BULS

Enjoy The Wonderful Museums in Superb Manchester

Manchester primary came to prominence while the manufactured Revolution, which is when it became the world leader in textile manufacture and production. The center is proud of its modern former times and a number of the cotton mills that were used amid this time display been transformed into offices and flats.

The urban place is also a middle of commerce, science and technology. It has three universities and is renowned as the birthplace of the nipper computer, which revolutionised twenty- first century computing.

Although the municipality retains multitudinous delightful Victorian frameworks these as Manchester place Hall and Central Library, it also vaunts lots of neoteric fabrics. Legions of these houses were constructed after the metropolitan area was bombed by terrorists in1996.

There are lots of activities in Manchester, including a volume of museums and art galleries. Some of the best are URBIS, the Museum of science and industry and the Whitworth Art Gallery.

The Whitworth art gallery has a big permanent batch of work, including art by artists such as Picasso, Paul Klee and David Hockney. As well as this, the gallery also has multitudinous touring exhibitions.

Manchester is a esteemed vicinity for shopping lovers with a wide range of stores that cater to every taste. You will find designer stores like Agent Provocateur and Armani on the city’s exclusive King Street, as well as larger department stores these as Harvey Nicholls.

Shoppers on a budget will be pleased to know that there are piles of high street stores on Market Street. Some of the greater favoured stores are New Look, HMV and Game.

Manchester has celebrated nightlife, so it is a illustrious field to reside for a night out. From splendid restaurants to trendy bars and cool nightclubs, there is something for everyone here.

You could begin your evening with a pint of real ale in one of the city’s quirky pubs. Alternatively, you might appreciate a glass of wine or a tasty cocktail in one of Manchester’s more sophisticated bars. Afterwards, you might move on to another public house or even to a club, where you will be able to dance the night away. It goes without saying that Manchester has a wide range of clubs, so you are unfaltering to spot one that plays the music you thrive with.

If you are looking for somewhere special to stay along your stop off to Manchester, you certainly will not be disappointed. In fact, the conurbation has branches of greater major chain hotels, including the malmaison and the Hilton.

For travellers on a budget, you will be pleased to know that the borough has numerous guesthouses and b and bs too.

Graciela Saltise
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/appreciate-the-miraculous-public-parks-in-failsworth-705585.html

Technorati Tags: Public parks, Urban Leisure

Although Amsterdam is officially designated as the capital of the Netherlands it has never been the seat of the parliament court or government, of the Netherlands, which are all located at The Hague. 173 nationalities live in the city.

Schiphol Airport is less than 20 minutes by train from Amsterdam Central Station. It is the biggest airport in the Netherlands. It handles about 42 million passengers a year and is home base to KLM since 2004.

Known as one of the bicycle friendly cities in the world. There are about 700,000 bicycles in the city, about 80,000 bikes are stolen every year and 25000 end up in the canals. Parking fees are steep and streets are closed off to cars as a discouragement to them.

Trams are the best way of getting around Amsterdam and run regularly. Trams are frequent, fast and reliable. You need to hail a tram to let the driver know you want to get on. If the tram has a conductor you must use the rear door to get on.

The canals are Amsterdam s number one attraction. The Canal Bus is the perfect way to get around Amsterdam. The comfortable boats offer a hop on, hop off service along different routes.

The main area in Amsterdam for shopping is at Kalverstraat. This section of the city can be found close to Dam Square. A variety of designer boutiques have set up shop in this area. Waterlooplein Flea market is a outdoor bazaar, best for the second hand clothing and full of general bric-a-brac. Traditionally oldest and most interesting market of Amsterdam.

Leidseplein is one of Amsterdam s most popular places for nightlife full of restaurants, clubs and cinemas. In summer you will find street jugglers musicians and other performers. Rembrandtplein is another area lined with cafes, bars, restaurants and hotels and is a tourist area. It includes traditional Dutch bars. Around the area you will find night clubs, gay venues, diamond dealers and souvenir shops.

Amsterdam is also famous for the red light district. Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands at specific places. The red-light district is located in the centre of the city along major canals and is clearly marked on maps.

Coffee shops sell cannabis this is not completely legal but is tolerated when small quantities of cannabis up to 5 grams are involved. Some coffee shops, especially in the Netherlands, are places where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities.

Douglas Scott
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/city-along-major-canals-121458.html

Technorati Tags: Amsterdam, Urban Leisure

When you are planning a tour of the Iberian peninsualr in your VW campervan, Granada has to be high on your list. The city of Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains at the confluences of the Genil and Darro rivers. Granada is one of the pearls of Spain, most visited by tourists from all the world. During the period of Muslim domination, Granada was the finest city on the peninsula.

Granadas first new mosque for 500 years was opened in the summer of 2003 to a backdrop of anxiety following the post September 11 focus on radical extremism. Despite fears the leaders of the mosque, built in Granadas old town district of Albayzin, went out of their way to welcome all people into the house of worship and the controversy soon died down.

The greatest Muslim legacy in Europe, is in Granada and one of the most inspiring attractions on the Continent the 11th century Alhambra. From outside, its red fortress towers and walls appear plain, if imposing, rising from woods of elm and cypress with the Sierra Nevada forming a magnificent backdrop. Inside the marvellously decorated emirs palace, are the Generalife gardens and Palacio Nazaries. Water is an art form here and its sounds take you far from the bustle of the city. The spell can be shattered by the average 6000 visitors who traipse through this Unesco World Heritage site each day. The Alhambra has two outstanding sets of buildings, the Palacio Nazaries and the Alcazaba Citadel. Also within its walls are the Palacio de Carlos V, the Iglesia de Santa Alhambra, two hotels, several book and souvenir shops and lots of lovely gardens.

At the Paseo de los Tristes, you will find many bars offering Tapas for the hungry especially popular are snails and fried fish and beer, wine and refreshments for the thirsty. This is especially true during the warm season, when all the summer terraces are open. This is exactly the right place to begin a long granadinian night or to put yourself in the right mood to visit one of the many concerts in the magic the gardens of the Generalife.

Granada is a busy university city with a lively street life which goes on through the night until breakfast time some discos do not even open their doors until midnight. The hustle and bustle created by student night life and traffic offers an interesting contrast to the generally laid back atmosphere.

The city offers a variety of shopping experiences, from lively, modern streets to quiet alleys with workshops selling local handicrafts. The Calle de los Mesones, with its designer shops and buskers, is a real treat to wander down in the evening, a good selection of handicrafts can be found in and around Plaza Nueva, including hand made guitars, weaving, basketry, leather goods, ornate Moorish style lamps and ceramics. Plaza Bib-Rambla has a selection of market stalls selling mainly flowers.

Douglas Scott
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/one-of-the-finest-city-140572.html

Technorati Tags: Granada, historical city, Urban Leisure, VW Campervan

There are so many awesome things to do in San Diego that you need a way to get around and see them all. And unless you know someone who lives there, you need some help. Old Town Trolley Tours might just be your answer. It was ours. These tours are San Diegos only regularly scheduled on-and-off, fully narrated tour of San Diego and Coronado. Colorful anecdotes, humorous stories and historical information are combined into a fast paced, two hour narrative that will both entertain and educate.

We started our tour at the Cruise Ship Terminal. There was free parking there on weekends so we left our VW T25 there. Plus, we got to tour the waterfront before the tour began. That saved us another stop. After the tour we also decided to take a sunset bay cruise so ending the tour at the waterfront helped us in that regard as well. All we did was step off the trolley and straight onto the boat. Some of the better seafood restaurants are in the area as well.

We could not have chosen a better spot to start our tour.The trolley tours through San Diego and Coronado on a continuous loop. Start the tour at any one of the stops throughout the day. Stay on board the trolley and get a fascinating narrative and a great overview of San Diego until you return to your starting point in about two hours. Or hop off the trolley at a few of your favorite sites then reboard and continue on with the tour until you return to the starting point. The earlier you start the more time you will have for visiting San Diego attractions, shopping, and dining.

You only get one go around, so if you plan your stops beforehand you can make a day of it. In fact you can see all the best places and things to do in San Diego on the tour in one day.

There are ten stops around the city:
Old Town State Park
Cruise Ship Terminal
Midway Aircraft Carrier Museum
Seaport Village
Marriot Hotel and Marina
Horton Plaza
William Heath Davis House
Coronado
San Diego Zoo
El Prado

You can spend hours or even a full day in any of these stops, especially if you like to shop. Restaurants and dining facilities are all over and at every stop as well.

If you love the beach you will want to stop at the island of Coronado. They have a beautiful beach and a historic hotel that has been made famous in several movies. The trip across the bridge to the island is also a must do just for the view.

We skipped the stop at the Aircraft Carrier but we did enjoy the stop at Seaport Village. And we went back there after the tour was over for dinner and a wonderful evening stroll.

Balboa Park, which is the El Prado stop, was also a great place to stop and stroll. There are so many museums to visit it can take you several days. If you go on a weekend, there are also street performers and vendors as well. An added bonus is the free trolley tour of the park which is provided for all park guests and not connected to the Old Town Trolleys. The San Diego Zoo is also in the park and you can visit here as well, but I recommend you send a whole day there.

Horton Plaza is the place for shopping. They have all the large stores and smaller boutiques as well. Old Town State Park is the stop for experiencing San Diegos Mexican heritage. Great Mexican restaurants, shops, and cantinas abound.

Normally tour guides are fountains of information. But these tour guides not only knew their stuff, but they had audio clips that served as jokes as well. Sitting on a trolley was a bit more fun than sitting on a coach bus.

If you have only one day to send in San Diego, this is the tour you want to take. It is cheap and it covers everything worth seeing. Plus you get to decide where you want to spend the most time.

Ameen Kamadia
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/things-to-do-in-san-diego-ca-old-town-trolley-tours-56902.html

Technorati Tags: San Diego, trolley bus, Urban Leisure, VW t25

Hundreds of people fed up of being stuck in the city at weekends are taking part in a new sporting challenge, known as the Rat Race.

The idea is to make use of all the nooks and crannies of a city to participate in various outdoor adventure sports. It’s catching on in the London and other cities round the UK - giving residents a new appreciation of their urban environment.

Technorati Tags: adventure sports, Urban Leisure

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal and the country’s largest city. Its population is more than 2,5 million and it’s the most western of all the European capitals: the city is located on the Atlantic coast, by the Tagus river. This Portuguese pearl will enchant you with its churches, castles, medieval streets and museums. It’s an extraordinary mixture, with sophisticated restaurants and smart shops - then only a few streets away, tiny courtyards filled with flowers, ancient buildings and chickens scratching under handsome chicken arks.

Its coastal line stretches from the river Tagus to the beaches of Alentejo region, from modern urban constructions to picturesque fishing settlements. Located on the south-western coast of the Pyrenean Peninsula, Costa de Lisboa is rich in natural landmarks and attracts tourists with its mild climate.

Those who come to Lisbon for the first time will see much more than they expected. None of books can give a complete description of the country, where diverse traditions and cultural peculiarities stand side by side.

In the course of 15 centuries not only local people, but also merchants and travelers from India, Japan and Africa brought their customs to Lisbon.

The city’s historic centre stands on seven hills, that is why Lisbon is rich in steep slopes, which make it difficult for cars and buses to move along some streets. But the city is provided with funiculars and lifts and quite a spectacular view. No wonder this area has long been attracting romantic people and merchants. A lot has changed since the times when first settlers appeared on this territory, but the city is still stunning. All this plus the relaxed and unconstrained atmosphere of Lisbon and the mixture of different architectural styles  and you will find yourself in one of the most pleasant cities in the world. What is no less important, a stay in Lisbon won’t cost you a fortune âs the city is really economical.

The heart of Lisbon is filled with wide avenues, green trees, modernist-style buildings, mosaic decorations and numerous cafes. Lisbon is like an impressionist painting which depicts small pastel-painted houses, the domes and towers of local churches. One local attraction is the Monsanto Forest Park 10 square kilometers;  this is one of the largest European parks.

The city is now being reborn and renovated. After many years of standstill and passiveness, nowadays its modern, lively, energetic and cosmopolitan atmosphere reminds of the times when Lisbon was the trade centre and the starting point for many sea expeditions.

Renovation of the city started in the 1990s. During the period there were a number of new constructions erected here. Those are Vasco da Gama Bridge connecting the city airport with the country’s highways and Gare do Oriente transport hub (built by the project of an award-winning Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava) that connects Lisbon with the rest of Europe.

But those are not only new projects that enchant tourists. The city will attract you with its old charm and a sort of provincial feeling. The Castle of Sao Jorge at the magnificent medieval district, old wooden trams riding up and down the streets, art-deco cafes and roadways decorated with mosaics will help you feel the city atmosphere. Many historic attractions were destroyed during the great 1755 Lisbon Earthquake, but many were left and are now no less popular with tourists than such modern constructions as the Lisbon Oceanarium.

A small distance away from the city tourists can enjoy several sandy beaches: Costa da Caparica, Estoril and Cascais, forests of Sintra and a wonderful Mafra Monastery. Lisbon is filled with light, vivid, self-assured, fresh and modern spirit.

Technorati Tags: chicken arks, Lisbon, Urban Leisure

It’s been a pretty amazing summer so far. The weather has been pretty good since as far back as April. Occasionally, we’ve had rain showers and thunderstorms, but much of the rain has actually fallen over night. The weather on the weekends has been great for the most part, perfect conditions to enjoy all the activities and festivals that the city has to offer and to explore in my trusty vw campervan. I decided earlier this year that I would be spending this summer in Toronto without any major travel assignments overseas. So this is my chance to focus on local explorations on foot, by bike and in my trusty vw campervan.

And the offerings are amazing: I already wrote detailed articles from my explorations at Toronto’s Doors Open architectural festival, my exciting day at the Dragonboat Festival on Toronto’s Islands, the Taste of Little Italy, Summerlicious - Toronto’s restaurant festival, the Celebrate Toronto Street Festival and Afrofest. There are simply not enough hours in the week to cover all my explorations since I have decided to head out and discover as many places and activities as possible right here in Toronto. Here is a little summary of some of the other activities I have participated in that I haven’t had a chance yet to talk about in detail.

On June 25, 2006 I headed out to Toronto’s Pride Parade, one of the biggest parades in Toronto, and one of the largest of its kind in the world. This year’s parade theme was “Fearless!” to indicate how far Toronto’s queer community has come and how far they still have to go. From its original roots as a protest event, Toronto’s Pride Parade today has become a real family affair with special events for families and children. The city has embraced this event and it has great support from the mayor, the police, various corporate sponsors and politicians from all political parties. The big events of Pride Week included the Flag Raising Ceremony at City Hall, Pride Awards and a Gala Dinner, the Dyke March as well as the dazzling Pride Parade. Seven entertainment stages provided entertainment with about 650 artists, the Community Fair included participants from a large variety of community groups, and the Marketplace enticed the crowd with merchandise, clothing, and various accessories and treats.

In between these special events I have also had a chance to explore the city by bike and on inline skates. A couple of weeks ago I cycled out to the Scarborough Bluffs and spent some time in one of my favourite Toronto spots: the Rosetta McClain Gardens. This is a beautiful public garden with gorgeous flower beds and serene sitting areas, perched high above Lake Ontario with great vistas of this peaceful expanse of water.

From there I drove east in my vw campervan through a variety of parks abutting the Scarborough Bluffs which are essentially cliffs formed from eroded packed clay soil. They stretch for about 14 km along Lake Ontario in the east end of Toronto, and at their highest point they rise 65 meters above the water. The most interesting formations can be found around Bluffer’s Park, a large waterfront park featuring a sandy beach, picnic areas, walks, lookouts, and berths for over 500 boats.

Toronto, with its location right on Lake Ontario, is a haven for cyclists and water sports enthusiasts, and the waterfront has numerous extensive parks right on the shoreline that are ideal for picnics, sunbathing and relaxing by the water. The Martin Goodman Trail is a multi-purpose recreational trail with a length of about 22 km along Toronto’s Waterfront and gives inline skaters and bicyclists a chance to exercise and soak up the sun right next to the water. Last weekend I strapped on my rollerblades and explored the Waterfront Trail along Toronto’s West end in Etobicoke, and the nicely paved trail continues into Toronto’s neighbouring cities Mississauga, Oakville and Burlington.

But serene nature experiences not only await at the waterfront, the City has several other spots that allow you to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Last week I spent a couple of hours exploring Riverdale Farm, Toronto’s Necropolis and the surrounding Cabbagetown Neighbourhood. Riverdale Farm is actually an early 20th century farm that has been turned into a learning opportunity for urban dwellers that exposes them to farm animals and a rural environment. The peaceful park outside Riverdale Farm is a favourite destination for school groups and adults who relax under the shady trees and cool off in the public fountains.

Right next to Riverdale Farm is the Toronto Necropolis, one of Toronto’s oldest and most historic cemeteries. Dating back to the 1850s, it houses a collection of Victorian buildings and sculptures and is one of the most picturesque locations in the city. The recently restored cemetery entrance, chapel and office are fine examples of High Victorian Gothic architecture and the Necropolis is a favourite destination for photographers year-round.

Both Riverdale Farm and the Toronto Necropolis are surrounded by Cabbagetown, a historic neighbourhood with a very interesting history. The name “Cabbagetown” dates back to the mid 19th century, when Irish immigrants decided to plant unusually large cabbage patches on their front lawn. Cabbagetown has one of the largest and most impressive concentrations of Victorian architecture in all of North America. Local residents take great pride in their properties and embellish their homes with well-tended front and back gardens and the area is a magnificent location for a relaxing stroll.

So many other neighbourhoods beckon to be explored: I have spent some time at Harbourfront and recently took a walk through Toronto’s main Chinatown and the adjoining Kensington Market where exotic fruits and unusual foods can be purchased at reasonable prices. The sheer variety of Toronto’s neighbourhoods is mind-boggling and it feels like you are doing a virtual trip around the world by just walking a few blocks or hopping on the subway. I have made several forays into the Victorian serenity of Riverdale and the adjoining hustle and bustle of the Danforth, one of my favourite neighbourhood hangouts.

These past few days have been busy too. On Friday, my entire crew at the office and I went to a local Pakistani restaurant in Toronto’s Thorncliffe Park Neighbourhood. The entire neighbourhood is perched on a hill overlooking the Don Valley and was developed with numerous high-rise buildings in the 1950s and 1960s. Today Thorncliffe Park is one of the most densely populated and most multicultural neighbourhoods of Toronto with a large proportion of recent immigrants from Muslim countries. We had an absolutely delicious dinner with a selection of Pakistani dishes at Iqbal Restaurant. Several of my co-workers are from Pakistan and we have had a great introduction to Muslim foods and traditions. Toronto offers so many great opportunities for cross-cultural connections. We shared six different delicacies including chicken, lamb, beef and chick pea dishes and had a wonderful time sampling this varied cuisine.

After our truly delicious dinner all of us headed down to Queen Street East where the Beaches International Jazz Festival was being held. This festival is now in its 18th year, and has become a crowd favourite since its 1989 inception. We started at Woodbine and right away ran into our favourite: Dr. Draw, a highly energetic Moscow-born electric violinist surrounded by a team of dedicated musicians. This band produced a highly eclectic, unusual type of music with a diverse mixture of beats with modern and classical elements thrown in. In addition, Dr. Draw has a highly physical performance style and it makes you wonder how he plays the violin so well while jumping up and down. We saw several other rock and reggae bands, and a 3-person group named Johannes Linstead entertained us with virtuoso flamenco rhythms. Incidentally, this group won the Best World Album in 2004 and has top ten charting albums. In total the Beaches Jazz Festival featured over 30 performers in its StreetFest and ten headliners on the Main Stage.

I dropped by at the Beaches Jazz Festival again with two friends yesterday, and at the north end of Kew Gardens we saw Toronto’s Mayor David Miller being photographed with members of the crowd. Mayor Miller makes appearances at many community events and is very approachable. So we decided that we too would get our picture taken with Toronto’s mayor.

We then strolled over to the Main Stage and checked out some of the ecclectic clothing, jewellery and art on sale in the various booths that were located throughout Kew Gardens. People were getting henna tattoos, others were getting readings by psychics, and the majority of people were relaxing on the grass, enjoying the music. Some folks were also getting their surprisingly accurate portraits done…

On the Boardwalk we enjoyed the hot Spanish rhythms of Puente del Diablo before we checked out the action at the beach volleyball courts. One of my friends is a visitor from Austria, so this was her first introduction to Toronto while my other friend is a fairly recent immigrant who doesn’t yet know the city very well either. I quite enjoy taking new arrivals around the city, introducing them to all my favourite spots. As a city on a lake that looks like an ocean, the waterfront is a great attraction, and it’s a really cool place to hang out.

To explore more we then hopped into the car and decided to pay a visit to the Distillery District, a former distillery dating back to 1832. This complex encompasses more than 40 historic buildings that make up the largest and best preserved collection of Victorian Industrial Architecture in all of North America. The Distillery District has been restored recently and has become one of Toronto’s hottest entertainment areas with its restaurants, cafes, galleries and artists’ studios, a brewery, theatres and retail outlets. Every Sunday the Distillery features a farmers market and numerous festivals draw huge crowds throughout the year.

Our “Introduction to Toronto” driving tour continued and I took my friends downtown on Front Street and showed them the Gooderham Building - Toronto’s own triangular Flatiron Building. Then we admired Old and New City Hall, the classical splendour of Osgoode Hall, the imposing Richardson Romanesque structure of Queens Park - seat of Ontario’s provincial government, and the Neo-Gothic splendour of the University of Toronto campus. After a brief tour through Chinatown we had a sneak peak at Little Italy and ended up for dinner in the picturesque Annex neighbourhood on Bloor Street West, just west of Spadina. Along the way we drove through Portuguese, Ethiopian and Korean neighbourhoods.

Finally we had a lovely dinner at the Country Style Hungarian Restaurant, a neighbourhood institution for decades, which impresses with its tasty authentic European meals, reasonable prices and huge portion sizes. All three of us enjoyed a Wiener Schnitzel and to top off a delicious meal we enjoyed “Palatschinken”, a mouth-watering dessert featuring a crepe filled with apricot jam.

Each one of these experiences deserves its own article, but there are just so many things to see and do in Toronto, I just can’t keep up with the stories. But I am hoping this little medley of stories will give you an idea of Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods, culinary offerings, exciting festivals and things to do during a great long hot summer.

For the entire article including photos please visit
http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/toronto_hot_summer.htm

Susanne Pacher
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/hello-from-toronto-part-7-summer-in-to-positively-rocks-99037.html

Technorati Tags: Toronto, Urban Leisure, VW Campervan