Helpful Tourne Articles

It's easy to forget how massive Walt Disney World Orlando actually is. Even the most frequent of visitors to Disney World are impressed by what changes each year when they return to the parks. If you think about it though with the scale of Walt Disney World, with it's host of theme parks, water parks, hotel resorts and restaurants it isn't really that surprising.
So where has the most change taken place recently. I think you don't have to look any further than Disney's Hollywood Studios to see a park being rejuvenated. Formerly known as MGM Studios has a number of new rides and shows that have been added to in the last year. The biggest introduction has to be the opening of Toy Story Mania. This is an exciting 3D ride where you take part in shooting arcade from your car as you make your way around a Toy Story themed shooting arcade. The ride has been opened within the Pixar Place area of the park, so we can expect more Pixar themed attractions in that area. Parades and shows have also been introduced, including Block Party Bash which is a parade featuring characters from the Toy Story movies. Another movie franchise is a High School Musical show which also takes part in the park. Another permanent feature is the Jedi Training Academy. Originally only at the park during Star Wars Weekends, this is now a full time attraction at the park.
On the resort front, the Contemporary Resort has been going through one of the biggest remodelling phases since it opened. The Contemporary is one of the original Walt Disney World hotels, opening along with the Magic Kingdom back in 1971. A recent addition to the hotel is The Wave restaurant, which is focusing on the healthy-eating conscious visitors to the resort. Another resort that has gone through a lot of change is the Animal Kingdom resort, with the addition of the up market Animal Kingdom Villas.

Well, although a famous song celebrates the Autumn weather in NY, with its colourful foliage and bright light, nevertheless, it may be a little further ahead.
Let's say springtime is your chosen period Nothing better mate!!
The energy and the atmosphere you will breath have really little to compare to other places NYC will surprise you for the strong wind coming from north or from the Ocean and channelled along its avenues. A relief for pollution. In fact, you won't really feel pollution and traffic smog, for these reasons.
Not to mention Central Park, the green lungs of the city where you can stroll along its leafy boulevards, paddle in ponds, jogging or skating around or even taking a horse-ride lesson In terms of healthy and sporty activities, you would be happy to know that the city of New York has a major event to feature in May. On the first week and precisely on May 4th, be ready with your own or rented bike for the BIKE NEW YORK event that takes place every year for an annual marathon. It is the largest mass cycling event in the USA organized with the aim to promote and encourage bicycling and bicycle safety. The tour route runs for 42miles, through the five boroughs of New York City and crosses over major bridges and under several others, including the famous Brooklyn Bridge !
It's a perfect occasion to take great pictures of the city itself invaded by bikers of any kind. And, of course, expect to see any kind of extravagant means of transportation on 2 wheels! It takes off from Battery Parking and travels through Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island. Before returning to Manhattan, it crosses the Verrazano Bridge, the word's longest suspension bridge, so long that the curvature of the earth surface had to be a factor into its design.
For sure The Bike New York is the unique occasion to ride through it, because normally it isn't allowed to cyclists. From 1977 the BIKE NEW YORK has grown every year and today it brings together more than 30.000 riders enjoying the cycling and the New York's car-free streets.
The Tour is closed by a tour-ending festival with live music, entertainment, food and exhibitions. There is a website which will provide you with all information you might need. Bikenewyork.org.
They say in New York you will spend a fortune. I say it's not completely true! It depends of course on what you desire and won't you can't miss but if a breakfast at Tiffany's windows can make your trip, you'll see it's not that expensive.
First, don't miss Starbucks, ( you won't as they are everywhere) where a good breakfast or a break will cost you 3-5 dollars. And secondly, for a stuffing break at lunch you can either decide to enter a supermarket and make yourself a couple of sandwiches or try an Asian ( Thai preferably) deli. You won't believe how tasty and still genuine can be a soup, rise with salted veggies, boiled eggs with chicken nuggets! Please avoid Mc's and Co. if you care about your health! With around 6-10 dollars you will be very satisfied!
In terms of accommodation, there are some options you can consider. Let's say you hostels are the cheapest lodging you can find and there are a bunch in NYC. For a taste of Brooklyn, a lively and characteristic neighbourhood recently revitalized by artists, international students, art galleries and libraries, just passed the bridge, we recommend the Lafayette Youth hostel just 1/2 block from the subway station which takes you directly into Manhattan! They offer clean and comfy dorms and private accommodation. They also offer the opportunity to stay for long and have cheap monthly rates. In Manhattan, there are a few hostels offering quite reasonable prices for a private double and with fantastic location on the West upper Side, behind the Central Park. Try the West Side Inn, The West End Studios, the Columbus Studios, or the Continental Hostel.
And once booked, enjoy this fantastic Metropolis. Final tip: do not take with you too much stuff.. you will be buying a lot of things and souvenirs once there! Believe it!

We are never too old for learning and we can never have too much fun. Whether you are young, have youngsters of your own, or are simply young at heart, New York City has a lot of entertaining ways to educate you.
Perhaps one of the neatest things to do in New York City is to pay a visit to the FDNY Fire Zone. General admission is free but if you wish to experience a Fire-Simulation presentation there are nominal fees involved (currently under 5 per person). The Fire Zone is a state of the art facility where fire safety is taught. Kids, big and little alike, enjoy the fact that they can actually put their hands the equipment, try on the gear, and work with parents to establish an escape plan for their homes.
The Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art is another great place to spend a few hours and learn about the many different aspects of art, comics, and cartoons and what kind of role they have played in recording the history of our world. They offer different exhibitions at different times so this is a place you could definitely visit often in order to get the maximum enjoyment from the process. Current admission rates are 3 for children and adults over the age of 12.
Mount Vernon Hotel Museum and Garden is another great place to learn, this time it's about history. This building is steeped in history and was once the home of the daughter of President Adams. Take a walk through history inside this lovely home turned hotel and then stroll around in the gardens outside. If you feel a need to get away from the big city while remaining in the big city this is a great place to visit and feel the air around you and forget about the fact that the nearest mall is actually very close by.
The Brooklyn Children's Museum is great fun for kids of all ages, shapes, sizes, and nationalities. The good news is that this particular fun is actually well disguised education. The Brooklyn Children's Museum was the very first museum of its kind, by that I mean the first museum that was dedicated to entertaining and educating children. It was a wildly successful experiment that is responsible for the 300 children's museums now located around the world. The admission is very reasonable at 5 per person and children under the age of 1 are free. The museum is closed on Mondays during July and August and on Mondays and Tuesdays for the remainder of the year with the exception of certain public school recesses. It is best to check with the Museum if you are uncertain and hoping for a Tuesday visit.
The New York Hall of Science is another great learning experience that is available here. Enjoy activities and exhibits that bring the science to magic and prove that they are not exactly mutually exclusive. Exhibitions change frequently and always offer something fun for everyone. There are age appropriate activities for children and the science playground (3 per person admission fee above the museum admission fee of 11 per adult and 8 per child is required for the playground) is always a big hit.
Learning opportunities abound in New York City. These opportunities are not all in boring atmospheres or hallowed halls of learning but in interactive experiences that are widely available to young and old alike in many brightly lit and fun to explore corners of this great city.

Travelers to and from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Panama, Mexico and Canada will be required to have a passport to enter or re-enter the United States. This is a change from prior travel requirements and will affect all United States citizens entering the United States from countries within the Western Hemisphere.

This new requirement will also affect certain foreign nationals who currently are not required to present a passport to travel to the United States. Most Canadian citizens, citizens of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda, and to a lesser degree, Mexican citizens will be affected by the implementation of this requirement. Essentially, you must have a passport if you wish to enter the United States, even if you are a U.S. citizen.

When It Goes Into Effect

The travel initiative requirements will be rolled out in phases. The proposed implementation timeline is as follows:

1. December 31, 2005 - Passport required for all travel to or from the Caribbean, Bermuda, Central and South America.

2. December 31, 2006 - Passport required for all air and sea travel to or from Mexico and Canada.

3. December 31, 2007 - Passport required for all air, sea and land border crossings.

How Do I get a passport?

U.S. citizens may visit the Passport section of the State Department web site [state.gov] for information on how to apply for a U.S. passport. You should allow yourself a sufficient amount of time to apply and receive your passport in advance of travel. Current processing time estimates are 6 to 8 weeks.

In Closing

As the world becomes a more dangerous place, borders are being tightened. How depressing.

Thinking of living, studying or working in Spain? Here you will find everything you need to know about the joys and pitfalls of living in a Spanish city. This site is dedicated to assisting English speakers find their feet in Spain as from our own experience we know about the problems one can experience when they find themselves in a foreign land without the ability to speak the language. From looking for accommodation or work to learning Spanish, you will find everything you need on here. Advice, information, city guides, language assistance and much more..

Why This Site?

The purpose of this site is to create an information and resource centre for people like me who are thinking of either living or working in a Spanish city where free advice can be gained on many aspects and problems you might encounter based on our own experiences. On top of the free advice and info you will find on this site we also offer a range of services that will hopefully allow you to settle here as quickly as possible.

Who are we?

We arrived in Spain with the intention of learning the language and then finding work once the language was up to scratch. Initially the plan was to stay for around 6 months and then head back home to England. As our destination I selected Valencia as I wanted to go to a big city but wanted to avoid Barcelona and Madrid as the cost of renting is quite high in comparison (although still cheaper than most places in England!!). Valencia turned out to be a great choice as it is fast becoming one of the most up and coming cities in Europe. There is so much to see and do here and for the moment prices on property remain fairly cheap (but expect to see prices rise as the city becomes more popular).

When I arrived here I spoke very little Spanish and knew nobody. I came armed with a very heavy suitcase and the intention of finding an apartment but initially I began my adventure spending a few nights in a hostel (there are many in Valencia). The hostel was great as the place was full of travellers most of whom were able to speak English so I managed to get some advice of where to begin my quest for finding an apartment. It seemed that the best way to find somewhere was to take a wander along the streets and take note of some of the adverts that people had stuck to trees and lampposts so this is what I did..

The best place to look was around the student area of the city, however usually you will only find notices advertising rooms in flats to share whereas I needed a flat to myself. The other option was to head for an estate agent but straight away you will cost yourself a months rent in estate agent fees so unless you are desperate avoid this course of action. In the end I did manage to find somewhere. Through sheer fortune I met an English student who was leaving her flat the next day but if it wasn't for her I don't know what I would have done. I expect I would have had to go bite the bullet and gone through the agents but even this would have been difficult with my very limited Spanish!

So hopefully travellers to Spain will see this as a useful resource. Check out the site here... www.new2spain.com

Dan Carwardine
admin@new2spain.com
22 November 2005

Here are my top ten travel tips for students traveling overseas
1. Make sure you have a signed, valid passport and visas, if required. Also, before you go, fill in the emergency information page of your passport! Make color copies of your passport and visa information and carry a copy with you at all times. This way you can secure your passport in your hotel room safe.
2. Read the Consular Information Sheets (and Public Announcements or Travel Warnings, if applicable) for the countries you plan to visit. You can easily find them at the U.S. state department travel web site. Register your trip online at the same web site.
3. Leave copies of your itinerary, passport data page and visas with family or friends at home, so that you can be contacted in case of an emergency. Keep your host program informed of your whereabouts.
4. Make sure you have insurance that will cover your emergency medical needs (including medical evacuation) while you are overseas. If you bring any medication with you, ensure that you have copies of your prescriptions.
5. Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, while in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws! You will not be in Kansas anymore. What is legal in one country may not be in another. Do your homework before you go.
6. Do not leave your luggage unattended in public areas and never accept packages from strangers. Thieves and possible drug smugglers may target you. Be observant and report anything suspicious.
7. While abroad, avoid using illicit drugs or drinking excessive amounts of alcoholic beverages, and associating with people who do. Possession of small amounts of marijuana may be a misdemeanor in your home town, but may be a Class I felony in another country. Instead of a small fine, you may be looking at 10 - 20 years in a foreign prison. Don't even consider doing drugs in a foreign country.
8. Do not become a target for thieves by wearing conspicuous clothing and expensive jewelry and do not carry excessive amounts of cash or unnecessary credit cards. Dress plain and simple with nondescript shirts and jeans.
9. Deal only with authorized agents when you exchange money to avoid violating local laws. Currency exchanges and banks are your best choices. Money changers on the streets or back alleys may be illegal.
10. When overseas, avoid demonstrations and other situations that may become unruly or where anti-American sentiments may be expressed. Avoid government buildings and embassies unless you absolutely have to go. Registering with the state department travel website will provide the embassy a way to contact you in country either by phone or email.
Use common sense and have a great trip.

No visit to Bangkok is complete without visiting the temples in the city. The temples, or wats, are all over and the main temples can be seen in a day or two.
You can either plan your own trip or check in the lobby of your hotel and sign up for a Ѕ or full day trip. There are 5 temples that are definite "must see".
Wat Arun is the temple of the dawn. It is located on the Chao Phraya River. As the name indicates, it is ideal to visit first thing in the morning as the sun rises. This way you will see the sun bounce off the walls of the temple with a pearly iridescence.
Wat Phra Kaew, or the temple of the Emerald Buddha, is in the heart of Bangkok, at the Royal Palace. Despite the name, the statue is really made of jade and is adorned in golden garments. There are three sets of gold clothing that are changed according to the seasons.
Like all the temples, you should dress appropriately. For the men, this means slacks and a collar shirt. For the ladies, wear a dress and cover as much skin as possible. If you are improperly dressed, you will either be turned away or be offered to rent some clothes.
Another temple to visit is Wat Pho. This is the temple of the Reclining Buddha. This is the oldest temple in Bangkok and houses over 1,000 images of Buddha. The Reclining Buddha is 46 meters long, plated in gold, with inlaid mother of pearl on his eyes and soles of his feet.
Next is Wat Benchamabophit. This is a beautiful marble temple built in 1899. Inside the Ordination Hall (Ubosot) is a Sukhothai-style Buddha statue named Phra Buddhajinaraja, cast in 1920 after the original located in Wat Mahathat in Phitsanulok. The ashes of King Chulalongkorn are buried beneath the statue. In the gallery surrounding the ordination hall are 52 Buddha statues, collected by Prince Damrong Rajanubhab for his king.
Lastly, is Wat Tramit, the Golden Buddha. This is a fascinating story and a temple you have to see. You need to read the history and learn how the Thai people hid this Buddha in clay to keep the Burmese from taking it and melting down the gold for war. It went undiscovered until an accident chipped away some of the clay to reveal part of the 5 tons of gold. No guards in sight as no one would dare steal it.
Whether you are religious or not, visiting the temples in Bangkok or anywhere else in Thailand is something you should do.

Experienced travelers the world over know the tried and true saying: Less is more. Who wants to schlep around heavy, bulky bags when you're far from home, most likely running from place to place, trying to make sure all of your belongings continue to be your belongings? The trick of the trade, according to seasoned travelers, is to consider packing only one bag. What's more, to consider making that bag the size of a carry-on bag. That's right, the size of a bag that fits, or mostly fits, in the overhead compartment on today's commercial airlines.

Consider the following reasons to travel light:

1. Safety
Simply put, one bag is easier to keep tabs on than two bags, or three, or... You get the idea. You don't have to check your bags and risk losing them altogether as you travel.

2. Efficiency
One bag means less to carry, which means you don't have to pay someone to help you or pony up for one of those Smarte Cartes at the airport. Also, with one bag, you won't be as tempted to buy as many useless souvenirs you'll never need, because there won't be room for anything extra in your bag on the return trip.

3. Flexibility
With only one bag, you don't have to worry about getting to the airport so early or sticking around so long after your flight lands. You can run through train terminals more speedily and shove yourself more quickly into the backseats of taxi cabs. And customs inspections? No problem.

So, now that you're convinced you should limit your travel bags to one, you may well be wondering how on earth to fit all your necessaries into a single satchel. Plan carefully what you will need for your trip and take only those thing: If you think, "I might need this" then it's probably safe to assume that you won't. If you think "I can't live without this," then into your travel bag it goes.

Other tips:

* Plan to do laundry while you're traveling (even if that means doing them in your hotel room sink!). This way you won't feel as compelled to take as many clothes.

* Take clothes that you can mix and match.

* For your toiletry items, use travel-size products. Even if they're not easy to find, you'll be glad you took the trouble. And remember that most of them can be refilled and reused - even toothpaste tubes can be refilled with enough patience and manual dexterity!

* Pack underwear, socks, and other small cloth items inside larger items, such as shoes, to maximize all available space.

* Check the weather of your destination ahead of your departure time so you can plan your wardrobe accordingly.

* If you're the type of person who can't resist a good - or a bad - souvenir, take one or two items of clothing that are mostly worn out. Wear them once, toss them, and fill up the space they occupied with that plastic replica of Mt. Rushmore that you just can't live without.

And, of course, the most important travel tip of all: remember to have fun, wherever you go and however you get there.

You are a lucky person, you have a good chance to know more about this great city, which is as beautiful as ever, despite all crises and misfortunes! Russia travel agency Nordway is the best starting point for your Moscow travel. Read it, enjoy it and feel happy and confident.

Moscow is one of the oldest and one of the most beautiful Russian cities. The city has absorbed many different styles that strike the visitors with their variety. The great number of churches and cathedrals in the Russian capital amuses Moscow visitors.

Magnificent stone churches and cathedrals with multiple golden, blue and white domes towering everywhere over all other buildings and structures. Even in the heart of Moscow, in the Kremlin, old churches compete with the immense Congress Palace for space. Despite its size (about 900 square kilometers) and the scale of many of Moscow buildings and avenues, the general layout is easily grasped - a series of concentric circles and radial lines, emanating from the Kremlin - and the center is compact enough to explore on foot. We display everything required by any traveler who plans a trip to our wonderful city.

St. Basil's Cathedral

The famous St. Basil's Cathedral was commissioned by Ivan the Terrible and built on the edge of Red Square between 1555 and 1561. Legend has it that on completion of the church the Tsar ordered the architect, Postnik Yakovlev, to be blinded to prevent him from ever creating anything to rival its beauty again.

(He did in fact go on to build another cathedral in Vladimir despite his ocular impediment!) The cathedral was built to commemorate Ivan the Terrible's successful military campaign against the Tartar Mongols in 1552 in the besieged city of Kazan. Victory came on the feast day of the Intercession of the Virgin, so the Tsar chose to name his new church the Cathedral of the Intercession of the Virgin on the Moat, after the moat that ran beside the Kremlin. The church was given the nickname "St. Basil's" after the "holy fool" Basil the Blessed (1468-1552), who was hugely popular at that time with the Muscovites masses and even with Ivan the Terrible himself.

St. Basil's was built on the site of the earlier Trinity Cathedral, which at one point gave its name to the neighboring square.

Statue to Minin and Pozharsky

In the small garden outside St. Basil's stands an impressive bronze Statue to Minin and Pozharsky, who rallied Russia's volunteer army during the Time of Troubles and drove out the invading Polish forces. They were an interesting duo - Dmitry Pozharsky was a prince, while Kuzma Minin was a butcher from Nizhny Novgorod.

The statue was designed by the artist I. Martos and erected in 1818 as the city's first monumental sculpture. It originally stood in the center of Red Square in front of what is now the GUM Department Store, with Minin symbolically indicating to Pozharsky that the Poles were occupying the Kremlin and calling for its liberation.

Arbat

The Arbat is a true symbol of old Moscow, and has recently celebrated its 500th anniversary. Its name is first mentioned in the city chronicles of 1493. In that year the whole city was engulfed in a terrible fire, sparked by a candle in the Church of St. Nicholas in Peski, which is situated on the Arbat. This disaster led to the well-known saying: 'A penny candle razed Moscow to the ground.' However, from the second half of 18th century the Arbat became the most aristocratic quarter of the city, just like Prechistenka.

It was often described as the St. Germain of Moscow, and the Muscovite intelligentsia settled in this area. The Arbat and Prechistenka have much in common in their history and character. There have never been any factories here, nor any workers' huts, and there were no taverns or bazaars.

Muscovites used to say: 'For money, go to Zamoskvorechye, for a career, go to St. Petersburg, but for knowledge and memories, go to the Arbat.' The area between the Arbat and Prechistenka takes us back to the unique world of quiet lanes where each house is still steeped in the atmosphere of old Moscow.

Thai law prohibits torture and other cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment; however, NGOs and legal organizations continue to report that some members of the police occasionally torture and beat suspects to obtain confessions. During 2004, there were newspaper reports of numerous cases in which citizens accused police of using brutality, threatening false charges, and extorting bribes. Investigations were undertaken in most of the cases, including several in which the accused police officers were suspended pending the results of internal investigations.
A Thai senator, testifying as a character witness at the trial of four Muslim suspects accused of membership in Jemaah Islamiya, said that while in police custody bags were put over the suspects' heads, and they were beaten on the back and the abdomen. The four were acquitted by the criminal court in June and released from custody. Police opened an internal investigation, but at year's end no criminal charges had been filed.
On October 15, in Tak Province, a police officer said to be drunk at the time forced his way into a home, threatened and beat an older woman, and allegedly tried to rape an 18-year-old Burmese migrant worker. The policeman reportedly had previously extorted money from the girl. The two women returned to Burma, but a complaint was lodged on their behalf with the NHRC.
In March 2004, five suspects in the 2004 Narathiwat military camp raid alleged that police beat and administered electric shocks to them in order to obtain confessions. The suspects filed a formal complaint with the Ministry of Justice through their lawyer, Somchai Neelapaichjit, who subsequently disappeared and was presumed dead. Police opened an internal investigation of the officers suspected of abuse, but at year's end no criminal charges had been filed.
There were no reported developments in the internal police investigation into the November 2004 claim by a married couple that they were beaten and robbed while under detention for 102 days without charge at the Lumpini police station in Bangkok.
In November 2004, police in Ayutthaya Province reportedly beat and applied electric shock to a man's genitals to coerce a confession after arresting him for suspected robbery; 23 members of the police were transferred to Bangkok in connection with the incident, pending an internal police investigation. In December the complainant reportedly withdrew his complaint following an out-of-court settlement.
Have fun on your holiday - but don't do anything stupid. Check the laws in Thailand before you go - they may be different than your home country. You don't want to spend you holiday in a Thai prison.