Fuzzy Bus

Mahebourg is the capital city of one of the most calm and peaceful districts, Grand Port, on the Mascarene island of Mauritius.  This district houses the Mauritius airport, which is located close to many five star hotels.  Mauritius is an island of ports, with the first one being that of Grand Port.  This location was named after the Old Grand Port, which the first village in which the Dutch ships landed.

This is one of the most spectacular of the islands districts, with many valleys of dense forest and tropical vegetation as well as numerous mountain ranges, both features which tend to draw many nature lovers and outdoor adventures each year.  And even thought the airport is located here, and the village is somewhat of a cultural hub with a variety of resorts, spas and hotels, it remains to be one of the most tranquil spots on the island.

The city of Mahebourg offers tourists many options for activity.  Aside from the outdoor activities there are museums,  such as the Naval Museum, which offer visitors with a look into the expansive historical events that have taken place on the island over the years.  This museum also details and exhibits the history of the many naval battles between Great Britain and France.  The Dutch also have had a significant influence on the island, and the Dutch Historical Museum offers a look into the settlements of the Dutch travelers and the way of life on the island hundreds of years ago.

The trade industry in Mahebourg is one of the busiest on the island, and many tourists have found that shopping in the markets and the artists studios is a fascinating way to spend an afternoon.  The architecture is evidence of the Colonial influence, and many of the buildings reflect this diverse past, one of those buildings being the Catholic Cathedral of Rose Belle.   Each and every town and village of Mauritius has something different to offer, each has a uniqueness and a distinctive character.  A holiday spent in Mauritius will be one filled with beauty and inspiration.

After my wonderfully relaxing stay at one of the Seville hotels, I headed to Lanjaron which is located in Andalucia. Lanjaron is famous for it’s healing waters. All of Europe and Spain that come to take a bath in the waters. Lanjarron is a small village in the Costa Tropical region and not only has the healing waters, but has many spa camps and yoga retreats. This is why I’m headed there. My doctors told me that due to the stage of my ailment, I should just enjoy my life. Seville sounded like just the perfect place to do so, but then, several of the locals here told me about the healing waters of Lanjaron and that I should at least spend time in the waters, they told me ‘what could it hurt?’  I had to agree with them.

So, here I am, in Lanjaron checking out the several shops which line across the streets, but what I fell in love with was the spectacular landscape. All my senses have come alive with the beauty alone. What a stunning town and surroundings. I found myself walking everywhere, because everywhere I walked, every corner I turned the scenery was absolutely beautiful. Rich with fauna and flora and the birds were a delight. I noticed during my many days of walking around, and not checking into the healing waters yet, that the valley is lush with pomegranates and grapes which was a pleasant sight for sore eyes. I found that there’s even a nightlife in this sleepy town. I found a restaurant which served the best Tapas I’ve even eaten. I wonder if it’s because I’m finding it’s not only the waters that are healing, but it the region itself.

When I finally immersed myself into the healing waters, it took me 5 days to do so, I felt at home and at peace. I immediately relaxed and wondered why I ever had any worries ever. Now I know why the locals in Seville pushed me to come to these waters. If I’m not cured, I’m healed. My sole is at peace with the world, and that’s as it should be.

“There’s no way I’m jumping off this. Just no way.” We were standing on the Bloukrantz bridge, the highest bungee jumping bridge in the world, and a couple chaps were about to hook me up to the big bungee and heave me over. I looked down at the South African ravine, more like a canyon, and felt woozy just looking. Amy, however, was as nonchalant as an astronaut, and, as it turned out, righteous as a fist.  The blokes at any of the luxury hotels Cape Town will suggest this bridge with a certain glee, and as we ate ice cream back at Cape, Amy the Daredevil talked me into it. I had met her sea kayaking in Alaska six months ago when she was on break from the Women’s Professional Demolition Derby circuit (I didn’t believe it either) and looked about ready to wrestle one of the killer whale that came up to our kayaks thirty miles from Valdez. She’s gotten me to skydive for the first time and to eat raw oysters, but this was going a bit far.  I just couldn’t see jumping off a perfectly good bridge with a rubber band around my legs. The whole thought made me blanch.

Then with a mighty cry of Geronimo! (I didn’t think any one ever said that any more) off she went, blond hair streaming back like a maned lioness, as she positively dove off the lip of the bridge to the wild green and mottle brown yonder of the spanned crevice. Later in Cape Town with a bottle of African red and a springbok steak, I had to admit I admired her fortitude, but sitting her on the terrace with my love was more my speed. I’ll leave the diving to others.

Well if you are the right person for a pet bird. Bird are very fun to keep and make very nice pets. They can be very friendly when raised right. Many birds available for pets were born and raised in captivity. This is important as it is cruel to take a wild bird form the outside. The best pet birds are not only born in captivity they are also hand fed by a person at about the age of one week to when they are fully weened. This makes a bird associate themselves with people and not other birds. Thus making them a friendlier and nicer pet. My favorite bird are Ringnecks. They have their own personality. Generally my ringnecks sit about and play quietly, sleep and eat. Occasionally noisy outbursts for fun and expression or because something frightened them. Traditional ringnecks are green with the males having a black band of feathers around the neck, hence the name ringneck. These birds have very long tails that are longer than their bodies. This gives them a dramatic look. Birds are being kept more and more as pets. They don;t have to be walked can be kept in fairly small spaces, especially small birds and make pleasant and loyal pets. Keeping of birds can be seen in the best Singapore hotels and homes and businesses around the world. Birds require patients to gain their trust at first and they can be easily put off or startled if you move too fast especially if before they know and feel comfortable with you. The first thing you need to do to train your pet bird to step up. This is the command you give when you hold your finger in front of your bird for them to step up on it. Most birds pick this up pretty quickly as it is a natural behavior for birds to climb up on something higher than they are. When considering a bird make sure you have time for attention cage cleaning and feeding. Think about where your bird will be kept, the kitchen is a very bad and dangerous place for your bird. And understand what kind of diet the bird you want needs to be happy and healthy.

Santa Fe is the place to be in July and August! Many events take place during these months there. The world renowned Santa Fe Opera performs in July and August, the International Folk Art Market is in July, Santa Fe chamber music festival begins in July and runs into August, the Santa Fe International Art Fair, PhotoArts Santa Fe, Flamenco Festival and lots and lots more. Around Santa Fe are many puebos each with their own calendar of events and festivals. These events draw visitors from around the world. A walk through the plaza in Sante Fe on a summer day can prove this as you will hear dozens of different languages being spoken there. I love to hangout on the plaza and meet people. Talking to people from all over the world and every background. Learning about far off places trying to overcome language barriers. I had a particularly amusing conversation with a funny man from Indonesia I am not sure what we were trying to talk about but I did finally get an invitation to a 5 star Singapore hotels he managed if I ever get to Indonesia. That was a funny interaction as I to this day do not know what we were trying to say to each other. Around the plaza there are arts and crafts for sale by local vendors. Under the ramada of the Place of the Governors Native Americans show their wear in blankets laid out n the side walk. This had occurred here on a daily basis for more than 100 years. Santa Fe has an long and deep history. It is the oldest capitol city in the US. Once being the capitol of the New Mexico territory which included New Mexico, present day Arizona and southern California when the Spanish controlled the area. In Santa Fe there are Native American influences, Spanish influences and Japanese influences due to the interrnment camps there during WW II. Shops selling Native wears, Japanese goods and Latino influenced goods all are side by side. It is a wonderful place with warm days and cool nights in the summer and the occasional afternoon thunderstorm.

Visitors traveling to the Middle East can find excellent accommodations at Dubai, UAE luxury hotels. With glorious rooms that meet the highest standards in the industry, our hotels provide a splendid combination of old world charm and new world technologies to make sure that our guests experience the comfort and convenience they deserve. Our international staff is there to answer all your questions, and meet every need. With fantastic meals served by our world class chefs, exercise facilities to keep the body in tune with the mind, and design and style that is both local and global in sensibility, your stay here will be truly unique and memorable.

Dubai has a lot to offer the curious traveler. Fascinating sights, excellent luxury shopping experiences, and a broad array of activities in town will keep the whole family interested and energized. Dubai’s cultural scene has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years, due to a commitment to make it one of the world’s most creative cities. One of the local organizations helping to push toward raising the bar in local culture is the Scenez Group. Three sisters, Christina Chammas, Zeina Chammas, and Nadine Chammas Bekhaazi began the group in 2000 when they worked together on writing scenes. They realized they had extensive theatrical backgrounds separately, and together they could make something extraordinary happen in Dubai.

They certainly have created something. Scenez Group is very active in the community, organizing festivals and producing new and classical works of theatre for a broad audience. They operate as both a producing organization and an events management firm, combining the sisters’ unique skill in theatre and dance, along with their backgrounds in management. Scenez Group is also very active in outreach, organizing workshops for local youth to get involved in productions, testing their skills on stage, and paving the way for the next generation of theatre artists in the UAE.

There is little doubt that, when looking for the world’s most splendid boutique hotel, Hong Kong stands up to the competition with grace and gusto. Our hotels are fabulous places to base your stay in this, one of the world’s most interesting places. There is a stunning sense of decor here, where world-class designers work to prepare every detail to create an overall effect that is undeniable. With a wide range of styles and artistic visions present in the design, every hotel and every room has a certain panache that is unique and delightful. One can also absolutely expect the best in amenities, with a marvelous combination of tradition and innovation that work together to make your stay memorable.

Hong Kong is a fascinating place with an unusual history. One of the world’s great port cities, there is a long tradition of trade and contact with other countries and cultures, and this is evident in the cosmopolitan feel that permeates the air. This mix of cultures and traditions is also very present in Hong Kong’s vibrant art scene, and is certainly evident in the films of one of Hong Kong’s most notable residents, film director Wong Kar Wai. He worked with one of Hong Kong’s first wave directors, Patrick Tam, to polish his film chops, and is now one of the most notable second wave directors of Hong Kong cinema. Wong Kar Wai is also the first Chinese person to chair the jury at Cannes, and has won a host of many major awards.

Wong Kar Wai’s films are a splendid reflection of Hong Kong. Visually stunning, and exceptionally stylish, there is an unmistakable sense of longing that runs through even the most comic of his works. Rhythmically, he is adept at moving from extreme fast pace to extreme points of slow contemplation. The films are also often notable for their unusual soundtracks, which are terribly hip and uncannily flawless, reflecting an obsession with western culture. This obsession is not casual, but very strategic, in their evocation of Hong Kong’s culturally open and curious fascination with the West. In the filmic language, they evoke a feeling of nostalgia and not-quite-there-ness. This seems casual, but is in fact quite deliberate, to tell a story on film that is a lost romance with a past that never was, and speaks from the heart of Hong Kong itself.

Leicester has long depended on trade and commerce, this is the central means for financial and economic income. The outdoor market, located close to many of the Leicester hotels, is one of the largest markets throughout Europe and has been in operation for the last 700 years. This one market has been the focal point for all of the trade in the city. During the middle of the 1800’s, the city became one of the forces in production, while retaining its charm and character, of just simply being a market village.

International enterprise has been on the rise in the town for the last twenty years, with many Asian companies moving into town. One of the historical aspects that contributed to this growth over the years is that the town of Leicester sits along the old Roman route, the Fosse Way. Leicester became one of the stopping points for the Roman Army, and in later years the road still served to connect the town with villages and towns in the surrounding area. Many of the relics and the remains of this time can be seen at the Museum of Jewry Wall.

History goes back even further for the town, as settlements of the tribe of Corieltauvi have been dated to the Iron Age. Many relics and objects are still found to this day in the archaeological digs throughout the city. Located within the museum are sections of wall mosaics that were created as decoration along the walls in the Roman bath-houses. More influence was steeped upon the town during the time of the occupation by Normandy.

Much of the architecture of the building and castles were Norman in design and construction, with many of them still standing to this day. One such structure is the Saint Mary de Castro Church, which was the site of many historical events, such as the knighthood of King Henry the VI. Seen in all of the structures in the town, is the evidence of the power, the success, and the wealth of the early merchants and those throughout history. There are lavish estates and landmarks that commemorate some of the most famous of Leicester merchants.

Situated at the mouth of the River Yare, Yarmouth is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is the main town in the larger Borough of Great Yarmouth. For centuries this ancient town was a regular little fishing port but is now known as a popular seaside resort, attracting thousands of tourists from far and wide. Dating back to the late 13th century is the oldest civic building, the Tollhouse and it comes complete with dungeons. Also going back to the 13th century is the Market Place, it houses the major portion of the shopping district and is one of the largest markets in England. Even Starbucks has found a home in this market place. Once, end of the pier theatres were fairly common in England but now Britannia Theatre is one of the few left. The Town Hall is another historic building to have on your list to see.

Unusual and rare species of birds and insects are found in this region. Bird watchers are thrilled to be able to observe the Mediterranean Gulls, Skylarks and Meadow Pipits. Greyling butterflies, among other butterfly species are found here in great numbers. Another spectator sport is the very popular but unusual straight horseracing track. It is one mile, straight down the line. Speedway and stock car racing are other sports based on speed.

One of the luxurious Yarmouth hotels is the four star Sunnydene Hotel. This small, sea view hotel offers many of the amenities found in larger facilities. The Hamilton Hotel is also four star. And you have the Imperial and the Kensington Hotels, all offering friendly, helpful staff and comfortable, relaxing accommodations. Restaurants, bars and friendly neighborhood pubs are all plentiful and pleasant, intriguing and entertaining, savory and satisfying. There is so much to see and do in and around Yarmouth, enjoy your time here but you will want to plan to return.

The Muslim culture in Singapore may be different from the same culture in other countries. They have their own identity that is distinct however the religion, the roots of that religion, and the culture is still retained. Lee Hsien Loong delivered a speech in Singapore today, in which he pointed this out. Adding that one of the main ideologies that holds his country together is the religious tolerance and the tolerance of all those that are different from one another.

When one travels to the country this is very clear, as sitting in a Singapore restaurant on any given day, one will see people from all over the world, different races with different backgrounds and belief systems all sitting together harmoniously. Lee noted this point by stating that the way in which his country handled the New York attacks on September 11.

This act carried out so far away from his country, was one of the moments that defined this harmony. The truth of this harmony, he said, was shown as each and every religious group came together to condemn the acts of terrorism, the Malay-Muslims as well. In this way he believes that the Singaporean Muslims have developed their own different for of the religion. They reacted he said, as Singaporeans first, and Muslims second.

He also stated that in other countries, the Muslims were either shunned or feared by the rest of their community, or that they may have retreated and withdrawn. This was not so in Singapore. All Singaporeans have become open to “the other”, and they adapt to their surroundings rather than trying to make their surroundings adapt to them. These are issues that are of a sensitive nature, and when a country takes on a progressive way of thinking and each of the society has confidence, the different cultures no longer fear each other, and the entire country benefits from that harmony.

The Suffolk region of England is full of nature beauty and scenic wonders. It has an interesting history and many important figures have had their origins in this area. While this is beautiful and peaceful region, it was also home to one of England’s most famous witch hunters, Mathew Hopkins. This aspect of history is now regulated to lore and legend, though it was once a fundamental aspect of the social belief system in England as well as throughout Europe. The Suffolk hotels are not likely to have witches and warlocks hiding in secret rooms, though haunted hotels are a very popular tourist attraction throughout the world.

It is believed that Hopkins held the title of Witch Finder General in his career that was most active during the English Civil War. He conducted his searches throughout Suffolk, Norfolk and Essex. One of the interesting aspects of the witch trials and prosecutions that distinguished England from the rest of Europe is the fact that they did not burn accused witches, but only hung them. The height of his career lasted from 1645 to 1647 and while England did not legally allow torture to be used as a means of investigation, Hopkins was well known for his own special tactics used for confession.

One of the most famous aspects of his career is the book he wrote regarding witch hunting. The Discovery of Witches is believed to have been written in 1647 and quickly became a guiding tool for identifying both witches and their familiars. One of the methods he used for determining a witch was to cut a woman’s arm. He would use a blunt knife to make the rough incision and if the suspected woman didn’t bleed than it was taken as proof that she was a witch. Witches were also detected by finding what was known as the devil’s mark on her body. This would be any form of boil and sometimes moles and warts were included.

I’m a cricket fan. I’m an Aussie who lives in London. I love food. So, when I read that Cardiff had a festival which combined the two, cricket and food, I just had to go. I made reservations at a Cardiff Hotel and drove as fast as I could away from London and on over to Wales.

The two events Cricket and Food are actually two separate events, but for me that didn’t matter. I’ll be able to feast on the sporting excellence of a Cricket game and also sample culinary excellence at the Food and Drink Festival after the game. Seems like pure heaven to me. When I arrived, checked in and headed off to the Cricket Match where I got to see the npower Ashes Test in Sohphia Gardens, it was easy for me to obtain information about where to go for the food and drink festival after the game. I was able to hop onto a water taxi from the Swalec Stadium and dropped back off at Cardiff Bay. Right where the Food and Drink festival was happening. I felt right at home with an array of Aussie wines, foods and ingredients. See, there was a special Aussie Zone in a restaurant located in the Wales Millennium Center. Of course there were delicious foods from Wales to sample, and from around the world. Have about three full hours of sampling my way through the festival, I had a chance to chill out with a cool drink with views over the water.

The next day, I treated myself to other events which the festival offered. There was a craft market and a farmer’s market which were very nice, I even got to create my own dish using local produce from the farmers market, but what I really enjoyed was taking a workshop to learn how to make artisan ice-cream and a master wine class. By the time I got back to my hotel room that evening, I was satiated, happy and floating in memories of Cricket and fine cuisine.