explore the over 250 year-old house of one of the most famous seamstresses of the US. Open January and February 10am-5pm, Tuesday through Sunday; March through November 10am-5pm, everyday; December 10am-5pm, Tuesday through SundayFor additional information, visit: historicphiladelphia.org/betsy-ross-house Center for Architecture (AIA Philadelphia Bookstore & Design Center)The Center for Architecture performs the charitable and educational work of AIA Philadelphia and serves as the physical home for the Chapter in Center City Philadelphia.For additional information, visit: www.philadelphiacfa.org Christ ChurchWelcome! Christ Church, founded in 1695, is a wonderful place to explore Colonial and Revolution-Era history. Its burial ground, which includes the tomb of Benjamin Franklin, is an authentic historic site for learning about the lives of early Americans. Visiting Hours are Monday-Saturday - 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday - 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM Visits are freeFor additional information, visit: www.christchurchphila.org Dental Museum at Temple UniversityFounded in 1938 by the dental school's faculty historian, Dr. Harold Faggart, D.D.S., the collection features some of the finest museum quality dental antiquities in the country, ranging in date from the late eighteenth century to the present day. Highlights of the collection are currently on permanent display in the Dr. and Mrs. Edwin Weaver III Historical Dental Museum, on the third floor of the dental school. The museum exhibition celebrates the long, distinguished history from which the Kornberg School of Dentistry evolved, featuring a rich array of unique dental artifacts that also present the history of dentistry in America.For additional information, visit: temple.pastperfect-online.com Eastern State PenitentiaryEastern State Penitentiary was once the most famous and expensive prison in the world, but stands today in ruin, a haunting world of crumbling cellblocks and empty guard towers. Known for its grand architecture and strict discipline, this was the world’s first true “penitentiary,” a prison designed to inspire penitence, or true regret, in the hearts of convicts. Its vaulted, sky-lit cells once held many of America’s most notorious criminals, including bank robber “Slick Willie” Sutton and Al Capone For additional information, visit: www.easternstate.org/ Edgar Allen Poe HouseDescribed as horrifying, mystifying, and full of genius, Poe’s writing has engaged readers all over the globe. The six years Poe lived in Philadelphia were his happiest and most productive. Yet Poe also struggled with bad luck, personal demons and his wife’s tuberculosis. In Poe’s humble home, reflect on the human spirit surmounting crushing obstacles, and celebrate Poe’s astonishing creativity.For additional information, visit: www.nps.gov/edal/index.htm Elfreth's AlleyThe thirty-two buildings along Elfreth's Alley were built between the 1720s and 1830s, and today they reveal the fascinating stories of everyday life, the spaces that America's founders knew. You can learn the house-by-house story of the Alley's early residents through our guidebook, available online and in our Museum Shop. The Museum is located in 124 and 126 Elfreth's Alley.For additional information, visit: www.elfrethsalley.org Franklin CourtIn this one area, you visit the United States Postal Service Museum, The Franklin Print Shop, and the Franklin Museum. Also, you can look deep underground into Franklin's privy, under the beautiful 54-foot high steel skeleton "Ghost Structure" designed by Robert Venturi.For additional information, visit: www.ushistory.org/tour/franklin-court.htm Historical Society of PennsylvaniaFounded in 1824 in Philadelphia, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania inspires people to create a better future through historical understanding. One of the oldest historical societies in the United States, it is home to some 600,000 printed items and more than 21 million manuscript and graphic items. Its unparalleled collections encompass more than 350 years of America’s history—from its 17th-century origins to the contributions of its most recent immigrants. The society’s remarkable holdings together with its educational programming make it one of the nation’s most important special collections libraries: a center of historical documentation and study, education, and engagement.For additional information, visit: hsp.org Independance Visitor's CenterFree time is Wednesday afternoon and evening. Meals are still included at the hotel on that day.For additional information, visit: www.gophilly.org Independence HallNOTE: Must first obtain free, timed tickets at Independence Visitor Center. "We hold these Truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal..." Independence Hall echoes these words. Nearby the old cracked Bell proclaims liberty. The spirit of Franklin is alive in his adopted city. Become part of America's journey in discovering its past. For additional information, visit: www.nps.gov/inde/ Independence Seaport MuseumFounded in 1960 as the Philadelphia Maritime Museum, Independence Seaport Museum is the region's primary repository of art, artifacts and archival materials documenting the diverse maritime history of the Greater Delaware Valley, and the history of the Port of Philadelphia and the other major urban ports of the Delaware River. Located on Penn's Landing at 211 S. Columbus Blvd & Walnut Street, a short walk from the historic district and many shops and restaurants.For additional information, visit: www.phillyseaport.org Kimmel Center for the Performing ArtsKimmel Center Inc.’s mission is to operate a world-class performing arts center that engages and serves a broad audience from throughout the Greater Philadelphia region. It began to take shape in 1996 when two projects came together: The Philadelphia Orchestra's ongoing plan to build a new home for itself, and a plan of then-Mayor Edward G. Rendell to provide a much-needed venue for some of Philadelphia's most prominent performing arts companies and for touring presentations. With the generous consent of the Orchestra, which had acquired a property at Broad and Spruce Streets, the two plans were merged under the supervision and management of a new organization, the Regional Performing Arts Center (RPAC). Today Kimmel Center, Inc. incorporates public amenities and operates three major venues: •The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, which is home to Verizon Hall (2,500-seat concert hall), Perelman Theater (650-seat recital theater), and Innovation Studio – a 2,688 sq. foot black box theater, •A renovated and upgraded Academy of Music (2,900 seats), which is owned by the Philadelphia Orchestra, •And the Merriam Theater (1,841 seats), which is owned by the University of the Arts and still houses student activities and projects approximately 10 weeks out of the year. For additional information, visit: kimmelcenter.org/ Liberty 360 & Lights of LibertyInside the 360-degree PECO Theater, Benjamin Franklin guides you on this inspiring journey that explores the stories behind American symbols like the Liberty Bell, the bald eagle, and the Statue of Liberty . How and why did these symbols come to signify freedom in our country? Come and watch the Liberty 360 3D Show to find out. The new Lights of Liberty Show will combine the majestic architectural treasures of Independence National Historical Park with cutting-edge technology for a breathtaking nighttime walk through our nation’s past.For additional information, visit: historicphiladelphia.org/lights-of-liberty Liberty Bell CenterNOTE: No tickets are required to visit the Liberty Bell. The Liberty Bell Center is located on Market Street between 5th and 6th Streets. The building is open year round, though hours vary by season. The Liberty Bell Center offers a video presentation and exhibits about the Liberty Bell, focusing on its origins and its modern day role as an international icon of freedom. Taped presentations about the history of the Liberty Bell are offered in a dozen languages for the convenience of foreign visitors. The Liberty Bell itself is displayed in a magnificent glass chamber with Independence Hall in the background.For additional information, visit: www.nps.gov/inde/liberty-bell-center Masonic TempleThe Masonic Temple, built in 1873, is a historic Masonic building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Located at One North Broad Street, directly across from Philadelphia City Hall, it serves as the headquarters of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, Free and Accepted Masons. The temple receives thousands of visitors every year who visit the ornate structure including its seven ornate lodge rooms, where today a number of Philadelphia lodges and the Grand Lodge conduct their meetings. The massive granite cornerstone, weighing ten tons, was leveled on St. John the Baptist's Day, June 24, 1868. The ceremonial gavel used on that day by Grand Master Richard Vaux was the same gavel used by President George Washington in leveling the cornerstone of the nation's Capitol building in 1793.For additional information, visit: www.pagrandlodge.org Mummers MuseumThe Mummers Museum opened in 1976, and is dedicated to the Philadelphia celebration of the new year. The museum houses a rich collection of mummers' paraphernalia and memorabilia, including spectacular costumes, a few of which date back to the turn of the 20th Century. It includes an on-site gift shop offering unique mummers products, an online store accessible from this website, and a luxurious banquet hall which is available for rental.The museum conducts interesting programs for both children and adults, and offers complimentary outdoor string band concerts during periods of mild weather.For additional information, visit: www.mummersmuseum.com Mütter MuseumAmerica's finest museum of medical history, the Mütter displays its beautifully preserved collections of anatomical specimens, models, and medical instruments in a 19th century "cabinet museum" setting. The goal of the Museum is to help the public understand the mysteries and beauty of the human body while appreciating the history of diagnosis and treatment of disease.For additional information, visit: www.collegeofphysicians.org/mutter-museum National Constitution CenterThe National Constitution Center is the first and only nonprofit, nonpartisan institution devoted to the most powerful vision of freedom ever expressed: the U.S. Constitution. Located on Independence Mall in Historic Philadelphia, the birthplace of American freedom, the Center illuminates constitutional ideals and inspires active citizenship through a state-of-the-art museum experience, including hundreds of interactive exhibits, films and rare artifacts; must-see feature exhibitions; the internationally acclaimed, 360-degree theatrical production Freedom Rising; and the iconic Signers' Hall, where visitors can sign the Constitution alongside 42 life-size, bronze statues of the Founding Fathers.For additional information, visit: constitutioncenter.org National Liberty MuseumThe National Liberty Museum is dedicated to preserving freedom and democracy by fostering good character and understanding for all people through education. We invite you to explore our exhibits of glass art and heroes from around the world that show the strength and fragility of democracy and recognize the role each person plays in safeguarding our freedom.For additional information, visit: www.libertymuseum.org National Museum of American Jewish HistoryThe National Museum of American Jewish History, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore and celebrate the history of Jews in America. Its purpose is to connect Jews more closely to their heritage and to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American Jewish experience and the freedoms to which Americans aspire.For additional information, visit: www.nmajh.org New Jersey State AquariumThe fifth largest aquarium in the country, Adventure Aquarium is the only aquarium in the world with hippos and the only aquarium in the U.S. to exhibit Great Hammerhead Sharks. See the largest collection of sharks on the East Coast, including the 550,000-gallon Shark Realm exhibit, and a 40-foot suspended Shark Tunnel.For additional information, visit: www.adventureaquarium.com Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine ArtsThe Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is a national leader in fine arts education that brings together artists and the public through exceptional teaching programs, a world-class collection of American art, major exhibitions, and widely accessible public programs. The museum is internationally known for its collections of 19th- and 20th-century American paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. Its archives house important materials for the study of American art history, museums, and art training. For additional information, visit: www.pafa.org Philadelphia Museum of ArtThe Philadelphia Museum of Art - in partnership with the city, the region, and art museums around the globe - seeks to preserve, enhance, interpret, and extend the reach of its great collections in particular, and the visual arts in general, to an increasingly diverse audience as a source of delight, illumination, and lifelong learning.For additional information, visit: www.philamuseum.org Like many other Philadelphia landmarks and institutions, the Philadelphia Zoo is an American first. The Philadelphia Zoo’s 42-acre Victorian garden is home to more than 1,300 animals, many of them rare and endangered. The Zoo, fulfilling its mission of conservation, science, education and recreation, supports and engages in conservation efforts to protect endangered species around the world. Cheetahs, hippos, giraffes and much more make the Zoo Philadelphia's leading family attraction with over 1.2 million visitors last year.For additional information, visit: www.philadelphiazoo.org/ Please Touch MuseumSince 1976, Please Touch Museum has been the Children’s Museum of Philadelphia. Our museum was the first in the nation whose target audience was families with children seven and younger. We have grown into one of the best children’s museums in the nation, have become experts in play and have had our programs for under served families in the region nationally recognized. Our mission to enrich the lives of children by creating learning opportunities through play, enables us to lay the foundation for a lifetime of learning and cultural awareness.For additional information, visit: www.pleasetouchmuseum.org Polish American Cultural CenterThe Polish American Cultural Center and Museum Exhibit Hall are a focal point for many Polish American affairs in the greater Philadelphia area. Annually, more than one million tourists visit Philadelphia's historic district. The Cultural Center's Exhibit Hall, located in the heart of this district, and open to the general public 300 days a year, admission free, allows thousands of tourists to experience Polish history, culture and pride. In addition to welcoming tourists from around the world, the Center hosts meetings, lectures and other events to promote public awareness and appreciation of Polish heritage.For additional information, visit: www.polishamericancenter.org Rodin MuseumSince 1929, the Philadelphia Museum of Art has administered the Rodin Museum and its collection. Over the years, several large sculptures originally installed outdoors were taken inside to protect them from the elements, and the original plantings became overgrown. The building, its galleries, and its grounds have been renovated to restore the Museum to its original vision, and new conservation treatments have made it possible to return sculptures to their intended places in the garden. The Museum has reopened with an inaugural installation dedicated to The Gates of Hell, the defining project of Rodin's career and one that consumed him for almost four decades.For additional information, visit: www.rodinmuseum.org Rosenbach Museum and LibraryThe Rosenbach seeks to inspire curiosity, inquiry, and creativity by engaging broad audiences in exhibitions, programs, and research based on its remarkable and expanding collections. Our programs are designed to eliminate barriers between the visitor and the collection, and to encourage people to bring their experience, knowledge, and opinions –or just an open mind—to connect with the collection in a very personal way. The Rosenbach is a place of active engagement that reinforces the relevance of historical collections to contemporary issues.For additional information, visit: www.rosenbach.org Second Bank of the United StatesThe Portrait Gallery in the Second Bank of the United States, located on 420 Chestnut Street, between 4th and 5th Streets, "People of Independence" exhibit in the Second Bank includes 185 paintings of Colonial and Federal leaders, military officers, explorers and scientists, including many by Charles Willson Peale. Designed by William Strickland, this building, built between 1819 and 1824, is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival architecture in the United States. The Second Bank was incorporated in 1816 and was one of the most influential financial institutions in the world until 1832, when it became the center of bitter controversy between bank president Nicholas Biddle and President Andrew Jackson. The bank ceased to exist in 1836 after Jackson vetoed the bill to renew its charter. The building continued for a short time to house a banking institution under a Pennsylvania charter. From 1845 to 1935 the building served as the Philadelphia Customs House.For additional information, visit: www.nps.gov/inde/second-bank The Franklin InstituteIn the spirit of inquiry and discovery embodied by Benjamin Franklin, the mission of The Franklin Institute is to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology. Since its founding in 1824, the institute has done that by having exhibits that allow new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would both amaze and delight Mister Benjamin Franklin. The Franklin Institute's universal appeal is reflected in the diversity of its audience—from world famous working scientists to involved citizens of any age; from elementary school through university level students; from inner city to suburban families. All are drawn here by a common interest in science and technology.For additional information, visit: www2.fi.edu University Museum of Archaeology & AnthropologyFounded in 1887, the Penn Museum has conducted more than 400 archaeological and anthropological expeditions around the world. Three gallery floors feature materials from Egypt, Mesopotamia, Canaan and Israel, Mesoamerica, Asia and the ancient Mediterranean World, as well as artifacts from native peoples of the Americas and Africa. With an active exhibition schedule, a membership program, and educational programming for children and adults, Penn Museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind's collective heritageFor additional information, visit: www.penn.museum Wagner Free Institute of ScienceThe Wagner Institute’s nineteenth century exhibit hall – a soaring three-story space – houses an extraordinary collection of natural history specimens including mounted birds and mammals, fossils, rocks and minerals, insects, shells, dinosaur bones, and the first American saber-toothed tiger, discovered on a museum-sponsored expedition to Florida in 1886. Gathered largely by founder William Wagner and Institute curators and faculty during the nineteenth century, the collections are displayed in cherry-wood and glass cabinets dating from the 1880s and maintain their original “systematic” scheme, providing a rare view of a Victorian science museum.For additional information, visit: wagnerfreeinstitute.org $998 Mar 14 — Mar 19, 2016$1025 Nov 10 — Nov 15, 2016waitlist only

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County Navigator Where to next?... The Highlands & Skye The Grampians & NE Coast Perthshire, Angus, Dundee & Fife W Isles, Stirling & Trossachs Greater Glasgow - The North East Teeside - The North West - Yorkshire East Riding (Yorkshire) North & NE Lincolnshire - The East Midlands - The West Midlands West Midlands County - East Anglia - The South East - The South West Bristol & Gloucestershire Bath & Somerset Browse UK Map Cliff Railways Early Ages Notable Houses Seaside Piers Priories Roman & Saxon Ashby de la Zouch Castle, Leicestershire In the 15th century, Edward IV granted Ashby de la Zouch Castle to Lord Hastings who converted what was no more than a fortified manor house into a grand castle, adding a chapel, and the Hastings Tower. Now partly ruined, this tower remains indicative of the presence it held over the castle site, soaring to the great height of 80ft (24.2m). The main part of the tower is rectangular in plan and four storeys high, with a smaller rectangular structure, attached to the eastern wall, built to the same height but containing seven levels within. Surviving parts of the tower that stand to full height offer wonderful views across Leicestershire, as well as providing close-up inspection of the decorative semi-octagonal turrets on the remaining corners of the tower. Not being centrally located, as was more usual, Hastings Tower looks across the 'wilderness' - an area of land used as castle gardens in the 16th century - to the two smaller towers built in the south east and south west corners of this area. Each tower is quite different, one being octagonal in shape, and the other a quatrefoil. Some of the earliest buildings on the site, dating from the 12th century, can be seen in sections of wall that belonged to the Norman hall, buttery and pantry. The hall, the oldest existing structure, has undergone many changes since it was originally built but there is plenty of evidence from the early period. Similarly with the buttery and pantry, even though only the north and east walls are still standing. To the west of the hall is a much later kitchen, with 15th century windows and doorways remaining, and the passageway used to connect the North and South Courtyards either side of the original buildings. A solar, situated to the east of the hall, was extended at about the same time and still contains a 15th century fireplace. A very impressive ruin just asking to be explored. From the depths of its dark, underground passageways to the energetic climb to the top of Hastings Tower, Ashby de la Zouch is a fascinating castle. Even its proximity to a modern housing estate really does not detract from the pleasant and peaceful atmosphere within the walls. Also in the area... Belvoir Castle read more about this location Visit the Official Website:www.english-heritage.org.uk Find this location with Google Maps:Ashby de la Zouch Castle, Leicestershire Two people, whose hobby has evolved into something of a passion for recording the diverse heritage of Britain. A large selection of useful links to aid you on your trail through our great British heritage. Photo Credits | What's New | Home © Copyright 1998-2015 The Heritage Trail | Site design by Webeze

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Production Directory music + Entertainment Tennessee Originals History + Heritage LOCATIONS FILMED IN TENNESSEE. Those three words mean a lot to us. We think “Filmed in Tennessee” should be a badge of honor, a rite of passage, and a stamp of quality. We have the creative talent and unrivaled locations, with a team that’s ready to work. Search Location Database » Submit a Location » Ask a Tennessean where she’s from, and you’ll never get a one-word answer. Tennessee’s division of West, Middle and East are representative of the three distinct aspects of Tennessee life and culture. West Tennessee thrives on the banks of the Mississippi River. It’s home to a legendary delta culture that includes the Beale Street blues scene, world-famous Memphis barbeque and the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll. Middle Tennessee is our heartland. It’s where you’ll find Nashville – our beautiful capital city – not to mention vast expanses of rolling green hills and forests so dense and lush, they’ve stood in for the jungles of Asia. In East Tennessee you’ll enjoy the breathtaking vistas and unspoiled forests of the Smoky Mountains, hear the most authentic bluegrass in the world, and experience our fabled Appalachian heritage. Tennessee has been inspiring storytellers for centuries, and it offers a bounty of locations to make any production a success story. The Arcade Restaurant is one of Memphis’ oldest eateries and boasts vintage ’50s-style architecture. It’s located on South Main Street, where you can hear the clanging bells of the city’s vintage trolley rail system. Movie buffs have been seeing this classic diner on the big screen for decades, in films such as Mystery Train, Great Balls of Fire, The Client, The Firm, 21 Grams, Elizabethtown, Walk the Line and My Blueberry Nights. In Downtown Chattanooga, Engel Stadium was built in 1930 and retains a classic grandstand structure. In 2012, millions of moviegoers saw Engel Stadium when it was used as a location for the Jackie Robinson biopic 42. Much of the film’s baseball action was shot at Engel Stadium, which also doubled for Brooklyn’s iconic Ebbets Field. The Community of Watertown, located just 45 minutes east of Downtown Nashville, is the living embodiment of small-town USA. With its vintage storefront signage, traditional Main Street and film-friendly residents, this town has hosted a number of features, music videos and national commercial spots. Tennessee Valley Railroad, located just 30 minutes east of Downtown Chattanooga, is privately owned and boasts three miles of controllable track, various topographies, an 18th century stone train tunnel, two early-century train depots and working vintage trains. TVRM has extensive experience working with film production professionals, and their railroad coordinator will collaborate seamlessly with your crew, serving not only as the “train hostler,” but also as an extra location manager and production supervisor. Besides these privately owned locations, Tennessee offers easy access to state-owned buildings and properties, which are available to filmmakers to use for free. State parks, government buildings and government-owned land are fee-free location possibilities. One of our most famous fee-free locations is the old Tennessee State Prison. It features unique 19th century architecture, and it’s located just 10 minutes west of Downtown Nashville. It’s been a go-to location for music videos, commercials and features since the early ’90s, including notable productions such as The Last Castle, The Green Mile and Walk the Line. Another popular fee-free location is the historical Tennessee State Capitol, erected in 1859 in a Greek Ionic temple style. Fall Creek Falls, located in one of our most famous state parks, boasts the highest waterfalls east of the Mississippi River, and is also available fee-free to filmmakers. When Disney needed an Asian jungle setting for The Jungle Book, they didn’t have to haul their cast and crew halfway around the world; they simply brought their production to Fall Creek Falls. Weather and Geography Tennessee is a temperate climate, with mild winters and warm summers. Temperatures ranges vary across the three regions due to their individualistic geological features, with late winter and early spring being the wettest seasons. Sunrise and SunsetDownload Sunrise and Sunset Table FoliageTennessee offers a vast array of deciduous and evergreen trees. In the spring, blooming dogwoods and rhododendron draw tourists by the thousands. By late April and early May, the trees and foliage are dense and green with summer leaves. Tennessee’s autumn foliage flows across the state and reaches a crescendo in East Tennessee. In the East, color change begins in early October and peaks around the third week of the month, and is usually gone by Thanksgiving. In Middle and West Tennessee, color change begins in mid-October and peaks by Halloween, ending in early December. AirportsTennessee is home to five commercial airports, two of which have international service. Nashville International offers 380 daily arriving and departing flights to 50 markets across the country. Memphis International – home to the FedEx global headquarters – is the busiest cargo airport in the United States. PermitsNo permits are required to film within the borders of Tennessee, unless you want to film on State property or Municipalities. If this is the case, just give us a call at 615.741.3456. Tennessee Entertainment Commission tn.film@tn.gov ©Copyright 2014 TNECD

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Via Magazine Essay: What Makes a National Park? Does Pinnacles National Monument deserve national park status? You may be surprised to know what Congress does—and doesn’t—consider when deciding. By Chris Woolston | January/February 2012 Over time, wind and water has eroded the volcanic landscape at Pinnacles to create stunning rock formations. IF YOU'RE GOING... Take advantage of the area’s local amenities and services: At latest count, the United States has 58 national parks—from Acadia to Zion. See them all and you would see some impressive sights: Half Dome at Yosemite, the coral reefs of Virgin Islands, the deep blue of Crater Lake. You would also see old sections of the Erie Canal about 10 miles outside Cleveland at Cuyahoga Valley and thermal soaking pools and bathhouses at Hot Springs, Ark. The national park system is so diverse that you have to wonder: What makes a national park, anyway? That’s the question that now faces Pinnacles National Monument, a 26,000-acre expanse of volcanic spires, chaparral forest, and California condors in Central California southeast of Hollister. In January 2011, senators Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) reintroduced a bill that would add Pinnacles to the pantheon of U.S. parks. The bill would also add 2,715 acres to the reserve. But does Pinnacles belong in such exalted company? Its rocks and birds aren’t exactly on par with the geysers and grizzlies of Yellowstone. Then again, neither are those bathhouses in Arkansas. The idea of a national park has been around since 1872, when the United States government set Yellowstone aside “as a public park or pleasuring ground for the benefit and enjoyment of the people.” Nearly 140 years later, these “pleasuring grounds” are as popular as ever. A record 3.6 million visitors came to Yellowstone in 2010, and national parks all together saw 54.1 million visitors—1.7 million more than the year before. Partly thanks to the PBS National Parks series by Ken Burns, Americans seem newly inspired by their shared treasures. It’s been seven years since a new national park—Colorado’s Great Sand Dunes—joined the group, so it’s no surprise that believers in the national park system are looking for new ground. Many outside of Congress believe Pinnacles is worthy of the honor. “It’s a unique place,” says Neal Desai, Pacific Region associate director for the National Parks Conservation Association. He likes to go on long hikes past the reddish crags, poke around in caves, take in the April and May wildflowers, and generally enjoy the solitude of a wild place just 130 miles from the Bay Area. He doesn't often see condors, but he’s more of a walker than a bird-watcher. (The park is home to at least 30 endangered California condors, carefully managed by biologists to help them avoid power lines and other human-introduced dangers.) If Pinnacles did become a national park, the changes on the ground would be subtle. Like Devils Tower, it is now a national monument. This means it’s already managed by the National Park Service, and it’s off-limits to hunters, flower pickers, and rock collectors. And visitors to a future Pinnacles National Park would still be able to climb rocks, explore caves, take their hikes—everything they’re allowed to do now. They’d just be doing so in a national park. Still, Desai believes that the new status would mean something. Turning Pinnacles into a national park would bring attention to an area that tourists and locals often overlook. “When people hear about a national monument, they think about a plaque by the side of the road,” he says. “If it’s a national park, more people will visit, and hopefully they’ll come away inspired.” Only Congress can designate a national park. The current roster of parks is so diverse that you may wonder what those senators and representatives were thinking (most likely not for the first time). There’s no simple checklist for deciding which places earn the title, but the National Park Service says any new park must: be “nationally significant.” To reach that standard a place must: be “an outstanding example of a particular type of resource.” offer “exceptional value of quality in illustrating or interpreting the natural or cultural themes of our nation’s heritage.” (That “nation’s heritage” clause surely helped Hot Springs and Cuyahoga get into the club.) provide “superlative opportunities for recreation for public use and enjoyment, or for scientific study.” retain “a high degree of integrity as a true, accurate, and relatively unspoiled example of the resource.” With all that in mind, it’s hard to quibble with any park already on the list. From the Great Smoky Mountains to Hawaii Volcanoes, “superlative opportunities” abound. Even when a piece of land hits all the right marks, national park status is far from certain. Moving Congress to action in today's divisive and sensitive political climate requires a lot of public support, and transferring a place from one government department to another by necessity involves bureaucracy. Several other proposed national parks—including Mount St. Helens in Washington, the Valles Caldera in New Mexico, and the north woods of Maine—may never get the invitation. But looking at Pinnacles, the words “national park” just feel right. Desai says he knows of no groups that oppose the change. So if you really are planning that trip from Acadia to Zion, you should probably get ready to add another stop. Photography by Mike Brake/Shutterstock This article was first published in January 2012. Some facts may have aged gracelessly. Please call ahead to verify information. Related Links: National Parks Conservation Association Pinnacles National Monument U.S. National Park Service Wilderness Society Search this site: Browse Archives » RELATED VIA ARTICLES Pinnacles National Monument Japanese Gardens in the West Central Valley Oak Groves Farm Stays: A Rural Getaway See a list of our advertisers | Advertise with Via | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Copyrights | Legal Contacts

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Express train For other uses, see Express train (disambiguation). "Express rail" redirects here. For the railway in Hong Kong, see Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link. For the railway in Malaysia, see Express Rail Link. For the transloading network in the Port of New York and New Jersey, see ExpressRail. The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. (August 2012) Express train Lastochka in Moscow, Russia. Express trains (also sometimes referred to as "fast trains", though this is a relative term, usually meaning "faster than some other trains on the line in question") are a form of rail service. Express trains make only a small number of stops, instead of stopping at every single station. In some cases, trains run express where there is overlapping local train service available, and run local at the tail ends of the line, where there is no supplemental local service. During overnight hours, or other times where it is practical, express trains may become local, but still running to where an express train would terminate. While widely implemented in long-distance rail service, it has also proven successful in the planning of some rapid transit systems. A large portion of the New York City Subway has a 4-track layout, outer two for local trains, and inner two for express trains (on line

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TravelIstanbul’s Magical Mystery Tourby Mark ThompsonEDGE Style & Travel EditorSaturday Dec 15, 2012This article is from the December 2012 issue of the EDGE Digital Magazine. Got an iPad? Our Digital Magazine is free! Download Now PRINT "What happened to your head?" someone asked me on the plane heading home from Turkey. I’d been waiting for the question - after all, it was a rather rude red mark atop my forehead - and now, at last, I could answer, "I hit it on a yacht while sailing on the Bosphorus."The Bosphorus. The name alone conjures up images of romance and mystery, scenes of intrigue and indolence and indulgence. Lined with Ottoman palaces and Italianate villas and imperial mosques, the Bosphorus is the strait that connects the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and, thereby, one of the busiest seaways in the world. Less the dividing line between Europe and Asia, the Bosphorus serves as the connection between two continents - and two sides of one great city. Years ago, as an adolescent, I read a paperback novel about characters who lived and loved in Istanbul, which they referred to as Byzantium and which served as a playground for their trysts and dalliances and which was rendered particularly magical and seductive to an adolescent yearning to see the world. As I cruised down the Bosphorus on a recent sunny autumn afternoon, I thought again of that novel - and also of JFK, Jr. and his new wife Carolyn Bessette who honeymooned in Istanbul in 1996. It was JFK, Jr.’s mother, Jackie, who had returned to Turkey in 1985 and recommended Istanbul for a honeymoon - and the two newlyweds had ensconced themselves in the Sultan’s Suite atop the Ciragan Palace Hotel along the European side of the Bosphorus. Madonna stayed there, too, in the same palatial suite, telling the staff that no one was to have a key to her rooms - except for her boyfriend. Originally built in the late 19th century as a sultan’s palace, the Ciragan Palace was reopened in 1992 after a checkered history that inclu

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You are here: Home » News » News Article Rowallan Castle summer tours A series of daily guided summer tours of Rowallan Old Castle will take place between 16 and 25 July. Set in rolling Ayrshire countryside this extraordinary Renaissance building was home to the Muirs, one of the area’s most influential families for more than 400 years. By the 17th century the family were renowned for their cultural interests as writers, historians and composers. Indeed the earliest surviving lute music in Scotland was written at Rowallan Old Castle. The building itself is equally fascinating, and visitors can see evidence of how it evolved from the 13th to the 18th centuries. Peter Yeoman, Historic Scotland Head of Cultural Resources, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer these daily tours of what it is one of Ayrshire’s hidden gems. “More than that Rowallan Old Castle, is an important part of Scotland’s national heritage, as a rare example of a well preserved house of the middle ranking nobility. “Parties will be shown round by an expert guide who will offer them a host of fascinating insights into the history of the castle and the remarkable people who lived there.” The castle features at least seven identifiable architectural styles. Excavations on the site have also revealed evidence of prehistoric settlement and burial. Historic Scotland has just reinstalled a display on the archaeological finds made during the excavation, with objects on loan from East Ayrshire Council. For further information please contact Tracy Smyth by phone on 07826 902191 or email tracy.smyth@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Historic Scotland will be providing daily public access to Rowallan Old Castle for a 10-day period from 16-25 July inclusive. Opening hours will be 10.00am-12.00noon and 2.00-4.00pm, last entry 3.30pm. Charges: adult £3.70, child £1.85, concessions £3.00, includes a free guided tour at 11.00am and 3.00pm daily. There is no parking at the castle or within the surrounding estate. Please park safely on the road between Fenwick and Kilmaurs, with consideration to other road users. Walk through the main timber gates to the estate and up the tarmac drive to the castle. Do bear in mind that this is a working estate, with development currently in progress, so be careful of traffic movement. Rowallan Old Castle is a Renaissance courtyard house of the 16th and 17th century, set in a majestic landscape. It incorporates a long history of building by the Muirs, charting changing styles of castellated and domestic architecture from the 13th to the 18th century. The Castle was inextricably linked with the Muir family throughout its long history. The finds will be at the castle until September and can be seen on the regular monthly tours as well as during the daily openings for more information visit our website at http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Historic Scotland’s mission is to safeguard Scotland’s historic environment and to promote its understanding and enjoyment. Rebecca Hamilton Marketing and Media Manager Marketing and Media 0131 668 8685 / 07788 923871 rebecca.hamilton@scotland.gsi.gov.uk

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3200 Darnell St Fort Worth, TX About Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth In 2002 the Modern celebrated the 110th anniversary of its founding charter, granted in 1892 to the Fort Worth Public Library and Art Gallery. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is the oldest art museum in Texas and one of the oldest museums in the western United States. The Modern maintains one of the foremost collections of postwar art in the central United States. The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth is dedicated to collecting, presenting and interpreting international developments in post-World War II art in all media. A new home for the Modern Art Museum, designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando, opened in Fort Worth's Cultural District on December 14, 2002. The Museum makes several of its spaces available for events such as dinners and receptions. See below for details. Show Phone Maximum Capacity: 250 Auditorium Auditorium | Maximum Capacity: 250 Links: Seating Capacity Capacity: 250 People Café Modern Maximum Capacity: 250 Restaurant/Lounge Restaurant/Lounge | Maximum Capacity: 250 Links: General Event Space The Modern Art Museum of Forth Worth makes its galleries available for event rentals. Please inquire for more information. Grand Lobby Maximum Capacity: 1200 General Event Space General Event Space | Maximum Capacity: 1200 A President's Circle or Patron Membership is required to host an event in the Grand Lobby. Please inquire for pricing details. Maximum Capacity: 150 Outdoor Venue Outdoor Venue | Maximum Capacity: 150 This outdoor space is an extension of the Café Modern. Amazing Place For Those Who Enjoy Art, An Eventective User from Fort Hood, Texas Being stationed in Forth hood with the army. A good escape with the family every once in a while is mandatory and great. The trip to Fort Worth's Modern Art Museum was a amazing experience. The modern look of the place and the structure was simply a dream. Even I would want to live there. They offer many services as well including catering by Cafe Modern. The dishes where simply one of the kind even the food looks beautiful on the plate. From what I can remember they have many displays including Chinese styles. Basically there is a little bit for everyone here when it comes down to it. I happened to get a chance to go there on a weekend with a bunch of army friends and we filled up the whole place about 150 of us. So the Museum can hold a lot of people. From what I can remember going through the paintings with my friends there was plenty of WWII paintings and sculptures. I was in love with a lot of the abstract art they have there. Rumor has it that many people have held weddings there as well. Which would be a beautiful place to hold weddings. The lobby was huge I remember it being called the "Grand Lobby" for a reason. If you are in the area it does not hurt to spend a few bucks and drop by the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth you really will not regret it! Especially those in the Army stationed at Forth Worth! Fort Worth MOMA a great wedding location, An Eventective User from Fort Worth, TX The Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art is not only a fantastic place to enjoy modern art, it's also the perfect venue to hold your dream wedding. A gorgeous reflecting pool provides the backdrop for your big day, and the museum's stunning modern architecture will provide memories for a lifetime. The museum can be reserved for private events and catered by the museum's own Cafe Modern. The Cafe was named by Gourmet Magazine as one of America's best restaurants. And because the catering at MOMA is exclusively provided by Cafe Modern, you can rest assured that the food and refreshments will be both tantalizing and elegant. Chef Dena Peterson, a Fort Worth native, takes pride in utilizing locally grown produce to create globally-inspired dishes with a hint of Southern flair. Some of the available catering options include an Avocado Bar, an Imported and Domestic Cheese Display, a Churrascara Station, and a Chilled Seafood Display. Full menus and catering options, including pricing, are accessible through the Cafe Modern website. The cafe seats up to 125 people, although special arrangements can be made for up to 250 people. Private access to the art galleries can also be arranged, including guided tours by one of the museum's docents. The Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art is dedicated to preserving post-WWII art in a variety of forms including painting, sculpture, video, and print. All major, international art movements are represented in the museum's collection of nearly 3,000 pieces. When planning your wedding, keep the Fort Worth Museum of Modern Art in mind , its combination of striking art, beautiful architecture, and delicious food can provide the wedding you've always dreamed of. Modern Art Museum of www.themodern.org

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Valley of Fire brings the drama. Valley of Fire State Park is one of the places Southern Nevadans are most proud of - it's as spectacular during the day as the Strip is at night. more...Whether you've been there or not, you've likely seen it dozens of times. Its vivid red formations have proven irresistible for photographers and movie directors alike; a scene-stealing backdrop for countless films and TV commercials. Valley of Fire's spectacular red rocks have even doubled for Mars in numerous sci-fi flicks.The movies first came to Valley of Fire in 1966, when Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin rolled in to shoot The Professionals. In the mid-'90s, it was here that Star Trek's Captain Kirk fell to his death, with Lake Mead clearly visible in the background.More recently, Michael Bay's Transformers filmed a scene where the autobots are driving along the valley with other military vehicles during sunset. And even the video game "Need for Speed: The Run," features a pivotal scene shot here.Valley of Fire State Park is the oldest state park in Nevada and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1968. It derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great, shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago. These bright, red features were often said to appear almost "on fire," especially at sunrise or sunset.As far as tours, Valley of Fire adventures run the gamut: You can hike, ride the bus or even see much of its beauty from your car. So whether you're driving or hiking, Valley of Fire knows how to bring the drama. Keyword

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Disney Dream Nears Completion at Meyer Werft Shipyard After 20 months of construction, the Disney Dream cruise ship floated out of the enclosed building dock at the Meyer Werft shipyard Oct. 30, completing a major construction milestone. The ship was greeted by thousands of visitors lining the shore to see the newest Disney Cruise Line ship, which features the first water coaster at sea and other cruise industry firsts. The “float out” is a special maritime event that celebrates the ship’s final stages of construction, where exteriors become complete and final touches are assigned to interiors. The celebration was punctuated with a fireworks display and the appearance of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. The Disney Dream is scheduled to sail its maiden voyage on January 26, 2011, from Port Canaveral, Fla. The Disney Dream is the first of two new ships being built by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. The Disney Fantasy is also currently in production and is scheduled to set sail on its maiden voyage on April 7, 2012. The Disney Dream will remain alongside Meyer Werft’s outfitting pier in the shipyard harbor for about two weeks, while testing is completed on the ship’s stabilizers, rudders and other functional features, and work on the ship’s interior areas continues. The ship is scheduled to leave the Meyer Werft shipyard and be conveyed down the River Ems, the second weekend in November, where its destination is the North Sea at the port of Eemshaven, The Netherlands. Tweet Wärtsilä Strengthens Its Position in China with New Propulsion Orders Two new marine geological research vessels under construction in China will feature a broad scope of Wärtsilä engines and propulsion equipment. Wärtsilä has maintained Damen’s Norway Foray The Damen Shipyard Group’s man in Norway likes picking up the phone these days. With offshore markets in the doldrums, a unique phenomenon is occurring: “Norwegians are talking to me, Cruise Ship Trends Norwegian Escape with Biggest Scrubbers sets Sail On a sunny October day in the German harbor-town of Hamburg, M/V Norwegian Escape, a brand new cruise ship, sets sail for the first time. On board are five Yara SOx scrubbers – one for each engine. First Cruise Ships Dock at Abu Dhabi’s New Stopover Abu Dhabi Ports─the master developer, operator and manager of ports and industrial zones in the Emirate―has started welcoming cruise liners at Sir Bani Yas Island, Five P&O Cruise Ships Meet in Sydney Sydney is the stage for the biggest get-together of a fleet of cruise ships ever seen in the harbor city. Five P&O cruise ships have created a V-formation

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View All Hotels in Capitol Hill Washington Court Hotel Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., United States Sleek, spacious rooms Five-minute walk to Union Station (Amtrak and Metro) Renovated in 2009 37-inch flat-screen TVs and Wi-Fi in the rooms Bright, airy lobby with free Wi-Fi Occasionally lackluster service Sleepy neighborhood; somewhat desolate at night Fee for in-room Wi-Fi Misleading website -- not "luxury," no great view of the Capitol Pricey valet parking The Court boasts a location near Union Station and the Capitol. But if you're visiting D.C. for fun, there's little reason to stay in this part of town, which is sleepy by day, desolate by night. If you're doing business on the Hill, we prefer similarly priced The Liaison. Capitol Suite This 266-room property, renovated in 2009, is fine if you need to be near Capitol Hill, but isn't even one of the best options in the neighborhood. The Washington Court is a perfectly fine hotel in many respects. But if you're not in town to do business on Capitol Hill or to specifically visit the sights on and around the Hill, there is no reason to stay in this part of town (see Location, below). And if you do want or need to be near the Hill, there are a couple of better options.Which is not to say that the Court doesn't have its draws ("charms" would be overstating it). What often separates business-oriented hotels from one another is the newness of the properties, particularly the rooms, and the Court renovated everything in 2009. The rooms are clean and spacious, the beds are comfortable, the bathrooms are roomy, and the technology includes 37-inch high-def flat-screens and in-room Wi-Fi (though my connection was frustratingly slow one night). The amenities are big-city hotel standards: gym, business center, and meeting space.But it also has some distinct weaknesses. The service I received was generally efficient but impersonal. And in one case I actually felt ill-treated: When I arrived to check in, the front desk clerk curtly told me my room wasn't ready, and that I should come back at 4 p.m. (Check-in officially starts at 3 p.m., but I've rarely had trouble checking in early, in D.C. or elsewhere.) I would have brushed it off as a one-time thing, except that I had read the exact same complaint from other guests on Trip Advisor; and the clerk didn't apologize for the inconvenience -- or even offer to have someone come and store my bags while I waited. The hotel's restaurant, Bistro 525, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily, but the fare is basic Euro-American and doesn't pull guests from outside of the hotel.I was also put off by the hotel's misleading website. The Court's homepage describes it as a luxury hotel, but it simply isn't in the same class as any of D.C.'s genuinely high-end properties in terms of amentities, style, or, well, luxuriousness. And those views of the Capitol Building the website mentions? Trust me, nothing to boast about. I saw the view from a suite on the 12th floor -- one of the best in the hotel -- and all you could see was the tip of the dome.None of that amounts to a capital (capitol?) offense, of course. But of the three other hotels in the neighborhood, two, and possibly all three, are better. The similarly priced Liaison Capitol Hill offers a destination restaurant, a seasonal pool deck, and far more style and uniqueness. There's the Hotel George, an excellent (albeit much pricier) luxury option. Finally, there's the Hyatt Regency, which is the opposite of the Court: It has inferior, outdated rooms, but is superior in every other way. In the Capitol Hill area, a good springboard for sightseeing but a quiet area in the evening and on the weekends The Washington Court is in Capitol Hill, an area filled mostly with drab 1970s-style office buildings. It's on the low-lying Judiciary Square section, which means it's surrounded by federal and county courthouses, law offices and the campus of the Georgetown Law School. Though this older part of the city has fallen on some hard times in the past, it is now reviving -- best evidenced by the hip restaurant and bar scenes at the Hotel George and the new Liaison Hotel. Yet, traces of its dicey past linger and there's scarce nightlife and entertainment in the neighborhood immediately surrounding the hotel. But its location does have its advantages -- namely, it's a quick walk to the National Mall, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the White House, and other Capitol Hill sites. Plus, you don't have to venture far to see the U.S. Capitol Building -- just step out of the hotel onto treelined New Jersey Avenue, and look left.Only a handful of bars and restaurants nearby: Quiznos, Subway, Billy Goat Tavern, and two Irish pubs, the Dubliner and Kelly's Irish Times (tagline: "Give me your thirsty, your famished, your befuddled masses")Five-minute walk to Union Station, D.C.'s main train station (serviced by Amtrak and the Metro)10-minute walk to the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, and the National Postal Museum15-minute walk to the White HouseFive miles from Reagan National AirportAbout 27 miles from Dulles International Airport Customers Who Viewed Washington Court Hotel Also Viewed The Liaison Capitol Hill, a Joie de Vivre Hotel Hyatt Regency Washington On Capitol Hill The Hotel George The Newseum: Educational for children -- of all ages Oct 1, 2010 by Jill Berry I'm not a weepy person. Yet my steeliness was thrown out the window as I watched the 9/11 film played… All aboard: Fun times at Union Station Jun 17, 2010 by Jill Berry A few weekends ago, I rediscovered the wonder that is Union Station in Washington, D.C. when I took my family… Three guided tours of Washington, D.C.: Walk, bike, or ride a Segway Mar 16, 2010 by Amy Querido A city rich with many museums and monuments like Washington DC will require a good deal of planning and time… Four family-friendly food options in Washington D.C. that are sure to pass the Congressional budget Feb 18, 2010 by Amy Querido There is no doubt that when you visits Washington, D.C., you will have various choices of great restaurants. But what… Things You Should Know About Washington Court Hotel 525 New Jersey Ave NW, Washington DC, District of Columbia 20001, United States Washington Court Dc Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill Executive King Suite Parlor Room The Carlyle Suites Hotel Washington Plaza Hotel The Dupont Circle Hotel Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C.

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Calaveras Big Trees State Park to celebrate new visitor center Turlock Journal Calaveras Big Trees State Park will hold the grand opening of its new Visitor Center on May 24 during Memorial Day weekend. The new Visitor Center features a variety of exhibits and artifacts that display some of the local history of California. “This is a very interactive and educational Center, and will definitely enhance our visitor’s experience to the park,” said Park Superintendent Gary Olson. “The event is especially significant, given that State Parks is commemorating our 150th anniversary this year, giving us a chance to connect the people of California to their parks, and also reflect on the wonderful history and legacy of our State’s parks.” The new Visitor Center now houses Native Californian cultural artifacts and animal displays amongst information spanning from the discovery of the North Grove to the impacts of fire. Wild bird sounds can be heard from the center of the museum while visitors locate animals around the display. A new film focusing on the origin of California State Parks and Calaveras Big Trees can be viewed in the movie theater. The grand opening of the Visitor Center will begin at 11 a.m. on May 24. Following the ribbon cutting ceremony, the center will be open for visitors and the park will host several special walking tours, children’s activities and a wild animal presentation in the campfire center. Beginning at 12:30 p.m. and leaving every 15 minutes, visitors will have the option of taking one of several different walking tours. California State Park staff, park docents and other groups will cover varying topics during the one hour tours. Visitors should go to the Warming Hut to meet for tours following the ribbon cutting ceremony. From 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. the park will host a family activity — “150 Years of Games” where park docents and staff will engage visitors with games, such as 1800’s era “Graces” and bubbles to today’s games like Twister and Ladderball. At 2 p.m. there will be a special showing of “California Forever” in Jack Knight Hall, a film that tells the story of the history and development of California State Parks. At 3 p.m., a special live animal presentation by “Wild Things” in the campfire center will be sure to thrill everyone while learning about these magnificent creatures. A barbeque lunch sponsored by the Calaveras Big Trees Association will be available for purchase throughout the afternoon. All events and activities are free with paid park admission. For more information, contact Calaveras Big Trees State Park at 795-2334 or visit www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=551.

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The great link? By Dave on July 13, 2009 Harrah’s had announced–in very unspecific terms–what it plans to do with its fantastic assortment of Strip acreage. From the LV Sun: They didn’t announce their intentions at the time. The economy was still humming, and with tourism booming and new resort construction expected by consumers and demanded by investors, the decision was something of a dirty secret. Their plan was nothing less than a rejection of the implosion-punctuated business model that has defined Las Vegas for decades. In place of a new casino resort, Harrah’s came up with an idea that was more Bourbon Street than Las Vegas Boulevard. Internally dubbed “Project Link,” the plan calls for a collection of about 20 restaurants and bars to be built along a winding corridor between the company’s O’Sheas and Flamingo casinos, on the east side of the Strip. With a mix of “eclectic” and “mostly casual” restaurants and bars opening to the street, it’s an attempt to create the kind of entertainment district that has developed organically in cities such as Los Angeles, Memphis and New Orleans yet is lacking on the Strip, with its enclosed, casino-centric zones. via Harrah’s plans new ‘street’ of bars, eateries near Strip – Las Vegas Sun. This may be a great idea. Or it may be an underwhelming under-utilization of an expensive, unbroken swath of Strip real estate that stretches from Harrah’s to Paris and just about the I-15 and Koval. Positives: Harrah’s built itself as a company that caters primarily to the middle market. This move caters to the middle market. Harrah’s isn’t going to be borrowing a great deal of money anytime soon. This project sacrifices minimal cash flow and should be less expensive than building something from scratch. Between Wynncore, Bellagio, and Aria, there is going to be a great deal of competition for the finite high-end market in the near future. This doesn’t threaten to intrude into that market. Negatives: Harrah’s has assembled a pretty big portfolio on the Strip, and it’s hard to see how Project Link takes advantage of this. As the first phase of something bigger, this could be a great idea. Indeed, the artist’s rendering shown in the Sun article has a great deal of undeveloped space fronting Koval. But if this is it, it doesn

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Storm: A Motorcycle Journey of Love, Endurance, and Transformation By Allen Noren Travel : Maps & Road Atlases Begun as a grand adventure, Storm tells the story of a trip that quickly became a tumultuous test of endurance. When the Baltic States of the former Soviet Union opened up, Allen and his girlfriend Suzanne were drawn to the prospect of traveling together once again. Setting out on a motorcycle, the two seasoned travelers rode through Germany, Denmark, and Sweden to the Arctic Circle, then on to Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. Though they'd been together for seven years, and thought they knew what to expect from an extended road trip, they couldn't foresee the unrelenting natural elements, shifts in once-shared dreams, or fissures in their relationship that lay ahead. Often darkly humorous, Storm reveals a couple's love and the fragility of human connections as it recounts the journey that became a test of both riders' physical and emotional endurance. Storm ePub (Adobe DRM) can be read on any device that can open ePub (Adobe DRM) files. File Size: Travelers' Tales, July 2010 Travelers' Tales, August 2010 Between Terror and Tourism: An Overland Journey Across North Africa Michael Mewshaw In Search of Kazakhstan: The Land that Disappeared A View of Epping Forest Nicholas Hagger Lasso the Wind Last Days of the Bus Club

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Go Directly To The Content Home > 40 or More Free Travels: Take in the Arts E-Mail to a Friend x The Rex Theater, Galax. If you appreciate the arts, you'll find something easy on the eye in Virginia. Ears, too, for that matter! Torpedo Factory Art Center - Alexandria. Art in progress. That's what you'll find at this world-renowned art center just outside Washington D.C. Housed in a former torpedo factory, the art center is home to 82 studios and six galleries. The Fralin Museum of Art at the University of Virginia – Charlottesville. Art from around the world dating from ancient times to the present day is on display at the University’s fine art museum. The galleries exhibit American and European painting and sculpture of the 15th - 19th centuries including art from the "Age of Thomas Jefferson" (1775- 1825), art from the ancient Mediterranean, Asian art, and 20th century art. Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection and Study Center - Charlottesville. The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection is the largest collection of Indigenous Australian art outside Australia, and comprises over 1800 objects and paintings created by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from different regions of Australia. P. Buckley Moss Museum - Waynesboro. A house closely resembling many large homes in the Shenandoah Valley, the Moss Museum exhibits the works of Pat Buckley Moss. Since the early 1960's, Moss has found her inspiration and much of her subject matter in the Valley scenery and in the Amish and Mennonite people of the area. Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History – Danville. Housed in the Sutherlin Mansion on Danville’s “Millionaires Row” the museum now houses art exhibits and historical displays. After fleeing Richmond at the end of the Civil War, Confederate president Jefferson Davis occupied the house until learning of Lee’s surrender. Accordingly, Danville is called the "Last Capital of the Confederacy." Rex Theater – Galax. The sounds of classic Virginia bluegrass, gospel and old time music echo through the streets of Galax on Friday nights when top performers take the stage at the 400-seat Rex Theater. Admission is free, but get there early for a good seat. Mt. Pony Theater – Culpeper. Home to more than one million film, television and video recordings – some dating to the 1890s – the National Audio/Visual Conservation Center’s 200-seat theater shows classic films in a state-of-the-art setting. The theater hosts three shows per week. Free, but reservations are strongly recommended. The Prizery – South Boston. Housed in a 36,000-square-foot historic tobacco warehouse building, The Prizery includes permanent and temporary exhibits of art and history. Galleries showcase the work of local and international talent. South Boston’s Welcome Center is also on site, providing information on local sites and attractions. Wait! There are more free things to do in Virginia! Last Updated: 9/25/2014 11:07 AM

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EN English Menu Search About Iceland A country of literature Discover>Themes>Cultural Iceland Iceland was the last country in Europe to be settled. To this day, it is one of the most sparsely populated counties in the world. Located in the middle of the North Atlantic, Iceland was settled by emigrants from Scandinavia and the British Isles in the tenth century. Due to Iceland's geographical location, it was mostly outside the influence of contemporary culture in Europe and America, until the late nineteenth century. Isolation and Tradition Icelandic culture has been shaped by isolation and the extreme forces of nature. These conditions have created a resilient people, where family ties are close, the sense of tradition is strong, and the bond with nature is tight. While strongly rooted in customs and traditions, today's Icelandic society is both modern and progressive. A small country by most measures, Iceland has a high standard of living, extensive political freedom, and has taken an active role in sustainable development and commitment to the environment. Through the centuries, Iceland has developed a unique tradition for storytelling and literature, beginning with the esteemed Icelandic Sagas of the tenth and eleventh century. In this fertile environment, Iceland has produced a number of talented writers including Nobel Prize laureate, Halldór Laxness (1955). It is no accident that Iceland's capital, Reykjavík, was the first non-English speaking city in the world to be named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2011. Museums around the country celebrate Iceland's rich cultural heritage and tradition. Museums in Iceland Mysterious Iceland Iceland is home to the largest glaciers in Europe, as well as some of the world's most active volcanoes, and is widely known as "The Land of Fire and Ice". But Iceland escapes definition. It is also the land of light and darkness. Its location, just below the Arctic Circle, makes for long summer days with near 24-hours of sunlight; offset by short winter days with very little sunlight at all. Fortunately, while winters in Iceland are dark, they are relatively mild and play host to one of nature's most spectacular exhibitions of beauty; the Aurora Borealis. Pure Iceland Icelanders have long enjoyed one of the highest life expectancies in the world. There is no definitive explanation for this, but a clean environment and a healthy diet and lifestyle probably have something to do with it. The Icelandic diet is rich in quality raw materials, farmed, bred and caught in an unpolluted environment, and produced with the utmost care. Learn more Creative Iceland For an isolated culture in the North Atlantic, creativity is important. Ever since Iceland was settled in the 9th century, writing and music have been an integral part of life in the country; and have in recent years reached a large audience on the global stage thanks to the efforts of international pop stars such as Björk and Sigur Rós, as well as the wide readership of authors like Halldór Laxness, Arnaldur Indriðason and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir. Follow Inspired by Iceland on our social media channels. Visit us on Tumblr About Iceland Get to Know Iceland People and Language Iceland safe place to visit Cultural Iceland Adventurous Iceland Christmas and New Years South Iceland East Iceland North Iceland Westfjords West Iceland Reykjanes Hiking in Iceland Birdwatching in Iceland Swimming Pools and Spas in Iceland Whale watching in Iceland The Icelandic Horse Running in Iceland Snæfellsjökull National Park Travel to Iceland Fly to Iceland Arrival in Iceland Sail to Iceland Accommodation | Hotels | Camping Summerhouses and Cottages Driving in Iceland Safe Travel Map of Iceland

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Lake Louise and its namesake village became part of Banff National Park in 1902 when Banff was expanded. The lake was named after Princess Louise Caroline Alberta, fourth daughter of Queen Victoria. Previously it had been called Emerald Lake for its colour and �Lake of Little Fishes� or �Horunnumnay� by the Stoney First Nations. The lake and its backdrop, the Victoria Glacier at the foot of snowcapped Mount Victoria, is the most photographed scene in the Canadian Rockies. Village of Lake Louise West of the town of Banff 57 km/35 miles, the village of Lake Louise is a little ways off the beaten track of the Trans Canada highway. It is smaller and quieter than Banff but has many amenities, including a medical clinic, RCMP detachment, postal outlet and shops. There are several good hotels with restaurants and spas. At the Lake Five km/3 miles from the village, emerald green Lake Louise is surrounded by mountains, glaciers, trees and the stately Chateau Lake Louise. The Chateau is a very large luxury hotel with restaurants, 20 shops and a boat dock which rents canoes. Walkers will find trails leading around the lake towards the Beehives or Lake Agnes. More ambitious hikers can go beyond the lake up to the Plain of Six Glaciers for a round trip of five hours. For those who enjoy a cup of tea, there are teahouses located at Lake Agnes and the Plain of Six Glaciers. The promenade in front of the hotel can get very crowded in summer so visit in the early morning or evening to avoid the congestion. The Lake Louise area is an all season playground. In winter there is skiing at Lake Louise ski area, snowshoeing, dog sledding, snowmobiling, heli-skiing, ice climbing; and during the rest of the year there is hiking, mountaineering, heli-tours, wildlife viewing, boating, horseback riding, caving and white water rafting. Just to mention a few. From June through August the gondola is open to take people up into the mountains for sightseeing and hiking. Moraine Lake, 15 km/9 miles from village, is nestled in the Valley of the Ten Peaks and you might recognize the scene from the back of the old twenty dollar bill. There are canoes for rent or hiking trails to many other lakes from here. Herbert Lake, 5 km/3 miles from village on the Icefields Parkway, is an excellent place for photography and picnics. Where It�s At Lake Louise is approximately 250 km/155 miles east of Three Valley Gap. *All facilities are a division of Three Valley Lake Chateau Ltd.

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Eerie ghost town comes up for air Lightbox link EPECUEN, Argentina (AP) — A strange ghost town that spent a quarter century under water is coming up for air again in the Argentine farmlands southwest of Buenos Aires. Epecuen was once a bustling little lakeside resort, where 1,500 people served 20,000 tourists a season. During Argentina's golden age, the same trains that carried grain to the outside world brought visitors from the capital to relax in Epecuen's saltwater baths and spas. The saltwater lake was particularly attractive because it has 10 times more salt than the ocean, making the water buoyant. Tourists, especially people from Buenos Aires' large Jewish community, enjoyed floating in water that reminded them of the Dead Sea in the Middle East. Then a particularly heavy rainstorm followed a series of wet winters, and the lake overflowed its banks on Nov. 10, 1985. Water burst through a retaining wall and spilled into the lakeside streets. People fled with what they could, and within days their homes were submerged under nearly 10 meters (33 feet) of corrosive saltwater. Now the water has mostly receded, exposing what looks like a scene from a movie about the end of the world. The town hasn't been rebuilt, but it has become a tourist destination again, for people willing to drive at least six hours from Buenos Aires to get here, along 340 miles (550 kilometers) of narrow country roads. People come to see the rusted hulks of automobiles and furniture, crumbled homes and broken appliances. They climb staircases that lead nowhere, and wander through a graveyard where the water toppled headstones and exposed tombs to the elements. It's a bizarre, post-apocalyptic landscape that captures a traumatic moment in time. One man refused to leave. Pablo Novak, now 82, still lives on the edge of the town, welcoming people who wander into the wrecked streets. "Whoever passes nearby cannot go without coming to visit here," Novak said while showing The Associated Press around. "It's getting more people to the area, as they come to see the ruins." Many residents of Epecuen fled to nearby Carhue, another lakeside town, and built new hotels and spas, promising relaxing getaways featuring saltwater and mud facials. "Not only do we have Epecuen with the ruins and its natural wealth, but we also can increasingly offer other alternatives," said Javier Andres, the local tourism director.

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St Regis Doha names new sales director Doha, January 15, 2013 The St Regis Doha, recently named ‘World’s Leading New Hotel’ at the World Travel Awards, has appointed Amin Al Huneidi as director of sales, to provide greater focus and support for corporate and government clients. With 13 years of sales experience in leading luxury hotels in Syria, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the UAE, Al Huneidi will be responsible for focusing on the corporate and government sector across the GCC. He will lead a team that will develop a broad range of services and special packages for corporate clients. Al Huneidi joins The St Regis Doha from Al Sondos Suites and Dar Al Sondos Hotel Apartments by Le Meridien in Dubai where he held the position of director of sales and marketing. He joined Starwood Hotels & Resorts in 2002 as sales Manager at the Sheraton Amman, a statement from the hotel said. “I am very excited to be joining The St Regis Doha family. The St. Regis Doha is becoming an iconic presence on the regional hospitality sector, with many leading companies and government organisations looking to host their events here,” Al Huneidi said. “Together with the rest of the team, I will make sure we are providing them with the high level of service and support that people have come to expect from The St Regis Doha.” Since officially opening last year, the hotel has welcomed thousands of guests, who have enjoyed the hotel’s 10 dining destinations, the Remède Spa, and the first international branch of Jazz at Lincoln Center, which showcases the best in live entertainment in the Middle East. The hotel has drawn international acclaim since it opened in March 2012, and welcomed guests from around the world, the statement said. – TradeArabia News Service Qatar | Doha | The St Regis Doha | More Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Stories

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Paris/1st arrondissement Île-de-France : Paris : 1st arrondissement Revision as of 20:52, 17 May 2012 by Dionb (Talk | contribs) Get in By Métro See Landmarks Eat Budget Contact Internet Cafés Wireless hotspots The centre of contemporary Paris and the site of such landmarks as the Louvre and of the Tuileries and Palais-Royal, the 1st Arrondissement [1] is full of attractions for travellers of all inclinations, including some of the finest parks, museums, shops, and bars in the city. The 1st occupies the Right Bank of the River Seine and extends onto the western section of the Île de la Cité in the midst of the river. For occupying such a compact space, however the 1st feels remarkably different from one end to the other. The almost incredibly upscale western end of the arrondissement gives way to the hustle and bustle of the big city east of the Palais Royal, and then further east to the pedestrian (and tourist) dominated area around Les Halles and the (currently shuttered) Samaritaine, where tourists mix with (especially young) Parisiens and Parisiennes in huge numbers (on the order of 800,000 unique visitors per day according to the Mayor's office). Paris was historically centred on the Ile de la cité, but by the time Baron von Hausmann was given the task of carving up the city, the centre had shifted somewhat to the previously suburban Royal Quarter surrounding the Louvre and the Palais Royal. Travellers arriving at one of the airports will probably get in via the RER-B line at the formidable Métro station Châtelet/Les Halles, read on for details. By Métro Châtelet/Les Halles, the hub for the 1 and D lines is the largest and busiest of all Métro stations. There exists a total of seven entrances/exits scattered around the eastern end of the 1st Arrondissement, concentrated (not surprisingly) between Les Halles and Place du Châtelet, and also accessing the basement of the Les Halles shopping mall itself. If you are in a hurry—or have never used this station previously—it might be better to alight one Métro stop earlier or later. Of course, if you are transferring to or traveling on one of the RER lines, brace yourself. Châtelet/Les Halles is a French equivalent for New York City's Grand Central Station. Line 1 line crosses travels the length of the arrondissement, arriving from Chateau de Vincinnes in the east via Gare de Lyon, and La Défence in the west. Most of the stations are fairly easy to use with the exception of Châtelet/Les-Halles. If you have a choice go for Palais-Royale/Musée-de-Louvre or Tuileries. Line 14 line is the newest metro line, and probably the best way to arrive from Gare de Lyon, and thus from Switzerland or the South of France since it is a fully automated express train. Think of it as a sort of a horizontal elevator. It stops at Châtelet/Les-Halles and Pyramides. Line 7 cuts diagonally across from the northwest to the southeast or the other way depending on how you look at it. Entering from the southwest (perhaps Gare d Austerlitz) you'll want to get off at Pont Neuf. Line 4 runs north and south through the east end of the arrondissement, mostly under Châtelet. Again, we prefer the Cité or Etienne-Marcel stops to the Châtelet madness. All four RER lines cross the arrondissement and stop at Chatelet/Les-Halles. Having arrived in the 1st arrondissement walking will most likely suffice for transport. That said, Paris cabs are quite cheap. Still, even they don't have access to much of the carfree eastern end of the arrondissement. If traveling from east to west by Métro you are probably best off using any other stations than Châtelet/Les Halles unless you have to connect there. Although the Métro trains themselves are fast and frequent, the crowded labyrinth at Châtelet can make getting to the trains an adventure. Window in Sainte Chapelle Le Palais Royal Le Louvre (The Louvre), (Métro: Palais Royal/Louvre), ☎ +33 1 40 20 53 17, [2]. Open daily except Tuesdays and certain public holidays. Permanent collections 9 am to 6 pm (Wed and Fri til 10 pm). Under the pyramid is open 9 am to 10 pm. The primary landmark of the 1st arrondissement: as well as housing one of the world's great museums since 1793, the former palace offers some dazzling architecture, wide public spaces and the glass pyramid of I M Pei. Of course there's also quite a bit to see inside the building; see our coverage under Museums below. Jardin des Tuileries, (Métro: Tuileries). Originally adjoining the now-disappeared royal palace of the Tuileries, these gardens lying immediately west of the Louvre offer a central open space for Parisians and visitors with semi-formal gardens (an outdoor gallery for modern sculpture), various cafés, ice-cream and crépe stalls and a summer fun fair. The gardens are frequently home to a giant ferris wheel and enclose the Musée de la Orangerie and the Jeu de Paume (see below). Place Vendôme Colonne Vendôme, (Métro: Opéra). The centrepiece of a magnificent 8-sided square first laid out in 1699 to show off an equestrian statue of the Sun King, Louis XIV. The statue was removed amidst Revolutionary fervor in 1792 and replaced in 1806 with the Colonne de la Grande Armée. This was modeled on Trajan's column in Rome and decorated with Napoleon's military exploits. The present column is a replica, however, as the original was pulled down during the 1871 Paris Commune. Place Vendôme represents the best of well-heeled Paris, being home to an abundance of exclusive boutiques, jewelers and fashion labels - Cartier, Boucheron, Trussardi, van Cleef & Arpels - several banks, the French Ministry of Justice and the Ritz Hotel.

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Birdcams Feathers of Florida: Part One Posted by ardeidae on April 08, 2007 In the Fall of 2006, I assigned myself the task of photographing all the birds in the heron family, over 60 species of birds. I look forward to the travels in the coming years to achieve my goal. I chose southern Florida as my first stop since it is home to about a dozen species of herons, and they're pretty accessible. Plus, southern Florida boasts two morphs of the Great Blue Heron known as the Great White Heron and Wurdemann's Heron. It was raining when Carol and I arrived in Miami at 5:30am on March 22. A few minutes after we got to the car rental place at 7am the downpour really set in. This wasn't like the rain in Los Angeles where the news proclaims "Storm Watch" when we experience a little drizzle. This was the kind of rain where every part of you is drenched in 10 seconds or less. You might as well just jump into a pool. The locals welcomed it since it had been a really dry winter in Florida. My sense of direction was completely turned around...it was raining and still dark, and with the storm, the sun wouldn't be providing hints any time too soon. The kind ladies at the car rental place gave us a map and pointed us in the right direction. When the rain let up for just a moment, we stuffed our luggage in the trunk and took off. I've heard that when it rains in Florida, it's usually for 20 minutes and then it's sunny. Apparently the weatherman hadn't heard the same story and forgot to turn off the faucet. Nevertheless, it was actually refresing to experience a "real" rain. The rains that accompany El Nino in Los Angeles can be pretty heavy, but the experiences with those aren't as enjoyable since I'm usually on my way to work. I digress. First GatorThe check-in time for the motel at our first destination of Fort Myers was 1pm, so we knew we would have some time to spend. Rather than taking Interstate 75 (Alligator Alley) to our destination, we decided to take the more scenic Tamiami Trail. It runs on the north side of the Everglades National Park and through Big Cypress National Preserve, which was dedicated in 1974 as one of the first national preserves within the National Park Service. The critically endangered Florida Panther, a great diversity of birds, and many other creatures make their homes in the swamp land and ancient bald cypress trees of Big Cypress. Loop RoadAfter getting out of the urban setting, we were able to pay more attention to the sky and vegetation. The south side of the road was lined with small trees and brush. Occasionally, I was able to catch some glimpses of white through the patches, enough to determine they were egrets. On the north side of the road was fairly open, with a canal running next to the road. It wasn't long and we'd identified our first new lifer of the trip...the Anhinga. A few flew two feet over the water, others were perched on power lines. We'd also seen various black birds on the side of the road, most likely grackles and crows. Vultures sporadically flew over. On the Big Cypress map (PDF) I'd downloaded, I noticed a scenic trail called Loop Road. Since the map marked the road as unpaved (and it was still raining heavily), we continued to the Oasis Visitor Center for more information. When we arrived at the visitor center around 8:45, the rain had subsided a bit. We got a good look at another lifer, a Black Vulture, as it flew in and landed on a light post right next to our car and looked at us. Though we hadn't showered since the day before, I didn't think we smelled that bad. Wood StorkAfter asking the nice folks at the visitor center about the condition of Loop Road, we figured we'd head back the 12 miles to the east entrance. Boo!On our way, we looked north for a Snail Kite, but no luck. The rain started to pick up again. Loop Road is a 26-mile path through wetland cypress habitat, with occasional clearings where the water is allowed to flow from the north to the south through the Everglades. Shortly after we started in, I spotted a Wood Stork. We'd seen them at the Salton Sea in the summer, but they're really skittish. This bird was about 20 yards from our car and didn't really seem to care that we were watching it as it fed. After a few minutes, we continued on. Each of the clearings that followed seem to provide its own set of gems. At one stop, we saw our first alligator. At the next clearing, a Tricolored Heron was just minding its own business when a Snowy Egret flew in and decided it wanted the Tricolored's perch. Another stop produced a Great Blue Heron all the way up to its belly in mucky water. I'd never seen a GBH in water that deep! Great BlueHeronToward the end of the trail, we talked to two women that had driven from Miami for the day. They had noticed a bird in the brush on the side of the road, but didn't know what it was. It was well hidden, and I never would have noticed it if it wasn't for them. After a few minutes we relocated the bird....a Black-crowned Night-Heron. On Loop Road, we managed to see a total of seven different species of herons: Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, Green Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron! Also noted were Anhinga, White Ibis, Black Vulture, Bald Eagle, Purple Gallinule, and Belted Kingfisher. It was almost noon, so we figured we'd head toward the 75 and continue up to Fort Myers. We decided to take Turner River Road, another scenic trail. There were alligators scattered all along the canal at the east side of the road. BlackVultureA couple of miles up the gravel road, we saw some Black Vultures feeding on the side of the road. I stopped the car to observe, and they didn't seem to care that we were even there. One even modeled for us. We continued north, adding Northern Harrier, Osprey, and Red-shouldered Hawk. Red-shoulderedHawkWe continued until we arrived at the 75. Since there was no on-ramp, we turned around and headed back toward the 41 so we could catch a road that would hook us up with the 75 and on to Fort Myers. When we hit our motel room in Fort Myers at around 3:30pm, we were both pretty exhausted. We'd both been up since 6am (PDT) they day before and only had about two hours of sleep on the plane. We ordered some Chinese food, showered, and crashed. Considering what an awesome day it had been, we were looking forward to what Friday had in store. (Continue to Part Two) (2) Comments • (0) Trackbacks • Whooping Crane Tragedy Posted by ardeidae on February 03, 2007 My heart dropped when I read the headline on CNN..."Endangered cranes also victims of Florida storm". Storms that hit Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge near Crystal River, Florida caused all 18 endangered Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) being kept in an enclosure to perish. For the last six years, chicks have been hatched and raised at the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in central Wisconsin. Their caretakers wear crane costumes to avoid human imprinting. When they're ready to migrate in the fall to Chassahowitzka, an ultralight leads them to their destination. This is a traumatic setback for Operation Migration and Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership. Now, especially, is a good time to visit their sites and show them some support. Update: One bird has been reported to survive, escaping the pen around the time the storm hit. Whooper Happenings is providing updates on their site, and has released a new podcast that sheds more light on this. Birder's World magazine also has a story on this. It includes interviews with major players on the reintroduction team; explains what happened when and what was lost; and describes the next steps for the project. New Feathers for Birdcams! Posted by ardeidae on January 30, 2007 The nesting season has begun! And Beakspeak is making sure that you can catch all the action. The Birdcams page has been updated to help make it a little more helpful and easy to use. Here's what's changed: The top five views for yesterday and top ten views for the last seven days have been added to make it easier for new visitors to find the most active cameras. Don't forget to check the other cameras in the list...they could provide you with a nice surprise! The local time for each camera has been added so it's easier to tell whether it's day or night there. Daylight Saving Time is taken into account. Sorting by location, region, and country hasn't really been utilized in the past, so region and country have been combined. Country is sortable, using region as a secondary sort. Location has been removed. Camera names have been added to help distinguish one from another. The list of cameras is being updated on a regular basis, so make sure to check back and see what's new. If you have any camera additions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to drop me a line at birdcams@beakspeak.com. Enjoy the shows! “Home to Roost” Posted by ardeidae on December 18, 2006 It's always interesting to see the various ways people use their skills to help further conservation and rescue efforts. This past weekend, Geoff Ash pointed me to his contribution. As a talented musician, Geoff has combined his own musical guitar compositions with some amazing photos from some great photographers. "Home to Roost" was created to help the Save the Albatross campaign by bringing attention to the awesome albatross, of which 19 of the 21 species are under threat of extinction. All proceeds from the sale of the music from the video will go to the RSPB to aid their fight to prevent the extinction of these wonderful birds. Turn up the sound, check out Geoff's video and help save some birds.http://www.soundclick.com/GeHOF A Little Update It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted anything to Beakspeak’s blog. Not because of a lack of things to talk about, but quite the opposite, and thus more of an issue of time and organization. My day job, which pays the rent and supports my photography habit, has been a little crazy lately with some tight project deadlines. And the time outside of work is more busy than it has been in the past. I’ve become more involved with the Los Angeles Audubon Society, participating on the Board, chairing the Membership Committee, and contributing to the Los Angeles Audubon Urban Wildlife Task Force’s efforts to protect urban wildlife and habitats, including a Great Blue Heron rookery in Marina del Rey that’s facing heavy development pressure. That’s for another posting. I’m birding and photographing as much as I can. I’m in the process of reorganizing and tagging my photo collection. It’s amazing how many shots one acquires! There are a lot of great places to bird around the Los Angeles area, and one of my favorites is Placerita Canyon, just north of LA. I met the park supervisor, Ian Swift, in the summer of 2005 and have done a little volunteering for the Placerita Canyon Nature Center since. Several months ago, Ian notified me that their webmaster was retiring and wondered if I could help out. I agreed and started redesigning the site to utilize a content management system to make updates easier and allow Nature Center folks to add content themselves. The site also includes a calendar of events and a form for schools to request a Placerita Canyon Nature Center program for kids. The site just launched this week. Check it out at http://www.placerita.org. That’s it for now. Hopefully it won’t be too long before my next post. If you have something you want to contribute, drop me a line. Cheers! An Interview with Mike Daulton Posted by ardeidae on September 04, 2006 Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to attend the Audubon California Chapter Assembly for two days of workshops about the Endangered Species Act, environmental issues, conservation efforts, and other Audubon-related topics. When I filled out the application, I checked the double-room option. And since I didn’t know anyone else that was going to be able to attend, I also checked the “I need a roommate” box. I was fortunate enough to room with Mike Daulton, Director of Conservation Policy for the National Audubon Society. Though schedules were quite busy during the assembly, we were able to find ourselves in the room at the same time for some good conversation. Mike agreed to do an email interview for Beakspeak. I knew he was a busy person, so I tried to keep the questions fairly simple. Jason Stuck: How long have you been Director of Conservation Policy for the National Audubon Society? Mike Daulton: I have been with Audubon for seven years, starting as policy director of the Wildlife Refuge Campaign in 1999. I have been Director of Conservation Policy in Audubon’s public policy office in Washington, DC for the past year. JS: How did you get involved in conservation? MD: My family is very interested in nature. My mother loves bird watching and my father was raised in rural Minnesota in the hunting and fishing tradition. Growing up, I spent a lot of time on lakes with my father in the mountains outside of San Diego. My grandparents had a small farm outside of the city and I would go there as a kid. I think my time there helped connect me to the land. My aunt is a marine biologist who specializes in killer whales. She was one of my biggest professional role models. I’ve always attributed some of my interest in nature to growing up in San Diego. I love the beaches, the mountains, and the desert, and the city itself has so much natural beauty. If a city can be a gorgeous natural setting, then San Diego is the case in point. My family had a lot of conversations around the dinner table about bread-and-butter issues like the environment and education. I think it gave me a very fundamental feeling about what the right side and the wrong side are on public issues. Government and politics should be about helping out the American family and doing what’s right for the public interest, and protecting the environment is one of the most fundamental, far-reaching ways to do that. I believe that deeply. Professionally, I studied Ecology with minors in Political Science and Economics and then went on to graduate work in Public Policy with a concentration in environmental policy. I’ve wanted to be involved in environmental policy since I was 17 years old. JS: What are some major conservation challenges we’ve faced in the past? MD: I think if there is a way I would generalize about it, I would say that in the past, we had to deal with outright exploitation of wildlife from things like over-hunting, unfettered pollution, and ravaging of the land in the process of becoming a civilized, modern, developed country. Basically, destruction and exploitation of our natural resources with no controls at all. Some of that activity has helped us become a powerful nation and the greatest country in the world. So, for example, we’ve channeled rivers to move our goods on barges, we’ve controlled floods to protect our communities, and we’ve turned swamps into productive farmland. We’ve fed natural resources into our economy at an incredible rate to fan the flames of our explosive growth. All of that has had benefits, but it also has had its costs. We created public problems that became the impetus for our fundamental environmental laws. JS: What are the major conservation challenges we face today? MD: Right now our environment is under assault by a Congress that is being led by representatives who do not value environmental protection, and by a president and Administration who have short-sighted views. Our environmental protections are quite simply under siege. It is just an extraordinarily sour political context in Washington, DC right now. Partisan rancor is at an all time high, and special interests seem to have more control in the Halls of Congress and in the Administration than ever before. Just [weeks ago], the oil and gas industry pushed a major lobbying effort to open up our coastlines to dirty and dangerous offshore oil and gas drilling, and the House and Senate both voted to do just that. We have been pushing to try to find allies on Capitol Hill to help us speak out against the Administration’s plans to begin oil drilling in extraordinarily sensitive bird and wildlife habitat in the massive wetlands complex around Teshekpuk Lake in Alaska’s Western Arctic. We are struggling to find ways to make the Administration listen, when their plans seem to be pre-determined and set in stone. They plan to do the bidding of the oil and gas industry and put this sensitive habitat up for leasing, regardless of any public outcry. We have seen repeated attempts to try to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, despite its status as a wildlife sanctuary and its extraordinary value for wildlife like caribou, polar bears, and migratory birds. Members of Congress like Alaskan Senator Ted Stevens along with President Bush have been relentless in calls for opening up this natural treasure to oil drilling. I recently took a trip out to Jackson Hole, Wyoming in July to have a first-hand look at the incredible explosion of natural gas drilling in sensitive habitats throughout the Interior West. The Bureau of Land Management is writing permits for gas drilling out there faster than they can print the paper, despite the long-term immense value these natural areas have for future generations. This is a very challenging time to try to protect our environment and to try to change the tone in Washington, DC on environmental issues. But it is a challenge we must meet with the full force of our best efforts. JS: What are the fundamental differences between today’s issues and issues of past? Could you provide some examples? MD: I think modern environmental fights have become tremendously complex. Anti-environmental bills tend to have pro-environment labels. A bill that promotes logging in old growth forests is dubbed the Healthy Forests Act and a bill that allows more air pollution is called Clear Skies. Pombo’s bad ESA bill was named the Threatened and Endangered Species Recovery Act. He actually has been arguing that his bill would promote recovery of endangered species, which is absurd. The incredibly cynical politics of today’s environmental attacks makes them difficult for the average person to ferret out and interpret. Being a member of a conservation group can help, because professionals are on watch—reading the bills, monitoring the committees and the House and Senate floor, and translating it all into what actions are needed and when. I think in general the way the media covers these issues has left something to be desired. For example, I think there is a responsibility on the part of the media to understand enough about the bill to not let anti-environmental interests get away with a cheap label like Healthy Forests for a bad forests bill. The quest for balance in reporting has led to a lot of stories lately that describe the action by a Republican member of congress or the Administration with a cynical description of the action (we are so proud to introduce “the Healthy Forests Act”), and then basically say “the environmentalists criticized it, and industry applauded.” That is not capturing the assault that the bill represents, and not adequately educating the public about what is at stake. Our opponents have become very aggressive in their effort to portray environmental values as outside the mainstream. They say we are “radical environmentalists” who “just say no to everything.” Representative Neil Abercrombie, a Democrat from Hawaii, on the House floor just [recently], called us the “environmental Taliban.” So, we have to fight against the fact that anti-environmental claims and anti-environmental views have become too common and too acceptable with some members of Congress and in the Administration. That is not so new, necessarily, but it is part of the modern fight for the environment, and part of the challenge we face. JS: Have the methods of fighting for the environment changed? MD: Every major conservation group relies heavily on email alerts to communicate with their members, so that is one reason why it is so important to get on those lists so you can be alerted and take action. The environmental community has become very sophisticated in its political approach to targeting the right members of Congress with the right message at the right time in the right way. I think the campaign the community mounted on behalf of the Arctic Refuge this past December, for example, was highly sophisticated and effective. I think really with any major conservation group, if you are alerted to take action, you can rest assured that a great deal of thought went in to making sure that when you spend some of your free time to send a letter or make a phone call, that it will have an impact. But ultimately, it still all boils down to the same old adage that all politics is local. Politicians have the control over environmental decisions, and every citizen has the right and the ability to generate pressure on those politicians to do the right thing. It is an extraordinarily important civic duty to do so. Audubon is a great organization to involve yourself with if you want to help. JS: How have National Audubon and the state and local chapters impacted conservation efforts? MD: There are so many ways that Audubon is making a difference for conservation. From the perspective of National Audubon, the organization has an active and strong public policy division that is taking the fight to the Halls of Congress and keeping the public informed about the threats to bird and wildlife habitat and the environment. We are fighting to protect the Endangered Species Act, save the Arctic Refuge, and restore the Everglades. We are trying to make sure our fundamental conservation programs get adequate funding. We are working to save our most precious public places from threats like oil and gas development. Our science division is engaging people in our wonderful longstanding citizen science programs like the Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count. We are in the process of identifying the most Important Bird Areas all across the country, to help prioritize our efforts on behalf of birds and habitat. Our Audubon at Home program provides many ways to help the environment in your own backyard. The education program is engaging people in conservation through our Audubon Centers. I think one of the most exciting aspects of the Centers program is the prospect of reaching out to disadvantaged communities and trying to bring new people and new faces into the world of conservation. Our state offices and local chapters are just doing so many great things. I work on a regular basis with the great folks in Audubon Alaska, Audubon North Carolina, Audubon Connecticut, Audubon of Florida, the list just goes on and on. Just to give you one example, I have been working with Audubon North Carolina to fight against a proposal to locate a Navy landing field just three miles from a National Wildlife Refuge that is important to hundreds of thousands of migratory birds. To build the landing field they would have to buy out generational family farms and evict farmers who don’t want to leave their land. Audubon is fighting side by side with the farmers and trying to do what is right, protecting the wildlife refuge and urging the Navy to find a better place to land their planes. JS: What are some of the future goals of Audubon? MD: I think the most important goal is to get more people involved in helping the environment and promoting conservation. The constituency for saving our natural resources has unlimited room for growth. Ultimately, this will translate into a variety of benefits for the environment depending on which activity people decide to take. If you become an activist, you can help defeat anti-environmental legislation and protect special places from looming threats. If you become a citizen scientist, you can help provide the baseline data needed to assess the health of ecosystems. In the public policy office, we want to recruit thousands of new activists and new voices for change, and in this political environment, we will need nothing less to win. JS: What can people do to help protect the environment and wildlife to ensure that their children and grandchildren will be able to enjoy it? MD: Join Audubon, or another major conservation group. Make a donation. Sign up for Audubon’s e-activist list or another such list and take action. Join a local Audubon chapter or other volunteer group and help change things on the ground. Research the material the Audubon at Home program has to offer and turn your backyard into healthy bird habitat. Take your kids to an Audubon center or other nature center and show them the importance of the natural world. Just taking one of these actions can make a world of difference for birds, wildlife, and their habitat. A big “Thanks” to Mike Daulton for taking the time to do this interview, and for providing such detailed insight. I hope this will help us all become better custodians of the land. Please help support Audubon’s efforts in protecting birds, other wildlife, and their habitats by becoming a member or making a tax-deductible contribution. Snow, Sage, and Dancing Chickens, Day 2 Posted by ardeidae on July 15, 2006 After a great Day One, Sunday morning we met up at Jack's Waffle Shop again. After another satisfying breakfast, we took off at 7:30. We were on a mission to see more grouse, this time the Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus). We headed down the 395 and into Lone Pine. We made a brief stop to consolidate the group into fewer cars then headed west. BlueGrouseIt was 44 degrees with little breeze. After about 20 minutes, we made it to our first stop, Upper Sage Flat Campground. We were in a valley between two tall mountain tops. The place was covered in a few feet of snow, just crusty enough to walk on without sinking in. The mountain sides showed remnants of small avalanches, but where we were, slides were unlikely. Nevertheless, we all stayed withing close proximity of each other. We walked a short way and came to a bridge crossing a small stream. We stopped to see what we could find. Those in the front were able to catch glimpse of an American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus), but I was taking up the rear and wasn't able to get an angle on it. It quickly disappeared around a bend. Just about then, we heard our target bird. We headed toward it's direction and soon spotted the lone Blue Grouse sitting half way up a tree. It was a little difficult to get good looks because of where it sat, but we were able to watch it for about half of an hour before we continued on. Ruby-crownedKingletWe stopped a little further up the mountain at Glacier Lodge, which was fairly active with birds. In the trees, we saw both Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) and Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) flittering about, as well as a Brown Creeper (Certhia americana). Near to the stream were Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis), Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus), and American Robin (Turdus migratorius). A Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) flew in for a quick stop before continuing on. BrownCreeperSomeone spotted a dipper working the stream a little ways up, so we stealthily made our way up the path that paralleled the stream. After a few minutes though, the stream curved off and our path became brush. Once again this bird eluded me. We did get a little treat, though, as a Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) flew over and circled a couple times. We were able to get a decent look before it continued over the ridge. On our way back down the mountain, we spotted a Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) taking advantage of the thermals to search for a meal. Hopefully it found something that didn't require a microwave. After making a quick stop in Lone Pine to pick up our cars, we headed south down the 395 and took the 168 east up into the White Mountains. About 10 minutes up we made an abrupt stop. Someone had spotted a couple of Chukar (Alectoris chukar), a new bird for me. With the sloping rocky mountainside peppered in brush, those guys are really hard to spot. We were taking up the rear, but someone had come to point them out. It was hard to get a bearing with virtually no landmark, and I couldn't seem to find either of the two birds. And to make matters worse, they weren't moving. After a few minutes of searching, it was time to take off. FightingChukarYet another bird skunked me! But not for long. A few minutes up the road we stopped again. There were calls of Chukar all around. And these were easier to see, not because of the terrain, but because of the movement. There were three of the birds in a close proximity. One of them must have been a female and the other two male, for two of them were really going at each other! One would grab the feathers on the other and then fly up, taking a mess of feathers with him. They'd fight for a few minutes, sliding down the hill, then pause long enough to catch a breath and climb back up, only to start at it again. We must have watched them for about 20 minutes before they both disappeard behind into the brush. There were still more calls of other Chukar, but it was hard to get any looks, so we continued on to find the day's target bird. PrimeHabitatAfter winding another 10 minutes or so through the mountains, we pulled off the road into a graveled parking area. We hiked up a small berm. The top revealed an amazing sight...a loose forest valley of bristlecone pines and other trees. Prime habitat for our target bird, the Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus). We paused quietly waiting for any signs of a Pinyon Jay call, but all we heard was the gentle breeze of the wind through the trees. A small group broke off and scouted out the hill below. I stayed up top scanning the horizon with my scope. A few minutes later, we heard a Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi). At first it was a slight distance away, but soon came in close enough for a good look. Unfortunately, it zipped around just fast enough to elude my lens. No photos, but got good views of it anyway. About that time, we heard some Pinyon Jays noisily cawing. A few flew in to check us for a minute and then took off again. We got some really good looks. What an amazing blue bird! We hopped back down to our cars and grabbed a quick lunch. After we were all satisfied, we turned around and started heading back down the mountain. But first, a quick stop to check out the forest on the other side of the road, where Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) had been reported. Sure enough, we caught sight of a few, as well as Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) and Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii). Well worth the stop. We continued back out of Bristlecone Pines and down the 395, turning onto Fish Spring Road. At a small body of water, we spotted Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera). Along the fence row, we also go Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Brewer's Blackbird, and Says's Phoebe (Sayornis saya). We spotted some swallows in the distance, so we turned onto Elna Road. Thick scrub lined the east side of a gully, which separated us from a small flatland area before hitting the mountains to the west. Along with White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys), swallows were all about. We tallied up Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota), and Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina). That many swallows makes it a gulp! We then continued back to the 395 and south for just a short ways, where we made our last stop at the Tinemaha Reservoir. We were way above the reservoir and got a view of it, but it was really windy and hard to identify the birds on the water with the distance and shake of the scope. We observed what we could for about thirty minutes before saying our goodbyes. Most of the group headed back to the Los Angeles area, but Carol and I had decided to spend another night in Bishop, so we headed back up north. Monday morning, we packed up and headed out north of Bishop in search of the Yellow-headed Blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) we had seen on last year's trip. We drove around for a little while, but couldn't get to the exact spot we were looking for. The place we were looking for was a road lined with apartments on one side of the street, and a long scrubby area on the other. There was a bare tree at the end of the scrubby area that made a perch for about 50 Yellow-headed Blackbirds. It was quite a sight. Oh well, maybe next year. AmericanWigeonWe headed back to Bishop to get some Chili Cheeze Bread at Schatt's Bakkerÿ. After stocking up on bread, we made one last stop across the street, a small park next to the Chamber of Commerce. There's a long stretch of water about six feet wide. Along with Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), there were also several American Wigeon (Anas americana). They weren't too skittish, and I was able to get some nice shots. I was talking to the park groundsman about the birds stopping by on their northern migration when a parking enforcement woman came by and started writing a ticket...for our car! We hadn't noticed the sign that said "20-minute Parking" and we were well past the time. But after explaining that we were about to leave, she let us off the hook. Yet another great thing about Bishop...even the parking enforcement people are nice. It was yet another amazing trip to the Eastern Sierras. We saw a lot of great birds and beautiful scenery. Being up in and around the mountains is quite relaxing and peaceful. I can't wait to go back agin. Oh, and about that Swainson's Hawk in Chalifant Valley with the transmitter we saw on Day One: About a week after the trip, the leader Mary Freeman sent us an email. She had emailed one of the local raptor experts about the sighting and got this response: "During the last several years the [California Department of Fish and Game] has attached satellite transmitters to about 10 SWHAs in the Owens Valley. The purpose was to understand late summer, early spring and migrational movements. This has been done in the Central Valley of CA also. The findings are that the Owens Valley SWHAs migrate to Argentina with most of the North American SWHAs, but the majority of the Central Valley SWHAs migrate to Mexico for the winter. There are currently two active transmitters still on SWHAs in the Owens Valley. You must have seen one of them." I and the Bird #27 - First Anniversary Edition I and the Bird #27 marks the first anniversary edition! Mike Bergin of 10,000 Birds (IatB's founder and this edition's host) poses the question: Why do you bird, why do you blog, and/or why do you blog about birds? Along with his reasons, over thirty other bird bloggers shed light on what drives them to birding and blogging as well. When this topic was first presented two weeks ago, I thought it was a great subject to talk about and started thinking about what exactly I wanted to say. But that's about as far as I got. In the last several weeks, I've been so focused on a few projects that time completely got away from me until finally the IatB deadline snuck up and bit me on the behind. It's kind of ironic too. I'm not going to bore you with the details now of what I'm working on, but they're all directly related to why I bird and why I blog. I emailed Mike to congratulate him and IatB on such a successful first year and to regret not making this birthday bash, and he thought my reasons for missing this would also make for a good posting. I believe so too, so I'll revisit IatB's anniversary subject when there's enough time to dedicate to it. Right now, I'm taking a little breather from all that other stuff and reading all the many reasons people have for birding and blogging. I've read a few entries so far and you should too...they provide a lot of entertainment and insight, and are quite inspirational to boot. If you'd like to participate in or host an upcoming episode of "I and the Bird" yourself, make sure to check out the "I and the Bird" info page. The deadline for submissions for the next carnival is July 18. Snow, Sage, and Dancing Chickens Posted by ardeidae on June 04, 2006 The Sierra Nevada mountain range (often referred to as simply "The Sierra" or "The Sierras") stretches 400 miles, running along the eastern central part of California. The Sierra range holds three national parks. Yosemite National Park is the northern most of the three parks and was extensively photographed by Ansel Adams starting in the 1920s. Kings Canyon National Park was created in 1940, thanks largely to Adams' photographs and successful lobbying of Congress. Sharing miles of boundry with Kings Canyon to the south is Sequoia National Park. Named for the giant sequoia trees it protects, it was the second national park created in California. The Sierra range is also home to Mount Whitney. With an elevation of around 14,500 feet, it's the highest peak in the United States outside Alaska. Just to the east of The Sierras are the White Mountains. Though the range has an elevation of 14,246 feet, the larger Sierras soak up most of the moisture from Pacific storms, leaving the White Mountains fairly dry. Within this range is Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest which hosts the oldest known living trees on earth, with some over 40 centuries old. Yeah, that's right...over 4000 years old! Between the Sierras and the White Mountains is the Owens Valley with various lakes, rivers, and streams. Combined with the surrounding mountains, this area is a wonderful array of diverse habitats, providing an amazing place for birding and just plain sightseeing. Last year, Carol and I had gone to the eastern Sierras on a field trip led by the Los Angeles Audubon Society. We had such a great time, when this trip came back around, we couldn't dare pass up the opportunity to return. When the trip for April 8 and 9 was announced, we immediately made our reservations and motel arrangements in Bishop. There are many great things about Bishop, but one of my favorites is Erick Schat's Bakkerÿ, home of the Chili Cheeze Bread, a big, flat, round loaf made with jalapenos and cheese. It's pure goodness. If you're ever there, make sure to pick some up...you'll see what I mean. Even if you're not a fan of chilis, there's plenty of other breads, cakes, and candies to choose from. Clark'sNutcrackerEarly Saturday morning we all met for breakfast at Jack's Waffle Shop in Bishop. After everyone in the group had introduced themselves, we had a quick rundown on what we were expected to see. It was our leader Mary Freeman's fifteenth year of leading the trip. At 7:45am, we loaded up and took off. Our first stop was the small residential community of Aspendell. Steller'sJayAt an elevation of 8000 feet, snow was aplenty. It was about 40 degrees, sunny, and calm. As we pulled into Aspendell, we caught a quick glimpse of our first bird of the day, a California Quail (Callipepla californica) hanging out around the thin trees by the side of the road. We stopped and parked. Since Mary and her husband, Nick, had been to the area many times, they knew the residents and the birds that hung around their feeders. There were plenty of birds around, and what a variety it was! Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) were perched high up on the trees. Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii), Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus), Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus), Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri), and Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) all fluttered about. A Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana) whizzed past us and landed just long enough to pick up a few straggling peanuts left out in the snow by a neighbor. It flew off with its prize, only to return a few minutes later. Gray-crownedRosy-FinchIt wasn't long until there were three of the birds dashing back and forth looking for food. A Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) flew in for a few knocks. The Grey-crowned Rosy-Finches (Leucosticte tephrocotis) that we had come to see were flittering about, pecking around under the feeder to catch some of the fallen seed. We walked around the corner of the block and added American Robin (Turdus migratorius), Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea), and Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura). Not a bad way to start the day! Sierra (left) and White (right)mountainsAs we headed back down the mountain, we stopped for a great view, and a Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli) way out in the distance. I grabbed a few scenery shots. As we came back into Bishop, we had a Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) fly right over us. We were able to pull over and not scare away a Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli) that set on a fence. I managed to snap off a few shots before it took off. Unfortunately, it wasn't until then that I realized my f-stop was still set high for the scenery shots I had just taken, resulting in slow shutter speed and, consequently, blurred bird. Every time I do this I kick myself. With the opportunity to get a great shot of this beautiful endemic bird, it was a valuable lesson learned...again. We then headed up Highway 6 to Chalfant Valley in search of raptors. It wasn't long until we found them. The first was a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) flying low in search of a meal. We stopped and scouted the fields where we caught sight of a Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni). An American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) also cruised past us. We got back in our cars, but not for long, as a Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) sat on an irrigation wheel in on of the fields. We watched it for a good 15 minutes before we continued on. As we drove continued up the 6, a Swainson's Hawk was perched on a fence right by the side of the road. Carol and I slowed down a bit to get a good look, but had to continue on to catch up with the group. We stopped once again to scan the fields. The valley was almost completely flat, with the Sierras to the west and the White Mountains to the east. I snapped off a few more shots so I could take the mountains home with me. We ran across a couple more hawks, but also added Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus). We turned around and headed back towards Bishop. There were a few birds in the air, which we identified as Swainson's Hawks. Mary noticed something sticking out of its back and thought it could be a transmitter. Swainson'sHawkAfter a few minutes of watching, we continued on. Guess what...that Swainson's Hawk was still perched on the post. We were able to slow to a stop without scaring it away. I got a few dozen shots of it before it decided it was tired of being stared at and flew off. I had to kick myself again. Once more, I was in a hurry to get the shot and failed to notice I had been shooting at f32. At least this time, the shots didn't suffer as much as the last ones. Guess I better stick to shooting birds. Or maybe I'll just get another D200. BarnSwallowAfter heading back down Highway 6, we turned onto Five Bridges Road and up to Nik & Nik's gravel quarry, stopping first at the larger pond. Out on the water were Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera), Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), and Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris). A Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) hopped around in a tree next to the pond, and a Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) stopped in for a quick visit. Nearer to the quarry is a marshy area, where a greater variety of birds were hanging out. Among them were American Coot (Fulica americana), Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca), Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis), Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) and Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus). Another pond right next to the quarry building hosted a Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata). There were swallows all about. We were able to identify Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis), Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia), and Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota). Not too shabby for a single location! The zippy and zaggy flight patterns of swallows make them hard to photograph in the air, but I snapped off a few shots. And since I wasn't shooting at f32 this time, some of them even turned out in focus! We all piled back into our cars and headed down Chalk Bluff Road and caught the 395 north to find ourselves a Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus). About a half hour into the drive, we were back into snow country. The roads were clear, but snow lined both sides of the road. The air was so brisk and clean. After about another half hour, we turned onto Highway 120, on the south side of Mono Lake. We were on our way to a coniferous forest that had burned years ago. Last year we were successful in locating the elusive bird, but this year, we were out of luck before we even had a chance. SageThrasherThe road to the forest was gated off due to the heavy amount of recent snowfall. We were disappointed, but it gave us a little extra time to stop at the South Tufa Area of Mono Lake to take a quick late lunch. A few of us had already had a little something on the way up, so we took the opportunity to scout the scrub. SageSparrowSage Thrashers (Oreoscoptes montanus) were known to be around, and it didn't take too long until we heard one calling. We quickly located it on top of some brush and got in close enough for some good shots. It took off after a couple minutes and flew across a little road. We followed it to where it had landed, but it ended up eluding us. Or maybe it magically turned into the Sage Sparrow that flittered about and landed long enough to pose for some good photos. We were soon called back since we still had one more stop to make, the main reason for coming to the eastern Sierras this time of year. We got back into our cars and headed back south. After about a half hour on the road, we passed the Mammoth-June Lake Airport and came upon our church landmark where we turned off Highway 395 toward Lake Crowley. The entrance that we took last year into the lake was snow covered so we sent in a 4x4 to see how deep the snow was and determine if the cars in our group would be able to make it through. After going about 50 yards, the truck's backup lights went on and it came out the same way it went in. So we decided to try another path, which turned out to be completely clear. We were able to get to the gate that led to our prize spot, but our target bird wasn't yet to be found. We were still about a half hour early, so part of the group continued on to the south part of the lake to see if they spot a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). I stayed behind to try to catch our target bird arrive, but they remained elusive. I wasn't skunked though, a Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) sat and kept me company. After about 20 minutes or so, the group returned and we headed to our spot, a lek populated by the dancing chicken...formally known as the Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus). Greater Sage-GrouseQuickTime-0:39If you've never seen a mating dance by the Greater Sage-Grouse, you're in for a treat. Well, even if you have seen it, it's still quite a sight. The males prance around, tail feathers spread far apart like a big spiky fan. They inflate their chests with air and bobble it up and down, booming the whole time. Greater Sage-GrouseQuickTime-0:42We took a seat about 75 yards away, and sat quietly while the males tried to outdo each other, hoping that a female would notice them and take them away to a more private spot. I tried to get some shots with my 400mm lens, but the birds were too far out to get any decent detail, so I tried digiscoping, but no luck since it was getting dark and the shots were coming out a bit blurry. But what I ended up with was even better. Thanks to the movie mode on my Coolpix, I was able to capture the dancing chickens in full action. I was too far from them to capture any audio, so you'll need to provide the soundtrack. Whenever you see their chest bounce up and down, just give a deep "woob woob". After it got dark, we left Lake Crowley and drove the few miles to Tom's Place to eat. After a very satisfying meal, we drove back to Bishop to get some shuteye. It had been a long day, but it was a great success nonetheless. I looked forward to what Day Two had in store. Continue to Day 2. (You must have QuickTime to see the videos. If you don't have it, get it here.) New Podcast Channel Added! Posted by ardeidae on May 23, 2006 The latest podcast channel added, Laura Erickson’s For the Birds just celebrated its 20th anniversary. The programs were first broadcast in 1986, but still ring true today. Congratulations to Laura for such a successful program. Make sure to check them out! Laura’s a staff ornithologist for binoculars.com and an excellent blogger to boot, so also make sure to visit her blog, birderblog.com, as well. Page 3 of 21 < 1 2 3 4 5 > Last » Blog Entries by Date Colorado River Bird Survey: February 2009 Colorado River Bird Survey: March 2009 Colorado River Bird Survey: April 2009 Colorado River Bird Survey: May 2009 Help Save Our Boreal Birds Colorado River Bird Survey: June 2009 Colorado River Bird Survey: July 2009 The Second Hatching Birding by Kayak Feathers of Florida: Part Two I and the Bird #47 Feathers of Florida: Part Three Feathers of Florida: Part Four Feathers of Florida: Part Five Feathers of Florida: Part Six Fatal Attraction: Birds and Wind Turbines Feathers of Florida: Part Seven Birds & Blooms Land of Car Alarms and Longhorns A Visit To The "Garden Of Eden" Holiday Birding Fledglinks Birdwatch Day for Saemangeum The Virgin D200 and the Sepulveda Basin Winter Wonderland at the Salton Sea New Podcast Channels Added! Winter Wonderland at the Salton Sea, Day 2 Birds of Westwood Traversing the Carrizo Plain New Birdcams Added! Burrowing Owls Need Your Help No Birdies on the Golf Course Monterey Bay Pelagic Four in One I and the Bird #22 and #23 "Home to Roost" A Bird in the Blog... Birds in Paradise England's Hen Harrier Faces Extinction Greater Sage Grouse Denied Endangered List Protections Campbell Island Teal Hatches at Wellington Zoo Vulnerable Albatross Racks Up Frequent Flier Miles The Eagle Odyssey a Great Success UK Collector Wipes out Bird Species at Reserve Tricolored Blackbird Refused Protection Review Bird Brain Nesting Time for the Puerto Rican Parrot Birdnappers Plan Fails The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill: The Movie Northern Aplomado Falcon Reintroduction Critically Endangered Puaiohi to Be Released Florida's "Bird Island" Threatened New Parrot Species Discovered Peregrine Peep Show Karak Needs Protection from the Australian Government Pine Tree Wind Farm Generating a Storm Update: Pine Tree Wind Farm Birdcams are here! Founder of Northwest Wildlife Farm Dies Pine Tree Wind Farm: Update #2 Pine Tree Wind Farm: DWP Votes Knock Knock Knock...I'm Back! Photos are Here! More Problems for the Greater Sage-Grouse Threat to the Endangered Species Act? Just a Quick Note New York City: Part One New York City: Part Two New York City: Part Three The Hummingbird Chronicles New York City: Part Four New York City: The Wrap Up The Hummingbird Chronicles: An Update Flight of the Condor Alex Knows Nothing I and the Bird #2 Help Restore the Salton Sea Sultry Salton Sea Saving the Salton Sea The Nature Writers of Texas Los Angeles Audubon Hires Executive Director Soar in Peace, AC2 Growing Up with California Condors Podcasts are Here! Reviews...by bloggers you trust! The Problem with Pigs at Jasper-Pulaski More about the Problems with Pigs at Jasper-Pulaski Mapping the Skies EU's Birds in Danger Aloha Po'ouli The Chicken's Egg is Cracked Hawks Evicted from Central Park Other great reads: 10,000 Birds I and the Bird Charlie's Bird Blog A DC Birding Blog BirderBlog The Wandering Birders Bootstrap Analysis Ravens in Hollywood Bird Watchers Notebook Bird TLC Thomasburg Walks Urban Birder Bird brained stories! Mike's Birding & Digiscoping Blog Search and Serendipity Woodsong Home Bird Notes Wildbird on the Fly Birdchick Blog Øygarden Birding Illinois Birds The Birdchaser Birders in Boxers Journals of an Amateur Naturalist Birds Etcetera (aka Bird Stuff) Birding is NOT a crime!!!! Dean Birders KCET Life & Times Blog Birdwatching Blog The Bird Nerd RSS >< Atom ( *)> Beakspeak <(* )

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Issue Date: July 2004 Issue Park PlacesWhether you're drawn to the fine food and floor-to-ceiling windows of Geneva's new resort lodge, the tent-times-10 appeal of a Kelleys Island yurt or the cozy solitude of a log cabin in Mohican, Ohio's state parks have just the place for you to enjoy our Travel Options Textile Treasures Witness the beauty, history and legends of the Americas, Asia and Africa woven in textiles in The Fabric of Life: Columbus Collects Textile Art, on display from June 4 through Sept. 12 at the Columbus Museum of Art. The bedspreads, rugs and quilts from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries were used in daily life, as well as to honor important individuals, tell stories and celebrate religious and magical deities. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and until 8:30 p.m. Thursdays. Admission is free for members and free for all visitors on Sundays. On other days, admission is $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students and free for kids under 6. For more information, visit www.columbusmuseum.org or call (614) 221-4848. — Genie Ogletree The Pops under the Stars Visit Sawmill Creek Resort Aug. 7 for an outdoor performance by the Boston Pops Orchestra, presented by the Sandusky State Theatre. Conducted by Keith Lockhart, "Broadway Babies" will feature patriotic songs and George Gershwin favorites. Concertgoers also will be treated to strolling guitarists, street performers and other musical ensembles. The show starts at 8 p.m. and ticket prices range from $19.50 to $64.50. For more information, visit www.state-theatre.com or call 1-877-378-2150. — GO A Celebration of Shaw The Shaw Festival, located in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada, is the only theater in the world specializing in the works of playwright George Bernard Shaw. This year, the festival features 12 plays, including such famous works as Shaw's "Pygmalion," which ends Nov. 27, and George F. Walker's "Nothing Sacred," which runs until Oct. 30. For more information, visit www.shawfest.com or call 1-800-511-SHAW. — Marina Takahashi The Lodge and Conference Center at Geneva State Park A few things you may not know about our state parks: It's possible to escape to an Ohio state park without spending much time outdoors. It's possible, in a state park, to relax in a handsome leather armchair that looks as if it should reek of pipe tobacco and literature. And it's possible, in an Ohio state park, to dine on smoked-Gouda gnocchi smothered with grana, shiitakes and picholine olives. Skeptical? So was I — till I did all three. The Ohio state parks have nine resorts, from Shawnee Resort in Friendship to Punderson Manor in Newbury. My husband and I visited the newest one, The Lodge and Conference Center at Geneva State Park, on the first weekend it opened to guests in May. The Lodge is just a short walk from fishing, boating and trails. So if you want that type of park experience, it's there. But the Lodge is not a place for roughing it. With 109 rooms featuring three-star amenities and copious meeting space, the Lodge attracts the business and leisure traveler: the golfer, who can choose between many 18-hole golf courses; the wine aficionado, who can visit any of the 19 local wineries; and the historian, who might enjoy a trip to Ashtabula County's famed covered bridges. Of course, families would find a nice vacation here, too, especially if they're drawn to the amusements of Geneva-on-the-Lake. On the late afternoon my husband and I arrived, however, we did none of these things. Geneva was significantly colder than Cleveland that day, and we found our wardrobe inappropriate for the outdoors. So, soon after arriving, we sat in the lobby, where the stone fireplace climbs four stories to the ceiling. I enjoyed a wooden rocking chair with a perfect view of Lake Erie, while my husband marveled at the details in the floor's tilework. Eventually, we decided to go exploring. What we found on our trek around the resort were windows, most™of them overlooking Erie's gray chop. The fitness room is surrounded by windows, as is the indoor pool across from the game room, where we indulged our inner teen-agers by playing many games of air hockey. Before long, it was timΩ for dinner at Horizons, the on-site restaurant. Predictably, its most striking feature was the view. Everyone can see the lake from there — even the people at the bar. (Bottles of liquor and wine are stored low, in order not to block sightlines.) On a riser in the airy, octagonal dining room, we dined on the scrumptious smoked-Gouda gnocchi and chicken baked with lemon and thyme. After dinner, we went up to our room, a cozy place with thick carpeting, pine furniture and renderings of covered bridges on the walls. There, we changed into our swimsuits and headed to the indoor pool. After a long swim, we wrapped ourselves in towels and sat by a window, watching the sunset. Instead of powerboats and seagulls, our day's end was signaled by the sounds of hot-tub jets and splashing children. It wasn't a typical day at a state park, for sure. But it was a memorable one. — Jacqueline Marino The Yurt Kelleys Island State Park Before I checked into my yurt at Kelleys Island State Park, I wondered what could be so special about something originally designed as a pack-up-and-go canvas abode? I can understand the yurt's appeal to Mongolian nomads, who have been living in them for centuries. But I was astounded to learn that they're also among the most popular places to stay in the five Ohio state parks that have them and they're often booked a year in advance. I expected to find a glorified tent on a rough-hewn wooden platform, the interior filled with collapsible outdoor furniture and bare-bones conveniences: a dorm-room-sized refrigerator perhaps, accompanied by a portable propane stove and a plastic commode in a curtained corner. What I got instead was a round, lattice-framed structure set on a wraparound deck overlooking Lake Erie. To my great surprise, the yurt looked and lived like a real house inside, right down to the thermostat and light switches on the wall. The living/dining/sleeping area was furnished with sturdy residential-quality wood pieces. The little kitchen was outfitted with oak cabinetry, gleaming white appliances and all the items needed to prepare and dish up a meal. There was hot and cold running water in the stainless-steel kitchen sink and a surprisingly spacious full bath, which contained a real flush toilet, sink and handicapped-accessible shower stall. Park officer/manager Mike Monnett says œhe yurt's unique appeal lies in its specially coated fabric walls, which allow guests to experience the sounds of nature without enduring the consequences. During my stay, I planned to pass the time sitting on the sandy swimming beach just steps from my front door and admiring the waterfront view from my well-shaded deck, maybe even fire up the propane grill. Unfortunately, the weather made that impossible, and I spent most of the night curled up on a futon sofa, listening to the rain and watching TV. All that time indoors brought to my attention a few of the drawbacks of yurt life. First, I had to go outside to open and close the windows, sheets of clear, heavy plastic Velcroed into place over screened rectangles in the walls — not a lot of fun in a heavy downpour. Second, while the yurt proved to be wind- and rain-proof, it certainly wasn't insect-proof. There were spiders on the hardwood floors, the ceiling and the walls. But arm me with a can of bug spray and I'd go back again. — Lynne Thompson The Camper Cabin Mohican State Park Twelve years ago, my husband talked me into a backpacking trip. Back then, hiking for miles and sleeping in a two-person tent was fun. But now that we have a preteen and a 2-year-old, rustic camping has lost its charm. We like the idea of camping, but not all the work. So, when we pulled up to Antil's Camper Cabin at Mohican State Park, I thought, This is more like it. We don't need a tent to get the camping experience. With a camper cabin we get the fresh air, the pine trees, the time to slow down — plus a bed and a nearby bathroom with hot showers. Our cabin was a cozy one-room log house. Green-checked gingham curtains adorned each window and the hewn-log frame beds (a double bed and a bunk bed) added country charm. This was a place where you could read a book, write a memoir or simply be. My husband and I, however, chose to take a walk to the river and watch our toddler son throw stones into it. Meanwhile, our 11-year-old and her friend gathered twigs to start a blaze in the campfire ring. When we returned, we bought firewood bundles and the requisite marshmallows from the commissary. With our food in the refrigerator — another cabin perk — we didn't worry about keeping milk for breakfast cereal or half-and-half for coffee. Our coffee pot was one of the things we brought from home, along with bedding, towels and kitchenware. A bedside table and a lamp were the only furnishings in addition to the beds. Outside, the porch swing was a perfect place to relax. Even though the cabin was near the parking lot, the pines provided woodsy ambiance and privacy. There are plenty of things to do near the cabin: Take a walk on the trails, visit the playground, swim in the pool (provided it's open) or play basketball on the court (provided you bring your own ball). We didn't bring a ball, but we did bring a CD player, games and some of our son's favorite toys to keep him occupied. I wished we'd brought folding chairs for somewhere to sit besides the beds. It rained during our night at Mohican. But thanks to Lonnie Antil's family and friends, who donated the cabin in his memory, we stayed warm and dry. What a treat to listen to raindrops without worrying about touching the sides of a tent. — Jamie Rhein Comments. All comments must be approved by our editorial staff. Choose an identity Other Anonymous Name Website All of these fields are optional. CAPTCHA Validation Retype the code from the picture Code: Cleveland Magazine | Inside Business | Ohio Magazine | Lake Erie Living

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Return to contents page [PREVIOUS SECTION] 2. Geography and Strategic Importance of the Valley The Shenandoah Valley is that portion of the Great Valley of Virginia that is drained by the Shenandoah River and its affluents. The Valley extends on a southwest to northeast bearing, from its headwaters north of Lexington to the Potomac River, a distance of about 140 miles. For convenience, the Valley can be said to extend from Lexington to the Potomac River, although the watershed in the immediate vicinity of Lexington drains south to the James River. The Shenandoah Valley is bounded on the northwest by North Mountain, the first range of the Allegheny Mountains, and on the southeast by the Blue Ridge, which separates the Valley from the Piedmont region and coastal plain of eastern Virginia. The distance from Washington to the Blue Ridge at Snickers Gap is about fifty-five miles; from Richmond to the Blue Ridge is about a hundred. At its widest, the Valley is nearly twenty-five miles across. North of the Potomac River, the Valley continues into Maryland and Pennsylvania with a similar configuration, but there it is called the Cumberland Valley, and the Blue Ridge is named South Mountain. The Shenandoah Valley encompasses two counties in West Virginia: Berkeley and Jefferson; and seven counties in Virginia: Frederick, Clarke, Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, and Augusta. Highland County has been included in the study region because of its intimate association with Jackson's 1862 Campaign, even though it is beyond North Mountain. Berkeley, Jefferson, Frederick, Clarke, and Warren counties are referred to as the Lower (downstream) Valley; while the counties south of Strasburg are called the Upper Valley. The Shenandoah Valley's unique feature is Massanutten Mountain, a complex ridge that extends for some fifty miles through its middle, from Strasburg southwest to Harrisonburg. Throughout its length, the Massanutten divides the Valley into two smaller valleys, the main or Strasburg Valley, which is drained by the North Fork Shenandoah River, and the narrower Page or Luray Valley, drained by the South Fork Shenandoah River. Just south of Strasburg, the main Valley is only about five miles across, while on the far side of the Massanutten, the Luray Valley funnels down to a width of less than a mile and a half at the town of Overall (antebellum Milford). Streams and Rivers From the general vicinity of Lexington, a series of small streams flows northerly; these combine to form the South River near Waynesboro, the Middle River near Staunton, and the North River near Bridgewater. The North and Middle rivers conjoin west of Grottoes, and the South River merges a few miles downstream at Port Republic to form the South Fork Shenandoah River. Port Republic marked the upstream limit for seasonal navigation of the river, hence its name. The South Fork flows down the Luray or Page Valley to Front Royal. The North Fork Shenandoah River arises from the many small streams that spring from Shenandoah and North Mountain west and south of Timberville. The river's largest tributary--Smith Creek--joins near Rude's Hill at Mt. Jackson. Two other important tributaries join farther downstream--Stony Creek at Edinburg and Narrow Passage Creek near Woodstock. From here the river meanders northeast through a series of incised meanders, known as ``Seven Bends.'' At Strasburg, the North Fork turns abruptly east across the head of the Massanutten, where it is joined by Cedar Creek. At Front Royal the North and South forks conjoin, forming the Shenandoah River proper, now several hundred yards wide. From Front Royal, the Shenandoah flows steadily to the northeast along the flank of the Blue Ridge to empty into the Potomac River at Harpers Ferry. At the time of the Civil War, locks on the Potomac River allowed access to the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal, which carried canal boat traffic to Georgetown. For the last forty miles of its journey to the Potomac, the Shenandoah River is paralleled on the west by a meandering, high- banked stream called Opequon Creek, or simply the Opequon (Oh- PECK-n) which arises in the vicinity of Winchester and drains the western portion of the Lower Valley, emptying into the Potomac Valley Turnpikes, Roads, and Gaps The Valley Map of cartographer Jedediah Hotchkiss (produced 1862- 1863) reveals an intricate web of turnpikes and farm roads within the Valley, reflecting its densely settled agricultural character at the time of the Civil War. In most places, the modern network of State and county roads is congruent with the historic network. The primary historic Valley highways and roads are in use today. The major northeast-southwest thoroughfare of the Shenandoah Valley at the time of the Civil War was the Valley Turnpike, which extended from the Potomac River at Williamsport via Martinsburg, Winchester, Middletown, Strasburg, New Market, Harrisonburg, Staunton, and Fairfield to Lexington. This road is one of the oldest and most historic transportation routes in America. In prehistoric times, Indians followed buffalo herds along its route. Later it was referred to as the Warrior Trace. The first settlers entered the Valley from Maryland, crossed the Potomac River at Williamsport, Shepherdstown, and Harpers Ferry, and followed the road south. In the 18th century, it was part of the Great Wagon Road, which ran from Philadelphia to the back country of the Carolinas and the Cumberland Gap. When it was incorporated as the Valley Turnpike (a toll road) in the 19th century, it had already contributed mightily to the settlement of the American frontier. In the 20th century, first US 11 and then I-81 were laid out to follow its course. In the 19th century, the Valley Turnpike was part of a fledgling State transportation network of turnpikes, local roads, railroads, and canals. It boasted a macadamized surface that enabled travel in wet weather. The army that controlled this road had the advantage of being able to move swiftly up or down

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Alliston For the surname, see Alliston (surname). Alliston is a settlement in Simcoe County in the Canadian province of Ontario. It has been part of the Town of New Tecumseth since the 1991 amalgamation of Alliston and nearby villages of Beeton, Tottenham, and the Township of Tecumseth. The primary downtown area is located along Highway 89, known as Victoria Street. The town grew as a commercial centre for the area farmers and was best known as a potato-growing area. It is still a major industry in the town and is celebrated by the annual Alliston Potato Festival.[1] Honda of Canada Manufacturing operates a large auto manufacturing facility southeast of Alliston, currently consisting of three major factories. In the 2011 census, the town of Alliston grew by 23% since 2006 to 15,379. This is over 4 times the average in the county of Simcoe. Alliston in Ontario 6 Health care 8 Nearest communities Alliston traces its history to three brothers, William, John and Dickson Fletcher. Dissatisfied with life in England, the three left for Toronto, working farms in Toronto Gore northwest of the city. In 1821 William purchased Lot 15, Consession 3, Tecumseth Township. He married in 1828, and in 1847 went scouting locations for the construction of a mill with his son John. They chose a location at Lot 1, Consession 1, Essa Township, at the corner where four of the original townships of southern Simcoe County (Adjala, Tosorontio, Essa, and Tecumseth) meet. In early November they built a cabin on the property, and the rest of the family joined them in April the next year. A larger house, known as Fletcher House, was built in 1849, and still stands at 18 Fletcher Crescent. In 1853 the Fletchers built a grist mill on the Boyne River, a tributary of the Nottawasaga River which runs to the east. The first child born in the new town was Margaret Grant, who was later mother to Frederick Banting. An Orange Lodge was built in 1856, and the next year the members decided to name the village as Alliston. The precise origin of the name remains in some doubt, but the most common story is that it was named for James Banting's birthplace in Yorkshire. A post office was set up the next year, with another Fletcher son, George, the first postmaster. Starting in 1862, George published "The Alliston Star" newspaper, which changed its name to "Alliston Herald" in 1871 and continues to be published today. The village was formally incorporated in 1874, with George Fletcher as the reeve. Alliston, 1910 In 1875 the town was approached by the North Simcoe Railway to run a line from Penetanguishene through Alliston to join the Toronto, Grey and Bruce Railway. This venture came to nothing, but the organization set up to investigate it later turned to the Hamilton and North-Western Railway to build a new arm from Clarkstown (now Beeton) through Alliston to Collingwood. The town raised $8000 for its portion of the railway from Clarkstown to Glencairn, about half way to Collingwood. Alliston was upgraded from "village" to "town" in 1891. On May 8 the same year a fire started in the stables of the Queen's Hotel, and was quickly spread by high winds. Collingwood was telegraphed for assistance and sent their fire engine by train, but the downtown area was gutted long before it could arrive. When it did arrive at about 3 in the afternoon, it was sent to the southern side of town where the fire was still burning. In all, 30 acres (120,000 m2) of the town were destroyed by the fire, which received the attention of John A. Macdonald. This led to the creation of a waterworks the next year, which included twenty fire hydrants, and the addition of a hook and ladder truck in 1894. A census in August 1902 stated that 1,475 people were living in the town. A new line of the Canadian Pacific Railway (C.P.R.) reached the town in 1905 or early 1906, with trains arriving later in 1906. The local electric power company, Alliston Electric, was merged into Ontario Hydro on May 24, 1918. Geography[

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Scone Palace This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (January 2015) Western façade Perth, Perth and Kinross Scotland William Atkinson Architectural style(s) Scone Palace /ˈskuːn/ is a Category A listed historic house and 5 star tourism attraction near the village of Scone and the city of Perth, Scotland. Built of red sandstone with a castellated roof, it is one of the finest examples of late Georgian Gothic style in the United Kingdom. A place steeped in history, Scone was originally the site of an early Christian church, and later an Augustinian priory. In the 12th century, Scone Priory was granted abbey status and as a result an Abbot's residence - an Abbot's Palace - was constructed. It is for this reason (Scone's status as an abbey) that the current structure retains the name "Palace". Scone Abbey was severely damaged in 1559 during the Scottish Reformation after a mob whipped up by the famous reformer, John Knox, came to Scone from Dundee. Having survived the Reformation, the Abbey in 1600 became a secular Lordship (and home) within the parish of Scone, Scotland. The Palace has thus been home to the Earls of Mansfield for over 400 years. During the early 19th century the Palace was enlarged by the architect William Atkinson. In 1802, David William Murray, 3rd Earl of Mansfield, commissioned Atkinson to extend the Palace, recasting the late 16th-century Palace of Scone. The 3rd Earl tasked Atkinson with updating the old Palace whilst maintaining characteristics of the medieval Gothic abbey buildings it was built upon, with the majority of work finished by 1808. Landscaping work around the Palace was undertaken by John Claudius Loudon. Loudon was, similarly to Atkinson, tasked with designing a landscape to remain in keeping with, as well as highlighting, the historic significance of Scone. Scone was for nearly 1000 years the crowning-place of Scottish kings and the home of the Stone of Scone. It is a site of immense historic significance. Further work was undertaken in 1842 to make Scone Palace ready for the visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert.[1] The vast majority of this work was to the interior decor although did include the provision of running water a huge cost to the Earl. Many of the original early 19th century interior designs survive, including several ornately carved and vaulted ceilings. Scone Palace is a 5 star tourism attraction. The State Rooms are open each year from April till the end of September. It is possible for groups to organize visits during the winter months. The Palace grounds are also open to the public. The gardens include the famous David Douglas Pinetum plus a star-shaped maze. The Palace also hosts multiple outdoor events including the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust's Scottish Game Fair, Rewind Festival, and the Farming of Yesteryear among many others. 1 History of Scone 1.1 Prehistory and Tradition 1.2 The Naming of Scone 1.3 The Ancient Kingdom of Scone 2 Scone Abbey 3 The Modern Palace History of Scone[edit] Scone Palace Front side Main article: Scone, Scotland Prehistory and Tradition[edit] The history of Scone is shrouded in myth and legend. Scotland, sitting on the edge of Europe, was one of the last Kingdoms to adopt and benefit from the written word and the legal system it upheld. In fact it was only at the end of the 11th century that Scotland saw a growth of record keeping, with property rights logged via legal charter and royal government practice routinely noted in writing.[2] It is likely that there were a few documents written before the 11th century, however, Scotland's particularly turbulent history is likely to have been witness to the loss or destruction of many documents. The first piece of hard evidence that we have relating to Scone is a charter dating to 906. This date could represent the period in which Scone first came to prominence as a center of power and government, or it could simply be the first concrete date we have in what is actually a much longer history. Many historians writing previously to the 20th century have suggested without any (unless it was subsequently lost) decent evidence that Scone's history was not just "post" but in some cases even "pre-Roman". Modern historians for this very reason are very non-committal regarding the h

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STAUNTON, VIRGINIA Staunton, City of History and Culture in the Shenandoah Valley Select a Date Overview Founded in 1747 at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley, historic Staunton has been recognized as a “distinctive destination” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Discover the peoples who settled this area and the cultures they brought with them. Explore the city’s historic downtown and experience its urban character yet small-town ambiance. Discuss Elizabethan theater before a performance at the Blackfriars Playhouse — a re-creation of Shakespeare’s legendary indoor theater. Highlights• Delve into the life of Woodrow Wilson during a field trip to his birthplace and library. • Go on a behind-the-scenes exploration of the Blackfriars Playhouse with a theater expert. • Explore the Frontier Culture Museum and learn about the early history of the Shenandoah Valley. Activity NotesWalking up to two miles per day; some hilly terrain and steep inclines. Coordinated by Virginia Commonwealth University. Enroll Here Jun 15 — Jun 20, 2014

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The Bloody Tower The White Tower Chapel of St. John Chapel of St Peter ad Vincula The Medieval Palace The Beauchamp Tower The Byward Tower The Queen's House The Bowyer Tower The Bell Tower Traitor's Gate The Salt Tower The Devereux Tower The Tower of London The Byward Tower The Byward Tower, sited at the south-west corner of the Tower of London complex next to the moat, is now used as the main entrance for visitors. The tower is the great gatehouse of the Outer Ward of the Tower of London and was built by King Henry III between 1238 - 1272 to offer additional protection to the central keep. The tower comprised a series of defences to deter intruders including a drawbridge in the causeway, arrow loops in the twin towers and two portcullises. All these defences survive to the present day apart from the drawbridge and the inner portcullis. The chief architect and master builder was Henry de Reyns together with John of Gloucester and Robert of Beverley. It is thought to have been built adjacent to the Warder's Hall and from this siting the tower derived its name ( By the Warders). The Byward Tower was further strengthened during King Richard II's reign in 1381 following the Peasants Revolt, when Richard and his mother, Joan, Countess of Kent sheltered in the Tower. The building still retains its original form of two cylindrical towers although the height has been increased in the late medieval period and in the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The magnificent medieval wall painting on the first floor of the Byward Tower, is the only surviving decorated medieval interior in the whole of the Tower of London. The painting is not accessible to the general public, but relates the story of the death of Christ on the Cross, the central ‘Crucifixion’ figure is has now been lost, destroyed by a later fireplace, though the figures of the Virgin Mary and St John the Evangelist in mourning positions still survive. The painting is covered in gold leaf and expensive pigments such as azurite (blue), vermillion (red) and lac (deep red). The painting is thought to date from the 1390's, during the reign of Richard II, whose patron saint was St. John the Baptist. All images displayed on this page are copyright Englishmonarchs <-- Back to King John - On to Edward I --> Back to Top

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PRAGUE GUIDE AccommodationAirport transfersBars, Pubs, CafésClubs & NightlifeOpera & ConcertsPrague PackagesRestaurantsRiver cruisesShops & MarketsSightseeingSport & ActivitiesStag weekendsTheatre guideTravel to Prague PRAGUE EVENTSEvents 2015-2016 Christmas 2015New Year's 2015Valentine's 2016Easter 2016 INFORMATION Children's funHistory of PragueMaps of PraguePublic transportTourism infoTourist infoTrip reviews About usBooking infoContact us St. Martin in the Wall Church Old Town, Prague 1 Classical Concerts No All non-smoking No Yes No official dress code for concerts. Attire is mostly smart casual St. Martin in the Wall ChurchMartinska 8, Old Town, Prague 1Czech Republic Metro station: Mustek (lines A & B) Tram stop: Narodni trida (trams 6, 9, 18, 22) - Wenceslas Square- Old Town Square- V Zatisi Wine Restaurant- Made in Japan Sushi Restaurant St. Martin in the Wall Church is an ancient, beautifully preserved church set amongst the winding back streets and quaint buildings of the Old Town. It is located just a few minutes walk from both the Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square.St. Martin in the Wall Church was built in the Romanesque style from 1178-1187 in the settlement of Ujezd, which in those days extended to this area. Shortly after the church was dedicated to St. Martin, the settlement was renamed Ujezd of St. Martin.When the Old Town walls were built in the 13th century, Ujezd of St. Martin was divided in two. The larger part was left outside the walls and later became part of the New Town. The smaller part together with the church became part of the Old Town. The south wall of the church backed onto the Old Town wall, hence the name St. Martin in the Wall.The original church had just one nave, which has been preserved in the present nave along with other Romanesque features.In the 14th and 15th centuries the church was reconstructed in the Gothic style, which remains to this day. The nave was elevated and newly vaulted, and the whole church enlarged.Between 1360-1370 the Presbyterian gained a groined vault, which is said to be one of the oldest of its kind in the Czech Republic. The groins of the vault rise from a bracket decorated with masks. The coping stones are decorated with a rose and star.In 1414 a Mr M. Jakoubek from Stř�bro served the altar sacrament in both kinds to laymen for the first time. In the following years, the chalice used became the symbol of the Hussite revolution.The Gothic reconstruction of St. Martin in the Wall was completed in 1488, sponsored by the Utraquist bourgeois Holec family. Their coat of arms, a hook, can be seen in several places around the church.St. Martin has now been restored to its original splendour. Aside from Sunday worship, it only opens for classical concerts. The excellent acoustics of the church and the historic setting make these events well worth attending.During the winter the interior of the church is heated, but it is advisable to wear warm clothing for the concerts.For concert listings and to book tickets for St. Martin in the Wall Church: Prague concerts. map »book now »» Prague opera & concerts › Prague concert halls St. Martin in the Wall Church in Prague Prague | Terms & Conditions | Prague Experience - © 2002-2015 Travel Experience Ltd

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Santa Monica Civic Auditorium 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica Civic Auditorium (Official) Welton Becket Fox Rosemary Theatre Fox Dome Theatre Wonderland Theatre Hitching Post Theatre AMC Loews Broadway 4 The Santa Monica Civic Auditorium is owned and operated by the City of Santa Monica. It was designed by Welton Becket, who designed many iconic buildings in the Los Angeles area, including the Capitol Records Building, the Pan Pacific Auditorium, and the LA Music Center. The auditorium opened in 1958 as a multi-purpose venue for community events. The faciliy is unique in that its concrete floor is mounted on hydraulic lifts, making it possible to change the rake of the seating area. This makes the facility adaptable to both traditional theatrical seating and to flat floor exhibit shows. It was the site of several Academy Awards Ceremonies in the 1960’s. Many Southern Californians of a certain age remember the hall for the surf movies shown there for over a decade. Only two blocks from the beach, the films attracted surfing afficianados who stood in line at the box office, sand still clinging to their clothes. The hall is also famous for its role during the early rock and roll years as the main Southern California venue for concerts of virtually all the famous bands. It currently serves as a multi-purpose event venue, hosting benefits, consumer shows, exhibits, symphony concerts, fundraisers, banquets, and other events. Glennis Waterman Ron Newman When was a movie last shown here? I don’t recall any when I lived in Santa Monica from 1979 to 1984. GWaterman The surf movies were shown in the 60’s and 70’s. Here’s a link that includes a poster: They would 4-wall the Civic Auditorium also for the Warren Miller Ski films from time to time. DonSolosan The auditorium is in danger of being demoed. The city doesn’t have the funds to update/improve it.

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Search Antigua | Caribbean Island Guide Antiguan Artists Tanzania “Tizzy” Sebastian was named Female Soca Performer of the Year and Best New Female Soca Artist at the 2007 International Soca Awards. Before joining El-A-Kru, she was primarily known as a dancer and was one of the original members of The Antigua Dance Academy. El-A-Kru is an Antiguan soca band. The name derives from “Little Antigua Crew”. The band was formed in 1990 as L.A. Crew. For their first seven years they performed mostly on the hotel and tourist circuits, and had several local hit recordings. In 1998, they recruited their lead singer, Tanzania “Tizzy” Sebastian, who has performed with the band ever since. They also changed their name to El-A-Kru. In 1999, “Tizzy” and El-A-Kru made a breakthrough at the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival with their first hit single outside Antigua, ‘Lethal Batty’, performing in 19 shows over 28 days. El-A-Kru are frequent performers at the Antigua Carnival, where they have won the title of “Sweetest Band on the Road” four times of the last eight years, winning the title for a record three years in a row. In 2007, they toured the UK with the Antigua Carnival Roadshow, marking the 50th anniversary of the Carnival. The band also perform at the Trinidad and Tobago Carnival and the Saint Kitts and Nevis and Miami Carnivals and have appeared in The Caribbean Splashdown Music Festival in New York City. Flight Arrivals Advertise Island Business Web Design Festivals Contact Us Caribbean Islands Cruise Schedule <!-Weather in St. John\ S, Antigua And Barbuda on your site - HTML code - weatherforecastmap.com -->Forecast for St. John\ S<!-end of code--> Wedding Requirements About Us Company Disclaimer Contact Events News Deals Spotlight Services Advertise Web Design Login Email: Feedback Analytics

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More Home Work Travel Explore News Store Travel Blog National Holidays and Independence Days Celebrated Around the World in February Around the world people like to celebrate and there's no better occassion than a national holiday. Here is a list of countries who will be celebrating their national holiday in the month of February. Are you going to be at any of these countries for the festivities? If so, send a picture and Let us know what it's like! Dominican Republic – February 27. Parades and marches go on to celebrate this National Holiday which actually lasts a month beginning at the end of January. I used to be celebrated with Carnival, but now is its own holiday. Estonia – February 24. Each year Estonia celebrates its independence from Russia, which was first founded in 1918. Gambia – February 18. Gambia proudly declared its independence from the UK after only 300 years of colonial rule. They fly their flags and celebrate around the world. Granada – February 7. Granada celebrates their independence from British rule with a military parade in Tanteen. You can also find beach parties around the islands many beaches. Guyana – February 23. The Guyanese celebrate Republic day, also known as Mashramani, or Mash. They celebrate with parades, dancing and a grand party. Tens of thousands come to the capital of Georgetown to take part in these festivities. Kosovo – February 17. This is a relatively new independence which is still not recognized by many other countries including Serbia and Russia. Either way, Kosovo has begun celebrations on February 17. Kuwait – February 25. They will celebrate their Liberation Day, after coalition forces ousted Iraq in 1991. They proudly celebrate with in the capital of Riyadh. Lithuania – February 16. On this date in 1918 was when Lithuania declared its independence from Soviet Russia. They celebrate with parade and speeches. New Zealand – February 6. Thiss is the great New Zealand Day, also known as Waitangi Day, which is held to commemorate the founding of New Zealand, making it part of the British Empire. They hold public concerts, and festivals. Maori have also been known to use this day to educate others about their cultural past. Saint Lucia – February 22. This day celebrates St Lucia's full independence from the UK with parades, dancing and games throughout the Islands and even more in the capital of Castries. This is also a buildup to St Lucias more popular celebration, Carnival. Sri Lanka – February 4. Sri Lanka celebrates its independence from the United Kingdom. A the time it was known as Ceylon. Get more out of Travel Droppings... National Day and Independence Days around the world Cruise Bruise Travel logistics About Travel Droppings The contents on this website are property of Travel Droppings unless otherwise noted. Funding for Travel Droppings.com is provided by MMK Travel Group, Chicago Illinois

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Chasing Galen I probably wouldn't have taken up photography again if it weren't for the inspiration of one great teacher. On 11 August 2002, Galen Rowell and his wife Barbara were killed in a small plane crash near their home in Bishop, California. While I wrote the following article some time ago, originally as part of a slide show presentation I used to give, it seems even more appropriate today. (I've now added a short piece at the end that I originally wrote for my D1 Report that says more directly what Galen and Barbara meant to me.) All of us who met and knew Galen and Barbara miss them both. The Galen Rowell National Trails Fund In 2004 I established and funded an endowment fund for hiking trails in Galen's name. The fund is administered by the American Hiking Society and each year awards grants for a portion of the endowment. These grants are typically used for trail maintenance and other related items. While these grants are modest in size (currently about US$500), that money goes a long ways, since it is usually only used for tools, food for trail crews, and other "enablers." No permanent or unnatural structures may be erected using the funds, and the primary use of the funds is to insure that the US wilderness and backcountry trails remain accessible yet still wild. These are the exact same trails that Galen and I hiked together many times over the years. If Galen touched your life, too, then you can help. I've established the fund in a way so that others can contribute to its endowment. Click here and make sure to put a note in the Comments box that the gift is to be added to the Galen Rowell National Trails Fund. Such donations are tax deductible and help grow the endowment so that additional moneys can be granted each year. The fund itself is set up to be perpetual (i.e. the principal is invested), so every dollar helps. If you wonder why I'd start such a fund, well, just read the accompanying article (below). In a nutshell, I've made the decision to put 5% of the profits from this site into non-profit, charitable causes. It seemed natural to dedicate some of that money in memory of someone who helped me in so many ways, and who supported me in my transition from high tech to photography. It doesn't hurt that the eventual recipients of the money are organizations that maintain the wild areas that Galen (and I) loved to photograph. A long time ago, or so it seems now, I trained as a filmmaker and photographer. As I came of age, I served as photographer for my high school yearbook, a couple of newspapers, shot photos and film for television stations, and even worked for a short time as a stringer to ABC News at one point. But when I got involved in computers in 1976, I sold off my cameras, and pretty much gave up any creative activity. I was a computer nerd before the stereotype even existed. For 15 years the only camera I owned was an inexpensive point-and-shoot, which I rarely used. In the early 90's, depressed from the breakup of a long-term relationship that should have lasted a lifetime, tired from the unrelenting pace of product development in Silicon Valley, and bored by always having to take short vacations in Tahoe, I decided it was time for a long visit to someplace that would rekindle my innate curiosity and love of anything new. While browsing through the glossy brochure of Wilderness Travel looking for the truly exotic adventure, Africa suddenly beckoned. Lions. Elephants. Wildebeest. Oh my. So I immediately signed up for a tour to Botswana and started reading everything I could find on the area in anticipation of my coming adventure. A month of Africa immersion later--two months before the trip was to depart--a very apologetic Wilderness Travel representation called to tell me that they had to cancel that trip. Meanwhile, the company I worked at, GO Corporation, was fighting for its life. Our product, the Penpoint operating system, was just a bit ahead of its time (actually, it still would be if launched today). Girlfriend gone. Trip canceled. Company closing down. My depression was nearly complete. A few weeks later, as I was wading through an unappealing assortment of employment ads in the San Jose Mercury News, Wilderness Travel called again. Did I still want to go to Botswana? I considered my dwindling bank account and lack of a job. "Sure," I answered. "Do you have a camera?" What kind of question was that? Since when did tour operators care about whether you bring a camera on their trips? "This new tour goes to the same destinations as the one you originally booked, but it's part of a photo workshop with Galen Rowell," came the answer. "Do you know who Galen Rowell is?" I knew who Galen was. Growing up in the Bay Area and having spent a great deal of time researching and hiking in Yosemite, I had encountered his inspiring Sierra photography many times. In fact, I had just seen an exhibit of his photos, and greatly admired the photos from Mountain Light, one of his coffee table books that was "in" at the time. I wasn't exactly sure what Galen was going to do in Botswana, as I had always associated him with climbing in the Sierra, but a great photographer should be at least a decent photography teacher, right? As I prepared for the trip, I made a pact with myself. Wherever Galen went, I was going to follow. I wanted to find out just how he got all those great shots. I wouldn't make a nuisance of myself, but I wanted to see him at work, close up. Since I'm the embodiment of the law "a body at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by a force," I even wrote this pact out in my notebook: "Wherever Galen goes, I go." I practiced saying this out loud to reinforce the message, then promptly plopped down on the couch for a nap. Botswana is flat as a pancake. From the northern border to the southern there's a total elevation difference of five feet, which is one of the reasons why the Okavango River delta empties into a desert instead of an ocean. Flat except for a pimple of a rock called the Tsodillo Hills, which juts up out of the otherwise featureless terrain. The attraction here is bushmen paintings on the rocks. After landing on a dirt strip nearby, we walked all around the Hills photographing paintings at eye level, until we came to the best ones. These paintings are up maybe 100 feet or more above the base. Like everyone else on the tour, I took out my 500mm lens, put an extender on it, and started shooting. Then I looked at Galen. He wasn't getting out his longest lens, he was getting out his 16mm lens and discarding all the rest of his gear. What the? Did I mention that Galen's a renowned climber? Somehow I had managed to ignore that when I made my pledge to follow him. But I quickly abandoned my long lens and other gear, grabbed my 17mm lens and headed off after Galen. Did I mention that I'm not a renowned climber? Actually, I'm not a climber at all. More like a faller, actually. Nevertheless, I did my best to watch what Galen was doing and scramble up the rocks and cliff behind him as fast as I could. I arrived about at the top about fifteen minutes after Galen. He turned to me and said, "Oh good, I needed a model. Here, climb this rock and straddle the gap looking over the paintings." For a few minutes I modeled for Galen, then we reversed roles and he modeled for me (I just ran across Galen's version of me climbing above the paintings in the 2005 Geographic Expeditions catalog). This, then, is how my "Chasing Galen" series began. Over the years I've gone on a number of memorable trips with him. During that time I've shot Galen: hanging off the only cliff in Botswana; jumping into glacier fed lakes at 16,500 feet; chasing rainbows; racing in front of a glacier to get a shot before the light disappeared; trying to figure out how to climb vertical walls; and climbing them. I was even inspired by this last event to write a limerick: If a person is a rock up a scalin' You can bet it is most certainly Galen His hand goes up there A leg in mid-air And he's got his great picture Chilean. But the unique thing about Galen is this: he's perpetual motion in action. And while sometimes it's tiresome to watch him, you can't help but be inspired by his energy, as well as for his unrelenting love of climbing and photography. He gets those great photographs because he is always looking for that image that defines his vision of a place. He doesn't limit his feet to only the proven path, and he doesn't let a slab of rock get in his way. I've even watched him chase monkeys up trees, mostly because it was great fun and exercise, but also because he wondered if there might be a picture in it. In short, you cannot travel with Galen and not be inspired to find your own passion. I've run with Galen at 17,000 feet, hiked 18 miles with him in one day, shivered with him in frigid weather and high winds waiting for the light to "turn perfect," and even climbed the fence with him at Victoria Falls National Park in the dark of night so that we'd be in position for the perfect sunrise photos (and, yes, we paid our entrance fee on the way out). I've never once regretted my pact with myself on that Africa trip. Watching Galen at work has led me to examine my own photography and creativity, and has taken me in directions I didn't know were there. I'm no longer chasing Galen, but chasing my own dreams and visions. If great teachers turn on the light for their students, Galen's shined more brightly than others. Books by Galen Galen's written or provided photographs for dozens of books. Here are some of my favorites that are still readily available: Galen Rowell's Inner Game of Outdoor Photography North America the Beautiful Bay Area Wild: A Celebration of the Natural Heritage of the San Francisco Bay Area Alaska: Images of the Country Poles Apart: Parallel Visions of the Arctic and Antarctic Mountain Light: In Search of the Dynamic Landscape From the 3rd issue of my D1 Report: On August 11th, I received a grim reminder of what happens when you put off until tomorrow what you should do today. That was the morning that Galen Rowell and Barbara Cushman Rowell, two good friends and extraordinary people, died in a plane accident near their home in Bishop, California. The Rowells were on their way home from Galen's Arctic Circle workshop in a small chartered plane. They were two miles from their home airport when the crash occurred. Two miles from safety. Two miles from continuing their passions. Two miles from still being with us. Sometimes the shortest distance is the longest. I hadn't actually talked to Galen in person since he moved his offices from Emeryville, though we exchanged a few emails and phone calls. It seemed that our paths kept crossing but not quite intersecting over the last two years. Earlier this year [2002] I was in his neck of the woods for a couple of weeks, but Galen was off on one of his extended shoots. And when he was on the East coast, I was on the West. Since the last time I had a chance to talk to Galen and Barbara face to face, I transitioned from being a part time photographer to full time, something that had been in the works for a considerable period, but never quite seemed to happen. Galen was a large part of the reason why I grew more confident in my photographic abilities over the years, and without his support and encouragement, I never would have made the transition. Unbeknownst to me at the time, Galen helped me get the job of lead editor at BACKPACKER Magazine: he gave me an unsolicited personal reference that I only found out about only after I took the job. When I worked with Galen on articles for the magazine, he continued his encouragement of both my writing and photographic endeavors. I had been saving up my Thank Yous for quite some time, hoping to catch Galen in one of those rare down times we photographers have. I wanted to thank him for all that he's done for me without hurry, without interruptions, and in person. And I never got that chance because I didn't make the time to do it. So I'll do it publicly now to all who will listen: Galen Rowell was one of the most remarkable people in the world. Certainly the most remarkable I've met. He lived and breathed his chosen crafts. He always aspired to do his best. He answered any and all questions that came his way, no matter how inane or simple they might be. He gave of his time and wisdom so freely that Barbara often had to reign him in so as not to completely overextend himself. Galen was articulate, and yes, opinionated, on virtually every subject you might bring up. His passion showed in his approach to photography, to writing, to climbing, and to life in general. Barbara, too, was just as passionate and talented. Her long-awaited book on her small plane adventure flying from the US to Patagonia and back is due out this fall (now available; see my Book Recommendations page). Barbara was also a remarkable candid portrait photographer, recently switching over to a D100 for her work. Barbara was the less publicly visible of the Rowells, but she and Galen were a remarkable pairing, one that consistently amazed you in its depth and breadth. When I first met Galen, I was in awe of the man. I still am. Over the years, Galen and I shared many a backcountry path together and I learned a great deal from him. I certainly learned how to be a better photographer. But I also learned not to subvert my passions, to be open and free with others, and to give back to the lands and places from which I experienced such joy [this should help explain why I helped establish a trails fund in Galen's name]. I owe Galen for opening my eyes to new alternatives, to better photographs, to a simpler, more enjoyable way to live. I thank him for all he taught me, and for all the good times we shared together. I was privileged to meet and work with Galen. He changed my life, as he did many others, even those of people he never met. How can you ever find enough Thank Yous to pay back that kind of debt? As I've already mentioned, Barbara Cushman Rowell was a fine photographer in her own right. Indeed, with certain subjects, such as candid portraiture, she was a far better photographer than Galen. And she, too, was a remarkable person. She was to the Mountain Light business what Galen was to the photography. Her passions were people, planes, and business, not necessarily in that order. Ironically, Barbara and I met as teens in the Sierras, though neither of us remembered that the first time we met again as adults. It seems that special places sometimes have a way of bringing people together that you don't expect. I'm extremely saddened that Galen and Barbara are no longer with us. But they always will be in spirit. To my death I'll carry the memories of these two fine people. And I'll try not to unlearn all the things Galen taught me I came across a quote the other day that seems to apply here. "There are not ten people in the world whose deaths would spoil my dinner, but there are one or two whose deaths would break my heart." (Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1833) I suspect that Galen and Barbara's deaths spoiled one heck of a lot of dinners. A large number of hearts were broken, as well, including mine. They will be missed. Galen, Barbara, if you're somewhere that this message gets to you: thank you, thank you, thank you. bythom.com | Nikon | Gadgets | Writing | imho | Travel | Privacy statement | � 2004 Thom Hogan. All rights reserved.

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Home » Your Visit » Stations » Watchet Postcode for Sat Nav: TA23 0AU Watchet Station has a Booking Office and prices from this station can be found on our fares pages.The shop has been extended and sells souveniers,cakes,biscuits,sweets and hot and cold drinks.There are toilets available,including a disabled facility. A coal fire greets you on entering the booking hall.To the left of here there is a comprehensive secondhand book shop selling fiction and non-fiction books. On the platform the Pagoda waiting room has a pictorial display of the history of the railway at Watchet. Watchet Station is back on track with the return of the refurbished footbridge and a repaint of the station buildings. What to see and do nearby Watchet is an ancient harbour town with a history of over 1000 years and still has a network of small streets and shops to be explored, including several pubs and cafes. The Star Inn in Watchet was Somerset CAMRA�s Pub of the Year for 2005. The station stands right in the middle of the town adjacent to the harbour which, since the end of commercial shipping calling in the mid-1990�s has begun a new lease of life as a Marina and is home currently to a 1950�s Vintage Motor Torpedo Boat. The network of sidings that served the docks has gone and the former goods shed is now a Boat Museum. The town Museum is just off the esplanade and traces the history of the town through the ages and this includes the West Somerset Mineral Railway that once brought iron ore from the Brendon Hills for onward shipping to the furnaces at Ebbw Vale in South Wales. The trackbed of the Mineral Railway is now in use as a footpath. Bell Inn - 3 Market Street The 16th Century Bell Inn is situated in Market Street, Watchet, a few yards from the marina and is a family run pub. A warm welcome always awaits you from Paul, Gill, Adam and Clare, along with real ales, fine wines and good food. Open all day every day, food is served lunchtime and evenings. (Food not served on a Tuesday). History of Watchet Station This was the original terminus of the West Somerset Railway in 1862, a fact which is reflected in the station building standing at right angles to the railway line. For more information about things to see and do in Watchet as well as places to stay visit Visit Watchet.

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Homepage About Us About Nebaj About Tourism Ixil EAT - 'El Descanso' SLEEP - 'Media Luna Media Sol' STUDY - 'Nebaj Language School' EXPLORE - 'Guias Ixiles' CONNECT - 'La Red' Internet Cafe Contact Us About Nebaj Nebaj, situated at 1,900 meters above sea level, is the southern gateway to the Ixil region and one of three towns comprising the Ixil Triangle (Nebaj, Chajul and Cotzal). It is situated in a beautiful valley surrounded by the Cuchamatan Mountains, roughly two and a half hours north of Santa Cruz del Quiche in the department of Quiche, Guatemala. With its white adobe walls and cobbled streets, it is a remote and traditional town where indigenous culture is still vibrant. Nebaj is a place rich in history and culture, where people are incredibly kind and openhearted. In fact, walking through town on a typical morning you are likely to be greeted with more "buenos días" than you can count! The town is famous for its artisans, especially the intricately woven "huipiles" (one-piece pullovers) that have won it worldwide fame. Indigenous women weave these huipiles in complex geometrical designs in greens, yellows, reds and oranges. They are traditionally worn with a brilliant red "corte" (skirt). The Ixiles, as people from the region are called, are one of the smallest ethnic groups in Central America. Aside from their award winning weaving, they are known for their tenacious adherence to a traditional way of life; their harmonic manner of living in tune with the environment; and their resourcefulness; as well as their lively fiestas held in honor of patron saints and Mayan deities. Although Nebaj and the surrounding villages all experienced great violence and hardship during the Guatemalan civil war, the town is now a safe place where foreigners can walk around without the uneasiness that one often feels in larger Guatemalan cities. The local people are receptive to foreigners and very welcoming. Because of its recent history, Nebaj is a hotbed of development activity. There are a large number of development organizations working in and around the area. This makes for an exciting atmosphere where people from all over the world can work and form strong friendships with locals. There is also wonderful hiking in the immediate area surrounding Nebaj. You can spend a few hours or even a few days exploring the myriad of trails that weave their way through the nearby villages and surrounding mountains. Despite its relative isolation, Nebaj offers all of the necessities for the traveler. Equipped with a hospital, pharmacies, hotels, restaurants and internet access, it is a place where you can venture into the heart of Maya culture and find the comforts you desire at the same time.

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Only two check out rooms at Lighthouse Inn auction City of New London Building Inspector Jamie Salmon, left, gives a tour of a guest room at the Lighthouse Inn to James Noonan on Friday. Noonan declined to bid in an auction of the contents, furnishings and equipment inside the city-owned property. Sean D. Elliot/The Day Published October 18. 2013 4:00PMUpdated October 19. 2013 12:16AM By Izaskun E. Larrañeta New London — It's as if time has stood still at the Lighthouse Inn. The menu at the hostess station in the now-shuttered inn once reminded the server that prices for brunch had changed — brunch for adults was now $29.95 and $15.95 for children. The soup of the day: lobster bisque.Enter the main dining room and some tables still have linens on them with wine and water glasses in their proper places. A fake Christmas tree stands in the center of the room.But the historic inn hasn't been open to the public since 2008 and, on this breezy fall day, those tables, linens, glasses and just about every piece of furniture and equipment was on the auction block. City officials, through their auction, were hoping to reclaim $125,388.51 in lost personal property taxes.The city earlier this year took title to the historic property after a real estate tax auction failed to elicit a single bid at the minimum price of about $577,000.At 11 a.m. Friday the doors to the inn opened to just two potential investors who had each brought a check for 25 percent of the minimum auction price — more than $30,000. They were able to see the rooms where some beds appeared to be freshly turned.But there were a few things that investors couldn't ignore — the smell of mold, the outdated kitchen and furniture, the water damage and the layers upon layers of dust that cover almost everything. One hour later, State Marshal Joe Heap opened the auction. There were no bidders. Tax Collector Maureen Farrell then made a bid on behalf of the city, thus making it the official owner of the once-thriving inn.The previous owners, the Business Loan Center LLC, had defaulted on the taxes.One potential bidder, Jim Noonan, a New London businessman, said Friday he had a small interest in the property. "It's a beautiful inn and it's going to be a big project to take on," he said.Noonan, however, didn't rule out the possibility of investing in the property in the future.Heap said it was probably advantageous to the city that no one bought the property since that will enable the city to now sell the inn with all of its contents. Prior to the auction, he said, he didn't believe the city would receive its asking price because the market is saturated with used hotel and restaurant items for sale.The city legally had to conduct two separate auctions, for personal and real property, before taking complete possession of the inn and its contents, Heap said.The 1902 Lighthouse Inn property on Guthrie Place, which had been a cherished dining spot and drinking establishment for generations and had been transformed into a resort in recent years, includes three buildings encompassing about 32,000 square feet of space and 51 guest rooms.The city plans to make repairs to the inn, make a proposal to the new City Council in November to pass some sort of tax-abatement package, then host a general auction in which the highest bidder would become the new owner.i.larraneta@theday.comPhoto Gallery City of New London Building Inspector Jamie Salmon, right, gives a tour of the bar at the Lighthouse Inn to James Noonan on Friday. Lighthouse Inn bidder is labeled 'unscrupulous' New London shows off historic inn, seeking potential buyer Finizio to invite developers to bid on Lighthouse Inn

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55 Music Concourse Drive Yes, the lines can be long; we suggest arriving early or booking tickets online on the museum's web site, linked on the left side of this page. You can book tickets from 24 hours up to 90 days in advance. Renovated and reopened in late 2008, the California Academy of Sciences has a lot to boast about. With a four-story tropical rainforest, an aquarium housing over 38,000 species of fish, the deepest coral reef exhibit in the world, an impressive all-digital planetarium, and a host of other exhibits that take visitors on a tour of the natural world, it's no wonder tourists and locals alike are lining up every weekend. The building is an attraction in and of itself. A gem of sustainable architecture, it features a living roof made of solar panels and 1.7 million species of native plants, uses recycled denim for insulation, and has floor-to-ceiling windows that give visitors a seamless view of surrounding Golden Gate Park greenery. Underscoring its hip, green image, the California Academy of Science's café serves up decidedly healthy, yummy dishes that even kids could like (and that's no small feat).

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NEW FOR WEDNESDAY: Ocean City’s Summer Song Contest Draws 55 Entries Posted on 07/04/2012 by DispatchAdmin OCEAN CITY – Judging is currently taking place n the more than 50 entries for the resort’s Song of the Summer contest. As of midnight on Monday, the entry phase for the Ocean City Song of the Summer contest closed with 55 entries received. “I just think that is an incredible response because it is not your average contest, there has to be some thought and effort put into it,” Tourism Director Donna Abbott said on Tuesday. “So we are just thrilled with the response.” For the next week, a team at Ocean City’s advertising agency, MGH, will be reviewing the entries and narrowing down the selection to three finalists. Next Monday, July 9, the three finalists will be posted on Ocean City’s Facebook page through July 22 where the public can vote to make the final selection, and the winner will be announced on July 23. As of Tuesday, Abbott has not had a chance to listen to all of the entries but out of the few she heard she said it is going to be a tough decision to pick three finalists. “I’m leaving it up to the experts on this one,” she said. Abbott is looking forward to the public’s response on the contest finalists. “That is going to be exciting to see the buzz continue,” she said. In February, Councilman Joe Hall proposed the concept to the Mayor and City Council and in May members approved the official process and rules for the Ocean City Song of the Summer Contest. The entry phase began on June 11. Those who wished to enter the contest had to write an original song, record it and send it in to Ocean City via the official Ocean City Facebook page. Contest entries must have completely original composition (both music and lyrics), be no longer than three minutes in length, submitted by an individual, not a group, and could not mention any specific business in Ocean City. The contest winner will win the opportunity to have the song produced and recorded in Ocean City as well as perform the song at Sunfest 2012. The song will also be featured as an Ocean City-sponsored free download on the iTunes store.

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Disney's 2013 D23 Event Published by D_Martin on August 23, 2013 at 02:49 PM CST | Story by Vince Zannelli with photos by Suzan Lund.CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL IMAGE GALLERYThe D23 Expo returned to Anaheim for the third time in four years, and truly covered each and every aspect of Disney fandom with hourly panels, events and demonstrations, collectibles, archive exhibits, upcoming Disney attractions and movies, consumer products, and virtually anything you can possibly think of being offered by the Disney brand of family entertainment. Modeled in a fashion similar to the San Diego Comic-Con, Disney has managed to blend an authentic trade show experience with the modern approach of infusing Hollywood appeal and celebrity, a trend that has resulted in the second-straight Saturday D23 general admission sellout in as many years. Hosting a modern convention steeped in pop-culture consumerism immediately implies that exclusive items will be made available in limited quantities for savvy convention-goers and collectors, and the D23 Expo is no exception. Exclusive collectible offerings appeared to be slightly fewer in number this year when compared to 2011; however, there was a substantial increase in other types of exclusives: jewelry, purses and accessories, elaborate pins, and even Swarovski-covered makeup compacts for ladies were limited to fewer than 100-300 pieces in most instances, and attracted casual and seasoned collectors alike who may not otherwise purchase items of this nature. Undoubtedly, the hottest items at the expo could be found at the Disney Store located on the show floor near the expo entrance. The Disney Fairytale Designer Collection Dolls two-pack variant of Snow White (in alternate gold dress) & the Prince is the first of this new series of fairytale inspired couple multi-packs in 1:6 scale. The set was limited to 600 pieces, retailed for $139.95, and sold out before lunchtime. Attendees could preorder the entire set for one price at the expo, shipped directly to your door as they are made available throughout the remainder of 2013 and into next year. Those electing to preorder were treated to a free exclusive set of 5 mini-lithographs each depicting a different couple in the Designer Collection. The Disney Store had many exclusive items including but not limited to hats, shirts, pins, mugs, Vinylmation characters, and large figurines from "It's a Small World" and Nightmare Before Christmas. Since not all of their items were necessarily D23 Expo exclusives, a variety of the items they had can also be found via their store website and mall locations across North America in limited quantities. They did have two surprise exclusives for fans of Disney Funko 9" figures: a limited edition Mickey Mouse as Steamboat Willie (LE 250, $49.95 ) and a glow in the dark Buzz Lightyear and mini-Emperor Zurg (LE 150, $59.95 ). Both were in high-demand and sold out by the second day of the expo. Buzz was also an exclusive at the Mattel Toys booth within the Disney Consumer Products area of the show floor. A super-deformed, fast food premium mini-figure of "Small Fry" Buzz Lightyear was sold in kids meal-style packaging for $25. Mattel offered a second exclusive featuring vehicles from the Disney Cars/Planes universe, a set of 4 Dinoco RVs in display packaging for $100. Mattel had a booth that was downsized from the previous D23 Expo, and showcased only their recent and near-future Cars and Planes die-cast offerings. No core Disney character items were on display, only Pixar Cars & Planes. Hallmark returned to the D23 Expo with an exclusive sneak peek of the 2014 Disney Christmas ornament lineup and even included a small glimpse into 2015, and for the first time at D23 Hallmark displayed their current Star Wars ornament offerings--a sign of things to come at future D23 Expos. They had one exclusive ornament available, limited to 825 pieces, and featured a repaint of Cinderella's Castle for $35. An "Itty Bitty Plush" version of Sorcerer Mickey was also made available for sale for $10 each, limited to 2500 pieces, and could serve as an ornament if desired. Ridemakerz had a small display with a 1:18 scale remote controlled exclusive Dinoco blue Lightning McQueen D23 logo exclusive limited to 500 pieces, and sold for $75.00 each. Their booth featured a demo area where attendees could get a hands-on experience at controlling a Ridemakerz car. ACME Limited returned to D23 and had a small booth displaying their current prints for sale, but due to the expo taking place only a few weeks after the end of the 2013 San Diego Comic-Con, there were no exclusive prints or character keys being offered by them at the D23 Expo. There were no reveals or mention of additional licenses or movies which the public had not known about previous to the expo, and the only display that included items and collectibles from a future film not yet released was found at the booth promoting Disney/Pixar's upcoming animated feature titled Frozen. Toy offerings will include Polly Pocket-sized figures, 12" dolls, and an assortment of plush items featuring characters from the film. The news that everyone was waiting to hear and trying desperately to buzz about had to do with anything and everything concerning Disney's acquisition of Lucasfilm, and what new offerings we could expect by way of live action films, animated features, and theme park-related announcements. Everywhere fans turned to ask questions via on-hand Lucasfilm representatives, the answers they were met with were all rather similar: "we just don't know yet..." In the Disney live action panel held Saturday morning inside the D23 Expo Arena, Lucasfilm was mentioned as an anecdotal reference by Disney executives who discussed what a pleasure it has been to work with Lucasfilm in any capacity throughout the year, and everyone is looking forward to continuing to work together and have fun on upcoming projects in the future. The panel then quickly turned to Disney's upcoming Marvel films (Thor 2 and Captain America 2) and Lucasfilm was not mentioned again. In Saturday afternoon's panel "A Course in the Force - Star Wars 101", Lucasfilm's resident expert Pablo Hidalgo was on hand to give fans a retrospective concerning all aspects of the Star Wars Universe starting from San Diego Comic-Con 1976, to what we have already heard officially announced regarding future projects. While no new information was revealed during Pablo's presentation itself, there were some interesting questions answered during the Q & A panel which followed: fans of the Clone Wars animated series WILL be able to watch the material dubbed "season 6" however Lucasfilm will not call the material "season 6" because it is not a complete season of material. Some of the episodes are finished, others are partially completed, and a few are merely sketches and storyboards which will not materialize into finished consumer-ready episodes. However, the offering will be "more than you think" and is a welcome relief for long-time Clone Wars fans eager to complete the next chapter in the Clone Wars saga. The only problem for Lucasfilm at this point is that they do not yet know how to get this material out to the public; that is the reason why no formal announcements have yet been made regarding the content. Information will be coming soon regarding availability, but nothing further to report at this time. Stay tuned to StarWars.com for details the moment they are announced. Also noteworthy was the announcement of a Star Wars-themed episode of Disney's animated feature Phineas & Ferb, which will be similar to previous crossovers such as Family Guy and Robot Chicken. If successful, this is only the beginning of what may become a plethora of Star Wars crossovers into Disney animated properties. The crowd responded with loud applause when the announcement was made, both adults and children alike. No footage or details were shared. Star Wars Rebels was the final project mentioned during the Star Wars 101 panel, and the same information made available at San Diego Comic-Con and Celebration Europe II was presented for the D23 crowd. The series will use many of the sketches and diagrams produced by the late, great Ralph McQuarrie, and the show will cover the events between Episodes III & IV. There was a surprise at the end of Pablo's presentation just before the Q & A session began, when he mentioned that limited edition Star Wars Rebels pins were going to be distributed at the Lucasfilm "Evolution of a Villain" booth on the D23 Expo show floor at the conclusion of the panel. This was an opportunity for many to visit the Lucasfilm area of the expo, which will be marked as the very first Lucasfilm booth at a D23 event. When the 2015 D23 Expo takes place, there is no question that the size of it will expand ten-fold and resemble more closely the pavilion that Lucasfilm displays at Comic-Con each year. The Lucasfilm area this year was exceptionally small and featured only Darth Vader-related products from the mid-1990s to current, from the incredibly limited and ever-impressive Samurai Darth Vader, life-sized versions of a Stormtrooper and Darth Vader, to Kenner and Hasbro action figures and Gentle Giant statues, and even plush toys and seasonal items. Lucasfilm's Mary Franklin was one of the curators of the display, ready to meet with D23 attendees and discuss all facets of Star Wars fandom. The display cases were partitioned by huge canvas walls featuring Ralph McQuarrie concept sketches, and descriptions that chronicled Vader's evolution from George Lucas' imagination to McQuarrie's initial sketches to the big screen and beyond. The Rebels animated series pins were distributed at this booth only on Saturday afternoon after the conclusion of Pablo Hidalgo's panel, and there was only one variety of pin distributed which measured just slightly larger in diameter than a U.S. quarter dollar coin. The white pin featured artwork that will be used on the newest Rebel ship named Ghost from the upcoming animated Rebels feature. No further details were given and the pins did not last longer than 30 minutes before all were distributed. The final bit of Star Wars on display could be found tucked away inside of the Walt Disney Imagineering exhibit on the expo floor. Once inside the exhibit, attendees encountered a vast display of Disney attractions and information regarding Disney theme parks around the world. Much to this author's surprise, there was a small area off to the side of one of the displays which had a series of shipping crates & boxes with words branded on the sides of each one. The words referred to locations, characters, and items found within the Star Wars Universe. The project, dubbed "Orange Harvest - Speculation Beyond Imagination", was found on many of the crates and is a play on words calling upon the code words used during production of Endor sequences in the California Redwoods from Return of the Jedi, which was referred to as "Blue Harvest" intended to divert public attention away from the true Star Wars production taking place. Homage to the series was paid via references such as blue milk, the infamous cantina band, lightsabers, and astromech droids to name a few. Since this exhibit was found in an area that dealt exclusively with theme park-related news, it is safe to assume that this was additional confirmation that Disney plans on infusing elements of the Star Wars Universe into their future theme park offerings. Rumors (and speculation!) abound, the "orange" part of Orange Harvest undoubtedly refers to Disney properties in Orlando, Florida; however, for many months now there have been rumors regarding updates to attractions inside Disneyland in Anaheim, California which includes the possibility of reworking Space Mountain into a Star Wars-themed ride, additional destinations for Star Tours calling upon new locations yet to be revealed in the upcoming Disney/Lucasfilm movies, and lastly, a possible reworking of the much-loved People Mover attraction since the abandoned track still stands unused above the heads of park attendees as they navigate around Tomorrowland. Again, as Disney reminds us, all of this is merely speculation beyond imagination--but it means only one thing to fans: good things lie ahead since Disney and Lucasfilm are now one with the ways of the Force...

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GazetteerforScotland Map of Argyll and Bute Member's Area Colintraive A small village drawn out along the S coast of the Cowal Peninsula of Argyll and Bute, Colintraive lies on the eastern side of the Kyles of Bute opposite Rhubodach on the Isle of Bute, to which it is linked by a ferry. There is a post office and popular hotel, once a hunting lodge of the Marquess of Bute. To the east, the Village Hall (1960) occupies the site of a former smithy and mill. A Community Garden (2003) lies behind and an all-weather bowling green adjacent, dating from 1994. On the opposite side of the road, the community-run Colintraive Heritage Centre documents the history of the area. The picturesque Colintraive Church dates from 1840 and overlooks the Kyles of Bute a mile (1.6 km) southeast of the ferry terminal. Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry If you have found this information useful please consider making a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info... The Editors of The Gazetteer for Scotland Supported by: School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better

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http://www.eaglepasstexas.com - Specification Required - The first U.S. settlement at this site on the Rio Grande began during the Mexican War with the temporary Camp Eagle Pass. In 1849, permanent Fort Duncan was founded. After the Civil War, on July 4, 1865, Gen. Joseph Orville Shelby paused in the middle of the Rio Grande to bury the Confederate flag that had flown over his men then continued to Mexico to offer his troops' service to Maximilian. Today, the city is an international gateway and tourist center, the seat of Maverick County and a retail shipping center. Two international bridges to Piedras Negras, just across the Rio Grande, connect U.S. 57 with Mexico 57. Sportsmen enjoy fishing for Rio Grande catfish and hunting. Southwest Texas Junior College and Sul Ross State University campuses also are here.A site eight miles south of the city is developed as a federal reservation for the Kickapoo tribe.Events include the Maverick County Junior Livestock Show in January, International Friendship Festival in late March or early April, Cinco de Mayo Celebration, Fourth of July Celebration, and 16 de Septiembre Celebration.

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Farmholidays Sight-seeing in the area Firenze: Historical buildings Firenze: Museums Firenze: Religious buildings Firenze: Streets and squares Scarperia e San Piero Gallery: Mugello Val di Sieve Gallery: Firenze by night Towns of the area Link & useful Information The Mugello has a great deal to offer, authentic foods, the sites associated with the Medici family, museums, ancient country parish churches and solitary convents. The various towns and villages of the area are all easily accessible by bus and car: the A1 autostrada (highway) has an exit at Barberino di Mugello. There are also many very interesting state and local roads coming from elsewhere in Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. The old and fascinating Faentina rail route provides access to the territory of Mugello, both from the direction of Romagna, starting from Faenza, and from Tuscany, starting in Firenze. There are also a number of local public transport routes to enable movement around the area. The Mugello is a combination of two distinct geographical areas, what is strictly speaking named as the Mugello, and the Alto Mugello or Romagna Toscana. The Mugello valley, which refers to the mid and upper part of the drainage basin of the River Sieve, is a broad valley delimited to the north by the main Apennine watershed (from Monte Citerna to Giogo di Villore), to the south by the spurs of Monte Giovi and Monte Senario, and closed off to the west by the Monti della Calvana, beyond which lies the province of Prato. In the valley are the villages and small towns of Vaglia, San Piero, Barberino Mugello, Scarperia, Borgo San Lorenzo, and Vicchio. The countryside of the Mugello area is quite varied, and includes thick woodland, chestnut coppices, olive groves, wheat and sunflower cultivation. In the fertile valley floor are located the main inhabited areas and lines of communication. To the north, in the upper part of the Santerno, Senio, and Lamone basins, lies the Alto Mugello, with Firenzuola, Palazzuolo sul Senio and Marradi. The large rock outcrops and peaks, though not rising much above 1000 metres, produce striking, sometimes imposing backdrops and profiles. The panorama is dominated by uncontaminated beech, chestnut, and oak woods, by extensive pasture land occasionally broken by juniper bushes and by rocky outcrops. The purity of the water and the luxuriant vegetation in this valley are also an ideal habitat for numerous species of birds and fish. Picture by Sandro Santioli

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Home Asia Africa Europe North - South America Pacific Countrycode Embassy of Ukraine in Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi - UAE Ukrainian Embassy in Abu Dhabi Diplomatic representation of Ukraine. Contact details and information on the services provided by the Embassy of Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. Address, Telephone number, email address, visa application, passports, consular statements, legalisation of documents, opening hours Embassy of Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. When there is no embassy representing this country in Abu Dhabi, you can contact an embassy in a neighboring country. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, UAE Medinat Zayed Area East Road Street, Villa 4 (+971) 2 632 75 86 emb_ae@mfa.gov.ua Mr Polurez Yuriy Volodymyrovich, Ambassador Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. The federal government of the United Arab Emirates is located in the city. Abu Dhabi is one of the largest and most important cities for the Middle Eastern region. A lot of foreign companies and corporations have their regional headquarters in the Abu Dhabi region. Because there are a lot of foreign corporations located in Abu Dhabi there are also living a lot of expatriate workers, hence the need for foreign diplomatic missions like embassies and consulates. Abu Dhabi Embassy Services - The foreign embassies located in Abu Dhabi offer diplomatic services through their consular departments. Embassies offer consular assistance to citizens from Abu Dhabi, foreigners living in the United Arab Emirates and tourist and business visitors. The trade missions of the embassies can often assist foreign companies in establishing business contacts with local companies and sometimes can advice on large foreign business set-ups in Abu Dhabi. With above mentioned embassy contact details you can seek specific information on the consular services the embassy can offer, such as renewals of passports, issuance of visas, legalizations of documents, marriages between foreigners and Abu Dhabi citizens and all other services provided by a typical embassy. Hotels, resorts and guesthouses in the neighborhood of the Embassy of Ukraine in Abu Dhabi Here you will find information about the Foreign Embassies and consulates in Abu Dhabi. In Abu Dhabi there are more than 150 Embassies, consulates and permanent foreign representations. There are also foreign honorary consulates with limited powers.

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Insignificant N.H. peak getting significant name: Mount Reagan © St. Petersburg Times MOUNT CLAY, N.H. - A peak that New Hampshire is naming for Ronald Reagan is one of the tallest in the White Mountain Range, at 5,553 feet, but it isn't exactly a popular hiking destination. The rocky summit doesn't even bulge high enough over its supporting treeless ridge to be a distinctive peak, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club, which doesn't include it on its list of peaks over 4,000 feet. "It's just a bump on a ridge," said Nick Howe, a journalist and White Mountain historian. Yet, in a state whose primary helped propel Reagan to the White House in 1980, fans of the 40th president say the soon-to-be Mount Reagan is a prestigious address in the Presidential Range. Neighboring summits are named for President Washington - the highest peak in the Northeast at 6,288 feet - and presidents Jefferson, Adams, Madison, Monroe, Pierce and Eisenhower. The mountain had been named for Kentucky statesman Henry Clay, who crafted the Missouri Compromise and was nicknamed the "Great Pacificator" for finding solutions that postponed the Civil War. Supporters of the change say it's appropriate to substitute Reagan's name because Clay was never president. Opponents say the renaming is premature and inappropriate because Reagan, 92, is still alive. The federal process to change the name of a mountain is not supposed to start until five years after a person's death. However, New Hampshire's GOP-dominated Legislature voted last month to ignore federal policy. "We can move on it locally and let the feds catch up," said Rep. Ken Weyler, who sponsored the legislation. Republican Gov. Craig Benson is expected to sign the bill into law. The U.S. Board of Geographical Names won't consider renaming the peak on federal documents until Reagan has been dead five years, said Roger Payne, the board's executive secretary. Until then, Mount Reagan can appear on federal maps in parenthesis, he said. The peak can be reached directly in a two- to three-hour hike. It can be reached more easily by going to the top of Mount Washington by cog railway or a toll road, then hiking a little more than a mile down the ridge. Back to World & National news

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Live it now! USA 01 800 488 0920 Mexico 01 800 262 9128 Intl 0052 998 287 4015 VisitMexico Airports and entry requirements Currency and Exchange Holidays Hostels and backpackers States Stay in touch Taxes and Tips Things you should know before you visit Mexico Transportation in Mexico Traveling with pets and food products Weather and time zones Destinations Acapulco Costalegre Emerald Coast Ensenada Guanajuato Hidalgo Ixtapa Zihuatanejo Loreto Los Cabos Oaxaca Palenque Queretaro Riviera Maya State of Mexico Taxco Xalapa Activities Adventure and Nature Weddings World Heritage Cities Culture Mayan world Magical Towns Health Sun and Beach Our Stories Promotions Español English Français Deutsch Italiano 日本 中文 Portugues 한국어 Chichen Itza, Yucatan Chichen Itza, Yucatan Merida Main Square , Yucatan Valladolid, Yucatan Vaqueria, Yucatan Henequen, Yucatan Izamal, Yucatan Home : : Culture : Archaeology : Mysteries of the Maya at Chichen Itza Mysteries of the Maya at Chichen Itza Easily the best known and well-restored of Yucatan Maya archaeological sites, Chichen Itza is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and was named one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” The ruins at Chichen Itza cover an area of 6.5 sq km (2.5 sq miles) and can be toured in a day. Chichen Itza has two distinct architectural zones. The southern zone dates back to the 7th century and showcases Chichen Itza’s early construction in the traditional Puuc Maya style of the Yucatan region. The central zone was constructed after the arrival of the Toltecs around the 10th century and showcases a unique fusion of highland central Mexican and Puuc architectural styles. Chichén Itza’s most impressive sights and structures are located in the central zone. Here you’ll find the Juego de Pelota (Ball Court), several platforms, temples and the spectacular El Castillo (Pyramid of Kukulkan), a massive 25m stone representation of the Maya calendar. Toltec warriors are represented in the carvings around the doorway at the top of El Castillo. Local guides at the site can provide detailed information about Chichen Itza and even lead you to a cenote (underwater sinkhole). The Cenote Sagrado (Sacred Cenote) at Chichen Itza is believed to have been used by the ancient Maya for ceremonial purposes including human sacrifice. Each year during the spring and autumn equinoxes the sun produces the illusion of a serpent ascending or descending the steps of the Pyramid of Kukulkán, a fantastic phenomenon that attracts huge crowds. The illusion is reproduced at the sound and light show that takes place nightly at the archaeological site. You can visit these Mexican ruins on a day trip or tour to Chichen Itza, or stay overnight in a restored hacienda. The nearby Hacienda Chichen is the oldest hacienda in the Yucatán region and has been beautifully restored and converted into a luxury hotel and spa. Book now in white Merida Merida is the largest city and capital of the state of Yucatan; it also is the cultural and financial capital of the region. It is a modern and cosmopolitan city, with museums, art galleries, restaurants, shops and boutiques. It is also one of the most important places where to experience the Mayan heritage. Downtown Merida has become an important meeting point for tourists and the Yucatecan people. There, in a kind of city-museum, visitors can get to know interesting examples of civic and religious architecture. Be sure not to miss its delicious cuisine. ...More Merida's Historic Heart The lovely tree-lined central plaza in Merida is the architectural and cultural centerpiece of the city. Merida's centro historico (historic center) is one of the largest in Mexico and laid out on a grid pattern. Many of the buildings here, including those on and around the Plaza Grande (central plaza), were built during the colonial period through the 18th and 19th centuries. The Cathedral de San Ildefonso (San Ildefonso Cathedral) is the oldest cathedral on the continent and one of the top Merida attractions. It was built between 1561 and 1598 using stones from ruined Mayan pyramids and temples. ...More Valladolid, The Sultan of the East Colonial Valladolid, in the heart of Yucatan, boasts fascinating churches, sinkholes and distinct local dishes. Located mid-way between Mérida and Cancún, colonial Valladolid is the third-largest city in Yucatán and a good base from which to explore the surrounding region. Visit Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and Ek' Balam, the Balankanche caves and Rio Lagartos, a coastal fishing village and flamingo colony located within the Reserva de la Biosfera Rio Lagartos (Lagartos Biosphere Reserve). Valladolid is built over the ancient Maya ceremonial center of Zaci. The city centers on the Parque Francisco Canton Rosado (Francisco Canton Park) where you'll find the Iglesia de San Servacio (San Servacio Church). ...More Spirited Fiestas in Yucatan Bomba! Experience a traditional Yucatecan celebration of folk music and dance in Merida. Vaquerias are traditional feasts and celebrations of music and dance unique to Yucatan. The traditional Vaqueria Feast is influenced by the traditions of the both the indigenous Maya and the Spanish and is usually held in honor of the patron saint of a village or hacienda (plantation). The fiesta typically lasts for several days and includes traditional food, music, dancing and fireworks. Vaquerias were magnificent displays of wealth during the sisal boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, they continue to be important celebrations for the people living in Yucatan. ...More Yucatan Green Gold Visit cultural treasures reminiscent of Yucatán's prosperous past. The haciendas henequeneras in Yucatán first emerged in the 17th century as family-owned cattle ranches, farming and manufacturing centers that produced products for export, before later converting to henequen production. Henequen, a type of agave plant that grows extensively in the Yucatán region, was first discovered and cultivated by the indigenous Maya in the eastern region of the Yucatán Peninsula. The leaves of the henequen plant are used to make a fiber that can be used to make rope or twine. When the Spanish arrived they renamed the fiber “agave sisal,” mechanized the production process and began exporting agave sisal to other parts of the world. ...More Izamal: The Magical Yellow City Izamal dazzles visitors with brightly painted streets, fascinating history and colorful folk art. After departing Mérida, travel east to arrive at Izamal, a colonial charmer with a distinct small town feel. Izamal is one of Mexico's Pueblos Magicos (Magic Towns), a designation given by the Mexican secretary of Tourism to towns that have an important historical or cultural significance. Houses, shops and churches throughout Izamal are all painted the same shade of golden-yellow and the town has been nicknamed La Ciudad Armarillo (The Yellow City). Izamal was an important Maya religious center and today you can visit the ruins of four large pyramids that overlook the center of town. Climb to the top of the Kinich Kak Mo Pyramid. ...More Yucatan Sun and Beach Escape to the beach in sunny Progreso, a favorite weekend and holiday destination known for its seafood. Mérida residents flock to the port city of Progreso to stroll along the malecón (waterfront promenade) and take a dip in the emerald green waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Progreso's lovely waterfront promenade is always bustling with food and craft vendors, local residents and beach-goers. The waters just off the coast are calm, clean and good for swimming. Progreso is also a popular cruise ship destination and the city is famous for its pier that extends an impressive 6 km (4 miles) into the Gulf of Mexico. ...More Seeing Pink in Celestun Venture into a wild coastal region of Yucatán where pink flamingos outnumber residents. Celestun, meaning "painted stone" in Yucatec Maya, is a tranquil fishing village located west of Mérida along the coast of Yucatan state. Celestun is home to secluded stretches of beautiful beachfront and palapas serving up some of the best seafood in the state. It's the ideal destination for those looking to escape the city crowds and get back to nature. The main attraction in Celestun is the Reserva de la Biosfera Ría Celestun, a large coastal wetland reserve and wildlife refuge. Situated near the border with Campeche and spanning an impressive 146,000 acres, the Celestun Biosphere Reserve is one of the most beautiful natural areas in Yucatan. ...More Yummy Yucatecan Delicacies Fragrant and tangy, Yucatecan cuisine delights the palate with flavors unique to the region. The distinct regional cuisine of Yucatán state incorporates many of the ingredients traditionally used in Mayan cooking, including corn, chocolate, wild turkey, squash, chiles and tomatoes, plus European ingredients, such as pork and oranges from the Spanish and Edam cheese from the Dutch. Yucatecan cuisine differs from traditional Mexican cuisine in part due to the Yucatán region's geographic isolation from other regions of Mexico, as well as its European, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and indigenous influences. Many of the delectable dishes that you'll find on the menus at restaurants in Mérida, are not traditionally prepared in other parts of the country. ...More Paseo de Montejo, Colonial Splendor in Merida Merida's elegant tree-lined Paseo de Montejo is the city's main boulevard and most fashionable district. Once a primarily residential area, the Paseo de Montejo has since been commercialized. Many of the historic 19th century mansions that line the boulevard have been converted into restaurants, nightclubs, boutique hotels, shops, office buildings and museums. Located northeast of the central plaza and architecturally reminiscent of Havana, Cuba, the area surrounding the Paseo de Montejo was developed during the henequen industry boom of the late 19th and early 20th century. ...More Uxmal's Jungle Ruins The ceremonial complex is one of the masterpieces of the ancient Mayan civilization. A majestic layout, spectacular jungle setting and pink-hued limestone pyramids and temples make Uxmal one of the most picturesque ancient cities in the Puuc region. The name Puuc translates to hills in Yucatec Maya, as the Uxmal ruins are situated on hilly terrain. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Uxmal was one of the most important Maya settlements in Yucatán that flourished during the late-Classical period. The name Uxmal means "thrice-built" in Yucatec Maya. ...More Carnival in Merida: Mambo, Salsa and Cumbia Having a long tradition, the Merida carnival takes place within a family environment. Over the course of eight days, several cultural and entertainment activities take place, such as the coronation of the king and queen and the burning of the bad mood. The latter event is held in the city’s main square; it begins by reading aloud the conviction of the bad mood, setting fire to a figure representing it, followed by a colorful fireworks display. The festival continues with the hilarious battle of flowers, endless theme parades, and dancing to the beat of mambo, cumbia and salsa. ...More Celestun and the pink of the flamingos Celestun is a picturesque coast village whose virgin beaches have made it an ideal showcase for those who seek to get away from the hustle of the massive tourist sites. Its name means “painted stone” in Mayan language and, given its tradition, it conserves the folklore of the Mayan fishermen. ...More Retirement Destinations: Merida The city of Merida, Yucatan, known as the “white city”, is famous for its rich Mayan history and for being home to some of the most important archaeological sites in Mexico. It is a great center of activities and is very well connected by road and air to other places in the region and the country. It offers all the amenities of a big city, together with the rich history and culture of colonial Mexico. It is a cosmopolitan and picturesque city, with a strong Mayan influence; it serves as a starting point to visit the archaeological sites of Chichen Itza and Uxmal. ...More Ria Lagartos, a pink Paradise Merida Ria Lagartos is located very close to Valladolid, in the Yucatan Peninsula. The area was declared a Special Biosphere Reserve in the year 1979 and to enter you need to obtain a special permission granted by the corresponding authorities. In the 60,000 protected hectares lives the largest population of flamingos in Mexico, with over 40,000 birds. The waters of these estuaries are light blue in color. The Ria Lagartos has become the favorite place of hundreds of pink flamingos, who have made of this site the perfect place to nest and give birth to their young. Among white mountains of salt, the water is pink in color. ...More Xtabentun, nectar of love As seductive as the legend behind it, xtabentun is an ancestral Mayan liqueur, very famous in the Yucatan peninsula, which is made from fermented honey, resulting from the work of bees that pollinate the xtabentun flower, and rum or anis liqueur. Its name means “vine that grows on stone” or “morning glory” and just to taste it causes dizziness reminiscent of the legend of Xtabay (or Xkeban), an ancient woman selling love who caused men to fall in love with her with the same intoxicating effect as this liqueur. ...More Henequen producing haciendas, the gold of Yucatan The way of life in the Yucatan peninsula, which blends elegance and freshness, is reflected in the henequen (sisal) producing haciendas, scattered throughout the low jungle prevailing in the region. These exquisite constructions enjoyed their first splendor at the turn of the twentieth century, and they have once again become a global benchmark for luxury and simplicity today. It is quite common to find in these haciendas a symbiosis between nature and history: the Maya settled near a cenote, a natural water reservoir, which is why several haciendas have an archaeological site nearby. ...More The cenotes, secret of the land Merida If you want to cool off in clear and transparent water, you don’t need to leave Valladolid in the Yucatan Peninsula, and at the same time very close to Merida and the Riviera Maya. Quite close to the city, underground fresh water pools from underground rivers connected throughout the Peninsula await you. In several of the region’s cenotes pre-Hispanic and even prehistoric pieces have been found; these are human and animal remains which date back 14,000 years. Sacred spaces for the Mayans, here they performed rituals related to rain and fertility as well as human sacrifices. ...More Home Meeting Industry Tourism Board © All Rights Reserved 2012 - Terms and Conditions Viaducto Miguel Alemán 105 Col. Escandón Mexico City, C.P. 11800.

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Easdale Easdale is separated from the neighbouring island of Seil by a narrow channel that is crossed on a five minute ferry ride from Ellenabeich. Originally home to large slate quarries, Easdale virtually emptied in the decades after commercial quarrying ended early in the 20th century. The new century brought a new lease of life together with a growing population and an active community spirit. The island boasts a unique community hall and is home to the annual World Stone Skimming Championships each September. Many of the old workers' cottages have been restored, one of which now houses the interesting Easdale Folk Museum, near the main square. Walking is the best way to see the island (you can walk around it in under an hour) - in fact, it's the only way as Easdale has no roads. Argyll & The Isles map Miniature map of Argyll & The Isles Loch Lomond, The Trossachs, Stirling & Forth Valley Perthshire Isles of Coll and Tiree Isle of Colonsay Inveraray Lochgoilhead Rothesay Craignure Tarbet Gigha Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Overview of Argyll & The Isles About Argyll & The Isles Travel in Argyll & The Isles Things to Do in Argyll & The Isles Accommodation in Argyll & The Isles

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See this text in The Port of Claudius The river port of Ostia and the harbour of Pozzuoli had constituted the two poles of Rome's harbour system throughout the entire Republican period. While the second harbour was too distant and difficult to reach, the river port at Ostia was unsuitable and inadequate to manage the large volume of commercial trade because it only featured a single quay. Large-tonnage vessels were obliged to trans-ship their merchandise onto smaller boats towed by pairs of oxen up to Rome (the 'tracking' system). The capital, which was growing demographically, suffered serious problems regarding food supply, particularly during the winter season. Claudius' predecessors had already attempted to resolve the problem of Rome's harbour: Julius Caesar had plans drawn up for radical changes to the river course to increase the river's navigability, which were never carried out, while Augustus considered a solution regarding the river mouth. In the end the emperor Claudius decided to have an artificial harbour constructed, but the project was not well-received because of the enormous expenses involved in such an operation. Furthermore, the dangerously close Tiber would rapidly carry large quantities of silt, inhibiting the smooth functioning of the entire structure. Despite these reservations, the selected site was established at about 3 km north of the Tiber mouth. Half the basin was excavated in dry land, after which the construction progressed with the extension of two long moles out into the open sea, reaching out like pincers to embrace a wide expanse. A lighthouse was constructed using as foundations the scuttled ship which Caligula had had built to transport the obelisk for the Vatican Circus. This was an enormous vessel that had a capacity of over 1000 metric tons and which, because of its dimensions, took up most of the left mole, according to Pliny the Elder. Other authors, including Suetonius and Dio Cassius, describe an island instead. Several canals, or ditches, were opened in 46 A.D. An attempt was made to reduce the risks of flooding by artificially connecting the last loop of the Tiber to the sea. Only in 64 A.D. was the harbour completed by Nero, who had commemorative coins minted for the occasion. In addition to the silting problem, the future of the enormous basin had already been marked by another calamity: Tacitus informs us that in 62 A.D. a storm sunk or incapacitated at least 200 transport vessels, while another hundred which had sought shelter along the Tiber were lost in a fire. The event underscored the scarce dependability of the harbour. Between 100 and 112 A.D. Trajan intervened with a new project which involved the excavation of a large basin that lay inland with respect to the Claudian harbour. The latter remained in use, perhaps with the more limited function of providing shelter within the harbour. The Topography of the Claudian Port Despite the substantial survival of ancient structures, the reconstruction of the port of Claudius, particularly in its southern portion, is based on evidence derived from interpretations of aerial photographs and from the study of the harbour area as represented in Renaissance cartography. From these sources we can infer that the ancient harbour basin was orientated towards the southwest with a large mole protecting it from maestrale (NW), ponente (W) and libeccio (SW) winds, prevailing weather conditions which are shared by the majority of harbours along the central Tyrrhenian coastline. The principal entrance was at the west end while the southern entrance is to be found at the height of the modern road to Fiumicino. The left mole extended along the minor branch of the Tiber where nineteenth century excavations exposed traces of concrete cores. Between the main entrance and the probable southern one, aerial photography delineates an elongated ovoid area that is much broader than the moles, which could correspond to the location of the lighthouse. The basin area is of considerable dimensions, measuring on the order of over 1200 m. by 1300 m., which corresponds to an area of approximately 150 hectares. From aerial photographs it is possible to distinguish a long and sinuous dark shape, commencing at the head of the right-hand mole and connecting to the Trajan�s hexagon, which corresponds to the port�s entrance channel. Archaeological remains The discernible remains of the right mole of the Claudian harbour, excavated in 1957, are visible behind the Museum of the Roman Ships, to the left. The structure extends for about one kilometre towards the west, is crossed by the Fiumicino Airport road and F. De Pinedo street, and continues within the airport enclosure itself. The wooden caissons utilised for the construction of the mole left evident traces in the concrete jetties. It is possible to discern the posts fitted along the external perimetre of the caissons (utilised to anchor them to the seabed), as well as their connection to the transversal beams - whose cavities had formerly been interpreted as negative traces of the deck beams of Caligula�s ship -and to the containment bulkheads of the concrete jetty. This construction system for offshore moles was described by Vitruvius and is well documented along the Tyrrhenian coast. Within the airport enclosure the mole conserves the sea-eroded remains of travertine blocks. Behind the museum towards the right, it is possible to visit a building whose walls alternate courses of brickwork and tufa blocks, the so-called Harbour Master�s Office (second century A.D.). Its function remains unclear, although it most likely constituted a service building situated at the end of the basin. There are still traces of painted decoration within the building. Proceeding along A. Guidoni street towards the exit to the Rome-Fiumicino highway, on the right, one can see the archaeological area of Monte Giulio which offers an impressive overview across most of the internal area of the Claudian port basin and where other structures facing the basin have been brought to light: a cistern, some public baths and several storage buildings. These structures, whose foundations are likely to be contemporary to the construction of the right mole, are dated to the second century A.D. and also feature later additions. The Ships of Fiumicino - The History of Their Discovery The vessels currently displayed in the Museum of the Roman Ships came to light during the construction of the "L. Da Vinci" international airport of Fiumicino. They were excavated and recovered under the direction of the then inspector of the Rome Archaeological Superintendency, Dott.ssa V. Santa Maria Scrinari. The wrecks were found abutting the right mole of the Claudian harbour in a marginal area of the basin which was particularly susceptible to silting. We can hypothesise that in ancient times there must have been a veritable "cemetery" where boats and ships too old and in too poor condition to be of service were abandoned. In the majority of cases it is the bottom portion of the hull which survived, due to its having become waterlogged and subsequently sealed beneath the silt deposits from the harbour. In several points the submerged portions, not yet covered by sand and lime, were attacked by wood-boring organisms such as shipworms. In addition, the blackened appearance of the hulls is a result of carbonisation or reduction processes activated by microorganisms living within the sedimentation layers. The discovery of the first vessel, Fiumicino 2 (Oneraria Maggiore 11), dates to 1958. In the following year excavations brought to light Fiumicino I (Oneraria Maggiore 1), Fiumicino 3 (Oneraria Minore 1) and Fiumicino 5 (the Fisherman's Boat), in addition to two fragments of hull sides which however were unrelated to any of the other hulls. The last hull, Fiumicino 4 (Oneraria Minore 11), was discovered in 1965. At first the timber structures, left exposed to the open air, suffered significant degradation; consequently to reduce these processes they were covered with mats, sand and canvas. Subsequently an annular ditch was excavated around the perimetre of each wreck and, radiating from this, transversal passages beneath each keel. In this manner it was possible to construct a timber camber with which to support the hull sides and to recover the vessels in their entirety. Transported to the interior of the museum under construction, the Istituto Centrale del Restauro (the Central Institute of Conservation) in Rome ensured the necessary consolidation measures, utilising a mixture of resins. Finally, following the definitive display of the vessels on supporting steel frames, the museum was opened to the public on November l0th, 1979. The Ships of Fiumicino � Archaeology and Wooden Shipbuilding The exceptional collection of vessels preserved at the museum of Fiumicino not only enriches our knowledge of the various ship types utilised starting in the Imperial period, but also allows us to admire the construction methodologies employed by ancient shipwrights. The ancient shipbuilding sequence was completely different from the current procedure seen in the Mediterranean region, which requires arranging an internal skeleton (frames) along a keel, which is subsequently covered with a skin of planking (the so-called "skeleton-firsf' construction). During the GraecoRoman era, instead, the outer shell of planks was constructed directly after laying the keel. The internal skeleton was only inserted later, to function as internal support (the so-called "shell-first" construction). Joinery between planking consisted of tenons, thin tongues of hardwood, inserted into apposite grooves (mortises) cut within the plank thickness. The tenons were then locked with pegs or treenails. In this way, the self-supporting planking could maintain the desired shape and acquired an exceptional solidity. The five boats of Fiumicino were constructed according to the principles of shell-first construction, a system that is well represented in the Fiumicino 4 vessel (end of secondthird centuries A.D.) which displays a great homogeneity in its mortiseand-tenon joinery. On the other hand Fiumicino 1 and 2, sister vessels, document the use of distinctive constructive methodologies. Amongst the more significant characteristics worthy of note, in addition to the massive use of iron nails to connect the planking to the skeleton frame, we highlight the use of bolts to join several floor timbers to the keel, and the considerable spacing between tenons, or even the actual absence of any plank joinery at all. These features indicate, amongst other things, the vessels' late date (fourth-fifth centuries A.D.). The form and construction characteristics reflect the diverse functions of the Fiumicino ships. The elegant angular profile of the Fiumicino 4 hull made it suitable for small- and medium-range coastal navigation at sea, given its modest dimensions (about 15 in. in length). The mast step to seat the foot of the mast demonstrates that the vessels had been fitted with a single square sail. A pump to remove bilge water is located in a socket within the crutches flanking the mast step. The internal planking serves to strengthen the structure longitudinally and to protect the hull from the cargo, typically composed of terracotta amphorae (two-handled jars). Fiumicino 5, a unique find of its kind for the Roman period (second century A.D.), is instead a small fishing boat featuring a central compartment within which to store and keep the freshly fished cath alive, thanks to the sea water that could be made to flood the cavity through stoppered holes along the bottom hull planking. Fiumicino 1, 2 and 3, which share similar constructional characteristics, feature rather flat wide hulls which indicate they were used for river transport. They must have been towed by animals along the right bank of the river according to a propulsion system known as "tracking", still in use along the Tiber river in the nineteenth century. Their original form can be appreciated by examining the numerous representations (on mosaics, reliefs and frescoes) of a particular family of naves caudicariae. Daily Life on Board and Ship Equipment Knowing about the rules and conventions that regulated life on board in ancient times is possible thanks to the analysis of written sources as well as the study of objects found on shipwrecks. In the latter case, the information is first-hand and speaks to us directly about life on board. We can learn about how the crew ate from the cooking equipment, which often preserves traces of burning, or from the tableware. On the Byzantine ship of Yassiada (Turkey), remains of the hearth, cooking utensils comprising various terracotta and bronze containers, a mortar, and food remains (animal bones) were recovered in the stem cabin. Similar finds have been made on numerous other shipwrecks that have often yielded examples of hand grindstones to make flour from cereals and thus to prepare cornmeal, soups or breads. The crew's provisions were stored in containers such as amphorae, baskets or sacks. The supply for a voyage included liquid foods (drinking water, wine, oil and garum [fish paste] and solid foods (cereals, olives, fresh or dried fruit, legumes, smoked or salted meats). Personal objects belonging to the crew or to passengers might also be stored in the cabin: clothes, shoes, rings or playing dice which, kept in little boxes or bags, helped to while away the time at sea. Medicines against seasickness were not lacking, while coins and lever scales would be used for commercial transactions, once dry land was reached. For illumination they often used oil-lamps. As religious customs were not ignored by mariners, small portable altars and images of divinities were set up on board ship. During navigation the crew, if not engaged in manoeuvres, would be involved in maintenance activities such as repairing sails with bone needles, or fishing, to enrich the modest food supply with fresh produce. The excavation of shipwrecks allows us, at least in part, to learn about ship equipment, although the main source of information regarding most of the structures above the waterline and the rigging comes from depictions of ancient vessels (iconography). In fortunate cases wooden sail blocks, or fragments of sails and ropes, are actually recovered. One of the most common items of equipment, which however is often found in isolation, is the sounding lead. With its hollow underside filled with resin, the mariner could establish the nature and depth of the seabed as well as follow a route and recognise the best anchorages. The anchor was the most important piece of equipment on board, and usually each vessel had several of various sizes. In Roman times anchors were constructed of wood with a lead stock for weight, or else they were made entirely of iron. Visiting the Museum of the Roman ships Now the Museum is situated at South of the Intercontinental Airport of Fiumicino and is connected to the city of Rome by motorway and railway. The structure of the Museum is absolutely functional: a big container 33,5 m long and 22 wide constitutes a sort of shipshed. Along the left side there are offices and service rooms. Originally the exhibition pavilion was used as shelter for the salvaged ships. Here the hulls were conserved with resins and the damaged wooden parts were restored. As soon as they enter the museum, viewers can survey the entire collection of ancient vessels at a single glance. The ships are supported by metal frames designed with as few pieces as possible in order to hold the delicate wooden remains intact without distorting the architectural lines of the boats. At the entrance, to the right, the first exhibit is Fiumicino 5, the fishing boat. Vessels similar to this one in their construction have not yet been found, making the relic the only one of this kind in the world. It has also an aquarium-container located in the mid-section, while the bottom of this well has openings to let in sea water. In this way the fish caught could be kept alive until the return of the ship and their eventual sale. If we turn toward the entrance we can see a pair of fragments from the hulls of boats of which nothing else has survived. One of these has two wales conserved. Returning from the direction in which we came in, Fiumicino 3 is to be found to the left of the entrance. Only the only flat bottom of this little fluvial barge, massively reconstructed in modern times, remains. A small corridor separates this barge from the cargo ship Fiumicino 4, the best preserved of the small fleet of the museum. The hull is conserved above the waterline. To the right and to the left pieces of lapidary stone are displayed, including fragments from a sarcophagus with maritime scenes, architectonic elements, a mooring bollard and a quarry block. Of interest on the rear wall are the reproductions of a relief from the Torlonia collection depicting the port with ships in movement (IIIrd cent. A.D.) and a copy of the Museo Nazionale Romano relief that shows a navis caudicaria, a special type of towed vessel used to transport cargo from the port of Rome up to the city. Leaving aside the materials in the display cases, we move on to Fiumicino 1 and 2, the large flat bottomed fluvial barges. At the beginning of the corridor separating the two ships is a travertine capital found at the port of Claudius near the outlet of Trajan's canal. In the display cases, we can see materials salvaged from the excavation of the ships and found in other excavations in the area. On the short wall to the rear and along the wall leading to the exit, visitors will finds panels illustrating in chronological order the various stages of the digs carried out in 1950-1960 and slides show examples of Roman ports in the Mediterranean. Finally, large maps illustrate the principal routes of ancient times, as well as other major finds in European naval archaeology. Text by: Giulia Boetto Translation by: Claire Calcagno Photos and documentation: Archives of the SAO Ministry of the Cultural Activities and Heritage Archaeological Superintendency of Ostia Via dei Romagnoli 717 - 00119 Ostia Antica Tel. (06) 56358099 - Fax (06) 5651500 Internet site: http://itnw.roma.it/ostia/scavi E-mail: ostia.scavi@agora.stm.it Museum of the Roman Ships Via A. Guidoni 35 - 00050 Fiumicino Aeroporto (RM) Tel. (06) 6529192 - Fax (06) 65010089 E-mail: museo.navi@agora.stm.it From 10.02.2002 onwards, the Museum is closed for visitors, due to reconstruction The first Saturday and last Sunday of every month: departure from the Museum at 9:30 for the guided tour covering the archaeological area of Portus. For all other dates, a reservation is require. It is possible to visit the archaeological areas of Monte Giulio and the so-called Harbour Master's Office by prior telephone request. Back to the homepage of NAVIS I Visit the Website of Ostia

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South Sudan: A Warn-Torn Nation Transforms To Tourist Destination By editor Originally published on April 22, 2013 2:58 pm Transcript NEAL CONAN, HOST: Come July, the newest country in the world celebrates its second birthday. South Sudan separated from Sudan after a long war. In the April issue of Outside magazine, Patrick Symmes describes it as a country blessed with oil and water but defined by the many, many things it lacks which include an electrical grid, roads, schools, mail service, health care and a functioning government. South Sudan hopes to build a tourist industry but no one will come to see the scenery and the wildlife until they think it's safe. Patrick Symmes joins us now from our bureau in New York. Nice to have you back on the program. PATRICK SYMMES: It's good to be here. CONAN: And you wrote that during your visit in December, you saw exactly one tourist? SYMMES: That's right. A single woman who had a list of African countries she wanted to check off apparently with no information about any of them. And one of the ministers told me even the backpackers aren't here. So it is just on - there is nothing to do, there's nothing to see, there's no access to anything, there's no roads, there's no infrastructure. They have a park system which exists in theory. You can imagine a fantastic future for going and seeing things in Sudan because they also have, along with oil and water, they also have animals. They have a huge migration, probably the second biggest in the world. So there's vast grasslands, a swirling long river section of the Nile through the country, enormous herds, large numbers of elephants, many of the things that people care very deeply about but it's in South Sudan so you can't get to it except with an airplane. And they're hoping that in the future of the country there's room for that to become an asset rather than just a leftover of isolation and war-torn times. CONAN: You describe a three-day jaunt to go see what might be too... SYMMES: Jaunt. CONAN: ...pleasant a word for the forced march you took up to see one of the... SYMMES: I'm still hurting. (LAUGHTER) CONAN: Describe this mountain and this climate if you will. SYMMES: I made a mistake of joining this EU ambassador who is a diplomat and he's also a fitness freak, and we basically tried to run about 30 miles through the jungle, some in the mountain and out in two days and I just couldn't do it. I wasn't the only one who couldn't do it, but we had a fantastic sort of introduction of the wild lands in Sudan. It's such a new country - the newest in the world. Just a year and a half old - two years coming up. So (unintelligible) placed and you go - as soon as you get off-road, which is very easy in a country with no roads, you find this incredible scenes of traditional African life, you know? Young boys are herders sort of stick-fighting and coming out of the bushes ready for wrestling, you know, with nothing on at all except oil and a shield made out of cowhide and sticks that are elaborately carved for fighting and they want to kind of show off their dances and songs. So you, right away, get into - if you can get to South Sudan, you don't have to go very far to get into this very remote and ancient Africa and that trail into the mountains goes to amazing green forest, much of the country surprisingly is green and wet. CONAN: And there is an amazing waterfall as well. SYMMES: Yeah. The Niagara of Africa in a way or so they claim. That may be overstating it a bit. CONAN: Well, Victoria Falls is over there. SYMMES: Yeah. It's not Victoria Falls but a long set of rapids bring the Nile down into South Sudan. It's flowing northward through this grasslands and gradually goes into regular northern Sudan or Egypt, and it's just that water that feeds this river of grass that keeps the animals moving back and forth all year following the spread and retreat of seasonal wetlands and creating this incredible tribal culture of people who have hunted for centuries and are still very isolated and somewhat traditional in their way of life. CONAN: And these are not people who we would consider poor in our sense. These are people who are just on zero dollars a day, but as they have for thousands of years. SYMMES: Yes. The standard currency of a country, sort as a cow. Money is not in circulation from - once you get off a road. Cow's milk, it's a bank account. It can even be blood. During hard times, they may drink the blood of a cow, beautiful Watusi cows, extremely gentle. They're very proud of them. When I walked among the herders, they always wanted me to take a picture of their cow. They were interested in themselves and their beautiful clothes and their immense stature. And these guys put ashes on their faces and they have tribal scar. No, no, no. Take a picture of my cow. That's what they thought was beautiful and they have a sort of queen of the heard, who was decorated and dressed up with bells and things. So cows are status in the way you get married, and that is the only barter and way of life for them. CONAN: For so long, we heard descriptions of the conflict in Sudan. Now when South Sudan was trying to separate to get it rights and we kept hearing the description of the southerners as largely Christian and Animist and boy, that seems to be a pretty simple description of what, three score tribes? SYMMES: Yeah. Forty-five tribes who, you know, they often have - you meet guys -everyone has a biblical name, so there's a degree of Christianity to it. There's also a traditional African base of faith. And it is completely mixed up, even as a country most tribes exist on both sides of the border between South Sudan and it's former master, Sudan. So everybody's all mixed up. There's no clarity to it. But on average, it's true. These are some of the tallest people in the world. You have tribes there like the Nuba, famous giants, great wrestlers and they tow - I'm tall, I'm 6'2" and they towered over me. I get picked up by a couple of police officers and it's like I was a rag doll because they're so big and easily stand out from the Arab North from the traditional Islamic rulers coming from the North. CONAN: And it's in a tough neighborhood, South Sudan. Not only Sudan to the North, but, well, you got the very troubled places of Congo right to the west. SYMMES: Yes. Sudan is vulnerable to everything that goes on around it, including health emergencies, epidemics of Ebola, or frankly, expected someday. Crowded refugee camps. They have problems like the poaching of animals that are often satisfying markets elsewhere. So Ivory, you know, the poaching of elephants. Horsemen, they come down from the North in Sudan and kill elephants and ride all the way back on with tusks on their horses to make that trade profitable. And Sudan pays the price for these conflicts. CONAN: And when you think a strong government would be able to police all of these, of course, that is a pipedream, it seems. SYMMES: Yeah. The government is brand new. They are trying but, you know, there had been some signs of difficulties. The president, Salva Kiir himself, sent out a letter suggesting that there was $4 billion missing from government accounts. So he was asking his ministers to give it back. And I think that the corruption issue is still in the future, generally, because they have not - they have oil, but it's still in the ground. There's no oil flowing yet, so most of Sudan's oil was in the South. Now it belongs to South Sudan. They had to make a deal. CONAN: But the only way to export it is through pipelines that run through its former masters in Sudan and not through, what, Port Sudan the future survival of South Sudan and getting that oil and developing depends on striking a deal with your worst enemy who's also an indicted war criminal. Now this is the president of Sudan, President Bashir. SYMMES: President Bashir of Sudan. CONAN: Is there any possibility of building a pipeline that might run through the south through Kenya? SYMMES: There's talk about it. They are supposedly beginning a process of surveying routes, but it's difficult for all sorts of reasons, and the existing pipeline has the advantage so that you can just turn it on. And so coming through a deal, you know, they keep announcing that they shook hands on a deal and then oil hasn't started flowing yet for various reasons. CONAN: You describe also a country where all kinds of outside investment coming in, so far, not build hotels or anything like that, investment by the United States in terms of foreign aid and by European Union as well. SYMMES: Yes. Hillary Clinton has been very active and promoting large donations from the U.S. to fund and get the government up and running. It's tremendously expensive. You know, the European Union is spending about $300 million in the next two years, or this year and next year. So it's the only thing that would be more expensive, would be not doing it, I think, if the country collapsed and refugees spilled out in all directions. I think if South Sudan fails, it'll be much more costly than any program anyone can build. CONAN: One of the people you interviewed spoke about a five-year window in which South Sudan has to get its act together or its going to be too late. SYMMES: In terms of the natural ecosystems, rapid changes coming, suddenly roads are getting built. People having the first time in nearly 22 years of warfare that they're able to get up and still moving around and finding markets and exploiting resources. Animals are resourced. They will be facing severe problems if poaching becomes more common that it already is, which is somewhat routine, and these things could be wiped out very badly in a few years, especially vulnerable species like elephants which are in so much danger elsewhere and even species that are quite rare and it's just only in South Sudan like certain kinds of antelope that were thought extinct and now have been found in South Sudan. CONAN: And there are - the ivory route is that these poachers come down and kill the animals for their ivory. It's taken then to Sudan, carved and sent to China. SYMMES: Yeah. There's a city called Onderon(ph) - if I'm pronouncing it correctly - which has a traditional center of artisanal carving of ivory and export. So some elephant tusks do flow into Onderon and get shipped out from there to markets in the Middle East and China. CONAN: Yet, there are still large herds of elephants left in South Sudan. You saw one from an airplane. SYMMES: Yeah. It is pretty impressive when you start seeing, you know, the first one you think, OK, doesn't that look cool? It's elephant. And then there's 10 and then there's 20 and then there's 100 and then there's 400, and you just - you're looking at a true mass of life. I mean, they're so big that when you see them from the air, you know, they don't look that small. They're still really big, and they have great grace and power. And it's wonderful know that there's a corner of Africa where things are still little hidden and secret. CONAN: Patrick Symmes is a contributing editor for Outside magazine. His piece "A Wild Country Grows in South Sudan" is in the April issue of that magazine. He's with us from our bureau in New York. You're listening to TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. And I wonder if plans for development do go ahead. And there was talk of resort hotel up by that great waterfall - kayaking operations on the white water of the White Nile and all sorts of things. Might you, in a few years, say, gee, you know, it's all been spoiled? SYMMES: I think that the question here is how South Sudan encounters the world in modernity, in its new version of itself. There has to be development. It's a question of what kind and how do they manage, for example, the traditional tribal people starting to engage with a commercial economy and have money. How do they preserve culture? The minister of culture told me it is going to be affected, there is going to be a dilution of the strength of their culture. But you still have to do it the right way and give them choices, set up, for example, eco-tourism that it's first project is taking care of local people, giving them basic things like modern schools, villages, letting them see that they're direct in immediate efforts from tourism. A lot of the right kind of development good for South Sudan. CONAN: Has anybody done it the right way? Because we've seen so many indigenous cultures changed enough for the better. SYMMES: I've seen examples in the Amazon, of places with very light footprint where the tourism is something that's seasonal, and it comes one component in the economy that's sustainable, and it's helps people because it tends to be the bringer of cash, unlike local agriculture or something. So I think it can be done well, you know? The European ambassador was musing about a possible project used as old British plantation - very impressive - deep in the mountains of Central Africa. You know, in Southern Sudan, you get up at these pretty big mountains, 7 - 10,000 feet and, oh, beautiful plantation of perfectly straight trees that have been growing for 60 years, untouched. So the investors say, well, we've helped them, you know, get a project going to make timber out of a few of these and open a road and then they can use the money to get more tools, and then they'll use that to get a little cottage system going for eco-tourists. And it could happen. CONAN: It could happen, but you also point out the same roads can be use by the poachers? SYMMES: Yes. There is that threat. Most people in South Sudan really don't know what poaching is. This is how they've lived for centuries. It's a rural society so they rightly view it as their way of their way of survival, but does sweep the forest clean of animals. I'll say the only animals I saw in the forest were dead. CONAN: Though you did ran into a wild boar. SYMMES: Yeah. It was soon dead. They had trapped it with a snare just to - we saw deer that had been killed by snares. So, that's a very efficient way of taking out the animals in a forest. So, even small economic changes here will ripple through South Sudan and affect the economy, the animals, the future of, you know, the future earning potential of tourism could all be change significantly in next five years. CONAN: And those people who killed the boar, you later found out were poachers. SYMMES: Yeah. They don't, you know, nobody can quite say where the rules are and which rules apply, but I have to admit having snacked on that animals, the minister of animal told me, oh, they're poachers. Yes, I've been down there and told them. They must not poach. So it's really theoretical. They know national, you know, the national parks in South Sudan, large one Boma, which has the great animal migration is 8,800 square miles. The second one that's full of a lot of animals, 3,700 square miles. They have no roads, no buildings, no trained wardens, they have untrained. People have been assigned like army conscripts, but there's no effective park system or rules about anything. CONAN: You went by airplane to find that herd of elephants you described but you refused to tell us where it is. SYMMES: Yeah. I swore that I would keep some secrets, and I think that's a good one because nobody wants to point poachers in the right direction. CONAN: The poachers subscribe to Outside magazine? SYMMES: Probably not, but one of the biologists, Paul Elkan of Wildlife Conservation Society - so you'd be surprised all - our magazine articles can sit around for years and somebody pulls out the picture and hands it to somebody in somebody's pocket. So let's not take the chance. CONAN: It's also interesting, the security situation is still not settled. There was a guy who ran into who wanted to set up a whitewater rafting operation or kayaking operation and, well, nobody's allowed outside the capital on weekends. SYMMES: Yeah. And I should point out, he's actually had a little bit of success. This is a typical area, like in the neighboring countries like Uganda, places that have a lot of rivers and whitewater, they've succeeded in doing this sort of business. So, I think it will - many things in South Sudan will be possible if there's security, if the occasional skirmishes between north and south stop, if the permit is able to sort of breathe itself to life and begin law enforcement and train it's police and army to like civilian - like them responsible to civilian government. Then with security all these things are possible. Without security it's not going to happen. CONAN: One last question. We just have a few second left. How was the boar? SYMMES: It's actually pretty tasty. I'm glad I only had a little bit because those who ate more got very sick. (LAUGHTER) CONAN: Well, Patrick Symmes, we're glad you just had a bite or two. SYMMES: Thank you. CONAN: Patrick Symmes is a contributing editor for Outside magazine. His piece - he's the author of "The Boys from Dolores" and "Chasing Che." His latest piece "A Wild Country Grows in South Sudan" appears in the April issue, and he joined us from bureau in New York. Tomorrow, Jennifer Ludden will be here with the look at volunteer fire departments after that explosion and fire in West, Texas. Join us for that. I'll see again on Wednesday. It's the TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News. I'm Neal Conan in Washington. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.View the discussion thread. © 2015 WRVO Public Media

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Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, as Chairman of the Helsinki Commission and Co-Chairman of the Poland Caucus, I have long been struck by the way in which history casts both long shadows and rays of light in Poland. I have had the privilege of traveling to Poland, one of America's closest allies, and was overwhelmed by the weight of history when I met with those who are building the Museum of the History of Poland's Jews. Institutions like this are not only critical for Poland's future generations, but for what all of us, around the world, can learn from Poland. Today, I rise today to commemorate the 67th anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, a courageous act of defiance by the people of Poland against the brutal Nazi occupation during the Second World War. On August 1, 1944, the Polish Underground began its struggle to liberate Warsaw, to further weaken the collapsing German eastern front and to establish Polish sovereignty in response to the Red Army's advance to the city's outskirts. Despite the courage and fortitude of the Polish people, the Underground could not overcome the Nazis' determination to oversee the complete destruction of the Home Army and the city, bolstered by official orders and a directive that the massacre was to serve as a ``terrifying example'' to Europe. More than 200,000 civilians and members of the Home Army were killed in Warsaw over a 63-day period. Between August 5 and August 8, the Nazis murdered more than 40,000 people--overwhelmingly civilians--in the Wola district of Warsaw alone. Survivors, describing the horror of the executions, told of the indiscriminate slaughter of thousands of women and children. Approximately 700,000 Warsaw residents were expe

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Destination of the month - London SAA operates the Airbus 340-300s, 340-600s and 340-200s on the route to London. This year, South African Airways has taken delivery of six new A330-200 aircraft, one of which is already operating to London Heathrow, with more to follow by the end of the year. This modern aircraft offers supreme ergonomics, an airy open cabin and sophisticated personal touch-screen TVs. The A330-200 is the most cost-efficient, wide-body twin aircraft in operation and its green credentials are impressive. The cabin consists of 36 Business Class seats and 186 Economy Class seats. Business Class customers will have flat-bed seats and laptop power at each one, as well as a USB port. The new aircraft will also offer a new and improved in-flight entertainment experience. Airport Lounges Business Class travelers are invited to retreat into world-class comfort as they prepare for their journey. The luxurious lounge facilities offer the same high standards you would expect from the aircraft. South African Airways Business Class customers are also entitled to use The Star Alliance Departures and Arrivals Lounges. London Heathrow Departures The lounge is located in the duty-free shopping area in Heathrow Terminal 1, offering guests business facilities, complimentary food and drinks, dining and TV areas, complimentary international newspapers and magazines, free internet access and a children's play area. Arrivals The Star Alliance Arrivals Lounge offers customers a chance to refresh after their flight. The lounge overlooks the check-in hall and features showers, a breakfast buffet, a business centre and suit-pressing facilities. Johannesburg Departures The International Departures Baobab Business Class Lounge at O.R. Tambo International Airpo

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Shark Attacks Tourists in Sharm el-Sheikh An oceanic white tip shark badly mauled four Russian tourists swimming close to their beach hotels in two separate attacks at an Egyptian Red Sea resort, a local conservation official said on Wednesday. Director of Sinai Conservation Mohammed Salem said the shark attacked two Russians swimming in the Ras Nasrani area near the famed Sharm el-Sheikh resort in the Sinai Peninsula and bit their arms off. The same shark may also have been involved in an attack on another pair of Russians on Tuesday swimming close to the resort beach, he added. The shark badly injured a middle-aged woman's legs and back and bit off her hand. She had a heart attack and had to be resuscitated at the hospital. The second victim, a 70-year-old woman was found with her right hand and left leg torn off. Diving instructor Hassan Salem said he was on a dive at the same time of the attack and was circled by the same shark before it went after the couple. "I was able to scare the shark away by blowing bubbles in its face, but then saw it swim to a woman and bite her legs," he told The Associated Press. Salem said the water turned red with the blood from the attack, and he rushed to take the diver he was training out of the water. All four victims were flown to Cairo for medical treatment and were in critical condition.(AP) Copyright © 2012 Naharnet.com. All Rights Reserved. http://www.naharnet.com/stories/en/1325

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Tickets for events at The O2 arena Millennium Way, Greenwich, London, London, SE10 0AX Venue Info The O2 arena Millennium Way, Greenwich, London, London, SE10 0AX General Information Transport Accessibility Venue Information The O2 Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the centre of The O2, a large entertainment complex on the Greenwich Peninsula in London, England. With a capacity of up to 20,000 depending on the event, it is second-largest arena in the UK after the Manchester Arena and one of the largest in Europe. In 2008, The O2 Arena took the crown of the world's busiest music arena from the Manchester Arena, a title which it had held since 2001. The closest underground station to the venue is the North Greenwich station on Jubilee Line. Following the closure of the Millennium Experience at the end of 2000, the Millennium Dome was leased to Meridian Delta Ltd. in 2001, for redevelopment as an entertainment complex. This included plans for an indoor arena. Construction of the arena started in 2003 and finished in 2007. Owing to the impossibility of using cranes inside the dome structure, the arena's roof was constructed on the ground within the dome and then lifted. The arena building's structure was then built around the roof. The arena building, which houses the arena and the arena concourse, is independent from all other buildings in The O2 and houses all the arena's facilities. The arena building itself takes up 40% of the total dome structure. The seating arrangement throughout the whole arena can be modified, similar to the Manchester Arena. The ground surface can also be changed between ice rink, basketball court, exhibition space, conference venue, private hire venue and concert venue. The arena was built to reduce echoing, a common problem among London music venues. U2's sound manager, Joe O'Herlihy, worked with acoustic engineers to introduce measures such as sound absorbing material on the arena roof and the bottoms of strategically placed seats to reduce echoing. Despite The O2 arena's being open for only seven months of the year, the venue sold over 1.2 million tickets in 2007, making it the third most popular venue in the world for concerts and family shows narrowly behind the Manchester Arena (1.25 million) and Madison Square Garden in New York City (1.23 million). In 2008, it became the world's-busiest venue taking the crown from MEN Arena with sales of more than two million. The Jubilee Line to North Greenwich for The O2 (Zone 2). Canary Wharf in 5 minutes London Bridge or Stratford in 10 minutes Waterloo in 15 minutes Bond Street in 20 minutes Charlton mainline station is just a short ride on either a 486, 472 or 161 bus from North Greenwich underground station. All these buses start their route from North Greenwich underground so there is no confusion as to which way to go! Southeastern runs services to Charlton train station. Turn left out of the station and catch 486, 472 or N472 buses to North Greenwich, taking you approximately 10 mins to reach the front door of The O2. By Car The M25 (London orbital), the A2/A20 (from the South East) and the M11 (from the North) all offer good access and The O2 is clearly signposted. The postcode for route and journey planners is SE10 0DX. If you need a junction please try Millennium Way or Edmund Halley Way. The O2 is adjacent to North Greenwich Underground and bus station.. North Greenwich station has its own dedicated taxi rank for up to 50 black taxis. In partnership with Transport for London the taxi rank is now marshalled after key arena events. Only taxis (black cabs) can be stopped by customers and can pick up off the street. Private hire vehicles cannot accept fares without being booked in a private hire office or over the phone first. Eight TFL bus routes operate to and from The O2 including three 24 hour bus services. Key destinations include Stratford, Charlton, Greenwich, Lewisham, Woolwich, Eltham and Central London. Please visit www.tfl.gov.uk for timetable information. Car parking is available for all events at The O2 arena. It is highly recommended that your parking is pre-booked due to the limited availability of space. To purchase your parking call 020 8463 6718 (10am - 8pm daily). Pre-booked parking is 17.50 pounds plus 2.50 pounds service charge. Pre-booked tickets can be purchased up until 5pm on the day of an evening event or up to 2 hours before a matinee performance. Should you require assistance at arena events, please contact the information desks within the arena or ring 020 8463 2211 from doors opening time (stated on ticket). This is for point to point assistance at arena events only. If you have ticket for an ambulant seating area and you have your own wheelchair, your wheelchair can be left with customer services at the information desks on either Level 1 or Level 4 until the end of the event or a designated point within the event. Assistive Listening Devices are available for hearing-disabled visitors to The O2 arena. This device is an auditory enhancement system providing coverage of the seating bowl to both those with and without a hearing aid. The Assistive Listening Devices work with Hearing Aids with T-position settings, and with digital Hearing Aids. Alternatively, there are earphones available for those without Hearing Aids. Please visit the information desks on Level 1 or Level 4 of the arena and request an assistive listening device. Guests will be required to leave valid identification such as a driver's license as collateral. This is a complimentary service. Guide Dogs Assistance dogs are welcome within The O2 arena. Assistance dogs may be taken onto access platforms, however, if you are seated within an ambulant seating area please contact a Customer Services Representative at the nearest information desk on either level 1 or 4 who will be happy to look after your dog for the duration of the event or a designated time during the event. Water bowls are available on request. The O2 operates a dedicated disabled access booking line, please call 020 8463 3359. For information on disabled access, please call 0870 600 6140. You can also email them on access@theo2.co.uk. Madonna - Rebel Heart Tour The British Street Food Festival & Awards Supertramp - Vip Ticket Experiences Duran Duran - Paper Gods On Tour Simply Red - Vip Ticket Experiences Disney On Ice Presents Worlds Of Enchantment

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Turismo de Extremadura View of Trujillo. Cáceres. Monument to Pizarro. Trujillo, Cáceres Alcazaba fortress in Trujillo. Cáceres. Santa María la Mayor. Trujillo, Cáceres. Autonomous region: Extremadura Province/Island: Cáceres Trujillo, located between the bottoms of the Tojo and Guadiana rivers, contains an important group of churches, castles and manor houses that are centred around the Plaza Mayor square and which are declared Property of Cultural Interest. Also, this Cáceres city has left an important mark on history: since in the 16th century it was the cradle of illustrious characters linked to the discovery of America. For this reason, Trujillo falls fully within the Route of the Conquistadors, which includes other localities in Extremadura like Medellín, Villanueva de la Serena or Jerez de los Caballeros. Also, Monfragüe National Park, one of the most important protected spaces in Extremadura, spreads a few kilometres north of Trujillo and offers an extraordinary landscape of woods, meadows, and ponds. The origins of Trujillo are found in the primitive settlement called Turgalium. After being occupied by Romans and Visigoths, Trujillo remained under Arabic dominion for over 500 years, during which time it underwent notable development. It then passed into Christian hands after being conquered in 1232 by King Fernando III, and it was monarch Juan II that gave Trujillo the title of city in 1430. In the 16th century, Trujillo experienced an age of great splendour due to its important role in the discovery of America. The city was the home of two great conquerors: Francisco de Pizarro, discoverer of Peru, and Francisco de Orellana. Other illustrious characters were also born in Trujillo, such as Fray Jerónimo de Loaísa, the first Bishop of Cartagena de Indias, and Nuflo de Chaves, discoverer of Bolivia. The city of Trujillo preserves its old flavour in its two areas: the medieval “village,” of Arabic origin, and the “city” from the 15th and 16th centuries. The city is structured around the monumental Plaza Mayor square, which is presided over by a bronze-cast statue of Pizarro on horseback. Over the centuries it has been the centre of social and commercial life of the city, hosting markets, festivals, and all kinds of shows. In the 16th century it became a noble plaza, since the conquistadors and diverse families from the nobility began to build houses and palaces in it. Around the square, the San Francisco (1600), Santa Clara (late 15th century) and San Martín Churches rise up, the last of which was built between the 14th and 16th centuries. The temple, of only one nave and vault, houses various Renaissance side chapels. Also, there are many palaces and manor houses (16th-18th centuries) that are characterized by their angular balconies, an element distinct to the civil architecture of Trujillo. The Palace of the Dukes of San Carlos (16th century), for example, has this typical angular balcony and the coat of arms of the Vargas-Carvajal family. Behind the main façade an interior patio is hidden, built in classical style and with a rectangular floor, with two levels and porticos with Tuscan columns. The Palace of the Marquis of Piedras Albas is another notable building among those that face the plaza. This Renaissance mansion, work of Pedro Suárez de Toledo, has so-called “bread” colonnades and is notable for its three segmented arches. One of the most outstanding in the area is the Palace of the Marquises of the Conquista or of the Coat of Arms. Its construction, in 1570, was financed by Hernando Pizarro. On its façade is a corner balcony with Plateresque decorations and two alabaster columns. It is topped by the coat of arms of Francisco Pizarro. On the cobblestone streets that leave from the plaza there are other notable residences such as the House of the Royal Peso or of the Chaves Cárdenas, Gothic with Renaissance additions, or the Palace of Juan Pizarro of Orellana, from the 16th century. The latter belonged to the first ruler of the Peruvian city of Cuzco and was transformed into a Renaissance palace after being the stronghold of Diego de Vargas. Inside the building is a patio built in the Plateresque style. Meanwhile, the Citadel of the Altamiranos or Alcazarejo was erected by Fernán Ruiz starting in the 13th century. The main gate stands out, from the 16th century, flanked by two crumbling towers with the coat of arms of the Altamiranos. The “village” is enclosed by a wall marked by 17 towers, the remains of the Citadel of the Bejarano and the Jerónimas lookout. On one end is the Arabian Caliphate Castle (mid-9th century, expanded in the 12th century), in the centre, churches such as Santa María la Mayor (13th to 16th century), Santiago (13th to 17th century) and Vera Cruz (13th century), and manor houses such as the fortresses of Luis Chaves “el Viejo” (14th-15th century) and of the Altamiranos (16th century). The Santa María Temple is considered to be one of the most beautiful examples of the Romanesque style in Trujillo. The building, constructed atop an old mosque, has many medieval portals on the outside and a tower from the late Romanesque period. Inside, the vaults that cover the structure of three naves can be admired, as well as an outstanding Gothic altarpiece made by Fernando Gallego in 1480 and which is considered to be one of the best in Extremadura. The Santiago Church, located next to the gate of the city of the same name, was built in the 13th century and later remodelled between the 15th and 17th centuries. A semi-cylindrical apse and the tower are left over from the original construction. The church guards the image of Nuestra Señora de la Coronada, Romanesque style, and that of the Cristo de las Aguas, from the 14th century. The Arabian Caliphate Castle rises dominant over the city, built during the age of greatest splendour of the Caliphate of Córdoba. This building stands out because of its beautiful flanking towers and the two reservoirs found in the inner ward. In the south part of the bastion the Virgen de la Victoria Shrine rises up, the patron saint of the city. To finish the tour of the city, there is nothing better than going to the Coria Museum, which occupies what used to be the San Francisco el Real Convent. The premises allow one to draw near to the most important milestones in the discovery of the New World. And if desired, you can visit Trujillo to enjoy one of the most important festivals, the traditional Chíviri. This celebration, which takes place each Easter Sunday in the Plaza Mayor square, has been declared a Festival of Tourist Interest. Gastronomy and the surroundings Trujillo shares the most representative dishes of the region with the rest of Extremadura. Products derived from Iberian pig are outstanding, as well as recipes of pastoral origin: caldereta (a stew prepared with sheep or goats meat), migas (with a bread base), etc. Also asparagus soup, lima bean soup, or traditional cold soups such as gazpacho and ajoblanco cannot be forgotten. Some types of produce are typical of the food of Trujillo, such as chard or wild asparagus and truffles. Among the most well known deserts are toasted cream and candied stuffed eggs. All of these dishes should be paired with the excellent wines with the Denomination of Origen Ribera del Guadiana. Many of these traditional recipes can be enjoyed in the Parador de Trujillo, located in the old Santa Cruz monastery. It is a 16th century convent with two beautiful cloisters, one in the Renaissance style. Trujillo is the first stop on the Ruta de los Conquistadores, known by this name because it passes through the birthplaces of many illustrious characters tied to the discovery of America. This route enters the province of Badajoz and passes through Medellín, Villanueva de la Serena, Badajoz and, finally, through Jerez de los Caballeros. Woods, rock outcroppings and meadows irrigated by rivers, ponds and reservoirs spread a few kilometres to the north of Trujillo creating the Monfragüe National Park. Other nearby enclaves for enjoying the natural landscape of Cáceres are Montánchez, a small locality on the mountain of the same name, and Alhuéscar, nestled among oak trees. Trujillo Castle Santa María la Mayor Church Via de la Plata Route I Cáceres, Badajoz TrujilloMax.16ºMin.4ºSee forecast: Trujillo>The weather in Spain> >Cáceres >Guadalupe >Arroyo de la Luz Cáceres, walled splendour. The Jerte Valley, where everything turns white in spring. Inns in Spain. View all

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Preparing Lobster for Competition Home Culinary Content World Cuisines I Love Touring Paris - The Sixth Arrondissement TweetI Love Touring Paris - The Sixth ArrondissementThe sixth arrondissement of central Paris is located on the Left Bank of the Seine River. Its area slightly exceeds a square mile (over 2 square kilometers) with a population of 45,000 and slightly fewer jobs. Like its neighbor the 5th arrondissement, the 6th is often known as the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) although it's been a long time since many have spoken Latin in either district. Its best-known part is the famous Saint-Germain-des-Pres, which in the years following World War II was the intellectual center of the world; home to philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Later on we'll talk about the district's world-famous cafes that they frequented.On the subject of intellectuals, this arrondissement is home to l'Academie Francaise (the French Academy), the watchdog over the French language. For what it's worth I'm a strong believer in keeping the French language French and avoiding Franglais. The Academy was founded in 1635 by Louis XIII's chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu. It was suppressed by the French Revolution but brought back by Napoleon. The academy is an advisory body with no power to punish the many people and institutions that disrespect the French language. It holds only forty seats, some of which may be vacant waiting for a candidate acceptable to the sitting members. Normally membership is for life but some malfaiteurs (wrong doers) have been expelled; for example, given their association with the collaborationist Vichy regime during World War II. Since its inception the Academy has only greeted four female members, starting with the writer Marguerite Yourcenar elected in 1980. Some very famous writers such as Moliere, Zola, and Proust never achieved membership. Male members, except for clergy, get to wear a sword with their Academy outfit. In 1778 the Academy initiated a historical dictionary of the French language. It abandoned the project before getting to the Bs. The Academy's dictionary is partially in the ninth edition. The Academy Francaise has been fairly successful in persuading people to use French words such as logiciel instead of the corresponding English words, in this case software. It rules on grammar issues and offers prestigious prizes in literature, cinema, translation, and other fields.The Cafe de Flore on the Boulevard Saint-Germain is a historic intellectual cafe and offers an annual literary award. The nearby cafe Les Deux Magots named for two wooden Chinese statues near the entrance is also a literary and intellectual center with its own annual literary award. It has been decades that these cafes are too expensive for all but the wealthiest intellectuals.The French Senate is the upper house of the French Parliament. Until recently senators were elected for nine-year terms, but now their terms have been reduced to six years. Senators are not elected by the general public but by one hundred fifty thousand local elected officials such as mayors and city councilors. The Senate tends to be more conservative than France's lower house, the National Assembly. Besides proposing bills and voting on them the Senate publishes reports and so serves to monitor the government. The senate sits in the beautiful Palais du Luxembourg (Luxemburg Palace) in back of the Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxemburg Gardens) the largest garden in the city. The garden is open to the public and is a favorite of young children and their parents.If you are looking for a hotel in the sixth district you might consider the Art Deco Hotel Lutetia, built by the neighboring Bon Marche department store in 1910. Its guest list included Charles de Gaulle and Pablo Picasso. At the outbreak of World War II many artists and musicians took residence there but after France surrendered the hotel housed German military officers. Following the liberation of Paris in August, 1944 this hotel became a repatriation center for prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates. Subsequently it was transformed into a luxury hotel.The Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) produces coins and medals, and has a great collection of ancient coins. This beautiful French Neoclassical building was constructed in the latter Eighteenth Century. It is open to the public but does not furnish samples.When you get hungry you might consider the historic Cremerie-Restaurant Polidor, which hasn't changed its name, interior, or cooking style for over one hundred years. Most patrons sit at shared tables so you may get a chance to converse with local students, especially if your French is good. Former diners include Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and Jack Kerouac as well as major French writers.You may remember from your high school French that Pont Neuf means new bridge. The Parisian Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge across the Seine River. It crosses the western end of the Ile de la Cite linking Paris's Left and Right Banks. Construction began in 1578 and was completed a mere 41 years later, in part because of the Wars of Religion. The original wooden pilings supporting the foundations still remain. Unlike previous Parisian bridges this one didn't support houses, but did have sidewalks protecting pedestrians from mud and horses. For centuries the homeless have slept under its arches, despite its interdiction, in all fairness to both rich and poor. If you are a statue lover be sure to see the bronze statue of Henri IV, destroyed during the French Revolution but rebuilt afterwards using bronze from statues of Napoleon.Saint-Sulpice is the second largest church in Paris, smaller than its well-known rival Notre Dame de Paris. This church, built from 1646 to 1732 and beyond replaces a Thirteenth Century Romanesque church. Some say that its two towers are mismatched; why not take a look to see for yourself? It is home to a great organ. Saint-Sulpice Church has hosted life cycle events of some famous French people; for example the baptism of Charles Baudelaire and the Marquis de Sade, and the marriage of Victor Hugo and Adele Foucher. Saint-Sulpice has a huge sundial that helped to determine Easter's calendar date. This scientific instrument may well have saved the church from destruction during the French Revolution. Saint-Sulpice is a featured location in the novel The Da Vinci Code. But the church scenes of this movie were not filmed on location.Of course you don't want to be in Paris without sampling fine French wine and food. In my article I Love French Wine and Food ' A Red Cotes du Rhone I reviewed such a wine and suggested a sample menu: Start with Fois Gras de Canard (Duck Liver Pate). For your second course savor Caillette (Pork-Liver Meat Loaf). And as dessert indulge yourself with Sorbet (Sherbert) and fresh fruit. Your Parisian sommelier (wine steward) will be happy to suggest appropriate wines to accompany each course.Levi Reiss has authored alone or with a co-author ten computer and Internet books, but to tell the truth, he would really rather just drink fine French, German, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. Visit his Italian travel, wine, and food website www.travelitalytravel.com and his global wine website www.theworldwidewine.com. Tweet

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Greenways & Trails Home 2013-2017 Plan Florida Greenways and Trails Council Trail Library Helpful Links DEP News Rules & Statutes Grants (RTP and more) Unless indicated, documents on this Web site are Adobe Acrobat files, and require the free reader software. St. Augustine Segment Florida Circumnavigational Saltwater Paddling Trail Segment 24 Download a Printer-Friendly Guide (PDF 33 kb) Emergency Contact Numbers: St. John’s County Sheriff’s Office: 800-346-7596 Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission 24-hour wildlife emergency/boating under the influence hotline: 1-888-404-3922 Begin: Faver-Dykes State Park/Mellon Island End: Palm Valley Road (Highway 210) Distance: 35.5 miles Duration: 3 days Special Considerations: Boat traffic can be heavy along the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW), especially on weekends and holidays. Paddling along the high energy East Coast shoreline is not recommended due to safety considerations. While some calm periods may make it suitable for paddling the coastal shoreline, conditions can change abruptly and few inlets allow paddlers to move to more sheltered waters. Even in the ICW, there is often a strong easterly shore breeze. Introduction St. Augustine is the oldest European-founded city in the United States. For centuries, Spain, France, England, a young United States and various Native American tribes wrested for control of Florida through the historic town. Paddlers on the circumnavigational trail can touch that history by visiting the historic section of St. Augustine and other historical sites in the area. The St. Augustine segment is also blessed with scenic beauty. The trail skirts county parks and large tracts of public land. These include the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (GTM). The reserve encompasses more than 60,000 acres of wetlands, upland habitats and offshore areas. To learn more, log onto http://www.dep.state.fl.us/COASTAL/sites/gtm/ The Matanzas State Forest, along the western shore of the Matanzas River in the beginning of this segment, is part of a 16,000-acre conservation corridor linking protected lands along Pellicer Creek to the Moses Creek Conservation Area. A significant wood stork rookery is located in the forest. To learn more, log onto: http://www.fl-dof.com/state_forests/matanzas.html Moses Creek Conservation Area is managed by the St. Johns River Water Management District and features scenic primitive camping along the sandy bluffs of Moses Creek, along with miles of hiking trails. For more information, log onto: http://www.sjrwmd.com/recreationguide/n10/index.html Anastasia State Park and its white sand beaches and campground are accessible near the end of the Salt Run east of St. Augustine, just past the St. Augustine lighthouse and museum (also accessible by kayak). Much of the coquina rock used to build Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine was quarried here by the Spanish. To learn more, log onto www.floridastateparks.org. Guana River Wildlife Management Area covers nearly 10,000 acres along the eastern shore of the Tolomato River in the northern part of this segment. An estimated 3000-4000 migratory waterfowl winter at Guana Lake, and the area is known for being an ideal place to spot peregrine falcons during April and October. To learn more, log onto http://www.floridaconservation.org/recreation/guana_river/default.asp. Two historic Spanish-built forts can be accessed from the trail, Fort Matanzas and Castillo de San Marcos. Both are national monuments. To learn more about Fort Matanzas, log onto http://www.nps.gov/foma/ ; for Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine, log onto http://www.nps.gov/casa/. Leave No Trace principles should be utilized for any primitive camping outlined in this guide. To learn more about Leave No Trace principles, log onto http://www.lnt.org. 1. Mellon Island to Moses Creek Conservation Area, 7 miles Take your time paddling this section for there is much to see and learn. By taking the old channel of the Matanzas River just past Mellon Island, you’ll not only avoid busy boat traffic, you can also access the Fort Matanzas National Monument. Land near the dock along the east side of the river to tour the visitor’s center and hike the nature trail. Do not land at the fort itself. To reach the fort, you must take a free ferry ride across the river, where you will be treated to a guided tour by a person in character as a Spanish infantryman. The panoramic view of a relatively unspoiled terrain from atop the fort is worth the trip alone. If you are taller than 5’7”, duck your head through the doorways. The ferry boat leaves every hour from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm, seven days a week every day except Christmas. Ground-shaking cannon firing demonstrations occur Saturday through Monday. The fort, built from 1740-1742, was needed by the Spanish to guard the Matanzas Inlet to St. Augustine. The Spanish had good reason to fear a raid since the English repeatedly harassed St. Augustine, beginning in 1586 when Sir Francis Drake burned the city. The fort proved to be an adequate deterrent. Gunners fired upon British vessels soon after completion, and never saw military action thereafter. The Matanzas Inlet was named for a Spanish slaughter of about 250 Frenchmen who had surrendered to Pedro Menendez de Aviles in 1564. Matanzas is the Spanish word for “slaughters.” About a mile past the Highway 206 Bridge along the western shore is the Moses Creek Conservation Area. Two primitive campsites atop sandy bluffs overlooking Moses Creek are hard to beat anywhere. The first shaded site beneath arching live oak and cedar trees is only a quarter of a mile in from the Matanzas River near Murat Point. This campsite has picnic tables, a fire ring and a hand pump for washing dishes (not potable). Each site can accommodate up to four tents; they are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis. From this first campsite, you can access several miles of marked hiking trails, or you can paddle up Moses Creek. 2. Moses Creek Conservaton Area to St. Augustine, 9.5 miles To access the historic section of St. Augustine, land your kayak at the low dock at the St. Augustine Municipal Marina alongside numerous small dinghies, just south of the Bridge of Lions. Make sure you have a bowline to tie up. You’ll need to register at the marina office at the end of the dock and pay a small fee. The marina has restrooms, showers, a Laundromat, small store, and there is a motel across the street. Various other motels and bed and breakfasts are within easy walking distance, including an inexpensive hostel with an all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast, The Pirate Haus Inn (954) 567-7275. You can also walk to shops, museums, restaurants and to the historic Castillo de San Marcos, or you can paddle to the fort and land on the north side at a small beach. Learn how Seminole Indians achieved their great escape from the fort’s jail during the Second Seminole War. Downtown ghost tours are available after dark. For more information on St. Augustine attractions, log onto http://www.oldcity.com/ . If you don’t want to walk, you can take a sightseeing train or a horse drawn carriage. If not staying in St. Augustine, about four miles north on the east side of the Tolomato River is the North Beach Camp Resort. You can land at the boat ramp near a bait and tackle shop (see map) and walk to the office to register for a tent site. The campground has restrooms, showers and a Laundromat. Advanced reservations are recommended. Call 800-542-8316. Though a bit off the route, you can also camp at Anastasia State Park by paddling up the Salt Run to the park’s launch area. The campground is a short walk across the road. Reservations may be made in advance by calling Reserve America at 1-800-326-3521 or by accessing their website, http://www.reserveamerica.com/. 3. St. Augustine to Palm Valley Road (Highway 210), 19 miles As you head north, you’ll be passing alongside several large tracts of public land, mostly along the eastern shore. To access the GTM Reserve’s Guana River site, you can land at Shell Bluff, the site of a coquina well remaining from a Minorcan farm in the early 1800s. There are 10 miles of hiking/biking trails and it is about a 1.5-mile walk from Shell Bluff to the GTM Environmental Education Center (small fee for entry) where there are exhibits, aquariums, an orientation video, and a nature shop. The Guana River and lake east of the Tolomato River is a popular destination for day paddlers. The next large chunk of public lands is the Guana River Wildlife Management Area (WMA). While there is no camping allowed on WMA land on the east side of the ICW, you can paddle through several adjacent coves and side channels that will allow you to separate yourself from the sometimes busy ICW and enjoy unspoiled marshy vistas and rich bird life. Several spoil areas along the ICW are often used for primitive camping by boaters, but permission has not been granted to include them in this guide. Segment 24 Maps: Segment 24 Index Map (PDF 113 kb) Segment 24 Map 1 (PDF 226 kb) Trip Tips and Safety Information Recommended Gear and Safety Equipment Trail Segments Home Paddling Trail Home 3800 Commonwealth Boulevard M.S. 795 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 Contact Us DEP Home | About DEP

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Miri Airport Miri Airport About Miri AirportMiri Airport is the second busiest airport in Sarawak. Located close to the border of Brunei Darussalam, it serves the city of Miri and the northern region of Sarawak.It is also a hub for domestic flights and serves Malaysia Airlines and Air Asia.In 2011, it was announced the Miri Airport will be expanded to cater for the growing number of passengers. The new terminal has a capacity of 2 million passengers per year. Everything you need to know about Miri Airport ☎ +608 561 5204 / +608 561 5205  98008 Miri Sarawak, Malaysia. View Larger Map

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Home > National Historic Sites > Monument Lefebvre National Historic Site > Natural Wonders & Cultural Treasures Monument Lefebvre National Historic Site ActivitiesLearning ExperiencesSite ManagementHow to Reach Us Monument Lefebvre National Historic Site of CanadaNatural Wonders & Cultural Treasures In its early development, the Monument Lefebvre site based its activities around the following statement of commemorative intent: To commemorate the survival of the Acadians from 1755 to the present in the Maritimes. As the site's development has evolved, and in response to the on-going input of interested and committed partners, the site's mandate is changing. The following statements represent an evolving direction as the management strategy currently being created recognizes three elements: To commemorate the Monument Lefebvre as a memorial to Father Lefebvre c.s.c., founder, in 1864, of the first French-language, degree-granting college in Atlantic Canada. To commemorate the Monument Lefebvre as a symbol of the renaissance of Acadian culture that began in the 19th century. To conserve and protect the Monument Lefebvre as host venue to the Acadian Odyssey Exhibit which explores the history of the Acadians of Atlantic Canada from 1755 to the present. At Monument Lefebvre National Historic Site and the Acadian Odyssey Exhibit, visitors can live a unique experience - visiting an historic site that continues to spark the same feelings of pride among Acadians as when initially built. Father Camille Lefebvre was a member of the Holy Cross Fathers Congregation. He founded Saint Joseph's College in Memramcook, the first French-language, degree-granting institution in Atlantic Canada. From 1864, through the next thirty years, the College, under his guidance, helped to educate many of the leaders of the Acadian Renaissance. In 1881, the College served as the site of the first Acadian National Convention, where the framework of ensuring the survival, strengthening and growth of Acadian culture began. Father Lefebvre died in January 1895 and, one month later, a campaign began among alumni and friends of Saint Joseph's College to recognize the institution's founder through the construction of a new building in his honour. The Monument Lefebvre building was inaugurated in ceremonies on June 16-17, 1897. For many years, the building housed the institution's science labs and its theatre. The theatre hosted events of importance to the Acadian community for a long time. From concerts by the famous and not so famous, to lectures, oratory contests, conferences, college graduation ceremonies and more, the theatre, with its near perfect acoustics, was a focus of Acadian pride. From a questionable future in the late 1970s, and a decade or more of heroic struggle by interested citizens, Monument Lefebvre has emerged restored to its former glory with a bright future. The building is destined to become a cultural centre of great importance fueled by a strong community-based enthusiasm and dedication. The Monument Lefebvre was named a national historic site in 1994 at aspecial event integral to the World Acadian Congress.

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The Things That Matter Most The hottest trends and biggest issues for hospitality and gaming industries Cornell CHR and SAS Webcast Series On-Demand Webcast Join industry executives, thought leaders and academics as they discuss the most important trends, biggest challenges and groundbreaking technologies of the hospitality and gaming industries. The panel session will feature live, in-studio commentary, as well as interviews of industry practitioners from leading organizations such as Harrah’s, Wyndham Exchange and Rentals, Sonesta, and others. Key Takeaways What issues are keeping industry executives up at night? What will it take to keep motivating patrons? How will the global economy shape the future of gaming and hospitality? Duane Vinson Smith Travel Research (STR) Mr. Vinson joined STR in 1997, and serves as the head of STR’s Global Lodging Census and Global Pipeline Groups, which oversees the creation and updating of hotel information from early planning through the life of the property. Often quoted in leading trade publications and the news media, Vinson is frequently a guest speaker at hotel conferences and lodging and tourism conventions. In addition to his work with STR, he is the President of the Southeast States Chapter of the Travel and Tourism Research Association (SETTRA). Prior to joining STR, he was with Hyatt Hotels & Resorts. Vinson holds a Marketing degree from the University of Louisville. Cathy A. Enz, PhD Lewis G. Schaeneman Jr. Professor of Innovation and Dynamic Management Cathy Enz has served as the Executive Director of the school’s Center for Hospitality Research, as well as the Associate Dean for Industry Research and Affairs. Enz conducts numerous strategic management consultations and presentations in North America and around the world, and serves on the board of directors for two privately owned hotel companies. Prior to her academic activities, she held several industry positions, including Strategy Development Analyst for a large insurance organization and Operations Manager in the dietary food service division of a US health care corporation. Before arriving at Cornell in 1990, Enz received her PhD from the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University, and taught at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University. James Ruttley Vice President of Client Services James Ruttley is responsible for all aspects of the delivery services that IDeaS provides to its clients, including technical and forecasting support, project management, client training and client management. Previously, Ruttley served IDeaS as Director of Consultancy Services and also as Director of Process Development. He has been involved in the design and implementation of revenue optimization solutions for virtually all of IDeaS’ clients, with particular emphasis on the integration of systematic revenue optimization into the hotel culture. He joined IDeaS in 1997 with more than 12 years of experience in the hotel industry, including a variety of senior management roles in major London hotels. Dr. Radhika Kulkarni Vice President of Advanced Analytics R&D Radhika Kulkarni has been with SAS for more than 25 years and oversees software development in many areas, including statistics, operations research, econometrics, forecasting and data mining. Her team also provides algorithms for analytical solutions in several diverse application areas, including finance, retail, marketing, hospitality, supply chain and the newly created SAS Center of Excellence. Kulkarni is a member of the board of directors for IDeaS, a SAS company; an active member in the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences (INFORMS); and serves on the advisory board of the Institute for Advanced Analytics at North Carolina State University. She has a master's in mathematics from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, and a master's and PhD in operations research from Cornell University. About the Webcast Series Insights and Innovations for Hospitality and Gaming is a seven-part Webcast series sponsored by The Center for Hospitality Research at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration and SAS. Each Webcast highlights a hot topic in the hospitality and gaming industry, including data quality, labor planning, customer loyalty, sustainability and more. Be sure to view other Webcasts in the series. SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved.

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Home » Your Visit » Stations » Crowcombe Heathfield Crowcombe Heathfield Postcode for Sat Nav: TA4 4PA Crowcombe Heathfield Station was built in 1862 when the line was opened and stands at the highest point on the line, just under 400ft. above the sea. The station is surrounded by lovely scenic countryside and a network of lanes, bridle ways and footpaths offering walking, cycling and horse riding. A leaflet (obtained from the stations) prepared jointly between Crowcombe Heathfield and Stogumber Stations shows the lanes and footpath routes in the area and there is a web site www.fochs.org.uk which is well worth a visit. The visual charm of the station and surroundings has caught the eye of several TV and film directors leading to scenes being shot at the station for "The Flockton Flyer", The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe", "Land Girls", and The Beatles film "A Hard Days Night". The station has a booking office and prices from this Station can be found on our Fares Pages. There is also a small shop and toilet facilities as well as a disabled persons accessable toilet on the station. During operating days the station is open for hot and cold drinks, cakes and famous "Bread Pudding" and you can be assured a warm welcome awaits you. On Gala days this is widened to include hot savoury snacks, soups and a coal fire to welcome you during the cold weather! Why not do the 'One Mile Walk'? Enjoy a very gentle and easy 1 mile circular walk from the station in either direction. The walk gives some lovely views of the line, �The Avenue� with its beech trees and crossed two railway bridges. The station is the ideal start/end point for a walk on the Quantock Hills or a cycle ride round Somerset�s country lanes. History of Crowcombe Heathfield Station The first sod on the original West Somerset Railway was lifted as part of the cutting at the tranquil wayside station which is a perfect spot to relax and watch the world go by, or for the more energetic to start or conclude a walk in the Quantock Hills. The station is not close to any major settlement and this has made it popular with film crews in the past. Sequences that feature Crowcombe Heathfield include Ringo Starr riding a bicycle down the platform in A Hard Days Night and in the opening sequence of Land Girls. The main station building dates from the 1860s whilst the wooden building on the opposite platform is a replacement for an earlier structure demolished by British Railways. Similarly the signal box dates from the preservation era. Its brick built base was built new by the West Somerset Railway whilst the wooden top comes from Ebbw Vale in South Wales. Please visit the Crowcombe Heathfield Station Website.

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Secondary Navigation: Best of British special offers Tertiary Navigation: Britain’s cathedrals Top 10 royal attractions Roman Britain Royal ceremonies Churches with stories to tell Britain’s best-known ships Royal childhood homes Spa towns Westminster Palace The Henley Royal Regatta Attractions you didn't know existed The River Thames Canterbury Cathedral Step back nearly 2,000 years View towards Steel Rigg from Hadrian's Wall in Northumbria, Hadrian's Wall, near Haltwhistle, Northumberland, England Britainonview.com / Rod Edwards The Romans colonised Britain nearly 2,000 years ago and their influence can still be seen today. Step back in time with us to a land of pagan gods, tribal warfare and awe-inspiring architecture… Looking out over the waist-high stone wall at the green Northumberland fields in the distance, it is easy to imagine proud Roman soldiers gazing out at the same view centuries ago. After all, while the Romans undertook countless projects during their time in Britain, Hadrian's Wall is truly an incredible feat. It reaches 15 feet high and spans 80 miles across Britain from South Shields in the east to Ravenglass in the west. The wall was not built to keep the Scots out of England, but rather it served as a Border and Customs agency to control the flow of goods north and south. Today, much of the traffic comes from hikers, bikers or riders of the Hadrian's Wall Country Bus But it wasn’t all about work for the Romans, so it’s no surprise that they created a magnificent temple and bathing complex around Britain's only hot spring, located in the aptly named World Heritage City of Bath . This was the place in Roman Britain for rest and relaxation - a tradition that you can still experience today at Thermae Bath Spa If Bath was for relaxation, was selected for serious work. Known then as Eboracum, York was the political heart of the Roman Empire during two periods 100 years apart and two Roman Emperors lived and died here. Although today not much remains of the era, pieces of the Roman walls remain intact, including the Multangular (ten-sided) Tower in the city's Museum Gardens. has a complete Roman city wall, wrapping two miles around the city. From here it is possible to see remains of Britain's largest Roman amphitheatre. While nothing much remains of the Roman city of Londinium, the Museum of London's huge Roman Collection has over 47,000 objects which were recovered during building projects in the Discover Roman Britain Roman York Chester Roman tours Museum of London Roman London app

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State park provides many activities COUNTY - The Wayne County Tourism Promotion Committee held two tours in the county starting with the northern part of the county. Comment By Kelly Waterskwaters@wayneindependent.com By Kelly Waterskwaters@wayneindependent.com Posted Aug. 31, 2014 at 12:00 PM COUNTY - The Wayne County Tourism Promotion Committee held two tours in the county starting with the northern part of the county.The guided bus tour was led by local historian Tom Kennedy.“We want to share the wonderful history, heritage and culture of Northeastern Pennsylvania,” he said. “The intent of these tours is to acquaint you with all the great places we have. Our hope is that you can inform people [about these places].”Included on the tour was a stop at Prompton State Park. The park provides boat launching and picnicking facilities to the 290-acre Prompton Lake, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.Twelve different hiking trails are also available, totaling 26 miles.Other available activities include boating, kayaking, paddling, fishing, hunting, disc golf, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and sledding.There are also accommodations for people with disabilities as well as picnic facilities and a pavilion.Prompton State Park allows boats with up to 10 hp motors. Rules and regulations from the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission must be followed and motorboats must have a current boat registration on display.Prompton Lake is a warm-water fishery that includes crappie, yellow perch and largemouth and smallmouth bass.Most of the park allows hunting, trapping and dog training. Common game includes deer and turkey.However, Prompton State Park prohibits the hunting of woodchucks. Dog training is only permitted from the day after Labor Day until March 31.Rules and regulations from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the Pennsylvania Game Commission must be followed.A list of rules and regulations for boating, fishing and hunting can be found at ttp://www.fish.state.pa.us/.Promoting the parkThe Friends of Prompton State Park is a nonprofit organization that has a mission to “promote the restoration, maintenance, and improvement of the park's facilities to increase tourism to Wayne County and the
surrounding areas.”It was formed in 1996.“It's a beautiful state park,” said Paul Mang, president of the Friends of Prompton State Park.He said they are working on getting more people to come to the park and take advantage of all it has to offer.Mang stated a lot of businesses are now giving donations to keep the park up and running, but added it's important to bring people to the area.“I work a lot and our board works a lot,” Mang said. “We're all volunteers. All of the trails are maintained by volunteers.“If we can’t get people to stay at our facilities we have to figure out a way to market.”Page 2 of 2 - He added that Wayne County is surrounded by the Delaware River, which is one of the five cleanest rivers in the United States.“You don't need releases to do rafting there,” Mang stated. “Even when it's bone dry you can paddle the Delaware.”Wayne County also has the most miles of dirt roads in Pennsylvania and nearly 30,000 miles for public hunting.“It isn't all about Prompton State Park,” Mang said. “It's about Wayne County.”Prompton State Park has 1,700 acres that is state land. Mang stated the state recently purchased another piece of property on the northern end of the park.“The state has plans,” he said, “so we as a community have to start planning for the future.“We have a tool to work with but we all have to work together to pull this off.”The state gave the park a $5,000 operational budget, which will help with more signage to help people know where access areas are.“There is a future here that everybody can benefit from,” Mang said.For more information on the Friends of Prompton State Park visit http://www.friendsofprompton.com/.Information on Prompton State Park can also be found at http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/prompton/.

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HOT DEALS & NEWSLETTERS China Travel Guide > Discovering China > Inner Mongolia the Silk Roads > Xinjiang > Urumqi Xinjiang Travel Guide Tian Shan peaks surroundingthe deep-blue waters of Tian Chi Capital of Xinjiang since the 19th century, Ürümqi sits amidst beautiful scenery, with the snow-laden Tian Shan to the east. It served as the base for a succession of warlords well into the 20th century, including the infamous Yang Zengxin who, in 1916, invited all his enemies to dinner and then beheaded them. Today a growing metropolis with a population of one million, Ürümqi is a modern Chinese city, with designer stores and high-rises. Many Han Chinese have settled here since 1949, and the population is now half-Han and half-ethnic minorities including Uighur, Manchu, Kazakh, Mongolian, and Tajik. Pagoda in Hongshan Park, Ürümqi No longer a remote outpost, Ürümqi was finally connected to Central Asia and Europe after the Ürümqi-Almaty rail line was built in 1991. Most visitors come to see Tian Chi (Heaven Lake) but the city has other attractions such as its lively markets and the fascinating mix of ethnic peoples. The fine Xinjiang Provincial Museum devotes a section to archeological finds, especially from around Turpan, including some preserved corpses, silk paintings, and lovely brocades. A section dedicated to local peoples includes gers, jewelry, and traditional clothes. In the north of the city, the scenic Hong Shan Park has a small 18th-century pagoda, and offers wonderful views. Xinjiang Provincial Museum Xibei Lu. 8:30am–5pm daily Tian Chi 62 miles (100 km) E of Ürümqi from Ürümqi in winter Horses available for exploring lake area A refreshing break from the arid deserts of northwestern China, Tian Chi (Heaven Lake) is a beautiful stretch of water, surrounded by luxuriant meadows and dense pine forests. It lies at an elevation of 6,500 ft (1,980 m), enclosed by snow-capped peaks including the majestic Bogda Feng, that reaches a height of almost 20,000 ft (6,000 m). A wonderful place for spending a day, or indeed several, Tian Chi offers many opportunities for leisurely walks and hikes in the lake area and through the neighboring countryside dotted with Kazakh gers. The local Kazakhs are mostly nomadic, living off sheep-breeding, and more recently, tourism. Very friendly and hospitable, they can arrange guides and horse treks around the lake and into the hills. Tian Chi can only be visited during summer (May–September), as it is not accessible during the winter months. There are usually plenty of accommodations available in local Kazakh gers around the lake. Staying overnight can be far more fun and interesting than the day-tours which are sometimes a bit tacky. The breathtaking alpine scenery ofHanas Lake Nature Reserve, Altai Altai 404 miles (650 km) N of Ürümqi Altai, then bus from Ürümqi to Burqin, then 93 miles (150 km) N via bus or car to reserve In contrast to the arid deserts of southern Xinjiang, the far north is covered in forests, lakes, and streams, over-looked by high mountains. The Altai region, bordering Mongolia, Russia, and Kazakhstan, is famous for its natural beauty, best seen in the Hanas Lake Nature Reserve (can be visited from Burqin). Centered around an alpine lake set at 4,490 ft (1,370 m) in the glorious Altai mountains, the reserve supports a diversity of wildlife. The area is wonderful for walking, and boat trips are available on the lake. Tours from Ürümqi operate all year. Ghost City Near Urho, 62 miles (100 km) N of Karamay Karamay, then bus from Karamay Rising above the ocean of oil rigs, along the Dsungar Basin, is a collection of wind-shaped rock formations, known as the Ghost City. Made famous by the movies filmed there, including Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, it is now a popular destination. Camel rides, mountain bikes, and four-wheel vehicles can be hired. A flower-covered meadowon the shores of Sayram Lake Sayram Lake 75 miles (120 km) N of Yining The jewel-like Sayram Lake, or Sailimu Hu, is a vast stretch of water set amidst magnificent mountain scenery and flowering meadows. Located at 6,560 ft (2,000 m), the lake area is chilly for most of the year, and only warm in summer when it is also covered in flowers. Reached by bus from Yining, it is a beautiful spot, barely touched by tourism, although it is possible to stay in simple lakeside guesthouses or gers (yurts). Yining 242 miles (390 km) W of Ürümqi from Ürümqi. Ili Valley from Yining A traditional shop in one ofYining’s Uighur bazaars Close to the border with Kazakhstan, Yining is the capital of the Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture. In recent centuries, Russia has notice-ably influenced Yining as it was occupied by Russians in 1872 when Yakub Beg ruled the region (then known as Kashgaria) and later, during the period of Sino-Soviet friendship in the 1950s, a number of Russians resided here. After relations between China and the USSR broke down in the early 1960s, there were violent border clashes along the Ili River. More recently, Yining has been the scene of several Uighur uprisings, which were quelled. Small, but pleasant and friendly with tree-lined streets, Yining is known for its local honey beer, and hard cheese. Its main draws are the lively Uighur bazaars with their range of street food in the old city, south of Qingnian Park. In summer, the town comes alive with bustling night markets and food stalls. About 3 miles (5 km) south of town, the Ili Valley (Ili Gu) is a scenic farm area of fields and meadows. Home to the Xibo people, a tiny minority, whose capital is at Chapucha'er. Related to the Manchus, the Xibo were sent here during the Qing era to maintain sovereignty in the region. They have kept themselves separate from the Han and other local communities, and retain their own language and script. Kuqa 186 miles (300 km) SW of Ürümqi Kuqa Travel Agency, 0997 712 9558 every Fri A small oasis town, Kuqa is essentially an Uighur settlement and has an interesting history. An independent state until the 8th century, when it fell under Chinese rule, the kingdom had strong links with India. Its significance as a Buddhist center dates back to the 4th century, when the Buddhist scholar Kumarajiva flourished. Born here, he went to school in Kashmir, northern India, and came back to China as a teacher and linguist, translating Sanskrit texts into Chinese. The town became a focal point from where Buddhism, which reached its zenith during the Tang era, was disseminated throughout China. Several large monasteries were founded on the vast wealth generated by the Silk Road trade. In the 7th century, the monk Xuanzang passed through Kuqa and claimed to have defeated its ruler in a philosophical debate. With the arrival of Islam in the 9th century, however, most traces of its Buddhist past disappeared. Mainly a stopover on the long journey to Kashgar, Kuqa is effectively two towns – New Kuqa and Old Kuqa. The old town has a bustling bazaar atmosphere, and a few dusty, narrow lanes lined with traditional mud houses have been preserved. Built in 1923, the attractive green-tiled Great Mosque bears no traces of Chinese influences in its traditional arabesque design. Thousand Buddha Caves at Kizil One of the main reasons to visit Kuqa are the Thousand Buddha Caves, located at Kizil, 43 miles (70 km) west of town. The caves date to between AD 500–700 and the frescoes, in a mixture of Indo-Iranian and Greek styles, are fascinating for their total absence of Chinese influence. Unfortunately, the caves were looted at the beginning of the 20th century by archeological explorers. While most of the caves have been stripped of their frescoes, some of the cave decoration has survived, notably the musicians in Cave 38, and the domestic and agricultural scenes in Cave 175. About 19 miles (30 km) north of Kuqa lies the ruins of the ancient city of Subashi. Thousand Buddha Caves Hired car or taxi arranged by the Kuqa tourist office For more details, please visit China Tours and China Travel Information.

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Red Rock really does rock. Hike. Helicopter. Or high-performance vehicle. It doesn't matter how you get there, just get there. Red Rock Canyon is one of the Valley's most popular destinations. And despite its exotic good looks (as seen in movies and on numerous TV commercials), Red Rock is about 30 minutes from the Strip. more...Officially known as Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, this 520-acre spread is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and protected as a National Conservation Area. It's visited by more than a million travelers each yearSeemingly more a mountain range than a canyon, the area is dominated by spectacular layered walls of colorful hard rock and sandstone. Up to 3,000 feet high, it's a popular hiking and rock-climbing destination. But its jaw-dropping beauty and fiery red highlights surely make the range one of the most photographed attractions in the Southwest.A 13-mile loop road provides vehicle access to trailheads and viewing spots. And a visitor center is located at the start of the loop road. Most Red Rock tours take you around the scenic loop, with frequent stops for photographs. You'll see red and tan sandstone, colorful carbonate rock and, if you're a bit more adventurous, Indian pictographs, too. Nearby Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, once owned by legendary billionaire and Las Vegas resident Howard Hughes, has stunning views of the marvelous Wilson Cliffs. Green and cool, this working ranch is the perfect spot for a picnic lunch. Red Rock Las Vegas tours typically provide transportation right from your hotel, making it the perfect half-day getaway. Keyword

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Attractions in Edinburgh & The Lothians Visitors travel from all over the globe to see Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns, a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. So why not come and see the attractions for yourself? Edinburgh Castle is the city’s defining feature and sits perched on an extinct volcano that overlooks the city. Inside the castle, some of which dates back to the 12th century, you will find treasures such as the Scottish Crown Jewels. The fascinating Scottish National War Museum is also within the walls, reflecting the castle’s long military history. Edinburgh Zoo has always been popular but is now definitely worth a visit as it has just become home to two new star attractions, Tian Tian and Yang Guang, the UK’s only giant pandas. Make sure you don’t miss out by going online to reserve a place to see the pandas before heading to the zoo. Other exotic residents include Asian lions, chimpanzees, penguins and zebras. Step back in time at The Real Mary King’s Close to discover an underground world which shows Edinburgh life hundreds of years ago. Find out if plague victims really were sealed in their homes, and if ghosts haunt these ancient streets. One of the most unique ways to learn about the history of the city is on a visit to Camera Obscura and World of Illusions, a Victorian observatory on the Royal Mile. Enter a darkened rooftop chamber and marvel as a 19th century device resembling a periscope projects a white beam of light onto a concave table to reveal incredible moving images of the city and its inhabitants. Hear colourful tales of Auld Reekie before exploring four floors of interactive exhibits where you’ll encounter fantastical optical illusions. Step inside a room where you can shrink or grow, get lost in a mirror maze and try to keep your balance in a swirling vortex tunnel. The Royal Yacht Britannia, which took the British Royal Family around the world, provides a glimpse into the private lives of royalty. Once onboard, you have the unique opportunity to see the state apartments and the engine room. Follow in the footsteps of Winston Churchill and Nelson Mandela to explore the one place where the Queen said she could truly relax. Witness the Forth Bridge, an engineering marvel which has spanned the Firth of Forth for 125 years, connecting Fife with Edinburgh. Comprised of 53,000 tonnes of mild steel, this immense red structure is a iconic part of the east coast skyline and has been named as Scotland’s sixth World Heritage Site by UNESCO. In Midlothian, you can visit the gothic Rosslyn Chapel, made famous by Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. Further attractions in the Lothians include the Edinburgh Butterfly & Insect World and the award-winning Scottish Seabird Centre, which will delight nature-lovers. Find out about free attractions in the area. Historic attractions Discover the fascinating history and heritage of Edinburgh & The Lothians through the region’s outstanding historical attractions, including sites in Edinburgh’s Old and New Towns, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Discover the nature and geography of Edinburgh & The Lothians which offers outdoor activities, wildlife watching and a variety of other ways to enjoy the great outdoors. Country parks Head out of the city with a visit to one of the many beautiful country parks in the Lothian countryside for a fun family day out in the great outdoors. Explore the museums in Edinburgh & The Lothians and uncover a variety of fascinating exhibitions for young and old. See T-Rex, Concorde and Steiff Bears in a variety of museums. Art & culture attractions Visit the arts and culture attractions of Edinburgh & The Lothians, which include brilliant galleries, fantastic art centres and entertainment venues. Food and drink From Michelin-star dining to a fantastic choice of bars and pubs, come and experience the true taste of Edinburgh & The Lothians Across bustling city and tranquil countryside, there's a wealth of wildlife attractions to be found in Edinburgh & the Lothians, from soaring seabirds to delicate butterflies. Explore the parks and gardens of Edinburgh - a city full of great green spaces filled with plants and flowers. There are a wide range of tours available in Edinburgh & The Lothians, including bus, whisky, walking and ghost tours. Free things to do in Edinburgh & The Lothians The amazing range of free attractions in Edinburgh & The Lothians are a wonderful way to discover more about the area. Uncover fantastic shopping opportunities in Edinburgh & The Lothians from high street trends to vintage boutiques. Please enable JavaScript to show highlight events.

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Record visitors to new Kirkcaldy leisure centre The new swimming pool at Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre by Debbie Clarke debbie.clarke@jpress.co.uk 125,000 visitors, but Kirkcaldy well behind Glenrothes which logs 370,000 Since Kirkcaldy’s new £15m leisure centre opened in September last year, a record number of visitors have made their way through its doors.The state-of-the-art facility, which replaced the town’s old swimming pool on the waterfront six months ago, is proving a popular attraction with the local community with 125,456 recorded visits since it opened for business. Compared to the same period last year, Kirkcaldy Swimming Pool had 73,732 attendances - seeing an impressive 70 per cent increase in use for the new leisure centre.With an average of over 5800 customers per week, that’s around 820 customers per day, the centre in Kirkcaldy is continuing to draw in locals to enjoy a range of leisure facilities.According to figures released by Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, which runs the facility on behalf of Fife Council, the 70-station gym with sea views has had over 35,184 visits since it opened, the two pools have had 52,817 people using them and the multi-use sports hall has attracted 7000 enthusiasts. The Trust reports that the fitness studio, health suite and children’s play area have also been well used.Scott Urquhart, area leisure manager for Fife Sports and Leisure Trust, said: “It has been really rewarding for all Trust staff to see the local community enjoying the new Kirkcaldy Leisure Centre,” he said.“The quality and range of facilities for the town is unrivalled and has met a demand for affordable and accessible leisure opportunities for families, regular gym-goers and for those who are participating in physical activity for the first time.” He added that the Trust has a wide range of classes and programmes for all ages.Councillor Neil Crooks, chairman of Kirkcaldy Area Committee, said: “The Leisure Centre was a massive investment by Fife Council and the facilities are proving to be more and more popular with local people and visitors alike.“There have been one or two teething problems as is normal with any significant construction project, but the numbers using the facilities tells its own story.” By comparison...Over 370,000 visits have been made to the Michael Woods Sports and Leisure Centre in Glenrothes since it opened its doors in July last year. The three pools have seen 149,177 attendances, the gym has had 83,354 visits and its outdoor facilitities have attracted 44,286 enthusiasts. Comments

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Royal opening for Stirling Palace The spectacular £12m refurbished royal palace at Stirling Castle has been officially opened by Her Majesty the Queen today (Wednesday). The First Minister Alex Salmond joined Her Majesty and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh to meet some of the many craftspeople who created the intricate carvings, tapestries and paintings that bring the royal apartments to life as Scotland’s most recently opened heritage attraction. First Minister Alex Salmond said:‪ “The re-creation of the Royal Palace at Stirling as it would have looked during the reign of the Stewart dynasty is testament to the magnificent craftsmanship and dedication of a superb conservation team from both Scotland and France. “The three-year refurbishment by Historic Scotland will bring real benefits to the tourist economy both for Stirling and Scotland as a whole and begins a new chapter in the history of one of our country’s best-loved attractions.” Around 5,000 visitors flocked to the grand opening weekend celebrations on June 4th for the six royal apartments in the palace building which was the childhood home of Mary Queen of Scots and her mother, Mary of Guise. The refurbished palace also includes a state of the art gallery to house the 34 surviving Stirling Heads, the 16th century carved wooden roundels that would have adorned the ceiling of the King’s Inner Hall. Notes for editors A full media pack about the palace project and the Stirling Heads is available online at www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk/mediapack. For all the latest on the palace project, and everything else that happening at Stirling Castle, visit our website at www.stirlingcastle.gov.uk and sign up for our free e-newsletter. Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government charged with safeguarding the nation’s historic environment. The agency is fully accountable to Scottish Ministers and through them to the Scottish Parliament. For more information visit www.historic-scotland.gov.uk Register for media release email alerts from www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/news. If you wish to unsubscribe at any time, please email hs.website@scotland.gsi.gov.uk Historic Scotland around the web: www.twitter.com/welovehistory, www.facebook.com/visithistoricscotland, www.youtube.com/historicscotlandtv

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Arade River Shipwrecks Revision as of 23:09, 7 December 2010 by FilipeCastro (Talk | contribs) 2 Historical Background 3 The Arade River Mouth 4 The Arade River Shipwrecks Introduction Fig. 1 - The west coast of Algarve showing Portimão and its surrounding area. Exposed during dredging operations in 1970, the Arade 1 shipwreck was photographed and inspected by amateur archaeologists during the following summers. Since there were very few artifacts on site the shipwreck was quickly forgotten. During the decade that followed its discovery, the Arade 1 hull decayed, broke flat, and was covered by sediments. In the summer of 2001 the now extinct Centro Nacional de Arqueologia Náutica e Subaquática (CNANS) - at the time the Portuguese state agency for Nautical Archaeology - invited Texas A&M University and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology to co-direct a project of survey and excavation of several sites on the mouth of the Arade River, near the city of Portimão, in Portugal. The Arade 1 shipwreck was relocated by CNANS and an agreement was secured with the local municipality (and museum) for a long-term project, which was designated ProArade. A Nautical Archaeology Program field school was integrated in the project. Historical Background The mouth of the Arade River has been inhabited since at least the Iron Age. It is believed that during the 6th century BC this area possessed a fairly important harbor - Portus Hanibalis - built by the Carthaginian general Amilcar either on the mouth of the Arade River, or on the nearby small inlet of Alvor. Later, a predominantly rural Roman occupation of this area is well documented by the ruins of several Roman villas. Fig. 2 - Mouth of the Arade River in 2002 (Photo: F. Castro). During the subsequent Arab occupation of this territory - from AD 715 to 1250 - the village of Silves, a few miles upstream, became an important urban center, and traffic through the Arade River intensified. In AD 966 a fleet of 28 Viking ships was sighted of the coast of Portugal. A Muslim fleet left Seville as soon as possible and engaged the vikings in the Arade River. According to the Arab chronicler many Vikings were killed and many vessels sunk. The remaining enemies fled, and the Arab prisoners that had been taken were rescued. At the time Portimão was a small settlement, or a small aggregate of scattered houses on the landscape. An account of the conquest of Silves by an anonymous crusader who took part in the 1189 attack mentions the destruction of Alvor, where a castle was burned and the entire population - said to be around 5,000 people - was put to death. A number of country houses were left burning but the crusaders at the mouth of the Arade River. In the 13th century the Portuguese conquest - the so-called Reconquista - of the southern portion of today's Portugal, named Algarve, brought new settlements and new settlers to the mouth of the Arade. From a small settlement in the mid-13th century, the future Portimão became a village with about 40 households in 1463, named São Lourenço da Barroza, and possibly dedicated to the fishing of tuna, an ancient activity in the region. On a curious note, the remains of this early settlement are said to have been exposed on November 1st 1755, after a series of tidal waves - which are said have been over 10 m high, following the earthquake that stroke Portugal on that morning - hit the mouth of the river. Fig. 3 - 17th-Century map of the mouth of the Arade River (CNANS Archive). Because it was very exposed to pirate incursions, the village was fortified in the second half of the 15th century. By 1615 there were 1802 inhabitants in Portimão, which was only one of five settlements situated nearby: Alvor, Silves, Estombar, and Ferragudo. Two fortresses were built in the first decades of the 17th century in order to protect the river from constant incursions of Muslim and Protestant ships. By 1622 the mouth of the Arade River was protected by the fortress of São João on the left margin and the Santa Catarina fortress on the right margin of the river. In spite of the two small sand banks that divided the river into three channels until the early 20th century, its course was navigable upstream past the city of Silves as late as the 17th century. The 1755 tidal waves are said to have caused major changes in the shape of these channels. The river course is said to have shifted about 1 Km west after November 1755's earthquake. In spite of the progressive silting of the river, the largest channel - the eastern one - was still 4.8 m deep on the high tide periods as late as the 18th century. All these centuries of occupation and maritime activity made the mouth of the Arade River an enormous garbage dump. Many artifacts were thrown, abandoned or lost in the river during the more than 25 centuries of documented human activity on this area. After the first major dredging works, carried out in this area between June and November of 1970, the mouth of the river fell under the attention of beachcombers and artifact collectors. The sand removed from the river bottom was deposited on a nearby beach, called Praia da Rocha. Since 1970 perhaps thousands of artifacts were found there by tourists, fishermen, local beach restaurant owners, and interested collectors. Some made it to the museum of Portimão, some were lost for lack of conservation treatment, and some were sold in the antique markets. One largely intact Roman shipwreck is said to have been salvaged and all amphorae sold, after being dried on the roof of one of the divers involved.1 More important than loose artifacts were however the several hull remains which are reported to have been hit by the dredges in that year. Five or six shipwrecks were exposed during the dredging works in 1970. Then, in 1980, dredging works were responsible for the complete destruction of what was left from the Roman shipwreck. The decade of the 1990s would witness more dredging works at the Arade River mouth, but this time the sediments were deposited in the sea, making it impossible to know what or how much was destroyed. Finally, dredging for the construction of a sports harbor - which was followed by a team of CNANS archaeologists - lead to the destruction of another three shipwrecks that laid buried on the left margin of the river, although of quite recent origin and allegedly "of no archaeological interest." The balance of the dredging interventions on the Arade River estuary in recent times looks quite sad. In spite of the public outcry the port authorities dredged this area repeatedly in the last three decades of the 20th century, carrying on the destruction of the underwater cultural heritage in total disregard of the press and the local groups of pressure. One of these groups, Grupo de Estudos Oceânicos (GEO), has been very vocal in their protests against the destruction of Portimão's underwater cultural heritage. After the creation, in 1997, of the Centro Nacional de Arqueologia Náutica e Subaquática (CNANS), a state agency for nautical archaeology, the status quo changed noticeably. In collaboration with GEO, state archaeologists promoted and organized a campaign of survey and excavation of the Arade shipwrecks, starting in 2000. Some of the Arade ship remains may have been destroyed forever, and some have yet to be located. New relevant sites were located in the survey carried out by the GEO team during 2000 and 2001, which covered an area close to 1,000,000 m2. In the summer of 2001 a team of CNANS and GEO initiated the excavation of several sites located by GEO in the previous two years. The results were extremely promising, and another field season was planned for the following year. Four sites were excavated and recorded during the summer of 2002 by a team gathering divers and archaeologists from four different institutions: the Portuguese Centro Nacional de Arqueologia Náutica e Subaquática (CNANS) and Grupo de Estudos Oceânicos (GEO), the Brazilian Universidade de São Paulo, and the Institute of Nautical Archaeology / Texas A&M University. The Arade River Mouth As mentioned above, the mouth of the Arade River has changed substantially in time. According to a 12th-Century report the mouth of the river was further out, near Ponta do Altar (Fig. 1), and the river ran close to the cliffs situated on its left margin2. This is confirmed in an 1800 report signed by Baltazer de Azevedo Coutinho, Captain of the Portuguese Royal Corp of Engineers 3. Previously encompassing a few small islets and sandbanks in middle of its present bed, the Arade River ran to the sea through three narrower channels. The earthquake of 1755 is said to have been at least partially responsible for the disappearance of these islets, and for the already mentioned shift of the river's course about one kilometer to the west. As a consequence of these changes and the silting provoked by the tidal waves of 1755, the Arade mouth presented a depth of only 4.80 m on high tide and 2.4 m at the lowest tide in the early 19th century 4. After 1755 an accumulation of sand on both margins of the Arade River mouth consolidated its new course, and winter floods broke through the SW channel. In the beginning of the 20th century the beauty of the landscape and the amenity of the climate brought the first families to spend holidays at Praia da Rocha, which was the best known and more frequented in the whole south of Portugal already by 1910. Fig. 4 - The Arade River mouth after a 1648 map (after Weinholtz 1970-80). Data from the period 1916-1926 shows that the mouth of the Arade River was very unstable, with depths varying widely, as the main channel path varied. In 1926 and 1927 the sandbanks were dredged for the first time, as a developing fishing industry, associated to a growth of a young preserve industry, called for better conditions for the vessels entering and leaving the river. Although impressive - a total of 360.000 m3 of sand were dredged and deposited on the bottoms in front of Ponta do Altar promontory - these dredging works were not very successful, as the river quickly re-established its ancient form. By 1936 the river mouth was again shallow and unstable. But the dredging works had another effect: the large sandy stripe that formed Praia da Rocha started to diminish. During the decade of the 1950s two jetties were built to protect and regularize the mouth of the river, and allow the construction of a commercial harbor at Portimão. The construction of the first of two jetties that protect the harbor was started in 1948 and interrupted soon after. Started again in 1951, these long structures were soon ready. Although the expected regularization of the river bottom was achieved, the construction of the jetties may have impeded the natural shift of sediments along the coast, and furthered the disappearance of sand in Praia da Rocha, situated immediately to the west. Fig. 5 - The Arade River mouth after a 1916 map (after Gomes and Weinholtz [n.d.]). Fig. 6 - The Arade River mouth after a 1934 map (after Gomes and Weinholtz [n.d.]). Fig. 7 - The Arade River mouth after a 1967 map showing the new jetties(after Gomes and Weinholtz [n.d.]). In 1968 an area inside the jetties - in the plan marked "anteporto" - was dredged to a depth of eight meters, and the sand deposited in front of Praia da Rocha, in the hope that this could stop the disappearance of that beach. This strategy did not work, and in 1970 a large portion of this "anteporto" area was dredged again to a depth of eight meters. This time the sediments - about 830.000 m3 - were deposited on the beach (Praia da Rocha). During the course of these dredging works in the summer of 1970 five shipwreck hulls are said to have been hit by the dredges. In spite of all the attention given to this event by the local and national presses, including the national television, nothing was done on behalf of the shipwrecks, and they were either destroyed or left to rot, after being exposed on the slope of the dredged area. Maintenance of the depths obtained in 1970 forced other dredging campaigns during the decade of the 1980s, starting on that same year. Other shipwrecks are said to have been hit and partially or totally destroyed, generating further public outcry, which does not seems to have daunted neither the harbor authorities, nor the central government. Fig. 8 - The Arade River mouth after a 1970 map showing the recharge of Praia da Rocha with the sediments dredged (after Gomes and Weinholtz [n.d.]). Fig. 9 - The Arade River mouth after the dredging works, after a 1970 map (after Gomes and Weinholtz [n.d.]). In the early 1980s a team from the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, under the direction of Francisco Alves, conducted a survey at the local, but did not find any of the shipwrecks. This action however triggered the interest of the Comissao Nacional Provisoria de Arqueologia Subaquatica, and the shipwrecks were given a certain level of protection as part of Portugal's cultural heritage by the government. Subsequent dredging works were conducted with less public outrage, since the sediments were dumped once again off Ponta do Altar, and although there are scattered reports of destruction and alleged plundering - curiously attributed to the destroyers themselves, the crews of the Dutch dredging ships contracted for the works - nobody knows exactly what or how much was destroyed. In 1987 Museu Nacional de Arqueologia promoted a survey in the Arade mouth waters, under the direction of Jean-Yves Blot, but none of the sites could be located 5. In the following decade, the 1990s, legislation was issued that protected the Portuguese underwater cultural heritage, and forced the promoters of these type of works to evaluate its impact on the underwater cultural heritage. Moreover, the impunity with which the harbor authorities acted in the previous decades came to an end with the creation in 1997 of the Instituto Português de Arqueologia (IPA), a state agency charged with the coordination of national and local archaeological policies that included a department dedicated to the study and protection of the underwater cultural heritage (CNANS). In this context the harbor authority was barred from promoting further dredging works before the whole Arade estuary was surveyed and its important heritage recorded. An agreement was reached with the local municipality, CNANS, and GEO, especially active in the promotion of the regional underwater cultural heritage. During the summers of 1999 and 2000 the GEO divers surveyed an area of almost one square kilometer in mouth of the Arade River and located a large number of interesting spots, some consisting of only a few amphora shards, and other encompassing extensive hull remains. In the summer of 2001 Texas A&M University was invited to participate in a closer inspection of the most promising sites located by the GEO team. With the help of one of the 1970 divers, Helder Mendes, one of these sites was immediately identified as one of the shipwrecks hit by the dredges in that year. It was decided to start an excavation of this site, which was designated Arade 1. The hull remains were partially excavated, and a 1/1 accurate drawing was done on perfectly horizontal transparent slates with one square meter each. During the following winter a team from the Nautical Archaeology Program (NAP) was invited by CNANS to complete the excavation and promote the study and publication of this shipwreck. The Arade River Shipwrecks There are many reports of shipwreck troves in the mouth of the Arade River. As it often happens, some of these reports are vague, others are contradictory, and some refer to sites that have long been destroyed, or simply to guns, iron anchors, or lead stocks that were removed by fishermen and sport divers, probably to end up melted or, in the case of the iron guns, slowly rotting away on the grass of some front yard. There is no information whether any shipwrecks were hit or destroyed during the 1926 and 1927 dredging works, but it is probable that many artifacts were removed from the Arade River mouth together with the 360.000 m3 of sediments dredged at the time. Fig. 10 - The Arade River mouth (from Aero Guia do Litoral, 2000). Fig. 11 - Approximate location of the Arade 7 and Arade 8 shipwrecks. In the late 1950s, or early 1960s, a bronze gun was found by divers of Grupo Desportivo da Sacor at the entrance of the river, on the area where know stands the left margin jetty. The gun disappeared before the finders could raise it and there is no trace of it anywhere ever since. Later, two shipwrecks were reported on the area between the jetties, one on the channel, immediately outside the line between the heads of the structures (Arade 8), and another near the head of the left margin jetty (Arade 7)6. Fig. 12 - The five shipwrecks hit by the dredges. The fifth position is only guessed on top of the image(Image: CNANS Archives). Fig. 13 - Reconstruction of the 1970 dredging area. The 1970 dredging works exposed at least five old hulls, as the Dutch captain of the dredge told the press after the works were completed, and soon before leaving Portugal. The news of archaeological troves during the dredging operations had already spread during the summer, and some local inhabitants went to the place where the dredged sediments were dumped on the beach - at Praia da Rocha - to try to recover any antiques exposed7. Following an information of the captain of the dredge Mark - from the company Bos & Kalis, working as a subcontractor of the Sociedade Portuguesa de Dragagens - two rival groups of divers visited the Arade mouth and gathered data about three of shipwreck sites. It is not sure whether all these three ships had been sighted by the captain of the dredge Mark. As a matter of fact, it seems that six ships were exposed a consequence of the dredging works, and not five, as the captain informed 8. The Arade 1 and Arade 2 Shipwrecks It seems that the Arade 2 shipwreck of 1970 actually corresponded to two different shipwreck sites. As already mentioned above, during the dredging works of 1970 five hulls are said to have been partially destroyed. Two groups of sport divers visited two different shipwrecks each during in October 1970, and it has been assumed that these were the same two sites. However, it seems that there were at least six shipwreck sites, and that the first group of divers - from the Centro Português de Actividades Subaquáticas (CPAS) - visited indeed the sites of shipwrecks Arade 1 and Arade 2. The second group of divers, however, - from the Federação Portuguesa de Actividades Subaquáticas (FPAS) - seems to have visited the sites of shipwrecks Arade 1 and Arade 6. According to the testimonies of Mrs. Margarida Farrajota and Mr. Helder Mendes - who in 1970 were part of the first and the second group of divers respectively9 - the director of the harbor authority ordered the dredging works to stop upon learning from the captain of the dredge Mark that he had hit two shipwreck sites. Still according to these witnesses, the port authority director asked Mr. José Farrajota, the local delegate of Junta Nacional de Educação, which was the organism in charge of antiquities in Portugal at the time, to inspect the sites. An archaeologist and member of CPAS, Mr. José Farrajota visited the site on October 10 and 11, 1970, with a team which included his daughter, Margarida Farrajota, Rui de Moura, Fernando Pina, and Jorge Albuquerque - then president of CPAS. Mr. Helder Mendes, a director at national television and member of the second diving group of divers - FPAS - was invited to join this team on the first day. Mr. Farrajota's team inspected the Arade 1 shipwreck site but could not see the Arade 2 site, for it had been covered with sediments during a recent storm. Later that week a team from FPAS also carried out a series of independent dives on the Arade 1 site, and found what we now believe to be a sixth shipwreck: Arade 6. These diving expeditions produced a series of pictures, sketches, and measurements that have been extremely useful thirty years later. On the CPAS expedition Jorge Albuquerque and Fernando Pina took pictures and measurements and produced two good sketches of the Arade 1 vessel. We have six pictures from Jorge Albuquerque, and thirteen from Fernando Pina.10 Mr. José Farrajota wrote a report, and his daughter took extensive notes. On the FPAS expedition, which included Helder Mendes, Ricardo Costa also took pictures - two roles of film, of which we have twelve pictures.11 Another set of pictures is known, but their owner did not let us see them, claimimg that they would allow us to locate the Arade 6 shipwreck. Two years later, Mr. Helder Mendes produced a documentary for national television which was aired on July 4 1972 under the title The Mysterious Ships of the Arade River.12 During the investigations carried out by Mr. Francisco Alves, which included the analysis of an extensive file existing in CNANS' archives, and interviewing Mr. Helder Mendes it became clear that the Arade 1 shipwreck site was the same for both groups of divers. However, for the FPAS' group, the Arade 2 shipwreck was a lapstrake built ship presumably located upstream and near the Arade 1 site. For the CPAS group the Arade 2 site was located downstream, near the left jetty, and it was never actually visited since it had been already covered by sediments by October 10 1970, when it was inspected. There are therefore no doubts that the Arade 1 was a flush laid hull, corresponding to the "position 1" on Fig. 19. As to the Arade 2 shipwreck, Mr. Farrajota marked it clearly near the jetty, in an almost symmetrical position relatively to Arade 1 on the basin dredged. Mr. Helder Mendes, however, is under the impression that it was located upstream from the Arade 1 site, possibly near the position marked on Fig. 20 as site "C". And he is sure that it was lapstrake built. A third witness, Mr. Luis Sacramento, a local diver and an old time friend of Dr. Alves, claims that Mr. Albuquerque's Arade 2 site had several guns, one of which - in bronze - was last seen on the deck of one of the dredges. In spite of the sketches made at the time, and the pictures taken, thirty years later it was very difficult to make full sense of them. In the summer of 2001 a joint survey carried on by CNANS and the GEO group, with the help of Mr. Helder Mendes, lead to the discovery of several ship remains near the Arade 1 shipwreck area marked on CPAS report of 1970 (Fig. 20). The areas defined on this survey were designated as A1, B1, B2, and C, and several trenches were opened around them during the 2001 field season. Area A1 yielded the remains of a ship's hull, and its excavation started immediately under the direction of Mr. Francisco Alves, carried out by a joint CNANS/GEO team. On area B2 a frame from a lapstrake hull was found (Fig. 22) together with some lapstrake planking. We know now that the A1 vessel is the Arade 1 shipwreck, but we never found the Arade 6, lapstrake-built, shipwreck.13 Other Shipwrecks Then, in 1975, future archaeologist Jean-Yves Blot and a group of sport divers - including local diver Luis Sacramento - found and made a preliminary sketch of a group of five iron guns off Praia dos Caneiros, at Ponta do Altar. Because of another group of guns found nearby some years later, this site is known as Ponta do Altar A and has been tentatively dated to the 18th century. Fig. 14 - The wooden remains destroyed by the dredges on the commercial harbor (Photo: F. Alves, CNANS Archives). In the 1980's dredging works started again. At least one shipwreck was destroyed in 1982 (Arade 9), upstream from the former dredged area, near the commercial harbor, possibly the Roman ship mentioned above14. An unknown number of pewter ware pieces was found in the dredged sand by a bulldozer operator, and bought by a private amateur archaeologist who was trying to make a small museum at Cascais, in conjunction with the local municipality. This project never saw completion however, and the pewter pieces were later divided between privates and small museums. Following the 1982 destructions the then director of Lisbon's Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, Mr. Francisco Alves, brought the Comissão Nacional Provisória de Arqueologia Subaquática to propose legislation to protect the Arade shipwrecks. This legislation was approved in February 1984.15 In 1993, after a report by Luis Sacramento, eight bronze guns dating from the mid-16th century to 1606 were rescued by a team of the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia, possibly corresponding to the 1611 shipwreck of a Spanish vessel named Nuestra Señora del Socorro.16 Fig. 15 - One of the eight guns from Ponta do Altar B site (Photo: F. Castro). Finally, in 1998, the remains of three ships presumably dating to the 19th or early 20th centuries were found during the construction of the marina of Portimão. At that time CNANS was accompanying the works and promoted a preliminary survey. Since these remains corresponded to recent ships, probably derelicts, the construction works were briefly stopped in order to make a quick sketch of the only vessel presenting structural coherence, referenced in this study as Arade 10. Fig. 16 - Shipwreck destroyed in 1982, and the marina's shipwreck sites. Fig. 17 - The ten sites found by the GEO team. Fig. 18 - Aspect of the Arade 10 shipwreck during CNANS' survey (Photo: P. Caleja, CNANS Archive). During the last years of the 1990s other remains have been surveyed and positioned by GEO, a local group of sport divers under the direction of Mr. Alberto Machado, who lead the campaign toward a larger public awareness of Arade's archaeological richness at the same time. Between 1998 and 2000 GEO's divers found ten sites of archaeological potential at the Arade's mouth. These sites have been numbered GEO1 to GEO10, and correspond to ship remains and parts, sometimes found as more or less coherent structures, sometimes as disassembled and scattered on the sea bed. The most interesting of these two areas so far are GEO 5, corresponding to well-preserved remains of a large late 19th century vessel, which was called Arade 13, and GEO 2, where a small plank showing mortise and tenon joinery was found and named optimistically Arade 14. At the end of the 2002 field season the total number of shipwrecks reported at the Arade River mouth amounted to 14: Arade 1 - Found by the captain of the dredge Mark in 1970, visited by two teams of sport divers. A report was made by CPAS divers and many pictures were taken. It was re-located in 2001 by a team from CNANS and partially excavated (site A1 from CNANS 2001 map). During the summer of 2002 it was excavated by a Texas A&M University / Institute of Nautical Archaeology team. Arade 2 - Found by the captain of the dredge Mark in 1970. Already covered when visited by sport divers. It is said to have bronze guns, one of which was taken by the captain of the dredge to the Netherlands. Arade 3 - Found by the captain of the dredge Mark in 1970. never visited by sport divers. Arade 6 - Found by sport divers near the Arade 1 shipwreck. Clinker built. Possibly near site B2 of CNANS 2001 map. Arade 7 - Found by sport divers near the left jetty. Arade 8 - Found by sport divers at the entrance of the river mouth, between jetties. Arade 9 - Destroyed by the dredging operations of the early 1980s. Arade 10 - Covered by the Marina de Portimao. Said to be modern: late 19th, or early 20th century. Arade 13 - GEO 5 site. Shipwreck dating to the late 18th or 19th century. Well preserved. Arade 14 - GEO 2 site. Small plank with mortise and tenon joints. Fig. 19 - Approximate location of the Arade River shipwrecks. After 2002 CNANS kept working on the Arade River mouth, and a number of publications resulted from that work.17 References 1. Robert F. Marx Personal communication 2. Gomes, Nelson Augusto, and Weinholtz, Manuel de Bivar, "Estudo da evolução do estuário do Arade e das praias adjacentes", Portos e Obras Marítimas, document from Direcção de Serviços Marítimos in the library of the Museu Municipal de Portimão: III-4-5. 3. Ibidem: III-4-5. 4. Loureiro, Adolpho, Op. cit.: 187. 5. Alves et. al.," Sistemas de deteccao geofisica em arqueonautica utilizados em Portugal: os casos do Arade 1, Redoutable e Alfeizerao," in Geociencias, 5.1: 135 (abstract). 6. Personal communication of Luis Sacramento to Francisco Alves. 7. Newspaper cut from Diario Popular of June 29, 1972 (in Alves, Francisco, "Acerca dos destrocos de dois navios descobertos durante as dragagens de 1970 na foz do Rio Arade (Ferragudo, Lagoa)", in As rotas oceanicas, Secs. XV-XVII, Lisboa: Ed. Colibri, 1999: 75). Also, Luis Sacramento, a local diver and old collaborator of CNANS, mentioned an iron gun and other artifacts being recovered by the dredges. 8. Helder Mendes, one the divers to visit the sites in 1970, is under the impression the clinker built ship found by his group had not been seen by the dredge crew. 9. Already an old admirer of both Margarida Farrajota, and Helder Mendes, I am greatly indebted to them for their patience and willingness to search into their memories for the details of this old story. 10. We must thank again Margarida Farrajota, presently president of C.P.A.S., for all the data supplied. 11. In CNANS's archive, thanks to Helder Mendes and Alberto Machado. 12. Rádio Televisão Portuguesa, "Os misteriosos barcos do rio Arade," by Helder Mendes. 13. Luis Sacramento personal communication. 14. Alberto Machado personal communication. 15. Alves, Francisco, "Acerca dos destrocos de dois navios descobertos durante as dragagens de 1970 na foz do Rio Arade (Ferragudo, Lagoa)", in As rotas oceanicas, Secs. XV-XVII, Lisboa: Ed. Colibri, 1999: 92. 16. Alves, Francisco, "Ponta do Altar B - Arqueologia de um naufrágio no Algarve nos alvores do século XVII." Arqueólogo Português, 4.8/10: 357-424. Lisboa: MNA, 1990-1992. 17. Alves, Monteiro and Pinheiro, "Arade 23, Arqueografia de um Naufragio Atraves de Site Recorder 4 Problematica e Metodologia" (2007) Retrieved from "http://nautarch.tamu.edu/NAPwiki/index.php?title=Arade_River_Shipwrecks" Category: Ships Views

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HomeDESTINATIONSMIDDLE DALMATIASPLITTROGIRHVAR IslandVIS IslandBRAC IslandMAKARSKAZLATNI RAT - famous beachSOLTA IslandNORTH DALMATIAZADARŠIBENIKPRIMOSTENSOUTH DALMATIAMLJET IslandPELJEŠAC PeninsulaKORČULA IslandDUBROVNIKCAVTATCROATIACROATIAN CUISINEMEDITERRANEANSLAVONIAN continentalCONTINENTAL cuisineHERITAGECULTURE AND HISTORYNATIONAL PARKSLEISURE ZADAR Administrator There are no translations available. Zadar is a city in Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is the centre of Zadar county and the wider northern Dalmatian region. Zadar faces the islands of Ugljan and Pašman, from which it is separated by the narrow Zadar Strait. The promontory on which the old city stands used to be separated from the mainland by a deep moat which has since become a landfill. The harbor, to the north-east of the town, is safe and spacious. Zadar is the seat of a Catholic archbishop. The Zadar region is the northernmost part of Dalmatia, its gate of welcome to all those who travel from the north of the Adriatic. It is full of contrasts, rich in historic heritage and breathtakingly beautiful nature. The first, and therefore perhaps the most intense experience of these parts, are the intense colours, that particular harmony of the vivid blue of the sea and over it the dark green of pine trees or olive groves that descend all the way to the shore. And to all that the brilliant white of the Dalmatian stone must be added – it forms the beaches either in slabs or broken down into gravel or pebbles, attracting numerous tourists… Zadar is an ancient Mediterranean port city. The old town, surrounded by walls and towers on a peninsula, with a new, urban part is connected by a bridge, a symbol of the city. Built on Roman urban principles, where there are several major longitudinal streets traversed by a greater number of latitudinal streets, give the city a rectangular shape. The old town is a treasure trove of archaeological treasures and monuments to the ancient, medieval and Renaissance periods. This is visible by a number of sacral and architectural monuments – the church of sv. Donat [St. Donatus] where every summer the sounds of Zadar's musical evenings echo, the Roman Forum near the main square, Kalelarga - the longest and widest street, the Cathedral of sv. Stošije [St. Anastasia], an Archaeological Museum with its exceptional treasures and many other monuments of cultural and historical heritage (town gate, Arsenal, churches, museums...). In a city with the most beautiful sunset, in a maritime archipelago facing a multitude of islands and islets, which protect the city from the strong winds, enjoy the symphony of the Sea Organ and magical urban light installation Pozdrav suncu [Greeting the Sun] near the new harbour for cruise ships. Zadar is a powerful cultural and economic city whose life is comfortable all year round, but shows all its splendour in the summer. Visit the traditional events or contemporary events like the full moon nights, Zadar dreams, Millennium jump, Kalelarga art... Enjoy the Mediterranean cuisine, taste the sweet Maraschino cherry liqueur, and take a swim from one of the sandy beaches in the Zadar area! Dalmatia’s centre is 3000-year-old Zadar, a city with the largest researched Romanforum on the Croatian side of the Adriatic and unforgettable Romanesquechurches like St. Donatus, St. Anastasia and St. Chrisogonus. Nearby Nin (the oldest Croatian royal city) boasts the smallest cathedral in the world (the Church of the Holy Cross measures but 36 paces!). The region of Zadar tells the story of the sources of Croatian cultural heritage better than any book. In antiquity, Iadera and Iader, the much older roots of the settlement's names were hidden, the names being most probably related to a hydrographical term. It was coined by an ancient Mediterranean people and their Pre-Indo-European language. They transmitted it to later settlers, the Liburnians. The name of the Liburnian settlement was first mentioned by a Greek inscription from Pharos (Stari grad) on the island of Hvar in 384 BC, where the citizens of Zadar were noted as Ίαδασινοί (Iadasinoi). According to the Greek source Periplus of Pseudo-Scylax the city was Ίδασσα (Idassa), probably a vulgar Greek form of the original Liburnian name. During Antiquity the name was often recorded in sources in Latin in two forms: Iader in the inscriptions and in the writings of classic writers, Iadera predominantly among the late Antiquity writers, while usual ethnonyms were Iadestines and Iadertines. The accent was on the first syllable in both Iader and Iadera forms, which influenced the early-Medieval Dalmatian language forms Jadra, Jadera and Jadertina, where the accent kept its original place. In the Dalmatian language, Jadra (Jadera) was pronounced Zadra (Zadera), due to the phonetic transformation of Ja- to Za-. That early change was also reflected in the Croatian name Zadar, developed from Zadъrъ by vocalizations of the semi-vowel and a shift to male gender. An ethnonym graphic Jaderani from the legend of St. Krševan in 9th century, was identical to the initial old-Slavic form Zadъrane, or Renaissance Croatian Zadrani. The Dalmatian names Jadra, Jadera were transferred to other languages; in Venetian language Jatara (hyper urbanism in 9th century) and Zara, Tuscan Giara, Latin Diadora (Constantine VII in DAI, 10th century), Old French Jadres (Geoffroy de Villehardouinin in the chronicles of the Fourth Crusade in 1202), Arabic Jadora (Al-Idrisi, 12th century), Iadora (Guido, 12th century), Spanish Jazara, Jara, Sarra (14th century) and the others. Jadera became Zara when it fell under the authority of the Republic of Venice in the 15th century. Zara was later used by the Austrian Empire in the 19th century, but it was provisionally changed to Zadar/Zara from 1910 to 1920; from 1920 to 1947 the city became part of Italy as Zara, and finally was named Zadar later on. The district of present day Zadar has been populated since prehistoric times. The earliest evidence of human life comes from the Late Stone Age, while numerous settlements have been dated as early as the Neolithic. Before the Illyrians, the area was inhabited by an ancient Mediterranean people of a pre-Indo-European culture. They assimilated with the Indo-Europeans who settled between the 4th and 2nd millennium BC into a new ethnical unity, that of the Liburnians. Zadar was a Liburnian settlement, laid out in the 9th century BC, built on a small stone islet and embankments where the old city stands and tied to the mainland by the overflown narrow isthmus, which created a natural port in its northern strait. Zadar gained its urban structure in Roman times; during the time of Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus, the town was fortified and the city walls with towers and gates were built. On the western side of the town were the forum, the basilica and the temple, while outside the town were the amphitheatre and cemeteries. The aqueduct which supplied the town with water is partially preserved. Inside the ancient town, a medieval town had developed with a series of churches and monasteries being built. During the Middle Ages, Zadar fully gained its urban aspect, which has been maintained until today. In the 16th century, Venice fortified the town with a new system of defensive walls on the side facing land. In the first half of the 16th century, architectural building in the Renaissance style was continued. Defensive trenches (Foša) were also built, which were completely buried during the Italian occupation. In 1873 under Austrian rule the ramparts of Zadar were converted from fortifications into elevated promenades commanding extensive seaward and landward views, wall lines thus being preserved; of its four old gates one, the Porta Marina, incorporates the relics of a Roman arch, and another, the Porta di Terraferma, was designed in the 16th century by the Veronese artist Michele Sanmicheli. In the bombardments during the Second World War entire blocks were destroyed, but some structures survived. Most important landmarks: Roman Forum - the largest on the eastern side of the Adriatic, founded by the first Roman Emperor Augustus, as shown by two stone inscriptions about its completion dating from the 3rd century. Most Roman remains were used in the construction of the fortifications, but two squares are embellished with lofty marble columns; a Roman tower stands on the eastern side of the town; and some remains of a Roman aqueduct may be seen outside the ramparts. The chief interest of Zadar lies in its churches. St Donatus' Church - a monumental round building from the 9th century in pre-Romanesque style, traditionally but erroneously said to have been erected on the site of a temple of Juno. It is the most important preserved structure of its period in Dalmatia; the massive dome of the rotunda is surrounded by a vaulted gallery in two stories which also extends around the three apses to the east. The church treasury contains some of the finest Dalmatian metalwork; notably the silver ark or reliquary of St Simeon (1380), and the pastoral staff of Bishop Valaresso (1460). St. Anastasia's Cathedral (Croatian: Sv. Stošija), basilica in Romanesque style built in the 12th to 13th century (high Romanesque style), the largest cathedral in Dalmatia. The churches of St. Chrysogonus and St. Simeon are also in the Romanesque style. St. Krševan's Church - monumental Romanesque church of very fine proportions and refined Romanesque ornaments. St. Elijah's Church (Croatian: Sv. Ilija) St. Francis' Church, gothic styled church, site of the signing of the Zadar Peace Treaty 1358 Five Wells Square St. Mary's Church, which retains a fine Romanesque campanile from 1105, belongs to a Benedictine Convent founded in 1066 by a noblewoman of Zadar by the name of Cika with The Permanent Ecclesiastical Art Exhibition "The Gold and Silver of Zadar" Other architectural landmarks: Citadel - built in 1409, southwest of the Land gate, it has remained the same to this day. The Land Gate - built to a design by the Venetian architect Michele Sanmicheli in 1543 The unique sea organ The Great Arsenal Among the other chief buildings are the Loggia del Comune, rebuilt in 1565, and containing a public library; the old palace of the priors, now the governor's residence; and the episcopal palaces. Weiter > Zuletzt aktualisiert am Sonntag, den 31. Oktober 2010 um 16:44 Uhr TopCopyright © 2011 AdriaticTraveller.com

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ToppenishNational Wildlife Refuge | Washington PermitsFor a small refuge, there are plenty of great reasons to plan a visit to Toppenish National Wildlife Refuge. Most activities do not require a permit or entrance fee. See the information below for a general understanding of the activities that do require a permit and find resources for obtaining a permit.There are no permits required to use Toppenish NWR for public activities like hiking, bird watching, etc. Commercial activities, such as filming, require a special use permit issued by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Hunting requires the appropriate Washington State licenses and stamps. Other specific activities, like logging or wildlife photography in closed areas, would require a Special Use Permit from the the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. Please contact the main office at mcriver@fws.gov for details. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service issues permits under various wildlife laws and treaties at a number of offices throughout the country. Permits enable the public to engage in legitimate wildlife-related activities that would otherwise be prohibited by law. FWS permit programs ensure that such activities are carried out in a manner that safeguards wildlife. Additionally, some permits promote conservation efforts by authorizing scientific research, generating data, or allowing wildlife management and rehabilitation activates to go forward. Permit Resources Permits are handled by permitting programs in International Affairs (Management Authority), Endangered Species, Law Enforcement, and Migratory Birds. Visit the National Wildlife Refuge System web site for Special Use Permits. For more detailed information, go to How to Obtain a Permit, FAQs/Facts, or Application Forms. Last Updated: Jun 28, 2013 PermitsWildlife Observation ShareFollow Us OnlineTwitter FeedFlickr PageMapsMultimediaWhat We DoResource ManagementConservationGet InvolvedPartnerships Mid-Columbia River SteelheadSteelhead are part of the history and mystique of the Northwest. Immortalized in ink by Zane Grey, pursued by anglers from around the world, prized by chefs throughout the region, steelhead are a defining symbol of the West Coast. Steelhead fishing, especially by dry fly, is an almost mythical experience to its followers. Toppenish NWR is doing its part to ensure the long-term viability of steelhead populations.Learn more Return to main navigation Toppenish HomeRegional OfficeRefuges/Districts NearbyContact Us

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Valley of Fire brings the drama. Valley of Fire State Park is one of the places Southern Nevadans are most proud of - it's as spectacular during the day as the Strip is at night. more...Whether you've been there or not, you've likely seen it dozens of times. Its vivid red formations have proven irresistible for photographers and movie directors alike; a scene-stealing backdrop for countless films and TV commercials. Valley of Fire's spectacular red rocks have even doubled for Mars in numerous sci-fi flicks.The movies first came to Valley of Fire in 1966, when Burt Lancaster and Lee Marvin rolled in to shoot The Professionals. In the mid-'90s, it was here that Star Trek's Captain Kirk fell to his death, with Lake Mead clearly visible in the background.More recently, Michael Bay's Transformers filmed a scene where the autobots are driving along the valley with other military vehicles during sunset. And even the video game "Need for Speed: The Run," features a pivotal scene shot here.Valley of Fire State Park is the oldest state park in Nevada and was designated a National Natural Landmark in 1968. It derives its name from red sandstone formations, formed from great, shifting sand dunes during the age of dinosaurs, 150 million years ago. These bright, red features were often said to appear almost "on fire," especially at sunrise or sunset.As far as tours, Valley of Fire adventures run the gamut: You can hike, ride the bus or even see much of its beauty from your car. So whether you're driving or hiking, Valley of Fire knows how to bring the drama. Keyword A Day at Valley of Fire A Valley of Fire Tour Love Hikes Type: Hike/Walk,Other

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Canoe, Camp & Color Watch along the St. Croix James Riemermann HomeTravel IdeasCanoe, Camp & Color Watch along the St. Croix One of the most peaceful, immersive ways to experience Minnesota's fall color show is paddling a canoe between the densely wooded banks of the St. Croix River. Much of the 164-mile river forms the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, and it was one of only eight waterways originally designated as a "National Wild and Scenic River" by the federal government in 1968. It's also widely considered one of the best canoeing rivers in the nation. Five Minnesota state parks provide campers and day trippers the perfect entry point to the pleasures of the St. Croix. Canoeing and kayaking are perhaps the strongest attraction at many of these parks, but they also offer great hiking, biking, horseback trails and campsites, and all manners of wildlife watching. It's common to see eagles, herons and dozens of other bird species, and with a little luck and attentiveness, you might see mink, beaver, whitetail deer, fox, and maybe even black bear. St. Croix and Wild River state parks, set on the official "wild and scenic" portions of the river, are particularly quiet and remote from signs of civilization. At 33,000 acres, St Croix is Minnesota's largest state park. Buildings and other visible structures are few along the Upper St. Croix, and motorboats tend to be less common than canoes, partly because the water tends to be fairly shallow (and usually gentle for less experienced paddlers). Visitors should ask park staff about the water conditions before heading out, and always wear a personal flotation device. There's good fishing here for smallmouth bass, walleye and many other species. In centuries past, this was prime red and white pine lumbering country--timber was the economic heartbeat of the area for a long time. Nowadays you'll see more spruce, tamarack, maple, basswood and jack pine, providing a lovely mix of colors in the fall. Peak color is typically late September to mid-October. Both parks rent canoes and necessary equipment if you don't have your own. About a third of the campsites have electric hookups for trailers and RVs, and modern restrooms and showers are available. St. Croix has six camper cabins, and Wild River has a guest house that sleeps six. Interstate State Park, at Taylors Falls, is small but distinctive, geologically and otherwise. Massive glaciers retreated from the area about 10,000 years ago, when rushing currents and whirlpools carved deep, circular "glacial potholes" through the sandstone down into the basalt. The view of the river from the cliffs is stunning, especially at the peak of fall color. Just below the dam that separates the Upper from the Lower St. Croix, narrated scenic paddleboat cruises are offered, some of which include dinner. Another highlight here is rock climbing. Enthusiasts bring their ropes, carabiners and well-conditioned biceps to muscle their way up the steep basalt cliffs. If you're not up to the considerable effort yourself, it's a lot of fun to watch. Modern campsites and canoe rentals are available. William O'Brien and Afton State Park are within an hour of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area and thus perfect for a day trip, but they also both offer excellent camping. Afton is the closest park on the St. Croix to the Twin Cities, and caters to those looking for a rustic and remote experience close to the metro region. All of the camping and most of the other features of the park are hike-in, with few amenities accessible from the parking lot. William O'Brien has canoe rentals and a boat launch, 12 miles of hiking trails, more than 100 campsites (75 with electric hookups), a large, accessible picnic grounds, a fishing pier, and excellent bird and wildlife watching. Find more information on all of these parks on our Parks & Forests page. Get Travel Ideas Get more great travel ideas like this. Sign up for our monthly newsletter! More Information Want your own custom itinerary for free? Contact our travel counselors. 1-888-VISITMN InspirationTwin Cities Jazz & Blues Scene Plays OnFind Big Fun on Big Waters This WinterWalk in the Footsteps of These Famous MinnesotansYour Minnesota Holiday Shopping Guide

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Edinburgh day out: under £15 Edinburgh day out for under £15 Free things to do in Edinburgh and a day out that won't break the bank You don't have to break the bank to see the best of the city - there are lots of free things to do in Edinburgh. Here's the best of free Edinburgh and a day out for £15. is Scotland's capital city, and one of Britain's most exciting tourist destinations. There are 2 sides to Edinburgh - the historic Old Town with the medieval and cobblestone alleys, and the elegant but classic Georgian New Town. See the sights Edinburgh is one of the most picturesque cities in Europe, and to appreciate it fully, you'll need to get up high. Want to know what it feels like to stand on top of a volcano crater? Get out in the fresh air and climb Arthur's Seat, the highest in a group of hills that make up Holyrood Park. Or for more fabulous views from another angle, climb the grassy slopes of Calton Hill. Take a look at the Anthenian acropolis and enjoy jaw-dropping views across the city. Total spend: £0 Lothian buses Lothian Buses have excellent routes through the capital and beyond, linking up all the main attractions. The best bit? An all-day ticket costs just £2.50. Most of the city centre buses take you along the famous Princes Street and past Edinburgh Castle. Total spend: £2.50 The Royal Mile Take a stroll down the cobbled streets of the historic Royal Mile. You'll pass first-class visitor attractions and wander through the city's famous 'closes'. Cheap and Free Britain pages for more ideas on free things to see and do. Free Edinburgh attractions & events Edinburgh has a huge range of museums and galleries, and lots of them are free to enter! Visit the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Writers' Museum, Museum of Edinburgh and many more without spending anything! Edinburgh's beautiful Old and New Towns have been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status twice over. The city is home to 4,500 listed buildings - the highest concentration in the world - so take a walk around and soak up the stunning architecture. Portobello Beach That's right, a beach! Right in the city! Just like Barcelona or Rio Di Janeiro. While Edinburgh might not have the climate of Barcelona and Rio, the activities on offer like blow-karting and kite-surfing are second to none. But if you're not in the mood for strenuous activity, it's a fantastic place to relax at any time of year. Edinburgh is the home of some of the world's best festivals, and the festival period is a great time to visit. The city buzzes with a party atmosphere and there are usually lots of free performances and festival-related events happening all around the city. Don't miss the Edinburgh International Film Festival (June); Edinburgh International Festival and Edinburgh Festival Fringe (August); Edinburgh Art's Festival (August); and of course, the best New Year's Eve party in the world - Hogmanay. Picnic in Princes Street Gardens Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city centre and enjoy a picnic or coffee in Princes Street Gardens, just seconds from the main street. Enjoy views of Edinburgh Castle as you refuel for your next adventure - Marks & Spencer is close by for all your picnicking needs! And if you're in the mood for something hot, the Edinburgh Mosque kitchen on Potterrow serves authentic, filling and delicious curries at lunch times, too. Elephant House Café This café on the George IV Bridge may look like an ordinary coffee shop, but it's actually quite famous. The Elephant House has been a place of inspiration to writers such as J.K. Rowling, who sat writing much of her early Harry Potter novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle. Authors Ian Rankin and Alexander McCall-Smith are amongst the other authors that have also frequented The Elephant House throughout the years. So grab that table in the back room and let the creative ideas flow over a coffee and cake. Total day spend: £12.50 English Language Schools Extreme sports and activities Hostel & Campus From Scotland to the South coast, we’ve got dozens of fabulous free museums just waiting to be discovered. Read on for some of the best. Spanning over 900 years of British history, the Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror to protect London and assert his power. This World Heritage site consists of the border line of the Roman Empire when it was at its biggest in the 2nd century. The Natural History Museum exhibits one of the most important and astonishing natural collections in the world - just wait until you come face to... Britain's coastline stretches for over 9,000 miles and is covered by beautiful beaches and bays where you'll find everything from old-fashioned... Hostels are one of the cheapest ways to stay in Britain. If you prefer budget accommodation & value over luxury but still want good quality... Students are notoriously thrifty - so why not take a leaf out of their book and stay in campus accommodation? Cheap and well located, campus... Staying at a B&B is a great way to experience life in Britain’s local communities. B&B accommodation ranges from basic rooms in a... Britain's top 10 camping spots Camping is cheap, green, great fun and the best way to get up close and personal with Britain's most sumptuous scenery. So pack up your tent and... If you're looking for a home away from home and don't want to get a cheap hotel, why not stay in a self-catering apartment? You'll find all the... Want to find a tasty, cheap meal in Britain? We’ve put together some of Britain’s best budget restaurants so you’ll never have... Michelin star, miniscule prices when you come to Britain - eat at a restaurant owned by a Michelin-starred celebrity chef. If you're thinking 'I... Britain's best curries There are thousands of curry restaurants in the UK – here are just a few of our favourites. These no-nonsense food establishments with a clear emphasis on good food can now be found throughout the UK. Here are 10 worth checking out. We'll help you find somewhere

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13 Hotels in London Still buzzing from its 2012 Summer Olympic success, London is by no means resting on past glories. Rather it is transforming them. The former Olympic Park has re-opened as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which means the public can now enjoy 250 acres of beautifully landscaped open space. And though it already boasts two Tate Museums, it is bolstering its inspirational offerings with bold new initiatives, such as the Science Museum’s £4 million Media Space and the Guildhall School’s state-of-the-art performance venue. In addition, the West End, thought irrevocably uncool once the East End’s gentrification hit its full stride, is now back with enough new galleries to make New York’s behemoth Chelsea art district seem small in comparison. If you think you know the city and the boutique hotels in London, think again. A visit today proves just how quickly and dramatically a city can reinvent itself. Below find a list of our selection of boutique and luxury hotels in London.

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Viewing a humpback whale, Yalour Islands, Antarctica.Photo taken by: Lindblad Expeditions Help Us Save the Ocean. Donate Now Milestones & Firsts 10th Anniversary Benefit (2013) 2012 Benefit Gala in NYC Books and Other Gifts Sven-Olof Lindblad – Board Member Sven-Olof Lindblad learned early on the joy and wonder of exploring the pristine corners of the globe through extensive travels with his father, Lars-Eric Lindblad, the expedition travel pioneer known to many as the father of “eco-tourism”. Today, Sven continues the Lindblad tradition of exploration through his company – Lindblad Expeditions (LEX). With its hallmark staff and carefully researched and planned itineraries, Lindblad Expeditions owns and operates seven vessels and the company is lauded for it innovative exploration and conservation efforts. Most recently, the company forged a multifaceted strategic alliance with the National Geographic Society (NGS) in which the two organizations collaborate in the areas of exploration, technology and conservation. From Lindblad’s earliest days, the company set out to proactively protect the world’s wild places. Sven Lindblad continues to run his business with the approach that respectful adventure tourism can be a key factor in helping to sustain a region and, in some cases, even repair it. With that philosophy in mind, Lindblad Expeditions has built robust travel philanthropy programs in the Galapagos, Antarctica, Baja and Alaska. To date, the company has raised over $5 million to support local efforts in the destinations where it travels. Lindblad Expeditions received the 2007 Tourism for Tomorrow Global Tourism Business Award, presented annually by the World Travel & Tourism Council. The coveted award recognized Lindblad Expeditions for “outstanding leadership as a global model for environmental stewardship.” Previous Person Next Person ProgramsThe Kalpana Chawla “Spirit of Columbia” Scholarship

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Home » Your Visit » Stations » Washford Washford Postcode for Sat Nav: TA23 0PP The station is now home to the Somerset and Dorset Railway Trust who have set up a museum and workshop on the site of the old Goods shed and yard demolished by British Railways in the 1960s. The museum contains some wonderful artifacts of the S&DJR and is well worth a visit. The Museum The Somerset and Dorset Railway Trusts museum at Washford contains relics from the former Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway which ran from Bath to Bournemouth with branchlines to Highbridge, Burnham on Sea, Wells and Bridgwater. All finally closing in 1966. Please note that the museum is not open every day. Please click here for opening dates. A Railway Remembered Explore the mass of exhibits, ponder on the old station names and soak up the evocative atmosphere. Relics to be seen are station nameboards, lamps, tools, signalling equipment, tickets, photographs, handbills, rolling stock and steam locomotives. Step back in time as you operate the levers in the reconstructed Midford Signal Box Museum Admission Prices Adults £2.00 Child £1.00 Family £5.00 Members Free Washford Station has toilet facilities and is accessible to disabled passengers but does not have a disabled toilet. Tickets are not sold at this station and passengers are asked to purchase their tickets on the trains from the Guard or ticket inspector. Cleeve Abbey Special Offer to WSR Ticket Holders: A few minutes walk from the station brings you to Cleeve Abbey, a beautiful Cisterian Abbey, in the care of English Heritage and open from 29 March - 3 Nov, daily. Cleeve Abbey offers a 20% reduction on admission charges to those visitors who can show a same day dated WSR ticket on entry. [The offer is available between 29 March - 3 Nov, 7 days a week. Closing times may vary - visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/cleeve for details. The Abbey offers families a great chance to explore the history of the monks who lived at the Abbey with a fun story pack as well as providing visitors with the opportunity to wander around the grounds and Abbey buildings which remain at this peaceful site. Although the main abbey church is no more, the remaining outbuildings give a fascinating insight into monastic life. The atmosphere is calm and relaxing and encourages visitors to linger. Further on from the abbey is Torre cider farm where you can learn how Somerset cider is made and even sample some of the produce. There are also several pubs including the Washford Inn at the end of the Station ramp and The White Horse, near the abbey, which serve food. History of Washford Station Washford Station is the first station on the �extension� from Watchet to Minehead and is different in style from the buildings of the earlier line. The station opened in 1874 and unlike some of the other stations on the line is in the village it serves. The Station is painted in Southern Region colours setting it apart from the other stations, painted in the colours of the Great Western Railway and its successor the Western Region of British Railways. The small wooden building next to the main building is the original signalbox which contains a set of levers. Although the �Midford� exhibit has been designed to represent an ex-S&DJR location, the lever-frame is in fact a part of one from the former signal-box at Woolston (near Southampton). Find out more about the Somerset and Dorset Trust Find out more about English Heritage's Cleeve Abbey.

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