Enjoy Great Summer Activities in the Heart of the Rocky Mountains

Winter Park has so many outdoor activities to choose from, you could spend the whole summer here and never see and do everything. Regardless of the activity you choose, you will enjoy some of the most spectacular views of the Continental Divide that Colorado has to offer.

A 600-mile trail system spreads throughout Winter Park and the Fraser Valley. These trails are great for either hiking or mountain biking, and have something for every skill level. Also known as “Mountain Bike Capital USA”, Winter Park hosts many bike races throughout the summer that are open to the general public. Winter Park Resort offers 50 miles of trails that can be accessed by chair lift, and it’s all downhill from there. You’ll need to purchase a lift pass, but your bike rides up for free. Before heading down you may want to stop at the Sunspot for lunch and enjoy 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains. There is also a 18 hole disc golf course that may keep you up top for awile.

Winter Park Resort is also home of the longest Alpine Slide in Colorado! A 3000 foot long slide, with a 600 foot drop winding through the wilderness. At the base you can also find a miniature golf course, a climbing wall, Rock N' Roll Gyro, Human Maze, Leaps & Bounds Bungee and a whole lot more.

If you are in search of fishing holes, you can wade 1,000 miles of streams, wander around 1,000 acres of high mountain lakes, or troll 11,000 acres of reservoirs. Rainbow, cutthroat, brown & brook trout can be found in most of the rivers, while mackinaw and kokanee salmon cruise the depths of the larger bodies of water. Having so much water also provides ample opportunities for rafting, canoeing or kayaking.

Music always sounds better with a backdrop like the Continental Divide, and free music concerts can be found just about everywhere in Winter Park all summer long. Music and food festivals also take place in the area, but generally cost up to $40 for admission. Events like the Jazz Festival and the Food, Wine & Beer Festival may require advance planning for stays in Winter Park.

Stay just a five minute walk from the base of Winter Park Resort. Slope View Bed and Breakfast offers views of the Continental Divide, unique amenities and a knowledgeable staff. 970-531-2386

Camping In BC - Beautiful British Columbia

BC camping is like camping Yellowstone or camping California. The diversity of all the areas is very similar with mountains, stream, and lakes. You can get in to trouble very easy in the mountains if you are BC camping.

When BC camping most people just go for a short walk and find themselves lost fore every thing looks the same if you do not now or have any experience in the woods. If you find your self lost stay put do not wander around because every tree will look familiar and every stream is the one you pasted on the little walk you took.


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Most kids that get lost will wander away from the campsite playing with the family pet or playing hide in seek with other kids and got scared and tried to find the campsite. But wandered farther and farther away.

I put a whistle on a sting and place it around the kids neck and the rule is they can not take it off till we are ready to leave for home. The kids are not allowed to blow the whistle unless they are in trouble. They will try just to see if it works but if you explain it is only for an emergency they will understand. Tell them it is like calling 911 on the phone all kids understand what 911 is for.


If you find yourself lost or confused as to the direction back to camp a whistle around your neck would help. I even have one for myself and my wife. This way if you should lose your way for what ever the reason a whistle of three short blasts will get the attention of most campers of people looking for you.

If you are in the woods and lost stay put providing you are not in danger if the weather changes look for a safe place to protect yourself from the elements. But not to far don’t wander around for hours looking for a safe place if needed stand on the down wind side of a large tree. It will offer you some protection and blow you whistle every 10 or 15 minutes with three short blasts and listen for the people looking for you.

Do not wander off looking for the people that are looking for you just use your whistle above all help will arrive .Do not panic if you find your self lost stay calm and reason out where you are sit tight folks are looking for you.

I have found many people only because I have the training. Do not interfere with the professional searches they have the gear and the training to find people. They are a very dedicated group of people and will not give up, no matter how harsh the weather gets. You do not want them to have to find you because you got lost looking for some one be it a family member or a friend.


If some one from your group gets lost and you cant find them in the near area call or find the ranger or park attendant they have the knowledge on who should be called to help, and to call the need for a search.

So be safe and enjoy the camping think before you act. BC camping is great!


Here at Camping-For-Fun I'm going to make sure your camping trip is plenty of fun!

A Stay at Old San Juan in Puerto Rico

One of the most used departure ports for cruise ships in the Caribbean is San Juan in Puerto Rico. We decided to arrive a day early to San Juan in order to see some sights before our cruise ship departure. San Juan, known as 'La Ciudad Amurallada' (the walled city), was founded in 1521 and is the oldest city under the US flag. During the 16th century, the Spanish used it as a point of departure for expeditions to the New World. Fortifications in the Old San Juan section of the city repulsed numerous attacks from the English and the Dutch during those years. Today, Old San Juan is a charming seven square block commercial and residential area with cobblestone streets.

The cruise ship terminal is actually located near the south side of Old San Juan so instead of booking a hotel in the beach resort area of San Juan, we decided to book one right in the old section for close proximity to the terminal as well as the local sights. The $17 US taxi ride from San Juan's airport to Old San Juan was about half an hour. During the ride, I was impressed by how developed the city was compared to many other cities I've visited in the Caribbean. The beach high-rise hotels along the north side of San Juan were visible from the highway. Our stay for the night was at the Hotel Milano which is right on Calle Fortaleza, which is one of the major commercial streets in Old San Juan. The hotel was clean and comfortable but not luxurious which was okay with us as the price was very affordable. Its quality was probably comparable to a Travelodge or Days Inn. A very pleasant surprise was the free continental breakfast at the hotel's rooftop restaurant. It gave a nice view of the neighborhood from the top.

We spent the day and evening walking the many cobblestone streets and alleys in the area. There are over 400 restored colonial buildings from the 16th and 17th century here. There were also several plaza squares and parks. One of the nicest services offered in Old San Juan is a free shuttle bus which covers two different routes through the district. There was a bus stop about 1/2 block away from our hotel which was very convenient. Riding on the shuttle buses through both routes gave us a good overview of Old San Juan. We were able to stop off at several points of interest including the huge El Morro fort. After our visits to each attraction, we just had to
wait for the next bus to come by to continue our tour. In the evening, we did get lost while walking since many of the streets look very similar. But with our map, we eventually found our way back to the street where the Hotel Milano was. We decided to dine at one of the nearby restaurants for authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and were not disappointed. My lady especially adored the two different plantains we ordered.

When it was time to go to the cruise ship terminal, we just took a short five minute ride from our hotel. Our short stay in Old San Juan was definitely worthwhile and hassle free. A stay in Old San Juan is highly recommended for those who will be taking a Caribbean cruise with San Juan as the departure point. The only disappointment I had with San Juan was that I was hoping to do some scuba diving in the area but from the reports I read, the waters off the city are quite murky with limited marine life to see. This is likely the result of San Juan being such a busy port. The decent scuba diving sites are about 2 hours east of San Juan. So perhaps in a return trip to Puerto Rico, I will plan to make a trip to the east part of the island.

Honeymoon Money Saving Tips

The honeymoon will always be an important aspect in every wedding plan no matter how tight the budget is. While the wedding ceremony is the highlight of every relationship ending up in the altar, the couple will always look forward to the honeymoon.

Every newly- wedded couple will always feel the stress of wedding preparations. Even couples who are wise enough and who are capable of getting a wedding planner will not be exempt from the after- wedding desire to be stress- free. Thus, almost all couples will always consider their honeymoon the best part of getting married.

Honeymoon is a time to rest after all the wedding- related stress; it is a time to enjoy the company of each other away from the peering eyes of friends and relatives. It is a time for the couple to get to know each other better and intimately.

While majority of couples want their honeymoon to be wonderful, there is always the financial aspect that they have to contend with. The wedding ceremony may be the focal point of the whole preparation but the preparation itself requires a budget. The bride and groom and the entourage has to pay for their wedding dresses and tuxedos. The couple has to pay for the wedding services, the license, the wedding cake, the dinner and all wedding requirements.

What usually happens is that the couple spends too much on the wedding preparation that they end up having little and sometimes no budget for the honeymoon. But who said a couple could not have a romantic honeymoon if they o not have a large budget?

A honeymoon is basically already a romantic event because it is the time when the newly- wedded couple bond with each other. This alone should make the honeymoon romantic and memorable. Of course, there are at least five ways to make honeymoon a memorable event, even for a meager budget.

Every couple should take note of these five honeymoon money saving tips so they can have a fabulous time on their honeymoon without worrying about large financial requirements.

1. Avail of the services of a honeymoon registry so the guests will know what you need and want as a wedding gift

Gone are the days when a couple has to suffer in silence while opening the fifth identical wedding gift they have received; a dinnerware set. Through the wedding registry, the couple can inform the guests that they want or that they are in need of a honeymoon package. Guests who can afford such package can give them a free honeymoon instead of giving a gift that the couple does not need or a gift that they already have. Some of their friends may pool their resources together and gift them with a honeymoon package. This would mean great savings for the couple as well as a fabulous and free honeymoon.

2. Plan the honeymoon ahead of time and avail of promotions offered by resorts as early as one year away from the wedding date

Planning is till the best way to keep your resources intact and become more cost effective in your expenditures. With proper planning, the couple can take advantage of honeymoon packages or resort promotions offered by resort owners. There are honeymoon destinations that are offering big discounts for reservations made ahead of time. Some even offer as much as fifty percent discount for couples who book their honeymoon months before their wedding. This is to ensure the future income of the resorts. By availing of these promotions, the couple will not only be able to save on their finances but will also be able to plan their honeymoon itinerary ahead of time.

3. Spend your honeymoon in a fabulous tourist island but take advantage of home- stay programs offered by some areas

Some areas offer home- stay programs to promote their tourism at a lower cost. Local governments sometimes promote their tourism by gathering responsible folks and training them to become home- stay partners. Under this scheme, the homes of respected locals are accredited by the tourism officials and they become official tourist h9ome- hotels. Home stay accommodations are generally less expensive than hotels. Availing of this package can save the couple thousands of dollars that would have been spent for hotel accommodation alone.

4. Why not try being one with nature and go camping for your honeymoon instead of staying in an expensive hotel?

Couples who are nature lovers can go backpacking for their honeymoon and enjoy others company with only the moon and the stars as witnesses. His could be the best and the most romantic idea for a non- expensive honeymoon. Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for hotel accommodations save the money for other important matters and take a nice trip to a deserted island.

5. Timing is important so plan your honeymoon, if not the wedding during off season

Tourist and honeymoon facilities offer as much as fifty percent discount for tourists who would visit their establishments during non- peak seasons. Do not time the honeymoon with summer or other dates when tourists would be flocking to the islands or resorts because this would be very expensive. Visit these areas during the off- peak season can mean less cost and more privacy.

Acropolis of Athens

The Acropolis of Athens is the best known acropolis in the world. Although there is many other acropolis in Greece, the importance of the Acropolis of Athens is such that it is generally known as The Acropolis without qualification. The Acropolis was officially proclaimed as the pre-eminent monument on the European Cultural Heritage list of monuments on 26 March 2007. The Acropolis is a flat-topped rock that rises 150 m or 490 ft above sea level in the city of Athens, with a surface area of about 3 hectares. It was also known as Cecropia, after the legendary serpent-man, Cecrops, the first Athenian king.

While the earliest artifacts date to the Middle Neolithic era, there have been documented habitations in Attica from the Early Neolithic 6th millennium BC. There is little doubt that a Mycenaean megaron stood upon the hill during the late Bronze Age. Nothing of this megaron survives except, probably, a single limestone column-base and pieces of several sandstone steps. Soon after the palace was built a Cyclopean massive circuit wall was built, 760 meters long, up to 10 meters high, and ranging from 3.5 to 6 meters thick. This wall would serve as the main defense for the acropolis until the fifth century. The wall consisted of two parapets built with large stone blocks and cemented with an earth mortar called emplekton.

There is no conclusive evidence for the existence of a Mycenean palace on top of the Athenian Acropolis. However, if there was such a palace, it seems to have been transplanted by later building activity on the Acropolis. Not much is known as to the architectural appearance of the Acropolis until the archaic era. In the 7th and the 6th centuries BC the site was taken over by Kylon during the failed Kylonian revolt, and twice by Pisistratus.

A temple sacred to Athena Polias was quickly erected by mid of 6th century BC. This Doric limestone building, from which many relics survive, is referred to as the Bluebeard temple, named after the pedimental three-bodied man-serpent sculpture, whose beards were painted dark blue. Whether this temple replaced an older one, or a mere sacred precinct or altar, is not known. In the late 6th century BC yet another temple was built, usually referred to as the Archaios Naos. This temple of Athena Polias was built upon the Doerpfeld foundations.

Most of the major temples were rebuilt under the leadership of Pericles during the Golden Age of Athens 460 – 430 BC. Phidias, a great Athenian sculptor, and Ictinus and Callicrates, two famous architects, were responsible for the reconstruction. During the 5th century BC, the Acropolis gained its final shape. After winning at Eurymedon in 468 BC, Cimon and Themistocles ordered the reconstruction of southern and northern walls, and Pericles entrusted the building of the Parthenon to Ictinus and Phidias.

In 437 BC Mnesicles started building the Propylaea, monumental gates with columns of Pentelic marble, partly built upon the old propylaea of Pisistratus. These colonnades were almost finished in 432 BC and had two wings, the northern one serving as picture gallery. At the same time, south of the propylaea, building of the small Ionic Temple of Athena Nike commenced. After an interruption caused by the Peloponnesian War, the temple was finished in the time of Nicias peace, between 421 BC and 415 BC. During the same period the building of the Erechtheum, a combination of sacred precincts including the temples of Athena Polias, Poseidon, Erechtheus, Cecrops, Herse, Pandrosos and Aglauros, with its so-called the Kore Porch was begun.


Behind the Propylaea, Phidias' gigantic bronze statue of Athena Promachos, built between 450 BC and 448 BC, dominated. The base was 1.50 m or 4 ft 11 inches high, while the total height of the statue was 9 m or 30 ft. In the Byzantine period, the Parthenon was turned into a church, dedicated to the Virgin Mary. A large tower was added, which was demolished in the 19th century. The buildings of the Acropolis suffered significant damage during the 1687 siege by the Venetians in the Morean War. The Parthenon, which was being used as a gunpowder magazine, was hit by artillery fire and severely damaged.

The entrance to the Acropolis was a monumental gateway called the Propylaea. To the south of the entrance is the tiny Temple of Athena Nike. A bronze statue of Athena, sculpted by Phidias, originally stood at its centre. At the centre of the Acropolis is the Parthenon or Temple of Athena Parthenos. East of the entrance and north of the Parthenon is temple known as Erechtheum. South of the platform that forms the top of Acropolis there are also the remains of an outdoor theatre called Theatre of Dionysus. A few hundred metres away, there is the now partially reconstructed Theatre of Herodes Atticus. All the valuable ancient artifacts are situated in the Acropolis Museum, which resides on the southern slope of the same rock, 280 metres from the Parthenon.

Hagia Sophia

Hagia Sophia is an earlier Orthodox patriarchal basilica, later a mosque, now a museum in Istanbul, Turkey. It is also called as Ayasofya in Turkish which means Holy Wisdom. It is famous in particular for its massive dome which is considered as epitome of Byzantine architecture and changed the history of architecture. It was the largest cathedral in the world for nearly a thousand years, until the completion of the Seville Cathedral in 1520.

The current building was originally constructed as a church between 532 and 537 A.D. on the orders of the Byzantine Emperor Justinian. In fact the third Church of the Holy Wisdom to occupy the site. The previous two had both been destroyed by riots. It was designed by Isidore of Miletus, a physicist, and Anthemius of Tralles, a mathematician. The church contained a large collection of holy relics and featured, among other things, a 15 metre 49 foot silver iconostasis. It was the seat of the Patriarch of Constantinople and the religious focal point of the Eastern Orthodox Church for nearly one thousand years. It was the church in which Cardinal Humbert in 1054 marched up to the altar and excommunicated Michael I Cerularius, which is commonly considered the start of the Great Schism.

In 1453, Constantinople was conquered by the Ottoman Turks and Sultan Mehmed II ordered the building to be converted into a mosque. The bells, altar, iconostasis, and sacrificial vessels were removed, and many mosaics were finally plastered over. The Islamic features such as mihrab, minbar, and four minarets outside were added over the course of its history under the Ottomans. It remained as a mosque until 1935, when it was converted into a museum by the Republic of Turkey. For almost 500 years the principal mosque of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia served as a model for many of the Ottoman mosques such as the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, the Sehzade Mosque, the Suleymaniye Mosque, the Rustem Pasha Mosque, and the Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque. Although it is sometimes referred to as Sancta Sophia, as though it were named after a saint named Sophia which in Latin of the Greek word for wisdom. The church is dedicated to Jesus Christ, in Eastern Orthodox theology, the Holy Wisdom of God.

Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture. Of great artistic value was its decorated interior with mosaics and marble pillars and coverings. The temple itself was so richly and artistically decorated that Justinian proclaimed, Solomon, I have outdone thee! Justinian himself had overseen the completion of the greatest cathedral ever built up to that time, and it was to remain the largest cathedral for 1,000 years up until the completion of the cathedral in Seville in Spain.

Justinian's basilica was at once the culminating architectural achievement of late antiquity and the first masterpiece of Byzantine architecture. Its influence, both architecturally and liturgically, was widespread and enduring in the Eastern Orthodox, Roman Catholic, and Muslim worlds alike. The largest columns are about 19 or 20 metres tall. They are at least 1.5 metres diameter. They are made out of granite, the largest weighing well over 70 tons. Under Justinian's orders, eight Corinthian columns were disassembled from Baalbek, Lebanon and shipped to Constantinople for the construction of Hagia Sophia.

The vast interior has a complex structure. The nave is covered by a central dome which has a maximum diameter of 31.24 metres or 102 ft 6 in and a height from floor level of 55.6 metres 182 ft 5 in, about one fourth smaller and greater, respectively, than the dome of the Pantheon. The dome seems rendered weightless by the unbroken arcade of 40 arched windows under it, which help flood the colourful interior with light. Due to consecutive repairs in the course of its history, the dome has lost its perfect circular base and has become somewhat elliptical with a diameter varying between 31.24 m 102 ft 6 in and 30.86 m 101 ft 3 in.

The dome is carried on pendentives four concave triangular sections of masonry which solve the problem of setting the circular base of a dome on a rectangular base. At Hagia Sophia the weight of the dome passes through the pendentives to four massive piers at the corners. Between them the dome seems to float upon four great arches. These were reinforced with buttresses during Ottoman times, under the guidance of the architect Sinan. At the western and eastern ends, the arched openings are extended by half domes carried on smaller semi-domed exedras.

All interior surfaces are sheathed with polychrome marbles, green and white with purple porphyry and gold mosaics, encrusted upon the brick. This sheathing camouflaged the large pillars, giving them, at the same time, a brighter aspect. On the exterior, simple stuccoed walls reveal the clarity of massed vaults and domes. The yellow and red colour of the exterior was added by the architect Fossati during the restorations in the 19th century.

Beach Camping Parks

Beaches offer joy to every one irrespective of color, creed, or social status. Ever since man learned the art of expressing joy, ocean and beaches have been his theme, whether the medium is a poem, painting, photograph, song or video. The beauty of a sunrise or sun set at the beach is beyond description.

Beach camping is one of the least expensive ways of enjoying weekends or other holidays. One can experience long boardwalks and beach fun like volleyball, swimming, fishing, sailing, wind surfing, jet skiing, water skiing, boating and much more.

As in any activity, beach campers need to take essential camping equipment such as tents, sleeping bags, drinking water, food, cooler, camp stoves, utensils, can opener, appropriate clothes, charcoal chimney, cleaning items, first aid kit, binoculars, bug spray, camera, candles, cell phone, compass, flashlight, GPS, kites, pen and paper and water filters.

Beach camping requires additional equipment such as sunburn lotion, folding aluminum furniture, beach chairs and tables, shade tents, beach wear, beach bags, and beach umbrellas.

With kids there is always a probability for accidents, particularly on beaches. Though all beach camp sites have coast guard services available, it is important for the camper to carry a first aid kit. Whether it is a ready-made unit or put together for the occasion, the kit should include these items: personal medication, bandages, medical tape, sterile gauze, elastic wrap, antibiotics, antiseptic cream, burn ointment, hydrogen peroxide, scissors, tweezers, eye wash and sanitary napkins.

With proper planning and adequate equipment, beach camping can be a captivating human experience!

A Quick Guide To The South Of France

The South of France has the enviable combination of miles of coastline and fertile rural landscapes and has been the inspiration for artists, composers and writers as well as the new visitor.

Where is it?

The term “South of France” is usually used to describe the southern stretch of the country’s coastline that runs between Spain and Italy, and the rural inland areas that include Provence and the Lubéron. With its warm climate, fertile landscape and developed coastline, it is one of the most regularly-visited parts of Europe.

Where can I stay?


Unsurprisingly, for somewhere as popular as the South of France, there is no shortage of hotels, guesthouses, bed and breakfasts and camp sites. For a true taste of the area though, stay in one of our recommended boutique hotels. Small and intimate, they are a home from home and turn a basic holiday into a luxury retreat. All of these hotels offer well-designed and contemporary rooms and the service is discreet and impeccable. Good food usually goes hand-in-hand with the cool rooms and public areas - by choosing one of these hotels you’ll be treating yourself to a memorable stay in the South of France.

What can I see?


The South of France is too big an area to be fully explored in a single holiday, which is why many people return year after year. Some of France’s most expensive resorts lie on the south coast, including St. Tropez and Cannes, and where better to watch the yachts and fashions of the rich and famous? The area is famous for its coastline, sailing and water sports and for the cities that lie near it: Nice, Marseilles and Montpelier for example. Inland, Provence is well-known for its rolling landscapes, stretches of vineyards and swathes of wild flowers. With no shortage of historic buildings, local markets and museums to explore, the South of France has something for everyone.

How do I get around?

If you’re planning on exploring the South of France, you should hire a car. The French, like most European countries, drive on the right hand side of the road and the roads are largely well-maintained, although many are toll-controlled and you will have to pay at marked toll stations to use the main road network. If you are planning on staying mostly in one place and just visiting major cities or tourist areas, then opt for the train system, operated by SNCF.

A fresh look at Ibiza

Ibiza has long been one of the world’s premier summer-sun holiday destinations, although in recent years many visitors (including myself) have been put off by the seedy ‘Ibiza uncovered’ style publicity that the island has received. Thankfully, the White Island is now moving away from this tacky lads-on-holiday image, and is once again attracting a more up-market style of tourism.

This is hardly surprising if you take a moment to consider what Ibiza can offer to the discerning visitor, with fabulous white beaches adored by the rich and famous for decades, unspoilt pine forests, white-washed villages, a whole range of restaurants offering the best of world cuisine, world-famous nightlife and some of the friendliest locals you will ever meet.

Ibiza is again becoming ‘the’ place to be seen, so for those after a piece of the limelight, strut your stuff through the old Ibiza institution Pacha, or have a long lunch on the beach at the Jockey Club, and you are guaranteed to be rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.

If you are looking for a relaxing week away from it all, take my advice and go in early May; the weather is perfect, and the island is all but deserted compared to the madness of August. You will get beautiful beaches all to yourselves, and great service at all the restaurants.

The level of service has improved greatly as well, with activities such as water sports, hot air ballooning, mountain-biking, boat rental and yoga easy to find and well-priced. For the full rock-star service, I would recommend hiring a villa complete with chef, maid and chauffeur; some villa rental agents are even offering a concierge service through which you can book tables at exclusive restaurants, get VIP tickets to the best clubs or arrange other services such as masseurs in your villa.

If you are planning your summer holidays, think twice before rejecting the idea of Ibiza as your chosen destination…I think you will find yourselves as pleasantly surprised as I was.

Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is a series of stone and earthen fortifications in northern China, built, rebuilt, and maintained between the 5th century BC and the 16th century to protect the northern borders of the Chinese Empire. Since the 5th century BC, several walls have been built that were referred to as the Great Wall. One of the most famous is the wall built between 220–206 BC by the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang. Little of that wall remains the majority of the existing wall were built during the Ming Dynasty.

The Great Wall stretches from Shanhaiguan in the east to Lop Nur in the west, along an arc that roughly delineates the southern edge of Inner Mongolia. The most comprehensive archaeological survey, using advanced technologies, has recently concluded that the entire Great Wall, with all of its branches, stretches for 8,851.8 km or 5,500.3 miles. This is made up of 6,259.6 km or 3,889.5 miles of sections of actual wall, 359.7 km or 223.5 miles of trenches and 2,232.5 km or 1,387.2 miles of natural defensive barriers such as hills and rivers.

The Chinese were already familiar with the techniques of wall-building by the time of the spring and Autumn Period, which began around the 8th century BC. During the Warring States Period from the 5th century BC to 221 BC, the states of Qi, Yan and Zhao all constructed extensive fortifications to defend their own borders. Built to withstand the attack of small arms such as swords and spears, these walls were made mostly by stamping earth and gravel between board frames. Qin Shi Huang conquered all opposing states and unified China in 221 BC, establishing the Qin Dynasty.

The Great Wall concept was revived again during the Ming Dynasty following the Ming army's defeat by the Oirats in the Battle of Tumu in 1449. The Ming had failed to gain a clear upper-hand over the Manchurian and Mongolian tribes after successive battles, and the long-drawn conflict was taking a toll on the empire. The Ming adopted a new strategy to keep the nomadic tribes out by constructing walls along the northern border of China. The Ming construction was stronger and more elaborate due to the use of bricks and stone instead of rammed earth. As Mongol raids continued periodically over the years, the Ming devoted considerable resources to repair and reinforce the walls. Sections near the Ming capital of Beijing were especially strong.

From 1440 –1460 the Ming also built Liaodong Wall. Similar in function to the Great Wall but more basic in construction, the Liaodong Wall enclosed the agricultural heartland of the Liaodong province, protecting it against potential incursions by Jurched-Mongol Oriyanghan from the northwest and the Jianzhou Jurchens from the north. While stones and tiles were used in some parts of the Liaodong Wall, most of it was in fact simply an earth dike with moats on both sides.

Towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, the Great Wall helped defend the empire against the Manchu invasions that began around 1600. Under the military command of Yuan Chonghuan, the Ming army held off the Manchus at the heavily fortified Shanhaiguan pass, preventing the Manchus from entering the Chinese heartland. The Manchus were finally able to cross the Great Wall in 1644, when the gates at Shanhaiguan were opened by Wu Sangui, a Ming border general who disliked the activities of rulers of the Shun Dynasty. The Manchus quickly seized Beijing, and defeated the newly founded Shun Dynasty and remaining Ming resistance, to establish the Qing Dynasty.

In 2009, an additional 290 kilometres or 180 miles of previously undetected portions of the wall, built during the Ming Dynasty, were discovered. The newly discovered sections range from the Hushan mountains in the northern Liaoning province to Jiayuguan in western Gansu province. The sections had been submerged over time by sandstorms that moved across the arid region. Under Qing rule, China's borders extended beyond the walls and Mongolia was annexed into the empire, so construction and repairs on the Great Wall were discontinued.

Some portions north of Beijing and near tourist centers have been preserved and even extensively renovated, in many locations the Wall are in disrepair. Those parts might serve as a village playground or a source of stones to rebuild houses and roads. Sections of the Wall are also prone to graffiti and vandalism. Parts have been destroyed because the Wall is in the way of construction. More than 60 kilometres or 37 miles of the wall in Gansu province may disappear in the next 20 years, due to erosion from sandstorms. In places, the height of the wall has been reduced from more than five meters or 16.4 ft to less than two meters. The square lookout towers that characterize the most famous images of the wall have disappeared completely. Many western sections of the wall are constructed from mud, rather than brick and stone, and thus are more susceptible to erosion.

Pisa Tower

The Pisa Tower or Leaning Tower of Pisa or simply the Tower of Pisa is the campanile, or freestanding bell tower, of the cathedral of the Italian city of Pisa. It is also called as Torre pendente di Pisa in Italian language. It is situated behind the Cathedral and is the third oldest structure in Pisa's Cathedral Square after the Cathedral and the Baptistry. Although planned to stand vertically, the tower began leaning to the southeast after the onset of construction in 1173 due to a badly laid foundation and loose substrate that has allowed the foundation to shift direction. The tower currently leans to the southwest.

The height of the tower is 55.86 m or 183.27 ft from the ground on the lowest side and 56.70 m or 186.02 ft on the highest side. The width of the walls at the base is 4.09 m or 13.42 ft and at the top 2.48 m or 8.14 ft. Its weight is estimated at 14,500 metric tons or 16,000 short tons. The tower has 296 or 294 steps; the seventh floor has two fewer steps on the north-facing staircase. Prior to restoration work performed between 1990 and 2001, the tower leaned at an angle of 5.5 degrees, but the tower now leans at about 3.99 degrees. This means that the top of the tower is 3.9 metres or 12 ft 10 in from where it would stand if the tower were perfectly vertical.

The Tower of Pisa was a work of art, performed in three stages over a period of about 177 years. Construction of the first floor of the white marble campanile began on August 9, 1173, a period of military success and prosperity. The tower began to sink after construction had progressed to the third floor in 1178. This was due to a mere three-meter foundation, set in weak, unstable subsoil, a design that was flawed from the beginning. Construction was subsequently halted for almost a century, because the Pisans were almost continually engaged in battles with Genoa, Lucca and Florence. In 1198, clocks were temporarily installed on the third floor of the unfinished construction.

In 1272, construction resumed under Giovanni di Simone, architect of the Camposanto. In an effort to compensate for the tilt, the engineers built upper floors with one side taller than the other. This made the tower begin to lean in the other direction. Because of this, the tower is actually curved. Construction was halted again in 1284, when the Pisans were defeated by the Genoans in the Battle of Meloria.The seventh floor was completed in 1319. The bell-chamber was not finally added until 1372. It was built by Tommaso di Andrea Pisano, who succeeded in harmonizing the Gothic elements of the bell-chamber with the Romanesque style of the tower. There are seven bells, one for each note of the musical major scale. The largest one was installed in 1655.

Galileo Galilei is said to have dropped two cannon balls of different masses from the tower to demonstrate that their speed of descent was independent of their mass. This is considered an apocryphal tale, its only source being however Galileo's secretary. During World War II, the Allies discovered that the Nazis were using it as an observation post. A U.S. Army sergeant was briefly entrusted with the fate of the tower and his decision not to call in an artillery strike saved the tower from destruction.

On February 27, 1964, the government of Italy requested aid in preventing the tower from toppling. It was, however, considered important to retain the current tilt, due to the vital role that this element played in promoting the tourism industry of Pisa. A multinational task force of engineers, mathematicians and historians was assigned and met on the Azores islands to discuss stabilization methods. It was found that the tilt was increasing in combination with the softer foundations on the lower side. Many methods were proposed to stabilize the tower, including the addition of 800 metric tonnes of lead counterweights to the raised end of the base.

In 1987, the tower was declared as part of the Piazza del Duomo UNESCO World Heritage Site along with the neighbouring cathedral, baptistery and cemetery. On January 7, 1990, after over two decades of work on the subject, the tower was closed to the public. While the tower was closed, the bells were removed to relieve some weight, and cables were cinched around the third level and anchored several hundred meters away. The final solution to prevent the collapse of the tower was to slightly straighten the tower to a safer angle, by removing 38 cubic metres 50 cu yd of soil from underneath the raised end. The tower was straightened by 18 inches or 45 centimetres, returning to position that it occupied in 1838. The tower was reopened to the public on December 15, 2001, and has been declared stable for at least another 300 years.

In May 2008, after the removal of another 70 metric tons or 77 short tons of earth, engineers announced that the Tower had been stabilized such that it had stopped moving for the first time in its history. They stated it would be stable for at least 200 years. Two German churches have challenged the towers status as the world's most lop sided building the 15th century square Leaning Tower of Suurhusen and the 14th century bell tower in the town of Bad Frankenhausen. Guinness World Records measured the Pisa and Suurhusen towers, finding the former's tilt to be 3.97 degrees.

Camping Equipment And Sites For a Northwest Vacation

Residents of the Northwest United States are proud of the conservation efforts put forth in their state. Washington, Oregon and Idaho have preserved some of the most beautiful forests, mountains, deserts and valleys for generations of outdoors enthusiasts. Much of the land in these great states is made available for people all over the country to enjoy on a regular basis. Camping, hiking, hunting and fishing are popular vacation activities in this part of the country because there are so many diverse places to go and see.



Camping in the Northwest is a popular past time that can be enjoyed by anyone, no matter what their skill level or age. When camping in this area of the country, there are a few things that must be considered and equipment that should be taken. It is important to have durable, waterproof camping gear, no matter what season you are camping in, because this is an area that might be cold or wet unexpectedly, even in the middle of the summer. You also want to be sure that you have plenty of good lighting gear. LED lanterns and flashlights work best in the dense forests of the Northwest because they provide you with an even, long-lasting light. Having a reliable, compact light is important in this area because often time campsites can be located deep into the mountains or forests. These locations require that campers hike in, so packing lightly but smartly is very important.

Washington, Oregon, and Idaho are full of great camping locations. The states are filled with diverse national and state park areas. Explorers that enjoy mountain wildernesses will find great camping in the coastal ranges up Oregon and Washington and along their many rivers. Desert campers can find relaxing places in eastern Oregon and in Idaho. Even winter campers that enjoy the snow can find open sites around Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens, and The Three Sisters. These areas have excellent camping areas that can provide you with a great place to stay, beautiful sites, and a lot to do while your there.

Peninsula

Located in Northwest Washington, the Olympic is the home to both the towering Olympic Mountains and the Pacific coastline. The Bogachiel, Sequim Bay, Old Fort Townsend and Fort Worden State Parks are a few of many camping and hiking destinations in the area. Camping on the peninsula requires waterproof equipment.

Deschutes National Forest

Central Oregon is the home of the Deschutes National Forest. This area has great camping sites right in the middle of some of the oldest forests in North America. Camping here can be easy or challenging, depending on what you are looking for. When camping in the desert, make sure to pack plenty of water and food. Also, packing a powerful lantern or set of flashlights is important as the deserts in the Northwest are very dark at night.

Priest Lake State Park

The Priest Lake State Park is one of the favorite camping destinations for Idaho residents because of its diverse options. Camping is available all along the shoreline of Priest Lake and Upper Priest Lake, as well as on the Lake’s islands themselves.

These are just a sample of the many incredible camping locations located in the beautiful, green Northwest. Campers can find information on camping fees, hiking trails and site amenities by looking online at the various state park web sites.

~ Ben Anton, 2008

Alaska Glacier Cruise Experience

Alaska is truly a special place, it has been said that the people that chose to live in Alaska are trying to run away from something and avoid it, or that these people are trying to get as far away from society as they possibly can. Alaska is still, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful states in the USA. The impressive mountains, the snow and ocean power make many people come visit Alaska to see and experience it first hand, you will be surprise to learn how many people choose Alaska as their vacation destination.

This place is chosen because of its difference form anything else, it is unlike any other state in the U.S., and in fact it is unique to anywhere else in the world.

Many people who experienced the close contact with the Alaska glacier will tell you that it is an experience unlike any other and that the visit to the glacier is a close look at something amazing, most of the people who just looked at a glacier form far away are not aware of this since they have not seen the glacier from that close, it is truly a once in a lifetime experience. The numbers talk for themselves, as many tourists to Alaska as flocking to the Alaska glacier cruise.

Unfortunately the weather conditions and some new threats are making the glaciers something that needs to be seen now, and not something that we can assume will always be there for us to visit, the global warming effect is just starting to claim it very high toll on the glaciers and because of its effect we know that many glaciers are losing great parts and melting into the ocean. Other problems that raise a serious concerned for the glaciers are new decisions by the U.S. congress makes difficult decisions about the right to drill in glaciers. This situation causes some people to go and see the wonder before it will be gone, or even out of a great concern to the environment.

The way to travel to the glacier by cursing next to it and slowly observing every activity that is happening around it or on it is just perfect, not only perfect it is the natural way to observe these giants since they also have a rhythm of their own, and not rushing to watch the whole glacier as fast as possible will provide you with a much more fulfillment than any other way. This travel method does cost a little more and demands more time, but it is certainly worth it.

There is a very good chance that in your cruise you will witness very special events that take place on the ground, Alaska has an abundance of wildlife and seeing the wild animals in their natural habitat, behaving as they would weather or not you would have been cruising in a considerable distance from them is something as unique as the glacier visits.

In conclusion, the Alaska glacier cruise has something unique to offer, it can be a special vacation for you and you family, the cruise itself is an experience and the glaciers are phenomenal, enjoy this remarkable way to travel and you will not forget it for the rest of your life.

Christ the Redeemer Statue

Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil considered the largest art deco statue in the world. It is also called as O Cristo Redentor in Portuguese, formerly Portuguese: Christo redemptor. The statue stands 39.6 metres or 130 ft tall, including its 9.5 metre or 31 ft pedestal, and 30 metres or 98 ft wide. It weighs 635 tons or 700 short tons, and is located at the peak of the 700 metres or 2,300 ft Corcovado Mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city.

It is one of the tallest of its kind in the world. The statue of Cristo de la Concordia in Cochabamba, Bolivia, is slightly taller, standing at 40.44 metres or 132.7 ft tall with its 6.24 metres or 20.5 ft pedestal and 34.20 metres or 112.2 ft wide. A symbol of Catholicism, the statue has become an icon of Rio and Brazil. It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone.

The idea for erecting a large statue atop Corcovado was first suggested in the mid-1850s, when Catholic priest Pedro Maria Boss requested financing from Princess Isabel to build a large religious monument. Princess Isabel did not think much of the idea and it was completely dismissed in 1889, when Brazil became a republic, with laws mandating the separation of church and state. The second proposal for a landmark statue on the mountain was made in 1921 by the Catholic Circle of Rio.

The group organised an event called Semana do Monumento or Monument Week to attract donations and collect signatures to support the building of the statue. The donations came mostly from Brazilian Catholics. The designs considered for the "Statue of the Christ" included a representation of the Christian cross, a statue of Jesus with a globe in his hands, and a pedestal symbolizing the world. The statue of Christ the Redeemer with open arms was chosen.

Local engineer Heitor da Silva Costa designed the statue; it was sculpted by French sculptor Paul Landowski. A group of engineers and technicians studied Landowski's submissions and the decision was made to build the structure out of reinforced concrete designed by Albert Caquot instead of steel, more suitable for the cross-shaped statue. The outer layers are soapstone, chosen for its enduring qualities and ease of use. Construction took nine years, from 1922 to 1931.

The monument was opened on October 12, 1931. The cost of the monument was $250,000. The statue was meant to be lit by a battery of floodlights triggered remotely by shortwave radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi, stationed 5,700 miles or 9,200 km away in Rome, but poor weather affected the signal and it had to be lit by workers in Rio.

The statue was struck by lightning during a violent electrical storm on Sunday, February 10, 2008. The storm caused havoc in Rio, but the statue was left unscathed because soapstone, the material forming the outer layers of the statue, is an insulator. In October 2006, on the statue's 75th anniversary, Archbishop of Rio Cardinal Eusebio Oscar Scheid consecrated a chapel named for the patron saint of Brazil Nossa Senhora Aparecida, or Our Lady of the Apparition, under the statue. This allows Catholics to hold baptisms and weddings there.

On 7 July 2007, Christ the Redeemer was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in a list compiled by the Swiss-based The New Open World Corporation. Leading corporate sponsors, including Banco Bradesco and Rede Globo, put large sums of money in the effort to have the statue voted into the top seven.

Chichen Itza

Chichen Itza is a large pre Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatan Peninsula, in the Yucatan state, at present in Mexico. The Maya name Chichen Itza meaning at the mouth of the well of the Itza. This derives from chi, meaning mouth or edge, and cheen, meaning well. Itza is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula. The name is believed to derive from the Maya itz, meaning magic, and meaning water.

Chichen Itza was a major focal point in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period. The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, from what is called Mexicanized and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands. The presence of central Mexican styles was once thought to have been representative of direct migration or even conquest from central Mexico.

The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site’s stewardship is maintained by Mexicos Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia which is known as National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH. The land under the monuments, however, is privately-owned by the Barbachano family. The site contains many fine stone buildings in various states of preservation, and many have been restored. The buildings are connected by a dense network of formerly paved roads, called sacbeob. Archaeologists have found almost 100 sacbeob criss-crossing the site, and extending in all directions from the city.

The buildings of Chichen Itza are grouped in a series of architectonic sets, and each set was at one time separated from the other by a series of low walls. The three best known of these complexes are the Great North Platform, which includes the monuments of El Castillo, Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court; The Ossario Group, which includes the pyramid of the same name as well as the Temple of Xtoloc and the Central Group, which includes the Caracol, Las Monjas, and Akab Dzib. South of Las Monjas, in an area known as Chichen Viejo and only open to archaeologists, are several other complexes, such as the Group of the Initial Series, Group of the Lintels, and Group of the Old Castle.

Tourism has been a factor at Chichen Itza for more than a century. John Lloyd Stephens, who popularized the Maya Yucatan in the public imagination with his book Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, inspired many to make a pilgrimage to Chichen Itza. Even before the book was published, Benjamin Norman and Baron Emanuel von Friedrichsthal traveled to Chichen after meeting Stephens, and both published the results of what they found. Friedrichsthal was the first to photograph Chichen Itza, using the recently invented daguerreotype.

After Edward Thompson in 1894 purchased the Hacienda Chichen, which included Chichen Itza, he received a constant stream of visitors. In 1910 he announced his intention to construct a hotel on his property, but abandoned those plans, probably because of the Mexican Revolution.

In the early 1920s, a group of Yucatecans, led by writer/photographer Francisco Gomez Rul, began working toward expanding tourism to Yucatan. They urged Governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto to build roads to the more famous monuments, including Chichen Itza. In 1923, Governor Carrillo Puerto officially opened the highway to Chichen Itza. Gomez Rul published one of the first guidebooks to Yucatan and the ruins.

Gomez Rul's son-in-law, Fernando Barbachano started Yucatans first official tourism business in early 1920s. He began by meeting passengers that arrived by steamship to Progreso, the port north of Merida, and convincing them to spend a week in Yucatan, after which they would catch the next steamship to their next destination. In his first year Barbachano Peon reportedly was only able to convince seven passengers to leave the ship and join him on a tour. In the mid-1920s Barbachano Peon persuaded Edward Thompson to sell 5 acres next to Chichen for a hotel.

In 1944, Barbachano Peon purchased all of the Hacienda Chichen, including Chichen Itza, from the heirs of Edward Thompson. In 1972, Mexico enacted the Ley Federal Sobre Monumentos y Zonas Arqueologicas, Artisticas e Historicas which is known as Federal Law over Monuments and Archeological, Artistic and Historic Sites that put all the nation's pre-Columbian monuments, including those at Chichen Itza, under federal ownership. There were now hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors every year to Chichen Itza, and more were expected with the development of the Cancun resort area to the east.

Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the second-most visited of Mexico's archaeological sites. The archaeological site draws many visitors from the popular tourist resort of Cancun, who make a day trip on tour buses. In 2007, Chichen Itza's El Castillo was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World after a worldwide vote. Over the past several years, INAH, which manages the site, has been closing monuments to public access. While visitors can walk around them, they can no longer climb them or go inside their chambers. The most recent was El Castillo, which was closed after a San Diego, Calif., woman fell to her death in 2006.

Chichen Itza is a large pre Columbian archaeological site built by the Maya civilization located in the northern center of the Yucatan Peninsula, in the Yucatan state, at present in Mexico. The Maya name Chichen Itza meaning at the mouth of the well of the Itza. This derives from chi, meaning mouth or edge, and cheen, meaning well. Itza is the name of an ethnic-lineage group that gained political and economic dominance of the northern peninsula. The name is believed to derive from the Maya itz, meaning "magic," and meaning water.

Chichen Itza was a major focal point in the northern Maya lowlands from the Late Classic through the Terminal Classic and into the early portion of the Early Postclassic period. The site exhibits a multitude of architectural styles, from what is called Mexicanized and reminiscent of styles seen in central Mexico to the Puuc style found among the Puuc Maya of the northern lowlands. The presence of central Mexican styles was once thought to have been representative of direct migration or even conquest from central Mexico.

The ruins of Chichen Itza are federal property, and the site’s stewardship is maintained by Mexicos Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia which is known as National Institute of Anthropology and History, INAH. The land under the monuments, however, is privately-owned by the Barbachano family. The site contains many fine stone buildings in various states of preservation, and many have been restored. The buildings are connected by a dense network of formerly paved roads, called sacbeob. Archaeologists have found almost 100 sacbeob criss-crossing the site, and extending in all directions from the city.

The buildings of Chichen Itza are grouped in a series of architectonic sets, and each set was at one time separated from the other by a series of low walls. The three best known of these complexes are the Great North Platform, which includes the monuments of El Castillo, Temple of Warriors and the Great Ball Court; The Ossario Group, which includes the pyramid of the same name as well as the Temple of Xtoloc and the Central Group, which includes the Caracol, Las Monjas, and Akab Dzib. South of Las Monjas, in an area known as Chichen Viejo and only open to archaeologists, are several other complexes, such as the Group of the Initial Series, Group of the Lintels, and Group of the Old Castle.

Tourism has been a factor at Chichen Itza for more than a century. John Lloyd Stephens, who popularized the Maya Yucatan in the public imagination with his book Incidents of Travel in Yucatan, inspired many to make a pilgrimage to Chichen Itza. Even before the book was published, Benjamin Norman and Baron Emanuel von Friedrichsthal traveled to Chichen after meeting Stephens, and both published the results of what they found. Friedrichsthal was the first to photograph Chichen Itza, using the recently invented daguerreotype.

After Edward Thompson in 1894 purchased the Hacienda Chichen, which included Chichen Itza, he received a constant stream of visitors. In 1910 he announced his intention to construct a hotel on his property, but abandoned those plans, probably because of the Mexican Revolution.In the early 1920s, a group of Yucatecans, led by writer/photographer Francisco Gomez Rul, began working toward expanding tourism to Yucatan. They urged Governor Felipe Carrillo Puerto to build roads to the more famous monuments, including Chichen Itza. In 1923, Governor Carrillo Puerto officially opened the highway to Chichen Itza. Gomez Rul published one of the first guidebooks to Yucatan and the ruins.

Gomez Rul's son-in-law, Fernando Barbachano started Yucatans first official tourism business in early 1920s. He began by meeting passengers that arrived by steamship to Progreso, the port north of Merida, and convincing them to spend a week in Yucatan, after which they would catch the next steamship to their next destination. In his first year Barbachano Peon reportedly was only able to convince seven passengers to leave the ship and join him on a tour. In the mid-1920s Barbachano Peon persuaded Edward Thompson to sell 5 acres next to Chichen for a hotel.

In 1944, Barbachano Peon purchased all of the Hacienda Chichen, including Chichen Itza, from the heirs of Edward Thompson. In 1972, Mexico enacted the Ley Federal Sobre Monumentos y Zonas Arqueologicas, Artisticas e Historicas which is known as Federal Law over Monuments and Archeological, Artistic and Historic Sites that put all the nation's pre-Columbian monuments, including those at Chichen Itza, under federal ownership. There were now hundreds, if not thousands, of visitors every year to Chichen Itza, and more were expected with the development of the Cancun resort area to the east.

Chichen Itza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the second-most visited of Mexico's archaeological sites. The archaeological site draws many visitors from the popular tourist resort of Cancun, who make a day trip on tour buses. In 2007, Chichen Itza's El Castillo was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World after a worldwide vote. Over the past several years, INAH, which manages the site, has been closing monuments to public access. While visitors can walk around them, they can no longer climb them or go inside their chambers. The most recent was El Castillo, which was closed after a San Diego, Calif., woman fell to her death in 2006.

Camping in a Tent or a Motor Home: What is Best?

Are you interested in going on a camping adventure? If you are, you are definitely not alone. In the United States, camping is often referred to as a popular pastime. One of the many reasons why camping is so popular is because of all of the choices that you have. One of the many choices that you have is deciding how you would like to camp, in a motor home or in a tent.

If this is your first or even your second time going camping, you may be unsure as to whether you should camp in a motor home or in a tent. This is a decision that many people have to make. If you would like advice on what you should do, you will want to continue reading on, as the advantages and disadvantages of both tents and motor homes are outlined below.

As for camping in a traditional tent, there are a number of benefits to doing so. One of those benefits is the cost. Tents come in all different sizes, shapes, and styles, as well as prices. Tents can also be purchased from a number of different retail stores, including those that are located both on and offline. Depending on where you look, you may be able to find a camping tent for as low as twenty or thirty dollars!

Another one of the many benefits to going camping in a traditional camping tent is the experience. Camping tents, as you likely already know, are sort of like tarps. They give you protection from the outdoors, but they still leave you feeling as if you are camping in the open night. If you are an outdoor lover or if you are truly looking to get the "camping feel," you may want to think about camping in a traditional camping tent.

Although going camping in a traditional camping tent is nice, there are a number of downsides to doing so. One of those downsides is bad weather. For your information, a large number of camping tents are strong and waterproof, but not all are. If you are unsure as to what the weather will be like for your next camping adventure, you may want to think about purchasing a camping tent that comes highly rated and recommended. Doing so may help ensure that you don't awake to any wet surprises.

As for camping in a motor home, you will also find that there a number of advantages and disadvantages to doing so as well. Perhaps, the biggest disadvantage of camping in a motor home is the cost of doing so. Motor home are expensive to buy and if you are looking to camp on a budget, you may not be able to afford to buy your own motor home. Of course, with that in mind though, you should know that you don't actually have to buy a motor home. There are a number of individuals and companies that have motor homes available for rent. Renting a motor home, instead of buying one, is a nice, affordable way to camp in style.

If you are able to camp in a motor home, you may enjoy doing so, as many motor homes appear as if they are small apartments or small homes. Motor homes often come equipped with working bathrooms, kitchens, and televisions! This is nice if you are looking to enjoy camping, while still being able to bask in the modern luxuries of life.

As it was previously mentioned, one of the reasons why camping is so popular is because of all the choices that you have, like the choice to camp in a traditional camping tent or a motor home. The decision as to whether you want to camp in a motor home or a traditional camping tent is your decision to make, but you may want to keep the above mentioned advantages and disadvantages in mind when making your decision.

Advantages of Booking Hotels in Central Rome.

This article has the purpose to explain what we intend for central Rome and the benefits to reserve an hotel in this area.
For central Rome we mean specifical districts like the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Trastevere.

The district of Trastevere was once inhabited by the medieval working class and since the 1970 has been filled up with new hotels, tour buses and sidewalk vendors. The original people of this district belong to a mixed ancestry, mainly Jewish, Roman and Greek and for decades they were known for speaking their on dialect in a language rougher than that spoken in central Rome.
Trastevere remains one of Rome's most colorful quarters, even if it is a bit overrun and it is know as a " city within a city".
The hotels in central Rome allow visitors to save money when sightseeing because people can cover all the major monuments in few hours with a pleasant promenade.
In fact if you have booked an hotel near the spanish steps you can see how Rome is entered by Porta del Popolo built in the Renaissance period by the architect Vignola from the designs of Michelangelo.

As you can imagine, you can't walk anywhere in Rome without stepping on several layers of Roman archaological remains. it's often frustrating for the people who actually live there: they can not do anything above or below ground without having to stop and carefully consider what is being lost and found.

A trick you have to know after you make your reservation is to ask for a corner room. Corner rooms are usually larger, quieter and have more windows and light than standard rooms, and they do not cost necessarily more. Always ask if the hotel is renovating: if it is, request a room away from the renovation work. You can also inquire about the location of the elevators, restaurants and bars in the hotel, all sources of annoying noise.

Rome center offers also some splendid opportunities for lovers of the performing arts. All major performers pass through Rome and the city has traditionally been the hot spot for theater production in Italy. The scene positively burgeons in summer when a mind-boggling range of performances is staged throughout the city in various indoor and outdoor venues.
Rome is also a sort of culinary melting pot for distinctive regional styles.

Pesto and marinara sauce, ravioli and risotto, cannoli and tiramisu are often all found together on the same menu. Another advantage of Rome's size and cosmopolitan charachter is that you can find very good restaurants downtown with food from around the globe: Rome is really your best opportunity to hunt out different types of cuisine.

The Eternal city wasn't built in a day and,to accommodate its tourists, it continues to expand with more hotels, opening hours for museums and other attractions, especially during holidays and the summer months.

Flight Safety: Ensuring That Your Next Flight is a Safe One

If you have ever flown you likely are aware of several government organizations dedicated to the oversight of the aviation industry. Alphabet soup sounding names such as the FAA, DOT, and NSTB are often mentioned, but each organization has a distinct role in ensuring passenger safety. Let’s take a look at three federal agencies tasked with ensuring that your next flight is a safe one.

Federal Aviation Administration – The Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, is responsible for the safety of civil aviation. According to their web site [1], the FAA is tasked with the following responsibilities:

• Regulating civil aviation to promote safety

• Encouraging and developing civil aeronautics, including new aviation technology

• Developing and operating a system of air traffic control and navigation for both civil and military aircraft

• Researching and developing the National Airspace System and civil aeronautics

• Developing and carrying out programs to control aircraft noise and other environmental effects of civil aviation

• Regulating U.S. commercial space transportation
You can learn more information about the FAA, how it is managed, governing responsibilities, and even hiring information at www.faa.gov

U.S. Department of Transportation – The Department of Transportation, or DOT, overseas the operation of 13 governmental agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration. The chief responsibilities of the DOT is to, “keep the traveling public safe and secure, increase their mobility, and have our transportation system contribute to the nation’s economic growth.” [2] Visit www.dot.gov for more information.

The National Safety Transportation Board – The National Safety Transportation Board, or NSTB, is an independent federal agency appointed by Congress and tasked with investigating every civil aviation accident in the US as well as in marine, roads, and other transportation areas. Since its inception in 1967, the NSTB has investigated over 124,000 aviation accidents. Visit www.nstb.gov for more information.

Of course, today there is a fourth agency involved to some degree in ensuring passenger safety. The Department of Homeland Security, or DHS, was created in direct response to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This department oversees several other agencies including the Transportation Security Administration, the organization that hires, trains, and deploys transportation security screeners at airports across the U.S.

You may not know an FAA, DOT, NSTB, or DHS employee when you see one, but together they are all tasked with ensuring that your next flight is a safe one.

Sources:

[1] www.faa.gov; [2] www.dot.gov

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Best international beaches guide

Vacationing at beach is like heaven or earth for all the aqua lovers and fans. The beach vacation is different from the rest where you the pleasure to get soaked in the sun and sand, experience the ups and downs with the tides and get carried away with the huge waves. To enjoy the water and water activities there are several beach destinations around the world.


• The Capri Islands is an amazingly beautiful coastline. It has no beach yet it is deemed to be one of the best amongst the international beaches. The island has “bathing establishments” in place of beaches. It has a treasure of beach towels, beach balls and beach bunnies. The island is famous to host the rich and facilitate them with perfect luxuries and the exotic Roman art and architecture.


• Barcelona can never be overlooked in the count of beach holidays. Barcelona beaches like the Bora Bora, the nude beach Platia de la Mar Bella, Platja de Sant Sebastia and Platia Barcelona one of the most popular beaches of the world, invite visitors all round the year and from everywhere in the world. Besides the seaside fun and adventure this city of Spain is also perfect for sightseeing. There are marvelous museums, traditional buildings and at display the magnum opus of some of the great architects likes Antonio Gaudi.


• Bermuda has always excited the spirits of all the water devotees. The island is known for some of the ravishing beaches with pink sand and greenish water, fishing activity and uniquely painted homes and cottages. Amongst the well known beaches of the place is the Horseshoe Bay close to the southern end of the island. This Bay is further divided into smaller coves and bays on both the sides and is also a home to many good hotels, restaurants, tennis courts and golf courses. The Astwood Cove is another beach region which is bordered by tall cliffs and beaches with numerous water sports and bewitching flora and fauna. Apart from the beach amusement the island offers delectable sea food and a peculiar lifestyle that makes your vacation a memorable experience.


• Cancun a spontaneously budding tourist destination, also known as Mayan Riviera rests on the ground of state of Mexico. Cancun is a host to some of the best beaches in the world. These beaches encourage a numerous water sports like snorkeling, swimming with dolphins etc. The Xcaret Nature Park, the Xel Ha and the Isla Mujeres are the specific places to thrill you with these activities. The temperature of the place revolves around 80 to 85 degree Fahrenheit. Cancun has also many bizarre and eye catching archaeological sites that keep the tourists busy throughout their visit.


• The Aruba is a Dutch island located in the southern Caribbean Sea and is known for being the best family beach resort across the globe. The Palm Beach in Aruba with its white sands welcomes young as well as the old from all over the world. Apart from water sports the place is also a call to the golf lovers to enjoy while exploring their talent. The weather of this hurricane free place is wonderful with annual average temperature that figures around 82 degree Fahrenheit.


This is just the tip of an iceberg for there are many more lovable beach spots like Jamaica, Negril and Montego Bay, Saint Tropez, Italian Riviera etc. to throng and enjoy