Rail travel is a more sedate and serene way of exploring the world. Instead of flying over things or driving on crowded highways, trains offer a more scenic and unencumbered view of the landscape between destinations as well as a comfortable and, many argue, more civilized mode of reaching those places.

Canada is a destination that seems tailor made for train travel. Because the country is so vast and offers a variety of different terrains, taking a leisurely train trip through a specific state or region is a great way to absorb the wilderness and beauty of this great northern nation . Some visitors choose to make the train the focus of their vacation, stopping at destinations simply for overnight accommodations. Others plan travel itineraries that use the train as a delightful mode of transportation to get them to their ultimate destination, where they will spend time exploring the local attractions and sights.

Options for a train trip in Canada range from dedicated train travel to packages that combine trains with bus tours. Travelers can explore the Canadian coastline, traverse the plains, or travel the rocky mountain region. They can even sign up for special trips that highlight natural attractions, like national parks or specific wildlife, like polar bear watching.

Ride the Rails Through Canada is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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Visiting the US? Make sure you look into getting a good visitor health insurance before you leave home. Many people consider health insurance to be a luxury, but the fact is that thousands of visitors are injured or become ill while visiting the United States and, without insurance, that can create a multitude of problems.

It is no secret that the American health care system is one of the most expensive in the world. The out of pocket costs for dealing with a broken bone or other injury can quickly become tens of thousands of dollars of debt. Few travelers have the funds necessary to cover such an expense. Insurance can cover much of those costs.

You may think that such insurance is fine for students or immigrants who will be in the States long-term, but you’re just coming to visit family for a few weeks or making an extended business trip where you’ll be sitting in conference rooms and living in a hotel. Don’t kid yourself. Accidents happen anywhere and anytime. Car accidents, slips in the shower, even catching a virus or bacterial infection can result in hospital time. Losing prescription meds or having a dental emergency can also happen anytime. Visitor insurance covers all these things and much more.

A good policy for visitor insurance may seem a bit costly, but all it takes is one accident or illness to make a traveler realize just how vital it is.

Health Insurance is Vital for Visitors is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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Pioneer Square Park in Seattle is a popular stop for tourists staying in Seattle hotels . Visitors who want to get the most out of the park will make sure to check out the Waterfall Gardens. Located at 219 Second Avenue South, the Gardens feature a two-story cascading waterfall and offers a calming oasis in the urban center of Seattle.

One of the unique features of the Garden is a plaque commemorating the United Parcel Service. Local legend has it that American Messenger Service, which later became UPS, was formed in a saloon that used to stand on the site. Jim Casey, one of the UPS founders, used to tell the story of how early messengers would deliver laudanum to the brothels and saloons in the neighborhood. In 1977 the Annie E. Casey Foundation built the Waterfall Garden Park in honor of Jim Casey and all UPS workers.

The Park was designed by Masao Kinoshita and features Japanese maple trees, bistro tables and benches that provide a Zen-like respite from the bustle and noise of the city.

Seattle Waterfall Garden is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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The idea of the Biennale, an event held every two years where international artists present works in one city, based on a common theme, is ubiquitous in the contemporary art world. Every city that has aspirations to enter the global art world’s map is creating a biennale for themselves, and occasionally there doesn’t seem to be much reason beyond a purely opportunistic one. However, there are some magnificent exceptions, and the Biennale of Sydney is one whose focus consistently enters into a realm of excellence.

There are more reasons than art to spend time in the hotels Sydney offers, but art is a pretty good one. It’s had a fairly splendid history of performance and visual work, not to mention the incredible musical experimentation, in the past few decades, but the past year’s Biennale was another high water mark.

The theme of this exhibition was distance. It refers to a kind of physical as well as metaphorical distance, marking the space needed for an artist to communicate a deep truth to the viewer or spectator. In life, there is no distance between the subject and the objects, and experience works its way into the being in a very direct way. Art can be direct, but there is always space for the viewer to reflect, and this is what guests can find when touring Sydney’s fantastic art scene.

Biennale of Sydney is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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Montreal is the heart of French Canada. Its sophistication and flair for culture is something that is absent from most of the huge cities in Canada and all of North America. Montreal is the 2nd largest city in Canada and offers its tourist plenty of attractions and sights. Its historic and cultural landmarks are one of the most visited by thousands of tourists every month. Even the luxury hotels Montreal offers its guests are worth a visit and some give guided tours.

Old Montreal is known for its historical hotels; this part of the city has been preserved in all its historical majesty. The oldest buildings in section of town date back to the beginning of the 17th century. This area is very alive and vibrant despite how old it is. Shopping in Old Montreal is one of the better activities tourist enjoys before dinning in one of the better restaurants where fine dining is brought to a high-art.

For current culture, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art is the place to be. With more than 7000 works of art by more than 1500 artists, makes this one of the grandest galleries in Canada. Plus, the MMCA offers free admission and guided tours every Wednesday evening.

The above attractions are only a beginning of all the activities one can get involved in Montreal, which thriving city life is rich in culture and with a continuing living history that is guaranteed to please any tourist tastes.

Montreal is a Living History is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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In the whole arena of the Where are they now? questions, some of the hardest celebrities to find are from the music business. It has a way of making people run far away, especially after a couple of good years when international renown sparks but never catches fire. It’s probably arguable at this point as to whether the Del Fuegos reached it, or if the flame burned quickly, or even if they’re still on the way.

The 80s outfit from Boston had a very loyal following and some heartening successes, but disappeared for awhile. For quite awhile actually, because two of the members went on to get their PhDs, in Environmental Engineering, and in Visual Culture. This brings up the answer to that big question of Where? and in Boston, rock and roll stars, upon their departure from the limelight, go into academia.

It was probably suspected, because the culture here is very much one devoted to the life of the mind. Visitors to Boston hotel s will more likely come into contact with the celebration of the senses, however, where the live music is still a very strong scene, and there’s pretty much anything else anyone could ask for culturally. It’s a city that misses the Del Fuegos, perhaps, but they always come back in a different incarnation.

The Del Fuegos in Boston is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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The Vancouver Symphony Orchestra has announced their 2010/2011 season, which begins September 25, 2010. This season will be packed with exciting concerts right through the end of June 2011. World renowned musical artists and emerging talents will take center stage with the VSOs 140 performances this season. The VSO 2010/2011 season will present a diverse range of great classical repertoire, both new and old, matinees and concerts for children and families.

Matinee traditions continue to be a favorite among regular season ticket holders and tourist staying at a Vancouver hotel . Symphony Sundays presents classical concerts in the afternoon, which draws from the main series classical series; and Tea and Trumpets, featuring VSO Assistant Conductor Evan Mitchell and narrator Christopher Gaze. The tea and cookies served in the lobby one hour before every concert, including light classics mixed with narration.

Concerts for children and families are the most popular, with Tiny Tots for the little ones from toddlers to age 4 to 5, performed at the Playhouse Theatre in Vancouver and the Terry Fox Theatre in Port Coquitlam. Kids’ Koncerts will feature the full orchestra and is for children from 4 to 5 and 10 to 11 years of age.

Vancouver Delights Classical Music Lovers is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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San Francisco seems to be uniquely situated with all the right conditions for some great ghost stories. The city by the Bay has rolling mists and unpredictable weather that is capable of producing unusual sights and sounds. Many of these can be easily accounted for, and have natural explanations that are perfectly reasonable. There are other factors, too, that influence the amount of unusual activity. One of these is the age of the city, whose history and old buildings make it ripe for haunting tales. There’s also the presence of Alcatraz prison nearby.

The Rock, as it’s called, is one of the most famous prisons in the world. Known for its stern treatment of prisoners, and extreme challenges for escape, it provokes many ghost stories. Many people who plan vacations here will include a tour of the prison along with the San Francisco hotel on their itinerary.

One of the most famous inmates here was Al Capone , the infamous gangster. Here, the man who’d been treated as a celebrity his whole life found himself to be nothing more than a number. He took to playing the banjo in order to fight against the loneliness that would inevitably come. The ghost part comes about recently, when caretakers of the prison museum have been hearing banjo music playing softly from the cell he once occupied.

San Francisco and the Ghostly Banjo is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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Today, more than ever, people are wanting to be reeducated on how the world works. They want to know how the water, land and sky interact together to create such a beautiful planet to live on. They are looking for ways that they can contribute to keeping Earth clean and fruitful.

While you are staying in one of the Montreal hotels you may want to head over to the Biosphere and see what you can learn. This is a world class facility inside an architectural masterpiece that is housing all the secrets the Earths environmental issues. They offer up many programs to the local children to attend during the school year. There are also special events and short classes to enjoy learning about how we can change our day-to-day habits today that will promote a cleaner planet tomorrow.

There are exhibits on renewable energy for both adults and children. It is fascinating to see how scientists are coming up with renewable sources of energy. There is an exhibit that focuses on sustainable transportation. As humans, we are not going to turn our back on our automobiles and airplanes but there are ways to modify them to be more friendly to the planet and at the Biosphere the learning is wondrous.

Biosphere in Montreal Canada is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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If you’ve come to the Phillipines with your family, and you’re staying in the hotels of the capital city, Manila , you may wish to check out the Museo Pambata, the fulfillment of a dream for mother-of-four Nina Lim-Yuson, who wanted to bring a hands-on museum home to her native country after experiencing the Boston Children’s Museum in the United States.

Working alongside the former Department of Social Welfare and Development secretary, Estefania Aldaba-Lim, Yuson and Aldaba-Lim proposed a dream museum to the mayor of Manila, Alfredo Lim, who had returned from a meeting from Mexico City with other UNICEF Mayor’s about the Rights of the Child. He approved of the project, leading to the museum’s opening in the historic Elks Club Building on December 21st in 1994, a little over 15 years ago.

The Museo Pambata , which translates simply as Children’s Museum, contains eight themed rooms, all with hands-on exhibits encouraging exploration and the discovery of a variety of concepts as the kids play. The rooms include the following themes: Environment, Old Manila, Children in the Global Village. There is a theme room for career options and a craft room, a market place and a hallway dedicated to the Rights of the Child.

Your children will find a room dedicated to Body Works, where they may take a trip inside the human body in the form of a tunnel maze, helping them to understand how our various organs help our bodies function. Finally, there’s Science Through Discovery, where the kids may take a look at scientific principles. In this room, they will find one exhibit behind glass — an actual Moon rock from the historic expedition of Apollo 11, the first manned landing on the lunar surface.

Museo Pambata in Manila is a post from: Fuzzy Bus

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