Welcome to Mid Town Toronto for the Fit and Health Conscious

We know a great city when we see one. Toronto isn't just ranked among the top cities in the world because of its abundant opportunities, livability, spirit of innovation, and cosmopolitan appeal. What really makes Toronto a wonderful place to live, is its strong and vibrant neighborhoods, art, culture, great cafes, restaurants, and outdoor activities that seem to be everywhere.

If you're looking to buy a home in the Midtown area of Toronto, you'll sure to be joining a healthy array of mature neighbourhoods like Forest Hill, Yorkville, Rosedale, South Hill, and Summerhill, to name just a few.

These communities are teaming with wonderful family-friendly activities, fitness gyms, healthy restaurants and convenient outdoor accommodations that is just waiting to be discovered.

Midtown has evolved into one of the most popular areas to live, work, and play. The area stretches from Bloor Street to the south, Lawrence Avenue to the north, Bayview Avenue to the east and Spadina/Bathurst to the west, encompassing Old Town and some of the region's robust business communities, cultural treasures and some of the area's most exclusive neighborhoods. No doubt, Midtown has something for everyone.

Consider the following about Midtown:

1. We have world class gyms: Whether you are just starting out or you're a professional athlete, you can find a number of great gyms around town including Equinox, the Granite Club, and others. The fitness accommodations are perfect for the on-the-go professional with numerous opportunities for fitness classes, including yoga, Pilates, and cycling. Track Fitness in Forest Hill, which has the best circuit classes I have ever been to, including great yoga, spin, and personal training is always on my weekly "to-do" list. Additionally, area residents can find opportunities for skating and swimming at places like the Granite Club, which is situated on a beautiful 22-acre site bordering Don Valley. If Yoga is more your scene, consider The Eco-friendly Roots Yoga Studio or the 889 Yoga studio that offer everything from Classical hatha to Teen Yoga classes.

2. Natural, Organic Grocery Stores, & Farmer's Markets: Midtown has an abundance of fresh produce and organic food stores, making eating healthy, easy and convenient. Whole Foods, Pusateries, and Noahs are all great examples of the choices we have in the immediate area and which I frequent often. The Evergreen Brick Works Farmer's market is one of my favorite places to pick up delicious fresh produce, free of pesticides and brought in by local farmers. I simply love shopping at this market! It celebrates everything that is great about our city - various diverse communities working together to offer sustainable products, GMO-free foods, and fair trade that benefit a thriving food economy.

3. Fitness and Recreational Equipment: We are fortunate to be able to have fitness and sports equipment and recreation providers in Midtown. Formost Fitness on Eglinton Avenue, which has been serving the community for over 15 years and have earned a great reputation for excellent customer service for residential and businesses clients.

4. Private Trainers: In this healthy, active town, you'll also find private trainers to help you get into shape and meet your fitness goals. Fight off stress and work towards your goals with one of the many trained fitness trainers. As someone who has spent considerable time as a professional fitness trainer, the opportunity to be fit and healthy with the help of professional can increase the quality of your life. Residents can take advantage of a variety of fitness programs offered by experts in their field. Places like the Running Room, which has running clinics and resources by their areas best runners are always available.

5. Highly rated healthy restaurants: Many of us enjoy setting off for weekly local gastronomical adventures. In Midtown there is no shortage of great choices to eat healthy. One of my favorites is Earth Rosedale, which changes its menu from season to season, always satisfies even the pickiest of palates.

6. Hiking Trails: Blessed with natural beauty, the local area is filled with great trails, including Don Valley Brick Works, a wonderful place for nature lovers, families, and kids. Here, visitors will find the Koerner Gardens, a 20,000 square foot area, which showcases sustainable urban greening and which serves to inspire cultivating home and community gardens. Additionally, Midtown also has beautiful and world class golf courses (Rosedale) where residents can enjoy themselves. I also love the variety of tennis clubs that are family-friendly and offer community events and classes.

Please visit http://www.tayaday.com for more information on Toronto neighbourhoods and real estate.

Cape Town Accommodation

Cape Town Accommodation offers world class facilities and amenities. It is little wonder that international conferences are selecting Cape Town as the host city for major conventions. In addition, South Africa's Mother City is regarded as one of the world's top destinations and 'must see' places to visit.

When you visit Cape Town, the selection of Accommodation will astound and surprise any person. Whether your purpose is leisure, business, educational, or a bit of all, establishments are categorised by areas within the Peninsula as well as by category. Options on offer include guest houses, B&B's, Self Catering Accommodation and hotel Accommodation.

Cape Town guest house and B&B accommodation offers a personalised touch with an element of privacy. Guests are accommodated in private en suite bedrooms and have full access to their hosts. The quality and amenities will differ depending on the standard of luxury and cost associated. Special aspects may include his and her gowns, slippers, chocolates on the bed, catered breakfast, prepared dinners as well as personalised collection from the airport or even tours.

If you want the roam of an area and prefer to cater for yourself, Self Catering would be ideal for you.

Hotels offers 24 hour service and may be considered less of a personal touch than the guest houses.

Areas include Camps Bay, Noordhoek, Simons Town, Clifton, Constantia, Pinelands, Rosebank, Tamboerskloof, Waterfront, Durbanville and more.

Depending on what you will be doing and where you will be going when you visit Cape Town, a range of Accommodation in Cape Town is available.

Visit Guest Files to find Cape Town Accommodation [http://www.guestfiles.co.za/search2.asp?province=Western Cape&area=Cape Town] and Accommodation in Cape Town [http://www.guestfiles.co.za] as well as all your other Southern African tourism needs.

It is encouraged to visit Cape Town to see some of the world's greatest offerings.

Guest Files supports responsible and respectful tourism as well as conservation. Find South African Accommodation, including Cape West Coast Accommodation, Overberg Accommodation, Cape Winelands Accommodation, Garden Route Accommodation, as well as all your South African Accommodation.

Also subscribe to our free newsletter distributed every two weeks containing interesting tourism attractions in Southern Africa, South African Accommodation specials, tourism specials and more.

The 5 Best Medium Sized Ohio Cities to Live In

Top 5 Medium Cities to Live in Ohio:

The criteria was simple. I excluded any towns that were basically suburbs of bigger cities. This is just for the stand alone cities. Excluded are Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Akron/Canton, Dayton, Toledo and all of the suburbs of those cities.

1. Marysville - With Scot's and Honda plants in the area, plus only being a 30 minute drive from Columbus, Marysville gives you a small town feel but keeps you close enough that you can have the big city feel as well.

2. Sandusky - America's Roller Coast is located on Lake Erie, and is known mostly for Cedar Point. This tourist attraction is one of the biggest in the country. The city is nestled in-between Toledo and Cleveland for easy access.

3. Athens - With the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains taking over most of southeast Ohio, Athens emerges as a welcomed blend of people thanks in large part to Ohio University. The town is a little dead in the summer months, but a variety of activities are available during the school year for all ages.

4. Marietta - Ohio's oldest city is also one of the state's best kept secret. Much like Athens, it has a college, albeit a much smaller one. The city is set on the banks of the Ohio River and has a New England feel to it.

5. Circleville - Like Marysville, it is about a half an hour from Columbus. Originally built in the shape of a circle, it ditched that for a more conventional look. However, it is home to the "Greatest Free Show on Earth," The Pumpkin Show, which brings in close to a million visitors each year in October.

Mark Parachas has just launched a new site about cheap car stereos, where he tells you all about the best MP3 car audio and many other things related to the wonderful world of stereos.

The Ancient Town of Lijiang, Yunnan - A Forgotten Kingdom

Lijiang, a mystical and idyllic ancient city in the northwest of Yunnan Province, surrounded by the verdant mountains, woven by watercourses and crossed by more than 300 bridges. It is the gateway to northwest Yunnan region, and No.214 national highway traverses the city to Tibet in the north or to Dali City in the south, capital of the autonomous prefecture.

The Ancient City of Lijiang has been famous for its typical architectures with different racial features, peculiar flagstone roads, mystic religion, hieroglyph, scripture, dance and sweet ancient music since it was built during the late years of Southern Song Dynasty and the early years of Yuan Dynasty, In addition, it also has long been known world wide for its grandiose snow-covered mountains, the steep gorge, the elegant Mt. Laojun, the clean Lugu Lake, and the colorful and various customs of the minorities. The outside world is amazed at its ancient and simple sense of "identity of Heaven and Human" and surprised by the ancestors of the minorities who built a city without a wall on the beautiful paradise of Lijiang at this southwest borderland. In December of 1997, it was registered on World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee of the UNESCO, and this "city forgotten by gods" was unveiled to the world with its oriental mystery and glamour like a bright diamond hidden in the mountains.

Traditions of Naxi Nationality

As one of the 56 nationalities in China, the Naxi nationality is very different from the others. First, in the tradition of Naxi people, man is considered the sky whereas woman is the land. The matriarchal clan society of ancient Naxi people has lasted for a long time, and the present women of this minority are still manage the affairs both inside and outside their home, thus the peculiar custom of this ancient city where women in charge of all while men are idle.

The marital custom of the Naxi people is peculiar. Men and women don't get married. When a girl is about to fall in love with a man, she will make sheep's eyes at the man when appropriate. Then the man is allowed to spend the nights with the girl, but he must take a straw hat, a knife and a rice ball with him when he starts. The rice ball is for distracting the dog from the girl's house, the knife is used to open the bolt of the girl's room, and the straw hat is hung on the door as a mark that the girl is falling in love and cohabiting with a man. Before day break, the man must leave the girl's room.

Usually, a Naxi man can cohabit with several women in his lifetime but cannot cohabite with several women at the same time. And in the Naxi tradition, the grandmother of a family has the last word and uncles are responsible for bringing up of his sisters' children.

Mystic Dongba Culture of Naxi Nationality

Dongba culture is fairy independent and mysterious as compared to those of other minorities in China. It remained unnoticed until some Dongba scriptures were took to Europe by a French missionary Pere Desgodins and two British in mid19thcentury. Especially, in1920s, botanist Joseph Rock, an Austro-American came to Lijiang and took a massive volume of Dongba manuscripts back home to sell to the museums. This turned Dongba culture a hot subject of study in the west. Nowadays an increasing number of western scholars or enthusiasts keep on coming to explore this mystic culture.

I. Dongba Religion

Dongba religion worshipped many gods and believed that everything was animate. In its development the religion was influenced by Tibetan Bon, Buddhism, and Taoism. It didn't have a unified organization of temples, but and ample stock of written scripture and complicated ceremonies, which exerted manifold effects on the life of Naxi people.

II.Dongba Scripture

The manuscripts of Dongba scriptures were written in Dongba hieroglyph. There are so many of them that the exact number is impossible to know. Their content ranges over linguistics, literature, religion, custom, history, art, philosophy, astronomy and calendar, actually an encyclopedia of ancient Naxi people. As part of the ancient civilization of China, Dongba scripture holds great value to study.

III.Dongba Hieroglyph

It was an amazing creation of Naxi ancestors, a hieroglyph born in the 11th century. In this language, the meaning is conveyed by one or more symbols as a sentence, reading from left to right and from the upper to the lower. As an exceptionally precious heritage, it is "the only living hieroglyph still in use in the present world". Now, Donba pictograph is easily seen everywhere in the ancient city, on the shop's trade mark or brand, in calligraphy or painting, on crafts or little commodities, even on table ares.

IV.Naxi Ancient Music

This is a classic music wildly popular in Naxi Nationality and extolled as a "living fossil of Chinese music" and the "sound from paradise", one of the oldest survivors in the world. It originated from the music of Taoism about 500-600 years ago. This music has been added the play techniques of Naxi people, featured in playing all the rarely heard works in Tang (618-907A.D) and Song (960-1279A.D) dynasties, the over-100-year old music instruments which cannot find in elsewhere, and the old players who are about 70-80 in age from all walks of life. Now this old, elegant, serious, and folk-rooted music has attracted thousands upon thousands of ears to listen to.

Captivating Attractions Nearby

The Ancient City of Lijiang is girdled by a host of attractive and wondrous attractions. After experiencing the city, you should not miss the rewarding explorations below because they offer you the mind-blowing landscapes found in the world.

I. Jade Dragon Snow Mountain

This mountain is 15km north of Lijiang City, a modern oceanic glacier nearest to the equator in Northern Hemisphere, and a state-level tourist site in China. This mountain has 13 peaks extending for 35km from north to south, along side the deepest gorge in the world-the Tiger Leaping Gorge. It is snowcapped all the year, with grandeur and sublime. Fan Steep, its main peak, is 5,596 meters height above sea-level straight piercing the sky. The mountain is precipitous, picturesque, and peculiar, charming with the scenery sites of Yunshan Spruce Meadow, River of White Water, Ganhaizi Lake, Serac Forest, and so forth, to make the mountain a tourists' resort for sight seeing, exploration, scientific survey, or just vacation enjoyment.

II.the First Bend of Yangtze River

This famous bend formed in Shigu (Stone Drum) Township of Lijiang City when the longest river in China, Yangtze River flows by and makes a sharp turn. Standing near this bend, you can see the green hills, high mountains, beautiful terraced rice field.

III.Tiger Leaping Gorge

The deepest gorge of the world formed for the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain and Haba Snow Mountain are cut by Jinsha River. It is 18km north of Lijiang City, between peaks of over 3,000m above the river, which is 80m or more at the widest, or only about 30m at the narrowest, a most dangerous section of Yangtze River about 17km long. At the entrance right in the middle of the river has a lying huge rock, and the rushing water has to squeeze through a 13m passage at both sides. Legend says that tigers often leap to the other side of the river by this rock, thus the gorge earns this name. A more recently discovery is the ancient rock paintings on cliffs of the gorge, which add wonders to the grand gorge of the world.

IV.Mt. Laojun

At the east side of Mt. Laojun, there is topography of red sandstone of over 200k¡ is found. The charm is that the sun seems also fond of the beautiful scene and reluctant to go, and therefore it seems to rise and set for three mimes here each day, an amazing wonder pleasantly termed as Scenery Dawning.

In this tourist site, the Ninety-nine Dragong Ponds, the god of Supreme Laojun, and the topography of red sandstone are regarded as the top three treasures. In addition, there are plenty more other interesting places like Mt. Jinsichang, South Heaven Gate, Azalea Bush, Yellow Dragon Pool, Meile Peach Garden, Mountain of Five Immortals, Buddha Rock in Morning Sunshine, Mountain of Bird King, Ninety-nine Dragon Ponds, Black Dragon Pool, Sishiluo, and Anqilin.

V.Baisha Old Murals

Baisha Township (8km from Lijang) are preserved quite some ancient buildings, and the famous Baisha murals are stored in these buildings such as Glaze Hall, Dabaoji Place, and Dading Pavalion etc. The themes of the murals are mainly religion. They were drawn in about 600 years ago, very characteristic of the painting in Tang and Song Dynasties and those of Naxi, Tibetan, and Bai minorities.

Recommended Yunnan Tours including Kunming, Dali, Lijiang:

Day 1:

Upon your arrival at Kunming, "the Spring and Flower City", our local guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is free at your own leisure

Day 2:

Sightseeing: West Hill and Dragon Gate,The Grand View Park (Daguan Park)
After breakfast, you will have a half-day city tour including the West Hill and Dragon Gate, and Grand View Park. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore this city by yourself.

Day 3:

Sightseeing: Erhai Lake, The Old Dali Town, Three Pagodas, Xizhou Bai Minority Village
After breakfast, be transferred to Dali and take the morning bus to there. The visit today in this lovely city includes cruise on Erhai, Xizhou Bai Minority Village, Three Pagodas and the Dali Ancient Town.and then enjoy the dinner with our Bai Minority people!

Day 4:

Sightseeing: Heqing Village & Xinhua Village,Lijiang Ancient Town,Lion Hill
In the morning, drive to Lijiang (3-hour drive), along the way, you will stop by the Heqing County, pay a visit to Heqing Villages & Xinhua Village. Upon your arrival at Lijiang County, you will have an excursion to the Ancient Town and the Lion Hill

Day 5:

Sightseeing: Baisha Mural Paintings, Black Dragon Pool Park, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
Today you will enjoy a full day trip to the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the Baisha Mural Paintings and the Black Dragon Pool Park.

Day 6:

Enjoy your free time before you are transferred back to Kunming by bus. And then enjoy a local dinner in the village with Miao, we will arrange the bus for you group in the evening.

China Odyssey Tours specialize in providing package China tours, discount Yangtze River cruises and best rate hotels.

Cheap Flights to Cape Town - FIFA World Cup 2010

Cape Town is the most populous city and provincial capital of Western Cape. Here diverse range of attractions, sights and activities to offer. It is regarded as a melting point for various different cultures in Southern Africa. Known as Mother City, it has an abundance of contrasting activities from lounging on the Atlantic seaboard's popular beaches to exploring the vividly painted area of the Bo-Kaap.

As everyone is aware that South Africa is going to host FIFA world cup 2010, Cape Town is one of the cities hosting this grand event. This grand event is going to be held between 11 June 2010 and 11 July 2010. Matches in Cape Town are going to held Greenpoint Stadium. Here is the schedule of the matches that are going to be held in Cape Town:

11 June 2010
Match: Team A3 vs Team A4

14 June 2010
Match: Team F1 vs Team F2

18 June 2010
Match: Team C1 vs Team C3

21 June 2010
Match: Team G4 vs Team G2

24 June 2010
Match: Team E4 vs Team E1

Search cheap flights for FIFA World Cup 2010; choose the most suitable cheap deal for your travel. Airfares to Cape Town were never so cheap earlier as they are now. Enjoy the most exciting historic event, first ever football world cup in South Africa.

Many airlines have reduced airfares for the flights to Cape Town. Different airlines are offering different airfares. Fares offered by some of the airlines providing cheap flights to Cape Town are as follows:
Emirate Airways 1-Oct-2009 31-Dec-2009 £535 with 30 Kgs Baggage
Qatar Airways 1-Oct-2009 10-Dec-2009 £439 with 20 Kgs Baggage
Etihad Airways 15-Jan-2010 19-Mar-2009 £520 with 20Kgs Baggage
Iberia Airways 1-Oct-2009 30-Nov-2009 £434 with 20 Kgs Baggage

Business class airfares:-

Emirates: 01 Oct 09- 31 Dec 09 £2149, 01 Jan 10 - 31 Dec 10 £2149 with 40kg baggage
South African Airways: 01 Oct 09- 31 Dec 09 £2770, 01 Jan 10 - 31 Mar 10 £2770 with 30kg baggage
Qatar Airways: 01 Oct 09- 10 Dec 09 £1629, 24 Dec 09 - 25 Mar 10 £1629 with 30kg baggage
Turkish Airlines: 01 Oct 09- 31 Dec 09 £1655, 01 Jan 10 - 31 Mar 10 £1655 with 30kg baggage

It is the most visited international tourist destination in South Africa.

Robert Moore has been offering Cheap Flights and FIFA World Cup 2010 flights for quite some time. To find cheap flights for FIFA World Cup, cheap flights to cape town for FIFA World Cup, flights for FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup, FIFA World Cup flights [http://www.cheapflightstocapetown.org.uk/fifa-world-cup-2010.php]. Available flights for FIFA World Cup that best suits your needs visit [http://www.cheapflightstocapetown.org.uk].

Cape Town Apartments For Rent

Cape Town, South Africa's Mother City, has become one of the most sought after holiday destinations in the world. And no wonder, for this cosmopolitan paradise is a jewel set in the heart of the country's Western Cape, described by the 16th Century mariner Sir Francis Drake as "the fairest cape in all the world". It is no wonder then that Cape Town apartments to rent suit every pocket.

For the ultimate of luxury a three bedroom penthouse apartment with every conceivable convenience can set you back as little as R9,000 a day, whilst you can expect to pay twice that figure for a rented villa. The city attracts rich and poor alike with its exciting nightlife, spectacular beaches and colourful culture. It is no wonder that this rare cultural gem has been added to the list of the world's most iconic destinations, the National Geographic Magazine having described it as a destination that every astute traveler should visit at least once in their lifetime.

When anyone mentions the name of this magnificent city, thoughts immediately turn to the prominent and famous Table Mountain that serves as its backdrop. Table Mountain and the Twelve Apostles, the mountain range that stretches down the Atlantic side of the city, divide it into its various districts.

The coastline is dotted with numerous small villages that form the city's suburbs, and Cape Town apartments to rent can be found in all of these areas and in parts of the magnificent Cape Peninsula that stretches down to Cape Point in the extreme South. At the top end of the scale there are five star Cape Town apartments to rent, mainly targeted at overseas' tourists - but there are plenty of other affordable and very comfortable apartments - also star graded for quality standard assurance - to rent for both leisure and corporate use in all areas of this breathtaking Mother City.

Lucky Mamome is a freelance journalist.

All Buildings and Homes Should Be Built Earthquake Proof!

Why should all houses built from now on be built to withstand the shakes of the most violent of earthquakes? All of a sudden we are having very large earthquakes. In fact, we have earthquakes on a daily basis, sometimes 50 per day or 20,000 a year according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). However, their magnitudes are too small for us to feel them, (USGS). In addition, many earthquakes occur in remote areas of the world where people don't live, (USGS). The first big one in quite some time was the one in the Indian Ocean that triggered the largest tsunami in recent memory, which took thousands of lives and destroyed cities and towns.

As recently as May 12, 2008, a massive 7.9 magnitude earthquake shook down buildings and caused thousands of lives to be lost in the Sichuan province of China. In just a couple of months taken from the destruction in China caused by a large earthquake, is the huge 7.0 magnitude trembler in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti--January 12, 2010, the poorest country in the western hemisphere.

Earthquakes occurring in the ocean do not pose a threat by themselves. They are only threatening when they trigger tsunamis; in which case, we cannot do much about. However, massive destruction and loss of lives from earthquakes occurring on land are preventable to a certain extent.

Earthquake-proof constructions should be the norm when erecting buildings anywhere in the world, regardless of whether they are public buildings or private homes. It was said that buildings in Sichuan China where the 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck, were not earthquake proof. This is why such wide-spread damage occurred.

China is one of the richest countries in the world, and they had a tough time coping with the destruction caused by their earthquake. Homes and buildings in Sichuan China were not earthquake proof, so they suffered grave damages. Schools, hospitals, and homes were destroyed in large numbers. Can one imagine the impact that the recent earthquake in Haiti will have on its economy?

The main reason why it is a wise idea to erect buildings that are earthquake proof is that Mother Earth is going through changes that she has always gone through, in regards to the shifting of tectonic plates within the Earth's crust; however, those tectonic changes occurred centuries ago. This is the reason why we hadn't experience them in modern times, until now. Now is the time for those Earthly changes to start occurring again. This is probably the way Mother Earth grows. The Earth is considered living also, in its own way. It has energy that is released each time there is a shift in the tectonic plates beneath the Earth. Why in the past earthquakes cause less destruction than they do today?

In the past, people lived in rural areas of the world. However, as industrialization became the main stay of today's world, people migrated to where industrialization manifests itself, and that is in the cities. Therefore, massive earthquakes in the past did less damage than they do today because there were next to no densely populated areas of the world at that time. However, in today's world, cities are densely populated- a result of overpopulation--Mass exodus of people migrated to inner cities in the quest of finding jobs. This trend of people migrating to cities will not end any time soon.

Large and destructive earthquakes are inevitable and are occurring more often in the world today, so both nature and people are on an inevitable collision course. The loser in this confrontation is people, obviously. Nevertheless, we can be the loser of such confrontations, yet live to tell the tales, by surviving of course. How will we be able to survive the next big earthquake? We know they are coming! In the case of Haiti, large earthquakes have historically shown their devastating effects in years past. Years 1860, 1770, 1761, 1751, 1684, 1673, and 1618 have seen their share of massive earthquakes, (USGS).

Humans will be able to survive the next big earthquake if we prepare. We can prepare for the next round of magnitude 7.0 or 8.0 earthquakes if we build our countries' infrastructure to withstand earthquakes of such magnitudes and higher. We have the technology to send solar powered vehicle to mars, so we definitely have the technological know-how to build earthquake proof infrastructures in our cities, towns, and country sides.

Poor countries such as Haiti would not have the means with which to build special earthquake-proof homes and public buildings, such as schools, post offices, libraries, etc. However, this is where other wealthy countries can give a helping hand by donating funds to subsidize such efforts.

Now is the time to start taking earthquakes seriously and the time to start taking steps in preparing for them, so our buildings and homes can be left standing long after they have come and gone. Large destructive earthquakes will always be with us. They are certainly not going away anytime soon! If anything, they are coming at us fast and furious-Sichuan, China: May 12, 2008-Port-Au-Prince, Haiti: January 12, 2010.

Glenford S Robinson, BS, CLS (ASCP), is a Clinical Laboratory Scientist, Journalist (American Chronicle), and Staff Writer for Mstardom.com [http://www.myspacestardom.com], a social networking website and articles directory providing members and visitors with up-to-the-minute news and entertainment and the opportunity to submit articles and promotional blogs for free.

Selling Your Hometown: Writing Travel Articles About Your Own Town

People love to travel. Whether it is to large, ancient cities visited by millions of tourists each year, or cosy little bread-and-breakfast towns-people love to go out into the world to discover what it has to offer. No wonder tourism makes a significant portion of the revenues of many towns.

If you're looking to put your town on the map, writing travel articles is a great way to reach travellers. The birth and growth of the Internet has significantly changed the way we gather and disseminate information. These days, one can do a simple search for a holiday destination and be rewarded with literally millions of travel articles. The good news is, by the same vein, what you write about your hometown can reach thousands of readers from all over the world; it's just a matter of great writing and proper marketing.

People read travel articles with a single goal: information. People love learning about their place of interest, and knowing what to expect when they get there. They appreciate recommendations on where to stay and what sites to see, events and activities they can participate in, great restaurants and the local delicacies, 'what the town is famous for', and other helpful information, including famous residents and sites of historical significance. The more someone can learn about your hometown, the more excited they will be about visiting this new place and the more comfortable they will feel about making the journey. Therefore, doing your research is important. The more information you have, the better you can sell your product.

When listing the selling points of your town in your travel articles, remember that people are multi-faceted. They have different interests and passions, and travel for different reasons. Towns or cities are the same-they all have different facets and points of interest. Many travel magazines and blogs ask for general information, whereas others prefer more-targeted, special-interest information, such as the local cuisine or local events and festivals. Providing the right information for the right market is therefore crucial. For example, when writing for budget travel magazines, consider giving recommendations on safe but affordable accommodations, great but cheap food, and free attractions.

However, as helpful as facts and figures are, what sells a destination is its unique charm and characteristics-a personality that is only its own-and the history and experiences it offers to visitors. As someone who loves your hometown, you are in the best position to tell the story of your town, make it come alive to your readers, and invite them to become part of it. Write passionately about what makes it unique and why you and your fellow residents love it, and you won't help but produce a compelling article. What you do with it it then is up to you!

Laura Jeeves is a London based travel writer with several years' experience in the industry. She works freelance, producing many excellent travel articles [http://www.journeywithoutmaps.co.uk] from her extensive adventures through many countries across the globe.

Studying English Abroad: Why Not Cape Town, South Africa?

Top Places across the World

Lovers of English Literature, looking to pursue higher studies in English, tend to follow the route to the renowned universities in the world like Oxford, Cambridge - the best places to study English Literature - and even Harvard among other American universities, which has world class reputation. India is also a great place for Literature lovers planning higher studies in English Literature, with not one but numerous universities offering different courses, including JNU and University of Delhi - one the very best across the globe. But due to limited seats in those leading Universities to study English, along with the high cost, many students dig deeper to find other locations to study English, which are comparatively cheaper than and are as effective as those top more expensive peddlers of a good education in the study of English Literature. Places in the entire Australasia opens up other options for students to study English Literature as they offer good courses at minimal cost coupled with affordable living expenses.

Things That Matter

Work permit along with the student visa is something that affects the priority for almost all students who seek education in a foreign country.

Specialization and research in certain areas also attracts students from different countries to specific destinations. For example, universities across the United States of America specifically attract students from all over the world, willing to pursue American Literature and Modernism in particular. Students studying in the United States also have the potential to experience better living conditions, advanced course material and tuition assistance and the potential for lucrative part-time work.

Studying English in Cape Town

Your dreams to pursue the study of English Literature abroad can be achieved quite easily in Cape Town - the coastal city on the southwestern side of South Africa. This foremost university in Africa - the University of Cape Town - has one of the best English Departments in the world. It is among the best places to pursue Postcolonial Literature. University of Cape Town gets numerous applications from all over the world every year. The city also features not one but many language schools which offer distinct courses in English Language. The city's beauty is one of the main reasons students from all over the world wish to study here.

Higher Studies at UCT

University of Cape Town is listed at 103rd spot on the rankings of 2010-2011 issued by the Times Group for the best universities in the world. It is also featured on the list of QS World University Rankings at the 156th position in the year 2011. Holding the top spot among all universities within Africa, UCT offers various courses for scholars of English Literature. The faculty features Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee as well as eminent film critic and Pulitzer Prize Winner Robert Ebert, among its alumni. The University of Cape Town promises quality education for each student it admits. Apart from a highly diversified undergrad course, the university offers post-graduate programs ranging from Creative Writing to Linguistics. Research scholars in English Literature also have options at UCT to pursue their area of interest in an environment full of renowned scholars and philosophers. The University also has a spectacular placement record for both graduate and post graduate students, which promises great career opportunities.

Other Universities and Language Schools in Cape Town

The University of Western Cape, in Cape Town, offers similar courses in English and attracts numerous scholars from all over the world. The Department of English here, is particularly famous for Post-Colonial studies and South African Literature, is one of the very best in the world. Other premier centers to study English in Cape Town include the University of Stellenbosch and different language schools such as the English Language School, located in the heart of the city. The Language schools in Cape Town are well respected worldwide and attract thousands of non English speakers to pursue different English language courses. Courses range from General English to Business English offered at different language schools in Cape Town see applications in great numbers, particularly from tourists of non-English speaking countries looking to learn English. Those eminent places not only guarantees quality education but also promise great placement in top institutions across the world. The low cost of living in Cape Town also makes it one of the most hospitable places for foreign students.

Student Visa and Work Permit

Acquiring a visa to study in South Africa can be easily accomplished with an application over on the internet. It is one of the first things any applicant must get in order to get admitted to courses in universities across South Africa. A South African student visa comes with a year's validity, however the time period of visa is increased depending upon the duration of the course. The student visa generally allows the student to work for 20 hours a week, which will come in handy for those who are somewhat financially challenged.

Although hourly compensation in South Africa for foreign students is not exorbitant as illegal immigrants from all over Africa flock to South Africa in search of a better life and this tends to depress the low skilled wage levels, a student can still expect about 20 South Africa Rand 20 per hour, which comes in handy to assist with living expenses in Cape Town.

Beauty of Cape Town

Cape Town is a great place for any young person to spend a few years. There is a vibrant nightlife, along with awesome beaches and world class safari is never far away.

This city, located just next to a picturesque mountain range, follows the coastline of a beautiful ocean. The city has great amenities like transportation, hospitals and restaurants within close proximity. Cape Town is one of the best locations in the world to study English, from the Pre University to doctoral level.

As you can see, Cape Town is not only a spectacular destination to live and vacation, but it is also an awesome destination for foreign students to study.

Neil Schmidth writes about tourism in Africa and other places across the globe. His recent tour to Cape Town with Palace Travel has left him in much of the city as a destination to study English, which triggered the idea for this article.

The UK - Main Cities & Towns

When we think of the main cities & towns in the UK, the first city that comes to our mind is London. This English capital city is among the most fascinating tourist destinations in the world. The city is famous for its red double-decker buses, the River Thames, the Big Ben, and a host of historical monuments. It a culturally rich city in which you will love the Shakespeare's Globe, St Paul's Cathedral, Palace of Westminster, the Trafalgar Square, and plenty of other famous attractions. Some of the beautiful cities and towns located near London are Oxford, Cambridge, Southampton, Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Bath, Brighton, and Windsor.

Another famous city in the UK is Bath, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of it stunning architectural attractions like the Royal Crescent, Pulteney Bridge, various museums and several other attractions. It is also well known for its wealth of hot springs, Roman Baths, and plenty of monuments. Salisbury is a popular destination in the country, which is popular among tourists for many interesting places. The Old Sarum on Castle Road was actually a hill fort that dates back to the Iron Age. You can also view historical attractions Salisbury Cathedral, The Bishop's Palace, Mompesson House, Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum, and The Chapter House.

The beautiful town of Basingstoke, along the southern coast is an important financial center, which has the oldest British motoring organization known as AA. You should drop into the famous shopping complex known as Festival Place as it sell some of the best fashionable items in the country. Northampton is another scenic town, which is known as the market town in England. Here you will come across some well-maintained parks like Thorntons Park, Delapre Park, Abington Park, Victoria Park, and Becket's Park.

In order to explore other famous towns and cities such as Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford, York, Brighton, Cambridge, and Liverpool with ease you can book van hire UK.

Van Hire 3000 have some great deals on van hire right across the UK.

Motorcycle Touring - Become a World Traveler Without Leaving the United States

The idea of traveling overseas by motorcycle fascinates many American motorcyclists. Just thinking about motorcycling in Sumatra, England or Morocco stirs the emotions. But reality sets in quickly as questions come to mind, how do I learn to drive there, how do I protect myself, what shots do I need and how do I get a passport? Then you ask yourself, "Can I afford it?" There is an inexpensive way and, as a bonus, you already know the language.

Motorcycle journeys are only limited by the imagination of the rider. A journey may be a simple day trip of 100 miles or a cross-country ride covering thousands. World travel is measured, not in miles, but by continents, countries, oceans or islands visited. If you live in New York, it's possible to visit 4 continents, 13 countries, and 8 islands without leaving the state. Now that's a journey!

Imagine the water fountain conversation on Monday morning when you say that you rode your motorcycle to the Caribbean over the weekend. You can tell everyone about the people and architecture in Bermuda, (Georgia) or Jamaica, (Virginia) and give them a history lesson about Grenada, (Mississippi).

Our forefathers named many of our cities after foreign countries: 219 cities and 64 countries. Forty-three states have cities with country names. Would you have ever guessed that San Marino, California is named after the third deed holder's, grandfather's plantation in Maryland which was named after the country of San Marino? The town of Japan, Missouri took its name from a local Catholic church, the Holy Martyrs of Japan. Many towns, such as Ireland, West Virginia, home of the sport of Irish Road Bowling, get their names in a more common way, from their first settler's home country. These are some of the pleasant mysteries tucked away in cities and towns across America.

Cities and towns have a genealogy as people do. Who settled the town? Where did they come from? Does the culture of the town today resemble that of the one it is named for? Did it ever? Part of the genealogy of a town is its cuisine. Do restaurants in Egypt, Arkansas offer ful mudammas? Can you order blini in Russia, Ohio?

The idea of foreign travel is fascinating, but in this brief look around the United States we see towns with mystery and charm which compare with any overseas. You can experience every cuisine, climate, culture and type of geography on earth without leaving the United States. I'll see you at the poetry festival in Montserrat, (Missouri).

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The World Of Minecraft

Some people may think that Minecraft is a game designed for kids, but when you go over that perspective, you'll see that Minecraft isn't just made for kids. It's a game made for all types, whether you're young or old, it doesn't matter. The game is a first person game, though you can change the camera angle to the third person type, It is highly recommended to play on first person camera mode. The game world is made up out of different blocks, ranging from dirt to cobblestone, to almost anything. The game gives you an open world to explore.

There are two game modes that the game has, one is creative mode, where you are invincible and given the ability to fly around while able to take out any type of item the game has inside your inventory status screen. The creative mode serves as a means to express one's creativity, some people even record their video creations to upload to some websites and get a lot of views for how it was done and long it took to create it. Some may even create massive creations such as castles, cities, towns and even their own unique world.

The other mode in the game has is survival mode. In survival mode, you can't fly, you're not invincible and you don't have the ability to take out any item in the creative inventory status screen. Your character is vulnerable to almost anything like fall damage, hunger, drowning and burning. You can even be hit by a lightning bolt. On top of all that, the game has aggressive enemy mobs that spawn in the dark. Skeletons archers, zombies and creepers. In survival mode, it is your job to craft items to make your Minecraft life easier. Craft tools from wood, cobblestone and ores to easily gather food and resources. Create a house for you to survive through the night, make some torches so that monsters don't spawn inside your house, make a farm for fruits and vegetables. Forge and enchant armor and weapons to protect yourself from the mobs. Hunt down cows, pigs and chickens to breed them for food and get some wool from a herd of sheep to make a bed and to set your new spawn point.

Most people like to play on survival to get a challenge out of the game and to see how much their character has grown throughout the game. This game every once in a while updates and adds more different things to the game such as new world environments or biomes, new items to be crafted and changes to the game itself. This game is also an online game so you can play with your friends anywhere in the world or you can just play by yourself, the choice is yours.

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Visit Cape Town and Port Elizabeth to Enjoy a Blend of Culture and Nature

South Africa is a prominent tourism destination as it provides a variety of excellent locales as well as experiences to the vacationers. This country is widely known as the Rainbow Nation, as it accommodates people of various descents with utmost ease. The harmony of this country is infectious, because people are always in a joyous mood and revel most of the times.

There are several travel experts that provide tickets of the cheapest flights to two of the most popular South African cities - Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. These cities are highly regarded by all travellers because of their vibrant atmospheres, welcoming residents as well as numerous tourist hotspots.

Cheap flights to Cape Town are highly favoured by people living in U.K. since this is one of the most iconic cities in the world, with a different character of its own. It is well connected to the world by planes, roads and water, and its centre is situated in a small area that falls between Table Mountain and Table Bay. It has several cost effective dining and lodging options, both of which delight budget travellers. Listed below are the main tourist attractions that Cape Town possesses:

• Bo-Kaap
• The Castle of Good Hope
• Cape Peninsula
• Ratanga Junction
• Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
• Robben Island
• Winelands
• Rhodes Memorial
• South African Parliament
• Two Oceans Aquarium
• Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
• Bo-Kaap Museum
• District Six Museum
• Groot Constantia
• Slave Lodge
• South African Jewish Museum
• South African Maritime Museum
• South African National Gallery
• Galleria Gibello

Tourists love taking the cable car to the zenith of Table Mountain or even climbing the magnanimous structure by themselves with guides. They can also enjoy swimming, surfing, kite surfing, deep sea fishing, diving, safari rides, hiking, rides in helicopters & fighter jets, kayaking, tours of townships, exploring wildlife, whale watching.

And, couples who have taken the affordable flights to Cape Town for a vacation away from the bustling life of U.K. can take romantic sunset cruises and wine tours. There are several markets in this city, from which people can buy souvenirs to take home to remember the various festivals and cultural events they enjoyed in Cape Town.

Cost effective flights to Port Elizabeth are also preferred by travellers, because it gives them the perfect opportunity to enjoy all types of water sports. It has several places of historical, cultural or national significance, such as Donkin Reserve, townships, Alexandria Dune Fields, Nelson Mandela Bay City and Wezandla African Arts and Crafts Gallery.

Apart from these, South Africa Airforce Museum, Bayworld, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, No. 7 Castle Hill Museum and Red Location Museum are heavily visited by tourists. Cheap flights to Port Elizabeth also offer the vacationers the perfect chance to see the beaches and ports of this city, where yachting, sandboarding, surfing, scuba diving etc. can be enjoyed all year long.

Sophia Matthew holds business expertise, and has written several articles on flights to Port Elizabeth, Cheap flights to Port Elizabeth, flights to Cape Town,cheapest flights, cheap flights to Cape Town, all of which have proven to be extremely useful for travel residing in UK.

Bachelorette Party Venues in Cape Town

Cape Town is home to a large number of venues ideal for celebrating bachelorette parties. Whether you choose a more sedate day with the girls or a wild night out, there is no shortage of options available. Cape Town is world-renowned as a party town and boasts the best restaurants, pubs and clubs in the country.

Your choice of venue will depend largely on the theme for your bachelorette party and whether you are looking for an organised party where every need is catered for or a venue where you and the girls can have a good time and spoil the bachelorette.

Cape Town's City Centre is the hub for nightlife but the outlying areas are not left lacking, leving you with a wide choice of venues and areas to choose from. For those looking for a wild night out with the ladies, venues such as Tiger Tiger and Madam Zingara.

These venues have over the years become synonymous with Bachelorette parties and offer a host of additional options including champagne on arrival, private booths for VIP treatment, free entry for the bride to be and her maid of honour and many more.

Many of the venues in the Cape Winelands cater for bachelorette parties. Such as Verena Wine Tasting and Boschendal. Here the bride to be and her friends can enjoy wine and brandy tasting, elegant garden parties or custom made parties at the venue catering for your every need.

Spending a night around the town with a Party Bus is another perfect option for those that want to party in one of the most beautiful cities in the world, without the worry of getting in behind the wheel. This is an ideal option for bachelorette parties with experienced crew members to take care of everything including the drinks, snacks and music. Your group will be picked up from a designated spot and brought safely back again, while you can enjoy the sights and scenery.

When the bachelorette party is aimed more at the naughty theme, consider a belly dancing party at venues such as the Sensual Bliss Belly workshop. The bride to be can join her friends in wiggling and shaking for fun and laughs. These venues will teach the bride (and bridesmaids) a few sensual belly dance movements and is ideal for young and old. Belly dancing workshops are also a great way to let the girls get to know each other a little more personally and are great for groups who have not met before.

Pole dancing parties are another great way to celebrate with the girls on your bachlorette night, with venues such as Black Orchid Burlesque offering party packages filled with plenty of laughter and energy at their studio.

These 'Burlesque Beauties' Workshops offer an introduction to Burlesque by women, for women with easy to remember chair routines. This is a great bonding opportunity for the girls to get to know each other better and for the bride to be to learn some new "honeymoon" skills.

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Moving to Portugal: Top Five Cities to Live in Portugal

Portugal is one of the most beautiful countries for summer holidays. Increasingly more people are moving here to start a new life, find work, or retire. Despite its small size, this country rewards visitors at every step. From golden beaches and amazing landscape to picturesque villages and architectural masterpieces, Portugal has something for everyone. Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Viseu, and the Algarve are some of the best places to live in Portugal.

Lisbon

A recent study ranked Lisbon in 41st place of world cities with best quality of living. Portugal's largest city ranks above Madrid, Rome and other emblematic capitals. With a population of 547,631, Lisbon is the capital city of Portugal and the ninth most populous urban area in the European Union. This city gas two sites classified by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site: Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Tower. Baroque, Gothic, Romanesque, and Modern constructions can be found all over Lisbon.

Viseu

A survey carried by Deco Proteste (a national magazine) has shown that Viseu is the best city to live in Portugal. The study has bee conducted on over 3,000 people in 21 different cities. Respondents said that Viseu offers the best safety facilities and employment opportunities in the country. It also provides excellent public transportation and nice neighborhoods to live in. This city has undergone a considerable economic growth, especially in education, trade, industry and telecommunications.

The Algarve

The Algarve region is considered to be the center of Portugal's tourist industry. With a total area if 5,412 square kilometers, this region relies on tourism and related activities. It is the third richest region in the country, with a GDP per capita of 86 percent of the European Union Average. Those who want to move here can choose from several cities, towns, and villages, including Faro, Lagoa, Albufeira, Tavira, Silves, and Portimao.

Porto

With over 237,584 inhabits, Porto is the second largest city in Portugal. Many of the largest corporations from diverse economic sectors are headquartered in the municipalities of Porto, Mais, Vila Nova de Gaia, and Matosinhos. Porto gained its place as a city of culture, science, work, and leisure. In 2001, this city was named the European Capital of Culture.

Évora

According to a yearly survey, Évora was ranked number two in the Portuguese most livable cities. The many historic buildings and monuments constructed by major artists now testify to the city's lively cultural and artistic heritage. Its historical centre has more than 4,000 buildings in various architectural styles.

Moving to Portugal is a major decision, so you need to do proper research and find a city that suits your lifestyle. If you want to learn more about Portugal and its culture, check out this expat blog.

The Disadvantages of Company Towns and Cities

History has many examples of this, during the 1980's in Britain, Coal Mining Towns became ghost Towns as the mines closed or needed fewer workers. In the 1990's when the Soviet Union collapsed, huge areas of Eastern Europe became unemployed, as many of the smaller Towns and Citieswere dependent on one type of Industry.

These are old economic lessons but still in 2009, many Towns and Cities across the World are facing the same old effects of basing their economy on one Company or Industry.

Here are two examples of Company Towns and Cities, now in deep trouble.

1. Detroit

One obvious example of a City that failed to diversify whilst its dependence of the big three motor industries declined, after they failed to be competitive. Detroit is an extreme example of when things go wrong, there are no more options because Town and city planners never looked ahead.

2. Wilmington

DHL Town, until DHL decided to pull out of the domestic market of the United States. Leaving behind an empty airport, storage facilities and a population that has seen its unemployment levels quadruple this year. The future of Wilmington remains questionable, until the Town can diversify its economy, and attract investment.

Dependency and the failure to diversify are often two factors that create Towns and Cities that become economic black spots. And the fault may lie in the way these areas choose to develop- by not preparing to diversify rather than sticking to the option of depending on one Industry or Company.

However future Town and City Planners should look ahead and create more diversified local economies, so if one Company fails, then the local economy is still suitably cushioned against that failure.

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Luxurious Rivera Cruise Vacations - Which of the World's Rivieras is for You?

Travel today is more accessible to the masses than ever before. People around the world are traveling and vacationing at an ever increasing rate. This increase has made some of the world's most fashionable resort areas a trendy vacation spot. Among the most popular holiday travel options are the Riviera Cruise Vacations.

French Riviera

In the past, we have heard of the glamour and pizzazz of the French Riviera. Situated on the Mediterranean, The French Riviera is blessed with beautiful beaches - a prerequisite for a 'Riviera' resort.

One of the most glamorous ports in the Mediterranean is Cannes. This world renowned port famous for the International Film Festival was once a small fishing village owned by monks.

Further up the coast, on the Bay of Angels, is the capital of the Riviera, Nice. Here one can experience some of the best restaurants. While wandering past the high-class apartments, hotels, and cafés, one can get magnificent views of the Mediterranean.

North of Nice on the Mediterranean is the municipality of Monaco. Of course, we all know the name Mont Carlo as the home of chic casinos, luxurious hotel resorts and fabulous beaches. Monte Carlo increased in stature in the 1950's when Grace Kelly became Princess Grace of Monaco after marrying Prince Ranier II.

Many of the large main cruise lines and smaller local cruise lines offer cruises that start, finish or visit ports in the French Riviera. For a sampling of itineraries options see the link to our articles in the 'Bio' section at the bottom.

Italian Riviera

At the top of the 'boot' of Italy just east of the French Riviera and you'll find the Italian Riviera. Situated on the shores of the Ligurian Sea, the Italian Riviera is glamorous but in a distinctly old-fashioned way. The rustic and provincial are blended together with the elegant and chic as cosmopolitan cities and small towns come together.

Portofino is one of the most photographed villages on the coast of the Italian Riviera. Many of Europe's wealthy visit this small harbor even though there is little to do there. And unless you are traveling on a larger budget, you may want to stay elsewhere and day-trip to Potofino. Hotels, restaurants, and cafés are very expensive ( a beer here may cost you EUR8!)

Genoa (or Genova in Italian) is a very busy and sprawling city, not what one might expect in this largely old and quaint Riviera. The city does however offer visitors numerous sightseeing adventures from ancient hill top fortresses to magnificent palaces.

San Remo, the largest resort in the area is also considered the capital of the Italian Riviera. It offers visitors world class hotels, and a romantic setting with its exotic gardens. And oh yes, the famous casino!

Visitors to the Italian Riviera can opt to stay in cities, towns and villages including Lerici, Santa Margherita Ligure, Portovenere, Rapallo or the villages that make up Finale Ligure. Or, visitors can stay on their cruise ships and explore the area on day excursions.

For more information regarding Italian Riviera cruises see the link to our articles in the 'Bio' section at the bottom.

Mayan Riviera

As more cruisers and vacationers travel the Caribbean, the Mayan Riviera is becoming better known and extremely popular. The beautiful sand beaches, the sun and the sapphire clear waters make for a dream vacation. Running form the city of Cancun on the Mexican Caribbean to the Mayan Ruins of Tulum, the Mayan Riviera draws snow-birds to its mystic and paradise-like shores. The waters around the coral reefs of Cozumel are a delight to snorkelers.

The area is quickly being built up with more and more lavish resorts. Many all-inclusive resorts have been constructed and more are being planned.

In contrast to the luxurious resorts, is the ancient city of Tulum whose ruins are a must-see for anyone slightly interested in history and archeology? Dating back as far as 600 A.D. you can witness the pyramid shape of El Castillo or the ruined magnificence of the Temple of the Descending God.

The Mayan Riviera has become a very popular Caribbean cruise destination as well. To explore the Mayan Riviera cruise options see the link to our articles in the 'Bio' section at the bottom.

Mexican Riviera

Mexico's Pacific coastline offers vacationers yet another Riviera to explore. The rich culture of the area is witnessed by the Quebrada cliff divers of Acapulco and the cobbled streets of Puerto Valllarta.

One can enjoy the atmosphere of the Mexican Riviera by day and by night. Dancing to the salsa, or dining and enjoying the areas bold flavors you won't want to miss a step.

The long sandy beaches of Mazatlin will certainly be drawing you nearer. As will the deep water lagoons and the relaxed, laid back atmosphere of Zihuatanejo.

Can you feel being drawn towards a Mexican Riviera Cruise? See the link to our articles in the 'Bio' section at the bottom for more information.

American Riviera

Having a number of nicknames - both good and bad - Miami is also dubbed the American Riviera. Known as the 'cruise capital of the world', Miami has a lot to offer cruise vacationers on a post- or pre-cruise visit.

World renowned beaches, fantastic nightlife, a Latin flavor and wonderful and unique culinary experiences bring vacationers from all over the world to this American Riviera. Enjoy in-line skating along the beaches on Ocean Drive. If adventure is on your vacation agenda, visit the near-by Everglades Safari Park, the only subtropical preserve in North America.

Miami is the jumping point for some of the most desirable cruises in the Caribbean - including some of the Mayan Riviera itineraries. (As a matter of note, the Santa Barbara area of California also lays claim to the American Riviera nickname.)

No matter what your picture of a Riviera should be, there is at least one place in the world that will accommodate. And to top it all, many of the world's top cruise lines offer fantastic cruises to these destinations aboard their magnificent and luxurious cruise ships. Enjoy the opulence and luxury while experiencing the Rivieras of the world!

Brian A Schmidt is the author and web publisher of a1-discount-cruises.com, your #1 source for cruise information, romantic getaways, cruise wear and great deals! Visit A1-Discount-Cruises to access some of the best deals on-line for cruises, cruise wear and romantic getaways. For more information regarding the various riviera cruises see Romantic Getaways Articles. Please feel free to contact us with your comments or questions.

World Cup South Africa 2010 - Starting Your Journey to Cape Town

Needless to say, the World Cup South Africa 2010 is going to be a thrilling event. Almost every single World Cup has been, and there are always enough upsets caused by underdogs, captivating victories by the masterful nations, and tightly fought matches, to enthrall the crowd.

In 2010, more of the same can be expected, with the most skillful players from the greatest nations in the world all going head to head for the ultimate prize in football: the World Cup.

If you're a fan, then this represents a mouth watering opportunity. Not only is South Africa accessible and easy to get to, but it is a beautiful and exotic nation in its own right, which is the main reason why it has become such a popular tourist destination. Further deserving mention is the fact that Cape Town itself is regarded as a premier tourist location within South Africa.

Dare you pass up the chance to enjoy the very best in your favorite sport, coupled with the prospect of a wonderful vacation?

Truth be told, you really shouldn't dally about too long. Of course, the thought has crossed your mind, but you probably put it off as something you'd decide closer to the time. In itself, this is a huge mistake that so many people make.

Although the Cape Town is prepared for the World Cup South Africa, there is bound to be a shortage of tickets and accommodation as the kick off day approaches. Booking in advance can save you the heartache of missing out on this excellent opportunity.

Consider it this way: Your journey to the World Cup South Africa should begin right here, and right now.

Start out by heading over to Come to Cape Town, to get a rough idea of the city in relation to World Cup locations. As an excellent resource, it has everything, including specific advice regarding the World Cup. Take the first step towards the World Cup South Africa by booking your flight tickets, sooner the better.

http://cometocapetown.com

The World's First Carbon-Neutral Zero Waste Town - "Masdar City"

Welcome to the world of Energy!

In Physics, Energy is a scalar physical quantity that shows the amount of work that can be performed by a force, an attribute of objects and systems that are subject to a law of conservation. Any form of Energy can be transformed into another form, but the total energy always remains the same: that's the principle of the conservation of Energy.

Nowadays, about 18% of global energy consumption comes from renewables, such as Biofuel, Biomass, Geothermal, Hydroelectricity, Solar energy, Tidal power, Wave power and finally Wind power.
Indeed,the use of renewable energy has an enormous potential future thanks to sustainable development and global warming groups that have proposed the use of 100% renewable energy source supplies without using fossil fuels or nuclear power. For example, scientists from the University of Kassel have suggested that Germany can power itself by only renewable energy!

Secondly, there is the world's first carbon-neutral zero waste town: "Masdar City", a planned city in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirate. Masdar City aims to become the Silicon Valley for clean, green and alternative energy. A global centre where over 1,500 companies will converge to address one of man's greatest energy challenges and city where current and future technologies will be funded, researched, developed, tested and implemented.

In fact, the project is expected to cost US $22 billion and take some 8 years to build. The city is planned to cover 6 square kilometers and will be home to 45,000 people and 1,500 businesses. It will also be the location of a University, The Masdar Institute Of Science and Technology (MIST) which will be assisted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology( MIT).

Among the first construction projects will be a 40 to 60 megawatt solar power plant. This will later be followed by a larger facility, and additional photovoltaic modules will be placed on rooftops to provide supplemental solar energy totaling 130 megawatts. Wind farms will be established outside the city's perimeter capable of producing up to 20 megawatts, and the city intends to utilize geothermal power as well. Automobiles will be banned within the city!

Masdar will also attempt to reduce waste to zero. Biological waste will be used to create nutrient-rich soil and fertilizer, and some of the waste may also be put in use through waste incineration as an additional power source. As for industrial waste, such as plastics and metals, they will be recycled or re-conditioned for other uses.
Finally, the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) will be located in Abu Dhabi's Masdar City, a site which is currently under construction. It will be the world's first carbon-neutral, zero-waste city completely powered by renewable energy.

"People often ask why the UAE is undertaking such an extensive environmental initiative. The answer is that Masdar integrates the full technological lifestyle of modern time and places the UAE in a leading position in the field of renewable energy. We cannot keep living the way we are at the present moment ; Masdar is the future."

Energy is our future!

Laudie Jamous.
1st year energetic student at Institut Galilee, ile de France
laudiejamous@gmail.com
0676059925

Castles Are The Forgotten Manmade Wonders Of The World

The recently chosen New Seven Wonders of the World has had much criticism. And, although it was a good idea to exchange the list of Seven Wonders of the Ancient World with a new list, there are indeed some strange results from the voting procedure. The voting has caused for instance the listing of Christ the Redeemer in Brasil, instead of the Amazing Angkor Wat temples. But what is even more striking, is the lack of medieval castles in the winning list of manmade wonders of the world, and even in the lists of finalists.

Castles, citadels, and medieval towns are the remains of the Dark Ages, as the Middle Ages are often referred to. Many consider this period as an era of fighting and destruction. But looking at the remains of this period, we need to conclude that it was also a period in which magnificent structures were built.

An adventure travel tour through Europe should include at least a few Medieval towns, Citadels, and Castles. These can be found all over Europe, and for instance Egeskov in Denmark, or De Haar in The Netherlands are beautifully reconstructed examples of great Castles. And what about the United Kingdom and Ireland? These are countries famous about their Medieval Heritage. Located in the highlands of Scotland and the low plains of Ireland are many castles, some in decay, but many still in their full glory.

But it is in Eastern Europe where the most beautiful gems can be found. Here, western commercialism has not fully struck yet, and the medieval structures can be found in more natural conditions. Visit Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic for a small relaxing medieval town in between a meandering river. Go to Sighisoara or Brasov in Romanian Transylvania for the history of Dracula. And try Veliko Tarnovo for a magnificent fortification on top of the rocks.

Are you more of a city dweller? Try Prague, Budapest, or one of the medieval capitals of the Baltic states: Vilnius, Riga, or Tallinn. These combine a piece of Medieval history with modern city life including bars, restaurants and discotheques.

Patrick van der Meer is the creator of Adventure Travel Tales and Tips. Visit his website for more information about the castles around Brasov in Romania, medieval towns like Vilnius in Lithuania, and more about Adventure Travel in Europe or other parts of the world.

7 Simple World of Warcraft Gold Making Tips

Not having enough money is one of the most common refrains heard in Warcraft. It's a fact of life that some players are just constantly broke. But you don't have to be. We've put together this list of simple steps you can take to maximize your money-making prowess so you'll never have to worry about having enough gold again.

7 MONEY-MAKING RULES TO LIVE BY

Rule 1: Establish a goal

Rule 2: Choose your path

Rule 3: Bags

Rule 4: Save, don't spend

Rule 5: Drops, not purchases*

Rule 6: Sell at the Auction House

Rule 7: Get a mount

RULE 1: ESTABLISH A GOAL

The most essential part of your game-play experience in the free market economy of WoW is to establish what it is you want to do with your gold. Are you into spending it on ingredients to make powerful weapons and armors? Do you want to pursue a profession that is costly and expensive? Or would you rather just save it as a cushion or for rainy day spending? Whatever it is, questions like these will help frame the kind of player you will become.

Establishing a goal is important, but you must always be conscious of this goal. Opportunities to buy shiny new items, weapons, trinkets, and whatever else will always come along. But keep your goal in mind. The more you stay focused, the easier it will be to get there.

RULE 2: CHOOSE YOUR PATH

There are lots of ways to make money in WoW. The players who are most successful at making money (no matter what their level) usually do so by perfecting a skill or profession. They don't just chase any mob that comes along their path, they set out only after the mobs that make them money. Some players skin animals and sell the leather, others kill humanoids and make items from the cloths, etc.

The point is this: no matter what profession or skills you choose to pursue, you must focus on these to get the most value from them. Changing your strategy at some point along the road may be prudent, but constantly changing strategies for no reason is going to end up in frustration.

Keep your eye on the goal, master your chosen path, and you will make money much more quickly.

RULE 3: BAGS

While you might be wondering why a section on bagging made its way into the guide, one of the most common complaints sung again and again in the gaming environment is this: "I'm out of space in my inventory!"

As a low level gamer, you will not be able to afford the bags you need immediately. Beginning characters start with five inventory slots they can put bags in. Each slot can hold a bag with a maximum of 18 slots, which means you can hold 18 items per bag. (Note: Hunters lose one or two slots depending on whether or not they wish to carry a quiver and ammo pouch.) Each player starts with a backpack with 16 item slots. Without help, a low level player might be lucky to afford a 6 slot bag at most aside from their backpacks. It is imperative to use your next best resource: the bank.

Each player has a separate inventory cache. The bank at each major city allows player to inventory items they might not yet want to carry on them. As a low level player, utilizing the bank will be essential until you can afford to buy higher capacity bags. You should focus any initial spending effort in the game on purchasing high capacity bags. As when you are out in the wilderness, it can be infinitely frustrating to find yourself out of room, and having to "leave the farm" in search of a vendor or auction house with which to dump your goods.

You can also use the mail system as a temporary storage facility. You can mail items to other players (and even yourself.) Whatever item you attach to the mail message will stay in the mailbox for 30 days. Though there is a small fee for mailing items, and it's important to not forget about them, using the mail as a temporary storage facility is always an option.

RULE 4: SAVE, DON'T SPEND

Building up your gold reserve is like any other venture in WoW; you need to be pennywise. While that shiny aura of a blue quality weapon in the AH looks, chances are that buying it will, in the long run, turn out to be a waste of time and money.

Granted, you are going to need to spend money as you level up. You'll need to buy ammunition, or repair armor or fly a griffon from one place to another, but these are necessary expenses. The unnecessary ones, the ones that you don't really need, those are the ones that eat up your money and set you back. You need to avoid these at all costs.

The first criteria for building a successful gold reserve is this: You need to be clear about your financial objectives. If you are saving up money for an 800 gold mount, spending 30 g there and 40 g here only makes the realization of your goals that much harder. I know this sounds like the advice your parents might give you, but what holds true outside of Azero holds true inside as well. Granted you're not poking people for money, but saving is a crucially important virtue, one which requires a lot of patience and perseverance.

RULE 5: DROPS, NOT PURCHASES*

So how do you offset the itch to buy high quality blue or green items with respectable stats? Consider the following: you can get good items for free, and good items that are below level 60 are usually a waste of money.

There is an exception to this rule, however. You can often find items sold by NPC vendors that can be purchased and resold for profit. This is an effective strategy you can use to make money, but keep in mind that is the only reason to do it. You don't want to waste money on items for yourself if you can help it. If you want those high-value items, you'll need to get groups together to go on instance runs. This way, you can still get a chance at those super-duper items without having to pay super-duper prices.

RULE 6: SELL AT THE AUCTION HOUSE

If you want to make gold, you need to put in the time and do the research. Rather than browse countless forums and websites in search of that key money making formula, most successful moneymakers are experts at auction house dynamics.

The auction house is the place where players go to acquire gear, weapons, trinkets, potions and any sort of resource imaginable in the game. There are also regular vendors, but since these are operated by NPCs, there is little chance of finding something extremely valuable. The auction house is where players go to determine supply and demand and buy and hawk their wares. Knowing what is selling, and at what price, is extremely helpful in becoming a high volume seller.

Now, while other strategies and guides might tell you to download an auction house add-on to cross reference selling data, the simply fact of the matter is, you don't need this add-on to determine market value. A simple scan of the going price will help you efficiently set your own price before you post your item(s) for sale. All you need to do is type in the item and see what it's going for.

The auction house add-on lets you scan larger amounts of information. However, it requires you to remain stationary (usually for upwards of 10 or more minutes) while the scanner runs the data.

Even with this add-on in place, you still have to do the detective work. A scan each day will certainly help if you need massive cross sections of information. Instead, what we suggest is whenever you have a resource in your possession, don't be anxious to shed it immediately. Go visit the auction house. Type in the item. See what the going rate is. Wait a day or two. Rinse and repeat. Then make an educated decision about setting the value of your items and materials.

If you are trying to sell an item that does not have a predecessor on the auction house blocks, there is a rather simple method for acquiring an answer: call for a price check. Just like the cashier at your local supermarket, don't be afraid to use the general chat channel in any major city to find out what the going price is for an item. Gather the information you receive in return to generate a reasonable price. If you still insist on using an add-on to get a much grander picture, then try http://www.auctioneeraddon.com and follow the instructions to download the software.

Another method is to make a first offering of your items through the general chat or trade channels. This is a method utilized time and again by players. If you like the real-time "feel" of negotiating, this is where you will have the most success.

RULE 7: GET A MOUNT

For most players however, the most essential spending necessity comes in the form of a mount. This is not optional. You will need one. A mount is a race-specific animal that transports you throughout Azeroth. It increases your movement speed by 60% (epic mounts increase it by 100%) and with new epic mounts increasing speeds up to 280%, you'll likely not want to walk everywhere. After hoofing it for the first forty levels, this added benefit will no doubt come as a major relief. Mounts are quiet helpful when your quest is at the far corner of a gaming zone and there are no flight points nearby. Depending on how you build your reputation with the major cities in the game, you will find yourself with more mount options, but all players have access to at least one mount once they hit level 40.

Unless you're a warlock or paladin who has specific quests to achieve their riding mounts, you'll have to make the capital yourself. Since mounts are not in the least bit inexpensive, you'll need to start saving immediately. But since a mount isn't available until level 40, you do have some time to make the most of your money. The other expense of considerable size is your riding skill. Actually more expensive than the mount itself, this can costs upwards of 800g. While the bottom line price for a mount (and riding lessons) is a little less than 100g. You can actually defer some of the cost and receive a price reduction if you move up the reputation rungs from neutral to exalted by running quests for your city. To do this, pick up on zones that are level appropriate (if you are a level 15 you want to be in a zone that is amenable to level 15 players). Further, do quests in level-appropriate zones that hold cities, towns, or settlements that are the same race. If I am a human who wants to get my horse mount and reduce the cost, I will focus my time on doing quests from Stormwind and surrounding human towns like Goldshire, Darkshire, and Southshore. I would not want to focus my time in places like Astranaar or Auberdine, which consist of elf populations and quests that give reputation points toward Darnassus. After level 40, I can always go back and complete those quests. This will boost your reputation with your home city and put you that much closer to a four-legged friend.

And that's it. Keep these simple goals in mind, and we guarantee you'll be making more money than you did before.

The Norwood Trading Company has game guides for all your MMO needs. Visit us at [http://norwoodtradingguides.com/]

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World Cup 2010 - Guide to Accommodation in Cape Town

The World Cup soccer tournament will be held during June and July 2010 in South Africa with matches being scheduled in the major cities. In spite of the reservations of many of the critics, preparations are well in place to make this a successful event; the first to be hosted on the African continent. Many Internet visitors looking for affordable accommodation may be confused at the large variety and selection of accommodation options and the many suburbs that make up the greater Cape Town area. It has been said that there will be a shortage of accommodation, but as the date for the match fixtures grows closer it is apparent that the numbers of visitors expected will be significantly less than originally anticipated. Prices of accommodation have also come down to affordable levels in many suburbs. Cape town offers a large selection of guest houses, bed and breakfast establishments and self catering holiday accommodation that far exceeds the number of hotel beds available. It is now obvious that there will be plenty of choice but, in order to get what you want, it is a good idea to book early.

In order to help visitors choose where to stay in Cape Town and where to find the type of accommodation that will best suit your needs, we thought to give you a brief guide to suburbs of greater Cape Town and what they will offer.

If you your priority is to be close to the World Cup stadium and all of the exciting night life of Cape Town and the nearby Cape Town Waterfront, you should choose accommodation in the nearby suburbs of Green Point or Sea Point and the Cape Town City bowl. Expect however to pay higher prices than in the outlying suburbs. Certainly if someone is going to offer a private dwelling in the upmarket areas within walking distance of the stadium they will probably expect high prices.

City Bowl: Generally the upmarket city bowl suburbs of Tamboerskloof, Higgovale, De Waterkant, Oranjezicht and Vredehoek will offer luxury and very expensive accommodation, in the large and often historic homes and guest houses. In the city itself however you will find backpackers lodges and other inexpensive accommodation. Green Point and Sea Point are near to the both the stadium and the famous Waterfront, and all the night life action.

Atlantic seaboard: on what is known as the Atlantic seaboard you will find the exclusive residential suburbs of Clifton, Camps Bay, Bakoven, Bantry Bay all of which are fairly close to the Stadium. The Atlantic seaboard comprises some of the most expensive and exclusive properties in Cape Town as they generally have spectacular views across the ocean and are close to the most popular beaches. If you are looking for accommodation in the top end of the market, accompanied by exclusivity and luxury, then this is where you will find it. This is also the area where the beautiful people hang out, and you will find plenty of nightlife and a wide choice of restaurants and bars.

Hout Bay: Quite a lot further out is the quiet fishing village of Hout bay, where you will find a mixture of very expensive and more affordable accommodation and there is a lot to choose from. If you are looking for a quiet spot to relax between the matches this could be a good choice, although you should not expect to enjoy any nightlife.

Noordhoek/Kommetjie: at the southern end of the peninsula but some 30 minutes drive from the centre of Cape Town are the villages of Noordhoek and Kommetjie which are a great choice if you want to have a quiet relaxing time and also enjoy some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery to be found anywhere. Noordhoek has a wide choice of accommodation from luxury to budget and you will generally find large 1 acre properties which offer just one or two cottages, making it very "un-crowded".It is the last bit of countryside remaining in the greater Cape Town area and easily accessible to Cape Town by road; mostly freeway. Kommetjie - a surfer's paradise-it may be a 30 to 40 minute drive to the city backed here you will find not only a relaxed environment and lifestyle but most likely very affordable accommodation.

Southern suburbs: There are a large number of suburbs which stretch toward the False Bay coast from the city and these include older mainly Victorian suburbs including Mowbray, Rosebank, Wynberg, and Claremont. Here you can expect to find reasonably affordable guesthouse accommodation, and if you are not planning to drive, it will be easy to get to the city using the inexpensive and regular Metro rail system, and public transport from the city will be plentiful.

Further out are the beautiful valley suburbs of Constantia and Tokai. Constantia is home to the mink and manure set, and generally comprises exclusive homes on large properties. Expect to pay a higher than average price to stay here and to have to rely upon hiring a car or a driver to get around.

South Peninsula: On the coast of beautiful False Bay you will find the interesting older suburbs of Muizenberg, St James, Kalk bay, Fish Hoek and Simonstown. Muizenberg is still struggling to shake off its run down reputation, although it does have a great beach. St James is known as "millionaire's mile" and has been a choice holiday destination for the wealthy since the early days. There is not much accommodation available here or in the more bohemian Kalk Bay nearby, and prices will be expensive. Although these are quaint and charming villages, when the World Cup will be on, the disadvantage is that they lose the sun behind the mountain in the early afternoon, and twilight comes early. Fish Hoek, a little further diown the line has plenty of affordable choice, but has little to offer in the way of nightlife or diversion. It does have a convenient railway station to get to the city.

Much more popular is the historic Naval Town of Simonstown. Although also a quiet town, the major attraction is a mile of historic buildings and the African penguins to be found on Boulders and Seaforth beaches. There is plenty of choice of accommodation in this town, and it has many attractions, but it the furthest out of the city and may not suit those who wish to be able to commute to the stadium.

Northern suburbs of Cape Town: There is bound to be plenty of affordable accommodation in the northern suburbs of Cape Town which include Durbanville; Bellville and Kraaifontein. Unfortunately you are bound to have to deal with heavy traffic in and out of the city and these are not only a long way from where the action is, but there is no nightlife or any other form of diversion. Accommodation is bound to be cheap, but this fringe of our city is dead after dark.

Cape Town offers a great diversity to suit your every need, so you should find what suits you. Expect a friendly welcome and some wonderful sunny days interspersed with the rainy ones.

Dennis is a guest house owner who grew up in Cape Town, and is passionate about promoting tourism in South Africa, and particularly in the Western Cape.
He is actively involved in the tourist industry, and also consults in the field of business logistics management.
Interests include:
Internet marketing and SEO.
Collector of classic British Sports cars- notably Triumphs and Classic Minis.
Other hobbies include blogging, classical music, Opera, and Asian cuisines.
His guest house offers affordable Cape Town holiday accommodation:
Website: http://www.horizoncottages.co.za

Cape Town: The Cape Of Good Hope

It is famous for gastronomy and the bustling nightlife. So it doesn't matter whether you are a quite or lively person - Cape Town has something for everyone. Here are the top things I would recommend you to do and see in Cape Town.

Table Top Mountain:

Who hasn't heard of the famous table top Mountain in Cape Town it is the best attractions to visit. Table Top Mountain was on my top list, so my first day in Cape Town started with the Table Top Mountain, you can catch a cable car ride here which will give you a quick bird's view of the entire city or you can go for a hike. I prefer the hike as it's a good activity and you get spend more time.

Visit The Sharks:

Cape Town is one of the most famous places all over the world for Shark diving, the South African waters it the home of around quarter of the world's shark species they have around 98 species of the sharks, the cape of good hope is the best place for underwater diving and snorkeling.

Explore The Unique Food

Cape Town offers the most delicious dishes; it's the place for adventure eaters. The entire South African continent is famous for its food like Xhosa, which is basically a maize porridge cooked in different manners. In South Africa you will find all kind of dishes from Ethiopian food to Cape Malay cuisine.

Walk Down To Penguin Colony:

Enjoy your time with the cute and cuddly penguins of South Africa. The Boulder's beach is the home of the African Penguins and here you will find their colonies. Spend a few extra dollars and you can spy on the beach life of the Penguins and their babies through binoculars. I really found this activity cute and interactive.

Buy An African Memento:

Savvy tourists come with their luggage half empty like me ready to fill it up with some precious and thrilling gifts for friends and families. I prefer shopping at the Pan African Market, for ornaments and custom made clothing's, Green Market is also another place I prefer shopping at for souvenirs, plus the best thing is you can always bargain.

Relax In A Palace For Pampering:

Cape Town is the best place for alluring city breaks: best shopping spots, best beaches and best restaurants, but they also have the best spas to indulge in for a relaxing experience.

Cape Town is the best destination for a perfect getaway with friends or family, but if you still worry about the travel expenditure then try signing for the Cathay Pacific miles program and collect free miles with them on every flight, they offer reasonable prices for frequent flyer members.