Traveling in Italy: The Amalfi Coast.
If you were to make a list of the most beautiful places to visit in the world, then the Amalfi coast in Italy would have to be in the top ten category.
This is the coast which is famous for hairpin turns, breathtaking views, sweet lemons (I mean sweet) charming hotels and picturesque towns.
The Amalfi Coast is situated in the southern side of the Sorrentine Peninsula of Italy The best way to visit the coast is to fly to Naples, rent a car and drive down to Sorrento. If you make Sorrento your base camp, you can spend several days visiting the jewel towns of the Amalfi Coast at your leisure.
Start in Sorrento and drive to Positano. It is best to carry a Michelin map with you to avoid getting lost.
Before you arrive in Positano, you might want to stop at Positano Belvedere; a vantage point on the road that allows you to see the town of Positano in the distance. The view is breathtaking.
When you arrive in Positano, stop and walk around town. Chances are you have seen it in commercials. Once a small fishing village, it is now popular with the international crowd and some celebrities who stay at Positanos 4 and 5 star hotels.
Most houses look like small boxes painted white with bougainvilleas growing along the walls.
After Positano, continue to Vertica Maggiore, and then Furore del Valle, another gem of a town. Near by is the Emerald Grotto. An emerald color cave only reachable by boat. The water of the Tyrrhenian Sea, enters the cave and the sun takes care of the rest.
Continue to the town of Amalfi and Ravello. Ravello also has unforgettable views.
In Ravello, you will see white washed houses perched on the hills with gardens planted with vines, lemon and olive trees. It is a major tourist destination, the beauty of the city, and its charm, has inspired its inhabitants and guests for centuries.
Things to see:
Ravello:
Villa Rudolfo
Villa Cimbrone
Cathedral
Amalfi:
St Andrea Cathedral
Cloisters of Paradise (Chiostro del Paradiso)
Dining in the region:
Sorrento and the Amalfi coast are situated in the Campania region, and typical southern dishes are likely to appear on the menus. Among those are pizza, pasta, tomatoes, eggplant, mozzarella cheese, seafood and citrus fruits.
If you have ever had tomato and mozzarella salad, you will surely have it there. It is called Insalata Caprese named after the Island of Capri. The famous San Marzano plum tomatoes that grow in the region, together with silky soft buffalo mozzarella cheese, olive oil and basil, will surely make a delightful dish.
And lets not forget the wines. The region is rich in volcanic soil, an ideal medium to grow grapevines, and although wines from this region are not well known internationally, they are just as good as more popular Italian varieties. Wine at lunch and dinner is usually served in small carafes, but you can also order wines by the bottle.
Dont forget to finish your meal with a cup of dark espresso just as most Italians do.
Resources:
If you decide to go, arm yourself with a good map and a good guide book. My favorite travel guides are Frommers and Michelin. You can find them at any major bookstore.
Italians are a friendly people by nature and driving around the area should not be difficult even if you dont speak Italian.
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The Diversity Of The Brazilian Beaches
Brazil has 4,600 miles of coastline, all adjacent to the warm waters of the Atlantic Ocean. With so many dazzling beaches, you are sure to find your spot in the sand when visiting Brazil.
Brazils beaches are quite diverse, with beaches for families, partygoers, surfers, secluded beaches, crowded beaches, and even beaches for the naturalist available for a multitude of tastes. All of the beaches in Brazil are public access beaches, which means that if you can find a beach in Brazil, you are guaranteed to be able to enjoy it, know matter where it is!
There is of course the famous beach of Copacabana, known for its party atmosphere and the famous beach sport known as foot volleyball. While this beach is unarguably one of Brazils most crowded, a visit to Brazil without seeing this famous beach just wouldnt be complete.
Ipanema Beach, located in Rio de Janeiro, is known as a more family friendly beach, and is a bit less crowded than some of the others. This beach is popular due to the fact that it is in close proximity to many hotels and resorts, as well as many fine dining establishments.
Jericoacoara, while a bit out of the way and not the easiest beach to access, is well worth the trip, as it affords the visitor a view of the most beautiful sunsets in all of Brazil. This particular beach is always very clean, and offers golden colored sand. Unless you arrive quite early in the day, expect the beach to be overcrowded by windsurfers and backpackers.
Costa Verde, which translates to Green Coast, is a serene beach, and one of the most untouched by commercialism in Brazil. It offers golden sandy beaches and a glimpse of the rainforest fauna that has overgrown to encroach upon the beach dunes. Not too far from this beach is Kings Cove beach, which offers a nice family atmosphere and many fine resorts nearby.
Santos Beach is unique in that it features a beach garden that spans an astounding four miles. This is a quieter beach, and can be enjoyed by families as well as nature lovers who come specifically for the beach garden.
Pipa Beach, located in Natal, is where you can witness dolphins at play in the blue green waters of the Atlantic. Pipa Beach is also famous for its wild buggy rides over the sandy dunes. While this beach can tend to be a bit crowded, arriving early in the day will assure you get a good spot on the sand, and allow you to see the dolphins.
Genipabu Beach is famous for its lagoons and dunes, as well as the swaying coconut tress and sparkling white sand. This beach is located in Rio Grande do Norte, as are several other beaches such as Ponta Negra beach, Pititinga beach, and Jacuma beach. All of these beaches feature very warm water, and native vegetation can be seen growing freely on many of them.
With so many beaches in Brazil, it might be hard to decide just which ones to visit. No matter which beach you choose to visit in Brazil, rest assured that it will be a beautiful one!
Laying Rubber on the Georgia Asphalt, by Kelley Thompson
The state of Georgia cannot be defined by one of its cities or by a unifying history or even by a globalized present. Its regions are uniquely particular, separated by more than just miles.
Atlanta Metro and North
Atlanta is Georgia hub, and one of the few capitals which can boast that distinction. The Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site is a beautiful educational facility dedicated to educating the youth of today about the reality of MLKs time as a civil rights activist. With movies, exhibits and Kings Nobel Peace Prize on display, the center is more a sanctuary dedicated to the energy and friction of the time than merely the resting site of a great man. Next door is the historic Ebenezer Baptist Churh, where King co-pastored.
The new Georgia Aquarium opened in November 2005, the gift to the city from Bernie Marcus, one of the cofounders of Home Depot. It holds more than eight million gallons of water, and houses more than 100,000 marine and freshwater animals which represent 500 different species around the world.
One of the great exhibits in the aquarium allows groups to touch stingrays, horseshoe crabs, hammerhead sharks and starfish. All stations feature an on-site expert to guide groups through the experience, and to provide information about the creatures that alleviates much of the fears people may have of interacting with them.
Moving up in latitude, groups will find more mountainous terrain in Northern Georgia, a great spot for enjoying some truly unspoilt landscape. The area is becoming increasingly well-known for its vineyards and wineries. The Nacoochee Village offers a unique setting for wine tasting at Habersham Winery, as well as flyfishing, touring Nora Mill, a working grist mill, antiquing and horseback riding. For a nominal fee that includes a wine tasting coupled with samples of cheeses, fruit and chocolates, you have a perfect afternoon pick-me-up.
The Kangaroo Conservation Center in Dawsonville offers the largest collection of kangaroos outside of Australia and can accommodate groups as large as ninety through its 87 acres. The center has a large variety of native Australian critters besides kangaroos, including kookaburras, wallabies and bettongs.
Historic Georgia and the Antebellum Trail
The Antebellum Trail runs from Athens south to Macon. Athens is home to Americas first garden club in 1891. Groups can visit Founders Memorial Garden, which was created to commemorate the women who formed that club. Its two-and-a-half acres include a formal, picket-fenced boxwood garden, two courtyards, a retrace, a perennial garden, and an arboretum.
The Civil War Reenactment in Old Clinton, also called the town that time forgot, happens every year in May. The Old Clinton Historic District was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 to help preserve and restore what was once one of the fastest-growing centers of trade and culture in Georgia.
The Coast
Steeped in the past and described by some as untouched, one Savannah transplant warned, if you do not want to move to Savannah, do not visit. Savannah offers groups an endless sampling of history and beautiful architecture. Walking Magazine named the city one of the top ten walking cities in the United States and 40% of Savannahs 2,500 buildings have some sort of historical or architectural significance.
Source: www.leisuregrouptravel.com
other links:
Towns of southern Costa Blanca
Alicante
Usually most people don’t see Alicante other than from the window of the aircraft as they arrive at the international airport or from the window of their hire car, which they picked up from Alicante airport car hire terminal. However, spend a little more time and you will notice that Alicante has much more to offer than just a place of arrival and departure.
The capital of the Costa Blanca, Alicante, can date its history back to the Romans and there is evidence of pre-historic history dating back to a settlement here even further. Initial impressions are poor as you make your way from the airport to the town, however once past the urban sprawl, you’ll find a palm lined promenade along the front of the town by the harbour with its nightlife and associated restaurants and a tree lined shopping avenue. To the south of the town, the coastline stretches away for miles of golden sandy beach.
Torrevieja
Torrevieja is one of the most popular destinations on the southern Costa Blanca. Only 40 minutes drive from the airport of Alicante to the north, or 20 minutes from the smaller airport at Murcia, which is also served from the UK, Torrevieja is a bustling tourist community. There has been a settlement here for thousands of years, the reason becomes clear after a visit as Torrevieja is situated by 2 large saltwater lagoons where they still harvest the salt just as they have done for centuries. The lagoons are also the home to flamingos as well as many other types of birds.
Torrevieja town is classically Spanish in design, with most inhabitants living in apartment blocks in ordered streets. A walk through the town highlights that it is a busy commercial centre servicing both the large number of tourists and the local Spanish and expat communities. The town, has a busy fishing port and marina and trips can be taken from here along the coast during the summer months.
The main beach promenade was recently refurbished and provides a pleasant stroll, or the ideal place to sit and take in the views while sipping a coffee at one of the many beachfront cafes. Most days there is a small market selling souvenirs near to the beach and harbour and on Fridays each week, a large open air market selling all sorts of goods. The market can get very busy and parking near impossible, so an early start is the order of the day.
There are many beaches to choose from, and a water park for the more adventurous.
Golfers are probably best equipped along this stretch of coastline with lots to choose from, through the golf courses of Villamartin, Las Ramblas, Campoamor and Quesada which are the more well known. Torrevieja holiday accommodation is both plentiful and varied, from luxury villas on the golf courses or beachfront, to townhouses and apartments on urbanisations. There is something for every budget.
Villamartin
Villamartin is probably the best known golf course on the Costa Blanca. The resort has expanded and now includes the golf courses of Las Ramblas and Campoamor, so there is more than enough for the most avid golfer. A Villamartin golf holiday visitor, can divide their time between the golf course and the beach, of which there are many within a 5 minute drive and most are Blue Flag approved. A favourite has to be the beach at Cabo Roig overlooked by its watch tower, now a speciality fish restaurant.
The resort comprises of a commercial centre with bars, restaurants, outdoor eating and a selection of shops. Around the centre there are plenty of Villamartin golf apartments, for rental from private owners. If your budget stretches a little more, there are many holiday urbanisations within a few minutes drive of the golf course, with either apartments or townhouses and most have communal pools and other facilities. Top of the range gives you luxury villas built overlooking the golf fairways, with their private pools and excellent location, these are the premier places to stay while you enjoy your vacation here.
La Manga
La Manga del Mar Menor is a resort town near Murcia. The area has several golf courses and over 40km of beaches.
The Mar Menor (Little Sea) is an enclosed salt water lake and the area is part of the Costa Calida. It is an ideal resort for water sports enthusiasts or for those wishing to learn because of the calm waters of the Mar Menor.
There is a coastal strip of hotels and houses which runs along the side of the Mar Menor as well as many restaurants, bars and holiday apartments. Two nearby coastal towns are San Pedro del Pinatar and San Javier and Murcia and Cartagena are also worth including on your holiday itinerary as well as the old fishing village of Los Alcazares. The famous La Manga Club is also to be found close by and is well known for hosting many football clubs during the winter months.
Traveling Around Egypt And Back
Egypt is one of the most thrilling places, mainly because of its Pyramids. Egypt is also one of the vacationing spots for the people living in the west and also people living in other parts of the world. This is the perfect trip for a family who wants to add an educational value to their vacation. Unlike most vacation spots, parents drop their children of at an amusement park for hours at a time. A trip to Egypt is a trip that the entire family can enjoy
A grand tour for Egypt starts from Cairo (Ancient Egypt), which includes religious and Islamic sight seeing. Cairo is also one of the major airports in Egypt. Normal tour for Cairo will start from Giza pyramids (Great pyramids), Saqquara (Step pyramid) and even the Egyptian Antiquities museum. This is like a first day tour.
Then the tour usually moves on to Luxor and Aswan, these places are visited either by train or flight. Tours also include visiting some places like Citadel and Khan el-Khalili market in Islamic Cairo, also visiting the churches and Coptic museum in Cairo.
Egypt is a place for Religious tours, Adventure and Specialty tours, golfing tours, fishing expeditions, Birding tours, Nature tours, Simple Holidays, Beach vacations, Scuba diving vacations, Western or Eastern Desert, The Sinai, Jordan, Kenya and the Israel.
Shopping is unlimited in Egypt being a historical and a religious place, one can find many exciting and inventive things to buy.
Food is delicious in Egypt, some of the famous delicacies of Egypt are, Egyptian bean salad, Egyptian stuffed egg plant with rice, meat and okra stew, Egyptian stuffed pigeon, Egyptian green soup, Egyptian salty rice, stuffed grape leaves, fig cakes, um ali (famous dessert of Egypt), Egyptian spiced drink etc All the dishes of Egypt are made in a unique way; there are recipe books available for people who become lover of the food in Egypt.
Arabic is a common language that is spoken in Egypt. It is not very hard to learn basic Arabic so communication is made between people who do not understand English.
There are various transports that are available in Egypt, getting to places isnt difficult because of the arrangement of buses, trains, water transport and flights. It is quiet reasonable to travel in Egypt.
Proper planning is recommended so that one would not get confused if going to Egypt the first time. Maps are available so detailed study of Egypt will help in the entire trip.
The Costa Blanca And Alicante In Its Festive Mood
The Costa Blanca and Alicante area runs north to south or south to north, you can begin your holiday travel either way. The Costa Blanca, on the Mediterranean Sea coast is situated in the Province of Alicante, entering in the south through the town of Pilar de la Horadada or maybe Torrevieja might sound a little more familiar, all being part of the Valencian Community. Costa Blanca in English means ‘the White Coast’ probably because of its clear white beaches, the white washed buildings and the sunny weather which brightens all its villa like Guardamar, Javea, Altea, Benidorm, Torrevieja, Moraira and Alicante.
Navegate your own route in Costa Blanca
Being as Alicante was last mentioned and it has the advantage of its international airport called the Altet, you can start an entertaining holiday there. As you arrive into the city either by public bus, mini-bus from your hotel or by taxi, you will love how it is set at the foot of a hill where the Saint Barbara Castle still remains. It was built in 300 B.c. by the Carthaginians and even though it has undergone many wars, it has been kept in good condition, which nowadays houses an excellent restaurant. It is also surrounded by extended beaches with only a beautiful tiled promenade lined with all kinds of flowers and palms to separate them from the busy city and the harbour. Stroll along this refreshing central walkway where hand made goods are always set up in booths, or in the summer months, different bands and orquestras play soothing music to accompany the night breeze. Or delve into a good guide book with map of Alicante to be able to choose a special holiday festival such as The Saint John Bonfires with spectacular carton and wooden monuments depicting local and international characters which are finally burnt to the ground, carrying out a pagan tradition of wanting to eliminate all bad spirits.
Benidorm, which has excellent transport from the Alicante airport is also a very moving city. During the day you can either choose to relax and enjoy the long out stretching beaches or take the kids and family to one of the many parks around. You can choose from one of the Theme parks like Terra Mitica which has set up rides and attractions having to do with ancient Egypt or Rome, Aqualandia, a water park right within Benidorm where there are rides for the wee folks, younger dare devils and just splashing pools for the older ones. A good keep cool day! If animals are the theme for the day, go to Terra Natura also within the city and have your children come into full contact with very different kinds of animals. Here too, you can cool off in an area where there are water rides, underwater diving or nature climbing and trekking. At night, the nightlife is quite moving and the selection of places to dine go from fast food restaurants to the most exquisite delicacies, whatever you feel affordable for you.
Altea, the next villa you can see on the map, has kept its old town atmosphere while offering good places to stay. There are usually pebble beaches and many exclusive coves to hide out in – a very recommendable tranquil ambience. Calpe is the next villa on our map tour so that you can get a glimpse of the Rock of Ifach, a steep rugged hill made of rock formation that has captured amateur and professional mountain climbers from all over the world. Whether you have used your energy rock climbing or just lazing around on the white soft beaches, you must head over to the harbour area for either lunch or dinner. There, you have an endless show of seafood and fish to choose from and have it cooked as you like, or just trust others and go for the caldereta, a stew of many kinds of seafood with a succulent broth.
Save time for Javea
Javea, on the east coast, lies a little over 100 kilometres from Valencia and just 94 kilometres from Alicante city. At either of these cities you can find international flights making travel plans easy to arrange all year round. On the map of Spain, just a little south of Denia and right near the outstanding Montgo mountain peak, Javea ( http://www.alicante-spain.com/javea.html ) can be found.
This park was declared under national protection in 1987 so that its marvellous richness in fauna and flora could be conserved and further studies could be done on its archaeological discoveries. These discoveries can be seen in one of the many museums in the town. But what makes travelling to Javea so much fun is its traditional and cultural activities of long times ago, especially on the Costa Blanca and made available for the tourist to see nowadays. One of these activities is the sport called ‘ Valencian Ball’. There are two teams, usually two players on each team. It can be played right in the middle of the street, without a referee. Many times it is the public who must decide if the ball was fair or foul.The ball is made up of rags that have been tightly wound and covered with other rags. The players use their hands as rackets, using a special wrap to protect the palm of their hands. If you are looking for a good game, head to the Nou Street or to the Jesus Nazareno Street, or ask at the tourist office.
You will never have enjoyed your Spain vacation stay so much thanks to the variety and friendliness of the people who are awaiting to share their Costa Blanca with you.
Travelling Around Murcia Spain
The Autonomous Province of Murcia in Spain is easily found on the map because it touches borderlines with Alicante on the Costa Blanca passing through Torrevieja and you will know that you are in the region of Murcia because you will be surprised by the beautiful scenery of the salt swamps at San Pedro del Pinatar. Its capital city has the same name as the province and within its boundaries, it has a sea or lagoon called the Mar Menor ( or small sea) separated from the Mediterranean by the so called Manga, a sandy stretch of land which looks like a sleeve ( literal translation of the Spanish word manga). It then curves around a peak and the all so important city of Cartagena comes into view and lastly, when you are almost leaving this province you have a fantastic beach resort area and city called Aguilas. This Spanish region has got very hot summers, many a day reaching temperatures as high as 40 degrees and the winters are mild and short. It is usually described as having a very arid landscape on the inlands but has managed to be known to have fertile land for growing vegetables and legumes.
There is evidence that Mursiya, as it was called when it was an Islamic city, dates back to 831 AD when it was founded by Abderraman II. It had suffered and had lost a lot of prestige, but made a come back with the arab domain, becoming the capital in the basin of the Segura River.
Lets get to Murcia and then well see
Either a quick flight into the airport of San Javier which is about a 30 minutes drive from the city of Murcia right near the Manga in the Mar menor or flying into the Alicante airport of the Altet, about a 40 minutes drive to the city, your hotel will be awaiting you. As every visit requires, we will soak up some architecture and culture before delving into the modern day happening, nightlife and good food.
The Cathedral, dating back between the 14th and the 18th century is a potpourri of more than five centuries of different styles of architecture; the Baroque carved art on the front door of Pardon, the Gothic Chapel of Velez, The Renaissance Chapel called Junteron and the emblematic Tower measuring 96 metres tall with 25 bells.
The Sanctuary of Fuensanta ( the good saint ) from the 18th century found on the outskirts, is the patron saint of Murcia. The slender figure of this saint is carried around in a procession from the sanctuary to the cathedral among a very devote crowd at Easter and during the Murcia festival in summer.
The Museum of Science and Water is an interactive one installed together with the Segura River and has been developed around the idea of water, an important and vital element in our everyday lives. There is a kids planetarium, the Science Square where experiments are demonstrated, modules of perception, temporary exhibitions and thematic shows.
Party time and good food in Murcia
There are two great festivities which have been declared of national touristic interest so that your visit to Murcia could be greatly highlighted, During Easter week with the processions and Easter Sunday, and the Spring festivals. In the summer there are all kinds of music festivals and this year 2005, the XI edition of the Sea of Music festival will be held from July 1st to the 23rd in Cartagena.
There are two special countries which will be present, Turkey on July 15th with Mercan Dede and othrs and Brazil with special artists like Chico Cesar and Ray Lema on the 16th. But if you miss it this year, you know that it is held every year!
The Murcia region has one of the best irrigated lands for cultivating vegetables and legumes. This can be tasted if trying kale slowly fried in olive oil, rice with kidney beans, spinach and chick pea stew and the most popular of all meat pie. Having the sea nearby, they also make good use of the angler or sea bass as well as exquisite prawns and crawfish. To accompany such fine cuisine, some wine from either Jumilla, a red wine from Bullas or a rose from Yecla. And to finish off, sweets made from fruit.
But do not be lazy and take a drive in your car rental and head for the beaches in the Manga, where incredible luxury hotels and golfing resorts are at your full availablitity. Or further up the coast, enjoying the Costa Blanca of Alicante and maybe a quick spin to Calpe, you can make your holiday stay to Murcia complete.
Lake Champlain – 5 Ways To Enjoy This Great Lake
Lake Champlain – 5 Ways To Enjoy This Great Lake
Lake Champlain is the largest body of fresh water in the U.S. after the Great Lakes, and at 120 miles in length and an average depth of 400 and 12 miles across, everything about it is impressive. But more impressive than its size is its unspoiled beauty. In a state already known for conservation and back-to-nature vacations, Lake Champlain is the secret destination for a growing number of New England vacationers.
Heres my pick of five destinations and attractions in the Lake Champlain region when you visit…
ISLAND HOPING VERMONT STYLE:
The northern half of Lake Champlain contains a wonderful patchwork of Islands. The largest of the Islands are interconnected with each other and the Vermont mainland by Route 2 in the south and Route 78 in the north. Following Route 2 from south to north will take you through the picturesque towns of South Hero, Grand Isle, North Hero, and Alburg just a few miles from the Canadian border.
The Lake Champlain Islands terrain is flat to gentle rolling hills, which means bicycling is a popular way to get around on vacation. In most areas youll have unobstructed views of Vermonts Green Mountains to the east, and New Yorks Adirondacks to the west.
BURLINGTON – LAKE CHAMPLAINS CITY
Though Montpelier is the state capital of Vermont, its largest city is Burlington, which sits on the shore of Lake Champlain, with the stunning backdrop to the east of the Green Mountains.
Activities in Burlington include ECHO, Vermonts world-class lake aquarium and science center on the waterfront, Lake Champlain Chocolates guided factory tour, where you can see these famous chocolates made right before your eyes, and The Ethan Allen Homestead and Museum. Complete your day with a train ride through the beautiful Champlain Valley on the Green Mountain Railroad. The train meanders through gently rolling green pastures to Shelburne and back.
CRUISES ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN
Two cruise boats operate on Lake Champlain in the summer – “The Spirit of Ethan Allen III” accommodates 500 people and the “Northern Lights” has room for 150 guests. Both these boats leave from the docks in Burlington.
While cruising youll listen as tour guides discuss the Lake Champlain regions rich revolutionary past, the importance of the Native Americans of this area, and interesting facts about the Lake. But center stage on either cruise is the stunning views of the Islands and the surrounding mountains of Vermont and New York.
DIVING FOR WRECKS
If diving for wrecks is your passion then in Lake Champlain youve come to the right place. The Lake is considered by many divers to have the best collection of historic shipwrecks in North America.
Eight of these wrecks are preserved for the enjoyment of divers, and under the watchful eye of the Lake Champlain Underwater Historic Preserve. These wrecks offer a unique experience for northeast diving. The types of wrecks vary from a horse ferry to canal boats, with some located close to both the Vermont and New York shorelines of the Lake. Diving experience required ranges from beginner to advance.
For more information on these wrecks visit the Preserves site at www.lcmm.org.
LAKE CHAMPLAIN MARITIME MUSEUM
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum is located near Vergennes, and is a marvelous way to experience the historical significance of the lake. The museum at Basin Harbor provides opportunities to step back in time as you explore a Revolutionary War gunboat, watch craftsmen use traditional shipbuilding skills, and learn about nautical life in the Champlain Valley during the conflicts of the 18th century.
The Museum is self-guided but has plenty of demonstrations for you to stop and view as you wander around.
STATE PARKS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN
There are over 50 State Parks in Vermont, and the Lake Champlain area contains twelve of those state parks, and includes: Alburg Dunes, Knight Point, Sandy Bar, Burton Island, Grand Isle, Knight Island, North Hero, and Woods Island in the Lake Champlain Island chain. Other state parks on the Lakes shore are: Kill Kare, Kingsland Bay, Button Bay, and DAR.
Within these Vermont State Parks are opportunities for hiking, biking, camping, boating, fishing, picnicking, and swimming. The parks are a wonderful way to relax and enjoy the waters of the Lake for a day or longer, and to hike trails in between a swim and reading your novel.
Tour Central Australia
Few regions of the world offer the range of stunning desert landscapes and unique flora and fauna that can be found in Central Australia. On top of these natural riches, Central Australia is also home to several rich and vibrant indigenous cultures producing some of the most interesting art in the world today. Whether you are seeking lavish luxury or an authentic safari adventure, Central Australia has something for everyone.
Alice Springs has a population of around 28,000 and lies at 700 metres above sea level almost in the geographical centre of Australia, about 1500 kilometres from the nearest major city in any direction. As is typical of a desert environment, Alice Springs and Central Australia are predominantly dry, with blue skies from April to September. During the hot summer months (October to March), temperatures in the low 40 degrees C (104-108 F) are not uncommon, while throughout the winter months (May to September) overnight minimums can fall as low as minus 7 degrees C (19 F). Alice Springs has an average annual rainfall of only 275 mm, with rainfall typically occuring during the hotter months from October to March.
Alice Springs is the unofficial capital of Central Australia, and makes a great base from which to explore the region. Accommodation of every kind for every budget is available in this medium-sized desert town, and the town is also home to many quality indigenous art retailers. Alice Springs is accessible by air via Australia’s national carrier Qantas, by rail via the Ghan (one of Australia’s great train journeys) and by road from Darwin or Adelaide.
Many spectacular natural locations including rock pools, gorges, mountains and dry river valleys can be found within an hour’s drive of Alice Springs. Particularly popular with travellers are Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen and Palm Valley, all found in the West MacDonnell Ranges area. Several excellent destinations can also be found in the opposite direction in the East MacDonnell Ranges, including Trephina Gorge, Ruby Gap, and the remains of the historic gold-mining town of Arltunga.
From Alice Springs, a range of stunning locations can be accessed. The best known and most popular destinations are Kings Canyon, Uluru, Kata Tjuta.
Kings Canyon (also known as Watarrka) is among Central Australia’s most stunning natural features, and is located about 400 km southwest of Alice Springs. The road to Kings Canyon follows the southern side of the Gill Ranges which gradually rise over a distance of 50 kms to over 100 metres by the time they reach the canyon. Watarrka National Park contains Kings Canyon and the western end of the George Gill Range. The scenic landscape of the area contains rocky ranges, rockpools and gorges, and is a refuge for many plants and animals. The canyon walls rise above the valley of Kings Creek and are spectacular at sunrise and sunset.
Uluru (also Ayers Rock or The Rock) is located in the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park about 450 km southwest of Alice Springs. This Central Australian icon is a monolith more than 318 metres (986 ft) high and 8 km (5 miles) around, and extends 2.5 km (1.5 miles) into the ground. It is about 21km from Uluru to the tourist town of Yulara, which has a population of 3000 and is situated just outside the park. Uluru is noted for appearing to change colour as the light strikes it in different ways at different times of the day and year, and is a particularly remarkable sight at sunset.
Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas, is a group of 36 rounded rock formations located about 30km from Uluru within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The tallest dome of the Kata Tjuta group, Mt Olga, is higher than Uluru and stands at 457 m in height. The name Kata Tjuta means ‘many heads’ in Pitjantjatjara, the local indigenous Australian language, and is as sacred to the indigenous people as Uluru. Many ceremonies were, and are still carried out at Kata Tjuta, particularly at night, and many Pitjantjatjara legends are associated with both Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
Travel To Prague: Get Bohemian
Prague is a the shining jewel of Central Europe, so well preserved it is seemingly frozen in time, and for part of the year that is literally true. Prague is the only major European city that managed to avoid bombardment during the World Wars, which provides for an enchanting and almost eerie 14th century feel when standing in the middle of Old Town Square. Travel to Prague to experience a society visibly layered with histories of occupations, transitions of avant-garde artistic and musical movements and, underneath it all, a firm commitment to everything Czech.
See the City of 100 Spires
Catch a glimpse of why Prague earned this title by climbing to one of the many birds eye views of the citys gothic skyline. From Old Town Square, cross the famous, and miraculously still standing, 600-year old Charles Bridge (Karluv Most) and walk uphill past a number of interesting antique shops until you reach the beautiful 1,100-year old Prague Castle, the highest point in the city fortified by medieval walls and gargoyles. The enormous castle grounds have been the seat of the Czech government since the 9th century and include a number of museums and a beautiful cathedral. North from the city center is a giant set of stairs that scale an overgrown hillside. The very top is crowned with a gigantic swinging metronome in the former site of where a massive statue of Stalin once looked out over the people of Prague below. Joggers, skaters, picnickers and bikers enjoy the vast acres of Letn Park beyond. Petrn Hill to the southeast is a network of hiking trails and breathtaking lookout points of the magical city, particularly if captured at night. Crowning the hill, Petrn Tower is a replica of the Eiffel Tower constructed for the Prague exposition of 1891.
An Expression of Repression
The intense character and deep roots of Prague have been an inspiration to many culturally revolutionary figures and socially radical movements. Existentialism came to vibrant life in this Czech town, along with two of its most famous authors. Franz Kafka underwent his famous Metamorphosis is this city he called home and a fascinating statue has been recently erected in his honor near the Spanish Synagogue in the Jewish Quarter. A stroll through Wenceslas Square is haunting of Milan Kunderas writings, particularly during one of the many exciting festivals held here that were formerly banned under Soviet rule. The square is even turned into an enormous oval track for a cycling race in the summer! Since 1989, music has once again flourished through the veins of the Czech Republic. Pragues National Theater is home to the prestigious philharmonic and opera, with regularly scheduled performances throughout the year.
From the seat of the Kingdom of Bohemia and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire to a Cold War lockdown and a modern day survival story, the Slavic inhabitants of this Vltava River Basin have been persevering their artful and traditional way of life since they arrived here in the 5th century. For a city that was under strict Soviet control for a solid 40 years, the timeless Gothic and Romanesque faades mixed with a string of cubist and modernist architecture seem to speak for the unbending will of the Czech people. Only a journey to Prague will reveal the steady beating heart of this effervescent city.
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