Submitted by: Cyberkedi via Submission Page

February is Carnival time in Goa. For three days (from February 13-16), the streets will be awash with colour, noise, parades and floats. King Momo will take over the state and there will be music, rejoicing and much revelry.   Called ‘Carnaval’ in Portuguese, this festival occurs immediately before Lent, the 40 days of prayer and fasting before Easter. While the starting day of Carnival varies across the world, the festival in Goa starts three days before Lent and ends on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday (February 17 this year) which marks the beginning of Lent.The origin of the name ‘carnival’ is disputed. One popular theory is that it comes from the Italian ‘carne levare’ or similar, meaning “to remove meat”, since meat is generally disallowed during Lent. So the festival became an opportunity to enjoy oneself before the austere period began.

Following the King’s orders…
for the next three days and allows his people to have fun and enjoyment during this time.
Traditionally, in the years gone, this would be the signal for revellers to go around the main Carnival areas singing and dancing, dressed in colourful costumes. Mock fights would take place between local ‘gangs’, where rotten eggs and tomatoes were the weapons of choice. ‘Cocotes’ or bombs made with paper and filled with clay were used during mock-battles between various groups of local boys.

In more modern ways
These days, the boys on foot are replaced by groups of entertainers on spectacularly decorated floats, most with larger-than-life images of flora, fauna, issues of local interest and other newsworthy items. In 2009, floats depicted the Mumbai terror attacks and global warming.

The floats carry massive speakers, the likes of which most of us will not see (or hear, thankfully) normally. These echo live and recorded music for the entertainment of the thousands who gather to watch the spectacle. Keep your earplugs handy if you are close to the action.

While the quiet village fun and games may be long gone, the masked men selling colourful wares are still around.   The ‘khells’ or street plays that were performed in villages during the Carnival have died out. The talcum and indigo powders used to ‘colour’ the hair of women have been replaced with hair-braids, caps and of course, more masks, all targeted towards the hordes of tourists, both domestic and international, who’ll come visiting.

While you’re there
Goa’s big carnival parades are held in four cities — Panjim, Margao, Mapusa and Vasco. Local papers will have the listings for start times and other events that will be held.
Besides the carnival parades, also look out for the various dances organised at local ‘clubs’ in most cities and villages. The ‘Red and Black’ dance at Clube Nacional in Panjim is one of the more famous ones.

For once, ignore the masala-dosa-chole-bhature fare that has cropped up in every nook and cranny in Goa and head, instead, head to one of the little Goan restaurants for a bite of local ‘chourico-pao’ (pronounced show-rees-pav), which is a spice-infused Goan sausage cooked with onions and stuffed in loaves of local bread.  If you are a vegetarian, try sukhi bhaji — finely diced potatoes cooked in thick gravy, seasoned with mustard seeds and chillies and served with local bread.

A whole big world of fun
The Goa Carnival, much like carnivals celebrated around the world, calls into being a whole different universe. Much like the Rio carnival in Brazil, you’ll find revellers dressed to the nines dancing their way into the wee hours of the morning. The tradition of wearing masks probably comes from the Carnival of Venice in Italy that has been around since the 13th century. The famous hand-painted leather or papier-mache masks of that carnival turn into the feathery half masks on Goan lanes. So go make your tour packages or shack bookings immediately, and don’t miss it for the world.

Getting there
From Mumbai, you can take a flight to Goa and then hire a pre-paid cab from the airport counter to head into town. Else, if you’re feeling adventurous,   you could drive down to Goa taking the NH 17 (also called the Mumbai-Goa highway). A/C and non-A/C  buses to Goa leave from Dadar and Bandra every night.
Getting around
A cheaper alternative to taxis are bikes and scooties that can be rented for as little as Rs 300 a day. (A litre of petrol costs Rs 60 and you’ll have to pay extra for that. You won’t need more than 2 litres a day.)

Were to eat
For authentic chouriço, try the new Ernesto’s (0832 3256213) or George Bar near the Panjim church. ato or Café Bhosle, both in Panjim, serve delicious sukhi bhaji.

A powerful country brand developed from a meticulously planned strategy that has at its heart the concept of providing specific value to specific identified segments and meticulously executed and measured can yield massive benefits for investment, domestic industries and culture.

And for most South East Asian countries, tourism will have a prominent role to play in their country brand strategies. And so it should be as most governments recognize the contribution of tourism to stimulating economic growth across all sectors of society.

It also helps that tourism is also considered to be the world’s largest industry with revenue of over US$500 billion. The World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) estimates International tourist arrivals for 2009 to be at 880 million. Although this was a 4% drop over the previous year, Asia and the pacific saw the first signs of recovery with positive growth in the last 2 quarters.

Going forward, the UNWTO expects international arrivals to reach 1.56 billion by 2020. Of these, almost 400 million are expected to head for Asia and the pacific.

But because of the tendency of politicians to seek a quick fix, most Asian tourism brand strategies look no further than creative advertising campaigns that look the same as many other destinations and are soon lost in the muddle of messages currently carpet bombing consumers.

One country in South East Asia has recognized the futility of this approach and commissioned us to develop a brand strategy based on trade and consumer requirements for value. Client confidentiality doesn’t allow me to reveal the country involved however I am able to share the methodology and some of the results and findings.

The project took just almost 2 years from appointment to implementation of the strategy however some urgent recommendations were implemented earlier.

The tourism office is tasked with marketing the country both domestically and internationally. Our focus was internationally. They were facing a number of challenges including:

Challenges
1) The increased effectiveness of competitor marketing strategies. All regional competitors are investing heavily in tourism products and developing segment focused branding campaigns.

2) Growing ineffectiveness of mass marketing, especially generic print & TV advertising. Increasingly fragmented media and an increase in leisure time activities are making it harder to reach consumers via traditional channels.

3) The increase in the influence of the Internet on the destination decision-making process, especially the increased influence of peer-to-peer networks. Figures released by The Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) in November 2004 showed that 19% of holidaymakers booked their holiday online – six times more than in 2000. By 2008, this figure had grown to 67% (Online shopping survey). Only about 13% of those surveyed said they would use a travel agent. The Internet is also growing in importance as a communications medium through P2P networks with 34% of respondents to a Mintel survey choosing their destination on the basis of a face-to-face recommendation

4) Poor repeat visitor rates. Repeat visitors not only represent an increased return on the initial marketing investment but also tend to stay longer and spend more. Additionally, they represent a low-cost source of referrals and other word-of mouth advantages. Currently, the country has a below average number of repeat visitors compared to two main competitors which represents a threat to future growth.

5) Lack of awareness and knowledge of the country worldwide. What has been the impact of the country advertising? Has it been effective in improving the perception of the country? How much is it contributing to tourism in the country?

Our research showed that there were about 600,000 competing communities in Asia and more than 1,000 regional and national economic development agencies, all competing for visitors. This made it easy for even the most compelling messages to get lost amid all the destination claims.

We recommended to the client that in this cluttered environment, effective branding depends on data and knowledge about current and prospective visitors and not simply trendy creative campaigns featuring mass marketing tactics across all major channels.

Moreover, choosing the most effective branding strategy depended on sound market & customer research to determine current attitudes and perceptions toward the country among travel agents, previous visitors to the country and those that had never visited the country.

Measurement
By understanding the sources of those perceptions and attitudes, the client would be better able to evaluate current branding efforts, develop strategies to target high-impact segments with the most potential more effectively, drive internal education and other program development, leverage the emerging medium of Web 2.0, develop benchmarks to measure branding progress and ensure that resources were used cost-effectively.

The research could also be used to pinpoint, prioritise and drive online community-based branding. A core requirement as consumers spend more time in those communities.

Other key requirements included communicating knowledge of current branding and target market imperatives among personnel, as well as ensuring knowledge and data transfer.

After extensive discussions with the research division and others and to provide a 360-degree approach to understanding the brand, FusionBrand developed and conducted a multi-phase, six-month international research project that incorporated multiple research methodologies.

These methodologies included:

• 39 focus groups (FG) in thirteen locations in twelve countries comprised of 3 segments:
o Travel Agents
o Travelers who have visited the country in previous 3 years
o Travelers who have not visited the country but have traveled long haul in last 3 years
• Online surveys
o 12 countries
o Worldwide via client website
• Mystery shops in specific countries plus home country
• Internet CGM (consumer-generated media) monitoring & analysis
o 22 million blogs
o 60,000 usenet forums
o 6,000 discussion forums
o Plus podcasts, web sites etc.
• Internal brand audit in HQ and at tourism offices worldwide
o One-on-one, in-depth interviews with domestic & international staff
• External brand audit
o In depth interviews in specific countries
o 3 segments
o Tourist operators & agencies
o Media representatives
o Local tourism associations
• Communications audit (print)
o Brand analysis of print materials
o Comparative analysis of 11 regional competitor materials
o Framework for evaluation, scoring & future design developed
• Communications audit digital
o Own sites
o Brand evaluation based on Internet & customer relationship best practices
o Social Media initiatives

The countries were located in the following regions:

• Asia
• North America
• Europe
• Middle East
• Australia

The research project completely designed by FusionBrand was not only comprehensive, but innovative as well. For example, the Internet monitoring had yet to be accomplished by any destination, while the digital communications audit looked at what is necessary to advance into the emerging era of Internet 2.0.

Output was comprehensive and extensive and included:

• Recording and analysis of relevant input in complete reports
• County-by-country reports concerning perceptions and experiences with the country, including key influencers on travel destination selection
• Brand workshops for client personnel incorporating research results to ensure a corporate-wide understanding of the country brand strategy
• Analysis of Internet and marketing collateral relevance and effectiveness in segment-based branding
• Review of social media initiatives
• Quantitative benchmarks concerning experiences, perceptions, influencers and preferences of target segments
• Detailed insights concerning five key target segments identified in conjunction with the client

Each report not only included the findings from the research, but also prioritised recommendations for addressing the issues raised by the research.

Over 300 actionable recommendations
More than 300 actionable recommendations were made. These recommendations were incorporated into a comprehensive, segment-based brand plan that was developed over six months. The brand plan had a strong emphasis on the internet and social marketing and included strategic planning for marketing, advertising, both online and traditional, public relations, direct marketing, web and other programmes and outlined goals, messages, target markets, measurements, activities, timelines, responsibilities and budgets.

The benefits include consistent messaging and images among target markets, synergy among multiple programs, and elimination of uncoordinated activities that were wasting resources. Crucially, the brand plan also provides tools to evaluate program results.

In addition, in conjunction with representatives in country, country specific brand plans were developed. The Country Brand Plans are primarily focused on specific marketing activities within those countries. These activities include, but are not limited to, PR, local trade shows, agent recruitment and communications, cultural events, advertising, segment specific publications, promotional events, etc.

Although the brand strategy was for 2009, urgent recommendations such as consolidation and improvements to web sites and the appointment of regional PR companies were implemented immediately.

A key element of branding is consistency and yet, during the communications audit, the lack of consistency was evident. A strong recommendation was made for a corporate identity brand manual to be developed immediately. The manual was conceptualized and completed by FusionBrand in 4 months, during the writing of the 2009 brand plan.

Throughout the research and planning process, workshops were designed and presented to client personnel to keep them abreast of the process and educate them.

The project has been deemed a success with many targets met ahead of or on schedule. Furthermore significant savings have been made in a number of areas such as a reduction in collateral printing and a move to print on demand. Finally the destination has appeared on more than one ‘must visit’ destination for 2010 for the first time in its history.

omg FFS …… enough adelaide … last week we had the most torrid tropical moist weather … very unlike here … we are a very dry state but the cloud cover kept in the moister and the temps were extreme it was you know that awfull sticky kind of weather … we spend days all sticky and constanly sweating … well thats gone now and were back to our crappy hot dry heat again …. yesturday was 37 degree   hot  and dry … i had both my air cons on so the house was fine .. turned them off and slept very comfy last  night …. i missed the news so didnt get todays weather …. but while driving child 4 to school it come over the car sterio … a wonderful 38 …WTF … they have been forcasting us to get rain and lots of it this week due to a cyclone way up north in Queensland ….. who have been flooded out big time . 1 death so far i think a young teen washed into a raging river … poor bugger ….

so were up for another scorcher today here … my garden is going to DIE  i just  know it …. oh shit i should think of that poor boys family shouldnt i …. oh crap ive just spolied my story now …. i feel awful speaking or whinging over this heat now ….ok may his soul rest in peace and place karma bring peace to his family ..

ok i have to move on now ….. oh  we actualy buried my alcoholic uncle last monday too … i didnt go i was sick in bed with gastro but i was going to go … the family hadnt seen him in over 15 years …. and everyone refused to pay a cent for his funeral too …. so he was giving a poorpers funeral by the goverment …. . my mum had to go do all the paper work and identify his body 2 times now .. once at the hospital and one at the funerla before they closed the coffin …. lucky my mother is a morbit bitch and loves that stuff … she goes to anyone funeral .. even friends or friends … she dont know who died but says she is there to support her friend … hahahaha yeh right mother ……

anyway its hot as hell here .. actualy i think this is hell .. could it be hell here in adelaide … sharks eat you at the beaches .. we  are in front list  of worlds serial killings . and our small population isnt even 2 milloin here … were all fucked up and sickos here ….. shit dont come holiday here … if the sharks dont eat you … WE WILL …

Crowds around the Manneken Pis

One of the not-to-be-missed sights of Brussels is a small statue on an unremarkable corner several blocks away from the lovely historic square.  His name is Manneken Pis and he’s a small, naked, bronze boy peeing into a fountain.  I’m not entirely sure why this attracts so terribly much attention, as Europe is full of naked statues of all descriptions, but supposedly it captures the irreverent joy de vivre of the Belgian people, a trait of which they seem justifiably proud.  I bet you didn’t know, for example, that the Smurfs were originally Belgian.

"But I just had to go, Officer!"

So the little peeing boy attracts a crowd of tourists at all hours of the day and night, as you can see in the picture.  It’s tradition that he gets dressed up in costumes donated by different countries or groups.  The day I was there, he was wearing military garb to commemorate the anniversary of some Belgian corps.  In the shop across the way, you can see what he looks like unclothed, and buy any number of versions to take home with you.  A particularly popular one features a corkscrew extending off the front.

Take home your very own Belgian Peeing Boy

The current statue is almost 400 years old, replacing an even older stone version.  There are an abundance of legends explaining it, all of which seem entirely improbable to me (a two-year-old saved the city by dousing a canon fuse with his pee?).  Anyway, it gives the tourists in Brussels something to do, and the merchants something to sell, and a museum a collection of costumes to take care of.

In the spirit of fairness, since 1987 there has been a small naked peeing girl statue, Jeanneke Pis, several hundred meters away, which the tour guide took us to see on Sunday morning, but she doesn’t get nearly the attention.  Maybe she prefers it that way.

Or you can have him in chocolate, if you prefer

Once Benidorm was only a small Mediterranean harbor, but it has now become a major tourist attraction. Situated north of Alicante, its spectacular sunrises and sunsets make it a perfect choice for anyone planning a holiday centered around the sun, sea, and sand. The city’s beaches stretch from Poniente Beach in the west to the fashionable Levante Beach in the east. Malpas Beach is especially charming, and it is surrounded by scenic castle cliffs. This is an ideal location for a variety of water sports, including swimming, jet skiing, diving off man-made rafts, para-sailing, scuba diving, and banana boat rides.

Benidorm after dark

The city is also well-known for its amazing nightlife that offers something to suit every age and taste-karaoke bars, English-style pubs, trendsetter clubs, international guest disk jockeys, and glamorous discos on the beach. For top-of-the-line entertainment, visit the Benidorm Palace, which features outstanding variety acts, first-class flamenco dancers, and international cabaret performers. Those who enjoy the party scene won’t want to miss Sinatras, the Palladium, Stardust Benidorm, or Wheeltappers.

Getting to Benidorm

Daily flights arrive at nearby Alicante Airport from many major cities in Europe, and they are serviced by more than 30 scheduled and low-cost airlines. The popular incoming flights from the UK offer the best fares because of extensive competition in this area.

Getting around the city

Since it is very compact, getting around Benidorm on foot is easy, particularly in the Levante Playa area where many visitors decide to stay, and outstanding local bus service is also available here. For a taste of Spanish history, be sure to visit Casco Antiguo, the city’s Old Town, which is an interesting maze of charming white homes and cobblestone streets that are overshadowed by its spectacular blue-domed church.

The Old Town is also the best area visiting for tapas bars and restaurants, and along with excellent Spanish cuisine, you will find English, Algerian, Dutch and French food. India Gate, Mme Butterfly, China Garden, and Witches Bistro are all highly rated. If you are looking for a change of pace and a bit of adventure while you are there, you can also visit one of Benidorm’s well-known family-oriented theme parks.

Shopping in Benidorm

The city’s streets are lined with gift shops that cater to tourists, the supermarkets are always well-stocked with popular brands, and the prices are low. Open-air market is here every Wednesday.

The men in front must be tourists; they are more observant than the average pedestrian. Between Christmas and springtime, there’s definitely a lull in visitors to the city. Right now it’s 22 degrees out, not the best weather for anyone to be walking around.

To most people, Maine seems like the ideal place to come and be a hippie, live on the land, and proclaim your liberal ideals. My dad has a friend who came here in the 1970s with his wife, brother-in-law, and friend to form a commune where they would live the life of real, genuine hippies: living off the land, building their own ramshackle houses, and of course, smoking lots of weed. Unfortunately though, it is impossible to live like this for very long. My dad’s friend is now working at an alternative school, his wife has a job, the brother-in-law moved back to Massachusetts, and the brother-in-law’s wife died before she was 50 (smoking too much dope WILL do that to you.) If these people really wanted to start a revolution, why not stay where they are and start a revolution at home? Wouldn’t it make more sense to go against the culture in a place where these stereotypes are commonplace? By coming to Maine, the only thing these people are doing are uniting with other dissatisfied hippies, forming disorganized, counterculture militia, and aggravating the locals. Although this really isn’t such a problem these days, we still have tourists that come here for a taste of ‘the way life should be’. They come and stay in picturesque cabins by the ocean, eat succulent Maine lobster, hike a few trails, and fall in love with our state. Then, they come back and build their monument to decadence (AKA ’summer cottage’), raise the property tax so that the natives can’t afford it, and wa-la. Instead of appreciating Maine for the place that it is, they bring their out-of-state attitudes and politics here – exactly what they are trying to escape – and infiltrate OUR way of life with the one they are coming from. With all of this being said, I have nothing against hippies, or even people from out-of-state. What I do have a problem with is people coming and trying to change a good thing. There is a reason why it’s ‘wicked’ good. Don’t try to change it.

Well just in case you were wondering what happened to Mama, I can assure you she has not been buried in the back yard, or under the house. Primarily because we don’t actually have a backyard and we live in an apartment.

Actually, she arrived a few days ago and the apartment has come to life again. I am also happy to announce that she has quit smoking! I have a new found Faith in God (or rather, modern science). She has been taking some pills that assist with quitting and she has not had a cigarette in 21 days! I can’t tell you how happy this makes me. It’s like living with a totally different person.

And, in true Mama style, tomorrow I have an appointment with the doctor and she has instructed me to bring some special salami to him. I’ve mentioned how weird Italians can be right? It just so happens that when Mama called to make the appointment for me she obviously had a good old chat with the doctor and told him she was hanging out in Tuscany.

You see, each region of Italy is known for a particular food or wine or actually both. For example, in Liguria, we are known for Foccaccia bread and Vermentino wine. In Tuscany it’s salami and Chianti…get it! This is why so many tourists eat their way through the country because each local insists that you try their “specialties”. They are very proud and work quite hard at maintaining these traditions.

Last summer, when I kidnapped Rosie (yes, I actually kidnapped an American tourist), I plied the poor gal with so much food and wine that it’s a small miracle she made it back to Monterosso on the train and safely back to her hotel! The thing is, life can be so wonderful here that you can’t help but want to share it with every stranger that is just passing through.

Last night went over to our very quaint Lake Mary Historical Museum, it has a doll show.  All dolls were on loan. They had wax dolls and others over 100 years old.  When I grew up, we had dolls like ‘Pitiful Pearl’, Shirley Temple, then on to Barbies, which were the most fun because of all the accessories. I remember having handmade clothes for my Barbies, I don’t know where my Mom bought them, only wish I still had them, I kept all my Barbie dolls and clothes and my mother gave them away while I was in college – bummer, I had wanted to save them for my Andrea. Oh well, that’s so almost 40 years ago – Never mind that psychological trauma, haha.
Here’s some pics.

That last one kind of looked ‘corpsey’.

This shows the bulk of the one room museum, it holds all the documentation for incorporating Lake Mary, Florida.  It was used as a social hall for many years.
Ever hear of Golliwogs? They were black, male dolls and it became acceptable around the 1930′2  for boys to have dolls, but now they are called Gollys because golliwog has become an unacceptable racial term. I never knew these things.  All I know is, little boys have little killing machines like GI Joe and metro sexual Ken to balance GI Joe’s aggressive behavior.  Though I don’t remember my brother having a Ken at all.  I know my young boys liked Stretch Armstrong so they could pull his arms and legs and punch him.     My boys were more into video games and outdoor sports.
They had a lot of Barbies, I didn’t even know they beamed Barbie up to be with Captain Kirk and Spock.   The exhibit is fun, the museum interesting, so go have a look if you are near Country Club and Lake Mary Blvd.  Call them for their hours, they have odd opening times.   These are really old.  

Now to wildlife, lots this morning, maybe because the storms are coming in later today. So many blackbirds, crows, cardinals. It sounds beautiful out there with the doors open.
Here’s a view:
The crow up on the branch was all alone until another joined it up there, they kissed   Then stood together looking south.   Then went to separate branches
then parted, hopefully on friendly terms.
The male heron was busy getting branches again, I enjoy watching his ability of manuvering them around the big branches up in the tree. He brings them to his wife and she shapes them in the nest.     He them moves upward again and again.   

He passes it off and she in true female genetic glue, makes the nest a home.   Look how large it has become.
So that’s it for the am, gotta go before it gets stormy. Kids are coming for weekend.
Here’s a few more pics.   
And this ballsy little grackle who walked right in the porch despite the cat and ate cat food as if to laugh right in Frankie’s face.
What a sense of humor these birds have!  That’s why I have to take their pictures…

It is difficult to refer to the European carnivals without thinking of Venice Carnival. This fantastic tradition makes of Venice a mysterious and magical place where you have the feeling of living this magic. Formerly the carnival was one of the most appreciated festivals by the citizens.

It is true that the arrival of tourists have subtracted authenticity to the event. You cannot go to Venice, thinking of the carnival of Tenerife or Brazil, because then the disappointment is assured, the Venice Carnival has its own character and magic far away from the tourist image of the long-nosed mask that fills all the city workshops. During the 10 days-carnival, people dress up and go out for a walk, and take photos. The costumes are vintage costumes of the Venice seventeenth century.

During Carnival many events and parties are also organized, some of them private and it’s hard to go without knowing anyone. Prices for parties are often very expensive, and one night can cost up to € 500.

What about tourists?

The vast majority of tourists are not dressing up BUT they love to wear a mask bought in the many shops and street in Venice.

The goal of most visitors is to see Venice at Carnival and take pictures with the best costumes.

Considering that Venice is very close to the Alps and the carnival is celebrated earlier this year you should be well protected. It is very common that snows, so don´t forget to bring your warm hat, scarf and gloves.  Accommodation could be a problem to find something still available, but be lucky with a holiday home in Venice and get close to all the street shows.

The dates for this year Venice Carnival 2010 is from Saturday the 6th of February till Tuesday the 16th of February.

IMAGINE you could stretch out and relax on a cream leather couch, while glancing through a floor window at the clouds beneath your feet.

The evening sun would let the clouds shine golden and you just forget about time and space while you drift away through eternity…

AIRCRUISE: The sky is full of dreams... (pic: seymourpowell)

Yesterday they announced “Aircruise”, a flying luxury hotel in the sky, lifted by hydrogen and powered by solar energy, that gives travellers a “more reflective journey”.

Based on the concept of a large, vertical zeppelin, Aircruise features a bar and lounge zone, four duplex apartments, a penthouse and five smaller apartments.

VISION: A giant flying luxury hotel (pic: seymourpowell)

“It’s a world cruise not limited to any ocean, offering instead a dream-like quality and absolute freedom of flight,” Seymourpowell’s Design Director Nick Talbot says.

Seymourpowell works together with Korean giant Samsung Construction and Trading on the project.

The “Aircruise” zeppelin will be 265 m high and can reach a cruise ceiling of 12,000 feet or drop within a few hundred feet of the ground to allow passengeres a closer view on landmarks.

With a travelling speed of 100 to 150 km/h it would take “Aircruise” 37 hours to get from London to New York and 90 hours from Shanghai to Los Angeles.

In the early 20th century, the first airships were shaped like cigars (Zeppelin). The German news magazine SPIEGEL writes, “Aircruise” would be in the shape of a diamond – sounds nice, but first thing I thought of, when I saw the picture, was a rugby ball.

- have a look at the Seymourpowell website and view more images of the “Aircruise” here 

- read the full SPIEGEL article here (German)

You would like the area of your hair salon organization to get visitors. You want it someplace wherever a group of persons will go purchasing at every day. You want it to an area that by now attracts site visitors. The place in the hair salon company must be the prime place from the metropolis these as a street that is certainly like the buying center of the city.

Come across an area in which you receive your inventory from using a low cost. Because you've got your license you then need to be in a position to receive a low cost on hair goods to utilize at your salon organization. You'll be able to market some of it for retail value as well this kind of as shampoo and conditioners to customers.

You want to figure out how significantly you're likely to cost for booth room rental. This can be when you'll be able to also make money from your other employees at your hair salon. You possibly can fee the personnel a particular commission of what dollars that they make from customers or just set a flat payment the staff has to pay to you every single month for the booth space rental. You need to accomplish a unique promotion offer in promotion for ones hair salon organization. You need to announce a grand opening and have some thing like a get one haircut and get an additional hair minimize half price. Take a friend sort of advertisement unique. This will help get a variety of buyers to give your hair salon an opportunity to impress them. You may also need to offer a facial laser hair removal advertising also to launch your company..

You require to make a sign that offers the quantity of prices for every single assistance that the hair salon business gives. People prefer to know how a lot a hair colour charges. Maybe some buyers want a brand new hair type completed for tonight celebration kind of thing. You would like to produce up a list using the value of each and every program.

How significantly are you going to sell solutions like as particular shampoo and conditioner for to purchasers? Make up some value tags that displays the cost of each and every item of shampoo along with other products. You'll be very surprised at what merchandise consumers are interested in buying at hair salons.

Stephen Schafer-Kiteboard Shark bite victim

Stephen Schafer,38,a Kiteboard surfer,was found mortally wounded with bite wounds about 500 yards off Stuart Beach on Florida’s Atlantic coast. He had been attacked after being surrounded and repeatedly bitten by what may have been a group of juvenile great white sharks.

A lifeguard first saw the man in distress at about 4pm, and paddled out to him to aid him, and saw that he was still surrounded by a swarm of sharks that were repeatedly biting the victim.

The lifeguard scared the predators off with his paddle then paddled back to shore with the victim.Paramedics administered emergency care,but the surfer died later at the hospital,Martin Memorial North Medical Centre, from his wounds.

He had multiple bite wounds,including an 10-inch bite on his right thigh and teeth marks on his right and left buttocks.

Neil Hammerschlag,a University of Miami Professor who is an expert on sharks, reports in the Sun Sentinel…it’s too early to blame young great whites for a deadly attack…”Great whites are occasional visitors to our waters,” said Hammerschlag, who has studied the predatory habits of the killer sharks.

“But you can’t say it’s a great white unless someone saw the attack or examined the wound.”

(SOURCE-http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/fl-shark-attack-stuart-20100204,0,1233809.story)

A day after the fatal attack on Stephen Schafer,life guards in Palm Beach counted more than a hundred sharks and were considering whether to close the beaches.The beach is not that far away from where the kiteboarder was attacked, and killed.

It is extremely rare for sharks to go after humans. When sharks do bite humans, it’s generally because they mistake them for fish.

Schafer was Martin County’s first shark attack fatality since 1882. And there have been just 14 deaths in Florida waters due to sharks, authorities said.

Sources:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2010/02/04/2010-02-04_day_after_fatal_shark_swarm_attack_on_surfer_off_florida_coast_more_than_100_dor.html#ixzz0eag0efvg

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1248530/Kite-surfer-dies-mass-shark-attack-Florida.html

in the beautiful area of Riga at Strelnieku 3 there is this cozy place called Art cafe Sienna

Beautiful place with all kinds of tea flavors and coffee drinks. Also some cakes and loads of books, magazines and board games to spend your time in a cozy and cuddly way.

Interior is appealing as well. Soft furniture, tables of dark wood. And usually you wont meet a lot of locals there. Mostly tourists. Well, good thing is you can meet some interesting people, right?

I was getting some fruit flavored tea there and it cost me 1,20 Ls and i played few games, looked through some magazines and had a wonderful time looking out of the window at cold street, while drinking hot tea.

Also it is an art cafe which means they are organizing something from time to time, so be sure to follow ;>

What they write about themselves :

“Home of steaming hot coffee mugs, sweet smelling tea pots, fresh snacks and tempting pastries, handmade leather journals, unique and handmade photo albums, elegant sealing wax and other beautiful gifts.”

Phone:

26142286

Mon – Thurs:

9:00 am – 8:00 pm

Fri:

9:00 am – 10:00 pm

Sat:

11:00 am – 10:00 pm

Sun:

11:00 am – 8:00 pm

facebook / twitter

(from now on any pictures with our logo – are one’s taken by FILTERED team, others are found in the internet)

Ceramic water dispenser, in fact, apart from a good living facilities. It is not only trouble in life, but it enhances the glory of your kitchen, living space, or if it is inserted. Now it is used in the workplace, educational institutions and families. If you have someone else's clean water and containers of equal know, you choose a gift for him / her, then it would be the best gift of choice, in order to please the other side.

字母aCeramic water dispenser is also the best use for domestic use. They are suitable for 3 to 5 liters of water in accordance with its size and implementation capacity. This will be great, if you are a fountain for your new purchase fashion buying, because it is a nice addition to your room's attractiveness. If you think it would be ceramic water dispensers, waste of money cost, you can from your kitchen hot water tap, and access. You can go to this idea is wrong. Imagine, you go toTo be invited to a glass of water from the kitchen tap, but you have to eat people.

What is your impression will be invited to the special guests of your home? In order to correct and wise, rather than cold water dispenser in the living room, one can simply take some water to drink to win. Thus, rather than spending the money on mineral water, you should buy a friendly drinking fountains. This will prevent the use of tap water may not be clean and your related health hazardsAnd suitable for drinking. Porcelain water dispenser is not required. It can also be used as a decoration, such as in different styles and shapes to choose from.

The Mexican town of El Alberto lies 800 miles south of the US border in the state of Hidalgo.

Its pretty much like any other town of 3,000 people, except in El Alberto they offer tourists the chance to participate in a simulated illegal border crossing.

Source:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/illegal-border-crossing-park

Kedarnath is known as the holy town of Northern India. The small town is located in Uttarakhand, India. The small town is located in the Himalayas and it is about 3584m above from the sea level near the head of river Mandakini.

Kedarnath is known for one of the most famous holiest Hindu temples – the Kedarnath temple. It is one of the most popular destinations for Hindu pilgrimages from all over the world.

Kedarnath is one among the four major cites in India’s Char Dham pilgrimage. The city name is based in honor of King Kedar who ruled in the Satya Yuga. The city, Kedarnath and its temple exists on the earth from the era of Mahabharata.

Main Attractions of Kedarnath:

Kedarnath Temple:

The most beautiful temple, Kedarnath Temple had been built by Adi Guru Shankaracharya in 8th century. It is assumed that the temple is older than 1000 years.

Shankaracharya Samadhi:

Shankaracharya Samadhi is behind the Kedarnath Temple. It is known as resting place of Adi Guru Shankaracharya. It is assumed that after establishing the four Dhams in India, Shankaracharya went for his Samadhi.

Vasuki Tal:

The most beautiful and picturesque lake is 6 km away from Kedarnath Temple. It is 4,135 meter above from sea level.

Gaurikund:

Gaurikund is also the nearest location of Kedarnath Temple. It is 14 km away from the Kedarnath Temple. The temple is dedicated to the Gauri.

Kedarnath is as historical place as religious. There are many myths about the place. It is known as the oldest holy place of India. Kedarnath is the beautiful location for travelers and tourists to know the history, myth, natural beauty and Hindu religion of India.

From my point of view, Kedarnath gives a picturesque look of natural beauty as well as historical evidence. Overall, Kedarnath is the holy town of northern India.

The Mexican town of El Alberto lies 800 miles south of the US border in the state of Hidalgo.

Its pretty much like any other town of 3,000 people, except in El Alberto they offer tourists the chance to participate in a simulated illegal border crossing.

Source:
http://www.vbs.tv/watch/the-vice-guide-to-travel/illegal-border-crossing-park

Alappuzha, the Venice of the East welcomes you to the backwaters of kerala. The Palm fringed canals and shores bustling with glimpses from the day to day life in the country side, the mirror still lagoons, picture book lakesides and its long sandy beach has blessed Alappuzha, the water locked district, to become one of the best Backwater tourism destinations in God’s Own Country.

Alleppey Backwaters
With the Arabian sea on the west and a vast network of lakes, lagoons and fresh water rivers crisscrossing it, Alappuzha is a district of immense natural beauty.Referred to as the Venice of the East by travelers from across the world, this backwater country is also home ot diverse animal and bird life. By virtue of its proximity to the sea, the town has always enjoyed a unique place in the maritime history of Kerala.Today, Alappauzha has grown in importance as a backwater tourist centre, attracting several thousands of foreign tourists each year. Alappuzha is also famous for its boat races, houseboat holidays, beaches, marine products and coir industry. A singular characteristic of this land is the region called Kuttanad.

History of Allepy: Before the Dutch took over this place, the Portuguese were the predominant rulers of this place. Later Maharaja Marthandavarma came into power and he gave ample importance to the developmental works of the place. Slowly it became a very busy commercial place attracting merchants from all over.

This resulted in the establishment of a number of coir factories producing coir-related goods of quality. The first coir factory was developed by an English sea captain and soon others followed suit. The first Anglican Church was built in 1816 by the Christian missionaries whose headquarter was in Alleppey.

Major tourist attractions in Allepy: The most important tourist vacation packages attraction in Alleppey is the leisurely boatcruise through the stretch of backwaters fringed by coconut palms. Alleppey, one of the exotic sites of backwater tourism in the state of Kerala is better known as the “Venice of the East” for its labyrinth of lakes, lagoons and freshwater rivers crisscrossing it. This tiny town in Kerala attracts tourists especially during the time of the annual boat race.

For tourists Alleppey is the pivotal point for boat cruises into Kerala’s famed backwaters and the state’s lush rice bowl, Kuttanad. The boat cruise along the backwaters of Alleppey give one a first hand experience of the simple life style of the people which is a far cry form the bustle and ratrace of people in the cities in India.

One of the most popular cruise routes are from Alleppey south to Kollam (Quilon) for about 8 hours including stops for lunch, chai (tea), a temple visit and a kathakali (dance drama) apart from enjoying the most entrancing scenery of palm-lined banks, quiet water-bound villages, Chinese fishing nets, prawn farming and coir manufacture.

There are several places and tour packages of tourist interest in and around Alleppey.

Punnamada Kayal, the must-visit place of Alleppey where the annual Nehru Trophy boat race takes place. During the month of August-September, the backwaters become crowded with thousands of spectators and a large number of competitors who come to participate in the famous Nehru Trophy boat race.

Krishnapuram Temple, the two-storied building of Alleppey, displays the typical Keralan style of architecture. The largest mural painting, Gajendra Miksham, is displayed in a museum here.

Ambalapuzha Temple, where Lord Krishna is worshipped, is also an important place to visit in Alleppey. Here one can see the typical temple architecture and culture of Kerala along with the chance to taste the Keralan delicacy, payasam, which is served to the visitors in Alleppey during the festival times of March/April.

St. Andrew’s Church, established by the Portuguese missionaries in Alleppey, celebrates the feast of St. Sebastian in a fun-filled, festive way.

Situated in the heart of Alleppey, Mullackal Temple, dedicated to goddess Rajarajeswari, is also a place worth visiting.

Surrounded by thick-green forests, Mannarasala Sree Nagaraja Temple of Alleppey is a holy place where the king of serpents is worshiped. Number of devotees from all over India and abroad visit this place every year.

The Chettikulangara Bhagavathy Temple of Alleppey is believed to have miraculous powers and hence visited by number of pilgrims every year.

Kottamkulangara Mahavishnu Temple and Devi Temple are the oldest temples of Alleppey and are sites worth visiting, especially during the time of festivals.

Hotels in Allepy:
Allepy Prince Hotel: At Prince Hotel, you will experience the royal grandeur and resplendence of the regal life-style of ancient Indian princes and princesses. Each and every room is crafted in luxurious manner and are rich with their elegant interiors. Their unique designs and relaxed ambience create the ideal atmosphere for you to enjoy holiday…….

Kayaloram Lake Resort: Amid this scenic setting lies Kayaloram (meaning lake side), the exclusive lake resort. Kayaloram is a harmonious blend of the ambience of rustic Alleppey and the amenities of a modern resort. Situated on an exclusive stretch of prime water front, fringed by coconut palms and caressed by a gentle breeze.

Marari Beach Resort:Mararikulam is a sleepy fishing village located between the port city of Cochin and Alleppey. And here, amidst the coconut groves is the Marari Resort. Like the other resorts in this hotel chain viz Spice Village, Coconut Lagoon etc, Marari Beach Resort is also constructed with a strong ethnic flavour……

Shopping in Alleppey
Among the locally available products of Alleppey are the coir products and carpets. The fine quality, variety and reasonable price tag make these products stay high in the demand list of tourists. Besides Alleppey is also famous for its pepper, coconut oil, areca nut, cardamom, sugar, etc. There are several markets are available in Alleppey.

‘GO ALL THE WAY’ to New Zealand is what my fellow countrymen are being told by a new 100% Pure New Zealand advertising campaign for backpackers.

The campaign was launched in September last year; the website is online since January and paid online advertising had begun in Germany, the UK, Netherlands, Sweden and Denmark.

100% PURE NEW ZEALAND: go all the way

Go all the way is an unmistakable message to young people from the other side of the world: no gap year is complete as long as you haven’t paid a visit to New Zealand.

According to Tourism New Zealand, during 2008/09 visitors from Germany were amongst the most satisfied of all international visitors to NZ. (Which is quite surprising for me, to be honest, because Germans generally tend to complain as they are rather hard to please - so in effect, this is good news: the Kiwis must have done a pretty good job here!)  

There was a 4%-increase in visitor numbers from Germany: almost 64,000 German visitors came to New Zealand in 2009, with 70% of them being holiday visitors.

The median length of stay was 22 days with an average expenditure of almost NZ$ 5,000 per visit.

The Go all the way-campaign targets mainly young people in order to increase the number of backpackers travelling to New Zealand.

The International Visitor Survey defines backpackers as travellers who spend more than 30% of their stay in backpacker accomodation and hostels.

BACKPACKER: with a backpack (pic: houseofdoom.wordpress.com)

A number of about 183,000 backpackers came to New Zealand in the year up to September 2009. This is an increase of 6% within one year.

In late 2009, Tourism New Zealand gave out 50 video cameras to travellers, who shot video footage of their experiences while travelling around the country.

Some of the videos can already be viewed on the Go all the way-website and are especially aimed at people who are still in the process of planning their trip (or haven’t even made the decision whether to go to NZ or not, yet).

Go all the way is also being actively supported by NZBackpack.com to “help coordinate industry involvement in the campaign”.

- get more information on Go all the way here and here

- see more stats here

- get an overview over the European tourism market here

- follow Tourism New Zealand on Twitter

Every summer, for as long as I can remember, my family would pile up in our gray Chevy Astro Van with GrandMerle and Ottie to begin our 18 hour drive to Kiawah Island, SC. Most drives were straight through the night [Thanks, Dad!] but I never remember them being stressful. Perhaps this was due to my naivety at a young age or perhaps my family really was a perfectly happy traveling family [the latter would be proven incorrect circa 1999], either way my memories are fond of that entire trip.

I remember my family’s stops to Shoney’s, Casey Jones Village, and Cracker Barrel along the way. [Remember that line in Father of the Bride: II, "that'll be economical: one child, two seniors, thanks"? For us it was 2 children, 2 adults, and 2 seniors. At Shoney's? That was a STEAL!] I remember being somewhere between Arkansas and Georgia popping an occasional VHS tape into our van’s TV [yeah, we were soo high-tech], eating our weight in Peanut Butter Logs [courtesy of Ottie], playing Skip-Bo, Old Maid, or Go Fish! while driving down the road, or singing along to oldies [since that's all my dad ever played on the radio]. And who could forget those overnight drives when my sister and I thought it was so cool that our backseat folded into a bed?!

Then came the invention of the Walkman and my purchase of Lisa Loeb’s Tails cassette tape, coupled with my discovery of The Boxcar Children, and my sister’s discovery of the Thoroughbred series and these trips were forever transformed. I’m sure my parents and grandparents were very happy about this newfound distraction on the long drive to SC, because my sister and I both became occupied with our respective traveling libraries.

Nevertheless, all of my memories of family road trips are like this [except for the one involving an RV, but we'll get there soon enough] and while I’m sure getting there was the biggest relief for the adults on the trip, some of my fondest memories lie in that old gray van. Whether it was sitting behind my dad listening to Lisa Loeb and reading the Boxcar Children or putting my head through the hole of a plywood painting of Casey Jones, it was getting there that was half the fun.