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Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category

It may have been Carl Jung who once talked about how everyone eventually goes to visit Seattle, and that every cultural narrative reflects this eternal return to the emerald city.  Or maybe it was something I dreamed, but either way, it’s still something that keeps me from staying asleep for too long.  The idea of spending time in a city where it rains almost every day has an exotic appeal but only when I’m living in the desert.  That’s really when I start to remember the time I spent a month looking for the actor who played Chris in the Morning on Northern Exposure.  I was working at a bookstore in downtown Seattle, and every once in awhile Rob Morrow would come in and browse through the Madame Blavatsky ephemera we had.

He wouldn’t ever answer any questions, but I wouldn’t ask, either.  We had a policy to let people follow their own instincts, and that wasn’t just in the store, that went for the whole state.  People here are free to sleep on the beach if you don’t get caught, or if you have the money, you can stay in a luxury hotel.  Washington has a lot of different lifestyles, and many different ways of accommodating difference.  People often meet up with their secretly favorite icons and heroines here all the time, and won’t make a big deal out of it.  It might be an extensive live and let live philosophy, or it might also be that the constantly gray skies makes us all permanently sleepy.

But I didn’t become suddenly unsleepy when I left western Washington for the desert in Moses Lake, either.  I still sleep and dream enough to consider this a very full life.  But I am very glad that I had the chance to go looking for John Corbett when I was younger.  I never met him, but I did get to spend a lot of time in Roslyn.  That’s a town with a sense of self-assurance.  It’s made even more cocky from the tv show filmed there, but it’s earned its cockiness, because it really is as lovely as they think it is.  For one thing, it’s in the state of Washington, and for another, it’s far enough from Seattle to have its own identity, and its own peculiar view of the mountain when it’s out.  We all climb the same mountain eventually, and we all get to speak on our own radio show when the karmic wheels have all been properly balanced.

There’s a world of possibilities in New York City.  It’s still the most exciting place in the world, where anything can happen.  And everything does happen here, twice every day, so they say.  It’s a great place to get in touch with the best of new global culture, and also a great place to be completely retro.  You can find a stunning number of choices for fantastic restaurants, nightclubs, and discos, and it’s very easy to get in on an exciting evening.  Lodgings are fairly exquisite, too, with places like www.bestmanhattanhotel.com to help you find your perfect accommodation in great hospitality.  Style and design are very highly regarded here, but that should never make you cautious about taking fashion risks.  Nature rewards the courageous, and that’s as true here as it is anywhere.  But please, be careful if you decide to shake it like Shakira.

One of the local cantina’s recently sponsored a dance competition, where a patron fell off the bar trying to shake it like Shakira, and this lead to a bit of legal trouble.  The trouble has since resolved, but it helps bring Shakira back into the spotlight, at least for a little while.  She deserves it, too.

The Columbian singer has successfully crossed over into a global pop realm that makes her recognizable all over the world.  She even got to teach some of her moves to Beckham, and there are few people in the world who wouldn’t enjoy meeting her.  This in no way takes away from the remarkably brilliant lyrics of her first albums.  On Pies Descalzos, the singer, then under 20, came at the world with a fierce poetry and a very humble affect.  It made us listen, and she still has the capacity to make us take notice.  Her words are still powerful and poignant, and now she’s got the moves to keep the more easily distracted music fans also paying attention.

Gettysburg PA is a must see for all Americans and all who are interested in the early history if this country. It is also a center to many roads and highways that lead to other major must see towns and monuments. Check into one of the quaint hotels Gettysburg has available and come see the history for yourself. There is so much that has happened in this town over the decades one could only touch on a few things in such a short article about the town. If you find yourself in this little town you will be glad because of all the historical sites and museums you can visit. If you come around the first weekend of July, you can witness a reenactment of the 1863 Battle of Gettysburg near by.

The town was founded by Samuel Gettys, a tavern owner, in 1786. It grew up even more after the railroad made its way to town in 1858. It is currently a small town that relies on the tourists who come to see the significant historical sites to stay alive. The Battle of Gettysburg in 1863 is the main attraction to coming to this area. People come from all over the world to try and get a feeling of what had happened. Visitors can take tours that go to the battle field itself. There are also some other sites of memorable battles to see as well. There is the Battle at Little Round Top and another confederate battle site called High water mark of the Confederacy which is located on Cemetery Ridge. These are located in the area called the Gettysburg National Military Park, which is south of the actual town.

Visitors can also see some of the home of an innocent bystander Ginnie Wade. The Jennie Wade House is the home of a seamstress who was the only non military person to be killed during the battle. She was killed in the house that still stands today as a museum. The Bobbin House Tavern on Steinwehr Avenue has been entered on the list of National Register of Historic Places. It was originally built as a home to the Dobbin family. It was a temporary field hospital during the big battle. It then became a gift center for tourists and now this historical home is now a popular tavern and restaurant.

In the heart of Europe, Frankfurt has some stunning attractions that make it the perfect city to get a taste of the latest and greatest in contemporary culture.  It has been ahead of the rest of the world for some time, in terms of ideas, art, and design.  The legacies of both Goethe and the Frankfurt School have left a remarkably challenging legacy for every generation, but there is always something interesting happening here.  It’s enough to suggest that the generations are handling the weight of history with a marvelous sense of innovation.  The kids are all right in Frankfurt, and this is good news for travelers looking for a truly hip place to spend some time, and meet some very interesting people.

It’s not terribly difficult to get by here speaking only English, because the school systems make the students learn at least a bit, but it’s always nice to pick up another language.  It’s difficult to pretend to speak German, however, so it’s not recommended to try, but it’s certainly worth the effort to learn some words and phrases.  Chances are, you’ll be way too busy enjoying all the fabulous attractions here, because there is so much to do in the city.  Frankfurt am Main hotels are plentiful, and there are some splendid choices, too.  A good hotel can be a lifesaver when spending time in a new city, in order to decompress from all the new stimuli, and also to rest up to enjoy more, and there’s always more.

Visitors looking to get a taste of the cutting edge in the art world here will likewise have a lot to choose from.  There are some spectacular places on the map, like Galerie Anita Beckers, where you can see some of the coolest new video art from young artists, speaking on local themes with a global sensibility.  Anita Beckers is also a great place to touch the source for new performance work, and there are many more offerings here.  Off the beaten track, and off the map, there are a number of underground places to find amazing subterranean works of art, and a very lively culture with a lot to teach the rest of the world about life in the 21st century.

In this day and age, art programs are being cut from schools at an alarming rate.  Some culturally savvy school administrators are investing in ‘artist in residency’ programs, in order to ensure that their students receive not only a well rounded and balanced education, but the opportunity to explore the creative side of life.  The side of life that often times pulls people through.  Baltimore is one such city, on the whole…a city that was built by people who have survived hard times, for people who continue to do so now in modern times, a city that values history, cultural history and artistic history, the national anthem was written in the harbor, so music-poetry-dance-and all of the arts are not lost in this town.

Walk into any Baltimore classy restaurant or pub, and chances are that there will be live music or theatre on stage.   “Arts Every Day” is an organization that will go into public schools to ensure that art becomes an everyday event in the lives of the children of Baltimore.  They believe that art and cultural awareness is fundamental to intellectual and emotional development.  The artists with “Arts Every Day” form partnerships with the schools and with many of the historical, cultural, artistic and scientific institutions that are located throughout the city of Baltimore.

The program right now, focuses on the middle school years, and takes pride in the fact that all of their artists are highly skilled and well trained.  Since so many programs in the schools have been cut, this is a great way for the children to still receive an integrated and a thorough education.  Art and creativity influences everything, from mathematics to architecture, and from scientific theory to business practices.  This is an organization that is doing quite a service to the not only the children of Baltimore, but to the future history of the thinkers and the people of tomorrow.

The hotels Mannheim has built around the city are beautiful. The city itself is very interesting and grand. It sits along the Neckar river and the Rhine river. It is the second largest city in Baden-Wurttemberg next to the capital city of Stuttgart. It has about 2.4 million people in the general area and is the home of some inventions. Karl Benz made his first appearance with his new car on these city streets in 1886. Back then it was a light weight three wheel vehicle with one cylinder engine. It was coined as being the first motor car. With in 20 to 30 years a few other big inventions came along like the Lanz Bulldog which was introduced in 1921. It was a popular tractor with a Diesel engine. Then the first rocket plane was built here in 1929 by Julius Hatry. But before all the powered inventions there was the little petal rail car, draisine, which was built by Karl Drais in 1817.

Mannheim has Germany’s oldest stage called the Nationaltheatre Mannheim, which was built in 1779. It showed the premier of Die Rauber which was written by Friedrech Schiller. This city is located in the warmest part of the Rhine area. Snow is a rarity in the winter and the summers can be quite warm for this country. Some of the sites to visit would be the Mannheim Palace, the Wasserturm, the Jesuit Church, Breite Strasse, Kapuzinerplanken and Kunststrasse which are shopping areas. Sometimes it is possible to go see some of the big factories of major companies. Some of the most known ones are Bombardier, BASF, John Deere, Siemens and Daimler AG. But if you are interested in a nice stroll with nature you can go to the Wildpark and Waldvogelpark am Karlster or Luisenpark which was named one of the most beautiful parks in all of Europe.

There are plenty of exiting and entertaining cultural options that attract numerous tourists every year. Many of these enjoy experiencing something new, like a performance of Cantonese Opera and also to explore new dining options. Meanwhile, there is a particularly fascinating activity that is popular in cultures across the globe, and certainly exists in Singapore. This is the phenomenon known as ghost hunting, or as the professionals may prefer to say paranormal investigating. And while this is popular in many cities across the globe, particularly those with a particular legend or unexplained story or era attached to them that entice their tourists.

For the guests who are staying in one of the Singapore hotels the Asia Paranormal Investigators is an agency that provides for incredible encounters and is full of information and advice. It also looks at each situation from an extremely subjective and analytical perspective and addresses specific myths and beliefs that can be associated with ghostly encounters. They are there to assist with investigating situations and not to exploit or mislead anyone. The agency also provides a scientific explanation whenever possible and seeks to do this first and foremost with all encounters.

One of the areas where ghostly sightings have occurred in Singapore is in Fort Canning Park. This historic and lush park has many intriguing aspects and features and was once a Christian Cemetery. There have been spiritual associations and stories related to it throughout its history and the land on which is located is also the subject of legend and traditional beliefs. There are some places in Singapore that are commonly considered to be haunted. The old Ford Motor Factory is one of places that has been rumored to contain unknown spirits. The Hill View Mansion is another popular haunted location, though stories surrounding it have not been substantiated. This is never a deterrent for people who are interested in finding haunted locations, they have plenty to explore during their stay in Singapore.

Western Australia is a lovely place to be, and for visitors, there’s always something new and exciting happening in the city.  With fantastic new music, and a strong tradition of classical music, as well as a host of other types of performance, there is an exciting cultural scene here, and this is especially true for Perth.  It’s one of Austalia’s largest urban centers, and with its mild desert climate, it attracts new populations every year.  There are a large number of foreign-born citizens living here, from all over the world, and there is a particularly large South African population, as well as number of Asian communities, making it a very lively place to be, culturally.  There’s always something splendid for travelers from such a mix, from entertainment to cuisine, where there are always spectacular choices available.

For the visitors looking to see the city in luxury Perth hotels are simply exquisite in terms of taste and hospitality, and can add another level of splendor to your experience here.  It’s nice to have a calm and glorious place to call your home when you’re away from home, so that you can have some splendid rests, and lovely meals, in the middle of your journey, while you’re enjoying all that the city has to offer.  It’s a nice chance to catch your breath while you’re getting ready to head out and see more of the local attractions.  If you’re drawn to art, there are some fantastic things to see here in Perth.   The gallery scene is really happening, and it’s been like that for a few decades now.

Perth attracts a number of extremely creative minds who are willing to push the boundaries of art, and ask the viewer to ask questions.  It’s impossible not to look into Australia’s art scene without coming across Mike Parr at some point.  He’s a very interesting and brilliant artist who’s shown widely, all over Australia, and all over the world, and has had a fair share of work shown here in Perth.  His latest exhibition of self-portraits has been getting a lot of good press, and always strong responses, from the critics as well as the public.  He’s been doing very provocative performance and visual work here since the 70s, and while his later work may not involve as much shock as some of the earlier performances, it is no less incisive in its examination of self, the body, mortality, and complicity, and its ultimate themes of liberation.

What is there to do in Zaragoza?  The fifth largest city in Spain contains a metro population of nearly 800,000, and is kind of in the center of the wheel from a great number of major urban areas: Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Toulouse (in France), and Valencia.  Each of these cities are less than two hundred miles from the city, but what makes Zaragoza itself special?  Why should you head for one of Zaragoza Spain hotels?

The city is renowned for folklore, as well as its three major architectural and historical landmarks, The Aljaferia Palace, Basilica del Pilar, and La Seo Cathedral.  In terms of education, it’s the home of one of the oldest universities in Spain, the University of Zaragoza and its home to one of Spain’s major festivals, the Fiestas del Pilar.  In the first century, legend has it, the Virgin Mary appeared in a vision to St. James, and stood on a pillar, a legend recalled by the basilica known as Nuestra Senora del Pilar (“Our Lady of the Pillar”).  The festival commemorating this legend is celebrated October 12 each yiear, coinciding with the Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World.  The festival lasts for nine days, ranging from an opening speech to a fire works display, with dances and bands and a procession of gigantic papier mache carnival figures.

The La Seo Cathedral was built over a main mosque (a piece of which is preserved in the Parroquieta wall from the 11th century) and contains 12th century Roman apses.  Architecture throughout the centuries is on display here — from 15th century to the Baroque towers in the 16th century.  Some distance from the main city, you’ll find the Alaferia, a major Moorish building, and the setting for an opera, Il trovatore by Verdi.

With all these areas of historical and architectural interest, Zaragoza seems quite special, well worth a trip for these reasons alone, without even mentioning the Zaragoza Museum or the San Fernando de Torrero church, let alone the sports and night life!

Austin is found of acknowledging, honoring and remembering their social and cultural icons. Among them are Lady Bird Johnson Stevie Ray Vaughn. The former First Lady had been a resident for a significant amount of time in Austin and the city’s population greatly adored and appreciated her. Lady Bird Park was established shortly after her death in honor of her. Stevie Ray Vaughn was an American guitarist, songwriter and singer. Most of the tourists who visit the city and stay in one of the luxury Austin hotels should be aware of both of these famous personalities.

The reason these two personalities are mentioned together is technically due to the fact that a statue of Vaughn is located in Lady Bird Park. However, in the broader sense, they both can be seen as symbolic representation of this city. Austin is a beautiful city with a unique geographic makeup. There is a strong focus on environmental beauty and was something that was greatly supported by Johnson. She was a major conservationist and also contributed to the spring planting of bluebonnet flowers. Her ideals can be found throughout the city in various municipal landscape designs and parks and recreation areas.

Stevie Ray Vaughn was a legendary Texan guitarist and Austin is known for its legendary music scene. He died at the young age of 35 though he produced a prolific amount of music in his short life. He released a total of 18 albums and primarily played a blues and jazz based Texan rock. He was listed by Rolling Stone as number 7 in the magazine’s 2003 list of the 100 greatest guitarists of all time. In addition he was listed at number 3 of the top 100 wildest guitar heroes in 2007 by Classic Rock. He has inspired and amazed both musicians and fans and is widely recognized as one of the most influential blues guitarists in history.