Commze

I learned everything about love from watching Fellini films.  It’s probably true that learning about love from the man himself would be a difficult schooling, and probably not entirely practical for most people, but I was willing to give it a go with the films.  I would have to make sure that I had plenty of suits, or at least two.  At first I thought I would have 8, one for every day of the week, and one to wear while the others were at the cleaners.  But then I considered having 8 1/2 suits, and tried to get my mind around that, which never happened.  And somewhere in there I realized that suits are very, very expensive, if you’re looking for something that you can wear well.

So I opted for 2 exquisitely tailored suits.  And when we added up the potential costs, I bought two at the second-hand store, and did a little bit of stitching myself on them.  Almost perfect.  I also decided that to begin, I would have to me a mysterious man, and to do that I should go to a mysterious place.  Singapore was always something I’d thought about, more for the sling than anything, but it would work.  There were plenty of restaurants serving Italian food, so I would be in my element.  Or at least, an element, and the one where they have Italian food in a very large city that I did not know.

It turned out you don’t need to know everything about Singapore before you go there.  If you are trying to evoke Fellini in Singapore, you will be successful in attracting attention.  Especially if you decide to hook up with a local and try to reenact the fountain scene from La Dolce Vita.  It will be wonderfully exotic and exciting for both of you, except that both of you will be you more than her.  She might decide that she will just take your shoes and leave you in the fountain by yourself.  And you might decide that the suit is still looking sharp, and the world is still your oyster, or rather, oyster sauce.

Our first day in the US of A, in New York City was to do some shopping! We found the Century 21 department store, and we found so many great things, we didn’t buy everything we wanted, because we didn’t have the room in our luggage. It was a nice offer by the sales clerks to ship the items back to New Zealand for us, but we declined. I found shopping in New York to have a ‘frantic’ quality about it, it seems like the female population of New York swarm shops, especially if there is a sale; the men just find an out-of-the-way spot where they can either watch something on there Blackberry’s or Ipods. I felt like balling up in a fetal position until the swarm headed somewhere else, but that never happened.

We both had to get back out on the street as soon as we could. We took a deep breath and a long exhale to release all that frenzied energy. Wow! New York is really a very highly charged place! We decided if we were going to survive our trip, we’d better get on the bandwagon; slow and leisure do not belong in New York.

I confess, I’ve never been to Atlanta, Georgia, properly.  I’ve only been to its Airport, the William B. Hartsfield International, better known as ATL.  For many travelers, this is a pretty big place, with several terminals, mandating a rail train to connect them all.  I approve of flying — it’s fast, efficient, and still one of the safest ways to travel — but why hasn’t anyone yet found a solution to the problem of what to do during layover time?  Of course, what you do during this time depends on how much delay or layover there is between flights.  If it’s an hour, you may only have time to seek out the things you can do in an airport.  If it’s a few hours, you might actually be able to find your way into Atlanta itself and see some real sights that the city has to offer.  If you’re flight’s delayed indefinitely, you may find yourself looking for hotels in Atlanta, preferably luxury ones, providing you with a great deal of time to explore this great city of the South.

Unless you have more than three hours, don’t leave ATL.  The stress that worrying about your next flight will bring isn’t worth it.  Fortunately, the airport itself has attractions and things to do.  You’ll find all the shops and restaurants available to you from six in the morning to about nine at night.  However after nine, the airport shops begin to shut down, and after eleven there’s nothing really open on the concourses (especially C and D).  However, if you want to go outside security, you’ll find three places open twenty-four hours!  Dominos Pizza (with their new improved taste), Wendy’s and the Atlanta Bread Company.

If you have over three hours, consider taking a trip into town, either by renting a car or by taking the subway system.   Give yourself plenty of time to get back, though.  You can store in any bags you have at Wrap-a-Bag in the North and South Terminals.  As you leave, also plan to go through security on the way back.  Make sure you’ve accounted for all of that before heading off into the city.  You’ll need at least an hour and a half once you return to get through security and return to your gate.

Of course, if you find yourself staying overnight, then there’s plenty of options that open up before you.  The World of Coca-Cola Museum, the Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta Underground, Margaret Mitchell’s house (the author of Gone with the Wind), even a tour of CNN headquarters.  If you’re staying overnight unexpectedly, you’ll want to see at least one of the places, just to relax!

Well it is time to book your room at one of the luxurious hotels in Augusta Georgia for that famous Golf tournament known as The Masters. It won’t be long when the people and the player will be able to roll out onto the lush green grass and watch the Superbowl of Golf. This is one of the events that has made Augusta so famous in modern times. It looks like there is absolutely nothing else going on in the city during the first part of the month of April. All events go on lock down mode so maybe it is because all of the singing stars and comedians are going to be at The Masters.

So what do you do in Augusta for the month of April if you don’t care for golf? The museums might be empty. Check out the Augusta Museum of History were you can get a great view of the history of both the city and the region. There are permanent exhibits as well as visiting exhibits. In April you will be able to catch the history theater film, Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius which is of course about golf. However, it is a good movie. Then there are the permanent exhibitions such as the WBBQ radio history, Augusta’s Story, Georgia Railroad and Banking Company and the Transportation Corridor.

If you have brought your kids you may want to head over to The National Science Center which is built to get kids excited about were learning science and math can take them. If you are a collector of sophisticated you may want to see the collection at the Morris Museum of Art. This would be a nice unwind from any business trip you might be on in Augusta.

The Brooklyn Academy of Music, Neal Street Productions and The Old Vic Theatre continue their collaboration of efforts known as the Bridge Project and Sam Mendes will continue to direct the company. The latest and greatest efforts by the Bridge Project will be productions of William Shakespeare’s As You Like It and The Tempest, which will run in repertory at the BAM Harvey Theater in Brooklyn through March. After the Brooklyn run an international tour of the productions will began and this will take the plays, and their actors, to Asia and Europe before settling into The Old Vic Theatre in London for a summer run from June to August. The company uses top English and American actors to create the ensemble and each of the plays’ casts are filled with the best actors available.

As You Like It is generally considered to be one of Shakespeare’s pastoral comedies and is accepted as having been written sometime between 1599 and 1600. As with most of Shakespeare’s comedies oppressed love plays a significant role and the heroes and heroines find a way to escape their oppressor. In As You Like It Rosalind escapes persecution from her uncle and Flees into the Forest of Arden with her fool Touchtone. This play has the time honored famous line all the world’s a stage, which is spoken by Jacques.

The Tempest has variously been considered a comedy and a romance depending on the time period and academic philosophy attached to it. It was originally labeled a comedy and Shakespeare’s plays have historically been placed into three categories, comedies, histories and tragedies though contemporary criticism has added possible categories of problem plays and romances. However it is classified, The Tempest is both funny and romantic and has all the elements of great intrigue and mystery. It is also one of his most esoteric plays and some critics have argues that the character of Prospero is a literary self-portrait and his putting away of his magical books represents Shakespeare’s own retirement from writing. As with all theories of Shakespeare’s inspirations and intentions, this is difficult to prove. Regardless of what he was thinking tourists staying here will enjoy the prouctions.

It’s always a wonderful feeling when you’re on vacation in a beautiful place, and realize that they’re about to have a flea market or yard sale.  It’s especially welcome when you find yourself enjoying the local culture and the community, because when these events are happening, you suddenly have an unusual opportunity.   This can be even more exciting than tasting something new in a new place, and loving it.  Because in this scenario, you can buy a piece of their souls and take it home with you.  Ocean City is a particularly attractive place, and they have plenty of hotels to demonstrate for you how beautiful the city really is.

If you love the beach, and who doesn’t, then this is the place.  It’s had a long and very successful run as a major tourist attraction, and it’s also built up a very lively local community over the generations.  The community is strong enough to have their own aesthetics, philosophies, and moral outlook on the world.  It’s difficult to say exactly what their cosmologies add up to, because there are multiple notions of the here and beyond, but it’s always possible to make some guesses with their artifacts.  This is where the city wide yard sale comes into play.

You don’t have to have any formal anthropological or ethnographic training to know when there’s a bargain in front of you, nor does it take a degree to decide that a particular object has some cultural value.  When you are sorting through clown paintings and ashtrays shaped like owls, it’s very possible to make some connections between the object and the community.  The clown is the great trickster, and the owl is a messenger from the world of the dead, so we’ve stumbled upon something larger than ourselves here.  There are other city wide garage sales, but they speak of other worlds, too far away from here.

No trip along the nation’s East Coast would be complete without a stop at one of the oldest colonies in America, Williamsburg.  The first successful British Colony in North America was Jamestown, founded in May of 1607, four hundred and three years ago.  There were several failed attempts before it, with the Roanoke Lost Colony creating a number of mysterious legends in its wake (a play titled The Lost Colony was produced by the Roanoke Island Historical Association that explores this fascinating moment in American history).  In 1693, the nearby town of Middle Plantation began one of the oldest colleges in the nation, the College of William and Mary.  A few years later, Virginia’s Colony’s capital moved to Middle Plantation, where it became known as Williamsburg.

All of this history makes Williamsburg a fascinating place to visit.  You can attend Colonial Williamsburg, where buildings are virtually unchanged from the early days of the United States, and people re-enact what it was like to live in that time.  You can travel the Colonial Parkway, part of the National Park Service, taking in its scenic eleven miles, which connects Williamsburg to Yorktown.  There, you’ll find the Colonial National Historical Park, where you can see the Yorktown Battlefield, the actual place in which the Battle of Yorktown was waged.   You might check out the Yorktown Victory Center, as well, where you’ll find more living history run by the Jamestown Yorktown Foundation.

If the study of the Civil War isn’t to your liking, then you might try a ghost tour or spend a day or two at Busch Gardens Europe amusement park.  No matter what your interest, you’ll find stopping at Williamsburg will be worth it.  All you need to do is find a place to stay there, and that’s easy to do.  Just go to http://www.hotelswilliamsburg.com and you’ll find a hotel right for you.

This was the place where I found the things that I thought were lost forever.  It’s a city that holds many secrets, and in every corner of life, we can also find the lost wishes of the ones who have gone before us.  It’s a place that mixes us up, and the ones who learn to love the complications learn its hidden rhythms.  There is a pulse here that can only be heard by those who once looked for paradise, but instead only found that the gold never did go very deep, and the source had turned bitter from so many years of neglect.  The places I like to stay the most can be found here, because these are the ones that are the shiniest.

It’s an edge that becomes familiar, and there are times when you wake up and realize that you have started to get used to the cuts.  There’s a center that gets buried in lights and sounds, and it’s sometimes hard to find your way back where you came from.  But there’s also a kind of wisdom in making the decision to ignore the cries to go back home, and that’s the place where you start to find your way forward, and something that was hidden and forgotten starts to shine in the dark.

It doesn’t matter that the New York that I once found was not like the New York that I once left.  It’s always changing its face, and its rhythms are constantly shifting to become something indistinguishable from what it was a moment ago, if you leave, or if you blink.  But it’s still the same crucible.  The way it works the soul with fire is always the same, and the way the soul learns to give birth to itself again is also always the same pattern.  The same numbers in the dirt that faced me before still face me, but I understand better now how I will never really understand what they are supposed to mean for me.

My third day in Sarasota, Florida! Today, I wanted to check out Myakka State Park, which is located out on Longboat Key. I drove out on the causeway and veered left, this Key felt more private than the others I’ve been to so far during my stay here, so I ended up driving a while, because it all looked so very private. I didn’t see public entrance to get to the beach. All I saw were hundreds of condos, vacation rentals and many country clubs with golf courses. So, I drove with what felt like hours until I was outside of Sarasota county and entering Manatee county. I was really wondering if there was no way to see Myakka and was about to turn around, when all of a sudden I was surrounded on both sides with parking lots for the beach. I picked one and got out. I was at Coquina Beach, with beautiful white sand. I only stayed for about an hour because I felt I was too far up the coast.

I headed back towards Sarasota. I ended up driving back into the downtown area and feeling better, because I was in familiar surroundings. I went back to park my car at my hotel, which I found on-line at this site: http://www.westfloridahotels.com when I did a search for West Florida hotels.

The next morning, I checked out and packed up my car and gave it one more try for Myakka State Park. This time I got on Fruitville road and travelled for about 18 miles. I really wanted to see an alligator, I mean after all, I am in Florida! I finally ended up at the entrance to the State Park, but I couldn’t take my car inside, the park is designated for pedestrians and bicyclists. I was told that I could take my car here. When I asked about, someone told me to head down the road for about 45 minutes and I’ll see the main entrance to Myakka. I was thrilled when I passed the Rangers Station and drove at a very slow 15 MPH. This was fine by me, because all the flora I was passing was awesome. I drove passed a bridge and found a place to pull over.

I walked over to a boardwalk that led up a hill to a viewing area, which overlooked a small inlet. I saw plenty of birds and tall grass. I then headed up where there was a bike rental place and stepped onto the grass and looked across the water. That’s when I saw something start to move; it was big, black, very long and had scales on it! When I saw the nostrils that when I knew I’d finally saw my first glimpse of an alligator! Alligators! There were a few more and one of them moved from the sandy beach into the water and began to swim. My goal was complete, so now I can drive out of Florida knowing I got to see a real live alligator.

The Elgin Theatre in New York city, was a popular movie house in the 1940’s.  When the venue located at Eighth Avenue and 38th Street began to change, from the revival movies towards a more questionable list of movies, more “adult” in content and nature, the community closed it down.  In the early 1980’s, this building became home to the Joyce Theatre Foundation.  Two years of renovations were necessary, to create the one of the most premiere and elegant venues for performances of not only more than three hundred dance companies throughout the city, and throughout the world, but one that supports and offers performance spaces to theatre productions and musical performances as well.

With just 472 seats, the theatre is the perfect venue for the smaller, and not quite well known companies.  The mission of the Foundation has been to support and to serve the community of dance, as well as all of the performing arts, and promote the variety and the richness, allowing the companies to fully express themselves artistically, and allowing more opportunity for the people of the community the exposure to this world as never before.  Hugh Hardy was the architect responsible for the building’s transformation.  He expanded on the Art Deco theme of the building, and totally gutted and redesigned the inside of the theatre, from the dressing rooms to the stage to the seats in the auditorium.

This beautiful renovation inspired other projects of renewal in the neighborhood, such as the redesigning and rebuilding of many of the restaurants, apartment buildings, and some of the finest boutique hotels in Manhattan.   The theatre brings together the cultural mix of the neighborhood, as well as the mix and the appreciation of that diversity through the various and different companies that have performed there over the last thirty years.  Classical performances celebrating tradition, and more cutting edge performances celebrating this new and modern age are some of the shows you can expect to find.  Should you be traveling through the city in 2010, some of the works you will have the chance to see are those by Bill T. Jones, Pacific Northwest Ballet Company, the John Jasperse Company, and the Lyon Opera Ballet.  And true to many of the arts foundations in the city, The Joyce Theatre hosts forums and many educational programs.  Stop by the Joyce this year,  and enjoy the dance!

After traveling 2 days, Beth and I finally made it New York City. We arrived early in the morning and we made our way via bus from the airport. We booked our accommodations when we were in Brazil, but unfortunately, in our whirlwind packing frenzy, we forgot to write down the address. We had the bus just drop us off around 94th street, and finally figured out we should have been on 73rd street to try and find one of the New York Luxury hotels that had our reservations. We eventually found our hotel by mid-morning and our room was ready and waiting for us! We really needed a hot shower, but decided to make most of the little time we have here and took advantage of the hotels hair salon. I’ll just say this, it was heaven, especially after 3 months of traveling in dusty Africa and humid Brazil.

It was supposed to be extremely cold while we were here, but we’ve been pleasantly treated to a warm spell. So, we decided it was a perfect time to see Central Park for lunch. We weren’t alone in our thinking, it seemed all of New York was out at the park. The trees were beginning to turn, so it made our stroll through the park magical. We noticed that almost everyone in the park had a dog. We had a hard time imagining how these dogs live in those small flats or apartments with no yards. Later, is when we noticed why there are tons of doggy day care centers and doggy walkers.

It was a treat for us to order a cup of coffee and a cheap bagel near the park. We’ve also noticed it’s hard to stay on a budget in New York, there’s just so much to see and do in this vastly diverse city. The bagel only managed to wet our appetite, so we went in search of a Vietnamese restaurant, but not before we headed back to our hotel and changed into our newly made Vietnamese dresses. We knew we might seem silly, wearing a Vietnamese dress to a Vietnamese restaurant, but when we arrived at the restaurant, we were greeted with warm smiles and attentive service.

We went over budget by splurging on tickets to see ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway. We couldn’t help but want to experience a little bit more of Africa, but this time without the dust. We were so happy we busted our budget, the musical was absolutely awesome. The performances were outstanding and we were enthralled with every moment. We highly recommend seeing this musical if your in New York.

That’s all we had time for really, because it was time to catch our flight back home to Georgia. I personally feel, after being abroad, that there’s no place like America, it truly is a wonderful country, and now that I’ve experienced it, there’s nothing like New York City. It’s a fantastic place.

While in Hyderabad it will be worth having a look at one the most wackiest creations, The Sudhacar Museum, it’s known throughout the world as the Wacky Car Museum, created by Mr. Sudhakar. It’s located on the Hyderabad – Bangalore highway, not to far from the hotels by the airport and near the Nehru Zoological Park.

The museum has almost one hundred models of two wheelers and mini cars. A majority of the cars were created out of scrap metals. Children thoroughly enjoy this museum because it allow their imaginations to soar, just like Mr. Sudhakars has, which has won accolades around the world. There are cars shaped in unbelievable and recognizable shapes, some you’ll laugh at and others that will make you ponder.

For another interesting sight while in Hyderabad, check out the famous Ramoji Film City. It is spread over 1800 acres and is situated a little be further from the airport. The Ramoji Film City is one of the most comprehensive and largest planned film production centers in the world. A producer can walk in with a script and walk out with a film. But, not only is this place all about films, it also hosts the Yuva Fest, which consists of the best music bands in India.

If wacky cars or film industries isn’t your cup-of-tea, the come to Hyderabad during the winter solstice and participate in the Makar Sakranti, a Hindu festival where people offer prayers to their local deities, and witness the best kite flying in all of India and this traditional Kite flying is done with a frenzy of passion that charges the atmosphere full of excitement.

So, have no worries when in Hyderabad, there’s plenty of interesting or unusually things to do, especially if you have children and adolescents. The climate in Hyderabad is very pleasant, making it an ideal place to visit anytime of the year.

If you’re a War War II buff, and find anywhere near Germany, then you may want to check out that small city’s main attraction, the world’s last existing type V11-C submarine, the U-955, built in 1942 for the German Navy.  Following the war, the sub was moved to the Norwegian Navy.  In 1965, the decommissioned U-955 was returned to Germany, where she rests today, a museum that’s become one of the main tourist attractions for the city of Kiel.

After checking in to one of the many Kiel hotels, take a visit to the Rathaus’s 100 year old tower, three hundred and fifty feet tall.  The tower was damaged by bombing in World War II, but much of it has been restored today and, by climbing to the top, you will have a great view of the city and harbor.  From May to September, guided tours are offered on Wednesdays at around two in the afternoon.  Afterwards, you can walk along the Hindenburg Embankment’s two mile stretch for a closer look at the harbor.  You’ll be walking on the fjord’s west side, with a good view of the shipyards.

But one of the big reasons to come to the city is the chance to crawl around inside an actual World War II German sub, which you can do (every day, if you like) from April to October, from about 9:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., while the winter months, November through March, you’ll find the museum closing a bit earlier at five in the afternoon.  You’ll see the astonishgly cramped spaces where about forty to fifty men lived.  If you’re claustrophobic, you may double-think going to this exhibit, but if you’re okay with tight hatchways and narrow corridors, then the sub will provide a chance to take a close look at history in a way few people ever do.

The people of India are overall a very friendly bunch, but I’ve quickly learned that if you ask for something specific in a shop, the sales clerk will confidently try to sell you something completely different and making you feel that it’s what you actually asked for. For example: George wanted to buy his girlfriend a hanuman pendant, which is a little monkey. We were down at the Wednesday Flea Market in Anjuna, Goa when he asked one jewelry stall if they had the ‘little monkey’ pendant, and the sales clerk responds that they do a shows him a poodle. We went to the next stall and he ask again, and again the sales clerk says yes that they have the hanuman monkey pendant and shows him a teddy bear. This when on for several stalls and no one actually had that particular pendant, but they don’t want to lose out on a sale.

The other day, when I was on the road to recovery from the tummy bug, we decided to head down to the south beaches of Goa to a place called Benaulim, it’s a peaceful, rural village and the beaches is of white sand and clean. After we all gathered at my Goa India hotel, we headed on out. On our arrival, I noticed a few of my companions were a bit miffed that I had booked a guest house for the day, but that it didn’t have a pool. I didn’t think we needed a pool, I mean, after all, we were going to the beach.

Too be fair, their mood was related to the fact that they too are suffering from Delhi-belly, and have not fully recovered. They needed to be near a bathroom more than be near a beach. Anyways, I spent my afternoon basking in the gorgeous beauty of south Goa beach and I managed to form a friendship with a girl selling pineapples as she traversed the beach. It wasn’t long that every beach hawker found their way to me and I became surrounded by every trinket seller that lives in Benaulim!

When it was evening, I checked in on my moody companions, and they were still asleep. I hated to wake them up, but I only booked the guesthouse for the day. They woke up in a better mood, but sad they missed the beach and happy to be heading back to the comforts of our hotel.

When you opt for a Singapore wedding, you will be bringing the exotic world of Singapore into the beginning of the rest of this new life.  There are many options for indoor and outdoor weddings, each with something different and wonderful to offer.  From the glorious array of tropical flowers that will find to surround yourself, to the colorful and majestic clothing, to a myriad of choices when it comes to choosing the menu for the reception.  When my husband and I choose to get married in Singapore, we planned in a short trip for our selves, just before the wedding started, on a the cruise ship of Admiral Cheng Ho.  This is a replica of the Emperor of China’s ship, as his reign was during the fifteenth century.  So while it is exactly like his ship in every way, there are modern amenities.   In the United States, it is considered bad luck to see the bride before the wedding.  However by the time you reach your ceremony in Singapore, we were already married legally, as is the way that the law states in the country.

So we decided that no bad luck would come our way.  The cruise is offered at different times in the morning and in the afternoon.  All of the tours are narrated, and give insight into the fascinating history of the city, from the view of the Singapore River.  We made our way past the magnificent architecture of the city skyline and down to the Harbourfront Center, passing old Singapore and heading to the modern city.  The port here is the busiest in the world, and we passed many ships and boats before stepping ashore on Kusu Island. What we took with us to our ceremony, was a deeper and more rich understanding of the culture, the people and the city in which we would be beginning our lives together.  I highly recommend considering looking at your options in Singapore, if an exotic experience on your wedding day is something you desire.

Curtis was an architecture major at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He particularly loved Romanesque design and wanted to establish a revival of that style. In a recent design analysis paper, he chose the St. John’s Cathedral in his own city to serve as his subject. He had always loved the Cathedral and though he isn’t catholic, he has visited it many times and has even attended a mass. Just driving by the building always gave him both a sense of peace and inspiration. Part of him was strongly drawn to designing sacred buildings though he was equally pulled to the arts community and loved the idea of building a grand theatre or opera in a neo-Romanesque style.

The Cathedral is listed on the National Registry of Historic Properties and attracts numerous tourists who are staying in one of the Lafayette hotels. Curtis imagined the day that that tourist would want to visit a building that he had designed. While he definitely worked hard and studied almost non-stop, Curtis also had a strong sense of confidence and a tremendous capacity to fantasize about the great things he would accomplish.

However, he was focused and realistic in his approach to the paper he was writing about St. John’s Cathedral. It was built in 1916 and was the third church to be constructed on the land, which had been donated by Jean Mouton in 1821. In his paper he would focus on the turrets that flanked the octagonal steeple. He also loved the contrast between the graceful curves of the arches and the sturdy brick from which the church was made. As with everything else, Curtis continued to make mental notes about what might be incorporated into his masterpiece opera design and this paper was no different. I imagined a sturdy brick or stone building though it had to be laced with gentle arches and he somehow had to do a variation on a steeple.

Visiting Bangalore is almost as pleasurable as eating in Bangalore, but when you’re trying something new, and the spices hit you for the first time as being exactly just right for this moment right now, there’s nothing else in the world.  Memory is strange, and immensely fascinating, but there’s something peculiar about food and what it does to the senses.  The taste buds are connected to the olfactory centers, and this is related to memory in a very profound way.  When you are tasting something wonderful for the first time, it does something to the memory itself, and creates something new in your mind.  Making memories is intimately connected to the sense of taste then, and you can make as many memories as you like at the wonderful Bangalore restaurants.

Proust wrote most articulately about memory, and particularly this notion, of taste and smell being connected, but I can never remember exactly what he said, or where he said it.  It was not in Bangalore, but today, this is a spectacular place to visit, and offers enormous variety for the chowhound.  There are plenty of wonderful options on every menu, and it’s possible to taste brand new dishes every single day.  When you’re on vacation, it’s a pleasure to eat comfort foods for sure, but it’s also lovely to try out something that will open up the senses.

It’s difficult to find foods cooked in the Shree Vaishanava tradition these days, but their memory still lingers very clearly in the minds of some of the local population.  This is a branch of Hindu philosophy that was an all-encompassing tradition, and its foods are remembered in the way of Proust in a collection of recipes by Sampath Iyengar.  This is cooking with a great capacity for joy, honoring the sacred capacities of preparing food together as a spiritual observance, and as such, it is a splendid book about a past that is dissolving.

Often times the soul of a person or a culture is expressed through dance, and this is true in the traditional Hula dance of Hawaii.  This is a dance for both women and men, and has been throughout history and legend.  There are many Polynesian traditional dances, but as one will see through Oahu or Kauai travel, the Hula is special and quite different from all of them.  The history of the dance lies within the ceremonial and the religious, and evolved over time to become one the most widely recognized form of Hawaiian entertainment.

However, it is still quite ceremonial, as each movement of the body of the dancer, each flip and twist of the hand has specific and symbolic meaning.  Some may refer to animals or plants, or elements of society such as war.  For the Hula dancer, if their movements are that of a shark, the dancer is believing that he or she is the shark, contains the spirit of the shark within them.  Kauai travel packages offer suggestions on the best places to catch a glimpse of this tremendous experience.

When you find the perfect performance you will hear chanting, this is the story that accompanies the movements of the dancers.  Many years ago it was these chanted words that counted more that the movements of the body, however many today do not understand the traditional native language, and so more emphasis has been places on the gestures of the hands and the body.  And the costumes…oh the costumes.  Leis are place around the neck and head.  The skirt, or pau, is made out of the grass Tapa, and the ankles jewelry is made from either the bones of a whale or the teeth of a dog.

In history, the classes in hula were extremely strict as this was a religious ceremony.  Many restrictions were placed on the dancers, even when they were not in the classroom.  Now, those restrictions have eased up a bit, and many take class as a form of exercise and a way to have fun.  Many discounts to the island are available through such offers as Oahu vacation packages, so book a trip, take a hula dance class, and enjoy the islands of Hawaii.

The New Orleans Saints are the professional football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are one of two major iconic factors of the city, other one being the annual celebration of Mardi Gras. And while these are two of the main aspects of the city that are recognized around the country and even the world they are not the only offerings New Orleans has to share. The Saints, however, one of their own pride and joys. And while many of the guests who stay in one of the New Orleans luxury hotels are there specifically to enjoy the Mardi Gras parades and festival, the Superdome is full of supportive Saints fans.

The Saints and the Superdome itself were the focus of national attention during the 2006 home opener. This sold out game marked the Saints’ return to the Superdome after the horrific damage it suffered during the Hurricane Katrina. This game was also nationally televised and the Saints beat their opponents the Atlanta Falcon’s by a score of 23 to 3. The following year, in 2007, this spectacular event received official recognition by ESPY as one of the best moments in sports. That season they also reached the NFC Championship Game, though they ended up losing to the Chicago Bears.

The team was founded as an expansion team in 1967 and they had a slow time gaining wining seasons and critical recognition. Finally in 2000 they defeated the St. Louis Rams, who were at the time the defending Super Bowl Champions, and earned the Saints their first playoff win. The team has a strong local support base and the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame was established to encourage continued enthusiasm and sponsorship. It is intended to preserve the history of the franchise and notable memorabilia for generations of loyal fans.

In 1796 Tennessee became a state of the Union. At that time, Knoxville became the Capital of Tennessee and remained so until 1819. Knoxville is the second largest city in the state, with Nashville claiming first place. Interestingly, Knoxville has a couple nicknames. Because of the numerous marble quarries in the area, it gained the nickname of, what else, The Marble City. There are several beautiful buildings in the city that were constructed from this marble. Textile and clothing mills were a big boon for the city’s economic base and soon earned the nickname The Underwear Capital. However, in the 1950’s, the mills started closing, jobs were lost and people moved away, seeking employment in other cities and states. This city had its share of ups and downs with the economy but the city fathers persevered and moved the city forward, always keeping their eyes focused on the future.

In 1982, Knoxville hosted the World’s Fair, which has been deemed one of the best ever. Calculations tally over 11 million visitors in attendance. This certainly helped the economy and brought Knoxville to the front of interesting places to visit. With extensive renovations throughout the city, major cleaning, clearing and planting, Knoxville has come into its own. There is plenty of history here, especially related to the Civil War. With many museums, art galleries, shopping, theatres, amusement areas and fabulous restaurants there is much to delight and entertain visitors of all ages.

The hotels Knoxville offers are also centered on visitors and feature the finest in amenities; polite, knowledgeable staff to assist and cater to guests, making sure their stay is comfortable and restful. You can also dine in elegance at the hotel restaurants, or head out to other fine establishments and take in some local nightlife. Enjoy the music and dancing, mingle with others. There is much to see and do in and around Knoxville. Do not overlook this southern city; this could be your next vacation destination.

Humayun’s Tomb is by far one of the most visited places in Delhi. Best hotels are not to far away from this beautiful sight. This tomb is actually a complex of many buildings that the Mughal Emperor Humayun built for his wife the lovely Hamida Banu Begum in 1562 CE. It was designed by a Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyath. It was the first tomb built on the Indian subcontinent and is near the Dina-panah citadel many know as Purana Qila. This was a structure of a few firsts. It was the first building to use red sandstone in such large amounts. It was also a start of having burials in gardens for this area. It is seen as a true change from the more modest mousoleum of previous Emperors.

The building includes the main tomb with the Emperor Humayun and his wife and also Dara Shikoh. Dara is the son of a Emperor Shah Jahan a later Emperor. There is also many other Emperor’s and notables such as Emperoer Jahandar Shah, Farrukhsiyar, Rafi Ul-Darjat, Rafi Ud-Daulat and Alamgir II. The site was built  on the banks of the Yamuna River because it is closer to the Nizamuddin Dargah, the mausoleum created for the Sufi Saint of Delhi. The Sufi Saint was admired by rulers of Delhi whose homes area built just north east of the tomb. One story told about the Mughal Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar is that he hide in the tomb during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 with three princes but was captured by Captian Hodson and then exiled to Rangoon.

The building has such a blend of simple arch ways and ornated detail. It seems so soft with the red sandstone giving a more pink tranquility. It is almost feminine in nature and reminds me of resting the a mothers comforting arms. It is no wonder the appeal it’s dynastic memorial for so many generations of the Mughal royal family and nobility. It is the top of many “must see” lists when visiting Delhi.

There’s something very appealing about getting away to a big city that’s known as the most isolated large city in the world.  Perth has everything you’d ever want in a city: a lively urban culture, a sense of history, access to magnificent beaches, plus, it’s the most isolated large city in the world.  So even if you’re in the middle of things, you can still have at least an imaginary sense of solitude.  For all of that, however, Perth is also an extremely cosmopolitan place.  It reflects all the cultures that pass through here or live here, including the indigenous population, which has been in this part of the world for 40,000 years.

For diversity, it has many different immigrant populations, from all over the world, and for hotels, Perth specializes in the Australian brand of hospitality.  Which is to say, it’s very warm and very friendly, and it’s also one of the most livable cities on the planet, according to more than one reliable source.  Perth is an amazing place to get away from what you’re familiar with, and discover new ideas in a fantastic city.  There truly is something for everyone here, including fantastic day trips, and a night life that ranges from the pedestrian to the underground and wilder sides of Perth.

There are also plenty of the usual attractions one would expect in a large city, and one of these not to miss is the Art Gallery of Western Australia.  This has been here since 1895, and is one of the most established in the region.  There is a splendid permanent collection, and wonderful new exhibitions by contemporary artists from the region, country, area, and world at large.  There is a concentrated focus here on indigenous art, as well as Oceanic art in general, and is a fantastic place to get introduced to the area.

We went to Huntsville, AL for Halloween this year and we all had a good time. We live in a rural area about two hours from Huntsville and there really isn’t a lot for the children to do on Halloween. So with the holiday falling on a Saturday this year we were able to pull off the trip with minimal schedule disruption, no school missed and pretty inexpensive since we will be staying over night. Our room was booked at a Huntsville hotels near the Huntsville Botanical Gardens.

The botanical gardens were having their annual Scarecrow Trail fall event. It was amazing to see 100 scarecrows made out of all kinds of materials and objects. Some of them were down right amazing. All types of fruits, vegetables, leaves, straw, grape vine, flowers, sticks, brooms and so much more stuff was creatively combined to create the Scarecrow Trail. The children enjoyed this a lot more than I anticipated they would. In the afternoon we found a haunted house to take the children to they had never been to one and have been asking. It was a really scary one and all the kids got a really big scare it was very funny to watch as they went from tough and brave to very, very scared. It was another very good time.

After the haunted house tour we got everyone something to eat and then got them to settle down for a little while before getting their costumes on for the night.

We saw an ad for a neighborhood Halloween block party that didn’t seem like it was too far from the hotel. Not really knowing the city we were not comfortable to just take the children out trick or treating. We were grateful we saw the as. The party was great with a ton of activities for all of us. The children were able to trick or treat for candy and I bobbed for apples, that was a good laugh for us all.

It was a fun time and maybe we will do it again next year, with Halloween on Sunday I bet most of these events will be held on Saturday.

Starting today, Betty is going to be writing the travel blogs, I need to take a break and load up all the photos I’ve been taking. She is refusing to do so because she only knows how to hunt and peck on the keyboard. Well, it’s not really her fault, she was born too early. All this computer stuff is just to much for her. But, I told her it’s never to late to learn, to get with it and stop acting old. I’ll do my best to edit her work and make sure our travelling expeditions make sense, but I bet she’ll be extra careful. One more thing, She made the same mistake I did when we she came to Goa, she thought it was one beach rather than a state in India. Ha!  When she arrived here, she called me up at the Goa beach hotel where I was staying and told me to come and pick her up. To make this a little bit more clear about what she was requesting of me is like when someone calls you in Portland and say to you to come pick them up in Oregon! So, this next part is from Betty, enjoy.

Back to Goa…

Joining up with Julie again was a good reason to come to Goa. Not because of the beaches, the bars and all the parties, well, maybe for the parties. Unfortunately, I had two problems. One was that the season was ending and Goa was shutting down. Second, I lost all my luggage. Well not all, I did have my carry-on, which I’m very thankful, because it has all my medications. Julie found me waiting at a bar in this small Vagator with a bottle of whiskey and a skateboard (Doesn’t sound like me does it, but I let loose when I travel abroad, I think everyone should). So, for the next few days, I simple relaxed, or what the kids say: chill-out while I waited for the airlines to find my luggage. Oh yes, in case you ever come to Goa and you happen to rent a scooter, make sure you ALWAYS have the headlights on, even in the day time. There’s nothing more freaky to Indians than two white females on a scooter with their lights on, now having six children and a rooster is normal.

The people of Johannesburg have been through struggle and turmoil.  Pablo Picasso once said that art had saved his life, and that should he ever have been placed under arrest, forced to spend time in a concentration camp or a jail cell, he would find strength in his art by any means necessary, even if he had to make “paintings” on the floor of that prison cell, with his own wet tongue in the dirt.  Art does this, it not only brings people through the terrible times, but it heals them once those times have passed.  Through music, dance, the theatre, and the visual arts, the people of the country of South Africa have found ways in which to heal themselves and their country.  Museums and galleries stand testament to the heart and the soul of the cultures and the societies of the country.  The Bensusan Museum of Photography is located centrally, conveniently situated close to the Johannesburg fine dining restaurants and many of the hotels.

The museum’s collection includes rare equipment from long ago, equipment created by the ingenious engineers throughout the development of photography.  Also on display is a large collection of the preserved work of some of the finest photographers from South Africa. Those who even in the face of the restrictions of Apartheid, managed to capture the history and the beauty of the country and of the people.  There are interactive displays as well, such as a multi-media presentation that outlines the basics of photography, from the best ways to capture a moving object on film, to the concepts of lighting and composition.  The darkroom is open to the public, not for use, but for exploration and education.  This is one of the smaller museums in the city, but one that is so specific and of interest to photographer from around the world who find themselves traveling through the city.

Barcelona is a global city and Yo Yo Ma is a global musician. Ma has performed in cities across the world and Barcelona received tourists from across the world. It is only appropriate that the two worlds meet. Yo Yo Ma has played in Barcelona to a captivated and appreciative audience. This is due in part to Ma’s status as one of the world’s virtuoso cellists and also in part to the tremendously arts oriented population in Barcelona. Undoubtedly, many of the tourists staying in a Barcelona Spain hotel would be interested in seeing and hearing Ma play as well.

For a city that is so rich in cultural and the arts it is only fitting that a major world talent be received with such enthusiasm and support. Of course Ma receives this almost everywhere he goes. Ma was born in Paris though his parents were Chinese. His parents moved the family to New York City when Ma was only four years old, which was the same year that he first began playing the cello. He took up the cello after first studying both the violin and the viola, so by the time he had reached the ripe old age of four he was ready to begin playing the cello and by the time he was five he was already performing in front of audiences.

Ma studied at both Juilliard School where his teacher was legendary cellist Leonard Rose and he also studied at Columbia University before transferring to Harvard. One of his most famous recordings is of the Six Suites for Solo Cello composed by Johann Sebastian Bach. These suites are considered to be one of the most essential collection of works in any cellist’s repertory and very few have actually made critically acclaimed recordings of them. Ma to the music a step further and made an artistic journey on film with them. He treated each of the suites separately and created a concept and short film inspired by their music.

Spain is one of the most remarkable countries in the world, with a thriving and fascinating past, and a present that’s just as alluring and promising.  For style, elegance, and impeccable manners, Spain is one of the finest places in the world to get away from it all and immerse yourself in a cosmopolitan scene.  Sevilla is like all of Spain, only moreso.  The capital of Andalusia, it’s the largest financial center in the area, and one of the most exciting cities in the country.  Visitors here will no doubt be struck by the magnificent blend of the old and the new, with architecture designed with Moorish influences from centuries ago, to contemporary art that speaks to the immediate present.  In Sevilla, Spain, hotels also have this splendid combination of the old and the new.

We’ve carefully selected our hotels to emphasize this remarkable style, and to provide our guests with a gorgeous sense of hospitality that sometimes borders on absolute splendor.  Waking up each day to sumptuous decor is just the beginning of it, and we offer a host of amenities to provide a sense of remarkable rejuvenation, that will keep you relaxed and refreshed and curious to see more of Sevilla.  There is a stunning array of visual art here, and it just gets more fascinating the more often you visit.  You can find classical works from all over the world, and contemporary and extremely cutting edge works by local and international artists.

At the Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo, you can see works like Nancy Spero’s installation Let the Priests Tremble.  This exquisite hand-painted wall installation, based on the writings of Helene Cixous, came to Sevilla from London’s Ikon Gallery.  It was her own reworking of a project she did in 1998, and it’s fascinating to have the work here in 2009, the same year of her death.  Nancy Spero was a profoundly prolific and influential artist who was born in Cleveland, Ohio, in the U.S., and later moved to Chicago and then New York.  Her work is as memorable for its impact in its own rite, as it is for the artist’s lifelong dedication to human rights.

Benidorm is a city that is better left to ones own imagination. By far, it is the strangest place that I have ever been to, really! It beats out County Sligo and Tobercurry for sure.  Okay, with the exception of its gorgeous beach, which I consider one of the best 10 in the whole world. I think Benidorm is a haven for the stranger side of life. It’s kind of like Blackpool, but it has sunny days instead of cloudy, foggy days.

All the tourists, the men, women and children have tattoos, and not just one or two, no, they have lots of them. I couldn’t even leave the lobby of one of the luxury hotels Benidorm has for all its tourist without seeing one single tattoo-less person. Just me, I was the freak, I had no tattoos.

I only found authentic food in the old part of town. The rest of the food establishments serve beans on toast, or toast with beans on top. At first I found this amusing, but then it got ridiculous, so much so, I burnt out on beans on toast.

I toured around to the different bars and at one, I found this Irish couple who were a stitch, I also struck up a conversation with the owner. He was this real old guy, he was missing a few front teeth. I asked him if he made it to the beach much and he pulled up his shirt to show me just how white he was. I guess that was my answer. He made me laugh the whole night. There was a pool outside in the back of the bar and a huge screen TV in the bar. There was a sign above the cash register that said they sold Viagra there. That whole bar cracked me up.  Actually, all the pubs I visited were very amusing, each one had their own little quirks.

Too bad I only had one night here before heading out to Ibiza, Benidorm is really hard to describe, but all I know if I was amused the whole time.

Albert can be an extremely spontaneous and spur of the moment person. And as might be expected, he generally does not put a lot of planning or preparation into things. His friends know this about him and are used to the way he functions, however many people are visibly surprised as they get to know him and find out that he really is one of the most impulsive people they will ever meet. So, it did not surprise his friends Candy and Carl when Albert announced that he was going to Singapore.

The two of them almost didn’t even bother to ask why, because they knew the answer simply didn’t matter. Whatever the reason he was going, the circumstances and structure of the trip would still be up in the air. However, Carl had always wanted to visit Singapore himself, and when Albert mentioned the trip he couldn’t help but to be interested. He talked Candy into considering going as well, after all, Carl and most people need just a little stability sometimes. And so the plans were set, Albert, Carl and Candy would be going to Singapore together.

After their third day there, Albert had to acknowledge that he was glad the two friends came with him and he appreciated the planning efforts Carl had put into the trip. Thanks to him the group actually had reservations at a hotel and a car to get them there. It was Candy that made the reservation at the Singapore car rentals and this is something that Albert never would have thought to do. However, he had to admit that the car came in extremely handy when he spontaneously suggested they go to a move in the Fort Canning Starlight out door cinema. It was also extremely convenient when he read about the Cantonese Opera production that was playing across town and was going to start in a half hour. Ultimately, they all had a great time in Singapore and Albert gained a greater appreciation for his friends.

Big island travel is not all tropical fruit drinks and sandy beaches.  In Lahaina, Maui, residents from all over come to the city to take part in the Halloween festivities each year.  There are the usual costume contests, but such contests will instead be put on in restaurants, pubs, and the like.  In recent years, the costume judging took place outside.  Anywhere from twenty thousand to thirty thousand people will show up to the events held in Lahaina.  It is the treason Maui vacation packages are quite popular around this time of the year.

No charges or fees of any kind apply to the celebrations, but there are fees should you go to any of the pubs in the area or eateries.  The majority of the Halloween hijinks take place in the streets thought there are some wild things to see in the pubs.  Front street is perhaps the biggest part of the celebration.   It is also a little more dangerous due to the alcohol use that inevitably progresses throughout the night.  While there are kid friendly activities, most of those occur in the earlier parts of evening.  Don’t plan on parking anywhere on Front Street either as it will be closed from three thirty to eleven thirty.  The massive traffic of pedestrians and revelers require it.

Lanai travel deals also provide travelers to Hawaii with more Halloween fun but perhaps on a quieter scale.  It has its very own ghost town.  The town of Keomuku has long since been deserted, but when it was a thriving town, the island had never seen anything quite like it before.  Its sugar plantations made it a thriving economy, primarily with the Maunalei Sugar Company trying to grow sugar on the fertile coast.  However, the company made a huge error when it harmed a sacred temple, which people thought made the gods wrathful, and thusly caused the H20 for the mill to grow ridden with salt.  Furthering the belief that the gods were mad was a huge disease that killed most of the people in the village.  The company shut up shop in 1901.