Christian Cairo, Tourism Site Guide and Review
This old cairo is an area where you can visit some old churches and old christian settlement thousands of years ago and here is where history witness some wars. Its all about history…Read More…
Nile River, Tourism Site Guide and Review
The Nile River is the longest river on the earth, 6695KM or 4160Miles in length and flowing across many countries in Africa : Burundi, Congo, Eritrea,Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda and Egypt. The source of Nile River was found in 1858 by A british man, John Hanning Speke in Lake Victoria Nyanza, Burundi. Because of the river`s maximum usage of ancient Egyptian and its part in making The Great Pharoonic Civilization of Egypt, most of the people know that the Nile River is mainly located in Egypt. You may see the Nile River from many main streets of Cairo. You can even take a 5-10minutes walk from Egyptian Museum to the Nile River. Magnificient views in both day and night time.Read More…
The Cairo Citadel, Tourism Site Review
When you have more time to spend in Cairo, besides the pyramids and museums, Citadel will be the other main destination. The entrance fee was 40LE in (for foreign visitor), half price for the student card holder, and less than 10LE for egyptians. Take a lot of pictures from the front yard of the citadel!!!.Read More…
Egyptian Mosque, Tourism Site Review
Islamic Cairo, often referred to as Fatimid Cairo, is extremely fascinating, as this part of the city has changed little in perhaps 500 years. It was the centre of Cairo for 8 centuries, from its founding in 969 AD by the Fatimids through the Ayyubid and Mamluke periods, and until the 18th century when Egypt was part of the Ottoman Empire.Read More…
Egyptian Museum, Tourism Site Review
This is the most popular site of the egyptian museum, besides the mummies area. It is located on the second floor, on the top of the new kingdom area. After the stairs, on the second floor, you will see the four shrines (gold platted) of King Tut. The silet room will be located between the 3rd and 4th shrine. The main attraction of the room will be the 11kg of King Tut Face Mask. This one used to travel across the miles to other countries (big exhibitions in US museums). Other than that, you will see many things from King Tut`s tombs around this room too. You cant imagine how they made all of these golden attires on King Tut`s mummies in thousands of years ago. Taking pictures is strictly prohibited. Nevertheless, the view is breathtaking and will be remained in your memory forever.Read More…
Gizeh Pyramids, Tourism Site Review
The first place one should visit when come to Egypt is pyramids,The structure consists of approximately 2 million blocks of stone, each weighing more than two tons,When it was built, the Great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high. Over the years, it lost 10 m (30 ft) off its top. It ranked as the tallest structure on Earth for more than 43 centuries.
After the accomplishment of the building of the Great Pyramid, King Khafre had a hard act to follow. Khafre rose to the occasion by building his pyramid on higher ground giving the illusion that his pyramid was taller.Read More
Fields of Joy. Amsterdam Keukenhof: A Synchronized Explosion of Floral Colour
On the sand dunes of Lisse, multi-coloured carpets of blooming flowers covered thousands of of fertile plains. The brilliance of the sunshine augments the palettes of patterned farm under the wings of passing flocks of egrets.
It was 7:00 a.m. as I strolled along the perimeter of the Tulip rows. The serenity of the blissful morning brought a rush of joy as my viewfinder absorbed hundreds of images into the camera. From the quaint town center I took a bus to the Keukenhof Garden and arrived just as the gates were opening. Already a sizeable throng had gathered in front of the ticket office. We were greeted by a pair of beautiful Dutch girls who were selling the 60 Year Anniversary Souvenir Book. If you have ever dreamt about heaven or a paradise of myriads of splendid floral parks, this is it! You are standing on the threshold of your dream -the Keukenhof Garden is the Virtual Reality. The impact of the scenery around you is enough to get your ardrenalin pumping. At once you are mesmerized and completely lost in a wonderful land of aromatic flowers.
In this ‘Sen-surround’ you hear nothing but the continual choruses of applause and ovations from the flow of passing eye-witnesses. They are busy with their compact cameras whispering under restrained outbursts of bewilderment. Gradually the traffic turns into a snarl with a cacophony of foreign tongues. The congestion is exacerbated by the model-posing and clicking away of the shutter. At its peak every standing space along the paths, in the restaurants, and even off-limits areas are filled with noisy chatterings.
As Ir. H. Van Os, the Chairman of the 50th Keukenhof Committee, explained, “Keukenhof’s 60th anniversary is not only a moment to reflect on the past, but also to look forward to future innovations in the art of floral exhibition. From now on,’a new style every year and a fresh look every day’ will be our motto when we open each spring until we close after the last golden days of each summer. Keukenhof received over 35 million Dutch and foreign visitors and has developed into a showcase for the flower bulb and ornamental plant industry and the Netherlands’s calling card”.
AT ONCE YOU ARE MESMERIZED AND COMPLETELY LOST IN A WONDERFUL LAND OF AROMATIC FLOWERS.
Known and loved internationally, Keukenhof receives more than 800,000 visitors from all over the world each year. Keukenhof is something that has to be experienced to understand how breathtakingly beautiful nature can be and how the flower bulb industry can enhance that beauty.
The Keukenhof was formerly a sea-side forest for hunting where plenty of herbal plants originated from the wilds. The owner, Countess Jacoba van Beieren, a descendent of Teylingen Castle (1401 - 1436), and a passionate and obsessive herb collector turned the estate into the source of her kitchen supply, hence, Keukenhof-meaning kitchen courtyard. But it was the work of the German landscape architect, J.D. Zocher who was inspired by English landscaping and gardening who created the concept of the ideal park with its majestic beech trees (Beukenlaan) lining the path. Later in the mid 20th century a group of enthusiastic bulb growers and exporters practically turned the park into a showcase for tulip gardens.
The highlights of my Keukenhof sojourn, were the Grand Royal flower bed with its classical and modern bulbs, and the Historical Garden which has an interesting collection of bulbs dating back to Jacoba van Beieren’s time.
The mysterious aura of the Keukenhof draws annual throngs of curious tourists, nature lovers, specialists, professional gardeners and botanists like a pilgrimage as a holy land. It is estimated that about 7 million bulbs of different varieties such as Tulips, Narcissus, Daffodils, Hyacinths etc. are planted - the orchestration of such a gigantic project on 32 hectares of cultivated land is in itself a miracle.
During the long winter months, the team of gardeners and landscape artists are already planning for the simultaneous flowering, the synchronization for the 8 week programme is truly a task of great magnitude and coordination.
Fact file
- Getting there: upon your arrival in Amsterdam, take a train to Haarlem. The bus terminal outside Haarlem’s Central Station has a special Keukenhof bus to Lisse.
- Opening Hours: 9:00 am - 7:00 pm daily during the period 21st March until 21st May. The best time between 15 April to 1 May.
- The writer was late last year, a hot spell in late April had damaged most of the blooms. This year I did not want to take any chances. I arrived on time and was greatly rewarded. ‘Visions and Voices of Spring’ made my stay unforgettable experience.
- Suggestion: Book your accomodation in advance, even rooms at a youth hostel were almost impossible to get.
Mario Silver, Bali
Local success story, Mario Silver in Bali has grown from a one-man show to become Bali’s leader in silver jewelery design, manufacture and export.
The seventies were a remarkable period of discovery. Hippies and backpackers weren’t only discovering themselves - they were unveiling new worlds that had scarcely been seen before. The rise and rise of the commercial airline industry meant that it became affordable for almost anyone to travel to the exotic corners of the earth. And whereas Bali had previously been accessible only for avant-garde personalities like Charlie Chaplin and Miguel Covarrubias - in the seventies, the “hippy trail” meandered its way to Bali for many a Tom, Dick and Nigel. Surfers too were discovering the virtues of Bali’s breaks as the island began dabbling in mass-hospitality and high-scale tourism.
Reputed for their talent as natural crafts people, the Balinese began crafting rough and very “ethnic-looking” pieces to cater to a tourist demand for silver jewellery. Out of those humble beginnings, Bali’s fledgling jewellery industry grew into the multi-million dollar industry that it is today, exporting to all corners of the globe with some of the most modern and innovative designs anywhere.
At the forefront of this transformation from backyard peddling to global enterprise has been Mario Silver. Formed in 1989, Mario Silver has grown from a single shop to become one of the island’s most successful manufacturers and exporters of genuine 925 silver jewellery. The brainchild of Tony Isijima, (his name gives away his Italian/Japanese roots) Mario Silver was named after his son. Says expatriate Japanese designer Bhakto who has lived in Bali for 19 years “our silver is different from the products that are available in Thailand for example, because they are all 100% hand made. Cheaper jewellery is made from casts, but ours achieves a subtly different effect. Each piece is slightly different as it has been completely crafted by hand. The effect is warmer, more human.” With an incredible 25,000 designs under his belt, the wall behind Bhakto’s head is plastered with jewellery designs from past present and future, showing a slow but sure evolution in style. Another of Mario’s success “secrets” is that they stay ahead of the game. Through close customer relations they are able to constantly monitor market trends and come up with designs that suit current tastes. Hugely popular in Europe and Japan, Mario’s sleek, elegant designs are now finding a foothold in the American and Australian markets.
With four shops in and around Kuta, Mario’s designs are readily available to the public, but their main trade is in wholesale export. While other competitors are scrambling to meet an order, Mario’s huge range of ready stock means that they are able to meet many orders immediately. The racks and racks of ready stock on display upstairs at the main showroom in Jl Legian are enough to reassure any would-be customer that they’re dealing with very efficient professionals. Quality assurance, finishing and creation of the prototype masterpieces is done here, in the maze of interconnecting rooms and studios that form the nerve-centre of the Mario Silver operation.
If ready stock is not available, or if it is a new design (customers are welcome to bring their own designs) Mario Silver’s team of some 200 craftspeople on Bali and in the jewellery heartland of East Java, will be able to fill the order within a matter of days or weeks, depending on the quantity. Small orders of around 10-20 pieces can usually be completed within three days.
A final note on the quality of silver. Using only imported pure silver granules, Mario Silver guarantees that every piece is made from pure 925 sterling silver. As Bhakto said “less pure silver tarnishes more easily.” While the Bali silver industry has come a long way since the 70’s there are still some shady backyard operators that continue to prove the maxim that “not all that shines is silver”. If you’re not careful you can get taken for a ride. When you’re buying silver, buy from a reputable dealer like Mario Silver, your satisfaction will come from the many years of enjoyment you get out wearing your own authentic Balinese masterpiece.
Mario Silver, Jl. Raya Seminyak 19, Kuta, Bali, Indonesia. Tel: 62-(0)361-730 977, fax: 62-(0)361-730 926
Cyprus, Tourism Site Review
The name Cyprus has a somewhat uncertain etymology. One suggestion is that it comes from the Greek word for the Mediterranean cypress tree (Cupressus sempervirens), κυπάρισσος (kypárissos), or even from the Greek name of the henna plant (Lawsonia alba), κύπρος (kýpros).Read More…
Northumberland, England, Tourism Site Review
Northumberland lies in the north east of England, south of the border with Scotland and has more castles than any other English county. This is mainly due to the numerous battles between the English and the Scots in the 14 - 16th century.Read More…
