Beautiful Budapest: the Pearl of the Danube

As the capital city of Hungary, Budapest is fast emerging as one of the world’s most vibrant cities and in shrugging off its fractured past, has also become an important cultural centre.

In its infancy, Budapest was actually two separate cities – The Roman city of Buda and the Bulgarian-ruled city of Pest – which were situated on either side of the River Danube. Until its amalgamation as a single city, both sides were subject to many different claims of control. In recent times, Budapest had been under communist rule enforced by the Soviet Union after World War II but with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the Third Hungarian Republic was inaugurated and the city of Budapest was open for exploration by tourists.

The city has managed to keep some of its traditions alive through modern times and these provide much interest and enjoyment for visitors. In ancient times, Budapest was famous for natural spa baths. This continues today with public spa baths to be found across the city. The Gellert Baths are some of the most beautiful baths found in Budapest, and with references to the healing powers of the spring water found at this location, there are many reasons to visit. The bath houses throughout Budapest contain natural spring water with minerals such as magnesium and calcium, and other naturally occurring compounds (for example chloride, hydrocarbonate and alkalis) believed to be good for your health and well being.

Buda Castle, found on the Buda side of the city is an enjoyable excursion. The castle rests on a plateau and you can ascend to the top using the funicular railway, whilst enjoying exhilarating views across the river. For the more energetic there are steps but those are best saved for the descent. The castle is also home to the Hungarian National Art Gallery that has 360-degree views of the city which cannot be matched anywhere. There is a pleasant cafe/bar that sits at the northern end of the hilltop, which is a good place to stop for refreshments.

No trip to Budapest would be complete without a stroll down Andrassy Avenue, which is one of the most picturesque streets in the city and was declared a recognised World Heritage Site in 1987. The impressive Heroes Square is situated at the end of the Andrassy Avenue and is home to the Millennium Memorial which recognises the leaders of the seven tribes that founded Hungary. The square is flanked by the Palace of Art on one side and Museum of Fine Arts on the other, with the City Park sitting just behind it.

With all that the city has to offer it is no surprise that Budapest is fast becoming a popular tourist destination, and with regular flights to Budapest available from London, it’s certainly within easy reach!

Bodhgaya- The Enlightened Land

“It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell”.

By: Buddha

A desire to be happy, in fact absolutely happy, is a fundamental desire of all human beings. The Buddha himself said that all human beings have a ‘buddha’ inside them. And when we are able to tap that Buddhahood from within, then absolute happiness automatically becomes our possession. In search of their own self, people come to Bodhgaya.

The very word Bodhgaya fills the heart with a feeling to attain enlightenment. Synonymous with Lord Buddha, Bodhgaya is a sacred city located in the Gaya district of the state of Bihar. It is the divine place where the Lord attained nirvana (enlightenment). Tourists from all over the world come here in search of peace and happiness. The place is dotted with beautiful Buddhist monuments, temples and monasteries.

Main Attractions

Bodhi Tree

The Bodhi tree has sheer importance as it is under this tree where Gautam Buddha attained enlightenment. Although the actual tree is not alive but the sapling of the original tree brought from Sri Lanka was grown here which is still alive. It was in the 3rd century B.C, when the daughter of Emperor Ashoka took the branch of the original tree to Sri Lanka and planted it there. The tree still exists Sri Lanka.

Mahabodhi Temple

Mahabodhi Temple is a shrine which was built by Great king Ashoka at the very site where once the original Bodhi tree stood. Built beautifully, the temple has four towers.

The Great Buddha Statue

It is a beautiful statue of Lord Buddha soaring to a height of eighty feet. Built in red granite and sandstone, the statue is in a meditating posture.

Dungeswari Caves

Located at a distance of 12 km from Bodhgaya, the caves are really interesting. The caves are adorned with arresting statues, stone carvings, paintings and pictures of Lord Buddha.

Bodhi Sarovar

This is the holy pond where Gautam Buddha bathed before going for meditation under the Bodhi tree. It is held in high respect by Buddhists.

Buy Buy Dubai

from wheredaily.com

Looking more, at times, like a film set dreamed up by Stephen Spielberg or George Lucas than a modern city on the sands of the Persian Gulf, Dubai begs to be noticed. And succeeds. Where Egypt built its monuments to the dead, Dubai raises its towers — each bigger, broader and more brazen than the last — to the living, as an iconic city eternally in search of itself and knowing the answer lives in the next amazing thing.

“When Burj Dubai was first planned, it was to be a 90-storey structure, but Sheikh Mohammed asked us, ‘Why stop there?'” Mohamed Ali Alabbar, Director-General of Dubai’s Department of Economic Development said in a recent interview.

The once backwater pearl-diving port found diamonds in oil development and turned those diamonds into golden sands that shape this desert in cemented steel and glass as one industry after the other makes its Euro-Asian hub on this Persian Gulf peninsula. Within the metropolis of nearly 1.5 million souls are such places as Media City, where the world’s media giants cluster and Internet City where top names in IT collide. And soon there will be Studio City – the largest film backlot in the world, as well as NASCAR City, Dubailand themepark city to add to Dubai Sports City, Industrial City and other superpods of commerce and entertainment. But tourism is Dubai’s true oil and it is manifesting its might in an unending line of five- to seven-star city and beach resorts, nearly five dozen luxury malls, some of the tallest buildings in the world and construction projects counting more than a fifth of the world’s available high rise cranes.

The effect is dizzying. The iconic Burj al Arab, once the tallest building in the land, is giving way to the Burj Khalifa Dubai, the tallest building in the world at 2,717 (consider what what a mile straight up might look like), beating the 101 Building in Taiwan by more than a 1,000 feet. At the base of the tower is Dubai Mall, aiming for1,200 stores fronted by amazing water shows out front courtesy of WET Design, the force behind Bellagio’s fountains and Mirage’s volcano .

But why stop there?

As the city claims the sea as its next frontier with a series of man-made island developments in the shapes of palm trees, a globe and the planets, new hotels are opening just about every week and all with a unique story to tell.

Last fall, with such notables as Lindsay Lohan, Robert DeNiro and Sir Richard Branson checked in, Atlantis, The Palm opened atop the crescent of The Palm Jumeirah marking the first of many luxury properties in that area to come, all connected to the Jumeirah Beach mainland by causeway and, eventually, monorail. The Sun International property brings its legendary awe in the form of 1,539 ocean-themed rooms, a mesmerizing aquarium with guest rooms, corridors and attractions looking onto the mysteries of this deep. Its back yard is a complete, 40-acre water-themed adventure park with extraordinary rides fashioned around the motif of ancient Mesopotamia. Abutting the beach and sea is Dolphin Bay, a 10-acre dolphin park with programs for guests to interact with the intelligent sea creatures. For dining, there is a Nobu as well as signature restaurants by Michelin-starred chefs Giorgio Locatelli, Michel Rostang and Santi Santamaria. The Spa & Fitness Centre at Atlantis feature Middle Eastern massages and therapies inside a labyrinth of tranquility.

Advertised room rates run from $517 per night for a deluxe room to $25,000 for an indulgent themed suite.

Also opened in the past year is Raffles Dubai, a superluxe sibling of Raffles Hotels & Resorts connected to the uberscale Wafi Center mall and souk. This 19-story pyramid-shaped (in keeping consistent with the triangle-shaped shopping mall) hotel is a city property with golden panoramas of the Emirate from guestroom terraces and penthouse restaurants and clubs. All 248 rooms are palace-sized suites starting at 754 square feet (to 7,029 square feet), and all feature a private balcony with comfortable furnishings, espresso machine, free Wifi, a 40-inch LCD TV, iPod dock, a cushiony lounge spread with soft throws and pillows, an expansive marble bathroom with a deep soaking tub and a bed fitted with soft high threadcount linens. A spa, a library, even a botanical garden to wander through add to the stay, as does the property’s corridor connections to one of the city’s top shopping venues, which recently put the finishing gloss on an amazing medina where fine Middle Eastern artifacts, clothing, jewelry, foods, perfumes and artworks can be found.

The beach scene in Dubai is anything but quiet. The bulldozers have been busy along this once sleepy littoral building a bastion of one-of-a-kind resorts, mostly under the Jumeirah Group brand. You can also find a desert-themed Hilton, Westin, three Meridians, a Sheraton, and a Ritz-Carlton here and likely filled with more luxurious bells and whistles than their other properties. But Jumeirah rules when it comes to height, breadth and boldness in property design. The world famous Burl al-Arab, at 1,053 feet, maintains its title as the tallest hotel tower in the world. Only 202 suites in this sail-shaped structure. Each suite is double story and leaving the guest wanting for little. They come with a complete turnkey office, a floor concierge, and dedicated butler to unpack and draw the bath. Windows run floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall looking out to sea, automatic everything – from curtain drawing to door answering. Bathrooms big enough to set up house present his and hers complimentary full-sized designer amenities from Hermes, otherwise found in finer stores and a round Jacuzzi tub to take away stress. The closet is actually the corridor between the bedroom and bathroom and the bedroom offers a large bed under a full-mirror for a guest to watch the sea when watching self becomes less interesting. Plenty of sitting areas here – living room, bedroom cubby, dining room, all entered by a marble foyer leading to a grand staircase. Standard suites start at $2,450 a night.

The Burj is connected by pathways to the spread of resorts, restaurants, shopping and waterways of the Jumeirah Beach Hotel (and connected Wild Wadi waterpark) and the Madinat Jumeirah – a winding waterway navigated by complementary abras, through more than 40 cafes and restaurants, a huge indoor/outdoor souk-themed mall and three more moderately-priced Arabian- themed luxury hotels. The Mina A’Salam, Dar Al Masyaf and the Al Qasr offer guestrooms starting at $598, which pays for the location on the water, the non-motorized beach amenities, and the convenience of having a plethora of top scene clubs, cafes, restaurants, spa, shopping, themepark and Arabian ambience at the door.

On the Table …

Planning beyond 2009 includes:

* A 213-room Palazzo Versace Hotel in the Culture Village renaissance, a development underway along Dubai Creek.

* A $680 million, Paris-inspired, 342-room Baccarat Hotel & Residences facing the Palm Jumeirah

* A Karl Lagerfeld-designed property called Hotel Moda, which will have 250 rooms and be located on the ambitious The World island development.

* Trump Dubai, a 62-storey Trump International property with 378 rooms and suites and even more villa condos and townhouses, located on the Palm Jumeirah.

* Also on the Palm Jumeirah will be a 550-room Kingdom of Sheba property under Fairmont management, which will contain a residence club and a souk.

* QE2 Dubai. The legendary Cunard line ship is being repositioned from her recent retirement to spend her golden years as a luxury hotel and attraction moored in the harbors of Palm Jumeirah.

All Inclusive Family Vacations – Desination Negril

Negril, Jamaica, known worldwide for it’s amazing 7 mile, sugar sand beach, has a lot to offer when it comes to All Inclusive Family Vacations. Undoubtedly, the best beach in all of Jamaica.

In addition to its heavenly beach, Negril offers many other attractions for vacationers including: Scuba Diving, Sailing, windsurfing, snorkeling, water-parks and even it’s own Light house. However Negril’s most notable and equally famous attraction is Rick’s Caf?.

Rick’s caf? is almost a Jamaican landmark, having survived 2 major hurricanes; it is one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Jamaica. Rick’s Caf? is best known for the amazing cliff diving, that goes on daily by both locals and brave but foolish visitors alike. Be forewarned though, should you consider diving, the top platform is 33’ high and many people have been severely injured diving here. Better to leave it to the local pro’s .

In addition to the Cliff diving, Rick’s is also renowned as the best place in Jamaica to watch the famous Negril Sunsets. They offer a bar, restaurant and daily live entertainment.

Popular Tours in Negril Include:

Appleton Estate Rum Tour, Canopy Tour, Rafting on the Black River and YS Falls.

Beaches Negril

Situated on the widest stretch of Negril’s endless beach, lies Beaches Negril Resort.  Beaches offers all inclusive family vacations for singles, couples and kids of all ages, where almost everything is included in one upfront cost making planning a breeze.

Beaches Negril is a beautiful resort consisting of 210 rooms and suites, set in low-rise buildings, scattered between the palms. Amid the lush tropical foliage you’ll also find charming stone archways, elegant restaurants, a pirate’s island water park, and three glistening pools.

Water Sports

There is nowhere in Jamaica better suited to water sports than Negril’s seven mile beach. Learn to sail a Hobi Cat or take a snorkeling lesson, even certified instruction is included at Beaches Negril.

Kids of all ages will have a blast at Beaches Negril. Supervised kid’s activities and certified nannies are available for children under ten years of age. Teens and tweens can enjoy the Xbox 360 game garage, Club Liquid – a teen-only night club, and a host of other exciting activities such as scuba diving.

Dining

Beaches Negril offers five specialty restaurants including Kimonos, featuring Japanese teppanaki style cuisine. The Seville restaurant offers an elegant adults-only dining experience serving authentic Jamaican cuisine with a white glove service. Four other restaurants are available nearby at Beaches Sandy Bay including Vista Sul Mare serving fine Italian fare.

Accommodations

All rooms at Beaches Negril are air-conditioned and include one king sized bed or two double beds. Roll away beds and cribs are available. The highest category suites include personal butler service for the ultimate personal pampering.

Beaches, Stay at one Play at two, includes unlimited transfers to Beaches Sandy Bay, just down the road making this resort a great value in Negril.

All Inclusive Family Jamaica Vacations-vital Tips to Make Your Jamaica Vacation Perfect

All inclusive hotels in Jamaica for a family vacation are always a popular choice for families during there Jamaica tours. You will find that there are many all inclusive resort chains in Jamaica and all of are able to provide various fun filled activities, also they provide adventure sports as well, these sports families always seek on there vacations.

The two major hotel chains in Jamaica are Super Clubs and Sandals. Both these hotel chains are specifically designed for families. You can make your Jamaica tours more enjoyable with the various facilities of these all inclusive hotels.

Beaches Boscobel, a part of Sandals Resorts, is one of the most popular all inclusive hotels in Jamaica. The hotel location is on the north coast of Jamaica and is just two hours traveling time from Montego Bay airport. The resort is quite large and is spread over 22 acres and there are fine guest rooms and suites in this resort. The resort is also located near to the beach.

Though the resort is built just up from the beach, you do not need to take the stairs on your return to the hotel, as there is a lift that takes you from the beach to the rooms. You may use the stairs only if you feel you need the exercise.

Beaches Boscobel has rooms, suites, and the luxury family suites, all of which have half walls instead of complete partitions. The terrace suite of the resort is a vast room, which has sofa beds and king sized beds. This suite has beautiful decor and is very spacious, it also comes with a wide veranda outside it. All the rooms and suites come with well stocked refrigerators.

The Beaches Boscobel has a pool side restaurant, that is named The Bayside Restaurant. This restaurant has a airy location and it caters three types of meals, as well as light snacks. Lots of fruit and cheese are also served with these meals. The restaurant also provides a special kids zone. Tourists can watch the various night time entertainment and quizzes from the pool of the resort.

There are two more pools in the resort including wading pool and kiddy pool. The wading pool is ideal for small children and the kiddy pool is more for toddlers with its two water slides. The Boscobel also houses tennis courts, fitness centers, outdoor pool tables and many other sports facilities.

Rose Hall Resort & Country Club is one of the most renown all inclusive hotels in Jamaica family vacations. The resort is well spread over a vast 400 acres and this most charming of all inclusive resorts, provides something special for people of all age groups. At this resort can enjoy a vast array of activities including snorkeling, parasailing, windsurfing and kayaking and best of all these sports can all be enjoyed with your family.

Tourists often spend sunny afternoons sunbathing . Some of the other sports that can be enjoyed during your stay in this resort are scuba diving, swimming, beach volleyball, boat tours, fishing and jet skiing, to name a few.

Holiday Inn Cancun Arenas is one of the finest all inclusive hotels for your Jamaica family vacation. It is a beachfront hotel, with a rich Mediterranean Style and is ideal for families and couples. The hotel always has a warm atmosphere and its location is encircled by beautiful gardens.

This hotel offers all inclusive facilities and the rooms of the hotel are very well appointed with modern amenities including bathtubs, tea/coffee makers, exercise gym and in room movies. All this can make your stay one you will never forget.

So as you can see all inclusive Jamaican family vacations are ideal for you and your family and they offer a wide range of facilities, that will make your stay a once in a life time experience.