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Photo Credit: www.brucemhood.files.wordpress.com
Are you fascinated by UFOs? If you are, you might find you’ll have a very interesting trip if you decide to check out Roswell, NM, where most of the modern fascination with UFOs began.
By now, everyone knows the story of Roswell, the story of Roswell, when back in July of 1947, something crashed in the fields of a ranch. The military first stated that it was a “crashed flying disc,” then quickly changed their story to a weather balloon. By that time, it was too late; everyone in the country had the first story, and a legend was born.
Based on the legend, of course your first stop has to be the International UFO Museum and Research Center. Here you can read stories about UFO encounters from all around the world. You can see pictures of UFOs, as well as some of the most prominent people in the UFO world. You can have your picture taken with backdrops that make it seem like you’re being captured by an alien spacecraft. And they host the annual UFO Festival, where celebrities who have been in science fiction movies often appear. In 2009, for instance, Malcolm McDowell was this year’s special guest, and he gave a lecture every day of the festival.
If you need more aliens, there’s Alien Zone, which has the worlds largest collection of alien and UFO-related items. It contains what they call the Area 51 Museum, which is their own history of Area 51, the hidden military base that no one is supposed to know about.
Since the museum is open all year round, if you decide to visit in early October you will enjoy yourself at the Eastern New Mexico State Fair, which will have rides, animals, and food. There are also Native American exhibits and shows daily, two nights of rodeo, and a parade.
There’s one more museum that you might enjoy in Roswell, and that’s the Roswell Museum and Art Center. This is a fine arts museum with pieces from around the world, but contains a lot of pottery and paintings by New Mexico residents. It also contains the Robert H. Goddard Planetarium and the Patricia Lubben Bassett Art Education Center. One of their top exhibits features prints that include some of the top names in art, such as Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, and Hans Holbein.
If there’s a downfall to Roswell, it might be getting there. They have a very small airport, so you might not be able to fly in. Therefore, you’ll be left with three flying options, with each airport more than 3 hours away. Still, it would present an interesting adventure you might enjoy. And after you’ve looked around, you can buy your own flying saucer to take back home.
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Photo Credit: Google Earth - Click to Enlarge
A very nice place to visit that probably isn’t in the tip of the tongue for most Americans is Vancouver, located in the province of British Columbia. It’s one of the most beautiful and cleanest cities in the world, and has so many sites and things to see that it was also named as the home of the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Vancouver is literally surrounded by both water and mountains. It’s a relatively dry city by Canadian standards, although the temperature is reflective of a Northern city. It’s chilly in the winter time, although warmer than most Canadian climates, and very nice and warm weather in the summer. The mountains protect the city from extreme weather patterns.
One of its top tourist attractions is called Granville Island. It’s across the bridge from downtown Vancouver, and offers many events, shopping, and restaurants for its visitors. There’s a large public market that offers items at discounted prices, and it’s known for street performers in the early and late evenings.
There’s Science World, a large golf-ball shaped edifice known as one of the top science museums in the world for both children and adults alike. It has a 400 seat IMAX theater which is also one of the largest in the world. It has five permanent exhibits, as well as special events every once in awhile.
The Museum of Vancouver is one of Canada’s largest museums, and highlights much of the history of both Vancouver and Canada. It also offers many natural history exhibits from time to time, including many species of animals via taxidermy.
Right now everything begins and ends with BC Place Stadium, which will be home for the opening ceremonies of not only the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, but the 2010 Paralypic Winter Games as well. Nightly victory ceremonies and the closing ceremonies will also be held there. It holds around 55,000 people, and is also used not only for many musical concerts, but some of the top acts in the world like to rent it out as a rehearsal space before going on world tours.
We started out talking about the mountains and the water. The North Shore Mountains actually almost surround the city in every direction except north, and on a clear day one can see the peak of Mount Baker in Washington State. There’s a lot of skiing and hiking in these mountains, along with neighborhoods that are near the mountains. The water consists of the Burrard Inlet, the Strait of Georgia, and the Fraser River. It’s also a port town, as cruises come in and out from the port of Vancouver.
If you’re looking to stay in luxury, Vancouver has more luxury hotels per capita than any other city in Canada, and some of them have been awarded world class status. This is a glamorous city to visit, including area such as Robson Street and the Gastown District, known for both shopping and restaurants, that you won’t want to miss in your lifetime.
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Roger Williams Park - Providence, RI
Many people don’t think of Providence as a vacation spot, but historically, it’s as important a place to visit as many others. Not only that, but it has other things to do that some people who enjoy being on the water or just looking at it will enjoy.
Providence is one of the oldest cities in the United States, settled in 1636 by Roger Williams. Though it was never occupied by foreign troops during the Revolutionary War, it was a staging area for many colony incursions, and once was the gateway for French troops passing through on their way to fight the British at a different location. It also has had a historical presence as far as slavery, the Civil War, and the two World Wars. Most of the exhibits concerning these areas, including the John Brown House Museum, are managed by the Rhode Island Historical Society.
For everyone else, there are plenty of things to do and see. We can start with the Providence Children’s Museum, which has all sorts of science exhibits that kids can play with. There’s the Heritage Harbor Museum, one of 145 organizations that’s a part of the Smithsonian Institution Affiliations Program. There’s the Culinary Arts Museum, which highlights gastronomical experiences and experiments from all over the words. And then there’s the Rhode Island School of Design Museum, which has one of the largest art collections in the country, and is affiliated with one of the top art colleges in the nation with the same name. And let’s not forget the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium.
There are other things to do in Providence as well. Something really interesting is the Ghost Tour, where they run you through areas that are considered as being haunted while telling you many ghost stories. There’s Roger Williams Park and Botanical Center, which has over 12,000 square feet of indoor gardens displayed. If you’ve never seen a Russian submarine, there’s a decommissioned one near the city’s southern waterfront. Providence also is home to the fourth oldest library in the country that’s still in use, the Providence Athenaeum. One last thing to see if Westminster Arcade, the oldest enclosed shopping mall in the U.S., built in 1828; the stores are new.
Providence is also home to three rivers: Providence River, which runs into Narragansett Bay; the Moshassuck River; and the Woonasquatucket River; notice the native American names? In its past, Providence was a major port city, and it still does a lot of trade through the city.
There are also beaches in the Providence area, though located in Warwick, a few minutes away. There’s Conimicut Point Beach, which also has fishing and boating, and is a saltwater beach; Gorton Pond, a public freshwater beach; and Oakland Beach, which is an inlet beach. And if you want something a little more involved, there’s Buttonwoods Beach and City Park, which also has fields set up for baseball, softball, and other outdoor sports.
Providence is also basically a hop, skip and jump from locations in Massachusetts and Connecticut, so pretty much anything you’d want is within the area. Providence would be a nice vacation spot for you and your family.
Hotels in Providence, RI
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Downtown Ciudad Juarez, Mexico: The Cathedral
If you’re looking for a Mexican vacation spot where getting across the border is relatively easy, and, for your own comfort level, you’re unsure as to whether you really want to stay in Mexico or not, Ciudad Juárez just might be a place for you to visit. Right on the border of Mexico and Texas, it’s the sister city of El Paso, and actually was combined with El Paso until 1848 and the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Why might you worry about staying in Ciudad Juárez? Right now, portions of the city are violent, as there have been border skirmishes between authorities and drug dealers. Last year there were over 1,600 deaths in the area. However, when you consider that this is a city of more than 1.5 million people, and know that around 60,000 people cross the border between the two cities each day, you gain a lot of comfort in knowing that the odds are in your favor that you’ll be safe. However, if you want to feel more secure, you can easily stay in El Paso and cross the border at will.
And what would you do in either city? Let’s start with Ciudad Juárez. There’s the Natural Museum of Anthropology, considered one of the best natural history museums in the world. It has over 23 exhibit halls, so you’ll have plenty to see. There’s Chapultepec Park, an amusement park that has lots of activities for both adults and children. There’s Mision de Guadalupe, one of the oldest buildings in the city that’s still in use, having been built in the 17th century. And if you care anything about Russian history, there’s the home of Leon Trotsky, who was exiled from Russia and lived the last three years of his life in Ciudad Juárez, having his home turned into a museum.
If you want to check out sites in El Paso, you can visit the Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, which focuses on the geologic and cultural history of the area. You can stop by the Gene Roddenberry Planetarium, named for the creator of Star Trek. And there’s the El Paso Zoo, which has more than 1,700 animals, including some endangered species you won’t see anywhere else.
And just how close are these two cities? If you don’t want to drive, you can walk across the bridge that connects the two cities, which also spans the Rio Grande River and offers a spectacular site. Though it’s easy to cross the border, don’t forget your passport.
Hotels in El Paso, Texas
Hotels in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico
See Also:
Ciudad Juarez – Wikipedia.org
El Paso, Texas – www.elpasotexas.gov
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Beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Do you like it hot and humid? If so, then you’ll want to head to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, one of the most favored spring break destinations in the country. Sure, there are plenty of other things to do, but it all starts with the heat and humidity.
Let’s get this out of the way – there are miles of beaches around Fort Lauderdale, right on the Atlantic Ocean. Getting sun isn’t going to be one of your issues while there, although, when it rains, you’re going to find that it feels like someone is pouring a pitcher of water on you. If you’re not used to heavy rain, it makes you think you’re experiencing a hurricane every time. However, residents are used to the rain, and continue doing things such as jogging and swimming in it unless it’s also thundering and lightning. There are also numerous hotels and motels to stay at, of all price ranges, so you’ll never have to worry about not finding a room in a Fort Lauderdale hotel.
But there are other things to do while in Fort Lauderdale. There’s the Museum of Discovery and Science with its Autonation 3D IMAX Theater, which has over 200 exhibits, including some live animal exhibits. It’s over 11,000 square feet of presentations, and is the largest IMAX theater in South Florida.
There’s the African-American Research Library and Cultural Center, which has over 85,000 books and a 300 seat theater for presentations related to African-American history. There’s world class entertainment consistently in the area performing at either the Broward Center for the Performing Arts or the Florida Grand Opera. And there’s the Museum of Art on the campus of Nova Southeastern University, which offers many avant garde modern pieces. Other attractions are the Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, the Gold Coast Jazz Society, and the well known Cinema Paradiso, home of the annual Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.
There’s also a thriving night life in Fort Lauderdale. There are plenty of evening activities held at the Hollywood Beach Theater, and at least ten casinos in the area, including the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood. There are many upscale restaurants in the area too and Fort Lauderdale is also known for its emphasis on multi-cultural events throughout the year. If you want to catch a Dolphins or Marlins game, you’re only about 35 minutes away from Miami.
Fort Lauderdale has a lot to offer, but it’s probably best if you go during the winter months, as heat and humidity can literally make it hard to breathe in the summer months if you’re not used to it.
Popular Hotels in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Trump International Beach Resort – from $179/night
Holiday Inn Express Hotel and Suites Air Sea Port - from $87.99/night
Extended Stay America – from $54.99/night
*Hotel room pricing and availability subject to change at anytime without notice
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Sydney - Photo Credit: Mongabay.com
If you consider travel to be one of the highest forms of self indulgence, then Sydney, Australia should be at the top of your dream destinations.
Draped around a truly stunning harbor and strewn out along gorgeous ocean beaches, Sydney boasts a near-perfect climate that nurtures its famous laid-back outdoor lifestyle.
On the first morning when you land in Australia, unable to sleep from either jet lag or excitement, there is one obvious starting point; the landscape.
Stroll around the original settler’s enclave where red stone ware-houses built by convicts have been converted into chic restaurants, old wooden-floored pubs and terrace houses huddled beneath the noisy Harbor Bridge. Flights of steps carved into the rock face carry you from one street to another, you are immersed in a brief history of Australia’s colonial beginnings.
The cafes on Argyle Street provide the perfect refuge for tired tourists. Sydney’s emblematic architectural wonder, designed by Danish architect John Utzon is the city’s tourist magnet.
Still, nothing represents Sydney better than Dondi, the iconic beach one mile east of the downtown area. Bondi’s fame comes from its 102-year old Bondi Surf Bather’s Live Saving Club. It is the ideal lunch spot and vantage point for capturing photographs from the cliff-side club house on the headland.
Opera House in Sydney - Photo Credit: www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk
The Opera House dominates the harbor with its sharp, white roof-line, and is the backdrop of every visitor’s memory.
Hotels in Sydney, Australia
The best-and most expensive hotels are around the Circular Quay ferry terminal and have views of harbor bridge and Sydney Opera House. Other options include the Four Seasons, Inter-Continental, Harbor Marriot, Park Hyatt and the Shangri-La. Book a hotel in Australia from $40 a night on www.DiscountHotels.comSee Also:
Information about Sydney – www.sydneyaustralia.com/en
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Volcan Osorno
Most know very little about the long, skinny South American country in the shape of a backwards “J”. The country where wine is produced, the country with alpacas in the north, penguins in the south and 2,600 miles of deserts, forests, beaches and mountains.
Chile has one of South America’s most stable democracies, safe streets, and a reputation in the world as one of the least corrupt nations. This is quite remarkable considering Chile’s past of dictators and coups.
Chile’s tourist infrastructure is excellent, particularly on the coast and in the central valley where around 80 percent of the population lives. Yet, most tourists that have visited Argentina, Brazil, and Peru usually miss Chile; where there is such a range of available attractions and vast distances that there seems no way to see it all in one trip.
Often, the best a traveler can hope for is to choose two contrasting areas and hope to get some kind of feel for the country.
Santiago, Chile
Santiago
The capital and largest city in Chile; Santiago is a city of 6 million with skyscrapers that loom over its citizens. From the city you can view the snow capped peaks of the Andes behind a veil of haze off in the distance. Santiago has a proud European atmosphere and an exceptional metro system. Santiago is possessed by an orderly lifestyle without the wild eccentricities of other South American capitals.
Valparaiso
60 miles west of Santiago, Valparaiso is Chile’s second largest city. Houses in this city are a jumble of assorted colors – bright blue, yellow, pink – and their roofing is composed of shipping container metal painted with nautical paint. These houses are perched on the hillsides of the port city on the pacific founded by the Spanish in 1536. Just to the north of Valparaiso is the beach town of Vina Del Mar, where the wealthier Chileans go to vacation. If you’re in the mood for some white wine, you can stop in Casablanca Valley on the trip between Santiago and Valparaiso.
Arica and North
Mummified Cinchorro Mummy in Arica
Arica and Chile’s far north is the home of the salt lakes, flamingos, llamas, alpacas, 15,000 foot mountains and the oldest mummies in the world. Just outside Arica in the Azapa Valley is a museum that contains the three 8,000-year-old Cinchorro Mummies. Arica is also home to a church designed by Gustav Eiffel, the designer of the Eiffel Tower. He had all the parts for the church made of iron that he shipped in pieces to Arica and constructed in 1876.
Book a discount hotel in Chile on www.DiscountHotels.com
Photo Credits:
Santiago night shot – www.visit-chile.org
Volcan Osorno – www.visit-chile.org
Cinchorro Mummy – www.goddesschess.blogspot.com
See Also:
Chilean Government – www.ChileanGovernment.cl
Chile Fact Book – www.CIA.gov