Monterey Bay Aquarium California, World’s Best Aquariums

Located in California, the Monterey Bay Aquarium is a world within itself with as many as 35000 different colorful ocean creatures. A visit to the Monterey Bay would overwhelm a person with the beauty that exists beneath the blue waters as well as a vast amount of knowledge that is there for the taking through the exhibits and guides.

A usual trip is of 3 hours, but one can plan a quick one hour tour through the aquarium as well. However, given the variety at display, a single tour would never be enough to appreciate the various forms of ocean creatures preserved at this aquarium. One can also take membership of this aquarium for a small fees which would be paid off in as less as two trips to the aquarium with the family. Members get special trips, behind the scene sessions and a beautiful and informative newsletter.

The best part about the aquarium is their planned itinerary which takes the tourists through a range of informative programs, ranging from knowing more about the albatross, to quiz on sea otters, and short and informative films on jellies, tuna, sharks and sea turtles. One could also take a trip through the deep dark waters of Monterey canyon in special submersibles. One could also go through an interactive session where they see experts feeding sharks, penguins and sea otters, and watch the Outer bay feeding of barracuda, tuna and bonito, learning about the conservation efforts ongoing for these underwater creatures.

The aquarium also has other interesting activities planned for tourists. Students can go for a trip of the cannery and the history of fishing. Family activities are planned over nights letting them sleep over next to their favorite exhibits. Students can go for adventurous sails at sunrise and sunset in a sailboat and conduct some research along with the Aquarium naturalists. Students can also go for a trip to interact with the sea creatures on exhibition in the mornings. Underwater exploring is also planned for kids between 8 and 13 who can scuba dive and get a fish eye view of the life under the water. One can also learn a lot about the staff of the Aquarium in a 50 minute behind the scene tour.

The cost of the tickets is around $18 for children and around $30 for adults. In this Aquarium, one could learn a lot about life on a sandy shore, or a rocky shore, in the deep waters or in the Outer bay about the most mysterious to most beautiful of animals. The Aquarium staff also share their knowledge about the habitat of the animals, the conservation efforts to preserve the rare species etc. through well captured videos.

Aquarium Adventures Programs;
Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Family Seashore Sleepover
Youth Group Seashore Sleepovers
Morning Rounds
Fishing for History: A Cannery Row Tour
Sailing Adventures: Day Sails
Sailing Adventures: Sunset Sails
Underwater Explorers

The Monterey Bay Aquarium is located in Monterey at the west end of historic Cannery Row, just minutes from Carmel and Pebble Beach. Monterey is approximately 125 miles (208 km) south of San Francisco and 360 miles (600 km) north of Los Angeles.

You can get detailed information at http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/.

Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve

As the world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Phulay Bay embodies the attributes, philosophy and unique style and design of the Reserve brand extension. It has been designed for those who seek to escape the stresses of everyday life and immerse themselves into a completely bespoke and personally-tailored-to-suit vacation experience.

Set on the shores of the Andaman Sea, Phulay Bay is a striking 54-villa and pavilion boutique hotel offering unspoilt views of the naturally rugged shoreline and dramatic limestone karsts which make up this beautiful part of southern Thailand.

The resort is the vision and work of in-demand Thai architect Lek Bunnag, and is an awe-inspiring combination of modern styling and architecture; grand and oversized in scale with distinctive accents from not only Thai, but Middle Eastern and Moroccan cultures. Bunnag takes inspiration from beautiful things from around the world to create an environment where the senses are continuously triggered and enlivened from the moment guests enter the resort driveway to the moment they leave.

An exhilarating sense of arrival will immediately let guests know they are somewhere special: 20ft high aubergine walls and ‘hedges’ made from indigenous trees create a sense of wonder from the outside and a great sense of peace and stillness once on the inside. Guests enter the resort through the high walls and walk over a stepping-stone pathway that leads them to a magnificent pitched-roof Thai pavilion situated on an island surrounded by thousands of gently flickering candles.

From here on in, guests subtly and gently have their senses enriched and stimulated with the resort’s own scent, signature drink, the stunning scenery from both inside the accommodation and throughout the resort, to tactile 100% Thai silk soft furnishings used in the villas and restaurants.

“When styling and designing Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, we were very conscious of the abundant natural beauty surrounding us which is what makes people fall in love with Thailand,” explained Estelita Sebeto, the resort’s General Manager. “We want guests to enjoy and discover the extraordinary diversity so have worked with nature to maintain a setting that evokes the very best of the natural environment and sourced local and sustainable materials in its construction and styling.”

Working closely with Thai interior designer IA49, Bunang has carefully designed buildings and public spaces to combine contemporary with culture, perfectly complementing the natural flora of existing trees and plants which cleverly act as privacy screens throughout the grounds offering greater intimacy in the resort. The use of traditional story-telling Lanna art forms both in architectural structure and as paintings and artworks on the walls and doors of villas further stimulates the senses and creates an element of interest for guests.

No two of the resort’s 16 signature Reserve Villas are the same; all slightly different in physical design and styling, guests can opt for a villa with lap pool and lawn area for sun worshiping, a private rooftop for alfresco dining and sunset viewing, or a completely secluded pool bathing area for total privacy. Across all nonetheless, luxury prevails with oversized 3metre by 2metre beds, deep sunken baths, walk in closets, expansive decked gardens and vast ‘keyhole’ doorways that create a sense of magic setting the guest at ease and welcoming them to luxury.

With an emphasis on personalised, bespoke experiences, guests can ‘design’ or tailor make their visit to perfectly suit their needs and desires. Their very own villa butler, can organise a light BBQ lunch at a favourite beach spot; a meditation class with local monks; elephant trekking to a remote picnic spot; a sea plane tour of region’s dramatic scenery; an in-villa personal yoga session; a boat journey to surrounding islands – the possibilities are endless.

World-class culinary experiences will be available throughout the resort’s six intimate and carefully thought-out restaurants. Each designed to accommodate a small number of guests for highly personalised and non intrusive service. Chef will personally meet diners to better understand their tastes and preferences and all ingredients will be sourced from local markets and cooked fresh.

Included is the resort’s signature Thai restaurant, Sri Trang, a modern, and stylish restaurant with private dining room for 10 set on its own jetty overlooking the shoreline called ‘Sri Trang by the Sea’. Lae Lay, the resort’s sea front pavilion sits parallel to a 23metre infinity pool stretching out to the sea beyond. Beautifully appointed with oversized chairs and hanging lanterns among rustling trees, guests can also choose to dine under the stars on their own in a private sala seating up to 8 guests, aptly named ‘Lae Lay Under the Stars’.

An infinity pool bar will offer soft loungers and silk pillows by day with lighter more relaxed culinary offerings, while the resort’s sunset lounge, will offer day beds, oversized pillows, chill-out lounge bar music and candle lanterns for a truly intimate and relaxing feel. The perfect place for a glass of champagne or a stylish martini as the sun sets over the seemingly endless horizon. RAW spa café prepares fresh, uncooked and unaltered vegan products and has a green hydroponic bar growing the resort’s own wheatgrass and lettuce.

The ESPA villa at Phulay Bay is a sanctuary for relaxation and rejuvenation with stepping stones meandering through the spa leading to decked walkways and relaxation terraces surrounded by vegetation and reflection ponds that perfectly capture the unique character of Phulay Bay. The Spa itself comprises three traditional Thai pavilions set over two levels offering 11 treatment rooms including single and couples massage rooms and two VIP treatment suites with their own expansive decks for massage and showering.

The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C., of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 73 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe with future openings including Dubai International Financial Centre, United Arab Emirates; Shanghai, Pudong, China; and Kowloon, Hong Kong. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company web site at www.ritzcarlton.com.

Rio Carnival, World’s Best Carnival

Rio Carnival is one of the most entertaining leisure events on earth that are hold during the whole year. Every year, the carnival is held between 13th and 16th of February. Carnival is very important to the Brazilians, it sums up their culture. It is a euphoric event where people dance, sing, party and have tons of fun.

People’s acquaintance with Rio Carnival dates back to 1723. Even though it has such a long history, Rio Carnival is actually famous for its Samba Parade that consists of a plenty of people and dancers from various samba schools. Because Samba Parade of the Rio Carnival is quite different from other parades, millions of tourists visit Brazil during that period.

Rio Carnival is the result of months of preparation. People eagerly anticipate the start of each year’s Rio Carnival. It begins with the crowning of the Fat King (King Momo), who is presented with a giant silver and gold key by the city’s mayor. Then it is Carnival all over the place, in the streets and squares, bars, clubs and all other venues, taking over the whole city of Rio and culminating in the Rio Carnival Parade also known as the Samba Parade.

Therefore, it is acknowledged that Samba Parade is supposed to be seen at least once in a lifetime. This parade can be perceived just as a street festival but indeed it is more than that because it mostly demonstrates the competition among the samba schools. It might seem that dancers in the Samba Parade is just hanging out but actually it is an orchestrated parade in which every dancer has a certain role and place depending on the samba school he/she has enrolled.

Another feature that makes Rio Carnival unique is that Samba Parade has different themes every year. Also, each samba school is represented with different colored costumes. Thus, these characteristics make the Samba Parade entertaining and exciting to watch. Since people all around the world are aware of this fact, Rio de Janerio attracts a plenty of visitors from Australia to Russia.

There are also other activities as the parade goes on such as balls in Copacabana Palace and beach and street festivals that are highly accompanied with traditional music and dancing, namely samba. Since everyone is allowed to participate in the street festivals, you can have the joy of music, dancing and singing at the same time by means of visiting Rio de Janerio during the carnival time.

The Sambodromo is the stadium of samba. It consists of the Parading Avenue (the samba run-way) and several independent concrete structures for the spectators (the so called sectors) along both sides of the Parading Avenue. it comes to life during Carnival It is truly magnificent and overpowering, lit up with special effects on Samba Parade nights, filled with thousands of cheering spectators and surrounded by many other thousands of people who could not get inside. It can seat around 70,000 people, which is already far too few for the ever growing Rio Carnival Parade. Entry to the Sambodromo is only possible with tickets for events. However it opens its doors and offers free entry to the grand stand seats in almost all sectors on rehearsal days which take place in the Sambodromo on the weekends before Rio Carnival.

All in all, Rio Carnival is a great opportunity to discover Brazilian culture that is exposed by local dancers and singers. Furthermore, it provides you an occasion to entertain yourselves with Rio Carnival’s outstanding atmosphere and ambiance as well as never-ending dancing and music. You shouldn’t wait for the best time to visit Rio de Janerio because no doubt carnival time is the right time.

You can get detailed information about Rio Carnival at http://rio-carnival.net/

La Tomatina, The Tomato Fight Festival

On the last Wednesday of August every year a food fight festival called La Tomatina is held in Spain in the city of Bunol. Many people from all over the world participate in the festival where many tons of ripe tomatoes are thrown at each other in the streets. There is a brutal battle of tomatoes that takes place in the festival.

The La Tomatina festival lasts for a week and has many dances, fireworks and music and many parades. A night before the tomatoes fight all the people participating people come together and they compete against each other in a paella cooking competition. As a part of the tradition men do not wear shirts in the festival and women wear black. Many people from different parts of the world come to Bunol to witness this festival.

The festival is very famous and about 20000-50000 people come every year for it. Tomatoes are brought in from all parts of the country and the only use is that they are thrown at each other. The tomato throwing happens for an hour but the festival lasts for a week and there of lots of food and great music and dance and everybody enjoys it to the core.

The food fight lasts for a hour and after that a rocket is launched which signifies that no more tomatoes can be thrown at the others after that. After this the whole town cleans the streets and after the entire cleaning the city looks very clean because of the acidic property of the vegetable.
For all those people who like to and wish to attend the festival they should ensure that they carry proper eye ware as saving the eyes from the tomatoes is very important. The tomato juice really hurts the eyes. Another important thing is the correct footwear as with tons of tomatoes on the floor it becomes very slippery and there are chances of slipping and hurting themselves.

The weeklong festival takes place in the honour of the patron saint of the town. The festivities are great as they are many things to enjoy and there is lots of wine to drink and lots of delicious food to eat. The festival is a must watch and one must surely attend it as it is very unique. One will rarely witness something so different. A weeklong of celebrations where there are people more than 5 times of the city and the end is with a tomato fight. The community spirit is reflective when everybody comes together and cleans the town to leave it clean and shining. This festival is something one should for sure attend in their life as it is too much fun for sure.

Things to do in Los Angeles, Los Angeles Vacations

Los Angeles is a city which truly offers something for everyone. From the iconic Hollywood landmarks, world-famous nightspots and immense shopping opportunities for travelling couples to the film studio visits and beaches for families it truly has it all. With so much to see inside and just outside the city, car hire is a must in order to get the most out of your visit.

If flying into LAX Airport, the car hire desks here offer ample opportunity to pick your vehicle before setting off. Car hire Los Angeles is offered by many companies and finding a cheap deal online is not difficult. It is important to be aware that most U.S vehicles function with automatic transition, so be sure to familiarise yourself with this before booking and also be sure to book your hire car well in advance of your trip to ensure your vehicle is equipped to meet your required needs, which can be especially important if travelling with a family. Also bring a sat-nav along to help you navigate your way around this sprawling metropolis.

So where to start with the City of Angels? The Hollywood landmarks are a sensible suggestion, with the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard as good as anywhere to begin. Here you’ll see more than 2000 of those famous bronze stars lining the walkway celebrating the biggest icons of stage and screen over the decades. The nearby Grauman’s Chinese Theatre is equally iconic and is where to find the hand and footprints of stars cast in cement. From here, you will be able to book a tour of Hollywood stars’ homes, or if you pick up a map you can drive around them yourself. Also, with car hire, what better way is there to enjoy the nearby Sunset Boulevard and Sunset Strip as you pass through the mansions that reach into West Hollywood and on to Malibu to explore the famous coastline as well as Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach?

As night falls you can busy yourself at one of the world-famous nightspots such as the Whisky A Go Go or Viper Room on the Strip or check out the listings to see which internationally famous superstar is performing at the House of Blues or at the Hollywood Bowl just along Highyway 110.

As mentioned, if travelling with a family there is also much to see and do. One of the most important visits has to be to Universal Studios, where you will find a multitude of themed rides and attractions and a one-hour tram ride around the 420 acre site where you can also visit working movie sets.

Shopping should also be on your ‘must-do’ list. Drive along the famous Rodeo Drive and into Beverly Hills’s ‘Golden Triangle’ where you will find designer boutiques wherever you look; from Tiffany to Cartier and Ralph Lauren to Armani – every high-fashion name is waiting for you!

Another notable drive is along Mulholland Drive and on to the San Fernando Valley where you will find the Warner Brothers Studios. As well as being able to tour the facilities on a golf cart, you are able to view working sets, movie sets, set craft workshops and tour the museum which features many iconic artefacts that have been used on the big screen throughout the ages.

Art buffs can also get their fix in L.A, most notably at the J. Paul Getty Museum and Centre. The immense art collection owned by Paul Getty will even interest those with only a passing interest in art, which includes Van Gogh’s and more. The exterior of the building will impress in its own right, with the building constructed using marble, surrounded by a wonderful landscaped garden.

You’ll need your car again for an early start to head for the Paramount Pictures Studio Tour. Found on Melrose Avenue (where even more designer boutiques can be found) this fascinating walking tour takes you behind the scenes, showing you live film and television sets in action, where you will more than likely be able to see a well-known celebrity at work!

Once you feel like you have seen all you have wanted to within downtown L.A (if this is ever possible!?), your car will come to the fore to take you to one of America’s most-loved attractions – Disneyland. Disney is around an hour’s drive south of downtown Los Angeles in Anaheim County, where both children and adults alike will be mesmerised by the attractions and world-beating rides on offer.

Also consider Berry Farm Theme Park in Orange County. Found in Buena Park, you’ll find one of the country’s oldest theme parks in America which features many modern thrill rides.

If all this sounds like too much for one holiday, then go and take time out on some of California’s most stunning beaches which are all easy to reach with the benefit of car hire. The names’ simply roll off the tongue; Newport Beach, San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Huntington Beach; all of these are at your disposal with the aid of a car allowing you to go when you want for as long as you want.

Vacation at Sucandi in Brazil, Lusitanos in Brazil

Conveniently nestled in the green hills between Brazil’s megacity São Paulo and the ocean there is a unique place which invites you to discover the world’s most noble saddle horse: Sucandi – Cavalos do Brasil.

At the Sucandi-farm only 40 minutes away from the São Paulo International Airport you can explore the world of the Lusitano. Here you will find top-notch facilities for both horse and rider. This includes 65 stalls, a charming, safe guest-house with five very comfortable suites, wire-less internet, swimming pools, a sports-court, a lake for fishing, a very scenic outdoor jumping arena, an official dressage ring and a nice covered arena. All of this in the middle of lush, tropical gardens.

And of course you find the king of horses, the Lusitano. Originally from Portugal the Lusitano found his way to Brazil in 1972. Since than the former bull-fighting horses developed in Brazil to a modern sport-partner, especially for Dressage: easy to ride and gifted with lightness, responsiveness, collection and a wonderful temperament. All the trainers at Sucandi are Brazilian Dressage Champions.

We also can arrange for many extras like:

• Airport pick-up
• A trip to Brazil’s finest name in Dressage, who has his riding place directly on the beach
• Sight-seeing and shopping trips to São Paulo
• A trip to the Sucandi beach house

More information about Sucandi you can also find on the internet under www.sucandi.com.

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