Singapore continues to grow in its reputation for offering some of the greatest and most diverse cuisine options in the world. It certainly deserves this acknowledgment and food genres from across the globe are available in this great island city/state. Tourists are becoming more aware of this as they visit and frequently look forward to experiencing not only the best of the local cuisine options but also food, such as what can be found here from all over. One of many people’s favorite pastimes is to try their own regions food representation when they are visiting other cultures. This means that Italian individuals will explore the Italian food options in Singapore and give their evolution of its quality. The same is true for Spanish and English food and individuals as well as many other countries and regional areas.

Meanwhile, the traditional food of Singapore is interesting and can be equated to that of the United States. This might sound odd at first and it’s not the particular genre, spice or main staple ingredients that is comparable it’s the combined influences that reflect local traditions. Typical American food is a product of the early settler’s and a mutation of their traditions. This is also true of Singapore, though it’s a bit more finite in source status. Singaporean cuisine is usually based on a blend of Malay, Chinese Indian and Indonesian traditions, though it doesn’t necessarily have to include all and other factors and influences can also be found. Certain travel information and other Singapore resources indicate that dining is national pastime and food is something of a cultural obsession. This is evident in the diversity of the cuisine and also the quality of it. There are numerous options for great fine dining opportunities and also fast hawker food available right on the streets from various food stalls. Whatever you’re looking for, when visiting Singapore you are certain to find it and more.

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Many people like to do what the Karankawa Indian Tribes used to do a long time ago which was migrate to South Padre Island for the winter. It is a small sliver of land off the coast of Texas and it is filled with warm sandy beaches and beautiful sunsets. The waters are calm and great for fishing. In 1804, Padre Jose Nicholas Balli came to the area and decided to make the first permanent settlement and was given a land grant by the Mexican state of Tamaulipas. He first called it Rancho Santa Cruz. They established a ranching business and raised cattle, mules and horses on the island.

There are many stories about the island. In fact, it is one of the most legendary islands for tales of Spanish shipwrecks and treasure. Could there still be some hidden treasure on the island? One of the more famous stories told on the island is called, The 1554 Shipwrecks. People still hunt for the ocean floor and sandy beaches for any remains of Spanish silver that may be still buried.

The Mexican War was not just fought on the mainland it also was fought on South Padre Island. Many troops were stationed on the island and the near by Port Isabel. It was a great way to trade and move supplies for the U.S. Military. There were some very famous men stationed on the island like future president Zachary Taylor when he was a soldier, Robert E Lee, Abner Doubleday who was the created Baseball, and James K. Polk. Another uprising with the American Civil War also brought action to the island. Many military men would hide there prised possessions on the island. There are still some coins and jewelry hiding in the sand dunes from the Singer family because the ever changing sand concealed the hiding place when they came back for it. So when you come for a visit at one of the tranquil hotels on South Padre, bring your metal detector.

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Imagine you’ve arrived in Williamsburg, Virginia. You’re out for a few thrills at the local amusement park, but mainly you’re in town for the history of the place. Williamsburg, of course, is one of the oldest colony settlements in America, alongside such places as the Jamestown Settlement. Like Jamestown, Williamsburg also provides its version of a living history museum in the form of Colonial Williamsburg, where you may wander the streets of historic homes and ask questions of costumed performers. How did the the restoration of this area begin? There’s a home that’s off the regular path that may answer this question: Bassett Hall.

The two story Bassett Hall is a frame house from the 1700s, situated on 585 acres of woodlands and gardens, owned by John D. Rockefeller Jr. and his wife, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller. They lived here during the restoration of the historic area of Williamsburg, which the Rockefellers financed. Most of the items in the house belonged to the Rockefellers. You’ll note that the home now looks like it did in the early 20th Century, from the 1930s and 40s, when the Rockefellers restored and furnished it. Conservation work was performed on the gardens, adding 5,000 trees and shrubs and ground cover. Trails the Rockefellers created in the woods are also maintained today. You’ll see a short film in a reception building that tells the story of the Rockefellers and the restoration. The home itself is fascinating. In each room, Mrs. Rockefeller used her collection of folk art to create a theme. You’ll find the guides in the home extremely knowledgeable and friendly.

A stop at this home is almost a requirement to understanding Colonial Williamsburg itself. Before you go, though, you should be aware that the place is only open three days a week, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Further, it’s closed from February 22nd until March 5th. Keep in mind that you’ll need to pick up an admission pass from Colonial Williamsburg before being admitted to the house. There are no ticket sales at the house itself. So, before you leave your local hotel, head to Colonial Williamsburg first, and then on to Bassett Hall.

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So, I was wondering what all there would be to do in Atlanta, Georgia. It turns out that my good friend Tammy won two round trip plane tickets to Atlanta and hotel accommodations for a three-night stay. She won the trip through a drawing at work that was part of the annual convention and seminar event. The point of all this, which might be obvious, is that she invited me to go with her and not being one to pass up a free trip I accepted. Meanwhile, I had never been to Atlanta before and was wondering what all we might want to do there.

About the only aspects I was aware of before looking into the local entertainment and cultural aspects of the city was the fact that the Atlanta Hawks were their NBA team and the Braves were their baseball team. And of course the Atlanta Falcons are their football team. There, that was the extent of my knowledge about Atlanta, Georgia. However, now I can say I’m actually much more familiar with it, well and of course I have been there and explored the city by now, but I also did my homework before arriving.

It turns out that in addition to all of the major professional sports teams, Atlanta really has a lot of dynamic cultural institutions and entertainment options. We also had a great time at some of the local nightclubs. We love to go dancing and sort of mingling with new people and our first night in town we went to a place called Compound. It’s on Brady Avenue and is really a cool and kind of chic, but not pretentiously, in its own way. We also went to happy hour at a place called Loca Luna just because Tammy liked the name. The happy hour was great and they’re known for their appetizers. This has just been a light sampling, but we had a fabulous time in Atlanta and I recommend it as a vacation destination for anyone.

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I don’t follow sports. At all. Well except I do follow Lance Armstrong…but that’s another story for another time. First time I lived in Chicago was during the 2001 World Series, played between the Yankees and the Diamondbacks. Everyone wanted the Yankees to win after all that the city of Manhattan had been through the month prior. I did too, however I was a bit torn. I was homesick after the Sept. 11 attacks and the fact that my team…from my home town was playing? well I had a bit of a heartbeat when I would hear that they were doing well. Perhaps that’s why, even though the Yankees ALWAYS seem to win the series, that my heart was torn…I wanted New Yorker’s hearts to keep on beating.

A few years later I was back living in Chicago. I had gone to see the Cubs play many times. And although I had never been to a Sox game, when they played the final games of the series, you could feel it…you could see it in the face of the “everyman”. The White Sox are a working man’s team who have dealt with their share of scandal. But they were playing ball…my goodness, They. Were. Playing. Ball! That final game I was in my apartment. My roommate had been watching the game from a downtown Chicago hotel lounge. He called me up and said meet me at Quencher’s. That was our local neighborhood bar. And me…no sports enthusiast, said…”you bet”! I had my snow boats on before I hung up the phone.

The crowd at Quencher’s, on Fullerton and Western is an artistic crowd, full of musicians and poets and painters. But when I walked in, all eyes were glued to the TV sets brought in for the occasion. No one there that night gave two thoughts to sports, but this was something more. This was the spirit of a town, that was rising up against all odds, against everything that was supposed to happen. When the game was called, and the White Sox won the World Series, everyone in that small pub hugged each other with tears in their eyes. It was just a brilliant night. A brilliant, a cold, and a wonderful night to be living in the city of Chicago.

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Los Angeles if full of celebrities and those who desire to become celebrities. That is a common belief about the city, which is manifested in the consciousness of people from around the world. It also happens to be true. Many film and television stars live in or around Los Angeles as well as the numerous writers, directors and other industry professionals. In addition, it is home to numerous establishments that are owned and sometimes operated by some of the celebrities and field professionals. The Viper Room is one of these establishments that in itself has become something of a city icon.

The Viper Room was opened in 1993 and one of its part owners quickly became the name associated with it. That of course is the legendary actor Johnny Depp. And although Depp was only legally associated with it as one of its owners until 2004, his name is still strongly associated with it and one of the reasons it has remained such a major city landmark, musician and tourist destination. The Viper Room is also known for a much more tragic reason than celebrity ownership. It is the bar that actor River Phoenix died outside of from a drug overdose in 1993.

The club has been associated with major Hollywood and music names since its opening. Depp himself requested that Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers perform at the club’s opening night party and since then major performers have played there. In the early days of the club’s existence it was a popular hangout for Hollywood’s film and television starts. Sean Penn and Jennifer Aniston are just two stars who were known to frequent the club. The Counting Crows lead singer Adam Duritz is known to have hid out at the Viper and work as a bartender to escape from his fame. The club is located on Sunset Strip near some of the cheap hotels in Los Angeles, which has made it easy to find, and an attractive tourist sight seeing feature since it was established.

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If you have found an elegant hotel located in Key Largo, than maybe you will be willing to drive a little farther. If you follow Highway 1 (interstate 5) all the way down to Key West than you can see some of the most beautiful areas long the way and end up in the place of brilliant minds. This is were many writers and presidents have found a little bit of peace and creation. If you want to be where the famous are then you sometimes have to go a bit farther because they are hiding in the harder to get to paradises around the world.

Ernest Hemingway is a writer that actually lived on the island for eleven years. He wrote his most famous book, For Whom the Bell Tolls, on these shores of Key West. When he tore himself away from writing he was out fishing or drinking at the Sloppy Joe’s Bar. Another writer who spent time here was Robert Frost. He wrote, The Gift Outright, when he was staying at The Heritage House and now there is a Poetry Festival held there every year. Then you have to point out that playwright Tennessee Williams spent time here as well. He wrote the famous works, A Streetcar Named Desire and Cat On a Hot Tin Roof. He also spent time at the Heritage House.

Then you have the great Presidents who spent time in the Keys, Harry S Truman, who stayed in the area enough that they named the officers quarters of the naval station, the Harry S Truman Little White House. Other presidents would stay here in the future. John Kennedy stayed and held a summit for a day with British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan. Jimmy Carter had a family reunion here in 1996. Then there was the visit of General Dwight D Eisenhower who came to have meetings about the Defense Department, fell in love with the area and returned as President who needed time to get well from a heart attack.

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There’s never been a better time to visit Philadelphia. There are some fantastic local productions and products, like the Mummers festival, and the famous Cheese Steaks, and there is also a good deal of world class entertainment. For many years, Philadelphia was seen as a kind of suburb to Manhattan, where people would be able to enjoy a similar urban environment, with a little less noise and a lot less rent. Today, it’s become a very distinctive place, with many neighborhoods that are constantly defining themselves. Sometimes it takes awhile for the world to catch up to what the locals have always known. This is a fascinating place, with a lively core of residents who are doing very interesting new work.

Visiting Philadelphia is pretty easy, and it’s an awful lot of fun. You can check out www.philadelphiacheaphotel.com and get some fantastic deals on lodging here, that will make your stay in the city an enormous pleasure. You can see a dizzying array of entertainments here, with some of the most innovative works in performance in the world. It’s truly a cutting edge city, where artists are a bit freer than in other cities to create vital work, because the economic restraints are not so high. This doesn’t mean there isn’t a lot of competition, though. The history of music is also very illustrious here, having produced acts as notable as Hall & Oates.

The duo had a steady stream of top 40 hits beginning with Sara Smile, all the way up to Maneater. They met at a dance, and were both running for the same elevator when a gang fight broke out, and when they started talking, they realized they had a lot of the same ideas about music. This lead to some early experiments in defining their sound, which is now widely known for its catchy pop flavor with some solid r&b influences. They were one of the defining musical acts of the 80s, and caught as much attention for their music as they did for their hair. They continue to work together, and sometimes give concerts, although the heyday is still living in the bright years of MTV’s birth.

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Dallas is one of the major metropolitan cultural centers in the great state of Texas. It is known for being the home of the famous Dallas Cowboys NFL football team as well as many other entertainment and cultural aspects. One of the more popular features that is enjoyed by most of the residents and tourists who visit the city and stay in a hotel Dallas is the food genre known as Tex-Mex. This popular regional cuisine combines American Hispanic flavors with traditional recipes and dishes from Mexico, as well as some standard American fare to create this dynamic and flavorful food.

The term Tex-Mex is frequently accepted to be synonymous with the more broad reference of Southwestern food. This is associated with the more rustic and sometimes traditional foods of the southwestern states and the foods generally share similar names and ingredients they do sometimes vary by state and or region. Fajitas, chili rellenos and various steak and pork based dishes are common to Tex-Mex and Southwestern foods. Many of the dishes associated with genre originated in Texas and the state stands out as an authentic quality source.

Some of the standard dishes that are associated with Tex-Mex cuisine are chili con carne, which can vary from mildly spicy to incredibly hot. It frequently contains chili peppers and is more often spicy than mild. Garlic, onions and cumin are also typical to the ingredients and spice list. Of course beans and meat are necessary ingredients to this staple dish. Chile con queso, which means chili with cheese, is another Tex-Mex dish and should not be confused with the soup dish. This is generally served as an appetizer and is more of a cheese dip spiced with peppers and eaten with tortilla chips. It is a popular and common feature on most Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant menus. Chile con queso originated in Texas though it is frequently served throughout the southwest and all the way north to Alaska.

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Finian’s Rainbow is one of the current fabulous musicals playing in New York. It is at the St. James Theatre on West 44th Street and while it opened in October of last year, it is scheduled to close later this month. It has been extremely popular with audiences and the final weekends of its run may prove to be difficult to get tickets to, which is just one of the reasons it is recommended tickets are purchased as far in advance as is possible. Many of the guests staying in one of the four star New York hotels are lucky enough to have tickets for this show as well as reservations for a great dinner before they attend.

The musical is set in a mythical southern state that happens to have much in common with real life societal elements. The mythological state is called Missitucky, and as one might suspect it involves and Irish character who is quite a fantastical dreamer. The production is full of charming and entertaining elements and features a leprechaun, which is always a welcome sight in any Irish themed event. This one however, often proves to be quite pesky. And as is true for many light hearted musicals, there is a romantic affair that becomes complicated by the many different circumstances presented in the story, which shall be no further described here.

The St. James Theatre is one of the many long standing icons of the New York theatre scene. It was designed by Abraham L. Erlanger and opened in 1927 at the site of what was formerly Sardi’s restaurant. It’s original name was The Erlanger. It was renamed the St. James Theatre after Erlanger’s death and its takeover by the Astor family. The theatre has produced many great hits and is known for its productions of Oklahoma!, Hello Dolly! 42nd Street and the Producers, among many others. It produces some of the best musicals and dramatic as well as comedy plays in the city.

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The Singapore Marina Bay area is as diverse as the rest of the city in the amount of cultural, entertainment, dining and shopping options it presents. Since its development this area of Singapore has become one of its most popular and heavily trafficked and numerous people can be seen walking along the peer and Promenade during day and evening hours. In addition the views are incredible both day and night though it definitely takes on a potential romantic feel in the evening hours.

There are many things to see and do along the marina area. One popular place is the Marina South Pier, which is also its maritime center. This pier is full of tourists who are there to catch a ferry to one of the nearby islands or take a short boat tour around Singapore. Ferries to both Kusu Island and Saint John’s Island are in operation on a daily basis. The Sail at Marina Bay is a beautiful condominium complex located along the waterfront. It is a visual spectacle that intrigues tourists and populated by the progressive Singapore population. It is among the ten tallest buildings in the world and is Singapore’s tallest condominium or residential building.

The Marina Centre is the main attraction in the area for both locals and tourists. There are a number of resorts there as well as amazing shopping and dinging opportunities. This is a popular evening hang out and the views of the water are spectacular as they reflect the city lights. There are frequent outdoor events here that draw large crowds and sometimes contain interesting lighting displays. There is a golf course along the Bay that keeps plenty of avid golfers happy. It is the perfect place to take a brake from the hustle and bustle of the workday or continue a great day of vacation fun and relaxation. Numerous future projects for this area are also in the work and its population and appeal continue to grow.

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There are some very romantic old Lindau hotels to stay in while you visit this wonderful German island. Imagine yourself sitting on the balcony of a 1800s hotel sipping on some of the local Riesling. Taking photos of your loved one with the Swiss Alps as a glorious background. It would be such a great private spot that you decide to just order dinner right there on the balcony. Maybe some fresh perch that was pulled from the lake that morning. It would build up such a wonderful feeling inside as you breath in the fresh cool air.

Landau Germany has many things to offer or could be the start of some great adventures. There is a great lakefront promenade lined with geraniums and cafes to stop and chat with a cappuccino. It is a place of leisurely strolls as you hang on to the arm of your lover. You could get a smile from the Oompah Band that is hanging around on the walk way. While you wonder around this tiny island that sits on the northeast corner of the stunning Lake Constance. Being the only island of Bavaria it is a special place to the area and is waiting to be the place of special moments in the hearts of its visitors.

If you feel up to some water adventures after you easy strolls on land, there are a few things you can do. You could rent a row boat or a paddle boat and head out into the lake itself. You could also find a sail boat large or small to spend the afternoon using the wind to get you around the water. Maybe you would like to get into the water by doing some water skiing. Its a warm day in the summer time of Germany why not take advantage of it. So come to this off beat resort island and see what is here waiting to delight you and you loved ones.

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We arrived in San Francisco around 2:30 in the afternoon. After checking in to our hotel and getting in a short nap, we got back into our car and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge. We stopped at both side of the bridge to get a different view and for some photo opportunities. We then walked across it! We were very lucky that the weather was in our favor at this moment. When we arrived, there was this huge low cloud covering the top of the bridge, so it was a good thing we took a nap earlier, because right now we have a perfect view.

Coming in from Yosemite to San Francisco, we noticed an extreme drop in temperature, we had to wrap up against the chill and the wind. We were wind swept going across the bridge, but we made our way back to our car and drove to the famous Lombard Street.

It’s that street you see in all the movies or television shows, the one that’s all crooked and it goes from the Presidio to the Embarcadero. The one stretch that’s in the movie, the red-bricked road that is in-between Hyde and Leavenworth streets has eight tight, sharp switchbacks. In 1922, a resident who was a forward-thinker thought that the switchbacks would help drivers and pedestrians alike deal with the 27 degree slope.

From there we drove to Fisherman’s Wharf and walked around for a bit. We hadn’t eaten since breakfast, we were rather hungry. We decided to have an early dinner at Bubba Gumps, which by the name you should be able to tell what they served there. After several dishes of eating all kinds of different ways to prepare shrimp, we walked around Pier 39 where we found a lovely and expensive chocolate shop. We were in heaven. We walked around a bit more and saw some very smelly Sea Lions. The shops were closing down, so we headed back to our car and to our hotel San Francisco offers to its many tourists and travellers and crashed out for the night.

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Leo was on a mission. He had just landed a job with a major architectural firm in Dayton, Ohio and was scheduled to begin working there in one month. He had to pack up his bags, make all the arrangements, say goodbye to family and friends, oh and find a place to live in Dayton. As instantly as he was excited about the job and his new life transition, he became equally as nervous to get everything taken care of. The day he returned home to his Kansas apartment he made reservations for the following weekend in one of the hotels Dayton to look for a new home.

He was pretty sure that he wanted to buy a home in Dayton as planned to live there and stay with the firm for at least five years. That seemed to him like too long of a time to rent places, but it was the minimum amount of time he figured he needed to commit to the company and a house purchase. So, the following weekend he brought his brother Troy with him to tour the neighborhoods and possibly even put down an offer on a house.

He had heard interesting things about the suburb of Huber Heights and decided to give it a drive through. He was surprised to find out that it covered three counties though he absolutely loved the brick homes. While he was impressed with the houses and the community he didn’t find anything that immediately grabbed him or said home, so he moved on to the suburb of Englewood. This had a quieter, or more rural feel to it and was also smaller than Huber Heights. Leo felt comfortable among the family residences but once again he didn’t feel like he had found his home. Troy suggested they return to Huber Heights because he wanted get another look at one of the houses and felt Leo should see it too. One their way they passed through Riverside and Troy got a great feeling about that town. He insisted they pass through some of the residential areas and he fell in love with one of the houses. Leo took the opportunity to try and talk his brother into moving as well.

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Many great things exist in the city of New York. And there are numbers of talented musicians, artists, actors and others who make their way to New York for their career. It draws to it some of the greatest talent in the country as well as throughout the world. And it also produces some of the best right there at home. Rasputina is a cello based rock band that originated in Brooklyn, New York. Tourists who visit the city and stay in one of the hotels NY frequently discover favorite new bands, artists and plays while they are there, and Rasputina has been one of them.

The band started when solo cellist Melora Creager decided she wanted to form and all cello group and put out an ad seeking additional members. Creager was already an established musician and had performed regularly with Nirvana. In addition it should be clarified that Creager was not born in New York, she was one of the artists that was drawn to it to go to Parsons School of Design. It is the band Rasputina that was established in Brooklyn. Throughout the years, Rasputina has gone through a number of musicians and it is currently composed of three people. They are Creager, Daniel DeJesus and Sarah Bowman.

Oh Perilous World is the six album from the trio and Creager wrote the songs for it. These are based on circumstances from the last two years that have seemed more bizarre than stories from history. The songs on the album are created from and in response to major world events and stories. This is an interesting contrast to most of Creager’s and the band’s music which is based on stories and tales from history. They have maintained a steadily increasing fan base and are excellent role models for young string players who may be seeking an alternative to strictly classical performance.

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For a lively urban scene that’s rich in creative experimentation, with an exquisite sense of style, Singapore is in a class by itself. It’s also an unusual thing in itself, neither an island not a city, but best described as an island city state. It has a remarkable history, and its current image as one of the most exciting places in the world to visit is based on this same history, along with some innovations of the recent past. There is a strong sense for innovation here, anyway, and it’s been on the edges of world technology and culture for some time, and these days, in Singapore, they blend together. It’s a spectacular thing to see, and it’s one of the many reasons so many individuals with a strong taste for the unique are drawn here. For unique sensibilities, a stay here is heartily complimented with lodgings in a boutique hotel. Singapore has many options for accommodations, and these are some of the most spectacular.

It’s certainly a step away from the chain hotel mentality, and there are many individual features and amenities that can’t be found anywhere else. This is a great way to explore the city state with a sense of style in your lodgings that will meet the style all around you. You might get the opportunity to see a work of theatre or performance with a soundtrack by Sonicbrat, one of the scene’s great new innovators. This is the artistic moniker of Darren Ng, who’s one of the most sought after sound designers around. He’s educated from the National University of Singapore with degrees in Philosophy and Theatre Studies, which are very well-suited preparations for his heady and evocative performance forms.

His own musical training was formally in piano, and then there’s a lot of electricity in there, and both of these fused together in his work. Influenced by such artists as Arvo Part, Brian Eno, and Radiohead, and also the work of the great Murakami, Ng creates sonic textures that begin with his music, and often are original compositions. To this he adds layers of electronic textures, field recordings, and a great spirit of improvisation. His work is open for experimentation, and also for imperfection. This gives it a great deal of body, where the open nature of the artistic experiment meets with his own technical brilliance to make sounds that are impossible to describe, and wonderfully exciting to hear.

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The human mind wants to see personalities in inanimate objects — to see the shapes in clouds other than clouds, to see the outline or silhouette of a mountain or rock and compare it to a more familiar creature. Sometimes entire mountains are carved into these shapes, such as Mt. Rushmore. We take blocks of stone or marble and turn them into people, creating amazing art work out of lifeless stone. It’s the same the world over, and for some reason, it comforts us to see these mountains and hills and boulders turned into the familiar. If you’re traveling to Melbourne, Australia, and checking into one of its top Melbourne hotels, you may have already become acquainted with a dozen of these objects out on the Great Ocean Road, just a day trip away. I’m talking about, of course, the Twelve Apostles.

The Twelve Apostles are a series of rock formations jutting out of the ocean, seemingly hunched and praying, as one might imagine apostles to do. In order to see them for yourself, find your way to the Great Ocean Road, which is a bit of a misnomer, as it only seems to occasionally hit upon the coast for a moment at Glenaire, but turns inward again up Lavers Hill, then back down again to Princetown. It’s filled with rolling hills and valleys, which contrasts greatly with the coast, once you do hit it. You’ll come across the Gibson Steps lookout first; the second stop will be the Apostles. There’s a large parking area on the right and a pathway underneath the Great Ocean Road (similar to the car park in England on the way to Stonehenge).

Depending on when you arrive, you may have to deal with coaches filled with tourists, but you might have the area all to yourself as well. Nearby, there’s an airstrip with cattle all around it, running each time a plane or helicopter arrived or departed. Out to sea, though, you will find the rocks we’ve anthropomorphised. The stacks of rocks that jut out of the water are made of red sandstone, up and down the coast. The cliffs are red, the vegetation climbing them are green, and the water, of course, is deep, deep blue. Perhaps the best time to see them is at sunrise or sunset, especially if the sea is a bit wild, churning round them. I don’t know if it’s because of their name or their shape or both, but you can’t help but think of these as human souls praying out beyond the shore.

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Naropa University is located in Boulder Colorado. It is a private liberal arts university and was the first in the nation to become a Buddhist inspired accredited institution. The school was founded in 1974 by Chogyam Trunga, a Tibetan Buddhist teacher. These are some of the basic factors Alice presented to her parents when she told them she wanted to complete her graduate studies at this university. Her parents were already aware of this school since they lived in Denver, which wasn’t very far. This idea alone provided them with an almost instant support of their daughter’s interest. However, as with all responsible parents and students, they decided to make a quick trip to the campus before Alice applied.

The family decided to make a complete weekend out of the experience and book a couple of rooms in one of the Boulder hotels. And while they had been to Boulder on several occasions in the past it was always for one particular reason or another and they never really spent time touring or experiencing the city. Their first stop would be the Naropa campus, which Alice immediately fell in love with. Her parents agreed that it was beautiful and had a great atmosphere for an academic institution. The campus alone, however, was not enough of a reason to base one’s graduate studies decision on.

So, they family investigated the programs and were completely interested in the Theatre program. It was an MFA in Contemporary Performance and integrated the physical aspects of performance with various theoretical viewpoints. They were particularly interested in how the traditional contemplative practices were incorporated into the study. Alice, however, was completely interested in the Somatic Counseling Psychology. She wanted to focus on body psychotherapy. Her parents were supportive of this and thought it probably offered a bit more job stability options. They spoke with some of the staff and instructors and Alice left Boulder more sure than ever that she wanted to attend Naropa. She immediately prepared her application and her parents were relieved she would be so near.

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Every year thousands of people flock to Melbourne Australia for the Australian Open. The host this tournament in the Melbourne Park every January. It is the first of four tournaments concidered the Grandest Tournaments tennis. All serious players strive to play in this amazing setting. The start of the Tennis Open was in 1905, originally on grass courts until 1987 when the tournament was held on hard courts. There is one player who has ever one on both the grass court and the hard court, Mats Wilander. In 2008, the courts were reserfaced again with a cushioned, medium-paced, acrylic known as Plexicushion Prestige. Seems to be a nice way to save the joint and structual health of the players. There are many games played with in the tournament. Players of all ages and genders compete here. There are junior and master tournaments.

After visitors check into an Australia spa resort, they can find their way down to the park and witness history in the making. Usually, these games have a very high attendance even during these famous hot days. The 2009 Australian Open gained the highest attendence record of any Grand Slam tournament with a whapping 66,018 people filling the stands. The even generates about 38 million to the countries economy.

There is some money to be won in these tournaments. It goes by round and finalists. In the men’s and women’s singles tournaments both paid the same and was divided up in gaining amounts. 1st round got $19,400, 2nd round received $31,000, 3rd round received $51,000 and 4th round won $88,000. Then you had the finalists. Quarterfinalists won $182,250, Semifinalists got $365,000, Runners up took home $1,000,000 and the winners made off with $2,000,000. Not a bad day on the court. In 2009 the singles winners were Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams.

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It’s a magnificent place, and it’s one of the most unique urban centers in the world. Singapore is a world unto itself, and creates itself in relation to its neighboring countries, still maintaining a unique identity, but with an entirely cosmopolitan sensibility. Singapore always seems to be at the cutting edges of fashion, design, and in the realm of finance. This is one of the reasons, perhaps, that people see it as a particularly good place for their private bank. Singapore has a style and a sensibility to get things done with a splendid grace, and the interest in the rest of the world is entirely genuine.

In recent years it has really started to come to its own in terms of a cultural identity, and part of its appeal is that it’s fabric is the product of many different cultures and traditions. The urban lifestyle here is particularly suited for a blend of cultures, and it’s constantly developing, and constantly looking forward. At the same time, there is also a splendid sense of history, where looking forward also means knowing the past. This sense of motion in time is particularly evident in the musical styles here. Local music sensation Bevlyn Khoo, an instructor at the school of pop, is a perfect embodiment of the Singapore music aesthetic, and her stylings have been likened to a cup of fusion tea.

You can find a number of bubbly influences in her music, from Mandarin pop to rock in English, and one of her earliest influences was Michael Jackson. She sings in Mandarin, Japanese, English, and French, demonstrating her own versatility, as well as her music’s ability to find its way to multiple audiences. Bevlyn Khoo began songwriting in 2000, and since then has performed in cafes all over Singapore, as well as recording cds and winning lots of competitions. She has also tried her hand at acting, and will no doubt be seen again on the screen in the future.

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Walter was preparing for his business transference to Salt Lake City, Utah and reluctantly put his house up for sale. It wasn’t that he was disappointed with his need to change cities, it was just that he particularly loved that house he was living in and had only had it four three years. However, he enjoyed new experiences and the transfer was only going to be for two years with the possibility for more. Walter had considered renting his property but somehow instinctively he felt he would never return to that house once he left. He didn’t know how long he would remain in Salt Lake, but he knew he would be headed somewhere new once he left there.

This was like Walter as he had a history of moving from city to city. He wasn’t what many people would consider to be a wanderer, he was a writer, primarily a freelance magazine writer and he could work from anywhere and was always stably employed. However, recently he had begun working for a major technology company, which was his educational background, and quickly rose through the ranks. This was the same business that was responsible for his impending move to Salt Lake. Walter decided to take a quick weekend trip to the city to look around a get a feel for which area he would like to live. He booked a flight and made reservations in one of the hotels Salt Lake and as his plane ascended through the mountains in its final approach to the city, a strange new feeling overcame him.

Walter felt oddly at ease, possibly due to the serenity of the landscape, he wasn’t sure why, but it was there. The feeling embraced him during his entire visit and gave him a great feeling about his impending move. During his stay one of the places he visited was the city’s public library system. He was greatly impressed with and had heard it was one of the best public libraries in the country. He felt this would be a pleasant place to work on the historical novel he had been putting off. Walter loved the Gateway District and spent an afternoon at the Clark Planetarium. He drove through the neighborhoods of Federal Heights and the Avenues looking at houses and he knew where he was going to live. For the first time in his life Walter felt he was home.

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With the interesting contradiction of having spectacular beaches deep in the desert, Dubai has some interesting mysteries to offer travelers. There is something for all ages here, and a timeless sensibility for awakening the part of the soul that enjoys hospitality. Hospitality is one of the greatest industries here, and this is demonstrable in every luxury hotel Dubai has to offer. There are sumptuous lodgings available to suit every taste, as long as the taste tends toward the magnificent. Life can be very sweet when there are no responsibilities, and vacations are always a good time to forget all your obligations and enjoy the here and now.

For interesting and contradictory reasons, enjoying the here and now is sometimes easier when there is world class shopping nearby, and Dubai has some of the most fascinating shopping centers in the world. Fashion, housewares, and electronics are all on display here, but there are usually a host of other attractions here that will also make the kids smile. There are a number of apparent contradictions here, combining the familiar and the strange, and a tendency toward making things larger than life that speaks to a local sensibility. And for apparent contradictions that fall apart to make sense under close scrutiny, there is A-Class, one of Dubai’s new hip hop acts.

They’re made up of all the members they need at the moment, Sean Shorty and Akey. They both grew up in Dubai and live here, and they’re born listening to the rhythms and beats of James Brown, Michael Jackson, and Tina Turner. As they matured in the city, they saw a hunger and a need for music of their own, that spoke to both the international hip hop culture they grew up in, as well as a local Arab cultural sensibility, and their music is the answer. The mix of American – US – style hip hop and Arab rhythms is called Aratone. English is their second language, giving the intensity of the music another level of complication that, in the face of hip hop culture who’s soul is based in mixing, is absolutely welcome, and exciting.

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Deep in the Tramuntana mountain range of Northwest Majorca, there is this very romantic village called Valldemossa. Chopin called it the most beautiful place on earth. Since I heard so much about this wonderful place, I was eager to visit it and find out if Chopin knew what he was talking about.

I was staying at one of the 5 star hotels Balearics with my aunt. We left early in the morning and didn’t have far to travel since our hotel was also nestled in the Tramuntana’s. We travelled deeper into the more lush green mountains on the west side. There were forests of pine, terraces of olive trees and lingering clouds only hundred meters above the sea. As we approached the Sierras of Tramuntana, we saw these dark clouds that seemed to be stuck between two cliffs. The actually look unwilling to move. We look at one another hoping we weren’t headed that way, because the rest of the sky was a beautiful cerulean.

We drove higher and higher along this serpentine road. All the curving and turning we did made us dizzy, there were not straight aways. I was fighting car sickness. Our ears kept popping as we climbed higher. Finally, Valldemossa came into view. 1300 meters above sea level. By this time we were so excited and hoping that all the hype was true.

But, just as we thought, those dark clouds were exactly where we were heading. Right in the valley. Right where Valldemossa is located. The sunlight disappeared, but that didn’t dampen the colorful town. Little stone homes with colored doors and shutters. Windows clustered around one church tower that was the highest peak of the town. Leafy trees surrounded the town as if to protect it from any harm and it almost seemed as if the town was floating. It was better than any fairy-book picture, beyond words. Better that how Chopin describe it.

The road we were on circled the town until the entry to Valldemossa was obvious. I parked as soon as we could find a spot and began our excursion. When we stepped out of our car, we noticed how different the air was, the oxygen was so pure and the aroma was of dampened pine cones. This place was well worth the curvaceous drive and it truly is a fairytale land.

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Kyle had recently agreed to go with his father on a business trip to Tampa, Florida. He hadn’t been able to spend a great deal of time alone with his father since his parents’ divorced and Kyle lived fulltime with his mother. Kyle was going to begin high school next year and while he was close to his mother he regretted that he would not be seeing much of his father. So when his father mentioned that he would be in Tampa for a week and only had to work three of those days Kyle became interested in the trip. He didn’t have to think before saying yes when his father asked him to go along.

When the two of them checked into their room at one of the best Tampa hotels Kyle wasn’t sure what he was going to do while his dad was in meetings. He had never been to the city before, though it sounded interesting and exciting to him before he got there. Now that he was there he felt a little lost. Fortunately his father came to his aid and suggested he spend the afternoon down by the water front and he gave him some money to get a sandwich and maybe a souvenir or something. It was a beautiful afternoon and Kyle had a great time.

The following evening they had tickets for the Florida Orchestra. Kyle played the flute for his school orchestra and his family had always enjoyed going to the symphony. They had dinner before the performance at Bern’s Steak House and just as Kyle was about to dig into his barbeque ribs his father told him he had something to discuss. He then told Kyle that he was going to be transferred to Tampa for his job and asked Kyle to consider moving with him. He had already discussed it with Kyle’s mother who was willing to let him go if he really wanted to. That added a bit of pressure to the rest of the evening but Kyle tried to escape into the music. He didn’t want to make that decision. The next day he told his father he really needed to think about it and the decision changed his experience in the city. He went from the freedom of a vacation to the perspective of a possible new home. One thing about it, Tampa was certainly inviting.

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Isn’t it Ray Charles that sung ‘Georgia on my Mind’? Well I know why. Georgia is a beautiful state. Gorgeous green rolling hills dense pine forests, fertile farms and of course the Peach Trees.

As a kid we would go to Georgia every other summer to visit my aunt and cousins there. In alternate years they would come up to New York State to visit.

We would always take two days to get there, driving south from New York to somewhere in the Carolinas stay the night and then make it to my aunt’s house by later that afternoon.

There home was out side Atlanta by about 60 miles. It was an old house built in the middle of the 1800’s and set on a big piece of land densely forested with pine trees. It was a great place to spend our summer vacation. Running and playing in the woods, hanging out with the variety of animals they had and making home made ice cream.

Some years we would be there on the Forth of July and I remember all of us heading over to Stone Mountain for the fireworks display. It was an impressive site seeing the fireworks exploding with the backdrop of the sheer white granite face of Stone Mountain.

Great memories of wonderful times, I know I can’t get them back but I still want to go back and see some of the places I remember going to when I was a child. Also my aunt is getting on in years and I haven’t seen her for about ten years, so it is time to get there for a visit.

My aunt really loves gardens so I’ll take her to the botanical gardens in Atlanta for a day. It will get her out of the house and into some very beautiful surroundings. We may be able to do more depending on how she feels and if so I’d like to go to Atlanta Underground, I remember going there when it first opened probably thirty years ago or more now.

I have my room booked at Georgia luxury hotel and am very excited to be going to Georgia.

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The smallest of the Balearic Islands, and also one of the most exciting places on earth, Ibiza is a new adventure in culture and entertainment. Ibiza has been the host of a stunning number of civilizations and cultures, from the ancients Romans to the Visigoths and the Vandals, and the sense of history here is profoundly strong. It is almost uncanny the way these civilizations have left their mark here throughout the years, and also there are fantastic touches from every new visitor. You are participating in history and culture here, and it’s got a fiercely individual sensibility, honoring the ideas and traditions of the people who visit. This may come from the hippie sensibilities that have left their mark here, or it may come from something much older. Whatever the origins, it’s a great place for boutique hotels. Ibiza embraces tradition at the same time that it welcomes innovation, and this is amply demonstrated in the lodgings.

Boutique hotels offer something different, being remarkable individual and unique, and are often smaller than chain hotels, so that guests can be treated to a real designer experience. You’ll probably have the sense that some of this was created just for you, and at times you might be right. Most of the time, it won’t matter, because it’s such a splendid atmosphere, and relaxation will take over everything. At that point, you’ve really entered Ibiza, and that’s the perfect time to see what’s happening in the city. Check out the new experiments from Ivan Guash Serrano for a taste of what the rhythms of the island can do.

Born and raised in Ibiza, Serrano made a career as a DJ here, inspired by the multiple creative efforts by local and international talents coming through here every night. It’s a very heady way to grow up, and into a musical existence. He eventually got restless in spinning tracks by other artists, and felt he had something of his own to contribute. Carrying the knowledge of digital musical forms forward into his own work, he created Spiritual Light, a musical ongoing odyssey featuring strong percussion and bassline, and a large dose of psychedelic trance, to make for a listening experience that combines electronic and visceral impulses to move you into a new way of seeing.

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Soon, many cultures around the world will be celebrating the festival known as Diwali. This is one festival that is practiced in many countries of the world, but remains relatively unknown in the United States. During this time, the cities of India, Trinidad, Nepal and Fiji will be celebrating with much merriment, and many fireworks. This is associated with gambling, but not in the traditional sense, it means taking a huge risk on the chance to welcome into their lives the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.

The word itself is translated from Sanskrit to mean the rows of light. There are several differing myths surrounding the festivals depending upon which city you are celebrating in, the main myth in the Indian city of Goa is just the triumph of good over evil, the light over the dark. I chose to spend a few weeks surrounding this festival in one of the city’s four star hotels. Goa history fascinates as well as their love of and support of the arts, so I thought this would be a fine choice to experience this celebration for the first time.

In Goa, Krishna is also celebrated during the parties and the feasts and the dancing. This is one of the most joyous of the Hindu traditions and the people await the Diwali festival all year long. People light the town with thousands of candles and lanterns and the night just fills with the beauty of the vibe, and the magic of the lights. The feeling of this particular time is similar to the celebrating that occurs during New Year’s Eve or Christmas. Diwali is also a time of renewal, houses are cleaned and painted fresh, and again as in the tradition of making New Year’s Resolutions, people vow to begin new lives. Lights of bright colors are draped over the houses and the stores, the fireworks light the skies, and a new time will be born. I will miss this celebration this year, but perhaps the opportunity will arise again before too long to make it back to Goa.

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I was on my way to Barcelona and made a quick jaunt to the Sagrada Familia, a church designed by Gaudi, to get a few photos. I had reservations a one of the five star Barcelona hotels and I found it to be very nice. I had dinner at the hotels restaurant after I got all settled in my room. After dinner, I headed into central Barcelona for a walking tour. I fully agreed with my walking tour guide that this tour is definitely much better in the evening. Very haunting and beautiful, the history of the city is staggering. I didn’t to bring my camera with me because I headed to a couple of bars, and I didn’t relish the idea of losing my very expensive camera due to inebriation.

The first bar I stopped off at was cute, called “Fairy Bar.” It was pretty small and my tour guide described how he thinks the decor happened. A fairy threw up all over the building, covering it with fairy lights and greens of every shade. This bar has the ‘free pour’, which is so much better than those English pub control pour. Here the bartenders don’t even measure the shots! That’s the best way to keep customers as far as I’m concerned. The only thing lacking at this bar was the music. They really need a DJ. I ended up meeting these great Italian guys, they were so much fun! They ended up hanging out with our walking tour group all night, which only made me laugh the entire time. It was great to meet people who like to party as much as I do!

The second bar, was a club, which was a blast, I ended up dancing all most every song. I was being hit on by every Spaniard guy, it seems tourists are like a drug for them. I mostly just danced with the walking tour group, to play it safe. The club, though, really needs to clean their restrooms more often. Pretty disgusting.

Needless to say, I slept in that morning! I must say, by all means, take a walking tour in the evening! It’s so much fun!

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Brisbane is one of Australia’s largest cities, and enjoys an enviable position, being both a rich center for urban culture, but also having easy access to gorgeous natural areas, with the Barrier Reef, vinelands, and outback in close proximity. Being one of the great metropolitan centers, there is a wide range of five star Brisbane hotels to keep you in the very lap of luxury while you’re visiting. Seeing the city from such spectacular lodgings gives it another layer of polish that makes it very compelling. Not that it needs more polish. Brisbane is one of the most exciting places in the world, and is one of the really great music capitals.

The Brisbane alternative music scene is influenced today by its rich punk rock roots. It was one of the great centers in the world, very likely up there right next to New York City and London, for the immense creative output by the local music groups, along with the history of youth culture here that was very outspoken and active, and caught the attention of the local police. There was an awful lot of great music that came out the first and subsequent waves of punk rock from Brisbane, like the Leftovers and the Survivors, and then there’s the Saints, who are still considered to be one of the main forces behind this music in the world.

The second wave, riding on the gravitational pull of the first, was also a fantastic time to be living here. Most of the bands were socially rebellious, and interrogated the culture at large with large doses of wit and sarcasm. This was followed, in the mid-80s, by a more hardcore punk scene, like in the U.S. and the U.K., and gothic elements started to play a more central role. In some recountings, this is where the scene ended. It would be easy to make a case that it hasn’t really ended, and there is a fresh energy to the music right now that is just as vital and exciting, as evidenced by groups such as Escape from Toytown, whose career lasted from 1997-2004, with a sound that carries some of the best edge and grit from the second wave, with a technical precision that speaks to contemporary tastes. If music is your thing, there’s plenty to see here and see how history plays out as the musicians continue to rise out of the ashes of the previous generation.

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Leaving Mysore on another overnight train and heading to Cochin in Kerala. I’m not sure why, but the train was full of Swamis, they’re the Hindu religious version of a coach full of inebriated men. Almost like university supporters. For example, one Swami would shout “Swamiye” and another Swami would shout ‘Awooga’. This repeated all through out the evening. I found it very amusing to see a religion being more like a sport. They even wore the same colored clothes! It would’ve been so funny if when we arrived at a station and a rival Swami group came aboard wearing different color clothes.

My first impression of Kerala was that it was more touristy than I thought it would be, but Kerala is one of the richest states in India and has had tourists travelling here for centuries, so I shouldn’t be too surprised. I can’t even tell that the Tsunami. ever hit here, which is a testimony to how the people here love Cochin. Before I came here, I was warned very strongly that the place is in ruins. But, I found no evidence of this.

I found Cochin to be a wonderful varied town with many cultural sights. I went to see a Kathakali after I checked into one of the best hotels Kerala offers her travellers. Kathakali is a distinctly Keralan form of theater that performs ancient Hindu stories without ever using a word! They use intricate sign-language, facial expressions and musical rhythms to tell the tale. The one I went to lasted into the wee hours of the morning, I didn’t know about that part. After it was over is when I found they offer an abridged version for the tourists, which only lasts three hours. But, I’m actually glad I attended the full version, because I was so enthralled with all the detail and care that went into this production, this art-form.

So, I’ll have to change my plans for tomorrow, I mean today. I need some sleep, long sleep.

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