Well here’s a trip with a difference, imagine jumping in a black London taxi and touring the famous political icons of Belfast. This entertaining and informative tour takes in all the sites, the murals, the Falls and Shankill Roads and peac walls which have been so much a part of the political struggle over the last few decades in Northern Ireland. Tours vary a bit too depending on the point of view of the driver you get, so you never quiet know what you are in for. And if the tour wasn’t one of the best days you have in Belfast it only gets better at the end when you are treated to a tasty bowl of Irish stew and a pint of world famous Guinness. Each tour takes about an hour and a half but you can usually do a deal with the driver and cater it to your tastes for a few extra pounds.
For a wonderful and informative adventure in New Zealand’s Auckland visit Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World and Antartic Encounter. This attraction was built in a old storm water holding tank and now houses some of New Zealand’s and the Antartic’s finest collection of sea life. The complex features a huge acrylic tunnel with moving footpath where you can get an up close look at some amazing fish including huge stingrays and sharks. The largest stingray called Phoebe weighs in at over 200kg and has a massive wingspan of over 2m. The highlight of the visit for most people is the penguin encounter, here is one of the few places outside the Antartic where you will see the king and gentoo penguins. The centre has plenty of informative interactives and lots of fun for young and old.
The Queen Victoria Market has been an institution in Melbourne Australia for over 125 years. With over a 1000 stalls selling just about everything from fresh meat, fish and vegetables to clothing, housewares and the unusual the market attracts tens of thousands of shoppers every day. Built on Melbourne’s first cemetery the market covers seven hectares of the city with most of it undercover. The market opens Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays with a huge Sunday market which sells mainly fashion and variety items being the biggest day. Over the warmer months a popular night market is held on Wednesdays where there is gourmet food, wine tasting and plenty of entertainment. A trip to Melbourne is not complete without visiting the QV.
The Bellagio Hotel in entertainment capital Las Vegas would have to be one of the world’s most beautiful hotels and you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars a night to enjoy some of the glamor. The Bellagio features what would have to be the world’s most amazing water display with a fully choreographed fountain display set to spectacular music in the forecourt of this huge hotel. The show happens several times an hour and is best viewed in the evenings when the incredible lighting combines with the sound and music to put on a incredible show with water being shot hundreds of feet into the air. Make sure you get there early to get a good spot as it is very popular.
The Ponte di Rialto or Rialto Bridge is one of Venice’s most famous landmarks. Dating back to 1588 the bridge spans the Grand Canal and was the only way to cross the canal on foot before the Accadenua Bridge opened in 1854. The bridge offers some magnificent views up and down the canal although it can become very busy. The centre of the bridge is jammed packed with souvenir stalls selling everything including a huge selection of Venician Glass and jewelry, you are probably better to buy it elsewhere to avoid the tourist markup. The bridge was designed by Antonio de Ponte and was very close in design to the wooden structure it replaced it features two incline ramps which are basically all steps and a central portico which carry the stores and shops.
A video that has been hitting our email boxes recently prompted us to do a bit more investigation on it, it is of a market on a railway line in Thailand where the market stall holders have to adjust their stalls displays and verandas every time the train comes down the track. The video is often miss credited as in Bangkok but it is really located in Samut Songkhram on the maeklong railway. Samut Songkhram sits on the River Kwai just before it exits into the bay of Bangkok. There is no bridge on the River Kwai, well not for trains at least as when you get the river everyone has to hop onto a ferry to continue their rail journey on a waiting train on the other side of the river. Read the rest of this entry »
Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow was originally known as Central Lenin Stadium and was the main arena of the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The Stadium is part of the Luzhniki Olympic Complex comprising of 4 arena’s and a swimming pool. Capacity of the arena during the Olympics as show in the video above was around 103000 people today capacity is just under 85000 people. Luzhniki Stadium has been chosen to host the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final and will be Moscow’s first time hosting the European Cup final. Read the rest of this entry »
In Odabia which is the new waterfront technology district of Tokyo, Toyota has a giant showroom come, car museum, come theme park and its really fun for the whole family. There is plenty to do including ‘driving’ the Crayon which is a self driving electric micro car. As you can see in the picture the car is one of Toyota’s latest efforts to revolutionise transport. Reading sensors on the road this car follows the track around the complex. There are simulator rides, an outdoor driving course for people wanting a test drive of a Toyota product and plenty of technology exhibits including Toyota’s cutting edge designs and quite a good display on hybrid and new power plants. The centre also features a beautiful museum where iconic cars from around the world (not all Toyota) are on display and then there’s a discovery centre hall which demonstrates how products are designed to suit as many people as possible. The centre attaches to the huge Pallete Town shopping complex where you can easily find plenty do do for the whole day.
Heavily destroyed by allied bombing raids during the Second World War and its following 40 years as a Eastern Block city controlled by the Soviets Dresden has bounced back to become one of the most vibrant cities in Germany. Situated on the banks of the beautiful Elbe river this city has rebuilt much of its splendorous Baroque Style archetecture and has blended it well with the steel and glass designs of the current age. The city is beautifully layed out with some of Europe’s finest gardens, malls and wide streets. The city also hosts a world class arts and entertainment calendar which is the envy of many cities. Read the rest of this entry »
Ken Maynard is one of Australia’s best loved cartoonists his favorite characters all feature around the Ettamongah Pub. The pub is a wacky old place and the people and critters in it are just as strange. Two of these hotels have been created in real life on just out of Albury / Wodonga in Southern New South Wales and this one on Queensland’s sunshine coast at Caloundra. Don’t forget to to have a ice cold beer at Bluey’s bar and the meals at the grill are huge and very Aussie.The pub is surrounded by Aussie World another kitsch and over the top Aussie adventure. There’s heaps of rides for the kids including a huge Ferris wheel and plenty of sideshow action.
