Sunday 22 May 2016

Colosseum, Rome

Colosseum of Rome Upper View

The Colosseum is one of the greatest architectural accomplishments in the history of Rome. It was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre and it is the largest amphitheater in the world. The Amphitheater was built to organize gladiator contests, animal hunts, dramas, and battle re-enactments. All of these were attended by the people and most of the entertainment was sponsored by a private party.
Built in the center of Rome itself, the Colosseum’s construction began sometime between 70 and 72 AD and was completed in 80 AD under the reign of Emperor Titus. It has a seating capacity of 50,000 spectators, and over the years has been damaged by natural disasters such as earthquakes and fires. Many restoration projects have updated and restored the Colosseum, but pollution and traffic continue to damage its interior.
Today, the Colosseum is used for multiple purposes. The Pope leads a procession on good Fridays called the station of the cross, and political organizations light the walls with gold light when capital punishment is abolished in countries around the world. The Colosseum of Rome has been given great importance by the media and various Hollywood movies have been shot in the amphitheater. The famous movie “Gladiator” was highly influenced by the Roman culture and the gladiator contests.

Traveling to the Colosseum

The fascinating history involving bloodbaths and battles associated with the structure is what draws visitors to this historical site. Getting to the Colosseum by taxi or bus from the airport is easy enough, but the line to get into the site itself can be long, especially during the very busy summer season. Aside from going there at any other time, there are other ways to get around these long lines. You can buy your ticket either at the Roman Forum or the Via de San Gregorio (these ticket counters are usually line-free), or you can even get them online. You can also buy a combo ticket that covers several of Rome’s main attractions, or call the office to reserve your ticket in advance. Another good way to avoid long lines at the Colosseum entrance is by joining a tour group.

Pictures & Photos

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Petra in the Arabah, Jordan

Black & White View of “Treasury” in Petra

Petra is a site in the Arabah, Jordan that was discovered by a Swiss explorer called Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812 and is considered to be, yet another splendid beauty in the history of mankind. Arabah is a section of the Great Rift Valley and it is located between the Dead Sea (north) and the Gulf of Aqaba (south) forming part of the border between Jordan (east) and Israel (west).
Petra represents the ancient world’s heritage culture. It is a beauty hidden behind layers of mountain. The ones who have seen it say it is a treasure beyond comparison. It is now said to be one of the seventh wonder of the world and it belongs to the UNESCO world heritage site. The entire red rose city of Petra has such a charismatic appeal that it attracts anyone & everyone who enters the city, taking them to a different world of divine beauty and mystery. Petra mainly is admired because of its picture perfect architecture, its complex structure, quality and the non mentionable mere size.
Petra is said to have its origin before 106 AD; its culture is said to have been flourished in almost 400 years old. The one’s who visited it say that it is a site that can never be forgotten. The city of Petra takes its name, which is the Greek word for “rock”, from the fact that it is most notable for its buildings and tombs that are carved directly into the red sandstone that serves as the city’s natural protection from invaders. Its popularity with tourists may also have a connection to the city’s Biblical significance. It is here where King Aretas called for the arrest of the Apostle Paul at the time of his conversion.

How to Get to Petra

This historical fortress is located 170 miles southwest of Amman, Jordan on the edges of the Wadi Araba desert. It is also 50 miles south of the Dead Sea and the only way to enter the city is through a narrow crevice called the Siq. One has to uncover a very narrow path of mountains, kilometer by kilometer before they get to see the majestic beauty of Petra.This path is only about five meters wide, with sandstone walls towering up hundreds of meters high on both sides. This long, narrow & not very well lighted gorge is very cool & soothes the visitors before it unfolds the mystery step by step.
A taxi is the best means of transportation to get from the Queen Alia International Airport to Amman. Remember to ask the driver to take you to the Wahdat bus terminal, since there are two major bus stations in Amman. Destinations are usually printed in Arabic on the respective buses, so if you do not read Arabic, ask to be shown to the bus that will take you to Petra.

Pictures & Photos

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Marriott expands footprint in India


Marriott International is expanding its footprint in India with the opening of its fifth hotel in Pune, The Pune Marriott Suites. The addition of this new hotel means that Marriott International will be managing the largest number of hotels in the city of Pune.

The Pune Marriott Suites provides luxurious accommodations of 199 suites located in the plush Koregaon Park area. Sharing close proximity to the Pune Airport and key business and IT hubs, this property will cater to longer stay, business and leisure travelers.

Speaking on the occasion of the launch, Mr. Neeraj Govil, Market Vice-President South Asia of Marriott International said, “The opening of Pune Marriott Suites takes our portfolio to 33 hotels in India. This hotel further demonstrates our commitment to strengthen our relationship in Pune with the ownership – Panchshil Reality. It will be exciting as the team to position this all-suites hotel as one of the top in class luxury destinations in the city.”

The food & beverage selection the hotel will offer an interesting mix of local and international cuisine, 5 senses – the All-Day dining restaurant, the Bistro (Italian & Mediterranean cuisine) and the Oak Lounge offering perfectly aged Cognacs and Single Malts will ensure an international dining and lounge experience. One of the unique features of this property is that it will allow housing pets making it a true ‘home-away- from- home’ experience. The hotel houses a fully equipped fitness centre, outdoor pool and a wellness centre.
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Air Canada Rouge launches Toronto-Gatwick service


Air Canada has launched a new non-stop service between Toronto and London-Gatwick, The new service will operate daily with an Air Canada rouge Boeing 767-300ER

“London-Heathrow is already Air Canada’s largest international gateway with flights to eight Canadian cities, so we are pleased to expand to London-Gatwick in time for the summer, when millions of vacationers are travelling between Canada and the U.K. With this new route, we become the only Canadian carrier serving the two largest airports in the London metropolitan region, which further solidifies our already market-leading position as the airline operating the most seats between Canada and U.K.,” said Benjamin Smith, President, Passenger Airlines at Air Canada.

Flights will be operated with an Air Canada rouge Boeing 767-300ER, featuring premium and economy cabins.  The service commenced with six weekly flights going to daily service throughout the summer from June 1 to September 26, and then with reduced frequency until October 16. Flights are timed to optimize connectivity to and from Air Canada’s Toronto-Pearson global hub.  All flights provide for Aeroplan accumulation and redemption and, for eligible customers, priority check-in, Maple Leaf Lounge access, priority boarding and other benefits.

The new Toronto to London-Gatwick service is part of Air Canada’s ongoing international expansion. Beginning this summer, Air Canada will also launch new international services between Toronto-Prague, Toronto-Budapest, Toronto-Warsaw, Toronto-Glasgow, Toronto-Seoul, Montreal-Casablanca, Montreal-Lyon, Vancouver-Brisbane and Vancouver-Dublin. Last year, Air Canada launched new international services between Toronto-Delhi, Toronto-Amsterdam, Toronto-Dubai, Montreal-Venice, Montreal-Mexico City and Vancouver-Osaka.
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British passion for travel is "biggest in 20 years"

Barcelona in Spain, which remains the most visited country by Britons

Britain’s passion for travel abroad has experienced its biggest surge in nearly 20 years, with Britons making more than 65 million trips to foreign countries in 2015.
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that visits overseas by British residents increased by 9.4 per cent on 2014, the largest rise since 1998. British travellers also spent the most money abroad ever, at £39billion.
Spain and France remain the most popular destinations for Britons, with the number of visits to the former increasing by 22 per cent from 10.7 million in 2011 to 13 million last year. The number of visits to France, however, fell from 8.9 million to 8.8 million. Italy, Ireland and the US completed the top five.
The statistics include holidays, visiting friends or relatives, business and miscellaneous, but data shows that holidays were the most popular reasons, accounting for 68 per cent of visits in England, 71 per cent in Scotland and 75 per cent in Wales. ABTA, the UK’s travel industry body, said the figures show the UK public's strong appetite for travel.
“These figures demonstrate the resilience of UK travelers, and show the vital economic importance of travel to the UK economy,” the spokesperson said.
“The 9.4 per cent growth recorded in overseas holidays during the year is the largest annual rise in nearly twenty years, and spending on holidays exceeded pre-crisis levels for the first time since the recession.”
The average number of nights the British go abroad for has remained at 10 since 2011. “This is likely due to the popularity of short breaks taken more frequently during the year,” said the ONS report. “Visits to Europe, the closest destination from the UK, were shorter on average at eight nights."
"Average length of stay was higher for countries outside Europe and North America, an average of 21 nights compared with visits to North America where the figure was 14 nights."

London welcomed 18.6million overseas visits in 2015

The ONS report also included figures on overseas visits to the UK, finding a rise of 5.1 per cent on 2014 to 36.1million visits. This was the fifth consecutive year of increase.
France registered the most visits to the UK, followed by the USA and Germany. More than half of all visits to the UK included a visit to London, a total of 18.6 million visits in 2015, an increase of 3.3 million on 2011. An additional 12.9 million visits came from within the UK, taking London’s total to 31.5 million, a record for the city.
Outside of the capital, Edinburgh was the most visited city in the UK, followed by Manchester, Birmingham, Glasgow and Liverpool.
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Hidden Croatian beach voted 'best in Europe'

Boats must pass through a gap just a few metres wide to reach Stiniva beach

Almost completely obscured from the view of passing boats, Stiniva beach on the Croatian island of Vis has something of the James Bond villain lair about it.
But its secret is out. This week it was named the top beach in Europe for 2016 by the Brussels-based tourism organisation European Best Destinations following a poll of more than 10,000 holidaymakers.
Its inaccessibility is part of its allure. Vis is the farthest inhabited island from the Croatian mainland; beyond Brac and Hvar, it is more than a two-hour ferry or catamaran ride from  Split. The beach itself can only be reached by hiking down a steep and narrow path or by taking a taxi boat from the nearby cove at Rukavac. And only those vessels small enough to pass through a gap of a few metres in the cliffs can reach it.
It's clearly captured the imagination of those who voted in the awards, and Telegraph Travel’s Adrian Bridge, after a visit back in 2014, was also impressed. It’s a "perfectly formed white pebble cove framed by towering cliffs through which a small opening leads out to the sea," he wrote, which during early season, you might have to yourselves.
Vis is more than two hours by ferry from Split

He explored the rest of the island by scooter, a mode of transport also recommended by the local tourist board. There are just two main roads of around nine and 15 miles in length. The longer is more scenic, he said, affording “wonderful vistas out towards the island of Bisevo and back to the extraordinarily picturesque red roofs of the port of Komiza”.
Stops along the way include “Tito’s cave”, where for a while during the war, the leader of the Yugoslav partisan forces retreated to mastermind operations, and the vineyards of Plisko Polje.
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Friday 20 May 2016

For the first time ever, tourists will be able to stay in the Eiffel Tower

The Eiffel Tower in all its glory

Since its opening in 1889, the Eiffel Tower has attracted over 250 million visitors and these days welcomes an impressive 7 million visitors a year, but none of them have been able to spend the night snoozing under its iron latticework - until now.
For the duration of the UEFA Euro 2016 football tournament, rental company HomeAway will be turning a section of the iconic structure into a holiday let. Four lucky competition winners, each with up to five guests, will be able to spend the night on the tower’s first level, 172 feet above the ground, which will be remodelled into living quarters. The elevated apartment is currently being constructed, with French interior designer Benoit Leleu in charge of the particulars.
The competition is now open, and prospective tower tourists can enter by suggesting what they would do if they had la Tour Eiffel to themselves for a night.
Brian Sharples HomeAway CEO called the move "unprecedented" and said it was "guaranteed to provide the most epic vacation memories of a lifetime."
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Emirates launches seventh daily service to Bangkok



Emirates has announced its seventh daily service between Dubai and Bangkok starting from July 1st.
The additional service, which will be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, will help meet growing passenger demand, affirming Thailand’s position as a popular destination for business and leisure.
It will make Bangkok one of the most served destinations on the Emirates network, on par with Kuwait and Doha.

The new service joins the existing four daily A380 and two daily 777 flights that currently operate between Dubai and Bangkok, and enhances the weekly services on the route to 49, adding another 2,520 seats and up to 134 tonnes in cargo capacity per week in each direction between Bangkok and Dubai to further facilitate travel and trade opportunities between Thailand and Emirates’ global network.
Passengers on Emirates flights enjoy the renowned hospitality of its multi-national Cabin Crew, as well as gourmet cuisine and Emirates’ award-winning ice entertainment system.

From July, the new service operating daily as EK350 will depart Dubai at 19:50 and arrive at Suvarnabhumi International Airport at 05:10 the following day.
This flight provides an attractive departure time for travellers from the UAE and Middle East with an early morning arrival in Bangkok enabling a full day ahead for business or leisure activity.
Furthermore, it would allow numerous connections to regional points with our codeshare partner, Bangkok Airways.
The return flight, EK351, will depart Bangkok at 06:35 and arrive in Dubai the same day at 09:50 from July 2nd.
This flight will connect seamlessly with a number of destinations in Europe such as London, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Istanbul, Madrid and Barcelona.
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