Considered the site where Lord Buddha obtained Enlightenment, Bodhgaya in India is a key attraction especially for Buddhist devotees. Those planning Buddhist pilgrimage tours to Bodhgaya can make use of the packages offered by Mackinnons Travels. A reputed name amongst Sri Lanka travel agents, it offers visit to some of the key sites in the area including the Mahabodhi Temple and Bodhi Tree and the Sujata Temple. The Mahabodhi Temple is in fact a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is definitely worth a visit. As you explore the area you will also come across a variety of Buddhist temples constructed by different countries including Sri Lanka, China, Nepal, Bhutan and Japan. Each temple bears its own distinct style and offers a truly memorable pilgrimage and sightseeing tour.
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New Year’s Eve – A Time for Choices!
It is that time of the year again. Resolutions, new ones and old keep you busy, getting ready for the dawn of a new year. It is that time of the year to take a good look at all that surrounds you. Count your blessings and appreciate family. The real reason behind celebrating New Year’s Eve is a mix of all these aspects. The festivities and glamour are all directed towards the appreciation and celebration of life.
But this day means much more than celebrations to most. It is a valuable time to rethink the months gone by, and take the good memories as you step on into the future. It is also a time for letting go of bad memories to make way for the new ones.
Most streets still have glistening Christmas trees and cheery decorations, which add to the colorful setting as New Year’s dawn approaches. With amazing store discounts and with most public places ablaze with cheerful crowds and chatter, it really is the most amazing time of the year.
If you are making arrangements to be with your family to celebrate the start of the year in America then Beverly Hills is an ideal choice. Located in California, it offers a perfect setting in which to herald in the new dawn.
There are many hotels and restaurants that put on a magnificent show on this much awaited evening and provide plenty of fun for the entire family. If you are choosing a Beverly Hills hotel to spend this spectacular night The Peninsula Beverly Hills is an ideal choice. This elegant Beverly Hills luxury hotel comes alive with festive cheer during the season and lets you celebrate the New Year at its best. The elegant Belvedeer restaurant is magically transformed with charming decorations to hold a New Year’s ball, for guests to dance their way into the coming year.
Cruising on Huangpu River – Sightseeing Adventures in Shanghai
Those in search of a truly unique sightseeing experience when in Shanghai should definitely look to take a cruise along the Huangpu River. These cruises depart from the famous Bund and those in search of a luxurious hotel in Shanghai that is within easy reach of this area can stay at The Langham Yangtze Boutique Shanghai. This 5 star hotel Shanghai is only around 3kms from The Bund giving you the ideal opportunity to embark on a Huangpu River cruise. As you sail along the river you will come across the changing faces of the city from its colonial buildings to towering skyscrapers. You can enjoy riverside views of well known Shanghai landmarks including the Oriental Pearl Tower, the World Financial Centre, Yangshupu Water Plant and Customs House set amidst the cityscape of this dynamic Chinese metropolis.
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade – Celebrate Thanksgiving in the Big Apple!
Attended by millions of New Yorkers and tourists alike, the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the most iconic national events in the US calendar. Watched by over 50 million people on television the colorful explosion of performers and larger than life floats has become somewhat of a staple in the Big Apple where it all began in the early 1920’s. Conceived and organized by the immigrant employees of Macy’s Department Store in 1924, the event was conducted to celebrate their citizenship in the United States and simultaneously create a celebration that closely resembled European parades. Originally dubbed the Macy’s Christmas Parade, the now iconic local festival welcomes visitors from around the country and the world at large to witness a spectacle the likes of which is staged nowhere else in the United States, save for the Rose Parade in California.
Begun at 9am on November 22nd, the 2012 edition of the parade started on West 77th Street and headed towards Central Park South onto The Avenue of the Americas, going down 34th Street before concluding at Macy’s Herald Square. Marking the 86th edition of the parade, the float highlights at this year’s parade included the Gift of Freedom, the Big Apple and 1-2-3 Sesame Street which will joined 17 other floats on Thanksgiving Day.
Performances by the Street and Mannheim Steamroller, the NYPD Marching Band and the Spirit of American Dance also graced the parade route in addition to several storeys’ high balloons. Kermit the Frog, Ronald McDonald, Sailor Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man, Hello Kitty and Kung Fu Panda were the balloon highlights at this year’s parade in addition to balloon representations of beloved pop culture characters SpongeBob Squarepants, Buzz Lightyear, Sonic the Hedgehog and the Pillsbury Doughboy.
Travelers in search of a Fifth Avenue hotel New York counts among its finest accommodation options should look no further than The Peninsula New York. Offering guests the best in contemporary amenities this New York luxury hotel offers sheer opulence in one of the city’s trendiest locales. It is well suited for business and leisure guests alike and features the very best in contemporary comforts and conveniences to make your stay all the more memorable.
Thomson Medical – Maternal Care
Offering a wide range of services and facilities especially for pre-natal and post-natal care, Thomson Medical Centre is an ideal hospital for pregnant mothers. Those in search of a 3 star hotel in Singapore that is within easy reach of the centre can choose Days Hotel Singapore. Located in the Novena district, this modern hotel also has a variety of hotel deals in Singapore that help you get more value for your money. Expecting couples and families staying at the hotel can easily reach the Thomson Medical Centre which also features an outpatient family clinic that is open 24-hours. Home to a dedicated and experienced staff of doctors and nurses, the centre also offers gynaecology, paediatrics and child healthcare services as well as fertility treatments.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
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Food Festivals Phuket – Gastronomical Adventures!
Phuket is known for its idyllic beaches with soft sands, azure ocean waters that are perfect for water sports, exotic culture steeped in history and thrilling nightlife that let you party the night away; an island paradise does not get any better than this! A visit to this enchanting island would not be complete however, without sampling the delectable delicacies that are on offer which let you experience rich and distinct flavours. Those wanting to combine sampling local cuisine with some culture can visit when one of the local food festivals are taking place.
The most popular of such events is the Phuket Vegetarian Festival that usually takes place in October. Spanning for a period of around nine days, this unique and colourful festival is based around the belief of the local Chinese community; they believe that abstaining from eating meats of any kinds for a certain period of the ninth lunar month will bring about good health.
The festival features a wide variety of fascinating acts and ceremonies of devotion which some way find quite gruesome! It is common to see fire-walking as well as body piercing of various kinds as devotees are known to puncture themselves with sharp instruments including skewers. Most of the ceremonies are held at the Chinese temples on the island, the main one being the Jui Tui Shrine.
Ceremonies and street parades aside, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival is a great place to sample special vegetarian dishes. Many of these dishes are available at markets and roadside stalls and include such ingredients as soybean.
Another food related event held on the island is the Phuket Good Taste Food Festival. Celebrated in order to encourage and promote the island’s food vendors, this event features a large number of stalls where you can try such succulent dishes as BBQ fresh water prawns to satay sticks. Previous editions of this festival have also included a range of entertainment with a variety of musical performances and dances providing plenty of family fun.
Those visiting the island and planning to stay in shape during these festivals as well can also try the organic food Phuket has to offer that can be sampled at such retreats in Thailand as Thanyapura. Providing holistic healing for mind, body and spirit, Thanyapura also has well equipped sports facilities for young and old alike.
Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall – Commemorating a Revolutionary Icon
If you are interested in history and the many fascinating incidents and people who have shaped the Southeast Asian region, then a visit to the Sun Yat Sen Memorial Hall in Singapore is definitely worth your while. Those in search of a 3 star hotel in Singapore within easy reach of this site can stay at Days Hotel Singapore. It also offer a variety of hotel deals in Singapore that will help you make the most from your stay. Commemorating the revolutionary activities of Sun Yat-sen, this museum also lets you learn more about the impact the 1911 Chinese Revolution had on Singapore. It is housed in a two-storey villa which features colonial style architecture and has a vast array of artefacts including old photographs, paintings, calligraphy and sculptures.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
Gibbston Harvest Festival – Epic Family Time!
A laidback, sleepy, sheep-farming valley turns into a passionate wine making arena during the annual Gibbston Harvest Festival in Queenstown, New Zealand held in March on the third Saturday of the month. It does not fail to attract everyone from professional connoisseurs to simple wine appreciating enthusiasts to indulge a taste of the exquisite produce made by small boutique wineries, local vineyards and many a fine food establishment that are spread about the area. The festival is celebrated to mark the harvest of wine from Gibbston and to salute and toast the spirit of the community that has turned itself into a high profile winemaking body!
This festival not only celebrates the Central Otago wines and the grape harvest produced by vineyards and wineries in Gibbston, but it also caters towards providing an ideal family day out suited for all ages. Activities such as tasting food and wine, bouncy castles, barrel rolling, face painting and master classes on food appreciation and wine tasting will be hosted throughout the day.
The event is a non-profit fundraiser with profits going to the Queenstown Soccer Club. The ambience is relaxed and there is fun and music galore to keep up the momentum and keep you on your feet. There are generally several food providers and at least twelve wineries participating, while you also have the option of bringing your own picnic food that can be enjoyed in the open air grounds.
Gibbston Harvest Festival offers families a chance to also enjoy the country’s stunning natural beauty and its rich and diverse landscapes. Enjoy fun adventures amidst awe-inspiring mountain landscapes, picturesque lakes and picture postcard like vistas which will let you truly appreciated nature in all its splendour.
Those looking for a convenient base from which to visit this festival can stay at New Zealand hotels in Queenstown such as those offered by Millennium & Copthorne Hotels NZ. This reputed name in the hospitality industry also offers a range of New Zealand hotel deals that let you get the most from your stay, be it a family holiday, couples getaway of independent adventure. In addition you are also offered well placed accommodation that let you explore the country’s various regions and all they have to offer.
Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.
Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: The Pinnacle of Motor Racing in the Middle East
Announced during the F1 Festival in Abu Dhabi in 2007, the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009 on Yas Island was also Formula One’s inaugural day and night race as well, with the circuit well lit with floodlights and the consequent races held in the Emirates have also been day-night races. As motoring enthusiasts gather from all over the world to witness these races it is best to arrange accommodation at an Abu Dhabi resort for the duration of your stay early on. Make a vacation out of your visit to the emirate and book one of the many Abu Dhabi beach hotels to make it an exhilarating yet relaxing holiday. Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara will give you the opportunity to witness the Grand Prix and return to a comfortably luxurious setting to relax in till the end of the races.
Formula One, the pinnacle of motor racing is undoubtedly a motoring enthusiast’s most favoured sporting event. Sanctioned by the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), Formula One is its highest class in single-seater motor races. To determine the ultimate grand winner, Grand Prix races are organized worldwide, primarily in Europe but as of late, in a number of non- European countries as well.
Though the inaugural Abu Dhabi Grand Prix did not have a bearing on the world championships, subsequent races now held annually, do, and the winner of the event in 2010 went on to win the World Championship that year. Sebastian Vettel currently holds the record for winning two consecutive Abu Dhabi Grand Prix races while Red Bull has won the constructors races in both 2009 and 2010. The 2011 race had the distinction of being the second before last race of the season where Lewis Hamilton triumphed in a McLaren Mercedes while the 2012 race title was taken by Kimi Räikkönen. However, the lap record of the Yas Marina Circuit is still retained by Sebastian Vettel.
The 2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is provisionally scheduled to be held at the Yas Marina Circuit from the 1st – 3rd of November.
Thanksgiving in Beverly Hills – A Weekend of Fun and Frolic!
Thanksgiving is a holiday for all communities residing in America and Canada. This state holiday is celebrated on the 4th Thursday every November and is known for its many festivities. In Canada thanksgiving is celebrated on the 2nd Monday of every October. This customary day is dedicated for friends and families to get together in harmony and celebrate a special feast. This meal habitually comprises of cranberry sauce, turkey, potatoes, pumpkin pie, stuffing, gravy and also vegetables. It is a day of giving thanks for what you have received during the year and for the family and friends in your life.
Beverly Hills is such a city in the United States that celebrates this holiday in a very joyous and grand style. There are many Thanksgiving Day parades that take place along the streets and many people participate and gather around to watch these colorful pageants. Some of these festivals and parades mark the season of Christmas and shopping. Most people take off a period of four days and go out on trips or visit family members who most often reside in other states of the country. Most schools, offices and business declare the day of thanksgiving as a holiday and also allow a four day weekend so that people can spend some quality time with their loved ones. The public transit system also works at irregular times and not on the normally scheduled times during this period. It is a day that is reserved for a break, where the whole city gets busy watching parades or spending time with family, while enjoying a traditional thanksgiving dinner.
Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday in America in the year 1863, though the first ever day for thanksgiving was held in El Paso in 1598. Beverly Hills would be an ideal place to spend this holiday with friends and family where top notch restaurants offer very grand meals and where the streets get lit up with the vivid parades. The Peninsula Beverly Hills a Beverly Hills luxury hotel presents an ideal setting in which to celebrate this most joyous of celebrations. This Beverly Hills hotel is of the best of its kind and is an ideal place to spend your thanksgiving weekend.