Posts for World Travel Category

Yet More to see and do in Rome

World Travel - Amanda - January 7, 2014

319596_10100358489097351_1094699887_nRome is a city that really has to be experienced once in your life. The saying was – “See Rome and Die!” Rome is a city that was once the centre of an empire and it shows in terms of the sheer number of monuments and attractions it has. A beautiful city on its own in terms of its architecture, this intrinsic beauty is taken to the next level when paired with buildings and sites that have been around for hundreds of years, and in some cases millennia. When a person comes to Rome they also have a chance to sample firsthand the Roman passion and the unique energy of its citizenry. Yet more to see and do in Rome includes:

Basilica di San Clemente

Via Labicana 95 | Rome

The Basilica di San Clemente is an intriguing building in the sense that it is by all accounts a church built upon a church, built upon a church, built upon a church. The first church built there was a 2nd century pagan temple, which was later built over by a 4thcentury church, which later ended up underneath a 12th century church. Visiting the Basilica gives the opportunity to see remains of all 3 previous structures. The Basilica can be found near to the Colesseo metro station and is open daily, but closed for masses, at lunch time.

Gianicolo Hill

Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi | Rome, Italy

West of the Tiber River is Gianicolo Hill which provides a great locale to look over the city and relax. Your view from the hill top will gaze over all the wealth of beauty Rome has to offer. Some of the best places to look from are near Renaissance villa, the villa Lante as well as the Piazza Garbaldi.

Campo de’ Fiori

Piazza Campo de’ Fiori | Rome

The campo De Fiori has two existences, one during the day as a bustling market place and the other as one of Rome’s most concentrated areas for nightlife. Writers say that the Campo de’ Fiori has retained the same qualities and appearance that it had back since the early 1800’s when it also was a market and a place for people to congregate. Travelers call this one of the best people watching spots in the city and a great place to get fresh veggies by day and revel in Rome’s night life as the sun sets.

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Museums of Ottawa

World Travel - Amanda - December 2, 2013

Being the capital of Canada Ottawa is a city that is filled with a variety of different museums. Amongst the various museums that the city boasts are a museum of nature, war, aviation and space, and local history. Whatever your particular set of interests are there is world class museum that will cater to them. So after you have seen Parliament Hill and Rideau Canal it is time to start hitting the museums of Ottawa. If museums are a large of interest of yours you will leave Ottawa having learned a lot. Some of the various museums of Ottawa include.

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Canadian Museum of Nature
240 Rue McLeod, Ottawa
The mystery of nature surrounds us each day. For those interested in looking towards it there is much intrigue and in some circumstances almost magic to be found. A trip to the Canadian Museum of Nature will help you learn more about the fantastic forces of nature that surround us – often unnoticed – daily. A great place to bring smaller children, the Museum is bright, modern and has exhibits that offer quality information for adults but that are also visually arresting enough to interest younger kids. Different exhibits will give visitors the chance to learn more about prehistoric fossils, wildlife, and insects. Other highly visited sections of the museum include the mammal gallery and the bird gallery – the latter of which has the largest collection of Canadian birds in the world. The Canadian Museum of Nature is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and costs around $10 dollars for admission.

Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place, Ottawa
Located on the slopes facing the Ottawa River the Canadian War Museum commemorates Canada’s various military conflicts. Wars that are remembered in varied exhibits include the Indian and French War, the war of 1812, and both World Wars. There is even a section that talks about little known victims of Canadian wars such as the thousands of interned Japanese during the Second World War. Stoic in design and somber in mood the museum does not gloss over the fact that many of the Canadian conflicts ended in tragedy. The Canadian War Museum is located just to the west of Parliament Hill and is open from 9 am to 6 pm – and 9:30 pm on weekends – at a cost of around $12 dollars.

Canada Aviation and Space Museum
11 Aviation Parkway | Ottawa, ON
The Canada Aviation and Space Museum houses Canada’s largest collection of vintage air crafts. The main exhibition hall, called “Walkway of Time” follows Canadian aviation from its development at the start of the 20th century till the present day. With more than a 100 varied planes there is a range of specific examples to highlight how aviation has grown and changed over the years. The Museum is located in Ottawa’s eastern suburbs – around 5 miles from Parliament Hill and is open daily from 10 a.m until 5 p.m. at a cost of around $9 dollars.

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Touring Around Detroit

Stories and Travel Info, World Travel - Amanda - November 12, 2013

Some say that Detroit has gone on to hard times after recently declaring civil bankruptcy. Though this cannot rightfully be denied, it cannot be denied either that the home of Motown and the heart of automotive industry in the US still has things to offer to visitors. Becoming more and more a haven for artists there is a great art scene developing in the lower rent studios and art spaces around the city. A few different things to do in Detroit include.

Detroit-Institute-of-Arts

Detroit Institute of the Arts
5200 Woodward Avenue
Dating back to 1885 the Detroit Institute of Arts is a massive complex that includes 100 galleries, an 1,150 seat auditorium and a 380 seat lecture hall. With an extensive and well praised permanent collection that includes works such as Vincent Van Gogh’s “Self Portrait” and Diego Rivera’s “Detroit Industry.” The institute also regularly uses its auditorium to host different Friday night concerts as well as once a month brunches with Bach! Visitors to the institute compare it favorably with art galleries around Europe and the US in far larger cities. What is highly lauded is ipads being given to patrons so they can use them to learn more about the art they are viewing. The museum is closed on Monday and Tuesdays and is open from 10 am to 5 pm the remaining days. Admission costs $8 dollars for adults.

Motown Historical Museum
2648 West Grand Boulevard
From 1959 to 1972 Detroit’s Motown record label was a virtual hit making machine. With recording artists under their label such as the Supremes, the Temptations and the Jackson Five Motown helped create an entire genre of music that permanently changed the American music landscape. Now the Motown studios have been altered into a museum to commemorate this trend setting label. The original interior has been kept the same and tour guides can now walk people through Motown delivering tales of the studio in its hay day and the different stars that walked its halls. Perhaps, though the greatest moment to be enjoyed is actually walking into the recording studios where so much hit music was created. The Motown museum can be found on West Grand Boulevard in the Boston Edison Historic District, it is open from 10 am to 6 pm and admission costs around $10 dollars. The museum is closed on Mondays.

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Cusco the Gem of Peru

Best Destinations, World Travel - Amanda - October 10, 2013

Truly one of the most stunning cities of Peru, and South America for that matter, is Cusco. Filled with a variety of ancient temple, monuments and plazas on its own Cusco is a place that definitely must be visited. Combine all of this with Cuzco’s proximity to Manchu Picchu – the famous Inca capital – and you have a very special vacationing location indeed. Though most visitors focus on seeing Manchu Picchu it is a mistake not to enjoy the sights and sounds of Cusco as well! A few of the best things to do in Cusco include.

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Plaza de Armas
Portal de Comercio, Historic Center
Plaza de Armas’ long history stretches back to the time of the Inca Empire. The Inca’s originally built this square – which had been twice its present size – for ceremonies and festivals. The Inca’s considered the plaza to be the exact centre of their empire. Within this very same square the Spanish conquistadors constructed both La Compañia and the Cathedral which both were built in the location of the former Inca Palace. In contemporary times visitors to the city enjoy the combination of both Spanish and Andean history as well as the overall buzz and energy that is in the plaza. Plaza de Armas is located in Cusco’s historic centre and is easy to locate.

Machu Picchu
Remarkable Manch Picchu was not discovered by the Spanish for hundreds of years during their South American conquest. The aptly named “lost city of the Incas” is a matrix of temples, aqueducts, and gardens that were hidden away in the mountains and hills of the Peruvian country side. A few of the most beloved locations within Manchu Picchu include Funeral Rock, the House of the Terrace Caretaker, the Temple of the Sun – which has a wealth of fantastic Incan masonry and architecture, the Temple of the Three Windows, which offers fantastic views over Machu Picchu from its trapezoidal lookouts. Last but not least visit the iconic Temple of the Condor, which was the ancient symbol of the Incans of the heavens. There are two ways to get to Manchu Picchu, either you can take the 24 mile trek along the Incan trail or take a Peru Rail train closer to the site. Trains depart every 15 minutes from downtown Cusco. Visitors must pick up a ticket from the Instituto Nacional de Cultural office in Cusco or Aguas Calientes for around $42 US dollars. Visitors are welcomes to Manchu Picchu from 6 am until 5 pm.

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Traveling in Bangkok

Stories and Travel Info, World Travel - Amanda - September 30, 2013

A city like none other Bangkok has an intriguing mixture of old world Asian heritage and modern, sometimes seedy, diversions. Each year, thousands upon thousands of visitors descend upon this city to enjoy its monuments, parties, and temptations. For those not as interested in Bangkok’s legendary party scene there are so many different museums and wonderful old buildings to visit. Things for all personality types are here to do, you just need to know where to look. A few more things to do in Bangkok include.

grand-palace

Grand Palace
Th Na Phra Lan | Bangkok, Thailand
The Grand Palace was built in 1782 as the home of the Kings of Siam. The palace is am immaculate structure that possesses several wonders that include its European and Thai fused architectural style and the 18 inch Emerald Buddha. All first time visitors to Thailand must see the Grand Palace, though other tourists warn that it is often heavily crowded and there are scam artists working. The palace complex is open from 8:30 am to 3:30 pm daily except when it is hosting special events. The cost of admission is around $11 US dollars.

Siam Paragon
1 Pathum Wan | Bangkok, Thailand
Once you have enjoyed the more traditional fairs of Bangkok perhaps you fancy a day of shopping. Especially on a hot afternoon the air conditioned halls of the Siam Paragon shopping centre may be calling to you. There is pretty much everything here with all types of restaurants, plenty of jewelry shops, interior design shops, clothes shops and any kind of shop you can think of. The mall even has an aquarium in it, as well as a great food court.  Travelers say it is easy to spend an entire day at this massive mall. The mall hours are from 10 am to 7 pm and it can be found out metro BTS SIAM station.

Siam Ocean World
991 Rama 1 Road | Bangkok
Located inside the Siam Paragon is the Siam Ocean World aquarium which has more than 30,000 different sea animals. Some of the aquarium’s locals include penguins, jellyfish, and even hammerhead sharks. The aquarium has plenty of special options as well like taking a fish spa, or a glass bottom boat rides, and even – if you have the nerve for it – swimming with sharks. Perhaps these add ons are a little expensive, so if you are on a budget it may be wise to skip out on those. Regular admission costs about $20 US dollars.

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