Archive for the ‘Feature Story’ Category

10-26-2009

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Learn A Few Words Of That Foreign Language

You have to deal with that foreign language if you’ve decided to travel abroad. This is true no matter what your native language is. It’s handy to know English. English is widely spoken around the world. When someone from Greece or Poland meets someone from Italy or Germany, they speak English.

Since English seems to be the lingua franca around the world, we’ll look at it from that perspective. If you’re a native English speaker, that’s good for you, but to be a real traveler, you should learn a few words of that foreign language… hello, good-bye, please and thank you at the very least. It’s just polite to do that.

Also learn how to ask (in their language) if they speak English… or try to ask your question in the local language. They will appreciate the effort. Often they will volunteer, “Would you like to speak English?” And if they don’t speak English, they will probably try to find someone who does.

Carry a phrase book. It will help to be able to point out a phrase if the local person you’re asking doesn’t seem to understand you. Don’t just speak louder… that isn’t going to help. Remember English is a foreign language to them! Even if you’re trying, your pronunciation might leave them scratching their heads or blushing as you’ve said something you didn’t want to. To be a traveler, you need a sense of humor… especially about yourself. Don’t be embarrassed. Point to the word in the phrase book. Have a good laugh at yourself and move on.

Take a chance. People are forgiving of tourists…. even the French who have an undeserved reputation for not being helpful. The key is to be GRATEFUL that they speak a little English to help you… not to expect it.

When you’re speaking English to your new friends, speak slowly and avoid slang. Idiomatic expressions and slang in any language often translate into something you really didn’t want to say!

If a French waiter comes up to you and says, “Bon jour, cafe?” Don’t look blank and say you don’t speak French. How tough is this one? He’s greeting you with good morning and asking if you want coffee. Smile and say, “Bon jour, oui, merci.” See that wasn’t so hard. Just a couple of words you probably really did know already, and now your waiter LIKES you… even if you never utter another word of French!

Don’t be intimidated by signs in a foreign language… take a good look at them… think in an intuitive way. Does it look similar to a word you’re familiar with? If it says “farmacia” instead of “pharmacy”, take a guess… you’re probably looking at that pharmacy or drug store you were looking for! Is there a pictorial sign to help? A green cross or a pharmacist’s scale would be a good clue. That may not be what you’re used to at home, but look in the window and think about it, and you can figure it out.

Remember, you went on this trip to experience something different… so revel in that foreign language, learn a few words and enjoy yourself!

Popularity: 4%

10-05-2009

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Art’Otel Budapest: Style and Comfort on the Danube

By Robert Yost, Associate Editor, cruisegourmet.com

Historischer Innenhof(BUDAPEST, HUNGARY)-After our recent river cruise on the River Cloud II, we created our own post-cruise stay in Budapest, Hungary by booking a room at the chic Art’Otel and planning relaxed independent tours of this beautiful city.  The Art’Otel is located on the Buda side of the Danube, and our riverfront room had a spectacular view of the Parliament buildings, as well as Matthias Church, the Chain Bridge, and Fisherman’s Bastion.  This stylish property is an exciting modern blend of art, travel and design.  Over 600 pieces of original art work by Donald Sultan, a contemporary American artist, is featured throughout the hotel.  The youthful staff all dress in cool black shirts and slacks, very Euro-hip and fun.

ACCOMMODATIONS

The hotel integrates four baroque townhouses all restored to their original elegance.  Donald Sultan’s work and influence are everywhere – paintings, drawings, master prints, sculpture, architectural features, carpet design and detailing throughout the hotel portray an artist who excels at many mediums.  The rooms all have his prints and other works of art on the walls, our favorites included the prints Greens April 14 2000 and Double Blue Vase March 28 2000.  In addition, there are visual gags such as his mounted bird sculpture, which you notice unexpectedly tucked into a corner of the room.  This four-star lodging has 165 rooms and suites, all with wireless internet access, 20-inch TVs with satellite channels and radio, video on demand, and refrigerators.  The bathroom included a double sink, glass enclosed tub/shower and accessorized with environmentally and animal friendly soap and shampoo products.  A card left on the vanity advises that you can call the front desk if you need anything else (toothpaste, etc.)  There are larger rooms that can accommodate a family traveling with children.

art'otel budapest-executive roomThe furnishings include sleek black beds with white and red bedding, light blond woods for the desk and headboards, Sultan’s red carpeting with buttons and thread pattern; our suite had a comfortable seating area including sofa, coffee table, and plush side chairs.  We found the décor to be slick but simultaneously warm and soothing; after a day of wandering around Budapest you will melt into the luxe bedding and gaze out at the incredibly lit skyline.  We were ready to stay forever.

SERVICES

Various convenient services are available for guests at the Art’Otel, including a fitness center, sauna, and hair stylist.  The state-of-the-art on-site weightlifting and cardio fitness room is perfect for the guest who wants to stay fit while enjoying their Hungarian goulash and trips to Café Gerbeaud.  Ideal for business travelers, the hotel features a business center with PCs available, and the property is a wireless hot spot.

art'otel budapest-domino bar 2DINING

Guests at the hotel can enjoy breakfasts at the charming Chelsea restaurant.  We were particularly hungry our first morning of our stay, so we thoroughly enjoyed the breakfast buffet of scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes, cold meats, breads, rolls, juices, coffee, etc.  Also, the terrace and Domino Bar are open daily to serve coffee, light snacks, salads, and drinks.  The Bar was busy with an attractive clientele throughout our stay.

LOCATION

The hotel is located at Bem Rakpart 16-19, H-1011 Budapest.  A metro station is 3 blocks away.  Also, there is a tram stop almost in front of the property.  While the tram does pass by directly in front of the hotel, we could not hear any sound of this transportation from the 5th floor suite.  We walked across the Chain Bridge into the castle district in about 15 minutes and there are cafes along the way if you feel you need to take a break.  A cab ride to the popular Gundel restaurant cost us 12 euros (while the Hungarians do not officially use euros, the EU currency is accepted everywhere).

The Art’Otel Budapest, which is managed by Park Plaza Hotels Europe, is an outstanding property and a wonderful choice to begin or finish a river cruise in Budapest.  We are happy to recommend this hotel to vacationing and business travelers.  The visitor should note that there is apparently an unrelated property called the Art Hotel in Budapest which may confuse a taxi driver, so you may want to have the address available when you arrive in Budapest or travel around during your stay.  Reservations can be made on-line at www.artotels.com or by dialing 0800-2000129.

Popularity: 2%

10-01-2009

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Beautiful Okanagan Season Resort For Your Vacations

By Jack William Raj

Okanagan valley or county is a part of British Columbia in Canada. It forms a part of the basin of Okanagan Lake and the Canadian portion of the Okanagan river. The main city in Okanagan County is Kelowna. Okanagan Lake is a 50 mile long lake. The whole area is very beautiful and panoramic. The climate of the place is such that it sunny in summer and has cold winters with snowfall.

Since the climate is so pleasant in the Okanagan valley, the place is ideal for tourists and retired people who enjoy the casual lifestyle present there. You can go biking, hiking, wine tasting and just enjoy yourself in the sun, in the summer. The winter is ideal for snow skiing, skating and other winter sports. So you can be busy with recreational activities throughout the year.

One of the most famous resort villages is ‘Sun Peaks’. It has the Rocky Mountains to the east and the Coast Mountains to the west. Since the area is protected, in a valley, the weather is very good. The summers are above 36degrees C. and people can enjoy biking and other summertime activities.

The Okanagan Wine festival is celebrated every year during the second week of August at the Silver Star Mountain Resort in Vernon. The Ice Wine Festival is celebrated every year in mid- January at the Sun Peaks Resort.

Shuswap Lake is also another favorite spot. There are many cottages and houseboats there. Sun Peaks is about 20 minutes from Shuswap Lake. There are many hotel resorts and chalets where you can get rooms at affordable rates. Sun Peaks is the second largest ski resort in British Columbia. The longest run is about 5 miles. In summer you can go mountain biking. In the Sun Peaks mountain bike park, you can use the Sunburst Express Chairlift to get to the 37 biking trails for a distance of 70 kilometers. There are also activities for children. They have Kid’s adventure camps in which they can go canoeing, horseback riding, play tennis, go mountain biking and also hiking. There is a sports center where there is an outdoor pool that is heated all year round. There is also a kid’s pool and also two tennis courts. In the Okanagan Valley you have the Kittle Valley Bike Trails and the Mission Greenway and Okanagan Lavender farm. The other famous resort in this area is Manteo. It is famous for its water activities as it has a sandy beach with water skiing, wakeboard or cruise. There are also night lit tennis courts and lakeside putting green and also a spa.

Kelowna is the main district in Okanagan. This is the main business area. The boutiques and art studios are famous for their local flavor. It is famous for the visual and performing arts, the great wine and food, casinos and nightclubs etc. You can have entertainment all year round. There are many golfing courses and golfing championships are held here. Mountain biking is also famous here. You have areas that can be used by experts and novices. There are urban areas and also areas with pine forests and wide desert areas. The down hills are also good for biking. There are forest trails where one can go hiking. You can see many streams where you can take a quiet stroll.

The whole are of Okanagan valley is ideal for vineyards. The climate is very suitable. So you can see vineyards right from the hilltops to the lakeshores. The reason is that the soil is very rich. You can get all the different types of wines here. You can get cold and hot weather grapes simply because they are grown in the beach areas, hillsides and also on the valley floors. The main varieties such as Pinotage, German Riesling, Swiss Chasselas, Italian Sangiovese and French Mourvedre are grown close to each other. You can have a great wine tasting experience here. You can also travel on the steam train which is a century old and swim in the lake and also go hiking. Some of the famous vineyards in this area are Calona vineyards, Cedar estate Winery, Forbidden Fruit Winery, Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Winery etc. Okanagan does not have a particular season – it is all year round entertainment, sports and recreation. So, visit Okanagan any time of the year and enjoy.

Jackwilliam is an eminent analyst and writer in Travel and Tourism related topics. He has authored many books on tour guide for okanagan season resort kelowna and lakeside resort kelowna. Find more packages at http://www.manteo.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_William_Raj

Popularity: 1%

09-30-2009

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Tennis Resorts in Europe With Indoor Tennis Courts

By Karl Michaels

In order to play tennis in the winter, rain or cold days, you have to play tennis indoors if you are not in a warm country. To find a resort or hotel which has these indoor tennis courts is hard to find. That is why we have selected the best resorts we could find which are suitable for winter tennis.

Starting in Austria, we have the following resorts;

1) Kanisfluh tennis hotel in the city of Mellau. The resort has 5 indoor courts. The hotel has it’s own tennis school, where you can improve your skills even more.     This hotel, 30 kilometers from Lake Bodensee in Austria, focuses on tennis and wellness. Its tennis center features 5 indoor and 3 outdoor courts, 5 hitting lanes, and its own tennis school, one honored with the “Austrian Seal of Approval.

2) Bio Hotel Stanglwirt in Tirol. The resort has 6 indoor tennis courts.  Luxurious ecologically-friendly Biohotel Staglwirt, surrounded by the stunning Austrian Alps, drinking in the super-clean air, starring at the beautiful blue sky, and contemplating your next Alpine treatment at the 13 treatment room spa, fitness centre.

3) Warmbaderhof in the city of Villach. This resort has 5 indoor courts. Warmbad Villach – this hot springs resort is located at the entrance to a 20-hectare nature park. It has 10 outdoor and 5 indoor courts as well as a tennis camp.

In the United Kingdom we have the following resorts;

1) Chewton Glen in New Milton. It has 2 indoor tennis courts.

New Milton, Hampshire, England, an English Original…Chewton Glen is a Luxury Country House Hotel.

In the hotel grounds we have a dedicated tennis centre with two indoor and two outdoor tennis courts and on-site tennis professional.

In Switserland we have:

1) Gstaad Palace in Gstaad. It does not have it’s own indoor tennis courts, but they are near the hotel. The hotel itself dates to 1913. At 150 rooms, it is Switzerland’s largest pension.

Among its amenities are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a spa and fitness center, an indoor squash court, and mountain bike rentals. Golf, horseback riding, clay-pigeon shooting, and river rafting are all nearby.

All these hotels can be booked directly on Tennis Resorts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karl_Michaels

Popularity: 4%

09-29-2009

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Reach For the Sky in Wales

By Dipika Patel

Participating in a helicopter day may just be the best way of seeing what Wales has to offer, as activity days rarely give you such a fantastic viewpoint from which to inspect the country you are visiting.

Wales is a land of varied terrain and choosing a helicopter activity day during your stay will give you a bird’s eye view of the mountains, valleys and sights of historical interest that make the principality such a popular tourist spot.

The famous valleys

The beautiful rolling hills and valleys are synonymous with Wales and a helicopter ride will give you the opportunity to see just how beautiful the countryside is.

While in the sky you may be able to pinpoint exactly where you are going to hike – or have already hiked – during your trip.

There is a strong farming tradition in Wales and a helicopter activity day will allow you to see the lie of the land – much of which will be dotted with sheep and other livestock.

One of the most popular tourist spots in the principality is the Brecon Beacons, which is one of Wales’ national park areas.

While hovering over this luscious land, you may even be able to catch a glimpse of two major Welsh cities, Swansea and the capital Cardiff. Perhaps when you are back on firm ground, you’ll decide to investigate what these lively university cities have to offer.

Building castles

Wales has many points of historical interest that are definitely worth visiting when on the ground.

During your helicopter day you may well see some of the castles that are scattered all over the land, including Pembroke Castle in south Wales.

Another fortress that many people visit year-in year-out is Caernarfon Castle, which was used for the investiture of Prince Charles as Prince of Wales in 1969 and stands proudly in Gwynedd to the north of the principality.

Mountains

Of course Wales is the home of Snowdon, which is the UK’s tallest mountain south of the Scottish Highlands.

Situated in the national park area of Snowdonia, the mountain will make awe-inspiring viewing from a helicopter.

There are many routes to Snowdon’s peak by foot, but perhaps you will find the warmer, less strenuous method of sitting in a helicopter your preferred way to explore this fantastic landscape.

For activity holidays including helicopter days take a look at ActivityWales.com. Book up your helicopter activity day now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dipika_Patel

Popularity: 1%

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