Thoughts on Egypt

I have always wanted to go to Egypt because I have always been fascinated with Pharaohs and Cleopatra. So, I talked my husband into going this past Oct. Thank God we went before this current outbreak with Hamas and Israel. When we first arrived in Cairo, our "administrator", the guy who handled the logistics for the trip, asked us if we were going to vote for Obama. As the trip progressed, we learned that the Egyptians don't hate Americans. They simply hate our Israeli policy. Well, they also despise Bush.
That was evident on our final day when we picked up an English Egyptian newspaper and there were two editorials bashing Bush. One called him Hitler like and the other a baby killer. There was no "fair and balanced" to these editorials. I have several opinions about Egypt (surprise surprise). The first opinion: Cairo is an awfully crowded, filthy, traffic insanity that can not be tolerated for more than a couple of days. It rained one evening; the streets flooded a few feet and because cars are patched together like patch work quilts, many were stranded in the streets for hours causing massive traffic delays. The morning we went to the pyramids, which are in the suburbs of Cairo, the smog was so dense, you couldn't even see them.

Now, are they worth seeing? Damn straight! But let me give you my second impression. Egypt is a third world country and they have intense poverty. Because much of their lively hood is based on tourism, and much of that involves animals, you probably can guess where I'm going. We decided to do our tourist camel ride around the Sphinx because it seemed to be less busy. Our camel vendors decided to take us up a back street and it was one of the most godawful places I've been. I was raised on a ranch in south Texas. So, I've seen cows, pigs, chickens in health distress. As we ride the camels, we are seeing horses so emaciated, one is dieing. He has a purple spray paint mark on it put there by the police to eventually euthanize it. Dogs were sniffing around it. Horses were everywhere and were so thin, their ribs and hip bones stuck out. Litters of emaciated puppies and their mothers roamed looking for food.

I thought I was in a Human Society video to get us to donate money. When we returned to our guide, I was so upset. I began to cry. It was awful awful awful. I am a lover of animals, and this was beyond anything I have ever seen. I've been to several third world countries and have never seen this type of animal neglect. Or, so I thought. As our trip progressed, we went to the town of Edfu and the Temple of Edfu. There, waiting to take us for a horse and buggy ride to the temple.....rail thin, hip protruding horses. Our Egyptologist knew this was going to happen and tried to get us a more "fit" horse. But like New York cabbies, they vie for spots in line. As we pulled away in our carriage, I saw many of the other "cabbies" feeding their horses alfalfa. I told Maher that in America we treat our pets very well. That, probably, an American pet eats better than a person in a third world country.

And, as I watched the "cabbies" feeding their horses, they were feeding them to the best of their ability. It was their lively hood, after all. But, I did say that it was hard to see. Later, I spoke to some Australians and they had the same reaction I did. Another opinion: My husband and I have traveled a great deal, but the people of Egypt are some of the nicest we have ever encountered. Service was always superb and accommodating. Even though the vendors can be aggressive, if you say "no thank you", they typically backed off. Not that we didn't encounter your overly aggressive types. But on the whole, we thoroughly enjoyed our Egyptian experience. The mantra we heard over and over: Vote Obama Vote Obama!

By Linda Caminiti

Iron chef Linda

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Glasgow - Shopping, Pubs & Clubs

Glasgow Nightlife

It's estimated that Glasgow has over 50 nightclubs and 100 bars, so you're spoilt for choice when it comes to a great night out! There are venues to suit everyone's tastes - some of the most popular traditional pubs are the Brel Bar, The Shack and The Shed, to themed bars such as the Bar Jedi which pays homage to George Lucas's Star Wars movies, and The Cooler, which is a prison themed public house!

For the serious clubber, there are DJ's playing the latest tunes at Archaos, the Arches, the Sub Club, Yang, Alaska and Media Nightclub to name but a few. Other popular nightclub haunts for the serious reveller include the Garage, The Savoy, Trash, the G2, Tiger-Tiger and the Velvet Rooms.

Glasgow has a thriving music scene, with fans of live music well catered for at the King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, the Barrowlands, Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), the Plaza, and the Arches. Glasgow is home to popular artists such as Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, the Fratellis and Glasvegas, and these bands often ply their wares in the popular music haunts of the city, where they once learned their trade!

Glasgow also has a reputation for fine restaurants. Whatever you feel like eating - Indian, Chinese, Italian and there are also plenty of vegetarian and seafood options as well.

Glasgow Shopping

It's little wonder that Glasgow has become one of the UK's most popular shopping destinations. There's a wonderful array of shops to suit all tastes and styles. The city is packed with household names in the retail world, including high street stores and stylish boutiques.

The most popular shopping street is Buchanan Street, located right in the heart of the city centre. The Buchanan Shopping Mall has plenty of high street shops from the likes of Gap to Miss Selfridge. It features all the upmarket retailers and is tastefully lighted at night, in a unique design.

Located south of Buchanan Street is the wonderful Princes Square, which is a magnificently restored 19th century shopping mall. Inside you'll find all the stores that fashionistas will flock to, and the architecture of the shopping mall will allow the passive shopper (the male) the chance to enjoy the design and feel of the area!

Argyll Arcade offers an opportunity to purchase some unique jewellery at the Diamond Studio, and browse the antique stores that dot the arcade.

By Mairead Foley

Mairead Foley writes for http://www.Novacarhire.com/ where you can book car hire at airports, ferry ports, rail stations, cities and towns all over the world.

Book your Car hire Glasgow now.

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Atlantic City - Appealing Adventures and Activities

New Jersey's Atlantic City is simply exciting. There are top-notch attractions and entertainment, casino gaming, fun shopping, exceptional dining and a lot more. The city almost has anything your heart fancies.

Their boardwalk is one of a kind. It was in 1870 that the very first Boardwalk was constructed next to a certain area of the beach to make it easier for hotel proprietors to prevent sand from seeping in hotel lobbies. The Boardwalk was customized many times in the succeeding years.

The following are soame wonderful options you can try at Atlantic City.
• AC Helicopter Sightsee. View the Atlantic City like you have never seen it from the sky before! Be thrilled with amazing skyline scenes anytime as tour companies grant hourly trips from the Steel Pier.

• AC Surf Baseball. The sports ground have a view over the skyline of the Atlantic City. They light up fireworks in the breezy coastline.

• Back Bay Flounder Fishing (Gardner's Basin's). During summer seasons, flounder fishing quests at the seashore front and back bays portion of the AC is far-fetched. The wafting and unruffled back bays are just perfect for flounder that will surely make each one have a great time.

• Deep Water Fishing (Gardner's Basin). The city also takes pride of having some of the most superb fishing areas of the East Coast. Cast the line and get marlin, flounder, bluefish, tuna, weakfish, cod, dolphin, sail fish, sea base, and ling, among others.

• Steel Pier Amusement Park (Taj Mahal). Here you can have the time of your life with the amusement rides such as the giant slide, wet boats, roller coaster, log flume, Ferris wheel, bumper cars, rocket ride, and rock climbing wall. These are joined by the bracing helicopter tour that lets your see the pretty panorama of Atlantic City.

• Atlantic City Clever Cruises. Visit Gardener's Basin at New Hampshire Avenue and delight in the cool sea breeze while viewing the sunset and drinking a daiquiri or margarita. You can select from among scores of adventure tours offered by many cruise companies and these include sightseeing tour, morning watch, happy hour sunset, moonlight dance festivity, dolphin viewing, et cetera.

• IMAX Theatre Experience. This is found in The Quarter at Tropicana. IMAX cutting edge technology is an Academy Award champ. Savor here the most compelling and connecting movie adventure ever.

• Ocean Life Appealing Aquarium. Gardner's Basin has the famous aquarium of Atlantic City. This aquatic ecosystem presents 17 aquarium cisterns. There is a tropical forest to walk around.

• AC Miniature Golf. The miniature golf course is situated on the Boardwalk and adjacent to the Trump Plaza. This AC attraction has a first-rate design and landscape with sand blocks and water holes.

• Pier Shops and Restaurants at Caesars. The Pier offers world class entertainment and shopping setting. The Boardwalk can be seen from the place. Observe the stunning Atlantic City sunsets from here. The pier's 3rd floor offers 7 fantastic eating places and various cuisines from different regions of the globe. With these, you are sure to taste the premium lip-smacking flavors in Atlantic City. As with stores and shopping, the pier has Burberry, Gucci, Ann Taylor and the rest.

• Haunted Tales at Boardwalk. In addition to the haunted souvenir and gift shop, you can experience a storytelling visit, showcasing the rats and wind's 4th sense plus mind-boggling stories of the Jersey Devil.

By David Urmann

For more information on Atlantic City Hotel Map and Borgata Hotel Atlantic City please visit our website.

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Amazing Weekend Getaways in Texas

A Texas getaway comprises of visiting the big city where in entertainment and dining options are plenty. It can also involve leaving the bulk of civilization. Hence, you can even reach out to the vast and mountainous expanses of the state's western reach.

A perfect Texas weekend getaway can be include the seaside, where in, the clean Gulf breezes become motivated by long walks on the beach. You can also go through Texas by relaxing along the golf resort for the whole day. Then, you can work your way around the city. After this, you can reward yourself with a refreshing spa experience.

You can really enjoy your romantic getaway in Texas at several attractive bed and breakfast inns or at fully-equipped vacation beach houses. In fact, many weekend getaways in Texas offer this package.

For horseback ridings on a farm, ranch, or romantic spots for your weekend, Texas can provide it all! Thus, you can visit the Lone Star State any time and you can be provided with numerous adventures, both for the old and the young ones at heart.

Weekend getaways in Texas can also provide an assortment of destinations across the Texas borders, particularly for guests that have different interests. Moreover, it also offers a wide variety of lodging facilities that can cater to all types of preference, budget and taste.

Romantic weekend getaways in Texas can include spas, swimming pools, massages, hiking picnic basket and a lot of magnificent things to actually do and to see. Texas, along with romantic candles, fireplaces, balconies and toe to toe double tubs can result to a restful romantic interlude with your heart's desires.

Hence, the Sanford House possesses a Victorian style that has a lot of modern amenities. It is a great place to relieve your stress. Each guest room has furnishings and a little bit of history associated with its furniture. Before leaving your room for certain evening activities, you can enjoy wonderful and unique candlelight dinners.

The Barton Creek Resort in Texas is also an excellent weekend getaway that offers various sports lodges such as a tennis courts, championship gulf courses and spa services. It is located only fifteen minutes from downtown Austin in Texas. The rates during the winter seasons start at 180 US dollars per person per night. It is around 200 US dollars per night during the summer season and around 290 US dollars per night during peak seasons.

Amazing hotels you can find in Texas:

- Adams House Bed and Breakfast Inns - This is located by the heart of the tourist's favorite attraction in San Antonio. It is equipped with circulating ceiling fans and air conditioning in order to ensure their guest's comfort. In fact, Adams House Bed and Breakfast Inns guest rooms are completely equipped with telephones, private bath, colored cable television, and a queen size bed.

- Hampton Inn Waco South - This beautiful and eye-catching Inn offers free high speed internet access, free hot breakfast, microwaves and refrigerators in all guest rooms, along with an on site fitness center, outdoor and indoor spa, as well as a pool and a 42 inch LCD television having 70 cable channels. In a short distance you can even walk through the beautiful downtown of Waco and onto the famous Baylor University. It is located at #2501 Market Place Drive Waco, Texas.

- Texas Hill Country Bed and Breakfast - This hotel is ideal for family weekend getaways in Texas. It offers full air-conditioned guest rooms and cable televisions. It is located at the #3200 Mt. Sharp Road Wimberley, Texas.

By David Urmann

For more information on Texas Weekend Getaway and Cheap Weekend Getaways please visit our website.

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Hindu Pilgrimages in India

India is a vast country, peopled with diverse and ancient civilizations, and its religious geography is highly complex. India is the land of gods and diverse religions where lies the serenity of its heritage. Although isolated from the rest of Asia by oceans on three sides and impassable mountain ranges to the north, India has experienced a near-constant influx of differing cultural influences, coming by way of the northwest and the southeast . India in the third millennium BC was inhabited in the tropical south by a people called the Dravidians, in the central and northeastern regions by aboriginal hill and forest tribes, and in the northwest by the highly advanced Indus Valley civilization known as the Harappan culture. The Harappan culture possessed a sophisticated religion called Vedism, which worshipped powerful gods such as Indra, the god of rain; Agni, the god of fire; and Surya, the sun god. During the millennia of the Harappan culture the religion of Vedism developed an increasingly complex form with esoteric rituals and magical chants, and these were later codified in the sacred Hindu texts known as the Vedas.

The religion identified as Hinduism did not actually appear until the centuries preceding the Christian era. Hinduism is an aggregation of the religious beliefs and practices deriving from the Vedism and fertility cults of the Harappan peoples, and the animistic, shamanistic, and devotional practices of the widely varying, rural-dwelling indigenous cultures of south, central, and eastern India. Adding to and further enriching this mix were the concurrently developing religions of Jainism and Buddhism. Indian culture has thus developed a fascinating collection of religious beliefs and customs that range from simple animistic worship of nature spirits in a common rock or tree to the complex, highly codified Brahmanic rituals practiced at the great pilgrimage centers. Our earliest sources of information on the matter of sacred space come from the Rig Veda and the Atharva Veda. Following the Vedic period the practice of pilgrimage seems to have become quite common, as is evident from sections of the great epic, the Mahabharata (350 BC), which mentions more than 300 sacred sites spanning the sub-continent. It is probable that most of these sites had long been considered sacred by the aboriginal inhabitants of the region and only later came to be listed in the Mahabharata as different regions came under the influence of Hinduism. By the time of the writing of the Puranas (sacred texts of the 2nd to 15th centuries AD), the number of sacred sites listed had grown considerably, reflecting both the ongoing assimilation of aboriginal sacred places and the increased importance of pilgrimage as a customary religious practice.

Hindus call the sacred places to which they travel tirthas. The Sanskrit word tirtha means river ford, steps to a river, or place of pilgrimage. In Vedic times the word may have concerned only those sacred places associated with water, but by the time of the Mahabharata, tirtha had come to denote any holy place, be it a lake, mountain, forest, or cave. Tirthas are more than physical locations, however. Devout Hindus believe them to be spiritual fords, the meeting place of heaven and earth, the locations where one crosses over the river of samsara (the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth) to reach the distant shore of liberation. Saintly individuals who lead exemplary lives imbue their environments with the holiness that accrues from their spiritual practices. Devotees who had visited the saints while they were alive often continued to seek inspiration in the same places after the saint had died. Over many centuries, folk tales about the lives of the saints attained legendary proportions, attracting pilgrims from great distances. If miracles were reported at the shrine, the saint's legends would spread across the entire country, attracting still more pilgrims.

India being the land of Gods has approximately 150 pilgrimage sites which are most rated by the pilgrims. These include the Four Dhams or Divine Abodes at the four compass points; the Seven Sacred Cities and their primary temples; the Jyotir, Svayambhu, and Pancha Bhutha Linga temples; the Shakti Pitha temples; the Kumbha Mela sites; major Vaishnava sites; the Nava Graha Sthalas (temples of the planets); the seven sacred rivers (Ganga, Yamuna, Saraswati, Godavari, Narmada, Kaveri, and the Sarayu); the four Mutts of Sri Adi Sankaracharya (Badrinath/Joshimath, Puri, Sringeri, and Dwarka); the Arupadaividu (the six sacred places of Lord Kumara).

In discussing pilgrimage places in the Hindu tradition, it is important to say a few words about the number and diversity of deities in Hinduism and about the iconic and an iconic form in which those deities are found. The personification of the mysterious forces of the universe into the anthropomorphic deities of the Hindu tradition involves both a convergence into certain supreme deities (the main three deities today are the gods Shiva and Vishnu and the goddess Shakti) and a splintering into a myriad of lesser deities. No Hindu seriously believes in the multiplicity of gods but rather is aware that each of the many gods and goddesses are merely aspects of the One God (who is also the god of all other religions). The majority of Hindus ally their beliefs with one or the other of the three cults, worshipping Shiva, Vishnu, or Shakti as the highest principle. In doing so they do not deny the existence of the other two deities but regard them as complementary, though minor, expressions of the same divine power. Each of the greater and lesser deities is understood as a sort of window or lens through which the whole of reality may be glimpsed.

In a large number of celebrated shrines in India there are no beautiful statues of the gods and goddesses to be found, rather only iconic blocks of stone or stumps of wood. This tradition of iconic images derives from the rural folk religions of ancient India and bears witness to the great antiquity of the sanctity of certain places. The shrine in its initial phase may have been only a crude little hut covering a stone that both represented and contained some spirit of the natural world. As millennia passed and the small rural village slowly grew into a larger and larger town, both the myths concerning the stone and the shrine surrounding that stone were richly elaborated. It is therefore important when studying or visiting the monumental pilgrimage shrines of India to remember that many of them had their architectural genesis in the simple nature sanctuaries of the archaic rural folk.

By Monika Garg

Monika

http://www.indiandiscovery.com

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Retiring in Peru

A laid-back lifestyle filled with culture is what Peru has to offer retirees. And Peru has climates for everyone. If you want the sunny coast, head up north. If you'd rather live in the steamy jungle, go inland to the far east. It you'd rather live in the mountain, head a bit east. Wherever you decide to live in Peru, you won't regret retiring here. The cost of living is still cheap by Western standards, and you can find everything you need. In addition, Peruvians are known for their friendliness, so you'll be sure to make lots of friends and enjoy the Peruvian culture. If you do decide to retire here, there are some legal steps that you will need to take first.

First you will need to verify your income is over 1000USD (for each dependent you will need an additional 500USD) and is permanent. This letter must either be taken to a Peruvian Consulate abroad or notarized by the Embassy where the letter was issued. The letter must be translated into Spanish by an Official Translator and then taken to the Public Notaries office who will in turn accept it and stamp it again.

You will also need to open a bank account. You can open bank accounts with tourist visas at the BCP or Interbank.

After that you will have to go to Immigrations with the paperwork. You will also need a copy of your Passport and have your original available for inspection. All processing of the applications and questions should be directed to the third floor at window(s) 8 or 9. You will be told to wait a couple of weeks for them to verify all your documents. Then you can pick up your visa at a Preuvian consulate or embassy outside of Peru. Once you come back to Peru, you're set!

By Sharon De Hinojosa

Sharon de Hinojosa (naturegirl321) has lived and worked (mainly teaching English) in the US, Scotland, Spain, the Czech Republic, China, Korea, and Peru. As well as teaching short-term in Venezuela and Taiwan.

She has created The LA Job List http://www.thelajoblist.blogspot.com which lists schools, institutes and universities in 19 Latin American countries which offer English teaching positions.

Since living in Peru since August 2006, she wrote The Ultimate Peru List http://www.theultimateperulist.blogspot.com - With 60 pages it's a comprehensive guide for those living in or moving to Peru.

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A Little Bit Of Japan In San Francisco

Japantown comprises about six square city blocks in the Western Addition of San Francisco. The area is home to a large number of Japanese (and some Korean and Chinese) restaurants, supermarkets, indoor shopping malls, hotels, banks and other shops, including one of the few U.S. branches of the large Kinokuniya bookstore chain. Its focal point is the Japan Center (opened in 1968), the site of three Japanese-oriented shopping centers and the Peace Pagoda, a five-tiered concrete stupa designed by Japanese architect Yoshiro Taniguchi and presented to San Francisco by the people of Osaka, Japan.

If you're looking for a unique gift to take back home, then the best place to start looking is in San Francisco's Japantown. More specifically - Japan Center, where you'll find specialty shops, a movie theater, sushi bars, and traditional restaurants all within walking distance.

In Miyako Mall, beautiful showrooms of exotic Chinese natural stones can be found, you'll come across antiques and find all kinds of Japanese collectibles and custom-made furniture. There are also plenty of restaurants to go around as well, if you visit the Kintetsu Mall, there is a pathway of restaurants that should satisfy your midday cravings. From noodles and rice dishes to sushi to go, the mall has pretty much everything. And while most of the restaurants are sit-down style, there are carry-out options, such as Osakaya, which offers various container meals filled with samples of sushi, side dishes, noodles, and rice.

And aside from the shopping and eating experience, a trip to Japan Center will also give you a chance to mingle with neighborhood residents, SF locals, and other out-of-town visitors. When you do visit here, you'll find a very friendly vibe. Like Chinatown, you feel welcomed here. One note: make sure to actually walk into the Peace Plaza and gaze up at the Peace Pagoda in Nihonmachi. Erected in 1968 as a symbol of eternal peace, it's an inspiring example of architecture that should cap off your visit to Japantown's "heart" like nothing else.

San Francisco hotels can be found in this area housed in some historic buildings. However it is recommended that for visitors who wish to get the most out of their visit to stay in a hotel in San Francisco that lets you get around almost all of the sights of the city. A stay in Japantown can often feel cramped and boring if you decide to stay here too long.

By James V Cook

James Cook is an executive working for Hotelseye. SanFranciscoHotelseye is a popular online travel portal with a wide collection of San Francisco hotels to choose from. The portal also offers other San Francisco travel services such as car rentals and fight reservations. For more info please visit http://www.sanfranciscohotelseye.com

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