Commze

We were looking forward to comparing our experience with the luxury hotels Asia has sprinkled around the continent like pearls on a necklace with those of Japan. We were on our way the Obon Festival by train when we found out it is about the busiest travel days of the year in Japan. My guide and now wife Niki could only shrug her shoulders (she might have if she had had space to move in the throngs waiting to get on to the train to Tokyo) at the sea of humanity trying to get any where but here. Apparently the festival is where people return to their hometowns and believe it is the time when the spirits of ancestors return and are reunited with their families. We looked forward to seeing a traditional Bon Odori dance. It is performed to light and happy music to invite the souls of the dead (one would think they would be happy just to show up, and the music is quite nice).

A couple from Nagata whom we were sitting with on the train explained that the best part of the celebration was the teriyaki buffet that is often set out, as well as the sakes one could sample and the great Japanese beer, all to the rhythm of the taiko drums. There may well be bonsai displays and even contests, as this art of gardening is taken very seriously in Japan. It sounds like a county fair for honoring the dead. I do not know if thinking about one’s ancestors is what folks back in Austin do when they go to a fair, but it might not be a bad idea. Happily, our new friends has some rice rolls with them that they had planned to eat on the train. We produced some of our own teriyaki beef and we decided it would be great fun to combine our lunches like a pot luck. I wonder what they call pot luck in Japanese? We had a wonderful lunch and regrettably, never saw them again.

When traveling to Costa Brava, hotel accommodations hold the potential to make the trip a memorable one.  Our hotels are distinctive in their style and graciousness, offering an excellent array of amenities to refresh the mind and spirit, and to rejuvenate the body.  It is no secret that Costa Brava has sumptuous choices for fresh seafood, and our in-house chefs are renowned for their skill in creating delicious local fare with international twists.  The decor in our hotels is also quite exceptional, providing a soothing and energizing ambience that is felt in all corners of our facilities.  Hospitality is in generous supply here, to insure that your time spent here is remarkable and relaxing.  This is a perfect place to escape from it all, and to take in the amazing vistas that lie outside the hotel walls.

Marked as a potentially viable vacation spot in the 1950s, Costa Brava has been visited by tourists in large numbers, turning it from a lazy fishing village to a beach town.  Even before the 1950s, however, it was seen as a kind of paradise on earth.  There are many famous people who have found inspiration in the beach life and landscape here, not the least of which was Pablo Picasso.  Born in nearby Malaga in 1881, Picasso’s themes and subjects are considered by many art historians to be universal, yet they are also simultaneously remarkably and distinctively Spanish.  His father, also a painter, entered him in a fine arts school when he was ten years old, and soon began to display the remarkable talent that would come to characterize his name.  His father, recognizing his son’s genius, is said to have laid down his brush and never painted again.

Picasso went on to paint some of the most recognizable and valuable works of contemporary art.  His early work demonstrates a range of styles and influences, but when his friend, Casagemas, committed suicide in 1901, he began to work in his Blue period, which is considered to be pivotal in his development as an artist.  One of Picasso’s most recognizable periods, as far as historians are concerned, is his Cubist period.  This is characterized by Picasso’s signature reinterpretations of facial and body structures, and is said to have been influenced by Einstein’s theory of relativity.  Picasso was always working with fashionable ideas, but his inspiration from the sea is timeless.

We didn’t get to see the inside of many hotels in Bangkok Thailand, and that was OK, as we had much to see in this busy, beautiful city. I wanted a massage, Lydia wanted to shop, and we both wanted to sample as much Thai food as we could handle! Fortunately, our issue with the airport took only minutes to resolve as we had heard horror stories about people stuck at the official’s tables, that all turned out to be nonsense, as we were just about whisked through.

We went out the Weekend Market early and watched many of them setting up and them felt the pulse of the city awaken! This place is crazy, so many mopeds, pedestrians, cabs for hire, bleating, honking and roaring by in occasional plumes of black smoke. We got a shrimp kabob for breakfast. We went over and watched some silk weaving and Lydia bought a bolt of red silk to take back. She promised to make something grand with it! I could have bought a new suit but I stopped wearing suits and opted instead for a gold vaguely religious figure to hang from my pick up rear view mirror at home. We were told not to eat from the carts that pass by but we did (like I said we eat a lot!) and had some really hot and yummy pad thai that tied us over (no pun intended) for a while! I was a beautiful dish, full of little bitty shrimps  and tasting of fish sauce and garlic and lime. then we stumbled on a Buddha stature that soared into the morning sun, golden and shiny as his expression. We thought about taking a motor cycle taxi but we had no helmets and opted to walk about instead.

The British county of Herefordshire sets quaint town markets, Herefordshire Hotels,  and a variety of quaint villages and a variety of topographical landscapes all in the the relatively unspoiled country.  There is a cultural richness along this countryside, as well as a conservation and protected beauty, a leisurely and laid back lifestyle mixed with an interesting history, making this one of the top United Kingdom destinations for travel, relaxation and exploring.  Hereford itself is a very old city, with the towers and spires of the Saint Ethelbert and the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary rising above the Wye River and the medieval era bridge.

The Cathedral was built in 1079 A.D. and is the oldest cathedral in the country of Great Britain.  All of these monuments stand as testaments to the past and the distinguished heritage of this incredible region of England.  The town of Hereford is located close to the border of Wales, in the rural region of the landscape.  This is an area dedicated mainly to farming and agriculture, along with the cultivation of fruit crops and apple tree orchards.  The most productive cider industry is located in Hereford, and the the famous breed of Hereford cattle, well comes from Hereford.  There are many gardens and museums that offer up travelers the opportunities to explore the unique history of the past.

And today the modern amenities of life are intermingled with the rich heritage and architecture of the past.  Situated so closely to the borders of the North Western region of England and South Wales, this is still an important link between the two, with train rails and roads leading back and forth.  This is a center of the region that is of historical importance.  One of the most cultivated and extensive Libraries is located in Hereford, as well as the Mappa Mundi, which houses the famous map of the world.  Many of the museums, as well as the historical cathedrals, also house distinctive cafes and fine dining restaurants as well.  This is one of the many regions to walk, to explore and to discover a bit of history that is significant to so many cultures that are thriving today.

Benidorm, Spain, with a permanent population under 70,000 is a small city, off the Mediterranean Sea, in the Province of Alicante. Not so long ago, just before the 1960’s in fact, this was just a small, quiet and somewhat quaint fishing village. Today, the luxury hotels Benidorm offer, along with the beautiful beaches, great climate, magnificent skyscrapers, fabulous restaurants and unusual landmarks, this city has become a very popular and famous holiday delight. The hotels are sheer pleasure with their elaborate decor both inside and out. The staff is very pleasant and helpful, giving excellent service.

Benidorm has a very rigid rule initiated in 1954 by then mayor, Pedro Zaragoza Orts. It was required that every building have an area of leisure land around it whereby prohibiting the encroachment of other structures into that space. Benidorm is the only city in Spain that still adheres to this old regulation, but in so doing it has prevented the tight congestion found in other cities. When you climb to a high peak, you are pleasantly surprised by the amount of green lushness throughout the city.

There is so much to see and do here, for instance, the Benidorm International Song Festival is held every summer, as has been the case since 1959. Julio Iglesias and Raphael both become famous after performing at this very popular song contest. The theme parks are a big hit for young families, there is abundant shopping so finding those unique souvenirs and treasures to take home will not be a problem, the beautiful beaches, the active and vibrant nightlife, the fabulous restaurants with excellent seafood dishes. And did I happen to mention the nightlife? Oh yes, Benidorm is known for its all night bars and nightclubs with their bright lights, loud music and fast dancing. You will leave part of yourself in Benidorm but find that you have taken part of Benidorm home.

The Singapore Botanic garden is one of the most spectacular parks on the island.  It is a tropical paradise that is sent in the center of the city, and is a wonderful combinations of gardens, varying gardens of roses, desert plant-life, ferns and frangipanis along side the primary and un-tended natural forest.  There is a wide variety of species located within the garden, including many rare and exotic varieties of plant life.  There are more than twenty thousand orchids on display each day, with species from South and Central America, intermixed with ponds and fountains.  Outdoor concerts take place on Symphony Lake, and one can find any number of treasures in the shops throughout the garden.  All this is within walking distance of a fine dining French Singapore restaurant. The location draws many tourists throughout the year, and this month of August has something special to offer those who make their way to the garden.

The Galapagos Islands were not the only islands providing inspiration for the study of the theory of evolution.   Another scientist at the time, Alfred Russel Wallace had been traveling throughout Malaysia, was based in Singapore, and discovered the theory of evolution very close to time of Charles Darwin’s discovery of the scientific theory.  While Darwin was testing his theory on the Galapagos, Wallace was at work in Southeast Asia.  He conducted many hours of research, and extensively wrote about his explorations and discoveries of the Bukit Timah Hill Reserves.  Throughout his eight year exploration he collected more than one hundred and twenty-five thousands examples from different species of plants and animals, one thousand of which had never before been seen and were new to the scientific world.  He then collaborated with Darwin, and the theories were born.  The entire month of August is dedicated to this collaboration between the two men, and will focus on the achievements Wallace made throughout his lifetime.  This exhibit is appropriately housed within the Botanic Garden, it is open to the public and free of charge.

A Chorus Line is a phenomenally popular musical that is based on a relatively simple plot line. It follows the experience of seventeen Broadway dancers as they audition and compete for spots in a production chorus line. Marvin Hamlisch wrote the music for it and the lyrics were by Edward Kleban. James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante wrote the book. Not only is the concept relatively simple, but the musical is set on a bare Broadway theatre stage. This was a unique structure in musical theatre that has a long tradition of elaborate stages and scenery. The spectacle is often as important as the music itself.

It originally ran Off and then on Broadway in 1975 and became an immediate hit. It’s success in the box office and critically had been unprecedented. It received twelve Tony Award nominations that year and won nine of them. It ran for 6,137 performances making it the longest running Broadway musical at the time. It still remains to be the longest running Broadway musical that was created in the United States. In 2006 a revival of the musical was produced and it is currently touring across the nation. Theatre tickets for area performances can be acquired through the venue themselves or found online.

The musical has enjoyed great popularity and successful productions throughout the world, and continues to be one of the musical theatre cannon’s favorite offerings for many people. Some of the popular songs in the musical are I hope I Get It, I Can Do That, One, The Music and the Mirror, and What I Did For Love. Audience members often leave the performance singing or humming their favorite song. Musicals are a stable of the Broadway tradition and continue to remain the most popular and constant offerings the Great White Way presents. And while these established musicals from previous eras are enjoying great current success in revivals, the new trend is to create a musical based on animated films, such as the Disney shows, and specific areas of music and musicians.

The Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago is well known for launching the premier productions of many plays that will go on to become major theatrical hits and move on to New York productions. It is a Tony Award winning company that is internationally recognized. It is also one of the most prominent and respected theatre companies in Chicago. Tickets for theatre productions are available at the box office and also online. Steppenwolf was founded in 1974 by Jeff Perry, Terry Kinney and Gary Sinese and was originally located in the basement area of a church in Highland Park. The group chose the company’s name based on the Herman Hesse novel. Since 1997, longtime ensemble member Martha Lavey has served as the Artistic Director.

The theatre has had a few location changes throughout their existence and is now located on Halsted Street. It is one of the most successful regional theatre companies and has an annual subscription base of nearly 20,000. In 1982 they staged a production of the Sam Shepard play True West. This was the first of many subsequent productions to move on to New York productions. August: Osage County was the latest of productions to come from this company and it went on to become a Tony Award winning show in New York. It is one of the most critically successful productions to come from the company.

The play was written by Tracy Letts who is a company member, and was directed by fellow ensemble member Anna D. Shapiro. The Steppenwolf theatre has a strong commitment to the development of new work. Their New Plays initiative works with playwrights from the international scene and is aimed at supporting the new work of emerging writers as well as though that have already established a certain level of career success. Many of America’s top actors have launched their careers here and some of them are Joan Allen, John Malkovich, Gary Cole, Martha Plimpton and Laurie Metcalf.

Elton John is an incredible musician composer and performer. His concerts are extremely energetic, dynamic and constitute an event as well as a performance. He usually has a group of background singers placed onstage that dance and sing, which greatly contributes to the overall vibrancy of the show. One of the other interesting aspect of his performances is that they are extremely diverse and represent multiple populations and communities. Audiences of all ages fill the seats and dance on the floors at his shows, as well as various ethnicities, genders and sexual orientations. This contributes to the festival atmosphere of his concerts. His concert tickets always sell out in record time.

Elton John is unique in his appeal, which stresses across many social and political boundaries. He also has the distinction of having been the background musical themes for many people throughout their lives. He has been performing and creating hit songs for decades, and people from all generations love him. Even people that have never purchases one of his albums will recognize most or all of the songs on his play list because they have all been hits at one time or another.

Songs like Goodbye Yellowbrick Road, Daniel and Candle in the Wind, among many others, are still played on the popular radio stations on a daily basis. It’s almost impossible to exist today and not be familiar with and even a fan of some of John’s music. His songs reflect the temperance of various social periods and many people reflect back on specific points in their lives and relationships that relate to particular songs. In addition to his albums, Elton John has written the music or worked in other areas on Broadway musicals. He has contributed to the creation of Billy Elliot the Musical, The Lion King, Aida, Lestat. He has also appeared as himself and characters in films. He played himself in Spice World, and The Country Bears and also he played the Pinball Wizard in Tommy.

New York is a city of contradictions and beyond contradictions. It can also be a budget-buster or if you know where to go and what your doing, you can make it in New York for under $30 a day. I found a place where I can get discounted Theater Tickets for a Broadway show for as little as $18, that’s if you don’t mind what they call an obstructed view, which really isn’t as bad as it sounds, especially when compared to a regular priced ticket starting at $90.

Or, just go to a free theater production in Central Park, but you need to be in New York in the summertime and love Shakespeare. I got to see Pavarotti for free one time, now that was a treat. Really, New York is a fantastic place for the arts, and there is so much going on, you’ll need to spend money on a newspaper, but the newspaper will be your friend and let you know where first-rate performances are to be found at very reasonable prices. Just don’t fall into the trap that you need to see a big spectacular show, because the best shows are the spontaneous performances happening all around the city.

For me, I can amuse myself for hours with browsing around at a bookstore and there are tons upon tons of bookstores in New York City. I also love a good antique store, I can literally spend a whole day marvelling over antiques and talking to the owners of the store and listen to some very fascinating stories about a certain antique piece. It was easy to get free ticket to television shows or find where they are filming a movie (happens a lot in New York) and go a stand behind the barricades and watch a the behind the scene action. I found out about one indie movie being filmed when I went to a tourist information center. So, don’t do the regular expensive things which New York is known for, but do the unusual and save money.