Travels and Tourism: November 2010

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Cape Breton is Island the Most Beautiful

cape breton travel

Cape Breton is Island the Most Beautiful

cape breton island

International travel magazines such as Condé Nast, Travel & Leisure and National Geographic Traveller, have recognized Cape Breton Island’s scenic beauty. It is currently rated #1 most beautiful island in Continental North America.

Visitors are amazed when embraced by the Island’s genuine way of life - a distinct culture shaped by the isolation of the sea, which allowed cultures from around the world to merge here and evolve into what is uniquely known today as “Cape Breton culture”.

Steeped in history, rich in seafood bounty and alive with the music and spirit of its people, Cape Breton Island is calling you to visit a legendary Island where you will finally feel at home.

mount desert is exotic island

mount desert island

Mount Desert Island, off the coast of Maine, is widely known as the home of Acadia National Park and the town of Bar Harbor. If we viewed the island from the air (a look at the Acadia map will do), we would notice north and south aligned gouges scooped out of the land as if by a very large hand. Indeed, in this case, the hand was that of a huge, slow moving, continental glacier over a mile high,... 2 miles thick in some places. When this giant glacier finally melted and retreated, it left rounded mountain tops, long lakes, many boulders, and the 7 mile long Somes Sound - theonly fjord on the East coast of the United States. Elsewhere on the island is the massive Cadillac Mountain. Even after being sheared off by the glaciers, it remains the highest point along the North Atlantic Seaboard at 1,532 feet above sea level and provides spectacular panoramic views of Acadia National Park and other out islands. To the original coastal Abnaki Indians, Mount Desert Island was known as "Pemetic" (the sloping land). Although the Abnaki's permanent villages were located on the mainland, they regularly fished and gathered shellfish from Mount Desert Island. (Check out the Abbe Museum for this history.) The island got its current name from the French explorer Champlain who ran aground here in 1604 AD. Today, Mount Desert Island is best known as the home of Acadia National Park, where land and sea, mountains and shore, people and abundant wildlife meet in a natural and spectacular setting. There are many people who are surprised to hear that there are actually only 4 official townships on the island. They are Bar Harbor, Mount Desert, Southwest Harbor and Tremont. Bar Harbor encompasses the sections of Eden, Hulls Cove, Salisbury Cove and Town Hill. Mount Desert, although having no official "center", consists of Hall Quarry, Northeast Harbor, Otter Creek, Seal Harbor and Somesville. With Southwest Harbor comes Manset and Seawall. Bass Harbor, Bernard, Seal Cove, and West Tremont are part of the town of Tremont.

Hotel Isla Boracay-South

Hotel Isla Boracay-South (Lorenzo South) on the southern end of the White Sand Beach is the only Boracay resort where all the rooms have ocean views. Its seafront – one of the best snorkeling areas in the island – is but a few steps from the front door.

Wake up to the gentle swish of the rolling waves. Marvel at Boracay’s underwater treasures. Or watch the sunset from the verandah.

Hull Ontario Canada Travel

Hull Ontario Canada Photo

Hull is the central and oldest part of the city of Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. It is located on the west bank of the Gatineau River and the north shore of the Ottawa River, directly opposite Ottawa. As part of the Canadian National Capital Region, it contains offices for twenty thousand fonctionnaires or civil servants.

Hull is in the Outaouais region and is located within the City of Gatineau; the name "Gatineau" itself sometimes is more specifically used to refer to a mostly-suburban former city of Gatineau on the east side of the Gatineau River.

Source : Wikipedia.com

Federal Hill, Baltimore Travel

Federal Hill, Baltimore Travel Image

The neighborhood is named for the prominent hill that is easily viewed from the Inner Harbor area, to which the neighborhood forms the physical south boundary. The hillside is a lush green and serves as a community park. The neighborhood occupies the northwestern part of a peninsula that extends along two branches of the Patapsco River—the Northwest Branch (ending at the Inner Harbor) and the Middle Branch. This peninsula is generally referred to as the South Baltimore Peninsula, and includes the neighborhoods of Federal Hill, Locust Point, Riverside, South Baltimore, and Sharp-Leadenhall. While not physically a part of the peninsula, Otterbein is also included in the collection of neighborhoods which make up greater South Baltimore. Traditionally, Federal Hill was roughly triangular, bordered by Hanover Street to the west; Hughes Street, the harbor, and Key Highway to the north and east; and The Rail Yard to the south.

Source : Wikipedia.com

Charminar Travel Gallery

Sultan Muhammad Quli Qutub Shah,the 5th Qutub Shahi ruler built Charminar in 1591 shortly after he had shifted his capital from Golkonda to what now is known as Hyderabad. He built this famous structure to commemorate the elimination of a plague epidemic from this city. He is said to have prayed for the end of a plague that was ravaging his city and vowed to build a masjid at the very place where he was praying. In 1591 while laying the foundation of Charminar, Quli prayed: Oh God, bestow unto this city peace and prosperity. Let millions of men of all castes, creeds and religions make it their abode, like fish in the water. Today one can see the city as evidence of the prayer being answered. The masjid became popularly known as Charminar because of its four (Farsi and Udru char = four) minarets (Minar (Arabic manara) = spire/tower), which was possibly was to honour the first four caliphs of Islam.

This beautiful colossus in granite, lime, mortar and, some say, pulverised marble, was at one time the heart of the city. Initially the wonderful monument with its four arches was so proportionately planned that when the fort was opened one could catch a glimpse of the bustling Hyderabad city as these Charminar arches were facing the most active royal ancestral streets. There is also a legend of an underground tunnel connecting the palace at Golkonda to Charminar, possibly intended as an escape route for the Qutub Shahi rulers in case of a siege, though the exact location of the tunnel is unknown.

Source : Wikipedia.com

San Juan is Funtastic Puerto Rico

San Juan color by StGrundy

San Juan is the capital of, and at about 442,000, the largest municipality in, Puerto Rico. It has one of the best harbors in the Caribbean. The municipality module celebrate its 5th Century in 2008 or 2021, depending if they count from the origination of Caparra or the behave of agitated the Caparra settlement to Puerto Rico island (Old San Juan)

not all who wander are lost by manyfires

San Juan is the oldest municipality under the United States dominion. San Juan is located in the north-east of Puerto Rico, and features distinctly century-old architecture, much as land military forts shapely from the 1540s to 1800s, an active harbor, and a rattling active economic Atlantic in the Hato Rey district. San Juan boasts magnificent beaches, hotels, plazas, past sites, museums, etc.

San Juan has a land Atlantic of 122 sq km and a water Atlantic of 29.11 sq miles. The population of San Juan is around 442,000.

Sunset in San Juan Puerto Rico by flickrgao

San Juan is a equatorial city, with temperature that ranges in season from 67˚F to 97˚F (19˚C to 36˚C) in summer. San Juan is normally sunny, but has a tendency to receive rain from Apr to November in the afternoon. Be also mindful that San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico have the possibility of having equatorial systems much as hurricanes from July to November. Cooler temperatures are institute inland in the mountains.

Palacio de Santa Catalina (La Fortaleza) by Mr.Frankie

San Juan is a dweller dweller municipality with Spanish-based culture, mixed with African traditions and Taíno culture. Museums of recent art subsist abroad. The citizens of San Juan (called Sanjuaneros) are rattling festive, as on the rest of the island. San Juan has bars and discotheques all-around the city, from Old San Juan to even the southern part of the municipality that stay unstoppered to 3:00-4:00 AM. San Juan has become rattling progressive as of late, with its prototypal Metro distinction (called Tren Urbano) and buses. Like most large cities, however, there is a small population of vagrants and beggars lining the streets.

San Juan is the financial capital of Puerto Rico. There are facilities for petroleum and sugar refining, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals.

Puerto Rico - El Viejo San Juan: El Castillo San Felipe del Morro by wallyg

See:

* El Castillo San Felipe del Morro \"El Morro\" : is a sixteenth-century citadel that lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is conception of San Juan National Historic Site and was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1983.
* El Castillo de San Cristóbal, (787) 729-6960. A Spanish assemble in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was shapely by the Spaniards to protect against land based attacks on the municipality of San Juan. It is conception of San Juan National Historic Site. It covers 27 acres of land and is 150 ft tall. Open every day from 9:00 am to 6PM.
* Palacio de Santa Catalina \"La Fortaleza\" (or The Fortress in English) is the official act of the Governor of Puerto Rico, who is Puerto Rico's nous of Government. It was shapely between 1533 and 1540 to indorse the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as El Palacio de Santa Catalina (or Palace of Santa Catalina). It is the oldest executive house in the New World. La Fortaleza was declared as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
* El Catedral de San Juan Bautista: contains the spot of the Spanish someone Juan Ponce de León. It was shapely in the 1520's, presently to be wrecked by a hurricane, and then rebuilt in 1540. After existence rebuilt, it was robbed in the New 1500's, and then, in 1615, it was damaged by a hurricane. In 1917, a lot of changes were made to change the building. Tours are presented daily from 8:30AM-4PM.
* Castillo de San Jerónimo is a diminutive assemble settled in the entrance to what is known today as Condado, Puerto Rico lagoon in San Juan. The assemble defended San Juan from attacks by Sir Francis admiral in 1595, Sir George Clifford \"Earl of Cumberland\" in 1598 and Sir Ralph Abercromby.
* Iglesia de San Jose dates back to 1523. This building was originally called the Church and Monastery of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Before Ponce de metropolis was touched to the San Juan Catedral, his body was belowground here for 300 years.
* Ayuntamiento or Alcaldia or City Hall.
* The municipal cemetery of Santa María Madgalena de Pazzis, settled just outside the municipality walls.
* Fuerte San Geronimo is a assemble that was shapely to tighten defense within the city. There is a diminutive museum inside.
* Centro de Bellas Artes is the largest fine arts center in the Caribbean. Concerts, Plays, and Operas are hosted here. This fine arts center opened in 1981.
* Bacardi Rum Factory, (787)788-8400. M-Sa 9AM-4:30PM, Sunday from 10AM-3:30PM. Also called the \"Cathedral of Rum\" and covers 127 acres. Free tour, including a trolley ride around the premises.

Raja Ampat Islands : The Best Diving Place In The World

Located off the northwest tip of Bird's Head Peninsula on the island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat, or the Four Kings, is an archipelago comprising over 1,500 small islands, cays and shoals surrounding the four main islands of Misool, Salawati, Batanta and Waigeo. It encompasses more than 9.8 million acres (40,000 km²) of land and sea, which also contains Cenderawasih Bay, the largest marine national park in Indonesia. It is a part of the newly named West Papua (province) of Indonesia which was formerly Irian Jaya.

According to Conservation International, marine surveys suggest that the marine life diversity in the Raja Ampat area is the highest recorded on Earth. Diversity is considerably greater than any other area sampled in the Coral Triangle composed of Indonesia, Philippines and Papua New Guinea. The Coral Triangle is the heart of the world's coral reef biodiversity, making Raja Ampat quite possibly the richest coral reef ecosystems in the world.

The area's massive coral colonies along with relatively high sea surface temperatures, also suggest that its reefs may be relatively resistant to threats like coral bleaching and coral disease, which now jeopardise the survival of other coral ecosystems around the world. The Raja Ampat islands are remote and relatively undisturbed by humans.

The high marine diversity in Raja Ampat is strongly influenced by its position between the Indian and Pacific Oceans, as coral and fish larvae are more easily shared between the two oceans. Raja Ampat's coral diversity, resilience, and role as a source for larval dispersal make it a global priority for marine protection.

Over 1,070 fish species, 537 coral species (a remarkable 96% of all scleratinia recorded from Indonesia are likely to occur in these islands), and 699 mollusc species, the variety of marine life is staggering.[citation needed] Some areas boast enormous schools of fish and regular sightings of sharks, such as wobbegongs.

Source : Wikipedia.com

Best Travel Destination: Broadway Tower in England

Broadway Tower in England

Broadway Tower is a folly located on Broadway Hill, A44 between Evesham and Moreton-in-Marsh, one mile (1.6 km) south-east of the village of Broadway, Worcestershire, England, at the second highest point of the Cotswolds after Cleeve Hill. Broadway Tower's base is 1,024 feet (312 metres) above sea level. The tower itself stands 55 feet (17 metres) high. Today, it is a tourist attraction with various exhibitions open to the public for a small fee.

The "Saxon" tower was designed by James Wyatt in 1794 to resemble a mock castle, and built for Lady Coventry in 1799. The tower was built on a "beacon" hill, where beacons were lit on special occasions. Lady Coventry wondered if a beacon on this hill could be seen from her house in Worcester - approximately 22 miles (35 km) away - and sponsored the construction of the folly to find out. The beacon could be seen clearly.

Over the years, the tower was home to the printing press of Sir Thomas Phillipps, and served as a country retreat for artists including William Morris.

The tower is on the Cotswold Way; it is easily reached by following the Cotswold Way from the A44 road at Fish Hill, or by a steep climb out of Broadway village.

Near the tower is a memorial to the crew of an A.W.38 Whitley bomber that crashed there during a training mission in June 1943.

Source ;Wikipedia.com

Travel Khan Shatyry Entertainment Center

The Khan Shatyry Entertainment Center in Astana will become a dramatic civic focal point for the capital of Kazakhstan, the soaring structure, at the northern end of the new city axis, rises from a 200m elliptical base to form the highest peak on the skyline of Astana. The 100,000sqm centre’s unique concept - to provide a sheltered environment embracing an urban-scale internal park, shopping and entertainment venue - was developed in response to the harsh climate of extreme weather in both winter and summer. The building will become a lively public space and an unprecedented amenity for the people of Astana which can be used throughout the year.

Wonderful Gherkin behind the Tower of London

Gherkin behind the Tower of London

The Tower of London was originally built by William the Conqueror in 1078. In contrast the Gherkin Building, which is actually called 30 St Mary Axe or the Swiss Re Building was designed by the architects Foster and Partners. Construction started in 2001 and the building was completed in 2004.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Beautiful London Tower Bridge

London Tower Bridge Image

London Tower Bridge Image

London Tower Bridge Image

London Tower Bridge Image

Tower Bridge was originally painted green, then brown, before becoming the current red, white and blue in 1977 for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Thankfully for the British taxpayer it was decided not to cover the bridge in gold leaf for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee in 2002. The bascules currently lift around one thousand times a year, or three times a day. Originally powered by pressurised water from the engine room housed on the south side of the bridge, when first opened the bascules were up and down with more regularity than a vicar in a brothel, and with this in mind the design called for two pedestrian walkways joining the tops of the towers.

The London Eye Travel

The London Eye, at 135 metres, is the tallest observation wheel in the world. I believe that the London Eye is most spectacular to non-riders when it's illuminated in the evening.One of the nice things about the London Eye is that you can combine it with other attractions. One time I went on a riverboat cruise that left from just in front of the Eye, touring the river from Westminster down past Tower Bridge and back. We got off the boat and got right into the queue for the Eye, on one combined ticket.

Wonderful London EC3N 4AB England

London EC3N 4AB England

To prevent the birds flying away one of their wings is clipped by the Raven Master. This does not hurt the raven nor does it harm them in any way. By unbalancing their flight it ensures that they don't stray too far from the Tower.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

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Wednesday, November 17, 2010

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