Venice the floating city

For a millennium, Venice has provided inspiration for artists and writers. This coveted city is made up of 118 islands linked by 453 bridges. Each corner of town exhibits individual architectural magnificence, the city combining as one to form a spectacular theatrical stage set.

Beautiful churches adorn the banks of the Grand Canal as she snakes her way through the city. This main artery is at the centre of a myriad of canals running throughout the town.

The lifeblood of Venice is its tourism, a magnet for over 12 million visitors a year. Catering for this influx of visitors, the cities population of 70,000 people continue their daily lives, working the bars, cafes and restaurants.

Despite all this however, it seems that Venice is slowly sinking at the rate of approximately 2 inches every century. Terrible floods in 1966 caused much doom mongering and many people feared that Venice was about to be taken off the map.

The threat to remove funding for vital restoration projects gave serious cause for concern and prompted an urgent response to save the city. It was feared imminent flooding could completely destroy the city; preventative measures were high priority.

The efforts of the past two decades have had considerable success. Reduced pollution, shipping and the restoration of natural sandbanks have all contributed to the cause.

The first settlers of Venice were those fleeing the Barbarians around 400 AD. To create solid foundations for their buildings they drove timber into the mud and began creating a community for their people.

The city's emblem, the winged lion, derived from Saint Mark the Evangelist. The first significant church of Venice was built in the ninth century to house the relics of Saint Mark, and his emblem was soon adopted.

Venice’s trade brought great wealth and prosperity to the city and for many centuries it continued to grow. The city thrived on its colonies and invested its riches wisely. Churches and palaces became commonplace, as were museums to house many newly acquired works of art.

For the past couple of centuries however, the obvious lack of development space meant the city found it difficult to advance further. Wars with Turkey were a drain on the resources and so Venice was content to consolidate.

Despite this, Venice does not rest on its laurels. Every visit offers something new, a fresh experience to take home. Each region of the city has an individual charm, giving the sense there is always something special around each corner.

Why you should travel to hong kong for the new year s parade

The New Year's parade in Hong Kong is an event not to be missed! The city is dressed up with bright decorations and colorful lights for its biggest celebration of the year, and thousands pour into Hong Kong to take part in the festivities.

Winding along Hong Kong's picturesque waterfront, the New Year's parade is filled with colorful, lavishly decorated floats. Representatives from Hong Kong and countries all over the world sing, dance and play music. The songs of marching bands fill the air along the parade's route as performers in bright costumes prance along the streets.

The forthcoming year (2006) is the Year of the Dog. No matter which zodiac animal is being celebrated for the coming year, there are always plenty of lions and dragons in the parade. Energetic dancers wearing giant lion heads leap in the air as long dragons held aloft by more than twenty people snake past the enthralled parade watchers.

The New Year's parade is the biggest event of Hong Kong's Lunar New Year celebration. Close to 300,000 people attend the parade and millions more watch it on television. In recent years the parade has taken place in the evening, featuring vivid, dazzling light displays.

The Lunar New Year is one of Hong Kong's most important and well-loved holidays. Each year one of twelve different animals is celebrated, according to the Chinese zodiac. Many of the city's towering skyscrapers are decked out in glittering lights for the holiday. Throughout the three-day celebration, dancers in colorful costumes perform lion and dragon dances in the streets, malls and hotel lobbies. Traditionally, people exchange small, red envelopes filled with money as gifts. Flower markets show up all over the city during the holiday, selling plants and flowers with special significance, and stores and restaurants display flowers meant to bring immortality and good luck.

The New Year celebration usually begins anywhere from January 21 to February 19, depending on the year. While the holiday officially lasts fifteen days, in Hong Kong it is celebrated for three days, with the New Year's parade taking place on the first day. January 29, 2006 is the first day of the forthcoming new year.

The day after the New Year's parade a brilliant display of fireworks lights up

Hong Kong's famous Victoria Harbour. The fireworks can be viewed from the waterfront or from boats cruising the harbour. On the third day of the celebration a large horse race takes place at the Sha Tin racetrack. This lively race is a favorite for gamblers and horseracing enthusiasts.

It's no wonder why so many travel to discover all that Hong Kong has to offer, with the vibrant fusion of ancient customs and modern day fun at one of the world's biggest Chinese New Year celebrations.

Spring break on south padre island

South Padre Island is a great place to vacation over Spring Break, especially for College students. Besides offering the usual spring break vacation fare of sand, sun, and fun (of course that's a reference to wild late night partying, beer, wet tshirt contents and the hook up), South Padre Island offers a number of other activities to occupy your time and entertain you during your spring break vacation.

Fishing - South Padre Island has gained a world wide reputation among fishermen. Half day and full day fishing trips in the Laguna Madre Bay and the Gulf of Mexico run for less than $20 to $1000 or more depending on your skills, the distance you want to travel (how far offshore) and your lifestyle demands. Since you are fishing a gulf and not your area lake, the list of the type of fish you can catch is long but a few would be: whiting, drum, flounder, trout, redfish, kingfish, wahoo, tuna, marlin and sailfish.

Windsurfing - Spring Break is obviously during spring time which for windsurfers plying their trade at South Padre Island is the best time with spring's windy days. Known as one of the top windsurfing destinations in the world, South Padre Island offers some of the fastest windsurfing speeds in North America at places like, the bay, the Jetties, Bocas Chica, and the Ditch.

Kiteboarding - College spring breakers have never shied away from a challenge and kiteboarding is just that. One of the fasting growing and certainly hottest sports going, kiteboarding is challenging and adrenaline pumping and South Padre Island with consistent winds that offer beginner to experts near perfect flat-water conditions, is a great place to hone your kiteboarding skills.

Matamoros, Mexico - What's a vacation without souvenirs? Bargain shop across the border at American friendly, Matamoros, Mexico. You will find silver, leather goods, handicrafts and much more while strolling through this old Mexican town and it's busy markets. Dine on authentic Mexican food, enjoy museums and the culture of Mexico, just thirty minutes from South Padre Island.

While this is not a complete list of things to do during your spring break vacation on South Padre Island, hopefully it got you thinking of making your trip a bit more adventurous and thus your memories of spring break at South Padre Island that much more special.

Out and around calpe in spain

Some called it Calpe meaning steep rugged hill made of rock, the Phoenicians called it Ifach which meant north. So the whole town of Calpe was referred to as the north craggy rock, having Gibraltar as the south reference. Calpe, which is north of Altea and south of Denia, is an ideal vacation spot on the Costa Blanca on the Mediterranean Sea in Spain. Going back as far as 1935, Calpe took advantage of its privileged coastal location and inaugurated its first hotel in the town where some well-known celebrities such as Hemingway once stayed.

A closer look at Calpe and the Penon

As mentioned earlier, Calpe’s main attraction is not its town nor even its beautiful soft sandy beaches but the tall craggy rock formation called the Penon de Ifach. It is hard to believe, but this is the smallest natural park in Spain together with the Columbretes Islands in Castellon. It was declared a Natural Park in 1987 because its 300 varieties of vegetation and colonies of birds needed protection from the expansion that this small fishing village was undergoing at an incredible speed. It measures about 35 hectares and has a botanical, landscape and tectonic interest. The swift or martin birds together with the silver seagull and plants not found anywhere else are closely protected because some of these were about to be become extinct. Not everyone may feel capable of climbing this fascinating rock formation, but from the top, the panoramic view of the Costa Blanca is unforgettable. You can zig-zag your way up, changing direction and passing through a tunnel which was built in 1918. Even though it is free, during the summer season and Easter week, you have to get a ticket because there is a limit of about 50 people who can go up every hour. If mountain climbing has always been on your list of something impossible to do, then you will have to cross it off once you have done this marvellous experience.

To, From and staying in Calpe

If you have planned on doing a car hire, and have decided to catch a flight to the Valencia airport in Manises, then you have about a 105 kilometres drive to Calpe. Or if your flight has taken you to the Alicante airport, then you are only about 61 kilometres away. Either way, you can take the National Highway N-332 which is free or the A-7 Pay Highway which is quicker and safer, especially in the summer season. There are also buses from either of the airports.

As in all tourist areas, there are many types of lodgings to choose from. There are campings for the nature lovers or on a limited budget, economical hostels which could cost about 45 euros, one which is about 80 euros right at the foot of the Penon, and hotels up to about 150 euros right in front of the beach.

As in all shore areas, the seafood is usually quite fresh, but here in Calpe ( alicante-spain. com/calpe. html ) the restaurants at the harbour offer their goods openly to their clients for them to personally choose which piece they prefer. It seems like a food auction because the waiters are out on the promenade and when the people pass by, they offer them a morsel to try and some sangria to lure them into their restaurant. The most typical dish is the ‘Arros de Senyoret’ ( a fish stew with rice) or the LLauna de Calpe ( an old fishermen’s recipe of different types of fish, garlic, tomatoes, parsely, red pepper and saffron). The paella is always on the menu, too.

Things and interesting places around Calpe

Either with your car, by bus or train, you should not let the opportunity to visit other cities like Benidorm, Torrevieja or Alicante pass you by. Benidorm is fun city with an incredible list of theme parks like Terra Mitica with fun rides and shows, Terra Natura where you can visit with all kinds of animals and have a splash on the water shoots or Mundomar Marine Animal Park where you can see, smell and even touch animals you had only seen on t. v. or in books. Whether you only stay in Calpe or you venture away, the Costa Blanca has everything you have ever dreamt of.