Borrego Springs is a small town in the middle of the Anza Borrego Desert State Park. Everyone there is proud that it is the largest state park in the US. The small town is located in a desert valley thus you can imagine how hot it can get during the summer. In fact, when looking over places to stay and eat, many mention that they are closed during the summer. I don’t blame them. We planned a one night stay a few weeks in advance. Borrego Springs Resort seemed the choice that combined reasonable prices and solid comfort so we went there ….

We made our way into town from Julian. Once on Borrego Springs road you would imagine that there would be a sign directing you to the resort. Well, no. Luckily, we spotted Tilting T drive as we sped down the road and made a quick turn. After a short drive we arrived at the resort and checked in. The resort was clean and basic. Our room was quite large. It had everyting we needed apart from a safe. The bathroom was well furnished. The bed was very comfortable. They only had very large pillows making it difficut to sleep if you are used to small pillows. The view outside the room displayed the desert in all its autumn beauty. The weather was perfect during our stay which helped. In the evening we spent some time at the pool. The pool was also very basic, not really resorty, but served its purpose. A full golf course is adjacent to the property but we did not take advantage of that. In the morning, continental breakfast was included. It was not very good. The coffee was bad. The view from the Arches restaurant though, where breakfast is served is absolutely magnificent. Service was quite solid.

All in all, for the price, this was a pretty good place to stay. When visiting Borrego Springs again, we would strongly consider staying here again. Note: The web site for the resort is very well done and looks much better than the actual place.

1112 Tilting T Drive P.O. Box 981 Borrego Springs CA 92004 888-826-7734

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

If you are planning on heading someplace as a hiker or backpacker or just looking to go on a local camping trip there are a few extra essentials that you can add to your kit to help with those unexpected things that turn up.

? Sarong
? Duct Tape
? Plastic Baggies
? Wet Naps or Baby Wipes
? Fold Down bag
? Plastic film canister that comes with each new roll of camera film
? Earplugs and eye mask
? Toilet paper

Many women have found the sarong to be an invaluable tool. You can use it as a skirt, head covering, bag, swimsuit, dress, towel, shawl, blanket, curtain for privacy and it can even be used as an impromptu bandage in case of injury. Duct tape explains itself. It can be your quick fix for numerous problems including a rip in your tent. Plastic baggies can hold everything from food to seashells found on the beach. Baby Wipes come in handy when you are short on running water. If you plan on making a lot of purchases a fold down bag can fold out and hold items for you. Those plastic film canisters make great medicine containers. Those who are on a long flight or in a hotel with paper thin walls will greatly appreciate earplugs and an eye mask. Last but certainly not least you can never know which places will run out of toilet paper right when you need to go, so always keep some on hand.

These are recommended extras that you can pick and choose from at length and will probable be more essential for some people, while merely being extra baggage for others. It?s really up to the traveler to decide what items they should add to personalize their travel kits, but my top three picks are duct tape, Baby Wipes and toilet paper.

Gail Leino is known throughout the internet world as Mrs. Party. She has become the internet’s leading authority on selecting the best possible party supplies with clever themes. Her simple party planning approach demostrates how to use proper manners while teaching etiquette with organizational skills. She shares lots of interesting fun facts. See travel vacations for more tips.

The Catalan town of Alghero is located on the Northwest coast of Sardinia. Known throughout the world for its stunning beaches and characteristic old town centre it is fast becoming one of Europe?s holiday hotspots. Alghero is an old fishing town that has embraced the tourist industry with two very large arms. Sprawling out along the coast line Alghero offers the tourist both the opportunity of a beach holiday or a small city break.

If you are looking to just relax and be somewhere that you can walk out the door and be on the beach you must stay in the Lido area. The Lido is Alghero?s own beach that runs all the way form Alghero to Fertilia, a small hamlet of Alghero. There are a number of hotels located in the area with sea views and private sun beds on the beach for residents. In the summer months the Lido comes to life with a number of bars, restaurants and pizzerias either on the beach or in the area and when the sun goes down you can find live music and parties on the beach.

For those who don?t want to be on the beach and want to experience a little more of the cultural side of Alghero there is the old town. Dating back to the 12th century the old town centre is truly something that must be seen to be fully appreciated. Have lunch along the battlements looking out to sea or take a stroll through the shops in the warren of cobble stone streets. There are a number of churches and historical places of interest to visit and many guided excursions to help make sure you do not miss anything.

The area of Alghero does of course spread beyond the boundaries of the city itself. There is Porto Conte with its natural wildlife reserve that spreads along the coast line in complete natural beauty. Reachable either by land or by boat excursion there is Capo Caccia and Neptune?s Grotto which is a must for any visitor to Alghero.

Away form the coast there is also much to see and do. Why not visit an Agriturismo, a working farm that has lodging and restaurant facilities serving up only produce from the farm.

As mentioned earlier Alghero is a Catalan town and although much of the cuisine available is Italian there are a few Catalan influences to be found. Why not try Paella Algherese or Catalan lobster (served cold with fresh tomato and onion). There are of course many Sardinian specialities to be tried such as roast suckling pig or Seadas, a pastry filled with Goats cheese and then dribbled with honey.

The climate in Alghero allows for a perfect vacation all year round. The summer months get up to about 35 degrees and throughout the day in the winter the temperature never drops much below 15 degrees.

A great place for children and adults alike, Alghero is definitely worth a visit.

For more Sardinian tourist information take a look at Sardinia – tourist information

Born in London Kirk Friis moved to Sardinia where he now lives with his wife and son.

Q. Where is Amorgos Island located?

A.= Amorgos Island is located in Greece in the archipelagos called CYCLADES.

Q. Is it near the Dodecanese Islands?

A.= Yes, it is.

Q. People say that Amorgos Island is quite ancient. How ancient is it?

A.= Life existed in Amorgos Island at the end of the Neolithic age.

Q. What type of life?

A.= Life was organized?people lived in an organized society ?a society with rules and traditions.

Q. Do we have proves of this statement?

A.= Of course, we have. Some excavations done in 1985 have shown that an organized society was living in Amorgos Island from the 4th millennium B.C.

Q. How many museums does Amorgos Island have?

A. Amorgos Island has only one museum.

Q. Where is the museum of Amorgos Island located?

A.= The museum of Amorgos Island is located in the town of HORA near of the center.

Q. People say that the Amorgos museum building itself represents a special attraction ?

A.= It is so indeed. The Amorgos museum building is a 16th century style building. It is a Venetian style building. This Amorgos museum building was the home of the Gavras family? a family of rich and famous merchants.

Q. What is to be seen in the Amorgos Island museum?

A.= The museum has an archaeological collection. The collection is made of a huge rang of antiquities from Bronze Age and from the Ancient World. The ground floor is organized to show a display of ancient pieces which are prehistoric finds. The first floor has a display of sculptures, tomb relief and lots of work of art from Historic period.

Q. How can we get in touch with the Amorgos Island museum, for more information?

A.= For further information, you can place a phone call at his phone number: 228 57 18 31 or call OTE the Greek phone company for an update on the number as phone numbers sometimes change.

Q. Is there a way of transportation to get to the Amorgos Island museum? A.= Yes. There is always a way of transportation to get to the Amorgos Island museums. There is bus service. You can also go by taxi if you live outside the center. The bus is also available if you are far from the center.

by S Pappas greekinfo@gmail.com

Rooms Apartments in Athens Greece Athensrooms.
Free Greek travel information traveling in Athens Greece. Athens hotels Greek Info.
Apartments in Athens Greece Self catering.

Ancient Athens versus modern Athens??? Could we marry those two antitheses without causing any disgrace? Could we be right to suspect that such a project may end up into showing a considerable lack of vision ?if not, a great lack of culture???? Ancient Athens versus modern Athens??….A question of great importance for tourists who wish to visit Greece?who wish to admire ancient Athens in its original ?dress??who wish to enjoy, at the same time, comfort and modernity in their daily life?

Modern Athens has succeeded to realize such a daring project without damaging its precious ancient atmosphere. We wouldn?t go further into this subject without underlining the presence of a woman at the head of the City Council : a modern young Lady, Mrs Dora Bakoyannis has been elected as the Mayor of modern Athens. Under her guidance, the City Council has developed numerous cultural activities taking place outside (at Summer Time, at Christmas Time, at Easter Time?). Does the year 2004 remind you anything? ?2004? a magic year for modern Athens.

2004? has inspired thousands of artists and workers to create a new look for their city. Modern Athens began to project her new image: a new born city ready for the Olympics Games ? Ancient Athens and modern Athens were proud ?so were the citizens?ready to welcome the crowds of visitors. Many features have been developed to receive the guests: ?walking roads to visit Archaeological Sites ?additional restaurants, Bars, Caf?-Bars ?beaches have become accessible by Trolley ?the public transport system has highly improved ?construction of beautiful highways ?addition of many hotels and rooms in Athens.

From the Airport, you can get to Ancient Athens or modern Athens or to the suburbs) by using public Transport, limousines services or taxis?.Taxis and public transport are more than reasonable (a ticket for the Airport Express Line is 2.90 euros/good for 24 hours). Searching for a place to stay can be simplified with the Internet. Rooms in Athens and Greekster can provide you all information you need for a memorable visit to the land of your dream.

And know let?s play this ??quiz?? to verify our information :

1.The mayor of modern Athens is, A?.Peter Papandreou — B?.Dora Bakoyannis
2. The last Olympics games in modern Athens took place in the year, A?2000 — B?.2004
3.To visit the Archaelogical Sites, going from one place to another, A?. you have to go with the Trolley — B?.you can go on foot
4.The new metro stations look like, A?.a sky painted in blue — B?.a living museum
5.To get to Ancient Athens or modern Athens from the Airport, A?.you have to rent a car or?drive your own — B?you can use the metro
ANSWERS at to this article. Quiz: answers and comments
1.=A, 2.=B, 3.-=B, 4.=B, 5.=B
Comments: If you found, 5 answers = excellent, 4 answers = very good, 3 answers = you need to read more articles on this subject, 2 answers = you need to come to Greece 1 answer = Athens is waiting ?it can?t wait to be discovered by YOU.

This article is designed to help you in your search of Ancient Athens versus modern Athens. Greek travel travelling in Athens Greece free travel tips. thanks

by S Pappas greekinfo@gmail.com

Rooms Apartments in Athens Greece Athensrooms.
Free Greek travel information travelling in Athens Greece Greekster.
Apartments in Athens Greece Self catering.

Introduction

Aberdeen (The Granite City) is Scotland’s third largest city. Aberdeen is the chief commercial centre and seaport in the north-east of Scotland. It boasts the title of Oil Capital of Europe thanks to the plentiful supply of crude oil in the North Sea, and stands on a bay of the North Sea, between the mouths of the rivers Don and Dee.

History

Aberdeen grew up as two separate burghs – Old Aberdeen at the mouth of the Don and New Aberdeen, a fishing and trading settlement where the Denburn entered the Dee estuary. The earliest charter was granted by King William the Lion about 1179, confirming the corporate rights granted by David I. The city received other royal charters later. In 1319, the Great Charter of Robert the Bruce transformed Aberdeen into a property owning and financially independent community. The city was burned by Edward III of England in 1336, but was soon rebuilt and extended, and called New Aberdeen.

For many centuries the city was subject to attacks by the neighbouring lords, and was strongly fortified, but the gates were all removed by 1770. In the 18th century a new Town Hall was built, elegantly furnished with a marble fireplace from Holland and a set of fine crystal chandeliers and sconces. The 19th century was a time of considerable expansion. By 1901 the population was 153,000 and the city covered more than 6,000 acres (24 km?). In the late 18th century, the council embarked on a scheme of road improvements, and by 1805 George Street, King Street and Union

Street were open, the latter a feat of extraordinary engineering skill involving the partial levelling of St Catherine’s Hill and the building of arches to carry the street over Putachieside. The increasing economic importance of Aberdeen and the development of the shipbuilding and fishing industries brought a need for improved harbour facilities. During this century much of the harbour as it exists today was built including Victoria Dock, the South Breakwater and the extension to the North Pier.

Places of interest

The main places of interest for the tourists in Aberdeen are the museums, art galleries and the Scotland?s castle trails. Here is a list of interesting places in Aberdeen:

Aberdeen Art Gallery

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Castle Fraser

Craigievar Castle

Crathes Castle & Gardens

Dunnottar Castle

Fyvie Castle

Provost Skene House

Museums and Art Galleries

The city is blessed with amenities which cover a wide range of cultural activities and boasts a selection of museums. The Aberdeen Art Gallery houses a collection of Impressionist, Victorian, Scottish and 20th Century British paintings as well as collections of silver and glass. It also includes The Alexander Macdonald Bequest, a collection of late 19th century works donated by the museum’s first benefactor and a constantly changing collection of contemporary work and regular visiting exhibitions. Some of the other Aberdeen?s museums and art galleries are:

Aberdeen Art Gallery

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Provost Ross’ House

The Gordon Highlanders Museum

Marischal Museum

James Dun’s House

Museum of Education Victorian Classroom

Tolbooth Museum

Aberdeen Arts Centre

His Majesty’s Theatre 1906 (presently -2005- under renovation) is a fine granite theatre which provides a home for popular entertainments.

Shopping

The main shopping districts center on specialty shops on Chapel and Thistle streets and the well-known chains on George and Union streets. Of interest to collectors, Colin Wood, stocks furniture, wall clocks, and grandfather clocks from the 17th to the early 20th centuries. Someone may also want to browse through the eclectic mix of bric-a-brac antiques at Elizabeth Watts Studio, where items include glass, brass, antique jewelry, china, silver, and a few small furniture pieces. For one-stop gift shopping, drop in at Nova, which stocks china, silver jewelry, rugs, clothing, toys, cards, and gift paper.

Other interesting shops are Grandad’s Attic, which specializes in Art Deco ceramics and antique pine furniture; Just Scottish, retailers of quality items — all made in Scotland, including ceramics, knitwear, textiles, silver, and jewelry; and Alex Scott & Co. the town’s finest kiltmakers.

Food and Drinks

Although Aberdeen is a well renowned city, it does not have many restaurants in offer. Mainly all the restaurants and bars offer continental or British/Irish/Scottish cuisine. Some of the famous places for wine and dine are:

Elrond’s Cafe Bar

Ferryhill House

Howies Aberdeen

Martha’s Vineyard Bistro/The Courtyard Restaurant

Silver Darling

Education

The first of Aberdeen’s two universities, the University of Aberdeen, was founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland. The University of Aberdeen is Scotland’s third oldest, and the UK’s fifth oldest University.

Robert Gordon’s College (originally Robert Gordon’s Hospital) was founded in and in the 1990s became co-educational and a day-only school. It also produced the Robert Gordon Institute of Technology, which became The Robert Gordon University in 1992.

Gray’s School of Art, founded in 1886, is one of the oldest established colleges of art in the UK. Aberdeen College has several campuses in Aberdeen and offers a wide variety of part-time and full-time courses leading to several different qualifications. Northern College was a teacher training college with campuses in Aberdeen and Dundee. In 2000, the Aberdeen campus of Northern College became the University of Aberdeen School of Education. Aberdeen Grammar School, (now comprehensive, despite its name) founded in 1263 and one of the oldest schools in Britain.

Sports

Aberdeen Football Club was founded in 1903. Its major success was winning the European Cup Winners Cup in 1983 and three League Championships between 1980 and 1986. The club’s stadium is Pittodrie which holds the distinction of being Britain’s first all-seater stadium. Aberdeen F.C. holds the distinction of being the last team to have won the Scottish Premier League Championship outside the Old Firm and is the only Scottish team to have won two European trophies adding to their European Cup Winners Cup success by winning the European Super Cup also in 1983. Well known footballers who have played for the club include Gordon Strachan (Current Celtic manager), Alex McLeish (Current Rangers manager) and club legend Willie Miller. Denis Law, the joint top scorer for the Scotland national team was also born in the city, but spent his professional career playing for English and Italian clubs.

Aberdeen Golf Club was founded in 1815. It has two 18-hole courses at Balgownie, north of the River Don. There are other golf courses at Auchmill, Balnagask, Hazlehead and King’s Links.

Tours and Sightseeing

The Aberdeen Tourist Information Centre, where the staff can usually find just the right way to visit Aberdeen. Some other organized tours and travel agencies are there in the city. These tours are organized by the operators and vary from its contents, theme and price. The tours mainly feature the museums, art galleries, Scottish Castles etc.

Hotels and Accommodations

Because of increasing numbers of tourists and business travelers to the Granite City — Europe’s offshore oil capital and less number of hotels compare with tourists — hotels are likely to be heavily booked any time of year. So reservation in advance is a must before stepping to the city. Some of the Hotels in Aberdeen (ranging from Affordable to Luxury) are listed below:

Antrim Guest House

Station Hotel

Royal Hotel

Express by Holiday Inn Aberdeen

Thistle Aberdeen Caledonian

Copthorne Hotel Aberdeen

The Edwardian Hotel

Bimini Guest House

The Spires Serviced Suites

Thistle Aberdeen Altens

Summerhill Hotel and Suites

Macdonald Ardoe House Hotel

Britannia Hotel Aberdeen

Waterwheel Inn

Dyce Skean Dhu

Transport

There are four main roads serving the city: A90, A96, A93, A92, A90 now used as a tourist route.

The city’s original ring road, Anderson Drive, which was built in the 1930s has long since been engulfed by the expansion of the city, and is inadequate for dealing with today’s traffic. To this end, a new main bypass road, the Western Peripheral Route, is planned to divert through traffic away from the city centre. The road is due to open in 2010.

The city is well served by the national railway network. Aberdeen has regular rail services to Glasgow and Edinburgh as well as long distance trains to London via Edinburgh. It is possible to take the longest scheduled rail journey in the whole of the UK from Aberdeen. Regular trains also run north westerly towards Inverness and north to Dyce for the airport.

Aberdeen also has an airport in the neighbouring town of Dyce, which is operated by BAA plc. As well as connecting the city to the rest of the UK, Aberdeen Airport (sometimes refererred to as Dyce Airport) is the largest helicopter terminal in the world, serving the many North Sea oil installations. The IATA airport code for the airport is ABZ.

Biography

Name: Maria Williams
Occupation: Traveller
Website: http://www.sleepuk.com
Biography: Maria writes for Sleep UK – providers of discounted hotels to make your stay in the UK as comfortable as possible.

Many people travel during the holidays, as well as during vacations. Likewise, business deals are often made as a result of travel. When selecting a hotel, you can learn a lot–and improve your luck–from the Feng Shui of the building.

For example, is the hotel’s main door at the center, left side, or right side of the building? If the door is at the left side, you’ll probably get good advice about things to do and places to see in the area. If the door is in the center, it’s ideal for business travel. However, if you’re on vacation, the best location for a hotel’s door is on the far right side. In Black Hat Feng Shui, the far right side supports travel and indicates helpful people.

If the hotel has a concierge, he or she should be facing the front door. If the concierge has his or her back to the front door, or–worse–is positioned behind a column, don’t be surprised if you received a chilly reception and limited help. Then again, that may not be very important to you.

For the best experience, choose a hotel where the guest rooms open onto a corridor rather than directly to the outside. In Feng Shui terms, if you walk outdoors to your hotel room, the hotel management may not have a sense of connection to its registered guests.

In other words, once you’ve registered and arranged payment for the room, you may feel as if you’re on your own.

Hotel guest rooms can also indicate good or bad Feng Shui. The bed that you are going to sleep and should not be in direct line with the door; they rarely are. Likewise, if the bathroom is at the far left or far right corner of your room, ask for different floor plan. Any other placement of the bed and bath is fine.

Check the view from your window. If you’re only sleeping there overnight, any view is fine as long as it is not a slum. However, if the view is important, if you’ll conduct meetings in your room or suite, or if all you see is poverty, request a different room with a better view.

Many business travelers are phobic about staying in a room above the third floor. Therefore, those rooms are often empty and also provide some of the best views. In addition, if you stay on the top floor, you won’t have of the sound of footsteps overhead. Finally, in Feng Shui terms, higher rooms are generally better; there is less (literal) weight on top of you.

Consider the impression that you received upon entering the hotel as well as your guest room. Look for these Feng Shui signals: Lighting should be adequate, neither glaringly bright nor too dim. If a strong aroma indicates a heavy reliance on air fresheners, look for other signs of problems with housekeeping. From the moment you enter the hotel, you should feel comfortable, relaxed, and welcomed.

Keep in mind that most hotel chains use the same floor plans repeatedly. Therefore, you can visit hotels near your home before you travel. Whether your local hotels are Hiltons, Holiday Inns, Marriotts, or some other line, you can get a good idea of their typical Feng Shui, and what to expect at related hotels when you travel.

Once you have chosen a hotel chain that meets your standards and offers consistently good Feng Shui, make that your first choice when you travel. This will reduce stress by making travel planning simpler, and improve your travel experiences.

(c)2005, Aisling D’Art, Houston, TX

Aisling D’Art is an artist and a Feng Shui consultant. (Feng Shui is pronounced like fung shway. It is the Chinese art of design and placement.) She is the Feng Shui columnist for BellaOnline.com, and offers free Feng Shui advice at Shui To Go! – www.ShuiToGo.com

The modern four-star Parador here occupies its own small, pine covered peninsula that juts out into the Mediterranean Sea. This coast line – the Costa Brava – is spectacularly beautiful. Driving along here, you will come upon many enticing inlets and nearly hidden bays. Cute and timeless villages abound. It has been fairly well built up, but unlike some of the other Costas – it remains aesthetically pleasing.

The Parador Aiguablava provides accommodations that are very special. All bedrooms have incredible panoramic views of the turquoise waters below. There is a gymnasium, swimming pool, and a sauna. The grounds are a delight to stroll. You’ll dine in a sea-side dining room with incredible views. It specializes in seafood – and the cuisine is the finest and freshest available anywhere. A short walk brings you to your own beach. As well, you can arrange boat trips to completely private, nearby coves.

The Parador boasts a very nice game room, as well as a room that provides comfortable seating and accommodation for wireless connections to Internet for guests with laptop computers. There are an abundance of activities of which to partake in the area. Including; canoeing, golfing, mountain biking, parachuting and para-sailing, swimming, horseback riding, and trekking.

Interesting day trips include:

- Don’t miss the medieval villages of Pals and Peratallada – you’ll have them to yourselves on weekdays. Ullastret is the best preserved of the ancient Iberian settlements and is an archaeological work still in progress.

- Walk up to the lighthouse and hermitage at Sant Sebastia near Llafranc – you’ll be rewarded with spectacular views.

- The Dali Triangle is a must see for all art buffs. The southern point of the triangle is the Castell de Pubol – a Gothic-Renaissance mansion re-done by Dali in his outlandish and wonderful style. The other ‘points’ of the triangle are alluring Cadaques – where Dali lived for a time (several of his works are in the Cadaques museum) and Figueres, where is located perhaps Europe’s most unusual museum – the Teatre Museu Dali.

- If you are here in February, you can dress up in outlandish costume of your choosing and lose yourself in the carnival in the nearby town of Palamos.

- Visit the birds reserve of Aiguamols National Park.

The Parador of Aiguablava is a haven for lovers of the sea – and those seeking a tranquil holiday in absolutely stunning natural surroundings. Stay for several days and really soak yourself in the luscious ambience of the place – it will be an experience you’ll want to come back to – again and again.

SpainParador.com makes it easy for you to plan and arrange your next trip to Spain. This time stay in palaces, castles, and other places of great historical interest and rare beauty – the wonderful Paradors of Spain. www.SpainParador.com

Dubai was until recently not well known for tourism. How has Dubai managed to catch up with major tourism destinations such as Hawaii, Cannes or Bali? Other destinations have spent decades building up reputations and infrastructure with the hope of becoming a major travel destination. Dubai has managed to surprise all hospitality and tourism experts. These experts did not expect any destination and especially not one in the Middle East to become dominant player in the travel industry.

So how did Dubai manage to build a beautiful oasis in the middle of the desert? Dubai started its rise to fame just over a decade ago with the launch of the first annual Dubai shopping festival. The local government decided to use this festival as a tool to promote Dubai as a holiday destination.

The Dubai Sheikh and his sons spend years building an infrastructure and resort area for the tourism industry The Sheikh had learned from oil experts that the oil supply of Dubai could run out by as early as 2010. The leader of Dubai realized that the 2nd largest of 7 United Arab Emirates could not survive without the oil revenue. The Sheikh of Dubai therefor looked for alternative sources of income and came up with the vision of turning Dubai into a luxurious holiday destination as well as an important business centre .The Dubai rulers invested most of the oil revenue into tourism and this has lead to Dubai being a leading holiday and business destination.

Dubai is superbly located geographically as it?s situated at a point where Europe, Africa and Asia meet. This has benefitted especially the MICE segment of the Dubai hotels and travel industry. MICE stand for the Meetings and Incentives branch of the tourism industry. Dubai has several world class facilities for trade shows and exhibitions including the ever so popular Dubai World Trade Centre. Practically every day some form of event or exhibition is held in Dubai which brings thousands of businessmen each day to this busy emirate. Large number of luxurious business hotels in Dubai cater exclusively for these visitors.

Dubai is an excellent choice as a venue for meetings or trade shows as it?s ideally located for events which attract people from various continents. If one looks at the number of flights arriving daily at the Dubai airport and the vast size of the airport, it?s hard to imagine that Dubai only started an airline in 1985 while most countries have had airlines since early 1950?s.

The Jumeirah beach area offers a select number of world class resorts such as the Burj Al Arab. The Dubai Burj Al Arab hotel must certainly be the most famous hotel in the world and its quality of service and its magnificent and luxurious facilities are unheard of in the hotel business. The other Dubai beach hotels are also of excellent quality and some are surprisingly affordable. The Dubai Hilton Beach hotel and the Jebel Ali resort for example offer great deals for families or visitors that can?t afford the rates at the Burj Al Arab but still would like to stay at a 5 star Dubai resort along the beach.

Dubai has plenty of tourist attractions and activities for both the young and the old. An indoor ski piste was even created and opened its doors only a few months back. Other great Dubai activities are the Dubai desert safari?s by jeep, snowboarding on the sand dunes, playing 18 holes at one of the many world renowned golf courses or even just going shopping at the numerous shopping malls. Prices for many items are considerably cheaper then back home so do have a look as you will surely find a great deal. You should spend a few hours at one of the Dubai souk?s such as the Dubai gold souk. A visit is a great experience which should be done by anyone visiting Dubai. Don?t forget that you are expected to haggle about the price but always do it with a smile on your face!

The nicest period of the year to travel to Dubai is from October until about April. During these months the weather in Dubai cools down so that it?s ideal for travelers. The weather in July or August is unbearable with many local residents even trying to get holiday so that they can take their family abroad to a place with more humane temperatures. The trends so far do seem to suggest however that Dubai will have considerably more visitors this year for July and August than any previous year. Many Europeans are now choosing Dubai for their summer holiday destination as opposed to Jamaica or Cuba.

The future of the Dubai tourism industry just keeps getting brighter and brighter and there is no sign that the growth will slow down any time soon!

James has extensive experience in the hospitality and tourism industry. He has managed hotels and resorts in Asia, Europe, the Caribbean and North America. The cheapest rates for Dubai hotels and Dubai beach hotels can be found at the Discount hotels specialist.

Ahhhh, the South Pacific! I have dreamed since I was a little kid to visit the islands, swim in the blue lagoon waters, bask in the sunshine, … This all came true recently. We spent a few weeks in French Polynesia. Our first stop was Moorea. We did not want to completely empty our bank account so we opted not to stay in one of the large resorts with over the water bungalows. One night at these places would have cost us more than our entire stay in Moorea. Here is what we though of Linareva ….

We arrived by plane from Tahiti early in the morning. We had previously organized transfer to Linareva. Upon our arrival we were immediately greeted with the wodnerful location of Linareva. The water was smooth as glass, there were more colorful fish here than in most aquariums and the backdrop with the vulcanic peaks amazed us. Our selection was for a room with air-conditioning (recommended). It can get hot here and some cool air is welcome. The hut or the Tahitian grass fare, as they call it, that we had was very basic. It did have all the ammenities we wanted but they were modest. At night, we were bothered by all sorts of bugs, like large cockroaches, spiders and the like. Sort of interrupted our sleep if you know what I mean … We did not mind the geckos … The small kitchen that was included proved valuable since around here there are no restaurants (apart from the one owned by Linareva). We opted not to have the breakfast included (it did not include much protein which we need). Instead, we would bike to the nearest grocery store, buy eggs, baguettes, cheese, milk etc. and prepare it ourselves. There is a small eating area outside the fare overlooking the Pacific. The beach here was not that great. We would paddle out to the reef and swim in the most wonderful blue waters there. There is a nice swimming area by the small pier. You will swim along side very exotic fish here. Kayaks and bikes at Linareva are free for guests. Bikes are really crappy though. The reception is on the restaurant boat. At night, there did not seem to be anyone there. This was a bit weird being usually used to having a 24 hour reception at your disposal.

Nature is beautiful around Linareva. Unlike most places on Moorea, here you might be the only person in the water, enjoying the scenery for yourself. There is a certain seclusion. Sunsets are some of the best anywhere I have been to in the world. If you like this and do not mind the bugs this is a place for you. We appreciated it more; the more we stayed here. It definitely felt like we were at least somewhat submerged in the South Pacific lifestyle … Recommended for people who would like to taste a bit of real South Pacific

Michael Philip is one of the editors and contributors for the SeeTheGlobe.com web site. SeeTheGlobe.com is a travel information web site and community. Reviews of restaurants, hotels, airlines and other travel resources are provided from first hand accounts.

Residence Linareva 1.5km North of Happiti PK 34,5 Moorea, Tahiti (689) 55.05.65