Macau Casinos - The Venetian Macau

The Venetian Macau is design to shock and awe anyone who visits. The sheer scale of it is unbelievable, and the amount of money that must have been thrown into the project is astounding. The main entrance building is designed like the Doge Palace, and there is even the Rialto Tower, Bridge, etc. It is like the whole of Venice has been shrink-wrapped and brought to Macau. That said, the quality of construction is very good – it doesn’t look and feel like a cheap replica. Most of the main facades are clad in what looked like real stone, and the quality of finish is impressive.


At night the lighting effects are quite spectacular.


As you enter the main lobby, you are suddenly confronted with the St. Peter’s Basilica, and the hallway that leads to the Casino is also modeled after the famous cathedral in Rome. Everything is painted on of course, but the effect can be quite mesmerizing for a while. However, the quality of the interior is no where near that of the exterior.


The Casino has a huge shopping centre attached to it, and this is also modeled after The Venetian in Las Vegas. The internal shopping arcades are designed like Venetian streets complete with water-filled canals. There are even gondolas with gondoliers for hire. There doesn’t seem to be any clear demarcation of the shopping zones, and it can get a bit disorienting as it starts to look the same everywhere.


They employ many entertainers who perform and entertain around the shopping centre dressed in period costume. For me they are the most endearing part of the whole Venetian experience. Nothing beats the warmth of real people.


What We Do For Our Four-Legged Friends...


Or... what we make them do for us!

Yesterday was my dog Vito's 10th birthday. Getting into the spirit, I decided to have a party with doggies and adults. For some reason Vito loves Bichons and Havenese, so his close friends were there to celebrate. My friend Lisa generously donated her house for the festivities!

Forgive Vito's bad behavior...


$27 (yes, $27) for an organic dog birthday cake from a dog bakery. Hope they enjoyed it!

little treats for the guests

"Oh, please take these silly hats off of us!"

"Are you kidding me?" -Buster

Speaking of dog parties...I had to share this cute "dessert party" that Kristy of Posh Pixels Design Studio created for her new adopted puppy, Ozzy.


The theme was “Meet the Puppy,” to introduce Ozzy to her family & friends. There was "doggy" food and "people" food.

So beautifully done...

Biscuits & rawhides for the puppies, candy & treats for the humans...


How creative is this?

For the humans...

For the dogs...

Love that party! So talented!

Are we silly? Yes. We love our animals so why not spoil them? They give us so much joy and unconditional love!

photo credits: Posh Pixels Design Studio & my own

Traveling And Tourism In Italy


Traveling And Tourism In Italy
Traveling And Tourism In Italy
Traveling And Tourism In Italy

Traveling And Tourism In Italy

There are many things about italy that make it a marvellous place to visit and with lots of tourist information available you can be assured of an interesting, unique and memorable stay. There are countless of things to do and see , you can admire the stylish Italians and enjoy the 'MODA', the uncompared italian design reflected in the italian cars, the beautiful people or experience the pulsating beat of life with it's noisy street markets and swarms of people buzzing around on Vespas. For those who want to relax and enjoy the 'cafe culture', the wine and food and 'people watch' then travel to Italy is also for you!.

Tony Smith: Kumbh Mela

Photo © Tony Smith-All Rights Reserved

Tony Smith is an adventurous Welsh photographer who, at the age of 15 joined a cargo ship to South America...and this is how his world travel started. He worked on ocean liners, and subsequently on dry land in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), Johannesburg in South Africa and London before settling down in Winchester.

He's been deeply involved in travel photography to the point it's developed into a second career. He tells us in his biography that nothing pleases him more than attending and photographing cultural and religious festivals: the more difficult and remote the better.

Tony is an Associate member of the prestigious Royal Photographic Society. His travels have taken him to Nepal, Bhutan, India, France, China, Spain, Morocco the USA and Canada as well as the West Coast of Ireland. He attended Hindu, Christian, Muslim, Buddhist and Gypsy events.

He has just returned from Haridwar in North India where he attended the Kumbh Mela, and produced a photo slideshow and a blog travelogue.

Tony also produced a number of slideshows of festuivals such as Holi, Gypsy Pilgrimage, Maha Shivratri (particularly recommended) and Feria de Bernabe, as well as others which are on his website.

The Perky Building - SpainTravel World

travel world
spain travel world

Talking With Our Hands?

All Photos © Neal Jackson-All Rights Reserved

I just stumbled on this collage of photographs made by Neal Jackson during the Foundry Photojournalism Workshop (FPW) in Manali last June.

It appears that some the FPW instructors are fond of using their hands whilst conducting their classes....virtually the same gestures and mannerisms!

From the top left is Michael Robinson Chavez, top right is Ron Haviv, bottom right (in red) is Ami Vitale, and bottom left is Tewfic El-Sawy (The Travel Photographer). Click on it for a larger version.

The 2010 Foundry Photojournalism Workshop is scheduled for 20 – 26 June in Istanbul.

most beautiful beaches in Croatia



You can choose type of beaches you want on your vacation. From beaches for family relaxation and children with plenty of funny activities to beaches where you can go on summer parties and other funs. You`ll have more than enough space for enjoy. The list of Croatian beaches is so big so we can`t provide you all beaches in Croatia, but we`ll provide you list of the best and most visited beaches in Croatia on Adriatic Sea.



Do you want know more about Croatian beaches? You really should go there and feel the difference. When we`re talking about vacation in Croatia, first at all, we`re thinking about nice and hot sand beaches. Adriatic beaches can offer to everyone real pleasure and it can be perfect destination for vacation. Presence of sea with so much green vegetation and mountains provides you the best feel of real vacation.

Visit 2 Greece


side of Balkan Peninsula. It is also bordered by Bulgaria and Macedonia in the southeast.

Climate

It has three distinct climates namely Alpine, Mediterranean and temperate climate with mild and wet winters and also hot and dry summers due to Mediterranean affect. Alpine system is seen in mountainous regions. The temperate climate is seen near border along Macedonia. Athens has both temperate and Mediterranean weather.

Local Customs

The Greece is a place with strong historic and cultural background. There are different traditions and customs in different parts of the Greece. The throwing back of a hand is considered to be a negative gesture here in Greece. Casual dress can be worn most of the times. Smoking is prohibited in public transport services and public buildings. Tipping 12 to 1 percent is customary in restaurants, hotels and taxis.

Attractions
- The Olympic Games in Athens (the spot of the historic 2004 Olympic Games)
- Mardi Grass Celebrations in February
- The Parthenon in Athens
- Skiing in Arahova Mountains between October and March
- Easter Celebrations
- Thessaloniki's White Tower and country's rich Byzantine culture



- The south of Corinth
- The beaches in Lesvos
- The wine vineyards in the countryside
- The islands near the Aegean Sea
- The wildlife preserve in Alonissos (Sporades Marine Park)
- The famous, Moni Panagia Chozoviotissa, a Byzantine monastery in Amorgos

Travel

By Air - The national airline of Greece is Olympic Airlines. Many popular airlines like British Airways and Delta Airlines operate daily flight from Athens. The biggest airport is newly constructed Athens International Airport which is located like 17 miles northeast of the city. The other international airports of Greece are Heraklion (Crete), Thessaloniki (Macedonia) and Corfu (Kerkira).


By Sea - The popular Greek ports include Corfu, Heraklion, Igoumenitsa, Patras, Piraeus (Athens), Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Volos. Shipping vessels and ferryboat lines link these ports with Italy, Croatia, Cyprus, Russia and Turkey. Some of the popular cruises operating in Greece are Celebrity Cruises, Costa Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Festival Cruises, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Silversea and Swan Hellenic.

By Rail - If one is coming from UK, the best way is to take Eurostar train to Brussels or Paris and from there take connecting train to Greece.

Duty Free Items
1. Up to 200 cigarettes or 250 gm tobacco
2. 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars
3. 1 liter spirit over 22% or 2 liter wine
4. Perfumes - 50 gm or 250 ml
5. Gifts up to €175

Prohibited Items

Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, most meat and dairy products, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.

Paris to London: 2hrs 3mins – by Train

I did not see any coverage of this event in our media. It happened on September 4th when EuroStar the high-speed train operator that links the UK with the Continent, ran its inaugural train over Britain’s new 300km/hr (186mph) high-speed line, arriving into the wonderfully restored St Pancras International, Eurostar’s new London terminal.

I learned about this from Railway Herald, which published the picture without attribution which makes me think that it was probably furnished by Eurostar as part of the press kit. Regular service along the 109km (68 mile) high speed line to the channel starts November 14.

The new high speed line cuts twenty minutes from the current timetable for trains between London and Paris or Brussels. Train travel to these destinations produces one tenth the CO2 of flying.

The distance from London to Paris is 213 miles (343 km) from Vancouver to Seattle 150 miles. Think you can do that in two hours (city centre to city centre) even if you flew?

What is our government doing? Widening highways.

Myrtle Beach Romantic Vacations

If you’re in Myrtle Beach for a romantic getaway, it is possible to get away from the crowd and spend some memorable times together.

a. Sunset Cruise: There are dinner and sunset cruises that specialize in romantic tours.

Check out Rover Tours and Extreme Fisherman . Rover Tours sails from Georgetown while Extreme Fisherman’s Romantic Cruises will take you to the Waccamaw Black Water River. (Contact info at the bottom of this page)

b. Romantic Restaurants: Wining and dining in romantic restaurants is almost always a given during a romantic vacation. And Myrtle Beach will not disappoint you.

The Gulf Stream Café in Garden City’s South Waccamaw Drive sets just the perfect ambiance for romance. With the ocean on one side and the Murrell Inlet on the other, early dinners here can be very special. Make sure you arrive early just in time to see the sun set.

c. Walk on the beach: Always a romantic activity wherever you go. It’s not only romantic, it also costs nothing.

Myrtle Beach Romantic Vacations

If you’re in Myrtle Beach for a romantic getaway, it is possible to get away from the crowd and spend some memorable times together.

a. Sunset Cruise: There are dinner and sunset cruises that specialize in romantic tours.

Check out Rover Tours and Extreme Fisherman . Rover Tours sails from Georgetown while Extreme Fisherman’s Romantic Cruises will take you to the Waccamaw Black Water River. (Contact info at the bottom of this page)

b. Romantic Restaurants: Wining and dining in romantic restaurants is almost always a given during a romantic vacation. And Myrtle Beach will not disappoint you.

The Gulf Stream Café in Garden City’s South Waccamaw Drive sets just the perfect ambiance for romance. With the ocean on one side and the Murrell Inlet on the other, early dinners here can be very special. Make sure you arrive early just in time to see the sun set.

c. Walk on the beach: Always a romantic activity wherever you go. It’s not only romantic, it also costs nothing.

WTF!? Waiting For The GF1...

On May 24, 2010 I ordered the Panasonic GF1 with a 20mm f/1.7 lens from Amazon for $812 (excluding NY tax), which listed it as being in stock. I chose the Super Saver shipping discount so I was charged nothing for shipping.

Not a bad deal cost-wise since it saves me a little money, except for this: on receiving my order, Amazon emailed me its confirmation that the shipping date was estimated June 1, or a full 8 days after its being ordered.

Why? Does it take 8 days for an Amazon employee to locate the camera? Is it hiding behind stocked books? Is there a game of hide & seek going on? Would paying expedited shipping costs make the employee look any faster? Perhaps run instead of walk?

It's in stock and it's shipped from Amazon itself, so it's not from another Amazon affiliate or whatever they're called these days. And why not alert me to that "estimated shipping date" when I clicked on the Super Saver shipping discount?

Assuming that it will be shipped on June 1, it may be delivered a full two weeks from my order...a whole two weeks! I would understand if the camera wasn't immediately in stock, but it is...so what's going on, Amazon?

Ah, well...I hope I can test it in the streets of Istanbul in less than 3 weeks!