New York City – Rockefeller Center

Posted by admin in New York, New York City on 06 5th, 2008 | Read Comments(1)

Welcome to the ‘city within a city’ – Rockefeller Center. The project started with the intention to build a new opera for the Metropolitan Opera but was changed due to the drop out of the Metropolitan after the stock market crash in 1929. John D. Rockefeller Jr. stated “It was clear that there were only two courses open to me. One was to abandon the entire development. The other one to go forward with it in the definite knowledge that I myself would have to build it and finance it alone.” Thank god he chose the second option.

But those mundane facts give no hint of the excitement to be found within those boundaries. Built on top of underground corridors, known as ”the catacombs” which stretch from 47th Street to 51st Street, the area is home to restaurants, shops, NBC Studios, a skating rink and much more.

Take a stroll around the plaza and watch the ice skaters, or join in! From the plaza level (the rink is sunken) above the skaters you can see the giant, prone Prometheus sculpture.

Above the gilded Prometheus – bringing fire to mankind – is the massive 70-story RCA (now General Electric) tower, housing the Rainbow Room and the observation deck. The Rainbow Room is on the 65th floor and makes for a memorable meal to accompany unforgettable Art Deco décor.

The observation deck, Top of the Rock, has re-opened after a 20-year closure in 2005 and the view is simply breathtaking. On the 20 foot wide viewing area people have the chance to enjoy a 360 degree view of New York City.

The deck sits on top of the famous Raymond Hood designed RCA Building which is now named GE Building due to the acquisition of RCA by General Electrics. Home to the well-known, and still going strong, Radio Corporation of America, the tower is an architectural landmark. It is also well known for the famous picture of workers lunching on a steel beam without harnesses taken by Charles C. Ebbets in 1932.

Should you be visiting during the Christmas holiday period, you can watch the lighting of the 50 foot (or more) Christmas tree here. Don’t forget to walk around and spend some time taking in the sights, including the huge Atlas statue bearing a ringed world on his shoulders.

Shops line several of the ground level buildings, including the popular Nikon House which attracts photographers from all over the world. All around are ample opportunities to find things and people worth snapping, as well. This part of the complex is heavily frequented.

But the shops and restaurants don’t stop at ground level. In the Underground Concourse fast food and other dining, clothing boutiques, card stores and a blizzard of other stores can be found. For those who missed it uptown, the Metropolitan Museum has a store in the complex as well.

Due to the nearby subway entrances running through the concourse, travel to and from the Center is easy from any part of the city.

Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas

Posted by admin in Las Vegas, Nevada on 05 16th, 2008 | No comments yet - be the first one!

The Las Vegas Strip is popular all over the world for its glamorous hotels and casinos. The Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas is one of the most elegant complexes and was inspired by the Lake Como resort of Bellagio in Italy. Gambling, entertainment, dining and accommodation are first class at the five diamond establishment.

The hotel was featured many movies but most prominently in Oceans Eleven and Oceans Thirteen which starred George Clooney and Brad Pitt as part of a team of gentleman thieves who intended on robbing casinos. A fictional vault of the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas was indeed robbed in that story! The hotel was opened in 1998 and cost a staggering $1.6 billion to build. The interior is luxuriously furnished with fountains and the lobby ceiling is decorated with colorful hand blown glass flowers.

The grounds are also worth visiting and the 18 acre artificial lake at the front of the hotel is the location for the much loved Fountains of Bellagio display of music and lights. The musical extravaganza is repeated throughout the day and features a variety of music including Elvis Presley, Frank Sinatra, Aaron Copland and Gene Kelly. The natural world is also on show at the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens which has free admission and the gardens are open 24 hours a day.

The Bellagio rooms contain a flat screen TV with pay per view movies, mini bar and an in room safe. There are numerous market stores in the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas complex including Tiffany and Chanel. Guests can choose between six different swimming pools. Dining at the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas is also an experience. There are several restaurants including the award winning Le Cirque, a French cuisine experience by the lake. Japanese and Chinese restaurants are also first class and there is a traditional steakhouse.

The Spa and Salon offers a variety of treatments for guests of the Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas including facials, yoga and water massages. Fitness equipment is also available to have a good workout. A personal instructor is on hand to give advice.

The poker room attracts professional poker players, who take advantage of the high table limits and call it “The office”. The Bellagio has hosted several tournaments of the World Poker Tour. It is rare for a Las Vegas hotel to have a permanent show but the Cirque du Soleil’s production of ‘O’ is outstanding. It’s an aquatic show featuring synchronized swimmers, divers and acrobats. It’s a combination of street theater, folklore traditions, martial arts and circus fire stunts.

Las Vegas – Cirque du Soleil

Posted by admin in Las Vegas, Nevada on 04 14th, 2008 | Read Comments(1)

The astounding Cirque du Soleil is a world famous acrobatic act… and still so much more. If you have an image of an old time circus with clowns and acrobats, be prepared for a shock. Cirque du Soleil has all this and much more but in a form that you have never seen before.

With dozens of artists – tumblers, fire-eaters, clowns and others – the show has many of the traditional entertainers but that’s already where the similarities end. The difference is immediately visible the very moment you see the entertainers. Carefully crafted makeup and costumes, it has to be seen to be appreciated. Deep blue or orange suits with tie-dyed designs, Chinese red capes and kaleidoscope makeup are only the beginning of a wonderful experience.

The performers are the best acrobats from all over the world. Displaying their talents inside huge arenas that seat over 1,600 they astonish audience members with their skills. But those skills are in service of the most unusual, individual and innovative choreography you can imagine.

Whether it’s the Aerial High Bar act making death-defying leaps that seem as if they truly can fly or the Alexis Brothers with their amazing tumbling the shows never let up for a moment. For 90 minutes at the Mystere Theatre, the audience is agog with wonder as they watch how the show unfolds. At the MGM the KA show dazzles the eye. The O performance is as wondrous as its title signifying ‘everything’.

One of the highlights of the Cirque du Soleil are definitely the dancers. Combining traditional movements from their native countries with modern twists and turns that surprise at every step, the artists leave you with something to remember for a long time after the show has already ended

But the show isn’t all just traditional high wire acts, comedy or dancers in new costumes. Every show has its own theme that weaves and tangles and then resolves like a complex detective story. It might be necessary to attend a show several times to unravel all the mystery that’s packed into the performance.

Performances can be crowded. Once an insider tip, Cirque du Soleil has taken the center stage in Las Vegas and became an important part of the whole ‘Vegas experience’. Like many shows in Las Vegas, ticket prices are a bit high but a web search might yield a discount with one of the many available Las Vegas Vouchers.

Well worth the price, the Cirque du Soleil is an unforgettable theatrical experience. Don’t miss seeing it in the Desert City of Lights. Whether O, KA or Mystere, or any of the several other shows that are brought forth over the months and years, Cirque du Soleil will always leave you guessing what’s next and asking for more.

Las Vegas – The MGM Grand

Posted by admin in Las Vegas, Nevada on 04 9th, 2008 | No comments yet - be the first one!

MGM has a long and glorious tradition as an entertainment company. After its foundation by Marcus Loew in 1924 it became on of the leading film studios in Hollywood. MGM was always known for having a large variety of stars and also of putting them in one big movie like “Grand Hotel” in 1932 with stars such as Greta Garbo and Joan Crawford. But in the last decades of the previous century, the company branched out to other forms under the lead of Kirk Kerkorian. The MGM Grand is one excellent sample.
Completed in 1993 and located on the Strip – a four miles long boulevard filled with the largest casino, hotel and resort properties in the world – this 30-floor hotel covers almost 7 acres and houses over 5,000 rooms. In addition, the site offers a 380,000 square foot convention centre, the CBS Television City in Las Vegas and one of the largest casinos in town. At over 170,000 square feet you’ll find more games than anywhere else.

If you’re in the casino you should grasp the opportunity and enter the Lion Habitat. Behind glass walls you can observe lions lounging on an artificial savannah so close that you might think you could reach them. They’re changed on a regularly basis and have a permanent home at the owner’s ranch about a dozen miles outside of Vegas.

Watching the lions is free and you can take a picture (without a flash of course) with the animals in the background, then walk over to the gift shop and buy something to support them. A portion of the proceeds goes to preserve these majestic creatures.

The perception of Las Vegas and the MGM Grand in particular, changed over the past 20 years. The city came a long way from its gambling image to a city which offers all kind of sources for family-friendly amusement. The MGM Grand carries that theme to its pinnacle.

There’s the elegant La Femme production that celebrates the ‘artistry of the nude’, with 13-ballet trained dancers. The show is in the tradition of the Crazy Horse in Paris and is equally tasteful. It’s also possible to do your own dancing at the MGM recreation of the popular New York Studio 54. Undoubtedly tamer than the original, it offers plenty of opportunities for getting a ‘high’ in a drug-free way.

The world famous Cirque du Soleil offers its dazzling hire wire show KA at the MGM. Combining world-class acrobatics with epic-scale theatre, KA tells the tale of Imperial Twins on a journey to fulfil their destinies. If you want to narrow down a Cirque du Soleil performance to just one source, it would be an Asian theme. It offers an array of martial arts moves elegantly combined with the troop’s world-renowned acrobatics.
The hotel itself is a form of high-wire entertainment for guests. After the First World Hotel in Malaysia the MGM Grand is the largest hotel in the world if it comes to rooms. Besides the over 4,000 regular rooms, there are 751 suites but that’s not where it stops. The Skylofts are 51 luxury rooms within the hotel that offer butlers, catering and every form of pampering imaginable. But there is the small matter of the fee – between $800 to $6,000 per night – to contend with. Better bring some lion-sized plastic.

Nightlife in Barcelona

Posted by admin in Barcelona on 05 23rd, 2007 | Read Comments(3)

Barcelona, Spain is a beautiful city to visit, during the day but at night is when the lights go out the celebrations beginning. Nightlife in Barcelona is one of the main attractions to this city.  Tourists from all over the world come together here to enjoy the Barcelona nightlife.  The reason why is because of the vast amount of people from all parts of the world, many foreigners, tourists, and students.  As well the nightlife presents a wide variety of interesting places to visit and enjoy the night away. The list of places ranges from cafes, bars, pubs, wine bars, late bars, clubs, and various entertainment.

Barri Gotic and Las Ramblas

As a first time visitor to Barcelona, one should definitely start out with the nightlife offered by the Barri Gotic and Las Ramblas.  It is a central location, and the atmosphere of medieval Spain invites many tourists and newcomers to this area which presents quite a lively atmosphere for nightlife.  There are many clubs, bars, and pubs in this gothic area.  Be sure to locate the best locations before you make your way out the door.  There are some notable places for nightlife in Barcelona such as Rita Blue on Plaza Sant Agusti, which is noted as a pretty funky type of bar, restaurant and club.  Also another notable location is Bosque de los Fades or The Forest of the Fairies which is a small pub and café at the end of Las Ramblas.  In this area be weary of making sure you keep an eye on your possessions as this area is also notable for a lot of pickpockets and buskers, however as long as you keep an eye on things you’ll be just fine. Luckily you’ve been informed here and are aware of the situation and can now be prepared to have a great time enjoying the nightlife.

L’Eixample

L’Eixample is the neighbourhood north of the city.  For nightlife entertainment there are plenty of great bars and clubs here.  They are scattered around somewhat, so be sure to check them all out.  To experience the nightlife here the best idea for you in this area is to get the locations of all the local bars, pubs and clubs and make your way to the ones that seem most intriguing to you. 

Maremagnum

This is a waterfront shopping center, Barcelona’s biggest mall, which is really made up of half shops and half clubs.  By day it makes for great shopping. But at night, the nightlife here is incredible.  The many clubs, pubs and bars take over once it’s dark.  There is everything in music from Techno to Irish pubs to Salsa, if there is something you are looking for you will find it here.  And the bonus is usually there are no cover charges in most of the nightlife places.

Barcelona’s Port Olimpic

For more nightlife experiences the Port Olympic has a magnificent set of clubs in the Olympic marina area. This spot is especially lovely in the summer when the weather is hot and it’s enjoyable to stop from club to club all night long.  Most of the nightlife clubs during this time have outdoor terraces open for those wanting to celebrate under the stars. This type of nightlife is especially great for groups as there are no cover charges in most bars, and many can get involved in the festivities together.

Cafes in Barcelona

An alternative to the usual nightlife entertainment in Barcelona are the many cafes.  In Barcelona there are some really nice coffee shops which have a variety of menu options.  For instance you might be interested in something to eat, and many cafes offer foods from bakery goods to full meals.  The meals are authentic and less expensive than most restaurants, offering lively atmospheres for a pleasant nightlife option.  As well coffee shops not only serve coffee and sweets but many also have bars that serve alcoholic drinks, and may also have outdoor lounge areas and patios as well.  Barcelona’s nightlife has much to offer, so be prepared to a full night of events when visiting this exciting city by night!

Beaches of Barcelona

Posted by admin in Barcelona on 12 16th, 2006 | No comments yet - be the first one!

I’m pretty sure most of you know that I learned to like and love Barcelona as the most interesting and diverse city in Europe I know so far… and I know a few… Barcelona is a magnificent place to visit, and one of its main features are its beautiful beaches that go for miles along the coastal regions of Spain.

Along the Mediterranean Sea, you will be introduced to a plethora of beaches to venture upon. Each with its own distinct name and covering its own area of land. Barcelona is well known for its many beaches, which are so breathtakingly beautiful that you will be amazed. So travelling along the coast you will first come upon Sant Sebastia Beach, and if you continue further Baceloneta Beach, Port Olimpic, Nova Icaria Beach, Bogatell Beach, MarBella Beach, and finally Nova MarBella Beach. You could take a day of the week each to discover each special beach, and decide to spend the whole day in each location if you so wish.

Port Olimpic

The 1992 Olympics improved the beaches in Barcelona, especially the Port Olimpic, which is now well visited among the Barcelona beaches. The massive clean up operation of the beaches and the nearby marina and village which were undertaken at that time has created a beautifully restructured area, that is creating a lot of tourist attraction. Native Barcelonans as well as visitors from around the world are attracted to this redeveloped beach area. A lot of effort goes into maintaining the cleanliness of both sand and sea, which is tested daily, and all beaches have disabled access, lifeguards, sun beds and showers.

Nova Icaria

The Nova Icaria is a beach that is the closest located to the Olympic marina, and is therefore always crowded with visitors. This wide area of rough golden type sand is great for picnics, as well as walking along the beach side. There are three beach bars, two extremely popular restaurants you will want to visit on the promenade behind, the Mango, and Chiringuito de Moncho. As well along the beach are countless bars and restaurants off the Port Olimpic just a short walk away.
Bogatell

The most striking feature of the Bogatell beach is that it is twice the length of the adjoining Nova Icaria beach. It is bordered by a length of stone walkway which is perfect for jogging, roller blading and bicycling. The raised promenade on the beach cuts down traffic noise making it a peaceful place to visit. There are no beach bars located along the Bogatell, however three large informal restaurants are located on the promenade, and are boasted for their unique food and drink menus. A lovely day can be spent here, calmly enjoying the walkway, and stopping for something to eat during the relaxing day.
Barceloneta

The Barceloneta beach is a very wide and long beach that is bordered by wood decks along the side on which lie many American style restaurants as well as the local restaurant variety. Mainly there are pizzerias, and tex-mex style food, but also the Catalan restaurant Agua which is a more authentic Barcelona place. Along this length of beach somewhere along its length, the beach becomes San Sebastian, or Metro Barceloneta, a traditional and popular place with many locals and it is consequently quite crowded and lively.

Catalonia Beaches

A short trip away you will be able to visit the Catalonia beaches which are known for their naturalness, and cleanness above all more seclusion and less hustle and bustle of people. So these beaches are for those of you who are looking for an even more relaxing, secluded, quiet and calm, natural beach to visit. The beaches along the coast of Catalonia are the Costa Daurada, Costa del Garraf, Costa del Maresme, and Costa Brava. Make note however that beaches to the South are wider and longer and have shallow water which is safer for children, while the others to the North are usually prettier and deeper with bigger waves. The Barcelona beaches along any coast of the area are a spectacular and breathtaking place to visit, so be sure to consider this as your next travel destination.

Sahara Las Vegas says: “SCREW YOU”

Posted by admin in Las Vegas, Nevada on 11 21st, 2006 | No comments yet - be the first one!

Sahara Hotel Las Vegas says: Screw You!

When going on a conference business trip and staying at a hotel for more than a week you definitely want a good experience, a short trip back and forth to the conference and all kinds of other attractions like shows, bars restaurants. That’s the reason why I chose the Sahara at the end of the north-strip to visit the Webmaster World – just 15 minutes to the convention center by the monorail was great last year – and so was my service.

But they proved me to be a jerk for booking 8 nights the second year in a row with them, just because I was too lazy to shop around and their rates were really cheap during the week.

Day 1 of the Dirt Horror at the Sahara Las Vegas

I arrived on Friday night and found my bathroom be – well, dirty… had that ugly long black hair near the washbowl and the whole room looked as if it wasn’t really cleaned. I thought – oh heck – they’re going to do it anyway next morning.

Day 2 of the Sahara Dirty Room Horror – Saturday

Nothing was done on Saturday during the day and when I went out Saturday night I though – hmm they are probably going to make my room in the evening as people are out then anyway…just to find out in the morning hours of Sunday when I came home that NOTHING changed.

Day 3 of the Sahara Dirt Desaster – Sunday

On Sunday I really thought – hey, I’m here at the Hotel the 3rd day and nobody gave a shit about my room, so I might have to ping somebody to do it finally. So I looked around and found that old and wasted Mexican lady on my floor and asked her nicely to make up my room when I leave in the afternoon. She looked in my eyes and confirmed that by even repeating the time to do it

Guess what – I came home at night and nothing was done, so I called up the frontdesk, called up the housekeeper service and told both that my room hasn’t been made up for 3 days in a row… both told me that they are going to take of that, and that of course THEY are not the responsible persons for that but that they will hand it to the ONEs that ARE responsible and that they’ll make up my room the next morning..

Day 4 of the Sahara Dirty Room Massacre

Believe it or not, the other day on Monday nobody showed up at my room as well.

I was really pissed off and called them up again. Again it was in the night hours but they promised to do it the next day and even sent somebody up to bring fresh towels (wohooo – we got fresh towels after paying 4 nights in a row) and I went to bed as I needed to get up.

Note that by Monday I suddenly got a strange allergic itching skin on my hands – which I definitely never had before in my life and as I write this it still itches a bit and looks infected. I must tell you that I finally believe that the lack of hygiene at the Sahara Hotel is responsible for that.

Day 5 of the Sahara Room Dirt Overkill

I got up early on Tuesday as the Webmaster World started and I was pretty sure that the cleaing is going to work out as I looked up that Mexican housemaid again and told her to make my room. After a really long day at the conference, a fabulous dinner at the Envy / Renaissance with folks like Chris Boggs, Andrew Goodman, Bill Slawski and others as well as some drinks with some of my clients I came home to my room at 1.30 in the morning – hoping to get some chilling sleep to be fresh during the next conference day.

What I saw was the whole mess I left behind – the 4 day old towels on the floor, a bed not really made up fresh for 5 days and NO SIGN of any work being done to that room… man I was pissed off… I mean the Sahara is cheap and you have to be ready to live in 15-20 year old furniture there… but what the heck was going on with the service? The really pissed me off that day as the only thing I wanted to do is SLEEP!

So once again I called up the front-desk and told them my problem. They handed me over to the housekeepers where I spoke to a lady who said she is NOT RESPONSIBLE and that she cannot do anything. So I called up the front-desk again just to speak to yet another clerk there and hear that the manager is only available at OFFICE HOURS and I must call at that time to file my complaint – but there should be a manager at housekeeping. So I called housekeeping a 2nd time just to speak to the same non-responsible lady again. When I called the front-desk the 3rd time to get ANYBODY responsible on the line I suddenly spoke to a rather nice sounding lady who suddenly showed SOME KIND OF CUSTOMER CARE – while all the other jerks before where just FINGERPOINTING at each other.

She took up my complaints, promised to inform the manage the other day as I certainly didn’t have the time and will to use my valuable time at the conference to contact Mrs. Hotel Manager when she finally showed up at her desk. Then they even sent up the night-maid at 2 in the morning to make up my bed, do basic cleaning of the room and made me feel confident that I am not the only person feeling annoyed by totally screwed up hotel operations at the Sahara.

Day 6-8 of the Sahara Hygiene Disaster

After spending more than 30 minutes calling back and forth thru the organizaton the room service worked fine from Wednesday thru Friday of my stay so I felt a bit more relaxed about it and was pretty sure that the more professionally acting lady really took care of my complaints and will consider the refund I asked her for to make up with the hassles.

Altough she mentioned that the management will come back to me eventually the next days they didn’t – so sign of that – and that certainly should have been a sign to me.

Day 9 – Payday for the Sahara Hygiene Disaster

So checking out on Saturday I expected a little gift, a refund on my invoice, at least a “we are sorry for the inconvenience” or what ever that clerk might have to do in such a situation.

Instead the lady printed my invoice, said thanks and turned away. Which really made me think – THAT’S IT ? Take my money and run?

So I asked her about my complaints and that I didn’t find any kind of compensation for that.
She was BLANK. Knew Nothing.

And after 10 minutes waiting for her after disappearing in the back room I heard that the manager on duty is on the phone and might get back to me soon. SO I told her that I’m leaving in 15 additional minutes and if they would be able to handle a 4 day old complaint in that time span.

Well – another 10 minutes later that big, unhealthy looking lady with her greasy hair and cheesy suite troubled her body thru the doors to approach me – probably double my own weight (and that is already a bit) to ask “SO YOU COMPLAIN YOUR ROOM WASN’T OK THE LAST DAYS?”

Well – After explaining the whole story again you read ALREADY and I told the others before already she said again I should have contacted her MYSELF during the office hours, which I still refused having to do – after all I issues SEVERAL COMPLAINTS to her employees.

What she did again – and that’s obviously the bad culture at the Sahara was fingerpointing back to her employees that they didn’t tell her ANYTHING and again that it is NOT HER FAULT that they didn’t tell her.

And anyway – she meant that it’s been a week ago that I got the bad service and should have told her EARLIER. Ignoring the fact of my multiple complaints in the past. Ignoring the fact that she was calling me a dumbass for ONLY complaining to the personal directly communicating with me.

HELL – who’S fault is it anyway if not the hotel manager’s if I get bad service, non-exististant complaint management and finally hit the wall to complain a last time during checkout just to hear NOT MY FAULT again?

Funny thing is that by that time that big ugly Mrs. “I am Yabbba Manager” already turned her displeasing back to me to say “goodbye sir…”

I got her back to ask if THAT IS IT. That I waiting for more than 20 minutes that day, more than 4 days after my complaints just to hear at least the ONLY responsible person tell me that it’s not my fault and that nobody would ever care if I would feel good about the stay, will ever come back or eventually tell the whole world about this finger pointing “not my fault” behaviour even by the highest people in the Hotel’s organization.

She replied with a simple and rude – “Yes sir, SCREW YOU – that’s what I said – good bye”.

I took that receipt, turned to the other clerk lady with “Has been a pleasure” and went off to the airport shuttle.

This lady certainly looked unhealthy, greasy and I wasn’T really sure if she’s 28 or 48 – heck, her bad physical condition is not even the case for some 58 old ones. But I figured that this is not the type of unhealthy looking you just get from bad eating habbits in stress jobs, lack of workout or some kind of wrong genes.

This “hotel manager” probably pissed of unhappy guests like me every day – dozens of them. And it seems to be a direct order to her employees to block of all complaints in early stages.

I am happy to be out of there and I certainly feel sorry for having picked this hotel a second time, as it definitely spoiled the otherwise amazing experience of the Las Vegas WebMasterworld 2006

And most important – I want to beware you of going thru the hassles that I’ve been to.
This was the worst experience in 15 years of business travel and 33 years of leisure travel.

China Town, SF Zoo and Alcatraz

Posted by admin in San Francisco on 08 30th, 2006 | No comments yet - be the first one!

San Francisco is a world class metropolitan city with a population of approximately one million people. The large skyscrapers, sprawling parks, and busy city streets make San Francisco an exciting city to visit. San Francisco is a beautiful city to discover and explore as a visitor.

China Town

Downtown many areas of the city will impress and entertain you. China town is a central area of the city and just as the name suggests is an area of Chinese heritage, culture and atmosphere. One can emerge themselves in the Chinese culture, enjoy Chinese meals, entertainment, shopping and people. The food markets are always filled with a variety of different types of foods, and there are also many different restaurants to try out. I’d recommend Brandy Ho’s Hunan Food, which has been called “The best Chinese Restaurant in San Francisco” and Yeah!, which is a Chinese bar and restaurant.

Alcatraz

If you want to see something a little more risqué, visit Alcatraz , perhaps the most famous former jail in the world. Also known as “The Rock”, Alcatraz draws thousands of visitors every year. Alcatraz was a maximum-security prison located on an Island, and was deemed one of the most inescapable prisons in the world, is now a tourist attraction and can be viewed on a guided tour.

San Francisco Zoo

You can also take a day to visit the San Francisco Zoo. One of California’s largest zoological parks, it features over 1,000 different exotic and endangered animals. Or if you enjoy the outdoors, visit Yosemite National Park, a natural preserve of 1,165 miles of extraordinary beauty. The park features valleys, large waterfalls, peaks and lakes, meadows, wildlife, and rock cliffs. Activities vary by season and include hiking, camping, fishing, bicycling, horseback riding, ice skating and snow skiing.

Golden Gate Bridge

Posted by admin in San Francisco on 08 29th, 2006 | No comments yet - be the first one!

There are so many sights and sounds to experience. One of the first landmarks you will most undoubtedly see is the Golden Gate Bridge. It is famous worldwide as one of the most beautiful and architecturally well constructed bridges in the world.

The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening from San Francisco Bay from the Pacific Ocean. It connects the city of San Francisco and the Marin County headlands. The length of the entire bridge including the approach is 1.7 miles or 2.7 km. The distance between the towers is approximately 4,200 feet or 1,280 metres. When it was completed in 1937, the Golden Gate Bridge was the largest suspension bridge in the world. However it is currently the second longest suspension bridge in the United States. The unique color of the bridge is International orange, and it is revered for its example of one of the most difficult structural design challenges and also for its aesthetic appeal. It truly is a beautiful and overwhelming sight, especially at night when it lights up the San Francisco skyline.

Barcelona – Arc De Triomphe

Posted by admin in Barcelona on 08 28th, 2006 | Read Comments(1)

Don’t confuse this with the Arc De Triumph in Paris (see here ) – the Arc De Triomph in Barclona is just as great as the one in Paris…well – I must admit – loving Barclona as the most appealing city in Europe – even more.

It was built in 1691 and this monument is one of several built to glorify the spain monarchy. The carved medallions, dating from 1773, celebrate the achievements of king Louis XIV of France.

There’s a small door under the vaulted archway provides access to the interior of the monument with a staircase winding up to the rooftop – too bad I haven’t been in there at night… that’s a plan for my 3rd time in Barcelona then

These are two pics I took in December at night, of course with tripod… and it was cOOOLd…

Yahoo has a bit more on it and this guy here was in Barcelona too