Indah Manis Villa - Luxury Villa in Pecatu Bali
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Indah Manis Resorts in a spectacular location near Pecatu in ‘The Bukit’ – Bali’s southern peninsula. Surrounded by forest and rural scenes, Villa Indah Manis commands breathtaking views to the Indian Ocean and all the way up the west coast past Jimbaran, the airport, Kuta and Canggu, and inland to the heights of Bedugul. On a clear day, the awesome vista takes in Mt Batu Karu together with the
Bulgari Hotels & Resorts - A Luxury Hotel in Pecatu Bali
Friday, January 30, 2009
LocationSet atop a plateau overlooking the Indian Ocean, this resort is on the southern tip of Jimbaran Peninsula, near the Temple of Uluwatu. Traditional architecture and contemporary design combine for a meditative setting; facilities include a spa center, large outdoor pool, and restaurants. The 59 freestanding villas, all with terraces and ocean views, include plunge pools, open-air pavilions
Deeyenda Virus Hoax
Wednesday, January 28, 2009The "Deeyenda" virus warnings are a hoax. CIAC has received inqueries regarding the validity of the Deeyenda virus. The warnings are very similar to those for Good Times, stating that the FCC issued a warning about it, and that it is self activating and can destroy the contents of a machine just by being downloaded. Users should note that the FCC does not and will not issue virus or Trojan warnings. It is not their job to do so. As of this date, there are no known viruses with the name Deeyenda in existence. For a virus to spread, it must be executed. Reading a mail message does not execute the mail message. Trojans and viruses have been found as executable attachmentsto mail messages, but they must be extracted and executed to do any harm. CIAC still affirms that reading E-mail, using typical mail agents, can not activatemalicious code delivered in or with the message.
Balekambang Beach Tourism in Malang east Java
Photo Tourism Indonesia-Balekambang Beach
Photo Tourism Indonesia-Balekambang Beach
Photo Tourism Indonesia-Balekambang Beach
Photo Tourism Indonesia-Balekambang Beach
The beach possessing three islands with distance of about one hundred meters each, two of which have been connected with one meter-wide bridge to the shore, Balekambang offers a different atmosphere of beach resorts in the Southern part of Malang. One of the three islands called Ismoyo island has a Hindu temple, established by local Hinduists.
Annually, the ritual and traditional ceremonies Jalanidhipuja (Hindu ceremony) and Suran (Javanese New Year ceremony) are held here every year. The parking area, stalls, inns, souvenir shops, and the others tourism facilities has provided for the visitors. This beautiful beach is located at Srigonco village, Bantur district, about 57 km away to the south from Malang and accessible by public transportation.
Visit Balekambang Beach tourism and enjoy its wonderfull waves with softe sea wind. Watch the sunset and sunrise in this beach and do some of beach activities, such as; swimming, sun bathing, fishing, etc.
tips-for-tourism
Celebrity Holiday Hotspots
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
It’s the middle of the summer and celebrities are enjoying their vacations just like everyone else across the globe. Some of the most popular places to find the stars include Hawaii, Mexico, France, the Caribbean and Spain. Hawaii is a favorite for stars and holiday travelers year round, and this summer has been no exception. Maui is the island of choice for many celebs, as it is a little more isolated and not nearly as crowded as Oahu and the areas around Honolulu. Denise Richards, Brody Jenner and Ashley Tisdale have all been seen on Maui this summer, while Helen Hunt, Sarah McLaughlin and Elisha Cuthbert have also been spotted around the islands. Mexico has become a very popular destination for celebrities in recent years, with Cabo San Lucas being an isolated hotspot and the exotic locales of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Ixtapa, & Acapulco also good places to see your favorite star. Britney Spears has been seen on the beaches of Cabo San Lucas, and Sienna Miller was also spotted nearby. Drew Barrymore, Heidi Klum and Katherine Heigl have been vacationing in Mexico as well. The Caribbean is always a great place for spotting celebs on holiday, and this summer is no exception. Fergie and Eric Dane have been seen in the Bahamas and St. Barts not long ago. On the other side of the Atlantic, Orlando Bloom took a recent holiday in the Canary Islands with his angel Miranda Kerr. As the summer moves on, there will no doubt be more stars and celebs visiting these holiday hotspots, so keep your eyes peeled when you visit.
source:http://www.homesgofast.com/view_news/838/
source:http://www.homesgofast.com/view_news/838/
Spanish political parties unite in light of EU criticism of its lax property development practices
Friday, January 23, 2009
Spain's two main political parties, normally fierce and bitter rivals, have presented a joint front in the face of condemnation in a draft report by Margrete Auken, a Danish MEP from the Greens, commissioned by the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament to report on property and environmental abuse in Spain.Her report includes harsh criticism of 'Spain’s urban planning practices, weak
Mazarrón one of municiplaities slow to submit budget reports to central government
Mazarrón is named as one of the municipalities, in the category of those with populations in excess of 20,000 (and less than 50,000) which is delinquent in reporting its budgetary estimates to central government. Other named municipalities in this population band to have failed to submit their budget estimates by 31 October 2008 are Almuñécar (Granada), Ames (A Coruña) and Caravaca de la Cruz (
Expect the 'sweet smell' of pig slurry in Mazarrón area
The Ministry of Agriculture and Water and the Federation of Agricultural Cooperatives (FECOAM), with technical support from the Technical University of Cartagena (PUST), is planning to increase the use of pig slurry (i.e. manure) in an effort to enrich soils and to cut down on the use of artificial fertilisers. In Murcia the two areas likely to feel the effects of this are the Guadalentín valley
Probing dark energy
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Scientists have studied the night sky for thousands of years searching for clues to help them understand the universe. The South Pole Telescope (SPT)team, including Case Western Reserve University professor John Ruhl and graduate student Zachary Staniszewski, achieved a major milestone toward using a new technique to probe the most mysterious component of the universe, dark energy.
Staniszewski is the lead author on the multi-institution collaboration's paper, “Galaxy clusters discovered with a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect survey” released Oct. 10 in a pre-publication posting on astro-ph, an electronic preprint archive. The paper chronicles the discovery of three galaxy clusters using a new survey technique.
The technique relies on an effect that galaxy clusters have on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) light that passes through them. The SPT team surveyed a 40-square-degree patch of sky looking for galaxy clusters via this effect, called the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect. The survey found four galaxy clusters, one previously known and three new ones. It is the first time this technique has been used to discover new clusters.
The 10-meter South Pole Telescope’s millimeter-wave camera captures images of the CMB, radiation left over from 270,000 years after the Big Bang Galaxy clusters affect the brightness of the CMB after it has passed through them; this brightness change is the SZ effect, and is independent of distance to the galaxy cluster, unlike the optical or x-ray brightness of the clusters.
These galaxies, Staniszewski says, are likely billions of light years away and about seven billion years old.
Part of the data set was taken by Staniszewski during his winter stay at the South Pole manning the telescope. Bolstering the confidence that the newly discovered clusters are real, the paper includes analysis of data from follow-up optical observations with the Blanco Cosmology Survey instrument, led by University of Illinois astrophysicist and SPT collaborator Joe Mohr.
“The theory of how galaxy clusters imprint a signal on the CMB has been around for nearly 40 years, when two Russian physicists first proposed it in 1969,” Staniszewski said. “The SZ effect has been seen in clusters that were already identified by optical and x-ray observations, but no one had yet used it to discover a brand new galaxy cluster. These are the first galaxy clusters discovered using this method.”
The SPT will produce a larger catalog of new clusters with more data and analysis. “These three new clusters are just the tip of the iceberg," Ruhl said. “The full survey is what will help us achieve our ultimate goal, which is to understand dark energy.”
“The expansion of the universe is accelerating, and because of that we believe that dark energy dominates the energy density of the universe. Dark energy provides a negative pressure, or repulsive force, that accelerates the expansion, rather than slowing it down like the attractive force of gravity does,” Staniszewski said. “We're trying to figure out what dark energy actually is, and it turns out that a survey of galaxy clusters can be used to trace the expansion history of the universe, which can tell you about the dark energy."
Gravity works to pull pockets of galaxies together, into clusters, a process that is more effective at early times when matter is dense. Dark energy speeds up the expansion of the universe and spreads out the matter, which slows down clustering. Counting the number of galaxy clusters as a function of time throughout the history of the universe can therefore be used to understand dark energy.
The SPT science team, led by principal investigator John Carlstrom at the University of Chicago includes more than 40 scientists from Case Western Reserve, University of Chicago, University of California at Berkeley, Cardiff University, University of Colorado, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of Illinois, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, McGill University, and NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center.
Staniszewski is the lead author on the multi-institution collaboration's paper, “Galaxy clusters discovered with a Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect survey” released Oct. 10 in a pre-publication posting on astro-ph, an electronic preprint archive. The paper chronicles the discovery of three galaxy clusters using a new survey technique.
The technique relies on an effect that galaxy clusters have on the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) light that passes through them. The SPT team surveyed a 40-square-degree patch of sky looking for galaxy clusters via this effect, called the Sunyaev-Zeldovich (SZ) effect. The survey found four galaxy clusters, one previously known and three new ones. It is the first time this technique has been used to discover new clusters.
The 10-meter South Pole Telescope’s millimeter-wave camera captures images of the CMB, radiation left over from 270,000 years after the Big Bang Galaxy clusters affect the brightness of the CMB after it has passed through them; this brightness change is the SZ effect, and is independent of distance to the galaxy cluster, unlike the optical or x-ray brightness of the clusters.
These galaxies, Staniszewski says, are likely billions of light years away and about seven billion years old.
Part of the data set was taken by Staniszewski during his winter stay at the South Pole manning the telescope. Bolstering the confidence that the newly discovered clusters are real, the paper includes analysis of data from follow-up optical observations with the Blanco Cosmology Survey instrument, led by University of Illinois astrophysicist and SPT collaborator Joe Mohr.
“The theory of how galaxy clusters imprint a signal on the CMB has been around for nearly 40 years, when two Russian physicists first proposed it in 1969,” Staniszewski said. “The SZ effect has been seen in clusters that were already identified by optical and x-ray observations, but no one had yet used it to discover a brand new galaxy cluster. These are the first galaxy clusters discovered using this method.”
The SPT will produce a larger catalog of new clusters with more data and analysis. “These three new clusters are just the tip of the iceberg," Ruhl said. “The full survey is what will help us achieve our ultimate goal, which is to understand dark energy.”
“The expansion of the universe is accelerating, and because of that we believe that dark energy dominates the energy density of the universe. Dark energy provides a negative pressure, or repulsive force, that accelerates the expansion, rather than slowing it down like the attractive force of gravity does,” Staniszewski said. “We're trying to figure out what dark energy actually is, and it turns out that a survey of galaxy clusters can be used to trace the expansion history of the universe, which can tell you about the dark energy."
Gravity works to pull pockets of galaxies together, into clusters, a process that is more effective at early times when matter is dense. Dark energy speeds up the expansion of the universe and spreads out the matter, which slows down clustering. Counting the number of galaxy clusters as a function of time throughout the history of the universe can therefore be used to understand dark energy.
The SPT science team, led by principal investigator John Carlstrom at the University of Chicago includes more than 40 scientists from Case Western Reserve, University of Chicago, University of California at Berkeley, Cardiff University, University of Colorado, Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, University of Illinois, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, McGill University, and NASA Marshall Spaceflight Center.
Bill's battle with his weight
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
This has got nothing to do with Spain, but I thought one or two readers might be interested (cross-posted from my other blog).All my life I have had a problem controlling my weight. Over the years I have tried many different methods of trying to rein it in and many have worked temporarily, for a few years (specially those based on controlling calorie and fat intake), but ultimately I have found
Tourism Radio Interview with Mark Allewell
Tuesday, January 20, 2009Press play below to listen to an interview with Tourism Radios founder and Chief Operations Officer, Mark Allewell.
Balinese Celebration and Sacred Day on 2009
Some people that come to my blog was search about Bali Sacred Day in 2009. But unfortunately I didn't publish it yet. OK here we go, this is the list of most important Bali Sacred Day at 2009.JanuaryJanuary 3rd 2009 - SaraswatiJanuary 7th, 2009 - PagerwesiJanuary 24th, 2009 - Siwaratri / CiwaratriFebruaryFebruary 21th, 2009 - Tumpek Uduh/ PengatagMarchMarch 17th, 2009 - Penampahan GalunganMarch
S&P downgrades Spain's long-term debt rating
Monday, January 19, 2009
As was reported to be a possibility last week, Standard & Poor have officially downgraded their rating for Spain's long-term debt from AAA- to AA+. Spanish Economy Minister Pedro Solbes claimed in an interview published yesterday that whilst the downgrade was not "an insignificant issue" ("un tema despreciable"), it did not go "further" ("más lejos"). He downplayed the change by stating that
Google Earths new Online Gallery at the Prado Museum Madrid
For those art connoisseurs or museum buffs out there that haven't yet had the privilege to have visited the world famous Prado museum in Madrid, can now see a large slection of the works housed at the museum on the Google Earth.
With a resolution of 14,000 megapixels (or about 1,400 times the definition of a standard 10 megapixel camera) the images of the 14 Prado masterpieces are so precise that even the individual brushstrokes can be seen, and according to the museum you can see details that the human eye alone is unable to see, amazing.
Google Earth's satellite and aerial photograph technology is proving invalid for us Internet travel freaks and this case is no exception. You can now explore every brush stroke ( literally) masterpieces by the likes of Bosch, Francisco de Goya, Diego Velázquez, Peter Paul Rubens and Rembrandt. Fourteen of the gallery's finest masterpieces can now be seen online in unbelievable detail
Google as yer has no plans to extend its project with the Prado museum or include more of the 1.000 or so works or art currently on view .
To see the high resolution pictures and the Prado museum on the Google Earth programme you will first have to download it via the Google web site.
Gary
BITTERNUT HICKORY - Carya cordiformis, Wang., Koch
Saturday, January 17, 2009THERE ARE SEVEN READILY recognizable hickories in Missouri but bitternut hickory is the only hickory tree which has long, sulphur-yellow colored buds. It is widely distributed over the state.
The nut is nearly globe-shaped and covered by a thin husk which is partially winged along the lines where it splits. The kernel is bitter but the squirrels don't seem to mind it. For them it is an important winter food which they store in hollow trees and bury in the ground. Forgotten buried nuts become new trees. The leaf, ranging from 6 to 10 inches long, is compound with 7 to 9 elliptically shaped leaflets. They are usually broadest above the center with toothed edges. These leaflets are supported from hairy stalks and are dark yellow-green and smooth above, pale and slightly hairy below.
In winter, this tree can be identified by its slender, pale gray twigs which are dotted with corky rises. The bark is nearly smooth and light gray when young, remaining on the trunk for several years. As the tree ages the bark becomes shallowly furrowed with thin interconnecting ridges.
Small bitternut hickory trees will grow in dense shade under the tops of sugar maple, white oak, white ash, and black walnut among others and still survive. It is a moderately fast growing tree, but short lived compared with other hickories.
Bitternut hickory wood is used to some degree in making handles, but is used largely for making charcoal for outdoor barbecuing. This wood smoke gives meat a rich flavor and aroma. Some meats are smoke cured with hickory because of its distinctive taste. It also makes an excellent fuelwood for cook stoves, furnaces or fireplaces.
The nut is nearly globe-shaped and covered by a thin husk which is partially winged along the lines where it splits. The kernel is bitter but the squirrels don't seem to mind it. For them it is an important winter food which they store in hollow trees and bury in the ground. Forgotten buried nuts become new trees. The leaf, ranging from 6 to 10 inches long, is compound with 7 to 9 elliptically shaped leaflets. They are usually broadest above the center with toothed edges. These leaflets are supported from hairy stalks and are dark yellow-green and smooth above, pale and slightly hairy below.
In winter, this tree can be identified by its slender, pale gray twigs which are dotted with corky rises. The bark is nearly smooth and light gray when young, remaining on the trunk for several years. As the tree ages the bark becomes shallowly furrowed with thin interconnecting ridges.
Small bitternut hickory trees will grow in dense shade under the tops of sugar maple, white oak, white ash, and black walnut among others and still survive. It is a moderately fast growing tree, but short lived compared with other hickories.
Bitternut hickory wood is used to some degree in making handles, but is used largely for making charcoal for outdoor barbecuing. This wood smoke gives meat a rich flavor and aroma. Some meats are smoke cured with hickory because of its distinctive taste. It also makes an excellent fuelwood for cook stoves, furnaces or fireplaces.
Walk the Talk with Tourism Radio
Friday, January 16, 2009Barcelona is one of the most popular destinations in the European Union and Tourism Radio has developed another product to accommodate the scores of tourists to the second largest city in Spain. Visitors can now tour the city with the help of Tourism Radio’s MP3 player.
Tourism Radio is the world’s first GPS based radio station and has offices in Australasia, Africa, Europe and the U.S. Initially Tourism Radio was a device that fitted into a hire car and played information to listeners specific to their location. Tourism Radio has now diversified their product range to include an MP3 player that tells visitors about Barcelona.
Tourism Radio Chief Operations Officer Mark Allewell said, “We don’t only talk to tourists, we listen to them. We started getting feedback that visitors now want to get out of their cars for a while and explore the city on foot. We developed the walking tours specifically in response to what tourists want. We want to make sure that when somebody chooses to travel without a conventional guide, they don’t miss out on anything.”
Tourists can now hire the Tourism Radio Creative MP3 players, renowned as one of the most popular and user-friendly players in the world. The extended battery life of 15 hours means that tourists are able to spend more time exploring and less time sticking to a schedule. The MP3 players are pre programmed with audio clips about landmarks and places of interest so that users can discover the city at their leisure, with the help of their own digital “tour guide.”
Tourism Radio MP3 players are currently available in 85% of the 3 to 5 star hotels in Barcelona and audio clips are available in five languages, namely Spanish, English, German, French and Italian. Later this year, Tourism Radio will also be launching the product in Madrid after receiving positive feedback from the Barcelona hotels and visitors to both cities will be able to enjoy the same entertaining and informative content.
Top cruise operators in Barcelona have also expressed an interest in providing an exclusive tour for their passengers with the help of the MP3 players. Users will not only hear about the cities landmarks and highlights, but will receive fail-safe directions on how to get there. CEO of Tourism Radio Jacques Teichmann says, “We’re excited about developing the MP3 player for the cruise operators so that visitors can not only “listen to the city” but they won’t get lost either! It is a service that no other walking tour can guarantee. We’re passionate about our products and the service we offer to tourists, the MP3 player is just another way we are walking our talk…we hope that everyone will join us and take our MP3 players for a walk.”
Tourism Radio is the world’s first GPS based radio station and has offices in Australasia, Africa, Europe and the U.S. Initially Tourism Radio was a device that fitted into a hire car and played information to listeners specific to their location. Tourism Radio has now diversified their product range to include an MP3 player that tells visitors about Barcelona.
Tourism Radio Chief Operations Officer Mark Allewell said, “We don’t only talk to tourists, we listen to them. We started getting feedback that visitors now want to get out of their cars for a while and explore the city on foot. We developed the walking tours specifically in response to what tourists want. We want to make sure that when somebody chooses to travel without a conventional guide, they don’t miss out on anything.”
Tourists can now hire the Tourism Radio Creative MP3 players, renowned as one of the most popular and user-friendly players in the world. The extended battery life of 15 hours means that tourists are able to spend more time exploring and less time sticking to a schedule. The MP3 players are pre programmed with audio clips about landmarks and places of interest so that users can discover the city at their leisure, with the help of their own digital “tour guide.”
Tourism Radio MP3 players are currently available in 85% of the 3 to 5 star hotels in Barcelona and audio clips are available in five languages, namely Spanish, English, German, French and Italian. Later this year, Tourism Radio will also be launching the product in Madrid after receiving positive feedback from the Barcelona hotels and visitors to both cities will be able to enjoy the same entertaining and informative content.
Top cruise operators in Barcelona have also expressed an interest in providing an exclusive tour for their passengers with the help of the MP3 players. Users will not only hear about the cities landmarks and highlights, but will receive fail-safe directions on how to get there. CEO of Tourism Radio Jacques Teichmann says, “We’re excited about developing the MP3 player for the cruise operators so that visitors can not only “listen to the city” but they won’t get lost either! It is a service that no other walking tour can guarantee. We’re passionate about our products and the service we offer to tourists, the MP3 player is just another way we are walking our talk…we hope that everyone will join us and take our MP3 players for a walk.”
Planning for Murcia property development ...
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
... beyond the present recession/depression, one hopes!I read here that initial planning approval is expected to be granted this summer for a development of 9,000 homes, including two golf courses plus hotels etc in the Ramonete area of Murcia (near the AP7 motorway, about halfway between Mazarron and Aguilas). One imagines that this initial planning is to prepare for the period after the current
Scepticism about religion comes to advertising in Spain
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
PROBABLEMENTE DIOS NO EXISTE.DEJA DE PREOCUPARTE Y GOZA DE LA VIDA.(There's probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life.)Signs like this will be appearing on buses in Barcelona from 12 January until 26 January bearing the message above, on behalf of Unión de Ateos y Librepensadores en Cataluña [the Catalan branch of Spain's Union for Atheists and Free Thinkers] (UAL) - see story in
Spain's 'Sovereign Debt' ratings under scrutiny
Yesterday's shock news is that one of the major ratings agencies, S&P, is contemplating (FT article) a revision downward of Spain's sovereign debt ratings; the immediate result in the markets was a widening in the spread between Spain's 10 year government bonds and those of Germany to its widest level since the launch of the Euro in 1999. This followed on from last week's warning that S&P was
The Camino de Santiago - St James Walk
The Camino de Santiago, also known as “The Way of St James” is really a collection of old pilgrimage routes all of which have one thing in common, their destination, SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA in north west Spain.
Santiago de Compostela was named after the Apostle Saint James who was sent by the Romans , in those days to "Finis Terrae", "end of the world", to preach and convert people to Christianity. The pilgrimship Camino de Santiago (Way of Saint James), is now considered by Unesco a World Heritage Site. monuments. The town is named after the Apostle Saint James
Many of the modern pilgrims are Catholics think the difficult journey to Santiago will halve their stay in the purgatory, at least this is one of the historical reasons to complete the Camino de Santiago. But you don’t have to be religious to make this fascinating journey. For over 1000 years pilgrims , young, old, religious, fit, unfit or otherwise have been walking along these historic routes with the main one being the “ Camino Frances” the French Route.
The Camino Frances traditionally starts in St Jean Pied de Port and finishes in Santiago de Compostela about 745 km later, after traveling the breadth of Northern Spain.
Pilgrims who travel these routes come from far and wide with the earliest recorded pilgrims visiting the shrine from over the Pyrenees dating back to the mid 10th Century s although was probably about a century later that pilgrims from abroad where journeying there in larger numbers. The first recorded pilgrim from England was between 1092 and 1105. By the early 12th century the pilgrimage was very well organized using four established routes from starting points in France , converging in the Basque country of the western Pyrenees. The routes track across Northern Spain linking Burgos, Lugo Bilbao, Oviedo and other major cities and towns.
Many establishments other related business have grown up along the routes to furbish the pilgrim trade . lodgings, hospices, shops selling all kinds of paraphernalia such badges, souvenirs, and the remarkable guide-book put together in about 1140.
Historic symbols of the Camino de Santiago are the scallop edged conch shell which you will see all along the 'Camino de Santiago' roads. It was used to dip water from streams on the way. Many Pilgrims carry a walking stick which can be very useful along the way.
Gary
Spains Top Tourist Attractions 2008
Monday, January 12, 2009
Spain's top tourist attraction for 2008 was none other than the beautifully historic site of the Alhambra Palace in Granada which received just over 3.000.000 visitors. Although this was a slight decrease of some 17.000 on the previous year ( 2007) it still attracted more visitors than the ´ Church of the Sagrada Familia´ in Barcelona with 2.75 Millions and the Prado Museum in Madrid 2.73 Millions.
46.25% of the visitors are Europeans ( non Spanish nationals ) with the rest 34.66 % made up of Spanish nationals.
Some other curious statistics include that the average age of the European visitor is between 30 and 45 , has a university education and holds a qualified employment.
Gary
Renfe offer Online Discounts
Renfe The Spanish Railways Board is offering via its web site ( in English ) a new a low cost ticket option for bookings made at lest 24 hours in advance. It applies to all the main lines and includes the prestigious high speed Ave trains.
Discounts of up to a whopping 50% are available so if you are planning a rail trip it is well worth
logging on and seeking the best deals.
The only draw back is that cancellations , changes and refunds are not permit ed however the discounts on offer make this a very interesting option if you plan to travel by rail. With this step Renfe hope that this will attract more customers to Spain's rail network, and one which I must say on a personal level has been very efficient and conformable in the past.
The Renfe Web site can be located here
Gary
13 Spanish Cities bidding to be the Capital of Culture 2016
13 Spanish cities will bid for the title of European Capital of Culture for the year 2016.
Representatives of each of the cities will join up to at the ´International Tourism Trade Fair´ at the Ifema in Madrid being held between January 28th and February 1st 2009.
The ´Spanish Federation of Journalists and Trade Writers of Tourism´ have prepared a stand dedicated to promoting all those Spanish cities bidding for the title. They include Pamplona, San Sebastian, Santander . Tarragona, Zaragoza and, Segovia amongst others, in fact there are 13 truly worthwhile cities in contention.
The stand being prepared for the ´Ifema Feria´ will be located at pavilion 14.
Gary
Unemployment in Spain rises above 3,000,000
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Unemployment in Spain rose almost 140,000 in December, the ninth consecutive month it has risen, and breached three million for the first time in over 12 years. According to Eurostat figures, Spain's unemployment was already 13.4 per cent in November (the highest in the Eurozone) before the further rise in unemployment in December, against a Eurozone average of 7.8 per cent for
Most popular destinations for 2009 revealed
The top 10 most searched for holiday destinations for 2009 have now been named
Beach holiday hotspots in Spain, Portugal, Turkey and Cyprus feature prominently in the top 10, suggesting that Brits are still determined to take holidays despite the difficult economic conditions.
Flight search engine Skyscanner.net compiled the list based on the most searched for destinations by UK travellers for travel in 2009. The most popular destinations in Spain are Malaga, Alicante and Tenerife, which come in second, third and fourth respectively. Palma in Majorca is seventh, and the up and coming Spanish region of Murcia is tenth.
But heading the list in number one spot is London. This confirms that domestic air travel remains strong and more Brits are looking to take holidays in the UK such as short city breaks. Four other UK cities also made the top 50.
People looking for good value holidays outside the Eurozone have ensured that Turkey has become an increasingly popular holiday destination in the last year or so. This is confirmed by the appearance of Dalaman in Turkey in fifth spot in the most searched for flight destinations.
Long-time holiday favourites Faro in Portugal and Paphos in Cyprus appear in sixth and ninth place respectively. Not surprisingly a skiing holiday destination also appears in the top 10. Geneva in Switzerland, one of the gateways to the Alps, is the eighth most searched for destination.
Skyscanner co-founder Barry Smith comments: “It’s still early days for 2009 bookings, but already we can see that British people don’t want to give up their beach holidays, even when times are tough. This year, it’s all about making your money go as far as possible, which is why Spain remains an extremely popular destination for British travellers. It’s close, warm and still very good value. Turkey is another value destination, jumping up five places compared to last year’s top 10, partly because it’s outside the Eurozone.”
Skyscanner is predicting that short haul destinations will be the winners in 2009. Of the top 50 most searched for destinations only eight were outside Europe. But New York and Orlando in Florida remain popular despite the pound weakening against the dollar, as both made the top 20. source:http://www.holidayextras.co.uk/news/hx-travel/most-popular-destinations-for-2009-revealed-11509.html
Preventing Anemia in Pregnant Women
Half of all pregnant women develop iron-deficiency anemia because their volume of blood increases and because the growing fetus needs iron. Anemia during pregnancy can lead to an increased risk of premature delivery and a low-birth-weight baby.
To prevent these problems, pregnant women need twice as much iron as women who are not pregnant. Pregnant women can get more iron from eating more iron-rich foods, from supplements, or from both. Medical care during pregnancy should include screening for anemia.
The doctor giving prenatal care may prescribe iron supplements, which should be taken as directed. Pregnant women should notify their doctors if they have uncomfortable side effects such as constipation. The doctor also may give advice on how to get higher levels of iron through eating iron-rich foods.
India: A Perfect Holiday Destination
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Interested in India Holiday Tours? Welcome, India Tourism invites you to spend your holidays in India. Travel in India and observe its incredible cultural heritage and get fascinated with historic & magnificent monuments, fantastic forts, terrific temples, and several beautiful holiday spots. Travel in India and marvel on incredible architectural wonders of India. Architecturally beautiful structures, monuments with beautiful design, paintings & carvings, temples with fine carvings & sculptures, fantastic forts, elegant palaces, majestic tombs of mighty emperors, etc are truly breathtaking. During your holidays in India, you will too have a brilliant opportunity to see all these architectural wonders of India.To see monumental attractions in India your must travel in Rajasthan. There are several monuments in Rajasthan, India. Embark on Rajasthan Holiday Tours and add a special charm in your holidays in India. Among all the holiday destinations of India, Rajasthan, the land of monuments or the land of Kings, maintains a special importance. undergraduate online course cuisine of Rajasthan served in the milieu of royal forts & palaces, camel safari on sand dunes, exceptional beauty of Mount Abu, friendly people etc make Rajasthan a popular spots for holidays in India. Choose any Rajasthan Holiday Package and embark on tours to Rajasthan, India. Surely, your Rajasthan Holiday will be a mesmerizing and pleasant experience.
Not only monuments, in fact, India Tourism offers a range of experience. It offers an amazing selection of holidays in India. Beach holidays on Goa Beaches & Kerala Beaches, Family Holiday on several picturesque locations, backwater holiday, etc, you can enjoy all this on your India Holiday Tours. If your children undergraduate online course interested in wildlife or water fun, India is fully prepared for it also. Explore Indian National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries and watch thrilling & sensational activities of wild animals. Go to beach destination and enjoy water funs. Hill Stations of India may also be fascinating family holiday destination. Lush green hill stations of India with their extra-ordinary beauty offer you fascinating spots for you and your family on your holidays in India.
Some of the must-visit holidays destinations and attractions in India are Rajasthan with magnificent forts, palaces, & rustic beauty; Agar with the magnificent Taj Mahal; Kashmir with extra-ordinary natural beauty, beautiful gardens, lovely free online business courses and snow; Delhi with India Gate, Red Fort, Qutub Minar, etc; Kerala with breathtakingly beautiful natural beautiful, lovely beaches and backwaters; Hyderabad with Charminar, Mount Abu’s Dilwara Jain Temples, Hill stations like Nainital, Ooty, Darjeeling, Shimla, Manali, etc. You can too enjoy the fascination of India, just choose any one of luxury holiday packages to India and embark on India Holiday Tours.
Source:http://www.potterworldonline.com/destinations/0,9317,423551,00.html
Photo Of Ubud Payangan Bali Indonesia
Monday, January 5, 2009
Photo Tourism Indonesia
Photo By Veva Tourism Indonesia
Ubud Bali
Ubud is a town on the Indonesian island of Bali in Ubud District, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. One of Bali's major arts and culture centres, it has developed a large tourism industry.
Ubud has a population of about 8,000 people, but it is becoming difficult to distinguish the town itself from the villages that surround it.
History
8th century legend tells of a Javanese priest, Rsi Markendya, who meditated at the confluence of two rivers (an auspicious site for Hindus) at the Ubud locality of Campuan. Here he founded the Gunung Lebah Temple on the valley floor, the site of which remains a pilgrim destination.
The town was originally important as a source of medicinal herbs and plants; Ubud gets its name from the Balinese word ubad (medicine).
In the late nineteenth century, Ubud became the seat of feudal lords who owed their allegiance to the king of Gianyar, at one time the most powerful of Bali's southern states. The lords were members of the satriya family of Sukawati, and were significant supporters of the village's increasingly renowned arts scene.
Tourism on the island developed after the arrival of Walter Spies, an ethnic German born in Russia who taught painting and music, and dabbled in dance. Spies and foreign painters Willem Hofker and Rudolf Bonnet entertained celebrities including Charlie Chaplin, Noel Coward, Barbara Hutton, H.G. Wells and Vicki Baum. They brought in some of the greatest artists from all over Bali to teach and train the Balinese in arts, helping Ubud become the cultural centre of Bali.
A new burst of creative energy came in 1960s in the wake of Dutch painter Arie Smit (1916-), and development of the Young Artists Movement. There are many museums in Ubud, including the Museum Puri Lukisan and the Agung Rai Museum of Art.
The Bali tourist boom since the late 1960s has seen much development in the town; however, it remains a centre of artistic pursuit.
Town orientation and tourism
The Ubud Palace
The main street is Jalan Raya Ubud (Jl. Raya means main road), which runs east-west through the center of town. Two long roads, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman, extend south from Jl. Raya Ubud. Puri Saren Agung is a large palace located at the intersection of Monkey Forest and Raya Ubud roads. The home of Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati (1910-1978), the last "king" of Ubud, it is now occupied by his descendants and dance performances are held in its courtyard. It was also one of Ubud's first hotels, dating back to the 1930s.
The Ubud Monkey Forest is a sacred nature reserve located near the southern end of Jalan Monkey Forest. It houses a temple and approximately 340 long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys.
Ubud tourism focuses on culture, yoga and nature. In contrast to the main tourist area in southern Bali, the Ubud area has forests, rivers, cooler temperatures and less congestion although traffic has increased dramatically in the 21st century. A number of smaller "boutique"-style hotels are located in and around Ubud, which commonly offer spa treatments or treks up Ubud's mountains.
The Moon of Pejeng, in nearby Pejeng, is the largest single-cast bronze kettle drum in the world, dating from circa 300BC. It is a popular destination for tourists interested in local culture, as is the 11th century Goa Gajah, or 'Elephant Cave', temple complex.
Tourism Bali Indonesia
Ubud Bali
Ubud is a town on the Indonesian island of Bali in Ubud District, located amongst rice paddies and steep ravines in the central foothills of the Gianyar regency. One of Bali's major arts and culture centres, it has developed a large tourism industry.
Ubud has a population of about 8,000 people, but it is becoming difficult to distinguish the town itself from the villages that surround it.
History
8th century legend tells of a Javanese priest, Rsi Markendya, who meditated at the confluence of two rivers (an auspicious site for Hindus) at the Ubud locality of Campuan. Here he founded the Gunung Lebah Temple on the valley floor, the site of which remains a pilgrim destination.
The town was originally important as a source of medicinal herbs and plants; Ubud gets its name from the Balinese word ubad (medicine).
In the late nineteenth century, Ubud became the seat of feudal lords who owed their allegiance to the king of Gianyar, at one time the most powerful of Bali's southern states. The lords were members of the satriya family of Sukawati, and were significant supporters of the village's increasingly renowned arts scene.
Tourism on the island developed after the arrival of Walter Spies, an ethnic German born in Russia who taught painting and music, and dabbled in dance. Spies and foreign painters Willem Hofker and Rudolf Bonnet entertained celebrities including Charlie Chaplin, Noel Coward, Barbara Hutton, H.G. Wells and Vicki Baum. They brought in some of the greatest artists from all over Bali to teach and train the Balinese in arts, helping Ubud become the cultural centre of Bali.
A new burst of creative energy came in 1960s in the wake of Dutch painter Arie Smit (1916-), and development of the Young Artists Movement. There are many museums in Ubud, including the Museum Puri Lukisan and the Agung Rai Museum of Art.
The Bali tourist boom since the late 1960s has seen much development in the town; however, it remains a centre of artistic pursuit.
Town orientation and tourism
The Ubud Palace
The main street is Jalan Raya Ubud (Jl. Raya means main road), which runs east-west through the center of town. Two long roads, Jalan Monkey Forest and Jalan Hanoman, extend south from Jl. Raya Ubud. Puri Saren Agung is a large palace located at the intersection of Monkey Forest and Raya Ubud roads. The home of Tjokorda Gede Agung Sukawati (1910-1978), the last "king" of Ubud, it is now occupied by his descendants and dance performances are held in its courtyard. It was also one of Ubud's first hotels, dating back to the 1930s.
The Ubud Monkey Forest is a sacred nature reserve located near the southern end of Jalan Monkey Forest. It houses a temple and approximately 340 long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis) monkeys.
Ubud tourism focuses on culture, yoga and nature. In contrast to the main tourist area in southern Bali, the Ubud area has forests, rivers, cooler temperatures and less congestion although traffic has increased dramatically in the 21st century. A number of smaller "boutique"-style hotels are located in and around Ubud, which commonly offer spa treatments or treks up Ubud's mountains.
The Moon of Pejeng, in nearby Pejeng, is the largest single-cast bronze kettle drum in the world, dating from circa 300BC. It is a popular destination for tourists interested in local culture, as is the 11th century Goa Gajah, or 'Elephant Cave', temple complex.
Tourism Bali Indonesia
Destination Guide:CHAINAT
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Chainat is located on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River. The community was moved from the old site at Sankhaburi in the reign of King Rama IV. Chainat was an important town used several times as a base to confront the Burmese army. Every time, the Burmese were defeated, thus originating the name of Chainat which means a place of victory.Chainat occupies an area of 2,469 square kilometres and is administratively divided into 6 districts: Amphoe Muang Chai Nat, Amphoe Hankha, Amphoe Manorom, Amphoe Sankhaburi, Amphoe Sapphaya, Amphoe Wat Sing, and 2 sub-districts: King Amphoe Nong Mamong and King Amphoe Noen Kham.
Distances from Amphoe Muang to Other Districts :
Hankha 35 kilometres
Manorom 14 kilometres
Sankhaburi 27 kilometres
Sapphaya 21 kilometres
Wat Sing 22 kilometres
Nong Mamong 42 kilometres
Noen Kham 48 kilometres
CHAINAT : Attraction
Chao Phraya Dam
The nation’s first large dam is located at the bend of the Bang Krabian River, Mu 3, Tambon Bang Luang. With a total length of 237.5 metres and a height of 16.5 metres, this reinforced concrete dam is built across flowing water and consists of 16 spillways. There is a 14-metre-wide watergate, where small or big marine craft can pass through. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit presided over the opening ceremony on 7 February 1957.
Chao Phraya Dam is beautiful and during January - February, the reservoir over the dam site is the habitat to thousands of waterfowl. Water is released from the Northern region to the Central lower basin and the Gulf of Thailand for the purposes of irrigation, agriculture, conservation of marine animals, and generating hydroelectric power for the province.
Chao Phraya Dam provides accommodation of 19 rooms at a rate of 600 Baht. More details are available at Tel. 0 56411559 ext. 210.
To get there: From Amphoe Mueang, travel along Highway No. 304. Turn left for Amphoe Sapphaya and proceed another 6 kilometres. It is also accessible via the Bangkok - Amphoe Wat Sing bus, which passes the Chao Phraya Dam, bus No. 1061 Chai Nat - Pho Nang Tam, and bus No. 110 Sing Buri - Chai Nat.
Wat Pak Khlong Makham Thao
This is an old temple situated at the mouth of Khlong Makham Thao, which runs into the Tha Chin River at Amphoe Wat Sing, 25 kilometres northwest of Chainat. The shady temple offers pleasant scenery and houses mural paintings made by Krom Luang Chumphon Khet Udomsak, the father of the Thai navy.Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan
This is an old temple on the bank of the Chao Phraya River. Located 4 kilometres from the town, it can be accessible by Route Nos. 340 and 3183. There is an old pagoda housing Lord Buddhas relics. It had been originally constructed with laterite in the Khmer period and was renovated in the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods.
Within the precincts of the temple is the Chainat Muni National Museum which displays several kinds of artifacts discovered in the town including Buddha images of different postures, as well as Thai and Chinese ceramics. It also exhibits various types of votive tablets.
Chainat Bird Park
This is located 4 kilometres before arriving in Chainat. Birds of more than 100 species live in a huge cage which maintains a natural environment. The park also has an aquarium which has a collection of various kinds of freshwater fish found in the Chao Phraya River. Local products such as bird models, wickerwork, and pomelo is available at the shops in the park.Wat Phichaiyanawat (Wat Ban Chian)
It is an ancient temple located at Tambon Ban Chian, 38 kilometres from the provincial town of Chai Nat. Proceed via Highway No. 3211 to Km. 2 - 3. It is presumed to have been built in the mid-Ayutthaya period, dating back to at least 300 years ago. The ordination hall or Phra Ubosot built in the middle of the pond enshrined the principle Buddha image of Luangpho To, which is in the posture of accepting offerings from an elephant and a monkey.
Made of stucco, the image is sitting in the European style and measures 4.54 metres in height. It is presumed that while creating Luangpho To’s image, the city was in turmoil from a war with the Burmese, who marched through this area. The annual gild ceremony or covering the Buddha image with gold leaf takes place during Magha Puja Day and the Loi Krathong Festival.
Wat Phra Kaeo
Situated at Mu 10, Tambon Phraek Si Racha, which is about 23 kilometres off the provincial town of Chai Nat, Wat Phra Kaeo is another ancient temple housing a beautiful square-based stupa. Within the temple ground also houses a high stupa in a harmonious blend of the Lawo and late Dvaravati styles, as well as a relic chamber with a recessed base in the Sukhothai and Sri Vijaya styles. In front of the stupa stands a Buddha image hall known as Wihan Luangpho Chai, where a delicately carved sandstone lintel was found at the back of the image.This lintel depicts an image of the God Indra riding the elephant named Erawan inside a stylized shelter in a distinctive Khmer style, which dates back to more than 1,000 years ago. It is believed that at the decline of the Khmer empire, someone must have taken this artefact from somewhere and carved the Buddha image out of it. However, the head of the elephant is overturned, its trunk pointing upward, as a riddle that in order to be enlightened like the Lord Buddha “one must overcome greed, hatred, and ignorance to find true happiness.”
Wasan Crocodile Farm
It is located at No. 121, Mu 3, Tambon Makham Thao. From Amphoe Mueang Chai Nat, proceed along the Chai Nat - Wat Sing route (Highway No. 3183) at Km. 24 and the crocodile farm is on the right hand side. There are different kinds of animals such as crocodiles, tigers, rays, and various bird species. It is free of charge. More details are available at Tel. 0 5646 1104.
Chai Nat Muni National Museum
Located within the temple grounds of Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan, this archaeological museum is a 2-storey adapted Thai-style building. Downstairs displays celadon Buddha images, tools, and ornaments from the Dvaravati to Rattanakosin period. Most of these displayed artefacts were given by Venerable Phra Chai Nat Muni (Nuam) Suthatto, former Ecclesiastical Provincial Governor of
Chai Nat, who was the collector and had handed them over to the Fine Arts Department.
While upstairs displays various Buddhist votive tablets from the Dvaravati to Rattanakosin period. The museum service hours are Wednesday – Sunday from
9.00 a.m. – 4.00 p.m. Closed on Monday, Tuesday, and national holidays. The admission fee is 10 Baht. More details are available at Tel. 0 5641 1467.
To get there: Proceed along the same route as Wat Phra Borommathat Worawihan.
Wat Intharam
This is an old temple, about 100 years old, Located by the Chao Phraya River in Tambon Taluk, Amphoe Sapphaya, 12 kilometres east of Chainat. Outstanding old structures in the temple include twin belfries and a hall for keeping scriptures. The latter, situated in the middle of a pond, has been constructed with elaborate decorative designs.
Wat Mahathat
This is an old temple of Mueang Phraek or Mueang San which was an ancient city dating back to the Dvaravati period. Sankhaburi had been also an important fort town of the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya Kingdoms. It is located by the Noi River, 20 kilometres southeast of Chainat along Route No. 340. The temple houses ruined chapels with seated Buddha images and a distinguish Lop Buri style chedi with a fluted spire like the petal of a star apple.Wat Song Phi Nong
It is located 300 metres from Wat Phra Mahathat. Legend has it that Chao Sam, one of the three siblings, incited the other two siblings named Chao Ai and Chao Yi against each other for the throne. Both Chao Ai and Chao Yi died and Chao Sam became the ruler. Chao Sam then built one prang and one chedi for his late brothers. Both are presumed to have been built 600 years before the establishment of the Ayutthaya Kingdom.Monkeys at Wat Thammikawat
Located in Tambon Pho Ngam, Amphoe Sankhaburi, this temple is 38 kilometres south of Chainat along Route No. 311 (Chainat-Sing Buri route). Its pleasant area next to the Noi River is home to a number of monkeys.
Wat Thammamun
This hillside temple is located on the bank of the Chao Phraya River, 8 kilometres from Chainat. It was constructed during the Ayutthaya period and enshrines Luang Pho Thammachak, a standing Buddha image with a mixture of the Sukhothai and Ayutthaya styles. Two fairs to worship the image are held in May and October.
Tourism Authority of Thailand : http://www.tourismthailand.org
Postcards from Spain
Thursday, January 1, 2009
After receiving many complimentary emails from our visitors who requested more choice in that department I have I have now included many more postcards for you to send to all your family and friends.
Best regards
Gary
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