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Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

If you’ve come to Manila, Philippines, then it’s likely you have an interest in history, and one of the best ways to find out the stories of this 439 year old city, founded in June of 1571 by three Spanish conquistadors, is to get out of the hotel suites and take a walking tour of sites that have existed for centuries.

On the Old Manila Walks tour , you’ll discover the actual story behind the fusion of so many countries — of Malasia, China, Spain, America, and Japan. Starting out with the original walled city of Manila, the Intramuros walk takes you to the origins of Manila four centuries ago, beginning at the Plaza Roma. You’ll make your way to the Manila Cathedral, then the San Agustin Church and Museum Complex, followed by the Barrio San Luis, and the Intramuros Wall. As part of the tour, there’s an optional fine-dining lunch or dinner in a pre-war home close to Malacanang Palace. The Legarda mansion serves classic Filipino menus here, in a 1930s style setting. The walk lasts approximately three hours.

If the walking tour hasn’t tired you too much the first day, and if you can rouse yourself from the comfortable rooms at the Manila hotels , then you might work your way through Chinatown in Binondo. Here, you’ll start at a 16th century Baroque cathedral, and work your way to a Chinese shrine. You’ll start at Plaza Calderon dela Barca, and continue on to the Basilica de San Lorenzo Ruiz, finally ending at Ongpin Street and the Carvajal Alley Market, simultaneously experiencing the culture, history, and cuisine of Manila.

There are so many things to see and do when you visit Seattle, Washington that many people are completely engaged in the standard tourist attractions, while others are so overwhelmed by what all the city has to offer that they completely miss seeing the obvious sights. And that’s a pretty difficult thing to do seeing that you will almost literally run into the Pike Place Market if you head to the western edge of the city and the Space Needle can be seen from all over and is one of the major landmarks and visual recognition points. But overlooking these aspects of two of the most famous and popular attractions in the city, it can be easy to understand how they are completely missed with so much else to do and see.

The Seattle boutique hotels will likely remind guests, as if that is actually really even necessary, that the Space Needle and market are there and will also guide visitors in the right direction. Again, that’s not a difficult task. However, they are also excellent guiding resources for other cultural attractions in the city such as the Seattle Art Museum , which will open its highly anticipated Picasso exhibit this October and the Seattle Symphony Orchestra . In addition, there are numerous theatre companies throughout the city and great live music venues. Rounding this off with great restaurants and fabulous shopping opportunities it easy to forget to visit, wait what are they again?

The Staples Center in Los Angeles has been receiving a lot of attention most recently for being the place where the NBA Finals were played. And while the city of Los Angeles is as known for being the home of stars as it is for angels, a great number of them, stars that is, turned out to watch game seven of the Championship series. Jack Nicholson is well known for being a Lakers fan and has been a common figure at their games for decades. Meanwhile, younger generations of stars have joined the crowd and it is common to see celebrities in the stands during the games. Of course in Los Angeles, it is common to see celebrities almost everywhere.

So, what goes on at Staples Center now that the games have ended and basketball will not resume until October? Does it just sit quietly until Artest, Gasol , Brown and others return for next season? Will all of these and the rest of the team return for next season? Well, that’s a question that can’t be answered here, though of course the Staples Center will not remain quiet and it is full of sporting and entertainment events all year long. And there is always something going on there to entice the guests in one of the 5 star hotels Los Angeles .
Currently the WNBA is in full swing and the Los Angeles Sparks play their home games in the Center.

Other events that will occur there this summer include the popular Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus, which take place during a large part of July. Meanwhile Rihanna will also be performing there next month and has a concert scheduled for July 21. In August, Lady Gaga will be performing two concerts in-between Sparks home games and the second of her two shows was recently added. She is scheduled to perform at the Center on August 11 and 12. As the year progresses and we plan to head back into basketball season Shakira and Justin Bieber are on the concert lineup schedule.

Is it the first time you have visited Amarillo Texas? One of the many reasons to visit a new place is to spend sometime doing something that you wouldn’t normally do in your own town. While in Amarillo get out and spend some time doing things the way the forefathers of the area did. This was land that was hard won by some real tough cowboys. If you don’t live in a cowboy state you may want to experiences a small part of what the cowboy life was all about. One of the ways to be a cowboy for the day is to get on horseback at the Old West Stables in Palo Duro Canyon State Park . The Native Americans and Cowboys have been riding horses in this canyon for hundreds of years and now it is your turn. While on your adventure you can learn about the famous Colonels of the U.S. Calvary who rode horses on some of the same trails. This is a great way to get out into the local landscape and enjoy the high desert views. You can get directions from your hotel. Amarillo is only twenty seven miles northwest of the canyon so it will be a day outing.  

If you are in town during the summer you may want a day to cool off a bit. One of the hot spots in town to get a thrill and a cool down is at Splash Amarillo+http://www.splashamarillo.com/ . Especially if you have the kids with you on a summer vacation. This will be a must stop for keeping them entertained. This water park has water slides and a large wave pool. Parents with little kids will find a special place to watch them play. The older kids may find a break from the water at the arcade. There snack bar is always full of enough food to keep the whole family going for a nice long day out in the sun.  

No matter what adventure you choose bring lots of sunscreen and drink lots of water.

“Lights. Camera. Action.” A phrase that instantly brings to mind the glamor of Hollywood. Home to America’s biggest film studios, a ton of theme parks , the rich and famous, and the mecca of the star struck. Hundreds of young adults flock to Los Angeles to try to make it into film themselves, everywhere you look you’re going to see a beautiful person; whether you can argue they have any talent is a matter of opinion.

Most who travel to Los Angeles are tourists though there for a week or just a weekend to see the sites and get pampered like their favorite stars. There are many five star hotels Los Angeles has to offer along with spas, resorts, and whatever quirky health retreat being promoted this year to visit and let yourself relax between outings to shop or see sights. While your hotel may not have that mud bath and seaweed skin care treatment you’ve been hearing all about or your favorite starlet swears by, you can bet they know a spa nearby that does. The will however have a pool and if you look for it many of them will have a massage therapist on staff for a bit of random rest and relaxation if you’re not one for the pampering of a spa or feel you don’t have time to spend all day at one.

Of course the whole reason you come to Los Angeles, at least the first time, is to see the sites of places the stars have been or to try and catch a glimpse of someone. Starline Tours has been around as long as there has been star struck tourists. The offer tours of prominent neighborhoods and a detail of who lives or lived where, studio tours, and stops at prominent theaters. Most though want to go and catch an actor out of the studio for that there’s the see and be seen nightlife from nightclubs and bars owned by the stars to ones the tabloids have flagged as spots for an ideal sighting you have your pick of after hour places to have your own paparazzi moment.

There are a number of variations and ways of stating the notion that great art does not provide answers, but only asks questions. It’s such a recurring theme in the 20th and 21st centuries, that it’s certainly worth looking into, but who knows what answers might come? There are plenty of situations in a city-state as wonderful as Singapore, in which guests and locals might be able to ask the big questions that art often evokes here.

It’s one of the more interesting places in the world these days, because it is developing and unrolling itself so quickly, and seems so rushed to become what it is. This is driven by the artists and designers of the next generation, who are eager to see changes come to the island, and originate in their own ideas. Of course, their ideas are sparked and modified through lifetimes, and based on the ideas of some previous generations, making a link between the contemporary and the historical.

It’s certainly evident in the Etiquette exhibition, which was showing here in the spring. The exhibition brought together 18 international artists to ask questions about what is proper women’s behavior. The links between contemporary women are very much on the surface, although they intertwine in complicated ways just beneath the perceivable order of things. The links to the past may not be so apparent, but they are absolutely there. This was a great excuse for spending time here and booking a Singapore hotel , and there are always new works worth seeing here. The artist-citizens ask very good questions.

In many parts of the world, art that looks at gender consciously can become an exercise in re-inventing the wheel. So the critics say. It may be true, and it might be true that the wheel needs invention everywhere so that it might be useful. In making the connections that revolve around the cycles of repetition in expectation, there are ancestors who rise up out of the center of the axis and start to speak. It’s territory that has a lot of ghosts, because the territory is so precarious for the living. There are many reasons for visiting the Substation , and this has been one of the best arguments for it in awhile.

New York is a city that has been an inspiration to artists for years. The city has inspired film, television, music, paintings, plays, and the list goes on and on. There is no city in the world that has been used as an inspiration in so many mediums as has New York City. Rent, a famous Broadway play highlighting the life of young New Yorkers living with Aids and living standards in the city. It quickly became a cultural phenomenon and was made into a musical for the big screen in the early 2000’s. Sex in the City is another show that has become a cultural phenomenon of the 90’s. The show follows four women as they date and learn life lessons in New York. The fashions of the show were replicated by women of all ages and the characters lived in the hearts of many. This series was turned into a movie as well. Unlike rent, the movie version was a continuation of the series and showed what the lives of the characters ended up becoming. It was a heartfelt movie that continued the phenomenon into another decade. Living in New York is a dream to so many people. Click here to find a place for the night in New York City. Be inspired like so many others.

Jay z and Alicia Keys were both inspired by the great city in their duet/ collaboration “Empire State of Mind”. The song lyrics feature dozens of references of places in the city. Even exact addresses are listed in reference to certain lifestyles in New York. The song highlights the city as being a melting pot of immigrants. Dominicans get a shout out in a line referencing Broadway in Harlem, an area with a large cluster of Dominicans. Anna Wintour also gets a shout out as the editor in chief of Vogue magazine. Bedford-Stuyvesant , New York, is where rapper Notorious B.I.G. grew up. Jay Z pays homage to the deceased rapper by shouting out his name and home town. Along with the famous streets and neighborhoods that Jay Z references throughout the song, he also references some of the darker sides of the city. Several drug references are made and also the addiction to the fast pace lifestyle of the streets. He mentions that is easy to get lost in the big city. Alicia Keys sings about the dreams that are made about the city, the inspiration that comes from the big lights and the feeling of being reinvented.

For Americans heading to London can be a very expensive thing to do. The exchange rate of the dollar is poor and it makes one feel like our money is worthless. This city was extremely expensive even before any economy problems in America. But it would be a shame to miss London all together just because you don’t have much money. Find a couple of things to do that you spend the big bucks on and then check out the many things that can be done with out spending money on anything but lunch and dinner. Just walking around London is a great experience. The Royal Parks are free and open to the world. Parks like Hyde Park, the Buckingham Palace parks and the Regent Park all have such beautiful grounds and a history of their own. The Parks are historical sights in London. In Hyde Park there is the Diana Memorial Playground as well as a great statue of Peter Pan. Museums are also great places to visit with out spending to much money. They are free with only some special exhibits costing some sort of fee. The Museum of London has a great catalog of history. You will learn a lot about the early days of Britain and London.  

As you walk along different areas of the city you will see some entertaining street performers. Covent Garden Market has a number of them out on the walk ways putting on some amazing shows and the market place itself is really fantastic. There are also other street markets through out the city. Some of the most popular ones include the Camden Market, the Portobello Market and the Greenwich Market. The Camden Market is very historical. It has been around since 1791 and there are many buildings that are filled with open shops and restaurants. It is located right along the famous Thames river, which gave it its life and is a historical sight on its own. Getting to these different places is really easy in London the trains don’t cost very much and have stations near the   London hotel of your choice.

Hawaii – has eight major islands and over 120 minor islands and reefs; Hawaiian islands are like pearls on a necklace . An Hawaiian cruise is the best way to visit many of the major islands within a short amount of time, with out multiple airfares and without endless packing and unpacking at every stop. With a cruise line, you’ll be able to enjoy the best beaches, overly lush tropical forests, great golf courses, steep mountains, erupting volcanic landscapes , memorable nights out, snorkeling and much more too numerous to list here.

If you’re a first-time cruiser, choosing a 7-day cruise will be the best choice, because in the fun-filled 7-days, you’ll be afforded more time on land than taking a shorter cruise. You won’t have to worry about being out on the open ocean for too long, just long enough to go from one island to the next. Basically, there’s not too much sailing time, only land time; an Hawaiian cruise is all about giving you more time on land then on the ship. You’ll get to have an overnight stay in Kauai , which gives you the opportunity to fully experience the island. Depending on the cruise line you choose, you might get an overnight stay at different islands, like the Big Island or an overnight on the Island of Maui , so make sure that the Hawaiian cruise you choose offers overnight stays on the islands you would rather have an adventure on and would rather explore.

Another reason to book a Hawaiian cruise , is a cruise ship is a floating hotel, which travels from island to island, port to port, and stopping at the best places Hawaii can offer. But, in between the islands, while on board, the amenities and activities will keep you very satisfied and very occupied. On board, shops give the best prices on clothes and on jewelry. Any clothes or jewelry you’ll find on land will most likely cost twice as much as on board. The food ranges from fine dining restaurants, to hot dogs and ice cream on the Lido Deck. The accommodations are comparable to any 5-star hotel. But, the best reason to book a cruise to Hawaii instead of booking a hotel on one of the major islands, is your hotel room floats from one major island to the next, you only pay one price to island hop, and you get the best of both worlds: beautiful blue water and lush tropical land.

When visiting Virginia Beach there are a plethora of different activities to take part. There is something for entire family. The activities available in Virginia Beach range from live musicians, to athletic events, to automotive activities, and of course water parks. virginia beach cheap hotel is a site designed to help you find a great hotel room at affordable prices.
If you are visiting a place with the word Beach in its name then the chances that you are interested in seeing some water are high. Ocean Breeze Water Park is a 19 acre park with a large selection of different types of water rides. One of the biggest attractions at the park is the huge one million gallon wave pool. There is also a section of the park designated for children where they can enjoy the water and have an attendant constantly watching over them.
For the musicians and fans of music the summer time in Virginia Beach is like a musical oasis. Every night on Atlantic Ave. from 17th Street to 25th Street there is live music being played along with magicians, puppets for the children, and clowns. It is good fun for people of all ages and a chance to come out socialize and enjoy the good weather and food. The biggest drawn to these events is that they are free of charge all you have to do is be there.
For the automotive fans and Nascar fans in the Virginia Beach area Motor World is a must visit. The Motor World has 8 go kart tracks where a family or group of friends can fulfill their need for speed and burn rubber without fear of a ticket or a police chase. In addition to the go kart tracks there are two full size paint ball fields. You can take your aggression out on your friends with paint balls and team up to take the opposition down. A day at Motor World in Virginia Beach is guaranteed frenetic, fast paced, family fun.