Infotips » Attractions

The Majestic Beauty of Balboa Park

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:55:03 +0000

Balboa Park, home of the San Diego Zoo and the Culture Center of San Diego
Romantic Balboa Park is a lush 1,400 acre forest of exotic trees, well-kept gardens, and a majestic lily pond, which is the most photographed site in the park. It is also the home of the San Diego Zoo. Here too is the renowned Old Globe Theatre and over a dozen outstanding must-see museums, art galleries and one of the largest planetariums in the country. San Diegans owe a vote of gratitude to the city Board of Trustees, who in 1868 set aside 1,400 acres of rambling chaparral for Balboa Park. Were it not for the far-sighted civic planners who anticipated San Diego’s great potential for growth, the city would no doubt have been without its most beautiful region, Balboa Park. A must-see attraction in Balboa Park is the San Diego Zoo (5) (619-234-3153). The 100-acre facility is an international animal experience where guests will see some of the earth’s rarest wildlife including giant pandas from China, tree kangaroos from New Guinea and river hippos from Africa. The San Diego Zoo is home to more than 4,000 animals, representing 800 species, making up a diverse collection of animals – many of which are rarely seen at other zoos.

Opening Summer 2003 is the first phase of the San Diego Zoo’s latest exhibit project – the New Heart of the Zoo. It’s going to be a swinging time in the “Absolutely Apes” orangutan and siamang exhibit. For the first time in Zoo history, these two species of apes will live together in a lush, tropical setting resembling their native region of Indonesia. The brilliant, eye-catching flamingos that have greeted Zoo guests at the front plaza for more than 50 years will also have a new lagoon.

Dozens of rare and obscure animals can be found throughout the facility alongside more familiar zoo faces – polar bears, camels, lions, tigers, pygmy chimpanzees and much more. Guests to the San Diego Zoo become immersed in lush, tropical settings called bio-climactic zones such as Tiger River, Gorilla Tropics, Ituri Forest and Owens Rainforest Aviary. In these naturalistic habitats visitors will find an array of plants and animals native to specific regions of the world. In other areas of the Zoo, guest may come face-to-face with bears, elephants, koalas and more. The San Diego Zoo is also a botanical garden with a prominent collection consisting of more than 700,000 plants. Like the Zoo’s world-class animal collection, many species of flora are rare and endangered.

The Children’s Zoo features more than 20 exhibits designed with children in mind. Low glass windows in many exhibits create easy viewing. A petting paddock allows children to interact with friendly sheep, goats and pot-bellied pigs.

The zoo, however, is only one part of Balboa Park. The rest is spread out over hundreds of acres. The part of the park that attracts the most attention is an area called El Prado. Here, nestled in beautiful gardens enhanced by majestic palm and eucalyptus trees, are most of the park’s impressive museums, galleries and other attractions, all within walking distance of each other.

A great place to begin or conclude a tour of Balboa Park is at the Reuben H. Fleet Science Center (11) (619-238-1233). This large 93,505 sq. ft. science center showcases over 100 “hands-on,” interactive exhibits and attractions that the whole family will enjoy. Plus, they offer several fantastic films on the world’s first IMAX

THE LOVE PYRAMID – Mini Course

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:54:00 +0000

We must insist on this right here – up front. As St. Paul and many other brilliant scholars of the human condition told us, a satisfying life must combine faith, hope and love – with the greatest element of all being love.

Certainly we have found nothing that even remotely takes the place of love in our lives and our relationships with each other, our children, their children and their childrens kids. With love, virtually everything falls into place. Without love, nothing fits well into the mosaic of a meaningful life.

Also, after everything else you can say about humans – after discussing the personality patterns, life-themes, values, attitudes and expectations we write about, we agree with psychological great – Carl Rogers and with John the Beloved Disciple. There are only two kinds of people in the world. The two are not black and white, rich and poor or even male and female, as much as we appreciate that last arrangement that seems especially created for our benefit.

There are only persons who are capable of loving others and persons who do not love anyone except those who in one way or another contribute something of value to themselves.

A vital factor we must discuss in the beginning is that while the love and sexual intimacy a couple shares is vital to satisfaction, the physical attractions of our youthful years are never enough to carry a man and woman through a life-time. In our FULFILLMENT course, a companion program to this, we have written extensively about existential frustration and alienation that occurs when men and women fail to find a consistent sense of purpose in their lives. We cannot even find happiness by seeking it – happiness is a fleeting by-product of living a consistently meaningful life. Like sleep during a restless night, the harder we pursue happiness, the faster it flees from us. When we spend our years seeking happiness through pleasure, possessions, prestige and power – lacking a sense of purpose in our activities and permanence in our relationships, life remains secular and pointless and becomes conflicted with confusion and discouragement. And that is simply too much to expect the sexual relationship of a man and woman to overcome. Humans need more – we believe that each person requires the crucial support that comes from living a complete life – that occurs through:

Worshipping devoutly, relating warmly, serving faithfully, learning wisely, persevering bravely and playing enthusiastically.

Unless we develop mature attitudes and high expectations, no marriage can succeed. Most young couples who divorce and put their children under great stress simply abandon their marriages much too soon. There is a great deal to be said for toughing it out through the learning curve, for becoming better partners rather than shopping around for some wonderful and perfect lover who will cater to your every whim. You shall have to become a spiritually maturing person to whom your partner can relate in love and friendship, without becoming your stooge. Hang on until both lovers become more maturity along lifes journey. Actually, in marriage as in most of life, much satisfaction comes from showing up when needed, just being there on time for the people who love you.

A loving couple that matures in faith, hope and love, through grace within the physical, psychological and philosophical aspects of life, will love far more deeply than they did during the simplistic and usually naive sexual urges of youth.

THE LOVE PYRAMID

To be at its best, love must mature up through the motivational pyramid shown here. To stop in one of the lower tiers is to limit the joy a person can enjoy in a lasting relationship.

Becoming ** PHILOSOPHICAL ** Purpose/Permanence
Doing ** PSYCHOLOGICAL ** Power/Prestige
Having ** PHYSICAL ** Pleasure/Pain

PHYSICAL LOVE – (Pleasure/Pain) Love that is limited to the physical aspects of a relationship is focused largely on arousal, passion and tension release. It makes little difference who the partner is. Any compliant body can be used, for the person is secondary to the pleasure being received by the user. Such physical passion can be shifted from one sexual supplier to another with little or no regret or concern, from one seduction to the next, as Joe Namath boasted when he slept with a thousand women in his first few years of playing professional football. Such a person can go from one prostitute to another, from one singles bar to the next, from a tryst with one lover to a new one. One night stands, sexual fantasies, pornographic movies and books and wily seductions occur within the physical aspects of love. When one person is used for anothers pleasure, even if both agree in advance, it is little more than mutual masturbation. If the other person is abused or damaged in the relationship, he or she can be discarded and replaced with no more regret than for a piece of malfunctioning machinery. Many adolescents, in the first wild rush of sexuality, relate to one another at this primitive level. Unfortunately, many adults fail to mature beyond it. They continue romancing, marrying, divorcing and romancing again in a madcap search for a perfect partner, chasing the wild excitement of youth in a stage that needs a lot more stability in order to be satisfying.

Only this morning as this chapter is being written, we attended the funeral of a friend who made a great deal of money through his knowledge and energy. Donald Knopf was as hard a worker as weve ever known, not only for himself but for the poor and needy of the community. He gave an enormous amount of time and money to helping people with problems. Nevertheless, as his friends and relatives filled the front pews, weve never seen such a complex mix of brothers and sisters, half sisters and brothers, cousins, in-laws and former wives in our lives. At the age of fifty-five Don was still falling in and out of love like a teen-ager, still drifting from one woman to the next, giving her several children before falling out of love and seeking a better partner. He never did think in terms of becoming a better husband and father rather than wanting a perfect lover who would let him feel the sexual excitement of youth again. He never matured into the second and third tier of a loving relationship and if he enjoyed a long succession of sexual partners, his dozen children from several families have had a difficult time growing up without a father.

PSYCHOLOGICAL LOVE -(Power/Prestige) In this aspect of a relationship, physical arousal, pleasure and satiation occurs as in the physical but the affection doesnt stop there. This is a deeper relationship that binds lovers together as they mature through the more complex needs and activities of adult love. The lovers not only desire one another for what each offers, but both have a deeper investment in the others health and happiness. They trust each other with their egos, because loving another person makes you vulnerable as well as calling up protective feelings. This is the level at which many good marriages and love affairs function, especially in the more mellow middle years and while the lovers do care deeply about each other, they may still have difficult times. After all, while you and your lover love each other, differences of opinion and a variety of needs remain. Few couples never quarrel just because they love one another. Jard knew two young people who lived together as lovers without making the final commitment of marriage. Mildred was a graduate student in psychology and Henry an executive in a huge

corporation. She said, when she was being offered a teaching and research job in a distant university:

I love Harry, I really do, but he cannot leave town with me. Changing companies now would cost him a vice-presidency at 3 M and I cannot ask for that. But then, I cannot see that my research and teaching about childhood learning is any less importance to society than selling glue and sandpaper. If I insisted he come to Columbus, hes soon resent me and If I turned down my offer there to stay here with him, Id soon feel Id given up too much after having worked so hard for my doctorate. I have to be true to my own vision of a fulfilling life.

Millie and Harry flew back and forth for a year or so but eventually drifted apart and met and married other lovers. Perhaps it was just as well they found someone else, for their careers meant more to them when they separated than the relationship.

PHILOSOPHICAL LOVE – (Purpose/Permanence) This third aspect of love includes the passion from the physical and the sense of belonging from the psychological as it continues to include crucial spiritual elements of a lasting love relationship. The lovers have matured beyond the limitations of psychological games that cause pain to become tender and compassionate. They live with a lasting sense of purpose and permanence in the affair for they know they belong together for life. The lovers support each other against all attackers; see the relationship as being spiritual and having mystical overtones. There is neither a desire to find a substitute sexual partner nor a determination to play a dominance game through which the lover is manipulated and used. Such a love affair has taken on a lovely patina of faith, hope and love as well as grace, a glow that is shared in mutual satisfaction. The development of love at this level takes time, although for many it comes long before the later stages of ones life. The whirling of two eccentric personalities around different centers of gravity sooner or later abraid a loving fit although for some time it may include considerable smoke and flying sparks! To best focus your love in the philosophical aspects of life, mature as a person and behave as a loving soul:

BECOME WARM AND ACCEPTING OF YOUR LOVER – Perceive the other as a viable and independent personality rather than as a second rate appendage to yourself.

BECOME ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTIVE OF KEY CHOICES – Help your lover become more and more knowledgeable and wise about lifes opportunities.

BECOME TOLERANT OF LIFES INEVITABLE GROWTH FRICTION – No two persons ever mature at the same rate – one will grow, causing tension and only later will the other catch up.

Its common for psychologists and counselors to recommend we accept the people we love for what they are. However, that isnt good enough for by accepting them as they already are, we may be condemning them to mediocrity. We must accept the persons we help for what they have the potential to become. Dont nag, of course, but help others mature consistently through the channels of fulfillment. Your spouse, your children and your friends and relatives deserve this of you.

Always accept the fact that you can control only one half of a relationship, your half, while your lover controls his or her half. Trying to control another adults half is a quick step to a relationship disaster for no individual worthy of love and respect will let a neurotic control freak dominate themselves, their children and their choices.

Remember;

The only way two lovers can agree all the time is when one them stops thinking.

The only way to keep an accepting lover is to become an accepting lover.

The fact that we disagree and occasionally quarrel doesnt mean we are not in love.

Two people in the very elastic harness of marriage seldom mature at the same rate and that spells trouble in many relationships. A woman whos been a secretary for twenty years and comes home one evening to announce shes been accepted in a law school program is rocking her familys boat. So is the middle manager who informs his kids, attending an exclusive and expensive private school, that hes taking a year off work to write a novel, that theyll have to attend a public school and stop buying designer clothes.

Growth friction can be compared to movement between the earths great tectonic plates. The silent, hidden movement can be so slow as to remain invisible for a long time although stresses keep building. Finally, the pressures become greater than the resistance and the landscape lurches into motion as an earthquake. Sometimes windows are broken and crockery smashed. Some long-standing buildings cannot take the strain and they collapse. Just as many marriages do when the relationship cannot stand the changes occurring in them because the lovers mature at different speeds and in different directions.

PROJECT ONE – LOVE LEVEL IDENTIFICATION To discover the level of your love for another person, physical, psychological or philosophical, in the pleasure/pain, power/prestige or purpose/permanence aspects of existence, complete this project.

FIRST – Relax comfortably in a chair or on a bed. Visualize in your mind the image of the person you now love or most recently loved in an adult relationship. Think of the reasons you loved this person, recall his or her good points in the physical, psychological and philosophical aspects of life. Fix the image of that lover firmly in your mind.

SECOND – Accept the fact or a terrible tragedy.

Through an automobile accident or an unexpected illness, your lover dies suddenly. He or she is gone – theres no doubt about it. You are left alone. Accept your loss, mourn it deeply, feel frustration and anger but in time you realize you must continue living. There is your job to do and children to love, friends to support – so you start adapting despite the deep loss.

THIRD — Receive a great gift from God. Through the remarkable science of cloning, God offers you a perfect double of that dear, lost lover. The clone is perfect in every detail. He or she looks talks and thinks like the lover, makes love the same way and supports you in the same manner. He or she wants your support also.

There is only one catch in your miracle. You and your newly restored lover didnt share the mutual experiences and relationships you had in the past. Both the good and the bad are missing from the relationship you and your original lover shared. You are starting at square one now.

NOW — To identify the level at which your current love is operating, transfer your love to the newly cloned lover. Tell how you shall do that.

If you can readily transfer your love to the new lover, your love is operating at the pleasure/pain or physical level.

If your love can be transferred with some new experiences and a growing relationship, it is functioning at the power/prestige or psychological level.

If your love cannot be transferred without an entire galaxy of mutually satisfying experiences, your love is currently at the purpose/permanence or the philosophical level.
About the Author

Jard & Roberta DeVille; Taught leadership psychology at the University of Arizona; published psychology books, seminars & psychological assessment instruments. They wrote Lovers For Life and other Courses/books together. Visit http://www.fulfillmentforum.com for FREE Courses and E-Commerce Tools.

The Internet Provides a Virtual Classroom

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:52:06 +0000

Do you have a passion for a certain subject? Maybe you want to know more about elephants or the computer code to create computer games. You can find information about any of your interests online. The Internet not only provides basic information on any subject, but also lesson plans, activities, and real world examples. It is a privilege and adventure to have such robust information at your fingertips.

The Internet is a virtual classroom. You can read about any topic you desire. You can take online tests and quizzes to track your progress. You can access free worksheets and lesson plans. The amount of information can be overwhelming. Lets take a look at the advantages of different virtual classroom resources.

Online Reference Resources:
Reference resources include information from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and any scholarly journal or publication. The advantage of this information is that it is credible, well respected academic information. It is like having the entire library in your computer. Instead of flipping page and page trying to find your information in heavy, dusty books, you can easily search the electronic versions with keywords.

Online Activities:
Online activities can extend learning outside of the traditional classroom. You can check out websites for museums and places all over the world. Need information about England for your next geography report? You can search for British history in the reference resources and then experience Englands attractions through online travel

adventures. You can view pictures of Britains landmarks and attractions.

Online activities in math and science involve puzzles and science projects. Have a blast solving logic or number puzzles. Learn more about science by checking out online science experiments. Many websites have step-by-step instructions for science experiments using items you can find in your own home. Become a mad scientist in no time flat.

Online Tutors:
Sometimes, no matter how much information you read, you still dont understand a topic. For example, you have read about how to solve a long Algebra problem, but keep getting stuck on one step in the problem. You need one-on-one help with a live person. Youre in luck. Many homework help websites offer live tutors. You can connect through a website “whiteboard” and ask them your questions in real time. You can also submit questions to forums and have a tutor e-mail you an answer.

The Internet provides a virtual classroom that you can access from your own home, school, or library. The virtual classroom never sleeps, so you can find an answer to your question any time day or night. The Internet classroom is waiting. Are you ready to be its student? Katie Robbins, independent author for Degreeclick.com, specializes in writing articles about online education. Some of the topics she covers include: online universities and tips on getting an online masters degree.

The Happiest Place On The Planet – Disney

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:51:04 +0000

The Happiest Place On The Planet – Disney
As seen in Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine..com
Read the entire feature for free with photos at:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/family/florida/disney/florida.html

Growing up in California I remember my family trips to Disneyland at a time when tickets corresponded to the first five letters of the alphabet. The most treasured tickets among these were the E-Tickets, which we used to ride Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion . To mark Southern Californias Disneyland s 50th anniversary, Walt Disney World kicked off “The Happiest Celebration on Earth” in grand style at Disney theme parks around the world.

Our family is on hand to witness the anniversary preparations at the Disney Parks in Florida , featuring several unique shows and attractions from around the world. We like to stay close to the attractions at Downtown Disney, yet away from the traffic. The spacious Comfort Inn in Lake Buena Vista, Florida , is less than two miles from Downtown Disney, and within walking distance to restaurants and shops. Amenities include continental breakfast at their onsite restaurant, a bar, game room, sparkling pools, and free transportation to Disney Parks.

We’re pleasantly surprised upon arriving at our room moments after checking in to find an attendant with the roll-away bed we requested. Before heading out to Disney we enjoy a FREE Deluxe Continental Breakfast in the Boardwalk Buffet Restaurant. The restaurant also features a Kids Eat Free program, and Early Bird & Senior breakfast & dinner

specials.

Arriving early at Magic Kingdom, I find myself standing front of Cinderellas castle imagining the bright-eyed children watching the spectacular musical show imported from Tokyo Disneyland for the “Cinderellabration.” I cant wait to return with our niece so she can meet Disneys most beloved princesses, wholl gather for a coronation and “happily-ever-after” story of Cinderella after each magical show. I couldnt resist a ride on Aladdins magical carpet on our visit to Agrabah in Adventureland. The ride made me think of the Arabian Nights, which inspired us to visit the themed dinner show that evening.

The Arabian Nights Dinner Attraction, located at 6225 W. Irlo Bronson Memorial Hwy. in Kissimmee (800/553-6116; www.arabian-nights.com), brings a fairy tale to life before your eyes with 60 extraordinary horses and Walter Farleys Black Stallion. After a graceful belly dancer entertained us we settled into the arena where performers, dressed in elaborate costumes performed amazing stunts with the grace of ballerinas and the skill of acrobats on the back of horses. Adding a special touch to the tasty feast and magical show was the parade of horses galloping into the arena with the performers as the show closed.

Read the entire feature for free with photos at:
http://www.jetsettersmagazine.com/archive/jetezine/family/florida/disney/florida.html

- By Melody Schubert, Indianapolis Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

About the Author

- By Melody Schubert, Indianapolis Correspondent. Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com

The Ever-Enticing Comox Valley

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:49:03 +0000

Ski, golf and fish all in the same day. You can be knee-deep in snow and then within half an hour be dusting the snow off your boots on a green golf course, or kayaking through clear blue waters, or catching fat trout.
The Comox Valley lies between the Beaufort Mountains and the Strait of Georgia, on the edge of some of the most stunning wilderness settings on the East Side of Vancouver Island. You can ski, golf and fish all in the same day. You can be knee-deep in snow and then within half an hour be dusting the snow off your boots on a green golf course, or kayaking through clear blue waters, or catching fat trout. It is a collection of rolling mountains, alpine meadows, rushing rivers, lakes, forests, farmland and more than 40 green parks and has some of the best hiking trails on Vancouver Island. The lush, temperate rainforest is perfect for hiking, mountain biding and horseback riding.

The Mount Washington Alpine Resort is a 30-minute drive from Courtenay and has one of the highest snowfalls of any ski hill in North America. Winter activities include downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snow shoeing, snow tubing, tobogganing and luge. The resort offers 55-kilometers of cross-country trails and downhill skiers have more than 50 trails and eight chairlifts. The resort has an internationally recognised snow school program.

The Comox Valley has many sandy beach ideal for swimming in the summer and beachcombing year round. The summer westerly winds and sheltered waters of the Strait of Georgia make ideal conditions for boating and sailing. Salt and fresh water sport fishing is one of the valley’s biggest attractions. The well-stocked lakes, countless rivers and protected waters contain salmon, red snapper and halibut, as well

as cutthroat trout and steelhead.

Jacques Cousteau rated the waters near the Comox Valley as the second best cold water diving destination in the world. It is also a thriving centre for arts and culture with four major museums, live theatre, and an active artists’ community. It is one of the most diverse recreation destinations in BC.

The valley stretches approximately 50-km along the coast from Fanny Bay to Saratoga Beach. It is home to deer and black bears, cougars, Roosevelt Elk and wolves. The ocean waters support a large population of seals and sea lions. Bird life is prolific; bald eagles, Blue herons, hawks, Trumpeter swans, owls, and countless song and marine birds inhabit or visit the area’s marshes, fields, forests and waterways.

The Comox Valley is one of BC’s top year-round travel destinations, famous for its stunning scenery. The region is renowned for its prehistoric fossils and the Courtenay and District Museum is a major centre of paleontology in British Columbia.

Comox Valley is known as the Valley of Festivals, with more than 50 festivals taking place each year.

About the Author

Margot B is a writer & web site designer – has written a book and 100s of articles specializing in health and the environment. mailto:margotb@wonderport.com
Web sites: http://www.worldisround.com/home/margotb/index.html http://websitebldg.tripod.com/
http://margotb.tk
http://margotbworldnews.tk
http://nuchatlaht.tk

The Best of Walt Disney World

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:49:00 +0000

So you’re headed to Walt Disney World … but where to start? Disney offers such a wealth of fantastic resorts, restaurants, and top-drawer entertainment experiences it can be difficult to choose which fantasy you wish to indulge. How best can you plan a visit in which each day comes with the finest Disney has to offer? Here are a few tips that can make the difference between a mediocre trip and a fantastic one:

Best Time of Year for a Disney Vacation
If at all possible plan a trip to Disney during the slower seasons of the year when you’ll find half-filled parks, little waiting in line, and lower hotel rates. If you can stand the guilt and your children are good students, take them out of school, whatever, to avoid the busiest times of the year. If not, the summer months or holidays are certainly better than nothing and, with a bit of planning and a lot of energy, can be more than enjoyable. These are the least busy times of the year: the second week of January through the first week of February (avoiding the Martin Luther King holiday weekend in January); the third week of August until the beginning of October; the month of November excluding Thanksgiving weekend; the week after Thanksgiving until the week of Christmas, a special time when the parks and resorts are festively decorated for the holidays.

Best Deluxe Resort
Disney’s flagship resort, The Grand Floridian, with its red-gabled roofs and Victorian elegance, draws inspiration from the grand Florida seaside “palace hotels” of 19th-century America’s Gilded Age. Just a short monorail ride to the Magic Kingdom, it spreads along the shore of the Seven Seas Lagoon, offering spectacular views of Cinderella’s Castle and the Wishes fireworks display.

Best Home Away From Home Property
Disney’s Home Away From Home Resorts are a great choice for those who want a vacation with all the amenities including a full kitchen, living room, and a bath for each bedroom. For outstanding atmosphere choose the Villas at Wilderness Lodge with its Bay Lake location and national park character or the new Beach Club Villas conveniently located next-door to Epcot’s International Gateway.

Best Resort For Access to the Parks
Disney’s Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian Resorts offer monorail access to the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, and the Ticket & Transportation Center.

Best Resort For Nature Lovers
Wilderness Lodge is Disney’s dramatic depiction of an early 1900s national park resort. In its awesome eight-story lobby are walls of ponderosa pine logs, a massive 82-foot tall fireplace, and two authentic 55-foot Pacific Northwest totem poles. Outside is a breathtaking scene of sparkling waterfalls, rushing creeks, towering pines, and Disney’s very own geyser. And it’s all only a boat ride away from the Magic Kingdom.

Best Resort Pool
Stormalong Bay, the eye-popping free form, mini-water park complex at Disney’s Yacht and Beach Club, is simply divine. Three acres of winding, watery delight, it offers sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” water slide, a tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to the beach, and enough waterway to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s content.

Best Resort Lounge
California Grill Lounge on the 15th floor at Disney’s Contemporary Resort offers unrivaled views of the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon along with cocktails, sushi, and a view of the Wishes fireworks display.

Best Disney Attractions For Thrill Seekers
For a shot of adrenaline head to Disney-MGM Studios, where thrill junkies
beeline it to the Tower of Terror for a 13-story bungee-style plummet. Next-door is the
Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster that rockets from 0 to 60 mph in less than 3 seconds then loops
and corkscrews in the dark through a Hollywood night. It’s a scream come true!

Best Way to Spend an Evening Without the Kids
If you’re a registered guest of a Disney resort, drop off the kids at one of their child care centers for around $10 an hour per child where they are given dinner along with classic Disney movies, arts and crafts, and video games. If your child is under 4 or not potty trained, call Kid’s Nite Out at 407-827-5444 for in-room childcare. Then head to one of Disney’s world-class restaurants. For fine dining in a stunning setting combined with virtually flawless service choose Victoria and Albert’s at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort. Here you’ll dine on white linen covered tables set with Royal Doulton china and crystal wine glasses to the strains of enchanting harp music.

Best Way to Spend an Evening

Away From the Parks
The addition of the West Side and Pleasure Island to Disney Marketplace created what is now known as the wildly successful Downtown Disney, a combination of over 70 scene-setting restaurants, shops, and nightclubs. During the day it’s a perfect getaway from the parks, but at night after the parks close, Downtown Disney comes alive. At Disney Marketplace you’ll find A-plus shopping, the largest Disney Store in the world, and the volcano-smoking Rainforest Cafe. Pleasure Island is a nighttime mecca with 8 clubs and a nightly New Year’s Eve celebration. And then there’s the West Side, loaded with dining and entertainment venues including Wolfgang Puck Cafe, House of Blues, Gloria Estefan’s Bongos, Cirque du Soleil, and Disney Quest.

Best Restaurant For Kids
Dine among crashing waterfalls, lush tropical foliage, and dripping vines while being bombarded with thunderstorms and noisy Audio-Animatronic wildlife at the Rainforest Cafe. Or head to the Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge for an all-you-care-to-eat blow-out of rib-stickin’ barbecue served piping hot in iron skillets accompanied by plenty of hootin’ and hollerin’. Kids love the crazy show put on by the hobby horse-racing waiters outfitted in western attire who can’t resist making a huge production out of serving food, birthday celebrations, and those unfortunate enough to leave for the restroom.

Best Disney Resort Restaurant
The California Grill on the 15th floor of Disney’s Contemporary Resort is a definite highlight for any connoisseur of cutting-edge cuisine. The immense windows present an unbeatable panorama of the Magic Kingdom and the Seven Seas Lagoon and on many nights picture-perfect views of the Wishes fireworks show. From pristinely fresh sushi to the exceptional New American Cuisine to sensational desserts and the outstanding California wine list, this place has it all.

Best Theme Park Restaurant
In Epcot’s France Pavilion is Bistro de Paris, a charming Belle

The American Edinburgh

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:47:06 +0000

The American Edinburgh

Edinburgh is a lovely place to visit and to live in. Voted as one of the nicest and most picturesque cities in Europe it gives a sense of wonderment to all that roam the streets for adventure, relaxation or just plain having to go to work. Large buildings stand majestically next to the older and less imposing structures, each complimenting the other. Windy streets cross easily over the new whilst cobblestones fit easy patterns next to newly laid tarmac. All who visit gain a real sense of living for the future and of being part of history and culture that is ever so much part of what Edinburgh is all about today!

Edinburgh as the Capital of Scotland has an extremely large and important financial community and structure. Education with many well known and respected Universities brings many an International Student to Edinburgh, and Museums and historic sites brings tourists in droves at any time of the year. Yes, the old sits well with the new in an old City steeped in culture and vibrating with future prospects and everlasting importance in global stature.

Edinburgh has an excellent transportation system partly built around the Double Decker Bus. It was on one of these that an American Couple sat having recently arrived in Edinburgh on a Tourist Package from some corner of the USA. Typically American they sat there discussing the sights as they passed them and tried in the time allotted to read all in the 101 guide books that were sprayed all over their seats, the floor and neighboring chairs.

Nothing unusual you may say? And you are right! American tourists make up a large portion of visitors to Edinburgh. Japanese, Australians and fellow EC Members make up the rest. I suppose though that Americans and Japanese tourists tend to stand out more than do the French or German visitors. For example, one will always spot a Japanese tourist from miles away as he is invariably bowed under a mass of tangled cameras and supports as he tries to get a photograph of Princess Street or the Royal Mile. At that point the observer always becomes surprised at the size and scale of the equipment wondering what has happened to the ‘Instamatic that was heralded as the equal to all else! Yes, Japanese tourists are always well noted for carrying cameras of disproportionate dimensions and seem to struggle in their efforts to set them up suitably.

Regardless, let us return to Americans. Yes, Americans tend to come to Edinburgh for special reasons and one of these is to “find their roots”. Find the Tartan of McDougal as three hundred years ago they were once related or so they say…..All Americans have Scottish Roots! Strange but true! Others come just as tourists but well equipped with all that America

has to offer on the touristic spots of Edinburgh and then they buy more on arrival. Maps, guide books and tape dialogues seem to pour out of their pockets, their hair and any other place that one could possible imagine. They do in fact seem to spend more time pouring over these advice leaflets than actually looking at the historic sites under review.

Well, on this fine day the two Americans sat far back on the bus trying to find a picture and associated literature regarding the Scott Monument. Unfortunately and as typical in this sort of situation the bus meandered along at a rapid pace and turned onto the road that leads past Waverly Station (Edinburghs Rail Station) and up and around to the Bridges and what would then lead onto The Royal Mile and the Old City.

If one passes the entrances to The Station it is typical to have the amazing and wonderful site of the old and famous castle of Edinburgh on the left and high up, and the station on the right and low down (not easy to distinguish). So one would normally watch and look at the Castle on the right or the Bank of Scotland Building ahead or some other historical site of wonderment that graces the whole city. Our American friends of course where busy with their books and pamphlets, having now found the Scott Monument but discarded that as it was well and far behind them by then.

Edinburgh Castle receives well over 1,000,000 million visitors every year and is where the famous and yearly Military Tattoo is held during the Festival Period. Built on the Rock, which was first used long before the Romans ever thought about sailing up the Forth River the oldest and still remaining building is over 900years old. As one of Britains biggest Tourist attractions its long and turbulent history is well documented and reveals that never once was the castle taken by storm. The Castle to this day stands alone and proud above the Capital of Scotland, showing to all a symbol of all that is Scottish.

As the Bus turned away from Princess Street and passed the Railway Station, the husband having momentarily forgotten his search for the relevant literature and having accidentally glanced out of the window, was in immediate awe of the castle as they sailed under it. Turning to his wife who was bent in a double-jointed manner under the seat and presumably looking for the book titled “Edinburgh Castle” he said in a voice filled with respect and awe, “darling, do you know why they built the castle so near to the railway station?”

Ieuan Dolby
October 2002

Born Edinburgh 1967. Fifteen Years at sea travelling the world on Merchant Vessels and Now living in Taiwan writing books and Web Master of http://www.seadolby.com

Theres More to Orlando than Disney

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:46:02 +0000

Orlando is one of the top tourism destinations in the world. It features Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and Sea World. People come from every continent to take in these famous theme parks, and especially to meet Big Mickey.

But there is another Orlando, a city full of unexpected smaller attractions, that you might want to take in when you want something a little different or just a break from the crowds at Disney World.

Kissimmee Rodeo. http://www.ksarodeo.com

No, thats not a misprint. The rodeos of the west have come to the south-east – and they are just as much fun. Try this for something different.

Inland manatees. http://www.floridastateparks.org/bluespring/default.asp

People often forget that Florida is more than just one big theme park and the host to spring brake excess. It is also home to many natural wonders. Blue Spring State Park is tucked in between Orlando and Daytona Beach. Although it is an inland park, they have 153 manatees this season, more than ever before.

Private Villa Rentals. http://www.lastminutevillas.net

You dont have to crowd the family into a cheap motel room in the Orlando region. Nowhere in North America are there so many private villas for rent (vacation home rentals). Look also for rental villas in Orlando at http://www.orlandovillaowners.com.

Mystery Dinner. http://www.sleuths.com/Directions.html

Half way between Orlando and Disney World, its no mystery why this show packs a full house. This is your chance to participate in a real murder mystery

Farm animal adventure. http://www.greenmeadowsfarm.com

Every child loves to pet animals.

No, it does not replace Walt Disney World, but it might make a nice little break in the middle of the Disney excitement, and it is just a short distance south of the Disney park.

Ahoy there, Captain. http://www.piratesdinneradventure.com

Not just the manatees have found their way inland. There are pirates in Orlando, and they offer an interactive family dinner spectacle.

Riverboat Cruise. http://www.rivershipromance.com

Its not the Mississippi, but the “Rivership Romance” cruises along the St. Johns River, providing a first-hand connection with Floridas rich, natural heritage. Dining and dancing accompany the natural beauty.

A taste of Chicago. http://www.alcapones.com

Dont be surprised if you wind up eating with a gangster or two. Or if the police burst in on your dinner to make a bust. This is a living tribute to the legendary Gangland Chicago, and you are invited to participate in the action.

Its a pity that these gems hide in the shadow of Planet Earths biggest theme park . You wont want to miss Walt Disney World, but take some time out to see what others have missed. Your friends back home will be impressed.

About the Author

David Leonhardt is a freelance writer, and an online and offline publicity specialist. Contact him at:
mailto:info@thehappyguy.com
or visit his website at:
http://www.thehappyguy.com
For Disney vacation villa rentals:
http://www.lastminutevillas.net/Disney-vacation.html
For other Florida vacation home rentals:
http://www.lastminutevillas.net/enquiry.html
Info@thehappyguy.com

Take the Grandchildren to Walt Disney World

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:45:00 +0000

What better opportunity to spoil the grandchildren than a trip to “The Most Magical Place on Earth”. And spoil them you can with so many things to see and do that children as well as adults will absolutely love. It’s a vacation guaranteed to create lasting memories. Here are some suggestions that will make this very special trip one to remember for a lifetime:

Book a Resort with a Great Pool
Kids love swimming pools, and Disney resorts come with some of the best. Children’s favorites: the Volcano Pool at Disney’s Polynesian Resort featuring a smoking volcano slide, underwater music, and sparkling waterfall, all with a superb view of the Seven Seas Lagoon; the Wilderness Lodge’s boulder-lined pool featuring glistening waterfalls, rocky overlooks, a fun water slide, and nearby geyser; the eye-popping Stormalong Bay, a mini-water park complex that meanders between the Yacht and Beach Club, offering three acres of winding, watery delight including sandy bottom pools, a giant “shipwreck” waterslide, tidal whirlpool, bubbling hot tubs, a kiddie pool with its own slide next to the beach, and enough length to float lazily in inner tubes to your heart’s delight.

Start Your Day Together at a Character Breakfast
If you’re traveling with young children, at least one or two character meals are a must. These extremely popular dining spots, offered at both the theme parks and the Disney resort hotels, are a perfect way for the grandchildren to spend extra time with their favorite characters. Young ladies don their favorite Disney princess costumes at Restaurant Akershus in Epcot’s Norway pavilion to dine with Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, and Belle, while both boys and girls alike adore the Fantasyland breakfast offered at the Magic Kingdom’s Cinderella’s Castle. Just be sure to call 407-WDW-DINE exactly 90 days prior at 7 a.m. Eastern time to assure yourselves a spot at these coveted venues.

Head Over to Ft. Wilderness for a Campfire Sing-along
Gather round the campfire each evening at Disney’s Ft. Wilderness for a sing-along, marshmallow roast,

and a Disney animated movie. It’s complimentary to all Walt Disney World resort guests.

Start Your Day Early at the Magic Kingdom
Each morning one of Disney’s theme parks opens an hour early only for guests staying at a Disney resort. The Magic Kingdom’s early open days are Sunday and Thursday, a perfect opportunity to knock off the children’s attractions in Fantasyland where waits can sometimes be extremely lengthy during normal park hours.

Don’t Miss the Magic Kingdom’s Afternoon Parade and Evening Fireworks Presentation
The wonderful Share a Dream Come True parade is Disney’s best where giant floats topped with rotating globes, twinkling lights, and live Disney characters are accompanied by over a hundred walking characters and a medley of classic Disney songs. And the Jiminy Cricket narrated nighttime fireworks display is probably the most magical experience in all of Disney.

Take a Spin on a WaterMouse Boat
Rent one of these two-seater mini-power boats for zipping around one of Disney’s waterways. The grandkids will love you for it. They’re available at the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, the Yacht and Beach Club, Downtown Disney, and the Wilderness Lodge.

Head to a Water Park for a Splashing Good Time
Disney has two of the most fantastic water parks imaginable, Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon, each offering their own brand of wonder. At Blizzard Beach you’ll find quite a few tame attractions along with wild, rushing water and death-defying slides. Typhoon Lagoon offers a whopper of a surf pool. But both have wonderful children’s areas with smaller versions of the adult attractions. There are even areas for the adolescent set

Cara Goldsbury is the author of The Luxury Guide to Walt Disney World: How to Get the Most Out of the Best Disney Has to Offer available at 800-247-6553, www.luxurydisneyguide.com, Amazon.com, or your local bookstore. Visit her at www.luxurydisneyguide.com.

Superbreak teams up with Days Out UK to offer

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:43:07 +0000

Short break specialist superbreak.com is offering all new customers a year’s free membership to ‘Days Out UK’ (http://www.daysoutuk.com/ ) worth