Now is the Time to Travel to Russia
For a country that encompasses an area of over 10.5 million square miles, it is no coincidence most people know very little about Russia, aside, of course, from textbook blurbs of Tsarist rule, Mongolian raids, bloody revolutions and snowy, desolate Steppes. The mere expanse of the Russian border makes the country a more versatile destination than any other place in the world. Visit the arctic zone and navigate through sub-tropical regions without ever leaving the country! A closer look and a few tips can subdue your fear and pique your interest to travel to Russia.
Western Russia: Travel to Russia’s Heart and Soul
Western Russia includes Moscow, St. Petersburg, Volgograd (formerly Stalingrad) and the Black and Caspian Seas, making this region the commercial and political core of the nation. Initially the capital of Russia, St. Petersburg was built by Peter the Great and is filled with both haunting and enchanting remnants of a time past. St. Petersburg is certainly the most European and best preserved city, adorned with stately architecture and regal cathedrals that echo of a romantic and prestigious era. In the early 20th century, the capital moved away from the European border to Moscow where the Kremlin, Red Square and Lenin’s Mausoleum (where you can view his embalmed body!) stand as testaments to Russia’s rocky history. In the Southwest, Volgograd is traditionally accepted as the origin of the Russian Empire and was fortified in the 1500s to protect tsarist Russia’s southern border from Cossack and Viking pillages. With these bases covered, leave the crowds behind and head east into a land with a history all its own.
Travel Russia from Europe to Asia
There is nothing quite like seeing six thousand miles of land in a single trip. The epic journey aboard the Trans-Siberian Railway is for those who consider the journey to be just as magical as the destination. The longest continuous rail line on the planet takes you from metropolitan Moscow through vast steppes and the Siberian taiga, the largest remaining forest in the world, to finally arrive in the commercial bustle of Russia’s main Pacific port city, Vladivostok. Three alternate routes and several extensions into European and Asian nations have also been constructed and provide more options to travel Russia’s breadth.
Many travel restrictions have been lifted since the 1990s and it is now possible to arrange overnight stays in many of the fascinating towns and breathtaking landscapes along the way. Make sure to spend a moment in the Siberian town of Ulan Ude, Russia’s main Buddhist center, and visit the Tibetan Buddhist monastery that has been restored since the oppressive rule of Stalin. The Baikal Lake region is also a very popular stop and a perfect place to be immersed in the natural beauty of Russia’s heartland. Baikal Lake is the oldest in the world, estimated at 25-30 million years old. The lake region is home to over 2,500 animal species including a unique Siberian species of freshwater seal and thousands of migratory birds.
Accessibility is the new attitude toward foreign tourism in Russia. A society that has long been closed-off, particularly to westerners, is now ready to embrace curious visitors with open arms. There has never been a better time to travel Russia!
For more information on travel to Russia and other destinations in Europe, and discount airfare to Russia, visit www.cfares.com.
Wholesale Travel to Russia
Fitness and Health
When it comes to losing weight and getting healthy fast, fitness and health are huge determiners if you are going to be able to reach your goals or not. It will take you working hard and making some drastic lifestyle changes if you really want to reach your goals and drop that unwanted weight. Where should you start revamping your fitness and health routines? One step at a time.
Start small. Make a goal like, “I will not eat in front of the television anymore” or “I will work out at least once a day.” These seem small and insignificant, but when it comes to changing your habits, there is no change that is too small. If you begin reworking your life one step at a time, you will have more success and when you lose the weight, you will keep it off.
Go through your cabinets and get rid of all processed foods. When you go to the grocery store, make sure at least half of your cart is fresh fruits, veggies and whole grains. No more snack food. You can allow yourself one vice, but that’s it. Chances are, if you have it in the house, you will eat it, especially at the beginning of your fitness and health changes.
Next, begin finding ways to burn more calories every day. For instance, walk instead of drive to work. Use the stairs instead of the elevator and so on. These small changes will really add up to calories burned every day. If you burn more calories than you consume in a day, you will be well on your way to losing weight and feeling great.
Gambling Saloon Gaming: a Guide to Taking a Chance
Generally speaking a betting saloon is a house that features friendly gambling. Customers will gamble by operating the one armed bandits or some other gambling games. Betting hall games by and large include methodically derived likelihoods informing them which guarantee the gaming company possesses its versus the guests. usa free casino cash bonus
Often gaming room games can instigate you to get obsessed quickly. By way of illustration take the good old one-armed bandit, an electronic contraption with three, sometimes more cogs which rotate if a bar coupled to it is operated. The machine consistently will spill winnings corresponding with a set arrangement of glyphs perceptible on the front of the machine. Regretfully, gaming establishment pastimes encourage the fantasy of having the upper hand, thereby deluding the gaming fan: the participant is presented options, but actually these cannot really match up the client’s longterm odds. That is induced by the gaming establishment never refunding the full amount as hoped for. This systematic policy is repeatedly noticeable in well-known casino games such as seven card stud poker, dice, roulette or blackjack.
Five card stud is really a very trendy casino game. The players, jealously guarding their either fully or partially screened cards, are betting into a pot in the center which is finally paid out to the winning participant carrying the highest combination of cards. (As everybody knows, the shameless bluffer may well prevail) Just like five-card stud, blackjack is also an incredibly popular casino game. A substantial part of its is based on its peculiar mix of chance and technique & choice making, not to forget a practice termed Card Counting. It is an approach through which visitors will dramatically reverse the arm of chance of the game to their benefit both by wagering & procedural decisions correlating with the hands dealt.
Craps is another acclaimed gambling hall game utilizing the roll of a couple of dice. Players can bet money on the result of 1 roll, or on a succession of cycles on two dice. Quite unlike blackjack, there just isn’t any conceivable winning betting system punters could use to improve the odds.
Roulette is another celebrated casino game — a croupier twirls a roulette wheel holding thirty seven (as in European roulette) or thirtyeight (Vegas roulette) separately tagged chambers in which the white pellet must settle, establishing the final winning number and the other chances that will always come with it. Whenever the player happens to bet on a particular number which is successful, in other words it’s their lucky day, the set recompense is 35 to one, the stake will be repaid. Therefore in totality it’s increased by thirty six.
Persist in being emphatically on the watch all the same as all of these gaming room games of chance can be very much dependency building. Certainly far too many lives have indisputably been destroyed in the course of uncontrolled gambling + much as it surely feels like fun, do please attempt to control your gaming.
Travel South America
From Patagonia in the south to Columbia and Venezuela in the north, South America offers travelers with an entire continent to explore. Visitors who travel South America can visit tremendous mountains, amazing rain forests and beautiful beaches. A trip to South America will expose travelers to various languages and cultures from both the new world of Europe to the ancient societies of South America’s indigenous people.
South America is almost entirely surrounded by water with the Pacific Ocean on the west coast, the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast and the Caribbean Sea to the North. As all but two countries in South America have coastal access, travelers to South America will see the influence of the sea in the cities and people who live in them.
When you travel South America don’t forget to visit the following countries and attractions:
Chile:
A narrow country that runs along the west coast from the southern tip of South America to the midpoint of the continent, Chile offers a tremendous amount of ecological and geographic diversity. Visitors will marvel at the numerous volcanoes, geysers and glaciers that make Chile an adventure travelers dream in South America.
Argentina:
From Chile’s eastern border to the Atlantic coastline, Argentina occupies the balance of South America’s southern tip with one of the most European-influenced cultures on the Continent. Don’t let recent economic troubles discourage a visit to Argentina, as falling prices make it one of the most economical countries within South America for travelers to visit.
Brazil:
South America’s largest individual country Brazil is one stop no traveler should miss. From the liveliness and excitement of large cities like Sao Paolo and Rio de Janiero to the remote Amazon jungle, Brazil is a unique nation full of social, environmental and economic complexities that must be seen first-hand to appreciate. Travelers to South America should not miss the Brazilian celebration of Carnivale; one of the most impressive displays of national culture anywhere in the world.
Bolivia:
Even though it is one of the poorer countries in South America, Bolivia offers travelers with amazing Andean landscapes that are the home of mysterious, ancient civilizations. Visitors will be welcomed by the cultural wealth of Bolivias people.
Peru:
On the Pacific coast, the nation of Peru offers multiple layers of many great civilizations. Travelers should not miss the city of Lima and the magic of the ruins of the ancient Incan city of Machu Picchu.
Ecuador:
Ecuador is home to one of the world’s most amazing natural resources: The island of the Galapogos chain are home to the unique plant and animal species that provided Charles Darwin with the observations that led to his theory of evolution. Today, travelers to South America can visit the Galopagos islands and view the same species that Darwin did.
Venezuela:
Venezuela is home to South America’s largest lake, third largest river, and some of the world’s most amazing waterfalls. Travelers to Venezuela should ignore its political controversies and visit it for the amazing natural and cultural wonders they can experience.
Columbia:
The Columbia of Hollywood movies is far removed from the snow-capped mountains and white-sand beaches that travelers will experience. Visit this South American nation, and enjoy all that it has to offer in relative security.
Before you Travel South America visit BestTripGuide.com for all your travel needs.
Submitted with Article Distributor.
A Guide to Bukit Bintang – The Center of Kuala Lumpur
Bukit Bintang is the main street in Kuala Lumpur (Bukit meaning hill and Bintang meaning Star (Star Hill)). This street is home to many of the top hotels in the world with JW Marriot, The Westin, Royle Bintang Hotel, Federal Hotels Bingtang, Capitol Hotel Bingtang and many more. If you are thinking of staying in a hotel in Kuala Lumpur, you can rest assured that the service will be top notch.
Without doubt, Bukit Bintang is the shopping center of Kuala Lumpur with around 30,000 shops within close proximity. There are a number of shopping centers along Bukit Bintang among which are Lot 10, Sun Gai Won which is simply massive and it is very easy to get lost in, Low Yat Plaza which has to be the spiritual home for people interested in computers and gadgets.
There are many great restaurants in Bukit Bintang, but one of my personal favourites is the Bangkok Jam in Low Yat Plaza. There are also a number of street side bars and cafes where you can enjoy either a coffee or a beer while you watch the world go by.
Bukit Bintang has it all, from people trying to sell you caricatures to stalls offering tourist mementos. This is a busy street that moves at a fast pace and it is a great place to get lost for a few hours. Bukit Bintang is easily accessible by mono rail and taxi service. If you are planning to get a taxi, don’t be afraid to haggle.
Ronan Menton is the webmaster for a number of travel related websites and has been for some time in Ireland, associated with search engine optimisation in the Irish travel industry. He spends two months a year in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and now sees it as his second home. Among the many sites he is currently working on are the following: hotels in Singapore and hotels in Kuala Lumpur.
11 Proven Sleep Tips To Help You Rest Well In Any Strange Or Noisy Hotel
As an airline pilot, I’ve developed a list of sleep tips.
That’s because I must spend many nights in hotel rooms and I must always be well rested when flying.
Many of these travel rest tips can also improve your sleep at home.
In addition to these great travel rest tips, there are some key travel accessories that I use to assure a great night sleep. They help while recovering from jet lag or sleeping at unusual hours, even in the noisiest locations.
The main reasons people have trouble sleeping well in hotel rooms are:
* Noise
* Light
* Temperature and humidity
* Uncomfortable pillows
* Uncomfortable bed
* Recovering from jet lag
* Being in a strange place
* Hunger
* Not employing sleep strategies
#1- Dealing with Noise
Noise can be the greatest hindrance to travel rest. The good news is there is quite a bit you can do about noise to get some good hotel rest.
Getting a good night’s sleep in your hotel room begins as you drive up to your hotel.
Pay attention to potential noise sources near the hotel.
When you check in, before they give you your room assignment, specifically ask for a “quite room”. If the highway or airport is on one side of the hotel, mention that and ask for a room on the other side of the building.
When I arrive outside my room, I pause and survey the area for potential noise sources.
If my room is in a bad location, I don’t even enter the room. I just head back down to the desk and politely ask for a room in a more quiet location.
The only way to guarantee good travel rest in a noisy place is with a white noise machine.
If I were to give you only one sleep tip, it would be to get a white noise machine. It is a must-have travel accessory.
A white noise machine allows you to sleep in noisy places by producing background noise. This background noise doesn’t register to your mind, and masks the noises that disturb sleep.
#2- Dealing with Light
Hotel room curtains rarely close completely. Use some clothespins to clip the curtains together.
The other thing that will help you sleep in a room that has light is a good sleep mask.
#3- Dealing with Temperature Changes
It’s wise to get the temperature adjusted as soon as you get to your room. That’s because if you wait until you go to bed, it’s likely that you’ll awaken because you’re either too hot or too cold.
Sometimes hotel air conditioners make noisy clunking sounds when they cycle on and off. If you have a white noise machine, that’s usually not a problem. If you don’t, you might try to get a quieter room.
#4- Dealing with Uncomfortable Pillows
One of the hardest parts of adjusting to a different bed is not really the bed itself. It’s the pillows. The pillows at the hotel are rarely like what you are used to at home.
There is a fantastic solution to this that’s made a huge difference to me. You can get a small, memory foam travel pillow that gives you a consistent pillow wherever you sleep.
#5- Dealing with Uncomfortable Beds
This is also something that you want to figure out as soon as you get to your room. Not when it’s late, you’re tired, all ready for bed and when there are no more rooms available.
As soon as I get into my room, I sit and lie down on the bed to make sure that it is comfortable. If it’s not, I head back sown to the front desk and ask if they have any rooms with newer beds.
#6- If You’re Recovering From Jet Lag. This is a major factor after long east/west flights.
It is an extensive subject that I have written quite a bit about. You can find strategies for jet lag on my site.
#7- Make sure that you’re satisfied with the Room cleanliness.
Whether it’s perceived of a reality, if you think that the room or bed you are sleeping in isn’t clean, it will affect your sleep. This is especially true if you think the bedding isn’t clean.
You can easily bring your own bedding by using a contour travel pillow and dreamsack. Dreamsacks are silk bedding liners that are comfortable lightweight.
#8- Make things just like at home.
Create a routine and environment as close to what you are accustomed to as possible.
Make sure that your room reflects your smoking preferences.
Develop and practice a regular pre-sleep routine. Studies have shown that you can teach your body and mind that it’s time to relax and prepare for sleep. If you do this at home as well as while traveling, you’ll likely fall asleep more easily.
Keep your sleep time sacred and minimize other responsibilities before trying to go to bed. You should avoid worrying or working in your bedroom.
#9- Manage your Hunger.
If you’re hungry before bed, eat a light snack. Otherwise, your hunger can delay your falling asleep.
Having some snacks available in your hotel room requires some advanced planning, unless the mini-bar prices don’t bother you.
Don’t eat a heavy meal before bed. This will disrupt your sleep because your stomach will be busy digesting your food.
Here are some snacks that travel well: dried fruit, nuts, power or granola bars.
If you’re thirsty before bedtime, drink a small quantity of water.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine for several hours before bed.
#10- Don’t watch the clock.
Turn the clock around so you can’t see it. If you’re having trouble sleeping, your awareness of the time and your thoughts of how late it is or how soon you have to get up will only make it harder to sleep.
Make sure that you have multiple alarms set, and then don’t worry about over-sleeping. I usually get a wake-up call, set the room clock and also my travel clock.
If you can’t fall asleep within about 30 minutes, don’t keep lying in bed trying to fall asleep. Instead, get up and do an activity that will help you relax.
#11- General
Studies have shown that there are two main lifestyle habits that can promote good sleep:
Exercise Regularly. This will help you sleep better, but it is important not to exercise too close to bedtime. Otherwise you body won’t cool down and relax in time for you to fall asleep.
Eat a balanced diet. This will help your overall health as well as improve your sleep.
That’s just a brief overview. I highly recommend that you read my complete sleep tips article before you go on your next trip. Print it and take it with you.
If you visit my web site, you will also find extensive reviews of the travel accessories mentioned in this article.
Copyright 2005 by Ph.Developments USA, Inc. All rights reserved.
Pilot Paul M. is a captain at a major U.S. airline. He also hosts http://www.Pilot-Pauls-Travel-Accessories.com where an airline captain helps you with your travel needs.
If you would like to learn more travel tips, see travel accessory reviews and recommendations, learn insider’s secrets, find travel discounts, or receive our FREE newsletter click on the link below:
Click here for Pilot Paul’s Travel Accessories
Thanks and have a great trip!
Pilot Paul M.
Cosmopolitan Cape Town
Early in January 1999 my husband learned he needed to have his right shoulder replaced. He was 45 years old, and arthritis meant he’d already undergone two hip replacements. The bad news was there was no surgeon in Zimbabwe qualified to tackle this procedure, so we had to travel outside the country for the operation. The good news was that one of the world’s top shoulder specialists lived in Cape Town, a city we’d heard so much about from people who’d been there. At that time Zimbabwe was still six months away from it’s descent into the tragedy it is today, so it was easy to make the appointment with the surgeon, arrange the expenses with our medical aid company, book the air tickets and contact a friend who’d been transferred there a few years earlier to request accommodation. It took six weeks to get everything arranged, and early in March we boarded the flight from Harare to Johannesburg, and then on to Cape Town.
Our friend Pete was waiting for us at the airport. After we’d collected our luggage we drove to his house. The drive along the highway from the Airport to Cape Town was our introduction to the city we’d be calling home for the next ten days. The highway was in excellent condition, and ran through areas of scrub that flowed away the verges of the road towards distant mountains. However ten minutes later we came across shanty towns that had been erected next to the highway.
They were a shabby reminder than ten years after gaining independence the contrast between the rich and poor has perhaps worsened. The shacks making up the shanty towns were made of every kind of material known to man – corrugated iron sheets and rusty metal sheets combined with wood, cardboard and wire to form an extremely uncomfortable shelter than a family called home. Even more appalling was the fact that many of the shanty houses had run wires to the overhead power lines. This dangerous link was apparently sanctioned by the electricity board – Pete told us that the municipality and the government were failing to keep pace with the demand for houses for the poorer members of society, and preferred to leave the shanty towns intact! A refuse collection service run by the local authority was operating to help keep the shanty towns habitable. We saw a number of shanty towns along the main highways during our stay in Cape Town.
Pete lives in a suburb called Somerset West, and his home was a practical and extremely modern cluster home in a compound of about 30 residences. This style of living is very popular in South Africa, because of security and reduced overheads. The complexes are very well maintained because each owner contributes towards the upkeep and maintenance of the complex. Some complexes offer communal playgrounds for all the resident children, tennis courts and swimming pools. Owners are usually able to keep pets too, because each house has its own private garden. It’s also a perfect way to live in Africa if one needs to travel or go on holiday – neighbours will keep an eye on the house while you are away. My husband and I were so impressed with this way of living that the following year we bought into a cluster complex my then employers were marketing in Harare. When we sold our house in 2003 we reinvested the money in a second cluster home. If one wants to live in Africa security is very important, and a cluster home complex offers the best level of security for residences.
Pete’s a bachelor, so that night he prepared a barbecue in his Weber braai unit. His girlfriend Pat came round to help with the cooking, and we had a wonderful evening. The view from Pete’s house was superb. Somerset West is built on a hill overlooking the city, and the view from his verandah offered the classic Cape Town view – the sprawling city at the foot of majestic Table Mountain, the lighthouse and the Atlantic Ocean. His house had three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a large living room, state of the art kitchen and outside laundry/storeroom. He told us he spends most of his time on his verandah or in his garden.
The next morning we had our appointment with the surgeon, who was a Greek Zimbabwean – Basil Vrettos. After his examination and x-rays he booked us into a private clinic, scheduling the operation for 8.00 the following morning. When we asked husband should go to hospital that evening, Mr Vrettos told us to rather book in at 6.00 the following morning, urging us to spend the day relaxing and walking around Cape Town. He told the operation would take four hours, and that the hospital stay would be just three days! We were delighted. Pete had taken leave to be with us during our stay, so the three of us headed into the city.
Although Cape Town is a city, it’s more organized and environmentally friendly than Johannesburg, and as a result doesn’t sprawl in all directions. Driving into town Table Mountain was clearly visible, and to welcome us that morning it was wearing what locals call The Tablecloth. Although this is simply the white cloud blown over the mountain when a south easterly wind blows, it’s very impressive, and there’s a wonderful tale that has evolved around this phenomenon. A less famous mountain near Table Mountain is called Devil’s Peak, and it’s claimed that a pirate called Van Hunks was living out his days on the slopes of this mountain. One day he met a stranger, who challenged him to a smoking contest. Van Hunks, who was extremely partial to his pipe accepted the challenge, and the tow men spent several days puffing away on their pipes. As the smoke clouds gathered a wind blew them down over Cape Town. Van Hunks won the contest, and the defeated stranger revealed himself to be the Devil. This is how Devil’s Peak got its name, and the cloud of smoke became known as the tablecloth.
Back to our itinerary. We drove to the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, one of Cape Town’s most popular tourist attractions. We walked towards the restaurant area, and saw some cape fur seals frolicking around one of the piers. They were so interesting to watch, and seemed to have no fear of the boats and the noise in this very developed section of the harbour. We found a wonderful restaurant right next to the sea, and ate an excellent lunch of calamari, prawns and French friends all washed down with beer and wine. We then walked off our lunch, window shopping in some of the 400 stores that make up the waterfront. We also walked around the craft market and visited the museum before venturing into the Two Oceans Oceanarium, so named because two oceans meet at Cape Town – the icy cold Atlantic Ocean and the warm, tropical Indian Ocean. Later we drove along the coast and stopped at the point where the oceans meet. One would expect to see a distinct change or some indication that designates this meeting point, but there was nothing apart from a wonderful view across the blue ocean waves.
The oceanarium offers a unique display of all marine life. We stood in awe, watching the endangered African Penguins mingling with Rockhopper Penguins and Oystercatchers in a room designed to perfectly mimic their natural habitat – even their water is piped in directly from the sea. There’s also a massive room where visitors look down upon a colony of seas. This room is actually part of the sea, and contains massive barnacle crusted rocks and sandy beaches complete with sea shells. The most exciting moment for me was walking through a clear Perspex tunnel, while sharks and other massive sea species glide silently and stealthily around you. You can watch the sharks being fed while standing in this tunnel, giving you the rather alarming impression that you’re in the sea with them as they eat. We were also able to handle starfish and sea urchins – the oceanarium is renowned for educating children about their natural world, so they have a lot of conducted tours for school parties. I will never forget being told that an octopus is actually an incredibly intelligent creature, and many of the octopi in the oceanarium recognize staff members! Hasn’t stopped me from eating them!
The following morning I dropped my husband off at the hospital, and spent the next couple of days driving between Somerset West and the hospital. The operation went very well, and the nursing care was excellent. My husband had his shoulder capped rather than replaced, because Mr Vrettos said the damage from the arthritis didn’t warrant removal of the shoulder bone. Three days later he was discharged from hospital, the only evidence of his ordeal being the sling on his left arm. To celebrate we decided to visit Table Mountain.
Towering one kilometre above the city, Table Mountain is accessed via cable car, and the journey to the top is spectacular. The car rotates 360 degrees all the way up, affording occupants a unique view of Cape Town. More than 600,000 people travel to the top of Table Mountain every year. Several hikes are available for those fit and energetic enough to climb the mountain – but it takes at least six hours. The top of the mountain is three kilometres long with a lot of clearly signposted natural pathways for visitors to follow. The vegetation is incredible; there are more than 250 different kinds of daisies as well as several plant species that survive and thrive in the unique ecosystem of Table Mountain. There’s a rare wild orchid and the silver tree, which produces the silver protea. The animal life on Table Mountain is varied, including baboons, porcupines and the Table Mountain Ghost Frog. We didn’t see any of these animals, but I did loose my heart to a creature called a rock dassie. It looks like a rabbit-sized guinea pig, and amazingly its closest relative is the elephant. They’re incredibly tame, and have no fear of people. I really wanted to take one home, but husband ignored my rather pathetic pleas! Table Mountain may be one of Africa’s most popular tourist destinations, but it’s still a relatively natural site. There one restaurant on the summit as well as a post office where mail is sent bearing the Table Mountain postmark. At the foot of the mountain is a souvenir shop, and I bought a little fridge magnet in the shape of a wine bottle filled with tiny stones from Table Mountain. Today that magnet sits on my fridge door here in Greece.
I should mention a couple of other mountains here. Signal Hill is a relatively flat topped hill with a complete view of the city and the ocean. There’s a cannon on this hill that is a legacy of the British control over the Cape at the end of the 19th century. Originally the cannons were fired to announce the sighting of a ship. Ship sailing to India from Britain would stop over in Cape Town to restock their supplies before continuing their voyage. Today the cannons are fired at noon every day – except Sundays and public holidays. Another name for Signal Hill is the Lion’s Rump. This is because it’s actually a natural extension of a mountain called Leeukop, an Afrikaans name meaning Lion’s Head. From a certain viewpoint this mountain does indeed resemble a lion’s head.
We visited the largest bird sanctuary in Africa, the World of Birds. Home to more than 3000 species of birds visitors walk through the enormous aviaries and experience what it would be like to see these birds in the wild. I recall an enormous hornbill with an affinity for visitors – he would sit on his thick perch calling people to scratch his head. He was at least the height of my torso, and very brightly feathered with an alarmingly large curved beak. The birdlife included eagles, swans, herons, guinea fowl, flamingos and a variety of rare birds from all over the world. World of Birds cares for injured birds, and is a breeding centre for endangered species. The centre is also home to a number of different mammals, and we watched meerkats, squirrels, mongooses, foxes, genet cats and a huge tortoise relaxing in large, very comfortable enclosures. I cannot bear the sight of caged animals, so for me walking through the aviaries and animal enclosures was like being in the wild bush.
No trip to Cape Town is complete without a visit to one of the region’s wineries. South African wine is world famous, and the Cape’s vineyards are well wroth seeing. A number of wine routes are available, but we don’t really being part of a crowd, and because we had an excellent guide in the shape of Pete we took our own route through the Paarl and Constantia districts. We stopped at two excellent wineries. The first one we sat on the verandah of a gracious, old Dutch Gable-style house complimenting glasses of wine with an assortment of delicious cheeses. The second vineyard was called Meerlust, and the reason I remember the name is because of the setting for our wine tasting. They seated us at a gnarled Rhodesian teak table in the wine cellar. Surrounded by hundred of massive kegs of wine we tasted some truly superb merlots, cabernet sauvignon, pinotage and chardonnay. There was also an excellent rose and some fine port. Pete, husband and I bought several bottles to take home with us. On our way back down the winding leafy roads we stopped at a restaurant that was originally a station master’s office. The old building, complete with railway track, was a real piece of vintage memorabilia to the Cape’s rich and varied history.
That evening we went to watch the first international cricket match at Paarl. Sri Lanka was beaten by South Africa in front of 9,000 spectators. A number of players in both teams are still active in today’s cricketing world – Muralitharan, Kallis, Gibbs and Boje are names I remember. It was a day night game, meaning the second innings was played under floodlights and started at about 8.30 pm. There was a lunar eclipse that night – I’d never seen one before, and it was quite impressive, even when viewed without binoculars. Sitting on the grass, drinking wine and eating sausages and syrupy sweet koeksisters (a plaited pastry that is fried and then dipped in syrup) while watching an international cricket game under the stars… even if one isn’t a cricket fan it’s a special experience.
My one regret is that we didn’t get a chance to visit Robben Island. Once used as a leper colony the island is 12 kilometres off the cost, and clearly visible from Table Mountain. During the 19th century Robben Island claimed many ships laden with treasures, and coins have been washed ashore from the shipwrecks. In the latter part of the 20th century Robben Island was notorious as a prison, and one of its most famous inmates was Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in a cell on the island.
We left Cape Town a couple of days later after husband had got the all clear from Dr Vrettos. Having been born and brought up in Zimbabwe I’ve visited several cities in South Africa. Cape Town is absolutely unique, and it’s a city that I would dearly love to call home one day. The combination of the sea and the mountains with the wonderful history make Cape Town a varied and interesting place to visit. Cape Town is completely different to other South African cities like Durban, Johannesburg and Pretoria because it’s a truly international city. People from all over the world have chosen to make their homes there. The original settlers of the Cape include the Dutch, the French and the British, all of whom have left their own mark on this wonderful city. We have friends who live in Johannesburg, and they tell us they’re there for the money (Johannesburg is the financial hub of South Africa). Johannesburg residents complain that the people from Cape Town are very laid back because their lives are less stressful. I would agree with that supposition, and I’d go so far as to say I’d choose quality of life over quantity any day. Cape Town is a magnificent vibrant city.
The writer was born in Africa, and lived there for the first 38 years of her life. She worked in the world of public relations for over five years, running her own PR company. She’s had extensive experience dealing with the world of journalism and the print media. She is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers. Her blog can be visited at:
http://www.writing.com/authors/zwisis/blog
From Russia with Love
The largest country on the Earth, Russia stretches from the Eastern Europe borders to the Pacific Ocean. It’s impossible to learn such a big country in one single trip, but there are some points on the Russian map you surely shouldn’t miss when visiting this country.
At first, of course, its capital – Moscow. With its population over 10 millions, Moscow is one of the largest metropolises on the planet and it’s growing even bigger. A city with an ancient history, having celebrated its 850th anniversary not so long ago, Moscow keeps a lot of testimonies of the Russian historical events. In the centre of the capital there is the famous Red Square with the Kremlin, which has been destroyed and rebuilt several times during the centuries of its existence. Red Square is a symbol of Moscow and a lot of the important events were happened here. Red Square also houses mausoleum where one the Russian leaders – Lenin – is buried. Now the square has become not only a tourist attraction but also the popular ground for the concerts.
Nearby the Red Square there is located the building of the Russian Parliament – Duma and the world-famous Bolshoy Theatre. Moscow also has a lot of parks where you can enjoy plesant walks. Izmailovo, Colomenskoe, Tzaritzino, Sokolniki – are just some of them. Some decades ago Moscow was a typical Soviet city where was impossible to buy something. Now shopping is not a problem in Moscow, here you can find the boutiques of the leading designers, but usually prices are higher than in Europe.
The other Russian city, which attracts a lot of tourists and really worth visiting – is its former capital Saint Petersburg. The city, which was built in 1703 on the marsh, for more than two centuries was the empire capital. Now it’s the second largest city in Russia and is considered to be its cultural capital. Due to the huge amount of the channels Saint Petersburg received the nickname of the “Northern Venice”. It’s beautiful city with a lot of architectural monuments ad the city centre there the city government is saving the historic buildings so, that the centre looks like in XIXth century. The best time to visit this city is June – a period of the so-called white nights when the sun never sets down.
The other popular tourist attractions in Russia lay within the “Golden Ring”. It’s a group of the ancient cities famous for its churches, architecture and the glorious history. They are situated not far from each other and usually are show during one tour lasting for approximately 4-6 days. Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Kostroma, Tver are just some of them.
Another tour, allowing to know Russia better is a cruise along Volga. There is possibility to visit ancient Russian cities such as Samara, Kazan, Saratov, Nizhniy Novgorod, Volgograd and other cities on the Volga banks. Cruise can start from Moscow or Petersburg and usually takes about 20 days.
All the above-mentioned destinations lay in the European part of Russia, but its Asian part also has what to show. For example, the lake Baikal is still considered to be the clearest lake on the earth. Siberia and the Far East have less cultural attractions than the European part, but the nature there is really magnificent and unique. So, these places are perfect for eco-tourism.
All this is just a short description of what is worth seeing in Russia, but the list is not complete, so come there and make your own discoveries!
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An Introduction to Trilegiant Services
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Abbey, BLC Office Deal
The largest real estate investment trust in the
The Director of the British Land reported that Abbey was not only an important tenant of Regent’s Place, but will now become an important partner in the nearly fourteen acre estate.
The
The property bought by Abbey was sold for £115m showing an opening yield of 7.2 percent, as the company reported. The premises are a 200,000 square foot of first class office interiors which was developed in 2002 by the British Land Company. Abbey has decided to rent the premises for almost £9m per year until 2022.
The director also stated that they are committed to completing their commercial developments at Regent’s Place One and Two later in the year.
The move by the owner comes after a number of measures have been taken by the companies involved in the real estate market to raise capital and to boost the financial statements of the company.
In December 30th, the total value of all the British Land Company’s properties reached almost fourteen billion pounds.