sundial travel

Fabulous UK based group led by Matt Coldrick with images made up entirely of my Western US and Mexico vacation shots.

Everyone is familiar with the mythic city of Atlantis – the ancient Greek civilization that Plato famously claimed had succumbed to tragedy and came to rest at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. However, no one has ever seen an underwater city – until now. Thousands of miles from the classical civilizations in the warm waters of the Caribbean, a sculptor has been quietly constructing his own vision of Atlantis off the coast of Cayman Brac. Though the sculptor is only a few years into the massive project, the undertaking has already attracted the attention of scuba divers and thrill seekers from throughout the world.

The Cayman version of Atlantis is the brainchild of a somewhat mysterious local artist known only as Foots. Now in his 50s, Foots has stated that he has been obsessed with the myth of Atlantis since he was a small boy. Working almost entirely by himself, Foots has already completed a number of giant sculptures and laid the foundation for Atlantis. After completing the sculptures, Foots places his work on a naturally sandy stretch of the Caribbean’s floor, always mindful of the delicate submarine ecosystem. Though there is much for divers to enjoy in this Caribbean Atlantis, Foots will continue working on this massive project indefinitely, adding new sculptures to the underwater city every six months. Most surprisingly, Foots has not made any drawings of his underwater project, choosing instead to work only from his imagination, allowing the city’s plans to develop and change as the civilization grows.

The entrance to Cayman’s Atlantis is marked by the giant Archway of Atlantis. With each of the bases weighing over ten tons, scuba divers will immediately find themselves in the midst of an awe-inspiring environment. The great archway opens onto what Foots has called The Elders’ Way. At the end of this path lined with classical temple columns, the sculptor has placed stylized sculptures of human figures – known to the sculptor as “Prophets” – to watch over the underwater city. To insure that locals were able to get involved in the project, Foots modeled each one of these sculptures after individuals who have contributed to Cayman society. The figures of the prophets look out across a large courtyard on the seafloor known as the Inner Circle of Light. In Foots’ version of the Atlantis myth, a young girl made sure that the torches atop the city’s eleven columns were always lit and no shadows ever passed over the great sundial. Divers will find the sundial in the middle of the courtyard, protected by the city’s great columns. At the center is a representation of the Circle of Light, the space where all time was said to be endless.

One of most important aspects of the underwater city is the care given to its location at the bottom of the Caribbean Sea. Though surrounded by dense coral reefs on all sides, the site for Atlantis was chosen because no coral needed to be removed to accommodate the sculptures. Furthermore, as the sculptures are made of simple concrete and won’t harm any of the area’s sea creatures, the city will always be able to support vibrant life. In fact, though the Cayman Atlantis is currently set on several acres of featureless sand, divers will notice that the city has already attracted a wide variety of residents. Everywhere you look in the underwater city, hard corals have begun branching out, sponges have found homes amongst the sculptures and numerous species of tropical fish swim through the city each day.

Resting at a shallow depth (only 40-50 feet), divers are guaranteed excellent visibility. Most of the Cayman Islands’ dive operators visit this special site everyday. Unlike many of the Cayman Islands’ popular wall dive sites, Atlantis is a great dive for all ages and skill levels. Thanks to the shallow overall depth and excellent underwater visibility, the site can also be enjoyed by snorkelers.

If you want to experience a dive site unlike any other in the world, be sure to make the short trip to Grand Cayman’s sister island, Cayman Brac. Already the world’s first underwater city and the largest collection of underwater sculpture, the Caymans’ “Lost City” will continue developing and welcoming submarine life for years to come.

This article was written by Justin Burch. Justin writes select pieces about vacationing in the Caribbean for the Grand Cayman Islands.

The buoyancy belt is a wonderful invention that helps people stay afloat better than the old shoulder flotation devices. With the advent of extreme sports and the growth of technology in the past few decades, it was natural for an invention such as the buoyancy belt to come along. The buoyancy belt makes sense, since your center of gravity is altered when you are floating in the water, so itâEUR(TM)s amazing that something similar wasn’t invented a long, long time ago. The old shoulder flotation devices did keep people afloat so the definitely accomplished their goal, but in the water it could make one top heavy, particularly in choppy waves, and with the popularity of extreme sports that combine speed and physicality with as many waves as possible, the belt is much more effective. Water sports are much more active than they used to be, with the advent of jet skis in particular, and sports such as para sailing that combine skiing with gliding and parachutes, the possibility of getting tossed and turned in tumultuous choppy waves can be much higher, and the likelihood of getting flipped upside down is also much higher. Buoyancy belts have more than just practical uses of course; they are very comfortable and efficient as well.

Buoyancy belts are much smaller and lighter than most of the other flotation devices in existence. They get less in the way of active water athletes as they are small, compact, and fasten simply around the waist. These devices don’t constrict the movement of the arms neck or back, and in fact, support the lower back, all of which is important when you require free range of motion and in the aqua sports that dominate the scene today, range of motion is very important. Better range of motion also means that you are free to swim in any style that you wish. Shoulder flotation devices tend to force one to have to swim using only the legs in a sort of doggie paddle. The buoyancy belt also allows for greater ease getting in and out of water as its small size and lack of angles trap less water against the body. This is also important with the speedier water sports of today, as in many cases the body is dragged across the water at high speeds. Body surfing, for instance, is aided by the ergonomic design of the belts. Not that comfort is as important as safety, but buoyancy belts are far superior when it comes to comfort, ease of use, and safety. The belts, while light and easy to fasten, are also built very durably, and are made to last for rough waters and long periods of time.

Last but not least, not nearly as important as the rest of its benefits, is the fact that the buoyancy belts look great. Aesthetics aren’t nearly as important as safety, but still, it’s nice to look good when you’re at the beach. That’s when you are supposed to be looking your best.

Kate Steplton travel.syl.com/holidays_type [http://travel.syl.com/holidays_type] – More thoughts from different authors on a variety of subjects

A slide-show of my photos from our driving holiday from Seattle to San Francisco, taking in… Seattle The Space Needle Puget Sound The Market Downtown Seattle The (new) Tacoma Narrows Bridge Port Townsend Port Angeles Olympic National Park Aberdeen Seaside Mt. St. Helens Columbia River valley Mt. Hood Evergreen Aviation Museum, McMinnville Depot Bay Yaquina Bay Heceta Head Lighthouse Sealion Caves Oregon Sand Dunes Umpqua Lighthouse Cape Arago Lighthouse Cape Blanco Lighthouse Covered Bridges of Oregon Jacksonville Crater Lake Chipmunks Vidae Falls Steam Loco at Klamath Falls Lava Beds National Monument Sundial Bridge, Redding Califonia Coast Humboldt Redwoods State Park San Francisco Bay Bridge City Centre City Hall Alcatraz Island USS Pampanito (Submarine) Jeremiah O’Brien (Liberty Ship)

General summary of city:

Genk, a city in Belgium, is part of the Limburg province. Other cities contained within the province of Limburg include Hasselt: As, Beringen, Diepenbeek, Gingelom, Halen, Ham, Hasselt, Herk-de-Stad, Heusden-Zolder, Leopoldsburg, Lummen, Nieuwerkerken, Opglabbeek, Sint-Truiden, Tessenderlo, Zonhoven, and Zutendaal. In terms of locality, Genk is situated nearest to Hasselt in the province of Limburg.

The city of Genk has a population of over 63,000 people. The city of Genk is believed to have some history rooted in the Celtic peoples, and that the once small village of Genk was later, during the tenth century, converted to Christianity. Due to the fact that Genk had such small beginnings and it was not officially deemed a city until the year 2000, the city itself was not really recognized until the early 1900’s, thanks to Andre Dumont. Andre Dumont discovered a good quantity of coal in the Limburg region of Belgium, and it wasn’t long before coal miners discovered that Genk had plenty of coal to be had. The city soon grew with the mass movement of immigrants and when the drive for coal finally settled down in the late 1960’s, Genk merely adapted its industrial pursuits to more suitable industries: successful industries that focused on car manufacturing. The primary car manufacturing company in present day Genk is the Ford Motor company.

Places of Interest:

The Bokrijk in Genk nearby the Hasselt territory attracts many tourists every year. The Bokrijk is essentially an open-air museum, offering travelers the opportunity to enjoy nineteenth century architectural design. Within the museum tourists can see reconstructions of the Flemish buildings that once existed in Flanders. A number of enjoyable activities are offered at the Bokrijk, as well as re-enactments for viewing. Due to the fact that the Bokrijk is a large, open-aired museum, the location is filled with scenic gardens, wooded areas, grass lands and small bodies of water. Children are most welcome at the Bokrijk and a playground is readily available to children. The museum is open to tourists from the end of March until late September, every day, from 10 am to 6 pm. The cost of admission is 10 Euros for adults, 8.50 Euros for seniors, 5 Euros for children between the ages of 6 to 12.

Tourists also like to visit the Green City in Genk, the home of De Maten, a beautiful nature reserve. There are 35 ponds in the De Maten, and different species of fish are purposefully bred within the ponds, in an effort to promote aquatic life. Water birds have adapted to the area in De Maten and plants, including cotton grass, sundew, and roth grow in the area. Finally, the De Maten is home to a variety of different dragon flies and tree frogs. The De Maten is closed to tourists when it comes time for breeding.

Things to do:

Every year in Genk, tourists are welcomed at the Motives Festival, a music festival focusing on the genre of jazz. The Motives Festival is revered for its line up of fantastic jazz musicians and past performers have included Joshua Redman, Leafcutter John, and Esbjörn Svensson Trio, just to name a few of many.

Within the heart of Genk, travelers can enjoy an entire day of shopping at any one of the three shopping locales. The shopping centres are referred to as Centres 1, 2, and 3 respectively, and travelers can purchase souvenirs, hardwares, housewares, groceries, books, and the like. After a fine day of shopping in the city’s centre, travelers can then rest and dine and any number of accessible cafes.

In Molenvijvers Park in Genk, tourists are always amazed by the Sundial displays. There are a total of 12, unique sundials within Molenvijvers Park; one in particular looks like an ancient book! Truly, the Molenvijvers Park is an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind experience.

Alternatively, within the Kattevennen, the Europlanetarum offers families an opportunity to explore the science of astronomy. Travellers have the opportunity to view unique displays about space, stars, planets and the like. Travellers can also enjoy a fine laser show, and view movies on a 360 degree dome ceiling–much like looking out into space.

Food & Drink:

There certainly is no shortage of delicious food and drink in Genk. At, El Greco, a Greek Restaurant, at Hoevenzavellaan 68A, tourists can sample vegetarian dishes and there is a special kid’s menu. Tourists can even order take out if they desire; public parking is available and the location is handicapped accessible. A full bar and an amazing wine list are available for those who are looking the quench their thirst. The El Greco Restaurant’s hours of operation are Wednesday through Sunday, from 5:30 pm to 10:30 pm, and Sunday from noon to 2:30pm. On Monday and Tuesday the restaurant is closed.

The Ganghista located at Stationsstraat 1 in Genk offers both Dutch and Belgian cuisine to the hungry traveller looking to sample some of Belgium’s fantastic foods. Past guests frequently recommend the seafood delights offered at the Ganghista. The Ganghista primarily serves dinner dishes and accepts a variety of different payments. Alternatively, for those who may be craving French cuisine, the Troje at Centrumlaan 36-38 in Genk offers a variety of French dishes, as well as a children’s menu. The Troje has street parking, serves both lunch and dinner, and is open daily from noon to 2:30 pm and 6 pm to 10 pm.

Hotels & Accommodation:

Hotel Europa

Best Western Hotel Atlantis

Hampshire Inn – ECU Genk

Arte Hotel

NH Genk Hotel

Entertainment:

Whether exploring one of many Genk’s recreational locations, or viewing historic monuments in Genk, there is always something to do in this fine city. Filled with opportunities to shop, dine, and explore the countryside, Genk is an excellent destination for tourists. Individuals and families can stroll through the gorgeous parks in Genk, or walk the streets in Genk’s city centre. Further, because Genk is situated in central Limburg, it gives the traveller easy access to fantastic recreational pursuits in the cities surrounding Genk. For instance, Hasselt borders Genk and travelers, once they have completed their exploration of Genk, can visit Hasselt and view some of the city’s popular attractions. In Hasselt, tourists will find a number of favourite attractions including one of the largest outdoor skate parks in Belgium; the abbey of Herckenrode in Kuringen; myriad historical buildings and museums; a Japanese garden; Hasselt’s Kapermolenpark; the Kiewit the Sint-Quintinus Cathedral; and the Virga-Jesse Basilica, among numerous other attractions. Finally, tourists can also take advantage of the recreational offerings, dining facilities, nightlife activities and cultural destinations situated in nearby Hasselt.

Biography: Author: Meredith Booney Website: http://www.belgiumcities.info Meredith Booney is a freelance travel writer with over 20 years of experience writing for travel journals, newspapers and magazines. Belgium Tourist Information.

The sixth arrondissement of central Paris is located on the Left Bank of the Seine River. Its area slightly exceeds square miles (over 2 square kilometers) with a population of 45,000 and slightly fewer jobs. Like its neighbor the 5th arrondissement, the 6th is often known as the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) although it’s been a long time since many have spoken Latin in either district. Its best-known part is the famous Saint-Germain-des-Prés, which in the years following World War II was the intellectual center of the world; home to philosophers such as Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir. Later on we’ll talk about the district’s world-famous cafés that they frequented.

On the subject of intellectuals, this arrondissement is home to l’Académie Française (the French Academy), the watchdog over the French language. For what it’s worth I’m a strong believer in keeping the French language French and avoiding Franglais. The Academy was founded in 1635 by Louis XIII’s chief minister, Cardinal Richelieu. It was suppressed by the French Revolution but brought back by Napoleon. The academy is an advisory body with no power to punish the many people and institutions that disrespect the French language. It holds only forty seats, some of which may be vacant waiting for a candidate acceptable to the sitting members. Normally membership is for life but some malfaiteurs (wrong doers) have been expelled; for example, given their association with the collaborationist Vichy regime during World War II.

Since its inception the Academy has only greeted four female members, starting with the writer Marguerite Yourcenar elected in 1980. Some very famous writers such as Molière, Zola, and Proust never achieved membership. Male members, except for clergy, get to wear a sword with their Academy outfit. In 1778 the Academy initiated a historical dictionary of the French language. It abandoned the project before getting to the Bs. The Academy’s dictionary is partially in the ninth edition. The Academy Française has been fairly successful in persuading people to use French words such as logiciel instead of the corresponding English words, in this case software. It rules on grammar issues and offers prestigious prizes in literature, cinema, translation, and other fields.

The Café de Flore on the Boulevard Saint-Germain is a historic intellectual café and offers an annual literary award. The nearby café Les Deux Magots named for two wooden Chinese statues near the entrance is also a literary and intellectual center with its own annual literary award. It has been decades that these cafés are too expensive for all but the wealthiest intellectuals.

The French Senate is the upper house of the French Parliament. Until recently senators were elected for nine-year terms, but now their terms have been reduced to six years. Senators are not elected by the general public but by one hundred fifty thousand local elected officials such as mayors and city councilors. The Senate tends to be more conservative than France’s lower house, the National Assembly. Besides proposing bills and voting on them the Senate publishes reports and so serves to monitor the government. The senate sits in the beautiful Palais du Luxembourg (Luxemburg Palace) in back of the Jardin du Luxembourg (Luxemburg Gardens) the largest garden in the city. The garden is open to the public and is a favorite of young children and their parents.

If you are looking for a hotel in the sixth district you might consider the Art Deco Hôtel Lutetia, built by the neighboring Bon Marché department store in 1910. Its guest list included Charles de Gaulle and Pablo Picasso. At the outbreak of World War II many artists and musicians took residence there but after France surrendered the hotel housed German military officers. Following the liberation of Paris in August, 1944 this hotel became a repatriation center for prisoners of war and concentration camp inmates. Subsequently it was transformed into a luxury hotel.

The Monnaie de Paris (Paris Mint) produces coins and medals, and has a great collection of ancient coins. This beautiful French Neoclassical building was constructed in the latter Eighteenth Century. It is open to the public but does not furnish samples.

When you get hungry you might consider the historic Crémerie-Restaurant Polidor, which hasn’t changed its name, interior, or cooking style for over one hundred years. Most patrons sit at shared tables so you may get a chance to converse with local students, especially if your French is good. Former diners include Ernest Hemingway, James Joyce, and Jack Kerouac as well as major French writers.

You may remember from your high school French that Pont Neuf means new bridge. The Parisian Pont Neuf is the oldest bridge across the Seine River. It crosses the western end of the Île de la Cité linking Paris’s Left and Right Banks. Construction began in 1578 and was completed a mere 41 years later, in part because of the Wars of Religion. The original wooden pilings supporting the foundations still remain. Unlike previous Parisian bridges this one didn’t support houses, but did have sidewalks protecting pedestrians from mud and horses. For centuries the homeless have slept under its arches, despite its interdiction, in all fairness to both rich and poor. If you are a statue lover be sure to see the bronze statue of Henri IV, destroyed during the French Revolution but rebuilt afterwards using bronze from statues of Napoleon.

Saint-Sulpice is the second largest church in Paris, smaller than its well-known rival Notre Dame de Paris. This church, built from 1646 to 1732 and beyond replaces a Thirteenth Century Romanesque church. Some say that its two towers are mismatched; why not take a look to see for yourself? It is home to a great organ. Saint-Sulpice Church has hosted life cycle events of some famous French people; for example the baptism of Charles Baudelaire and the Marquis de Sade, and the marriage of Victor Hugo and Adèle Foucher. Saint-Sulpice has a huge sundial that helped to determine Easter’s calendar date. This scientific instrument may well have saved the church from destruction during the French Revolution. Saint-Sulpice is a featured location in the novel The Da Vinci Code. But the church scenes of this movie were not filmed on location.

Of course you don’t want to be in Paris without sampling fine French wine and food. In my article I Love French Wine and Food – A Red Côtes du Rhône I reviewed such a wine and suggested a sample menu: Start with Fois Gras de Canard (Duck Liver Pâté). For your second course savor Caillette (Pork-Liver Meat Loaf). And as dessert indulge yourself with Sorbet (Sherbert) and fresh fruit. Your Parisian sommelier (wine steward) will be happy to suggest appropriate wines to accompany each course.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian, French, or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. He knows what dieting is, and is glad that for the time being he can eat and drink what he wants, in moderation. His central website is www.wineinyourdiet.com devoted to the health and nutritional aspects of wine and its place in your weight-loss program. His global wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com. Visit his other websites devoted to Italian wine, Italian travel, and Italian food.

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You probably have heard your kid telling you one day that he or she wants to be an astronaut. For you this may not be serious, but for your kids your support for this dream means a lot to them. Knowing that space exploration is what interest your kids, you are probably looking for the best space toys you can give them or probably educational tools. Here are a few options that you may look into.

Astronaut Toy Figures

One of the best choices of toys that kids love are action figures. If you have watched the Toy Story Series with your kid, you’ll probably get to know one the main characters in the story which is characterized as a space ranger more known as Buzz Lighgtyear. Or, if your kid is a bit older, he or she would appreciate male and female standard astronaut figures which you can also purchase at any toy store in your locality.

NASA Inspired Toys

Most of the toys that is space oriented nowadays are replicas of spacecrafts as well as other space vehicles which came from older spacecrafts designed by NASA. Since NASA is known for its outer space programs and projects, you can definitely get a load of those toys inspired by NASA themselves. This would allow the child to get an idea of what NASA is all about as well as what their projects about outer space are all about.

Other Space Toys

You may find various space toys which resembles the solar system, planets, galaxies, or probably even extra-terrestrial objects and even flying saucers which haven’t been proven to be seen in reality up to now. Flying saucers can be controlled remotely, while other toys are made for displaying and for educational purposes as well.

More Realistic Toys

Of course when we talk about toys, these are things that your child can enjoy and play with where most of them your child will outgrow. However, if you are searching for a more realistic approach in exploring space as well as an educational tool where your child can learn more than imagining things, you may opt to get access to a 3D space exploration software for you and your child’s enjoyment.

You can get access to such software packages online where your child will not only get access to information but 3D imagery of almost everything that is existent in outer space. This will definitely be one of those space toys that you and your child can enjoy exploring together.

Rest assured, I have tested out nearly every Astronomy Package on the market today, and I have found one which I can personally recommend.

Stop wasting your money and time on disappointing flight simulators.

I have put them all through the test and after hundreds of hours of usage, I have finally found a winner and I know it really does live up to its claims of letting you Explore Our Galaxy and Beyond without actually leaving your house.

Emily Keen

Independent Reviewer & A New Space Explorer Addict! http://3DAstronomer.net/

Fine Art Gallery Photos by Richard Leon + Guitar Performance + Music Production • For More Fine Art Images Go To www.rlpgallery.redbubble.com: Guitars by Richard Leon • Produced by Richard Leon & Bill Williams Media Productions.

This video was produced by www.brettervideo.com WELCOME TO ONE THE TOP BEACH VACATION DESTINATIONS IN THE WORLD. For a truly unforgettable family vacation, Sanibel Island is the place to be. Conde Nast Traveler Magazine says Sanibel Island is world famous for its pristine beaches, fabulous shelling and sensitive approach to conservation. THIS BEAUTIFUL SUNDIAL RESORT CONDO is the perfect place for you to stay. This condo is newly decorated, spacious 3 Bedroom/2 Bath has everything you need. Take in the breath-taking panoramic views. The kitchen has been opened to a great room , which contains a spacious living room and dining room area. The screened lanai to creates an extra living space. This family friendly unit has a fully furnished kitchen, washer & dryer, and 4 TVs There is plenty of room for the entire family…So come play in our sandbox and enjoy the sound of the waves and the amazing sunsets. with the sound of the waves…always in the background. ..This tropical barrier reef island that sits 3 miles off the coast of Fort Myers Beach and is world known for the best shelling. More than 65% of the island is conservation land There are so many things to see and do, right outside your door. Head to our website to book your reservation to this spectacular place…today. www.sundialresortcondo.com