VidMama

The Sea in San Antonio

When I was growing up there was only one SeaWorld that I know of and that was in San Diego. Now you can find a room at one of the luxurious San Antonio hotels on this site drop your bags, put on some shorts and head for the SeaWorld in this Texas town. This SeaWorld was opened here in May of 1988 and is a major attraction to the area. Millions of people visit this park each year and the mammals are so happy to show of there tricks to a willing crowd.

The idea of SeaWorld came from the brain storming of four UCLA graduates, Milton C Shedd, Ken Norris, David Demott and George Millay. They scrapped some plans of doing an underwater restaurant and marine life show when it was clear they were not going to be able to pull it off. They decided instead to open a theme park that feature the same sort of idea, marine animals to the people. The decided to open some more parks across the country so the set there eye on Ohio. That ended up being a difficult place to maintain and had a short operation time, during the summers only but it still succeeded because of its location to the locals there. They then rode the coat tails of Disney in Orlando Florida. The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando opened and they decided to open in the same area which pushed Orlando into the theme park mecca of the world.

The company was bought by Harcourt Brace Jovanovich Inc. in 1976 and many years later they opened in the heart of Texas. Then with hard times came another selling of the company to Anheuser-Busch who has put a lot of money into the parks helping them to thrive as well as they have. So while you are in San Antonio take a day and go enjoy the local SeaWorld.

Tags: SeaWorld, Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando

Rocky Mountain National Park

Steve had always considered vacation destinations major cities that spanned the globe. Growing up his parents always loved to travel and instilled this passion in their children. And while he did tour country sides, such as when he spent a full three weeks in Tuscany Italy, he generally oriented his destination to a major city. Even while visiting Tuscany he was based in Florence and spent the majority of his time there. It was his wife’s insistence that they spend a week in a country villa, though he had a fabulous time and never objected.

However, last spring when his wife Rhonda suggested that they spend their summer vacation in Colorado his response was that he goes to Denver all the time for business and while it’s a great city he doesn’t feel like vacationing there. Rhonda laughed a little knowing her husband’s tendencies and then explained that she wanted to explore some of the great mountains and country area. It took Steve a while to register exactly what she meant and was initially less than enthusiastic about the idea. However, after some consideration, he finally agreed to go. Not because he thought it was a great idea, but because he recognized that he almost always got to choose their destination.

Rhoda was overjoyed and immediately started suggesting specific destinations. She learned that she would have final say and decided on an area in the Rocky Mountain National Park. It couldn’t have been a better choice. Steve loved the views and open air. He thought it was one of the most beautiful places he had ever been and couldn’t have felt more at peace yet inspired that summer. Rhoda knew she had made a great decision when she stepped out of their cottage style accommodations and found Steve out front practicing his Tai Chi moves. She hadn’t seen him do that in years and left him to his own while she grilled breakfast out in the open.

Tags: cottage style accomodations, Florence, Rocky Moutain National Park

A Wealth of Archaeological Sites in the City of Phoenix

Phoenix is an ever expanding city, with construction projects underway each day of the year, from some of the finest and best Phoenix hotels, to the building of sports arenas and new housing developments.  Before a new project is underway however, the archaeologists are called into to excavate and survey the land on which these new buildings are being constructed.  The reason for this is the vast array of archaeological sites that have been found in the city and the surrounding areas.

This region of the Southwest is rich with the history of Native American cultures, and whether it is scholastic study in the Anthropology Department of Arizona State University, or a whether it is an interest of hobby, many people travel to this city to discover the wealth of information that lies buried in the dry Arizona desert.  There are digs and research projects that have been underway for many years, and these are great locations to visit as tours are offered, however many of the digs have raised more mysteries than solved answers.

One such site and museum, is located in downtown Phoenix close to the airport, Pueblo Grande.  This is just one of the more than twenty Hohokam sites throughout the Valley of the Sun.  It dates back to the twelfth and thirteenth centuries and offers a bit of insight into one of the earliest known cultures to have settled along the Gila River.  Casa Grande is a site located just to the Southeast of Phoenix near the town of Coolidge.  Mystery surrounds this site, as many scientists have speculated that not only was it a settlement, but that in the carefully constructed, multi-level pueblo construction, it may have also been an observatory, an early base for the study of Astronomy.

This area was flooded in 1911, by the construction of the Roosevelt Dam, and many of the remains were destroyed, leaving much of this site and the people who inhabited it, an enigma.  This is the reason for the research done now by anthropologists and archaeologists throughout the city, to protect these remains, the artifacts, and the history before new construction begins.  Touring the archaeological sites and the museums of the Southwest desert city of Phoenix opens one’s eyes to those who have been here before, and to those living in the city today.  Those whose ancestors lived here more than 500 years.

Tags: Anthropology Department of Arizona State University, best Phoenix hotels, Casa Grande

Man on the Moon in NYC

I tried to follow the footsteps of Andy Kaufman in NYC, not with the attempt to become him, but to try to find out what was on his mind.  It has been an obsession that’s lasted longer than I would ever care to admit, but that seems to be part of the legacy of trying to figure out the man on the moon.  In a way, it’s like following after any of the great mad artists, like Artaud or Giacometti, you get into their worlds very easily, but it’s also very difficult to find your way back out.  There’s a certain saturation point where it’s difficult to tell if you’re getting anything out of the search besides getting more disturbed.

He didn’t really live long enough for us to know if he was truly disturbed, or singularly obsessed, but it was a music that only he heard.  When we could hear it, too, it was pure joy, but otherwise we were lost and felt dumb for not getting the joke.  In that spirit, I checked into a five star hotel in New York by pretending to be someone else, I won’t say who, just in case it’s still on the register somewhere, and spent the weekend in this other name, as if it were an alter ego.  The only thing I could do that was familiar, I told myself, was to read part of the Kaufman biography I’d already been through a dozen times.

I don’t really know what the intention was, but I know that somewhere along the line I went from nervous to absolutely giddy.  It was extremely gratifying to have people believe me in coffee shops and park benches, and I began to see some of the appeal of putting people on.  That strange figure who I once watched at my parents’ house, on Van Dyke and Company, started to make sense.  This was only a glimpse, however, because the weekend was over, and I was out of money.  It was something I would never repeat, because it opened up something strange, a kind of box of phantoms there that dance at the edges of the place where life starts to blur into art.

Tags: Andy Kaufman, five star hotel in New York, Van Dyke and Company

Ray from Georgia

Tags: Jimmy Carter, Ray Charles

Greensboro Doll

While you are getting out from one of the elegant hotels around Greensboro North Carolina you may find yourself on Dolley Madison Road. Would you think of the pre made Dolly Madison baked goods or the wife of the James Madison, forth President of the United States. She was quite the lady and she was born in Greensboro in May of 1768. She would also act as the First Lady for Thomas Jefferson since he was a widower. She would participate in ceremonial functions when she was needed.

She was born to Mary Coles a Quaker and John Payne who became a Quaker three years into marriage. So Dolley was raised with the Quaker faith and that set the tone of her life. Dolley was one of eight children in the Payne family, four boys and four girls. For a brief time that family lived in Greensboro and that is, of course, when she was born. They came from Virginia and later returned to Virginia until 1765 when John Payne let his slaves go free and moved to Philadelphia and went into business as a starch merchant.

In 1790, Dolley married John Todd a Quaker lawyer. He died of yellow fever in Philadelphia in 1793 along with her youngest son William Temple. Then came along James Madison who was seventeen years older than the twenty five year old Dolley. He had his friend Aaron Burr introduce them and they hit it off and were married in September of 1794. Dolley became an Episcopalian following James’s faith. James was in the House of Representatives for eight years and then retired. They moved to the Madison family estate in Virginia to be planters and live quietly. Thomas Jefferson had other plans as he asked James to be his Secretary of State. He accepted the position and they were diverted to Washington D.C.. She went on to be a very important person in the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson and her husband James Madison.

Tags: Aaron Burr, elegant hotels around Greensboro, James Madison

Hampton Song Bird

If I spend a some nights at a some quaint hotels around Hampton and search out the different areas of the Virginia coast would I get a better idea of were Ella Fitzgerald was coming from? It is always my belief that an artist is going to put all there experiences of childhood and adulthood into there art or performance. The jazz vocalist, Ella Fitzgerald, did have a very interesting life. Her voice was so rich and soulful that she melted the hearts of the world with her voice. He had three octaves of pure tone blended with perfect diction and delicious phrasing. Her scat singing was a signature of her style it is no wonder she received 13 Grammy Awards and other awards for her talent.

Originally, Ella wanted to be a dancer but she was also a great lover of music. Her mother would play jazz records of Bing Crosby, Louis Armstrong and The Boswell Sisters. She fell in love with Connee Boswell and decided she wanted to sing just like her. Her young life would take a big turn for the worse when her mother died when she was about 15 years old. She ended up getting in trouble. It started with skipping school, to working with the Mafia. Finally she was picked up by the police, taken to a reform school of which she escaped and then was placed in a colored Orphan Asylum in the Bronx.

At age 17 she made her big singing debut at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. It became a weekly performance were she pulled in a good audience so was asked to take part in the Amateur Night that the theatre hosted. Funny, she was going to go on dancing but she got intimidated by another act and decided to go on singing in the same jazz style as Connee Boswell. She was a hit and won the first prize of twenty five dollars. Her life and career went on to be astounding. She played with many famous musicians and met presidents had ups and downs. I am sure that all of her interesting life was in every note she sang.

Tags: Bing Crosby, Connee Boswell, quaint hotels around Hampton

Salsa in the Midwest

Indianapolis is one of those rare places in the world where salsa and real estate might come together in new and interesting, and certainly unexpected, ways.  It’s a city that’s famous for representing a version of the heartland of the U.S. that people generally accept.  The city is neither too big nor too small, with some gorgeous landscapes.  It’s also enormously cosmopolitan, and there are many different cultures and traditions that exist here.  The Latino population has increased tremendously in the past decade, and is still growing.

People who come to visit the city are finding it a delightful place with an enormous amount of cultural offerings.  Live theatre, dance, and music, are always to be found, and there are some stunning performers that call Indianapolis their home.  Visitors can check out www.indianapolisluxuryhotels.com to find a sumptuous place to stay that will offer splendid accommodation and wonderful hospitality.  There are many wonderful things about the midwest, and one of the most exciting has always been its adaptability, and its ability to change with the population.  So it should be no surprise to find fantastic salsa music here, and Orquestra Bravo! is one of the most visible groups in town.

They play a kind of salsa whose roots are partially in the heart of San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the rich brass accompanying the accomplished percussion makes a sound that is meant for dance halls.  It is enormously intoxicating music, and the vocal stylings and personal charm of Stacie Sandoval make it a very hot way to spend an evening, even in the heart of winter.  This is salsa at its most lush and gorgeous, and it’s changing the local soundscape in remarkable ways.  They do play salsa, of course, but also are accomplished in a number of other Latin styles, and make an evening remarkable.

Tags: Orquestra Bravo, Stacie Sandoval

One Week is not enough in New York City

New York was our last stop on a whirl-wind 3-month tour of America. We had purchased our round-trip tickets from Bangkok to New York City, which means we needed to be back in New York to catch our return flight to Thailand. We managed to spend a full week in the city.

We were staying in one of the top New York City hotels, which is what we saved up all our travel money for, we wanted to experience the best New York has to offer, and we weren’t disappointed. It rained the whole day we arrived, so needless to say we got soaked in Central Park. We ducked inside a museum and had a great time trying not to drip or way through the Meso-American pottery and the Impressionism period. We got the nastiest looks from people, but, luckily no one kicked us out.

After mopping up at the museum, we went to the oldest bar in New York and proceeded to drink some pretty strong local brew. This helped us get over the rainy day and the wet experience in the museum. After several shots of liquor, we stumbled back to our hotel room by 4am, we managed to take off all our damp clothes and take a nice shower before we fell asleep.

Much later the next day, when we finally woke up, the weather had improved immensely. The sun was shining and the temperature was decent. We hit the town! We walked all over the city and got to watch a taping of the ‘Late Night’ show with Jimmy Fallon. That was a real treat. Jimmy’s guest that day was Paul Simon! Paul played with The Roots and we were in music heaven. Then Jimmy’s next guest was Steve Martin! He was so funny. Finally, Tina Fey showed up and she sat with us, the audience! I could barely believe it! This was definitely the highlight of our trip.

We didn’t think anything would be as exciting as the taping of the show, but when we took the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty and that was pretty cool too, she’s no Tina Fey, but Ms. Liberty has her own flare and history.

During the week, we got to see the Hard Rock Cafe located in Times Square, FAO Schwartz, the Brooklyn Bridge, The Guggenheim, The Met, The Empire State Building and got to eat tons of New York style pizza. There was so much more we wanted to do, but we ran out of time. I recommend that if you’re on a tour of the United States, do make New York City your last stop and if at all possible, stay longer than a week; a week is not enough time to experience all this vast city has to offer.

Tags: Jimmy Fallon, top New York City hotels

NY Yankees and Subways

I was up early making sure everything was still in order for my flight to New York City. I double checked all my things and said goodbye to my roommates and took the bus to the airport and caught my flight. When I arrived at the JFK airport, I took the Airport Shuttle to my hotel, it was one of the better NY hotels that was only a few blocks away from Central Park. But, before I could catch the shuttle I had to go through customs, which was cool by me, I’d rather be safe in New York while I’m there visiting.

It took the shuttle two hours to get me to my hotel, but it was worth it. I’d never be able to drive around New York on my own. The congestion alone would drive me batty. I ran into a bit of a problem with my money. I mean, I had money, but it was Canadian and I couldn’t find anyone to convert it for me. Something about it being after 4pm and how the new exchange rates wouldn’t be available until tomorrow morning at 9am!  Luckily, the concierge at my hotel managed to find a bank that would help me apply for an emergency money wire. I had to go to a not so savory part of town to pick up the money, but it was all cool, because it was just in time for me to make my way to the Yankee Baseball Stadium.

I actually caught the subway to the Yankee Stadium all on my own without asking directions. I then followed the crowd to the stadium. I picked up my tickets at the ‘Will Call’ window and made my way to my seat. I had a really good seat, it was right behind 1st base on the first level! What a great view! I really liked ordering a hot dog and having it tossed to me. That day, the Yankee’s lost, but it was a great experience for me. My first American baseball game! The Yankees to boot.

I once again, managed to find the right subway to take me back to my hotel for a good night’s rest before another grand day in New York City.

Tags: NY hotels, Yankee Baseball Stadium

Singapore Bikers

In a lot of the major cities these days, you see a lot of scooters.  There’s plenty of good reason for this. With their compact size they can negotiate tight spaces better than just about anything.    Some of them get legendary fuel efficiency, and all of them are at least twice as efficient as anything with four wheels.  Singapore’s no different, and there is a very lively scooter community.  This unique island city state is really an ideal spot for getting around on two wheels, because the sprawl of Singapore is fairly substantial, and it’s possible to live a very urban existence without needing to get beyond the city itself.  There’s a lot going on in Singapore, every night of the week, and this makes for a kind of cafe culture not seen since the mid-sixties.

There are many things to keep in mind, however.  Generally, the busy streets here make it so that it’s not a tourist’s sport, and it’s necessary to have a local license.  There are also terrific rains here, of course, that make it particularly necessary to have a kind of local deftness to the ride, so visitors here would be best off admiring some of the cool local bikes.  It’s one of the many splendid attractions you can look forward to as you make your way around town, checking out Singapore’s restaurants, and seeing some of the fantastic entertainment that comes through here.  It really is a magnificent place to visit, and it has everything.

If the smaller bikes aren’t interesting to you, then there are the bigger motorcycles in Singapore, even the HDs that are mysteriously popular in other parts of the world.  If you like retro, however, Singapore has retro, and it’s visible in the biker cultures here as well.  The scooters and the motorcycles are what separates the mods from the rockers, and these days, they do well when they decide to get along and play fair, because it is a risky business, and so much of the shared experiences can make life a fantastic ride.

Tags: cool local bikes, motorcycles, Singapore Restaurants

Sitges at Night

On my last trip to Europe, I noted that in Paris the evening meals don’t even begin until around nine or ten in the evening, and the actual night life starts around midnight, and the same, I’m assured, is true of Spain, especially in Sitges.  In fact, I’m also told, if you want just a relaxing evening, to take a walk along the waterfront esplanade, then have a dinner (late by American custom), then adjourn to one of several open air cafes around eleven in the evening for a drink and watch people pass by.  Since Sitges is largely known as a gay friendly town, if you’re straight and want a bar, you may have to take a look around for one that isn’t mostly aimed at a gay clientele; however, there are places that cater to a mixed crowd, such as Ricky’s Disco, on Sant Pau 25.  They charge a cover and serve a mix of international gay and straight patrons.  The nightspot is back from the beach on a fairly narrow street.

The next morning, if you haven’t been out too late (at least one club closes at 5:30 a.m.), then a look in at the museums might be fun.  In Sitges, you’ll find the Museu Cau Ferrat, which features two 16th Century cottages joined together by the Catalan artist, Sasntiago Rusinol.  When the artist died in 1931, he willed his home to the city, and the artwork their includes paintings by El Greco as well as Picasso.  Taking a look at some fine art may in fact be the perfect counterpoint to the previous evening.  Three’s also the Museu Romantic, which takes a stab at recreating family life in the 18th and 19th Centuries.  You’ll find antique furniture and antique dolls here.

If you’re checking into one of the hotels Sitges has to offer its guests in February, you may be in time for Carnival, a highlight of the town.  And, of course, if none of these appeal, you may always hit the beaches or simply sleep in and gather some needed energy for your second night in town.

Tags: hotels Sitges, Museu Cau Ferrat

Zenobia and the Costa Brava

It’s a splendid place to begin any new adventure.  The Costa Brava has some of the finest beaches in the world, so they say, and there are many opportunities to get distracted from the petty details of life in Malgrat de Mar.  Hotel accommodations are always spectacular in this part of the world, but there’s something very precious about this place.  It is everything one dreams of when thinking about the perfect getaway in Spain, where there’s a lovely nightlife, with plenty of choices for an exquisite time, along with a natural beauty that is impossible to ever get over.

These days, there are many contemporary pleasures here, with dance clubs and discos, and certainly more than enough to feel far away from the world you know, but still connected to a very vital urban scene.  But there is also a charm that hearkens back to the days when the main entertainments were troubadours and poetry.  You can almost sense the ghost of the young Zenobia Camprubí here, in the time before she met and married Juan Ramón Jiménez.

His fame as a poet would overshadow her own accomplishments in her lifetime, but she is still very beloved, and her own life reveals a spectacular series of contributions to the cultures of the world.  Her famous Diarios are still regarded as important contributions to literature as well as world history, and she is one of the most important translators of Tagore’s works.  Her life’s work, along with that of her husband, took her all over the world, to Columbia, to Cuba, to the U.S., where she taught at Maryland, and to Puerto Rico, where she eventually died, in 1956.  Her lifelong love affair with her husband was legendary, and apparently very tumultuous as well, but it seems obvious from her journals, and the stories told about the couple, that they both drove each other to work, again and again, with great benefit to the world at large.

Tags: Juan Ramón Jiménez, Malgrat de Mar Hotel, Zenobia Camprubí

Goddesses in Singapore

Singapore could very well be the perfect spot for a perfect wedding.  The attraction for the happy couple is pretty obvious.  This is an elegant city with a fantastic urban feel, sensational design, and access to many splendid natural areas, and the tropical feel of the place which offers instant romance to any occasion.  Weddings are right at home here, and there are so many different options in terms of setting, theme, and ambience, and there are hosts of professionals to help you every step of the way.  It’s an exotic location with a very cosmopolitan feel, and all the guests will be impressed and dazzled.  It also has an amazing number of attractions and events, and a fantastic cultural scene.  Guests will certainly love the opportunity to see your Singapore wedding, and the city state is pretty easy to get around in, so they’ll be in for a few days of adventures on their own when it’s all sealed and done.

Besides the contemporary cultural scene here, which really is spectacular, there are many other sides of Singapore that offer a uniquely romantic feel.  Local legends and myths have origins in Chinese, Indian, and Malay culture, and there are always plenty of other cultures coming through, and adding their own stories and histories to the collection.  But there’s something particularly crucial about weddings that lends itself to spending some time in pursuit of the goddess, whether in a metaphorical way, or by actually trying to track her down.  With the amount of temples and historic spots here, it’s a great place to do either, and in your pursuits, you’ll likely come across the figure of Matsu.

Her origins are Chinese, and her name very likely translates to mean Mother-Ancestor.  She’s one of the original Great Mothers in the pantheon of the sacred, and her realm is the sea.  She is a fierce protector of sailors, or anyone who has anything to do with the depths of the oceans, and she is a sensational representation of the power of young femininity.  She may have been mortal, or may have been birthed from another goddess, but one thing that’s common in her stories is that she never did marry, because no man could ever match her.  Matsu is also connected to dreams, as well as second sight, and her visionary powers saved her brother and father in the stories.  Look for her while you’re here, because she’s probably already looking for you.

Tags: Matsu, Singapore wedding

Golf, Scuba Diving and More on Ibiza

Carl had been wanting visit the Balearic Island of Ibiza for as long as he could remember, though he was quite sure the desire to do so went even further back than that. He remembers he older brother talking about a great summer vacation he had taken there years ago and this left such a strong impression on the ten year old Carl that Ibiza become something of a mythological paradise in his mind and he longed for the day that he would be able to make this journey himself. And that’s what it amounted to, for Carl it really was a rite of passage or his interpretation of the hero’s journey, which demonstrates how significant the anticipation of this trip became for him.

He was twenty-two when the time arrived. It was actually later than what he had originally intended, throughout his early teen years he planned to visit Ibiza as soon as he turned eighteen. However, life’s obstacles got in his way, as they have a tendency to do and he went to college straight out of high school. He had to work his way through school and was too poor during those years to take any kind of a dream vacation, so he worked hard and studied and it was actually at his graduation party that his older brother presented him with the plane tickets and a reservation for a week long stay in one of the fabulous hotels Ibiza.

As it turned out, Carl’s trip was even better than he had ever imagined it to be. This surprised him somewhat because he really had incredible expectations. His brother had given him two tickets and he brought his best friend Troy with him.  They enjoyed the infamous club scene that is associated with the Island, though Carl was more interested in exploring the beautiful beaches and spending time learning to scuba dive. They also enjoyed the beautiful golf courses on the island. And the two of them spend a day exploring the interior island and were amazed at how rich in artifacts and cultural relics it contained. Ibiza was the beautiful paradise he imagined it to be and Carl wrote a poem to Plato and though it was full of respect, it clearly told him he was wrong about reality never matching the imagined ideal.

Tags: college, hotels Ibiza, Plato

A Detour to Cape Town

Sorry about being away for so long. We’re having a great time, but we do miss Korea and our friends there. We had 2 great weeks in India. A very cool place, but it was monsoon season, so it was really very wet, all the time. The sun did manage to come out the last few days we were there and India literally transformed.

We’re now in Cape Town, we were supposed to be in Kenya, but that got cancelled because there are pirates on the eastern coast of Africa, the water their are unsafe. I wouldn’t mind about the pirates if one of them looked like Johnny Depp. So, our first day was scrambling to find accommodations. We were fortunate enough to find one of the best Cape Town South Africa hotels with room available and for a very reasonable rate. We told them our story about Kenya and the pirates, hoping they’d take pity on us, and we feel they did.

So, by just winging it, we went skydiving at 10,000 feet. I think I’ve definitely conquered my fear of heights. We could see Table Mountain and Robyn Island and the country side of Cape Town. We also visited Simon’s town, which is where Cape Town navy is located. We ate lunch at Kalk Bay and we were able to see a ton of whales, which are here currently because it’s mating season.

We went to Boulder beach to visit the penguins and hiked Table Mountain, which by the way, took us over 6 hours, mainly because we got lost, and the trail we picked was the hardest one. Later, did we find out that there are 12 trails that go up Table Mountain. There’s so much more to tell you about Cape Town, but right now, I’m off to spend my last day in Cape Town checking out the local market and visiting the District 6 museum. Kenya will just have to wait.

Tags: best Cape Town South Africa hotels, Cape Town navy, Johnny Depp

A Romantic Day in Singapore Sentosa

If you’re searching the world for a romantic weekend, you might do worse than a find a nice quiet spot on Sentosa Island, just off of the city-state of Singapore.  You’ll find a number of activities and fine Singapore Sentosa hotels.  To begin the day, you might start with breakfast at the hotel.   Perhaps a buffet breakfast, al fresco style, on any number of cliff-side locations.  Local cafes, too, have equally great morning meals.  Later in the morning, after you’ve had your coffee or tea, you and your partner can travel to the Sentosa Nature Walk.  You can begin at either end, near Sentosa Underwater World or the Cable Car Arrival Plaza.  Either way, you’ll have a great walk.  Along the 1.7 kilometer path, keep an eye out for squirrels and macaque, as well as the Nepenthes Rafflesiana pitcher plants.  If it’s not yet lunch time, take a moment to see the Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom, as well as the spectacular views from the Merlion Statue and the Tiger Sky Tower.

A nice way to spend the afternoon might be to go to a spa specifically for couples, where the two of you can enjoy a body scrub, a Vichy shower for couple, a detox wrap, an aroma massage, and a petal bath, as well as a light lunch.  It’s indulgent, but you’re partner is likely to find it incredibly romantic as well, which will take all the time up until…

Dinner, which can be taken at any number of restaurants, from buffets on the beach to cliff-side fine dining.  In the evening, you can go on the Sentosa Luge and Skyride, taking an open chair lift up the hill, overlooking lights from Singapore, feel the breeze, and cuddle together as the Songs of the Sea show play out below you with its colorful lights.  Then, it’s your choice whether to return by luge, a kind of modified go-cart, or take the Skyride back down the hill to return to your hotel and the rest of your romantic night.

Tags: Nepenthes Rafflesiana pitcher plants, Singapore Sentosa hotels, Vichy shower for couple

Photo Sculpture in Dubai

Dubai continues to grow in new directions, confirming its place as one of the hottest tourist destinations in the world.  Whether it’s the local culture, the international art scene, the world-class shopping, the beaches, the nightlife, or any other of the many spectacular draws, people from all over the world, celebrities to entrepreneurs to artists, are drawn to this city.  There’s no real mystery to the attraction, because so much of what’s available here is right on the surface.  In the desert, roots have to grow in shallow soil, and depth comes from the strength of the connections between things, and here the connections are between people.  Coming to Dubai can be like entering into a long conversation.

It doesn’t always matter if you’ve been following the conversation, either.  There are many loose threads, and many open questions, but on the best days there is a splendid sense that your voice is important here.  There’s no question that tourists do make a difference here.  Their presence has affected the way the city operates, and now it’s easier than ever to find the perfect 5 star hotel in Dubai, or anything you like that will help you to travel in spectacular style.  It’s also a place that gives back, offering new lessons and new ideas of culture and making art, and there are many different forms that inspiration can take, as evidenced by the work of Koh Myung Keun.

When there is no form, there is only emptiness, and in emptiness there is another series of possibilities for art.  This might be the most essential thing that can be articulated from looking at the photo sculptures of Koh Myung Keun, whose work was exhibited at the recent edition of Art Dubai.  This Korean artist used numerous technologies to make his works, which sometimes involve welding together frames and screens of images layered over each other in extremely complicated ways.  The results are enormously stunning, making his work very important to see live, and in the flesh, because their artifice maintains an ethereal nature, and balances in an impossible place.

Tags: 5 star hotel in Dubai, Koh Myung Keun

Garden on the Coast

Home of the famous painter Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas, Malaga Spain is a beautiful coastal town. Just east of the Strait of Gibraltar, is the Port of Malaga which has been in continuous use since 600 B.C.. From this town of around 250,000 people, travelers can catch a train that would get them to Madrid in about two and half hours. There are also highways that get sightseers to other coastal towns. If you have a chance to spend some time here you will find the city is a walking historical site. Pick a room at one of the many hotels Malaga Spain has to offer and stay awhile.

The Phoenicians first founded this city around 770 BC. Malaka is the derivative of a Phoenician word that means salt. Apparently, Fish were lasted near the harbor. In the 8th century AD the Arabic Muslim’s ruled over Spain and this port town became a trade center for them. The Umayyad Dynasty fell and the city became the capital of a kingdom reliant on Granada. The town over the thousands of years has been described by travelers as the most beautiful towns along the coast of Spain. There has always been an abundant supply of food and fruits. In 1487, the Christian forces took the town from the Arabs and then, five years later, Granada fell.

Visitors that come to this town can see many sites that show the story of all the different inhabitants over the years. Rich with architecture of ancient and new. The Moors left a grand castle on mount Gibralfaro. The Alcazaba fortress is a nice place to see. The church of Santiago, Saint James, is another splendid creation of the Gothic Mudejar, which takes elements for the Islamic and Christian designs. No matter where you go in this city, you will find many beautiful and interesting places and things to enjoy.

Tags: Antonio Banderas, hotels Malaga Spain, Pablo Picasso

Gaudi’s Architecture in Barcelona

Anyone who has ever traveled to Barcelona has heard of Antoni Gaudi, the famed architect of La Sagrada Familia, which many consider his masterwork.  But he has many other interesting buildings as well, and responsible for making the city one of the key destinations of many travelers.  Here’s at least two works which, upon your next visit, while staying in one of the Barcelona Spain luxury hotels, you may wish to explore:  Manzana de la Discordia, and La Pedrera (or Casa Mila).

All grouped together in the district L’Eixample are three works of great architecture: Manzana de la Discordia.  In Spanish, the word manzana can mean either a plot of land or an apple, so here we have The Apple of Discord, which seems to reference the old Greek myth about Paris having to choose the most beautiful goddess out of the three.  In this case, Paris would most likely give his apple to Gaudi for his Casa Battlo.  Always lit at night, the building at no. 43 is sometimes referred to as the House of Bones and sometimes the House of the Dragon.  The houses near his — Casa Amettler (no. 41) by Puig i Cadalfach in a cubist style, and Casa Lleo Morera by Domenech i Mantaner (no. 35) designed like a wedding cake melting in an ocean of ornaments — can’t compare with Casa Battlo.

Just a few blocks away, you’ll find another of Gaudi’s amazing works, and this one is nearly as famous as La Sagrada Familia: The Casa Mila.  This building, perhaps, is only a group of apartments, but it’s different from every other apartment complex on the planet.  It’s sculpted, rolling facade of limestone gives it the nickname of La Pedrera.  It’s something out of another world, with balconies of wrought-iron, parabolic arches, and twisted chimneys.  It definitely should not be missed.

Tags: Barcelona Spain luxury hotels, Casa Battlo, La Sagrada Familia

Herzog in Udaipur

It’s difficult to think of a place that’s a more romantic setting for a romantic getaway than Udaipur.  The temples and palaces alone are enough to offer the most splendid sense of otherworldly beauty, and suggest promises of a kind of paradise on earth that is usually only found in fairy tales and story books.  Udaipur’s skyline is a spectacular thing to see, from any angle, but looking at it across the lake when the sun is setting is a think of enormous and impossible beauty.  It looks like a city that should be in the movies, and it actually is.  Many famous films from the 60s were made here, taking advantage of the natural vistas and gorgeous palaces in Udaipur, India.  Hotel accommodations can be as breathtaking as well.

Some of the most elegant lodgings are in the palaces, so that the dream of living in an ancient palace in India can be a reality, at least for a little while.  The other lodgings are no less hospitable, combining the incredible classic romanticism of the city with the latest in contemporary technologies.  It’s a splendid city to fall to sleep in, and just as magnificent to wake up, enjoying the exotic splendor all around you, and taking in some of the hotel’s excellent cuisine before setting out to further your adventures here.  It’s a great place for movie buffs, and if you’re a Herzog fan, you might enjoy following his footprints left in the artistic landscape here.

He’s one of the most interesting directors the world has right now, and he’s done a share of films in so-called exotic locations, and sometimes his work takes on an enormously ethnographic slant, but complex enough that the film is commenting on filmmaking itself while the ethnography questions its own ethnography.  That’s certainly part of the appeal of his Jag Mandir made here in the early 1990s.  The story is ostensibly a documentary effort to record the efforts of a Maharaj to demonstrate to his son the immense importance of the local culture before it is wiped away by global culture, and he hires Andre Heller to arrange a festival.  In typical Herzog fashion, part of the true story is truly true, and part of it is truly not, and we’re left to decode what’s essential.

Tags: Herzog, Jag Mandir, Udaipur India hotel

Delhi’s Famous

Delhi has been the home of some notable artist, poets and entertainers for thousands of years. With the rise of Bollywood, the film industry of the country, comes the renewed interest of who are other talented people that belong to India. When visitors check into one of Delhi best hotels,  they hope to see and learn about the places and people of the area. Back in the mid 1200s and 1300s there was Amir Khusro, who contributed to the world with his qawwali form of song. He was a poet and performed his playful songs and riddles for the royal courts that span seven rulers of Delhi. Mirsa Ghalib was also a poet and lived between 1796-1869. He led a Urdu revolution with his poetry.

Of the more modern notables from Delhi we start with Khushwant Singh from 1915. He was a very well known writer and historian. He was also known for being a political commentator and social critic. At the same time India had Maqbool Fida Husain, their most famous painter and film maker. His film, Through the eyes of a Painter, was shown at the Film Festival in Berlin where it won the Golden Bear Award. Mukesh Chand Kapoor, award winning singer, fell in line with other heroes during the 1960s and early 70s. Qurratulain Hyder,  female Urdu fiction writer, has written many collective works of her own. Aag Ka Darya which means River of Fire was her Opus. She also, translated the great classics of other writers, for more people to read and enjoy.

Pandit Ravi Shankar is a legendary composer. He is known for his talent on a sitar. He has become the most celebrated musical Amassador to India. He has done so much for his country, India, as a teacher, writer and performer of Indian music. More than any other to date. He has really brought Indian music out to the world so the West can enjoy it too.

Tags: Delhi best hotels, Ourratulain Hyder, Pandit Ravi Shankar

Harrisburg History Serves as Contemporary Attractions

On the east bank of the Susquehanna River is Harrisburg, the Capital of Pennsylvania. This old, historic city has been Pennsylvania’s capital since 1812. According to accurate findings, it is believed that as far back as 3000 BC, Native Americans inhabited this area. Captain John Smith was the first white man to have interaction with the Susquehanna Indians, having traveled to the area from Virginia in 1608. Many things are distinctive of this city, for instance the railroads. They have been extremely important in the growth and economic basis for many, many years, connecting this city to other parts of the country. The Underground Railroad passed through here and was a safety spot for escaped slaves making their way to Canada and freedom. Food and other supplies were given to them as they were transported across the Susquehanna River. Iron and steel have also played major roles in the progress of Harrisburg with their large furnaces, rolling mills and machine shops.

This city and surrounding area is a history buff’s dream come true. The museums, monuments, libraries and historic sites are must-sees when visiting this amazing city. And, every year since 1917, the Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show is held here. This is the largest indoor Agricultural Expo in the United States. Also very popular is the Annual Auto Show featuring classic cars.

There is the oldest, continuously running farmers market in the United States, the twenty-mile greenbelt area, quaint shops and ultra modern department stores, arts and crafts, theatres, symphonies and concerts, fabulous restaurants offering delicious cuisine. And of course the hotels Harrisburg has to offer are some of the finest. Some of these hotels are very old and historic themselves so be sure and check out the architecture and décor as you soak up the many amenities available to you. Harrisburg and enrichment, they go hand in hand so enjoy and savor the experience.

Tags: Annual Pennsylvania Farm Show, hotels Harrisburg, Underground Railroad

I Wayan Sadra, Composing Indonesia

Indonesia is vast and endlessly fascinating, and offers travelers a delicious feast in adventure and excitement.  The urban centers are particularly cosmopolitan, with one of the largest cities in the world in Jakarta, and there are many different cultures and traditions that make up the fabric of the everyday here.  Even in Bali, which is often depicted as a center of a kind of old world island paradise, there are many cultures that make up the local population, with complex and intertwining histories that always come into play.  Things are never simple here, and never what they seem, but in many cases, turn out to be even more splendid than one could ever imagine.

This is true for the restaurants particularly, where the local cuisine is usually a combination of traditions, offering a splendid blend of spices that can’t be matched by any other culinary tradition around.  For luxury hotels, Indonesia offers sumptuous lodgings for travelers, with a welcome that is spectacularly warm, and small and enormously charming details that don’t make themselves known at first glance.  Indonesia is a fantastic place to get in touch with the rhythm of the world.  I Wayan Sadra is an excellent composer to listen to as you start to prepare for your journey here.

It’s also fantastic music to listen to while you’re here, and it’s an amazing thing to see him perform live, if you get the opportunity.  Born in Denpasar, Bali, in 1953, Sadra is one of the most interesting and innovative composers working in Indonesia today.  He is on the faculty of music at the University in Central Java, having moved from Bali to Jakarta to study traditional music, painting, and composition.  His works are a magnificent blend of traditional types of music from here, as well as some European techniques, to make a sound that is entirely contemporary, and  very local, and always on the verge of something new, found through mining the rhythms on the bones of the past.

Tags: bali, Denpasar, I Wayan Sadra, indonesia, luxury hotels

There’s a Party Over in Ibiza

Our 4 days in Ibiza has been one huge party! My girlfriend and I arrive at the Ibiza airport and ever since we put our feet on the ground, we couldn’t get the smiles off our faces. We met another girl while flying here, Margo from Australia, who has been travelling for years and she knew everything about everything. We listened to her tell us everything she knew about Ibiza. While at the airport, we had an hour wait before our 4 star hotel Ibiza bus would come by to pick us up, we just missed one by a few minutes. So, we took a shower at the airport and changed into our town clothes. This actually worked out well, by the time we were ready for Ibiza, our hotel bus was ready for us! There was a line of people waiting to get on board, and it was a scramble to fit in, but we’re New York girls, so we knew how to elbow our way in.

We got to our hotel around 2am and luckily our hotel front desk was open and waiting for us. They checked us in right away and took our luggage up to our room while we were checking in. Since we already showered and changed clothes at the airport, we didn’t even bother with going to our room. We knew Ibiza is just now started to party hard and we didn’t want to miss a minute of it. We went to the first club we saw and it was crazy! There were people everywhere, we didn’t even need to go into the club because the whole street was one big party all on its own. We meet many, many guys. Everyone talks to everyone, no one’s left out of the loop. We managed to get into this bar and there were two half bressed girls out in front and they were the wildest girls I’ve ever seen. We stayed there for a while and got a few drinks down us, finally!

Then we paid to get into a club, since the Australian gal from the flight told us about entry fees, we weren’t stunned about paying a months salary to get in. The entry fee was well worth it though, we were in amazement the whole time, the club did not let us down. We stayed there until 7am! I was difinitely time to head back to our hotel and crash. But, before we crashed, we organized our beach bags and put together our beach wear with accessories. Then we fell dead asleep with happy dreams about tomorrows adventure! Ibiza is so totally a blast our a4 days here almost became a complete blur, one party after another, so worth it.

Tags: 4 star hotel Ibiza, entry fees

Catching Up in New York

After getting cleaned up, I was back out of my hotel and off to one of the New York business hotels to catch up with an old friend of mine, Brian. It’s been several years since I was last in New York, but Brian hasn’t changed, well except for his new wife, who happens to be a New York Police detective! I now know who’s in charge. After we met, we headed to a nearby bar, we wanted to get a few down us before we headed out for food; India food to be precise. I’m so looking forward to eating Indian food, I haven’t had Indian food since I was in Australia a few weeks back and that’s too long!

My friend Brian has been living here now for about three years, so I sure by now he knows where the best India restaurant is. He did, we ended up at a place called Yuva. It was a bit on the expensive side, but the food was the best ever and the ambiance was perfect. I recommend getting the mint parantha bread if you ever find yourself in New York. Plus, put this restaurant on your list of places to eat. My friend Brian didn’t know this, but I went back every night I was here and tried a different dish each time. So scrumptious, so tasty, so satisfying.

The next day I spent time at my favorite haunts, the Greenwich Village, Soho and my most favorite, the East Village. I did a one time big shopping spree and I hope all my stuff will get through customs at Heathrow International Airport. Later, in the evening, I once again hooked up with Brian and this time he brought his wife. She’s stunning! I can see why he married her. But tonight, instead of going to eat India, we headed to our favorite pub, the Irish Cottage pub in Queens.

I spent the next day dealing with a hangover. I was still hungover at JFK and I slept it off on the plane taking me back home to London.  Time to get back to the real world, and leave the wonderful land of New York behind, well at least until next year.

Tags: East Village, New York Business hotels, Yuva

Marrugeku in Perth

The western city of Perth has been inhabited by human beings for at least 40,000 years.  There is still a large indigenous population here, and the culture has a long presence here that gives it the weight and depth of a complicated and fascinating history.  Perth is also one of the most livable cities in the world right now.  There are populations from all over the world inhabiting the city, and it’s easy to see why.  It is very, very hot, that’s true, but it is also extremely diverse, with a buzzing urban center, and it’s close to the ocean, besides.  There are plenty of museums and galleries, a great performing arts scene, as well as excellent restaurants and hotels.  Perth has an awful lot to offer visitors of all ages, and is a spectacular place to take a holiday.

There is also a very large portion of the population here that is from elsewhere, and this gives it a constantly evolving cultural landscape, as well as a genuine spirit of hospitality.  There is room here for new traditions, ideas, and sensibilities, and this makes for a great arts scene.  There are some excellent theater companies all over the city, as well as a splendid dance scene, and some amazing experimental works coming from a variety of sources.  These all come together, however, with the evocative, and spectacular spectacles of Marrugeku.

This is a local company who blend Aboriginal dance forms with intense physical theatre, video projections, and circus-like acrobatics, to make for large-scale works that are simultaneously crowd-pleasing and cutting edge.  The level of cultural experiment here is high, and they like to mix and create things that sometimes clash and sometimes blend, and sometimes it’s a bit of everything at once.  Their latest work, Burning Daylight is a perfect demonstration of their aesthetic at work.  This work is set in Broome, where the cultural mix is Aboriginal Australian, with immigrant communities which are Malay, Chinese, and Japanese.  Cultures come up against each other, and cultural forms are put together on stage, to make for a performance that is extremely exciting visually, as well as cerebrally, asking important and immediate questions for the here and now.

Tags: Burning Daylight, hotels Perth, Marrugeku

Singapore’s Esplanade Theatre on the Bay

Singapore has an incredible arts scene that is diverse in various genre offerings and styles of performance. This perspective is applicable to the theatre, dance, opera and music scenes of Singapore as well as the city-state’s cuisine. The diverse food offerings in Singapore compliment its cultural aspects and art scene. Among the more prominent arts venues is the Esplanade- Theatre on the Bay. Most of the tourists who stay in one of the five star hotels Singapore visit the Esplanade at some point in their trip. This prestigious company includes a concert hall, a recital studio, library, exhibit space and theatres. The multi-functional complex houses major musical productions and small independent original works.

The concert hall has state of the art acoustics and there is estimated to only be five other venues in the world with this degree of technological acoustic design. Up to one hundred and twenty musicians can fit on the orchestral platform and it has an audience capacity of 1,600 people. The hall’s organ was custom designed and built be world renowned organ designer Johannes Klais Orgelbau. It has over four thousand pipes and sixty one stops. The theatre is two-thousand seat adaptation of traditional European opera houses. It is Singapore’s largest performing arts stage and can house a variety of performance styles. It was designed so that the seat that is farthest from the stage is only forty meters away, which enables the theatre to be extremely suitable for intimate productions as well as major musical events.

The recital studio has a maximum capacity of two hundred twenty and is generally used to present experimental works and dance performances. The seating is both mobile and retractable so that the space can be configured in various ways. The recital studio is perfectly suited for chamber music performances. It also hosts business meetings and seminars. It is able to seat two hundred and fifty people when it is used for a performance. It is also frequently used for orchestral and choir rehearsals.

Tags: five star hotels Singapore, Johannes Klais Orgelbau, orchestral, Theatre on the Bay

Getting Ecological in New York

Hiking the trail at the Niagara River Gorge, where Niagara Falls first began over 12,000 years ago, is totally breathtaking; in more ways than one.  If you would like to get a closer look at nature, I recommend walking. Looking down on the river was truly an incredible experience. The sounds, the smells, the wildlife are almost surreal. I sound of the river got louder as we progressed along the trail, it became louder and louder until we came upon the full force of the Niagara.

My husband, George, took an ecological tour, which started not too far from one of the Buffalo, New York casino hotels where we were staying. For three whole hours they marveled at the free show nature put on for all the visitors. He’s not a big bird watcher, but the sheer number of birds amazed him. He saw turkey vultures and hawks. He had always taken it for granted this marvelous natural resource.

We found out during our stay in Buffalo, which is only about 15 minutes from Niagara, that there is so much to be learned from the waters the surround us. The summer may be the right time for the ecological tour my husband took, gives people a chance to explore some mystical waterways while they learn about their environment. What’s even better, are some of the earth-friendly tours offering participants a slice of the action, like biking, hiking, paddling, boating, or simple going along for the ride.

Many people don’t know the trails are here. Part of the mission of these ecological tours is to show the visitors not only the waterfront, but just what a special place Niagara is, plus have a great time doing it. My husband and me had one of the most intriguing times here, we’ll definitely recommend this place to all our friends and acquaintances.

Tags: New York casino hotels, Niagara River Gorge

Dipti Khera Writing Udaipur

As one of the most lovely and mysterious cities on the planet, it’s easy to see why Udaipur has been such a favorite romantic destination for the rich and famous for so many years.  There’s a lovely lake that reflects the most exotic city line that anyone’s ever seen, and with palaces that look like they could be in the movies – and they actually are in movie – it’s easy to fall in love here, or to stay in love.  There is also a rich and vibrant cultural scene, with many attractions that will keep the young and the young at heart happy.  There are, of course, absolutely marvelous five star hotels.  Udaipur has a fantastic tradition of hospitality, and knows how to keep visitors coming back.

There is also a rich nightlife, with amazing clubs and discos, where the rich and famous can gaze upon each other, and there’s dancing until the wee hours of the morning.  There are also fabulous restaurants, serving mouth-watering creations that speak to the best of Indian and International dining.  In your tours of the city, you can enjoy learning about its spectacular history, its fantastic kingdoms of olden days that give the palaces even more exotic flavor.  This is, in many ways, the India of the imagination, as it was pictured during the days when anthropologists wore pith helmets.  It’s actually extremely fascinating to look at how this image of Udaipur was created, and it’s worthy of close study.

Dipti Khera is a graduate student at Columbia University in New York, and this is one of her areas of interest.  Looking at the history of art to find out when Udaipur was becoming this city of dreams, representing an India that could correspond to the imagination of the west, there are many traces to suggest that it has some of its most vivacious roots in travel writing.  In this case, the writer is James Tod in the 19th century.  But the origins go back much further than that.  Khera‘s work is really quite extraordinary, bringing in a number of influences to bear on the creation of art and artistic productions that speak of nationhood in all its complexities.

Tags: Dipti Khera, five star hotels Udaipur, Khera