22
Oct
This trail off Highway 11 is remarkable for its high desert scenery and outstanding volcanic formations, if you are lucky you may even get to see a nene. (A Hawaiian duck)
I wanted to hike this trail for some time but whenever we passed the sign marking the trail head it seemed too hot to hike. We finally decided to just go out despite the heat and I was glad we did. The highlight of the trail leads to a pavilion that protects the imprints of footsteps of a warrior party in the 1790’s. (Kilauea erupted as the army of Keaoua’s troops and Kamehameha’s troops were retreating from a battle over territory. Keaoua sent his warriors home and 400 men, women, and children were asphyxiated by the volcanic gas.) Once you pass the pavilion the trail gets much harder to hike but eventually it joins up with Crater Rim Trail in Volcano National park. If you wanted to hike to the Volcano Observatory it would be a 10 mile jaunt.
The trail is very easy to hike. I went on the hike with my 13 year old son, and my retired mother and stepfather. Some of our party hadn’t hiked for 6 months but despite that no one had any trouble hiking to the pavilion. The hike to the footprints is either paved or fine, soft, black sand. The most challenging thing about the trail is the heat. The trail has no over head cover and is desert despite the location on a tropical island. Plenty of water and sunscreen is a must if you decide to take this hike this trail.
The Kau Desert Trail is located by the 38 mile marker on Highway 11. A large brown sign will denote the trailhead. This is an excellent hike for novice hikers and someone who wants to see the high desert of the Big Island.
22
Oct
Tuscany, Italy is the place that movies are filmed and fantasies run wild. Perhaps it is the cities of Florence, Pisa, or Livorno that invoke feelings of culture, art, or arouse the senses to the smells and taste of the Chianti region. The fact is that Tuscany is home to some of the most famous tourist destinations in Italy. It is here that budding artists come to learn from the masters. It is here that the world of fashion takes it cues. And it is in Tuscany that romantics rekindle the flame and celebrate their love.
The Cities of Tuscany
Florence is perhaps one of the most famous cities in the area known as Tuscany. The Uffizi museum after all is home to such masterpieces as “The Birth of Venus.” Originally built to house the Tuscan administrative offices, the top floor now houses masterpieces by Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Caravaggio. Each visitor to Florence must also stop in and gaze at Michelangelo’s “David,” on display at the oldest art academy, the Galleria dell’Accademia. The Ponte Vecchio is a landmark that literally translated means “old bridge.” It was built in the 1300s and has withstood floods and wars in order to continue to hawk some of the world’s most wonderful 18 and 24k gold products and leather goods.
Chianti is known for its wines which are famous around the world. Tourists to Tuscany can enjoy the world’s finest wines while enjoying the picturesque countryside.
Siena, also located in the Chianti region houses a gothic cathedral and paintings by medieval masters, Duccio and Simone Martini. The Renaissance and Etruscan history are evident in each landmark of the region.
Piza is best known for the Leaning Tower whose construction began in the 12th century, but starting sinking into the ground after only 3 stories were completed. It stood this way for 90 years and was finally completed by the son of Andreo Pisano, Tommano Simone and Giovanni de Simone almost 200 years after it was started.
Hillsides and Waysides
Part of the beauty and mystique of Tuscany is its countryside. The rolling hills that slope down to the coast are dotted with vineyards and villas. There are working farms and vacation villas suitable for the most adventurous tourists or those who demand first class accommodations. Tuscany car rentals allow tourists to explore each tiny village at their own pace and on their own schedule.
The Heart of Commerce
Emerging as a real business centre, Tuscany is home to thriving businesses in the furniture, leather, fashion, and manufacturing industries. These businesses keep the region in the 21st century while the people and culture keep one foot in the past.
If romance, tradition and culture are your idea of an ideal vacation, then Tuscany is for you. On the other hand if shopping and the face pace of a thriving city are your style then you will also find it in the Tuscany region of Italy.
October 22nd, 2008 in
Main Continent | tags:
Europe,
Italy |
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21
Oct
If you want the best all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort, then you ought to look for more than just room with sun, sea, and sand. Hey, it’s not called all-inclusive for nothing you know.
You want your all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort to have, if not everything, then at least, something really close. A buzz on the beach by day, a dining room open to the night air, water sports and other activities to go crazy on, a lounge deck within earshot of the waves for a relaxing afternoon, and a comfortable to retreat to – all that is available if you choose your all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort well.
More and more people are pampering themselves at all-inclusive travel Caribbean resorts where everything they could ever want is right at their disposal. What’s more, lots of these all-inclusives – about 79% - of them are beachfront properties or sitting near lakes and other bodies of water where the views are spectacular. Whatever the price category, the best place to wind down is an all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort. You’re on vacation. You should let someone else take the strain, for once.
Below are our top choices when it comes to all-inclusive travel Caribbean resorts:
Breezes Bahamas
Located on the eastern end of Cable Beach, Breezes Bahamas is the epitome of warm breezes wafting across an azure sea. This all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort was previously the venerable old Ambassador Beach Hotel. In 1995, the world-famous SuperClubs took over management and the resort underwent major renovations.
Breezes all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort is truly all-inclusive. At Breezes, almost everything you could ever want is included. Room accommodations, all meals, all snacks, unlimited wine or beer with lunch and dinner, as well as alcoholic drinks, mixed with premium brand liquors at each of the four bars, the list just goes on and on. Not only that, but this all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort also includes most of the water and land sports activities, as well as airport transfers, taxes, and gratuities – all in one upfront price.
Club Med Turkoise
An island all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort, Club Med Turkoise is located directly on the white sand beach of a desert island called Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos, Caribbean. Although the land is arid and flat, unlike what you may expect of a tropical island, Turks and Caicos do draw the card with its breathtaking beauty and the astounding view of the beach and sea surrounding it.
With miles of white sand and translucent turquoise water, Club Med Turkoise all-inclusive travel Caribbean is the ideal for sports lovers and scuba divers. There are a total of 298 rooms, all beautifully appointed with comfortable accommodations, 3 meals a day, including unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks with lunch and dinner, most sports, and nightly entertainment.
Le Sport
“Give us your body for a week and we’ll give you back your mind.” That’s the line Le Sport at St. Lucia uses on their clients. And indeed, this all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort does just that. With its quirky outlook on how an all-inclusive travel Caribbean resort should be, Le Sport has been helping the weary business traveler relax, suing a combination of holiday treats and intense pleasure of personalized rejuvenation.
21
Oct
An eagle swoops overhead, its vast wingspan silhouetted against the morning sun. A trained eye surveys the land below, anticipating any sudden movement.
Deep in the canyon beneath, the Colorado River runs its relentless course through Grand Canyon National Park, carved through the ages by this vein flowing through Arizona. As the sun climbs the morning sky, flooding the valley with light, the ground temperature rises and the creatures of the valley begin their daily quest for survival.
The immense scale of the Grand Canyon is difficult to comprehend. At its peak, the side walls plummet 1500 m (5000 ft) down to the river. At its broadest the canyon extends up to 29 km (18 mi) wide and overall the complex stretches over 446 km (227 mi).
The Grand Canyon is perhaps America’s most recognisable landmark. The region is a magnet for tourists, attracting over 5 million visitors each year. Nobody fully appreciates the landscape until they have experienced it for themselves.
From the Colorado River, deep in the canyon floor, layer upon layer of rock becomes noticeable, stacked like pancakes, each one representing millions of years of evolution. Tiers of lime and sandstone stand excavated by the river, wind and sands of time.
Above the canyon, the temperature in the plateau area ranges from one extreme to another. Down on the canyon floor, temperatures can exceed 100°F, though winter frosts are rare.
It’s surprising to imagine anything living in this hot and arid land far from the river, but the valleys are bursting with life. Plants and animals cling precariously to the vertical cliff faces, every nook and cranny bustling with activity.
Deep on the valley floor, the creatures scurry around, living their own rat race. The park is home to a wide variety of animals including the unique Grand Canyon “pink” rattlesnake. Ringtails, beavers and chipmunks are all widespread. Hundreds of bird species have made their home in the park, as well as countless insects and arachnids.
The canyon communities have their own pecking orders. Here, in this parched and hostile land, the food chain provides a delicate balance between survival, or finishing as dinner for those in the hierarchy. The environment is uncompromising and evolution has chosen its few.
In the distance, the eagle glides effortlessly over the broad crevasse. A sudden change in direction and the predator is racing to the ground at speed. Moments later, an unfortunate rodent has become breakfast.
