Belize City- Perfect Place for History Lovers!

When in Belize City….Go Back in Time!

Belize is known around the world not only for its breathtaking natural beauty but also its ancient monuments. Belize City especially is seeped in history, its landscape liberally dotted with historical monuments and buildings.

In fact, there are many places in Belize City that need more than 2-3 hours to explore fully, such as:

Fort Street Tourism Village
Specifically designed for ship passengers to experience Belize in a unique way, Fort Street Tourism Village is located near the Haulover Creek. Architecturally similar to an open-air Mini-Mall, the Village has three terminals and three courtyards with a house full of variety of stores and businesses, where tourists can enjoy best of both the worlds- air-conditioned facilities and fresh tropical breezes.

Baron Bliss Lighthouse Monument

The Baron Bliss Lighthouse Monument located at Fort George Point towers over the harbor entrance is one of the major attractions found in the Belize City. This beautiful monument is actually a tribute to Belize’s greatest benefactor Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss, the 5th baron of Portugal. To fulfill his last wish, he was entombed in front of the lighthouse. The view of the lighthouse can be enjoyed from the high seawall which is referred to as “Fort Point” by the fishermen and boatmen.

St. John’s Cathedral

Located at the south end of Albert Street, St. John’s Cathedral is the oldest building in Belize. In fact, this is the oldest Anglican Church in the world outside of England where the crowning of several Kings of Mosquito Coast took place during 1812 to 1824. This beautiful church was built from red colored bricks brought to Belize as ballast by ships sailing from Europe.

House of Culture Museum

Once the residence of colonial governors, House of Culture Museum located in Belize City is a now a historical museum. It hosts a permanent exhibition of classic furniture, historical photos, authentic silverware and glassware collection. The building itself, built in the early 1800s, is a beautiful combination of Caribbean Vernacular and English Urban architecture.

Bliss Institute for the Performing Arts

Bliss Institute for the Performing Arts serves as the cultural center of Belize City. Initially it used to house the Belize Arts Council, library and a museum of Mayan artifact. However after a recent renovation, it has got a role as the primary performance arm of the Museum of Belize. It hosts a wide variety of events such as theater performances, film festivals, dance troops, and community events.

Museum of Belize

Initially designed as a colonial prison in the mid 1800s, this double storey historic brick building located on Gabourel Lane is today the Museum of Belize. It features a beautiful assortment of historical photographs, documents, and artifacts along a permanent exhibit of ancient Mayan pottery and other archaeological findings. The age old prison cells are being restored to their original condition today, to allow visitors to relive its stark past.

Supreme Court Building

Built in 1926, Supreme Court Building is another landmark of Belize City. Constructed of reinforced concrete in a classic British colonial style with a dome topped clock tower, the Supreme Court Building is a beautiful work of classic architecture. The building is located on the same site where the original courthouse was built in 1818.

Swing Bridge

The southern and northern side of Belize City is connected by the Swing Bridge. Built in 1922, this old bridge is the only functional manually operated swing bridge left in the world. Everyday it opens twice to make a passage for sailboats and other large boats to pass through the river.

Apart from these places, there are many more places of Belize City that might attract you. This is a paradise for history, anthropology and architecture buffs and the beauty of the place has even compelled many to think of moving to Belize City permanently.

For a memorable vacation in Belize, it is important to plan your holiday beforehand by consulting a reputed travel agency. A good Belize vacation rental package or Belize jungle vacation package can help you a lot in this regard.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands – The Receptacles of Beauty and Peace

The Andaman and Nicobar Islands were getting less attention from the world tourists till the date. Formerly these islands were connected through the sea-route only. Now we can go and can easily visit Andaman, the main island, by plane journey, too. These islands are receptacles of beauty, presenting a landscape full with picturesque extravaganza.

These islands are situated in the Bay of Bengal, just a two hours’ flight from India’s Eastern coast.  We can go from Chennai airport or Kolkata airport. The real wealth of these islands is distributed among their dense forest. The virgin forests here have innumerable exotic trees, plants, flowers, and birds, creating a highly poetic and romantic atmosphere.

The main city of Port Blair situated on the main island Andaman is connected by air with major cities of India. The tourists with the budget travels can prefer travelling by sea from the ports of Chennai and Kolkata. The Andaman & Nicobar islands are a group of a total of 572 islands; they are inhabited and some of them are uninhabited. The flora and fauna of these islands suggest that their land has remained away from the main stream of modern civilization.

The main city on these islands is Port Blair where there is a Marine Park made-up of open sea, creeks and 15 small and large islands. It is one of the best Marine Parks of the world.  As the main city Port Blair is a small and peaceful one, the traveller would not find any difficulty in finding accommodation here at cheaper rate.

To explore the other destinations for travelling in India, you can visit the following sites:

PONDICHERRY, EASTERN FRENCH RIVIERA

ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS

Beijing 2008

We are just a few weeks away from the Beijing Olympics. Here is my official ticket.  I am hopeful that the incredible preparations China has made for this event will prove to be the most spectacular in Olympic history. The money and work China has invested in the Olympic games goes far beyond the amazing buildings constructed for the games. They have gone throughout the city to change every sign to read in proper English. All public workers were required to learn some functional English. The technology for managing traffic, air pollution, security, and even  the weather  are  nothing short of  star wars.
That being said, the big question becomes, “Will they pull it off?” We will soon find out. I believe this Olympics will be the most covered and watched in history. China knows the world will be watching and has a lot at stake to make this a success. Just remember it has only been a few years since China has opened itself to the world. I think they’ve come a long way in a short time. Of course they still have a lot of catching up to do in many ways.
I have had most of my preconceived notions of China shattered after living here almost 3 years now. You really have to see for yourself to understand what I mean. Sure, I could talk about some of the crazy things that go on here. In fact I make mention throughout my blog how these differences take form. But for all the differences, one thing is clear to me. The Chinese are just people with the same dreams, hopes and feelings as the rest of us. Strip away politics and governments and you end up with a people that value exactly the same things the western world embraces. In the coming weeks, I hope the Olympics will reveal some of the “inside China” 90% of the world does not see. Look past the spin BBC, CNN, FOX, ABC, CBS, CCTV <strong>and </strong> politicians want you to believe about China. After all, they have an agenda to promote. Trust me, it’s not all what you’ve been led to believe.  Above all else, I hope China can pull off these games, not with the success of winning medals, but with succeeding to open the minds of many westerners to the real China. At the very least, show herself  to the world in a different light.
Let the games begin!

Beginners Guide For New Swinging Couples

If you are a swinging couple and you wish to take a plunge into the lifestyle, then follow the given below guidelines and brighten up your lives.

The swinging lifestyle has caught up huge popularity among individuals. Every year, several couples venture into the swinging lifestyle. This lifestyle is specially meant for couples who wish to enter the environment that gives them the liberty to indulge into sexual activities with other couples after the mutual consent from their partners or spouses.

The lifestyle helps you in exploring different sexual avenues like soft and full swap, threesome, group sex, voyeurism and exhibitionism. You can also indulge into bisexual acts with other swinger couples. However, if you are new to the swinging lifestyle, then you must follow certain guidelines:

Firstly, keep a certain amount of distance from your spouse, otherwise other couples would feel a bit apprehensive while approaching you for sexual intimacy.

A swinger party doesn’t mean that you can party in nude attire. All swinging couples must be properly dressed for the party. However, you can indulge into disrobing act as the party progresses. Although, you should stay in your limits and respect the privacy of other individuals

You should be frank about your feeling and emotions. You should talk to your partner about your experiences and desires. You can also share emotions like jealousy, hatred etc, otherwise the issues will creep up later on and hamper your personal lives.You should make sure that you leave your mental and social inhibitions at home. These feelings can restrict you from taking full advantage of the swinging lifestyle.

And lastly, you should present your real self in front of others. Never fake your personality in front of other swinging couple. You should be gentle and reciprocative in your behavior.

Hence, if you are new to the swinging lifestyle, then follow the above commandments and enjoy the lifestyle by joining a swinger club or planning a vacation to the swinger cruise or resort.

Branson Attractions For Families And Kids

Today’s most family vacations are opted for the children. Parents at Branson often wish to visit places where there is much entertainment for the kids so as to keep their children busy.  As most family vacations are meant for kids, adults and old people generally feel bored and hence it should be noted that Branson people plan and choose their vacation spot among the different Branson attractions in such a way that everyone enjoys equally.

Few Branson attractions for the family

There are few Branson attractions that not only keep the children of all ages entertained, but also provide options to the parents to be engaged and enjoy the vacation. Such Branson attractions to be mentioned are zip line ride, duck ride and Theme Park.

Zip line ride: Zip line ride acts as a significant Branson attraction and entertainment program that attracts all family members.  Zip line is a great way to enjoy both love for nature and thrill of motion. Zip line comes in many forms and most of them are oriented around entertainment. Zip line ride are designed for both kids and adults.  Those that are designed for smaller frames such as games that can be played on playground are more likely to be enjoyed by the kids and zip lines designed for larger frames, usually, on a mountain slope can be enjoyed by adults.  Few zip line companies at Branson has certified guides to assist you to have a great and thrilling experience that would create an urge or want that would persist you to come back again and again.

Duck ride: Duck ride is a great Branson attraction that attracts both adults and kids.  Duck ride involves a grand tour, in which the families will be riding on a large duck to visit the most famous Branson attractions such as country music Boulevard and shepherds of the hills Fish Hatchery. Families enjoy and relax the tour of the lake. At the end of the tour it turns into one of the best remembrances of their life.

Theme park: The theme park at Branson which was set at late 1880s bestows people with the most exciting experience. This theme park of Branson attraction includes festivals, entertainment shows, shops, restaurants and chance for different types of adventurous rides.

Air balloon ride: Air balloon ride is also a famous Branson attractions and the safest way to fly. Adults and kids can enjoy seeing the Branson city from the heights of the hot air balloon.  People should grab the wings of the flight and hold on tight and as balloon goes up and up they get thrilled up.