Travel With a Reliable Partner

Question of trust was always critical on the web and as generally known web today is one of the weakest place in regard to protection of someone's privacy or rights. It affects almost all industries on the web and hotel reservation as well. This issue becomes more important while the industry expands. The percentage of internet-based hotel reservations was tripled in 2004 to 15.4 percent from 4.9 according to Andersen LLP. It is generally known that 85% of Internet users rely on search engines to find any information on the Web (e.g. MSN, Google, Yahoo, AltaVista, etc). But we have to keep in mind that being listed in the top search results at the major search engines mentioned above gives no guarantee at all that a certain company is really reliable. While search engines make their ranking rules more strict, there are still a good number of websites with false reputation that appear in the top search results at major search engines by using some tricks. To make it clear and help web-surfers to understand this issue from a professional point of view our team will give some major hints to which anyone should pay attention to find the right company. We will discuss some issues about travel industry, which can be helpful in understanding of major problems.

Most of the travel websites if not all of them provide only reservation service without giving any information or news about this fast developing industry on the web. According to the statistics, travel related websites generate a huge traffic on the web and of course it brings to a high competition in this industry. Every day thousands of new travel websites appear on the web but most of them after spending much efforts and finance, disappear from the web as easily as they appeared first. The reason - it is not an easy task to build quality, travel website able to provide not only quality service but also to present a wide range of products professionally.

There are many travel websites providing so many information, partly useful and partly not since they don't understand the market, its specific needs, needs of customers which finally brings to abundance of the information collected on the website thus making a trouble to a visitor to find easily what he needs. Other websites while having good hotel database still can't organize their website in a proper way. If you visit this kind of website you can hardly find information about the city that you need. You have to spend a few minutes trying to find what you need among huge amount of text links. Hotel search must be organized as easy as possible divided by cities, countries, type of hotels with good advanced search boxes for the best discount hotel deals.

On some websites when you start searching for discount hotel deals, the engine gives you only a few results leaving you almost not a choice. Or you have to visit each hotel link separately resulting in spending much time. That's why the most important in any industry on the web and especially in travel service is to collect information about all discount hotel deals in the best way and put them in front of the customer professionally to make his reservation procedure as easy and fast as possible. To provide this service a travel website team must be knowledgeable first and experienced through years not just a few days or months.

In addition to the competition, another problem, a visitor is having on the web today is a trust. We have to agree that it is not an easy to pay your hard earned money on the web without knowing anything about website. It is another problem web visitors are having today. You have to be very careful when you choose a website on the web. The best solution is to choose a website which is the old experienced on the web. There are many young sectors on the web where it is hard to find an experienced website. There are a few websites in travel industry that exist on the web for the last 10, 15 years. It is a good criteria to choose the right website. Another advantage of the experienced websites is that they know how to serve their customers since they have a good experience, they know different types of problems that may appear during hotel reservation and they know how to solve these problems professionally. That's why the best choice is to visit this kind of websites or the ones that connected to them through affiliate links thus providing almost the same quality of service. When you visit a travel website pay attention to Customer Care section, Privacy Policy, Terms of Use, Cancel Reservation Policy, Confirming Reservation, Payment Issues and other Frequently Asked Questions section. Availability and detailed description of these sections gives another credibility to a website. Pay attention to the availability of the phone number with a live person to reply to any of your question. If you find subscription to a newsletter option that says that a website team builds a long and strong relations with their customers. A good website provides secure reservation thus protecting their customers from many problems on the web. BBB.org is a Better Business Bureau organization that provides information on over two million organizations and websites and it is advisable to check any website before you invest. When you visit a website and find BBB sign with a link taking you to the main base of this organization testifying that a website you visited has a long presence on the web and a reliable partner then you can stop this website and choose it as your travel provider. If this sign is not available it doesn't decrease credibility of a website but its availability is preferable.

About The Author
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Why We Build Cities on Swamps

One man's single-minded determination built this city on a swamp, on territory claimed by the enemy. Years later, Hitler decreed it should be wiped off the face of the earth. The name of the city? St. Petersburg, Russia's Window on Europe, Venice of the North, City of Light, is quite simply the most beautiful city I've ever seen. It overwhelms the eye, and the soul.

It was conceived in the mind of Peter the Great, aptly named, as he stood 7'2" tall and cast an even longer shadow, and born by his will, built, as they say, with the bones of thousands of serfs, and built where no city could or should be built.

"The history of the city," writes the BBC, "is a story of the triumph of human will over the elements." It was the Russian winter, after all, that finally defeated Napoleon, and St. Petersburg is nearly parallel to Helsinki.

It is said that one day the tsar of Russia, who, determined to make Russia a country in its own right, not the colony of one of the super powers busy at the time dividing the world amongst them, single-handedly dragged his country into the appropriate century, galloped across the swamp to where the Neva River meets the Gulf of Finland, dismounted, plunged his saber into the mire, and declared, "Here shall be a city."

Not only was it built on a swamp, it was built on a swamp that Russia didn't own. Perennially at war with Sweden, the land was at the time claimed by the Swedes. Early settlers immediately experienced floods, and it was considered inhabitable ... none of which mattered to Peter.

Or perhaps it did. The man had a vision and a statement to make, and it was a politically strategic location.

Peter's mission was to drag the Russian people, kicking and screaming, into the modern world. For what's a city with no people in it? Peter commanded the boyars to move from Moscow to St. Petersburg, to dress and behave like Westerners, and to shave their beards. In the Russian Orthodox religion, the longer one's beard, the greater the likelihood he would enter heaven. Peter the Great didn't care.

St. Petersburg was a political statement, and so was its reconstruction for its 300th anniversary two years ago. With roads and houses in disrepair, the people watched as hundreds of millions of dollars were poured into reconstruction of the presidential palace and other cultural treasures. The total for renovation was said to be $2 billion.

Of the restoration, Bob Parsos, BBC, wrote: "The people of this, the most European of Russian cities, are proud of the city's cultural heritage...But the hundreds of pensioners whose country cottages and gardens were razed to the ground to make way for the restoration of the Konstantinovsky Palace are seething with rage." It was done without their input or consent, so as not to be an embarrassment when dignitaries visited for the celebration.

Like most of us, about many things, they were "grudgingly happy" with the outcome. Shall we say ambivalent?

Does the city, does the world, need The State Hermitage, one of the world's great museum, which is comprised of six buildings and sprawls along the Neva in the heart of the city?

The city has its history. Stalin's purges in the 1920s included as many as a quarter of the city's inhabitants, and more than a million died while the Germans held siege to the city for 900 days during World War II. That's three years.

Standing inside the Hermitage, we saw pictures of the devastation. On the Hermitage website, you can read an excerpt from the instructions of Hitler's high command on the destruction of Leningrad, dated September 29, 1941:

"...2. The Fuehrer has decided to wipe the city of St Petersburg from the face of the earth. We have no interest in the preservation of even a part of the population of that city.

4. It is proposed to tightly encircle the city and by shelling from artillery of all calibres and constant aerial bombing to raze it to the ground..."

Nearly two million civilians, including about 400,000 children, plus troops were trapped inside the city. According to "The History of St. Petersburg," on petersburgcity.com:

"Food and fuel supplies were very limited (enough for 1 or 2 months only). All public transportation has stopped. By the winter of 1941-42 there was no heating, no water supply, almost no electricity and very little food. In January 1942, in the middle of an unusually cold winter, the lowest food rations in the city were only 125 grams (about 1/4 of a pound)..."

Just down from the Heritage is the Peter and Paul Fortress, the first stones Peter the Great, Tsar of Russia, laid. We toured this as well. Over the years it housed Russia's most famous political prisoners.

We human beings are not reasonable creatures. If we were, half the wonderful things in the world would not exist. But we are capable of being reasonable. If we were not, the tilting at windmills would have broken us eons ago.

It requires the wisdom of Solomon to know and be both, and to choose when and in what proportion.

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the conditions that surround him, "wrote George Bernard Shaw. "The unreasonable man adapts surroundings to himself. All progress depends on the unreasonable man."

About The Author
©Susan Dunn, MA, The EQ Coach, http://www.susandunn.cc. Providing coaching, Internet courses and ebooks around emotional intelligence for your persona and professional success. I train and certify EQ coaches. Mailto:sdunn@susandunn.cc for information on this innovative, affordable, no-residency program.

Choose A Bed And Breakfast Over A Hotel Chain And Enjoy Your Vacation

Traveling for business or vacationing always has one thing in common; you need a place to stay. Unfortunately, many individuals choose large hotel chains which have no personality and do nothing more than provide a place to sleep for their guests. However, when business and vacation travelers choose to stay at a Bed and Breakfast they are able to enjoy their trip even more simply because Bed and Breakfast inns focus on each individual guest. In fact, there are several benefits a Bed and Breakfast has over regular hotels.

Benefit #1 Feel at Home

Most Bed and Breakfast Inns are typically small and have a limited number of rooms to rent out. However, each room has a lot of personality and is generally decorated around a theme and focuses on the comfort of guests. Each room is decorated in an elegant at-home way that is easily enjoyed by guests who want comfortable and beautiful surroundings to enjoy while on their trip. You certainly won't encounter the generic rooms of common hotels. All in all, when you stay at a Bed and Breakfast you will feel at home.

Benefit #2 Great Food

As the name suggests the daily rate of a Bed and Breakfast stay will certainly include the first meal of the day. While a Continental breakfast is frequently included in chain hotel rates the breakfast at a Bed and Breakfast is always of a significantly higher quality. This is because innkeepers take pride in serving well balanced and tasty meals allowing guests to enjoy every aspect of their stay. Although every Bed and Breakfast is different you can generally expect a full breakfast of meat and eggs with fresh baked muffins, fresh squeezed juice and fruit. Usually breakfast is served on fine china with silver cutlery, much higher class than disposable plates and cutlery at low priced hotel chains.

Benefit #3 More Economical

You are probably thinking, "yeah, right!" But the truth is Bed and Breakfast Inns really are more economical when you consider the entire price of the stay. For example, a Bed and Breakfast may charge what seems like expensive nightly fees, but everything is basically included from local phone calls to movies, and concierge services to parking. Just these extras at a hotel can add $100 or more to your daily bill. So, in the overall scheme of things a Bed and Breakfast will probably save you money and you will be more comfortable and relaxed at the same time.

About The Author
Shawn Everett is the owner of The Bed and Breakfast Connector http://www.bbconnector.com/.

Schools in Spain

When relocating to Spain with children, one of the difficult decisions that you have to make concerns their schooling. Any choices that you make will impact on your child's future and may determine a very different outcome to what might have been, had you stayed in the UK. For obvious reasons, the older the child, the more difficult the situation. However, even moving with very young children and trying to settle them into a new nursery may be disruptive for a while.

You will likely hear all kinds of hearsay from other expats about which is a good school and which is a bad one. You will hear parents' stories about their children having nightmares whilst at a particular school. I hear, especially, on the Costa del Sol, tales of schools being used as a cover up for all kinds of criminal activity. Try not to be influenced by other peoples' experiences and do your own research.

As an expat in Spain, depending on where you are living, you have a few options. If you want your children to follow the British education system and ultimately take GCSE's and A- levels, than you will be looking for fee paying international schools. These tend to be bilingual, some with less emphasis on the Spanish language than others. With regards to language, they all use different timetables. Some might teach all in English, with one or two hours a day being taught in Spanish, others may do English in the morning and Spanish in the afternoon.

Such schools are increasingly popular with Spanish parents who want their children to learn English to native level. Some international schools are more 'international' with others as nationalities generally include English, German, Russian, South American, Dutch and Spanish. There are schools, particularly on the Costa del Sol which are predominantly English. The age range for international schools depends on the size of the school. Some cover pre-school to sixth form i.e. 3- 18, whereas other might only be 3 – 7. If at three, you feel that your child is too young for school, there are also international kindergartens that take children from 1 – 6.

There are also Spanish private schools, where children are taught entirely in Spanish and most of the other children in their class will be Spanish. They follow the Spanish system and tend to be cheaper than the more British international schools.

Finally, the 'free' option is the state system otherwise known as public schools. Again, children will only be taught in Spanish with English taught as a foreign language as French and Spanish are in the UK. The older the child, the more difficult it will be for him or her to adapt to a new language, system and culture. The attitude of the parents also plays a part in the adaptation period. It helps if the parents can speak Spanish and have an understanding of the Spanish culture in order to communicate with class teachers etc. Likewise, the ability to speak Spanish will also allow you to support your child with their homework, you will be able to read letters sent home which will not be in English and your child's school life will not be so alien to you.

Many people who send their children to the local, public schools are often very proud of the fact that their children grow up to be completely bilingual. However, parents must not overlook that speaking English is one thing but reading and writing is another. At a Spanish public school and a Spanish private school your child will not be taught to read and write in English. It is up to the parents to ensure that the child learns to read and write in English outside of school time, as it is not the responsibility of the school.

Your child's education is one of the biggest decisions you will have to make about life in Spain. Choosing a home is quite simple in comparison. In Spain, it is illegal not to send a child of six years upwards to school, so home-schooling is not an option, as it is in the UK. Talk to those whose opinion you trust, have a look around the different schools. Unfortunately, you can't really go touring around the public schools as you are lucky to have a look around even if your children are pupils!

There are so many advantages for British children growing up in Spain that will no doubt benefit them in the future wherever they decide to live. Nevertheless, I do come across people who return to the UK for a free education system that they understand.

About The Author
Susan Pedalino is Masters degree qualified in Intercultural Communication and teaching English as a foreign language. Susan regularly writes for Eye on Spain (www.eyeonspain.com). Having moved to Spain to set up a business and buy property, she has gained invaluable experience in buying off plan property in Spain.

Western Caribbean Cruise

We were on the Radiance of the Seas for the western Caribbean cruise on November 28/04. This was our second cruise with Royal Caribbean with our first last year on the larger Adventure of the Seas. After one cruise with RCI, I expected roughly the same standards with the Radiance and in general, I wasn't disappointed.

Staterooms:

Our stateroom was an inside aft cabin and we were not disappointed. It was roomy enough and the lighting was adequate. Closet space and drawers were also sufficient for our use. We noticed that the double beds here were actually a bit better than the one we had on the Adventure since we couldn't really feel the split between the two separate beds like we did last time. If there's one thing that can be improved is the shower curtain. The one installed was not adequate in keeping in all the water from the shower. The shower on the Adventure utilized a double glass door system which was far superior. Otherwise, the cabin was nice and dark for sleeping at night. Although we heard a little noise from the cabins next to us, it was minimal. We didn't miss having any window or balcony at all since we were hardly ever in our stateroom. We were either at port or elsewhere on the ship and went back to our cabins just to relax or sleep. We would definitely book an inside cabin again with RCI unless we had a free upgrade.

Dining:

The main Cascades dining room was nice and meals were good. Breakfasts had the same menu every morning. Lunch at the dining room was okay. The dinners were good but not every meal item was a winner. There was the odd appetizer and dessert that was not up to par. One thing that my partner noticed was that the portions of the main courses seemed to be smaller than those served on the Adventure. We usually went upstairs to the Windjammer to get more food after dining at the Cascades. In some parts of the Cascades room, the tables were placed too cramp so walking to out own table was tricky at times. The self serve Windjammer was good. It usually had more variety of food than served downstairs at the Cascades. Breakfast and lunch were busy at the Windjammer but during evenings, most people chose to dine at the Cascades. The two other optional restaurants onboard Portafino and Choppe House were available at $20 US per person but we never tried them since the meals already included at the Cascades and Windjammer were fine by us. Other passengers who did go to these optional rooms told us that they were nothing special. There was another cafe available during late evenings called the Seaview and they provided fare such as sandwiches, salads and burgers. This was a nice feature. One thing we did object to was that they charged for the coffee and tea there. There was also a specialty coffee place on the main centrum of the ship and they also charged. We had more availability of free beverages on the Adventure.

Service:

The service by the stateroom attendants and dining room staff was top notch as expected.

Entertainment:

The evening shows at the Aurora Theatre were a mix of the ship's own crew of dancers and singers plus some outside comics and singers. In general, the shows were quite good. We would have liked them to mix up the entertainment each night rather than allocate music, comedy and magic into different evenings. Rather than an entire show of magic, we would have preferred each night featuring a variety of entertainment. Live music around the ship was a nice added touch.

Amenities:

Although smaller than the Adventure, the Radiance had fine amenities including the gym/spa, mini golf, pools and the shops. There was internet access but at 50 cents per minute, the service is a bit steep. There were things to do during the days at sea such as art auctions, cooking demos and dance classes. However, we felt that there was more offered on the Adventure. As for embarking and disembarking, there was no problem on the Radiance. The 6th level contained the casino and for non-smokers, this was a problem. The ventilation in the casino was not great and as a result, cigarette smoke travelled to adjacent areas near the casino. My partner wanted to avoid going on the 6th level whenever possible.

In summary, we enjoyed our cruise on the Radiance of the Seas. However, comparing it to the larger Adventure of the Seas, we would rate the larger ship a bit higher. We liked the huge promenade on the Adventure which was not available on a smaller ship like the Radiance. Given a choice in the future, we would opt for the larger ship. For first time cruisers, the Radiance would still be a good ship to vacation on. This is simply the case of where veteran cruisers would expect more especially if they have been on higher end ships.

About The Author

Clint Leung is owner of Free Spirit Gallery (http://www.FreeSpiritGallery.ca), an online gallery specializing in Inuit and Northwest Native art including carvings, sculpture and prints. Free Spirit Gallery has numerous information resource articles with photos of authentic Inuit and Native art as well as free eCards.

Fabulous Beach Vacations Appeal to the Whole Family

It's time to plan the family vacation and you're running into trouble again. Just once you'd like to find something that everyone will love, but you don't think you can find it; after all, you have the twins who are six years old, a terminally bored teenager, and a preteen daughter whose idea of the perfect vacation is a trip to the mall. Your husband loves to golf, and your idea of a vacation, frankly, is anywhere you can just relax and take it easy for a change!

You could try asking the whole family where they'd like to go for a vacation, but you could get answers like this:

Somewhere I can go shopping for some really cool stuff!
The beach, so I can get some surfing in.
A golf resort would be nice – I'd like to improve my handicap.
Can we go someplace where there are rides? And lots of games?
I think the kids should learn something on this trip; let's go someplace cultural.

There's no place that meets those standards anywhere in the world better than Mexico! If you want to everyone to enjoy themselves and spend a week or two without ever hearing, "There's nothing to do," then Mexican beach vacations are the perfect choice!

Sun, sand and surf

Family beach vacations have always appealed to every generation, and for good reason. There's something universal about the pull of the ocean. Warm, white sands that are soft under your feet and lapis blue waters that are crystal clear invoke relaxation and a sense of peace and renewal that can't be found anywhere else. Mexico has thousands of miles of soft white beaches that are family-friendly with miles of gorgeous surf.

While you relax with a Pina Colada and a good book and enjoy the sea breeze, the twins can be dashing in and out of the tide, collecting sea shells and admiring hermit crabs as they dart into their holes. Your daughter can work on her tan or stroll over to one of the booths where locals wait to cornrow her hair.

And don't forget the terminal case of boredom – he's trying out a surfboard that he rented from the cabana at the hotel. Tomorrow he plans to try his hand at windsurfing or parasailing. Your husband is catching everything on film for later.

And when evening rolls around...

When night falls there's still plenty to do on a beach vacation. Most resorts offer a choice or restaurants from family-friendly pizza parlors to fine dining with a great wine cellar. Or you can explore the local town for a sampling of local cuisine that's sure to surprise and delight you and your children. If you enjoy seafood, there's nothing that beats finding a local seafood joint with seating on the beach for atmosphere and fun.

After the sun goes down, take a stroll on the beach at night and look for sea turtles if the season is right. These magnificent creatures are an unforgettable experience for young and old alike.

If you head to the boardwalks that abound along most beaches, you're sure to find games and rides for the whole family. Your six year olds will be delighted with a Ferris wheel ride with a spectacular view of the ocean while your daughter gets her caricature done by a local artist.

When you step away from the beach, there's still plenty to do

Beach vacations in Mexico don't stop at the edge of the water. All of those fabulous beach resorts are located near wonderful little resort towns that have colorful bazaars and market districts, so the shopping is fantastic! Remember to do some holiday shopping, and look for a few colorful pieces of clothing to show off when you get back home!

Mexico is full of cultural and historical bounty, so don't forget to visit some of the rich historical treasures of the area while you're visiting. Your family will be amazed by the impressive size and grandeur of Mayan ruins just miles from the beaches. These ancient ruins are a reminder of the area's rich heritage and shouldn't be missed.

When visiting the ruins take the time to admire the villages and towns you pass through; Mexico is a rich mix of heritages. Descendants of the Maya, Inca and Spanish settlers all make up the rich heritage of today's Mexico.

Meanwhile, back on the beach...

After a few days of sightseeing, shopping, and golfing even the most energetic family members will want to relax, and that's why beach vacations are the best thing going – total relaxation!

Close your eyes and think about the beach and you can almost feel yourself relax, can't you? Imagine your children building elaborate sand castles in toasted white sands and decorating them with delicate sea shells they've collected along the shore. Picture your teenagers lazily swimming on the rolling waves, ducking under the crystal-clear blue of tropical waters to watch fish flicking about around their legs.

Beach vacations can also give you the opportunity to learn something new and exciting together. Try parasailing – there's nothing as exhilarating as sailing through the sea breezes as you look down on the coast from the air like a seagull! If you've always wanted to try sailing, a beach vacation will give your whole family the opportunity to go out on a sailboat for the day.

There are so many tremendous opportunities to do things when your family takes a beach vacation to Mexico. Whether you want to enjoy the sand and sun, try a little bit of adventure, sample great local foods and wines or make the kids squeal with laughter, you'll find more than enough to fill every day on our fabulous Mexico beach vacation packages!

Finally, keep in mind that, since family vacations usually mean traveling in the summer months, a Mexico beach vacation can be a great bargain. Since these months are considered "off season" in this area of the country, you'll be surprised by just how affordable a really fabulous stay on a stretch of white sand beach in Mexico can be while your kids are on summer break.

About The Author
Lori Wilkerson is a full-time freelance writer who loves her job because it gives her the opportunity to learn more about the world every day. Right now, she knows a little bit about almost everything, and a lot about beach vacations, family vacations, and mexico vacations. Lori once led a Conga line to the tune, "Hot, Hot, Hot," throughout an entire cruise ship sailing to Nassau.
www.beach-vacations-4u.com
cbmacgregor@shaw.ca

The Essential Normandy- 8 Must-See Venues

To fully understand Normandy, one has to visit more than WWII sites and museums. To experience this region and understand its history and culture, one should visit these eight venues:

1. Honfleur- This picturesque little port village has been a magnet for artists for years, including the French impressionists. The cobblestone streets of the town and the old basin full of sailboats are especially gorgeous. One can visit the many shops and galleries, and there are excellent restaurants nearly everywhere. There are several museums and unique old wooden churches to see as well.

A drive of about a half-hour to Deauville and Trouville is also worth the effort. Walk the famous boardwalk in Deauville, which has hosted the annual American Film Festival for years, and observe the interesting architecture of the huge beach houses, unique in Europe. On the way to or from Deauville, stop at a cider/calvados tasting location. Several are marked along the road. Grapes are not grown in Normandy to make wine, as the local beverages are made mostly from apples or sometimes pears. The cider is fizzy and has only about one-third the alcohol of wine. It goes well with a local favorite, moules-frites (mussels and fries). Calvados is brandy made from apples. Speaking of food, Normandy is famous for its dairy products, and you'll no doubt sample the butter (this is one of the few places in France where one is encouraged to butter bread) and cheeses, especially the three Normands ("les trois Normands") camembert, pont l'eveque, and livarot.

2. Caen- This city was rubble after the bombings of WWII. The Caen Memorial is easily the best of the WWII museums. There are many WWII museums throughout Normandy, and some are almost tacky, with only a handful of old pictures and a few old uniforms and medals. This one is first class and tells the story of the events leading up to WWII and the Battle of Normandy. The film is also first rate and shows the American and German sides preparing for the invasion and then after the battles began. There is also a display honoring Nobel Peace Prize winners. One can easily spend half a day at this museum. Downtown Caen is also very pleasant, especially the pedestrian street with its many shops and cafes. One can also visit the chateau, constructed by William the Conqueror, and several impressive abbeys and churches.

3. Bayeux- This city was not badly damaged in WWII as the Germans retreated to defend Caen. The cathedral is imposing and is among the top gothic cathedrals in France. The main attraction in the town, however, is the famous Bayeux Tapestry. This remarkable work, commissioned shortly after the conquests of England in 1066, tells the story of William the Conqueror and the Battle of Hastings. It was originally meant to hang in the cathedral. It is only 19 inches high, but it's length is 203 ft. It is remarkably well preserved. Be sure to see the film, and rent an audio player to use while viewing the tapestry to get the most out of your visit.

4. Omaha Beach/American Cemetery- For Americans, this is hallowed ground. People from other countries, Canada and Britain, for example, might prefer to visit the sectors of their soldiers, such as Sword, Gold and Juno beaches which are several miles to the east. There are numerous British, Canadian, German, and other cemeteries throughout Normandy as well. I was originally not excited to visit the American cemetery, thinking it would be a deflating experience. However, when one sees the fabulous white marble headstones and the meticulously kept grounds (the grounds are owned and maintained by the U.S. government) it is clear that there is huge respect for our fallen countrymen. To understand what these men did and the ultimate sacrifice they made in France makes one proud. The largest of the two American cemeteries at Colleville-sur-Mer looks directly over Omaha Beach. (The other is at St. James, farther to the west, and is also worth a visit, although not many people go there. It's about half the size of Colleville and unique in its own way). Leaving the parking lot at Colleville, one can see a small monument to the American 1st Infantry Division, the Big Red 1, which was responsible for that sector on D-Day. This is also worth a quick visit.

The best way to truly understand what happened at Omaha is to take a tour with an expert. We have used the services of Col. Oliver Warman, British Army Retired. Col. Warman will take you to places must tours don't visit, and he has intimate stories about what took place there on D-Day, when several thousand American soldiers lost their lives (the official figure is in the hundreds). He'll take you from the hills overlooking the beaches down to the beaches themselves and explain how effective the German defenses were, especially the 12 machine gun nests that spanned Omaha.

5. Arromanches- It was here that a huge artificial floating port was erected. The Germans knew the Allies would need a large port, and all of those in France were heavily defended. The sections of the port were constructed in England and were floated across the English channel just after D-Day. The museum has an excellent model of the port and a good film. There is also a 360 degree theater on the hill overlooking the town. This film is one of my favorites, and it show scenes of the area, both during the Battle of Normandy and then contrasted with how they look today.

6. Pointe du Hoc- At this strategic location American Rangers scaled the cliff walls on D-Day. There are bomb craters everywhere, destroyed German bunkers, and one gets a feeling of how difficult the fighting must have been. There were many casualties, and the Americans were almost driven back over the cliffs, but for some still unknown reason the Germans pulled the big guns back from the point to the rear. These were found unguarded by an American patrol, and they were quickly destroyed. If you take a tour with Col. Warman, as described above, he can take you here as well, and his perspective and stories about this location are more than worth the price.

7. Utah Beach- I was surprised to learn that the fighting here was much less intense than at Omaha, and the number of casualties here on D-Day was low, only about 15 KIA before noon. It is, however, a big part of the American D-Day story and therefore worth some time. The museum is reasonably good as well, and the grounds, again owned and maintained by the U.S. government, are well kept.

8. Mont St. Michel- This spectacular setting on the border between Normandy and Brittany is one of the most popular tourist locations in Europe. The island village is dominated by the cathedral at the top. At certain times of the year the tides are high enough to surround the island by the sea. If possible, spend a night on the island itself, and you'll have a chance to wander around without the normal crowds. The shops are mostly tourist traps, but Mont St. Michel is worth a day. There are hikes and horse-back excursions one can take as well.

The above general itinerary goes from east to west and will take nearly a week. There are of course other venues in Normandy to visit. The eight listed above, however, will give you a fulfilling experience, and upon completion you'll be able to say that you have truly experienced and understand the culture and significance of this outstanding region.

About The Author
Walter B. Ballenberger is founder of Beaux Voyages, which provides active tours in France including bike tours in Normandy and other regions, wine tours, and Tour de France bike tours. He has lived and worked in France and speaks the language fluently.
France travel planned and not sure what venues to visit? Get FREE ADVICE from Beaux Voyages
beauxvoyages.com

WestAccom.net - Western Australia - Your Holiday Destination For All The Family

Western Australia means adventure, romance, beauty, ruggedness, vastness, remarkable, breathtaking and these are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to describing the state of Western Australia. W.A is home to activities such as surfing, swimming, crabbing, dolphin watching, boating, fishing, hiking, abseiling, rock climbing, snorkelling, diving, cruises, charters, world class reefs, whales, natural landmarks, stunning national parks & waterways, world-class golfing, and that's just scratching the surface!

The Western Australian towns of Albany, Bridgetown, Broome, Bunbury, Busselton, Collie, Denmark, Derby, Esperance, Exmouth, Geraldton, Kalgoorlie, Karratha, Kununurra, Mandurah, Margaret River, Pemberton, Perth, Port Headland, Rockingham, Walpole are just a few of the great towns and cities that show off what Western Australia (W.A) has to offer. In our site you will find Western Australia (W.A) accommodations, attractions & restaurant information to help you decide your destinations.

From the Kimberley, the most rugged, remote and remarkable region of the north, home of the Bungle Bungle Rages to the Gascoyne region where you can swim with Whale Sharks at the spectacular Ningaloo Reef to the Goldfields region where you can see the Gold history come alive to the vibrant city of Perth with its cosmopolitan appeal to the Central South Region with its gentle, undulating hills which are thickly wooded with gums and a host of other native trees, to the Cape area with its sandy beaches, secluded bays, pounding surf, rocky cliffs sloping fields and vineyards of the world renowned Margaret River region to the Great Southern Region where the ancient Tuart trees of the Valley of the Giants reside, you will

Our accommodation pages will offer the bulk of the information you need to make a decision on accommodation and the accompanying attraction information will show what is offer in and around the area. There is so much to do in and around Western Australia that even the locals don't know what they are missing. At WestAccom.net we intend to make as much information available to visitors and locals alike so that we all get to enjoy the variety of attractions that this beautiful State has to offer.

About The Author
Steve Wall is the webmaster of several Western Australian Tourism sites such westaccom.net & myalbany.net & mymandurah.com & mybunbury.com. These sites supply information on accommodation and tourism.

Five Amazing Hiking Trails in Arizona

Arizona offers many hiking trails apart from the Grand Canyon. They are difficult, but they reward with unmatched beauty. Here are the best five.

The Wet Beaver Loop is an extremely difficult trail, but it is an awesome hike in the Wet Beaver Wilderness Area. It is a 22-mile round trip and you will need more than one day to complete it, as you will be making a large loop to return from where you began. It is interspersed with camps, Waldroup canyon, and waterfalls. You have to wade through water for a portion of the hike. So, be prepared to get wet, and do not bring children along.

Picacho Peak. This hike is not too far from Casa Grande, and provides a stunning view of the Sonora desert from the top. The hike is very steep at times, and there are numerous switchbacks. The trail is seven miles round trip, unless you take the alternate trail to return from the peak (adding an extra couple of miles).

It is advisable to wear gloves on this hike and you may need to use steel cables to aid your climb at times. You must be in good physical condition to undertake this hike as some Class 3 climbing will be necessary.

Kendrick Mountain is a moderately easy trail. This 9.2 miles round trip features a look at a cabin and ends in some spectacular views of Red Mountain, Mount Humphreys, Sycamore Canyon, and even the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. You will come across a series of short switchbacks toward the end that provide breathtaking views.

Paria Canyon hike starts in Utah near the border, and moves into Arizona. The frequent flash floods often wash out the trailhead, so you have to watch the weather intently. You can make use of the shuttle for the ride back since the trail ends far away from the car. It is a multi-day trip. Moreover, you need a permit from the BLM because you will be going through wilderness area.

If you go on this hike right after it rains, you will find that you will have to pick around a bit, as the trail becomes muddy and prone to quicksand. Once you actually get into the canyon, there is no trail. You have to follow the river. A narrow slot canyon with spectacular formation is what you walk through. If rain is in the forecast for any of the days that you plan to be hiking, you should not attempt, as there is no way to escape flash floods once in the Narrows.

Other fantastic features include a cave "room" in one of the walls, Wrather Canyon (along with Wrather Arch), Judd Hollow, and other canyons and routes, as well as springs. The views and formations along this hike are amazing and worth the trip.

About The Author
Glenda Jao is the chief writer for, and editor of For Arizona, it's one of the webs most up to date Arizona sites, their free newsletter is well worth signing up for too. Want to read more Arizona articles?, just go to: http://www.forarizona.com/articles
http://www.forarizona.com

The Seaside Village Of Aegiali

Aegiali, in the Greek Cyclades, is a very beautiful seaside village full of outstanding beaches and picturesque landscapes. Besides this, Aegiali offers a wide variety of facilities and therefore tourists could be almost sure of finding practically anything they might need while being in this destination.

Aegiali's cuisine is very appealing too and there are several typical dishes that tourists should not miss, especially those containing Mediterranean fish. Night life at Aegiali is also very nice and those visitors who enjoying going out and partying until late would also be able to have a good time in this city.

It is also often easy to find a hotel or a room in Aegiali since there is several of them spread throughout the city. Despite of this, it is always advisable to ask in advance and count with a reservation whenever it is possible in order to make sure of finding a place where to stay after arriving.

Among the main attractions offered by Aegiali there are its beaches. Aegiali and its surroundings count with many attractive and several outstanding beaches spread throughout the coastline. This way, this destination is also ideal to all those who enjoy the sea, the sand, sunbathing, or practicing beach sports.

One of the most picturesque and peculiar beaches visitors could find in Aegiali and its surrounding area is what is known as Levrossos Beach. Levrossos Beach is a nudist beach which offers great sands and clear waters, although many time tourists who approach to it are driven by curiosity rather than by the natural beauty offered by this area of the coast line.

The seaside village of Aegiali is situated at about 24 kilometers from the main port of Amorgos and the city of Katapola. This spot also offers several amazing beaches and it is highly recommendable that tourists always try to visit it while being in Aegiali, especially those who enjoy being close to the sea. Aegiali can be a great destination to all those who are fond of the sea, the beach, and traditional Greek food, among several other aspects.

About The Author
Jakob Jelling is the founder of Eurotomic.com. Please visit http://www.eurotomic.com/greece.php if you're planning a trip to Greece.

Costal Kenya : Gedi Ruins

When travelling through Kenya, you can't ignore the marvellous national parks and game reserves, inhabited by countless fascinating animals. The mosaic of wildlife inside Kenya's borders is what makes this country a famous tourist destination. However, Kenya has another, equally enchanting side: the coast. Donned with paradise-like beaches, it's a wonderful leisurely end to an active holiday. But if you look just a little bit beyond the beach, you will find a rich coastal culture that goes back a thousand years.

After enjoying a Safari in interior Kenya, the coastal town of Mombasa is a wonderful place to exhale with a cocktail in hand. But Mombasa also has a rich history where centuries of trade and all kinds of cultural influences have shaped the Swahili culture, including the national language of Kenya, appropriately called Swahili. The language reflects Kenya's colourful history; it incorporates words from Arabic, Portuguese and even German origin. Swahili is now spoken all over East Africa, and even as far as the Congo.

A walk through Mombasa Old Town reveals the heart of the Swahili culture. The narrow streets can hardly accommodate cars, but all the more people and donkeys. The high houses provide shade from the scorching Mombasa sun; the heavy wooden doors are beautifully carved and inscribed with Arabic text from the Koran; Islam is the dominant religion alongside the Kenyan coast. On the veranda's, old men in traditional Muslim attire chat the day away sharing a pot of spicy coffee.

At the edge of Old Town, facing Mombasa bay, stands Fort Jesus; built by the Portuguese who conquered the city in the 16th Century. They held on to the fort until the British colonialists turned it into a prison. The fort is open for viewing; inside is a museum narrating the history of the fort and its occupants. The canons used to keep attackers at bay still proudly stand facing the sea.

Travelling alongside the Kenyan coast, there are countless other reminders of the cultures that once ruled the entire coastline. A must-see is the ruins of Gedi, an Arab-African settlement built in the 14th Century. There are many such ruins on the North coast of Kenya, all the way into modern day Somalia, but Gedi is one of the very few that have been maintained as a public historical site open for viewing.

The town has fascinated archaeologists since its discovery. Gedi seemed to have been a wealthy, thriving town, given the precious artefacts that were dug up including Ming China porcelain and countless other objects indicating Gedi's wealth. However, there is no official historical record of Gedi, which makes the place all the more intriguing.

The name Gedi is a Galla word meaning "precious". The Galla were a nomadic people from Somalia, who conquered all settlements on the Northern Kenyan coast in the 17th century and who baptised Gedi and ruled it until the late 19th century. They then lost their position of power to the Arabs, who reoccupied their original territories.

The historic site is on the Mombasa-Malindi road, sixty-five miles from Mombasa and ten miles from Malindi. Gedi is a fascinating place to visit, more so because the ruins are up to today shrouded in mystery; the actual reasons for its foundation, as well as its destruction, are not known. Surrounded by modern-day villages built of wood, mud and stone with all the hustle and bustle of the local inhabitants, Gedi is an oasis of peace; overgrown with all kinds of trees, plants and flowers. There are friendly and well-informed local guides available at a small fee, but the map of Gedi is self-explanatory, and you can easily discover the city by yourself.

The ruins are clearly indicated, identified by their architectural style, such as the mosques, or the artefacts that were found in or near the structures; names like 'The house of the Iron Lamp', 'The house of the Ivory Box', 'The house of the Scissors', 'The house of the Venetian Bead' fuel the imagination. In the silence that now enfolds the once thriving town, you can hear the echoes of the voices of centuries ago. While walking through the ruins, it takes only a little imagination to see the veiled women walking through the streets, hear the children play at the water well and sit with the Sultan while he receives trade delegations. In the museum built adjacent to the ruins, the found artefacts are exhibited alongside an overview of coastal Swahili culture.

The structures at Gedi include 8 mosques, more than a dozen houses, a palace and an Amfi-theatre-cum-law-court. Gedi was surrounded by a wall, and it seems like the city was deserted, then later reoccupied, because there is a second wall built at a later date that encircles a smaller part of the town. This wall incorporated some of the walls of existing houses. The artefacts that were found in the ruins, such as Chinese porcelain and Venetian glass, indicate that Gedi was a wealthy city that traded with Portugal, Italy, China, India and the Arab world; which makes its absence in official historic records all the more intriguing.

There are several theories to the downfall of Gedi. Some say the river changed its course, so the water wells dried up, forcing the inhabitants to move. Others theorize that the Portuguese brought the deadly Black Plague, with no known cure, wiping out the population. A dispute or invasion that caused the inhabitants to fled or evacuate is another theory. But whatever it may be that caused Gedi to fall, its ruins are strong reminders of how powerful it once was, and how it influenced a culture that exists to this day.

For more information on Gedi Ruins, call the museum in Watamu on telephone number 042-32065 or call the National Museums of Kenya headquarters in Nairobi: 020-374213 or go to their website: www.museums.or.ke. Entrance fee for tourists is 200 Kenya Shillings; Under 16's pay only 100 Shillings. For locals and residents the price varies from 20 to 60 Shillings.

About The Author

Yvonne Oerlemans is the Owner of CoverConceptsMedia Ltd. and a Director at www.AfricanVoyages.com Ltd she can be reached at articles@africanvoyages.com.

Isle of Wight Tourism

The term Isle of Wight Tourism conjures up images of sunny beaches, dramatic coastlines and glorious countryside. Isle of Wight tourism brings in an estimated £350 million plus per year, which is vital to the Island's economy. With more people visiting each year, that figure can only rise. The Isle of Wight is the perfect place for a holiday as there are so many things to see and do. Whatever your interests, you will be spoiled for choice and will find that one visit to this special place is never enough. Most people that visit this wonderful island find themselves coming back time and time again which is great for Isle of Wight tourism.

The Isle of Wight is the smallest of England's counties, with the resident population being around 130,000. To the north lies the Solent and to the south is the English Channel. Known as "The Garden Isle", this jewel of England indeed resembles a diamond in shape, measuring 23 miles west to east and 13 miles north to south, an area or 147 square miles. The Island is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK, with around one million visitors each year. There is over 60 miles of coastline which ranges from award winning beaches to spectacular chalk cliffs. The Island, which is divided into two boroughs - Medina & South Wight, was known as "Vectis" by the Romans. Newport is the county town, although Ryde is the largest town. The exact centre of the Island is at Shide Corner, on the outskirts of Newport and the highest point is St. Boniface Down at Ventnor.

Walking on the Isle of Wight is a popular past-time and there are over 500 miles of public footpaths including dramatic coastal paths. The climate here is almost sub-tropical and Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor are regularly at the top of the UK sunshine table. Over 50% of the Island has been designated an "Area of Outstanding Beauty" with about half of the coastline named as "Heritage Coast" - an honour only awarded to the finest stretches of coastline in the country. Red squirrels have a particular penchant for the surroundings (due to the lack of grey squirrels) and are widely prevalent on the Island - almost the final stronghold in the south of the country.

The most famous landmark here on the Isle of Wight is "The Needles" - three jagged chalk projections running out to sea at the extreme west of the island at Alum Bay, which is also renowned for its multi-coloured sand cliffs, which are caused by a mixture of minerals in the sand. There is a lighthouse here too, clinging to the base of the most westerly rock of the Needles group. It originally became popular here with tourists over 200 years ago when they used to visit by paddle steamer from the mainland. Another popular landmark is the Bembridge Windmill, the only existing windmill on the Island. It is located at the opposite end of the Island, was built around 1700 and still has its original machinery intact.

www.isleofwighttouristguide.com

About The Author
Martin Ager
Isle of Wight tourist guide caters for all the tourist needs on the Isle of Wight. It is an extensive guide for all tourism and leisure activities. Martin Ager is the author, please see www.isleofwighttouristguide.com. Email info@isleofwighttouristguide.com

Hello from Barcelona

This is my first ever blog and I´ll have to be very brief since I only have about 11 minutes left at the Internet cafe. I am sitting here at the Maremagnum shopping mall in the port of Barcelona.

Theresa and I just came back from our tour on the blue Tourist Bus. (20 Euros for 2 days). What a fabulous city!

Yesterday we had dinner in the Gothic Quarter and got serenaded by one musician / music group after another. And today the bus tour, beautiful weather, brilliant sunshine, about 28 degrees Celsious.

We started in the port area, snaked our way past the Casino, the Olympic Village, the Zoo, through the Gothic Quarter to the hussle and bustle of Plaza Catalunya. Along the way we had a quick peak at Gaudi´s masterpieces: Casa Battlo and La Pedrera. The we came across the middle part of the city, up to the hill of Montjuic where we visited the Poble Espanyol (Spanish village), a beautiful 1929 replica of buildings from villages throughout Spain.

Then we passed the Olympic stadium, the Teleferic cablecar and came back down into the city where we are just starting to relax now in the harbour.

Tonight we´ll probably head up the Ramblas and check out some authentic Barcelona Nightlife.

About The Author

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the t-ransitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Submit your own travel stories in our first travel story contest (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/contests.htm) and have a chance to win an amazing adventure cruise on the Amazon River.

"Life is a Journey Explore New Horizons".

The story with photos is published at Travel and Transitions - Travel Stories (http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/hello_ibiza_1.htm).

Things For Families To Do In Hawaii

There are six islands that make up Hawaii; Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui and Hawaii's Big Island. On each of these islands there are many activities and adventures for you and your family to experience.

Kauai –

Kauai is one of the best islands to visit if you are traveling to Hawaii with kids. On the island of Kauai, children are welcomed and celebrated because the tradition and culture of Kauai centers around ohana or family.

Some things that you and your family can do together on the island of Kauai are:

Crafts and cultural activities usually offered at the resorts of Kauai.
Fishing
Beach games
Nature walks
Surfing lessons
Sand sculpture contests
Coconut frond weaving
Tide pool exploring
Tours

The island of Kauai also has two great museums for children. The Kauai Children's Discovery Museum in Kapaa which has many interactive exhibits that adults will enjoy too and the Starlight Planetarium which tells how the Polynesian voyagers used the stars, winds and ocean to navigate their canoes over the Pacific. This program takes place on Saturdays.

Oahu –

Oahu also has some great family adventures available.

Submarine rides that take you by sunken ships, airliners and reef structures.
Home to Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park
Sea Life Park where you can meet dolphins, sea turtles, stingrays, sharks and moray eels.
Honolulu Zoo
Waikiki Aquarium

4,000-acre Kualoa Ranch where you can explore by horse, ATV, helicopter, Jet Ski or kayak. The resorts of Oahu also offer many family fun activities including lei making, kite making and lauhala weaving.

Molokai –

The island of Molokai has a unique landscape to offer families. Molokai is perfect for the family that loves to explore the open wilderness, explore tide pools and trek across untouched beaches. You can even rope cattle at the real island ranch that makes its home on Molokai.

Molokai is also perfect for budding astrologers as its cloudless nights allow you to see the constellations perfectly!

Lanai –

Lanai is the least crowded of all the islands which makes it attractive to families for safety. There are still a lot of things for families to do on the island of Lanai.

Explore the entire 141-square mile island on foot or by 4X4.
Watch the dolphins and humpback whales that play off-shore
Make a lei
Learn to hula dance.

Maui –

Although Maui is the most popular island for honeymooners there are many things for families to do as well.

Explore a bamboo forest and look for rare tropical
Hiking
Volcano exploring
Glass-bottom boat rides
The Maui Ocean center has a 750,000 gallon open-ocean tank and walk-through glass tube
The resorts of Maui also offer many activities for their younger guests.

Hawaii's Big Island –

This is the largest of Hawaii's islands and it also has the largest family. Family embraces family and there are many interesting things for families to do together on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Explore the Kona coast which boasts desert like lava plains
Home to the rainiest city in America – Hilo
Explore the world's tallest mountain, Mauna Kea which is 13,796 ft. above sea level.
Visit the rainforest
See black lava rock

The big island also offers camping for those families that love the outdoors so much they want to sleep there too!

Whatever your family enjoys doing, you will be able to find it on one, or a few, of the Hawaiian Islands.

About The Author
Claire Quaty,s latest article can be found at http://www.hawaiix.info/.

Nightlife for a Florida Vacation

Florida has long been known for a party destination mostly due to the fact that Spring Breakers have come to the Keys, Panama City, Fort Lauderdale, and Daytona for years. However, Florida has a great nightlife any place any time of the year, no matter what the reason. Learn about hot spots and locals secrets to get the most out of your Florida vacation.

Jacksonville

Kick off the night in Jacksonville, home to the University of North Florida and a great twenty to thirty-something crowd. The party scene is found over the Intracoastal Waterway at the Jacksonville Beaches. Start the night right at Ragtime Taproom and Brewery, a locals' favorite known for great microbrews and live music. Voted "Best Brew Pub" year after year, the large bar starts filling up with the after-work crowd and does not empty until closing time. Head to the boardwalk to find The Atlantic, known for tasty appetizers and a great happy hour. Nightly music will range from jazz to hard rock and techno and begins around 9:30. If the typical "beach bar" is what you are in the mood for, look no further than Bukkets. Play pool, grab a drink, or watch people on the boardwalk in this high-energy drinking hole. Freebird Live was built in commemoration of Jacksonville native Ronnie VanZant of Lynyrd Skynyrd. This is where to go if you are looking to hear great live music. Past performers include Charlie Daniels, Willie Nelson, and Blues Traveler. Jacksonville has it all: a great nightlife, gorgeous beaches, and locals that love to have a good time.

Panama City Beach

Heading west will take you to Panama City Beach, home to one of the largest Spring Break gatherings in the state. Front Beach Road is home to two PCB staples, Harpoon Harry's and Sharky's Beach Club. Harpoon Harry's has tasty late night snacks, great drinks, and local live music. This is the ideal place for anyone wanting to avoid the crowds at larger clubs. Sharky's is a Panama City Beach institution, having been home to the Tiki Hut for almost 20 years. Hear live bands, drink mixed drinks, and enjoy fresh seafood where the energy is always high. The Boatyard attracts tourists and locals alike with a laid back atmosphere, delicious late-night treats, and live music. The dance floor is always full and the party goes on all night. Club La Vela is the nation's largest nightclub with ten theme rooms, each with its own style of music and atmosphere. Get to the club early and stay late at one of the trendiest nightclubs in the world. Panama City Beach continues its reputation for having one of the best late night scenes in Florida.

Orlando

Central Florida brings Orlando as its top nightlife scene. With quite a few colleges and universities in the area, theme parks with adult hours, and locals who like to have fun, there are plenty of options when it comes to local nightlife. Pleasure Island, part of Walt Disney World, turns into fun for the adults after dark. Purchasing a pass gets you into the clubs and attractions like BET SoundStage Club, 8TRAX, Mannequins Dance Club, Motions, and the Rock 'n' Roll Beach Club. Universal Studios answers back with its own adult nightlife scene found at CityWalk. Although there is no entrance fee, it is suggested to purchase the Party Pass that gets you free cover and priority entrance to BB Kings Blues Club, Howl at the Moon, Jillian's Hi-Life Lanes, Rumba Room and the Saddle Ranch Chop House, as well as, plenty of other freebies. The nightlife in Orlando does not end at the theme parks. Head to downtown Orlando to experience what the locals do after dark. Tabu Night Club is a more sophisticated alternative to Orlando nightlife with a dress code. The Art Deco design, friendly staff, fabulous drinks and appetizers, and celeb DJ's make this the place to go when looking for a more matrue atmosphere. Roxy is the heart of the Orlando nightlife scene and is the place to go if you want to see and be seen. This huge bi-level club has multiple rooms to cater to whatever mood and price level you are interested in. Orlando, known for children's theme parks and dreamlands, becomes an adult's playground at sunset.

Fort Lauderdale

Heading south brings you to Fort Lauderdale, home of the original Spring Break party scene. Start your vacation at the Elbo Room, an iconic beachside bar surviving from the "Where The Boys Are" era. Live music and ambiance make this a must-visit. The Art Bar is an up and coming Fort Lauderdale hot spot with great drinks and music. The Martini Bar, located downtown, is the new rage with fun takes on the classic martini. Crowds love the fun staff and atmosphere. The best dueling piano bar around, Howl at the Moon, is full of great eats, entertainment, and is one of the most fun nights out around. If hip-hop is your forte, visit G.O.A.T. Open seven days a week, this lounge and bar is the only place to go every night of the week. There are plenty of other beach bars, dance clubs, and cool lounges around town. Visit them all to find your favorite late-night spot in Fort Lauderdale.

Miami

Last, although certainly no least, we come to Miami, home to South Beach and one of the hottest nightlife scenes in the world. The rich and famous, as well as, your everyday Miami vacationer can be found in the clubs, bars, and lounges in this wildly fun city. Miami's top DJ's perform at Club Space, located downtown. A huge dance floor, open-air patio, and a dazzling light show are sure to keep you entertained from sundown to sun-up. Heading to South Beach will bring you to some of the most well known clubs in the country. The Marlin Bar is a place to expect to see celebrities and enjoy at laid-back atmosphere at the same time. There are plenty of couches and chairs, ample of space, and live jazz and world beat music to enjoy. Jazid is a popular bar, known for a great atmosphere, live jazz, and a sultry feel. If looking for something other than live music, head up to the loft for music spun by popular DJ's. For those looking to impress, get dressed to kill and head to Tantra, home to one of the more exotic atmospheres in South Beach. This Mediterranean-inspired restaurant and bar has a real grass floor, waterfalls, hookah pipes, and plush couches. Great martinis and one of the best menus on the Beach are accompanied by a cigar bar and fabulous company.

It's easy to enjoy a Florida vacation with such great activities, fabulous vacation rentals, and beautiful beaches that stretch for miles. Florida is known for being home to the hottest trends in music, couture, and nightlife. Whether looking for the newest club, a laid-back tiki bar on the beach, or the hottest nightclub, this state has all of it and more.

About The Author
Caroline Brame writes travel articles for RentalsExpress.com. For more information on Florida travel, as well as, other vacation destinations, please visit http://www.RentalsExpress.com.

Local Explorations - Hello from Lake Ontario's Waterfront Trail

In our neck of the woods the summer has been absolutely gorgeous, a little on the hot and humid side occasionally, but I am unable to recall a summer that has been so warm and sunny as this summer of 2005.

The weekend before last I just felt like exploring the local area a little bit and since I was unable to pry my husband away from watching some of the season's first football games, I struck out on my own and laid out an itinery for a little local discovery. I've said it before - this website is about exploration and discovery, locally and abroad. The places right underneath our noses often have so many things to discover, we don't always need to get a plane ride away to uncover something new.

Since we spent so much time along Toronto's waterfront during my brother's visit, and since I am big suck for water in all shapes and forms, I thought let's stretch the envelope a little further east and see what Lake Ontario has to offer outside of Toronto's eastern city limits. More specifically, let's check out the shoreline and Lake Ontario's Waterfront Trail.

The Waterfront Trail extends for a total of 740 km and stretches all the way from Niagara-on-the-Lake in the southwest to Brockville in the east. Of course, 740 km in a day would be a bit much, so I focussed my explorations on the communities just east of Toronto: Pickering, Ajax and Whitby.

I started just on the west side of Toronto's city limits at the estuary of the Rouge River, which forms part of a protected nature preserve. The river flows out in a lagoon setting and joins the lake just outside a long extended finger of sand, right beside a beautiful sandy beach. A video production company was just shooting a soca music video and the footbridge over the Rouge River was actually blocked off by the film crew. That didn't deter a bunch of fishermen underneath the railway bridge from casting their lures in hopes of catching the big one.

My next stop was Pickering, the first community east of Toronto. I went down to the Liverpool Beachfront Park, which houses a brand new very attractive Cape Code style housing development, a marina and a restaurant surrounded by a marsh just inland from the shoreline. At the beachfront of Frenchman's Bay there are various recreation facilities and the boardwalk takes you right up to the fences of the Pickering Nuclear Power Station.

Back in the car I went and I scoped out the next city further east: Ajax, which has a beautiful waterfront. I parked my car at Rotary Park which has a nice pavillion with a food concession, put on my inline skates and rolled eastwards past the Ajax Waterfront Park and Harwood Gardens to the east end of the Waterfront Park. Virtually all of downtown Ajax' waterfront is parkland and near Lion's Point and Harwood Gardens the shoreline is elevated, with many benches to sit down and rest and gaze out onto the infinite horizons of Lake Ontario.

I made a brief stop in Whitby, but by that time my stomach was growling and the nagging feeling in my digestive system made me decide to explore this area in more detail another time. I figured I gotta leave some of the nice stuff for next time.

After almost 20 years in Canada I had never explored these parts of Lake Ontario's shoreline and I was amazed at how many beautiful spots I found. As fall approaches, I am planning to extend my discoveries and head out to discover some of Ontario's brilliant fall colours and get to know my local neck of the woods a little better.

About The Author
Susanne Pacher is the publisher of a website called Travel and Transitions (http://www.travelandtransitions.com). Travel and Transitions deals with unconventional travel and is chock full of advice, tips, real life travel experiences, interviews with travellers and travel experts, insights and reflections, cross-cultural issues, contests and many other features. You will also find stories about life and the transitions that we face as we go through our own personal life-long journeys.

Rules In A Florida Vacation Villa

The answer is "yes" and "no" ! There are very few, (in fact, I've condensed it down to just four) but ultimately it all boils down to common sense and respect for the owners of the vacation property.

Sounds pretty good huh ? And it is... so here are the few simple rules that the villa owner will expect you to obey during your occupancy.

Check In & Check Out Times :

Please adhere to the times stated on your booking forms. These are stated for a reason and are part of the contract that you make with the owner when you agree to book their accommodation. Early check ins cause terrible problems for the cleaning staff, who work like Trojans in order to ensure your first impression is a great impression. Look at it this way... if it normally takes the cleaners 4-5 hours to clean the villa, and you arrive early, it is not going to make them clean any faster ! You will not be allowed entry to the villa until the job is complete, so if you do arrive early, take the opportunity to do a little shopping and stock up on those daily essentials.

Likewise, late check outs cause problems as this has a knock on effect throughout the day, as the cleaners struggle to make up the time caused by a late check out. Imagine you were the guests arriving on a day that the previous guests had checked out late. And imagine how annoyed you would be if the villa wasn't ready, just because of someone else's selfishness.

So the general rule of thumb, is to please check in and check out on time. Remember that if you overstay your welcome, as with hotels, you will be charged an additional fee.

Notices :

The villa owner and their management company will have gone to great lengths to ensure that the appropriate signage is displayed inside and outside the villa. Some people say that these signs are insulting to their intelligence, but the bottom line is that they are the law, and an owner can be fined if they are not displayed. Besides which, they are there for your health and safety, so take note of them and follow the instructions they give.

General Behaviour :

Always remember that you are staying in a privately owned home ~ not something owned by a faceless corporation. Villa owners spend thousands of dollars a year maintaining and upgrading their homes to ensure that you, as guests, get the best value for money vacation experience that you can.

Please don't disrespect the owner's property, and the trust they have placed in you by turning your accommodation into "dump" or a "party house". Would you like your home and your possessions damaged ? Of course not ! So please don't think that an owner will feel any differently.

Report any accidents immediately to the management company. Don't try to hide the evidence in the hope that you will get away with it. Trust me... you wont ! Also bear in mind that if the manager is not given time to repair damage or replace damaged items, the next guests will have to suffer the consequences of your actions. Put yourself in their position, and do the right thing !

Pool Rules:

One of the greatest things about renting a private villa is the fact that get your own private swimming pool too. However, care must be take at all times in and around the pool, especially if you have children in your party.

The villa owner will give specific details of pool safety in their Welcome Folder, and you will also see signs at poolside, which are required by Florida State Law. Please read these carefully and follow them to the letter.

A legal requirement in a short term rental villa is the provision of a pool alert alarm which should be fitted to any internal door which leads out to the pool area. This alarm will sound whenever a door is opened, and is designed to alert parents to small children who may have entered the pool area unnoticed. It is an excellent safety feature. An override button on the alarm, which can be activated by adults will ensure that the siren does not become annoying.

Many guests however simply disarm this alarm, showing total disregard for the safety of their children. Not only is this stupid beyond belief, but also an arrestable offence in the State of Florida, with fines of $5,000.00 being levied against offenders.

Again, be smart, think health and safety, and do the right thing.

And that my friends is pretty much it ! Nothing too scary or overwhelming. Just simple common sense and courtesy. Follow these rules and you will not only enjoy a fantastic vacation, but you will always be welcomed back to the villa again, year after year after year.

About The Author
Chris Neilson is a professional writer and private Villa Owner who has an extensive knowledge of the Florida Travel Industry. He is also the senior copywriter for the well known Florida Vacation Rentals web site Orlando Villas – http://www.orlandovillas.com.
© Copyright Chris Neilson 2005 All Rights Reserved

Austria Off The Beaten Path – Zell Am See, Innsbruck and Bad Gastein

Mention Austria and everyone thinks of Vienna and Salzburg. In addition to great names, Zell am See, Innsbruck and Bad Gastein are great locations off the beaten path.

Zell am See

Zell...am...See. The name just rolls off the tongue, but it pails in comparison to the place. Often described as heaven on earth, Zell am See is a dream location in the mountains of Austria. With towering mountains on one side and a lake on the other, the town looks like something out of a postcard. If you pull up photographs of the town, you'll swear they have been touched up with a software program. This town is simply that beautiful. In the winter, Zell am See is all about skiing with numerous resorts for glacier skiing. In the summer, one can lounge on a boat on the lake or hit the mountains for hiking, camping and rock climbing. The Krimml Waterfalls are extremely impressive. Zell am See isn't the cheapest of travel destinations, but it should top the list if money isn't a concern. The best month to go is December when skiing is good and winter festivals occur in the town.

Innsbruck

Built on the Inn River, Innsbruck was the home to the 1976 Winter Olympics. And for good reason. As with much of Austria, the town is picturesquely set against mountains and ripe with street cafes and surrounding areas that look like something out of the movie Heidi. As the Olympic designation would suggest, the town is a good launching point for hitting the slopes, but there is much more to it. The historic district has the cobblestone atmosphere you've come to expect from town in the Alps. In addition to atmosphere, you can visit historic locations such as the tomb of Emperor Maximilian 1.

My only gripe with Innsbruck is the boring, modern developments around the core of the town that were brought on by the Olympics. They sort of kill the mood, which brings us to Bad Gastein.

Bad Gastein

Bad Gastein definitely gets a nomination for name of the year. It just sounds like a town where bikers would hang out. Admittedly, it is hard to image Austrian Hells Angels, but you get my drift.

Bad Gastein is an old Austrian village without the droll modern fixtures of Innsbruck. Built overlooking a valley, the town has some incredible views. Historically, Bad Gastein is the spa town of Austria with emperors and other VIPs taking in treatment. For atmosphere, the town feels like it hasn't changed since the 19th century. If you're looking for old world Austria, this is the place. Make sure to hurry though as the town is supposedly grabbing the attention of developers who are thinking hotels and casinos are a must.

If you visit Austria, Vienna and Salzburg are definite destinations. Just make sure you get out to the incredible towns in the mountains.

About The Author

Rick Chapo is with http://www.nomadjournals.com - makers of travel journals. Writing journals are great travel accessories and travel gifts for him or her. Visit http://www.nomadjournaltrips.com for more travel articles.

Ontario, Your Next Vacation Spot

Ontario is the second-largest in area of Canada's ten provinces and is found in east-central Canada. Its capital is Toronto. Ottawa, the capital of Canada, is also located in Ontario. Ontario has a population of 12,449,502, representing approximately 37.9% of the total Canadian population.

It's excellent transportation links to the American heartland has contributed to making manufacturing the principal industry, found mainly in the Golden Horseshoe region, the most industrialized area in Canada. Important products include motor vehicles, iron, food, electrical appliances, machinery, chemicals, and paper.

Culture wise, you can enjoy Broadway blockbuster shows or innovative local theater on Toronto's diverse stages. Be dazzled by Ontario's myriad museums and their signature collections including rare ceramics, classic canoes, fantastic footwear and more. Whether you are moved by old masters or inspired by avant-garde installations, you'll delight in wide ranging art galleries.

Ottawa is the federal capital and is situated on the south bank of the Ottawa River facing the French-speaking city of Hull in Québec. The imposing Gothic-style Parliament Buildings overlook the confluence of the rivers Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau. The colorful Changing of the Guard ceremony takes place here daily in July and August.

The National Arts Center, a hexagonal complex on the banks of the Rideau Canal, houses an opera company, theaters, studios and restaurants. The Rideau Canal and the Rideau-Trent-Severn Waterway are part of a complex of recreational lakes and canals linking Ottawa to Lake Ontario and Georgian Bay.

Outstanding among the city's many museums and galleries are the National Gallery of Canada, the National Museum of Science and Technology, the Canadian Museum of Nature, the Canadian War Museum and the Museum of Civilization (over the bridge in nearby Hull).

Toronto is the provincial capital and is Canada's largest city. Its accelerated growth in recent years, with a huge influx of immigrants, has resulted in one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan cities on the continent. The city is laid out on a rectangular grid broken only by the Don River and Humber River, the banks of which provide a host of recreational amenities.

"Must See" tourist attractions in Toronto include The CN Tower, the world's tallest free-standing structure with its glass-fronted elevators rising 553m (1815ft) to indoor and outdoor observation decks that afford a 120km- (75 mile-) panoramic view on a clear day.

Also in Toronto is Niagara Falls. The Falls provides a vast array of year-round activities for the entire family. Beautifully-maintained biking and walking trails line the world-famous Niagara gorge while numerous golf courses, ball diamonds, playing fields, swimming pools and rinks are also here. The Falls has excellent accommodation options with over twenty Bed and Breakfasts's listed with prices to suit all needs.

About The Author
Shawn Everett is the owner of The Bed and Breakfast Connector (www.bbconnector.com). We provide a full service online directory to visitors and guests alike.